Yard of the Week

 

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he sign in our neighbors’ front yard said it all.  As people drove by they would slow down to read the wording on the sign staked clearly in the center of front yard.  As they read the caption, they almost came to a grinding halt, causing somewhat of a traffic hazard right there on Main Street.  For those of us who lived in the neighborhood, the sign only confirmed what we knew to be true about the people living next door. It came as no surprise to us; no one was shocked by the display.  In fact, we were all quite pleased to see that everyone in our community had taken notice of something that was just par for the course to all who knew both our neighbors, Mom and Pop Jenkins and Mr. and Mrs. Buzzby.

I will never forget that morning.  It was late spring, warm enough to wear shorts but not yet warm enough to go barefoot, at least that's what mom said.  Since it was Saturday, I got an early start, not wanting to waste any of my precious free time from school by staying inside.  I wanted to be outside. So, I got dressed, threw open the front door, and out I went.  As soon as I stepped down from our front porch I saw it, and from the number of cars riding slowly by, I wasn’t the only one taking notice.  Right there in Mom and Pop’s front yard was a big sign with the words, “Yard Of The Week” prominently emblazoned across it.

For several weeks, one of the local clubs had been sponsoring a contest.  Several citizens in our community boasted spectacular yards complete with burgeoning flowerbeds and manicured lawns.  A quick drive through several neighborhoods left you with the feeling of being in an extended botanical garden.  In order to show its appreciation to these fine folk and to encourage others to follow suit, a contest was suggested and begun.  Each week a group of judges would ride around town and select a home with a gorgeous yard. The committee would then send one of its number to place the coveted “Yard Of The Week” sign in the yard before people started stirring.  It became quite the talk about town as to who would win the award next.

A few weeks earlier, Mr. & Mrs. Buzzby, our neighbors across the street, had also been honored with this recognition.  Like Mom and Pop, the Buzzby’s yard was always beautiful and their rose garden was breathtaking.  No one was shocked when their yard was chosen either because their dedication and love for plants and flowers was evident in all they did. Mom and Pop were the same way.  They were always working in their yard even when they were into their 70’s.  I never knew a weekend when either Mom and Pop or Mr. & Mrs. Buzzby weren’t in their respective yards, pulling weeds, tending to flowers, or mowing grass.  It was simply a way of life.  The dedication to their yards was only a mere reflection of the kind of people they were.  Recognition or no recognition, sign or no sign, these people were totally devoted to keeping their homes and their yards in immaculate condition.

The writer of the book of Proverbs understood and appreciated the character of a person totally committed to an endeavor.  In Proverbs 22:29, we read these words, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”  There is both a condition and a promise in this passage of scripture.  First, notice that the man described is a man who excels in his work.  The character of this individual is one of discipline.  He sees his work as a gift from the Lord and views his work as an expression of worship to God.  Therefore, he does his best to make sure his labor is done with integrity, with discipline, and with love.

The promise inherit in this passage speaks of the recognition he receives for a job well done.  The man does not work for recognition, and that is the key to his success.  He is content to do his work away from the limelight, with no attention drawn to him, without receiving any reward for doing his work.  This is indeed rare in today’s society but I was fortunate to grow up on Main Street where Mom and Pop and Mr. & Mrs. Buzzby taught me this lesson on a daily basis.

As Christians, we must be content do work for Christ in the place he has given us.  There can be only one Billy Graham, there can be only one Charles Spurgeon, and there can be only one Dwight L. Moody.  Following the train of thought then, there can only be one of you!  Are you performing your duty for God diligently?  Are you content to work for Him at your desk, in your home, ironing clothes, or raking leaves?  Do you realize there are so many people watching your life and they see your dedication and your faithfulness not only to your job but to God as well?  Our character and integrity in performing a task always reveal the type of people we are underneath.

The sign that day posted in Mom and Pop’s yard gave proof that others recognized their hard work and dedication.  But what is most worthy of note is that their yard looked the same years before the contest and years after it.  Mr. & Mrs. Buzzby’s, dedication, like that of Mom's and Pop's, was genuine with no need of a sign to affirm it.  This leads us to ask one question of ourselves today.  How dedicated are we in doing the Lord’s work today?  Are we working in such a way that the King would take notice of us?  The truth is He notices, whether we are dedicated or not!  I think it’s time I got back to work.  How about 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 book The 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!

I Will Be With You

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ost people who know me would agree that I am rarely at a loss for words.  In fact, they would tell you that it’s hard to get a word in, especially when I’m on a roll.  I believe that’s why I love teaching language. I get paid to talk and I make sure my employer gets the full benefit of the investment.  However, there are times when words don’t come so easily.  I receive a phone call telling me someone has experienced a death in his/her family, or someone calls because they’ve had a falling out with a friend, or someone wants to talk because they’ve received word that a loved one has an incurable disease.  How do you respond at a time like this?  What words can you say or what can you do to minister to their needs?

