How Gullible Are We?

A freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26, 1997. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmist practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.” Of course he listed several good reasons for this action since it:

 Can cause excessive sweating and vomiting.
 It is a major component in acid rain.
 It can cause severe burns in its gaseous state.
 Accidental inhalation can kill you.
 It decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
 It has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients.

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical. Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew that the chemical was H2O, or common water. The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?” He felt the conclusion is obvious. After reading this account, I wondered, How gullible are we? Fear is one of the most destructive emotions we face in our lives. And, yet, we seem to welcome it as if it were an old friend. There really is no reason to embrace this emotion in our spiritual journey. The disciples learned this truth vividly in their experience with Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:35-41 ESV).

It is true that, sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child. That calm comes from understanding and accepting His constant care. “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear.” (1 John 4:18). His promise to us is to never leave us alone to face the unknowns of our lives.

Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.” “Sure,” replied and his companion. “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?” It can seem that the devil hasn’t “read the book,” but he has. And, he must abide by its truth. God’s promise is to be with us, to never leave us. With that truth, resist the devil and he will flee from you! Watch your fears dissipate as He calms the storms, or calms your heart. Rest and walk in Him today. The lion has read the Book!

That's Scary

For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another. (Galatians 5:13-26; NLV).

One of the scariest things about Halloween is the amount of money Americans will spend on it this year-more than $1 billion in candy, another $200 million on pumpkins, and tens of millions more on decorations, costumes, and party favors. Halloween is one of those days that has changed so much over the centuries it's hard to know exactly when and why it began. Some historians trace it to ancient Celtic customs. Others have pointed to the 9th-century Christian church's All Saints' Day on November 1st and the night before as All Hallow's Eve. I think it is safe to say that no church father from centuries past would recognize All Hallow's Eve if he saw it today.

The tendency to lose the original design isn't confined to society's corruption of ancient holy days. It has also happened to biblical truths. For instance, in our verses this morning Paul warned us against turning our freedom in Christ into a license to sin: For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Christ died to set us free. But if we let that liberty degenerate into license, we distort God's original design and become unrecognizable as His creation. That's really scary!

So, how can we stay on track? In any questionable matter, we can ask, "Will doing this enable me to serve other people and demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ?" License is an abuse of liberty. It lets me take what I want. Love is a celebration of freedom that gives what others need. Freedom and love, that's the only way to preserve God's original design.

Avoid Weatherproofing

I heard a story about a truck driver who dropped in at an all-night restaurant in Broken Bow, Nebraska. The waitress had just served him when three swaggering, leather-jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell's Angels type - entered and rushed up to him, apparently spoiling for a fight. One grabbed the hamburger off his plate; another took a handful of his French fries; and the third picked up his coffee and began to drink it. The trucker did not respond as one might expect. Instead, he calmly rose, picked up his check, walked to the front of the room, put the check and his money on the cash register, and went out the door. The waitress followed him to put the money in the till and stood watching out the door as the big truck drove away into the night. When she returned, one of the cyclists said to her, "Well, he's not much of a man, is he?" She replied, "I can't answer as to that, but he's not much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles out in the parking lot."

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not advocating revenge as an appropriate response to others. In fact, just the opposite is true. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his famous chapter dealing with love:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:1-6 ESV).

It is cold today as I write this devotional. Perhaps that is the reason for my titling it as I have. Our house is old. And, as is true with any structure, especially as they begin to age a bit, there are always those places that need to be weatherproofed. However, when it comes to relationships, “weatherproofing” is the most destructive behavior we can follow. In fact, it is also destructive in our lives. When we weatherproof our houses, we look for cracks, leaks, and imperfections. We may also be doing that in our lives and relationships with others. We ought to take great care when we go looking for the imperfections and flaws of our lives or that of others. It causes us to look for the things that we don’t like rather than rejoicing over the things that we do like. Obviously an occasional comment, constructive criticism, or helpful guidance isn’t cause for alarm. It is the constant rebuilding of ourselves or another that destroys us and our relationship with others. It just isn’t living by the principle of love.

Today, determine to say something nice to yourself and someone else. See what a difference it will make in how you feel. Even if they’ve done something to hurt you, repay them with kindness. Watch the difference it will make in your life today!

You Can't Catch Them All

I’ve been reading the comics again… Once, when Charlie Brown was going away for a couple of days, Linus says to him, "I guess I won't be seeing you until Monday, Charlie Brown, so have a happy weekend." To which Charlie Brown replies, "Thank you." Then, after he ponders for a moment, Charlie asks, "Incidentally, what is happiness?" Perhaps you have been asking that question also. Think about this principle: If someone throws you the ball, you’ don’t have to catch it!

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 43 ESV).

Many of our inner struggles come from our desire to “fix” those around us. Through genuine concern and love for others, we assume that when they “throw” one of their problems at us, we need to catch. The truth is, you don’t. Remembering that “you don’t have to catch the ball” is a very effective way to reduce the stress in your life. This doesn’t mean that you never catch the ball, only that it’s your choice to do so. Neither does it mean that you don’t care about others, or that you’re crass or unhelpful. Developing a more tranquil outlook on life requires that we know our own limits and that we take responsibility for our part in the process.

