"Non-renewable Resources"

According to Wikipedia, a non-renewable resource is a resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate. These resources often exist in a fixed amount, or are consumed much faster than nature can create them. Fossil fuels, such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and nuclear power (uranium) are examples. The nature of these resources has made them valuable as well as a subject of much debate and research. However, there is another non-renewable resource that is more valuable than any other. It is, of course, time. Here’s what the Apostle Paul had to say:

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 NASB).

So, how do you keep from wasting your time? What do you do to “redeem the time”? There are some who would simply say multitasking is the answer. However, doing several things at once is a trick we play on ourselves, thinking we're getting more done. In reality, our productivity goes down by as much as 40%. We don't actually multitask. We switch-task, rapidly shifting from one thing to another, interrupting ourselves unproductively, and losing time in the process. You might think you're different, that you've done it so much you've become good at it. But you'd be wrong. Research shows that heavy multitaskers are less competent at doing several things at once than light multitaskers. In other words, in contrast to almost everything else in your life, the more you multitask, the worse you are at it. Practice, in this case, works against you. So, again the question remains: How do you redeem the time? Let me make some suggestions.

 First, unload everything that is holding you back. These are the unnecessary and unproductive things in your life like worrying about things you cannot control or chasing the things that will never produce peace or joy.

 Second, make a commitment to invest yourself in your family. This is the essence of real love. Even when we have difficult members of our family remember love is a decision and not a feeling.

 Third, concentrate your time and energy on your relationship with God. Most of us spend the majority of our day “working.” That may mean you are involved with your career whether inside or outside the home, or it could mean that you have other tasks that must be accomplished like chores around the house. Don’t allow the day to slip by without using a portion of it to deepen your relationship with God. I read someone who suggested that we ought to “tithe our day. That’s the principle at work here.

Redeeming the time is not just working harder, but it is giving God our schedule and operating in faith each moment. Your time is non-renewable. Spend it wisely!

"Alice in Wonderland"

Jesus said, "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:25-27 NASB).

It’s so amazing how God can use anything to speak to us if we’ll just listen! I was going through some of the Little Golden Books we have saved for Faith and Logan and found another book, Alice in Wonderland. I started to leaf through the pages and found the part of the story of her second encounter with the anxious white rabbit who has dropped his gloves and his fan and is quite frantic. Here is a portion of the story:

Alice guessed in a moment that it was looking for the fan and the pair of white kid gloves, and she very good-naturedly began hunting about for them, but they were nowhere to be seen — everything seemed to have changed since her swim in the pool, and the great hall, with the glass table and the little door, had vanished completely.

Have you noticed how much like the white rabbit we are at times in our lives? We reach that point when we believe that many things in our lives seem to have vanished completely. It may be your career, your friends, or your ability to participate in activities as you once did. They are simply gone! Some days I feel like that. It can be difficult not to look back and mourn. But at some point, we must turn and face forward and get on with it.

It is so easy to become overcome with what I have heard called “white rabbit anxiety” and spiral to the worst case scenario about the future. That’s where we can learn a great lesson from Alice. You see, she views her life as an adventure. And, even after numerous setbacks, she keeps on going. I know Alice is an imaginary character, and her life was scripted by the author. But, isn’t our life “scripted” by our creator? Weren’t we given certain gifts and abilities that He knew we would still be able to use after our tumble down our rabbit hole?

It’s always a challenge to view our lives as an adventure, however I am learning that even in the most difficult situations I can look to God and marvel at what He will do next.
You see, I believe in miracles. I’ve seen them happen so many times. We have a vast advantage over Alice. Oh, one other thing, for those of us who believe, our stories are never going to end. And we are guaranteed a happy ending! So look into the future and KNOW it’s going to be just fine! After all, God takes care of the little birds. We are much more loved than they are!

"Grillin' and Chillin'"

Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.'” (Genesis 45:16-18 NASB).

Some of you have heard me use the phrase “grillin’ and chillin’.” It’s a phrase that I often use to update my status when I am sitting on the patio and relaxing while I cook on the grill. There’s something mystical about that time. I’m usually alone reading and watching the grill at the same time, although there are times when I just sit there and reflect on my surroundings. Sometimes various birds will fly to the feeder and I marvel at the beauty and carefree nature as they eat. They are completely provided for.

Just the other night I put on a couple of thick steaks to grill before Mary got home. There's really no better meal to me than a couple of ribeye steaks. These were especially good. They had a lot of marbling and a surrounding layer of fat on the edges. That’s where the real flavor comes from. Now, please, don't write me and lecture me on the ill effects of the fat on the meat. I know that lean is better for you; I just don’t think it tastes as good! And, I do have an illustration here.

