The Floodlight on Christ

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17, ESV). These words were spoken to comfort and encourage the disciples in the face of Jesus’ imminent death. It was a promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. There are many things that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the world today. He convicts unbelievers of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). He regenerates or causes us to become believers (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:5, I Peter 1:23-25; James 1:18). He indwells and baptizes the believer (I Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9; John 14:16; I Corinthians 12:13). He seals us (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). He imparts gifts (I Corinthians 12:7-11). He fills the believer (Ephesians 5:15-21; Galatians 5:16). And, He causes us to bear fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), which is the characteristics of Jesus Christ. However, the Holy Spirit’s distinctive role is to fulfill what we may call a floodlight ministry in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. So far as this role was concerned, the Spirit “was not yet” while Jesus was on earth. It would be only when the Father had glorified him (John 17:1, 5) that the Spirit’s work of making men aware of Jesus’ glory could begin. In the courtyard of the last church I pastored in Texas, there is a seventy-foot tall white cross that serves both as a steeple and landmark. I was once asked why the cross was so tall. The answer seemed so evident that I hardly knew what to say. It needed to be seen by everyone, since it was the central focus of our ministry. And, yet without light, at night it would nearly be invisible. Of course we had floodlights placed so that it would continuously be lit in the dark hours of the night. The intended effect is to make it visible when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness, and to maximize its dignity by throwing all its details into relief so that you can see it properly. It also struck me that this perfectly illustrates the Holy Spirit’s new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior. Or think of it this way. It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus whom stands facing us. The Spirit’s message to us is never, “Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me,” but always, “Look at him, and see his glory; listen to him and hear his word; go to him and have life; get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace.” The Spirit, we might say, is the matchmaker, the celestial marriage broker, whose role it is to bring Christ and us together and ensure that we stay together. It is so tragic that so few believers accept the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Sometime back the Associated Press carried this dispatch: “Glasgow, Ky.—Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor.” Are you trying to start your “car” without your “engine”? Let Him light up your life today!

Like Father, Like God

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11, ESV). Merry Christmas! Someone has said, “Most people spend their lives avoiding God because it is a re-encounter with their own father who was nonbonding and non affirming.” One of the main reasons people hold false perceptions of God is our tendency to project onto God the unloving characteristics of the people we look up to. One psychologist found that this spiritual development of the God image is more of an emotional process than an intellectual one. She brings out the importance of family and other relationships to the development of what she calls one’s “private God.” She says that, “No child arrives at the ‘house of God’ without his pet God under his arm.” And for some of us the “pet God” we have tied on a leash to our hearts is not very nice, nor is it biblically accurate. This is because our negative images of God are often rooted in our emotional hurts and destructive patterns of relating to people that we carry with us from our past. In contrast to the negative perceptions many people have about God, let me give you several positive character qualities of a father. These are the real characteristics of God.  First, God is patient. You are the recipient of God’s time and concern. You are important to God and He is personally involved in every aspect of your life.  Second, God is kind. God acts kindly and graciously on your behalf. God helps you and intervenes on your behalf. God loves you deeply and He wants to relate to you personally.  Third, God is giving. God gives to you and supports you. God supports and encourages you. God will give you what is best for you.  Fourth, God accepts you, what you have done or will do. God doesn’t dump on you or reject you when you struggle, but understands and encourages you. Even when you blow it or don’t perform up to your potential, God accepts you.  Fifth, God protects. You can be His care and rest in His security through the grace of His Son, Jesus Christ. The first Person of the Trinity is Father. When you accept His work of grace on your behalf through faith in Jesus Christ, you are born into a new family with God as your perfect Father.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth; Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. (Micah 5:2) Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall— Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel – 'God is with us.' (Isaiah 7:14) Mary had the little Lamb, obedient Son of God; Everywhere the Father led, His feet were sure to trod. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want. (John 6:38) Mary had the little Lamb, crucified on the tree The rejected Son of God, He died to set men free. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. (1 Peter 1:18) Mary had the little Lamb—men placed Him in the grave, Thinking they were done with Him; to death He was no slave! He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (Matthew 28:6) Mary had the little Lamb, ascended now is He; All work on Earth is ended, our Advocate to be. That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. (Hebrews 4:14-16) Mary had the little Lamb—mystery to behold! From the Lamb of Calvary, a Lion will unfold. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals." I looked and I saw a Lamb that had been killed but was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent out into every part of the earth. (Revelation 5: 5,6) When the Day Star comes again, of this be very sure: It won’t be Lamb-like silence, but with the Lion’s roar. Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war. His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him, and only he knew what it meant. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword, and with it he struck down the nations. He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16)

