Seven Deadly Sins

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

Happy Thanksgiving - Part 2

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

Happy Thanksgiving - Part 1

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

Woodpeckers, Rocks, and Dirt Clods

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

How Gullible Are We?

A freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26, 1997. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmist practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.” Of course he listed several good reasons for this action since it:  Can cause excessive sweating and vomiting.  It is a major component in acid rain.  It can cause severe burns in its gaseous state.  Accidental inhalation can kill you.  It decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.  It has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients. He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical. Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew that the chemical was H2O, or common water. The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?” He felt the conclusion is obvious. After reading this account, I wondered, How gullible are we? Fear is one of the most destructive emotions we face in our lives. And, yet, we seem to welcome it as if it were an old friend. There really is no reason to embrace this emotion in our spiritual journey. The disciples learned this truth vividly in their experience with Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee. On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:35-41 ESV). It is true that, sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child. That calm comes from understanding and accepting His constant care. “Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear.” (1 John 4:18 ESV). His promise to us is to never leave us alone to face the unknowns of our lives. Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a ferocious lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.” “Sure,” replied and his companion. “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?” It can seem that the devil hasn’t “read the book,” but he has. And, he must abide by its truth. God’s promise is to be with us, to never leave us. With that truth, resist the devil and he will flee from you! Watch your fears dissipate as He calms the storms, or calms your heart. Rest and walk in Him today. The lion has read the Book!

The Law

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

One More Thing

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

You Don't Have to Catch Them All

Charlie Brown may be one of the best sources for philosophy in the world! Once, when Charlie Brown was going away for a couple of days, Linus says to him, "I guess I won't be seeing you until Monday, Charlie Brown, so have a happy weekend." To which Charlie Brown replies, "Thank you." Then, after he ponders for a moment, Charlie asks, "Incidentally, what is happiness?" Perhaps you have been asking that question also. Today, as we consider another installment in the “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff Series,” think about this principle: If someone throws you the ball, you’ don’t have to catch it! Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 43:1-5 ESV). Many of our inner struggles come from our desire to “fix” those around us. Through genuine concern and love for others, we assume that when they “throw” one of their problems at us, we need to catch. The truth is, you don’t. Remembering that you don’t have to catch the ball is a very effective way to reduce the stress in your life. This doesn’t mean that you never catch the ball, only that it’s your choice to do so. Neither does it mean that you don’t care about others, or that you’re crass or unhelpful. Developing a more tranquil outlook on life requires that we know our own limits and that we take responsibility for our part in the process. Let’s paint the image more clearly. We are all called on to “juggle” the demands of life. Like the juggler in the circus act, we may be able to do five, six, or a dozen balls at once. However, all of us have a limit. When that limit is exceeded, we don’t merely drop one or two, but all of them fall to the ground. The key is in not accepting more than you are capable of handling. Balls are thrown at us from many different directions each day – at work, from our children, friends, neighbors, salespeople, strangers, even our spouses. If we try to catch them all we will ultimately feel victimized, resentful, or overwhelmed. Even something so simple and common like answering the phone when you’re really too busy to talk is a form of catching the ball. By answering the phone, you are willingly taking part in an interaction that you may not have the time, energy, or mind-set for at that moment. By simply not answering the phone, you are taking responsibility for your own peace of mind. I know the common response is “But, what if it’s an emergency?” Invest in an answering machine. If it’s truly an emergency, you can pick it up. This same principle applies to being insulted or criticized. When someone throws an idea or comment in your direction, you can catch it and feel hurt, or you can let it fall by itself and go on with your day. It does take practice, but focusing on our heavenly Father brings hope and joy into our life. Focus on Him and not others. Go to His altar and praise Him this morning. It takes a conscious effort, but it is well worth it!

