Clean Your Closet

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aturday morning, 7:00 a.m.  While most of the teenagers in town were still snoozing in their beds, the teenagers at my house, namely my brother and I, were already awake and working.  You see, Saturday’s were house-cleaning days and my mom loved to get an early start.  Actually, an early start for her was between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. but she graciously let the rest of us sleep until 7:00.  However, as the clock was striking the hour, the lights came on in our room; we were rousted from a deep sleep, rolled out of bed, and given our assigned duties.

My brother and I were responsible for our room.  We were to change our sheets, pick up our clothes, straighten our desk, and tidy up the place.  I was in charge of running the vacuum cleaner while Kevin’s responsibility was to dust.  When we finished with our room, we were to apply our skills to the remaining rooms of the house.  Vacuuming the entire house was my responsibility and, as you’ve probably guessed by now, Kevin’s was to dust the furniture.  Other duties included taking out the trash, and putting up the clothes mom had folded that morning or the night before.

I’ll have to admit that my heart wasn’t always in my work.  Vacuuming the carpet wasn’t on my top-ten list of things I loved to do.  So sometimes, I’d vacuum just the visible areas of the room, neglecting to move a chair, pick up a pair of shoes, or run the vacuum underneath a bed or sofa.  Why I thought I could get away with this was beyond me.  Whenever we finished our assigned duties, mom would usually inspect.  That’s when my ineptitude at running a vacuum cleaner came into full light.  She looked underneath the beds, behind chairs, and around all the corners.  She wanted to make absolutely sure I had removed all the dust from the rooms, not just where it was visible.

Little did I know it then but mom was practicing a wonderful biblical principal.  In Exodus 12:19-20, God gives Moses instructions on how to clean a house.  The occasion for these instructions was the Passover as God prepared Israel to leave Egypt and 400 years of bondage behind.  God’s instructions were clear, “For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born.  Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread."

The people were to prepare themselves for this great event by removing every speck of yeast from their homes.  It was to be removed from every container, from every cupboard, and from every nook and cranny of the dwelling.  There was to be no yeast found anywhere in the house for seven days.  The house was to be totally clean so that the people would be in keeping with God’s commands and ready as He led them out of bondage.

You may be asking, “Well what does this have to do with me today?”  In the Old Testament, yeast represents sin.  When God saves us—that is when the blood of Jesus is applied to our lives—He sees the blood and passes over us.  We are no longer under His judgment because we have accepted His wonderful gift of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  Now we know that wherever Christ dwells sin does not and the removal of the yeast from the house symbolized that God’s salvation removed all sin from the life of the believer.  He was clean before God and by applying the blood of the sacrifice, Jesus; he was no longer in bondage to sin but was liberated by God.

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ow long has it been since you cleaned house?  How long has it been since you really looked in every nook and cranny of your life to make sure it was completely clean and free from any hidden sin?  God wants us to have a clean house and He has made a way for our houses to be cleaned.  Our responsibility, however, is to accept the gift of His son, Jesus Christ, by putting our faith in him and believing he died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and reigns in heaven with God right now.  How dusty is your life today?  Isn’t it time you cleaned house? 

Bob White

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ehind Shady Grove Baptist Church, just south of my hometown of Cherryville, NC there is a large tract of land.  When I was a small boy, my great uncle, Stowe Carpenter, owned the land and let my dad use it to plant a garden.  Uncle Stowe eventually sold the land but every time I pass by Shady Grove Baptist Church, I remember that garden and the wonderful lesson I learned there about a type of bird called a Bob White!

Daddy had an old dump truck that we affectionately called the “Bump Bump Truck” due to the incredibly smooth (I’m kidding here) ride it gave.  Actually, the truck jostled you to and fro and you felt as if you had been involved in a boxing match rather than taking a leisurely ride in the country.  We would take the Bump Bump Truck out to the garden, hitting every pot hole and bump in the long dirt road that led to it.  Once there, daddy unloaded whatever tools he needed to tend to the garden and I watched and played at the edge of the wooded lot that surrounded us.

Now, when you’re five or six years old, there’s not much you can do in a garden and there’s not much to capture and hold your attention.  I soon grew tired of throwing dirt clods, kicking sticks, and chasing butterflies.  But one thing I never grew tired of was the chirping of birds in the surrounding trees.  They were everywhere and their voices blended like the instruments of a finely tuned orchestra. 

Of all the different bird songs I heard that day, there was one that was very distinct.  Instead of a song, this bird’s chirp sounded more like someone’s name.  My dad told me the bird was called a Bob White and that if I listened carefully I would hear another Bob White answer the call.  Sure enough, after a few seconds another Bob White, a few hundred yards deeper in the woods, answered back with its own call.  I was mesmerized as I stood and listened to these two birds answer each other. 

My dad joined in the conversation with a whistle that sounded like the Bob White’s call.  Soon the birds were answering him and moving ever closer to where we were.  He taught me to make the bird call and pretty soon, they were answering me!!  However, if the call changed or if I made a different sound, the birds would not answer and would fly away. The Bob White would only respond to one of its own kind; never to a strange call.

Jesus makes this same point in reference to those who follow him.  Jesus speaks of himself as the good shepherd who cares for his sheep.  He makes a distinction between the shepherd and the hired man whose only concern for the sheep is based on the salary he receives from tending them.  But the sheep don’t belong to the hired man and they do not listen to him. 

Sheep respond only to the voice of their particular shepherd and they will not follow another.  If several flocks of sheep are banded together, the shepherd can always find his sheep because they will respond only to his voice. There is a relationship between the shepherd and the sheep that is unique and special.  The sheep look to the shepherd for everything they need.  He feeds them, he waters them, he tends to their wounds, he gives them rest, he protects them from predators, and he searches for them when they are lost. The sheep know that as long as they remain with the shepherd, they are safe.  They do not worry but follow him wherever he leads them, following him anywhere, at anytime, no matter what.

