Truth has become an increasingly rare commodity in our world! The very idea that “truth always wins out” has been thrown out the window and in its place the ‘power brokers’ have taken over. You can see it everywhere – in politics, media, commercials – propaganda & conspiracy theories abound!! Once-sane people have lost the ability to rationally debate issues. Instead, we get ear-loads of cursing, name calling, & slander. Every time I hear or read this stuff I ask myself – “But is it true?” That, I submit, is the most important question we can dare to ask.

I read articles maligning our government, our heads of state, and our laws. There are many who think it’s a virtuous thing to try and assassinate our elected officials. It seems that ‘divide and conquer’ is alive and well in the United States and we are getting a textbook, up close look at Division 101.

Like it or not, truth is dying and it cannot help but have serious consequences for us all. Jesus said it in Matthew 12 – “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to resolution and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Abraham Lincoln echoed this thought in 1858 when he also said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Cannot!

It reminds me of an old story about a letter to a neighbor: It reads: Dear Frank. We’ve been neighbors for six tumultuous years. When you borrowed my tiller, you returned it in pieces. When I was sick, you blasted rap music. And when your dog went to the bathroom all over my lawn, you laughed. I could go on but I’m certainly not one to hold grudges. So I’m writing this letter to tell you that your houses on fire. Cordially, Bob.

America is on fire. Is anyone paying attention or are we all just adding on firewood?

Proverbs 12 tells us that “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.” My advice to people is to always confront deceit & lies. When people just make stuff up, do we say nothing?! Proverbs 29 is 100% on target here: “When the godly are in authority the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” Speak up or get ready for more groaning!

There is a stunning verse found in Joshua 24:19. Joshua has confronted the Hebrew people with truth. Many have chosen to follow idols so he called them all together and delivered these now famous words: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” What does the Word of God say about laws & boundaries, right & wrong, good & evil? Find the answers to these and you will find truth.

Gregory Elder tells of spending many hours at the beach and of building many sandcastles during the summers. One year some bullies appeared and smashed his creations. Day after day they would come and destroy what he had made. One day he

decided to do something about it. He gathered stones, rocks, blocks and other hard materials. He put them in place and covered them with sand to create his sandcastles. Just as the bullies appeared, he disappeared. He watched a good way off as these bullies – barefooted – ran off in pain as their bare feet had met their match.

I suppose, applying that narrative here, we could call these bullies secularism, politics, heresies, or just plain ol’ sins that kick at the foundations and structure of our society. If our structures are not built on The Rock (Jesus Christ & The Word) they will eventually crumble. After all, the Bible reveals truth as a moral concept rooted in God’s very character. As Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) so brilliantly noted: “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” Selah!

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Recently there’s been an increase in interest in our culture about life after death.

There are many people who claim to have the ability to contact dead relatives reuniting them with family for one last conversation. I certainly don’t advocate this practice of contacting dead people and I believe it’s demonic. But it does demonstrate the curiosity that people have about the afterlife. As the Bible tells us: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Death is called the great equalizer – in the end it visits all people.

But death is not the end of existence. We are eternal beings who exist after this physical body is caput. Unfortunately, many people don’t prepare themselves for that moment. They leave it all up to fate. What will be will be.

You have probably heard the phrase – “If these walls could speak.” I say to heck with walls – what if dead people could speak?! Now that would be something!! I have always wondered what people would say to us if they could come back for just a few minutes. Would they magnify the glories of heaven or the miseries of hell? I wonder what Billy Graham would say? Probably a lot different from what the past leader of Iran – Ayatollah Kharmenei, would say! And what about recently departed Ted Turner? Now what would he have to say about eternity?

But, in fact there is a Biblical account of two dead men speaking. The story is told about Lazarus and Dives. This is actually a pre-Christin account. Our first dead man – Lazarus, was not a Christian but was saved on the basis of the Old Testament dispensation so the account is in pre-Christian terms. I won’t take the time to go into all the details here but it’s an interesting study to do on your own.

