Spiritual Bookkeeping

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10 ESV). If it were up to me to reconcile the checkbook, I doubt it would get done more than twice a year! Thankfully, Mary takes care of that on a regular basis. Even doing it once a month when the statement comes in, I still find there are little corrections that must be made to balance the account. I always seem to come up with a few plusses and minuses as compared to the bank’s records. I always come up short with more money to subtract from my account than add in. There are always things to fix in my checkbook. There are always those times in our lives as we "reconcile the checkbook." It is a time to examine your life, look at your minuses and fix them. It might even be a time to assess where your family is in its religious training. These are times to reconcile with others and with God. I was intrigued when the Catholic Church began calling their sessions of confession with a priest, "reconciliation" instead of "confession." I guess reconciliation is a good word for spiritual accounting as well as financial bookkeeping. The real message is that even though we may end up with more minuses than plusses in our spiritual and emotional lives, God's grace covers our minuses. We may not measure up, but God gives us a new checking account every day to begin afresh and says: "I don't keep old accounts. Enjoy, and don't mess up today!" To some people, faith may seem as outdated as the concept of keeping a paper checkbook. Sometimes we as parents are at fault. I was reading one woman's account of trying to talk to her 12-year-old daughter about the spiritual message that she, the mother, was hearing in the song they were listening to. Her daughter was simply not interested. Then her mother realized that she had not instilled enough faith and religious teachings in her daughter for the conversation to have any meaning. How sad. Of course, parents can go the other way, too, pushing their children to go through the motions of religion, with the result of a child rebelling against that. Neither course is good. It is never too late for either situation: even though we may not have taught our children as well as we should have, or if we pushed them more than we should have, we can stand back, examine our approach, and begin to change. Use these times in life not only as a chance to pause and reflect on our own shortcomings and make amends, but as a time to take inventory of how we are teaching our children the facts and stories from our faith heritage. This can take on many facets: a spiritual check up can help us reflect on whether we are living out our beliefs in front of our children, or whether they hear one thing and see another.

The Shadow of His Wings

Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 17:1-8 ESV). As I said yesterday, I love old movies. In the movie "Return to Snowy River," the central figure is a young man named Jim, a master at capturing and training wild horses. His herd had been stolen and he had taken off after them on his best mount. But the horse thieves shot and killed Jim's horse. It looked hopeless, but then, standing before Jim was the magnificent stallion who covered the whole herd. Because of his beauty, strength and tremendous speed, many had desired to capture him. The great horse never allowed anyone near him. Jim's horse was the stallion's favorite mare. The stallion gazed at the dead mare. He appeared stunned and oblivious to everything surrounding him as Jim approached him slowly. Amazingly, Jim was allowed to touch and then to stroke the beautiful horse's head. Then, gently, he put the bridle and the saddle on him. Almost miraculously, the stallion was allowing the encroachment of this gentle man as he had no other. The moment of truth came when Jim put his foot into the stirrup and threw his leg over the back of the great horse. With all his strength the horse reared, throwing the intruder into the dust and galloping off, taking the saddle and gear with him. Discouraged and dejected, Jim bedded down for the night. At dawn, he was awakened by the sounds of cracking twigs. With one eye opened he lay very still. The powerful stallion cautiously came near and stood directly beside him. His grand head bowed directly over Jim's. With both eyes now open and with a smile of joy, Jim saw the reins fall to the ground before his face in an unmistakable gesture of surrender. It was the loving touch and the gentleness of the talented trainer that brought the horse back to bow his head and drop the reigns before him. Jim took hold of the surrendered reins. This was the one horse most fit for the task of recapturing the herd. The mission of the young master in the movie was accomplished. The Master of our souls has a great purpose in mind for us too. Perhaps there was a time in the past when you felt His touch. You were tempted then, by the gentleness of His touch and the love that you felt, to surrender to Him. But you resisted and kept on going your own way. Today Jesus, the Master, comes to you again, asking you to come and lay the reigns of your life at His feet. Come into the protection of the shadow of His wings! The life He offers has a greater purpose than you can imagine, and that purpose is not just temporal, but it is eternal. It is a purpose of love. Though it is not the easy or popular way, it is a purpose of great joy and victory, both for you and for others in need. He is waiting for you to come today for He not only wants to heal you and give you a new life, but He wants to train you and prepare you, and then use you in a specific role of serving Him to help a hurting and needy world.

The Clones

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:4-11 ESV). I really like old movies. One I recently watched again brought to mind an important principle. It was an older movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger in it titled “The 6th Day.” Perhaps you remember the story line. It is about the illegal cloning of human beings in a futuristic society where the star fights to regain his life back after being replaced by a clone. It is nothing more than fantasy, but it began me thinking about the real life Jesus offers and what so many people have settled for. In our reading today, Jesus was just starting His ministry on earth and was looking for a few good men to experience what He was going to do. One day, after preaching a sermon, He turned to a group of fisherman and commanded them to head out into the deep waters of the ocean and let down their fishing nets. They were skeptical. They had fished all-night and caught nothing. They were professionals and knew the best places to fish. They were tired and ready to go home. There were many excuses not to follow Christ's commands, but one man, Simon Peter, took his boat and his crew, and followed Christ's instructions. You can probably imagine the scene on the shoreline. One fisherman cleaning his nets, laughing at Peter for taking fishing tips from a carpenter. Another too frustrated by a bad night of fishing to try again. Another, weary from the night's work, just sitting and waiting to see what would happen. Then the miracle began. The people on the shore could hear their shouts and see their boats leaning heavily toward one side. They could see the frantic waving and the signals for help. Their hearts began to race as they sensed what was happening and quickly threw their gear onboard and headed out to sea to experience the miracle for themselves. Jesus proved to them that He was not a replica of life. He IS life! How long have you been standing on the shore, watching others put out to sea, and let down their nets? How long has your experience of God been second hand? It's easy to stand on the shore, but there are miracles out at sea. It's safe to stand on the shore, but the catch is out at sea. You can rest on the shore, but you can rejoice out at sea. How long have you been a seashore believer in a deep-water world? The time has come. Put out to deep waters. Let down your nets. Experience the miracles of Christ in your own life! Don’t settle for anything less than Jesus!

