| "Heightened Security" is Commonplace Now. | December 31, 2003 | Top of Page |
| We Shared "Christmas Family Traditions"... | December 18, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Some People Might Call It Cruel! | December 11, 2003 | Top of Page |
| It's That Time of Year Again | December 4, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Happy Thanksgiving! | November 26, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Do We Have To Be Happy To Be Thankful? | November 20, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Running Around Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off! | November 13, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Drove to New York City Last Week... | November 6, 2003 | Top of Page |
| "You Were Caught Saying Grace!" | October 30, 2003 | Top of Page |
| It's the Day After a Big Victory! | October 23, 2003 | Top of Page |
| OK..Inquiring Minds Want To Know... | October 16, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Are You Ever Impatient With God? | October 9, 2003 | Top of Page |
| The First Words of the Lord's Prayer... | October 2, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Movin' On Up! | September 25, 2003 | Top of Page |
| My Brother and I Played Ping Pong... | September 18, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Has It Been Two Years Already? | September 11, 2003 | Top of Page |
| When I Was Young... | September 4, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Was Stopped at the Traffic Light... | August 28, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Did You Ever Run Away From Home? | August 21, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Jesus is the Answer! | August 14, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Had the Distinct Pleasure... | August 7, 2003 | Top of Page |
| God Says He Will Not Remember Our Sins | July 31, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Your Life Matters to God! | July 24, 2003 | Top of Page |
| How About This For a Birthday Gift?! | July 17, 2003 | Top of Page |
| This World is an Exceedingly Dangerous Place. | July 10, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Where Does "Patriotism" Come From? | July 3, 2003 | Top of Page |
| You Think You've Got Problems...! | June 26, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! | June 19, 2003 | Top of Page |
| A Father's Influence is Profound... | June 12, 2003 | Top of Page |
| It Was Their First Puppy! | June 5, 2003 | Top of Page |
| We Live in a Broken and Sorrowing World. | May 22, 2003 | Top of Page |
| What in the World Were They Thinking? | May 15, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Arrived in Colorado Springs at Mid-day... | May 8, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Am Deeply Grateful for Three Really Great Kids. | May 1, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I "Blew Out" My Elbow and Dislocated My Shoulder... | April 24, 2003 | Top of Page |
| It Was My First Year of Summer Camp... | April 10, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I've Been Writing About Fear... | April 3, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Was Smaller Than Many of My Classmates... | March 27, 2003 | Top of Page |
| Irrational Fears. | March 20, 2003 | Top of Page |
| It Didn't Happen Quite the Way I Had Hoped. | March 13, 2003 | Top of Page |
| So Where Are You On This War Issue? | March 6, 2003 | Top of Page |
| I Have a Hard Head... | February 27, 2003 | Top of Page |
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"HEIGHTENED SECURITY" IS
COMMONPLACE NOW.
We just celebrated a "Code Orange Christmas" and the
newscasts are advising that we should be on the alert for
terrorist activity as we open the New Year.
The
Bible talks about men's hearts failing them for fear...sure
seems to describe the times in which we live.
Perhaps you have memories of experiences when you were
overwhelmed with a sense of foreboding, times when some calamity
seemed imminent or you were just sure catastrophe waited around
the corner. Sometimes those fears are warranted. For instance,
in the third grade, when I tossed a classmate into the garbage
can beside the teacher's desk, I was pretty sure I was in
trouble. I was right.
On
the other hand, sometimes our fears are foolish, prompted by
silly worries that have no basis in fact. Even as a child, I
knew to laugh at Chicken Little's ridiculous warning that,
The sky is falling, the sky is falling!
What about our concerns for homeland security? Well, the fears
certainly are not unfounded. The events of 9-11 are proof
enough that we are no longer safe on our own soil.
Nevertheless, our government assures us that we shouldn't worry
and that to change our travel plans or daily habits would be an
unacceptable capitulation to the enemy.
All
in all, my vote is for the very same sentiment expressed by the
psalmist: When I am afraid, I will trust in the Lord.
I have no doubt our government is doing everything possible to
insure our safety, but.... My trust is not in man.
In
this New Year, I urge you to put your hand in His hand, to trust
yourself to the One who commands the oceans to be still...and
they obey!
Heightened security? You bet! There's no better resting place
than in the arms of my Savior. When God is on my side, what
can man do to me?
I
plan to walk with Jesus every step of the next 12 months. I
invite you to join me!
EVERY DAY
WITH JESUS IS SWEETER THAN THE DAY BEFORE! SO TRUE!
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WE SHARED "CHRISTMAS FAMILY
TRADITIONS" in our
evening service two Sundays past. A number of people
recounted their favorite memories of how Christmas has been
celebrated in their homes, and some of the stories were quite
humorous.
Two
people told how their dads worked to "sculpt" the perfect
Christmas tree by cutting off a branch here or there, drilling a
hole in another place in the trunk, and "grafting in" the new
limb so the tree would look fuller or better balanced. Now
that's real dedication to the celebration!
I
was reminded of one of the first Christmases we celebrated in
our first pastorate. We didn't have much money and trees were
expensive that year. On one lot I found a beautiful tree, so
full and well-shaped. There was just one problem: I noticed it
had a double trunk.
Perhaps you know that it is next to impossible to get a double-trunked
tree to cooperate with a tree stand. I was convinced I could
make it work, however --I mean, how hard could it be? -- so I
decided to negotiate with the dealer. Say, I really like
that tree, but I see it has a double trunk. Would you take $10
for it?
He
readily agreed, and I went away with the tree and a smug feeling
about the wonderful deal I had made. Mossie is going to
love this tree.
Hours later, I was hating the tree. I had that thing in and out
of the stand a thousand times it seemed and there was no way to
get it upright. I got a hatchet and hacked away at the trunk,
paring it down to a more manageable thickness in hope that the
tree stand would better accommodate its proportion, but nothing
I did helped.
I
was humbled and humiliated...by a tree. I no longer felt smug
about the deal I had made. In fact, I was pretty sure the guy
who sold it to me was the one feeling smug. Wonder how that
fool made out with the double-trunked tree? And I didn't
have the money to go buy another.
Finally...having expended all the blood, sweat and tears I had
and fearing a complete loss of my sanctification...I submitted
to the only apparent solution: I separated the two trunks. Now
I no longer had a beautiful tree. I had two beautiful halves of
a tree.
I
chose the one I liked the best, rammed it into the stand,
straightened it and stood it in a corner and said to Mossie,
There's your tree. If you don't like it, tough! Well,
maybe I didn't say it in just that way, but that's how I felt.
I
recovered, and we had a good Christmas. However, by the time I
was done with that debacle I wasn't in the "Christmas spirit,"
whatever that is.
Please, don't let the work of decorating and buying gifts and
attending various functions and assembling toys (now there's a
job that's even worse than erecting a tree with two trunks!) rob
you of the joy of the season. Christ the Lord is born! Make
sure your eyes are fixed on Him throughout this season, and
rejoice in the Good News of His coming.
THERE
WILL BE OTHER TREES...THERE IS ONLY ONE LORD!
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SOME PEOPLE MIGHT CALL
IT CRUEL!
When our children were very
young, Mossie and I decided to institute a gift-opening rule for
Christmas morning: When you receive a toy, you have to play with
it for 15 minutes before you are allowed to open your next gift.
Now
you know as well as I do, that isn't how it usually works. The
typical pattern is, tear open the gift...wrapping paper flying
everywhere...ooh and aah over the toy for about 20 seconds...Thank
you, mommy! Thank you, daddy!...throw it on the
accumulating pile of treasure and then lunge for the next
present.
At
that pace, Christmas is over in about 15 minutes! And yes, the
kids might spend the rest of the day playing with their various
toys, but the thrill of opening a gift and discovering the
contents is compressed into a very small space and before you
know it you're thinking, We spent all that money and wrapped
for hours...for this?! Not to mention that the room looks
like a train wreck.
So...we just decided to prolong the experience. And you know
what? The kids really didn't mind. In fact, they often became
so absorbed in play that we had to call them back when it was
time to open another present. You mean I have MORE gifts?
This became a practice in our home that has evolved into perhaps
the most protracted celebration any family could imagine.
Here's our typical Christmas morning:
When we first get up, we'll put on the teapot and cut the
Christmas stollen my mother always makes (Yum! Great recipe!).
Then we gather around the dining room table and light the
candles on our Advent log (that's another story), including the
Christ Candle for Christmas Day. We read portions of scripture,
often including some of the Old Testament prophecies about the
promised Messiah as well as the New Testament narratives of His
birth. Usually, each person at the table reads a passage.
Next, we sing favorite Christmas carols, then each person
prays. When all of this is done, we move to the living room and
the Christmas tree and begin the most leisurely opening of gifts
you ever saw. In fact, usually each of us is more interested in
seeing the reactions of others when they open their gifts than
we are in opening our own. And it takes us forever! But we
thoroughly enjoy ourselves. I really believe it all started
with that decision years ago to require our children to spend a
little time with their newly opened gift before moving on to the
next one. That rule served to develop a certain mentality about
Christmas Day that took the emphasis off the gifts (after all,
isn't Jesus the reason...?) and helped each of us to slow down
and benefit from the whole experience.
Starting with scripture and song and prayer keeps us focused on
the One whose birth we celebrate. Taking our time when opening
gifts helps us appreciate each other more and reminds us that
what we get (or whether we get) is so much less important than
honoring and rejoicing in the One who came to live and die for
us.
Think about it. There are many ways to celebrate our Savior's
birth, and I'm certainly not saying that our way is the "right"
way, or even the best way...but it does help us remember Jesus.
How does your celebration of Christmas serve to keep everyone's
attention focused upon the Lord?
DO THIS
IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME -- It Applies to Christmas, Too!
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IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR
AGAIN -- Time
to spend as much as you can so that your New Year will
begin with plenty of stress and regret! Each year I take
this opportunity to appeal for a little Christmas "common
sense."
Do not assume that you must spend yourself into debt
in order to have a good Christmas. That's a lie of the
enemy and it despoils the true meaning of the season. Jesus
was born in a manger, to a couple who were of modest means,
in order that a spiritually impoverished world might be
redeemed. There was no "spike" in spending at the Bethlehem
marketplace that first Christmas.
I'm not saying that it is wrong to share gifts with
others. The Magi brought gifts when they visited the
Christ-child sometime later. There is always justification
for being generous and kind, and it is good to lavish gifts
on others. I'm just saying we should use some
biblically-informed common sense. Here are some guidelines:
1. Be mindful of your means as you plan your
Christmas giving. How many people are on your Christmas
list because you feel you "have" to give them a gift? You
don't have to give anyone a Christmas present!
It's not required. A simple card, perhaps with a note
expressing your grateful love and appreciation, is an
eloquent gift of yourself. Believe me, others will
understand that your finances do not allow you to buy
expensive presents.
2. Avoid excess in giving to your children (or
grand-children, etc.). We tell our children that Jesus
Is the Reason for the Season, then we act as if
Toys 'R Us is the reason for the season. In a world of
over-indulgence, it is not a good thing to
encourage our children to think that they must have every
whim satisfied. It is a good thing not to receive
everything that the heart desires.
3. Paul says your gift should be a generous gift, not
as one grudgingly given (II Corinthians 9.5, NIV).
If you do have the means, and your heart desires to give
freely and without reluctance, do not hesitate to be
generous. You should surely be a cheerful giver
(II Corinthians 9.7, NIV). Give without expecting a gift in
return; give and find contentment in the joy you have
brought to the one who receives the gift.
4. Be sure to include Jesus in your giving. How
strange to think of celebrating the birthday of Jesus by
giving presents to everyone except the "Birthday Boy!" When
the wise men came, their gifts -- very costly ones, by the
way -- were presented to Jesus, not to each other. Do not
make the mistake of spending so much on Christmas that you
have nothing left to honor the One who for your sake
became poor, so that you through His poverty might become
rich (II Corinthians 8.9, NIV).
If you have children, know this: They do not have to have
boatloads of presents to have a good Christmas. They need
your love, that's all, and simple gifts will suffice. My
parents always made Christmas nice for my brother and me,
but extravagance wasn't essential to the experience. The
fruit and candy I found in my stocking meant as much to me
as the colorful box under the tree. The love of our home
was most precious of all. As long as I had that, how could
I ever feel "deprived?"
This year, our Christmas Love Offering at church
will be designated for Alliance Christian School,
which is facing a very large budget deficit and is a worthy
object of our giving. This is also a great time to support
our missionaries with a gift designated for the Great
Commission Fund.
