Just Keep Looking

“I

 know it’s here somewhere, it’s has to be!”  These were the words I kept repeating over and over to myself one Saturday morning as I sat in the barbershop waiting for my turn on the chopping block.  I was thumbing through a children’s magazine and became enthralled with a section containing an artist’s drawing of a particular scene.  What made the drawing so fascinating was that cleverly drawn into the picture were approximately a dozen items that were hidden.  The opposite page listed the hidden items and included a picture of each one so the reader would know what to look for.

I had successfully located eleven of the twelve items but the last one was eluding me.  I honestly could not find it, no matter where I looked and no matter the angle at which I held the magazine.  Each time I thought I had located the missing picture; it turned out to be part of the background.  My imagination, as well as my eyes, played tricks on me, leading me to believe there was something where there wasn’t’ and nothing where something definitely was.

The time was rapidly approaching for me to have my haircut but I didn’t want to leave that picture.  I was determined that no kid’s magazine was going to get the best of me.  I doubled my efforts and began searching more diligently, looking over every inch of that magazine, turning it every way but loose.  Finally, just before utter frustration set in, I found the image.  I had looked at that very spot several times, I just hadn’t noticed the special way the artists had placed the image in the picture.  With a great sense of satisfaction, I closed the magazine, went to the back of the shop, and received a nice haircut.

We are all familiar with this process, aren’t we?  We lose our keys, we lay aside our ink pen, we put down a book for just a minute, and then it’s gone.  We know it’s there somewhere; we just have to find it.  We become very determined, tearing up every part of the house or car until we find it.  Usually, it’s right there under our noses, we just didn’t see it because we weren’t looking for it!

We can also apply this situation to our daily walk with God.  The writer of Hebrews addresses this idea of searching for God in chapter 11.  This chapter is famous because it speaks about the role of faith in the Christian life.  The opening of the chapter contains a list of some the great heroes of our faith.  But not very far into the chapter, we find a profound statement, one that hits us right between the eyes and causes us to stop and consider its truth.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read the following statement, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  Read that once again, very carefully.  We often quote the first part of the passage to the exclusion of the second part.  We all know that we must have faith in God in order to have a relationship with Him.  We must believe in His existence to claim to be His children.  But look at what the last part of the verse says.  In order to receive anything from God, we must diligently seek Him!!!

Don’t take that word, diligently, too lightly.  Remember your search for your lost keys or my search for that hidden picture.  I was determined not to relinquish my death-grip on that magazine until I found that last image.  This is exactly what the writer means here!  We are to seek after God with full vigor, determined to find Him no matter what the cost, no matter how long it takes, and no matter from what angle we have to approach Him.  God promises us He will be found but only if we search for Him—diligently!

F

ar too often we pay lip service to God.  We believe in Him and affirm this to our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family.  But when was the last time we wrestled in prayer, seeking His face?  When was the last time we poured over the Scriptures looking for more of our Heavenly Father?  He is there among the words.  His truth is embedded in the pages of our Bible.  He is waiting for us to open it and to diligently seek His face in everything and at all times. Are you earnestly, diligently, consistently seeking Him today? 

Something Is Missing

H

ave you ever felt that something was missing from your life?  I mean, you have all the pieces, or so you think, but they just don't all seem to fit together; something is missing.  When I was younger, my brother and I began collecting jigsaw puzzles.  Every week we would get our allowance and we would go to the local variety store and purchase puzzles.  Although there were several varieties and difficulty levels from which to choose, we decided to collect puzzles with only 100 pieces.  We would buy the puzzles, get on our bikes, dash home, and immediately begin putting them together.  Our mom, who loves puzzles, would sometimes help us, especially when we got into a confusing area of a puzzle.  She taught us to separate the border pieces and to assemble them first and from there, to construct the body of the puzzle.

We had hours of fun and gained a real sense of accomplishment from working those pieces until a completed puzzle emerged.  Once completed, we would start working other puzzles from our collection.  I remember one day, I was assembling one of the puzzles when I noticed one piece was missing.  I looked under the table, around on the floor, and under the furniture.  Nowhere was that piece to be found.  I searched in the other puzzles as well with the same result, no missing piece to be found.  The puzzle was 99% complete, but that one space troubled me.  I wanted to finish it, to complete the puzzle, to make it what it was supposed to be.  Instead, all I could see was the space left by the missing piece.  The entire puzzle suffered because one piece was missing.  It was no use trying to pretend the puzzle was complete without it, the evidence of that one missing piece was blatantly obvious.