Basically this is a conversation between a rich man and a very poor man. They were on opposite sides of a great gulf separating those who were ‘saved’ and those who were ‘lost.’ The rich man was in Hades not because he was rich and had fine food, but because he had zero concern about following God’s laws etc. God’s requirement is that we do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him. Dives failed to do any of these while alive and was justly condemned.

Dives saw in hell what he never saw on earth. He was raging but not against injustice. When Abraham points out the contrast between his life and that of Lazarus, Dives knows he’s there justly and he knows he never repented.

So now he pleads for his brothers to be warned so they would repent and not end up as he is. For the first time he knows the truth but now it’s too late. Dives wanted Lazarus to return to his five brothers and warn them. But honestly, they would probably kill Lazarus for telling them their brother was in hell. How could he ever prove he was from the land of the dead?

As Abraham told Dives, if his brothers rejected Moses and the prophets, why would

they listen to this former poor man who begged food at their gate every day?! Point taken! If the Old Testament was sufficient then, how much more is our New Testament a sufficient revelation to escape hell and gain heaven by faith now In Jesus Christ?

But if a person rejects this New Covenant then all the evidence in the world will not move him.

One cold night in December of 1959 machine guns blazed and took down one Roger Toughy, a former member of Al Capone’s gang. He was shot down in front of his sister’s house in Chicago. It had been only 23 days since his release from prison but he knew too much about the underworld. They had a saying – dead men don’t talk. So down he went.

But as we have found – dead men do talk. People are still talking about Roger Toughy 65 years later – what exactly did he know? And in fact, Hebrews 11:4 tells us that “he being dead still speaks.” In other words – read the Living Word of God! It and the people therein will speak volumes to you about eternal life -heaven & hell. After all

– what have you got to lose?

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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In 1885 he bought nearly eight thousand acres just north of New York City for his forever home – a huge place he called “Arden.” The mansion alone was one hundred thousand square feet and sat on the top of Mount Oram with breathtaking views.

Today the mansion is an exclusive conference center with extra wide corridors, sprawling sitting rooms, beautiful courtyards & fountains, and lavish bedrooms. It’s one of the largest private homes in America.

Harrison moved into his sprawling mansion in early 1909 – and died there in September of that same year. He was just 61. He only enjoyed his version of paradise for a few months before death took it all away.

Life is truly an amazing journey but only if there’s a destination. Jesus gives us this promise in John 14 – “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you.” Heaven is a real and vibrant place. The word Jesus uses here is the Greek word topos, where we get our word ‘topography’ from. It refers to a literal location – a particular district, neighborhood, region or habitat.

The Greek word for ‘mansion’ simply means a place to stay, a dwelling or a home. Needless to say, mansion is a great word to describe a dwelling place in heaven. The Lord desires that none be left out of this incredible eternity with a place for all. And best of all this is not a temporary status for us! It’s our forever home!

There’s a great story about some kids who begged for a hamster. After the usual fervent vows that they alone would care for it, they got one. They named him Danny. Only 2 moths later, mom found herself responsible for cleaning & feeding the creature, so she located a prospective new home for it.

Mom was surprised that the kids took the news of Danny’s impending exit quite well, although one of them said, “He’s been around here a long time – we’ll miss him.” “Yes, but he’s too much work for one person and since I’m that one person, I say he goes.” Another child offered, “Well maybe if he wound’t eat so much and wouldn’t be so messy we could keep him.” But mom was firm. It’s time to take Danny to his new home now. Go get his cage.” With one uproar all the kids shouted, “Danny? We thought you said Daddy!”

Ouch! Pretty funny and thankfully the only qualification for our entrance and eternal stay in heaven is that we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. It’s pretty incredible to think how much He wants to be with us. Heaven is a prepared place or a prepared people, Hell on the other hand, is a prepared place for unprepared people.

Mathew 13 tells us that hell will be full of people “weeping and gnashing their teeth.” I remember someone once saying they believe these people are remembering each and every time someone told them about God. Every time they watched a preacher on TV

and scoffed, and every time someone invited them to church. What were they possibly thinking?!

