I'LL TELL MY DAD! by Ray Eddy

The story is told of two boys who were always fighting. Neither one ever won any of the fights except on one occasion when one boy threw a lucky punch and knocked the other boy to the ground. The boy lay on the ground with a stunned look on his face as though he couldn’t believe what had just happened. He was so amazed that he jumped up and ran away. As he left, the other boy could hear him saying, ‘I’m going to tell my dad!’

Well he told his dad and his dad talked with the other boy’s dad and he in turn talked to his son. By the time all of this had taken place, both boys were the best of friends again, and they never fought again. The talk with dad settled the issues that brought about the fight in the first place.

When you think about it, we sometimes lose the fight when it comes to our spiritual battles; we get ‘knocked to the ground.’ That’s when we know that it’s time to have a talk with Dad. An old chorus refrain comes to mind, ‘Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.’ When you talk to your heavenly Father and listen to His answer, you will find that He will resolve the issues and turn your defeat to victory. So, when you find yourself in a spiritual battle, Just go tell Dad!

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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS... by Ray Eddy

I could be like the soon-to-be crowned Miss America and say “World Peace.” But being a Christian, I know that’s not going to happen until Christ comes to rule and reign on earth. When you’ve been married over 50 years and have lived in your only house for almost 50 years, it becomes a difficult question to answer when someone asks, “What do you want for Christmas?”

In the past few years I have been given gifts that I greatly appreciated. Things like Gift Cards to one of my favorite restaurants or shopping places. This year, when my daughter asked me what I wanted, I said “I would like a word etymology book that would be a good resource for my Blogs and “From the Heart writings.” (I think that’s what I’m getting.) Beyond that, I can think of little I need or have a desire for. Realizing that I may have to downsize and move into a more manageable living space, my wife and I have been trying to get rid of the things one tends to accumulate over the years and the last thing I need is more ‘things.’

The best Christmas gift I can think of is simply having friends and family gatherings over the Holidays. These gatherings are pleasant and comforting whenever they occur, but it seems they have a special meaning during the Christmas Season.

And after all, Christmas isn’t about gifts; it’s about the gift of God’s Son to the World – the greatest Gift of all.

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IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS by Ray Eddy

It’s almost Christmas, time to think about the gifts you will be giving to others and perhaps about the gifts others will give to you. Why do you give gifts? Do you give because you know you’re going to receive, making it an obligation? Do you give because you want to impress someone with your generous and costly gift?

Or do you give because you genuinely love someone and want to bless them at Christmas time? Do you give a gift that will have significant meaning to the one receiving it because they know you put a lot of thought into their gift?

Have you ever received a gift from someone and thought to yourself, “What were they thinking?” Have you ever received a gift and responded to the giver, “Oh, it’s just what I wanted” when all the time you’re wondering what in the world you’re going to do with it.

All of the above serve as examples that in giving or receiving a gift, it’s the thought that counts. It matters not if the gift is great or small, if it is expensive or inexpensive, if it’s useful or ornamental, as long as you know the thought behind the gift was an expression of love.

God’s gift to us of eternal life through the giving of His Son as a sacrifice for sin was a gift that cost God and Jesus a great deal. But what makes it of such great value is the thought behind it. “God so loved…”

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LIFE IS BUT A MOMENT! by Ray Eddy

When we think about the years God has allotted for us to live here on earth, which according to Psalm 90:10, are few, “The days of our livers are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” And if we consider what II Peter 3:8 says, “But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” We begin to realize how each moment of our time is precious.

Using the above data, the person who is eighty years old where 1000 years = I day, has lived 29,200,000 years (80 years x365 days x 1000). An eighty year old, where I day = 1,000 years, has only lived 29.2 days of Gods 1,000 years (80×365 divided by 1,000). At 29.2 days, in God’s eyes, each moment must be lived to the fullest. If we are to live life moment by moment, then here are some things to consider:
-IN THE HAPPY MOMENT…PRAISE GOD.
-IN THE DIFFICULT MOMENT…SEEK GOD.
-IN THE QUIET MOMENT…WORSHIP GOD.
-IN THE PAINFUL MOMENT…TRUST GOD.
-IN EVERY MOMENT…THANK GOD.

Psalm 90:12, tells us, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Live each moment with God, it’s the wise thing to do!

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CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH? by Ray Eddy

In the film “A few Good Men” Tom Cruise is told, “You can’t handle the truth!” There are two aspects of truth that people find difficult to handle. The first is truth that is heard through the ear. Our decisions about truth may be based on several things, i.e. how reliable the person is who is telling you, and what supporting evidence is available to you, or what your own disposition is to receive what you are hearing as truth.

Truth must be responded to either by believing or rejecting. Responding to truth can put tremendous pressures on an individual. Truth forces us to make a decision. Do I believe it and respond, or do I ignore it? It can be as dangerous to ignore truth as it is to ignore a “Warning” sign. Our human nature makes us hesitate to believe warning signs, i.e. “Wet Paint.” It can be fatal if we ignore the truth that is found in God’s Word, the truth about Sin and Salvation. That truth will set you free. (John. 8:32)

The second aspect of truth that is hard to handle is that which we speak. Many people who say, “To tell the truth…” are really not telling the truth. Being truthful is not easy. We struggle with it even as a child when we fail to take responsibility for our actions. Telling the truth can bring painful consequences, but lying is not justified. Always “speak the truth in love.” (Ephesians 4:14, 15a)

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UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE...! by Ray Eddy

There is a story by Leo Tolstoy entitled, “Where love is, God is too.” It is the story of an old shoe cobbler who, one night, hears a voice while in a deep sleep. The voice tells him that on the very next day the Lord Jesus will visit him. Next morning he begins his work in a spirit of high expectation as he eagerly awaits the coming of the Lord. But the only visitors he has that day are people in distress.

First, there is an emaciated old beggar with a racking tubercular cough. The old cobbler takes him in, warms him by the fire, and gives him food. Next, to appear is a half-frozen, thinly clad young woman carrying her hungry baby in her arms. She needs food and clothing, and the old cobbler obliges. Then an old woman comes. She is terribly upset because a young lad tried to steal her apples she intended to sell. The cobbler knows the boy and he is able to bring the two together and reconcile them.

The day has not turned out as he expected, but the cobbler has not forgotten the promise of the Lord’s visit. Tired now, he falls asleep in his chair and he hears the same voice from the previous night:

“I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me drink…I was sick and you ministered to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

Then the old cobbler smiled as he went to bed, the Lord, indeed, had visited him.

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I SEE DEAD PEOPLE! by Ray Eddy

No, I don’t have a ‘sixth sense,’ neither am I a police officer called to the scene of a homicide, or an EMT responding to an accident with fatalities, or an RN working in ICU or a mortician. Where do I see dead people? I see them everywhere.

They are described in Ephesians 2:1-3 as those who are dead in trespasses and sin, people under the dominion of the devil who have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation. They have turned their backs on God and follow the ‘god of this world.’ They trespass against the laws of God and are separated from Him by their sin.