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Recently I received the following forward concerning The Twelve Days of Christmas. “People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that last for days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 - the Day of Epiphany - when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi. From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During this era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church. Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love. The four calling birds are the Four Gospels. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed.” Since the resurrection, Christians have been misunderstood at best and persecuted at worst. In ancient Rome, crowds by the tens of thousands would gather in the Coliseum to watch as Christians were torn apart by wild animals. Paul Rader, commenting on his visit to this famous landmark, said, “I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked myself, ‘Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?’” Rader continued, “I prayed most fervently in that Roman arena for the spirit of a martyr, and for the working of the Holy Spirit in my heart, as He worked in Paul’s heart when He brought him on his handcuffed way to Rome.” Those early Christians “lived on the threshold of heaven, within a heartbeat of home, no possessions to hold them back.” We are not called on in America to go to such extremes, but we are called on to be examples of the grace of God to those around us. The best way to do that is through our attitudes. The overarching character of our message ought to be our love for one another. Listen to the words of Jesus: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. (John 15:9-20, ESV). While we have no special secret songs or signs, we do have a very special message of love and mercy. Especially at this time of the year, show that love to those around you.

The BYKOTA Class

There are many moments in a pastor’s life that are memorable. Some of them come at the expense of their ego. Just one of those in my life centered on my first introduction to the “BYKOTA” Sunday School class in one of my first pastorates. Being very young and very inexperienced, I simply had no idea what the word bykota meant. Though I took great pride in being well versed in both Hebrew and Greek, I could not discover the meaning or root of this word. The older ladies of this class seemed to take great pride in it, and, yet I had no clue where it might have come from! Finally, weeks later, I asked. One of the ladies looked at me with surprise and said, “Why, pastor, it means ‘Be ye kind one to another’!” Christmas is a time of focus on the kindness of God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). That kindness shown to us ought to provide an example in the manner in which we relate to others. In fact, all of us ought to consider ourselves members of the “BYKOTA” class. Paul went a little further with the church in Ephesus: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32, ESV). Alexander Maclaren said, “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” Rev. William Stidger tells a story about a tombstone cutter who was busily engaged in his shop when his friend dropped in for a visit. The friend, while looking about the shop, noticed a headstone, which had been there for several years. The inscription had been cut on it, but the words were useless, for the stone had been in storage all that time. Curious, the friend asked why. "The people who ordered it were not able to pay for it," came the laconic reply. "And it stays here until they bring the money." "But what good is it doing you here?" the friend asked. "No good! No good at all!" replied the cutter with some anger. "Well, then," continued his friend, "if those folks haven't been able to pay for it yet -- it must be years -- your chances of collecting are pretty slim. Did it ever occur to you that you might place that stone where it belongs? At least it will be doing some good. It just takes up valuable room here." "That's poor business!" was the curt comment of the stonecutter. "It's never poor business to be kind to people and to go out of your way to help people who are in trouble." Having said this, the friend walked out of the shop and was on his way. A month passed before he returned to that shop. He looked around the room. The stone was gone. "Well, I see you got rid of that stone," he commented. "Did they pay you for it?" "No!" replied the stonecutter. "But I placed the stone where it belongs anyhow." "That's poor business!" reminded his friend, mockingly. "I know it is," replied the stonecutter. "But after your last visit here, my conscience started to torment me about it. I got to putting myself in that family's place, for I know that they haven't had the money to pay for it. Every time I came into this shop, that white stone haunted me like a ghost until finally I took it out and put it where it really belongs. Then, afterwards, when I found out how happy it made the family, I lost my head completely." "How?" "Well, yesterday when they came in here to pay me for the stone, do you know what I did? I refused the money. That's how foolish I'm getting to be." "Foolish? I wonder?" replied his friend. How “foolish” will you be in response to the kindness God has shown you today? Come join me as a member of the BYKOTA class!

The Gifts of Christmas

Although the only person a man usually shops for is his wife, the whole experience is a stressful one. Many a man has felt extreme frigid temperatures for a long period based on a poor present decision. As a veteran of these wars, I’m still not sure what to buy my wife, but I’ll pass on what not to buy her: 1. Don’t buy anything that plugs in. Anything that requires electricity is seen as utilitarian. 2. Don’t buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6,999 times. “Do I look like a size 12?” she’ll say. Too small a size doesn’t cut it either: “I haven’t worn a size 8 in 20 years!” 3. Avoid all things useful. The new silver polish advertised to save hundreds of hours is not going to win you any brownie points. 4. Don’t buy anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement. She’ll perceive a six-month membership to a diet center as a suggestion that’s she’s overweight. 5. Don’t buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can’t afford. And the jewelry you can afford, she doesn’t want. 6. And, do not fall into the traditional trap of buying her frilly underwear. Your idea of the kind your wife should wear and what she actually wears are light years apart. 7. Finally, don’t spend too much. “How do you think we’re going to afford that?” she’ll ask. But don’t spend too little. She won’t say anything, but she’ll think, “Is that all I’m worth?” Christmas is a time of gift giving. And, while my humorous beginning this morning is not entirely the truth, there is a great lesson to be learned from the greatest gift anyone could possibly imagine. That gift is that of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Thomas A. Kempis said, “A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.” Read the words of John concerning this great gift of God: And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:4-10, ESV). While you scurry about looking for that “perfect” gift for those who you love, remember that God has already sent us the perfect gift in His only Son. He offers us life through the gift of His own life on our behalf. Receive life today!

