The Old Guy

But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (Numbers 13:30-33 ESV). There are days when I really feel like “the old guy.” Some of that is because I am the old guy when I am in some circles. It’s always a little strange to me to be in that role. I still think of myself as able to do all the things I could do twenty years ago. Well, that ship has sailed! It’s not really the physical part of growing old that bothers me. I am more concerned with retaining spiritual vitality. Caleb was about forty years old when he gave the report to Moses in our reading today. He would be one of the few survivors of the Wilderness Wanderings. Later, we will read of his request for Hebron. It was one of the heaviest fortified cities in Canaan. He declares he is just as strong at 80 as he was when he first went into the land forty years earlier! He knew the secret of retaining spiritual vitality. One important key to retaining spiritual longevity is that we will not compromise, but instead stand our ground. That is what Joshua and Caleb did when they were sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan. It would have been easy to go along with the others. But they stood their ground at the risk of being personally ostracized and losing their friends, even their lives, because the people wanted to kill Joshua and Caleb. In the same way, we need to stand our ground. We need to be more concerned with God's approval than the approval of others. When you decide to wholly follow Jesus Christ, you had better expect and brace yourself for opposition. There are people who will ridicule, harass, and oppose you. But you cannot let anyone or anything keep you from the commitment you have made. If you want to stand the test of time in your commitment to Christ, then you must develop a set of convictions that will help you steer through the rough waters of temptation and compromise. Be willing to stand on your convictions from the Scriptures. Even when it makes us “old fashioned,” be willing to stand for your faith. More and more we will be called on to be the old guy in this day in which we live. Do it!

Out of Here

Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not. And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day. (Job 14:1-6 ESV). Job has reached the end of his journey with his friends. They have not offered him any comfort or consolation. He is still suffering at every level humanly possible. Now he turns to God and declares his understanding that he has no control over the number of days he has been given. God has already determined that. He is not asking for more days; he is asking for help in the midst of those days. He just wants to be “left alone” so that he can live out his days in some sense of peace. God is going to correct Job later in the book; and, we should not judge Job at this low point in his life. He is where many of us might be with far less trouble in our lives. The principle truth for us today is that our days are numbered, which means there is a day coming, though we don’t know when, when we will be “out of here.” We can worry about that, or we can simply trust that God knows when that day is. It doesn't mean we take foolish chances or put our lives at risk unnecessarily. But it does mean we recognize the fact that our lives belong to God. They are in His hands. This is a very comforting thought, because it means that until God is finished with us, nothing will happen to us. That's great to know. But it also means when our number is up, it is up. When that day comes, there is nothing we can do to turn the clock back. It should motivate us as Christians, to live for Christ and to know death is gain (cf. Philippians 1:21). So we should thank God for each new day, thank Him for the opportunities He provides, for the blessings He gives us, and for our family and friends. Then we should be available and willing to serve Him in whatever plans He has for us. God values you. He loves you. But if today is the day that you would be out of here, would you be ready? The alternative to being unprepared for death is unpleasant; it is certain judgment. God’s desire is seen in the work of Christ on the Cross. He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that we may be assured of eternal life free from all encumbrances and trials. Every sin we have committed has been justified in that work. I certainly don’t want God to “look the other way” in my regard. I can only hope you feel the same. If you have never trusted him with your life, today is a good day for that. It will set you free even in the midst of your circumstance. We don’t know when; but, we do know what. Trust him for both!

The Great Confession

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:13-18 ESV). I “googled” the following question: “How many books have been written about Jesus?” It returned 29,700,000 results. I did not look at all the results! Suffice it to say that no one really knows. There were some intrepid bloggers who estimated it “in the tens of thousands.” I think that’s a bit conservative! I did find some interesting bits of information though. Some of the great names of history have written about Jesus. Pontius Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him." Napoleon said, "I know men, and Jesus was no mere man." Strauss, the German rationalist, said, "Jesus was the highest model of religion." The French atheist, Renan, said, "He was the greatest among the sons of men." Theodore Parker said, "Jesus Christ was a youth with God in His heart." Robert Owen said, "He is the irreproachable one." There are many more, of course. Yet all of these titles and descriptions fall short of identifying Jesus for who He really was: the Son of God, God in human form, the Messiah. Many today would describe Jesus as a great moral teacher. But in his book, Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis responds to such a statement by saying that if this were the case, then Jesus was either a lunatic or a devil. He goes on to say, "Let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." We don't have the option of saying that Jesus was a great moral teacher. How could He merely be a teacher and say the things He said with His exclusive claims of divinity? And what about saying He was the only way to God the Father? Certainly that would be wrong if it were not true. So, Jesus really leaves us only two choices: to either accept Him, believing that He is indeed God the Son, or to reject Him. But to say He was a great man or a religious man is simply not an option. And, that is what this great confession of Peter was all about. He says, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus rewards him with a wonderful change of names and declares such faith would be the foundation of all believers. Who do you say Jesus is?

The Great Miracle

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:38-42 ESV). I believe in miracles. However, I do not believe that God does the miraculous in the same way he did in ancient times. Sometimes we fail to recognize the miraculous work of God today. Sometimes that’s true because we trivialize the work of God on our behalf. There are five prescription medications that I take each day. I wake up in the morning retrieve them one by one from their bottles, pop them in my mouth, gulp down some water and forget about them until right before bed when I repeat the process again. Each of them are designed to do something that my body can no longer do without help. That’s miraculous in itself. However, the real miracle is in having the medications in the first place. God has worked miraculously in the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gifted individuals to do the work necessary to design and manufacture those little pills and capsules so that my heart continues to beat and my body continues to function at its best. That pretty amazing to me! Many would deny that as a miracle. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were like that. They saw him do some amazing things and still did not believe the simplest of things. They refused to believe he was the Messiah. They demanded that they show them another sign. It is here that Jesus speaks very clearly to them about their unbelief. Even a casual reading of Jesus' response seems almost harsh. After all, here were some individuals who were simply asking for a miracle. He had performed many of them. What's one more? Perhaps that miracle could have brought them to faith. Why didn't He grant their request? As He looked in their hearts, no doubt He saw the real reason behind their request. They wanted to destroy Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for them and for all of humanity, and rose again from the dead, because we all were separated from God by sin. That is the greatest miracle. It is the ultimate sign. Have you been looking for other signs? The greatest one has already been given.

