Wally said he had a hard time

Wally said he had a hard time last week reading

Today's bulletin is really about being caught off guard. This past Friday, Kieran and Robert Raif came by my office and wanted

the bulletin because the text was too small. So

to take me to lunch. They really hadn't given it much thought, and when I asked them where they wanted to go they had no idea

this week I thought I would write the text more to

what they would like, never mind what was even available in the area. So, I suggested we go to the Macaroni Grill, which I described

his size and underline all the words to highlight

as being very "olive-garden-like." Since Robert had never been to either place, but had always wanted to try one of them and had

them. Some would accuse me of something a little

heard good things about them, he was all for it. We got a table, sat down, and ordered drinks while looking over the menu. Kieran

more sinister, such as posting subliminal texts, but

was particularly excited, because he thought that soup and salad they had to offer on the lunch menu looked just great (I told him I

you can trust me.

was buying lunch, but maybe be was on a diet of some kind.

You ever notice how something can be right there

Well, long before our food even had a chance of being cooked the fire alarm went off in the place. We hoped it would just be some

in front of you and you still can't see it? That is

mistake and that we could stay and get our food, but the manager whooshed us out onto the street. So, as far as I know, Robert still

what comes to mind when some of the people I

has never had the pleasure of either of these excellent eating establishments. That is kind of like someone who wants to be a Christian

know at work will read a book like "The Da Vinci

but puts it off They know it's good, and good for them. They may have heard from many others how desirable it can be, and so they

Code" and then truly believe we can "find" secret

crave it for themselves. But good intentions are not good enough. One might decide to be a Christian "someday" and fully intend to

messages in the bible! Maybe if they spent more

obey the gospel, and finally get around to it, but then something unexpected gets in the way. The preacher in Golden, Colorado when

of their time just reading the book to see what it

I was there years ago had a mother who was not a Christian. One day during a bible study with her she suddenly got it. But she did

has to say and accept it at face value they would

not want to get baptized right then, she wanted to wait until her family was there to be with her. On Saturday night, on the way to

"find" they got a lot more out of it than what they

the building to be baptized, she suddenly said 'Tm dying'" and she did. She had a heart attack and those were her last words I pray

expected. The "mystery" of the scripture isn't that

that God shows mercy to her, but the fact is she never obeyed the gospel. And, in spite of this tiny text, I hope you still see the big

it's hard to discover, the real mystery to me is that

message, which isn't a mystery in any sense at all. God expects you to obey him and take hi s word at face value. There are not any

more people haven't already found it!

hurdles. or hidden messages. God doesn't make it hard, it's easy as pie. And so very much sweeter!

Randy