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THURSDAY THOUGHTS 2005
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Does It Seem Like the World Is Having Too Much Fun.. December 22, 2005 Top of Page
You Have An Appointment With God... December 15, 2005 Top of Page
Our Dog Rings Our Doorbell December 8, 2005 Top of Page
I Didn't Know I Had Anything In Common With Bob Dylan.. December 1, 2005 Top of Page
One of the First Lessons We Teach Small Children... November 23, 2005 Top of Page
It's About Time for My Yearly Ebenezer Scrooge... November 17, 2005 Top of Page
Sadness. Heartbreak. Disappointment. Hopelessness. November 10, 2005 Top of Page
Life is Full of Surprises! October 27, 2005 Top of Page
I Wish You Were Either Hot or Cold! October 20, 2005 Top of Page
I've Just Had An Unpleasant Experience. October 13, 2005 Top of Page
Are You Comfortable With Mystery? October 6, 2005 Top of Page
I Haven't Lost My Mind... September 25, 2005 Top of Page
It's Missions Conference Time Again! September 22, 2005 Top of Page
So Was Hurricane Katrina a Judgment Sent..... September 8, 2005 Top of Page
A New Word Has Entered Our Common Parlance September 1, 2005 Top of Page
I'm Relaxed, Mesmerized by the Night Sky... August 25, 2005 Top of Page
I'm in That Post-Vacation Crush Time! August 18, 2005 Top of Page
Have You Heard From God Today? July 21, 2005 Top of Page
Isn't It Amazing What We Can Sleep Through? July 14, 2005 Top of Page
I Suppose It's An American Version... July 7, 2005 Top of Page
There Is None So Blind As He Who Will Not See! June 30, 2005 Top of Page
...Just As In Christ God Forgave You. June 23, 2005 Top of Page
Jesus Told Us To Be Doers of the Word. June 16, 2005 Top of Page
Are You Sure You're On The Right Road? June 2, 2005 Top of Page
The Christian & Missionary Alliance Has a New Brand Logo! June 9, 2005 Top of Page
I'm Thinking This Has To Be The Best Time of Year! May 19, 2005 Top of Page
I Enjoy Riding My Bicycle When I Have a Day Off. May 12, 2005 Top of Page
We Didn't Have Much But We Had The Things That Matter. May 5, 2005 Top of Page
I Don't Know When The First Episode of Sesame Street Aired.. April 28, 2005 Top of Page
Hurt and Sorrow Are In Good Supply.. April 21, 2005 Top of Page
Do You Know What "Spyware" Is? April 7, 2005 Top of Page
How Can You Not Know That You Have a Nail In Your Head? March 31, 2005 Top of Page
It's Been a Year and Still the Images Are Fresh In My Mind March 24, 2005 Top of Page
I've Heard About a Number of "Close Calls" Lately! March 17, 2005 Top of Page
God is In the Business of Redeeming Lives! March 10, 2005 Top of Page
My Son Nathan Will Wed His Beloved Tara... March 3, 2005 Top of Page
Lord, Save Us From Ourselves! February 24, 2005 Top of Page
There Have Been 2,973 Acts of Kindness Performed This Week February 17, 2005 Top of Page
Do You Pray For Silly Things? February 10, 2005 Top of Page
"The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is Prayer." February 3, 2005 Top of Page
There's A Popular Country Song... January 27, 2005 Top of Page
We've Had Our First Taste Of Real Winter Weather... January 20, 2005 Top of Page
Sometimes It Hurts Too Much To Laugh! January 13, 2005 Top of Page
Don't Ask Me To Name My "Favorite" Christmas Gift January 6, 2005 Top of Page
     
DOES IT SEEM LIKE THE WORLD IS HAVING TOO MUCH "FUN" AT CHRISTMAS?  People are going to parties, wearing Santa hats and items of clothing that light up and play Christmas music.  Decorations are everywhere.  The bright colors and shimmering trees and merry greetings should buoy the most downcast.
 
Some of this is all "put on" of course.  There are plenty of people who are truly miserable inside but who play the game at Christmas just because it's for the sake of others, or because they don't want to admit their deeper disappointments.  Some are masking the pain of having lost a loved one, or the knowledge of an impending calamity involving health or finances or something else.  However, even allowing for the fact that all is not as it seems, the truth is, this is a happy time of year.  What I find curious is that sometimes the unbelieving world seems to "enjoy" Christmas more than some believers do!  Isn't that remarkable? 
 
Recently, I mentioned to a friend that it might be that some people choose secular Christmas observances over sacred ones simply because secular ones are often more fun.  I don't mean to profane the sacred observances by labeling them dull and boring.  There's a place for solemnity, of course.  The wonder of our Savior's birth -- the amazing love of God that was displayed in the arrival of a little child -- the Good News that this was done for me (and you!) -- all of this inspires quiet reverence.  I bow, as the shepherds must have, as even Mary and Joseph did, as the wise men who came later certainly bowed. 
 
So many Christian people talk about Christmas as if the presents, and the tree, and the fudge, and the parties, are all somehow disconnected from the "real" meaning; as if these things were somehow a distraction from Christmas -- a necessary but lamentable distraction.  How far from true!  All these things are the bursting-forth of our uncontainable joy at the incarnation!  "Heaven and nature sing!"  With every decoration, every baked good, every tradition...we are saying, in effect, "How many ways can I express the glory of this event?"  And the ways are myriad.  They multiply year by year.  How wonderful!
 
Well said!  So, celebrate the birth of our Lord!  Be sure that's really what you're celebrating.  Don't let the sinful flesh or the wily enemy seduce you into mere self-indulgence, but let your praise unto the Lord be extravagant. 
 
OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND LIFT YOUR VOICES TO THE LORD!  HOW GREAT OUR JOY!
 
YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH GOD and it's at noon tomorrow!  What if that were true?  I'm not talking about dying and appearing before the Lord.  I just mean, what if you knew that tomorrow at noon the Lord was going to "show up" for a conversation?  "I want to spend some time with you.  Let's do lunch."
 
What would you expect such an appearance to be?  In the Old Testament, encounters with God were pretty remarkable.  Sometimes a bush burned but was not consumed, sometimes there was thunder and lightning, sometimes fire fell from heaven.  Would that be the nature of His encounter with you?  If so, you might want to prepare people in your workplace, or other family members: "God's stopping by tomorrow.  It might get intense."
 
Or would there be evidences of His royalty?  Would a cadre of royal trumpeters announce His arrival, and then He Himself would march in, dressed in exquisite finery bejeweled with all sorts of precious stones, a spectacular crown on His head and a regnal scepter in His hand?  Would His appearance have all the fanfare of a parade down High Street?
 
Our imagination can go wild with speculation if we contemplate an appointment with God.  However, I doubt that we would expect God to appear to us as a newborn infant, wrapped in cloths, nestled in an animal's feeding trough, exposed to the elements and the filth of a stable....  No, we didn't expect God to look like that. 
 
