(Taken from Monday Morning Musings – St Stephen Reformed Church – New Holland PA)

Good Morning Ladies,

Missing words.  Words that are no longer used in our everyday vocabulary.  There are some that we can be thankful they are no longer used because we would have to spell them.  For example, quockerwodger from the 1850’s.  My spell check doesn’t even recognize it.  It was a wooden puppet controlled by strings and came to mean that one can’t think for themself.  I think it is kind of a neat word. 

Then how about these?  Ice box- I bet our grandchildren do not have a clue.  Dungarees: britches-some people are too big for their britches.  When was the last time you heard someone called a whippersnapper?  Here is another one I like.  Kerfuffle– making a fuss out of something that does not need it.  Don’t make such a kerfuffle out of it.

But how often do you hear about restraint or constraint?  There does not seem to be much restraint today.  Nor do I hear much about shame or sin.  If everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes, I guess it isn’t sin to them. The phrase ‘thou shalt not’ must have been stricken as well.  Nor do I hear much about purity or see much purity.  Most of the time, even the newscast seems impure.  Is holiness still in our vocabulary?  Or Godliness?  Or Christ likeness?  Or reverence; reverence for the Holy God. 

This week our attribute is the holiness of God.  It is hard to even comprehend it.  But we are as a dingy t-shirt, even filthy rags compared to His holiness.  When Moses encountered the burning bush, he fell to the ground.  When Uzzah reached out to right the falling ark on its way back to where it belonged, he was instantly killed.  He did not reverence the holiness of God.  It was a serious thing to disrespect a holy God.  Holy is God’s name.  It is the only attribute that is repeated three times.  Nowhere do you see faithful, faithful, faithful is His name.  Even the cherubim had to cover their eyes.  They could not look at His glory. 

If His name is Holy, I wonder how it is that His Name is so commonly used.  I don’t think they even realize they are using it.  It appears they are dragging it through the mud. 

But God in His Grace has made a way for us to become holy so that we may be with Him in eternity.  Because of Christ’s death on the cross and our faith in what He did, God looks at us as though we are holy.  What an amazing God.  Now our lives need to match our position. 

Ladies, keep on washing yourself in the Word.  And have some fun with vocabulary words with your grandchildren.  Tell them you want to listen to your cassettes.

Edie R

  ’43 / ’55 New Holland PA

Listen for the Trumpet

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

This chapter addresses our love for other believers which is directly connected to our love for all other people. Part of our “doing right” is loving our brothers and sisters. Sometimes it’s our biological siblings that make that a challenge and sometimes it’s our brothers and sisters within the family of God. Verse 12 tells us not to be like Cain who killed his own brother because Abel was righteous, and Cain was evil. As we are coming up to Easter, we will be hearing a lot about Jesus’ crucifixion. That is an example of ultimate hate demonstrated as well as ultimate love personified. As we grow in our faith, we need to expect people (hopefully only non-believers) to hate us because of our growth in Jesus. We also need to guard our hearts against jealousy and other negative feelings which can lead to hate. As a family of believers, we are all on the same team. We should be cheering for each other and not condemning each other. A practical lesson I have learned over the years is to pray for my enemies. Praying for their success is not an easy thing to do but it’s what God calls us to do. Let’s cheer for each other with a happy heart!

Sincerely,

Denise R

’67/’81 Quarryville

Doris Jean H

’44 /’55 Manheim PA

Happy Birthday / Special Day! Every year older, I miss more and more things about my childhood.  (If you are 20 and younger, I encourage you to enjoy every moment). One of my favorite activities as a young boy was to wrestle or watch wrestling. I don’t mean actual wrestling but the purely for entertainment wrestling. Growing up in the 70s & 80s I saw legends like Andre the Giant, Sgt Slaughter, Jimmy Superfly Snuka and the best ever – Hulk Hogan. We always knew as fans which wrestler was the “good” guy and which represented the “bad” part of town. Each wrestler had their own unique style plus they each had their own “finishing” move. A move that we all knew would end the match in their favor.