In John 10:5, Jesus describes this special relationship between shepherd and sheep. “But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  Jesus wanted his followers to understand that he was the good shepherd. It was his voice the sheep recognized. It was his hand that led them to pasture and to water.  It was he who protected them from harm and it was he who comforted and tended them when they were wounded.

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ne afternoon, I left the apartment where I was living and heard a Bob White chirping somewhere in a tree close by.  I stopped for a few minutes to answer him and he responded.  It was a wonderful reminder of the lesson my dad taught me so many years ago.  The bird answered me because it recognized my call.  In the same way, we can be assured that God hears us when we call Him.  He knows our voices and as His children He will answer us.  We know His voice and He knows ours.  When we call He answers and when He calls we have the assurance that He takes great interest in us because we belong to Him.  Are you listening to the shepherd’s voice?  Are you walking with him today?

All Wound Up

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ike father, like son!  So the saying goes and I’ll have to agree that I see more and more of my dad in me the older I grow.  Friday evening I arrived home from work and entered the house. The first thing that captured my attention was the fact that my clock was not ticking.  This would be of no great import in and of itself had I not grown up in a house filled with clocks that my dad loved to wind.

I can still see my dad as he made the rounds through all the rooms in our home.  He started in the living room with the grandmother clock, made his way to the front hall, then into the room my brother and I shared, next he wound the clock in my sister’s room, and finally he wound the one hanging in his and mom’s bedroom.  I have fond memories of sitting at the supper table when all the clocks would go off at the same time chiming and clanging the hour.  It was quite a cacophony of sound.

But the most wonderful part of owning so many clocks was the constant ticking heard throughout our home.  The constant rhythmic sound of the pendulums swinging back and forth sweeping out the minutes and the hours is a part of my childhood I will always remember.  In fact, as I write this Tidbit, the clock mom and dad gave me over twenty years ago is softly ticking away in my living room.  It is the first sound I hear in the morning and the last sound falling on my ear as I drift off into sweet and comforting sleep.  The ticking of the clock is a reminder of my dad’s faithfulness in keeping the clocks running and in making sure we had everything we needed at home.

Moses reminds us of God’s faithfulness when he writes the following words in Deuteronomy 7:9, “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”  Moses wants there to be no doubt in the minds of those crossing over into the Promised Land that God will be faithful in fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham so many years earlier.  God’s promise that Abraham’s seed would possess the land He swore on oath to Abraham would be fulfilled and God would continue to manifest His faithfulness by fulfilling every one of His promises.

Today, we are still the heirs of God’s faithfulness to His word.  God promised Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed through his offspring.  Jesus Christ was a descendant of Abraham and all nations of the world have been and continue to be blessed because of him today.  God’s faithfulness to us is continually manifested by the beating of our hearts, by the filing of our lungs, and by the provision of all of life’s necessities.  There is not a situation we face or a need we have but that God knows it and is working to address it in accordance with His will.  All we need do is trust and obey Him as He leads us.  There is no path too difficult, no water too deep, and no mountain too high that God will not faithfully demonstrate His love, His mercy, and His grace toward us.

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n a few minutes, the clock in the living room will strike the hour.  Once again I will be reminded of my dad’s faithfulness as he made the rounds in our home.  His attention to the clocks was only a symbol of the attention, dedication, and love he had for all of us.  How much more then will God attend to us?  How much more value do we have to Him than a clock has to its owner?  We are the apple of His eye and the reason He sent Jesus Christ to pay sin’s penalty.  Do you hear the clock of your life ticking? Have you thanked God today for keeping it wound?

A Sea Of Roses

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ard work has always been a favorite past time for both of my parents.  I distinctly remember mom and dad working in our yard during the spring and summer months.  Daddy would plant new grass and put down fertilizer to improve the quality and look of our lawn.  Mom planted flowers, placed hanging baskets filled with different types of plants on our front porch, worked on flower boxes to decorate the front of the house, and attended to the azalea bushes in our front yard.

One particular summer, mom decided she wanted to plant flowers along the sidewalk leading from the driveway to the front porch.  Our sidewalk had a lovely right-hand curve you approached the front of our house.  Mom decided that a row of flowers on both sides of the sidewalk would accentuate the sidewalk and enhance the overall look of our house.

Daddy wasted no time in making the flowerbeds, using a rotary tiller to break up the topsoil and prepare it for the flowers mom selected.  After several passes with the tiller and after further shaping of the beds by hand, the soil was ready to receive the flowers.  Mom chose a type of flower called sea roses.  They grew in small clusters with several buds of differing colors per plant.  The plants loved direct sunlight and since they were perennials, they were supposed to return the following spring. 

That year, the sea roses greatly enhanced the look of our home.  They continued to grow throughout the season, providing mom and dad many hours of pleasure.  In the fall, the plants lost their flowers and went to sleep.  It remained to be seen if they would re-emerge the following spring with all the beauty and vigor as their predecessors the year before.  When the following spring came, we were not disappointed.  The flowers sprouted and grew back and this time they were even heartier and prettier than the year before.

It should come as no surprise that God often compares the life of those who follow Him with plants.  The Scriptures are filled with many comparisons between a strong, healthy plant and those who have a firmly established relationship with God.  Psalm 1:3 gives us a wonderful example of this comparison, “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”   

David opens the book of Psalms with this wonderful commentary on the hallmarks in the life of a person who follows God. Notice in this passage of scripture that David speaks of two distinguishing marks evident in the life of the believer.  1) The life of the believer is one that brings forth fruit in season.  The believer is compared to a tree that is planted by “streams of water.” Such trees have a constant supply of water, sunlight, and the nutrients necessary to produce fruit.

Likewise, those who follow God, must be firmly planted in Him and drink deeply from His word in order to produce spiritual fruit in their lives.  2)  David continues by saying that this tree’s leaves do not wither.  As long as a tree receives a steady supply of water, its life is maintained. It draws its very life from the stream and will thrive as long as it remains in contact with the water.  In the same way, believers in God, those who have accepted His son, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, will always draw from the inexhaustible supply of God’s grace found in Christ Jesus.