I will always remember the summer of 1999. I was working as a chaplain at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, located in the southwestern United States.  I was one of two chaplains on call for this particular week.  It was our duty to deliver messages, address conflicts, do interventions, and attend to the needs of both staff and campers when called upon. It was during this week that I had to perform one of the most difficult tasks of my life.

Early on Tuesday morning, my beeper sounded, requesting me to deliver a message to one of the adult advisors who was on the trail.  I took the message, wrote down the necessary information and made arrangements to locate the advisor.  The message I carried was not an easy one to relay.  During the night, the advisor’s mother had passed away and it was up to me to deliver that message.  I had never delivered a death message and I had no idea what to do or say.  In all honesty, I didn’t want to deliver that message and would have loved to pass it on to someone else.  I asked another, more-seasoned chaplain to go with me and he agreed.  On the way he told me he would help me and gave me good advice about how to deliver this news.  As a result of his counsel, the message was delivered and I was able to minister to this person’s needs.

If you’ve ever been in a similar situation where you didn’t have the “right words” to speak, you’ll be glad to know you are not alone.  Some of the greatest men and women of faith have also felt inadequate when called upon to minister to and serve others for God.  One such man was Moses.  God’s request that he return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh left Moses speechless and scrambling for excuses not to obey God’s command.  He was scared and had no idea what to say.  I mean it’s not every day a guy is called upon to walk into the throne room of the most powerful ruler in the world and demand the release of the entire labor force.  You talk about needing the power of persuasion!!!!!  But this is exactly what God required of Moses; and, in a similar way, it is what He requires of us.

Exodus 4:11-12 gives us a wonderful snapshot of Moses at the burning bush, talking with God.  Moses has given almost every excuse in the book and yet God still calls him.  But God does not intend for Moses to go alone.  He never says “Go down, tell Pharaoh to hand over the slaves, and then meet me back here when it’s all over!”  No! Look at what God tells Moses in this conversation. “The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

Like all of us, Moses gives God every reason for not being able to carry out the assigned task.  Moses had difficulty speaking, he had murdered an Egyptian, and he was a fugitive.  Not a very impressive resume, is it?  But none of that was important to God.  He knew all about Moses and called him into service anyway.  We must understand that when God calls us to do something for Him, He always equips us and prepares us for that task.  Look at the last sentence in this passage of scripture. God promises to help Moses and to teach him the words to say.  In other words, the actions Moses would perform and the words he would speak would both come from God.  God never asked Moses to free the people, and He never asked Moses to take on Pharaoh.  Moses was incapable of both these tasks.  But God did ask him to do what he was able to do—proclaim God’s message.

There is a great lesson here for us today as well as great comfort.  God always calls us to things that are bigger than we are.  He always assigns us tasks that are out of our reach, that are too great for us to handle, and that are impossible for us to perform.  Why does it seem that God sets us up for failure?  Moses certainly didn’t feel confident about his ability to carry out his mission.  But God didn’t let Moses fail because Moses had to depend on God.  That is why He gives us such difficult tasks, so we will depend on and cling tightly to him.  God assigns us the impossible, not to see us fail, but so that we will gain a better and more complete knowledge of who he is and his great love for us.    

Today you may be faced with sharing some difficult news with a friend, a co-worker, or a family member.  You might also be called upon to share Jesus with someone you know or perhaps a complete stranger.  The feelings of inadequacy are normal and so is a little fear.  But God has promised to go with you and to teach you what you are to say.  Go forward in his strength, in his provision, and in his love today.  You will not be disappointed and you will never, ever fail!

Residence Visa

 

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ince the advent of 9/11 and the terrorist attacks on the United States, greater scrutiny has been given to all those traveling both domestically and internationally.  People coming to the United States from abroad find it more challenging to enter the country and the process of acquiring a visa has become more taxing.

I understand a little bit of this process.  In 1983, as I prepared to leave for a year-long sojourn in France, there were several things I had to do.  The most important of these was obtaining a passport and then applying for a student visa.  I obtained the passport from the American government.  However, in order to legally reside in France for a year, I had to apply for a visa from the French embassy in Washington.  Without that visa, I would be unable to stay in Francelegally.

When my passport arrived, I called the French embassy and obtained the necessary forms to apply for a visa. I sent my passport to the French embassy in Washington and in a few short weeks, it was returned with an official seal attached to it.  That seal gave me the legal right to stay in the country for a year.

