January 13, 2008
There's nothing pretty about stage four cancer but the horror is
not so real until it hits our own family or a personal friend. Then we cry out, God Why? I just don't understand why bad things happen to the best of people! Perhaps it is the precious trial of our Faith
spoken of in 1 Peter 1:7 or maybe the refining process in Malachi 3. There is the beautiful picture of the ancient refiner setting beside a pot of hot bubbling silver ore. He keeps the fire under the pot
just at the right tempeture to bring the dross to the surface and as it rises He scoops it off. When He looks into the pot and sees his own reflection He knows the silver is pure. The tears shed in suffering
are cleansing agents in the soul. A close friend went through this most intense battle for her life and when the crisis past I heard her stand in church and say "It was the most difficult year of my life but
somehow it was also the best" Only God could make that possible! This week I again seen Jesus in a cancer patient...
Jim Mullett |
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January 6, 2008
Interstate 35 runs from Southern Texas to Northern Minnesota
. Now as CNN reports there is a pastor in Texas who has suggested this is the highway prophesied in Isaiah 35:8. A highway shall be there and a road and it shall be called the Highway of
Holiness. Some Christians have faith that is indeed the case and have established prayer meetings along the roadway in six states. Here is an extreme example of people who allow others to do their
thinking for them. They will believe anything, even a lie. Read the whole chapter. Isaiah is speaking of future glory created by God. The desert shall rejoice and blossom like a rose. The
eyes of the blind shall be opened. The lame shall leap like a deer. Waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. It is a Holy Place , a place of beauty and bright
colors. There are today groups of people who are told it is a sin to wear anything but plain clothing. They should read this chapter. Oh by the way: there is also a Route 35 that runs through our
town here in Ohio . Why should Texas have a monopoly on Holiness? Thinking and praying go hand in hand…Jim Mullett |
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December 30, 2007
A popular New Years resolution is to diet and lose weight. Oh yes
me too, at least so said my doctor! Hunger and homelessness in America is forcing its way into our consciousness with the housing crunch. Easy credit and no money down made it possible to live
above our means. To those of us who knew the value of savings accounts it's easy to look the other way and blame the poor for their own mistakes. It's difficult for me to subsidize the cost of
addictions such as drugs alcohol and tobacco. As rich Christians we need to find a balance between holding others responsible for their plight and offering a loving hand up from the pits. Jesus
said the poor will always be with us. Some of them need our example and counsel. All need our love…… Jim Mullett
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December 23, 2007
From the manger to the Throne by way of a cross. Isaiah
said "I saw the Lord high and lifted up" If you want to experience Christmas to the fullest possible joy you must realize that throne is not only found in the heavens but is today in the hearts of men and
women and comes there by way of His Cross. There we have been forgiven and cleansed of all our unholiness. Now Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:16 says "You are the temple of God, the Spirit of God dwells in
you". In that manger God was on a rescue mission to save a human race that He dearly loved. How can we even comprehend such a gift of love? How stupid it would be to fill our temple with so
much of this world that there would be no room in the inn left for Jesus. He is a perfect gentleman and comes in only by your invitation. Let's get the most out of this season….Jim Mullett
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December 16, 2007
The most hot button issue I have written about is illegal
immigration. I truly thank each one of you who have responded. To get a more complete perspective today let's leave the present issue and step back into our history to 1845. Our own
citizens were heading West to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah and Nevada all of which belonged to Mexico. In 1845 president Polk, in spite of strong opposition from the Mexican government,
declared Texas to be our own state. Mexico threatened war but knew they couldn't win. We then offered to buy the Rio Grand boundary plus all of New Mexico and California for the ridicules low price of
25 million dollars. When Mexico refused to sell we invaded their sovereign Country and took what we wanted by force. Mexico was crushed and we took from them 525,000 square miles of territory. So now
