Opening Day

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalm 32:8-11 ESV). Tomorrow will be opening day for deer season for those of us in Middle Tennessee. My sincere hope is to be sitting in a tree watching the world wake up. I know it may be difficult to understand that for some. However, I have been able to see and experience God in marvelous ways will being in the woods. I love that moment when I first hear the unmistakable sound of a deer’s steps in the fall leaves, particularly after sitting in a stand waiting in the cold air for the sun to rise. It is a different sound than the scurry of a fox squirrel or the clumsiness of armadillo. Deer do not step loudly, but there is a sense of heaviness. They are deliberate steps, often with a steady pace, coming into audible range so subtly that the mind doesn’t process that it is a deer until it is close. When I do hear those steps, I immediately take mental inventory, making sure my gun is ready and that you are fully concealed. I strain to see what it is. Is it a buck or a doe? Is it alone, or are there more trailing? Is this the one I have been waiting to harvest? Adrenaline begins to rise as the sound gets closer. The anticipation is great. Hearing steps in nature goes back to the beginning of time. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, Adam and Eve heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. (cf. Genesis 3:8). I’m sure that for Adam and Eve, adrenaline was flowing strongly too. Unfortunately it was not because of excited expectancy, but rather because of embarrassment and shame. They had just disobeyed the one command that God had given to them, charting a course that would plague every person of every generation after them. So they hid among the trees. I always wonder when I hear the crunching of the leaves, how would I respond if that were God approaching? The psalmist reminds us to “be glad and rejoice”! That’s the perspective we need to have whether we’re sitting in the woods or beside a quiet fire. Listen and you will hear his footsteps approach. He has the words of life that we so desperately need in a world that is full of death and destruction. Let’s go “hunting”!

Mistakes

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10 ESV). The following series of advertisements reportedly appeared in a series of newspaper advertisements by the First UMC of Meadville, PA.  Monday: "The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale. Telephone 626-1313 after 7 p.m. and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who lives with him, cheap."  Tuesday: "We regret any embarrassment caused to Rev. Jones by a typographical error in yesterday's paper. The ad should have read: 'The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale, cheap...Telephone 626-1313 and ask for Mrs. Donnelley, who lives with him after 7 p.m.'"  Wednesday: "The Rev. A.J. Jones informs us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of an incorrect ad in yesterday's paper. It should have read: 'The Rev. A.J. Jones has one color TV set for sale, cheap. Telephone 626-1313 after 7 p.m. and ask for Mrs. Donnelley who loves with him.'"  Thursday: "Please take notice that I, the Rev. A.J. Jones, have no color TV set for sale; I have smashed it. Don't call 626-1313 anymore. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Donnelley. She was, until yesterday, my housekeeper.'"  Friday: "Wanted: a housekeeper. Usual housekeeping duties. Good pay. Love in, Rev. A.J. Jones. Telephone 626-1313.'" Am I ever glad I have never experienced that in my tenure as pastor! Mistakes happen. Sin happens. There is simply no avoiding the fact that at our core we are sinners. However, our sin cannot define us. We are defined by our relationship to Christ who has saved us through His work on the cross and in the resurrection. Tragically I meet with people every week in the ministry who have not come to that understanding. They are still enslaved by their sin. Of course we must learn from our experiences. We cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results. But we are defined by the new life given to us by Christ. We are empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit who indwells us, helping us to see and understand the decisions of life. Today, trust in Him. His death was accomplished to set us free from the sin of life!

The Day After

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:11-12 ESV). The political pundits will be reporting all the elections today and the next few days. We will be told from every perspective either why we are now better or worse because of the outcome of the election. I thought it might be interesting to reach into the early Twentieth Century for some tidbits of philosophy from Will Rogers. He was many things, cowboy, part Cherokee Indian, entertainer and tart observer of the American scene. From December 1922 until his death in August 1935, he wrote a column about anything that caught his interest. Many of his quips were about the current affairs of government or politics. Here are a few:  I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.  Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing, nobody listens and then everybody disagrees.  Never blame a legislative body for not doing something. When they do nothing, they don't hurt anybody. When they do something is when they become dangerous.  There should be a moratorium called on candidates' speeches. From now on, they are just talking themselves out of votes.  A President-elect's popularity is the shortest lived of any public man's. It only lasts till he picks his Cabinet.  The promising season ends on Election Day. That same night, the alibi season begins and lasts for the next four years.  When it comes to a showdown, Washington must never forget who rules, the people. Whether there is truth in these things he said or not, there certainly is truth and wisdom in the words of Solomon. The election is over. Let’s all decide that it is time to “cover our offenses with love.” The hatred must stop if we are ever to see our nation be a positive influence in the world. We all have a very important job to do. It has always been our task. I wonder if we had spent as much time doing it over the past few decades as we have spent vilifying the people who have different opinions that we do if we would be where we are today. Oh, that task, you ask? It is praying for those in authority over us! We seem to delight in shouting from the rooftops what is wrong with our circumstances and those who we have determined are responsible for them. Well, perhaps it is now time to trust the Lord with those men and women. Of course, we have the liberty and responsibility to speak our opinions, but remember than the truth is not found in our opinions. It is found solely in the Word of God. Pray for your elected officials.

