Prisoners Set Free

Sixty-six years ago, April 29, 1945, combined allied forces marched in Dachau and set the remaining prisoners free from their horror and imminent death. Dachau was the location of the first of the Nazi concentration camps. Records indicate that at least 32,000 prisoners died there. Numberless others were transported from there to extermination camps throughout Poland. The Nazis during the war at these camps senselessly murdered over nine million people. It is hard to imagine the elation they must have felt at being set free. But, there is another freedom much greater than that!

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” "But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone on earth. What do you mean, 'set free'?" Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because my message does not find a place in your hearts. (John 8:31-37 NLV).

Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night. So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his own warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more—until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!

That is the power of sin and death in our lives. It is this “slavery” that Christ has died to set us free from! There is only one thing necessary to receive this freedom. We must accept the pardon. About 1830, a man named George Wilson killed a government employee who caught him in the act of robbing the mails. Wilson was tried and sentenced to be hanged. The President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, sent Wilson a pardon. But, Wilson did a strange thing: he refused to accept the pardon. No one seemed to know what to do because of this, so Wilson’s case was sent to the U. S. Supreme Court. Chief Justice Marshall wrote the opinion: “A pardon is a slip of paper, the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged.” And he was. The cross of Christ is a revelation of God’s love for all people. We may do cowardly and disappointing things and bring deep pain to the Father’s heart, but in the cross we see that He never gives up on us. Something happened that day on Calvary that forever makes a difference in the relationship between people and God. Even when the love of Jesus was thrown in His face with spitting, mocking and cursing, it remained unbroken. The death of Christ on the cross is the pardon God has sent. But before it becomes a pardon, we must accept it in faith. It is through the cross, and only through the cross we can be saved from sin and its consequence of eternal separation from God in hell. Have you accepted God’s pardon in Christ Jesus? Be free today!

A Home Run

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21 NIV).

He was born in 1934 at Mobile, Alabama. No one could have ever dreamed that he would grow up and become a household name to anyone who followed the game of baseball. Henry Louis Aaron, known to all as Hank Aaron, was among the first blacks to play a full career in the major leagues. He began in 1954 and retired in 1976. However, the most memorable moment came on April 23, 1974, when he broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. His legendary mark of 755 career home runs still stands today. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. He had done what most believed to be impossible!

It is amazing what impossible things have been accomplished to those who merely believed. That is the background of our Scripture this morning. Jesus had been teaching for sometime and the disciples had become concerned about feeding so many people if He continued. Jesus replied without hesitation, “Feed them.” Their response was to exclaim how impossible that task would be. Almost as a joke, Andrew brings a little boy’s lunch to Jesus. From those five biscuits and two little fish, in the hands of Jesus, five thousand people were fully fed and satisfied!

There are two important lessons for us in this story. First, nothing is impossible in the hands of Jesus. Regardless of the challenges we face today, if we trust ourselves to Him, we will find a way. It may come from the most unexpected of places, or in the most unbelievable of means, but He will provide a way. Second, even the smallest of resources is enough in Jesus’ hands. No talent or resource is so small as to be inadequate in His hands. The key is in our faith.

If you know something of chemistry, you know that if you mix hydrogen and oxygen, the well-known components of water, you get no reaction -- and no water! But if you add a small amount of platinum to this stable mixture, things began to happen very rapidly. The hydrogen and oxygen unite and a chemical change occurs which produces H2O. Just as platinum is needed as a catalyst to achieve the desired result, so faith must be present in our walk with the Lord if we are to experience progress in our relationship with Him. We have to rely wholly upon the wisdom and integrity of God's written Word and be confident that He can and will do the things He has promised. Furthermore, we must abandon any reservations that might hinder our Christian growth if we want the kind of transformation that true faith can bring. This vital ingredient must be introduced to give meaning to our Bible reading, our prayers, and our church attendance. If we follow this formula, we will see the difference Christ can make in our
lives. Then we'll fully understand the "chemistry" of spiritual change. Philip Yancey defines faith as: "Believing in advance in something that will only seem logical when seen in reverse." Go as far as you can see, and when you get there you will always be able to see farther. Hit a home run today with your faith!

Happy Trails to You

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. (Psalm 84:10-12 NIV).

Leonard Frank Sly was born November 5, 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was a very unlikely place for the “King of the Cowboys” to be born, but on that day Roy Rogers came into the world. On July 6, 1998 he died leaving behind millions of fans. The name Roy Rogers personifies the values, tradition and spirit that are at the heart of our rich American Heritage. His name is synonymous with integrity, honesty, quality and family values. He was a superstar who consistently delivered a wholesome brand of honest entertainment suitable for the entire family. What made him unique among those who have achieved great renown and popularity was there was no difference between the screen persona and Roy Rogers, the man. In fact, in all but a few of his early films, Roy played himself, not a character or a role. He was the same man off the screen as on.

Roy Rogers was a Christian, who was not ashamed to boldly witness for his Lord. At the top of his career in 1950, he and Dale made a decision to include a religious song in each of their many live performances. They made this momentous decision after all their advisers counseled against it. When threatened with the cancellation of their lucrative contract at the huge Madison Square Garden World Championship Rodeo, if they didn’t delete the religious segment from their show, Roy stood firm for what he believed was right. While he would have been disappointed, he was fully prepared to walk away if necessary rather than compromise his beliefs. Eventually management relented, and Roy and Dale enjoyed one of the most successful engagements and largest grosses in the history of the Garden. In later years, Roy and Dale appeared many times with Billy Graham in Crusades all over the country, singing gospel songs and giving their testimony. Dale has written more than 20 books including many best sellers. Most of them are of a religious nature. She also has hosted a long running television show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and Roy appeared on the show with her many times. They both understood the truth of our psalm today, O Lord Almighty, happy are those who trust in you. As you read the lyrics to their famous song, “Happy Trails to You,” be encouraged to live such a life of trust in the Lord. It WILL keep you on the right trail!

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It's the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here's a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

Lessons From the Coach

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV).

Vince Lombardi was born on June 11, 1913. He is one of the greatest football coaches in history. As the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, he led the team to six conference titles and five national championships. He was elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1971. He coached Green Bay to 5 NFL titles; won first 2 Super Bowls (1967-68); died as NFL's all-time winningest coach with percentage of .740 (105-35-6); the Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor. His famous speech, “What it takes to be #1,” is a classic in motivation. I have reproduced it for you today:

"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win. Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he's got to play from the ground up-from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That's O.K. you've got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you've got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you're lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he's never going to come off the field second. Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization-an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win-to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don't think it is. It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why they are there-to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules-but to win. And in truth, I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat. I don't say these things because I believe in the "brute" nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious. The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."

Of course football is not as important as the spiritual things of life. However, a lesson may be learned form this very successful football coach. Live your life to win! Go back to the Scripture Paul wrote tot he Corinthian church for a moment. His counsel is one of determination and discipline. I’m afraid that our failure today is often a result of our lack of determination and discipline rather than faith or vision. What is it that God has given you to do today? Whatever it is, do it completely and fully!

Lessons From Garfield

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. (Proverbs 16:1-5, 18-19 NIV).

It was the middle of June in 1978 that Garfield, the fat, lasagna-eating cat created by Jim Davis, first appeared in a comic strip. Few people who read the comics have not been amused at Garfield’s antics, however we can learn some things from him. He epitomizes pride and arrogance. It is not a virtue to be emulated! Solomon was very clear about the destructive influence of pride in our text this morning.