Jesus must have enjoyed puzzles because today's scripture lesson addresses the idea of the missing piece.  The story of the Rich Young Ruler provides a wonderful example of what God wants to do in each of our lives.  This young man had come to Jesus desiring to know what he had to do to have eternal life.  Jesus told him to keep the law and the young man stated he had kept it since his youth.  Jesus did not dispute his claim but answered him in the following manner.  In Mark 10:21 we find these words, "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

Jesus concentrated on that one missing piece in this young man's life.  He wasn't interested in the rest of the puzzle.  He didn't concentrate on what this young man owned or on his accomplishments.  He wasn't concerned with his knowledge, his status, or his ambitions.  The only thing Jesus focused on was the one area lacking in this man's life.  Jesus saw this young man from a different perspective.  He noticed the part of him that was missing; the part that kept him from being what he was meant to be.  In love, Jesus addressed the one thing that would satisfy this man's longing to be whole, complete, and satisfied.  Unfortunately, since he was very wealthy, this young man refused to follow Jesus' advice.

T

oday, Jesus still works like this!  He looks at your life and sees the one thing you lack.  Perhaps your faith is not what it should be.  Perhaps you are struggling with trusting God completely, or you might be wrestling with what the future holds for you.  All of these issues leave a void in your life, a missing piece.  You, like the Rich Young Ruler, search and search, but you can never find the piece that fits.  Then Jesus comes, looks at you in love, and says "One thing you lack!" The hard part is acknowledging he is right.  The exciting part is that if Jesus locates the missing piece, he, and only he, knows how to fill it.  So, what piece of the puzzle are you missing today?

Basic Requirements

I

n my study hangs a large shadow box filled with various patches commemorating my journey through the scouting program.  All the badges are arranged in the order in which I earned them leading up to the highest level of achievement, the Eagle Scout patch and medal.

When I look at this display, I am reminded of all the work required to obtain that rank.  I remember each merit badge, each rank patch, and each skill award I earned.  At the time it seemed I would never finish the program.  Each time I   completed one level, it was time to start on another.  Each successive rank was more difficult and more challenging than the one before and sometimes I felt like giving up.

In order to move from one rank to the next, I had to fulfill several basic requirements laid out by the scouting organization’s handbook.  Each level required a certain number of merit badges, a certain amount of waiting, and a certain level of leadership.  In the upper ranks,

participation in a service project was also required, making it more challenging to obtain that rank.

I vividly remember looking at all those requirements and being overwhelmed by them.  It seemed as though they wanted me to do the impossible in order to earn a small piece of cloth.  Reading the requirements always required a decision on my part.  That decision was to continue or to bail out of the program.  Although it wasn’t always easy, I continued and completed all the requirements for the Eagle rank.

Sometimes in our walk with God, we fall into the trap of trying to earn our way into a closer relationship with him.  We become dissatisfied and seek to fulfill more “requirements” in order to obtain a higher rank with God. 

Fortunately, God doesn’t work like this.  His word does not lay out a series of requirements we must fulfill in order to gain his favor or to live a more holy life.  We could never do enough work to earn our salvation or to merit a relationship with God.  The Old Testament law was proof of that.  It was impossible to meet all the requirements of the law and to live a perfect life before God.  That is why Jesus came and died so that we could experience God’s grace and accept his gift of salvation.

But there are certain things we must do according to God’s word. “Aha,” you say, “I knew there was a catch somewhere!”  God only has three requirements, however, that we must follow and they are found in Micah 6:8. “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

First, we act justly when we live our lives and gauge our actions according to God’s word.  Every action, every motivation, every thought we have, and every word we speak must be in alignment with God’s word in order to be truly just. 

Second, we must be merciful.  Jesus himself said that if we would obtain mercy from God, we must show mercy to those around us.  God is merciful.  The fact that he sent Jesus to die for our sins and that he made a way for us to come to him and be his children is proof of his mercy and his justice.

Third, we must walk humbly with God. We do this by first accepting Jesus Christ as our savior and lord.  Then, we walk with God on a daily basis, remembering that we are saved by his grace and by that alone.  We cannot earn it, we cannot buy it, we cannot get it by our own efforts.  This keeps us humble before God, insuring the right heart attitude before him.

W

hen we fulfill these three requirements, our reward is a wonderful relationship with our heavenly father.  He loves us so much, far more than we can even imagine.  He never intended for us to earn our salvation.  Instead, he wants us to accept his gift and to enter into a loving relationship with him today.  So, where are you in this process?  Can you fulfill the basic requirements or are you still trying to add patches to your collection?

One Problem In Dallas

Carp's Daily Tidbits

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

Date: Friday, March 13, 2015

Today's Title: One Problem In Dallas

Today's Scripture: Mark 10:21

Every morning on the way to work, I listen to the traffic report.  This should come as no surprise to anyone confronted with the challenges of a daily commute along an Interstate.  There are always three or four major projects underway in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and sometimes these construction projects can directly impact my daily drive to work.

