Get Into Shape

 

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y home is filled with things people have given me over the years.  In each and every room there is some token, some reminder of a dear friend, a family member, or a close confidant who has left, not only an indelible mark on me as a person, but also a tangible piece to remind me of our relationship with each other. 

Some of these mementos hang on the wall, some sit on counter tops, some are in my cabinets, and some are sitting on my desk and even now I am looking at them.  One such piece sits just below my computer’s monitor and I see it every time I am in the study, and I am in the study a lot.  The piece was given to me by very dear friends and it is unique to me.  It is my name, formed in metal to be used in a printing press.  When I see the name, it is backwards but when it is inked and applied to paper, it comes out just right.

In the spring of each year, there is a medieval festival close to hear and this piece came from that fair, from a craftsman who poured lead into molds to create type which could then be used to write almost anything.  This piece has occupied my mind on more than one occasion as I have reflected on the process of taking a hunk of metal with no purpose, specific shape or form, and turning it into something useful.

The process of making my name in lead type is not unlike the process God uses to make us into the image of His Son, Jesus.  Are you aware this is God’s goal for you?  Do you know that his desire is to mold you and shape you until you are the exact image of Christ?  If this is news to you, please read Paul’s statement in Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

This verse has given scholars, theologians, and a host of others much to think about.  It contains the words predestined and foreknew and has led to considerable debate on both sides concerning God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.  I do not have the answers to these questions and they are, for me, an on-going study.  But the word conform I do understand and it is that word I want to concentrate on today.

To be conformed to something, there must be change.  The lead destined for movable type must be altered from its natural state.  It must be heated to the melting point and poured into a container which will change its shape.  The success of the lead is judged by how closely it conforms to the original mold.  The mold is perfect and, in order to bear its likeness, the lead must be worked, smoothed, heated, and struck.

Sounds kind of violent from the lead’s point of view, doesn’t it?  Yet, every one of these steps is necessary to make the lead resemble the letters that are destined to turn thoughts into words that can be shared.  In the same way, God heats, melts, breaks, and removes everything in our lives that keeps us from resembling Jesus Christ.  His one goal is that we be conformed, or made into, the very likeness of his Son so that we can then share him with others. 

Wherever you are today in your walk with God know that he loves you!  He sent his son to die for your sins so that you could be conformed to his image and have a right relationship with the One who made you!  The conforming process isn’t always easy; but it is necessary.  Are you letting God get you into shape today?

Change The Station

 

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t’s one of my favorite past times or worst habits—I can’t decide which! Every time I get in the car, I immediately start cruising through all the radio stations on the dial.  Sometimes I am lucky, finding wonderful music as soon as I turn on the radio.  Most often, however, I don’t like what’s currently playing, or there are too many commercials, or the announcer just doesn’t peak my interest.  Whatever the reason, I will push buttons until I find something I want to hear.

If you stop to think about it, the radio is quite an amazing piece of technology.  All around us, radio waves are dancing through the air carrying news, sports, commentaries, and music to all parts of our world.  At any given moment, the air surrounding us is chock full of information but we can neither see it nor hear it.  In order for us to understand and enjoy the contents of those wonderful little waves, we have to have a radio receiver.  But more importantly, even with the receiver we must tune-in to the exact frequency in order to receive and enjoy those signals carried by radio waves.

It might surprise you to discover that Jesus, himself, spoke of this very phenomenon.  Now I am not claiming that Jesus Christ was like a teenager in car casually flipping through stations looking for the latest musical hit!  However, I am saying that the principle of finding the right frequency is a biblical concept and one that Jesus spoke to on several occasions.

The best example of this is found in John 5:17-19, Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working. For this reason, the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."

We must understand the context of this passage if we are to glean anything of substance from what our Lord had to say.  Jesus had just healed a man who was an invalid for 38 years.  Jesus found him by the Pool of Bethesda and asked if he wanted to be healed.  The man said yes and Jesus healed him.  This took place on the Sabbath, a day in which no one could do any work.  

The religious leaders of the day chided the man for carrying his bed on the Sabbath and he explained that Jesus told him to “take up his bed and walk.”  The leaders were furious!!  They took no notice of the fact that the man stood before them healed of his disease.  Instead, they were indignant that the law of the Sabbath had been broken.  They seriously need to change the station and tune in to God’s work, didn’t they?

Now, let’s not be too hard on the Pharisees because we are just like them!!  I know that statement is hard to read because it was hard to write!  We get so involved with all types of activities.  We attend every service, we look for committees to join, we invent ways “to do God’s work,” and we are always changing stations, believing that one activity is more holy than the next.  Unfortunately, in the process of changing channels, we never tune-in to what God is saying and we completely miss all the wonderful things He sends our way on a moment-by-moment basis.