In our reading today we are looking into the life of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, and over the next few decades he suffered numerous trials. Because of his God-given talent of interpreting dreams, he rises to prominence in Egypt and in today's verse, Pharaoh promises Joseph and his family the "fat of the land". Isn't that a wonderful turn of events? There may have been a time, when Joseph was separated from his family and when his family was suffering from the famine, when Joseph and his family felt like life would never be complete again. They might have wondered if God's blessings had dried up around them. Yet, in an instant, they are awarded the "fat of the land". The "fat" is the best part you know! Just like that, God worked all things for good!

Whether in your spiritual life or in the circumstances of your life, are you in a drought right now? If you look at your life, does it appear that things will never change; like they will never be any better? You may think God's blessing have dried up in your life. You may feel that no one cares. You may question your future. You need to know that God is still in control. In an instant He can change the situations in your life for good. Even as you read this, God is arranging all this to become a blessing in your life. He is working things out so that He can receive the glory. That’s what our heavenly Father does for His children! God can and will give you the "fat of the land", in His time. And, remember, the fat is the best part! So, do a little grillin’ and chillin’ in your spiritual life too!

"Another MRI Story"

I can’t pass this one up! The lesson is both funny and so practical. I went to the imaging center for an MRI Monday morning. By the way… thanks for all the prayers. I’ll keep everyone posted. Here’s the story. I walked in and registered; took my britches off and put one of those disgusting gowns on; waited in a common waiting room, freezing; and finally made it back to the imaging room. The tech instructed me to put ear plugs in and lie down on the table. OK… I looked at him and said, “I’m a little claustrophobic.” I was actually being braver about it than I intended. I’m a lot claustrophobic! He said, “No problem. It’ll only take about twelve minutes. Would you like a wash cloth to put over your eyes?” I really hope you’re laughing as much as I was then! A wash cloth! Are you kidding me? I want some drugs… do NOT put me in that coffin head first! Oh well, drugs were not an option; neither was a change in positioning. So, in I went. I determined that if I just kept my eyes closed and prayed… fervently now has a new meaning for me… I could make it. And, I did.

And I learned a great lesson. God doesn’t use “wash cloths” to take care of our fears. Here’s His promise:

Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:26-27 NASB).

It took the disciples a little while to “get it.” In fact, it wouldn’t be until the Holy Spirit came on them at Pentecost that they would understand the really answer to fear! Now, I’m not minimizing our phobias. Believe me… I know how they can affect us. What I am saying is that god doesn’t offer us meaningless solutions. He doesn’t offer a wash cloth over our eyes! He offers us His presence in the Holy Spirit. He lives within us with all of His power and might at our beck and call! That’s what He gives us!

That means when the real fears, like death and darkness encroach, we can turn to Him and know we have already been given the victory. Let the devil give it his best shot. It is no match for my heavenly Father. Jesus has already won that victory on my behalf! These temporary challenges are no more than that – temporary! That which is eternal is secured by the blood of Jesus shed on my behalf nearly 2,000 years ago! Whatever fear you are facing today, please turn to the One who calms the storms of life with just the whisper of His voice. He won’t let you down.

"MRI"

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete. (2 Corinthians 13: 5-9 NASV).

A “MRI,” the abbreviation for “Magnetic Resonance Imaging,” is one of the most definitive tests for looking at the physical body internally. MR imaging uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. The images can then be examined on a computer monitor, transmitted electronically, printed or copied to a CD. Monday morning, for some of you as you are reading this devotional, I will have one done to determine what the next course of action will be to treat a deterioration in my spine that has been causing me some difficulty over the last few months.

This won’t be the first one for me, though it is the first time they have been looking for problems in my spine. I am confident that whatever the results, the Lord will use it to benefit both me and others. However, I did begin thinking a bit about the whole concept of testing the “inside” of my body. In our reading today the apostle urges the Corinthians to “test” themselves to see if they were in the faith. That seems like an odd thing to say at first glance. However, when I think about it, it makes very good sense to do an intensive, detailed check-up from time to time.

