Firsts and Lasts

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Revelation 21:5-7, ESV). The last day of deer season came and went so quickly this past year. I was very fortunate to spend it with one of my dear friends here in Middle Tennessee. It was a wonderful day! The morning of my last hunt of the season dawned very cold with a bit of frost on the ground. As I walked to a barn where we would sit for a while and look over the hills. We had a few minutes to quietly reflect over the season. It was memorable for many reasons. We did harvest a deer for our wild game banquet, but that certainly was not the highlight of the season. Knowing I would face surgery in a few weeks, it was natural for me to think of it as “a last day.” That only brought to mind the many “firsts” I have experienced in my life. With “lasts” there are always “firsts.” It was easy to remember my first hunt on this property with Bucky. It was in this same spot. That was not my first hunt, however. That took place over fifty years ago with my Dad. It wasn’t a deer hunt. We loaded up to go rabbit hunting on a very cold morning. Dad believed that you couldn’t eat a wild rabbit until after the first frost, and he also believed that you don’t harvest any game animal that you don’t intend to eat. Little did I know how much of an impression that first hunt would make! It was a wonderful day. I didn’t take a shot, but I will never forget the sounds of the dogs baying on scent, or the sights of the frost on the brambles, or the smell of the leaves as they had begun to fall finishing their journey of life. What a day! All firsts make an impression on our lives. Some of them are good and some bad. I’ve had many good firsts through the years. However, as I reflected on the firsts, I also was reminded that there must be lasts too. Often there is sadness about last things. The last hunt of the season is always like that for me. Last things bring thoughts that this may have been the very last season. This year I know I have spent it well. I didn’t harvest the biggest deer. I didn’t set any records at all. But I spent it very well, time spent with friends and family enjoying God’s creation. Life is like that as well. I recall vividly that first moment when faith released the grace of God to work in my life. The freedom from guilt and shame that came with forgiveness was an unforgettable experience. It is a miracle that makes every other experience pale in comparison. While this miracle will never end, this first will also have a last. The battle between good and evil will be done. I will be ushered into eternity where there is no more sin and death, no more pain and suffering. There God will be my Father and I will be His child in a way never before experienced. Whenever that time comes I am confident that all has been done to insure that this last will be one of joy! This may seem awfully maudlin, however, it is a thought we all have from time to time. While I am not “ready” for that day, I am prepared! How about you?

God's Unfailing Love

My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. (Lamentations 3:20-25, ESV). For some it may be difficult to look back and be very hopeful about the future. The past year may have held some of the most difficult and trying days of your life. These experiences may be making it hard to see the unfailing love of God in your life. There are many examples that come to mind from Scripture that reaffirm the unfailing love of God, some stemming from defeat and others from victory. One concerns a woman, Mary of Bethany, who knew Jesus well and loved Him dearly. Once, when Jesus was visiting her home, she sat before Him and anointed His feet with very costly oil. The disciples looked down upon Mary for being so extravagant to waste such a precious resource on Jesus' feet, a resource that could be spent elsewhere. But Jesus defended Mary in front of everyone present. In fact, in Matthew's account of the same story, Jesus is recounted as saying, "She has done a good work for Me…wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her" (Matthew 26:10,13). Jesus took the disapproving opinions of others and turned them into praise, giving Mary a fresh start. There are others. Take David as an example. When the prophet came to him and accused him of his sin of murder and adultery, it would have been easy to deny or deflect it as is so often the case with leadership today. However, David knew the truth of his sin and confessed, asking God for forgiveness. He was given a new start. God answered his prayer and created in him a clean heart. So, whether you are in a season of defeat or triumph, go to Jesus, the giver of mercy and new beginnings. Praise Him for His forgiveness of all your shortcomings. Thank Him for His empowerment in all your victories. There is nothing to dread or fear in the future, for we serve the same gracious Jesus who gave hope to the worthless and praise to the criticized. Take possession of the expectancy that God will use everything in your past for His glory and your good. May the grace of our merciful God bathe you in His glory!

Little Foxes That Ruin the Vineyard

Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom. (Song of Solomon 2:15, ESV). Winter is winding down and spring is but a few weeks away. All around us we will soon seen the new beginnings of nature. As human beings, we delight in the prospect of a new beginning, a new chance, redemption, and a clean slate. Our very language is full of expressions of starting over. I wonder how many of us began the year with high hopes and long lists of resolutions, but will end the year with the disappointment of realizing that we have once again failed to keep our commitments? I would like to provide a simple suggestion that may help each of us to keep the commitments that we make. The suggestion is this: START SMALL, BUT START! Our reading this morning reminds us that it is the little foxes that spoil the vineyards. So often we are held captive to the urgent and miss the eternally important. I know that is true for me. My commitment is to focus on the little things that are vital to achieving my large goals. There are two dangers to avoid. Some people begin with resolutions that are too ambitious and unrealistic to be accomplished. Others have realistic expectations and appropriate goals; however, they simply never begin the process. For example, instead of resolving to conquer all known sin in our lives, why not address the one sin that has plagued you for years. Instead of committing to prayer generally, why not start a prayer list. Instead of committing to read more of the Scriptures this year, why not purchase "The Daily Bible" or "The One Year Bible" and read the specified portion each day. Start small, but start. Think of one thing each day that you can specifically thank God for. Tell one person each day this year that they are loved and important to both God and yourself. Commit to one act of kindness each day, whether anyone else is kind to you or not. The “little foxes that ruin the vineyard” – they are those failures that paralyze us and convince us to quit. Start small, but start, and keep going even in the face of failure. Review the principle one more time: Never let past failure or future fear rob you of present joy! Keep those little foxes out of your vineyard and watch how lush the fruit is as it grows unhindered.

