Nothing To Wear

O

k, how many times have you opened up your closet and just stared?  You have been invited to go out to eat, or to a party, or over to a friend's house and you have absolutely nothing to wear?  If the truth were known, your closet is probably hanging full of clothes that are both attractive and fashionable but for some reason you don't wear them because you don't like the way you look in them.  Moreover, you are worried what people's reaction to you will be in a particular outfit.

We spend way too much time worried about our outward appearance.  We spend both time and money to find just the right apparel so we will be accepted by our peers.  Someone once said that we buy things we don't need at prices we can't afford with money we don't have to impress people we don't like. I believe this comes pretty close to the truth for most of us.

John the Baptist's wardrobe would have driven any modern-day designer crazy. The scriptures tell us in Matthew 3:3-4 that "John's clothes were made of camel hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan."  Pardon me, but John doesn't sound like someone you'd invite to a nice restaurant, or someone you'd probably have in your home as a dinner guest.  Yet, people from all over the region went out to see John. 

What was it about him that caused people to travel such a great distance to see him?  It definitely couldn't be the clothes or his diet.  Could it have been John's message?  Could it have been the fact that John's words and actions spoke of a man who knew God and spent time with him? I believe it was for this very reason people went to see him.  John came preaching repentance, telling people that what they needed was to be forgiven.  He came to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.  His message was real, timely, and touched the lives of those around him.

We are called to do the same thing.  People should be drawn to us because of the message we share.  What is it about your life today that attracts people?  Is it what you wear, or the person you are underneath the clothing?  Is it the words you use or the message you send?  Is it the claims you make or the actions you perform?  John had no great store of clothes in his wardrobe.  There were no Armani suits or Oscar de la Renta ties.  All he had to give and to present was the message of God, and that can be worn anywhere for any occasion.

Now For The Retainer

Y

ou can learn a lot in an orthodontist’s office.  I know from personal experience.  Like so many other teenagers, I wore braces on my teeth for almost three years.  I had a cross-bite that needed to be repaired and so I sat still while my orthodontist wrapped my pearly whites in tinsel and wire.  At first, they were a novelty but I soon understood why they told me to get something to eat as quickly as possible.  In just a matter of a few hours, my mouth was very sore; so sore that chewing bread was impossible.  What had I gotten myself into, I wondered?

For the next three years, I visited the orthodontist regularly and endured all the changes and adjustments he made to my teeth as we marched toward that elusive day when the braces would be removed and my teeth would at last be straight.  Finally, the long-awaited day came.  The braces were removed, my teeth were cleaned, and I was able to eat apples—not apple slices—once again.  I remember biting into a big Granny Smith apple, sinking my teeth in and pulling a huge chunk away from the core.  It felt great!!

But my ordeal wasn’t quite over. On my next visit to the orthodontist I was fitted with a retainero

I was I that I wore for the next two years.  As I understood it, the retainer’s job was to hold my teeth in the proper position, discouraging and preventing them from moving back toward the wayward condition in which we found them.  It all came down to my willingness and my faithfulness to wear that retainer.  The success of all the hard work done beforehand rested on that retainer and my decision to heed the instructions of my orthodontist.

It should come as no surprise to us that Jesus spoke about the importance of the retainer.  He knew the value of learning and retaining the truths of God’s word.  Without the retention of these truths, the Christian is tempted to move back toward the wayward condition of sin in which he existed before he accepted Jesus as savior and lord.  Jesus’ words concerning this truth are found in his parable about the farmer who sowed seed and the types of soil into which the seed fell.

This parable is found in Luke 8:1-15.  However, it is verse 15 which is the focus on today’s devotional.  In Luke 8:15, we read this explanation of believers who are considered to be good soil into which God’s word is planted, “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”  Please take a moment to read this verse in the context of the parable and then read it again by itself.  Don’t read through it too quickly but let the truth of Jesus’ words sink deep into your heart and soul.

Notice that Jesus says the good soil represents those who have a noble and good heart.  He continues by explaining just what those of a good and noble heart do.  They do three distinct things.  1) They hear the word.  Believers in this category listen to God’s word. When they pray, they focus on what God has to say to them rather than on what they to tell Him.  They enter into prayer and into their daily walk with the Lord eagerly anticipating all that He has for them both to learn and to do.  2)  Those in this group retain the word.  They don’t merely read God’s word to feel better about themselves.  They don’t memorize God’s word to impress others, quoting chapter and verse in any and every situation.  These individuals, internalize God’s word.  They meditate on it, the obey it, and they apply it to their lives.  It becomes a part of them so that instead of quoting it, they live it!  There is a vast difference in quoting the Word and in living the Word!!  3)  They produce a crop by persevering.  They trust God in all things, knowing that He is always faithful and that He is always in the process of conforming them to the image of Jesus Christ, even when life is at its most difficult and most challenging.

