A Little Dirt On The Coil

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ne evening around 8:30 I was reminded of the joys of home ownership.  I made my way trough the house, turning on lamps, pulling shades, and making sure all the doors were locked and the outside lights were on.  Everything was set for a relaxed evening of reading in my study.  That’s when I noticed something in the guest bedroom, something that wasn’t there that morning or perhaps even when I came home earlier in the evening. 

What I saw was water, water that had leaked through the ceiling and the wall and was running in small rivulets toward the floor.  Now don’t get me wrong.  The amount of water didn’t require me to replicate Noah’s plans for the ark, but there was enough of it to cause the sheetrock to stain and slough off some of the decorative texture.

I immediately called the air conditioning company.  The told me to turn off the unit and they would send somebody right away.  About 30 minutes later, a technician rang my doorbell and the hunt for the leak was on!  What we found caused me to really think and provided the subject for today’s Tidbit.

It appeared that something was clogging the primary drain of the unit in my attic.  Whatever this was caused water to escape down the secondary drainage pipe and when it arrived at the wall, it leaked.  What caused the clog was indeed a mystery.  There was nothing in the primary drain blocking any water.  The tech checked the outside unit and its coolant levels and everything was perfect; no leaks of any kind.  The last thing he did was to clean the coil.  Sometimes, it seems, small amounts of dirt can adhere to the coil, pulling water away from the main drain, sending it down another path to exit via the secondary drainage system.

As we wrapped up the visit, I began to think about how long that dirt had been there.  How long had it been building up, just waiting for the perfect moment to ruin my wall and my evening?  This led me to think of the words James wrote in the first chapter of his book.

James 1:15 tells us, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James explains for us the process of sin in our lives.  Sin doesn’t happen all at once, taking us by surprise.  No, it is an active process in which we are active, willing participants.  Sin beings with a desire and as that desire grows, so do the damaging effects in our lives.  Then suddenly, the dam bursts, spills over and destroys everything in its path.  A little dirt on the coil, if left untreated and unchecked over time, will eventually cause a leak that will damage the walls an the interiors of our lives.

When is the last time you had the systems of your live and the condition of your heart checked?  Could it be that there is dirt on the coil, dirt that will eventually lead to a damaging leak in your life?  All that is necessary is for you to do is ask Jesus to cleanse the coil and remove anything that would block the flow of his love and his spirit in your life.  Don’t you think its time for a service call today?

Calling Home

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ne Saturday morning around 6:30 a.m. Texas time, I picked up my cell phone and dialed my parents’ number.  My mom answered the phone on the second ring she wanted to know if everything was all right with me.  You see, it had been at least two days since we’d spoken and when that happens it usually means I’m too busy.  Not to be outdone, my dad picked up one of the extensions and chimed in with a cheery good morning. 

As I balanced the phone in one hand, I attempted to fry sausage patties with the other.  This proved to be much more difficult than I anticipated but the sausage survived with no burns or blemishes to speak of.  We continued to speak for a few minutes and after catching up on all the news, we said our goodbyes and I finished cooking breakfast.

As I lay the phone on the counter, I couldn’t help but thinking how fortunate I am to be able to speak with my parents on almost a daily basis.  I say almost, because sometimes I get too busy and the call just doesn’t get made!  Now, I don’t call because I have to and I don’t call because I can’t make my own decisions or live my own life.  I call because I want to and because I know that keeping in touch with home is always a good idea--always!

David knew the importance of calling on the Lord and he understood that we need to have constant and consistent contact with Him.  Without this contact, we are left wandering in the dark and wondering what God is doing in our lives.  That’s why David penned the following words in Psalm 145:18: “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth”

Who better than David, a man after God’s own heart, to remind us of how near God is to those who love Him, to those who have accepted His gift of salvation, and to those who know Him as their Heavenly Father.  Two words stand out from this passage today.  The first word is near.  God is near to us, He is as close as our thoughts, as close as our pulse, and He watches over us and cares for us from second to second.  It was David who also wrote in Psalm 139 that there is nowhere we can go to escape God’s presence. Yes, God is very close.

