Thursday, June 28, 2018

Give Me A Printout

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orking on a computer has taught me a very valuable lesson—make several copies! I usually place a copy on the hard drive of my computer, I place several copies in the cloud, and I produce a hard copy that I keep in a file.  Of all the ways I store information, the hard copy is perhaps to me the most amazing.  The computer stores all of this information in its memory, not in the actual form of words, but in a language it understands.  Whenever I reopen a file, however, I see it in a form recognizable to me.

Most of the files I save are in English but some are in French, especially the notes and tests I use for the classes I teach.  Other files contain information about my finances including my personal budget and my checking and savings accounts.  Whenever I need to produce a hard copy for myself, I simply open the file I need and press the print icon and the computer does the rest.  Whatever is in the computer comes out on paper in exact detail.  In fact, I can only print what is stored in the computer's memory. 

Do you realize that we operate on the same principle as the computer?  Would it surprise you to realize that Jesus spoke of this process almost 2000 years ago?  Without the advent of electronic filing systems, floppy disks, or printers, Jesus described in precise detail the functioning of today's computers.  However, Jesus spoke of this, not in terms of electronics, but in terms of the human heart.

In Matthew 12:34-35, Jesus says, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."  

The message here is simple and straightforward: what goes in, comes out!  Jesus was addressing his listeners and teaching them that our words and our actions are the indicators of our true selves.  Just as an apple tree produces apples and not peaches, the human heart can only produce what has been planted in it.

Look at the second sentence in this passage from Matthew. The source of our words, our thoughts, our actions, and our motives is the heart.  Jesus says that our words indicate the condition of our hearts.  A direct connection exists between what we say and who we are.  Much like the hard drive on our computers, our hearts store the files of our life.  But the heart can only produce what we put into it!!!  

There are no files written in Russian on my computer because I have put none in there.  Likewise, if I haven't placed God's word, God's love, God's mercy, and God himself in my heart, I cannot share him with others nor retrieve anything about him.  There simply is no file inside my heart labeled God!

This is a very sobering thought!!  When I open my mouth and speak, other people know exactly what kind of person I am.  If, as Jesus said, my mouth speaks from the overflow of my heart, then what I say reflects that with which my heart is filled!!  Every time I open my mouth, I am giving someone a printout of the files contained within my heart!  Ouch!!!  That hurts, doesn't it?

Today, let's take an inventory of our heart's hard drive.  What files are stored there?  When someone speaks to us, what kinds of printouts are we giving them?  Do our lives contain enough files about God and His love for us?  Do we have the necessary information to share Jesus with someone today?  Is there enough information buried in our hearts to produce good quality printouts about God and all he has done for us?

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

I Got All S's

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he first nine-weeks of school flew by.  I couldn’t believe it was time for me to bring home my first report card but before I knew it Mrs. Avery, my first-grade teacher, was handing them out.  Everyone received one and her instructions were clear, “Take them home, show them to your parents, and bring them back signed.”

Now, I didn’t fully understand the concept of the report card.  I knew that it was meant to update my parents on my progress to that point and to show them areas where I needed improvement.  As soon as Mrs. Avery gave me my report card, I opened it to see what all the hype was about.  The report card was pink and, thanks to Mrs. Avery’s hard work, I could read my name which she had meticulously written at the top of the card.

As I looked down the long list of things she had graded, I noticed a peculiar pattern. She had entered the same letter for all the areas we had covered that quarter.  There were no absences and no marks, at least as far as I could tell, for inappropriate behavior.

The bell rang and, like racehorses out of the starting gate, we all darted from the room and exited East Elementary School.  I ran to my mom and dad’s place of business, threw open the door, ran into her office, gave her the report card, and announced in a loud and proud voice, “I got all S’s!”

My mom looked just a little befuddled.  I learned later that grades were usually listed as A, B, C, D, or F, but not S’s. But once she opened the report card and noticed that S meant satisfactory, she smiled and gave me a big hug!  She showed my dad and he was equally happy with the results.  I determined right there and then that making all S’s was a good thing and that I would do my best to keep that streak going.    

Would it surprise you to know that Jesus, himself, spoke about the importance of getting all S’s on our final report cards?  Well, open your Bibles to Matthew 25:21 and you will see exactly that.  In this passage, taken from the parable of the bags of gold, Jesus says, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’

In this parable, three servants are entrusted with bags of gold provided by their master.  Two of these servants, take the bags entrusted to them and invest his money.  Upon his return, they present the master with a solid return on his investment.  The third servant, however, hid his master’s money and did nothing to steward his trust.  He gave his master only what his master had entrusted to him.  The first two servants did well, as indicated by their master’s words; but the third servant did not receive his master’s praise but a rebuke.  His gold was taken and entrusted to the first servant because of his faithfulness.

