BE ON THE LOOKOUT

The United States Border Patrol

is asking citizens to keep on the lookout for

a red 1951 Chevy that they suspect is being used to

smuggle illegal immigrants across the border from

Mexico and into points along the U.S. Border.

If you see the vehicle pictured below

and have reason to believe that it is the suspect vehicle,
you are urged to contact your local

police department or the U. S. Border Patrol.

IS GRAMMAR DEAD?

No, I'm not some readneck wondering whether my grandmother is feeling well.

It's just that there are so many people who don't seem to get that words have meanings, that words are used to convey thoughts and ideas and that words are crucial to our interpersonal relationships.

If we are to communicate well, we must use words and sentence structure similarly.

Recently, as I watched a local "newscast," I heard the anchor proclaim: "A man robbed a bank full of people with a gun."

What?

If each of those people had a gun, how on earth did the man get away with the robbery?

I read a blog the other day whose author did not know the difference between "their," "there" and "they're."

Do you?

Do you know the correct usage of "lay," "lie," "lied" and "lay?" (Hint: "Lay" is what hens do with eggs, unless it happened in the past.)

One of my pet peeves is the use of the plural "their" for the singular "his" or "her."

In the sentence, "Neither of the men had his tools," the proper word of possession is "his," not "their." "Neither of the men had their tools" is incorrect. In fact, it does not even make sense.

Since "neither" is singular and "of the men" is a prepositional phrase (and cannot be used as the subject of a sentence), the agreement of the subject with the possessive "his" (or "her") is necessary.

On the other hand, since the following sentence has a plural subject, "several," the use of "their" is proper: Several found their cars unlocked.

The correct use of "I" and "me" seems to confuse some people, especially when used as a compound subject or in the objective case.

When used as the subject of a sentence, or in the "subjective case," "you" is always combined with "I," not "me."

On the other hand, when used as the object of a sentence, or in the "objective case," "you" is always combined with "me," not "I."

Is that confusing? It's not really hard at all.

If you drop the first part of the compound subject or object and then say the sentence, it will become obvious which is correct.

For example: to determine whether one should use "you and I" or "you and me," simply drop the "you" and say the sentence.

Would you say, "Me went to the store" or "I went to the store?"

If you would say, "I went to the store," then the combination "You and I" would be correct (assuming you both went to the store), and you would say, "You and I went to the store."

If you would say, "The books were given to me," then "The books were given to him and me" would be correct (not "The books were given to him and I").

Grammar really does make sense. It is very logical. People who can't figure out how to use good grammar probably have trouble with logic in general, and their conclusions about things might be suspect, at best.

So, is grammar dead?

I hope not.

Mark 9:31-50

Jesus had been performing miracles of provision and miracles of healing.

Once again we will see that the disciples did not understand what was going on.

The Verses

31. As they were on their way to Capernaum, Jesus was telling the disciples about His impending death.

32. Their lack of understanding caused them to be afraid…once again.

33. Jesus often used questions to make His points. How would you have felt if Jesus had asked out of the blue what you were arguing about? Do we ever argue among ourselves about things concerning our faith? Why do we sometimes set ourselves up as better than others? (Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”)

34. What was their response?

35. What is the meaning of verse 35, in your opinion?

36. How do we become as little children? How does that relate to Jesus’ telling us to grow in the faith? (Hebrews 5:14; 6:1 & James 1:4)

37. Jesus introduces the phrase, “…in my name…” Who is honored when we welcome those “of lower estate” than us?

38. John used the phrase “…in your name…” What does that phrase mean? Not everyone who claims the name of Christ belongs to Christ.

39. The great commentator, Matthew Henry, said: “Two reasons Christ gives why such should not be forbidden. (1.) Because we cannot suppose that any man who makes use of Christ’s name in working miracles, should blaspheme his name, as the scribes and Pharisees did. There were those indeed that did in Christ’s name cast out devils, and yet in other respects were workers of iniquity; but they did not speak evil of Christ.”

40. You are either for Christ or against Him. You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose. You are NOT free to choose the consequences of your choices. Your choices choose for you.

41. What reward is Jesus talking about in the last part of verse 41?

Mark 6:35-52

Mark was an eyewitness of Jesus’ life and ministry.

The book is clear: It is all about Jesus. Mark makes no references to himself.

