Life 101

T

he flashing caution lights, the smell of diesel fuel, frequent traffic jams, mobs in the stores, sudden shortages of basic office supplies; all these herald the beginning of school.  For the past several weeks, different school systems in and around the Fort Worth area have opened.  The pattern of school openings resembles the lights of a tiny village that come on at dusk. A few here, more there, until the whole village is awash in light.  By the end of last week, all the surrounding school systems were up and running on normal schedules and the universities and colleges were also in full swing.

On August 26^th, I officially start my teaching duties.  It is hard to believe summer is over and that fall is not too far away; but the beginning of school, at any level, brings this fact more vividly into focus.  One of the requirements I must fulfill as an instructor is to create a syllabus, essentially a large blueprint that outlines the course.  It lists all the events pertinent to the class such as tests, exams, and of course the most popular item, vacations and breaks.  Students will flip right past the important academic information and look for how much vacation time is built into the university calendar.

The syllabus, however, does more than just list important dates and policies.  It actually makes several promises to the student and one of those promises is tests!!  While students don't particularly enjoy taking tests, they are well aware of their importance.  In addition, the syllabus indicates the specific dates of the tests and of those dreaded mid-term and final exams.  While there is no indication as to what type of test will be administered or how difficult it will be, the students are assured that the test is coming and they know they must be prepared for it. 

In John 16:33, Jesus essentially gave out a syllabus to his disciples.  He wasn't teaching a course in philosophy or chemistry or psychology or calculus.  Instead, Jesus was teaching a course in life.  In fact, the ministry of Jesus is an ongoing course in how life should be lived in order to please God.  The teachings of Jesus could well be considered as a course entitled Life 101.

At most universities and colleges, courses labeled 101 indicate the class is introductory or elementary in nature.  It is the most basic level of study, laying the foundation for all other courses that come after it.  Not understanding the basic, fundamental concepts at this level spells great difficulty for the student later in his/her academic career.  A good instructor will test, and test often, to ensure these basic principles are learned.

Notice the words of Jesus in John 16:33, " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  From the outset, Jesus seeks to comfort his disciples.  He tells them everything, hiding nothing from them.  It's all in the syllabus.  There will be times of learning and times of testing.  Jesus promises his disciples, and us, that life will be filled with tests.  In fact, he says there will be "many trials and sorrows."  Now if the syllabus stopped here, there would be a mad rush on the registrar's office by students seeking to drop the course.  However, Jesus doesn't stop here.  He continues by encouraging his students, essentially telling them to trust him because he has already been where they are going!!  This is the kind of teacher every student wants because he/she understands what it is like to be in the student's situation.

Scripture is very clear that Jesus was tested in every possible way we are but he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).  The first day of class, I gave out my syllabus.  The students were not totally happy, but they now know what to expect.  I understand their frustrations, especially when learning a foreign language. I have spent the last 38 years of my life wrestling to learn French and one day, I hope to get there.

Jesus came to earth and lived as one of us.  He knows our weaknesses, he knows our challenges, and he understands our frustrations.  He knows what it is to be lonely, what it is to be rejected, what it is to be misunderstood, and what it is to be abandoned.  Yet his syllabus is full of these very tests and we must take them if we are to pass the course and understand the basic, fundamental truth of his great love for us. 

The syllabus, God's word, has been written.  Perhaps you are holding a copy of it in your hands right now.  Look through it and know that God is with you in every trial and test.  No matter how hard or impossible you think it will be, when you get there you will find him ready to come to your side when you call for help.  Life 101, a basic class, a challenging adventure, but a wonderful course of study!

A Way Of Escape

A

t least once a week, someone will email me or ask me where I come up with the ideas for the Tidbits.  My response is always the same, I don't come up with them.  I can be in the car or taking a walk, or having a conversation and God will impress upon me how what I've seen or said or heard can be used as a Tidbit topic.  It always amazes me how God uses the smallest and simplest of things to teach me something about himself.  God, however, is like that, wanting us to know him better and using situations and circumstances to teach us if we are willing to learn.

For instance, how many times have you walked on a sidewalk and noticed the lines cut into the concrete?  As kids, we used to play games using the divisions in the sidewalks to mark off boundaries of hop-scotch, for foul lines for basketball, and to designate an are as home base for various games we played.