It is so easy to drift through life and develop habits and patterns that are not in themselves bad. They just aren’t good. The phrase “in the faith” is better translated “true to the faith.” Sometimes it is so easy to proclaim our faith with our words and deny it with our actions. These physical check-ups cost a little time and a little more inconvenience, but if the beginnings of a dangerous illness are discovered, the cost is well worth it. All of us ought to be able to agree something is very wrong with the world. The Christian is supposed to have the answer to the moral plague sweeping the nations. But something is very wrong with the average Christian church. There is supposed to be love, but there is envying, strife and division. There is supposed to be holiness, but there is instead often downright ungodliness. There is supposed to be power, but there is largely only weakness and spiritual sickness. We are supposed to have revival, but on the whole we have still not seen any great awakening. Could it be that we have slowly become unfaithful? Well, I’m nearly out of space for today, so here’s the challenge for you and I in this day when we need to do a spiritual MRI: on a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being not at all and 10 being perfect, where would you rate your spiritual health? I don’t expect there’ll be very many 10’s. If there are, do a “hand-check.” That is, if there aren’t nail prints, probably not a ten! However, if it is a five or less, let’s commit ourselves to a renewed process of growth and healing in the area that needs improvement. Maybe it will be in your devotional life, your prayer life, perhaps its in your service to others; it could be in your attitudes. The Holy Spirit will guide you to the specific area. Just go through the “test.” If you need help with a plan of action email me. Let’s be true to our faith!

"Think on These Things"

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8 NASV).

I found an old clipping dated July, 1987. It quoted the interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance as given by Red Skelton on January 14, 1969! It originally appeared on the Red Skelton Hour and was reproduced on that date in the Know County Chamber of Commerce newsletter in Vincennes, Indiana, which was Red’s hometown. I know some of you will not know Red Skelton. He was one of the great entertainers of what seems to be a lost era. He said:

“I remember this one teacher. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time. He had such wisdom. We were reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and he walked over. Mr. Laswell was his name… he said, ‘I have been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it to you and try to explain to you the meaning of each word:

I – me, an individual, a committee of one.
Pledge – dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.
Allegiance – my love and my devotion.
To the Flag – our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has given her dignity that shouts freedom.
Of the United – that means we have all come together.
States – individual communities have united into 48 great states [remember the date]. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united with a common purpose, and that’s love of country.
Of America.
And to the Republic – a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it is from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
For which it stands.
One nation – a country united. [Stay with me to the end]
Indivisible - incapable of being divided.
With liberty – which is freedom and the right of power to live one’s own life without threats or fear or some sort of retaliation.
And justice – The principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.
For all – which means it is as much your country as it is mine.’”

Red Skelton went on to say, “Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance – under God. Would it not be a pity if someone said, ‘That’s a prayer and that would be eliminated from school.’”

I hope no one reading this will truly believe that we are not a country in trouble! Our only hope is to Think on These Things! To continue to walk away from God as if it had no consequence is the height of arrogance and stupidity! Join me in calling as many people back to under God!

"The End Is the Beginning"

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. (Philippians 3:1 NASV)

There are two things I want you to note as I write today’s devotional. First, note the change in translation. I am beginning to use the New American Standard Version. It is a bit more literal translation than the NIV, though a little harder to understand at times. I hope it will encourage you to compare with your favorite version. The second thing of note is I am hopping around a bit in Philippians. Yesterday I ended with some encouraging words to focus on the real joy of life. That began to prod me to look at the theme of “rejoicing” in this letter. The apostle mentions it in virtually every chapter. And so it ought to be a theme of our lives. The strange thing is that we often wait until much later in life to realize the real source of joy. So, I would like to list a few things that will help you discover the end is the beginning!

 First, understand who you are now. Make sure you understand the difference between changeable and unchangeable features. Never accept the values other people place on your appearance, ability, parentage, or environment. God is only concerned with our inward beauty. That is eternal!

 Second, be alive to possibilities and work to make them realities. There are so many wonderful examples of this principle. Believe me, I know it is easier to quit than to persevere. But, perseverance will win the day!

 Third, expand your knowledge of the great thinkers of both former days and our day. Do not fall into the trap of modern media saturation. Entertainment is great, but reading for the sake of knowledge is a good thing too!

 Fourth, have a home to enjoy, to live in, and to be in. Make your corner of the world personal. Drop your anchor. We are pilgrims on a journey through this life, but make where you are yours! I really wish you could see my “study.” It is filled with things that remind me of my journey. There are mementos that recall for me my friends and the times I have spent with them. There are photos that recall my children at various ages and stages. Here I am home for a time.

 Fifth, involve yourself in a church where you can meaningfully worship and minister. There are lots of choices. Make one! There really is no substitute for worshipping with others who are like-minded.

 Last, evaluate and develop good friendships. Commit yourself to faithfulness, loyalty, and availability to those intimate members of your circle of friends.

Give ‘em a try! Don’t wait until you get “old enough” to know better! Rejoice!