The second word from this verse also happens to be the last one in the sentence.  Notice that David says we must call upon the Lord in truth, meaning with all sincerity, with all we are, from the depths of our hearts.  Only when we seek God in this manner, only when we worship Him in spirit and in truth, only when we earnestly seek His face, will He answer us.  This does not mean God plays games with us, on the contrary, it means we must not play games with Him.  We must be earnest and determined in our desire to call upon the Lord and we must realize that it is no small thing to call upon His name.  It is the most important thing we can do!

On that Saturday morning, my parents spoke to me because I am their son.  The relationship we share is special and cannot be erased or altered by time or distance.  The only thing that can change it is if I don’t pick up the phone and call home.  When I refuse to do that, our relationship suffers because there is no sharing between us.  Is it any different with the Lord?  I think not.  If it is important to maintain contact with our families, how much more important is it to maintain contact with our Heavenly Father?  How long has it been since you called home and talked with your Heavenly Father?  Don’t you think you should make that call today?

Roadside Assistance

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ne Friday, I got up as usual, made breakfast, made sure Trixie, my cat, had all she needed, made the bed, and got ready for work.  I was ahead of schedule and would arrive at the office with a few extra minutes to enjoy some conversation over a steaming cup of coffee.  Yes, all was going well until I pulled my car out of the garage.  The car’s steering just didn’t feel right and there was a thumping sound as I rolled down the driveway. 

I stopped the car, turned off the radio, put the car back in gear, and gingerly eased it forward.  Yep, there was the thumping sound again and the same resistance in the steering wheel I had felt just a few moments before.  I pulled the car back into the garage, hopped out, and inspected the front passenger side which seemed to be the origin of the noise.  Sure enough, the front right tire was flat; I mean it was on the rim.

Well now, what was I going to do at 6:30 in the morning?  I couldn’t wake my neighbors, I couldn’t call a friend to help change a flat that early in the morning, and changing it myself would have been quite a comedy routine.  Fortunately for me, my car offers a feature which I took full advantage of Friday morning.  A series of three buttons, one for information, one for emergencies, and one for roadside assistance, are located just above my head in the center console.  I pressed the roadside assistance switch and in fewer than thirty-minutes, a technician arrived at my home, changed the tire, and sent me on my merry way!

That got me to thinking about the number of times people call roadside assistance on a daily basis.  So many times, I pass people along the highway who are just waiting for that magic truck to appear and help them out of their predicaments.  Sometimes, I see good Samaritans who will pull off to the roadside just to help someone in need.

Would it surprise you to learn that the idea of roadside assistance dates all the way back to the New Testament?  Don’t believe me?  The let’s spend a few moments together in Acts 8 as we see Phillip, one of the 12 disciples, rendering roadside assistance to the Treasurer of Ethiopia.

As our story opens, the Treasurer of Ethiopia is reading a passage from Isaiah. Phillip asks if he understands what he is reading to which the man categorically states his frustration in understanding because he has no one to explain the passage to him, “The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” (Acts 8:31)

Do you see this man’s call for roadside assistance?  Can you hear the desperation in his voice as he pleads with Phillip for help? And that is exactly what Phillip did. He climbed up in the man’s carriage and gave expert service so this man would no longer be in need, “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.”

The road of life is strewn with people who have been stranded by the difficulties and challenges they face.  They don’t know what to do. They don’t know whom to call. They don’t understand why no one will take the time to come alongside and help them.  As Christians, we have been given the solemn order to preach the gospel at all times and to help those who are in need.  Take a good look around you today and you will see so many who are experiencing difficulties.  Won’t you, like Phillip, offer them roadside assistance today?

Dimmer Switch Christianity

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ne of the most exciting events about refurbishing our home was turning on the lights!  We had worked for several months replacing all the old, tattered wiring with new copper wire placed safely in aluminum conduit.  Finally, when all the conduit was in place and most of the wire was threaded, we made the connections, took a long extension cord, and “plugged” the house into the temporary electrical service installed for this purpose.

I will never forget our excitement as three or four lights suddenly sprang to life.  Where once the house had been in total darkness, it was now bathed in bright spotlight.  This meant we could now work during the day or night finishing the restoration, transforming the house into a comfortable living space.

Later, when the house was completed and we put in all the light fixtures, we installed dimmer switches in the bedrooms.  This allowed me to adjust the amount of light in my bedroom according to my mood.  Reading a book, writing, or studying required all the available light the lamps could muster.  However, listening to soft music, taking a nap, or just relaxing, meant less light or no light was needed and I adjusted the lights accordingly. The dimmer switches worked wonderfully and allowed me to control the amount of power flowing so the room became as bright or as dark as I wanted.