Avoid Weatherproofing

I heard a story about a truck driver who dropped in at an all-night restaurant in Broken Bow, Nebraska. The waitress had just served him when three swaggering, leather-jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell's Angels type - entered and rushed up to him, apparently spoiling for a fight. One grabbed the hamburger off his plate; another took a handful of his French fries; and the third picked up his coffee and began to drink it. The trucker did not respond as one might expect. Instead, he calmly rose, picked up his check, walked to the front of the room, put the check and his money on the cash register, and went out the door. The waitress followed him to put the money in the till and stood watching out the door as the big truck drove away into the night. When she returned, one of the cyclists said to her, "Well, he's not much of a man, is he?" She replied, "I can't answer as to that, but he's not much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles out in the parking lot." Please do not misunderstand me. I am not advocating revenge as an appropriate response to others. In fact, just the opposite is true. Listen to the Apostle Paul in his famous chapter dealing with love: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:1-6 ESV). It is cold today as I write this devotional. Perhaps that is the reason for my titling it as I have. Our house is relatively new, just three years old. And, as is true with any structure, especially as they begin to age a bit, there are always those places that need to be weatherproofed. However, when it comes to relationships, “weatherproofing” is the most destructive behavior we can follow. In fact, it is also destructive in our lives. When we weatherproof our houses, we look for cracks, leaks, and imperfections. We may also be doing that in our lives and relationships with others. We ought to take great care when we go looking for the imperfections and flaws of our lives or that of others. It causes us to look for the things that we don’t like rather than rejoicing over the things that we do like. Obviously an occasional comment, constructive criticism, or helpful guidance isn’t cause for alarm. It is the constant rebuilding of ourselves or another that destroys us and our relationship with others. It just isn’t living by the principle of love. Today, determine to say something nice to yourself and someone else. See what a difference it will make in how you feel. Even if they’ve done something to hurt you, repay them with kindness. Watch the difference it will make in your life today!

Wherever You Go, There You Are

Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of the book Man's Search For Meaning, was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Second World War because he was a Jew. His wife, his children, and his parents were all killed in the holocaust. The Gestapo made him strip. He stood there totally naked. As they cut away his wedding band, Viktor said to himself. "You can take away my wife, you can take away my children, you can strip me of my clothes and my freedom, but there is one thing no person can EVER take away from me -- and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me!" Even under the most difficult of circumstances, happiness is a choice which transforms our tragedies into triumph. One of the ways that we may choose this happiness for our lives is in the practice of the principle that “wherever you go, there you are.” The following psalm of David speaks to this truth: Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:1-9 ESV). We all tend to believe at one time or another that if we were somewhere else – on vacation, with another partner, in a different career, a different home, a different circumstance – somehow we’d be happier and more content. The truth is, if you have destructive mental habits – if you get annoyed and bothered easily, if you feel angry and frustrated a great deal of the time, or if you are constantly wishing things were different, these identical tendencies will follow you wherever you go. And, the opposite is also true. If you are generally a happy person who rarely gets annoyed and bothered, then you can move from place to place, from person to person, with very little negative impact. That’s what David meant when he closed this paragraph of Psalm 37 by saying, “…those that trust in the Lord will possess the land.” Life is like driving an automobile. It must be driven from the inside, not the outside! As we learn to focus more on becoming more peaceful with where we are, rather than where we would rather be, then we begin to experience peace. An older man taught me a beautiful lesson one-day when I casually wished him a good day. He remarked, "They're all good days. It's what we put in them that changes them.” What are you going to put into your day today? Remember, wherever you go, there you are!

Present Tense Please

Charlie Brown comments to Lucy in the cartoon "Peanuts," "Someone has said that we should live each day as if it were the last day of our life." "Aaugh!" cries Lucy. "This is the last day! This is it!" She dashes away screaming, "I only have 24 hours left! Help me! Help me! This is the last day! Aaugh!" Charlie Brown, left alone, muses, "Some philosophies aren't for all people." Jesus said it another way: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV). To a large degree, the measure of our peace is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. Irrespective of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present is where you are – always! When the past, with all of its failures and frustrations, crowd into our present we lose our sense of well being. Or, when we allow the challenges and fears of the future to dominate our thinking we lose the moment of joy we have been given today. “Someday” is today for the child of God! Jim Reed says in his book, The Way I Heer’d It, “Our minister says worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere." It is so tragic that so many people live life in the “rocking chair.” It is as if they have accepted the philosophy that life is no more than a dress rehearsal for some later performance. It isn’t! In fact, the truth is that no one has a guarantee that they will even see tomorrow on this earth. Charlie Brown was right about that! Today may be the last day of our life. It certainly is the only day that we have control over. So, today, would you live you life in the present tense, please? Push fear out of your mind. For just a few moments bring your concern to the present. Find that one good thing that is happening in your life right now – as small and insignificant as it may seem. Focus and direct your thoughts to the goodness of that thing. And, now thank Him for it. Thank Him for that one moment. Let the peace of God now begin to seep into your soul and know that you are in the best of hands!