In fact, if we did not know the story of Christmas, and if we did not have the record of the New Testament, proving (as Peter preached) that this man was "accredited...by miracles, wonders and signs" (Acts 2.22), so that His deity is undeniable, no one would ever believe that God would come in such a manner.  To think of God as weak, vulnerable, subject to physical limitations and discomforts is not only unfathomable, it is very nearly blasphemous.
 
Except...that's exactly what He did.  He made an appointment ("...when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman...." (Galatians 4.4, NIV)) and He came in humility, not with the trappings of majesty that we might have expected.  The more we contemplate Christmas, the more incredible it seems. 
 
Why did He choose such a means of self-manifestation?  Fundamentally, the answer is wrapped up in the truth that "God is love" (I John 4.8, 16, NIV).  He loved us so much that He came in a manner that was non-threatening, that revealed His participation with us in our human experience, that dissolved away all the possible barriers, that invited us into personal friendship with Him. 
 
It's true that I am God's creature; I must do the bidding of the Creator.  It's true that I am His subject; He rules over me with all the authority of a potentate.  But it's also true that I am His child and His friend, and that is possible only because of Jesus -- only because God "became flesh and and made His dwelling among us" (John 1.14, NIV).  Because of the incarnation, I know that the Creator cares about His creature, that He rules over me with a benevolent concern for my welfare.
 
If God had not humbled Himself in His incarnation, we would never have comprehended the extent of His love, nor would we have been able to personalize it to our own circumstances.  "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4.10, NIV). 
 
What a wonderful, marvelous, incomparable, exalted Savior is Jesus our Lord!  Merry Christmas!
 
THOUGHT YOU KNEW GOD?  THINK AGAIN ABOUT THE INCARNATION!  FOOLED YOU, DIDN'T HE?
 
OUR DOG RINGS OUR DOORBELL!  Her name is KoKo, by the way.  She's a chocolate lab, cocoa-colored of course, with a distinctive spelling of the name just for the fun of it.  Actually, her full name is KoKo PuF.
 
And I'm not lying!  She just turned one year old, so she's barely out of the puppy stage, but she recently learned how to ring the doorbell.  She jumps up on the back door to look in the window, so I'm sure the first time was an accident.  However, she has figured out that we come in response to the ring. 
 
One day recently the doorbell rang four times in the span of maybe two minutes.  When I went to the back porch, there she sat, looking up at the door waiting for me to appear.  Her look said, May I please come in?  Or maybe it was, Will you come out and play?  I can't always interpret her correctly.  She's smarter than I am.
 
It would appear that we are better trained than she.  When she rings, we run.  Think of it as a canine Pavlovian revenge.  I don't slobber, but I jump.
 
She also opens the front door if it isn't locked.  No kidding!  The door has a latch-type handle, and if she pushes down on it with her paw it will open right up.  She's done that twice, the first time right after I had mopped the kitchen, living room and dining room, each of which has laminate flooring.  Her muddy paw prints were everywhere.  Mossie laughed.  I mopped.  Again.
 
Not long after that, I was sitting at the kitchen table one evening, reading something and enjoying a hot cup of tea.  Suddenly, I realized that KoKo was standing beside me.  Sure enough, the door was wide open.  This time, at least, her feet were relatively clean.
 
All she wants is companionship, and when she rings the bell or walks in the door we can't help but think it's "cute" and endearing.  We pet her and give her a treat and make her feel loved. 
 
I wonder how the Lord feels when He tries, over and over, to "get in the door" and we refuse to respond?  Look at me.  I stand at the door.  I knock.  If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you (Revelation 3.20, The Message).
 
Once upon a time, God "broke the door down."  It's called Christmas.  He came, just as He had promised, and made His dwelling among men.  He came as an infant, born in the humblest of settings, exposed to all the dangers and hurts that are common to the human experience.  He became like us, so that that we might become like Him.
 
He won't break the door down again.  Now He knocks, and waits for our response.  He does not force His friendship upon us.  You and I decide whether we want anything to do with Him.  He respects our decision.  If we refuse to open the door, He does not overrule us.  He will not compel us to have fellowship with Him.
 
But He is still knocking.  He who is the Bread of Life -- the Way and the Truth -- desires to sit and eat with us.  This Christmas, don't miss your opportunity to entertain your Redeemer and Friend!
 
THIS SUNDAY the To Be Like Jesus series continues with a further look at the discipline of sacrifice.  In the Evening Praise Service we will enjoy a wonderful Christmas musical.  Come, Let Us Adore Him...and be sure to bring your friends and family.  Refreshments will follow.  Go to www.cmachurch.net for more about our fellowship.
 
LORD, YOU'RE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF MY HEART.  I'M COMING!  I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!
 
I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD ANYTHING IN COMMON WITH BOB DYLAN until I listened to Paul Harvey one evening as I drove home from the office.  He was telling the story of a time when young Bob Dylan was influenced in a positive way by "Gorgeous George."

You might not know who Gorgeous George was.  Not Curious George!  Not George of the Jungle!  Certainly not George "Dubya."  Gorgeous George hailed from the Pittsburgh area and he was a very big name at one time in the world of professional wrestling.  Since that "sport" is as much about entertainment as it is about athleticism, every contestant has to have a "shtick," something that sells his personality.  Gorgeous George marketed his good looks -- his "pretty boy" features and long flowing golden locks.  He dressed in outlandish robes and always entered the arean with a great deal of fanfare.  He was "Fabio" before there was a Fabio.

 

One Sunday, right after the service ended, I was approached by the pulpit committee with the request that I come back again on an upcoming Sunday.  We began to discuss dates and when they suggested one that was open for me I indicated that yes, I would be glad to come back on that date.  Then a member of the committee said, "Oh, wait.  We can't do it on that date.  That's the Sunday that Gorgeous George is coming."
 
I knew who Gorgeous George was.  (Imagine how strange it would have been to hear this if I had NOT known who he was!)  What I didn't know, but learned in the next minutes, was that he had recently made a profession of faith and was now a very hot item on the speaking circuit.
 
We discussed some other dates and agreed on a time for me to come back, but I have always been amused when I think of the time that I was "bumped" by Gorgeous George.  It's been a healthy reminder never to become impressed with myself.  There is always someone out there who is better-looking, more appealing, a bigger "catch" than I will ever be.
 
"GG" spoke in a lot of churches during that  era, and I pray that many responded to his testimony and turned to the Lord.  His ministry wasn't mine, however.  No one will ever come to see me, so I need to be sure I present Christ, as clearly and convincingly as I can, so that others will come to Him.  And unless you're Gorgeous George material, I encourage you to do the same!
 
FLAMBOYANT OR NOT, LEARN TO BE THE PERSON GOD MADE YOU TO BE -- TO HIS GREAT GLORY!
 
