No. 1 Mar 31, 1997 Absolutely Free

Show me the money. A man can go to college, and not get smart. He can go to chefs' school, and still be a lousy cook. You can go to art or music school, and still have no talent. Yet some people with no schooling, are smart, can cook, sculpt, and sing.

That doesn't mean that there's no use for those schools.

Likewise, a person can go to church all their life, and be anything but holy. Yet another person who has never been to church, may possess all of the righteous qualities of a saint. That doesn't mean that there's no use for church.

A common attitude is: "I don't need things explained to me, and I don't need a hand-out, so I don't need church. Besides, I'm not a hypocrite, so I wouldn't fit in there." It's like saying, "I'm not sick, therefore I have no reason to go to the hospital."

Those are all very sound arguments. But none of them have anything to do with why a person should want to go to church, which is: Jesus is there.

You don't agree? In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." The Bible says to "Forsake not the gathering together of the brethren" (Heb 10:25). Where besides church do you know of, that people gather in His name, to find Him?

"But I'm not a 'church' person." Outstanding! Then He can use you. In Jesus' day, the religious crowd despised the non-religious crowd. Sound familiar?

Yet when a sinner would stray into their midst, risking their scorn, because they believed in Jesus, and were looking for Him: Jesus praised them for their faith, in front of all the church people (Matt 8:10-12, 15:28, Luke 17:18+19, 19:9).

So Jesus may not want you to go to church to have things explained to you. But He might want you to go, so that through you, He can demonstrate to over-religi-fied people, what actually pleases Him: not to be helped by them, but to help them.

What pleases Him is faith (Heb 11:6), expressed in action (James 1:22), producing glory for God (John 15:8). But He needs you for it to work. You go to work, and the store despite the fools and hypocrites there. Won't you go to church too, for Jesus? In contrast to what He did for you, it's not a big thing. And He did it Absolutely Free.

No. 2 Apr. 7, 1997 Absolutely Free

My 3 Sons. One day, you look outside, and see your 3 sons, Elroy, Kilroy, and Leroy, playing outside with their friend Bob. You think to yourself, "I want to do something nice for my boys, just to say, 'I love you guys'."

So you go out and shout, "Hey boys! I'm gonna take you out for ice cream later, so don't run off!" Then you overhear them talking by the window: Elroy says, "Whoop-dee-doo, ice cream. Excuse me if I don't jump up and shout, 'Yippee'."

Kilroy says, "I don't see why you guys get ice cream: I mowed the lawn. You didn't." Leroy says, "Why can't I have mine now? If we're gonna get ice cream, let's get on with it!" So they all march inside, talking over each other, whining, "It's not fair."

So you duck outside to breathe, instead of going ballistic, and find Bob sitting on your stoop. You say, "The boys have gone in: why are you hangin' around?" He answers, "I like it here. You're so nice: I wish I had parents that would buy me ice cream."

What would your next move be?

Well, if you were God, you'd buy Bob a banana split, with goodies dripping all over it, and let him eat it in front of your boys, who would go hungry (Ps 23:5, Matt 8:11+12). God rewards gratitude, and punishes haughtiness (1 Pet 5:5+6).

The Bible tells how to become a child of God (John 1:12). There are those who, supposing that they have accomplished this, take it for granted, then start sniveling, because they're not content with what they got out of the deal (Heb 3:9-12).

God offers His mercy to us, freely, to demonstrate His love for us (1 John 3:16, 4:9). It's not something we have to earn: in fact there's nothing we can do to deserve it (Eph 2:8+9). Our response to His offer demonstrates our attitude toward Him.

Bob was the only kid who responded appropriately. He appreciated God for having made the offer. The other boys took it upon themselves to evaluate the offer (James 4:11), to point out it's flaws, and to give it conditions to match their personal slant.

There are no flaws or conditions to God's offer of love through Jesus: you can accept it with gratitude, or reject it. That's it. Those who respond appropriately, God adopts as children (Gal 4:4-6, 1 John 3:1), Absolutely Free.

No. 3 Apr. 14, 1997 Absolutely Free

The Mark of Zeno. Zeno was a philosopher, circa 500 b.c., who developed a form of argument called a paradox. In a paradox, logic contradicts reality.

For example, if a man can run 10 times as fast as a tortoise, and he chases one; by the time he gets to the place where the tortoise was when he began chasing it, the tortoise will have moved 1/10th that distance ahead.

As the chase continues, every time the man reaches the point where the tortoise just was, the tortoise has again moved 1/10 that distance further. Thus, logic dictates that it is impossible for the man to ever catch the tortoise.

No one could refute the logic of this argument until the 1800's, when calculus was developed. Mathematicians resolved the puzzle, 23 centuries later. But the argument is only believable in philosophy, not in reality.

In reality, all you would have to do is to catch a tortoise, show it to a philosopher, and say, "There, see?" That should silence all arguments.

But not all philosophers would be convinced. Some geniuses get so caught up in the beauty of their argument, that they refuse to acknowledge reality. Those people are called fools (Rom 1:22). Try convincing one that there's a God.

They'll tell you, "There's no way for you to prove that there's a God, so ha, ha" (Ps 14:1). Jesus is God, and they argued with Him (Luke 11:53+54). So, He simply performed miracles, providing proof (John 10:32).

Did that convince them? Of course not: they were fools. He still wants to prove to people that He exists, and is real. He wants to do it through you (Eph 3:17-19). Relax, you don't have to know philosophy, theology, or calculus.

He prefers the reality demonstrations better. All He wants you to do is develop a 1-on-1 relationship with Him through prayer (2 Cor 5:20). Then His spirit will be in you (John 14:17). The activity of His spirit in your life, will prove that He is real.

And when others see His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, coming to the surface in your life (Gal 5:22+23), they should want the same in theirs. It's available to them, Absolutely Free.

No. 4 Apr. 21, 1997 Absolutely Free

Acceptance guaranteed. What did you have to do to qualify for membership in your family? Anything? No, parents should provide food, clothing, housing, etc., for their children, good or bad. Some also supply children with an allowance.

Some kids are older, some younger. Some are very helpful, and do chores without being told. Some won't do any chores, even when they are told.

Isn't it reasonable to apportion to each one a different allowance, based on how old, and cooperative they are? Or must you give each child the same allowance, whether they're an infant or teen, hard-working and trustworthy, or lazy, rude, and rotten?

Isn't the answer obvious? Yet people have quibbled over what God should do in this same situation for centuries. Some say that you are rewarded according to your works, while others say no, that salvation is free; you can't work towards it.

The truth is: all of the above. The confusion stems from people mistaking salvation as a reward. But the Bible distinguishes between the two (1 Cor 3:15).

The Bible describes Heaven as having streets of transparent gold, walls of precious stones, gates carved out of single gargantuan pearls, and it all glows in the dark with glory (Rev 21:19-23). There are also different levels to Heaven (2 Cor 12:2).

Jesus went there to prepare a place for those who believe in Him (John 14:2). When you come to faith in Jesus, acknowledging Him as your Lord and Savior, He accepts you into the family of God (John 1:12). That's salvation.

Salvation is joining the family (Gal 4:4-6). It's a free gift, just like when you joined the family you're in now; you don't do anything to qualify for it (Eph 2:8+9). But your reward is the allowance you'll get when you get there (Rev 22:12).

Jesus taught that we will be rewarded according to our works (Matt 16:27), and that we should do things to increase our allowance (Matt 6:20). Some people in God's family are "nicer" than others, and will get greater rewards (Matt 25:14-29).

Some who aren't in God's family, will get greater punishments than others (Luke 12:48). Don't go there. Believe in Jesus and bear His name: Christian. He will clothe you, and house you on streets of gold, Absolutely Free.

No. 5 Apr. 28, 1997 Absolutely Free

Take 2 of these, and call me in the morning. When a person is healthy, they don't think, "Y'know, I think I'd really rather be barfing in the john right about now" or, "Oh I wish I had a fever." Such flu symptoms are unpleasant.

When you have the flu, you do things you don't want to, like barfing, and can't do things you want to, like go out and play. So if people don't like to throw-up, yet they do it anyway, it must not be something that they do by choice. It must be something that the flu that is in them causes to happen.

Scripture tells us that another disease comes with our flesh: sin (Rom 7:23). We inherited it from our forefathers, just like other traits, such as skin color (Rom 5:12, 1 Cor 15:21+23). We didn't earn it with our first sin, it caused our first sin.

It's the same as saying, "I don't have the flu because I throw-up: I throw-up because I have the flu." Just as you can't just decide not to have the flu, and it will go away; neither can you simply decide not to have sin (1 John 1:8).

As a result of your condition, you wind-up doing things you wish you didn't, and don't do things that you wish you did. But it's not because that's the way you choose for it to be, it's because of the sin that dwells in you (Rom 7:15-17).

But just as you can go to the pharmacy and get stuff to treat the symptoms of the flu, you can also go to Jesus, and get stuff to treat the symptoms of sin in your life. It's called grace (John 1:17). But many people fear that God is mad at them for their sins.

God doesn't like sin, just like doctors don't like the flu, but they care for the patients. The whole reason God walked the earth as Jesus was because He loved sinners, and wanted to help them (Rom 5:8, 1 Tim 1:15), not punish them (John 3:17).

But to say, "I can do anything, and ask for forgiveness, because Jesus understands," is incorrect also (Rom 6:1+2). If a doctor treats you, then gives you advice to avoid re-infection; but you ignore the advice, he will hold you responsible (John 5:4).

If you were stricken with the flu, you would welcome relief. If you tell a doctor what's wrong with you, he will treat you for a fee. But if you confess your sins to Jesus, He will treat you (1 John 1:9), Absolutely Free.

No. 6 May 5, 1997 Absolutely Free

Just a bunch of hype. Suppose that you invented a soda that would cause peoples' bodies to burn fat. They would have more energy, and lose weight. One glass would speed up a person's metabolism for 24 hours. You could drink more, but it would have no more effect. So you decide to test market it at a fast-food restaurant.

A week later, you visit the restaurant. You find that people have been abusing your product. They are drinking 20 glasses of it, so they can eat twice as much without gaining weight. Then they're gaining weight instead of losing it.

But people were supposed to use the extra energy to be more active, not to eat twice as much. Now people begin to suspect that you're a fraud, and people who could use it are not buying it, because others are misusing it.

Wouldn't that be frustrating? Wouldn't you want to get up and scream at them, "No! You idiots! You've missed the whole point! You don't know what you're doing! You're making me look like a criminal!"?

That's what Jesus did. Ever since the Garden of Eden, men have had a problem with sin. So, God gave Moses a list of instructions to help deal with the problem. He marketed His product a place called the Tabernacle, or Temple.

But the people there said, "Gee, if obeying these rules makes a person holy, we'll make twice as many rules, and be twice as holy." So they even made rules that violated rules that God had made, to be holy (Matt 15:6).

Meanwhile they were more evil than the people known as sinners. They had missed the point (Matt 23:23). One day, Jesus went into the temple, and found these crooks ripping people off, in the name of being holy. (John 2:13).

He pitched a fit: He flipped their tables over, scattering their wares, and He made a whip out of cords, and drove them out of the temple (John 2:15). He chewed them out because their actions made God look bad (Matt 21:13). Hooray for Jesus!

Deception for profit still goes on today (Rom 2:24). But don't let the crooks keep you from seeking out the true God, and His Son Jesus Christ. He warned us that there would be con-artists (Matt 7:15, Acts 20:29), but salvation is Absolutely Free.

No. 7 May 12, 1997 Absolutely Free

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. Then again, if you do succeed, by all means, do it again. Hmm. Humans are creatures of habit. It's a demonstrable fact of human behavior, that we repeat what we think works.

For example, a young person goes drinking, they get feeling goofy, and have a great time. So it clicks in their mind: beer = goofy fun... dig it! The next time, they go anticipating the same wild time. Well, it is OK, but not as fun.

Why not? Well, maybe they need to drink more. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. You've seen the 60-year old men in bars who have squandered their entire adult lives, pursuing the elusive happy buzz that they had once before.

They've merely been repeating the same behavior, based on a flawed premise: beer = fun. Or for others it's: dope = fun. Or, "Hey, if 2 hits of trip make things change shape, I wonder what 6 hits will do." Doof.

People are seeking relief. Many think that the lottery, would bring it. Pop quiz: are most psychiatrists' patients rich, or poor? Rich? Gee, that doesn't click with: money = happy. Yet people need friends, and fun, and to cast off their cares, and worries.

