God and the Spider Web

David R. Helm writes in his commentary on Jude about Frederick Nolan. Nolan was fleeing from his enemies during a time of persecution in North African.

Vigilantly pursued by his foes, Nolan was running out of places to hide. Finally, bone-tired he came upon a small cave. Hiding inside, he expected his enemies to find him.

Certain he was awaiting his death, he saw a spider begin to weave a web. Within minutes, the insect had woven an intricate web across the mouth of the cave.

Shortly thereafter, his hunters arrived. At first, they suspected Nolan had entered the cave. Then, they considered how it would have been impossible for him to have entered without destroying the web. So they left.

Nolan escaped his potential captors. Later, contemplating his fate, he wrote, “Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider's web.”

I Don’t Ever Fall

The story is told (and perhaps it is legend) of the once famous circus performer, Philippe Petit. He was practicing in the Bayfront Auditorium in St. Petersburg, Florida, when he fell about 10 yards to a concrete floor. Someone present described Petit as rolling over on his stomach, hitting the concrete with his fist, and crying out, “I can't believe it! I can't believe it! I don't ever fall.”

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (I Cor. 10:12.)

Look!

•                Look around and be distressed.

•                Look inside and be depressed.

•                Look at Jesus and be at rest.

--Corrie Ten Boom

Sexploitation

This is quoted directly from TIME, May 10, 2004:

"'My father makes a percentage off me, so he had no problem with it.'--

Jessica Simpson, pop star, when asked what her father, a Baptist minister, had to say about her new line of 'kissable' body-care products."

Shining Clear Through

TMAS 092110… Shining Clear Through

Tony Tucker, the youth minister at my old, hometown church, wrote an article in his bulletin the other day in which he told about a little girl, who was confused by her preacher's sermon. Her mother asked her what confused her. And the girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”

“Yes, that's true,” the mother replied.

“The preacher also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?” The little girl asked.

Again the mother replied, “Yes.”

“Well,” said the girl, “if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn't he show through?”

From the mouth of babes.

Paul writes in Galatians five that God's spirit lives within us. Consequently Paul says the qualities of God should show through.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23a.)

The Town Gossip

Several years ago, my high school principle, Carl Talbert, sent me a story about Joan, the town gossip. Joan was the self-appointed supervisor of the town's morals, and she kept sticking her nose into other people's business.

Several local residents were unappreciative of her activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. However, one afternoon, she made a mistake; she accused George, a local man, of being an alcoholic after she saw his pickup truck parked outside the town's only bar.

George, a dedicated Christian and man of few words, stared at her for a few moments and walked away without saying a word.

Later that evening, he parked his pickup truck in front of her house and left it there all night.

"Couple 'adopts' drunken driver responsible for son's death"

A couple of decades ago, the associated press ran a story about a couple that was truly inspiring.  For years the embittered couple did everything within their power to make life miserable for the drunken driver who had killed their only child.  They followed him to his court appearances, they followed him to the county jail to make sure he was serving his prison sentence of weekend time, and they even followed him to his apartment.

Ultimately, the grieving couple realized revenge did not work. So they tried a more radical cure for their pain; they forgave the sinner.  They began to have him as a guest in their home for meals and, twice a week, he was their guest at their church.

Listen to what the mother had to say, “The hate and the bitterness I was feeling was destroying me.  I needed to forgive [him] to save myself."

After the parents forgave the drunk driver, he became a Christian, quit drinking, and became an active lecturer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  With gratitude he said, "They've given me a better life.  They've made it much easier for me to live with myself and forgive myself."

I love that story.  I love the title of the article "Couple 'adopts' drunken driver responsible for son's death." You know in many ways this story is reminiscent of our own story with God.  We were drunk in our Sin and thus responsible for the death of Jesus.  We should praise God that he didn't seek revenge.  Instead, he forgave us and he adopted us.  We are now his children.

Rom. 5: 6-11: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”