Tomorrow's Forecast

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ne winter evening the weather forecasters ventured into very shaky territory, especially for the state of Texas.  It seems that conditions were favorable not only for precipitation but for frozen precipitation at that.  Moreover, the forecasters actually went so far as to use the “S” word, snow, calling for the white stuff to arrive in the mid-late-afternoon.  That remained to be seen but, as you can guess, the mere mention of the “S” word (I don’t want to say it too loudly) caused a bevy of activity in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Slag trucks geared up to protect bridges and overpasses, grocery stores braced for the onslaught of people who would make a mad dash for eggs, bread, and milk, and school administrators as well as parents who began to make contingency plans in the event schools would have to close their doors due to the inclement weather.  All this just because someone on a television set mentioned one word.  Amazing!

I remember watching the evening news as a young boy.  I was fascinated by the weather forecast and watched it religiously every evening.  The weatherman drew the systems on a huge map of the United States.  There wasn’t much mention of other systems around the world and hardly any mention at all of weather across the country.  All that mattered was the immediate region and the next couple of days.  The time came for a picture of the radar and I remember watching in rapt attention as screen showed the swirling needle of the radar screen.  I didn’t understand any of it but I was convinced that whatever the weatherman said was law and would come to pass just as he said it would.

When you think about it, society exhibits an incredible amount of faith in the words of the weather forecasters.  We plan our entire lives around one or two words and we base all our decisions on what someone tells us about the conditions of the atmosphere.  Imagine how different our walk with God would be if we placed the same amount of faith in him and in his word as we do in the evening forecast.

The disciples had such an experience and it is recorded in Luke 5:5, “Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  All night long the disciples had been on the Sea of Galilee fishing.  These professional fishermen made their living from the abundant number of fish swimming in its waters.  However, on this particular evening, the fish had found somewhere else to swim, leaving the disciples with nothing to show for their intense labors.

Jesus then told them to go out one more time into deep water and let down their nets for a catch.  Jesus predicted a large catch but the disciples had to go out one more time.  All they had to go on was Jesus’s word, the only instructions to follow were his commands, and for Simon Peter this was enough.  Although he was tired and although he had been out all night, he placed his faith in Jesus and based his decision not on feelings or desires, but on the word of his master.  Peter says simply “because you say so...” and that is the secret of the life of faith.

We do not receive life the way we want it; we receive it the way God sends it to us.  Since he knows all about us and the situations facing us, doesn’t it make sense to place our trust in his word?  Shouldn’t we, like Peter, simply say, “Father, because you say so, because your word is never wrong, because you love me and have only my best interest in mind, I will do as you say?”  If we would live like this we would find our lives so much richer, deeper, and more fulfilling than we can imagine.  Notice I didn’t say easier.  Nowhere in scripture are we promised an easy life.  What we are promised is a life that is fulfilled and pleasing to God.

So, what’s the weather like where you are today?  Does the weather look to be cloudy, sunny, windy, or cold?  Have you opened your Bible to see what God has to say about the way ahead?  Are you trusting God with tomorrow’s forecast today?

Everything Looks Fine

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ne Friday morning, around 11:30 a.m., I went to a local restaurant to grab a bite to eat.  I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted which meant that everything on the menu was fair game.  Would it be the fried chicken or the meatloaf?  The chopped steak was tempting and so was the baked cod fillet.  After much debate and more than a few visits by the waitress, I decided to order a chef's salad, just so I would feel better about eating healthy.

The salad arrived and I began eating right away.  However, I hadn't made very much progress when something happened.  As I bit down on a piece of bacon, there was a distinct crunch in my mouth.  The crunch indicated that something more than the bacon and the croutons were being chewed.  A quick survey of my mouth soon verified what I feared.  One of my teeth had chipped, leaving me with an odd feeling in my mouth.  I finished the salad and went on with my regular activities, in no pain, but well aware that something was not quite right.

The following Monday, I visited the dentist and he confirmed what I already knew.  There was no way to repair the tooth; it had to be pulled.  When I asked the dentist what had caused this, he told me about a sizable cavity in the tooth.  This came as quite a shock to me because outwardly, there were no signs of any decay.  The enamel on the tooth looked healthy.  It was white, shiny, and apparently strong.  However, the dentist explained that some decay had made its way under my gums and had begun slowly deteriorating the soft interior of the tooth.  It was only a matter of time before it shattered and it didn't matter whether it was bacon or a grape, the result would have been the same.  He showed me the results of the x-rays and, sure enough, there is a cavity inside the tooth, leaving the outside unmarred.  Bacteria had worked its way inside and had effectively destroyed the living tissue causing the tooth to decay and die on the inside.  Eventually, this decay weakened the solid structure of the tooth and it broke.

What a strikingly vivid picture of the way sin works in our lives.  James, the brother of Christ, explains it this way: "Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death," James 1:15. The problem with sin is, that like tooth decay, it takes very little of it to eat away at the very fabric of our lives.  Usually, it goes undetected, lying hidden from our view but it is working nonetheless. 