ONE OF THE FIRST LESSONS WE TEACH SMALL CHILDREN is the simple civility of saying thanks.  It's right to acknowledge a kindness, to voice a blessing upon those who have blessed us with some favor.  How much more should we speak our gratitude to the Giver of life!  On this Thanksgiving Day, let us magnify Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
 
Very often, I find that the "ancients" -- those who have preceded me in this walk of faith -- have much to say on issues like these.  Recently, I found myself reading this paean of praise found in The Book of Common Prayer published by the Church of England.
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and lovingkindness unto us, and to all men.  We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.  And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end.  Amen.
In another version of this prayer there is opportunity for others to voice their praise.  At the end of the first sentence, the leader would add, "particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them."  At that point, others in the group would speak out their gratitude unto the Lord.  After a season of these expressions, the leader would continue with the remainder of the prayer. 
 
Feel free to use this model around your table this Thanksgiving.  The food will stay warm...or you can pop your plate in the microwave.  After all, the whole point of the day is to "give thanks."  We shouldn't rush to the meal (or the football game!) without taking time to tell the Lord that we love Him, and that we know we owe everything to His goodness.  If you have children or grandchildren with you, this is one of the best "teaching moments" of the year.  So, offer more than a perfunctory prayer over the meal.  Take a little extra time to reflect on the wonder of God's grace, and to say, Thank you SO much!
 
Of course, you can update the language of your prayer just a bit.  After all, not everyone will understand words like inestimable and unfeignedly, even if they can pronounce them!  Feel free to put the prayer into your own words.   
Dear Father, you are Almighty, all-wise and all-loving.  We know we don't deserve your kindness, but we praise you that you have made yourself known to us through your Son, Jesus Christ, and that you have invited us to come in His name.  Hear us, Lord, as we tell you some of the reasons why we love you.  [Here, you can pause to allow others around the table to speak their own words of thanks.]  Thank you for all the good things of life.  Thank you for health, and for encouraging us when our health isn't perfect.  Thank you for providing our needs, and for teaching us faith when we are without.  Thank you for your forgiveness...no matter how many times we fail.  Thank you for listening, for caring, for answering.  Lord, help us to praise you always, with every word and with every deed.  Fill each of us with your Spirit and keep us walking close to you.  Help us lead others to you as they see your life revealed in us.  Do this by the power of Jesus Christ, and to your glory and praise.  Amen.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!  NAME THEM ONE BY ONE!  IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHAT GOD HAS DONE!
 
IT'S TIME FOR MY YEARLY "EBENEZER SCROOGE" SPEECH!  In fact, I'm a little early.  About this time every year, usually right after Thanksgiving, I write some words of caution to help liberate all of us from the notion that we must spend a fortune on gifts in order to have a "good" and Merry Christmas. 
 
I'm early because Christmas decorations are going up earlier and earlier.  Soon, I'll be writing this before Halloween, then maybe around Labor Day!  Merchants know this is their busiest and most profitable time of the year.  Quite naturally, they milk it for all it's worth.  In every conceivable way, our pockets are picked, and the end result is that we have no money left by the time the "big day" rolls around...plus, we know there are some hefty bills awaiting us in the New Year.
 
It just doesn't have to be that way.  Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, after all.  This extravagance that has enveloped the holiday is simply not essential to its celebration.  And if we're going to give gifts, we really need to be sure the Lord is at the top of our list.  The Wise Men brought gifts to Him, not to each other!
 
You can rejoice in the blessing of family, of good health, of adequate provision, etc., without spending yourself into oblivion.  Giving is wonderful, but less expensive gifts that are thoughtful and given in love are just as meaningful as the too expensive presents that you really can't afford.
 
Many are concerned that the folks who suffered through Hurricane Katrina "won't have Christmas" this year.  What does that mean?  Anyone can have Christmas; anyone can rejoice in the birth of our Lord Jesus and in a personal saving relationship with Him.  Gifts are not required when you are celebrating the single greatest Gift of the ages!  Why do we think "it's just not Christmas" if the room isn't piled high with presents?
 
Moreover, a Christmas without gifts might be the best ever for those who are rightly thankful just to be alive and to have the love of family and friends.  Where is it written that deprivation is a bad thing?  Doing without can be a great way to develop character and to stir motivation.  Mounds of material possessions might only produce wholly self-absorbed people.
 
But please don't imagine that I am a mean-spirited old codger who is opposed to fun and whose heart is the size of a hickory nut.  I love Christmas; I love gift-giving; I love seeing the joy of a child when opening a special treasure.  But I'm opposed to turning Christmas into a wanton exercise in acquisition and excess. 
 
In fact, if you are concerned about Katrina victims, here's a great idea: Why not do something that is really in the spirit of Christmas?  Why not forego your own giving and receiving this year and see if your family members will agree to donate what you would have spent on Christmas to help a family in real need?  I know of a family that is actually doing this.  Some version of it might work for you. 
 
There are people in the Gulf Coast region who lost everything.  There are people in Pakistan still dying in the aftermath of the recent earthquake.  You might even know of someone in your neighborhood who lost their job and can't pay their mortgage.  There is need all around us.  The best Gift the world ever received was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, a Gift that met the deepest longings and most timeless needs of humanity.
 
IF CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT GIVING, MORE THAN ABOUT GETTING, THEN SHOULDN'T I GIVE AWAY?
 
SADNESS.  HEARTBREAK.  DISAPPOINTMENT.  HOPELESSNESS.  I see so much of this in my line of work.  Especially in the context of counseling.  By the time folks find the courage to talk to someone, the problems are usually beyond the crisis stage.
 
And yet...the potential for joy and victory is profound. 
 
Sometimes I'm grasping for straws when I begin a counseling relationship, anything that will open the door just a crack to allow the light of divine possibility to shine in.  Usually, I dare not ask, Do you still love your partner?   Rather, it's something along the lines of, Do you think it might be possible to despise your spouse a little less than you do right now?  If I get a positive response, then I can say, See?  There's some hope after all!
 
OK, maybe I've overstated things a little, but not by much.  So many times I have started a series of marriage counseling sessions wondering to myself whether there really was any hope of saving this relationship.
 
Here's what I have discovered: First, when two people come with an earnest intent to hear and obey what God is telling them to do, the prospects of restoring the marriage are excellent.  Second, once a person gets on the continuum of obedience, obligation inevitably leads to joy.  Let me explain what I mean by each of these observations.
 
In the first place, I have learned that those couples who are looking for a quick fix, cheap advice, worldly wisdom, non-confrontational affirmation -- whatever -- almost never manage to renew the relationship around.  Those persons are inclined to be selfish and self-centered and really don't want biblical counsel.  Moreover, when one person is ready to do what is necessary to redeem the marriage but the other is not, the chances of saving the union are about as poor as when neither one is really committed.  It takes two to tango...and two to turn a marriage around.
 
