What’s in your safe? Some people keep their valuables in a safe. Some people keep their guns in a safe. I know people who have money stashed in safes all around town. In one home we lived in we had a floor safe! It was inside our walk-in closet and was covered by carpet. It was just full of valuables! Ok, it kept our important papers but no money. But, just in case we needed it it is was there.
I suppose we all know what Fort Knox is? Fort Knox is the depository of the gold reserves for the United States. Is all the gold controlled by America actually in Fort Knox? Is there really ANY gold in Fort Knox? Well, since 1937 gold has been on deposit in its vaults. The main vault lies below ground lined with granite. The door “is protected with a blast-proof door weighing 22 tons.” And, it is said that not any one person can open the vault. Outside the main building the grounds are surrounded by a maze of fencing and military personnel for protection. Sounds pretty safe to me! And, it is accessible if need be.
Do you know that each one of us has a safe? It may not be in your floor, in the wall, or at your bank. But, we have a safe. It is to hold the most valuable possessions we have. It should be consistently guarded and added to. Our safe is called our heart. The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:11, “Your Word I have treasured in my heart.” Our heart is to be the depository of God’s Word. Each day we should be making deposits. And, regularly we should be making withdrawals. But, unlike any other type of valuables we own, this possession, once used, can simply be put back into our safe.
In some safes are yellowed papers from many years ago. These papers must be handled with care so as to be preserved. For some of us, we placed a valuable verse or biblical principle into our safe long ago. And, that verse or principle has just sat in the safe and is yellowed from non-use. For some people, their safe is pretty empty due to a lack of deposits. For others, the safe is quite full, but it is never accessed for a withdrawal.
Today, think about your safe. What’s in it? What have you taken out recently? In your safe you have different “safe deposit boxes” where you can place verses. Today, go to your safe and use its contents.
Aren’t I cute? Although I am not a cat lover, I found this picture quite amusing. Let’s face it, dogs are much cuter, but maybe this smile will make you smile.
We are living in a time when everyone seems to have some sort of ailment. Every day it seems we are learning of some new sickness or disease. It is almost as if we should never venture out for fear of contracting some dreaded disease. If I had just seen the future 15 years ago I would have invested in the stock from the Purell company! I mean, let’s not touch anything lest we die! People are so paranoid now that after we do anything we feel the need to cleanse ourselves. What ever happened to “mud cakes?”
Pills exist for just about everything. From pharmacies to vitamins, from doctors to health food advocates we are told any number of ways we can be healthier. “Go to the gym,” some will say. Run more, ride your bike more, play golf more, exercise more, these and other mantra can be heard. Yet, it seems more and more of society suffers from some sort of phobia or illness. How can we get healthier? How can we get better? Let me suggest a way that King Solomon recommended over 3000 years ago.
Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Yes, a joyful outlook on life, a good time of laughter, will bring health to our bodies. Doctors and researchers have studied the phenomenon of laughter and health and conclude that they co-exist. The more one laughs, the more one possesses a joyful outlook, the healthier one will be. It is both biblical and scientific. Stories are told that Norm Cousins was told he didn’t have long to live. So, as part of his therapy, he was watch humorous movies and cartoons so he could laugh at least ten minutes every day. Reportedly he said for every ten minutes of laughter related to an hour of pain free living. Now, there’s a reason to laugh.
Sunday night we will have a “Family FUN Night.” The design for the night is to have FUN! Is that unspiritual? Based upon Solomon’s word I don’t think so. In fact, at least three time in Proverb he mentions a “merry heart.” (Prov. 15:13,15; 17:22) So, Sunday night we will attempt to have as much FUN as we possibly can. And, it will be much more FUN if YOU would come! If you are reading this and you don’t live in our area, just get your family together sometime for some FUN times. We will play games, sit around and talk, and provide a FUN video to watch. It’s your choice how to have FUN. But, most of all we want to have FUN.
The service will begin at 5:00 pm. We will sing a bit, I will be speaking on the subject of joy and FUN, and then we will be dismissed to have some FUN.
To get you started I found these definitions which I hope will be FUN for you. These are some “red neck” definitions.
Benign – What you be after you be eight!
Catscan – searching for the cat
Barium – What you do with dead folks!
Morbid – a higher bid than I made
Seizure – Roman Emperor
Well, ok, enough is enough. Just laugh more today. Enjoy the Lord and His provisions. If you are suffering, grieving, or in pain, my prescription is this, “The Joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Neh. 8:10)
What’s in your wallet? Have you heard this commercial lately? If not, you are obviously not watching any TV! Which isn’t a bad thing. But, this phrase was made popular by Alec Baldwin as the spokesman for Capitol One credit card. Now, Samuel L. Jackson is the pitchman. But, in each commercial the final question is, “What’s in your wallet?”
Well, at Christmas time, after all the buying is over, maybe we would conclude that not much is left in our wallets! But, if we pull the Capitol One credit card, there just might be a big balance on our bill come January 1.
Today I want to pose a different question. I’m not as concerned about what’s in your wallet as I am about what’s in your heart. As you navigate through this Christmas season have you even thought much about God’s love for you or your love for God? Do you stop to recognize the motivation behind the coming of Jesus to Earth was His love for the Father and sinners? He was obedient to His Father’s will to be humbled to such a low estate. Please read Philippians 2:5-11 to see how the Apostle Paul presents this humbling.
But, we also must ask ourselves how much do I love God; what is in my heart? Nearly every person associated with the Christmas story demonstrates an unflinching love for God. Zacharias, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary, the Magi, and the shepherds, all showed their love for God by their obedience. They gave themselves first to God and then to others.
On Sunday we will hear a beautiful rendition of the Christmas story via music. Come to worship the Lord with us.
Ok, it kept our important papers but no money. But, just in case we needed it it is was there.
