ONCE IN a while you meet a preacher evangelist, who knows there is only black and white. Gray really doesn’t exist because God gave us a choice. You think you are in the middle, but there is only one choice to be made. Willie White was such an evangelist. He prepared a book of sermon outlines in the early 60's. I have a copy and I thoroughly enjoy how Willie thought! Willie called one of these outlines "A Question which God cannot answer!" Caught my eye, does it catch yours?
I BELIEVE that God can do whatever God wants to do! However, I also believe that God gave us choices because He understood choice! God makes choices all the time, even from the very beginning. Some believe that God makes it impossible for Himself to do some things. I am not disagreeing with Willie, but I look at this in a different way. "God, in His own will and knowledge, had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed Him, by letting sinful men nail Him to the cross!" Acts 2:3 God chose to make this decision before He created man! Our great God began with a plan!
"FOR YOU know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life you received from your ancestors. It was not something that loses it value, such as silver or gold’ you were set free by the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or spot." 1 Peter 1:18-19 God made the choice and it cost Him His Son so that we would have a chance to be saved! God’s plan came with a great price and Jesus paid it for us!
WILLIE tells a story that happened many years ago. Workmen were constructing a rocky parapet along one of the trails leading to the top of Niagara Falls. Proper safeguards had not been installed, and one of the tourists, leaning far out to gaze over the cliff, lost his balance and plunged into the raging pool at the base of one of the falls. The tourists watched with horror, as they saw their companion’s body buffeted to and fro. Then as they watched, he seized a jutting pinnacle of rock and held on for dear life. The watchers began to ask, "Can we save him? Can we get a board or a boat to him?" But a boat could never live in that raging sea. They realized that if they could save him it would have to be from above. They attempted to lower a rope, but it was tossed by the breeze, and the victim dared not loose his grip on the rock in an effort to seize the swaying rope.
THE WOULD BE rescuers cried, "If we ever save him, someone is going to have to go." So they hastily constructed a rude rope ladder; then turning to the crowd, asked; "Who will go?" It was a young sailor who stepped out of the crowd saying, "I will go." And here he came, hand over hand, down the rope ladder and reached out his hand to the one clinging for his life, to the rock. What do you suppose the one in that perilous situation did? Do you suppose he said; "Well, this is very nice of you, but I am still alive; I think I can hold on a few minutes longer!" You know he didn’t do that! He gladly seized the hand and permitted himself to be brought to safety. When they reached the land, the rescued one, threw his arms about his rescuer’s shoulders, crying; "Oh Thank God, you came to save me!"
THERE IS a more beautiful story than that: "There was a time that God looked down and saw man buffeted by a raging sea, trying to hold on alone. And God said; "Can I save Him? Not from below, if I ever save him, it must be done from above." So the ladder was constructed, and the Father turned to the hosts of heaven, saying; "Who will go!" It was the Son who stepped out and said, "I will go, Father!" And here He came into the darkness stretching out His arms to all the world saying; "Come unto me!" Some say God cannot save a man against His will, but I say God won’t save a man against his will. He chose to let us choose! Don’t neglect His invitation, answer the call!
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/30/14 (Ref 52 Sermon Outlines/W.White)
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Saturday, May 24, 2014
LET'S HAVE A YARD SALE!" 5/25/14
YESTERDAY we had a yard sale! Some call it a garage sale. I remember when Jim and I were first married, 52 years ago; people didn’t have yard sales, but would go to the swap meet instead. There were junk stores and of course Goodwill; but no one had a yard sale. Today, I put something into the yard sale that I originally purchased at the swap meet in Southern California, in a town called Gardena. They used the Gardena Drive-in-movie lot every Saturday, and it was more fun than a basket full of kittens!
SPRING CLEANING always seems to end with a trip to Goodwill or a yard sale. Well this year, we took a lot of clothing to Treasures which is an outlet for Hospice. A lot of stuff is what is in the yard sale, and what is left, will go to Goodwill. All in all this is a good thing! Having a yard sale, allows for others to take away the goods. What is left, oh well; we will still make a trip to Goodwill! At least we are not piling up these treasures and becoming hoarders; or so I have heard!