The Bottomless In-Basket

So many of us have endless “to do” lists and bottomless “in baskets.” We live our lives as if the secret purpose is to somehow get everything done. We stay up late, get up early, avoid having fun, and keep our loved ones waiting. Sadly, I’ve seen many people who put off their loved ones so long that they lose interest in maintaining the relationship. Often we convince ourselves that our obsession with our “to do” list is only temporary, that once we get through the list, we’ll be calm, relaxed, and happy. But in reality, this rarely happens. As items are checked off, new ones simply replace them. Steven Covey writes in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “It's incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busyness of life, to work harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall.” He is so right! The nature of our “in basket” is that it’s meant to have items to be completed in it, it is NOT meant to be empty. There will always be phone calls that need to be made, projects to be completed, and work to be done. In fact, it can be argued that a full “in basket” is essential for success. Listen to the Wisdom of Solomon: What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. (Ecclesiastes 3:9-15, ESV). Lettie Cowman's wonderful book, Springs in the Valley, brings us this interesting tale from African colonial history: “In the deep jungles of Africa, a traveler was making a long trek. Coolies had been engaged from a tribe to carry the loads. The first day they marched rapidly and went far. The traveler had high hopes of a speedy journey. But the second morning these jungle tribesmen refused to move. For some strange reason they just sat and rested. On inquiry as to the reason for this strange behavior, the traveler was informed that they had gone too fast the first day, and that they were now waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.” Then Mrs. Cowman concludes with this penetrating exhortation: “This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us what that first march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The difference: they knew what they needed to restore life's balance; too often we do not.” If you’re obsessed with “getting it all done,” you’ll never have peace in your life. In reality, almost everything can wait a bit. Very little in our life really falls into the “emergency” category. I have found that if I remind myself that the purpose of life isn’t to get it all done, but to enjoy each step along the way and live a life filled with the peace and presence of Christ, it is far easier to control my obsessive behavior. And, then I actually get more done! Amazing as it is, it is the truth of Scripture.

These Unalienable Rights

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

The Satanic Toos

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

Making Peace with Imperfection

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

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Solomon’s wisdom often cuts right to the center of contemporary life, even though it was written nearly three thousand years ago. Listen to this wise king: Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. (Ecclesiastes 10:1-4, 8-10, ESV). Once we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that, upon closer examination, aren’t really that bid a deal, we become like the man described by Solomon. He calls such a man foolish. Anxiety and frustration leads to foolishness. It is unproductive and destructive. Often we focus on little problems and concerns and blow them out of proportion. A stranger, for example, might cut in front of us in traffic. Rather than let it go, and go on with our day, we convince ourselves that we are justified in our anger. We play out imaginary confrontations in our mind. Or, we let the “dead flies” stink up the bottle of perfume! The better approach is to let that driver have his accident somewhere else. In fact, it would be far better to have compassion on such a person and remember how painful it is to be in such an enormous hurry! There are many other “small stuff” examples that occur everyday in our lives. Whether we have to wait in line, listen to unfair criticism, or do the lion’s share of the work, it pays enormous dividends if we learn not to worry about little things. Don’t sweat the small stuff! It’s one of the ways that we can “sharpen the blade” which will get us in touch with the joy and beauty of life. In the coming days, I’ll spend a little time looking at some of the “small stuff” of life and how the Scripture teaches us to deal with each of them. It is not a matter of deprivation, but focus. The key principle is to never let outward circumstances determine our inward happiness. The following imaginary story illustrates how NOT to live our lives. Have a blessed day today… and DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF! A man decided to join a monastery and one of the rules of the group was that you were only allowed to speak two words every ten years. At the end of ten years he said, "Bad food!" Ten more years went by and he said, "Hard bed!" Finally, on his 30th anniversary with the brothers, he thundered, "I quit!" And the priest in charge responded, "You might as well. All you do is complain anyway."