God has entrusted to each of us with a life. The question is what are we doing with it?  How are we stewarding what he has entrusted to us?  When we stand before him, will we hear the words,“Well done, good and faithful servant!” or will we be left dumbfounded, making flimsy excuses for not investing our lives in his service and producing a return?  When we stand before our heavenly father and receive our report cards for the lives we have lived, will we get all S’s? 

Monday, June 25, 2018

God In The Backyard


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ll the houses in our neighborhood came equipped with a backyard. In fact, I don’t know of a house in my hometown that didn’t have one!  Backyards were just standard issue!  If you had a house, you had a backyard; it was just that simple. 

Our backyard was a place to play, a place for family gatherings, a place for conversations, a place to read, a place to eat, and a place to be alone with your thoughts.  But more than this, our backyard was my first classroom and it was there that I learned the lessons that continue to shape my life today.

As I grow older and reflect on our backyard, I become more and more aware of the lessons God taught me about himself using common, ordinary things.  I remember the huge magnolia tree that stood watch over us kids as we played.  It provided great shade in the summer, reminding me that God provides protection and shelter for us during life’s most trying and heated moments. 

My dad loved to plant trees and we had several fruit trees, including apple, peach, and cherry trees.  It was fun to pick the fruit and to enjoy it straight from the tree.  On several occasions, homemade apple pies were made from the apples we picked.  Those trees served as a reminder of God’s faithfulness in providing for our needs.

In the back corner of the yard stood a huge wood pile.  In the winter, we would use wood from that pile to build fires in our living room and bring light and warmth into our house.  What a wonderful reminder that Jesus is the true light that no darkness can put out. I can still remember lying by that fireplace, basking in its warmth, knowing that I was safe and loved.  And that is when I remember that God is my refuge and in him I am safe.

We had a swing set in the yard as well, where we would play and where my mom would steal away to read.  I can still see her reading her Bible for hours at a time and I learned that God can and will meet us anywhere as long as we seek to be alone with him. 

There were honeysuckle bushes that marked the boundary between our yard and the Bame’s who were our next-door neighbors.  In the spring and summer those bushes smelled so wonderful as the fragrance of their blossoms filled the air.  I can still smell those blossoms and taste the nectar as we picked the flowers from the bushes and put them in our mouths.  What a great reminder to taste and see that the Lord is good!

At night, especially on summer evenings, the backyard became my personal planetarium as I set up my telescope and looked into the night sky.  I would spend hours looking at the moon, or searching for Jupiter and its moons, or just taking in all the stars in the sky. I was reminded that God is my creator and that he calls all the stars by name.

These are just some of the lessons I learned in our backyard.  So often we feel as if God is so far away from us and that we have to spend hours on our knees or in our Bibles to find him.  Prayer and spending time in God’s word are essential and we cannot neglect them. But while Isaiah 55:6 reminds us to “seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near,” we should not fail to see that God is all around us and can teach us so many things bout himself.  And sometimes the best lessons are found in our own backyards.

