APRIL FOOL
young boy had a fiery temper and it often caused him to do and say unkind things. One day, after an argument had sent one of his friends home in tears, his father told him that for each thoughtless, mean thing he would do from now on, he would drive a nail into their gatepost. Every time he did a kindness or good deed, a nail would be removed.
Months passed, Every time the child passed the gate, he was reminded of the reasons for those ever-increasing nails, until finally; getting them out of the gate post became the challenge for his life.
At last the wished-for day arrived -- only one more nail! As his father pulled it, he danced around exclaiming, "See Daddy, the nails are all gone." The father gazed at the gatepost and then thoughtfully replied, "Yes, the nails are gone -- but the scars remain."
In the coming days, sin will drive nails into the hands of Our Savior. The sound of the nails piercing both the hands and our heart will be strong and painful. But there will come a day when the nails will be removed, and all that will be left is scars. They are as necessary as the nails for people to know the depth of Jesus’ love.
Will you continually try to remove the nails from your hearts? Will you look deeply at the scars of your life and see so fully that God has fooled the devil. Satan tried to claim you, but Jesus shows the scars so you will know for sure the depth of the battle that God was willing to do for you and me.
Loving God, come into our hearts today and encourage us. Many times we see the scars and feel they are times of destruction and failure, but in the depths of the scars we find the energy of Your love. In Christ's blessed name we pray. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Next week we will talk about waiting. I know for some of us it is the most difficult thing we have to do. Maybe this will help?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
WHO KNOWS YOUR NAME?
WHO KNOWS YOUR NAME?
A middle-aged woman went into an apartment building and took the elevator to the twelfth floor. When she arrived at her destination, she rang the doorbell impatiently. The door opened slowly, almost mysteriously, and she was welcomed by the smell of incense and smoke.
She entered and was greeted by a young woman in a long white robe who announced her presence by striking a huge gong. With this the young woman said, "Do you wish to the see the WONDERFUL one -- the All-Knowing, all-powerful, Maharishi Narru?"
"Yeah," the woman said, "Tell Sheldon his mother is here."
No matter the titles we may gain from studies or duty in this world, there is one who will always come and call us by our name. The reason we will allow that to happen is because that person has been with us in our life struggles, and has helped us grow and become who we are. They have earned the right to call us by our first name, and it would truly seem strange for them to do otherwise.
The wonderful truth about God is that He knows all our names. The question of life is do we know the power of His? Paul said in Romans 10:13 - "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Why not try saying the name of Jesus today and receive His wondrous love.
Loving God, come and fill our minds with the power of Your Holy name. Let us be bold and faithful in our desire for the love only You can offer when we simply call upon Your name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me again next week and we will draw closer to Easter as we talk about empty nail holes.
A middle-aged woman went into an apartment building and took the elevator to the twelfth floor. When she arrived at her destination, she rang the doorbell impatiently. The door opened slowly, almost mysteriously, and she was welcomed by the smell of incense and smoke.
She entered and was greeted by a young woman in a long white robe who announced her presence by striking a huge gong. With this the young woman said, "Do you wish to the see the WONDERFUL one -- the All-Knowing, all-powerful, Maharishi Narru?"
"Yeah," the woman said, "Tell Sheldon his mother is here."
No matter the titles we may gain from studies or duty in this world, there is one who will always come and call us by our name. The reason we will allow that to happen is because that person has been with us in our life struggles, and has helped us grow and become who we are. They have earned the right to call us by our first name, and it would truly seem strange for them to do otherwise.
The wonderful truth about God is that He knows all our names. The question of life is do we know the power of His? Paul said in Romans 10:13 - "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Why not try saying the name of Jesus today and receive His wondrous love.
Loving God, come and fill our minds with the power of Your Holy name. Let us be bold and faithful in our desire for the love only You can offer when we simply call upon Your name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me again next week and we will draw closer to Easter as we talk about empty nail holes.
LITTLE BLUE BICYCLES
LITTLE BLUE BICYCLES
Every day a man would ride a blue bicycle through a customs checkpoint. The basket held three jars: one filled with sand, one filled with water, and one filled with nuts and bolts. The customs agents were suspicious and knew he was smuggling. They would open all the jars -- but the sand was just sand, the water was just water, and the nuts and bolts were just nuts and bolts.
They would search the man, and occasionally even take the bicycle apart but no contraband was found. Every day he would come back and forth and the knowledge that he was smuggling grew more and more, but they could not find how he was doing it.
Several years later one of the customs agent stopped the man on the little blue bicycle and said: "Today is my last day. I am going to retire. I have no desire to catch you but for the sake of my piece of mind, could you tell me what you've been smuggling all these years?"
The man replied, "I've been smuggling little blue bicycles."
Many would applaud the ingenuity of the man. Imagine putting something so obvious right under the noses of the customs agents and they never find what it is that you are doing. What a laugh!
