Christian Truckers

Stop to Review

2008-11-22T17:58:00.005-05:00

By R.D. Sandlin

“All these things are against me.” Unknown to the old patriarch, God was behind the scenes working everything out for Jacob’s good. Because of weakness of faith, and weariness of the flesh, we, like Jacob, respond in the same manner. We often misapprehend that which is for us, as being against us. It proved otherwise in Jacob’s case, and it will in ours. True, humanly, everything was working against him; but, Divinely, it was all working for him.

No wonder the sweet psalmist said, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help...” The suffering servant, Paul, had grasped this blessed truth in his life. Listen to him: “For our light affliction [severe sufferings], which is but for a moment [twenty years], worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” How did he come to this concrete conclusion? By simply not looking at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” So says our precious Lord.

Hind-sight always proves the truth of Romans- Ro.8:28.

Are You Willing to Stake Your Life on Your Prayers?

2008-10-20T10:45:00.006-04:00

You Are if You End Them With This Word

"The sum of Your word is truth," – Psalm 119:160

Truth – You must leave our post-modern paradigm behind. You must walk away from the conception that truth depends on your point of view. That was Pilate's mistake. In his world, truth was relative to the situation. He stood in the middle and was unable to find any firm ground. Today, Pilate's version of truth permeates our society. Just ask the politicians, lawyers, accountants, CEO's and judges. What is truth? According to our sages, “it all depends.”

If you want to know what the Bible says about truth, then you must understand this word, 'aman. A great many Hebrew words come from this root but they are all associated with one concept: certainty. There is absolutely no possibility of contextual vacillation or situational alteration in the root 'aman. In fact, the imagery is so solid that in its present tense it always means continuously certain. God's idea of truth never changes.

How different is our contemporary view of the truth of our faith! We have been seduced by the Greek postmodern culture into believing that faith is hope based on something that isn't certain. We speak of faith as though it were wishful thinking. We act as though faith is beyond absolute reliability. If it were certain, we say, then we wouldn't need faith to believe it. But this is entirely backward. Biblical faith is unconditionally anchored in the trustworthiness of God and God always speaks the truth. Therefore, my faith is as certain as the God who vouches for it. What is truth? It is what God says! Period! Any time I think, act or feel based on anything other than the solid truth of what God says, I am expressing a faith that has nothing to do with the Bible. I might as well believe in tree spirits!

When we complete a prayer with the word amen, we are really speaking Hebrew. Amen is simply a variation of 'aman that literally means, "I fully endorse the truthfulness of what has been said." Wait! Is that what you really mean when you say, "Amen"? Did you really mean, "Lord, everything that I have said to You is absolutely true and in complete agreement with Your word"? Are you willing to stake your life on your prayers? That's what you are doing! You are endorsing truth before the author of all Truth. You are not echoing Pilate's modern religion. You are saying, "I know You, God, and I know what You have said and that it is true and, now, what I say is in line with You."

Amen! The truth stamp.

– Skip Moen

No New Thing

2008-07-14T00:10:00.002-04:00

Ecc 1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

At sunrise, I find myself driving down US Highway 49 in northeast Arkansas headed toward Marmaduke. The lay of the land is flat and I can see for miles across a cornucopia of planted fields. What the soil may lack in quality, God has made up the difference in available water for irrigation.

What variety! As drive along gingerly, I pass fields of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice and a plethora of vegetables. With the windows rolled down the truck is filled with the aroma of life. Forget about stopping to smell the coffee, this is a real blessing.

I began to think about Moses sending out those men to “…search the land…” He instructed them in Numbers 13:20, “And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.”

Oh my, the land was fat. The Bible says in Numbers 13:23 , “…a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; ...” Can you imagine? One cluster of grapes so developed, it had to be carried on staff across the shoulders of two men.

As I roll along, I view corn stalks that are two feet taller than any I have seen in the Midwest. The soybean plants are so leafy they almost cover the ground between the rows. The rice plants are bulky and against the backdrop of dawn’s early light they create a luxuriant carpet of green across the landscape.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to see your wonderful hand in all that meets the eye this morning and to better understand what the prophet knew in Jeremiah 32:17.

Correct or Corrupt

2008-06-05T09:48:00.001-04:00

by R.D. Sandlin

I am not as concerned with the outward “fashion of this world,” entering into the Church as I am with its philosophy creeping in. Outward fashions come and go; they pass away. But philosophy is ingrained in the inner-man, and controls all his decisions.

