A Bottomless Cup Of Coffee

I

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 been seated, 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!

Cut To The Chase

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 few years ago some good friends gave me a little book that I just fell in love with.  The title said it all, “Ten Classics in Ten Minutes.”  True to course, the book is a compendium of classics like Moby Dick, Gone with the Wind, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and seven more classic favorites that have been reduced to one page or less. The book contained a companion CD with each of the classics read by the world’s fastest talking man.  Each classic takes exactly one minute to read, albeit at break-neck speed.

My parents always accuse me of talking too fast.  Usually I end up repeating what I’ve said or my dad will tell me to slow down so he can hear what I have to say.  I simply tell him to listen faster but I somehow I end up repeating myself at a much slower pace.  It just kills me!!  But this guy is fast, I mean speed-of-light fast.  He successfully tells each story in one minute, boiling down an entire novel to just the bare essentials.  We call this cutting to the chase.

Would it surprise you to discover the Apostle Paul had occasion to share the entire of story of Jesus with a jailer but instead cut to the chase?  It’s true and if you have a copy of God’s word nearby, I invite you to open it to Acts 16:31, “They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

Paul and his companion Silas were put in prison for causing a disturbance in Philippi.  The authorities had them flogged and thrown into jail.  The jailer put their feet in shackles and placed them in the inner cell so escape would be impossible.  Later that evening, however, as they prayed and sang hymns an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison.  The jailer awoke and ran to the jail and upon seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword to kill himself.  Paul however stopped him, stating that all the prisoners were still present and accounted for.

That is when the jailer asked the most important question of his life, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30).  Paul how had occasion to share the gospel with this man.  He could have started at the beginning, back when God promised Abraham that all peoples on the earth would be blessed through him.  He could have continued the story up to that present moment.  Instead, Paul just cut to the chase and told the man to believe in Jesus and he would be saved along with his household.

Sometimes we get overwhelmed at the prospects of sharing Jesus with other people.  We feel we must be a preacher, a missionary, or have a seminary degree in order to communicate the gospel effectively.  Yet, Paul, a very knowledgeable and learned man simply told the jailer to believe in Jesus.  This man did and his entire household was saved.

Isn’t it amazing what cutting to the chase can do for a person?  People today need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. They need to know that he came to forgive their sins and to give them eternal life.  This is such wonderful news that we shouldn’t take all day to share it.  Salvation, eternal life, and a relationship with the living God are all just one prayer away from those who have never accepted Jesus.  So today as you have opportunity to share with those around you who are wondering how they can have the peace and the joy you experience in your life, by all means tell them.  And when you do, it’s ok to cut to the chase!

It Smels Wpnderful!

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he beginning of summer brought with it longer days, freedom from schedules and routines, an end of books and homework, and the promise of non-stop adventure and fun.  Every kid in my neighborhood wrung every possible opportunity for fun and excitement out of each passing day.  We would start play early in the morning, surrendering at night only because darkness had fallen and because our parents expected us home in bed so we could be prepared for the next day.

In addition, the summer months also heralded the season for grilling out.  My mother loved this time because it meant my dad shared the cooking.  From hamburgers and hot dogs to steaks, whenever we cooked outside, my dad did the honors.  Other fathers in the neighborhood also turned their backyards into outdoor kitchens.  On the average, someone in our neighborhood was cooking out almost nightly.

I remember several occasions when our play was interrupted by the smell of burning charcoal, lighter fluid, and the wonderful aroma of supper cooking on the grill.  It didn’t matter whether dad was cooking hamburgers, chicken, steak, or pork.  The entire neighborhood was filled with the pleasing odor and everyone knew that somewhere, someone was using a barbecue grill.  The aroma prompted others to join in and the aroma of cooking grills soon permeated the neighborhood.

The Old Testament book of Leviticus provides a brief glimpse into the sacrificial system of ancient Israel.  When God gave Moses the law, he laid down specific instructions concerning sacrifices.  There were sacrifices for everything from the birth of a baby, to atoning for sin.  The number of sacrifices required by the law underlined man’s impossibility to achieve salvation for himself.  At every turn he was reminded just how far short of God’s standard he fell.

