Devotion and Obedience

Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. (Psalm 119:89-96 ESV). Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the business. You manage things while I’m away. I will write you regularly. When I do, I will instruct you in what you should do from now until I return from this trip.” Everyone agrees. He leaves and stays gone for a couple of years. During that time he writes often, communicating his desires and concerns. Finally he returns. He walks up to the front door of the company and immediately discovers everything is in a mess--weeds flourishing in the flower beds, windows broken across the front of the building, the gal at the front desk dozing, loud music roaring from several offices, two or three people engaged in horseplay in the back room. Instead of making a profit, the business has suffered a great loss. Without hesitation he calls everyone together and with a frown asks, “What happened? Didn’t you get my letters?” You say, “Oh, yeah, sure. We got all your letters. We’ve even bound them in a book. And some of us have memorized them. In fact, we have ‘letter study’ every Sunday. You know, those were really great letters.” I think the president would then ask, “But what did you do about my instructions?” And, no doubt the employees would respond, “Do? Well, nothing. But we read every one!” Devotion should result in obedience. John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family’s housekeeper. He wrote: “It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. “Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson.” “He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him.” “Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him.” “No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you. When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. “Tell that woman I want her here in the White House.” How devoted are you to the Lord? A good measurement of that devotion is in the level of your obedience to His instructions!

The Promises of God

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. (Psalm 119:81-88 ESV). You can’t break God’s promises by leaning on them! My problem is in waiting for them! Like the psalmist, I’m always asking “when?” To those Christians who are always in a hurry, here’s some good advice from the 19th-century preacher A. B. Simpson: “Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and long-suffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.” Yes, each day affords countless opportunities to learn patience. Let’s not waste them. Commenting on our need for this virtue, M. H. Lount has said, “God’s best gifts come slowly. We could not use them if they did not. Many a man, called of God to…a work in which he is pouring out his life, is convinced that the Lord means to bring his efforts to a successful conclusion. Nevertheless, even such a confident worker grows discouraged at times and worries because results do not come as rapidly as he would desire. But growth and strength in waiting are results often greater than the end so impatiently longed for. Paul had time to realize this as he lay in prison. Moses must have asked, ‘Why?’ many times during the delays in Midian and in the wilderness. Jesus Himself experienced the discipline of delay in His silent years before His great public ministry began.” God wants us to see results as we work for Him, but His first concern is our growth. That’s why He often withholds success until we have learned patience. The Lord teaches us this needed lesson through the discipline of delay. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “run with endurance” the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, “We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder, the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christlike thing! The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street.” To wait is hard; to do it with “good courage” is even harder!

Unfailing Love

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. Let those who fear you turn to me, that they may know your testimonies. May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame! (Psalm 119:73-80 ESV). God’s love is unfailing. 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 Rosemary. If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll. It was part of the package. God loves us like that! God’s love is very difficult to understand. A minister one day sat in the vestry of his church to meet anyone who might have spiritual difficulties. Only one came. "What is your difficulty?" asked the minister. The man answered, "My difficulty is the ninth chapter of Romans, where it says, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated,'" "Yes," said the minister, "there is great difficulty in that verse; but which part of the verse is difficult for you?" The latter part, of course," said the man. "I cannot understand why God should hate Esau." The minister replied, "That verse has often been difficult, but my difficulty has always been with the first part of the verse. I never could understand how God could love that wily, deceitful, supplanting scoundrel Jacob." God has done so many things to prove His love for us. It is like the story of a man from Wales that Richard Armstrong reports in "Make Your Life Worthwhile." It is a story about a man in Wales who sought to win the affection of a certain lady for 42 years before she finally said, "Yes." The couple, both 74, recently became "Mr. and Mrs." For more than 40 years, the persistent, but rather shy man slipped a weekly love letter under his neighbor's door. But she continually refused to speak and mend the spat that had parted them many years before. After writing 2,184 love letters without ever getting a spoken or written answer, the single-hearted old man eventually summoned up enough courage to present himself in person. He knocked on the door of the reluctant lady and asked for her hand. To his delight and surprise, she accepted. Imagine God's dilemma. Time and time again He tried to get His message of love through to His human creation with little response. Finally, He wrapped up His message in person and sent His only begotten Son! Trust in that unfailing love today! Regardless of what you look like, He loves you… rag doll and all!

They Said

You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (Psalm 119:65-72 ESV). The following verse from and unknown author seems to express the root of most gossip: Have you heard of the terrible family They, And the dreadful venomous things They say? Why, half the gossip under the sun, If you trace it back, you will find begun In that wretched House of They. No one is immune from the attacks of slander and gossip. If somebody says, “I hope you won’t mind me telling you this,” it’s pretty certain you will. One of the best ways to end a rumor is to ask if you may quote the individual passing it along. If the person says no, it’s possible that the rumor is just idle talk. If the person answers yes, you should contact the gossip’s subject to verify the story you heard. Also, if you like to spread news about others, ask yourself if you would want someone to quote you. A negative answer is a good sign you should keep your lips sealed on the matter. And a positive response should lead not to back-fence reporting but to up-front confronting. I have seen an acrostic that is a wonderful reminder of how we ought to measure our words. It is a simple formula that will help anyone from consciously gossiping about someone. It is based on the word “THINK”: • T — Is it true? Before you repeat anything told to you, determine whether it really is true. • H — Is it helpful? Even when something is true, it may not be helpful to repeat it. Sometimes the most hurtful things are done and said in the spirit of “constructive criticism.” • I — Is it inspiring? Do your words convey the Spirit of Christ? • N — Is it necessary? There are those times when words are necessary, although I’ve found that when they are, they will always pass the first three of these tests. • K — Is it kind? And, last, regardless of the content of the words, be kind with them. The arrogant people the psalmist confronted ought to be a strong reminder that we must guard our words! THINK before you speak! Don’t be a part of that group called “they.”

