Matthew 16:13 ¶When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

To the artist, He is Altogether Lovely.
To the astronomer, He is the Sun of Righteousness and the Bright and Morning Star.
To the baker, He is the Living Bread.
To the biologist, He is the Life.
To the builder, He is the Sure Foundation.
To the carpenter, He is the Door.
To the doctor, He is the great Physician.
To the editor, He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the educator, He is the Great Teacher.
To the engineer, He is the New and Living Way.
To the farmer, He is the Sower, the True Vine, and the Lord of Harvest.
To the florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.
To the geologist, He is the Rock of Ages.
To the hopeless, He is our Hope.
To the juror, He is the Faithful and True Witness.
To the jeweler, He is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the lawyer, He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Righteous Judge, and the Advocate.
To the philosopher, He is the Wisdom of God.
To the proud, He is the Rebuker.
To the sculptor, He is the Living Stone.
To the straying sheep, He is the Good Shepherd.
To those who suffer, He is the Comforter.
To the thirsty pilgrim, He is the Water of Life.
To the troubled soul, He is the Pacifier.
To the sinner, He is the Saviour.
To the Christian, He is the All in All.

- Unknown

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Quoted

Vanilla ice cream is good but it is ordinary. Add some black walnuts, butter toasted pecans, chocolate chips, macadamias or some other tasty treat and the ordinary vanilla ice cream becomes extraordinary.

When we give extra value to something that is usually run-of-the mill, we then make it extraordinary. There was a new item a number of years ago about an elderly couple who picked up a young man who was hitchhiking. The couple was going a great distance after leaving the hospital where the man had been ill for some time. His wife was driving but, due to loss of sleep while staying with her husband at the hospital, she was having difficulty staying awake. Finally the young man offered to drive if she would permit him to do so. The lady agreed, not knowing what the young man might do.

The next thing the lady knew was that she was at home. Both she and her husband had slept for many miles while the young man took great care to deliver them to their own home without any trouble. Before he had taken over the driving, the young man had heard the lady say where they lived. Now, he was not going all the way to the town where they lived, but due to the nature of the situation, he drove many miles past his own destination in order to deliver the elderly couple safely to their own home.

The ordinary journey had become extraordinary because the young man had given “that little extra.”

Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

The incident of the good Samaritan is an excellent example of adding “that little extra.”

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

In today’s business world “that little extra” is referred to as “value added.” Are we, in our daily activities, giving “that little extra” or “value added”?

Cowardice asks, “Is it safe?”
Expediency asks, “Is it polite?”
Vanity asks, “Is it popular?”
But conscience asks, “Is it right?”

--Wm. Morley Punshon

Using some hypothetical situations, let us consider what would be our normal course of action. Please give serious thought to each situation before tendering your final and definitive answer.

1. You awake in the middle of the night and smell smoke. Do you:

(1) Go back to sleep – it is just the final embers from the barbecue grill that you used last night;
(2) You awake your spouse and ask him/her to check out the matter – you need your rest before tomorrow’s workday begins;
(3) You immediately arise and check out the entire house until you locate the source of the smoke, then make absolutely certain everything is safe;
(4) Call to a child to get up and see what is wrong, then immediately go back to sleep;
(5) Do nothing.

2. You are driving along the interstate when you suddenly hear a noise, feel the vehicle swerve slightly, and notice that there is a repeated bump-bump-bump as you continue driving. Do you:

(1) Slam on brakes, jump out and run around the vehicle, checking all the tires;
(2) Drive to the next town, exit and locate a garage to have the vehicle checked;
(3) Ask the passengers to open the windows, lean way out and see what is going on, as you continue driving along the freeway;
(4) Locate the nearest and safest place to stop and examine the vehicle;
(5) Do nothing.

3. You realize that you have not been to church since last Christmas (Easter, Fourth of July, your birthday). Do you:

(1) ask someone who does attend church services “What is going on at church these days?”
(2) Send one of your children to church next Sunday to find out what is being done there;
(3) Ask a neighbor to bring the news to you;
(4) Go to church next meeting time and join in the worship services;
(5) Do nothing.

