Luke 24 and John 20 - 21

Today, we finish up the four gospels and tomorrow we will begin reading the Acts of the Apostles.

This passage in Luke contains one of my favorite stories – the two followers of Jesus who are walking toward the village of Emmaus. Luke tells us this village is seven miles from Jerusalem. You can imagine their conversation – “talking about everything that had happened.” Jesus himself “suddenly” comes along and begins walking with them. “But God kept them from recognizing him.” Why do you suppose God did this?

Jesus, who always knows the exact question to ask, asks them what they are talking about so intently. Cleopas is astounded and tells Jesus he must be the only person who hasn’t heard about all that had happened there in the last few days.

Eventually, Jesus takes them through the Scriptures and explains which ones referred to the Messiah. Convincing Jesus to stay the night in Emmaus, the break bread together and it is at that point they realize who they are entertaining. Jesus then disappears. This encounter convinces them that the Lord has really risen.

One of my favorite Southern gospel songs is “On the Road to Emmaus” sung by the Steeles. If you have a moment, please listen to it on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLutfyIC6Q

Tomorrow, we’ll read Acts 1 – 3.

Until next time…

Matthew 28 and Mark 16

Once again I’m struck by the words: “Don’t be afraid.” Or “Don’t be alarmed.” This had to be a confusing time for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Their beloved Lord had been hauled away by the authorities. He had been tried and found guilty. He had been beaten, been mocked, and was finally crucified. They watched as he gave up his spirit and died. They watched as he was taken down from the cross and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. They saw the great rock rolled in front of the tomb. And, then, to top it all off, as they come to the tomb, there is a great earthquake and they behold an angel outside the tomb.

The Roman guards see this too, but are bribed to say the disciples stole the body. As Roman soldiers, if this were true, they would have been killed for dereliction of duty.

Not only did the angel tell them not be afraid, but when they ran into Jesus, he also told them, “Don’t be afraid.”

What a confusion of emotions the ladies and the disciples must have experienced. Just imagine how you would have felt.

When things are happening that you don’t understand or that threaten to overwhelm you, please remember the words: “Don’t be afraid.”

Tomorrow, we’ll read Luke 24 and John 20 - 21.

Once again I’m struck by the words: “Don’t be afraid.” Or “Don’t be alarmed.” This had to be a confusing time for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Their beloved Lord had been hauled away by the authorities. He had been tried and found guilty. He had been beaten, been mocked, and was finally crucified. They watched as he gave up his spirit and died. They watched as he was taken down from the cross and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. They saw the great rock rolled in front of the tomb. And, then, to top it all off, as they come to the tomb, there is a great earthquake and they behold an angel outside the tomb.

The Roman guards see this too, but are bribed to say the disciples stole the body. As Roman soldiers, if this were true, they would have been killed for dereliction of duty.

Not only did the angel tell them not be afraid, but when they ran into Jesus, he also told them, “Don’t be afraid.”

What a confusion of emotions the ladies and the disciples must have experienced. Just imagine how you would have felt.

When things are happening that you don’t understand or that threaten to overwhelm you, please remember the words: “Don’t be afraid.”

Tomorrow, we’ll read Luke 24 and John 20 - 21.

Until next time…

Luke 23 and John 18 – 19, More on Self-CPR, Labor Day, and Be Reminded

Luke 23 and John 18 – 19

These chapters provide two more accounts of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. I think John’s account has a little more detail than the other accounts, but Luke’s is pretty thorough.

Tomorrow, we’ll read Matthew 28 and Mark 16.

Self-CPR

Just thought you should know that Doctor's say this will not work. You must call 911 immediately. You can read more about it here:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/h/heartattack.htm

Labor Day

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you take over
America? One American at a time.
Tyson chicken anyone?  We all need to heed this message.
Tyson Food in Shelbyville, Tennessee has eliminated Labor Day as a paid holiday in favor of the last day of Ramadan because they have 700
Muslim employees. Tennessee is the newest Hot-Bed for Muslim immigration. According to the 2010 Government Census more Muslims are flocking to Tennessee than any other state in the union.
I will no longer purchase any Tyson products. It's just one more little chunk of America that's been bitten off. If you wish to join me, then let your e-mail friends know this.
If we don't stand up for something we will fall for anything.
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
This was verified:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2c2933%2c397645%2c00.html

 

Be reminded that "God Works in Mysterious Ways"

Tampons (A TRUE STORY)

Tampons to the rescue in Iraq!! Don't worry, it's a good story, and worth reading. It's even humorous in parts. It's from the mother of a Marine in Iraq.