Of these three steps, the second, I believe, is the most important.  Many people hear God’s word but go no further.  They never make it an integral part of their lives.  They never internalize it or apply it.  They simply open their Bibles, read a passage, say a quick prayer, and go about their lives.  The seed falls on the ground but never enters into the soil!  In addition, unless the word is retained, believers have no incentive or desire to persevere and produce a crop.  It is God’s word in us, applied to our lives, that is the bedrock of our very existence. It causes us to persevere and produce a crop for Him.  But no crop will grow where no seed has been planted!!  It’s just that simple.

Y

es, you can learn a lot in an orthodontist’s office.  The work and labor of the braces and the wires is all but lost if the patient refuses to wear the retainer to preserve all the work that has gone on before.  The same is true of the believer.  God has done all the work beforehand.    The question is are we now ready to submit to the discipline of the retainer?  The answer is either yes, or no!!

Burn It Into Your Memory

I

 remember the first personal computer (PC) I ever saw.  It was in 1985 during my senior year at college.  The college administration made a concerted effort to keep abreast of the newest forms of technology so that students could attain computer literacy by using the latest technology available.  A few of the guys on my hall purchased their own computers and the craze of owning one of those little boxes began.

I finished college in May of 1985 and in January of 1986; I purchased my very own PC.  I was ecstatic as I pulled it out of the boxes, plugged in all the wires, threw the switch and waited for it to boot up.  The ability to write papers, letters, notes, and store them on a floppy disk was cutting-edge stuff.  My machine had two floppy drives, the kind with the large, black, flexible disks.  Each disk held a whopping 256K of information and I wondered how I would ever have enough information to fill one.  The hard drive was unheard of and CD-ROM storage would have sounded like something from a science fiction movie.

Things sure have changed in the past twenty years.  Now we have computers that are extremely fast, we connect with computers all over the world via the Internet; we can listen to music, watch videos, and beam pictures of ourselves in real time over a phone line or cable modem.  We rarely store things on floppy disks anymore, opting for hard drives, CD-ROM’s, and DVD disks. 

My computer now has a CD-ROM drive that allows me to save my information onto CD’s designed to store information.  A laser beam “burns” the information onto the disk’s surface where it is permanently stored.  One CD holds the equivalent of over 2500 of the disks I used in my first computer!!!  What’s more is that the information I store on the CD is permanently burned into the disk, becoming an integral part of its structure.

In Jeremiah 31:33, we read about a similar process.  In this passage, Jeremiah writes, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD.
I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  This beautiful passage of scripture looked forward to the day when the nation of Israel would be restored and brought back to the land God promised on oath to Abraham.

Notice what God says about His relationship with His people.  No longer will the law be written on parchment or on scrolls.  Instead, God promises to write it in their minds and on their hearts so it will be a permanent fixture for them.  God’s word will no longer be external but it will be internal, an integral part of His people.

T

his is a wonderful promise to Israel and also one that we Christians can claim as well.  God’s law, His word, is an integral part of our lives.  According to Hebrews 12, “The word of God is living and active…” and Deuteronomy 32:46-48 tells us that all the words God spoke to Moses were “not just idle words but they are [our] life.”   In essence, God ensures us that His word will be burned into our minds so we always remember it and it will be burned into our hearts so we always live according to it.  Have you made a permanent copy of God’s word in your heart today?

Tassels To The Left

M

ay 25, 1985 stands in my memory as one of the most important events in my life.  On that day, in front of parents, family members, and friends, I walked across the stage and received my college diploma.  Since our college was small, we held the ceremony outside on the front lawn underneath the trees.  Our registrar, Dr. Burts, had taken great pains to explain to us over and over again the proper procedure for receiving the diploma from the president and the proper manner in which we were to conduct ourselves.

Finally, the moment came and we walked out of the main building, through the faculty, and took our places.  There was much pomp and circumstance.  The orchestra played, all the faculty members were present in their hoods and gowns, all the guests arrived on time, and the keynote speaker was warmed up and ready to go.  The stage was decked with the banners and flags of the college and the entire community, from the college president to the local soda shop owner, attended the event.