That's my rant for the season. I hope my words encourage
you and help to deliver you from some unholy and burdensome
holiday expectations. May the Lord's fullness be yours this
Christmas!
THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT! (II
Corinthians 9.15, NIV)
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The following is for your
personal edification,
or to
share at your table before your family begins the Thanksgiving
meal.
**************************
Praise
the Lord.
How good
it is to sing praises to our God,
how
pleasant and fitting to praise Him!
He heals
the brokenhearted
and binds
up their wounds.
He
determines the number of the stars
and calls
them each by name.
Great is
our Lord and mighty in power;
His
understanding has no limit.
Sing to
the Lord with thanksgiving;
make
music to our God on the harp.
He covers
the sky with clouds;
He
supplies the earth with rain
and makes
grass grow on the hills.
He
provides food for the cattle
and for
the young ravens when they call.
The Lord
delights in those who fear Him,
who put
their hope in His unfailing love.
He sends
His command to the earth;
His word
runs swiftly.
He
spreads the snow like wool
and
scatters the frost like ashes.
He hurls
down His hail like pebbles.
Who can
withstand His icy blast?
He sends
His word and melts them;
He stirs
up His breezes, and the waters flow.
Praise
the Lord.
Psalm
147.1, 3-5, 7-9, 11, 15-18, 20b (NIV)
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DO WE HAVE TO BE HAPPY TO BE
THANKFUL?
If things are not going our way, do we have a "right" to
grouse and complain?
I
remember a meeting with a group of pastors. We opened with a
season of prayer and Pastor Al began to thank the Lord for all
his wonderful gifts to us. He thanked God for the oxygen that
fills our lungs, for the blood that courses through our veins,
for the almost incomprehensible capacity God has given us to
process thoughts and to articulate them to others, for the blue
sky and the trees and the flora and fauna of the earth, and just
the privilege of knowing the One who is the Maker and Master of
all.
I've giving you the "Reader's Digest" version. He went on and
on with his prayer, praising the Lord for blessings that we take
for granted. We assume that our breathing will be
unlabored...until lungs are incapacitated and we become
dependent on an oxygen machine. We assume an unlimited stretch
of "tomorrows"...until the doctor informs us that we have an
incurable disease.
When we are content...when things are going well and life is
uncomplicated...it really isn't so hard to be thankful. We
count our blessings and they are innumerable. Life is good. We
can hardly imagine how things could be improved.
But
when the bottom drops out of our world, even the obvious
blessings are concealed behind dark clouds of anxiety, fear and
doubt. What in the world do we thank God for when everything
has gone black?
Well...we thank Him that He is the Light. We thank Him because
He is the God of all comfort. We thank Him for His promise
never to leave us or forsake us. We thank Him because He is the
sovereign Lord of the universe and no will of His can be
thwarted and He has a plan to prosper us, not to harm us, and to
give us hope and a future.
We
thank God for His love and for His faithfulness. We thank Him
for the destiny...here and hereafter...that is ours because of
who He is.
In
fact, true thankfulness is born of adversity. When we face no
troubles, our thanksgiving has a tendency to become trite and
perfunctory. It isn't really much of a witness to anyone else.
Well, of course you're thankful! Look at all you've got
going for you.
When life is difficult and YET we praise God...that's
when people sit up and take notice that our gratitude is
genuine. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Job
was a broken man when he said that, a man who believed, in fact,
that God was about to bring him to his final demise...and didn't
really care, because he had lost everything that mattered.
You
don't have to be happy to be thankful. Jesus said Blessed
(the word means "happy") are the poor in spirit...those who
mourn...those who are persecuted. Why? Because God is
with us and makes provision for us in the most extreme
circumstances of life. He is faithful!
It's our nature to complain when we are in distress. Instead,
rejoice! You are in the character-building crucible of God's
love and discipline...and you are on the threshold of
discovering the fullness of God's purposes for you.
Around the Thanksgiving table, some families have the custom of
pausing to list some of the reasons each is thankful to God. It
would be well to identify some of the pains and disappointments
that have been experienced over the past year, and yet to say,
But I praise the Lord, for He has not forsaken me and I am
learning new depths to His love and I am confident that He will
take of His own.
Let's be honest...AND thankful!
WHEN WE
COUNT OUR BLESSINGS...it's surprising to see what God has done!
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RUNNING AROUND LIKE A
CHICKEN WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF!
Have you heard that expression?
Ever feel that way? Have you ever actually seen a chicken
running around without its head? I have!
I
have childhood memories of my grandmother preparing fresh
chicken. I'm talking about one that we had just killed, and
grandma would pluck it and cook it and make the best chicken and
dumplings in the world. I still remember watching her work on
that bird, cutting off the feet and laying them in the
windowsill while she was cleaning the bird in the kitchen sink.
On
one occasion, my uncle allowed me to help him select a chicken
and kill it for dinner. He captured it and brought it to the
chopping block where he stretched its neck between two nails. I
was given the honor of swinging the hatchet to chop off the
head.
Somehow, when I severed the head from the body the bird jumped
out of my uncle's hands and began to leap all about the yard. A
chicken with its head cut off! It was totally absent any sense
of direction, of course, so it just fluttered wildly in every
direction, completely out of control but certainly full of
energy. My uncle couldn't capture it so he got his .22 rifle
and shot it!
In
Junior HIgh I once forgot something that I was supposed to take
home from school and the principal said to me, Goodin, you'd
forget your head if it wasn't attached to your shoulders.
I thought of that chicken and wondered what I would do if I lost
my head.
Sometimes we really aren't sure where we're headed. Our lack of
direction or loss of purpose might be the result of a sudden
trauma -- like that poor chicken -- or perhaps because we are
simply overwhelmed with too much to do, too many expectations,
too heavy a burden.
That's why I'm so glad God holds my hand. When I lack
direction...when I don't know what to do next...when I'm not
sure where I'm going...it is so reassuring to know the One who
holds tomorrow and who tells me that He has a plan for my life.
Trust the Lord! He's never confused or dismayed, even though we
are. He loves us and He will never forsake us.
GOD SAYS,
I'VE GOT PLANS FOR YOU...A HOPE AND A FUTURE! (Jeremiah 29.11)
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I DROVE TO NEW YORK CITY LAST WEEK
for a meeting of the C&MA Board of
Directors. North on Interstate 81, about six miles into
Pennsylvania, I came upon a horrible accident. Traffic was
stopped in both directions, and the total delay was more than
two hours.
It
was a beautiful day. Moderate temperature, fresh air,
sunshine. In fact, the brilliant light made the fall colors all
the more magnificent, even though the leaves were past their
"peak." It was the kind of day when you can just forget your
worries and enjoy the grandeur of God's created world. That is,
until the moment your world comes crashing down around
you in a few tragic seconds.
I
don't know what happened or how many vehicles were involved, but
I saw enough to know that someone almost certainly was killed.
The car was mangled beyond recognition. It had apparently gone
under the trailer of a semi somehow, and the back eight wheels
of the trailer had been ripped off.
I
was well back in the line of traffic, but I could see the
flashing lights of all the police cruisers and emergency
vehicles way up the road. I saw the lifeflight helicopter
arrive and set down on the highway. Every so often another
official vehicle would roar up or down the vacant south bound
lanes. Usually the driver was on a cell phone.
I
stood outside my car, thinking about the person or persons
involved, thinking about their families, thinking about the
telephone car or the knock on the door that would bring the bad
news. I prayed for people I don't even know. I asked God to
comfort as only He can.
It
all seemed so incongruous, so out of place. A perfect
day...spoiled. For those most closely touched by this tragedy,
the date will never be a welcomed date again. The brightness of
the day had suddenly gone black.
I
had been driving with my sunroof open, soaking up the rare
blessing of a temperate day in late October, but now my thoughts
became somber. It's hard to enjoy such blessings when you know
that someone else has just been robbed of all pleasure in the
day.
And
the world is like that. We live in unresolved tension, pulled
between the loftiness of God's supernal glory, manifested in a
veiled manner in the world around us, and the depressing
falleness of our sinful state. It's a world where joy mingles
with sorrow, pain with pleasure, a world where smiles and
laughter disintegrate into grief all too easily.
That's why those of us who know Jesus must -- we simply must! --
share our hope with others. If life is only about the moments
we live on this earth, what do you do when those moments are
soured, or when they are stolen away? Knowing Jesus is our only
eternal refuge, and how dare we keep that "secret" from others?
Please...pray for spiritual sensitivity to "pick up on" the
signals others are sending. Sometimes the message isn't as
graphic as a mind-numbing wreck on a four-lane highway.
Sometimes grief is etched in the "worry lines" on your
co-worker's forehead, or in the dull eyes of a burdened friend.
Offer your concerns, your prayers, your fellowship. Offer your
love. Offer Jesus, who lives in you and is to be poured out
into the lives of others. You have a ministry! Dare to use it
where Jesus sends you.
JESUS
SAID, "WHATEVER YOU DO FOR THE LEAST OF MY BROTHERS, YOU DO FOR
ME."
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"YOU WERE CAUGHT SAYING
GRACE!"
That's what the gentleman
said to us. Mossie and I were in a restaurant this past Friday
evening, and we bowed our heads to pray before our meal. This
man noticed us, so he stopped by our table to thank us for our
example. I saw you praying before you ate and I just wanted
to thank you.
That was the entirety of the conversation. Just those two
sentences. We didn't exchange names or any other information,
and after his few words and a "thumbs up" gesture he was gone.
I'm guessing he is a Christian but I don't even know that for
sure.
However, our simple act of devotion caught his attention. We
wondered if anyone else noticed as well.
We arrived at the restaurant at the busiest time, so we waited
nearly half an hour for a table. Then we were seated in the
middle of the room, probably the most obvious location in the
place, right in the traffic flow for the salad bar. We weren't
especially happy with the location, but we accepted it since we
had already waited for a while. We only complained to each
other.
After this gentleman made his remarks, we looked at each other
and laughed. We were thinking the same thing: If we had been
seated anywhere else, he wouldn't have seen us. In fact, if we
hadn't been delayed in getting a table, he would have been gone
before we were seated at all.
It
was all a "divine appointment." For whatever purpose, God
placed us just there, and just then, so that this man...and who
knows, maybe others...might be encouraged by our simple act.
And, of course, we were blessed and encouraged by his kindness
in stopping by to speak to us.
It's always our custom to pray before we eat when we are in a
restaurant. I reach across the table and take Mossie's hand and
one of us thanks the Lord for His provision and for each other
and the moments we share together.
It's not a requirement, of course. It's a chosen discipline, an
expression of thanksgiving and a quiet witness to anyone around
who happens to observe. I remember a little story about a
fellow who visited his uncle Elmo and aunt Flo on their farm.
Elmo and Flo were simple folk who lived plain lives, but they
were grateful for what the Lord had given them, so before the
meal Elmo bowed his head and said grace.
The
nephew, who was not a believer, thought this was a quaint sort
of custom, and in a smug fashion he asked, Uncle Elmo, does
everyone in these parts give thanks before they eat?
Well, no, said Elmo. The pigs don't.
An
attitude of gratitude is itself a powerful witness to the
Lordship of Christ. Let others see your thankfulness. Don't be
ashamed to give honor to the one from whom every good gift
flows. Just praise Him. Others will be drawn to Him as you
lift His name on high.
LET YOUR
LIGHT SHINE...so that others will praise your Father in heaven!
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IT'S THE DAY AFTER A
BIG VICTORY!
If you haven't heard (where in
the world have you been?!), the WVU Mountaineers beat the
Virginia Tech Hokies last night, 28-7. It's hard to overstate
the significance of the win. VT was undefeated and ranked third
in the country. The game was broadcast nationally on ESPN. No
one gave WVU a chance.
I
realize there are lots of people who just don't get into sports,
but almost everyone shares the thrill of a big victory. There's
a certain euphoria that envelopes the entire community. We're
all proud of the team; we all feel like a part of the
accomplishment.
In
the late 70s, Mossie and I lived in Pittsburgh during the years
when the Steelers won two of their Super Bowls and the Pirates
won a World Series. What a heady time! The excitement in the
air was palpable. Strangers spoke to each other on buses and
street corners and spirits were lifted everywhere.
When your local team wins, you just feel a bond with all of
those who rooted for them. You share a common sense of deep
satisfaction. A tragedy like 911 brings us together. so does a
big victory for the home team.
I
wonder what it was like the day after Jericho's walls fell?
Talk about a victory! Or think of the weeks that followed
Christ's ascension into heaven, culminating in the Day of
Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. No wonder
those disciples were in one mind and one accord. The shared
experience of the Lord in the midst of His people must have been
almost more than they could stand.
