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Archive for the ‘Devotional’ Category

Shootin’ Snakes

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Preparedness, Religion on January 26, 2012| 1 Comment »

It was one of those sticky summer days when the fish were not biting, but the snapping turtles were. I wanted to call it quits, but my stepfather fitly reminded me that we needed to catch a mess-o’-bluegill if we wanted to eat supper for the next few nights. So, I propped up my pole and disappointedly scanned the river for a hopeful sign of fish activity.

It wasn’t long before a big fat water moccasin decided to come calling. And if you know me, I not only hate snakes, I’ve been known to give one or two of those repulsive critters a heart attack with my piercing scream. Fortunately for me, my stepfather never went fishing without his holster strapped to his thigh. He whipped out his pistol and sank that nasty snake to its watery grave faster than you could say Wyatt Earp.

It wasn’t even five minutes later when Mr. Snake decided to investigate what happened to the Mrs. Lickety-split, he and the Mrs. were both resting in pieces. Two dead snakes, two night crawler-loving snapping turtles cut off our lines, and no fish –I was really ready to go home then. Still, my stepfather insisted we stay, until…..

Two more snakes shot dead, then another, then three more. Honestly, for every snake shot, two more took their places. I never knew that water snakes were attracted to blood, but apparently they are – at least the blood of their kin. We were pretty much forced to leave at that point.

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but there have been several times in my life when I was minding my own business, when suddenly I was surrounded by “snakes” – folks who tormented, mocked and attacked me for no apparent reason. I guess it just makes some people angry when you are fishing for the truth in God’s Holy Word, and seek to live by that; especially if that truth stirs the waters of popular tradition.

If there is one thing I’ve learned, however, it doesn’t pay to “shoot the snakes” because there will always be more to take their place. Scripture instructs us to bless them and pray for them instead (Luke 6:28). However, that doesn’t mean we should just stick around and accept their poisonous bites either; it is often best to just walk away (or run, as the case may be).

The first Psalm states: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. As long as we keep fishing for truth, and walking in it, God will take care of those snakes.

Psalm 1 continues: 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

These days, I don’t get the chance to fish very much – at least not for bluegill. But Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” So, I’m going to keep on fishing! True, I might catch a few snapping turtles on my line, or run into a mess of snakes, but the LORD is right behind me taking care of everything, and He will make sure that I don’t go home empty handed!

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Little Tail – Big Tale

Posted in Behemoth, Devotional, Faith, Gap Theory, Guidance, Religion on January 16, 2012| 1 Comment »

I sometimes miss those days when my three-year old son would open his dinosaur books and eagerly tell me all about the Rhamphorhynchus and Pachycephalosaurus –and yes, he could pronounce them flawlessly. In fact, he knew more about dinosaurs than most adults. What really blessed my heart, though, was his rather intense defense of Scripture. “There are dinosaurs in the Bible!” he would tell anyone who would listen, then begin a dissertation on creation. That’s my boy!

Dinosaurs in the Bible?  Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t. There are lots of Scriptures that talk about such things as dragons, flying fiery serpents, and of course, the behemoth and leviathan (the term dinosaur wasn’t coined till 1841).

In the book of Job, God tells Job to “Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee.” No surprise here, we were already told in the first chapter of Genesis (verses 25 & 26) that God created man and “cattle” on the same day. The word cattle is translated from the Hebrew word b’haymah (behemoth). However, the word cattle as used here, denotes any large beast. Cows are only one  type of “beast” that fall into this category.

In Job’s account, however, God is speaking of a very specific behemoth. He said that this behemoth: eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God.

Wow, what a very vivid picture of a sauropod – that’s the genus of giant dinosaur that has legs like bars of iron and tails like cedar trees. Even so, most Bible reference notes say that behemoth was either an elephant or (most likely) a hippopotamus. I find this explanation to be entertaining to say the least, so I’ve included a photo of a hippo’s tail in order for you to share in my mirth.

 

Yep, that looks like a cedar tree — NOT!

 

How about this sauropod’s tail?  Is it just me, or does this look a little more believable?