After a few songs, after recognizing several people who had made contributions to the college, and after the keynote address, it was time to receive our degrees.  We all listened intently for our names to be called. That was the signal to walk across the stage and receive the diploma in our left hand, not forgetting to shake the president’s hand with our right.  As soon as we received the diplomas, we remembered to perform the last gesture that would make the ceremony complete.  After receiving the diploma, we were to change our tassels from the right of the mortar board to the left, signifying we had graduated with a college degree.

The idea of the tassel, however, is not a recent one.  Would it surprise you to know that the Old Testament actually talks about tassels and has a specific purpose for them?  Let’s take a quick look at a passage from the book of Numbers and see what God has in mind when he instructs the Israelites to put tassels on their garments.

In Numbers 15:39, the Scriptures tell us, "It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot.”  Here, God is talking about the prayer shawl that was used to cover the heads of the people.  It was a single cloth with tassels along the edge of the garment.  Notice the role these tassels were to play in the prayer life of God’s children.

The tassel served as a reminder of God’s commandments.  The people were always to keep God’s commandments in their minds and in their hearts.  They were to remember the mighty acts God performed in bringing them out of Egypt and they were never to forget to place God first in their lives and to follow his commands.  But God didn’t want the people just to remember his commandments; he wanted them to follow them and to obey them.  He knew that if the people got their eyes off of him and on the things of the world, they would encounter great hardship and misery.  The same is true for us today.  Unless we keep God foremost in our lives, we run the risk of breaking fellowship with him and encountering all kinds of trials, difficulties, and outright catastrophes along life’s road.

I

s there a tassel in your life today?  Is there something to remind you of God’s great love and care for you?  When you come to God in prayer do you remember how much he loves you and how much he wants the very best for you?  Have you turned your tassel to the left?  Have you graduated and increased in your knowledge of the living God? Why not start today?

Home-grown Tomatoes

O

n highway 274 a few miles south of Cherryville’s city limit sign stands Shady Grove Baptist Church.  Behind this church there used to be a large field, completely hidden from view, accessible only by a winding dirt road.  Unless you were aware of its existence, you’d never notice or know the field was there.  This field, however, became the scene of one of the greatest lessons my dad taught me when I was only six or seven years old.

At the time, the field belonged to one of my great uncles who farmed for a living.  Every summer my dad liked to plant a vegetable garden. He loved working the land, caring for plants, and watching things grow.  This particular summer was no exception and he asked permission to use the field and my uncle gladly consented.  My dad’s intention was to use this field for a specific purpose.  It was destined to grow only one type of vegetable instead of providing different crops.  This field had been set aside to grow tomatoes and that is exactly what my dad planted—tomato plants, row after row of them.

I remember going with him to plow, plant, stake, and care for those tomato plants.  I love tomatoes and that year we had more than our share.  Dad and I would take a van, and as he plowed, hoed, watered, and tended the plants, he taught me one of the greatest lessons a father can teach his young son.  I remember dad telling me one day, “Son, a garden is the closest place to God on this earth!”  At the time, I had no clue what he was talking about, but now I understand what he was telling me all those years ago.

In Jeremiah 33:3, the prophet records these words from God, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  This is the lesson God would have us learn today and I began learning it over thirty years ago in the red mud of a tomato field off of highway 274 south.  Daddy was teaching me that after all the work of preparing the ground, planting, staking, watering, and weeding, he could do no more.  From that point on the job of producing tomatoes was in God’s hands.  All daddy could do was tend to the plants and do his best to care for them.  God made the garden grow and caused the plants to bear large, succulent, tomatoes.

It is exactly the same way in our walk with the Lord.  After we have studied our Bibles, prayed, and done all we can do, we have to turn the reigns over to God and trust him.  This is what Jeremiah was communicating in today’s scripture.  God is the only source for the answers we need. Only he can provide the love, the joy, the completeness, and the assurance that we need.  Too often we call out to people around us for answers.  We read every thing new under the sun and consult all the “experts” on a given topic.  But God says we are to call out to him and to him alone.

That summer, if we wanted tomatoes, all we had to do was visit that field and pull one off the vine.  They were better than any store-bought tomato because they came from daddy’s garden, grown with hard work and with love.  No other tomato from any other garden tasted the same.  Likewise, when we need answers, when we need assurance, when we need to know that someone cares for and loves us, we must go to the only source, our Heavenly Father.  We must draw our nourishment from his garden, because food from any other garden just isn’t the same and never as good.

