Crying Uncle

Years ago two young men engaged in angry combat would come to a point where the one having twisted the other’s arm behind his back would demand, “Say uncle and I will let you go.” A decision had to be made by the one losing the battle. Some immediately cried uncle. Others would hold out, taking the pain until they could finally take it no longer. A few, however, never gave up no matter how excruciating the pain became. They would not give in and say, “Uncle.”

Through our history we have examples of men and women who would not cry uncle. We are about to celebrate another anniversary of our nation’s independence. We can do so because of the untold number of men and women from 1776 to this day who refused to give in to those who wanted to destroy us. It is because of these brave people that we are able to celebrate with pride.

The Bible is full of examples of men and women who refused to say uncle: Moses, Joshua, Daniel, the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament heroes of the the faith who grew the early church. These men and women suffered great persecution even unto death, but they never cried uncle. The Apostle Paul was probably the greatest of these heroes. Paul was determined to obey God even if it meant his death. In Acts 18:9 God spoke to him saying, “Do Not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. (Or do not cry Uncle) For I am with you…”

Paul was never silent. He held the name of Jesus in such high regard that he would let nothing or no one stop him from sharing the gospel. Eventually, Paul was silenced by those who had him put to death. I wonder how many of us today are determined to never cry uncle for the cause of Jesus Christ? How many are willing to suffer and even die if necessary so that others might be saved? I believe God is looking for Christians today who will pick up the mantle of those great heroes who have been our examples, and tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And when we encounter those who want to silence us pinning our arms behind our backs may we never cry uncle, but continue to speak the name of Jesus.

Landscapes and People

We will be moving in about three weeks. This morning I mowed my yard, probably for the last time, especially if we don’t get any rain. If it needs to be mowed before we leave my yard assistant, Brady, will most likely do it. I’ll be too busy with the move.

I was a little sad when I realized that I wouldn’t be mowing this yard again. It was like saying goodbye to a dear, old friend.  I hate to leave behind all of my trees, flowers, roses, the things I’ve worked so hard on to have a nice yard. But I’ve moved many times before leaving pretty yards that I thought I could never have again. Every place we have lived I have planted trees, bushes, flowers, and created flower gardens, built pergolas, retaining walls, and patios. Each yard I’ve worked with turns out to be much different than the one before, and they have always satisfied my desire to create something beautiful. But I can’t take the credit. God provides the lovely materials that no human can match. Only God can create the beautiful foliage of nature for us to use and enjoy.

I think people are a bit like landscapes. When God created us he created something more wonderful and lovely than the trees or the flowers. We sell ourselves short when we think we are not as pretty or as handsome as someone else. God did not stake our loveliness, our beauty, on our physical appearance. Each of us has within us a unique beautiful person waiting to emerge. He gave each of us a heart and a spirit to use to spread the beauty of his Son, Jesus Christ. God looks beyond our outward appearance and sees deep within us the person that he designed long before we were even a thought in the minds of our parents.

Landscapes take hard work to be beautiful. A gardener has to invest his or her time and commit to doing the things necessary to create something that is lovely. Fertilizing, watering, pruning, weeding, and planting are only a few things that must be done to have a beautiful landscape. The same is true of a life that yields the beauty of Christ. Being the lovely creature that God made each of us to be requires  dedication, commitment, investment, and sacrifice. These are eternal acts that reap heavenly benefits. Achieving the beauty that will bless others and glorify God takes a great desire within our hearts and a growing love for the One who died for us.

The house where we are moving is new. The yard has only the basic two small trees, a few bushes in front and some mulch. I have a blank slate with which to work. But creating another beautiful landscape is going to be hard for me this time. My family doesn’t want me to do much on this yard. They think I’m not able to work out in the hot North Carolina sun. I only passed out three times from heat exhaustion while working in my yard at our present house.  I’ve learned my lesson. I know now how to pace myself. They think I’m as silly as a goose for wanting to continue doing what I love to do. So we will see what happens. The good thing is that working at cultivating the beautiful person that God wants you to be will never cause you to pass out.

Love’s Twin

I was listening to the song “Our Father’s Love”  this morning while walking. It got me to thinking, “Why is love, love?”  What is it that makes love what it is? We all want to be loved. Many of us have experienced God’s love, and recognize this special blessing in our lives. We have learned to tell when someone doesn't love us. Couples “fall in love”, and unfortunately some couples “fall out of love”. Sometimes even good friends who love each other lose trust because one offends the other, and the loving friendship ends.  People do bad things that hurt others, and love is replaced by hate. Maybe you have had someone that once loved you, to stop loving you, and you really don't know why. Love can become complicated.