Singing in a Cesspool

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

The Singing God

It is a little difficult to imagine God singing, isn’t it? We have many references to God “speaking” in the Bible, but He also sings! I wonder what God’s voice sounds like when He breaks forth in song. Bass? Tenor? Baritone? Or is there some indefinable blending of each? Or does He even sound anything remotely like a singing man? John Piper has answered the question, at least for himself: “I hear the booming of Niagara Falls mingled with the trickle of a mossy stream. I hear the blast of Mount St. Helen’s mingled with a kitten’s purr. I hear the power of an East Coast hurricane and the barely audible puff of a night snow in the woods. And I hear the unimaginable roar of the sun, 865,000 miles thick, 1,300,000 times bigger than the earth, and nothing but fire, 1,000,000 degrees of centigrade on the coolest surface of the corona. But I hear this unimaginable roar mingled with the tender, warm crackling of logs in the living room on a cozy winter’s night.” Perhaps so, but the real question to answer is what it sounds like, but what He sings and why He sings it! He sings of His love for you! This is the crowning jewel of Zephaniah’s prophecy: The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV). Let me tell you the story of “Karen” (not her real name). She is a compulsive eater who struggles with obesity. She has been as much as one hundred pounds overweight and has nothing but contempt for herself. Karen has tried dozens of weight-loss programs. Only one has proven to be successful at all. She lost over fifty pounds and appeared to be well on her way to a happier, healthier life. But, she recalls looking at herself in a mirror and saying, “I’m still fat and ugly. I may weigh less, but I’m still the contemptible failure I’ve always been.” It was no surprise that her weight soon returned. All her life she had been told, “You are what you do. You are what other people perceive you to be. You are how you appear.” Performance, and especially physical beauty, became the measure of her personal value. It seemed as if Karen had every excuse in the world to question the truth of Zephaniah 3:17! Perhaps you feel a little like Karen; perhaps not because of physical failures, but emotional or spiritual failures. I have good news for you this morning! Read and meditate on the following verses: He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:10-13 ESV). So, join me in a quiet moment and listen… listen to the heavenly aria of God’s unfathomable love for you! He doesn’t just say it. He doesn’t just write it. He doesn’t just tell others who in turn pass it on to you. God sings to you, “I love you, oh, how I love you! My child, I love you!”

Better Than Sparrows

The one thing that gives us hope, conquers our despair, and brings strength for the struggles of life is the assurance that no matter what we have done in the past, God loves us! Pain becomes bearable and tomorrow no longer terrifies us when our soul is touched with the reality of God’s shear delight with us. That sounds almost too good to be true, but Jesus’ own words underscore this reality: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31 ESV). Have you ever been to the aviary at the zoo? Have you noticed that there will always be brightly colored parrots, funny looking toucans, huge eagles and hawks, numerous other species all providing an incredible visual of the grandeur of the world of birds? All of them will be in cages of some sort. I’m sure these cages are as much to keep others out as they are to keep them in, but they are caged nevertheless. Have you also noticed that no matter how many species of birds are on display, there are never any sparrows in the cages? They are so numerous and frequently seen that no one seems to care about them roaming freely about the zoo. Sparrow weren’t any more valuable in Jesus’ day than they are in ours. You could purchase two of them for a penny! Who could possibly care about a sparrow? Well, God does! Jesus said, not one, not even one falls from the sky that God doesn’t take note of it. God cares, even about the sparrows! But there is much better news for us. We are much more loved than the sparrows. Jesus said, “the hairs on our heads are numbered.” I know that number is greater for some than for others, but they are all still numbered! And, if God cares enough about us to number the hairs of our head, how much do you think he cares about our hurts and sorrows, our thoughts and worries? I know there are those times when we feel forgotten and alone, but His promise is to always be with us. Listen to the Scripture: I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in safety. (Psalm 16:8-9 ESV). The second page of this morning’s devotional is a poem I have written. Perhaps it will be a little reminder to you of the wonder of His love.