Prophecy Fulfilled

You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:23-26 ESV). In your imagination go with me back a thousand years ago. The date is A. D. 963. Most of Europe was only sparsely inhabited by barbarian tribes. The discovery of America would not be for another 500 years. Let's suppose there existed a document prepared a thousand years before the event predicted of a time when a man of great prominence, would be the head of a great nation. He would be riding a street in a large metropolitan city in a metal chariot not drawn by horses. Then this man suddenly and violently would die from the penetration of his brain by a little piece of metal hurled by a weapon made of wood and iron. Within hours, his death would have world–wide effect and world–wide mourning. Can you imagine with what awe that document written in A. D. 963 predicting the death of President John Kennedy on November 22, 1963 would be held today? That hypothetical prediction would have been made even before the invention of the automobile, or guns or tall buildings, radio or television. Now that is exactly what we have in reality in Psalm 22. The Psalmist described a capital punishment by crucifixion before it had even been invented. It was unheard of in Jewish minds. It was written many centuries before depraved minds invented this horrible cruel form of punishment. No one had ever been put to death by crucifixion in King David's time. The Jewish method of execution was by stoning someone to death. Romans borrowed the crucifixion from the Carthaginians who invented it in order to make death as painful and cruel as possible. Apart from the Gospel records themselves Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 describes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ more accurately and in greater detail than any other portion of Scripture. He describes at least nine specific events or aspects of the crucifixion in minute detail a thousand years before it actually happened in history. All of them fulfilled during the six hours Jesus hung on the cross. The Old Testament continuously, from Genesis on down, speaks of God's intention to provide the Messiah for the redemption of mankind. He was to be of David's line. Here 1000 years before the event, and long before a Roman Empire appears and introduces crucifixion to a conquered world, David in his despair foretells the crucifixion of the promised one, the Messiah. The point I'm trying to make is that in a world that some believe came into being by a random act and where everything is rendered transient by natural decay, where, if anywhere, can we turn for assurance? The answer is found in the truth of Scripture. When we pick up the Bible, we can rest assured that we are holding in our hands the one authoritative divine revelation of truth, a claim verified by prophecy fulfilled a historic record. Read it, trust it, and follow its instruction. It will lead you to life!

Reservation, Please

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV). I receive many stories, most of which are not annotated. So, the following may not be true. However, it is funny and points us in a very important direction. In April 1998, Dr. Terry Winter, a popular television host, was making preparations to fly from his home in Vancouver to Los Angeles, California. Being the careful man that he was, he phoned the hotel at which he would be staying in regards to his reservations. He made certain that he had the right number Information Services had given him and dialed. His phone display indicated the proper number. The connection was made and the receptionist answered. "I wish to confirm my reservations for tomorrow evening," said Dr. Winter. The receptionist burst into huge laughter; she could not contain herself. "Excuse me, ma'am, my reservations for tomorrow evening... please confirm." More laughter. Now Dr. Winter was totally confused and embarrassed. Finally, she regained some composure and said, "Dr. Winter, this is the first time that we have ever confirmed reservations. You see, this is not a hotel. You must have dialed the wrong number. This is the County Jail! All of us can share experiences in dialing wrong numbers or being connected to the wrong party. Dr. Terry Winter shared this story but did he know that this episode had a hint of premonition? In early December, '98, he would die of a brain aneurysm. However, he was confident that his reservations to heaven where intact. For each one of us, there comes a time in our lives that we are appointed to die. It may be soon or many years from now but we do not know when that time will come. Do you know where you will spend eternity? Are you sure that your reservations are confirmed with God? If not, pray and ask Christ to forgive you and give you eternal life. Once you have settled that question, you have choices to make. One of those choices involves how we decide to “spend” out time, talent, and resources. Faith in Christ ought to bring us to an understanding of how to best use what He has gifted us with for the kingdom. Once you have been born again, you have reservations in heaven. Before you “check in,” there are many opportunities to accumulate “treasure.” The kind of treasure that will be waiting for us when we arrive is found in the things we do and say. It is that kindness you have expressed to someone else, or that generosity you have done for another, or some other good work. Loving God must result in loving others. What have you sent ahead to await your arrival in heaven? Make it good treasure!

The Great Blackout of 2003

It was ten years ago that we saw “The Great Blackout of 2003.” The following explains the cause of this event: When an overheating electrical transmission line sagged into a tree just outside Cleveland at 3:32 p.m. on Aug. 14, the events that would lead to the greatest power failure in North American history began their furious avalanche, according to the most extensive analysis of the blackout yet. The failure of that transmission line was crucial, because it put enormous strain on other lines in Ohio. Soon a utility that serves southern Ohio, with its overloaded lines close to burning up, sealed itself off, creating in very real terms an electrical barrier between the southern part of the state and the northern. What happened next, by this account, was almost inevitable. To the north, Cleveland, starving for electricity, began to drain huge, unsustainable amounts of power from Michigan and then Ontario, knocking out more lines and power plants and pushing the crisis to the borders of northwestern New York. First the New York system, acting to protect itself, sealed the state's border with Canada, the analysis found. But that only created a different, devastating problem: New York power plants, without anywhere to quickly send electricity not needed within the state, overloaded their own system. That in turn quickly led to a general shutdown — the last stage in the largest blackout in the nation's history. It’s odd how something so small could cause such great damage. However, that is often the case. It is that principle that we see in our reading this morning. Here’s what James has to say about one of the smallest parts of our body: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:1-6 ESV). If somebody says, “I hope you won’t mind me telling you this,” it’s pretty certain you will. One of the best ways to end a rumor is to ask if you may quote the individual passing it along. If the person says no, it’s possible that the rumor is just idle talk. If the person answers yes, you should contact the gossip’s subject to verify the story you heard. Also, if you like to spread news about others, ask yourself if you would want someone to quote you. A negative answer is a good sign you should keep your lips sealed on the matter. And a positive response should lead not to back-fence reporting but to up-front confronting.

Turn the Light On

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. (Luke 6:20-23 ESV). In a letter to his friends, hymn writer Wendell P. Loveless related this story: One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, a passerby noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call. I wonder how many people have never really understood the fullness of what awaits them through faith simply because they have never been able to “turn the light on.” The promises and blessings of the Scripture may only be found through an active search of them. A recent Barna Research Group survey conducted among a random probability sample of 641 adults demonstrated that many Americans have a woeful knowledge of the Bible. Among Christians in the survey: • 22% thought there actually is a Book of Thomas in the Bible, while 13% said they did not know whether Thomas is a book of the Bible or not. 65% correctly stated that Thomas is not a book of the Bible. • 61% knew that Jonah is a book of the Bible, 27% said it is not, and 12% had no idea. • Three quarters of the Christians surveyed knew that the Book of Isaiah is located in the O. T. , while 11% thought it is in the N. T, and 13% did not know where Isaiah could be found • Seven out of 10 Christians knew where Christ was born while 16% named Jerusalem as Jesus’ birthplace, 8% said it was Nazareth, and 6% did not hazard a guess. • The question that gave the most people trouble was “Is the expression ‘God helps those who help themselves’ in the Bible?” Only 38% of all Christians correctly stated that that phrase cannot be found anywhere in the Scriptures. Forty-two percent thought that this was a Biblical quotation, and 20% had no idea. Perhaps you have been intimidated by the sheer size of the Bible. Start in the Gospel of John and just begin to read. You’ll find that once you begin, the light will come on! God promises to bless you.