What I do not find amusing, however, is the big tale that has turned this little, wimpy hippo tail into that of behemoth’s.  This man-made doctrine is called the “gap theory” or “gap creationism” and it is a whopper of a tale. In a very simplified nutshell, the gap theory claims that there is a gap in the narrative between the first two verses of Genesis.  In between those verses, some claim, is an undisclosed narrative of a previous creation –the one that held dinosaurs, ice ages and all the other things that would “require” an earth that is far older than the one we know.

Apparently, that “first” earth had its own problems and became as extinct as the dinosaurs that supposedly roamed it.  Therefore, as the gap theory claims, God destroyed this first earth so that it became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And you know the rest of the story because it is recorded in Scripture.

Well, that would make for a very convenient explanation for some of those often misunderstood Scriptures. But there are several problems with the gap theory, including the following Scripture:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea (Revelation 21:1).    Oops, the first earth here is clearly speaking of the one you and I are living in now; so much for a pre-existing, dinosaur filled earth.

Now back to the hippo tail.  If only mankind would take God at His word, we would have no problem believing Him when he informs us that He created man and dinosaur on the same day and that they lived together on the same planet –this planet.  We would then read the fortieth chapter of Job and correctly understand that it was speaking of a big ole sauropod. I must admit, however, that a correct understanding of Job’s behemoth would mean  less laughter at the zoo near the hippo enclosure  when folks like me looked at its “tail like a cedar tree.”  But that’s a small price to pay for debunking such an outrageous tale as the gap theory; don’t you think?

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Sump Times

Posted in Contentment, Devotional, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Inspirational, Solitude, Spiritual Strength on January 5, 2012| 2 Comments »

Just past a golden cornfield in the middle of nowhere, lies a very quiet, obscure refuge. Though I haven’t been anywhere near the place for decades, it did serve me well during my dreadful teenage years. Life was very bleak back then, almost more than I could bear, so I was very thankful to have my own private “sump” to escape to.

The sump was really a drain-off ditch for the fields during the rainy season. Few people even realized it was there because it was carefully hidden behind a wind-breaking wall of trees. For most of the year, the interior of the sump looked like a dry creek bed strewn with a few fallen trees – those were my chairs, or airplane seats, or whatever else my imagination needed them to be at various times. I spent many hours alone in the sump contemplating the complexities of life or simply crying; it was very soothing. Had I known God back then, I would have spent many hours praying in the sump, but it would be many years before I would come to know Him. Still, looking back, I am certain that He was there with me in that place of refuge even though I was unaware.

Jesus, our Messiah, also understood the need for quiet refuge, especially to pray:

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone (Matthew 14:23).

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed (Luke 5:16).

There are several other Scriptures which indicate that it was Jesus’ habit to go off alone for quiet times of prayer, too many too include here. It seems to me that if the Son of God, Himself, understood the necessity of going off alone to pray, then we, in our human frailty, should do so all the more.

Dear reader, we live in a hustle and bustle world that pulls at us from every direction. It is so easy to become overwhelmed! May I encourage you to purpose in your heart to find more time to go off alone to contemplate life’s complexities, or even to cry if need be. I promise, however, you won’t be truly alone. The Lord, Jesus, will be with you even if you do not know Him yet. He longs to spend time with you and He will meet you there.

I also recommend that you go off occasionally and have some “me-time”  for no reason at all, at least sump-times. After all, there is nothing like a bit of quiet solitude to soothe and refresh one’s soul in a frenzied, hectic world.

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“Mister, Do You Smoke?”

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, Inspirational on December 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Out of the mouths of babes! Several years ago, when my youngest daughter was about three years old, she brightened the life of a stranger in the most unexpected way. She was sitting in the front of a grocery cart, dangling her legs to relieve the boredom of the long wait in line, when she suddenly chirped a friendly “Hi” to someone behind me.

As I turned to greet the person to whom she had spoken, I couldn’t help but notice his grubby clothing, and his tattoos and piercings –which were not all that common back then. Though I knew nothing of his life, he did perfectly fit the stereotypical image of a really tough biker thug. My daughter must have thought he looked like a bad boy as well, because she asked him a rather odd question –you never know what a child is going to say.

“Mister, do you smoke?”

With apparent amusement, the man answered, “No ma’am, I don’t.”