My son told me how wonderful the care packages we had sent them from the ladies auxiliary were and wanted me to tell everyone thank you.

He said that one guy we'll call Marine X, got a female care package and everyone was giving him a hard time. My son said, 'Marine X got some really nice smelling lotion and everyone really likes it, so every time he goes to sleep they steal it from him. ' I told my son I was really sorry about the mistake, and if he wanted I would send Marine X another package. He told me not to worry about Marine X, because every time I send something to him, he shares it with Marine X.

He said when my husband and I sent the last care package, Marine X came over to his cot picked up the box, started fishing through it, and said, 'What 'd we get this time?'

But my son said they had the most fun with Marine X's package. He said he wasn't sure who it was supposed to go to, but the panties were size 20, and he said one of the guys got on top of the Humvee and jumped off with the panties over his head and yelled, 'Look at me, I'm an Airborne Ranger!!!! '

One of the guys connected the panties to an antenna and it blew in the wind like a windsock. He said it entertained them for quite awhile. Then of course. . . they had those tampons. When he brought this up, my imagination just went running, but he continued.

My son said they had to go on a mission and Marine X wanted the Chap-Stick and lotion for the trip. He grabbed a bunch of the items from his care package and got in the Humvee. As luck would have it, he grabbed the tampons too, and my son said everyone was teasing him about 'not forgetting his feminine hygiene products.'

He said things went well for a while, then the convoy was ambushed and a Marine was shot. He said the wound was pretty clean, but it was deep. He said they were administering first aid but couldn't get the bleeding to slow down, and someone said, 'Hey! Use Marine X's tampons!' My son said they put the tampon in the wound. At this point my son profoundly told me, 'Mom, did you know that tampons expand?'

('Well....yeah!')

They successfully slowed the bleeding until the guy got better medical attention. When they went to check on him later, the surgeon told them, 'You guys saved his life. If you hadn't stopped that bleeding he would have bled to death.' My Son said, 'Mom, the tampons sent by the Marine Moms by mistake saved a Marine's life.'

At this point I asked him, 'Well, what did you do with the rest of the tampons?'

He said, 'Oh, we divided them up and we all have them in our flak jackets, and I kept two for our first aid kit.'

I am absolutely amazed by the ingenuity of our Marines. I can't believe that something that started out as a mistake then turned into a joke, ended up saving someone's life. My sister said she doesn't believe in mistakes. She believes God had a plan all along. She believes that 'female care package' was sent to Marine X to save our Marine.

Either way, our efforts have boosted the morale of many Marines, provided much needed items for our troops, AND saved the life of a Marine! God bless every one of you for your efforts and hard work, and God bless our Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and all our military service personnel.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND KEEP IT SAFE!

I'm not breaking this one. If I get it a 1000 times, I'll forward it a 1000 times! Let us pray... Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it! Please send this on after a short prayer. Pray for our soldiers. Don't break it!

Prayer: 'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. . . . Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. In Jesus' name, Amen.'

Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.

There is nothing attached. Just send this to people in your address book. Do not let it stop with you. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

GOD BLESS YOU FOR PASSING IT ON

Until next time…

Matthew 27 and Mark 15 and Self CPR and Grandpa Burchett

Matthew 27 and Mark 15

Today, we get a look at not only the cruelty of the Romans, but also of the Jewish officials and the Jewish people. Pilate has Jesus “flogged with a lead-tipped whip.” The Roman soldiers strip him and put a scarlet robe on him so they can mock him. Part of that mocking includes making a crown for him out of thorn branches and putting it on his head … and you know they did not do this gently. They placed a reed stick in his hand and knelt before him in mockery. They spit on him, grabbed the stick they gave him and then hit him with it. When they were done with this personal torture, they led him away to Golgotha to be crucified.

Not only did the Roman soldiers mock him, but also the crowd of people passing by also shouted abuse, mocking him. Not to be outdone, the priests, teachers of religious law and elders also mocked Jesus. They shouted at him that if he would come down from the cross they would believe on him. Of course, if he had come down, which he could have, we would all still be lost in our sins.

Meanwhile, there were lots of eerie signs: the sun was dark from noon until three o’clock. At the time Jesus released his spirit, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two. The earth shook and rocks split apart. Matthew tells about tombs opening and the bodies of many godly men and women who had died being raised from the death.

On the other hand, we know there were a few faithful that did not mock Jesus. Instead, they waited and watched. They watched him die. They watched Joseph take his body and bury it in a tomb carved out of a rock. They watched him roll a great stone across the entrance.