Opening Day

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:19-24 ESV). Today is opening day of archery season for deer in Tennessee. My view from the tree will be overlooking a field beside a tree line that borders a small creek. The leaves are still on the trees here, though some have begun to color a little. The weather will be pleasant, cool but not cold. To the east of me is a steep hillside that gives and incredible vista as the sun rises and the world begins to awaken. The birds will chirp a bit as they start their daily activity of gathering food and getting ready for the approaching winter. Squirrels will begin to rustle through the grass and leaves looking for acorns and hickory nuts to store away. And, if I’m fortunate, the deer will wander down the tree line. Don’t worry, it is highly unlikely that I’ll do anything more than just watch them slip by me unaware that I’m even there. It will be a time to declare the same praise as the psalmist in our reading today: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! I love this passage of Scripture. It declares the assurance of the psalmist in the goodness of the Lord at so many levels. Sometimes I need to be reminded of those levels. I do love to be outdoors this time of the year. The colors of the trees are truly incredible in Middle Tennessee. It is a great reminder of the majesty of God. Every sunrise and sunset serve to remind us of the newness of God while, simultaneously, recalling for us the everlasting nature of our God. However, the greatest reminder is centered in the work of grace on our behalf through Christ. The “doing” of the Lord is in providing this cornerstone that holds all of creation together. That is the redemptive work of Christ. Because of him I can walk through the gates of the Lord without fear or judgment. I walk through as a child of the King! Now that’s worth singing and shouting about. I hope I won’t actually be singing or shouting this morning… that surely would scare every critter within earshot away! I do know that my soul will be shouting though. How about yours?

What Am I Doing Here?

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. (Esther 4:14-17 ESV). Sometimes I run across old songs that were popular for a little while and remember them with fondness. Mr. Custer is one of those songs. It was a novelty song, sung by Larry Verne, that was a number-one song in the United States during the year 1960. It topped the Billboard magazine chart on October 10, 1960 and remained there for one week. It is a comical song about a soldier's plea to Custer at the climactic Battle of the Little Bighorn against the Sioux that he did not want to fight. My favorite line is sung with shrieks war whoops in the background; a voice, as if from nowhere says, “That famous day in history, the men of the 7th Cavalry went riding on; and from the rear a voice was heard, a brave young man with a trembling word rang loud and clear… ‘What am I doin' here?’” It reminds me of the wonderful story of what God did in the life of Esther to literally save a nation. Esther was a Jew who was plucked out of obscurity through an unusual chain of events and was made queen over the kingdom. Meanwhile, a wicked man named Haman had been devising a plot to put to death the 15 million Jews in that kingdom. So Mordecai, Esther's uncle, came to the palace, wanting Esther to use her influence to help her people. She did not want to be in that position. It seemed she would be doomed whatever her decision would be. Her life certainly wouldn’t be the same from that moment forward. You may be in such a place today. Wherever you may find yourself today, know that God has put you where you are for such a time as this. He has put you in that job or at that school. He has put you in that neighborhood. There are opportunities to seize. You may take hold of them knowing he has put you there for such a time as this. So many Christians today have failed to recognize this truth. They have been delivered from sin. They have found safety in the church. And they have grown complacent in the comfort of community. We live in a world when that cannot be our foundational position. Our nation, our families, are in need of the words we have been given. This is such a time! Don’t worry about the “arrows” being shot at you. Follow your leader, Jesus. Unlike Custer, he has already won every battle we shall face!

How Busy Are You?

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 ESV). When the Lord walked this earth, He had no place to call home (cf. Matthew 8:20). But there was something He liked about a home in Bethany where a man named Lazarus lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. While we do not know the full story of the beginning of their relationship, we do know there was something very special about that place and those people. We know from our reading and other references that Mary and Martha were quite different from each other. Mary was more the quiet, contemplative type. Martha was more the take charge, assertive type. Mary was very content to let the ebb and flow of life take her along; Martha, on the other hand, wanted to control circumstances much more than her sister. This does not indicate a failure on Martha’s part. Even Jesus does not judge her, though he does instruct her in a better way. When Jesus came to their home at the time of our reading, Martha thought it would be a good idea to make Him a meal. She went into the kitchen and started working. Meanwhile, Mary thought it would be a great opportunity to sit at Jesus' feet and hear what He had to say. As Mary was sitting there, taking it all in, Martha was working frantically in the kitchen, growing more frustrated because Mary was not helping her. Finally, she could not contain herself any longer. She came out of the kitchen, and looking down at Mary and Jesus, said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." Jesus responded, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Sometimes we can do the same thing. We can get so anxious about so little. Sometimes we go into activity mode; rather than adoration we choose busyness. Do not misunderstand, there is a time to sit and there is a time to move. Jesus instructed his disciples to work “while there was yet day.” His indication was that we could not let the time be wasted in idleness and procrastination in the spreading of the gospel. It’s not a matter of how busy we are; it is how being busy is affecting our relationship with our Lord. Don’t measure your relationship by what you do. Measure it by who you know. Get to know him better each day. He is a friend beyond description!

Bulldozers and Earthmovers

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. (Isaiah 40:1-4 ESV). Sitting in our apartment and looking across the street we see a great deal of construction being done. There are always bulldozers and earthmovers working literally moving mountains of dirt to make way for new houses and streets. It jogged my memory a bit, reminding me of our reading today. The Hebrew word translated “comfort” is nachaw. The Hebrew is much more detailed than our English translation. In addition to “comfort,” the Hebrew word carries with it a sense of being sorry, regretting, repenting, changing one’s mind, or turning in a different direction. Just like the land being built on across from us just isn’t quite right for the construction, something isn’t right within us. The loss, pain, sorrow, and regret of our lives will continue to trouble us until relief comes through change. The Bible calls such change “repentance.” It entails a change of heart, a change of mind, nothing short of a new life. We head in a different direction because we’ve become a different person or people. There is new life only after the old life is done away with, however bad or good it may have been. In Isaiah 40, the crying voice describes the building of this new life. The very landscape of our lives must change. For God’s gift of comfort to come, all the mountains and valleys that have provided us the life we accept as normal must be removed. Think dynamite and bulldozers. That’s what Jesus did in the cross. There is always something frightening about such a change. Mary and I have made a lot of moves in our lives. We have lived in different cities, states, and many homes. One of the wonderful things we learned years ago was to let our anchor down at whatever port we may find ourselves. That place became home. More and more I am finding in my life a sense of home being just out of reach, though clearly in sight. A lot of the dirt work has already been done. The land has been prepared for the construction, though it is not finished yet. You can anticipate the move in day; however, it will far exceed that anticipation. In the mean time, more construction must be done. There are still obstacles in the way for all of us. Each of us has our mountains to level and valleys to fill in. While we may anticipate, perhaps even fear the earthmovers and bulldozers, but in the end it’s more like being set free. When that happens, the wilderness voice cries, “Comfort, comfort my people!” Let’s move a little dirt!