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t has been several years since we planted those sea roses in our front yard but the lesson they taught is still an integral part of my life.  Each year they returned to grace our sidewalk, re-enforcing the truths couched in Psalm 1.  As long as they remained anchored in the flowerbeds where they could draw nutrients from the soil, they produced beautiful flowers and they lasted the entire season.  As Christians, we must remain anchored in Jesus Christ.  It is only by remaining in him that we are able to bear the spiritual fruit that will lead others to receive him as savior and lord.  Does your life resemble a sea of roses today? 

A Popcorn Lesson

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he opening and closing of cabinet doors in the kitchen told everyone in the house that mom was up to something.  I can still hear the sounds of her rummaging in the lower cabinets as she looked for the old faithful piece of equipment that always brought a smile to everyone’s face.  The closing of the cabinet doors, the sound of something being placed on the counter top, the opening and shutting of the pantry door, and the sound of hard kernels being poured into a metal pot soon confirmed what we already knew.  Mom was making popcorn, again!

For my mom and dad, popcorn is almost a religious experience.  They love it and I can hardly recall an evening in front of the television when popcorn wasn’t’ served.  Now I’m sure I’m over exaggerating and I know my mom will let me know I’m stretching the truth about the frequency of our eating popcorn, but the fact remains we love the stuff.  I remember watching her as she placed the corn into the old popper we had for years.  A little bit of corn, a little oil, a dash of salt, and about 15 minutes were all that was required to make a huge bowl of popcorn, and my mom had it down to a science!

There was one other element needed to make that popcorn, however.  All the effort in placing the ingredients into the popper would have been worthless had she not plugged the unit in and turned it on.  This supplied the heat necessary to make the corn cook, sizzle, and eventually pop.  I loved to hear the corn as it exploded, banging against the sides and the lid of the popper.  It started off slow but toward the end the sound was almost deafening as the kernels in the popper changed from something small and hard into something hot, salty, and yummy!

But no matter how many bowls we popped, one thing was certain.  Not all of the kernels would turn out as white fluffy pieces of popcorn.  Invariably there would be kernels that just didn’t make it.  They were unchanged by the heat of the popper, remaining in their shells, refusing to change and falling short of their potential.  Although they all looked the same in the jar, in the heat of the popper, it was a completely different story.  When put to the test, some of them just didn’t make the grade.

Has it ever occurred to you that our walk with the Lord is very much like being inside a popcorn popper?  Only when the kernels are placed into hot oil are they really challenged to change from what they are into what they were meant to be.  It is only in the heat that the real interior of the popcorn kernel is revealed.  Without the high temperature and boiling oil, the kernels remain just that—kernels—filled with wonderful flavor but never releasing it.

The story of Abraham’s walk to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son, Isaac, gives us a bird’s eye view of what it is like to be a kernel in God’s popcorn popper.  After promising to give Abraham a son, God requires this father to travel for three days toward a mountain that He will show Abraham.  For the entire journey, the Scriptures do not reveal any conversation between Abraham and God but it is a certainty that the heat and pressure on Abraham grew ever more intense with each step he took.

Genesis 22:6 paints this vivid portrait of Abraham during this time of testing, “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together…”  Can’t you feel the heat as it builds up in this man’s heart?  He places the wood on Isaac, (the corn goes into the popper) he takes the fire and the knife (the heat is applied), and they begin walking toward the mountain (the heat builds, the kernels sizzle, and Abraham is ready to explode)!!  There is no place to turn, no where to run, and no chance of getting out of this test.  The only thing Abraham knows is that God will fulfill His promise of providing him with descendants through this boy.

And God never disappoints.  Abraham places Isaac on the altar and raises the knife to perform the sacrificial act.  At that moment God stops Abraham, telling him not to harm the boy.  Now God knows that Abraham loves Him because he has not refused to sacrifice his only son.  In the heat of the moment Abraham’s character was revealed.  Here was a man who loved and trusted God above all else.  In the hottest part of the test, with his heart breaking and his mind swirling, Abraham held to God’s promise.  He trusted the Lord even when it looked as if all hope was gone.  The whiteness of Abraham’s faith was revealed only because God turned up the heat, causing what was on the inside to pop out for all to see!

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oday, God is still in the business of making popcorn.  He knows that without the heat of trial and testing it is impossible for the best to come out in His children.  He also knows that unless we are tested in this way, our lives will never serve the purpose He has in mind and that purpose is to glorify Him.  So, if you are in the popcorn popper today, know this.  The heat and the pressure you feel around you serve only to perfect that which is inside you.  God sees through the shell of the kernel to the white, fluffy, refreshment that only comes through the heat of testing. The real question we must answer is whether we will be a kernel that pops or one that remains unchanged.  I believe I hear the sound of corn popping.  Do you?

A Planter of Trees

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lthough we lived on Main Street, just a few blocks from the center of town, our yard was filled with trees.  Our backyard sported two apple trees, a cherry tree, a weeping willow tree, a maple tree, a pen oak tree, a magnolia tree, and a row of Lombardi poplars.  Our side yard was guarded by a huge maple tree and the grass and flowers in our front yard flourished in the shade of the two more maples that grew there.

What can I say, my dad loved trees and he planted most of the ones around our home.  I remember daddy replacing the two trees in the front yard.  He dug two deep holes, carefully planted the saplings, and covered their roots with rich soil.  We helped him pack the dirt by walking around and around until the soil was completely mashed flat.  Daddy then watered the young trees and continued to do this throughout the spring and into the summer.

Some of those trees are still there and when I pass by the house I remember climbing them, hiding behind them, or just lying in the grass looking up at them.  I remember daddy raking their leaves into crisp piles that crunched and snapped when we jumped in.  I remember the creaking noises they made when a strong wind bent their branches, sending their roots further down into the soil, making their trunks stronger.