As I grew older, I learned that the gaps in the sidewalk have a distinct purpose.  The lines are cut into concrete to allow its sections to expand and contract with the weather.  If you observe a sidewalk very closely, you will notice that the gaps between the segments of concrete will grow or shrink in size according to the outside temperature.  This expansion gaps are necessary and prevent the concrete from bucking up and cracking.

The Christian life works under the same principle.  There are expansion gaps in our spiritual life.  Sometimes it may appear that God is stretching us beyond all measure.  We may feel there is no way we can continue under the present circumstances. Any more pressure and we will just explode or crack.  At such times, it seems that God increases the pressure, demanding even more.  What happens is that we are being stretched, we are expanding, and the spiritual heat has been turned up.

However, when we reach our limits, and God knows what our limits are, he removes the pressure.  He understands how much we can take, he knows what we can accomplish, and he also knows the circumstances under which we do our best expanding and growing.  Yes, God has put expansion gaps in our relationship with him.  If we sit for too long in the cold, we will crack, if we have too much pressure, we will buckle and warp, but with the right amount of pressure, we expand, we grow, we stay in tact, and we serve a useful purpose for God.

I don't know where you are today in your walk with God.  However, I do know that he loves you and has only the best in mind for you.  If you feel you are being tested, tried, or if you are undergoing some temptation, take comfort from Paul's words to the Corinthians. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13).  God places difficult trials and challenges into our lives.  He even allows us to be tempted because he trusts us!!!  How much does he trust you today?

The Lesson of the Sponge

O

ne perk of owning your own business comes from all the samples of neat stuff various salesmen try to sell you.  They enter your place of business—unannounced I must add—open their brief cases—which look more like suitcases—and pull out all types of nifty little samples of their wares.  I remember some of the things my dad used to receive on consistent basis at work.  There were pens, notepads, calendars, refrigerator magnets, you name it. 

Once in a great while, however, a salesman produced something out of the ordinary, an item that was so unique and unusually captivating that you couldn’t help but be mesmerized by it.  I arrived home from school one day to find just such an item sitting on our counter top in the kitchen.  Mom was busy cleaning the kitchen sink and right beside her was a small plastic package filled with a long yellow strip.  Mom picked up the package, tore open the plastic wrapping, and removed the slender material. By now, my curiosity was peaked.  I had no idea what the material was but I rushed to the sink to find out.

Mom threw the strip into the water.  There, right before my eyes, the yellow material began to move and grow.  What was a strip of yellow a few seconds earlier began changing into something two to three times the size.   Finally, it stopped and in the sink was a new sponge, sopping wet, fully loaded, and ready for action.  Mom reached into the sink, took the sponge, wrung out all the excess water, and began using the sponge to clean the cabinets.

I have never forgotten the image of that sponge or the lesson it taught me.  What I learned from that sponge many years ago was one of the greatest of life’s lessons.  The sponge is no good until it is plunged into water, allowed to swell to the bursting point, and wrung out, removing all the unnecessary water.  A sponge that is too dry cannot clean and sponge that is too full just makes a mess.  In order for the sponge to be effective, it has to be both soaked and wrung out.  The soaking part is the fun part but the wringing out process requires work and isn’t terribly exciting and wonderful from the sponge’s perspective.

Perhaps no one in the Bible understood the plight of the sponge better than Noah.  After all, he was plunged into a great sink of water and left there for over a year before he was allowed to exit the ark.  Sometime after his 500^th birthday, God called him to build a boat, better known as the ark.  This is proof that retirement at age 65 is NOT biblically based!!  For years Noah labored building the ark, preparing it for the day the first drop of rain would fall.  This was the soaking up part of Noah’s life.  Although he was working hard on the ark, he was gathering strength for the long journey ahead, a journey that would wring out everything but the most necessary element of his life—his faithfulness and obedience to God’s calling.

Genesis 7:23 provides an interesting window into Noah’s life after the rain had stopped. “Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.”  Thus began the wringing out process in Noah’s life.  The account of the flood in Genesis 6-9 tells us that Noah was in the ark for over a year.  During that time, Noah worked, caring for all the animals on the ark, tending to their needs, fulfilling the purpose for which God called him. 