IN THE SEVENTY"S I was employed by Goodwill. I started out sorting clothes off of a humongous ‘sorting’ table. Later I ended up as the Secretary to the Executive Director. I loved my job! I loved helping to plan ‘fashion shows’ and working with the clients. I was able to dress my family at economical prices and knew they were well groomed. It can be done, you know! I have always loved ‘hand-me-downs’; and somebody’s cast offs, could make my day!
"THEN HE SAID; ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, "What shall I do?" I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods’". Luke 12:16-18 In this passage Jesus is telling the story of the rich fool. A parable is a story with a meaning. The rich fool after building larger store houses and filled them up was satisfied that his future was now secure. Sort of like a 401K! He felt that life was good so he could set back and take life easy, you know; eat, drink and be merry!
"BUT GOD said to him; ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:20-21 The rich man was not condemned for having a lot of success in his business. On the contrary, he became a rich fool because he trusted in his own strength and kept everything for himself.
WHEN Jennifer was about 14 or 15, we gave her the cutest stereo cabinet for Christmas. It played 45's and 78's. Of course today people buy record players for those and they look antique. I keep thinking we need to buy one of those for all of our ‘old’ records, that are mostly scratched, but we keep them anyway! She decided to put her stereo in the yard sale! I can hardly stand it. It is so cute; walnut with red velvet down the front. The lid opens from the top and I can still see her sitting on the floor playing her music, listening to the radio. I know I have this memory, but I keeping thinking; why buy something new that looks old when you already have what is old and still works like new!
WHILE JESUS was definitely using this story to warn us about the dangers of self-centeredness and materialism, He had a much deeper concern; to help everyone, both in His day and our own; to discover that the real secret to life is in becoming "rich toward God." Having a yard sale, is just another way of determining that God is permanent, but income and material blessings are always temporary. We could just give it all away, but this way; Jennifer can add some to her savings, we don’t have to take it anywhere and some one else has found a treasure. It all works out and I can still say; "thank you Lord "for all that you have given us yesterday and today. For tomorrow? Well, God always has a plan.....By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/23/14
SPRING CLEANING always seems to end with a trip to Goodwill or a yard sale. Well this year, we took a lot of clothing to Treasures which is an outlet for Hospice. A lot of stuff is what is in the yard sale, and what is left, will go to Goodwill. All in all this is a good thing! Having a yard sale, allows for others to take away the goods. What is left, oh well; we will still make a trip to Goodwill! At least we are not piling up these treasures and becoming hoarders; or so I have heard!
IN THE SEVENTY"S I was employed by Goodwill. I started out sorting clothes off of a humongous ‘sorting’ table. Later I ended up as the Secretary to the Executive Director. I loved my job! I loved helping to plan ‘fashion shows’ and working with the clients. I was able to dress my family at economical prices and knew they were well groomed. It can be done, you know! I have always loved ‘hand-me-downs’; and somebody’s cast offs, could make my day!
"THEN HE SAID; ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, "What shall I do?" I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods’". Luke 12:16-18 In this passage Jesus is telling the story of the rich fool. A parable is a story with a meaning. The rich fool after building larger store houses and filled them up was satisfied that his future was now secure. Sort of like a 401K! He felt that life was good so he could set back and take life easy, you know; eat, drink and be merry!
"BUT GOD said to him; ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:20-21 The rich man was not condemned for having a lot of success in his business. On the contrary, he became a rich fool because he trusted in his own strength and kept everything for himself.
WHEN Jennifer was about 14 or 15, we gave her the cutest stereo cabinet for Christmas. It played 45's and 78's. Of course today people buy record players for those and they look antique. I keep thinking we need to buy one of those for all of our ‘old’ records, that are mostly scratched, but we keep them anyway! She decided to put her stereo in the yard sale! I can hardly stand it. It is so cute; walnut with red velvet down the front. The lid opens from the top and I can still see her sitting on the floor playing her music, listening to the radio. I know I have this memory, but I keeping thinking; why buy something new that looks old when you already have what is old and still works like new!