Sound familiar?  This process of obtaining a visa has wonderful applications to our spiritual lives as well.  All around us we hear people speaking about God and in light of recent world events religion has suddenly become very popular and very “politically correct.”  However, we must have a right understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.  We have to receive him as our savior and no other.  We must carry his seal and seek permanent residence in his kingdom.  That means receiving a residence visa from God giving us the right to live in his kingdom forever.  The seal on that visa is the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  Without that seal, we have no legal right to call ourselves God’s children.

In one of his most revealing statements about God’s kingdom, Jesus addressed this very idea of legal residence.  Matthew 7:21 records a very sobering statement by our Lord and one we need to read and understand. “Not every one who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” 

In other words, Jesus was saying that the mere outward appearance of being a Christian is not enough.  All the good deeds we do, all the church services we attend, all the good intentions we have, all the nice cards and flowers we send, and all the visits we make do not make us followers of Jesus Christ.  We must have his seal of salvation upon our hearts and accept him as Lord of our lives.  This is the only way to become a child of God.

When I was in France, the outside of my passport gave the impression I was there legally.  However, the inside of the passport bore the official document and seal granting me the legal right to remain in the country, to study there, and to live there.  We must ask ourselves what we look like on the inside.  Do we bear seal of Jesus Christ on our hearts?  Do we have the legal right to live in his kingdom for all eternity?  Are we doing the will of God, serving him faithfully from our hearts?  Have we obtained our visas for permanent residence in God’s kingdom?

Living In The Outfield

 

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hen I was a little boy, summer was my favorite time of year.  School was out, so no more books, it was hot outside, so we went barefoot all the time, and my best friend lived right next door, so we spent all our waking moments together.  Yep, summertime was the best time there was.  No cares, no worries, and all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted.  I didn’t realize how good I had it until I grew up!

Summertime also meant baseball and every kid in town tried out for one of the little league teams or one of several other minor teams sponsored by one of the local charities or civic organizations.  Every summer, I played ball and every summer I had the same position, left field! 

Playing the outfield on a small team in a small town isn’t very exciting.  Most of the hits never made it past the brown swatch of dirt separating the infield from the outfield. I watched as the pitcher delivered the ball which was either swung at and missed, or popped up, or tapped foul.  Occasionally, one guy would hit the ball hard enough so that it wondered into the outfield and for a few seconds there was a bevy of activity and then everything grew quiet once again.

I remember feeling that I had somehow been treated unfairly by being relegated to the outfield.  All I could do, it seemed, was watch the game go by with all the excitement happening on the infield, as the ball was thrown, hit, scooped, tossed, and thrown to the pitcher, the catcher, the shortstop, and to the guys playing the bases.  I felt like an outcast, being a part of the team but always seeing the game from the fringes.

Now believe me, it wasn’t at all as bad as it may sound.  I enjoyed my time and I played for several years.  But let’s face it, if you’re going to play baseball, you want to be in the game, to touch the ball, and to be apart of the action.  But in time, I grew to understand that playing in the outfield was a very important part of the game.  That as we grow older, the ball ventures further and further into the outfield and the ability to keep the ball in play becomes more and more the responsibility of the outfielder.

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of playing the outfield can be found in your Bible?  It shouldn’t!  One of the most important events in all history happened in the outfield and if you’ll open your Bible to Luke 2:8, you can read all about it for yourself.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.”  Each year as we approach Christmas, these words are repeated over and over.  Luke gives us a wonderful description of the announcement of Jesus’ birth as received by the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem.  But there are a few things we need to consider as we discuss this miraculous event.

First, please notice that the shepherds were professional outfielders.  The passage tells us that they lived in the fields and made their homes there.  While the hustle and bustle and the excitement of every-day life occurred in the streets of Bethlehem and other towns, these men were relegated to the outfield where seemingly nothing was happening.  They were on the fringes, literally, of the city but also of society.

Shepherds were considered one of the lowest rungs of society.  They weren’t trusted, they weren’t welcomed, they didn’t enjoy any social standing, and no one was filling out multiple job applications for shepherding positions.  It was a lonely existence and one which was neither appreciated nor coveted by society.

And yet, these are the men to whom God fist announced the birth of the Messiah!  For while shepherds weren’t the types of people growing businesses sought, they were the very kind of people ready to receive God’s message and His gift.  Shepherds were loyal, humble, patient, gentle, and would give all they had to protect and defend their flocks.  Their one thought was for their sheep, not for themselves, and they understood what it meant to live a life set apart from the rest of the world.

It is no wonder, then that God chose them to first hear the good news.  Throughout his ministry, Jesus preached that the last would be first.  Perhaps no where else in Scripture do we see this principle than at his birth when the last of society were the first to hear and share the good news.