Leviticus 3:5 presents us with an interesting statement to consider, “…an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”  Several times, God repeats this phrase in direct relation to the giving of sacrifices.  Why does he make this statement?  What lesson does this teach us today?  How are we to understand this?

Well, God certainly does not intend for us to build an altar, slaughter and animal, and sacrifice it to him.  This was done in ancient Israel as a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice God would make in order to obtain man’s salvation.  The Old Testament sacrifices had to be performed over and over again because they didn’t do away with sin, they just covered it.  The death of Jesus, however, fulfilled God’s requirement for the perfect sacrifice, eliminating the need for the law’s requirements.  When Jesus paid the sin penalty, the daily and yearly sacrifices were no longer necessary.

However, the principle of the sacrifice still remains.  When a sacrifice was offered to God, it was accompanied by fire.  The fire was the means of burning away all the sin separating man from God.  The aroma rising to God pleased him because it represented forgiveness, repentance, and obedience to his commands.  Nothing pleases God more than when his children offer their lives to him in true repentance and obedience.  Not only does this aroma please God, but it also affects others, encouraging them to repent and accept Jesus as well.

Every day, our lives give off an aroma that either encourages others to come to Christ, or it prevents them from doing so.  When you are under “fire”, what aroma does your life emit?  Is it pleasing to God, demonstrating your faith, trust, and obedience for him?  Does it encourage those around you or does it dissuade them from becoming a follower of Jesus Christ?  When you fire up the grill, do others come running to be fed, or do they run away instead?  Think about it!

Sweet And Sour

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very now and then, I get a craving for Chinese food.  When this happens, there is no use fighting the urge.  So, I do what any sane person would do: I put down my books, clear my calendar, grab my debit card, and head to the nearest Chinese restaurant offering an all-you-can-eat buffet.  There are several of these restaurants in the immediate area and since I don't want to show favoritism of any kind, I visit all of them on a revolving basis.

One particular weekend, the urge struck  and struck hard!  I arrived at the restaurant and, much to my satisfaction, discovered there was no line, meaning my adventure could begin immediately. After the host seated me, I went to the buffet bar and began the long, difficult task of deciding what to eat.  It all looked so good!  It took me several minutes to make my selection. Of all the things I tried that day, one entree particularly stands out in my mind. 

The sweet and sour chicken was exceptionally good, especially with fried rice.  I have never been able to understand completely how something can be both sweet and sour.  These are completely opposite ideas and tastes that seemingly don't belong together.  However, when combined in the right proportions, they render a unique taste that is very distinct and memorable.

The Old Testament book of 1 Samuel opens with such an experience in the life of

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, the prophet who would crown David king of all Israel.  Her story is one of persistence, encouragement, and victory.  Hannah teaches us a great lesson about bringing the desires of our hearts to God because he is still in the business of answering prayer and caring for his children.

1 Samuel 1:10 gives us a picture of Hannah's situation.  This passage of scripture reads, "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish." Have you ever been there?  Have you ever come to God in bitterness of soul?  Has your heart every been broken, really broken, that it seemed nothing would repair it?  Have you ever found yourself in hopeless circumstances where no one understood you and it seemed everyone taunted and ridiculed you? Well then, you understand how Hannah must have felt.

Hannah was in a hopeless situation.  At this time, the ability to have children, especially male children, was essential for a married woman.  Barren women were given low social status because they couldn't produce offspring.  Perhaps this is why Peninnah taunted Hannah, constantly reminding her that she was of little or no value.  Nevertheless, Hannah endured the insults, she endured the constant nagging, and she took her request to God.

At the altar, she prayed from her heart, and wept.  In that prayer, she poured out her heart to God.  She laid her desire for a son on the altar.  She wept bitterly and openly, telling God exactly what she wanted.  Eli the priest saw her and believed she was drunk.   Although she moved her lips, she made no sound but prayed to God out of the depths of her sorrow.  She promised God that if he granted her request for a son, she would give him back and he would dedicate his life to God's service.