When you get tired of chasing your tail, yet not being relieved, consider these words: Come unto me [Jesus] all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt 11:28-30).

...I [Jesus] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (Jn. 10:10). ...But I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you (Jn. 15:15).

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1 Pet 5:7). ...[do not worry about to] morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself (Matt 6:34). ...Yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pet 1:8).

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Php 4:7). If you're not succeeding in finding relief apart from Jesus, don't try again. Jesus offers relief to you, Absolutely Free.

No. 8 May, 19, 1997 Absolutely Free

Back to the future. Imagine that you had a time machine, and wanted to go back in time 200 years, and show the people there something really cool from the future. So you take a car with you. That ought to flip'em out.

But your time machine glitches on you while transporting. The car makes it, but you're trapped in another dimension. You can see the car, and the people who find it (200 years ago), but they can't see or hear you.

As they check it out, one of them reads the owner's manual. It makes no sense. Where do you hitch the team? What makes it go? This can't possibly work. You can answer their questions, but you're in another dimension.

Yet they don't need you to answer their questions. If they would just do what the manual says, they would find out what it does. Then they would know. Just as today, we don't wonder if they'll work, because we see them daily in operation.

Jesus, wanted to go ahead in time, 2000 years, and show us something really neat from the past, present, and future: The Kingdom of Heaven. The owner's manual made it through time: the Bible, but Jesus is in a different dimension now: the spirit realm.

Some of us read the manual. It says things like, "all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23), and "if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done" (Matt 21:21).

But people read this, and it makes no sense. How's that supposed to happen? That can't possibly work (1 Cor 1:18-25, 1 Cor 2:14). Jesus can answer their questions. But He's in another dimension. He can see us, but we can't see Him (1 Tim 1:17).

Yet if we would just do what the manual says, we would find out whether it actually works or not. Then we would know (1 John 2:3). People in Jesus' day knew, because they saw Him daily in operation. They didn't have to understand how He did it to know it.

There are people who us microwave ovens, and remote controls, who know that they work, but can't explain how. There are people today who know that the Gospel works, but they can't explain how. That's harder to do (John 20:29).

Instructions to know everything that matters are in the Bible, Absolutely Free.

No. 9 May 27, 1997 Absolutely Free

"It's not fried, it's Shake & Bake™!" A foreigner, who has never eaten chicken comes to a picnic. One person brought fried chicken, another brought BBQ chicken, another chicken casserole, and another chicken salad sandwiches.

He has fried chicken. "Delicious!" he says, and asks for more chicken. But his plate comes back with BBQ chicken. "No!" he says, "Bring me chicken!" So the servant comes back with chicken casserole. "No, no!" he cries, "This isn't chicken."

But it was all chicken, each dish prepared differently.

Jesus said that He was the "Bread of Life" (John 6:48), and that if anyone would feed on Him, they would live forever (John 6:57+58). What's that mean? Well, the beginning of the Gospel of John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God, made flesh (John 1:14).

When He instructed His followers to feed on Him, they were very confused- some of them split. So He explained that the Words that He spoke to them, were Spirit, and they were Life (John 6:63). So to feed on Jesus, is to take in His words.

When disputing with the devil during His temptation, Jesus told Him, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4)." The Words of God have been recorded in the Bible (1 Thes 2:13).

Now people who are opposed to Christianity, are quick to point out that It will say one thing in one place, and another thing in another place which seems to contradict the other. They say that this is proof that God didn't write the Bible.

But God gave His words to men, who wrote it down. They received it raw, in the form of Spirit, and they each prepared it differently (2 Tim 3:16).

If a farmer wrote down what he got from God, it would read like something a farmer would write. But if a lawyer wrote it, it would read more like a legal document. Although each is the Word of God, it will carry the flavor of the man who penned it.

Just like BBQ chicken and fried chicken taste differently, but the base of each dish is still chicken; so one part of the Bible will taste differently than another, but they're both still the Word of God. So "Taste and see that the LORD is good" (Ps 34:8). This good Spiritual food He offers for the nutrition of your soul is Absolutely Free.

No. 10 June 2, 1997 Absolutely Free

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. 3 Babes are go into a bar, looking for Mr. Wonderful. They line up at the sinks in front of the big mirror in the powder room, to check their looks, where they can see themselves, and each other.

Gina says to Tina, "Girl, you'd better do something about that Phyllis Diller hair, or you'll scare all the men away." Tina says, "Me? Look at that WeatherBeater® Tammy Faye eye-shadow you've got caked-on!" And they go at it.

Meanwhile, Nina checks herself out, freshens her face, fluffs her do, and returns to the bar. Mr. Wonderful comes in, they hit it off, and leave for dinner.

According to scripture, the Bible is like a mirror for the soul (2 Cor 3:18, James 1:23-25). When you examine yourself through it, you are able to detect flaws in your spiritual appearance. In it, you may also detect flaws in others around you.

But you don't need a mirror to examine other people, so the Holy Mirror must be for self-examination. And many women will accept beauty tips from those they consider beautiful. But they scorn advice coming from someone they consider unattractive.

Likewise, most people will accept constructive criticism of the righteousness of their behavior, if it comes form someone they consider saintly, like Billy Graham, or Mother Teresa. But they'll sneer at advice from a hypocrite.

So Jesus recommended that before we go around holding the mirror out to others; we not only use it to detect our own flaws, but that we change the flaws (Matt 7:5).

Just as people go to bars looking for a relationship, they pursue religion, looking for a relationship with a higher power. Jesus, AKA: Mr. Wonderful (Isa 9:6), is looking for a relationship with us, to take us to dinner (Matt 22:2-10, Rev 3:20).

Just like the women in the bar, the Bible tells us to be prepared to meet Him, and we don't know when that might happen (Matt 25:1-13). But the Bible is there for us to examine ourselves, and help us get ready.

Though it seems like there's a crowd at the mirror, quibbling about how each other looks (religious people, judging others), don't let that stop you from looking into the Bible to examine yourself. Like using the powder room, it's Absolutely Free.

No. 11 June 9, 1997 Absolutely Free

"But the Mazda goes 'mmmmm'." What kind of features does your car have: fuel injection? Convertible top? CD player? Or does it have the other kind: cardboard behind the grill, so the heater will work? Do you park facing down-hill, just in case you need to start it by popping the clutch as it rolls? Does it mark it's territory with oil spots?

People who own cars like that are often more spiritual than those who own reliable cars: they pray before turning the key. If it starts they say, "Thank God!" Been there? But when things go smooth, people don't give God a 2nd thought (Ps 106:15).

So if you were to describe your life as a type of car, which would it be: the zippy late model, that never needs maintenance, or the duct-tape special, with the breather off, and a screwdriver holding the choke open? Dependable, or unpredictable?

Don't answer too fast: you might say, "But my life is unpredictable, I can't depend on anything from day to day." Is that true? Have you eaten today? How about yesterday? Yes? Sounds pretty routine. Do you have a home? A bed?

Jesus says they came from God. He pointed to the ravens, that they don't plant food, nor do they harvest crops, yet God insures that they get fed every day (Luke 12:24). And, He says that God values you much more than the birds (Luke 12:6+7).

He pointed to the flowers, that they don't do any work at all, and said that a king in all his splendor was never dressed as beautifully as God has dressed them (Luke 12:27). He will also provide for you (Luke 12:28).

If you are clothed and well fed, it appears that Jesus is right: you do have someone that you can depend on from day to day (Luke 12:30). So dependable in fact, people tend to ignore Him, because He requires no maintenance.

Don't kid yourself: what happens if you don't perform maintenance on a car that runs great? It stops running great. You need to check the oil. Even if life is running smooth, maybe you should still check under the hood, and see how God is doing.

He might want you to make some adjustments (John 16:7+8). Just like cars develop personalities that require special attention, God has a personality too. But unlike your average service station, tuning-up your spirit with Jesus is Absolutely Free.

No. 12 June 16, 1997 Absolutely Free

"Hey Mr. Tally-man, tally me banana." Suppose you decided to quit your present job, and become a fruit farmer. How would you go about raising fruit? Would you plant any old seed, and hope that it grew into an apple tree?

Why not? Most plants are made of the same substances, drawn from the soil, and air, and sun. Then it stands to reason, that there's no telling what kind of plant a seed will turn into once it sprouts. But that's not how it works.

If a farmer plants corn, corn grows. The Bible says that God created the various plants unique, and individually, and that each has it's seed within itself, and reproduces after it's own kind (Gen 1:11, Gal 6:7).

The Bible also says that regardless of what you were before you become a Christian, when you come to faith in Christ, you are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15). Jesus compared the process to that of a developing plant (Mark 4:14-20).

The seed that is planted, to produce a Christian, is the Gospel. The soil it is planted in is peoples' hearts. People hear it, believe it, take it to heart, it takes root, and they bear fruit. Or the seed doesn't take root, but withers and dies (Mark 4:6).

One preacher asks the rhetorical question: "What kind of fruit does an apple tree bear? What kind of fruit does a peach tree bear?" After you answer "apples" and "peaches," he asks, "What kind of fruit does a Christian bear?"

Christians? Right. But the Bible describes the fruit that Christians bear: love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal 5:22+23). So how can you say Christians bear Christians?

Well, look again at fruit bearing plants: where do you find the seeds? In the fruit. By the same token, a Christian's rendition of the Gospel: the seed; should be enveloped in the fruit: love, joy, and so on. Then it will be attractive to those with an appetite for the truth. They will gladly receive it, and it will take root.

Today, people are sick of hearing the Gospel from people whose lives demonstrate that it is fruitless. Jesus' rendition of the Gospel, was, "God Loves you" (John 3:16). Not only did His life bear fruit, but He gave it away for us, Absolutely Free.

No. 13 June 23, 1997 Absolutely Free

Bo knows tennis. Imagine that you had a kid named Bo, who was born cuter than all other babies. As Bo grows, Bo is wittier than all the other kids in school, as well as the best athlete. Bo is also courteous, charming, talented, and loving.

Needless to say, you would be very proud of Bo. And, at an upcoming social event, you look foreword to telling your friends about what Bo has done. But when you get there, you can't get a word in, because some blow-hard is bragging about their kid.

Everybody is getting sick of hearing it. And you think, "Man, would I have been that annoying? I guess I won't brag about Bo." So you resign yourself to silence. But another person decides to speak up: "Enough already! Would you shut up?"

They go on: "I've seen your kid in action, and they're a brat. If you want to talk about a great kid, then you need to talk about Bo." They gesture toward you, acknowledging you as Bo's parent, and then start telling of things Bo has done.

How would that make you feel? As they go on, others are amazed, and congratulate you, and ask you questions about Bo. Afterward, how do you suppose you would feel toward the person who stuck up for your kid, and did the talking?

Would they be welcome in your home? When Jesus stepped-in to the public eye, to be baptized by John the Baptist, God the Father announced from Heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3:17).

After Jesus, there are saints in the Bible. Who were they? Guys who stuck up for Jesus, and talked about the things He'd done (Acts). God really likes it when other people brag about His kid. They're welcome at His house.

People in this world are influenced by the activity of spirits (Luke 22:3+4). The deeds of those influenced by evil spirits are evident (Gal 5:19-21). And the activity of Jesus is evident in the behavior of those influenced by His Spirit (Gal 5:22-24).

When you believe what you hear that Jesus did: accept your punishment, so that you can accept His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21); that faith inspires excitement; which inspires telling others, who in turn believe. Which pleases God (Heb 11:6).

And you'll be welcome at His house (John 14:2), Absolutely Free.

No. 14 June 30, 1997 Absolutely Free

Wake-up Hawkeye: Choppers are coming in. One day you go to the Happy Clinic because you're very ill. After registering, the nurse says, "OK, go stand in the corner." But you say, "I'm very sick. I'd like to lie down."

She says, "Wouldn't we all. Stand." So you ask if you may sit down. She retorts, "Look, who's the health care professional here? Do as you're told. We don't have to treat you y'know. You could die instead. There are others who respect what we do here."

As you wait, you read a magazine ad that describes your sickness, and says the treatment is available in non-prescription form, at your local pharmacy. Now, are you going to stay at the Happy Clinic, or are you going to the store?

Jesus was confronted by the religious crowd of His day, for hanging out with sinners. His reply was, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick…

I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matt 9:12+13)."

So the sick people He came to, were sinners. The treatment for sin is grace and truth (John 1:17). After Jesus told His disciples to administer the treatment (John 13:14), He paid for it by His death, and went back to Heaven temporarily (Luke 10:33-35).