Fear Not!

Pastor Clifford S. Stewart of Louisville, Kentucky, sent his parents a microwave oven one Christmas. Here’s how he recalls the experience: “They were excited that now they, too, could be a part of the instant generation. When Dad unpacked the microwave and plugged it in, literally within seconds, the microwave transformed two smiles into frown! Even after reading the directions, they couldn’t make it work. Two days later, my mother was playing bridge with a friend and confessed her inability to get that microwave oven even to boil water. ‘To get this darn thing to work,’ she exclaimed, ‘I really don’t need better directions; I just needed my son to come along with the gift!’” When God gave the gift of salvation, he didn’t send a booklet of complicated instructions for us to figure out; he sent his Son. Someone has said: • If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; • If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; • If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; • If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; • But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. At least one of the things that Christ has accomplished for us as our Savior is the means of conquering of fear in our lives. In the Christmas narratives, there are several “fear not’s.” We may look at each of these through the following Scripture: 1. The “fear not” of salvation: “…but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:10,11). Almost every thinking individual fears death and the uncertainty of that which we have no measurable evidence. Faith in Jesus Christ brings courage in the face of this uncertainty. We no longer need fear death. Jesus has shown us the way to conquer it! 2. The “fear not” of the humanly impossible: "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:30,35,37). All of us have reached points in our lives where we simply could not do something. The message of Christ is that all things are possible with Him. 3. The “fear not” of unanswered prayer: “But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John.” (Luke 1:13). How often have you felt as if your prayers went unheard and unanswered? The birth of Christ offers us proof that our prayers are heard and answered. It really isn’t as complicated as often thought. God sent His Son to simplify life through His example and leadership. When Thomas wanted to know the way, Jesus said, “I am the way!” That invitation to follow Him still stands today. Trust Him today and let your fears melt away in His grace.

Silent Night - Part 3

Imagine what a heavy schedule of appointments President Abraham Lincoln had to keep day after day. Yet when an elderly woman with no official business in mind asked to see him, he graciously consented. As she entered Lincoln’s office, he rose to greet her and asked how he might be of service. She replied that she had not come to ask a favor. She had heard that the President liked a certain kind of cookie, so she had baked some for him and brought them to his office. With tears in his eyes, Lincoln responded, “You are the very first person who has ever come into my office asking not, expecting not, but rather bringing me a gift. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Thanksgiving and praise are just two of the wonderful ways we may express ourselves to our heavenly Father. How it must delight Him when we do praise Him! Joseph Mohr knew that and wrote of it in his Christmas carol, Silent Night: Silent Night! Holy Night! Wondrous Star lend thy light With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King Christ, the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. Just one of the Greek words in the New Testament translated “praise” is uJmnevw. It literally means, “to sing the praise of.” And, we have so much to sing praise about Him! Read the following from the Apostle Paul: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:3-10 ESV). “But how? How do I praise God?” These are the questions I am often asked. Let me make a few practical suggestions for you to use in praising Him. 1. First, be specific. I remember when our boys were very little and prayed before our meals. They would often just look around the room and begin thanking God for each item they could see. Start there. Look around your world and begin to praise Him for the things you can actually see. 2. Second, worship. Christmas is such a marvelous time of the year to worship God. Remember, though, worship is not just attendance at a scheduled service. It is genuine participation in the singing, the praying, and the focus on God and His glorious message of Good News. 3. Third, give a gift in His honor. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, but sincere. Find someone, or something that you may give a gift of your resources of money, time, or talent. And, do it as a gift to Him.

