17 December 2009 Devotion for Today "The War on Christmas" Luke 2:16-20

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

(Luke 2:16-20)

 
 

I read an article yesterday on Yahoo News entitled, "Christian Group Launches New Attack on Christmas Commercialism" <http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091215/us_time/08599194759000> It is a disconcerting look at how some of us, especially pastors, view the Christmas holidays. Its not that we are trying to become "Scrooges" or anything like that. But the overwhelming pressure to kowtow to the commercialized Christmas is actually competing with the whole reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Pastor Rick McKinley explains: That's sort of bad if you're a pastor." Instead of helping their congregations focus on the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, the pastors found themselves competing with a secular consumerism that made December the hardest time to make their message heard. Pasted from <http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091215/us_time/08599194759000>

 
 

I have felt that same pressure, as well as many Christians in our church. In fact in recent years we have found ourselves having to scale back the activities we once enjoyed at church because many of them just cannot seem to make time for them the way we once did. The commercial sector seems to be waging an all-out "war on Christmas" in order to distract and to demand all of our attention for the sake of boosting the economy in desperate economic times. McKinley continues on this thought by saying: But to a growing group of Christians, this focus on the commercial aspect of Christmas is itself the greatest threat to one of Christianity's holiest days. "It's the shopping, the going into debt, the worrying that if I don't spend enough money, someone will think I don't love them,...Christians get all bent out of shape over the fact that someone didn't say 'Merry Christmas' when I walked into the store. But why are we expecting the store to tell our story? That's just ridiculous."

 
 

There may indeed be a war on Christmas, but this "Advent Conspiracy" is really only just another battle that began to be waged the moment Jesus was born, and all the forces of Hell unleashed themselves upon Him as well as upon everyone who has followed Him since that time. In the devotion text, you will note how the shepherds "hurried off." That seems to describe the way that many are spending the holidays to the point that it becomes almost a blur; where we hardly remember what we did or with whom we spent the Christmas holidays. However, the shepherds, after they heard the announcement from the angels, hurried off to find where the baby Jesus was born and were determined not to stop until they had found Him. They presumably even left their sheep in the field that they had earlier been watching- in other words, they reordered their priorities- and did not even allow their work and family schedules to keep them from doing what was most important at that time.

 
 

Reordering priorities- perhaps this is the most important weapon we could use as we defend ourselves in this "war against Christmas." On Sunday evening before Christmas we give out small bags of fruit and candy to give to members of the congregation to remind them of what Christmas was like back in the Depression, when we began this holiday tradition. In those days such a gift was one of the few gifts a child would get back then. Who knows, we may be going back to this- if the economy gets worse. But the point is driven home whether anyone appreciates the two pieces of fruit and piece of candy- we won't allow the commercialism of Christmas to obscure the message of Christmas: that God sent His one and only Son into this commercialized, badly-focused and sinful world that we may be saved from the effects of emptiness this type of thing brings and to give us everlasting life in a world where materialism will never feel its affect upon us again.

 
 

Prayer: Dear God, I admit that I've been "blown away" by the demands of commercial Christmas. I'm tired of the pressure and the guilt that it often brings. I commit myself to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and to celebrate it in a way that pleases You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed Christmas!

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

16 December 2009 Devotion for Today "Fear Not" Luke 2:8-11

^{8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold,[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.}

(Luke 2:8-11)

 
 

Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoach crews. Amazingly, Black Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff. Instead, Black Bart would later say from prison that he didn't need to fire a shot; all he had to do was to use fear to paralyze his victims. "Fear, the face of the unknown, was my weapon of choice, my weapon of intimidation." His sinister presence and his threat of words was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard.

 
 

Fear is also Satan's weapon of choice. More often than not, he uses fear to paralyze his victims. Its amazing to us how many times he entered even into the nativity narrative to prevent God's plan from coming to pass, or to harass the characters of it. Lets look one more time.

In the text, the shepherds were terrified at the presence of the angels. Why were they afraid? Admittedly angels do not show up every day. They did not know whether they were looking at the presence of an angel or the face of God, as Scripture tells us, "No man will see the face of God and live." (Exodus 33:20 )

 
 

Mary and Joseph lived on the edge of fear even while following God by faith. How intimidating it must have been to stand in the face of public opinion over the status of Mary's pregnancy. Joseph feared what would happen if he did not divorce his wife.

 
 

Satan entered the heart of Herod who himself feared the advent of the Christ child- that he would be a potential threat to the throne and had to be eliminated. In order to make certain he got the right one, he massacred all the babies of Bethlehem!

 
 

The Wise men were fearful- or at least wise enough to take Herod seriously, to return back to the East without letting the king know the identity of the baby they had seen in Bethlehem.

 
 

It is a fool who would deny the presence of fear. Yet the shepherds were told not to give into their instincts. Instead, they were to move beyond fear by faith and act upon the good news that they had heard from the angels that Christ the Lord had been born.

 
 

We have the same choice before us even now. We can choose to follow our fears and our instincts. For example- I have a fear of heights. It is difficult for me to get up on a high ladder or even a roof top. Its not that I fear the ladder, but falling off of it. I don't fear the rooftop, but I do fear the sudden jolt on the ground should I fall off of it. I can't help it, and I cannot ignore it. But neither can I ignore the choice of faith, either, which is far more secure and has done much more for me than staying paralyzed by fear. I might get hurt, yes. But there are worse things that befall me when I remain locked up in my fears. The worst thing is to be an unwitting servant of hell by remaining under Satan's control and not yielding my trust in God.

 
 

What are you fearful of today? Has your fear of the unknown, or difficult economic times displaced where you should be placing your trust? Don't ignore your fears, but override them by your trust and faith in God today.

 
 

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I am fearful of many things as I come before you today. I fear losing my position, my livelihood, my ability to provide and to take care of my family. Yet in all these things I see that you can provide and care for them much better than I can. So today I yield to You my trust so that my fears will be displaced instead. May I walk today by faith and not by sight that I may please You most of all. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

December 10, 2009 Devotion for Today "Imagine- If Lennon Had Known Jesus"

December 10, 2009 Devotion for Today "Imagine- If Lennon Had Known Jesus"

Twenty-nine years ago this week Beetle John Lennon was gunned
down in front of his apartment. For good or for bad
his influence upon the youth of the world changed the values
of generations, including the one I grew up in. As I reflected upon his
life this week and thought about one of his most famous songs
I began to imagine myself, what if Lennon had known Jesus?
How would that song have come out then?

"Imagine- If Lennon Had Known Jesus"

Imagine there's no Jesus…
The very thought makes me cry:
Its only hell that's for us;
Tis what happens when we die.
Imagine all the people
Living without hope...

Ah ah, oh
You may say that I'm old fashioned
But I'm not the only one.
I hope one day you will find Him
As your Savior, to Him belong.

Imagine all the countries
It isn't hard to do.
Turning weapons into ploughshares
And no more hated, too.
Imagine all the people
Eternal in God's peace.

Ah ah, oh
You may say that I'm old fashioned
But I'm not the only one.
I hope some day you will find Him
As your Savior, to Him belong.

Imagine all our possessions
It's a wonder if you can
Letting go of everything
Putting trust into God's hand
Imagine the ones that you have loved
Living eternally.

Ah ah, oh
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one .

Jeffery C. Russell

"Give God's Peace a Chance"

09 December 2009 Devotion for Today "Blackmailing Jesus" Isaiah 9:1-2

1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-

2 The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of the shadow of death [a]

a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:1-2

For the next time period of Devotion for Today I am expositing Isaiah 9 in this devotion series called, "Prophecies of Christmas." I hope that it will be informative as well as inspirational and encouraging to you as you find solace throughout these very busy Christmas holidays.

