Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Ever had hot coffee spiked with jalapeño juice…

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Morning Journal,

8:00 a.m. - Had a pleasant Saturday morning with Betty. These are always such heart-warming sharing times. Everyone needs a special confidant where openness and trust are in the flow of things. That is the way it is with Betty and me.

Course we’ve always had our extra ‘fun’ times. (Picking on one another.) Here’s a good one that happened several years ago.

I’m in the shower and Betty is at the sink. I’m washing my hair. I’ll throw a handful of water over on her. When she looks, I remains innocently unawares of the splashing. This happens more than once.

A bit later Betty slips back in the bathroom with a extra-big, cold glass of water and pours it over my head. The scream I heard was mine. Out the shower I come and chase her down the hall. (In my birthday suit. Don’t laugh.) Amends are made.

Then while I am shaving, Betty brings a peace offering, a cup of hot coffee. What I did not know was that she had fully spiked it with jalapeño pepper juice. Took a swig, and all over the mirror it went.

You guessed it. Down the hall she goes with me in hot pursuit.

What can I say? Every marriage needs fun times. We’ve had plenty of those. Out of pure mercy I won’t share about the other times? Betty set me up. Or, was it me setting her up? :)

Now an update — We decided to go ahead and buy a used fishing boat so that after my bout with lymphoma we’ll get to do some fishing. Been wanting to do this for awhile.

The boat is nothing fancy. It is perfect for my needs. I also want to use the boat to build some memories with our grandkids.

Ok — Now for my morning devotion. I’m beginning the book of Job, and would you know it; the very first verse is as far as I get. It says:

“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Can’t go any further. What God says about Job is crucial to the story of Job. Throughout the book of Job, this good man defends his integrity, yet he never takes upon himself the idea of being perfect.

Is this not true with all the godly people of the Lord? Moses felt unqualified to answer God’s call to deliver Israel. Jeremiah felt that he was just a child. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaian 6:5 nasb.)

The testimony that stirs my heart the deepest is from the great apostle Paul. He said, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” (1 Timothy 1:15 nasb.)

Is this not the story of every child of God? No one of us ever feels worthy of God’s call into His kingdom. Our hearts are always grateful.

There is a song you may remember that expresses the heart of everyone who has come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Here is part of the song. See if it fits where you are:

“Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that He would say, ‘Not My will, but Thine, Lord. The answer I may never know, why He ever loved me so. That to an old rugged cross He would go, for who am I?”

That pretty much sums it up.

I do have a point to be made. Not only do we need a Savior in a point of time when we are first saved, we also need a day-by-day, constant, Lord and Savior in our lives. Saving us is what the Lord does. And He does it on a daily basis.

Paul said, “Behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’” (2Co6:2 nasb.)

It seems to me that the people who are the most blind are those who never see themselves to be sinners in need of a Savior. It is strange because some of this thinking is even found in religious-minded people. That was certainly the case with many of the Jews during the time of Christ.

John said that these peoples are self-deceived.

Moving on in time…

9:15 a.m. - Got a call from Lane. He is so excited about what the Lord is doing in his life and in the lives of others, especially in his family. Lane is growing by leaps and bounds in the true knowedge of the Lord. ‘True knowledge’ (epignosis in Greek) is the crown of a believer’s life.

11:45 a.m. - Thinking about mama again. Seems my whole life as a child wraps itself around mom. I did not come to know my dad until I was almost 10 years old. And while mama was far from perfect, as are we all, she was a mama in the true sense of the word. Her world wrapped itself around her children.

Perhaps this is why the Bible compares the love of God as far beyond that of a mother’s love for her children. Listen to this prophecy:

“Can a woman forget her nursing chiild and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands…” (Isaiah 49:15,16 nasb.)

Did you know that all believers are held in the very hands of Jesus?

As far as my mom was concerned, her children were her children. That was how it was. If you have a problem with one of her kids, you may as well get ready for the ’she’ bear.

Since I have Bible for lots of things, what do we have for this ‘mama’ attitude? Here tis: “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly.” (Proverbs 17:12 nasb.) — The follly is the fool who messes with a ’she’ bear’s cubs. You can fill in the blanks. — :)

1:25 p.m. - Things are kinda slow. Goes with a Saturday. Better close out for now.

Really looking forward to Sunday’s service. Nathan is beginning a new series on relationships. This is an excellent area? of ministry.

Lots of love,

Buddy

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