Halfway There

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 ESV). You're half way through to your goal, but can't quite make it to the end. What can you do? You can look into the future. This is much easier than it sounds. You don't need any special powers, only your memory and your dreams. While I would never advocate dwelling in the past or being occupied with the future’s uncertainties, there is great value in understanding the past to focus on your future goals and objectives. There are two steps in this process. First, look into the past. Remember when you first created your goal. Remember the desire and dedication you had. Remember the main reasons you started in the first place. If you decided to lose weight, what was the reason that sparked your goal? If you decided to quit smoking, what was it that prompted you to set that goal? Sometimes when you are stalled at a particular level of progress, just thinking about why you started can get you going again. Repeating your first thoughts and words about your goal will serve as a boost to your confidence and motivation. As time goes on, we sometimes forget why we started something in the first place. It is very important to remember the WHY'S and not only the HOW's. After you look into the past, it's time to look in the opposite direction. There is an important caution to be aware of at this point. NEVER let the past rule your life. Even when you may have failed, today presents another opportunity to succeed. That’s what Paul meant when he instructs us to “forget” the past. Learn from the past. Be motivated from your memories and lessons. Then, succeed in the future! Second, look into the future. Think about the end of your goal, the time you finally accomplish your task. Think about how great you'll feel, how happy you'll be, and how much better off you'll be. You have to see the picture in your mind. Close your eyes and put yourself weeks, months, or years into the future. This can help to keep you focused on your goals. Having a clear picture of where you are going to be will keep you motivated during the time in between. Once you see into the past, and look to the future, you will find the motivation to keep going. Run for the prize that awaits all of us who have trusted in Christ. You can succeed! The Holy Spirit is the power available to you for victory! Halfway there is almost there! Keep moving in His power.

It's All About Winning

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 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. (Colossians 1:9-20 ESV). Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? drew millions to watch someone try to win a million dollars on TV. I watched it on several occasions, though I never saw a million-dollar winner. There are other awards shows appearing each week, or so it seems. Every sports season seems to have two parts: getting ready for the playoffs, then the race to the championship. Even political coverage always seems to center on who is winning, rather than more complex issues of government and policy. Everybody loves a winner; we don't even bother considering losers enough to hate them. The pressure to win pervades every aspect of our lives. So at this juncture, it might be wise to remember the ultimate champion, the one who exceeds even Don King-zone hype: Jesus Christ. The church in Colossae needed a reminder. Its members faced false teaching about what was necessary for salvation. For some first-century losers, Christ alone did not seem enough. So before Paul began teaching the Colossians, he did a quick review session on the One whose name we carry as believers. Today’s passage answers the question "Who's Number 1?" with an undeniable choice: Christ Himself. Run down the list: He created all things, is before all things, holds all things together. By the time you reach the end, Jesus has taken an insurmountable lead. Our society will always worship its "winners," and we can appreciate their accomplishments. But we should never lose sight of the ultimate champion: our Savior, Jesus Christ. When you're obsessed with who's winning and losing, reflect on the One who has won. Trust in Him. One day every knee will bow, and everyone will agree that Christ is the undisputed winner. Why wait until then? Once we answer the "Who's Number 1?" question, we have a good start at settling other issues also. So, today isn’t it time to settle that question with an undeniable surrender to Christ as your Lord and Savior?

In It Together

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:11-17 ESV). Scientists who design robots are up against a common problem: creating programmed machines that are able to work alongside unpredictable human beings. During a gathering at Carnegie Mellon University, researchers from all over the world described the triumphs and trials of their androids. When "Minerva" debuted as a guide at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, the children visiting the museum wouldn't give the robot any respect. Instead of following Minerva's directions, they jumped on the machine and tried to take it for a ride. Scientists have now given Minerva a voice and a moving mouth and eyebrows. Minerva now frowns at people who obstruct her passage and smiles at those who allow her to pass through and continue leading the tour. Another revolutionary robot under development will help blind persons who aren't strong enough to walk with canes or guide dogs. A different machine designed to search for land mines presumably won't need the same pleasing personality as Minerva, but it will still have to interact with humans. There's no getting away from the daily necessity to get along with other people. And there's no end to the evidence of our failure to interact successfully, even with our families and friends. The problem predates robots thousands of years. History is full of those examples. No wonder the apostle Paul advised a group of first-century Christians to "bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Colossians 3:13-14). Patience, forgiveness, and love are often the last things we want to give someone who wrongs us. But those qualities are the key to living and working together in our world. Because Christ has forgiven us, we are to forgive others in the same way. God could have programmed us, but He didn't. Instead, He gave us the incredible privilege of choosing our attitudes and actions toward others. Minerva smiles when people cooperate. We have the option to be kind and considerate even when they don't. After all, we are all in it together!

'Cause He Said So

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14 ESV). A few years back, Sports Illustrated magazine reported on a T-ball game in Wellington, Florida, where a seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second. The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out. But young Tanner immediately went to the umpire and said, "Ma'am, I didn't touch him." The umpire reversed her decision and sent the runner back to second base. Tanner's coach awarded him the game ball for his honesty. Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire, and Tanner Munsey was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred. This time, Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on the runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe. Tanner, with a strange expression, but without saying a word, tossed the ball to the pitcher and returned to his position. Benson, sensing that Tanner was troubled, asked Tanner, "Did you tag the runner?" He said, "Yes." Benson called the runner out! The opposing coach came roaring onto the field in protest, but Laura Benson explained to him what had happened two weeks earlier. "If a kid is that honest," she said, "I have to give it to him. This game is supposed to be for kids". The umpire made a decision based on the word of that young boy! She reversed her call “’cause he said so.” I wonder how many people would change their mind in a decision ‘cause we said so? God calls us as Christians to be genuine people, living lives which are honest, upright, and truthful. The way we live and the decisions we make influence others, therefore our priorities must be focused on God. Let's live genuine Christian lives, void of superficiality and doubt. Paul lists three tips to make this easier in his instruction to Titus. First, he said we should exercise self-control. Self-control begins with a clear understanding of our commitment to Christ. There can be no partial commitment in the lives of genuine believers. None of us is strong enough to control our desires. Only the full control of the Holy Spirit in our lives is sufficient for that. Second, Paul says we are exercise right conduct. That’s the action part of the triad. When we have begun to come under the control of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it becomes natural that right conduct follows. Focus on the actions of your life toward others. Is it really what Jesus would do? Then, last, Paul says to live in devotion to God. This is that point at which God becomes more important than anything else in our lives is. How many people would change their decision ‘cause you said so? Maybe you need to begin to practice those three principles today.

What's Next?