Notice in this passage that Jesus says God is always working.  God never rests; He is always busy, working in our lives to make us more like Jesus.  Like radio waves, God’s presence and work are all around us but we must set our dial to His frequency!  Far too often we want God to tune-in to our frequency and get on our agenda!  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it simply won’t happen this way!  Jesus continued in the verse by saying that the Son, meaning Jesus himself, can do nothing except what he observed the Father doing.  Furthermore, Jesus said that whatever the Father did, he did also!  Stop and let that sink in deep!!!!  Jesus knew not only the importance but also the necessity of tuning-in to God’s frequency.  If the Son of God tells us that he had to tune to the right frequency to have the correct relationship with God, I ask you, where does that leave us?

Look at the radio on your desk, in your home, or think about the one in your car!   Whatever you are listening to today is made possible only by the fact that your dial is tuned to the correct frequency.  If this is true in the physical world, how much more important is this truth applicable in our relationship with God?  I encourage you today to stop flipping through all the spiritual channels, selecting only the ones that make you “feel good.”  Instead, open God’s word and tune you heart to His frequency today.  You will never be disappointed and you will always receive the best of the best on this frequency.  So what are you waiting for?  Change the station!

On The Other Side Of The Door

 

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here is something unique about the view from a hospital gurney. The ride from my hospital bed to the operating room seemed interminable because all I could see were the lights overhead as they passed by.  Voices unfamiliar to me were all around and my sense of direction was all out of whack!  Mom and dad were close by, following right behind as we made our way through the labyrinth of Duke University Medical Center on our way to the operating suite. 

When we arrived, the gurney came to an abrupt halt!  We had come to the green double doors that indicated the moment of separation had come.  On this side of the doors mom and dad were close by, giving me assurance that all would be well.  On the other side of the doors lay the operating room and the unknown.  After we said our goodbyes, the gurney moved forward, this time without mom and dad’s supervision, and I entered those unfamiliar surroundings all by myself!   

This is exactly how Joshua must have felt when the reality of Moses’s death and the realization that he would be the one leading the people into the Promised Land hit home. The journey to the Jordan River and the Promised Land had been a long one.  Joshua had experienced mana, the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day.  He had accompanied Moses to Mt. Sinai where God gave the ten commandments, and he lived through the 40 years of wondering in the wilderness.  He and Caleb were the only two of twelve spies left who had actually seen the Promised Land.  But none of this prepared him to take the reins from Moses and lead the people over the Jordan River to possess the land.

On this side of the doors lay the history of his people and all he had known.  On the other side, even though he knew the land was theirs, lay the unknown.  How would they conquer the land?  How long would it take?  Could he do it?  What would happen if he should fail?  The questions must have been innumerable in Joshua’s mind as he played out one scenario after another.

What Joshua needed was support and assurance and that is exactly what God gave him.  In Joshua 1:9 we find these words of comfort, assurance, and encouragement: ^“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Take a few moments, slow down, and read that verse again, very carefully.  Notice that it begins with a question as God reminds Joshua that he has given a direct command. Joshua is not to be afraid, he is not to be discouraged. No matter how long the conquest lasted, no matter how many cities he had to vanquish, and no matter the size of the armies he would encounter, God’s command was clear: be strong and courageous, do not be afraid.  These were not requests or suggestions; they were commands. But the commands were followed by the promise that God would be with Joshua every step of the way.  The word, wherever, means just that.  There was nowhere Joshua could go, no situation he could face, no obstacle he could encounter without God being right along beside him!

And how about today?  How about the situations in life that we face, the obstacles we encounter, and the situations that overwhelm us and seem to grow bigger and bigger with each passing moment?  God’s answer is exactly the same as it was on the day he spoke these words to Joshua.  No matter where we are, no matter what difficulties we face, no matter how impossible the circumstances, and no matter how dark the way ahead seems to be, the God we serve is with us wherever we go—no questions asked!  Just a few verses before this, God makes this promise to Joshua: “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Several hours after passing through those double doors I emerged. I was sleepy, tired, very sore, and completely changed.  On the other side of those doors God was waiting for me and, although surrounded by unfamiliar faces, voices, and difficult circumstances, I was not alone! And neither are you my friend, neither are you!

Equal Installments

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Made From Scratch

 

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lour, a sifter, a mixing bowl, milk, shortening, a rolling pin, and a dough cutter indicated mom was making homemade biscuits for supper.  No matter what else we were having, those biscuits made the meal all the more special and delicious.  I loved to stand in the kitchen and watch her make fresh biscuits.  First she would combine the ingredients in the mixing bowl and make her dough.  She would place flour on the cabinet top and turn the dough out on to it.  With her hands, she would knead and punch the dough until it was shaped in to a firm ball.  Her hands always amazed me and I loved watching as they skillfully worked to prepare the dough for the oven.