The Puzzles of Jesus

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. (Matthew 13:10-13, ESV). Here’s a little riddle for you: Follow as I go from Adam unto death. Follow, for I am descending from life eternal. Cross me if you like. I don't get angry, I will not hold a grudge. If need be, I can feed you. If you like I'll give you drink. But where I end is a place of death. The answer is at the end of this writing. Don’t go there too soon though! I love a good puzzle! It is not often that I get the time to work on the crosswords in the local paper, but when I do, it is always enjoyable. There are times when I get stuck and can’t quite solve the clue. There are even a few times when I give up in frustration and leave the puzzle unfinished. Even then there is nothing lost. However, the “puzzles” Jesus used in His teachings carried with them messages that were essential to the understanding of grace. Our reading this morning answers the question why Jesus used such puzzles. The more I began to think about the parables (puzzles), the more I began to realize that the answers are not difficult to find. Just as with my crosswords, the answers are not difficult. There are many sources available to retrieve the answers. All I need to do is seek them! Jesus tells his disciples that all that is necessary is to listen. Spring is approaching quickly. It is a time of renewal and recommitment. I wonder if you have been listening. Perhaps some of the answers you seek to the puzzles of your life would become apparent if you would start listening more. You may need a little help with that exercise. Start with a search in the Scriptures. Then go to some of your trusted Christian friends and advisors and ask them for help. It may mean putting your pride behind you, but the answer will be well worth the sacrifice! Oh… as I promised, here’s the answer to the riddle I began with this morning: The Jordan River. Jordan means "descender." It flows from Galilee, which translates circle in Hebrew, or everlasting life, to the Dead Sea. The city of Adam is located on the Jordan River.

When God Winks

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7, ESV). Ruth Graham tells a story of how late one night Slim Cornett was being shown around a county airport in rural Mississippi by a member of his church who managed the facility. "This switch lights up the runway," the man said as he flipped it. "Then, let's say there is a plane in distress up there. I would throw this switch and turn on the search lights." As the night skies lit up, a small plane materialized out of the darkness and landed. Slim and his friend watched in amazement as Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist, stepped off the plane. The pilot had been flying Franklin back to school in Texas when the electrical system shut down, leaving them stranded in the Mississippi night without lights or radio or any means of guidance. From out of nowhere, the search beam had come on and guided them to the landing strip. As she continues the story, earlier that evening before they left home, Billy Graham had prayed for the Father to protect and guide his son and the pilot. Some might call that “lucky,” others would simply declare it a coincidence. Perhaps, however, as someone has said, “…a coincidence is God wishing to remain anonymous. If so, it isn't working, because, far from concealing Him, this kind of concurrence is a dead giveaway that God is on the premises.” Squire Bushnell, a veteran television executive, has written a book called "When God Winks," in which he claims these intersections of people and events are nudges from the Creator reminding us we are not alone in life's adventures. It's a fun book on an intriguing theme although Christians may disagree with some of Bushnell's conclusions. Two lovers discover their grandfathers were best friends half a century earlier. Does this guarantee the match is made in Heaven? Of course it doesn't. Still, I love the concept of God signaling to us His nearness by these tiny miracles. The story of Jesus' birth is lined with Heavenly coincidences. A Roman census moves Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem just in time to fulfill a 500-year-old prophecy that the Messiah would be born there. Shepherds found the stall where the Lord was born, and breathlessly announced that they had seen a skyful of angels proclaiming His birth. Foreigners chasing a star showed up bearing gifts, gold among them, just in time to finance the family's hasty flight to Egypt. God was moving Heaven and earth to get you and me into the Kingdom. The Gospel of Jesus Christ came together at a moment in time when the Greek language and Roman highways and disillusionment over the old religions flowed together to create an ideal situation for spreading this message. Coincidence? No, just a sovereign God on the job. That’s the kind of God we may absolutely trust. Do you?

God Is Good - Pt 6

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22, ESV). There have been so many who have tried to reverse the flow of God’s promises. There are those who seek to make the path from us to Him. Usually we hear it said in terms of what we will need to do to capture the promises. If we pray enough, if we worship enough, if we minister enough… the list is seemingly endless; but, each item begins with us doing something to elicit the promise of God. The Apostle Paul simply states that the promises of God are not to be found in our actions. They have all found their “yes in Him.” They begin and end with Him. Now, there is the assurance we need for our present trouble. It may seem as if I am advocating doing nothing. Prayer, worship, ministry might be thought to mean little, if anything, to me. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is not about the “what” but the “who” in our relationship. We do not pray to get something from God as if he were some cosmic vending machine… put your prayers in and get your blessings out. We do not worship as if that awakens our God to our need. We do not minister so that we may measure up in the balance of judgment. We pray, worship, minister, and all of the other things we do simple because he has loved us and we cannot help but be drawn to do these things. My two grandchildren have been amazing while I recuperated from surgery. This is really the first real illness anyone in our family has had since they were born. Of course, just the word “cancer” becomes a frightening prospect for them. We were careful to explain that the type of cancer I had was very treatable and the likelihood of a full recovery was very good. However, to see them turn their attention to simple trust in what they were told was quite encouraging. Because Kyle and Brandy told them the truth they felt an assurance that I would be just fine. Was that because of anything they did? Was their assurance found in their faith in the doctors? Was there something they were doing to give them encouragement for the future? Of course not! Their relationship to their parents made it easy for them to believe. Their “yes” was enough. Can I tell you again… God has already said YES to your good! The long look is for eternal, unchangeable good! Whatever you are facing today, face it knowing God has already determined your good. Nothing can change that! Open your heart and soul to the grace of God that he is pouring into you through Christ.

