Kings

A Pittance of Time

2012-05-27T10:20:00Z

A Pittance of Time  A Memorial Day Communion Address

Introduction---please play this music video "A Pittance of Time" (NOTICE...if this link doesn't work....type in (or copy) this URL in Internet Explorer and watch this movie.)--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kX_3y3u5Uo
This music video, by Terry Kelly, was a 1999 Canadian tribute to its veterans.

When I watched and listened to the video, a tear came to my eyes as I DID stop and reflect on the pain and suffering of war veterans, many losing their lives so we could have a free America. When I first started to participate in a weekly reliving of the suffering and dying of our Savior, I also shed many tears. However, lately, they have been few and far between. This pittance of time has become a pittance of thought, I am afraid.

A pittance of time means a very short duration. Every week, many Christians spend a short period of time remembering the suffering of Jesus Christ. We call this short duration, Communion. It is an opportunity to reflect upon the greatest sacrifice ever made.

A normal communion at our church lasts about 10 minutes. That is less than .0010^th (10 thousandths) of a week….talk about a pittance of time. During this time next week, the week after, and as long as I possibly can, I want to truly reflect on the reality of Christ’s suffering and death, and maybe, just maybe, I will start crying once more for my Lord.

To remember the fallen men and women of our armed services who have provided us a free and safe environment in which we can live, is our tribute to them—maybe a tear or two can make it more real to us. But, to remember the fallen Son of God, who also died willingly, but this time for all of humanity, is far more important and should create great wails from us each week.

The Bible tells us to mourn. As a matter of a fact, Jesus says: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."  Solomon says that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,". Job says that "the lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety."  The prophet Joel says that we should "mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth." The apostle John says "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy."

Twice a year, most Americans pay tribute to the fallen men and women of the US Armed Forces, once on Veterans’ Day, and once on Memorial Day. This is also just a pittance of time spent remembering those who have made that great sacrifice. So, in addition, I want to share with you a poem I wrote to not only commemorate uniformed military personnel, but also to help us remember our fallen Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Memorial Day

In the year of 1868, long before we were born,
A trend was started, in a time that was, oh, so forlorn.
General John A. Logan was Commander-In-Chief that year
And made a declaration to remember the fallen, both far and near.

He gave an order concerning the graves of the women and men,
Those brave souls that had gone to war, way back then.
Those that died amid the agony and crying of pitiful sounds,..
The order read, "Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds."

Every May since that time, we have taken a moment to reflect,
Upon the past souls of those that so much deserve our respect.
Dying for a country has been one’s ultimate sacrifice for sure.
Giving up your life, even though loved ones find it so hard to endure.

This Memorial Day, let’s look at an additional sacrifice,
That gave all of us, the hope of a future paradise.
Jesus of Nazareth, whom Mary had borne as a baby boy,
Rode into Jerusalem amid shouts of cheers and joy.

The promise of peace, he talked of in valleys and on knolls,
Not peace among warring nations, but peace in our very souls.
When we remember the mocking and jeering of the agitated mobs,
It should bring to our hearts, many tears and heartfelt sobs.

Jesus had never committed even one little sin or wrongdoing,
Yet was found guilty by Pilate, while the crowd kept on booing.
He was mocked as a King, spit at and slapped in the face,
The terrible lashing and beating he took, was the ultimate disgrace.

A word in his defense, he was never heard to utter or say,
But instead carried his cross, until he fell along the way.
Laid down, and then unmercifully nailed to the cross,
Even in his torment, he remembered who was boss.

So it was, that he hung there between two common thieves,
Gasping for air as his chest heaves and heaves.
His love for those who did this to him never diminished
Even when Jesus uttered with his last breath, "It is Finished."

Memorial Day has been set aside every 30th of May,
To remember the lives of those that were taken away.
While we recall the men and women that have died,
At the same time, recall our Savior, who was crucified.

America is free, because soldiers’ blood was poured,
And because of them, we are free to worship our Lord.
The blood of Jesus however, frees us to live again,
When WE die, we will join him where he has been.

So at the end of May, let’s look back 2000 years,
When ONE man died to wipe away ALL our fears.
Don’t forget our military heroes that have taken the great fall,
But also, remember the one that gave us, the most precious gift of all.

Whenever we do a communion, we should be crying our eyes out, mourning for the terrible death Jesus experienced, but then, we should rejoice because, as Peter said in Acts 2, "it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him".

So, as we mourn the death of Jesus for just a pittance of time, let us fix our tear-filled (sic) eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

I am a Rock

2012-05-26T11:24:38Z

Today’s blog is going to be short. It is basically an introduction to a very interesting story found in the book of the Bible, Numbers. You all recall the time when Moses struck a rock and water gushed out of it for the thirsty Israelites? In the tale of this event in this book, God was displeased with Moses’ actions. But I am not going to give away the reasons today. I just wanted those who are reading this to take the time to find the story in Numbers, chapter 20, read it, and ponder it a bit. For on Wednesday evening, I will be hosting a Bible Study at our house to go into detail about this, and attempt to, together, garner some very important lessons from God.