As to my second point, I have learned that a genuine commitment to obedience always leads to reward.  On a number of occasions I have counseled people who honestly admitted that they no longer loved their partners and really had no desire to save the marriage BUT...in their heart of hearts they knew God was commanding them to stay in those relationships and work them out.  They obeyed out of obligation.  They obeyed because they wanted to honor the Lord more than they wanted out of the marriage.  And wonder of wonders, the Lord honored them.
 
I have even told such persons, God can restore your love.  He can awaken in you a love for your partner that is greater even than the love you had at the first.  When I say that, they don't believe me.  Some have told me later that they thought I was crazy, but with tears they have confirmed that God did exactly that.  Amazing grace!
 
Just recently a person told me the only reason they decided to try to save the marriage was because a still small voice was saying that if they gave up they would miss out on God's best.  This person said, I don't want to miss God's best, for me or for my children  Yes!  I predict victory in that relationship, because I sense this commitment is genuine.  Plus, the spouse shares a similar dedication to saving the marriage. 
 
And the wonderful thing they have yet to discover, but surely will, is that the obedience that begins in obligation leads ultimately to joy.  They are going to fall in love all over again.  They are going to discover a love that eclipses any they have known so far.  It's God's promise, not mine...but I have the privilege of declaring it.
 
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO GIVE OUT AND GIVE UP...WHY NOT GIVE IN TO GOD?  HE REALLY CARES!
 
LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES! On Tuesday morning we awoke to a true "winter wonderland."  Trees were snow covered with branches bending to the ground under the excessive weight.  In fact, since there are still so many leaves on the trees, the weight was too much in many instances.  Large limbs broke and some trees were felled.
 
During the night, I kept hearing sounds and thought that our dog must be getting into something in the back room.  Several times I checked on her, but she just looked at me with her big, brown, innocent eyes and it was obvious she was behaving herself.  With daylight, I realized that I had been hearing branches snapping and falling.  A large limb from one of my neighbor's trees had broken and was blocking my upper drive.  On the lower side of the house, limbs were so weighted down that they blocked the drive on that side as well.
 
After a bit of work, I got my van out to the road, which was great because I love driving in conditions like these.  Oh, and I had to get to the office.  I was scheduled to travel to Colorado Springs Tuesday evening and needed to finish a good bit of work before leaving town.  So, even though the officials urged folks to stay off the roads, I found it imperative to get out.  And besides, in case I didn't mention it, I love driving in these conditions.
 
At the top of our road, I discovered that a lot of limbs were down.  In fact, I would have assumed that the road was impassable except that someone had been through before me and I could see that the tracks in the snow appeared to go around some of the debris.  No way was I going to miss the fun of this!
 
So, I followed the tracks and found myself reprising one of those Jeep commercials, where you go over and around things that are impeding your travel.  The van is all-wheel drive, which was a good thing because I had to go off the road and in and out of the ditch and back on the road again.  A little beyond this area, I drove over some downed power lines.
 
The news said this is the first time on record that we have had our first significant snow before we had our first frost.  It was a rare opportunity for camera buffs, since you seldom get so much of the fall colors mingled with the brilliance of the white snow.  At the office, I could hear sirens all day long.  Obviously, there were accidents, and dozens of closed roads that had to be opened.
 
If you ever wondered why God ordained that the leaves should fall, leaving the trees so bare in the winter, now you have part of the answer: The only way the trees can bear the weight of the snow is if their branches are devoid of leaves.  God has a purpose in everything!  Shouldn't surprise us, really.  After all, His ways really are much higher than ours...past understanding, in fact.
 
What a beginning to winter!  And it's not even winter officially.  I wonder what else is in store?
 
This storm caught everyone off guard.  No one thought temperatures would drop as low as they did, so the half-inch or so of rain that was predicted ended up being about eight inches of dense snow.  And yet, so much of life takes us by surprise.  On Monday I visited a person who has a medical problem that has "come out of the blue."  Now that person is in a hospital bed, undergoing all sorts of tests, wondering where this thing is leading.
 
The one assurance we have, in the midst of so many unplanned events, is that God is in control, is all-wise, has eternal purposes even in the smallest events, and will still be on His throne when everything in our experience is thrown into upheaval.  How thankful I am that He holds me in HIS hand!
 
LORD, PREPARE ME FOR WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO...AND WHICH I NEVER EXPECTED AT ALL!
 
I WISH YOU WERE EITHER HOT OR COLD!  Your lukewarmness sickens me!  That's the message the Lord sent to the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3.15-16).  I sure don't want to turn my Lord's stomach.
 
We have an adorable chocolate Labrador, not yet a year old.  Well, she's adorable except for chewing up nearly everything she can get her teeth into.  The other day she chewed to pieces the electric cord on our outside George Foreman grill and I was ready to.....  No, I can't even say that.  This puppy is Mossie's pride and joy and if I'm ever found guilty of doing harm to her I'm afraid my life is over.  But I digress.
 
What I was about to say was, I am truly astounded by this dog's passion to please.  She'll sit by the sliding glass door at the kitchen and watch us, begging with her eyes for someone to come out and play.  She could spend hours lying at our feet, content just to be in our presence. 
 
When I walk out the door, she anticipates my every move.  If I move one direction she assumes I'm headed around the house, and so she runs that way.  The slightest movement in the other direction and she guesses that I'm headed to the shed in the back, so she runs that way.  If my body language suggests that I'm going to the van, she gets really excited because she hopes I'm going to take her down to the lake for a walk or to swim.  The dog is uncanny.  She tries to read my mind, and pretty much does.  And her entire objective is simple: She wants to be with me, wherever I'm going, whatever I'm doing.  She has no interest in choosing the agenda.  She really doesn't care what will be demanded of her.  She just wants to be with me.
 
Martha had her own agenda, and it was a commendable one (Luke 10.38-42).  The Lord didn't chastise her.  However, He gently directed her to consider her sister, Mary, who simply sat at His feet and drank in all the wisdom He had to share.  Jesus said that Mary had chosen what is better while Martha found herself worried and upset because she was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.
 
In Christian circles we used to make a big distinction between "being" and "doing."  We don't talk about this very much anymore, but the point is still valid.  It is of first importance to establish who we are in Christ before determining what we do in His name.  Mary was concerned about finding her "being" in Christ Jesus; Martha was consumed with "doing" the right (and necessary) things.
 
As we progress through the current sermon series on spiritual disciplines, I am reflecting on this more and more.  A large part of the disciplined life is the matter of learning how to stop myself, silence myself, and soak myself in the presence of my Savior.  Staying busy, even when it is in the name of Jesus, doesn't move me closer to Him or take me deeper into fellowship with Him.  In fact, busyness can drive me away from him.
 
