Busted

 

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ost people would never associate mining with North Carolina. In fact, when most people think of North Carolina, they imagine rolling hills, lush forests, vast tracts of pasture lands, sand dunes along the coast, and trees of every variety.  This is all true and very accurately describes my home state, but there are other things about the area that people just don’t consider.

Very close to my hometown, was a large mine which removed lithium ore from the ground.  North Carolina is one of the leading states for the production of this mineral.  The mine employed many people in our area and provided for an interesting field trip for the local school children. I will never forget seeing that large hole in the ground nor the size of the equipment needed for removing the huge boulders left after blasting occurred.

One of the by-products of the mine was gravel.  Large boulders were crushed into smaller rock which was sold to companies and individuals to be used for various reasons.  I went with my dad once to the mine to get a load of gravel.  The parking lot behind his business used to be gravel and after so much wear and tear on the lot, it was time to replenish the old gravel with new.

We took a large dump truck, drove to the mine, paid for a load of gravel, and waited for it to be loaded.  While we were there, I watched them make gravel.  It was a very interesting process.  Large boulders were placed into a heavy piece of machinery which proceeded to break the large chunk into millions of small fragments and shards.  The noise was deafening but when it was over, the large boulder had been rendered into very small pieces which could then be used for driveways, flowerbeds, drainage ditches, etc.  The large rock was useless; but once broken into pieces, it had many new and useful applications.

This is a wonderful lesson for us today.  Many times, in the Christian life, we feel as if God is breaking us into smaller pieces.  He digs deep, pulls out a large chunk of our hearts, and then places it in the grinder.  Just when we feel we have nothing left to give, God takes what we have and crushes it into smaller pieces.  Although we don’t understand why, his purpose is to make us more useful for him.

Jesus demonstrated this at the feeding of the five thousand.  A little boy brought him five loaves and two fish.  Among so many people, they were nothing.  They would hardly feed a little boy, much less a throng of five thousand people.  Yet, when Jesus took those items in his hands, he fed the multitude, until all of them had as much as they wanted.

Matthew 14:19 shows how Jesus accomplished this task, “And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”  Jesus gave thanks for the fish and the bread and then he broke them.  That is the secret we need to see today.

In their original form, these loaves and fish could only feed one little boy.  They were meant for his lunch, to sustain him until he arrived home for dinner.  However, when Jesus began to break them, they took on much more ability.  Not only did they feed the little lad, they fed the entire group with twelve baskets full of pieces left over.

Today, you may feel as if you are being broken and crushed.  From your perspective, this brings confusion and frustration.  From God’s perspective, however, it makes perfect sense.  He is using you to touch the lives of countless others, others who are tired and hungry for spiritual food.  Who knows how many people your life will touch if you will yield yourself to the Master’s hand?  Won’t you let him break you today?

The Soud of the Hammer

 

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he beating of hammers, the whir of circular saws, the loud steady thumping of a jackhammer, and the constant sound of huge trucks moving mounds of earth indicated that something big was happening next door.  Almost overnight, the bleak, vacant lot adjacent to my complex was converted into a large construction zone with people and material pouring in from all over the place.

The first few weeks witnessed a great deal of activity but it didn’t appear as if any progress was being made. Still, the sounds of construction boomed and echoed throughout the neighborhood so we all knew something huge would soon take the place of that empty lot—and soon was right!  Out of nowhere, faster than you can blink your eye, a new apartment complex sprung up.  Only a few days before there had been nothing but mounds of dirt, overturned boulders, and piles of rocks and felled trees.

The construction workers, however, kept beating with their hammers, cutting with their saws, and breaking up boulders with their jackhammers.  The sounds grew in intensity as the buildings slowly but steadily reached toward the sky.  Soon, all the frames were built and the exterior walls and roofs were attached.  I couldn’t get over the speed with which these construction workers assembled that complex.  But throughout the entire project, the sound of the hammer continued to ring out, telling everyone that construction was not yet complete.

I often wondered if there was anyway the workers could be just a little quieter, especially at 7:00 in the morning.  Even though I am a morning person, I don’t relish the sound of hammers and saws so early.  If only they could make all their cuts away from the site and assemble the buildings in silence.  The men would have enjoyed their work more and the neighborhood would have been a much quieter and saner place to live.

Now I know what you’re thinking.  Dreaming that a construction company would make all its cuts and measurements off site is exactly that, a dream!  Yet there is a story in the Old Testament where this type of construction actually happened.  The workers, however, weren’t building an apartment complex or a community of homes.  Instead, they were constructing one building, the most important building in the history of Israel, the temple of Solomon.