Real Happiness

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. (Psalm 42:1-4 ESV). Real happiness is possible only when one's spiritual needs are met. When these needs are not being met, there is a void in our lives. Some of us know something is missing, but are not sure what it is, or how to fill it. Others recognize an "inner need," but the sporadic efforts they make to address it prove fruitless. Both groups seek to fill this void by various means, such as successful accomplishments, material possessions and social activities. These and similar efforts provide momentary "fun," but do not bring lasting joy and peace. Having returned recently from Kipnuk, Alaska, the following story from Billy Graham about an Eskimo fisherman who came to town every Saturday afternoon was interesting. He always brought his two dogs with him. One dog was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather, the fisherman would take bets, and the two dogs would fight. On one Saturday the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win, but the fisherman always won! "That's amazing," his friends commented, "how can you always pick the winner?" The Eskimo replied, "I starve one and feed the other. The one I feed always wins because he is stronger." This story tells us a lot about the warfare that goes on in our lives. We have two natures within us, both battling for mastery. Which one will dominate? It depends on which one we feed. If we starve ourselves spiritually, we will struggle just to cope with the daily challenges of life. At times, it seems as if circumstances will wear us down. But if we are mindful of this need and obtain regular spiritual nourishment, we will gain the strength not only to face various issues in life, but also to do so successfully. More importantly, the on-going peace and joy we seek will be possible, despite the circumstances we encounter. In short, we will become more than conquerors. The psalmist knew this principle. In our reading this morning he said, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.” Without that driving need to find God, you will never find all of Him! Seek Him like a thirsty deer seeks water. Then you will find true happiness!

Random Thoughts on Love

Throughout history, man has expressed his thoughts on the concept of "love," sometimes, perceiving it as something wonderful, beautiful, and intense and other times, expressing the sorrow and anger caused by love scorned. Whatever the case, no one can deny that love is a powerful energy and emotion, so intense in fact, that mothers have immediately been overcome with Herculean strength to lift a car or huge boulder off their child. Here are some random thoughts from others on love:  "Love is not what makes the world go round. Love is what makes the trip worthwhile." -Franklin Jones  "When two people are at one in their innermost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze, and when two people understand each other in their innermost hearts, their words are sweet and strong like the fragrance of orchids." -I Ching  "Love should be a tree whose roots are deep in the earth, but whose branches extend into heaven." - Bertrand Russell  "Man has no choice but to love. For when he does not, he finds his alternative lies in loneliness, destruction, and despair." -Anonymous  "Loving people are happy, and happy people are loving." - Ken Keyes  "Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law." - Boethius  "Love is the only gold." -Tennyson Man may try to understand love and all its effects, but unless he knows the love of God, one can never fully know love, for God IS love, and the gift He gives to us, its foundation, is constructed in love. It is nice to show our affection to those we love by sending them flowers and candy, or doing kind deeds for them, but true love is not about fleshly desires, or emotions that make our physical bodies feel good, but it feeds the spirit as only God and His son, Jesus Christ can do. Love has one source and this source is God. Think on the following words of the Apostle Paul this morning: 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. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7 ESV). Roses and chocolates notwithstanding, let that kind of love be your gift to those around you!

Porcupine Quills

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:12-18 ESV). Recently I read the following story. It started me thinking about how easily sin can become imbedded in our lives. Dave and his family, on vacation in northern Wisconsin, were sleeping soundly when their dog Midnight began whining. It was five o'clock in the morning. Dave got up, stumbled to the door, let the dog out, and then stumbled back to bed. About half an hour later he was awakened again, this time by loud thumping from under the cottage--as though someone was hitting the underside of the floor with a board. Dave pulled on some clothes and went out to investigate. At first Dave didn't see anything, but then Midnight slowly rounded the house toward him. Bending down to the dog, Dave could make out about a dozen quills sticking out of the dog's fur, mostly on the side of his neck and near the back of his head. Evidently, Midnight had gone after a porcupine under the cottage, gotten nailed with quills from its tail, and the tussle that followed explained the thumping noises on the floor of the cottage. Stunned, but not in any real pain, Midnight submitted to Dave's handling. But when Dave got the pliers and tried to pull out the quills one at a time, Midnight howled and pulled back. Removing the quills caused excruciating pain and the dog wanted no part of it. Dave finally took Midnight to a veterinarian in town, who anesthetized Midnight and then surgically removed the quills. The vet explained to Dave that although Midnight felt no pain from the quills, if they were not removed they would eventually work their way further into his body and head and kill him. Although the surgery was painful, the only way to save Midnight's life was to remove the quills. There is a progression in sin. James lists it for us in our reading this morning. When we first are tempted often it is from the curious adventure that it presents. The dog in the story didn’t want to be hurt, but the porcupine represented something it felt it had to investigate and experience. When it was too late, the damage had already been done. Like passing your hand over a flame, you never know how slow or close you may move your hand to the flame without being burned until it is too late! If you have been “stuck” by sin, let Christ remove it from your life. Confess your sin and accept His grace of restoration today!

oxymoron's

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:19-24 ESV). There are many common phrases and expressions that we use in our language that are “oxymoron's.” The definition of an oxymoron is a “two-word phrase containing contradictory elements." “Good grief” is an example of such a phrase. There are many of these. Here are some more:  "Jumbo shrimp"  A "numb feeling"  "Plastic glasses"  "Fresh frozen"  An "exact estimate"  A "working vacation"  "Negative growth"  "Congressional leadership"  For golfers: "Metal Woods"  A "little lot"  An "unbiased opinion"  "Oddly appropriate"  "Clearly misunderstood" There are also religious oxymorons. One of the most common is the term "lukewarm Christian." These are two words that just don't go together. Jesus was very clear in his words to the Laodecian Christians when He said, "...because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Cf. Revelation 3:16). In our reading today there is a clear indication we are to be very single-minded in our allegiance to Christ as the only Master of our lives. This doesn't mean that we are perfect Christians (in fact, "Perfect Christian" is an oxymoron in itself). It just means that when we come to Christ, we must be willing to give him our whole selves, not just part of ourselves. When Jesus comes into your life, he can't become "one more thing." Instead, he wants to take over. What kind of Christian life are you committed to today?

Opportunities

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (James 1:2-11 ESV). One day a lady pulled into a self-serve gas station to fill up her car. She got out of her car, hurried over to the pump, lifted the nozzle to her gas tank, and tried to pump the gas. Nothing happened. Belatedly she realized that this was one of those gas stations where you had to prepay. Frustrated and in a hurry, she ran inside, paid the cashier, and returned to her car to resume pumping her gas. She squeezed the handle, but still nothing happened. "What kind of lousy gas station is this?" she mumbled angrily to herself. After trying again with no better results, she ran back in to the cashier and started giving him a piece of her mind. With a concerned look on his face, the cashier talked right over the top of the lady's scolding. "Ma'am, please stay right here. Don't go back to your car. I just called 911. When you were leaving the building after paying me, I saw a man get into the back seat of your car. It looked to me like he didn't belong there. The only way I could get you to come back inside was to turn off your gas pump." Just then the police pulled up and took into custody the man who was hiding in the woman's car. The woman learned later that he was trying to get initiated into a very dangerous gang. Armed with a knife, he had planned to kill her and steal her car once they left the gas station. Sometimes it’s easy to feel resentful and frustrated about a disappointment, a failure, a loss, or a serious setback of some kind. No one likes it when life doesn't go as smoothly as they'd like. At those moments consider that God may be trying to get your attention, to slow you down so that you may hear his voice. Perhaps due to our frantic pace, we don't notice sin creeping into the back seat of our lives, putting us at great risk. Thank God that he's always on the lookout for us, and that at times he uses setbacks to rescue us from danger. The trying times are really opportunities for joy!

