All Dried Up

 

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here is nothing better on a cold, crisp morning than a piping hot bowl of oatmeal.  It gets the day started right, warming you on the inside, keeping the elements outside at bay.  In fact, when you are warm on the inside, life just goes better and cold, wintry days become less of an obstacle and more of a joy. 

I didn’t used to be like this.  As a little boy, I hated oatmeal and wouldn’t touch the stuff.  My brother liked it but I didn’t!  Actually, I never gave oatmeal a fair shake.  But now, it’s a completely different story.  Each week in the grocery store I spend literally fifteen to twenty minutes picking out oatmeal for the coming week.  Will it be maple, brown sugar and cinnamon, apple, raisin and almonds, or the variety pack?  No matter what flavor I finally select, I always buy the instant variety.  Standing over hot stove cooking oatmeal has very little appeal for me.  I love dumping the cereal into the bowl, adding hot water, and then stirring the mixture until the water works its way through the dry mix.  Then I’m ready to enjoy and reap the benefits of that bowl of oatmeal.

Did you realize that our spiritual lives resemble oatmeal in a very real way?  Without water, oatmeal is dry, bland, boring, and useless.  It needs hot water to change it into a form that the body can readily use and that makes it more appealing to the taste buds.  The writer of Psalm 42 knew all too well the effects of a life without God.  He understood how dry and parched our souls become when we don’t have a steady dose of God’s word and His presence.  In Psalm 42:1-2, we read the following, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Do you feel the dryness here?  Can you understand the longing the psalmist feels for God’s presence?  Like a deer searching for a cool pond of water where it can slake its thirst, so the psalmist is searching to satisfy his desire for the Lord.  Inside he is dry, parched, withered, and weak.  He needs to spend time with God, to drink deeply from His word, to drink in as much of God’s spirit and presence as he desires.  That is what God invites us to do.  He wants us to take in as much of Him as we want.  The pond of His word is deep, the streams of His blessings are always flowing, and the reservoirs of His love are never dried up.

When His word gets into our hearts, souls, and minds, we are changed.  When our insides are filled with Him, the outside elements of the world pose no threat to us.  We still must live in the world, we still must face its challenges and trials, but the word of the living God warms us, nourishes us, and prepares us for the road ahead.  But adding water to the oatmeal in my bowl does very little good until I stir it in and mix it all together.  The water must work its way through the dried oats until they are all changed from dry, parched, elements to a warm, creamy cereal that I can eat.  In the same way, God’s word must not only be read, but it must work its way into every area of our lives so that it becomes a part of us.

It is my prayer for you today that you will take time to have a healthy dose of God’s word.  Spend time with God, talking with Him, praying to Him, drinking of Him deeply.  The dry areas of your life will soon disappear and you will be ready to face life with all its hang ups and challenges.  Being warm and satisfied on the inside will always prepare you to face the world outside.  Anyone for a bowl of oatmeal?  I hear the kettle whistling!

Leave the Light On

 

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hen I think of home and all the wonderful memories I have from my childhood, one image in particular comes back repeatedly.  It is the image of the lights that burned during the night in our house.  My brother and I shared a room and each night before going to bed, we made sure the bathroom light was burning.  There was such a sense of security provided by that light.  As long as it burned, I knew everything would be all right.  I had no fear of the dark, of the things hiding under my bed, or lurking in my closet because I knew the bathroom light would keep me safe.

Some nights, when sleep eluded me, I would lie awake in my bed and look at the soft light coming from our bathroom.  There, in the stillness, the light would assure me that everything was okay. It provided companionship and dispelled the worries and fears I had of the dark.  The light was always faithful, ever vigilant, ever protecting, and ever present.  After a while, perhaps fifteen minutes or as much as an hour, I would drift off into a sound, worry-free sleep, secure in the knowledge the light would always be there to help me, to console me, and to protect me.

Most of us could share similar experiences from our childhood.  We all know what it's like to be afraid of the dark.  We can all identify with the child who fears the monsters under his bed or those hiding in his closet.  Even as adults, there are still monsters that haunt us late at night, and if we are truly honest, we would admit we still find great comfort in night lights.  We want something to take away the dark areas of our lives, those areas that frighten and paralyze us and prevent us from enjoying life to the full.

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of the night-light can be traced back as far as the Exodus of the Hebrew children from Egypt?  It's true and our scripture today shows us that the children of Israel found great comfort and security in night-lights.  Exodus 13:21-22 says, "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people."

