Sound the Alarm

       Alarms are interesting.  I notice as I step out of the house that most of the time, I can hear an alarm going off somewhere.  Many of them are sirens of emergency vehicles.  One of the other alarms I often hear are car alarms.  Someone's car will begin honking their horn and no one pays any attention to it except the owner of the car if they are close by.  There may come a time in your life when it is necessary to sound an alarm.  Take for instance a burning home where you notice a fire.  What should you do?  Should you walk by and ignore what you have seen or should you sound the alarm?  Obviously, you should sound the alarm as loud as you can.  The practice of setting a guard or a "watchman" was a practice that Israel utilized.  You never knew when an advancing army would appear so watchmen were set and were ready to sound the alarm should the enemy appear.   Ezekiel 33:5-6 says, "He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand."  
     We have taken this section of Scripture and given it an indirect application to all of us.  As a believer, you know the "end of the story."  You know how things are going to turn out.  You know that Satan will be defeated and that the unbelieving will be cast into the Lake of Fire.  You also know the terrible wrath that is going to come upon every person that doesn't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Now comes the choice.  You have to decide whether to sound the alarm or not.  There are many who are ignoring the position of "watchman."  They are comfortable in their salvation and for one reason or another, don't see the need to sound the alarm.  What would it take to increase our awareness of the severity of the final judgment?  It may be that some people need to spend some time thinking on what it will be like to go into an eternity without God.  That is, what would it be like to spend the rest of eternity without Christ, without God, without light and without the blessings of heaven?  When you read the book of Revelation, you soon find out all of the wonderful things that will be in heaven.  The opposite is also true.  If you do not go to heaven, then you will go somewhere.  That "somewhere" is the Lake of Fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels.  Would you be God's watchman today?  Will you sound the alarm and let those around you know that the enemy is coming and in fact, is here among us?  Praise God for you salvation and be prepared to share it with others.

Planted

      You perhaps have seen this scene.  The batter steps up to the plate, hits his shoes with the bat, swings it a few times, digs his feet into the dirt, glances out towards the pitcher and waits for the first pitch.  We have seen it thousands of times.  Our town, well, the one next to us, has a minor league baseball team that is associated with the Boston Red Sox.  Sometimes, we go to a game or two during the season.  There seems to be a routine that the players go through as they get ready to take their turn at the bat.  No one just walk us with the bat on their shoulder and waits for the first pitch.  Routines are in our lives in almost the same way as the batter going to the plate.   Sometimes, we as believers, feel just like that batter.  We get ready for work, start planning what we are going to do, kick a few tires on our way out the door, plant our feet and try to imagine what's going to happen today and how it is going to affect us.  There may be that feeling that you never know what's going to happen but it's going to be an interesting day.  We know that we need some strength for what the world is going to throw our way.    First Peter 5:10 says, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."   
      The theme of First Peter is "Suffering leads to Glory."  We know that we are going to suffer in this life and we have been told that fact in this book.  The good news is that while we may be experiencing some suffering in these days, that glory is coming.  We can count on it.  It is something that is going to happen.  No matter what gets thrown our direction today, the Lord is there to strengthen us and to keep our feet planted.  Only in this case, we are not planted in the earth, but we are planted in God's Word.   You may have some left over items from yesterday that are facing you this day.  You may have something new that is going to pop into your life unexpected but you can always rest in the fact that God will do just what His Word says He will do.  In fact, we remember that our citizenship is in heaven.   In this case, you will be perfect, established, strengthened and settled.  Now, what can be better than that.  So, you might be like the batter that prepares for the first pitch of the day.  Keep you feet planted in God's Word.  You can't go wrong.  Praise God today for the fact that He is with you and strengthens you every moment.

The Wonders of Heaven

     Almost everyone has something in their life that they really like to do or to eat or to have above everything else.  It is like chocolate.  I was at one of our church gatherings where we had a lot of food and there must have been five or more types of macaroni and cheese.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  When a person who likes chocolate finds themselves in the midst of all kinds of chocolate, they might say, "Pinch me.  I think I've died and gone to heaven."  We find that when we get into a situation where our favorite thing exists that we associate it with being in heaven.  But, is heaven going to be a paradise of chocolate for the chocolate lover?  Is heaven going to be a place of perfect waves for the surf board enthusiast?  Obviously, the answer to that question is, No.  The Scriptures give us a glimpse of heaven and it is far more glorious than chocolate, waves or anything else that we might imagine..  Revelation 21:1-4 says, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  
       The Book of Revelation goes on to say a lot more about heaven.  We can get a pretty good glimpse of what heaven is like and what we are going to be doing once we get there.  We won't be doing earthly things such as eating chocolate or playing shuffleboard while in heaven.   We will be offering praise to God that will surmount anything and everything that we have ever done before.  The sights and sounds will also be far greater than anything that has ever been upon the earth.  So, if you or someone near you says, "I think I've died and gone to heaven", just remember they don't know the half of it.  Praise God for His plans for eternity.

I Never Knew That Before!