So what’s your BS and where is it taking you? BS by the way stands for “Belief System.” We all have one. The good news is this = As Zakir Naik noted, “God created every human soul with knowledge of His existence. The psychological constitution of man is such that he accepts the existence of the Creator, unless he has been conditioned to believe the contrary!” As always – our choice!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCItychurch.org

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Everyone does dumb things from time to time. There are moments of genius in our lives that make us look amazing but those temporary flashes of pure genius will often be followed by times of sheer stupidity. It seems to be engrained on our human nature. Even the Apostle Paul said that the things he wanted to do he did not do, but instead did the ‘dumb’ things over and over again!

But people have been doing painfully dumb things since the beginning of time.

One of the things that actually authenticates Biblical stories is that they are real people acting real. When people did dumb things they didn’t try to cover it up. The Bible is full of moments that often leave us shaking our heads in disbelief. Think Adam & Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Remember Lot’s wife looking back at Sodom & Gomorrah and turning into a pillar of salt. And what about Noah getting drunk after all that grueling and exclusive time with his family on the ark. I think he just had an old-fashioned meltdown!

Everyone has the right to be dumb but some people abuse the privilege. Remember good ol’ John Wayne? He had a great one-liner that people still remember to this day: “Life is hard; it’s harder if you’re stupid.”

If you search through your Bible you will not find the word dumb or stupid although it’s filled with dumb actions and examples of people being stupid. The word that is most used to describe dumb things people do is foolish. Proverbs 18:2 tells us, “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” One translation tells us: “Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.”

Solomon wrote this thought-worthy verse in Proverbs 17: “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.” Why was Solomon so dramatic when it came to foolishness? Probably because his family was plagued with dumb choices. Just think about who Solomon’s parents were for a moment. His father was David and his mother was Bathsheba – two people from one of the dumbest mistakes in all of scripture.

Solomon no doubt watched the aftermath of his half sister being raped, his half brother killing another half brother and his brother Absolom attempting to overthrow David as King of Israel. Solomon also had to kill another of his half brothers because of insurrection The family definitely did not have a great track record for wise choices!

One day a golfer was hanging out at the local golf course when the club pro brought another man out for a lesson. The pro watched the fellow swing several times before making several suggestions for improvement, but each time the man interrupted with

his own version of what was wrong and how he could correct it. After a few minutes of this interference, the pro began nodding his head in agreement. At the end of the lesson, the student paid the pro, congratulated him on his expertise as a teacher and left.

The observer was so astonished by all this that he asked, “Why did you go along with him?” “Son,” the old pro said with a grin, “I learned a long time ago that it’s a waste of time to sell answers to a man who wants to only buy echoes.”

Proverbs 18 gives us keen insight here – “Those who answer before they listen are foolish.” But some dumb decisions can carry a hefty price tag with probably the biggest price tag being where you spend eternity. Psalm 14:1 reminds us that “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” We can deny God’s existence but guess what?! He’s still here!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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A man rode into town on Friday. He stayed for three nights and then left on Friday.

How is this possible?

Have you ever played these kind of games? Some of you may pause to figure them out and others will simply wonder what nut-case came up with this stuff?! Answer: someone who probably has way too much time on their hands. And…when you read the answers you will really dislike them. It’s actually called “lateral thinking.”

With our man in the elevator, the reason he would only go to the 6th floor on his return home is that this was the highest button he could reach on the elevator control panel. He was a short man. On days that it rained he had his umbrella with him so he could use the umbrella to punch in his 10th floor. The man on the horse? The man’s horse was named Friday!

So now that you’e got the hang of it, let’s try one more. On Friday night a man dies. He’s buried that same night. On Sunday morning his friends arrive at the grave only to discover his body is gone. What happened?

One of the problems of Jesus’ resurrection is that many people try to make sense out of everything that happened. Exactly how could Jesus die and then come back to life again? It doesn’t make any sense. No – it sure doesn’t make sense. How could our Creator love us so much that He would take our place in death and be our substitute? He lived the life we couldn’t live and died the dead we should have died. It’s hard to make sense of.