Naked, Hungry, and Cold

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

The Fire Is Good

Someone once looked deeply into my heart and proclaimed, “The fire is good!” At the time I couldn’t really appreciate the full truth of that simple statement. However, now many years later, I am beginning to appreciate how wonderful the fire really can be in God’s hands. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. (Luke 21:17-19 ESV) Robert Murray McCheyne, wrote: “Every wise workman takes his tools away from the work from time to time that they may be ground and sharpened; so does the only-wise Jehovah take his ministers oftentimes away into darkness and loneliness and trouble, that he may sharpen and prepare them for harder work in his service.” For every child of God there is a time of “sharpening.” It is a work of love and grace, not hate and punishment. In this work of grace I have discovered a few principles. Perhaps they will be of help in your walk through the fire as well. First, for Christians, there is always hope and joy beyond the suffering. Even when the source of our suffering is the vicious attack of the devil in his relentless effort to rob us of our joy and peace, we are not left alone and without hope. Jesus very matter-of-factly declares in today’s verse, “everyone will hate you because you are mine.” Take hope in being His! Second, God does not expect us to enjoy suffering. We do not sit under the sadistic eye of some cosmic ogre who takes delight in the hurt of his subjects. We are cradled in the palm of a gracious, loving Father. His promise is very clear: “not a hair of your head will perish.” He does not expect us to enjoy the pain of suffering. He asks us to trust Him through the pain, knowing that we will become stronger, wiser, and better through it. Someone has said, “Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven.” Ted Engstrom said, “Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Strike him down in infantile paralysis, and he becomes Franklin Roosevelt. Deafen him, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Marian Anderson, a George Washington Carver. . . . Call him a slow learner; “retarded,” and write him off an uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.” The fire IS good!

The Protection of God

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2 ESV). There are many examples from the natural world of God’s protective provisions. Perhaps you have traveled through San Juan Capistrano. For hundreds of years these golden-breasted birds have spent their summers in the eaves of the old mission located there. They always arrive on March 19 and leave on October 23, never missing those dates. Not once have they varied over the years. Even leap year does not change the times of their coming and going. And the swallows invariably start out before daylight on their southern flight. Now, how would you explain this unusual phenomenon? Nature's guidance? Luck? Coincidence? Of course not! God has placed within them an instinct that tells them with uncanny accuracy when to head south and when to return. Their survival depends on this innate sense of timing. And, if He cares so much for these tiny little birds, consider how much more we mean to Him. God’s protection is unlimited. This psalm of David explains five basic truths of this protection.  God is like “a rock” that can’t be moved by any who would harm us.  God is like “a fortress” or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow.  God is “a shield” that comes between us and harm.  God is “a horn of salvation” which was a symbol of might and power  God is “a stronghold high above our enemies.” Knowing these truths should bring encouragement to continue in our walk. There really is nothing impossible for our heavenly Father. Nancy Spiegelberg has written a wonderful bit of verse: Lord I crawled across the barrenness to you… with my empty cup… uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known you better… I’d have come running… with a bucket. Do you have your bucket with you today?