But the most important thing I remember about those trees is that they were always there.  Every year found them bigger and stronger than the year before and each year their branches spread further and provided more protection from the heat in the summer and the rain in the spring.  The fruit trees in our backyard always produced fruit, especially apples that my next door neighbor Mom Jenkins turned into wonderful homemade pies. 

Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet had a lot to say about trees.  He understood that a tree could survive only when its roots went deep into the earth and drew out the nourishment that the soil and water provided. It is little wonder that he makes a comparison between a person who trusts God completely and a mighty tree that continues to thrive from year to year.

In Jeremiah 17:7-8 we read these words: "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah describes an interesting description of the person who trusts God completely.  Notice the two conditions the believer must meet and the four results of his faith. According to Jeremiah, we must trust God and place our confidence in Him just as a tree places its roots deep into the soil for strength and nourishment.  This means we are to take our hands off and let God have His way.  We must let go of the reins if we ever expect to go where God wants to take us.  But trusting God cannot be divorced from placing our confidence in Him.  This means we know that no matter the circumstances, no matter what we see or think we see, hear or think we hear, feel or think we feel, we have 100% assurance that God is working on our behalf; that all things will work for our good in accordance with God’s will and on His time schedule.

When we place our faith this securely in God, Jeremiah lists four things we can expect.  We will not fear in time of trial.  We will always have all we need.  We have no need of worry and we will never fail to produce fruit for God.  Notice, however, that God does not remove us from the difficulties of life. Jeremiah states we will not fear when the heat comes.  In other words, when life throws us curves, when things don’t turn out the way we expected, we can stand strong in the knowledge that God will meet our needs.  As a result, our leaves will always be green, meaning that God will supply what we need, but not what we always want! In the year of drought, the tree has no worries.  Likewise, there will be times of drought and periods of difficulty but when we make God the source of our strength and the very means by which we live, our lives will continually bear fruit.

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y mom and dad have since moved across town, away from the hustle and bustle of Main Street.  The yard around their home is substantially larger than the one where I grew up.  We still talk several times a week and catch up on all that’s going on in our respective lives and in the lives of family and friends.  However, since mom and dad moved to their current home, you’ll never guess what my dad has done!   Well, perhaps you already know—he has planted trees, lots of them.  How many trees have you planted lately?  Are you living your life rooted in the confidence that no matter what life sends your way God will always see you through?  I surely hope you are.  If not, I invite you to become firmly rooted in Him!  Do you know the great planter of trees today?

A Hot Potato

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aked potatoes may be one of man’s greatest inventions.  Now I know I’m treading on thin ice here.  First of all, man didn’t invent the potato; he did, however, figure out what to do with it.  Bake it in an oven, add butter, chives, cheese, salt, pepper, and of course sour cream, and you have a culinary masterpiece no matter what else is on the plate! 

I was reminded of this fact one evening when a friend of mine from the seminary joined me for dinner.  We decided to eat steak and when it came time to choose between steamed vegetables and a baked potato, well let’s just say the choice wasn’t very difficult to make.  In fact, it was a no-brainer!  When the waiter asked me if I wanted the potato with everything on it, I stared at him in disbelief.  Is there any other way to eat one?  Not in my book!

A few minutes and a dinner salad later, our steaks finally arrived.  The potato was wonderful, baked to perfection and scrumptious to the taste.  I marveled at how tender the potato was, given the fact that when these things are pulled from the ground, they are anything but soft and tender. Instead, potatoes are rock hard, dirty, and anything but appealing to the taste.  I have heard of some people who like to eat them raw but this was never an option for me.  Baked, fried, or mashed, these are the only ways for me to eat a potato.

I want us to think about that baked potato for just a few seconds—not as something to eat but as a lesson from God’s word.  In order for the potato to become soft, it must be placed into heat.  Once it exits from the flame the potato is forever changed.  It is no longer hard but rather is soft and very appealing. The potato cannot do this on its own; it must enter into the fire in order to be changed into a form that is suitable for enjoyment.

The book of Hebrews is a wonderful reminder of just how much Jesus Christ did for us on Calvary’s cross.  The writer goes to great lengths to point out that Jesus is superior to the angels and to Moses.  Christ’s sacrifice was also superior to all the sacrifices required by the law.  The giving of his life resulted in the removal of sins, not the covering of them.  Jesus died once for all whereas under the law, the high priest had to sacrifice once a year to cover the people’s sin.

Now back to the example of that potato.  In Hebrews 3:7-8, we read the following warning against unbelief, “So, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.”

The writer warns us against hardening our hearts to God’s forgiveness and mercy.  He reminds his readers that their forefathers tested God by refusing to enter the land promised to Abraham.  They hardened their hearts and refused to let God work in their lives to give them all the blessings He had in store for them.  Because of this hardness, because they refused to believe God’s promise, they could not enter into His blessings, mercy, and grace. They wondered in the desert for forty years until all those who left Egypt died in the wilderness.

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hat are our hearts like today?  Are they hard?  Are they closed to God’s message and His love?  Do we hear Him calling us to service and are we refusing to follow Him?  If this is the case, our hearts will always be like that potato pulled from the ground, hard, cold, dirty, and unsavory.  However, if we hear God’s voice and obey it, if we accept His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, then our hearts will be changed.  They will become soft, tender, and a source of nourishment, providing an inviting aroma for all those we meet on a daily basis.  So, could you be considered a hot potato today?

Up The Creek Without A Paddle

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he coastline of North Carolina is a beautiful place.  Wide beaches with pure white sand stretch for miles, most of them untouched by the commercialism so prevalent in today’s society.  A series of islands, known as the Outer Banks, comprise the state’s coastline and although beautiful to look at, the waters around the banks are treacherous.  Many a ship has met its demise along this stretch of shore and sailors long past dubbed this area the graveyard of the Atlantic. 