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28 ESV). The Sistine Chapel is one of Rome's most familiar tourist attractions. It was built in the fifteenth century and serves as the private, official papal chapel. Conclaves for the election of popes are traditionally held there. Although the walls are adorned by paintings from such artists as Botticelli and Rosselli, most of us associate Michelangelo's name with the Sistine Chapel. Between 1508 and 1512, he frescoed the barrel-vaulted ceiling with scenes from the Book of Genesis. His depiction of the creation is among the most famous pieces of art in the world. As the centuries passed, however, his ceiling frescoes and some other paintings he added later were nearly taken from view. Soot and grime collected on these valuable works until they were reduced to flat, nondescript shadows. What had once been vibrant color became shades of gray. Fine details were utterly lost even to the most attentive eyes. So scaffolding was built, and workers set about a deliberate, painstaking, and careful project. With brushes and special solvents in hand, they climbed and patiently applied a cleansing paste. It was allowed to dry. Then crews brushed away the powder. They knew their plan had worked when the color and detail of the original art emerged. We have looked at the need to remember the work Christ has accomplished for us in the cross. The question to ask now is “What’s next?” What a tragedy it would be if all we ever did were “remember.” Knowledge is wonderful, but it falls short of the real need in most of our lives. Like the Sistine Chapel, too many people have allowed the soot and grime of life obscure Christ in their lives. Hermeneutics, theology, and worship are merely scaffolding useful for the larger project. We must be careful lest we think that merely building the platform has accomplished the restorative task. What shortsightedness we would exhibit to confuse the tools with the real project! Today, use the knowledge you have gained over the years and recommit yourself to the task of restoration. His blood was “poured out” to forgive you and restore you to the glory originally intended in the first creation. That’s the portrait He intends to paint in your life. No matter how sooty or grimy it may have become, the tools are already in place for the restoration to begin. Start with this prayer: Father, forgive me and restore to me the fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Reclaim Your rightful preeminence in my life. Dismiss every other influence from me. Let others see only Your glory in my life today. Wherever I am led, whomever I come into contact with, let me recognize Your plan and purpose in all of this day. I yield my will and desire to You and You alone. Amen.

How Good Is Your Cotton?

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:1-16 ESV). Several cotton farmers were whiling away a winter afternoon around the potbellied stove. They soon became entangled in a heated discussion on the merits of their respective religions. The eldest of the farmers had been sitting quietly, just listening, when the group turned to him and demanded, “Who’s right, old Jim? Which one of these religions is the right one?” “Well,” said Jim thoughtfully, “you know there are three ways to get from here to the cotton gin. You can go right over the big hill. That’s shorter but it’s a powerful climb. You can go around the east side of the hill. That’s not too far, but the road is rougher’n tarnation. Or you can go around the west side of the hill, which is the longest way, but the easiest. “But you know,” he said, looking them squarely in the eye, “when you get there, the gin man don’t ask you how you come. He just asks, ‘Man, how good is your cotton?’” The passage we read today is perhaps the most famous and well known in the entire Bible. Nicodemus was a good man. He was very religious. Yet, Jesus told him he was not complete. He had never been born again. It is important to note that Jesus made no reference to his Jewish religious belief, or his background. Salvation is not to be found in either of these. Salvation is not about which denomination we are members of. It is only about who we are trusting for our salvation. Only Jesus will do. He is the only means to our being born again. When we get there, by whatever route we have taken, Jesus will not ask us which denomination we have been a part of; He will ask us if we trusted in Him! Have you place your faith in Christ, or are you trusting in your denominational affiliation? How good is your cotton?

The Big Picture

And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.” And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:22-26 ESV). The story of David and Goliath is one, which teaches us many principles of life. One of those is found in the fact that only God can see the whole picture of life. In How Life Imitates the World Series, Dave Bosewell tells a story about Earl Weaver, former manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Sports fans will enjoy how he handled star Reggie Jackson. Weaver had a rule that no one could steal a base unless given the steal sign. This upset Jackson because he felt he knew the pitchers and catchers well enough to judge who he could and could not steal off of. So one game he decided to steal without a sign. He got a good jump off the pitcher and easily beat the throw to second base. As he shook the dirt off his uniform, Jackson smiled with delight, feeling he had vindicated his judgment to his manager. Later Weaver took Jackson aside and explained why he hadn’t given the steal sign. First, the next batter was Lee May, his best power hitter other than Jackson. When Jackson stole second, first base was left open, so the other team walked May intentionally, taking the bat out of his hands. Second, the following batter hadn’t been strong against that pitcher, so Weaver felt he had to send up a pinch hitter to try to drive in the men on base. That left Weaver without bench strength later in the game when he needed it. The problem was, Jackson saw only his relationship to the pitcher and catcher. Weaver was watching the whole game. We, too, see only so far, but God sees the bigger picture. When he sends us a signal, it’s wise to obey, no matter what we may think WE know. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, “He’s so big we can never kill him.” David looked at the same giant and thought, “He’s so big I can’t miss.” Perhaps you are facing some “giants” of your own. Let me make a few suggestions for you to consider. First, are they giants that God wants you to face, or are they of your own making? While it is often difficult to determine the answer to this question, a real key is in whether they are the result of your sin or not. Second, regardless of where they came from, the first place to go to for power over them is to the power of God’s grace. Look to the Coach and take your signal from Him. You’ll never go wrong doing that!

Is Anyone Else Up There?

For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:16-20 ESV). A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued: “Is anyone up there?” “I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?” “Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.” “That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.” A moment of pause, then: “Is anyone else up there?” Real faith is always about the object of that faith, not the one who exhibits it. Too often we find ourselves unable to truly believe in God and then blame the consequences of our actions on a “weak” faith. God’s desire is for us to completely trust in Him. He will not disappoint us. In April 1988 the evening news reported on a photographer who was a skydiver. He had jumped from a plane along with numerous other skydivers and filmed the group as they fell and opened their parachutes. On the film shown on the telecast, as the final skydiver opened his chute, the picture went berserk. The announcer reported that the cameraman had fallen to his death, having jumped out of the plane without his parachute. It wasn’t until he reached for the absent ripcord that he realized he was free falling without a parachute. Until that point, the jump probably seemed exciting and fun. But tragically, he had acted with thoughtless haste and deadly foolishness. Nothing could save him, for his faith was in a parachute never buckled on. Faith in anything but an all-sufficient God can be just as tragic spiritually. Only with faith in Jesus Christ dare we step into the dangerous excitement of life. It is impossible for God to lie. He is completely trustworthy. Ask yourself the question today: “What am I trusting in?” The answer will make all the difference in both this and the next world! Only Jesus is enough to see you safely through it all! Don’t ask for anyone else!