Monday Mornings

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). It’s Monday morning and time for most of us to go to work. I must confess that I had a little harder time getting up and going this morning than usual. I guess I have not really “caught up” from my trip to Alaska! However I began to think of the “list” and I was awake and going. Sometimes that is motivation enough. There is another motivation that is much better though. Christopher Wren, who designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London (one of the world's most beautiful buildings), wrote about the reactions of construction workers who were asked what they were doing. Those workers who were bored and tired responded by saying, "I'm laying bricks" or I'm carrying stones." But one worker, who was mixing cement, seemed cheerful and enthusiastic about his work. Asked what he was doing, he replied, "I'm building a magnificent cathedral." Surveys have found that most people hate their work. They don't look forward to going to work; instead they are bored with it and weary of it. They dream of winning the state lottery so they never have to work another day in their lives. God didn't create us to be bored and unfulfilled by our work. He created us to serve Him in everything we do, including our work. "Work" in Scripture is another word for "worship." God wants us to enjoy our work because our work is what brings glory to God. It's one way we worship God. In our reading this morning Paul wrote that we should be happy in our work because we are not working for men, but for God. And to the church in Corinth he wrote, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (Cf.: I Corinthians 10:31) If you look at your work merely as something to do to make a few bucks and survive, you won't be happy in your work. On the other hand, if you decide to glorify God in your work, you will not only be happy as you work, but God will meet all of your needs as well.

Monday Mornings

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). It’s Monday morning and time for most of us to go to work. I must confess that I had a little harder time getting up and going this morning than usual. I guess I have not really “caught up” from my trip to Alaska! However I began to think of the “list” and I was awake and going. Sometimes that is motivation enough. There is another motivation that is much better though. Christopher Wren, who designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London (one of the world's most beautiful buildings), wrote about the reactions of construction workers who were asked what they were doing. Those workers who were bored and tired responded by saying, "I'm laying bricks" or I'm carrying stones." But one worker, who was mixing cement, seemed cheerful and enthusiastic about his work. Asked what he was doing, he replied, "I'm building a magnificent cathedral." Surveys have found that most people hate their work. They don't look forward to going to work; instead they are bored with it and weary of it. They dream of winning the state lottery so they never have to work another day in their lives. God didn't create us to be bored and unfulfilled by our work. He created us to serve Him in everything we do, including our work. "Work" in Scripture is another word for "worship." God wants us to enjoy our work because our work is what brings glory to God. It's one way we worship God. In our reading this morning Paul wrote that we should be happy in our work because we are not working for men, but for God. And to the church in Corinth he wrote, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (Cf.: I Corinthians 10:31) If you look at your work merely as something to do to make a few bucks and survive, you won't be happy in your work. On the other hand, if you decide to glorify God in your work, you will not only be happy as you work, but God will meet all of your needs as well.

Oblivious

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. (Hebrews 12:14-18, 25 ESV). It is so easy to become oblivious to our surroundings. All of us have learned the art of tuning out things that go on around us. The following story is a wonderful example of how dangerous that may become: Jim Davis, a grocery store clerk who loves his job, prides himself on his good work. One of his pet peeves is out-of-control toddlers and parents who yell at their kids but do nothing to correct their children's obnoxious behavior. One evening, Jim was checking out a customer who had a shopping cart full of groceries. While ringing up the sale, a child behind him began screaming very loudly, and an angry man responded by shouting, "Get down!" What a jerk, thought Jim, without even looking up. He kept on calling out prices and moving the groceries past the scanner. The kid behind him was still crying, and again he heard the man yell, "Get down!" Sheesh. Talk about poor parenting, thought Jim. This guy is a total jerk. He kept on checking groceries without looking up. Finally finishing the customer's cart, Jim looked up and said, "That'll be $89.95, ma'am." Seeing no one, he looked around and noticed that everyone, including his customer, was lying face down on the floor. He turned around just in time to see a gunman leave the store. The checker behind him, still lying on the floor, calmly said, "Jim, you know the second time you heard 'Get down,' his gun was pointed right at your head." We can get so accustomed to the noise of our culture and the distractions of the world that when we hear someone warning us about our behavior, we ignore the warning completely. We go on with business as usual. This is true in the physical and the spiritual world. God calls us to repentance in many ways. Don’t get caught being oblivious to His call. The time will come when there'll be no more opportunities to act on the message. Now is the best time for you to turn your attention to God’s grace and love.

Lessons from the World Series

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3:1-2 ESV). It won’t be long until we see the World Series. There are so many stories that surround this championship. There are shelves full of books and movies that detail the years past and the “boys of fall.” Perhaps the greatest year in baseball history was 1924. The World Series that year between the old Washington Senators and the New York Yankees was a classic. The series was tied at three games apiece, with the final; seventh game played in Washington. In the ninth inning of the seventh game, the score was tied, two to two. New York came to bat. Three batters up and three batters down. The Washington fans started screaming. Washington could win the game with a run in the bottom of the ninth. The first two Washington batters were unable to reach base. With two outs, up to the plate stepped a batter by the name of Gauseland. The fans felt their hopes die because Gauseland was not that good a hitter. The pitcher threw two strikes. Then two balls. When the pitcher threw his fifth pitch, Gauseland stepped into the pitch, and by the crack of the bat you knew the ball was going somewhere way out in left center field. The center fielder went back. The other fielders also ran toward the fence, hoping the ball would not go over the fence for a home run. The ball hit the top of the fence six inches from the top. It caromed off the fence, and one of the fielders chased it down. Gauseland, meanwhile, was between second and third bases. The third base coach thought this might be the only chance to win, so he waved Gauseland home. The throw from the outfield was taken first by the shortstop, and then relayed to home plate. Gauseland slid into home just as the catcher pegged him with a perfect throw from the shortstop. Everyone could see that Gauseland had beaten the throw. Still, the umpire yelled, “You’re OUT!” The fans went crazy. They threw bottles and yelled obscenities when the umpire conferred with the other men in black. Then the men on the field signaled for silence. Everybody got quiet. The fans thought they would reverse the call, but the umpire shouted, “The runner is not out because he didn’t beat the ball to the plate. He is out because he didn’t touch first base!” It was true. Gauseland was running so hard that he simply failed to touch first. He was out. You can do a lot of good and noble things in your life, but unless you touch first base, it won’t matter too much. Our reading this morning emphasizes that truth. Nicodemus was a good man, but he hadn’t touched first base. He thought he could achieve Heaven just by keeping the Law. To Nicodemus Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Jesus doesn’t want perfect people. He wants people who have come to Him in faith. That’s how you may be born again! Have you touched first base? If not, the others won’t count!

