WHEN IS TOO MUCH, TOO MUCH?

Posted on September 16, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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When we lived in the heart of Minneapolis, I had a membership at Costco.  I’d drive a long way, spent more than I should’ve on things I normally wouldn’t buy, bought my prescriptions, had photos developed, got ink for my printer, could buy a car if I wanted to and thought it was the ideal place to save money.  My yearly membership fee reminded me of that.

When we moved to small town, Minnesota I discovered there was a Costco only two miles from our house.  I could go there for a free lunch if I wanted by tasting all the samples.  That first year I managed to stock up on things that I still have three years later.  Since we downsized I no longer have room for all the accumulated “good” deals, so I reluctantly failed to renew my membership.  It’s been a couple years now and I feel I’m finally cured of wholesale shopping mania.  It can become an addiction of sorts.

I still have two large jars of coconut oil, just finished off the final can of a giant, economy sized Pam and really miss going through the store and testing all the nifty food choices.  I’m over it though – really.

When you retire there isn’t a huge need for a lot of anything, except perhaps toilet paper.  First you’re purchasing a membership, which puts a strain on your fixed income.  You don’t need as much as you once did since you rarely entertain.  Two elderly people can only consume so much fruit in a week.  The cheesecake which serves at least 40 people would instantly go to my hips, not to mention the gigantic muffins and oversized pies.  Did I mention the baked gods were amazing?

I recently watched an episode of “The Golden Girls,” where the matriarch, Sophia bought a warehouse membership and went berserk buying cases of items she wouldn’t be able to use in two lifetimes.  The episode ended with her making dinner one night.  It was a sardine casserole covered with crunched up oatmeal cookies – a lot of it.

I have a theory that our society is headed for cocooning in the future.  We’re almost there in fact.  We work at home.  We shop and order meals to have them delivered to us.  Our prescriptions can be mailed to us. If you have a warehouse shopping card, you only have to shop once every three years.  You can get an education online as well as go to church.  You can even study the Bible on your phone – there’s an app for that. You won’t have to interact with anyone face to face except for those who deliver things to you.  Praise God I won’t live to see that day.

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WHY GO TO CHURCH?

Posted on September 15, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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We sometimes form our ideas about attending church out of habit, need or willingness.  When we gather or assemble we are doing more than that.  We have been invited to confess our sins, to receive absolution and forgiveness, to give thanks for our blessings and our trials and to praise God for His bounty – even when we are blind to those things.

A church is not merely a building.  The Bible tells us that where two or more are gathered in one place, God is in the midst of them.  What a thought!  To have God right in the middle of the gathering place, sharing His love, forgiveness and peace.  A church is not just a place to go and show others how obedient you are.  It’s a place where you can bring your prayers, worship, praise and thanks to the God of all creation, who knows your heart and loves you.

When we spend the rest of the week in a sin filled world, it’s like a breath of fresh air to step inside God’s house.  You can take an hour or more sharing time with Him first and foremost.  You can hear the truth and gain peace from His Word.  You can share your thoughts with like minded people.  We are not going to a house of worship because we’re so much better than anyone else but because we are in need of a remedy.  Sin is very real and we need to be treated for it on a regular basis.

Jesus is the remedy.  He took on all the sins of the world so that we could have eternal life.  His love is unconditional and requires nothing from us in payment.  He did it all and we come together to give Him the honor He is due.

Going to church will also give you an opportunity to meet others who share your beliefs and those who need encouragement.  As a corporate group we pray for each other, we lift each other up and we see where we are part of something where we are needed.  There is a place for everyone at church.  Come and see!

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COVET?

Posted on September 13, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

The word covet isn’t used much today.  Instead we talk about greed, desire, longing, craving, lust or wanting what someone else has that we don’t.  Both the 8th & 9th Commandments are similar because they talk about how our passions get in the way of common sense.  They both refer to coveting.

The ninth refers to a neighbor’s home – his shelter – his inheritance.  Instead of looking at his home as the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence, we should be willing to help him, work beside him, make sacrifices so that he will be able to keep it for his own protection and good.

The tenth goes a little further by including his wife and family, all his worldly goods and anything that he owns.  Our neighbor is not just the guy who lives next door.  He is anyone we do business with, our friends, our co-workers, our leaders, our teachers, everyone we come into contact with on a daily basis.  As followers of God, it’s our responsibility to love everyone even when we don’t agree with them or think we deserve what they possess more than they do.

