Is God in all places at all times?

As sad as it is, there have been many occasions when fans of opposing teams have gotten into very serious altercations. Some have clashed so severely that people have landed in the hospital. Over two years ago a San Francisco Giants fan went to a game at Dodger Stadium. He was beat up so badly by Dodger fans that he suffered brain damage and didn't return home until this past June.

 

In order to prevent situations like this from happening, the Seattle Seahawks came up with an ingenious plan. Throughout this season, the Seahawks are going to have undercover police officers in the crowd wearing the opposing team's jerseys. These "undercover fans" will be watching for verbal or physical harassment directed towards them. For the worst offenses, season tickets can be taken away. This is a wonderful way to not only keep everyone safe at the game, but also hopefully to cause people to think twice before crossing the line.

 

Interestingly, Scripture speaks about God being in all places at all times (Jeremiah 23:24; Proverbs 15:3; Psalm 139:7-10). Similar to the undercover football fans, God is watching everything we do and everything we say. As Ecclesiastes 12:14 bluntly puts it, "For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

 

It's good for us to remember that the Lord is always watching. We need to be all the more careful about what we say and do because God is paying attention to us. This is just one more way to keep ourselves from sin and help us to think twice before walking the wrong path.

 

Brett Petrillo  

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Proverbs 24:9

A Proverb for the Day (24:9)
by jeremysprouse

"The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men"
(Proverbs 24:9 NASB). Even thinking about folly can be sin! Normally, we put
the emphasis on avoiding the actions of folly, but we need to go deeper and
destroy folly at the root--our mind. If we can stop it in the mind we will
stop folly and its consequences. Those who will not do this and plan and act
upon folly instead commit abominations.jeremysprouse

9-year-old boy gets on plane and past TSA

In a post-9/11 world, how does a 9-year-old boy slip through TSA, a gate
agent, and the flight attendants to board a flight from Minneapolis all the
way to Las Vegas before being discovered? That's what everyone wants to
know, but that is what the "street smart" minor did. Only well into the
flight did flight attendants have sufficient suspicion to take action,
having him delivered into protective custody once in McCarran Airport in
Nevada. Back in Minnesota, surveillance video showed the boy talking to a
gate agent and when she got busy doing something else, he walked down the
jet bridge and boarded the plane (some info via www.aviationpros.com).
While that might shake our confidence in airport security, we have to be
pretty impressed with the savvy and moxie of the little boy to get as far as
he did. He outsmarted a pretty sophisticated series of security measures
into which the U.S. Government has poured billions of dollars since 2001.

Can you imagine what the reaction was in Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago,
when Jesus stayed behind instead of returning with His family's caravan back
to Nazareth. It took everyone a full day's journey before detecting that
Jesus was not in the group. After three days they found Him in the temple.
Here was Jesus, "sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to
them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His
understanding and His answers" (Luke 2:46b-47). Of course, the sinless
Christ had committed no crime or sin. His answer to His questioning parents
was both respectful and logical (Luke 2:49). "He continued in subjection to
them" (Luke 2:51). How many 12-year-olds would have thought to do what
Jesus did, much less in the masterful way in which He did it. Looking back,
we know this was but one of an endless list of things Jesus did which points
to His Deity. In fact, thanks to it being preserved in Scripture, we still
talk about this 2,000 years later.

It is remarkable to see what young people can do. It shows how we can
underestimate them and sell them short, though we should not. What the boy
on a plane did was incredible, but illegal. What Jesus did in New Testament
times was unsurpassed, but not unlawful. May we hold up the latter as a
role model to spur our youth on to dream bigger dreams and do greater things
to the glory of God, "wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil"
(Rom. 16:19; cf. 1 Cor. 14:20).

--Neal Pollard

Where was God when this happened?

As a minister I hear a lot of questions about spiritual and religious
things. One question that turns up repeatedly is, "Where was God when this
happened?" Almost always it is in reference to some bad things that happened
in someone's life. Another question you often hear is, "If there is a God,
why does he allow so many bad things to happen in our world?" Often this is
asked by those who try and justify themselves for not believing in God, not
attending church services, not praying, etc. I can tell you from experience
that there are always more questions than I have answers.