Let the Big Dog Eat

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. (John 10:7-14 ESV). First, a disclaimer and a request are necessary. I am going to mention guns as an illustration today; please don’t write me and tell me how horrible it is for me to own a gun. I promise I’m perfectly happy to debate the issue of guns and violence in another venue. There are positive and negative sides to this hotly contested debate concerning our Second Amendment of the constitution. Also, the safety of the shooting I mention cannot be questioned. I was accompanied by a professional law enforcement officer and every precaution was taken before and during the use of the weapons. So with that in mind, what in the world does shooting rifle have to do with today’s Bible reading. Well, stay with me for a bit. Some time ago I was given a new rifle as a gift. It is a semi automatic weapon. It is primarily a weapon for target shooting, though it certainly could be used in hunting. I needed to take my larger caliber rifle and check the sighting of the scope and fire it a few times to get ready for the fast approaching hunting season. I went to my friend’s house, who is the Sheriff of Maury County, Tennessee. He has a large farm with an area designated to shoot. I wanted to show him my new rifle. He had quite a bit of ammunition for that caliber rifle; so, after sighting the large caliber rifle in and making sure it was performing as it should, we decided to do some target shooting with the smaller rifle. We shot from different distances. He is significantly better than I am, though I held my own in grouping the shots close together. We shot about fifty rounds each and decided to move closer to the target. He was giving me instructions all along in the proper operation of this rifle at fast speeds. Then we set up to do rapid fire shooting. As I was ready, he said, “Go ahead. Let the big eat!” I must admit that firing that rifle twenty-five times in a matter of seconds was exhilarating. Excuse the pun… but it was a blast! When Jesus was speaking to his disciples and told them he had come that they would have “abundant” life, I’m not sure he was really thinking specifically about target shooting. However, I do know that he was thinking about their experiences in life being filled with excitement and joy, even in the most trying of circumstances. He did not die so that our lives would worse. He died that we would know everything we experience works toward our best. My experience at the range was not the least bit “trying.” It was pleasurable. As good as it was, it is nothing compared to what awaits me in my eternal home. I don’t what heaven will be like, except it will be greater than we are now capable of even imagining. That is what Jesus has secured for us in his redemptive work. So, go ahead… let the big dog eat! Life is so good in Christ! Trust Him!

The Arecibo Asteroid

A giant asteroid about 2.5 miles wide is claimed to be hurtling down towards Earth and could hit Puerto Rico. According to conspiracy theorists, the giant asteroid will destroy Earth when it finally hits the planet between September 21st and 28th. The claim originates from self-proclaimed prophet Efrain Rodriguez, who has also warned NASA and seems to be based on the Blood Moon Prophecy, with September 28th being the last of the four "blood moons." The Blood Moon Prophecy suggests an impending disaster whenever a lunar eclipse is followed by six full moons and the last lunar eclipse occurred in April 2014. Rodriguez is reported to have had a vision of the asteroid "entering the airspace of the town of Arecibo in Puerto Rico, striking the sea between the island of Mona and Mayaguez and triggering a magnitude 12 earthquake." NASA has published several articles denying any existence of such an asteroid or the possibility of such an event. Well, if you’re reading this, it hasn’t happened yet. I know the week is not over yet, and Jesus could come at any time. In fact, the Scripture is clear that we are to live with a sense of the imminent return of our Savior. However, the following a clear indication of the error of such “prophecies”: But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:36-39 ESV). No one knows that day or time. We have been given indications of the character of that time. Certainly our world seems to fit the description of the “days of Noah.” However, our call is not to sit and wait, but to go and tell. Just like the great flood destroyed many people who were just living their lives with no regard to God at all, so it will be in the final judgment. Some will be openly defiant in their refusal to believe; however, many more will simply be lost in their small corner of the world, plodding along in their lives. It is those people that we are called on to tell the Gospel. We are to remain alert. We are to practice wisdom in our lives. But our prayers should contain a balance of our desire to see the final righting of creation under the complete rule of Christ and the redemption of as many people as is possible. They will be redeemed through our message (cf. Romans 10:14). So, don’t put on your white robe yet. There will be plenty of time for that. Put on the Gospel of Christ and reflect the grace of God to those around you. They need it today as much as ever before. This I am sure of… Jesus is coming again. Let’s help others get ready!

The Catfish in Our Lives

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:11-15 ESV). Somehow I manage to store in my brain all sorts of unrelated, and sometimes meaningless, trivia. Thankfully some of it surfaces at various times with some sort of principle to teach me. That’s at the root of today’s “trivia.” It seems some fish suppliers were having problems shipping codfish from the East Coast. By the time the fish reached the West Coast, they were spoiled. They froze them, but by the time the fish arrived, they were mushy. So the seafood company decided to send them alive; but, the fish arrived dead. On their third try, they once more shipped the fish alive; however, this time they included a catfish in each water tank. It seems the catfish is the natural enemy of the codfish. By the time the codfish arrived, they were alive and well, because they had spent their trip fleeing the catfish, which produced more oxygen for them to breathe through the trip. We are beginning a study in Job today at church. It will be a challenging series to preach. My prayer is that it will help us all focus on the great principle of God’s grace even in the midst of our trials. Perhaps some of the reason why God ordains these experiences for our lives is simply to put a catfish in our life keeping us spiritually alert and centered in His strength. The world hates us. That is not open for debate. Shortly before He went to the cross, Jesus told the disciples, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19). If you're experiencing trial, whether subtle or direct, remember this is a part of being a child of God; and, Jesus has already suffered the finality of death on our behalf. Be glad in that. In the midst of every trial or difficulty of life we cannot fail to remember the great love of God shown to us through Jesus’ death. That is the tether that draws us back to the incredible truth that nothing in this world, as bad as it may seem, can rob us of the ultimate truth of God’s grace toward us. When you endure trials or persecution, remember that this world is not your home. And as far as I know, there are no catfish in heaven.

From a Tiny Acorn

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 ESV). Yesterday I used a story from the traditions of Texas A&M within the football program. There are so many stories I can recall from the time I spent there as a student and the years since. Just one of those concerns “The Century Tree.” It is a live oak that has been growing beside the Academic Building in the center of the campus for over 100 years. There are pictures dating back to the early 1900’s. It certainly has changed through the years. The limbs spread out, touching the ground fifty feet from the base! A small bench has been placed under the canopy, near the sidewalk that runs beside it, where many Aggies have proposed marriage to their beloveds through the years. To say there are many memories attached to this tree is to understate the significance of it in the lives of thousands. And, all of that was made possible from the growth of one tiny acorn! Jesus was certainly making such a reference when he told the disciples the parable of the mustard seed in our reading today. This parable is found in all the Synoptic Gospels. Matthew gives us the clearest picture of what Jesus was teaching as he groups it between two other parables dealing with the same subject matter. The picture painted in the Parable of the Mustard Seed by Jesus is of the humble beginnings of the church experiencing an explosive rate of growth. It grows large and becomes a source of food, rest, and shelter, for both believers and false professing individuals that seek to consume or take advantage of its benefits while residing or mixing among what was produced by the seed. In other words, Jesus predicts that, while the church will grow extremely large from just a small start, it will not remain pure. While this is not a condemnation of the "bigness" of modern Christianity, it does show us the greatest burden that comes with it. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is both a prediction and a warning. Just like the Century Tree does not provide any guarantee to the marriages of those who begin their commitment under its branches; so, being a member of a church does not guarantee the eternal life of those who begin their religious experience by joining. Our membership in the local church does nothing to redeem us. Only a relationship with Jesus can do that. Often joining a church is a great step, but the first step must always be our faith in the work of Christ on the cross. Have you done that? If not, plant that seed in your life today. Then watch as it grows to an enormous heritage!