The only step now was to cut the dough into the round pieces that would become biscuits.  Mom took her rolling pin and began preparing the dough for the cutter.  She would roll the dough, first one way, and then another, until it reached a uniform shape and the desired thickness.  She then took the cutter and began cutting out round portions and placing them into a greased pan.  Every time she made a cut, she would hold the biscuit and shape it, making sure each one was the right shape and size she wanted.  When she could no longer get more biscuits out of the remaining dough, she would take the scraps and form a smaller biscuit in her hand—she wasted nothing.

Although the biscuits looked the same, each one was different.  All of them had come from the same batch of dough but, after cutting them out, mom had shaped and formed each one.  Each biscuit was unique and had a character all its own.  When they were done, she carefully took them out of the oven and placed them into a breadbasket.  Once they arrived at the table, it didn’t take us long to devour them.  It was my self-appointed task to make sure the biscuits were distributed evenly with each member of our family receiving an equal amount of bread. 

Would it surprise you to learn that God went through the same process when he decided to make man?  Did you ever stop to consider that when God made man, he did so with very special care and planning?  My mom could have used brown and serve rolls with her meal; but she wanted to make the meal special by putting something of herself into it.  That’s why she went to such great pains to make homemade biscuits.  Store-bought bread just wouldn’t do.

Genesis 2:7 gives us a good glimpse into God’s creation of man. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. There are two very small but important words in this passage that tell us volumes about God’s plan and design for mankind.  The first is the word “formed.”  Heretofore in the creation story, God spoke things into being.  However, when it came time to create man, God formed him.  In order to do this, God had to measure out the ingredients, mix them together, and roll them out.  In order to make us, God got his hands dirty.  He rolled the clay into a firm ball and then, using his hands, God formed, molded, and fashioned his masterpiece.

After he created a man, God put something of himself into his creation.  The second word is “breathed.”  God filled Adam’s lungs with his own breath and brought him to life.  What an intimate relationship this was.  Just imagine the moment before Adam breathed his first breath.  The planet was complete, the air was pure, and no human had ever breathed it.  However, instead of air, Adam inhaled God’s very breath and took into himself the source of all life!!!  Wow!!  You want to talk about a breath of fresh air, I’d say this qualified!!!!

After God breathed into Adam, he became a living being.  Without God in our lives we do not live; we merely exist.  All the other things God created just existed.  Man was the only thing God imparted life to by placing something of himself inside.  When Adam received God’s breath, he received life.  Just before his departure, Jesus appeared to his disciples, breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22).  God’s breath always imparts life to those who receive it.

I still enjoy watching mom make fresh biscuits.  Although the process is always the same, each batch is different from all the rest.  Her hands always know when the dough is ready and they always form each biscuit into just the right shape and size she wants.  God is the same way with us.  He knows when the dough is ready, he knows just how much we need to be rolled, stretched, and cut in order to become what he wants us to be.  He takes us in his hands and molds us and shapes us until we are just the right size and shape for his purpose.  In order for God to shape us, he uses his hands to roll, pinch, push, and shape us into the very image of Christ. The process may not always be easy but it is worth it.  After all, would you rather have homemade biscuits or brown and serve rolls?  In my opinion, there’s no contest!!

A Return-Trip Ticket

 

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efore I take a trip, I spend several days searching for an airline ticket that fits both my time schedule and my budget.  Usually, I start weeks before my departure so I can get the best deal on a good flight and make all the necessary arrangements traveling requires. 

The fastest and most expedient way to locate airline tickets is via the Internet.  Several services offer direct access to flight information and allow you to book and pay for the flight right online.  Moreover, you have the luxury of changing the dates, times, and locations of your departure and arrival in order to tailor the flight to your needs.  I just love to play with these buttons, changing the information just to see what will happen.  In all cases, though, I have noticed that purchasing a round-trip ticket is less expensive by far than traveling just one-way.

In recent weeks, I have spent time thinking about how this applies to the Christian life.  What does a round-trip ticket have to do with our lives in Jesus Christ?  Most often we see, hear, and share the fact that in order to come to God, we must have a one-way ticket and that one-way ticket is Jesus Christ.  This is so true and, in a nutshell, is the gospel.  However, today I want to concentrate on what Jesus did for us by his substitutionary death on Calvary.

The plan of salvation was made before the foundation of the world but the story of salvation begins in the Garden of Eden, in the book of Genesis.  Adam and Eve were created with no sin.  They had a perfect relationship with God enjoying direct access to him, talking with him, meeting with him in the garden, and living in complete fellowship with him on a daily basis.  All this was theirs until sin entered the picture.

Sin entered because Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  With one bite, they destroyed this wonderful relationship they had with God.  Gone was the closeness, the oneness, and the direct access to him.  No more could they walk with him in the garden or enjoy unhindered fellowship with God.  Sin, their sin, had erected a barrier between man and his God, a barrier that he could not remove because he was powerless to do so.

We see this truth in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.  Romans 5:17 tells us plainly, “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. “  In this passage, Paul reminds us that by one man, Adam, death, the result of sin (Romans 6:23), became a reality for the entire human race.  From Adam down, mankind has lived with death, but more importantly, man has lived behind the veil of sin, separated from God.  Not until the coming of Jesus Christ was it possible for man once again to enjoy the relationship Adam had in the beginning.