The task of building the temple actually started with Solomon’s father, King David.  The king wanted to build the temple himself but God would not let him.  He told David that no one with blood on his hands could build the temple and David’s hands were very bloody. However, he would be responsible for gathering all the materials for the temple but his son, Solomon, would actually oversee its construction.

So when Solomon was ready, he gave the order to build the temple.  It was to be the most wonderful building ever constructed with all the finest materials Solomon had at his disposal.  But Solomon had a little different idea about the construction of this building. So important was the temple in Jewish life that Solomon wanted the entire process to be one of honor and worship to God.  He therefore gave the order that no sounds of hammers or other tools were to be heard at the temple itself.  All materials were to be pre-measured, pre-cut, and completed before being brought to the temple to be fitted into position.

1 Kings 6:7 explains this for us, “And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.”  I have often marveled at this verse of scripture and tried to see in my mind how the workers assembled this structure.  There was a holy hush in the place, a quiet reverence that descended upon the place that would be God’s house.  No tools were allowed to break this silence and every stone placed inside was placed with precision and with purpose.

When we stop to think that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, that we are the very dwelling place of God’s presence, it behooves us to stop and consider just what types of sound are heard in our temples.  How often does silence and reverence for God’s presence hold sway over our lives?  Are we laying the stones of our lives with precision and purpose, ever aware of His presence?  Is there a holy hush about our lives that indicates we have brought every thought, word, and action under the control of Jesus Christ?  As we continue the process of constructing God’s temple, is it obvious that we are using quality materials, laying a solid foundation on which we build our relationship with Him? 

Wherever you are today in your walk with the Lord, ask yourself this question. “What sounds are emanating from the construction site of my life?”  Are you living in revered silence before God’s holiness, making sure every thing you do is for His glory or is the sound of the hammer, the saw, and the jackhammer drowning out all indications of God’s presence in your life?  Something to think about today!

Your Call is Important to Us

 

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ou know how it goes.  You need some information so you spend several minutes trying to find the correct number in the phone book.  Of course, the number you're looking for is always listed in the most illogical way and when you do find it, there are several numbers from which to choose.  You always select the wrong one and then begin eliminating numbers until you find the one you're looking for.   On a scale from 1 to 10, your frustration level is a 5. You take a deep breath, dial the number, and wait.  As luck would have it, the line is busy, so you hit the redial button, not once, but several times.  Finally, the line is clear and it begins to ring and your frustration eases off to level 2.

That's when it happens.  The phone on the other stops ringing and you hear the all-too-familiar recording telling you how glad they are you called.  The message goes something like this:  "All lines are busy.  You're call is important to us.  Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order in which it was received." 

You roll your eyes, take a deep breath, check your pulse, and bite your lip.  The frustration monitor is now at 8.  You begin questioning the sincerity of the recorded message that is now playing for the fifth time.  If your call were really that important, someone would be on the phone speaking with you, assisting you, and listening to you.

Several times a day, we find ourselves spending more time in conversation with a machine than we do with those closest to us.  What is amazing is that we actually spend time listening to and believing the machine

However, it is not the machine's message that upsets us as much as it is the fact that we feel unimportant.  Instead of receiving priority treatment, we are assigned a number, placed in long line, and our call is addressed by someone we don't know, in a place we've never heard of, asking questions we can't answer, helping us with a problem we didn't call to report.  No wonder we get frustrated!!

Isn't it wonderful to know that God does not work like this?  In the book of Psalms, David gives us example after example of God's interest and care for his children.  He refers to us as sheep receiving constant care from our great shepherd.  In the Psalms, we come to know God as our defender and protector, one who knows us intimately and who knew us before we were even formed.  Here, we understand that God planned all our days and that he seeks a deep and meaningful relationship with us.  In the Psalms we find strength, courage, reassurance, peace, comfort, and grace.

In Psalm 34:15, David writes, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry."  What a wonderful promise this is, especially when placed against the background of our world today.  God is never too busy to listen to us or to understand our situations. 

The first part of this verse speaks to God's awareness of his children.  His eyes are on us, no matter where we are, no matter what we are facing, no matter how difficult the trial.   We are precious to him and considered righteous, not because of what we've done on our own, but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and because of who we are in him.

The second portion speaks to God's availability.  He is always aware of our needs and listens when we pray to him.  He gives us his undivided attention and is always open to our requests.  We have direct access to his throne, and can reach him at anytime, from any place, concerning anything, speaking any language, even the language of tears and silence.  His ears always hear us because God listens to our hearts.  No request is too large, no prayer is too small, no cry is too soft, and no praise is too loud.  Our God hears us, no matter what.