Why is it that men and women and boys and girls have difficulty with love? When love goes awry we may find ourselves paralyzed by bitterness and resentment, and in a state of misery. I think that when love fades it is because we have separated love from its  twin. Love cannot survive in us if this happens. Love’s twin is Forgiveness. If you think about it the one thing that causes us to recognize the love of our Father is that he forgives us. The thing that distinguishes God above any other is that his unconditional love is based on his desire to forgive those who don't deserve to receive his love. The scripture says that God is Love. Jesus taught, “As the Father has forgiven us we should forgive others”. And so sometimes when another person hurts us, takes something we love away from us, or walks away from us never to return we want to take a scalpel, and cut away the forgiveness that is meant to stay connected to love. When we do that love loses its power in our lives. Without the power of love we give up our ability to be happy, to have joy, and to live at peace with ourselves, and with others. This is what makes us miserable.

I heard a preacher tell about a woman who had been through more than anyone should ever have to endure. He said that if any person had the right to not forgive it was this woman. However, it was evident by the joyous life she lived that she had overcome the hate, bitterness and resentment. He asked her what was it that made her decide to forgive her brutal offenders. She said,”I realized that there is too much hate in the world. I did not want to be the person who added to this viciousness. I could tell what unforgiveness was doing to me, and I didn't want to live the rest of my life being controlled by an unforgiving heart. By God’s power I was able to forgive.”

Love and forgiveness must stay together. Without forgiveness love would not have the power to change the world. In your life keep these sisters together. You will be glad you did.

The Perfect Door Guard

Summer time, summer time! Hot! Humid! Mosquitos, bugs and flies! Lizards and snakes! All of these are related. The critters I mentioned are not supposed to be inside our houses. We go outside and back inside  our doors more during the summer months. Children tend to leave the outside doors open a lot. The welcome mat invites all kinds of unwanted guests into our houses. I know when our girls were young and when we had a cat it wasn’t unusual for us to find a lizard and on one occasion a snake in our house. I guess the most common pest that comes inside is the house fly. They are supposed to be the outside flies. They are nasty and annoying especially those big ones that make so much noise. I think it is impossible to keep those critters outside where they belong. Someone needs to invent a sure fire door guard that will keep these pests out of our houses.

There are other kinds of doors that allow visitors in that should not be welcomed. And there is a fool proof guard that will keep out what must not be allowed in. What door might that be? It is the door of our lips. We allow passage of all sorts of undesirable verbiage more dangerous and venomous than the snake I mentioned. The Psalmist said, “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips.” How many times have we been hurt by what comes through the lips of others? How about our own lips? Have we said things that have deeply hurt others, then regret saying what we said. Too late, the damage has already been done.

This problem can be avoided if we depend on the Holy Spirit to guard the door of our lips and to remove any evil intent or desire that may be in our hearts. “Do not let me be drawn to what is evil”, the Psalmist goes on to say. Pray to God and order that fool proof guard right now. Supplies are not limited. There is One for all of us.

Psalms 141

Dealing With “Oh No” Moments

Oh noooooo! Have you ever screamed those words? Frequently those “Oh no” days come from out of nowhere. The unexpected hits like a ton of bricks. Things happen at the worst times when we are least prepared. Yet, some are prepared for anything. They are cool, calm, able to meet any problem head on. How can they remain unshaken and strong in the midst of the “Oh no” experiences of life?

Once there were three kings who led their armies against a formabatable foe. They had marched through a hot desert for days and had run out of water. The men and animals were not going to survive unless water could be found very soon. One of the Kings, Jehoshaphat, said, “We must inquire of the prophet of God, and see what God has to say about our delemea.” So the prophet Elisha was called. Elisha came and while listening to a harpist  play, “The hand of the Lord came upon him and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water...You will see neither wind nor rain, yet the valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.”

The next  morning the men looked out across the desert, and they saw that the land was filled with water. It was just as Elisha told them it would be. The three armies went on to defeat their enemy. One man had faith in God, and another man listened to the voice of God for the solution. Elisha, Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected. He didn’t panic. In fact, he basically said, “God’s got this. This will be easy stuff for God Almighty.” The Bible tells us that nothing is too hard for God.

Faith! God’s children must have continuous faith, daily faith, never ending faith in the Lord. God’s children must never waiver, even on those “Oh no” days, especially during the “Oh no” times of life. The trouble we face may not work out the way we would like, but our faith will help us deal with the troubles we face. We will survive, be strong and maintain the joy that God has given us. Always remember what Elisha said, “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.” If you remember this, then on the other side of your problems you will look out and see the great miracle that God has done in your life. You will notice that he has filled your dry valley with pools of fresh water.

