Dan 5:5 In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

I have seen lots of writing on walls and the side of buildings, on railroad cars; and on highway overpasses.
However, that was graffiti and most of that writing was from teens or gangs.
When a hand appeared in Belshazzar’s court, it was the finger of God writing a message.
The Babylonian king had used the holy cups and utensils from the looted Temple and drank from them while toasting and praising the gods of Babylon.
The message written is one we need to remember today.
God’s first writing, delivered to Moses, was His holy Law.
This second writing gave Belshazzar a message of judgment and reminds us there is a holy judgment for all.
Judgment is a central theme of the Bible.
Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men to die once and after this the judgment.”
Other verses fortify the idea like “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” and reference to the Great White Throne judgment in Revelation.
I do hope you see the handwriting on the wall and accept Jesus as your savior!

Ex 31:18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

I remember our third-grade teacher whispered something to the kid on the front row.
That kid turned around and whispered to the one behind her.
The process was repeated from chair to chair and row to row until all of us knew what the teacher had said to the first student.
However, what the last person said was not what the first person heard.
It was nothing like it – not even close!
The teacher’s phrase was altered by all of us kids because either one of us misunderstood what was said or exchanged a word while trying to keep the meaning.
This is what happens with word of mouth.
God did not want any misunderstanding so He wrote down the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets and gave them to Moses.
This is the first writing from God and it shows us there is a holy law.
If there is a law then there are always lawbreakers.
Everyone has broken God’s law.
If the Law is broken then there is a penalty and God has also written about that, which I will discuss this week.
Sufficient to say, I write something down when it is important.
God gave us His word through the Bible because it is important.
Don’t go by word of mouth but read it for yourself instead.

Ex 17:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua,

Written signs dominate your life.
Stop, yield, one way, and do not enter are some you see on roadways.
Push, pull, enter, or authorized personnel only are some you might see at a store.
I don’t know when writing a language began.
Writing things down is very handy to direct others or remember things you need to do, appointments, and items to pick up at the store.
I like for people to text me if they need something, that way I have a record of it in their words.
It would have been really handy for a ‘No Trespassing” sign to have been posted at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil back when the serpent tempted Eve.
Instead of relying on memory, she could have read the sign and knew it was a bad idea.
Moses was told to write something down in a book so everyone would remember what happened.
Indeed, instead of relying on word of mouth, God had all you need to know written down so you will know the definition of sin and a sinner, His holy rules, what is needed for salvation, and how to live every day.
Sure, there is much information not found in the Bible – gaps in the writing here and there, but God is interested in giving you what you need for a restored relationship with Him rather than filling in gaps.
So, read His written word.

Matt 6:28 “So why do you worry about clothing?”

There was a time, as a pastor, I dressed up in a suit every Sunday – three-piece with tie and shiny black shoes.
I had ties for Christmas, shirts for the 4th of July, and tie clasps for different occasions.
When I began preaching at Crossroads I began dressing more casually with slacks and a collared shirt.
That eventually gave over to blue jeans and pullover collared shirts.
Now you’ll see me in overalls most of the time.
One of the reasons I don’t wear a suit and have started wearing overalls is to remove an excuse.
You see, I have heard it many times when I invite someone to church – “I don’t have anything to wear!”
So, why do you worry about clothing?
It’s not what you wear, it’s that you’re there!
As long as what you wear is modest.
I’ll admit I have had to talk to a few young ladies about revealing clothing and a few young men about sloppy clothing.
Dress nice, dress casually, and don’t let clothing keep you from church.

Prov 18:17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.

I was doing show prep for next week’s radio show and adding Proverbs to the lineup.
I came upon this verse that caused me to stop and think.
I don’t recall reading it before.
Better yet, I never paused and thought about it.
How true this nugget of wisdom for today.
Anyone can claim anything they want to but under cross-examination from someone else that also has some knowledge of the subject, things may change.
I think this scripture is important to use in the discovery of false prophets or errant teachers.
Someone can claim that God said this or that but does it cross-examine with God’s word.
Too many are willing to accept the word of a minister without examining it for themselves.
It’s easy not to do anything when a minister spouts Hebrew word here and Greek word there.
Languages we don’t understand seem daunting to try and define.
So it’s just easier to believe the minister.
It is important to seek the truth yourself.
If it agrees with the minister, you do well.
If not…

Matt 13:24-25 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

In a previous parable, Jesus said the good seed was the word of God planted in the heart of the listener.
Likewise, in this parable, the enemy also sows seed.
As both seeds sprout it is difficult to tell them apart.
You know the weeds will overgrow and choke out the good plants.
The servants wanted to do it immediately but the owner said they would end up pulling up the good plants with the weeds.
Given time, you will tell the difference between the two and weed out the bad.
God’s word is truth but the enemy, Satan, wants you to believe his word is true.
In my life, I have heard many “preachers” and read many books that seem true in relating to the word of God.
But as I grew I discovered inconsistencies in some of those teachings and writings, when I compare them to God’s word.
I had to weed out the bad before it choked the word of God in me.
Do not automatically believe every minister or every author that says, “Thus says the Lord!”
This includes me!
But check out for yourself with prayer, study, and the meditation of reading God’s word yourself to see if those things told you are true.
You must weed out your own garden!

John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

It was, and often still is, common thought that birth defects, deformities, tragedies, and accidents are a result of sin.
Certainly sin effects every person but not necessarily in the way you think.
Sin attacks health, that is, without sin there would be no sickness, no deformities, and no death.
When the reign of sin ends those things will also end – Rev 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Now back to the man born blind; although he is a sinner it wasn’t his sin or his parents sins that caused him to be born blind.
Sin is like a virus or a cancer
Paul said, “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” Rom 7:11-12
Sin is like a virus or a cancer.
It spreads and takes it toll on everyone.
But the lesson learned from todays scripture is you can be better – you can do better.
You do not need to let sin destroy you.
Jesus came to destroy sin and give you a more abundant life.
There are many people that overcome deformities, accidents, and tragedies.
Do not let them define you but allow Jesus to define you through those things.
Be better!