Let’s paint the image more clearly. We are all called on to “juggle” the demands of life. Like the juggler in the circus act, we may be able to do five, six, or a dozen balls at once. However, all of us have a limit. When that limit is exceeded, we don’t merely drop one or two, but all of them fall to the ground. The key is in not accepting more than you are capable of handling. Balls are thrown at us from many different directions each day – at work, from our children, friends, neighbors, salespeople, strangers, even our spouses. If we try to catch them all we will ultimately feel victimized, resentful, or overwhelmed.

Even something so simple and common like answering the phone when you’re really too busy to talk is a form of catching the ball. By answering the phone, you are willingly taking part in an interaction that you may not have the time, energy, or mind-set for at that moment. By simply not answering the phone, you are taking responsibility for your own peace of mind. I know the common response is “But, what if it’s an emergency?” Invest in an answering machine. If it’s truly an emergency, you can pick it up. This same principle applies to being insulted or criticized. When someone throws an idea or comment in your direction, you can catch it and feel hurt, or you can let it fall by itself and go on with your day. It does take practice, but focusing on our heavenly Father brings hope and joy into our life. Focus on Him and not others. Go to His altar and praise Him this morning. It takes a conscious effort, but it is well worth it!

Wherever You Go There You Are

“Wherever You Go, There You Are”
by Don Emmitte

Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of the book Man's Search For Meaning, was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Second World War because he was a Jew. His wife, his children, and his parents were all killed in the holocaust. The Gestapo made him strip. He stood there totally naked. As they cut away his wedding band, Viktor said to himself. "You can take away my wife, you can take away my children, you can strip me of my clothes and my freedom, but there is one thing no person can EVER take away from me -- and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me!" Even under the most difficult of circumstances, happiness is a choice which transforms our tragedies into triumph. One of the ways that we may choose this happiness for our lives is in the practice of the principle that “wherever you go, there you are.” The following psalm of David speaks to this truth:

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:1-9 ESV).

We all tend to believe at one time or another that if we were somewhere else – on vacation, with another partner, in a different career, a different home, a different circumstance – somehow we’d be happier and more content. The truth is, if you have destructive mental habits – if you get annoyed and bothered easily, if you feel angry and frustrated a great deal of the time, or if you are constantly wishing things were different, these identical tendencies will follow you wherever you go. And, the opposite is also true. If you are generally a happy person who rarely gets annoyed and bothered, then you can move from place to place, from person to person, with very little negative impact.

That’s what David meant when he closed this paragraph of Psalm 37 by saying, “…those that trust in the Lord will possess the land.” Life is like driving an automobile. It must be driven from the inside, not the outside! As we learn to focus more on who we are in Christ we can become more peaceful with where we are, rather than where we would rather be. Remember, wherever you go, there you are!

Present Tense Please

Charlie Brown comments to Lucy in the cartoon "Peanuts," "Someone has said that we should live each day as if it were the last day of our life." "Aaugh!" cries Lucy. "This is the last day! This is it!" She dashes away screaming, "I only have 24 hours left! Help me! Help me! This is the last day! Aaugh!" Charlie Brown, left alone, muses, "Some philosophies aren't for all people." Jesus said it another way:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

To a large degree, the measure of our peace is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. Irrespective of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present is where you are – always! When the past, with all of its failures and frustrations, crowd into our present we lose our sense of well being. Or, when we allow the challenges and fears of the future to dominate our thinking we lose the moment of joy we have been given today. “Someday” is today for the child of God!

Jim Reed says in his book, The Way I Heer’d It, “Our minister says worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere." It is so tragic that so many people live life in the “rocking chair.” It is as if they have accepted the philosophy that life is no more than a dress rehearsal for some later performance. It isn’t! In fact, the truth is that no one has a guarantee that they will even see tomorrow on this earth. Charlie Brown was right about that! Today may be the last day of our life. It certainly is the only day that we have some control over.

So, today, would you live you life in the present tense, please? Push fear out of your mind. For just a few moments bring your concern to the present. Find that one good thing that is happening in your life right now – as small and insignificant as it may seem. Focus and direct your thoughts to the goodness of that thing. And, now thank Him for it. Thank Him for that one moment. Let the peace of God now begin to seep into your soul and know that you are in the best of hands!

The Bottomless In-Basket

So many of us have endless “to do” lists and bottomless “in baskets.” We live our lives as if the secret purpose is to somehow get everything done. We stay up late, get up early, avoid having fun, and keep our loved ones waiting. Sadly, I’ve seen many people who put off their loved ones so long that they lose interest in maintaining the relationship. Often we convince ourselves that our obsession with our “to do” list is only temporary, that once we get through the list, we’ll be calm, relaxed, and happy. But in reality, this rarely happens. As items are checked off, new ones simply replace them.

The nature of our “in basket” is that it’s meant to have items to be completed in it, it is NOT meant to be empty. There will always be phone calls that need to be made, projects to be completed, and work to be done. In fact, it can be argued that a full “in basket” is essential for success. Listen to the Wisdom of Solomon:

What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. (Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 ESV).

Lettie Cowman's wonderful book, Springs in the Valley, brings us this interesting tale from African colonial history: “In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek. Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.” Then Mrs. Cowman concludes with this penetrating exhortation: “This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us what that first march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The difference: they knew what they needed to restore life's balance; too often we do not.”