Greener Grass

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 ESV). Someone has said, "The grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence. It's greener where you water it more." The following story is an incredible illustration of how we live our lives at times. With the assistance of her grandfather, a young child planted a small garden of beans, peas, carrots, and radishes. The ground was tilled, seeds planted, and all the child had to do was leave the rest to the sunshine and, of course, her daily watering. "Two buckets of water a day should do it," said the grandfather as he bent low to his granddaughter. The granddaughter smiled and nodded, admiring their work, and awaiting their bountiful harvest. Within a few weeks, buds could be seen reaching their tender heads from the brown earth. "Look Grandpa! We have plants!" shouted the little girl with exuberant joy. "How wonderful, my dear, but don't forget, two buckets of water a day to keep them healthy." The child nodded. Several months later, grandpa came to visit yet again. "How is your garden doing, my dear?" he asked his grandchild. The young girl looked down at the floor, muttering, "It's fine, I guess." Taking the child gently by the hand, grandfather and granddaughter headed to the back yard, only to find a puzzling sight. Half of the garden was green and flourishing and the other half appeared as a desert wasteland! The old man rubbed his chin in bewilderment, then turned to the small child. "Did you water daily, as I instructed, my dear?" he asked. The child replied, "Yes, grandpa, I did." The old man rubbed his chin again. "Did you water it two buckets worth, one for each side?" The child shuffled her feet as she explained the sequence of events. "The first few weeks it was fun to carry the water out and sprinkle the plants, but, after a while, I became tired of carrying those two heavy buckets, so I only used one bucket. There was not enough water for the whole garden, so I only watered half. " After a few moments of silence, the grandfather wisely responded," Let us see what we can salvage of this side by watering and fertilizing it. In the meantime, let us harvest the rest." All of us have become tired of the effort it takes to maintain growth. We have all experienced situations that may have been avoided had we properly cared for the events leading to it? For example, think of how many marriages fail due to sheer neglect. Instead of taking the time to care for and "water" these important relationships, it is a sad reality that a large number of divorces occur because some seek a new relationship, rather than tend to the one they committed to before God and man. The same thing is true in our friendships, work ethics, and various goals in our life. Just as a plant won't grow without sunshine and water, so too will good things NOT come to those who do not work for what they truly desire. God assures us that we are not alone, especially during times of sorrow and hardship. All we have to do is call out to Him and He is faithful to answer the heartfelt prayers of the repentant. With a little work and a lot of God, nothing is impossible. Greener grass comes from watering the grass you have most of the time. Don’t give up!

Friendship

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15 ESV). The people of Kipnuk, Alaska are very dependent upon one another for their lives. It is a small village of Native Americans. They are Yupik. While we were there I found an incredible bond that had been forged from this interdependency. Seeing this made me focus on friendship and gratitude. I found the following folktale recently and it reminded me of the principle found in today’s reading. The Tortoise and the Eagle very rarely met, for Eagle was at home in the clouds and Tortoise was at home on the ground. One day, though, Eagle heard how generous and kind Tortoise was and decided to pay him a visit. Tortoise was indeed kind and generous, for he invited Eagle in and fed him a most lavish meal. Eagle gorged on the delicious food and ate for several hours. In fact, the meal was so delicious that Eagle came back again and again, eating like a glutton each time. And every time he flew off he would laugh to himself, "Ha ha! I have shared Tortoise's hospitality, but he can never reach my tree to share mine!" Eagle was so greedy that soon the other animals began to speak of it. One day Frog went to Tortoise to offer him his advice. "Tortoise," said Frog, "Eagle is taking advantage of your generosity. Every time he leaves your home he laughs to himself and says, "Ha ha! I have shared Tortoise's hospitality, but he can never reach my tree to share mine!" Then Frog told him what to do. The next time Eagle came to visit, Tortoise said, "Please, brother, let me give you a gourd full of food to take home to your wife and children." Eagle was quick to accept this gift and waited impatiently while Tortoise went off to collect it. In the kitchen, where Eagle couldn't see, Tortoise climbed into the gourd and his wife helped to pile food on top of him. When they were done, he was no longer visible, and the gourd appeared to be overflowing with tasty treats. Eagle took the gourd home and dumped the contents out on his floor. Out rolled Tortoise who said, "Hello, Eagle. I thought it would be a nice change to visit you. I look forward to sharing a meal with you." Eagle was furious and said, "You will be the only meal here, Tortoise!" But as he tried to peck the little creature, he only managed to hurt his own beak on Tortoise's hard shell. "I see what kind of friend you are, Eagle, to threaten to eat me," said Tortoise. "I think it would be best for you to take me home now." "I'll throw you to the ground and watch you smash into little pieces," screamed the bird, and flew off into the sky with Tortoise in his claws. Unfortunately for Eagle, Tortoise had clamped onto his leg with an unbreakable grip and wouldn't let go. Eagle tried to fling him off but couldn't. He shrieked and begged. "Oh please, please, Tortoise! Let go of my leg!" Tortoise simply replied, "I will be happy to do so when you have returned me to my home." Eagle tried and tried to throw Tortoise off, but in the end, he had no choice but to return him to his home. Once there, Tortoise released his hold and calmly walked to his door. Before going back in, he turned to Eagle and said, "Friendship requires the contribution of two people. I welcome you into my home and you welcome me. Instead, you have chosen to abuse this hospitality. You need not return here anymore." And then he went inside, leaving Eagle to think about his selfishness. What kind of friend are you?