David Rhodes said it another way: “Pride is the dandelion of the soul. Its root goes deep; only a little left behind sprouts again. Its seeds lodge in the tiniest encouraging cracks. And it flourishes in good soil: The danger of pride is that it feeds on goodness.” It is a clear warning to us. Another man also known for his wisdom, Benjamin Franklin, settled on thirteen virtues, including the following: silence (“Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation”); frugality (“Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing”); industry (“Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions”); and, tranquillity (“Be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents common or unavoidable”). He set up a book with a page for each virtue, lining a column in which to record “defects.” Choosing a different virtue to work on each week, he daily noted every mistake, starting over every thirteen weeks in order to cycle through the list four times a year. For many decades Franklin carried his little book with him, striving for a clean thirteen-week cycle.
As he made progress, he found himself struggling with yet another defect. “There is perhaps no one of natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it. Struggle with it. Stifle it. Mortify it as much as one pleases. It is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself…even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.” How true!

A U.S. Air Force transport plane with its captain and 5 crewmembers was flying over Alaska in the mid-50s when they entered an unusually fierce snowstorm. The navigator contacted an air base only to be told that he had veered several hundred miles off course. Correct coordinates were given to the navigator, who continued to insist that his own calculations could not be that far off. Soon the plane ran low on fuel. The six men decided to abandon the plane and parachute to safety, but because of the -70 degree Fahrenheit temperature and winds that gusted to 50 mph, they were all frozen within minutes of hitting the ground. As a result of the navigator’s pride, 5 other people went to their deaths. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15). Perhaps you need to pull some dandelions out of your “garden” today. Begin by focusing only on Christ as your comparison. Then thank God for all the gifts He has given you, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. Admit that without Him your really are nothing at all.

Lessons From Failure

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10 NIV)

I read a story recently that caused me to have one of those “hmmm” moments. You know, those are the times when we ask ourselves if there is more to hear than a nice story. It seems an old farmer had plowed around a large rock in one of his fields for years. He had broken several plowshares and a cultivator on it and had grown rather morbid about the rock. After breaking another plowshare one day, and remembering all the trouble the rock had caused him through the years, he finally decided to do something about it. When he put the crowbar under the rock, he was surprised to discover that it was only about six inches thick and that he could break it up easily with a sledgehammer. As he was carting the pieces away he had to smile, remembering all the trouble that the rock had caused him over the years and how easy it would have been to get rid of it sooner.

Well here’s what came to me: Failure is never final in the hands of our gracious Father. The following are some things that I have learned to believe about my own failures in life. Perhaps they will help you as you overcome your past.

Failure does not mean I'm a failure; it does mean I have not yet succeeded.
Failure does not mean I have accomplished nothing; it does mean I have learned something.
Failure does not mean I have been a fool; it does mean I had enough faith to experiment.
Failure does not mean I have disgraced; it does mean I have dared to try.
Failure does not mean I don't have it; it does mean I have something to do in a different way.
Failure does not mean I am inferior; it does mean I am not perfect.
Failure does not mean I have wasted my life; it does mean that I have an excuse to start over.
Failure does not mean that I should give up; it does mean that I should try harder.
Failure does not mean that I will never make it; it does mean that I need more practice.
Failure does not mean that you have abandoned me; it does mean that you must have a better idea

How big is the rock you’ve been trying to go through? Isn’t it time for you to trust it to the Lord to help you just break it up and haul it away? There is no boulder to big for Him to handle!

A Great Danger

On April 26, 1986 the greatest nuclear disaster the world has ever known took place in Chernobyl, Kiev, of the former U.S.S.R. The explosion and fire in the graphite core of one of four reactors released radioactive material that spread over part of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and later Western Europe. It was in the town of Pripyat during an unauthorized test of one of the plant's four reactors that engineers initiated an uncontrolled chain reaction in the core of the reactor after disabling emergency backup systems. An explosion ripped the top off the containment building expelling radioactive material into the atmosphere. More was released in the subsequent fire. Only after Swedish instruments detected fallout from the explosion did Soviet authorities admit that an accident had occurred. Airdropping a cement mixture sealed off the reactor core, but not before eight tons of radioactive material had escaped. Twenty firefighters died immediately from overexposure to radioactivity, while hundreds suffered from severe radiation sickness. Pripyat, Chernobyl, and nearby towns were evacuated. People who lived near the plant in Ukraine and Belarus at the time have seen a greatly increased incidence of thyroid cancer, and genetic mutations have been discovered in children later born to exposed parents. Ukraine has estimated that as many as 8,000 people died as a result of the accident and during its cleanup. The agricultural economies of East and North Europe were temporarily devastated, as farm products were contaminated by fallout. One Chernobyl reactor remains in operation today. All of this destruction came from a comparatively small tubular material deep inside a huge structure. It is an illustration of the destruction that a comparatively small part of our own bodies.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:19-27 NIV).

There is an ancient fable about a monster known as Proteus who had the power of assuming many shapes and appearances. He could become a tree or a pebble, a lion or a dove, a serpent or a lamb. He seemed to have little difficulty in passing from one form into another. That fabled creature reminds me of the human tongue. It can bless or curse; it can express praise or whisper slander; it can speak a word of encouragement or spread the poison of vindictive hatred. Can it be that the average person spends one-fifth of his or her life talking? That's what the statistics say. If all of our words were put into print, the result would be this: a single day's words would fill a 50-page book, while in a year's time the average person's
words would fill 132 books of 200 pages each! What kind of book will you “write” today?

A Broken Kxy

The following was written to illustrate the importance of even a small thing. While it humorous, it does serve as a reminder of the vital importance that everyone of us plays in the plan and purpose of our heavenly Father.

“Evxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of the kxys. I havx many timxs wishxd that is workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx. Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that our church is somxthing likx my typxwritxr -- not all thx kxy pxoplx arx working propxrly. As onx of thxm, you may say to yoursxlf, "Wxll, I am only onx pxrson, I don't makx or brxak thx church." But it doxs makx a big diffxrxncx, bxcasx a church, to bx xffxctivx, nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson. So, thx nxxt timx your xfforts arx not nxxdxd vxry much, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in thx congrxgation and I am nxxdxd vxry much."

It is easy to see the importance of the “e” key on this broken typewriter! Our personal gifts and talents are equally important to the work of God in the world today. This is the teaching of the apostle Paul to the church at Corinth.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV).

There is so much that could be said both about our responsibility and the church’s role in insuring the “body” works as God desires, however let’s just focus on our role. Whatever God has given you it is meant to be used for the building up of the whole Church. When we depreciate our worth or impact, we hurt the whole body. I once knew an older woman who had been confined to her home because of illness. When I visited with her, when told me she was so sorry that she could not do anything for the church. She had been very active in choirs and Sunday School in the past. She went on to say, “Now all I can do is sit here and pray.” I quickly told her that her “all” was more than enough to make the difference. She became one of my strongest prayer warriors. We’ll only know how much her prayers meant when we all get to heaven! Whatever God has given you to do, it is vital to the health and victory of the church!

Just One Person

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9-12 NIV).