Notice James states that desire is the conduit through which sin enters us.  As humans, we constantly want things.  It could be money, power, position, influence, reputation, or status.  It could also be the desire to have things because we feel incomplete without them.  How many of us have purchased something only to discover later that we had made a poor financial decision?  We find our resources depleted and other areas of our lives suffering because we acted out of impulse instead of making a rational financial decision.  Again, how many of us have suffered emotionally because of something we said or did, or failed to do or say?  That one little decision, left unchecked, festered and eroded several areas of our lives.

In the same way, sin wrecks havoc in our relationship with God.  Outwardly, it may seem everything is all right.  There may be no signs we are in imminent danger.  Suddenly, however, the structure of our relationship with God is compromised and we find ourselves weakened, broken, and decayed.  James says that left unchecked, desire leads to sin and sin, if left unchecked leads to death.  Spiritual death, which James is addressing, is separation from God.  We cannot serve God and harbor any sin in our lives.  It gets in under the surface, erodes, and decays our relationship with God to such an extent that the smallest test or trial results in our being broken. 

The only cure for sin is to remove it, to extract it, to pull it out by the roots.  Only then can we be assured that its influence will no longer affect us.  If we tolerate it, if we do not have it checked, if we refuse to let God remove it, it will eat us alive and render us decayed, useless, and spiritually dead.  This is just where Satan wants us to be.  Christians with a dead relationship pose no threat to the enemy.  They do not work for the furtherance of God's kingdom and they don't share Christ with others.

I did not look forward to having my tooth pulled.  The dentist chair held no great allure for me.  However, I was grateful for someone capable of recognizing and repairing the problem.  I could not do it on my own.  In the same way, we cannot fight the power of sin on our own.  We must deal with it daily and be ready to let God examine us and, if necessary, to remove whatever is hindering us from enjoying a perfect relationship with Him. 

When is the last time you had a thorough examination?  Is there anything lurking below the surface which is decaying your relationship with God? Why not make an appointment for a checkup with him today?

Go Back The Way You Came

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oday we take a look at a brief moment in the life of Elijah.  We find him in a cave hiding, fearing for his life because Jezebel has threatened to kill him.  While in this cave, God speaks to Elijah and teaches him a great truth.  God is always near and is always aware of Elijah’s circumstances.  When God speaks, it is often in the tones of a gentle whisper instead of mighty, supernatural acts.  It is always God’s still small voice that strengthens, reassures, and encourages all those who follow him.

After his experience in the mouth of the cave, Elijah receives new instructions from God. These instructions were difficult words for Elijah to hear and, I am sure, caused some concern on his part.  1 Kings 19:15-18 records God’s plans for Elijah as he prepared to leave the cave: “The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.  Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

Look at the very first sentence of this passage.  Can’t you just imagine that Elijah’s mouth dropped open!  Had he heard the Lord correctly?  Perhaps, he was mistaken.  It seemed that the Lord had just told him to go back and to go into the desert!  Surely, the Lord didn’t mean that! Back there, his life was in danger.  Back there, people wanted him dead.  Back there, he had no friends, no support, and no one he could count on.  But God’s words were clear, “You will go back there!”

Have you ever been in this situation?  You have just experienced a wonderful display of God’s power in your life and you are ready to move forward but God says, “Go back!”  Sometimes, that is the hardest thing to do.  God is asking us to retrace our steps, to walk over ground we have already covered and to buy the same piece of real estate twice.  This may mean staying on a job when you are ready to move forward, it may mean going back to a place where people reject you, or it may mean returning to a relationship which is painful.  Whatever the situation, God asks us to return to it, even though it may be a desert.

But there is also great hope in this passage.  Let’s not leave Elijah standing in the cave, his mouth opened, wondering what has happened to his world.  God continues by telling Elijah to anoint two new kings and a new prophet.  Although Elijah will return by the same road, he will not be the same man.  The message he carries and his life’s purpose have both changed.  God is at work and Elijah is now part of that plan.

You see, Elijah felt he was all alone, that he was the only one left to do battle for God.  Yet, the Lord tells him very plainly that Jehu and Hazael, whom Elijah will anoint as kings, and Elisha, who will succeed Elijah as prophet, and seven thousand others have not bowed the knee to the pagan God Baal.  Elijah is not alone and as he leaves the cave, everything has changed!  Notice that Elijah took the same way back but he did not go back the same way he came.  Think about that for a moment.  The road was the same; the man was not!!

Today you may be identifying with Elijah.  God has asked you to go back the way you came, back to the desert, back to a dry and lifeless place.  But God does not intend for you to go alone.  Although you walk a familiar path, your message and purpose are new and fresh.  God is at work ahead of you.  He knows where you are going and He knows the best way to get you there.  The road may be the same, the people around you may not change, and your present circumstances may seem dry and hopeless.  Rest assured and take courage my friend.  God never gives us an assignment, no matter how difficult or challenging, but that He gives us His own divine presence for comfort and His own strength for the journey.  Go back down that same road confident that God goes with you.  Sometimes the greatest blessings in life come when God tells us, “Go back the way you came!”