Tomorrow, we’ll read Luke 23 and John 18 – 19.

What are you to do if you have a heart attack while you are alone? If you've already received this, It means people care about you. The Johnson City Medical Center (Johnson City, Tennessee) staff actually discovered this and did an in-depth study on it in our ICU. The two individuals that discovered this then did an article on it, had it published and have had it incorporated into ACLS and CPR classes. It is very true and has and does work. It is called cough CPR. A cardiologist says it's the truth if everyone who gets this sends it to 10 people, you can bet that we'll save at least one life. It could save your life!

Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. you're driving home alone after an usually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course didn't tell you what to do if it happened to yourself.

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order. Without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives! BE A FRIEND AND PLEASE SEND THIS ARTICLE TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE.

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Grandpa Burchett

Be sure to read the "ps"

Grandpa Burchett also says-- priceless

John G. is 63 years old and owns a small business. He's a life-long Republican and sees his dream of retiring next year has all but evaporated. With the stock market crashing and new taxes coming his way, John assumes now that he will work to his dying day.
John has a granddaughter. Ashley is a recent college grad. She drives a flashy hybrid car, wears all the latest fashions, and loves to go out to nightclubs and restaurants. Ashley campaigned hard for Barack Obama. After the election she made sure her grandfather (and all other Republican family members) received a big I told-you-so earful on how the world is going to be a much better place now that her party is taking over.
Having lost both roommates, Ashley recently ran short of cash and cannot pay the rent (again) on her 3 bedroom townhouse... Like she has done many times in the past, she e-mailed her grandfather asking for some financial help.
Here is his reply:
Sweetheart, I received your request for assistance. Ashley, you know I love you dearly and I'm sympathetic to your financial plight. Unfortunately, times have changed. With the election of President Obama, your grandmother and I have had to set forth a bold new economic plan of our own...."The Ashley Economic Empowerment Plan." Let me explain.
Your grandmother and I are life-long, wage-earning tax payers. We have lived a comfortable life, as you know, but we have never had the fancier things like European vacations, luxury cars, etc... We have worked hard and were looking forward to retiring soon. But the plan has changed. Your president is raising our personal and business taxes significantly. He says it is so he can give our hard earned money to other people... Do you know what this means, Ashley? It means less for us, and we must cut back on many business and personal expenses.
You know the wonderful receptionist who worked in my office for more than 23 years? The one who always gave you candy when you came over to visit? I had to let her go last week. I can't afford to pay her salary and all of the government mandated taxes that go with having employees.... Your grandmother will now work 4 days a week to answer phones, take orders and handle the books. We will be closed on Fridays and will lose even more income.
I'm also very sorry to report that your cousin Frank will no longer be working summers in the warehouse. I called him at school this morning. He already knows about it and he's upset because he will have to give up skydiving and his yearly trip to Greenland to survey the polar bears.
That's just the business side of things. Some personal economic effects of Obama's new taxation policies include none other than you. You know very well that over the years your grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in cash, tuition assistance, food, housing, clothing, gifts, etc., etc. But by your vote, you have chosen to help others -- not at your expense -- but at our expense.
If you need money now sweetheart, I recommend you call 202-456-1111,  That is the direct phone number for the White House.. You can also contact the White House here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/%C2%A0;...
You yourself told me how foolish it is to vote Republican... You said Mr. Obama is going to be the People's President, and is going to help every American live a better life. Based on everything you've told me, along with all the promises we heard during the campaign, I'm sure Mr. Obama will be happy to transfer some stimulus money into your bank account. Have him call me for the account number which I memorized years ago.
Perhaps you can now understand what I've been saying all my life: Those who vote for a president should consider the impact on the nation as a whole, and not be just concerned with what they can get for themselves. What Obama supporters don't seem to realize is all of the money he is redistributing to illegal aliens and non-taxpaying Americans (the so-called "less fortunate") comes from tax-paying families.
Remember how you told me, "Only the richest of the rich will be affected"? Well guess what, honey? Because we own a business, your grandmother and I are now considered to be the richest of the rich. On paper, it might look that way, but in the real world, we are far from it..
As you said while campaigning for Obama, some people will have to carry more of the burden so all of America can prosper... You understand what that means, right? It means that raising taxes on productive people results in them having less money; less money for everything, including granddaughters.
I'm sorry, Ashley, but the well has run dry. The free lunches are over... I have no money to give you now. So, congratulations on your choice for "change." For future reference, I encourage you to try and add up the total value of the gifts and cash you have received from us, just since you went off to college, and compare it to what you expect to get from Mr. Obama over the next 4 (or 8) years. I have not kept track of it, Ashley. It has all truly been the gift of our hearts.
Remember, we love you dearly.... but from now on you'll need to call the number mentioned above. Your "Savior" has the money we would have given to you. Just try and get it from him.
Good luck, sweetheart.