Dr. Frank Mayfield was touring Tewksbury Institute when, on his way out, he accidentally collided with an elderly floor maid. To cover the awkward moment Dr. Mayfield started asking questions, "How long have you worked here?" "I've worked here almost since the place opened," the maid replied. "What can you tell me about the history of this place?" he asked. "I don't think I can tell you anything, but I could show you something." With that, she took his hand and led him down to the basement under the oldest section of the building. She pointed to one of what looked like small prison cells; their iron bars rusted with age, and said, "That's the cage where they used to keep Annie." "Who's Annie?" the doctor asked. "Annie was a young girl who was brought in here because she was incorrigible - which means nobody could do anything with her. She'd bite and scream and throw her food at people. The doctors and nurses couldn't even examine her or anything. I’d see them trying with her spitting and scratching at them. I was only a few years younger than she was myself and I used to think, 'I sure would hate to be locked up in a cage like that.' I wanted to help her, but I didn't have any idea what I could do. I mean, if the doctors and nurses couldn't help her, what could someone like me do? "I didn't know what else to do, so I just baked her some brownies one night after work. The next day I brought them in. I walked carefully to her cage and said, 'Annie I baked these brownies just for you. I'll put them right here on the floor and you can come and get them if you want.' Then I got out of there just as fast as I could because I was afraid she might throw them at me. But she didn't. She actually took the brownies and ate them. "After that, she was just a little bit nicer to me when I was around. And sometimes I'd talk to her. Once, I even got her laughing. One of the nurses noticed this and she told the doctor. They asked me if I'd help them with Annie. I said I would if I could. So that's how it came about that every time they wanted to see Annie or examine her, I went into the cage first and explained and calmed her down and held her hand. Which is how they discovered that Annie was almost blind." After they'd been working with her for about a year - and it was tough sledding with Annie - the Perkins institute for the Blind opened its doors. They were able to help her and she went on to study and became a teacher herself. Annie came back to the Tewksbury Institute to visit, and to see what she could do to help out. At first, the Director didn't say anything and then he thought about a letter that he'd just received. A man had written to him about his daughter. She was absolutely unruly - almost like an animal. He'd been told she was blind and deaf as well as 'deranged' He was at his wit's end, but he didn't want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote here to ask if we knew of anyone - any teacher - who would come to his house and work with his daughter.

And that is how Annie Sullivan became the lifelong companion of Helen Keller. When Helen Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the greatest impact on her life and she said, "Annie Sullivan." But Annie said, "No Helen. The woman who had the greatest influence on both our lives was a floor maid at the Tewksbury Institute." History is changed when one person asks, what can someone like me do? What CAN you do today?

Love and Marriage

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31 NIV)

Jesus often combined the relationship we have with God and that with others in His teachings. The more I understand about my relationship with God, the more I am able to understand my relationship with others. This is especially true when we consider our spouses. So many people marry for the wrong reasons and then wonder why their lives are so full of grief and difficulty. I read the following story. Picture the scene: It is in the recreation room of a Californian retirement facility. Four ladies are playing bridge and chatting and keeping an eye on the flow of people in and out of the area. Soon an elderly gentleman wanders into the room. They all recognize him for a new comer and they all perk up. One of the ladies says, "Hello there. You're new here, aren't you?" He smiles and replies that he is, indeed. He had just moved in that morning. Another one of the ladies says, "Where did you live before you moved in?" He says, "I was just released from San Quentin, where I spent the last twenty years." A third lady perks up at this and say, "Oh, is that so? What were you in for?" He says, "I murdered my wife." The fourth lady sits up in her chair, smiles and says, "Oh, then you're single?"

Loneliness is just one of the many wrong reasons to marry. There are others, of course. Each of these drives us away from one another. Long, affirmative relationships begin with an understanding of the stages of a love relationship. In your marriage, they ought to be the same as with the Lord. There are three of these.

1. The first love stage is that wonderful, euphoric, stage when you are falling in love and you are looking at your lover with a glaze in your eyes. No matter what is said or done, you can’t seem to get enough of one another. If you are a Christian, undoubtedly you remember those first moments of your new life in Christ. You couldn’t pray enough, or read the Bible enough, or talk about Jesus enough to satisfy the hunger you felt for Him. That’s the “honeymoon” phase of a relationship.

2. But then there's the second stage of love, the wilderness. Your mate is not quite what you expected and marriage can be hard. In the same way, we discover that Christianity is not easy and everything is not full of rainbows. That is kind of a surprise. It’s sort of like the dad who said to his daughter's boy friend, "The man who marries my daughter will get a prize." On his first anniversary, he said, "Okay, I’m ready for my prize." The journey can be long and difficult. Most relationships end here.

3. The third stage is invincible love. It is not a time that is free from pain, because we will not be free from pain on this earth, but it is a time of confidence where you know the heart of your spouse. You know their heart toward you and that they want only the best for you. Even though they may not always make sense, you know that they love you. You are confident in them and in the fact that your love is here to stay. A lot of marriages never make it to the third stage and instead settle for picnics in the wilderness. Successful couples regard their spouses as friends, the kind of person they would want to have as a friend even if they weren't married to them," says Robert Lauer, co-author with his wife, Jeanette, of "Till Death Do Us Part. "There's a tendency," he says, "especially when children are young, to focus on children, or, when there are two careers in a marriage, to have people on different schedules, like two ships passing in the night. Long-term successful couples keep coming back to the fact that their main commitment is to being a couple."

Selective Hearing

Six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus – the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples – the one who would betray him – said, "That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor." Not that he cared for the poor – he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples' funds, and he often took some for his own use. Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial.” (John 12:1-7 NLV).

Isn’t it odd how some people only hear part of what you say? Some people only hear what they want to hear and then there are others who hear you say one thing, and interpret it as something entirely different. I heard a story the other day about a hobo who walked up to the front door of a big farmhouse, and knocked on the door until the owner answered. The hobo said, “Sir, could I please have something to eat? I haven’t had a meal in days.” The well-to-do owner of the house said, “I have made my fortune in the world by never giving anything away for free. If you go around to the back of the house, you’ll fine a fresh gallon of paint and a clean brush. Paint my porch and I’ll give you a good meal.” The hobo headed off to the back of the house. About an hour later he knocked on the front door. The homeowner was surprised. “You’re finished already? That was quick! Come on in and sit down, and I’ll have the cook bring you a meal.” “Thank you, sir!” the hobo said. “I must tell you though, you really don’t know your cars. That’s not a Porch back there. It’s a BMW!"

Sometimes people just don’t understand clearly, and that is the case with today’s Scripture passage. Judas didn’t understand why Mary was wasting the expensive perfume with the anointing of Jesus at Bethany. Jesus had to explain it to him. Jesus knows what lies ahead of him in Jerusalem. Perhaps Mary knows too. So we are left with Mary at Jesus’ feet, anointing him with this perfume of nard and symbolically preparing Jesus for his burial. It is an extravagant gift! It is easy to stand in awe of Mary who really gives us the model of faithful discipleship. When we examine Mary’s model for faithful discipleship, we can see that it was born out of a profound sense of thanksgiving. She was so thankful that she gave all that she had in the expensive perfume as a token of her thanksgiving. It was Mary’s profound sense of thankfulness that caused her to throw the dinner party for Jesus. It was her profound sense of thankfulness that caused her to break open the expensive pint of perfume that was worth a year’s wages, and pour it over Jesus’ feet. It was her profound sense of thankfulness that moved her to wash Jesus’ feet with her hair. Her profound sense of thankfulness was at the very core of her relationship with Jesus.

With Easter just a few weeks away, what will you hear Jesus calling you to do? He has given us the most extravagant gift anyone could imagine. What will your response be in return? Will you hear the call in your life, or will you selectively tune it out? Even though you may have nothing “valuable” to give Him, He asks only for your love and attention. Commit yourself to Him this morning. You will not be disappointed with His response!

One More Chance

These are the words of the Teacher, King David's son, who ruled in Jerusalem. "Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "utterly meaningless!" What do people get for all their hard work? Generations come and go, but nothing really changes. The sun rises and sets and hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south and north, here and there, twisting back and forth, getting nowhere. The rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows again to the sea. Everything is so weary and tiresome! No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. What can you point to that is new? How do you know it didn't already exist long ago? We don't remember what happened in those former times. And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. (Ecclesiastes 1: 1–18 NLV).

