Don't Worry. Be Happy!

        in 1988, Bobby McFerrin wrote a song that became quite popular with the title, “Don't Worry, Be Happy.” The opening lines begin with the words, “In every life we have some trouble But when you worry you make it double. Don't Worry, Be Happy.” The rest of the song follows suit and gives the idea of forcing yourself to be happy in spite of your circumstances. The opening line certainly has a lot of truth in it in that every life gives evidence quickly that there is some trouble in it. No matter how good it looks from a distance, you can soon find evidence of trouble. An action or a word will soon bring trouble into your life. Our trouble can soon be traced back probably to one of three areas, “the world, the flesh or the devil.” Even further, it can be traced back to “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.” We have heard those terms before as they are used in the Scriptures. Has the believer no other choice but to grin and bear it and sing the little song, “Don't worry. Be Happy?” First Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 

        Peter gives us a more tangible way of getting rid of “worries of life.” You don't have to put on a “happy face” in order to find peace in the midst of all of your problems. The passage for today continues with the plans of the devil for you and the all of the world. The devil is roaming about looking for something, or someone, to devour and he does it as does a roaring lion. Who wouldn't be fearful of that picture? Our recourse however, it to take our eyes off of our problems and put them on God by humbling ourselves before God. After all, God created the world and everything in it. God made us, you and me and He knows each and everyone of us.  He knows all about us as we recall from Psalm 139. He even knows the thoughts on your tongue. If humbling ourselves wasn't hard enough, then we are commanded, or exhorted to cast all of our care upon Him. Here lies two great, yet simple, requirements for true happiness. It won't be the “toothpaste” smile that is fake but the genuine inner happiness that is the result of casting all of our care upon Him and then leaving it there. God provided for us yesterday and God is providing for us at this moment and God will provide for us tomorrow. If any person ever had the right to express sadness, it would be men like Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Silas, Priscilla and Aquila. All of their reason for true happiness rested upon God and God alone. Into all of their lives would come a little trouble yet they cast all of their care upon God. We should do the same and in fact are exhorted to do so. In whatever you face today just remember to cast all of your care upon God. Praise God for His supplying all that we ever need both in this life and the next.

Pain in the Neck

           Perhaps you have said, “That person is nothing more than a pain in the neck.” It's an expression that we have about people who are in opposition to our way of living or even our way of thinking. It is not usually a good term and denotes our distaste for people's disagreement with our own standards. I don't know of too many people who have been in a situation where everyone liked and agreed with everything they have said or done. The more definitive your theology is, they more chance you are going to be disagreed with by someone to the point that they will openly criticize your teaching. The opposite end of the whole deal is a theology or teaching that wouldn't offend anyone on the planet. My first Bible that I ever purchased for myself was a Scofield King James Version wide margin, good leather Bible. To be honest, at that time that was the only thing I thought was correct to have. In my view of future events, I was, and still am, pretribulational and premillenial in my view of Scripture. I went to a school that taught that way of outlining future events. At my first church, there was a person who was adamantly against that line of teaching and openly confronted me about my position. There was my “pain in the neck.” Second Corinthians 12:7 says, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” 

         A lot has been written about Paul's “thorn in the flesh” but it does no good however, because it is never specified as to what it was. Many believe that it was his eyesight referring to references to his vision problems in his later years. I sometimes think that Paul's “thorn in the flesh” involved a certain group of people that were often present in his ministry and going around telling people that they first had to become Jewish before they became Christian. They were referred to as “Judaizers.” It was an open criticism of his teaching and one to which he often refers to in a very negative way. Acts 15:1 mentions, “  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” I would be more prone to believe that the thorn mentioned here refers to the opposition to his teaching. Paul got his answer in the sufficiency of God's grace in all matters of life. In the end, you might as well accept the idea that not everyone likes you and your manner of life or your theology or your teaching. There will always be opposition in our lives. You will probably have more than just one thorn in your flesh. We can and should take hope in God's response to Paul as God reminded Paul of the sufficiency of His grace in all matters. You have that same sufficiency right now in your life and it helps you get through all of the “prickly” matters that you will face today and in the days ahead. Praise God today for His continual working in our lives each and every day.

Trying to Reboot

    What do you do when your computer starts acting funny? By that, I mean a certain program will not open or a feature of the program will not function as it should. The other day, my computer started locking up on certain programs. A screen would come up the printing would say, “cannot connect to the internet.” I looked at my connection page and all was normal so I did what I often do in such occasions. I clicked on the power button and then clicked on “restart.” In a matter of a couple of minutes, I was back up and began the preceding process again and it worked fine. They used to say, “close windows and open it up again.” It seems to fix a number of computer problems. Maybe all of the “ones” and “zeroes” need to be put back in their proper place. Wouldn't it be nice if life was like that? You might ask your associate or child or whatever to do something and they look at your with a dumb expression and don't move a muscle. In the computer world, you could just hit the restart button and everything would go back to normal. We all know that life isn't that way. Revelation 20:15 says, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." 