Tempted and True

The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! (Psalm 119:57-64 ESV). There’s a great folk story of the bandit Jose’ Rivera, who became notorious in several little towns in Texas for robbing their banks and businesses. It seems that the townsfolk, finally weary of the constant plundering, hired a ranger to track down Jose’ Rivera in his hideout in Mexico and retrieve the money. The ranger at last arrived at a desolate, ramshackle cantina. At the counter he saw a young man enjoying his brew. At one of the tables, hands over his ample stomach, hat over his eyes, snored another patron. With much gusto, the ranger approached the young man at the bar and announced that he was on a mission to bring back Jose’ Rivera, dead or alive. “Can you help me find him?” he asked. The young man smiled, pointed to the other patron, and said, “That is Jose’ Rivera.” The ranger shifted his southern girth and ambled over to the sleeping bandit, tapping him on the shoulder, “Are you Jose’ Rivera? he asked. The man mumbled, “No speak English.” The ranger beckoned to the young man to help him communicate his mission. The ensuing conversation was tedious. First the ranger spoke in English and the young man translated it into Spanish. Jose’ Rivera responded in Spanish, and young man repeated the answer in English for the ranger. Finally, the ranger warned Jose’ Rivera that he had two choices; the first was to let him know where all the loot he had stolen was hidden, in which case he could walk away a free man. The second choice was that if he would not reveal where the money was stashed, he would be shot dead instantly. The young man translated the ultimatum. Jose’ Rivera pulled himself together and said to the young man, “Tell him to go out of the bar, turn to the right, go about a mile, and he will see a well. Near the well he will see a very tall tree. Beside the trunk of that tree is a large concrete slab. He will need help in removing it. Under the slab is a pit in the ground. If he carefully uncovers it he will find all the jewelry and most of the money I have taken.” The young man turned to the ranger, opened his mouth... swallowed... paused — and then said, “Jose’ Rivera says...Jose’ Rivera says...’Go ahead and shoot!’” The young man couldn’t resist that temptation! A paragraph by Billy Graham helps put this into perspective: “God never promises to remove temptation from us, for even Christ was subject to it...There is a sense of achievement and assurance that results from victory over temptation that cannot come to us otherwise. Temptation shows what people really are. It does not make us Christian or unchristian. Overcoming does make the Christian stronger and causes him to discover resources of power...In times of temptation Christ can become more real to you than ever.” You WILL be tempted. Turn to the power available to you in the Holy Spirit and resist. Anchor yourself to His law and you will find it easier and easier to resist. God’s promise is that you can be tempted and true!

Trust and Obey

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. (Psalm 119:49-56 ESV). The story is told that Neil Marten, a member of the British Parliament, was once giving a group of his constituents a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. During the course of the visit, the group happened to meet Lord Hailsham, then Lord Chancellor, wearing all the regalia of his office. Hailsham recognized Marten among the group and cried, “Neil!” Not daring to question or disobey the “command,” the entire band of visitors promptly fell to their knees! They understood both the principles of “what” and “when” of obedience. A friend often told me about the problems that he had getting his son to clean his room. The son would always agree to tidy up, but then wouldn’t follow through. After high school the young man joined the Marine Corps. When he came home for leave after basic training, his father asked him what he had learned in the service. “Dad,” he said. “I learned what ‘now’ means.” When it comes to obedience, I am afraid that few of us question what God tells us to do, although many of us question the when we need to do it. God’s laws are given to us to be both a protection and provision in our lives. When God called Abram to leave his home in the Ur of the Chaldees and travel to a place he would be shown to receive the blessing of a great name, nation, and land, he packed up and left immediately. His faith caused him to act immediately. There is a stark contrast to that kind of obedience and that of the young man who went to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to be one of His followers. When Jesus told him to leave his home and come along, his reply that he had to wait until he had his business in order was completely unacceptable as far as Jesus’ expectation of discipleship were concerned. Archibald Rutledge wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked out-of-doors, he often took his dog with him. That morning, he left the animal in a clearing and gave him a command to stay and watch his lunch bucket while he went into the forest. His faithful friend understood, for that’s exactly what he did. Then a fire started in the woods, and soon the blaze spread to the spot where the dog had been left. But he didn’t move. He stayed right where he was, in perfect obedience to his master’s word. With tearful eyes, the dog’s owner said, “I always had to be careful what I told him to do, because I knew he would do it.” What is the Lord telling you to do today? Are you willing to be obedient? Can you echo the words of the psalmist today? Is obeying the Lord your happy way of life?

Walking in the Rain

Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. (Psalm 119:41-48 ESV). Freedom has become much more than a mere word in these days of war and conflict. In today’s verses the psalmist draws our attention to the freedom that may come to us when we walk by faith in the Lord. In illustration, my friend John Smith sent me the following story: She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain." "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom, that's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'" The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. I don’t know about you, but I need a good washing from time to time! What a wonderful story to remind us of our need to trust in the Lord. He is trustworthy!