Friday, June 22, 2018

By Another Way

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ne of the things my dad passed on to me was a good sense of direction.  He taught me at a very early age that knowing where you are at all times is vitally important.  Even when you are lost, if you know the four basic points of the compass, you can find your way to your destination even if the road you take is different from the one you initially intended.
Now dad never sat down with me and grilled me on the finer points of reading a map. He never called me over and lectured me on how to get my bearings if I were ever lost.  His method of teaching me was much more practical.  Daddy taught me by example, which is far superior to lectures and tests.
Whenever we traveled, dad never took the same route twice. Instead, he would go one way and come home another.  It drove my mother crazy (and it still does) because she often thought he was lost.  But dad wasn’t lost, even if he had never traveled the road he was driving.  He depended on his knowledge of direction to assist him when the way ahead was unknown. 
The location of the sun and the time of day told him the directions for east or west.  From there, he could easily determine the remaining directions and could plot his course accordingly.  It always amazed me how he knew things like this.  We never got totally lost, we always arrived at our destination and in the process, I learned several new ways to get where I was going.
This knowledge became very useful for me while I lived in Europe.  I had never been to Paris, nor had dad for that matter.  But the lessons he had instilled in me at an early age gave me the confidence I needed to strike out on my own.  I bought a map, found my location, oriented myself to the four points of the compass, and away I went.  I even took different routes back to my hotel just to prove I could do it.  The lessons dad taught me were solid and I have used the many times since.
Occasionally along life’s road, we find ourselves forced to take another route.  Sometimes the path ahead is blocked, sometimes there is a detour, and sometimes the road ahead is under construction.  All these instances force us to change direction, to run aside, and to tread a path unknown to us.  At such times we may feel a little uneasy, but we should never be afraid because our heavenly father knows where he is going.  He will not get lost and he will never lead us in the wrong direction.
However, we must learn to orient our lives in such a way that we can easily discern the right direction to take.  Jesus has taught us by example to spend time in prayer with God, to trust him, and to follow his commands.  Even when the path ahead is uncertain and unknown to us, our ability to discern God’s presence and his direction will keep us on the right path every time.
When wise men came to worship Jesus, they took a familiar road to Bethlehem.  However, the scriptures tell us they didn’t take the same road home.  Matthew 2:12 says, And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”
 Here we see God’s divine intervention in human affairs.  Herod’s request to worship Jesus was a lie; he intended to kill the child.  So, God changed the wise men’s route home.  They did not argue, they did not complain, and they did not question God’s purpose. They simply oriented themselves to his command, they changed direction, and they went home another way!
God has promised to make a way for us.  It is not always the way we would choose and it isn’t always smooth and easy.  Sometimes he has us change direction and has us take a road that is less smooth and more difficult.  Although we don’t understand his reasons, we can always trust his heart.  Remember, even though the wise men took another road, they made it safely home.  That is God’s promise to us today if we continue to walk obediently with him.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Briers in the Woods

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avid Bame is my best friend and growing up, he was my next-door-neighbor.  As little boys, we would get into all kinds of mischief.  We would climb trees, play in the ditch behind our houses, ride bikes together, and play in the woods every chance we had.  Although we lived in the city, there was a large wooded lot next to David’s house.  Today, that lot has been cleared and isn’t very big.  But when we were boys, that lot was Sherwood Forest, dark, dense, filled with all kinds of ghosts, goblins, and briers!

We used to spend hours in the woods, playing, talking, planning, scheming, or just taking a walk.  The entrance to “the woods”, as we called them, was barred by a large brier bush.   I hate briers, and I remember more than one occasion where I refused to enter unless someone held that brier bush out of my way.  I didn’t want to be stuck and this fear immobilized me and kept me outside the entrance, waiting for someone to make the way safe.

This job usually fell to David.  He would go first, making sure the way was all right, moving any debris out of the way, and he would hold the brier bush back until I was safely inside.  While we were there, we would play and have a wonderful time.  When it was time to leave, however, I found that the same fear of those briers returned, keeping me locked inside the woods, unable to leave.  David again came to my rescue, holding back the brier bush until I was safely on the other side of the entrance.

This all seems so far away now.  The woods are gone, David lives in another place now, and my fear of briers has completely vanished.  Oh, I still hate being stuck; but my fear of briers no longer keeps me from walking in the woods. 

I have found that there are other types of briers in life, ones that stick and pull and block my path.  These briers are much more foreboding and much more painful than those found in that wooded lot so many years ago.  The briers of fear, uncertainty, unexpected loss, and every-day challenges continually fall across life’s path.  What I need is someone to walk ahead of me and hold back those brier bushes until I pass by.

Deuteronomy 1:29-31 assures me that there is someone who goes ahead of me and moves all the briers barring my way. “Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them.   'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,  and in the wilderness where you saw how  the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.”

Can God make it any clearer to us than this?  Is there any doubt as to who loves us and cares for us?  Can there be any question after reading this promise as to who carries us, fights our battles, and holds our hand through the most difficult times in life?

God reminds the Children of Israel of their exodus from Egypt.  He points to the fact that he brought them out, that he continued to fight for them, that he carried them in his arms just as a father carries his son, and he continued to do this on a daily basis.  

That promise is ours today as well because God never changes.  This same God who made a way through the sea, this same God who fought all of Israel’s battles, this same God who appeared in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, is the very same God who fights for you today.  It is his arm that carries you through times of difficulty and it is this same God who walks before you and holds back all the briers blocking your path today.

I never feared entering the woods because I knew David would always hold back the briers and I knew he wouldn’t let them harm me.  How much more will God do the same for us today?  Are you walking a thorny path today?  Does it seem that the way ahead is covered over with briers and vines?  Look ahead, just up the path, and you will see your Heavenly Father clearing your way and bidding you to walk safely ahead.  No fear!  No struggle!  No briers!  

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

We Couldn't See Where We Were Going


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hen I turned the corner onto West Street, I knew something wasn’t right.  Even though I arrived earlier than usual this particular morning, what I saw when I made that left turn gave me an uneasy feeling.  Where there should have been light, there was nothing but darkness.  The lights in the parking lot weren’t working and the buildings all along West Streetshowed no signs of power.  All I saw were large, looming shadows outlined against the morning sky.