The last sentence of this passage tells us that Noah and those with him were the only one’s left.  Can you feel God’s fingers squeezing the last bit of water from the sponge?  Noah must have felt alone, isolated, and forgotten.  While the waters were soaking the earth, God was wringing him out.  While the tide continued to swell beneath him, God’s purging of his life continued.  While everything else perished, Noah remained alive.

This is God’s way with us.  There are times when we bask in His presence, soaking up all that He has to teach us.  At times such as these, the journey is easy, the spiritual lessons we learn seem so evident, and the presence of God is so near and so real to us.  But there are times when God chooses to wring us out in order to use us for His purposes.  Like the sponge, this means God will remove all but the most essential elements of the spiritual life so that He can use us for His purposes.  At times you may feel abandoned and pressed beyond all measure.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.  God knows where you are, He understands your situation, and He is using it to wring from your life everything that keeps you from being all that He knows and wants you to be. 

H

ave you experienced the lesson of the sponge in your life?  Are you soaking or are you being wrung out today?  Where ever you are in this process, take heart from another statement from Noah’s life, found in Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” God always remembers where you are! Have a great day in Him today!

Cutting Back

W

hile living in the south of France during my junior year of college, I had several occasions to travel around the countryside, to visit and see things I had only read about but never thought I would actually experience in my lifetime.  I remember passing through the French countryside with rolling hills, valleys, and lush, fertile fields.  I also distinctly remember the first time I saw a vineyard from the window of a train.  It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen.

As the train rolled through open country, it passed through what seemed to be endless rows of grape vines.  As far as the eye could see in every direction there was nothing but grapes.  It was the harvest season and hundreds of workers were in the fields cutting off the ripened bunches by hand and placing them into baskets which were then transferred to trucks or carts. These luscious clusters were bound for the winery where they would be milked of their precious juice and turned into wine destined for tables the world over.

However, one of the most fascinating things about these vineyards was not the number of grapes they produced, nor their size, nor even the number of workers in the field. What was truly amazing was the care given to the vines. They were protected, guarded, and tended to with the same affection that a father has for his children.  They wanted for nothing and were given every opportunity to grow and mature into healthy, grape-producing plants.

But on occasion, the head of the vineyard would come along, take a pair of shears, and cut whole branches from the vine.  In some instances he would cut the vine back to the stalk, meaning it would not produce any fruit for several years.  This seemed odd; almost like cutting one’s nose off to spite one’s face.  These vineyards were the source of income and livelihood for several families.  Cutting back to the vine seemed to be counterproductive.  But the husbandman knew his vines much better than I did.  He knew that to get perfect fruit--and lots of it--sometimes the vine had to be cut back to the very stalk and allowed to grow newer, stronger branches that would produce more fruit.

Jesus knew a lot about grapes.  His first miracle, at the wedding in Canaan, was turning water into wine.  But Jesus also understood the role of the husbandman, or vinedresser, in relation to the production of good grapes which led to the making of excellent wine.  Jesus used the example of the vinedresser to teach one of his greatest lessons about being one of his disciples. While the job of the vine is to produce fruit, it is the job of the husbandman to ensure the branches are fit to produce perfect grapes and lots of them.  Sometimes this means the branches have to be pruned, cut back, in order to grow stronger and more productive.

We read these words from Jesus in John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”  Notice the three distinct roles in this brief statement.  First, Jesus is the vine. The vine produces everything the branches need. It is their source of life, of food, of strength, of water, and as long as they are attached to the vine, they grow, they live, and they produce fruit.

Second, there are the branches.  These represent the believers and followers of Christ. The job of the branches is to produce fruit and lots of it.  As Christian believers, we are to produce fruit that is pleasing to the eye and wonderful to the taste. People should see our lives and want to know Jesus simply based on the way we represent him.  The type and quantity of fruit we produce speaks volumes about our relationship with Jesus and our willingness to give a strong witness for him based on our words, actions, and deeds.

The third role is that of the vine dresser.  His job is to prune the branches, to cut them back so they will produce more fruit.  God often works in our lives with a pair of shears.  He cuts, breaks, and removes any part of our branches that are not producing fruit for the vine.  A branch that does not produce fruit is sapping nourishment and strength from the vine and its fellow branches.  God works lovingly to remove these branches so that all our efforts, all our thoughts, all our words, and all our actions will produce more fruit for Jesus Christ.  The painful process of pruning the branches serves as a reminder that the vine dresser loves the branches.  He knows the type and quantity of fruit they are capable of producing and He works to ensure they bring forth the best fruit possible.