The Good Shepherd

Throughout the years there have been those times when I have been called on to bring comfort at a most difficult time. One of those times was at the bedside of a dear friend who lay dying of cancer. He was unconscious and very near death as the family and I gathered around his bed. I could think of no better words of comfort than those written by David so many centuries ago, now found in Psalm 23. The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. The duties of a shepherd in the Middle East were very simple. At first light he would lead the flock from their fold, always marching ahead, leading and never driving them to the next pasture. When they would arrive, he would stand watch over them. His watch was two-fold. He carefully attended to them watching that none would stray into a dangerous area and he also watched the horizon for any danger creeping in from the perimeter. Wild animals and thieves were known to prowl the countryside looking for easy prey. All through the day, he would provide them with food and water to sustain them, protection to keep them safe, and guidance to keep them from losing their way. As the sun began to set, the shepherd would lead his flock to the safety of the fold once again. There he would remain guarding them through the darkness of the night. Perhaps you are not gathered around the bedside of a loved one today, but you are in need of the same kind of comfort that David and millions of others have found from this psalm today. Jesus is indeed our Good shepherd. He declares that truth: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me” (John 10:11,14). Like David, turn to the Good Shepherd and allow Him to lead you to the green pastures and still waters of life. In his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning tells about an incident which took place one day when a two-story house caught on fire. The family was making its way out of the house when the smallest boy became terrified, tore away from his mother, and ran back upstairs. Suddenly, he appeared at a smoke-filled window crying hysterically. Standing outside, his father shouted, “Jump, son, jump! I will catch you." The boy cried, "But daddy, I can't see you.” "I know,” his father called. “But I can see you." That's really all that matters, isn't it? He can see us, even when we can’t see Him. He does lead us. Now, will you follow? Pray this morning… “Dear Father, my Good Shepherd, wherever you lead, I will follow. Today, I choose to trust in you.”

Worry and the Faithfulness of God

Gordon MacDonald writes: “No man ever collapsed because of the burdens of the day; it is when the burdens of tomorrow are added to the cares of today that a man begins to sink.” Certainly this is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV). Because of the ill effects of worry, Jesus tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry does not produce positive results. In fact, worry may damage your health; cause the object of your worry to consume your thoughts; disrupt your productivity; negatively affect the way you treat others; and, reduce your ability to trust in God. There is the difference between worry and genuine concern—worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. Today let me make a few suggestions as you begin your week. First, instead of worrying about what we cannot do, we need to focus on what God can do. To “give him first place in your life” means to turn to God first for help, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if you don’t actively choose to give him first place in every area of your life. Second, we need to keep things in proper perspective. Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God’s guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. Worrying, in contrast, is being consumed by fear and finding it difficult to trust God. It is letting our plans interfere with our relationship with God. Don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today. The Apostle Paul wrote, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV). Your heavenly Father will NEVER let you down!

Falling Into the Arms of God - Part 3

The past two mornings we have talked about the first two steps to “falling into the arms of God”: first, being still before Him; and, second, worship and adoring him daily. Today, the third step we must practice is to let go of your fear and fall into His arms. Listen to the promise of Moses: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV). There once was a very pious Jewish couple living in a small village who had married young and full of love for one another. Their greatest hope was to have a child so their love could walk the earth with joy. Yet, there were difficulties. Since they were pious, they prayed and prayed and prayed. Along with considerable other efforts, the wife conceived. When she did conceive, she laughed louder than Sarah laughed when she conceived Isaac. And the child leaped in her womb more joyously than John did in the womb of Elizabeth when Mary visited her. And nine months later a delightful little boy came rumbling into the world. They named him Mordecai. He was rambunctious, zestful, gulping down the days and dreaming through the nights. The sun and the moon were his toys. He grew in age and wisdom and grace, until it was time for him to go to the synagogue and learn the Word of God. The night before his studies were to begin his parents sat Mordecai down and told him how important the Word of God was. The stressed that without the Word of God Mordecai would be an autumn leaf in the winter’s wind. He listened wide-eyed. Yet, the next day he never arrived at the synagogue. Instead he found himself in the woods, swimming in the lake and climbing the trees. When he came home that night, the news had spread throughout the small village. Everyone knew of his shame. His parents were beside themselves. They did not know what to do. So they called in the behavior modificationists to modify his behavior, until there was no behavior of Mordecai’s that was not modified. Nevertheless, the next day he found himself in the woods, swimming in the lake and climbing the trees. So they called in the psychoanalysts, who unblocked Mordecai’s blockages, so there was no more blocks for Mordecai to be blocked by. Nevertheless, he found himself the next day swimming in the lake and climbing the trees. His parents grieved for their beloved son. There seemed to be no hope. At the same time, the Great Rabbi visited the small village. And, the parents said, “Ah, perhaps the Rabbi can help!” So, they took Mordecai to the Rabbi and told him their tale of woe. The Rabbi bellowed, “Leave the boy with me, and I will have a talking with him!” It was bad enough that Mordecai would not go to the synagogue. But, to leave their beloved son alone with this lion of a man was terrifying. However, they had come this far, and so they left him. Now Mordecai stood in the hallway and the Great Rabbi stood in his parlor. He beckoned, “Boy, come here!” Trembling, Mordecai came forward. And then the Great Rabbi picked him up and held him silently against his heart. His parents came to get Mordecai, and they took him home. The next day he went to the synagogue to learn the Word of God. And when he was done, he went to the woods. And the Word of God became one with the words of the woods, which became the words of Mordecai. And he swam in the lake. And the Word of God became one with the words of the lake, which became one with the words of Mordecai. And he climbed the trees. And the Word of God became one with the words of the trees, which became one with the words of Mordecai. And Mordecai himself grew up to become a great man. People who were without anybody came to him and found communion. People with no exits came to him and found a way out. And when they came to him, he said, “I first learned the Word of God when the Great Rabbi held me silently against his heart.” Aren’t you ready to become one with the Word of God? Aren’t you ready to fall into His arms, too? You can. Be still. Worship and adore Him. Let go of your fear and fall into His arms now.