W

hen was the last time you called out to God?  When was the last time you sought his face and settled for nothing less than an answer directly from him?  He is waiting to teach us so much if we will just call on his name and wait for his answer.  When was the last time you had a home-grown tomato from daddy’s garden?  Why don’t you pick one today!

A Hole In The Wall

T

he constant banging of the hammer, the whizzing of drills, and the rhythmic sound of the jackhammer had become a way of life for all the people working in my classroom building.  The university was bringing the building up to code by installing an exterior fire escape so that everyone would have safe passage out of the building in the event that fire or some other emergency forced an evacuation.

All summer, I watched as crews prepared the ground outside.  They dug a deep hole and proceeded to construct a huge foundation out of concrete and steel.  Then the actual construction of the fire escape began.  I arrived at the office one morning and already the workers were there with a large crane and several sturdy steel girders destined to become the framework for the fire escape.  By late afternoon, they had erected several large pieces and attached them to the exterior wall.  In a few more days, the exterior portion of the construction was completed and the interior renovations began.

As I approached the building the next morning, I couldn’t help but reflect on God’s promise that he will always make a way of escape for us in times of temptation or in times of trouble.  God never leaves us stranded and his way of escape is always close and adequate to our needs.  The catch is that we must recognize the way of escape and trust enough to take it.  The new fire escape on our building would provide a passage to safety in case of danger.  What a tragedy it would be if someone lost his life in our building simply because he refused to take the fire escape.  That would be unthinkable, wouldn’t it?  Yet everyday we, as Christians, refuse to take the escapes God has provided because we don’t recognize them or because the way of escape seems awkward to us.

No one knew more about awkward ways of escape than the Apostle Paul.  We must see him in Damascus running for his life.  The King has sent his ethnarch to capture Paul and kill him.  The city is under heavy guard.  Everywhere there are spies looking for Paul, ready to capture him and execute the king’s command on the spot.  The city gates are closed, locked, and guarded so they provide no means of safety.  All around him, Paul sees the enemy and there seems to be no way out!

But wait just a minute!  From a small home in the city wall a plan is hatched.  Paul’s disciples review their resources and find a large basket, a rope, and a window!  What kind cockamamie idea are they hatching? Can’t you just hear their conversation now? “Look boys, I think if we tie this rope to that basket, and a few of us hold the rope, we can help Paul escape!  All he has to do is get into the basket.  We will hold the rope and let it down slowly and, with a little luck, Paul will make it to safety!  No sweat!”’

With a little luck?  No sweat?  Who are they kidding?  Paul must have thought these guys checked their brains at the front desk!!!  But was he going to get a better offer from the king?  Hardly!  So, through a hole in the wall, Paul escaped death and continued to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.  He gives us this account in 2 Corinthians 11:32-34. “In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands.”

G

od still works like this today.  He always provides a means of escape out of every situation.  It may seem awkward and not what we expected but God’s way of escape always leads to safety and always provides us with the means of continuing his work.  So the next time you see a fire escape on the side of a building, remind yourself that God always looks out for you and always provides a means of escape, even if it is a hole in the wall!

A Good Dusting

D

usting the furniture is one chore I cannot stand!  In fact, I hate it!  What a depressing and painstaking task it is.  It wouldn’t be so bad if everything little item didn’t have to be picked up, dusted, moved, dusted under, and then put back in place.  Talk about an aerobic workout! I bet I lose at least 10 pounds each time I dust my house.  The depressing thing is that as soon as my house is clean, it will be dusty again in a matter of days.

I have learned, however, that if you don’t stay ahead of it, dust multiplies.  Honestly, if you skip one week, the stuff just doubles or even triples in size.  Pretty soon, there are little dust bunnies (isn’t that a cute name?) living underneath the beds, under the couch, and hiding in every little nook and cranny.  What gets me is that I feel as if I’m fighting a losing battle.  No matter how much I try, I can never totally rid my house of dust.  It just keeps showing up week after week and month after month.

Sin is a lot like dust, only you can’t get rid of it by sweeping it under the rug or by using furniture polish.  If left unchecked, it multiplies, easily doubling or tripling in size and magnitude almost over night.  Isn’t it funny how we won’t tolerate a dusty house, but we will tolerate and even live a life that has the dust of sin all over it?  Do the Scriptures give us any instructions on keeping the dust of sin at bay and maintaining a clean heart?