I don’t ask that you study this in much detail, just read it. Together, we will venture into other parts of the Bible in relation to this story and attempt to apply the moral(s) to our lives.

All are invited at 6:30 Wednesday, May 30^th, at our house. Need the address?-blog and I will answer you.

Promises

2012-05-25T10:18:00Z

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (Paul)

"But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep." (Frost)

“Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day
And make me travel forth without my cloak,
To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way,
Hiding thy brav'ry in their rotten smoke?” (Shakespeare)

“Promise This -- When You be Dying --
Some shall summon Me” (Dickinson)

“And now I think of only this,--
How I again may woo
The gentle sleep-- who promises
That death is gentle too” (Levy)

“Promises are like little diamonds
Promises are like little hearts
We meant to give away
I thought you'd want them back someday
I've kept them for you anyway
But I know when I've been given hard promises to keep” (Yearwood)

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (Paul)

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” (Peter)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word promise as a “declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified”. God, many moons ago, swore a promise to Abraham and it has continued through today and will remain a promise for all times until the completion of the Last Days. To make a promise, is to state a FACT—some act that one will perform. A promise lasts forever. We all promised to follow Christ, yet I have seen many people renege on that promise, something God would NEVER do. In our promise to obey Jesus (we made that when we confessed ‘Jesus is Lord’ just before being baptized), we agreed to certain things. We said we would take His word to the world. We said we would grow in our relationship with God. We said we would repent from sinful living. We said we would love others. How are you doing on your promises?

“I've got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.” (Simon and Garfunkel)

The Bible is filled with discussions of God’s promises. The world is filled with poetry and songs about promises. Unlike the last set of song lyrics above, we DO have deeds to do, we DO have promises to keep. Are you being groovy and keeping yours?

Semper Fi

2012-05-24T10:29:00Z

The title of today’s blog is short for Semper Fidelis, a Latin phrase translated as “Always Faithful” (or “Always Loyal”). Many of you may be familiar with this idiom as it is the motto of the United States Marines, and the shortened version appears even on the Corps’ television advertisements. It is also the motto of a town I drive close by a coupla times each year (White Plains, New York) as we travel to Vermont. The first city to ever use this phrase as a motto is purportedly Abbeville, France, in 1369, and can be found as the motto for several other cities worldwide as well as many other military organizations. It is a slogan that can surely be applied to followers of Christ.

King David was known as one of the most faithful men of God found in the Bible (see 1^st Samuel 22:14). So was Abraham. And Moses. So were 50,000 men of Zebulun—faithful to their King David (see 1^st Chronicles 12:33). The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Philippi that he relied on ‘loyal yokefellows’ to take care of others in the church. Semper Fi.

Proverbs 3:3 says: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” Semper Fi.

It is written in Psalms 117:2: “For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.” Semper Fi.

Peter wrote of Silas, who he called ‘a faithful brother’, that he was with him in his missions for God. Semper Fi.

Throughout the Bible, you can find the words ‘loyal’ and ‘faithful’ in many, many verses. They are used to describe God, men and women who follow Him and do as He commands. WE follow God (through Christ), and WE follow His commands (at least we attempt to). So, if we can continue to do so until we leave this earth, we can also join the list of cities and organizations and claim the moniker “Semper Fidelis”.

One Day At A Time

2012-05-23T09:10:03Z

One day at a time, and the day is His day;
He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay.
His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone;
As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own.

This is a stanza from a poem by Annie Johnson Flint, and it should remind us that we ought to take life one day at a time. We are told about planning TOO far into the future in Luke chapter 12 in the story about a rich man who had a large crop to harvest. He said he’d build bigger barns and then he’d have “plenty of good things laid up for many years.”, and would “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."' But, if you recall the story, God called him a fool, as his life would be taken that very night.”

Now I am not advocating not saving for the future….I believe it prudent to put away monies for the times you’d expect to ‘retire’ from a normal workday, and ‘take life easy’. But I also see that saving TOO much, benefits not the one doing the saving, but others who live long after he dies. (And this is not a bad thing altogether either, as one would be caring for relatives.) What I AM saying, however, is that life is short, and savings beside, we should each take life one day at a time.

Get up in the morning and thank God for giving us one more day of life. For we know not when it will end. Pray to Him each morning and try to listen to Him tell us how we can serve Him this day. I got up early this morning….couldn’t sleep past 4:30…and decided to start off reading 1^st Peter. I was struck by verse 5 in chapter 2, which says: “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” It says we ARE being built…we ARE becoming a holy priesthood. It is a PROCESS of salvation, not an instantaneous event. Yes, we were saved initially during our baptism, but we get saved over and over and over again (as preached last week at the outdoor service at the Triangle Church in Raleigh). Each day, we sin….each day, (if we repent), are saved again. If we stop repenting, the process of salvation stops. It is a daily event for most of us (and probably also for most of us, many times in a day we re-need salvation.

