Tuesday 3/26/13 Easter Week 2

Dear Father in Heaven, I love You:   Thanks for last night and the snow of today, and thanks for walking me through this day.  Thanks for keeping all of us safe, and thanks for all You do for all of us.  Thanks for watching over all of our families, and thanks for taking care of those on our prayer list.  Please now help me with the message of this day, and again, thanks for keeping this line open.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Good Tuesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters (yes, you might be getting this on Monday evening).  What a great day we had today.  I was ready with the plow truck and the snow melted away.  The truck was low on gas, so I headed out to get some.  I stuck the pump handle into the tank neck and put it on auto and was looking over the truck.  After a bit I heard it shut off, and after reading the amount on the pump, I got up off the ground and shut it off.  It really was not all that bad, but still, in all I just cannot get used to seeing $125.00 on a gas pump.  My plow truck has a big tank and it was the first gas I put in it this year.  So it will last awhile.  The neat part was, I had some gas cards for plowing snow for others and it cost me $0.00.  Yes, you read that right ... GOD IS SO GOOD!!  Please keep praying for Burt and Patsy Emig, Barbara, another Barbara, Aunt Romaine, Elsie Woodward, Robert and Peggy Everhard, Helen Thomas, Denny Hamlin (NASCAR 11), Ruth and Mary Kessler, and a sweet kid named Curtis.  Dolores Lehman.  All need God's healing hand in one way or another.

This is a busy week, and as I write, I am not going to be able to keep the events of Thursday in order or I will be writing a book.  So tomorrow we will look at Jesus going to the garden to pray, which happened after the "Last Supper" in the upper room.  Remember, communion on Thursday.

Tuesday 3/26/13 Easter Week, Day Two.

Luke 20:45 - While all the people were listening, Jesus said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the teachers of the law.  They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at the banquets.  47 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.  Such men will be punished most severely."  (NIV)

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.  (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I know I use the scripture from Hebrews 13:8 often, however, I think we (we = you and me) just need to be reminded that Jesus never changes.  We change often and I pray it is always as we move nearer and nearer to God. j As I look at Luke 20:45 I see that while others were listening, Jesus talked to His disciples.  What does this mean tome?  It means that is is okay to let your words about Jesus flow out past the ears of the one you might be talking to.  It does not mean tome that we should shout or yell.  A good example, you are out to eat, there is more than just you, you join hands with the others and you pray "out loud", you thank God for your food and ask Him to bless it, and remember to close your prayers "in the Name of Jesus."  Now I want you to have those near you in the restaurant hear you, like those at the next booth or table, but not in the next room.  Also do not pray a sermon, but I will touch on that later.

While people were listening!  Sometimes God opens a door that takes us by surprise and we miss out on being able to witness for Him.  A couple of months back on a Sunday morning after church Dolores and I went to the West Main Street Diner in Mechanicsburg, PA, for lunch (great Greek food).  As we were finishing up our meal, a group of about a dozen people had just finished placing their order.  All of them were dressed as if they just came from church, so I walked from my seat to the head seat of their table, which I had to pass on my way to pay.  I asked them, are you just coming from church?  They said yes!  So I said you should be ready for this, and I started to sing the chorus of "How Great Thou Art", and trust me, I can sing that one loud, so I cut my voice down a tad, and startled them.  They all joined in and it sounded like a choir.  We just sang it once and I said "God Bless you" and left.  I am sure it was heard in the entire restaurant.  (Yes, they have allowed us to return.)  How do you know when it is right to do something like that?  God will let you know, and it will be very clear to you.

Let me move on with that scripture.

Luke 20:46 - "Beware of the teachers of the law.  They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at the banquets.  47 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.  Such men will be punished most severely."

This was a warning going to His disciples, and please remember that we are His disciples of today, so when the Bible states "Jesus said to His disciples" it means He is talking to us this day.  Luke 20:46 and 47 is a warning to us.  "Beware", Jesus is saying, "BEWARE", and then it tells us who we are to be aware of.  Now to me this is a double warning!  Double warning, what do you mean, Pastor Dan?  Well, it is alerting us to be sure of who we are listening to, be sure they know what they are doing.  Just because they have on the big robe as for example a pastor who wears them, does not mean they know what all they are talking about or more so they are just plain not speaking how it is in the Bible.  Here is a good example, a pastor puts on the big robe and then tells their flock that it is okay for a man to marry a man or a woman to marry a woman.  Don't let the big robe fool you.  Also just because someone is at the head table does not mean they know what is going on or even a big title in front or behind their name does not always cut it.  As I have told all of you many a time, please let those who talk to you about God also show you supporting scripture.  If you are not sure, LOOK IT UP YOURSELF!  When I am not sure about things, and it happens tome a lot, I call on some friends on this line for scriptures.

Now I told you two warnings out of this scripture.  yes, two warnings, the second being do not become one of those people in the big robes or doing those things mentioned.  Okay, let me wrap it up for today.  In verse 47 "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers."  Devour widows' houses means on today's market that you do not take advantage of someone who has fallen on hard times, do not try and get their dollars.  Maybe the widow just lost a husband and there was insurance, do not try and get it.  That is what the word devour means.  And for a show of making lengthy prayers.  When doing some studies when inlay speaker classes years and years ago, I was taught that you do not "preach a prayer," or do not "pray a sermon."  I have heard people pray for over twenty minutes and it was really a message that he could have preached.  Now I am not talking about when you go to a prayer meeting and the prayers fill the room, but even with that, to just be saying the same thing over and over again, Scripture warns us about.  Here is just one place that it tells us that.  Remember, God already knows what you want, so just talk to Him.  Speaking of which, I am going to do that now.

Thanks, Dear Father in Heaven, for helping me with this message, please bless all those on this line and help them in all their troubles.  Thank You, I love You.  In Jesus' name, I pray.  Amen.

Now go forth and share those blessings.  Love ya (pass it on.)

Pastor Dan.