T

oday, you may find yourself under God’s pruning shears.  He may be cutting away areas of your life that have provided comfort and security for so long.  He may be removing people from your life that have been life-long companions and friends.  He does not do this as punishment or to be cruel.  God knows you and He knows what it takes to make you the most productive vine you can be.  Only the best grapes get chosen for the choicest wines.  What kind of fruit are you producing today?

Weightlifting 101

T

he weight room in our high school gym was one of the most popular places on campus.  This was especially true for the guys training for football, basketball, track and field, or baseball, a sport for which our town remains well-known and respected.  However, the weight room was not only used by student athletes.  Some of the teachers and coaches used the facilities to remain in good physical shape.

Each day after school, guys would pour into the gym, dress out, and begin their exercise routines.  Some would use free weights, others would use the available machines, and the rest would do exercises or spot for those lifting. All those using the weight room had one goal, to increase their strength, reduce their body fat, and build muscles.

The results of their labor were evident.  Not long after they started training, all the guys began taking on a different appearance.  They grew bigger and stockier.  Their increased size and strength evidenced their dedication to become physically fit.  However, there was another by product which could not be seen but was just as real.  That by-product was pain. 

Before entering training, everyone knew that pain would be a part of the process.  In order to build muscle, you have to tear muscle.  Tearing a muscle is never fun and it is never done without pain. But without pain, without constant training and stretching, muscle does not grow, strength is not increased, and a good physical condition is not maintained.

This same principle applies to our spiritual conditioning as well.  If we mean to grow spiritually, we must exercise our faith.  This is never easy and it is never pain-free.  If you’ve ever tested your faith, if you’ve every increased your ability to trust God, chances are you’ve paid a visit to God’s weight room.  The only way to grow more faith is to be torn, stretched, and strained so that your faith in him can grow.

This is what the James had in mind when he wrote the following, “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 1:3-4).  Just as an athlete’s goal through training is to perfect his body, so the goal of spiritual training is to perfect our souls.  Notice that James says that the goal of the spiritual workout is perfection.  He does not mean we will be perfect, we’re human.  However, he does suggest that we will be complete, lacking in nothing.

G

od’s goal for us as Christians is to be complete in him.  We achieve this only by increasing our faith and our trust in him.  In order for our faith to grow, it must be tested, stretched, and strained.  Only when this happens can new and stronger faith grow.  God does not leave us to go through this alone.  He is there beside us, watching us, making sure the load does not over burden us.  He knows just how much weight is needed to make us stronger in him.  So, are you up for some spiritual bench pressing today?

You're A Quart Low

F

ull-service gasoline stations are almost a thing of the past.  They have been replaced with more modern, upscale, and faster self-service stations where you can pump your own gas, get a drink, and wash your car without changing establishments.  Yet, all the advanced technology, all the quick service, and all the added perks have removed the personal touch from having your car serviced.

  I can remember riding in the car with my dad or one of my grandfathers.  They would stop by the service station, roll down the window, and request the car be filled with gasoline.  The attendant always greeted his customers with a smile and always asked how things were going.

In addition to filling the car with gas, the windshield and the windows were cleaned, and the oil was checked.  All this was done as part of the service, at no extra charge.  Today, it is almost impossible to find someone to check your oil, let alone do it for free.

When I began driving, I took my car to the same station my dad visited.  I received the same service.  However, one day, the attendant announced, from underneath my hood, that my car was a quart low on oil.  He immediately put a quart of oil in the motor, finished cleaning the windshield and windows, topped off the gas tank, and sent me on my way. 

As I drove away, I was thankful there was someone who knew about cars, who knew how they ran, who knew what essential things to check, and who knew how to keep an engine properly maintained.  I don’t know what would have happened if that man hadn’t checked my oil.  He knew what the level should be and he knew how to replenish the oil supply in my car.  If he hadn’t checked it regularly, I could have been in serious trouble, along the road somewhere, stranded, with no one to help me.