Silent Night - Part 2

Silent Night! Holy Night! Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth Jesus, Lord at thy birth. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:9-17 ESV). It is reported that Howard Hughes, when worth approximately 4 billion dollars, said, “I’d give it all for one good friend.” Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities, and in opening them up to friends, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of their loyalty. They understand. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse them, neglect them, tolerate them. Best of all, you can keep still with them. It makes no matter. They like you. They are like fire that purges to the bone. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all—and underneath—they see, know, and love you. A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself. During his days as president, Thomas Jefferson and a group of companions were traveling across the country on horseback. They came to a river which had left its banks because of a recent downpour. The swollen river had washed the bridge away. Each rider was forced to ford the river on horseback, fighting for his life against the rapid currents. The very real possibility of death threatened each rider, which caused a traveler who was not part of their group to step aside and watch. After several had plunged in and made it to the other side, the stranger asked President Jefferson if he would ferry him across the river. The president agreed without hesitation. The man climbed on, and shortly thereafter the two of them made it safely to the other side. As the stranger slid off the back of the saddle onto dry ground, one in the group asked him, “Tell me, why did you select the president to ask this favor of?” The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the president who had helped him. “All I know,” he said, “Is that on some of your faces was written the answer ‘No,’ and on some of them was the answer ‘yes.’ His was a ‘Yes’ face.” Are you such a friend? Jesus is. Learn from him!

Silent Night - Part 1

"Silent Night" has become an anchor for Christmas celebrations throughout the world. Its lullaby-like melody and simple message of heavenly peace can be heard from small town street corners in mid-America to magnificent cathedrals in Europe and from outdoor candlelight concerts in Australia to palm thatched huts in northern Peru. Yet, we know very little about it’s true origin. We do know that during his service in the Alpine village of Arnsdorf, Joseph Mohr wrote a poem, "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" Due to poor health, he was sent to Salzburg for hospitalization and when he recovered, was assigned to St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf (1817). It was there that the assistant pastor met and became friends with the Arnsdorf schoolmaster and church musician, Franz Gruber. On December 24, 1818, Mohr handed over the poem to Gruber with the request to compose a suitable melody for two solo voices with choir and the accompaniment of one guitar. He did so quickly and this beloved carol was born. It has so many wonderful thoughts written into it, we’ll take a few days to look at the verses separately. Following is verse one as translated in 1863 by John Young: Silent Night! Holy Night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. In the second stanza of this verse Mohr wrote of the light in the midst of this calm, “all is bright.” It is a wonderful part of the character and nature of Christ. I heard a cute little story about a poor little boy who once heard his Sunday School teacher say Jesus was the light of the world. He took her remark quite literally. After class, the boy said to his teacher, "If Jesus really is the light of the world, I wish He'd come hang out in my alley. It's awful dark where I live." I’m afraid all of us at one time or another have had “alley” experiences. It may be that you have done something you think so horrible that there can never be forgiveness and restoration. Or perhaps you have been so hurt that you feel completely forgotten and abandoned in life. Either of these or a dozen others may have brought you to a place where the darkness seems overwhelming. There is good news for you today! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 1:1-5; 8:12 ESV). Instead of trusting Christ, many people today insist on using human wisdom alone for answers to eternal questions. The tragedy of this situation was graphically illustrated in a humorous skit performed by Karl Vallentin, a Munich comedian. Walking on a stage where everything was dark except for a small area under a street lamp, he began to look for something on the ground. He told the policeman who came on the scene that he was trying to find a key, whereupon the two continued the search. Finally the officer asked, "Are you sure you lost it here?" "Oh, no," said Vallentin as he pointed to a corner, "It was over there, but here is where the light is!" If you want the key to life today, you will find it only in Christ. That’s where the real light shines and the darkness can never overcome it!

Seven Deadly Sins

And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.” And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” (1 Samuel 17:22-28 ESV). There are many variations of “The Seven Deadly Words.” Perhaps you have heard them from others. They are: "That won't work. You're just wasting your time." or, "We've never done it that way before." They are the motto of a naysayer. Have you ever met a naysayer? They are dream killers. I don't know about you, but I have met plenty of them. They are the ones who love to kill a deal. They are always thinking of reasons something shouldn't work. I have often thought if they spent half as much time working towards a goal, as they did criticizing the goal, they would probably accomplish more than the average person! I base that on the fact that they sure are successful at stopping progress at times. Now I am not speaking against Godly wisdom. I have had people I trust, who have prayed through a situation, calm down one of my "ideas". They were led of the Lord, and their wisdom turned out to be for the best. I'm talking about those who just can't look on the bright side of an issue. They always see the negative side instead of the positive side. They choose not to live by faith, but instead by failure. They love to stop a dream by pointing out all the things that might go wrong. David's brothers responded to him that way when he came to fight Goliath. What if he had listened to the naysayers! Think of all that has been accomplished in this world that could have been stopped, if people had listened to the critics. Would Noah have built the ark? Would Peter have gotten out of the boat? Would we have a telephone? Would you and I have a computer on our desk? Watch out for the naysayers in life! And, don't be afraid to chase a dream! Check it out with God's Word first, if He says it is okay, then GO FOR IT!

