Hello There,

George Bennard? Yes- a question mark. Had I given the title of his most 
popular song, 
"The Old Rugged Cross", perhaps I could change punctuation marks.

I heard a less than evangelical critic dismiss that classic hymn as symbolic 
and superficial sentiment. They are welcome to their opinion. I offer 
another from his pen. This is straightforward and soulsearching submission 
to the Master's plan.

HAVE THY WAY, LORD

JESUS, SEE ME AT THY FEET, WITH MY SACRIFICE COMPLETE,
I AM BRINGING ALL TO THEE, THINE ALONE I'LL BE.
Chorus:
HAVE THY WAY, LORD, HAVE THY WAY; THIS WITH ALL MY HEART I SAY;
I'LL OBEY THEE, COME WHAT MAY, DEAR LORD, HAVE THY WAY.

O HOW PATIENT THOU HAST BEEN WITH MY PRIDE AND INBRED SIN!
O WHAT MERCY THOU HAST SHOWN, GRACE AND LOVE UNKNOWN!

LORD, THY LOVE HAS WON MY ALL. LET THY SPIRIT ON ME FALL;
BURN UP EV'RY TRACE OF SIN; MAKE ME PURE WITHIN.

PRAISE THE LORD, THE WORK IS DONE! PRAISE THE LORD, THE VICT'RY 
WON!
NOW THE BLOOD IS CLEANSING ME, FROM ALL SIN I'M FREE.

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord." EPHESIANS 5:18,19

HARD TO PLEASE-That describes us all when it comes to weather. It was too 
dry for too long here. Now it has started to rain and can't seem to stop. 
We have had floods of the dimension of "one in five-hundred year" variety 
twice in the last five years. A rare July cool front has made it eighty at 
noon this week. The weather forecasters are rapidly losing their hair and 
credibility. They are promising 100 degrees by Tuesday.

GET IN ON THE "GROUND FLOOR"-I was offered an opportunity this week to become 
a charter member of a group being formed in opposition to Harry Potter 
influences. If you note sarcasm, you are right. If I had fifty dollars, I 
probably could spend it more wisely. In C.S. Lewis' famous "Screwtape 
Letters", Wormwood, the imp, was encouraged to get his subject to become a 
Christian Vegetarian or anything that would keep him from devoting his full 
efforts to living victoriously. Does Satan have you on the warpath against 
windmills? 

NO BIGGIE-The simple little biographical sketch that I have asked from you is 
so important. You need to know that you are not on the journey of faith in a 
solo flight. We also need to know in what marvelous ways God can implement 
His gifts in us.

OUR PRAYER REQUESTS-Revolve around readers and their gifts today: IN THE 
BEGINNING, GOD- Dean and Carole Benton ask a prayer interest as they take 
tenuous baby steps toward some teaching by television opportunities on a 
religious station in Keokuk, Iowa.
Dr. Wendell Kempton will be preaching twice daily this week at the famous 
Word of Life camp in Schroon Lake, New York. May the Book of Acts come 
alive. They have written me to get you enlisted as we PRAY.

VACATION TIME-I told you that we were planning a time for Jeanene to visit 
Janet and Mike in Michigan. She is probably there today with them and eldest 
grandson, Kevin.

STOCK MARKET-Quotes on the matter do not come any truer than the one long ago 
by Mark Twain, "October is a risky month to invest, so is November, December, 
January, February, March. April, May, June, July, August and September".

THOUGHTS ON THIRTY-SEVEN-Is far short of an inspirational title. That is as 
good as I could do when I chose those 36 verses of Genesis 37 to teach the 
"flutter down" truth theory which we have discussed here. The class 
assignment was to read the chapter each day for a week. Here is what 
"fluttered". Expect the unexpected from seminary students! Intro. Wonder 
why God chose the story of Joseph to make up almost a quarter of Genesis? 
Historical value? Personal value? God had "extra paper". (I told 
you-unexpected-that same class yielded this definition of "antediluvian" as 
"one who weaves baskets underwater") SORRY We did get some very pointed and 
proper "flutters": 1.THE STORY BEGINS IN TEEN YEARS. As with another 
exemplary person, Daniel. To take the purposes and dedications of the young 
lightly can be a tragic ministry error. 2. FAMILY PROBLEMS CAN STEM FROM 
WEAK LEADERSHIP BUILT ON A PAST OF GUILE. This thought, obviously, came from 
a student who was thinking in generational terms. 3. YOUR PRIZED 
POSSESSION CAN BECOME A PERSONAL PROBLEM. His coat typified any strength 
that we prize too highly. 4. DON'T TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW TO EVERYBODY YOU 
KNOW OR TO ANYBODY YOU KNOW. Some dreams are for just yourself. 5. LEARN 
TO BE OBEDIENT. Joseph got in real trouble when he improvised to improve (he 
thought) on his daddy's plan. 6. BEING "IN THE PITS" DOESN'T MEAN THAT LIFE 
IS OVER. 7. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TRAVEL WITH PEOPLE YOU DON'T LIKE, WHO TAKE 
YOU WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO. You may not even know some of them-let 
alone choose them. 8. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF UNDERVALUED. Sold for less than 
a good slave would bring. 9. YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF 
OTHERS. Even your father, but you must not become arrogant. 10. YOU START 
YOUR RISE TO THE TOP, EVEN THOUGH YOU END UP WITH A ROTTEN GUY IN A ROTTEN 
PLACE. See others as good lesson points in this chapter?

KIND WORDS-Even words of flattery are sometimes sent to me. I am very happy 
that THOUGHTS helps. If it ever makes you sad to find it in your mail 
"stack", that is not my goal.

His,
Ron Krantz 
7722 Evaline Lane
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 292-4548