Would you like some good news today? We could all use more good news! There is a parable about when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt. When he came to the Red Sea he asked God for help and was told that there was good news and bad news. “The good news,” said the voice from on high, “is that I will part the sea so you and your people can escape.” “And the bad news?” asked Moses. “You will have to file an environmental-impact statement.”

When someone says that they have good news and bad news, we usually want the bad news first. We call it ending on a good note! Saving the best for last. That’s why desert is at the end of the meal. There is a hymn that we sing which proclaims “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.” This is certainly a Bible principle. Proverbs 13:12 states, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Psalm 30:5, “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Proverbs 25:25, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” Cold water always tastes better when you are thirsty!

God has a way of cancelling out the bad news with good news. When the Christian dies, the Bible says he is “absent from the body”. That’s the bad news, but the verse does not stop there. If we finish the verse, the Bible says “…present with the Lord”. Paul Harvey used to say, “And that’s the rest of the story.” Joseph’s brothers were very cruel to him. They wanted to take his life, but God intervened and he was sold as a slave and carried away to Egypt. If you just see the beginning of the story it would be very depressing indeed. But what a powerful ending. Joseph ultimately said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” It is a story worth reading again and again. Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The good news is that God overrules the bad news. For the Christian there will be an end to all this suffering and heartache. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. There is a place where there is no more bad news! Revelation 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it;”

JESUS DOES NOT JUST BRING GOOD NEWS; HE IS THE GOOD NEWS!

Are you saved? “Saved” is a Bible term. It can be a noun or a verb. The saved (noun) are those who have received the salvation or forgiveness of God through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. To be saved (verb) is how that takes place. So the question is asked, “Are you saved?” The answer to this question is of eternal value. It is the reason God sent His Son into the world to pay the penalty for our sins that we might have eternal life. John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;…” This must be of utmost importance. 1 Timothy 2:4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” This is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Matthew 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” This is the reason we celebrate Easter. Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” It is the desire of a Christian to see others saved. Paul said in Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

Are you saved? God has given us His word, the Bible to show us how to be saved. 2 Timothy 3:15, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The Bible teaches that we are not saved by our own works or our own righteousness. Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,…” Ephesians 2:8-9, “ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Here is God’s simple plan of Salvation: First, you have to see and admit your need of a Savior. All men have sinned and all men need salvation. Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Forgiveness, justification, redemption, an eternal home in Heaven, grace, comfort, mercy, SALVATION, are only a prayer away. Romans 10:9-10, 13, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want Your forgiveness. I accept Your death as the penalty for my sin, and recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me Your child. By faith I receive You into my heart as the Son of God and as my Savior. From now on, help me live for You. In Your precious name, Amen

Happy Father’s Day! If you are enjoying that wonderful relationship with your Father, you are very blessed. It is indeed a HAPPY Father’s Day! Sad to say that this is becoming more and more uncommon. For many children, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are not occasions for celebration. They are no longer Happy days.

Here are the top ten facts and statistics on fatherless homes for 2021:

• There are 1.8 million “solo” dads in the US.
• Statistics on absent fathers show that 7 million American dads were absent from the life of all their minor children.
• Divorces are one of the leading causes of fatherless homes.
• When it comes to the importance of fathers, statistics can help determine how children see school and education.
• Father absence statistics show that adolescent women from fatherless homes have a higher chance of getting pregnant.
• According to the statistics of fatherless homes, 17.4 million children lived in fatherless homes.
• Fatherlessness stats may be linked to higher rates of suicide in high school students.
• Children from single-parent homes participate in more government nutrition, education, etc. programs.
• Fatherlessness may be linked to lower educational levels of African American girls.
• According to the Department of Justice, statistics on parents in prison show that the number of incarcerated fathers in the US grew significantly in the period from 1991 to 2007. What a shame and tragedy for their children.

In II Samuel 10, Israel was fighting against an enemy. In verse 12 they said, “Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God:” Men, godly men, courageous men are certainly needed in days such as these. Their family needs them. Their children need them. “LET US PLAY THE MEN!”

In Luke chapter 15, we read the familiar story of the prodigal son and how he left home and squandered his inheritance. He ends up in the “hog pen” and has a revelation about his condition. He returns home with a broken and repentant heart and is received and forgiven by his Father. There is a song entitled “Turn Your Heart Toward Home”. It begins with a reference to this father’s prayer, but then makes a wonderful and important statement that should cause us all, as Fathers, to hear the prayers of our children. Here is the song.

Late in the evening, when everyone was sleeping
The Father of the wayward son slipped out in the night,
And looked toward the city and wiped away the tears
And prayed his son could hear his father’s cry,
Turn your heart toward home, Turn your heart toward home,
You’ve been gone so long, turn your heart toward home.

But not only the sons are the wayward ones
There are mothers and fathers who have said their goodbyes
And the sad eyes of children are lookin’ through their tears
Prayin’ mom and daddy could hear their cries,
Turn your heart toward home, Turn your heart toward home,
You’ve been gone so long, turn your heart toward home.