I thought it very sweet of him to call her ma’am. He certainly was a far more gentle man than his outward appearance suggested. As a parent, I felt the need to lovingly advise my daughter that it was not polite to pry. But she didn’t give me the chance. Without skipping a beat, my golden-haired child replied, “Good! I’m glad you don’t. You prob’ly won’t go to hell if you smoke, but if you do smoke, that might mean your heart isn’t right with Jesus.”

I was flabbergasted. Yes, we taught our children that smoking was bad, but who would have thought that a three-year-old would then preach the evils of smoking to a stranger in a grocery store? I felt the need to apologize on behalf of my daughter. But again, she didn’t give me the chance.

“Mister, can I sing you a song?” she asked.

“Yes ma’am, you sure can!” he responded with a very genuine smile. He wasn’t offended at all. Obviously, he was touched by the innocence of a child’s heart.

Then, loudly enough for half the store to hear, my daughter sang these words:

“Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world…”

All eyes were now fixed on my precious child; especially his. As I looked into the face of this burly, hard-looking man, I was surprised to see tears run down his cheek. This time he spoke to me.

“If I live to be a hundred,” he said, “I will never forget this little girl.” And he probably never did.

This time of year, much of the world’s thoughts are on another little child; the baby Jesus. Though he wasn’t really born in December, Christmas carols like “O Holy Night” and “Away in a Manger” remind us that Jesus IS the Savior of all mankind.

Truly, Jesus is the Son of God and He came to this earth, born of a virgin, to dwell in human form. But that baby grew to be a man, then offered His own life as atonement for sin. Why? As my daughter so aptly sang, “Jesus loves the little children of the world!”

No matter our ages, we are all God’s children and He loves us! “Red, brown, yellow, black and white; we are precious in His sight….”

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
(John 3:16).

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The Proper Ingredients

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, God's Provision, Guidance, Inspirational, Obedience, Preparedness, Purity, Religion, Servanthood, Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Strength, Zeal on November 29, 2011| 4 Comments »

Okay I admit it; a few days ago, I almost mixed dried mustard into my pumpkin pie filling instead of ginger.  It’s a good thing I keep a pair of reading glasses in the kitchen and have the good sense to use them.  Otherwise, our dessert would have tasted awful.  At least I can blame my aging eyes for this near-blunder. 

Speaking of nasty-tasting desserts, I will also confess to you that I still hold first place in the “worst cake ever made” category for novice bakers.  Granted, I was quite young when I made that horrible thing, but that error was one of ignorance rather than limited vision. Allow me to explain:

Because this was the first cake I had ever baked from scratch, I was careful to follow the recipe to the letter.   From its beautiful, golden-brown appearance, the cake looked perfect when it came out of the oven. It tasted awful, though.  Words cannot adequately describe how nasty this cake tasted, or how confused I was by the outcome.  What had I done wrong?

Determined that I would not accept such a failure, I decided to toss the cake and start over.  Again, I assembled all the ingredients and followed the recipe meticulously. The flour was carefully sifted, the butter properly softened, the vanilla carefully measured and every ingredient added in order.  Surely, I reasoned, this cake would be better.

Definitely not!

The second cake was every bit as disgusting as the first; I was practically in tears.  With great disappointment, I informed my parents that we were not having cake that night because I was the worst baker on the planet and both cakes were in the trash, where they belonged.

“What did you put in the batter?” they asked.

I explained that I had followed the cookbook recipe and used only the ingredients listed.  I wasn’t sure why my parents started laughing, but they led me into the kitchen and, pulling a bottle from the cabinet, asked if that was the vanilla I used.

“Yes,” I answered, somewhat confused.

More laughs.  “That’s not vanilla,” they explained. “You used liquid smoke in the cake.”  (Unbeknownst to me, we had run out of vanilla.)

To be fair, the label had come off the bottle some time before.  But even if it hadn’t, I didn’t have a clue what liquid smoke was. Apparently, it’s a dark, liquid seasoning that is used to add a smoky flavor to foods. Trust me; you do not want to eat cake which tastes like it just came out of the smokehouse!

