The tongue can produce terrible evil or tremendous good. The tongue can lash and libel or the tongue can liberate and express love. Recently two talk show hosts were fired because of their constant abusive tongue. Terrorists are fomenting mayhem and death through their rhetoric of hate. The Word of God tells us, “But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire and the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a world of wickedness corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself” (James 3:1-12 NLT).

Too many have traversed the minefield of trial marriages. Multitudes of couples have been deceived and scarred by the experience. Scores have shed bitter tears resulting from trial marriages.

In a program called, “True Love Waits,” thousands of teens have signed public pledges that they will practice sexual abstinence until marriage.

Rush Limbaugh sent a cameraman out on the streets to report the public’s response to the program. People were asked, “Do you think teens should practice sexual abstinence?”

The first time I met Richard Wurmbrand was over 35 years ago at a Lutheran Church in Anoka, MN. Richard was sharing his testimony of being tortured for Christ and enduring years of imprisonment for his faith in Jesus. To this day I remember the angelic glow that radiated from his face as he shared how the Lord had sustained him through much suffering. Today Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship is offering reprinted copies of Richard Wurmbrand’s classic book Tortured For Christ.

Grey, dismal skies sometimes enshroud our souls. I don’t know about you but I feel so much better when the sun shines brightly. I’ve thought many times how nice it would be to live in the Sunshine State where the sun almost always shines. A weather forecaster predicted, “Today the sun will shine for four hours.” Of course he was wrong. The sun shines constantly – we just can’t always see it because of the clouds that obscure its view. But the sun is still there shining brightly.

My grandson Seth is a rock hound. Wherever he goes he collects rocks. Little rocks, big rocks, colorful rocks, and plain rocks. Seth is only 4 years old so I doubt his choice in a rock has much to do with its geological or elemental make-up. He even gives names to his pet rocks.

I love the natural beauty of a rock garden and the uniqueness of a house made with field stones. I think God must love rocks – after all He made enough of them.

When the Son of God made his “triumphant entry” into Jerusalem, his followers gave him praise. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.”

What is the sense of suffering in the world? Young lives are snuffed out by a drunk driver, grieving family members stand by the grave of their loved one and ask the age old question – why? Crying children and a brokenhearted wife sit in the cold and confusion of the after math of a broken marriage and a shattered family.

From the fall of man in the Garden of Eden up to the present time through tears we still ask, “Why do bad things happen, even to good people?” Many have become estranged in their relationship with God because of this one issue. But instead of asking why bad things happen, we would do better to ask, “How should we respond to suffering?” How does God respond to tragedy and suffering?

He was the son of a well digger. If you have ever lived in an arid land, you know how vital water is. In the old west, range wars were fought over water rights. Man or livestock could not live or thrive without adequate water. Years ago, well diggers were revered men. My grandfather once hired a well digger. Those that I’ve met seemed to have a certain mystique. Isaac’s father was a well digger. He knew where to find precious water and bring it up to quench the thirst of the parched and weary.

There is a secret place and a secret power unknown and untapped by most people today. Jesus lived and taught by this secret power. He revealed this secret and assures us, “But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6 NKJV).

A recent survey revealed that over 90% of Americans say that they pray on a regular basis or at least occasionally.

Waite Cleaners does a booming business in the city near where I live. One can drop off their soiled and wrinkled clothing items and wait for clean, pressed, and fresh clothing to be returned. Most customers don’t actually wait at the business. They usually go home and wait calmly until its time to pick up their finished items or wait for them to be delivered. Yes, Waite Cleaners does a good job. But you have to wait. Someone once said that good things come to those who wait. There is a lot of truth in that.

More Americans than ever have climbed the ladder of success. For many people, though, life is getting better while they are feeling worse.

In the February 26th issue of the Centralia Sentinel, an editorial by Gregg Easterbrook, caught my attention. The title intrigued me – “Stress is the dirty secret of success”. Mr. Easterbrook made the following observation – “Americans are finding that merely possessing the good life does not ensure happiness. This may tell us there is a ‘revolution of satisfied expectations’ – that general prosperity brings with it an empty feeling. Here is another possible explanation of the progress paradox: That along with getting better at manufacturing cell phones, DVD players, and SUV’s society gets even better at manufacturing stress.”

The spiritual side of man has always reached toward the secret, mystical realities. History has shown us the rise in secret societies, secret rites, and so called “secret” knowledge – much of which emanates from pride and prejudice.

Rhonda Byrne’s book THE SECRET has sold over 6 million copies and was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. Byrne claims to have discovered “The Secret” that you can be a god and through your mind create your own reality, which is really the age-old deception of Satan. In short, if you think positively – good things will happen to you; if you think negatively – bad things will happen.

Some teachers you never forget. We thought Nellie Phillips was ancient. It was scary because she taught my mother and now I was in her class. The fifth and sixth grades were in the same room on the top floor of the red brick school. Mrs. Phillips was not only the teacher but she was also the schoolmaster or principle of Longfellow Grade School. Mr. Phillips was a good teacher. She was always fair but a strict disciplinarian. If you got out line or didn’t obey the rules, she might rap your knuckles with a ruler or grab you by the ear, if need be, and march you to the hallway to be disciplined.

King Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings of Judah who ruled the southern division of Israel. Manasseh had a godly heritage. His father, King Hezekiah, was one of the most righteous and devoted kings of Judah. Manasseh began his reign when he was only 12 years old. For most of the next 55 years he led Judah in idolatry and wickedness. But in the story of Manasseh we find a surprising twist in his life.