     Today’s verses – 1 from the first book in the Bible and 1 from a book near the end- give us a glimpse into God’s “finishing” move. In Genesis 3, we see the match’s beginning. We see the evil serpent deceive mankind’s representatives, Adam & Eve. They willingly disobeyed God’s only commandment. There punishment was separation from their Creator. For the first time they realized they were naked because sin had just entered the world. Their disobedience had dire consequences for humanity.

     God is holy, wise, infinite and love. That is His character. The moment man sinned; He provided a way for salvation. Gen 3:15 gives us the outline for the rest of this wrestling match. This match is an epic battle that is fought all through the 66 books of Scripture. The enemy is trying to stop the Messiah from coming to save His people. The Messiah – the Son of God- comes to earth as a baby and grows up to fulfill His destiny. As 1 John states – Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil”.  One of the reasons I loved Hulk Hogan matches is because he would almost always be on the mat and ready to lose before he “hulked” up and won the match. That is exactly what our savior Jesus Christ did for us. He wasn’t just on the mat and counted out – he was crucified and killed. He was buried. Then against all odds, on the 3^rd day, he got up off the mat and won the victory over death and sin. Jesus pulled off the best “finishing” move ever. Let us rejoice today that we worship the ultimate Champion.

Dave R

  ’69 /  ’83  Quarryville PA

It just so happens that Hulk Hogan is a believer and just got baptized – Praise God.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdAvtnVIEaQ

Another 1 of my favorite wrestlers –  the Undertaker’s testimony – https://believersportal.com/from-dead-man-to-alive-in-christ-how-wwe-star-undertaker-found-jesus-christ/

I feel like this verse is very self-explanatory. There may be some hint of “easier said than done”, but nonetheless it is straightforward. 

However, what I want to focus on is the very last part, “turn away from evil”. This is very interesting to me in that it doesn’t say watch out for evil or avoid evil when it comes. It says turn away from evil because unfortunately we experience many different forms of evil in our everyday lives. Social media can turn into many types of evil if we are not careful. The internet has been overrun with evil. And those are just a few things most of us encounter every day that we must turn away from. 

Putting that back into context, when do we have to turn from evil? When we choose to be wise in our own eyes. How can that be any more against scripture. We are told to seek first the kingdom and His righteousness. We are told to put others before ourselves. We are told that we should not put any other idols before God. And yet we still must constantly be told that being “wise” in our own eyes leads to not turning away from evil. 

I encourage you to fear God (in the healthy respectful way obviously). Try this next week to do nothing in your own wisdom and journal about it. Keep a notebook about all the decisions you didn’t make based on your own wisdom. See if you don’t begin fleeing evil with a joyful heart, you are more easily prepared to battle against it. 
Cody R

  ’96 / ’08  Jacksonville FL

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

(The following was published in the bulletin at St Charles Bible Church – May 1st, 2016, St Charles MN)

       I wonder who coined the expression: “Friendly Fire”. They should be shot! (Not true of course! I just enjoyed the play on words.) I do understand what the expression is meant to convey, but to victims of it, the idea of “friendly fire” is a fantasy—their pain from it is real.

     When the motor quit on our garage door, I found Steve’s name in the yellow pages and called him. Last Tuesday evening, he made a 7:00 p.m. appointment to discuss replacing the door. It didn’t take that long for us to make a decision about that, but when he found out that I was pastor of a church, he stayed at our kitchen table for an additional two-and-a-half hours, talking about his experience in the church he and his wife had attended. He was raised Lutheran but married a Christian girl whose family attended a church that he described as a “legalistic” church. He said, “I heard the same “get saved” sermon every Sunday, including some sermons that he felt were exactly the same from previous Sundays. When he and his wife were dating, there were lots of confrontations with “Mom” about morality, drinking, separation from sin, and attending church every Sunday, but her parents never discussed their daughter’s drug problems or admitted that they were having marital problems as well. When one of the church families went through a divorce, the church “shunned” them at a time when our visitor felt they needed the church the most. One Sunday, the pastor announced that he was “stepping down” due to some “moral failure”, and our new friend decided that he no longer needed to attend church—another casualty of “friendly fire”! (He now has joined the folks who show up when the pews are full—on Easter and Christmas!) I told him I was sad about his experience and that I felt that he had traded one extreme for the other. Mostly I just listened (while Jan served another cup of coffee), but I was able to share some of my favorite verses from John 14.