This is how we are to pray.  We must come to God seriously, knowing he is the only one who can meet our needs.  We must also come consistently, being ever diligent in our prayers and in our requests before his throne.  Hannah came yearly, making the same request, praying the same prayer, knowing and believing God could grant her requests. 

This is Hannah's great secret.  So often, we come to God in a half-hearted fashion, praying for perhaps a few minutes and then expecting him to act according to our wishes.  However, Hannah came with a heavy heart, a heart with a purpose, a heart with a great desire, and a heart that was willing to give up the very thing it requested.  That is the decisive factor isn't it?  We want God to act on our behalf, but seldom, if ever, are we willing to give him that which we hold most dear.  Hannah was willing, willing to give all that she had to glorify God.

This is the type of prayer God honors.  This is the kind of prayer that makes a difference.  This is the kind of prayer God seeks from those who want a true relationship with him.  This prayer, proceeding from the inmost parts, is the kind of prayer God uses.  The end of the story is wonderful! God gave Hannah a son she named Samuel.  As promised, she brought him back to the temple and dedicated him to God's service.  She visited him each year and brought him something to wear.       

What was the result of this prayer and sacrifice on Hannah's part?  Look at the closing passages of Chapter 3, "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord. Then the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel."

What a testimony to Hannah's faithfulness to God this is.  What a testimony to us that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.  Have you ever wondered that God's blessings on your life might be the direct results of prayer and sacrifice on the part of someone else?  We never know the influence we can have for God if we will just come to him, earnestly and faithfully submit our requests, and leave them in his hands.  So, the next time you are spiritually hungry, consider something that is sweet and sour!  I think you'll find it the most satisfying and fulfilling choice you can make!

I Gotta Take This Off!

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ne Monday morning, I entered the Modern Language Department as usual and greeted my colleagues with a hearty, “Hello."  Needless to say, the response I got on a Monday morning prior to coffee being made was less than enthusiastic.  So, I made my photocopies and went downstairs to the little room that four of us shared as our office.  After a few minutes, I returned upstairs in search of that ever-necessary first cup of coffee.  One of our secretaries was checking messages and I asked her how her weekend had gone.  She said one word that immediately told me that her weekend had been overly hectic.  That one word was prom.

For those Tidbitters who may be unfamiliar with the American custom of a prom, I'll briefly fill you in.  It is a formal dance attended by high school students in their last two years of school.  It is the social event of the year and most students spend a considerable amount of time preparing for it.  Such was the case with our secretary's daughter.  She had a wonderful time, she went to a fancy restaurant, she wore a lovely black gown, and she came in very late.  That is the standard ritual and it does make for a hectic weekend.

As a former high school teacher, I remember chaperoning seven proms myself!  The most amazing thing about the evening was watching the great metamorphosis that had occurred in my students.  They all looked wonderful and so very grown up.  The girls wore beautiful gowns and the guys looked extremely dashing in their tuxedos.  However, by the end of the evening, the guys had removed their ties and the girls had taken off the high-heeled shoes.  When asked why they had done this, the reply was one word, comfort.

Today's tidbit is about David, the shepherd boy who would become king.  He, too, knew what it was like to wear uncomfortable clothing to an important event. In this particular passage, David has volunteered to face Goliath, the mammoth Philistine champion.  King Saul, reluctant to let David go at first, decides to dress David in his own armor.  David is outfitted with a bronze helmet, a coat of mail, and a large sword. 

Now, all of these things are necessary for battle, and they all have their purpose, but a soldier, who cannot move, is a dead soldier.  Look at David's response to Saul's generosity. In 2 Samuel 17:39 he says, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” It wasn't that David didn't appreciate what Saul had done for him, nor was it that David rejected Saul's offer.  David was a shepherd boy; he knew the armor would prevent him from accomplishing his goal.  Therefore, he took it off. This may seem like the most illogical thing he could have done, but it was actually the wisest. 