After my initial reaction, I parked my car and headed for the office.  Other buildings had power and streetlights in other parts of the campus were working just fine.  Since it was so early in the morning, I assumed the lights would eventually come on and all would be well.  When I entered our building, the usual lights were on in the hallway and the elevators worked.  I went to the second floor, opened the workroom door, flipped the light switch but nothing happened and the copy machine didn’t spring to life when I turned on its switch.  Something definitely was amiss!

I returned to the elevator and took it to the basement where my office was located.  As soon as I exited the elevator, I knew what the problem was. At the end of the corridor the heavy fire doors were closed.  Normally, these remain open unless there is an interruption in power, freeing them from their magnetic moorings and closing them.  I opened one of the doors and all I saw in the hallway before me was total darkness.  The vending machines had no lights and there was an eerie stillness in the corridor. 

One of the other professors met me on the second floor and explained that the physical plant was aware of the problem and was endeavoring to repair it.  At 8:00, students assembled in the darkened hallways, ready to attend their classes.  Without lights, however, it was impossible to hold class.  The small amount of light filtering through the windows was not sufficient for all classes to meet and by mid-morning, officials had cancelled classes for the rest of the day until the problem was resolved.  How ironic! In broad daylight, we couldn’t see where we were going. Without a sustainable, sufficient source of light, it was impossible for us to teach and for the students to learn. 

This is exactly the condition described by the prophet Isaiah.  He looked forward to a time when the Messiah would come and he described it in terms of light and darkness.  In Isaiah 9:2, he writes, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” The light to which Isaiah refers is the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Until his coming, man had no hope and lived in the darkness of his own sin and in separation from God. This separation caused man to live in “the land of the shadow of death,” and only through receiving the light could man step out of this darkness and walk with God.

Jesus also spoke about himself in terms of light and darkness and echoed this passage written by Isaiah several hundred years before his coming.  In John 8:12 we read, Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  What a wonderful promise this is for us today.  No longer do we have to walk and live in darkness and separation from God.  Jesus came in order to pay the penalty for man’s sin and to offer him a new life, a life filled with the light of God’s love, mercy, and grace.  Are you walking in this light today?  Can you see where you are going?

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Martha

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efore we begin today's tidbit, you need to read the following verse of scripture:"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he had to say." (Luke 10:39)
 

Martha was a real go-getter. Everyone loved to come to Martha's home because she always served the best food, invited the most interesting people, and always kept an immaculate home. She was one of those people who always made sure everything, every detail, was done to perfection. She and her sister Mary were very close and shared everything together. Martha never entertained without Mary's help and advice on what to serve and what dishes  should be used.

But today was different! Not only were there several guests who had come for dinner, but Jesus was here. Why of all days, when everything needed to be perfect, would Mary abandon her? The table needed setting, the napkins needed folding, the bread needed to be taken from the oven, and the list went on and on. All the while, where was Mary? She was sitting in the living room talking. Of all the nerve! Just when Martha needed her most, she decided to take the day off!!

Sound familiar? It would be comical if only it weren't so true of every-day life. Let's face it; we all have more than our fair share of Martha in us. We worry constantly about the little details of life for fear of what others will say or think about us. Constantly working, constantly busy, constantly frustrated, but rarely at peace. And just when we can't take any more we lash out at those who are closest to us.

Jesus' reaction to Martha, done in love, was a stinging reproach nonetheless. While Martha was worried about so many things, Mary had chosen the one thing she needed and Jesus said it would not be taken from her. It is my prayer for you today that you will choose the things God has for you. Remember to take time, sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him. What you learn from him will not be taken from you. Remember what the psalmist wrote: Be STILL and KNOW that I am God! 

Monday, June 18, 2018

Sandblasted!

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here were seven boys in our neighborhood and we did all the normal things that growing boys do, namely, get into all kinds of mischief.  We all played together well but on occasion we were known to have our differences.  We were also fiercely competitive, always trying to best each other or, at the very least, making sure we were all on equal footing.

When we were very young, this wasn’t a problem. However, as we grew bigger, so did the toys we wanted to play with.  One of these toys was the motorbike.  We all wanted one and after much begging, stubbornness, and wearing down of parents, we all got one.  Mine was orange and had three different gears.  My dad thought the bike was too much for me, but I was determined to have one and I did. 