I want you to take heart from this passage today.  Your place in God’s plan may feel like the outfield.  It may seem to you that others are experiencing great growth, multiple blessings, and great spiritual activity.  You might feel you are on the fringes just waiting for your opportunity to “get into the game.”  Just remember this:  there are no unimportant positions on God’s team.  Those who play the outfield are as important as those closer to the action.  God knows where you are and He is using you, even when it seems He is not.  Are you faithfully living in the outfield today?

Holding Hands

 

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he parking lot of the local grocery store is somewhat of a hazard especially on Saturday afternoons.  Honestly, it looks more like a flock of vultures circling a fresh kill as car after car makes the rounds ready to strike on the fist available parking spot within 100 yards of the front door.

I voluntarily entered this fray, joining the merry-go-round of cars looking for that perfect place to park.  Twice I was deprived of prime parking space by drivers who were better positioned than I.  One of the spaces was premo, I mean right at the front door.  But I buried my frustration and opted for an available spot further down the way.  It required me to walk a short distance but I figured it would be good for me to get some exercise.

Inside wasn’t’ much better. In fact, it downright was worse. At least the parking lot has lines showing you where to park and just where your limits are.  Inside the store, it was total mayhem as dozens upon dozens of shoppers vied and jockeyed for positions in the aisles, clawing and grasping at whatever was on the shelves.  I spent the necessary time to find my items and then, after a long wait in line, I exited the store, packed my trunk, backed out of the parking space, fought those still-circling cars of prey, and headed home.

Right in front of the store was a crosswalk and several people were standing there waiting to cross from the battlefield of parking to the battlefield of shopping.  Driver’s courtesy maintains that the pedestrian has the right-of-way so I stopped to let a young mother and her three children cross over.  She had one child on her hip and held the right hand of another.  Before crossing to the other side, she told her young son to hold on to his sister’s hand so they could safely cross.

That’s when it hit me.  Right there in a busy parking lot God showed me a wonderful picture of His love for me.  I don’t know how many times my own mom and dad have told me to hold their hands until we safely crossed a busy street, or wondered through a congested mall, or walked the halls of a hospital, new school, or some other scary place!

If this is how parents protect their children, then how are we to understand God’s protection for us?  Does the Bible give us any indication of just how close and personal God’s protection is?  Does God really take the time to hold our hand in times of trouble, distress, fear, or confusion?  The answer is yes and we need look no further than that wonderful prophet Isaiah to find our answer.

In Isaiah 41:13 we find the following words of assurance, “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.”  Now I ask you, with a promise like this should we ever worry about crossing the streets of life?  No matter how busy, no matter how dangerous, no matter how impossible the way may seem, God says He will hold our hand and that He will help us.  For this reason, we are not to fear, we are not to worry, we are not to fret, and we are never to lose hope.  Are you holding hands with your Heavenly Father today?

From Sleeping Embers To Roaring Flame

 

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t was on one of my first overnight camping trips with the Boy Scouts that I learned to build a fire.  This was one of the requirements for both the cooking and the camping skill awards. Both of these skill awards were themselves requirements for merit badges which were required for Eagle Scout!  Already I was sick of requirements! I wanted to have fun and build a fire and that is exactly what I did without thinking about the requirements.

My fellow initiates and I gathered as much wood as we could find. Fortunately, we were camping in a large patch of woods so there was plenty of fuel for the taking.  Finally, the big moment came when we arranged the kindling, lit the match, and started the fire.  From a humble spark, a huge fire soon grew.  The more wood we piled on the higher the flames grew and the more successful we believed ourselves to be.

It soon became blatantly apparent that we could not cook our dinner over such a huge fire.  The scoutmaster then explained we needed to let the fire die down and cook over the glowing embers.  That’s where the real usefulness of the fire was anyway, in the embers.  These were the bits that remained after the inferno.  They glowed red and could easily cook our food in record time.

After dinner we stoked those embers and built the fire back up.  It provided warmth and we sat around it telling stories and talking.  Occasionally, someone would chunk another log on the fire and the flames would jump to life, eagerly consuming the new source of fuel.  As the night waned on and the time for sleep approached, again our scoutmaster told us to let the fire die down.  When the flames were gone and glowing embers were all that was left, he taught us how to bank the coals for the following morning.  He insisted we would be able to resurrect that fire from the embers we protected overnight.  I was skeptical but in the morning I found his words to be very true.

I have thought about that first camping trip often.  Only in later years did I realize all the important lessons about life I learned in that patch of woods just a few miles out of town.  Over and over again in my mind’s eye I see that fire and stare once again into those glowing embers and I remember how they grew into a fire even after a long, dark night.