I was thinking about this recently after I listened to a young pastor present some rather “contemporary” suggestions for bringing the unsaved into his church. For the most part, his ideas were pretty good. And if the preacher’s vision to reach the lost had been more firmly grounded in Scripture, the outcome would have been very sweet and desirable.   However (without elaborating on the details), I noted that a few of his suggested “ingredients” for successful evangelism were, in reality, a violation of God’s Word. His vision was admirable, but he simply did not have proper understanding in regards to the propriety of his ideas.

We must remember, when putting together any kind of church outreach, that the proper “ingredients” are absolutely vital!

Although our hearts may be sincere and our motives pure, we must always be careful not to unintentionally substitute the sweet “vanilla” of God’s instruction for the (liquid) “smoke” of “cultural relevance.”  True, our well-meaning efforts might produce something that looks really good, but if we have made substitutions in God’s “recipe” for Christian conduct, (even unknowingly), the results will most likely be distasteful to the Lord.

Of course, we do need to earnestly minister to the unsaved, but it is only the LORD who can effectively bring them into the fold.  He Himself said: No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him (John 6:44).   Programs are nice, and preaching is important, but our primary focus should be to fulfill our divine calling to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that  [we] may declare the praises of him who called [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light (I Peter 2:9).

Dear reader, let us   firmly resolve to once again raise the church to the standards of holiness she once walked in, that God may be pleased to dwell in His sanctuary as He did in days of old.  Upon doing so, we will most assuredly have the right ingredients to properly minister to those whom the LORD will send.

And that, my friend, is sweet and desirable to the LORD!

 “Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes.”                   ~George Soros

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Don’t Toss Those Bones

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, Endurance, God's Faithfulness, Inspirational, Servanthood, Thanksgiving on November 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Some post-Thanksgiving tips from an ardent food-stretcher.

Every year, after Thanksgiving, I have a few friends who bring me a very unusual gift –their turkey carcass (that’s what I call the big pile of bones that’s left-over after all the meat has been removed). Granted, bones might seem like a strange gift, but truthfully, I am the one who asked my friends to start saving them for me, and my friends have always been gracious enough to accomodate my odd request. Believe me; I always appreciate my boney turkey treats –and the friends who bring them.

Actually, this little tradition started several years ago when I was searching for ways to stretch our food a lot farther than our grocery budget. I know that many of you already do creative things with your left-over bones (broth), but today I want to veer from my traditional blogging long enough to share some post-Thanksgiving tips with those who might benefit from them.

After I put the rest of our turkey meat into containers and tuck them safely into the refrigerator for the next week’s turkey salad, pot pie, and casserole meals; I tightly wrap the bones in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. When it’s time for some scrumptious soup–and what better time than a cold December day– I put the defrosted (or frozen) bones, in my boat-size slow cooker (and cover them with water) to prepare some tasty and nutritious broth. Unless you plan to feed a small army, however, you will probably want to use a crock pot and only half the bones).

Next, I open the spice cabinet and throw in whichever seasonings suit me at the moment. These usually include celery salt, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano and sea salt. I cannot give you exact measurements, though, because I am one of those “pinch of this” and “smidgen of that” kind of cooks. Just season your broth according to preference. Don’t forget, however, there is an unwritten law that anything cooked in a pot should have fresh garlic gloves tossed in!

Let the bones “cook” until the rest of the meat falls off the bone –and you will be amazed at how much there is. Then, strain the broth and sort through the bones, tossing the meat bits back into the broth. By this time you will have finely chopped some onion, celery and carrots to cook in the broth. I find that chopping the vegetables in the food processor makes for a much better soup than cutting them into bite-sized pieces. After the veggies have cooked a half- hour or so, stir some rice into the broth and let it cook until tender (how much rice you use depends on the size of your cooker and the amount of broth you are making. Add the rice sparingly, though, as it will swell greatly and your soup will turn into soupy casserole otherwise.

Finally comes the best part; about fifteen-minutes before serving, add ™Velveeta cheese, or shredded cheddar, to the broth and let it melt. Obviously, the amount of cheese will depend on how much soup you are making, and how cheesy you want it.