     I hope our conversation gave him pause. I reviewed with him a little of our recent messages on Jesus being the only legitimate focus on Sunday mornings. But I am still left a little “shell shocked” this morning, wondering how many I may have wounded by my “friendly fire.” One conclusion that I made for sure: “We must always mix our message about ‘transgressions to the Law of God’, sin, and repentance with Jesus’ message of grace and forgiveness. And we cannot afford an errant shot in our behavior that contradicts our message on Sunday mornings. (Maybe we need ‘weapons training!’) “Friendly fire” hurts, regardless of its intended targets. “For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” II Cor. 3:6 (NIV)

   Pastor Jim B

  ’47 / ’56  St Charles  MN

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

(Taken from Monday Morning Musings – St Stephen Reformed Church – New Holland PA)

Our children were probably 6-8 years old at the time.  We were visiting friends and the kids were having a great time.  This family had a pond which was fun for our kids.  When it came time to leave my kids said with excitement in their voices, “Mommy, Mommy, can we take some tadpoles home? Please?”  Their daddy had a big fish aquarium so what were a few more fish?!  Besides it would be a wonderful learning experience. 

We took the ‘tadpoles’ home, found a fishbowl tucked away in the basement and waited for these tadpoles to become their adult bodies.  A couple of days passed.  I am not sure how much time elapsed, probably not more than 2-3 days.  My husband came home from work and said, “Could someone tell me why the house is full of mosquitoes?” 

Yes, our ‘tadpoles’ were really mosquito larvae!  I was reading recently in Acts and Facts published by ICR that the third stage of the mosquito actually has a long tail, looking something like tadpoles.  Now had I understood that at the time, I would have saved myself some work.  But it WAS a learning experience. 

Things do not always turn out to be what they first appear to be.  If I had been more observant or more knowledgeable, or more understanding of mosquitoes, I would have known they were not tadpoles.

In 1 Chronicles in the beginning chapters, the mighty men of David are listed by name.  These men served in battle while David was being chased by King Saul.  Every so often a descriptive phrase is added about one of the men.  These men were men of valor, strong, faithful men.  But the sons of Issachar were even more special.  It says in I Chronicles 12:32 that these men “understood the times”.

Today, perhaps more than ever before, we need men and women who understand the times.  These are confusing times, perhaps dangerous times.  The only way we can understand them is to know the Word of God, knowing that He is in control of these times as well.  It is easy to be fooled by names of organizations.  The name sounds good.  But when you investigate, the group may be from the pit of hell.  Ladies we need to be discerning.  We need to understand the times.  We need to help our grandchildren understand the times.

This is nothing new.  As our pastor pointed out in his sermon this morning, the young Israelite children in Nehemiah 13 could not even speak their own language.  They could not read the ’law ‘in their own language.  But they knew the language of the pagans very well.  I fear this describes many of our nation’s children today, including many of our church kids and our grandchildren.  They know more about the culture than the Word of God.  They know more about movie producers than they know about their Creator.  Starting in kindergarten, they are being taught false concepts about many things.

We must understand the times.  We must understand that just because it looks like a tadpole doesn’t mean it is one.  It may be something more sinister. 

The next group of mighty men mentioned in 1 Chronicles 12 were the men of Zebulun, 50,000 of them, who helped David with an “undivided heart”, We not only need to understand the times, but we need to love our Lord with an undivided  heart.  We cannot be half in love with the Lord and half in sync with our culture.  We must live and teach our children Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart.

And do not lean on your own understanding

In ALL your ways acknowledge Him

And He will make your paths straight.”