These ten commandments were establish by God as the Israelites passed through 40 years of traveling through the wilderness and soon forgetting what God had done for them during their deliverance from bondage.   We often act the same way.  As soon as we’re left to our own devices, we’re bound to fail.  God presented theses commandments, carved in stone tablets by His own hand, through His servant Moses.  They aren’t complicated to understand.  Some seem archaic today, because of the circumstances of time has almost obliterated them.  Still for those who love God and depend on His intervention, they are not just guidelines, but LAW.

We’ve seen an increase in crime and blatant misuse of the law of our land.  We’ve also seen the laws of God stomped upon and crushed as they were when Moses came down that mountain.  Each law we have in place in our country was designed for the protection and safety of its citizens. Each of God’s Commands were written to give us the truth of how God wants us to live.  In my book, He certainly deserves our obedience more than anyone.

The words are simple.  We aren’t talking about complicated legal language.  God’s word is written for all of us – not just the rich, the poor, the harassed or broken – everyone – in words that stand the test of time.

In concluding this series on the Ten Commandments, we’re reminded that God is jealous.  He demands our obedience, but He shows mercy to those who love Him and follow His law.  That should send fear into our souls and minds.  Our humanity and original sin will separate us until we die.  Since our God is also loving and full of grace, He has provided a way for us to keep these laws.  Through His Son, Jesus, we’re guaranteed eternal life. Through His Spirit’s work within our hearts and minds, we believe and trust God completely.  The Spirit instills in us the faith necessary to follow Him.

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.

 

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WALLY’S FRIDAY FRIDADDY FUNNY

Posted on September 13, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on September 13, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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JUDGE NOT, LEST YE BE JUDGED

Posted on September 12, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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When we bear false witness, lie or spread rumors, alter another person’s reputation with misinformation, bully, cut down or humiliate another human being, we are in fact disobeying the Eighth Commandment.  It also goes against Jesus’ teaching to treat others as we want to be treated.

A young girl is accused of being sexually promiscuous.  There is nothing to back it up, but word spreads like wildfire and soon she is known as the town slut.  Because of careless words and thoughtlessness, she now carries an undeserved label, which will stick to her for years.

A man is about to be voted onto the largest court in the land is accused of sexual harassment.  A Senate Judiciary Committee drags his name through the mud along with that of his accusers.  We sat watching the drama unfold on our TV sets. These people’s reputation will be in question from now on.

A simple lie can mushroom into a giant explosion.  One falsehood can start wars, destroy lives, cause depression, anger and shame.  We see falsehoods spread at lightening speed with the tools of social media.  Are we so bent on making ourselves look better by making others look bad?  Do we accomplish that by creating untrue stories?  What has happened to our core beliefs?

The Commandments from God have been corrupted over time and the simplicity of their meaning has been uprooted.  The Eighth Commandment is expounded on in the book of James in the New Testament.  A whole section is devoted to the evils of the human tongue.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”  James 3:6 ESV

We’re held accountable to God for the way we treat Him, ourselves and those we interact with.  He’s the only One who can judge what’s in the heart.  We are also to make a point of being of assistance to others and support their good name.

We won’t be completely free of our original sin until after our death.  While we’re part of the world we’re not immune to temptation.  Through the promise of God and the death of His beloved sin, the ransom has been paid, and because of that gift we can ask God to help us to live according to His law and His will.

Maybe it’s time to carve these laws in stone again and place them on display for all the world to see.  They are designed to bring order to our lives.

The Eighth Commandment
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.

 

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“I’M NOT A CROOK!”

Posted on September 11, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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The word STEAL has many meanings.  The obvious one is to take something from another person which you have no right to.  Over time it has been associated with  thievery, identity theft, stealing a kiss, a base, a scene, an idea or something of value.  We revered a thief named Robin Hood, because he stole from the rich and gave to the poor.  Even the stagecoach and bank robbers of the old west have been immortalized. The movies make it look easy.  Our culture seems to accept it.  Stealing can be motivated by need, greed or a desire to succeed.

When I was a child of seven, I pocketed an item in an antique store.  I don’t recall what it was or why I stole it, but I managed to get outside of the store, walk home and make my way to my room without being caught.  Somehow my father discovered the trinket and knew that I’d stolen it.  He marched me back to the store and made me return the item and apologize for stealing it.  I did.

That event played heavily on my conscience for a long time.  How did I think I could get away with breaking God’s law?  How could I bear the weight of being a thief?  My apology was enough to get me off the hook, but I still carried the guilt.  Every time I heard the Seventh Commandment I was convinced that I was condemned to a life in hell.