2012 - The Season

Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. (Jeremiah 32:17 ESV). The college football season has begun. With that I seem to wear a little more maroon and white and follow the Aggies a lot closer than during other seasons. It is a real juggling act to balance the important things of my fall schedule. How much time should I give to hunting and how much to Aggie football is a real problem (said with some tongue in cheek). To prepare for this season a bit better, I reviewed the 2012 season, which I have on DVD (was there ever a doubt in your mind that I would?). Some things began to really pop out at me about that year. You may recall that it was A&M’s first season in the SEC; and, few gave them much chance of being very good. However, something special began to happen, even though the season began with a loss to Florida.  This team would go on to win eleven games that year. A record that had been duplicated only three other times in the history of Texas A&M football.  Kevin Sumlin, the head coach, would be named SEC Coach of the Year.  Johnny Manziel, a red-shirt freshman who did not have the starting job at quarterback until fall camp, goes on to win the Heisman Trophy; and, the offense sets and all time SEC record for offense in a single season, as he sets an all time high for a single player in offense.  Luke Joeckel became the first Aggie to win the Outland Trophy; and he and three other Aggies (Manziel, Matthews, and Moore) are named All-American for the first time in A&M history.  They take their team into Tuscaloosa to face then #1 Alabama in their home field and accomplish something that had never been done by an A&M team. They beat a #1 ranked team on the road for the first time ever.  Then to top off this great season, they go to the Cotton Bowl and beat Oklahoma 41-13! It was THE Season! It was something only dreams were made of; yet, it was reality. Funny, I have often wondered if we had the kind of trust Joshua must have had in the Lord, how many of our dreams would become realities? Our reading today simply states nothing is too hard for our God. This was said in the face of the greatest battle campaign Israel would ever face. Joshua had seen the “giants” in that land. However, he knew that God had given it into their hands. It was only a matter of going forward to possess it. I wonder how many times we have simply not gone forward to possess that which God has already given us? Let’s make this year THE year!

Finding the Good

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV). There are so many reasons why it is difficult for us to find good in others. It may be that’s simply what we were shown as we grew up. Perhaps we were the target of endless criticism from others or ourselves, and we now cringe to hear that same attitude in our tone toward others. Maybe in public settings, you struggle to simply relax and enjoy what is going on without inspecting, examining, and forming opinions about your experience. Complaining relates to situations, whereas criticism relates to people. While constructive criticism can have value, destructive criticism causes pain. Dwelling upon the perceived faults of others with no view to their good can only destroy. Some faults we see in others aren’t even real; they’re perceived. Our perception of what is wrong with someone else is not necessarily accurate. We may be unaware of extenuating circumstances, or maybe the problem is actually with us, not the other person at all. We can become very critical of others yet be entirely wrong in our opinions. Regardless of whether the faults are real or perceived, dwelling on those faults is destructive. Whether you lock onto one fault in one person or you get to the place where you can’t see anything good and right anywhere, you’re wrestling a critical attitude. If you’re an analytical person, a lot of data is coursing through your mind. You can’t necessarily stop that general way of thinking; it’s the way God made you. The problem comes when you choose to dwell upon your observations, when you can’t set them aside. It’s not criticism to dwell upon a fault you observe in someone, provided you are going to pray about it and pursue a solution. If you observe someone struggling with a specific issue, it’s not a critical attitude to pray for that person and ask God to help him. And if you have a relationship with the person, it’s not a critical attitude to observe a flaw, go directly to the person, and talk to him. But too often at this point our motives get muddied, and rather than talking directly to the person, we share the situation with a third party or dwell on it in our minds. Over time, criticism makes us hard, vindictive, and cruel. It leaves us with the flattering but very false notion that we are superior. It is impossible to develop the characteristics of Christ while maintaining a critical attitude. Find the good in others and help to bring more of it out in them and yourself.

New Things

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:3-7 ESV). First let me mention a little disclaimer. Remember that I am not as proficient with technology as many of you may be. I am an “old dog” that doesn’t learn “new tricks” very easily. That being said, I have learned a new trick. When the technician came to hook up our electronics in the apartment, he said he had a much better way to make sure everything ran. He used lots of big, technological words, and ultimately explained that since all of my devices were Wi-Fi equipped, I could run everything off of one modem and router. That meant among other things that there would be fewer cables and less “permanence” as far as where I actually used the equipment. I have been doing some of this with my laptop and phone, but now everything runs off the same modem without wires. Amazing! Even the television is Wi-Fi equipped. I knew that, but didn’t really know how to use it effectively. Well, I have since come to learn how to “pair” my devices. So, I can actually pull something up on the computer and have it play on the TV. The sound and picture quality is so much better that it is amazing. In fact, I’ve got a piece playing in the background now that streams various pictures from some of the national parks and scenic vistas in our country with quiet instrumental music accompanying it. This is something new that is truly worth taking advantage of. The Apostle Paul talks about something new in our reading today. It is the “newness of life” in Christ. It is almost as if he is asking with incredulity how we could miss this incredible benefit of being justified. It is much the same attitude that you may have had when you read that I just now learned how to pair my devices. Well, until someone really tells us something and then proves it to be true, we all tend to look at the new information with skepticism. Our new life in Christ can be like that at times. We are new. We have died to the old ways of sin and death. We have no choice about that. Our flesh is being put to death and we are being raised to walk in newness of life. Just as Christ was resurrected from the dead, so we are in that process now. This means that even in my failures and fallings, I can rest assured he will use them to bring more life to my spirit. Every trial, every tragedy, every challenge of life is designed by our heavenly Father to make me newer than ever before. I like new things. I especially like being new! Be encouraged!