Through The Kaleidoscope

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ike most people, I have several important things in my home that I simply will not part with.  Some of them I purchased on my trips to Europe.  Some I have come across in little shops or in out-of-the-way places.  Some of them are gifts from dear friends and others are moments captured with the aid of a camera.  But perhaps the most precious items are ones that my parents have given me over the years.

There is the clock that hangs in my living room which was a Christmas present from mom and dad.  There is the clock hanging in my bedroom which they presented to my brother and me as a house-warming present when we moved into our home on Oak Street.   There is the silverware in my kitchen that mom brought and when I moved into my first apartment. It is the same silverware I used growing up and I love it.  I also have my great grandfather’s ice cream scoop and the scoop my mom used to measure sugar when she made cakes.

There are several little knick knacks around the house that mean very little, if anything, to my visitors but they mean the world to me.  One of these items is a small kaleidoscope that resides on my coffee table.  Mom and dad found it in an antique store in Ohio and brought it back to me.  It is very simple, made of three mirrors joined together to form a triangular tube.  At one end is a piece of metal that securely holds one of four differently colored marbles that rest in holes cut in the wooden base that holds the kaleidoscope.

The marbles are very unremarkable.  One is blue, one is yellow, one is red, and one is light orange.  Taken by themselves they aren’t very inspiring but once placed in the end of the kaleidoscope, they spring to life with unimaginable shapes and patterns.  What was a few seconds earlier a commonplace marble changes into a vibrant splash of color that changes formations as the marble is turned around and around.

The secret of the kaleidoscope lies in its ability to make us see an image, not for what it is, but for what it can become when seen from another perspective.  This idea was not lost on Jesus.  In fact, when calling his first disciples, he saw them not for what they were but for what they could become.

In Matthew 4:18-19 we find these words, “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  Here is Jesus walking along the shore when he spots two ordinary marbles, Peter and Andrew.  They have been fishing all of their lives and have earned their living from the sea.  They are like so many others who ply their trade on the Sea of Galilee.  But if we look closer at this passage, we see that Jesus sees so much more in these brothers than is visible to the ordinary eye.

Notice Jesus words, “I will make you…”  These men are fisherman, anyone can see that.  But Jesus sees so much more. He sees them not as fishermen, but as fishers of men.  When seen through the eyes of Jesus, Peter and Andrew are no longer men who catch fish; they are men who catch souls. What they can become is unimaginable to them but is crystal clear to Jesus.

Is it any different with us?  God sees deep into our hearts and souls.  He sees us not for what we are but for what we can become through a relationship with his son, Jesus Christ.  What may seem ordinary to us becomes alive once we are placed in Jesus Christ and our lives are viewed from God’s perspective.  Wherever you are in your walk today with the Lord, rest assured his plans for you are beyond anything you can imagine.  Only when we are placed in Christ can we ever fully reveal what is inside.  What does God see when he looks at your life today?  Are you willing to see yourself from his perspective?

Life's Street Corners

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lmost every afternoon, the ladies from the office and I would take a walk around campus.   We did it for our health and also to get away from the hustle and the bustle and the “little” challenges of the office. As the weather turned nicer and warmer, all of us looked forward to that little 30-minute escape and we carved out a special time on our calendars for this one purpose.

Our walks always took us the same way but we never saw the same things from day to day.  We met different people, heard different conversations, and talked about different subjects.  We discussed the progress of new construction occurring around campus and we discussed our respective days.

Our jaunts eventually brought us to the math building which is built in the shape of a huge triangle.  We made a right-hand turn at the corner of the building and continued our walk.  On several occasions, however, that corner was a source of deep reflection.  It was not so much the corner itself; it was what it represented.

If you think about it, we are faced with corners every day and at every one of them a decision must be made.  As I leave the university, I make no fewer than seven turns at seven different corners just to get to the Interstate.  At any one of those corners, should I make the wrong turn, my journey home becomes much more frustrating.  That’s the thing about corners; you have to make a decision.  Do you go right, left, or straight?  The decisions made at a corner will have a definite impact on everything done from that point forward.

Nestled in the book of 2 Chronicles, the Old Testament records the story of King Ahaz, a man who was challenged at the street corner’s of life.  In 2 Chronicles 28:22-24 we read, “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the LORD's temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.”

There are many lessons to be found in this passage but three stand out above all the rest.  Firstly, Ahaz was an unfaithful man.  Notice the scripture says he grew more unfaithful during his time of trouble.  In times of trouble, in times of great difficulty, our one refuge is in the Lord. Ahaz chose not to seek this refuge and he began a downward spiral that affected not only him but all Israel.