Too often, we find ourselves in Saul's position. We know what God has called us to do but we equip ourselves with weapons of our own making.  We approach the day or the situation at hand with a preconceived plan of attack.  We think we must have a certain kind of experience, or that we must use a certain vocabulary, or that we must act a certain way in order to accomplish our goal.  What we end up doing is encumbering ourselves, weighing ourselves down so that instead of becoming effective witnesses and ministers of the gospel we become sitting ducks and easy targets for the enemy.  David's claim must become our own.  We must go forward, like David, in the confidence and comfort of our loving Heavenly Father.  We must remember David's own words as we go out to meet the day:

God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

Only by claiming this truth can we ever hope to defeat the Goliaths in our path. So, what are you wearing into battle today?

Trying To Make Up

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everal weeks ago, I stopped into a local pharmacy to buy something for a headache, you know the slow, nagging kind that just won't go away.   As I made my way toward the pain relievers, I walked down an entire aisle devoted solely to cosmetics.  I never knew there were so many different colors!  I mean, how many different shades constitute a blush?  And let's not even talk about eye shadow!!  Needless to say, my hat is off to you ladies who are able to negotiate these aisles with ease.  There is simply no way I could manage it!  I have a hard enough time deciding regular or double stuff Oreo's, and they are the same color!

All along the aisle were posters and pictures of beautiful models, advertising different brands of make-up to improve your looks and to make you a more successful and confident person.  Excuse me, but let's face one fact!  If these people need to use cosmetics to "make up" any deficit between what they are and what society believes they should be, do any of the rest of us have a chance? I don't think so!   Personally, I think we're sunk!! 

But this stroll down the cosmetic aisle only served to reinforce a stark truth about our society.  We are so enamored with the outward appearance of people.  We notice their hairstyle, their clothing, their shoes, etc., but we neglect the people themselves.  As a society, we have set a standard that is impossible for us to reach on our own.  Although we speak of valuing inner beauty, we sell products to enhance and improve outward appearance.  In addition, we convey the idea that people, women in particular, need to use something to "make up" the deficit between themselves and "perfection."  The very name of the product, "make-up" only undergirds the notion that we aren't good enough on our own and must constantly work to make up for what we lack.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon touches our spiritual lives as well. It is difficult, if not impossible, for some Christians to accept the notion of God's grace.  Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve; grace is receiving what we don't deserve.  It is by God's grace that we have obtained eternal life through Christ.  There is nothing we can do to receive it; it is God's gift that he offers freely to each person who believes Jesus Christ came to die and pay the penalty for sin.

However, we, as Christians, send the wrong message.  We are constantly "doing" things for God.  We serve on every committee the church organizes, we attend every bake sale, every Bible study, try out for every program, and make sure we read everything written about Christianity.  We teach Sunday school, work in the nursery, deliver meals to people who are home-bound , donate our clothes to the less fortunate, and send money to at least five missionaries or Christian organizations.  All the while, we buy into the idea that the more we do for God, the holier we are.  But nothing could be further from the truth!!

Paul addresses this issue in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."  Here, Paul takes issue with the idea that we can earn our salvation by performing a certain number of works.  He states categorically that our salvation is a gift from God and not because of anything we have done.  We get caught up in appearances, believing we will "look" more like a Christian if we do things perceived by society as Christian.  This is the equivalent of applying cosmetics to dress up a person's looks.  No matter how much make-up is applied, it can do nothing to change the inner attitude or character of a person.

God saved us because he chose to, because he loved us, because we couldn't do it for ourselves.  We need to stop living as if our salvation depended on the number of church bazaar's we attend and start understanding that true life begins when we accept the gift of God's grace.  Constantly doing alienates us from God because we are too busy to spend time with him.  Accepting his grace, however, draws us closer to him because we understand just how much we need him and how much he loves us. 

Before you start your day, spend some time with your Heavenly Father.  You can go to him, blemishes and all, because he loves you.  He sees you just the way you are and he will never require you "make up" any part of your life.  Instead, he will look at your heart, the real you, and accept you and love you for the person you are, not for the person you think you should be.

Ripe For The Picking

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he other day some one 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 very ripe, almost black, because they made the best desserts.  I couldn’t understand this.  Bananas were supposed to be yellow, not almost black with dark spots all over them!  All the books I’d ever read said so.  But spotted, 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?