But questions have answers – if we look hard enough. Josh McDowell, a man who initially set out to disprove Christianity was asked, “Professor, why can’t you refute Christianity?” His reply? “For this simple reason – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” After more than seven hundred hours of studying and investigating the evidence, it only led him to God. Josh would later write his now-famous book, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict.” I could go on & on listing people who have sought God and come to his same conclusion.

Each apostle in the New Testament, except for John, died a martyr’s death. They died rather than recant their belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I don’t believe for a nano-second they would have died for a lie! Who would do that?! History has shown people will give their lives for what they believe is true but not die for what they know is false.

In an Indiana cemetery there lies a tombstone which reads: “Pause stranger, when you pass me by. As you are now son, once was I. As I am now, so you will be. So prepare for death and follow me.” An unknown passerby read those words and sketched beneath them: “To follow you I’m not content – Until I know which way you went.” Fair enough.

I always tell people that eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place! Easter Sunday is right around the corner – April 5th. The day we celebrate the resurrection of the One who took our place in death so we could have eternal life. You are invited to join us at 10 am for free coffee & donuts as we celebrate this amazing gift of life. As the sign on the back of the car for a home security business asks: “What have you got to lose?” Selah!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, Ca. For more information, you may contact them at Dpcitychurch.org

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The battle fought in the Fall is really won during the summer when they eat constantly. The moose who consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight in the fight. The lesson here? Spiritual battles await us all. Will we be victorious or will we fail? Much depends on what we do now – before the battle begins! And let’s face it – life seems to be a constant series of battles!

Warfare was a common occurrence in Biblical times. (As it is today.) God’s people often found themselves either preparing for a battle or recovering from one. Their enemies were numerous and relentless as they learned to lean on God. Proverbs 21 tells us: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle but victory belongs to the Lord.” We always need to remember our faith in Divine intervention during times of battle.

This little verse reminds us that regardless of human preparations or strategies in our battle, ultimate triumph lies with our Lord.

God never intended for us to live defeated lives. Jesus even declared, “I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” The Bible consistently presents the Christian life as one of victory to victory – not victory meaning the absence of difficulties. And our victorious life isn’t reserved just for spiritual superstars – it’s the normal Christian experience God intends for every believer.

And if you think about it – victory is both a position and a practice. We’re already victorious in Christ who conquered sin, death & Satan; practically, we experience that victory as we walk in obedience and dependence on Him. Understanding & applying Biblical practices enables us to walk out a victorious life. A bottom line here would be this: sometimes you win – sometimes you learn!

David in the Bible was such a man who understood all this. He killed a lion and a bear while protecting his sheep. But his battles – and victories – didn’t stop there. He went on to have a battle and a victory over Goliath. But his battle didn’t stop there either. In fact, it’s documented that David fought approximately 8 to 9 major battles during his lifetime. He literally went from battle to battle and victory to victory! David’s faith led him to fight against all odds, but it was God who provided the victories.

I Chronicles 20 tells us, “The Lord gave David victory over all his enemies.” ALL. That’s a lot. I want to be able to say at the end of my own life that God gave me victory over all my enemies! What is missing from David’s life is any verse telling us that after a battle David was surprised that he had yet another battle to fight. He wasn’t. It was battle after battle & victory after victory! No ‘one and done’ here. Which brings me to the point of this article…

In January my doctor informed me that I had lung cancer. Kinda a kick-in-the-gut for sure!! This will be my third time battling cancer. My first “go-to” here was, of course, God. I put the whole thing – again – into His competent hands. I have no doubt that He will give me yet another victory! As someone once noted, “There is no victory without

a war, no prize without a price, no crown without a cross.” So I’m geared up for yet another victory!

I absolutely love what Benson Idahosa has said about our battles: “Instead of seeing the storms…and living vulnerably to every physical plague that ravages human beings

– discover that God has become your companion for victory through life’s adversities.”

A favorite quote of mine to wind this all up = It’s your reaction to adversity – not adversity itself – that determines how your life’s story will develop! Selah!

