Power To Survive

In the fourth chapter of Philippians in the New Testament, Paul is giving us his prescription for victory. He never said it would be easy, but he did say it was possible. "Stand firm" he said. "Have no anxiety about anything", he went on to say. "Whatsoever things are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious, think about these things", was his next advice, and finally, he shared his secret on how to be content.

How do we survive life's sadness, and sufferings, and trials? You think good, think victory, think health, and think peace.

The story is told about two men out in a boat on a stormy day when the waves were violent. The one man was swept over‑board. The other man grabbed for him, and caught hold of his hair. But the man's hair‑piece came off in his hands. And then he grabbed and caught hold of the man's arm, but his mechanical arm came off in the struggle. In desperation, the rescuer cried out, "My God, if you don't stick together, I'll never be able to save you!"

And so, we who name the name of Christ, must stick together, we must stand firm. More than that, we must face the future without anxiety, believing that "the Lord is at hand" and that He walks with us, and we are not alone. We have an anti‑dote for fear. We have a cure for the "butterflies in our stomach". It is the power of positive thinking. It is faith at work.

But there is no victory, if we allow our minds to get cluttered up with hateful and evil thoughts. "If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, we are to think about these things." Unfortunately, our newspapers, our T.V., and the messengers of the secular world, flood our minds with violence, and immorality. The only way to reduce the garbage, is to increase the positive thrust of that which is good and honorable, and lovely and gracious.

There is a beautiful song that goes: "turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of his glory and grace."

And how does "contentment" come to us? Katherine Marshall gave the illustration of the great Clydesdale horses moving through their intricate paces, through the diligence of good trainers. These gigantic horses were called "gentle under the reigns" So also, Mrs. Marshall said we too must learn to become "gentle under (His) reigns." There are testings and difficult experiences. And we survive life's sadness, and sufferings, by somehow believing that "God will supply our every need, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

For Goodness Sake, Come In!

There is a beautiful prayer, often used at funeral services that contains these lines: "And while thou dost prepare a place for us, prepare us for that happy place, that where they are, and thou art, we too may be."

Although our Christian faith affirms that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us some day, all too often, we are not prepared for that happy place, and some of us are not going to get in!

Some of us will not get in, not because God condemns us, but simply because we have done nothing to get ready...thus we condemn ourselves. How can we get someplace, if we are not ready to go there?

One little boy seemed always to be getting into mischief, and his mother asked him one day, "How do you ever expect to get into heaven?" The boy thought for a moment and then replied: "I'll just run in and out and keep slamming the door till they say, 'For goodness sake, come in or stay out!' And so, then I'll go in!"

To be prepared for that happy place through the struggles in life, is not easy, but apparently is necessary. The story is told about the emperor moth that struggled for hours, to get out of its cocoon, until a kindhearted person snipped the opening. The moth was saved the struggle, but it could never fly! The wings would not unfold...they were shriveled...useless. The struggle, forced strength into the wings.

At times, I don't want to go through the struggle, but I know that if I keep working at it...keep going in and out, and slamming the screen doors of friendliness and kindness, and make of my life a struggle of faithfulness, that eventually the wings will become strong enough, and finally a loving Heavenly Father will say, "For Goodness' sake, Come on in!"

Good-Bye Now

There is a fable about two brothers who had become sheep thieves. They were caught, and branded with the letters S.T. (Sheep Thief).

The one brother left town, but wherever he went, people asked about the letters, and sooner or later, they found out, and he moved from place to place, finally dying, without peace or friends. The other brother stayed...lived humbly, and supported himself honestly. He helped the needy and gradually, people hardly noticed the brand. One day, a stranger came, and asked one of the residents about the person with the strange brand. "I've forgotten the details", he said, "it happened a long time ago, but I think it stands for 'saint'!"

Now and then, thank God, sinners do become saints, and they do it by faithfully going on from one level of grace to another. Life is a process of saying "good‑bye". We say "good‑bye" to what was, and "hello" to that which is to come. We say "good‑bye" to mistakes and sins, and move on to victories and achievements. It is not easy to be good, but it is worth it. And whether we be 30 or 90, life is really the struggle of the soul to be born. If we try to short‑cut the process, by going the easy road of compromise, then we end in defeat.

We all remember the "good‑byes" of leaving for school, or watching our children getting married, or the agony of separation from those we love when death affirms its claim. But "good‑bye now" is always a necessary part of growth. Paul said, "I die daily" (I Cor. 15:31), and there is something that dies within us, when we leave one situation to go into something new or different. There is struggle, but without struggle, without the agony of separation, we have no new frontiers, and the heart cannot fly.