Spell Check

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t happens every time I sit down to write on the computer.  I’ll be typing along, minding my own business, and suddenly little red lines will appear underneath several words, indicating they have been misspelled.  This drives me bonkers and the more I try to avoid misspelled words, the more of them I type.  Although my intentions are good, I simply cannot avoid the fact that before I complete this Tidbit, I will have stopped several times to correct my typographical errors.

Of course there are also the times when I spell a word correctly but the word itself is completely wrong.  All of you are very kind to overlook my errors but I do appreciate it when you bring them to my attention.  Many times I have emailed a Tidbit only to discover a misspelled word or a misused one.  When I come across them or when they are pointed out to me, a deep groan wells up within me and I thoroughly regret having committed such a blunder.

There is, however, a positive side to the spellchecker on my word processor.  It constantly brings my shortcomings to the fore and makes me aware of the numerous mistakes I make when I write.  Were it not for this feature, I would make many more errors and my writing would be completely riveted with all types of blunders.  The role of the spellchecker is to locate my mistakes, no matter how small, and to bring them to my attention so I can correct them.

It shouldn’t surprise us to learn that the idea of the spellchecker goes all the way back to the time of Christ.  Jesus often spoke of our mistakes and how God’s love is so complete and so pure that he will not allow any flaw or any sin to blemish our character.  God means to bring into the open anything that prevents us from conforming perfectly to the image of Jesus so that we will bring glory and honor to him.

Luke 12:2 demonstrates this great truth, “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”  There are two distinct sides to this passage of scripture.  We can find both a word of warning and a word of encouragement in these words from our Lord.  As a warning, Jesus states categorically that everything we do will one day be brought to light.  That is, all our actions, our motives, our feelings, and our intentions will all be revealed.  God is not as interested in what we do as he is in the spirit in which we do it.  Performing noble and worthwhile deeds is meaningless if the motives of our heart are anything less than pure.

However, this passage also serves as a great encouragement to the Christian.  Seen in its positive light, this passage tells us that God is constantly watching over us, supervising our actions, motives, thoughts, and deeds to point out the areas where we make mistakes.  Spending time in his word reveals the areas in our lives which need attention.  These areas are the ones constantly underlined and highlighted as we write the story of our daily lives. As soon as we do something wrong, God’s word brings it to our attention so we can correct it.

As with the spell check feature on a word processor, we do have a choice.  We can both acknowledge the error and correct it or we can choose to ignore it with the intent of “fixing” it later.   Unfortunately, once we choose to ignore the warning, seldom, if ever, do we actually go back and change our mistake. The result is a document full of typos and misspelled words and those errors cause distractions for those reading our writing.

Are you heeding or ignoring God’s spell check of your life today?  Do you see the areas that are underlined, indicating things you need to correct and work on?  Are you taking the time to address these areas of difficulty or are you ignoring the warning, thinking of attending to them later?  Remember, God brings the areas of our lives into light so we can become more like his son.  Won’t you let God run your life through his spell checker today? 

Giants In The Land

I

t had been a long, tiresome journey from Egypt.  For centuries, the Hebrew children had awaited this day, the day when they actually learned first-hand what the Promised Land looked like.  All of Israel knew the story of Father Abraham and the promise God made to him so long ago.  They had told their children of Isaac and Rebecca, of Jacob and Esau, and of Joseph and his coat of many colors.  According to his wishes, the people had exhumed Joseph's body and had brought his bones to be buried in the new land. 

Forty days before, a band of twelve men entered the land with instructions to spy on its inhabitants and to seek out and bring back some of its produce.  Excitement and tensions mounted as the people eagerly awaited word of the spies' arrival back in camp.  Everyone's imagination conjured up vivid scenes of vast tracts of fertile land, oases laden with palm and date trees, and all types of exotic produce succulent to the eye and to the taste.  What had they seen?  What would be their assessment of the land and its people?  What advice would they give Moses for entering the land?

Finally, the word came that the twelve had returned.  Everyone pressed in close to hear the report and to learn about their new home.  Not a sound was made as the twelve recounted their findings.  Two men, Joshua and Caleb, displayed a large cluster of grapes that required a large pole and two men to carry.  Surely, they had found the land to be truly flowing with milk and honey, just as God had promised. 

