Cornerstone

1 Thess 5:11-15 (12)

Rodney Dangerfield became famous with his line, “I can’t get no respect.” Respect and appreciation are often hard for some to give. They are both commodities that must be earned. Even when they are due, payment is often neglected.

You may be like Old Eb who was, like many of his breed, rather stingy with words. He said very little, and then rather grudgingly. One evening he was sitting on the front steps with his wife. The long day’s work, the good supper, and the peaceful sights and sounds of dusk must have softened him up. He cleared his throat took a deep breath and said, “When I think of what you’ve meant to me all these years, Judith, sometimes it’s almost more than I can stand not to tell you.”

Spiritual leaders are often taken for granted. They sometimes feel like the man who at his retirement dinner received the phone number for the correct time and temperature because the company couldn’t afford to give him a gold watch. Paul reminds us that we are to show our appreciation for those who are responsible for our souls. (vss. 12, 13) It is not to be only shown on Pastor Appreciation Day or at retirement but throughout the year. Praying for our leaders daily will help deepen our appreciation for them. Telling them that we notice the good job they are doing will strengthen their resolve to continue to do their best.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Psalm 113:1-3 (2)

I sat in the Los Angeles Ram’s stadium. I was awed by the excitement of worship that permeated the atmosphere. Sixty-five thousand men had sung praises to God in beautiful harmony. Sixty-five thousand men had lifted their voices to God in prayer. Sixty-five thousand men had pored over their open Bibles in serious study of God’s Word. Sixty-five thousand men had listened intently to one invigorating and challenging message after another throughout the day.

Now we were in a time of intermission between services. Approximately thirty-three thousand men on one half of the stadium shouted out “We love Jesus. Yes, we do.” Hardly had the sound of the multitude crossed the stadium until thirty-three thousand men on the other side of the stadium responded in like manner.

This thrilling act of worship and love made me think of those in heaven prostrate before the throne crying out continuously “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The Hebrew word for praise in itself expresses this same idea. It means to boast, to be clamorously foolish in our raving, to celebrate, to rage, to give glory.

We know that our best descriptions of God are pitifully lacking. Just seeing our Lord will surely bring continuous ravings of glorious celebration to our lips as we join the millions of the blood washed throng in praise to our King.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Psa 32:(1)-11

As I teenager I was riding with my friend in his dads car. He asked, “Would you like to drive?” Sure, I said. I was too young to drive but we were driving out in the field so it seemed to be harmless and legal. I was having a great time until I ran over the stump of an old tree. We got out and looked at the car and saw that the underside of the body was bent. I have no remembrance of the occasion following that. In fact it was not until years later that I was in chapel service at Kansas City College and Bible School that I even remembered the incident. God moved on the service and I went to the altar to pray for other students. While there God brought the incident to my mind and I knew that I needed to talk to my friend’s father. Later that day I saw him and told him what had happened. I asked how much money I owed him to make things right. He thanks me for my confession and told me that he no longer had the car. I was told that I owed nothing. God’s forgiveness is just as complete. When we confess our sins He totally forgives. His sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to appease the wrath of God and offset the judgment against our offense. We owe nothing except love to this One who freely forgives.

Dr. Gayle Woods

1 Cor 10:19-23 (22)

It seemed like I was constantly getting into fights. As a ten or eleven-year-old boy I was not aggressive, abrasive or argumentative. I thought I was a nice guy. Older students at my elementary school, however, continued to pick on me. It didn’t help that I had not lost a fight. It seemed to be a challenge to them.

This time was different. A boy I knew and his older sister were on their way home from school. Without any provocation he insulted me and challenge me to fight. After some unpleasant conversation his older sister stepped forward and said, “If you hurt my little brother I will give you a licken’.” My parents taught me to never touch a girl and to act respectfully toward women. Besides that the girl was about a foot taller and quite a lot heavier than I was. It was time to retreat.

There are times when we may feel that we are right and want to push our Christian liberty in the presence of a brother who is restricted by rules and regulations. Paul indicated that this may “provoke the Lord to jealousy” so that He will take up the defense of our brother against us. That is a situation we want to avoid. In our desire to please God at all times and in all ways we will do our best to not damage the conscience of our brother by our freedom in Christ.

Dr. Gayle Woods

1 Cor 1:1-20

Luke stated Acts 1:3 that the risen Lord “shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” KJV

A student at the University of Uruguay one day asked Josh McDowell, author of “Evidence for the Resurrection”, “Professor McDowell, why can’t you refute Christianity?” “For a very simple reason,” I answered. “I am not able to explain away an event in history–the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” He states, “After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings–or it is the most remarkable fact of history.” There are many infallible proofs that will convince any person of faith but probably the final evidence that we all must embrace is discussed in the following poem:

He Is Risen!
How do I know that Christ is risen?

What proof have I to give?

He touched my life one blessed day

And I began to live.

How do I know He left the tomb

That morning long ago?

I met Him just this morning

And my heart is still aglow.

How do I know that endless life

He gained for me that day?

His life within is proof enough

Of immortality.

How do I know that Christ still lives

Rich blessings to impart?

He walks with me along the way

And lives within my heart.

–Author Unknown

Dr. Gayle Woods