We who are
followers of Christ Jesus do well to remind ourselves that we
share a commonality of purpose, of vision, of experience and of
longing that binds us together as one. Jesus died for us
-- for all who believe. He arose FOR US! He is coming
again FOR US!!!
What an astounding thought. The greatest victory the world has
ever known...and you and I are on the winning side!
Last night, many stayed in the stadium, basking in the glory of
a great win, I suppose. Some were waiting to see if the mass of
students who congregated on the field would succeed in pulling
down the goalposts. (Didn't happen. State troopers were
well-armed with pepper spray.) Others filled the streets of
Morgantown, reveling in victory. People drank and some students
lit bonfires in the middle of streets.
The
scene after a college football victory can get a bit ugly and
some behavior is out of hand. However, just imagine the
celebration when we all gather around the throne of the
Victorious One someday. Imagine the unparalleled excitement,
the unending joy, the hullabaloo of hallelujahs that will echo
through the throne room of heaven as we all see Jesus and shout
His praise forevermore.
I
often think that the victories we experience here -- as sweet as
they might be -- are only intended as a small foretaste of what
victory will be when we gather as one Body in the presence of
our King. And that celebration will never cease! Oh, what a
glorious thought!
WHEN WE
ALL GET TO HEAVEN...WE'LL SING AND SHOUT THE VICTORY!
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OK...INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
about the sleeper sofa that
I mentioned in last week's Thursday Thoughts. Folks, let me
tell you...they don't make furniture like they used to!
As
I mentioned before, when Mossie and I went off to seminary, we
had very little. We were starting out in marriage and we were
poor, as newly-weds probably should be. Makes you grateful for
the little you have and appreciative of the nicer things when
they come along later in life.
Some of what we had was donated. Including the sleeper-sofa.
Must have been in the family for centuries. My parents gave it
to us and I'm pretty sure they got it from my dad's parents.
Before that, who knows? It was a tank. More indestructible
than a Christmas fruitcake.
The
wood in its construction was the densest known to man. I
think lead was used for the metal bed frame. The mattress was
impacted sawdust with titanium coil springs.
What I'm telling you is, it was heavy!
Our seminary campus apartment was on the second floor of the
building. I'm sure there was a sharp spike in chiropractic
income the next month after that sofa took up residence in our
living room. And it owned the room. Everything else moved, but
not the sofa. Not until we left campus three years later.
The
sofa traveled with us to our first pastorate. It was a
(literally) unshakeable companion. It was the anchor in our
relationship. But in the course of time, we decided we wanted a
different sofa. One with a more contemporary look. One that
you could actually pick up.
So
it was that I had to think, once again, of transporting the
sofa. It had become my nemesis. The very thought of moving it
brought tears to my eyes.
So
there was a family in the church that I thought might need a
sofa. I suppose it was cruel of me, but I asked them if they
would be interested. They were delighted! The mom had one
concern: We want to put it in our family room, she
said, and our kids are really rough on furniture. Do you
think it will hold up?
HA!!!
Their two husky teenage sons showed up to carry it out of our
apartment. Oh, how satisfying to see them strain and groan and
turn a horrid shade of red as they wrestled the thing out to the
pickup. Not heavy is it, fellas? I didn't get an
answer. They drove down the street as I started singing to
myself, Oh, happy day, Oh happy day....
I
wonder if it ever left their house? I wonder how many kids were
humbled by that beast? I wonder if that monster is somewhere
chuckling to itself right now as I write this?
Maybe you've heard of "the elephant in the room" that everyone
ignores...or "the skeleton in the closet" that causes shame and
remorse...but what about the sleeper-sofa that just wears you
down by its sheer presence. You can beat on an anvil all you
want but it's the hammer, not the anvil, that wears out.
There's the Incredible Hulk and the Abominable Snowman. We had
the Indomitable Sofa.
GOD IS
INDOMITABLE, TOO! YOU CAN'T WEAR HIM OUT!
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ARE YOU EVER IMPATIENT WITH
GOD? Who isn't?
There are times when we're pretty sure we know what the right
outcome is, so...why doesn't God "get with the program?"
When Mossie and I headed off to seminary, we didn't have much.
We had a bed, a chair and our personal effects. We were given a
kitchen table, a monstrous sleeper-sofa (that sofa is worth a
story in itself; maybe I'll write about that sometime) and a few
other items. And I calculated that we had enough money to last
about two weeks!
Our
plan was to get settled into the apartment and registered for
classes, then to hit the streets looking for jobs. When we
moved in, however, we learned that it would be at least a week
before the telephone could be connected. A week?! There
goes half of the money we have to live on and we won't even be
able to call about any possible jobs!
Without a telephone we couldn't get in touch with prospective
employers. Even if we did set up an interview for a position,
they had no way to reach us afterward. We couldn't do much
except "cool our heels" for a few days.
Those kinds of situations make me fret. I get tense. I don't
sleep. I start imagining all sorts of scenarios, none of them
good. I WORRY!
So
I spent a week stressing out about the whole deal. I worried
that we wouldn't find jobs at all, that we would spend all the
money we had and then have to pack it in and head back home. To
do what? We didn't have a Plan B.
But
in a number of days we had a telephone. Mossie scheduled an
interview in a lovely little shop in the Shadyside district of
Pittsburgh, just two miles from the seminary and right on the
bus line. I sat in the car and prayed while she went in to
interview, and then she came out and said she had the job!
My
desire was to find a church position where I could get
on-the-job training while I prepared for ministry, so I
interviewed at a very nice Presbyterian church a few miles east
of the campus. They hired me as well!
We
both were hired as soon as we started interviewing...and I still
had a few "worry days" left before our money ran out! It was as
if God had said, You of little faith....I know your
needs...I have a plan....
When I worry I'm really saying, God, maybe you don't know
what you're doing here. Maybe you'd better listen to me this
time. Maybe you're not "big enough" to handle this one on your
own.
How
ridiculous! Maybe I'd better just be quiet and wait upon the
Lord!
HERE'S A
GREAT INVITATION: Be Still, and Know That I Am God (Psalm
46.10)!
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THE FIRST WORDS OF THE LORD'S PRAYER
are wonderfully comforting
and instructive. Our Father....
These are comforting words, because I am reminded
immediately that He is my Father. In I Thessalonians 2.11-12,
Paul tells us that a father encourages and comforts and
motivates those who are his own children. God is
Father to me. He tenderly cares for me, as His own, and He has
my best interests in His heart.
I'm
often reminded of that as I review my walk with the Lord. There
have been many times in my life when I did not especially
appreciate the circumstances in which I found myself, but every
difficult experience has produced spiritual growth and
blessing. You know why? Because He was with me, and He
comforted me, and taught me...even through hardship.
Our Father is also instructive. The words teach
me that I belong to a community of faith. It is not
inappropriate to say "my" father when I am in my private time of
prayer, but when the Lord taught His disciples how to pray He
instructed them to say "our." We have a corporate relationship
with God, not just an individual one.
How
thankful I am to be part of a family. I'm thankful for you.
When I need prayer, I know there are others who will petition
heaven on my behalf. When I am confused or need sound counsel,
I have Godly fellow-believers who will point me in the right
direction. When I am discouraged, God's comfort is shown to me
in the love and support of His people.
Take a moment to reflect on your current state. Perhaps
everything is just A-OK with you today. That's great! I join
you in thanking the Lord for His manifold blessings.
But
if that isn't so.... If you're having a tough day, or facing
some unpleasant decisions, or wondering whether things can
possibly get any worse (They can!)...I just want to remind you:
I
don't know about you, but that really helps me. Lean on the
Lord, and lean on each other. Our Father will not let
any of us lose our way.
ARE YOU
EVER LONELY OR AFRAID? TRY SPENDING SOME TIME WITH "OUR
FATHER."
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MOVIN' ON UP!
That's sort of the way I
felt the last two times I traveled to Colorado Springs for
meetings of the C&MA President's Cabinet. When I checked in, I
was assigned to the "executive suite," which turned out to be a
two-room apartment-style accommodation with a large bath that
included a Jacuzzi tub.
I
had not asked for such a sumptuous room and I certainly didn't
need it, but hey, if they wanted to upgrade me to a better room,
why argue, right? So this week I get a call from the new
manager: Mr. Goodin, I need to tell you that I cannot honor
your request (Request?) for the executive suite. If I
gave you that room at the rate you have been paying, I could
lose my job. There is just no way that I ....
Wait a minute! I never requested that room. I informed the
manager that I had no idea why I was assigned that room. All I
did was check in and that's the room they gave me. I told him
that I'm in meetings the entire time anyway and all I do when I
get to the room is sleep, so I'm perfectly content with a
regular room as long as it's clean and the bed is comfortable.
I
make this trip frequently, and once in a while the desk clerk
will tell me that I am being upgraded to a nicer room because
I'm a regular customer. That's what I assumed had happened on
these two occasions. I surely didn't intend to cost anyone his
job!
But
it gets funnier.
I
learned that before he called me, this gentleman had called our
National Office and spoken with two people there. He informed
them that Mr. Goodin has requested (What?!)
the executive suite and we simply cannot give that to him at
these corporate business rates....
I'll say it again: I NEVER REQUESTED THE EXECUTIVE SUITE!
Now I've got the National Office wondering why I have to have a
Jacuzzi when I travel to Colorado Springs! In fact, my wife is
wondering the same thing!
So
I get a call from the Office of the President. Ummm....
David, is there something we need to know? If there's a reason
you need a better room, we'll be happy to try to help out....
I DID NOT
REQUEST A BETTER ROOM! I AM VERY HAPPY WITH ANY ROOM YOU GIVE
ME! PLEASE TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT I DO NOT REQUIRE
A JACUZZI IN MY ROOM WHEN I TRAVEL!
All
of which has reminded me that there are MANY rooms in my
Father's house. I'm sure all of them are very nice...way nicer
even than the executive suite out in Colorado Springs...and when
I get there, and the heavenly porter deposits my bags in my
room, I won't have to worry about an outraged manager ever
calling me up to say: Mr. Goodin, we cannot allow you to
stay in such a nice room at the rate we're charging you....
It
will be mine. Forever. Can't take that away.
JESUS
HAS GONE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR ME! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MY
ROOM! (WITH OR WITHOUT JACUZZI.)
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MY BROTHER AND I PLAYED
PING PONG on
our dining room table. We had a
net with clamps that would fasten to the edge of the table and
we really didn't care that the playing surface was about
two-thirds the size of regulation. We had great fun banging
that ball back and forth at each other.
However, it was a big step up when our friend got a full-size,
"real" ping pong table which he set up in his garage. It was a
single car garage, so there wasn't a lot of room to dive for
shots that went off the sides of the table, but we didn't care
about that.
And
the real fun started when we got creative. We took a ping pong
ball and spray painted it with orange fluorescent paint. We
held that baby up to a bare light bulb for a couple of minutes,
shut the garage door and flipped the switch, and then played
ping pong in total darkness.
It
was a challenge for vision and reflexes. The game became almost
entirely instinctive because the ball was just a blur of speed.
You've seen those time-lapse photos of automotive traffic at
night, with streams of colored lights streaking across the
image. That's what that fluorescent ball looked like. The
light appeared as a streak in the darkness, and when you tried
to hit it you couldn't see your paddle at all...you just had to
react and hope that you were close.
Life is like that sometimes. Everything comes at you faster
than you can find your focus and you feel like you're reacting
totally instinctively. No time to think about it, just do
something! There you are, swinging at streaks of light in the
dark, unable even to discern who it is that keeps firing back at
you.
When baseball players are hitting the ball well they sometimes
say it's almost as though the whole game slows down for them. A
90-mile-per-hour fastball suddenly looks like a hanging curve,
and hitting the ball is so easy that they don't even have to
think about it.
But
that's not the norm, is it? Most of the time, we feel like we
got "caught looking" and the ball is already in the catcher's
mitt before we even get the bat off our shoulders.
Of
course, it's not fatal to miss a ping pong ball or to whiff at a
baseball. It's a far greater loss to strike out in the game of
life. Are there days when it's all coming at you too fast?
Lord, slow it down! I can't handle so many things at once!
We
found the best way to see that blaze orange ping pong ball was
real simple: Just turn the lights back on! It wasn't quite the
same thrill, of course, but when we wanted to have a serious
game of ping pong we didn't play in the dark with a
non-regulation ball.
And
there's a way to slow your LIFE down as well. Start by reading
God's Word. Every day in His "manual" for living will help make
everything slow down so that you can grasp what this existence
really is all about. Life can become your "hanging curve ball."