The Love of Money

Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! (Psalm 119:33-40 ESV). Muhammad Ali was known as “the champ,” arguably the most famous athlete of his generation. He was on top, and his entourage of trainers and various helpers shared the adulation with him. But the party ended, leaving many of Ali’s loyal followers disillusioned, and in some cases, destitute. Ali himself, now halting in speech and uncertain in movement, says, “I had the world, and it wasn’t nothin’.” It is strange how difficult it is to balance the desire to do and be better and the excess of greed and materialism. I think the key is in understanding the difference between making a good living and living good lives. The problem has never been how prosperous we are, but how much prosperity controls our lives. The world is full of people who have plenty to live on, but nothing to live for. It is reported that Howard Hughes, when worth approximately 4 billion dollars, said, “I’d give it all for one good friend.” When a person loves earthly things so much that he can’t get along without them, he opens himself to so much suffering, both physical and mental. Some people, for example, have taken foolish risks to keep their riches intact. They have died rushing into burning houses or were killed because they stubbornly resisted armed robbers. Apparently they felt that without their material possessions life would not be worthwhile. Others, when forced to part with their wealth, have been thrown into agonizing despair, even to the point of suicide. In 1975, six armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.” What a sad commentary on her values! No wonder the psalmist teaches us in today’s reading that success comes when we focus on the Lord and His ways. He writes, “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.” That is a prayer for all of us today in our world where more has always been better. Malcolm Forbes was one of the wealthiest men in the world. He once paid over a million dollars for a Faberge egg. He may be best remembered for the phrase he coined: “He who dies with the most toys wins.” I would remind us all today that those toys mean nothing in the face of eternity without Christ. Concentrate on your relationship with Him and then the toys, however many or few you possess, will be brought into a proper perspective in your life. All of us need to be inoculated from the affliction of the love of money!

An Encouraging Word

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! (Psalm 119:25-32 ESV). Recently, I heard a touching story, which illustrates the power that words have to change a life, a power that lies right in the hands of those reading this devotional. Sally had grown up knowing that she was different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children who teased her non-stop about her misshapen lip, crooked nose, and garbled speech. With all the teasing, Sally grew up hating the fact that she was “different”. She was convinced that no one, outside her family, could ever love her … until she entered Mrs. Leonard’s class. Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face, and shiny brown hair. While everyone in her class liked her, Sally came to love Mrs. Leonard. In the 1950s, it was common for teachers to give their children an annual hearing test. However, in Sally’s case, in addition to her cleft palate, she was barely able to hear out of one ear. Determined not to let the other children have another “difference” to point out, she would cheat on the test each year. The “whisper test” was given by having a child walk to the classroom door, turn sideways, close one ear with a finger, and then repeat something, which the teacher whispered. Sally turned her bad ear towards her teacher and pretended to cover her good ear. She knew teachers would often say things like, “The sky is blue,” or “What color are your shoes?” But it didn’t happen that way on that day. Surely, God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard’s mouth that changed Sally’s life forever. When the “Whisper test” came, Sally heard the words: “I wish you were my little girl.” The psalmist in our reading this morning is pointing us to the truth that God is that kind of teacher. He has more than just whispered, He has shouted that He wants us to be His child. And when we call out to Him He will never disappoint us. However, there is one more truth for us to hear today. There are many people in our lives who need to hear those encouraging words from us. We become “God with skin on” to them. It is an incredible blessing when we use affirming words to others. They are easy words to formulate. I’m proud of you! Way to go! Well done… you did it! Magnificent! I knew you could do it! You’re very special to me! I trust you! What a treasure! Hurray for you! Beautiful work! You’re a real trooper! That’s so creative! You make my day! You’re a joy! I love you! You’re so responsible! You remembered! You’re the best! I couldn’t be prouder of you! You light up my day! I’m praying for you! You’re wonderful! I’m behind you! You’re so kind to your! You’re God’s special gift! I’m here for you! These are the words God has for us. Can’t we find the means to give them to others also?

In a Foreign Land

Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:17-24 ESV). There’s nothing like traveling to remind you how much you miss home! Recently Mary returned from some travel to Bermuda. She and her sister shared many wonderful experiences from the beautiful ocean views to the warm sunny sands. Mary also mentioned how it was often difficult to really understand the language as they use a different dialect and inflection in their speech. It seems they didn’t speak a lot of Texan and Mary didn’t speak a lot of Bermudan (if that’s even a word)! Both were English, but it was different, somehow foreign. As I read today’s verses, I was struck with the declaration from the psalmist that we are indeed foreigners in this land. There is a sense about that truth that ought to drive us to focus on our home in heaven more than our home here. This is not to say that we should not live our lives in the present, but to understand that this present life is not all there is in life. There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired, “Where do you come from?” “I come from heaven!” replied the swan. “And where is heaven?” asked the crane. “Heaven!” said the swan, “Heaven! Have you never heard of heaven?” And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones, of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane. Finally the crane asked, “Are there any snails there?” “Snails!” repeated the swan; “No! Of course there are not.” “Then,” said the crane, as it continued its search along the slimy banks of the pool, “you can have your heaven. I want snails!” It is very easy to lose sight of the “then-and-there” as we live in the “here-and-now.” It is very easy to focus on gathering our snails! Today let your commitment be focused on the delight that awaits those who have given themselves into the hands of Jesus. His promise to us is to be with us in our journey here, and to keep us safe until we reach our ultimate destination and home in heaven. Regardless of how difficult the day may seem, remember that you are only passing through this foreign land while you make your way home.