           There must be a lot of people who think that there is not going to be any judgment at all and that all people will eventually go to a blissful eternity. Those are the people who think that if their name is not written in the Book of Life at the judgment time, just close it and reopen it and you will find your name written there. That's when a person who is standing in front of God and trying to come up with every reason possible why they should be going into heaven, begins to worry and tries to come up with every excuse possible hoping that something will change God's mind and let them in. They will try to come up with every time they gave a dime to the Christmas bell ringer or every compliment they every paid someone else. Unfortunately, the words from Matthew's Gospel will be, "...depart from Me, I never knew you." There is no such thing as closing the book of life and then reopening it and your name appearing there in a magical way. Oh, every act that you ever did will be recorded in the "books" but none of them will be sufficient to let you into heaven. Unfortunately, a lot of church people who are members of a local church somewhere will be standing there in that place of judgment. Life is not one of the things that can be "rebooted" like a computer. There is a time however when a change can take place that will put you on the right track. 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." You have a whole lifetime, some 70 or 80 years to make this choice. You don't have to do it but the results will be eternal no matter what choice you make. You can't pass from this life and then try to reboot and make everything right. It will be too late and it doesn't work that way. You can put yourself in the scene in John 3 when Nicodemus came to Christ at night to inquire of Him and Jesus simply said that He must be born again. He explained it on further down in the chapter. If you have the Son, you have life. If you don't have the Son, you do not have life. It is as simple as that. Praise God today that He gives us eternal life through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Warnings

         How many time in the next day will you be warned about doing something? Every time I turn on my electric range, a light soon come on warning me of a hot surface. I get in the car and pull down the visor, and there is a warning about the air bags. Fire trucks and police cars have a way to suggest urgency.  They use the sirens.  There have been a number of times while being on the road where a fire truck and a crash truck will come down a busy street and and head for the scene of an accident.  They will use their red lights and sirens to tell people that they were coming and that they should get out of the way.  We try to use various methods that will imply urgency to others in many different jobs.  While working for A. T. and T. on a telephone test board, we would find all kinds of signs that told us of impending dangers should we pull a certain plug.  The Bible also has a number of urgent things contained in it.  The plea for salvation is one of the most important items in the Scripture.  Second Corinthians 6:2 says, "For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"   

         This quote comes from Isaiah 49:8.  Much has been written on this verse of Scripture and one application can be the fact that this is indeed the day of salvation.  God has given us an opportunity to be saved and that opportunity exists in this day.  No one knows about tomorrow and therefore we should be thinking seriously about where we will spend eternity.  Our live on this earth is but a short drop in the bucket when compared with what happens after we pass away from this life.  Maybe preachers should have sirens and flashing red lights to warn people about the end that is coming.  The world has long joked about it and has given a false sense of security to the unbeliever.  We have lived so long with all kinds of warnings, that we have become so used to them that we just disregard them and go on our way. The result is many feel as if they are OK if they just take their chances that God will somehow let them into heaven, if indeed they believe that there is a heaven, or they simply say that they don't believe in God and that this will make them exempt from judgment. This is not the case.  God has set forth a wonderful plan of salvation and this plan is presented in the Bible.  All we have to do is to look at it and take heed to what it says.   So, don't put off making this critical decision.  Some may say that they will wait until they are at their death bed in order to do it.  Again, you may not have the mind to do so at that time.  God has given us all ample warning that today is indeed the day of salvation simply because you may not have tomorrow.  Don't put it off.  Praise God that He has made salvation possible.

The Unchanging Word of God

           Man made laws seem to come and go. What was once illegal is now encouraged in many cases. It could even be said that some “get away with murder.” You probably have heard about the famous CBD oil that has come into everyone's market. It is seemingly a relief for many different types of pain. It is an extract from a very famous plant that had a lot of different names back in the 60's. It may have been “Mary Jane” or it may have been the “magic dragon.” People were sent to jail for smoking it and selling it. It caused a lot of people both trouble and wealth at the same time. Now, it turns out that the product of the marijuana plant is legal so people are using the oil just for “medicinal” purposes. I recently saw an article offering the oil in a chewable form as “gummy bears.” Who wouldn't like a good gummy bear? Now the stuff is growing like weeds. Oh, that was another name for the plant back in the day. It has gone from illegal to legal in just a few short years. I was sent to the principal's office for holding hands with a girl at a PTA meeting where the high school band had played back in the 1950's. Yes things have changed. It is no wonder that current boys and girls can't figure out which bathroom to use or which person from which gender to take to the prom. People say, “Oh, you are jut not hip.” or, “You are just an old 'fuddy duddy.'” Up until this day, I can only think of only one thing that has not changed. Psalm 119:16 says, “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” 

          Yep, it's the Word of God. A friend of mine put this verse up on social media representing a part of the legacy that her Father had left her. It is from perhaps, my favorite Psalm and I have mentioned it many times. It is the longest chapter in the Bible containing 176 verses, all but five, mention the Word of God in one way or another. The Psalmist gives us 171 ways to recall God's Word or to be centered on the Word of God. Different words are used to describe it such as ways, testimonies, commandments, word, precepts, statutes. You get the picture. You may be able to keep a bottle of the byproduct of the marijuana plant in your medicine cabinet next to the aspirin today and not worry about going to jail but you had better take heed to the one thing that doesn't change, the Word of God. The Bible tells you how to live in this world and how to prepare yourself for the next world and whether or not you are concerned about eternity, you should be. After you leave this life, it is too late to change your destination. You will have already sealed you ticket. Each and every one of us has to make the same decision as did Joshua in his day. He chose to follow the LORD. May we all do the same before it is too late. Praise God for His unchanging Word.

Life and Vapor

          Vapors don't last very long. I have a chimney on my house but the new furnace is not piped through the chimney but comes out of the side of the basement wall in a piece of pipe made of pvc. When you come into the house on a cold day through the back door, you can see the vapor coming out of the side of the house in that piece of pvc pipe. It shoots out into the cold air and is visible for only about one second or less. You know that you see it but when the furnace quits running, the wisp of vapor is gone. The same is true of your teakettle. You can't say that it makes to great an impression upon the world in which we live. About the longest vapor I have ever seen was when a jet plane passes high in the sky and leaves a vapor trail that can be seen for several seconds before disappearing. James used this illustration to speak to us about our lives upon this earth. When our life is compared to eternity, it really doesn't seem long at all. James 4:14-15 says, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