Unlike dead people in a morgue, these people can be ‘quickened,’ brought back to life. God sent His Son into the world in order to bring dead people to life again. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am come that they (people) might have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Abundant life is being a ‘new creation’ in Christ. It is putting off the old man and putting on the new man. It is coming to the ‘fullness of the stature of Christ.’

When we see ‘dead people,’ we have a God-given responsibility to tell them the ‘good news’ that, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) What do you do about the dead people you see?

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IT'S A RARE THING? by Ray Eddy

This past Labor Day weekend, my wife and I celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary. In 1999, a newspaper article said that ‘there won’t be many 50th anniversary celebrations in the new millennium. Too many divorces, too many marriages postponed till the career is launched, and too many cohabitants who have never said, I do.’

Why do people today have 50+ anniversaries? In my generation, marriage wasn’t for the time being or as long as it feels good and nobody better comes along. People married before their hair turned gray and stayed married when it did. It wasn’t for ‘as long as we both shall love,’ it was ‘til death do us part, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse.’

The secret to lasting marriages is the commitment to keep one’s wedding vows, regardless. It is the commitment to bear children and to raise them with a mother and a father. It is far better, and the way God teaches us to live, than any other alternative forms of family today. Not always, of course. Not perfectly, for we are not perfect. There are dreadful marriages, happy divorces, and successful single parents. But, on average, marriage works better as God’s way for raising children.

Marriage has no place for being self-centered. It is not ‘I’ or ‘You,’ it is ‘We.’ According to Genesis 2:18-24, God made Adam and Eve one flesh. Marriage works best when we keep this in mind. Are you working on “a rare thing?”

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WINNING AND LOSING! by Ray Eddy

WINNING AND LOSING! by Ray Eddy
November 11th, 2010

There are two questions that man has struggled with to find the answers. The first is, “What is life?” and the second is, “If a man dies, shall he live again?”

Without an answer to the first question, man finds life has no purpose for him, so he chooses to live as he pleases. As one of the world’s great Philosophers said, “Eat, Drink, and be Merry, for tomorrow we die.”

Without an answer to the second question, man lives his life with a constant fear of death as a great unknown. He avoids funerals and refuses to accept his own mortality. When he dies, he ‘loses’ his life!

The Bible has the only satisfying answer to both of these questions. The Apostle Paul answers these two questions in Philippians 1:21, where he writes, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die, is gain.”

When we choose to accept Christ as our Savior and live our life through Him, we find the true purpose of Life. It is a purpose that brings peace and satisfaction, and meaning to life. When we die, it is not loss, but gain, because we have a place prepared for us with God in heaven, John 14:1-3. Having this assurance, we find we no longer need to fear death, Hebrews 2:14-15, but rather we can welcome it, knowing that when we die we go to be with the Lord, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. It’s a win-win situation!

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THE WAY THINGS WERE! by Ray Eddy

Have you ever found yourself longing for the ‘good old days?’ Times when life seemed less complicated and you had more time for things in your life that now seem to get crowded out in today’s busyness. More time for friends and family and things that really mattered.

It even seems like we had more time for God back then. Going to church or being with church people 3 and 4 times a week was not unusual. God even seemed to be more real in our lives.

Some feel that things today are not as good as they used to be. A man wrote to a magazine editor complaining that, “Your magazine is not as good as it used to be.” The editor wrote back, “It never has been.” We would not really be that happy if things were like they used to be. We have so much more available to us in today’s world than man has ever had. The real problem is learning what is important and what is not. We could have just as much time as we used to have, but we’ve allowed ourselves to conform to the world instead of Christ.

In today’s world we need to stop longing for the God of the old days and start seeking the God of all days. When life overwhelms you remember the words of the Psalmist in 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God…I will be exalted in the earth.”

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ARE YOU A 'CHICKENISTA?' by Ray Eddy

According to a recent newspaper article, if you are one of the growing numbers of people who live in an urban area and have one or more chickens as pets, then you are a ‘Chickenista.’ Having a chicken(s) as a pet is one of the growing fads of the day and those who do so are said to have ‘panache.’

What exactly is panache? I wasn’t sure so I went to the dictionary for a definition. This is a summary of what I found. Panache is from a French word meaning a ‘plume of feathers flying in the wind.’ It was Cyrano de Bergerac who was said to have ‘panache’ because he wore a plume of feathers in his hat, a daring thing to do in his day. Panache then came to be a term to describe one who had the ‘confidence of style or manner.’ In other words, one who ‘dared to be different and not care what other people think.’

If anyone ought to have ‘panache’, it should be the followers of Christ. Christians are called to be distinguishable from the world by their confident lifestyle and manner of living. Jesus said we are to be ‘in the world, but not of the world.’ And Paul tells us in Romans 12 to, ‘not be conformed to the world, but be transformed.’

Christians ought to live as those who have been transformed and not care what other people may think. Get some panache, become a ‘Christianista!’

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LOVE IS NOT PUFFED-UP by Ray Eddy

The following bit of verse is by Joseph Morrie. I’m not sure when it was written but I suspect it was some time ago. It seemed appropriate for the subject. It’s called,… “Swellitis.”

Somebody said he’d done it well, and ‘Presto!’ his head began to swell;
Bigger and bigger the poor thing grew. A wonder it didn’t split in two.
In size, a balloon could scarcely match it; it took a fishing-pole to scratch it.
But six and a half was the size of his hat, and it was big on his head at that.

“Good work” somebody chanced to say. And his chest grew as big as a load of hay.
About himself like a rooster he crowed; of his wonderful work he bragged and blowed.
He marched around with a peacock strut; gigantic to him was the figure he cut.
But he wore a very small sized suit, and loosely it hung on him to boot.

HE was the chap who made things hum! HE was the drumstick and the drum!
HE was the shirt front and the starch! HE was the keystone in the arch!
HE was the axis of the earth! Nothing existed before his birth!
But when he was off from work a day, nobody knew that he was away.

This is a fact that is sad to tell; it’s the empty head that’s bound to swell;
The ego-filled fellow soars to the skies, bursting like a bubble before your eyes.
A big man is humbled by honest praise. And tries to think of all the ways
To improve his work and do it well. But a little man starts of himself to yell!

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DON'T GIVE IN! by Ray Eddy

Compromise is the devil’s suggestion of a way out of our troubles. Just “give in,” he whispers in your ear. “Take the easy way out, the safe way. Why put yourself in harm’s way? After all, God will understand. You need to be smart and just ‘give in.’”

Sometimes it seems that giving in is better than going on. Compromise always seems the easy way out. After all, people do it every day and seem none the worse for wear. But you do know that the devil is a liar and whenever he can he will suggest that you compromise and give in.

You can compromise yourself right out of the will of God. God doesn’t offer the easy way out. He wants us to stand firm in our faith and trust Him. In Daniel 3 the three Hebrew children had a choice to make. They could bow down to the idol the King had erected or face the fiery furnace. Now bowing down doesn’t seem like an unreasonable thing. But they knew bowing was out of the question. They chose to face the furnace. In verses 17-18 they said: “Our God is able to deliver us…but if not…” They had faith to say, “God can do it, but if He doesn’t, He is still our God.” (and God did it!)