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5: 23 & 24 when we come to the alter to offer our gifts and you remember your past, He tells us to go first and be reconciled with your brother. In Luke 6:46 He asks, Why
do you call me Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say? The Sermon On The Mount is not always easy to follow…… Jim Mullett
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December 2, 2007
Something seems wrong with this picture. As reported this
week on NBC nightly news a Mexican man crossed our border illegally. His first action in this country was to save the life of a six year old orphan found wondering in the desert and taking him to the
border authorities. He was then arrested and returned to Mexico. Like it or not this was the exact opposite of Paul's instruction to Christians in Romans 12. "Have regard for good things in
the sight of all men. Overcome evil with good". It seems the majority of professing Christians in the USA would support deportation without regard to the individual person. Would it not have been
more honorable if we had rewarded this man with a good job in return for a life saved. It seems we have our faith in one box and our nationality in another. To follow Jesus our words and deeds must be
integrated. I find this to be an everyday challenge. How about you? …….Jim Mullett |
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November 4, 2007
Correction: Ken had surgery, not for glaucoma as reported last
Sunday but it was for cataracts. Sorry Ken. My mistake. So today an appropriate topic might be on humility…We might take the example from Jesus our leader. Philippians chapter two: He took
the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He invites us to a choice of bearing the cross with him,
dying to selfish ambitions, totally empty with nothing of value to offer God or man. It was at that point that God highly exalted his Son Jesus and it is there that Jesus becomes visible in us.
He shines forth in all His glory. This kind of death does not come easy or in one experience or in one day. It's a continual struggle. The "old man" in us does not want to stay dead. Nor
can we raise ourselves to New Life. It is a work of God. Just trust Him… Jim Mullett
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October 28, 2007
This week I'm asking all of us to pray for two servants of God who
are suffering. First a friend offers this request for her pastor, who three months ago had both knees replaced. Due to MRSA infections nothing is healing and he is faced with going through the same ordeal
again. Second is a personal friend in Arcadia, FL. Who has bravely fought a long battle with Leukemia and the past two weeks underwent surgery on both eyes for glaucoma. Hey wait; I got to rewrite this as a
praise report! I just received an update from both of these persons. God had touched them both! Bruce has finally responded to the antibiotics and Ken can see clearly. I need to change my scripture from
Isaiah 43:2. Now it is Isaiah 65: 24. Before they call, I will answer and while they are still speaking I will hear. How amazing is our God!….Praise the Lord...... Jim Mullett |
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October 14, 2007
Oh that lonely and bored Maytag repairman! This week I needed to
give him a service call. I tried to fix the washer myself but ran into the need of special tools; I needed help to finish the job. The only alternative was to throw away a good washer and buy a new one. Life
is like that especially for us self-sufficient macho men. We like to steer our own ship but when we get lost there is a Higher Power that we must call on to get direction, sometimes even to be carried back
on track. Refusing God in our life only leads to ultimate destruction. This week let's remember Psalms 121: I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord who
made heaven and earth. Oh Goody, the Maytag man even needed to borrow one of my tools! What does God need from you this week? What do you need from God? ….. Jim Mullett PS: Just a Health update:
It's Saturday 5:00PM I just returned from a somewhat unexpected stay in Riverside Hospital in Columbus. Diagnosis was a 100% heart block between the upper & lower chambers. Electrically they just weren't
speaking to each other. So I have a new pacemaker. Hope to have an "all clear" within a few weeks….JM |
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September 23, 2007
When life hands you a lemon you can experience a very bitter
taste or you can make sweet lemonade. This week a friend reminded me that adversity can be a positive factor in who we are but it takes patience. The trial of faith is a refining fire built under us by the
Holy Spirit. When we are angry the dross comes to the surface for all to see. It is then that we pray, Oh God help me clear away this ugly mess! In Psalms 51 David prayed, Oh God create in me a clean
