Not much going on that's new with me right now. Tennis is going well. Enjoyed being with the folks at Kelly Spring Road in a gospel meeting week before last. Other than that it's the same old same old. So, here's a bulletin article from tomorrow's bulletin. If you have the time to read it, hope you find it edifying.

Severe Trial & Temptation Preparedness

The week of February 22nd was severe weather preparedness week here in Alabama. Each year during this week the National Weather Service tries to inform citizens about how to stay safe during the inevitable thunderstorms, wind storms, hail, flooding and tornadoes that we experience every year.

Preparing for the inevitable is wise. It saves lives. When it comes to spiritual matters, being prepared can save souls.

Trials and temptations from Satan are inevitable in the lives of Christians. Are we prepared? Here are some handy tips from above on how to be prepared:
1. Keep a watchful eye. The devil can strike at any moment. Just as storm clouds can pop up quickly on what begins as a clear day, temptations can arise from unexpected places, and trial and hardship can appear in forms that we never expected. When the weather is potentially bad, we’ll keep an eye on the television radar screen and an ear out for the warning sirens. Spiritually we must also “be vigilant” -- the devil can strike at any time (1 Peter 5:8)
2. Take shelter in a well-built structure. If our lives have only flimsy temporary shelters, like money or pleasure, we have no refuge when hard times come. An economic downturn, health problems, or age can leave us unprotected and vulnerable. But lives constructed on the words of Jesus have the strength to withstand the storms. Jesus said that “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).
3. Be aware that dangerous conditions can be deceptive. We frequently hear of occupied vehicles being swept away in flood waters because drives attempted to drive through water that didn’t appear to be that deep. The devil is deceptive (Revelation 12:9). He’ll try to make you think that a sin is not really all that dangerous. We must be aware of this. We must not be “ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Sin, like the water on the road, may only appear to be inches deep, but it can carry us away and drown us. In 1 Timothy 6:9 Paul warns us about “many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
4. Wear protective clothing. Very cold weather can and does kill people, often because they are not properly clothed. While we don’t have a lot of that kind of weather here in Alabama, any hunter can tell you the importance of wearing clothes that protect from the elements. The Bible says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
5. Trust your rescuer. The Coast Guard and other emergency response agencies have personnel trained in rescue. Flood victims must trust their rescuers. When you are on top of a house or vehicle surrounded by water, you’ve got no other choice. God is our rescuer. He knows how to pull us out of temptation. “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Peter 2:9). We should trust Him and call on Him to “deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).
Like storms, trials and temptations will come. Are you prepared?

A man who was a smoker was visiting his mother one day. A couple of hours into the visit, she noticed he hadn't once lit up a cigarette. “Are you trying to kick the habit?” she asked.
“No,” he replied. “I have a cold, and I don't smoke when I'm not feeling well.”
“You know,” she observed, "you'd probably live longer if you were sick more often."

As ironic as it sounds, there are some health benefits that come from knowing that you’re sick. You may temporarily quit an unhealthy habit. You may make a long overdue visit to the doctor. You may get more rest, drink more healthy liquids, and eat better foods. You may get someone to help you with daily tasks that you’ve become too weak to do for yourself.

The same is true in the spiritual realm...

Ever seen one of those big black and orange striped ants? They're called "cow killers" because their sting is so painful. One crawled into my locker at the gym today and onto my neatly wadded up t-shirt. When I put the shirt on, it stung me on the arm. I lived. I'm no cow.

What can I say? I found a good thing.

In first century Palestine, it was a common practice for entire families to be buried in the same tomb. When someone died, they'd place the body on a shelf (niche) inside the tomb, let it decay for a year or so, and then put the bones in a bone box (called an ossuary). Several skeletons could be put in the same box, thus conserving space in the tomb; so several generations could use the same tomb. In 1990, the family tomb of Caiaphas was discovered near Jerusalem, and a number of skeleton-filled ossuaries were found -- scholars believe that Caiaphas' bones are in one of the ossuaries. This leads me to observe that the family that decays together stays together.
Oddly, while the bones of Caiaphas have been found, the bones of Jesus whom Caiaphas had killed, cannot be located.