Hospitals not only treat the illness, but comfort the patient. So churches should try to comfort sinners while administering grace and truth. Do sinners feel comfortable in church? They flocked to Jesus (Luke 5:15). Or does it seem more like "Happy Clinic"?

Many churches seem like social clubs that only allow those in who qualify for holiness. Like a hospital, where the staff is smug, because there are no sick people there (not because they'd treated all the sick people, but pushed them all away).

A hospital is supposed to be sanitary, but if you go to the extent that you don't let sick people in, you have defeated your own purpose (Prov 14:4).

Considering the amount of sin prevalent in this world, a church should seem more like a M*A*S*H unit, close to the front lines, and busy all the time, with medics in the field, bringing the wounded in (Matt 9:36-38).

If you don't feel comfortable in church, don't let that keep you from the treatment for sin. It's available in non-prescription form in the Bible, and It's Absolutely Free.

No. 15 July 7, 1997 Absolutely Free

Jinx-it's the cops! You have been convicted of a crime, and sentenced to life in prison. As the screws lead you into the courtyard they ask you, "Which side of the prison do you want to live on?" The compound is split into 2 sections.

On one side, the inmates are chained, beaten, and fed disgusting trash. On the other side, the cell doors have no locks. The inmates roam freely and are well fed, given responsibilities, and opportunities in work release programs.

Which side seems more appealing? Well, you have been found guilty of sin (1 John 1:8+10). Scripture says that whoever sins is the sevrvant or slave of sin (John 8:34). Being held captive as a slave is no different than being held captive as an inmate.

Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18). The Bible also says that the measure of whether a person is truly with Christ or not, is whether they obey Him (John 14:15, 21, 15:10, 1 John 2:3+4, 3:24, 5:2+3).

It goes on to say that you are the servant of whom you obey (Rom 6:16). Herein seems to be an irony: You get set free, only to find yourself a servant again. So is this one of those places where people say the Bible contradicts itself?

No. How then is being the servant of Christ different than being the servant of sin? How does that make you "free"? The 2 sections in the prison analogy at the start of this essay, represent serving sin, or Christ.

When you are the servant of sin, chained and beaten, you are powerless to change sides. You may wish to change, but you can't (Rom 7:14-21). Been there? When you are the servant of Christ, you are free to change sides at any time. "Free".

Of course if you do then you won't be free anymore. Everyone sins occasionally. But falling back into sin; changing sides, is returning to a lifestyle of regular sin. Where you allow it to control you, rather than you controlling it (1 Co 6:12).

If we could save ourselves from the grip of sin, then Christ would not have had to die on the cross to save us. He did it because it was necessary (Matt 26:39+42).

If you call on Him, He will break the chains that make you a servant of sin (Rom 10:13), and deliver you into the freedom of service to Him, Absolutely Free.

No. 16 July 14, 1997 Absolutely Free

This is not a puppy love. Imagine that you are an average young guy who's just hit the lottery for $96 billion. With your private helicopter, and staff of servants, you're finally bold enough to ask out that cute girl you've had a crush on.

And she accepts excitedly. But she's got a crush on some yahoo named Jock Presley. Try as you may to dazzle her with your power and money, all she talks about, thinks about, and longs for is Jock. Though she does enjoy riding in your Porsche.

As do the other girls you take out after you get sick of hearing about Jock. But you've got so much cool stuff, the girls love your things, but hardly notice you. So how are you going to find a girl that likes you for who you are?

Try this: Buy an '88, 4-door sedan, some threads from K-Mart, and get a job 500 miles away. Be yourself, and socialize. It might take longer than flashing $100 bills, but you can meet an attractive girl who will genuinely love you for being you.

Then, if you love her, pop the question. When she says yes, you can show up at her house in a tux and limo, fly her to Paris in one of your Lear Jets, and tie the knot.

Who does that sound like? God. He has more than $96 billion. He chose one particular people to reveal Himself to (Deut 14:2), and did some flashy stuff with His power (Ex 15:3+4). And they said, "We're with you, man! (Josh 24:21+22)"

But they weren't (Isa 1:2). They just liked being connected to His power (Isa 48:1). But their hearts were far from Him (Isa 29:13). And He being God, can read our hearts and minds like a book (1 Chron 28:4).

He could see that their hearts were continually turned to other things (Gen 6:5). But He wanted people to love Him for who He is. So He tried plan "B" (Jer 31:31). He came to earth as a regular guy (Isa 53:2). Got a Job as a carpenter (Mark 6:3).

And He taught (Matt 7:29). And His teachings revealed the true nature and character of God (John 14:9). And those who were attracted to God's character were drawn to Him (John 6:44), as people are to this day (John 17:20).

To them, those who believe in, and love Him, He reserves a mansion; and will return in glory and power to get them (John 14:2+3), Absolutely Free.

No. 17 July 21, 1997 Absolutely Free

Windows '99 for Dummies. One day, standing at the coffee machine, you overhear 2 people talking about their computers. They've both got the latest models.

They're going on and on about how they're not going to work in a factory much longer: their new computers are their ticket out. They convince you that if you only had a computer, there's nothing and nowhere you couldn't do, or go.

So you start saving to buy a computer. Meanwhile, other people where you work go out and get computers also. In their excitement over their new toys, they all rave about what they're going to do with them. But none of them do.

By the time you've saved a couple thousand bucks, you realize that the computers didn't work the wonders for all those people that they said they would. They're all still the same people, doing the same things. Nothing's changed.

So you conclude that computers aren't all that they're cracked-up to be. But they are. Computers aren't genies in a bottle, that you just bark at, and they do what you tell them. You have to learn to use them, and then do what you've learned.

Christianity is like that. Christians boast that they're linked to the ultimate power in the universe. Yet in many cases, their lives demonstrate no power; which tells people that what they say, essentially isn't true (Rom 2:24). But it is.

It's like someone boasting that they have a bank account, saying, "The richest men in the world have bank accounts." But then they don't put any money in their new account. It's worthless. Becoming a Christian is like opening an account.

If you don't put anything into it, that's not God's fault (Deut 30:15+16). God is not a Genie, who jumps whenever he is barked at. To accomplish anything with your computer, or your Christianity, effort is required (James 2:20, 2 John 1:8).

God set it up that way, so that those who put forth effort, can receive greater reward than those who lounged (Matt 16:27). The more we put into it, the more we'll have (Matt 6:19+20, 10:42). Loungers can have an account, it may just be small (1 Cor 3:15).

But you can't open your own account. You can only accept the one that God offers as a gift (Rom 5:15-18, Eph 2:8). It's His bank. He will accept you into it, Absolutely Free.

No. 18 July 28, 1997 Absolutely Free

Mine, all mine. One day, you inherit a house from your uncle in Atlanta. So you go there, and find this broken down old house that he had lived in.

You figure that if you invest $25,000, and a couple months of your time fixing it up, you might be able to sell it for $26,000. Hmm. What an inheritance. Meanwhile, your late uncle's best friend tells you that the house holds sentimental value.

His life-savings add up to about $2,637.42, and that's all he has to offer. You figure, "Hey, that's $1,637.42 more than I'll have if I fix it up," so you sell it to him. And you're happy. Until you get home, and see his face on the front page of the paper.

The headline reads: "Atlanta man buys house used to store Confederate gold during Civil War. $37 billion found hidden in basement." Are you still happy? If you had really explored your inheritance, you may have found the gold yourself.

Christianity is like that. People look at the Bible and church and think, "Eww, Dullsville. If I straighten-out, I'll have to stop doing what I like, and saying what I really think, and will have to do things I don't want to do (which isn't true). I don't want to straighten-out that bad. It doesn't have that much to offer."

But it does. It's not that you have to quit the things you enjoy: its that other things become more valuable. The Bible says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who found a treasure hidden in a field, then sold all that he had to buy the field (Matt 13:44). It seems undesirable to others, but desirable to those who believe (1 Cor 1:18).

Because if you have heard and believe the Gospel, Jesus calls you His friend (John 15:14), and He tells you all you need to know (John 15:15). It's just like in the story above, your deceased uncle's friend knew that there was treasure in the house.

The only way to see the value in it, is if it is revealed to you by your friend Jesus, through His spirit, because such things are spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14). The Bible says that the treasure is worth fighting for (1 Tim 6:12).

A crippled millionaire would sell all he had for the health that God gives the average person. The average man in Hell would sell his soul for a taste of water (Luke 16:24). But the treasure is offered to you by God as a gift (Rom 6:23), Absolutely Free.

No. 19 August 4, 1997 Absolutely Free

My dad's bigger than your dad. Imagine that your dad was the only barber in Knucklebone, 'tucky. He had 917 photos on the wall of his shop, and each one had a story. As a child, you loved him, and as an adult, you miss him.

And you long to talk about him, but you're 1,000,000 miles from knucklebone, and no one would be able to relate to the stories you want to tell. They're the kind of stories where, well, you had to be there. So you bottle it all up.

Then one day, you overhear someone say "he was a barber, back in Knucklebone. He knew the story behind each one of the 917 snapshots on the wall."

They describe your dad, his mannerisms, and stories he used to tell. So now, do you finish your coffee, and leave; or join them, and un-stop the bottle?

Lots of people cringe at the idea of going to church. With good reason- history shows that plenty of disgusting people have emerged from church. Besides they say, you can read the Bible, and pray, and know God without church.

That's true. He will even answer your prayers. If that's how you feel, great! Get to know God. But guaranteed, when He starts doing cool stuff in your life, you're going to want to tell someone, and you'll feel like no one can relate (Job 32:18-20).

That's OK too. Keep getting to know God. One day, perhaps when you least expect it, you'll overhear someone talking about Him. As they describe Him, and His mannerisms, you'll know that this person knows Him just like you do. They can relate to you.

Suddenly you'll want to pop the cork on your bottle: now you know that it's not just you: you're not alone in your knowledge of God. And everything this person says will confirm and validate what you believe. Of course they'll be a church person.

Ouch. It's fun to dislike religious people. With good reason- the enemies of Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles were religious (Mic 7:6, John 19:6, Acts 7:51-54). There are religious fools, liars, hypocrites and thieves (Mark 11:17, Juke 12:1, 1 John 4:1).

There are also good people, who are looking for someone cool like you, who they can relate to, who will confirm and validate their faith in a cool God. It may be that God wants to use you as His corkscrew, to set those people Absolutely Free.

No. 20 August 11, 1997 Absolutely Free

Aw-mmm, you're gonna be in trouble... Four 8 year-old boys; Fred, Ted, Ned & Ed, play out in the back yard by the pond. Ed jumps in and splashes around. Ned says, "Aw-mmm, you're gonna get in trouble: baby-sitter said no swimming."

The baby-sitter never said that: Ned just tries to control other people's behavior by messing with their heads. Ed answers, "Well, there's no fakin' like I wasn't, cause I'm soakin' wet. If I'm gonna get in trouble anyhow, I might as well keep swimmin'."

Fred says, "Trouble or not, that looks like fun," and jumps in. Ted says, "That does look like fun. Baby-sitter's nothin' but a grump. Else I'd jump in too." Then they see the baby-sitter standing there. Ed immediately climbs out and apologizes.

So who's in trouble, and who's not? Well, If the baby-sitter were Jesus, everyone but Ed would be in trouble. Why? After all, He didn't really care if anyone swam or not. So If no one really did anything wrong, how could anyone be wrong?

Ned was wrong because he lied in the first place. What's worse though, is that he brought guilt upon others by his lie (Matt 18:7). Fred was wrong because he thought he was breaking the rules, and that didn't stop him (Rom 14:14).

Ted didn't swim, but rather than being cross with the others for breaking the rules, he chose to despise the baby-sitter for something that they hadn't even done (John 15:25). And when Ed thought he was doing something wrong, he didn't stop.

But when he realized that he was in the presence of the baby-sitter; or in Jesus' case: the Shepherd, he felt remorse for his disobedience, and changed his behavior. That's called repenting. If all would have repented, all would have been forgiven.

Scripture says that everyone's in trouble (Rom 3:23). And though everyone's in trouble, God reserves the privilege of showing mercy to whoever He feels like showing mercy to (Rom 9:15). That doesn't mean that we don't play our part.

It also tells us what characteristics He likes, and what pleases Him (Ps 34:18, Isa 66:2, Acts 3:19, 17:30, Heb 11:6, James 4:6). Take on those traits, and do those things, and He'll feel like showing mercy to you. Repenting is a good way to demonstrate you believe the Gospel of Jesus, that He might forgive you, Absolutely Free.