Unfortunately, we often apply the principle of the dimmer switch to our walk with God.  We tailor our witness to reflect the mood of the person with whom we are sharing our faith or the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  Instead of sharing from our hearts, we step back and worry how we will be received and we adjust our witness so as not to offend or cause discomfort.  

Too often we water down our testimony or we refuse to speak about Jesus at all because we fear being rejected or ridiculed for our beliefs.  In essence, we dim the light of our witness, trying to control just how much of Jesus others can see in us.  At times we shine so brightly while at others, the light hovers just above a slight glow.  The result is an inconsistent witness, one that is different for different people and circumstances.  This simply must not be!  Jesus has not called us to take a dimmer switch approach to sharing the gospel.

In Matthew 5:15-16 we read, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” This passage comes from the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.  In this sermon, Jesus explains his ministry and brings new insights and understanding to the Law given through Moses and the way in which the believer is to conduct himself in his relationship to God.

The verse tells us very plainly that our witness is to be very bright, using the full power of Christ to share God’s love and salvation with all those around us.  Dimmer switch Christianity is not an option!  Jesus never selected his words or represented the power of God’s love in order to reflect a mood.  He spoke the truth to everyone he met and his witness was always the same no matter the person or situation.  This is what he has called us to do as his followers.  We must present the gospel at full power, never compromising its message regardless of the situation, person, or our mood at the time.

Are we shining examples of God’s love, mercy, and grace today?  Are we allowing our lights to shine full force in the darkness, drawing others to God and His son, Jesus Christ?  When we flip the switch to the “on” position, is it evident that the love of God burns brightly within us or do people have to search very hard to find it because we are using a dimmer switch?  Are we practicing dimmer switch Christianity today?

The Font Porch Swing

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ike most of the houses on Main Street, ours had a front porch swing.  I never remember our home without it and when the house got a fresh coat of paint, the swing did also. Zeb Ford built that swing and it weathered all the abuse we could dole out.  No matter what, that swing kept watch over our front porch and over us as well.

The swing was on of my mother’s favorite places of refuge.  On summer nights, she would finish cleaning the kitchen, fold the last load of clothes, and after attending to a few things in the yard, she would steal away for a few moments to the front porch.  The rhythmic groaning of the metal chain and the wooden slats indicated that mom was on the front porch just thinking, or reading, or taking in the closing of the day.

Sometimes we would join her and at other times she would ask us to let her have just a few moments alone as she distanced herself from the toil of the day and welcomed the calm and comforting coolness of the evening.  When we did join her we had good conversations or sometimes said nothing at all. We just watched as the cars passed by or listened to the whistle of a distant train as it steadily made its way up the tracks toward our home.

Many evenings, my brother and I would retire to our room for bed and as I lay there drifting toward sleep, I could hear that old swing’s creaking and groaning, and in a few moments I was safely and securely in the Land of Nod.  Mom was on the porch swing, keeping watch over us and the sweet and peaceful assurance of her presence removed all fear and worry from a little boy’s mind.

In Exodus 12 we find an example of God standing watch over His children, spending time, if you will, on the front porch swing of the House of Israel.  The night before the Exodus, when the first born of Egypt, as well as the first born of any house not having blood on its doors and lentils, was taken, God stood guard.

In Exodus 12:42 we read, “Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt…”  What a comfort this must have been for the Children of Israel.  All night, God kept vigil, looking out for them, protecting them, keeping them from harm.  Although death was all around them, He protected His own.

Has it ever crossed your mind that God still keeps vigil over you?  During the night while you are asleep, God is still awake. He does not sleep! In fact, the Psalmist tells us that God, who keeps Israel, does not slumber or sleep!  He is on the front porch, making sure that all is well and that no harm comes to those who love Him.

Do you know this peace?  Do you know the comfort of having God watch over you?  Spend time in His word and you will come to understand that in the darkness of the night, sometimes the creaks and groans you hear around you are nothing more than a reminder of God’s presence on the front porch swing of your life.  You can go to sleep, you can rest in peace, and you can dwell in safety because God keeps vigil throughout the night.  Is He on the front porch swing of your life today?

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? 