But wait, there’s still more. If you used only half the bones, you can repeat the broth process later for some other delicious foods. I prefer to make the larger batch of broth in the slow cooker then pour at least half of it into canning jars to store in the freezer. If you choose to do the same, be sure to leave at least one-inch of space at the top of the jar for the liquid to expand as it freezes. (You can freeze this soup after it is finished, but the better option is to freeze only the broth and finish the soup on the day you will be eating it.)

Now what to do with that extra broth? On a day when you need a very simple, no-fuss meal, simply pour a jar or two of defrosted broth into your crock pot with one or two bags of ™Reams egg noodles and let the crock do all the work. (If you froze small batches of leftover turkey as well, throw some of that in there too.) Can you say delicious?

By now, you have probably stretched that Thanksgiving day bird into at least six budget-friendly meals. And you might even have extra broth for some good old-fashioned turkey & vegetable soup or other recipes that call for chicken/turkey broth.

If you are blessed with awesome friends like mine, ask them to toss their turkey bones your way. You can make quite a few quarts of broth with just one turkey carcass. If you are like me, and spend half your life in the kitchen, you can use a pressure canner and can the broth. But freezing the broth works well too. I recommend the canning jars because the broth freezes well in them and stays fresh for a long time.

I could throw a few more ideas your way, but Thanksgiving is just a few days away and I’m sure you are busy; so I’ll wrap this up with a final thought:

Although we all enjoy the holidays, they can leave us feeling drained and weary. But life goes on and so must we. After all, there are plenty of people who need us, whether they realize it or not. I would just like to encourage you, dear reader, that when you are exhausted and feel you have nothing left to give; you still have a great deal more to offer.

There is an important lesson to be learned from those after-dinner turkey bones; although they appear stripped and useless, they are still sufficient to feed the hungry through the hands of a wise cook. In the same way, you  may  feel completely depleted, but if you place yourself in the hands of our wise and  loving LORD, He will multiply what little you have in order to “nourish” the lives of others; you need only be a willing vessel.

And he [Jesus] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

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Would I Lye?

Posted in Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Forgiveness, Fruit of the Spirit, God's Faithfulness, Guidance, Healing, Humility, Inspirational, Long-suffering, Obedience, Persecution, Servanthood on November 9, 2011| 2 Comments »

photo credit: alatoni.com

Black olives may not please everyone’s palate, but my family –half of us, anyway– devour them like candy. In fact, whenever we have a build your own pizza night, my daughter’s pizza is usually black when she pops it in the oven due to serious olive overload. I can’t say I blame her; I’m one of the other olive lovers.

You can only imagine how elated I was the first time I realized my relatives, who lived in Phoenix, had several black olive trees growing in their back yard. “Go ahead, eat as many as you want,” my cousin told me.

Anxiously, I bit into the first one with great expectation. But I spit it out with disgust. Unbeknownst to me, those pleasant-looking fruit are bitter enough to turn your teeth inside out –until they are cured in lye, that is. Yes, I said lye.

Do you have any idea how hazardous lye can be? It can cause chemical burns, scarring, blindness, or respiratory failure; and probably even death under certain circumstances. Yep, that sounds like the kind of substance we need to treat our food with (Uh- NOT). I was stunned further to learn that manufacturers use lye to treat several other foods as well. But let’s talk about olives for a moment.

Did you know that olives are really good for our bodies? Not only do they contain a fair amount of iron, vitamin E, copper (an essential mineral) and fiber, they also have phytonutrients,  the organic components of plants which promote human health. Olives are said to:

 Contain antioxidants to fight disease.
 Have anti-inflammatory properties.
 Help decrease high blood pressure.
 Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
 Lower bad cholesterol.
 and more

It really boggles my mind that something as caustic as lye can take the bitterness right out of the olive fruit. What astounds me even more is that the caustic attacks of other people can take the bitterness right out of us.

How? First we must understand that “The building of character is the most important business of life. It matters little what works a man may leave in the world; his real success is measured by what he has wrought along the years in his own being…. True character must be built after divine patterns…” J.R. Miller, 1894

Jesus Christ is our divine pattern. What did he teach?

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which spitefully use you (Luke 6:28).

More profound still,  while Jesus Christ, who was falsely accused, was being led to Mount Calvary to face an unjust crucifixion, he demonstrated for us the most noble of character:

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7).