In 1 John 1:9 the Apostle shares a great truth of scripture.  This verse is often quoted by pastors and most Christians have heard it, memorized it, and used it when telling others about Jesus.  However, we need to take a good long look at this verse and understand exactly what it means and how we can apply it daily to our lives.  John writes, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Take a good look at what John is saying here.  The sentence is a conditional one, meaning that we have to do something before God acts on our behalf.  The first thing we must do is confess our sin.  John wrote this letter in Greek and when we translate what he wrote we get something like this, “if we continue to confess our sins he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and continues to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Wow, did you catch that?  This is a continual process, just like removing dust.  It has to be done on an ongoing basis.

Although we have been saved, sin continues to be a perpetual problem.  If left unchecked, it robs us of the close relationship God means for us to have with him on a daily basis.  When we sin, we need to confess it right then and not let it pile up.  Confessing our sin is the same as admitting there is dust in our lives that needs to be removed.  If we don’t take care of it, the dust (sin) continues to build up and will coat every aspect of our lives.

But John assures us that Jesus offers to keep us free from sin when we come to him and confess our wrongs.  He comes in, looks under all the furniture, moves all the little things in our lives, dusts them off, wipes them clean, and rearranges them.  When he finishes, everything is put in order and there is no trace of dust and no residue.  Our lives are totally clean.  When we sin again and confess it, Jesus forgives us and sets our house in order again, continually cleaning and removing everything that prevents us from having a wonderful relationship with him.

P

raise God that he does this.  All of us, no matter how long we have been a Christian, need to have our lives examined.  We need to open our hearts and let God examine us, to look in every nook and cranny of our lives and to remove the sin that has collected and coated them.  What we need is a thorough cleaning from someone who knows all the places where sin likes to hide!  How about it?  Could you use a good dusting today?

Worth The Price Of Admission

A

 trip to the Holy Land is something a lot of people dream of.  What a wonderful opportunity to visit the places where Jesus walked and to see first-hand the locations of all those wonderful Bible stories we learn as children.  It is an opportunity rarely afforded most eight-year-olds and one that I turned down when I was that age. 

Our church sponsored a trip to Israel and my mother and grandmother decided they were going.  My parents both agreed that I could go and initially I was very excited about traveling.  There was enough fuel to fire my imagination for several weeks.  I dreamed of seeing Jerusalem, of visiting the Garden of Gethsemane, of seeing the walls of Jericho, and of taking a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. 

All these things got me very excited and I was very eager to take the journey.  However, there was one thing that kept me from going, shots!  Yes, when I learned I had to take a series of shots, the beauty and the romance of the trip rapidly faded.  All I could see was those needles and I decided the price of admission was just too high.

My mother allowed me to make up my own mind. She did not influence me one way or the other.  As the time approached for her to leave, I began regretting my decision.  I really wanted to go but the window of opportunity closed and the time for her to leave came.  All during her absence I imagined the places she was seeing, wishing I were with her, but the idea of taking those shots was just too frightening.  It was a price I was not willing to pay!

When mom returned home, her pictures and stories made me wish even more that I had gone with her.  For her, taking those shots, paying the price of admission, had been worth it. I promised myself that someday I would make that trip and experience the wonderful things she had seen and done. If the opportunity ever presents itself again, I'll go and, this time, the shots won't stop me.  I'll pay that price.

The Apostle Paul understood the idea of paying the price of admission.  He was imprisoned, beaten, starved, and shipwrecked.  He depended upon the generosity of others and his own industry for the daily necessities of life.  Sometime he had plenty and sometimes he had very little. But Paul knew the true value of living for Christ.  He understood that the greatest fulfillment in life is living for Jesus Christ and working to further his kingdom. 

That is why in Romans 8:18 Paul writes, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  He knew that present trials and difficulties were no comparison for the things God has prepared for us. Paul never focused on his present circumstances but always looked to the future gain reserved for God's children.

Today, let me encourage you to keep looking forward to what God has in store for us.  Every trial, every disappointment, every unkind word spoken to us, and every impossible situation we face will be worth it.  Every setback, every tear, every frustration, and every heartache will be worth it.

F

or Noah, the 100 years of building the ark were worth it. For Abraham, leaving home was worth it. For Moses, the wanderings in the desert were worth it.  For Joseph, the years in Pharaoh's prison and the false accusations were worth it.  For Daniel, the lion's den was worth it.  And for us, my dear brothers and sisters, when we hear God say to us "well done," it will be worth it.  It will all be worth the price of admission!  We have His word on it!

Can We Make A Deal?

