Levels of Toleration

by Alan Smith

At a computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, “If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.”

In response to Bill’s comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive – but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single “This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation” warning light.
7. The airbag system would ask, “Are you sure?” before deploying.
8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10. You’d have to press the “Start” button to turn the engine off.

It’s amazing, isn’t it, what we tolerate in some things we use (like Microsoft Windows) that we would never tolerate in other things we use (like our automobiles)? Then again, it shouldn’t be too surprising because I find that there are many things which I tolerate in some people that I would never tolerate in others.

For example, if someone I don’t particularly like passes me on the street and doesn’t wave or say “hi,” I get easily offended and assume that he is just being snobby. If a good friend does the same thing, though, I assume that he must have something on his mind and he was merely distracted. If someone I love dearly accidentally trips and kicks me in the shin, I think nothing of it. If someone else does it, though, I quickly assume they’re clumsy and inconsiderate. It’s true, isn’t it? We tolerate things from people we love that we would never tolerate from people we don’t love.

Could it be that one of the reasons we have so many conflicts in the church is that love is lacking? When love is missing, we are quick to assume the worst, we tolerate nothing and we are quick to find fault. Patience is non-existent. Forgiveness is difficult. Love, however, truly does “cover a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8)

I like the way GOD’S WORD translates this passage from Paul’s writings: “As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Above all, be loving. This ties everything together perfectly.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

Are you having trouble “putting up” with folks around you? May your love for others increase so that your level of tolerance may increase as well.

I completed this puzzle on Saturday. It has 1,000 pieces. This picture

does not do it justice … it is much larger, but I can’t get the whole

puzzle in a pic. Will wait until my son comes over to take it.

GAMES WE PLAYED

I showered and shaved ~ I adjusted my tie.
 
 I got there and sat ~ In a pew just in time.
 
 Bowing my head in prayer ~ As I closed my eyes.
 
 I saw the shoe of the man next to me ~Touching my own.

I sighed.
 
 With plenty of room on either side ~I thought, “Why must our soles touch?”
 
 It bothered me, his shoe touching mine ~ But it didn’t  bother him much.
 
 A prayer began: “Our Father” ~ I thought, “This  man with the shoes has no pride.
 
 They’re dusty, worn, and scratched.

Even worse, there are holes on the side!”
 
 ”Thank You for blessings,” the prayer went on.
 
 The shoe man said ~ a quiet “Amen!”
 
 I tried to focus on the prayer ~ But my thoughts were on his shoes again
 
 Aren’t we supposed to look our best ~ When walking through that door?
 
 ”Well, this certainly isn’t it,” I thought, Glancing toward the floor.
 
 Then the prayer was ended ~ And the songs of praise began.
 
 The shoe man was certainly loud ~ Sounding proud as he sang.
 
 His voice lifted the rafters ~ His hands were raised high.
 
 The Lord could surely hear ~ The shoe man’s voice from the sky.
 
 It was time for the offering ~ And what I threw in was steep.
 
 I watched as the shoe man reached.

Into his pockets so deep.
 
 I saw what was pulled out ~ What the shoe man put in.
 
 Then I heard a soft “clink” ~ as when silver hits tin.
 
 The sermon really bored me ~To tears, and that’s no lie!
 
 It was the same for the shoe man ~ For tears fell from his eyes.
 
 At the end of the service ~ As is the custom here
 
 We must greet new visitors ~ And show them all good cheer.
 
 But I felt moved somehow ~ And wanted to meet the shoe man
 
 So after the closing prayer ~ I reached over and shook his hand.
 
 He was old and his skin was dark ~ And his hair was truly a mess
 
 But I thanked him for coming ~ For being our guest.
 
 He said, “My names’ Charlie ~ I’m glad to meet you, my friend.”
 
 There were tears in his eyes ~ But he had a large, wide grin
 
 ”Let me explain,” he said ~ Wiping tears from his eyes.
 
 ” I’ve been coming here for months ~ And you’re the first to say ‘Hi.’”
 
 ”I know that my appearance ~ Is not like all the rest
 
 ”But I really do try ~ To always look my best.
 
 ”I always clean and polish my shoes ~ Before my very long walk.
 
 ”But by the time I get here ~ They’re dirty and dusty, like chalk.”
 