Common Sense

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:7-9 ESV). I love the story that is told about the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1937 Wright built a house for his friend, industrialist Hibbard Johnson. One rainy evening Johnson was entertaining distinguished guests for dinner when the roof began to leak. The water seeped through directly above Johnson himself, dripping steadily onto his bald head. Irate, he called Wright in Phoenix, Arizona. "Frank," he said, "you built this beautiful house for me and we enjoy it very much. But I have told you the roof leaks, and right now I am with some friends and distinguished guests and it is leaking right on top of my head." Wright's reply was heard by all of the guests. "Well, Hib, why don't you move your chair?" Common sense is a quality that is seldom expressed in the midst of our trials and difficulties. And yet it is the simple answers that bring the most profound of results. The Apostle Paul in our reading today says as much. You’ve heard me reference this passage on many occasions as the “Law of the Harvest.” Paul simply says, “You reap what you sow.” I say it a bit differently: You get what you get because you go where you go; if you don’t like what you’re getting, don’t go where you’re going. Not following “common sense,” the wisdom God desires for us all to possess, has resulted in our culture being a very strange mix of suffering and inequity. You may have read of the disbanding of Chi Alpha at California State University Stanislaus. There, Chi Alpha, a Christian ministry, lost its official university status. If you are wondering what deplorable crime the organization committed, the answer is that they insist its officers must be Christian. Understand, anybody, with any kind of faith, or even no faith at all, can join the organization. But if you want to be a leader at Chi Alpha, you need to acknowledge Jesus as your Savior. According to the school, such a policy is unacceptable. According to the school, Chi Alpha is guilty of discrimination. Bianca Travis, who is the president of the local Chi Alpha chapter, disagrees. She says having Christians lead a Christian organization is just plain common sense. After all, she says, "How can someone lead us if they don't share our mission?" She added, "It's impossible to genuinely lead a worship service or Bible study unless you believe what you're teaching." Travis is right. I don't think the school's chess club would want to be headed up by a checker's expert and the Spanish club wouldn't want a leader who demands only English be spoken at its meetings. I'm even pretty sure the Stanislaus' faculty would be perturbed if the school's Board of Regents selected a president who was illiterate or was dedicated to the concept of home-schooling. I'm sure you wouldn't want an imam preaching from your pulpit. In the name of political correctness we have seen our culture sit in the leaking roof rather than merely move their chair. Maybe it’s time to use some common sense. We can find that common sense in the Scripture. Let’s use it!

A Belly Laugh

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 ESV). All three of my grandchildren know how to laugh. Maggie, the youngest, really lights up when she laughs! And, it makes me feel good too. I would call this kind of laughter a “belly laugh.” The dictionary defines a belly laugh as “a deep, loud, hearty laugh.” Well, those kinds of laughs make me laugh; and when I laugh, I feel better all over. That’s what laughing does. It makes us feel better. There’s scientific proof of that. In The Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient, Norman Cousins tells of being hospitalized with a rare, crippling disease. When he was diagnosed as incurable, Cousins checked out of the hospital. Aware of the harmful effects that negative emotions can have on the body, Cousins reasoned the reverse was true. So he borrowed a movie projector and prescribed his own treatment, consisting of Marx Brothers films and old “Candid Camera” reruns. It didn’t take long for him to discover that 10 minutes of laughter provided two hours of pain-free sleep. Amazingly, his debilitating disease was eventually reversed. After the account of his victory appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, Cousins received more than 3000 letters from appreciative physicians throughout the world. The scripture indicates the same truth. Our reading speaks of a “merry heart.” So, in order to do my best at making you laugh a bit today, here’s some “Aggie medicine”: Benign - What you be after you be eight. Bacteria - back door to cafeteria. Catscan - searching for the cat. Barium - What you do with dead folks. Fester - quicker than somebody else. Fibula - a small lie. Hangnail - What you hang your coat on. Labor pain - getting hurt at work. Morbid - A higher offer than I bid Nitrates - cheaper than day rates. Secretion - hiding something. Tablet - a small table to change babies on. Seizure - Roman emperor. Terminal Illness - getting sick at the train station. Tumor - more than one. Come on now… that’s funny! Find your merry heart today. It’s there. Whatever you face, heaven is right around the corner!

How Strong Are You?

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. (Colossians 1:11-14 ESV). Strength is a prized characteristic. I find the older I get, and the less I work at it, the more it seems my body simply won’t do what I want it to do. Some of that is simply aging, though I know I could be stronger through proper exercise and diet. There are numerous examples both from history and in contemporary experience. There are some men in my church who are older than I am and yet seem to be able to do much more than I would ever attempt. All of them have some things in common. They all have had lives where they remained very active; and, they all have a genetic heritage of longevity and good health. As I began to think about that, I was reminded of the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Christians in Colossae. Our reading today details three things that he saw as important for them. First, he prays that they be “strengthened with all power.” It is not merely power over one area in their lives, but in every area. It is not merely power in the physical realm of life, but in the emotional and spiritual realms as well. Paul wanted them to be strengthened to face anything that might be a part of their journey. Second, he prays that they would be strengthened “according to his glorious might.” This reference to the strength of God broadens the request to an eternal point of view. The apostle wants them to have the power of the God who is capable of everything by the mere spoken word. It is an incredible reference that calls us to the truth that nothing is impossible for our God. Third, he prays “for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father.” I am sure that these early Christians were just like you and I. They believed in prayer and often wondered about the reason they still found themselves feeling weak in the face of their trial. Paul wanted them to have the long look of eternity in mind when they faced difficulty. He wanted them to endure with joy because they knew the final outcome. It would be for their good. How strong are you? Let me echo the Apostle Paul’s prayer for you right now. You can do whatever you are called on to do. This prayer will be answered. Rest assured!

It'll Hold

What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. (Habakkuk 2:18-20 ESV). Every year about this time I go out and double-check the stands that I typically hunt from. Some of them are wooden stands built into the timber, others are metal that are strapped and secured to a tree. I must confess I usually am much more secure sitting in the metal ones than the wooden ones. I’m not sure there’s any basis for that belief, but it’s still true. It is also true that before I climb 12-15 feet into the air with a rifle in my hands, loaded or not, I want to make sure I’m going to fall. Just looking at it and thinking “it’ll hold” is not nearly enough reassurance for me. I’m going to check and re-check it. I follow a pretty simple rule. I don’t trust completely anything man has made! Think about the products we use in our home. Among cleaning solutions, for instance, some of the most effective are the ones made with natural ingredients. Who would have thought that vinegar could clean a coffee pot, or that lemon juice would remove stains or cut grease? Do you think the Maker of natural ingredients may have known what He was doing? When we fertilize our lawn, it is the natural compost that seems to be most effective. Perhaps God’s design for nature to replenish itself helps explain this fact? Don’t get me wrong, man has done some really neat things with what God has given him. The institute of technology and the computerization of our society no doubt point to the intelligence of man. Show me an invention, however, and I suspect if you look at its origin, somewhere in the beginning you will find the fingerprint of God! When we think of the invention of the telephone, as ingenious as it is, can we not see how its operations clearly relate to the sending and receiving of sound that was already installed into God’s creation? Was it not God who first placed in His Creation the ability to hear; to speak, and to communicate? Oh, yes, man is indeed brilliant at times, but his brilliance pales in comparison to the great wonder of our God. I don’t plan to give up my telephone any time soon, or cease the use of my computer, but I will try and remember that these things will let me down. Only what God has made can be trusted completely. This is the meaning of Habakkuk’s writing today. The stuff we create can never be an adequate substitute to the One who creates! We have made far too many idols of the stuff we have made. They always disappoint. Only trust in God will satisfy. Who are you trusting today?