Hidden in My Heart

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-17 ESV). The story has been told about several famous preachers, but it actually happened to Joseph Parker, minister of the City Temple in London. An old lady waited on Parker in his vestry after a service to thank him for the help she received from his sermons. "You do throw such wonderful light on the Bible, doctor," she said. "Do you know that until this morning, I had always thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were man and wife?" Let’s take a little test this morning! Which of the following aren't in the Bible?  Cleanliness is next to godliness.  God helps those who help themselves.  Confession is good for the soul.  We are as prone to sin as sparks fly upward.  Money is the root of all evil.  Honesty is the best policy. Well, you probably guessed that these are trick questions. However the correct answer is that none of them are! The principles may be there, but these quotes are not found in the Bible. It is incredible that so many times we have not taken the time to either meditate or memorize the Scripture. It is so readily available to us that we take it for granted that it will always be there. The truth is that we ought to memorize the Scripture because it is one of the weapons available to us to fight against temptation. Once we have committed ourselves to memorization, then meditation becomes a simple exercise. M. A. Rosanoff, long associated with Thomas Edison, had worked futilely for over a year to soften the wax of phonograph cylinders by altering their chemical constitution. The results were negative. Rosanoff relates how he mused night after night trying to “mentally cough up” every theoretical and practical solution. He went on to write, “Then it came like a flash of lightning. I could not shut waxes out of my mind, even in my sleep. Suddenly, through headache and daze, I saw the solution. The first thing the next morning, I was at my desk; and half an hour later I had a record in the softened wax cylinder...This was the solution! I learned to think waxes...waxes...waxes, and the answer came without effort, although months of thought had gone into the mental mill.” Meditation comes because we have disciplined ourselves to “hide the word in our hearts.” Start slowly and simply and then watch the difference it will make in your life!

Integrity

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! (Psalm 119:1-8 ESV). Psalm 119 is an acrostic psalm. That is to say that it is written in twenty-two stanzas each beginning with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Many believe it was written in this fashion as a tool to help memorize each of the stanzas and thus facilitate the teaching of each of the principles revealed in the stanzas. The first stanza deals with the relationship between happiness and integrity. It was a chilly Tuesday morning, January28, 1986, when Christa McAuliffe climbed aboard the Challenger space shuttle for her historic mission as the first citizen in space. She was a teacher. When the space shuttle Challenger lifted into the sky and blew up seventy-three seconds into its flight, the world was shocked. Most of us have seen the videotape of that terrible moment many times. And we can recreate the picture in our minds of a deep blue sky marked with twisted trails of smoke and large chunks of metal plummeting toward the ocean. And we know, as we recall the grim specter of the explosion that among the falling pieces were the bodies of some of America's finest men and women. Most of us also know that the investigations into the cause of the tragedy pointed out some serious shortfalls in human judgment and materials management. The New York Times put it frankly: the ultimate cause of the space shuttle disaster was pride. A group of top managers failed to listen carefully to the warnings of those down the line who were concerned about the operational reliability of certain parts of the booster rocket under conditions of abnormal stress. The people in charge were confident that they knew best and that they should not change the launch schedules. They were wrong. Integrity is not so much about being right, as it is about doing right. The psalmist instructs us: “Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.” A genuine relationship in faith with Christ ought to result in a life of integrity proven by our actions. The expression "face the music" is said to have originated in Japan. According to the story, one man in the imperial orchestra couldn't play a note. Being a person of great influence and wealth, he had demanded that he be given a place in the group because he wanted to perform before the emperor. The conductor agreed to let him sit in the second row of the orchestra, even though he couldn't read music. He was given a flute, and when a concert would begin, he'd raise his instrument, pucker his lips, and move his fingers. He would go through all the motions of playing, but he never made a sound. This deception continued for 2 years. Then a new conductor took over. He told the orchestra that he wanted to audition each player personally. One by one they performed in his presence. Then came the flutist's turn. He was frantic with worry, so he pretended to be sick. However, the doctor who was ordered to examine him declared that he was perfectly well. The conductor insisted that the man appear and demonstrate his skill. Shamefacedly he had to confess that he was a fake. He was unable to "face the music". What will happen when you face Christ? What will He say about the level of integrity in your life? Use today as a time to reexamine your actions and change what needs to be changed to walk only in His paths.

Five Faithful Facts

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 ESV). The following provide a wonderful reminder of the wisdom in sharing ourselves with others. Use them in your prayer time today, evaluating your relationship with others. Real wisdom is applied in our lives, not merely stored in our minds.  First Faithful Fact: Everyone is significant. During the second month of nursing school, one professor gave his students a pop quiz. There was one very conscientious student who had breezed through the questions, until they read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke, they thought. They had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would she know her name? She handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, the student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'."  Second Faithful Fact: Unselfishly care for others. One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.  Third Faithful Fact: Always remember those who serve you. In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied." The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.  Fourth Faithful Fact: Every obstacle is an opportunity. In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.  Fifth Faithful Fact: Real love is willing to give everything for another. The story is told of a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies, needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll Do it if it will save her..." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then, his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?" Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Bouncy, Bouncy Tigger

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:15-23 ESV). The T-shirt made me laugh out loud. It portrayed Tigger, bouncing gleefully on his springy tail and declaring, "It's about me!" A cartoon character that makes such a self-serving statement is humorous. But Tigger gives us a startling insight into human nature that isn't so funny. We all tend to think of ourselves first. While it's wise to take care of ourselves, we can turn that common-sense idea into our reason for existing. Some view nearly everything with a selfish question: "What's the payoff for me?" That's just a different way of saying, "It's about me." But that attitude fights against the very nature of Christ. The apostle Paul understood that it's really about Him! In our text this morning he makes it very clear that Jesus is to be preeminent in all things. Those of us who trust Christ are free! But it doesn't make us free to serve ourselves. Rather, Christ's death frees us to serve Him. Before Jesus was crucified, He took Peter, James, and John up to the Mount of Transfiguration with Him. There, Moses and Elijah appeared to them. Peter wanted to pay homage to all three. But a voice from heaven directed sole attention to Christ. "This is My Son, whom I love . . . Listen to Him!" It's not about me. It's about Jesus! What are those things in your life that come between you and the selfless love God asks us to give Him? One by one list them. Then, each in turn, give them over to Him. He will take them from you and give you freedom like you’ve never known before. Often, the very things you thought you couldn’t live without are the things that He gives back as blessings and privileges. Freedom comes from surrender! Quit bouncing around like Tigger and let Him give you real joy and life.

