Free Online Bible Study Available

--> Many years ago I participated in World Bible School as a teacher. We enrolled anyone interested in a correspondence course, which was conducted through the mail. It was very successful but it could be overwhelming and very time consuming for the teacher.
For me personally it turned into some wonderful experiences in foreign lands, as some of us went to meet WBS students and teach them face to face. My long time love of Dominica and the people of that island grew out of those trips. When I relocated to the congregation where I now serve I left behind my involvement in the correspondence course.

But recently I was introduced to the more modern opportunities that are presented by World Bible School online. I found that the methods used with web students is very easy and not nearly as time consuming or overwhelming as the old methods. You can sign up to teach or to study in mere minutes. The courses can be done at your own pace and in your own home. There is no cost whatsoever. I am very excited about the possibilities of spreading the Gospel via this method.

If you would like to enroll as a student you can go to LCTruth.worldbibleschool.org. God Bless.

Upon Further Review

As I posted on my Facebook page and as I told the congregation on Sunday night, I found out Saturday that I had been the target of a fraud scheme. I had posted some equipment on Craig'slist and had someone accept the price of $900. When I got the check for $1890, I made contact with the buyer to ask why. He told me he wanted me to cash the check and wire the difference to a mover who would come and get the equipment. It didn't sound right to me and when I went to the bank, I found out that indeed it was a scam.

My first reactions were aggravation that someone had selected me as a possible target and played me a long till he thought he had me on the line. And I was disappointed that what seemed to be an opportunity to make a good profit had vanished. I thought about all the effort and ingenuity the scammer had put into this enterprise and lamented the fact that he could have used his cleverness and energy to be a positive element of society rather than a detriment to it. I was saddened by the fact that the scheme had apparently worked on four other people, according to the bank. And I thought how I hate evil.

But as the referee says when he is checking a replay to make sure that a call was correct on the field, "upon further review," I realized that the truth is that I hate evil in somebody else, but I'm not nearly as quick to see it in myself. I reflected on what was in me that caused me to want this transaction so much that I would fall for a scheme. I suppose there was an element of greed, wanting to make a handsome profit – – I had only paid $100 for the equipment. But perhaps of more importance was my old nemesis, Pride. I wanted to enjoy the fact that I had pulled off a successful flip of some equipment with hardly any work or time invested in the endeavor. This time I caught myself before I did any harm to the bank or to myself, but I could easily have fallen prey to the scheme. It called to mind the phrase that Jesus used to admonish his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, "watch and pray so that you may not enter into temptation." (Matthew 26:41).

Thoughts About Valentine's Day

Today is the 13th day of February and a lot of us are really concerned about being sure we make expressions of love tomorrow to those that matter the most. I guess I'm something of a Grinch in that regard, because I believe Valentine's Day has come to be almost as commercially driven as Christmas over the past few years. On the one hand I hate to give in to the commercial pressure, but on the other hand, I hate for those I love to feel cheated or embarrassed if I don't provide them with some Valentine's Day proof of my love. What if someone were to ask my wife what I got her for Valentine's Day and she said, "Nothing.?" Wouldn't that be humiliating?

Actually, I kinda believe that we ought to be demonstrating our love to those dearest to us on a regular basis, and without the prompting of some created holiday. I think it's okay to give my wife flowers or to surprise her with candy, or to take her to dinner any day of the year. I wonder if that teddy bear company would deliver something squeezable to her in the middle of the summer?

While love is in the air, (and while I'm on my soapbox), wouldn't this be a good week to express the love of Jesus to a neighbor or friend or coworker? Why not make them a Valentine that contains a passage of Scripture or an invitation to join you at a devotional or at worship? Be creative. There are lots of ways to plant a seed of love that might grow in their hearts.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Force 410 Update

As I write this update, we have just passed the quarter pole on the Force 410 racetrack. And I just asked myself the question, "Do the kids give more encouragement, or need more encouragement?" The answer to the question may vary depending upon in who's shoes you stand.

If you are a member of the congregation that is not actually in the Force 410 classes right now, you are probably receiving far more encouragement from the kids than they can possibly imagine. The parents are very proud of their young ones and excited to see them developing and growing and becoming. And us old folks are delighted to see the spark of faith that indicates that the things we treasure the deepest will be passed along to a new generation. As their teacher, it gives me great satisfaction to see their efforts, and to watch them succeeding in so many very important ways.

If, however, you happen to be one of those in the class, you may be really needing a pat on the back and a word of encouragement because some of the things you're doing the harder and more challenging than you've ever been asked to do at the church. The transition from little children to the boys and girls is not particularly easy for most. The tests can be overwhelming, though I wish you could see that they are only a measure of how well I'm doing in transferring information to you. And doing some of the service projects, whether publicly or privately, can be demanding.