On the other hand, I don't want to become one of those who is "so heavenly minded he's no earthly good."  My times of meditation should result in disciplined activity that fulfills the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus.  Ontology always leads to praxis.  Who I am in Jesus will compel me to take the Gospel to the very ends of the earth...not forgetting, while I'm on my way, to proclaim the Good News to my Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
 
But where is that passion to please?  During this series of messages, my prayer, for myself and for you, is that I will cultivate an unquestioning allegiance to the Lord Jesus, a desire to be with Him, an earnest effort to anticipate His every move and to go where He is going, a readiness to do whatever He commands.  Surely, that's the fruit the Lord desires from my spiritual discipline!
 
AS THE DEER (OR CHOCOLATE LAB) PANTS FOR WATER, SO MY SOUL LONGS FOR YOU, O LORD!
 
I'VE JUST HAD AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE.  In fact, that's partly the reason these Thursday Thoughts are arriving late...but still on Thursday!
 
We live in the country and have our own septic system.  A few days ago, a line became blocked and today I was able to have a fellow come and address the problem.  I think it's resolved now.  I sure hope so, because I really don't want to get into digging up lines, etc.
 
Especially not those lines.  We seldom give much thought to our sewage system, but when something malfunctions you sure gain a new appreciation for the importance of a means for eliminating the waste and refuse of life...and an appreciation for those who service such systems.  If you have never had to open up a septic tank, well, let's just say I don't recommend it.
 
As this gentleman worked on my system, opening up lines and running his snake and cleaning my pipes (that's what he promised me he was doing), I thought how much I would not want to be doing that job day after day.  He wore rubber gloves and all, but it seemed like a pathetic barrier considering the work in which he was engaged. 
 
However, he was a cheerful fellow and I enjoyed our conversation and his spirit of helpfulness.  I'm sure his good cheer was owing in part to the size of the check he knew I was going to write, although I didn't mind paying, considering the alternative.  So, we enjoyed a cordial and mutually satisfying business transaction...but we didn't shake hands when we parted.
 
An important part of the regular maintenance of my spiritual life is to make sure the "sewage line" of confession remains open.  When I go to prayer, I dare not be like that Pharisee who thrust out his chest and huffed his superiority over the sinning publican nearby.  Rather, I must be ever vigilant to pour out to the Lord my transgressions, to acknowledge before Him my pride and self-righteousness, and to "flush" all that stuff away so that my life will be clean and right in the sight of God.
 
I don't know where all that stuff goes; I have no idea what God does with it.  I do know that he has said he casts my sins into the deepest part of the ocean, that He removes them as far as the east is from the west, that He remembers them no more.  How thankful I am for that good news!  I sure don't want the pipe of confession to become clogged.  I would rather not ever have to open that tank and be reminded of all the wickedness and filth and putrefaction that the Lord has taken away.
 
Because I have a septic system, my household waste never leaves my backyard.  Ugh!  Not a happy thought.  It's hidden, below the ground, but it's there.  Praise the Lord that He has taken away my sin so completely that I never need to think about it and never have to revisit it. 
 
How about you?  Anything to confess today?
 
THE LOAD OF SIN WAS MORE THAN I COULD BEAR --  HE TOOK MY SINS AWAY!
 
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH MYSTERY?  Some people have a quest to know everything, to figure it all out, to plumb the depths of every enigma and shine a bright light into every dark corner of perplexity.  Others don't seem to mind "living in the dark."  Sometimes our ambivalence is selective: We are willing to be ignorant about certain subjects, but we insist on knowing everything about others.
 
I'm thinking about this because of a religious program that I caught a portion of a few evenings ago.  The pastor/teacher was addressing the question of where events like Katrina and Rita fit into God's larger scheme, and he was drawing a comparison between the dates of our typical hurricane season and certain feasts of Israel as found in the Old Testament.  It was his conviction that because hurricanes assault us during the same time frame that Israel celebrated feasts that called them to repentance and reminded them of atonement, we can therefore draw the conclusion that a category 5 typhoon is indeed God's "wake-up" call to America: Repent, before a worse judgment comes upon you!
 
It's an interesting proposition, but perhaps just a bit too "neat."  One obvious problem is his assumption that the feasts of Israel, which were observed by a people who lived in the Middle East, of course -- where hurricanes never occur -- have a direct relationship to a people living in North America several millennia later who happen to be in a hurricane-prone part of the world.  Over the years, all too often there have been religious leaders who wrongly placed the United States in the center of the Bible's prophetic utterances, as though we North Americans are now God's "chosen people."  This is just bad exegesis of scripture.
 
At the same time, I don't believe for a minute that the so-called "random" acts of nature are, in fact, outside of God's control or divorced from His will.  And there is no disputing the evidence in scripture that God uses natural calamities and many other common experiences of daily living to impress on us valuable life lessons and to reveal to us His eternal truth. 
 
As I have written before, my son Marcus is in Gulfport, stationed there as a Navy Seabee, and has been involved in the cleanup work.  I think he had a more accurate view of the circumstances when he commented to me that as you look at the devastation, with entire communities simply wiped off the face of the earth, "You cannot help but think of the awesome hand of God."  It just looks like someone -- Someone -- who has infinite and indescribable power, took his hand and swept it across the beaches and inland areas and removed everything that was there.  The force was indiscriminate.  Don't forget that.  Believers and unbelievers alike lost everything they had.
 
Should such displays of divine power get our attention?  Absolutely.  Spiritually sensible people had better start calling upon the Lord.  Those who have ignored Him better sit up and pay attention.  He's not a God to be trifled with, or neglected.  But be careful about assigning spefic interpretations of judgment upon this or that. 
 
Bottom line: God is a God of mystery.  The Holy Trinity, the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, the indwelling of His Spirit in the heart of one who believes...even the wonder that I can be saved when I receive by faith the work that Jesus did at Calvary...these are all mysteries too great to be fathomed.  I will never fully understand.
 
Because, after all, He is God.  If I could discern every mystery, I would be His equal in some measure, and He would cease to be God.  I'm OK with not fully understanding God.  There is security in knowing that my God is so immense, so grand and so great, that He cannot be put into any "box" of my making.  He is high and holy and lifted up, far above all human comprehension and knowledge.  Praise His awesome Name!
 
LORD, YOUR THOUGHTS ARE FAR ABOVE MINE!  I CAN'T COMPREHEND; HELP ME APPREHEND!
 
I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND... I Know It's Not Thursday!  Well, some might argue that I have lost my mind, but they'll have to find other evidence, at least.  I do realize that I'm sending this "e-pistle" much earlier than usual.
 
I'm taking several days of vacation this week and will be out of town on Thursday, so I decided to send this message early.  Plus, I want to give you a few extra days to consider the content of this email before worship on Sunday...and perhaps incite you to invite someone to come to church with you this coming weekend.
 
I'm starting a new series of messages on the 2nd of October.  For some time I have been impressed by what seems to be a growing longing among some, certainly not all, for a deeper, fresher, more vitalized, truly authentic, life-altering relationship with the Lord.  I'm going to preach a series of messages on what are sometimes called the spiritual disciplines. 
 