In the midst of trouble, how’s your, ‘…If Not?’

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LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH by Ray Eddy

Romans 1:17 tells us: “The just shall live by faith.” As you read the 11th chapter of Hebrews, you encounter the phrase “By Faith” 18 times as it tells us how the saints of the past lived their lives.

Living a life of Faith is not an option, it is a command. It’s how God expects His people to live. It’s a life dedicated to HIM. It is a life of Faith that…

HONORS GOD - Faith acknowledges God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Faith honors God by obedience to His Word in all we do and all we say. It is to believe in God and seek Him with all of our hearts. Psalms 96:8 tells us to, “Give to the Lord the glory due His name.”

IMPRESSES OTHERS - When we live by faith, those who observe our manner of living will be impressed to the point that they may ask of us “…a reason for the hope that lies within us.” It gives us an opportunity to be a witness for Christ, to tell them of His love and purpose for their lives in Christ Jesus.

MAKES ME A BETTER CHRISTIAN - Faith is Christ dwelling in our hearts filling us “with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) Faith in our hearts will fulfill God’s purpose for our life.

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WRITTEN TO BE READ! by Ray Eddy

Some people think the Bible is a difficult book to understand. It is true that there are things in the Old Testament (O.T.). that seem strange until you view them in the light of the New Testament (N.T.). No one can fully understand the Old until they come to grasp the New. Some of it we’ll understand better bye and bye.

If the Bible had been written by lawyers the text, “Give us this day our daily bread,” might sound something like this:

We respectively petition, request, and entreat, that due and adequate provision be made, this date and date first above inscribed, for, satisfying of petitioner’s nutritional requirements and for the organizing of such methods of allocation and distribution as may be deemed necessary and proper to assure the reception by and for said petitioners, of such quantity of cereal products hereinafter called BREAD) as shall, in the judgment of the aforementioned petitioners, constitute sufficient amount.

Thank goodness the N.T. was written for our understanding, written by men full of the Spirit, as revealed to them by God. In the Message, 2 Timothy 3:16- 17 reads: “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another-showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”

Read it, obey, and grow thereby!

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DO WHAT YOU CAN! by Ray Eddy

She found a little box in the attic. With her crayons she tried to make it more presentable. Inside she placed a cut-out rose along with a larger one of her own drawing. She wrote beneath it “Happy Birthday.” Then she wrapped it in a manner all her own with plenty of scotch tape and a big yellow ribbon tied all around.

It wouldn’t bring much on sale, but no one could buy it from me, because it was the expression of a little girl’s love. She did what she could.

In Mark 14 there is the story of a woman who poured fragrant oil on Jesus head. Indignantly some protested that the oil had been wasted and could have been sold and given to the poor. And they began to criticize the woman. But Jesus told them to leave her alone because she had done a good work for Him. In v8, Jesus says, “She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial.” And in v9 he adds, “…what this woman did will be spoken of as a memorial to her.”

Don’t let not being able to do something in a great or grand fashion keep you from doing what you can. Bring to Jesus such as you have, the best you have, all you have. If you give it as a love gift from the heart, it will be precious in His sight.

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A STUMBLING BLOCK? by Ray Eddy

Paul admonishes the Christians in Corinth not to let their liberty become a stumbling block to other Christians who were immature in their faith. The occasion of their liberty had to do with eating meat that had been offered to idols. Those who were weak were convinced that to do so was a sin, an affront to God.

The obvious point here is that our actions, no matter how innocent can become a ‘stumbling block’ to others. In 1 Corinthians 8:9 Paul says: “But beware less somehow this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak.”

The word from which ‘stumbling block’ is translated was also the word that was used for the ‘bait-stick’ which was placed in an animal trap. The purpose of the bait-stick was to entice the unwary animal into the trap.

Those who have come to the faith with a teaching of legalism (a strong emphasis on not doing certain things which most Christians find unrestrictive) are often enticed by the actions of other Christians. They then begin to do those things, but with a deep sense of guilt. Until they become strong in the faith and realize the foolishness of legalism, their actions can become a ‘bait-stick’, a stumbling block.

Paul tells us in verse 1 of this chapter that knowledge “puffs-up,” but we should use our knowledge through love to edify others. Read verses 1-13 and do not allow your liberty to become a stumbling block.

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"A FRESH LOOK AT LOVE" by Ray Eddy

Many Christians define love the way the world does and that is as ‘a strong emotion.’ When the world says ‘I love you’ it means I have feelings towards you. For the Christian, the commandment to love is not about emotion, it is about action. Romans 5:8 says this about God’s love for us, “…God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” For the Christian, love is not how you feel about someone it’s what you do in a relationship with them. It may take many forms, like spousal love, parental love, love of ones family, love of fellow believers, and even love for our enemies. No matter what the relationship of love we may be talking about, the emotion may differ, but the demonstration of love is the same.

Love is how we treat one another. All the many ‘facets’ of love are to be employed in that treatment, no matter who the object of that love may be. When we say we love one person more than another, we are talking about our emotional feelings for them. But, in God’s eyes, we cannot love one person more than another in demonstrating our love to them. This might explain to some how you can love someone you don’t like. In the monthly publication of “From the Heart” we are going to be examining these facets as found in 1 Corinthians 13. Pick up the September issue or view it online.

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SEEING IS BELIEVING! by Ray Eddy

This is a saying that supposedly originated in Missouri, the “Show Me” State. Having never seen an ocean, they were skeptical and said, “Seeing is believing.” In our day and age, there are few things that require ‘seeing’ to believe. With the media and world-wide coverage, we’ve just about seen everything - everything, that is, except God.

When it comes to God, many people still have a ‘Show Me’ attitude. When a Russian Cosmonaut went into space, he reported that he did not see God. The skeptical astronomer, as he looks into the starry heavens says, “I do not see God.” Others, observing the wonders of nature with all of its intricacies, say, “We do not see God.” A man, sitting in a stained glass house of worship, listening to a sermon says, “I do not see God.” All of these have adopted the attitude that “Seeing is believing.”

It is true that the ‘visible’ God cannot be seen by man. But, does a man have to see in order to believe? There are many things in life we believe that we have not seen. We accepted the testimony, either written or oral, as proof positive. Why is it we cannot do the same with our belief in God?

Our belief in God is not “Seeing is believing.” It is “Believing is seeing.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “…he who comes to God must believe that He is…”

BELIEVE THAT HE IS AND YOU WILL SEE HIM!

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RESISTING THE DEVIL! by Ray Eddy

James 4:7 tells us to “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That sounds all well and good, but what is involved in resisting? Are we to simply say “Get out of here Old Slew Foot!” or perhaps we ought to hold up a replica of the cross and wave it in his face. Someone may tell you that you simply have to pray harder and maybe fast. Still others may say, “You just don’t have enough faith.”