Why would the Son of God allow Himself to be beaten, spat upon, and ultimately murdered, without speaking one word in His own defense? It is because our Heavenly Father had a plan. Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, was absolutely perfect as both man and God. But with His every word and action, Jesus gave us a pattern of how to live so that we might be perfected into His own image.

However, we are mere mortal men and we fail. Sometimes we allow the unjust actions of others to cause bitterness deep within our hearts. It is in times like these, I believe, that God allows caustic men and women to “crucify” us so that we may be “cured” and our fruit (the fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23) may be sweet.  And more importantly, so that this sweetened fruit may then be used as a catalyst to help heal the spiritual diseases of others.

Dear reader, the next time you or I encounter a caustic, abrasive person, let us remember the words of our precious LORD and pray for him (or her). And in so doing, may he or she see the character of God through us.

In closing, I offer this final thought; relationship battles can often be won through peace– I wouldn’t lie.

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Nunya!

Posted in Condemnation, Devotional, Emotinal Pain, Emotional Healing, Encouragement, Faith, God's Faithfulness, Inspirational, Miracles, Spiritual Hunger, Testimony on November 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Let’s be honest; too many personal questions can sometimes be annoying. My friend, Barbara, often answers them with one simple word –nunya. (Yep, that really is in the (urban) dictionary –I looked it up).

She and I are good friends, so she has never responded to any of my questions like that. In fact, the first time I heard her use that term; it caught me off guard because I had never heard it before. She explained, “When I feel that someone is asking me a question which is out of line, I lightheartedly reply, “Nunya” for short. She further clarified, “By that, I mean ‘It’s nunya business.”

That’s probably not a word I would ever use much, because my life is pretty much an open book. Having said that, let me tell you that yesterday was one of those days that I just wanted to put life on hold and spend the whole day communing with my Heavenly Father; so I did. Yes, I prayed for the needs of others, but mostly I just worshipped  the Lord, spending precious time in His presence off-and-on throughout the day. I can say with certainty that He was right there, surrounding me with His awesome presence, every single time I called upon His name. For that I am truly thankful.

One of the things that gripped me most yesterday was the gratitude  I felt  knowing that our Heavenly Father is ALWAYS available for us. It doesn’t matter if we just want to ‘sit on His lap’ and enjoy His presence, or if we have a dire need; He is always as close as the mention of His name.

Perhaps you, dear reader, have never really known that kind of relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you that you can simply talk to Him as though He was standing right there beside you, and He will answer! I promise you, when you cry out, “Lord, where are you? I need you!” He will never reply “Nunya!” Instead, He will gently speak to your heart and say, “Here I am, my child!”

Even so, it is sometimes difficult to feel His presence. In His Word, Jesus assures us that He is always present, even though our own emotions hinder us from accepting that. During those times, it often feels that the Lord God is so far away that we must diligently search for Him. Even then, He promised: Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

In this Scripture, the Lord God was speaking to the nation of Israel. They had turned their backs on Him, so He punished them by allowing them to be taken into captivity  in a foreign land. Yet, He was still in their midst all along, just waiting for them to call upon Him, so that they might be restored.

I thought about this over the weekend as I listened to a very sweet man share his testimony of how he first encountered Jesus Christ. This man had been told about Jesus, but he was reluctant to accept Him into his life because of his self-imposed belief that Jesus was surely angry at all the bad things he had done in his life, and was still doing (at that time).

Then one day, as this man sat in a bar, drunk, the Lord Jesus literally appeared to him in a vision. As the man recalled the face of Jesus, his own  face lit up with joy. “Jesus was not angry with me!” he said with a rapturous expression. “He was smiling! He loved me and I knew it.” “He was smiling at me,” he repeated.

What the man said next might be hard to believe for some of you, but it’s the truth. In that vision, Jesus told this man to stop drinking and never do it again. With that, the vision stopped and the man was completely sober– instantly! The friend seated next to him, also drunk, noticed this immediate change and asked what just happened. “I  saw Jesus!” he answered. Of course, his friend scoffed –-  until the very same thing happened to him, that is.