Something Is Missing

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ave you ever felt that something was missing from your life?  I mean, you have all the pieces, or so you think, but they just don't all seem to fit together; something is missing.  When I was younger, my brother and I began collecting jigsaw puzzles.  Every week we would get our allowance and we would go to the local variety store and purchase puzzles.  Although there were several varieties and difficulty levels from which to choose, we decided to collect puzzles with only 100 pieces.  We would buy the puzzles, get on our bikes, dash home, and immediately begin putting them together.  Our mom, who loves puzzles, would sometimes help us, especially when we got into a confusing area of a puzzle.  She taught us to separate the border pieces and to assemble them first and from there, to construct the body of the puzzle.

We had hours of fun and gained a real sense of accomplishment from working those pieces until a completed puzzle emerged.  Once completed, we would start working other puzzles from our collection.  I remember one day, I was assembling one of the puzzles when I noticed one piece was missing.  I looked under the table, around on the floor, and under the furniture.  Nowhere was that piece to be found.  I searched in the other puzzles as well with the same result, no missing piece to be found.  The puzzle was 99% complete, but that one space troubled me.  I wanted to finish it, to complete the puzzle, to make it what it was supposed to be.  Instead, all I could see was the space left by the missing piece.  The entire puzzle suffered because one piece was missing.  It was no use trying to pretend the puzzle was complete without it, the evidence of that one missing piece was blatantly obvious.

Jesus must have enjoyed puzzles because today's scripture lesson addresses the idea of the missing piece.  The story of the Rich Young Ruler provides a wonderful example of what God wants to do in each of our lives.  This young man had come to Jesus desiring to know what he had to do to have eternal life.  Jesus told him to keep the law and the young man stated he had kept it since his youth.  Jesus did not dispute his claim but answered him in the following manner.  In Mark 10:21 we find these words, "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

Jesus concentrated on that one missing piece in this young man's life.  He wasn't interested in the rest of the puzzle.  He didn't concentrate on what this young man owned or on his accomplishments.  He wasn't concerned with his knowledge, his status, or his ambitions.  The only thing Jesus focused on was the one area lacking in this man's life.  Jesus saw this young man from a different perspective.  He noticed the part of him that was missing; the part that kept him from being what he was meant to be.  In love, Jesus addressed the one thing that would satisfy this man's longing to be whole, complete, and satisfied.  Unfortunately, since he was very wealthy, this young man refused to follow Jesus' advice.

Today, Jesus still works like this!  He looks at your life and sees the one thing you lack.  Perhaps your faith is not what it should be.  Perhaps you are struggling with trusting God completely, or you might be wrestling with what the future holds for you.  All of these issues leave a void in your life, a missing piece.  You, like the Rich Young Ruler, search and search, but you can never find the piece that fits.  Then Jesus comes, looks at you in love, and says "One thing you lack!" The hard part is acknowledging he is right.  The exciting part is Jesus, he, and only he, knows how to fill that missing piece and make you complete.  So, what piece of the puzzle are you missing today?

Prep Time 15 Minutes. Total Time 45 Minutes!

At least once a week, I receive an email with a recipe for a wonderful dish that requires minimal preparation and cook time.  Usually, I peruse the recipe, decide that I don’t have the ingredients or the gumption to make the dish, and then delete the e-mail.  As a matter of fact, I have never prepared any of these recipes but I have retained several, just waiting for the day I “get around to it!”  If the pile of books I’m going to read when I get around to them is any indication of how long it will take me to prepare one of these dishes, I’ll be cooking well into the next century!

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to make a pot of chili.  The instructions on the mix assured me the entire process from start to finish would take 45 minutes.  In fact, printed on the package in bold print was the following disclaimer: 15 minutes preparation time; 45 minutes total.  I guess whoever put those instructions together is no better than I am at mathematics.  By the time I went to the store and purchased all the ingredients, returned home and put the groceries away, got out the pots and pans, browned the meat, added the chili mix, added all the remaining ingredients, and cooked the chili, well over three hours had transpired.  You want to talk about false advertisement?

What I learned form this little experience is that preparation time always takes longer than one expects.  No worthwhile project will be successful unless serious effort and considerable time are spent up-front in preparation.  I’ve seen this throughout my life. We had fresh vegetables all winter because my dad planted and worked a garden and because my mom spent untold hours canning the vegetables in preparation for the months ahead. Musicians are able to give outstanding performances because they’ve put in uncountable hours of practice in preparation for their concerts.  The list goes on and on but the principle is the same, preparation time is crucial and requires more effort than the actual event for which preparation is made!