Lessons from a Clown

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! (Psalm 84:11-12 ESV). Since this month holds the birthday of Red Skelton, I did a little research to look into the life of this beloved American clown. He was born into a circus family on July 18, 1913. At the youthful age of 10, he joined Doc Lewis' traveling medicine show and has delighted an audience of millions with his warm comedy and humble love. He has performed from sawdust rings to Carnegie Hall; played a command performance before the Queen at Royal Abert Hall; entertained eight US Presidents and rendered private performances for three Popes. For his talents, Mr. Skelton has been awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award, been inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame, is a 33rd Degree Mason and has received the "Footprints in the Sands of Time" award, which is one of the highest honors the art world can bestow upon an artist. For decades, on the stage, movies, radio and television, audiences have thrilled and applauded Red Skelton's comic genius for his repertoire of lovable characters. These interpretations so impressed his audiences that his characters have become a true part of Americana. Who can forget Freddie the Freeloader, Clem Kiddlehopper, Junior, the Mean Widdle Kid, Willie Lump Lump, San Fernando Red, Sheriff Deadeye, Cauliflower McPugg, Bolivar Shagnasty, George Apppleby, Mickey the Rat, Gertrude and Heatcliff. There are two lessons from quotes of Red Skelton that seem to stand out from all the others as I read the Bible verses today.  The first is: "My mother told me something I've never forgotten: 'Don't take life too seriously, son, you don't come out of it alive anyway." I’m sure that if you watched him at all during his career you remember that line very well. There is a nugget of truth hidden in it that brings great peace. In our lives there is often the temptation to get lost in the moment and forget the ultimate end of them. We really are on a journey that ends in heaven. Whatever momentary setback you may be experiencing, it really is just momentary. God has a much greater plan for you!  And, secondly, who could forget his traditional TV sign-off: "Good night, and may God bless." The psalmist reminds us, No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right. Happy are those who trust in Him. God’s blessing is so much more than mere words. It is a real, tangible part of the believer’s life. When life seems to be overwhelming to you, picture in your mind that lovable character of Red Skelton, hat in hand, at the end of each performance saying, “Good night, and may God bless.” Then remember that the blessing of God is truly yours!

Treasures in Heaven

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. (Revelation 7:9-11 ESV). As I began to think about our secure future in Christ, the picture of heaven came to mind. John, while in exile was given the opportunity to see and describe heaven for us. Our reading today is a part of that description. It is only a small glimpse, but it provides a panorama that brings me great hope. The more I think about what that picture contains, the more I am convinced that the greatest joy will not be had in seeing the angels, but in seeing God and the others I have known and loved who are already there. The older I get, the more I experience the separation of death from those I love. It is a natural part of life. For me, the peace I seek is found in the truth that everyone of these loved ones are like treasure that has been securely deposited for the future. Will Rogers felt something like this when he wrote a foreword to the book, Trails Plowed Under, by his friend Charles Russell, who died before the book was published. In his “Letter to Charley,” Will said in characteristic cowboy language: You know the Big Boss gent sent a hand over and got you so quick, Charley, but I guess He needed a good man pretty bad. I knew they had been a-working shorthanded over there pretty much all the time. I guess it’s hard for Him to get hold of good men; they are just getting scarce everywhere… I bet you hadn’t been up there three days, Charley, until you had out your pencil and was a-drawing something funny. And I bet you that Mark Twain, and old Bill Nye, and Whitcomb Riley, and a whole bunch of those old joshers was just a-waiting for you to pop in with the latest ones. And I bet they are regular fellows when you meet ‘em, ain’t they? Most big men are… When I get to thinking about all them Top Hands up there, if I could just hold a horse wrangling job with ‘em, I wouldn’t mind following that wagon myself. Well, you will run onto my old Dad up there, Charley, for he was a real cowhand, and I bet he is running a wagon; and you’ll pop into some well-kept ranch house, over under cool shady trees, and you’ll be asked to have dinner, and it will be the best one you ever had in your life. Well, when you’re thanking the women folks you just tell the sweet lookin’ little old lady that you knew her boy back on an outfit you used to rope for, and tell the daughters that you knew their brother, and if you see a cute little rascal runnin’ round there with my brand on him, kiss him for me. Well, can’t write any more, Charley, paper’s all wet. It must be raining in this old bunkhouse. Of course, we’re all just hangin’ on here as long as we can. I don’t know why we hate to go, we know it’s better there. From your old friend, Will. Treasures… they are the things we have set aside that are so valuable that we can’t put a price on them. They are the things that await us in heaven. They are the people we have loved and wait for us! While it is good here, it is better there. What a wonderful truth to take us through this day!

God Ain't Dead!

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:15-17 ESV). James DeLoach, recounted an experience of viewing a painting that brought to mind the wonderful truth of the eternal hope we have in Christ. He wrote: I am not a connoisseur of great art, but from time to time a painting or picture will really speak a clear, strong message to me. Some time ago I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family’s sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a small boy clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying. Beneath the picture were the words, which the artist felt the old man was speaking to the boy. They were simple words, yet they presented a profound theology and philosophy of life. Those words were, “Hush child, God ain’t dead!” “God ain’t dead!” There are times in my life that I need to be reminded that God is life and will forever be life. The picture of the old grandfather standing in front of the burned out home is a reminder of that hope. That’s often difficult to do in the face of calamity. Having grown up in Galveston, I am very familiar with hurricanes. They can be very destructive storms that last for extended periods of time. It is always a temptation to ask why God would allow such devastation to exist. And, though there are answers to that question, the answer is not as comforting as the truth that God is in control. Even hurricanes are necessary to maintain a balance in nature. These tropical storms, with winds up to 150 miles an hour and accompanied by torrential rains, glaring lightning, and rumbling thunder, can be devastating. Yet scientists tell us they are tremendously valuable. They dissipate a large percentage of the oppressive heat, which builds up at the equator, and they are indirectly responsible for much of the rainfall in North and South America. Meteorologists therefore no longer use cloud-seeding techniques to prevent them from being formed. They are convinced that hurricanes actually do more good than harm. The Apostle Paul, in our reading this morning, reminds us of that same principle. In the face of any difficulty, we don’t need to act as if we are slaves, cowering in the face of challenge. We are God’s own children and therefore may face life with the knowledge that we have hope in the face of seeming hopelessness. Corrie Ten Boom said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Don’t let fear of the future rob you of your present joy. You rest in God’s hands, your eternal Father, who will never leave you!