If you’re obsessed with “getting it all done,” you’ll never have peace in your life. In reality, almost everything can wait a bit. Very little in our life really falls into the “emergency” category. I have found that if I remind myself that the purpose of life isn’t to get it all done, but to enjoy each step along the way and live a life filled with the peace and presence of Christ, it is far easier to control my obsessive behavior. And, then I actually get more done! Amazing as it is, it is the truth of Scripture.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Solomon’s wisdom often cuts right to the center of contemporary life, even though it was written nearly three thousand years ago. Listen to this wise king:

“Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor. The hearts of the wise lead them to do right, and the hearts of the foolish lead them to do evil. You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! If your boss is angry with you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. When you dig a well, you may fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you! When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax! Such are the risks of life. Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. It does no good to charm a snake after it has bitten you.” (Ecclesiastes 10:1-4, 8-10 NLV)

Once we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren’t really that bid a deal, we become like the man described by Solomon. He calls such a man foolish. Anxiety and frustration leads to foolishness. It is unproductive and destructive. Often we focus on little problems and concerns and blow them out of proportion. A stranger, for example, might cut in front of us in traffic. Rather than let it go, and go on with our day, we convince ourselves that we are justified in our anger. We play out imaginary confrontations in our mind. Or, we let the “dead flies” stink up the bottle of perfume! The better approach is to let that driver have his accident somewhere else. In fact, it would be far better to have compassion on such a person and remember how painful it is to be in such an enormous hurry!

There are many other “small stuff” examples that occur everyday in our lives. Whether we have to wait in line, listen to unfair criticism, or do the lion’s share of the work, it pays enormous dividends if we learn not to worry about little things. Don’t sweat the small stuff! It’s one of the ways that we can “sharpen the blade” which will get us in touch with the joy and beauty of life.

In the coming days, I’ll spend a little time looking at some of the “small stuff” of life and how the Scripture teaches us to deal with each of them. It is not a matter of deprivation, but focus. The key principle is to never let outward circumstances determine our inward happiness. The following imaginary story illustrates how NOT to live our lives. Have a blessed day today… and DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!

A man decided to join a monastery and one of the rules of the group was that you were only allowed to speak two words every ten years. At the end of ten years he said, “Bad food!” Ten more years went by and he said, “Hard bed!” Finally, on his 30th anniversary with the brothers, he thundered, “I quit!” And the priest in charge responded, “You might as well. All you do is complain anyway.”

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Solomon’s wisdom often cuts right to the center of contemporary life, even though it was written nearly three thousand years ago. Listen to this wise king:

“Dead flies will cause even a bottle of perfume to stink! Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor. The hearts of the wise lead them to do right, and the hearts of the foolish lead them to do evil. You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! If your boss is angry with you, don't quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. When you dig a well, you may fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you! When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax! Such are the risks of life. Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. It does no good to charm a snake after it has bitten you.” (Ecclesiastes 10:1-4, 8-10 NLV)

Once we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren’t really that bid a deal, we become like the man described by Solomon. He calls such a man foolish. Anxiety and frustration leads to foolishness. It is unproductive and destructive. Often we focus on little problems and concerns and blow them out of proportion. A stranger, for example, might cut in front of us in traffic. Rather than let it go, and go on with our day, we convince ourselves that we are justified in our anger. We play out imaginary confrontations in our mind. Or, we let the “dead flies” stink up the bottle of perfume! The better approach is to let that driver have his accident somewhere else. In fact, it would be far better to have compassion on such a person and remember how painful it is to be in such an enormous hurry!

There are many other “small stuff” examples that occur everyday in our lives. Whether we have to wait in line, listen to unfair criticism, or do the lion’s share of the work, it pays enormous dividends if we learn not to worry about little things. Don’t sweat the small stuff! It’s one of the ways that we can “sharpen the blade” which will get us in touch with the joy and beauty of life.

In the coming days, I’ll spend a little time looking at some of the “small stuff” of life and how the Scripture teaches us to deal with each of them. It is not a matter of deprivation, but focus. The key principle is to never let outward circumstances determine our inward happiness. The following imaginary story illustrates how NOT to live our lives. Have a blessed day today… and DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!

A man decided to join a monastery and one of the rules of the group was that you were only allowed to speak two words every ten years. At the end of ten years he said, "Bad food!" Ten more years went by and he said, "Hard bed!" Finally, on his 30th anniversary with the brothers, he thundered, "I quit!" And the priest in charge responded, "You might as well. All you do is complain anyway."

The Singing God

It is a little difficult to imagine God singing, isn’t it? We have many references to God “speaking” in the Bible, but He also sings! I wonder what God’s voice sounds like when He breaks forth in song. Bass? Tenor? Baritone? Or is there some indefinable blending of each? Or does He even sound anything remotely like a singing man? John Piper has answered the question, at least for himself:

“I hear the booming of Niagara Falls mingled with the trickle of a mossy stream. I hear the blast of Mount St. Helen’s mingled with a kitten’s purr. I hear the power of an East Coast hurricane and the barely audible puff of a night snow in the woods. And I hear the unimaginable roar of the sun, 865,000 miles thick, 1,300,000 times bigger than the earth, and nothing but fire, 1,000,000 degrees of centigrade on the coolest surface of the corona. But I hear this unimaginable roar mingled with the tender, warm crackling of logs in the living room on a cozy winter’s night.”