Ecclesiastes is one of the most interesting books of the Bible. It was written by Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live. As you can tell from reading the first few verses this morning, it begins very pessimistically. As you continue in the book, along with the writer, you realize that without a heavenly perspective in life, everything is meaningless. He comes to the conclusion that life is wonderful for those who live it “above the sun.” It is his way of saying that living selfishly can never bring satisfaction or blessing. Just after she was told she had incurable cancer, Erma Bombeck wrote a wonderful little piece titled, “If I Had My Life to Live Over.” In her usual style, laced with humor and full of wisdom, there are some practical gems to be found in it. “If I had my life to live over…”:

 I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
 I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
 I would have talked less and listened more.
 I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded.
 I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
 I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
 I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
 I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.
 I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
 I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
 Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
 When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
 There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."
 But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it , live it and never give it back.

Isn’t it nice that God has given us all one more chance today? Really, every new dawn is another chance at life when we begin it “above the sun.” Life is so much more than weary and tiresome living! Today, practice the discipline of carpe diem – SEIZE THE MOMENT!

Caiphas, the Way of Religion

First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, "Better that one should die for all." Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. Jesus replied, "What I teach is widely known, because I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple. I have been heard by people everywhere, and I teach nothing in private that I have not said in public. Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said." One of the Temple guards standing there struck Jesus on the face. "Is that the way to answer the high priest?" he demanded. Jesus replied, "If I said anything wrong, you must give evidence for it. Should you hit a man for telling the truth?" Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest. (John 18:13-14; 19-24 NLV).

What could have prompted a religious man like Caiphas to betray Jesus, to have passed the sentence of death upon him? There is no question that he was a devoted religious man. Yet, instead of preventing his betrayal, I am convinced that it was his religion that led him to betray Jesus. His reasoning was very simple. Caiphas thought: “I am religious. In fact, I am the head of all religion in Israel. Therefore I must be right. If I am right, then Jesus is wrong. He must be guilty of blasphemy and must be put to death.” How tragic that he had built his whole life around the wrong principles. His fatal flaw was that his source was wrong. His beliefs were secondhand. He had been trained and taught by Annas, his father-in-law. He had had his faith passed down to him like some special heirloom or memento. When he needed the truth, he simply didn’t know where to find it.

Several years ago a wonderful parable crossed my desk illustrating the truth of this tragedy. It is the story of a community settled on a plateau. It was in the midst of very fertile fields and at the foot of a mountain stream of crystal clear water. One day a young boy wandered up a path by the mountain stream. For several days he was not seen in the village. Finally he returned, excited and breathless with the news of a richer plateau higher up the mountain. This presented a serious problem. A group called “The Old Men Who Knew” governed the community. Every community has such a group of leaders. These men knew there was no better plateau than where they were. They told the boy to be silent lest he upset the whole community. But the boy could not be silent for he had seen the plateau with his own eyes. They old men who knew were left with no choice. They took the boy to village and stoned him to death. The years passed and the fields became barren. The community was going to have to seek a new home. Someone remembered the tale of the young boy years before. A group of young men were sent out and they found the richer plateau. The community moved out of necessity to the higher ground. More years passed, and one day another boy wandered up the mountain path. He returned to tell of a still richer plateau higher up the mountain. But there was one problem. The young men who had earlier moved the community had now become “The Old Men Who Knew.” They took the boy to the center of the village and stoned him to death!

Sometimes the most dangerous and painful thing a person can do is to try to stand apart from his past. Anything that keeps us from recognizing Jesus in our world is a tool in the hands of our enemy to keep us from our victory. In your family, in your church, or in your business you can only have freedom and victory if you will continue to walk in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever watched mayflies hatching? They come to the water and bathe their bodies in the water, ridding them of anything that would prevent them from flying. They are very careful not to let their wings get into the water however. To do so would keep them from being able to fly at all. What a wonderful picture of the Christian life! Bathe yourself in the world around you, but never let your wings get wet! Continue to get to know, really KNOW your heavenly Father through prayer, study, and devotion. Then religion will not keep you from being a disciple of Christ.

The Practical Joke

Bill was a big, awkward, homely guy. He dressed oddly with ill-fitting clothes. There were several fellows who thought it smart to make fun of him. One day one fellow noticed a small tear in his shirt and gave it a small rip. Another worker in the factory added his bit, and before long there was quite a ribbon dangling. Bill went on about his work and as he passed too near a moving belt the shirt strip was sucked into the machinery. In a split second the sleeve and Bill was in trouble. Alarms were sounded, switches pulled, and trouble was avoided. The foreman, however, aware of what had happened, summoned the men and related this story:

"In my younger days I worked in a small factory. That's when I first met Mike. He was big and witty, was always making jokes, and playing little pranks. Mike was a leader. Then there was Pete who was a follower. He always went along with Mike. And then there was a man named Jake. He was a little older than the rest of us - quiet, harmless, apart. He always ate his lunch by himself. He wore the same patched trousers for three years straight. He never entered into the games we played at noon, wrestling, horseshoes and such. He appeared to be indifferent, always sitting quietly alone under a tree instead. Jake was a natural target for practical jokes. He might find a live frog in his dinner pail, or a dead rodent in his hat. But he always took it in good humor. Then one fall, when things were slack, Mike took off a few days to go hunting. Pete went along, of course. And they promised all of us that if they got anything they'd bring us each apiece. So we were all quite excited when we heard that they'd returned and that Mike had got a really big buck. We heard more than that. Pete could never keep anything to himself, and it leaked out that they had real whopper to play on Jake. Mike had cut up the critter and had made a nice package for each of us. And, for the laugh, for the joke of it, he had saved the ears, the tail, the hoofs - it would be so funny when Jake unwrapped them. Mike distributed his packages during the noon hour. We each got a nice piece, opened it, and thanked him. The biggest package of all he saved until last. It was for Jake. Pete was all but bursting; and Mike looked very smug. Like always, Jake sat by himself; he was on the far side of the big table. Mike pushed the package over to where he could reach it; and we all sat and waited. Jake was never one to say much. You might never know that he was around for all the talking he did. In three years he'd never said a hundred words. So we were all quite astounded with what happened next. He took the package firmly in his grip and rose slowly to his feet. He smiled broadly at Mike - and it was then that we noticed that his eyes were glistening. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down for a moment and then he got control of himself. 'I knew you wouldn't forget me,' he said gratefully; 'I knew you'd come through! You're big and you're playful, but I knew all along that you had a good heart.' He swallowed again, and then took in the rest of us. 'I know I haven't seemed too chummy with you men; but I never meant to be rude. You see, I've got nine kids at home - and a wife that's been an invalid - bedfast now for four years. She ain't ever going to get any better. And sometimes when she's real bad off, I have to sit up all night to take care of her. And most of my wages have had to go for doctors and medicine. The kids do all they can to help out, but at times it's been hard to keep food in their mouths. Maybe you think it's funny that I go off by myself to eat my dinner. Well, I guess I've been a little ashamed, because I don't always have anything between my sandwich. Or like today - maybe there's only a raw turnip in my pail. But I want you to know that this meat really means a lot to me. Maybe more than to anybody here because tonight my kids . . .' he wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, ‘ . . . tonight my kids will have a really . . .' He tugged at the string. We'd been watching Jake so intently we hadn't paid much notice to Mike and Pete. But we all noticed them now, because they both dove at once to try to grab the package. But they were too late. Jake had broken the wrapper and was already surveying his present. He examined each hoof, each ear, and then he held up the tail. It wiggled limply. It should have been so funny, but nobody laughed - nobody at all. But the hardest part was when Jake looked up and said 'Thank you' while trying to smile. Silently one by one each man moved forward carrying his package and quietly placed it in front of Jake for they had suddenly realized how little their own gift had really meant to them, until now…”

This was where the foreman left the story and the men. He didn't need to say anymore; but it was gratifying to notice that as each man ate his lunch that day, they shared part with Bill and one fellow even took off his shirt and gave it to him.