Uzzah. the Worrier

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV). Do you remember Uzzah? If you are someone who struggles with worry or anxiety Uzzah should be a Biblical character you become very familiar with. Uzzah was clearly a well-intentioned man who made a deadly mistake (cf. 2 Samuel 6:3-11). While the Ark of God (Ark of the Covenant) was being transported it appeared to Uzzah that it might fall over so Uzzah grabbed the Ark to support it. But while Uzzah was preoccupied with his worry about the Ark, he forgot God's commands. God commanded that no one other than a priest should touch the ark (cf. Numbers 3:39) under penalty of death! In fact, in Joshua 3:4, God also commanded that there was to be a distance of about 1000 yards between the priests carrying the Ark and the people following it. God wanted to make sure that no one was unnecessarily put in danger. I remember a bulletin blooper I once read, "Don't let worry kill you, let the church help." Worry doesn't usually kill us, but it killed Uzzah. Because of his fears and worries about the Ark falling over and the actions he took to prevent this from happening, "God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the Ark of God." (cf. 2 Samuel 6:7). Think with me for a moment about all the great changes in society worry has brought about. Also think about your personal life, how much have you altered or gained by worry? Worry is a state of a mind that is grasping for contentment. We worry because we are not content with our particular circumstances or conditions. Worry has never changed $1.00 into $10.00. Worry has never changed the circumstances of that loved one who is late due to traffic. And, worry has never changed a "C-" paper to an "A" paper. It’s easy to say, "I cannot help worrying and being anxious". However, that is merely the deception of the devil. When we worry, we stop trusting God. Anxiety usually makes us unfit to handle the pressing concerns that are captivating the thoughts. Contentment allows us to rest in the providence, protection and sovereign will of God. So what do we do? When we do begin to worry, what’s the best way to handle it? Let your worrying lead you to prayer. Then, allow the Holy Spirit to bring you to a simple trust and dependence upon God. Don’t be a Uzzah!

Not So Bad After All

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV). You may be thinking: “Easy for you to say.” The secret isn't in the "don't be afraid" part; the secret is in the part that says God is there. And if He's there, I don't have to be afraid. Whatever the outcome, He will not fail me nor forsake me. The early apostles provide an incredible example of this principle. Most of our information about the deaths of the apostles is derived from early church traditions. The Church historian Schumacher researched the lives of the apostles and recounted the history of their martyrdoms. Let me review them for you: • Matthew suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound. • Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead. • Luke was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost. • John faced martyrdom when he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully. • Peter was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross, according to church tradition because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died. • James the Just, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. • James the Greater was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian. • Bartholomew, also know as Nathanael, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed to our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia when he was flayed to death by a whip. • Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: "I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it." He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired. • The apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the subcontinent. • Jude, the brother of Jesus, was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. • Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded. • The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Two things emerge for me. First, I don’t have near as much to fear in my life as these early disciples did. And, second, God was with each of them in their trial; He certainly will be with me! I really don’t have it so bad after all. God IS there!

Who Are You?

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:15-23 ESV). A New York City businessman decided to avoid a twenty-dollar service charge by replacing a fluorescent light himself. After he had smuggled a new light into his office and put it in place, he decided to get rid of the old tube by throwing it in the trash near his subway stop. That night he got on the subway holding the seven-foot light vertically, with one end resting on the floor of the car. As the train became more crowded other passengers took hold of the tube, assuming it was a stanchion. By the time the man reached his stop, he simply removed his hand and exited the car, leaving the other passengers gripping the fluorescent tube! 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 two 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." Many professing believers go through the motions, but they are only pretenders. Someday they will be called upon to stand before the Judge of heaven and earth, and their deception will be revealed. God will then separate the "phonies" from the real Christians. No one will be able to hide in the crowd. Each will be made to "face the music." As you think through things perhaps you should answer the question: “Who are you?” The real answer could be vital to your eternal future!

Work Smarter, Not Harder

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.’” (Revelation 2:1-5 ESV). Most of us have heard the instruction, “Work smarter, not harder.” It applies in many situations of life. I remember the last year I was in the business of automotive sales. We had witnessed many swings in the numbers of new and used cars and trucks sold. There had been a few days when it seemed we were very busy, but not very productive. It was almost comical to see the activity levels increase as the month began to close without goals and objectives being reached. In some cases, positive results were produced; however I had come to realize that those results were achieved not simply because of the activity, but because of the direction of it. I remember one particular situation vividly. It was a Saturday, our busiest day, and I noticed early in the day that one sales consultant was very busy. He seemed never to sit down the whole morning, even though there wasn’t anyone actually present with him. At times, he could be found actually pacing back and forth on the showroom floor. By mid-afternoon I had noticed that he had already had several customers. I thought, “He’s having a good day.” And, by the end to the day, when things had quieted down a bit, I sat beside him in one of the waiting area chairs and remarked that he seemed to have had a great day. He was after all, very busy. He said, very solemnly, “I didn’t sell anything!” Oh, he was busy, but he was merely going through the motions. As we talked, more and more I came to realize that he wasn’t directing his activity toward the goal of selling. He was just busy! It occurs to me that our spiritual lives are often like that. It is not enough to be busy. We ought to direct our activity toward the goals of God’s purpose in our lives. This was the judgment against the Church in Ephesus in our reading today. They were busy, but the Lord said they had left their first love. They were doing “stuff” but it was not directed toward the purpose of God. God’s desire for all of us is that we first love Him with all our beings, and then love others even as we love ourselves. Jesus said these two were the greatest commandments. These are our goals. As you busy yourself with activity, whether at home, work, or in your church, ask yourself: “Does this achieve those goals?” The key is not in working harder, but in working smarter! It is a word for each of us individually and for our churches corporately!

The Medal of Honor

Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:19-30 ESV). On July 12,1862 the Medal of Honor was created. President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a measure calling for the awarding of a US Army Medal of Honor, in the name of Congress, "to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities during the present insurrection." The previous December, Lincoln had approved a provision creating a US Navy Medal of Valor, which was the basis of the Army Medal of Honor created by Congress in July 1862. The first US Army soldiers to receive what would become the nation's highest military honor were six members of a Union raiding party who in 1862 penetrated deep into Confederate territory to destroy bridges and railroad tracks between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. In 1863, the Medal of Honor was made a permanent military decoration available to all members, including commissioned officers, of the US military. It is conferred upon those who have distinguished themselves in actual combat at risk of life beyond the call of duty. Since its creation, during the Civil War, almost 3,400 men and one woman have received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions in US military conflict. To say it is a great honor to receive this award is certainly an understatement! However, there is an award much greater than this! It is the reception we receive when we have been faithful and hear our Lord tell us, “Well done.” In the parable this morning, the key was not in how much each servant was given, but in the use of whatever amount they had on the master’s behalf. So it is with our gifts from God, whether they are spiritual, intellectual, or physical. We ought to be using them for His purpose and glory. If you were to face Him today, what kind of commendation would you receive? Invest yourself in others today.