Perhaps so, but the real question to answer is what it sounds like, but what He sings and why He sings it! He sings of His love for you! This is the crowning jewel of Zephaniah’s prophecy:

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV).

Let me tell you the story of “Karen” (not her real name). She is a compulsive eater who struggles with obesity. She has been as much as one hundred pounds overweight and has nothing but contempt for herself. Karen has tried dozens of weight-loss programs. Only one has proven to be successful at all. She lost over fifty pounds and appeared to be well on her way to a happier, healthier life. But, she recalls looking at herself in a mirror and saying, “I’m still fat and ugly. I may weigh less, but I’m still the contemptible failure I’ve always been.” It was no surprise that her weight soon returned. All her life she had been told, “You are what you do. You are what other people perceive you to be. You are how you appear.” Performance, and especially physical beauty, became the measure of her personal value. It seemed as if Karen had every excuse in the world to question the truth of Zephaniah 3:17!

Perhaps you feel a little like Karen; perhaps not because of physical failures, but emotional or spiritual failures. I have good news for you this morning! Read and meditate on the following verses:

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. (Psalm 103:10-13 ESV).

So, join me in a quiet moment and listen… listen to the heavenly aria of God’s unfathomable love for you! He doesn’t just say it. He doesn’t just write it. He doesn’t just tell others who in turn pass it on to you. God sings to you, “I love you, oh, how I love you! My child, I love you!”

The Good Shepherd

Throughout the years there have been those times when I have been called on to bring comfort at a most difficult time. One of those times was at the bedside of a dear friend who lay dying of cancer. He was unconscious and very near death as the family and I gathered around his bed. I could think of no better words of comfort than those written by David so many centuries ago, now found in Psalm 23.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

The duties of a shepherd in the Middle East were very simple. At first light he would lead the flock from their fold, always marching ahead, leading and never driving them to the next pasture. When they would arrive, he would stand watch over them. His watch was two-fold. He carefully attended to them watching that none would stray into a dangerous area and he also watched the horizon for any danger creeping in from the perimeter. Wild animals and thieves were known to prowl the countryside looking for easy prey. All through the day, he would provide them with food and water to sustain them, protection to keep them safe, and guidance to keep them from losing their way. As the sun began to set, the shepherd would lead his flock to the safety of the fold once again. There he would remain guarding them through the darkness of the night.

Perhaps you are not gathered around the bedside of a loved one today, but you are in need of the same kind of comfort that David and millions of others have found from this psalm today. Jesus is indeed our Good shepherd. He declares that truth:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me” (John 10:11,14; NLV).

Like David, turn to the Good Shepherd and allow Him to lead you to the green pastures and still waters of life. In his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning tells about an incident which took place one day when a two-story house caught on fire. The family was making its way out of the house when the smallest boy became terrified, tore away from his mother, and ran back upstairs. Suddenly, he appeared at a smoke-filled window crying hysterically. Standing outside, his father shouted, “Jump, son, jump! I will catch you." The boy cried, "But daddy, I can't see you.” "I know,” his father called. “But I can see you." That's really all that matters, isn't it? He can see us, even when we can’t see Him. He does lead us. Now, will you follow? Pray this morning… “Dear Father, my Good Shepherd, wherever you lead, I will follow. Today, I choose to trust in you.”

Worry and the Faithfullness of God

Gordon MacDonald writes: “No man ever collapsed because of the burdens of the day; it is when the burdens of tomorrow are added to the cares of today that a man begins to sink.” Certainly this is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry does not produce positive results. In fact, worry may damage your health; cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts; disrupt your productivity; negatively affect the way you treat others; and, reduce your ability to trust in God. There is the difference between worry and genuine concern—worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. Today let me make a few suggestions as you begin your week.

1. First, instead of worrying about what we cannot do, we need to focus on what God can do. To “give him first place in your life” means to turn to God first for help, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if you don’t actively choose to give him first place in every area of your life.

2. Second, we need to keep things in proper perspective. Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God’s guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worrying, in contrast, is being consumed by fear and finding it difficult to trust God. It is letting our plans interfere with our relationship with God. Don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers” (Philippians 4:6). Your heavenly Father will NEVER let you down!

Better Than Sparrows

The one thing that gives us hope, conquers our despair, and brings strength for the struggles of life is the assurance that no matter what we have done in the past, God loves us! Pain becomes bearable and tomorrow no longer terrifies us when our soul is touched with the reality of God’s shear delight with us. That sounds almost too good to be true, but Jesus’ own words underscore this reality:

“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.” (Matthew 10:29-31 NLV).

Have you ever been to the aviary at the zoo? Have you noticed that there will always be brightly colored parrots, funny looking toucans, huge eagles and hawks, numerous other species all providing an incredible visual of the grandeur of the world of birds? All of them will be in cages of some sort. I’m sure these cages are as much to keep others out as they are to keep them in, but they are caged nevertheless. Have you also noticed that no matter how many species of birds are on display, there are never any sparrows in the cages? They are so numerous and frequently seen that no one seems to care about them roaming freely about the zoo.