I
don't mean that everything becomes easy. I just mean that
leaning on Jesus insures that you will never face any of life's
issues alone. You will always have a partner, and your
appreciation for and relationship with God the Holy Spirit will
grow by leaps and bounds.
TURN ON
THE LIGHT! READ GOD'S WORD! ASK HIM FOR DIVINE WISDOM!
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HAS IT BEEN TWO YEARS
ALREADY?
I have just returned from our
annual District church conference. Last night, right before the
evening worship service, I glanced at my watch to check the time
and my eye fell on the date: 9-10. Immediately I thought,
"Tomorrow is 9-11." It wasn't the first time in recent
days that the remembrance of that date had come to mind. All of
us who experienced that 9-11 will forever remember
those horrid events.
Early this morning I caught part of an interview with Rudy
Giuliani, former mayor of New York City. He expressed his
opinion that perhaps we will never get over the tragic losses of
9-11. "Maybe it will be with us forever," he said.
Certainly, our world has changed. People don't feel as safe as
they once did. Some still refuse to fly on our commercial air
carriers. We continue to feel economic repercussions.
Thousands of troops are in harm's way because of political
decisions that trace back to that day.
We
dare not forget that day, or those who died, or the lessons
learned from our losses and our pain. In that sense, we
shouldn't "get over" the events of 9-11. But then
again, we do not grieve as those who have no hope (I
Thessalonians 4.13), and we do not despair when we are perplexed
(II Corinthians 4.8). We know that peace is but an empty and
vain wish until the Peacemaker establishes His reign among us,
and so we call upon His name.
That's why we have scheduled this special observance for
tonight. We don't need a television report or a newspaper or
magazine article to bring back the images. As soon as we hear
the date ...9-11...our minds replay what was
unthinkable until that day: the collapse of the World Trade
Center towers...the obliteration of a massive portion of the
Pentagon...the explosive crash of another jetliner near
Somerset, PA.
If
you cannot come to the church tonight, please set aside time to
pray wherever you are.
And
pray for peace. Pray for the return of our Savior. Pray that
all the world will come to know Him as Savior and King.
Please pray!
WHEN WE
PRAY...GOD LISTENS...AND WE REALLY NEED TO PRAY!
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WHEN I WAS YOUNG
(OK...I can hear my kids
cracking the "ancient history" jokes already -- Was that
back when paleontology was a new field of science, dad?), I
actually anticipated increasing fulfillment as I grew older. I
used to say that I looked forward to having greater wisdom and
the perspective of many years of experience.
It's a nice sentiment, but I guess I never really counted the
cost of getting there. Growing older brings with it an
assortment of nagging aches and pains, somewhat diminished
energy, lapses of memory and...something else, but I've
forgotten what it was.
Of
course, I'm "only" 50 (almost 51), but I'm feeling every bit of
it most of the time. I think I always assumed continued good
health and vigor. A 20-year-old physique and 70 years of
accrued wisdom. The best of both worlds.
Am
I the only one who feels like I've already forgotten more than
some of these young bucks will likely ever know? And what good
is wisdom if you've lost retention? Somebody needs to invent
something that would function like "Depends" for the brain. All
that knowledge I looked forward to seems to be leaking out
somewhere.
However, I do think there's a point to all this. At least, I
hope there is. I remember (See! I can still remember some
things!) singing a song "back in the day" that offered this
declaration: This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin'
through. (Yes, we sang things like a-passin' back
in the day.)
Those kind of sentiments are becoming more and more meaningful
to me. I know that all of us are disposed to being more
attached to this world than we should be. We cling to
possessions, to position, to power. With every ounce of our
strength we hold on to this life. And there's nothing wrong
with that, because this life is a precious gift. Life and the
whole world in which we live it are God's gifts to us. We
should value life. Lord knows, there is too much devaluing of
life these days.
But
if there wasn't some disappointment...some loss of
fortune and friendship and, eventually, even health...would I
ever be ready to let go and pass over into the eternal
presence of my Lord?
Maybe aging is all about getting us ready.
Years ago, in elementary school (There! I just remembered
something else!) they told us that we start to die the day we
are born. It's morbid, but true. Cells are dying, even as
others are being formed, and at a certain point...I think around
the age of 20...the number of dying cells begin to outpace the
number of newly forming cells. It's all downhill from there.
But
the Gospel declares there is a brighter day and a better world
still ahead of us. Paul surely had that in mind when he said,
Outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day (II Corinthians 4.16).
I
guess I'm not as enthused as I once was about growing older, but
I'm definitely looking forward to "growing eternal." I plan to
live as full a life as the Lord grants to me...growing older
sure beats the alternative, they say...but I have increasing
confidence that the very best is still ahead...on the other
side!
IF THE
EARTHLY TENT WE LIVE IN IS DESTROYED, WE HAVE...AN ETERNAL HOUSE
IN HEAVEN.... (II Corinthians 5.1)
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I WAS STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
and I heard the sound of
someone singing. I glanced to my right and saw that the young
man in the car next to me was belting out a tune with all the
unrestrained exuberance that a carefree college student can
muster.
I
was a little amused. My passenger-side window was down just a
half-inch, enough for me to hear him pretty well but probably
not enough for him to notice that he could be heard. Not that
he would have cared. And I was enjoying the "concert."
We
sat at the light long enough for me to realize that he had a
very nice voice. Probably a music major, I thought to
myself. He was a tenor with a fine range and wonderful
clarity. A pleasant voice. A voice that a bass (Ahem -- that
would be moi) would envy.
Many times I have listened to someone's singing and thought,
Wow! I wish I had a voice like that. But I don't. I have
the voice God gave to me. The interesting thing is, I've had
people tell me they wish they had my voice. They tell me that I
have a fine speaking voice. I don't really hear that
myself, so I have to take the word of others, but here's the
point:
If
others are right and I have a voice that is well-suited for
speaking, then I guess God didn't intend for me to be a singing
tenor. So who am I to argue with God? Why covet what I don't
have? I should bless God for the choice He made for me. After
all, God doesn't make mistakes!
Rather than envy someone else for their singing voice, I should
thank God that He gave me a speaking voice...and then use it to
His glory as He enables me.
Paul says we aren't wise when we compare ourselves to one
another. We should accept how God made us, the gifts He gave
us, the calling that is His special claim on our existence, and
then purpose to serve Him with 100% commitment and rejoicing.
Television's Mr. Rogers was famous for reassuring children with
the line, I like you just the way you are. When it
comes to the unique set of native abilities and capacities that
God in His wisdom assigned to all mankind, I'm sure that's how
He regards each of us.
We
envy and covet and anguish over the fact that we aren't like
someone else, and God is saying, But I made you just the way
I wanted you to be...and I like you that way. You have all the
capacities you need to be a wonderful servant of mine.
Admire the abilities of others..affirm them and express your
appreciation...but don't aspire to be someone other than the
person God created you to be. Thank Him for making you just
the way you are and then get busy finding out how to use
your unique composition of talents to bring glory to His holy
name!
I WILL
ENVY NO MERE MAN, BUT I WILL COVET THE EXCELLENCIES OF CHRIST!
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DID YOU EVER RUN AWAY FROM HOME?
Yeah, I did. I'm not exactly sure
how old I was, but it was probably somewhere between 5 to 8
years of age.
I
had saved up about $5 in change, which seemed like an ample
fortune, and I figured I was ready to make my own way in the
world. And I had it all planned. We lived in Fayetteville, WV,
but on this particular occasion we were visiting a family in Oak
Hill, not too far away.
When I was a kid it seemed like these visits lasted an
eternity...so I thought I would have plenty of time to make my
escape before my parents or anyone else ever noticed. My
younger brother knew what I was doing and didn't think I would
go through with it, which only strengthened my resolve. So off
I went, with my cache of quarters clinking in my pocket and with
a sense of purpose that would not be denied.
I
think I walked about four blocks, to the first actual
intersection of any sort, at which point I discovered that my
sense of purpose wasn't the same thing as a sense of direction.
Not really knowing which way to go next, I turned around and
went back. My brother didn't laugh at me, however. He was
smaller and knew better than to do that. And after all, I DID
run away, just like I said I would. No one had said I
couldn't...or wouldn't...come back.
In
my mind, I only needed two things to be a successful runaway:
money in my pocket and self-determination. If you had five
bucks and enough pluck to walk out the door, you didn't have to
be dependent on parents or anyone else. You could be your own
man, do your own thing, go your own way.
It
occurs to be that plenty of people are running from God on the
basis of the same delusion. Just multiply the numbers and
expand the sense of pride and you get the picture: Who needs God
when you have a steady income and a comfortable life and credit
cards that allow you to charge almost anything you want so you
can enjoy it now and pay for it...whenever? Who needs divine
guidance when you already know where you want to go and are
quite confident that you can get there on your own?
Of
course, a child gets to the "end of the road" a little sooner
than most adults...and has the good sense to turn around and go
home. Many of us, with an adult sense of self-sufficiency, just
go on and on and on in our error, refusing to admit that we are
lost, refusing to give up our folly. Pride goes before
destruction....
Jesus said we can't get into His Kingdom until we become like
little children. When we have run away...when we have declared
our emancipation from God and pretended that we don't need Him
any longer...may He patiently convict us of sin and turn us to
Himself so that we will return...before it is too late. And
dear Lord, please...bring us to our senses.
THERE'S A
WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT THE END IS DEATH.
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JESUS IS THE ANSWER!
That's the title of a new sermon
series that I will begin this coming Sunday, and it's the
truth! Jesus really IS the Answer!
Historically, The Christian and Missionary Alliance has
sounded forth the Good News of the all-sufficient Savior, our
Lord Jesus. We have summarized our message as the "fourfold
Gospel" -- Jesus Christ is Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming
King.
These truths are not the exclusive property of the C&MA
of course! Really, we are only reciting what we find in
scripture. Jesus saves, and the Bible tells us that no one can
come to the Father except through Jesus. Jesus also fills us
with His Spirit, setting us apart for His service and equipping
us for the ministries He assigns to us. That's what
sanctification is about.
Jesus is also the Lord of our bodies. If you have a physical or
emotional need, He's the Great Physician! Go to the Healer and
allow Him to glorify Himself in your weakness and affliction.
Finally, no dreams or longings are left unfulfilled when you
know Jesus, because He is coming again to establish His royal
reign! The disappointments and failures and hurts of this life
will be forgotten. We will be forever with the Ruler of heaven
and earth!
But
is YOUR faith in Jesus? I don't mean, "Have you repented of sin
and asked Him into your heart?" I mean, even if you have
trusted in the Lord Jesus as your Savior, do you really believe
-- and are you acting on the belief -- that Jesus Christ is the
all-sufficient Answer?
In
this sermon series we are going to meet some people who really
believed that Jesus was all they needed. They put the entirety
of their trust in Him...and he radically changed their lives.
I
want you to join me in praying that these four messages will
have a powerful divine influence on many...including you! The
world is looking for an answer, but not necessarily for Jesus.
The world has devised some interesting "solutions" to a host of
problems, but we seem to be in a bigger mess than ever. And the
wisdom of the world...Paul called it the wisdom of this
age...seems to have crept into the Church.
Has
it crept into your life?
It's time that we got back to the One who alone is the Answer.
He will not fail or disappoint.
WHY PUT
YOUR TRUST ANYWHERE ELSE? Only Jesus Can Satisfy Your Soul!
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I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE
of spending last week at
Beulah Beach, a Christian camp operated by the Central,
Ohio Valley and Great Lakes Districts of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance. There are numerous Christian camps
arond the country and others in our congregation have benefited
from several of those.
Mossie and I were greatly refreshed in this setting. Every day
included opportunitiues for concerted prayer, Bible study,
missions reports, relaxation and the wonderful fellowship of
God's people.
It's the latter component that I want to dwell on for a few
moments. Being on the grounds of a Christian camp, just
associating with other believers for six days, reminded me of
how precious the family of God really is.
Mossie and I have been to Beulah Beach before, but
since Morgantown is about five hours away we haven't spent the
entire week there in quite some time. I was the Morning Bible
Hour speaker this year, so that was the incentive for going.
Every day we had wonderful conversation with other Christians
over meals in the cafeteria (and the food was fabulous!) and in
numerous other social settings. We joined our voices in
uplifting songs. We shared prayer concerns and called upon the
Lord together. We broke the bread of God's Word every day,
feeding ourselves with that which is more essential than
physical nourishment.