The approach will be a little off the beaten path.  When you think of "spiritual disciplines" you might have in mind prayer, reading the Bible, attending church, and so on.  We'll touch on all those kinds of things, and I believe there will be practical suggestions that will improve your daily habit in such matters.  However, I want to get behind the practices themselves to discuss the heart changes that must happen in order to be successful in your walk with the Lord.  Here's the series title, along with a syllabus for the lessons we'll present:
TO BE LIKE JESUS
 
Preconditions to holy living:
    Separation
    Submission
 
Consistent evidences of a disciplined life:
    Supplication
    Sacrifice
    Simplicity
    Sincerity
 
The maintenance of a disciplined life:
    Solitude
    Secrecy
    Song
    Service
We'll take our time.  Some messages might be completed in one worship service, but others will be extended over two or more weeks.  We might continue this study through most of the winter, because the goal will be to improve our relationship with the Lord, gaining a renewed sense of His presence and power in our lives and His equipping of us for His service.  We won't hurry it, but I believe you will profit from the exercise.
 
Pray with me that the Holy Spirit will use this sermon series to revive His people.  And see if you can think of someone else who is hungering for more of God.  Invite them to join you for this series. 
 
IS YOUR HEART CRYING OUT FOR MORE OF GOD?  KNOW THIS...HE REALLY WANTS MORE OF YOU!
 
IT'S MISSIONS CONFERENCE TIME AGAIN!  Each year we host a week of Missions-focused activities, with guests who serve in a variety of fascinating ministries in far-off places.  I never cease to be enthralled by the stories they tell, and humbled as I hear how God is working in other places.
 
But why do they do it?  Why leave the undeniable comforts of living in North America, of all that is familiar including the companionship of family and friends, to live in a place where they don't know anyone and must learn a different language and new customs?  In some instances, missionaries contend with rather harsh privations.  Often, their efforts are frustrated by bureaucracies that seemed designed to hinder rather than help the process.  Sometimes there is very real danger.  Always there is the knowledge that loved ones are a long way off.
 
So why do they do it?  The only reasonable answer is that they are "called" of God to such a vocation.  But that begs the question, why does God call anyone to such a responsibility?  What is the driving necessity?  Aren't all religions basically the same?  Doesn't everyone go to "heaven" someday, whatever that means?
 
If we accept the Bible as God's Word, there simply is no escaping the conclusion that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.  Missionaries are on the field, at the frontlines of Gospel proclamation, because they understand the declaration of Scripture that all mankind is "lost" and that only in Jesus can we be "found" or "saved."  Missionaries have experienced a radical transformation of thought:
  • From a realization that we are all sinners and cannot atone for ourselves
  • To an awareness that those who know Christ are obligated to proclaim Him to others
  • To a consuming passion to preach the Good News until the whole world comes to faith in Jesus
Missionaries are thus "people of the Book" -- they receive the Bible as the Word of the Lord and they act accordingly.  Pretty novel thought, isn't it?  Especially in this day, when most people follow an entirely alien creed:
  • Really, we're not such bad people; in fact, compared with some others I know, I'm practically a saint
  • Even if that were not true, God is loving and won't condemn anyone; that just wouldn't be "tolerant"
  • All roads lead to "God," however we understand Him (or Her), and "hell" is myth, not a literal destiny
Such arguments truncate and eviscerate the Gospel.  Who needs "salvation" if we all go to heaven anyway?  In fact, if there is no hell, there's no good reason to believe in heaven either.  Missionaries are driven by a different set of values: Men are lost.  Judgment is certain.  Hell is real.  Jesus saves.  These are stark, unyielding assertions that happen to be lifted right from the pages of Scripture.  And missionaries are people who believe these things are true and have decided they must do something about it.
 
Think about it.....  If you saw a house on fire and a child standing in the window, wouldn't you do anything -- everything -- to save her?  Even at the risk of your own life?  Or, if you didn't -- if you looked away, or turned your back -- would you ever be able to live with yourself?
 
Missionaries see a lost world with the eyes of Jesus Christ...and they refuse to look away.
 
LIFE HERE IS PREPARATION FOR LIFE ETERNAL!  LORD, HELP ME PRAY...SEND...GIVE...AND GO!
 
SO WAS HURRICANE KATRINA A JUDGMENT SENT FROM THE LORD?  I have an answer to that question, but first I must ask you to promise to read to the end of this page.  Promise?  You aren't allowed to read the next paragraph unless you promise to read the paragraphs that follow!
 
The easy answer is the obvious one: YOU BET IT IS!  Wait!  You already promised.  You have to keep reading.
 
If there is anything called sin...if there is any city deserving of judgment...surely this must be called God's dispensation of wrath on the immorality championed by New Orleans.  Tourists go to New Orleans to escape the noxious "bondage" of the social and religious mores that constrain them.  Mardi Gras is the very definition of moral license.  Excess and dissipation are celebrated on the streets of this city.  BUT....
 
The same is true in any of the major cities of our nation.  It's true even in the out-of-the-way towns and villages that dot our land.  Maybe there was more of it in New Orleans, or maybe there was a greater concentration of it there, but dare we say that New Orleans was more deserving of God's punishment than, say, Los Angeles, or New York, or even Key West, a small but morally squalid community?
 
One day Jesus was asked about some Galileans who suffered a horrible fate: Pilate butchered them and mixed their blood with their own sacrifices.  The question seems to have been posed, were those Galileans deserving of such a "judgment?"  Listen to what Jesus said:
Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?  I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.  Or those eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.  Luke 13.2-5 (NIV)
Notice that Jesus does not say that such calamity is not a judgment.  Rather, he says, you shouldn't be concerning yourself about whether another man's misfortune is his judgment.  You should make sure that you have repented of your own sin.  You are as deserving of judgment as the one you condemn!
 
The truth is, this world is a fallen world, a world that dishonors its Creator, a world that rejects the Son of God who died for our sin, a world that revels in its corruption, a world that shakes its fist at God.  This world is deserving of God's wrath.  And when calamitous judgment falls upon any part of this world, we should all be sobered.  We should all fall to our knees and cry out to God for mercy, for forgiveness, for pardon and restoration.
 
We do know that God sends judgment upon cities.  Consider Sodom and Gomorrah.  But we also know that in a fallen world, evil occurrences befall even the most faithful and righteous.  New Orleans was home to a lot of iniquity.  It was also home to many people of faith, many who were living their testimony before others, many who did not participate in the wickedness that was a trade in tourism.  The righteous who were in New Orleans have lost everything, just as did the unrighteous. 
 