Happy Thanksgiving - Part 2

“Happy thanksgiving!” becomes an empty greeting in the face of so many difficulties and trials. All of us have been faced with challenges and hardships that seemed to take away all hope and joy. There is a way to transcend the worries of the moment. While it is true that we must never lose our sense of “present tense,” we must also balance that with a knowledge that this moment is not all there is in life. We are destined for so much more in the gift of eternal life that awaits us through Christ. Lavonn Brown, in his book, "The Other Half of of the Rainbow," wrote, “Every year thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the stations of the cross to stand at an outdoor crucifix. One tourist noticed a little trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket and, to his surprise, came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb. It was neglected. The brush had grown up around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, but there they stopped. Far too many have gotten to the cross and have known the despair and the heart break. Far too few have moved beyond the cross to find the real message of Easter. That is the message of the empty tomb.” Today’s verse comes from the psalms. It is a declaration of David in the midst of his flight from Saul. Perhaps it will speak to you as much as it did me. I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 116:1-9 ESV). That’s the balance! There is a sense in which we must live here and now, but we must not forget that we are destined for the then and there. Regardless of how bad this life may get at times, we have the promise of eternal life. A little boy was offered the opportunity to select a dog for his birthday present. At the pet store, he was shown a number of puppies. From them he picked one whose tail was wagging furiously. When he was asked why he selected that particular dog, the little boy said, "I wanted the one with the happy ending." There is a happy ending to our lives with Christ as our Savior. That makes the possibility of a “Happy thanksgiving!” Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58 ESV). So, today, start looking for the “happy ending!” And, then have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving - Part 1

As we approach this year’s celebration of Thanksgiving, let’s look at some of the gifts He has given us. In his book, In the Heavenlies, Dr. Harry Ironside tells the story of an attempted assassination of Queen Elizabeth I. “The woman who sought to do so dressed as a male page and secreted herself in the queen's boudoir awaiting the convenient moment to stab the queen to death. She did not realize that the queen's attendants would be very careful to search the rooms before Her Majesty was permitted to retire. They found the woman hidden among the gowns and brought her into the presence of the queen, taking from her the poignard she had hope to plant in the heart of the sovereign. She realized that, humanly speaking, her case was hopeless. She threw herself down on her knees and pleaded and begged the queen as a woman to have compassion on her, a woman, and to show her grace. Queen Elizabeth looked at her coldly and quietly said, ‘If I show you grace, what promise will you make for the future?’ The woman looked up and said, ‘Grace that hath conditions, grace that is fettered by precautions, is not grace at all.’ Queen Elizabeth caught it in a moment and said, ‘You are right. I pardon you of my grace.’ And they led her away, a free woman. History tells us that from that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful, devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life.” Of course, this is the central motivating factor in our service. God’s grace has been shown to us without reservation. God has given us the greatest of all gifts in the life of His Son, our Savior. There was nothing we did, or could have done, to deserve such grace. Yet, it has been given to us. David’s praise focuses on this work of God in redemption: Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers. Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:7-10, 30-34 ESV). Just one of the many things we may be thankful about this year is His “faithful love.” Over forty years ago, as a young preacher, facing the delivery of my first sermon, I was given a Scripture that has been a point of strength through many difficulties. I was just twenty that year. The pastor of First Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas, H. Bailey Stone, Jr., had asked me to preach in his absence on a Wednesday night. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Of course I had practiced, studied, and prepared for weeks prior to the night, but when the time came, I found myself frightened and unsure. One of the deacons met me at the church and prayed with me prior to going into the sanctuary. That certainly helped. But, just before I went into the sanctuary, he handed me a telegram from the pastor. It was brief, but powerful. It said: “Read Dt. 31:6 Love Bailey”. I still have that old yellow telegram. Though I no longer need to be reminded of the Scripture. I long ago memorized it and often recite it to myself. Perhaps it will help you today as we being to focus on the things we may be thankful about. “Do not fear them, nor be in dread of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV). His faithful love does endure forever! What greater gift can there be than this grace?