My wife and I have made an effort to read the bible through each year for
the past 20 years or so and it is amazing how with each reading comes new
knowledge and understanding. This week in our daily bible reading I came
across this phrase that stood out in my mind. The prophet Zechariah speaking
for God said, "They made their hearts as hard as flint, and would not listen
to the law or the word that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through
the earlier prophets, (teachers of God's Word): therefore the Lord Almighty
was very angry. 'When I called, they did not listen, so when they called. I
would not listen,' Says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 7:12-13)

Don't you think that is interesting? It tells us why God sometimes does not
respond to our prayers and pleas. It says that God has sent his word to us
and we have refused to listen and obey him and because of that, he refused
to listen to us when we cry out to him.

Another question I often hear is, "Does God hear a sinner's prayer?" Yes, I
believe that God hears every prayer, especially since the bible clearly
tells us that everyone sins and fall short of being perfect or sin free. The
real question I believe is, "Does God respond to the requests in a sinner's
prayer?"

Well, obviously, I'm not God and I can't speak for him, I can only share my
limited understanding of His Word. From what I understand, God has the
freedom to do whatever he wants to do. If he chooses to respond to a
sinner's prayer request he can do that, but from all indications he has
already said that he won't. You may cry out, "Where was God when.?" and
God's response may very well be, "Where were you when I asked you to hear my
word and do what I asked?" "When I called, they did not listen, so when they
called. I would not listen, Says the Lord Almighty."

There is an interesting passage in the book of First John. John is trying to
help folks find the right path to God. There have been some who were
teaching the early church, that it really didn't matter what you did, what
you said or how you worshiped, as long as you "love God in your heart."
Listen to John's response. "If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't
obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the
truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love
him. That is how we know we are living in him." (1 John 2:3-4, NLT)

You may be asking, "Where was God?", but perhaps he's been asking where you
have been also? Are you really living in him?

Russ Lawson

#Government #shutdown

 

Depending on your point of view, "government shutdown" may mean an undermining to your livelihood, a reduction of Washington interference, or a symbol of partisan politics.  Questions arise as to what government services and civilian activities will be impacted, and tensions are ratcheted from Pennsylvania Avenue to Wall Street.  A government shut down is so rare that it is headline newsworthy.  

 

Of course we know that the strongest, largest empires the world has ever known have toppled, in some cases forever shutting down their governments.  Even countries that were once the seat of world power are now led by a much-weakened and much-reduced governmental authority.  Did you know that there is one government not in danger of ever facing a shutdown? It is not China, Russia, or Switzerland, either.  In fact, this government is ever-increasing and that is even a good thing.  Isaiah foresaw this, prophesying, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;  And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this" (9:6-7).

 

The Holy Spirit through Isaiah looked ahead to the birth and reign of Christ.  He refers to Him by a couple of names that reveal His Deity--Mighty God and Eternal Father.  He refers to Him by a couple of names that demonstrate His work--Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.  Then, He turns to His coming reign as King.  Words like peace, justice and righteousness describe it.  In this, He also says "there will be no end to the increase of His government."  Jesus wants to reign and rule over His creation.  The more He has control of our lives, the better our lives become.  The more fully we submit to Him, the greater good can be accomplished to His glory!  The best news is that, so long as He lives (and that's FOREVER!), His reign will continue (cf. Dan. 2:44).  No matter which side of the aisle of American politics you stand, you should agree that this is the kind of "Big Government" we should all enthusiastically support!  

 

Neal Pollard 

A Proverb for the Day

A Proverb for the Day (24:5-6) by jeremysprouse

"A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power. For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory" (Proverbs 24:5-6 NASB). Do not underestimate the power of wisdom! The proverbs frequently couple the idea of wisdom with strength and emphasize its superiority. A person who is wise is better able to deal with money, relationships, and the struggles of life. They are more likely to succeed than one who is merely physically strong but not wise. We need to seek out wisdom and wise counselors for victory in life.