Secondly, we see that Ahaz offered sacrifices to other gods, seeking to solve his problems by any means other than looking to the God of his fathers.  In her history, God had protected, provided for, and given victory to Israel.  Ahaz had the opportunity to continue in that tradition and he chose not to.

Thirdly, Ahaz’s decision to abandon God utterly is complete.  Notice that he took the sacred things of the temple, closed its doors, and set up altars on every street corner in the city.  Not only did he refuse to worship God, he prevented everyone else from doing so.  The decision to set up altars on every street corner tells us that Ahaz’s decision was complete and permeated every area of daily life.

What a tragic statement but one that has bearing on us today.  The Scriptures tell us that our bodies are the living temples of God.  How often do we take the sacred things of the Lord, close the temple doors of our hearts, and seek to worship and serve other things around us?  How often do we, like Ahaz, set up altars to our jobs, to our ambitions, to our possessions, and to our wants?  How many people are we leading astray by our actions? What decisions are we making at life’s street corners today? 

Marked For Life

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he expression, “He’s a marked man!” took on new meaning for me as I made my way from the classroom building to the parking lot.  As I made my way through the throng of students eagerly heading away from class, I couldn’t help but notice one student in particular.  He was a good distance away from me but I had no difficulty picking him out from among his peers.  It wasn’t that he was taller than they, he wasn’t.  It had nothing to do with his clothes; they were pretty much standard fare for a college student.  His hair was neatly trimmed, and he was clean shaven.  What caught my eye, however, was the fact that both of his arms were colorfully decorated by several tattoos. 

Now, seeing a tattoo is nothing new and it doesn’t carry the shock value in our society that it once did.  After living two years in Europe, not much shocks me anymore, especially in the way of body décor.  Anyway, as this young man continued walking towards me, it became obvious that the girl walking next to him had staked her claim.  Her name took up most of his right arm and some other pictures and slogans decorated his left.  With one glance, it became very apparent as to where this young man’s loyalties lay.

As I continued towards my car, I couldn’t stop reflecting on what I had just seen.  All during my drive from Arlington to Fort Worth, I kept replaying the vision of that young man and the tattoos he had emblazoned on his skin.  I didn’t remember the exact pictures or slogans on his left arm, but the name of his girlfriend sticks out in my mind.  She was a permanent part of his life and everywhere he went, whether she was with him or not, he bore testimony to his feelings for her.

I began looking over my own arms.  They are free from marks of any kind and bear no evidence that I’ve been anywhere remotely near a tattoo parlor.  Yet, my life bears marks just the same and ones that speak more loudly than anything affixed to my body.  I claim to be a Christian, but do my actions show it?  Do my words give evidence of my relationship with Jesus Christ?  Do my actions tell of my loyalty to him?  Does my attitude tell others far away that I belong to Christ?  If someone were to follow me would I go anywhere that I shouldn’t and do anything that would betray my claim to be a follower of Jesus?

Like it or not, we are all marked.  The question is, “Whose mark are we displaying?”  There are really only two choices we can make.  We either bear the mark of Christ, or we bear the mark of the world.  We cannot bear both!  The marks that distinguish a Christian stem from spending time with God, reading his word, obeying his commands, and living a life that is holy and pleasing to him.  This puts us at odds with the rest of the world and should cause us to stick out in the crowd, much like the young man with tattoos all over his arms.

The Apostle Paul described such a mark in his letter to the church at Ephesus.  In Ephesians 1:13, he writes, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” So, according to Paul, from the moment we heard the truth and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we all became marked men and women. 

Today, is there outward evidence of Christ’s inward presence in our lives?  When people see us, do they see Jesus?  Can they distinguish us from among our peers because we wear his name proudly and boldly for the entire world to see?  Are we living as marked people today? 

It's Time To Hit The Scales

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he battle of the bulge—not the one from history but the one around my waist—is still being waged!  Every time I visit the doctor for a checkup, I’m reminded just how difficult it is to win not only the battle, but the war.   The scales are a continual enemy, exposing my weaknesses and my areas of vulnerability.  Every piece of pie, every bowl of ice cream, every candy bar, and every morsel of chocolate, no matter how far in the past, is revealed by the scales.

What’s more, no two scales weigh the same.  Have you ever noticed this?  One set of scales shows my weight to be within “acceptable” (acceptable by me that is) norms.  Another tells me I’m a little lighter than I thought (how rare is this?) and yet another displays a number that is “slightly” larger than I anticipated (I never reuse these scales because they have factory defects!!).  The doctor’s scales fall into this last category.  No matter how good I’ve been, no matter if my scales say that I’ve maintained proper weight, the doctor’s scales always show I weigh more than I think!

Doesn’t anyone make an honest set of scales?  Isn’t there any way I can get a proper, consistent reading?  Of course, the downside to this question is that these scales, if they exist at all, would probably demonstrate that I could stand to drop a few more pounds.  I doubt seriously if they would indicate I weigh too little.  Like the scales in the first paragraph, these “perfect” scales would inevitably point out every grain of sugar I’ve eaten in the past 53 years!