There are variations of an old humorous illustration several preachers have told down through the years

The one I remember is told like this:

Little Johnnie desperately wanted a bright red wagon for Christmas.

His friends were writing letters to Santa Claus, but Johnnie decided to go one better.

"Dear Jesus," he wrote. "If I get a red wagon for Christmas, I won't fight with my brother Hank for a year." Then Johnnie thought, Oh, no, Hank is such a brat, I could never, ever keep that promise. So Johnnie threw away the letter and started again.

"Dear Jesus, if I get a red wagon for Christmas, I will eat all my vegetables for a year." Then Johnnie thought, Oh, no, that means spinach, broccoli and asparagus. Yuck! I could never ever keep that promise.

Suddenly Johnnie had an idea. He went downstairs to the living room. From the mantel above the fireplace, he grabbed the family's statue of the Virgin Mary. Taking the statue to the kitchen he wrapped it in newspapers and stuffed it into a grocery bag. He took the bag upstairs to his room, opened the closet and placed the package in the farthest, darkest corner.

He then closed the closet door, took a new sheet of paper and wrote, "Dear Jesus, if you ever want to see your mother again..."

Blackmailing Jesus. As humorous as the story may be, there may be more truth in this than we might suppose. It's a struggle many Christians have, including myself. There is a feeling that we are in a Quid-Pro-Quo" relationship with God: that is, if God will do something for us, we might do something for Him.

So we pray and make bargains with God, or we will serve Him with some type of condition upon it- whether we voice it to ourselves is immaterial. Let's just say we teach a Sunday School class for a whole year-even though we really didn't want to do it. But during the course of the year, things begin to go terribly wrong in our lives. We lose our job, we experience marital difficulty, or have an incessant array of repair bills to our homes or automobiles. Our hearts begin to grow heavy and disappointed with God in the process. We begin to think: "God, I don't understand? I'm serving You the best way that I know how, and still You don't seem to want to bless me? So I will tell You what? Either You start blessing me and give me some relief, or I am going to stop doing what I'm doing for You, God! And if this pattern keeps up, I'm going to stop going to church altogether!"

Few Christians would admit this but I have seen this pattern borne out in many. Its akin to "blackmailing God." If God won't give me what I want, I won't serve Him anymore!" We suppose God is no longer worthy to be our God when He won't bless us the way we think we should be blessed. But God is not a friend whom we turn our backs on whenever He doesn't treat us the way we think we should be treated. What we don't understand about God is that we were in enmity against God before we were ever aware of His presence in our lives. The fact is, we're the ones who have turned our backs on God and mistreated Him, not the other way around.

Isaiah discusses this tendency of human nature in the first two verses of Isaiah 9. It is called walking in darkness. We walk in darkness when we don't understand the nature of God and His character of love and desire to reach out to us. But we prefer to walk in darkness- coloring God's motives with the same color of our own bitterness and our own dark outlook of our surroundings. We impute these same characteristics upon God, and prefer to see Him the way we see ourselves. Instead, God wants us to see a great light- the light that first causes us to see ourselves the way we truly are, and a Light that will lead us out of that darkness so that we will no longer live in gloom and distress. The Light which leads us out of that darkness is Jesus Christ. As the Wise men followed a star from the east to find the source of the true Light, we orient our attitudes and our lives by following the Light emerging from the darkness of our souls.

Its easy to give into self-pity and even anger toward God for the manner in which we perceive He is treating us. But we make it worse on ourselves when we do. In reality we find that its in the darkness that we stub our toes and trip over things that we have placed there ourselves. God desires to lead us out of this, not to make it more difficult for us. If you see a glimmer of Light right now, won't you follow it?

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me please for the anger and bitterness I have had while trying to trust You. The frustration I feel right now is nothing more than the frustration I have for myself, not toward You. Help me to find a way out of the darkness instead of blaming You for the darkness I have created for myself because of my sins. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

07 December 2009 Devotion for Today "A Course in Miracles" Mark 6:38-43

 

^{38 But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see."}

And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

^{39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. 41 And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. 42 So they all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about[f] five thousand men. (Mark 6:38-43)}

 
 

What is a miracle? Baker's Dictionary of the Bible defines a miracle as "an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God." It goes on to add that a miracle occurs to show that the power behind it is not limited to the laws of matter or mind as it interrupts fixed natural laws. from<http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4222629/k.EE2A/What_is_a_Biblical_Definition_of_Miracle.htm>

 
 

Yesterday at Salem Church I believe that we saw God working miracles all through the service. Its not that God has never worked like this before; its due to the fact that He opened my eyes to what He has been doing all along and gave me eyes to see it. Perhaps that might have been the greatest miracle of all. I want to take this time to share this with you today so that you would be encouraged and strengthened in your faith in Christ.

 
 

The first miracle was seen when sometime toward the end of the Sunday school hour, the electrical power went off. Some who had arrived to church said they saw the Dominion Power company working at the small substation that serves the Weeksville community. In the back of my mind I am thinking, "That's just great! Of all Sundays for the power to go out. Our youth were planning to do a special presentation requiring a video and they are sure to need microphones! Dear God, please hear my prayer, and do something." Excusing myself during Sunday school, I whispered a prayer as I stepped in the hallway. As I reached the stairwell, a church member by the name of Scott, met me to say, "Pastor Jeff, I want you to know that I just happen to have an electric generator on the back of my trailer. I was planning to use it during the parade tonight. It all gassed up and ready to go if the church can use it." I asked Scott to follow me, where we met Jeff, an electrician and a very resourceful deacon. We asked his opinion about utilizing the generator and Scott and Jeff set to work getting power restored to the church building while I scrambled to get the morning worship service underway.

 
 

I met with the choir for prayer and said, "Lord, Your church has had to rely upon nothing but Your power for centuries. Thank You for reminding us of this. Prepare our hearts today to rely upon You in Jesus Name, Amen." As we entered the sanctuary, there was a definite chill in the air. Thus far the power was not yet running for it would take a while. I began the service by the lighting of the Advent candle, but by the time the communion service was to start, the power was restored to the building; thanks to God's provision.

 
 

However, the second miracle was yet to be seen as the deacons dispensed the elements of communion, the bread and then the fruit of the vine. There was a large crowd in the service that morning, but I didn't realize that we might run short of communion elements. However, as the large group which sat in the narthex was being served, I observed that there were fewer than usual communion glasses in the trays. After the choir was served, of the deacons who was serving them brought back a tray completely empty. I eyed the small tray which was returned from the nursery after they were served. One full cup remained on it. As I began to serve the deacons I prayed to myself, "Lord, I don't know what You are trying to tell us here, but please let there be enough for everyone to have a communion glass." As I served the deacons, I returned with just one remaining communion juice glass, the one I would use to serve myself! God told me to say this: There is just one glass remaining here this morning. The only thing I can say about this is that God is telling us how much He loves us by providing for us. He loves us so much and wants us to know that when it comes to His provision, no one is left out! Thanks be to God!"

 
 

Following the Communion service and the offering the choir brought the special music. Following this, the youth and adults from the church gave a testimony presentation about their recent trip to Operation Christmas Child headquarters in Charlotte. They had the opportunity to process shoeboxes for this project and returned so blessed by the experience. Thanks to the restored power, we were able to view the video one of the participants made telling about the trip. However, during the testimony portion, after each youth and adult spoke, one of their team members spoke. But what was so remarkable about her testimony was the fact that her speech had been significantly impeded due to a severe brain injuries following an auto accident almost twelve months earlier. Katie spoke up and gave a perfectly clear, two-sentence delivery of what she did during the mission trip! She has spoken in broken sentences or one-word answers in personal conversations before, but nothing like this! Everyone broke out in applause and praise to God.