            We can sum up our life's experiences with the statement, “They don't last very long.” We often purchase something and read where it may have a life time guarantee. You might stand there and silently ask yourself the question, “Whose lifetime are they talking about?” The lifetime of a butterfly is one week to one month. That's about 7 to 30 days. The average butterfly has a very short life span. About the oldest possession I have right now is a gold pocket watch that belonged to my grandmother on my Father's side of the family and her old hymn book, which is in German and dated in the 1880's That is still not very long when compared to eternity. James compared our lives to that of a vapor which is indeed short. We have, however, the opportunity to make some very important decisions in regard to our “eternal” destination. The most basic of decisions was the one that the Philippian jailer made after asking the Apostle Paul about salvation. Basically, he inquired, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul gave him the answer which was to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There must be many who think, “Well that is so simple, I will just wait until the last minute before making it. After all, I can do that on my death bed.” Unfortunately, none of us know when that time will come. As a result, people put it off or even forget about it and spend more time planning tomorrow's activities than they do being concerned about “eternity.” My cousin, Carol, would call me around the time of my birthday since we were only some thirty three days apart in our age. She didn't call last year and I just thought she forgot, then she didn't call this year either. I found out recently, that she passed away which explained why she had not called. Yes, life is short and as James illustrates it, much like the wisp of vapor. It is here one minute and gone the next. Vapors pass into the atmosphere and become a part of the never ending circle of water which comes down in rain, soaks into the ground, evaporates and the cycle repeats. People think that it is the same with life but the Bible says something quite differently. Hebrews 9:27-28 reminds us, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Praise God today for salvation.

What Happened?

        Parkersburg, West Virginia has a very large government office. It is the Bureau of Public Debt. It is interesting to observe the outside of the building where a counter records the total amount of money that the government owes. The bureau used to be split between Parkersburg and Washington, D. C., but the Washington office closed and Parkersburg became the home site for this particular office. The end digits of the marquee move faster than you can see as the debt climbs higher and higher. It is a statistic and I enjoy statistics as to what is going on in the world in particular. Some statistics are available for such things as population, death, disease, cars made, chickens killed and even religion. Most groups that provide these statistics agree on the numbers and say that the percentage of Christians in the world today is about 31 percent. That means that about 3 out of ten people are believers and also that 7 out of 10 are not believers. Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” 

           If a projection for future growth had been made in the days of the Apostles, one might conclude that at the rate things were going, the world would be all believers in a short time. A person might ask one of the most simplest of questions, “What happened?” Peter stood up and preached a short sermon and 3,000 men were converted. He does his second sermon and 5,000 souls were added to the church. Then, they stopped counting and just said many souls were converted. The Apostles were accused of filling the city of Jerusalem with their message. Before, these twelve average men, one of which betrayed Jesus and ended up committing suicide, had normal jobs in the Israeli culture. The fishermen and tax collectors suddenly found themselves proclaiming a message to everyone they met. Philip goes to Samaria and has one of the biggest evangelistic meetings ever recorded. Paul travels out on three missionary journeys and ends up starting churches all over Asia Minor and then tasking the Gospel into Europe. Life was not a bed of Roses for Paul as he often ended up in the local jail, accused of proclaiming the Gospel message. Historians often point the finger at Constantine in around 325 AD or so, for being the culprit responsible for watering down the spread of the Gospel. He made it popular to become a Christian in the Roman Empire. Persecution diminished, things looked good and now it was fashionable to be a believer. And then, as we would say, the rest was history. Sin slowly entered into the church and brings us to the present day when the church doesn't look that much different than social clubs, or football games. It is just in a different type of building. We could spend time pointing the finger at Constantine or anyone else for that matter, when the fact remains that the power that was available to the Apostle Paul is still available to you and to me. Christianity is not a fashion statement but a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity is not just a statistic, but a relationship between God and each individual. It is between you and God. God has given us His Holy Word, the Bible, to give us guidance on how all of this is possible and the simplest answer is what Paul said to the Philippian Jailer. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ...” It's not a church building or a denomination or a twelve week course, or even a baptism. It is simply a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and then you go out and tell what God did in your life. That's what Acts 1:8 says. Paul did it and so can you. Praise God today for the fact this He is still changing the lives of His people each and every day. Hang on, God is about to do something wonderful today in your life and in my life.

Salt

         Not only did I have a chemistry set when in high school, my parents also gave me a microscope. It wasn't all that powerful, but it opened up a whole new world for me and about everything that I could get under the lens of the microscope was viewed. I looked at the eyes of the dead fly, leaves, grass, dirt and of course, salt and sugar. Sugar crystals are in any shape with a lot of jagged edges and with polarized light, one can see the many colors present through them. Salt, on the other hand was always square and white with no colors showing through even with polarized light. That was how they both looked back some time in a little town in Indiana. Over the years, especially with cooking, I have learned that there are all kinds of salt. I have sea salt, kosher salt, table salt and Himalayan salt which is pink. There are more varieties but not in my collection of salt. I have one salt however, which is in my shakers at the present time that seems to have lost its flavor. It is very fine and flows well, but seems to do nothing when put on food. It, to me, is about useless in the kitchen. Matthew 5:13 says, ““You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.” 

            Salt is important in cooking and often triggers the response of something being either bland or flavorful. Salt can quickly become overpowering and ruin a dish but with the right amount, the flavor of the food is enhanced considerably. In the Gospel of Matthew believers were associated with being similar to salt. When the saltiness or the flavor goes out of the salt, it might as well be thrown away. The Lord Jesus Christ looks at us, the believers in the world and remarks that we are the “salt of the earth.” This is what makes a difference in everyday living. This is what makes Christianity stand out from all other religions of the world. This is what makes the world ask the question, “Why are you different?” This all works well and good as long as the “salt” does not lose it's flavor. The same is true with the believer. When the believer loses his or her “Christian identity” they become just like the people of the world around them. There is no noticeable difference. The witness is gone, the quality that made them different is not distinguishable any longer. Their music and art and philosophy are just like that of the world. Their lifestyle is no different and much like the chameleon, they blend in so well in the culture around them, that the witness is gone. If you were salt, then you would be thrown away, but you are a child of God, a part of His family and He can restore your “flavor” in the world today. Restoration is possible as the promises of First John 1:9 become evident and practical in our Christian lives. “If we confess our sin...” That is the beginning. In the world in which we live today, that is a mighty big first step and most believers are to proud to admit that the are plagued with sin. It is a might big “if.” The verse goes on to day, “...he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Perhaps we should ask ourselves today, “Just how 'flavorful' am I as a believer in the family of God?” Praise God today that He is still working in our lives.