One particular morning, the traffic report was unusually brief with no problems or accidents in the immediate area and only one problem in Dallas.  Now this gave me cause to pinch myself just to ensure I was awake.  There is no good time to drive to Dallas and traffic jams, accidents, and delays are common fare.  Rarely, if ever, is there simply “one problem” on the highways and byways of Dallas.  This morning, however, was an exception.

The one problem involved a stalled vehicle that was blocking one lane of a very busy artery leading into the city.  But apart from a few minutes’ delay, traffic was moving along quite smoothly.  Had it not been for that “one problem” the morning’s commute into downtown Dallas would have been perfect, with nothing to hinder quick and direct access to the city.

I turned off the radio and thought intently about what I had just heard.  Only one problem in Dallas, and yet there was a problem and that problem prevented and impeded the normal passage of traffic.  Life is like that, isn’t it? All seems to be going well except for “one problem.”

Would it surprise you to learn that this traffic report could have been given in Jesus’ day?  In fact, the same report was given to a man who asked Jesus a very important question.  Let’s take a closer look at this passage to see just where this “one problem” presented itself.

In Mark 10:21, we read, “Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

In this passage, Jesus responds to the question of the rich young ruler, who wanted to know what he had to do to obtain eternal life.  Jesus told him to obey the law.  In response, the young man stated he had kept the law at all points.  That’s when Jesus made this statement.

Notice the beginning of this passage.  The Scriptures say that Jesus looked and loved this man.  Only in Mark’s gospel is this recorded. It was out of love for him that Jesus pointed out the “one problem” in his life.  Something was missing, impeding and preventing this man from being whole.  Jesus told him to sell what he had, to give to the poor, and to become one of Jesus’ followers.  The one problem was not the man’s money; rather it was what the money represented.  It was the one thing he found difficult to surrender.  It was the road block, the stalled car in the highway that kept the power of God from freely flowing through his life.

The ensuing verses tell us that the man went away sad because he was very rich. Sound familiar?  Each of us has at least “one thing, one problem” that God point out to us.  It may seem insignificant to others but to us it is extremely important.  It is this one thing that God requires of us so that his love can flow freely through us. Whatever it is, until we surrender it, it will be a constant road block, keeping us from serving God fully. What does the traffic report of your life look like today?  Remember, only one problem in Dallas still means that there is something in the way.  What is that one thing in your life today? 

Constantly On The Move

 Carp's Daily Tidbits

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

Date: Thursday, February 19, 2015

Today's Title: Constantly On The Move

Today's Scripture: 2 Chronicles 27:6

Every evening when the lights are out and all is quiet, I lie in my bed listening to the sound of the ticking clock that hangs on the wall in my living room.  All through the day and night, this vigilant sentinel keeps watch over my home, faithfully marking the passing hours.  While the pendulum swings back and forth, the hands move around the clock, marching through the hours with a determined and steady cadence.  This dance of time occurs whether I am present or not.  The clock continually fulfills its purpose, no matter what!

Clocks have always been a part of my life.  Our house was filled with them because my dad loved, and still loves, listening to a ticking clock.  What continues to amaze me is the precision with which these wonderful instruments work.  The most important part of the clock is the pendulum because without its faithful back and forth motion, the clock would not function.  As the pendulum swings through space, it causes the hands of the clock to move around the dial at a steady pace.  Each swing of the pendulum results in the forward motion of the hands as they mark the passing seconds, minutes, and hours.

The real secret of the clock lies in the fact that its parts are constantly on the move.  The visible motion of the hands and pendulum belie the intricate dance of the clock’s wheels, springs, and gears.  Yet the very fact that the hands move with such devotion indicates that the steadfast march of time moves forward from one passing moment to the next.

The Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles reveals the importance of being constantly on the move in God’s service.  2 Chronicles 27:6 is a brief passage about a man named Jotham, King of Judah, who walked in a manner pleasing to God.  “Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.”  But who was this Jotham and what do we know about him?

Jotham’s name appears 28 times in the Old Testament.  His father was King Uzziah who had leprosy.  Uzziah could not enter the Temple and he lived in a separate house, relieved of his responsibilities.  Jotham represented the people and ruled for his father.  When his father died, Jotham became King of Judah.  He rebuilt the Upper Gate of the Lord’s Temple.  He was 25 when he became king and he reigned for 16 years.  He conquered the Ammonites and they paid a tribute to him for 3 years.