The poet has said, "Heaven is not reached by a single bound, but we build the ladder by which we rise, from the lowly earth, to the vaulted skies, and we mount to its summit, round upon round." (Gradatim‑‑Josiah Gilbert Holland)

The phrase "good‑bye now" is actually a perversion of the old farewell, "God by you now". You may find yourself in deep sorrow over the necessity of leaving someone, or something, or some special place in your heart, but if you can believe that God is by you now, you will have taken a significant stride in faith. And the victory is not so far away.

What's Your Excuse?

In the 14th chapter of Luke, Jesus tells the story about a man who held a banquet, and invited his friends to come, but they all made excuses. Said one, "I've bought some land, and must go look at it." Said another, "I've just bought several yoke of oxen, and must try them out." And a third said, "I just got married, and of course, you understand, I cannot come. I pray you, have me excused."

Do our excuses to God make any sense at all, or are they pure evasion...just plain selfishness? For one reason or another, we simply cannot give as much to the church, nor can we offer our time...because, well simply because we can't. After all, the Lord must know how tough things are.

In the record found in one old farmer's diary, were these entries: "Today we buried Jacob's only son, age three. Fourth death already from summer's complaint. Pray God this heat breaks soon." In a later record, we read, "a horde of grasshoppers swarmed onto the farm, methodically and monstrously devouring every green, growing thing." The effects of this were recorded in his final entry (Dec. 3l, 1874) for that year: "I harvested this year: from 8 acres of corn, nothing. From 36 acres of wheat, 350 bushels. From 6 acres of oats, feed only. From 2 acres vegetables and potatoes, seed only, scarce, and poor quality." Many farmers would quit after that. He didn't. And later that same night, he turned the page and wrote: Jan. 1, 1875. "A fresh new year, Thanks be to God!"

There are those who argue that the Lord may come again, sometime in the future. There are many of us who believe that, in a sense, He has already come...that He is here now! Do we believe that? The Lord of Hosts is here. The King of Kings is among us. The Owner of the Vineyard has returned, and He is calling us to service. Do we live with that kind of Presence upon us? If not, then what is your excuse?

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The Player

The other day, I played chess. I had forgotten many of the moves. I didn't win, but I remembered something that I didn't want to be.

I thank God, I am not a pawn moved by irresistible forces. I am a person. I have a name. My name is Adam, meaning "mankind". I am subject to problems of the human family. But I am also inheritor of all the culture, and blessings brought to mankind as part of the human family.

Jesus once said to Peter, "You are Cephas, (meaning Peter, the Rock) and like Peter, I too have a name. Society may try to make me into a number, a Social Security number, a telephone number, a zip code number, an office number, an extension number, a tax number. But still I have a name. My name is Jo Smith, or Harriet White, or a million other names. And I am important in this world.

I am told, that if I have one child, and that child marries and has children, and these children marry, and have children, etc....that within 5 generations, I will have been responsible for 9,000 living souls. That's almost unbelievable, but that is certainly a part of what I am. I am family.

But not only this, when I take a breath...just one single breath, I am told that the whole world has to make a re‑adjustment...so dependent are we upon one another. This is me. I am a grain of sand upon the sea‑shore of the universe, but I count for something. There is importance given to me.

Somehow in the course of history, through His Son upon a cross, God made it clear that He loves us. Since that time, every Christian Church in the world, has been telling us about it, and I believe it.

And because we are loved, we must respond. My life must be lived, in worthiness, and in trust so that a deposit (a contribution) can be made. For some, life seems so futile. They live a routine existence, with never any thought of a holy relationship, any divine connection. But it is something like being on Candid Camera. I never realize that much of the world is being either shocked, or saddened, or amused, or challenged by my actions.

At times, I think that life is like a wheel. It goes around faster and faster. We are all upon this wheel of life. The faster it goes, the harder it is to stay on. Every day some folks slip off this wheel of sanity. But remember: at the center of the wheel is our Christian faith. All other forces may be trying to throw you off. But here, at the center is God, and like a magnet, He holds you on.

You are the player. You must make the moves, but if you are willing to let Him do so, God will keep you on course!

How About "Compact" People?

We live in a day of miniaturization. We have mini‑cars, mini‑skirts, mini‑subs. Our new technology directs us towards smaller things...smaller cameras, smaller computers, tiny motors, so small they can be used for medical research and therapy in the blood stream of our bodies.