In today’s society, our perception would indicate that probably the answer in each of the scenarios would be option (5) – Do nothing. Of course, perception can be wrong. I would hope that scenario number one would bring us to immediate action. Number two is close to equal in seriousness to number one; therefore, we ought to be quick to bring everything safely under control.

As for scenario number three – well, let’s see just what we would do. There are so many excuses given for non-attendance of worship services, it would be impossible to list all of them.

Excuses are abundant – reasons, few.

Hebrews 10:19 ¶Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

LORD, to THEE we call for mercies,
GOD of power -- wondrous LOVE!
We call, seeking peace and comfort
In the name of Christ above.

In the name of Jesus - Savior,
FATHER, Hear our feeble call!
There is none other who saves us.
O Holy Spirit, ne'er let us fall!

Please grant us vision to look over --
Far beyond this vale of tears!
Shine in our hearts O Holy Light
And bless us to reject dark fears.

Praises to THEE, loving MASTER --
For gifts of life, movement, and breath;
Thanks unto THEE, GOD of comfort --
Glorious Source of every help!

By mercies of GOD,
© Peggy Hood, 5-9-2007

I Kings 8:56 “Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise . . . “

“When is the time to trust?
Is it when all is calm,
when waves the victor’s palm,
And life is one glad psalm of joy and praise?”
“Nay, but the time to trust is when the waves beat high,
When storm clouds fill the sky,
and prayer is one long cry,
“O help and save.”

“When is the time to trust?
Is it when friends are true?
Is it when comforts woo,
and in all we say and do,
We meet but praise?”
“Nay, but the time to trust is when we stand alone,
And summer birds have flown,
and every prop is gone,
All else but God!”

When is the time to trust?
Is it some future day
When you’ve tried your own way,
and learned to trust and pray
By bitter woe?”
“Nay, but the time to trust is in this moment’s need.
Poor broken, bruised reed.
Poor troubled soul, make speed
To trust thy God!”

“When is the time to trust?
Is it when hopes beat high,
The sunshine gilds the sky,
and joy and ecstasy Fill all the heart?”
“Nay, but the time to trust is when joy has fled,
When sorrow bows the head,
and all is cold and dead,
All else but God.”

-- Unknown

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The soft sweet summer was warm and glowing;
Bright were the blossoms on every bough:
I trusted Him when the roses were blooming.
I trust Him now . . .

-- Unknown

Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Every item listed is a positive one. We should dwell upon things that are profitable for the child of God. We should have no part in the things of the world, the things which are detrimental to the child of God.

God has given us sense enough to choose between good and evil, and He has taught us to choose the good and reject the evil. Truth, honesty, justice, purity, loveliness, and a good report are virtues worth possessing. Having these things, we should praise God and center our thoughts on them.

These things are gifts from God – let us thank the Giver for the gifts.

We may travel through this life and never look up as we pass by; If we look at the ground, we will miss the rainbow in the sky. We may forget that Jesus died for us and even forget why, But there is one thing sure – when we come to die, We want the Lord to be very near by.

Turn, trembling heart to prayer --
Surely the LORD will hear!
Humbly, before His Throne of Grace,
Confess to HIM your cares.

Turn, grieving heart, to prayer
Unto the gracious GOD!
The Lord and Savior -- Jesus Christ --
Intercession, affords.

Turn, joyous heart, to prayer,
For you are saved by LOVE!
Give thanks unto the LORD today;
O praise your GOD above!

By mercies of GOD,
© Peggy Hood, 5-3-2007

This is a different type of message today, but one we need to know about.

“He who controls our thinking controls us.”

Legislation is pending which would control our thoughts and our expressions of them. We could not speak against many of the sins so vividly opposed in the Bible. It would become a sin to speak out against sin. Sodom and Gomorrah would no longer be considered sinful. Of course, they are both gone, destroyed because God was not pleased with the activities engaged in by the inhabitants. God saw fit to destroy those cities because of sin. They are referred to in other places in the Bible as being evil places because of the sins committed there.

If the law passes we will no longer be able, legally, to speak against such sins. It would literally be a sin to oppose sin. But God has instructed us to abhor such things.

Romans 12:9 ...Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

If you desire to call your representative and ask him or her to vote against the Hate Crimes Act (referred to by some as the Thought Control bill) you can reach your representative at 1-202-224-3121.