 My heart filled with pain ~ and I swallowed to hide my tears
 
 As he continued to apologize ~ For daring to sit so near.
 
 He said, “When I get here ~ I know I must look a sight.
 
 ”But I thought if I could touch you ~ Then maybe our souls might unite.”
 
 I was silent for a moment ~ Knowing whatever was said
 
 Would be pale in comparison ~ I spoke from my heart, not my head.
 
 ”Oh, you’ve touched me,” I said ~ “And taught me, in part;
 
 ”That the best of any man ~ Is what is found in his heart.”
 
 The rest, I thought, ~ This shoe man will  never know.
 
 Like just how thankful I really am ~ That his dirty old shoe touched my soul.

Author Unknown 
 

MOSES RAN A RESCUE MISSION

(Author Unknown)

Moses had one of the largest rescue missions of all time. In one day, he had to take responsibility for three million homeless people and deal with their physical and spiritual needs for the next forty years.

 Let’s look closer at Moses’ rescue mission to gain a glimpse of the faith Moses had to have:

 To cross the Red Sea in one night, the people needed a space of at least three miles wide so they could walk 5,000 abreast. If they walked only double-file, the line would have been 800 miles long and it would have taken 35 days and nights to cross the river.

• Each day they had to find a campground that took up 750 square miles about 2/3 the size of the state of Rhode   Island.
• Daily food intake in the barren desert would have to be at least 1,500 tons to just survive. To feed the group the way we are accustomed would have taken over 4,000 tons of food each day. To haul that amount of food would require two freight trains—each one a mile long! The cost of the food at today’s rates would be over $4 million a day!
• Water needs would have totaled 11 million gallons each day. It would take a freight train of tank cars 1,800 miles long to haul that much water each day!

 Moses knew that his rescue mission couldn’t survive if he had to rely on normal means of supply.

He had to totally trust God each day to meet the needs of the mission. One day at a time, for 14,800 days, millions of people had their needs met.

Step Out In Faith!

‘Why should we sit here waiting to die?’ 2 Kings 7:3

Unless you’re willing to take risks you won’t succeed in life. Yes, there’s a time for playing it safe. But when caution becomes a lifestyle, you get bogged down in mediocrity and failure while life passes you by. When you finish praying, searching the Scriptures and listening to godly counsel – you’ve got to step out in faith.

Four lepers sat outside the besieged famine-stricken city of Samaria. They considered their situation. ‘We’re starving to death. There’s food in the enemy camp. Enemy soldiers are swarming over it. We can play it safe, sit here and die. Or go into the camp and see whether they feed us or kill us!’ They knew their worst option was playing it safe and doing nothing. So what happened? They were saved by taking a step of faith. Now, your risks may be less dramatic. But unless you take them, you’ll never fulfill your God-given assignment in life. The Bible says, ‘Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.’ (Ecclesiastes 10:8-9 NIV) By trying to avoid falls, bites, injuries, danger etc., you miss out on life’s opportunities. Walking by faith means: (1) Accepting worthwhile risks. You’ve got to go out on a limb, for that’s where the fruit is. (2) Preparing wisely for your risks. God rewards excellence. ‘Using a dull axe requires great strength, so sharpen the blade…That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.’ (Ecclesiastes 10:10 NLT) So go ahead, step out in faith. Bill & Debby Gass

When You Feel Down

‘Let us not grow weary while doing good…’ Galatians 6:9 NKJV

Fatigue: Remember the old saying, ‘You can’t burn the candle at both ends’? Today we’ve gone from candle power to electric power, and few of us pay heed to that old saying anymore. We want bigger homes, fancier cars and more exotic holidays etc. So we start earlier, work harder and finish later. Then we stagger home and fall asleep in front of the television, worn out and feeling guilty about spending so little time with our family. We forget that God designed us to need one work – free day a week for rest and spiritual renewal (Exodus 20:8-11). As a result, fatigue saps our creative energy, distorts our outlook, diminishes our joy, erodes our confidence and drains us spiritually. Elijah is a great example of this. Single-handedly he defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-46). In answer to his prayer God sent fire from Heaven that consumed the altar and turned Israel back to God. It was a spectacular victory, yet on the heels of it he got so down that he actually asked God to take his life. Now that’s reaching an all-time low! So what did God do? Like any good doctor, He diagnosed the man’s problem and prescribed three things: proper diet, adequate rest, and a good assistant – Elisha. Many of us, who love what we do for a living, can have a tendency to get out of balance. We have no boundaries so we risk burning out. We ‘grow weary while doing good.’ What’s the answer? ‘He restores my soul.’ (Psalm 23:3 NKJV) The word ‘restores’ has two parts: ‘rest’ and ‘store’. Relax physically, and replenish spiritually. That’s what to do when you feel down. Bill & Debby Gass

