New Melody Church

  The Longest Row There is a long-forgotten era when labor and livelihood were so entwined as to be inseparable. There are a few still walking who remember those days. Mom spoke often to me about the hardship of sustaining a family with only hand tools, a horse, and a cow. Of course, there were chickens, hogs, and wild game. The squirrel was considered a delicacy but took much time from “must do” things and ammunition was scarce. Corn was a must-have as were beans, and potatoes. A few coins in a fruit jar that was stashed away somewhere out of view served as the family bank. Commodities were the standard of exchange recognized by all as being substantially fungibility. Water was about the only life need that was plentiful and free. However, it had to be “toted” from the spring house into the area of use. Most homes had no plumbing or electricity. That was truly an era of hardship. When God said that man would live by the sweat of his brow, this time was the euphony of that con...

  Milk and Bread A few children in my experiences of life have only had milk and bread for their meal. The very poor are destitute and make unsatisfactory caretakers of their offspring. When they have babes and milk is plentiful they absorb knowledge and grow in stature. However, a mother's milk can only take them to the beginning of full development. Lacking proper nutrition for mental and physical growth they falter and become underachievers. So it is with newborn babes in Christ Jesus. They require nurturing in the milk and bread of life. 1 Peter 2:2  “ As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ( 1 Corinthians 3:2 ) “ I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. ( Isaiah 28:9 ) Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” ...

  Turn If there is anything that moves in God’s universe and does not turn relative to its character, I am unaware of its existence. In life, metamorphosis is the rule. That is a turning from one shape or condition to another. Einstein postulated that a straight line extended far enough would meet its starting point. If that is so it would have to change demolitions or direction turning from straight. From the universe to the caterpillar that turns into a butterfly, things change. A fly egg becomes a maggot, then a cocoon to turn away from that repulsive creature. The final turning is into an adult fly. Streams meander and turn. Roads wind and turn according to the terrain they follow. Even light waves traveling at near 300,000 miles per second are refracted and turned from their original course. The homely tarpon moving at an estimated ten to twelve feet per hour must veer left and right as it meanders among obstacles. Man, born of woman, is but a few days living ...

  Praise It is hope that raises praising hands unto God with joy. Why would we not praise His Holy name who has given us life and retained it in us. Troubles are many but not necessarily the work of our Savior. That door of suffering was swung wide in the created garden of luxury, Praise God that, in due time, He sacrificed himself in the form of His only begotten son that we might become the spirit originally created and regain eternal life. We cannot see beyond God’s creation into the great unknown. God alone holds all the answers to the questions we generate. If God can’t handle the troubles and trials that plague us, who can? From your bed of sorrow, praise ye the Lord. Wrestling with the why, what, when and how of our infirmities will never render a solution. Only God is to be praised as the great physician, psychologist and giver of life. Lay all burdens on the strong arm of our creator and buttress against times of darkness. That which we place in His hands he He will m...

  Wings It seems an easy manner of a bird in flight. One might think, “oh if only I had wings I would fly into the heavens.” The flight of winged creatures is laborious and limited. Were we as birds having flight capabilities we would quickly see that wings and feathers cannot break the bonds of earth's entrapment. Some say, “well when I get my angelic wings I will escape all that earth has an d fly to heaven. It doesn’t work that way. I call your attention to Greek mythology and a father and son who gained flight capabilities. Icarus and his father, Daedalus, were imprisoned on an island by King Minos. To escape, Daedalus – a master craftsman – created two sets of wings made of wax and feathers. He warned his son not to fly too close to the sun, as the wax would melt. His warning, however, went unheeded. Icarus was so intoxicated by the experience of flight that he went higher and higher. As the wax in his wings melted, he tumbled into the sea and drowned. The saying “do...

  Dark The night was dark. Only a scattering of stars was shimmering in the late evening sky. Little did they share with the garden of the light that they held. So very far above in outer space and lost to time, they served the Master’s plan. The day had been tiring for those sitting within; waiting for the Light to begin. Little they knew that the “light of the world” knelt there a stone’s throw away to pray. He was torn between two tremendous events rising on the horizon. Little did they know. Little did they care. The Lord almighty debated with himself the price of rescuing them from sin or riding His hideous plan to an end. “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” A million years before he prayed this prayer as though it rested upon His soul this night. There was no sin in His debate. He had met the devil face to face and withstood his best temptation. No, He wrestled within Himself; the flesh with the Spirit. The flesh played a song of another way. The spirit held ...

  To Do   There have been a few souls down through the passing years that seemingly had nothing to do. Without equity, one should never attempt to compare other’s placid lifestyles to the more astute. Lazy is the common term applied vicariously to those who choose a placid passing of time unconcerned over accumulating required tasks. Such a soul at rest is perfectly willing to allow others to complete their defined duties. If it were their lack of mental compulsion to labor they might be considered “lazy.” If a "slackerd" perceived the need as most others do and thrust the perception casually away, there may be some innate or latent aversion to physical exertion. Or it could simply be an addiction to laziness in need of treatment. Being a procrastinator, they have become a person lacking a sense of direction in life; an underachiever. There are also neurochemicals or lack of such, and non-visible physical impairments that render the appearance of laziness. Pure old product...