An incident like that may seem like a childish prank and a life lesson from my dad, but for many this could be the first step to a life of crime.  I thought about my dad and the truth he was trying to give me and I wondered if he had ever stolen anything.  After all, he grew up without a father.  He was the responsible child, because he had suddenly become the head of the house.  In the early 1900s, a woman raising four children by herself would find it more than difficult to provide for her family.  Could desperation lead to stealing a loaf of bread?

In our world today, we hear evidence of corporate theft, where ideas are stolen from other companies to further their own success.  There are those who steal written material from other writers and we call them plagiarists.  There are those in the workplace who steal from their employers and we call them embezzlers. There are those who steal because they feel a certain rush by getting away with it.  They justify their crime and continue doing it.  We call them, addicted to crime.

As with all of our sins against God’s Commandments, this one is designed for us to lead a Godly life and treat others as we would want to be treated.  We also fall short on every one of the laws of God.  Being given too much change by a cashier and not saying anything – taking office supplies from the workplace and using them as your own – taking money out of your child’s piggy bank to pay a bill are all examples of stealing.  Even the very thought of committing such a crime convicts us.

The lesson I learned from my dad that day, was to admit what I had done and ask for forgiveness.  That’s what repentance and restoration are all about.  Then, if we follow God’s will for our lives, with His help, we will be forgiven.  Jesus bought us with His life.  We owe Him so much.  Knowing that He loves us unconditionally is reason enough to follow Him.  He will return again soon to judge the world.

Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not steal.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not take our neighbor’s money or goods, nor get them by false ware or dealing, but help him to improve and protect his property and business.

Luther’s Small Catechism

 

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EVERYONE IS DOING IT

Posted on September 10, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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We’re all in this world together.  We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The simple rules He established for His people, along with the many laws in the book of Leviticus, might seem like impossible demands, but they were designed for our benefit.

Not only are they to be a road map for living faithfully to our God, but also in our relationships with other people.  The Bible was inspired by God’s own voice.  Therefore, we need to take it seriously.  It is true!  We are bound to God’s law to being obedient, yet we have been set free – not by our own doing, but through Jesus perfect sacrifice.

The word “adultery” seems rather archaic in this time of history.  A little over a century ago, during the Victorian Age, it carried a lot more clout than it does today.  That is not to say that this sin did not happen at that time.  You just never heard about it.  It’s been around for a long time.

Unfortunately it seems to becoming common practice – one of those sins that has a million excuses.   Sexual desires, unfaithfulness, sex before marriage, outside of marriage or lust all fall into the category of feeling good – with no concern for the consequences.

The results of this particular sin are countless. Often families are broken apart and children are raised by single parents or multi-parents.  Even if the marriage is restored, there will always be a sense of distrust, shame, loss of self worth in the betrayed and a constant guilt in the mind of the betrayer.

There are many results that occur.  The obvious one of sexually transmitted disease doesn’t seem to mean much anymore.  Was the immediate pleasure worth it?  Those affected by this sin also include those who they interact with daily.  By committing adultery a negative example is being established – everyone is doing it, therefore it must be all right. Reputation is called into question.  If you claim to follow Christ, you have tarnished His name as well.

However the act of adultery is not limited to marriage.  It extends to sins of the heart and mind, just like the fifth commandment.  Maybe the physical act is never committed, but it’s been thought about it.  In a world filled with pornography, X-rated movies, instant gratification, immediate connection to lust and all the other evils that infest, it’s bound to affect everyone at some time or another.  As with any sin of the mind, there will always be the desire for more, which leads to even greater issues.

Alone we cannot possibly keep the law perfectly, because of our sinful nature.  With the crushing of our sins through Jesus’ crucifixion, we have been brought back into favor with God.  With that in mind, all sin has been forgiven, but that doesn’t give us the freedom to remain in our sin.  It’s a daily battle, but God has already won the victory.

Galations 5:24 “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

 

 

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THOU SHALT NOT KILL

Posted on September 9, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
You shall not kill.

When I learned this commandment at an young age I thought –  here’s one I can keep. A lot of folks think that way.  The average Joe doesn’t go around slaying people.  What I didn’t think about was that we sin against this command every time we have hatred or malice towards one another.  When the thought enters our brain and seeps into the depths of our hearts, we are actually committing murder in the first degree.