Sparrows weren’t any more valuable in Jesus’ day than they are in ours. You could purchase two of them for a penny! Who could possibly care about a sparrow? Well, God does! Jesus said, not one, not even one falls from the sky that God doesn’t take note of it. God cares, even about the sparrows!

But there is much better news for us. We are much more loved than the sparrows. Jesus said, “the hairs on our heads are numbered.” I know that number is greater for some than for others, but they are all still numbered! And, if God cares enough about us to number the hairs of our head, how much do you think he cares about our hurts and sorrows, our thoughts and worries?

I know there are those times when we feel forgotten and alone, but His promise is to always be with us. Listen to the Scripture:

“I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in safety.” (Psalm 16:8-9).

The following is a poem I have written. Perhaps it will be a little reminder to you of the wonder of His love.

An Early Morning Poem
by
Don Emmitte

The mist rises from the ground
as the coolness of the evening gives way
to the warming of the sun.
It is a reminder that even as the sun rises
old as creation, new as the day,
so, my life is refreshed.
The God of new beginnings
is the God from the ages past.
It is He who holds the future.
It is He who holds the present.
It is He who holds the past.
Whatever fear or failure is contained in any of these
is put away in His promises.
I rest in Him!
I abide in Him!
I trust in Him!
What glory is there for those who trust in Him?
Is there any who can stand against Him?
Is there anything so great that His will cannot be done?
No... like the sunrise,
His mercy is old and new.
His grace is forever and now.
His promise is sure and full.
My heart cries out for more!
Though they all stand against me,
I will stand with Him!
Now, and forever, I give myself to Him!

Falling Into the Arms of God

“Falling Into the Arms of God” (Part 1)
by Don Emmitte

For the next few days we will explore the practical ways that we can “sit in our heavenly Father’s lap.” It is what I have come to call “falling into the arms of God.” It is really nothing more than discovering genuine passion in life. Webster defines passion as a “violent, intense, or overwhelming feeling.” The synonyms for it are fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, or zeal. It suggests a warm and excited feeling. It implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause.

With that in mind let me state the obvious: In order to be at peace in life, we first must become passionate about resting in God. There are two verses of Scripture that provide a basis for this truth:

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16 ESV).

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. (Hebrews 4:1 ESV).

Brennan Manning writes:

“The paltriness of our lives is largely due to our fascination with the trinkets and trophies of the unreal world that is passing away. Sex, drugs, booze, the pursuit of money, pleasure and power, even a little religion, suppress the awareness of the presence of Christ. Religious dabbling, worldly prestige, or temporary unconsciousness cannot conceal the terrifying absence of meaning in the church and in society, nor can fanaticism, cynicism, or indifference.”

It is one of the most effective deceptions of the devil. Many people today have been led to believe that unhappiness and unrest are normal and acceptable parameters for their lives. This simply is not the promise of God. I am not suggesting that our lives can, or even should be problem free. However, I do believe that God desires for our lives to be free of anxiety and fear. There are three steps to living a life of passion, a life free from anxiety and fear. We’ll look at the first of these this morning: You must learn to be still.

David declared, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV). In the “Guinness Book of World Records,” the world’s record for the machine with the most moving parts numbers over 7,000 different parts! Yet if you were to ask its inventor what all these parts do, his answer would be “Nothing!” Like so many of us today, we’re moving busily, but we’re doing nothing. Our movement is not directed. There must be a discipline of silence at work in our lives. It is this that will draw us near to God. It is within this silence that the voice of God may be heard. The uncluttering of our minds in quietness is the beginning of passion. So, today, will you join me in quietly thinking about Him? Will you seek that quietness as if it were a great treasure? Find just fifteen minutes today, away from phones, pagers, computers, TVs and stereos – then just be quiet and let Him come to you. You may not “feel” any different, but you will begin to “be” different. Discipline your mind to focus on God. Think of His love for you. Slow yourself down long enough to know Him today. Then you will have begun to fall into His arms!

Christ, Our Burden Bearer

Margaret Bishback Powers has written one of the most beautiful and memorable works, “Footprints in the Sand.” It is so familiar, yet so true.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you".

David must have felt much the same way as the man in this story when he wrote Psalm 145. The key verse reads: The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:14 ESV). He found himself pursued like a common criminal for no reason other than the jealousy of King Saul. Living from cave to cave in the hills of the Judean desert, David found strength in the knowledge that God would lift him up and bear his burdens. That is the same promise we have today. David cites eleven reasons why God can be trusted to lift us up:

1. His greatness is unfathomable (145:3);
2. He does mighty acts across many generations (145:4);
3. He is full of glorious splendor and majesty (145:5);
4. He does wonderful and awesome works (145:5-6);
5. He is righteous (145:7);
6. He is gracious, compassionate, patient, and loving (145:8-9);
7. He rules over an everlasting kingdom (145:13);
8. He is the source of all our daily needs (145:15-16);
9. He is righteous and loving in all his dealings (145:17);
10. He remains near to those who call on him (145:18);
11. He hears our cries and saves us (145:19-20).

