At around noon on Wednesday April 10, 1912, the largest passenger steamship in the world departed on her maiden voyage from Southampton , England . After calling at Cherbourg , France ,and Queenstown , Ireland , she departed for New York City with over 2,200 people aboard. The ship offered an onboard swimming pool, gymnasium, barber shop, public rooms, smoking rooms, a Turkish bath, libraries for each passenger class, elevators, a reception room with adjoining dining hall, and a squash court.
The beautifully crafted interior was adorned with elaborate floor to ceiling wood paneling, expensive furniture, chandeliers, four parlor suites with private enclosed and spacious promenade decks with large mock oak beams, and a grand staircase made entirely of oak and wrought iron set beneath a spectacular glass dome. In addition, Cafés offered superb cuisine for passengers including a sunlit veranda fitted with trellis decor. The interiors of the ship were spared no expense with ornate furnishings and materials of the highest quality. The ship was quite literally “A Floating Palace.”
But then on Sunday April 14, 1912 just before midnight, the unthinkable happened. This magnificent liner, despite numerous "ice warnings" from several eastbound ships, maintained the SAME course and speed until they struck an iceberg and began to sink in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean .
At 12:20 AM the order was given to swing out the lifeboats, but there was much confusion due to the noise of steam escaping from the safety valves and the general reluctance of passengers to enter the boats. First Officer Murdock, on the starboard side, ordered that No. 7 lifeboat be lowered to the waterline, but had the greatest difficulty in getting the boat filled with passengers. It was a frightening prospect for them to think of leaving the luxury of the bright and comfortable ship in the middle of the night to get into a rowboat and be lowered by ropes 60 feet to the dark and freezing ocean below, even though this was their ONLY salvation.
Second Officer Lightoller was having the same difficulty on portside. The first boat to be lowered had only 26 passengers in it - 24 women and 2 children. It was in fact able to carry 65 persons however, most of the passengers were convinced that they were much safer on board the Titanic. Two hours later.... it was all gone!*
Seeking security in a sinking ship – How tragic! Yet, many do the same thing today by trusting in this present world for their security. But this world too...
is a sinking ship!
Consider the words of the Apostle Peter: “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:9-10).
The world is the sinking ship, but there is a lifeboat; the body of Christ –
which is the CHURCH! Christ will save ALL those who enter the lifeboat (Eph 5:23; 1:22-23). He will add to the “lifeboat” (the church) those who place their trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repent of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Once in the lifeboat, one must continue to follow the orders of the Captain
(1 John 1:7). Then, He will lead the lifeboat to eternal safety and bliss.
As amazing as it might sound, many passengers aboard the Titanic refused to get into the lifeboats because they simply did not believe the ship was going to sink...
until it was too late! Even though they were told that it was absolutely necessary for them to board the lifeboats.
God will not allow THIS world to continue on its present course indefinitely, but has appointed an end – a LAST DAY on which will be a resurrection of the dead and a
FINAL judgment.
The world is truly a sinking ship and the church is quite literally the “LIFE” boat!
Heed the warning! There’s STILL room in the lifeboat for YOU. Trust and obey the Captain, and get onboard!
The Ice Hotel
In January 2001 Canada ’s first Ice Hotel was opened. That's right – Ice Hotel.
The hotel is constructed of 12,000 tons of snow and 400 tons of ice covering more than 30,000 square feet. It has ceilings over 18 feet high, walls covered with original artwork, and furnishings carved out of ice blocks. The Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada is composed of 32 rooms and theme suites, two ice art galleries, a magnificent ice chapel, two exhibition areas, an ice cinema, and an immense lobby with an ice chandelier lit by fiber optics. The four-foot thick walls are ice. The floors are ice.
The ceilings are ice. The furniture and the decorations are made of ice.Yes, even the BEDS are ice! If you get too cold in this environment, you can warm yourself in one of the hotel’s Jacuzzis or stand by one of its functional fireplaces.
Guests may spend the night in an individually designed ice room, snuggled up in thick polar sleeping bags, on deer pelts and mattress over the illuminated ice bed. Visitors are invited to look around the hotel and marvel at the different themed rooms. They must be careful of the impressive sculptures dotted around the place – one may bump into a huge ice bear or American Indian, even a frozen Statue of Liberty!
Reservations are limited – not only by the number of rooms (32 rooms and suites with a capacity to accommodate more than 84 people per night), but also by the time frame that the hotel is open. You see, you can only make reservations for The Ice Hotel from early January to April 1st, because after that, it begins to melt...*
Like the fabulous Ice Hotel, we understand from the Scriptures that this WORLD with its powers and values is passing away (see 1 John 2:15-17).
And one day – “the Day of the Lord” – “the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will "melt" with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up”
(2 Peter 3:10). This world is temporary, to be replaced with “a new heaven and
earth” (2 Peter 3:13) conforming to God's desire.
