Winning Words 10/4/10
“You can trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much.” (Unknown) I can’t find the source of these words, but I can imagine they’re from someone who’s found himself/herself at “their wit’s end.” It reminds me of the man who asked Jesus to heal his son. “I believe; help my unbelief.” There can be those times in life where we have no other place to turn to, except to the Lord. ;-) Jack

FROM RI IN BOSTON: With all our personal faults we resist facing the Lord, but with all our problems we're sunk without going to the Lord. (Come to me, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest...Matthew 11:28) FROM JACK: I've preached on that subject before. You must have been there....or experienced it firsthand.

FROM SG IN TAMPA: And our guardian angel is always there with a little nudge in the right direction, too. FROM JACK: Is there such a one as a guardian angel?

FROM JM IN VIRGINIA: The sermon yesterday at church was about faith (the mustard seed). Normally, I think of faith as an independent idea - you know, you either have it or you don't, it's weak or strong. The pastor yesterday talked about faith in terms of a relationship with God. A little analytical twist in my mind, but an interesting way of thinking about it. FROM JACK: A nuclear scientist at the Argonne Lab in the Chicago area used to drop his kids off in the church parking lot and wait for them until Sunday School was over. One day the pastor came out and talked with him about faith. At the end of the conversation, the pastor said, "You know, at this church you don't have to leave your brains in the car when you come inside." I knew both of the these individuals. The scientist went on to change careers and became a pastor...and a bishop.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: Actually, seems the times are more like hourly. My mind can be filled with so much negativity that the solution is only ceaseless praying, asking God to give me His perspective and commandments on how to think, do, feel. THANK GOD there is that one hour a week on Sunday where we all gather and confess and eat and get strengthened for the rest of the week. I would hate to see what would happen if it were not for that. FROM JACK: "Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer...." You know the rest of the words, don't you?
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

FROM PRPH IN MINNESOTA: this reminds me of the statement that "i have neven known anyone who was hurt by giving too much but i am sure i have know someone who was hurt by giving too little." FROM JACK: The deacons in a congregation that I served came up to me with a problem. One of the members was a tither (and plus), but he had many major bills in the community that went unpaid. "Pastor, can you talk to him about this?" MORE FROM PH: sounds like Tom Petters or Bernie Madoff. VERY generous with churches and
charities but not too good about paying those they legitimately owed money to!!

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Good words...I wish I could take credit for them. I trust the Lord...it's myself I don't. FROM JACK: In Sunday School we used to sing...."Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."