Let Me Illustrate

What Causes Growth?

2012-01-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

By Bryan McAlister

On June 23, 1967, an airplane owned by Mohawk Airlines crashed in Blossburg,Pennsylvania. The airplane crashed after an in-flight fire destroyed the pitchcontrol systems. All 34 people aboard were killed. A valve was installedbackwards, which caused hot air to ignite hydraulic fluid.

What caused the accident? Something that was certainly not part of the routinechecklist a pilot might go over before takeoff, and something that was notthought to be a problem, turned out to destroy everything.

Source:
Bryan McAlister, What Causes Growth?, Family Matters, Jacksonchurch of Christ, Jackson, MO, January 19, 2003, p. 1.

Utah Bowled Over by Meteor Plan

2012-01-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

By Robin McKie & Chuck Shepherd

In January the engineers and hobbyists of the Salt Lake Astronomical Societytold reporters they hoped to begin dropping bowling balls onto Utah's saltflats from high-flying aircraft. Members were frustrated by their failure tofind any meteorite impact sites on the flats, and guessed that the behavior ofthe bowling balls--whether they punched through the salt crust, bounced, orexploded--would give them a better idea what to look for. A few days later, theU.S. Bureau of Land Management put the plan on ice: it reminded the society ofthe weather station personnel, race car enthusiasts, and geologists regularlyon the salt flats, and said it was a bad idea to drop bowling balls aroundthem.

Source:
Observer [http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2003/jan/26/spaceexploration.usnews]
Chicago Reader[http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/news-of-the-weird/Content?oid=911406]

Sweat the Small Stuff

2012-01-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

By Tom Moore

     Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giantgash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, 900-foot cruise ship sank in 1912 on itsfirst voyage, from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in theworst maritime disaster of the time. The most widely held theory was that theship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. But aninternational team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probethe wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Theirdiscovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, theyfound six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds (USA Today,April 9,1997).
     Think about it, small damage, invisible to most, cansink not only a great ship but can sink one's spiritual life as well. Someconfused and misguided souls assert, "We do not sweat the smallstuff." Beloved, it is the small things that can pile up and do us greatdamage - and can eventually sink our spiritual ship. Therefore, we need to giveattention to details - even the small ones. James said, "For whosoevershall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty ofall" (Jam. 2:10) - details are important. There are hundreds of OldTestament examples that emphasizes the importance of concern for details (e.g.Lev. 10:1-2; cf. 2 Sam. 6:6-7 with Num. 4:15).
     Friends, give attention - even to the small

Source:
Tom Moore, Sweat the Small Stuff, The Sower, Authur, IL, June 4,2006.

The Sinner's Bible

2012-01-10T09:34:00.001-08:00

You may be aware that the first edition of the King James Bible was publishedin 1611 ...

What you may not know is that when the 1631 edition came out, the printer madea mistake that was quite possible the most scandalous mistake in the history ofthe printing press. The word "not" was accidentally omitted from theseventh commandment. So it read, "Thou shalt commit adultery."Thereafter, the 1631 edition came to be known as "the wicked Bible."When the mistake was discovered, every copy was promptly withdrawn from thepublic and King James fined the printer, Robert Barker, 300 pounds - a lot ofmoney in those days.

Source:
KneEmail (date unknown)

The Shopkeepers

2012-01-10T09:33:00.001-08:00

Two shopkeepers were bitter rivals. Their stores were directly across thestreet from each other, and they would spend each day keeping track of eachother's business. If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at hisrival.

One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said,"I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, yourcompetitor will receive twice as much. Would you be rich? You can be very rich,but he will be twice as wealthy. Do you wish to live a long and healthy life?You can, but his life will be longer and healthier. What is your desire?"The man frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "Here is my request:Strike me blind in one eye!"

Source:
Best Clean Jokes
http://www.bestcleanjokes.com/shopkeepers.htm

Progression or Retrogression

2012-01-10T09:32:00.001-08:00

By Marlin Connelly

On April 14, 1988, The Wall Street Journal published a story about adecade of defects in some Ford vehicles. Nearly 23 million people were notifiedin 1980 that their 1970-79 vehicles had defects that allowed them to go inreverse while the transmission was set in park. One woman in the story steppedout of her 1979 Lincoln and then watched it circle backward until a tow-truckfinally corralled it.

Source:
Marlin Connelly, Know Your Bible, Gospel Advocate, February 2003,p. 11.