WHILE JESUS was definitely using this story to warn us about the dangers of self-centeredness and materialism, He had a much deeper concern; to help everyone, both in His day and our own; to discover that the real secret to life is in becoming "rich toward God." Having a yard sale, is just another way of determining that God is permanent, but income and material blessings are always temporary. We could just give it all away, but this way; Jennifer can add some to her savings, we don’t have to take it anywhere and some one else has found a treasure. It all works out and I can still say; "thank you Lord "for all that you have given us yesterday and today. For tomorrow? Well, God always has a plan.....By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/23/14
Saturday, May 17, 2014
THE GOOD STUFF! 5/18/14
ALL OF US want the good stuff! Starting each day with the good stuff doesn’t always guarantee we will have good stuff all day, but it sure gives us a good start, to keep keeping on throughout the day. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That is because it is full of good stuff to energize us, which perks us up and motivates us. But the question is; "What is the good stuff?
I REMEMBER as a child my Mom, or someone, made pancakes for breakfast on Saturdays! That was always considered the ‘good stuff!’ During the week, we were lucky if we had time to eat cereal, that is when we had cereal. Mostly oatmeal, but then there was toast! It was enough to get us started but not necessarily enough to keep us going.
I RECENTLY read something that should tickle your ears when getting up each morning. God also fixes us ’good stuff’’. He has so much planned for our days, but do we miss it because we don’t get up early and spend time with Him? Do we anticipate His goodness and kindness to us each day? Do we seek Him early like David did? "Cause me to hear your loving-kindness in the morning, for in you do I trust. Cause me to know your way where I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto you." Psalm 143:8
OFTEN we have days that don’t start off right, don’t we! But if we don’t try to spend time with God by reading His Word and talking with Him in prayer at the start of our day, then how will we ever be conscious of Him when the afternoon hits or when evening rolls around? Do you know just how much ‘good stuff’ He offers us? We are given blessings, promises, love, guidance, strength, and protection, just to name a few. Don’t you think, we need all of God’s ‘good stuff’ to make it through the whole day?
WE ALL HAVE good intentions! "My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto you , and will look up!" Psalm 5:3 Yes; we all have laid out a resolution to begin each day with the Lord. We do well for a while and then, we start sleeping in just a little bit and then a little bit more. Our desire to start our day with Jesus becomes fewer and fewer. I know; I’ve been there! I try to be realistic and go about my morning to prepare for the time I spend with the Lord. That way, I don’t slack off as much!
WHEN I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became a woman, I gave up childish things! Well, not quite all of them! I still plan and still make excuses! I still want, but I still put off! I still imagine the kind of woman God has created me to be and yet, I have not made it to the crest of the hill. He sat by the well and waited for the woman to come to get her water! And, HE still waits for me!
"IT IS THE Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion’s fail not. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22 Do we not take our Lord serious enough? Are we not faithful, because we think His promise to rescue us, even from our deliberate procrastination, will get us by? I hope not! God is real! He sent His Son to cover our sins. Why can’t we give Him our days? Why can’t we give Him our nights? Why can’t we realize that when the mornings come; He is waiting for us to seek His face, to look for Him. He is faithful; we should be faithful too!
MORNINGS for some, is not full of sunshine and rainbows. For me, it is hard to move about until I have had my two cups of coffee. However, Jim is a morning person and because of Him I get up, even when I don’t really want to. That is how we should be as we look forward to the morning with our Savior. Lately the moon, on it’s way down, stops to peek into my bedroom. I see the moon and the moon is telling me to get up; because Jesus is waiting and anxious to greet me; after all, it is morning! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/12/14
I REMEMBER as a child my Mom, or someone, made pancakes for breakfast on Saturdays! That was always considered the ‘good stuff!’ During the week, we were lucky if we had time to eat cereal, that is when we had cereal. Mostly oatmeal, but then there was toast! It was enough to get us started but not necessarily enough to keep us going.