Let's be careful about "casting the first stone."  Rather, may we stand in awe of the Sovereign God who commands winds and waves, the God who is capable of wielding a power that we cannot fathom, and let's get on our knees...as individuals, as a Church, as a nation.  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
 
IT'S NOT MY BROTHER OR MY SISTER BUT IT'S ME, O LORD, STANDIN' IN THE NEED OF PRAYER!
 
A NEW WORD HAS ENTERED OUR COMMON PARLANCE.  "Katrina" fills our minds with numbing images of floodwaters and destruction.  Like "911," the very mention evokes powerful feelings and thoughts.  This time, the number of lives lost is not as great but the economic impact is vastly greater, will affect many more people, and will endure for years into the future.  Just take a look at the skyrocketing gasoline prices.
 
Our son Marcus is smack in the middle of it.  He's a Navy Seabee stationed in Gulfport.  He evacuated to his buddy's apartment just seven miles inland.  The sea surge in Gulfport was as high as 33 feet, and it came six miles inland.  You've seen the pictures of mounds of vehicles, washed into heaps by the wind and water.  We think Marcus' Jeep is in one of those heaps...but who cares as long as he is safe.
 
Multi-story buildings are reduced to rubble.  Marcus has been able to call twice.  In the second call he said, "Dad, you can't believe what we're seeing.  There is no town here anymore.  There's nothing for people to come back to, and even if they did they wouldn't have jobs because the places where they worked are gone."
 
Imagine it.  In a matter of hours, everything you worked for, all that you had accumulated, the priceless pictures and heirlooms and mementos that cannot be replaced...gone.  The things of this world do not endure.
 
There are lessons in such experiences...hard, painful, grievous lessons.  There are also opportunities.  Hundreds of thousands need assistance and prayers.  How gratifying to see the responses from all around the country.  The government will give assistance, of course, and every taxpayer contributes to that aid, but it's even more touching to see how emergency personnel, the military, church groups, etc., are linking arms to go, even at great personal sacrifice. 
 
It was an agonizing wait on Monday, wondering where Marcus was, if he was OK.  What a relief and joy to hear his voice in that first call!  In such instances, you can't help but fear the worst until you receive confirmation that everyone is safe.  Of course, many others were not safe at all.  Many have died, and the count continues to rise.
 
As anxious as we were for Marcus, I'm glad he is there.  No matter how many times it is read in God's Word or preached from a pulpit, it's hard to really latch on to the truth that we are on this planet not to be served but to serve.  We are so wrapped up in ourselves.  One exposure to the suffering of others, one significant opportunity to "step up and make a difference," can change our priorities in an instant.
 
Serving "gets in your blood."  When it's done in the name of Jesus, there is an eternal reward even in giving a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty.  Every young person needs to have his or her eyes opened, sooner or later, to the desperate need of those who suffer, and then to discover the absolute thrill of serving.  Nothing satisfies like the discovery that by your assistance or gift or prayer or encouragement you have made a life-changing contribution to someone in need.
 
This is one of the reasons why short-term missions projects change lives.  You just aren't the same after such an eye-opening experience.  As you pray for the victims of Katrina, pray also that Marcus and countless others will becoming addicted to a lifetime of service, and that it will be in the name of the Lord and to the glory of the Lord.  May each of us forsake the wood, hay and stubble of pointless living and begin to devote all of ourselves and of our resources to those endeavors that advance the cause of Christ in His world.
 
LORD, GRANT THAT I WILL BE YOUR SERVANT TODAY TO A WORLD THAT IS HELPLESS AND NEEDY!
 
I'M RELAXED, MESMERIZED BY THE NIGHT SKY....  The August moon is full of itself, proudly beaming a light that is not its own, but even the reflected glory of the sun is a brilliant witness in the eastern sky.  To the west the sky is somewhat darker, and I study the stars that sparkle in the blue/black expanse that canopies the seemingly limitless space above me.
 
The familiar night sounds, tongues an entomologist might interpret, are soothing to me and my soul finds rest in this nocturnal respite.  The noisome press of the daylight hours seems far away right now.  Bless God for the rising of the sun.  Bless Him for its going down again.  The end of the day cannot come too soon for those who weary of their toil.  But what is that?  There, just above the treetop to my west?  Oh, it's just a wisp of cloud -- that's all -- brightened because the moon is still low in the sky and now the cloud is reflecting the light the moon has already reflected -- a glory twice removed, yet still more than sufficient to seize my attention.
 
But wait.  It's not a wisp of cloud at all.  It's the leading edge of a much larger mass that is moving slowly, purposefully toward the east.  A cloud the size of a man's hand, soon joined by a host of others.
 
Now there is an impressive squadron of clouds obscuring my view of the stars.  In silent, steady march, perfectly disciplined and resolute, undeterred, these shining bodies form a canopy below to cancel my view of the canopy above.  Soon there are no stars.  There are only clouds.  Clouds that portend something.  Do they have a message for me?  Will they unleash a deluge to disquiet my reverie and send me rushing inside for shelter?
 
Still they march eastward, committed to some destiny beyond my comprehension.  As it happens, they have nothing to say to me.  I am of no concern to them.  There is no drop of rain on my face.  There isn't even the coquettish buss of a soft summer breeze to accompany their passing.  The currents are too high above me, too distant for me to share in them  -- but the currents are as real as the clouds they carry.
 
There is a stirring of lament within me.  I have lost my vision of those constellations that are a daily constant in my changing world.  Now my sight is transfixed by the clouds, not by the stars.  There seems to be an endless flow of them.  Perhaps I will even forget the stars, what they looked like, how they stirred wonder and gratitude in me.  Now, it is the clouds that vie for my attention.  They, too, are "wonderful" in their own way.  I marvel at them
 
But where are the stars?  Will I see them no more?
 
I am ready to go in, but then I realize that the sky is clearing.  Clouds never last; had I forgotten that so soon?  The clouds are not the permanent state.  No, it is the vast heaven above the clouds that speaks of permanency, and just because I cannot see the stars does not mean they are not there...or that I will not see them again.  The clouds are ephemeral, transient, mere vapors.  But when I look into the cloudless sky I almost seem to behold the changeless face of the eternal God.
 
There, the last one is gone.  The clouds have passed.  Here is the expanse I remember.  The stars are still in their places.  They have gone nowhere.  But there...to the west again -- another bank of clouds makes its advance.
 
I go to bed, secure in the knowledge that God does not change.  He will be there when I wake up, whether the day is sunny or overcast.  My heart overflows with praise.
 
I KNOW THE ONE WHO MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH -- WHY THEN SHOULD I BE AFRAID?
 
I'M IN THAT POST-VACATION CRUSH TIME!  You know what I mean.  You go away for a bit of rest and relaxation, but you dread coming back to the mound of work that awaits you.  Sometimes we even say, "It's hardly worth taking a vacation, because you have to work so hard to catch up when you get back."
 