So if you are one of those receiving encouragement by seeing the young people deal with this basic training, I hope you continue to take satisfaction, but that you will also take the time to offer encouragement to the trainees. They are building relationships that can sustain them through the teen years. And they are learning truths that can sustain them throughout their lives and into eternity.




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Good Sam Is Still on the Job

First posted on Fortitude!

My wife and I had not had much time together in a couple of months, so we decide to take a couple of days last week to meander through Central Texas. We planned to see a few sites along the way, but with no real agenda other than being together.

So last Thursday morning we left our home on the Gulf Coast and headed north. Our intended destination was the Dr. Pepper Bottling plant in Dublin. That is the only DP operation that still uses Imperial Pure Cane Sugar, as it has since 1891. We stopped a couple of times to read historical markers, but arrived shortly after noon.

After taking the tour of the plant and the adjacent museum, we headed toward Waco, where we planned to spend the night. On the way, we saw a sign that indicated that Crawford was only 9 miles off our route. So we decided to drive through to see if we could catch a glimpse of the George Bush ranch that was a getaway for the President during his eight years in Washington. We were a bit disappointed in that we were not able to see anything interesting. But, of course, our enjoyment for the day was not diminished in the least, since we were doing exactly what we had planned, meandering through Central Texas together. When we were finished with that little side trip, we once again headed toward Waco, this time on a two lane Farm to Market road. All at once our right front tire started making quite a bit of noise and became a bit hard to handle. I pulled over, expecting to find the tire flat. But it was not. There was no apparent damage, so I got back in the car, intending to proceed. But the tire got even louder and harder to control. I pulled into the driveway of a used car sales lot and got out to check things again.

As I was making the inspection, I must have looked perplexed because a fellow came from the garage area and asked if we were having a problem. I described the noise and handling situation. He immediately said that the tire had a broken steel belt. He bent down to study the tire, and very quickly discovered what he was seeking. He pointed out the crack that I had not noticed. I asked him if the tire would get us into Waco, which was six miles away. He said it should.

I asked him if there was a Discount Tire Center in Waco. He said there was and began to tell me how to find it. I said I needed to write down the instructions, and I turned to get paper and pen from the car. He stopped me and said he was about to leave, and that he was going in that direction. He said that if I would follow him, he would lead me right to the store. I agreed and thanked him.

On our way, the tire got steadily worse. We were still a couple of miles outside Waco when it blew out. I was a magnificent explosion. I pulled off the road and was preparing to change the tire. Our Good Samaritan guide was not finished with his good deeds. He backed his pick-up down the side of the highway and helped me make the change.

Maybe I should say I helped him make the change. He said he was already dirty and sweaty and there was no cause for me to get that way. He had the tire changed in no time and then completed his charity by leading us the rest of the way in to the tire center.

I am very grateful to our White Knight. I am also gratified to know that there are still such folks around. I hope to get to reciprocate the kindness we were shown by this stranger, whose name we found out was Thomas Jefferson. But if I don’t get to repay him, perhaps I can make a difference for some other traveler who needs a hand.

Alternative Ending!!!!!

In order to keep the boys minds sharp during the summer vacation from school, as well as to keep them from being bored, my wife gave them a writing exercise this morning. They were each to write an alternative ending to the story of the Princess and the Frog.

They both moaned and groaned, saying "school is out for the summer.", but they ended up having fun with assignment. I especially enjoyed the work of our ten year old. He wrote, "The Princess kissed the frog. The dog ate the frog. The dog lived happily ever after."

A Case of Mistaken Identity?

A couple of days ago, I received a phone call from a man I could hardly understand. I asked that he email his request so I could study it. Here is what I received:

Dear Rev.Bryant ,

Nice to speak to you this morning .
I am working for a Japanese Television called " TV Asahi " .
My name is Hideyuki MIyauchi .
TV Asahi has a weekly informational program called " Shiru Shiru MIshiru "( literally translated " To see is to know ") .

Their next subject is " What is the better ball to fly further by a baseball bat ? "
This is a kind of scientific research .
They like to invite you to Japan to hit various balls at s studio if you can .

They offer the cost of staying in Japan : trip , meeting , shooting , trip back .
The date they will shoot up to you soon as possible .

About your guarantee or donation to your church is up to you .
Please let us know .

I am sorry to bother you by a strange offer .
We have still a lot of your fans in Japan .

If you are willing to accept this offer , please let me know soon as possible .

Thank you so much for your time .

Best ,

HIdeyuki MIyauchi

Upon reading the missive, I realized that this executive thought he was speaking to the former Major League and Japanese League home run hitting star, not some old hotcornerhasbeen. I replied that I would be happy to accept his offer, but I thought he would be disappointed to discover he had found the wrong Ralph Bryant.