There is something about ships that captivates our imagination.  I remember reading Treasure Island and Moby Dick, wondering what it would be like to be aboard a ship as it sailed off into the sunset. Stories of the Spanish Armada, Christopher Columbus, and a visit to the Mayflower when I was small also teased my imagination as to what life on board a sailing vessel would be like. 

But soon the adventure and the curiosity vanished when I read actual accounts of ships being lost at sea with their crews.  I remember watching documentaries of the Titanic and the interviews with survivors as they described what the hours were like as the ship sank and they waited for help.  Somehow the romanticism of being on board a ship lost its allure and I was very glad to have my feet firmly planted on solid ground.

The Bible, however, is filled with stories about the sea and the wonderful things that happened there.  Who can forget the stories of Jonah and the whale, of Jesus walking on the water, of Jesus calming the storm, or of Peter catching an enormous number of fish?  It is also around the sea that Jesus did many of his miracles and taught many of his lessons.  And it is from the sea that we take our lesson for today as we learn how God’s arm reaches, protects, and guides us even when everything around us spells disaster.  What a wonderful lesson for the Christian today!

In Acts 27:22-24, we find the Apostle Paul on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar.  In the process, the ship carrying him encounters a violent storm which will end in the ship being wrecked.  Paul had warned the captain and the crew not to sail under the prevailing conditions, but they did not heed his warning.  Nevertheless, there is great encouragement for us as we study Paul’s statement in this passage of scripture:  “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul.”

From the outset, Paul encourages his companions to take courage and not to fear.  The storm was raging, the ship was in peril, and Paul knew that the vessel would be lost.  But the crew and passengers would be spared.  In the midst of this storm, God sent His assurance.  In the middle of disaster, God’s protection was there.  When the waves crashed over the bow of the boat, God’s messenger stood beside Paul and told him not to be afraid.  When all around Paul things were falling apart, God was holding these men and their lives together.

This is always the way our God works.  The very foundations may give way around us, the very sea of life may crash against our hull and overflow our ship, but God, in His infinite love and mercy, stands beside us and protects us from all harm.  God did not remove the storm and He did not prevent the shipwreck.  Paul and his companions were not spared from enduring the ordeal but they were protected in it and were brought through it without one of them being lost.

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he same God who was with Paul is standing beside you today.  Even though the winds of strife are blowing against you and the rough waters of fear and discouragement are washing over the sides of your ship.  Through the gale, through the waves, and through the rough seas, God is standing at the helm, steering your ship, guiding it through the turbulent waters.  As He was with Paul on that day, so He is with you this very instant.  Be courageous, do not fear, stand firm, and listen to His voice.  Up the creek without a paddle you may be, but you are never on life’s sea without a life preserver.  May God bless you and may His presence assure you as you navigate the sea of life today!

Up and Down and All Around

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ne evening I was reminded just how dependent we are on elevators.  My office at the university was in the basement of our building.  The main office and many of our classrooms are were the second and third floors.  To gain access to any of these, I would walk down the hall and join the long line of people waiting for the elevator to arrive and whisk us to any floor of our choosing.  The elevator usually took its own precious time.  This was especially true when I was in a hurry and needed to get to a classroom or the restroom!  The elevator provided an invaluable service but I definitely had to put myself on its schedule!  Rarely, if ever, did it put itself on mine!

When the elevator finally arrived and the magical doors opened, I stepped inside and pushed the button for the second floor.  The doors slid shut and the elevator began its upward ascent, carrying me to the second floor so I could make photocopies, visit with the secretaries in the main office, and check my mailbox.  While locked in the elevator, I came to the realization that my movement was taking place in only one direction.  The elevator could only transport me vertically; any horizontal movement had to be done on my own.  The elevator could take me to the correct level but it could not take me around the building or down the hall.  For that, I had to walk through the building and from side to side.  But one thing was sure: without the vertical motion, the horizontal motion wouldn’t have been possible.

Jesus found himself presenting the same truth to a teacher of Jewish law.  The teacher had asked a very important question and eagerly awaited Jesus’ response.  The teacher wanted to know Jesus’ opinion of the most important law on the books.  This was not the only time this question was put to Jesus and it was not the only time he gave the same correct answer.  Let’s take a look at Mark 12:28-31 to see the exchange between the teacher and the master, notice the profound difference in the titles!

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ‘There is no commandment greater than these."

Please notice that Jesus’ answer contains both vertical and horizontal movement.  The command to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength was the greatest commandment.  God wants and expects nothing less than for his people to love Him completely, with every fiber of their beings. But Jesus does not stop here.  After securing the importance of the horizontal relationship between us and God, he ventures forth on the horizontal plane.  Jesus continues by requiring us to develop the horizontal relationship with those around us, those people who Jesus identifies as our neighbors.  So not only is it necessary to have a right relationship with God (vertical) it is also required of us to have a right relationship with those around us (horizontal).  Jesus concludes by stating that there are no greater commandments than these two.

The next time you have the opportunity to take the elevator, think about the application of its motion to your spiritual life.  The up and down relationship we have with God (vertical) is essential.  We must spend time locked inside this relationship so that our lives reach the level of spiritual maturity God intends for us.  He invites us to rise from the basement of our relationship with Him to the top floor, growing and maturing as we ascend.  But God also expects us to get out of the spiritual elevator and minister to those around us (horizontal). 

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e are to love our neighbors, those around us, with the same love we have for ourselves.  We have a responsibility to those around us to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to minister to their needs.  God expects us to spend our lives on both the vertical and horizontal planes.  However, we must keep these actions in the proper order.  Vertical relationship, the one between us and God, is the most important.  Without the vertical relationship, the horizontal relationship, the one between us and our neighbors, isn’t possible.  Listen carefully as you enter the elevator and you just might hear God whisper to you, “What floor please?”  Are you ready to leave the elevator and love your neighbor today?