In 2 Timothy 1:5-7 Paul also teaches Timothy how to build a roaring fire from sleeping embers.  In this passage he writes, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. “

Here, Paul pays homage to the faith evidenced by Timothy’s grandmother and mother.  The same faith lives in Timothy but Paul wants him wake up those glowing, sleeping embers and fan them into a flame.  In order for effective embers to be made, there must be a roaring fire.  In order for there to be a roaring fire, sleeping embers must be uncovered, stirred, fanned, and fed.  This is what Paul encourages Timothy to do with his faith.  Paul wants him to stir up his faith and use it for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.  The fire in Timothy’s life will attract others to its warmth and provide the comfort and security found only in Jesus Christ.

What does your life look like today?  Is it a roaring fire or are the embers sleeping?  It’s time to wake those embers and fan them into roaring flames that will encourage and warm others along life’s road.  Have you learned the lesson of building and maintaining a good spiritual fire?  Is your heart’s fire roaring or sleeping today?

A Multiple Choice Test

 

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s a teacher, one of the “perks” of my job is making and administering tests.  My students believe I take some sort of sick pleasure in testing their knowledge—and they’re right!  But honestly, giving tests means work both for me and for them.  They take the test only once while I have to make it out and then take it for as many times as I have students.  They, however, never think about that.  If the test is four pages long and there are thirty students in the class, I have the privilege of touching one hundred and twenty pages to their individual four.  You want to talk about an uneven playing field?  Let’s talk!

The most popular test by far, and the most difficult to construct, is the multiple-choice test, a.k.a. the multiple-guess test.  It has been so dubbed because the answer is visible to the student provided he or she knows how to read the question and can successfully select the appropriate answer from a field of distracters.  As a student, this was my worst kind of test because I always thought too much and was easily distracted by the similarities of the possible answers.

One afternoon as I was driving home in the “predicted winter storm” that never materialized—don’t even get me started on that one—I turned on the radio to one of my favorite stations.  The speaker at a particular conference was speaking about the difference between believing in God, believing about God, and believing God!  You want to talk about a spiritual multiple-choice test?  Let’s talk and let’s see what the Scriptures have to say about it and just how much this will probably shake our convictions concerning what we believe. In Galatians 3:5-7, Paul writes the following words:  “Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.”

In this passage, as well as in the book of Galatians, Paul tells his readers that the life most pleasing to God is the life of faith.  Abraham knew this and lived his life by believing God.  Most of us today would make the following statements:  “I believe God is good, kind, loving, etc” or “I believe in God.”  While both of these are accurate statements they are not the type of faith Paul speaks of nor the type of faith Abraham displayed.

A person making the first statement indicates what he or she believes about God.  Likewise, the second statement indicates a belief that God exists. As regards this last statement we do well to remember the Scriptures tell us we are right to believe in God because the demons also believe and they tremble (James 2:19).  But neither belief in nor belief about God caused God to credit righteousness to Abraham.  What made Abraham’s life unique and what put him on intimate terms with God was that Abraham believed the Lord.  He simply took God at His word—end of statement!

Because Abraham believed God, he was able to climb Mount Moriah with Isaac knowing God would either raise the boy from the dead or provide His own sacrifice.  We see this belief when Abraham tells his servant that he AND the boy would return after worshiping the Lord and when he tells Isaac God would provide Himself an animal for the sacrifice.  It was not his belief in what Abraham perceived God to be nor was it his belief in God’s existence that sustained Abraham in his climb up that mountain.  It was the fact that Abraham believed God and knew Him.

Do we have this kind of faith today?  It is possible but so very rare.  Every day we take the test of faith.  How we answer it speaks volumes about our relationship and understanding of our Heavenly Father.  So do you A) Believe in God?  B) Believe about God?  C) Believe God?  What is your choice today?

Brick and Mortar

 

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n the summer of 2006, I developed a new afternoon routine.  On my way home from work, I would drive by my new house just to see if more progress had been made toward its completion.  Instead of driving to my apartment, I would exit the Interstate early, drive through a large neighborhood, and finally arrive at the house.

From the outside it didn’t appear much work had taken place and a peek through the windows revealed that the inside hadn’t seen much activity either.  Nonetheless, I still spent about an hour walking around the house, looking at every little nook and cranny just to make sure everything passed inspection.

The story at the house next door, however, was very different.  An entire team of brick masons was busily applying one course of brick after another, turning the wooden frame into a lovely bricked home.  From the looks of it, they had been at work most of the day and would have at least two more days of straight work before their task would be completed.