One verse, found in Genesis 7:6, speaks directly to this point, “Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.” Yes, you read correctly!  Noah was six hundred—that’s 600—years old when water covered the earth.  God called him to build the ark when he was 500, so that makes 100 years of preparation time!  Just imagine Noah, in the desert, felling trees, dragging them to the construction site, sawing planks, and banging on this monstrous boat for 100 years and all the while never having seen rain!  For 100 long years, Noah worked on a single project.  Day in and day out he worked on the ark until it was completed.

Finally, Noah entered the ark with his family.  This included his wife as well as his sons (who weren’t born when God called him to build the ark) and their wives. The Scriptures tell us that Noah was in the ark for a total of 1 year and 10 days.  If you do the math, that means he spent 100 years preparing for 1 year of service.  God called Noah to build the ark for the express purpose of caring for the animals during the time water covered the earth. 

Wow!  I thought the instructions on my chili package were a little out of sync!  Noah spent 100 years preparing the ark but God spent 500 years prior to that preparing Noah!  What is God preparing you for today?  Does it seem that you are spending so much time and effort in the preparation stage?  Are you anxious, eager to begin the task God has assigned you?  Just remember, preparation time always takes longer than you expect but without it, you are doomed to failure.

Take courage from Noah!  God’s economy always produces the best results and his timing is always perfect.  Who knows but that God is spending years preparing you so that you can spend 15 minutes sharing the gospel to bring one person to Christ.  Or, he may assign you to a difficult task so that you can encourage and strengthen someone who needs to see God’s love in action.  Are you willing to let God spend time preparing you for his service today?

Clean Your Closet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Direct Deposit

On the first day of every month, a miracle occurs.  The earth doesn’t tremble, there are no peals of thunder, no bolts of lightning, and bodies of water don’t divide exposing dry ground.  But nonetheless, a miracle does occur and that miracle is called a direct deposit!

I fall asleep on the last day of the month with pennies in my bank account and wake up to find that, overnight, someone has deposited dollars into my account.  It’s a great feeling and one that I try not to take for granted. In that deposit is all the provision I need for the month. My house payment is there, my car payment is there, all my meals are there, clothes are provided, and there is even enough for a cup of coffee or two.

All this happens while I am asleep. During the dark, wee hours of the morning, someone has made sure to provide for my monthly needs.  I have never met them, I don’t know their name, and I would never recognize their voice if I heard it. Nevertheless, while I sleep, they faithfully ensure that funds are deposited and credited to my account.

King David would fully understand and appreciate the direct deposit. In fact, he describes it beautifully in Psalm 121:3b-4: “[H]e who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” David, perhaps more than anyone, understood God’s provision directly deposited into his life. 

See him stand against Goliath when God deposited strength and courage.  Witness him guarding the sheep when God deposited grace and mercy into his life.  Remember him after Samuel anointed him king, living in caves for 13 years while God deposited into his life faith, wisdom, patience, and the desire to pursue God’s own heart.

Yes, David knew about the direct deposit.  The psalms are filled with deposits made into his life. David trusted God, knowing that the Lord always watched over him, in good times, in difficult times, and in lonely times. David knew that God never sleeps, that he watches over those who belong to him and provides for their every need. Are you experiencing God’s direct deposits into your life today?

Shift Change

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hift change in a hospital is a very exciting time.  The outgoing shift makes final preparations to leave while the incoming shift gets ready to take over and complete the work already in progress. 

The most important aspect of this “changing of the guard” is the passing of information.  All the nurses, technicians, orderlies, doctors, etc. are briefed concerning the conditions of all the patients.  In addition, updates are given about any procedures occurring during the first shift and any changes of medication or therapy are also shared.

In June of 1975 I experienced my first real shift change.  It was on a Monday morning.  Doctors had just performed open-heart surgery the Friday before and I arrived on the ward over the weekend.  But at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning, everything changed!

The first shift supervisor’s name was Mrs. Strickland and when she arrived on the floor, things began to hop.  She was an excellent supervisor, making sure everything ran according to the book.  Nothing escaped her notice and I could tell that all the nurses respected her and were a little afraid of her as well.