How are you doing on a daily basis? Praying? Reading and studying God’s Word? Sacrificing some of your ‘wealth’ so others may also better enjoy one of God’s days? Telling the world about Christ---the secrets you were taught one day?

I’d suggest you’d continue to invest your monies (but maybe not Facebook) so that you’d have funds in times of need, but I’d also suggest that you not try to save everything and forget about today. TODAY, enjoy the life that God has given you…don’t wait for the future (it may never arrive).

Must Love God

2012-05-22T10:19:00Z

Okay, okay, men….so I watched the movie (for the second time), Must Love Dogs, with my wife Sunday night. Yeh, a chick flick…but hey, I was with my wife. So, to take a take on the title, I thought of this one….Must Love God.

Is this a criteria for a Christian? MUST a Christian love the Lord Almighty? I know, I DO come up with some weird questions some times, don’t I? So, what do you think? Can someone actually be a Christian and NOT love God? I guess the answer lies in the Scriptures, so let’s go looking.

In Deuteronomy (the second law), it states this in chapter 6, verse 5. “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Verse 6 follows with this: “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.” (italics emphasis is mine).The author of that book continues this same theme, this same command, in 10:12, 11:13 and 13:3. Joshua reminds us of this COMMAND in chapter 22, verse 5 of HIS book. And then Matthew, Mark and Luke reiterate this command (I‘ll let you find those verses).

But, the point is, this is a COMMAND from God. In the Old Testament we read of it as spoken through prophets. In the New Testament, these words came through Jesus. So, it is not just an Old Testament law here, it is a continuous command as echoed in the New Testament (I did find it interesting that John, ‘the disciple that Jesus loved’ (John’s words!) didn’t reiterate this command.) But Paul, the great apostle who saw Jesus in His glory (well, sorta…he saw a bright light that blinded him—at least he HEARD Jesus), said this as he wrote one of his letters to the great church in Corinth: “If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord !” (verse 16:22 of our 1^st Corinthians).

So, now what do you think? Is it mandatory to love God? I believe so. To fear Him is to love Him the proverb writer says. I think we all fear God in some way, as we have read what happened to many in the Old Testament who did NOT revere Him. But we also need to LOVE Him. If we reflect on where we were, and where we are now…how can we NOT love someone who is so patient with us? Chick flick or not, I DO believe we Must Love God. And YOU?

Ring of Fire

2012-05-21T12:20:12Z

“I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher,
And it burns, burn, burns,
The ring of fire, the ring of fire.”

This morning, if you lived on the Asian continent and the clouds weren’t in your way, you could have seen a complete solar eclipse, when if viewed at the right time, would appear like a ring of fire in the heavens. Check out CNN.com to get a snapshot of that event.

Johnny Cash sang the words above in a song also titled, Ring of Fire, of which I immediately thought when I read that headline. I also thought of an event in the Bible when God appeared on this earth AS, yes, you guessed it, a ring of fire. Check out these verses from Zechariah, chapter 2:

Then I looked up--and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! I asked, "Where are you going?" He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is." Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, `Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, `and I will be its glory within.' "Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven," declares the LORD. "Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!" For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you--for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye--I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me. "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

What an amazing story! God decided to come to earth and live with the creatures He created. I do not know if this is a reference to the coming of Jesus or if it occurred many years before Christ was born of Mary. Either way, ‘He has raised Himself from His holy dwelling’ to come to earth and be with us. If this was referencing a long ago event, God was a ring of fire around Jerusalem to protect His people from the ‘nations that have plundered’ the Israelites. If it is a reference to Christ’s few years on this earth, HE, Jesus, became a ring of fire around each of the hearts of those who decided to follow Him. He protected His followers, those whom He chose to pour out their hearts about Him to the many generations to come. And when Jesus left the earth sometime shortly before the Day of Pentecost when Peter gave his famous sermon, He left behind another protector--another ring of protective fire for our hearts: The Holy Spirit. This Being is the ring of fire dwelling inside each of us. This portion of God, the 1/3^rd of the Trinity, truly did leave His holy dwelling to live with us here on this earth. He protects us. He guides us. He encourages us. He surrounds us with love – a protective barrier against OUR enemy, the one who attempts to plunder us all the time—Satan.

Do you feel the presence of God in your life? Do you experience protection, guidance and encouragement? God is here, a ring of fire in our souls. God’s words spoken through Zechariah were surely encouragement to the early Israelites. These same words, if spoken about Jesus and the Holy Spirit in OUR lives, should also be a great source of loving encouragement to each of us.

Stuck in the Road

2012-05-20T12:08:30Z

I grew up in the beautiful state of Vermont. You know, the place that is famous for having four seasons: Summer (lasts about 8 days), Fall, Winter (lasts about 8 months), and Mud. Yes, MUD. From about late March to mid May, Vermont has this unique season they call Mud Season. A lot of the road systems in that state are not paved, and when I grew up, not very well maintained. So, during this rainy time of the year, the roads grew soft and after a few cars, jeeps and trucks had driven on them, very deep ruts were formed. They were so deep in a couple of places near our farm that a lot of cars (the non-four wheel drive kind) would simply get into those ruts and get stuck right dab in the middle of that road. Many times, my dad or I had to get the tractor and go and pull those vehicles through those muddy areas. They were literally stuck in the road.

