Category: <span>thoughts by John Grant</span>

By John Grant
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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.� John 14:27

Randy Pausch, a terminally ill professor whose earnest farewell lecture at Carnegie Mellon University became an Internet phenomenon and best-selling book that turned him into a symbol for living and dying well, died this week of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47.

The speech last fall was part of a series Carnegie Mellon called “The Last Lecture,” where professors were asked to think about what matters to them most and give a hypothetical final talk. Only in Pausch’s case, the popular professor really was facing death – and he talked about what his childhood dreams had taught him about life in a 76-minute speech titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” He said he had recently been told he had no more than six months of good health left.

In April, the book “The Last Lecture” was published and leaped to the top of the nonfiction best-seller lists, where it remained this week. The book deal was reported to be worth more than $6 million.

I have been following this story for several months and often thought how I would react to such an opportunity. What would I say? Who would I call? How would I spend my limited time left on earth?

If a doctor told you that you had two months to live, how would you live those two months……. fearing and questioning eternity, getting mad a God? Would you cower in fear and regret, or would you be like Dr. Pausch and make your mark in your final year? Let’s face it, we are all terminal. No one gets out of this world alive, none can escape death. All of our life is a legacy. What do we want to leave, to be remembered for?

John’s Gospel tells us Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27). We are to fear neither life nor death, for as Christians, each can be a joyful experience.

None of us know how many years, months, days, hours we have left, but we do know that they are limited and we should not have to receive a medical verdict like Dr. Pausch did to kick into high gear. Live all of life to the fullest, leave a legacy and celebrate life as we await the glory of eternity. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your live, short or long, Live it to the fullest.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/08/06/jg_last-lecture/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

 

by John Grant
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“For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:24

While attending a meeting in New York City late one afternoon last week, I received a curious e-mail from an attorney in the state capitol. It said simply “Are you okay,” and went on to say that a rumor was circulating around the capitol that I had passed away. Then other calls and e-mails followed from both the capitol and from my hometown. I believe it was I Mark Twain who said: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” I felt like that.

It seems that bad news spreads like wildfire and soon the local newspaper got hold of it and called my wife. Fortunately, she had talked to me a few minutes before. Somewhat caught off guard by the cheery manor in which Beverley answered, the reporter proceeded with caution and when she got around to asking the question, Beverley assured her that all was well.

When I later answered the reporter’s voice mail left on my phone, she said she was relieved that I was indeed alive, a statement I very much doubt as it cost her a by-line in the next day’s edition. I am sure she was all lathered up to write my obituary and had in fact already collected quotes on my demise from local political activists, who were then busy calling all their friends with the latest political news.

I told the reporter that in fact I had died and was calling from heaven, where the reception was excellent. I told her that I got in easily when St. Peter asked what I had done to deserve this divine eternal residence, and my answer was that the local newspaper had never agreed with me politically, to which St. Peter responded, “Come on in!”

She commented on how upbeat Beverley had sounded and I explained that was because she was adding up my life insurance. I have always said that if I could be anyone other than myself, I would want to be Beverley Grant’s second husband, because the couple will enjoy a comfortable live-style.

I continued returning phone calls and voice mails on the plane before we pushed back from the gate and a nice lady in the seat in front of me who could not avoid overhearing my conversations turned around and said she too was glad I was alive. As we took to the air, what had at first been a funny occurrence in an otherwise boring day turned to sober thoughts. What if I had died, I thought. Was I ready for the eternal transition? Had I finished everything I needed to do here on earth? Had I left the right legacy?

I thought of Alfred Nobel, benefactor of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was also the inventor of dynamite. In 1868, a French newspaper wrote a premature obituary, entitled “The Merchant of Death is Dead” condemning him for his invention. When Nobel read his own obituary, it is said to have brought about his decision to leave a better legacy after his death.

My experience caused me to have the same thoughts as Nobel. Since I didn’t die, I still have a chance to polish my legacy. As Bill Gaither’s great hymn says, “Between the Cross and Heaven, There’s a Whole Lot of Living to Do.” The question is how will I live it?
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/08/02/jg_hes-alive/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

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By John Grant
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“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.�
Deuteronomy 31:6

Attending our three year old granddaughter’s swim meet was a highlight experience. For some, just making it from one end of the pool to the other was an accomplishment. But I noticed an interesting thing.

For those children who had a coach or teacher walking beside them and cheering them on they tended to swim better and faster. It was not that that the coach was pushing them along or physically helping them in any way. But, what they were doing was coming alongside the swimmer and encouraging them on and telling them they could make it, no matter how far the end of the pool seemed to be away. Just when they were ready to give up, as word of encouragement helped them along.

One of the greatest gifts we can ever give to anyone is the gift of encouragement. Validate their dreams. Tell them to get ahead of the future, pick up a trumpet and start a parade. Shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you will be among the stars.

A good friend of mine is a retired Navy captain. At one time in his career, he was chief aide to an Admiral and I will not soon forget his story of speaking at the admiral’s funeral and saying that he would give his life for that officer. Why, because the admiral was an encourager.

The greatest gift we can give to our children and grandchildren is to be an encourager to them. In the Book of (Joel 2:28) it talks about how “your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions.� With encouragement, people, young and old, can live their dreams. As Christians, we need to encourage those around us. Encourage them in the faith. Tell them they matter. Challenge them to become the person God so uniquely created them to be.

Encouragement costs you nothing to give, but is priceless to receive. Paul was an encourager to Timothy when he wrote to him and said (2 Timothy 1:7) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.�

As Paul encouraged Timothy, we should encourage one another to rise to the challenges of their calling. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.� (Deuteronomy 31:6)

God himself is our greatest encourager, but often he delegates to each of us the responsibility of encouraging someone else. When He calls on us, we should never let Him down.Â
(a thought on life from John grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/07/20/jg_living-life-gods-way/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

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By John Grant
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“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“” John 14:6

Have you ever stood in a book store and surveyed the number of books that have a number of ways to do most anything? There’s everything from 8 Minute Workouts to 8 Mindful Steps to Happiness to 7 Principles for Making a Marriage and 7 Days to Whiter Teeth. Remember Steven Covey’s - Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People? He put the words “proactive” and “synergize” on the map.

An edition of U.S. News featured on the front cover “50 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2006.” The inclusive list covered everything from flossing your teeth to enjoying a massage to joining a singing group. It seems that everybody writes or reads books that boil anything down to less than ten precise steps to accomplish any goal.

We live in a scientific and technological culture where people believe that every problem can be solved by applied techniques (six steps to a better whatever). How much has this way of viewing life shaped you?

Christian bookstores are not immune this way of thinking. Notice how much it looks like the self-help section of your local secular bookstore. Whether it’s a better marriage or a stronger prayer life, there are numerous books that offer it in six or seven easy steps.

Pastors run to church growth conferences to hear the latest “formula,” in however many steps the speaker may think it takes to grow their church. It all seems so right, so logical so reasonable. The sell books like 5 Good Minutes to Change Your Spiritual life and 100 Morning Practices to Help You Stay Calm and Focused All Day Long.

As Christians, we often think there is some magic formula out there to dramatically change us and make all of our problems go away overnight. Well, it isn’t quite that easy. A lot of self help, spiritual and otherwise are on the shelves of local book stores. Some contain sound advice and some are marginal, if not outright incorrect. Be careful what you load into your brain and be sure you know the core values of the author and don’t believe that a few steps practiced and applied in your life can remake you.

There is only one way and it is a one step process. Jesus said:, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). I suggest that if you really want to change your life this year, commit yourself to follow Him and read His Word every day.

In a world that tells us to conform, Jesus tells us to transform and to present ourselves as a living sacrifice.

So, for us all, may this be the year of transformation, the year of presentation, the year we surrender all we have to the one who holds the keys to joy, peace and contentment. The path to that goal is daily Bible reading, committed worship, not just in church, but in all we do. May this year be the year we renew our pledge to love God more, to seek His face and His plan for our lives more clearly and to draw close to His Word each and every day.

Right now is our most exciting time ever. Last year is history. Next year lies in the future, but this is the only time we will ever have to live right now. So let’s live it to the fullest, changing our lives and changing the lives of others.

Question: What is a goal that you have for the future, and how can your goal be used to honor God?

(a thought on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/07/11/jg_formula/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“Then the anger of the Lord would flame out against Israel again. He declared, “Because these people have violated the treaty I made with their ancestors, I will no longer drive out the nations left unconquered by Joshua when he diedâ€? 
Judges: 2:20-22 TLB

So often in Biblical and Christian history, when a dynamic leader moves on their good work unravels. Often a new generation arises choosing to ignore the lessons and legacies from their forefathers. As Christians, we need to have connections with both our spiritual and national heritage…… lest we forget.

How often the sorry cycle of forgotten leadership goes from prosperity to bondage, as we forget the lessons and leadership of our forefathers. As we celebrate in America the signing of the Declaration of Independence, let us not forget the sacrifice of those who put their lives and fortunes on the line for the cause of liberty. They were willing to risk all that they had for a legacy of freedom and liberty.

I wonder that if the same challenge confronted this nation today, could we in all of America we could find fifty six people willing to strike their signatures to make such a sacrifice and take such a risk?

Lee Iacocca has written a new book entitled “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?�
In it, he points out how many business leaders and members of the Congress have ended up in handcuffs and asks where are those who would speak up for the national good to the exclusion of their individual goals, aspirations and downright selfishness.

The absence of leadership is not restricted exclusively to the people of the political and business world. The church is not immune. Just think of how many crusaders for the faith have recently departed this world or are  now beyond the ability to have an effective ministry. Who will replace their booming voices in the arena of public opinion?
 
How many pastors are hiding behind their pulpits, afraid of loosing their tax exempt status when they should be speaking out on the moral and social issues of the day? Why do studies show that those who identify as being born again Christians vote with less persistence than the population as a whole.

But, as English philosopher Edmund Burke said, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.�
 
The book of Judges talks about the “Anger of the Lord flaming out� against those who have forgotten their heritage and the sacrifice of their forefathers. Let us never, never forget the national and spiritual legacy of our forefathers and let us resolve to be protectors and guardians of the faith, sacrifice and roots of generations before us.
 
Remember, liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/07/04/jg_leaders/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb�. Psalms 19:9-10

There has always been a lot of honey at our house. It is one of my favorite terms of endearment for my wife. It’s Biblical, from the Song of Solomon Song 4:11 “Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride.� And then last year we got a new puppy. Because her coat was the color of honey, Beverley named her “Honey.� So now, when I come home and call for Honey, both come running.

Our shelves have always been stocked with honey. It is good on pancakes, in peanut butter sandwiches and sometimes it’s fun to squeeze the honey bear and put some on a spoon. Even the dog likes that.

But, recently, we got more honey at our house than we wanted. I was walking in the front yard when I spied a large black circle on the eaves of the house. A closer examination revealed that a colony of bees had taken up residence. I wondered what to do, as there were more than I could handle with a fly swatter. So, my bride consulted the yellow pages and found a bee removal expert.

After tearing off a portion of the house, we found a colony estimated to be about twenty thousand bees and a tremendous construction of honeycomb that contained nearly two gallons of honey. The bees and the honeycomb are now gone, but I learned a lot about bees in the process. I also recalled that honey is mentioned more than sixty times in the Bible, so there must be a spiritual parallel.

I thought of Sampson’s riddle about the bees and honey in the lion’s carcass. Solomon talked about the honeycomb being like pleasant words sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. I remembered how many times Israel is described as the land of milk and honey. The book of Judges asks “What is sweeter than honey?� Proverbs contains many references to the value and delight of eating some, but not too much honey.

But, to me the most meaningful Biblical reference to honey is in Psalm 19 where the psalmist compares the sweetness of honey to the teachings of the Lord, describing them as more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. This parable compares something that people could not see or taste with something they understood…. the value of gold and the sweetness of honey.

So, the next time you taste the sweetness of honey, remember that sweet as it is, it is not a sweet or as valuable as God’s Holy Word, which is the sweetest and most valuable of all on heaven and earth.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/06/16/jg_honey/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at: John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“Let’s have a feast and celebrate.â€? Luke 15:23-24

Being in China for nearly two weeks was a great and memorable experience. We have great memories of the people we met, the places we went and the sights we saw. But perhaps no memory is as vivid as what we ate and how we ate it.

In my travels around the work I am always reminded that one thing all human beings have in common is a need to eat, but what they eat and how they eat it differs vastly from country to country and culture to culture. I recently visited an Ethiopian restaurant where it is customary to have no utensils and to scoop up the food with a small pancake held between the thumb and first finger. In China, we used chopsticks and I got pretty good at using them by the time we left.

The Chinese have a belief that they eat anything on four legs, except for the table and anything that goes under water except a submarine and anything that flies except for an airplane. And, they eat all of it. We ate strange things like pigeon, jelly fish and other strange things that seemed to taste better if I didn’t ask for them to be identified.

I don’t think we missed a day eating duck and we ate every part of the duck except for the feathers and the “quack�… duck heart, duck tongue, duck feet and other suspect but unidentifiable parts of Donald and Daisy. Actually, I didn’t eat anything that I didn’t like, as evidenced by the ten pounds I gained on the trip.

Actually, there is a spiritual parallel here.  Two thousand years ago, a feast was the center point of celebration, as it often is today. In telling the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus suggested that they “have a feast and celebrate.� Celebrate the food? No, celebrate the greet homecoming of the son.

So too, with us, we should celebrate as we feast, celebrating not only the food before us, but celebrating all that God has blessed us with and done for us. That’s where the tradition of praying before meals came from. As the menu and style of eating differs from one place to another, the God to whom we give thanks is ever present in every meal. We felt His presence with us in China whether our host was praying in English or in Chinese. We were all praying to one God and what language can separate the Spirit united.

Remember as you feast, no matter whether you are eating with a fork or chop sticks or dining on sirloin or bamboo sprouts, take time to feast on prayer and on the Spirit of God that unites us all.

(a thought on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/06/10/jg_feast-upon/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By: John Grant
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“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.� 
John 1:3-5

Last fall the 50 millionth Bible rolled off the presses at the Amity Printing Company in Nanjing, China. That’s right….. here in China. The establishment of Amity Press was truly one of God’s miracles. During the horror of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960’s and 70’s, all churches in China were closed, most demolished. Bibles were banned, confiscated, burned and destroyed. Who could have imagined then, that a Bible press would be allowed in less than twenty years.

Amity press was established with donations from supporters of Bible societies around the world. It was a dream for China’s Christians. The government could close the churches and burn the Bibles, but they could not extinguish the Word and the faith from the hearts of Chinese Christians.

As God said, there will always be a remnant. Of the 50 million Bibles printed, 42 million have been distributed in China, more than any other single book. What was once banned is not the nation’s number one best seller. China is growing in population, but also in Christianity. Today twenty three percent of the world’s population lives in China and it is estimated that nearly one hundred million are practicing protestant Christians along with another twenty five million Catholics. There are now nearly as many practicing protestant Christians in China as in the United States. Today, there are many churches being built.

While we were in China, we had many wonderful experiences, not the least of which was the dedication celebration for the opening of the Amity Press addition that will now allow the printing of twelve million Bibles a year. We also visited a local congregation and presented Bibles, as we also did at the Catholic seminary. There is such a hunger for Scripture among the Chinese and our efforts and Bibles were so welcome.
 
We met with Chinese Christians to encourage them, but they encouraged us. We also met with some of the top leaders of the government who oversee SARA (Social and Religious Affairs) and got assurances of their support for the Christian movement in China.
 
The Chinese constitution was recently amended to provide that the encouragement of religious activities is wholesome and healthy for the nation, something we do not have in our constitution. The Cultural Revolution was devastating for the church, but that is mostly behind them now and as God promises, there will always be a remnant.
 
You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/06/05/jg_extinguished/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”        Luke 14:15

Now that there are names for all of the generations, I have had trouble figuring out which one I was in, until recently when the author of a new book, “The Luckiest Generation,� explained it to me over lunch.

I missed being a “Baby Boomer� by two years and was born nineteen years after the last of the “Greatest Generation.� Time marches on and now we have “Generation X,� “Generation Y,� and who knows what else. But just where do I fit in?

Tom Brokaw coined the term with his book “The Greatest Generation.� These were the people who lived through the Great Depression and fought in the biggest war in history. The “Baby Boomers� were the ones who got their start in life after the troops came home from WW II. But what about those of us in between, like me and like Elvis and Martin Luther King, Jr. and Tom Brokaw himself?

Now I have the answer. In his new book, my friend writes about those of us born between 1929 and 1945 and coins it “The Luckiest Generation.� Those born in this time were too young to fight in WW II and too young to really experience the hardships of The Great Depression, even if they lived through it.

It was the first generation with a smaller birth rate than the one before it and so there were more jobs for fewer people and it was easier to get to the top. These people were just hitting their stride when the big war was over and the economy boomed with consumer productivity. These people experienced all of the new advancements in everything from communication to transportation. These people were positioned to escape the worst of times and to take advantage of the best of times….. hence the term “luckiest.�

But what do we as Christians believe about luck? The answer is nothing, unless one is referring to a Baptist “pot luckâ€? dinner. Luck is defined in the dictionary as “a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person’s controlâ€? and goes on to point out that luck can be good or bad.

For those of us who believe in and have submitted to the sovereignty of God, nothing in this world is a chance happening. No matter what generation we are born into, as Christians we are neither lucky or unlucky…… we are just blessed. As Jesus said, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.�
                      
 (a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/05/24/jg_lucky/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.â€?
2 Kings 2:13-16

“The Bucket List,� opened at theaters across the country this past week. It’s a movie about two older men who are diagnosed with a terminal illness and decide before they “kick the bucket,� to do all the things they ever wanted to do before departing planet earth. According to The Associated Press, the “kick off box office take� was just under twenty million dollars and moved it to the number one spot at weekend box offices.

A life-threatening illness, even with a good long term prognosis, can cause people to focus on the future in a different perspective, but they are not likely to escape from the hospital and go on a juvenile joy ride. The point of the movie is that when faced with eminent death these two characters, played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, look inward to themselves to satisfy all of their personal desires and to have the personal experiences they always wanted to have, before it is too late. It is all about them.

Contrast that with the last day of Elijah found in 2 Kings 2. When both Elijah and Elisha knew that it would be Elijah’s last day on earth, they made the most of it to create a legacy, to pass the mantle of leadership for the sake of those left behind. They took a tour and the elder showed the younger the ropes, so to speak. They focused not on worldly pleasure, but rather on a Godly legacy.

At the end of the day. Elijah was taken up and Elisha carried on and when he parted the water, the prophets said “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elijah.�

The movie actually ends on a spiritual note. After skydiving, racing, traveling and a host of other things, both characters come home and their lives and relationships are significantly changed for the good, as they focus on what really matters in life. I walked out with tears in my eyes and a warm feeling in my heart. I resolved to re-think my “bucket list� to make sure my priorities are correct.

What is your “bucket list?� After all, we are all terminal. Before you depart, is it your goal to have all the fun you can, or to leave a Godly heritage and a spiritual legacy in your family, your community and your church? Who, or what, matters most to you in life? What has God called you to do in the limited amount of time you have to do it?  Maybe it is time to re-think your “bucket list.�
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/05/09/jg_bucket/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

By John Grant
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“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.�
Genesis 1:26 KJV

Back in 1925, it was a legal case that had the attention of the nation. John Scopes, a high school teacher, was charged and prosecuted for violating a Tennessee statute which forbade the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment in Tennessee, of “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” The case was a watershed in the creation-evolution controversy.

Now, almost a hundred years later the issue is still on of great debate and the mind of public education has turned the other way. Here in my state, the Board of Education has ruled teachers are allowed to “present scientific information relevant to the full range of views on biological and chemical evolution� There is a raging debate in the state legislature over proposed legislation that would undo the ruling.

A Nobel laureate recently testified in opposition to the legislation noting that “humans and fruit flies have the same genes.� The professor is frustrated that teachers in public schools would be allowed to challenge the way evolution is taught and would allow teachers to challenge Darwin’s theory. He and others fear that such legislation would allow teachers to present as credible theories of creationism and intelligent design, basically beliefs that God or a higher being created humans.

Meanwhile, New York Times columnist and former presidential speech writer, Ben Stein’s new film, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,� recently opened in theaters across the country. I have seen it and encourage every person of faith to see it and to take their children. The premise of the movie is that in the name of science, the thought of a creating God has been expelled from the classroom and those who seek to teach it anywhere, have often been expelled from their careers.

Why do people fear putting creationism under the microscope of academic scrutiny? I believe the Bible to be the true Word of God and it says he created the world, including you and me. As people of faith, we need to weigh in on this issue and speak up for our beliefs. Creationism and science are not incompatible and God’s place in creation of us all should not be swept under an elite academic rug.
(a thought on life from John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/05/05/jg_come-from/

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

by John  Grant
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“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.�
(I Timothy 4:8)

A recent article in the Washington Post caught my eye. It was entitled: “Exercise Could Slow Aging.� It was an interesting read. It seems that active people have cells that look younger on a molecular level than those of couch potatoes. The bottom line was that there is strong evidence to show that exercise may stave off aging. People who exercise regularly, look and feel younger and actually live longer.

Paul spoke physical training in his first letter to Timothy and noted that while physical training has some value, godliness is of even greater value. He was talking about the exercise of being close to God through prayer and the study of the Word.

Pastors talk about “church growth,� and usually are referring to numerical growth…… getting more members for the church. But, I believe that when the Bible talks about “church growth� it refers to “spiritual growth.� We are directed to grow in our knowledge and faith. The task of adding more believers to the church belongs to God. Our church growth task is to grow in our relationship with Jesus.

Our individual task of growth with Jesus comes through the daily discipline of quiet time, Bible reading and study and concentrated prayer. It is a program of spiritual exercise. I once heard of a book entitled “Working Out with the Word of God.� We all need a daily workout with God.

In today’s world there is so much emphasis on being physically fit. Perhaps many of you have been influenced by the drive to “get into shape.” The benefits of entering into a physical fitness program are many. You will have a healthier body and probably live longer. You will have more stamina. You will look better, feel better about yourself, and be able to relate to others with more confidence.

While it is good to be concerned with physical training, it is even better to be concerned with spiritual training. We are not only “physical” beings, but we have a spiritual dimension to our lives.
 
Yes, with good physical fitness we will live longer and ultimately die with a healthier body, but spiritual fitness goes beyond the grave. Are you committed o daily discipline of getting and being spiritually fit?     
(a thought on life by John Grant)

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/04/16/jg_spiritual-exercise

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at: John.Grant@johngrant.net

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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:33-34

Each year the President delivers to the Congress the annual State of the Union Message and all across America governor’s of their respective states deliver their State of the State messages to the various legislatures.

The purpose is to summarize the status of various things throughout the land and to a change for the chief executive to suggest legislative action… his or her program for the future. Usually, a rosy picture is painted. After all, who would want to admit there are problems on their watch?

I sat and watched our governor give his state of the state message recently. He started by saying that the state of our state is strong. He cited a number of achievements during his administration and glossed over a number of storm clouds on the horizon.

As I watched, I wondered what it would be like if God had strode to the podium in the House of Representatives and delivered His state of the state message. I’ll bet he wouldn’t hold anything back or not tell it like it is.

I wonder what he would single out first. Perhaps it would be the millions of human lives he uniquely created that we have extinguished under the right of a mother to choose. Perhaps he would talk about the rampant proliferation of pornography. Certainly he would mention rampant sexual immorality. Maybe he would remind us that we are about to enter a post Christian era as we have turned our back on Him.

Certainly, He would give reference to tolerance‘? which says we have to tolerate the beliefs of others and not thrust ours upon them. He would challenge us to be bold in speaking of our faith. He would talk about a watered down feel good’ theology and modern preaching that de-emphasizes the salvation message. He might remind us that we seem to have forgotten Him, while focusing our attention on ourselves and our own hedonistic pleasures.

Certainly He would talk about people getting high on drugs rather than looking to Scripture for the ultimate satisfaction in life. I am sure he would touch on sexual disorientation rampant across our land. He would paint a grim prognosis for the land if its people do not return to him. Certainly He would quote from Revelation.

He wouldn’t suggest a legislative program, for the real problems we face are not solved in the halls of legislatures or at the bar of the court. Rather they are solved on our knees at the alter of Christ, where people give their hearts and lives to Him.