The night-light God provided for his people was none other than his own presence.  There, on the desert floor, having no idea where they were headed, God provided guidance for them.  During the day, a great pillar of cloud went before them and at night, the pillar changed into fire, providing light for their journey.  Can you imagine what it would be like to open the flap of your tent and see the presence of the eternal God?  On nights when sleep escaped you, or when you were afraid of the monsters in the dark, or when your mind was filled with all kinds of worries, all you had to do was open your tent, and you would see God's night-light.  This light burned all during the dark hours of the night.  It dispelled any fear, any threat, any worry on the part of his children.  There was great security, great peace, and great comfort in knowing the light was always there, always watching, always protecting, always burning.

On the campus of Southwestern seminary, the main classroom building stays lit all night long.  While I was a seminary student, I often imagined myself as one of the Hebrew children during the Exodus.  Whenever I couldn’t sleep, whenever I was lonely, whenever I just needed someone to listen to me, I would go look at that building.  In the soft light, I could hear God say so softly, yet so earnestly, "I am here.  You can sleep because I am awake; you need not be lonely for I am your friend. Come, talk to me, for I am here to listen.  Have no fear of the dark, for my presence is with you and my light can never be put out."

During all the difficult and trying times of my life, when it seems the darkness is all around, the pillar of fire continues on before me.  God never removed that pillar from before the people and I know he will never remove it from before or you me.  When darkness falls, it is wonderful to know that God always leaves the night-light on for us.  As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 21, "He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."  Today, as you walk with God, you have the confidence of knowing that no matter how dark the way seems, the light is always on.   

No Borders

 

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he border between Italy and Austria is well known for its customs checks. Trains crossing the border in either direction are stopped for several minutes while guards from both countries conduct a thorough search of all compartments and verify the passports and official documents of the passengers on board. I had the pleasure of experiencing this phenomenon first-hand in the spring of 1988.

I was studying in southern France and during spring break, I had a little over two weeks to travel. Most of my friends visited a small island off the coast of Spain; but I decided to do some travelling on the continent. My travels took me to Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany. It was during these travels that the Austrian border guard taught me a valuable lesson about crossing over from one country into another.

I took the train from Rome, Italy to Salzburg, Austria. Because there were so many people travelling at the same time I was, the train was completely full. There were no empty seats to be found on the train and I stood for several hours before space became available. At last, a compartment opened and I could use one of the benches as a cot with my backpack serving as a pillow.

At four o'clock in the morning, a blinding light awakened me as the border guard turned on the compartment's light. There, in my face, was a German shepherd police dog sniffing for drugs. The guard asked to see my passport, took one look at the cover, saw I was from the United States, and let me go back to sleep. I was able to cross over into Austria with no difficulty. However, there were a few passengers who were detained for questioning. Eventually, the trains crossed into Austria but those detained by the border guard were not permitted entry into the country.

This is a stark contrast from the freedom I experienced as I drove from Texas to North Carolina to spend the holidays with my family. As I crossed from one state to the next, there were no questions to answer, no papers to show, and no border guards to confront. Instead, I could come and go as I pleased. The entire country, every part of it, was open to me with no obstacles to prevent me from arriving at home.

The relationship we have with God is directly comparable to my experience on the border between Rome and Austria. Before we become Christians, we have no legal basis permitting us access to God. Try as we may, we simply cannot cross over to where he is because we don't have the proper papers. We get stopped at several places on life's border and when we try to enter God's kingdom, we are refused. Our "spiritual passports" do not bear the seal of God and are not recognized by Him.

Neither our good works, nor our good intentions, nor our reputations, nor our verbally claiming to know God will permit us to enter his kingdom. The only way we are able to cross the border separating us from God is to change our citizenship and become a part of his kingdom. We do this by willfully renouncing our former allegiance to sin and willfully accepting Jesus Christ as our personal savior. This gives us a new passport, one that is instantly recognized by God and that grants us immediate entry into his kingdom.

Once we change our citizenship, we have free access to all of God's promises and resources. We are free to travel the road of life without fear of border crossings, interrogations, or customs officials. We may travel with confidence and assurance that we belong to God's family and that he welcomes us whenever we call on him and wherever we are on life's road. Our passport, our legal claim as citizens of God's kingdom, is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, himself, said in John 10:9 "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” Jesus is the border guard. It is only through him and by him that we gain access to God. There is no other way to cross over except through Christ. Once we accept him, once we obtain new citizenship and new passports, we are welcome in his kingdom and can travel unhindered. Once we belong to him, there are no borders between us!  We belong and have direct access to God. When was the last time God asked to see your passport? Are you free to travel life's road or are you hindered by border crossings?

Tomorrow's Forecast

 

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ne winter evening the weather forecasters ventured into very shaky territory, especially for the state of Texas.  It seems that conditions were favorable not only for precipitation but for frozen precipitation at that.  Moreover, the forecasters actually went so far as to use the “S” word, snow, calling for the white stuff to arrive in the mid-late-afternoon.  That remained to be seen but, as you can guess, the mere mention of the “S” word (I don’t want to say it too loudly) caused a bevy of activity in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Slag trucks geared up to protect bridges and overpasses, grocery stores braced for the onslaught of people who would make a mad dash for eggs, bread, and milk, and school administrators as well as parents who began to make contingency plans in the event schools would have to close their doors due to the inclement weather.  All this just because someone on a television set mentioned one word.  Amazing!