God does not own an answering machine!  You will never receive a message requesting you wait.  Instead, you will be speaking directly to God himself, not on the second, third, or fourth ring, but on the very first try!

A Nice Cup of Tea

 

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 cup of hot tea is a wonderful way to begin the day!  There is nothing I like better than waking up, going into the kitchen, opening the pantry, and getting the ingredients to make hot tea for breakfast.  There is very little needed to make a cup of tea, just teabags and hot water.  Although the elements are few and simple, the result is wonderful, flavorful, and especially enjoyable.

This morning as I placed the teabags into the coffee pot and filled it with water, I realized something I hadn’t before.  The tea is made only when the water flows through them, and not until then.  I flipped the switch on the coffee maker and listened as it began pumping water through the filter and down into the carafe.  Slowly but surely those little drops of hot water transformed the dry tea leaves into a hot, satisfying drink for my breakfast.  As the water flowed through the bags, the water became a dark, robust, liquid full of rich flavor.  All the taste that had been locked in those dried leaves now came bursting forth.

When the process was complete, I let the tea steep for a few minutes to bring out even more of its flavor. In the pot, unseen to my eye, the water continued to pass through the bags and through the leaves, drawing out the last bit of flavor they contained.  Without the water, the tea was worthless. It remained in its bag, full of potential for making a good morning drink, but lacking the power to fulfill its mission.

The Christian life is analogous to making a cup of tea in the morning.  Unless the Holy Spirit is flowing through us, we are not living a life that is pleasing to God nor can we.  We do not have the ability to live the Christian life apart from the Holy Spirit.  All our thoughts, all our intentions, all our actions, all our efforts are useless and worthless unless the Holy Spirit flows through our lives.  Without him, we resemble the teabag out of water—useless and unfulfilled.

In John 3:21 Jesus speaks to his disciples about the role of God in our lives.  Too often we want to take the credit for things we have done.  Too often we want to blow our own whistle instead of giving God the glory. In this passage, Jesus reminds us just how important God is to us, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Here, our Lord leaves no room for doubt.  We do nothing in and of ourselves; it is God working through us that accomplishes His purposes.  What we need is the constant dripping of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives, moving through us, drawing out everything that will create a life full of worship, praise, and truth.  Unless the Holy Spirit moves and works through us, it will be impossible for us to bless the lives of others.  The dried tea leaves can never provide nourishment for anyone unless the water flows through them.

Let us take this to heart today.  We must realize that we need God at every moment in the day, in every place where we are, and for everything that we do.  It is His power and His spirit flowing through us that make our lives pleasing to Him.  When we allow God to flow and work through us, we are able to share His love, His truth, and His salvation with those around us.  Without Him, however, we can do nothing and our lives are ineffective and incomplete.

Today, when you are having a cup of tea or coffee stop and think about the process the beans and the leaves went through to make that beverage.  Then ask yourself if God is flowing through your life.  Are you providing others with spiritual refreshment?  Are your actions, thoughts, words, deeds, and motives submitted to the working of God’s Holy Spirit?  Are His love and His power flowing through your life today?  I think I hear the kettle whistling!!

Daybreak

 

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he sound of the piercing alarm clock rouses me from a deep, restful sleep.  The room is still dark, but the first tendrils of daylight indicate that the sun will soon rise in the east and a new day will start.  The alarm is still sounding so I throw back the covers, get up, walk across the room, turn off the alarm, and then climb back into bed for “just a few more minutes.”

As I lie on my bed looking out the window, I notice that it is steadily growing lighter outside.  I can now see the outline of trees, houses, and the birds and squirrels have started their early morning jaunts and their never-ending search for food and water.  Soon, the highways will be filled with people going to appointments or hurrying to their jobs and another hectic Friday will be in full swing.

But for now, the sun continues its steady approach and light is rapidly overtaking the darkness that has held the world captive for the past several hours.  I enjoy this time of the morning, as the night gives way to the day.  Although the darkness tries to linger for “just a few more minutes,” it is no match for the light.  The sun totally dispels all the darkness and chases it away, making everything clear and visible.

Isaiah knew what it was like to watch God create a morning.  I’m sure he watched the sun rise and dispel all the darkness and the gloom of night.  Perhaps that is why he used this analogy to speak of the coming Messiah and of a time when all would be made clear and visible.  He wasn't speaking about seeing the physical world better, but about having a clearer spiritual understanding of God and his plan for mankind.  Isaiah knew that the coming of the Messiah would remove the spiritual darkness holding mankind captive and would replace it with the burning light of God’s salvation, love, and mercy.

In Isaiah 9:2, the prophet writes these words, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”  Can you think of a better way to describe a sunrise than this?  Isaiah heard an alarm sounding, indicating that the long night was ending and a new day was beginning.  From his vantage point, he could see the small but perceptible tendrils of God’s light that would one day dispel all the darkness of sin from the earth.