When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -this is a gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NIV).

And, Jesus Wept

Then Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain and gathered them around Him. And He taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
Blessed are the meek,
Blessed are the merciful,
Blessed are you who thirst for justice,
Blessed are you who are persecuted,
Blessed are the peacemakers…

And Simon Peter said, "Do we have to write this stuff down?"
And Philip said, "Will this be on the test?"
And John said, "I'm sorry. Would you mind repeating that?"
And Andrew said, "John the Baptist's disciples don't have to learn this stuff!"
And Matthew said, "Huh?"
And Judas said, "What does this have to do with real life?"
Then, one of the Pharisees, and expert in the law said, "I don't see any of this in your syllabus. Do you have a lesson plan? Is there a summary? Where is the student guide? Will there be any follow-up assignments? How will this affect the bell curve?"
And Thomas, who had missed the sermon, came to Jesus privately and said, "Did we do anything important yesterday?" And Jesus wept.

When I read this little story, which has more bases in truth than we might imagine, I thought how easy it is to find ourselves unfocused on the primary call in our lives. We are not preparing for some great eternal test. We are not called to good works, but grace. And, that grace is rooted in the love of God toward all of us. He only asks that we love Him in return. Hear the words of Jesus this morning:

Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. "If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven. "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household! If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it. (Matthew 10:29-39, NLV).

When Jesus thinks of your response to His love today, is He weeping or rejoicing? Have you lost your love for Him somewhere in the difficulty of the journey? Has your passion for being in His presence cooled because of the challenges you face? Let go of your life and watch the love and passion come flooding back to you! Find your life today!

St. Patrick's Day

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do. (James 1:2-8 NLV).

Today is “St. Patrick’s Day.” It is celebrated in many countries and began as a memorial to a Roman Catholic priest who lived in the fourth Christian century. He was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn. He almost didn't get the appointment to bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship. Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he did draw closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. His wishes were to return to Ireland to convert the pagans that had overrun the country. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated. One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. One of the enduring features of his life was his understanding of man’s need to forgive. Forgiveness is essential to know freedom in life. Unforgiveness produces the “double-mindedness” James referenced in our Bible reading today. Forgiveness is not an easy task. I believe there are typically three main roadblocks to forgiveness.

1. The first is a lack of responsibility when it comes to owning up to our sinfulness. If we are unable to see our own faults and mistakes, how can we possibly move toward forgiveness in our relationships? We must first be able to admit that we are not perfect and that we are capable of hurting others.
2. Secondly, unresolved anger is a major hindrance to the healing power of forgiveness. If we refuse to let go of bitterness, rage or hatred, we are holding on to very destructive forces. These forces are in direct contrast to the power of forgiveness. The two forces cannot exist together. They are too different to be harmony between them.
3. Finally, many people have great misconceptions about what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is not forgetting the wrongs done to us. Forgiveness is releasing those who have hurt us into the hands of a loving God who desires to bring them into His grace and restore them by the work of Christ. Patrick embodied this kind of character. Even though he was passed over by the church hierarchy, imprisoned, and treated harshly, yet he used each of those experiences to deepen his love for God and those he was sent to reach.

The symbol of the day is the Shamrock. It represents the Trinity. It is the Father who loves us eternally, the Son who saves us completely, and the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to live our lives in abundance and grace. Wear “the green” today and forgive as you have been forgiven!

The Balloon Man

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLV).

Everywhere he went the man carried brightly colored balloons. He enjoyed watching them float above his head. And it was easy to hold the string in his hand or wrap it around his wrist and take his colorful balloons wherever he went. The other people where he worked were accustomed to seeing them. They didn't mind; it brightened the office a little. Even at night the balloons would float above the man as he slept. One day he went to the fair and had a great time. At the fair he could blend into the atmosphere of the rides and lights and noise. Oh, sometimes people tried to buy his balloons, thinking he was a vendor, but of course he wouldn't sell even one. At one of the booths he filled in a ticket to see if he could win a free ocean cruise. Two weeks later a telegram came - he had won! The man started packing immediately. He was ready to go days before it was time to leave. On the morning of the big day, he called a taxi and had the driver take him to the dock very slowly. He had to go slowly because the balloons wouldn't all fit in the taxi and he had to hold some of them out the window. At the dock he unloaded his luggage, went aboard ship, and was welcomed by the officials who had planned his trip. They even had someone take his suitcases down to his cabin while he stayed on deck and enjoyed the activity. The ship was crowded. Many people were aboard just to say good-bye to friends. Confetti, horns, streamers - and lots of balloons. He felt right at home. Eventually the visitors left and the voyage was begun. It was great! Sailing on a big ocean liner was really refreshing. It also made him very hungry. Someone told the balloon man that the evening meal was in just one hour - a welcome relief! The balloon man, still clutching his balloons and refusing to part with even one, eagerly awaited the dinner bell of this luxury cruise. There was one problem, though. Whoever had designed the ship hadn't left enough room for a man with a handful of balloons to get down the passageway. You could do it if you released some of the balloons, but the balloon man just couldn't do that. He had seen some crackers and cheese on the upper deck earlier, so he went back and ate that instead. It was good. Maybe not as good as the chef's dinner but it was good enough. Besides, he had his balloons. That night the sunset was beautiful and it was exciting to walk along the deck. But it sure got cold quickly after that. Sea air not only makes you hungry; it makes you tired as well. He asked one of the ship's crew where his room was, and the crewman took him down a wide hall and opened the door of his cabin. It was beautiful. They had given him one of the classiest rooms on the ship. He could see that the interior decorating was the best. And the bed looked inviting. Unfortunately, the door to the cabin was so designed that he couldn't get all the balloons in without breaking some. He tried, but it just wouldn't work. Back on deck he found some blankets and a deck chair. He tied the balloons around his wrist and the arm of the chair and tried to sleep. The next morning he was still tired. All that day he ate crackers and cheese and that night he slept on deck again. The next morning the balloon man received an engraved invitation from the captain of the ship. He had been invited to sit at the captain's table and enjoy the specialty of the world famous chef. He would prepare it especially for the balloon man. All that day the man watched as the crew made preparations for the evening banquet, and at 8:00 p.m. the ship’s bell rang and the passengers began to go to the dining room. The man watched them go. Soon he could hear the murmur of voices, the sound of silverware and the clink of glasses. The aroma of the food became even more enticing. He stood at the end of the passageway for some time. Finally he walked to the back of the ship. He could still hear the dinner in progress. He knew that there was a special place reserved for him at the captain's table. Then he looked up at his balloons. It was hard to do, but slowly - very, very slowly (he hadn't unclenched his hand for years) - one at a time he uncurled his fingers. One by one the balloons began to drift away. As he watched, the wind caught them and blew them out of sight. The man turned and walked down the passageway. That night, as a guest at the captain's table, he enjoyed the finest meal and the best companionship he'd ever known.

You have an “engraved” invitation too. It came written in the blood of God’s very own Son. Let go of whatever may be keeping you from enjoying the fullness of His love and grace today!