I remember watching the evening news as a young boy.  I was fascinated by the weather forecast and watched it religiously every evening.  The weatherman drew the systems on a huge map of the United States.  There wasn’t much mention of other systems around the world and hardly any mention at all of weather across the country.  All that mattered was the immediate region and the next couple of days.  The time came for a picture of the radar and I remember watching in rapt attention as screen showed the swirling needle of the radar screen.  I didn’t understand any of it but I was convinced that whatever the weatherman said was law and would come to pass just as he said it would.

When you think about it, society exhibits an incredible amount of faith in the words of the weather forecasters.  We plan our entire lives around one or two words and we base all our decisions on what someone tells us about the conditions of the atmosphere.  Imagine how different our walk with God would be if we placed the same amount of faith in him and in his word as we do in the evening forecast.

The disciples had such an experienced and it is recorded in Luke 5:5, “Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  All night long the disciples had been on the Sea of Galilee fishing.  These professional fishermen made their living from the abundant number of fish swimming in its waters.  However, this evening, the fish had found somewhere else to swim leaving the disciples with nothing to show for their intense labors.

Jesus then told them to go out one more time into deep water and let down their nets for a catch.  Jesus predicted a large catch but the disciples had to go out one more time.  All they had to go on was Jesus’ word, the only instructions to follow were his commands, and for Simon Peter this was enough.  Although he was tired and although he had been out all night, he placed his faith in Jesus and based his decision not on feelings or desires, but on the word of his master.  Peter says simply “because you say so...” and that is the secret of the life of faith.

We do not receive life the way we want it; we receive it the way God sends it to us.  Since he knows all about us and the situations facing us, doesn’t it make sense to place our trust in his word?  Shouldn’t we, like Peter, simply say, “Father, because you say so, because your word is never wrong, because you love me and have only my best interest in mind, I will do as you say?”  If we would live like this we would find our lives so much richer, deeper, and more fulfilling than we can imagine.  Notice, I didn’t say easier.  Nowhere in scripture are we promised an easy life.  What we are promised is a life that is fulfilled and pleasing to God.

So, what’s the weather like where you are today?  Does the weather look to be cloudy, sunny, windy, or cold?  Have you opened your Bible to see what God has to say about the way ahead? Are you trusting God with tomorrow’s forecast today?

Give Me a Printout

 

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orking on a computer has taught me a very valuable lesson—make several copies! I usually place a copy on the hard drive of my computer, I place several copies in the cloud, and I produce a hard copy that I keep in a file.  Of all the ways I store information, the hard copy is perhaps to me the most amazing.  The computer stores all of this information in its memory, not in the actual form of words, but in a language it understands.  Whenever I reopen a file, however, I see it in a form recognizable to me.

Most of the files I save are in English but some are in French, especially the notes and tests I use for the classes I teach.  Other files contain information about my finances including my personal budget and my checking and savings accounts.  Whenever I need to produce a hard copy for myself, I simply open the file I need and press the print icon and the computer does the rest.  Whatever is in the computer comes out on paper in exact detail.  In fact, I can only print what is stored in the computer's memory. 

Do you realize that we operate on the same principle as the computer?  Would it surprise you to realize that Jesus spoke of this process almost 2000 years ago?  Without the advent of electronic filing systems, floppy disks, or printers, Jesus described in precise detail the functioning of today's computers.  However, Jesus spoke of this, not in terms of electronics, but in terms of the human heart.

In Matthew 12:34-35, Jesus says, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."  

The message here is simple and straightforward: what goes in, comes out!  Jesus was addressing his listeners and teaching them that our words and our actions are the indicators of our true selves.  Just as an apple tree produces apples and not peaches, the human heart can only produce what has been planted in it.

Look at the second sentence in this passage from Matthew. The source of our words, our thoughts, our actions, and our motives is the heart.  Jesus says that our words indicate the condition of our hearts.  A direct connection exists between what we say and who we are.  Much like the hard drive on our computers, our hearts store the files of our life.  But the heart can only produce what we put into it!!!  There are no files written in Russian on my computer because I have put none in there.  Likewise, if I haven't placed God's word, God's love, God's mercy, and God himself in my heart, I cannot share him with others nor retrieve anything about him.  There simply is no file inside my heart labeled God!