We
also renewed acquaintances with folks we hadn't seen in a
while. There was a lot of laughter -- uproarious at times --
and genuine love for one another. It made me long even more for
that day when we will be gathered around the throne of our dear
Lord.
And
it reminded me of how much we need one another as we walk with
Jesus in this life. Truly, the prayers and fellowship of my
brothers and sistes in Christ keep me going at times when I
would otherwise feel forsaken and despairing. Over the years, I
can't count the number of times that an encouraging word, a warm
greeting and handshake and sometimes even a hug have
strengthened me for the journey in ways that the giver of those
gifts could not have imagined.
So...who are you going to bless today? Send an email or pick up
the telephone. Let someone know that you were thinking of
them. Share the love of Jesus that has reached deep down into
your soul and changed every particle of your being!
I
thank God for YOU! I really do. You are His gift to me, and I
appreciate you all to pieces!
I'M SO
GLAD I'M A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD!
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GOD SAYS HE WILL NOT
REMEMBER OUR SINS --
That's how complete His
forgiveness is. Amazing love!
That's the character of a God who desires the best
for us, who sees all our possibilities and successes and
chooses to overlook our failures.
Maybe this isn't so surprising. After all, when I
think back over my life, it's the moments of success and
accomplishment that I care to recall. For example, I
was never a great athlete, but I remember select moments
of achievement that no one can ever take away.
I remember the time I scored 31 points in a
basketball game, hitting an incredible 15 of 16 from the
floor (and just one of two from the foul line!) in an
era before the 3-point shot. I remember a diving catch
in right field in a softball game that had the fans on
their feet cheering (of course, there's a reason they
had me playing right field -- for those of you who
understand the game).
I remember a crushing drive of nearly 300 yards that
led to a birdie on the ninth hole (forget about the
countless slices and "worm burners" and whiffs), and a
35 foot putt in a pouring rain just to get off the
course before lightning struck. Never mind that I'm a
really poor golfer. I prefer to remember the good
stuff!
I like to recall the words of praise that I heard
from teachers -- not the numerous appointments with the
"board" of education -- and when I prepare a resume,
it's the notable achievements that get listed rather
than the efforts that went awry or the times when I
really messed up.
They call it selective memory. And it must have a
divine dimension to it, because it would appear that the
Lord Himself "selects" what He will remember about our
lives.
He takes my sin and casts it into the deepest sea.
He removes it as far as the east is from the west. He
remembers it no more.
When you belong to Jesus, that's how God thinks about
you. Isn't that wonderful?! That's why we call the
Gospel "Good News."
Think about this in church this Sunday, especially as
you receive the bread and juice that represent the body
and blood of our Savior.
MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS than Jesus'
blood and righteousness!
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YOUR LIFE MATTERS TO
GOD! It's
amazing, but true.
I've heard of several suicides recently. I just learned that
the ex-wife of a childhood friend has been murdered. The
newspapers are filled with stories of human cruelty to other
humans, and when we aren't killing or maiming one another it
seems that we fall prey to senseless accidents that accomplish
the same thing. While Palestine, WV, celebrates the homecoming
of PFC Jessica Lynch, other families are mourning the loss of
sons and daughters in Iraq.
It's all the more amazing, then, to encounter a God who
(literally) steps into the midst of human suffering, takes it
all upon His own shoulders, and accomplishes a redemption that
is truly "for the ages." That's the story of the cross. That's
the story of Jesus.
Because of Him, I have been refreshing my own appreciation for
human life. Our days on this earth are few. Even if we survive
70 or 80 years, or perhaps more, the span of our lives is
scarcely an instant by comparison with the vast stretches of
eternity by which God measures our value.
The
bible speaks of being here today and gone tomorrow, of our lives
being like a vapor or like the grass of the field that fades
quickly away. Yet, the bible does not suggest that we are
therefore worthless in the sight of God. Rather, these
references to how swiftly our days here go by are only
intended to set our eyes, and our hearts, on the unending
there that awaits us.
Set your hearts on things above, Paul writes
(Colossians 3.1). Oh, but my heart is so fixed upon the things
that surround me! I live for the moment...I strive for the
things of this life...I aspire and covet and long for the things
of this world. It's in my nature! Set your minds on things
above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3.2).
Jesus said, Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew
6.33). He certainly does not mean that seeking God's
Kingdom is the "path" to having more of these earthly things.
That would infer that the earthly things are of greater
importance and value than the heavenly. He means, rather, that
our priority must be on those things that really do matter --
things above -- and that when we seek the things that really
matter, we will find that the One who is Lord of all things will
surely supply to us enough of the goods of this life. In other
words, He won't leave us destitute.
In
another place, Paul recognizes that we are wasting away
on the outside -- Boy, that's the truth! -- but he says,
inwardly we are being renewed day by day (I Corinthians
4.16). That's the experience of those who are seeking God and
His kingdom first. Then Paul adds, So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is
seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (I
Corinthians 4.18).
There will be more news of human misery today. There will be
"bad stuff" happening all around us, and you and I might even
experience some bad stuff ourselves today. My prayer for you
this day is that you will fix your eyes on what is unseen. Seek
God. Seek His Kingdom. Seek His righteousness. That's how we
keep an eternal perspective in the midst of a world that can
scare the daylights out of us.
YOUR
LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER IS WATCHING OVER YOU EVERY SECOND TODAY!
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HOW ABOUT THIS FOR A
BIRTHDAY GIFT?!
Some months ago I saw a device
advertised that operates like a "countdown clock" to show you
how much time you have left on this earth.
Based on actuarial tables, it calculates how much longer you
have to live and then starts ticking off the years, months,
days, hours, minutes and seconds of your life. Seems to me it
would be the perfect gift for a friend who is about to celebrate
one of the "Big-0" birthdays. You're not getting any
younger, Hank. Here's proof!
Remember those digital displays that counted down the days and
minutes to the end of the last millennium? What would it be
like to get up every morning and see a "clock" telling you that
you now have one less day to live...with the seconds blinking
off right before your eyes?
Of
course, the actuarial studies can't be that precise. So,
suppose you outlive your clock? Wouldn't you be living every
minute with the expectation that you could drop over at any
time? Or what if you die in an accident several years "too
soon?" Wouldn't your family feel like they ought to sue
somebody?
There are a couple of truths about life that we can state as
certainties: We don't know how much longer we're going to live.
We know it's less today than it was yesterday.
That being said, let's cherish each day that God gives us. Take
a look at the marvelous world around you. Value the family and
friends you hold dear. Enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with a
felt appreciation for these gifts that are often taken for
granted. Be mindful of opportunities to bless others with a
kind word, a helpful deed, a tender moment of solace or prayer.
Reorder your priorities.
And
let others see Jesus in you. Ask the Lord to make you mentally
and spiritually alert to the many opportunities you have to be
His witness, sharing the hope of the Gospel with those who
haven't met Jesus as Lord and Savior.
There's something else about that ticking clock: Consider it a
countdown to a beginning, not to an end. Those displays that
showed how much time remained in the next millennium were also a
countdown to a new millennium. When NASA does a countdown, it
signals the launch of another shuttle into space.
My
life-clock is counting down the moments to the day I see Jesus
and step into His eternal presence. Wow! I want to make good
use of all the time God gives me here, but I'm sure looking
forward to my "graduation" into the world that He has gone to
prepare.
THINK
ABOUT IT: There Won't Be Any Hours, Minutes, Seconds To Count in
Heaven
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THIS WORLD IS AN EXCEEDINGLY
DANGEROUS PLACE.
Do you ever think about that?
Our church was flooded this week, and it's going to cost us some
money. That's an inconvenience, but just think about those
times when lives are lost because of floods...or tornados or
earthquakes or fires.
You
can be driving down the road and a tree can fall on your car,
killing you instantly. Or you can take an exotic vacation and
contract an illness that maims and cripples you for the rest of
your days.
Then there are the inhumanities that people do to people.
Muggings and mayhem and murder are grist for the evening news,
night after night after night. What a world!
It
wasn't like this in the beginning. God revealed to Moses in
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, that He created a perfect
world. There was nothing in that world that would harm or
destroy, and humans were given charge of it.... Oops!
That's just the problem, isn't it? God made it the way it
should be. We fouled it up. That's what we mean when we say
the world is a "fallen" place. That's what we are referring to
when we talk about sin.
However, the Lord has an answer to our error. He offers
forgiveness for sin, redemption through faith in His Son, the
One who died for the sins of humanity. That means I can be
restored to God's favor when I confess and repent of sin and
accept the death of Jesus as God's answer for my
transgressions. Jesus is God's answer for my sin. In fact,
Jesus is God's answer for the sins of the whole world!
Someday, God is going to correct the falleness of His creation.
We won't live any longer with the knowledge that we face
uncertain days and ever-present danger. This will be a gentle,
kind, accepting world once again, the way God made it to be.
And
we can see a hint of that future day in the daily providential
care of our Father. We know He sustains us, giving us breath
and food. We know He is watching over us at all times. We also
know His plans for us include hope and a future. He will never
forget us, nor will He forsake His own.
We
also see His grace in the helping hands of others -- like we
have seen these past two days as our church recovers from a
flood. In this dangerous, relentlessly harsh world, there is
ceaseless opportunity to show forth the love and faithfulness of
a God who cares for His own. Often we see His care in the
helping hands and loving hearts of others.
I
sure wouldn't want to face this world without Him!
WHEN IT
SEEMS LIKE NO ONE IS IN CHARGE....Just Look Up and See the Lord!
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WHERE DOES
"PATRIOTISM" COME FROM?
Why are we so proud of our
nationality...and peoples in other lands are so proud of
theirs? What is it that causes a lump to form in our throats
when we sing a patriotic song or salute the flag?
I
love my country, but I don't think I can go to scripture to find
any basis for valuing America above any other nation-state. In
fact, I grew up being schooled that God's chosen people were the
Jews, and knowing that we Gentiles were "grafted into" that
family by virtue of faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul
even declares that the Gospel is to the Jew first and then to
the Gentile.
My
first allegiance...my "patriotism" so to speak...is to God and
His Kingdom, not to a nation-state. After all, this world's
kingdoms come and go.
But
there is no denying, I love my country. Why is that? As a
believer, I think it's because I'm proud of what this nation
stands for: freedom, integrity, opportunity, courage, justice.
When I review America's history, I marvel at the rich legacy and
heritage that are ours. And I'm proud to be an American.
Then again, I grieve as I see these national virtues eroding.
I'm
ashamed by the cowardice and self-centeredness that destroy life
in the womb. I'm appalled by our brazen acceptance of
"alternative lifestyles" that offend God's Word, while we
trample on traditional, biblically-based family values. I'm
alarmed by the greed and appetite of a culture that worships at
the altar of materialism.
Still...I'm not ready to give up on my country. Rather, I pray
that those noble qualities that defined our nation in its youth
will be regained and that the hearts of sinners...for every
nation is filled with sinners...will turn again to the One who
forgives us our trespasses and who alone is able to purify us
and make us whole.
Part of my Independence Day celebration tomorrow will
include a pause to pray for my country. Would you please do the
same? Let's agree in asking God to restore to us the bright
favor of His approbation and to make us a nation that champions
His righteousness.
LONG MAY
OUR LAND BE BRIGHT WITH FREEDOM'S HOLY LIGHT;
PROTECT
US BY THY MIGHT, GREAT GOD, OUR KING!
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YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT
PROBLEMS...!
Wait till you hear about my
troubles....
Sometimes we feel that way. Keeping a right perspective on our
problems is a daily challenge. It's true, isn't it, that there
is always someone whose struggles eclipse our own.
Years ago, in my first pastorate, I was injured while playing on
our church softball team. A collision at home plate broke my
left collarbone in three places. Talk about pain!
It
was late on a Friday evening and the ER doctor said I needed to
see an orthopedic specialist...who wouldn't be available until
9:00 Saturday morning. So, they doped me up -- man, that was
good stuff! -- and sent me home with my arm in a sling.
The
next morning I waited and waited for the doctor. The longer I
sat, the more irritated I became. In fact, I finally ran out of
patience altogether and decided that I was not waiting any
longer. After all, what was he really gone to be able to do for
a broken collar bone? So, I left, feeling sorry for myself and
put out that the doctor had not been more attentive.
On
my way out of the ER, a man from my church came running down the
hall, calling for me. He informed me that another man in the
congregation and two others who had been working with him had
been electrocuted within the past hour and had just arrived at
the hospital.
I
never saw my doctor. Two of the three men died that day,
including the member of my church. The next several days were
spent ministering to the family. My "problem" was suddenly
eclipsed by the far greater trial faced by those to whom I
ministered.