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No. 22 August 25, 1997 Absolutely Free

May I take your order please? Imagine that one of your old friends got a job at a restaurant, as a waiter. So you visit this restaurant, not for the food, but to show some support to your friend. And you sit in their serving-section.

They're happy to see you, and they greet you, but they're also very busy, so they drop-off a menu, and go back to their duties. They work very hard to impress the other customers, but they breeze past you, because you're just you.

But you really did want something to eat. Eventually, you have to get some other employee's attention, to get what you wanted from your friend.

Or let's say that your friend caters to your every want. They give you special attention that they don't give just any old customer. In fact, they're not paying any attention to the other customers at all. Some leave. Would that be right?

Jesus came here to visit us in this life to show us His support for us. He told us that we have 2 responsibilities: 1. Love God. 2. Love others (Matt 22:37-40). Lot's of people say, "Well if that sums it up, I'm already OK, because I'm cool to other people."

But the 1st commandment is, "Be cool to God." If you don't tend to Him, you're wrong. It's like a man having sex with several women, and saying that by doing so, he is fulfilling his responsibility to satisfy his wife.

The reason this is important, is that sometimes what others want, and what God wants, conflict with each other. Your obligation is to Him. But without knowledge of God and His will, one will always do the wrong thing, and call it loving others.

What makes God mad, is when people make some weak gesture, and call it loving Him. That's not love either. And He asks, "Is this the kind of weak service you would give to the Governor, if he were to visit you? (Mal 1:8)"

God isn't a philosophy, a list of rules, or a character in a fairy-tale. He is a real being. A "being" is someone who "is". When Moses asked God what His name was, He said, "I Am" (Ex 3:14). And He has feelings like anyone else (Ex 20:5, Deut 9:8, 1 John 4:8).

How are we to serve other beings? As we would like to be served (Matt 7:12). Aren't those "fair" guidelines? Jesus came to serve (Matt 12:18), Absolutely Free.

No. 23 September 2, 1997 Absolutely Free

"Search for truth is search for God. Truth is God." Gandhi, 1869-1948.

"I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Jesus, (John 14:6).

When Mahatma Gandhi was going to college in merry old England, someone gave him a bible. He read and returned it, with a statement to the effect of, "If Christians did the things this book says they do, everyone would become one."

So instead, he remained a Hindu, believing that a soul gets recycled over and over, working-off it's bad karma, till it's made up for all the evil it has done. Though that may sound good: working-it off, rather than facing judgment; it's a dangerous concept.

Why? Hindus believe that when you die, you become pure spirit. You are able to see the mistakes you have made, and evaluate what you need to do to compensate for your errors. Then you select a new body to be reincarnated into, to suit your needs.

Sounds good. But consider the serial-killer, who believes in "karmic law." As he stalks his next prospective victim, he thinks to himself, "I wonder, why this person, when they were between lives, decided to be tortured and killed by me."

In fact, he could rationalize that he's doing them a favor. They chose their fate, and he's merely accommodating them. He's not even committing a crime. They need it to advance in their karma. It's his duty. He's not a brutal murderer: he's a cosmic crusader.

A look at the Hindu cultures will reveal what it produces. They are characterized by extreme poverty, crime, disease, and starvation. "Don't step on that bug! It might be Gandhi, reincarnated!" Christianity produced Western civilization, and prosperity.

People say that the Bible preaches "Karma," when it says, "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged" (Matt 7:2), and, "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal 6:7). That's not "Karma." That's "Justice." What's the diff?

With karma, you judge yourself. With justice, you are judged by God (2 Cor 5:10). God appoints a man only to die once, then face judgment (Heb 9:27). Sins will be punished (Matt 25:41). Judgment has already been passed: "guilty" (Rom 3:23).

To escape the punishment, you need to appeal to God's mercy Through Christ (Acts 4:12). He loves to forgive us, so that we don't get trashed, or recycled, Absolutely Free.

No. 24 September 8, 1997 Absolutely Free

Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world. Crowd surfing is where a member of a concert audience is passed around in the air, by the hands of the other fans, above the crowd. It's a popular trend. Gnarly.

But if you are passed to an area, where no one is there to support you, and pass you along, you wipe-out: plunge head-first down into the pavement below. Bogus.

Whenever you are confronted with a decision, many factors influence the choice you make: your concept of right and wrong, the possible outcomes of your decision, and what you believe others will think of you because of the choice you made.

When you are willing to do wrong, regardless of the outcome, so others will think you're cool; you have become peer-dependent. It's the same as "crowd-surfing." You don't control the direction you are tossed into, but rely on the mercy of the mob. And if you're tossed to where the crowd won't support you, they'll drop you like a hot rock.

That's a weak foundation for a person to build their self-image upon. A person comes into this world "parent dependent." But as they reach their teens, and learn that their parents aren't always dependable, they start becoming "peer-dependent."

That's normal. But where do you turn when you find that the mob is undependable too? Well, at least the parents usually love their children. Where can you find the lost sense of love, and dependability? Independence provides no added love or reliability.

It's time to become God-dependent (2 Cor 6:2). The Bible recognizes this principle of building your self-image upon a foundation of the approval of others. It strongly suggests selecting whose approval you strive for wisely (Prov 13:20, Heb 10:24+25).

Jesus became a man: our peer; so we could identify with Him (John 13:15, 1 Pet 2:21). Having set the example for us, we should strive for His approval (2 Tim 2:15). He said that "He" is the rock, and that any other foundation is shifting sand (Matt 7:24-27).

He got really uptight when men sought after the approval of other men, rather than the approval of God (John 12:43). Because God is dependable. We all rely on His love and providence daily, whether we know it or not (Acts 17:28).

Accept the Love your Heavenly-Father offers through Christ, Absolutely Free.

No. 25 September 15, 1997 Absolutely Free

Work, work, work, that's all I do. Waitress: "I need more money."

Boss: "You've got more: I see you stealing from the register every night."

"That's because I deserve it. Yesterday, I waited on that party of 5 for 2 solid hours, and when I was done, I helped-out by cooking in the kitchen."

"Those 5 people were your friends. The only cooking you did was your own meal. Meanwhile, many people left angry because you didn't wait on them."

"They were just mean people. Anyway, I decided to take my break then."

You're the owner of the restaurant. How are you going to treat this waitress?

Most people don't read the Bible, but are familiar with some of it's major themes, like: "God is Love" (1 John 4:16), and the Golden rule (Matt 7:12).

So people take these basic concepts and say, "I'm a generous person. I love others. Sounds like the biblical description righteousness. I must be OK." Jesus knew that people would make this mistake, so He clarified the meaning.

He said, "...if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same." (Luke 6:32+33).

In other words, if you're satisfied, because you're nice to your friends and family, you've done no more good than your average drug pusher, or pimp: like the waitress in the story above, who served her own interests, and assumed she deserved thanks.

Don't feel alone. Jesus called us all evil compared to God. He said, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matt 7:11)

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." (Luke 6:35) Does that sound like you?

The call to love those who spitefully use you (Matt 5:44), is a call to imitate God. If you suspect that you may be unthankful and evil, Jesus says that you qualify for, and can appeal to His kindness, for He is merciful (Luke 6:36), Absolutely Free.

No. 26 September 22, 1997 Absolutely Free

"They can go to Hell for all I care." Suppose that you are married, and decide to win your spouse's devotion, by treating them lavishly.

Every day, you cook their meals, clean up their messes, wash their clothes, fluff their pillow, soothe their aches, prop-up their feet, and tell them they are the center of your world, and that you love them. Yet they act as though they don't even notice you.

In fact, the only way they acknowledge that they are aware of what pleases you, is that they intentionally do things that displease you, merely to demonstrate that they are in control, and they will not be moved or manipulated by your will.

Now you're a kind, patient, understanding, merciful sort; how long will you continue to pander to this animal who abuses your affection? How long before you grow to resent their insolence? A year? 2 years? Will you pamper them for 10 years?

Many people who sneer at Christianity, pronounce their judgment against the concept of Hell. They say, if God is truly merciful, He wouldn't have created Hell. These people presume themselves to be much more kind and just than He (Job 40:2, 8).

But how long do you suppose that they would tolerate a spouse like the one above? How long, before they say, "They can go to Hell for all I care"? Like marriage, a person's relationship with God is mutual participation (Eph 5:31+32).

Scripture implies that everyone knows that (Rom 1:20+21). But some who don't enjoy being limited by Him, pretend, and even convince themselves that He's not there (Rom 1:28). Then they do things that displease Him, merely to show that they are not bound by Him. How long should God baby these ungrateful animals?

A year? 2 years? 10? Well, He is actually much more kind, patient, merciful, and understanding, than an atheist who considers themselves superior to Him. The math is easy: if a person lives to be 100, He will patiently tolerate them 100 years.

God doesn't send people to Hell. They go there willingly, by rejecting Him (John 3:19). He gets no Joy out of their self-destruction (Eze 18:32, 33:11). He much prefers that they turn to Him and be saved (1 Tim 2:4). All who truly seek Him, will find Him.

Jesus came to show this to us, that we might be saved, Absolutely Free.

No. 27 September 29, 1997 Absolutely Free

Hey Mac, need a lift? Imagine that you catch a cab in a strange city. The cabby knows that you're unfamiliar with town, so he takes the scenic route, to jack-up the fare. You suspect there's a better way, but you can't prove it, so you're at his mercy.

That's the way a lot of people feel when a church-person is pushing Churchianity on them: flipping through the Bible trying to show you verses that support what they say. If you don't know the Bible, you're at their mercy.

But you can't help but think, "Sure, it says what you want it to when you get to pick and choose the verses to look at. But if I knew the Bible as well as you do, maybe I could find verses that say different than what you're saying."

So like with the cab driver, you can think there's another way, but you can't prove it. And just as cabbies have been known to take people for a ride on side-streets for personal gain, Christians have been known to do the same with Bible verses.

So it's wise to be cautious (Matt 7:15). But you've still got a destination (2 Cor 5:10). How else can you get there safely? You could ask directions, or read a map.

The spiritual equivalent to reading a map would be reading the Bible (2 Tim 3:16). If you understand what you read and follow it, then you won't be lost (Heb 5:9). But if you ask directions, you assume that the person you're asking knows the way.

So who do you ask directions from? The blind man on the corner? A baby in a carriage? Or maybe you should ask a credible adult.

The spirit realm is a dangerous town. You're there. Don't wander around half-cocked, hoping to find your way by chance. There are dark alleys and predators (1 Pet 5:8). How can you know the truth, if you're not versed in the Bible?

Spiritually, as in a court of law, the truth is established according to the testimony of reliable witnesses (Deut 19:15): not blind, or immature. Their reliability is determined by their conduct (Luke 6:43-45). In this court, you are the judge.

In this way, God puts you in the driver's seat. So your honor, hear the testimony of what God has done from reliable Christians. See if it coincides with the map. Then judge which way you are going to go. But there's no fare: the trip is Absolutely Free.

No. 28 October 6, 1997 Absolutely Free

In God We Trust: all others must pay cash. Remember being a kid, and flipping through the Sears, or Penny's catalog toy sections? Once entranced by the images of the toys, you would lay awake dreaming of them. But since the average kid can't whip out the old credit card and make the order, all they can do is hope for it.

Wouldn't it be great though, to be a kid again, only with a magic pocket: every time you reach into it, you pull out more money? No matter how many times you dig, you never run out. Then whatever you hoped for, you could have.

That's because money is the substance of material things hoped for. Your money can be turned into substance. If you hope for a can of pop, and you've got $1, you might turn it into 2 cans. That's why a rich man is referred to as a man of substance.

When you see someone spending money, you know that they have a source of income. You don't know what it is, but you know that it's there, because the money is the evidence of it, even though you may not be able to see what their job is.

Scripture defines "Faith" as, "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1)." Just like money. Only money is no good in Heaven, where the streets are paved with gold (Rev 21:21).

So if you have faith, you are rich (Rev 2:9). We are told that if you have a tiny bit of faith, you can have whatever you hope for (Matt 17:20, 21:22). Hearing Biblical truth produces faith (Rom 10:17). Exercising faith increases it (Heb 5:14).

All our gold means nothing to God. He already owns it all (Hag 2:8). But our faith is precious (1 Pet 1:7). Jesus said, "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20)," and, "buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; (Rev 3:18)."

How do you do that? By using your faith, motivated by love, expressed in good works (James 2:14-26). Don't worry about spending all your faith: the Bible is like the magic pocket above: every time you dig into it, you get more. You can't run out.