This is a very sobering thought!!  When I open my mouth and speak, other people know exactly what kind of person I am.  If, as Jesus said, my mouth speaks from the overflow of my heart, then what I say reflects that with which my heart is filled!!  Every time I open my mouth, I am giving someone a printout of the files contained within my heart!  Ouch!!!  That hurts, doesn't it?

Today, let's take an inventory of our heart's hard drive.  What files are stored there?  When someone speaks to us, what kinds of printouts are we giving them?  Do our lives contain enough files about God and His love for us?  Do we have the necessary information to share Jesus with someone today?  Is there enough information buried in our hearts to produce good quality printouts about God and all he has done for us?

Yes, We've Got Milk

 

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hen I was a little boy, I loved to play with boxes.  Sometimes daddy would let us have some of the big cardboard boxes that were destined for the trash dump.  We’d be so excited at the prospects of what those large boxes would become.  The other kids from the neighborhood would come over and we would build houses, forts, ships, and secret hideouts complete with a secret escape door in the back.  This usually meant the entire back end of the box was out but we pretended it was a well fortified and impenetrable wall through which only we could escape.

There were also other boxes I had in my room.  There were shoe boxes filled with all kinds of “important” stuff.  My mom didn’t have the same understanding of important as I did and occasionally she made me clean out those boxes and throw them away.  I did exactly as she instructed and then I started over with a new box.  I had them tucked away under my bed, piled in the bottom of my closet, and stuffed in the drawers of our desk.  There were things like string, important buttons, erasers with no pencils attached, coins, gum wrappers, and the ever-present collection of rubber bands.

There was one other box that played a very important role in my childhood.  This was a very special box and it had a prominent place at our house.  The box was made of metal and it sat on our front porch.  Most of the time this box stood empty and we paid little attention to it.  Once a week, however, something magical happened to that box.  My mom would step out onto the porch, open the box, put her hand inside, and draw out a carton of milk!  It was amazing!  I can still remember walking to that box, pulling the lid back, and looking inside at the tall, cold carton of fresh milk.

The milkman always came on the same day of the week and he delivered milk in all kinds of weather.  Even when we weren’t home, even if no one greeted him at the porch, and if no one was watching, the milk man delivered his precious cargo right on schedule.  I can still hear my mother asking me to check and see if the milk man had come.  I would dash to the front porch, tear open the box, pull out the milk carton, and triumphantly announce as I entered the house, “Yes, we’ve got milk!”

As I think back on our milkman and the days of my childhood one thought comes to mind—faithfulness!  We could always count on the milkman to deliver milk when we needed it.  We never worried he would miss his rounds and we never went without fresh milk.  1 Samuel 26:23 reminds us of the importance God places on our faithfulness.  “The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.”

In this passage, David is speaking to King Saul.  Saul has been pursuing David with the intention of killing him.  On at least two occasions, David has the opportunity to take Saul’s life but refuses to because Saul is the Lord’s anointed king.  David remains faithful to God by revering and respecting God’s chosen leader.  David does this with the full knowledge that God has selected him to be king after Saul.

This is the very picture of faithfulness.  We are to be about the work God has called us to and we are to honor His word and obey His commands even when the circumstances of life indicate everything is against us.  David had been anointed king and he found himself running for his life, living in caves, and hiding in the wilderness.  Although circumstances seemed to be contrary to God’s promises, David continued to believe the Lord and to obey and honor His word.

God is faithful to us at all times.  He always keeps His promises to us and He never abandons us to fend for ourselves.  But God also wants us to be faithful to Him.  That is the essence of this passage from 1 Samuel.  God will reward us according to our faithfulness to Him.  If we cling to Him, if we obey Him, if we place our trust in Him, and if we walk with Him daily, we will reap the rewards of a deep and abiding relationship with Him. 

One last thought about that milk box.  The milkman was faithful to deliver the milk each week. However, if we weren’t faithful in removing it from the box, we had no one to blame for spoiled milk but ourselves!  God has more than enough milk for His children.  Are you visiting His milk box on a regular basis? 

A Watched Pot Never Boils

 

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sn’t that the absolute truth?  I am promptly reminded of this little proverb every time I cook.  One particular Saturday serves as a good example.  I was preparing a rice pudding from my one of my mom’s recipes.  Everything was ready for the assembly line except the rice which had to be cooked.  However, before I could cook it, the water in the pot had to boil and boy was it taking it’s time!

Have you ever watched a pot of water, waiting for it to boil?  I believe Rome was built in less time than it takes for two quarts of water to come to a rolling boil.  While waiting for this little miracle to happen, I washed the dishes, then checked the pot—nothing.  I made my bed, then checked the pot—nothing.  I read a magazine article, then checked the pot—little bubbles.  I did a load of laundry, then checked the pot—more little bubbles.  Although I am exaggerating, you get the idea, right?  It took a long time for that little bit of water to come to a boil.