There were four masons working on one side of the house.  They worked as a beautifully orchestrated team with each one finishing his section of the wall in concert with the other masons working beside him.  No matter their position on the scaffold, each man performed the same task in exactly the same manner. 

When starting a new course of brick, each mason would place a generous layer of mortar on top of the previous row of brick.  He would then put a new brick into the fresh mortar, make a few adjustments to align the brick, scrape off the excess mortar, do the same with another brick, and so on.  The wall rose rapidly and in the 45 minutes I stood and watched them, these men placed 3 courses of brick on that wall.

What fascinated me the most, however, was not the number of bricks in the house; it was the mortar used to hold them in place.  For two weeks the bricks had been sitting on site, waiting for the masons to place them.  But without mortar, the bricks were useless.  They could be stacked against the house to form a wall, but without mortar that wall would fall and be unable to support or protect the house.  Without the mortar filing the gaps and cementing the whole wall together into one structure, the house would never hold together, much less pass inspection.

As I watched the interaction between the brick and the mortar, Jesus’ words from John 15:5 came to mind.  Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  This is the secret of the Christian life, knowing we can do nothing on our own.  We need Jesus to fill the in the gaps in our lives, to strengthen us, and to provide the means for us to weather the storms of life.

Without the Lord, we are useless, like bricks without mortar.  At the first sign of trouble, at the first strong breeze, at the first splash of rain, without Jesus, we crumble and fall.  No wonder we make so many mistakes and experience so many heartaches in life.  We try to do things on our own and in our own strength, realizing only too late that we have no strength save the strength Jesus gives us.        

It takes a lot of bricks to build a house and it takes a lot of days to build a life.  No one would ever purchase a house built with bricks and no mortar.  How is it then we settle for a life built the same way?  Jesus words are clear.  Without him, we can do nothing.  With him, we can do everything.  It’s all about brick AND mortar.  How strong are the walls of your life today?

A Frank and Open Discussion

 

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 love good conversations and if a cup of coffee is involved, so much the better.  The subject matter can cover a wide range of topics and as long as the discussion is engaging, I’m in!  The important thing to remember about good conversation is always to include people in the conversation who know more than you do.  Fortunately for me, this isn’t difficult!!  By talking with people who know more than you do, you ensure two things.  One, you will not dominate the conversation and two, you will learn something which is the goal of good conversation anyway.

If God invited you to have an open discussion with Him, what would you choose as your topic?  This is a very deep an probing question and speaks volumes about our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  “But God would never ask anyone to converse with Him on any subject” you might be saying.  If this is what you think, I’m going to ask you to pick up your Bible and just look at.  What do you think it is?  It is the recorded conversation of God with man throughout history.  This conversation is ongoing and includes you and me.

In the Old Testament we find an invitation to join God in a conversation.  Let’s open the invitation and see what it says.  It is found in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”  Wow, what an invitation!  Would you accept it?

In the opening chapter of Isaiah, God makes His case against Israel, giving example after example of how she has wondered away from Him.  They have consistently chosen their own way and tried to do things according to their own desires and the result has been exile, slavery, etc.  But now God speaks of restoration and bringing the people back to their relationship with Him.  That is why He offers them this opportunity to talk with Him.

Through this frank and open discussion, Israel learns that God wants to heal the wounds, that He wants to be a father to them, and that He loves them more they know, understand, or could even imagine.  Notice in the above passage that God invites them to “reason” with Him.  He wants them to understand, to see, to experience the salvation He offers them.  No matter how dark the sin, no matter what their past has been, no matter what the have done or failed to do, God says they can be clean, as white as snow!  I don’t know about you but to me that’s pretty clean!

Although Isaiah wrote this passage thousands of years ago, its message still rings true for us today.  God still invites people to talk with Him.  He wants us to understand what sin is and how it keeps us from having the relationship God wants to have with us. He also wants us to know that sin prevents us from being the people He intended for us to be all along.  How conversant are you with God today?  Do you want to talk to Him?  He wants to talk to you, He says so in His word.  Are you ready for a frank and open discussion today?

New Or Used?

 

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here is nothing like the feel and the smell of a new car.  Several years ago I bought my first new car since moving to Texas, not out of the desire to have a brand new vehicle but out of necessity!  The cost of the needed repairs for the old car exceeded its value so I decided to take the plunge and purchase something more reliable with a good warranty.  So one Saturday morning, I ventured forth, hit the road, and selected a new car.

The following Monday, I took delivery of my new vehicle.  I drove it out to my friend’s house where all afternoon everyone in the family took turns riding in it.  The air conditioner worked, the radio sounded great, and the inside of the car smelled wonderful.  That smell, by the way, disappears as soon as the first payment is made, just in case you’re wondering!