Therefore, “since everything will be destroyed in this way,” Peter asks, “What kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:11). His answer: “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11-12 NIV). He calls us to live here and now by the values of that new era, rather than expending all our time and energy on things so impermanent. In short, God wants us to be Christians, for only Christians will live eternally with Him in the place “in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
Jesus paid the price so that you can receive this ETERNAL inheritance if you will: believe and trust Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from your sin in repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), be baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), and live faithfully to Him until He comes (Revelation 2:10).
The Ice Hotel presents a challenge: Are WE expending our time and energy on things that will soon "melt" away?
“The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).
Won’t YOU do the will of God?
God bless you!
Handsome Indeed!
Abraham Lincoln was admired by many, but he also had many critics. But even persistent critics in the Government, like Pennsylvania's Thaddeus Stevens,
sometimes praised the President's benevolence.
House Speaker Schuyler Colfax recalled that Stevens "used to tell, with great gusto, this story of his own personal experience. Mr. Stevens had gone with an elderly lady from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (his district), to the White House, to ask the pardon of her son, condemned to die for sleeping on his post. The President suddenly turned upon his cynical Pennsylvania friend, whom he knew had so often assailed him for excessive lenity, and said, 'Now, Thad, what would you do in this case if you happened to be President?'”
“Mr. Stevens knew how many hundreds of his constituents were waiting breathlessly
to hear the result of that elderly woman's pilgrimage to Washington. Of course, Congressmen who desired to be re-elected liked to carry out the desires of their constituents. Stevens did not relish the President's home-thrust, but replied that,
as he knew of the extenuating circumstances, he would certainly pardon him.”
“‘Well, then,’ said Mr. Lincoln, after a moment's writing in silence, ‘here, madam, is your son's pardon.’
“Her gratitude filled her heart to overflowing, and it seemed to her as though her son had been snatched from the gateway of the grave. She could only thank the President with her tears as she passed out, but when she and Mr. Stevens had reached the outer door of the White House she burst out, excitedly, 'I KNEW it was a lie! I KNEW it was a lie!'”
“‘What do you mean?’ asked her astonished companion.
“Why, when I left my country home in old Lancaster yesterday, the neighbors told me that I would find that Mr. Lincoln was an UGLY man, when in fact... he is really the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life!’”
“And certainly, when sympathy and mercy lightened up those rugged features, many a wife and mother pleading for his intervention had reason to think him handsome indeed."*
Interestingly, the Scriptures do not contain an exact description of the physical appearance of Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is a prophecy given some 700 years before His birth that provides the closest thing to a portrait: “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2).
Yet, many would describe Jesus as the most handsome Man that has ever lived. Why?
Because Jesus died so that we might live! (1 Thessalonians 5:10). He paid the price for our sins on the cross so that we may have forgiveness and the hope of eternal life if we accept His offer on His terms.
Jesus will save those who: believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). His redeeming blood will continue to cleanse those who continue to walk in the light of
His Word (1 John 1:7).
And certainly, when God’s mercy is understood and accepted, many have reason to think Him handsome indeed!
Searching For Pennies
Category: Religion and Philosophy
There was a small boy who when walking down the street one day found a bright copper penny. He was so excited that he found money, especially because it didn't cost him anything. This experience led him to spend the rest of his days walking with his head down, eyes wide open, looking for treasure.
During his lifetime he found 296 pennies, 48 nickels, 19 dimes, 16 quarters, 2 half dollars and one crinkled dollar bill, for a total of: $13.26
He got money for nothing, except that he missed the breathless beauty of 31,369 sunsets, the colorful splendor of 157 rainbows, and the fiery beauty of hundreds of maples nipped by autumn's frost. He never saw white clouds drifting across blue skies, shifting into various wondrous formations. Birds flying, sun shining, and the smiles of a thousand passing people are not a part of his memory. *
How sad, but how true of so many people today! In fact, you and I are often guilty of "searching for pennies" and missing out on the greatest blessings of life.
"Searching for pennies" for us may mean spending an inordinate amount of time and energy on our jobs or any other pursuit. As a result, we often "miss out" on the blessings of a loving family, close friends, and a vibrant faith in God.
Jesus said... "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your TREASURE is, there your HEART will be also" (Mat 6:19-21).
"Searching for pennies" in the things of the world is to spend time focusing on those things that are material and temporary in nature. Jesus instructs us to place our focus on things that are spiritual and eternal. The greatest blessings of God are spiritual blessings including the forgiveness of our sins and the hope of living eternally with Him in heaven (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-4).
Those greater spiritual and eternal blessings are found in Christ! To be
"in Christ," one must believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin to Him in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Him for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:27). Then to CONTINUE to enjoy those greater, spiritual blessings, one must CONTINUE to follow Him faithfully (1 John 1:7).
Don't waste your time "searching for pennies." Invest your time in the
GREATEST blessing that will last ETERNALLY: your relationship with God!
God bless you!
Bro. B.
Note: I in no way claim originality...Just agreement
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