That bike taught me a great deal about responsibility.  I agreed to purchase the bike and raised money by mowing grass and doing odd jobs.  The payments were $21.63 per month, an amount I found to be astronomical.  However, I did what I could and when I needed help, mom and dad stepped in.  The engine on this bike was a two-stroke engine, meaning I had to mix the gasoline and the oil together in order for the bike to run.  My dad taught me how to do this and each time I needed fuel, I mixed it myself.

Due to the oil being mixed with the gasoline, the engine was very easy to flood.  When this happened, the sparkplug became covered with oil and wouldn’t fire.  Instead of being clean and dry, it was wet and black from the oil that covered it.  The only thing to do at a time like this was purchase a new sparkplug.  This could get fairly expensive and my dad impressed upon me the need to keep the bike in good running order and to avoid flooding the engine.  I did my best, but sometimes I flooded the engine and we had to get new sparkplugs.

That’s when our neighbor, Dennis Beam, became a lifesaver.  Dennis was a welder and he would take my flooded sparkplugs to work and clean them for me.  He used a sandblaster to thou roughly clean the sparkplugs.  When I gave them to him, they were black and messy.  When he returned them to me, they were clean, and looked brand new, as if they had never been used.  Dennis did this for me when I needed it and he never charged me a dime to repair the sparkplugs for my bike.  He did what I was unable to do.  Flooding the sparkplug was no problem, as I proved a number of times; but cleaning it was beyond my knowledge and my ability.  In order for my bike to work, in order for there to be a spark in the engine, the sparkplug had to be in perfect working order.  Dennis made sure that I had what I needed and he was always glad to help me when I needed it most. 

King David would have readily identified with this problem.  In Psalm 51:10, he cries out to God to repair his heart, to clean it up, and repair it.  David was missing the “spark” that causes us to live a life pleasing to God.  His heart was black and messy, covered with sin.  This meant that his witness and his effectiveness were at a complete standstill.  There was no life in his engine, no “spark” in his heart.  No matter what he tried, there was no way David could repair the damage in his life.  He could not buy a new heart and he could not use the old one to please God.  David needed major repairs; he needed to have his heart cleaned.  In short, David needed to be sandblasted, cleaned from all his sin until not one blot or blemish remained in his heart.

David took his problem to God.  He knew that God had the ability, not only to clean his heart, but to return it to the proper condition.  Let’s take a look at his words in this Psalm. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”  In this simple, but effective, prayer, David unlocks the secret to maintaining a life that pleases God.  First, David realized his heart was not clean.  His sin with Bathsheba (he committed adultery with her and had her husband killed so they could be together) had taken the spark out of his life. There was no fire in his soul and all attempts to walk before God and be a witness for him had come to a grinding halt.  So David asked for a clean heart, one that would serve God in every way. 

Second, David knew he possessed neither the knowledge nor the ability to correct his problem.  Only God could take David’s heart, sandblast it, clean it up, remove all the sin staining it and preventing it from working properly, and make it right.  Only God could restore David’s heart and put him back in proper working order.  All this, God does for us if we will just ask Him.  And, like Dennis Beam, God never charges us.  He doesn’t like it when we bring dirty hearts and lives to Him, but He loves us so much that He cleans us up and restores us to a right relationship with Him.

All of us have blots and blemishes in our hearts today that keep us from living a life that is pleasing to God.  Our hearts are flooded with sin.  They are black, messy, gooey, and don’t work very well.  In fact, they don’t work at all in this condition.  God is interested in the heart and He wants it to be clean and free from sin and all its influence.  That is why He sent Jesus.  His death on the cross for our sins, meant that our hearts could be clean and restored.  God asks us to come to Him, to bring Him our hearts in whatever condition they happen to be, and to let Him sandblast them for us.  When the process is over, we are clean, restored, and full of fire!  Have you been sandblasted lately?

Friday, June 15, 2018

The Bowl

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eminders and evidence of God’s faithfulness are everywhere.  The rising and setting of the sun, the rain that falls on the earth, the wind that blows through the trees, and the moon and stars in the night sky are constant testimonials to the fact that our God is faithful. 

God’s faithfulness has always amazed me.  No matter what circumstances I have encountered in life, one thing holds true—God is faithful to me regardless of my situation, regardless of my feelings, and regardless of my faithfulness to him. In all the changes of life, in all of its trials, in all of its conflicts, in all of its challenges, and in all of its joys, God has never failed me.  He has always remained true to his word and his promises are a solid foundation in a world of shifting sand!