heart and renew a right spirit in me. How sweet it is to look your adversary in the eye and win, not by violence or retaliation but by the way of love that Jesus taught. It was a lesson I had to
learn…Life is not always fair… Jim Mullett |
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September 16, 2007
The status of Jewish women in Hebrew culture was extremely
inferior to that of men. They were excluded from public life. Outside they were required to cover themselves with two head veils to conceal their identity. She was to remain unseen. She could be
divorced for talking to someone on the street. She was forbidden to teach or to study the Torah. She was confined to domestic chores and a slave to her husband. The husband alone had the
right to divorce his wife. Not much different from the plight of the Muslim female today. Paul instructs women to keep these social customs: cover your head, be quiet in church, if you want to
know anything ask your husband at home. However Jesus didn't hesitate to violate social norms and elevate women to a new dignity and status. Luke 10: 38-42 is a good example. Martha is in the
kitchen doing what "good girls" are supposed to do, serving men. Her sister Mary is totally out of order having a religious discussion with Jesus and Martha complains but Jesus gave Mary the
right to choose and said, Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken away from her. Paul also recognized that in Christ there is no gender difference, Galatians 3:28. I like what Jesus did for
the gals. Jim Mullett |
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September 2, 2007
Where do you draw the line? This was a question recently
ask of me. The implication was that the church needs to draw a line in the sand which it's members may not cross. Jesus drew such a line when he said, "you are forgiven, now go and sin no
more." He also drew a line when He said, "Judge not, that you be not judged." In God's Kingdom God alone maintains the right to judge human behavior. The scriptures are also clear
on what God expects of His subjects. So where does this leave the church? Paul instructs the Corinthian church to expel persons who live in open defiance of God's Law but it is never the duty of
the church to define what constitutes sin. In Jewish times the "Tradition Of The Elders" also known as the Mishnah went beyond the Law of Moses to spell out the do's and don'ts of Jewish
religion. Jesus deliberately broke many of their rules. I suspect there are rules in our churches today that He would also ignore. Rules are OK for children but for the truly mature
Christian God writes his laws on our heart and we live from the inside out. Jim Mullett |
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August 19, 2007
High stakes gambling is not only happening in Las Vegas. It
is most prevalent in the valley of the shadow of death where folks are betting their eternal soul that they have one more day to get right with God. We are all walking that pathway of life that will
ultimately lead to our demise. We can walk in peace and confident assurance; I will fear no evil for God is with me. He leads me beside still waters. He feeds me in green pastures. He
restores my soul. Even occasional discipline with the rod and staff is a blessing for it keeps me from straying away and getting lost. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me every day of my
life as I walk that valley. Psalms 23 is so beautiful yet people will go on gambling. Jim Mullett |
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August 26, 2007
I was fixing a small snack and set two cartons of eggs on the
counter. Immediately I noticed one dozen was much smaller then the other although both were sold as grade A large. I got out my scale and discovered a twenty five percent variance. So who
sets the standard for the size of eggs? How about a standard for Christians! On CNN Thursday night, "God's Christian Warriors" there were a host of pastors setting a political agenda
for us to live by. However there was one pastor who dared preach a message on Jesus' instruction to love our enemies. He was branded a heretic and lost 1000 members. Thankfully he gained 1000
others who were ready to live by the message of Jesus. President Carter noted that mixing politics and religion is detrimental to both the Church and State. Our involvement in Iraq seems to prove
his point. Jesus never attempted to use legal means to enforce His teachings, not from the Sanhedrin or the Roman government and nether should we. He writes his laws on our heart. That's
our standard! Oh by the way? The large eggs were sold by the Kroger Company. Jim Mullett |
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August 5, 2007
Hey wait; this afternoon is our annual business meeting at Church.
