Do I Pass The Test?
December 13, 2024 by Warren Mueller
Filed under For Him
By Warren Mueller
Thirty years ago I prayed to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. Soon afterwards, I heard a nagging voice in my head tell me “It isn’t that easy to get to heaven” and “You are fooling yourself if you think God can readily and easily forgive you for all the wrongs you have done.” I have also seen those who struggle with this question and go forward many times in church to accept Christ or try to prove by their good works that there has been a genuine change. So how can a person know for sure that a spiritual birth has occurred, that sins have been forgiven, and that they are a new creation indwelt by the Holy Spirit?
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 that we are to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test?” From this we see that each person must examine themselves about whether they have been transformed into a child of God by faith in Jesus. Nobody can do this for you or assure you that it has happened within you. Only you can answer this question. What are the questions we should be asking to evaluate this important change? I recently taught a Sunday School class on this subject and we compiled a list of questions to do this self examination. These questions are not listed in any order of importance.
Down And To The Right
By Bob Kaku
With a glint in her eyes, Gail smiled. “The contractors did a great job!” At last, our two bathrooms were magically transformed into new ones. Bright ivory-colored tiles with a marble design snugly enclosed a new tub in one bathroom with a new floor. A new shower with a frameless glass door enhanced the aesthetics of the other bathroom, making it appear larger.
We selected some attractive chrome and gold-trim towel racks with matching toilet paper dispensers to accent the newly textured and painted walls.
I gathered my electric drill, ruler, level, and other tools from the garage to attach the decorative accessories. After carefully measuring the length of the first towel rack, I drilled the holes and installed the side brackets. Mingled scents of fresh paint and drywall dust permeated the area. When I tried to insert the towel bar, it didn’t fit. Hmm—the side brackets are too close. I angled and maneuvered the bar in vain.
Quality Decisions and Skateboards
November 17, 2024 by Lane Johnson
Filed under For Him
By Lane R Johnson
I sat glued to the television. On the screen a 17 year old male, bare headed and determined, was perched on the ridge of a two-story roof overlooking a lower slope covering the first floor. He seemed focused, which was probably the right mindset, because he was standing on a skateboard.
Before I could gasp my incredulity, he had begun his rocket ride to the ground. The second floor slope went fast but successfully and he even negotiated the jump to the lower level, but somewhere about halfway to the end, he and the skateboard parted company and the balance of the ride concluded with him crashing abruptly onto the pavement below. The good news is that he survived this heroic feat and eventually was able to discuss it coherently with the interviewer that had hosted his moment in the sun.
Hay Story
November 5, 2024 by George Dalton
Filed under For Him
By George Dalton
Five years ago my father died after a long illness and went home to be with the lord. At his funeral I met a cousin that I had not seen since we were boys fifty years ago. You know how you do when you see someone that you were once close to, “Give me your phone number; here take down my number.”
My wife and I had a ranch in East Texas. We sold all of the cattle and equipment and moved to a large city. Part of our ranch was on four hundred acres of leased land where we had several large bales of hay left in the field from the year before. The owner asked me to make sure that it was removed. I contacted a neighboring rancher and asked him if he could help me get rid of the old hay. We agreed to meet back at the ranch one morning a week after my father’s funeral. While driving to the ranch, my cell phone rang. It was my long lost cousin. He said, “I am over drawn at the bank and if I don’t get a thousand dollars today, I will have checks bouncing all over town.” I told him I was on the way to the ranch and would call him as soon as I got back. As soon as he hung up I thought of Gideon and his fleece. So I started to pray, “Dear God I don’t know this man anymore. Is he a drug addict, an alcoholic, a gambler? Father I don’t know him but you do, so please give me a sign telling me if I should give him the money he wants or not.”
Shout!
It was one of those days. I tried everything and nothing worked.
Whenever we visit my mother-in-law in Southern California, I try to make myself useful by doing some home maintenance. She knows I’m not very handy and gives me only the easy tasks.
This time, the water filter cartridge needed replacing. I shut off the water valve under the kitchen sink and removed the filter housing. I tried to twist the filter cap off, but it wouldn’t budge. I used my upper body to wring the cap open, but nada. Then I tried to force it open with a screwdriver, but it still wouldn’t loosen. My wife, Gail walked into the kitchen and saw me struggling. “Let’s pray,” she said. “Jesus, we know You want to be involved in even the little things. Please help Bob with the water filter.”