But suddenly, the excitement vanished and fear gripped the people.  Several of the spies gave vivid descriptions of the land's current inhabitants.  Everyone listened intently to the report and one word sent fear and despair through the crowd.  That word was GIANT.  Yes, there were giants in the land.  Of the twelve, only Joshua and Caleb felt they should proceed.  The other ten, were not so enthusiastic and their opinion carried the day.  The people refused to move forward.

What a tragedy this was for Israel.  For over 400 years, they served as slaves in Egypt, longing and praying for the day of their deliverance.  God brought them out of their bondage with a mighty hand and led them to the border of the land he promised Abraham.  All they had to do was to enter it and possess it.  However, they stopped short of enjoying God's provision and experiencing his deliverance because they chose fear instead of faith.

Numbers 14:9 records the faithful words of Caleb as he tried to persuade the people to take the land, “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”  Like the other spies, Caleb had been in the land for forty days.  He had seen the giants and their fortified cities; he had observed their technology and their standard of living.  He knew their strengths and he also knew their ability.  But Caleb also knew God's promise.  He believed God's word to be true, that the land was theirs, that all they need do was take it.  

The reports of the other spies focused on the giants in the land.  They compared themselves with the giants and became afraid. Numbers 13:33 records their reaction with the following words, "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Like the children of Israel, we all face difficulties and challenges.  There are always giants in the land that strike fear in our hearts.  Some of these giants come in the guise of health problems and some giants strike at the very hearts of our families.  The giants of self-doubt and discouragement loom on several horizons as well as the giants of failure and guilt. 

Today's scriptures present us with two different perspectives on God's promise.  We, like the ten spies, can look at our present situations and concentrate on the giants in our paths.  When we do this, we become grasshoppers, small, weak, and incapable.  Or, like Caleb, we can focus on God and his promise to be with us in all circumstances no matter what.  When we do this, our problems become bread for us, because God is with us.  In the first circumstance we yell, "Retreat!"  In the second scenario, we yell "Attack!"

Whatever your circumstances are today, remember that God never intended for the children of Israel to stop short of his provision.  He never intended them to enter the land by themselves nor to conquer it by themselves.  Instead, his plan was for them to possess the land by fighting their battles and routing their enemies before them.  And God intends us to live the same way.  He is waiting for us to decide whether we will attack or retreat.  The choice to attack is ours; the battle is God's!

This Morning's Breakfast

There are so many things that are good about Saturday morning.  I don’t have to set my alarm clock, my calendar doesn't have appointments every fifteen minutes, and I can pretty much do as I please, a distinct change from the five preceding days of the week.

One of these little luxuries is a full breakfast; I mean bacon, eggs, coffee, grits, toast, the whole nine yards.  As the sun sleepily rises and the aroma of coffee winds its way through the house, I prepare the bacon, eggs, and toast, eagerly awaiting the moment when all the elements come together for a culinary masterpiece.  Ok, so I’m not a gourmet chef, but I get by.

Once everything is ready, I sit down at my table, turn on some soft music, and begin to enjoy the fruits of my labor.  After breakfast, and after the kitchen is cleaned, I start my day.  Throughout the morning as I come and go, I notice the lingering aroma of bacon that has permeated everything in the house.  Now the smell of bacon at 6:00 a.m. is distinctly different from its aroma at, let’s say, 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon.  It just seems to lose its appeal after seven hours and becomes more of a nuisance rather than a real pleasure.

This idea was not lost on the writer of Hebrews.  In fact, he fully understood that sin in one’s life is exactly like the aroma of my breakfast that lingers long after the initial enjoyment is gone. In Hebrews 11:25 we read, “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.”

This passage is taken from Hebrews 11, a chapter better known as the Hall of Fame of faith.  Numerous people from both the Old and New Testaments are listed here as examples of the kind of faith that pleases God.  In this particular passage, the writer speaks of Moses who led Israelout of four hundred years of bondage to the land promised to Abraham.