Not a fun time but the Pot Luck meal sounds good. If I had been on the ball with our travel schedule I could have missed all this but no; our church is important enough to me to make this meeting a top
priority. This is our home church. My children and grandchildren are involved in it and I want it to be here for them after I am in Heaven. Here they learned a way of peace that our society desperately needs
to experience. Here is where they were taught morals and values that kept them from the addictions of many of their peers. It wasn't easy for our High School age daughter to get out of the car and walk home
when her two best friends pulled out a bottle of booze. Church is hard work but it sure can pay big dividends for a family and you can be sure I'll be there this afternoon with my two cents worth of wisdom
and one sure vote! It's for the next generation….. Jim |
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July 29, 2007
One of the more difficult sermons I have tried to preach was when my
right arm was in a sling. I don't remember the subject at all that morning but I found speaking without gestures most difficult. The body speaks louder then the voice and often more honestly. The
outstretched hand with the palm up means I need something from you or I have something to offer you. The raised hand with palm out means I surrender to you. When you pray today try doing it with only your
hands and ears. Let your voice be silent. Stand before Jesus and use one of these gestures and then close your eyes and listen to what Jesus would say to you. Offer your heart, surrender your will and
receive His gifts. Wow! I'm getting blessed just thinking about it. Jim Mullett |
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July 22, 2007
Oh the quest for power and control! It drives our political
candidates. In business it makes one rich. It drives good people to corruption and even creeps into the Christian Community where Jesus Christ is the professed Lord and Master. In my last Newsweek magazine
someone wrote, "The Major Religions are alike in fundamental ways: Their founders tried to teach the same universal values and their teachings are for the most part universally ignored. Despite their
entreating us to treat each other with love, kindness and respect, mans inhumanity to man rages on". How we react when our own Seat of Power
is threatened says much about who we really are in the core of our being. Jesus taught His Disciples: It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant,
even the Son Of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10: 35 – 45 Happiness is not found in power……Blessings…Jim Mullett |
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July 15, 2007
The new dollar coin is making somewhat of a sensation among
Christians. There is even a call for a boycott. In God We Trust seems to be missing along with the date, the mint mark and E Pluribus Unum, all gone! But wait!! It's all there! It's just been moved to a
place where we don't expect to find it. In todays world of technology change happens so fast I find it hard to keep up. Just give me a phone with ten numerals; one that works when I need it. God is like
that, constant, unmoved, always there. David said, If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there your hand shall lead me. Psalms 139. Even if they would
take the inscription from my coins it would not change God one bit. Sure I appreciate the inscription but He does not need me to come to His defense…Have a good week…Jim Mullett |
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July 8, 2007
BOOM BANG FIREWORKS FREEDOM!!! The cost is far greater then the price
of the fireworks; Young men and women coming home leaving behind their limbs and souls, too many returning in body bags. Until it becomes me or my soldier I cannot fully comprehend the true cost. To
compensate the soldier we give them the highest honor while our large corporations make enormous profits and we all become rich. Six hundred dollars for this new gismo called an I-phone?? There has got to be
a better way and I believe Jesus offers it when He said "If the Son will set you free you will be free indeed". True freedom does not need to hide in fear behind walls, fences and homeland security.
It has nothing to do with wealth or fame. Until we as a Nation and its people are willing to trust in Jesus who we call the Prince Of Peace and learn from Him how to live in peace our youth in their
prime of life will continue to be blown apart. Read it in John 8: 31-36 and at least think about it. Blessings to you today…Jim |
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July 1, 2007
Yesterday I watched a small spider walk across my carpet. My impulse
was to step on it but my foot was too slow in responding to the brain. Later while contemplating that tiny bit of biological life I marveled at a God who created such a bug that could run away to safety on
such spindly little legs. How limited was that spider's comprehension of a life as big as me. Could it even compare to my limited comprehension of the Eternal God? Yet God takes notice of you and I and
spared our life so that we could live in His house. He endued us with his own spiritual life so we could know Him and have fellowship with Him. He put us in charge of His whole wonderful Creation. I take you
to Psalms 8: What is man that you are mindful of him? You made him a little lower then the angels and crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hand.
So why did I want to kill that little spider anyhow? Jim |
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2007 Archives |
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