          Perhaps you once said, "I never knew that before."  I referred to my Father helping me make a simple compass not long ago, but that wasn't all he helped me with.  He once told me how to make a crystal radio with some simple things that we had lying around the house.  Every now and then, I would say, "Wow.  I never knew that."  Actually, there are a lot of things I don't know, probably more than I could ever come close to knowing. When you discover something that is new to you, you might exclaim as I have done so many times, "Wow.  I never knew that before."  You may also find that you can make that same reply when you are reading your Bible.  Job 19:25-27 says, " For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,   whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!"  
     Job wasn't alive when the Gospel of John was written.  He wasn't what we would call a New Testament character.  Job was old and was as probably all of you know, an Old Testament character.  Most feel that Job was before Moses.  What is so exciting about Job is the above comment and of course many other things in the Book that bears his name.  The words that he echos in the above verses tell us that He know that his Redeemer lives and that Job will see Him face to face.  Now, if we were thinking about a conversation that takes place after the resurrection, we would say, "Of course."  Job however is way before the resurrection but he had a great faith in God in that he knew he would stand before God someday.  We have countless people today that have a problem with their relationship with God.  Most don't even feel that they will ever be held accountable to God for what they have done in their lives.  Most of the world doesn't even come close to comparing to Job.  Yet, Job made this wonderful statement based upon his relationship with God.  It even gets greater as the Book of Job continues.  Soon, God is giving a lot of scientific facts to Job in the latter chapters.  It is there that I would have to say, "I never knew that."  Are you still amazed when God does something wonderful in your life?  Praise God today for His amazing acts in our lives. 

If I Had Only Known

     It always seems as if "hindsight" is better than foresight.  That is, we look at something that we did and then think, "Well, if I had only known I could have done that differently."  In one of the cantatas that I had the privilege of working with a long time ago, we had a song about the innkeeper who kept saying, "If I had only known..."  The song implied that if he had known that the baby to be born was the Son of God, that he would have done things differently.  He probably would have found some space for them.  Well, that may or may not be true.  Hindsight never bears any fruit because we didn't do it with that knowledge in the first place.  It is like saying that If I had only known the trooper was at the bottom of the hill, I would have driven the right speed.  It is more important to live life as if we do know.   Foresight is probably best especially if it is based on God's leading and not our own.  We have been advised and we should act accordingly.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  
     There we find that foresight is the best when it is led be God and not by our own being.  Notice the things that are dependent upon good direction.  First, we have to trust in the LORD with all of our heart.  That means everything is devoted to God and nothing of ourselves.  Then, it tells us that we are to not lean on our understanding.  We often think that we know the best way for our lives but that is often not the case.  It may be based upon our understanding of things and God may have a different purpose for us.  Finally, the verses remind us that we are to acknowledge God in all of our ways and then, He will direct our paths.  He will show us the proper way to go.  We need to have the attitude that if God will permit something to happen, then it is His will.  We often say that we will go here or there and we need to include the phrase, "God willing."  The reason for that is that we don't know what God has in store for us.  Only He knows what's going to take place in our lives.  So, while we might say that "hindsight" is always good, remember the "foresight" that is dependent upon God is the best thing to have.  We need to seek to do all things according to God's plan for our lives and trust in the LORD with all of our heart.  Praise God that He guides us each and every day.  Are you following His directing?

Encouragement

       A friend of mine recently connected me with a daily quote that comes out on the internet.  I read them each day and noticed the one for a couple of days ago which reminds me so much about the methods being used today in much of the ministry.  It was Mark Denver who made the statement, "So many times I've seen men, particularly younger guys, act as if real leadership is shown in correcting others. That's why young men's sermons often scold. What they haven't figures out is that you can often accomplish more by encouragement. There are times to scold. But 80 to 90 percent of what you hope to correct can be accomplished through encouragement. If you look back at your life and consider who influenced you the most, you will probably find that it's the people who believed in you."  First Thessalonians 4:9 reminds us, "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." 
     Christianity if people based.  That is, if you are going to be a Christians then there are relationships that are going to have to exist in your life.  You cannot be a believer and exclude people from your life.  I am particularly referring to the commands that are mentioned in the New Testament which are what I refer to as the "One Another" commands.  You cannot avoid the One Another Commands and function adequately in the church, but people try anyway.  The above verse mentions just one of the commands and this one is repeated a number of times in the New Testament.  You can find verses that refer to loving one another, praying for one another, bearing one another's burdens, exhorting one another and the list goes on.  Some of them are mentioned more than once and they combined show the function of your Christian life.  It is difficult to maintain good relationship with God Himself when you avoid the one another commands.  This is the positive side of your ministry and we all have a ministry.  Mark Denver's statement is so true in that we often seek to scold people instead of encouraging them.  How do you feel when you walk out the door of your church on Sunday morning.  As Mark mentions, there definitely is a time for scolding but how about incorporating the One Another commands into your Christian life?   We have two holidays in the life of the church that seem to always come with a message that says we don't measure up to God's standard.  That's always going to be true.   We will never measure up until we get to heaven, but Mother's Day and Father's Day seem to always give us negative messages when we find out we are not like the "woman of Proverbs 31" or we are not the Father that emulates our heavenly Father portrayed in John 3:16.  The Apostle Paul uses the phrase some 21 times in His writings.  God is an encouragement to me even when I am worth nothing.  May we be an encouragement to others and lift them up even as God has lifted us up in our time of need.  Praise God for His "lifting" in our lives.

Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say

      It was a long time ago but I never forgot it.  Some things just don't go away too quickly.  We had this Sunday School Superintendent in a church that we were attending.  Every now and then he would come up and make some derogatory remark to me and then in an instant would say, "Oh, I'm just kidding."  I soon learned that he wasn't kidding but would use that as an excuse to try to cover up his words.  It probably is good that I don't forget it because it is a reminder that the tongue can cause some serious damage to people.  We know that the Book of James has a lot of practical lessons for us and also that James uses several different things in his epistle to make illustrations to explain his line of thought.  James 3:5 says, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"
      Of all of the parts of the body, the tongue is one of the smallest.  Some have made mention of the fact that we have two ears and only one tongue and that we should be listening twice as much as we are speaking.  Listening to others as they speak is a lost art in many groups.  Even as others are talking, the listener is not listening to what is being said, but rather forming what he or she is going to say when they get the chance.  James speaks about the little fire that is started with just a word and then continues to grow and grow until it becomes a large fire.  The comparison fits all of us.  I have mentioned before the little proverb that my Father told me years ago.  "Put your mind in gear before you put your mouth in motion."  Sometimes people don't want to hear your true expression.   About 20 years ago, a lady asked me to help her use the sound equipment in the church so she could practice her song.  I agreed to do so and at the end, she asked my opinion of her song.  She kept on asking and so I tried to explain that parts of it were a bit out of pitch.  She got mad at me and refused to sing the song that evening.  I refrain from giving my opinion these days.  What harm is a few notes out of tune.  I have had many times when I have caught myself just about to say something and then decide to not say it.  "What good would it do to make such a remark?"  So, I hesitate and say something else that won't be harmful to the listener.  I, however, do not always stay out of trouble. "So, be careful little tongue, what you say."  Praise God for His Words to us.  They are always sweet as honeycomb even when He chastises those He loves.

Doing Your Best

     There are some courses in school that you may not like as well as others.  I always liked the courses in which I excelled.  That might  be misleading as I didn't "excel" in too many courses in the first place.  There were all the courses connected to English Grammar from diagramming sentences to English Composition.   They were not my favorite classes.  I would often do just about as much as would let me get by.  At one point, I would have to have some extra help as I was about to fail the class.  As we mature, we soon realize that there are many things in life that are not things which we really like.  Yet, we do them because they are necessary.  Colossians 3:16-17 reminds us when it says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."   
     These verses tell us that whatever we are going to do, that we should do it with an earnest desire to please God.  When it comes right down to it, everything that we do has a reflection upon God.  It is our character that is being put to the test.  Every believer needs to realize that God is the immediate superintendent over all of our work.  To fail by doing  "just enough to get by" is going to be giving a poor reflection of our own character and God Himself.  The things that you enjoy doing always seem to get done and they get done well.  It is the list of things that you don't enjoy doing that seem to cause you the problem.  We continually try to find shortcuts that will help us finish the project.  We soon discover, however, that those shortcuts will cause us problems in the future.  If you keep rounding off the corners when you cut the grass, you will soon have corners that are high with weeds and thereby diminish the beauty of the lawn.  When you wash the car and leave the wheels alone because they only get dirty quicker than any other part of the car, you will soon have a big eye sore and much harder to clean in the future.  So, take a look at your "to do" list and discover which ones are there because you have been putting them off.  You just don't like to do them.  Try to remember that whatever we are doing in this life needs to be done in order to give God glory.  Homework, chores, work,  are all things that have to be done.  So, do them all for the glory of God and do them the best that you can.  Praise God today that He gives us the strength and the desire to excel in all that we do because we are eventually doing it for Him.

The Compass

       There are a lot of things that are invisible in the world in which we live.  I remember as a kid that my Father taught me how to make my own compass out of a magnet and a sewing needle.  Once the needle was magnetized by rubbing it on the magnet, you could let it float on water and it would turn until it would point of the North.  Magnetic lines exist in the world and point to the North Pole but you can't see them.  Nor can you see the radio waves that are going through the air right where you are sitting at this very moment.  All kinds of communications are taking place at all kinds of frequencies but you can't see them nor can you hear them until you have the right equipment.   Psalm 139:1-3 says, "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." 
      There is much about God that we cannot see.  In fact, most of the things about God we cannot see but we can see the results all around us.  The verses from Psalm 139 remind us of the power that God has.  He is all powerful and all knowing and all present yet we cannot see it.  It is a little like that compass that we cannot see the lines of force that are moving the needle from one direction to another.  God knows all about us including every movement and every thought even before it is on our tongue.  You might think that it is just a little scary that God knows your thoughts.  You may have hoped that no one would ever know what you are thinking but in the above passage, we find that God does know every thought in your mind.  There is nothing hid from Him even though you wish that God didn't know the thought that just came into your head.  How long can you go with just pure thoughts in your own head that do not irritate someone else or follow after the course of the world or your own flesh.  As much as we try, it seems to always include that spiritual battle that rages in the minds and bodies of people everywhere.  There may be times when we just forget that God is capable of doing these things but that doesn't change the truth.  In many ways, we can be thankful that God DOES know all that is going on all around us.  Those may be some of the times that He is taking care of us and we don't even know that it is going on.  Praise God today for His greatness and may we praise Him because we know that He is there.