God Is Good - Pt 5

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14, ESV). So much is packed into the background and meaning of the passage we have been using in this series. John Piper suggested that Christians "love" the Jeremiah 29 passage due to the setting in which God delivered His message to the Jewish community exiled and enslaved in Babylon. "We Christians, we Gentiles especially, go to it and we love it because it holds out the prospect of not destruction for us, but life and hope and joy in the future," said Piper. "The reason we can do it is because at the Last Supper, Jesus lifted up the cup which represented his blood and he said 'this cup is the new covenant in my blood.'" Piper went on to suggest that Christ's crucifixion meant that the Old Testament promises would be fulfilled with those who come to faith in Jesus. "Everything that God meant to be fulfilled for His people Israel now is going to be fulfilled in his people of the New Covenant. So that not only Jews but also Gentiles, through faith in the messiah, become part of the covenant people of God, so that every promise can be laid hold on by Gentiles who are in the messiah, in Christ Jesus," Piper added. There are two important New Testament passages that support this truth: For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22, ESV). He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:32-39, ESV). We no longer need fear anything that comes into our lives! God is Good!

God Is Good - Pt 4

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14, ESV). Jeremiah tells the nation the Lord will give them “a future and a hope.” The resurrection of Christ gives us the ultimate future and hope. Recently I asked the readers of Morning Devotionals to write a brief testimonial of God’s goodness to use in this series. My dear friend, mentor, and father in the ministry, Bailey Stone, sent the following personal testimony: I was raised in a non Christian home. At 16 my best friend, Henry Sorelle, with whom I played football at San Jacinto High School in Houston, Texas took me with him to the first Youth Led Revival ever in our city. Note, he did not invite me, he TOOK me, or I never would have darkened the door. Later he took me to his dad's office in downtown Houston, and said to his Independent Oil Operator dad: "Dad I have brought Bailey to you. He is under conviction, and I know YOU can tell him how to be saved"! He did and I was! A year later I was called to preach. When a junior at Baylor University, I had the privilege of leading a weekend youth led revival at my home church, Second Baptist Church in Houston; and, on Sunday evening, my mom and dad came forward to receive Christ; dramatically changing their lives. Later I had the privilege of being Don Emmitte's pastor when he came to Christ while a student at Texas A&M! The most important message in this testimony is the work of God through the Gospel in three different generations. To believe that any of these events were coincidental or random is to deny the very character and person of God. No one could have known those many years ago how the simple act of taking a friend to a youth led revival could be such a link in the future of so many people. Be careful at this point. Many would use this to say how important it is to be obedient to God and do something for the kingdom. Of course, our obedience is important; but our obedience does not direct the will of God. Just the opposite is true. His will directs us. It should never be the fear of the future that directs our path. It is the hope of the future, secured by the blood of Christ that guarantees our good. Whatever happens in our life, it will never overtake our good and gracious God. He is not surprised when calamity strikes; in fact, he is in control over it all to bring our good from it. Just like with Israel, God declares his plans are “for welfare and not for evil” for us as well.

God Is Good - Pt 3

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14, ESV). As I mentioned yesterday, today I want to share a bit of my recent journey. It really begins over a year ago when my primary care physician began to suspect that some of my blood work required closer monitoring. This led to more frequent tests and a pattern that was suspicious. Ultimately we took the step to biopsy for a final determination of whether I had cancer or not. The biopsy was positive and some aggressive treatment was recommended. Surgery to remove the cancer was my best option. Ultimately I had that surgery and the cancer was removed and the prognosis thus far is very good. At this point many would lift an enthusiastic “Praise the Lord!” to the successful surgery; however, I want us to look a little deeper. Don’t misunderstand. I am very pleased that my body is healing and the cancer has been eradicated. Like the Apostle Paul, I am certain that “for me to live is Christ.” And, I do enjoy living for him. There are so many things yet to do, people to see, family to love and see progress in his kingdom. Remember the last of Paul’s declaration though. He says, “… for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (cf. Philippians 1:21). I like the explanation Matt Chandler offers: If the Gospel can transform the world and holds in its powerful reach the promise of eternal life, certainly it can transform you this very day, and day by day, until that ultimate day you join with the saints to receive the supply of all your needs according to God’s riches in glory with Christ Jesus. So, the real day of praise for the work of God in healing me was not the day that the doctors pronounced my surgery a success; nor was it the day when I was told I had cancer, though an argument could be made for that as well. The day to praise the Lord for his deliverance was the day that Jesus died for my sins and called me to the freedom he won in that work! The Gospel has always been God’s plan for his people. The Gospel assures me that God’s plan for me is good regardless of the individual experiences within that plan. God did not abandon me or you to the vagaries of this world. He has set my path before the foundation of the world in fearfully and wonderfully creating me. He knows my sitting down and rising up. There is no place I am without His presence. He is good and that good extends to me because of the work of Christ in me. Wherever you are in your journey, rest in this truth: God is good!