As I stood there watching the pot, trying to encourage and coax the little bubbles on their way, I remembered a lecture from one of my chemistry professors in college.  There isn’t much intellectual depth in a pot of water, so reflecting on Plato or Aristotle while waiting for the pot to boil just didn’t seem appropriate.  Anyway, the chemistry professor told us that a large amount of energy is required for hydrogen and oxygen atoms to break their bonds.  As you watch the pot, the little bubbles you see represent the beginning stages of these bonds breaking apart.  As the heat rises, more and more of these bonds are broken and the water begins to dance.  It can then be used to cook rice which leads to rice pudding, something worth waiting for!

Have you ever considered that a pot of water waiting to boil represents the Christian life?  Consider that pot filled with water.  It just sits on the stovetop, lifeless, wet, with no purpose.  Anything place in that pot will just become water logged until heat is applied.  Only when the temperature is raised will the energy be released and the pot changed into a boiling cauldron ready to be used by the cook to prepare a meal for many people.  But as long as there is no heat underneath the pot, the water inside will have no purpose.

Many Christians resemble the pot on the stove.  We get so caught up in ourselves that we are practically useless to God.  When we read the scriptures, we do nothing with them.  We don’t’ apply them to our situations, we don’t share them with others, we don’t let them change us in any way.  We sit around like pots full of water and God’s word becomes water logged because we have no initiative to internalize it, apply it, and share it with others.  Our faith needs to be stretched and we need to learn that God is who He says He is and that He cares for us and wants us to share His love and salvation with those around us.

It is just about this time that the heat gets turned up on the Christian and we encounter a challenge or trial, something unforeseen that drives up the heat, causes discomfort, but definitely makes us boil!  James wrote about this in his epistle.  James 1:2-4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James tells us to rejoice when we face challenges in life.  He did not mean we were to throw a backyard barbecue and invite the neighbors!!  James was looking at the bigger picture, to the growing of our faith so that we could be complete in God, lacking nothing.  The boiling pot has a much greater purpose.  It will be used to cook food that will touch the lives of many people who would never be fed unless the water in the pot reached the boiling point. 

Who knows how many people will be blessed because you persevere in the challenge God has set before you today?  Who knows what God will teach you through this and how many people will be encourage and have their faith strengthened because of what God is doing in your life.  God knows where you are and he knows just how to use you for his purpose.  So, if he has turned up the heat today, know that he is doing it because he sees the bigger picture.  He knows there are things in your life that will be released when and only when your spiritual pot reaches the boiling pot.  So, what is God cooking up in your life 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?

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!  

Fat-Free Living

 

A

 few years ago, I decided it was time to take control of my life and lose some weight.  Like most of us, I was constantly fighting the battle of the "bulge", a battle I consistently lost every time I fought it.  Deciding to lose the weight was a simple decision compared with the daunting task of selecting which diet to follow. If you've kept up with recent trends in weight control, you know that everyone has found the one best way to lose weight.  Some diets let you eat all you want for three days then they prevent you from eating anything for the next four.  Other diets encourage you to eat one piece of fruit and then drink some sort of concoction filled with all the nutrients and vitamins you need for the day.  Still other programs claim that food isn't really necessary.  All you need do is take two or three pills each day and voilà, instant weight loss!

Instead of opting for one of these fad diets, I decided to count my fat grams.  I had seen the results other people had experienced by following this method, and I decided to give it a go.  The regular foods I was accustomed to eating, however, were simply loaded with fat.  After one meal, I had completely blown my fat intake for the day.  I soon realized that something had to be done.  Enter the fat-free section of the supermarket.  As I began shopping ever so carefully, I discovered that most of the foods I wanted actually existed in a fat-free form.  The only difference was the consistency and the taste.  Fat-free cheese just doesn't do much for me on a pizza!  I need the real stuff!  However, once I made the change, I grew accustomed to it and now it has become second nature to me.

Where, you may ask, am I going with this?  What could this possibly have to do with God?  Well I'll tell you. The book of Genesis records the story of Joseph.  You may be familiar with his coat of many colors but there is an interesting part of this story that fits into today's tidbit. Egypt was in the midst of a famine.  Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams and devised a plan to ration Egypt's grain for seven years so there would be plenty during the seven years of famine to follow. 

When Pharaoh learned that Joseph's family was living in Canaan enduring the famine, he commanded Joseph to bring his family to Egypt.  His words are recorded in Genesis 45:17-20, "And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18‘Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. 19‘Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. ‘Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”

Notice Pharaoh's promise that Joseph's family would live off the fat of the land.  Fat represents the best, an overabundance.  Fat is what our bodies produce in excess of what we need to survive.  Later in the sacrificial system, God required that the fat of an animal be sacrificed to him as the best part of the animal.  So here, Pharaoh promises that Joseph and his family will live off the very best Egypt has to offer them.  They will want for nothing but will live out of the abundance Egypt has to give.