What God Hath Wrought

My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. (Psalm 17:5-7 ESV). The year was 1844 and on in May of that year communications were changed forever. In a demonstration witnessed by members of Congress, American inventor Samuel F.B. Morse dispatches a telegraph message from the US Capitol to Alfred Vail at a railroad station in Baltimore, Maryland. The message he sent was "What Hath God Wrought?" It was telegraphed back to the Capitol a moment later by Vail. The question, taken from the Bible (Numbers 23:23), had been suggested to Morse by Annie Ellworth, the daughter of the commissioner of patents. Morse, an accomplished painter, learned of a French inventor's idea of an electric telegraph in 1832 and then spent the next 12 years attempting to perfect a working telegraph instrument. During this period, he composed the Morse code, a set of signals that could represent language in telegraph messages, and convinced Congress to finance a Washington-to-Baltimore telegraph line. On May 24, 1844, he inaugurated the world's first commercial telegraph line with a message that was fitting given the invention's future effects on American life. Just a decade after the first line opened, more than 20,000 miles of telegraph cable crisscrossed the country. The rapid communication it enabled greatly aided American expansion, making railroad travel safer as it provided a boost to business conducted across the great distances of a growing United States. There are many days when I use my computer and electronic mail that I marvel at the technology that has brought so much into our lives. Sometimes I try to remember how it was before I had a computer and it becomes more difficult with each milestone we reach technologically. However, the greatest marvel is not to be found in technology, but in our ability to speak to and be heard by God. When David wrote the psalm we read this morning, he understood this same miracle. God DOES hear our petitions! I wonder why so few people don’t really take advantage of this miracle. Perhaps like technology they have not been educated nor informed. Or, worse, perhaps they have become so entrenched in old habits and ways that they refuse to try something different. Business leaders laud their ability to think “outside the box.” In some ways we need to do that today as Christians. The need of the hour is to turn our focus and attention to prayer. At no time in our history has there been a more dangerous time in which to live. The only hope is to be found in the power and presence of God. Prayer is the answer. Have you prayed today? If not, then why not do so now?

Above the Noise

They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! (Psalm 107:26-31 ESV). Don’t you grow weary of hearing the verse from Psalm 46:10 quoted? It’s the one that says, "Be still, and know that I am God" Who has time to be still? And, if you had the time, how could you hear God above the noise? However, wonderful things can happen in times of solitude, stillness, and silence before God. But "stillness" is hard to come by and simply isn't available on some days or in certain life experiences. There's precious little time for stillness when production deadlines are close. A report is due in three hours. An inspection is in progress. If you live in a big city, there are voices and horns. There is constant motion. Shared living space has someone else's music; someone else's TV, and someone else's voice. Where are you supposed to find God in the midst of all the noise? Then there is "noise" of a different quality altogether. Pain from illness or injury screams at you. The pressure of finding a new job or putting life together after a death takes away your tranquil sense of God. Sadness, disappointment, and loss crash over you with the roar of an angry sea. Strange as it may seem, the greater need for some of us may be less for stillness than to learn how to hear God's voice smack in the middle of all the noise, chaotic activity, and disorienting trouble. This is the impact of the psalm in today’s reading. Read it again now. Do you really think ours is the first generation of humankind to feel the pressure of noise, tension, and uncertainty? Of course it isn't. And the experience of some of those people can guide us in our times of stress. Whoever the subjects of Psalm 107, they were reeling and staggering under their load. There was no serene stillness before God for them. To the contrary, they were "at their wits' end." So right in the middle of their frenzy and distress, "they cried out to the Lord in their trouble" and God heard them. If your life has more tumult than stillness, more crash than tranquillity, God has not eluded you. He beckons you to cry out to him, and he will show himself to you. Amidst the noise, you will find him with you in the middle of it all. The key to hearing God’s voice in not in escaping the noise, but in focusing your hearing. Try this simple exercise: 1. First, pray these words: “Father, I wait on you now. I open my heart to you.” 2. Second, be quiet. Be quiet in your mind. Don’t say another word mentally or physically. 3. Third, write down the next feeling, impression, or words that come to you. 4. Last, go to the Scripture and read about that concept. The Holy Spirit WILL speak to you in that moment. It only takes a minute. And, He will speak to you every time you ask.

Dreams to Greatness

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. (Genesis 37:1-11 ESV). Joseph’s dreams were troubling to his family and to him. The story of this great man of God is very familiar to many of us. He saw the vision of God and began to move toward it. Little did he know the many turns and twists he would take before he achieved what God had in store for him! But, even in the worst of times, he never doubted the dreams of God. The question was once asked of a highly successful businessman: "How have you done so much in your lifetime?" He replied, "I have dreamed. I have turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night I dreamt about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw the way to make my dreams real. While other people were saying, 'You can't do that, it isn't possible,' I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted." Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the US, said: "We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true." So please, don't let anyone steal your dreams, or try to tell you they are too impossible. "Sing your song, dream your dreams, hope your hope and pray your prayer." God will never leave you powerless!