God Is Good - Pt 2

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14, ESV). Today we will dig a bit deeper into this wonderful passage. If indeed this is a word for Israel, what can it mean for me? If we read on in the Scriptures we find that this promise was fulfilled. Those in exile returned, and the nation of Israel was restored for a time. God made a promise through the prophets, and that promise came true. But that’s not the end of the story, either. There is something to the out-of-context prescriptions that so many make using this verse. God is a God of redemption, after all, and He wants to redeem people and put them on a path of wholeness, just as He wanted the nation of Israel to be redeemed and whole again. As John Calvin says about this passage, the prophet is speaking not just of historical redemption, for that period in time, but also of “future redemption.” For the Israelites, God listened to their prayers when they sought Him with all their heart, and in His time, He brought them out of exile. But how does any of this apply to us today? Can we still take heart in such a beautiful promise, even though it was spoken to people long ago, people in a far different situation than ours? First and foremost, we are all in this together. This verse does not apply to isolated individuals or to a broad community. It applies to both, together, functioning as one. The image painted here is one of individuals in community, like the Body of Christ which Paul talks about. Here we see a particular group of people, worshiping God together, hoping for a future redemption. Stanley Grenz and John Franke explain just how a community “turns the gaze of its members toward the future.” The future in Jeremiah is one that is bright, one that everyone in the community through prayer and worship seeks as their collective future hope. Many of us want to desperately know the plan that God has for each one of us as individuals, but let the prophet Jeremiah remind us that it’s not all about us, and it might not look like what we think. Even more important than our daily decisions is the future hope of the Kingdom of God foretold by the prophets and fulfilled in the reign of our now and coming King. In this way, the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 is bigger than any one of us and far better. Tomorrow I will be more specific about my own recent journey. Today, recognize we are not there yet. We are merely on the path. It is a path designed by our heavenly Father for our good that ends in ultimate victory! Take heart if it seems you have been defeated. It is but a momentary and fleeting illusion. God is good! And, He works together for our good all things!

God Is Good - Pt 1

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:10-14, ESV). Today I am going to embark on an ambitious journey. It will begin with one of the most familiar verses from the Old Testament. I encourage you to stay to the end of our discussions. First, and foremost, let me begin by stating without reservation that God is good! Then, let me say that our understanding of that has often been misunderstood. Perhaps a part of that truth is found in the fact that when it comes to reading the Bible, we can sometimes be so familiar with the words on the page that we read them, but we don’t really understand them. We see the words and hear the words, but we don’t make any sense out of them. Familiarity can breed laziness, and so many of our misunderstandings about the scriptures happen because we are too familiar with the passage to look it with fresh eyes. If we would come to the Word of God with fresh eyes more often, we would realize that some of our most common interpretations of Scripture passed down to us don’t make much sense when viewed within the context of the passage. Our text today, especially verse 11, is quoted to countless individuals who are struggling with understanding God’s will, and yet, it is not written to individuals at all. This passage is written to a whole group of people, an entire nation. And the verse just before it is perhaps even scarier. For in Jeremiah 29:10, God lays down the specifics on this promise: that He will fulfill it “after seventy years are completed for Babylon.” In other words, yes, God says, I will redeem you, after 70 years in exile. This is certainly a far cry from our expectation of this verse in what God’s plans to prosper us really mean. He did have a future and a hope for them, but it would look far different than the Israelites ever expected. So what? Some of you may be thinking. Even when the verse is taken out of context, it still offers value, right? God does know the plans of individual people, so it’s just as well to keep prescribing Jeremiah 29 for those seeking God’s plan for their life, right? Well, yes and no. We need to let the Bible speak to us, not allow our own personal bent to speak into the Scriptures. If Jeremiah 29 is speaking to the nation of Israel, and not just one person, then we should start with the truth in the Scriptures. This truth will lead us to the path that ends in freedom. For now, rest assured God knows and cares about every detail of our lives. His dealing with Israel merely proves this unalterable truth. So, take this day and trust in His provenance. He will not fail you!

Frogs and Life

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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:1-12 ESV). It is always easy to speak. However, speaking wisely is often a more difficult task. The art of encouragement is one which all of us ought to develop and use. The following little story illustrates the truth in this passage from James. A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. First, there is the power of life and death in our tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. When you’re gathered with friends, family, or coworkers today don’t fall into the trap of discouraging conversation. Be positive and encouraging. Watch the power of your words change the climate of your surroundings.

Is Your Hut Burning?

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. (Psalms 40:1-5 ESV). As is true with many of David’s psalms, this one today is no exception. It is born out of adversity. As David found himself more and more a target of the wrath and jealousy of Saul, pursued like an animal, he cries out in praise to the Lord. The following story illustrates an important attitude that each of us ought to cultivate in the midst of our own walks. The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. I have noticed in my life that it is easy to pray and praise the Lord when things are going well. However, it is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. As tough as it is to remember, we shouldn't lose heart. God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Paul wrote, "... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (cf. Philippians 4:12). Paul had confidence that good would come out of everything, so he learned to be thankful, not bitter, even when he was suffering. Someone recently asked me why such bad things happen to so many good people. Of course there are easy theological reasons that may be offered, though none of them give very much comfort in the midst of trial. Usually I try to do two things in the middle of my own trials. First, I seek out a trusted friend. All of need to have God “with skin on” in a time of trial. Find that special friend God has given you to comfort and encourage you through the difficulty. Second, I do my best to remember that when my little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. His plans for us really are too numerous to list. If we try to recite all His wonderful deeds, we would never come to the end of them!