How to Jump Over the Moon

This piece has nothing to do with jumping over the moon. Everyone knows that it is impossible to jump over the moon, unless you happen to be a cow. This has more to do with relational issues. If you are a parent you may remember the first time your sweet little darling said to you, “I don’t like you!” That was right after you told him or her, “No! You can’t do that!” That was not a serious relationship problem, but it does demonstrate how people react to us when we cross them in some way, or when we disagree with them on some issue. Disagreements do become a big deal and do sometimes destroy relationships. The more we deal with others the more we realize that having a good relationship with everyone is like trying to jump over the moon. If you are involved in the lives of others someone is eventually going to tell you, “I don’t like you!”

As people with different religious, political, social, economic, philosophical and educational backgrounds come together there will be more disagreements and less harmony within our circles of influence. In our world those circles of influence are becoming bigger and bigger. We live in a volatile, angry world. We live in a society of selfish, childish people. Everyone wants to have their own way. Our nation has become a kindergarten playground. “That’s mine, me first, you’re mean, I don’t like you!” Sounds like our nation’s Capital doesn’t it? It also sounds like many of our churches, our schools, our workplaces, our families.

Jesus taught us to have a servant's heart, a willingness to wash each others feet. To be last so that we might be first in his Kingdom. The Apostle Paul said, “Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3. We cannot desire to be number one and expect others to want to be around us, or love us. But that is not the reason to have the servants heart. The reason to desire a servants heart is because that is what God wants us to do. Love God and love others.

No, everybody is not going to like you. If you think they are go out tonight and jump over the moon!

Oh How Times Have Changed

I can’t believe I am now one of those who talk about the good old days. No longer do I listen to an old person telling stories about his youth and shake my head in disbelief. “No way, dude! How did you live like that?” I would think. Well, I didn’t include the word dude in my thought process. I was watching a comedian from my era make fun of the 20’s generation. He was comparing the way they use their phones to how my generation used phones. He mentioned texting. Apparently in Seattle there is a problem, and there are public service messages posted on buses, and other common areas pointing out that you cannot text 911 if there is an emergency. You actually have to call 911 if you need help. I don’t know if he was serious, but I wouldn’t doubt it.

Young people don’t know about the black rotary phones, or, of course, those earlier phones that only required telling an operator who you wanted to talk to. The thing with rotary phones was that we dialed seven numbers to call our friends. All of the numbers we frequently called were stored in our heads, not in the phone. You know, now, I do not know anyone’s number, not even my wife’s! I remember the phone number at our house where I grew up and my friends numbers. Have I suddenly become stupid? Don’t answer that question! 

Another thing about the old phones was that when the phone rang we had no idea who it was that was calling. We had to answer it. If we missed the call we might never know who called. How many of you missed a call and spent the next hour calling all of your friends to ask if they called? Why? Because we had no answering machines! How many of you remember running over something, someone, or injuring yourself trying to get to the phone before your caller hung up? I’m not even going to mention the party line system.

We only had one phone, and it had a short cord. That meant that we had to stay in one spot to carry on our conversation. Privacy? None! I was very shy and when I was a kid I didn’t want my parents nor my nosey little brother listening when I talked to a girl. That was one reason I rarely had a date. Well, there was also the fact that the girls didn’t like me!

Yes, times have changed. Youngsters today would not have enjoyed our good old days. But just wait! Their kids will listen to their stories one day, shake their heads, and say, “No way, dude! How did you live like that?”

Medicine for Worry Warts

Moses had died and Joshua had been chosen by God to lead the Israelites into the land he had promised them when they left Egypt. God gave Joshua a word of encouragement which was actually a command. God said, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

This is a powerful word! I need this every single day. I fail so many times because I do not remember these words when I am faced with troubles. What happens when you are presented with a problem that overwhelms you? Sometimes when tough problems are dropped in my lap I become afraid and start to worry. I fret. Are you a "FRETTER"? God tells us to stop fretting and stop being afraid--afraid of anything, any time. He commanded Joshua, "Do not be afraid!" Not only do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. I get discouraged. I am discouraged now differently than when I was working. Regardless of your position in life you will always be tempted to be discouraged. Don't be! We don't have to be discouraged or afraid.

"How can I keep from being afraid and discouraged?"' , you may ask. Look at the reason God gave Joshua. God said, "Because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." God is going to go with us any place we go. He is right there with us. Sometimes I don't FEEL like he is. Feelings are fickle. They don't matter. What matters is that God promises us that he is with us, so he is--always, anywhere, forever and ever! Having God with us is better than the strongest body guard. God by our side is better than money in the bank. God with us is better than our closest friend. God's presence is better than the best trainer, the finest guide, the wisest advisor or counselor. God is all we need.

When we fully trust in God as we move forward to face our problems we will successfully be obedient to his command, the one he gave Joshua. "Be strong and courageous!"  Today, be a man of God. Be a woman of God. Trust him with whatever is troubling you today. Do not fear. Do not be discouraged. Be victorious and show the world that with God on your side you are strong and you have the courage to take on anything.

