Wise Words From Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the end, it is between you and HIM not you and them.

Thank You Former President Reagan!

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down. We have lived through many great leaders in the world, and Reagan was one of them!

Happy Fourth of July!

French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"

Marriage Vows

Several weeks ago in our Sunday church service the theme during worship was the bride of Christ, going beyond the veil and marriage. The following passage of scripture reminds me of marriage vows ("in sickness, in health...") but vows as being ministers of God:

2 Corinthians 6:4-10
"But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known, as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

Do The Next Thing

"Many a questioning, many a fear,

Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.  

Moment my moment, let down from Heaven, Time, opportunity, guidance, are given. 

Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King, Trust them with Jesus, 

'DO THE NEXT THING.' Do it immediately; do it with prayer;  

Do it reliantly, casting all care; 

Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand Who placed it before thee with earnest command. 

Stayed on Omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing, Leave all resultings, 'DO THE NEXT THING.'"  

--author unknown

The Pearl Oyster

From Spurgeon's sermon, "Love's Labors"

I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all

imitate "the pearl oyster"--

A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell,

and this vexes and grieves it.

It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but 'cover' it

with a precious substance extracted out of its own life,

by which it turns the intruder into a pearl!

Oh, that we could do so with the provocations

we receive from our fellow Christians,

so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness

might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have

harmed us.

Bible Study Teachimony - The Scent of a Christian

I wrote this several years ago, but have often thought back to it, and decided to post it for ya'll:

1) The Scent of a Christian to God

Jeremiah 48:11 - “Moab has been at ease since his youth; he has also been undisturbed, like wine on its dregs, and he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile. Therefore he retains his flavor, and his aroma has not been changed.”

Wine-making process:

1) Set the grape juice in a vessel

2) Lees settle on the bottom

3) Carefully pour of the top into another vessel

4) If left to settle on lees, batch ruined, scent is unpleasant.

From wine-making website:

It is perfectly okay to leave the wine on the lees for 3 months. Beyond that and the wine enters a danger zone caused by dead yeast cells breaking down - rotting. While this can cause off-flavors and odors if allowed to go on for too long, the bigger danger is the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like rotten eggs and can be the death of the wine. But if the lees are stirred every week or so, neither the off-flavors nor hydrogen sulfide gas form.

Application for Today: 

Yeast in the Old Testament is refered to as “leaven” which was used as a type of sin. Let God stir the wine of your life and it will prevent the gas forming which smells like rotten eggs. Hell is described as a place of fire and brimstone. Brimstone is sulfur which smells like rotting eggs. If sin is left undisturbed in your life you will develop the scent of Hell and death to God! Let God stir you, for He is the Master Wine-maker and knows the correct time to let the lees settle, how long before putting the wine in new skins (type: entering a new season/time spiritually) and when the wine is in the danger zone. Don’t become a stench to God!

2) The Scent of a Christian to the World

2 Corinthians 2:14 -17 - “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

Application for Today:

 The word “triumph” to the audience of the church in Corinth meant something pretty different than to a modern day American. Roman Triumphs were civil ceremonies and religious rites of the ancient community, held to honor the military commander of a notably successful foreign war and to display the glories of Roman victory.

Jesus is being honored with a triumph through the town, and we, as his troops get to join in! An interesting fact about the victor who was being led through the town on a chariot, he had a servant in the chariot with him who had a very important job - the whole length of the “parade” he had to whisper in his ear “You are just a man” to remind him not to get too puffed up with all the attention. In the same way, the church serves as a group of people who can also remind us to not get caught up in pride. The smell of a triumph was sweet - rose pedals were thrown in front of the parade from the onlookers (by the way, they shut down all businesses and government offices for the special day!) which all the people and horses in the procession would step on - what a sweet smell! Incense was also carried in the procession as this was a religious rite to eventually honor on the Roman gods. The incense and rose scent rose up to make the Triumph complete. The scent of Christians should permeate the city you’re in. Watch how you act and make sure you’re filled with the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galations. We are the fragrance of Christ both to God and to the city (Christians and non-Christians). To Christians we are the scent of life, and to non-Christians we are the scent of death. In the Roman Triumph the victor would have his spoils of war with him - including prisoners of war who would be hanged at the end of the parade. To the prisoners on the way to their death in moments, the smell of roses and incense was the smell of death. We are a constant reminder as Christians to the unsaved that at the end of the age they will enter Hell (death and eternal separation from God). Some non-Christians will be attracted to the scent while others find it unpleasant. In those cases you need to work extra hard  - don’t get discouraged or offended - it’s your scent as a Christian.

God put in humans the the Five Senses. Of all of them, the most powerful (as told to us by science) is scent as our brain remembers it the most. 