I watched an old movie last night called, “A Place in the Sun,” starring Elizabeth Taylor, Shelly Winters and Montgomery Clift. The story unfolds as a young man is faced with the dilemma of what to do about a girl he’s impregnated now that he’s fallen for another who will further his career.  As the story proceeds, we almost feel sorry for the guy, because he’s accused of killing the pregnant girlfriend without any real proof that he did.  I found the story interesting, because as he spoke with a visiting clergyman, he was asked to examine his heart and see if his intentions were to kill her.  The movie ended with him dramatically walking towards the electric chair and his ultimate punishment.  We don’t see movies like that today.  Thesimple thought of killing another is, in God’s eyes, enough to convict us, but we rarely hear about that anymore.

In our world today, we hear about homicides on a daily basis.  The numbers seem to be increasing.  The shattered mind of someone who thinks that killing people will solve his own insecurities – the catatonic thinking of those who have been numbed by the evil one – the drastic attempts taken by one desperate to change the outcome of his mistakes- all have one thing in common.  They have not learned the value of every life that has been created by God.

If this commandment was enforced, we wouldn’t stand a chance of seeing heaven.  I thought I was free and clear until my then 4 year old grandson condemned me of killing a living thing when I stomped on an ant.

The truth is, we disobey this commandment many times each day without even thinking about it.  When we have negative thoughts about another person – when we say things like, “I wish he were dead,” – when we seek revenge or speak badly about someone who has hurt us in some way.  Whenever there is a lack of respect of life or a need to retaliate, we fall short of this commandment.

Abortion or euthanasia are obvious ways of snuffing out the breath of another, but when the value of life is regarded as unimportant, it seems to take no thought at all to take a life. We really need to instill the respect for all living things into our children’s thinking from little on.  Teach them to love – not hate.  Teach them to be patient and understanding with others even when they’ve been hurt by them.  Teach them to pray for those things. Be an example by showing respect for the lives of others yourself.  When they begin school they will be filled with  new ways of thinking.  Prepare them to stand against the world, because Jesus has already conquered it.

As with every one of God’s commandments, we should take them seriously.  It’s obvious that we are incapable of keeping them because we’re all sinful.  We fall short on every one.  Thankfully our God has provided a Savior for us.

 

 

 

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HAPPY GRANDPARENT’S DAY

Posted on September 8, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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I don’t know why this day always seems to sneak up on us.  I’m not sure when it originated, but I know it wasn’t around when I was a kid.  I think it’s a good idea to honor our golden generation.  In fact I wrote a post about the fourth commandment just a couple days ago.

I am a proud grandparent of three of the most amazing kids on the planet.  They’re no longer babies – 24, 21 and almost 17.  I’ve watched as they grew from little babies to toddlers, elementary aged, middle school, high school and two college men.  I often wonder if I’ll be around for the time they get married and have children.  What a blessing that would be.

The other day I was with the Executive Director of the theatre I’m involved in (Northern Starz Theatre Company) to make a presentation regarding a senior theatre program we are trying to establish.  It was an independent living residence.  I noticed most of the people were quite mobile except for a few with walkers and wheel chairs.  As I looked at them, I thought to myself, this is me.  I’m probably the same age as most of these people and if all goes well I’ll be teaching some of these classes.

I wonder how I was so blessed to watch two generations grow up into really neat people in one lifetime.  As most of us are living longer than our parents did, we most likely will have the opportunity to be great grandparents.

In honor of this day that may be unknown to many, I’m posting some cartoons that will show you why grandparents should be revered.  Wishing all my grandparents a few chuckles to brighten your day.

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SUNDAY PRAYER

Posted on September 8, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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ART BY KATHY BOECHER

Dear, Heavenly Father,

You have safely brought me through another week. You’ve walked with me each second of every day, even though I tend to go my own way.  You love me with an unconditional love that I cannot begin to understand, but know I would be overcome with depression, feelings of loss, grief and every day living if you were not with me.  You lift me up when I am faint. You determine my comings and goings.  You give me courage when I think I can’t muster even an ounce of it.

Thank you for all the wonderful blessings you have given to me. Thank you for the lessons I’ve learned from my mistakes.   I feel your presence all the time – even when the aches and pains of my body make me more and more aware of my mortality.  You are there to support when I am faint.  You give me breath when I feel there is none.  You watch over me with love and the parental concern of a loving Father.  I am not worthy of such great love, yet through your Son, I know that you have freely given it.

I praise you for caring for each member of my family – for the sunshine and the rain – for the constant reassurance of your voice through the Bible – for the change of seasons – for friends who face life’s challenges and pain.  I pray for our country – for a revival towards you once more – a change of hardened hearts – a willingness to love instead of hate.