Joshua 1:9

Vacation Bible School

“Today is your first day of VBS!”, the first thing I said to Sherri this morning. She is helping with Vacation Bible School at our church this week. Almost 250 children have been registered, more than half of them four, five and six year olds. Over 100 adults will be there this morning to welcome these children. The theme for our VBS is “Operation Arctic.” When I walked into the church building yesterday morning I immediately saw igloos, wolves, snowflakes, trees covered in snow and all sorts of tundra scenes. Everywhere, all over the church facility there was evidence of the VBS theme.

VBS is much different today than when I was a kid. There were no massive decorations displayed in the church building. All of us stood outside when we arrived in the morning waiting for our teachers to line us up so that we could march in as we were led by three children carrying the American flag, the Christian flag and the Bible. The flags were too big for little children to carry. I couldn’t wait until I would be big enough to lead the others into the sanctuary carrying one of those big flags. We were like little soldiers, marching, standing at attention, placing our hands over our hearts and together reciting the pledges to the flags and to the Bible, God’s Holy Word!  After each pledge we sang the appropriate songs for each one. There was military like order with that part of VBS. We even sat and rose to specific cords played by the pianist.

I don’t remember any theme, but there were some specific lessons from the Bible that we were taught. Today VBS covers one week, but in my day we went for two weeks. I liked going to Bible school until I got to be about 12 years old. My friends and I thought we were too old. We didn’t like learning those Bible verse cards. There were 5 or 6 cards, each a different color, with 5 verses on each card. Our Bible teacher was alway Mrs. Shrum. She was a wonderful older lady, but very strict. She was determined that her rowdy boys were going to behave and learn those Bible verses. If we didn’t know them we were not allowed to have refreshments or go outside to play. Try doing that to a kid today.

I could tell much more about my VBS experiences, but I have already exceeded my space. You know, I still remember those Bible verses that Mrs. Shrum made me learn. And I am thankful that she made me learn them. I am thankful for all the women and men who sacrificed two weeks of their time to teach us about Jesus. Millions of kids will be going to VBS somewhere this summer. For many it will be the only time during the whole year that anyone will tell them about Jesus. It is so important that Christians pray that something these children experience in VBS this summer will be the catalyst to bring them to the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thoughts About Heaven

Can you imagine what heaven is going to be like? We can only guess, and our guessing will fall way short of how wonderful it will be. Here are some things I have thought about. Most of the people in heaven will have never known anything about computers, cell phones, the internet, airplanes or spaceships. Most will never have heard of America, baseball,  Apple pie or Chevrolet. Most in heaven will not be like us except that Jesus Christ is their Savior. I believe that when we all get to heaven every care and concern that we will have had on earth will have been much different than they had during our time in this world. 

The Bible refers to heaven as a new heaven and a new earth. It will be perfect. We will have new bodies. I am really going to like that. We won't have anything to worry about because we will never be sick and we will never die. There will be no sin. We will not be angels. People do not become angels when the leave this earth. We will have physical bodies and live in a place which will be a perfect, physical earth. I think heaven will be like the place where God put Adam and Eve, like the Garden of Eden. Heaven will be a beautiful place, more beautiful than anything we have ever seen or imagined. 

Heaven will not be a boring place. We will have plenty to do. I think God will give each of us something to do, and whatever it is it will glorify him. We will be happier than we have ever been. Think about what consumes your time and energy now. Much of what we do now wears us out and does not fulfill us. But in heaven Jesus will consume our every thought. All that we do will honor Him. We will not ever get tired. We won’t ever worry about what to wear, eat, or say, and we won’t worry about what people think about us because everyone will have only good thoughts.  

We have have imagined what we will do in heaven when we first get to Heaven.. I have heard people say that when they get to heaven they will have questions that they will ask God about some mystery that has always bothered them. When we get to heaven and see the face of Jesus I doubt if we will be concerned about anything that bothered us on its planet. I cannot say for sure what heaven will be like, but I sure am glad that some time soon it will be my eternal home.

Can’t Wait to Go to Church

As I sit on my patio on this beautiful early Saturday morning my thoughts reflect on tomorrow, Sunday. My wife and I go to church every Sunday morning. We go because we enjoy going. We like seeing friends. We enjoy singing in the choir. We enjoy being in Bible study. And we love to hear our pastor preach. But if our going to church every Sunday is for the primary purpose of enjoyment and socialization then we have gone for the wrong reason. The most important reason for going to church is so that we can join other believers in Christ to worship him together. The Bible specifically teaches that we are to “meet together” to praise God and worship him. That is the main reason for going to church.