I now had to do something with my old car.  I decided not to trade it in but to sell it.  So the following Saturday, I climbed behind the wheel, shifted into gear, and headed for the used car dealership to sell my vehicle.  As soon as I got in, I noticed so many differences between the two vehicles, especially in the ride.  The old car didn’t drive like the new car.  Its gears were more difficult to maneuver, the ride was much rougher, the steering didn’t handle as well and the car took more time to respond than the newer one.

As I drove the twenty-five or so miles to the dealership, I had time to think about that older car.  For years I had been satisfied with it.  It provided transportation, it hauled my groceries, it took me places when I needed to go, and it was fun to drive.  However, it also cost me a lot of money just to keep it going.  The longer I thought about it, the more I wondered why I hadn’t replaced it sooner.  Given the choice between the two cars in my possession, I knew I would never be satisfied with the older car.  But it took the experience of a new car to teach me that lesson.  Hmmm, could there be a lesson for us to learn from this today?

The answer to that question is yes and we need look no further than the book of Numbers to find our answer.  The Children of Israel left Egypt and slavery behind.  They followed Moses into the desert and toward the land God promised to their forefather, Abraham.  There was nothing like the feel and the smell of freedom.  No longer were they under Pharaoh’s control.  There were no more whips, no more mud, no more bricks, no more burdens, no more humiliation, and no more forced labor.  They were freed from all of that by God’s mighty hand and they were going to a new life.

But several times during their travels, they looked back and longed for Egypt.  When things became difficult, when the road ahead took an unexpected turn, when they didn’t advance as quickly as they wanted, they longed for Egypt.  They spent more time longing for their old life in Egypt instead of enjoying the new life of freedom God provided.

We can see this in Numbers 14:4. “And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."  Can you believe they would make such a choice?  Can you believe they would opt for slavery instead of freedom?  Can you believe they would consciously choose their former life over their new one?  Well, believe it!  They did and so do we every single day.

The new life God promised His children required them to leave their old life behind.  They had to venture forth and walk across unknown territory to a place they had never seen.  The terrain was different but the ride was so much better.  They had manna in the morning and quail in the evening. Their clothes didn’t wear out, and all their needs were met.  Yet they longed for Egypt and wanted to choose another leader and go back.  In essence they chose a used car over a new one, with all the problems, costs, and insecurity that came with it.

Funny how we do the same thing.  We are afraid to step out and enjoy the new life God has given us in Jesus Christ.  Our old life always costs us and the costs always exceed the value.  A life without Jesus is worthless because it ends in destruction.  Moreover, there is no joy, no peace, no intimacy with God, and absolutely no freedom.  Why would we choose to cling to such an existence when God offers us something so much better?  Why do we, like the Children of Israel, insist on clinging to our former way of life when God, in Christ, offers us something so much better? 

What kind of life are you living today, used or new?  Believe me, there is no comparison between the two! 

I Need A Stepladder

 

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n August of 2002 I moved into my first apartment in Texas.  After living in the men’s dorm at seminary, I needed just “a few” items to set up house keeping.  My parents drove 1000 miles, dragging all my worldly possessions in a trailer behind my dad’s pickup.  He said he the next time he visited Texas it would be in a car and that he would bring nothing with him.   That is a promise he kept.  The next time they visited me, he drove his car and brought nothing with him from home.

Anyway, back to the first apartment.  We all hit the stores, searching for the items I would need in my new home.  Some of the items made perfect sense to me:  pizza cutters, potholders, non-stick cooking pans, etc.  Other items made sense but just weren’t on my list of “must-haves” for the apartment.  One of those items was a stepladder that my mother insisted would be of invaluable service.  So what do you think I did?  Like the dutiful son, I got the stepladder and it resides to this day in one of my closets, ready to help me whenever the need arises.

The need arose sometime later.  I needed to hang something in my apartment and I simply couldn’t reach it.  I went into my study, opened the closet where my books were stored, took the stepladder from its resting place, returned to my work area, opened the ladder, and used it to successfully finish my task.  As I climbed down, it dawned on my just how valuable that stepladder had been to me.  Without it hanging a fixture in my apartment would have been impossible.  The stepladder did what I could not.  It lifted me off the floor, raising me to a higher position from which I could complete the work I had to do.  What a wonderful picture of God’s provision in our time of need.

The Old Testament book of 2 Samuel tells the story of Mephibosheth, King Saul’s grandson.  Mephibosheth’s father was Jonathan, David’s best friend.  Jonathan made David take an oath that he would show kindness to Jonathan’s family after David became King.  In honor of that promise, King David learned that Jonathan had a son living in the town of Lo-Debar.  Mephibosheth was crippled in both feet because his nurse dropped him when he was five years old.  This is the background to the story found in 2 Samuel.