I RECENTLY read something that should tickle your ears when getting up each morning. God also fixes us ’good stuff’’. He has so much planned for our days, but do we miss it because we don’t get up early and spend time with Him? Do we anticipate His goodness and kindness to us each day? Do we seek Him early like David did? "Cause me to hear your loving-kindness in the morning, for in you do I trust. Cause me to know your way where I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto you." Psalm 143:8
OFTEN we have days that don’t start off right, don’t we! But if we don’t try to spend time with God by reading His Word and talking with Him in prayer at the start of our day, then how will we ever be conscious of Him when the afternoon hits or when evening rolls around? Do you know just how much ‘good stuff’ He offers us? We are given blessings, promises, love, guidance, strength, and protection, just to name a few. Don’t you think, we need all of God’s ‘good stuff’ to make it through the whole day?
WE ALL HAVE good intentions! "My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto you , and will look up!" Psalm 5:3 Yes; we all have laid out a resolution to begin each day with the Lord. We do well for a while and then, we start sleeping in just a little bit and then a little bit more. Our desire to start our day with Jesus becomes fewer and fewer. I know; I’ve been there! I try to be realistic and go about my morning to prepare for the time I spend with the Lord. That way, I don’t slack off as much!
WHEN I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became a woman, I gave up childish things! Well, not quite all of them! I still plan and still make excuses! I still want, but I still put off! I still imagine the kind of woman God has created me to be and yet, I have not made it to the crest of the hill. He sat by the well and waited for the woman to come to get her water! And, HE still waits for me!
"IT IS THE Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion’s fail not. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22 Do we not take our Lord serious enough? Are we not faithful, because we think His promise to rescue us, even from our deliberate procrastination, will get us by? I hope not! God is real! He sent His Son to cover our sins. Why can’t we give Him our days? Why can’t we give Him our nights? Why can’t we realize that when the mornings come; He is waiting for us to seek His face, to look for Him. He is faithful; we should be faithful too!
MORNINGS for some, is not full of sunshine and rainbows. For me, it is hard to move about until I have had my two cups of coffee. However, Jim is a morning person and because of Him I get up, even when I don’t really want to. That is how we should be as we look forward to the morning with our Savior. Lately the moon, on it’s way down, stops to peek into my bedroom. I see the moon and the moon is telling me to get up; because Jesus is waiting and anxious to greet me; after all, it is morning! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/12/14
Saturday, May 3, 2014
HILL OF BEANS! 5/4/14
AMAZING how many things we say and wonder; why do we say that or what does that mean!
I ran across "not worth a hill of beans and decided this was worth blogging about. How many times have we looked at something in a yard sale, or in a major store and said, out loud, "that’s not worth a hill of beans!" I know I have! And, I’ve wondered why I say that! I didn’t know what it meant! Saying things that we don’t know what it means is not a good thing. We should know what we are saying and we should know especially, what we are saying, means.
I DON"T SUPPOSE anyone today has ever seen a hill of beans. In the era when most family households grew their own food, everyone had plenty of them; a hill of beans, that is.
A cluster of seeds covered with a mound of earth constituted a hill. Long rows in the garden included so many hills that no one bothered to count them. For practical purposes this meant that a single hill of beans was so nearly worthless, that its value couldn’t be estimated.
I HAVE a red book called; "Why You Say It, by Webb Garrison!" It has over 600 everyday words and phrases, along with stories. I love it! I don’t look at it often,but when I do, I have to scan a lot of pages before putting it down again.
I HAVE heard this phrase said on the TV. I have heard others talking about possible family members. I suppose a father would talk to his daughter about the young man who is calling on her. He would say; "He isn’t worth a hill of beans; you can do better!" Obviously the father’s concern would be that the young man would never be a good provider for his daughter. If they married, he would end up taking care of both of them!