Another very important reason for going to church is to hear and study God’s word. I read this verse yesterday, “Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Acts 10:33. When God’s people gather together God is there. When people lift up praises to God he is present. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of his people. When God’s anointed proclaims the Gospel message he speaks what God has given him to tell the listeners. The Bible has hundreds of examples where God tells his prophet, his messenger, his anointed, “The Lord said”, “The Lord told him”, “The word of the Lord came to him”. Over and over again God gives someone a message that he wants given to someone else. God has done it that way from the beginning, and I believe he still gives pastors, preachers and evangelist the words he wants his people to hear.

Our response is to be where the word of God is being preached and to listen anticipating that God has a message for us. We should go expecting to hear what God wants to say to us. If we listen God will speak to us. We might receive a word of encouragement, maybe be convicted of some sin, hear an answer to a problem, learn something about him that we didn’t know, perhaps find healing, receive a command to follow Jesus in some specific way or be spiritually moved like we never expected. When we hear from God, and know God has spoken to us our response will be to praise him. We have to be careful that we don’t get in a repetitive rut and miss the real purpose for going to church. If our attitude is right God will have something fresh and exciting for us each time we meet together.

Playing the Fool

The logical thing to do, the practice that is most politically correct, that which seems most socially acceptable and religiously appropriate will often bring ruin to a person and to a country. Take for instance the man, Jeroboam, who succeeded Solomon as the king of the ten tribes of northern Israel. Rehoboam, Solomon’s Son, was the king of the other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. Jerusalem was the fortress and home base of Rehoboam, and Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim. One nation split into two. War was avoided for a while, but both kingdoms did what they had to do to hold on to their nations.

Jeroboam did not want his people to return to Jerusalem every year to offer sacrifices in the temple. He was afraid that his people would decide to stay and follow King Rehoboam. So he had two golden calves made, and set them in convenient locations to make their journey easier to worship thoes golden idol calves. He built shrines and appointed priests. What he did which seemed logical, religiously appropriate, certainly politically correct, and sociologically acceptable was an abomination to Holy God.

Unfortunately, Jeroboam’s plan seemed like a great idea to his subjects. It certainly made their worship practices easier. They thought, ‘What difference does it make which god we worship as long as we worship? As long as our sins are atoned for every year we are in good shape.’  Yet, they were committing spiritual suicide. And their selfish, foolish king had unknowingly panned his downfall. God gave him as chance to make things right, but the Bible says, “Jeroboam did not change his evil ways...This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.” 1 Kings 13:33a-34

Jeroboam and all of his family did suffer a bitter end. And the ten tribes of his kingdom were overrun and taken into captivity by a cruel enemy. The way of Jeroboam is exactly where our nation is headed. We are buying into the ways of the pagan world. Our society and government by-passes wise decision making to maintain political correctness which becomes more absurd with each passing day. The common spiritual thought in our nation is “any god will do” and perhaps no god is better. Morality has been discarded to the trash heap. Good is being deemed as bad, bias, and foolish. Evil is good, fairer, and that which makes more sense. We are governed by fools and those who try to keep us on a wise course are being portrayed as the fools by the media.

We will not continue to prosper if we refuse to follow the Lord our God. His ways cannot be ignored. Remember this quote, “Make  sure your plans make “God sense” not just good sense.

A Joyful Sound

Psalm 89:15-17.  "Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength.  And in Your favor our horn is exalted."

The Psalmist reminds us of the blessing of a joyful sound that God gives to us. Those who walk in the light are recipients of this joyful sound. 1 John 1: 7 speaks of this light. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,we will have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (NIV) This is the key to hearing the joyful sound.

There are many sounds in our world today that are not so joyful. These sounds upset us, frighten us, make us angry, separate us and even give us cause to want to give up. In these sounds we find no happiness or peace. If all we hear are the sounds coming from this sinful world we will become discouraged. We will not experience much joy, and we will not know the peace that God intends us to have if we truly belong to him. Our witness to the world will be weak. We will not be able to reflect the love of Jesus. A child of God is to rise above the dreadful sounds which are meant to rob us of God’s joy.

In contrast the Bible says to us that God has put a glorious sound in place, a joyful sound that will provide lasting happiness. We are blessed by this sound. Those who know this sound are exalted or lifted up. What is this sound? The best way I know to describe it is to refer to an old hymn that has been sung in our churches for many years, "We have heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves, Jesus saves" (Priscilla J. Owens, 1882). The joyful sound that has echoed across the ages is the proclamation that Jesus redeems all who will come to Him. Yes, the sound that we have heard and rings in our hearts today is Jesus saves, Jesus saves. When we know that sound we reside under the protection and peace of his presence. Jesus is our salvation and our strength. When we hear all the other worldly sounds we do not have to be afraid. We do not have to panic or dwell on the threats that come against us and waste our energy. No, listen to that beautiful sound in which you have because of whom you have placed your faith and trust. Jesus saves, Jesus saves. This is the only sound that matters.