The Messiah's Service

2012-01-10T09:31:00.001-08:00

On Sept. 3, 1926, Jack Dempsey met the challenger Gene Tunney in a prizefightat Philadelphia. The crowd of fans had become accustomed to Dempsey victorycelebrations and expected another that evening - but Dempsey lost! After thefight, the crowd grew quiet as Dempsey faced the crowd of friends andreporters. The seconds stretched out awkwardly until, finally, his wife brokethe silence: "Jack, what happened?"

Dempsey's classic answer went right to the point: "Honey, I forgot toduck!"

Source:
Marlin Connelly, Know Your Bible, GospelAdvocate, June 2001, p. 11.

Loopholes

2012-01-10T09:30:00.001-08:00

A cartoon called "Shoe" shows the principal character reading a Biblein a restaurant. "Looking for inspiration?" says the waitress."No ... loopholes," is the answer. (Chicago Tribune,July 26, 2002).

Source:
Potpourri ..., Firm Foundation, November 2002, p. 27.

Let Your Light So Shine ...

2012-01-10T09:29:00.001-08:00

By Randall Toye

In 1957, a monastery in Thailand was being relocated and a group of monks wasput in charge of moving a giant clay statue of Buddha. In the midst of themove, one of the monks noticed a crack in the figure, so the work wasimmediately halted before more damage occurred. That night, one of the monkswent to check on the statue. He aimed his flashlight all over the figure, butsuddenly notice a reflected gleam from the crack.

His curiosity aroused, he procured a hammer and chisel and began widening thesplit. As he knocked off piece after piece of clay, the statue grew brighterand brighter - and after hours of work the clay was all gone, and in its placestood a golden image of Buddha.

Many historians now believe that the original statue had been covered with alayer of clay by Thai monks several hundred years earlier, to hide its worthbefore an attack by the Burmese army. All of the monks present on that occasiondied in the battle, and it was not until 1957 that its great value wasdiscovered.

I see a similarity between that old statue and most modern Christians. Afraidwe might be cast out by society or deserted by family and friends, we hidebehind a shell that makes us look like average people. But Jesus called us tobe different - and he told us that our difference should be easily seen byothers. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your goodworks and glorify your father which is in heaven."

Source:
Pulpit Helps, Aug. 2003, p. 11.

Kicking the Blind Man

2012-01-10T09:28:00.001-08:00

"[An] Iranian fold proverb: "If you see a blind man, kick him; whyshould you be kinder than God?"

Source:
Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, New York:Anchor Books, p. 87.

'I Hate You': Vancouver Family Finds Surprising Message in Baby's Toy

2012-01-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

    Blanche Skelton was feeding her baby when she heardsomething besides the soothing sound of ocean waves coming from a toy attachedto the crib.

        It was saying, "I hateyou."

        After asking her husband, herparents-in-law, and everyone else in the home east of Hazel Dell, they wereconvinced. The toy was definitely, albeit quietly, saying "I hateyou."

        Blanche's 6-month-old son, Alex, gotthe toy as a Christmas present. It makes soothing sounds and music for baby tofall asleep to, with an illuminated picture of a cartoon-style aquarium on thefront.

        But in between the white noise ofocean waves, a tiny babyish voice pipes up with childhood angst.

        Made in China, the toy was sold byWal-Mart and carries the Kid Connection brand, which is a store brand.

        Blanche and her husband, Steve, saidthey went to the Wal-Mart store Thursday and listened to two other aquariumtoys like theirs. Sure enough, there was that creepy voice.

        The couple talked to a manager, whoscoffed until another employee blurted out that he heard it, too.

        Then the manager pledged to get thetoy off the shelves, and offered the family a refund, Blanche said. By Friday,the toys were gone from the shelves at the Hazel Dell store.

        But the Skeltons would rather getthe word out to other families who may have bought the toy.

        "How many kids are lying intheir crib listening to that?" asked Gary Skelton, Blanche'sfather-in-law.

        Still the family is more bemusedthan distressed by the toy. Gary Skelton pointed to a smiling Alex scootingacross the carpet. If Alex could talk, Skelton joked, "He says, 'Yep, I'mthe victim.'"

        Karen Burk, a Wal-Mart spokeswomanat the company's Arkansas headquarters, said she'd never heard anyone elsecomplain about the toy.

        "This is the first time I'veheard of this problem," she said. "I have relayed this information toour merchandise team. They do not have any of the product on their shelves. Asalways, we are always sorry that a customer is not happy with a product theypurchased at our stores and we encourage the customer to come back for a fullrefund."

        But the Skeltons don't really wantto take the toy back.

        "We'll keep it around fornovelty, I guess," said Gary Skelton. "Just don't hang it over thecrib is all."

