Steve Sikes Blog  

I don’t know if you saw the two nationally syndicated articles last week – side by side – both focusing on centurion-plus women. 

In one article, a Malaysian woman, 107 years of age, was married to husband #22 and worried he might leave her; if he did, she was prepared to marry husband #23! 

The second article also featured a 107 year-old woman who had just gotten married for the very first time!  The first woman was quoted as saying, “My intention to re-marry is to fill my forlornness, and nothing more than that.”

Loneliness is hard enough to deal with, but forlornness seems worse!  Simply put, forlornness is loneliness without any hope, draped in misery.  Uggh! 
The antidote?  (It’s sure not marrying 23 times – that’s misery!)  But note the beginning and end of the Gospel of Matthew:

  *(Matthew 1:21) God’s angel told Joseph that, “She (Mary) 
    will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He
    will save His people from their sins.” (Now that’s HOPE!)

  *(Matthew 1:23; 28:20) “…THEY SHALL CALL HIS
    NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD  
    WITH US”…”and lo, I am with you always, even to the
    end of the age.”  (Now that’s COMPANIONSHIP!)

PEOPLE NEED THE LORD!  God is good!  Mr. Steve

“The Biggest Loser”
Sometimes losing is just losing, but every so often, losing is winning! 

Example #1: This past Wednesday, our youngest daughter, Crystal, called us from Rochester College saying she was in a great deal of pain.  She was taken to the hospital and later informed us that she had passed a kidney stone and was feeling a lot better… because losing is winning (a stone or two)!

Example #2: Have you seen Cassidy Davis’ hair?  She had much of it cut and given to “Locks of Love” – a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. Definitely an example of losing is winning!

Example #3: This past Tuesday night, Patti and I watched a young man on TV that we had both taught at York College nine years ago.  Sean is presently a contestant on NBC’s hit TV series, “The Biggest Loser” – a show dedicated to losing (weight) is winning!

Dr. Luke authors one of Jesus’ losing is winning quotes in Luke 9:23:“If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”  Undeniably, Jesus was “The BIGGEST LOSER” of SELF this world has ever seen!  In a world that love’s winners – are you losing where it counts (Mark 8:35-37)?

God is good all the time and all the time God is good!  Mr. Steve

       
My brothers’ names start with the letters ‘St’ and my sisters’ names begin with the letters ‘Sh’; even our milk cow’s name was Shirley.  My question: Have you ever heard of anyone being killed because they couldn’t pronounce the ‘Sh’ sound?  Drastic but true!

In Judges, chapter 12, the inhabitants of Gilead fought and defeated the men from the tribe of Ephraim.  The Ephraim survivors fled home, only to find the Gileadites waiting for them at the Jordan River.  In order to identify that a refugee was from Ephraim or not, the Gileadites came up with a test:

They had each captive say the word, ‘Shibboleth’; if they couldn’t pronounce the ‘Sh’ sound and said ‘Sibboleth’ instead – they were killed!  Forty-two thousand Ephraimites died from failing to pass the ‘Sh’ test!  SHa-BANG!

For your information ‘Shibboleth’ is a Hebrew word that literally means the part of a plant containing grains, such as an ear of corn growing out.  Had any Jersey corn lately? Best ‘Shibboleth’ I’ve had! 

“And He was saying, ‘The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil… The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head…he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)  It seems like all my spiritual family’s name begins with ‘Sh’! 

Can you say, SHIBBOLETH?!!  God is good all the time!  Mr. Steve

“One-Liners”
The Matt and Susie Downing family do a lot of ministry behind the scenes; one such ministry is to weekly change our marquee in front of our church building.  (Hint: I hope our new building has a big one!)

Anyway, kudos to the Downing’s for a job continually well-done!  It’s amazing how much truth can get packed into one line!  Here’s a selection of some one-liners:
  *Give God what is right – not what’s left.
  *A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
  *We don’t change God’s message – His message changes us.
  *Never give the devil a ride – he will always want to drive.
  *Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
  *He who angers you controls you.
  *God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Jesus said more than a few one-liners in His three and one-half year ministry.  Here “go” three of them:
  *Go and sin no more (John 8:11).
  *Go, your faith has made you well (Mark 10:52).
  *Go therefore and make disciples… (Matt 28:19-20).

And, here’s one of my very favorite one –liners:
  *God is good all the time and all the time…  Mr. Steve