Woodpeckers, Rocks, and Dirt Clods

Jim Taylor in “Currents” tells the following story about his friend, Ralph Milton. “One morning Ralph woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, pounding its little brains out on the metal pole. Angry at the little creature that ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember, too late, that he was still in his bare feet!” Uncontrolled anger becomes sin and separates us from the fullness of God’s Spirit. Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. (Ephesians 4:24-26 ESV). There are examples of Jesus getting angry, but never did He sin in His anger. Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and saw a man with a crippled hand. He knew that the Pharisees were watching to see what he would do, and he felt angry that they were only out to put him in the wrong. They did not care for the handicapped man, nor did they want to see the power and love of God brought to bear on him. There were other instances where Jesus showed anger. Jesus showed anger again when the disciples tried to send away the mothers and their children. He was indignant and distressed at the way the disciples were thwarting His loving purposes and giving the impression that he did not have time for ordinary people. He showed anger once more when he drove out those who sold and those who bought in the temple. God’s house of prayer was being made into a den of thieves and God was not being glorified. Commenting on this, Warfield wrote: “A man who cannot be angry, cannot be merciful.” The key is found in the Scripture that we have read this morning. Paul said, “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Frederick Buechner, in Transformed by Thorns, said, “Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back is, in many ways, a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” But how do you deal with the anger appropriately? Some have suggested that “blowing off steam” is the right way to keep your anger under control. A lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper,” She said. “I blow up, and then it’s all over.” “So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!” Nor does “stuffing” it inside and denying the realities of it do any good. The only effective means of anger control is that which Jesus practiced. At the cross He looked at those who were the instruments of His cruel death and said, “Father, forgive them.” Forgiveness is the way to freedom from sinful anger. I once read a Hallmark card that said, “Sometimes we have to let go of the past in order to enjoy the present, and be able to dream of the future.” Perhaps there are those things that you need to let go of today. Do it and find the freedom you’ve been searching for in your life.

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 ESV). 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!

The Law

There are so many different laws. I was browsing through some of my notes from a few years ago and found the following list of "laws.” 1. The law of volunteering: If you dance with a grizzly bear, you better let him lead. 2. The law of avoiding oversell: When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse. 3. The know-its-time-to-quit law: The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets 4. The law of common sense: Never accept a drink from a urologist 5. The first law of reality: There are days when no matter which way you spit, it is upwind 6. The second law of reality: When you starve with a tiger, the tiger starves last. 7. The third law of reality: Whatever it is that hits the fan, it will not be distributed equally. 8. The fourth law of reality: Never get into fights with ugly people. They have nothing to lose. 9. The fifth law of reality: Creativity is great, but plagiarism is faster. 10. The law of goal setting: Reality is a crutch for those who cannot cope with fantasy. 11. The law of escape: When you are in a hole, stop digging. 12. The law of vision: The higher you climb, the further you can see, but the view gets fuzzier. 13. The sixth law of reality: You’ll never win a spitting contest with a skunk. The Bible has a great deal to say about laws, however it is vital for us to realize that grace covers our sin under the law. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church: Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (Romans 3:19-25 ESV). A story is told about Fiorello LaGuardia, who, when he was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII, was called by adoring New Yorkers ‘the Little Flower’ because he was only five foot four and always wore a carnation in his lapel. He was a colorful character. One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter’s husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. “It’s a real bad neighborhood, your Honor,” the man told the mayor. “She’s got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson.” LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said, “I’ve got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions—ten dollars or ten days in jail.” But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He extracted a bill and tossed it into his famous sombrero. That’s the same grace that we have been privileged to receive through Christ. We are guilty, but God sent His only Son that we might have our “fines paid in full!” If you’re still trying to gain acceptance through the law, you deny His grace. Accept it today and praise His name! It is, after all, amazing grace!

One More Thing

Recently a friend of mine sent me a wonderful thought taken from Stephen Covey’s book, "First Things First": One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No," the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it." "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Your children; your loved ones; your education; your dreams; A worthy cause; Teaching or mentoring others; Doing things that you love; Time for yourself; your health; your significant other. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. If you sweat the little stuff (the gravel, the sand) then you'll fill your life with little things you worry about that don't really matter, and you'll never have the real quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff (the big rocks)." The more I have reflected on this little story, the more I have come to realize how easy it is to try to fit “one more thing” into my schedule. And, much of the time the most important things get crowded out. The Wisdom of Solomon helps us with beginning at the beginning: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV) Let me make two practical suggestions for setting priorities – for discovering and putting in the big rocks first. First, right priorities begin with faith in God. To receive God’s guidance we must “acknowledge” Him in all our ways. This means turning every area of life over to him. Look at your values and priorities. What is important to you? In what areas have you not acknowledged him? What is his advice? In many areas of your life you may already acknowledge God, but it is the areas where you attempt to restrict or ignore his influence that will cause you grief. Acknowledge him a vital part of everything you do; then he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his purposes. Second, right priorities grow out of obedience to Christ. Even when it’s difficult, be obedient to those things that God has already told you. Other instruction will follow, but only after we have been faithful to that which He has already given us to do. What are the “big rocks” you need to put in first today?

You Don't Have to Catch Them All

Charlie Brown may be one of the best sources for philosophy in the world! 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. Today, as we consider another installment in the “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff Series,” 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 43:1-5 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!

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 relatively new, just three years 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!

