Daily Jewel

by   Pastor J.T.  Carnell,  McAlester, OK  

“Watchdog Theology”

“…do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her and she will watch over you…” – Proverbs 4:6

I am a dog lover!  From my earliest memories I remember having a dog in my life and family.  Growing up in the 60’s I remember watching the dog of dogs, “Lassie” every week.  There was always something comforting when watching that show to know that if there was trouble Lassie was there save the day.  She (although in actuality Lassie was a male dog) was always there to make certain that Timmy and his family was always safe.  And they were.  Where is Lassie today when we need her?

One of my favorite verses of Scripture is this:  “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” – 2nd Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)

Many are aware of the phrase, “Big Brother.”  Big Brother is actually a fictional character created by novelist George Orwell in his book, Nineteen Eighty-Four.  He is the mysterious dictator of Oceania, a totalitarian state taken to its utmost logical consequence—where the ruling elite ('the Party') wield total power for its own sake over the inhabitants.

In the society that Orwell describes, everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities, mainly by teles-creens. The people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase "Big Brother is watching you", which is the core "truth" of the propaganda system in this state.

Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the term "Big Brother" has entered the lexicon as a synonym for abuse of government power, particularly in respect to civil liberties.

I bring up this obvious contrast because there are number of people who see God as the ultimate “Big Brother.”  That His only purpose is to hover over us and punish our misdeeds with a thundering fist.  If this view that many have accurately described the God I serve I could understand the cynicism would probably reconsider whether or not I would continue serving Him.  This “Big Brother” theology is far from the truth and exists only in the minds of those who have no interest in allowing God to work in their lives.

The verse from 2nd Chronicles reminds us that when we are fully committed to Him—He is fully committed to us!   Love Him—with your heart, soul, and mind and He will protect your heart against the things that seek to destroy it. 

Solomon’s take here essentially works the same way.  Wisdom comes from God.  It (or she) is a gift that is designed to strengthen and enhance our lives.  Accept her and let the enhancement begin.  Love her—and not only will your life be enriched—it will be surrounded with His protective energy, peace and hope!

Now, I’m not sure that if you fall into an abandoned well, or get your foot caught in the railroad tracks with a train coming that your dog will go and get help—but maybe His wisdom will help you from getting yourself in those situations in the first place.

Good Things

by         Everett Christian,   McAlester, OK    

 
GOOD THINGS
Monday, March 14, 2011
 
 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
   and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
   and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
- Isaiah 55:6-7(New International Version).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
(Jesus said) 14 "And the Good News (Gospel) about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come."  - Matthew 24:14(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
Humility makes great men twice honorable.
- Benjamin Franklin -
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
Contentment comes not from achieving a goal, but from enjoying the process.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
HOPE "lights a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."
- Author unknown -
 
Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
Today has been mostly cloudy. We had some rain last night. High temperature for today was 47 degrees which happened just after midnight. Low temperature this morning was 39 degrees. I had lunch with Charley. We always see friends that we know during our lunch time. After lunch, Charley and I went to Heritage Hills Nursing Home to visit our brother-in-law O. V. McNutt. He is 93 years of age. His wife, our sister, Naomi, died in 2003 at age 82. I went to City Hall to pay my water bill and then to the post office. I have been home the rest of the day. I took a nap and when I awoke, Emmy and Smokey were sleeping on the bed with me. The Good Things did not go out last night. After I came home from church last night I watched a favorite tv program of Gospel songs called "Classic Gospel." Then I heated a bite of supper. Then I got the garbage ready and put out on the street for pick up this morning. By that time it was late and I was a little tired so I decided to let Good Things rest for a night. However, I received only one e-mail telling me they were missed. Oh, I know, everyone gets so many e-mails just like I do that they probably didn't miss the Good Things, but they are back tonight. It seems that the tragedy in Japan just keeps getting worse. You never know when something like that might happen where I live or where you live. Maybe not an earthquake or tsunami but some other disaster. So if your relation with Jesus is not up to date, then it is time to get up to date with Jesus.
 
The kitty cats are all fine. Little Girl is the only one in the den with me at present and she is on the blanket on the couch. One of my e-mail friends wanted me to list the names of my cats again. Here are their names in alphabetical order: Beau, Emmy, Friendly, Itty Bitty, Leo, Little Girl, Rascal and Smokey. Then the stray that comes in at least once a day is named Lucy. She is the one that waited for me for 10 months while I lived in Moore. There is also a tom cat that comes around quite often. He is Siamese so we call him "Siamese Tom." My females have all been spayed so he doesn't have a girl friend at my house. If some of you would like me to, I could send a picture each day of a different cat so you could print it and then know who I am writing about. Let me know.
 
At 10:35 p.m. skies are cloudy with a temperature of 43 degrees. I will see you next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.

Nan's Calendar

by  Nan Forehand,   Statesville, NC

Charge: a person or thing entrusted to someone's care.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788),  wrote the following:

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify;
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill
O may it all my powers engage
To do my Master's  will!

I understand Wesley's passion!  He didn't timidly utter those words.  I sense a great deal of power and commitment as I read line after line.  I get excited when I read Wesley's words!  What ever our calling, we must fulfill it with enthusiasm and great passion.  As we show positive energy and a steadfast devotion, others will be touched and encouraged themselves.
People are either cold, lukewarm or on fire for the Lord.  Charles Wesley was on fire.  It is better for one to be cold than lukewarm regarding their relationship with the Lord.  Persons lukewarm in their faith would do well to closely examine their thoughts and attitudes and earnestly repent of anything that takes a higher priority than their relationship with God.  You can go to Revelations 3:14-18 to get a better understanding of what happens to people whose relationship with God has become lukewarm.  The wrath of God isn't a thing with which to toy.  In my Quest NIV Study Bible it is worded in verse 16 "I am about to spit you out of my mouth".   We are talking in Sunday School about the wrath of God upon people who continuously "don't get it".....   If you get it, share it with someone else! I get it and I hope all the readers of Nan's Calendar get it.