Far too many of us today are living spiritual lives that are fat-free.  Our spiritual food lacks any fat, any of the abundant blessings God means for us to have.  We are content to live with little when God means for us to experience so much more of him.  He bids us come to him and live out of his abundance.  It gives him great pleasure to provide for us, to care for us, and to meet our needs.  Even in the midst of great famine, Pharaoh promised Joseph his family would enjoy great abundance and want for nothing.  How much more will God provide for his children?  God always offers us his best.  He always meets our needs out of his abundance.  How is it we settle for less?  Why do we insist on a fat-free diet when the fat of the land is before us?

I've Been This Way Before

 

T

he first day of class is always a challenging time for both the student and the instructor.  The students have no idea what to expect from the course, from the teacher, or from themselves.  They all file in, take their seats, look over the competition, chat with friends they’ve met in other courses, compare notes about the instructor, and wait very nervously for the class to begin.  When the instructor arrives, tensions mount, especially when the course syllabus is distributed and the students see what is required of them for the upcoming semester.

For his part, the instructor is equally nervous.  He has no idea who these people are, where they’ve come from, what their background is, how to pronounce their names, or how they will react to him.  Trying to put faces with names is a constant headache as students’ names and faces begin to mix with the faces and names of other students in other classes either past or present.  The instructor must find a way to break the ice and earn the trust of his class.  All of this must be done within the first few minutes or all will be lost for the remainder of the semester.

Every semester, I go through this gut-wrenching process.  I want my students to relax and enjoy the learning process.  However, they are convinced that my one objective is to make sure they don’t succeed, that they work extra hard just to get a C, and that I am their enemy.  Now none of those things is true, but until I can convince them of that reality, I am fighting an uphill battle.  Until they trust me, the classroom more closely resembles trench warfare (me against them) than it does an all out joint effort (all of us on the same team).

So, each semester I tell all of my classes the same thing.  The French language can be mastered.  I want them to know that I fully understand their fear and anxiety because I experienced it myself when I began taking French.  I have been studying French for 37 years and I still make mistakes.  What I want them to understand is that they can learn from my mistakes and profit from them.  I have walked this road ahead of them and I walked it before some of them were even born!!!  When I tell a student I understand his or her questions or concerns, I really mean that because I’ve been there and I know just how frustrating it can be. 

Walking with the Lord is the same way.  He knows how difficult the path can be.  He understands when temptations assail us from every side, he fully understands how weary we become along life’s pathway, he is no stranger to disappointment and rejection, and he completely understands us when we grieve.  Jesus knows what it is like to have friends abandon him; he knows what it is like to be mocked, betrayed, misunderstood, and hated.  He does not shy away from us when we bring these concerns before him because he has been this way before.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul writes the following words of encouragement for us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  Here, Paul explains that our trials and conflicts allow us to help others who are in the same situations we have experienced.  God allows difficulties to come into our lives so that we can help others.

However, there is also another dimension implied by this passage.  God comforts us because he, himself, understands all our difficulties.  Jesus experienced everything we experience and he offers us his peace and his comfort in all the challenges of life.  He loves you today and he understands everything you are facing.  When he enters the classroom of life, Jesus tells us plainly that he will help us face all our trials and that he will help us through all of life’s difficulties.  He can say this because he has been this way before!  So, put your trust in him!

Plans

 

A

 question often asked in the course of any job interview goes something like this, "Where do you see yourself in five years?  What are your plans?"  Now if you're like me, you don't have a clue what you'll be doing in the next five minutes, much less five years.  However, we spend the majority of our time looking into the future, trying to position ourselves to get the perfect job, buy the perfect house, find the perfect mate, etc.

I learned a very valuable lesson while serving as one of ten chaplains at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, NM.  Each day, treks of hikers would enter Philmont for a ten-day adventure into the wild back country of the ranch.  Before starting on their trek, the hikers had to visit several checkpoints, get their food and equipment, and the leader of the trek had to meet with logistics to discuss the plan.  Everything had been provided as long as they followed the map and the plan given the crew at the start.  They were to pick up food on certain days at certain places and they were to follow certain trails to arrive at their various camps.  Communication was also provided at various staffed camps along the way.

What the hikers didn't know was that months before their arrival, plans had been made for them.  All the different itineraries were checked out, all the food was prepared and packaged, all the trails were prepared, and all the necessary emergency procedures had been implemented.  All this was done to insure a safe journey and an enjoyable experience for them.  All they had to do was trust us.

God is just like this.  In Jeremiah 29:11, the prophet Jeremiah tells us that God knows the plans He has for us. “For I know the plans I have for you, for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  These plans are for our good, not our harm.  They will also give us hope and a future.  Everything we need, God has already provided.  He knows where we are going, even when we do not.  Our responsibility is just to trust Him. 