We are now living in that light and that light is Jesus Christ.  Jesus, himself, said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12).  Jesus fulfilled the promise Isaiah made so many years before.  The light of God’s salvation did come and it did remove the darkness from the world.  But notice that in order to walk in this light, we must follow Jesus.  He is the only way to God and he is the only means of light in a dark world.  Only by believing in and following him can we ever hope to leave the darkness behind.

Is it dark where you are today?  Are you walking in the light of Jesus’ salvation?  You can.  Listen carefully and you will hear the alarm clock sounding.  It is God’s voice calling you from the darkness to walk in his eternal light.  Won’t you get out of that spiritual bed and watch the sunrise today?  You will never see things in the same way again!

Homesick!

 

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t was a terrible evening. My second day at church camp had gone well but as the sky began to darken and the time to go to sleep in a strange bed approached, I found myself feeling less and less well. Yeah, I was suffering from my first bout of homesickness and boy was it ever a textbook case. The church camp was located about three hours from my home. I was very excited about attending church camp but that evening just thinking about my room, my parents, and good food, made me want to go home. So, I did what any kid would do. I called my dad at 10:00 in the evening and said, "I want to come home." Do you know what he did? He came after me!!!!

We all face times of loneliness in our lives. Sometimes these feelings stem from a sense of loss, or we feel that others just don't understand us. At other times, distance between people makes them feel lonely because they are separated from friends and loved ones. Sometimes this separation is emotional and sometimes it is physical. And, the worst of all scenarios, sometimes it is both. That was the case with me, as a seven-year-old boy, far away from home.

The Apostle Paul experienced similar situations in his life. Not only did he know what it was like to be away from family and friends, he also knew what it was like to be imprisoned, hungry, beaten, abandoned, betrayed, and shipwrecked. Yet, he writes what may be the most beautifully penned words of assurance in chapter 8 of his letter to the Romans. Verse 35 reads "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" This is a very important question because sometimes we feel that Christ has forgotten us. We feel there are so many things separating us from him and getting close to him seems impossible.

Fortunately, Paul has a wonderful answer to this question in verses 38 and 39. He writes, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." What a promise!

That night, long ago at church camp, I was very lonely and felt very separated from my family. Yet, I knew that if I called my dad, he'd come and get me. Although there was physical distance between us, nothing could separate me from his love. This is God's promise to you and to me. He who watches over us and cares for us with a love far richer than our earthly fathers will be there to answer the phone and come get us when we are lonely. We have his word on it, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

Break A Leg

 

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rowing up as a kid is hazardous!   There’s always some kind of danger attached to whatever it is you’re doing. There are bruises, cuts, scrapes, busted lips, black eyes, sprains, splinters, I mean the list goes on and on. 

Going out to play is tantamount to walking through a mine field!  You never know where one of these little hazards is lurking nor when it will decide to make its presence known. But of all the hazards just listed, there is one that strikes fear into every kid and parent and that is a broken bone! 

As a kid, I’d have to say I didn’t disappoint on this front.  From poison ivy to busted lips, I made sure I experienced all of these. It’s almost like I had a check list and marked each of one these as an accomplishment, getting me ready for the next adventure. But the broken bone, instead of coming later in my development, came early—way early!

It was on a sunny afternoon.  My babysitter’s son had taken me to the store up the street to get some candy. I rode my red tricycle with the Batman license plate, letting everyone in the neighborhood know that I meant business.  We went up the street, got the bag of candy, and headed for home.  When we reached our driveway, that’s when the fun began.

Our driveway was a hill with our garage at the bottom.  I wanted to ride my tricycle down the hill, just like Batman entering the Bat Cave. So, with a small shove from my companion, I started down the hill.  The garage got closer and closer, approaching much more rapidly than I had anticipated. Our car was not parked in the garage and the opening looked like a large mouth just waiting to devour me.

Not wanting to be eaten, I put my feet down to slow my progress. That’s when the pedal hit my right leg, bringing the tricycle to an abrupt stop, flipping me over, causing candy to cascade all over the driveway.

Right away I knew something was wrong because my leg really, really hurt. I was crying and was quickly carried into the house.  Mom and dad came home and the next thing I knew I was in the doctor’s office hearing that my leg was broken. 

The leg was set in a cast and I was told it would be six weeks before the doctor removed it.  Six weeks without riding my tricycle or playing outside!  To a kid, this was worse than life imprisonment.  But the doctor explained that the leg had to rest and be completely still so it would heal and grow back stronger than before.