Yet I recall the words of 1 Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do…”
When we come to the season of Lent, we must realize that in a unique way that God has been doing the same with the evil of this world. Every day Jesus comes into the lives of people and brings the one thing that we need the most. Some people feel like they need an answer to the questions of life, while others need a reason to continue. But in God’s way, He smuggles in the same thing every day. The grace and love of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Almighty God, continue to touch our lives with the Your special power. Remove the doubts from our minds and affirm the power of Your strength in the face of evil. Change our lives continually we pray, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me again next week for our Mid-week Epistle and we will see who knows your name.
Every day a man would ride a blue bicycle through a customs checkpoint. The basket held three jars: one filled with sand, one filled with water, and one filled with nuts and bolts. The customs agents were suspicious and knew he was smuggling. They would open all the jars -- but the sand was just sand, the water was just water, and the nuts and bolts were just nuts and bolts.
They would search the man, and occasionally even take the bicycle apart but no contraband was found. Every day he would come back and forth and the knowledge that he was smuggling grew more and more, but they could not find how he was doing it.
Several years later one of the customs agent stopped the man on the little blue bicycle and said: "Today is my last day. I am going to retire. I have no desire to catch you but for the sake of my piece of mind, could you tell me what you've been smuggling all these years?"
The man replied, "I've been smuggling little blue bicycles."
Many would applaud the ingenuity of the man. Imagine putting something so obvious right under the noses of the customs agents and they never find what it is that you are doing. What a laugh!
Yet I recall the words of 1 Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do…”
When we come to the season of Lent, we must realize that in a unique way that God has been doing the same with the evil of this world. Every day Jesus comes into the lives of people and brings the one thing that we need the most. Some people feel like they need an answer to the questions of life, while others need a reason to continue. But in God’s way, He smuggles in the same thing every day. The grace and love of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Almighty God, continue to touch our lives with the Your special power. Remove the doubts from our minds and affirm the power of Your strength in the face of evil. Change our lives continually we pray, in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me again next week for our Mid-week Epistle and we will see who knows your name.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Mid Week Epistole by Jim Massey Harmony Know-How
HARMONY KNOW-HOW!
A beautiful scripture is found in Romans 12:16: "Live in harmony with one another." Six simple words that can be filled will either difficulty or rapture.
Being a musician most of my life, harmony is something that is exciting to the ears. The most common form of harmony comes in the form of notes that for a cord that is made up of intervals of a third. That is simple to do and pleasing to the ear. There are also other intervals that sound mellow or somber that is called "minor chords". And there are chords that are filled with dissonance that must be resolved to make it sound pleasing once again.
There is one rule that is necessary though. It takes at least two to make harmony. You cannot do it by yourself. When two people begin making harmony, you find that one usually sings the lead and the harmony is placed as a second sound below it. That teaches me that there must always be someone who is willing to not be the lead in the music and in a way become a "second fiddle."
Are you willing to do that in your life? What about your family? Are you willing not to be in the spot light, but share it to make something that is so harmonious that people will be amazed at the depth of your love and friendship for one another? That is what harmony means.
What about your relationship to God? Are you willing to let Him sing the leading part in your life knowing that the harmony that comes in that music from heaven is also filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God? We have moved from harmony to a symphony that will make the gates of heaven ring.
Lord, help us make the harmony of our lives be filled with the music that can only come from your Holy Grace. We ask this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week for another Mid-week Epistle.
A beautiful scripture is found in Romans 12:16: "Live in harmony with one another." Six simple words that can be filled will either difficulty or rapture.
Being a musician most of my life, harmony is something that is exciting to the ears. The most common form of harmony comes in the form of notes that for a cord that is made up of intervals of a third. That is simple to do and pleasing to the ear. There are also other intervals that sound mellow or somber that is called "minor chords". And there are chords that are filled with dissonance that must be resolved to make it sound pleasing once again.
There is one rule that is necessary though. It takes at least two to make harmony. You cannot do it by yourself. When two people begin making harmony, you find that one usually sings the lead and the harmony is placed as a second sound below it. That teaches me that there must always be someone who is willing to not be the lead in the music and in a way become a "second fiddle."
Are you willing to do that in your life? What about your family? Are you willing not to be in the spot light, but share it to make something that is so harmonious that people will be amazed at the depth of your love and friendship for one another? That is what harmony means.
What about your relationship to God? Are you willing to let Him sing the leading part in your life knowing that the harmony that comes in that music from heaven is also filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God? We have moved from harmony to a symphony that will make the gates of heaven ring.
Lord, help us make the harmony of our lives be filled with the music that can only come from your Holy Grace. We ask this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week for another Mid-week Epistle.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Pictures!!
Here are two slideshow links....Today was my youngest 4th birthday. Sniff sniff...
The 2nd slide show was pictures i took yesterday after school.
Slide Show 1
Slide Show 2
The 2nd slide show was pictures i took yesterday after school.
Slide Show 1
Slide Show 2
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