How Am I Doing?

          It seems as if everyone wants to know how they are doing.  There are a number of organizations who are always putting out surveys to their customers asking how they are going.  I get a survey on every product purchased from Amazon.  Trucks and vans have little messages that ask the question, "How am I driving?"  Most restaurants have a "comment card" placed on or near your table.  You just fill it out and drop it off in the box as you leave the restaurant.  I have also attended a number of conferences where you have to fill out an evaluation sheet before you leave the conference.  This gives the leaders the opportunity to read suggestions and criticisms which may improve future conferences.  While in school, you receive grades which also are an indication of how well you are doing in each of your courses of study.  When the Apostle Paul was writing his second letter to young Timothy, he concluded with an evaluation of his own life.  Second Timothy 4:7 says, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"  
      Paul would get an A+ for his Christian life.  You notice that there are three areas that Paul mentioned.  He had fought a good fight, he had finished his course and he had kept the faith.  When you think about it, this is all there is.  This includes everything that you could think of.  If you are able to say this at the end of your life, then you have done what you were supposed to do.  Fighting the fight is a life long project.  We are always involved in spiritual warfare and we need to maintain a constant vigil against the enemy as we go through this life.  Then, Paul said that he had finished his course.  He had done what God had called him to do.  He had finished it.  Finishing something is a big responsibility and often quite hard to do.  Some projects get bogged down and are often neglected and even dropped completely.  It seems as if they just involve too much effort and time.  Paul knew what he had to do and when he got near to the end of his life, he could say that he had finished his course.  Then, finally, he says that he had kept the faith.  There was no one who could call the Apostle Paul an apostate.  He kept the faith and he did not waver at any point.  He never questioned God nor did he doubt the doctrine that he taught.  He stood firm on the Word of God and he stood firm on his steadfastness.  He didn't waver.  So, when you think about it, this is all you have to do.  Be involved in a life long commitment to be faithful to God always, to finish what God gives you to do and be ready to stand up for truth while you battle that which is false.  That will keep us all busy.  Praise God for His faithfulness to us.  May we be faithful to Him as much as possible.

How To Be a Real Winner

       Most people in the world today like the idea of winning. The only thing I ever won was some medals for music and a few ribbons for track but that was a long, long time ago.  Our gas station had a gum ball machine in it with some striped balls that if you got one, you could get a free candy bar, but that was just for customers only.   For some, it becomes a compelling force to always be first or to always win whatever they are involved in.  Companies feed on our desire to win with such things as lotteries, sweepstakes and offers you just can't refuse.  It can even be true in the life of the believer.  Things in the Christian life can become competitive to the point that it is more important to win than anything else.  The Scriptures give the formula for winning.  First John 5:5 says, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God." 
      The Apostle John used this word, "overcomer" several times in his writings among which are the times that he used the word in the descriptions to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation.  The Greek word used in this verse is the word "nikao" from which we get the word "nike."  It is no accident that the manufacturer of an athletic shoe chose the Greek word of "overcoming" or to be victorious.  Now, the fact that the Bible uses the word is not the important issue but what it takes in order to be an "overcomer" in the first place.  Notice that the verse says that we are to "believe that Jesus is the Son of God."  This is what really makes a person a true "overcomer" in the eyes of God.  This is where the difference comes in the life of the believer.  It is not the competitive spirit of being first that make the difference but the fact that a person believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  If you believe that fact and all that it entails, then you will be defined as a true overcomer; a victor; a conqueror.  So, if you are pursuing things in your life in order to come out on top then you are not a victor at all.  You just came in second and didn't even know it.  Stand firm in your belief in Jesus as the Son of God.  That makes you an overcomer.  Praise God today that He can make us a winner, in fact the best winner of all.

Where do you Hide?

         Many of you have probably played "hide and seek."  As a child, you would look for the best place in which to hide.  You would lie in wait in your hiding place and as soon as the "seeker" went past your spot, you would make a dash for "home."  If you arrived there before the seeker, you were safe.  Hiding places are often nice places to have.  As adults, we still like to have a hiding place now and then.  They may not be in a bush or behind some tree, but they are good hiding places where we can go for a bit of peace in a world filled with sad, dangerous and just plain weird things. My sister always wanted a fireplace, a cup of hot chocolate and a big fluffy dog.  She never got any of them but that is what she desired.   Hiding places  are safe little places where we feel secure from the attacks from the world and in which we can just rest, relax and take a break from our hectic schedules.  Hiding places can be in the wide open spaces, or even in a busy place.  They are just some places that are different and are off of our beaten path.  The Scriptures mention some hiding places that we might also consider.  Psalm 32:7 says, "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."  
      In this verse, we discover that God Himself is our hiding place and that we have been compassed about with songs of deliverance.  One of the greatest songs of deliverance is that of salvation.  Once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we discover that we have been delivered from eternal punishment and have been given eternal life in God's presence.  We also soon discover that we have been delivered from the power of sin.  We no longer have to sin but now we have a choice.  According to First Corinthians 10:13, we have an avenue out of temptation when it occurs.  Of course, it is up to us to decide whether or not we are going to take the escape that God has given to us.  We also find that we have been delivered from worry and fear.  We now possess a peace that the world does not comprehend.  Even in the face of great troubles and griefs, we possess a peace that "passes all understanding."  We also find that we have been delivered from the snare of the fowler.  Oh, there are a number of songs of deliverance that we might think about in this life that are an encouragement to us.  We have all of this just because God is our hiding place.  Praise God today for His working in our daily lives and for His protection 

Intents

     I am glad that God knows the intents of the heart.  I sang a solo yesterday at church which I do now and then and this was nothing different.  Later in the day, I remembered that now our church video tapes that services and actually sends them out live as they are happening.  So, I went to the facebook of the church and listened to the service.  After hearing myself sing, I wondered if I should ever sing again in public.  I was sloppy, the breathing was poor and I missed a couple of words here and there.  I pray before each song that it will be honoring to God.  At least I know that my praise is far deficient in giving God the glory that He deserves.    Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 
     God's Word is wonderful and the basic necessity for all of our existence.  It is where we learn about God and where we can find information on how to have a personal relationship with Him.  On a personal note, The Word is able to know my intents in whatever I do both in church and out of church.  He knows all of my failures and the few accomplishments that do exist.  Accomplishments including not passing out during the singing of the solo.  God also knows the intents of my heart.  I like to sing especially about God.  For the most part, that is the only type of song I sing.  I'm not good at "pop" music or what we might call "secular" music.  As one song says, "I sing because I'm happy...I sing because I'm free."  My excitement while singing is due to the One to Whom I am singing, the Lord Himself.  God knows what's going on in your life today and He knows the intentions of your heart no matter what you might say about them.  He knows if we are doing something for Him or if we are doing something to glorify ourselves.  The Word makes it clear to us and does get right in to the inner most part of heart and perform "open heart surgery."  As we go out in the world today, may we be seeking to honor Him in absolutely everything that we do.  There may be times that we have to perform a "heart check" to make sure that we are doing things for God's glory or if we are doing them for our own glory.  Praise God today because of Who He is.

Christmas Lights

      Most of the people in my area have taken down their Christmas lights and displays.  I put up much less these days and so don't have much to take down,  Have you ever noticed that putting away Christmas lights goes much faster than getting them out and putting them up?  It is easy to pack them in boxes only to find next year that they seemed to have intertwined during the year and have become a useless pile of light bulbs and wires.  Once you decide to take on the task, you begin to work one strand at a time, weaving the line of bulbs through this loop and another until they are all free.  It takes time, but if you work at it just one strand at a time, you soon find that the mess is straightened up.  Our Christian lives often get like that pile of Christmas light bulbs.  We begin to stray from God's direction.  We don't spend as much time in His Word as we should, our prayer life gets bogged down and our coming to church for worship gets sporadic.  Colossians 3:5 says "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:" 
        You could use this verse or the verses from Ephesians that speak of our Christian walk or the promise from Philippians 1:6 that God is still working on us and is not finished with us yet.  Wherever you go, you soon realize that God is working on our spiritual lives and is getting things straightened out, one strand at a time.  While the punishment for sin is taken care of and if we were to die we would go to be with the Lord, it is still true that the sins of our past are not undone.  We don't get a clean slate and an opportunity to start over.  If you committed murder before you were saved, the victim doesn't come back to life.  If you drank so much that your liver got diseased, you don't get a new liver in an instant.  Your enemies don't automatically love you just because you became born again.  Actually, you may find more problems than before.  The difference, however, is that now you are aware of the grace of God and His mercy in your life.  You suddenly realize that you are a new creation according to Second Corinthians 5:17.  You have strength and power that you didn't before.  You have a special spiritual gift and your desires are changed.  A lot of things happen, but sometimes the strands of life are still a little bit twisted and it is God who is untangling the mess.  So, be patient and praise God for His working in your life, even if it is one strand at a time.