Hidden Treasure

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46 ESV). Perhaps you have been following the story that has re-surfaced in a number of publications recently concerning the drawing believed to be by Michelangelo. An article in the New York Times states: In the ultimate case of finding treasure in the attic, a visiting museum director from Scotland on a busman's holiday in New York sifted through old boxes of drawings of light fixtures at the Cooper-Hewitt design museum and has discovered what several experts agree is a work by Michelangelo. The museum bought the drawing in 1942 as part of a batch of decorative designs from P. & D. Colnaghi, a London dealer, paying $60. (Michelangelo drawings sell for millions of dollars now.) Colnaghi considered it an anonymous 16th-century Italian work. That dealer had acquired it in 1921 at Sotheby's in an auction from the collection of Lord Amherst of Hackney. Many museums have vast collections that go unstudied because they lack the staff or expertise to analyze everything. The Cooper-Hewitt has more than 160,000 works on paper. "I doubt nobody had ever looked at the drawing before," Mr. Goldner said, "but nobody had looked at it correctly." If this drawing is ever authenticated, it will be worth millions of dollars! What a find! In our reading for this morning, Jesus uses two illustrations to explain the Kingdom of Heaven. There are two things that immediately strike me as I meditate on these verses this morning. First, the Kingdom of Heaven is very valuable. That seems to go without saying, however it bears repeating. Often it is easy to lose sight of the value of things yet realized in the face of those things that we now possess. The very nature of the future keeps us from truly being able to understand how valuable it is. Heaven is so valuable; however, it is worth our doing anything to possess it! The wonder of God’s grace is that we don’t need to really do anything to possess this treasure. God has “done” all of that on our behalf through the work of Christ. All that remains for us is to accept His gift. Second, the Kingdom of Heaven may be overlooked. Like the Michelangelo, heaven may be passed by without our noticing it. For sixty years this incredibly valuable drawing lay in a box marked “lighting fixtures,” as if it were no more than someone’s doodling! In both of Jesus’ examples, the treasure was not readily apparent. The finders were looking for it! So it was with the discovery of the Michelangelo. The curator who discovered it was looking for a treasure! Are you looking for heaven? If you are, you will not be disappointed. You will find it in Jesus. Then, once found, do whatever it takes to possess it! It will be worth it!

How Long Will It Be?

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:8-10 ESV). In today’s world it is not uncommon for people to wonder how long something might last. The following is a list of some of the “life-expectancies” of common items: • A lightening bolt lasts 45 to 55 microseconds. • The average running shoe worn by the average runner on an average surface will last 350 to 500 miles. • A hard pencil can write up to 30,000 words or draw a line more than 30 miles long. Most ballpoint pens will draw a line 4,000 to 7,500 feet long. • Leather combat boots have a wartime life span of six months, a peacetime life span of eight months. • A group of subatomic particles known as unstable hadrons exists for only one one-hundred-sextillionth of a second (10 to the negative 23 second), less time than it takes light to travel a single inch. • A one-dollar bill lasts approximately 18 months in circulation. • Practice footballs used by professionals last two to three days, a playing life of perhaps five hours. Home teams are required to provide 24 new balls each game and these last only about six minutes of playing time. But, how long will it be before the Lord returns? That’s really the same question that the early Christians were asking, and to which Peter responded in today’s reading. How much longer must we wait for the new life that has been promised to all that believe? There are two answers that Peter gives. First, he reminds us that God does not count time the same way we do. He sees from the beginning to the end in one view and time is measured qualitatively rather than quantitatively (cf.: that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day). Secondly, and more importantly, Peter cites the patience of the Lord to make sure that everyone who can be saved will be saved before the end of this age (cf.: He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent). God’s mercy is a cornerstone of His character. The projected life span of a baby born in the US today is about 71 years, nearly double what it was at the end of the 18th century. The longest authenticated life span of a human being is122 years 164 days by Madam Jeanne Louise Calment of France. Even at that, how brief this life will be when compared to eternity! Jesus is coming again. And, I believe it will be soon. Take comfort in the mercy of God as He chooses the best time to return and prepare yourself and others around you for that time!

Wrong Way Roy

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:15-19 ESV). On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played University of California in the Rose Bowl. In that game a man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he became confused and started running 65 yards in the wrong direction. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, outdistanced him and downed him just before he scored for the opposing team. When California attempted to punt, Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety, which was the ultimate margin of victory. That strange play came in the first half, and everyone who was watching the game was asking the same question: “What will Coach Nibbs Price do with Roy Riegels in the second half?” The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. They sat down on the benches and on the floor, all but Riegels. He put his blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby. If you have played football, you know that a coach usually has a great deal to say to his team during half time. That day Coach Price was quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do with Riegels. Then the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before playing time. Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, “Men the same team that played the first half will start the second.” The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He did not budge. The coach looked back and called to him again; still he didn’t move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, “Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second.” Then Roy Riegels looked up and his cheeks were wet with a strong man’s tears. “Coach,” he said, “I can’t do it to save my life. I’ve ruined you, I’ve ruined the University of California, and I’ve ruined myself. I couldn’t face that crowd in the stadium to save my life.” Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel’s shoulder and said to him: “Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over.” And Roy Riegels went back, and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half. God is a God of second chances. Even if you have been running in the wrong direction for a long time now, you can turn to Him and receive full forgiveness. Maybe its time for you to start the “second half” of your life today!

Pay It Forward

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 25:34-40 ESV). In April, 2012, Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee proclaimed the 26th to be “Pay It Forward Day” in our state. Many states and nations have done the same thing over the past few years. We have all seen the news accounts of those who have used a random act of kindness to express our gratitude for blessings we have received. I like the following true story told by Dean Merrill: One man who was ousted from his profession for an indiscretion took work as a brick and mortar carrier simply to put bread on the table. He was suddenly plunged into a drastically different world; instead of going to an office each day, he was hauling loads of concrete block up to the fifth level of a construction site. Gone was the piped-in music in the corridors; now he had to endure blaring transistors. Any girl who walked by was subject to rude remarks and whistles. Profanity shot through the air, especially from the foreman, whose primary tactics were whining and intimidation. Near the end of the third week, the new employee felt he could take no more. "I'll work till break time this morning," he told himself, "and then that's it. I'm going home." He'd already been the butt of more than one joke when his lack of experience caused him to do something foolish. The stories were retold constantly thereafter. "I just can't handle any more of this." Shortly before noon, the foreman came around with paychecks. As he handed the man his envelope, he made his first civil comment to him in three weeks. "Hey, there's a woman working in the front office who knows you. Says she takes care of your kids sometimes." "Who?" He named the woman, who sometimes helped in the nursery of the church where the man and his family worshiped. The foreman then went on with his rounds. When he opened his envelope, he found, along with his check, a handwritten note from the payroll clerk: "When one part of the body of Christ suffers, we all suffer with it. Just wanted you to know that I'm praying for you these days." He stared at the note, astonished at God's timing. He hadn't even known the woman worked for this company. Here at his lowest hour, she had given him the courage to go on, to push another wheelbarrow of mortar up that ramp. Certainly Jesus was talking about these kinds of acts of kindness in our text today. It is a kind word or, an act of anonymous generosity, or a simple smile of encouragement that often makes another person’s life easier in the face of the daily challenges we all face. It is tragic that we need governor’s proclamations and special days of emphasis to remember this truth. Perhaps we merely need to listen more carefully to the proclamation of the Lord. A kindness, even to “the least of these” is the same as a kindness to Him. Who will you “pay it forward” to today?

