DRAW ME NEARER

Why did they draw near Him? Because He receives. He receives sinners. Praise the Lord!

While the scribes of Jesus' day. (Isn't that a silly expression--Jesus' day? Everyday is Jesus' day.) While the scribes who were living at the time of Jesus' earthly existence. (Yet Jesus lives today. In the hearts in the souls of His followers.) This is getting difficult. While the scribes of 30 AD or so kept the tradition of the Jews, and the Pharisees, the separate ones, grumbled about Jesus, the tax collectors and sinners drew near Him.

"He had no beauty or form." (Isa 53:2) There was nothing majestic to attract

them to Him. Yet because "this man receives sinners" (Luke 15:2) they were drawn.

There's so much beauty about Him though. He doesn't send sinners away. He doesn't tell them to leave, get righteous, and then return to church. Instead He embraces us where we are. He accepts. He receives.

And He gives. As the hymn goes, "He gave His all/What more can He give?" His passion for the lost, for sinners, for us cost Him everything. And we are still drawn. Praise Him!

EVEN HEROES PRAY IS THE TITLE OF THIS PICTURE

I would hope "even heroes pray". I would hope we all pray. Scripture commands us to pray continuously. To pray unceasingly. About all matters.

In the photo, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is praying before a race. It reminds me of a poster I had displayed in my room at the high school. When I taught English, my classroom didn't much look like the walls of the traditional English classroom. St. Louis Cardinals pictures or stadium giveaways, St. Louis Rams pictures and memorabilia, pictures of my students from a school or local paper were autographed and hung, plus a poster of race car driver Jeff Gordon.

Now I know next to nothing about NASCAR and its appeal, except that it is big. Jeff Gordon's rival was Dale, Sr. Thus, the picture caused a little controversy.

"How come you got a poster of Gordon up there? What's wrong with Earnhardt?" I'd get asked from time to time.

My response,"You know, I'm not really a racing fan, but I know Jeff Gordon's a Christian, so that's why I put him up there." It was a good way to witness, at least a little in a public school.

And students' feelings were strong about their heroes. But after they understood why I displayed it, there were no grumbles, no defacing, just acceptance.

Maybe had I researched more I would have found that Dale, Sr, too was a Christian. I hope he was and I'm glad to see his son, a hero, praying. I'd have this pictured blown up and displayed prominently next to Jeff Gordon if I still had my classroom.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CARDS AND CHURCH FANS

At age one and a half I made my first appearance in church. How do I know? The Sunday School Card that I received at church that day. My mother dated it and noted that it was my first appearance at church.

Made of light cardboard, the Sunday School cards were a staple at our church through the primary years. They brought to life Bible characters and stories and served to reinforce what we were hearing.

Made of heavier cardboard and also picturing a Bible scene complete with scripture reference was the hand held church fans. Often times these were supplied by an area funeral home. They served an additional purpose, advertising not counted. You didn't get a new one every week, but people who didn't like to fan with their Sunday School cards or bulletins (I think we had those back then, though the plaque on the wall in the sanctuary indicated offering amount from last week, attendance for worship service and Sunday School, the attendance the prior week, and even number of visitors were displayed. You know, I still like that plaque or board, so I guess I must be really old fashioned.) brought theirs every week necessary. They kinda looked stuffy to me (pun), but I was just a kid, and I didn't mind sweating in public back then.

I actually miss the cards. I guess I'm pretty visual. I used to always buy scorecards at baseball games, too. Just give me some cardboard for validation. To say, "I was there." "See?"

A ZEN SPIRAL

Isn't it great? No? No. It's not great. I don't know if Zen is even a religion, but nothing that takes the place of religion, specifically Christianity or Messianic Judaism doesn't cut it.

When Jesus entered the outer ring or fourth area of the temple, He found the money changers conducting business and keeping the Gentiles from worshipping. (Mark 11:11-22) It angered Him as He turned over the tables and told the Priests who were exchanging Caesar's image coinage for ones they had made.

But Jesus was also angered by the ones who were buying the perfect lambs from the priests, for they, too, were guilty of defaming the holy temple.

Also, interestingly enough, the next day the moneychangers set up shop again and the people exchanged their coins just as if nothing had happened. Jesus' response:"Have faith in God."

In the midst of Zen worshippers, cult worshippers, secularism, atheism, agnosticism, the message is still the same. "Have faith in God."

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE, MR. LENNON

I love the early Beatles. Before the drugs, before Maharesh, and yes, before Yoko.

Some of their early love songs and want songs and songs of longing were so great. Also, they were so simple. Several of their early songs were made up of one syllable lyrics.

To me their best album ever was Rubber Soul. Ironically, after that one; the souls bounced away from me. Just silly stuff, such as "I am the Walrus," or "Oblah De, Oblah Dah." Even the "Yellow Submarine," didn't appeal. Nor "Lucy in the Sky."

But once in awhile they'd still produce something I liked. One of my all time least favorites was "Imagine". Why would I want to imagine a world where there's no Heaven as espoused by request in the first line? Followed by "it isn't hard to do". Why would that be easy? I mean if something's not hard, then it's easy. Without Heaven, and "no hell below us", then as Peggy Lee sang, "Is That All There Is?" becomes finality.

I much prefer the scriptural assurance that Jesus went to prepare a place for us. Now that's easy to imagine, because that's what He said. It isn't hard to believe Him. And He also said there is a hell. Scripture clearly addresses the place where there is a gnashing of teeth and solitary confinement in the lake of fire.

Is that all there is? That's enough. It's pretty simple. You're either a follower of Jesus Christ or not. If not? Why? It's a whole lot easier to submit to Him than to imagine what it might be without Him. Because of God's gift of scripture to us, we know what awaits us.

MOUNTAIN ASH AND ME

There's much talk these days about how easily baseball players shatter their bats. It seems that they are now made of maple. Which to me is a disrespect. I mean bats are made from the ash trees of Adirondack. At least I always thought they were.

I was also always told to hold my bat with the label up. That way it wouldn't break or splinter when connecting with a fast ball. But that's all out the window now. Just as using two hands to catch a ball. To take a couple of pitches to allow a baserunner to steal. Not to talk or joke with opposing players while the game is in progress. Plus a dozen or more unwritten rules.

But God doesn't work that way. From OT times, He gave explicit, implicit (I honestly don't know the difference) instructions on how to build a tabernacle. Similarly, He told Noah how to build an ark. There's nothing unwritten in His Word.

Scripture defines. It tells us exactly what we need to know. (Deut 29:29) And the Holy Spirit reveals to us at just the perfect time what He wants us to see. It makes it so much easier that way.

We have the model and the kit. Complete with instructions. And best of all, there will be no missing parts. It all fits. We just have to follow. Obediently.

calendars

If you don't already have an inspirational religious calendar, it's not too late. I think you can still buy some at Christian Book Stores. Hopefully, with nearly half the year gone, they'll be at a reduced price, too.

Two things: Number One they are inspirational. Some days, they, along with The Purpose Driven Life daily devotional are the only scripture I read. I know that's a confession, and certainly something I'm not proud of, but I'm afraid it's true. Thank heavens it's not most days.

Number two: Purchase your calendars at a Christian Bookstore. Wal-Mart may have a better price, but who has the better store? That is to say, how do you feel when you walk into a Christian Book Store as opposed to a Big Box? I know I almost feel as if I'm in church when I enter a CBS (Christian Book Store), so keep them in business, please and purchase additional Bibles or religious readings from them. We so desperately need them in our morally decaying times.

Just in case you missed it, today's scripture is from Job 11:7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?"

Beautiful words from THE SOURCE.