The Tasteberry of Christianity

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings. I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely. But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced. (Psalm 63:1-11). I’ve heard a story about a man who bought a new hunting dog. Eager to see how he would perform, he took him out to track a bear. No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the dog picked up the trail. Suddenly he stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a new direction. He had caught the scent of a deer that had crossed the bear's path. A few moments later he halted again, this time smelling a rabbit that had crossed the path of the deer. And so, on and on it went until finally the breathless hunter caught up with his dog, only to find him barking triumphantly down the hole of a field mouse. Sometimes we’re like that. We start out with the best of intent to keep Christ first in our lives. But soon, our attention is diverted to things of lesser importance. One pursuit leads to another until we've strayed far from our original purpose. There are some practical habits that we can develop that will help us stay on track. The psalm from David we have just read gives us five of these. 1. First, we ought to worship. There are some that have seen this exercise as merely going to church. However, as important as that can be, David was no where near the temple when he made wrote this psalm. He was hiding in the hillsides of Judea, yet he worshipped. He understood that genuine worship is the standing in awe of God wherever you are. 2. Second, we ought to praise God. Praise is the "taste berry" of Christianity. There is a berry in Africa that the natives use to “sweeten” their foods. It is a bitter tasting berry. They will eat one before other foods and the juices from it cause anything else they eat to be sweet to the taste. You may be in a time when you feel there is nothing to praise God in your life. Lift up your soul to face Him and watch how the “taste” of your life’s events starts to sweeten. 3. Third, we ought to meditate. Meditation is the art of listening to God. Find a quiet moment and think on the things of God that you already know. Listen for His response as you open your spiritual ears to Him. 4. Fourth, we ought to sing. For some of us the thought of singing is as near torture as we will ever come! All of us have the ability to make music. Do you remember the song in Snow White, “Just Whistle While You Work”? There is a wonderful change that takes place when we let our soul sing the song planted within it by the grace of God. Try it for yourself this morning, even if it’s only a whistle! 5. And, last, we ought to rejoice. This is the point of genuine surrender. Here we find a true sense of gratitude rising within us bringing us before the face of our Father. Here we find ourselves back on the real trail we were intended to follow.

A Friend

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 ESV). Happy Valentine’s Day! The following story came to me as true. Whether it is or not, it certainly gives us cause to reflect on the many opportunities we have each day to be a friend at one level or another to those we contact. One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives. " He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Damn boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! " He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of his class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth. Everyone we come into contact with is there by divine appointment. Be a friend today.

Always Welcome

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6 ESV). I have a friend who worked in the Middle East. While he was there he shared the following story with me. It reminded me of the wonderful grace we have received through Jesus Christ and how we are always welcome to come to our heavenly Father. As we have been thinking about the love of God these past few days, this seemed to be especially appropriate now. He wrote: A couple of weeks ago, a Kuwaiti friend invited me to the diwaniya (men's meeting) of Muhammed Al-Rashidi, the head of the Al-Rashidi tribe in Kuwait. As we were entering, my friend pointed out to me that there were no doors on the front of the house leading into the 2 large sitting rooms, known as the diwaniya. There are inner doors leading into the rest of the house where the family lives. He told me to mention this strange thing and ask our host why he had no doors on the front of his house. Mr. Rashidi smiled and explained that his family for generations has been the leading family of the tribe. His father, grandfather, etc. before him had also been chiefs of the tribe. By long years of tradition, the head of this tribe is known for his hospitality and an open door policy, so that any traveler or visitor can come and find a place to rest, food to eat, and even a place to sleep for the night. One day in 1975, Mr. Rashidi had gone to work, the children were at school, the women shopping, etc. and the last servant to leave the house had locked the front door. About 10:00 a.m., a man from Saudi Arabia came to see him. Finding the door locked, the man simply laid down in front of the door and went to sleep. Coming home around 1:00, Mr. Rashidi found the man lying in front of his door and learned that he had found the door locked and been lying there for 3 hours. He was so embarrassed by this that he immediately ordered his servant to call a carpenter to remove the front doors to his house. "No one will ever come to my house and find a locked door again," he said. And for the past 25 years, there has been no door on the front of his house. There once was a door separating us from the presence of God. However, nearly two thousand years ago, when Jesus spoke His last words from the cross and declared, “It is finished!” that separation was finally and completely removed. To physically reveal that truth to mankind, the bible says “the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.” That was the “door” that separated God’s presence from all but the high priest of Israel. With its removal, all people now had access to His grace and love. Come into His presence today.

The Most Beautiful Heart

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:1-3,9-10 ESV). One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart. Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people stared. "How can he say his heart is more beautiful?" they thought. The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears." "Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared." "Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges. Giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?" The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side. How beautiful is your heart today? Who will you walk with today, side by side?