A Good Word

A wise person has said, “The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” I read about a businesswoman who ordered a fancy floral arrangement for the grand opening for her new outlet. She was furious when it arrived adorned with a ribbon, which read, "May You Rest In Peace." Apologizing profusely, the florist finally got her to calm down with the reminder that in some funeral home stood an arrangement bearing the words, "Good Luck In Your New Location."

There are many passages in the bible that encourage us to use our words positively, building others up.

§ Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (Proverbs 12:25, NLV).
§ As surely as a wind from the north brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger! It is better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a contentious wife in a lovely home. Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty. (Proverbs 25:23-23, NLV).
§ Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (Proverbs 15:4,23, NLV).

Gentle, encouraging words are so important both to speak and to hear. We need these words of encouragement because life is a struggle. Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. But He also said that in order to follow Him, we have to deny ourselves and take up our cross every day. In other words, we have to be willing to give up everything, including if necessary our own lives, in order to follow Christ. We have to be willing to suffer and sacrifice. Jesus said that following Him is not something to be entered into lightly; he warned that we must first consider the cost of doing so. And that cost is our life - everything have, everything we are. That means sometimes struggling. Encouragement is important because it is so powerful. Mark Twain wrote, "I can live for two months on a good compliment." There is a lot of truth to that! How can we encourage one another? Here are three practical suggestions:

1. First, realize that encouragement can come in many forms. Encouraging words, or maybe just an understanding ear and a willingness to just listen are forms of encouragement. It may be an arm around the shoulder, a gift, a note, an act of service, or a word of appreciation. The number of ways in which we can encourage one another are as many and varied as we are as individuals. The main thing is to communicate your love and care.
2. Second, give your presence to others. Instead of assuming a position of superiority, encourage others as a fellow disciple, a fellow recipient of God’s love and grace. Encourage them, as someone who in due time may need encouragement from them.
3. And, third, deal with the truth. Don’t pretend that their circumstances are any different or better than they really are. Don't use empty platitudes. But remind them of the truth about God, and the truth about themselves. Help them gain an eternal perspective on their troubles. Point them to Christ. Remind them that God loves them, that He’s in control, and that He hasn’t abandoned them. Remind them that God never fails, that He’s always faithful. Remind them that He’s always good, even when it seems otherwise. And while you’re reminding them of all that, you’ll find that it will become a reminder to yourself also.

You have such awesome power in your speech. You hold the power of spiritual life and health. Your speech has the power to revive, to renew, to refresh the spirit, and to lift others out of depression. That’s what encouragement can do. Isn’t it a shame to have such awesome power and not use it?

Foot-in-Mouth (Part 3)

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were sacrificing at the Temple in Jerusalem. "Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than other people from Galilee?" he asked. "Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God. And what about the eighteen men who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will also perish." (Luke 13:1-5 NLV).

Let’s review the last two days in our study of how to cure “foot-in-mouth” disease. First, we saw that we needed to check our attitude, and, second, we needed to stop making excuses for our failures. Today, the third and final step is to repent and learn from our mistakes.

This is what Peter’s tears were about. After his denial of Jesus, the Scripture tell us that he went away and wept “bitterly.” He knew he had failed the moment he saw Jesus’ eyes. He could have turned away making excuses for his failure, but he didn’t. Within him he knew his only course of action was repentance. His later actions prove this truth. And, he would become a greater servant of God after having gone through this humbling experience.

Some say that when you fall, God is through with you. If that were the case, God wouldn’t have used Noah who got drunk; Abraham who repeatedly lied and claimed his wife was his sister; Moses who smote the rock; or, even David who committed adultery and murder. Instead, God’s message to those who fail is this: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delights in his way. Though he fall, he will not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand" (Psalm 37:23,24).

Here’s the question we must answer: will we let our failures make us bitter, or we will let them make us better? Will we keep beating ourselves up for the sins we’ve committed or will we trust the grace and mercy of God for His forgiveness and restoration? The Associated Press ran this story in October of 2000:

“A pig recently traveled n a six-hour US Airways flight from Philadelphia to Seattle, and didn’t ride coach. Two passengers convinced the airline representative that the pig needed to fly with them as a ’therapeutic companion pet’ - like a seeing-eye dog - so the pig was permitted to sit with them in the first-class cabin of the plane. Passengers described the 300-pound pig as ’enormous, brown, angry, and honking.’ He was seated near the front of the plane, but the attendants reportedly had difficulty strapping him in: ’It became restless after takeoff and sauntered through the cabin.’ One passenger said, ’He kept rubbing his nose on people’s legs trying to get them to give him food and stroke him.’ Upon landing, things only got worse. The article reports, ’the pig panicked, running up and down through economy class squealing.’ Many passengers, also screaming, stood on their seats. It took four attendants to escort the pig out of the airplane, and he escaped upon reaching the terminal. (He was later re-captured.) When asked to comment on the story, US Airways spokesman David Castelveter said, ’We can confirm that the pig traveled, and we can confirm that it will never happen again.’”

Take control of your attitudes; don’t make excuses for your failures; and, repent quickly, learning from your mistakes and determine they won’t happen again! That’s the cure for “foot-in-mouth” disease!

Foot-in-Mouth Disease (Part 2)

Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, "What a privilege it would be to have a share in the Kingdom of God!" Jesus replied with this illustration: "A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When all was ready, he sent his servant around to notify the guests that it was time for them to come. But they all began making excuses. One said he had just bought a field and wanted to inspect it, so he asked to be excused. Another said he had just bought five pair of oxen and wanted to try them out. Another had just been married, so he said he couldn't come. "The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was angry and said, 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.' After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There is still room for more.' So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I invited first will get even the smallest taste of what I had prepared for them.'" (Luke 14:15-24, NLV).

Yesterday we saw that the first step toward curing our “foot-in-mouth” disease was to take control of our attitude. Today, we will see that the second insight for mending a situation we created by putting our foot in our mouth is to admit our wrongdoing. This is just another way of saying we do not make excuses for our behavior.

Remember the experience of Peter’s denial of Jesus in the courtyard after His arrest. Peter didn’t merely slink away into the night, he adamantly denied any knowledge or relationship of Jesus. And, this came after Jesus warned him it was likely to happen. Peter’s response to Jesus’ caution was that he would never do such a thing. He would rather die than leave Jesus! Well, we know what happened. Before we get too hard on Peter though remember the rest of the story. While we have no record in scripture of Peter actually apologizing to Christ for this episode of denial, we don’t find him trying to justify his denial either. We do find that when he thought about what he had said and done, he wept (Cf. Mark 14:72). This is no doubt an indication that he felt bad about himself and what he had done. He felt guilty for denying Christ and cursing. He wasn’t going to try to justify his actions. This is the second key principle to curing our own “foot-in-mouth” disease.

In his book with Ken Blanchard, "Everyone’s A Coach", Don Shula tells of losing his temper near an open microphone during a televised game with the Los Angeles Rams. Millions of viewers were surprised and shocked by Shula’s explicit profanity. Letters soon arrived from all over the country, voicing the disappointment of many that had respected the coach for his integrity. Shula could have given excuses, but he didn’t. Everyone who included a return address received a personal apology. He closed each letter by stating, "I value your respect and will do my best to earn it again."

There are two ways to gain respect. One is to act nobly. The other is when you fail to do so, to make no excuses. When you try to justify your foot in mouth disease you only tend to make matters worse. Admitting we are wrong is always difficult, but it is the doorway to freedom. Tomorrow we’ll see how to step through that door.