There is a real application here to our spiritual lives as well.  In our Christian walk, we experience, bruises, bumps, scratches, etc.  But often, we are broken and in need of repair.  A simple bandage won’t do; we need to be set and immobile so that God can heal us.

The prophet Isaiah knew that sometimes our spiritual lives need to be placed in a cast in order for us to heal. His words in Isaiah 40:31, a very familiar passage, hold a great lesson for us today.  He writes: Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Can you find the cast in this passage?  It’s there in the little word, wait. It’s only four letters, just like cast, but what a punch it packs.  So often in our walk with the Lord, we get in a hurry, we rush ahead, and we dare to venture into places where we shouldn’t go. Only when we hit hard, are thrown off balance, and break something do we realize we need him to restore us. That’s when he comes along, picks us up, puts us in a cast, and makes us wait. 

But if you look closely, the results of waiting, of being still, are that we gain new strength, we soar, and we run and walk without getting tired.  I didn’t like being in that cast for six weeks, but when the cast came off, my leg was stronger, better, and I was much wiser for the experience.  That is what God wants us to see today.  The cast is necessary for healing to take place.  Are you in need of a spiritual cast today?

What A Peel

 

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ne of the most intriguing areas of the grocery store is the produce section.  I am constantly amazed at the variety of fruits and vegetables constantly on display in this area.  As the seasons change, the produce aisle changes as well.  Fruits and vegetables, normally out of season in our country, find their way to our shelves from other areas of the world where they are grown in abundance. 

One of my favorite fruits is the banana.  No matter the season, produce managers in every grocery store proudly display this tropical fruit in abundance.  Almost everyone I see in the produce section stops to look at the bananas and most of these people pick up a bunch to take home.  Each week, I buy a bunch of bananas myself.  As a matter of fact, it takes me almost as long to find the right bunch of bananas as it does to complete the rest of my shopping.

Now, you may be wondering why it takes me so long to select a simple bunch of fruit.  Well, have you ever stopped to consider the process necessary for selecting a bunch of bananas?  Consider this!  When approaching the produce stand, you are attracted by the initial color of the bananas.  They all look so pretty, dressed in their brightest yellow jackets.  However, upon closer inspection, you find some of the bunches are still green, meaning they are not yet ripe, and others are dark, indicating they are past their peak.  Sometimes, the peels are very dark, almost black indicating the bananas are either way too ripe or, perhaps, rotten.

Yes, you can tell a lot about a banana by its peel.  After all, what you are after is on the inside but you make your selection based upon the outside of the fruit.  Hmmmmm, this sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Somewhere, Jesus spoke about fruit and its application to our spiritual walk with him.  Somewhere he made a connection between the type of fruit we bear and the type of person we are.

Matthew 7:20 is a small sentence but it packs a powerful punch.  In this verse, Jesus says,“Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  In this particular passage, Jesus underscores a great spiritual truth, namely, that our exterior attitudes and actions indicate the interior conditions of our hearts and souls.  The way we act towards others, the way we spend our time and money, the way we care for those around us, all indicate the type of person we are.  Although we claim to be spiritual and truly concerned for others, our words are not the true indications of our commitment to God.  No, our actions indicate to those around us just how deep and true our commitment to God is.

The banana peel is the criterion I use to select the fruit I buy.  If the peel is too green, I don't choose it because the fruit is immature and not ready for use.  Likewise, if the peel is too dark, I know the banana is bad and will not serve my purposes well. However, the banana with the healthy yellow peel is my choice every time.  I know that the fruit inside will be good, ripe, and ready for use.

It is the same with us.  Everyday we are surrounded by people searching for answers to their questions.  Most of them, although they may not know it, are looking for God.  All around them they see people professing to be Christians, but their lives reflect nothing of what God stands for.  Like the initial approach to the banana display, they are attracted by what they see and hear about Christianity.  They are drawn to it and want to learn more about it.  However, upon closer inspection of Christianity's fruit, that would be we Christians, they find that some fruit is too ripe, some is not ripe enough, and other fruit is simply rotten.

What better reason could their be for us to take inventory of our relationship with God?  Let us come before God, before the ultimate fruit inspector, and learn the true condition of our hearts toward him.  Let him weed out every part of us that is immature or rotten so that we display only the best fruit.  Our lives, in all aspects, must be true and consistent.  The outward appearance of our lives will reflect the inward condition of our hearts.  The question then becomes one of good fruit or bad fruit, ripe or rotten, useful or not.  Jesus' words are true, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  What does your life look like today?

Do You Know Who This Is?