Think about it.  Plans are made with someone in mind and with the full knowledge of what will happen as the plan unfolds.  In addition, every conceivable situation has been thought out and addressed ahead of time.  All we have to do is walk with Him.  The hikers at Philmont came to have a good time.  They trusted us and did not worry about the journey ahead.  How much more then should we trust our Heavenly Father who knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning and who has prepared works in advance for us to do?  And what He begins in us He is faithful to accomplish!!!

I Don't Haul Gas!

 

T

he motor pool at Philmont Scout Ranch is one of the busiest and most popular places during the summer season.  The doors open early in the morning and the sound of hammers, air compressors, and hydraulic lifts can be heard almost non-stop.  Inside, Jim Johnson and his team maintain and repair the fleet of vehicles used by Philmont’s staff.

Each summer as the staff assembles, Jim explains to them the “do’s” and “don’ts” of driving at Philmont.  Jim comes to this meeting equipped with a wonderful slide show that demonstrates just how dangerous mountain driving can be.  All of the accidents shown demonstrate how drivers failed to obey even the simplest of Philmont’s rules.

Jim does a wonderful job of explaining the purpose of the motor pool.  He wants to make sure vehicles are maintained in top condition and he also wants to assure the drivers that should they have difficulty, he and his staff will come to their assistance.  However, there is one thing Jim won’t do and he is straightforward about it.  Philmont provides the gasoline necessary to run the fleet and every one has 24-hour access to the pumps.  So Jim pulls no punches when he says, “I don’t haul gas!”  That is our responsibility, not Jim’s.

In our Christian lives as well, we need to be reminded that God does not and will not do everything for us.  He expects us to do what we can for ourselves and what we can’t do, He willingly and lovingly supplies.  God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations and dwell in his own land, but Abraham had to walk!  God provided the Children of Israel with manna on a daily basis but they had to gather it.  God brought the people into the Promised Land but they had to conquer it.

Christians today run the risk of falling into the trap that is so prevalent in some of today’s preaching, namely that once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, life becomes easy and problem-free.  We believe that if we offer up a prayer to God, making a request for something we want, that God will simply open up the heavens and send it to us or perhaps have it delivered in the mail.  What a narrow and childish view of God we have.  God is not a warehouse supervisor waiting to meet our every whim.  He is the sovereign creator of the universe, the Lord of all there is.

In Matthew 6:11, Jesus taught his disciples to pray.  In the middle of that prayer, he makes the following statement, “Give us today our daily bread.”  Jesus reminds us that our daily bread, our sustenance comes from God’s hand.  God provides what we need but how we use it speaks volumes about how we view God and our relationship with Him.  God is always near and he always supplies our needs but God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves.  Keeping our spiritual tanks filled by spending time in his word and in prayer is our responsibility.  God will not haul gas to us at every twist and turn, nor should he.  He has provided everything we need, but we must take the initiative and keep our tanks full.

Wherever you are in your walk with the Lord today, I trust you are in constant contact with him.  His word is filled with all the fuel we need to live life on a daily basis and be pleasing to him.  How full is your spiritual tank today?  Are you in need of a refill?

What Do I Do Now?

 

T

he end of the semester is always a hectic and challenging time.  People are cramming for final exams, working hard to complete final papers, and trying every so hard to get the next phase of their lives in order.  In fact, what happens after graduation causes more stress than in preparing for it.

After spending years in the books, the graduate is faced with an even more difficult question.  The years of preparation, all the time logged in the library, and all the knowledge gained are not sufficient to answer this simple question, “What do I do now?”  Standing on the mountain top of accomplishment only means that the valley of further challenges lies ahead.

The top of that mountain, while invigorating and exciting, is also very unnerving.  Once you are at the top, the only other direction is down; but down into what?  That is the great question and that is the great challenge.  Fortunately, as children of God, we do not face this question or this situation alone.  The Old Testament story of Joshua is a good example of preparation, graduation, and continuation in the plan God has chosen for those who love him.

For forty years, Joshua had been under the direct leadership and instruction of Moses.  He and Caleb were the only spies who believed the land could be taken and encouraged the people not to abandon God.  They people didn’t listen and they wandered in the desert for forty years.  When Moses set up the tent of meeting where he talked to God, Joshua was chosen to guard that tent.  So, whenever Moses spoke to God, Joshua wasn’t too far away.  He both saw and heard all that went on between Moses and God.

In addition, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, Joshua was the only person to accompany Moses on the mountain.  You see, all this was preparation for the role Joshua would play after Moses’ death.  He was in training, learning how to lead, learning how to trust God, and learning how live in God’s provision.  This requires much study and much time spent in the classroom alone with God.