One Step at a Time

        How many times have you come upon a task in your life that seem impossible? My Father built one of our houses from the very beginning. It started with a hole in the back yard and then went to footers and cement walls. He had the plan in his head and went through each step methodically until one day, we moved into the basement of that house. The top would be built on six years later. When we begin something new, they often seem formidable at first. I used to run track and I often had to run the mile race. I had to do so many laps around the track. The first lap was easy. But, then they became harder and harder to do. Probably one of the hardest ones was the next to the last lap. I often wondered if I would make it to the end. I would often hear the words, "Don't give up." Then, we would come to the last lap. Some times, I even found enough strength to run a little faster on that lap. There are many things in life, both physically and spiritually, where we need to hear the words, "Don't give up." It's the same as, not quitting or just plain hanging in there until the end. When you look at the whole picture, things sometimes seem impossible. Yet, they can be accomplished, one step at a time. You could climb the steps of the Washington Monument, all 898 of them, or you could take the elevator up for ten cents (1960). The ride down was always free. I only climbed the steps one time. Often times during that climb, I would hear the words in my mind, "Don't give up." First Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 

         Working for the Lord where you are at is always an important task. Sometimes, the work seems as if it will never get done because the task seems to be so large. We hear of "going into all the world to preach the gospel." That seems like a very large task for just you or for just me. All of us together can make a difference however as we get the task done one person at a time. Don't give up. To begin reading the Bible through on January task seems like a nice thing to do but around April, you might begin to slow down as you have probably missed a couple of days along the way and you are already behind. Don't give up. Memorizing Scripture sounds admirable to almost all of us. We start out but then begin to falter. Don't give up. Applying God's Word to your life also sounds like something we all need to do. We find some principles and begin application. Then Satan attacks and we find ourselves seemingly going backwards. Don't give up. You may have signed up for a couple of boards or committees or even the choir. It's didn't seem too difficult to do at first. Now, your time seems stretched. Don't give up. All of this to say that we need to keep going no matter what. God will give us the strength to make it. An old radio announcer in Washington, D.C., Dale Crowley, used to say at the end of his broadcast, "Keep on, keeping on." Don't give up. Praise God today that He always is present and never leaves us alone.

Don't Be a Grumbler

        When we went to Spain as missionaries, our mission board required us to have prayer cards that would remind the people who we were, where we were going and what we would be doing. It was to include a pertinent verse of Scripture. We chose the passage from Second Corinthians that is the subject for today's devotion. It was the result of a lesson that I heard in school about the “Cycle of Grace.” This passage has always been important in my life, not because we stuck it on our prayer cards, but because it stated what my mission statement is right now, today. Second Corinthians 4:5-6 says, “ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

          It was brought to my attention years ago that there are three different words, “grace, joy, and thanksgiving” that have a connection in the life of every believer. The three words mentioned above are similar in spelling even in the Greek from charis, chara to eucharist. The professor stated how it was a “cycle of grace.” It all begins when God does something marvelous in your life through His grace. In our “joy” we share that with other people and state how God has blessed us in a certain situation leading the hearer to respond in “thanksgiving back to God.” Thus, we see a cycle of grace happening day after day after day in the lives of each and every believer. The above passage speaks about each believer as being a “reflector” of the “Light” that has shone in our hearts. Our hearts then become the reflector that shines in the lives of others causing them to eventually praise God. Second Corinthians 4:15 goes on to say, “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.” That is the cycle of grace. The amazing part of this is that it is taking place everyday in your life and in my life. There is, at the same time, the possibility of someone breaking the cycle especially when their lives become filled with bitterness and who seem to be blind to what God is doing. God has not left us alone to fend for ourselves even in the midst of the problems that you face today and will face tomorrow. God fills the smallest of needs up to the greatest of needs. Sometimes, we don't see how He is going to do it, but He always does. I have been a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ for over 40 years and God has never failed me one day. He has always provided even when I was wringing my hands in anxiety. The Israelites were often labeled as being grumblers because the would often forget what God had done for them just a few days ago. Sad to say, we can be much the same but God is working in your life and He has a message for each and everyone of us. Don't be a grumbler today, but praise God for His wonderful blessings.

God Did It.

        There was a class in High School that I looked forward to and it was “Chemistry.” It was a lot of hands on learning with labs that gave us the opportunity to do things and then observe the result. The teacher had a glass rod which he rubbed on a piece of fur and then went around the class raising the hair of the kids so it went straight up. He could also change the color of water with a few drops of this or that and sometimes he made things that made a loud noise. There was never a dull moment in his class. My parents saw my interest and got be a Gilberts Chemistry Kit for Christmas. Now I could make the house smell like rotten eggs. I must say that at that age and even up until today, I don't understand all that takes place with chemical reactions. There is, however, an even greater marvel to behold. Genesis 1:1-2 says, “ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The Bible opens up with the five words, “In the beginning God created...”  