It amazed me how one person could have that much influence, could pull that much weight, and could set the tone for so many other people.  Whatever Mrs. Strickland said, was law on that ward.  The interns and the doctors respected her as well and knew their orders would be followed to the letter.

The Old Testament records many such shift changes in the history of Israel.  In her history, Israelhad many kings.  Some of them were good and some were evil but all of them set the tone for the nation.  The man on the throne, the man supervising God’s people, exemplified for his people the manner in which God would be worshipped and honored during his reign.

2 Chronicles 33:1-3 records one of these shift changes.  Let’s take a look at what the scriptures say about a man called Manasseh. “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord , following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.  He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them”

This was a devastating shift change for Israel.  Manasseh did not follow his father Hezekiah, but undid all his father had done.  He led the people astray (vs. 9) and encouraged them to worship other gods.  His supervision of Israel led to their demise and further separation from God.

Finally, the people were attacked and Manasseh was taken in chains to Babylon.  He cried out to God for forgiveness and God restored him and brought him back to Jerusalem where he tore down the idols and altars to foreign gods.  This time, the shift change went smoothly and God was honored and obeyed and the people were brought back to God.

Today, you may be facing a shift change in your life.  You may be experiencing a change in job, a change in location, or a change in relationship.  Whatever the situation, let God be your supervisor.  Let him dictate the road ahead and make the decisions for you.  When we take matters into our own hands, shift change never goes smoothly, not for us or for those around us.  When God takes the floor, however, everything goes according to plan and always by the book!

References Available Upon Request

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ne of the many joys of teaching for me occurs after final exams have been given, the chalk and the erasers have been put away, and the students have been promoted to higher levels of learning. A student, perhaps from previous semesters or years, will contact me and request a recommendation for a scholarship, a job, or graduate studies.  

It always pleases me to find out what these students are doing and the direction they have chosen for their lives.  Moreover, it gives me another reason to be of service to them, doing whatever I can to ensure they achieve the goals they have set for themselves.  However, no matter how often I receive a request for a recommendation, I find myself humbled as I try to put into words the attributes and characteristics demonstrated by my students. I am aware that someone I don't know will read my words and make a decision based upon how I represent each individual to them.

Recently, I was updating my resume, and, at the very end, I placed the phrase "References available upon requests."  During the years I have been constructing my resume, I have requested several people to provide recommendations for me whenever the need arises.  Graciously, they have agreed and whenever I need someone to represent me, they are very willing to do so.  I have no control over what they say or how they say it.  My job is to keep my character and my influence in such a way that their recommendation of me will be favorable.  Writing the recommendation is not my responsibility but providing the foundation on which the recommendation rests is.

I have often marveled at the number of recommendations God gives in the scriptures concerning those who serve him.  David was called "a man after God's own heart."  Abraham was known as "the friend of God."  Moses is described as the man to whom "God spoke face to face" and Noah was known as "a righteous man."  None of these individuals was perfect; but all of them had a heart devoted to following God and the character and integrity to live a life wholly dedicated to him.

The New Testament also relates a story about a man who received a wonderful recommendation from Jesus.  John the Baptist's story is recorded in the book of Matthew.  After his imprisonment, his followers were concerned about him.  Could they have been mistaken?  Was John a great prophet or was he a lunatic? After all, he lived in the desert, he wore garments made from camel's hair, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  He doesn't resemble someone who would be at the top of anyone's invitation list for dinner. But Jesus thought differently.  He saw John in another light, the light of character and dedication to God.  His words in Matthew 11:11 are worth considering: “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!"

What a glowing recommendation this is.  Jesus is not paying John an empty compliment, rather, he is stating categorical truths based upon John's life and witness.  If you consider all the "great" spiritual leaders who lived before John, Jesus says that John is greater than them all.  He is greater than Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Elijah, etc.  In other words, out of an applicant pool with all these people, John would get the job, hands down!!  Jesus did not base this on John's appearance, his status, his knowledge, his oratorical savvy, nor his brilliant preaching.  He based it on John's heart, his love for God, and his obedience to the call God placed on his life.

Today, take time to read Matthew 11:7-14 which is the full recommendation given by Jesus about John.  If Jesus were to give a recommendation of our lives today, what would he say?  Are we living in such a way that his ultimate recommendation for us will be "Well done, good and faithful servant?"