Speed Limits and Other Rules

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:7-9 ESV). In May of 1901, Connecticut became the first state to enact a speeding driver law. The State General Assembly passed a bill submitted by Representative Robert Woodruff that stipulated the speed of all motor vehicles should not exceed 12 mph on country highways and 8 mph within city limits. My family will tell you that I am either the unluckiest individual when it comes to speeding tickets, or just plain unaware. In my younger days I couldn’t seem to go more than a year or two without getting stopped for exceeding the speed limit. And, this is from the driver who has to be told to get out of the “fast lane” because I’m going to slow! Don’t you just hate it! It really seems unfair to me. Rules are like that sometimes. All of us have different rules that we find it difficult to accept or obey. The following list, written and published by Erma Bombeck is meant to be funny, though it serves to remind us of the incredible mass of rules in our lives. Everyone has a long list of them. Here’s what she says:  Never have more children than you have car windows.  Never loan your car to someone to whom you have given birth.  Pick your friends carefully. A “friend” never goes on a diet when you are fat or tells you how lucky you are to have a husband who remembers Mother’s Day when his gift is a smoke alarm.  Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.  Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.  Never be in a hurry to terminate a marriage. Remember, you may need this person someday to finish a sentence.  There are no guarantees in marriage. If that’s what you’re looking for, go live with a Sears’s battery.  Never go to a class reunion pregnant. They will think that’s all you have been doing since you graduated. I don’t think those are the rules that necessarily bring success, though they do elicit a chuckle. The only rules that can guarantee success in life come from the Scripture. Adopt those, as principles of your life and you will never be disappointed. Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom, but its Master”.

Just Five Minutes

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV). "Take five!" someone says. And everybody in the room understands. The boss is stepping out to take a phone call. A technician has to change the lighting or rearrange the set. Everybody has been drinking coffee and needs a restroom break. So somebody gives permission to everyone present: "Take five!" Not a lot can be done in five minutes. Even if we understand that the five-minute break may actually extend to ten, twenty, or more minutes. We're all still "standing by" to resume the project or meeting on short notice. We're not in control of the situation and have a very limited time to grab another cup of coffee or make a phone call back to the office. You have to be deliberate with that time. However, when we are deliberate with the use of our time, five minutes can make a great impact. A lot can be done with five minutes in a person's life. Consider these examples of what you could do in that brief time:  Take five minutes to write a thank-you note to someone who did something thoughtful or helpful to you recently.  Take five minutes to introduce yourself to someone you don't know.  Take five minutes to encourage someone who has just had some positive thing happen in her life to tell you about it.  Take five minutes to offer an ear to someone that seems discouraged and may need to talk about something that's troubling him.  Take five minutes to watch a bird, study a leaf, or enjoy a sunset.  Take five minutes to read a few lines from the Psalms and pray.  Take five minutes to plan how you will affirm someone in your family when you get home from work tonight.  Take five minutes to look deeply into your soul and forgive some real or imagined grievance or release an old grudge. Time is the very essence of life. So using each day wisely and for some positive outcome is important. But we typically spend our days like our money — in small increments here and there until it is all gone. So what is a five-minute increment out of this day? Too much to ask? More time than you will have to give? Probably not. So, today, just take five minutes to do something special for someone else. Watch the difference it will make in both your life and theirs.

Witch Hunts and Hangings

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2 ESV). On June 10, 1692 in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Bridget Bishop, the first colonist to be tried in the Salem witch trials, was hanged after being found guilty of the practice of witchcraft. It began the witch-hunts and condemning of many innocent people so infamous today. Trouble in the small Puritan community began in February 1692, when nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams, the daughter and niece, respectively, of the Reverend Samuel Parris, began experiencing fits and other mysterious maladies. A doctor concluded that the children were suffering from the effects of witchcraft, and the young girls corroborated the doctor's diagnosis. Under compulsion from the doctor and their parents, the girls named those allegedly responsible for their suffering. With encouragement from adults in the community, the girls, who were soon joined by other "afflicted" Salem residents, accused a widening circle of local residents of witchcraft, mostly middle-aged women but also several men and even one four-year-old child. During the next few months, the afflicted area residents incriminated more than 150 women and men from Salem Village and the surrounding areas of satanic practices. In June 1692, the special Court of Oyer and Terminer ["to hear and to decide"] convened in Salem under Chief Justice William Stoughton to judge the accused. The first to be tried was Bridget Bishop of Salem, who was accused of witchcraft by more individuals than any other defendant was. Bishop, known around town for her dubious moral character, frequented taverns, dressed flamboyantly (by Puritan standards), and was married three times. She professed her innocence but was found guilty and executed by hanging on June 10th. Thirteen more women and five men from all stations of life followed her to the gallows, and one man, Giles Corey, was executed by crushing. Most of those tried were condemned on the basis of the witnesses' behavior during the actual proceedings, characterized by fits and hallucinations that were argued to have been caused by the defendants on trial. In October 1692, Governor William Phipps of Massachusetts ordered the Court of Oyer and Terminer dissolved and replaced with the Superior Court of Judicature, which forbade the type of sensational testimony allowed in the earlier trials. Executions ceased, and the Superior Court eventually released all those awaiting trial and pardoned those sentenced to death. The Salem witch trials, which resulted in the executions of 19 innocent women and men, had effectively ended. First, I must say that there is a real danger in the practice of witchcraft or sorcery. And, God forbids it. The devil is real! However, the lesson to be learned from these events of our history is to be found in the necessity to wisely exercise our responsibility of judgment. It is always better to make a mistake on the side of grace rather than condemnation. Be careful about your judgment of others. Check for nail prints in your hands before you go pointing fingers at others!