Let Yourself Be Found

Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word! Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word. My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments. (Psalm 119:169-176 ESV). Today is the last stanza in the psalm we have been looking at for the last three weeks. Each of the twenty-two stanzas was used to focus on a particular characteristic of the Lord. By using a letter from the Hebrew alphabet it made it even easier for the Hebrews to memorize each one. It was a very effective teaching tool. It is very fitting that the writer ends his teaching with the characteristic of God’s grace in seeking out the lost. Most of the time, we don’t purposefully wander away. In my life I find that I don’t usually wake up one morning and think to myself, “Today I’m going to run away from God.” It’s usually those things that look good at first that draw my attention away form Him. Once again, we are like those sheep, which begin to graze further and further away from the fold simply following the path to the grass. At some point we look up and we are completely lost. Temptation is designed to draw us slowly away from the Lord. In its natural state, asbestos is a soft rock consisting of compressed fibers. Because of its fire-resistant qualities, it has had thousands of uses in home and industry over the years. Almost 30 million tons of the material has been used in the United States for insulation since 1900. I remember being impressed as a child with that amazing kind of cloth that doesn’t burn. But even though it has served a beneficial purpose, recent findings show it to be a severe health hazard. According to a Harvard Medical School report, more than 500,000 Americans will die from exposure to the air-borne particles of asbestos. It stated that just because there doesn’t appear to be an immediate problem, the public must not be fooled. Asbestos disease becomes a medical problem when it’s too late to cure it. The symptoms may not show up for 30 years or more. It looked good, but its destructive qualities were hidden within its goodness. The man huddled on the cabin floor was slowly freezing to death. It was high in the Rockies in southwestern Alberta, and outside a blizzard raged. John Elliott had logged miles that day through the deep snows of the mountain passes. As he checked for avalanches and as dusk and exhaustion overcame him he had decided to “hole-up.” He made it wearily to his cabin but somewhat dazed with fatigue; he did not light a fire or remove his wet clothing. As the blizzard blasted through the cracks in the old cabin walls, the sleeping forest ranger sank into oblivion, paralyzed by the pleasure of the storm’s icy caress. Suddenly, however, his dog sprang into action, and with unrelenting whines, finally managed to rouse his near-comatose friend. The dog was John’s constant companion, a St. Bernard, one of a long line of dogs famous for their heroics in times of crisis. “If that dog hadn’t been with me, I’d be dead today,” John Elliott says. “When you’re freezing to death you actually feel warm all over, and don’t wake up because it feels too good. Let today’s reading call you to repentance. No matter how small the sin, how slight the deviation from His path, come back into His will today. He is looking for you. Let yourself be found!

The Power of People

Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments. My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. (Psalm 119:161-168 ESV). A few years ago psychologist Ruth W. Berenda and her associates carried out an interesting experiment with teenagers designed to show how a person handled group pressure. The plan was simple. They brought groups of ten adolescents into a room for a test. Subsequently, each group of ten was instructed to raise their hands when the teacher pointed to the longest line on three separate charts. What one person in the group did not know was that nine of the others in the room had been instructed ahead of time to vote for the second-longest line. Regardless of the instructions they heard, once they were all together in the group, the nine were not to vote for the longest line, but rather vote for the next to the longest line. The experiment began with nine teen-agers voting for the wrong line. The tenth participant would typically glance around, frown in confusion, and slip his hand up with the group. The instructions were repeated and the next card was raised. Time after time, the self-conscious tenth participant would sit there saying a short line is longer than a long line, simply because he lacked the courage to challenge the group. This remarkable conformity occurred in about 75% of the cases, and was true of small children and high-school students as well. Berenda concluded that, “Some people had rather be accepted than right,” which is certainly an accurate assessment. An old fable that has been passed down for generations tells about an elderly man who was traveling with a boy and a donkey. As they walked through a village, the man was leading the donkey and the boy was walking behind. The townspeople said the old man was a fool for not riding, so to please them he climbed up on the animal’s back. When they came to the next village, the people said the old man was cruel to let the child walk while he enjoyed the ride. So, to please them, he got off and set the boy on the animal’s back and continued on his way. In the third village, people accused the child of being lazy for making the old man walk, and the suggestion was made that they both ride. So the man climbed on and they set off again. In the fourth village, the townspeople were indignant at the cruelty to the donkey because he was made to carry two people. The frustrated man was last seen carrying the donkey down the road! We smile, but this story makes a good point: We can’t please everybody, and if we try we end up carrying a heavy burden. Well-meaning Christians may offer us advice, and much of it is valuable. But when we try to do everything other believers want us to do, we can easily become frustrated and confused. That’s why we need to remember that the One we must please above all others is Christ. And we do that by obeying God’s Word. Carried any donkeys lately? You don’t have to if you’re trying to please Jesus.

A Gift from Dad

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:1-6 ESV). Happy Birthday Kyle! Today is his 40th birthday… how did that happen so fast! If you don’t have your favorite shows recorded then I’m sure, like most of us, you grab the remote and flip to another channel during the commercials. I know some folks who toggle back and forth between stations during commercials with the “picture in a picture” feature on the sets! Usually I just endure them. One caught my eye not long ago though. It pictured a typical American family sitting down for breakfast before their day began. Mom was serving the table and Dad was sitting at the table reading his newspaper. The commercial soon broke out of this “dream” and pictured the reality of the hustle bustle of our world, but that was not what really caught my eye. It was in the scene when the Dad was reading the newspaper and oblivious to everything going on around him. Too many of us have let that lifestyle creep in and become the norm in our lives. John Trent tells a story about a family that he happened to be on a cruise with. While sitting on the deck, he overheard a young boy ask his mother, "But why, Mom? Why did he even bother to come?" He said that he could see the mother struggle to frame her answer. "Well," she said, "he’s here. And he paid for all of us to go on this trip." "He’s not here!" her son shouted. "He’s been on the phone or on his computer the whole time!" And then, came the shot to the heart: "Doesn’t he want to be with me?" When I read about that and thought about the illustration in the commercial I was struck with the need to reevaluate my time with all my family. Even though they are grown, I wonder how distracted and absent I have allowed myself to become with the responsibilities of daily life. They grow up so quickly. Let me make a suggestion. First, really look at your children. Pay attention to them and look at them, not past them to the next interesting thing on television. Do the same with your spouse. Take her hand or nod in understanding as you talk to her. Second, pray for them individually and specifically every morning before you begin the day. And, last find something to compliment them about each day before retiring for the day. Affirm them in some specific way, even if it is a small thing. I believe that if you will do these things, you will set a pattern for life that will change their lives in a way that will bring them great joy and happiness. How about it Dad? Give them a gift today! Give them a part of yourself! I certainly will do that myself, especially today for Kyle’s special day!