Two Cups of Sugar

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weet tea doesn’t just happen; you have to add sugar!  In fact, if you’re going to make sweet tea the way we drink it in North Carolina you have to add a lot of sugar.  The ingredients for acceptable sweet tea are very simple, tea, water, and sugar.  Three family-sized tea bags, one gallon of water, and two cups of sugar render a concoction I love to refer to as nourishing refreshment.

There is simply nothing better on a hot summer’s day than a tall glass of sweet ice tea.  Say what you will, wrinkle your noses at it if you must, but there are people in my hometown who will fight you tooth and nail concerning the prospects of whether you should drink your tea sweetened or unsweetened.  As a matter of fact, if you want unsweetened tea in North Carolina you’d better request it or the tea will be sweet every time.  There simply is no other way to drink it!

I take great pleasure in knowing there is a biblical basis for sweetened beverages!  What?  I know you’re thinking I’ve lost my mind or that I am walking a line that teeters on blasphemy, but honestly, the Scriptures do demonstrate that God sweetened the water in the desert as the Israelites made their way to the Promised Land.  Let’s take a quick peek into the book of Exodus as we find the people not far outside the land of Egypt, asking Moses for something to drink.

In Exodus 15:24-26 we find the following account: “So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD , and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them.  He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD , who heals you."

There are a few interesting things we must notice in this passage today.  First, the people were grumbling.  Not far out of Egypt they started complaining and they continued this trend all the way to the Promised Land.  Isn’t it funny that we spend more time complaining instead of praising and thanking God?  Isn’t it amazing how we focus on the negative things in life and totally discount the positive sign of God’s working in our lives?  The Children of Israel were no different.  God had not delivered them from Pharaoh only to let them die of thirst in the desert.

So God answered their cry by having Moses throw a piece of wood into water that was bitter and undrinkable.  Moses could not make the water sweet, that is drinkable, for the people but he could throw in a stick of wood.  Let us glean one of the greatest truths about God from this passage.  God will never do for us what we can do for ourselves but He will always undertake what we are incapable of doing.  As we stated above, Moses could throw the wood in but he could not make the water sweet; only God could do that.

Please find the words, “and there he tested them” in the passage.  Here is the great crux of this verse of scripture. God’s provision in our lives always brings with it a greater responsibility on our part.  After receiving drinkable water from God’s hand, the people were to be put to the test. This does not make God out to be some cruel taskmaster.  On the contrary, God wanted the people to learn that He was their provision, that He was their protection, and that He was all they needed.  The only way for them to learn this was to go through testing.

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lease notice that the people’s test was to listen to God’s voice, to do what was right in His eyes (not their own), and they were to obey His commands and decrees.  Guess what? God expects the same of us today.  We are to listen to His voice, to do what is right in His eyes (not our own), and to obey His commands and decrees.  When we do this, we find that the bitter waters of life become sweet, no matter where we are, by a flowing stream, near a desert oasis, or standing by a stagnant pond.  When we give heed to our Lord, He always makes the waters sweet, cool, and refreshing.  When was the last time God added two cups of sugar to the water you are drinking?

Strong Undertow!

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 trip to the beach is every kid’s dream!  Building sandcastles, riding waves, digging in the sand, chasing waves, and body surfing are better than any theme or amusement park could ever be!  Some of my fondest memories are tied to our vacations at the shore.  I remember playing in the sand with my shovel and bucket, building sandcastles with my brother and collecting shells with my parents.  But the most fun we had was playing in the surf; it was also the most dangerous even though I didn’t know it.

During vacation, we would sleep later than usual.  After breakfast, we would head down to the shore and spend the entire day playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean.  We would also take rubber rafts with us to the beach for my dad to blow up.  He was always tired after he did this and I never understood that!!!  I do now!!!  Anyway, we would take our rafts out and ride the waves back to shore. On our way to ride the waves, mom would always say the same thing, “Keep your eyes on me and don’t drift too far down the beach!”

Like any kid, I screamed out “Ok mom” as I ran for the water.  All the while I wondered what she meant about drifting.  I was going to be right in front of her and I didn’t plan on going anywhere.  Ending up way down the beach, out of the sight of my parents wasn’t a part of my plan.  However, that is exactly what happened because I didn’t understand the concept of the undertow.

When you are at the beach, the water comes in and goes out at a specific angle.  Since I was no match for the Atlantic Ocean, I was carried right along with it.  Even when we were standing still, my brother and I were moving down the beach in keeping with the motion of the waves and the pull of the undertow.  Each time we emerged from the water on our rafts, I noticed we were further and further down the beach.  I would locate my parents on the shore and drag my raft back to our location.  I would start playing in front of mom and dad and in a little while, I would find myself back down the beach, away from our spot. Now I understood what mom meant when she told us to keep them in sight.

The writer of Hebrews gives the same advice to us today.  He knew that the sea of life has a strong undertow that can easily pull us out to sea and away from our daily walk with God.  He also knew that if we are to keep our bearings straight, we must keep our focus on Jesus, making sure we know where He is at all times.  The writer also knew that we must constantly adjust our position, keeping Jesus as our point of reference in order to find our way back when we drift down life’s shoreline.

In Hebrews 12:2 we read, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Notice the opening words of this passage.  The writer admonishes us to keep our eyes fixed—glued—on Jesus.  He is to be the point of reference according to which we make every move.  As soon as I emerged from the water I looked to find my parents.  Their location on the beach was an instant indication as to how far I had drifted.  I had moved; they had not!

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esus does not move.  God’s word does not flow and ebb like the tide.  It is rock solid and stable, a fixed point on life’s horizon by which we set our spiritual compass.  The undertow of life’s sea is strong.  It carries us along imperceptibly.  Until we take note of where Jesus is, we will never know how far from God we have drifted.  We must always keep looking to the shore to find out just how far away we are from where He wants us to be.  Jesus marks the place on life’s shoreline where we must remain focus.  He marks the place where we must return each time we drift in life.  How are you handling life’s strong undertow today?