The Secret to Better-tasting Food

Mitch Hedberg: I like buying snacks from a vending machine because food is better when it falls. Sometimes at the grocery, I’ll drop a candy bar so that it will achieve its maximum flavor potential.

Meekness

A few weeks ago, in our Bible study series on "Possessing Your Soul" we looked at meekness as a fruit of the Spirit. That particular week was written by Tim Eymann, Bible-study-writer-guy extraordinnare.

I had come across some quotes on meekness which we shared with our group, and wanted to post them here for anyone else interested.

D.L. Moody: "A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfit faith, he can counterfit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility."

Anonymous: "We'd like to be humble...but what if no one notices?"

George Muller (when asked the secret of his service): "There was a day when I died, utterly died," and as he spoke, he bent lower and lower until he almost touched the floor - "died to George Muller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will - died to the world, its approval or censure - died to the approval or blame even of my brethern and friends - and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God."

Mrs. Otter: I think George Muller has a big mansion in Heaven!

Thoughts on Divine Guidance by Oswald Chambers

Here's some food for thought:

"We say - God intends me to be here because I am so useful. Jesus never estimated His life along the lines of the greatest use. God puts His saints where they will glorify Him, and we are no judges at all of where that is." (Oswald Chambers)

Carrying on that same train of thought - could you say that if you are in a place where you do not feel useful then you better start focusing on how to glorify God where you are!?

John 15:7-8 says, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

Gretchen - is that you?!

Instructions On Singing by John Wesley

(I.love.these! - Mrs. Otter)

That this part of divine worship may be more acceptable to God, as well as more profitable to yourself and others, be careful to observe the following directions:

1. SING ALL

See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find a blessing.

2. SING LUSTILY AND WITH A GOOD COURAGE

Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.

3. SING MODESTLY

Do not bawl, so as to be heard above, or distinct from, the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

4. SING IN TIME

Whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it. Do not run before, nor stay behind it; but attend closely to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can. And take care you sing not too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from among us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

5. ABOVE ALL, SING SPIRITUALLY

Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to this, attend strictly to the sense of what you sing; and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve of here, and reward when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

Four Common Fears

According to existentialism philosophy, there are four common fears:

1. Fear of Death
2. Fear of Meaninglessness
3. Fear of Alienation
4. Fear of Powerlessness

PJon's thesis on the fear of death (February 3, 2008) in the light of the Kingdom of God: If we do not want to fear death, God's answer is for us to experience it now.

Colossians 3:3 says we are dead and our life is hidden with Christ!

Becoming Different

Some posts will look back at "historical" sermons. Today I want to look back to April 29th of last year. Pastor Jon spoke on "Becoming Different" and our path to becoming more like Christ.

Here are the steps:

1. Become proactive. Or buy some Pro-active. Both will help you.

2. Being with the end in mind. Choose a direction based on your vision.

3. Learn the importance of putting first things first.

I want to focus on the last point - how to set your priorities. We should be pursuing a cause we want to advance! Don't let the pressures of your life structure your days. Those days become weeks, months and years! Don't prioritize the things on your schedule - SCHEDULE YOUR PRIORITIES! So simple, but effective!

I've been doing this lately. Each night we lay in bed and write out a list, in order, of our tasks for the next day. First on the list each day (and first priority upon waking) is...prayer! And then after work the non-important stuff like laundry and dishes and we schedule in some fun stuff too - like writing blogs and music and reading. Not writing reading, though. That would be craziness.

Jubilee's Peanut Gallery

I love the fact that Jubilee has a peanut gallery. Mainly consisting of those with the last name of "Eymann" hehe.

And that is why my sermon notes from this past Sunday include turtles.

On Sunday, Pastor Jon (now and forever known as PJon in my otterblog) spoke on passion in our spiritual walk. It was a timely word that was amazingly practical as well.

Here's how to tell what you are passionate about: What are you looking forward to?

It's a simple question, but think about it. At the end of the day, when you have finished your "to- do list" and have time to do whatever, what are you looking forward to doing? The world is your playstation. (Wait, is that the phrase?!) Are you looking forward to watching television? (Entertainment) Are you looking forward to sleeping? (Laziness) Or are you looking forward to growing in God? Reading your Bible? Seeking God's presence even as you fall asleep?

Jubilee was encouraged to go on an entertainment fast. No radio, tv, computer (minus work stuff) for whatever period you feel lead to do. A call to silencing the world around us to more clearly hear the Voice that created the world. A call to feel the Breath that brought life to Adam. A call to let the Consuming Fire do its work in us.

As Keith Green wrote, "Replace the lamp of my first love."

Let your light not be under a bushel, under the sheets or in front of the television this week!