Just a Whisper - Pt 2

Life can make us feel that our actions make no difference, but that is merely another lie of the devil. In his book Second Thoughts, Mort Crim writes, "Fairy tales are wonderful because they always have everyone living happily ever after. Once we accept the fact that bad things do happen to good people, then we can get on with the business of living life to its fullest: giving, loving, creating, sharing, building, walking through every door of opportunity offered by this fragile, unpredictable, exciting experience called life." That’s great advice but still difficult when we feel that we are scraping bottom. But in Jesus Christ there is more than good advice there is hope and the power of God for our situation. When we feel that nothing we do matters we must listen for the voice of God and rely upon His power, even when it is just a whisper. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV). A man by the name of Max DePree related the following heart-touching story: Esther, my wife, and I have a granddaughter named Zoe, the Greek word for life. She was born prematurely and weighed one pound, seven ounces, so small that my wedding ring could slide up her arm to her shoulder. The neonatologist who first examined her told us that she had a 5 to 10 percent chance of living three days. When Esther and I scrubbed up for our first visit and saw Zoe in her isolette in the neonatal intensive care unit, she had two IVs in her navel, one in her foot, a monitor on each side of her chest, and a respirator tube and a feeding tube in her mouth. To complicate matters, Zoe’s biological father had jumped ship the month before Zoe was born. Realizing this, a wise and caring nurse named Ruth gave me my instructions. "For the next several months, at least, you’re the surrogate father. I want you to come to the hospital every day to visit Zoe, and when you come, I want you to rub her body and her legs and arms with the tip of your finger. While you’re caressing her, you should tell her over and over how much you love her, because she has to be able to connect your voice to your touch." God knew that we also needed both his voice and his touch. So he gave us not only the Word but also his Son. And he gave us not only Jesus Christ but also his body, the church. God’s voice and touch say, "I love you." His voice comforts, challenges, guides, and reassures and makes his presence known to us. Listen for Him today.

Just a Whisper - Pt 1

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. (1 Kings 19:9-12 ESV). Someone has said, "Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child." There is a great deal of truth to that. Very often what we really need is to be quiet before the Lord so that we can hear him speak the works that will calm our fears. The passage above recounts a time when one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament was so afraid that he begged God to take his life. Elijah felt alone and abandoned. He needed to hear from God. All of us have found ourselves in similar predicaments when our faith seemed to being failing us. The same “whisper” of God’s grace will come to us if we will just listen. Before there were refrigerators, people used icehouses to preserve their food. Icehouses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the icehouses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an icehouse. He searched diligently for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but didn’t find it. His fellow workers also looked, but their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the icehouse during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. "I closed the door," the boy replied, "lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking." It really isn’t a matter of whether God is speaking, but whether we are being still enough, and quiet enough, to hear. At various times in our lives we will face perplexing situations and fear provoking circumstances but we must remember that the Lord is not far from us and He will never fail to guide us. God will speak to us if we will get alone with Him and tune the rest of the world and its voices out. In the next few days we’ll look at some practical ways to get still enough to hear even God’s whisper. There are some things we can do to “tune” out the world that yells out toward us with its deafening roar. For today, just ask Him to reveal Himself to you giving you the wisdom to recognize Him in His appearance. Taking refuge under the scant shade of a broom tree, Elijah prayed for death. He, the mighty prophet, had stood for God as boldly as any of those who had gone before him. Yet here he was, alone and seemingly deserted in this desert wasteland, the very symbol of a wasted life. Yet God would tenderly nourish and lead his prophet to a place where he would get some much-needed instruction. He will do the same for you today!

God's Valentine - Pt 5

God’s love may also be seen in the Bible. His word was given to help us to remember the God of Love that created us and comes to us to live with us and be with us. The Scripture is not of a few well-educated individuals with a private interpretation, but it has been given to everyone so that we might come to know, to love, and to experience God. This God of Love has made every provision for us to have him and for him to have us who believe, receive, and choose to follow him, accept him, and love him. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17, NLV). There’s a wonderful story of a conversation between a man and God. It serves to challenge us all at the point of our response to God’s many valentines. As you read it this morning, ask yourself the question: What will you do with God’s valentines? On some days, I wake early in the morning to watch the sunrise. The beauty of God's creation is beyond description. The following is an imaginary conversation: One day as I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, the Lord asked me, "Do you love me?" I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Savior!" Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?" I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I answered, "It would be tough, Lord, but I would still love You." Then the Lord said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?" How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation. So I answered, "It's hard to think of it, but I would still love you." The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?" How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word." The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?" How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks. So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name." And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?" With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes, Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!" I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?" I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect." "THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY WITH EARNEST?" No answers. Only tears. The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?" The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?" I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give. "You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all." "DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?" I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When I my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me, Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child." The Lord answered, "That is My Grace, My child." I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?" The Lord answered, "Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever." And for the first time, I truly prayed.

God's Valentine - Pt 4

God’s message of love continues in His children. Peter, James, and John were the first generation of eyewitnesses who had seen and spoken of the God that loved them. They spread the gospel and now it has passed on to us. We become God’s “valentines.” We are God's living letters of love to the world. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (1 John 3:14-24 ESV). Real love means we stop "keeping score." Dale Galloway tells a story in "Dream a New Dream" that beautifully illustrates this point: Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella. One day he came home and told his mother, he'd like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, "I wish he wouldn't do that!" She had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines. Valentine's Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he would be disappointed. It hurt her to think that he wouldn't get many valentines, maybe none at all. That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. When she heard the children outside she looked out the window. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear. He walked a little faster than usual. She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened she choked back the tears. "Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you." But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: "Not a one, not a one." Her heart sank. And then he added, "I didn't forget a one, not a single one!" So it is when God is in control of the servant's mind. We realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give His love away, a thought that brings to mind the saying: It isn't a song until it's sung. It isn't a bell until it's rung. It isn't love until it's given away!