On The Surface

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ou never know when the Lord will teach you a lesson.  Most people believe God only speaks to them and teaches them about Himself when they have their Bible opened and are directly involved in study.  While I agree that the best place to encounter God is in the pages of His word, it is not the only means He uses to teach us profound lessons about Himself and the way He works in our lives.

During a phone conversation with a good friend I met in seminary, God showed me how any opportunity can be used to tell others about Jesus Christ.  I met Jennifer and her husband Mark at seminary and we became, and remain, very good friends.  We hadn’t spoken in quite some time so I picked up the phone and called their home.  Mark had already gone to work but Jennifer was still home.  We talked for almost fifteen minutes and during that time Jennifer said something that really made me think.

When I asked Jennifer what her plans for the day were, she told me of several appointments she had made.  She used the term “On the surface” to let me know that there was more going on in these appointments than just “girl talk”.  On the surface, Jennifer was meeting to help a lady with a project.  But Jennifer was also there to listen to this lady, to understand some things that are happening in her life, and to let God’s love flow through her to reach this lady.  On the surface, these two ladies were working on a project, but underneath much, much more was going on!

Jesus also had encounters with people that went far beyond the surface level. One of the best known of these encounters occurred at a well in the area of Samaria and involved a woman who had come to draw water.  The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was tired and thirsty and that he sat by the well to renew his strength.  When the woman came to draw water, Jesus asked her for a drink.  She was both surprised and shocked that Jesus would engage her in conversation. 

John 4:7 sets the scene for us as Jesus begins working both on and below the surface. “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"  The first thing we must understand is that Jesus met this woman where she was in life.  She had come to draw water and Jesus was thirsty. His request was legitimate; he wanted water.  The woman had water to offer but her life was missing the true water that only Jesus could give.

As their conversation continued, Jesus told this woman who he was, that he could offer her living water, and that she would never thirst again.  On the surface, it appeared that Jesus was just having a conversation with someone, requesting a cup of water to slake his thirst.  Actually, Jesus was working underneath the surface, sharing the gospel of salvation with her and meeting her true need in life.

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oday we are surrounded by so many people.  We see them on the street, we see them at school, we meet them at the grocery store, and we work with them.  So many of our conversations seem to be on the surface but underneath there is a real opportunity to share with people about Christ.  Whatever you are doing today and wherever God sends you, be determined to work below the surface. That is where the need is, that is where the hurt is, and that is where the answer is as well!

On A More Personal Note

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he newscast was almost over.  The events of the day had been anything but uplifting and everywhere it seemed people were experiencing all kinds of difficulty. Arrests were made in a nearby town of two men charged in the kidnapping of a young teenager, a riot had broken out in a western state, flood waters wreaked havoc in South America, and somewhere in Europe, a new strain of flu was infecting thousands of people at an unprecedented rate.

Jim sat in front of the television set almost numb from the bombardment of negative statements pouring forth from the television anchor.  The day at work had been no picnic either with news that the company was downsizing and that his job might be in jeopardy.  He had worked faithfully for over fifteen years, always arriving early, staying late on many occasions to finish a project, and sacrificing for the company when it needed him most. Now it seemed the company was running out on him and his family, turning its back on him when he needed it most.

It was just at that moment that something caught his attention.  His finger was poised on the remote’s on/off button.  He had been surfing through the channels looking for a glimmer of hope, for anything that would convince him there was still some optimism in the world, but he found none.  He returned to the local station to catch the last five minutes of the broadcast before taking a shower and heading to bed.

That’s when it happened.  The anchorman had finally reached the segment of the broadcast entitled “On A More Personal Note…”  This portion of the broadcast occurred on Friday evenings and usually involved a “feel good” story to help viewers make it through the weekend; to end the week on a brighter note.  Jim decided to watch these closing comments, convinced it could only make him feel better, not worse, after what he had witnessed on the rest of the channels.

The story was about an elderly lady who lived alone and who had trouble maneuvering around her home.  She had a severe case of arthritis in one of her hips and the other had been completely replaced just a few short years before.  Her neighbors took care of her needs, checking on her each day, making sure she wanted for nothing.  But today was different.  The members of her neighborhood association had secretly been raising money to purchase a motorized wheelchair for her that would give her greater mobility.  The news clip showed the lady with her neighbors as they presented her with her new means of getting around.  She was overwhelmed and thanked them over and over again as tears of joy streamed down her face.  Her neighbors had been planning a way to help her and she didn’t even know it.

Do you realize that God works in our lives each and every day in the same way as this lady’s neighbors?  When we don’t realize it, when we think nothing positive is happening in our lives, and when it seems that no one cares for us and God is a million miles away, it is just at that time God speaks to us on a very personal note.  God wants us to know that He is in control of every situation and that He is working so far ahead of us, making plans and provisions for situations we haven’t even thought of yet.

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of those personal notes we need to be reminded of daily.  Jeremiah writes, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” What a wonderful promise from our Heavenly Father this is.  Unbeknownst to us, God has been working and continues to work in our lives on a daily basis. He has plans for us. That means He thinks about us, knows all about us, and works to make sure we have His very best.  The plans God has are always for our good.  We do not serve a distant God but one who seeks to have a relationship with us and who wants us to know Him in all his fullness.

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oday, it may seem the world is falling all around you.  It may be that you are wondering if God hears or even cares about you.  You may be wondering what the next step in the journey is or what God would have you do.  Lastly, you may be experiencing one of those times when God is silent and you want to hear from Him.  This is where your faith comes in.  Jeremiah tells us that God knows the plans He has for us.  They will not bring us harm but will give us hope and a future.  That means God must work out ahead of where we are if we are ever to experience all He has for us.  As you read this passage today, take time to listen carefully and you will hear God speak in your ear the following words concerning you, “Now, on a more personal note…!”