This is why Paul refers to “God’s abundant provision of grace…” in this passage.  Through one man, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, salvation is available to all who ask for it.  This is wonderful news and the cause for great celebration!  Through the gift of his son, Jesus Christ, God makes it possible for man to be reunited with him and enjoy a fulfilling relationship with him.  Adam’s choice resulted in a one-way ticket away from God; Jesus’ gift of salvation to all who accept it offers a return-trip ticket back to God.  By accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we have direct access to God and can enjoy the relationship we were meant to have all along. Are you holding a one-way or a return-trip ticket today?

Trash Bin or Recycle Bin?

 

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riday is the scheduled pick-up day for trash in our neighborhood.  On Thursday evenings, everyone on the block obediently places trash receptacles on the curb so the trash truck can properly collect all the garbage produced by all the households since the last pickup day.  Most people put their trashcans on the curbside by early evening, but someone always forgets to put the trash out the night before pickup.  As the truck comes rumbling down the road, this person makes a mad dash for the curbside, barreling down the driveway in pajamas, robes, slippers, or whatever was handy, arriving at the curb just in time to hand the trash off to the attendant.  All of us at some point or another play this part; personally, I’ve only played it once—I don’t relish the thought of a repeat performance.

For those people who choose to recycle, they get to do double duty.  A second receptacle for recyclable materials must also be placed at the curbside to be picked up by a different company.  Fortunately, the pickup day is the same but the containers are not.  The recycle container is blue while the trash receptacle is brown.  Items intended to be disposed of and never seen again must be placed in the trash bin (that’s the brown one) while glass, plastics, paper products, etc. are put into the recycle bin (that’s the blue one). This means people must choose between what to throw away completely and what needs to be recycled again.

As Christians, we must make the same choices about the way we view God’s forgiveness of sin in our lives.  The Scriptures clearly teach that God forgives and forgets our sin.  Psalm 103:8-12 states, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

When it comes to forgiveness, God does not recycle!!  He does not bring up repeatedly the sins we have committed.  He places them into the garbage bin and disposes of them completely.  Does this mean God completely forgets that we sin on a daily basis?  The answer to that question is no.  However, when we ask for his forgiveness, he blots those transgressions out and remembers them no more.  Although it is true God is omniscient, meaning, all-knowing, he remembers to forget the sins he has forgiven.  He does not hold past sins against us, and this gives us full and unbridled access to our Heavenly Father.

Why is it then we insist on dumping our sin into the recycle bin?  Every time we come to the Lord in prayer, we drag up past sins, we remind God of all that we’ve done in the past twenty years, and ask for his forgiveness over and over again.  The problem is this:  in God’s economy, he has no idea what we are speaking of.  There is simply no record of our former sins on his books.

It would be the same as arguing with a credit card company that has no record of you owing them any money at all.  At some point the account was paid by someone else and no matter how much you argue and insist you owe them $10, they simply have no record of an outstanding balance in your name.  You can recycle that $10 any number of ways but the end result is the same, there simply is no outstanding balance in that account; it is paid in full. 

This is exactly the way it is with God.  He throws our sins away, he separates them as far as the east is from the west, he refuses to remember them and he certainly doesn’t want to discuss them.  What he wants is for us to remove them from the recycling bin and toss them into the garbage where he can be disposed of them.  When we finally see and grasp this perspective on God’s forgiveness, we are humbled and grow closer and more appreciative of all that God has done for us through his son, Jesus Christ. 

The real question for us today is this: are we using the recycle bin or the trash bin today as a commentary on the permanence of God’s forgiveness of our sin?  The choice is up to us and demonstrates what we really believe about the power of Christ’s sacrifice for sin!

Right Down The Middle

 

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ur backyard was filled with all kinds of wonderful things for a kid to enjoy.  We had several trees that were great for climbing.  There was a swing set where we would swing all day and where my mom used to read on cool autumn mornings and warm summer evenings.  There was also a sandbox where we played Indiana Jones, convinced there were all types of buried treasure to be found.  And last but not least, there was a woodpile that was a wonderful hiding place for games or a challenge to climb.

We didn’t pay very much attention to that pile of wood during the spring and summer.  It was more of a nuisance because weeds grew up around it and mowing the grass surrounding the woodpile was indeed a laborious task.  However, as the summer waned into autumn, the woodpile took on new significance and required constant care.

I can remember my dad bringing a huge load of logs and placing them in a large pile in our yard.  My job was to turn those logs into pieces suitable for burning in our fireplace.  This could only mean one thing—work and plenty of it!  In their original form, the logs were too long and too thick to be useful in our fireplace.  They needed to be rendered into smaller, more manageable pieces and that meant I would be spending time splitting wood.