There's truth to that, but I'm still convinced that there is great value in getting away.  I can't find any clear biblical evidence that Jesus ever took a two-week vacation per se, but He did advise His disciples that it is necessary to "come apart" from time to time, that is, to withdraw from the press of responsibilities and the demands that others place on us and to find rest and refreshing.  As someone has observed, if we don't "come apart" (for renewal and invigoration) we'll just COME APART (fall to pieces)!
 
Let's not forget, however, that our Lord had a specific objective in mind: He intended our "come apart" time to provide opportunity for communion with our Father in heaven, for reflection on our Father's greater purposes for our living, and for a rededication of ourselves to our Father's will.  Simple relaxation is part of that, but there should be an intentional element in our vacationing as well.
 
I realize someone might object.  That defeats the whole purpose of a vacation!  You're imposing the old Puritan work ethic on a time that ought to be unbounded and free!  I won't disagree, and I want to be careful that I don't seem to turn a time of lightness and refreshing into another oppressive obligation.  But when I speak of communing with the Lord, I'm surely not suggesting a burdensome task.  Rather, I'm highlighting the truth that in the press of everyday concerns we tend to spend too little time with the Master, and when we spend too little time with Him our vision becomes myopic.  We see only what is right in front of us and miss the bigger, and far grander, vista of God's designs for our living.
 
How refreshing to think that during a vacation there is opportunity, in a more relaxed manner and at a slower pace, to rest myself in the Lord.  Since I don't have to arise and rush off to a day's responsibilities, I can "muse and schmooze" with my God for a while, deepening my fellowship with Him, heightening my appreciation for His love and wisdom and mighty power.
 
For me, part of that "time with God" element during this vacation was reading a wonderful little book recently recommended to me, Written in Stone; The Ten Commandments and Today's Moral Crisis by Philip Graham Ryken.  Now, you might think, That doesn't sound like light vacation reading!  You're right, it wasn't exactly light, but I found it restorative.  I was reminded...once again...that even in the Old Testament, where the Law seems to prevail over Grace, the fact is our God has revealed over and over His marvelous mercy toward those He created.  The Law IS a manifestation of His Grace, and the more thoroughly we understand that, the more we appreciate how much God loves and cares for us.
 
I also return to my work with a renewed sense that I need to incorporate this particular "vacation value" into my everyday living.  That is, I really can't afford to rush into my day and fill every waking moment with worldly responsibility.  It is imperative, to my own spiritual and physical and emotional health, to "come apart" every day for some time of renewal in the presence of my Lord.  Daily prayer and Bible reading honors the Lord, to be sure, but it also imparts to me the "essential vitamins and minerals," if you will, that ensure my well-being.
 
Don't neglect Jesus!  He's waiting to keep His appointment with you...every day!
 
IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY "COME APART" TIME WITH JESUS, I'D FALL APART EVERY DAY!
 
HAVE YOU HEARD FROM GOD TODAY?  Don't tell me it's too early!  As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, you should open your ears to hear what God is saying!  How else can you know your agenda, or how to do any of the things you propose to do today?  You weren't planning to attempt them in your own strength and wisdom, were you?
 
In a conversation yesterday, I was reminded of how remarkably the Lord communicates with us.  The person with whom I was speaking was recounting a particular instance of being awakened in the middle of the night and encountering God in a memorable and life-transforming fashion.  As I listened, I thought of several other such testimonials that have been shared with me over the years, and of my own encounters with God, some of which have been mid-night experiences.
 
I hasten to tell you that I do not build my walk with the Lord on such experiences.  That is, I do not base my decisions on "special" revelation from the Lord, whether in a dream or vision or a "word of knowledge" that comes to me out of the blue.  That can be very dangerous.  Such experiences can be misinterpreted, or might even be the counterfeit delusions of the enemy.
 
My rule is, if it is not confirmed by the Word of the Lord, it isn't a "trustworthy saying," to use the Apostle Paul's expression.  Every such encounter with God must line up with what is already revealed in Scripture.  After all, God is not the author of confusion and He never disagrees with Himself. 
 
At the same time, in the very pages of the Bible we find repeated instances of God appearing to human beings, or speaking to them in odd ways...even through the mouth of a donkey on one occasion.  I think we should expect God to pour into our lives a ceaseless flow of useful information, tips for success if you will, counsel that helps us avoid trouble and stay on the straight and narrow.  Isn't that the nature of relationship?  Shouldn't that be the result of abiding in Him and Christ abiding in us?
 
How do we maintain that kind of communion?  Here are a few suggestions:
 
Cultivate friendship with your God.  The better you know Him, the more likely it is that you will actually hear and understand what He is saying to you. 
 
Increase your familiarity with His instruction.  Get engaged in consistent Bible study.  That's where you discover who God is and what He requires of you.  Personal Bible study is great; joining a group study (Sunday School, small group, the Alliance Bible Study Center) is even better.
 
Quiet yourself in His presence.  Shut up!  Really!  Practice the discipline of silence in His presence, so that you can actually hear what He is saying.  I didn't ask you whether you had talked to God today.  That's important, too, but have you heard from Him?
 
Call upon Him in faith.  Hebrews 11.6 tells us that God rewards those who believe that He exists and who earnestly seek Him.  The rest of the chapter is a long list of those who did.  The Lord is looking for faithful people, those who will cast themselves upon His mercy and who trust Him to get it done. 
 
Is that so hard?  I don't think so.  His Sprit will enable you.  Now...have you heard from God today?
 
I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES GOD HAS SHOUTED HIS INSTRUCTION...AND I WASN'T EVEN LISTENING!
 
ISN'T IT AMAZING WHAT WE CAN SLEEP THROUGH?  A major storm passed right over our house several nights ago.  There were flashes of lightning and some loud claps of thunder.  One "boom" was so loud and so close that it seemed to shake the house.  Mossie slept through the whole thing.
 
That's unusual because she doesn't often sleep so soundly, but I guess she was really tired that night.  I have slept through all sorts of things, even moreso, it seems, as I grow older, although I'm not sure what that has to do with it.  I used to have trouble sleeping when I would make my periodic trips to the National Office in Colorado Springs.  I suppose the change in time zones as well as the different environment might have interrupted my rest, but now it seems to be no problem.  I usually sleep just fine when I'm out there.
 
I wonder whether with the passing of time there is an increasing complacency.  Now that I'm "used to" the travel and the time change and the surroundings, maybe my body just relaxes more easily.  Whatever the reason, I'm thankful for it.  When I first made those trips, I returned home exhausted because I barely slept at all while I was away.
 
Our Lord slept through a major storm.  Remember that?  In fact, his disciples interpreted His rest as a sign that he was unconcerned for their welfare.  We're about to perish!  Doesn't that matter to you?  Of course, the One who made the seas and the clouds above isn't inclined to be alarmed when they are "out of sorts."  He simply ordered the wind and waves to calm down, and they did!
 
Jonah's story was a little different.  He was in "a deep sleep" when a fierce storm swept over the