 I have no idea what  became of the second man, but the first man obeyed Jesus  and stopped drinking right then. And he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. This man now lives his life knowing with full certainty that his Heavenly Father is always with him, lovingly helping him through every day of his life.

Please understand; the Lord Jesus loves all of humanity and longs to be a vital part of every person’s life. When we know our relationship with God is not right, it is only natural to feel a sense of alienation. Never forget, however, that The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18 NIV). He longs to restore those whose relationship with Him is broken; and in His great, lovingkindness, He will be quick to answer those who call upon His name.

Finally, let me warn you that the adversary of humanity does not want you to be in communion with God. What of that? My advice to you is simply this: boldly tell that old devil –NUNYA!

Postscript: Thank you G.C. for sharing such a touching and remarkable testimony with us. May God continue to bless you and amaze you in ways you never dreamed possible!!!

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Pumpkins, Praise and Peculiarity

Posted in Devotional, Encouragement, God's Goodness, God's Provision, Inspirational on October 12, 2011| 1 Comment »

I am just brimming over with excitement! For the last few days it has actually looked, and felt,  like fall –my favorite time of year.  Joyfully, I have watched brightly colored leaves dance gently through the air, then land on the ground with the same delicacy in which a butterfly alights on a flower. The moist ground is now strewn with many beautiful shades of fall, and the air is finally crisp.

Every year, about this time, I have taken my children (while they were still young) to a pumpkin patch. It was our family’s tradition for the young ones to pick their own pumpkin and help bake a yummy treat of their choosing from its freshly cooked flesh. Nothing goes to waste. The seeds are roasted and the outer shell is composted. This is just one way that our children have learned to appreciate the bounty of fall.

Additionally, we also find ways to enjoy the simplicity and peacefulness of the fall season. For instance, when we were  ready to  pick pumpkins, we always choose a patch that was decorated only with articles from nature;  and included a hayrack ride and corn maze for fun. One year, the youngsters had to go through the corn maze to get to the pumpkins. That year my youngest son and I were the only ones who were able to go picking, so it was a great opportunity for some quality one-on-one time for the two of us.

The pumpkin patch was bustling with activity that day, and the line to enter the corn maze was long. Nevertheless, we patiently took our place behind thirty other people or so, many of whom were adults. As we inched forward through a clearly defined corner of the maze, I felt like we were being herded through a cattle shoot at a feedlot. Apparently my son felt the same way, because he asked me, “Why is everyone just following the crowd?”

Pointing to one of the maze’s many side paths, he firmly stated, “We don’t need to follow everyone else; let’s go this way!” Delighted that my son was confident enough to think outside the box, I told him to lead the way, which  he gladly did. It took longer for us to arrive at the pumpkins, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

I have often thought back on that day with great satisfaction. It blesses me greatly that my children have learned to think for themselves, and that they are willing to take the path less travelled; especially in the area of their faith. Don’t get me wrong, my family and I are certainly  not rebels , but we prefer to let God’s Word define who we are and what we should do, rather than the status quo.

Those who don’t know Jesus Christ as Lord do not want us to stand out from the crowd, but I would like to encourage you to do  exactly that. After all, ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (I Peter 2:9).

Very soon, countless  others will file off to their end-of-the-month parties to celebrate Halloween while their children go trick-or-treating. May I further encourage you, dear reader, that it’s okay for you and your children to be a bit peculiar and celebrate  God instead.  Culture dictates that Halloween is the best and most important part of October, but I believe that every month in the year is all about God and our relationship with Him. Whereas God is not particularly pleased with Halloween, He is not opposed to all holidays. In fact, God  appointed seven High Holy Days for the nation of Israel and the righteous gentiles who came alongside them. Three of these are in the fall.  Though the dates vary because they are based on a lunar calendar, the celebratory feast of Tabernacles is nearly always in October.

Some Christians believe that we should observe God’s Holy Days, as defined in Scripture, and others don’t. That is an issue that every person must decide for themselves. Either way,   fall  is obviously very important to God.  I would, therefore, like to encourage you, as we enter the fall season, to truly focus on God. Remember His goodness, and appreciate the beauty and the bounty with which He has blessed us.