         There is a lot of information that is not present in that statement. There is no explanation of 200 steps to go from nothing to universe. A lot of information is included in the little phrase at the end of verse two, which says, “...and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” It is a simple statement which took place quickly resulting in many things we don't understand. There are a lot of things we would like to know just for the sake of satisfying our curiosity but we don't have it all so we accept what God said and rest in the fact that when God wants us to understand it all, He will let us know. It does us a lot of good to sometimes spend a moment in this passage and just to dwell on the thought, “In the beginning God...” It is always all about Him and the more we focus on His act of creation, to more we can perhaps see how God is working in your life and in my life and in all the lives of others each and every moment. We may slip into the belief that we are all like an old fashioned wind up alarm clock that has been wound to the max and then let run down until it stops ticking. The Book of Colossians, especially in the first chapter, also details a lot of information about the creation and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ during that time. We see that we are not just like an alarm clock but that everything is being constantly maintained each and every day, as it states that by Him all things consist. I can't help but think that if God was so involved in the creation how He is working in all of our lives today. After all, He doesn't get tired or forgetful or goes on a vacation. He is still actively working in all of our lives. If you are wondering what God is doing right now in your life, just pause and think about the words of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God...” You can praise God today for His creating and sustaining of the universe and that includes you and me.

Prosperous Life

       Books about a specific area of interest are sometimes referred to as a “bible.” When I was about twelve years old, I joined the Boy Scouts of America and got my own copy of the Boy Scout Handbook. It was, in those days, referred to as the Boy Scout's bible. If I wanted to know anything about the outdoors, camping, tying knots, tracking animals and recognizing poison ivy, all I had to do was to look in the Boy Scout Handbook. In the U. S. Navy, I was given a copy of the “Bluejackets Manual” which gave me the same information only involved more about life on a ship. It also had knots in it and taught you many things you had to learn before becoming a “salty” sailor. There might be a lot of books on specific subjects that are referred to as bibles but there is only one Bible that tells you how to be a Christian, how to live this life, and how to get to heaven. Joshua 1:8-9 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”  

         It makes no difference how you cover the book. You can use the best leather with gold trim and as many colored ribbons for markers as you want and you can put a fancy name on it, but there is still only one Bible. In the days of Joshua, he referred to what he had at the time and it was the Books of Moses or what we refer to as the Pentateuch or in other words, the five books of Moses. It was the “law.” I often hear a quote these days where a man said we have over 200,000 pages in law books because we couldn't follow ten laws on a tablet of stone. Man has written history books, encyclopedias and other sources that contain a lot of knowledge and even a lot of instructions on how to be successful in life but Joshua already covered it in one simple passage in the beginning of the book that bears his name. Do you want to be successful and prosperous in this life? Then, the answer lies in the exhortation given in this passage. You need to be in the habit of meditating on the Word of God. I can go to the Boy Scouts Handbook or the Blue Jackets Manual and find out how to tie a square know instead of a “granny knot” but I can only go to God's Holy Word, to find out how to live this life and how to find heaven as my final goal. Square knots are pretty and secure, but they won't get me to heaven. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:9-11 where he hid God's Word in his heart that he might not sin against God. Of all the books ever written, the most valuable and precious is the B. I. B. L. E, the Word of God. How will you have a successful and prosperous life? You can achieve all of those things the same way as was already mentioned by Joshua. You need to be having your mind centered on God's Word day and night. Everything that happens and your reactions all need to be run through the filter of the Word of God. You won't go wrong. Praise God today for His Word, the one and only Bible.

Life's Lessons

         When I was a young kid, I would often stand on the floor in the back seat and talk to my Mom and Dad while riding in the car. We didn't have seat belts or car seats in those days and the car was a 1938 Pontiac with plenty of standing room for an 8 year old kid. I was casually talking, when all of a sudden a word came out of my mouth that I had heard on the playground and I thought I had just committed the worst thing in life ever. My Mother was aghast at what I said and my Dad said nothing. I was firmly lectured to never use that word again and if she was in the habit of washing out mouths with soap, I would surely be heading for one such event. I learned the lesson quickly and never said the word again. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

         There are many things in life that occur from time to time and few if any of them have not been seen or heard before. We know how wars have started in history and we know how people have responded to certain events and what was the result of their responses. We have heard lectures and speeches of great people from the past and their words are quoted time and time again. We learn speeches from memory and quote them. It could be the Gettysburg Address of Lincoln or the “I Have a Dream” of Martin Luther King, jr. or the words of Julius Caesar to Brutus before his death. We know the words of people and what happened to cause the words, but we forget the occasion and what happened as a result of that event. One would think that we would learn from history as we often say, “History repeats itself,” but we go on anyway and make almost the same mistake. The above verse reminds us that the things that were written aforetime were written for out learning...” The Book of Judges ends with the words, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” We often wonder what is the purpose of having the “Old Testament” in these modern days and one of the answers is that we need to learn what happened before so we don't let it happen again. Israel committed adultery against God and disobeyed for many years before God pronounced judgment on them. They then spend 70 years in captivity before having Jerusalem rebuilt. When you read the writings of the prophets, you can hear it being said today of our own country and perhaps of the whole world. The lesson is there but we have failed to learn the lesson. Achan saw, coveted and he took the wedge of gold, the silver and the garment and hid them in his tent, but God saw it and judgment came as a result. What do we expect, when we see something, covet it and then take it and perhaps even hide it. Have we learned the lessons? It is time for all of us to turn to God's Word for exhortation as to what do in these times of adversity. The lessons are clearly present in the pages of the Old Testament and the Apostle Paul reminded us of the importance of these lessons. Praise God today that He is still teaching us through His Word each and every day.

Moving the Fish

           Most states have  a nick name. Those from Indiana are called Hoosiers. West Virginians are known as Mountaineers while the state of Virginia is known as “The Old Dominion.”. Those from the state of Missouri are called "Show Me." That apparently is a trait of a person who lives there. Such perhaps could have also been said of the disciples after the resurrection. There were many exciting events that took place right after the resurrection, but the disciples seem to have been left without a plan and with a dark looking future. Things were about to change. One can read John 20 and behold many wondrous things. We then come to the next chapter in John where we find Peter wanting to go back to that which he had done before He had met the Master. John 21:3 says, "Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing."