But why speculate when the Bible tells us quite simply how we are to resist the devil. In fact it is found in this same verse in James. The verse begins with these words: “Therefore submit to God.” The ‘therefore’ is based on verse 6. Quoting from Proverbs 3:34 James says: “God resists the proud’ but gives grace to the humble.”

Submission to God is the pathway to resisting the devil. You can’t say “No” to the devil until you’ve said “Yes” to God. Ephesians 6:10-18; says that we are to fight with spiritual weapons, but we still fight. There is not only passive submission, but also active resistance.

Saying “Yes” to God is the first step of learning submission. If we haven’t submitted to God how then can we submit to one another? God gives grace, His enabling power, to those who are willing to humble themselves before Him.

Of course if you haven’t submitted to God, the devil probably won’t bother you anyway!

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IT'S NO SECRET! by Ray Eddy

I love the commercials for Bush’s Beans. People want to know what makes them taste so good. Bush’s makes the claim that there is a secret ingredient that makes them taste as good as they do. Of course they have to watch out for the dog. He always seems on the verge of giving the secret away, spilling the beans so to speak. Lately the wife doesn’t even want her husband to reveal that they are Bush’s Beans because she wants people to think that she made them herself in her kitchen.

If you are living a life of peace and contentment because of your relationship with God, people will want to know what the secret ingredient is in your life. Of course it’s not a secret we want to hide. 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to every one who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

What is the secret ingredient? Psalms 25:14 says: “The secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him.” Proverbs 3:32 tells us that: “His secret is with the righteous.” The secret of a life of peace and contentment is that it is a product of our salvation which has been made possible by our faith in God’s Son.

Bush’s Beans may keep their secret but God wants us to share ours.

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I SAW WHAT YOU DID! by Ray Eddy

Did anyone ever catch you doing something that was illegal, immoral or just plain stupid? How did you feel? Were you embarrassed?

When we fail to obey God, we sin. If we do anything which God forbids, we sin and must repent.

If we fail the second time we are not smart. We are like the two fellows watching a western. The first says, “See that posse chasing that robber? Watch, in just a minute he is going to get knocked off his horse by a low-hanging branch.” “No way,” said the other fellow, “I’ll bet you ten dollars it won’t happen.” Sure enough the robber rode under a tree and was knocked off his horse. “Looks like I owe you ten dollars,” said the second fellow. “That’s all right,” said the first, “I saw this movie before.” “Well so did I,” the second fellow replied. “But I didn’t think he was dumb enough to do it again.”

If we do it the third time we are an addict. We need to be treated for our addiction.

If we do it a forth time, God help us. Nothing we do can be hidden from God. Remember, God is watching us, not to punish, but to forgive.

Psalms 103:1-2 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul…who forgives all your iniquities.” There’s a song that says “God Is Watching Us From Afar.” That’s not true. “Immanuel” is God with us!

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CHEESE AND CRACKER CHRISTIANS by Ray Eddy

There is an old story about a passenger who booked passage on a ship bound for England. During the voyage he scrounged the ships galley and was able to live on cheese and crackers all the way to England. It was only after leaving the ship that he discovered that his ticket had not only provided passage but also included all his meals.

This passenger is like a lot of Christians who purchased their ticket to heaven through salvation and are living on crackers and cheese during the journey. Salvation includes a whole lot more than just safe passage. Jesus said in John 10:10 that his sheep “…can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (The Message) Real and eternal life is not just for the future, it also includes the present.

Matthew 6:34 tells us, in The Message, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Salvation includes all that we’ll need on the journey to heaven. Jesus is not only our Savior; He is the Supplier of all our daily needs. Throw away your crackers and cheese and eat daily in the main dinning room He has provided for you. 1 Corinthians 3:21 reminds us, “For all things are yours.”

"THE ROOSTER AND THE COW!" by Ray Eddy

Every morning, at the first light of dawn, the Rooster crowed. He crowed so long and so loud that he managed to awaken all the animals in the barnyard. Finally the Cow could stand it no longer. He asked the Rooster, “Why do you have to wake everybody up, every morning at the break of day?” The Rooster was surprised that the Cow would ask such a question. “Don’t you know,” he said to the Cow? “If I don’t crow the sun will not come up. I am a very important person with a big responsibility.” “You are a silly goose” said the Cow. “The sun will come up every morning whether you crow or not. You have nothing to crow about.”

Why does the rooster crow? I’m sure the reason is simple, but I don’t know what it is. But if the rooster is crowing over false accomplishments, then a lot of people are just like him. James 4:16 tells us that when we ‘crow’ about things which we have not done, that “such boasting is evil.” Have you ever heard someone say in so many words, “God has to be pleased with me? Look at all I’ve done for Him.” This person has ‘nothing to crow about.’ All that God does for us is unmerited.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8; “For by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God.”

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons.

ADOPT A BEAR! by Ray Eddy

Wanted, couples home for three bears - must have differences. These three bears are a must for your life if you are experiencing discord in your marriage and are looking for help. These are not ordinary bears; they will bring magic into your marriage. Results guaranteed.

The first bear is called Papa Bear. He is the bear who will help you when you have disagreements and arguments in your relationship. His motto is “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” Listen to him and discord will disappear.

The second bear is Mama Bear. She will help you put up with your mate when misunderstandings occur and you feel like pulling out your hair. Her motto is “Forebear one another in love.” Listen to her and your mate will respond to you with love and appreciation.

The third bear is really a bare, she is called Baby Bare. Under her guidance you will bring openness and honesty into your marriage as you bare yourself to one another. She will encourage you to have no secrets or ulterior motives with one another so that you will not feel betrayed or embarrassed if they are brought to light by others.

These bears are very inexpensive to maintain; they eat very little. Just nourish them with Love and Submission and they will be with you for life.

If interested, inquire in your Bible, they are there.

Looking for Santa Clarita Churches? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITNG FOR? by Ray Eddy

Most of the singing that is now done in my family, I leave to my children and my grandchildren. But there was a time when my wife and I sang together. One of the old songs we used to sing suggests that if you want to do anything worthwhile in your life for the Lord, you’d better do it now. The name of the song is “Serve Him with all of your Heart.” The words are as follows:

Life can be spent seeking pleasure, drifting along in your sin.
But when life’s journey is over, tell me how can the Lord use you then?
Serve Him with all of your heart; give Him the best of your years.
If you need someone to comfort, He’ll wipe away all your tears.
He’ll make it well worth your while, if you’ll be faithful and true.
The windows of heaven He will open and He’ll shower His blessing on you.

I can bear witness that the words of this song are true. My wife and I have been Christians for 57+ years. We were called into the ministry shortly after being married, giving Him the best of our years. He has always been a comfort, and He has made it well worth our while. The blessings He has showered on us are too innumerable to count. Psalms 37:25 is one of my favorite verses: “I have been young and now I am old: Yet, I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.”

Looking for Santa Clarita Churches? Check out Heart of the Canyons.

