Articles
The Interview
The Interview
By Stephen Auman
Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow. Does this mean we don't have to do our homework or our grocery shopping? Sadly, no. We still have to be responsible. We still have to do our part. But we don't have to stress about the outcome of things. God will take care of us. And yet we do worry. Try going through a job interview and keeping a steady heart rate. Will you say the wrong thing? Are you good enough? Is this even the right job for you? You can't help it. Your future is depending on this, right? This handful of minutes is going to affect your life, day in and day out, and maybe all the way up to retirement. This is your life in the balance. Don't blow it! No pressure.
Yeah, right. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit of stress from just thinking about it. Anyway, why does it have to be that way? You're not lazy. You're willing to work at a good job. Why all this torture? Why can't it be easy?
Picture the perfect interview for the perfect job: You walk in. The interviewer smiles invitingly. He looks at your resume.
"Let's see. Hmm. I see you've got some experience -- bad experience. That's okay. You're currently working for our competitor. That's okay. We understand. Worldcorp is a big company, and their slogans are very seductive. But I think you'll find things more to your liking at Salvation Unlimited. We're like a family here.
"No need to stress. The job is yours, if you want it. I believe you're familiar with our policies. If you run into any problems, just talk to your coworkers or your supervisors. Or you can call the CEO. Lines are open to his office 24/7. And don't worry about the pay. We'll take care of you. And I'm sure you've heard about our sweet retirement program. Paid for by the CEO's son, at his own expense.
"Well, I don't need to look at the rest of your resume. We don't turn away any applicants. The choice is up to you. Once you pass through receiving, you can get started."
If only all interviews were that easy. Why would anyone pass up an opportunity like that? A future like that?
When Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow, it was because He's ready to take care of us far beyond tomorrow. He told us, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Why should you have worry about tomorrow? Why should you have to worry about eternity? If you haven't made preparations for your future -- the future that really matters -- do so now, so you can stop worrying. (Developed from a Wednesday evening invitation)
The Decline of the Republic
Psalm 33:12 - “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…” Prov. 14:34 - “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.” Prov. 11:11 - “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.” Isa. 1:4 - “Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.”
“Where men are forbidden to honor a king, they honor millionaires, athletes, or film stars instead; even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison.” - C. S. Lewis
“The men American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try and tell them the truth.” H. L. Mencken
“Tolerance is the last virtue of a depraved society. When an immoral society has blatantly and proudly violated all the commandments, it insists upon one last virtue, tolerance for its immorality. It will not tolerate condemnation of its perversions. It creates a whole new world in which only the intolerant critic of intolerable evil is evil.” - Hutton Gibson
“If we continue to teach about tolerance and intolerance instead of good and evil, we will end up with tolerance of evil.” - Dennis Prager
“Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions.” - G. K. Chesterton
“Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption.” - President James Garfield
“A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.” - Alexander Hamilton
“To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” - Teddy Roosevelt
“When small men cast long shadows, it is a sign that the sun is setting.” - Venita Craven
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” - Albert Einstein
“No greater wrong can ever be done than to put a good man at the mercy of a bad, while telling him not to defend himself or his fellows; in no way can the success of evil be made surer or quicker.” - Theodore Roosevelt
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” - Thomas Jefferson
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.” - Alexander Tyler on the fall of the Athenian Republic
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” - Martin Luther
Test Your Bible Knowledge of the Major Prophets
1. I prayed to God even when the King forbade it __________
2. I have been called the weeping prophet __________
3. I was the prophet of the Messiah and of His coming kingdom __________
4. I was the prophet who lay down on my side for 390 days __________
Upcoming Sermons
1/3/21 AM - Resolutions of the Apostle Peter; PM - Singing Service: Congregational Choice
1/10/21 AM - Testing for True Friends; PM - Isaiah: Prophet of Redemption
1/17/21 AM - As We Have Received Mercy…; PM - …Let Us Be Merciful
1/24/21 AM - John’s Demons and Jesus’ Sinful Friends; PM - Elijah: A Preacher on the Run
1/31/21 AM - “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord”; PM - Guest Speaker: Doug Sanders