 
 

The service concluded not long afterward. No one even noticed that the service went a half an hour overtime- perhaps that was a miracle in itself. But there was no doubt how the Holy Spirit filled the service that day.

 
 

I realize that some theologians may not qualify what we experienced that Sunday as miracles, but there was no doubt in my mind that, miracle or not, God definitely intervened on our behalf. We are, after all, a Baptist church. Miracles just don't happen in Baptist churches! Or so I thought. Ordinarily I would have been severely "stressing" about the electricity problem. I did not. I just knew and trusted God that He would provide somehow and made up my mind that we would not need the electricity unless He intervened. He did. I also would have been dismayed (and so would have the ladies who prepared the communion cups) if I had known we might not have enough. God kept that information from me until the very end so that we would depend upon Him to provide. What can I say about young Katie speaking during the testimony service? That easily could have been explained away due to Katie's intensive speech therapy, her loving parents and grandparents also working with her constantly during her rehabilitation toward recovery. Still, she spoke and God was glorified in it.

 
 

The miraculous occurs when we can look beyond our myopic human nature and reason to look into the activity of God. There we see Him doing what He always does. Today I want to challenge you to do the same. Without a doubt you will experience the same blessing that I did on Sunday.

 
 

Prayer: Lord God, give me eyes to see, and ears to hear what You do each and every day even if my small mind and feeble faith do not have the capacity to understand it. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

 
 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

24 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Words" Proverbs 15:1-4

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere,

keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,

but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:1-4

British author Rudyard Kipling was once interviewed by a group of reporters and was asked about the secret of his success. Kipling said that the secret of a good writer is to get each word to sell, for every word has value. The more valuable the word, the more richer the author. One reporter commented, "Mr. Kipling, it is estimated that many of your words per page are worth more than $100 each. If so, would you be willing to give us one of your $100 words?" Kipling asked first for a one hundred dollar bill, which the reporter handed over to him. Without saying anything else, Kipling took the one hundred dollar bill, folded it and put it in his pocket while the reporters stood in rapt attention. Kipling smiled and said, "Thanks!"

Thanks is certainly one of those valuable, one hundred dollar words- and certainly appropriate as we enter into the season of Thanksgiving. But all of our words have some value. One writer said that words are "among the most necessary, brilliant creation on the planet, and at the same time, some of the most destructive things one will ever find." The words themselves are not so inherently valuable as in how they are used.

Solomon certainly understood not only the power of words, but the way in which they are used. As king, Solomon was constantly in highly stressful situations where the atmosphere was extremely tense and volatile. One false step, one small nuance out of place, one tiny moment of insincerity, one bit of anger just below the surface could cause the entire situation to go up in flames. In those moments, Solomon understood the value of a gentle word and a soft answer. Many times skillful persons will, during intense conversations or negotiations, will employ humor to relieve the tension and diffuse the anger. Then as his listeners are more at ease, he can more easily, yet gently, drive his point home.

Unfortunately, not everyone is so skillful. Indeed there are some who will intentionally drop words like they were atomic bombs. Its bad enough when we unintentionally say the wrong thing. Yet these people go out of their way, spoiling for a fight. They will look for the means to twist your words around and impugn your motives, leaving everyone angry and frustrated. Solomon tells us it is wise to mark these people well and to stay away from them.

A deceitful tongue indeed crushes the spirit. Have you ever known anyone who never gave praise but was always full of criticism? Perhaps you work for or live with someone like this. No matter what you do, no matter how well you do it, the one with the deceitful tongue will always find a way to find fault with it. Solomon knew these people well. However, he seldom spent much time worrying about them. But he employed the same kind of wisdom against them. Instead of reacting with the expected hostility, Solomon would speak more slowly and softly, smiling as he spoke. He knew how to put them into situations where they would have to eat their words. Those who gush folly usually don't take long to let everyone know that they do not know what they are talking about, but a wise man knows the difference between a person who knows his stuff and the one who doesn't.

How much we need discernment and wisdom from God as we listen to people today. Perhaps we might want to incorporate Niebuhr's Serenity prayer as we listen and observe those who around us:

Prayer:

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Help me also Lord to know the power of my

Words, as well as how to say them.

Have a blessed day!

18 November 2009 Devotion for Today “I Have Called You By Name” Isa 43:1-3

18 November 2009 Devotion for Today "I Have Called You By Name" Isa 43:1-3

 ¹ But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel:
       "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 ² When you pass through the waters,
       I will be with you;
       and when you pass through the rivers,
       they will not sweep over you.
       When you walk through the fire,
       you will not be burned;
       the flames will not set you ablaze.

 ³ For I am the LORD, your God,
       the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

    How is it that God, God's son, God's angels can so confidently tell God's people to "Fear not?" Don't they see what's happening? Don't they care about the harm we're about to experience? Are they living in some kind of divine state of denial? The answer follows those two words in vs. 1. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." God knows us (I have summoned you by name). We belong to God (you are mine.)
    God can say, "Fear not," because God knows that he's going to be with us no matter what. That's what vs. 2 is about. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned." God never tells us there won't high waters, raging rivers or blazing fires in our lives. He just says, "When you are in the middle of those worst case scenarios, fear not. I am with you."
    Each football season the Texas Longhorns play the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Shoot Out. It is played in the neutral city of Dallas. Thousands of fans from each team invade the city to witness the clash between these archrivals. Sometimes the clash extends beyond the playing field. One year a scuffle broke out in the stands and a handful of men were arrested and taken down town. To avoid jail they had to pay a $ 250.00 fine. One fan didn't have the money. All he had besides his drivers' license was his Neiman Marcus credit card. He showed the card to the judge, who said, "You can't pay your fine with that. You're spending the weekend in jail."
    When the man got to make his phone call, he didn't call his wife. He called the Neiman Marcus store and told them his story. The story made it's way up the company ladder until a Neiman Marcus vice-president said, "This guy is one of our customers, we'll help him out." The paid his fine and charged his card.
    Now, if Neiman Marcus could be loyal to a customer, do you think maybe your Father in heaven could be loyal to one of his children? And God won't charge your card. *
    Remember the young man who was arrested a few years ago in Singapore for some small infraction of their very strict laws? He was found guilty and sentenced to caning. It's not real important whether or not he was guilty or if the punishment fit the crime. The point is that his story made front page news here in the states. And the president appealed to Singapore for leniency -- for one reason; that kid was an American citizen. He belongs to us and we went to bat for him.
    That's why God can say, "Fear not." We belong to him. No matter what happens, no matter what we do, God is going to be with us in the flood, with us in the fire, with us when the worst happens.

Prayer: Dear God, I am in over my head right now, and it looks like the worst is happening to me. The flood waters are rising, and the flames are licking around my heels. Help me to trust in You, and not to fear. Let me know that hope lies beyond the flood, and on the other side of the flames. In Jesus Name, Amen.

*Jeremy Houck- "When the Worst Happens," Sermoncentral.com

17 November 2009 Devotion for Today “Extend the Margins” John 10:10, Isa 26:3

17 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Extend the Margins" John 10:10, Isa 26:3

 

This morning I am going to start off by doing something just a little bit different- kind of an exercise or object lesson to get you a little bit involved. First, find a book that is at least 100 pages long and turn to page 37. It doesn't matter what book it is- the fact that you are able to read it at all is because these words set are defined not by the printed matter that you see in front of you, but by the white space to the top, bottom, left and right sides that you normally do not notice. This white space, serving as a border and demarcating the printed matter is gives order and meaning to everything to the inside of the page. This white space is called the margin. This margin is not incidental- for in fact if we didn't have margin on the page, the book you are looking at, would be very difficult if not impossible to read. In fact, the words on the page, without the margin, would be almost incomprehensible. If you are reading a book with no margin on the left side where the book is bound, you would not be able to see the words on that side. It would be so difficult to read that you would just set down that book with no margin and find something else to read.