Our preferred weapon of choice was not an ax.  My dad used one, but taught us to use a sledgehammer and an iron wedge.  The idea was simple.  The wedge was placed in the center of the log and tapped into place with the sledgehammer.  When the wedge was firmly seated in the log, heavier blows were used to force the wedge into the wood, splitting it right down the middle to form two smaller pieces.  Depending upon their size, these pieces were then stacked or split once more into usable pieces for our fire. In order to be used, the wood had to be broken.

The idea of brokenness is found throughout the Scriptures.  In fact, the word broken appears over 130 times in the New International Version of the Bible. The Scriptures speak of laws being broken, of vessels being broken, of the necks of animals being broken for sacrifice, and of hearts being broken from sin.  Being broken, it seems, is just part of the human condition and plays a role in our relationship with God.

Leviticus 6:20-22 addresses a different kind of brokenness and expresses this as something that is pleasing to God.  Let’s take a look at this passage and see what we can learn today.  "This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.  Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the LORD . The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest shall prepare it. It is the LORD's regular share and is to be burned completely.”

This seems like an obscure verse of scripture until we understand what the Lord is saying to us.  Aaron was being anointed as priest over all Israel.  This was the offering he was to present before the Lord on the day of his appointment as priest.  Notice the last part of the passage and what it has to say about being broken.  The grain offering serves as a pleasing aroma to the Lord only when it is broken.  Aaron would only serve as an effective priest when he was broken into small pieces, humbled and yielding before the Lord. 

The same is true for us my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Before we can be used for God’s purpose, before we can accomplish any of the plans he has for us, we must be broken into small, usable pieces.  We must allow God to take the wedge of his love, to seat it firmly in our hearts, and to split them right down the middle before we can be used for his glory.  Notice that after presenting the offering before the Lord, it was burned entirely.  God wants nothing less than our all.  We must belong to him completely if we are to be considered a pleasing aroma before him.

Those days spent splitting wood in the backyard paid off later in the year.  During the cold months of November, December, January, and February, we were able to enjoy the light and the warmth from the fire in our fireplace. We were only able to this because the wood had been split and broken into pieces that would provide heat and light for our family.  Without the splitting, they would have been completely and utterly useless.

Is your life a pleasing aroma before God?  Are you allowing him to mold you and shape you for his great purposes?  When was the last time you felt God breaking a part of your life so you could serve as light and warmth in a cold world?  Where ever you are in your walk with God, don’t shy away from the sledgehammer and the wedge.  Let God take you and split you right down the middle in order to use you in a way you never dreamed possible!

Don't You Care?

 

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ummers in North Carolina are known for their heat and for their humidity.  The air is so heavy with moisture that a quick walk to the mailbox and back can leave you wringing wet.  The month of August is especially this way when the summer reaches its hottest point and all outside activity comes to a standstill. 

In addition to the humidity, Carolina summers are also infamous for the severe thunderstorms that appear from nowhere.  The day can be perfectly clear with few clouds in the sky.  Suddenly, large, black clouds form on the horizon, the sky grows an eerie gray, the winds increase in intensity, and the rains come.  Added to all this, keen lightening and loud claps of thunder frequently accompany these storms.  At times, the thunderclaps are so loud they shake houses and buildings to their foundations.

One of my aunts dreaded thunderstorms, I remember her coming over to our house with my cousins, riding out the storm because she didn't want to be at home alone.  She would sit on our couch and every clap of thunder caused her to shudder and grow more frightened.  The storms scared me as well, especially when the power went out.  However, I knew we were safe as long as we remained inside and as long as one of my parents was with us. 

Luke's gospel records a very famous account of a great storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had been teaching all day and he and his disciples were tired.  They got into a boat to cross over to the other side of the lake.  Jesus, worn out from the day's work, fell asleep in the stern of the boat.  Suddenly, from nowhere, a huge storm formed over the lake.  The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden, tumultuous storms that form suddenly.  Due to the geography around the lake, these storms are usually accompanied by ferocious winds, causing large waves on the surface of the lake.  These storms have led to the sinking of many boats caught in the middle of the lake when they appeared.

Understandably, the disciples are afraid.  They see the winds, they feel the boat rocking back and forth, and they know the swelling waves could sink them.  Can't you just see them?  They are panicked, scared, and at their wits’ end.  They don't know what to do, or where to turn.  They only know they are in trouble!!  And where is Jesus?  Where is their friend and confidant?  Where is the one who promised to be with them?  He is in the stern of the ship, asleep!  Yes, in the middle of all this chaos, Jesus is sleeping!

The disciples wake him and fire one question at him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"(Mark 4:38).  Jesus, having been roused from a sound sleep isn't startled, angry, or the least bit agitated.  Their question doesn't offend or shock him.  However, instead of answering verbally, he demonstrates his care for them by calming the winds and the waves. 