To God Be All the Glory

In Gethsemane Jesus prayed that he might not have to experience what was about to happen to him at Calvary. But he prefaced in that prayer that His Father’s will be done. When God’s will is achieved God is glorified. God made the earth so he would receive the glory. He made man to glorify him by being obedient to him. Our sin, our disobedience, does not glorify God. When our relationship with God is good he is glorified. God knows how he wants each of us to bring glory to him. Our goal each day should be to glorify God our Father. This should be our conscious desire.

God’s glory is ultimately the very best result of every decision God makes where we are concerned even if the outcome does not please us, or even if that result deeply hurts us. John Piper wrote, “The chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy himself forever.” Every decision God makes is through his infinite wisdom and knowledge. That’s something you and I don’t have.

We cannot know for certain what is the very best course of action which will glorify God especially if we have not sought his will. We make mistakes, God does not. When we make decisions without seeking God’s will we create within ourselves an idol of self-sufficiency which we bow before and worship. We, therefore, give the glory to our self made idol, not to God. The message we are sending to God is, “I’ve got this God! I can make this decision on my own. I don’t need you.” I shudder to think of the many times I have done this. God is not glorified by an attitude like that. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Walking the straight path in obedience to God is the only way we bring the glory to God

Healing Wings

Every sin causes damage. Sin interferes with our ability to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. When we accepted Jesus we became new creations. The ultimate goal of being a new creature is to look more and more like Jesus every day. When we sin we look less like Jesus because he never sinned. Sin destroys just like a disease destoys our body. I have had diabetes for 50 years, and now after all the years of taking insulin I can teally feel the damage it has done to my body. There is no cure for diabetes, but there is a cure for the sin that destroys and impedes our progression to become more like Jesus. Malachi 4:2 says, ” But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves released from their stall.”

When I was a boy our house  was heated by a coal furnace. It provided adequate heat, but it was very messy. One thing I remember about coal is how it smelled. It was not a pleasant odor, but we got used to it over the course of the long winter. How refreshing it was when warm weather came and we didn’t need to heat the house. Since we didn’t  have air conditioning all the windows in the house were raised, and a fresh breeze would flow throughout every nook and cranny. The aroma of spring flowers and the blossoms on the trees overcame the stale odor of that coal furnace.  We could not see or feel those aromas, but we experienced the freshness that the breeze brought.

This analogy falls way short of describing the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, but I hope it opens our eyes to the difference he makes in our lives as we try to achieve the goal of becoming more like Jesus. The more we depend on tne Holy Spirit the less likely we will be to sin. We will receive the power to live in the love of Jesus, therefore, becoming more and more like him. We will not achieve perfection. There will be times when sin will retard our spiritual progress, but the healing wings of the Holy Spirit will bring restoration.  And, of course, we will frolic all over the place just like a well-fed calf! Well maybe no that, but the image of some of us doing that makes me laugh.

Don’t Let the Boom Fizzle Out

A great explosion was heard all over the world beginning in the post World War II era. Thousands of soldiers coming home from war returning to their wives or getting married began what is called the Baby Boomer Generation. The squalls and cries of babies were everywhere. Millions of us stormed the cities, the farmlands, the mountains and the coasts just as our fathers had stormed the beaches of Normandy a few short years before. We were tiny and weak, but we grew big and strong. We made a lot of noise.

The loud booming sound we made has become less noticed now. We are getting older. We are dying. Our influence is not what it was just twenty years ago. Our beliefs, and our morals are now being challenged by younger generations. I guess somewhere along the way our booming influence in the passing down of our moral standards to the younger generation fizzled. I have my thoughts about all of this, but I won’t t go into that now.

The point I want to make is that there are still many of us left. We aren’t done yet! Our greatest mistake now would be to throw in the towel, give up by surmising that we are too old, too weak, too tired to revive that booming sound that once shook the world. Here is what I think. Just as God used us to do great things in his name during our prime, he can do great things in his name now. God may have been preparing us in our pasts just for this moment, this time to do the most miraculous acts the modern world has ever seen. Our days of glory may be ahead of us. The revealing of God’s power, his glory, his miracles and his majesty through us can be achieved in the short time we have left.

King Solomon asked God for a discerning and understanding heart. God was pleased and said “I will do what you asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart.”1 Kings 3:12. God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight...1 Kings 4:20  Think what we could do if we made this request of God and receive wisdom and insight. We could move mountains with these old backs, and knees, and hips that may be replacements. We may be on the way out, but let us go out fighting so that we can leave an impression on a lost and dying world that needs Jesus. May God receive the glory in all we do.