The Pattern

     I can say that having a pattern to go by is important to whatever you are doing.  I found this to be particularly true when you go to the field with a tractor and plow and are about to make that first furrow.  The pattern is going to be established in that field on the first pass.  If the tractor wavers at all, it is going to show up in every furrow afterwards.  I know I have mentioned before this part of my life where you set your eyes on a mark at the end of the field and you don't take them off of that mark until you arrive at the end.  No matter how bumpy it gets or how many bugs hit you in the head, you don't take your eyes off of that mark.  When you get to the end, you can stop, look back and see a furrow that is as straight as an arrow.  That straight furrow then becomes the pattern for the rest of your work.  Second Timothy 2:15 reminds us, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  
     Paul reminded Timothy that he had to be an approved workman, "rightly dividing the Word of truth."  The words, "rightly dividing' have the meaning of "cutting it straight."  Paul was a tent maker by trade and obviously, a pattern would have to be used or something that would remind Paul that he had to cut the material straight if the tent was going to stand up and not have any obvious holes in it to let in water, sand or anything else that wanted to get into the tent.  Timothy was to be studying God's Word and following the pattern that had been established by the Lord Jesus Christ.  A casual glimpse now and then of the Scriptures is not going to do the job.  We all need to be saturated with the Scriptures.  I once heard John MacArthur say that  we should be in the Scriptures so much that when we are cut, we bleed "bible."  I have not met too many people that fall into that category.  Many people just read or study enough to "get by."  When you open your Bible, what pattern are you going to follow?  Sometimes our laziness shows up in our Bible reading, study, hearing, meditation and memorization of the Scriptures.  Praise God today that He has given us His wonderful Word.  May we all be diligent students and "cut it straight."  Follow the pattern given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pure Water and Pure Words

 

       Americans seek to have that which is pure especially in the area of drinking water.  I get reports every now and then about the quality of my water.  One of the reports reminded me not to be too concerned about the pink dots in my bathtub.  It was normal.  So, they come and go and I don't get too concerned about them.   We have become accustomed to a water that is free of any kind of impurities, except for the occasional pink dots in my shower.  As a result, the first time we drink anything that is not pure, we find ourselves having severe physical problems.  The Apostle Peter makes a contrast between malice, guile and hypocrisies as compared with the sincere milk of the Word of God.   First Peter 2:1-3 says, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:   If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 

      In this contrast, we see that the believer is not to be filled with those things that produce guile, which means to catch by the use of bait or in other words, "deceit."  We are not to be trying to trick people or indeed to be tricked ourselves.  What we do need to have is the sincere milk of the word.  The word "sincere"  is another interesting word that means to be "without wax."    It is used to mean "pure" in every respect.  A marble vase or other object could have flaws covered up with wax and appear to be smooth.  When held up to the light, the wax would be seen as it would let the light through.  The Word of God is that which is "pure" and without wax.  So, in this contrast, we are not to have the trickery of the world but rather the Word of God as our basis in all that we do.  We should be desiring God's Word in each and every situation.  As we give in to the leading of God's Word, we will soon find that we are growing in our spiritual lives.  If we follow the "guile" that is in the world, we won't be growing at all.  In what do you put your trust?  Do you have a daily diet of God's Word?  Are you reading God's Word each day?  Do you consider God's leading on a decision in your life?  Praise God that He has given you a copy of His Word and that you can know which way to go in all situation.  If there is anything in this life that you don't have to worry about being pure, it is the Word of God.

Doxology

       "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow..."  The words seem to ring out in our minds and hearts as we form a "doxology" in appreciation of what God has done for us.  When certain words, like the ones just mentioned, come to mind, I can't help but to begin singing what we call, "The Doxology."  It has been a part of my life for the past 70 years, even when i was a child I could remember having sung the doxology.  I have a lot of melodies tucked away in my mind but many of them are just there and can be recalled when I need them, which, to be honest, is not very often.  Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Three Blind Mice and Row, Row Row Your Boat" are just filed away and can be recalled when the need arises, which isn't very often.  A Doxology comes forth because of something great that God does.  First Timothy 6:15-16 says, "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." 
     The Apostle Paul is getting ready to sign off on his first letter to Timothy and suddenly breaks forth in an excellent doxology.  He did something like this in the middle of the Book of Ephesians in 3:20-21.  Paul had just gone through three chapters of spiritual riches and before he goes on into the practical part of his letter, he breaks forth in a doxology.  There are many other doxologies in the Bible such as the famous one in the ending of the Book of Jude.  We do somewhat the same thing ourselves when we experience something great from God.  I recently saw a photograph of the Cascades in Giles County, Virginia and the waterfall had been frozen into a magnificent display of ice.  What else can you say, but "Praise God for His handiwork."  The word, "doxology" simply means "glory."  We are giving God glory for what He has done, for what He is doing, and what He is going to do in the future.  As you go out into the world today, see how many times you can give God glory for something that takes place in your life or in the lives of others, or even what you see that He has done.  We are a blessed people and the words of our familiar doxology ring forth often in our lives.  Praise God today, from Whom all blessings flow.

Our Answer or His?