We should not be surprised by anything the world does. After all, the leper cannot change his spots or the Ethiopian his skin. But we should be shocked when the world’s philosophy of political correctness is transferred into our assemblies, and we become “religiously correct” instead of Biblically governed.

I believe this is one of the purposes of the modern-day translators. It seems they believe God needs a vocabulary that fits with their idea of correctness. He must not offend secular man with His sacred Words.

Humanism is deifying man and humanizing God; there seem to be many Christian humanists today.

Risky Business

2008-05-31T14:07:00.002-04:00

1 Samuel 24:6 “And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.”

However unworthily a pastor, evangelist or missionary is acting, they have been permitted to hold those offices by God himself, and God can just as easily remove them from those offices. God is still on the throne and nothing that men do has ever taken Him by surprise. Even David, who knew he was appointed to reign in place of Saul, and whose life Saul had sought to destroy, knew that he did not have any right to take away his life; He is my master, I am his subject. He is the Lord’s anointed, and therefore revered in the Lord’s sight.

1Peter 2:17 “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

1Timothy 5:19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”

Be very cautious of speaking, and receiving, evil reports against those whose business it is to preach to others. Do not even consider an elder as guilty of any alleged crime, or wrong doing, unless it is proved by two or three witnesses. This the Law of Moses required in respect to all. Those whose business it is to correct others will usually have many enemies; great caution, therefore, should be used in accusations against such persons.

As I travel the highways of this land, I am hearing an ever increasing number of accusations being brought against those who God has established as pastors, evangelists and missionaries. Worse yet, folks are casting these reproachful remarks in a public forum.

The Bible says, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Matthew 18:15

That is what we all seem to forget. Instead of accusing and attacking those who may have deviated from the Word of the God, we should first, pray for them, and second, we should go to them according to the methodology plainly given in Matthew 18:15-17.

You Just Never Know When

2008-05-26T19:59:00.007-04:00

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Sometimes you just never know when a blessing is coming your way.

Today, I find myself sitting at a truck stop adjacent to I-85 in South Carolina.

The climate appeals to me. It is summer heat with a slight breeze.

While sitting on the rear bumper of God’s truck, I view the surrounding landscape.

The grandeur of His handy work moves my soul.

My senses treated to the lush vegetation, the colorful flowering plants and the wonderful smell of sweet nectar drifting through the evening air.

In my thoughts, I can hear the refrain, “It is well with my soul.”

It is a favorite hymn, and this day, more than ever, it strikes a resounding chord that draws me even closer to my God. My God, who created this earth.

“Lord haste the day…” Oh my, I can hardly conceive of heaven, but I have a promise. 1Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What seems so beautiful today, will not even measure when we stand in our new Jerusalem.

Quotes

2008-05-23T21:07:00.001-04:00

A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top . -- Unknown

Aspiration/Inspiration

2008-05-15T11:55:00.001-04:00

by R.D. Sandlin

From the story of the Pharisee and the Publican we find that spiritual progress is not in moral attainments, but in having a sense of need. The Laodicean Christian has need of nothing. What can God give the man who has everything? The Pharisee was self-satisfied, the Publican, dissatisfied.

God is looking for hungry hearts to fill. He bypasses bloated, boastful egos. An inward, overwhelming sense of need beats an outward, superficial demeanor every time. The Pharisee had gained an inch before men, but the Publican had passed him by a mile in God’s sight.

The Christian life is not validated by possessing, but by a sense of want. The measure of our want determines our poverty or communion with our Lord. The self-satisfied have no cravings, but God promises to fill the hungry soul. When aspiration dies, inspiration ceases.

A crock pot with a treasure within is better than an ornamented vase that is empty.

Credit

2008-05-13T10:22:00.004-04:00

I have received several emails regarding Christians and debt.

There are only two passages that reference the word "lender":

Isaiah 24:2 "And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him."

If you read the context of the passage, God is explaining His judgment for sin in this life. A broad gamut of persons are so named. Persons of all ranks and conditions shall share in these calamities.

Proverbs 22:7 "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. "

This verse does explain the order of things; an order that exists in this world. From the passage, it is plain to see that borrowers will be servants to the lender. I do not have a problem with that order. God commands us to obey those who have the rule over us. If you borrow, you are subject to the rules set forth by the lender.

There are only a few verses of Scripture that reference the word "borrow." Only one has a definitive instruction:

Exodus 22:14 "And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good."

If you borrow, just "make it good"; pay your debt on time as instructed by the lender.