Do You Answer When God Calls

In a sermon I heard yesterday, the speaker mentioned some of the ways that we fail to hear God speak to us. He mentioned that sometimes his grandchild plays with the phone and pushes buttons that turn the ringer off. When someone calls he doesn’t hear the phone ringing, and he misses the call. He doesn’t get the message that was meant for him. I usually forget to turn the ringer back on after I have silenced it. I’ve missed several calls because of that. And I am bad about checking for messages that people have left for me. I’ve gone days before finding that someone had left a message for me.

In the same way we can get so involved with living our lives that we silence God, and miss the messages that he has for us. We get distracted with so many things. God has something he wants to tell us everyday. He has us on his speed dial. He longs to communicate with us because we are his dear children. Parents, if you live a long way off from your children you  may know what it’s like if you are unable to talk to them frequently. It hurts when you seldom hear from your grown children. I know it must hurt God when he calls and we don’t answer. O if we desired to speak to God as much as he wants to talk to us.

We miss so many blessings when we are too busy or not interested enough to make time for our Heavenly Father. I pray that our hearts greatest desire will be to look forward to talking to God, and to receive his wonderful message to us each day. At the top of my blog posts everyday I have included the following verse, “Lord, In the Morning You Will Hear My Voice, In the Morning I Will Pray To You , and I’ll Watch For Your Answer.” Psalm 5: 3  Thus the title of my blog, “Early He Speaks”

Decisions: We Make a Lot of Them

God gave us the freedom to make our own decisions. Good or bad we decide what we are going to do. If asked what do you do most often, I think you would all have to say, “I make decisions more than anything else.” I wonder how many decisions a person makes each day? I guess most of the decisions we make are the same ones we make everyday, and we don’t have to think much about it. I get up in the morning and decide to go to the bathroom, I go down stairs and get a cup of coffee, and then go out and feed the birds. Since it is warmer I sit down on my patio and read my Bible, take some notes, post my blog, pray, and then decide what I will eat for breakfast. It’s pretty much the same thing every morning. Those are easy decisions. The tough ones are the most agonizing ones to make.

Having to make a difficult decision is when I wish God would just make it for me; no free will when it comes to the tough decisions! The hard choices are the ones that throw me for a loop. I think back to many hard decisions I’ve had to make, and I figure I must be the king of making wrong decisions. There is so much to think about when making those very important decisions. When our decisions involve others the pressure to do the right thing grows. Decisions can make or break a career. A teens decision about how they drive can become a life or death choice. A husband’s poor decision can destroy a marriage, a home. A student’s decisions often may be this difference between her success or failure in life.  Some decisions we must make cause sleepless nights, stress, and until we decide what to do we just aren’t ourselves.

We sold our house yesterday. Now we must make a decision on buying another place. This will probably be our last home. There are so many things to consider. What can we afford that will be comfortable, that will meet our needs as we get older, be in a convenient location, accommodate our belongings without being too crowded, and a place that will be reasonably close to our church. We know we will have to get rid of a lot of our things. It will be hard to do. I’m freaking out about this. But I shouldn’t be! God doesn’t leave us alone when we make the tough decisions. He will guide us through. His Holy Spirit will help us to make the right choices. God will give us everything we need to be obedient to his will. 

One decision I’m certain was the right one was when I received Jesus as my Savior. House hunting is a reminder to me that Jesus has already prepared a home for me that will last forever. It’s paid for, exactly what I need, in the perfect location, and the church will be everywhere I look.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6

A Quiet Place

There was a special place I would go when I was a young boy. I spent many hours there by myself enjoying the solitude and peacefulness that it gave me. In the very back of our farm there was a small pond surrounded by woods. Just beyond the pond was a little knoll that gave me the perfect vantage point to sit and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful place. Large oak trees provided shade for me on those hot summer days. The ground was covered with thick moss that reminded me of soft carpet as plush as that in the finest houses. I loved lying there watching the squirrels play and pretending that I was whoever I wanted to be. I Was often a soldier fighting the enemy. The oak trees had dropped hundreds of huge acorns, or bombs in my mind, that I launched at the enemy battleships advancing across the pond toward the allied forces. The pin point accuracy of my acorn throwing gave the Americans the victory every time.

I really enjoyed being a child because I could escape from my simple but real worries of life, and enjoy the life I found in my make believe world. I often talked to whomever I imagined to be the characters in this world I created. Don't laugh, everyone of you did the same thing. I would sing. I would shout. I might just make sounds that didn't mean a thing. I was the most the having fun a kid could have on a lonely summer day.

Thinking back on those times I realize that on occasion I talked to God. I believe that God loves the time he spends with children. I believe that it was in those quiet times in my special place that God was molding me, and preparing me for my future. I know I sensed God's presence many times in my quiet place--my get away from the noise and voices of the world.  