Red Firetrucks

The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out. (Proverbs 10:7-9 ESV). Unfortunately, we have grown accustomed to shrugging off secretive and deceptive lifestyles. We have heard so often that being people who value honesty and model responsibility, who promote fairness, accountability, loyalty, and respect for others, and who hold to strong, upright convictions is not at all realistic. Such reasoning reminds me of a little ridiculous piece of nonsense I read recently. It is titled “Why are Fire Engines Red?” They have four wheels and eight men; Four plus eight is twelve; Twelve inches makes a ruler; A ruler is Queen Elizabeth; Queen Elizabeth sails the seven seas; The seven seas have fish; The fish have fins; The Finns hate the Russians; The Russians are red; Fire engines are always rushin'; So that's why they're red. My passionate plea is that we unearth and restore the concept of character. It's been buried long enough. It belongs first on our list when searching for employees in our pursuit of excellence in the workplace. It must be nonnegotiable among those we place into leadership positions in our schools, our churches, our cities, our state, in our nation. Character is what wholesome parents strive to cultivate in their children. It is what good parents look for and long for among those their teenagers date. It is the foundational quality that all of us expect from the circle of professionals and laborers who serve us up close and personal, our physician, our pastor, our attorney, our counselor, our teacher, our CPA, our banker, our builder, our police officer, our mechanic, our plumber, our repairman, and many more. We may not say it every time, but deep down in our souls, we long for and expect character, and when it is lacking, we feel it; we resent it. It is the "given" in greatness. Before we loudly proclaim it missing in someone else, perhaps we should look at ourselves. Character is best taught by example. What example are you setting? I hope you have voted today. That’s a place to start. Walk in integrity today and everyday!

The Grand Old Flag

You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow. That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us! God has spoken in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Vale of Succoth. (Psalm 60:4-6 ESV). Election Day is tomorrow. If you have not yet voted in early balloting, please vote. Thinking about the many issues that are before us in various states, I also began to think about our history. In 1777, during the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution stating that "the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white" and that "the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." The national flag, which became known as the "Stars and Stripes," was based on the "Grand Union" flag, a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes. According to legend, Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross designed the new canton for the Stars and Stripes, which consisted of a circle of 13 stars and a blue background, at the request of General George Washington. With the entrance of new states into the United States after independence, new stripes and stars were added to represent new additions to the Union. In 1818, however, Congress enacted a law stipulating that the 13 original stripes be restored and that only stars be added to represent new states. It has flown over many battlefields since. For those of us in Christian churches there is another flag that we bear allegiance to. The Christian flag is actually one of the oldest unchanged flags in the world. It was conceived at Brighton Chapel, Coney Island, New York, Sunday, September 26, 1897, and was presented in its present form the following Sunday by its originator. The featured speaker failed to arrive for the Sunday School Rally. The Sunday School was holding an old-fashioned Rally Day of the kind, which was so much the custom in years past. For this occasion, a favored speaker had been engaged, but for some reason undisclosed did not show up. Superintendent Charles C. Overton, in the emergency, called upon his own gifts of innovation to fill in the time. An American flag lay there across the pulpit. Overton addressed his words to the flag and its symbolism. Then like a flash came the thought, why not also a Christian flag? His impromptu but constructive ad-libbing was to produce a verbal picture of what is today, and for the past one hundred years has been, the Christian flag. Call it chance, or providence, serendipity, or the plan of God, on that day, the Christian flag was born. The white on the flag represents purity and peace. The blue stands for faithfulness, truth, and sincerity. Red, of course, is the color of sacrifice, in this case calling to mind the blood shed by Christ on Calvary, represented by the cross. It really is a visual image of that rallying point God has raised for us. In Christ we have a place of security that can never be shaken. In Christ we have a place of eternal life. That’s the banner that flies over us! What a flag to fly!

A View from the Hill

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29 ESV). The following photos were taken from the front porch of our home in Spring Hill, Tennessee. One was in the Spring and the other was obviously in the Winter. We are fortunate that our house sits on a hill and overlooks this idyllic setting. It is one, which I find it very easy to hear the voice of God. I have learned two important things over the past few years as we have made our home away from Texas. First, things are just that… they are things. Our lives are not made up of things. Second, God is faithful in all circumstances. There were many moments when I wasn’t sure that we were doing the right thing in leaving, however God remained a faithful stay in the midst of every experience. By continuing to take the steps as he has directed us, we have seen him work in our lives. There are still several challenges for us to face, but each time I still my mind, I hear him convey his peace in my innermost soul. I pray for each of you that God will grant you that same peace. Find a still place to hear him! As you can see, I’ve got one!

Inspect What You Expect

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ESV). When I was in the car business we had a management philosophy of “inspect what you expect.” It simply meant that we were committed to inform, train, and equip those whom we managed to perform at a level of expectation that management sets. Sometimes those expectations were not met. Usually the reason for the failure was in a breakdown of one of the three areas of information, training, or equipment. However, without the inspection, we would never be able to correct the failure. This is not the only place for such inspections. Inspections are just simply part of life. In many large cities you have to get your car inspected to make sure your muffler system doesn't allow the emission of excessive pollutants. When such a system was instituted in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area for the first time, there were waits of over three hours to get the inspections completed! It was not received well at all. But, it was necessary if the air quality was to be protected from serious pollution in the future. Our food is inspected to insure its quality and freshness. Construction is inspected to make sure that all appropriate standards for safety are being met. When we cash a check or use a credit card, our identity is inspected. All of these and more are a part of our daily lives. Yet, often we feel that inspections are an aggravating nuisance. It’s hard to admit that most of them are for our good. This is especially true with the inspection of our lives by Christ. In today’s reading, Paul expressed his gratitude that his "inspector" is the Lord, not people. They don't see it all. They make mistakes. But Jesus' guardianship and overseeing of our souls is always right. Jesus knows every spot of our iniquity. He sees every sin blemish. He is aware of every wrinkle that is out of sync with His will. His purpose, however, is not merely to find fault with us. He longs to forgive us and draw us back to Himself. We can be glad that Jesus Christ is watching over our spiritual well being. The One who died to pay the penalty for our sin is the One who watches over us until we go to be with Him forever. Yield yourself to both His inspection and His instruction for correction.