You've heard it said that, "the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10)." Well, people can't love God if they don't believe in Him. But if they believe in and love Him, then the love of faith is the root of all good. And faith, is Absolutely Free.

No. 29 October 13, 1997 Absolutely Free

Look Who's Talking. A few years ago, a very popular movie featured film shots of a baby, with voice-overs by a famous actor, to let the audience know what the baby was really thinking. Not all of the baby's thoughts were curiosity, love, and innocence.

What were your thoughts when you were a baby, being burped? Did you really like warm milk, or would you have preferred cold? What did you think of your relatives? Do you remember?

Though people don't remember being infants, you can watch infants, and see that the think, and feel, and respond. Some of those responses aren't all love, joy, gratitude and curiosity. Some are down-right nasty.

One infant will ignore a certain toy, until it sees another child play with it. Then it will take the toy, and hit the child. When a toddler is having a temper tantrum, most people consider that rebellious and selfish, even evil. Infants do the same.

There's a period of our lives, where we had conscious thoughts and motives, even evil ones, that we don't remember: our infancy. So it's possible that there was a period before that, perhaps in the womb, that we don't remember as well.

If we were capable of evil in our infancy, perhaps we were capable of evil in previous stages of our lives as well. Scripture tells us that God knew us before we were formed in the womb (Jer 1:5, Rom 8:29+30, Eph 1:4).

The fact that we don't remember those attitudes, doesn't mean that we didn't have them. If you know an adult today, who is selfish, short-tempered and arrogant; odds are that they were selfish, short-tempered and arrogant as an infant.

Our actions are merely the expression of our attitudes. God sees our attitudes (Gen 6:5, 1 Chron 28:9, 1 Sam 16:7, Ps 44:21), and judges according to them (Matt 5:21+22, 28, 15:19, Mark 7:20-23). Scripture says that we are all evil (Matt 7:11, Rom 3:23, 1 John 1:8).

How can we argue that, when we don't remember what we've done? In the end, the books will be opened, and we will see and remember what we have done (Rev 20:12). But before that happens, we can admit our weakness, and ask God to forgive our sinful nature in Jesus' name, and He will forgive and forget, Absolutely Free.

No. 30 October 20, 1997 Absolutely Free

"I fight authority, authority always wins." John Mellencamp.

Whenever something big happens, notify the authorities. UFO spotted? Call the Air Force. A crime's been committed? Call the cops. Suspicious activity? Call the FBI.

They'll know what to do. They'll take charge: "Get the boys down at the lab working on it. Follow the proper channels. Just the facts Ma'am. Dust it for prints, and tag it as evidence. Get those reporters out of here. Where'd I put my coffee?"

Anyone can say all that stuff. We don't need the authorities. That was the consensus on every major college campus in the mid and late 1960's. Hence the anti-establishment movement was under way. What ever happened to those zany college kids?

They're authority figures now. Oh. Well there's nothing wrong with protesting abuses of authority. Abuse is wrong. But to defy authority, for authority's sake, is wrong as well. That's merely jealousy: resenting someone who has power that you don't have.

Got an ache? Contact the medical authorities. Been cheated? Take 'em to court. Don't like a law? Write your legislator. So rather than resenting both your condition, and the authorities, you can work with them, and change your situation for better.

So authority is a good thing. It comes from God. The Bible says that no power exists except that which has been established by Him, and in resisting that power, you resist God (Rom 13:1+2). Only when the powers contradict God may you defy them (Acts 5:29).

Man cannot comprehend the complexity of God's character, so He has established institutions on earth to administer individual aspects of His love to mankind: such as justice, health, and mercy. He assigns men to fill those roles (Rom 9:17). Whether or not they know it (John 11:50+51).

Yet those people don't have His power. For no man has the power to make a living cell, or cause them to grow (Matt 5:36, 6:27). But in submitting to the authority of a doctor that God has instituted, He can administer healing through them.

Scripture tells us that authorities are God's ministers (Rom 13:4:+6). It's all an exercise to condition us to submit to God (1 Pet 2:13-15), Who resists the proud and rebellious (1 Pet 5:5), that He may improve our eternal condition, Absolutely Free.

No. 31 October 27, 1997 Absolutely Free

Liberty and justice for all. One day, you're called away from your job, to answer an important phone call. It's the police. They want you to identify the bodies. A man… a sick man, waited for you to go to work, then entered your home: now the crime scene.

Neighbors heard the screams and called the police. The man was arrested. The things he did to your spouse and children are unspeakable. Your home is now a bloody, horrid nightmare. If you had caught him, how would you have responded?

But now he's in the hands of the law. And you go to the trial to see how the law responds. The charges are stated, and he is asked how he pleads. "Innocent" he replies. So the evidence of how he tortured, molested, and killed you family is presented.

His defense? Yeah, well, he did it, but just to see what it would feel like. Now, he can see that, well, that's not right. So, he's like, not going to do that kinda thing anymore, as he evolves into a cooler, more sensitive person. So he's no longer a threat to society.

"Case dismissed!" the judge shouts, "Justice has been served." Does that work for you? No? But this is the way eternal justice works according to many religions: those who practice meditation, and preach reincarnation; "All roads lead to Heaven."

It's not enough to say that God exists. There are too many bogus definitions of God. Many think that God is disinterested in man's activities: like a parent who, watching their kids play, sees one stabbing another, and thinks, "Oh well, kids will be kids."

That's not how He is (Luke 12:7). He wants us to have a clearer understanding of Him than that (1 Tim 2:4). Though we can't understand Him perfectly (Eph 3:20). He is infinite (1 Kings 8:27), and everywhere (Ps 139:7+8), but not vague.

Since He is everywhere, you can take nothing away from Him. And since He is infinite, you can add nothing to Him. So since you can't help Him or harm Him, will He hold us accountable for crimes committed against Him, nature, or humanity?

Yes. Because He is just (Ps 84:14). If not, it would be like the courtroom above. And God hears the cries for justice from His creation (Gen 4:10, Rev 6:10+11), and responds. His judgment is perfect. He also pardons (Isa 55:7). But not arbitrarily, or without reason. And His mercy is available to all, through Christ, Absolutely Free.

No. 32 November 3, 1997 Absolutely Free

Due to circumstances beyond our control... Someone stashed stolen goods with your personal stuff where you work, and you get caught with them, and fired. You can't find work. You go broke. You live in your car. It's not your fault. Nobody cares.

Meanwhile, you go to renew your driver's license, and they tell you that you're suspended, for not paying a ticket you never got. Snap. That's it. You're not taking it anymore. You tell them that you're not paying. They call the cops. So you flee.

The cops pursue. You wind up holed-up in a shack, and they think you're armed and dangerous. Agents of the FBI, ATF, DEA, CIA, EPA, FDA, and USDA surround your position with snipers, helicopters, bull horns, and battering rams. The press show up as the President arrives to make a public appearance, ordering you to surrender.

Your move. You pace the floor and mutter, "God, I haven't done anything. Is there no way out of this?" Suddenly you hear a clap of thunder, followed by silence.

Peeking through the window, you see smoldering squad cars, scattered weapons, smoking helmets, and charred skeletons. Every one of your adversaries has been vulcanized. Yet the press stand unscathed. They've got it all on video tape.

Your move. Isn't there someone you should thank? How would it feel to see the ruler of the most modern, sophisticated, wealthy, powerful nation in the world; along with his elite troops, and most high-tech weaponry, completely annihilated on your behalf?

Things were looking bleak for Moses and company, when Pharaoh and his boys were bearing down on them near the Red Sea. You know the story. The Israelites were on the run. They were born slaves. It wasn't their fault. Nobody cared.

Except God (Ex 3:7-10). When they saw Pharaoh: ruler of the most wealthy, powerful nation on earth; chasing them, they said, "Is there no way out of this?" Moses said, "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Ex 14:13).

Later, they saw dead bodies of their enemies wash up on shore (Ex 14:30). When you're with God, you've got all your enemies outnumbered (2 Kings 6:17). He cares for you (Mat 10:29-31). He will fight for you (Ex 14:14, De 1:30). He even died for you (Rom 5:6-8, 1 Co 15:3+4), as He expressed His love for you (John 15:13), Absolutely Free.

No. 33 November 10, 1997 Absolutely Free

Hold that thought. Suppose you read this story in the news: "As flames shot from floors below, a woman and child trapped on the sixth floor leaned out a window, fighting for air. Rescuers climbed the ladder, even as it telescoped upward.

"Suddenly, it retracted downward, as one of the rescuers shouted, 'It's 9:15 Charlie… Break-time!' 'Oh good' Charlie replied, as he climbed off the ladder. The woman and child didn't survive." What would your feelings be toward the 2 firemen? Hold that thought.

Suppose you lose a relative in surgery. Later you find out that the surgeon was talking with his hands while describing a golf-shot, and knocked out an IV tube, causing a fatal embolism. How would you feel toward this doctor? Hold that thought.

Suppose you meet a fabulous specimen of the opposite gender, and they suggest some casual sex. How do you respond? Hold that thought. What's the difference? This one's more serious. Sex is not playing doctor. It's not playing fireman. It's playing God.

Anytime you have sex, you run the risk of creating a new life. This can never be reversed: It will live forever, either in Heaven or Hell (John 5:28+29). If you're not willing to invest the energy nurturing a new being, directing it's steps toward Heaven, you shouldn't run the risk of creating, or procreating it.

The responsibility of guiding a child toward God goes to the parents (Prov 22:6, Eph 6:4). Some of the harshest language in the Bible is directed at the man who neglects this responsibility (Jer 32:35, 1 Tim 5:8). Don't play if you won't pay.

Otherwise, you demonstrate a willingness, an eagerness to let them slip into eternal torment, just so you can slip into temporary ecstasy. Sex isn't casual to God. He'd rather see casual fireman or surgeons.

Now return to the thoughts you were holding about the firemen and doctor: is this how you want God to feel toward you? The fire that the victims need rescued from are the flames of Hell, and the relatives you stand to lose are your own children.

Do you like sex? Good! Thank God - it was His idea (Gen 2:20, 24+25). He said that when a young couple marries, the man should take a year off from work, to satisfy his new wife (Deut 24:5). Sex is a gift from Him, He designed for us, Absolutely Free.

No. 34 November 17, 1997 Absolutely Free

"I told you so." One day, you knock something over at work. You pick it up and put it back. Later your boss asks, "How's it going?" You answer, "No problems here." Then a voice says, "Except when he knocked over that thing over there."

It's OK, but the boss is kind of red at you for trying to hide the matter. And you think, "Who's voice was that?" Later, you decide to try something new. The voice says, "That won't work." You look around. It's your shadow talking to you. Shadows don't know anything. So you try the new thing. It fails. Your shadow says, "I told you so."

Man, this shadow is getting old. So you begin to wonder how you get away from your annoying shadow. You step out of the light, and do something wrong, and shazaam… not a peep out of your shadow. Cool. So in the future, whenever you want to get away with something, you do it in the dark.

This is how conscience works. When you get away with something wrong, your conscience pipes up (John 8:9). When you do the right thing, even when no one else knows, your conscience feels good, and you are at peace with yourself (1 Tim 1:5).

When people are so prone to do the wrong thing, that they hate the voice of their conscience, they stray into spiritual darkness to get away from it, and it shuts their conscience up (1 Tim 1:19, 4:2). But it doesn't put them at peace with themselves.

They know that when the Boss comes around, their conscience will still rat on them. The Bible tells us that when we have to stand before the judgment seat of God, our conscience is going to testify to the truth, either for us, or against us (Rom 2:15).

You may try to drown out the voice of your shadow, by ducking into the shadows, but the voices in the shadows are deceptive (Eph 4:14, 2 John 1:7). Their testimony in the end will condemn you the same as your conscience would have (1 Cor 4:5).

To have a clearly defined true shadow, you have to stand in the light. Light dispels darkness. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12). The Bible describes those who reject Christ, as people who love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). Those who accept Christ, have their consciences cleared (Heb 9:14, 10:22), their sins having already been punished in Him, being at peace with themselves, and God, are Absolutely Free.

No. 35 November 24, 1997 Absolutely Free

Need a hand? Don't you just love it when some well-meaning person decides to point out something obvious that you're already aware of? Like, "If you didn't stand so close to that puddle, you wouldn't have gotten splashed." Duh. Thank you.

But that doesn't help you. Telling a bum, "Get a job," doesn't help him. Telling a person who's jacking up their car, "You've got a flat tire," doesn't help (James 2:16).

Jesus didn't go around pointing out peoples' problems. Why not? Because they were already aware of them. He came to help. Rather than tell people things they already knew about themselves, He taught us things we didn't know about God.