Churches have building funds, but I have yet to visit any church that wrote a check to cover the cost of a new building. Does the work of God stop because a church needs to borrow money for a new building; a building that will be used to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

We are simply to be diligent with all that the Lord has given to us. If your business is being blessed of God, you have prayed regarding an expansion or upgrade for your business and you have the Peace of God regarding the matter, you are not forbidden to borrow.

Proverbs 22:29 "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."

Proverbs 27:23 "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds."

Proverbs 13:3 "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

Using God-given discernment is the key.

Practical advice would be:

It should always be our endeavour to limit our amount of debt.

Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury.

Thoughts

2008-05-04T09:53:00.003-04:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been spending a great deal of time at home; limiting myself to taking only local, or short, runs. This allows me to deliver and return home.

Why? I sold my truck and a replacement unit is now in production. With the new truck, I anticipate staying on the road for longer periods; therefore, I have been upgrading our home to make life easier for my wife and son when I am away for an extended period.

Limiting my load offers has a negative impact on my bottom line, but being around the house has given me a greater appreciation for the things I love: Jesus Christ, my family and our church family. This extra time at home has also allowed me to worship more regularly at our church. The additional trips, to and from church, allowed me to realize a very important adjunct to regular church attendance. I discovered another benefit beyond the preaching and teaching which I dearly need.

A couple of days ago I was working on a project outside. Even though focused on the task, I happened to hear the sound of a car door closing. Looking up, I noticed my neighbor across the street as she walked toward her front door. She paused, then turned, and made eye contact with me. She asked, “You go to church, don’t you?” “Yes, we do,” I replied. She continued, “Would you please pray for my brother-in-law.” I asked her for his name and told her that we would pray. She smiled and her countenance exhibited a peace; being comforted by the fact that some one would pray for her brother-in-law and her sister.

My wife and I had seen the Rescue Squad at their home earlier in the week. My neighbor told me that her brother-in-law had experienced a massive stroke and he was now at Hospice.

I mused about the encounter with this neighbor; someone that previously had only waived and said “Hi” on a few occasions. Solely based upon the fact that she saw us going to and from church, she made the connection that we are Christians. I hope that our testimony allowed her to feel confident in asking us to pray.

I once heard an evangelist say, “If a person came into your neighborhood and asked the first person they saw, ‘Could you tell me where a Christian lives around here?’…would that person direct them to your house?”

Words To Consider

2008-05-04T09:46:00.006-04:00

People are, if anything, more touchy about being thought silly than they are about being thought unjust. -- E. B. White

The Besetting Sin

2008-04-24T21:56:00.002-04:00

by R. D. Sandlin

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Brethren, not only in the flesh, but in the Lord. An unbelieving heart was the cause of their departing from God, and it will produce the same ruin in us. “Departing is such sweet sorrow,” says Shakespeare, but there is no “sweet” to it, if it is departing from God—it’s just sorrow.

Departure from God exists first in the heart then manifests itself in the life. Indulging in unbelief in any form or subject is the one great sources of all alienation from God. To distrust God is to depart from Him.

We feel it is of little consequence whether we have faith or not, provided our conduct is right. But you can have a clean life and behind it hide an evil heart of unbelief. Only the man who lives a life of faith in God is safe, and none else are safe but he.

Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but glorious sins.
(Thomas Brooks, Puritan)

A Story To Remember

2008-04-23T19:32:00.008-04:00

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up and walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening. In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest was one of dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.

'A father, his son and a friend of his son were sailing off the pacific coast,' he began, ' when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized.'

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

The aged minister continued with his story, 'Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy would he throw the other end of the life line?
He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian and that his son's friend was not.

The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!', he threw out the life line to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of the night. His body was never recovered.

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth. 'The father,' he continued, 'knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus; therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend.'

'How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us. Our heavenly Father sacrificed His only begotten son that we could be saved. I urge you to accept His offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line that He is throwing out to you in this service.' With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation a the end. However, no one responded to the appeal. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side.

'That was a nice story,' politely stated one of them, 'but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian.' 'Well, you've got a point there,' the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up at the boys and said, 'It sure isn't very realistic, it it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His son for me.

You see...I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend.'

- Author Unknown -

The Wooden Bowl

2008-04-22T23:00:00.005-04:00

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year - old grandson.

The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table, but the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 'We must do something about father,' said the son, 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.' So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.

There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded, 'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.

Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life.'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you but, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

- Author Unknown -

Ads on this site

2008-04-22T11:22:00.003-04:00

I would ask for your grace as the site is developed.

Google does not allow me to have instant control over the content; therefore, you may see an ad pop up that is not accordance with our Christian values.

As the site develops, I hope to have only revelant ads listed.