I was reading Psalm 119 this morning in the CEB (Common English Bible) and came across the phrase ‘My life is stuck in the dirt’ (verse 25a). Immediately I thought of my childhood experiences with the muddy roads of Vermont (oh, by the way, a great percentage of those dirt roads today have been maintained well enough where there are not many places the ruts get too deep for vehicles to maneuver through). Being stuck in the dirt (or road) means you ain’t going anywhere until someone helps you. Or, you muddle your way through with resourcefulness like finding rocks, logs and using a jack as in the case of old Vermont roads. Spiritually, we can get stuck in our road we are traveling very easily. Satan represents the continuous downpour of rain that softens our paths, endangering our walk with God. I am sure many of you can relate to this. Do you go long periods without even reading your Bible, to say nothing about actually studying it (there is a difference, you know)? Are you stuck on some sin that is a road block to your success as a Christian? Do you need someone to pull you out of that sin, or can you muddle your way through on your own?

The author of Psalm 119 continued in following verses describing how he, Solomon, relied on his faith in God to get him out of his ruts. In the last half of that verse he calls to his Father with these words: “Now make me live again according to your promise!” Then in verse 26 he pleads: “I confessed my ways and you answered me. Now teach me your statutes.” Verse 27 continues: “Help me understand what your precepts are about so I can contemplate your wondrous works!” First, he confessed his sin; then when God answered him, he asked for wisdom and guidance. He asked that he might be able to better understand God’s Word. He wanted to get unstuck.

There are several lessons we can learn from these three short Scriptures. Confession is necessary. Prayer is essential. And, understanding God’s Word is paramount. We DO need to confess our sins to God (and to others for healing as James tells us). And we need to pray ‘continually’ (the second (??) shortest verse of the Bible: 1^st Thessalonians 5:17.) And finally, to get out of our ruts, to get unstuck from all the dirt on us, we need to read and study our Bible so we can understand all that God is telling us. Are you doing well in these three areas? It’s a challenge, for sure. But if you do them, then when the rains come (and they will), and your path to Heaven becomes muddy and full of ruts, you’ll be operating a four wheel drive vehicle and not have to worry about getting stuck in the road.

Going Public

2012-05-19T11:16:00Z

Going Public

This last week, facebook® just announced that it is ‘going public’ with a starting share price of $38. It actually opened yesterday at $45, and was hovering around 40-ish. The act of going public will net the co-owners of that mega-concept additional BILLIONS of dollars. You and I, however, probably won’t be billionaires unless we buy a lot of stock, and it skyrockets; but then, who knows what will happen to it's value. ‘Going Public’ means, in the business world, that a product/service/commodity/business is being sold by shares to ‘the public’. BUT, the term when referenced in the world of Christians, it means something entirely different.

The Bible uses the term ‘public’ several times, usually describing a square where town folks gathered to hear some speaker. PROVERBS 1:20 says, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares.” Job, the man who had a hard life, to say the least, said this: "When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet.” Job had messages of great importance to the folks in the town and was not embarrassed to stand up in public and declare them. He had guts. He had determination. He had a message.

How about us? We most certainly have a message. One that describes the greatest gift God could have ever given His creations. The message about how to get to Heaven HAS to be the most important one (yes, even more important than facebook® going public) of all times. Yet, do we proclaim this message like we should? Are we scared, intimidated, or ashamed to go to a public square and announce this message? This is what Jesus says in MARK 8:38—“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." Apollos was one certainly not ashamed or intimidated by large crowds. This is what is written about him: “For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” He went public with his message. As did Peter on the day of Pentecost, as did Paul after losing his sight for three days in Damascus, as did Barnabas, and Timothy and James and John and lots more men and women we read about in the Bible.

On occasion, you might see a lone man (or woman) in a public place proclaiming the name of Jesus. Normally, you don’t see a large gathering to hang on his every word. BUT, at least he is out there, in public, telling the world about Christianity. I wonder just how much each of us does this sort of public speaking. Or do we leave that to ministers in church on Sundays? It is obvious after reading the book of Acts, that MOST of the proclamation of Jesus and salvation and Heaven and God was done IN PUBLIC. Later this Fall, the Fayetteville Church is going to use this book as a backdrop for a series of lessons and sermons. As you prepare for this, or as you go through the Autumn months, note how many times the Word is spread in open forums, in public. I think it is probably a practice we should all get involved in just a little bit more. Even if it is spreading the word to the public one person at a time, it is a start. But as we grow, we should be able to be more bold and confident and speak publicly to groups of people.