Who am I to say these things to you today and why am I saying them at all?  I am but a humble servant of the Lord God and I care.  I truly don't know the hearts of all the readers of Nan's Calendar.  But God knows the heart of everyone on the face of the earth.  Some are cold, lukewarm or on fire for the Lord.  In my efforts to encourage, at times, God calls me to share a very serious aspect of relationships.  The most important relationship we will ever have is the one we have with God.

"....Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest, and repent.  Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.  To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:19-22.

To God be the glory!
Love, Nan

Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

The concept of Nan's Calendar was once a thought in my mind.  I imagined a way of reaching out to others to inspire and encourage them.  This concept became a reality when I began writing entries in my journal on August 1, 2007.  By October 21st, God took me to the next level, that medium being email.  The day the following poem was written was the day Nan's Calendar went from being handwritten journal entries to being sent out to family and friends by way of email.  At that time, my goal was to encourage as many people as possible.  The Lord guided my words each time I sat down and rested my fingers on the keyboard of my computer.  As September 2009 approached, it was time to transition Nan's Calendar to a higher level.  Allen set me up online and September 21st was the first publication on the blog.  Because of a grateful heart, I imagined a way to encourage others.  I believed in something greater than myself, that being, my belief in Jesus Christ and a calling from God to serve others in this capacity.  I know I have achieved success when I receive word from folks telling me they appreciate my messages of faith, hope and love.  I don't worry about what will be the focus of the next message.  That is for God to know and for me to find out.  It is an exhilarating experience for me each time God reveals a simple truth to me to share with you.  If I had shirked from God and showed no faith, you wouldn't be reading this message today.  Only God knows where Nan's Calendar will go next.
One of the greatest gifts God gave each one of us is the gift of imagination.  However, the imagination can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the focus of our thoughts.  Train your mind to think and to dwell on good thoughts rather than negative ones.  Focus on a positive "what if" rather than a negative "what if".
We all want to believe in something good, and to believe in something, we must first be exposed to an idea.  It is our choice as to whether we believe something or not.  If we don't have enough information upon which to base a decision about a particular idea, we must have the hunger for more knowledge.
We all know the exhilaration of an accomplishment we thought difficult in the beginning.  For everything in life, there is a beginning, a middle and an end.  We only know fear if a negative "what if" was planted in our mind, whether it be in our subconscious mind or our conscious mind.   It really does take courage to step out of our comfort zone into the realm of the unknown.  We are better prepared for the unexpected when our thoughts are anchored in positive rather than negative  beliefs.  If you believe you will succeed, then you will.  If you believe you will fail, you won't be wrong. 
Imagine something good.  Believe something good.  Achieve something good.  Accomplishments are sweeter victories when we have served another person.  Dare to imagine a better life.  Imagine the thought of this place called Heaven.  Believe in something you can't see before you at this moment.  Jesus did die to atone for the sins of the world, yours and mine included and He did rise from the dead.  He alone can save our souls from an eternity in hell.  Achieve your goals.  When we acknowledge a sin and ask the Lord for forgiveness, He does forgive us and He remembers the sin no more.  Remember, with God, nothing is impossible.  Dare to imagine, to believe and to achieve!

Imagine, Believe, and Achieve

written by: Nan Forehand
Sunday, October 21, 2007

Imagine
to conceive in the mind
a world of a spiritual kind
where peace and love abound
this places exists and can be found
this place is called Heaven
Believe
to take as real and true
Jesus Christ died for me and you
to have faith without a doubt
Christ alone has omnipotent clout
Christ alone can save your soul
Achieve
to do; accomplish
Jesus can cleanse our every blemish
through Him nothing is impossible
dare you say probable
dare you to imagine, to believe and to achieve
Dare
to have enough courage

Good Things

by Everett Christian, McAlester, OK

 
 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
6 He (The Lord) will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
      and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
- Psalm 37:6(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  - Ephesians 2:19-22(New International Version.
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
Nothing given or done from sincere love for Jesus is ever wasted.
- W. E. McCumber -
 
 
 
A THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
 
The surest way to dig up the past is to search for something in the attic.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
Most of the day was sunny becoming cloudy late in the afternoon. High temperature today was 73 degrees. Low temperature this morning was 54 degrees. My housecleaning lady came at 11:15 a.m. and cleaned my house while I went to lunch with Charley. I went by the post office and then to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. I had a nap this afternoon. Little Girl napped with me today. It is getting warm enough now to sit in the yard. I sat out in the back yard for a few minutes in early afternoon. I sat in front of the house for about 15 minutes at about 6:30 p.m. this evening. I feel so sorry for the people in Japan. Be sure to send me an e-mail if you would like to be dropped from receiving the Good Things for any reason. I wouldn't blame you one iota for dropping this 85 year old man whose memory is not so good any more. I remember things from way back better than current things. One reason I keep doing the Good Things is that I think that might be one reason the Lord is keeping me here on earth
 
The cats are fine. I have the front door ajar this evening and they are coming and going as they please. None are in the room with me at present but I have seen all of them today including my stray friendly cat, Lucy.
 
At 9:10 p.m. skies are cloudy with a temperature of 65 degrees. Have a Wonderful Sunday. I will see you next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.