            It was as if there was no idea of what to do next. Their leader was gone so they didn't know what to do. They were a bit perplexed. Peter, not knowing what else to do, went back to that which he had done before. But, if you read on, you soon realize that God used even this experience in the lives of the disciples. For those in the boat at the time it must have been a tad frustrating as they had been fishermen before and spent the whole night fishing and didn't catch a single fish. What they didn't know is that God was moving the fish that night and they were always on the other side of the boat. There may be times in our lives when we experience a loss of direction. It isn't the moving of the Lord but our own moving that has caused our problems. The Lord is always present and ready to meet our needs. However, we sometimes move away from His presence by our own choosing. We may even do as Peter did and have a desire to do that which we did before. In our case, it is necessary for us to run to the side of the Lord. As Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." No matter where you are standing today, whether it is close to the Lord or perhaps you have wandered away just a little, the Lord is always just a prayer away. You can find the help you need at His throne of Grace. So, do not delay. Turn to Him and experience His help in your time of need. Praise God that He is always present in every situation in which we find ourselves.

Comfort in Times of Trouble

         There are those times when you are told something that kind of just blows your mind and you have to sit down for a minute. When this happens, it isn't usually anything that is good nor does it make you jump for joy. You just need to gather your thoughts and center on what is important. Some things come from the world conditions and maybe even the conditions in your own city or neighborhood. We sometimes think that if we just pull up the covers and ignore it for 24 hours that it might go away, but it doesn't I have never seen an ostrich do this, but it is said that when in danger, it sticks its head in the sand leaving the rest of it exposed. If it can't see the danger, then perhaps it will just go by and not harm it. Maybe the ostrich does do that but I cannot say that I have even ever seen one sticking its head in the sand. What do people do when they find themselves confronted with bad news or something that is just plain beyond their power to do anything about? Second Corinthians 12:8-9 says, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 

           We probably know the story of the Apostle Paul at this point in his life. God saw fit to include this account in the Scripture because many people are going to be in the same situation someday either now or in the future. We need to get in the habit of learning the lesson it teaches with the small things in life that we cannot change no matter what and then to see what God is going to do as a result of it. We learn how that Paul prayed for his “problem” three times and found no relief from whatever it was that was plaguing his life. God's answer to Paul is same one that we lean on so many times in our own lives with matters both big and small. I often fall back on this passage for the things that I cannot change. The one phrase, “...My grace is sufficient for thee...” gives us the answer. The terms, grace and mercy, are often used in phrases for greetings in some cultures. The two words have meanings that are so important to our relationship with God. Many have used acronyms to define grace such as, God's Riches At Christ's Expense or a definition such as “unmerited love.” Grace is giving you something that you do not deserve while “mercy” is holding back that which you do deserve. To be honest, the older I get the more I praise God for His grace and His mercy, but grace is that which is my comforter during times of distress. I don't have to understand what's going on but I can always rely on God's grace to get me through it. He always has in the past and He always will in the future. Your day may be peppered with periods of events that you don't understand but you can always grab hold of the verse, the thought the God gives us in this passage. No matter what, God's grace is sufficient. You don't have to pray for more grace. You already have it. Praise God for His grace in your life in each and every situation.

How is Life Going Today?

         You may have been asked this question, “How was school today?” Perhaps you have asked that same question when your children arrive home from school. My stock answer was always, “Okay.” That usually meant that there wasn't too much that I was going to be sharing as to how school went that day especially on those days that I had a fight with someone or was reprimanded in some way by the teacher. In order to escape another lecture, it was easy to just say, “okay” and let it be done with. Hopefully they wouldn't press the issue. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” 

          Suppose you were asked, “How was your Christian walk today?” Maybe someone will ask, “What did God do in your life today?” We may have the same attitude as the man that responded to his wife's question if he still loved her. He replied that he said he loved her thirty years ago and if he ever changes his mind, he will let her know. Sad to say, this may be the attitude of many believers in the world today. Many will say that they received Christ as their Lord and Savior thirty years ago and that is the only thing they can say about their personal relationship with God at any given moment. I have been in several churches where people are encouraged to give a word about what God did in their life and for many, the response was always the same and would begin with the words, “Thirty years ago, I accepted Christ as my Savior....” What has God done in your life since you came to church last Sunday or what has God done in your life yesterday or an hour ago? We may shout out to God with a rhetorical question saying, “God, what are you doing?” We didn't really expect an answer but we shouted it out anyway. The verse for today is one that we often quote but many don't seem to regard as practical in today's life. One commentary says, “Jeremiah, as the representative of the people of God, is urged by God to pray for that which God has determined to grant; namely, the restoration. God’s promises are not to slacken, but to quicken the prayers of His people.” It has the direct application to Jeremiah but it has an indirect application to us as well. Just as Jeremiah was urged to call upon the Lord, we are certainly urged to do the same. God is not a respecter of persons and He does not change and since we have a personal relationship with Him, we can do the same as Jeremiah was urged to do. We often find ourselves in days where we don't understand what is going on. We are perplexed to say the least and it seems as if we are sliding into an abyss with no hope of escape yet we always have the confidence that God does know what He is doing and that He is not blind to what is happening either to the world, our country or even you own life. You can rightly ask the question to God today as to what He is doing in your life and when you call upon Him, He does answer and He will show you great things that you didn't know. Your daily walk with God is like mining for gold and precious gems. Some of them are right out there on the top while others are just below the surface and still others a little deeper. As Jeremiah was urged to call upon the Lord, may we also be found doing the same thing. I know you will be surprised as to what you hear when you call upon The Creator of the universe. If God asks you the question, “How was your Christian experience today?” you shouldn't answer, “Okay.” Think for a moment and recall what God did for you recently along with what he did thirty years ago. Praise God today that He is still working in the lives of believers.