       Most believers have accepted the fact that God answers prayer.  That isn't the problem with us.  The problem is that we often pray and include in our prayers the answer that we desire of God.  A pastor that I knew was visiting in the hospital and the patient asked him to pray for her.  He prayed for her healing and while he was praying, she passed away.  At first, he was taken by surprise and wondered about the effectiveness of his prayers.  After all, he had prayed for her healing and she died.   What kind of answer is that.  Then, he thought a bit more and realized the patient had experienced the ultimate healing.  We know that we are in a problem or that we desire something so we figure out how God could answer it and then give that whole plan to Him.  Then, we figure, that it will be easy for God to answer us.  All He has to do is follow our instructions.  After all, the Scriptures in  Psalm 91:15 says, "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."
       So, here we are in trouble, praying to God for an answer and then we decide what that answer should be.  The only problem to that kind of thinking is that God often doesn't take the route in answering that we think He should take.  In fact, quite often God takes a completely different route or method in answering our prayers.  The important factor for us is that God will answer and He will deliver.  The problem with us is that we don't know how He is going to answer.  It should be a comfort to us in just knowing that God is there and that He is listening and that He is going to answer.  We should not be spending time on telling God how He should answer but just let Him do it in the way that He is going to perform it.  It often becomes something amazing when we ask God to help us in our life and then wait for the answer only to find that He has answered it.  The answer came in a rather unexpected way, but the answer did come.  So, rest in God's plan for your life today and rest in the answers that He is already sending for your needs.  His way will always be the right way.  Praise God today that He does answer prayer but it is in His way and not that of our own.

Walk the Walk!

       Have you ever heard the expression,"You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?"    Basically, it says we can say a lot about any number of things, but there comes a time when we have to put to practice that which we preach.  I had recently mentioned in a class how important it was to read a certain portion of Scripture every day.  It is for the study we are currently pursuing in the Book of James.  A number of things, however came into my life unexpectedly causing me to fall short of my own goal.  I missed a couple of days in my own reading goal.  Oh, they were noble things,but still, I didn't get the job done.   James 4:7-8 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
       One thing for sure, the Book of James is practical.  There are a number of commands in the book which involved things that we should put to use in our own lives.  The little saying comes into play at this point.  We can talk about them all we want but that doesn't necessarily make it come to pass.  That is when we say that we can say the right words but that isn't going to be a guarantee that they will happen in our lives.  Even noble things can come into your life which may interfere with your goals.  When I look back on my particular situation, there were things that could have been given a far less priority than I gave them.  Then, I would have had time.  Our passage for today reminds us to draw nigh to God.  As soon as you declare that you desire to draw night to God, Satan takes a quick jab at you and you almost forget the goal that you had in mind.  People often give us formulas for drawing near to God.  One recently stated that we should put aside twelve minutes a day for a time of devotion.  Dr. Harry Inronside once recommended fifteen minutes a day divided up equally with reading, meditating and praying.  Think about it!  We are advised to spend a mere 12 to 15 minutes a day in a time of devotion.  It is true that this may be a start, but it is far less than we should be doing.  So, as we talk about drawing near to God, let us begin now to take steps in our journey.  May we indeed be able to walk the walk.  Praise God today that He longs to have intimate fellowship with us.  May we have the same desire in our hearts

The Measure of Belief

       Some people feel that if they believe something strongly enough that it will be true or that it will come to pass.  For myself, I think I was more of a pessimist than an optimist.  I always looked for things to go wrong and no leprechaun or gnome or hobbit was going to change things. When I played a concert, I would have a bassoon reed on the instrument, one behind my right ear and one soaking in a small glass of water.  I was prepared for anything that could go wrong, especially with the reed.  Throughout the ages, men and women have believed certain things that seem ridiculous now, but they were things in which they firmly believed at that time.  The fact that they believed them didn't change anything.  Even when people believed that the earth was flat didn't change the truth the earth was round.  The object of one's faith has to measure up to the faith itself or it is meaningless.  James speaks about the fact that the devils have a form of belief.   James 2:19 says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." 
      In this example, we learn that the devils have a form of belief about certain things.  Obviously, they believe that there is one God and they believe many other things about God also.  However, the beliefs that they have are not anyway going to be able to contribute to saving faith.  They have not put their trust in Christ for salvation.  Sadly, there are many today who have a faith in their lives that is very similar to that of the devils.  They believe that there is a God but that is the extent of their belief.  They also do not have a saving faith as expressed in the belief that Jesus died for their sins and that He is the only way of salvation.  Some may even strongly believe that their belief system is sufficient in order to achieve eternal life in the end.  However, their belief system is nothing more than that of the people who thought that the earth was flat.  It is wrong and therefore will not produce salvation in the end.  So, it does make a difference what you believe.  Just because you believe something will not make it true.  Is your faith in Christ for salvation or do you just believe that there is a God?  It does make a difference.  Christianity is a personal relationship with Christ and God is the One Who grantees our salvation.  Praise God today for sending His Son to die on the cross and to grant salvation to those that believe in Him.

