Clever Free Methodist

There are some people who can't seem to talk about anything but what is hurting them, what isn't fair, what stinks and how bad things are at the moment. Whether it is life in general, politics, a Facebook post, or how things are at Church, they are constantly "dumping their garbage" on every possible unsuspecting "victim" who happens to accidentally use the greeting "so, how's it going?" For some, you get it whether you want to hear it or not! That reminds me of the   "Law of the Garbage Truck" . ...which is told: "One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was rea

I read with interest the introductory words of the Apostle Paul in  Philippians 1:12 when he talks of his own personal hardship and possible disappointments, sadness, and struggles. He said in  verse 12 ,  "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel."  I honestly don't know if I could say those words with full assurance while sitting in prison especially when I know I haven't committed any crime or broke any law. I wonder how many of us, when faced with a set-back, illness, job loss, or other life-challenging situation, would step back and happily exclaim  "well, at least this will advance the gospel of Christ!"  Don't get me wrong, because as we know from the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, there IS a season to mourn and to grieve  loss, to weep because of disappointment and set-backs. There is also a season to be angry and to ask questions during these momentous times of

Many I have spoken with through the years have had a concept of failure as being "final." They express that "all is lost" or that they should just give up, throw in the towel and quit because "it's over."  I think our society is too quick in sending these kind of messages. Just look at how easy it is to go from "Hero to Zero" today. Look at how quick our world will disown, discredit and destroy those who fail "just once." There just doesn't seem to be even an ounce of "mercy" left today! I am sure the Disciples of Jesus were feeling like they totally blew it when they suddenly realized what they had done...abandoned Jesus (in the Garden of Gethsemane) at the most crucial time in human history (when Jesus was arrested). Unfortunately, Judas took the "easy wrong" instead of the "hard right" and committed suicide by hanging himself. Peter cursed up a storm to emphatically deny knowing Je

There has been some discussion recently about what each of us considered as some of "the scariest" scripture in the Bible. Of course, most would probably say that "blaspheming the Holy Spirit" would rank up near the top of the list (Mark 3:28-30). However, I came across one that startled me a little because, quite frankly, it had never struck me like this before. It comes out of the book of  Judges  as part of what we know as "The Story of Samson and Delilah." It is  Chapter 16, Verse 20  and it reads,  "Then she cried, 'Samson, the Philistines are here!' When he awoke from his sleep, he said, 'I will escape as I did before and shake myself free!' But he did not know that the Lord had left him." Wow...can we, as believers, actually get comfortable enough in our faith or even become so routine in our walk with God that we don't even notice when we start "drifting away" from Him? Has our ministry lost its