I missed writing this morning.  Sorry.  Will post tomorrow.

Oddly enough, I have never owned a red-letter edition of the Bible.  (The red is for the actual words of Jesus.)  But recently when I was in Tulsa, there was a sign for a garage sale where there were tables full of books.  A minister of the gospel had died and his estate was on sale.  I bought a number of Bibles. They  were pristine, very expensive onion skin editions--on sale for three dollars each.  I must have bought a dozen or more.  If I had bought them in a store, they would have cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars.  

I gave most of them away.  But there was one that was a red-letter edition.  I kept it for myself and have really enjoyed thumbing through it and taking note of the words of Jesus that are written in red.

We discuss the words and letters of Paul, Peter, James, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John…etc.  But we don't possibly give as much attention to what Jesus said as we do to what others "said that Jesus said."  Perhaps because Jesus never wrote anything.  Everything we know about Jesus is from those who knew him.

There is a book of the gospels that has the four authors lined up in parallel.  It makes it easy to see what Matthew, Mark, Luke and John remembered. You can see the differences in what each of them thought was important.  What each of them recalled.    Their personalities show in what they chose to document.  They didn't all recall the same stories, or sayings of Christ.

In looking at the red letters today, a couple of verses caught my attention.   Matthew 6: 7-8  "But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.  For they think that they shall be heard for their 'much' speaking.  Don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him."

God just wants to hear your voice.  That's what Jesus himself said.  It is written in red.

There are two more verses I want to share and then I am through with Hebrews for awhile.  One of the verses you have heard it before.  Heb. 13:8  "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."  This simply assures us that Christ will not change.  He is perfect.  He will fulfill all of his promises that he has made to us.

The next one is Heb. 13:15  "... let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name."

There are two things we have to do just because God deserves it.  Praise him continually.  And Give thanks to him.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 puts it this way.  "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  It does not say concerning "us".  It says concerning "you".  It is personal.  It is God's will.  It also doesn't say "...for everything give thanks."  It says "...in everything give thanks."  In every situation we need to find something to be thankful for.

There is nothing that will help you grow like a thankful heart.  And even though you may have sorrow, difficulties and sadness in some way, there is still something to be thankful for.  Today, my back is killing me.  Old age and arthritis.  But I have eyes.  I can see.  I have legs.  I can walk.  I love the fact that I have hot water.  And a microwave.   And dishwasher.  I have a home, a car, money for gas...I could go on for ever with the blessings I enjoy.  I'll just take some some Tylanol for my back.  And be thankful there is something that will help!!!

God wants us to think in a thankful manner because it changes us.  If you concentrate on what is wrong, you will kill the joy of living.

Thank you God, that someone out there is reading this.  It gives meaning to my life. I feel like I have a purpose.   Maybe it will help someone.

The book of Hebrews ends with a blessing. Hebrews 13: 20-21 "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever.  Amen."

Make you perfect.  To do his will.  Those things that are well pleasing in his sight.  Which reminds me of something that happened Sunday.

I have been arranging for special music in the early service at our church.  We have so much talent that if I use everyone I know about, it will take four months to go through them all!!  God be praised.

This Sunday we had a special blessing.  Telia Summy, pianist and soloist extraordinaire, and her husband Don Lewis sang, (Yes, from the Country Hall of Fame).  He played the guitar.  But what made it such a blessing is that we have know Telia since she was very young and have as a church prayed for her and Don through the years.  She grew up here.

He played with Johnny Lee Wills, Bob Wills, the Waylen Jennings Band and Sammie Smith ( who sang "Take the Ribbon From My Hair") until a terrible car wreck destroyed him.  He couldn't swallow, chew, use the right side of his body or care for himself.  Telia and her family cared him for years as he learned to do everything all over again.  The worst thing was that he could no longer remember how to play the guitar.  At all.  But he refused to give up.  He learned to play again with one hand.  He is better than anyone I have heard in years.  He can't speak very well, but he can play.  And such an inspiration.  Telia believed in him until he could believe in himself again.