Let Me Give You A Hand

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oward the end of one Christmas vacation, mom and I undecorated their home.  We removed all the Christmas decorations from the inside and from the outside and safely stored them away for another year.  This was no small feat in itself since my mother loves Christmas and decorates literally every room in her home to mark the festive and holy season.

After the trees were packed away, after the ornaments were safely put into their boxes, and after the wreaths were securely hung in the attic, we returned the furniture to its original positions.  It was impossible to tell that just a few hours before the house had been completely decked out in Christmas fashion.  The one thing that remained was to put away the Christmas cookie jar mom had sitting on her kitchen cabinet. 

The jar was a bust of Santa Claus with a flowing beard and a small cardinal perched on his whiskers just below his cheek.  The top of his hat came off to allow access to whatever goodies were hidden inside.  On more than one occasion I removed that hat, helping myself to the cookies inside, and then I replaced it until my next visit to see old Saint Nick!

As we searched and thought about a place to store the cookie jar, mom’s attention was drawn to the space above her kitchen cabinets.  She keeps a collection of glass containers up there in a beautiful arrangement.  She decided this would be the perfect place for the cookie jar.  So we hauled out the step ladder and began rearranging the glass pieces, preparing a place for Santa Claus.

Mom climbed the step ladder and placed the cookie jar. I stood beside her, holding on to her as she stood on that ladder.  I was there for support, both moral and physical, as she gingerly placed that cookie jar on the cabinet and maneuvered it into the exact position she wanted.  When we finished, Saint Nick occupied a strategic place in the kitchen and from his perch he keeps guard over every activity that occurs there.  Although I didn’t place the cookie jar, and although I never touched it, I played an important role in helping to place him on top of the cabinet.

The role of support is one we very seldom think of in our Christian walk.  We always want to be on the front line, in the thick of the battle, and right in the middle of the action.  But what would an army be without support?  What would a general be without foot soldiers? What is a friend if he/she does not lend his support in moments of need or weakness?

Exodus 17:12 examines this very idea of support.  The passage reads, “When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”  Notice the supporting role that Aaron and Hur played.  Moses had instructed Joshua to fight the Amalekites while he held up his staff.  The Scriptures tell us that as long as Moses held his staff aloft, the Israelites were winning; but when he lowered his staff the Amalekites gained the advantage.

That’s when Aaron and Hur stepped in to give Moses a hand.  They knew that Israel’s success depended upon Moses and his ability to maintain the staff’s position in the air. They also knew that Moses’ strength had limits and his endurance could only last so long.  So they stood beside him for support.  When he grew tired, they provided a place for him to sit; and when he arms grew weary, they took his arms, added their strength to his, and kept his arms in the air until Israel won the day.

What a beautiful picture of the role most of us have been called to play in our walk with God.  Not all of us have been called to preach in a pulpit, but all of us have been called to pray for our pastors. Not all of us have been called to a foreign land to work as missionaries, but we have all been called to support our brothers and sisters as they share the good news with others. Not all of us have been called to teach a Sunday school class, lead a Bible study, or preach a sermon, but we have all been called to support those who do. 

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he ministry of support is vital to the body of Christ.  We are to pray for our pastors, we are to help our fellow Christians during times of difficulty and need, and we are to offer our assistance to anyone at any given moment.  We are all called to support each other, to help when the path grows steep and feet and hearts grow weary.  Are you a part of this wonderful ministry of supporting others? Are you giving someone a helping hand today?

Left Lane Closed

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he construction crews continued to work next door to my apartment complex. For more than a year, they had been building a new community of townhouses that would be available to the public in a few short months, if all continued to go according to plan.  The progress of this team had been staggering.  Almost overnight, the vacant lot adjacent to our complex had grown into a beautiful, vibrant community filled with beautiful new homes.

At times, it had been a challenge negotiating around heavy equipment including graders, bulldozers, steam shovels, and the scores of workers charged with the responsibility of constructing these homes.  For the most part, everything had gone smoothly with very few interruptions to the flow of traffic on our street.

 

As the crew completed the construction, they busied themselves reshaping the road outside my complex.  This was no small task as there were six lanes of traffic which constantly used this road.  The project involved creating a turning lane so that westbound traffic wpi;d make a left-hand turn into the complex.  In order to do this, the island separating the westbound traffic from the eastbound traffic had been isolated and was being reconfigured.  This meant that the left-hand lane on the westbound side was closed.  Signs in the road give ample warning to this fact but traffic continued to pile up.   

All indications were, however, that the project would be completed on time and things would again return to their normal, hectic pace.  But that sign gave me great cause for reflection about the road signs we often encounter along life’s highway and the changes we have to make in order to arrive safely home.  The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, understood road construction; but he also knew it wouldn’t last forever.

In Isaiah 40:4 we read these words, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.” As is usually the case in Israel’s history, she found herself in the middle of a construction zone.  The direct lane of traffic had been cut off, barriers had been erected, and the long process of road construction had begun.  Although God had promised a Messiah would come, there was much construction necessary to prepare the way for his arrival.  Isaiah was in the middle of this construction but he knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Notice that his words look forward to the coming of God’s chosen Messiah, Jesus Christ. His speech is full of optimism and expectation.  The difficulties Isaiah encountered could not deter him from looking ahead to the day when the road work would be completed and God’s promise would be fulfilled.  Every pot hole, every dip in the road, and every low place would be raised and filled and all the rough places would be smoothed over.  In God’s perfect timing, Isaiah knew the road would be completed and traffic would flow unhindered.

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re you in a similar place as Isaiah?  Do you see signs telling you that the left lane is closed, forcing you to alter your course and switch lanes?  Does it seem the construction will never end and that the road conditions grow worse and worse instead of improving?  Take heart, trust the Lord, and know that the road construction is necessary so your journey can continue unhindered at a later time.  The work God does today will be invaluable to you in the future.  New construction always requires some demolition but in the end the new additions are vastly superior to the current situation.  If the left lane is closed, just change lanes and keep going.  The project will be finished and much sooner than you think!