This is always God's way.  He is not upset or shocked or agitated when we ask questions like the one the disciples asked Jesus.  Who among us hasn't wondered where God is at certain times in our lives?  Who among us hasn't asked why bad things happen if God loves us?  Who among us hasn't honestly wondered if God cared, really cared about his children?  We have all asked these questions and, perhaps, we are asking them now. 

Life's sea is not immune from storms. Nowhere in the Scriptures does God promise us that smooth sailing lies ahead for those who follow Christ.  On the contrary, Jesus promised us we would have difficulty in this life but that we should be happy for he has conquered the world.  Notice that Jesus is in the storm with them, not hiding out somewhere, but he is right there in the boat with them.  This is a great truth.  God is not way out in space, far from reach.  Instead, he is with us in our trials, sharing our difficulties, experiencing all the things we experience in life's challenging moments.

Like the disciples, we often accuse God of not caring, of not paying attention to our needs.  These questions and accusations are usually born out of frustration, anxiety, anger, and fear.  At such times, God does what he does best.  Instead of verbally telling us he loves us, he shows us.  He wraps his arms around us and holds us to his chest.  There it is safe, warm, peaceful, and free from all care.

Today, if you are experiencing a storm in your life, don't be afraid to call out to God.  He knows where you are, he knows you are afraid, he knows you are anxious, and he knows you are frustrated.  Do what the disciples did, go to him, make your request to him plainly, and let him show you how much he loves you!  Had it not been for the storm that day, the disciples would have never learned what it is to have God say, "Peace, be still!"

Whose Side Are You On?

In a fight, especially one that really counts, it is always good to know who’s on your side.  This was the position the people of Israel found themselves in as they marched around the walls of Jericho for seven days in a row. For six days the people walked around the city once.  On the seventh day, however, God instructed them to march around the city seven times and when they heard the trumpet they were to give a loud shout and the walls would fall.  Then they were to run up to the city and take it.

As any good general would do, Joshua takes a survey of the terrain before him. He wants to know what lies ahead and what challenges Jericho will present for his people.  As he surveys the area around the city, he lifts his head and sees a man standing there with a drawn sword.  Curious as to who this man is and whose side he will take in the upcoming battle, Joshua approaches him.  The exchange between these two men provides our scripture reading for today and provides Joshua with a set of circumstances beyond his expectations.

In Joshua 5:13-15 we find the conversation between Joshua and this warrior.  “Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"  "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"  The  commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.”

Joshua learned very quickly that this was no ordinary man.  He was an angel, sent from God to remind Joshua that the battle that lay before Israel belonged to God and He would fight for them.  All they had to do was remain faithful and obedient.  Notice how quickly Joshua changes his tone and his question.  The commander of the Lord’s army is not on anyone’s side.  God is sovereign and doesn’t take sides.  The real question was not whose side was the Lord on but rather whose side was Joshua on?  That is all that mattered.

The same is true for us today.  We are constantly bombarded with ideas, movements, temptations, etc. all vying for our attention.  We are continually urged to join this group, to subscribe the a certain philosophy, or to choose which segment of Christianity we are going to join.  But the most important thing is that we are on God’s side.  That is all that matters because if we are where God is we are right where we are supposed to be and He is with us.  If, however, we are not with Him, then it really doesn’t matter what or whose side we are on, does it?  To be aligned with someone else is to be aligned squarely against God.

Wherever you are today, be it at work, at school, on the road, at home, or in the grocery store, please know that as a child of the living God He is fighting your battles for you.  All He requires of you is that you remain obedient and faithful to Him.  He will help you through every trial, every difficulty, and every obstacle as long as you follow the path He has laid out for you.  The question is not about God being on your side; He is.  The question we must answer is are we on His side today?

Finding God in the Fridge!

 

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leaning out the refrigerator is no fun!  I remember Saturday mornings when mom decided it was time to clean out the fridge.  The space on the counter top grew steadily smaller as dish after dish and container after container made its way from the fridge to our cabinets.  Honestly, I thought we’d never finish washing, drying, and putting away all those dishes!

My job was to tell her what was on the refrigerator’s shelves and she would decide whether or not such and such a dish needed to be washed or remain in the refrigerator.  Now when I clean out my own refrigerator, memories of those Saturday mornings spent with mom in the kitchen come flooding back.  Today, just as it was back then, cleaning out the refrigerator is still no fun!

I also remember checking the box of baking soda in the refrigerator to make sure it was still good.  Mom kept a box sitting on one of the shelves.  It was there to absorb any odors that might spoil the inside of the refrigerator.  Boy did that little box of soda work!  I never remember our refrigerator having an unpleasant odor thanks to that box of soda mom kept in the refrigerator.

In a very real sense, that box of soda is an excellent example of how Jesus works in the life of the believer.  Sin, like the inside of a refrigerator full of outdated food, produces an unwanted and unpleasant odor in the life of the nonbeliever!  No matter how rich, no matter how successful, and no matter how popular we are, without Jesus, our lives are spoiled, rancid, and ready for the garbage.  Only by accepting Jesus Christ can we hope to rid ourselves of sin and its detrimental effect in our lives.