It Isn't Funny!

        When things happen in life, some of them are funny and some are not so funny. In the late 1980's, my wife and I stopped at our daughter's home before embarking on a short mission trip to North Carolina. I went out for a walk and was walking back towards the house on the heavily traveled route 460. I was well on the shoulder of the road facing the traffic and suddenly spotted something headed my way which instantly hit me in the chest. It stung a little and I looked to see what it was. The spot on my T-shirt was rather pink and I looked on the ground to find what it was. The object that was thrown at me from a car traveling bout 45 miles per hour was a raw hot dog. I was livid with resentment and anger. After all, who would hit a pastor with a hot dog traveling at 45 miles per hour. I went home and was relating to my daughter what had happened and she began laughing uncontrollably at the incident. I kept saying, “It isn't funny.” It was serious to me and she couldn't stop laughing. I guess some things that happen in life are funny while others are not. Oddly enough, some people think that the discussion over heaven and hell is funny. To the unbeliever, such a discussion is ludicrous and is something in which to poke fun at, but nonetheless, it is not funny but one of the most serious matters that a person could ever think about. Matthew 7:22-23 says, “ Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” 

           The scene mentioned in this passage is going to be played out time and time again as people who are forced to stand at the final judgment seat to receive the judgment that they deserve. Many if not all will try to plead their case based upon the supposedly good works that they did while present on earth. Even the best unbeliever, no matter how good they have been, will finally hear the end of the judgment with the words, “I never knew you. Depart from me...” The nonbeliever on this side of the judgment may think it is funny and will often ridicule believers and the plan of salvation. At the point of this passage however, it won't be funny any more. You might be able to cope with rejection from most people, but you will be sweating and trying to come up with an excuse when you finally hear the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords say, “I never knew you....” There probably are many things in your life that you might think of as being funny even when they occurred in a serious moment. I can laugh about the hot dog incident today, but it was serious when it happened. No one is going to be able to bypass judgment and you will stand in one of two places. This scene in today's passage is going to be at the Great White Throne as mentioned in the Book of Revelation and there will not be anyone laughing. God has given us the most simple plan of salvation as we see Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer. The decision must be made on this side before you step into eternity. What will it be? Will you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or will you put it off and perhaps laugh at those who profess to know Him. Praise God that He has provided so great a salvation.

Sanctification

        I remember a job that I had applied for had required a long list of references and it seemed to include almost everyone I knew from former employers to friends to teachers as well as family members. The new employer then began a background check on all of my references to make sure I was of the right material for the job. People from the government actually contacted those people mentioned in my application and asked them all kinds of questions about me. In the end, I was approved as being suitable for the job and was allowed to go inside the building after six months cutting weeds and going to school for the company. By then, my expertise with the machete was getting good at whacking large thistles. My character, it seems, was good enough for the company but certainly not good enough for God. First Thessalonians 4:1-3 says, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” 

         It was several years later after hiring on with this company that I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Since then, it has been a life of steadily growing, bit by bit in my spiritual life. This is what sanctification is all about. As the Apostle Peter mentions, we need to be growing in the grace an knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. That growing process is called our sanctification. Paul also speaks much about this process of sanctification that occurs in our Christian life. Romans six, seven and eight all speak about the process in a lot more detail. The church at Thessalonica has exhorted to be involved in this process and Paul gives them some rather specific exhortation in regard to personal sanctification. In fact, this section of Scripture tells us what one of the areas of the will of God is for our lives. We often ask God, “What is your will for my life?” Well, here is one of them clearly stated in this passage with the words, “...For this is the will of God...” How much clearer can you be in answering the question, “What is God's will for my life?” Fornication was a problem in the days of the early church just as much as it is in our daily life in our present culture. Fornication makes no boundaries and can be found in all walks of life from the highest positions in the world to the lowest positions. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, bosses and employees, it is always present. Why it has even been found to exist in the lives of pastors and other leaders in churches of all denominations. It would seem that men and women have the idea that it can never happen to them and then it does and lives are ruined as a result of the action. We may think of fornication as the final act but the Lord Jesus Christ made it quite clear that even the thought of it was dangerous and that the act can be committed even in the heart before the act itself is manifested in the flesh. There is no problem in trying to interpret the word “abstain” that occurs in the flesh. It means what it says. If a person approaches God and asks the question, “What is your will for my life?” should take note of the passage here. This is one of the big ones. How do we do this? We spend our time in the Word of God. Bethel Baptist Church in Parkersburg, West Virginia had a simple purpose statement. “Scripture and Prayer to conform us to the image of Christ.” You can't go wrong with that. Praise God that He instructs us on how we should then live out the Christian life.

Faith

          The Bible defines “faith” as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We can ask the question as to how many things are there in this world that you believe but still can't see. As a kid, I once went on the roof of our garage with an umbrella, opened it up and stepped off the garage only to plummet quite rapidly to the ground. The umbrella, which I had seen on “Little Rascals” so many times, did nothing to break my fall except get in the way. Maybe it was a lesson in gravity. I don't see it, but it is there and when I jump off a garage roof I am not going to float nor fly, but be on the ground in the matter of a split second. When I fall, I fall down and not up. I don't see gravity, but it is there. There are many things in life that I don't see but that are still present. Habakkuk 2:4 says, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” 