I was reminded of this great truth just last evening.  As I dried and put away the day’s dishes, God took the opportunity to teach me a lesson about his faithfulness.  In my hand, I held a bowl.  It is not a very attractive bowl but it is my bowl nonetheless.  I purchased this bowl just after arriving at seminary.  Since I didn’t have much space in my dorm room for dishes, I used that bowl for just about everything.  I ate cereal from it in the morning, I had soup in it when I was sick, I used it for popcorn as a snack, and I ate stew from it for my evening meals.  When I finished with the bowl, I washed it and placed it back on the shelf until the next meal.

Although my life changed drastically after coming to seminary, one thing remained constant, that bowl always had something in it for me to eat.  I never went hungry, I never went without clothing, and I always had enough money to pay my bills and cover my necessities.  But every time I visited the kitchen, God always had something to place in that bowl. He always made sure I had something to eat and something to drink.  He never forgot but showed up at every meal, right on time. 

Sometimes he used others to fill that bowl.  Someone would send me money from home and I’d buy groceries or sometimes someone would invite me to dinner and pay for my meal.  Whatever the form, God always saw to it that I had something to eat and he always took care of me, even when I wasn’t sure how he was going to do it.

1 Kings 17:14 gives us the story of another bowl.  This bowl belonged to a widow who lived in the village of Zerephath with her only son.  Times were very hard for this woman. She had very little to eat.  In fact, she was gathering firewood to prepare her last meal for herself and her son. Just at that moment the prophet Elijah asked her to bring him some bread and water.  The widow told him of her plight, that she had only enough flour in the bowl for one last loaf of bread for her and her son.  What Elijah told her next is the focal point of our study today.

"For thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.'"  Do you see God’s faithfulness and his love in this passage?  Just when this widow thought it was all over, just when she believed there was no way out, and just when she reached the end of her resources, God stepped in.  Even though there was a drought and although there was no way to buy more flour or oil, God promised that her supply would never run out.

This is always God’s way.  When we have exhausted our resources and come to the end of our ropes, that’s when God steps in.  At that point we become totally dependent on him for all our needs.  When our relationship becomes one of total dependence on God, we experience and understand God’s faithfulness to his children. So, what’s in your bowl today?

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Encouraging Thoughts

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ave you ever felt that God had placed an undue burden on you? Do you ever wonder if he has forgotten just how frail you really are? Do you feel like Atlas, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders with no one to help or even to care? Then does the word of God have something for you to think about today!!!!

The book of Job is not one of those books you go to for immediate comfort. It is a book of suffering, of the trials of a man who had done nothing to deserve his fate and who seemingly was singled out by God to be picked on! But there are several things in this story that we need to see.

1.     God asks Satan if he has considered Job's righteousness. Notice that God himself testifies to Job's righteousness. What would God say about you or me?

2.     Every time Satan suggests that Job will curse God to his face, God says "No, he won't.” God had great faith in Job. Therefore, it wasn't Job's faith in God that held him, but God's faith in Job. God trusted him with these adverse circumstances. What can God entrust to you and to me? Are we trustworthy in his eyes to remain faithful in the circumstances into which he places us?

3.     Job said that God knew the way he was taking and that when God had tested him he would come forth as gold. This is the statement of a mature believer who recognizes God's promise never to leave nor forsake his children. Statements like this one look forward to God's reward at the end of trials and seek to learn lessons during them.

4.     The end of Job was better than his beginning. This is always God's way. He never does anything to diminish us, but is always at work to improve us.Romans 8:28 tells us this plainly. The scripture says "that all things work together for good" it DOES NOT SAY everything is good!!

It is my prayer today for you that you let God speak to you in your circumstances. He is there with you. The very hairs of your head are numbered and if he knows when sparrows fall, then he knows the way you take today as well.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Just One Of Those Days

J
ames 1:2-4 reads, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  This definitely was not the verse of scripture I wanted to be reminded of one particular Monday.  I was having one of those days where nothing, and I mean nothing, went according to plan.  Oh, I had a plan, but it was absolutely worthless.  Please allow me to recap the day for you.  It’s good therapy!

The whole ball of wax actually started the evening before when I decided to download a quick and easy little program for my computer.  The download went well.  I encountered no glitches, bumps, or electronic hiccups.  The installation process was also smooth and in just a few minutes the program was living happily on my hard drive, ready to obey my every command. 

I restarted the computer, selected the newly installed program, and asked it to perform a quick scan of my computer to see if everything was all right.  That’s when it all started.  The little program located some files that to its mind posed a threat to my system. It asked if I wanted to repair or delete the programs.  I first elected to repair the files but when that wasn’t possible, I deleted them.  That was my mistake!  I deleted several files from my operating system and the computer wouldn’t work.