 

What was the point of that whole illustration? To demonstrate to you that you take margin out of a book or a page and you may not be able to read it, or make much sense- but unfortunately that is what we have done to life. We have literally snatched, chopped, sliced, and otherwise pulled out the margin . But you take the margin out of life, and what you have done is to overload your life so much that its only a matter of time before emotional, financial, spiritual, moral, and physical breakdown is going to occur. An example of this is when you have no margin you end up being 30 minutes late to the doctors office because you were 20 minutes late getting out of the bank because you were 10 minutes late dropping the kids off at school because the car ran out of gas two blocks from the gas station- and you forgot your wallet! Margin, on the other hand, is having breath left at the top of the staircase, money left at the end of the month, and sanity left at the end of of your kids' adolescence. Marginless is the baby crying and the phone ringing at the same time. Margin is grandma taking the baby for the afternoon. Marginless is being asked to carry a load give pounds heavier than you can lift; margin is a frind to carry half the burden. Marginless is not having time to finish the book you're reading on how to manage stress; margin is having the time to read it twice. Marginless is fatique; margin is energy. Marginless is red ink, margin is black ink. Marginless is hurry, margin is calm. Marginless is anxiety, margin is security; marginless is the disease of our new millennium- but margin is its cure. Have you ever wondered why it is that we have comforts and conveniences that other times in history could only dream about, yet somehow, inspite of the fact that we have them, we are not flourishing under the gifts of modernity as as one would expect. We live in an age of unprecedented breakthroughs in technology, in medicine, in science, and invention. Its an amazing age of progress, and for that we should be thankful.

 

Yet as visible as these achievements have been, our faults demand a glaring prominence of their own: I recently financed a car for roughly the same amount of what I mortgaged my first house for 20 years ago. We have divorce, teenage pregnancy, illicit drug abuse, crime, incarceration rates, one fourth of our population is functionally manic-depressive. Add these to corporate malfeasance, AIDS, litigation rates, unaffordable health care, educational breakdown and functional illiteracy---if our progress is so wonderful, why do we drink and drug to forget our problems? Why are we divorcing and suing at such unprecedented rates? Why is it that we are hearing and seeing so many things like what happened at Columbine and Virginia Tech? Why are people killing themselves-and others, in such numbers? Because our progress has come a price. For all the progress we have in modern life, the rat race that this progress has generated in many was far outweighs the benefits we derive from them.

 

    I do not believe that God ever meant for life to be this hard.    You look at the life of Jesus as you see someone who was never in a hurry, yet He only had three years But when Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly- He was not only talking about eternity. He was also talking about time. Time right here on earth, and how to experience that abundant life of margin that God desires us to have. I don't believe, for example, that God ever meant for us to be so tired and frazzled all the time! Have you ever stopped to wonder why it is that people are so anxious and depressed? Do you think that God meant for one-fourth to one third of population to have to live on the medication we are taking just to cope with one more day? Something is wrong- desperately wrong! And its not just enough to call it sin. to accomplish what God put Him on this earth to do. You never see Jesus stressed-out. Sure you saw Him angry, like the encounter He had with the money changers at the temple, or disappointed- perhaps expressing a little frustration with His disciples because they just couldn't seemd to get what their Master was teaching them. But not even having the basic necessities or comforts of life seemed to bother Him. "Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no where to lay His head." Here was one who had thousands of people clamoring to make Him a king, to do miracles, healings, preaching sermons on the mount and yet not once did He miss that time to be with His heavenly Father.

    

    Jesus said, I am come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly! (John 10:10) The abundance of life is found not in how much you may squeeze in a page, but in the margins- the space and time in which God has defined life to take place. Knowing that we have everlasting life is the framework for restoring the margin back into our lives which sin has robbed us of- and to live the kind of life that God wants us to live. When I think of the Psalmists, for example- God speaks through them saying that when God leads us, He leads us beside the still waters. He tells us to be still and know that I am God. Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

 

    As you approach the holiday season, remember this, the extent to which you enjoy this next month or so ahead of you will be enjoyed in the same proportion as to the margins you have in your life. Before you make any plans and crowd the season with activities, focus on the margins and extend them first. You will enjoy the holidays so much better.

 

    Have a blessed day!

03 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Gospel Plan of Salvation Using M&Ms" I John 1:7

03 November 2009 Devotion for Today "Gospel Plan of Salvation Using M&Ms" I John 1:7

I needed a quick and easy way to hold children's attention so that I could share the plan of salvation with them during our fall festival party the other night. I've used the Wordless Book before, but that didn't hold children's attention for long. After I grabbed a bag of snacked sized M&M's to give out at the Trunk or Treat Party at Church, I thought, what better way than to use these for the Gospel presentation session before they get hyped up on candy that night.

First, I separated out all the varioius colors, Blue, Brown, Yellow, Green and Orange and put one of each color in snack sized plastic bags.

Ask the children to each take a plastic bag and be seated on the floor.

Have them start with the blue color M&Ms.

BLUE Say: First take the blue M&M out but don't eat it yet. Ask if I would use the color blue to describe a feeling, what feeling would that be? Many of them said "sad, depressed, lonely, etc." Say: That's right, blue is the color we are because we're sad, lonely, depressed, and especially if we have never heard that God loves us and has a plan for our lives. He does not want us to be sad. He wants us to have joy and peace. Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11
But why do people not experience that God's plan for joy in their lives? Go ahead and eat this blue M&M.

BROWN- now take out the brown M&M and hold it in your hand. We don't experience that joy because of sin. Let's say brown is the color of dirt- the color our hearts are now because of sin. I explained what sin is and how it separates us from God and how God must punish sin. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), The Bible also says, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). There's only one way to cleanse our sins so that we can draw close to God. (go ahead and eat the brown M&M)

RED- take out the red M&M and hold it in your hand. Ask to desribe the color red, Ask: "What does the color Red remind you of?" Many will shout out, "Blood!" That's right, and we're talking about the blood of Jesus? What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! The Bible tells us in I John 1:7 that "the blood of Jesus Christ (God's Son) cleanses us from all sin." Go ahead now and eat the red M&M as you think of Jesus and the sacrifice that he made for you on the cross when He died for your sins, and take out the yellow M&M

YELLOW- Yellow is bright, it is shiny, its the color of the sun, it also reminds me of GOLD, the color of heaven and its streets. Since we don't have a gold M&M, we'll use the yellow one to remind us of the place that God has set aside for us who have asked Jesus into our hearts, and where we will spend all eternity when we die. In the book of Revelation 21:21 it says, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Talk about heaven being a wonderful place, and even though we don't know everything about it yet, its the place where we want to be one day- not in hell, where we will be if we allow sin to remain in us without following Jesus. Now go ahead and eat the yellow M&M.

GREEN- take out the green M&M and hold it in your hands. What does green remind any of you of? Green is the color of plants, trees, flowers, and many other living things. Green is also the color of "Go" on a traffic light. It means we can move ahead. Once we move ahead knowing Jesus as our Savior and Lord, Jesus wants us to grow, and He also wants us to go. We can grow to be more like Jesus because He wants us to be His Disciples, learners. We do this by going to church, reading our Bibles, praying and talking to God, obeying and doing His will, etc. Quote Matthew 28:18-20 or another verse describing what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Now eat the Green M&M and take out the last one, Orange.

ORANGE- Why would I have an Orange M&M? What do you think Orange would mean? (Ask for some to describe it). Orange is one of my favorite colors, as well as favorite flavors! But most of all, "ORANGE ya" glad you came tonight to Trunk or Treat to hear about Jesus? Orange-ya glad Jesus Christ died for you and rose again from the dead to give you eternal life? Orange-ya glad you don't have to go to hell, but can go to heaven? Orange-ya going to tell somebody else about what Jesus has done for us?