What It Means to be Forgiven

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. 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 5:1-11 ESV). She was one of England’s best-known novelists and secular humanists. Shortly before she died in 1988, in what John Stott calls a "moment of surprising candor," Marghanita Laski said this on television: "What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me." The fundamental principle behind the biblical notion of forgiveness is letting go. It is as if a huge policeman chased you down, caught you securely by your collar, and turned you around. Looking into each other’s eyes, with you scared to death and him firmly in charge, he smiles and says, "I’m letting you go. Try not to do that again." Another part of forgiveness is pardon. This time you need to imagine that things have gone much farther than in the scene above. You have been caught, tried, and found guilty. Then you’ve had the book thrown at you. You are on death row, sentenced to die, and waiting for the dawn of your final day You hear the ring of footsteps and are gripped with the terror that you are about to be led to your death. When the steps end at your cell door, the warden smiles and says, "You have been pardoned. You are free to leave whenever you wish." More realistically for most of us, perhaps, is the idea of having someone remit or cancel a debt. Suppose your MasterCard statement comes by mail tomorrow. "Oh, no!" you think to yourself. "This has been a tough month, and I can’t even make the minimum payment." So you open the bill only to see "Paid in Full" stamped in red across it. There is a note saying you are the lucky winner in a random drawing that pays someone’s bill in its entirely each month. Your face breaks into a broad grin, and the weight of the world is lifted from your shoulders. Roll all these notions together in one word, and it comes out forgiven. God has paid your debt with his own funds. He had you "red-handed" and chose to let you go. He has come onto death row with a pardon in hand and announced that you can go free. Pity the person with no one to forgive her. If you are forgiven, celebrate your good fortune and tell others the wonderful name of your benefactor.

The Meaning of Failure

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:1-10 ESV). Unfortunately, most us equate our performance with our personhood. It is a terrible mistake that sets people up for unhappiness, depression, and even suicide. Some women aren’t stunning, and some men aren’t handsome. Only a tiny percentage of students graduate with 4.0 GPA’s. Not everybody who applies gets into graduate school or professional school, and some that get in either can’t take the pace or decide it’s not worth it. Some people can never break into the career they want. You may never be the top salesperson in your company. You may not make top-level management. You may have no musical talent. Some people get married and are unable to make their marriages work. Some people break the law, get caught, and spend time in prison. Some unmarried women get pregnant. The list can go on and on indefinitely. All of us fail at some things, and some failures, whether relationship failures or moral failures, are worse than others are. But no failure means that you are worthless as a person, that your life is without meaning, or that you are unimportant in the eyes of God. Some people I know would never have risen from the ashes of a failure like King David’s adultery or Simon Peter’s three denials. They would have told themselves that they were worthless failures as people, that their lives could never again be valuable, and that God would never give them another chance. To fail at something means simply that, well; you have failed at something. It most assuredly does not mean you are useless, insignificant, and meaningless as a person. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Your failures don’t mean that God has given up on you either. God is determined and persistent in his quest for your salvation. He is the shepherd who searches the open country until he finds one stray sheep from his fold. He is the woman who sweeps her house until she finds a lost coin. He is the father who keeps his eye on the horizon, looking for the outline of his prodigal son starting toward home. Our God is in the forgiving and renewing business. Don’t ever doubt that. And don’t ever let Satan convince you that your Father would give up on you, no matter what you have done or how far from him you have strayed.

Be a Hero

Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. (Psalm 119:35-37 ESV). Once there was a notion of the "heroic ideal" that we preserved in Western culture, made the theme of stories we told our children, and cherished in our hearts. It inspired people at critical moments and enabled them to act both correctly and courageously. This ideal affirmed to us that a single life could make a profound difference. Today we seem to have accepted the notion of personal insignificance, if not meaninglessness, for individual human life. Our world of six billion people is seen as being swayed only by large coalitions and power blocs. Thus too many of us not only suffer from low self-esteem but also actually live as though what we are doing makes no real difference in the grand scheme of things. Occasionally stories are still told that affirm the heroic ideal. They show how individual acts spread like ripples on the surface of a still lake to reach distant places. They encourage the rest of us to take our behaviors more seriously. Schindler's List is such a story. A best-selling novel by Thomas Keneally that was put on film by Steven Spielberg, it won the Academy Award for "Best Picture of the Year" for 1993 by telling the story of one man's far-reaching heroism. It is the true story of Oskar Schindler and how he came to save more Jews from the Nazi gas chambers than any other single person during the Holocaust. Schindler is not a particularly appealing character at the start of his wartime experience. He is apolitical and hedonistic. Moving to Poland in order to profit from the war trade, he buys a factory from Jews who are being dispossessed and herded into the Warsaw ghetto. With a sexy woman on one arm and a Nazi official on the other, Schindler serves his own selfish interests as an entrepreneur making money off human depravity and suffering. Working Jews in his factory by special permission from the Nazis, he fills contracts for mess kits and utensils for German troops and accumulates great wealth. As time goes by, Schindler gets to know first one and then another of the people that come to be knows as the Schindlerjuden (i.e., Schindler's Jews). Compassion emerges and conscience prompts action. Putting principle and the value of human life above his selfish interests, he puts himself at some personal risk and spends his entire fortune to save some 1,100 Jews from sure death. You will probably never save hundreds of people from murder or head a mover-and-shaker organization. But you can love God with your whole heart and treat your neighbor, as you want to be treated. You can protest injustice when you see it, champion the rights of the weak when you are allied with the strong, and pay attention to someone everyone else has ignored. When you do these things, you will be imitating the One whose single life has given all of us hope. That’s the way to be a hero!

Do You Care?