Up to this point, Mark has told us about: John the Baptist; The calling of the first disciples; Jesus’ power over evil spirits; His healing ministry; His prayer life; and many other events in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Some highlights include: the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; the parables of the sower, the growing seed, the mustard seed, calming a storm, and healing a demon possessed man, a sick woman and a dead girl.

Jesus and the disciples had taken a boat across the lake to get away from the crowds (v-32). But the people saw where he was going and got there ahead of them (v-33). Jesus had compassion on the “sheep-like” crowd and began teaching them (v-34)

Questions to consider about today’s verses:

35. What were the disciples’ concerns about where they were?

36. What did the disciples want to do? What do we want to do?

37. Which of the people’s needs did Jesus want to meet? What was the disciples’ response? Do we sometimes just want to throw money at a problem (in the church, not in politics. We already know that’s a politician’s answer to everything.

38. Why do you suppose Jesus asked the disciples to report on what provisions the people had? Remember, they had rushed to follow Him across the lake without thinking that they might be there quite a while.

39. Jesus directed the people to sit down.

40. What do you notice about how the people were instructed to sit? Why do you suppose he grouped them like that? We need to learn the lesson of grouping people in our churches in order to facilitate being fed the Good News.

41. What was the significance of breaking the loaves? (Mark 14: 22; Matthew 26: 26;Luke 22: 19) In your mind’s eye, how did Jesus divide the two fish into enough parts to serve twelve to fifteen thousand people?

42. What did it take to satisfy the people?

43. How great is God’s provision when we do things His way? How great is God’s provision when we “lean to our own understanding?” (Proverbs 3:5)

MOBILIZING FOR HAITI

Southern Baptists are mobilizing to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

They will be among the first relief groups to arrive and typically provide food, shelter and medical aid to those affected by the 7.0 quake.

No doubt there will be many other church, charity and humanitarian groups joining in the effort as well.

Eventually, the U.S. federal government will arrive, but if past performance is any indication, they will arrive unorganized, will not have what is needed and will engage in in-fighting over what must be done where.

(Note: In the first several weeks following hurricane Katrina, more actual aid and money was provided by church and charitable groups than all the money spent by the federal government and all the actual aid provided by the federal government on initial relief efforts.)

Pray for the relief efforts of those going to Haiti, yes, even the U.S. government.

Romans 15 20-33 & Romans 16:1-27

Paul has taken us from sin to heaven in the book of Romans.

He has shown us what sin is, how serious it is, how permeating it is, and how it is revealed to us.

Paul has magnified the holiness of the Law while explaining to us how we can never hope to begin to keep the Law, let alone achieve salvation through it.

He has shown us the history of the Jews, the disobedience of the Jews, the fact that the Jews are and always will be God’s chosen people, that one day a multitude of them will come to faith in Christ.

Paul has shown us that the only way to become acceptable to God is by trusting in and only in the finished work of Christ at Calvary and by believing in His resurrection.

Paul has charged each of us with the responsibility of becoming living sacrifices, wholly acceptable unto God, and has shown us what that will look like in us when we achieve it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Verses

20 & 21 Paul wanted to preach the gospel. Not some social injustice, not some political principles, not some pious pontification, but the gospel: the good news that salvation has come in Christ for all who will believe in Him and Him alone. He did not want to preach where people had already heard the gospel, but where it had not yet been heard. He wanted those people to hear and understand it, too.

22-29 Paul wished fellowship with believers in Jerusalem and in Spain. He had an offering to take to Jerusalem…just like we helped our missionaries, Paul wanted to help those where he used to persecute them. Paul puts his stamp of approval on his trip…assurance that he was in the will of God. There is an interesting principle revealed in the whole of Scripture: one measure of whether you are in God’s will is how much turmoil you are enduring. If there is no turmoil, there may be no “will of God.”

30-33 Paul asks for intercessory prayer that he might accomplish what God has in store for him. Praying for others is important for you, for the others and to God.

Romans 16

The Verses

1-16 Here is Paul’s blessing on the work people have done to further the gospel of Christ.

17-19 He reminds us that we will face problems from people and that we should not have a part with those who would cause divisions among us, nor should we be involved in causing them. Those who are involved with causing divisions will eventually be crushed.

21-24 Paul demonstrates again how we should relate to one another in love, dignity, respect, and appreciation. And here we catch a glimpse of some of the service Christians can be seen providing as they offer themselves as living sacrifices.

25-27 A great doxology of praise. As we read it, let’s try to catch the enthusiasm with which Paul wrote it. Then let’s apply the same enthusiasm to ourselves and our service.