A man by the name of Donald Allen suggested that perhaps we ought to develop a race of mini‑people, and with tongue in cheek, suggested that with the shortages of food and energy and space, a race of people about 18" tall could help a lot...less food consumption, plenty of housing and living space, and maybe even abolish war. His theory was that we might not be able to hit one another, if we were so small!

There is a fascinating geological phenomenon of small fossils. In an outcropping of rock called the Macquoketa shale that shows up here and there all over the world, fossils are always miniatures...crinoids, trilobites, brachiopods, etc. They are not babies, but full‑grown mature adults. No one seems to know for sure why this is the case. It appeared to be a kind of Lilliputian stage in our world's history.

I don't know whether "compacting" people is the answer. In many ways, big or little is not the point. God did not make us Mini‑People, but we are a "Compact" people. It was not a miniaturizing process, but a covenanting one. God is our Father, and we are to be His children. This is what we are and this is the way we were made, and this makes a world of difference. It is not my size physically that matters, but the size of the man inside.

Counselors tell us that failure to know who we are is one of the primary causes of delinquency. Children and teenagers who do not really know themselves, who are not grounded in a knowledge of why they are here, and where they are going, are at the center of the crime problem.

Some children are in homes, like balls in a pool table, being knocked about in all directions. They are not loved, nor does anyone really seem to care. They think they must be a nuisance, a problem, so that is what they become.

I am a child of God, I was made in His image, and I belong to Him. Therefore, whether I live in "ticky tacky houses" in the suburbs or in a high‑rise apartment "filing cabinet for people", or whether I live in rural America, as long as I know that I am a child of God, and belong to Him, life can have meaning.

We do not need smaller people, but people who know that they have a God who is larger than any problem that may come. Years ago, God shook up this world to let us know who we are. He took a cross, and wrote a letter saying how much He loved us, and signed it with His blood. That's how I have the assurance that I am a "compact" person.

When Is A Person Strong?

The Bible tells us about the giant, Goliath. And yet little David felled him with his sling shot. We read about "giants in the earth" in those early days. But were they so very strong?

We read that Claudius Caesar had a 9 foot, strapping fellow, named Baggarus, and yet the details are pretty hazy. Most giants in history have not been especially strong.

One exception, perhaps, was a man named Angus McAskill, born in Scotland in 1825. At the age of 19, he was 7 feet, 9 inches. And he was powerful. When his father's horses gave out, Angus slipped into the harness and matched his strength with the other horse. He was a church‑going, peace‑loving giant, and he looked for trouble with no‑one. When a heavy‑weight champion fighter from the docks accused him of being a coward and challenged him to a fight, he accepted. With great excitement the crowds gathered. The two men went to the center of the ring to shake hands before the fight. Suddenly the professional fighter screamed and fell to his knees. The fight was over. Angus had crushed the man's hand with one mighty grip.

P.T. Barnum hired him for awhile, billed with Tom Thumb. At the conclusion of each program, Tom Thumb danced a jig on the giant's palm.

He was challenged to lift a ship's anchor weighing 2,200 lbs. He did so, but as he lowered the unusual shaped weight, one of the points struck his shoulder, and tore the muscles so badly that he soon drifted out of the news.

Such feats of strength thrill us...especially when they come from a good person. Here in America, we seem to worship bigness. We build bigger bombs, and bigger planes, and bigger skyscrapers. But is bigger better? Is bigger, stronger?

Strength is not measured in biceps, or size, or loudness of voice. Strength is a quiet thing, measured in inner integrity, and the power of love. Jesus was the strongest man in the world. He never pulled down pillars in the temple, or lifted giant anchors over his head. But he defeated the devil in the wilderness, he was too strong to stoop to unkindness, and even though his anger burned with scorching heat against the scribes and Pharisees, he forgave them all from the cross. No tomb could hold him, and three days after his death at the hands of evil men, he burst open the bonds of the grave. Twelve disciples couldn't keep him to themselves, and now he lives in the hearts of millions. No darkness has been so great that the light he has given could ever be put out.

The exercise videos are helpful...my walking and running and exercising certainly helps to build up my body, but when it comes to looking for giants, I'll turn to Jesus. The Prophet once said, "They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

The "Who" and the "Why"

Robert Raines in his little book "Creative Brooding" has penned this short prayer:

We struggle in separation,
with silent longing,
lonely, and alone.
Lord, help us to reach out to each other,
and say, "I love you."

One of the Jews who had survived four different concentration camps under the German prisoner program, told how people were going insane, and some were committing suicide, and many, did not survive the terrible rigors of these inhuman places.