Crash, Splash, and Tinkle

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:11-24 ESV). There was once a dad who had a three-year-old son named Brandon. One day, Brandon sees his dad eating chocolate chip cookies in the living room and says to himself, 'Daddy loves chocolate chip cookies with milk. So I'm going to give Daddy a glass of milk.' With that thought Brandon goes into the dining room and drags a chair from the dining room into the kitchen, leaving a trail of scratch marks on the floor. Brandon climbs up on the chair and hitches himself onto the counter to pull at the cabinet door. Wham! It smashes against the adjacent cabinet door, leaving a gash where the handle hit it. Brandon reaches for a glass, accidentally knocking two others off the shelf. Crash! Tinkle, tinkle! But Brandon doesn't care. He's thinking, 'I'm going to get Daddy some milk!' Meanwhile, Brandon's dad is watching all this, wondering if he should step in and save the rest of his kitchen. He decides, for the moment, to watch a little more as Brandon scrambles off the chair, dodging the pieces of broken glass, and heads for the refrigerator. Pulling violently on the refrigerator door, Brandon flings it wide open - and it stays open, of course. Brandon puts the glass on the floor - out of harm's way, supposedly - and grabs, not the little half gallon of milk, but the big gallon container that is full of milk. He rips open the top, pours it in the vicinity of the glass, and even manages to get some milk in the glass. The rest goes all over the floor. Finally done, Brandon puts the milk carton on the floor and picks up the glass yelling, "Daddy, I got something for you!" He runs into the living room, trips, and spills milk all over the place - the floor, the sofa, his dad. Brandon stands up and looks around. He sees broken glass, milk everywhere, cabinets open, and his dad with milk from his eyebrows to his toes, and starts to cry. Through his tears, he looks up at his dad with that pained expression that says, "What are you going to do to me?" His dad only smiles. He doesn't see a kid that just destroyed his house. Instead he sees a beautiful little boy whom he loves very much. It doesn't matter what he's done. Brandon's dad stretches his arms out to hold his little boy tight and says, "This is my son!" When we talk about God as our Father, the kind of father we're talking about is Brandon's father. God is a father who loves us unconditionally, even though we make a real mess of things. This is the truth within our reading this morning. He desires to love you like that too!

Family

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” (Genesis 22:1-14 ESV). One of the readings I have chosen for this week is this passage in Genesis. Perhaps for several reasons I am drawn to thoughts of the family. While I was away in Kipnuk, Alaska last week I missed not being able to talk to my family anytime I wanted as there wasn’t any service available. Perhaps it is best to start at the beginning. What is family? Is it middle class, of European descent, living in Vermont in the 1950's, a mom, a dad, one son, one daughter, a dog, and a cat? Or is it a Hebrew woman who surrenders her son to the Nile that he might live as an adopted heir in Pharaoh's court. Adoption is an image of family that popular culture rarely invokes. Almost everyone is close to, or directly involved in an adoptive family, families that often cross class, ethnicity, geography, and time. There are now, and have always been, families where grandparents are parenting a grandchild; where an aunt in a far away state raises a nephew; where children of color are welcomed into predominately white families (and vice-versa); or where the boundaries of class and income are erased for yet another Broadway Annie or Oliver. It is a fact that families are complicated, sometimes painful alignments born out of suffering and sadness that give hope and purpose to both parent and child. Family is about sacrifice. The very heart of family is centered in sacrifice. It makes demands upon our individualistic freedoms. Husbands give themselves to their wives and wives give themselves to their husbands so that the two, wishing to create a mutual relationship sacrifice some liberties, in order that they might become one, a "one" of greater value. That’s the message of Abraham’s experience in our reading this morning. The sacrifice asked of Abraham was extreme, but for the Hebrews nothing less than the identity of the family of God was at stake. Although much is made of Abraham's faith, what about his personal surrender of that which for him was his most personal treasure? It is hard today to fully understand that Abraham was surrendering not only his child, but also his legacy, his own identity. However, family in the eyes of God demands just that! What kind of sacrifice are you willing to make for your family? Putting God first means putting others first also. This is especially true in the family. The more you give, the more you may receive.

Counting the Cost

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:27-38 ESV). A farmer went to town to buy a new pickup truck. He had seen the advertisements in the local paper about the low costs and factory rebates. After picking out the vehicle he liked best, he proceeded to write a check. The salesman said, "Wait, I haven’t told you the final price yet." The farmer said, "You advertised your price in the paper." "Yes," replied the salesman, "but that was for a basic pickup, all the options cost extra." About six months later, the farmer got a phone call from that same salesman. It seems he needed to buy a cow for his son’s agriculture project. The farmer assured him he had several nice milk cows for sale for $500 each. The car dealer picked out the cow he wanted and proceeded to write a check. The farmer said, "Wait, I haven’t told you the final price yet." He then handed him this bill: Basic Cow: $500.00 Two-tone Exterior: 45.00 Extra Stomach: 75.00 Product Storing Equipment: 60.00 Straw Compartment: 120.00 Four Spigots @ $10.00 each: 40.00 Leather Upholstery: 125.00 Dual Horns: 45.00 Automatic Fly-swatter: 38.00 Fertilizer Attachment: 185.00 GRAND TOTAL $1,233.00 Funny how easy it is to be misled when we fail to “count the cost.” In today’s reading, which is above, Jesus reminds the disciples that there is a cost attached to following Him. That cost may be summed up in one word: selflessness. When we begin to think of others more than ourselves, we have captured the essence of Christ’s way!

Seeing Past Satan

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:31-38 ESV). Today I want to focus on Jesus’ response to Peter. It furthers our thoughts on the gift of salvation that we receive through Christ. There are three times we know of that Jesus teaches His disciples the meaning of His death on the cross. Each time they are dismayed and shocked that He would even think of dying. They did not understand at all the necessity of His sacrifice. They still were under the deception of the law. Peter’s rebuke is a clear expression of this misunderstanding. Why? Mark suggests Peter is radically uncomfortable with Jesus' speaking of these ultimate things, of God and of death. He doesn't understand what place death could have in the kingdom promised by Jesus. He doesn't yet see Jesus for who he is. And for that, Jesus identifies Peter with Satan, the one he battled in the wilderness and the one we battle during our lives. Satan and demonology are always difficult for Christians to grasp. The saddest part of all this is that most people fail to recognize the reality of the devil at all. Some laugh at the concept picturing Satan as some red-suited being with horns, a tail, and carrying a pitchfork! While I still don't know exactly what Satan looks like, I do know of the reality of his existence. I have seen the evidence of his work in the world. I have read of his existence in the Scripture. Those two things alone are enough to open my eyes to the truth of Satan’s reality. That having been said, what difference does that knowledge make? It brings me to the truth Jesus shows the disciples in our reading this morning. Satan is that which prevents us from seeing Jesus for who he is. Jesus calls us to be His disciples. Discipleship simply means a life that springs from grace. Martin Luther has said, “a religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing is worth nothing.” Satan’s greatest lie compels us to believe that following Christ costs nothing. The truth is that it will cost us everything!