The idea of weights and balances plays a very prominent role in the Scriptures. On more than one occasion, God says plainly and forthrightly that He detests dishonest weights, scales, and balances.  These scales, however, reflect the dishonesty in the hearts and lives of those who use them to further their own interests.  God never weighs our actions; He weighs our intentions, a totally different set of standards!

Job understood and appreciated God’s standards of measure.  During the most difficult trial of his life, Job appeals to God’s just standards and His perfect scales.  In chapter 31, Job answers some of his friends who have come to “comfort” him during this difficult moment.  In their conversations with him, however, they do more accusing than comforting, more questioning than understanding, and they are not very sympathetic.

But Job patiently listens to them and then he responds.  Chapter 31 is a wonderful chapter, filled with the standards that Job uses to weigh his actions and his life.  However, Job 31:6 reveals the true manner in which Job wanted his life to be weighed and it provides good advice and guidance for us today as we also place our lives on God’s scales.  Job 31:6 reads, “Let Him weigh me with accurate scales, and let God know my integrity.”

Job’s statement is both comforting and sobering at the same time.  We find great comfort in the fact that God’s scales are accurate.  They are not skewed, unfair, and they have not been tampered with.  When God weighs something in His balance, the results are always accurate, faire, and just.  This should also humble us and give us a sober understanding of our own lives in relation to God.  Notice that Job wants God—not his friends—to know his integrity.  This is all that matters.  Our lives and our hearts are an open book before God.  He sees and knows everything about us, whether we believe He does or not.  We are all weighed on God’s scales and He knows our integrity, He knows our desires, He knows our thoughts, and He knows our intentions.

So, as Christians and followers of Christ, we must ask ourselves how long it has been since we’ve been accurately weighed.  Are you ready to hit the scales today?

Hey! Look What I Found

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he problem with basements is that they become the repositories for all the things we no longer use but don’t have the heart to discard.  Does this sound familiar to any of you?  How many of you out there have waded through the sea of endless boxes and containers in your basements looking for something you just had to have?  How many of you vowed never to “junk up” your basements only to break that promise within a week after making it?  How many of you have stored items in your basement, fully intending to throw them out within a couple of days and then never seeming to get around to that task?

Of course, there is another side to this story.  There are those times when you find a hidden treasure buried in your basement.  You might be looking for something else when you come across one of your long-lost possessions that you had totally forgotten about.  When you find it, you forget your original reason for visiting the basement and focus all your attention on your new-found treasure.  It might be a piece of clothing, an old toy, a card, or a piece of jewelry discarded many years ago.  However, when you locate it, wonderful memories flood your mind and a sense of excitement and happiness fills your heart.

I remember having such an experience in the fall of 1990.  My brother and I purchased an old office building in town and we spent 18 months renovating it.  Finally, the day came for us to move from our parents’ home over to our house.  We were only four or five blocks away from them but it seemed to be much further.  After moving the essential items and installing them in our new home, we had to address the matter of the basement.  It took several trips but finally, we moved all our important stuff from mom and dad’s and stored it in our own basement.

One afternoon, I was in the basement looking for something when I spied a small, black ring box.  I picked it up and recognized it as the box that held my college ring when it arrived.  I hadn’t seen that box in years and never thought it would end up in my basement.  When I opened it, however, I received a wonderful surprise. There, inside that box, was my high school class ring.  Several years earlier, I had misplaced that ring and had given up all hope of finding it.  Now, there it was, in beautiful condition, looking just like it did the last time I saw it.

I put the ring on my finger, dropped the box, ran upstairs, and made several phone calls.  I called my mom, I called my grandmother, I called one of my aunts, and I even called my dad at work to tell him I had found my ring.  They probably thought I had lost my mind, but I was so happy and I wanted everyone to know I found that ring.  I was so ecstatic and I wanted to share that exuberance with everyone around me.  Although it was just a ring, it was very important and precious to me.  Finding it again was one of the most wonderful things in the world.

Jesus told several stories that stressed the happiness that accompanies finding something that was lost.  However, Jesus’ stories weren’t concerned with material things.  Instead, they were concerned men’s souls and the happiness that accompanies someone accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior.  Three of these stories can be found in Luke 15 and involve the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coins, and the lost son. 

It is the second parable, the parable of the lost coins that is the focus of our attention today.  The story is very short and matter-of-fact but its implication and truth have far-reaching ramifications for us today.  The story is recorded in Luke 15:8-9, "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.”

Please take notice of that last line in the verse.  Jesus said the woman called her friends and neighbors and invites them to a celebration all because she found her lost coin. She was happy and she wanted those around her, her family and friends, to share in her happiness. Her excitement and joy was such that she couldn’t contain it and she shared it with those around her.  This is the same thing that happens when someone accepts Jesus as the savior and the Lord of their lives.  Just after this passage of scripture, Jesus says that there is more excitement over one soul who is saved than over all those who do not need to repent.  The angels in Heaven shout and are happy that another one of God’s children has been found and has come home.  They just can’t keep quiet about it.