HE WILL REST IN HIS LOVE by Ray Eddy

“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save and rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing,” Zephaniah 3:17

The Living Bible says: “…He will love you and not accuse you.” And the Amplified Bible declares; “…in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins or even recall them.”

Romans 8 has a great verse: “There is therefore no condemnation (i.e. no judging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (V1, Amp. Bible)

Every person born into this world enters with the condemnation of sin in his or her heart. Although often indiscernible, it is there nevertheless. The word of God, given through the Law, makes a person aware of their sinful condition. Paul said, in Romans 7:9: “When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” Condemnation cries out for relief. He goes on to say, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” He just as quickly answers, “I thank God through Jesus Christ.” Romans 7:24, 25.

In I Corinthians. 5:17 he gives us this assurance: “Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things become new.”

Receive Christ as your Savior and He will remove all condemnation and He will rest in His love and you can rest in it too.

Find out more about Santa Clarita churches at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com

"IF ...? by Ray Eddy

The following appeared in a James Dobson Bulletin. The author is unknown. I think you are going to like it.

“If you can start the day without caffeine; if you can get along without pep pills; if you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains; if you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles; if you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it; if you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time;

If you can forgive a friend’s lack of consideration; if you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of your own, something goes wrong; if you can take criticism and blame without resentment; if you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct him; if you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend; if you can face the world without lies and deceit;

If you can conquer tension without medical help; if you can relax without liquor; if you can sleep without the aid of pills; if you can honestly say that your deep heart you have no prejudice against creed or color, religion or politics; then, my friend, you’re almost as good as your dog, Almost, but not quite.”

Could people love us almost as much as they love their dog? The old saying “It’s a dog’s life” as seen above, should be a truism of our life.

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

THE INVISIBLE FENCE! by Ray Eddy

Anyone who has had anything to do with livestock knows what an invisible fence is. It’s an electrical network that delivers a shock to anything that passes through it. Sometimes animals can become so accustomed to it that they will not cross it even when the current is turned off.

Law enforcement knows all about invisible fences. They call them ankle bracelets. While it doesn’t give one a shock, it does notify the police when someone goes where they shouldn’t go. Some ankle bracelets can tell them when someone who is supposed to be alcoholic-free takes a drink. They say it is very effective.

Parents use a kind of invisible fence as they raise their children. They tell them what is right to do and what is wrong to do. The idea being, that when they are confronted with a choice, they will choose to do what is right, by remembering what their parents taught them. Most of the time, it is an effective fence.

God also has an invisible fence. His fence is the Holy Spirit. God sent His Spirit to earth to dwell in the earth and within men who have received Jesus as their Savior. His main purpose, according to John 16:7-15, is to bring conviction of sin, convincing of righteousness and of future judgment yet to come. He also clarifies God’s Word and glorifies God as He acts in the Fathers Name.

As you are confronted with this fence remember God tells us we must not grieve nor quench His Spirit.

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

THE PROCESS! by Ray Eddy

Stripping, sanding, staining and steel wool, this is the process I used to restore an old cedar chest that my wife owned before we were married, almost 57 years ago. In order to bring the chest back to its original condition all of the above things were needed. God uses the same process in restoring our sin-worn lives back to their original condition, the way man was in the Garden of Eden.

Stripping and sanding a piece of furniture is the only way to remove the accumulation of paint and varnish that has been applied over the years. It seems to be a harsh way to treat a piece of furniture, but is absolutely necessary. Stripping and sanding humanity can be harsh and painful also, but absolutely necessary.

God’s word tells is in Ephesians 4:22-24 that we are to put off, that is remove, the old man, which grows more corrupt day-by-day, and put on the new man whom God creates. When we surrender our lives to Christ we start the process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things have become new.”

In the tense in which this verse is written, the word ‘passed’ is ‘passing’ and the word ‘become’ is ‘becoming.’ In other words, this is a process.

Submit yourselves to the restoring work that God wants to do in your life to make you ‘fit’ for the Kingdom of God. It may be painful, but it’s necessary.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com.

JUST BE HAPPY... by Ray Eddy

If you asked a hundred people if they’d like to be happy, the overwhelming response would be ‘yes.’ Everybody wants to be happy right? In that case why are so many people unhappy?

The secret to being happy is to discover what brings happiness. Some people think wealth will make them happy. Winning the lottery will do it right? Wrong! More people are made unhappy in their search to win the lottery. They are also made poorer. What about power? Will that make you happy? Probably not because with power comes tremendous responsibility. How about popularity? Many of the people I see who are popular spend a lot of time in rehab trying to get their life straightened out. They don’t seem to be very happy.

You can find happiness if you look in the right place. And the best place to look is in God’s Word. Consider the following verses regarding happiness:

Proverbs 16:30: “He who gives heed to the Word will prosper and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.”

Proverbs 8:32: “And now my son, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.”

Psalms 34:8 says: “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

Happiness is not a state of mind; it is a state of being. Becoming a follower of God through Jesus Christ leads us to true happiness.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? by Ray Eddy

What keeps you from becoming a Christian? Perhaps it is because no one has ever told you about God and of His gift of new life given to us through His Son Jesus. If that is true in your case, read John 3:16 and let God’s Spirit speak to your heart.

I find a lot of people who believe in God and even believe that Jesus was His Son, and yet they have not accepted the offer of Salvation found in John 3:16. Their question is not what ‘What do I have to do?’ But ‘What do I have to give up?’ They are afraid they will have to stop doing some of the things they are doing that they find pleasurable. Nothing in this world is greater than, or better than, or more pleasurable than having a relationship with God. Your eternal soul is at stake.

In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus says; “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (“I knew I’d have to give up something,” read on), “for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? …”

Do what you have to do and stop worrying about what God may no longer want you to keep doing. Receive Jesus as your Savior!

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

A NEW COAT OF PAINT by Ray Eddy

For the past few days my wife and I have been redoing our bedroom and adjoining bath. Part of this was applying a new coat (and color) of paint to both areas. I have to admit it not only looks different, it also looks better.

Buried somewhere under that new coat of paint is the old color, but now you can’t see it, and it looks brand new. But if you scrape away the new paint, the old will reappear.

People sometimes treat their lives with a new coat of paint. They make some outward physical changes and maybe some new attitudes and actions. To look at them they now look different (and sometimes even better). But underneath their new exterior is hidden the old self. If you scrape against it, the old will reappear.

Life cannot be permanently changed by simply applying a ‘new cost of paint’. No matter what we do, the imprint of the ‘way of the world’ will remain upon us. The only way to eradicate the old and discover the new is found in Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world [a new coat of paint?], but, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Verse 1 tells us how to renew our mind, by: “presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice holy, acceptable to God.”

Check out John 3:16 and start your spiritual makeover today.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.

HE LOVES EVEN YOU! by Ray Eddy

God has a plan for your life.

There once was a man named William Cowper. He was not a Christian. His life was in shambles, and he was filled with despair, so much so that he decided to take his life by swallowing poison. He became terribly ill, but did not die. He then bought a gun and tried to shoot himself. But the gun would not fire. So he threw it away, got a rope and tried to hang himself. The rope broke. In utter desperation, Cowper hired a carriage in London and instructed the driver to take him to the Thames River. He planned to jump in and drown himself. But because of a thick fog, the driver could not find the river and became hopelessly lost.