Foot-in-Mouth Disease (Part 1)

Meanwhile, Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and then said, "You were one of those with Jesus, the Nazarene." Peter denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed. The servant girl saw him standing there and began telling the others, "That man is definitely one of them!" Peter denied it again. A little later some other bystanders began saying to Peter, "You must be one of them because you are from Galilee." Peter said, "I swear by God, I don't know this man you're talking about." And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and cried. (Mark 14:66-72 NLV).

Today we’re not going to look at the disease of cows and sheep in. Instead, we’re going to look at the human variety of “foot-in-mouth” disease that’s been around for thousands of years. And, who better to use as an example than the apostle Peter. He was the one that has come to be known as “the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth.” However, before we’re too hard on him, we should remember that we’ve all said things we regret having said things we wish we could take back.

Today’s scripture reveals the Apostle Peter suffering from a severe case of foot in mouth. He shamed himself greatly by the things he said. This familiar story is even more tragic when we remember Peter had boasted this would be the very last sin of which he would ever be guilty (Cf. Matthew 26:33). But we’re not here today to bash Simon Peter. We’re here to identify with him and learn from him. The story has a happy ending because Christ understood and forgave Peter just like He is willing to understand and forgive us. Peter was at his worst but Jesus made a new man out of him. After the Holy Spirit came into his life Peter became the primary spokesman for the early church. He preached the first sermon of the church and thousands were converted to Christ! How did this happen? How did Peter go from cursing to proclaiming the good news? Over the next few days we’ll see some practical ways to restore the bad relationships we have created with our words.

The first thing we ought to do is to check our attitude. Peter’s primary problem was a bad attitude. He was fearful, disillusioned and defeated. They had arrested His Master Jesus, and Peter felt powerless to change the adverse circumstances around him. He lost all composure. He lost the courage that seemed to be a trademark of his swarthy fisherman personality. Ever had that happen to you? Sure you have. You’re only human. Things don’t always go according to plan. You expect victory but experience the defeat of financial setbacks, relational shipwrecks, and physical disabilities. The mistakes we make are sometimes the result of a bad attitude that we have allowed to develop. Unresolved issues leave us feeling frustrated, angry, or hurt. These attitudes are reflected most notably in our speech. As Jesus reminded us, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). Attitudes are important because actions follow attitudes. We’ll say fewer offensive and hurtful things to others and have less to repent over when our attitudes are corrected.

Chuck Swindoll said, "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or think or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, or home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. Nor can we change the fact that people will act a certain way. We also cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes."

The first step in curing our “foot-in-mouth” disease is to take control of our attitudes. Once again it seems we come to a clear principle that has been a fundamental part of my life: Never let past failures or future fears rob you of present joy! Learn from the past, trust your heavenly Father for your future and live in the present. I do know how difficult this principle is to consistently live, but I also know its practical truth. Take charge of your attitude today!

Lent (Part 3)

Almsgiving, prayer and fasting are the three principle focuses for the Christian during the Lenten season. We have already looked at the first two of these in previous mornings. Today we’ll examine briefly the impact that fasting ought to have in our lives.

And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18 NLV).

Fasting, like praying and giving, is a legitimate spiritual discipline to be practiced in private between a Christian and the Lord. How often we practice it is not prescribed, because that too is between the believer and Christ. When we desire to seek God’s face more than we want dinner, that will be the proper time to fast. But as with other disciplines, fasting opens the door to showmanship rather than spirituality. In Jesus’ day the Pharisees fasted twice a week. While fasting, they went about with somber faces and disheveled appearances so that everyone would see and praise their piety. Jesus scorned this custom because He could see their hearts and their true motives. If your fast is for your spiritual benefit and God’s glory, no one else needs to applaud your commitment.

Fasting is still appropriate today for the Christian. In the Scripture there are several purposes for fasting.

1. Fasting for spiritual purposes teaches us self-discipline. Jesus said to deny ourselves, meaning we must say "No" to the demands of our flesh. We are to say "No" to illegitimate demands as well as to certain legitimate ones. Fasting enables us to have self-discipline so that we can say "No" and make it stick. And it trains us to say "Yes" to God in terms of prayer, confession, and doing what is right.
2. Fasting helps us to understand how much we depend on God. When we stop eating, what happens? We experience pain and trouble. We may even think we are about to die. When we fast, we begin to understand that we need God to give us daily bread, and that realization should give us a little humility. We realize that we live, move, and have our being in God.
3. When we fast, there is more time to seek the kingdom of God. There is no cooking, no eating, and no washing of dishes. A lot of time is released so that we can really engage in spiritual activity.
4. Fasting enables us to endure suffering and sympathize with others. As we feel pain from fasting, we can better sympathize with others who are suffering.
5. Fasting generates money. When we fast, we save money that would otherwise be used for food. In the second century the church used such money for the relief of the poor.
6. Fasting contributes to spiritual and mental alertness. When we fast, our minds and perception get sharper because we are focusing less on temporal things and more on eternal realities. We are not rushing through our prayer. We are really thinking things through. Our souls become more alert.
7. Through fasting we are telling God that we are earnest in our prayer. Fasting signals earnestness and urgency. Those who come to God must believe that God exists and that he will reward those who diligently seek him. Fasting demonstrates our earnestness, urgency, and diligence.
8. Fasting enables us to perform true self-examination. We are a generation that is steeped in the philosophy of self-esteem. We dislike the concept of sin and are always whitewashing ourselves. But when we fast and pray, God shows us in increasing degrees our own corruption. And when that happens, we are enabled to confess and forsake our sins.

"Lent" (Part 2)

There are three important things to focus upon during the Lenten Season: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. While each of these is important throughout the year, Lent provides the perfect opportunity to renew ourselves freshly within each area. Yesterday we looked at almsgiving. Today we will look at prayer. Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon on the Mount gives us some helpful insight.

And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! (Matthew 6:5-8 NLV).

Standing at the South Pole is like being in the eye of a hurricane. It's deceivingly calm. The quietness seems inconsistent with the fact that mighty winds originate there. As warm air from the equator flows in over the polar region, it descends, becomes cold and dense, and sinks to the frigid surface. Since the ice-covered plateau tapers off toward the oceans, and no mountains or other obstacles stand in the way, gravity pulls the heavy, cold air down the smooth slopes. The wind picks up tremendous speed as it moves northward toward the equator. Gradually it is heated by the sun and begins to rise, creating a circular pattern to drive the earth's weather machine that is so vital to our existence. For Christians, quiet times of prayer and worship also give rise to great power. They might seem non-productive because nothing appears to be happening. Our urge is almost compulsive: move, do, work, worry, and struggle. Yet at the heart of accomplishing things for God must be that regular experience of calm followed by an unobstructed flow of energy.

Use the next few weeks of Lent to consciously slow yourself down spiritually. Read one chapter of the Proverbs each day. Find one principle of wisdom revealed in it and think through the application of it in your life for that day. Then, pray. The following is a prayer written by Francis of Assisi, one of the great saints of Christian history.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Tomorrow we’ll look at fasting. Today, however, renew yourself in your prayer life.

"Lent" (Part 1)

Today is known as “Ash Wednesday” in the ecumenical calendars of Christianity. While some do not strictly follow the other days of the calendar, nearly all of the Christian community recognizes and celebrates the days of Easter. Lent is a time of preparation for this celebration. For centuries it has provided a time for concentration in three areas of Christian activity: giving, praying, and fasting. For the next few days we’ll examine each of these.

Take care! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4 NLV).

A mother wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson. She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church. “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself,” she told the girl. When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given. “Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did.”