I beg you to be with us as we prepare for another week and no matter what comes our way, give us the strength to handle it, for you have a plan for all of us.

AMEN!

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WHERE LIES YOUR COMFORT?

Posted on September 7, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
A peaceful mist hangs over the stillness of a chilly mountain lake,

Covered as with fairy dust, the beclouded vapor permeates,

The cool blue water reflects an autumn morning,

Light bounces off of trees and causes them to dance in the breeze,

Soon all that will remain is the shadows of winter,

Snow will fill the valleys,

Ice will hang in branches where leaves once lived,

The scent of pine fills the air,

Wildlife will search for food,

Those with full bellies will hibernate,

Others will die,

Such is the circle of life,

And with death comes eternal peace.

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Posted on September 6, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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Poor old Rodney Dangerfield never got any of it.  Aretha Franklin sang about it, but what is it about respect that we seem to have forgotten over the years?  When I was a youngster, this particular commandment was particularly tough for me.  I mean, I was the center of attention for almost five years until my sister came along.  Everyone doted over me – the first grandchild – the first baby in my immediate family – that cutie pie that everyone fussed over.  The whole concept of showing respect to anyone other that me was impossible.

The fourth commandment, according to Luther’s Commandment, wasn’t known by me then, but it soon became apparent that I didn’t rule the roost. My mom and dad were much bigger than me.  They were the ones who provided food and shelter, clothing and love.  My mother was a pushover, but all my dad needed to do was give me “the look” and I knew I better respect him.

The Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.


What does this mean?
We should fear and love God, so that we do not despise our parents and superiors, nor provoke them to anger, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.

If we’re taught at an early age to respect those in authority (not only our parents) we are given a promise directly from God, our heavenly Father.  He tell us that we will have a long life on the earth if we follow this law of His.

The rebellious years of adolescence made me think twice about that commandment. There were others who also deserved my respect – my teachers, my pastor, other kids’ parents, the police and firemen who protected our neighborhood and country.  I was taught to respect my president, those in political office, my country, my beliefs, my friends and those I didn’t always agree with.

When I became an adult myself, I saw injustice and wondered how I could respect those who continued to take advantage of the system, those who were intolerant of certain races and social classes and those who didn’t deserve respect of any kind.

Time seems to iron out some of those wrinkles, but as we get older in our walk, we seem to obtain more and more disrespect for those younger than us.  We wonder why we don’t get the respect we deserve.  We question our politicians.  We blame the system.  We complain. We grumble and groan because things aren’t the way they used to be. No wonder older folks don’t get any respect.

It seems to me, that if we follow the first three commandments of God, we should naturally respect those we interact with each day.  We may not always agree, but a lack of respect for any other human life is not acceptable.  When we lose that, we are opening the door to hatred, anger, negativity, violence and placing ourselves on a level much higher than others.  The problem with that is we’re also setting ourselves up for a giant fall.

 

 

 

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WALLY’S FRIDAY FRYDADDY FUNNY

Posted on September 6, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on September 6, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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NO WORK ON THE SABBATH

Posted on September 5, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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I remember when my now 24 year old grandson was just a child and already a Bible scholar. He carried his Bible almost everywhere he went. He knew all the commandments and when Sunday came, he knew he’d be going to church to praise God for all His blessings. He also interpreted  the part about no work on Sunday as truth. We had a discussion about that part of the commandment one Sunday when we had our family over to help with some raking and other chores that were difficult for us to do alone.

I explained that we definitely should be obedient to the commandments, but if he was doing something that was of help to his dear, old grandparents, he was also serving God. After that conversation, he became a little more willing to help on those special days.

Jesus talked about the Sabbath day on a few occasions. Once, while traveling through a field of grain, His disciples grew hungry and plucked a few heads of grain to nibble on.  Jesus was questioned by the Pharisees about working on the Sabbath.  I don’t exactly understand why snatching a piece of grain would be considered work, but apparently these guys were sticklers for the law.

From there, Jesus went on to the synagogue where He found a man with a withered hand.  In His mercy, He healed the man and was again questioned about working on the Sabbath.  These guys were ready to pin anything they could think of to make Jesus look bad.

In the books of the Gospel we read of these events and wonder.  Looking back at the Old Testament, the law is clear.  The Sabbath is a day of rest, as on the seventh day of creation, God Himself rested.  The day was intended to be a time of relaxation for a week of hard work, but the truth of this commandment lies in the action we often forget about, which is to set it aside as a day of thanksgiving, worship and praise for the One who created it all.