First – Consider the CORRUPTNESS OF SIN. Manasseh became corrupt, sinful, and detestable to God.

To fulfill our destiny and delight in the shadow of God’s protection and presence not only requires faith and obedience but humility. Humility is our safeguard for the rewards of obedience.

In his book Under Cover, John Bevere teaches this great principle modeled by Jesus. Before Jesus went to the cross he taught and showed by example the need for humility. He taught us to have this attitude, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which are commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done what was our duty to do’” (Luke 17).

Women especially value a big rock on their finger. There’s a song that says, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” But I want to draw our attention to a rock greater than diamonds.

I’ll always remember the day that I took my granddaughter to the park to play on the swings. But instead of swinging, she sifted through the dirt and rocks until she found the treasure she was looking for. She ran over to me with her dusty outstretched hand. She said, “Here, Papa, this rock is for you just because I love you.” She then handed me a small heart-shaped rock that she had found. I still have that rock in a medicine bottle sitting on my dresser.

The pilgrim fathers of America came to a bountiful land. The first winter was harsh and they were ill prepared to survive in the wilderness. Over half of them perished from the cold, hunger, or disease. With the help of some kind Native American Indians, they were taught to grow corn and squash and to hunt for wild game to make provision through the year. The next fall they celebrated with a feast to show their gratitude to their new friends and to offer thanks to God for their bountiful harvest.

Our founding fathers openly recognized God.

Bethany, IL is a small but lovely community with rolling hills. There’s a spacious hilltop cemetery just across the street from the church our son pastors. Every Memorial Day at the statute of a Civil War soldier the American Legion hosts a ceremony honoring veterans. My grandson Elijah was quite impressed with the whole ceremony. “I like the part where we salute the flag and the honor guard shoots at the soldier statute. But they haven’t hit it yet,” he said. I still chuckle when I see that Civil War soldier statute.

We have seen the amazing power of nature in earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. But our little finite minds can only begin to imagine the power of our Creator or the ability of our infinite God in all things. God has revealed Himself in His Book – the Bible – to help us grasp the unfolding revelation of His power to do anything thought by man to be impossible. He created the immense and mighty universe and it has been hanging there for thousands of years on nothing but His sustaining power. God has been holding the world together in spite of the destructive powers of both Satan and man.

I’m not an aficionado of pudding but I do like the old-fashioned, homemade type. I don’t consider the instant box type as real pudding, but homemade rice pudding, tapioca, or custard pudding – now that’s delicious. A century or so ago many people considered plum pudding a delicacy. I’ve never eaten plum pudding but if anyone makes a good plum pudding I’d be glad to sample some of it.

There is an interesting quotation dating back to at least 1615 when Miguel de Cervantes published “Don Quixote”. In his comic novel he uses the phrase, “The proof of the pudding is the eating.”

It was the perfect storm. I watched in fascination as the meteorologist on the Weather Channel described the pattern of waves that swept the ocean floor. This powerful storm was not the giant Tsunami that wreaked havoc and swept thousands their death. This storm being shown on the Weather Channel swirled deep under the ocean surface and stirred up powerful ocean waves across the ocean floor, plowing up tons of sand. This storm never came to land.

I had a lot of holes in the seat of my pants as a toddler. My mother told me that every time I would wander on to the road my dog, a shepherd mix, would grab me by the seat of the pants and drag me back. One day he grabbed me in the nick of time, saving me from a speeding car.

We recently set our clocks back from daylight savings time to standard time. We all look for ways to save time. Many times I have heard the nurse say to someone’s loved one, “It’s time.” They would whisk them off to surgery as we began a prayer vigil. What feelings flood your emotions when you hear the words “It’s time?”

Tornadoes, floods, fires, terrorists, and tragedies seem to be escalating with ever increasing intensity throughout the world. Many people ask, “What’s going on in this world? Do you think God may be trying to get our attention?”

The sorrows of the world have been afflicting the earth since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. But they do seem to be gaining momentum with ferocious frequency. Could we be coming to the end of the world as we know it? The Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day asked him, “When will the kingdom of God come?” (Luke 17:20)

One of my favorite activities during Christmas is viewing the lights of Christmas. Some light displays are gaudy and some are godly. Some are comical and some are colorful. Some are commercial and some celebrate Christmas. Some are illustrious and inspiring. Some are brilliant and some are blinking. Some are radiant and some reflect. Some are hilarious and some shine on holiness.

God lit up the darkness of creation with the light of the sun, moon, and stars. He spoke of deliverance to Moses form a burning bush. God directed the wise men to the Christ of Christmas by a guiding star. After all “God is light”. He dwells in unapproachable light. “Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).

It’s been said that a positive, hopeful person sees a light at the end of a tunnel. A pessimist looks at the end of a tunnel and sees a train coming. We cannot really live without hope.

Before the turn of the 20th century, an asylum near Boston housed severely retarded and disturbed individuals. One of the patients, called “Little Annie”, was totally unresponsive to others in the asylum. The staff tried to help her, but to no avail. Finally she was confined to a cell in the basement of the asylum and given up as being hopeless.

It’s a frustrating feeling – losing your keys. Perhaps even worse than not knowing where they are is not being able to get to them. Have you ever locked your keys in the car? Or you have an elderly neighbor who was constantly locking herself out of her house?

Harry Houdini was one of the greatest entertainers and escape artists of all times. He was locked in chains, handcuffs, straitjackets, and submerged in water while suspended upside-down. But he always managed to escape. He often took up challenges to escape from “escape proof” jails