Public speaking, something I am not great at (even though I took a class on in it High School and got up in front of a large (???) audience and recited the story by Rudyard Kipling about ‘How the Camel Got his Hump’), is not necessarily something that comes natural to all people. Most have to work at it. But, isn’t that what we are supposed to do? Work for Jesus? You might recall James’ discussion of works: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” The Hebrews writer also said this about taking action, not just sitting idly by and letting the ‘preachers’ do it all: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” So, let’s work at getting better at ‘going public’ and sharing the ‘secrets’ we all hold about Jesus.

‘Going public’ may not net you billions of dollars, but if done properly, as generations come, your bold words just might net God billions of saved souls.

Two Wolves

2012-05-18T10:19:00Z

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:
"Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

I thought this was a great analogy of the way God and satan fight for our souls. Actually, let me re-phrase that---this is a great analogy of the way we feed God and the way we feed satan. Let's take a moment to see how people in the Bible feed either one.

We get inspiration to feed God from the psalmist who said "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long." Just plain thinking about God and His laws is food for Him. He loves for us to think about him. Here is what Paul tells us "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Meditating on the goodness of Life which God has given us, is praise to Him. But do note that Paul said to put what you know into practice. That is much better food for God, than just thinking about it, or Him.

Who do you know in the Bible who has put into practice the feeding of God by his or her actions? Whew, the list is long. And conversely, who in the Bible can you mention you have been feeding satan by what he or she has done? Another real long list. Let's look at one or two stories and let's see if we can figure out who is being fed, God or Satan.

Turn to 2nd Samuel, if you will, chapter 11, and read starting in verse 2. Don't stop reading until you get through verse 27 (the end of the chapter). Done? Good...now continue here---> Great story, huh? Who was our big hero feeding here? God or satan. Well the answer is fairly obvious. The Evil One. I saw the Wolf named Evil getting fed---David displayed envy, greed, arrogance, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. But wait, David is a man of God---how could he have done this? How come you lie? How come you steal? How come you covet? How come you display false pride? Same answer----we are Evil Wolf.

Did you notice how David got started on his long list of sins in this story? He started with something so simple as lust. He saw a woman bathing, and just had to have her. So, what did he do? Lied, cheated, was deceitful, and even murdered another human being. I dare say he was stoking the fire up real high on some good venison for satan. But we never do anything as bad as that, now do we? Maybe we haven't murdered, maybe you haven't committed adultery, and maybe you haven't even lusted. I doubt the last one, but maybe you haven't. Have you, however, stole? Told a little white lie? Cheated on a test? Exceeded a speed limit? Intentionally ran a stop sign? This little tidbits all add up to a grand feast for Mr. Evil Wolf. And you know how wolves eat---they aren't satisfied with just a little, so he just keeps hanging around your table because he knows he will get more and more juicy food in the near future. Like David, sin can grow in us, from the innocent white lie, to things as bad as stealing, fighting, and even killing. Don't let Evil Wolf survive around you. Get rid of food that he likes.

Let's go back now, and read another story, the one that follows this tale about how David fell and fed Evil Wolf. If you are still in the same spot you left off, continue there (this would be 2nd Samuel, Chapter 2, verse 1. Before you continue reading this blog, read from there through verse 25. How did David feed Mr. Good Wolf? I am going to let you answer that, you don't need to hear it from me. You will notice that simply repenting is not always good enough to get what you want, or to make up for what you did. The child David had with Bathsheba DIED. No amount of praying could take that away. Mr. Good Wolf was still hungry. Not until David completely gave into God and completely trusted Him, did Good Wolf get his fill for the day.

We like to think that merely repenting each day of a sin we did the day before is good enough. It isn't. Repentance, as you all know, means to stop feeding Evil Wolf and start feeding the Good One. Simply stopping the feeding of Evil Wolf is not enough, as he is going to linger at your table until you finally wear down enough to give him some more tidbits. No, you HAVE to start feed the Good Wolf, God. The more you feed Him, the more He returns the favor, like he did David---gave him a NEW child. We have to start figuring out ways to prepare meals for God.

Demonstration of love for others is a great start. "Yum", says God. Talking to God every morning and night in prayer. "Mmmm, delicious." Sharing your life alongside Jesus with others. "Burp", excuses the Lord. Read God's word all the time, and meditate on it. "Mmm, mmm, good". Confess your sins to another soul-mate, as well as to God. "Almost full", says God. Serve the poor and care for widows and children. "May I now leave the table, I am done."

Yes, the Two Wolves story says a lot. So do the two stories we read in 2nd Samuel today. They both warn us about who we are feeding. A stray dog or cat will hang around you as long as you keep feeding them. Personally, I would like to have God around me, rather than satan. How about you? \

PS----this blog I wrote back in 2005, but I wanted to share it again this morning....

I Did It My Way.