Sweet or Unsweet?

Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. (Matthew 15:17-20 ESV). “Tea”… you’d think I could come up with a slightly weightier subject today; however, as I began to sit down and write I was taken with how easily it is to take for granted one of the most consumed beverages in the world. So, I decided to do a little research. According to Wikipedia, tea is “an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves of the Camellia Sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to Asia. After water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the world. Some teas, like Darjeeling and Chinese greens, have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavor, while others have vastly different profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes.” Further, I discovered there is quite an art to brewing tea properly. I found a chart that details the temperature and time to steep, ten different types of teas, whether they are to be served hot or cold. Personally, I don’t need to know how to brew it. I just want to be able to make the choice between sweet or unsweet. In Tennessee, that choice is usually predetermined. If you want unsweet tea, you’d better ask for it. Your server is going to bring you sweet tea every time. I like my tea sweet, so that suits me just fine. This thought brought me to Jesus’ teaching in today’s reading. The disciples had been to Jerusalem again with Jesus when the religious leaders confronted Him. Again they tried to trap Jesus by asking a nonsensical question. They wanted to know why the disciples ate without ceremonially washing their hands first. I won’t detail the first response of Jesus to them. Read the first verse again and use your imagination; it really is pretty graphic. Ultimately Jesus does go on to explain that the things we do to look religious really don’t matter much. It is a condition of the heart that determines how well we will do. If we have been born again, our hearts are right; and, therefore, everything is working toward the good of God’s purpose. It’s kind of like tea. I don’t care if it’s blooming tea, white tea, green tea, oolong tea, or any other mix of leaves; I want it poured over a full glass of ice and sweet! It’s not how I look on the outside; it’s how I believe on the inside that counts. How do you believe in relationship to the grace of God in your life?

What Goes Around

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12 ESV). You certainly don’t need much reminder of how small the world is in our day. I am convinced that the Lord has connected millions of people with one another in miraculous ways as a purposeful means of sharing the Gospel more effectively. AS our network grows, so does the opportunity to share God’s grace with others. This can come in unusual and unique ways. I am reminded of a story about Peter ten Boom who was the cousin of Corrie ten Boom. For those who don't know the story of the ten Boom legacy, their family was instrumental in saving the lives of Jews during the holocaust in World War II. At the age of sixteen, Peter defied the Germans by playing the Dutch national anthem in their church and the entire congregation stood up and sang. For this act of defiance, Peter was imprisoned. He did survive his imprisonments and after World War II, he traveled the world with the same message as his aunt, Corrie ten Boom. During his speaking tour in Israel, Peter had a heart attack and needed surgery. The night before the operation, the cardiologist asked Peter, "Are you by chance related to the ten Booms of Holland?" Peter replied, "Yes, that’s my family!" The doctor responded, "I'm one of the babies that your family saved!" The next day the man whose life had been saved forty years earlier, repaid the debt by saving Peter's life. That may be one of the most incredible stories of “What goes around, comes around.” Our reading today is an encouragement to persevere in our acts of kindness. We are called to sow seed not knowing where it might spring up. I often hear of people who “pay it forward” with some random act of kindness. These things that we do for others have a way of making an incredible difference in both their lives and ours. It's amazing how God has a way of doing that. The writer of our text today says, “He is not unjust to overlook your work.” That’s just another way of encouraging us that nothing good we do is in vain or forgotten. It will make a difference. God sees to that. Find someone today to do something good for. It will bring a good harvest in God’s time and purpose.

Never Alone

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8 ESV). Our reading today comes from one of my favorite passages. Moses has been told by the Lord that he will not accompany the people he has led for forty years into the Promised Land. Joshua would be their leader for the next phase of the nation’s establishment in Canaan. I can only imagine that he felt disappointed and alone. Perhaps he felt the Lord had abandoned him at a critical moment. Yet, he comes to this incredible conclusion that the Lord could never abandon him. He passes this same unshakeable belief on to Joshua for the journey that lay before him. In May, 1960, Roy Orbison recorded one of the great rock and roll classics entitled, "Only the Lonely." It went to the top of the charts immediately and ultimately won a Grammy. It is #232 of the top 500 songs of all time. It struck a chord with many people then and still does today. Two of the recurring lines of lyrics are: "Only the lonely know the way I feel tonight;” and, “Only the lonely know the heartaches I've been through." It spoke to people who felt they had been abandoned by the one they loved. Maybe you have been abandoned; perhaps it was by your parents, your spouse, or your children. You may even feel that you have been abandoned by God Himself. There are many people who feel estranged from God. They feel alienated from Him. Even if they have everything they want in life, they may still face loneliness. Some people are surrounded by others and still feel the weight of loneliness. As his UCLA football team suffered through a poor season in the early 1970s, head coach Pepper Rodgers came under intense criticism and pressure from alumni and fans. Things got so bad, he remembers with a smile, that friends became hard to find. “My dog was my only true friend,” Rodgers says of that year. “I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends—and she bought me another dog.” There is only one cure for this feeling. It is the presence of Christ in your life. When Moses made his last trip up into the mountains height, he was comforted that it would never be a journey he would make alone. Throughout the years of wandering God had proven to him that he would never leave him or forsake him. Whether it was the cloud by day or the fire by night, God was always with him. We should take comfort that God does the same for us. He will not leave us or forsake us. We do not face life alone!

Go Ahead, Make My Day!

