[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Tuesday, August 28 2012

[Paul]

Well folks, here we are nearing the end of August and hopefully cooler weather will come to most of the U.S.  I hope and pray that, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, that you all had a good day today.  How many of you took the time to listen to Brother Mike from the Shiloh Baptist Camp Meeting earlier this evening? I did, and wouldn't have missed his message for the world.  For those who missed it, he spoke about the Old Testament Biblical person named Joshua and how he was both disciplined and determined to follow the Lord, no matter the consequences.  However, don't worry, as there are three more nights of excellent teaching and music.  For those of you in other parts of the world, it may have been inconvenient for you to hear this, but if you get the chance during the next three days to hear Brother Mike, even if it's only say for 20 minutes, it's worth a listen.

Our poetic words for today come from the pen of Arthur L. Jackson of Elgin IL.  He enters our minds and hearts with a poem designed, I think, for some reflection.  It's entitled "Thoughts Make a Person," rendered as follows:

Do you find it hard to sleep,
Or is your day a bore?
Are you filled with troubles?
Is worry at the core?
Do you wake with frown and fret,
And go to work in gloom?
Come home tired,
Full of pain,
And think that life's a doom?
Could it be you've given up,
And feel the world is cruel?
That Satan gets things all in hand,
That evil is the rule?

It just might be
Things aren't so bad,
That yours are in your mind,
That thoughts would warp you out of shape
And made your world a bind.

God has given arms and legs,
A soul that breathes, a face;
He gave us will and want,
Desires for a mate.

Sometimes in our world of woe,
Our thoughts and concepts stray;
We think the gloom of life is ours
Instead of thanks this day.

We look and see the crime abound
And lies their story tell.
We think that God's creation
Is little more than hell.
But if we look and take some time,
We'd see that much is good,
That work of doctors, teachers too
And builders with their wood.

It would be wrong to say,
Our thoughts are always right,
That man has gone far too long,
Forgetting what was light.
We are made of many parts,
And some we never see,
That man is made up of his thoughts,
A truth, a fact, a key.

And there you have it for this evening.  This poem reminds me of a saying of Jesus: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." And we all know this can be extended to woman, boy or girl.  Anyway Brother Arthur's words hopefully will, in the words of every "Unshackled" radio broadcast, "make you face yourself and think," because, if you really think about it, our thoughts do make a person.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  For my fellow North Americans, may the God of peace rule in your hearts this night.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul