Jupiter's Protective Role

Have you ever wondered whether a giant asteroid might hit our planet, like the one that may have wiped out the dinosaurs on earth?

The planet Jupiter "is our first line of defense" says Allan Boss, an astrophysicist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. "It is something like 99.9 percent efficient at throwing dangerous space junk, asteroids, and meteorites back out to interstellar space."

How does that happen?

Jupiter is 318 times heavier than earth. Because of its mass, Jupiter creates a huge gravitational field that acts as a giant cosmic vacuum cleaner, drawing the "junk" that floats into the gravitational field toward it and away from other planets.

Jupiter displayed its protective power six years ago when a monster comet broke into fragments and bombarded the planet Jupiter with more destructive power than all the atomic bombs on earth. Not all space particles get deflected by Jupiter, but living in Jupiter's gravitational field minimizes the destructive forces that enter the earth's atmosphere.

Considering Jupiter's protective role, the ancient Romans unknowingly named the mighty planet well. In Old Latin, Jupiter means "Sky-Father."

This is another great example of how wonderfully God has created everything, and how it all works together to sustain life.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways  and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

- Psalm 145:17-21

Dear Lord, we praise you for the way you have made everything and the way all things work together for Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Press On Toward the Goal.

Behind the city of Colorado Springs, at the back of the U.S. Air Force Academy stands a mountain called Eagle Peak which is popular among local hikers, and Scouts in particular. From it's summit you can peer into the depths of the Rocky Mountains on one side or overlook the vast expanse of the Great Plains on the other. Each summer the trail leading to the peak is trod by those who've walked it's track before as well as those who make of it a new experience.

The inexperienced hiker is generally always told, if he cares to ask, that the hike will take all day to go up and back. He is told to start early and to set a strong, steady pace for the journey will be difficult and rigorous. The inexperienced hiker who follows this advice and plans accordingly can be easily disappointed and even become angry or confused upon reaching the beginning of the trail, because he can see with his own eyes from the parking lot that the hike to the summit and back would take far less than half a day with little difficulty at even the most leisurely pace.

And so he changes his plans. He meanders up the trail wandering frequently from the path, taking numerous side-trips and detours. He stops to play and to snack on some of the supplies he had brought since he obviously won't need so much for such a short trip. He goes well out of his way to avoid some of the more difficult parts of the trail. This he does until about half way through the day when he finally climbs to the summit only to discover that it was his eyes which had deceived him and not the words of those who had gone before. For he now stands on a false summit which had blocked his view of the higher summit far above.

Realizing his lack of foresight, this hiker now quickly reevaluates his time and decides that if he pushes himself hard enough he can still make it to the summit and back before it gets too dark. And so he sets off at a frantic pace; stumbling, crashing through the brush, receiving bruises, scrapes and scratches as the sun moves steadily toward the horizon. Until at last he reaches his mark and looks up at still another summit. You see, Eagle Peak has two false summits, both of which must be travelled over before reaching the real goal. Our inexperienced hiker now sadly begins his trek back down the mountain knowing he fell short of the goal he had sought after. He will try again another day, for there are many beautiful days in Colorado Springs. Wiser for his experience, he will doubtless reach his goal on the next occasion.

In our journey through life, however, we are not so fortunate. There are many false summits and if you strive toward only those goals which you can see, you will fall far short of the genuine goal.

- RD Clyde

Lets make it our goal to reach for the genuine goal and not get side tracked by the things in life that can lead us a stray. Lord keep us focused.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 3:13-14 (New International Version)

Dear Lord we pray that we would fix our eyes on the real goal. We pray that we will not lose sight of the goal by being side tracked. In Jesus’s Name, amen.

Guard Your Tongue

A man working in the produce department was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce. He replied, "Half a head? Are you serious? God grows these in whole heads and that's how we sell them!" 

"You mean," she persisted, "that after all the years I've shopped here, you won't sell me half-a-head of lettuce?"

"Look," he said, "If you like I'll ask the manager." 

She indicated that would be appreciated, so the young man marched to the front of the store. "You won't believe this, but there's a lame-braided idiot of a lady back there who wants to know if she can buy half-a-head of lettuce." 

He noticed the manager gesturing, and turned around to see the lady standing behind him, obviously having followed him to the front of the store. "And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half" he concluded. 

Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said, "That was the finest example of thinking on your feet I've ever seen! Where did you learn that?"

Do you find yourself having to think fast because of what you said? What a blessing it would be if we could guard our tongue and not have to think fast to get out of the many troubles our tongue can cause.

For we all stumble in many ways If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

- James 3:2-5 (New American Standard Bible)

Dear Lord we pray that we will be mindful of the things out tongues says. Please help us to be able to guard our tongue so that we don’t hurt those around us with the things we say. In Jesus’ name,  Amen

Elevated in Chicago.

Back in the early 1980’s I attended Moody Bible Institute and remember riding on the subway, also known as the “Elevated” because as it exited the city limits it would come from below ground and travel on an elevated track. While attending Moody I read a story about about the "elevated" in Chicago—

A young man was riding that train day after day as a commuter. And as the train slowed up for the station where he got off, he could look through an open curtain into a room of a building and see a woman lying in a bed. She was there day after day, for a long time, obviously quite ill. He began to get interested in her since he saw her every day. Finally he determined to find out her name. He discovered her address, and he wrote her a card, assuring her that he was praying for her recovery. He signed it: "The young man on the elevated."

A few weeks later, he pulled into the station, and he looked through that window and the bed was empty. Instead there was a great huge sign: GOD BLESS YOU, MY FRIEND ON THE ELEVATED!

Let us be the encouragement today to the one that needs it.

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

- Psalm 143:8 (New King James Version)

Dear Lord we pray that we will look for the person that needs encouragement today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Time to Laugh.

This has been a rough week, so I thought it would be a good thing to end it on some laughter.

* There is no such thing as child-proofing your house.

* If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

* A 4 year-old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

* If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing pound puppy underwear and a superman cape.

* It is strong enough however to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 by 20 foot room.

* Baseballs make marks on ceilings.

* You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.

* When using the ceiling fan as a bat you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit.

* A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

* The glass in windows (even double paned) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

* When you hear the toilet flush and the words Uh-oh, it's already too late.

* Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

* A six year old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36 year old man says they can only do it in the movies.

* A magnifying glass can start a fire even on an overcast day.

* If you use a waterbed as home plate while wearing baseball shoes it does not leak, it explodes.

* A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq foot house 4 inches deep.

* Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a four year old.

* Duplos will not.

* Play Dough and Microwave should never be used in the same sentence.

* Super glue is forever.

* McGyver can teach us many things we don't want to know.

* Ditto Tarzan.

* No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.

* Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

* VCR's do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

* Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

* Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

* You probably do not want to know what that odor is.

* Always look in the oven before you turn it on.

* Plastic toys do not like ovens.

* The fire department in San Diego has at least a 5 minute response time.

* The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earth worms dizzy.

* It will however make cats dizzy.

* Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

* A good sense of humor will get you through most problems in life

A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

- Ecclesiastes 3:4 (New American Standard Bible)

Dear Lord we pray that we would take the time to laugh. We pray that we wouldn’t take things to seriously and take the time to enjoy the things around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

What Kind of Potatoe Are You?

Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are content to watch others do. They are called "Speck Tators."

Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do things. They're called "Comment Tators."

Some are always looking to cause problems and really get under your skin. They are called "Aggie Tators."

There are those who are always saying they will, but somehow, they never get around to doing. We call them "Hezza Tators."

Some people put on a front and act like someone else. They're called "Emma Tators."

Some people never grow up. We call them “Tattor Tots.”

Then, there are those who walk what they talk. They're always prepared to stop what they're doing to lend a hand to others and bring real sunshine into the lives of others. You can call them "Sweet Tators."

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

-1 John 4:7-8 (English Standard Version)

Dear Lord we thank you for those you put in our life. We pray that we will be known as “Sweet Tators” In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Are You the Light of the World.

Truth is seen in what it does and whom it seeks. Let's live our life as one that lives in the light and seeks after the Father who dwells in us. Let His glorious light shine though you, so you can be the light of the world.

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.

- John 3:20-21 (NIV)



Dear Lord, we ask you to correct us gently as we place ourselves in your presence. Forgive and cleanse us by the blood of Jesus so that we might be spotless and holy and blameless in your sight. Help us be useful to You and Your church. In Jesus' name, Amen.