If you are bending under a burden and feel that you are about to fall, turn to God for help. He is ready to lift you up and bear your burden. As you meditate this morning, you might want to ask yourself whether you have a big God or a little God? A little girl listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents' talk of God's limitless power and mercy. "Daddy," she asked, placing her little hands on his knees, "how big is God." Her father thought for a moment and answered, "Honey, he is always just a little bigger than you need." His call is the same today, as it was thousands of years ago: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV). How about it, won’t you crawl into His lap and rest today?

The Protection of God

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 ESV).

There are many examples from the natural world of God’s protective provisions. Perhaps you have traveled through San Juan Capistrano. For hundreds of years
golden-breasted swallows have spent their summers in the eaves of the old mission located there. They always arrive on March 19th and leave on October 23rd, never missing those dates. Not once have they varied over the years. Even leap year does not change the times of their coming and going. And the swallows invariably start out before daylight on their southern flight.

Now, how would you explain this unusual phenomenon? Nature's guidance? Luck? Coincidence? Of course not! God has placed within them an instinct that tells them with uncanny accuracy when to head south and when to return. Their survival depends on this innate sense of timing. And, if He cares so much for these tiny little birds, consider how much more we mean to Him. God’s protection is unlimited. This psalm of David explains five basic truths of this protection.

 God is like “a rock” that can’t be moved by any who would harm us.
 God is like “a fortress” or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow.
 God is “a shield” that comes between us and harm.
 God is “a horn of salvation” which was a symbol of might and power
 God is “a stronghold high above our enemies.”

Knowing these truths should bring encouragement to continue in our walk. There really is nothing impossible for our heavenly Father. Nancy Spiegelberg has written a wonderful bit of verse:
Lord
I crawled across the barrenness
to you…
with my empty cup…
uncertain in asking
any small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known you
better…
I’d have come running…
with a bucket.

Do you have your bucket with you today?

Rest in the Storm

"Rest in the Storm"
by Don Emmitte

There is always a storm in the midst of life.
It blows with its bitter wind
Covering us with its cold blanket of hurt and sorrow.
In the midst of the storm there is a rest.
Placed like a sanctuary standing tall and secure.
It is a sentinel against the cold.
It is a guard to our soul’s peace and joy.
No wind may blow fierce enough,
no snow may blot it out.
For our Father has placed it within our path.
Easily seen against the stark horizon.
It is His rest in the storm.
It is His promise of life.
It is His presence!
Praise Him for His Light!

The following is Psalm 33. The poem is one I wrote in response to the psalm:

Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33 ESV).

The principle focus of the meditation today is found in the truth that outward circumstance must not determine our inward happiness. Today as you move through your work day, remember that His love and grace go far beyond anything that may be brought to bear against you. Do not rest in your strength today, but in His loving arms. As you look at the picture accompanying the poem, let it be a visual reminder of how He provides a place of shelter for us in every situation of life we are called upon to face.

Blessings,
Don

The Fire Is Good

Someone once looked deeply into my heart and proclaimed, “The fire is good!” At the time I couldn’t really appreciate the full truth of that simple statement. However, now nearly ten years later, I am beginning to appreciate how wonderful the fire really can be in God’s hands.

You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. (Luke 21:17-19 ESV).

Robert Murray McCheyne, wrote: “Every wise workman takes his tools away from the work from time to time that they may be ground and sharpened; so does the only-wise Jehovah take his ministers oftentimes away into darkness and loneliness and trouble, that he may sharpen and prepare them for harder work in his service.”

For every child of God there is a time of “sharpening.” It is a work of love and grace, not hate and punishment. In this work of grace I have discovered a few principles. Perhaps they will be of help in your walk through the fire as well.

First, for Christians, there is always hope and joy beyond the suffering. Even when the source of our suffering is the vicious attack of the devil in his relentless effort to rob us of our joy and peace, we are not left alone and without hope. Jesus very matter-of-factly declares in today’s verse, “everyone will hate you because you are mine.” Take hope in being His!

Second, God does not expect us to enjoy suffering. We do not sit under the sadistic eye of some cosmic ogre who takes delight in the hurt of his subjects. We are cradled in the palm of a gracious, loving Father. His promise is very clear: “not a hair of your head will perish.” He does not expect us to enjoy the pain of suffering. He asks us to trust Him through the pain, knowing that we will become stronger, wiser, and better through it. Someone has said, “Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven.”

Ted Engstrom said, “Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Strike him down in infantile paralysis, and he becomes Franklin Roosevelt. Deafen him, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Marian Anderson, a George Washington Carver. . . . Call him a slow learner; “retarded,” and write him off an uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.” The fire IS good!

Your Idea of a Good Friend

This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. (1 John 3:11-18, NLV).

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one. In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls. In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully. In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus. In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan. In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you. In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nick or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed. In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had. In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears. In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there. In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch. In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or Susan, and found you a date to the prom. In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college, assured you that you would get into that college, and helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go. At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulated you.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, hold your hand when you're scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you clear up your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly, unconditionally loves you! I hope you have such a friend. And, by all means, be that kind of friend to another!

The Chisel

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3 ESV).

