King David desired to purchase a threshing floor so he could build an altar to worship God. When the owner understood what David wanted the land for, he offered to donate it. “But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing’” (2 Samuel 24:24).

We’re all looking for a bargain. No one wants to pay full price when we can get a deal. But David teaches us an important lesson here. God is looking on our hearts, not our worth. David wanted the sacrifice to cost him something. He wanted to make an investment in the spiritual kingdom.

God saw to it this story was recorded for our understanding of sacrifice. Don’t be afraid to give ‘til it hurts. God will see your heart and reward you accordingly.

There’s a lot of talk about the biblical accuracy of the new film ‘Noah’. I hope its not too accurate. Did you know there is not one word spoken in the biblical story of the Flood until after the ark lands afterward? That would make one boring movie.

The film that touched my life most deeply was the 1970s film ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. All the Christians were saying it was a bad movie and we should boycott it. So I had to go see it. It certainly wasn’t biblically accurate. At the end of the cinematic musical Jesus is dead on the cross and all the players in the story get in a bus and drive off into the sunset. Leaving Jesus all alone on that cross.

I was a brand new Christian when I saw that film in a theater. As I walked across the parking lot I was overcome with the reality of the emptiness of the moment. Jesus died for me, and did it all alone. When I got to the car I wept like a baby thinking of what He did for me. Anita, who went with me, tried to comfort me, but this broke my stubborn resistance and changed my life.

A movie that was intended to diminish the Bible story of Jesus actually did the opposite. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Let’s not bottle Him up.

What’s the most touching film you’ve ever seen?

This has been a rugged winter. The snow plow broke my 4’x4’ wooden mailbox post off at the ground. I made a make-shift temporary set-up that the snow plow obliterated several times, and damaged the metal box itself beyond repair. It doesn’t look pretty and the door won’t shut, but we have it propped up and can still get mail.

I can’t replace it until the frost is out of the ground, which may be the middle of April at this point. I have a new post and new mailbox, but can’t install them until later. So, I have to be patient.

Its kind of like the treasures I’ve stored up in heaven. I have them invested in the Kingdom, but I can’t access those treasures yet. I just have to wait until the Lord comes back for me. But, when that happens, I’m ready.

Are you ready for the Lord to come back? Have you prepared for that day? Its coming sooner than you think.

“Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before’” (Joshua 3:1-4a).

Entering the Promised Land was no simple endeavor for Israel. The enemies in the Land would not surrender easily. And the wilderness wanderers had no fighting experience. And the Land was unknown to them.

God’s directions then are good enough for us today:

 ·       When you see God moving, follow Him; not until.

 ·       That’s the only way to know which way you should go.

 ·       Because you’ve never been this way before.

If you’ve never been this way before, watch for the obvious moving of God. He promised to lead you.

The Book of Revelation begins with these words: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1).

Observe that this book is not called ‘Revelations’, but ‘Revelation’. The whole book, although a collection of several revelations given to John, is really one complete revelation.

Note also that the title is not ‘The Revelation of St. John the Divine’, as many Bibles call it, but rather ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ’. John was the author, or the penman, but the whole book reveals the rest of the story of Jesus.

The purpose of the Book of Revelation is to reveal to Jesus’ servants what would soon take place. Although there are moral lessons to learn from this book, the stated purpose of Revelation is to show things that are yet future, but will happen “soon”.

We should not fear this book, but embrace it as a word of expectation.

Folks attending church at New Hope yesterday (Sunday) got a chuckle. In the 9AM service I miss-spoke and referred to helicopters dropping out of an egg. Then in the 10:30 service my mouth got ahead of my mind and when I meant to say “I don’t want to hear your excuses”, I said, “I don’t want to hear your ‘but’s”. Everyone got a good laugh in each of those services.

I’m a perfectionist and my mind is usually in high gear when I’m preaching/teaching, so I don’t often make mistakes like that, but when I do, its a duesey. This proves that I’m human and make mistakes like everyone else. I just pray I don’t ever hurt anyone when I miss-speak.

I wonder if Jesus ever made a simple mistake like that when He was speaking. What do you think? Was Jesus human enough to make a mistake with His words?