Cowper exited the carriage and found himself near where he lived. He went back to his room where his eyes fell upon a Bible. He opened it and began to read. The book told him of a Heavenly Father who loved even William Cowper. Remembering all his recent failed attempts to end his life, Cowper embraced Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. In gratitude he wrote these words in his wonderful hymn, “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”

Has life seemingly lost purpose for you? Read John 3:16 in the Bible and discover that God loves ‘even you’ and has a plan for your life.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.

AND THAT'S THE REST OF THE STORY by Ray Eddy

You may recognize these words as coming from a man named Paul Harvey. He loved to tell stories that had a twist at the end, an unexpected conclusion. Many stories in the Bible are like that. I read one this week in the book of Judges.

This story concerns a man who was known as Jubal-Baal. He ruled Israel for many years. During his lifetime he had seventy sons and one son born of a prostitute. His name was Abinadab. After the death of Jubal-Baal, Abinadab persuaded Israel that he would be a better ruler over them than any of the seventy sons of Jubal-Baal. They joined him as he slew all the sons but one, Jubal. Abinadab led Israel back into the worship of Baal.

Then God called Jubal to lead a rebellion against Abinadab and he was successful in slaying Abinadab and became ruler over Israel. He restored the worship of the true God and ruled over Israel for several years.

What’s the rest of the story you ask? Jubal’s father, Jubal-Baal, was a man who, without swords, led 300 men in a great victory over the Midionites.

You know him better by his earlier name, Gideon. And that’s the rest of the story. You can read all about it in the Book of Judges.

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MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT MOTHERS by Ray Eddy

A MOTHER…
* MAKES A HOUSE A HOME.
* ALWAYS BELIEVES IN HER CHILDREN.
* WILL ALWAYS PRAY FOR HER WAYWARD CHILD.
* ALWAYS SERVES AS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR HER CHILDREN.
* WEEPS OVER HER CHILD’S SKINNED KNEE.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN TO HONOR THEIR FATHER.
* CAN DETECT INSTANTLY WHEN HER CHILDREN TELL A FALSEHOOD.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN GOOD MORAL VALUES.
* IS NOT EASILY REPLACED BY A NANNY OR DAY-CARE.
* NEVER LAUGHS AT HER CHILDREN, ONLY WITH THEM.
* RULES HER HOUSEHOLD BY THE AUTHORITY OF LOVE.
* DOESN’T KEEP A RECORD OF MIS-BEHAVIOR.
* REWARDS HER CHILDREN FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
* IS SMART ENOUGH NOT TO HELP HER CHILD WITH HOMEWORK.
* TEACHES HER CHILDREN ABOUT GOD.
* NEVER ASKS FOR MORE THAN SHE IS WILLING TO GIVE.
* MAKES HER HEART A CLASSROOM FOR HER CHILDREN.
* NEVER STOPS WORRYING ABOUT THE WELFARE OF HER CHILDREN.
* MAKES GOOD AROMAS ARISE FROM HER KITCHEN.

Why not do something nice for her this coming Sunday, on Mother’s Day?

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com.

THE MAN IN THE MIRROR by Ray Eddy

When I was a teenager, I used to go once in awhile to Funland on the Beach in San Francisco. I remember especially the Fun House. They had mirrors inside that distorted your reflection. One made you skinny and tall, another made you short and fat. Still another made you look like a cardboard figure. As I said, I haven’t been in a Fun House in a long time. But I think someone put one of those mirrors in my house. The following, by John T. West Jr. explains what happens to my reflection.

THE MIRROR
The other day, I happened by chance, as I passed a mirror, to give it a glance.

And I wondered who that old man could be. Who with his mouth wide open, was looking at me.

His bald head was sprinkled with a little gray fuzz, and he wasn’t at all handsome (like I always was).

He looked like a sack of mis-mated parts, put together without aid of instructions or charts.

And while I know that my shoulders don’t slump, this person’s were misshapen in one ugly lump.

Now if that was my image, I only can say, they don’t make mirrors like they did in my day.

For an accurate description of what you really look like, look into God’s Word. James 1:22-25

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

FROM BLAH, TO 'TADA' by Ray Eddy

Several years ago we bought a buffet. It was not new in fact it was almost a collectible. We had it in the house for awhile, but when we remodeled it went out in the storage shed. While there the weather got to it. One door came loose and the top was ruined by rain dripping down on to it. It was really in a ‘blah’ condition. It was either throw it out or attempt to restore it to a usable condition. We decided to attempt to restore it. It took a lot of work but with a lot of sanding and wood filler and staining and some painting and fixing the door we returned it to a usable condition and was able to bring it back into the house. As I looked at in its restored condition I thought to myself it has gone from Blah to ‘Tada.’

Our lives are a lot like that old buffet. Once, through Adam, we had a place in God’s house. But sin moved us out and at the same time it ruined us. We were no longer of any use to God. But He did not leave us in that ‘blah’ condition, we became His workmanship and He set about bringing us back to a condition in which we could serve Him. He did not just restore, He transformed us by the renewing of His Spirit. He stripped away the old man and made us a new creation in Christ Jesus.

One day he will display us to the angels in heaven and I can hear Him saying, “TADA.”

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BECAUSE I SAID SO! by Ray Eddy

In May is Mother’s Day and in June is Father’s Day, but when is Parent’s Day? I don’t know if there is one but there ought to be. Ephesians 6:1 admonishes children to “…obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

This doesn’t always happen. Consider the following E-mail dated 1999:

Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort in the thought that the great Creator had parenting issues. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing He said to them was “Don’t.” Don’t what?” Adam replied. “Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,” God said. “Forbidden fruit? We got forbidden fruit? Hey Eve…we got forbidden fruit” said Adam. “No way” said Eve. “Yes WAY!” Adam responded. “Don’t eat the fruit,” said God. “Why” Adam asked? “Because I’m your Creator and I said so!” said God, wondering why He hadn’t stopped after making elephants.

Just a few minutes later God saw the kids taking an apple break and was angry. “Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit?” the First Parent asked. “Uh huh” Adam replied.

“Then why did you?” God asked. “I dunno” Eve answered. “She started it,” Adam said. “Did not!” “Did so!” “DID NOT!”

Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set, and it has never changed.

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

PAY YOUR TAXES! IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO

How do you feel about paying taxes? If you are like most you resent it, because of the way tax money is misused by those who are elected to protect your interests and rights. If you don’t like the way it’s used do something about it when you vote for elected officials.

In Jesus’ time the Israelites resented paying taxes to a foreign government. In Matt. 22:17, they asked Jesus; “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They sought to trap Him into a yes or no answer which would either incur the wrath of the Roman government or the disappointment of his followers. Jesus, knowing their intentions, answered with a principle in v21; “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”

We, like the Israelites, have a dual citizenship, one on earth and one in heaven. Jesus set forth the principle that we have a responsibility to both. As citizens of an earthly government our taxes provide many necessary benefits to us. Our public and property safety and public services are provided through taxes. All contribute to our well-being. Therefore, pay your taxes. ‘It’s the right thing to do.’