I tried at least three attempts to coax the computer back to life but it just wouldn’t budge. Instead, it just sat there with a beautiful sunset on the screen, refusing to go any further.  All my programs were there; I just couldn’t get to them.  Several calls to a good friend in Pennsylvania, confirmed what I already knew.  The computer was busted and would have to be rebuilt; not exactly what I wanted to hear.

During the day, my situation got better (that’s a little joke, not too funny).  On my way to the airport, everybody in the free world decided to drive below the speed limit and box me into one lane of traffic.  I couldn’t get around the car ahead of me and the cars to my right and to my left wouldn’t budge.  I thought it was some kind of conspiracy with the whole world, including the animals, decidedly against me. I wondered if Noah ever had a day like this.

A good friend called to see how I was doing.  What a loaded question that was!  I told him I didn’t feel very Christian and proceeded to share my terrible day. I called my mom and she got the full onslaught as well.  I was miserable and I determined that everyone I knew would just be miserable as well.  Ever been there?  None of this solved my computer problem, but grinding that axe seemed to make me feel better; I mean I actually enjoyed it. If what James said in the opening verse above applied to me, I had to be the happiest man alive!

It was only after I had spent the day frustrated, angry, confused, bitter, hostile, and just a little cranky, that I realized what a wasted day this had been. Replaying my thoughts and conversations from the day indicated every sentence or thought began with the word “I” or had the word “me” in it at least three or four times.  I looked at myself as the victim.  Nothing went my way, everything was against me, I didn’t understand why I was going through this, you get the picture don’t you?

James certainly hit me right between the eyes when I calmed down and remembered this little admonition.  James says that we will face trials of many kinds.  He never says they are fun but he does say they have their purpose and that purpose is the perfecting of our faith, the increasing of our patience.

I wasn’t very faithful or patient on that particular Monday; I was anything but.  And that is why I missed the blessing of verse 4, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  Because of my attitude, I was lacking in several areas, not the least of which was my relationship with God.  But God’s design is to grow me to maturity so I want lack anything.  That Monday reminded me just how much growing up I still have left to do.

The next time you have one of those days, and it may be today, be thankful for it.  I know this is not something you want to hear, especially if today’s your day, but God is with us in the small trials as well as in the big ones and I think that when we have just one of those days he is reminding us of just how difficult it is to live the Christian life without him!

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Take That Hill

I
 took a Sunday afternoon drive through one of the many residential neighborhoods here in Fort Worth.  I passed by houses with sculpted flowerbeds, perfectly manicured lawns, and immaculately swept sidewalks.     As I crested one of the very few hills in Fort Worth, I came across a small boy who was laboriously pushing his bike up the hill.  I wondered why he just didn't hop on the bike and ride it.  Perhaps he was tired, perhaps he became bored, or perhaps the hill was too difficult.
Back in my hometown of CherryvilleNC, there is a hill very much like the one just described.  It is situated on Main Street just above the house where I grew up.  That hill was one of the greatest challenges I faced as a child, a source of constant frustration and defeat.  You see, I was born with a hole between the upper chambers of my heart that continued to enlarge as I grew older.  This defect made my heart work harder than normal and physical challenges, such as that hill, were very difficult for me to overcome. 
In order to go anywhere from our home, I had to climb that hill, I simply had no other choice.  So, every day, on my bike, I did battle with the hill; and every day it won.  The hill forced me to abandon my bike about half way up and, like the little boy I encountered, I had to push it to the top, get back on, and continue my journey.  How I longed for the time when I could take that hill without stopping, without getting off my bike, and without being winded or tired.
In 1975 I got that chance.  On June 12th  of that year, yes 43 years ago today, I had open-heart surgery to repair the hole that had given me such a fit for eleven years.  After surgery, my doctors restricted me from strenuous activity for three weeks.  However, after that time, I was free to go about my normal activities. 
For three long weeks, I contemplated getting on my bike and taking that hill.  I had to do it, to prove to myself the surgery had been worth it, and to prove to myself that my heart was new and strong.  I also wanted to ride up that hill because I was tired of being defeated.  Three weeks to the day, I jumped on my bike, worrying my poor mom to death, and I took that hill!!!!!!
The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to face difficulties and failures.  He knew what it was like to face overwhelming challenges and insurmountable obstacles.  He understood how tiring the road of life can become, how difficult its hills and valleys can be, and how one can easily be defeated.  Paul knew that mere human strength is no match for the curves life puts in our path.  In several of his letters, he speaks openly of the constant traps and snares he encountered while living the Christian life and working for the cause of Christ.
However, Paul also knew the utter joy that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  He knew what it was to receive God's strength when his energy was depleted.  Paul could witness to the faithfulness of God's hand upon his life while facing every challenging hill and obstacle it placed in his way.  And Paul would tell you and me today that we are able to face life through the power of the Holy Spirit and the presence of Christ in our hearts.  Paul demonstrates this when he writes in Philippians 4:13"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
In July of 1975, I took that hill because my heart had been repaired. Before the surgery, my heart was weak, it made me tired, and it couldn't handle the strain of that hill.  However, after the surgery, it was new, it was strong, and it was capable of handling the stress placed upon it.  There was nothing I could do to repair my heart. It required the knowledge and the skill of a surgeon to repair it. 
If my surgeon, a mere man, was able to give me new strength to tackle a hill on a bike, just think how much more our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can strengthen us to face any and every challenge today. Paul did not say I can do some things through Christ; he said I can do ALL things through Christ.  So, what are you waiting for? Get back on that bike, pedal your heart out, and take that hill!   