Unfortunately, we view life much like a self-service gas station.  Occasionally we check our gauges, notice that we need to refuel, pull into the first available station, fill up with whatever is the cheapest, grab a few other things we need, and then go about our business.  We never give any thought to maintaining the important things in life.  We just get what we think we need, when we think we need it, and go on our merry way. 

This is reflected in our spiritual lives as well.  Most of us view God as a self-service gas station, a one-stop store we visit only when we need something.  Then after a short pit stop, we go on our way, never thinking about him until we are in need again. 

Have you ever considered asking God to give you full service?  Have you ever stopped to think what he would find if he looked under your hood?  If he looked deep into your heart would he find you running low on love, low on faith, and low on spiritual fuel?

This happened to King Belshazzar.  He was throwing a party when he ran out of things to serve.  He sent for the gold and silver items from God’s temple and paid homage to the gods of gold, silver, wood, etc.  A large hand appeared and wrote on the wall.  Daniel, the prophet interpreted the writing for the king with these words from Daniel 5:27, “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”  He lost his kingdom that evening to the Medes and Persians.

A

nd how about us today? Would we be found wanting?  We need to have his full service. Only he knows where to look in our lives for problems and difficulties.  Only he understands how we should be on the inside so that we honor and glorify him.  The next time you talk with God, have him look under the hood to make sure you are running at peak performance.  Don’t settle for anything less than full service.  Have you had your oil checked lately?

Testing Time!

            

W

hile living in Europe, I grew accustomed to the tradition of drinking hot tea.  You must understand that growing up in the southeastern United States meant the only form of tea with which I was familiar was iced tea.  In addition to being iced, it was also very sweet.  I still love to drink my tea this way but I do enjoy brewing a nice hot cup of tea in the evenings.  It just seems to make reading a good book or listening to good music better, not to mention what it does for shortbread cookies!

Now the requirements for making hot tea are very few. The only items you need are a kettle, some water, a cup, and a tea bag.  Taken by themselves, they are just ordinary items, but when they are combined, the result is very satisfying.  Yet, before you can enjoy that cup of tea a few things have to happen. 

The water must be placed into the kettle and brought to the boiling point.  Then, tea bag must be placed into the hot water and allowed to steep.  Only by placing the tea into the boiling water, and only after leaving it there for a period of time, is it possible to produce a good, hot beverage pleasing to both body and soul.

The Christian life is just like this!  The tea bag represents the Christian life, and the hot water represents the trials and tests that sometimes come in life.  In order for God to draw out of us those qualities that glorify him, he sometimes has to put us into "hot water." 

Trials and conflicts are part of life and the Christian is not exempt from this truth.  Christ promised to be with us in trials, not to keep us from them.  It is in the difficult times of life that our true character is revealed and true spiritual growth takes place.

Just like a tea bag that must steep in hot water in order to release its goodness, so is it necessary sometimes for God to place us into difficulty and leave us there.  He does not abandon us, but allows us to steep so that we may bring honor and glory to him and reach others for Jesus Christ.

No one understood more than Job the idea of being left in the midst of trial.  He was consigned to extremely difficult circumstances.  Yet, by obeying God and submitting to his will, Job proved to be an example for us all.  Although he didn't understand why God had permitted this testing, he saw it as coming from God and knew it had a purpose.  In verse 10 of chapter 23 Job says, "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold". 

R

est assured, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances today, your Heavenly Father is aware of them.  He knows your trials and he trusts you with them.  You will not stay in "hot water" a minute longer than is necessary to make you what he wants you to be.  You have his word on it!

Giants In The Land

I

t had been a long, tiresome journey from Egypt.  For centuries, the Hebrew children had awaited this day, the day when they actually learned first-hand what the Promised Land looked like.     They had told their children of Isaac and Rebecca, of Jacob and Esau, and of Joseph and his coat of many colors.  According to his wishes, the people had exhumed Joseph's body and had brought his bones to be buried in the new land. 

Forty days before, a band of twelve men entered the land with instructions to spy on its inhabitants and to bring back some of its produce.  Excitement and tensions mounted as the people eagerly awaited word of the spies' arrival back in camp. What had they seen?  What would be their assessment of the land and its people?  What advice would they give Moses for entering the land?

Everyone pressed in close to hear the report and to learn about their new home.  Not a sound was made as the twelve recounted their findings.  Two men, Joshua and Caleb, displayed a large cluster of grapes that required a large pole and two men to carry.  Surely, they had found the land to be truly flowing with milk and honey, just as God promised. 