2012-05-17T10:25:00Z

And now, the end is here

And so I face the final curtain

My friend, I’ll say it clear

I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full

I traveled each and ev’ry highway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way

I did it my way. What a prideful statement for someone to make! Frank Sinatra sang those words put to music by Paul Anka and three other songwriters. I wonder if any of them realized how this is a slap in the face to the Creator. When I do things MY way, I usually mess them up. And that runs the gamut of parenting, husbanding, carpentry, putting together toys for Christmas and much, much more. When I do things that turn out positively, it is usually because I have done it “God’s way”, or at least consulted Him before attempting it.

The primary Bible verse that comes to mind when I hear the term, “I did it my way.”, is JAMES 4:2—“You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.” And the second one is MARK 11:24-- “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” This book is SO full of great advice, I believe if it were the only written document on earth, life would be so much better for everyone on it. Ask God! I ask God in prayer for even the stupidest things. Before tackling any task of importance (or danger…like cutting trees—which I did last weekend), I ask God for help. Because I know if I did it MY way, that tree would hit something it shouldn’t on the way down. Or my marriage would be a shambles. Or my children would be failures.

Are you contemplating any major purchase, job change/search, marriage, having another child, or anything in between? If so, I encourage you to not try to do it alone. Start with guidance from ‘the Good Book’ (Proverbs 3:5-7 (own understanding/wise in own eyes), James 5:16 (let others help), and a whole lot more in between). Then, after lots of prayer and help seeking, make your decision. But whatever you do, don’t simply do it and then say “I did it my way.”

That's My Boy!

2012-05-16T10:28:00Z

That’s My Boy!

A new movie is about to hit the big screen starring Adam Sandler…not one of my favorite actors…with the title the same as today’s blog. Not sure I’m going to go see it when it comes out. The plot involves failed parenting skills along with sexual relations between a teacher and Adam’s son when he was 13. SO, probably won’t go see it.

But, the part about failed parenting skills is one to which I can relate. Many of you know my history with my son….through my neglect and failed parenting skills, he spent years in drugs and trouble with the law. But today, a year plus after having been through his second rehab program, he is doing just AWESOME. Married (with 5 kids now---one was his by another girl, and 4 came with his new wife), he lives and works in Clarksville, Tn. He has a fantastic concrete business, with several employees. He is doing great. That’s my boy!

There are two incidences that come to mind in the Bible when I hear that term. The first was when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, and Luke 3:22---also referenced in 2^nd Peter 1:17), and the second was when Moses and Elijah ‘visited’ Peter, James, John and Jesus on a mountainside (Matthew 17:5). In both instances, Jesus’ ‘Dad’ said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” God was uttering ‘That’s my boy!’. How proud of Jesus He must have been. With Jesus fully committed to His mission here, and all that God had seen (experienced) Jesus accomplish, His love for His Son was unparalleled. I can just see the reunion when Jesus returned to Heaven and God put His arms around Him in front of the multitude of angels and saying, “That’s my boy!”

Many of you have children; most of you have at least one male child. How many times have you uttered, or thought of saying, “That’s my boy!, with him I am well pleased.”? If you haven’t said that of your son(s) (or “That’s my girl!” if it pertains to a daughter), maybe you need to take some time and reflect on the great joy of being a parent of a child. Yes, there are going to be times when you wouldn’t want to say proudly, “That’s my boy!” (like the times you might have to go to the jail house to sign for him). But, if your son/daughter can turn themselves around like MY son did, or if your child remains out of trouble, you will proudly hail from any mountain….”This is my son/daughter, whom I love, with him/her I am well pleased.”

My daughter has been plagued with a terrible disease for the past 10 years, Lupus. She has been on unemployment for over a year a coupla years ago. She and her husband don’t make/have a lot of money. But she put herself through college and got a computer sciences degree when she was in her mid 20’s. She did that while being fully employed…no simple task. She is just awesome. That’s my girl!.

Go to your children today and remind them just how much you appreciate and love them. And tell someone about them saying, “That’s my kid!”.

Parentheses ()

2012-05-15T11:09:55Z

PARENTHESES

()

These mirroring arcs didn’t exist when the Bible was written…neither the Old nor the New Testament. They didn’t enter the Greek language either, until sometime after the 14^th century. So, when our modern day Bible was being formed in English (generally accepted as those translations by Tyndale and Wycliffe), probably this punctuation was not included. But if you look at the NIV, for example, today you will find around 333 uses of it (about 222 in the KJV written in the 1600’s). What good, or of what value, are parentheses when it comes to studying the Bible?

The purpose of these curved marks is to set aside, or insert, other words to somehow amplify or explain something else within a statement. They are extremely useful in helping us to better understand the Word of God. The first time they are used in the Bible is early on…Genesis 2:12 (which follows 2:11 (duh) and describes in more detail the land of Havilah). The last time it is used in the NIV Bible is Revelation 20:5, which is referring to the first resurrection. The verse I want to center on today that includes parentheses is Mark 7:11. “But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: `Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God)…”

Corban???? I don’t know how many times I have read this verse, but this is the first time I ever noticed this word!!! I found the Greek word from which this was translated is korban (Κορβᾶν—Strongs Number G2878). And when reading the same verse in today’s Greek Bible, there are no parentheses following it.(No, I don’t read Greek, I only use that Bible, and Strongs, and a Bible dictionary to look up words and terms.) The definition of Corban is precisely what is written in the NIV—a gift devoted to God. (The other time this word is used in the New Testament, it is translated as ‘treasury’ – see Mathew 27:6).