Lead in a prayer of salvation and ask for hands to go up for those who want to know more about what Jesus has done for them.

After the prayer, hand out the remaining M&M packets and a gospel tract or even an index card with each of the colored M&Ms taped on it explaining the plan of salvation on it. Dismiss the children with the candy. Time elasped, fifteen minutes.

Hope you can use this plan of salvation in a special event where you have children around. You can adapt it as needed, and expound more on it for adults. May God help you use it to tell others about Jesus.

Have a blessed day!

29 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Watch Out for Snakes" Psalm 58

29 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Watch Out for Snakes" Psalm 58

The other morning I was starring out the window when something
interupted my gaze. It wiggled on the deck beneath the outdoor
furniture. It caught my dog's attention also, who scratched at the
double doors beside me, whimpering excitedly. She darted beneath
the table and pawed at the thing and then jumped back nervously. Only
then could I tell what this "thing" was- a small grass snake had slithered
over the deck in an attempt to find a place to sun himself. Mandy,
a brown and white Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, began to bark and jump
excitedly around the snake. I thought I might try to kill it, but the grass
snake moved quickly into the grass and down into the ditch never to be seen again.
It was a harmless little snake, I thought, so I did not bother with it any more.

Not all such snakes are as harmless. Poisonous snakes are rare on
the continent where we live- but in our native Virginia and North Carolina
in America poisonous Cottonmouths, Rattle snakes and Copperheads abound.
Still, there is another variety of serpent that David
describes in Psalm 58. He speaks of "the wicked who are estranged from
the womb; they go astray, as soon as they are born, speaking lies."
(verse 3). "Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are
like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, which will not heed the voice
of charmers, charming ever so skillfully." (Verses 4-5).

David had countless entertainers at court. The snake charmer has
been a delight to audiences since ancient times. Apparantly David saw
such a feat that did not go as planned. The venom of the cobra is
one of the deadliest and kills within minutes. If the cobra is
especially aggressive, the skill of the snake charmer is wasted on him.
The snake will be relentless in his pursuit of death, no matter how
skillful the charmer may be. This is because he "stops his ear."

David observed that some people are like that. They not only spread
vicious lies, but they tell them so much that they actually believe
these lies themselves. They will not listen, not even to the most
persuasive person around. They hear only what they want to hear and do
not want to listen to reason. Their minds are only bent on destruction.
In a situation like this, nothing can be done except call upon the
intervention of God to stop the flow of venom, "Break their teeth in
their mouth, O God!" Verse 6.

It would be a good thing altogether to avoid contact with such people.
However, many times it cannot be helped. There are those times when
we are so close to them, we do not notice them or what they are doing-
like when I was starring obliviously from my window. If that snake
had been a cobra or a viper, no doubt my precious Mandy would be gone by now.
Such is the danger that earthly snakes can do. But there is a deadly
venom that such wickedness brings with the variety of snakes
which walk on two legs. Be very careful and cautious. There is no
use to try to reason with such a one or else you may be bitten yourself.
Call upon the Lord to deal with the person and withdraw altogether if
you can.

Prayer: Dear Lord help me to watch my way as dangerous snakes as those
that seek my demise are all about me. Help me be mindful of their
dangers. Most of all, keep me from being one myself.

May the Lord give you a blessed day!

(from August 9, 2000)

28 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Peace With Your Enemies" Proverbs 12:7-9

 
 

^{7 When a man's ways please the LORD,}

      He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

       8 Better is a little with righteousness,

      Than vast revenues without justice.

       9 A man's heart plans his way,

      But the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 12:7-9

 
 

President Abraham Lincoln could usually get along well with everyone. But one individual who constantly berated the President and criticized him was his Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton. Stanton was not only critical, but rude and disrespectful of the President. Overhearing such a remark that Stanton had made of the President while in his presence, one of Lincoln's staff members complained "Mr. President, if I were in your position I would do everything in my power to destroy that man as I do all my enemies." To which President Lincoln replied, "Do I not destroy my enemies, when I make them my friends?"

 
 

Do you have those folks in your life that you don't get along with very well? You know the kind I am talking about- the ones who like to irritate you, or "get under your skin?" We all have them. They may be rivals, those with whom we do not "hit it off with." Call it bad chemistry, not clicking, bad communication or whatever you will, the writer of this proverb rolls them all up into a term we may or may not use to describe those folks whom we sometimes consider as the bane of our existence: Enemies.

 
 

 
 

 
 

Personally, I do not like the term enemy. When I think of an enemy I think of a national adversary who is trying to destroy the nation in which I live- and probably me with it. I think of an enemy whom would like nothing better than to read of my demise in the obituaries. As Christians we do not like to admit that we have enemies, but we do. The great enemy of our souls, Satan, is always stalking us as a raging lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). He's constantly on the look out seeking opportunities where he may win victories over us. Sometimes he sends out people, or orchestrates situations between people, in which conflict is inevitable. Our adversaries may not like us because we have conflicting life purposes and philosophies. Sometimes they are our enemies because they have the same purposes and philosophies- its just that they are in competition with us because they are jealous of the opportunities we may have to express them. Perhaps our enemies may feel threatened by us because we seem to have the means to succeed where they do not. They may secretly be jealous of the families, opportunities, and apparent success we seem to enjoy. Every word we say is measured and twisted by our enemies to ensure a communication battle or struggle. They cast aspersions upon every sentence, they malign every nuance of every statement or body language. Most of the time, however, if we reached out to our enemies we would find that they often want the same thing for themselves as we want. When you can reach out to them and love them the way Christ does, you will destroy your enemy the way Lincoln did- by making him your friend.

 
 

The Scripture we read tells us that though we might not be inviting our enemy over for supper right away, that when our actions please the Lord, our enemies will be at peace with us. How do we do this? When we refuse to retaliate against a wrong done to us, we please the Lord. When we refuse to play their games of superiority and competition, we please the Lord. When we refuse to slight or diminish our enemy- especially in the presence of others, but instead give them the credit and honor due to them, we please God. Indeed our actions may cause our adversaries to be ashamed as Paul tells us in Romans 12:20: "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."

 
 

You may not totally eliminate your enemies in this way, but they may keep their distance from you when you show them the grace of God working in your heart. Do all that you can in this way to reach out to them in this way.

 
 

Prayer: Dear God the fact that I may have enemies reflects on the fact that before I came to know You, I was at enmity with You. Help me Lord to get along with those with whom I do not get on well, and make it a challenge to uphold the grace to which You have imparted in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

 
 

Have a blessed day!

26 October 2009 Devotion for Today "It is What it is" Proverbs 14:12-18

^{12 There is a way that seems right to a man,}

       but in the end it leads to death.

 13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,

       and joy may end in grief.

 14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways,

       and the good man rewarded for his.

 15 A simple man believes anything,

       but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.

 16 A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,

       but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

 17 A quick-tempered man does foolish things,

       and a crafty man is hated.

 18 The simple inherit folly,

       but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

(Proverbs 14:12-18)

 
 

Several times over the course of the past few months I have had people use the expression found in the title of today's devotion: "It is what it is!" Usually the statement is made as an excuse for why it isn't what it ought to be- as though it was perfectly acceptable for the state of whatever it is to be as it is. Instead of being ashamed or embarrassed to be as it is- whatever it is-is elevated to a new level of respectability if not honor. No longer does whatever it is feel the pressure to change. Now I must live under the pressure of accepting it as it is and living with it whether I like it or not.

 
 

Do you have those "It is What It is" situations in your life? Its seems like not only are they here to stay, but It is What It is have intruded into our world with a whole new system of values which now we are obliged to accept. We can't seem to do anything about "what it is" except to grit our teeth, hold our nose, and swallow what it is they insist that we accept.