The post The Crowned Warriors Journey appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Some days afterward the mate was keeping the log. After he had given their logistics, etc., he made this entry: “Captain sober today.” The angry captain protested when he read the record, declaring that it would leave an altogether false impression in the mind of the owner. But the mate answered as the captain had answered him, “This is the fact, and into the log it goes.”

How often do we not give the whole picture or tell the whole truth?! The challenge for Christ-followers is to do just that – tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But, of course that’s not always a popular thing to do, is it?! The famous singer/ songwriter Bob Dylan in his song, “Pressing On” says, Many try to stop me, shake me up in my mind. Say “Prove to me that He is Lord, show me a sign.” All people in their heart of hearts want to know about eternity – just give me a sign. Read the Bible – God has already placed eternity in our hearts. But unfortunately, few people pursue that final truth for their lives!!

I recently heard a poignant story about a professional singer, Ruthanna Metzgar, who was asked to sing for the wedding of a millionaire. She knew the wedding would be picture-perfect and was excited to be able to participate. The reception was held on the top two floors of Seattle’s Columbia Tower, the areas tallest skyscraper and when she arrived, it was even more wonderful than she had imagined.

Following the wedding ceremony, the bride & groom approached a beautiful glass & brass staircase that led to the top floor. A satin ribbon, which was draped across the bottom of the stairs, was cut and the announcement made that the wedding feast was about to begin. The bride & groom ascended the stairs and the guests followed.

A gentleman with a lovely bound book greeted Ruthanna and her husband as they reached the top of the stairs. “May I have your name please?” “I am Ruthanna Metzgar and this is my husband, Roy,” she replied. The gentleman searched and searched. “I’m not finding it. Would you spell it please?” Ruthanna spelled it slowly. But after searching throughout the book, he looked up and said “I’m sorry, but your name is not here. Without your name in this book you cannot attend this banquet.”

“Oh no, there must be some mistake,” she replied. “I’m the singer. I sang for this wedding!” The gentleman calmly answered, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you did. Without your name in the book you cannot attend this banquet.” The gentleman with the book motioned to a waiter and said, “Show these people to the service elevator please.” They followed the waiter past beautifully decorated tables laden with shrimp, whole smoked salmon, even gracefully carved ice sculptures.

Adjacent to the banquet area was an orchestra, the members all dressed in dazzling white tuxedos preparing to fill the room with glorious music.

They were led to the service elevator, stepped in, and the waiter himself pushed “G” for garage. As Ruthanna’s husband drove them home, he gently put his hand on her arm, “Sweetheart, what happened?” Then she remembered. When the invitation arrived for the reception, she was very busy and never bothered to return the RSVP. After all – she was the singer, surely she could go to the reception without returning the RSVP!

The truth is – one day we will all stand before our Creator and if our name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, we won’t be spending eternity with Him. You could be the most wonderful, giving, incredible person ever – but without Jesus Christ as your Savior, you cannot gain entrance. As A.W. Tozer rightly noted: “Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.”

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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So news flash! If you haven’t watched the news recently, President Trump gave ‘the finger’ to a heckler during a tour at a Ford plant in Michigan. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to USA Today, “A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage and the President gave an appropriate and unambiguous response.” I’m not too sure how appropriate his response was and I’m thinking Melania, no doubt, may have had some calmer advice for her man that evening at home!

So, when and where did our finger-signaling start? It seems that giving someone ‘the finger’ dates back over 2500 years. The first written record of the insult occurred in ancient Greece where the playwright Aristophanes made a crude joke using this gesture. When the Romans imported the art, music, and culture of the Greeks, ‘the finger’ came along too.

‘The finger’ eventually crossed the Atlantic and landed in the good ol’ USA. Even in early 20th century America, ‘the finger’ was the one symbol every man, woman, and child understood, and with the invention of the automobile, it could be delivered from behind the safety of glass & steel and at great speeds. Now farmers did it, hippies did it, and even our President has joined the act. Today is appears in films, school yards, and network television. I have come to the conclusion that this particular gesture is probably here to stay.