I remember that day in my basement like it was yesterday.  That ring is now sitting on my dresser as a constant reminder of how wonderful it is to find the things that were lost and to restore them to their proper place.  This is exactly God’s perspective when someone accepts Jesus and is saved from their sins.  God fills Heaven with shouting, and laughter, and joy because another one has found the way home.  God knows what it’s like to find something that has been lost for many years.  He felt the same about me when I accepted Jesus and He felt the same about you when you became a Christian.  The portals of Heaven rang with the laughter of angels as you accepted Jesus.

Today, the sounds of rejoicing still echo through the streets of heaven.  Have the angels shouted and rejoiced over you?  Have you experienced the true joy that comes with accepting Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord?  If not or if you know someone who hasn’t, won’t you share the good news of God’s redeeming love and salvation with them today?  The party is just beginning!

Equal Installments

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he year was 1987.  I had just returned from France and had started teaching in a local high school.  For the first time since college, I had a steady job and a steady paycheck.  That’s when it arrived.  I came home one afternoon to find a small package, wrapped in a small white envelope, addressed solely to me.  I checked the return mailing address and, although I recognized the name, I wasn’t sure why I was receiving mail from this location.  As soon as I opened the envelope, however, I became painfully aware of the sender’s intent.

Inside were a letter and a booklet of coupons with my name and address printed on each one.  The letter informed me that the payment book for my college loan had arrived and that the fist payment was due!  Furthermore, the letter instructed me to flip through the payment booklet to verify that my personal information was correct.  I quickly flipped through the coupons and, as luck would have it, all the information was correct.  That meant I could start making payments right away.  The lending company had even done the math for me, dividing my entire loan into 120 equal installments!  That’s 10 years for you math whizzes!!!

I stared at that payment book for what seemed like the longest time.  How in the world was I going to pay that back?  For the next 10 years of my life, a certain chunk of my paycheck belonged to a company hundreds of miles away.  After the shock wore off and reality set in, I shrugged my shoulders, took out my pen, wrote the check, sealed it and the payment coupon in an envelope, and sent them on their way.  For the next several years, I did the same thing, finally paying off the loan with help from my parents.

I’m sure that many of you reading this Tidbit can identify with the story above.  All of us, it seems, are making payments for one thing or another in our lives.  We are either purchasing a house, a car, or furniture, and we are making payments on a monthly basis.  Our payments are divided into equal installments and we make them an integral part of our budgets, making sure our money is used wisely so we can meet all our obligations.

Do you realize that God also works on the installment plan?  That’s right!  Now, I’m not saying that God is a mortgage broker or a lending institution.  He isn’t!  However, the principle of making equal payments does apply to our spiritual lives.  Jesus addressed this in a conversation with his disciples concerning the cost of becoming one of his followers.  Luke 9:23 records Jesus’ words concerning the cost of discipleship. Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Look very carefully at the fourth word from the end of Jesus’ statement.  Did you see it?  Did you take a good hard look at the word daily?  Yes, you read correctly.  He said daily! These are the terms Jesus set forth as a requirement for following him.  However, unlike a bank or savings and loan, Jesus doesn’t want us to communicate with him monthly.  Instead, he wants us to relate to him on a daily basis.  He doesn’t want just a part of our lives, he wants the whole thing!

Some people, even believers, think this is a high price to pay.  However, when it comes to buying a house or a car, they are willing to sign a contract obligating them for several years, or a lifetime, in order to buy something. Making payments becomes a way of life for them, and they diligently and faithfully meet this obligation.  If we will adjust our lives to purchase something that is not permanent, doesn’t it make sense that we would also arrange our lives in order to gain that which is eternal?  God is not selling us anything.  Instead, He is offering us eternal life and, more importantly, a loving and daily relationship with Him.

So we must ask ourselves some hard questions.  How much of our lives is God getting?  As we spend our lives, do we remember to make our daily payment to God?  Do we spend time with Him by reading His word and praying?  Are we budgeting our time and resources in accordance with His will and commandments?  Are we willing to give God the payment due Him, namely, ourselves and to do this on a daily basis?  Are we living our lives on the daily installment plan, seeking God’s will and obeying Him?  Think about it, won’t you?  Have you made your payment today?

Let Nothing Be Wasted

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he main hallway of West Lincoln High School hadn’t changed much in the 9 years I had been teaching there.  Every day kids would pass through on their way to classes, or on their way to the gym, or, if it were during fourth period, they would be on their way to the cafeteria for lunch.  I would walk down the hallway if I needed to go to the office to file a report, pick up a package, or see the ladies who ran the office and kept all of us on the straight and narrow.