Falling Into the Arms of God - Part 2

Yesterday we talked about the first step to “falling into the arms of God” being still before Him. Today, the second step we must practice is worship and adoring Him daily. A. W. Tozer said, “We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.” We are all preoccupied with many things, our jobs, our families, and our futures – all of these very compelling and important facets of our lives. However, if we desire to know the peace of God we must develop a singular preoccupation in worship and adoration of Him. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44 ESV). When Jesus drifted just a bit away from the north shore of the Sea of Galilee to take advantage of the natural acoustics to teach the vast number of people gathered before Him, he used and incredible illustration of a man and a hidden treasure. In their agriculturally based society, it was very common to see a man plowing a field with his oxen. Slowly plodding behind the ox, turning the earth furrow after furrow, each hour faded into the next without any interruption of change. It was no more than just another long day of labor in the weary rhythm of time. Until, suddenly, the ox stops ands labors under the increased effort necessary to move another step. The young day laborer drives his plowshare deeper and urges his ox forward with his voice and a firm prodding from his goad. Yet, the plow will not budge. He pushes it aside and begins to pull the dry earth with his bare hands. At last, he uncovers a handle. Further he digs until he finds a large earthen pot. Excited he lifts the lid. He is stunned! It is full to the rim with gold and silver coins. There are jewels mixed in the newfound treasure. He cannot believe his find. He lifts his hands letting the coins and jewels slip through his fingers back into the pot. Then, as if jolted with electricity, he realizes someone might be watching. He turns to the left and the right, seeing no one; he quickly buries the jar and marks its exact location with a stone. A single thought consumes him. He must have that field! As a day laborer it is impossible for him to take possession of the buried treasure. Where could he possibly get the money to buy the field? With no thought for anything but the treasure, he sells everything he owns. He sells his house, his sheep, his ox, and his plow. He turns to his relatives, friends, and acquaintances and borrows everything they will loan him. The owner is delighted at the price he offers and gladly sells the land. Those who know the young laborer ridicule him. His wife cannot understand the sudden break with sanity. Some even whisper, “He’s been out in the sun too long without a hat!” But he knows… he really knows the truth. He’s been there and seen the treasure. And, now he possesses it. Once others being to se the treasure in his possession, they congratulate him. Some even envy him. All of this simply because he had a passion for his newfound treasure. How many of us have missed the wonder of the treasure of Christ, simply because we were to preoccupied with other things to pursue Him? Someone has said, “The wind of God is always blowing, but you must hoist your sail.” That is accomplished through worship and adoration! Begin today with the reading of Psalm 100.