Source:
MARGARET ELLIS, Columbian staff writer, Saturday, January 11, 2003[http://www.rense.com/general33/walmartbabycribtoy.htm]

The Greatest

2012-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

During the Civil War, despite his busy schedule, Abraham Lincoln wouldoccasionally take the time to visit hospitals and cheer up some of the woundedsoldiers. One time he came to the bed of a young soldier who was near death,and Lincoln asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?" The soldier,not realizing to whom he was speaking, said, "Yes, there is. Would youplease write a letter to my mother?"

So Lincoln sat down and wrote as the young man dictated. The letter read,"Dearest Mom, I was badly hurt while doing my duty, and I will notrecover. Don't sorrow too much for me. May God bless you and Father. Pleasekiss Mary and John for me." At that point the soldier grew so weak that hecouldn't continue or even sign his name, so Lincoln finished the letter withthis: "Written for your son at his request by Abraham Lincoln." As hewas about to put it into an envelope, the young man recovered enough to say,"May I see the letter? I'd like to read it once before you send it."When he got to the bottom and saw Lincoln's name, he was shocked. "Are youreally the President? he asked.

Lincoln smiled and said simply, "Yes I am. Is there anything more I can dofor you?" The soldier answered feebly, "Yes, Mr. President, would youmind holding my hand and seeing me through to the end?"

So Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, and certainly one ofthe greatest, took the soldier's hand and held it all through the night untilfinally, as the dawn began to break, the young man's grip began to weaken andhe died.

Source:
Christian Devotional and Educational Literature
http://www.janita.info/sectio30.htm

The Great Escape

2012-01-10T09:24:00.001-08:00

The Iranian Shariah, the Islamic legal code, derived from the Koran, says thatin the case of adultery both partners are subject to stoning but men are buriedup to their waists, while women are buried up to their necks during the stoning.But the Law also provides that if the person manages to escape during thestoning, they are allowed to go free - and guess which sex has the betterchance of breaking loose (Chicago Tribune, Aug. 22, 2002).

Source:
Potpourri ..., Firm Foundation, November 2002, p. 27.

Going Beyond What Is Written

2012-01-10T09:23:00.001-08:00

Unity Church in Chicago has a new, but human originated, plan of salvation.Members write on pieces of paper what they want to change in themselves. Thenotes are burned in a bowl on the church's altar. "It's a symbolic way ofwiping the slate clean so I can start over," said Jasmine Schmidt, theyouth education director of Unity Church (12-27-02). (Editor note: we hesitateto mention this in the fear that some of our own may adopt this unbiblicalpractice. Alas!"

Source:
Potpourri ..., Firm Foundation,April 2003, p. 26.

Following Our Map

2012-01-10T09:22:00.001-08:00

This proclaiming Christian dies and starts on his journey in the afterlife. Ashe gets closer to the gate, the gatekeepers look out and see him.

The gatekeepers are demons at the gates of hell. The demons see this guyapproaching and say,

"Hey, Bob look at that guy coming!"

"Yeah, tom, what about him?"

"You see what he has in his hand?"

"Ha Ha Ha!"

"He has a map. What is he doing here?"

This simple joke should be directed to each and every one of us. We have themap and we need to work on using it correctly. I have misread maps before andended up in the wrong place and I am sure you have too. But The map, we need topay attention and read correctly is the Bible. If we will follow it faithfullywe will stay far away from the gates of hell.

Source:
Unknown

The End is Near!

2012-01-10T09:21:00.001-08:00

A preacher and his wife were standing by the side of the road near the churchbuilding tacking up a 4 x 8 plywood sign to a telephone pole. In large boldletters it warned: "The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it'stoo late!"

A driver approached and, seeing the sign, yelled, "Religious nuts!"and kept going. From around the curve the pair heard screeching tires and a bigcrash. "Do you think," the preacher asked his wife, "we shouldhave put up a sign that says 'bridge out' instead?"

Source:
Unknown

Don’t Throw a Brick Straight Up

2012-01-10T09:20:00.001-08:00

By Chuck Shepherd

The Merced (Calif.) Sun-Star reported on Dec. 10 that an unnamed man was takento a hospital in Modesto, Calif., after his head was split open by a brick.Police, called to the scene, were expecting to find foul play, but witnessessaid the man was merely trying to see how high up he could throw a brick, andsince it was dark (2:30 a.m.), the man lost track of the brick’s flight andcould not get out of the way when it came down on his head. Police said alcoholappeared to be involved.

Source:
Letters to the World [http://blog.zone38.net/2003/01/12/359/]

Caught In the Act

2012-01-10T09:19:00.001-08:00

By Barbara Cagle Ray

The preacher arose the first night of the meeting;
He said, "Tonight, the subject is 'adversity,'
But tomorrow night I'll speak on 'lying',
So please read Mark, chapter twenty-three."

