Winners

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:22-23 ESV). Winners see luck as opportunity. They see the rewards of success in advance. They do not fear the penalties of failure. The winning individual knows that negative thinking attracts bad luck and that an attitude of optimistic expectancy is the surest way to create an upward cycle and to attract the best of luck most of the time. Winners know that so-called luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity. If an individual is not prepared, he or she simply does not see or take advantage of a situation. Opportunities are always around, but only those who are prepared utilize them effectively. Winners seem to be lucky because their positive self-expectancy enables them to be better prepared for their opportunities. When asked by a news reporter how she thought she would do in one of her early career swimming meets in the United States several years ago, 14-year-old Australian Shane Gould replied, “I have a feeling there will be a world record today.” She went on to set two world records in the one hundred and two-hundred-meter freestyle events. When asked how she thought she would fare in the more testing, grueling, four-hundred-meter event, Shane replied with a smile, “I get stronger every race, and besides ... my parents said they’d take me to Disneyland if I win, and we’re leaving tomorrow!” she went to Disneyland with three world records. At 16 she held five world records and became one of the greatest swimmers of all time, winning three gold medals in the 1972 Olympics. She learned early about the power of self-expectancy. I have read that there is a plaque in Arnold Palmer’s office that has the following poem inscribed on it. It is wisdom supported by the truth of the promises of God: If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win but think you can’t, It’s almost certain you won’t. Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. What is your hope today? What are you holding to? Prepare yourself for the opportunities you will be given with an unshakeable knowledge that God loves you and will never fail you!

It Comes with the Ticket

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:29-35 ESV). The story is told by Peter Kreeft of an immigrant family on a ship from Europe to America. They were poor, so poor that they had to spend almost all of their money on the ticket. What they had left over for food was only enough to buy bread and cheese. All they ate were cheese sandwiches. The young boy, Hans, said to his father, "Dad, please, give me some money for an ice cream cone. I hate cheese sandwiches!" His father said, "Son, we are poor. Cheese sandwiches will keep you alive until we reach New York; the streets are made of gold, and we will eat whatever we want." Not satisfied, Hans continued to beg for money so his father gave him some change for an ice cream cone. The boy disappeared and didn't come back for two hours. When he did come back he sported a big fat tummy and a huge smile on his face. "Hans, did you get your ice cream cone?" "You bet, Dad. And then another one, then a steak, and then apple pie." "What? You bought all that with the money I gave you" "Oh no, Dad. It is free! It comes with the ticket!" There is tremendous truth in this story. Obviously, this immigrant family did not realize that the food comes with the ticket. Perhaps they were misinformed or they had trouble speaking the language. Were they quiet and shy, not wishing to mix with the other passengers? Whatever the case, they missed out on some great food. Yet, we are also on a journey to a foreign land. We may be quiet and shy or be misinformed. There are many that just exist on cheese sandwiches. Little do we realize that there is a cafeteria where the food comes with the ticket of life. The Scripture, the source of incredible food, has some real answers for all of us! It can be understood in all languages. If we but step out of our confines, our cabin, and ask God for His life-giving Bread, He will satisfy us until we are simply overflowing. I would encourage you not to be content with cheese sandwiches. The ticket that has been purchased for you with the life of God’s only Son is “first class”! It includes all the amenities! Don’t settle for mere cheese sandwiches any longer. Ask for the full presence of God’s Spirit within you now.

The Real Story of Thanksgiving

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV). Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving; at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint? The real story is the amazing way God used an Indian named Squanto as a special instrument of His providence. Historical accounts of Squanto’s life vary, but historians believe that around 1608, more than a decade before the Pilgrims landed in the New World, a group of English traders, led by a Captain Hunt, sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, Hunt took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery. But God had an amazing plan for one of the captured Indians, a boy named Squanto. A well-meaning Spanish monk, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith, bought Squanto. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stable of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto’s desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America. It wasn’t until 1619, ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped, that a ship was found. Finally, after a decade of exile and heartbreak, Squanto was on his way home. But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto’s entire village. We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto’s mind. Why had God allowed him to return home, against all odds, only to find his loved ones dead? A year later, the answer came. A shipload of English families arrived and settled on the very land once occupied by Squanto’s people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English. According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto “became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died.” When Squanto lay dying of a fever, Bradford wrote that their Indian friend “desir[ed] the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in heaven.” Squanto bequeathed his possessions to his English friends “as remembrances of his love.” Who but God could so miraculously weave together the lives of a lonely Indian and a struggling band of Englishmen? It’s hard not to make comparisons with the biblical story of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery and whom God likewise used as a special instrument for good. That is God’s promise to all of us! That’s really something to be thankful for!

How Thankful Are You?