 

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ne morning I returned home to find a message on my answering machine.  After putting my books down and arranging a few items on my desk, I turned my full attention to the blinking light of the answering machine.  There were a few new messages left for me while I was in class.  I listened to each message, discarding the ones from car salesmen, credit card companies offering me new cards with outlandish limits at obscene interest rates, and one from a company wanting to sell me vinyl replacement windows.  Since I lived in the men's dormitory at Southwestern Seminary, I didn't figure they'd appreciate me authorizing the replacement of the dorm's windows with vinyl ones, no matter how energy efficient they were.  Finally, I came to the last message.  It only took one initial sound to tell me that my father left the message.  The message began, "Blake, this is daddy..." He always begins his messages this way, although I know the sound of his voice from the first utterance.

It is amazing how we recognize the voices of those dear to us.  We can differentiate the sound of their particular voices even when we are surrounded other people.  Who hasn't received a phone call and known within seconds the person on the other end of the line just by the sound of his or her voice? 

Jesus taught this same lesson to his disciples.  John's gospel paints different pictures of Jesus but none so loving and endearing as the portrait of the Good Shepherd.  Jesus referred to himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10 and spoke of his relationship with his sheep.  In John 10:2-5, Jesus describes this relationship in the following manner: "For a shepherd enters through the gate. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.”

This scripture shows just how intimately Jesus knows his own.  It is well known that sheep respond only to the voice of their shepherd.  He is the one who feeds them, who guides them, who protects them, who cares for them, and who loves them.  They will not respond to a stranger, but will only do the bidding of their shepherd.  We, as God's children and followers of Jesus Christ, are like sheep.  We hear his voice and we must follow him.  It is Jesus who cares for us, who protects us, who guides us, and who loves us. 

Not only do we know him but he knows us.  The shepherd knows every intimate detail about each of his sheep.  He understands, loves, accepts, and nurtures each individual sheep.  His voice is distinct, clearly discernible above the noise of the world.  He calls us to quiet pastures, to still waters, and to rest.  He never sends us out on our own, but always goes ahead of us, so that every situation we experience, he has encountered before us and is with us in every trial and joy.  The prophet Isaiah expressed this beautifully when he wrote, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).

How is your relationship; with God today? If he speaks and asks the question, "Do you know who this is?” will you be able to immediately recognize his voice?  I trust you can!

Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride

 

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ne particular Saturday morning, the weather was perfect.  The sun was shining, there were no clouds in the sky, the temperature was very mild, and there was little humidity to speak of.  It was the perfect day to tend to some much-needed errands before jetting off to attend a wedding Saturday evening.  So I got up early, made a few phone calls, ate a late breakfast, dressed, and headed out the door to tackle the day ahead.

First stop, the car wash.  My car was in desperate need of a bath and I don’t mean a quick suds and rinse.  What it needed was more like a blast from a water canon in order to remove all the “little surprises” left by several flocks of birds passing through the area.  So I headed down the road to visit a brand new carwash that opened only a few weeks ago.  I had a coupon and figured it couldn’t hurt.  Anything would have been an improvement in the appearance of my car.

I arrived at the car wash, spoke with the attendant who explained the different levels of service offered, made my selection, and drove around to wait my turn in line.  Finally, I was given the go ahead to maneuver my car into position.  I approached the entrance very slowly until the attendant motioned for me to stop my vehicle.  I complied with his request and he immediately applied a thick coat of suds and gave my car a thorough hand washing.  He then instructed me to inch forward and place my front tires into an automatic conveyer system that would conduct my car through the remaining portion of the wash.  He was very clear with his instructions:  “Place the car in neutral.  Take your hands off the wheel.  Don’t apply the brakes until you reach the end of the line.”

It had been a long time since I remained in the car while the car wash machines did their thing.  I noticed that as the conveyor system took charge, the car moved forward on its own.  The steering wheel moved but the car maintained its steady, forward pace.  I was no longer in control.  A sudden noise jolted in my seat.  Strong water jets pummeled my car with pressurized streams removing all the dirt and grime caked on the outside.  Then I was under attack by several blue swirling brushes that scrubbed the dirt from the sides of my car.  The windshield was also a prime target as huge, soapy strips of material covered it, totally obscuring my view.  The car continued to inch forward in spite of the fact I didn’t know where I was going and could see nothing. Finally, I arrived at the end of the line where my car was dried by several strong automatic fans.  When I exited the car wash, my car was clean.

As I drove a way, however, I realized I had just experienced something the Apostle Paul spoke of over two thousand years ago. In his writings, Paul used the term “in Christ” on numerous occasions.  But I wondered if I really had a true grasp of what Paul really meant.  After the car wash, I believe my understanding of that term has greatly deepened.