The Attic

           I used to wiggle my way into the attic when I was a kid and explore what things were stored there.  One of the items I enjoyed looking at was a 78 rpm record with the name of Thomas Edison on it.  The record was about 1/4 inch thick.  Things have changed since the "Edison" record.   Inventors are continually trying to make something new.  Progress seems to be made by the amount of new ideas that materialize into some product.  The television presents a continual parade of new ideas that are supposed to make our lives easier.  I recall one such product that would be able to clean your whole floor by simply turning it on and letting it go by itself until it had finished the job.  It was a robot vacuum cleaner.   It had a pretty high price on it.  But, it has fallen to the long list of other things that were presented but never really caught on.  The same product is now a feature at a store called “Big Lots” where items are sold at reduced prices as they are bought up by that company and offered at great savings from the original price.  The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes makes an interesting observation.  He says that there is virtually no new thing under the sun.  In fact, he spends a great deal of time with the phrase “under the sun” which occurs 27 times in the Bible and only in this particular book.  Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”  
       This concept is important to us as it states that there is no new thing under the sun.  That is, tragedy, joy, sorrow, death, sickness, prosperity, poverty and all other characteristics of life are the same now as they were during the life of the writer of Ecclesiastes.  There is nothing that is new.  This is an answer to the critics that say that they Bible is out of date and does not apply to the things of today’s world.  On the contrary, the Scripture is just as applicable today as it was 3,000 years ago.  Man’s problem and God’s solution are still the same.  We continue to try to invent new things to make our lives easier, but the basic problem of sin still exists and the only solution is the one that God gave us.  There is only one way and that way is through God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  So, if you are perplexed by what’s going on in your life, take heart as you scan God’s Word because He will take care of you just as He took care of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Praise God today for His working in our lives and solving all of our problems.

Irregular

          Most people try to save a little money now and then.  I guess that's why some of us have purchased those things that are labeled, "Slightly Irregular."  I come across these items in discount stores or on some items in my junk mail.  They might say, "some cosmetic blemishes."  That might mean a dent or a scratch somewhere.   When you look at them by themselves, they don't look too bad.  There might be some imperfection but, for the most part, it doesn't hurt the function of the item.  Some of them, however, may be a bit uncomfortable to wear.  Take for instance, socks.  The irregularity might be that it doesn't have all of the threads at the opening, making it tight to get on.  Or, they might be a little bit short.  Things that are supposed to be round are not.  Things that are supposed to be smooth have a little dimple or a rough spot in them.  There are a lot of things in this world that are "slightly irregular."  Man could be classified as one of them.  In our natural state, before we are saved, we could possibly be classified as "Really Irregular."  We are not regular enough to make it into heaven without having some changes made.  Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  
     When we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, some changes were made.  Oh,  for the most part, we don't see them on the outside here on earth, but some changes were made.  We were born from above.  We now have new life.  We are a new creation.  Old things are passed away and everything has become new.  We are no longer "irregular."  After we are born again, we realize that we can have daily fellowship with God and with other believers.  We also realize that we can offer prayers to God and really have Him answer.  We come to the realization that this life is not the best thing but that the best thing is coming later when we go home to be with The Lord.  We who were once "Irregular" have been made perfect because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  So, praise God today for what He has done in our lives and that we are now spiritually perfect in His sight.  You are a "new creation."

Shalom, Shalom

        It doesn't take long when you read the morning paper, or listen to the news that you finally discover that the world is not abiding under peaceful conditions.  The leader of a foreign country made the statement supposedly that the button for nuclear war was on his table.  Well, we can say that we are not living in a world of peaceful conditions.  So, what's new?  In 1985, over 50 wars, some big, some small, were going on somewhere in the word.  Man does not live with the goal of world peace in his thinking.  We sometimes can't even find peace in smaller groups of people from businesses or schools, or churches or even in families.  Where can we find real peace?   Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."  
     God here defines this peace as "perfect peace."  Now, that's the kind to have.  The Hebrew language has a word for peace which is, "shalom."  In this passage the words are, "shalom, shalom"  Yes, two identical words which become translated as "perfect peace."  God's Word points to God Himself as the author of this "perfect" peace.  We find that perfect peace, and it doesn't get any better than that, comes when a person is completely trusting in God.  Have you come to that point in your life?  Do you trust God to take care of the problems in your life?  Do you trust God to take care of the finances in your life?  Do you trust God to mend broken relationships?  If we admit it, things at times look a little bleak and we may not be able to discern how they are going to get better, even just a little better.  God is able to do the impossible things.  We are even reminded that it was God would could do the impossible when a statement was made saying that with God, all things are possible.  Just look at God's record.  God parted the red Sea and the Israelites walked through on "dry" ground.   God made water come from a rock.  God fed the Israelites with manna from heaven for 40 years.  God overshadowed Mary and the incarnation took place.  Jesus was raised from the dead in the most miraculous resurrection.  Jesus ascended into heaven even as the disciples were watching.  Based On God's record, I would say that He provides "perfect peace" to those who trust fully in Him.  So, in the midst of an unpeaceful world, you can still find peace.  Praise God today for providing peace for all of us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.