Hmm.  I was wrong yesterday when I ‘thought’ the fire on Cherry Hts. had been contained.  It HAD on our side of the hills, but not on the west side.  They have it pretty well contained NOW at about 300 acres, if the wind doesn’t get too wild they can probably have it controlled today.

They did have the conflagration act signed by the Governor that allows other fire departments come into the area and help with the fire – part of that, I believe is for insurance and compensation issues.

Not much else going on in our neck of the woods.  Hope it stays that way, at least as far as fires are concerned.

Don’t know what caused this one, but I do know in our neighborhood this year, fewer neighbors were setting off illegal fireworks which shows some intelligence, finally.

Carla’s been working hard at keeping an infestation of bugs that hit her squash last year from doing it again this year.  She has been striping the leaves of bugs and eggs and the past couple of days has found very few on.  Hope it works, it is aggravating.  Lots of hard work with insects getting the produce, we can do without that.

Acts 14:8-15 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:

⁹ The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

¹⁰ Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

¹¹ And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

¹² And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

¹⁴ Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

¹⁵ And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

People are very fickle, Paul and Barnabas had made it clear that they were preaching the Gospel of Christ – BEFORE this miracle – but the people were more interested in their own beliefs, their old gods and chose to lift these two up to their gods coming to earth.

Paul and Barnabas quickly went before them as soon as they heard what they were doing and again preached the Gospel.

In a short time, Paul and Barnabas went from ‘gods’ to heretics when the Jews from Antioch and Iconium turned the people against Paul and they tried to kill him.

Vs 19-20 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

²⁰ Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

It would have been easy for Paul and Barnabas to accept the accolades of the people to let themselves be put on a pedestal and worshiped.  It would have been a lot easier than being hunted down, stoned and left for dead.

But they knew who they served and were determined to not let false praise or danger deter them from their mission of preaching the Gospel of Christ and teaching new converts how to live for Him.

We have seen too many preachers AND many more just plain Christians listen to the praise of others and instead of being humble, taken it to heart.  After a while they think they deserve all the tributes and strive to receive it in any way possible. 

Even if it means false doctrines.  It is easy to believe the praises of men, but much more difficult to put it in into perspective, reminding ourselves that what we do is for Christ and His glory, not our own.

Christians aren’t on this earth to make men feel good about themselves, or to do things that makes THEM feel good about themselves.  We aren’t here to mass large fortunes and praise for us – we are here to preach Christ crucified, resurrected and living today.

When that happens people get upset, they don’t want to hear about their sins and what they must do to have their souls cleansed.  They don’t want to be challenged; they want to live a religion that allows them the freedom to ‘be themselves’ and not beholding to the Lord God.

Here in America we have had an easy time of preaching and telling others about Him.  Very few of us have been physically attacked and left for dead.

However, we get quiet and fearful when met with sarcasm or ‘high intellect’ that put us down as primitive fools that are highly superstitious. 

We need the courage of Paul.  We need the faith of Paul.  We need to follow his lead of never being ashamed of who we serve and always willing to share our love of Christ with others.

We don’t have to stand on a soap box and preach; when we live our lives for Christ and are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit as He directs our paths, people will be saved.

Not all, no.  And we can be sure that when we take a stand for Christ we will suffer in one way or another, but we are no better than Christ and His Apostles, we are very similar. 

Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

We need to act like them.

Later, Art :-)