But what we know historically about Jotham does not compare to our scripture passage today.  Notice that there is a direct correlation between Jotham’s power and his walk before God.  In the Old Testament, walking before the Lord meant to please Him on a consistent basis.  Like a clock’s pendulum swinging back and forth, walking also requires constant movement, placing one foot in front of the other. The goal of walking is to move forward, to go from one place to another in a methodical and determined pattern.  Walking before God is a commentary on a person’s life and Jotham’s life was pleasing to God.  We know this because the Scriptures also say that Jotham increased in power and that his walk was steadfast.

This is always true of a man or woman today who walks with God.  The word steadfastly means determined, continually, and consistently.  God wants us to walk with Him on a daily basis, always looking to Him for all our needs, always communicating with Him in every situation, and always walking forward with Him as we mature in our faith.  When we walk with God in this fashion, we find that our spiritual lives become more powerful, that our relationship with God grows ever deeper, and that our faith and trust in Him grow ever stronger.

What do the hands of your spiritual clock tell you about your walk with God today?  Is your pendulum swinging, marking out a constant rhythm, making the spiritual gears of your life turn?  Are the hands of your spiritual clock indicating that you are moving forward, growing and maturing in your walk with God?  Or do the pendulum and the hands show no movement, showing that your forward momentum and your walk with God have stopped?  If this is the case, don’t rest until you talk with God and have your clock rewound.  Remember, in order to please God, you must spend time with Him.  Are you constantly on the move today?

Just Keep Looking

Carp's Daily Tidbits

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

Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Today's Title: Just Keep Looking

Today's Scripture:  Hebrews 11:6

Dear Tidbitters,

“I know it’s here somewhere, it’s has to be!”  These were the words I kept repeating over and over to myself one Saturday morning as I sat in the barbershop waiting for my turn on the chopping block.  I was thumbing through a children’s magazine and became enthralled with a section containing an artist’s drawing of a particular scene.  What made the drawing so fascinating was that cleverly drawn into the picture were approximately a dozen items that were hidden.  The opposite page listed the hidden items and included a picture of each one so the reader would know what to look for.

I had successfully located eleven of the twelve items but the last one was eluding me.  I honestly could not find it, no matter where I looked and no matter the angle at which I held the magazine.  Each time I thought I had located the missing picture, it turned out to be part of the background.  My imagination, as well as my eyes, played tricks on me, leading me to believe there was something where there wasn't and nothing where something definitely was.

The time was rapidly approaching for me to have my haircut but I didn't want to leave that picture.  I was determined that no kid’s magazine was going to get the best of me.  I doubled my efforts and began searching more diligently, looking over every inch of that magazine, turning it every way but loose.  Finally, just before utter frustration set in, I found the image.  I had looked at that very spot several times, I just hadn't noticed the special way the artist had placed the image in the picture.  With a great sense of satisfaction, I closed the magazine, went to the back of the shop, and received a nice haircut.

We are all familiar with this process, aren't we?  We lose our keys, we lay aside our ink pen, we put down a book for just a minute, and then it’s gone.  We know it’s there somewhere; we just have to find it.  We become very determined, tearing up every part of the house or car until we find it.  Usually, it’s right there under our noses, we just didn't see it because we weren't looking for it!

We can also apply this situation to our daily walk with God.  The writer of Hebrews addresses this idea of searching for God in chapter 11.  This chapter is famous because it speaks about the role of faith in the Christian life.  The opening of the chapter contains a list of some the great heroes of our faith.  But not very far into the chapter, we find a profound statement, one that hits us right between the eyes and causes us to stop and consider its truth.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read the following statement, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  Read that once again, very carefully.  We often quote the first part of the passage to the exclusion of the second part.  We all know that we must have faith in God in order to have a relationship with Him.  We must believe in His existence to claim to be His children.  But look at what the last part of the verse says.  In order to receive anything from God, we must diligently seek Him!!!

Don’t take that word, diligently, too lightly.  Remember your search for your lost keys or my search for that hidden picture.  I was determined not to relinquish my death-grip on that magazine until I found that last image.  This is exactly what the writer means here!  We are to seek after God with full vigor, determined to find Him no matter the cost, no matter how long it takes, and no matter from what angle we have to approach Him.  God promises us He will be found but only if we search for Him—diligently!

Far too often we pay lip service to God.  We believe in Him and affirm this to our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family.  But when was the last time we wrestled in prayer, seeking His face?  When was the last time we poured over the Scriptures looking for more of our Heavenly Father?  He is there among the words.  His truth is embedded in the pages of our Bible.  He is waiting for us to open it and to diligently seek His face in everything and at all times. Are you earnestly, diligently, consistently seeking Him today?