But that said – is this the only ‘finger’ gesture that’s available to us? After all – we have ten fingers! What about the other finger gesture? The one using our index finger and pointing straight up to heaven? Pointing the index finger up symbolizes a connection to the Divine. For Christ-followers, it points to heaven and reflects belief in one God.

Christian art often depicts saints & prophets raising their index finger toward heaven. Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” in the Sistine Chapel, famously shows God extending His own index finger to give life to Adam in the Garden of Eden. God’s index finger sent a powerful message of Divine life to mankind.

In 1962, when working for Reuters, Frederick Forsyth was posted in East Berlin where he nearly started WWIII. Returning home late one night, he found his path blocked by Soviet armored divisions – tanks, rocket-launchers, motorized infantry – all rumbling along in the deep dead of night. As soon as he reached his telex, he filed a story that a Russian assault on West Berlin was imminent. Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the British prime minister at the time, and President Lyndon Johnson had to be woken up.

NATO was also put on red alert. Then a wise old hand at Reuters in London suggested that Frederick check to see if perhaps this was a rehearsal for the upcoming May Day Parade. Oops – yes, it was!

Simply by sending a wrong message, Frederick almost blew up the world. People don’t need to agree with your political message in order to be saved. Not everyone will like the way you maneuver your trolley but they can still be forgiven and loved by God. Honesty – everyday, we are sending out some kind of message!

Without doubt, there will still be those who drive & gesture and rant & gesture, but as Christ-followers, we can use a different finger and deliver a very different message! Maybe the next time someone gives you ‘the finger’ you can give them a big ol’ smile and give them ‘the other finger.‘ Selah!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

The post Just give ‘um ‘The Finger’ appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

This actually isn’t far for the truth as counterfeiters take to the world market to make their bucks! In fact, a major investigation recently revealed that Amazon has listed “thousands of banned, unsafe, or mislabeled products.” Everything from children’s products to electronics.

We’ve probably all seen the counterfeit products sold at open air markets and from street vendors. Everything from fake designer purses, sunglasses, pharmaceutical drugs, and Smart phones – these products are everywhere. So, it shouldn’t really surprise us when our Christmas gets counterfeited as well.

You hear things like – it’s all about the joy…or the tree…the family, the lights..or even Santa. But these are all just garnish to our holiday. Truth be told – it’s all about Jesus Christ. Thus, CHRISTmas! A big clue there!! Jesus is still the reason for the reason!

Myth #1 about counterfeited goods: “You know something is fake when the price is too good to be true.” If you go to a flea market this weekend and find a Coach purse for $15 you can bet it’s not really a Coach purse. It’s counterfeit. Christmas works in much the same way.

Decorate a tree, storm the stores in search of the perfect gift, jazz up your home for festivities — and then party-hardy! But is that it? Was that blur of activity really Christmas? Hardly. Don’t fall for that Xmas scam! The sacrifice that Christ made for us to gain salvation is beyond anything we can pay for. It cost Him His life. As they say – “Salvation is free but it wasn’t cheap!”

Myth #2 about counterfeiting is – “The worst that can happen is that you lose some money.” But fake goods can cause health & safety issues – far worse than lost cash.

Gov’t agencies have reported finding bacteria, human waste, and rodent droppings in counterfeit cosmetics. And some electrical products are so poorly designed that they pose a risk of lethal electrocution.

Again – pushing a fake Xmas works in much the same way. How many people believe they “get’ Christmas when the thought of needing a Redeemer is miles away from their thinking? The ultimate cost? Eternity lost. The ultimate myth is that Christmas is just a cheery holiday when actually it gave us the ultimate ‘gift of a lifetime’ – if said gift is accepted!

Christmas is the good news that the angels brought to the shepherds that cold night over 2000 years ago: “Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you which is Christ the Lord…” The’s the real thing!