Falling Into the Arms of God - Part 1

As I wrote in yesterday’s devotional, we would spend the next few mornings exploring the practical ways that we can “sit in our heavenly Father’s lap.” It is what I have come to call “falling into the arms of God.” It is really nothing more than discovering genuine passion in life. Webster defines passion as a “violent, intense, or overwhelming feeling.” The synonyms for it are fervor, ardor, enthusiasm, or zeal. It suggests a warm and excited feeling. It implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause. With that in mind let me state the obvious: In order to be at peace in life, we first must become passionate about resting in God. There are two verses of Scripture that provide a basis for this truth: Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16 ESV). Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. (Hebrews 4:1 ESV). Brennan Manning writes: “The paltriness of our lives is largely due to our fascination with the trinkets and trophies of the unreal world that is passing away. Sex, drugs, booze, the pursuit of money, pleasure and power, even a little religion, suppress the awareness of the presence of Christ. Religious dabbling, worldly prestige, or temporary unconsciousness cannot conceal the terrifying absence of meaning in the church and in society, nor can fanaticism, cynicism, or indifference.” It is one of the most effective deceptions of the devil. Many people today have been led to believe that unhappiness and unrest are normal and acceptable parameters for their lives. This simply is not the promise of God. I am not suggesting that our lives can, or even should be problem free. However, I do believe that God desires for our lives to be free of anxiety and fear. There are three steps to living a life of passion, a life free from anxiety and fear. We’ll look at the first of these this morning: You must learn to be still. David wrote: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV). In the “Guinness Book of World Records,” the world’s record for the machine with the most moving parts numbers over 7,000 different parts! Yet if you were to ask its inventor what all these parts do, his answer would be “Nothing!” Like so many of us today, we’re moving busily, but we’re doing nothing. Our movement is not directed. There must be a discipline of silence at work in our lives. It is this that will draw us near to God. It is within this silence that the voice of God may be heard. The uncluttering of our minds in quietness is the beginning of passion. So, today, will you join me in quietly thinking about Him? Will you seek that quietness as if it were a great treasure? Find just fifteen minutes today, away from phones, pagers, computers, TVs and stereos – then just be quiet and let Him come to you. You may not “feel” any different, but you will begin to “be” different. Discipline your mind to focus on God. Think of His love for you. Slow yourself down long enough to know Him today. Then you will have begun to fall into His arms!

Christ, Our Burden Bearer

Margaret Bishback Powers has written one of the most beautiful and memorable works, “Footprints in the Sand.” It is so familiar, yet so true. One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to him and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you". David must have felt much the same way as the man in this story when he wrote Psalm 145. The key verse reads: The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:14 ESV). He found himself pursued like a common criminal for no reason other than the jealousy of King Saul. Living from cave to cave in the hills of the Judean desert, David found strength in the knowledge that God would lift him up and bear his burdens. That is the same promise we have today. David cites eleven reasons why God can be trusted to lift us up: 1. His greatness is unfathomable (145:3); 2. He does mighty acts across many generations (145:4); 3. He is full of glorious splendor and majesty (145:5); 4. He does wonderful and awesome works (145:5-6); 5. He is righteous (145:7); 6. He is gracious, compassionate, patient, and loving (145:8-9); 7. He rules over an everlasting kingdom (145:13); 8. He is the source of all our daily needs (145:15-16); 9. He is righteous and loving in all his dealings (145:17); 10. He remains near to those who call on him (145:18); 11. He hears our cries and saves us (145:19-20). If you are bending under a burden and feel that you are about to fall, turn to God for help. He is ready to lift you up and bear your burden. As you meditate this morning, you might want to ask yourself whether you have a big God or a little God? A little girl listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents' talk of God's limitless power and mercy. "Daddy," she asked, placing her little hands on his knees, "how big is God." Her father thought for a moment and answered, "Honey, he is always just a little bigger than you need." His call is the same today, as it was thousands of years ago: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30; NIV). How about it, won’t you crawl into His lap and rest today?