Wherever You Go, There You Are

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 becoming more peaceful with where we are, rather than where we would rather be, then we begin to experience peace. An older man taught me a beautiful lesson one-day when I casually wished him a good day. He remarked, "They're all good days. It's what we put in them that changes them.” What are you going to put into your day today? 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 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. Steven Covey writes in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “It's incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busyness of life, to work harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall.” He is so right! 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.

These Unalienable Rights

During those formative moments just prior to the birth of our country, some devoted men wrote a declaration. We know that document as The Declaration of Independence. Within the first few lines it states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Sometime soon after the signing and adoption of this document, a rough man questioned Benjamin Franklin as he gave a speech defending both the declaration and the constitution. The man boldly challenged Franklin: “Aw, them words don’t mean nothin’ a-tall! Where’s all that happiness you say it guarantees us?” Franklin smiled benevolently at the man, and quickly replied, “My friend, the Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself!” Perhaps there is some of that thought in the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Philippians: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:8-14, ESV). The real question for us this morning is in how we ought to go about pursuing it! Nathaniel Hawthorne said, “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and softly sits on your shoulder.” This is the essence of what Paul meant when he said, “forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” One of the major reasons so many of us remain hurried, frightened, and competitive, and continue to live life as it were one giant emergency, is our fear that if we were to become more peaceful and loving, we would suddenly stop achieving. We fear that we would become apathetic and lazy. Actually, the opposite is true. Fearful, frantic thinking takes an enormous amount of energy and drains the creativity and motivation from our lives. When you are fearful and frantic, you literally immobilize yourself from you greatest potential, not to mention joy. Any success you may have is in spite of your fear, not because of it. Today, commit yourself to resting in the love of God, and, forgetting what lies in the past, ignoring what might be in the future, rest in what is today! Experience the “mighty power that raised Christ from the dead!” Adopt this principle for your life: Never let past failures or future fears rob you of present joy!

The Satanic Toos

The past few mornings we have been thinking about God’s love for us. The obstacles to knowing the love of the Father are very real. Greatest among these obstacles are those erected by Satan. He will do everything within his diabolical power to sow the seeds of helplessness and hopelessness in our hearts. He will remind you incessantly of your past failures, insisting that God could not possibly love someone who has so frequently sinned. He will speak to you in a very familiar voice calling out his “Satanic toos.” Maybe you’ve heard them like I have – “You’re too ugly for God to love, too dumb, too fat, too poor, too weak, too untalented, and worst of all, even if you overcome these deficiencies, you’re too late. Those are the lies he uses to keep us from being free. Well, let me tell you the good news! Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:1-8, ESV). But how? That seems to be the most frequently asked question. Let me suggest five practical steps when you don’t feel loved. 1. First, remind and refresh yourself of the fact of God’s undying love, even when you don’t feel it. Go back to Zephaniah 3:17. Read it. Memorize it. Remember that the fact of God’s love does not depend on our ability to feel it. God’s love is not a reflex response to our love for Him. 2. Second, be obedient to what you know. You are not expected or required to know everything. However, God does desire us to be faithful to what we do know. This may require confessions and repentance. 3. Third, pray. Come before the Lord and ask that the joy of your salvation be restored. Ask Him for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 4. Fourth, worship your way into the experience of His love. Take up the name of God on your lips and give Him the glory due Him. God has promised to inhabit the praise of His children. Begin the praise! 5. Fifth, wait. The first four steps come easily. The last is more difficult. But we must wait. We must patiently persevere. So wait.

Making Peace with Imperfection

I have yet to know anyone who is a perfectionist that possesses inner peace. The need for perfection and the desire for peace conflict with each other. Whenever we are attached to having something a certain way, better than it already is, we are, almost by definition, engaged in a losing battle. Rather than focusing on what we have and being content and grateful for it, we focus on what’s wrong with something and our need to fix it. When we center our lives on what’s wrong, we foster dissatisfaction and discontent in our lives. This is not to say we shouldn’t have goals and aspirations. However, the focus of our life should not be on those things that are wrong, but those that are right. We ought not to be driven by the negative, but the positive in our lies. Whether its related to ourselves – a disorganized closet, a scratch on our car, an imperfect accomplishment, a few pounds we would like to lose – or someone else’s “imperfections” – the way someone looks, behaves, or lives their life – the very act of focusing on imperfection pulls away from our goal of being kind and gentle. This strategy has nothing to do with ceasing to do our very best, but with being overly attached and focused on what’s wrong with life. It’s about realizing that while there’s always a better way to do something, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy and appreciate the way things already are. Listen to the Apostle Paul as he reminds us of the most disappointing part of our present lives: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:43-44,51-52,58 ESV). The key is in that last verse: “be strong and steady.” Satisfaction in our lives should not be based on what we do not have, but in who we do have. Perhaps one of the most profound stories on happiness is the old familiar one: A puppy said to a big dog, "I have mastered philosophy. I have learned that the best thing for a dog is happiness, and that happiness is my tail. Therefore I am chasing it; and when I catch it, I shall have it!" The old dog replied, "I, too, have judged that happiness is a marvelous thing for a dog, and that happiness indeed resides in my tail. But I've noticed that when I chase it, it keeps running away from me; but when I go about my business, it comes after me." Many years ago, a little boy was given a priceless possession: his deceased grandfather's gold pocket watch. How he treasured it! But one day, while playing at his father's ice plant, he lost the watch amid all the ice and sawdust. He searched and scratched, becoming frantic, but no watch. Then he suddenly realized what to do. He stopped scurrying around and became very still. In the silence, he heard the watch ticking. God has given each of us a priceless gift of joy in Jesus. How easy it is to lose our joy in the scurrying around of life. Yet it is always there to find, if we will but pause and listen to the beautiful presence of Jesus in our hearts.