There’s a story told of Napoleon and his soldiers who conquered an island in the Mediterranean Sea – they had fought hard to take this island. After its capture – at the price of many lives – Napoleon and his generals gathered for a celebration. As they sat around a great table, they were interrupted by a young officer. Napoleon looked

curiously at him, “What do you want?” The young man replied, “Give me this island!” The generals began to laugh – they couldn’t believe he was forward enough to ask Napoleon for this hard won island.

But then Napoleon turned to one of his aids and asked for a pen & paper. He wrote out a deed to the island, signed it, and gave it to the young man – leaving the generals stunned. “How could you do that?” one of them asked. “What made him worthy to receive this great island?” “I gave him this island,” Napoleon replied, “because he honored me by the magnitude of his request.”

Are we asking big enough this Christmas? Are we looking for nicknacks when we could be looking for our Savior? As that famous line from the Grinch goes…”What if Christmas doesn’t come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?” Think he got it right?

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information., you may contact them at DPCitychuch.org

The post Holiday Heist appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

So, with Halloween now in the rear view mirror, Thanksgiving is now within sniffing distance – in a good way. Turkey Tom and cranberry sauce are now on the horizon!

So what is the strangest thing you ever remember eating? My youngest daughter, at age two, tried to eat a worm, and my hubby once ate chocolate covered crickets. But neither of those comes close to what Michel Lotito devoured!

According to funfactz.com, between 1959 and 1997, Michel ate almost nine tons of inedible and dangerous junk. He consumed eleven bicycles, seven shopping carts, a metal coffin, a cash register, a washing machine, a TV, and sixty-six feet of chain.

Then he decided to tackle a big-ticket item; he ate an entire airplane – an old Cessna – which took him two years to consume. Michel died in 2007 at the age of fifty-seven, the official cause of death being a heart attack. I don’t know – fifty-seven is incredibly young these days – could he perhaps have been consuming “junk food” that, in the end, took him out?!

If you are living on this planet, you have no doubt heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” It dates to 1826 when Antheime Brillat-Savarin wrote: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” It’s true so it stuck! Our physical health depends on good nutrition! If we eat lousy food then down the road we will pay the price. I mean, who wants to be a walking “candy bar” or an “airplane?” A body can’t function at its best on a diet of junk food, and this same principle holds true for our spiritual health.

Let’s face it – garbage in, garbage out. Just as there’s junk “food” in abundance, there’s junk news, junk gossip, junk TV, and junk media. What are we intentionally putting into ourselves? The Bible reminds us in Matthew 12, “Whatever is in your heart determines what you say,” and really, whatever you put into your heart eventually determines what you think and do.

As someone once observed: “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Your words become actions; your actions become habits; your habits become character, and our character becomes our destiny.”

Albert Einstein said he wanted to know God’s thoughts. I do too – that’s why I read God’s book – a bestseller, by the way! The Bible teaches us in Psalms that, “The fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.” If we feed on this “bread of life,” we will end up spiritually healthy.

Most of you will remember the 2004 movie “Super-Size me,” featuring Morgan Spurlock. In it, he chronicled a radical experiment on himself that few would be tempted to follow. For an entire month, he ate all his meals at McDonald’s. He pulled up to the Golden Arches three times a day and ordered breakfast, lunch, and dinner, At month’s end, Morgan had gained 30 pounds, his cholesterol was off the charts, and his doctor warned him to immediately change his eating habits if he intended to continue living on this earth. Experiment over!

The good news with all this is that we can choose our influencers! Proverbs 4:23 urges us to “Guard our heart above all else, for it determines the course of our life.”

One translation advises us to “Guard our heart more than any treasure.” That’s how important it is.

I once heard of a man who borrowed a book from a friend, hoping it would prove to be a life-changing read. When the book was returned, the friend found the letters YBH written many times in the margins. Curious, he asked the borrower what YBH meant? His friend replied that the book was a terrific read and could have been life-changing except for one thing – it lacked the “how to’s” – thus the YBH – “Yes, But How?” abbreviation.

The YBH for people seeking spiritual growth and success is easy. In a nutshell – the word of God is the will of God. So please – choose your “food” wisely!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org

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