# 18 Your Word

Our words have meaning. When we make a commitment we should always do all in our power to follow through. In years past a man's (or woman's) word was their bond. It seems today we have gotten away from this principal.

Let your Yes mean yes, and your No, mean no.

My parents knew this principal very well, especially the no part! 

Thank God they showed the wisdom to use it!

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Mother Teresa 

Mathew 5

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.37 Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.[n]

# 17 The Way

The truth is, there is only one way.

 At times we might all struggle with some unbelief, second guessing ourselves and our faith. This is the beauty of our free will. Our prodding to move forward and  learn more. But let their be no mistake,

 Jesus was very clear:

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Tell the children the truth.

Bob Marley 

John 14

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[d] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

#16 Salt and Light

Clever huh...salt and light in the picture too...

How often do we think of ourselves a a sermon? We all preach one every day with our actions.. 

Good and Bad. 

I encourage you to look around at who is looking at you. Family? Children? Co-workers?

YOU ARE the light of the world!

Let your works give Glory to God.

You and I do not see things as they are.

 We see things as we are.

Henry Ward Beecher 

Mathew 5

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

# 15 My Friend

Albert J "Rocky" Hoffart went home to be with the Lord this past week. He was a man who enjoyed his life. A man who was a blessing to many, but a hard man. Born in 1928, and raised in the depression he saw many changes in his 80 + years. His brother said that they broke the mold on him..I am not sure there was a mold! He loved to tell stories about his early life on a dairy farm around Houston. One of the best BBQ cooks I have ever met and he loved to build his own pits. With a welder and pipe he could build just about anything.
 Full blood German, he had a bumper sticker that said " you can always tell a German, you just can't tell him much". That fit Rocky!
 He was the best judge of fair animals I have ever seen. He would travel all around the county helping kids pick the best chickens, rabbits, turkeys, pigs and steers. He was involved with our church activities, cooking mainly for the past 25 years, and other parrishs before that!

We will miss you my friend.
 God Bless you Brother!

Mathew 25

The Judgment of the Nations

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[g]you did it to me.’

# 14 Money

I am not sure if this is a Dan original quote but when he said it I never forgot it! It seems in our culture today everyone is chasing after more money and more stuff. I am blessed to have had parents who gave a great example on how to live out a comfortable simple life. They knew where true treasure was.

 It was in their love of God, each other and their family

I make Money..Money doesn't make me.

Dan

Mathew 6

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[g]consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust[h] consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.[i]

# 13 Look Inside

These past few days have been HOT! OK what do you expect for July in Texas! My thoughts today while I am inside, are of what is inside each of us. The good the bad and the ugly. We all have the working of each of these traits. It is up to us to make the conscious choice to bring out the GOOD. We have this opportunity all day, every day! Take a few seconds and remember to respond in difficult situations instead of reacting.

Responding gives you time to look for the good. 

The Lord knows the whole of it.....

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”—

 Ralph Waldo Emerson

Psalm 139

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

# 12 You Know Me

I spoke to a co-worker this yesterday who is a new dad of less than a week. He was so excited to tell me about his little girl! My son Jacob and his wife will be having their baby this week..one way or the other! And we will be grandparents for the second time this year! We can't wait!!

 The Lord knows our beginning and our last chapter. He knows our thoughts and our ways.

And he loves us anyway

 He knows we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.
Henry Ward Beecher 

Psalm 139
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.