Not understanding the life cycle of mosquitoes gave our family a mess to clean up and memories to laugh at, but not understanding our times could be dangerous in today’s culture.

May your hearts be wise and undivided. Listen for the Trumpet

Edie R

   ’43 /’55 New Holland PA

We are not saved because we are good and we have done enough good works to qualify for salvation. We are saved by the mercy of God. This is God’s grace in action. It is God’s loving-kindness. God unconditionally loves you and me. Out of His unfathomable kindness, He sent His one and only Son to be our Savior because we cannot save ourselves. He didn’t have to do this for us, but God is merciful. He is loving and He is kind, and His mer­cy continues throughout our lives. How have you experienced God’s mercy in the past year?

Mike S

    ’62 / ’72 Smoketown PA

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

The Hebrew word for Love here in this verse is translated “Chesed” which means a faithful bond based on a covenant. A covenant is a formal agreement between God and His people or an individual. So, this verse evokes loyalty and faithfulness to never leave you. This is a day-by-day action that we walk and live in being faithful to the Lord and let His love be displayed in your life! Today make a covenant with the Lord that you will remain faithful and walk in love from this day forward. Ask Him to strengthen you and to pour His love into and through you to others around you.

Binding them around your neck means a tight attachment to a person’s outward life. Keeping them close to you so we won’t forget them! The best way I know how is to daily read Gods word. keeping it in the forefront of your mind and heart. In the same way the verse also states to write them on the tablet of your heart. This reminds me of Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Meaning to know His word to memorize his word, to meditate on God’s word. Put into practice reading his word. Put into practice memorizing scripture verses. Put into practice meditating on God’s word, meaning get a verse and not only memorize it but think on it throughout the day. Say it to yourself repeatedly during the day. Write it on a card and post it around your house or on your refrigerator. Let that scripture become real and alive to you. Allow God to speak to you through it.

As a believer we should be continually loyal to God, faithful in following God’s word. When we do, we will find that we will live and find favor with God and men. If there is one thing this world needs today that would be that God’s people would focus on letting love and faithfulness guide us in our daily lives. John 13:35 says “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another”.  Where are love and faithfulness missing in our life?

Glenn C

  ’68 / ’87 Winter Garden FL

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA

(The following was published in bulletin at St Charles Bible Church – November 5th, 2017, St Charles MN)

On January 10, 2010, US NEWS released a news story claiming that coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ were inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the U.S. military by a Michigan company. The sights were used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. “One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

     Trijicon confirmed to ABCNews.com that it adds the biblical codes to the sights sold to the U.S. military. Tom Munson, director of sales and marketing for Trijicon, which is based in Wixom, Michigan, said the inscriptions “have always been there” and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is “not Christian.” The company has said the practice began under its founder, Glyn Bindon, a devout Christian from South Africa who was killed in a 2003 plane crash.”

      I enjoyed reading about this story, when I thought about what the Gospel writer, John, says about his intended purpose in writing his Gospel. In chapter 20, he concludes the miracles of Jesus (which he calls “signs”), by telling us that “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” In a sense, John is sending a secret message with every miracle he records. Charles Spurgeon wrote: “Every time John dipped his pen into the ink he breathed the prayer, “Lord, bring men to believe in Jesus by that which I have written.” That means there were details he included that the other Gospel writers did not, and there were details that others included, but he did not. The bottom line? The only thing that mattered was that his readers understand who Jesus is.

       In a sense, our life is a Gospel story. The Apostle Paul says, “…do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone. It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.…” (2 Cor. 3:2,3). The question, of course, that sobers my own reflection is the biography that I am writing—intending, of course, to bring others to a better understanding of Who Jesus is, and why He is significant to everyone. I am not sure that putting Bible verses on weapons of destruction communicates our message of Jesus, the Messiah, very well. But, using another analogy when we are injured, do we “bleed” Jesus? Can He easily be seen through the values that we hold dear and the convictions that prompt us to leave His legacy?

Pastor Jim B

    ’47 / ’56  St Charles MN

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA