Willow Vale Blog

From the Desk of Pastor Ray Ellis 

“Shirley & Marcy” 

A mother was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school.  He didn’t want his mother to walk with him. 

She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe.  So she had an idea of how to handle it. 

She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn’t notice her.  The neighbor said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor girl he knew. 

She did this for the whole week.  As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy’ s little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.

 Finally she said to Timmy, ‘Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?’ 

Timmy nonchalantly replied, ‘Yeah, I know who she is.’ 

The little girl said, ‘Well, who is she?’

 ’That’s just Shirley Goodnest,’ Timmy replied, ‘and her daughter Marcy.’ ‘Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?’  ‘Well,’ Timmy explained, ‘every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, ‘cuz she worries about me so much.  And in the Psalm, it says, ‘Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life’, so I guess I’ll just have to get used to it!’     - Author unknown-

 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

 May “surely goodness and mercy” be with you today and always.   

When you begin to complain about how hard you work at your job consider the regulations employees at Mt. Corry Carriage and Iron Works were asked to follow in 1782.1.  Employees will daily sweep the floor, dust the furniture, shelves and show cases.  2.  Each day fill lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks, wash windows once a week. 3. Each clerk will bring a bucket of water and shovel of coal for the day’s business.4.  Make your pens carefully.  You may whittle nibs to individual tasate.5.  This office will be open at 7 am and close at 8 pm daily, except on the Sabbath.6. Men employees will be given an evening off each week for courting purposes, and two evenings if they go regularly to church.7. Every employee should lay aside from each pay, a sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden upon the charity of his betters.8. Any employee who spokes Spanish cigars, uses liquor in any form, gets shaved at a barber’s shop or frequents public halls will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty.9. The employee who has performed his labors faithfully and without fault for a period of five years in my service, and who has been thrifty, attentive to his religious duties, and is looked upon by his fellow man as a substantial law-abiding citizen, will be given an increase of 5 cents per day in his pay, providing that just returns in profits from the business permit.  So maybe your job doesn’t look so back after all. 

Set Free from Harmful Habits”

Have you ever overcome a bad habit or addiction only to have it boomerang and take possession of you again?  Perhaps you tried dieting and losing weight, tried to stop swearing, or thinking bad thoughts.To assume that your habit will never be conquered is to flatly repudiate the precept and example of our Lord.  In every situation Jesus saw the possibility of change.  The writer of Proverbs gave this insight on change, “For as a person thinks in his heart, so he becomes.” Proverbs 23:7 If we change our thoughts– what we think about — we can change our behavior.  “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”Proverbs 4:23The Apostle Paul tells us how to focus our thoughts. “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”  Philippians 4:8Change is a matter of choice.  With God’s help we can experience a renewing of our mind. Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.”Daily reading, studying and meditating on God’s Word will help you to begin to think God thoughts.  God thoughts will transform stinking thinking and bad thinking into “God Can” thinking.  “For with God all things are possible.”  Luke 1:37 You meditate on God’s Word by making personal application of the scripture you are reading.  You ask yourself: “How does this verse apply to my life?”    “How can I apply the teaching of this verse to my life?”You have the promise that God’s Word will change your thoughts and enrich your life.  “Let God’s Word enrich your life…”  Colossians 3:16.  Change your thoughts and you will change your behavior.

One  Nation Under God

Psalm 33:12,  ”Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he chose for his inheritance.” 

I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

 The founding fathers of America were men of faith in God and God’s Word.  America was founded on Biblical truths. 

The Declaration of Independence declares that all people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” 

George Washington, the first president of the United States, said, “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God and to obey His will.”

 Thomas Jefferson, the third president, said, “God who gave us life gave us liberty.  Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?”

 Calvin Coolidge, thirteenth president, said, “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”

 Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president, said, “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible.  Take all of this book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will lived and die a better man.”

 Franklin Delano Roosevelt, thirty second prayed,  “O Lord, give us faith.  Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade…Thy will be done, Almighty God.  Amen.”

 David Joseph Brewer, Supreme Court Justice from 1889 to 1910 said, “The American nation from its first settlement at Jamestown to this hour is based upon and permeated by the principles of the Bible.”  From Discovering God in America, by Newt Gingrich

 Ronald Reagan, fortieth president, aboard U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, New York Harbor, July 4, 1986, said:

 “And so tonight we reaffirm that Jew and gentile, we are one nation under God; that black and white, we are one nation indivisible; that Republican and Democrat, we are all Americans. Tonight, with heart and hand, through whatever trial and travail, we pledge ourselves to each other and to the cause of human freedom, the cause that has given light to this land and hope to the world.”

 In 1776, 11 of the 13 colonies required that one had to be a Christian to be eligible to “run for political office.”  In 1777, the Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase Bible for distribution in the nation. 

 Romans 13:1-7 The Apostle Paul gives clear teaching that followers of Jesus are to be respected citizens.  God calls us to be responsible Christians in a dark - pagan world. 

 When Paul wrote the Christians in Roman to be good citizens and obey the Roman government and pay their taxes and obey the laws of the land, the Roman authorities were out to punish followers of Jesus for their strange faith. 

 Christ followers were accused of being atheists because they did not pray to a visible god.  They were accused of being anti-government because they met in secret meetings.  When Nero set fire to Rome he blamed the Christians.

 The government often goes over the edge with some of their laws.  Congress the past year passed a bill that is to take effect in 2014 that all light bulbs must be florescent.  The florescent bulbs if broken the room must have all windows raised and vacated for 15 minutes.  The glass swept up and put in a glass jar with a metal lid.  Bulbs must be taken to a recycling center.  Why?  Because the florescent bulbs contain mercury. 

 An?Idaho sheep rancher: was approached one day by a stranger in a suit. He said, “If I can guess how many sheep you’ve got, may I have one?” Thinking this to be impossible the rancher agreed. “You have 1,795 sheep.” Stunned by the correct answer the rancher told him to choose his sheep. The man selected an animal and slung it over his shoulder and started to walk away. The rancher said, “Hey if I can tell you who your work for can I have that animal back?” OK “You work for the government. How did you figure that out?” Well, put my dog down and I will tell you.

 When I apply the teachings of Paul in Romans 13 my views are influenced by the fact that I believe the Bible and Scriptures are the authority of God.  I believe God’s Word is our guide and road map for life.  I’m very conservative in my views both Biblically and politically. 

 I believed that God’s moral laws transcend man’s secular laws that cannot be backed by scripture. 

 The Bible teaches the Sanctity of Life.  You may not agree with me, but I believe an unborn baby is a real person and a life begins at conception.  I am pro life and do not believe in abortion taking the life of a unborn person.

 Since the laws changed in 1973 through 2005 there have been 44 million babies surgically aborted. 

 Fritz Baumgartner, MD, Professor of Cardiothoracic surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine. From 1995 to 1997 he became the Head of Cardiothoracic surgery at Harbor UCLA.  Dr. Baumgartner said:

 There is no more pivotal moment in the subsequent growth and development of a human being than when 23 chromosomes of the father join with 23 chromosomes of the mother to form a unique, 46-chromosomed individual, with a gender, who had previously simply not existed. Period. No debate.

 Dr. Baumgartner said: “When I graduated from the UCLA School of Medicine in 1984, we took the Hippocratic Oath, which states, “I will not give to a woman an instrument to produce abortion. With purity and holiness I will pass my life and practice my art.” The Hippocratic Oath, explicitly and implicitly, eliminates abortion as an option.

I believe in the Sanctify of Marriage.   The Bible clearly teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman. 

 Genesis 1:26-28,  “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.”

 Matthew 19:3-6, “Some Pharisees came to him to test Jesus.  They asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason and every reason?”  ‘Haven’t you read,’ Jesus replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

 As a Christ follower my responsibility is to pray for the president and members of congress.  My prayer is that they will make decision based upon God’s moral law.  I Timothy 2:1-4, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks.  Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”

 This Fourth of July let’s remember to pray for America and commit to being good citizens.  Pray for strong healthy families because as the family goes so goes the nation.  Most of all let’s honor the Lord and put Him first in all we say or do.

A spider dropped a single strand down from the rafter of an old barn and began to weave his web. Months went by and the web grew. Its elaborate maze caught flies, mosquitoes and other small insects, providing the spider with a rich diet. Eventually it became the envy of all the other spiders. Then one day the spider noticed a single strand stretching up into the rafters. “I wonder why it’s there? It doesn’t catch me any dinner.” Concluding it was unnecessary, he climbed as high as he could and severed it. In that moment the entire web began to fall in upon itself, tumbling to the floor, taking the spider with it.

Could we as a people make that same mistake? Can a country spin a great web, then sever it? Can we grow so successful, so smug, so self-sufficient that we forget the strong strand that supports us? Could we look at our prosperity and respond not with gratitude, but with arrogance? Recent actions make us wonder. A movement to remove God from all public life is gaining momentum. An emboldened portion of our population stares at the strand of faith upon which our country hangs and asks: “Why is that there?” Are we forgetting the hand that holds us? We’re not the first nation to suffer from amnesia. Israel did it too, and Moses warned them: “Beware that in plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands…. I assure you of this: if you ever forget the Lord your God…. You will certainly be destroyed” (Dt 8:11 & 19 NLT).

From: “The Best of; The Word for you Today”, Celebration Enterprises

Luke 5:6-7, “And this time their nets were so full they began to tear!  A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.”

 With Jesus there are no hopeless situations.    Whatever your situation is it’s never too late to try again.  You’ve experienced what Peter went through.  Your nets are empty.  Jesus knows your situation.  He knows you are about ready to give up.  Jesus gives the promise: “It’s not too late to try again.  I’ll go out to deep water. 

 In our human effort dry fishing spots become abundant with fish when blessed by Jesus. 

 When you’re in what seems like hopeless situations and it seems there is no one to help.  Look to Jesus.  Jesus understands your situation.

 When Jesus tells Simon to launch out into deep water He is in the boat.  Jesus gives the command and promise, “go out to deeper water and you’ll catch many fish.”  Jesus gives the command and promise and gets out of the boat. 

 Jesus could have commanded the fish to jump out of the Sea of Galilee and into their boats.  Jesus expects us to be involved in carrying out His miraculous works.  Jesus gives you a command a promise then he leaves it up to you to trust Him.

Our tendency is to stay in the shallow, safe water of life.  We want a no risk, comfortable life experience.  We want to be able to see the bottom.  To launch out into the deep is to take a step of faith.  We can’t see the bottom, a picture of the future.  We just trust Jesus.  Jesus because you say so, I’ll try again - I’ll obey.  We sometimes sing: “If Jesus goes with me I’ll go anywhere.”

 Regardless of what happens to you we can know that Jesus is near.  Jesus didn’t give a command and promise and then leave.  He stayed close by on the shore.  When Peter returned with a boatload of fish Jesus was there waiting for him.

 When going through deep water you can keep your courage and hope in the Lord.  Hope is the untiring conviction that you are not locked permanently into your predicament.

 Bill Gaither has written:

 Because he lives – I can face tomorrow.

Because he lives – all fear is gone.

Because I know – he holds the future.

And life is worth the living –

Just because he lives. 

When going through times of deep water, look to the Lord.  Isaiah 40:31, tells of God’s promise:  “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”