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. (Psalm 91:3-6 ESV). Clint Eastwood, playing the character of Dirty Harry, once said as he threatened a criminal with being shot, “Go ahead, make my day!” He wasn’t the least bit afraid of what that criminal would do. I wonder how many Christians could look their enemy in the eye and have no fear. Fear is often an overwhelming emotion that takes hold of us and causes us to act with complete irrationality. Much of the time, we can be more devastated by fear than by the thing we are afraid of. But God says that we don't have to be afraid. He is always with us. Paul Harvey shared the following story illustrating courage. “One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the floundering child. Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child’s arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray’s free hand felt something—possibly a rock—protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away. “If I can just hang on until help comes,” he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard’s Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew. Ray Blankenship can’t swim.” Adrian Rogers tells about the man who bragged that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocket knife. Asked why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head, the man replied: “Someone had already done that.” Well, Jesus has already cut the head off our enemy! When look at a frightening world we can have courage. Not because of who we are, but because God is with us. His truth is our shield. He is there to guide us and protect us.

The God of Time

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2 ESV). Psalm 91 is written by David. It is one of the most revealing looks into the heart of this man who is called “a man after God’s own heart.” Certainly all of us have read and heard the failures of David recounted in numerous ways and settings; however, we also need to remember the great understanding he had of the character and nature of God. In our reading today, David provides some great insights to the Person of God by using four different titles for God. First he refers to God as “the Most High.” In Hebrew, Most High is El Elyon. This word describes God as the One who owns and possesses everything. Second, David then calls God “the Almighty.” In Hebrew this is the word El Shaddai, which conveys the thought of provision. Not only is He the living God. He is also the giving God. Third, David then calls God “the Lord.” That is the Hebrew word Yahweh. This is the personal name God gave to Moses in the burning bush (cf. Exodus 3:14). Yahweh means "to be" or "I will be who I will be." Yahweh is God's personal testimony that no one or nothing else defines who He is but Himself. Therefore, we know God by reading the Scripture's account of what He says about Himself. Fourth, David refers to God as “My God.” My God in Hebrew is Elohim. It essentially means "more than one." This is not to say that there are three gods, but that there are three persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In these two compact verses, David tells us that the all-knowing, all-powerful God who possesses heaven and earth and is in a special covenant with us, wants to protect us and provide for our needs. This gives us great confidence in the God Whom we worship and serve. It also gives us confidence as we face our daily lives. I am constantly amazed at the ease with which I fail to recognize the provision of God through the entire continuum of life. Because I live within the constraints of quantitative time, I often miss the greatness of God’s qualitative nature regarding time. Because God has no deadlines he is always “on time” with the experiences of our life. That is a great comfort to me. I need not worry about what happens this moment because God holds every moment.

Sleeping Like a Baby - Pt 3

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Acts 12:6-11 ESV). Today we continue with our little examination of Peter’s experience with his deliverance from prison by the angel of the Lord. I find it so interesting that it was not until he is out of jail and safe that he realizes God rescued him just like the people had been praying to happen. They expected him to be rescued, but he didn’t believe it until after it was over. It is strange that we emphasize prayer so strongly and yet believe in its efficacy so weakly. Perhaps the reason for that is in the way we pray. D. L. Moody wrote: Prayer does not mean that I am to bring God down to my thoughts and my purposes, and bend his government according to my foolish, silly, and sometimes sinful notions. Prayer means that I am to be raised up into feeling, into union and design with him; that I am to enter into his counsel and carry out his purpose fully. A lot of my prayers are really about what I want God to do rather than asking Him to do what He wants through me. Sometimes I really don’t like the answers I get when I pray. Of course, there are those times when God does the spectacular and changes the course of man, miraculously exerting his will in history; however, the more typically response of God is in the subtle changes he brings in me personally. Those changes are the things that bring true peace and joy. Pray for the captives to be set free. Pray for the world to be redeemed. Pray for the dead to be raised to life and sick to be healed. AND pray for your focus to be in Him every moment of every day. You won’t go far wrong and it will be less surprising when he does the miraculous if your focus is on that simple exchange of words, from a child to their father, which is the real essence of prayer. Billy Graham said it best: Prayer is simply a two-way conversation between you and God. If you’re in prison, go ahead and take a nap. You’re in good hands. Wake up when he calls, even if he has to poke you in the side. And, always stay in touch with your heavenly father. He’s got some great words for you!

Sleeping Like a Baby - Pt 2

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Acts 12:6-11 ESV). Yesterday we saw that Peter was relaxed enough, trusting in the Lord, that he could sleep through the ordeal of his imprisonment and the threat of death. Today, I want you to see that there is a time to sleep and a time to get up. Did you notice it? The angel struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” It was fine for Peter to sleep; however, now was a time for action. He needed to get up quickly and prepare to leave his prison. Notice also, it is then that the chains fell off his hands. I am always tempted to tell God what I need before I do what he asks me to do. It usually is an “if-then” kind of statement. Jonah’s disobedience was rooted in this kind of attitude. He was not willing to go to Ninevah and preach because he knew it wouldn’t have the outcome he wanted. Well, that never works out very well! I find that when I am immersed in a circumstance that doesn’t seem to have a solution it’s usually my fear and anxiety that I won’t be able to control things that keeps me from the freedom and victory I desire. Sleeping in a crisis is not bad; but, when we fail to get up when called of God, we will always be stuck. It’s interesting here that the angel had to strike Peter in the side to wake him. I think it is Luke’s way of helping us to understand that Peter was so comfortable in the presence and purpose of God for his future that he was failing to see his present. He was going to be taken to heaven someday; but that day wasn’t then. We cannot fall into the temptation of substituting tomorrow’s blessing for today’s challenge. Sometimes we must simply get up. Chains will fall off, gates that were locked will open, and certain defeat will be changed to victory. Whatever you are facing today, perhaps the message is to wake up. Perhaps it’s time to put you cloak on and get ready to travel. The same peace that allowed you to sleep will accompany you in your journey. Come on, let’s get going. We’ve got places to go!