The time of rest doesn’t give us an excuse to forget about helping others or doing what is good in God’s name.  The Sabbath day is still to be considered holy and  devoted to our Creator.  Corporate worship is not commanded, but it is certainly something to look forward to.  We’re allowing the Word to rest on our souls.  We’re giving the Holy Spirit deserved time to work in broken hearts and bodies. We can sing His praises through hymns and Psalms.  We are called as a unified body to pray for our country, our families, our friends and even those we don’t know.  By giving our time to God, we’re honoring His name.  Don’t let the things that often consume our free time, interfere with our worship.

Our church family is an important factor.  When we fellowship with other believers, we have a chance to witness, to offer advice, encourage, to share the good news of God and to pray together.  We’re all in the same boat.  We go to church, because we need the encouragement of God’s Word to sustain us through the coming week.  We’re b3dlessed by the Sacraments.  We confess our sins together and we’re forgiven.

God deserves our praise, thanks and honor every day, but one day and a couple hours of being together with fellow believers isn’t asking for much. God loves us with an unconditional love. He shed His blood for our salvation.  He not only commands us to set one day aside for Him, He deserves it.

 

 

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I’LL BE BACK!!

Posted on September 4, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

I just got my computer out of the repair shop.  I should be back tomorrow with the third commandment and other assorted things to think about.  I never realized how much I could get done without a computer.  Maybe I should just take a permanent hiatus.

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COMPUTER WOES

Posted on August 28, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

I am having computer problems and will need to take a break for a while. Unfortunately my series on the Ten Commandments will have to resume when my computer does.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT GOD

Posted on August 27, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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When God gave those first Ten Commandments, He did so in a most dramatic way.  Perhaps not as spectacularly as the rendering in the Charlton Heston version, but we certainly knew that the hand of God was involved.  Since we weren’t on hand at the original giving, we can only speculate what was going through Moses’ mind.  He had seen the fickle ways of these “chosen” people.  Not only were they witness to a mass exodus from their life of bondage, but the parting of the sea so they could cross safely get across.  They spent time in search of the promised land being led by God, in the form of a pillar of fire during the night and a pillar of cloud.  His very presence was physically with them and still they complained and groveled for most of the journey.

We sit here today wondering how they could’ve been so blind, yet over the past few thousand years, haven’t we pretty much done the same?  We can’t see God in the way these people did, but we do have written evidence of his presence every single day in the Bible.

The laws He inscribed on those tablets of stone are relevant today, but hardly ever referred to or used in our society anymore. The very first one is the key to the rest of them.

“YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS”

What does this mean?  We should fear and love God above all things.

When I first learned this in my confirmation class, it made me wonder if there were other gods than mine.  Of course by then I’d heard about the ancient gods of Egypt, Greece and Rome.  Still I wondered why we needed a command to fear and love God above all things.  He was the only God.  There was no question in my mind that He created heaven and earth – that He was the ruler of the universe – that His love surpassed human comprehension – that he deserved not only my love, but my honor.

As life progressed, I began to see what “fear” meant.  It wasn’t the kind of fear we experience when we’re in danger (although that’s part of it too.)  It meant standing in awe of Him.  There was no one on earth that could love me so unconditionally that His life would be sacrificed for me.  There was no one who could defeat the devil and all his minions like Him.  There was no one who would lift me out of the pit of despair or guide me through the difficulties of life.  His presence wasn’t seen, but I knew He was there.

If we view God in this way, there is no possibility of disrespecting Him.  Still we do so every day, when we place our own needs before those of others – when we lash out at our government (established by God) – when we feel we can figure things out for ourselves without any intervention from God – when we rely on things of this world rather than the free gifts He gives us.

The first four commands from God pertain to our relationship with Him.  The rest are designed to help us in our dealings with others.  Of course, we’re commanded to obey all of them, but the first one sets the tone for all the rest.  If we fear and love God above all other things, the rest of those law become easy to keep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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UP, UP & AWAY

Posted on August 27, 2019 by atimetoshare.me

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ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Birds can’t fly unless they open their wings,

They soar through the air and their voices sing,

If we flew that high by opening a door,

We could make things happen and so much more.

 

As a new year arrives and minutes fly,

Will we arrive at our place in the sky,

We strive for success, we hope for the best,

We hope that our goals will finally be met.

 

A second chance once again is our gift,

Forget all that’s past, to a new plan shift,

With every new day, we begin once more,

But first we must open our own front door.

 

 

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