GOD’S WORD pretty much says Israel was not worth a hill of beans! He didn’t exactly use those words but in my book they mean the same thing. "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one that calls upon your name, that stirs himself to take hold of you; for you have hid your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our sins. Isaiah 64:6-7 What does that sound like to you?
"YET O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hands. Be not exceedingly angry, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever. Behold, consider, we are all your people!" Isaiah 64:8-9 Right away we want to argue with God, when we think of our selves as filthy rags. We want to say; "but we have Jesus’ righteousness, remember?" But do we? I know that the Holy Spirit lives within me and when I am doing what is right; I am walking in His righteousness.
BUT IF YOU want to ask me if I understand all about having the righteousness of Jesus, I would have to admit that I do not! Many like to explain that and even use the scriptures to bring proof upon proof. But I still do not fully understand how I can have the righteousness of Jesus when I, myself, am not always living righteously. Repentance, AMEN! Forgiveness, AMEN! Can I strive to become righteous; absolutely!
WITH THE Holy Spirit I am encouraged to live righteously! I am encouraged to become all that God has created me to be. With the Holy Spirit, I am fully aware of Jesus in my life and He has promised me that when I remain faithful to Him, He will be faithful to me! "Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:19-21 Am I worth a hill of beans? When Jesus died on the cross, He deemed me worthy and saved my soul! Thank you Lord! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/14
I ran across "not worth a hill of beans and decided this was worth blogging about. How many times have we looked at something in a yard sale, or in a major store and said, out loud, "that’s not worth a hill of beans!" I know I have! And, I’ve wondered why I say that! I didn’t know what it meant! Saying things that we don’t know what it means is not a good thing. We should know what we are saying and we should know especially, what we are saying, means.
I DON"T SUPPOSE anyone today has ever seen a hill of beans. In the era when most family households grew their own food, everyone had plenty of them; a hill of beans, that is.
A cluster of seeds covered with a mound of earth constituted a hill. Long rows in the garden included so many hills that no one bothered to count them. For practical purposes this meant that a single hill of beans was so nearly worthless, that its value couldn’t be estimated.
I HAVE a red book called; "Why You Say It, by Webb Garrison!" It has over 600 everyday words and phrases, along with stories. I love it! I don’t look at it often,but when I do, I have to scan a lot of pages before putting it down again.
I HAVE heard this phrase said on the TV. I have heard others talking about possible family members. I suppose a father would talk to his daughter about the young man who is calling on her. He would say; "He isn’t worth a hill of beans; you can do better!" Obviously the father’s concern would be that the young man would never be a good provider for his daughter. If they married, he would end up taking care of both of them!
GOD’S WORD pretty much says Israel was not worth a hill of beans! He didn’t exactly use those words but in my book they mean the same thing. "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one that calls upon your name, that stirs himself to take hold of you; for you have hid your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our sins. Isaiah 64:6-7 What does that sound like to you?
"YET O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hands. Be not exceedingly angry, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever. Behold, consider, we are all your people!" Isaiah 64:8-9 Right away we want to argue with God, when we think of our selves as filthy rags. We want to say; "but we have Jesus’ righteousness, remember?" But do we? I know that the Holy Spirit lives within me and when I am doing what is right; I am walking in His righteousness.
BUT IF YOU want to ask me if I understand all about having the righteousness of Jesus, I would have to admit that I do not! Many like to explain that and even use the scriptures to bring proof upon proof. But I still do not fully understand how I can have the righteousness of Jesus when I, myself, am not always living righteously. Repentance, AMEN! Forgiveness, AMEN! Can I strive to become righteous; absolutely!
WITH THE Holy Spirit I am encouraged to live righteously! I am encouraged to become all that God has created me to be. With the Holy Spirit, I am fully aware of Jesus in my life and He has promised me that when I remain faithful to Him, He will be faithful to me! "Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:19-21 Am I worth a hill of beans? When Jesus died on the cross, He deemed me worthy and saved my soul! Thank you Lord! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/14
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