            

“W

hat’s behind door number one?”  That question and the familiar voice emanating from the big console television in our den told me that one of my favorite game shows was playing.  For years, “Let’s Make A Deal”, starring Monty Hall, dominated the air waves.  I loved to watch it as a kid, just to see how people would react to pressure and the ever increasing temptation to let go of a sure thing for something uncertain.

At times I found myself hoping they would make the deal, especially if all they were holding was a box of chocolates while there before them was a curtain or a door.  Now that door could have been hiding a car, or an old mule.  The box could have contained chocolates or several hundred dollars rolled up inside.  The point was to get the contestant to trade or keep what they had in hand.  Sometimes refusing to trade was a good thing and sometimes not trading was the worst mistake any one could make.

In addition to some of the zany deals Monty offered were the zany costumes of the contestants.  In order to get noticed, people disguised themselves and masqueraded as fairy tale characters, professionals, and all manner of odds and ends.  The more outlandish the disguise, the more ingenious the costume, and the more clever the ruse, the more likely it was that a contestant would be chosen to play the game.  At that point, they would embark on a series of deals leading up to the ultimate deal of the evening in which three contestants were asked to give away their prizes in hopes of getting something in return.

Sounds sort of like the Christian life at times, doesn't it?  We find it so difficult to take God at his word and to trust that he has our best interest at heart.  When he is dealing with us, when he wants to work in our lives, we have a hard time letting go of our present circumstances in order to accept something else from his hand.  We aren't sure that what he has is better than what

we currently hold in our hand.  We know in our heads that God loves us, but in our hearts, we don’t really trust him.  We believe it would be so much better if he dealt with us on our terms instead of us dealing on his.

This last picture is nowhere more evident than in the life of Abraham.  Yes, Abraham!  The great patriarch of faith found himself in a situation where he tried to bargain with God.  Although God had promised Abraham a son, Sarah remained barren.  She thought that she could have children through her servant Hagar, and Abraham’s first son, Ishmael was born.   But this was not God’s plan.

When Abraham was 99 years old, just one year before Isaac’s birth, he made the following statement from Genesis 17:18 to God: "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"  In other words, Abraham was saying, “Can we make a deal, here?  Can’t Ishmael fulfill your promise?  Can’t it be some other way?”  God’s answer was a resounding “No!”  God’s promise was that Abraham would have a son with Sarah and he would be the child of the promise.  There would be no ifs, ands, buts, or deals about it!

Can you identify with Abraham today?  Do you find it so very hard to let go of what you have in order to accept something else from God?  If so, then I fully understand where you are!  But the fundamental truth is this, God has plans for us, plans we can’t even imagine.  The things he wants us to have are so far superior to anything we possess that we would be foolish to miss out on an opportunity such as this.  But God will not force us to accept anything from him.  Instead, he wants us to trust him, to come to the realization that he only offers his best to us.

C

an we make a deal with God?  Not hardly!  And if we did, could we hold up our end of the bargain?  Think about it!!

Your Place Is Set

            

T

hanksgiving morning, my telephone rang at 6:45 a.m. Now, I am a heavy sleeper so I wasn't sure if the phone was real or if I was having a dream. After a few more rings, however, I determined that the phone was indeed real and I needed to answer it. Slowly I ascended into consciousness, rolled over, picked up the phone, fumbled with the talk button, and said "Hello”. The voice on the other end of the line greeted me with a hearty "Happy Thanksgiving!" It was my dad. He called to wish me a very happy holiday.

My mom was in the kitchen making the final preparations for her Thanksgiving meal. Everyone in my immediate family was going to be there, except for me.  Dad informed me, however, that I had not been left out or forgotten. Earlier, mom had set the dining room table and she set a place for me. Although we are separated by over one thousand miles, to mom and dad I was present at today's meal. The place setting at my chair spoke to that fact.

After our brief talk, I hung up the phone and lay back on the bed. I replayed the conversation I had just had with my dad several times in my head. One image kept coming into view, that place setting at my chair.

My parents missed me; and they knew I wanted to be there. However, the distance between us didn't prevent them from setting a place for me. It didn't stop them from considering me to be present with them, it didn't lessen their love for me, and it didn't make me any less their son. In fact, by placing the silverware and the plate on the table, they demonstrated that my presence is always with them, no matter where I happen to be.

Paul underscores the idea that from God's perspective we are already in Heaven with him, now! Ephesians 2:4-6 states, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..."