But one afternoon, in the spring of 1995, the hallway at West Lincoln High School was suddenly different.  It was during my planning period and I was on my way back to my classroom after a quick visit to the lounge for a much-needed cup of coffee.  As I turned to make my way up the ramp connecting the upper hall to the main foyer, my world changed. It was there that I felt the call to enter the ministry.

In the weeks that followed, the feeling and the call grew stronger. Finally, I went to see my principal who told me that this was something I needed to pursue earnestly and sincerely.  So, I began looking at seminaries and learning all I could about answering God’s call on my life.

I made arrangements to visit a seminary a few hours from home.  What I had not yet done was to tell my parents I was going to seminary.  I mean how do you, at the age of 33, tell your mom and dad you’re leaving your job, you have no idea where you are going, and you have absolutely no idea how you are going to meet your financial obligations?

I just remember asking my mom one question.  I asked her, “Mom, please tell me that my life to this point has not been wasted!” She assured me it had not but I wasn’t totally convinced until I re-read the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

John records what I believe to be the most important statement about this miracle.  After the people have sat down, after the little boy has shared his lunch of five loaves and two fishes, and after all the people have eaten their fill, Jesus tells his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” (John 6:12).

Those last four words from Jesus jumped right off the page!  God is not in the business of wasting anything. No trial, no hardship, no difficulty, nothing is ever wasted in God’s plan.  Everything he does, every plan he makes, every situation he causes to come into our lives is not wasted.  All of it works for our good, just as Paul wrote in Romans 8:28.

Wherever you are today in your walk with the Lord, please know that everything you have gone through in the past, every single trial, hardship, or blessing has had its purpose and has made you the person and the Christian you are now.  God has been working on you, molding you and shaping you into the person he wants you to be and all the preparation has been for the work he has for you to do. No matter where you are or what you are facing you can be sure that nothing will be wasted!

No Charge

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es!  There was something in my mailbox.  A quick look through the small window in my post office box revealed one envelope and it was letter sized.  Perhaps Ed McMahon had finally come through on his promise to pay me 10 million dollars.  I quickly fumbled through the combination, threw open the door and withdrew the envelope.  It did have something to do with money.  But instead of someone giving me money, the envelope in my hand came from my credit card company and they were asking for money.

It seems my mailbox always has letters from some guy named “Bill” who is always asking for money.  He writes very regularly and he must really be in dire straights. He has several addresses and some of his stationery is quite pretty.  However, his notes are very impersonal and he always ends by demanding I send him money within 30 days.  Ever been there?

I opened my credit card statement and ran down the list of charges.  They were all correct except for the very last one.  There was a charge there I didn’t recall making.  In fact, the company’s name didn’t ring a bell.  I wondered if someone had somehow acquired my credit card number and used it.  I got back to my dorm room and called the company responsible for making the charge.  In a few moments, my fears were confirmed.  They had no record of my name or phone number but they had charged my account nonetheless.  They apologized and began an investigation.

I picked up the phone and called my credit card company.   They asked a few questions and then told me I wouldn’t be responsible for the charge.  The representative on the phone also promised a full investigation would be conducted to ascertain how this had occurred.  Before we finished the conversation, the man from the credit card company said, “Don’t worry Mr. Carpenter.  There will be no charge!.”  I was relieved and grateful.

The Apostle Paul understood what it was to be falsely accused. He knew full well what it meant to have things charged to his account that he had nothing to do with.  Each time something like this happened, Paul remembered God’s promise through Jesus, that all his debt was cancelled and that he lived his life by faith in the Son of God.  In Romans 8:33 Paul reminds us of this great truth, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.”

What a wonderful promise from God this is.  We are accountable and answerable to God only.  When we sin, we must answer to him and bear the consequences of our actions.  However, when we are falsely accused, when we are misunderstood, when others seek to tear us down by making false accusations or attacking our character, God simply reminds us that these charges do not stick.  When Satan makes his accusations, reminding us of everything we’ve ever done wrong, God simply says, “No Charge!” 

Paul is right, God does not lay anything to our charge as long as we are in Christ Jesus.  This does not mean we have free reign to live our lives any way we wish.  But it does mean that when we belong to God, when we follow after him, seek his will, and do his will, then no one can bring anything to our charge because God justifies us. 

The legitimate charges on my bill belong to me and are my responsibility.  But the faulty charges, those placed there by someone else will not stick.  The credit card company does not hold them against me.  Isn’t in wonderful to know and serve a God who also takes care of us and makes sure that our accounts are always in good standing?  Isn’t it wonderful to know that God reminds us there is no charge?!

Please Wait To Be Seated

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he sign clearly read, “Please wait to be seated.”  The restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded but the hostess was methodically seating guests in an orderly fashion, making sure all the waiters and waitresses had an equal opportunity to serve the patrons coming into the restaurant. 