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 make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. (Ecclesiastes 10:1-4, 8-10, ESV). 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."

Singing in a Cesspool

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:1-6 ESV). Sometimes the trials and frustrations of the present overpower us to the extent that we cannot see or remember anything that has happened in the past. We become so lost now that we forget what happened then. At least for me, when caught in the middle of a problem, it has been easy to say, “What good is yesterday when I’m hurting so bad today?” This is the truth of David’s psalm above, “But, I will trust in your unfailing love.” There are those times when God seems hidden from view, or when His presence seems only a fast fading memory. When that happens, do what David did. Look clearly to the heavens and, contrary to everything that demands you do otherwise, say, “But, I will trust in your unfailing love.” There’s a wonderful testimony that comes from a pastor in China. He had spent eighteen years in a prison camp for his faith. His assigned task in the camp was to empty the human waste from the cesspool. Listen to him as he describes his experience: It was more than two meters in breadth and length, filled with human waste collected from the entire camp. Once it was full, the human waste was kept until it was ripe and then dug out and sent to the fields as fertilizer. Because the pit was so deep I could not reach the bottom to empty it; I had to walk into the disease ridden mass and scoop out successive layers of human waste. The guards and all the prisoners kept a long way off because of the stench. So why did I enjoy working in the cesspool? I enjoyed the solitude. In the labor camp all the prisoners normally were under strict surveillance and no one could be alone. But when I was in the cesspool I could be alone and could pray to our Lord as loudly as I needed. I could recite the Scriptures, including all the Psalms I still remembered, and no one was close enough to protest. That’s the reason I enjoyed working in the cesspool. Also, I could sing loudly the hymns I still remembered. In those days one of my most favorite was In the Garden. Before I was arrested this was my favorite hymn, but at the time I did not realize the real meaning of this hymn. When I worked in the cesspool I knew and discovered a wonderful fellowship with our Lord. Again and again I sang this hymn and felt our Lord’s presence with me. I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses; And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, The son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known. Again and again as I sang this hymn in the cesspool, I experienced the Lord’s presence. He never left me nor forsook me. And so I survived and the cesspool became my private garden. It is not easy to sing in the cesspool. But, it does work! The next time you begin to wonder if God really loves, try singing in your cesspool. God’s love can work wonders virtually anywhere!

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 has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on 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!”

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: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31 ESV). 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. Sparrow 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 ESV). The second page of this morning’s devotional is a poem I have written. Perhaps it will be a little reminder to you of the wonder of His love.

Naked, Hungry, and Cold

Poetry is so often profoundly symbolic written with layers and layers of meaning. However, I recently found a very short bit of verse that speaks very clearly to one of man’s most common temptations, that of discontentment. Here it is: As a rule, Man’s a fool When it’s hot, He wants it cool. And when it’s cool, He wants it hot, Always wanting What is not. The devil has made many people miserable in their lives by simply dangling those things we do not have in front of them. Welling up inside all of us are those moments of discontentment. If we are not very careful to refocus our thoughts, we will lose our sense of peace. From his prison cell, the Apostle Paul wrote the following declaration in response to the Philippian’s gifts: I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13 ESV). Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked. “What would I do with them?” “You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.” The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?” “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist. “What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea. Don’t misunderstand. I am not advocating laziness, or denial of your dreams and hopes for the future. All of those things are perfectly acceptable. However, when we are consumed with what we do NOT have, we cannot truly be at peace. Someone said, “A contented man is one who enjoys the scenery along the detours.” Life is a journey that we are all called upon to walk. Some of the roads we travel take us to places that are not as desirable as others. But the same wonderful Savior, who walks with us on the easy paths, also walks with us down the difficult paths. So, naked or clothed, hungry or fed, with little or plenty, rest in the unalterable truth that we can do everything with Christ’s help! All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:15 ESV). Feast in His riches today!