As Jesus walked the earth, He socialized with sinners, ate with criminals, and talked with whores. And sinners flocked to Him (Matt 8:1, Luke 12:1). Why? Because He taught that God knew them and cared for them despite their flaws (Luke 12:7).

They'd never heard that before. The priests of Jesus day, competed at making new rules. They seemed to think that the more rules you followed, the holier you were (Luke 11:46). For all the people knew, that's what God wanted.

Jesus scolded the priests, and publicly called them blind fools, hypocrites and snakes (Matt 23:14,17,33), telling them to pursue justice, mercy, faith and the love of God, rather than preeminence among other men (Matt 23:23, Luke 11:42-44).

When you do dumb things, bad things happen to you (Gal 6:7). Even people of other religions, or no religion at all recognize this principle: "The gods must be angry."

So, when smokers get cancer, gamblers go broke, cheaters get divorced, or drunks total their cars; they know fully well that they produced their own misfortune. They need no one to tell them so. They need to escape from their self-destructive behavior patterns.

That's why Jesus came here (Luke 4:18-21). People fall into corrupt thought, by being deceived by Jesus' enemy. Then they fall into a trap of faulty reasoning, and repeat destructive behavior, though they know it's flawed (2 Pet 2:22).

By accepting our punishment, Jesus broke His enemy's grip on us. All we need do to escape self-destruction, is turn to, and cling to Jesus by faith. When we call upon Him to save us, He charges to our rescue (Rom 10:13), to set us Absolutely Free.

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No. 36 December 1, 1997 Absolutely Free

I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse. People are easy to kill. They're soft, so anything sharp will pass through them relatively easily. And they usually follow a routine, so you can know when and where is best to lay-in-wait for them.

The Mafia has found this to be pretty convenient. When they want to manipulate someone, they simply give them the option to cooperate, or die. They kill people regularly, to demonstrate that they don't bluff. It works really well: people cooperate.

Suppose you've got a customer-service type job, and you recognize a steady customer in the newspaper. He's the "Under-Boss", the notorious #2 man in the mob. The next time he comes in, he says, "You're a hard worker. I like you." Then he gives you his card, and says, "If you ever need anything - anything at all, don't hesitate to call."

When you encounter someone who's known to wax people, simply because they don't like them; isn't it comforting to know that they like you? Suppose word got out that you are a friend of the mob. People who used to sneer at you, suddenly fear you.

Now you get the best seats in restaurants, and respect and privileges everywhere you go. That would be OK, huh? Well don't buddy-up to the Mafia, for that to happen. Bad things happen to bad people, and their associates (Prov 1:10-19, 13:20, 28:7).

Buddy-up to Jesus. He's the #2 Man in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It's an organization that's more powerful than the Mafia. If you're in the business of recognizing dangerous people, and making sure not to invoke their wrath, why stop half-way?

Recognize that God is the most dangerous, potentially terrible Guy around. Jesus said, "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10:28)."

That would be God - the Trinity. They've been known to snuff people for stepping on their toes (Ex 14:28, Num 16:32-33, Acts 5:1-10, 12:23). Even the Mafia respects them. Shouldn't you? The Bible is a guidebook for Getting on God's good-side (2 Tim 3:16).

It explains how to be His friend (Rom 4:3, Heb 11:6). It says His friends can have whatever they ask for (Matt 21:22, John 14:13+14, 15:7, 16, 16:23, 1 John 3:22, 5:14+15). Don't hesitate to call for anything - anything at all, Absolutely Free.

Friendship by proxy. So, you wait tables at a place where the "Under-Boss" likes to eat. And you know he's in the Mafia. He knows that you know he's a mobster. He can see very well that there's pep in your step when you're bringing his drink.

What you don't know is that your boss is corrupt, and has been dealing with the mob. He's been trying to pull a fast one, and renege on a deal. The mob doesn't like it when people try to cheat them. They like to make examples out of people who cross them.

So one day, in walks the Under-Boss, with another guy. The Under-Boss gestures toward you, and tells his eating companion that you are the one he'd been talking about: the one who's smart, respectful and trustworthy. They ask you to step outside for a word.

As the 3 of you step outside to talk, 2 men with machine-guns step inside, and kill everyone in the building. As you stand there astonished, the "other" guy introduces himself to you. He's the GodFather. He thanks you because you have treated his #2 man so well in the past. He says, "When you treat my people good, because they're my people, you're being good to me. For that, and because he asked me to spare your life, you were saved from this massacre."

Jesus is #2 man to Father God. When you demonstrate faith in Christ, He calls you His friend (John 15:14+15). When you show favor to people because you know they're His friend, He says you have shown favor to Him, and you will be rewarded (Mark 9:41). Be Jesus' friend, and Father God will save you from the devastation to come, Absolutely Free.

No. 37 December 8, 1997 Absolutely Free

It's a Swan! The fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" is an allegory: a story that conveys a different meaning than the literal one. The mean ducks in the story represent people who despise those with different characteristics - i.e.: the "ugly" one. But in the end, the different one possessed the most grace and splendor.

Jesus used allegories called "parables" to teach basic truths about the nature of God (Matt 13:34). In fact, the entire historical account of the nation of Israel, recorded in the Old Testament, is allegorical to us, and our relationship with God (Col 2:16+17, Heb 10:1).

God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants, and through them, bless all the nations of the world. Abe had Isaac, who had Jacob: later named Israel. Israel had a bunch of kids, who had a bunch of kids, who multiplied into a nation.

But they became enslaved to the king of the land they lived in, who despised and mistreated them. They cried out to God, and He rescued them (Ex 3:7+8).You know the story: the 10 Commandments, Moses and the Red Sea (Ex 14:13-31).

After saving them, God took them on a journey to a fruitful land flowing with milk and honey. He also gave them responsibilities, so that when they cooperated in conjunction with Him, He would work mighty wonders through them (Lev, Num, Deut).

The story tells of the triumphs and tribulations the of Israelites, and how they were affected by how they dealt with God. If they resisted Him, and chased after their own lusts, they were attacked and overpowered by enemies. But when they submitted to Him, they ruled over their enemies, and had peace (Jud 2:11-19).

Like the Jews born as slaves in Egypt, we are born of flesh, slaves to sin. Egypt=sin. Jews=you. If you've heard the Gospel, and believe that Jesus has the power to overcome sin; you can call on God to rescue you, through Jesus, just as He saved the Jews through Moses; This is called salvation. Lots of people think the story ends there.

It didn't for the Jews, and it doesn't for us. As in the ugly duckling, it takes time for the beauty of the Gospel to be revealed. Salvation marks the beginning of our Journey with God. If we are willing to learn from the lessons of the Jews, we can avoid the tribulations, by cooperating with God, and receive triumphs, Absolutely Free.

Egypt calling. Many people who understand that our lives parallel the the account of the Jews in the Old Testament, consider the "Promised Land" to be Heaven. And though that's partially correct, Jesus said that we can partake of the promises to us in this present life, as well as in the age to come (Mark 10:30).

It was God who made the promises to them, and it was God who rescued them from Pharaoh. But when the people were on their way from Egypt, to the land that God promised them, they started complaining and whining, and accusing god of bringing them out into the dessert to die. Essentially they didn't believe that He was going to do what He said.

This ticked Him off enough, that He basically said, "Fine, as you have said, so shall it be," and none of the people who complained entered into the promised land (Num 14:27-32). They wandered around in the dessert for 40 years, and when they were all dead, their children went into the promised land without them.

Many Christians have received the promise from God, that if they follow Jesus, they will end up in Heaven; they really want to do the things that sinners do, and resent not being allowed to pursue any evil desire they might have. In essence, they're doing exactly the wrong thing. Everything that awaits us in Heaven surpasses anything we could desire here on Earth. So much so, in fact, that the Bible says that they are so marvellous, we're not capable of imagining them. So though they're worth holding out for, they're Absolutely Free.

No. 38 December 15, 1997 Absolutely Free

Innocent until proven guilty. If someone doesn't like you, and they want to play hell on your life, all they need do is call welfare, and report you as a child abuser. You see government agencies aren't hindered by those bothersome details we call facts.

They can respond to anonymous phone tips, and place your children in a foster home, without showing that you've actually done anything wrong. Maybe that would be good, if they were flawlessly efficient, and wouldn't intrude into the lives of innocent people. Think real hard: does that sound like any government agency you've ever heard of?

If someone doesn't agree with the way you raise your children, the remote-control-kidnappers are just a touch-tone phone call away. Do you know that it's illegal to spank in many areas? Heaven forbid that your kids develop a sense of discipline and respect.

It won't kill your kid if you spank them. In fact, it may save their life (Prov 19:18, 23:13+24). The Bible says that a father who loves his son, corrects him: not correcting them shows that you hate them (Prov 13:24), letting them drift aimlessly (Prov 22:15).

Suppose all the parents at your kid's school let their kids smoke crack. If you don't let your kid do it, everyone will think you're mean. Oh, well, you'll just have to let them get addicted to a life-destroying drug, so people will think you're nice, right?

This is where God sits. There are people who say the God of the Christians is mean, because He lets bad things happen. This is their excuse for not believing in Him. So in their imaginary world, bad things don't happen? But they also say Christians can't have fun.

Yes they can. But they also have limits. They were set by a loving Father Who doesn't want them to drift aimlessly into self-destruction; Who will correct them through discipline, if they choose to test His patience (1 Cor 11:30-32, Heb 12:5+6).

G.K. Chesterton once explained that our limits are not like the walls of a prison, but the fence around a playground: one set near the edge of a cliff. The children can romp and frolic without fear, so long as they don't breech it the barrier to death.

But according to God's opponents, if He really loved us, He'd allow us to plummet to our deaths. No, it's children who play inside the safety of the fence, who can actually live without fear (2 Tim 1:7, 1 John 4:18). They are the ones who are Absolutely Free.

No. 39 December 22, 1997 Absolutely Free

The proof is in the pudding. The authors of the Declaration of Independence wrote: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights..."

Self-evident. This implies that the truth that our creator exists is so universally obvious, no one in their right mind would question it. But today, there are plenty of people who question it. They're called fools (Psalms 14:1, 53:1).

People who insist that you can't prove God exists, don't want you to prove that He does. That would deprive them of their excuse for not seeking Him. They think the absence of proof absolves them of responsibility. But if they wanted scientific proof, it's there.

The scientific process for obtaining proof, is based on the Law of Causality: that any observable effect must have a root cause. If you discover a pendulum swinging, logic dictates that something else had to start it swinging, causing the motion.

So if you suspect something to be true, you conduct an experiment, implementing the supposed cause, and see if the predicted effect happens. If it does (repeatably), you have confirmed a scientific law. That's basically how the scientific process works.

So does the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible contains techniques for experimenting to prove God's existence, and His love for you (De 4:29, 1 Chr 28:9, Ps 69:32, Je 29:13, Ro 10:13, Ja 4:10, Ac 2:38). But the only way to prove an inward effect is to experience it firsthand: a picture of a person crying, doesn't prove that they're sad. They may be happy. A picture of a person smiling, doesn't prove that they're happy. They could be a salesman.

Suppose you told one of the fools mentioned above, that you had hit your thumb with a hammer, and it was extremely painful. They might dismiss the obvious fact that it would hurt, and say, "There's no way for you to prove to me that it was painful."

That's true. The only way that you can actually prove to them with empirical scientific data that getting hit with a hammer hurts, is to give them a good thump with a mallet. Even scripture says that a good beating reduces foolishness (Pr 22:15, 26:3, 29:15).

The proof is in the "putting"- putting biblical principles into practice, causing your Creator to affect your life in a positive way, Absolutely Free.

No. 40 December 29, 1997 Absolutely Free

Many happy returns. Have you ever paid for something, and not received it: like buying food through the drive-thru window, then getting home to find that there's something missing? Then you have to decide whether or not to go back.

Should you burn $1.05 in gas to drive back across town for a 79¢ order of fries? Or are you going to let them get away with being paid for something that they didn't do; rewarding their incompetence? Does the principle out-weigh the money?

Some times, if you make a call for free to the restaurant and complain, they'll send you a certificate for a free meal, to make-up for their mistake. Some times not. Some times you have to call their superiors and lodge an official complaint.

Jesus didn't drive-thru this world: He walked through it. As He left, He paid the ultimate price for sin - death (Rom 6:23). There's only one glitch: He never sinned (Heb 4:15). So He's coming back to set things straight (Heb 9:28, Rev 22:12+13).