There are two quick thoughts tucked neatly away in this passage.  First, notice that the writer describes sin as pleasurable.  This is an accurate description.  No one would be tempted to do something that wasn’t pleasurable to them and yielding to that pleasure, in whatever form, constitutes sin.  But the author doesn’t end there.  Notice he states that these pleasures last only for a “short time.”  Just like my breakfast, the meal is short but the aroma hangs around, serving as a reminder to me and a signal to others of what I had for breakfast.

Left unchecked, sin permeates everything, invading the very fabric of our lives until the aroma we produce is unpleasant to ourselves, to others, and especially to God.  The blood of Jesus Christ serves to remove and totally eradicate the odor and stain of sin in our lives.  What does the aroma of your life say about you today?  Is it attracting or repelling those around you?  What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Coming Home

“Y

ou want to do what?”  I can still hear my father’s reaction when I proposed spending my junior year living and studying in France.  My college had a well-established year abroad program and several students took advantage of it each year.  Initially, my dad wasn’t too crazy about the idea but after much coaxing and cajoling on my part, he finally buckled, gave in, and I got to go.

I arrived in Europe on September 2, 1983 and began 10 months of study, travel, and new experiences.  It didn’t take me long to discover that a year abroad meant so much more than just seeing the Eiffel Tower or visiting Paris.  France was a completely different world with a different language, a different way of doing things, and different people who knew nothing about me.

Eventually, the novelty of being several hours from Paris, Rome, Munich, Geneva, Monte Carlo, and other famous places wore off.  Although I was able to adjust to the lifestyle and to master the language, I had this growing desire to return home and see my family.  As June 1984 approached, I found myself getting more and more excited about the prospects of returning home and I began making my preparations.

Finally, the day arrived.  After a flight that lasted an eternity, I met my mom and dad at the airport.  My dad was the first person I saw and we hugged each other.  I will never forget that day.  The trip home went by very quickly while we caught up on the past ten months.  My dad did not take the most direct route to our home.  I didn’t think anything about it but when we crested the hill above our home, I saw a huge line of cars on both sides of the street. My mom said they decided to throw me a “little” homecoming party. 

I don’t know how many people were there but it was a wonderful surprise and a great way to come home.  All my friends and family members were there as well as food!!  I had forgotten how wonderful home cooking was, especially the taste of mom’s sweet tea!  What a way to come home!

Jesus told a similar story of a young man who also had a wonderful coming home party thrown in his honor.  He, too, had traveled abroad to live in a “far country.”  However, he didn’t go there to study or to improve himself in anyway.  Instead, he went as an act of rebellion, to prove to himself, to his father, and to others that he could live his life as he pleased.  He failed!

The attraction of the far land lost its allure for him.  He squandered his money and he had to find a way to earn a living.  He took a job, feeding hogs just to make ends meet.  Finally, he realized that he could go home and work for his father, so he packed his bags and left.

As he turned onto the road leading to his house, his father spied him.  His dad, it seems, had been looking forward to this day for a long time.  Let’s look at this father’s reaction to this son who returned home in shame and disgrace.  Luke 15:20b says, “"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Surprised?  Instead of scolding this young man, instead of telling him, “I told you so,” and instead of giving him a lecture, this father runs to him, kisses him and welcomes him.  And that’s not all, he throws one heck of a coming home party to celebrate his son’s return.  It didn’t matter that the boy had rebelled or that he had gone far away and lost all he had.  All that mattered was his return.

Do you know of a better picture of God than this?  Before accepting Jesus Christ, we all live in the distant country of sin.  One day, sin loses its allure, we wake up to discover we are hungry with no means of feeding ourselves, and we decide to return home.  

We find it impossible to believe God will forgive us and that’s when we get a big surprise.  He has been looking for us all along, just waiting for our return.  He runs to us, hugs us, kisses, us and throws one heck of a party because we have come back to him.  It is said that we can’t go home again.  Fortunately, this phrase is not in God’s vocabulary!  How long has it been since you’ve been home?

Hey, Look What I Found

T

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 got 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.  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’s 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 coin, and the lost son. 

It is the second parable, the parable of the lost coin, 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 invited 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!