When You Feel Down

‘…We will stand in Your presence…cry out to You…and You will hear us and save us.’ 2 Chronicles 20:9 NIV

A parishioner asked his pastor, ‘Do you ever feel down?’ ‘Sure,’ he responded. ‘What do you do about it?’ the parishioner said. ‘I get up again. Being down isn’t my problem – staying down is. I’m either up, or I’m getting up. I’ve learned not to park in between.’ Although feeling down is universal, sociologists warn us to guard against its two most common causes: fear and fatigue. Let’s look at them:

Fear: When Edomite armies marched against Israel’s king, fear gripped him and his nation. Feeling powerless, they feared losing their God-given land and possessions. If the stress of the last few years has left you feeling fearful, do what Judah’s king did. He turned to God and prayed: ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity…we can…stand in Your presence…We can cry out to You…and You will hear us and rescue us.’ (2 Chronicles 20:9 NLT) Don’t let fear cause you to abandon your hope and your vision. Instead, stand in God’s presence, cry out to Him, and watch Him rescue you. Throughout the Old Testament, God reminded His people of His track record of goodness. He wanted them to remember it and take courage. But sometimes fear would cloud their memory and they’d begin to doubt. Sound familiar? So He told them, ‘Do not be…discouraged…the battle is not yours, but [Mine].’ (2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV) In other words, ‘You don’t have to defeat the foe, that’s My job. I’m in charge; trust Me to work it out.’ So remember Who’s in control of your circumstances today. Stand in His presence, believe His promise! Bill & Debby Gass

An Angel Encampment

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:7)

We cannot see the angels, but it is enough that they can see us. There is one great Angel of the Covenant, whom not having seen we love, and His eye is always upon us both day and night. He has a host of holy ones under Him, and He causes these to be watchers over His saints and to guard them from all ill. If devils do us mischief, shining ones do us service.

Note that the Lord of angels does not come and go and pay us transient visits, but He and His armies encamp around us. The headquarters of the army of salvation is where those live whose trust is in the living God. This camp surrounds the faithful so that they cannot be attacked from any quarter unless the adversary can break through the entrenchments of the Lord of angels. We have a fixed protection, a permanent watch. Sentineled by the messengers of God, we shall not be surprised by sudden assaults nor swallowed up by overwhelming forces. Deliverance is promised in this verse–deliverance by the great Captain of our salvation, and that deliverance we shall obtain again and again until our warfare is accomplished and we exchange the field of conflict for the home of rest. C.H. Spurgeon

EVICT YOUR WORRIES

‘…the Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid…’ Hebrews 13:6 NIV

Worry is a squatter; you must evict it. In certain situations if a house lies empty long enough, anyone can move in and occupy it. Worry does that too. It roams around looking for an empty mind, and then moves in. Has worry taken up residence in your mind today? Is it there when you wake in the morning and go to bed at night? As a follower of Christ you have the authority to serve worry an eviction notice and it must leave. The only thing that enables it to stay is your ignorance of that truth. When your mind is occupied with God’s Word, worry sees a ‘no vacancy’ sign and moves on. Paul writes: ‘For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV) The weapons God has given you to fight with are greater than the fears you face. But you must know your weapons, keep them in good repair, and be able to use them. ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, and [your worries] wood, and it shall devour them.”‘ (Jeremiah 5:14 NKJV) When you believe God’s Word with all your heart and begin to speak it in the face of your worries, ‘It shall devour them.’ C.H. Spurgeon

IMPLICIT TRUST

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 39:18)

Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

The Lord saith, “I will surely deliver thee,” Mark the divine “surely.” Whatever else may be uncertain, God’s care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious, Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God’s simple “because thou hast put thy trust in me.” Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure. C.H. Spurgeon