Windows of Opportunity

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this. (Psalm 92:1-6 ESV). From time to time I am invited to give a devotional talk to various groups. Typically these groups are of different traditions. As I read this morning’s verses, I remembered one particular group, a local Lion’s Club, in which I used Psalm 92 as the basis for my thoughts. My appeal to them that evening was to consider measuring their happiness by a very different standard than one we are normally accustomed to. Instead of bottom lines, positive cash flow, net assets, hours spent in the office, why not evaluate the health of their business and their personal lives by how much time they gave to themselves personally, to their families, and most important, to their God? As I shared my thoughts, I could see in their faces a polite agreement to hear me out, but a silent message that said all too clearly that no matter what, time will always mean money. For centuries Western civilization has lived the philosophy that we are a self-made people. We work hard, play by the rules, minimize our mistakes, and maximize our opportunities, always living by a tenuous promise that we're certain someday to have it all. Psalm 92, David's psalm for the Sabbath, refocuses and prioritizes our lives from the horizontal to the vertical plane; to the spiritual dimension where great are His works, not ours, and profound are His thoughts, not ours. Every seven days the Sabbath challenges us to self-examination of time and priorities and life direction. Even though most of us do not formally worship on the Sabbath, it ought to give us an opportunity to examine our “windows.” Before you this week are six 24-hour "windows" of opportunity. For those six days you will work, study, play, achieve, and probably accumulate a little. At the end of those six days God has set a seventh day that calls you to a higher place. A place of refuge and communion where He alone, not we ourselves, is Lord. A place in time where we recognize that we are not the owners of ourselves, or our time, or our fortunes. They all are His. "Fools" do not understand how this works, but through the experience of this kind of worship we may understand and know that all we have is His, and all we have, including how we spend our time, must glorify Him!

The Domino Effect

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalm 25:3-5 ESV). Sometimes the most insignificant acts result in the most significant things. And, many times we don’t know how significant that act might be until many years later. It is like the toppling of dominos, one leads to another. The following is such a story. Edward Kimball was concerned about one of his young Sunday school students who worked at a shoe store in town. One day Kimball visited him at the store, found the student in the back stocking shoes, and led him to Christ then and there. Dwight L. Moody eventually left the shoe store to become one of the greatest preachers and evangelists of all time. Moody, whose international speaking took him to the British Isles, preached in a little chapel pastored by a young man with the imposing name of Frederic Brotherton Meyer. In his sermon Moody told an emotionally charged story about a Sunday school teacher he had known in Chicago who personally went to every student in his class and led every one of them to Christ. That message changed Pastor Meyer's entire ministry, inspiring him to become an evangelist like Moody. Over the years Meyer came to America several times to preach. Once in Northfield, Massachusetts, confused young preacher sitting in the back row heard Meyer say, "If you are not willing to give up everything for Christ, are you willing to be made willing?" That remark led J. Wilbur Chapman to respond to the call of God on his life. Chapman went on to become one of the most effective evangelists of his time. A volunteer by the name of Billy Sunday helped set up his crusades and learned how to preach by watching Chapman. Sunday eventually took over Chapman's ministry, becoming one of the most dynamic evangelists of the 20th century. In the great arenas of the nation, Billy Sunday's preaching turned thousands of people to Christ. Inspired by a 1924 Billy Sunday crusade in Charlotte, North Carolina, a committee of Christians there dedicated themselves to reaching that city for Christ. The committee invited the evangelist Mordecai Ham to hold a series of evangelistic meetings in 1932. A lanky 16-year-old sat in the huge crowd one evening, spellbound by the message of the white-haired preacher, who seemed to be shouting and waving his lone finger at him. Night after night the teenager attended and finally went forward to give his life to Christ. The teenager's name? Billy Graham--the man who has undoubtedly communicated the gospel of Jesus Christ to more people than any other man in history. Remember what the first “domino” was? A man named Kimball, concerned for one of his students, visited him at a shoe store, and in doing that, he changed the world. Millions of people have been affected by his decision to go to that shoe store and share the gospel with one person. And millions more will continue to feel the impact of it. He merely walked in the path the Lord had shown him. How about you? Are you walking in that path?

Happy Endings

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 6:9-13 ESV). I enjoy true stories with happy endings. The following is such a story. A middle-aged woman named Norma expressed that she felt like the walls of the church would crumble when she took the first steps to know Jesus Christ in the summer of 1995. At one time, Norma was steeped in a life of drinking, drugs, sexual immorality and confusion. Today, 'Miss Norma' (as she likes to be called) is sober and has a totally different outlook on life. "God has just gotten into my heart," she states. What's more, she is now a staunch supporter of the pro-life movement. What makes this last statement significant is that most people may better know Miss Norma as "Jane Roe," the former plaintiff in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling of "Roe V Wade" on abortion. What is most inspiring about this 49 year old woman's story is that her conversion to Christianity is viable proof of how Christ can so completely turn around a life when there is true repentance and a desire to do what is acceptable in the sight of God. The Scripture in our reading today relays that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The Apostle Paul also teaches us that the Lord is rich in mercy to those who call upon Him (Cf. Ephesians 2:4-5). Like billions of others who have barely escaped eternal damnation in Hell, Miss Norma's initial apprehension when entering church was due to the realization that she, like all of us, are sinners, and that it is only through God's grace that we may be saved. It is not an easy task to admit that we have failed God. Thankfully, God is not there to condemn those who cry out to Him, but to rejoice and tenderly guide us into His loving arms. When there is genuine remorse for transgressions of the past, there is a desire for a better way, a way that is pure and acceptable in God's eyes. And like Miss Norma's dramatic turn-around, the Bible declares that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). What a truly great and loving Father we have! Will your story have a happy ending?

Possibilities and Hope

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. (Ruth 1:1-7 ESV). The English poet Alexander Pope wrote, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.” But where does man turn when hope dries up? The director of a medical clinic told of a terminally ill young man who came in for his usual treatment. A new doctor who was on duty said to him casually and cruelly, “You know, don’t you, that you won’t live out the year?” As the young man left, he stopped by the director’s desk and wept. “That man took away my hope,” he blurted out. “I guess he did,” replied the director. “Maybe it’s time to find a new one.” Commenting on this incident, Lewis Smedes wrote, “Is there a hope when hope is taken away? Is there hope when the situation is hopeless? That question leads us to Christian hope, for in the Bible, hope is no longer a passion for the possible. It becomes a passion for the promise.” The book of Ruth in the Old Testament of the Bible tells the story of a young lady who lost her husband, her brother-in-law, and her father-in law. Was there the possibility of a better life for Ruth? Could her sorrowing mother-in-law, Naomi, also find a new beginning? These ladies traveled back to Bethlehem, their hometown. Being poor, Ruth picked grain left by reapers in the harvest field. The Bible says Ruth happened into the field of a relative of Naomi by the name of Boaz. As the story unfolds, Boaz helps Ruth and Naomi with food. Boaz also takes the legal steps necessary to return the family farm to Naomi. In the process, he and Ruth are married. This is a charming story of possibilities, hope, love, and new beginnings. But these two women, who lost everything, would never have experienced a new start in life by sitting around and sulking. The same is true with you and me. We can bemoan our poverty, ill health, or lack of education. And we can wallow in self-pity. Or we can place ourselves in the position where the unexpected can happen. As this is true on a physical plane, it is true on the spiritual level. When we place ourselves under the promise of God found in the Scripture, we may now see and experience the possibilities that hope brings. Perhaps it is time for you to return to Judah!