When you see pumpkins, or cornucopias spilling over with fruit, and when you smell the aroma of baked goods, may you be thankful for the great variety of foods that God has given us to eat throughout the year. When you see the multi-colored leaves falling like a gentle rain, may you be awed at the wonderful gift God has given us by way of breathtaking scenery, which changes with the seasons. And when you see the barren trees and darkening skies, may you remember the promise of resurrection in the spring.

Finally, remember that Scripture instructs you (and me) to Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14). While others are celebrating a holiday which glorifies death and darkness, may we conduct ourselves in a way that glorifies -and pleases-  Jesus Christ. If we refuse to follow the crowd they might just start following us! May it be so!

Postscript: Life can either be a confusing maze, or it can be amazing; the difference comes from whether you have a map or not. That map is the Holy Bible. If you have never read it, please do so. And if you do not own one, but would like to, jot me a note via the contact button and I would be happy to send you one – no obligation.

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Semper Fidelis Servus

Posted in Devotional, Inspirational, Obedience, Semper Fidelis, Servanthood on October 4, 2011| 2 Comments »

My nephew, who recently joined the Marine Corp, is now sporting a tattoo which covers his entire right side. It reads: Semper Fidelis. While I am certainly not a fan of tattoos, I was curious to know what those words really mean. I’ve heard the abbreviated term Semper Fi a few times, but honestly, I couldn’t imagine why a simple military motto would be so important that anyone would want to cover one-quarter of their torso with it. Turns out, it isn’t just a simple motto.

Semper Fidelis is the Latin term Always Faithful. Although this popular motto has been commonly used by various peoples and entities since at least the 1500’s, it was adopted by the Marine Corp in 1883 as an absolute way of life. To the Marine, Semper Fidelis is a lifetime commitment to always remain faithful to their mission, to each other, to the Corps and to our country, no matter what. “It is not negotiable. It is not relative, but absolute.”

However, I believe the motto is rooted farther in antiquity than the sixteenth century. I can easily imagine a young (Latin speaking), first-century lover pledging himself to be Semper Fidelis to his darling. The Roman scholars would have been Semper Fidelis to their studies, and the truly devout, Semper Fidelis to their God (or gods).

In fact, few people were as Semper Fidelis to his God than the Apostle Paul. We know that Paul spoke Hebrew, Greek and probably Aramaic, but being born a Roman citizen almost guarantees that he spoke Latin fluently as well. Therefore, he most likely rallied some of his fellow (Roman) believers to obey the call of Semper Fidelis in regards to the tireless work of spreading the Gospel. Whether he used the actual phrase Semper Fidelis or not is inconsequential. What matters is that he avidly taught the principle. For instance, he instructed the Corinthian church to be firm in purpose, resolute in faith, and industrious in service, through the following charge:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58).

In other words, he instructed them to be a Semper Fidelis Servus (servus meaning servant or slave), working tirelessly for their master, Jesus Christ. In fact, this call to diligent, faithful servanthood is so important that it is taught throughout the pages of Scripture. Similar to the Marine’s creed of faithfulness, the Christian makes a commitment to be always faithful to their mission- to those who don’t know Jesus as Lord- as well as to their brothers and sisters in Christ, and to the Kingdom of God. Like Semper Fidelis, “It is not negotiable. It is not relative, but absolute.”

The difference is that our commitment to be unconditionally faithful is not borne out of military conditioning (though we are soldiers in God’s army). Our desire to be a Semper Fidelis Servus is the direct result of our great love for our Heavenly Father and for our fellow man. And the good news is (for me anyway), that we don’t need to tattoo our flesh in order to proclaim our faithfulness to God because that is something others can see quite clearly.

May I remind you, dear reader, you may be the only Bible that some folks ever read. Are you giving them a clear “picture” of God’s love, mercy and compassion through your faithfulness? If so, may you one day be blessed to hear your precious Heavenly Father say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant… enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Postscript: my desire today is to share with you my thoughts on Semper Fidelis, not tattoos. I don’t personally care for them (actually, I hate them), but I am in no way attempting to impose my beliefs on you. Seeing my nephew’s tattoo about faithfulness simply reminded me that God has written His law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33) and our faithful obedience to Him speaks much louder than words, or pictures.

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