God's Valentine - Pt 3

God’s best and most extravagant Valentine did not come to us in the beautiful hues of the sunset or the wonderful fragrance of spring bouquets. It came in the form of His only Son, Jesus. 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. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11 ESV). There is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That’s logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn’t look for value in what it loves, but that CREATES value in what is loves. Like Rosemary’s rag doll. When Rosemary was three, she was given a little rag doll, which quickly became an inseparable companion. She had other toys that were intrinsically far more valuable, but none that she loved like she loved the rag doll. Soon the rag doll became more and more rag and less and less doll. It also became more and more dirty. If you tried to clean the rag doll, it became more ragged still. And if you didn’t try to clean the rag doll, it became dirtier still. The sensible thing to do was to trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved my child. If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll; it was part of the package. Newell has expressed the wonder of this incredible gift in the familiar hymn, “At Calvary”: O the love that drew salvation's plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary! Very little else can be said when faced with this truth. After hearing the gospel explained, people often say, "you mean there's nothing I can do to deserve it? That's too easy." It seems natural for people to object to the idea that God's unmerited favor can be given so freely to unworthy sinners. Many find it difficult to trust a God who offers salvation as a free gift. Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan told of a coal miner who came to him and said, "I would give anything to believe that God would forgive my sins, but I cannot believe that He will forgive them if I just ask Him. It is too cheap." Morgan said, "My dear friend, have you been working today?" "Yes, I was down in the mine." "How did you get out of the pit? Did you pay?" "Of course not. I just got into to cage and was pulled to the top." "Were you not afraid to entrust yourself to that cage? Was it not too cheap?" Morgan asked. "Oh no," said the miner, "it was cheap for me, but it cost the company a lot of money to sink the shaft." Suddenly the truth struck him. What had not cost him anything -- salvation -- had not come cheap to God. This miner had never thought of the great price that God paid to send His Son so He could rescue fallen humanity. Now he realized that all anyone had to do was to "get into the cage" by faith. Get in the cage today!

God's Valentine - Pt 2

In the next few mornings we’ll be looking at the different “Valentines” God has sent to us. There are so many ways that He has sent us His message of love. One of the first and most basic can be seen in creation itself. Just the simple truth that God created the heavens and the earth is a message of His great love for us. This is how the Apostle John thought of the creation: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14 ESV). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the world-famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, was not above telling tales about himself in which he was the laughing-stock. Here is one of those stories. As he tells it, he was waiting at a taxi stand outside the railway station in Paris. When a taxi pulled up, he put his suitcase in it and got in himself. As he was about to tell the taxi-driver where he wanted to go, the driver asked him: "Where can I take you, Mr. Doyle?" Doyle was flabbergasted. He asked the driver whether he knew him by sight. The driver said: "No Sir, I have never seen you before." The puzzled Doyle asked him what made him think that he was Conan Doyle. The driver replied: "This morning's paper had a story about you being on vacation in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always come to. Your skin color tells me you have been on vacation. The ink-spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French. Adding up all those pieces of information, I deduce that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." Doyle said: "This is truly amazing. You are a real-life counter-part to my fictional creation, Sherlock Holmes." "There is one other thing," the driver said. "What is that?" "Your name is on the front of your suitcase." There are two ways to be personally aware of God's existence. We can deduce from intricately crafted arguments, or merely pay attention to the fact that God's name is plastered all over creation. Oh, I think there is a necessary place for such carefully worded arguments, but I also have a great deal of admiration for the little boy who was told by an atheist, "I'll give you an apple if you can show me where God is." His simple response, "Mister, I'll give you a bushel of apples if you can show me where God isn't." Take a moment to look outside and see the signature of God. Everything you see is His Valentine message of love to you today!

God's Valentine - Pt 1

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:9-17 ESV). "Be My Valentine." This is a phrase that conjures up a lot of different images associated with the celebration of Valentine's Day. Cards with hearts and little poems on them. Candy and flowers given to someone you love. And images of cupids flying around shooting their arrows of love into unsuspecting youths. Young and old alike express their affection for their sweethearts. February 14th for many means cards, candy, flowers, and cupids. However, many of our forefathers in the Christian Faith would be surprised at what has become of Valentine's Day. What we call Valentine's Day was at one time the Feast of St. Valentine. It was a religious holiday. They would be especially shocked at the use of cupid since he was a character from pagan mythology. For Christians in the past this holiday it was a day to remember and celebrate the life and death of a Christian martyr. According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 AD At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages, but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison. During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods. While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He witnessed to the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. Because these people had come to know Jesus, Valentine praised God right there in his prison cell. When the emperor heard about this he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine beheaded. Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods that he would be thrown in prison. And he knew that if he continued to witness to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. But he continued, because he loved the Lord and his fellow humans. He was willing to risk his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it. He was living proof of this verse we have read today: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." As we go through the next few days, we’ll look at different aspects of the love God has for us and the love we are to have for one another. For today, know that “Be my valentine” has a very special meaning for God. It cost Him the life of His only Son to extend that offer!