Corban…a gift devoted to God. What gifts do WE devote to God? Money? Time? Love? Evangelism? Prayer? This list could be lengthy for some, not so long for others. How are you doing in ‘Corban’? Write down this word, Corban, and in parentheses place the things YOU are giving to God. (And I hope it is a bit longer than “()”). J

Thank You!

2012-05-14T12:54:39Z

Thank You.

I hope you don’t mind getting into a bit of the Greek language today, but there is so much in the New Testament about being thankful that I thought it important to better understand how the Bible tries to convey the meaning of ‘Thank You’. If you have a Greek version of the New Testament (mine made it through our 2004 house fire, but is very dirty to use---think I need another), you would find the verb eucharisteo 37 times. It is made up of two Greek words, eu, meaning ‘well’, and charizomai, meaning ‘to give freely,’ denoting both gratitude and thankfulness. You’d find that word in a very well known Scripture, Ephesians 5:20: “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Some of the other more commonly referred to phrases with this word are: Colossians 1:3—“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”; and 1st Thessalonians 5:18—“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” I won’t bore you with the others.

A lot of people use this English phrase a lot in a day…it has become a habit of most to thank others for a myriad of things. Some thank slow cashiers for letting them stand in line for 20 minutes waiting to pay exorbitant prices in the grocery store. Some utter ‘thank you’ when paying $3.67 a gallon to a gas attendant. Some even thank a police officer when he/she hands them a speeding ticket. More than likely, in these three instances, true feelings of gratitude and thankfulness were not felt (and probably not conveyed), but were done more out of courtesy or politeness.

On the other hand, each of us has a TREMENDOUS amount of ‘gifts’ for which we should be truly thankful. Life itself. God GAVE us this miracle. Healso gave us friends, jobs, abilities, talents …..the list goes on and on. He also gave us the capability to truly express our thanks, not only to Him through prayer and actions, but to others with whom we come in contact. Many times we DO say ‘thank you’ to our friends and acquaintances, but a lot of times again, it is more of a courtesy. How thankful ARE we really of our friends? Do we take the time to really show our gratitude for what they do for us? When is the last time you walked up to someone (friend, acquaintance (like a cashier (slow or otherwise), or even a foe) and told them ‘thank you’ for what they do for you?

I challenge each of you to make it a practice, a habit, a reoccurring event, to do just that…..tell someone ‘thank you’, and then tell them WHY. I would love to read your blog on responses you get when you do this. You don’t need a bible (not even a Greek one) to spread the gratitude that we all should have because of the grace of God. The three examples I gave in the first paragraph should inspire us to do this. They say, “ALWAYS give thanks”, “ALWAYS thank God”, and ‘give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES”. So I guess thanking a cop for doing his duty isn’t so out of line after all!

Thank you for reading this (and I mean it). It encourages me when others care to share their spiritual thoughts, as they can benefit us all.

Who's On First?

2012-05-13T12:03:34Z

Who’s On First?

As all you of are probably aware, the vaudeville greats, Abbott and Costello, performed a baseball comedy routine in the 30’s for the first time and titled it, Who’s On First. It became a hit on the vaudeville and radio scene, eventually being seen and lauded on ‘the picture box’, or TV, as it became more formally known. Of course, the person’s name (or nickname) who played first base, was Who. And What played second, and I Don’t Know guarded the third base. Followed by Why in left field, Because in center field, and the pitcher’s name was Tomorrow and he threw to the catcher who was known as Today. And of course, the shortstop position was played by a guy named I Don’t Give a Damn. Hilarious, to say the least to hear/see these comedic geniuses perform this classic routine.

So what does this have to do with anything spiritual??? Well, a lot. Let’s imagine our life is like a baseball game....with ‘nine’ innings (each about a decade long). Some games get called early because of rain, and little leaguers normally only play 7 anywho. Everyday, we get a chance ‘at bat’. You know, we put on our little helmets and stand in our little assigned places near our home base (plate) and wait for a pitch to be thrown at us. If we are lucky each time, we get a hit and end up running to get to first base. From there, the game gets even trickier. We defeated Satan’s curveball that he threw us and we smacked it into the outfield. The crowd would have gone wild, but now, sitting on first, the whole game changes.

Our next move is generally prompted by what Satan the pitcher does, or what the next batter accomplishes at home plate. Our goal in the game is to get to the next base (you know, where What is standing). If we can make it that far, we’d be half-way to our final destination. But a lot can happen between the time you safely land at first, and stand alongside What. The batter could be anybody. He (or she, sorry......) could be another disciple who hits a sacrifice fly (on purpose) to help you progress. You know those type of people...those who are always doing something for someone else, putting themselves last...sacrificing their time and energy for others. Or, the one at bat could be a preacher, belting out hits every Sunday. If the hit is placed correctly (and you listen and react properly), you might advance closer to your final goal. However, if a good ground ball gets to the outfield yet you contemplate too long on what to do, you may just not make it to second. Satan just might have one of his henchmen tag you out.