In 2 Samuel 9:5, 13 we read, “So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel…And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.”  In these two short passages we see the entire life of Mephibosheth.  This passage also contains a great truth that demonstrates much God has done for us because we have accepted his son, Jesus Christ as our savior.

Mephibosheth lived in Lo-Debar which means “not a pasture.”  Not a very promising name is it?  Coupled with the fact that Mephibosheth was lame, all indications point to the fact that he was not a successful farmer.  When David learned a member of Jonathan’s family was still alive he sent for him.  From that day forward, Mephibosheth ate at the kings table.  He was raised from a place that was “not a pasture” to eating from the king’s table.  You want to talk about a stepladder.  I’d say Mephibosheth received a pretty good boost!

But we need to see ourselves in this story about Mephibosheth.  Before coming to Christ we were dead in sin, living in a place that “was not a pasture” and had nothing to offer. Our sin also meant we were lame, incapable of walking the strait and narrow path God expects His children to walk.  But while when we accepted Jesus as our savior, everything changed.  Because we know Jesus, God raises us up to eat at His table.  We belong to Him and no longer live in a barren wasteland, going through life lame, stumbling and falling with every step we take.  God knows we need a stepladder to raise us and position us to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him. He provided that stepladder through the death of Jesus on Calvary’s cross.  When we accept him as our Lord and Savior, we receive a great boost!  We eat at the king’s table instead of wandering around in a land that is “not a pasture.”  Are you in need of a stepladder today?  Just open the pages of your Bible to John 3:16 and you will find one there!

How Do I Get There Daddy?

 

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y dad has one of the best senses of direction of anyone I know.  No matter the destination, no matter if he’s been there or not, he isn’t at all intimidated by driving across unfamiliar territory or blazing a path into the unknown.  This is one aspect of his character that drives my mom crazy!  Daddy never returns by the same route that he took to arrive at a destination.  So, as you can imagine, this has led to some very interesting trips in the family car.

Several years ago, I flew to Detroit, Michigan to purchase a car from a friend I met at seminary here, in Fort Worth.  Getting to Detroit was not at all difficult; the pilot did all the work.  I wasn’t concerned about which direction the plane needed to take to arrive in Michigan.  Once on the ground, however, it was a completely different story.

Fortunately for me, daddy was on the job. In fact, he had been on it for several days, studying maps, plotting out the most direct and the safest route for me to take. All I had to do was ask a simple question, “How do I get there daddy?’ and he did the rest.  I have a good sense of direction and I know how to read a map.  What I lack, however, is the years of driving experience my dad possess and whenever I travel, especially to unfamiliar places, I defer to a higher level of expertise.  Daddy possesses that expertise and he has never steered me wrong yet. 

From Detroit, he laid out a way home that was both enjoyable and low key.  He knew that driving a different car would be stressful and driving a manual transmission after having been accustomed to an automatic one, would require a greater level of concentration and attention.  He plotted a way home whereby I made good time but covered roads that were not heavily traveled.

The writer of the book of Proverbs understood what it was like to defer to a higher authority for directions.  Instead of a road across the country, he needed directions for his life.  In lieu of asking his earthly father for these instructions, he took his request directly to God, himself.  The writer preserved this wonderful piece of advice for us in Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” 

Please take a very close look at this passage.  In the first half of the verse, we are reminded that we can, and do, make decisions in life.  The writer says that in our hearts, which is in our inmost being, we determine what path we want to take.  We submit our plans to God and then allow him to work out the details of that plan.  The Scriptures are filled with examples of this.   Consider Abraham who wanted a son and God worked out the miraculous birth of Isaac. And how about Solomon who asked for wisdom and received much more because he submitted his life to God’s plan?

God cares very much about us and about the choices we make.  He alone knows what path we must take to fulfill the purpose he has for us.  God directs our steps and we must follow. Sometimes these paths take us into places we have never been before, but God goes on ahead of us.  At other times, the path grows steep and hard to travel, but God gives us the strength to persevere.  God knows what is best for us.  He will not make our path more difficult or more challenging than is necessary to ensure our safe arrival at the place he has for us.

The trip from Detroit was pleasant.  Taking the road my dad picked wasn’t always understandable.  At times, other roads seemed to be more direct and much easier to travel.  But daddy knew what I needed.  He understood my situation and he took it upon himself to make my travel the best it could be so I would arrive home safe, sound, in one piece, and more confident than I was when I left.  If this is how our earthly fathers lead us, how much more will our Heavenly Father direct the paths we walk every day?  Are you submitting your life and your way to him today?  Is he giving you traveling instructions and are you traveling by them today?