 
 

Solomon, however, dealt with those people and situations all the time. One of them in verse 12 "There is a way that seems right to a man." First of all , this kind of person does not believe in absolute truth, but believes that his own way is better than your way or even God's way. He may even lead you to accept it by saying that while it may not be right for you, it is right for him. Without any way to be objective about the way he has taken, he will not listen to you when you try to tell him that he has taken the wrong road. Sadly, his way is the way of death like so many millions who chose no absolute truth and "It is What it is" over salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. He is heading for a sheer drop off from which he will never recover. I wonder if he will say, "It is What it is", then?

 
 

Satan has tried to feed us the lie that all the roads lead up the same mountain. They do not. Some might begin at the bottom of the same mountain we are on, only to lead to a lead end or over the edge of a cliff. We cannot afford the luxury of hoping and wondering if we are on the right road anymore. We need to know it before we ever get on it. Christ has provided that certainly beyond any doubt. God's Word has also said, in I John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." When you get on that road, you will never have to say, "It is what it is" or even "is this all that there is," but "This is it and I'm glad!"

 
 

Prayer: Thank you God for the confidence and the assurance to see Your truth in the midst of other things in this world that clamor for my time and attention. Thank You for Jesus Christ who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

 
 

21 October 2009 Devotion for Today "What is Lacking" I Thess 3:8-10

21 October 2009 Devotion for Today "What is Lacking" I Thess 3:8-10

 
 

Have you ever left to go on a trip, having packed rather hurriedly,and then sensed that somewhere along the way that something was missingor that you had forgotten to do something?  About ten years ago, my lovely wife surprised me with a birthday trip to Philadelphia by train from Union Station in Washington, D.C.  The day arrived and we

packed and made our way to the station.  When we arrived at the platform, the conductor asked to see our tickets.  I reached into my jacket pocket to retrieve them, only to discover that they were not there. Robin searched her purse to no avail. Frantic, we searched our luggage-still no train tickets.  The train was due to leave in about thirty minutes.  "What do we do?" We asked the conductor.  The conductor smiled, "Happens all the time!  If you have a reservation, the ticket agent will be happy to produce new tickets if you can verify ID."  We thanked him for his help and were able to secure new tickets for the journey, and boarded the train just in time.

 
 

We found the lost tickets when we returned home. They were sitting on the coffee table next to the telephone.  We had called someone about the care of our children and were discussing the travel arrangements and pulled them out of the luggage to look at them. We had just forgotten to put them back.

 
 

Of course, such a time of panic might well have been avoided had we made certain that we had the tickets before we left the house.  But this happens, sometimes.  We were just glad we had what we needed to get new ones made.  In life, we may not always be able to take time to

be sure that we have what we need, only to discover ourselves severely short of resources at a crucial time. 

 

Our faith is like this as well. Many do not take the time to build their faith and personal relationship with God because they are hurriedly going about the pace of life.  Its not that they feel its important, but the focus of other things crowds out the essentials. 

 
 

But then the "big trip" comes.  Suddenly people find themselves having crossed over death's threshold before they realize what has happened. And Christ asks for the credentials to enter into Heaven and these same people realize that they have left it sitting on the coffee table-

the plan of salvation inside their Bibles which they never took time to read and make a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. 

 
 

The Apostle Paul commends the church in Thessaloniki because of their faith and love (verse 6).  He was concerned that because he had to leave in such a hurry that he might have forgotten to lay the sufficient ground-work for their effective growth in commitment to Jesus Christ:

"For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.  For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?"

 
 

There are others who have just what they need to take them to Heaven, but there are things lacking to give them the joy and hope needed to sustain them in this life.  May the Lord help you to search your heart to see what is lacking.  Perhaps you lack discipline, or courage, or

maybe you continually fall into temptation.  Is there a lack of love

there to point others to the Savior?  Is peace lacking to help you combat worry and frustration?  May the Lord help you check your spiritual baggage today, so that there is nothing lacking.  Have a blessed day.

 (from 10 April 2001)

21 October 2009 Devotion for Today "That Lived-in Look" Proverbs 14:1-6

21 October 2009 Devotion for Today "That Lived-in Look" Proverbs 14:1-6


1 The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD,
but he whose ways are devious despises him.
3 A fool's talk brings a rod to his back,
but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
5 A truthful witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

(Proverbs 14:1-6)

I seldom read this passage without thinking about my parents. They not only loved us but they showed that love for my siblings and I by making our home welcome to our friends. My mother was and still is an excellent housekeeper, but a picture of our home would never have graced the cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine. It had that "lived-in look." First of all, she had two messy teenagers. Secondly, at the time we were teenagers, she also had an extremely active toddler to care for. Thirdly, there was hardly an afternoon or an evening that there were not two or three other teenagers "hanging out" at our home doing homework, enjoying dinner and snacks, and watching television. To some parents this might have seemed an intrusion- but never to my parents; my mother especially. She never made them worry about tracking dirt on her carpet, or leaving empty drink glasses on the coffee table or messing up the kitchen like my friends' parents did, nor did she make them feel like intruders. By making her home available, her heart full of love was available as well. She had as much influence over my friends as she did her own children. When other people's children feel comfortable in your home, you have accomplished something wonderful. You have not only reached your child but their friends as well.

Solomon says in verse 4 of this Proverb that "Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty. But from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest." At face value this proverb may sound like a statement of the obvious. But upon closer reflection it much more revealing than that. We don't often see oxen or the barns they live in anymore. Oxen, or cattle live in barns and barnyards. The purpose of a barn is a place to house such animals and to feed them. The manger is symbolic of that. If cattle are living in the barn, it will be dirty. Few will think about how dirty the barn is if it is fulfilling its purpose. Yes, a barn will also stink if it is doing what it is designed to do- to nurture and raise cattle. It might be cleaned up once and a while, but it will not stay that way.

Where am I going with this? If a home is doing its job it may not be pristine- it will have that "lived-in look." But there will be joy and love found there. The same is true of churches. Many churches spend millions of dollars to make their churches appear to be museums than places of love. A church is doing its job not by the stained glass windows it boasts but by the sinners in it who are being transformed by the love and grace of Jesus Christ. I have been in churches where the rules of going into this place or that have actually kept people away, not drawn them in. I have been in churches that were completely unprepared for their bus ministries because of the hordes of unkempt and unsupervised children that tramped through their polished facilities. When they did away with those ministries, they were probably relieved. Their buildings were cleaner, but they ceased to have the magnitude of witnessing power they once had.

Don’t get me wrong. We ought to try to make God's House as attractive as possible. But I think even He would be more comfortable with that "lived-in look." If sinners are comfortable and find there a respite to find Christ, we need to tolerate a little bit of dirt that goes along with the job that we do. We offset this by showing a little more love in proportion to the sinners we have in it. If your church attracts a lot of sinners or un-churched people, consider that as a badge of honor. You are doing your job as a church. By God's grace you have more influence and will transform them into the people God desires them to be.

May God give us the grace to allow our churches, our homes, and our lives to have that "lived-in look." God gives out awards not by how nice and impressive we can make ourselves appear, but by the love by which we reach others.

Prayer: "Dear God help my home and my church acquire that "lived-in look" by making me available to meet the needs of other people. May my table at my home always have extra feet beneath them. Give me grace to tolerate a little more dirt so that I may have a little more love to share." Amen.