Sleeping Like a Baby - Pt 1

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Acts 12:6-11 ESV). I don’t really know where this series is going to lead us! I do know that as I was reading the text in our reading today that there is a lot more than I can write in one devotional. The first incredible point that strikes me is that Peter was sleeping. Peter was not at his home, safe in his bed, sequestered from the threats of the world; Peter was in prison. Even then, he was not in prison with an uncertain future before him. He knew Herod was about to “bring him out” that very night. He had seen the cruelty of this king. He had every reason to believe that his life was forfeit and he had but hours to live. So, like anyone (written with dripping sarcasm) he decided to go to sleep. If I would been in his place I might have been pacing the prison floor, hearing the chains of my ankle restraints rattle and scrape as I moved reminding me even more of my dire circumstance. I’ve never been in exactly this situation before, though there have been a few times when I felt what I imagine he should have felt. Imagine checking into the hospital for surgery. Everyone is so cheerful and helpful. But, there is a somber attitude that just seems to hang over you. It’s very early in the morning, you’ve had nothing to eat or drink since midnight, and you really don’t want to be there at all. You are shown to a small sterile room with a bed and a chair and lots of equipment. Then you are very politely asked to undress and put on a paper “gown.” You have long since decided that modesty is a lost cause. No matter how much you cover up, someone is going to come along and uncover you for some procedure that has to be done in preparation for the surgery. Then the nurses and doctors start coming in to the room. Some of them you have met before, some you haven’t ever seen. They introduce themselves and cheerfully begin to poke and prod, preparing you for the procedure. Some of them bring a clipboard with documents and papers to be signed saying you were told how badly the whole thing could go. (I always like those conversations.) Then you’re left alone while they get the operating room ready. Someone inevitably will pop their head in and ask if you are comfortable. Sure… I’ve just been told that there are a dozen or more things that can go wrong and I might die or be left in a vegetative state for an undetermined period of time. I’m great! If I were Peter, I’d probably have decided that was a good time to take a nap. Since I’m not, I mentally pace the floor. Peter went to sleep because he knew whatever might happen, Jesus already knew what would happen and had made provision for it. He knew that the next few hours were nothing to be anxious about. His future was in the hands of his heavenly Father who loved him and promised to take care of him through every circumstance of life. Jesus was preparing his final home for him; and, when it was ready for him, Jesus would come to get him and take him there. He could easily “sleep like a baby.” That is a difficult task for all of us, especially in the midst of circumstances that threaten to undo our very lives. Today, can I merely say that nothing can undo us. Being a child of God guarantees our safe arrival in heaven. Whatever you may be facing today, trust in Him. He may already have an angel standing next to you to be your guide through it.

Walking the Ridgeline

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV). Yesterday I wrote a little about maintaining trust in the difficult circumstances of life. Today, I began to think a bit about what that looks like practically. Where I deer hunt the land is rolling Tennessee hills. It is beautiful, though somewhat challenging to walk. Some of the ridges are high and getting to them is a hike! But, if you want the advantage, the ridge line is the place to be. It is the “high place.” Today's reading is a magnificent description of a heart that holds on to joy by faith. The prophet looked around him and knew he was in a season of deep trouble and need. But in spite of all the negative circumstances, he said, "I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in my God… He makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places." The prophet is saying that God knows how to put us in the perfect place and the perfect time. He gives us the advantage of the ridge line! I know it doesn’t feel that way sometimes. However, God wants us to experience joy as believers, not a fickle happiness that depends on circumstances or changes with the things of life. He wants us to possess a joy that remains in spite of what may be taking place around us. Anyone can be relatively happy when things are going well. But when you face adversity or sickness or hardship and then rejoice, you show that something supernatural has occurred in your life. In fact, you show yourself to be a real Christian. This is a unique trait of believers, that we can rejoice when things go wrong. How do we do it? We find the key in Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" Paul didn't say to rejoice in circumstances. Rather, he said to rejoice in the Lord. In other words, God is still on the throne. You're still going to heaven. You're still forgiven. God still has a plan for your life; He has not abandoned you. We need to take joy in the Lord always. That is the key. I recognize that in spite of what I may be going through right now, His plans for me are still good. And He will never leave or forsake me. Perhaps today is a time for you to climb back to the top of your hill and walk along the ridgeline. It is easier up there; and, you can see both sides. I have found my understanding of circumstances gets clearer when I get to my high place. I get there by rejoicing in the Lord. Join me on the ridge!

Adjust Your Sails

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:18-21 ESV). Someone sent me an email recently with a quote from a pastor (name withheld intentionally) of a very large church. He said, “Do all you can to make your dreams come true. Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life. God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.” They asked me what I thought. So, here are a few of my “thoughts.” Remember, before you rip off an email telling me how wrong I am, all opinions are like noses; you don’t want mine and I don’t want yours. First, there is some truth mixed in with the falsehood in this quote. Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is important in determining how we act. However, that is not the only determining factor. Without a relationship to God through Christ, all the positive thinking and gratitude possible will not bring peace and joy into our lives. Only Christ can do that. Second, God does want us to prosper. But money does not indicate the fulfillment of our destiny. Our destiny is an eternal relationship in life with Christ. That’s God’s desire for us. How much, or how little money we possess has nothing to do with that. The reality is that you can live a prosperous life in the will of God and still face fierce personal conflict and adversity. Paul went through a shipwreck on his way to Rome, but he had a prosperous journey by the will of God because of what it ultimately accomplished. Facing storms and shipwrecks in our lives really isn't a matter of if; it is a matter of when. Rather than trying to avoid the storms of life, we need to learn how to get through them, how to survive them, and how to learn the lessons that we can only learn in such times and such places. It has been said that you can't direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails. In other words, I can't control all the elements of my world, or even very many of them. But I can control my reaction to them. I can adjust my sails and adapt. When the trials and challenges of life present themselves to me, I can look to the One who has promised to finish the work He has begun in me. He will work all things for good in my life. Regardless of how bad it seems, God can and will make it good. This good is not just for others; it is for me also. Adjust your sails. It’s a lot easier than fighting the wind.

Hidden Snickers

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31-33 ESV). There are some things in life that are just more temptation than I can withstand. Bite-size Snickers are one of those things! Mary knows my weaknesses very well and helps all she can. The “pantry” in our apartment is pretty small, which means that some stuff gets pushed to the back of the cabinet while others make their way to the front. Of course, the Lucky Charms are at the front and the real food is more toward the back. There’s no sense in taking up the good spots with the healthy foods! Not long ago I was looking for something to satisfy my sweet tooth and nothing really struck my fancy. I began to rummage deeper into the back of the cabinet and there it was! Sitting at the back was a whole bag of bite-size Snickers! There were hidden from view by the low calorie popcorn! I can tell you that I was satisfied immediately! I just wish it was that easy to be satisfied in life. It always seems so hard, doesn’t it? We seek fulfillment, purpose, or meaning from this world and from human accomplishments all too often. There is nothing in the world that will fill the deepest void in your life. King Solomon, one of the wealthiest men who ever lived, had everything he wanted. Yet, after trying to satisfy his appetites with all the wrong things, his conclusion was, "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 2:11). Even bite-size Snickers won’t satisfy this deep hunger in our souls. We were created to love God, to know God, and to bear fruit. Everything else is secondary. Think about it: everything else in life, every other responsibility, no matter how significant, must be ordered behind the central purpose of our existence on earth. It is in this dynamic relationship with our heavenly Father that we find satisfaction. This is the impact of Jesus’ words in our reading today. No matter how great our “kingdom” is on this earth, it will not satisfy. Search for the kingdom of God and you will find everything you have been looking for and some of that which you only hoped to find. All of it will be yours. He gives it to us as we seek Him. And, He is so easy to find! You don’t need to dig very deep. Look in your heart. He is there waiting to fellowship with you.