Deuteronomy 31:23, however, shows what happened on Joshua’s graduation day. The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."  Can’t you just see Joshua, diploma in hand, a smile on his face, feeling a strong sense of accomplishment?  Then God informs him that he is to replace Moses.  He goes pale, gets a lump in this throat, and says, “Okay, now what do I do?”

We need only look at God’s words to Joshua to get the answer to his question.  God told Joshua to be strong and courageous.  In other words, Joshua was to be strong by depending on God and trusting in him.  The result of this action is twofold: 1) Joshua will bring the people into the land God promised.  In other words, he will have a definite role to play in God’s plan for his people, and 2) God himself will be with him; Joshua will not go alone!

Today you may be wondering what to do next, what step to take, and which direction you should choose.  Believe me, you are not alone!  Many Christians find themselves in Joshua’s situation, asking the same question he did.  God’s answer is the same.  “Be strong and courageous and I will be with you.”  The view from the mountain is wonderful, but the real test of leadership, the real test of faith, and the real test of trust come when we leave the mountain and follow God into the valley.  Do you have your hiking boots on today?

Briers in the Woods

 

D

avid Bame was my best friend and my next-door-neighbor.  As little boys, we would get into all kinds of mischief.  We would climb trees, play in the ditch behind our houses, ride bikes together, and play in the woods every chance we had.  Although we lived in the city, there was a large wooded lot next to David’s house.  Today, that lot has been cleared and isn’t very big.  But when we were boys, that lot was Sherwood Forest, dark, dense, filled with all kinds of ghosts, goblins, and briers!

We used to spend hours in the woods, playing, talking, planning, scheming, or just taking a walk.  The entrance to “the woods”, as we called them, was barred by a large brier bush.   I hate briers, and I remember more than one occasion where I refused to enter unless someone held that brier bush out of my way.  I didn’t want to be stuck and this fear immobilized me and kept me outside the entrance, waiting for someone to make the way safe.

This job usually fell to David.  He would go first, making sure the way was all right, moving any debris out of the way, and he would hold the brier bush back until I was safely inside.  While we were there, we would play and have a wonderful time.  When it was time to leave, however, I found that the same fear of those briers returned, keeping me locked inside the woods, unable to leave.  David again came to my rescue, holding back the brier bush until I was safely on the other side of the entrance.

This all seems so far away now.  The woods are gone, David lives in another place now, and my fear of briers has completely vanished.  Oh, I still hate being stuck; but my fear of briers no longer keeps me from walking in the woods. 

I have found that there are other types of briers in life, ones that stick and pull and block my path.  These briers are much more foreboding and much more painful than those found in that wooded lot so many years ago.  The briers of fear, uncertainty, unexpected loss, and every-day challenges continually fall across life’s path.  What I need is someone to walk ahead of me and hold back those brier bushes until I pass by.

Deuteronomy 1:29-31 assures me that there is someone who goes ahead of me and moves all the briers barring my way. “Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them.   'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,  and in the wilderness where you saw how  the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.”

Can God make it any clearer to us than this?  Is there any doubt as to who loves us and cares for us?  Can there be any question after reading this promise as to who carries us, fights our battles, and holds our hand through the most difficult times in life?

God reminds the Children of Israel of their exodus from Egypt.  He points to the fact that he brought them out, that he continued to fight for them, that he carried them in his arms just as a father carries his son, and he continued to do this on a daily basis.  

That promise is ours today as well because God never changes.  This same God who made a way through the sea, this same God who fought all of Israel’s battles, this same God who appeared in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, is the very same God who fights for you today.  It is his arm that carries you through times of difficulty and it is this same God who walks before you and holds back all the briers blocking your path today.

I never feared entering the woods because I knew David would always hold back the briers and I knew he wouldn’t let them harm me.  How much more will God do the same for us today?  Are you walking a thorny path today?  Does it seem that the way ahead is covered over with briers and vines?  Look ahead, just up the path, and you will see your Heavenly Father clearing your way and bidding you to walk safely ahead.  No fear!  No struggle!  No briers!    

A Break in the Action

 Dear Tidbit Family,

Thank you so much to all of you for your support of the Tidbits and for the encouraging words and emails you regularly send. It is hard to believe that the Tidbits will be 21 years old this September. Thank you for your faithfulness.

I am writing to let you know that there will be a "break in the action" for the next few weeks. I will be going into the hospital tomorrow for pacemaker surgery and I ask you to remember me in your prayers. I will have very limited access to the Internet for the next several days, perhaps as much as two weeks, but rest assured that I will start the Tidbits again, once I am able to get back to the computer and type.

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. It is my hope that God will bless you as you conitnue to walk daily with him.

In Christ,

Blake <><

Psalm 23:1