20 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Heart Sick" Proverbs 13:12-15

20 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Heart Sick" Proverbs 13:12-15


12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 He who despises the word will be destroyed,
But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding gains favor,
But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
(Proverbs 13:12-15)

Have you ever been sick at heart? I have been occasionally. It’s the awful, sinking feeling of extreme disappointment that comes the moment that one realizes that after months or even years of hard work and anticipation, the thing which one earnestly seeks or labors is not going to materialize. Many of those reading today can relate. When we lose sight of our hope, life just becomes a process of just settling for second best. A hard worker gives in to the rat race. A teacher gives in to the feeling that he or she is no longer making a difference in the lives of children. A father no longer sees the purpose for caring for his family and gives up. The youthful idealism blows out and he becomes jaded and embraces the status quo. Mediocrity begins to seep in everywhere because It is just easier to get by rather than to do ones' best. We begin to exist in a shell of a life instead of seeing ourselves as a part of a greater purpose. People like this feel like they are "finished" and turn to just existing rather than living.

One of the reasons why people's hopes have been crushed is because they have built their lives around the wrong hope. When their hopes are deferred or crushed, their life's purpose is crushed along with it.
Sometimes people simply lose sight of their hope and sell out to the distractions of life around them. When the distractions become the motivating force in their lives, then their purpose fades when their distractions fizzle out.

But as Christians, we have a greater hope- like the song says, "a hope that is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. " This is a hope that will never fade. When we see things fading, it means we need to get back to the source of our hope. Perhaps we need to go back and take another look at what God had in mind when He made us. We may not be living for His purpose, and realize that we will only be satisfied when we rest in Him. He did not make us to live someone else's life. He made us to live in Him. The reasons we have hopes and dreams is that God made us a certain way that is unique to us. You can settle for second best purpose and be satisfied for a time, but only in His purpose will we really feel satisfied.

Another thing is, God can use our disappointment to develop our character. He uses times like these to get us to refocus our minds upon Him instead of what we were looking toward when the things for which we placed our hope began to fade away. I have to admit that the times I grew the most in life were the times that I was between churches or when I was looking for employment.

Are your hopes beginning to fade-are they starting to slip away? Behind the clouds, the "Son" is shining. Look beyond them and you will see your greatest hope of all. Get back to the "fountain of life" once again.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I must admit at times I get myself distracted by the most meaningless things when I fail to keep focusing upon You. Help me not to settle for mediocrity or just getting by and enable me to live for Your purpose. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Have a blessed day!

16 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Be Kind to Animals" Proverbs 12:10-16

16 October 2009 Devotion for Today "Be Kind to Animals" Proverbs 12:10-16

Friday, October 16, 2009

11:55 AM

^{10 A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal,}

       but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

 11 He who works his land will have abundant food,

       but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

 12 The wicked desire the plunder of evil men,

       but the root of the righteous flourishes.

 13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,

       but a righteous man escapes trouble.

 14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things

       as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

 15 The way of a fool seems right to him,

       but a wise man listens to advice.

 16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,

       but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

(Proverbs 12:10-16)

 
 

About three and a half years ago my wife prevailed upon me to buy one of our children a puppy. This was not just to be any puppy, but a Labrador puppy. A teacher colleague of hers announced to the faculty that his dog had recently given birth to a large litter of chocolate-brown Lab pups. My first retort was no! First of all, we already owned a dog- a small Cavalier named Mandy who would feel heartbroken and supplanted by another animal intruder. This certainly turned out to be true. Secondly, I knew that I would likely have to care for the dog most of the time. This turned out to be true as well. Thirdly, Lab puppies will not be puppies for very long. Soon they would grow and eat a lot. The initial purchase would a relatively minor cost in comparison to the food and vet bills. This certainly turned out to be true. But I could not resist the joy on my son's face when we brought him home to live with us and all three of my prophesies turned out to be true.

 
 

At first I was resentful that the prevailing opinion of whether we should own another dog or not turned against me. I really did not want the time and the expense of having another animal around; especially one like Buddy, the dog we purchased. But it did not take long for Buddy to endear himself to me. The love he has given me far surpassed the huge expense in terms of food and vet bills. He was struck by a car and nearly killed last spring. Plunking down nearly two-thousand dollars I reckoned that Buddy was worth it as we carried him home from the animal hospital. When Jared went away to basic training and then into the Coast Guard, Buddy has been a constant companion to me, assuaging the pain of separation since my two oldest children left our home. Buddy also helps me keep in shape. Actually I have helped him out as well since he was hurt it damaged his lung capacity. But since Buddy has become my running companion not only has he helped me lose almost twenty pounds by this writing, but his lung capacity has doubled and now both of us have more endurance.

 
 

You may be curious about the title of this day's devotional: "Be Kind to Animals." What does animals have to do with anything I am facing today? Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those folks who put the needs of animals, particularly their pets, above those of people. The extent to which some people go to exalt pets above people can be ridiculous at times- like the woman I read about this morning who left her entire estate to her cat. On the other hand, a news story this morning was equally disturbing; how a woman in Virginia Beach was arrested for neglecting 100 dogs and cats in her small home. Several died and fossilized over time. The home was filled by unbelievable filth and decay. The stench was horrific. She allowed this to happen because her desire to get strays off the street overwhelmed her to the point she could not afford to care for them properly. This may be an extreme case, but no less horrifying is the way some people will be cruel to animals. I've known people to abuse their pets physically when their owners are in an ill tempered mood, or beat their pets for no reason.

 
 

Solomon basically tells us that that one can tell much about a person in the way that he treats pets and other animals. If he is loving and kind to them, they will certainly love him. If an animal responds easily to someone its because they like and trust them. If you cannot get an animal to trust you, it is also likely that people may not trust you, either. I have heard it said that animals, like children, are windows into our souls.

 
 

One word of warning however. This does not mean that all animals are equally responsive. Some pets, for example, take longer to warm up to us. They may have been abused in the past by previous owners and bring the horrible memory of their trauma into new relationships. This is where our kindness will pay off. Just because God has given people the privilege of having dominion over the animal kingdom gives us no license for cruelty. Others will judge us by the way we care for animals, and note that they may treat people the same way they treat their pets. They have many lessons to teach us about loyalty, forgiveness, sacrifice, and most of all, unconditional love. I realize that at the end of the day, our pets are just animals. But God has given them to us to love and comfort us, and to teach us also to realize that as they depend upon us and trust us for caring for them, we must trust our Heavenly Master to care for us.

 
 

Remember that God will never treat us the way some humans treat their animals. We are never more like God when we treat our pets with the love and grace that He showers upon us every day.

 
 

Have a blessed day.

15 October 2009 Devotion for Today "He Who Wins Souls" Proverbs 11: 30-31

^{30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,}

       and he who wins souls is wise.

 31 If the righteous receive their due on earth,

       how much more the ungodly and the sinner!

Proverbs 11:30-31

 
 

As I am writing this devotional, there is a pandemic of a virus going around called the Swine Flu, or as it is known scientifically, H1N1. It is potentially deadly- many have died from it already though most who have contracted it are made very uncomfortable for several days. Thankfully, there is an antiviral serum that is being manufactured and is now available in small doses. Currently there is enough of this serum available to inoculate health care workers so that they can treat other patients when the time comes. We are grateful to them and the research which made this treatment possible, and thank God for them sharing it with us.

 
 

What if they had decided not to release this serum? What if the researchers and the pharmaceutical manufacturers determined that it would be too costly to produce? What if they had decided that there would not be able to make any money on the serum and decided not to release it? From a strictly business standpoint, this would not make sense. Certainly they may stand to lose money initially. But to produce and release this serum only makes sense because if the H1N1 virus wipes out a significant number of our population the way that the Spanish Flu did in 1918, not only would the pharmaceutical companies be responsible for the deaths of millions, but they would discover a significant portion of their lucrative market destroyed virtually overnight. It is not only in the population's best interest- but it is also in the best interest of those who research and manufacture these drugs.

