The Bible and the Cell Phone

Steven's Note: This came from an email. I have no idea who wrote this. But I liked it. I can relate to it. For those on Face book, there is a picture of the Bible vs a picture of a cell phone. I am not sure that the images will translate over to facebook. Thanks for sharing with me from the trail... smh



VS










Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

Is this something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing: Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think, "where are my priorities?"

And no dropped calls! When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

Cold, Hard Cash

COLD, HARD CASH! Here is the latest financial secret. It is so simple that my boys, both under the age of 10 understand it. In fact, they turned me onto this. You literally can make cold, hard cash with an investment as little as .10. That is TEN CENTS!!!! This plan is so secure, yielding 100% return, with ZERO RISK.

COLD, HARD CASH!! I believe in this plan so much that I am willing to set my reputation as a preacher of the Word of God behind it. I believe this plan is so solid that I am GIVING you this plan for FREE!!!! That is right. I am not charging a single penny, nickel, dime or any other form of currency. Nothing. This is free.

COLD, HARD CASH!!! I believe that this plan will work for you the MOMENT you try it. That is right! This plan is so solid that within the same hour you will realize your return. You have never seen a plan like this before. I doubt you will see a plan like this again.

COLD, HARD CASH!!!! Are you ready for COLD, HARD CASH? I know! You are saying, "Steve, you have us on the hook. Tell us already!" I just want to be sure that you are indeed ready for this financial secret.

COLD, HARD CASH!!! OK I know enough. Before you read further, it is said that sometimes in the mouths of babes come the wisdom of the deep. God said, whoever has faith like a child shall enter the kingdom. Anyway that is a side point. Point is, my child, the Rooser, showed me this secret. IT is solid. It is sound. I said that, didn't I?

OK. The secret. Read the opening paragraph literally. Read it QUITE LITERALLY. The fastest way to make cold hard cash with as little as ten cents is to place the dime into the refrigerator. Within 10 minutes or quicker if you use the freezer, you will have indeed, COLD, HARD CASH!

For those who will argue, yes the penny has less value than a dime, but literally "...as little as 10 cents...", a dime is the smallest coin one could use, in USA Currency, to make cold cash. Some might argue cash is paper. True, to a point. Cash is any reference to actual money, whether woven paper or pressed metallic disks, instead of credit or checks. I said HARD. Paper is not hard. And the 100% return? Yes, if you put in a dime and then pull out a dime, you got 100% return. If you put in 10 cents and expected a return of 20 cents, then that would be a 200% return.

I suspect that you are groaning. Anyone who remembers me from college will be able to testify of my love of committing pranks. My dorm dad, Bill Lange, used to say, "Brother Steve, you are the only one I know who can enter a room with 10 people, and 12 start itching to prank you."

Thank you everyone who has allowed me to play this prank on you. Now you know the rest of the story behind COLD, HARD CASH. And yet there is more. As I developed this web-prank, I realized that there is also a lesson in here.

Now I hope you took this tongue in cheek. I hope it brought a good laugh to those who appreciate real life puns. Yet in this time of economic hardships, it is easy to fall prey to the trappings of fast money, easy money. Who hasn't been tempted or even pursued the idea of making a lot of something for very little.

Yet God's Word gives us an encouragement as well as warnings for money. In Proverbs 13.11, God says, "Money that comes easily disappears quickly, but money that is gathered little by little will grow." (New Century Version)

The point here is that it comes down to: "Who do you trust?" Do you trust in money to see you through these hard times, or do you trust God? From an economic observer's point, the way this country is generating money with the copier and then shoveling out the doors, trusting in the money is like building a house on the sand. Not very bright.

Don't mishear me. Money is fine. God does bless some with money. It is how we use it that makes the difference. Are you trying to make more to have more. Or is it a tool to use?

Jesus met with a rich young ruler who was wanting to be justified righteous before God. Jesus told him to give his wealth to the poor and trust God. But the man went away sad because he realized that he loved his money more than God. His money was his god. (Matthew 19.16ff)

Then in the Book of Acts, we have another rich man. His name is Joseph of Cyprus. He had some land, he sold it. He then used the money to help his brothers and sisters in the faith to survive the economic hard times the early Church was facing in Jerusalem. Through his love of God, he was motivated to use his money as a tool that directly helped in the spreading of God's Word. (Acts 4.36, 37)

Again, my apologies for the prank, and my heart-felt gratitude for allowing me the prank. But if you did get mad, even a little bit... perhaps you need to ask the question, "Who do you trust?" God would like for us to trust in Him. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. (Heb 12.2)

Thanks again for sharing with me from the trail... smh

What about the Word?

"We can all quote scripture, but..."

Think about that phrase. Words mean something. Dr. Gershwin, my psychology professor, followed by my English professor, Brother Rex Wolf, taught us that when you say something and then follow it by "but" everything preceding that word is negated.

For example, "I believe that Jesus is the only way, but each person needs to find their own way." What you just ended up saying is that you do not really believe that Jesus is the only way.

So what has started this hobby horse of mine? I tend to prefer "News and Views with Dr. Larry and Chuck Bates". I would even listen to this show over Rush Limbaugh. Today, however I am now listening to Rush. Why?

The hosts, the Bates, had a problem accepting the Word. We need to unite around Christ. Yet how do we unite around Christ? They said that God never changes. They quoted the Scripture for that statement, but shut down others who tried to quote the Scripture for their point of view.

I learned in rules of discussion you cannot argue experience. I therefore won't. But the question is, where do we derive our authority as believers? From experience or from the Word? Does God prefer to give us experience over the Word?

When we start looking away from the Word, we can become quickly in danger of accepting dangerous doctrines, and embrace false teachers. What happened to the Word? Experience trumps His Holy Word, really?!

Thanks for sharing with me from the trail...

Today's Humorous Thought

Dave, Fred, what do you two think about this?


There was a feud between the Pastor and the Choir Director of the Hicksville Southern Baptist Church. It seems the first hint of trouble came when the Pastor preached on "dedicating yourselves to service" and the Choir Director chose to sing: "I Shall Not Be Moved".

Trying to believe it was a coincidence; the Pastor put the incident behind him. The next Sunday he preached on "giving". Afterwards, the choir squirmed as the director led them in the hymn: "Jesus Paid It All".

By this time, the Pastor was losing his temper. Sunday morning attendance swelled as the tension between the two built. A large crowd showed up the next week to hear his sermon on "the sin of gossiping". Would you believe the Choir Director selected: "I Love To Tell the Story"?! There was no turning back.

The following Sunday the Pastor told the congregation that unless something changed he was considering resignation. The entire church gasped when the Choir Director led them in: "Why Not Tonight".

Truthfully, no one was surprised when the Pastor resigned a week later; explaining that Jesus had led him there and Jesus was leading him away. The Choir Director could not resist: "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".