ReMarcks

2 Timothy 4:16 (NIV)
“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.”

Like Jesus, the Apostle Paul knew what it was like to be on trail facing false charges and yet not having any of his many “friends” stand to say a word in his defense. Also, like Jesus, he was forgiving.

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends,” said Martin Luther King, Jr.

Speak up for your friends and forgive the silence of your friends.

Can it be true, Yarnell’s (maker of the best “Homemade Style Vanilla Ice Cream” in the world) is closing its doors?

How will I miss thee?
Let me count the ways:
I will miss thee with my Dr Pepper.
I will miss thee spread upon strawberries and pound cake.
I will miss thee alone and with Smucker’s Magic Shell dumped upon thee.
I will miss thee in the evening time and deep into the night.

However, people are wrong when they say, “All good things must end.” Some things remain, last.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
^“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Imagine getting a small black spot on a white shirt and trying to hide it using a black permanent marker. That’s what man looks like to God when he tries to cover his sin. Only God can cover our sins – and that with the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7 (NASB)
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

Luke 6:38 (HCSB) 
^“Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

In 1971, Andrea Crouch wrote a song in which He asks the question, “How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me?”  The best way to give thanks is to give.

You can’t spell “Thanksgiving” without “giving.”

Every church seems to have one – a Greek Squad. They pride themselves in knowing the in’s and out’s of the Bible, especially the Greek New Testament. They may not have a lot of people-skills, common sense or use elsewhere, but if you are needing some Bible trivia (or minutia), they are ready on a moment’s notice. Like the Scribes of Jesus’ day, they know every jot and tittle of the Word (whether they live accordingly or not is another matter). The good news is that they can be helpful in clearing up some confusion even if you don’t want them around all the time.

John 13:17 (NASB)
“If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”

Galatians 3:6 (NIV)
“Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'”

Which list will you be on this year? Naughty or nice?
Make it on the nice list – Put and keep your faith on God and act accordingly.

1 Kings 18:21 (NIV)
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.

Brown is a tertiary color: a mix of the three subtractive primary colors is brown if the cyan content is low. Brown wasn’t even consider a “color” until a few centuries ago. It’s the “un-color.” (Not to be confused with the “un-cola.”)

In other words, brown is brown because it can’t make up its mind what color it wants to be.

Some people are like that. They just can’t make up their minds if they are going to be a committed follower of Christ, a casual disciple, a nominal believer or one who only admits there is a God. They just seem to keep fluctuating between them. They can go with any crowd, but alone they are almost colorless.

Don’t get me wrong, I like brown; I have brown shoes and brown clothes. I love the look of brown leather. However, it’s bright reds, deep royal blues and vibrant yellows that catch and hold our attention. Emergency vehicles use blue, red or yellow lights, but not brown lights.

Let’s be decisive in our walk with Jesus.

Many want to know what America’s exit strategy is for getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently a church member who will be moving in a few months was discussing his exit strategy in resigning leadership positions so as not to adversely effect the church.

What’s your exit strategy for leaving this world to enter eternity? How will your life and your leaving affect the kingdom of God? Your family?

1 Peter 4:7 (NASB)
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”