Paul talks about perspective when he writes about our light
and momentary troubles (II Corinthians 4.17), and when he
says, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us
(Romans 8.18). He isn't denying that they are troubles
and sufferings -- they surely are! -- but he is saying
they can't equal the glory that is ours in Christ Jesus, the
reward that awaits those who are faithful and who endure to the
end.
That's perspective. That's a mature assessment of the present
trial. Yes, it's real. Yes, it's incredibly difficult and
distressing and discouraging. But when it set alongside the
promised glory, the heavenly home, the supernal dwelling that is
ours in Jesus Christ, that trial by comparison becomes a
light thing, a momentary thing. The instant I stand before my
Savior in that place He has gone to prepare for me, the trials
of this life will be forgotten.
That's part of what "living by faith" is about. Each day on
this planet I remind myself that no matter what happens to me
here, it can't compare to what is set in store for me in glory.
With that hope, I press on, praising the Lord for His provision
and knowing that it is indeed His plan to prosper me, not to
harm me, and to give me hope and a future.
IN ALL
THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us (Romans 8.37).
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BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Someone is looking for the
cordless telephone again. The base unit has a pager feature.
When the handset is left in another room and forgotten, you can
press the pager button and the handset will beep until you find
it.
Remote controls and other electronic devices have this feature.
Manufacturers know it is human nature to lose things.
Last night, I found a car key on a pew in the sanctuary. I had
no idea whose it was, but I noticed that it had a keyless entry
system. So, I walked out into the parking lot, pressed the
button, and not very far away from me a car blinked its lights.
Eureka! I found it! I knew who owned the car, so I was able to
return the key.
Maybe we are prone to lose things because we ourselves are
lost. That's the most fundamental truth about human nature: We
are lost in our sin...born transgressors, fallen from divine
grace; self-centered enemies of God, antagonistic to His plan
and authority.
And
helpless. In my lostness, I can no more find God than that
telephone handset can find its way back to its base. God has to
find me.
That's exactly what the New Testament tells us Jesus does. In
fact, He is willing to leave the 99 sheep to go out on the
hillside and find the one that is lost. Such incredible love!
He
calls to me before I ever call to Him. Of course, when I hear
His voice, He expects me to answer. He requires a response from
me, but the search is initiated by my Savior, not by me. After
all, He came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Wow!
I
have no "homing device" -- no beep-beep feature that
calls Him to me -- yet He knows who I am, and where I am, and He
comes to me. The King of creation and Lord of glory comes to
me! That is so remarkable! Francis Rowley has put it to song:
Rowley died the year I was born, at the age of 98. That's a
long life, but it's not eternity. I'm so glad that Jesus found
me. I doubt that I will live anywhere near as long as Francis
Rowley, but because Jesus searched out the lost sheep, I will
enjoy an endless experience of His presence in a place that is
entirely beyond description. What a promise!
If
you've been found...Rejoice! If you're still lost...Jesus knows
where you are. Let Him carry you back to His fold.
...THERE
WILL BE MORE REJOICING IN HEAVEN over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to
repent. (Luke 15.7)
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A FATHER'S
INFLUENCE IS PROFOUND...way
beyond what I can hope to
summarize in these few lines. His language, his behavior,
his convictions will direct a child's steps toward good...or
evil. Those who have no father often report a moral void
that results in all sorts of bad choices during the "growing
up" years.
I've been blessed: In addition to having a good dad, I
also had special relationships with both of my
grandfathers. (All three were church pastors! I have
jokingly said that I was "doomed" from the beginning: I was
born into a priestly class.)
As Father's Day approaches, I've been reflecting on the
benefits of those relationships. At the risk of doing a
disservice to their memories, I've tried to reduce to one
word some of what I received from each of my three
"fathers."
My maternal grandfather gave me the gift of
friendship. He died when I was still young, but I have
vivid memories of the warmth of his personality, his strong
embrace, his unfeigned love for his first grandchild. He
was one of those rare adults who was as much at ease with a
child as he was with adults. I never felt "talked down to,"
and we talked a lot! How I cherish the times we spent in
his little camper trailer, eating peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches washed down with tall glasses of cold milk.
My paternal grandfather exampled unpretentious
dignity. He was proper and precise, maintained an
erect posture his entire life, always had his affairs in
order, seemed to be the very definition of unflappable. He
was very much a servant of others, but his high expectations
of himself also seemed to draw out the best in those who
knew him. There was an air of aloofness about him, but I
greatly admired his manner and bearing and the fact that so
many people respected him.
And my dad taught me industry. Grass never grew
under his feet. He was always doing something, and he
carried a high sense of obligation to others. Even when he
was ill and weak himself, I saw him force himself out of bed
and on his feet when it was time to fulfill his duties to
others. Moreover, his labor was birthed in love -- for my
mother, my brother and me, but also for the people he served
in ministry. I never once heard him complain. I never once
heard him speak of others in an unkind or disparaging way.
It was his joy to serve the Lord and His people.
There is so much more I could say about each of these
men. Looking back on their lives and my experiences with
them, I see how God used them to shape me and point me in
the way that I walk today. The recollections are humbling.
I've been blessed, and I pray that I can be faithful in
passing on at least some of the benefit I have received.
My father and grandfathers are gone from this life. I am
confident each of them is in the eternal presence of our
Lord. Each one helped introduce me to Jesus and manifested
some part of His character so that I might be drawn to Him
myself. The older I get, the more thankful I am for their
faithfulness unto the Lord.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FATHER OR YOUR FATHER IS
GONE, TAKE COMFORT IN THIS...your Heavenly Father guards
your soul and will never leave or forsake you!
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IT WAS THEIR FIRST PUPPY!
Our children were small and they
(and their mommy) had talked me into getting a dog. In fact, a
friend had a beautiful black Labrador that had just delivered a
litter of pups and he offered to give us one.
Jessica named him Treeland. (The man who gave him to us worked
on a tree farm and Jessica -- just five years old, I think --
wanted a name that would identify the puppy's origin. However,
since "Tree Farm" didn't have the right ring to it, she came up
with Treeland.)
He
was a great dog, wonderful with children, and he provided us
with lots of amusement and happy times. Once, while he was
still young, he found a box of the kids' Crayolas on the floor
of the family room. I think he ate all 64 of them! For the
next several days he left brilliantly multi-colored "deposits"
all around the back yard. The kids thought it was great!
There's also a spiritual lesson in this: What we "ingest" or
take into ourselves does make a difference. Sometimes we think
it doesn't matter, but when our diet matches that of the world
around us, we become like that world. God desires better for
us. He wants us to be distinguished from the lost and sinning
world, so that others will see there is a better way, a way of
holiness, that is pleasing to our Creator.
That's why the psalmist said, I will set before my eyes no
vile thing (Psalm 101.3). David knew that we must guard
the "eyegate." To behold wickedness is to become attracted by
it, and then to be influenced toward sin and disobedience.
In
another place, David said, My eyes are ever on the Lord, for
only He will release my feet from the snare (Psalm 25.15).
What a difference it makes when we fix our eyes on Jesus! His
purity and perfection, His holiness and righteousness, draw us
ever closer to what our gracious Father created us to be. The
longer we gaze upon the Lord, the more we long to be like
Him...and someday to be with Him.
I'm
reading a book right now by Patrick Morley. In it, he speaks of
the peril of the unexamined life. He says, Most men have
not carefully chiseled their life view by a personal search for
truth and obedience to God. I know he's right.
It's a daily discipline, of course. My eyes are drawn
elsewhere, and "spiritual junk food" sometimes looks
attractive. So, every day I am reminding myself that I must go
to Jesus in prayer, I must consume the wisdom of God's Word, I
must choose the path that is pleasing in His sight.
And
I'm praying for you, that together we might find the way that
God has appointed for us!
REMEMBER:
GARBAGE IN...GARBAGE OUT!
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WE LIVE IN A BROKEN AND SORROWING WORLD. Anguish
and heartache surround us. Maybe I'm especially sensitive to
this because of my profession, but you see it as well. Just in
the past several days I have been assaulted with stories that
break your heart.
This past Sunday we introduced the congregation to "Baby Grace,"
a newborn whose mother rejected her at birth with the words,
"Get her out of here!" At least seven couples have already
turned her down for adoption...because she's biracial.
What a sad, painful, distraught world this is. And the only
answer is to turn to the One who made us. His love for us is
from everlasting to everlasting. He has promised He will not
turn us away. Paul calls Him the Father of compassion and
the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles....(II
Corinthians 1.3-4, NIV).
Oh,
what assurance! The all-knowing and all-powerful God is mindful
of our sorrows and desires to minister to our need! His grace
is sufficient, whatever the hurt or loss.
However, notice what Paul goes on to say: so that we can
comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have
received from God (1.4). The comfort that God has given to
us should overflow into the lives of others.
That's a remarkable calling. We are troubled. God comforts
us. We see someone who is troubled. We comfort them. And we
comfort them with the comfort we ourselves have received
from God. Astounding!
The
sorrows that you experience prepare you for the day when you are
called upon to minister to someone else. Today, you are
broken-hearted and discouraged. You are hurting and
despairing. But when you cry out to God -- when you truly throw
yourself upon His mercy -- He comforts. And then, tomorrow --
or soon! -- you find yourself called upon to come alongside
someone else. And you are able to say, I understand. I
want to pray with you. I'm going to be here for you. Let's
take this to the Lord together.
What a ministry! It arises out of grief, but it reaches up to
glory.
Please take a moment today to look around you and identify
someone who is hurting. You won't have to look far. Then, say
a prayer -- Lord, help me to share the comfort that I have
already received from you -- and go to that person...and
comfort them! Just let them know that you care. Ask how you
can help. Offer to pray, perhaps right then. It
demonstrates the very heart of God Himself, who is the Father of
compassion, and it is perhaps the finest witness you can have,
especially to an unbeliever.
WHEN WE
ARE CRUSHED..A SWEET AROMA OF PRAISE CAN RISE UP TO GOD!
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WHAT IN THE WORLD
WERE THEY THINKING?
I keep a file of interesting news
items about people who did "boneheaded" sorts of things. Most
are really humorous, and some certainly illustrate the truth of
the old axiom: Be sure your sins will find you out.
In
Pittsburgh, a man broke into a pizzeria and took some
merchandise. Before leaving he happened to look right into the
surveillance camera, so the police had a good mug shot. Shortly
after, a detective was in the pizza shop investigating the crime
when the very same man walked into the store to buy a beer...and
was recognized and arrested on the spot.
How
about the man in Georgia who beat his goat in an effort to make
it mean because he wanted the goat to attack any intruders who
came on his property? Sure enough, the 100-pound animal became
pretty surly...and turned on its master, goring him to death.
Or
the man from Danville, KY, who drove to a state police
detachment in Madison, WV, to exchange his out-of-state license
for a West Virginia one...and was arrested for DUI. He was
obviously drunk. He said he had expected tests in vision and
driving rules but not sobriety.
Because sin is deadly, I have always prayed that my children
would get "outed" every time they transgressed. I did not want
them to fall under the delusion that you can get away with a
thing just by keeping quiet. After all, the Lord our Judge
knows every secret thing and we will stand before Him someday to
give an answer.
The
wonderful truth is, in Him there is forgiveness and a second
chance. We are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2.1), but
even death itself is no obstacle to the One who arose from the
grave.
Which reminds me of another incredible news item: Relatives of
a dead man in Greenville, SC, got a letter from the County
Department of Social Services, addressed to the deceased, which
read as follows:
Well, in Christ Jesus there can be a change in our
circumstances. The death of sin can be overcome and exchanged
for the abundant life that is ours in Him. Praise the
Lord...and may God bless YOU!
LORD, YOU
KNOW ALL MY FAILINGS...Thank You for Your Forgiveness!
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I ARRIVED IN COLORADO SPRINGS
AT MID-DAY and
didn't have a scheduled meeting until that evening. The
place where I was staying was close by a walking trail, so I
decided to take a stroll.
The
trail ran along the banks of a nearly dry streambed. There was
just a trickle of water making it's way over the parched earth,
and I thought to myself, "What a pathetic excuse for a stream."
I couldn't help but make comparisons with the brooks and falls
of the West Virginia creeks and rivers that I enjoy so much.
There were no babbling sounds here!
Moreover, you weren't going to catch a fish in this Colorado
creek. Even the vegetation had a harsh, almost brutal
appearance. Moisture was a rare provision and the plants that
grew along the banks had to survive on very little.