So what would make-up for wrongful death? Howzabout a certificate for a free meal? No? How about one for a free life? It would have to be for one without sin, since the sin has already been paid for. That would make it eternal. No sin = no death.

Well that's the deal. Now Jesus got a certificate for a free eternal life. But He doesn't need it, because He's already got one. Oh yeah, they killed Him, but death needs sin to stick. There was none in Jesus, so it couldn't hold Him (Acts 2:24, 1 Cor 15:56).

So what should He do with this certificate that He doesn't need? It wouldn't be right to let it go to waste. So He wants to give it to you. That way you can use it to cover the sins you've committed, so that you won't have to pay for them.

It's a package deal: A record is kept of all sins committed. If you've committed any, you'll be held accountable, and you'll have to pay for them with death. No matter how many or how few sins you've committed, the price is the same: death.

Jesus was given a certificate marked, "Paid in full," but the section which lists the sins accountable was blank. He wants to write yours in that space, so that your list will be blotted out (Col 2:14). In this way, anyone at all, who believes in Jesus, and decides to stick with Him, gets a certificate for eternal life (John 3:15, 2 Cor 5:21), Absolutely Free.

No. 41 January 5, 1998 Absolutely Free

We have a winner. Suppose your local bar has a weekly drawing: everyone who signs-up, gets a number. Each person is supposed to kick-in $5 each week. On Saturday, a number is drawn, and if that person has kicked-in this week, they win the pot.

If the person who's number is drawn didn't kick-in this week, the pot grows for next week's winner. So after a string of no-winners, the pot is now up to $45,000.

You've got 2 buddies: Bert and Ernie. Every Saturday, you guys go to watch the drawing, and see if you've won. But you've got to work this Saturday. So you hand the chip with your number on it to Ernie, and ask him to collect for you, if you win.

And your number is drawn. So Bert says to Ernie, "Hey pal, let's split the pot, and tell the loser that your number was drawn, not theirs." Ernie refuses, and they argue about it. Ernie decides to return the chip to you, and let you collect yourself, removing all doubt.

But that single act of honesty stands to cost Bert $22,500 in unreported income, and he's not prepared to watch that happen. So he tries to take the chip. They fight. Ernie runs. Bert shoots him 3 times. You don't know any of this.

Until where you work, Ernie shows up, bloody, and barely breathing. He holds the chip out to you, and says, "Here buddy. You won. Bert tried to steal it, but I wouldn't let him, 'cause you're my friend." Then he passes-out from loss of blood, and dies.

Wouldn't you be stunned with amazement and disbelief? But now you hold the chip. If you don't use it, your friend Ernie died for nothing. What will you do?

Whether you know it or not, you run with a couple buddies: Jesus, and satan. But satan only pretends to be your friend. As soon as it works to his advantage, he'll stab you in the back with a twist. That's all that he knows how to do (John 8:44, 10:10, 1 Pet 5:8).

And you've won the big drawing: a mansion in Heaven (John 14:2). Jesus came here to tell you so, and to give you your chip: the Gospel (Luke 4:18). But it wasn't easy getting it to you: satan was jealous. And he tried stopping Jesus (John 14:30).

But Jesus is a true friend (John 15:13-15). He died bringing the Gospel to you. And if you've heard the Gospel, you're holding the chip. If you don't use it, Jesus died for nothing. What will you do? You don't have to kick-in $5: your mansion is Absolutely Free.

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No. 42 January 12, 1998 Absolutely Free

"Who loves you baby?" - Kojak. "Job-security" vanished with the 1980's, when the trendy buzz-word was "downsizing." Owners of large companies trimmed their budgets by firing scores of faithful employees. They don't love you.

To re-establish a sense of job security, many workers have shifted their loyalty to the unions. Do the unions love you? Maybe. Stop paying your dues, and see how long your benefits continue. Well, what about the government: do they love you? Yeah, right.

Gee, it appears that no establishment of authority loves you. That's depressing. People who are depressed visit psychiatrists. Do the psychiatrists love you? They won't even talk to you if you don't give them money. They don't love you.

So if no one loves you, then you don't owe your gratitude or respect, or loyalty to anyone right? If the company would squat on you, given the chance, you're justified in getting over on the company if you can get away with it, right?

Wrong. Your company doesn't provide for you. God does (Ge 2:7, James 1:17). He is the owner and provider of all material wealth (Ps 50:10, Hag 2:8). But because He wants to bless you with creature comforts, He provided you with a decent job.

Like a father who wishes to bless his son with a car. The car doesn't love the son. The father does. If the kid were to trash the car, and say, "So, what? Car didn't love me so I didn't owe it my loyalty," he would be flouting the gift his father gave him.

We owe our loyalty and gratitude to our Heavenly Father, who gave us all the gifts we have: life, health, freedom, and property. He does so through institutions which He established, like families, companies, hospitals, and governments (Rom 13:1).

To turn your nose up to them because you owe them no loyalty, gratitude or love, is disrespectful to Him, the provider of those things.

But just like a kid with a good driving record makes his father (who bought the car) proud: we make our Heavenly Father proud when we demonstrate virtues, like honesty, integrity and diligence in the workplace (Rom 13:7, Col 3:22, 1 Pet 2:15-18). And when we ascribe credit to Him where credit is due, we glorify Him. He does love us. We don't derserve it. But His love is Absolutely Free.

No. 43 January 19, 1998 Absolutely Free

Dumb-ass attack. The moniker: "dumb ass" is commonly applied in our culture as an insult. But where did this phrase come from? The Bible. Long ago, in a land far away, there was a guy named Balaam, who was planning to do something stupid. As he rode his donkey, God sent an angel to kill him with a sword.

The donkey saw it as they approached, and veered aside. So the guy beat the donkey. This happened again. The third time, the angel positioned himself so that there was no way to turn aside, so the donkey fell down instead. The guy beat the donkey again.

So the donkey basically says, "What have I done that you beat me so?" And the guy basically says, "You mock me. If I had a sword, I'd kill you." It didn't strike the guy as odd that his donkey, or "ass", who was "dumb", was suddenly able to speak.

Eventually, God opened the guy's eyes, he saw the angel, and knew that the donkey had saved his life (Numbers 22:1-33). The apostle Peter, describing people who are swift to do evil, like Balaam, said, "But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with mans voice forbad the madness of the prophet" (2 Pet 2:16). There it is.

A recurring theme in the Bible, is God's respect of the humble, and disdain of the proud (James 4:6, 1 Pet 5:5). When Christ was born, He didn't appear to noblemen or sages. He came to a poor young carpenter and his wife (Luke 1:38). Angels didn't announce it to Caesar, they announced it to shepherds while they worked (Luke 2:8+9).

The apostle Paul wrote, " But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty" (1 Cor 1:27).

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent" (1 Cor 1:18+19).

The next time someone calls you a "dumb-ass", remember that it means: a wise one who can see clearly in the spirit realm, and saves others from destruction. That's a pretty high honor. You can return the compliment by saying, "Same to you buddy."

They said the same thing to Christ, Who laid down His life for us, Absolutely Free.

No. 44 January 26, 1998 Absolutely Free

Rocky Marriage. Every kid who's ever taken Metal-Shop class has had this experience: given their first opportunity to weld, they take 2 pieces of metal, and join them. When done, they show it to the teacher, who promptly takes a hammer to it.

He doesn't do that because he's mean. If the weld is good, it will endure the beating. If not, the 2 pieces of metal will break apart. It might be a beautiful looking bead, but if that doesn't mean that it has bonded to the steel, where the bead and steel "marry."

When you do actually get it right, you have turned the 2 pieces of metal into 1 piece of metal. And when the teacher tests the strength of the weld, it will prove that you do quality work. And you will be glad he tested it, removing all question.

Ever felt like life was beating you with a hammer? Lots of people believe that when bad things happen to them, it's because God is punishing them for some evil they've done. And though that may very well be the case (Heb 12:5-8), it isn't always.

Sometimes, hard times are a test, not to see if you'll fail, but to prove that you won't. It's not a test of the quality of your work, it's an exhibition of the quality of God's work. He likes to put His work to the test (Job 1:8, 42:10+12), to prove He's done a good job.

Ever failed? Don't sweat it. Lesson learned. Life is a series of trials and failures which lead to trials and triumphs. Just as the purpose of a weld is to unite 2 pieces of metal so that they become 1, so this life is intended to unite us to God, so that 2 spirits will become 1 (1 Co 6:17, Ep 5:30-32). Not assimilated, attatched.

The hammer tests the bond between you and God (Mt 13:19-21). If you will allow Him to do His work in you, even in failures, the bond will become unbreakable. And when the test is over, you will be glad, because all question will be removed (Ja 1:3+4).

Salvation, coming to faith in Jesus Christ, and accepting His doctrine as yours, so that His Spirit will reside in you, is the bead. It unites God and man. Nothing, neither Hell nor high water can break that bond (Rom 8:38+39).

But God is not content to let that be said. He's going to prove it (Jud 2:21-3:4). When you accept Christ as savior, know ahead of time that this union will be tested (Mark 10:30). Accept the challenge, it's the opportunity of a lifetime, and it's Absolutely Free.

No. 45 February 2, 1998 Absolutely Free

I will if you will. "He's a good kid. He just fell in with a bad crowd." Peer pressure. Did you ever stop to notice that it takes friends to enjoy vandalism? Vandalism for vandalism's sake is nothing. No joy. But if you're with friends, it's a thrill.

A good kid by himself will not ordinarily commit random acts of destruction. But team him up with another good kid, and they will do things that they would never attempt alone. Their companionship emboldens them to stupidity.

The Book of Proverbs in the Bible is a collection of tidbits of advice from a very wise father, King Solomon, to his son. It opens with an intro, then it gives the first bit of wisdom which adds up to, "Watch who you run around with" (Prov 1:10-19).

Scripture says that you become like those you run around with (Prov 13:20). It doesn't say that you have to go to church to get to Heaven. But it does encourage us, once coming to faith in Christ, to gather together with other believers (Heb 10:25).

Here's something cool about what Jesus taught: He said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt 7:7). Notice He didn't say, "Look for good things, and you will find good things."

Look for trouble, and you'll find it. You reap what you sow (Gal 6:7). Ask an inmate. Or look for God, and you'll find Him as well (Deut 4:29, Jer 29:13). Which brings us to the issue of people who say, "I tried going to church. It didn't do anything for me."

You weren't looking very hard. Scripture doesn't say that if you surround yourself with sinners all week, in places designed to facilitate sinning, then spend 25 minutes on Sunday listening to a feel-good message, that you'll find God.

It's like the guy who says, "Honey: I can't find my keys." She answers, "Did you try looking for them?" Christians are like that too. That's why they should gather together.

Because just like 2 kids will prod one another to do bad things when no one else is looking; 2 Christians will provoke one another into doing good things that they wouldn't do otherwise (Heb 10:24). They know that someone else is looking.

Fall in with a good crowd. Ask, seek, and knock. Ask for wisdom. Seek companionship with God. Knock on Heaven's door. You may enter, Absolutely Free.

No. 46 February 9, 1998 Absolutely Free

Rally 'round the flag boys. One of the most heroic acts of the Civil War, was to capture an enemy flag. Why? What's the big deal about a stupid flag? Back then, your average soldier didn't have a map or compass. He didn't know where enemy or friendly lines were. And he couldn't get on the radio and call for help.

Amid the clatter of horses' hooves, bayonets and sabers, explosions and screams, smoke and blood; it's easy to lose your bearings in the fray. If you come to a point where you can collect your wits, your first thought should be, "Where's my outfit?"

That's when you scan the skyline, for your unit's battle standard (flag), so that you can regroup. But if it's been captured, you're lost. You wouldn't know where to run, even if you wanted to. With no standard, a unit couldn't consolidate, or communicate.

Sort of like our present society. Nobody seems to know what is acceptable public behavior. What is decent or indecent? Is anything inappropriate? Isn't anything (besides decency) inappropriate, anywhere, anymore? We can't get it together.

What caused the confusion? We've lost our standard. This was once a Christian culture, founded on the teachings of the Bible. But during the Victorian era, it deteriorated from a lifestyle designed to attract others to faith in a loving God, to a system of legalism which imposed religious rules on everyone, regardless of faith.

Once the mistake was realized, we over-reacted by trying to disassociate ourselves completely from scriptural authority. That's a mistake also: too much food is bad; none at all is worse. Extremism in either direction is still extreme.