Like the car wash, being in Christ has certain elements that go along with it.  The first is relinquishing all control of our lives.  Jesus must take the wheel, steering us in the proper direction, even though we can’t see where we are going.  There will be sights and sounds along the way that frighten and worry us.  The path ahead may be completely obscured and at any moment the rough circumstances of life may brush against us, causing us pain and discomfort.  But none of these things can harm us as long as we are in Christ.  As long as I remained in my car, I didn’t get wet, I wasn’t’ beaten around by the brushes in the car wash, the killer soapy strips didn’t beat me about the head, and although I couldn’t see where I was going, the conveyor system had a firm grip on the car.  As long as I remained in the car, I was safe.  Although I was aware of all the commotion and the scrubbing action against my car outside, inside I was safe, comfortable, and dry.

In 1 Corinthians 1:4, Paul writes, “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.”  This is such a comforting and revealing statement by the Apostle Paul to his readers.  Paul makes two wonderful observations in this sentence. Paul speaks of God’s grace and being in Christ in the same breath.  He rightly observes that we only receive God’s grace when we are in fact in Christ Jesus.  Being in Christ means that we have placed our lives in his hands and that we relinquish utter and total control to him. We go where he leads, when he leads, and obey his commands, trusting in him at all times.  When we place ourselves in Christ, he surrounds us and protects us from the things in life that would separate us from God.  This does not mean life will never be difficult.  It does not mean we will never be tempted again or that we will never have any trying circumstances in life.  But it does mean that we will never go through these times alone and it does mean we can and will come through them with God’s help.

On that Saturday, I did indeed learn a lesson about God’s grace and being in Christ.  Had it not been for the car, I would have been soaked, sprayed, scrubbed, soaped, and washed up.  However, inside the car, although aware of all the commotion on the outside, I was safe and calm on the inside.  The ride may not have been one I would have chosen on a daily basis, but I was able to sit back and enjoy it.  I was not upset by it because I knew that I was secure in the car and that nothing on the outside could penetrate its protection.  Keeping this in mind, we must ask ourselves one question:  Are we enjoying our ride down life’s highway today?  If we are in Christ, the answer is yes.  If not, help is just a prayer away!

Everything Looks Fine

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buried Treasure

 

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ne of my favorite books is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.  I have read the book several times and have often pretended I was on some deserted island in search of lost treasure.  What little boy, or big boy for that matter, hasn't imagined what it would be like to hunt for buried treasure?

I played out this scenario quite often, especially while looking for quarters to do laundry when I lived in the men’s dorm.  Finding the correct change involved rummaging through drawers, looking under the bed, and checking in pants’ pockets.  Unlike Treasure Island, though, there was no map and ‘X’ never marked the spot.

Laundry and money never seemed to be a problem when I was growing up.  My clothes magically appeared, washed, pressed, and folded.  Whenever I needed money, and it seems I needed it often, I would ask my mom to give me some.  Her response was always the same:“Bring me my pocketbook.”

I learned at a very early age that a woman’s pocketbook was a wonderful thing.  They have everything in there, from paper clips to super glue.  However, I also learned not to go poking around in them for the very simple reason that they are impossible to navigate.  More than once I have gotten lost in there.  My mom, however, always knew where everything was in her purse. How she knew, I never figured out, and, although I could never find her billfold, she always located it.

What, you may be wondering, does rummaging around in my mom’s purse have to do with today’s devotional?   How could there ever be a connection between Psalm 119 and my mother’s pocketbook?  Well, actually the two have quite a bit in common.  Psalm 119:11 reads,“I have hidden your word in my heart. that I might not sin against you.”  David’s message is very clear in this passage from his longest psalm.    We must hide God’s word in our hearts and make it a part of our daily lives.  We must be able to retrieve it at a moment’s notice, to be able to find the hidden treasures and the wonderful promises God has made to us all.

When God’s word is securely hidden in our hearts, when it becomes a part of who we are, when it penetrates to the deepest levels of our being, then we will indeed have buried treasure.  We can tap this resource at any time, in any situation, and draw upon it for strength, comfort, assurance, and help.  We hide God’s word because it is precious and of infinite worth.  Just as we base our physical lives upon the treasures hidden in our bank accounts, so must we base our spiritual lives upon the treasures God’s word hidden in our hearts.

At any given moment, most people can tell you how much money they have in the bank or in a stock portfolio.  However, most of us would be hard-pressed to give an accurate balance of our knowledge of God’s word.  In fact, most of us are severely lacking in this area. 

If we believe God’s word is our source of strength, knowledge, and the basis upon which we build our relationship with him, doesn’t it make sense to hoard as much of it as possible?  Doesn't it make sense to hide this treasure, to bury it deep in our hearts and guard it with all diligence?  Remember, Jesus himself said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21).