            This little phrase from the Book of Habakkuk appears three times in the New Testament and according to history, it played a big part in the life of Martin Luther and the reformation. We can also see many examples of how faith is applied in our daily life when things work as they are supposed to work. We exercise faith when we drive our cars, when we sit in a chair, when we board an airplane or a ship at sea. The captain of our ship once told our seasick drummer that he did not have to fear as we were never more than a mile from land at any given time....straight down. It didn't comfort him that much. We all, however, had faith that this vessel constructed of a lot of steel and aluminum was going to float in the water. Faith plays a big part in our daily live and it certainly plays a big part in our spiritual lives. Ephesians 2:8-10 reminds us of just how important faith is in our hope of eternal life. “For by grace are ye saved through faith...” Every time I think about faith, the words of a simple child's song come to mind that I learned while working with Child Evangelism Fellowship. 'Faith is just believing, that what God said is true.” I believe the natural laws such as gravity because I see the evidence of it every time I move around. I also believe in the Bible because God said it and I know it is true. I don't have to explain how things are going to happen, I just know that they will happen just as God said they would happen. I can believe in John 3;16 as being true. I believe in John 14:1-6 as being true and I believe that First Thessalonians 4:13-18 is true. God just used a simple, invisible virus to stop the world in its tracks. God often uses the smallest of things to accomplish His will. How do you respond when you suddenly find that there is a bee inside of your car while you are driving sixty miles per hour down the road? Imagine that same bee inside of your battle armor. You don't know how it got there, but you want to be separated from it as soon as possible. God has His ways of getting our attention however large or small they might be. Yes, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. God said it, I believe it and for me, that settles it. Praise God today for the fact that we can have absolute faith in every word that He has said.

Suffering Leads to Glory

        Most of the people that are presently in the United States have grown up with a flourishing culture and economy and we have not been hard pressed for a lot of things. We seem to get by with the problems that do exist and progress is slowly being made in many areas. The question sometimes comes to us however, of how we will fare under persecution? In the latter part of the 20^th century, missionary Stan Smith was in Viet Nam during the time of the upheaval of that country. Christians were being persecuted openly and often. Stan remarked about a scene where a group of Vietnamese believers were running across a field singing, “It is Well With My Soul” in Vietnamese. At the same time there were being gunned down for their faith in a hail of machine gun fire. I have often remarked how that there were more believers martyred in 1995 than in the whole book of Foxes Book of Martyrs. While we read of the accounts of the deaths of early believers, we sometimes ask ourselves, how we would face such a trial in our own lives. First Peter 1:7-8 says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

         In a study of the Book of First Peter while in school, the theme kept popping up time and time again and that theme is, “Suffering Leads to Glory.” We can write about it and recall stories about it in other lands, but we have been blessed in that we have not had the personal experience of it in this land. Missionaries are always prepared to die for the people they are serving. Such was the case when five missionaries perished in the jungles of Ecuador at the hands of the Auca Indians. The five missionaries had a rifle in the plane but had agreed not to use it as a defense should they be attacked. We know the story and how it ends and now we can say of that account, “Suffering Leads to Glory.” We also know the end of the story as far as the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned. Truly, suffering does lead to glory. For the believer, everything leads to glory. The end of this life is glory. The end of pain and suffering is glory. Poverty, injustice and disease also end in glory. It ends in glory that is, for the believer. This thought should spur your desire to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with as many people as you can because we are all surrounded by people who do not know this Precious Savior. The conditions In the world today should also spur every believer to draw closer to the Lord than ever before. That means that we should spend more time in the Scriptures and in prayer than ever before. The comfort for the believer is not found on Facebook or the evening news or the government or in a host of F-15s or the largest Air Craft Carriers but is found in the Book that is probably within eyesight now, or on your phone or on your computer, the Word of God itself. It is often brought our attention that the word for “witness” in Acts 1:8 is “martoos” from which we get the word,”martyr.” Praise God for the Glory that is and will be when we stand face to face with our Savior.

What Are You Waiting For?

        “Well, What are you waiting for? Christmas?” I have heard that phrase many times in my life and it came usually from either my Mother or Father right after a brief pause when I had just received some instructions to do something. If I stood there with a perplexed expression on my face, I would get the question. It wasn't that I didn't understand the task, but I just didn't move right away and jump on it in order to get it at least started. There perhaps have been those times in our lives when we got an instruction to do something but then just didn't jump on it. Acts 1:11 says, “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” 

          The question here in this verse by the angels to the group that were on the top of the Mount of Olives is perhaps similar to my question. The angels put it just another way. “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” The disciples had not actually seen the resurrection but they had seen other miracles. They knew that the Lord Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead as they had been a witness to many of His appearances for the preceding forty day. For almost six weeks they had been with the Lord Jesus Christ after the resurrection and what they were about to see was going to leave them flabbergasted to say the least. The law of gravity was about to be ignored and the Lord Jesus Christ would rise from the earth and vanish right before their eyes. They had been taught for the past several years about what they were to do and how they were going to do it. Final instructions were given to them. There was no puff of white smoke or a loud bang and no magic words uttered. The Lord Jesus Christ, unassisted by any outside force, rose straight up into the clouds and was gone. I would be inclined to think that they all stood there with their mouths open as He went up before them. Finally, they had to be pushed into action by the voice of the angels. It was as if the angels said, “What are you waiting for...” Now, the same thing can be said of us as read not only this passage but others which cause us to be stirred into action. All of the imperative commands of the Scriptures become things for us to be doing from this moment on until He comes again. The “one another” commands are followed with, “What are you waiting for...?” The command to “forgive one another” is followed by, “What are you waiting for?” The command to “Take up thy cross and follow me.” is followed by, “What are you waiting for?” The command to cast all of your burdens upon the Lord is followed by, “What are you waiting for?” We sometimes end our sharing of the gospel with someone with the words, “What is there in this life that would stop you from making this decision right now?” In other words, “What are you waiting for? Christmas? Praise God today that He is patiently waiting for us more often than we care to think.