Let me tell you, God still likes to listen to and talk to his children no matter what age they are. Our lives are full of noises, running and hurrying, experiencing disappointments, and too frequently the pains and heartaches of a cruel world. We all need a special place where we can be alone with God, to tell him about our troubles. We need a quiet place where we meet God, thank him, praise him and allow him to provide us with strength, wisdom and love as we take on the cares of this world. As we meet daily with God he will give us the ammunition we need to defeat the enemy. Go to your quiet place where you will find hundreds of spiritual acorns that you can use to secure the victory in your life.

The Desire to Be Holy

I ended my post yesterday with these words: Not many are seeking to be like Jesus. Not many care about being holy. This will be my third consecutive post on holiness. God wants us to be holy so that we will be able to have an eternal relationship with him. He wants that relationship because he loves us. We have to be holy in order to be allowed into heaven. There can be nothing unholy in God’s heavenly kingdom. Holy God cannot allow an unholy person into heaven.

It is sin that makes us unpresentable to God. Sin prevents us from coming into the presence of God. That is why God expelled Adam and Eve from paradise. They were disobedient sinners unworthy to have the close relationship with God that they enjoyed before they sinned. But God still wanted a close relationship with man. Jesus came to earth to save us from being eternally punished for our sin. He was the only one who could take away our sins and provide for us the way of holiness. To be saved and to be in good stead with God man must acknowledge Jesus as Savior, ask to be forgiven and repent of his sins. We believe that Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice, and lives as our resurrected Savior. We become a new creation changed from sinners to saints, the children of God.

We must not forget the work of the Holy Spirit. Without his work we could not be saved. The Holy Spirit convicts us with the revelation that we have sinned, that we are lost, dying and bound for hell. He put into our hearts the knowledge that we have violated God’s holy plan. We are moved by guilt and sorrow because of our sin, and we come confessing our sin to Jesus the Savior. I think it is appropriate that the One called Holy Spirit is the One who reveals to us our unholiness, our depravity, and our hopelessness. The Holy Spirit helps us after we are saved and are accepted into God’s fellowship to become more like Jesus by becoming more holy thus fulfilling God’s command that we seek to be holy as he is holy.

This brings me back to the first two statements at the beginning of this post. Not many are seeking to be like Jesus. Not many care about being holy. I heard a quote yesterday in a sermon. “The reason we think too lightly of the Savior is because we think too lightly of sin.” I might add to this quote by saying that the reason people think too lightly about being holy is because they love their sin. In fact they love their sin so much that they will not call it sin. Sin has many different names today: Love, common sense, good natured fun, peoples rights, expressing oneself, art, how I was made, just the way I am, and I’m sure many others. Without a desire to be holy men and women will miss the joy of having that sweet relationship with the Heavenly Father.

A Tough Time Being a Prophet

God called a young man named Isaiah to be his prophet. He brought Isaiah into his presence. The first things Isaiah saw were seraphim flying around the throne where God was seated. They were calling to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” I think Isaiah began to see that being Holy was important to God.

When Isaiah saw this magnificent place of perfection and saw the one who is perfect he said, “Woe to me!”“I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” He realized that he was unholy when he saw God. He also became aware of the sinfulness of the people around him. They were not Holy either.

Isaiah said, “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” It was then that Isaiah first knew personal holiness. Isaiah continued, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He (God) said, “Go and tell this people:...Isaiah 6:2-9

From then on Isaiah listened for the voice of God, the holy message of God to his people. Isaiah always delivered the message no matter how harsh, no matter how unpopular and no matter if the people threatened him. All of the prophets did just as Isaiah; they spoke the holy message of God to the people, and much of the time the message was not well received.

There are modern day prophets. Evangelist and preachers, prophets, stand before a people of unclean lips and unclean lives and speak to them God’s Holy Word. The Holy Spirit will give them God’s holy message for his people. Many will preach God’s holy message this morning. Today the holy message of truth is unpopular to people who are not seeking God. They are not seeking holiness. They have decided that those things God said are an abomination to him are old fashioned. Their foolish hearts believe a woman is free to do with her body as she pleases. They believe a person's sexual preference is their business, and not even God is going to tell them what to do. Well, the Bible is clear what their fate will be.

The men and women who preach the truth, these modern day prophets, are soon going to face great persecution. Many are already being persecuted for preaching the holy message that will save people from eternal damnation. Anyone who stands and says, “This is the Holy Word of God, a holy message from Holy God concerning your unholiness”, will be scorned, hated, ridiculed, and one day before we know it silenced in many venues. Being holy is not a popular thing today. Not many are seeking to be like Jesus. Not many care about being holy.