1 John 3:5 tells us that Jesus came not to cover up sin, not to excuse it, not to tolerate it, but to take it away.  “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.”  Unlike that box of soda which needs to be changed every so often, Jesus offers us eternal life once and for all!  His sacrifice removes our sin, takes it away so we can enjoy a personal relationship with God.

That box of soda kept the fridge fresh for several months.  It absorbed all the unpleasant odors and kept the fridge fresh.  However, after working for a long period, the soda became saturated and was no longer able to purify the air.  So, we had to replace it with a fresh box.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, he takes away our sin.  Unlike the soda, however, Jesus’ salvation never wears out, never becomes ineffective, and must never be renewed!!  This is wonderful news!

It always amazes me how God uses the small things in life to teach us wonderful and life changing lessons about Himself.  The next time you open your refrigerator and you have a box of soda inside, stop and think about the wonderful gift of salvation God provided through His son, Jesus Christ.  You will never see the inside of a fridge or the inside of your life in the same light ever again.  We can find God anywhere, even in the fridge!  All we have to do is look for Him!

A Cool Drink of Water

 

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he high desert of New Mexico, located in the southwestern corner of the United States, is home to both humans and wild life. Philmont Scout Ranch, where I served as a chaplain for two summers, is in this area and attracts people from all over the world. In addition to boys and girls, a large number of adults also visit the ranch for fun and adventure.

Also living at Philmont during the summer, is a wide variety of wildlife.  Although animals and man are different, they do have several needs in common.  Food and shelter are among the most significant, but water is the most important commodity sought after in the high desert.  When animals have enough water to drink, they stay in the upper elevations.  However, when water becomes less available, they come down to lower elevations to hunt for it. 

The most important meeting at Philmont stresses the importance of consuming an adequate amount of water.  Due to the low humidity, water loss is not easily detectable.  If an adequate level of water is not maintained in the body, Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) will result.  The person becomes dehydrated and, if enough water is not consumed, a trip to the health lodge is in order to realign the body's level of water.  Consuming water, therefore, is a top priority in this environment.  Water is life and this point is made abundantly clear to those wanting to hike and enjoy the outdoors. 

Jesus had a similar experience with a woman he met at a well.  She had come to draw water to replenish her supply.  This task was performed daily and was an integral part of maintaining a household.  The interesting thing about this meeting between Jesus and the woman at the well, as she is known, is in the conversation.  Jesus opens the dialogue with a request for water.  Here, we have a wonderful picture of Christ's humanity.  The desert sun had rendered him tired and thirsty and, like anyone, he sought water to slake his thirst.

However, the woman at the well was also thirsty; but her thirst was of a different kind.  She was stunned because Jesus, a man and a Jew, spoke to her, a woman and a Samaritan.  The woman asked Jesus how he planned to get water because he had nothing to draw it with and the well was deep.  And Jesus answered her by saying, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14“but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”  (John 4:13-14)

Jesus went straight to the woman's area of need.  He used the situation in which he found himself to tell this woman the good news.  Her need was more than physical.  She could meet the physical need by returning to the well daily and retrieving water.  However, all the water in the world would never quench the thirst in her spirit.  Water is necessary to preserve physical life but it cannot give a reason for living.  Jesus offered the woman living water, coming from within; and that is just what she needed and wanted.

Look around you today.  Perhaps you are in an office, a classroom, a work station, or some other area.  Chances are there is a water fountain or water station in your place of work.  How often do you see people there getting a drink?  How often do these same people return each day?  The water they drink is good only for a short while and then it has to be replenished.

As you go about your work today, share a cup of living water with those around you.  So many people are thirsty, so many of them long to stop drawing water from the well.  Will you help them by giving them the only water that can truly satisfy?  If you knew of someone who, on a hot day, had nothing to drink, wouldn't you offer them a cup of water?  Take a look around.  The world is a hot, dry, barren place.  We have access to a constant supply of water.  What is stopping us from sharing it today?

A Slice of Watermelon

 

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he mere mention of the word was enough to cause every kid in the neighborhood to abandon his activity and come running at full gallop.  All of a sudden, saving the world from the forces of evil, laying siege to an imaginary castle, climbing to the perilous summit of a dirt mound, or crossing the finish line of our equivalent of the Indy 500, paled in comparison to this one word.  Kids weren’t the only ones affected either.  Adults got into the act, leaving their responsibilities behind, sneaking away from their desks, and putting off that important phone call for just a few more minutes.  What could make all these activities come to a screeching halt?  One thing—watermelon!

In the burning and humid heat of a North Carolina summer, an ice cold watermelon was just about the closest thing to heaven we could experience.   Usually late in the afternoon, word would spread that several watermelons had been delivered to my dad’s place of business.  My granddaddy, my parents, my brother and sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, passers by, etc. were all invited when we cut a watermelon.