Monday, June 11, 2018

A Bottomless Cup Of Coffee

I
 arrived in Fort Worth in 1997.  Several weeks after beginning seminary and getting situated, a few of my new friends and I began exploring our new city, discovering the many things it offered in terms of restaurants, entertainment, and shopping.  One evening, we decided to go downtown for a leisurely stroll and a visit to a coffee shop.  We selected a shop in the center of town that had several tables outside.  We went in, ordered our coffee, paid our bill, went outside, and had a wonderful time talking and people watching.  We enjoyed ourselves so much, that we began doing this on a regular basis, usually on Thursday evenings.

Texans love their coffee, and, being firm believers that one should do as the Romans when in Rome, we followed suit.  Soon, however, our visits to the coffee shop began to cost a little more than was in the budget.  We enjoyed the fellowship, we enjoyed the coffee, but we didn't enjoy straining our budgets to the limit.  So, one afternoon, one of the guys told us about a different coffee shop not far from downtown.  Not only was it larger, having plenty of space on the inside, there was also ample space outside to sit, relax, and visit.  Moreover, the management didn’t rush its customers; but encouraged them to stay as long as they wanted.  They even provided games, a reading room, and musical entertainment on the weekends.  Plus, their hours were more generous, closing later than their competitor.

We decided to visit this little place to see for ourselves.  Sure enough, everything we heard was true.  The atmosphere was inviting, the coffee was superb, the desserts they offered were wonderful (with true "Texas-sized" portions), and the employees were great.  But what really impressed us the most was the fact that you could pay $1 and get a bottomless cup of coffee.  For one price, you could have all the coffee you could drink. Needless to say, we were hooked and adopted this place as our very own.  The management further assured customer loyalty by encouraging its clients to bring their favorite coffee mugs and leave them.  They provided a rack for this purpose so when you entered, you simply took your mug off the shelf, paid $1, and settled in for an evening of relaxation and conversation.

The work of Jesus Christ resembles very closely our attempt to find a coffee shop.  Now, please bear with me here. I am not trivializing the work of Christ on the cross.  Before the coming of Christ, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat.  He did this to cover the sins of the people.  However, this sacrifice was only good for a year, forcing the high priest to perform this ritual repeatedly.  Throughout the year, the people performed other sacrifices for various aspects of their lives.  Soon, they came to understand just how expensive sin was.  The price for sin was beyond their means and no matter how often they sacrificed, each time they needed to approach God, they had to pay again by offering a new sacrifice.

When Jesus came, he did away with the sacrificial system.  By taking upon himself the cost of sin, he paid once and only once.  The writer of Hebrews stresses this important point by writing,"Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12).  Now, there was direct access to God, Now, people could come to God without having to "pay" repeatedly.  The sacrifice of Jesus Christ invited all mankind to come to God without the threat of constantly paying and without the worry of overstaying their welcome.  Instead, they found rest, peace, comfort, joy, and an endless supply of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love.  The relationship and fellowship they longed for was now possible.  All they needed to do was enter into the new covenant with God by accepting his son, Jesus Christ.

I continued to visit this coffee shop during my remaining years at the seminary.  Although my visits became less frequent due to a heavy schedule, each time I visited, I found the same system in place.  For one price, I had all the coffee and fellowship I wanted.  Each time, I was reminded, in a very tangible way, of the price Jesus paid for my sin.  All the promises of God, all his love, all his mercy, all his grace, and all his provision is mine because Jesus paid the price, once and only once, for sin.  Because of his sacrifice, I have direct access and no longer have to try and buy my way to God.  NO! For one price, I get it all.  What a great deal!  So, are you still paying for your coffee one cup at a time?  Wouldn't you rather have full and open access to God by asking Christ into your life? He is waiting for you to do that today!  The coffee shop is open, come on in!!