Our responsibility to “render unto God the things that are God’s,” requires treatment in a future Blog.

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com

THE WORLD IN A NUTSHELL! by Ray Eddy

The following figures are now outdated. They were accurate when they were compiled a few years ago.

Shrink 6+ billion people in the world into a village of 100 people. With maintaining the existing ratios, here is the world in a nutshell:

-57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from North and South America, and 8 Africans.
-70 non-white
-70 non-Christian.
-6 control 50% of the world’s wealth; all are U.S. Citizens.
-70 are unable to read
-50 suffer from malnutrition.
-80 live in sub-standard housing
-1 attended college.

These figures should give us cause for concern regardless of our race or affluence. But, as a Christians, the one that you and I can do the most about are the 70 who are not Christian.

This figure indicates that we have not been diligent in obeying the commandment of the Lord to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” Mark 16:15. Granted, not all who hear will become Christians, but those who do not hear will never become Christians.

Jesus, when asked by His disciples about the end times, said in Matt. 24:14; “And the gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all, the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” What are you doing to hasten that day?

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita, check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

FLORA AND FAUNA AND CHRIST by Ray Eddy

The Fig tree is seen in the life of Christ. He used it as an example of the rejection of the Jewish people of their Messiah, Himself.

The Sycamore tree is also found in Christ’s life. It was the tree Zacchaeas climbed up so he could see Jesus as He passed by. He wound up with Jesus as a guest for lunch.

Palm branches are connected with Jesus triumphal entry into Jesusalem on Palm Sunday. All the people praised and worshipped Him.

A flower, although not mentioned in the Bible, is closely associated with the resurrection of Jesus. I speak of the Easter lily. Its’ blooming each spring testifies to Christ victory over death, hell and the grave.

Here is my nomination for another bloom to commemorate Christ. I’ll call it the ‘Good Friday Blossom.’ It’s the Dogwood tree. The tree itself is slender, hard, and twisted which speaks of the suffering of Christ on the cross. Its blossom has two long petals and two short petals which form a cross. In the center of the outer ridge is what looks like nail prints, brown with rust and stained with blood. The heart of the flower appears as a crown of thorns. It is the perfect symbol of the sufferings of the Savior.

The earth and all that is in it testifies of Christ!

Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com

LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH! by Ray Eddy

As Christians, we are always being challenged in the area of our faith. We often find ourselves praying for the Lord to increase our faith. We are not alone in this request. Jesus told His disciples the conditions of forgiveness in Luke 17. They felt that their faith was insufficient (ever felt that way?). So they asked Jesus, in Luke 17:5; “Increase our faith.”

The reply which Jesus gave is good for us today when we feel we need our faith increased. He said in v6, even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed (the smallest of all seeds) it is sufficient to do great things. See Matt. 17:20.

2 Cor. 5:7 says; “the just shall walk by faith.” Our Christian life is one of spiritual growth in godliness. Paul tells us in 1 Tim. 4:7-8 that: “…exercise yourself rather to godliness for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things.” The key word is ‘exercise.’ In order for faith to grow it must be exercised, daily.

Our request for God to increase our faith is met by God’s command to exercise the faith we have and then our faith will grow. Remember to be in God’s word daily for, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17

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THE LORD'S PRAYER by Ray Eddy

I found this in a church in Thousand Oaks a few years ago. I thought I would share it with you.

I cannot say “our” if I’m living only for myself.
I cannot say “Father” if I don’t act like His child.
I cannot say “Who art in heaven” if I’m laying up treasure here.
I cannot say “hallowed be Thy Name” if I’m not striving for holiness.
I cannot say “Thy Kingdom come” if I’m not doing my part to hasten the day.
I cannot say “Thy will be done” if I am disobedient to His word.
I cannot say “on earth as it is in heaven” if I’m unwilling to serve Him now.
I cannot say “give us our daily bread” if I’m not relying on Him to provide.
I cannot say “forgive us our trespasses” if I harbor a grudge toward any.
I cannot say “lead us not into temptation” if I place myself in its path.
I cannot say “deliver us from evil” if I don’t put on the whole armor of God.
I cannot say “Thine is the Kingdom” if I’m not loyal to the King.
I cannot attribute to Him “the power” if I fear what people may do.
I cannot ascribe to Him “the glory” if I am seeking honor for myself.
I cannot say “forever” if I am bound by the things of time.
“LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY” Luke 11:1
Anon

Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.

HERE I COME, READY OR NOT! by Ray Eddy

Most of you will remember from your childhood playing a game called ‘Hide & Seek.’ It’s still a popular game enjoyed by children today. As I recall the object of the game was to successfully hide so that the ‘seeker’ could not find you. The Seeker would count off some number and then say, ‘Ready, or not, here I come.’

There was always someone who couldn’t find a place to hide, and they would immediately be caught. Others did not choose a good place to hide and would be caught in just a few minutes. Then there were those the Seeker never found and eventually he would have to end the game by yelling, ‘Olly Olly Oxen Free,’ (or at least that’s what I think they said.) Everybody who hadn’t been found would then come out.

I see an analogy in Hide & Seek and in the second coming of Christ. He’s already warned us many times in the Bible that we should be ready for His coming, because ‘Ready or not,’ He’s coming. We must successfully hide in order to be ready at His coming. Some will think they are well hidden in their Christian parents or their works or in some false cult.

Gal. 3:2 tells us that the best place for us to be hiding is “in Christ in God.” “The trumpet of God will sound and the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout.” (I Thess. 4:18) Then the game will be over. Are you ready?


Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com

DEALING WITH TRANSITION! by Ray Eddy

One definition of transition is: ‘A period of time when change is taking place.’ Musicians and singers experience it quite frequently when the music has a key change. It occurs as an almost immeasurable period of time.

Most transitions last longer. The transition from a child to an adult doesn’t seem to happen fast enough for the child. From the adult standpoint it happens much too fast.

Some transitions are happy and some are sad. Moving from one job to another for a pay raise is good. Losing a job and finding one which pays less, is not so good. The loss of a friend or loved one can be a difficult transition period whether they pass away or simply move away. Another trying transition period is moving your family to a new place to live. It often means losing old friends and acquiring new ones.

Whether simple or complex all transitions have to be dealt with. How we deal with them is a real test of our Christian character. Those transitions we view as adverse are the most difficult to cope with. During difficult transitions we need to:
* Seek to understand why the transition has taken place. No transition occurs without purpose. Knowing and accepting the purpose as rational will prevent us from becoming angry or morose.
* Ask God to give you His peace during the transition period. God’s peace will help us to not deal with it in an irrational manner, but as He desires.
* Go to God’s word. Rom. 8:28 is a good place to start.