But
as I walked I noticed that far to the north the sky was dark,
and I speculated that somewhere, probably miles away, it must be
raining. It wasn't long before I noticed that the small ribbon
of water that I had disdained was beginning to enlarge, and
within a few minutes that empty streambed was filled with water,
several feet deep, about 50 feet across. I was astonished,,,and
impressed.
Rain comes seldom in the west, and the flora and fauna that
depend upon the infrequent supply have to be tough and patient
in order to endure. Sometimes it seems that way for us, as we
await the provision that God will send in His time.
In
fact, the Lord's supply might not even "fall upon" us right
where we stand. It might be given a long way off, and then flow
our direction according to a path that He has ordained...but
which doesn't look very promising to us at the moment.
And
then, when we have almost dismissed the flow of His provision
as non-existent or too meager to matter, the waters begin to
rise. Soon, we might even be awash in His blessing, reminded
once again that those who wait upon the Lord renew their
strength.
I've had my down times. So have you. There are stretches of
time when we dwell in a dry and weary land. Times when His
promises seem to have failed us. Times when we feel forgotten
and forlorn. Times when there is no song in our hearts, or if
there is, it's a song of lamentation: Nobody knows the
trouble I've seen....
How
interesting, then, that it is in the Old Testament Book of
Lamentations that we find these very words of hope: Yet this
I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's
great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness
(Lamentations 3.21-23, NIV).
We
are not forgotten. The Lord knows those who are His, and He
ever cares for His own. Lift your eyes, open your ears, prepare
your heart. His satisfying showers are on the way!
Lam.
3.24: I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will
wait for Him."
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I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THREE REALLY
GREAT KIDS. Jessica,
Nathan and Marcus are brilliant lights in my life, luminaries
that sparkle with energy and radiate joy in my world. They
aren't perfect, but their mom has sure done a pretty good job!
Tonight, our church will host a dinner to honor graduating
seniors, and Marcus is one of them. It's an annual event.
Parents have contributed pictures that highlight the progressive
stages of each young person's life, and we will tell a few
stories to (embarrass and) honor our kids.
So,
I'm reflecting on the challenges and privileges of parenthood.
I truly believe I have learned more from my children than they
have from me. Of course, that could be because I've paid more
attention to them than they have to me. (Were you even
listening to what I just told you? How many times am I going to
have to say this? Earth to Nathan! Earth to Nathan!)
The
greatest thing has been looking at life from a child's
perspective. I remember a moment, more than a decade ago, when
Marcus told me he didn't like the smell of my "overshave."
Well, think about it. That's actually what it is: You shave,
and then you apply the fragrance over the shave. I just had
never looked at it that way. Marcus gave me a new perspective.
I
can't begin to tell you how much I have learned from my
children! From the earliest age, they asked questions that had
never occurred to me, or shared insights that I had missed
altogether. My journals are filled with such entries. My life
has been altered in ways I could not imagine. And I have this
foreboding sense that they aren't finished with me yet!
Therefore, as my children are now adults, I want to be
teachable. They have even more to say to me now than when they
were small. They challenge things that I never thought about
challenging. They want answers to things that I might have
accepted unquestioningly.
And
that's good. If I can't offer reasons for my assumptions and
conclusions, I probably need to think more deeply or forsake my
argument.
Ours is a lifetime relationship, after all. Children, honor
your father.... Fathers, don't exasperate your children.
It's a two-way street. We are learning from each other.
I'll stand up and make a few remarks about Marcus this evening.
Most of it will be kind, and it will at least resemble the truth
(I might not be able to refrain from a little prevarication),
but whatever I say will be from a heart of love...addressed to a
son who has given me more love than I could ever deserve.
And
in that my kids have taught me as well: Each one of them has
accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior -- that's more important to me
than anything else -- and it is Christ in them who loves me so
generously, so far beyond my worthiness.
What a joy! In imperfect ways I have tried to help them
discover the rich, unmerited grace of our God, and now I see
that same love maturing in them and finding it's way back to
me. I hope I never devalue that gift.
LORD, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING IN
THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN!
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I "BLEW OUT" MY ELBOW AND DISLOCATED MY
SHOULDER when
I was in high school. It was a basketball injury, and how
it happened is a story in itself, but I'll never forget the
sound of the pop and the sickening feeling as I rolled in pain
on the floor.
The
injury was rather obvious -- I won't be too graphic, just in
case you're a little squeamish about these things -- but the
referee came up and said, "Swing it around a couple of times.
You'll be alright." I couldn't move; there was no chance that I
could "swing it around." It felt like a nail was driven through
my elbow and into the hardwood.
So
I was taken to the ER and the doctors worked their magic...and
then I started a year of physical therapy. Which is a medical
term for torture.
The
exercises I had to do caused excruciating pain. I haven't
forgotten. But what I remember even more vividly is my dad
assisting me, twice a day, with the pushing and pulling that
were necessary to regain normal mechanical function of that arm.
The
pain often caused tears to run down my face. But my pain
usually caused tears to run down dad's face, too. He didn't
feel the same pain that I felt, but in a different way he
certainly did "feel" my pain. In fact, I sometimes thought the
sessions were harder on him than they were on me.
And
the effort was worth it. I can't fully straighten my left arm,
but I recovered enough extension to allow me to drive to the
basket with my left hand, and I've never been hindered in my use
of that arm. The small "deformity" just serves to remind me of
what that year really required of me, and of my dad. When I get
to heaven, that arm will be straight. And I'll never miss a
three-pointer.
My
heart is aching right now for a number of persons I know who are
going through some really difficult ordeals -- recurrence of
cancer, failure of an organ, other physical infirmity, an
abusive marriage, grief for a lost loved one. The list goes
on. You also know someone who is suffering, and you probably
hurt for them. You wish you could help and you feel so
helpless.
My
"suffering" was minor, but I learned a few lessons during that
year of therapy:
No
wonder the scripture instructs us to pray for one another,
encourage one another, bear one another's burdens, love one
another. Someone needs you. Would you take just a moment to
think of that person who could use your help -- your
prayers, your time, your good word of comfort, your assistance
-- and plan, right now, what you are going to do to come
alongside that individual as you share their burden?
You
will be blessed, and you will be a blessing.
HOW WILL
THEY KNOW WE ARE HIS DISCIPLES? By our love for one another!
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IT WAS MY FIRST
YEAR OF SUMMER CAMP and
I was very
apprehensive. I had heard the stories about being
"short-sheeted," and various pranks involving shaving
cream, and being tossed in the showers, and so on. I
didn't reckon I would sleep much.
But I had a good friend. An older friend. A bigger
friend. And Walter...we called him Wally...made me his
special charge for the week.
The day we got there we carried all our things to the
boys' dormitory. It was one large room, perhaps 40'
feet by 70' feet, with rows of army-issue bunk beds.
Wally told me not to worry about a thing. You sleep
in this top bunk, David. If anybody tries to get to
you, they'll have to get by me first.
I can't tell you how reassuring that was! I looked
up to Wally and admired his quiet confidence, not to
mention his well-defined biceps. I had a Champion, a
Defender, a Protector. My "enemy" might not be afraid
of me, but just wait till they ran into Wally.
So I had a great week. I slept well and never had a
fear about anything happening to me. For all I know, no
one even attempted to play a prank on me, but if they
did make an effort it was obvious they didn't get past
Wally.
As a boy, I came to regard Jesus in a similar light.
He was my Champion, my Defender. And He still is.
Easter tells the story of how His enemies cruelly abused
Him and put Him to death. But you know what? Those
weren't just His enemies, they were mine. They
represented all the evil forces and malevolent darkness
that exist in this world and that try to extinguish the
good and destroy the souls of humankind.
If Jesus had not stood up for me...and you...at
Calvary, those evil forces would be our ruin. But He
took our place. He is our Protector. He is mighty even
to vanquish death and rise victorious from the grave.
What a Savior!
In uncertain times, knowing I am faced with real
threats, alarmed by the dangers that confront me and
perplexed by the choices that I face, I find rest and
peace and joy in Him. I am safe...in Him!
I'm so grateful for the cross. I'm so grateful for
my Redeemer, who one day said to me, Don't worry
about a thing, David. If they want to get to you, they
have to get past me. I am here. Don't be afraid.
HOSANNA!
HOSANNA TO THE KING OF KINGS! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES
IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!
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I'VE BEEN WRITING ABOUT FEAR
in these recent "e-pistles." Two
weeks ago I spoke of "irrational fears" and the assurance that
is ours when we know that the Lord is in control. Last week I
wrote about a justified fear of the One who can cast both
body and soul into hell. The war in Iraq has provoked my
thoughts. And I'm still thinking about fear.
Another kind of fear gathers in our minds -- even in our gut --
during such unsettled times. In addition to our fear of what
Saddam is doing and whether our armed services personnel are in
danger, we contend with a fear that creeps into our own
communities. We aren't so sure about neighbors. We evaluate
features and skin color, wondering if that person seated nearby
is Middle Eastern. We aren't confident that we are safe in our
own homes.
With the advent of these lovely spring days, most of us are
beginning to do some yard chores, picking up sticks and leftover
leaves from last fall, sweeping up the cinders that road crews
deposited on snow and ice when the weather was nasty.
I
was outside on my day off last week, tending to such matters.
Kids were getting home from school, and then I noticed something
that was new. One little girl, perhaps a fourth or fifth
grader, was being escorted by her father. In the past, I have
seen her walk by our house, but on this day I suddenly realized
that in recent days her father has been walking her home.
Perhaps he walks her to the bus stop in the morning as well.
The
thing that was striking about the scene is that this family is
darker skinned than I am. They live further down our street and
I have never had a chance to introduce myself, but I had always
thought that they might be an Indian family. Now I realized
that whether they were Indian or not, they could pass for Iraqi
or Iranian or any of the Middle Eastern nations.
And
I knew: This father was escorting his daughter because he feared
for her safety.
My
heart was touched. And grieved. Ours is a quiet neighborhood,
in a town and state that enjoy low crime rates...but times have
changed. How sad that we have to entertain such concerns. How
sad that a child has to be confronted with the reality that
someone in the community might hate you, and try to harm you,
for no reason other than the fact that your appearance arouses
their suspicion and animosity.
There's an emotional isolation that comes with this reality. If
you happen to be of another nationality -- not U.S. born, or not
appearing to be -- think how difficult it is to live in America
these days. I wondered if this girl, or her father, had already
been the target of slurs or epithets that cut to the heart...and
prompted a justified fear for safety.
I'm
watching for an opportunity to meet this man and his daughter.
I admire him for what he is doing. He is always attired in a
dress shirt and tie. No doubt he has had to adjust his
professional schedule to be there for his little girl. And if I
were in his shoes, I'm sure I would be concerned as well. I
just need to let him know that there are also friends in his
neighborhood. And that I am sorry for the fear his family must
live with right now.
Maybe you know someone who fits this description. What an hour
of opportunity to share with them the love of Christ Jesus. We
are surrounded by a host of people who need a witness to the
love that transcends cultural differences, skin color, political
variances, etc. Let's be God's evangels of love during this
hour of sorrow and alarm. Let's practice the kind of outreach
the Lord Jesus Himself exampled.
In
so doing, there is opportunity to introduce that dear soul to
the One who takes away all our fears.
WHEN I AM
AFRAID...I will trust in the Lord!
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I WAS SMALLER THAN MANY OF MY
CLASSMATES
when I was in what we used to call "grammar school." (Boy,
am I getting old!) The bigger fellows, when they needed to
prove how "macho" they were, would usually choose guys like me
as an object lesson.
But
I was one of those who didn't concede the point easily.
Intuitively, I knew that if I backed down I would probably face
a steady stream of personal assaults, so I chose to fight. And
I got the better of it most of the time. I discovered that
ferocity could go a long way to compensate for lack of size.
But
I knew what fear felt like, coiled tight in one's gut when a
bigger, stronger foe made his advance. I certainly didn't look
for trouble. I didn't relish conflict.
I
can only imagine what that fear must be like for those who are
now engaged in war. Iraqi soldiers have to fear the sheer size
and strength of the coalition forces that are advancing toward
Baghdad. They must know they are overmatched. The bravado of
their leader, who seems to be absent from the scene now and
might be injured or even dead, cannot assuage the terror of
being on the frontlines, facing the superior air and ground
power of the foe that is steadily advancing.
But
those on the prevailing side face fear as well. After all, the
fight is against an enemy who is capable of the most dastardly
deeds. Combatants fear an enemy who doesn't "fight fair." What
about the possibility of biological or chemical agents? The
conflict isn't simply with an opposing soldier or regiment, but
with weapons of mass destruction. Who knows if they will
be used?
