[ Taste And See ]
Smiles & Victory at Every Turn!The man who worked on the train bridge
2007-03-27
There was once a bridge which spanned a large river. During most of the day the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river paralleled with the banks, allowing ships to pass thru freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing a train to cross it.
A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed. One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance thru the dimming twilight and caught sight of the trainlights. He stepped to the control and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge. He turned the bridge into position, but, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not securely in position it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train came onto it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with many people aboard.
He left the bridge turned across the river, and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually. He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train crossed. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man's strength.
Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. "Daddy, where are you?" His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run! Run!" But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left his lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety. But he realized that he could not get back to the lever. Either the people on the train or his little son must die.
He took a moment to make his decision. The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed. They did not see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked: to tell his wife how their son had brutally died.
A Good God in an Evil World
2007-03-27
Thanks to all who visit. This is an FYI: I don't allow negative comments on my blog. Nothing personal but this is a positive blog.
People are often upset because things don't go their way. This is common, it's man's nature to do his own thing. We are created in the image of God and we have that independent spirit. The failure is that we are also free moral agents. God has, at no time, forced a man or woman to serve Him. We have a will and God does not override that will. The question arises, "why is there evil in a world that a good God made?" The beginning of evil is rebellion against God. People have the ability to rebel against God. The speed limit is posted but people exceed the speed limit. Is it the police officer's fault? Is it the law's fault? Is it the law maker's fault? This is an illustration of a law that man made but God has laws also and people break them. The penalty for sin, transgression against God is death. This death is more than a physical death, it is an eternal death, or eternal separation from God. God doesn't send a man to hell, man sends himself to hell by rebelling against God. Up to now it's been pretty bad for man's sake but that's because people continually rebel against God.
Now, God is good. Good in that He has no fault. AND God is loving. God made a solution for man's continual rebellion by sending His Son to pay the price for your and my sins. All those times you broke God's speed limit someone had to pay those penalties. This is the Love of God, that He sent His Son into the world to die for your sins. This is the Love of God, that He paid the price for our filth.
Please, don't blame God for bad, people do bad.
Now the second argument one might make is: "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" Good is a relative word when used in this context. How good is the person? Are they as good as God? No man is as good as God for all men (and women) have sinned. This action of sinning permanently eliminates the individual from God's favor. The Bible teaches that all men and women are born into sin. They are born with a sinful nature. So there is no person who is good. Evil things happen to people, especially people who are not under the grace and salvation of Jesus. When evil happens to someone under the grace of God, we know that God loves us and that all things work together for the good and that God will not allow anything we can not handle to come our way as long as we are in the grace of Jesus. When evil things happen to people outside of the grace of God, it's the goodness of God whether God intervenes. Does God care? Yes, Does God intervene in every case with man? No. There is a great demand for Christians everywhere to spread the news of Jesus Christ and His saving grace. This is the only hope for man to make it to heaven. This is of greater consequence than that of our current lives.
The reality is this: There is evil, everywhere, continually, wicked, hateful. AND there is the love of God which surpasses this wickedness. This Love and Salvation of Jesus Christ is the answer for the wicked evil that is in our society. When people reject this love what more can God do?
A Merry Heart
2007-03-02
If you haven't had a good laugh lately (like me.) You need to watch some of this guy's videos. He is absolutely nuts.
See ya soon!
Bro Chris
Out of the net
2007-03-02
I've had a guest in town and this has kept me pretty busy. I plan on writing a blog on the book I'm currently reading "360 degree Leadership" J. Maxwell. I'm about half way through and I'd like to reread it to let some of the lessons sink in. "360 degree Leadership" focuses on the middle manager/leader. It explores the questions, "What do you do when you are leading in the middle of an organization?" There are many lessons to be learned.Created with ShoutPost