As humorous as that little story might be so much of the time we have come to the same conclusion as that little girl. Lent is a time for us to reflect on our attitude toward giving. Jesus’ teaching about giving in the Sermon on the Mount goes so much further than mere offerings made to the church. Giving “alms” means making the needs of others our own, especially the needy of our world. They are all around us: children and the old, the sick and the suffering, families and individuals, next-door neighbors and people in lands faraway. We easily forget them. We have so much to give. Some of us have time, others talent, or material resources. Giving is not just for the rich. Poor or rich, we all have something to give. Whatever we give, though, should be something of ourselves, something that costs us.

I remember when I was a child and a member of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the traditions we practiced was the “giving up” of something for Lent. Often it might involve some favorite food or pastime. In recent years I have come to realize that Jesus does not call any of us to “give up” things. Rather, He calls us to simply give. Paradoxically, Jesus also teaches, when we give, we receive rich blessings from God in return.

Today is the first day of the Lenten season. What shall we give to the needy this lent? In deciding, decide generously. After all, before us is the greatest of gifts. God gave us His only begotten Son. Regardless of your tradition, the celebration of Easter calls us to reflect and respond.

"The House of Regret"

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. So I concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him. Whatever exists today and whatever will exist in the future has already existed in the past. For God calls each event back in its turn. (Ecclesiastes 3:11-15 NLV).

Sarah Winchester was rich. She had inherited twenty million dollars. Plus she had an additional income of one thousand dollars a day. That’s a lot of money any day, but it was immense in the late 1800s. Sarah was well known. She was the belle of New Haven, Connecticut. No social event was complete without her presence. No one hosted a party without inviting her. Sarah was powerful. Her name and money would open almost any door in America. Colleges wanted her donations. Politicians clamored for her support. Organizations sought her endorsement. Sarah was rich, well known, powerful, and miserable. Her only daughter had died at five weeks of age. Then her husband had passed away. She was left alone with her name, her money, her memories, and her regret. It was this regret that caused her to move west, to San Jose, California. Her yesterdays had imprisoned her todays, and she yearned for freedom. She bought an eight-room farmhouse plus one hundred sixty adjoining acres. She hired sixteen carpenters and put them to work. For the next thirty-eight years, craftsmen labored every day, twenty-four hours a day, to build a mansion. Observers were intrigued by the project. Sarah’s instructions were more than eccentric, they were eerie. The design had a macabre touch. Each window was to have thirteen panes, each wall thirteen panels, each closet thirteen hooks, and each chandelier thirteen globes. The floor plan was ghoulish. Corridors snaked randomly, some leading nowhere. One door opened to a blank wall, another to a fifty-foot drop. One set of stairs led to a ceiling that had no door. There were trap doors, secret passageways, and tunnels. This was no retirement home for Sarah’s future; it was a castle for her past. The making of this mysterious mansion only ended when Sarah died. The completed estate sprawled over six acres and had six kitchens, thirteen bathrooms, forty stairways, forty-seven fireplaces, fifty-two skylights, four hundred sixty-seven doors, ten thousand windows, one hundred sixty rooms, and a bell tower.

Why did Sarah want such a castle? Didn’t she live alone? “Well, sort of,” those acquainted with her story might answer. “There were the visitors…” And the visitors came each night. Legend has it that every evening at midnight; a servant would pass through the secret labyrinth that led to the bell tower. He would ring the bell to summon the spirits. Sarah would then enter the “blue room,” a room reserved for her and her nocturnal guests. Together they would linger until 2:00 a.m., when the bell would be rung again. Sarah would return to her quarters; the ghosts would return to their graves. Who comprised this legion of phantoms? No one really knows. Some believe them to be Indians and soldiers killed on the U.S. frontier. Bullets from the most popular rifle in America, the Winchester, had killed them all. What had brought millions of dollars to Sarah Winchester had brought death to them. So she spent her remaining years in a castle of regret, providing a home for the dead.

You can see this unusual place in San Jose, if you wish. You can tour its halls and see its remains. But to see what unresolved guilt can do to a human being, you don’t have to go to the Winchester mansion. Lives imprisoned by yesterday’s regret are all around us. Hearts haunted by failure live and work beside us. People plagued by pitfalls are just down the street, or just down the hall. Perhaps you are one of those lives today. There is, wrote the apostle Paul, a “worldly sorrow” that “brings death,” a guilt that kills, a sorrow that’s fatal, a venomous regret that’s deadly. If that’s the description of your life this morning, turn to the wisdom of Solomon and know that all things are beautiful in the hands of our eternal Father. He is the One who will make all things work together for our good as we love and follow Him. Lay your regret at His feet this morning. Take up His joy in a future secured by the work of grace in Jesus Christ.

"Hold Please"

There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied again, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." Then the Lord told him, "Go back the way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. (1 Kings 19:9-15, NLV).

I don’t know about you, but as for me, I find it very difficult to wait for anything. Perhaps it is our cultural experience that has brought us to such impatience. Perhaps my most difficult area is the telephone. Many of us have experienced the frustration we felt when we were placed on hold. You finally reach a real person, and before you can give your name or state your reason for calling you are quickly asked, "Hold, please!" Some companies have even implemented automated phone systems. You know the kind where computerized voice asks, "press 1 if this, press 2 if that." You listen patiently and your particular area of interest is not represented then finally the voice says, "Hold for an operator" followed by the message, "All of our operators are currently busy, Hold please for the next available operator." And, I roll my eyes and think, “please hurry!”

I don’t like to wait. Perhaps you can identify. If so, then when we hear those words, "Hold, please" we instantly become frustrated. The question is what do you do when you hear these words, some decide to hang up only to be put on hold again, while others have learned to hold on. The feeling of frustration is no less frustrating when the person you are trying to reach is God. The Eternal One, who never sleeps nor slumbers, the Omnipresent One whom is everywhere at the same time. The One who is able to do all things. We become frustrated when we call on him in prayer and the return reply seems to be, “Hold, please.”

On Mt. Carmel, Elijah had first hand knowledge that God hears and answers prayer and he can answer them quickly. Mohammad Ali once said that he was so quick that he could turn off the light and get in bed before the room got dark. That’s Quick. But My God can answer prayers quicker than that. My God can turn off the lights, dispatch angels to camp around my bedside and prepare my way for the next morning all before the room gets dark. That’s Quick. My God is quicker than fast and faster than quick! Elijah knew that too. Elijah knew beyond a shadow of doubt that God hears and answers prayers. In Chapter 18, Elijah enjoys great success in his prayer life. Every time he calls on God, he receives an answer quickly. However, in Chapter 19, we find Elijah on the run. Running for his life. While on the run Elijah prays, but God put Elijah on hold. Don’t fool yourself God will put you on hold. Simply put God does not always answers prayers quickly. Sometimes you just have to hold on. I’ve had to learn that God may not come when you want Him but He is always on time.

So what do you do when God has put you on hold? All you can do is Hold the Line. Because it is better to be on hold with the Lord then to be on your own. What do you do when God says, Hold Please? Don’t hang up; don’t decide to try back later. Later may be too late. Hold the line. Elijah held the line. First, Elijah felt the wind blowing strong, he thought that the Lord was on the line speaking through the wind, but the Lord was not in the wind, Elijah was still on hold. Then he heard the Earthquake, Elijah ran to check the line but he found out that God was not in the Earthquake. Next, Elijah saw the Fire he ran to check the line and found that he was still on hold. Finally, because Elijah was still holding on the prayer line, he heard a still small voice. If you hold the line God will answer. You can rest assured, you have confidence, and you can have certainty that the Lord will pick up the line. That’s the truth!