Michaelangelo was one of the great Renaissance artists. He is responsible for many of the world’s great treasures. He was not only a brilliant painter but also a world-class architect, poet, and sculptor. Some of his designs were so far ahead of his time that it would be centuries before they could be appreciated. There are many little facts about him that go relatively unnoticed. In the book In Your Own Words, Michelangelo is quoted as having said that he "used to imagine that every block of stone he set out to carve contained a fully formed statue waiting to be released. All he had to do was chip away everything that wasn't statue, and there it would be, a horse, an angel, a beautiful woman, or a tiny cherub."

Michelangelo's vision for each piece of art allowed him to see what it could be. Others looking at that cold block of stone might have seen nothing and given up. But Michelangelo saw the beauty of "what could be" and patiently chipped off pieces and smoothed off rough edges to create the image he envisioned.

It is a beautiful picture of what God has been patiently doing with us ever since we became Christians. When we accept Christ as our Savior, God takes us just as we are, like blocks of stone. But He loves us too much to leave us the way He found us. He sees through our hard surface. He gently chisels away the jagged edges of our character that are ugly and out of place. He lovingly polishes the rough surfaces until He sees the beauty of His own image in us.

Don't think it strange when you desire to serve God and then seem to encounter a severe time of testing. God's purpose at every juncture of testing is to make the person more valuable. Did you know that a $5.00 bar of steel cut into ordinary horseshoes is worth about $10.00? Or, that same bar of steel cut into needles is worth $350.00? Or, that same bar of steel cut into delicate springs for watches becomes worth $250,000.00? Next time you get discouraged at what God is putting you through, think of that bar of steel!

After a very difficult time in his life, a friend of mine, Michael James Murphy, wrote the song, The Chisel. The lyrics tell of his story yielding to the reshaping of God’s hand in his life. In the chorus he sings, “… bring on the chisel.” It is a strong declaration of faith when we decide to put ourselves in the hands of God, knowing that some of the things he allows into our lives will be difficult and certainly bring about change. However it is the only way to truly be all that God wants us to be and then achieve true success. So go ahead, choose to let Him chip away anything that mars the perfection of the masterpiece He's creating in you. After all, He's the Sculptor and we're His work in progress!

Are You Connected?

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6 ESV).

Aristotle was a great philosopher, however he was not a physician. He mistakenly believed that thinking took place in the heart and that the brain functioned like a radiator, cooling the blood. It makes me wonder what he recommended for a headache!

Today, of course, we know better. Without a brain, you or I would be worse off than the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. The brain is the command center, connected to every part of the body through a complex nerve system. When something goes wrong with the connections, either through breakage or through a chemical abnormality, the results are apparent. Paralysis occurs when the spinal cord is severed. Other times the symptoms may be a varying degree of loss of muscle control, or a problem with our speech. Although the brain may be perfect, the body will not respond perfectly if the connections are faulty.

There is a wonderful spiritual lesson found in this physical truth. Paul says that Jesus is the Head of the Body. He is perfect, and He wants us to be perfectly connected to Him. Since that’s true, then what we ought to do and say according to His design and purposes. That’s the perfect scenario. Sometimes, however, the connections in the body of Christ become diseased and parts lose communication with the Head. The results are just as predictable in the spiritual dimension as they are in the physical. When the body stops making connections with the brain we simply cannot function optimally. In the spiritual dimension the lack of connection results in errors of belief and action. This is the truth Jesus taught in terms of the branches on a vine (cf. John 15). We must be living with and for Christ if we expect to produce the fruit of godliness.

This connection is maintained through worship and prayer. The daily activity of staying in touch with Jesus is essential to our well being. Are you connected? If not, reestablish yourself in Him now.

A Map or a Menu?

Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:89-104 ESV).

There are those times when I like the fast pace of places like McDonald’s. It is certainly not gourmet food, but there are those times when it fits my tastebuds. One nice thing about these kinds of restaurants is that the menu is right in front of you. Not like other fancier restaurants where you have to read French to know whether you are ordering snails or mushrooms, neither of which Mickey D's even messes with. So, with that menu-on-the-wall hanging before you, you can order as little or as much as you want.

A menu gives you choices. You can go into McDonald's every day the rest of your life, and you don't EVER have to order McNuggets if you don't want. It's your choice.
It’s not the same with maps. If I were to set out to see my adult children either in Texas or Louisiana, I would probably consult my GPS. Even though I have been there many times before, I like the comfort of looking at the map on the GPS to refresh my memory. Between them and our present location there are many other roads. But, we can’t look at the map like we do a menu. "Okay, I'll take I-80. That looks good. But I don't think I want US Route 23 South. I think I'll choose I-75 South instead. And I'll have a bit of US 52 West. Guess what? You probably won't get to where you need to go.

Menus and maps are two different things. With a menu, you can pick and choose. With a map, you have to use it all to get from point A to point B. Think about that in terms of your view of the Bible. Do you have a menu approach or a map approach? A menu approach allows us to pick and choose which parts of the Bible to depend on, leaving the other portions unknown. A map approach encourages the reader to use the whole thing, not leaving out any of its valuable guidance. Unfortunately, many Christians are using the menu approach. They want to choose which portions of God's Word to believe and obey. This won't work. The entire Bible must be accepted as God's inspired Word. We must accept it all. Live by it all. Study it all and follow it Home.

Poles Apart

Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring. Don't praise yourself; let others do it! A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is heavier than both. Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but who can survive the destructiveness of jealousy? Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away. As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend. (Proverbs 27:1-4, 10, 17 NLV).

