Pastor’s Corner

Well all respondents were correct about flamingos, way to go. Here's another brain teaser. Which website is the second most visited after Google? Was it Facebook; YouTube; Wikipedia; Amazon; ? A hint: it has an average number of 22 billion monthly visits. Will tell you tomorrow our conclusion.

Friday 1/13

Prov. 27:6 "Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy."

Its true, that, "the people who love you most flatter you the least" Ben Franklin. A true friend encourages you the most but also, corrects you in love, when your wrong. Because they care about you enough to point out your weaknesses.

Treasure the friends that occasionally wound you; Abraham Lincoln. Because if we fail to receive his correction correctly, they will stop giving it, and we'll be all the poorer.

Ceaser said, An enemy may appear to be a friend by his many kisses, but instead proves to be your enemy by his many inadvertent wounds he inflicts, in the middle of his kisses.

Have you noticed, that most people aren't honest about your faults, because they fear you'll misunderstand their observations. It's really true that your best friend is willing to risk your goodwill in order to help you with his constructive criticism.

Revised Standard translates "The kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Judas was our perfect example, by his sign to point out Jesus, to the temple guards was a kiss.

It is interesting to note that in Matt. 26:48,49, two different words for kiss are used. Verse 48 uses the normal word & in verse 49 a stronger word for repeated, affectionate kisses was used.

Psa. 141:5 puts it this way, "Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, its a soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it. ..."

I learned early in life to listen to my families criticism, because it was always wrapped in loving cotton, it always was submitted out of love. After a lifetime of ministry, I have come to realize that my greatest allies in this life have been my immediate family and my pareniall family. My dad & mom, brother & sisters, always applauded my successes though they were mostly very limited. Have you noticed, looking back the most well meaning people have been those who were honest with you?

I remember as I was growing up the many porch swing, frank discussions with my Uncle Ray. I would speak of difficult events in the week, and he would graciously administer insights to help me walk with greater understanding. Today, I'm not sure if my mother updated him on my struggles of the week or whether i lead the conversation, but either way, they helped me swim through those seeming impossible waters.

I realize that the Heavenly Father took me through those difficult teen struggles by bringing three very different men into my life. My dad who always calmly guided me, my Uncle Ray who shared many insights from the Bible and lovingly hugged me, and my Uncle Leonard that mountain of a man, who brought many practical lessons from farming into my everyday life. These men left an indelible imprint on my life, when I was young I was not fully appreciative or understanding. but in my maturing years, I gives thanks to God for them. As the song says, "Great things He hath done."

So God With God for it He that through life's struggles, blessings, and people is working out His many blessings on your life. I must end these thoughts by saying that since these men have all taken up residence in heaven, my wife has many times, wonderfully, graciously taken up this heavy mantle that they carried early my life, and for that I am eternally grateful. My prayer is that, you all will be rewarded for your faithfulness.