Until next time…

John 14 – 17 and Chocolate Cake

John 14 - 17

The previous chapter of John details Jesus telling the disciples that he would be betrayed and that they would all desert him. He even predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. Small wonder he starts out this chapter telling them: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.”

There are so many places in the Scriptures where God or someone speaking on behalf of God tells people not to be afraid. Remember after Moses died and Joshua was told it was time to take the Israelites over the Jordan and into the Promised Land? God told Joshua more than once to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid or discouraged. “For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Here we see Jesus, who knows his disciples are confused and scared, telling them not to let their hearts be troubled. He also gives them a new commandment, that they love one another as he has loved them – remember: he gave his life for them. That is the way our love for one another is supposed to be. He tells them of the Holy Spirit – the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth – who will testify all about him.

Tomorrow, we’ll read Matthew 27 and Mark 15.

Chocolate Cake

My cousin Ethelyn sent me a recipe for the Best Ever Chocolate Cake. This morning, I made the cake. I had one piece and it was good, but not the best ever. My Aunt Ruth’s Salad Dressing Cake is still my favorite. She would make it and put peanut butter icing on it. Now that was some great cake. I had one piece and it was okay, but I won’t have any more of it. My cousin Richard is more than willing to eat the rest.

I was very pleased with the operation of my oven. I set it for 350 degrees and, according to the oven thermometer I put in there, it was exactly that temperature.

Veteran’s Day

Thanks to all of the Veterans and the brave men and women serving in all branches of the military to keep our country free. I am so proud of those in my own family.

Until next time…

Luke 22 and John 13 and Skyfall

Luke 22 and John 13

Today, we read two more accounts of the events leading up to and including the arrest of Jesus. There are two things that stand out to me: 1) Luke mentions that Satan enters into Judas Iscariot, and 2) Jesus talks about the new covenant between God and his people, an agreement confirmed with Jesus’ blood which he would pour out as a sacrifice for us.

Rather than requiring continuing animal sacrifices, Jesus sacrificed himself once for all. As Hebrews 7:27 says, “Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the people.” And Hebrews 9:12 reiterates this truth: “”With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.”

If for no other reason than this, we can wake up each morning and thank God for his love for us. Thank him that we don’t have to sacrifice animals every day – such a bloody business, but that our wonderful Lord and Savior was willing to shed his blood for us.

Tomorrow, we’ll read John 14 - 17.

Skyfall

Today, I posted the following on Facebook about the new James Bond movie, Skyfall:

Karen and I went to AMC to see Skyfall today. We agree emphatically that it is the best James Bond movie ever and might be right up there with the best movie ever. You will sit on the edge of your seat through the whole movie. You will learn a lot about how James Bond became a agent and what motivates him. There are a few twists and turns and you will be impressed by the stunts knowing Daniel Craig did his own. Go see it as soon as you can. I'll probably see it again next week.

Until next time…

Matthew 26 and Mark 14

Matthew 26 and Mark 14

Have you ever wished you knew what would happen in your life? Would it make a difference in how you acted or reacted? From these two chapters, which basically recount the same events? It is clear from this that Jesus knew what was going to happen to him. Do you think it affected how he acted or reacted?

He knew he would be handed over to be crucified. He knew where he would eat the Passover meal and the person who would let him and his disciples share the Passover there. He knew one of his disciples would betray him and which disciple it was. He knew about the sacrifice he would make, that the bread and wine represented his body which was broken and his blood which was shed. He knew he would not drink wine with them until he drank it new with them in his Father’s Kingdom. He knew his friends would desert him and that he would go ahead of them to Galilee and would meet them there. He knew that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crows. He knew and told his disciples that his soul was crushed with grief to the point of death. He knew what awaited him and asked the Father to let the cup of suffering be taken away from him, but was willing to do God’s will, not his. He knew he had been betrayed by Judas. He knew he would be resurrected in three days.

Do you think knowing all of these things was beneficial to Jesus? Do you think it made his last few days any easier? Something to think about…

Tomorrow, we’ll read Luke 22 and John 13.

Until next time…