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:11-18 ESV). I have always been amazed at the story found in our reading today. And, yet, as I think of the many blessings God has given me, I wonder if I am not just as those nine ungrateful lepers were. As I have said recently, we live in a world of “what have you done for me lately.” This has caused us to offer many excuses for our failure to be thankful. Charles Brown offers the following explanations for the attitude of ungratefulness expressed in the nine lepers who did not return to Jesus. I hope you do not find yourself among them! • One waited to see if the cure was real. • One waited to see if it would last. • One said he would see Jesus later. • One decided that he had never had leprosy. • One said he would have gotten well anyway. • One gave the glory to the priests. • One said, “O, well, Jesus didn’t really do anything.” • One said, “Any rabbi could have done it.” • One said, “I was already much improved.” In his book Folk Psalms Of Faith, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H. A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited his to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The other man asked, Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.” The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!” Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!” Give thanks today!

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. (Psalm 28:6-8 ESV). Stores are decorated, travel plans are made, and Thanksgiving is but days away. This year is more unusual than every before. This year Mary and I will not be with all of our boys. Because of schedules and work they will be unable to come to Tennessee. Of course, we are very grateful to be able to be with Kyle, Brandy, Faith and Logan; but miss David, Becca, and Aaron. We will see them for Christmas in Texas. I am thankful for some and desire more. Isn’t that true for many of us? In the middle of all of those thoughts, our reading this morning came to me. How do you “burst out in songs of thanksgiving,” when you don’t feel very thankful? How do you look beyond the circumstances of the moment and be grateful? The answer to these questions was really rather simple. I stumbled on the following prayer; it helped to bring some things into focus for me. Maybe it will for you as well. Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings each morning, thank you, Lord that I can hear. There are many who are deaf. Even though I keep my eyes tightly closed against the morning light as long as possible, thank you, Lord that I can see. There are many who are blind. Even though I may huddle in my bed and put off the effort of rising, thank, Lord that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, and tempers are short, thank you, Lord for my family. There are many who are lonely. Even though our breakfast table may never look like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced, thank you, Lord for the food we have. There are many who have no job. Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest, thank you, Lord for the gift of life. The key is looking out instead of in. It’s so easy to find things that are not as good as we might prefer. However, when I look at the challenges others face, my circumstances are no more than minor inconveniences. As you prepare for your holiday this week, where are you looking?

Rainbows

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:8-17 ESV). According to Scripture, rainbows are God's promise to mankind that there will never again be a world-wide flood such as there was in the days of Noah. In his book, "His Name Is Jesus," author, J. Rambsel relays that when a rainbow is seen from above, it is not seen as the familiar arc of color we know it to be, but as a complete circle. How appropriate this is since the shape of the circle conveys the sentiment of infinity or eternity. The same is true with the familiar symbol exchanged in the marriages of our western culture, the wedding band. Many eastern peoples also have their own symbols of promise. The circular design of the wedding band represents, not only a clear marking that one is married, but is a symbol of never-ending love. How brilliant and a thing of wonder the rainbow is! According to Sir Isaac Newton who is regarded as one of the greatest geniuses the world has known, like the spectrum whose source is white light, the rainbow also gives off these seven shades of color. Since the Scriptures often refer to God as "Light," perhaps the colors of the rainbow stem from the pure and radiant white light of our Creator! When we consider the many colors of the spectrum from a Scriptural perspective, it appears that even in the simple design of the rainbow, each shade may hold deeper meaning.  Blue portrays heaven and infinity.  Red or scarlet depicts blood and redemption.  Orange is for the fruit of atonement.  Indigo was the color of skins used for the Tabernacle covering.  Green stands for new life or resurrection.  Yellow or gold depicts perfection and deity.  Violet or purple is the color of royalty and kingship. The next time you see a rainbow, consider the silent yet profound message this symbol speaks, not just to mankind, but to you, as a individual. Let His awesome light shine upon you!

The Perfect Mate

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1-7 ESV). I finished my last book and was searching for something to read when I picked up one of Mary’s magazines. It was one of those ladies magazines that have many different articles centered on some form of self-improvement. One in particular caught my eye. The topic had to do with fate, romance and soul mates. One woman interviewed described the moment she "found" her soul mate. "You know how the actors and actresses in 'Touched by an Angel' become illuminated when they disclose they are angels? Well, this guy looked at me and that's exactly how he appeared!" she said. She and her "soul mate" have been happily married for over 30 years now. Another woman told how, at age 35, she still had not met someone that she could make a lifelong commitment to. Then, at an out-of-state seminar, she met a man whose character she greatly admired. The two exchanged numerous letters and phone calls learning they shared many common interests and goals. After a year, the two were married and remain happily together. Another woman's story wasn't so happy, as she regretfully spoke of how she found out too late that her own husband was not her "soul mate." I began to think whether or not there is such thing as a "soul mate?" Is there a special someone who loves and accepts us more than any other, who understands how we think and feel, who is patient with our flaws and weaknesses, who appreciates us as the unique individuals we are, and with whom we share a special bond that none other can replace? Well, I cannot speak with certainty if such an earthly "soul mate" exists for each of us. I have found such a mate though I know there are those who have not. I also know that on a spiritual level, God is the ultimate soul mate. The love He offers to those who call upon Him is unique, more fulfilling than any other love we have ever known. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, we can have salvation, forgiveness of sins, strength to overcome adversity, and a sense of peace and joy that only faith in God can provide. Yes, your "soul mate" is there waiting for you. Seek Him early and you will know a love unlike any other.