How to Stay Stressed

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 6:32-34 ESV). Yesterday we looked at some of the symptoms of stress. Today I have listed (from a negative perspective) some of the ways to stay stressed. It is a little unusual to study this list instead of the positive, but it will provide a little clearer picture of where we really are in our lives. I hope you enjoy the “tongue in cheek” style. Here's how to stay stressed. 1. First, never exercise. Exercise wastes a lot of the time that could be spent worrying. 2. Second, eat anything you want. Hey if cigarette smoke can't cleanse your system, a balance diet isn't likely to either. 3. Third, gain weight. Work hard at staying at least 25 pounds over your recommended weight. 4. Fourth, take plenty of stimulants. The old standards of caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and cola will continue to do the job just fine. 5. Fifth, avoid "woo-woo practices." Ignore the evidence suggesting that meditation, prayer, and/or praise help to reduce stress. The Protestant work ethic is good for everyone, Protestant or not. 6. Sixth, get rid of your social support system. Let the few friends who are willing to tolerate you know that you concern yourself with friendships only if you have time, and you never have time. If a few people persist in trying to be your friend, avoid them. 7. Seventh, personalize all criticism. Anyone who criticizes any aspect of your work, family, dog, house, or car is mounting a personal attack. Don't take the time to listen, be offended, and then return the attack! 8. Eighth, throw out your sense of humor. Staying stressed is no laughing matter, and it shouldn't be treated as one. 9. Ninth, males and females alike should be macho. Never ask for any help, and if you want it done right, do it yourself! Become a workaholic. Put work before everything else, and be sure to take work home evenings and weekends. Keep reminding yourself that vacations are for sissies. 10. Tenth, discard good time management skills. Schedule more activities every day than you can possibly get done then worry about it all whenever you get a chance. Or, procrastinate. Putting things off to the last second always produces a marvelous amount of stress. 11. Eleventh, worry about things you can't control. Worry about the stock market, earthquakes, and the approaching Ice Age. You know, all the big issues. 12. Twelfth, become not only a perfectionist but also set impossibly high standards, and either beat yourself up, or feel guilty, depressed, discouraged, and/or inadequate when you don't meet them. So, what will it be today? Stress or trust? Today’s trouble really is enough for today. Let tomorrow rest in your Father’s hands. He is more than capable of caring for our every need.

Momma Always Said

Perhaps one of the most widely mimicked movies of recent years is “Forrest Gump.” Some of the most often used lines form the movies are those that begin “My momma always said.” Do you remember the one where his mother said, "There's an awful lot you can tell 'bout a person by their shoes, where they goin’ and where they been"? Forrest answers, "I've worn lots of shoes." Or there’s another when he says, "There is only so much fortune a man really needs, and the rest is for showin' off." However, the all time favorite must be when she says, "Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get." There is so much truth to that! Perhaps it is the unknown quality of tomorrow that so enslaves us to fear. Jesus spoke so clearly to that in the Sermon from 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). Some of us have become so accustomed to stress that we fail to recognize its real destructive potential. Stress helps us seem important. We rationalize that anyone as stressed as we are must be working very hard and therefore, are probably doing something very crucial. Well, this like so many of the devil’s lies eat away at our true sense of joy and our joy is erased in a flurry of busyness. Too much stress produces the following conditions. If you have any of these, perhaps you need to start practicing the art of only taking on today’s trouble. 1. Stress causes us to maintain personal distance and avoid intimacy. Stress also helps you keep your authoritarian management style. This is the authoritarian style of "just do what I say.” If you maintain a permanently stressed crisis atmosphere, you can justify an authoritarian style all of the time. 2. Stress causes us to avoid responsibilities. We are so tired, or so “busy” that we can’t do the ordinary and mundane chores of life. 3. Stress causes us to avoid success. Stress can keep your performance level low enough that success won't ever be a threat. Tomorrow we’ll look at some practical “stress busters.” For today, practice a little “Forrest Gump.” Life really is a box of chocolates, and you can’t know what each one holds! So, rest in the hope of Christ and His unchanging love for you.

MistakeOut

Bette Nesmith had a good secretarial job in a Dallas bank when she ran across a problem that interested her. Her thought was there must be a better way to correct typewriter errors? Having had some art experience, she knew that artists who worked in oils just painted over their errors. So she began to think that maybe that would work for her too. So she concocted a fluid to paint over her typing errors. Before long, all the secretaries in her building were using what she then called "MistakeOut." She attempted to sell the product idea to marketing agencies and various companies (including IBM), but they all turned her down. However, secretaries continued to like her product, so Bette Nesmith’s kitchen became her first manufacturing facility and she started selling it on her own. When she eventually sold the enterprise, the tiny white bottles were earning $3.5 million annually on sales of $38 million. The buyer was the Gillette Company and the sale price was $47.5 million. Soon the little bottles of “Liquid Paper” were found in every desk drawer. There are so many success stories like this one spanning every imaginable area of life. Each one involves overcoming some obstacle in order to reach the goal. In Bette Nesmith’s story, the obstacle she had to overcome was the fact that no one believed in her product. Yet Bette Nesmith did not let that stop her from accomplishing what she had set out to do. I wonder this morning if there is some “obstacle” that has been erected in your life that seems to be keeping you from reaching your goal. Jesus knew a great deal about obstacles too. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matthew 12:14-21 ESV). Let me make some practical suggestions as you face your own “Pharisees.” 1. First, trust your life to God’s care. Jesus did not fight the Pharisees. He knew that His heavenly Father would not allow these men to stand in the way of His will. That promise is yours also. Even when the obstacle seems insurmountable, everything is possible with the Lord. 2. Second, don’t quit. One of the devil’s best weapons is the deception of the impossible. Real hope comes from those things that are unseen. Some of the best victories in life come to us with an entirely different appearance than we might have imagined. Just keep going in the path God has given you to walk. Right does win!