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GO AHEAD AND LAUGH by Ray Eddy

Most people today find very little in life to laugh about. With the economic recession, which has affected us all, life has taken on a more serious note. Guideposts magazine once quoted Zazu Pitts as saying; “Laughter is God’s hand upon a troubled world.” If the saying is true that ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’ then we need to learn to laugh more.

Grenville Kliester wrote in the New York Inquirer; “What this country needs is not a new national anthem, or a Wall Street boom, but the ability to laugh spontaneously.” There was a time when you could go to the movies and expect to leave the theater having laughed ‘till your sides split.’ But not many movies are made like that today. With some movies, you come out more despondent then when you went in.

I don’t claim to have any solutions to our present day circumstances. I’m not sure that anyone can solve the American dilemma which we face today. I’m almost certain that man does not have the moral fortitude to do what needs to be done. Man’s moral character is corrupted by sin. As the Apostle Paul observed in the 7th chapter of Romans. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (v.20)

Laughter, in and of itself, will not cure the world’s ills. But I believe the ability to laugh comes from a right relationship with God. And with that, we can, GO AHEAD AND LAUGH!

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'TH... 'TH... THAT'S ALL FOLKS by Ray Eddy

Remember the Porky Pig cartoons? They would always end with Porky stuttering out those words. When he said that, we knew the cartoon was over, there were no more expectations. In a song by Peggy Lee, life seems to end that way, with no more expectations. She sings of all the things she has seen and done and in the end she says, “Is That All There Is?” She goes on to sing that if that’s all there is, in so many words, let’s ‘eat, drink and be merry’.

Many people go to church on a Sunday, and they see three-piece suits, golden crosses; people sing songs, participate in the offering, big choirs, and a message, hopefully about God. They think ‘Is that all there is?’

There is more to life; there is more to church than what happens on a Sunday morning. The ‘more’ to life is conditional to the ‘more’ on Sunday morning. And the ‘more’ on Sunday morning is conditional on our relationship with God. Is your relationship with Him on your terms or is it on His? As Christians, we are in church on Sunday morning because God changed our lives. That change is reflected in our daily living.

He changed our lives because we received Jesus as our Savior. Life takes on new meaning. Church takes on new meaning, because we’re no longer the person we used to be.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold. All things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17

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WHO? ME? by Ray Eddy

Moses would not respond to God’s call to serve Him. To get his attention God created a burning bush. Only when Moses saw the burning bush did God get his attention. After reading the account in Genesis about this burning bush, I wrote the following:

SO WHO NEEDS A BURNING BUSH
ONCE I HEARD A MAN SAY I WISH I COULD SEE A BURNING BUSH,
AND LIKE MOSES. BE CALLED TO SOME IMPORTANT TASK.
I WOULD BE QUICK TO RESPOND AND PUT ALL OTHER THINGS BEHIND,
IF ONLY IN HIS PRESENCE I COULD BASK.

I CHOSE HIM LONG AGO TO BE MY SAVIOR AND MY GUIDE,
I’VE GONE TO CHURCH AND MY TITHE I’VE ALWAYS GIVEN,
I’VE SUNG IN THE CHOIR AND BEEN AN USHER.
AND I KNOW MY PLACE IS SECURE IN HEAVEN.

WHAT’S THAT YOU SAY? OF COURSE I’VE LISTENED TO HIS WORD.
AND YES, I’VE HEARD THE PASTOR AND HIS PREACHING,
AND I’VE FELT THE HOLY SPIRIT WIELD HIS SWORD.
MY HEART WAS STIRRED FOR I’VE LOVED THE PASTOR’S TEACHING.
DID I NOT HEAR HIS VOICE, YOU SAY, CALLING ME TO DO HIS WILL?
IT WAS NOT TO ME HE WAS SPEAKING.
AS I RECALL THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I THOUGHT SO, BUT STILL.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN ANOTHER HE WAS SEEKING.

BUT IF HE WANTS TO USE ME, WHAT MORE CAN I SAY,
JUST LET ME SEE THAT BURNING BUSH AND I’LL BE ON MY WAY.

DO YOU NEED A BURNING BUSH?

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LOVE IS OVERRATED! by Ray Eddy

Once a year on Feb. 14, the world is enamored with the idea of love. But the world’s idea of love is overrated. The world only knows three kinds of love. One, ‘I love you for the way you make me feel.’ Two, ‘I love you because I like the way you look.’ Three, ‘I will love you if you act the way I want.’ All of these fall short of the way the Bible defines love. Biblical love is the love God has toward us and the love we are to have toward one another. It is ‘I love you in spite of how you make me feel, or how you look, or what you are able to do for me.’

Biblical love is expressed not in a feeling, but in action. Love is not given because it’s deserved. Love is given even when it’s not deserved. God loves us even though there is every reason for Him not to love us. The Bible tells us that as an act of God’s love He died for us while we were yet sinners. Unarguably, the greatest verse in Gods’ Word is found in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

On this Valentine’s Day may you receive the fullness of God’s love by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.

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HOW DO YOU LIVE? by Ray Eddy

Some people live in the past. They spend their life either wishing things were the way they used to be or regretting things that happened that haunt them. People who live in the past have no life in the present.

Then there are those people who live only for the future. They either have no satisfaction in the present and hope that tomorrow will bring better times, or they have no peace because they fear the future. Their lives are filled with ‘What Ifs.’

People who live in the present ignoring the past and the future, live as though life is all about them. Their philosophy is ‘Eat, Drink, and be Merry for Tomorrow we die.’ They seek to fill their lives with things that they believe will make them happy. But the more they get, the less fulfilled they feel. So they constantly seek new things and sink deeper in debt.

The way people live reveals their belief about God. Without a belief in God, people are dead in trespasses and sin. They live under the control of the god of this world, the devil. (Ref. Eph. 2)

When we respond to God’s invitation to have relationship with Him through Jesus, His Son, we find our lives are transformed. We are no longer puppets of the devil.

We find that we can live in the present, without dwelling on the past, making preparations for the future.

“FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST” (Phil. 1:21)

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COMMON IS NOT SO COMMON ANYMORE by Ray Eddy

There was a time when young people were taught the necessary things that all people held in common. Things like:

COMMON SENSE
-If it says “Wet Paint,” don’t test it with your finger.
-If it says “Danger,” avoid it.
-If someone says, “It’s hot,” don’t touch it.
-If you drop it, pick it up.
-If you take it, put it back where you found it. Etc.

COMMON COURTESY
-If you offend someone say, “I’m Sorry.”
-If you want something say, “Please.”
-If someone does you a favor say, “Thank You.” Etc.

COMMON MORALITY
-If it’s the law, obey it.
-If it’s not yours, don’t take it.
-If it’s not true, don’t say it. Etc.

At least three generations have passed since these things and many more like them were regularly taught in the home and in the classroom. They have long-ceased from the classrooms and also from most homes. All of these ‘common’ things have their roots in God’s Word. God’s Word is no longer commonly found in the classroom and has ceased being read in most homes today.

This may explain why we now live in an era where few practice common sense, or common courtesy or common morality.

Isn’t modern society wonderful?

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