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40 ESV). I recently read a story about a man who was on the ledge of a 32-story building in Manhattan, weeping. The first police officers that responded tried to talk the man away from his dangerous perch. They talked, cajoled, and pleaded. It was all pointless, though, because the man was deaf and mute. Eventually a neighbor told the police what they were facing. They immediately sent for a property room clerk from a police station in the Bronx. Officer Elizabeth Cook has a brother who was born deaf, so she is fluent in sign language. With more than a dozen other officers standing by and with a crowd of gawkers hundreds of feet below, she began trying to make contact with the 31-year-old man. She waved her arms and tried everything she could think of to attract his attention. When he looked up several minutes later, Officer Cook signed: "Tell me what happened. I'm here to help you. Tell me what happened. I'm here to help you." Over and over, she repeated her offer to "listen" to a man that can't talk. He finally responded by signing to her. "My girlfriend died in a car accident last week," he told her through deliberate and slow hand movements. "I'm very sorry," she signed back. Reaching out to a man trapped in the terrible solitude of his grief, Ms. Cook reminded him that there were people who loved him and needed him. She promised that there were people willing to help him cope with his pain. Finally he conceded that he wanted to live. He demanded that all the other police officers move away. Then he worked his way off the ledge and through a window. He and Officer Cook collapsed into each other's arms. Both sobbed. Because of her own brother, a woman understood how intense the loneliness of a silent world could be. As she put it afterward, it can make a person feel that "no one's listening." So she could reach to the man, genuinely care about him, and save his life. The New York Times story of this rescue ran under this headline when I saw it: "Signs of Humanity Help NY Police Save a Life." Listening to and caring about another's plight is a sign of humanity, all right. Helping that person through a tough time is also a sign of God's presence. The next time you see someone who is hurting and feeling isolated, you may be able to make the connection that makes the difference. The secret is caring and seizing the chance to do something for Jesus.

Courage

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:13-14 ESV). A study was recently completed on corporate managers. In it they were asked if they voiced positions that focused on the good of the company, rather than personal benefit, and jeopardized their own careers. Emerging from this study were the four leader-types, which are found in all organizations.  Type #1 - courageous. These people expressed ideas to help the company improve, in spite of personal risk or opposition.  Type #2 - confronting. These people spoke up, but only because of a personal vendetta against the company.  Type #3 - callused. These people didn’t know, or care, whether they could do anything for the company; they felt helpless and hopeless, so they kept quiet.  Type #4 - conforming. These people also remained quiet, but only because they loathed confrontation and loved approval. The researchers discovered that the courageous managers accomplished the most, reported the highest job satisfaction, and eventually were commended by superiors. Their commitment had certainly improved the quality of their lives. Whether in a corporate setting or not, courage is essential in the life of a Christian. It always brings risk to the individual. However, the Lord’s desire is to be with us through the risk and bring blessing to those around us. Theodore Roosevelt said: In the battle of life, it is not the critic who counts; nor the one who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends oneself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat. Leonidas, King of Sparta, was preparing to make a stand with his Greek troops against the Persian army in 480 B.C. when a Persian envoy arrived. The man urged on Leonidas the futility of trying to resist the advance of the huge Persian army. “Our archers are so numerous,” said the envoy, “that the flight of their arrows darkens the sun.” “So much the better,” replied Leonidas, “for we shall fight them in the shade.” Leonidas made his stand, and died with his 300 troops. What “type” of person are you? Be courageous in your stand for the Lord today!

License Plate Brackets

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! (Psalm 119:1-8 ESV). Some years ago a new law in Texas was enacted. The gist of it is that any license plate bracket that covers any pertinent information that identifies the number or state of your registration is illegal. Even though most people had been informed about the law, a lot of people ignored it. The reasoning behind the law came through the necessity of being able to correctly identify photographs taken of license plates of vehicles running through red lights. There was quite an uproar at first. Many people felt that getting “caught” by a camera was not fair. It is a good law though. Anyone who ignores traffic signals is "an accident looking for a place to happen." Anyone cheating on red or stopping absentmindedly on green is a danger to himself and to others. Although a series of red lights can be a pain when you're eager to get to your destination, an accident can bring even greater pain. All of us have watched various intersections through the years and wondered why every busy corner didn’t have a light. It only takes witnessing one bad wreck at one of these unmarked intersections to appreciate the need! The same may be said in our lives. The Scriptures too have some "red lights" that should control our lives as Christians. They are the prohibitions against envy, pride, hatred, irreverence, lust, and selfishness. When the Holy Spirit alerts us to their presence, we should immediately hit the brakes. Likewise, as we move into the heavy traffic of daily living, we must quickly respond by obeying the "green" signals of kindness, humility, love, worship, and purity. God's stops and starts are designed to help us. We should be as fearful of ignoring a command of Scripture as we are of running a red light. Don’t wait until you have an “accident” to use caution. Stop at the dangerous intersections of life and look both ways before continuing on. It may save you a lot of trouble.

Lady Liberty

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV). Mary has been to New York City many times. Each time she brings home the pictures and experiences of this marvelous city. I have promised to go with her the next time that she travels there; although I haven’t been able to do keep that promise yet. I would look forward to experiencing the sights, fragrances, and sounds of the most famous city in the world. The enormity of the Empire State Building, the magical effects of Times Square, the history of Broadway, and every type of food known to man are some of the things that can be found there. But the thing I most desire to see is the Statue of Liberty. It has come to be known as “Lady Liberty.” Thinking about this on me of the famous poem by Emma Lazarus, which is engraved on a tablet within the statue's pedestal. The ending says: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These words and the mere sight of what Emma described as the New Colossus, has brought tears to many eyes. While thinking of these words and the massive statute that stands on the shores of what so many immigrants knew as the New World, I couldn't help but think of Jesus. Can you hear Jesus saying those very same words as He stands between this world and the next holding the torch high enough for the lost to find their way safely? That’s the declaration of our Lord in the reading today. He is the light that leads us to freedom from death and hell. He is the one who holds the torch that signals the path toward real freedom. God has provided all we need and the way to find it. Charles Sell says it so well in the following verse: If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. Why don’t you come to Him today with all of your troubles and care? He waits for you with open arms and full grace.