A visitor to a mental hospital was astonished to note that there were only three guards watching over a hundred dangerous inmates. He asked his guide, "Don't you fear that these people will overpower the guards and try to escape?" "No," was the reply. "Lunatics never unite." So, how important is unity? Should we be concerned that there is no unity in D.C., or for that matter nowhere else in the world? Let me be truthful with you: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matthew 12:25). It will soon self-destruct. A man asked his young son to break a bundle of sticks. He returned a little later to find the lad very frustrated in the task. He had raised the bundle high and smashed it on his knee, but he only bruised his knee. He had set the bundle against a wall and stomped hard with his foot, but the bundle barely bent. The father took the bundle from his son and untied it. Then he began to break the sticks easily--one at a time. So it is with the nation and our family. United together we are strong, but divided or separated we can be easily broken. It is obvious that there is an ominous spirit at work dividing and destroying everything that is wholesome. Today, it is easier to divide than it is to unite which is true in every facet of life. We are severed politically, socially, racially, and you name it. Unity is going the way of the cuckoo bird. I truly believe that we are living in the day that Jesus so clearly foresaw: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places" (Matthew 24:7). Only a blind man would not be able to see this. For safety reasons, mountain climbers rope themselves together when climbing a mountain. That way, if one climber should slip and fall, he would not fall to his death. He would be held by the others until he could regain his footing. And the purpose of the church is to hold the people together in unity so when one member slips and falls, the others will hold him up until he regains his footing. But I'm sorry to say that even the church is experiencing disunity. The people can't seem to get along. The story is told of two students that graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton, and when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had first met one another in school when the armless Kaspryzak, had guided the blind Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books that the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the deficiency of each individual was compensated for by the other's ability. We too must unite for the benefit of ourselves, family, and nation. For more info you can visit us at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com. H. Woody Bailey writes, "On a rainy day, five year old Sandi peered out the front window. Although she had been bored for a time, suddenly her eyes lit up. She had spotted something fascinating in the dreary scene as water ran along the gutter. In a puddle, oily slicks coated the surface with patches of blues, reds, yellows, and greens. 'Look,' she squealed, 'A rainbow in the water all gone smash.'" Life brims with rainbow scenes, but plans sometimes go to smash. Each new dawn comes to us, awaiting our reaction, whether it arrives in golden brilliance or in subdued sullen streaks of rain clouds. What comes our way may not be our choice, but our reaction is! Not every day is flooded with sunshine, but that's all right. Life offers a mix of sunshine and rain. Like our own unpredictable moods, the mix should keep us alert and ready. While rainy days get the poorest press, they could actually bring the greatest joy. There are days that life seems to rage at us. Nothing seems to go right. Will we be destroyed or will we find ways to deal with the problems? Everyone deals with the rainy day episode differently. Some run away as fast as they can to hide while others splash in the rain, laughing, and dancing in it. There will be days in all of our lives when gentle raindrops keep falling on our head. But again, that's not necessarily bad. Why do I say that? Rain helps things to grow with refreshing abundance. And life's little annoying raindrops can help you and me to grow--depending on our attitude. I have found that our attitude can be more detrimental than the rain. Growing up means being hit on the head by other people's criticism or truisms. But taken in the right context, harsh words dropped on us could cause us to flourish, bear fruit, and even win against terrible odds. So, whether the rain comes at us as drops, hail, or torrents, the best way to deal with it is always the way that Jesus taught in Matthew 5: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Life is full of smashed rainbows, but maybe some of those smashed rainbows are just what we need. Possibly they will awaken us to the fact that we can do better or even start over. It all depends on our demeanor. A few days ago I was giving God thanks for all my past challenges, because they have actually made me stronger. I retain the attitude that God will take the curse of the enemy and turn it into a blessing. Sure-enough He does! Has your rainbow gone to smash? Well, pick up the pieces, stay positive, trust God to come through for you, stay on track, move on with your purpose in life. The future has gone nowhere, so don't miss it. Stay in control of yourself! For more info you can visit us at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com |
Pastor J.C. Myers, III
Pastor J.C. founded Joy Christian Ministries in 1992. He was Sr. Pastor at Joy Christian Ministries in West Sacramento, California from 1992-2016. He was succeeded by his 2nd son, Pastor Brandon Myers who had been under his father's ministry and teaching for 39 years. Archives
February 2017
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