But suddenly, their excitement vanished and fear gripped the people.  Several of the spies gave vivid descriptions of the land's current inhabitants.  Everyone listened intently to the report and one word sent fear and despair through the crowd.  That word was GIANT.  Yes, there were giants in the land.  Of the twelve, only Joshua and Caleb felt they should proceed.  The other ten were not so enthusiastic and their opinion carried the day.  The people refused to move forward.

What a tragedy this was for Israel.  For over 400 years, they served as slaves in Egypt, longing and praying for the day of their deliverance.  God brought them out of their bondage with a mighty hand and led them to the border of the land he promised Abraham.  All they had to do was to enter it and possess it.  However, they

stopped short of experiencing God's provision and experiencing his deliverance because they chose fear instead of faith.

Numbers 14:9 records the faithful words of Caleb as he tried to persuade the people to take the land, “Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 

Like the other spies, Caleb had been in the land for forty days.  He had seen the giants and their fortified cities; he had observed their technology and their standard of living. But Caleb also knew God's promise.  He believed God's word to be true, that the land was theirs, that all they needed to do was take it.  The reports of the other spies focused on the giants in the land. 

Like the children of Israel, we all face difficulties and challenges.  There are always giants in the land that strike fear in our hearts.  Some of these giants come in the guise of health problems and some giants strike at the very hearts of our families.  The giants of self-doubt and discouragement loom on several horizons as well as the giants of failure and guilt. 

Today's scriptures present us with two different perspectives on God's promise.  We, like the ten spies, can look at our present situations and concentrate on the giants in our paths.  When we do this, we become grasshoppers, small, weak, and incapable.  Or, like Caleb, we can focus on God and his promise to be with us in all circumstances no matter what.  In the first circumstance we yell, "Retreat!"  In the second scenario, we yell "Attack!"

G

od never intended for the children of Israel to stop short of his provision.  He never intended for them to enter or conquer the land by themselves. Instead, his plan was for them to possess the land by fighting their battles and routing their enemies before them.  And God intends us to live the same way.  He is waiting for us to decide whether we will attack or retreat.  The choice is ours; but the battle is God's!

Before I Was, He Knew

S

aturday and Sunday mornings at our house were pretty typical.  We would sleep later, drink our coffee slower, and talk with each other longer, easing ourselves into the day ahead.  A visit to my parents’ home in North Carolina several years ago proved to be no exception to this rule.

During these visits, the conversation will invariably turn to events and stories from the past.   On one particular Sunday morning, we were standing in the kitchen, one of my very favorite haunts in any house, just talking about nothing in particular.  The conversation, however, took a turn toward the past. For a few moments, we took a stroll down memory lane, discussing the many ways God had provided for us as a family, and for me in particular.

I was born with several congenital abnormalities for which I have undergone numerous surgeries over the years.  One of these "little challenges" concerns my heart.  In June of 1975, I underwent open-heart surgery to repair a hole between my heart’s upper chambers.  The surgery was successful and I had no difficulties afterward.  I grew stronger and could run and play for longer periods without getting tired.

However, a few years after surgery, the doctors discovered another abnormality with my heart's electrical system that caused me to have sporadic, rapid, irregular heart rhythms.  Actually, they had suspected this problem all along due to my irregular electrocardiogram which did not change markedly after surgery.  They were able to determine the cause of the problem and were able to prescribe medications to keep it in check.

When I travel, I carry a copy of my medical record so that a physician will know what to do in case of an emergency.  In the record are letters between my pediatrician and my first cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center.  Those letters indicate their assurance that, at some point, an irregular rhythm episode would occur and they had discussed possible means of treatment. 

As I read those letters, I couldn't help but be amazed at the way God had put in place the people to help me.  These two doctors, from different parts of the country, met each other in medical school years before I was born.  Nevertheless, God was already working, putting them together so that when I came along, they could provide the medical care I needed and assemble one of the finest medical teams to address this issue. 

Before I was, He knew what I would need and made provision for it.  Before my mom and dad married, before any of this, God knew.  Some would chalk this up to coincidence or luck.  In my experience, there is no such thing.  God either cares for us or He doesn't, He either knows everything or He doesn't, He is either who He says He is or He isn't, we either believe Him or we don't.  I choose to believe God is exactly who He says He is and that He knows us and provides for us even when we don't yet exist.