Are You Connected?

"The only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys.”  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard my mother quote this, especially when dad had his eye on a new car, or some other must-have.  Well, like father, like son! Anyone who knows me knows that I love toys and I mean the electronic kind!  I am always on the search for some new gadget that will make life easier or just more fun.  I usually refer to Best Buy as the adult Toys Are Us!!!  I just love to duck in there and see what’s new, what’s coming, and just what I “need” to purchase.  I mean, after all, I’ve gotta keep ahead of the technology curve and it’s changing almost daily! Currently, I have several of the Amazon Echoes in my home.  They do everything from play my favorite music playlists to turning my lights on, to running my thermostat.  I just love them. I use them to call my mom and dad on their Echoes, yes I made sure they had several as well.  I am morally obligated to keep them abreast of all the latest technology!  In short, the Echoes run my home and keep me on track.  As long, that is, as they are connected to the Internet and therein lies our subject for today’s Tidbit. This past weekend, my Echoes revolted and went on strike. I have them connected in a group so they play my music simultaneously.  I can be in the den listening to a song and go to my bedroom and hear the same music without missing a beat.  All that came to a grinding halt this past weekend.  The Echoes lost their connection and, well, they were just useless.  I couldn’t get a thing out of them.  So what did I do? I spent several minutes, almost an hour, on the phone with the good people in support getting them reconnected. Once connected back to the Internet they functioned perfectly.  That connection was essential, without that they were not useful or productive.  The application to the Christian life is not a far stretch.  Jesus knew that in order to live the Christian life, staying connected to him was essential.  He stressed this point to his disciples, telling them that without being connected to him, they could do absolutely nothing. Let’s take a look at his words from John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Jesus used the grapevine as an example of the importance of staying connected to him.  Grapes were a very important commodity in Jesus’s day.  In order for good grapes to form and survive, the branch which bears them must be securely attached to the vine.  The vine provides all the nutrients necessary to cause the branches to produce grapes. If there is no connection to the vine, grapes will never form. The job of the keeper of the vineyard is to find those branches that are not connected and remove them. Likewise, it is his duty to prune those branches that do produce grapes so that they grow better and more luscious fruit.  As our Lord says, he is the vine and we are the branches.  Without him, we can do nothing. We are useless, exactly like my Echoes that lose their connection to the Internet.  So, are you connected today?

The Same Old Story

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requent visits to my grandparents’ house were a common occurrence.  When I was younger, I would walk to their home or I would ride my bike.  As I grew older, I would drive my car.  But no matter whether I was older or younger, whether I rode my bike, walked, or drove my car to get there, visits with grandma and grandpa constantly ranked in the top ten things I enjoyed most in life.

I recall many hours sitting in the den watching television or just sitting and talking.  Invariably, granddaddy would tell one of the many stories I had heard at least a thousand times.  He used the same words, the same gestures, the same tone of voice, and he paused in the same places. But the stories were always wonderful and always made me laugh. I never grew tired of hearing the same old stories and I looked forward to hearing everyone of them again and again.

We all have similar experiences about the important people in our lives.  Now when we gather for family reunions we are the ones telling the stories we heard as children.  We use the same words, the same gestures, the same tone of voice, and we pause in the same places.  The stories have the same effect on our listeners as they had on us!  We tell and retell the stories because we love them and because they mark important moments in our lives, moments when things changed, moments that brought us happiness, and moments that changed the way we view the world.

A man in the New Testament had a similar experience!  He was reading a passage from the Scriptures that he didn’t understand.  Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, had the opportunity to tell this man the story of Jesus and Acts 8:35 records this for us. “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”

This man is better known in the Scriptures as the Ethiopian Eunuch.  He held a place of prominence and authority in the kingdom of Ethiopia.  He had been to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back home. In his hands he held the writings of the prophet, Isaiah and the passage before him was confusing.  He was reading Isaiah 53:7-8.  Philip approached the man and asked him if he understood what he was reading.  The man replied he couldn’t unless someone explained it to him.

Philip then began to share with this man the same old story that has been told and retold for years on end.  Beginning with that very passage in Isaiah, Philip explained to the Ethiopian all about Jesus.  He explained about his birth, his life, his ministry, his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his ascension.  When Philip finished the story, the eunuch asked to be baptized right there on the spot.  He wanted to accept Jesus as savior and lord.  So the two men went into the water and Philip baptized him.