Helping One Another

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:15-16 ESV). There are some wonderful modern parables. The following story, written by George Downs, is one of those: A mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package; what food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a mousetrap! Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning, "There is a mouse trap in the house, there is a mouse trap in the house." The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell you this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me; I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mouse trap in the house." "I am so very sorry Mr. Mouse," sympathized the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray; be assured that you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow, who replied, "Like wow, Mr. Mouse, a mouse trap; am I in grave danger, Duh?" So the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, in fact, she died, and so many people came for her funeral the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat. The moral to this story is very easy to see. We really are all “in this together”! The next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when the least of us is threatened, we are all at risk. Doing good to all people certainly means that we concern ourselves with helping others with their problems. Sympathy and understanding are two of the qualities that make a true friend. How “friendly” are you really?

The Parable of the Stonecutter

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV). Whenever I am gone for a few days the emails really pile up in my inbox. I normally glance at them all and read every one of those that are identified with a name I recognize. One of those contained the following modern parable. I couldn’t help but think how contemporary the thought is. It was about a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day the stonecutter passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!" Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!" Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!" Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!" Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. "How powerful that rock is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a rock!" Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the rock?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter. It is a sad truth that so many people cannot overcome the “greener grass syndrome.” The lesson from Ecclesiastes certainly encourages us to learn contentment with our present. Ask God to strengthen your sense of contentment today. The way to happiness is rarely through change of your circumstances, it is through changing of yourself!

Primed and Ready

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). Melvin McDonald served in the Canadian Navy during World War II. One Monday, the 79-year-old McDonald and his wife showed up at the front desk at police headquarters in Winnipeg. His opening line to the police officer that offered to assist him was, "I got a grenade." He wasn't making a threat, mind you, just stating a fact. With that, he took a hand grenade out of a brown paper bag and gave it to the officer. The shocked constable kept his head. He did, however, call the bomb squad immediately. Then things really started to happen. Most of the main floor of the Public Safety Building was evacuated, the fire department was put on alert, and the bomb squad showed up with all its sophisticated paraphernalia. The grenade was still primed and ready with explosive. Its fuse was intact. "I've had it in the house all these years," the veteran said. "I used to have it on a stand." His nephew had suggested it ought to be turned over to the police. An embarrassed McDonald apologized for all the commotion he caused. It was only a keepsake from a training exercise in Scotland in the early 1940’s. Many people today are carrying around a “grenade” which is primed and ready also. It’s not a physical explosive, but one just as deadly. That explosive would be unresolved conflict and anger. One of the unhealthiest ways to live is by burying and denying unresolved anger, hurts, or bitterness from the past. These are the supercharged, repressed, negative emotions that, like an old live hand grenade, when triggered can cause an emotional explosion and severely damage or destroy close relationships. On the other hand, if these emotions stay buried and get triggered, they can cause an implosion and destroy a person's health and well being. Like all of God's directives, it is not without good reason that the Bible advises us to get rid of these destructive emotions. And we don't get rid of them by burying them and denying their existence. It is imperative that they are recognized, expressed in creative rather than destructive ways, and resolved. The apostle Paul has a solution to getting rid of such conflict in our reading this morning. He uses three words. We are to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. Kindness is a graciousness that is rooted in a tender heart, someone who may truly empathize with another’s plight. These two lead us to forgiveness. Give it a try.

Making Your Mark

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV). Many years ago as I was walking through a park, I noticed a bench beside the path. It was made of wood. It looked quite old and had served as the repository of a history of the people who had passed that way. Some folks merely marked the moment of their passing by carving their names in the bench. I suppose it was their way of “leaving their mark.” I began to do some thinking about that and realized that most people I know DO want to somehow let the world know that they were here. I am not saying that carving your initials in a bench will accomplish that. There are many other ways to do that effectively. Some people may accomplish this by doing something wonderful for mankind, as discovering a helpful vaccine, or contributing a great collection of art, while others may draw attention to them self by committing an evil, such as in how Adolf Hitler is now remembered for his attempt to exterminate all the Jews of the world. Of course there are less impactful things to do that will leave our mark on society too. Our time here on this earth is so short, isn't it? Being a dad to three young men I tend to reminisce quite often. One evening last week when we had a fellowship at our home, Faith and Logan came around the corner of the house. Kyle was with them and I began to think that it seemed like just yesterday when I was holding him in my lap. Time seems to slip by so quickly. Today I am especially reminded of that fact since it is my 64th birthday! Well, my hope is that I have left a mark on my family and others that will produce positive things. There really can be no better way to leave a legacy. All of my sons have made me so proud to be their dad. In spite of the mistakes I may have made along the way, they have been able to develop truth and character in their lives. When people remark how much we look alike, I am very proud. But, when people say that we act alike, I am sobered in thinking that I had such an influence in their lives. What about you? What type of mark will others remember you for? It is never too late to turn your life around, and it is never too soon to reach out to God for direction. Begin to make your positive mark today!

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. (Psalm 11:4-5 ESV). It's a small rectangle hidden among the gauges clustered on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel. It flashes briefly when you turn the ignition on, along with other system checks like anti-lock brakes, to let you know the system is ready to perform its prescribed job. After briefly flashing at start-up indicating all is well, it is blank and dormant as you drive happily on your way. What happens, however when inexplicably, it glows yellow and warns, "Check Engine?” What do you check and why? The engine shows no obvious signs of anything except running down the road in good condition. The Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board established regulations requiring on-board diagnostics systems on cars and light-duty trucks (pickups, vans and SUVs) beginning with the 1994 model year. All '96 and newer cars and trucks have a powerful computer which uses second-generation on-board diagnostics, or OBDII, technology. The purpose of the OBDII system is to ensure proper emission-control system operation for the vehicle's lifetime by monitoring emission related components and systems for deterioration and malfunction. When the OBDII system determines that an emission problem exists, the computer illuminates the dashboard light indicating "Service Engine Soon" or "Check Engine" or displays an engine symbol. This light, usually yellow in color, serves to inform the driver that a problem has been detected and vehicle service is needed. The system is also continuously checking information from the engine and transmission sensors against data stored in its memory. When one of hundreds of faults is found, the check engine light comes on and stays on. This can mean many things, from an oxygen sensor malfunction to a fouled spark plug. It may be no more than a gas cap not fully tightened. The continuous light tells the driver that something is amiss, and to bring the vehicle in for service. This is usually not an emergency situation and it isn't necessary to immediately bring the car to the dealership. However, you shouldn’t drive for more than a few days with the light on. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a “Check Engine Light” installed in our bodies? We do have a powerful “on-board computer.” The Holy Spirit’s presence within us is the voice of reason in our lives. Sometimes it is merely a small voice of warning, while at other times it is a blaring siren. Tragically, there are those who have come to ignore the warnings and merely “drive on.” Perhaps you’re doing that now. Take a few moments and listen to the voice of God directing you. Confess your sin. Ask for the power to change your life. It will amaze you how much better you will feel.