Since there was only one couple in front of me, I knew the wait wouldn’t be very long. I began looking over the daily specials, formulating in my head what I wanted to eat.  The meatloaf sounded good but then again, so did the chicken and dumplings.  Suddenly, I noticed some movement to my right and the couple in front of me began moving toward an empty table close by.

Now, the sign clearly told them to wait before being seated and they were reading it when I entered the restaurant so I knew they understood the procedure.  Nevertheless, they moved ahead without waiting for the hostess and they chose their own table.  The hostess came to me, welcomed me to the restaurant, picked up a menu and some silverware and escorted me to a nice table in front of the window.  She took my drink order and asked if she could bring me some bread.  The couple, who chose their own table, had no menus, no silverware, no drinks, and no bread.  They chose a table which was not in the immediate view of the hostess.

The waitress came, took my order, and before long, my food arrived.  The couple now became a little perturbed and called attention to the fact they had received no service.  The hostess and the waitress both apologized even though they had done nothing wrong.  This couple hadn’t received the service they thought they deserved simply because they refused to follow the rules.  They had no one to blame but themselves but they wanted to place the responsibility squarely on someone else’s shoulders.

The prophet, Isaiah, could well have been describing this scene from a local restaurant.  He understood that when we choose to make our own decisions without listening to God or considering what his word has to say, we always run the risk of disappointment, heartache, and grief.  Isaiah 50:11 addresses this idea with the following words, “But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.”           

  

God’s words here are clear and leave no room for misunderstanding.  If we refuse to listen to his commands, if we insist on having and doing things our own way, then we are responsible for the consequences of our actions.  And consequences there will be!  In John’s gospel, Jesus says that he is the light of the world and that if we follow him we will not walk in darkness.  Yet, we choose to ignore his perfect light and walk by the light of the torches we light for ourselves. 

Our meager torches do not cast enough light to illuminate the path ahead and when we walk without enough light, we stumble, fall, and get injured. When this happens, our first reaction is to blame God for the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  We want to pin the responsibility on him; but we have no one to blame for our predicament but ourselves.

My prayer for all of us today is that we would continually wait on the Lord and walk in his perfect light.  He knows we are waiting for him, he knows we are there, but he also knows exactly where to place us so that we receive his best and can serve others according to the gifts he has given us.  Take courage, stand still, and wait on the Lord.  If not, it might be sometime before the meatloaf arrives!!!

Ripe for the Picking

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he other day someone asked me if I had a sweet tooth.  I didn’t even have to think about my answer.  “Let me put it this way “I said. “Give me a five-pound bag of sugar and a spoon and I’m happy!”  I’m not exaggerating!  The guy who said, “Life’s short, eat dessert first” has my full support and admiration.  You’ve just got to respect someone who has his priorities in the correct order!  One of my life goals is to sashay into a restaurant and order a cheesecake and a fork. That’s right, not a slice of cheesecake but the whole thing!   I’m just waiting for the right occasion!

My favorite dessert, hands down, is banana pudding.  My mom will be happy to share that dirty little secret with you.  Whenever I’m home I bargain with her, telling her that I’ll buy the ingredients if she will make the banana pudding.  The result is always the same; she buys the ingredients and makes the pudding!  I just love this arrangement!

The ingredients for this delicacy are not difficult to find. However, in order to make a perfect banana pudding, the bananas have to be ripe.  As a small boy, I remember going to the grocery store with my mother.  She always looked for bananas that were almost black because they made the best desserts.  I couldn’t understand this.  Bananas were supposed to be yellow, not black!  All the books I’d ever read said so.  But black, or very dark, bananas were what she bought because they had the best flavor!  And since mom always made perfect banana puddings, I didn’t argue!

The Apostle Paul addresses this idea of ripeness or maturity in his letter to the Ephesians.  Paul knew that in order for God’s work to move forward with the best results, he needed and required spiritually mature workers.  Ephesians 4:12-13 follows a list of the different duties God assigns to some of his children.  Although there are different jobs, there is only one goal and that goal is training the members of Christ’s body ending in spiritual maturity.

In this passage Paul writes, “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  The role of teachers, and pastors, prophets, apostles and evangelist is to prepare God’s people for works of service.  The result is that the body of Christ will be unified and mature.  We are to be of one mind and one spirit, understanding and doing the work of God in the world around us.

Notice Paul’s words in the last portion of this passage.  In order to experience the entire fullness of Jesus Christ we must be spiritually mature.  This means that our desires become God’s desires, that our ambitions take a back seat to his will, that we see everything coming from his hand, and that we wait with patience until he is ready to use us for his purposes. 

Remember, in order to make a good banana pudding, you’ve got to have ripe bananas.  Green bananas are too bitter, yellow bananas are better but still lack fullness of flavor, but black bananas, those that are completely mature, make a perfect pudding every time.  What is the condition of your soul today?  If God were making a banana pudding, would you be chosen to add flavor and body?  Have you weathered life’s storms and difficulties, bending your will and your life to his purpose?  Are you ripe for the picking?