Our Defense

Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise! Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your rules. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:153-160 ESV). In Warren Wiersbe’s Meet Yourself in the Psalms, he tells about a frontier town where a horse bolted and ran away with a wagon carrying a little boy. Seeing the child in danger, a young man risked his life to catch the horse and stop the wagon. The child who was saved grew up to become a lawless man, and one day he stood before a judge to be sentenced for a serious crime. The prisoner recognized the judge as the man who, years before had saved his life; so he pled for mercy on the basis of that experience. But the words from the bench silenced his plea: “Young man, then I was your savior; today I am your judge, and I must sentence you to be hanged.” One day Jesus Christ will say to rebellious sinners, “During that long day of grace, I was the Savior, and I would have forgiven you. But today I am your Judge. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!” The wonder of grace rests in the truth that Christ has been given for our salvation. He became our Savior when He completed His sacrifice on the cross. However, we must be very careful to understand the complexity of His Lordship. While He is Savior, He is also Judge. Nothing short of a complete dependence on His grace will be enough to grant us pardoning from our sin. An Englishman by the name of Ebenezer Wooten had just concluded a preaching service in the village square. The crowd had dispersed, and he was busily engaged in loading the equipment. A young man approached him and asked, “Mr. Wooten, what must I do to be saved?” Sensing that the fellow was trusting his own righteousness, Wooten answered in a rather unconcerned way, “It’s too late!” The inquirer was startled. “Oh don’t say that, sir!” But the evangelist insisted, “It’s too late!” Then, looking the young man in the eye, he continued, “You want to know what you must DO to be saved. I tell you it’s too late now or any other time. The work of salvation is done, completed, finished! It was finished on the cross.” Then he explained that our part is simply to acknowledge our sin and receive by faith the gift of forgiveness. It’s not too late for you today. If you are reading this and have never given your life to Christ, pause for a moment and pray. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and accept the gift of eternal life He offers. Then He will defend you against all condemnation! You will be declared innocent!

The Early Bird

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep your statutes. I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O LORD, according to your justice give me life. They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law. But you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true. Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. (Psalm 119:145-152 ESV). There are many variations of the common proverb; ”The early bird gets the worm.” I like the one that goes “the early bird gets the last of the Lucky Charms.” A variation of that theme in proverbial statement goes, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Common proverbs such as these are meant to encourage us to get up early in the morning to start our day. If you’re like me, you really don’t have any problems getting up early to do the things that you really enjoy. If I know that I need to be up at 5:00 AM to go deer hunting, I don’t even need to set an alarm! Yet, when I need to get up for other things that I don’t quite enjoy doing as well, then I need to have several alarms set. When the psalmist made his declaration about rising early to cry out to the Lord, it was a declaration of his commitment to be with the Lord, not merely get up early. Getting up early to meditate or pray is not the problem at all. It is a matter of focusing on our relationship with the Lord that really makes the difference in the ease of our early rising. It is often much easier to give God the time we have "left over" in the evenings after our daily tasks have been completed. But just think how much more meaningful it would be to God to know that you took special effort and care in the morning to give your time to Him. If nothing else we should give thanks to God each morning for the night of rest we have had and for blessing us with a new day in our lives. I have learned that giving time to God early in the morning always has its rewards as well. On the days when I have missed or skipped my morning quiet time, it has affected the way my day goes. Days just seem to flow so much more smoothly when they are started the right way. I realize that many people really struggle in the mornings. Today make a commitment to getting up to meet with the Lord. Don’t focus on getting up early. Focus on getting up in time to spend it with your close friend and Savior. It will amaze you how much easier your day will go as you start it with Him. Remember that the early bird gets the worm!

Trust in God

Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words. Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live. (Psalm 119:137-144 ESV). I am glad that we live in a country that has lawfully guaranteed everyone’s ability to live in the pursuit of happiness. I think it is interesting that we hear so many people use that freedom apart from God. While America is a great nation, without God we are nothing. No military might the world has ever known can stand against Him. I find it interesting that there are those who would like to remove God from our nation. It has been happening for some time now. In 1999, a quiet movement began. It wasn't using picket signs, or a flood of letters to congress, or even a lawsuit, which’s already been tried. Instead, some Atheists and separationists are taking pen in hand, and obliterating the "In God We Trust" motto from the national currency. Others are using rubber stamps, or inserting their own messages like "In Reason We Trust," or "Keep Church and State Separate." Perhaps a little history would be helpful. Secretary Chase, on November 20, 1861, wrote to James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia. He instructed Pollock to prepare a motto, declaring "No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins..." A design was submitted in December 1863 proposing OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY, or the alternative of GOD, OUR TRUST. On December 9, 1863, Chase formally approved a third slogan in a letter to the Mint Director. The national motto adopted by the Founders was inscribed next to the Great Seal of the United States, a decoration devised under the supervision of Franklin, Adams and Jefferson. It was Jefferson who suggested "E Pluribus Unum," and that slogan was adopted in 1782, five years before the Constitutional convention of 1787. He wrote: "I approve your mottoes (sic), only suggesting that on that with the Washington obverse the motto should begin with the word OUR, so as to read OUR GOD AND OUR COUNTRY. And on that with the shield, it should be changed so as to read: IN GOD WE TRUST." And, so was born the slogan on our currency and in our national psyche. As you enjoy the many aspects of freedom, remember that real freedom comes through Jesus Christ and trust in God is a part of our national greatness. I still pledge allegiance to our flag as one nation under God. I hope you do also!

I Didn't Know That!

Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. (Psalm 119:129-136 ESV). The commanding officer was furious when nine GIs who had been out on passes failed to show up for morning roll call. Not until 7 p.m. did the first man straggle in. “I’m sorry, sir,” the soldier explained, “but I had a date and lost track of time, and I missed the bus back. Being determined to get in on time, I hired a cab. Halfway here, the cab broke down. I went to a farmhouse and persuaded the farmer to sell me a horse. I was riding to camp when the animal fell over dead. I walked the last ten miles, and just got here.” Though skeptical, the colonel let the young man off with a reprimand. However, after him, seven other stragglers in a row came in with the same story - had a date, missed the bus, hired a cab, bought a horse, etc. By the time the ninth man reported in, the colonel had grown weary of it. “Okay,” he growled, “now what happened to you?” “Sir, I had this date and missed the bus back, so I hired a cab.” “Wait!” the colonel screeched at him, “don’t tell me the cab broke down.” “No, sir,” replied the soldier. “The cab didn’t break down. It was just that there were so many dead horses in the road, we had trouble getting through.” After discussing how students must at least be competent in reading, writing, listening, analyzing and computing before they will be graduated from high school in 1978, one administrator provided the following list. The excuses it contains were actually turned in by parents to one school district outside of Tillamook County. They are quoted exactly as they appeared in the notes to the administrator: 1. Dear school: Please ackuse John for bring absent on Jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. 2. Chis has an acre in his side. 3. Mary could not come to school because she is bothered by very close veins. 4. John has been absent because he had two teeth taken off his face. 5. I kept Billie Home because he had to go Christmas shopping because I didn’t know what size she wear. 6. My son is under the doctors care and should not take P.E. Please execute him. 7. Please exuse Ray Friday. He has lose vowels. 8. Please exuse Joyce from P.E. for a few days. Yesterday she fell out of a tree and misplaced her hip. 9. Please exuse Dianne from Being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps. 10. Please exuse Jimmy for being. It was his father’s fault. Excuses… funny how we always find them! When it comes to the understanding of the will of God, we really are without excuse. He has made His will simply to understand. While there may be many philosophical and theological details that may be argued, the sum of God’s will for every man is in His direction for us to love Him and others with all of our being. So, no excuses! Turn your focus toward Him today. Love Him and love those around you.

I Guarantee It!

I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:121-128 ESV). Happy Independence Day! While we will not deal directly with this holiday today, we will deal with an important aspect of real freedom. I’m a fan of different slogans in advertising. One of those that has caught my eye and ear on several occasions is the slogan from the previous owner of The Men’s Warehouse. Mr. Zimmerman is the voice promoting the convenience and value of shopping at his stores and at the end of the commercial, you see him telling you that your needs in men’s clothing cannot be better met anywhere else. And, he closes with the sentence: “I guarantee it!” I’m not sure how much of a guarantee that really is, but it does sound good. And, it is a statement of his desire to satisfy the customer with their clothing needs. The truth is no one can make an absolutely perfect guarantee except the Lord. When He makes a promise, it will never be broken! A promise from God is a statement we can depend on with absolute confidence. So, as you begin your day today, here are twelve promises for you to claim. 1. God’s presence: “I will never leave you” (Hebrews 13:5) 2. God’s protection: “I am your shield” (Genesis 15:1) 3. God’s power: “I will give you strength” (Isaiah 41:10) 4. God’s provision: “I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10) 5. God’s leading: “And when He sends forth His own sheep, He goes before them” (John 10:4) 6. God’s purposes: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 20:11) 7. God’s rest: “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28) 8. God’s cleansing: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9) 9. God’s goodness: “No good thing will He withhold from them that work uprightly” (Psalm 84:11) 10. God’s faithfulness: “The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake” (1 Samuel 12:22) 11. God’s guidance: “The meek will He guide” (Psalm 25:9) 12. God’s wise plan: “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28) There is real freedom… in Christ and His promise to us!

Undecided

I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually! You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain. All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. (Psalm 119:113-120 ESV). In today’s stanza, the psalmist begins by declaring his hatred for those who are “undecided” about the Lord. The truth is that no one can be undecided about the Lord. Our choice is very clearly seen in what we do in our lives. Dale Hays tells the following story: In a recent trip to Haiti, I heard a Haitian pastor illustrate to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ. His parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door. After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail. The Haitian pastor’s conclusion: “If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.” It’s very easy to think in grays rather than in the stark reality of blacks or whites. There are those areas of life that may have many facets contributing to our ultimate decision, but our commitment to the Lord cannot be one of them. We either are committed to Him and His purposes, or we are not. The following story about Luciano Pavrotti, famous operatic tenor illustrates this principle very well. “When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song,” tenor Luciano Pavarotti relates. “He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’ “‘Luciano,’ my father replied, ‘if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.’ “I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book, whatever we choose, we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.” What’s your choice today? The time for indecision is long past!

A Light to Walk By

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word! Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me your rules. I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end. (Psalm 119:105-112 ESV). Too many of us are like the young man that left for his freshman year at Duke University. His parents gave him a Bible, assuring him it would be a great help. Later, as he began sending them letters asking for money, they would write back telling him to read his Bible, citing chapter and verse. He would reply that he was reading the Bible, but he still needed money. When he came home for a semester break, his parents told him they knew he had not been reading his Bible. How? They had tucked $10 and $20 bills by the verses they had cited in their letters! He was one of the greatest rulers in African history and the creator of modern Ethiopia. Born in 1844, he was captured during an enemy raid and held prisoner for 10 years. Escaping, Menekil II declared himself head of the province of Shewa. He began conquering neighboring kingdoms and developed them into modern Ethiopia with himself as emperor. When Italy tried to take over Ethiopia Menekil’s army met and crushed the Italians at the Battle of Aduwa. This victory, as well as his efforts to modernize Ethiopia (schools, telephones, railroads), make Menekil world-famous. The emperor had one little known eccentricity. Whenever he was feeling ill, he would eat a few pages of the Bible, insisting that this always restored his health. One day in December 1913, recovering from a stroke and feeling extremely ill, he had the entire book of Kings torn from an Egyptian edition of the Bible, ate every page of it—and died. An unknown writer said, “This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity.” What are you doing with the light God has given to direct you in your journey?

Mom's Survival Tips

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:97-104 ESV). Some one has said, “Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.” Charlotte Johnstone in Family Circle wrote the following “tips”. While they are certainly humorous, they also bring to mind the importance of understanding and following the wisdom of God found in the Scripture. To my kids who have left home and are on their own, I pass on a list of life lessons: 1. Don’t sweat your every mistake or faux pas. They make up for the things you got away with that nobody knows about. 2. Avoid marrying anyone who deliberately flushes the toilet when you’re taking a shower. 3. When someone tells you that what he’s about to say is “for your own good,” expect the worst. 4. The value of a dog is its constant reminder of how much fun it is to be idiotic. 5. If you are lavishly praised, enjoy the taste but don’t swallow it whole. 6. When a politician says, “Let me make something perfectly clear,” remember that he usually won’t. 7. Your children may leave home, but their stuff will be in your attic and basement forever. 8. If someone says, “I know what I mean, but I just can’t put it into words,” he doesn’t know what he means. 9. Two people cannot operate a TV remote control in the same room at the same time. 10. Don’t waste time trying to be your own best friend. You can’t pat yourself on the back, and it’s unsatisfying to cry on your own shoulder. Find a real friend instead. There is nothing we need that has been hidden from us. The psalmist acknowledges the importance of knowing and following the direction of God found through the Scripture. The more we learn to trust in His revealed truth, the more we will find freedom in our lives. Wisdom comes from understanding His truth and following His direction.