Think about it. What is the real state of our state and what are you willing to do to change it?
(a thought on life from John Grant )

by John Grant
used by permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney. He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at John.Grant@johngrant.net

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Further Reading

•  Life Can Bring Joy out of Sorrow by Norma Becker
•  Fully Surrender to the Lord
•  Salvation Explained

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by John Grant
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It was a little before six on Wednesday evening when Beverley turned to me and said it was time to challenge the northbound Dale Mabry traffic in order to get to mid-week church services on time. We gathered our Bibles, sermon notepads and were off to the worship center in Lutz.

With traffic a little more heavy than usual, we were a little behind, but I observed all the rules… stayed under the speed limit, ran no yellow lights and otherwise drove cautiously. So, when we turned onto Exciting Idlewild Boulevard, we were about five minutes late. I thought how I hoped we could get a close up parking space to make a mad dash inside and besides, the temperature was in the forties.

As we turned unto the parking lot, there were a total of eight cars. The place was so dark that it looked like they hadn’t paid the electric bill, save from light coming from the windows of a few pastor’s offices. I guess a few were working late or simply forgot to turn out the lights. There appeared to be less life around there than at the local cemetery.

Then a shiver went up and down my spine. Had it really happened? Had the rapture come and we were left behind? Why, that couldn’t be! We paid our tithe, had reasonably good attendance and most important of all, gave our heart to Jesus a long time ago.

But, no one was there but us. Oh, I thought, they must have cancelled services because of the holidays. So Beverley, who has a variety of bulletins stuffed into her Bible, pulled out the most recent bulletin and sure enough, it showed there was Wednesday evening church, here and now. Now, I was really worried.

That’s it, Beverley said, I am calling Pastor Ken. I said to not bother him. After all, if they really did cancel church, something we normally do only when faced with probable atomic attack, he would be enjoying an evening at home and shouldn’t be bothered. And, if the rapture actually had come, he was out of cell range already. So Beverley starts calling everyone else she can think of and all she got from each was a voice mail that they were not available. Now, I was really, really worried.

So we headed back South towards home, an exercise that was easier than our previous trip North. I thought that if the rapture had come, there sure were a lot of heathers on Dale Mabry Highway.

Finally, Beverley could wait no longer and called Pastor Ken. We were both relieved to know that he was enjoying a quiet evening at home, the service indeed had been cancelled and the rapture indeed had not come. I felt better, but it was worth the trip just to know what it would be like to be left behind and to experience the feeling of eternal security knowing that when the time comes our ticket has been punched and we will be on the road to glory. 

You can comment on this devotional online at: 
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/04/03/jg_rapture/

(a thought on life from John Gant)

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney.
He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at: John.Grant@johngrant.net

By: John Grant
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“He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.”
(Acts 16:30-32)

Spring training has begun and the beginning of the baseball season follows in a few days. Every team starts out with a fresh start. What they did last season is history. Each season is a new beginning. Each team has the goal of winning their league’s pennant and then winning four games in the World Series to make them the champion team.

A team wins a game by scoring more runs than the opposition, but there are a plethora of rules that have to be followed. I once heard of a World Series game that was the seventh of the series and whoever won it would win the championship. A batter clobbered the ball and sent it over the fence for a home run.

The batter trotted around the bases and when he tagged home plate, the hometown crown erupted in cheers, but the cheering ceased when the umpire called the runner out. How could this be? He had hit a home run, but the umpire said he was out because he had failed to tag first base.

There is a spiritual parallel here. Some day we will approach the home plate of heaven and the great umpire of the universe will call us “in� or “out.� It will not matter how hard we hit the ball of life. What will matter is whether we have tagged the proper base.

We can tag the second base of church membership and involvement. We can tag the third base of good works, but what really matters is whether we have tagged the first base of salvation .Many people go through life as good people, doing good works, involved in their church, but failing to tag the first base of salvation through giving their all to Jesus.

We all need to make sure that we have tagged that base in our lives. It is not a matter of who we are, but whose we are. Some day we will all cross the home plate of eternity and we should all be prepared to answer by what right do we have to be called “in� rather than “out,� and our answer should be that we are in because we have given our life to Christ. Have you tagged the fist base of salvation? If not, make sure you do so today.
                            (a thought on life from John Grant)

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John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney.
He is an active writer and frequent speaker.  He can be reached by e-mail at: John.Grant@johngrant.net