And there are those who have never walked away from home
But in their hearts they’re so many miles away
And the Father in heaven is the only One who knows
If they’d listen they could hear Him say

Turn your heart toward home, Turn your heart toward home
You’ve been gone so long, turn your heart toward home
You’ve been gone so long, Please don’t wait too long

Turn your heart toward home

Prayer is a privilege, a way of communicating with God. It is also a necessity. It strengthens us for the great work of God. “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world, to die on the cross and pay the sin debt for all of mankind. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God wants “all men everywhere to be saved.” Christians have the privilege to share the message of the Gospel with those that do not know Jesus as Savior. To do this, they need God’s wisdom and power. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make know the mystery of the gospel,” “For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:18-20. He wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:” II Thessalonians 3:1. When Paul was giving his testimony before King Agrippa, he said that God had sent him, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18. To do this, like Paul, we need God’s power. To do this we need prayer!

Samuel Chadwick wrote, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history.” Dr. D. James Kennedy wrote, “One of the saddest statistics of our day is that 95% of all church members have never led anyone to Christ.” Paul Harvey wrote, “Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium.” This is why Jesus encouraged His followers to, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:38.

“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:” II Thessalonians 1:11.

A young man who had heard the Gospel accepted Christ. A little while after this, a Christian teacher asked him: “What have you done for Christ since you believed?” He replied: “Oh, I’m a learner.” ‘Well,” said the questioner, “when you light a candle do you expect it to give light after it is half burned, or when first lit?” He replied, “As soon as I light it.” Shortly after there were more Christians in town as a result of the man’s work.

PRAY

It is important, to say the least, that we believe, study and know what the Bible, the Word of God, states as truth. John 17:17, “Thy word is truth.” Jesus said in Matthew 22:29, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” If the Bible is Truth (and it is), then anything contrary to the Bible is in error. II Peter 3:17 states, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” I John 2:26, “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” Notice the strong admonitions here. BEWARE – Literally, to restrain or guard one’s self from anything that may be dangerous, injurious or improper. ERROR – A wandering or deviation from the truth; a mistake in judgement, by which men assent to or believe what is not true. SEDUCE – To draw aside or entice from the path of rectitude and duty. Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

In their book “The Seduction of Christianity”, Hunt & McMahon write, “Christianity may well be facing the greatest challenge in its history: a series of powerful and growing seductions that are subtly changing biblical interpretations and undermining the faith of millions of people. Most Christians are scarcely aware of what is happening, and much less do they understand the issues involved.

The seduction is surprisingly easy. It does not take place as an obvious frontal assault from rival religious beliefs. That would be vigorously resisted. Instead, it comes to some Christians in the guise of faith-producing techniques for gaining spiritual power and experiencing miracles and to others as self-improvement psychologies for fully realizing human potential that are seen as scientific aids to successful Christian living.”

If you submit to the spirit of error, you have to turn from the spirit of truth! II Timothy 4:4, “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Titus 1:14, “…fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

FABLE – A feigned story or tale, a fictitious narration, a falsehood. Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture?” Galatians 4:30, “Nevertheless what saith the scripture?” True doctrine is according to the Scripture. False doctrine is not according to the Scripture.

Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The Bible teaches that Jesus, the Son of God, died for you sins and that he is the only Savior! This is the foundation of our faith. The song says, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.”

John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Psalms 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

“Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to memorialize the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.  We spend time remembering those who lost their lives and could not come home, reflecting on their service and why we have the luxury and freedom that we enjoy today.”

Row upon row the poppies grow,
Each one a symbol to brave men we will never know.

They stood before us, they stood up straight,
For they were the men, the brave and the great.

The seasons come and the seasons go,
But unlike these men, the poppies will always grow.

We should always wear our poppies with pride
In tribute to those that fought and died.

For Christians, the day also serves as a vivid reminder of the ultimate sacrifice that was paid for our spiritual freedom- that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly bore our sins on the cross so that all who believe in Him might be reconciled to Him and have eternal life. John 15:13 states, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” There have been many Christians who have given their very lives that the wonderful message of the gospel would “set men free” from their sins and its penalty. The pages of history are filled with their names.

Billy Graham preached a sermon in 1955 to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Boston. Here is a portion of that message.

“Yes the bells of liberty ring in America today because these men we honor today got through for us. The sacred memory of their sacrifice will always live in our hearts, and we have a sacred and holy trust—and we cannot fail them!

My mind goes back 2,000 years to another battle which was fought on a hill called Calvary. It was a battle of one young man against all the forces of evil. It seemed like a futile, hopeless struggle as Jesus Christ took on Satan’s task force single-handed. The jeers of the rabble, the spittle of the soldiers and the sneering of the people were incidental compared to the inner struggle which was taking place in His soul. But I watch Him, in fancy, as one hand is stretched out toward God and the other toward rebellious man, and He makes the connection and says: “It is finished.” He got through for us! If we are to be strong spiritually, it will be through Him. Thousands today are finding a fresh, new meaning of life through Him. They are learning to say with confidence, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthened me.” We can best keep faith with those who have gone before by keeping faith with ourselves, with our highest ideals and with God.”

Let’s remember today the sacrifices of many and the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.