The Power Station
Testimonies
There is "No parking" in our walk.
We may pause to refresh, to teach,
to bless.
In parking, we will miss the abundant
blessing promised for our lives and
the lives we touch
We may pause to refresh, to teach,
to bless.
In parking, we will miss the abundant
blessing promised for our lives and
the lives we touch
| The Lottery Line March 31, 2008 T. Travers |
A well behaved and organized line of people lineup to purchase lottery tickets at
a local grocery store. People hold cash in their hands or in cardboard boxes
while waiting to purchase the lottery tickets. Most town residents are in line.
Several town officials and pastors are in line as well.
So many customers come into the store only to purchase lottery tickets, the
store clerks prepare free boxes of food to give away rather than have the food go
to waste. The food goes untouched, as the people leave with only the lottery
tickets.
The store owner discussed the impact of people spending all their money on the
lottery and not buying or taking food. “Yes, I know it’s not a good thing, but it
brings in the money”, is the response.
A lame man pulls himself up to the storefront and is unable to open the door. His
clothes are damp from the blood oozing from his open sores. His body and
breath reek of alcohol and tobacco. Gasping for air as a cigarette dangles from
his toothless mouth; he proclaims that he scraped up $ 10.00 to purchase lottery
tickets. He proclaims that his picks, his numbers are a “sure thing”. His eyes
glaze over as he day dreams about how different his life will be with all that
money.
A “sure thing”, he gasps and wheezes.
This singular thought of a “sure thing” causes multitudes of people to place their
hopes and dreams on the purchase of a lottery ticket. These people are so sure
of a “sure thing” yet they each of them have their own “Sure Thing”, their own
winning number”. People are so sure of a “sure thing”, yet they purchase
multiple lottery tickets.
Today, these people in line, and this lame man place their hope, their faith of a
better life in a lottery ticket, a lottery ticket designed by man, processed in a
system engineered by man, and now determined by a computer randomly
selecting a set of numbers.
It has been recorded years ago, when villagers upon hearing His Name would
carry the lame, climb trees, climb buildings, remove roof tops to bring the lame
to be healed by a “sure thing”.
His name is Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, He is the “Sure Thing”.
There is no lottery with Jesus; there are no chances with Jesus. There is no
foregoing food with Jesus.
There is only one winning number and that “sure thing” is shared with you
through Jesus Christ.
Each day Carol and I rejoice and thank God for the provisions in our lives. During
our struggles, during our lean times, during the dark times we continue to have
faith in His Word.
We continue to tithe, we continue to encourage each other in the Word and
continue to encourage each other in their walk.
Today, we pray you continue in your calling.