Yes, when I needed some money, a Band-Aid, or a cough drop, I always asked my mom for help.  She always asked for her purse because whatever I needed at the time was in there.  God’s word is the same.  Everything we need is contained inside.  However, if we never read it, it we never store it, if we never hide it deep inside, we won’t have enough of it or of him to sustain us in our time of need.  So, how much hidden treasure is there in your life?  If its secret hiding place were discovered, would you be rich or poor?

Promises in the Dark

 

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t is sometimes necessary to enter the darkness to find all that God has in store for us.  On the slopes of Mount Sinai, Moses entered into a thick cloud of darkness to talk to His God while the rest of the people remained at a distance.  Oh, what a blessing we find when God separates us from everyone and everything and calls us into the darkness where we discover His light!  After all, light shines brightest when all around is pitch black!

Abraham, that great man of faith, whom the Bible describes as the friend of God, also had his dark moment when God spoke to him in darkest night and made him the greatest promise of his life.  It was in the darkness that Abraham learned that he was to be the father of many nations and that his descendants would be without number.

Genesis 15:12-16 records this for us. “As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.  Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."

Again we find God’s man in darkness; in fact it is a “thick and dreadful darkness.”  I would ask if there were any other kind of darkness.  If you can see, it isn’t dark!  But in this impenetrable fortress of darkness God makes His everlasting promise to Abraham.  There are, in fact, five promises here.  1) Abraham descendants will be strangers and slaves in a foreign land for four hundred years.  God has given Abraham’s descendants a history when none of them yet existed!!!  2) When the years of slavery are over the country responsible will be punished.  3) The people will come out with great possessions. 4) Abraham will die in peace at an old age. 5) His descendants will gather at the very place where he is having this conversation with God.

We know from the Scriptures and from history that every one of these promises was fulfilled.  Had it not been for the thick and dreadful darkness as well as the deep sleep that fell upon him, Abraham would have never received these promises from God.  When we earnestly seek our Father, we find His most endearing and enduring promises.  Sometimes, and perhaps more often than not, God surrounds us with thick darkness outwardly so that His light can shine on us inwardly.

Promises in the dark!  Is God speaking to you today?

Wind Advisory

 

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ne morning I awoke to the sound of wind whipping outside my bedroom window.  The wind was not constant but came in gusts, sending a wooshing sound across the shingles, along the windows, and around the walls.  The forecasters had been correct in their prediction that gale-force winds would visit the Dallas-Fort Worth area during the evening and would most likely remain with us throughout the day.

The morning’s newscast confirmed those predictions.  Our entire area was under a wind advisory until 6:00 the evening and all ready the news anchors had warned everyone to drive very cautiously and to take extra care, making sure to keep both hands on the wheel.  I could just imagine how interesting my morning commute was going to be!  I decided I’d better leave a little earlier than usual.

Anyway, back to that wind.  The tree in my front yard continued to take great bows as if it were being applauded for a stellar performance.  My bushes were joining in the act as well and the flags at the entrance to our community were fully extended.  The effects of the wind could be seen everywhere and I heard it as it whippe around the corner of my house and over my rooftop.

But inside, it was safe, warm, and cozy.  The lights were on, the coffee maker worked, the toaster was operating at peak performance, and the heating system ensured that I would not get cold.  All this is happened on the inside because the house had a good foundation and was built very well.

All this brought back the parable Jesus told of two men who built very nice houses.  But when a storm came with wind and rain, the end result of those structures was very different. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 7:25, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

There are a few things we need to glean from this small verse of scripture.  First we need to notice, that even though this house was built on the rock, the storms still beat against it.  There will be storms in life, especially the Christian life, as we live according to God’s commands and not the world’s whims.  Second, even though the storms beat against the house, it stood firm, protecting those who lived within.  It performed as a house should and it did so because its foundation was firm, solid, and sure.

As I learned several years ago, the most important part of any house is its foundation.  The carpet, paint, wallpaper, flooring, bricks, etc. are nothing if the foundation isn’t secure.  No matter how lovely or ornate the structure, unless it has a firm and sure foundation, the building has been constructed in vain.

And how about us today?  Are we standing firm?  Does the foundation of our lives hold us securely when the storms of life come?  Is the wind howling around you today?  Are the rains beating against you with seemingly merciless force?  Take courage!  Your house will withstand the rains, and the winds, and anything else life can dish out if your foundation is Jesus Christ.  This does not mean we will be free from pain or difficulty but it does mean we have a strong underpinning, a firm foundation which cannot be shaken.  So, how’s the weather where you are today?  Are you under a wind advisory?