 
 

The motive for self-preservation is strong in all of us, but never to the point of selfishness. Throughout this proverb Solomon discusses how important it is to be generous and not to hold back from sharing what we have with others. Most of all, Solomon says that "he who wins souls is wise" (v. 30). I know that many Christians fear sharing about what Christ has done with them. They are afraid of rejection and fear consequences of losing a friendship. Its true sometimes friendships are lost and Christians do get rejected- in the same way sometimes people have adverse reactions to serums and medications. Its possible that they may even die. But the deaths of a few are a relatively minor consequence compared to the saving of millions of lives. The same is true about sharing your faith in Christ. I've had a few doors slammed in my face over the years. Only one came close to hurting me when I was physically ushered off his property when trying to share Christ with him. But God showed how profitable that was when two months later this entire family who rejected my witness to them showed up at church and came down the aisle to be saved. The man who caused me to bump my head on the door of my car apologized with tears in his eyes and asked for forgiveness. I told him a minor bump on the head was worth many times what I was now seeing: him coming to Christ as well as his whole family.

 
 

It simply does not make sense if we do not continue to win souls. Not only will millions of people go to a Christless eternity in hell, but the church will die out in our own generation unless we get serious about soul winning. Not only does Christ demand this of us, but so does our own self-preservation. Our selfishness may not desire to do it, but our survival instinct ought to insure that we do.

 
 

Prayer: Lord God help me see the wisdom of winning souls to Christ, but let me apply this wisdom in practical ways today. I am not persuasive enough or forward enough in myself- I need to trust You to speak through me. Help me to trust You to do this in Jesus Name, Amen

 
 

Have a blessed day!

14 October 2009 Devotion for Today "A Fountain of Life" Proverbs 10:8-17

14 October 2009 Devotion for Today "A Fountain of Life" Proverbs 10:8-17

8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
9 The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
10 He who winks maliciously causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
14 Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,
but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
16 The wages of the righteous bring them life,
but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
Proverbs 10: 8-17

Pasted from


One of my children recently visited Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. He was particularly fascinated by "Old Faithful", one our nation's most famous geysers. Every half an hour, a blast of volcanic steam and water spews high into the air. It does this for several seconds and then settles back down again- waiting its turn to erupt again in another thirty minutes. Everyone rushes over to it to take pictures. Jared talked about a number of similar sights at the park, including the bubbling mud bogs that churn and gurgle; emitting a noxious sulfur smell. He said it attracts a lot of attention, but you cannot stand there and look for very long before the "rotten-egg" smell drives you away.

Today I want to share with you from one of my favorite proverbs of Solomon. In this passage he contrasts the wicked and the righteous, the fool and the wise, the man of integrity and the crooked, the hater and the lover, the rich and the poor, the disciplined and the ignorant. One would think that the positive or negative traits the author contrasts are synonymous; they are not. While some, for example, like the wise and the righteous share some commonalities, they are not always one in the same. In my opinion, the most appealing character is found in verse 11- "The mouth of the righteous." Solomon says that they are "a fountain of life." Indeed they are. One can tell much about a person in how they speak and by what they say. They are refreshing to be around- like a breath of fresh air. You find yourself going back to them again and again. Its not just that they are positive or even popular- but they are focusing on you. Like Old Faithful, you can always count on them to be timely with their encouragement, helpfulness, consideration and generosity. By generous I don't just mean that they are always giving you money as helpful as that might be. But they are generous in sharing their love and time with you. They bring the best out in you- and help you to reach your goals. They don't feel they have to compete with you. They are not jealous of you or what you have. Like a gushing fountain, their waters enable everything around them to green up and blossom.

Conversely, the wicked poisons the stream that flows past them to everyone it reaches. All the venom and vinegar of their soul pollutes the precious sources from which they and others drink. All you ever hear from them is bile and criticism. Like a bubbling bog, they too attract a lot of attention, but you can't stand to be around them for very long. The stench of their souls drive you from them. Nothing is ever right and they always paint others in a critical light. Particularly politicians. I don't always (sometimes, if ever) agree with what our politicians are doing or saying. But what amazes me more are the Christians I know who spend more time tearing down politicians (particularly our nation's President) than they spend in sharing their witness of Christ. Like the righteous and the wicked- having a conservatively political view is not the same thing as being a born-again, saved-by-grace Christ-follower. While they might be for some of the same things, we as believers have a higher calling. To be focused on harping on politicians is, in my mind, the same as being focused on this world's system that will one day be destroyed. If it isn't destroyed when Jesus comes again, no doubt we will find a way to destroy it ourselves.

Don't get me wrong, Christians have a place for bringing about change in this same system. And we all certainly reserve the right to express our opinions. But the greatest influence we can have over it is to gush that fountain of life higher and broader so that as many different people as possible want to drink out of our stream or warm up to the flow that is emitted from the depths of our souls. If Jesus Christ has indeed changed our heart, then we will be a fountain of life and blessing to others. You can well up a fountain of everlasting life to others.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I must admit that sometimes I don't well up to life much at all. In fact, bile and stench erupts from me more than I would like to see. Father help me to be a fountain of life, instead of a fountain of death to all whom I come in contact today.

Have a blessed day!

13 October 2009 Devotion for Today “What Part of No?” James 5:9-12

13 October 2009 Devotion for Today “What Part of No?” James 5:9-12

I heard a statement someone made not too long ago. I didn’t eavesdrop on the conversation, so I don’t know exactly what was said. All I remember was the response in utter frustration, directed toward the other, “What part of “no” don’t you understand?” I think the one making the statement was trying to get a persistent salesman off the telephone- someone who would not take “no” for an answer.
Most of us do not like to hear no. Even more people do not like to say no. No is not a popular word, and if we want to be popular, we try to do everything we can to keep from saying it. We will even say “yes” when we mean “no.” At any other time in civilization, saying “yes” when we mean “no” would have been lying- telling a deliberate falsehood to manipulate or to deceive people. But in the twenty-first century, saying yes to say no is actually considered polite, - preferable to the “N” word. It has become a fine art, and many have become masterful at being able to smile with a glazed look in their eye and tell you “yes- they will be happy to come to church on Sunday, what time should I be there?” and then you look for them and they are not there. I have had someone tell me yes they will refund the money to my account and for over a month it has not shown up. Yes means you can also back out of a commitment at the last minute when more pressing business or if a more entertaining offer comes your way. When we hear yes it means that someone is not bound to fulfill a commitment if it does not work out, and when we discover that things do not work out as we were told they would be, we are now obliged to keep silent about it and not challenge the yes-sayer lest we commit another unforgivable sin making them uncomfortable. Yes is a distrustful word. It has become a convenient way to dispose of something inconvenient without looking like a mean, nasty person. These days, being considered a liar is much more respectable, much preferred to being thought of as blunt, rude or impolite. So we now have to learn to read body language and be much more discerning to listen to the certain spin someone puts on the “yes.” Today the word “yes” really means nothing at all.
Apparently ours is not the only century that struggled with this problem. James meets this lack of sincerity and trustworthiness head on when he wrote in James 5:9-12

9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. 12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.”

Much of this passage has to do with patience, which I discussed yesterday. Its interesting, however, that the admonition to have patience is used in the same passage as the call for honesty in our speech and promises that we make. The ancient Essenes had a saying that went something like this, “If you have to invoke the name of God to give your statements credibility, you have already discredited yourself.” In other words, your words ought to be able to stand by themselves without having to pull God down with you.
What about commitments that we are unable to follow through on? I realize that it is an uncomfortable place to be. We have all been there, and it is embarrassing to be at the root of disappointment. But it is better to say “no” than “yes” and not mean it or have any intention of doing it at the moment someone asks us. Its best to be honest- even at the risk of being seen as impolite or boorish, than to say sweet nothings. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no.

Have a blessed