David knew this to be true and penned the following words in Psalm 139:16, "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."  David knew and understood how awesome God is.  He understood how wonderfully he had been fashioned and he also knew that if God could create everything that exists, then He knew how to take care of it and maintain it. 

T

oday you may be struggling.  The circumstances you are in may seem so overwhelming and daunting.  You may be wondering where God is and if He even knows or cares about where you are.  Rest assured He does.  He has been making plans for you for years, even before you were born.  Nothing enters your life without His knowledge.  If sparrows do not escape His attention when they fall, nothing in the life of His children goes unnoticed either.  Today's challenges only speak of tomorrow's victories.  Everything you need for this day, God will provide because before you were, He knew!!!

Test Is A Four-Letter Word!

Carp's Daily Tidbits

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

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Today's Title: Test Is A Four-Letter Word!

Today's Scripture: Hebrews 4:15  

Test is a four-letter word, just ask any student.  The mere mention of the “T” word is enough to throw a class into shock and to offend the majority of the class members.  Whenever this word is uttered by a professor, it carries the same force as a strong expletive and is heard by everyone in the room.  You’d be surprised how silent a room can become with just the mention of this tiny, four-letter word. I’m here to tell you that it is possible to hear a pin hit the carpet in my classroom whenever I dare speak that “unmentionable” word.

Although I am well aware that my students experience severe stress and angst whenever I mention a test, their reaction in no way prevents me from preparing and administering them.  What kind of instructor would I be if I never gave my students an “opportunity” to demonstrate how much they know?  From the students’ perspective, I would be a very popular teacher but at best I would be ineffective.  Testing is good for both the student and the teacher.  For the student, the test indicates the degree to which knowledge has been mastered and for the instructor, the test is a good barometer of how knowledge has been delivered.

However, there is another side to testing which the student rarely, if ever, sees.  While the student is cramming that last bit of information into his brain, the instructor is wrestling with the same body of material, trying to present it in a manner that will be both challenging and beneficial to the student.  When the test is administered, the student takes it only once; the instructor, however, takes that test several times, once for each student in the class.

I often share this fact with my students but they rarely give me any sympathy.  I’m not surprised!  I didn't give my professors much sympathy either when it came to tests.  I felt it was poetic justice since they had ruined my weekend!  In any event, the testing process can and does give us an interesting insight into the way God tests us and the way He understands His children.

            In Hebrews 4:15 we read, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.” This is a very interesting passage of scripture and one we need to look at very carefully.  There are some insightful truths tucked away in this short statement.  We must understand that the writer here is speaking of Jesus as our great high priest.  According to the Mosaic Covenant, the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies once a year to atone for Israel’s sin.  He, himself, was just a man and the law required him to make a sacrifice for his own sins before he could make atonement for the people.  But in this chapter from Hebrews we see something completely different.

Jesus is our high priest and he makes atonement for us.  Like the High Priest, Jesus was fully man, but unlike him, he was also fully God.  I don’t understand how this can be but I believe it to be so.  This is the good part, so hang on!  Since Jesus was human, he experienced every temptation you and I experience.  That is what the passage says, read it again and you’ll see!  It is due to his humanity that Jesus is able to sympathize with us and to understand exactly what we face.

In other words, Jesus knows what it is like to take the tests we take in life, he’s already been there.  However, he did what we cannot do; he passed the test with flying colors.  We stumble and fall and we yield to the pressures of temptation around us.  These can be flagrant and aggressive or they can be subtle and approach by stealth.  But no matter what the temptation, our savior fully understands our plight. 

So, the next time you are tested, and it may be today, remember that Jesus understands what you are facing.  Not only does he make out the tests you take; he has taken them himself as well.  There is nothing we face that he has not confronted and there is no situation we experience that is unfamiliar to him.  This should give us great assurance and peace.  We do have a great teacher, one that understands us, one who sympathizes with us, and one who knows the importance of passing through periods of testing.  Remember, a test shows us how much we know, it shows us how much we have learned, and it points us to lessons yet to be mastered.  Yes, test is a four-letter word: but it isn't something we haven’t heard before and it is something we will hear again!