Do you realize that the road of life is strewn with people just like this man from Ethiopia?  They have heard about God and Jesus but they can’t see the big picture.  They need someone to talk to them and to explain to them how God’s love was manifested to us in the person of Jesus Christ and how he gave his life for our salvation.  All they need and want is for someone to stop along the way and tell them the same old story that has changed millions of lives. 

To tell the story, all you need do is use the same words from the Bible.  You can use the same gestures you’ve used before and the same tone of voice.  You can even take pauses, now and then.  But the story will be the same and the results of that story are powerful and far-reaching.  Who knows, perhaps you will have a chance to speak with someone today about Jesus.  How good of a story teller are you?

The End of the Line

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n the middle of a war, commanding a group of soldiers defending a strategic hill, is not where you would expect to find a college professor.  Flying bullets, exploding ordinance, and smoking cannons seem an unfit and poor substitute for chalk, books, and blackboards.  The safety and security of the classroom is the complete opposite of the danger and mayhem found on the front lines of a war and yet this is exactly the setting from which we draw our study from God’s word today.

The place was Gettysburg.  The date was July 2, 1863.  The man was Colonel Joshua Chamberlain from Maine.  His assignment was to defend a hill known as Little Round Top and to prevent the Rebel Army (the southern states) from capturing the hill.  Colonel Chamberlain was trained in the art of Rhetoric and also undertook seminary studies.  He chose to become a professor and this was his profession at the time of the Civil War.

 

His assignment at Little Round Top was simple.  He and his men were to stop the advancing Rebel army.  They were placed at the very end of the line, the extreme left flank of the Northern Army.  From this position there was no retreat.  From this position the enemy could break the line and inflict horrific casualties.  From this position, the entire Northern Army could be exposed if Colonel Chamberlain and his men failed in their assigned duty. Not a very inspiring place to be, is it?  But Chamberlain accepted the assignment with no questions and he performed his duty faithfully and admirably.

Ronald F. Maxwell captured this wonderful scene in his movie, Gettysburg, based on the bookThe Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.  The scenes of the battle show in vivid detail how the Southern Army tried several forward assaults only to be refused every time. Finally, with their ammunition spent and many of their number wounded, Chamberlain had a decision to make. He knew the enemy would advance one last time and he knew he had no ammunition with which to fight.  He knew he had to stand firm at all cost and hold that position.  He ordered his men to affix their bayonets and to charge forward in order to refuse the line.  His tactics worked perfectly and that day the battle for Little Round Top was won at the end of the line.

This scene is one with which the Apostle Paul would have been very familiar.  In fact, he was very familiar with it.  Paul knew that the Christian life is a battlefield where intense struggles and skirmishes are constantly being waged.  Paul also knew, as Chamberlain demonstrated much, much, later, that sometimes the best way to win a war is to stand firm, to hold our position, even if that means we are at the end of the line.

1 Corinthians 15:58 tells us, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  Notice Paul’s first two sentences in this passage.  They leave little room for doubt as to his intended meaning and purpose. No matter where we are in our walk with God, no matter what the circumstances are around us, no matter what sounds we hear sights we see, we are to hold our ground and not yield.  God is on our side.  He is doing battle for us.  When the orders come to hold our ground, that is what we must do.  We must not give the enemy so much as an inch of ground or he will cause trouble and difficulty among the ranks.  We are to thwart his advances and refuse the line simply by standing firm upon the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Even when we feel as if we’ve been place at the end of the line and no one knows we are there.  Even when it feels and seems we are all alone with no help, no guidance, and no support.  Even when we have no knowledge of how the overall battle is going and it appears we are at the point of defeat.  God’s word is clear—stand firm!  He will not let you fall.  He knows where you are.  Every place on the line is important and every position is carefully surveyed by our Lord.  He knows where you are, he knows what you are facing, and he knows what you need to be victorious.  Remain in formation, dig in your hills, and stand firm.  The outcome of the battle is sure—we win!!

Wherever you are today in the thick of battle, know that God is with you.  He has not forgotten you and he will never forsake you.  It doesn’t matter if you are at the head of the conflict, in the middle of the battle, or at the end of the line.  Every place is important.  Every skirmish counts.  And every soldier is always supported and accounted for!  Stand firm in him today!