Before fulfilling his dream of walking to the South Pole, environmentalist and explorer Robert Swan set out to choose the right team for that grueling trip. Surprisingly, he chose people who would be difficult to live with. We seldom surround ourselves with people we don't like. So what was Robert thinking?

He knew that people who are easy to live with might also be easy to die with when you're negotiating 853 miles of the most inhospitable land on the planet. Calling one teammate "the most pessimistic person," Robert said, "He won't go shopping unless he has read a weather forecast." But he added, "You need somebody like Roger to be thinking about the worst-case scenario." And of Gareth Wood, Robert said, "He has 10,000 checklists, one for every 5 minutes of his life. That's very, very difficult to live with, but absolutely essential. If equipment breaks on a polar journey, you're dead."

Did you ever wonder why God puts difficult people into your life? Christians are certainly not exempt from personality conflicts. We tend to think in terms of "if only," as in, If only he would just change, or If only she would leave.” Instead, we should be thanking God for that person.

I don't like picky people or the criticism they bring. But I have learned that each of those picky people may have something important to teach me. If their criticism was valid, I needed to make a change and I improved. If it was false, I could learn to shrug it off. Either way, I got the benefit of introspection and resilience. Those challenges tended to drive me to God for His help, which is where I should have been in the first place. That's what the writer of Proverbs was getting at when he said, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” The friction may be unpleasant, but the result is a useful tool, honed to perfection by the challenge of another. Paul compared believers in Christ to a body, and observed that each member of the body has a different gift (cf. Romans 12:6). Rather than being a source of contention, this should make His Church stronger. But it can only do so, as we are willing to work together in love. Robert Swan valued teamwork over personality conflicts. Christians ought to understand that concept, even when their personalities are poles apart.

Faithful Forever

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! (Psalm 90 ESV).

The good news: I think I’m pretty faithful, as friends and family go. The bad news: I won’t always be here, even though I’ve promised my children to live to be a hundred. Faithfulness is a great quality in anyone, especially friends. As the years go by, even if they don’t see each other, faithful friends can always pick up where they left off. It seems tough enough to make good friends, the ones who "stay kept" are that much more special.

We all want to have and be those kinds of friends. But I also know that I won’t always be around. I can’t be, and neither can my friends. The distance of geography may separate us. Or, death itself will intrude on our relationship with those who are close to us. When either of these things happen, it is essential that we understand the immovable faithfulness of God. That characteristic of God is at the heart of our hope and peace of mind. Because God never goes away and will never die, His faithfulness is unchanging and constant. He is eternal. When He says He is faithful to His people, both as individuals and all together, He means forever. We never have to worry about God not being there for us. He always will.

Psalm 90, our Scripture reading for today, is titled "A Prayer of Moses." Moses wrote it about 3,000 years ago, relatively early in God’s record of faithfulness. His psalm is more like a prophecy that has come true. From the time God guided the nation of Israel through the desert until today, He has been faithful to His people. His contract never ends.

How is your future looking? Secure? Perilous? Nobody really knows. I can’t predict your future, but I can make the same call as Moses: If you are living in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you can know that God will be there in your future, whatever it holds! The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have an “anchor of the soul” that will hold us perfectly and forever (cf. Hebrews 6:19). So, rest assured of His faithfulness. He’ll never leave you alone! He is faithful forever!

A Place at the Table

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (Luke 24:28-34 ESV).

In the upper room, Jesus instituted what we call "The Lord’s Supper," breaking bread with His disciples. From there He walked to Gethsemane to pray, where He was arrested. Before the next day was over, He was dead, and His disillusioned disciples had deserted Him (cf. Matthew 26:56). In today’s verses we see that later, two of His followers met Him while walking to Emmaus, and they talked with Him without knowing who He was. They ate together and enjoyed fellowship with Him. And when He broke the bread, they recognized Him.

Pastor Todd Johnson told about a girl named Felicia, who described herself as a prodigal daughter of caring, loving parents. She had done some pretty bad things, and she continued to walk in disobedience. Ashamed, she broke all relationships with her family. She didn’t see how they could possibly love her after the things she had done.
Then they reached out to her. They called to invite her to move back home. After a struggle, she consented. When she walked through the doorway, everything seemed awkward to her. She didn’t think it would work; she just didn’t feel at home. Then it came time for dinner. As she entered the kitchen for the evening meal, there was her place at the table, set just as it had been through all the years she was growing up. When she saw her place at the table, her discomfort lifted. Before the meal ended, she felt that she was again part of the family.

Jesus’ followers had felt abandoned. Their Leader was gone. Then they invited the "Stranger" to dinner. But there at "the table," when they ate with Him, they knew it was Jesus. He had not left them; in fact, He promised that He would always be with His followers. And He has kept His word. If you have walked away from Jesus, come back to Him now. The table is set with His love and forgiveness. He is waiting to "break bread" with you. As soon as you return to Him, you’ll feel right at home. Like the Prodigal Son, you will find that when you come home you will be welcomed with open arms into a celebration. No matter how great the distance was between you, He is now as close as your thoughts. Turn to Him now and know His presence within you. Your place at the table is set waiting for you to be seated!