I remember watching as the knife was plunged into the heart of a huge melon.  As my dad carefully cut through the heart of the melon, I could hear it beginning to separate.  It popped and creaked and then with one final snap, the melon split, exposing the luscious red fruit inside. For a moment everyone stopped.  All conversation ceased and silence fell over the whole group as the watermelon came apart.  Everyone stood mesmerized, anticipating that first bite of succulent fruit.

The pieces were cut into smaller portions and served to everyone there.  Finally, I received my piece of watermelon and I knew exactly what to do with it.  The only way to eat watermelon is to put your face completely into it.  No worries about getting sticky or having juice dripping from your chin because that’s the way you eat watermelon.  That first taste was always the best but it was never sufficient.  The more I ate, the more I wanted and the more I wanted, the more I ate.  You get the picture I’m sure; you’ve probably done the same thing yourself.  

Almost as good as the watermelon, however, was the wonderful fellowship I enjoyed with my family.  We laughed, exchanged stories, had seed-spitting contest, and spent hours just enjoying the simple pleasures of family friends, and watermelon.  There was nothing better in the world.

I believe David must have understood and appreciated the feeling of eating watermelon.  Whether or not he actually had access to the same melon we eat today, he surely captured the essence of the experience in Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”  Now I know David is not talking about watermelon here but there are, I believe, some striking parallels in eating watermelon and enjoying the Lord’s presence in our lives.

David does not tell us to look at the Lord to see that he is good, he tells us to taste!  No one looks at watermelon; they eat it.  We can only enjoy the fruit once we take it into ourselves and enjoy all it has to offer us.  God is exactly the same way.  What a shame it is that we don’t experience him to the full.

Like watermelon, God wants us to cover ourselves with His presence.  He wants us to dig in until we have our fill.  God’s love, mercy, grace, and peace should drip from us, from every fiber of our being, in the same way that watermelon juice drips from us when we eat it.  It should cover us, stick to us, fill us with joy, and bring the peace and the contentment found only in God alone.  He alone is our shelter and our refreshment when life grows difficult.  He alone brings joy, security, and contentment by filling us with all his goodness.  

Like that watermelon, the more we partake of the Lord, the more we want, and the more we want the more we partake.  Taste and see, David said, not look and wonder!!  God is good, all the time.  In life’s ups and downs, ins and outs, mountains and valleys, he is our strength, he is our comfort, he is our protector, and he is our life.  Are you enjoying a slice of watermelon from God’s table today?  Go ahead; put your face right in the middle of it!  You’ll be so glad you did!

The Point of No Return

 

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hey’ve just reached the point of no return. There’ll be no turning back now!” The announcer’s voice boomed over the television set as the Saturn V rocket hurled heavenward, ferrying its cargo of three men and a landing craft toward the moon. 

Those few short words, spoken just moments before, indicated the crew had reached a critical milestone in the flight.  Attached to the very top of the rocket was a small tower equipped with three engines.  This attachment was known as the escape tower.  During launch, the commander of the flight kept his hand on a handle inside the command module.  At the first sign of danger, he could pull that lever and fire the escape tower’s rockets.  The tower would then pull the command module away from the rest of the rocket and land the astronauts safely in the ocean. 

There was, however, one catch to this procedure.  The escape tower could only be used if a problem occurred in the lower atmosphere.  Once the rocket reached a certain altitude the tower was useless. At that point, the commanding astronaut jettisoned the tower from the space craft, severing any possibility of a safe return to Earth. That is why the announcer’s words were at once both wonderful and ominous.  The announcement meant the astronauts were on their way out of earth’s orbit and headed toward their lunar destination. It also meant the crew was committed! The completion of their mission was the only safe way to return to Earth.

The disciples were faced with the same situation as the astronauts above.  They were faced with a moment of truth, a life-or-death-decision, and a choice to commit to Christ or to jettison him. The difference was the disciples had no escape tower and no guarantee of a safe return if they bailed out!

In John 6:66-69 we read these words of Jesus, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’”

Wow! Way to go Peter! Jesus gave him the choice.  Peter’s hand was on the escape lever.  He could have pulled it, he could have separated from Christ, and he could have decided to bail out right then and there.  But Peter didn’t and neither did the other disciples. Instead, they passed the point of no return, they committed themselves to the mission, knowing the only way home was to accept and complete the assignment Jesus had for them.

And what about us?  We all face moments of truth.  As Christians, there will be a point of no return when Jesus asks us specifically if we will follow him or reject him.  The choice is ours. Our hands are on the escape lever as we hurl full speed ahead into life.  At a certain moment in our flight God will inform us that we have reached the time of commitment, the point of no return.  On this side of that point we can pull the escape lever and bail out.  But where will we go?  We can also take our hand off that lever and commit to the mission ahead.  The choice is ours.  What will our decision be?  Bail or commit?  Think about it!

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 France legally.

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?