Watching Don and Telia on Sunday was such a blessing.  They sing in churches all over Oklahoma and bring joy everywhere they go.  What an inspiration they both are.

And that is your blessing today.  Their story.  If it doesn't bless you, well, I give up.

Hebrews 13: 7, 9a  "Remember your leaders who have taught you the Word of God.  Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and try to trust the Lord as they do…So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas.  Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God, not from ceremonial rules…"

The leaders tomorrow will be you.  The leaders of today have taught you the Word of God.
Watch their lives.  Do what they have done.  But be careful.  Make sure you are following a person who uses the Bible as their guide, not the random, unnecessary, ceremonial  rules of some church.

Paul put it this way:  "Dear brothers, pattern your lives after mine, and notice who else lives up to my example.  For I have told you often before, and I say it again now with tears in my eyes, there are many who walk along the Christian road who are really enemies of the cross of Christ."  Philippians 17-18.

Basically, we are to be in the company of strong leaders.  Strong Christians.  And we are to grow up and be the same.  And be careful not to follow the wrong people.  Enemies of the cross.

Ken used to say, "Tell me who you are running with and I will tell you what you are doing."  That is so true.  You may have to drop a friend or two.  I did.  I had a friend who always had something bad to say about others.  I found that when I was with her, I had difficult time not joining in.  Which was wrong, ungodly, not loving, and certainly not a Christian behavior.  So, I had to ease myself out of that relationship.  I want to be around positive people because I want to  be positive.  I want to see the good in others, not the bad.  I want to be with people who make me better.

And finally, the writer says that our spiritual strength is a gift from God.  It comes from applying what we know and building spiritual muscles.

Someone is following you.  Watching you.  Are you leading them in the right direction?

Hebrews 13:14 "For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven."

My mom had Alzheimer's disease.  When dad couldn't care for her any longer (she would get up in the night and take the car and go--somewhere--and then was lost) he found a unit that cared exclusively for Alzheimer patients.  A place that had monitored doors so that their patients couldn't wander away.

My mom taught mathematics for years and years.  She was really good at it and her students loved her. She had a pleasant, cheerful disposition.  She never complained about anything.

One day when I went to the Alzheimers unit, she had pulled a long table into position and placed chairs around it and had all the other patients sitting around it.  She was teaching them math.  They weren't learning anything, but she was giving it all she had.  She looked up as I came in and said, "Janie, these people don't want to learn anything!!"

She couldn't remember my dad coming to see her.  She couldn't remember much of anything.  But she didn't know how to quit trying.  She was something.

I am glad this world isn't her home anymore.  She is in an everlasting home where everyone wants to learn.  I, for one, can't wait to find out how the worlds were made.  How cells divide and make a human person. How dinosaurs lived.  I have a million questions.

My body is a mess.  But I think my mind is okay.  So far.  I want to learn.

Alzheimers is the disease that kills the family of the patient.  I know some of you out there must be dealing with it.  You have my prayers.

Hebrews 13:5-6  "Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have.  For God has said, 'I will never, never fail you nor forsake you:'"  The writer continues:  "That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, 'The Lord is my helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me'."

When you are young you are so attracted by things.  The "in" thing.  The "new" thing.  This year's car. Different clothes. Etc., etc., etc.  But when you reach my age, your wants are very simple.  The things that money can buy have very little allure.  I don't want a new house, I actually need a smaller house.  I don't want a new car, I just want the one I have to be full of gas.  I don't want to redecorate, I want to get rid of things that serve no purpose and have to be dusted.

Since Ken died, I have realized that everything I did to make our home pretty and attractive was because it was "Our" home.  Now that it is just mine, I have very little interest in decorating.  I want less.  I need less.

In King James, the verse from Hebrews 13:5 says it this way:  "Let your conversation be without covetousness…"  Living Bible says: "Stay away from the love of money…"  Either translation tells us that the more we want, the more we want.  There is no end to it.

Simplify.  Simplify.  Be satisfied with what you have.  God isn't going to let you down.  He is in it for the long haul.  He will "never, never leave you or forsake you."

That's good news.