And
even in this country, where we once felt safe because of the
oceans that separate us from much of the world, we know there is
no assurance of safety anymore. We are told that we should
expect terrorist attacks on our own soil again. The question is
when. And where. So we live with a sense of fear, crawling
around inside us, disturbing our thoughts and stealing our rest.
Our
concern is justified, but let us remember something that is
bigger than any bully, bigger than any domineering employer, and
bigger than any war. Jesus taught us to fear the One who
can cast both body and soul into hell. The only "enemy" we
need to fear is the Lord Himself...and He doesn't have to be our
enemy. When we have repented of sin and received His Son as our
Savior, we know that we have peace with God.
For
the soldier on the front line who can't help but think about the
possibility of death or serious injury, it can be liberating to
know that the ultimate conflict...the battle for one's
soul...has already been won by Jesus Christ. There is a deep
and precious calm that comes to the one who knows that his or
her eternal destiny is already secured through faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ.
We
need to be much in prayer for our armed forces, for the people
of Iraq, for our president and other world leaders. But let's
remember to pray that every soul -- God cares about
souls! -- will be turned to the one Lord of heaven and
earth...even because of this present conflict...and that each
one will find the salvation in Christ Jesus that brings peace
and eternal joy.
WHEN I AM
AFRAID...I will trust in the Lord!
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IRRATIONAL FEARS.
Most of us have one or
more. We know we shouldn't be afraid, but we can't help
ourselves.
I don't like those hotels that have the central
atrium area, with glass elevators going up 20 or 30
floors, and then open corridors with nothing but a
wrought iron railing to prevent you from diving into the
lobby. The elevator ride is fine, but when I get to the
28th floor, you won't see me looking over the railing.
When I was young(er) I used to do a good bit of
running. My neighbor and I had a course through the
woods near the back waters of Cheat Lake and sometimes
we ran on the old rail trail that has been turned into a
beautiful park today.
Back then, the trail was overgrown with weeds and
small saplings. One day in the spring Roger told me
that the snakes were really big that year. Is that
right? How do you know? Well, Roger said that he
had been running on the old rail bed that afternoon and
the snakes were so big that they were making the trees
move as they swished through the grass!
Now, really! There's almost always a breeze coming
off the lake, of course, but Roger insisted those
saplings were moving too much to blame it on the
breeze. No, there were snakes, and lots of them. He
hadn't actually seen one of these monster snakes, but
his irrational fear had convinced him that they were
there...and they were HUGE!
Some fears are rational, of course. It makes good
sense to drive defensively, knowing that a certain
number of the people who are on the road with you are
drunk, or half-blind, or teenagers. Oops, that just
slipped out.
But it is irrational to assume that you're going to
die if you leave the driveway, and never to drive or
ride anywhere. Such a fear, even though unfounded, is
paralyzing and will keep you from enjoying the company
of others and the many pleasures of travel.
Standing on the brink of war, we have a mixture of
rational and irrational fears. The bad guys in the
world are not bogeyman who are about to leap out of the
dark and seize us by the throat. They are "just" bad
guys. God knows them by name and has their number.
But they are bad. Sometimes, incredibly
brutal and cruel. Our best recourse is prayer.
Lord Jesus, as the hymnwiter said, I
Am Yours, and You Are Mine. What a relief!
And no matter what my fears might be, I am more than a
conqueror through Christ Jesus my Lord!
However, spring is around the corner. Keep an eye
out for those snakes!
WHEN I AM AFRAID....I WILL TRUST IN THE
LORD!
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IT DIDN'T HAPPEN QUITE THE WAY I HAD
HOPED. About a
year ago our church attempted to establish a morning prayer
ministry in the heart of downtown Morgantown. By God's grace
and the generosity of a wonderful couple in the church, we had
the use of a beautiful, newly renovated, storefront property.
We
met every morning, Monday through Friday. I had some cards
printed and personally delivered them to every downtown business
and office. Some others made personal visits to shop owners,
inviting them to this brief prayer service.
The
response was very minimal, and even that wasn't sustained over
time. So, we eventually acknowledged that we had not "scratched
where people itched" and we discontinued the meetings. I was
disappointed, but as I evaluated the experience I can't say I am
discouraged.
For
one, I enjoyed my own "quiet time" in that room! It was a great
break from other responsibilities and allowed me a perspective
on the downtown community that I think I needed. I prayed a lot
for the business owners and employees who work downtown, and for
students and faculty and staff on the campuses of WVU and WV
Junior College.
But
as I have reflected on the effort, I have also adjusted my
thinking. Our attempt to get people to leave their workplace to
join others in 10 or 15 minutes of prayer didn't succeed. More
than likely, it just isn't the first thing on a person's mind.
They might be consumed with all that is necessary to open up for
the day, perhaps running a little late, irritated because their
usual parking spot is occupied, etc.
Maybe a more effective and beneficial prayer movement would be
one that initiates within the work environment, by those who
confess faith in Jesus Christ and believe in the value of
prayer. That's especially true right now. We have 250,000
young men and women poised for war with Iraq. We don't know
what is going to happen today or tomorrow. Our hearts are
anxious, even fearful. The best thing we can do is seek God's
face.
And
you might know someone else in your workplace who is a
believer. Or you might know someone who isn't a believer but
who would welcome an opportunity to pray. Why don't you give a
little thought to how you could start a prayer circle in your
place of work?
It
isn't hard, and this is an opportune moment. For example, you
could say: You know, all this stuff in the news is pretty
alarming. I've been wondering if anyone else would like to just
start the day with a brief prayer for our country, our families,
our community, our fellow workers. Would you be interested in
that?
You
know the people you work alongside. You know how to approach
them about this. Let yourself be used of God to initiate such a
conversation. Give God a chance to honor Himself in such a time
of prayer.
Certainly, be sensitive to the fact that not everyone in the
circle will be Christian perhaps. And there might be differing
points of view with regard to the war, or the decisions of our
president. Don't be radical in your prayers, as though that is
the tine to convert others. Be completely humble (that's
biblical!), calling upon God for His mercy and for His will to
be done.
Let
me know how this works out. Perhaps you are already doing this
in your workplace. Tell me about it. That would be exciting to
hear. It's time to pray, and God has positioned you to
lead the effort!
PRAYER
CHANGES THINGS...and we've got some things that need to be
changed
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SO WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS WAR ISSUE?
It sure looks like a major
conflict is eminent. This time, unlike the Gulf War of more
than a decade ago, the stakes are higher and the casualties are
likely to be greater. We aren't just talking about liberating
another nation from Hussein's grasp. We're talking about
overthrowing his regime and establishing democracy in place of a
dictatorship.
How
are you praying about the matter? Some Christians feel we have
no business involving ourselves in the affairs of Iraq. Some
believe we must go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, give
peace (and inspections) a greater chance. Others say it's time
to wield the sword of justice, time to be an instrument of
correction in the hands of a righteous God, time to liberate the
oppressed and end the threat of further terrorism.
And
many are torn between all these positions, really not sure what
God's will is. So how are we to pray?
Like you, I have been doing some mental wrestling and soul
searching. It isn't hard for me to reject the extremes. I'm
not among those who believe all war is always wrong. In fact, I
believe it is morally reprehensible not to defend the
right and oppose the wrong...when right and wrong are clearly
defined. As a husband and father, for esample, I believe I have
a moral obligation to defend my family if an intruder breaks in
and attempts to do them harm.
On
the other hand, I am not blindly patriotic. I do not believe
that I am bound to support the cause of war solely because my
president tells me I should. I have vivid memories of the
protests that were largely responsible for bringing an end to
the Vietnam War. Students and others gathered to voice
opposition to U.S. involvement in that conflict. As a nation,
we had run out of patience with our national leadership, and it
had become apparent that our presence in Southeast Asia lacked
the moral imperative that compelled our efforts in Europe in
World Wars I and II. As a student, I was as innocent and naive
as today's college protesters are, but I sincerely believed it
was time to bring our troops home.
So
I'm somewhere in the middle. I have high regard for our current
president. I'm gratified by the evidence that he is sincere in
his faith, and pleased to know that every meeting of his cabinet
begins with prayer, which he himself leads on most occasions. I
want to support a man like that, and I have confidence that he
is seeking the mind of God.
I
also acknowledge that our president and his advisors are privy
to a great deal more information than is available to me. And I
know that I must respect that. At some point, you just have to
trust those who are leading you. I think we have leaders who
can be trusted, so when they advise us that our country is truly
under a continued threat of terrorist aggression and that there
is credible evidence that Saddam Hussein is linked to such
activity, I respectfully accept their counsel.
I
certainly have a great deal more confidence in the credibility
of our leaders than I do in the trustworthiness of a man who has
slaughtered his own countrymen in order to maintain an iron grip
on his rule! Saddam Hussein actually counts Joseph Stalin among
his personal heroes.
But
having said all that, I still struggle with how to pray. I
trust my president...but I know he is fallible. I believe in
the ideals of democracy...but no human government is without
flaw. I know we have a duty to defend the oppressed and
helpless..but the world only has one Savior.
How
to pray? That's quite a question. But there is no question
that we must pray. God's people...those who know Him
personally and are confident of His sovereignty...must cry out
to Him in times like these. We must confess our ignorance, our
uncertainty, our fear. We must lift the voice of repentance,
even for a nation of unregenerates, and plead for His
forgiveness. We must cast ourselves upon His mercy. We must
beseech His protection for those who are in harm's way. We must
ask Him to guide us in such a way that our every decision and
action will be upright and honest. We must pray that His will,
not ours, is fulfilled.
What are your thoughts about all this? I would love to hear
from you.
LORD,
LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN PRAYING--Send us love, send us power,
send us grace.
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I HAVE A HARD HEAD
but even I can learn
a lesson now and then. I learned one last week, on the day
of the Big Snow. (For those of you who don't live in this part
of the world, Morgantown got two feet of snow on President's
Day. The mountains to our east were inundated with four to five
feet.)
The
pilot went out on my daughter's furnace, so a friend and I went
over to her place to check it out. We lit the pilot, turned up
the thermostat, and waited for the furnace to warm and the fan
to kick on. And waited. And waited.
Finally, we checked the pilot and found that it had gone out
again. My friend was kneeling on the floor, preparing to
relight the pilot, and I was bending over, peering past his
shoulder to see just where the pilot was located...for future
reference. Doesn't the scene have a Norman Rockwell aura about
it?
He
struck the match and started to insert...
BOOM!
The explosion knocked us backward and something hit my friend
between the eyes, opening a cut that allowed blood to stream
down his face. My left ear was rattling like someone was
banging tinfoil pie plates inside my skull. We were nearly in
shock, I believe. Then I realized someone was pounding on the
door.
I
opened it and there was the manager of the mobile home park.
Are you guys alright?! Do I need to call an ambulance?!
We must have been a sight. Both of us a little wild-eyed.
Blood running down my friend's face while I was moving my jaw
all around, trying to get my hearing back. I think we're OK,
I said. It was a very relative assessment. We weren't (yet)
dead is what I think I meant.
Apparently the blast was even louder outside than it was
inside. We had blown the cap off the top of the stack. People
were standing out in the lane, expecting to see a home in flames
or bodies carried out on stretchers. Several neighbors opined
that we had probably blown a hole right through the roof.
After he had composed himself, my friend said, Man, I hate
learning lessons that way!
Amen to that! It looks like an expensive lesson: I will have to
replace the furnace. And the worst part is, I knew better. I
had already guessed that our problem was that the deep snow had
covered the stack. I had even suggested that we should clear
the snow before we tried to relight the furnace, but we were of
the mind that if the pilot would light, the heat that was
generated would be enough to melt the snow and allow the furnace
to vent.
Our
thinking was flawed. In retrospect, it doesn't even qualify as
"thinking." More like "vain imagination."
Fortunately, we're both here to discuss the matter. And even
though expensive, it was a valuable lesson. I'll never do
that again.
So
how often do you suppose the Lord sits in heaven, watches as I
prepare to make another foolish mistake, and shakes His head
with a heavenly sigh: Will the boy ever learn? Praise
the Lord for His patience and love.
THIS
SUNDAY our focus is on I Thessalonians 2.13.
The sermon title is His Word Works! In
the Evening Praise service we will hear a final
report from Rev. Fred & Carrol Henry before they return to their
ministry in Paris, and then we will enjoy a special reception
for our new Pastor of Worship and his family, Rev. Scott and
Sarah Mattern, Samuel and Isaac.
I'VE MADE
ONE MISTAKE AFTER ANOTHER...I'm glad my Savior makes none!
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