The Origin Of The Free Lunch

SCRIPTURE

“We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.”

~Numbers 11:5, NLT

QUOTE

Slaves always eat free.

~Ya’akov

Moses lead close to 2 million Israelites through a wilderness that produces no food and little water. A generation of Israelites died in this wilderness but not from starvation or thirst; they died because they rebelled against God. In miraculous fashion God provided for this massive horde with bread from heaven and water from the Rock. Instead of being grateful for God’s supernatural provision, the Israelites grumbled about the menu. There was no meat; in Egypt they had fish and it was free.

Sure it was free, they were slaves. Why do farmers feed cattle? Because they are valuable at the market and so are slaves. A master would be foolish to starve a slave. What if Joseph could have declared “Free Agency,” how much would a slave of Joseph’s caliber be worth. I think Joseph would put those greedy athlete’s of today in the shade. He would be worth at least a billion. The Egyptians were not going to starve their slaves: all slaves eat free and their housing is covered.

The Israelites were still thinking like slaves: they wanted free stuff without any responsibility. A free man has to think, he has to take responsibility but the Israelites preferred slavery and a lash on the back to taking responsibility. Liberals are such hypocrites: they want to make an issue out of slavery and the poor idiots don’t realize that they are caught in a far worse kind of slavery than any of their forefathers. The idea that only blacks have suffered from slavery is ridiculous. A lot of blacks and whites are slaves today because they get the free lunches. The democratic party doesn’t mind; they are the ones who have created the bondage. This gives them the leverage to tell these dupes how to vote. Obama got the black vote including so called republicans like Colon Benedict Arnold Powell but Ben Carson will not get their vote. Ben loves freedom more than a free lunch. He took responsibility for his life. I am not suggesting that Carson is the only black man who has done so but he is in a minority. Alan West is an independent thinker and there are others but how I long for the blacks and Jews to wake up and realize that they are being used by a vicious political machine. Of course, some of the rich Jews are a part of the machine.

• Jim Corum passed away yesterday. It was a shock to me although I had noticed his extreme weight loss. Jim was an avid Hartselle Tiger fan. He had cancer and didn’t know it until last week.
• Joe David did the hospital visitation yesterday: Bill Wilbourn is about the same. Diane Taylor {Shannon’s mother} is in 473 at DGH. John’s and Jarod’s granddad, Fletcher Hill is in 465 at DGH. Pat Halbrooks is in HH.
• Kane has to go back to Memphis this week but as an out patient.
• LORD willing, I attended my next to last annual meeting last night. Danville is the host in 2016, I think this is our second time to host the meeting. It’s been trimmed down to one session and one sermon. When I was a kid it was a two day meeting with a couple of meals and three sermons: Mission, Doctrinal and Annual–Now it is one, the Annual Sermon. It’s just another reminder that our world is changing and the changes seem to be speeding up for this old dinosaur. It’s a good thing I came along when I did, I probably wouldn’t get consideration these days. I thank God for calling me and giving me a place to preach. I feel blessed and I wouldn’t change a thing. I love Danville, it is the nearest thing to home I have on this earth. Thank God for family and friends.
• A missionary couple we know is being basically forced to retire along with several other IMB M’s. I have my suspicions about what is happening in the IMB but I am going to hold my comments until I get my hunch confirmed. The LORD has laid it on my heart to get them a vehicle and a couple of others have partnered with me but I want to give everyone a chance to help who so desires. We have until February to get the vehicle so for now I want us to concentrate on the Guatemala project. We are not yet halfway to our goal but the last two offerings have been encouraging. How I do wish MISSION was as important to us as sports and recreation.
• Has the Decatur School Board lost their mind? What are they thinking?
• FALL is a beautiful time of the year as you see in the pic below. Thank you Jesus for the gentle rain.

Photo by Rex Looney

We Are Able

SCRIPTURE

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

~Mark 10:39, NLT

QUOTE

Despair ruins some, presumption ruins many.

~Benjamin Franklin

You see James and John’s presumptuous answer above but what is the question? Jesus asked them, Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” Without a moments hesitation, they replied, “We are able.” I’m sure Jesus just shook His head in unbelief. These guys who were a part of the inner circle {Peter, James and John} had committed to mistakes.

Their first mistake was that they were not paying attention to what Jesus had just said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.” Jesus had no more than got this out of His mouth when the two asked for seats of honor in His kingdom. Their second mistake is as bad as the first, it was ignorance. They had no idea what they were asking for or committing themselves to do. I don’t know which was greater: their arrogance, their ignorance or their insensitivity.

James and John did undergo Christ’s baptism and they did drink from His bitter cup. James was the first to die for Christ. They were able to drink the cup because Jesus made them able. Sometimes we allow our mouth to overload our ability. We are able only because His grace enables.  Oh the needless grief we bring into our lives by our prideful presumption.

• Talked to Noah yesterday evening: Michelle is still packing. They are planning to be here by tonight.
• We got a lot done yesterday that we have been putting off. We have paper towel racks in the women’s bathroom in the FORTE. We also got the baptistery cleaned and filled with fresh water. Lord willing, we will baptize three this Sunday and we have one scheduled for November 1. I pray that we will baptize every Sunday between now and Christmas.
• FELLOWSHIP Sunday night at 5:30–Hay rides at 6:15. Members bring a pot, not a bowl, but a pot of stew, soup or chili. If you do not bring one of the three then your option is two of the following items: homemade desert, cornbread, chips [Frito’s], cokes. We have crackers and Tea.
• We had 28 in our COLLEGE BIBLE STUDY last night.
• I’m probably going to have to get off of Facebook but I do enjoy the pictures: this one comes from Sandy Hendrix in Cherokee, Alabama. It was made at mile marker 375 on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Trace runs less than a mile behind the first church I served out of Seminary. I would love to drive the Northern stretch [in a gentle rain], from Cherokee to Franklin, Tennessee. I got to do that a few years ago and I loved it.