We might just consider being on first, second or third base, as somewhere we are in life. Home (Heaven) is either 270, 180 or 90 feet away, but to traverse those paths from base to base may not be easy. We have to rely on a lot of things besides the next person(s) at bat for us. We have to have knowledge on how to run bases, how to slide, how to avoid a double or triple play. We have to be on alert all the time. To mirror this spiritually, we need to gain knowledge. PROVERBS 3-6 says: “in all your ways acknowledge him (God), and he will make your paths straight.” Knowledge about God, found in the Scriptures. if we can gain that, going from base to base will be 90 feet, no more. The prophet Hosea said that his people were destroyed because of their lack of knowledge. We, Christians, those who have made it to first base because of our decision to follow Christ, repent of our sins and get baptized, are sitting on a base. We don’t want to get picked off, forced out, or tagged by our enemy. We must KNOW how to avoid those traps.

Who’s on first? We are. But, by paying attention to all the players on both teams (that would be God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters in Christ and preachers of the Word, on one side, and Satan and his team of henchmen on the other), we can make it to home. But, be wary...Today is waiting there for you. He wants to tag you out just before your foot lands safely on that diamond shaped rubber plate. Run your bases today, keep your eyes and ears out for knowledge and advice from ‘the good guys’ and watchful against the other team. As you round third and head toward home, watch out for Today (and tomorrow, and next week, and next year, and next decade) and be ready to slide safely home.

Memorization

2012-05-12T14:32:59Z

“I pick my favourite quotations and store them in my mind as ready armour, offensive or defensive, amid the struggle of this turbulent existence.”

“Memorization: difficult for some, simple for others, a challenge for most.”

Welcome to my new blog location. I decided to move it from an email listing to a ‘permanent’ site at which I can store my thoughts. I felt like I was imposing by sending daily emails to everyone, so have instead, been working on several small books which I hope to publish, at least ‘locally’ as epubs. As I finalize and convert them to use on iPads and other tablets and smart phones, I will gladly share with anyone interested in reading them. I hope to have the first one completed by the end of the month. Anyway, welcome to my ‘new’ blog site, accessible to everyone without being an imposition in your already crowded mailboxes. I say ‘new’, because I used to use this site a few years ago to converse with several Disciples in the Atlanta, Georgia area, but eventually (after about 800 posts) shut it down because of lack of conversations. BUT, I want to start it up again, so, for day ONE, here goes.....

The two quotes at the top of this blog were written by two different people. One, Robert Burns (a very famous 1700’s poet born on January 25th, 1759), and the other, me (a not so famous person born on January 23rd, 1950). I’ll let you guess which one was his!

I wanted to talk about memorization as we have been challenged in our church (The Fayetteville Church (of Christ)) to lock into our brains several Scriptures as they pertain to topics on the road to Salvation. Mr. Burns (I’ll refer to him as R talked about storing quotations in his mind. The purpose, his says, is to be armed, both offensively and defensively as he encountered various opposition and opportunities in his life; a turbulent life he states.

We should take the same type of approach as we learn, not favourite (or even favorite) quotations from the Bible, but ‘needed’ quotes in our lives. Why? Well, as ready armor. One of my favorite passages in the whole Bible is Psalm 119, starting in verse 97: “Oh how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” The author goes on describing why he loves the law so much. I have memorized that early on after becoming a disciple, and try to practice what it is preaching. I also once, no twice, memorized the first two chapters of the book of Acts, and once, the first six chapters. It took a lot of time, at home, at work, on the road and in the air, but I finally succeeded. I found it to be a very formidable challenge.

We are now challenged to place into our memory banks several other Scriptures, all of which we have read many times before, but maybe haven’t been our favourites. As I age (note the year I was born), I find that more is WITHDRAWN from my memory bank than I am able to DEPOSIT. (I guess it must be something to do with brain size!!!). So, this current challenge for me, is really that...a difficult challenge. But attempt, I will do so. How about you? Are you willing to spend a lot of time armoring-up your arsenal as you face the onslaught of Satan in your tumultuous lives? It will be difficult for most, simpler for some others, and definitely a challenge for all. But if RB can do it, so can we. Good luck with this---and that goes for me too.

“See you” tomorrow?

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2010-04-01T05:27:00Z

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31 Mar 2nd Chronicles 10 -14

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4 Mar 2 Sam 1:1-4:12 Big boys don't cry

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3 Mar 1 Sam 27:1-31:13 My way

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2 Mar 1 Sam 21:1-26:25 Political inaction

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1 Mar 1 SAM 18:1 to 20:42

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Feb 28 1 SAM 16:1-17:58 Beautiful People

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Feb 27 1 SAM 13:1-15:35 All the signs are there

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