The next night the preacher began to speak ...
"I announced last night what the subject will be.
We will consider the consequences of lying.
How many have read Mark, chapter twenty-three?"

Hands quickly arose in response to the question;
The preacher smiled, his eyes lit up like a spark.
"Well, I've come to the right place," he said -
"There is no twenty-third chapter of Mark.

Source:
Magnolia Messenger, Mar. Apr. 2003.

Bring Your Bible

2012-01-10T09:18:00.001-08:00

In Bridgeport, Conn., in October, Roger Chimney, 34, pleaded guilty to twoconvenience store robberies; the police got him because he had accidentallydropped his name-inscribed Bible at one of the crime scenes. And in Augusta,Maine, in August, Craig Golden, 18, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief forvandalizing a farmer's field; the police got him because his name-inscribedBible had fallen out of his truck during the incident. [Connecticut Post, 10-24-02][Associated Press, 8-30-02]

Source:
Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird (.775)
WEEK OF DECEMBER 15, 2002
[http://www.newsoftheweird.com/archive/nw021215.html]

The Bridge Builder

2012-01-10T09:17:00.001-08:00

By Will Allen Dromgoole

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him.
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deed and wide,
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Source:
Unknown

Birthday Grief

2012-01-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

[Kushner's son, Aaron, struggled with a rare disease that took his life at anearly age] "I read recently about an Israeli mother who, every year on herson's birthday, would leave the birthday party, go into the privacy of herbedroom, and cry, because her son was now one year closer to military service,one year closer to putting his life in danger, possibly one year closerto making her one of the thousands of Israeli parents who would have to standat the grave of a child fallen in battle. I read that, and I knew exactly howshe felt. Every year, on Aaron's birthday, my wife and I would celebrate. Wewould be gripped by the cold foreknowledge that another year's passing broughtus closer to the day when he would be taken from us."

Source:
Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, New York:Anchor Books, p.p. 3-4.

Baptism Under Fire

2012-01-10T09:15:00.000-08:00

IRAQ - During the middle of the war in Iraq, Army chaplain Lt Josh Llano, 32, aSouthern Baptist from Houston, Texas, commandeered 500 gallons of water to fillhis baptismal pool at Camp Bushmaster near Najaf and offered exhausted, grimysoldiers a chance for a refreshing dip, provided they agreed to formal baptismsfollowing a 90-minute sermon. Troops of the Army V Corps combat support teamstationed outside Najaf, along with most American and British soldiers servingin Iraq at the height of the war, were often filthy, having to endure weeks ata time without showers. Llano said: "It's simple. They want water. I haveit, as long as they agree to get baptized." The US Army's chief ofchaplains said he would investigate the matter. [Miami Herald]

Source:
Asia Times Online [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/EG04Aa01.html]

At Tremendous Price

2012-01-10T09:13:00.001-08:00

By David A. Sargent

J. Ogden Armour was a wealthy and successful businessman in Chicago, IL, in theearly 1900s. He and his wife had a daughter, Lolita, who was crippled inher feet and could not walk. The Armours took their daughter to see manydoctors, none of whom could help her. Armour heard about a doctor inVienna, Austria – Dr. Adolf Lorenz – whom, he believed, might be able to helphis daughter. He sent word to him: "Dr. Lorenz, I will give youthirty thousand dollars if you will come to America and minister to my littlegirl who cannot walk, and see if you can … make it possible for her towalk."

W.A. Criswell stated that it was “the greatest medical fee that the world hadever heard of at that time.”

Dr. Lorenz came to Chicago and he treated that little girl and, with time, shewas able to walk.

As we consider the tremendous price this father was willing to pay to see hislittle girl restored to health, we recognize that there was something fearfullywrong with her. We also see how much he loved her.

You and I also have a serious malady: it is SIN, and it is serious anddeadly! But Someone loves us so much that He paid a great price in orderthat we might be “healed” of this condition and have eternal life!

The Apostle Peter wrote to Christians, reminding them of the price of theirredemption from sin: “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, likesilver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from yourfathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemishand without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

The tremendous price that was paid for OUR redemption from sin – the blood ofthe sinless Son of God – reveals the seriousness of our condition (see Romans6:23). It also demonstrates the great love of God. “But Goddemonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God has promised to redeem those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus(Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessJesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ forthe forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

Our condition in sin is serious and fatal, but because of His great love for us,God has provided a priceless remedy: the blood of JESUS.

Won’t YOU accept His offer of salvation on His terms?

Source:
David A. Sargent, At Tremendous Price, "Living Water," Church ofChrist at Creekwood, Mobile, AL