The Bible has never been captured: we've simply cast it down. Pick it up. Bear the cross in your world (Luke 14:27). The Bible, penned by men who were inspired by the Spirit of God (Rom 1:1+2, Heb 1:1, 2 Pet 1:20+21), is the Word of God (2 Tim 3:16).

Jesus is Himself, the physical embodiment of the Word (John 1:14), the Captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10). We are to be His color guard (Matt 10:38). If He will be lifted up, like a standard on a staff, all men will be drawn to Him (John 12:32).

For Jesus placed himself on the flagpole (cross), so that when all hell breaks loose in our lives, we might look to Him and be saved (John 3:14-17), Absolutely Free.

No. 47 February 16, 1998 Absolutely Free

A dream come true. The doorbell rings: it's Ed McMahon, with a camera crew, and a check for $20 Million! He says something that you can't make out, because someone's honking their horn. Or maybe it's a fire alarm. No. It's your alarm clock.

So you smack the clock and lay there. You collect your thoughts, then get up, get dressed, and fix yourself some breakfast. The weatherman on TV says, "BEEP BEEP BEEP..." It's your alarm clock. You never really got up.

Ever happened? What a drag. But sometimes it's a relief to wake up from a dream. Like when you dream that you've fallen, and you wake before you hit bottom. Or from a nightmare where you're too scared to scream, or run, or fight back.

Good dream, bad dream. Either way, your sleep comes to an end. What you thought for sure only moments earlier was real, doesn't even exist. As you open your eyes, and they adjust to the light, you begin to see things the way they really are, clearly.

Some day, your alarm clock will tell you that it's time to pass from this life to the next. Your circumstance in the next world will either be better or worse than this one. It will either be like a dream come true, or a nightmare come true (Luke 16:22-24).

We can determine in this life which it will be. Scripture outlines the scenario for us: if we live our lives led by the desires of our flesh, we are in darkness (John 8:12).

The only way to rise above being merely hunger-driven animals, is to wake up and see the light. Without it, we can't see spiritual realities (John 3:3). Spiritual light comes to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Tim 1:10). Some of us see it, some of us don't.

Soon the things that we are sure are real right now, won't even exist anymore (2 Pet 3:10-13). The whole world lies in a deep sleep (Isa 29:10), except for the Christians who have the light. It's their job to go around trying to wake people up (Matt 5:14-16).

But it takes a while for your eyes to adjust. Sometimes the light seems irritating, even downright painful. And if the person trying to wake you up is obnoxious, you may clamp your eyes shut, just to defy their demands (Prov 27:14). Don't do that.

The doorbell is ringing: It's Jesus at the door (Rev 3:20). But it's not a dream. Open your eyes and let Him in. He will make the truth plain to you, Absolutely Free.

No. 48 February 23, 1998 Absolutely Free

"Can't we all just get along?" Capitalism, the free enterprise system that promotes private ownership of property and business, is the product of Christianity. The blueprint of Western culture, the Bible, confirms men's rights of ownership (Deut 1:8, Job 42:12).

But under Capitalism, evil men built vast empires and monopolies by exploiting others. So out of opposition to the abuses of Capitalism, arose Communism, and Socialism (which for all practical purposes are the same thing).

Communism says that wealth is the property of the community, not individuals. It belongs to everyone. Socialism says that Government needs to regulate and distribute the wealth equally, eliminating class structure. We're all peers - comrades.

Condemning Capitalism, they agree that it is the product of Christianity, because they condemn the abuses of Christianity as well; like the Crusades, and Inquisitions. But they're confused. Like guns don't commit crimes: evil men do; Christianity didn't commit the atrocities of medieval Europe: evil men did, under the guise of Christianity. And Capitalism didn't create slavery: evil men have subjugated their fellow men forever.

Society's ills aren't caused by too much freedom. They're caused by evil men doing evil things. No amount of taking away peoples' property, or guns, or wealth, or freedom, will change this. So Communism cannot work as long as there are evil men.

Nothing explains this flaw like the Christian doctrine of "Original Sin" (Rom 5:12).

That's why Communists kill Christians. Evil doesn't like to be called evil. They deny that God exists, and recognize no power higher than themselves. Their success depends upon obedient, subservient people "just getting along." "Getting along", entails killing anyone who disagrees with them. That's true of all evil empires.

Do you enjoy owning things? Thank God. He is the one who provides for you (Matt 6:31-33). Scripture says, "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6:10), it doesn't say that the use of money is evil. Jesus used money too (Matt 17:27, Luke 8:3).

But money is power. Evil men crave power. Righteous men love freedom. They can't get along. Neither can be happy if the other is. Ignorance will lead you under someone else's power. The Truth will set you free (John 8:32). It's found in the Bible, Absolutely Free.

No. 49 March 2, 1998 Absolutely Free

The "Unsinkable Ship." On board the Titanic. One of the ship's crew said to it's architect, "God Himself couldn't sink this ship." Boy, that was the wrong thing to say.

Hypothetically, if the Titanic sank, your chances of survival were pretty good. It was in a well-traveled sea lane, with lifeboats and preservers, and a radio. Today, ships have speedboats, and GPS, Global Positioning System, which triangulates from satellites to pinpoint your exact location on earth. So survival chances are even better.

So in our minds, the thought of going overboard, is always associated with a rescue effort. But in the 1700's, if you were washed off the deck of a sailing ship, as it was driven by a wind, in a storm, at night; your chances would be zero. Certain death.

So you've got 2 guys in the same position: bobbing in the ocean, watching the ship going away. One guy is cheerful, though slightly embarrassed, the other is despondent, in agony of mind. One guy is in the 20th century, the other in the 18th.

They're both in the same exact circumstance, so why the different attitudes? The element of hope. One has hope, the other has none. The ability to maintain a healthy attitude in any circumstance is directly tied to the presence of hope.

What's your highest hope - what you can get in life? If so, you have no hope (Prov 10:28, 11:7, Eph 2:12). Everyone dies eventually (Heb 9:27). Zero chances, certain death. But the hope of the Christian is life after death (Acts 23:6). Yet both types of people are in the same exact circumstance.

A person needs something to put their trust in, like speedboats, or GPS, or radio. Those who put their trust in the Titanic were let down - literally. Many found themselves treading water, looking for a piece of wood drifting by to lay hold of.

God has promised in His Word that those who put their trust in Him will not be put to shame (Rom 10:11). It is impossible for Him to lie (Heb 6:18-19).

Are you treading water, waiting to die? Here comes a piece of wood: it's a cross. Lay hold of it. Put your trust in the Christ of the Bible. He's unsinkable. The devil himself can't sink Him. he tried. Christ bobbed back up during His effort to rescue you.

Your hope in Him can save you from death (Rom 8:24), Absolutely Free.

No. 50 March 9, 1998 Absolutely Free

Hey kid! Want a piece of candy? The most hated and hunted Nazi war criminal was the "Angel of Death" from Auschwitz, Dr. Josef Mengele. Hitler wanted to produce a race of super-people, and Dr. Joe's job was to develop hybrid strains.

So he performed surgical experiments on thousands of children, with no anesthetic, to see what he could find. "Hmm, identical twins have the same genetic code, so if you cut the arms off of one, and sew them on the other, can they use all four? Let's see."

Of the 3000 twins who passed under his knife, some 200 survived the war. They described him as a fatherly guy, who would befriend them, separating them from the other prisoners, comforting them, and giving them chocolates: before dissecting them alive.

Why would he do that? Was he trying to balance out the evil he did with kindness? Does that work? Can good deeds cancel-out wrong done? On Judgment Day, the souls of thousands of children will rise (Mt 12:41-42) and point at him saying, "There's my murderer!" Does a pat on the head, and a candy bar counter-act this testimony?

Jesus said that we would be rewarded according to our works (Mt 16:27). So most people assume that they will be requited good for good, and evil for evil, and hope that the good they have done will out-weigh the bad. Sounds fair. Let's go with that.

The formula is simple: Love God, and your neighbor as yourself (Mt 22:36-40). Things done for God and others will count (Mt 10:42, 25:40, Mk 9:41). But if you've done things just to impress other people, you already got your reward (Mt 6:1+2, 5, 16).

So those things won't count. Neither will things you are expected to do (Lu 6:32-34, 17:9). It's going out of your way to do good that counts (Mt 5:40-46). Also, not doing something good that you could have done, counts against you (Mt 25:41-46).

So if you're confident that you've done more things for God and your fellow man, than you have for yourself, and have left no good thing undone, you've got nothing to worry about (except mild delusional psychosis, and eternal damnation).

But if you suspect that Judgment could be a bad experience, there's an out: Jesus already accepted the reward for sin, in your stead, because He loves you. If you can believe that, and accept Him, He will accept you (Mt 10:31-33, Jn 1:11+12), Absolutely Free.

No. 51 March 16, 1998 Absolutely Free

"We do more before 9 AM, than most people do all day." There are military people, who work in an air-conditioned offices, and those who crawl through the mud in mosquito-infested jungles, carrying heavy packs through treacherous terrain.

Both make the same money. An E-3 in an office, or a jungle, still gets Enlisted Grade-3 pay. Yet do you know which of the 2 is typically more motivated, and proud about what they do? Have you ever met anyone more cocky than an ex-Marine?

Why is that? It's not the money, so why do they boast of being the "Few and the Proud?" It's the recognition that they get for their effort. They are recognized as determined, disciplined professionals who meet dangerous challenges on a daily basis.

Pride doesn't strut when no one's looking. They have the flashiest uniforms, and are posted as embassy guards, symbolizing America's strength and power, around the world.

It has been said that a man isn't what he thinks he is, he isn't even what other people think he is: he is what he thinks other people think he is. It's the recognition of others that inspires one's level of motivation and self-esteem.

Not money. Every job is important: a machine missing one part, won't run. Yet many diligent people have no motivation, because they get no recognition for their efforts. A thankless job is hard to do, regardless of the work or money involved.

No body knows that better than Jesus. He came here expressly to meet a challenge, and suffer on our behalf (Isa 53:2-6). Yet He was abused and killed by the very people He came to rescue. They didn't even recognize who He was (John 1:10+11).

He could have miraculously made all the money He wanted, being God in the flesh, and been the richest man on earth. Rich people have all the friends money can buy. But that's not where it's at (Matt 4:4). He said that there's more to life (Luke 12:15).

That's why there are work places, with pleasant conditions, and good pay, and miserable workers. Contrary to popular belief, money doesn't heal all wounds.

If you get no recognition for a job well done, don't slouch. Gods sees you. Press on. Get to know Him (Dan 11:32). Ultimately, He will get the glory He so richly deserves (Rom 14:11), and so will his servants (Rom 2:10, 1 Pet 4:12-14), Absolutely Free.

No. 52 March 23, 1998 Absolutely Free

UL Listed. If you buy a rope that's rated at 3000 lb.'s, someone somewhere had to perform a stress test on it: keep increasing the load on it until breaks.

For more than 50 years Underwriters Laboratory has tested devices, and certified their safety. Since 1936, Consumer Reports Magazine has published articles on the value, performance, and safety of a wide range of products. .

Both UL, and the Consumers Union have been around long enough, that they have established sound reputations as consumer advocates. A consumer is anyone who uses a product or service, and an advocate is someone who defends someone else.

With all the screwy religions out there, if you were interested in getting to know more about God, wouldn't it be nice if you could look for a religion bearing the UL mark; or read the comparison tests for "Church of the Year" in Consumer Reports?

Nobody's born knowing about Hinduism, or Buddhism, or any other -ism. And you don't know if you're going to offend someone if you ask them about their religion. Or worse, they might determine themselves to convert you once you've shown interest.

Jesus said that you can tell who's what by the fruit they produce (Matt 13:33-37). Witness all of the charities, hospitals and orphanages with Christian names. Can you to think of one that has a Muslim or Atheist name? After the Oklahoma City bombing, 3 Islamic groups claimed credit. No Christians groups did. Perhaps they're not the same.

Many religions require sacrifice to God. In Christianity God sacrificed Himself, for us. He passed the stress test: He experienced every kind of pain, and temptation, even death, so that He can relate to us in our trials (Heb 4:15). But He didn't break.

No other God has undergone this abuse. Jesus did it for us. That's because He is our "Advocate" (1 John 2:1). The Greek word is "Parakletos", also translated as "Comforter", referring to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 15:26, 16:7).

What's more, we also have a publication, like Consumer Reports we can dig into to investigate truth: the Bible (2 Tim 3:16). It's been around longer than UL or the Consumers Union, and has a sound rep. You don't have to join anyone's religion to read it.

Shop smart. This is the best deal in the universe, and it's Absolutely Free..