There are three things we need to see in regards to this passage of Scripture. First, God loved us long before we came to love him. Before the foundation of the earth was laid, God made provision for mankind to be reunited with him. God's love spanned the great distance that separated us from him and he made a way for us to return home, to be with him eternally.

Second, we are dead in sin, separated from God. We cannot come into his presence, we cannot approach his throne, and we cannot have a relationship with him until we accept Jesus as our savior.  Just as God made Christ alive and raised him from the dead, so too are we alive because we have accepted Christ's death as the only means of salvation.

Third, we sit in heavenly places now. In essence, God has set a place for us at his table.  There is no distance too great, no obstacle too large, and no situation so dire that can keep us from being God's children. We are his, with the full right to eat at his table. His love is for us and his desire to be with us is so strong, that he sets a place for us at his table in advance of our arrival.  

My dad called that morning because he wanted me to know that he was thinking of me.   No matter where I am, nothing will ever be able to separate me from my mom, dad, brother, and sister. I was present at the holiday meal just as surely as if I had been there in person.

T

he spiritual application is just as real. Although we are not physically with God at this time, one day we will be.   He welcomes us into His presence, He showers us with His blessings, and He makes room for us at His table. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, this invitation to dine at God's table is open and available to you. I am so glad that my place is already set. How about you?  Is there a place reserved for you at God’s dinner table?                       

Take As Directed!

            

T

ake as directed!  These are the instructions written across the label of the prescription bottle containing my heart medication.  Twice a day, I open this bottle, remove one of the capsules, take the medicine, and continue on with my day.  It has just become a part of my daily routine.

For the past thirty-seven years, I have been taking medication to control episodes of irregular heart rhythms. Although the medications have changed over the years, the necessity of taking them each day has remained the same.  Some of the medications required four doses per day, some required three doses, and my present medication requires only two.

The potency of the drug determines how long I can go between doses.  The important thing is to maintain a constant level of medication in my body so my heart will always be protected and have the resources it needs in times of trouble.  If I don’t maintain the proper level of medication, then I run the risk of experiencing a rapid heart rhythm.

Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, also wrote a prescription to keep man’s heart in the proper working order.  When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them the prayer that millions have learned by heart.  This prayer has been repeated in times of joy, times of sadness, times of fear, and times of isolation by people all over the world.

Yet, very few of us ever take notice of the wonderful truths contained within this brief conversation with God. Jesus’ third statement in this prayer reveals the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship with God and keeping our hearts pure before him.  Jesus says in Luke 11:3, ^“Give us each day our daily bread.” 

In this one statement, Jesus conveys two essential truths of the Christian life.  First, God supplies us with our daily sustenance. He is the one who provides our food and all the necessities to sustain life.  We must always look to him as the source of all that we have, the wellspring from which our lives flow.  

When was the last time you thanked God for the several thousand times your heart beats in a day?  When was the last time you thanked him for the hundreds of breaths you draw?  When was the last time you thanked him for your ability to hear, see, smell, feel, taste, etc.?

Second, Jesus’ words can be applied spiritually as well.  He is the bread of life and we need to partake of him daily.  This is the only way to keep our hearts safe, protected, and acceptable before God.  God’s word is our heart medicine.  Without it, our hearts just don’t run correctly and they risk getting us into trouble. However, if we spend time in God’s word, feeding on it, concentrating on it, and making it a part of our lives, we will find that our relationship with God will stay healthy.

I

f you knew your heart wasn't working properly, you’d make an appointment with your doctor who would then send you to see a cardiologist.  Whatever the doctor prescribed, you would do in order to protect and heal your heart.  How much more important is it, then, to follow the prescription that God gives us?  Who knows the human heart better?  Who better than God knows what we need on a daily basis to keep us spiritually fit and in working order?  Take as directed!  Have you had your medicine today?

Shift Change

S

hift change in a hospital is a very exciting time.  The outgoing shift makes final preparations to leave while the incoming shift gets ready to take over and complete the work already in progress. 

The most important aspect of this “changing of the guard” is the passing of information.  All the nurses, technicians, orderlies, doctors, etc. are briefed concerning the conditions of all the patients.  In addition, updates are given about any procedures occurring during the first shift and any changes of medication or therapy are also shared.

In June of 1975 I experienced my first real shift change.  It was on a Monday morning.  Doctors had just performed open-heart surgery the Friday before and I arrived on the ward over the weekend.  But at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning, everything changed!

The first shift supervisor’s name was Mrs. Strickland and when she arrived on the floor, things began to hop.  She was an excellent supervisor, making sure everything ran according to the book.  Nothing escaped her notice and I could tell that all the nurses respected her and were a little afraid of her as well.

