Birds in the Church Building

Yesterday there was a bird flying around in the church building. It was just a common ordinary sparrow, but it reminds me of many other birds that I’ve seen in our building. Most of them come flying through during worship. Here are a few I’ve seen lately.

Punctual Late Landers

Capistrano has nothing on this type swallow that always or invariably lands in the services about 8-10 minutes late. It is uncanny how they can do it consistently and not be a second off! Mother Nature has perhaps provided them with a timing system that defies man’s description. It is too bad that it cannot be set up about 15 minutes so they could arrive on time. But alas! Nothing can be done; it seems, to hurry them up.

Scarlet Throated Blabber Beaks

A bird found in almost any church building during services. He roosts any place and is unconcerned about the rights and desires of others. His head swings to the right or left but seldom toward the front. His throat has the identifiable scarlet color from much chatter, and you will notice the smallness of his ears for he seldom listens.

Flocking Scribble Scratchers

When the sermon is of a serious nature, these strange fowls begin to scribble and scratch with pencil and pad writing notes hurriedly to each other in order to distract those nearest. They seldom speak though’ they are animated and make funny faces. They are known by the groups in which they congregate. It can be told where they have nested after services are completed because the janitor has to remove the trash from the general area. Color them purple with rage.

Roaming-Eyed Rifflers

This strange visitor to places of worship is not content with that which is transpiring but compulsively allows his eyes to roam about. Some varieties count bricks on the wall, cracks in the plaster, and panes in the windows or holes in the ceiling tile. Another variety (for which the group finds its distinctive name) is the riffler of song books. This type also has a deep interest in some dusty book of the Old Testament. A strange breed the Roaming-Eyed Riffler.

Chirping Beep Tweeters

This is a relatively new variety of fowl. They are almost unrecognizable but for the faint sounds that come from where they nest. The interesting thing is that most have distinctively different sounds: Some beep, some chirp, some buzz while others are completely silent. They are distinctive however in that though they sit perfectly still while their eyes are constantly moving up and down, but rarely forward with the tips of their wings moving at a rapid pace. Occasionally one will turn and interact with a Scarlet Throated Blabber Beak.

When you enter into worship with God, where are you really? Are you there communing with Him or are you flying around here and there like so many of these birds?

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Oh! By the way there is one other bird in worship with which I have no qualms.

Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

If you must be a bird in worship, be an Eagle!

Memories of Yesteryear

I'm a nostalgic person. Kathy and I both like to go to flea markets, garage sales and antique stores searching for treasures from the past. Sometimes they'll be things I can sell on EBay but mostly it's stuff we like from the "old days". Most cost a buck or two, some less, some a little more. I don't live in the past but I like the memories that things can bring. So here's a little test of a few things for those moving on in years. See if they bring back thoughts from years ago...

1. Use _____ the foaming cleanser. Gets out stains even bleach can't reach.

2. You'll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with _________.

3. Let _________ put you in the driver's seat.

4. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is. _____________  ____________.

5. See the USA from your _______________.

6. Oh, I wish I were an ________ _________ __________.

7. I'd walk a mile for a ____________.

8. ____________, a little dab a do ya...

9. Cigars, Cigarettes, ______________.

10. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________ makes the very best......cho....colate.

11. The best of waking up is _____________ in your cup.

12. A Guy -- Who Drives -- His Car -- Wide Open -- Is not thinkin' -- he's just hopin' -- ______ ______

13. I want my __________.

14. _______ soap, the soap that floats.

15. Does she or doesn't she? _____________

16. You can trust your car to the man who wears the star. The big bright ____________ star.

17. The breakfast of champions.  __________

18. I love _______ it's rich and choclaty

19 All the kids in the neighborhood say __________ ______ ______ are triple good

20. Mother's love it. Kid's ask for it by name. _______________

Things change. Every generation looks back at those things that remind them of their youth. We go to class reunions to see old friends who we may or may not recognize in a crowd as we once would. We watch old movies with people of different clothing styles and hairdos, we listen to old songs with words that only our generation relates to and visit places from our past that are overgrown with what were once small plants and in need of repair. Life goes on.

The one constant that every generation shares however is Jesus Christ. Worship styles may change. Buildings look more modern. Communication methods are different. It's not the same place our parents drug us to when we were little.

But inside with the unseen it is different. "Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and 

Forever." With this we have no need to look back, only forward.

1. Ajax 2. Pepsodent 3. Hertz 4. Alka-Seltzer 5. Chevrolet 6. Oscar Meyer Weiner 7. Camel 8. Brylcream 9. Tiparillos 10. N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles 11. Folger's 12. Burma Shave 13. Mapo 14. Ivory 15. Clairol 16. Texaco 17. Wheaties 18. Bosco 19. Tootsie Roll Pops 20. Ovaltine

He's Dead Now: The Man Who Hated Christians

He’s dead now: the man who hated Christians. He’s dead now: the man who sought to destroy the church and all for which it stands. He’s dead now: the man who threatened innocent men and women throughout the world. He’s dead now: the man whose followers obeyed his every command, murdering those whom they were directed to kill. He’s dead now: the man who didn’t care if he killed men or women. He’s dead now: the man who watched while thousands of men, women and children were brutally killed. He’s dead now: the leader who let everyone else perform his dirty work. He’s dead now: the man that many attempted to kill but he always eluded them. Yes, he’s dead now.

Oh, you’ll see him again: on the day we all stand before God to face our fate for eternity. And on that day I have no doubt that God will look at this man, the murderer, the Christian killer, the man who the world feared and say, “Come in my good and faithful servant”. And with wonderment we’ll step aside and watch as Saul of Tarsus, better known as Paul moves forward to stand side by side with those he at one time stood by and watched being murdered.

I did not hate Osama Bin Laden. I hated what he stood for and what he did. I believe he deserved to be punished for the atrocities and crimes he committed. I’m glad he’s not around to continue his leadership of an extremist group bent on destroying innocent people. He was an evil man with evil motives. The world is better off without his influence.

But you know what. Angels would have been rejoicing in heaven if he had turned as Paul did and changed his life. Can you imagine the impact on the world if the one who was the persecutor of Christianity had become the protector of Christianity?

It’s happened before. A man named Jake Deshazer was a prisoner of war in Japan and hated the Japanese, until one day he read the Word of God and decided that after the war he’d go back to Japan and teach them about Christ. It happened before. A man named Mitsuo Fuchida, an atheist who hated America. He led the attack on Pearl Harbor that killed thousands of Americans. Then one day he picked up a brochure written by Jake Deshazer that introduced him to the love of Christ. He was converted and became a spokesman for the cause of Christ until the day of his death. It happened before when a man named Stephen while being stoned to death by his enemies fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." It happened before when a man nailed to a wooden cross looked down on a crowd that hated him and said “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” It’s happened many times before. God enters a man’s heart and changes him dramatically.

There are numerous things that we as Christians are taught to do. One of the hardest is found in the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:

5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I can think of nothing harder than to love those that hate me. Not only am I asked to love them but I’m also asked to pray for them. So I will. I’ll pray that they come “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” As I pray I’ll remember the words of Peter when he said, “that God is not willing for any to perish”. Praying for them does not mean you accept what they stand for and what they do. It simply means you care for their soul just like the Savior cared for yours.

Two men are dead now: Two men who murdered men and women because they were Christians. Two men are dead now: Two men who hated and were hated. Two men are dead now: but, one remains dead while one lives on because of a changed life when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.

In his words what changed him from being a persecutor to a protector are simply:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”