It amazed me how one person could have that much influence, could pull that much weight, and could set the tone for so many other people.  Whatever Mrs. Strickland said, was law on that ward.  The interns and the doctors respected her as well and knew their orders would be followed to the letter.

The Old Testament records many such shift changes in the history of Israel.  In her history, Israel had many kings.  Some of them were good and some were evil but all of them set the tone for the nation.  The man on the throne, the man supervising God’s people, exemplified for his

people the manner in which God would be worshipped and honored during his reign.

2 Chronicles 33:1-3 records one of these shift changes.  Let’s take a look at what the scriptures say about a man called Manasseh. “Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.  He did evil in the eyes of the Lord , following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.  He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them”

This was a devastating shift change for Israel.  Manasseh did not follow his father Hezekiah, but undid all his father had done.  He led the people astray (vs. 9) and encouraged them to worship other gods.  His supervision of Israel led to their demise and further separation from God.

Finally, the people were attacked and Manasseh was taken in chains to Babylon.  He cried out to God for forgiveness and God restored him and brought him back to Jerusalem where he tore down the idols and altars to foreign gods.  This time, the shift change went smoothly and God was honored and obeyed and the people were brought back to God.

T

oday, you may be facing a shift change in your life.  You may be experiencing a change in job, a change in location, or a change in relationship.  Whatever the situation, let God be your supervisor.  Let him dictate the road ahead and make the decisions for you.  When we take matters into our own hands, shift change never goes smoothly, not for us or for those around us.  When God takes the floor, however, everything goes according to plan and always by the book!

Buried Treasure

O

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If we believe God’s word is our source of strength, knowledge, and the basis upon which we build our relationship with him, doesn’t it make sense to hoard as much of it as possible?  Doesn't it make sense to hide this treasure, to bury it deep in our hearts and guard it with all diligence?  Remember, Jesus himself said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew6:21).

Y

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

Just Beneath The Surface

 Carp's Daily Tidbits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Today's Title: Just Beneath The Surface

Today's Scripture: Genesis 26:25 

Every morning I follow the same routine.  I get out of bed, head to the kitchen, make coffee, and scrounge through the pantry and the fridge to find something for breakfast.  No matter what I unearth to eat, I always have a banana.  Now, I know bananas are good for you but to me they are just good and that’s all the excuse I need.

Have you ever considered the banana?  They are long, slender, and change their color from green to yellow to black as they mature.  The best time to eat them, obviously, is when they are bright yellow and at the peak of their ripeness and freshness.

But in order to eat a banana and get to the succulent fruit, you must first peel it.  This does require some effort on your part but the reward is worth all the work put forth.  Can you imagine how sad life would be without banana pudding, banana bread, banana splits, banana ice cream, etc.  I could go on and on but I believe you get the picture.  The point is that unless you peel a banana, unless you get just beneath the surface of its skin, you will never know all the joy and wonder of this most noble fruit.

God’s word has a lot to say about finding treasures just below the surface.  Jesus told the parable of the pearl of great price which a man found in a field.  He used the mustard seed as the highest example of faith, which, when planted below the surface, produces the greatest of all trees. And the Old Testament as well harbors several examples of hidden treasure well within reach.  Let’s take a brief look at one of these passages.

In Genesis 26:25 we find these words, “Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.”  The life of Isaac, Abraham’s promised son, is marked by his digging of wells.  Throughout the book of Genesis, you will find Isaac digging wells and opening the wells his father dug. 

For Isaac, as well as for everyone else, water is the most important sustainer of life.  Without it nothing can survive but sometimes, in order to get water, we have to dig for it.  Notice that in the above passage there are actually two wells that Isaac looks to for life.  Isaac calls on the name of the Lord and then he digs a well.

What a wonderful lesson for us today.  God’s word is a well of hope, strength, encouragement, and nourishment.  When we plum its depths, when we dig beneath the surface of its pages, and when we draw from it, we find life for our souls.  What water is to the body, God’s word is to the human soul.  Without this well, we will never know the living water that Jesus spoke of and our lives soon wither and die.

Somewhere in your home today there is at least one copy of God’s word.  It is a refreshing source of life yet we often choose not to drink from it.  We thirst and the water is within reach, just below the surface of the dust jacket, but we do not dig in. 

Today let us be like Issac. Let us call on the name of the Lord, open his word, and dig in.  The water we so long for is waiting for us.  So, what are we waiting for?