And when asked, "how did you make it?" he answered, "When you have a "Who" and a "Why" for your living, you can survive any "How".

I have a mission here and now, and within my reach and grasp. It does not require more education than I can muster. It does not demand more time than I can give. It is the task of simply being human, and Christian, and available to those around me...to my own children, to my neighbors, and to older persons near‑by, or a friend.

To love, and be loved in return is a worthy goal. For did not Jesus say, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:10)

Someone once said, that you and I are like violin strings stretched out between heaven and earth. If we are stretched too tight, of course, we will snap. If we are stretched too loosely, then we will wibble‑wabble with nothing but a twang and a discord. But if we are stretched out just right, then we make good music.

Here is the meaning of life...to be stretched out before God and before our fellow‑men in service, as a living sacrifice, trying to make the good, rich music of peace.

Our Holy Guest

There is a beautiful prayer to begin your meal that goes like this:

Lord Jesus, be our holy guest
Our morning joy
Our evening rest
And with our daily bread impart
Some love and peace to every heart.

It is a good thing to ask the Holy Son of God to come into our home and be our daily guest...to invite Him to our table, to our conversations, and to our daily business.

Having this special Guest, makes a combination of miracles and exciting fellowship. The ordinary becomes extra‑ordinary; the usual becomes unusual; and the common‑place becomes special. My friends begin to look different, and I can even put up with my enemies who make life miserable. The Biblical writer says, "casting all your cares upon Him..." and somehow my worries leave me, the tensions are less and the pressures are eased. Peace, like a mighty river, floods my soul.

The prayer says: "and with our daily bread impart, some love and peace to every heart." I discover that there is something more that I need beside food. I can put the meat and potatoes on the table and I have a collection of food. But if I let Christ be the head of my home, and the unseen guest at every meal, I have a banquet, a sacrament. I have access to the Healer of Souls. And the Healer of Souls has food to eat, of which we know nothing. He has nourishment that has no calories, adds no cholesterol, puts on no fat or blubber, but makes me lean and tough in the things of the spirit.

I need Christ as my Holy Guest. Without Him, I become just an animal in an animal‑like world. But with Him, I find myself walking on higher ground. With Him, I can do the impossible. I see the unseeable, climb the unclimbable, and miracles and magic become part of my living room.

When I was a child, my mother used to kiss the bruises and cuts. But now, Jesus, the Healer of my soul, gives me the kiss of peace and takes all the sickness of my heart away.

Life's A Lonely Journey

There's something lacking in my driving ability. Other people pass me, and they wave. All I seem to be able to see are the holes in the road, and the signs. I'm really not unfriendly, but I just never got the habit of peering through the windshield to see who is in the car coming at me. Lately, I've been trying.

About 32 of my 45 years of ministry were in the big cities. Country boy that I was, I learned quickly about city driving. You don't see people in cars. All you see are fenders, and bumpers. On the Outer Drive in Chicago, you see 2 or 4 or even 6 cars sneaking up behind you. They pass you on the left and they pass you on the right. They breathe down your tailgate. It's like being in the middle of a buffalo stampede. And for some reason, all the vehicles sound angry...tires screeching, mufflers belching out fumes, brakes squealing, horns honking, radiators hissing, and now and then a car comes by, a window rolls down, and what looks almost like a human face yells at you or "gives you the finger!"

Needless to say, I'm glad to be in an area, where there are real people in cars, and folks smile, and wave, and seem to notice you now and then. I've got a lot of re‑learning to do with my driving, but it occurred to me...what a wonderful thing that God doesn't overlook me, like I tend to overlook folks. God is not bothered by our mechanical problems. He knows my name. Even every hair of my head is numbered. He is not confused by what I drive, or the lumps on my fenders. He knows me. He cares for me. He loves me.

It's beautiful the way the Psalmist said it:

O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me
Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up
Thou discernest my thoughts from afar
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
Lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
(Ps. 139:vs. 1‑4)

And then he goes on to say: "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Ps. 139:9,10)

Life may be a lonely journey, but it's good to believe that along with the cars that honk, and the problems that hiss, there is also a God who cares and loves, and will never leave or forsake me.

Does Jesus Live Here

The story is told about a rural area of our country, where one day a housewife received a call from a gentleman who asked, "Does Jesus live here?"

She replied that they were Christian people, and attended church regularly. But still he asked the question, "Does Jesus live here? When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he sadly turned and went away.

When her husband returned that evening, he said "That must have been the new minister. Did you tell him that we are the best givers in the church, that we always do our job well, and give a large gift to the church at Christmas, that we are charter members and pillars of the church? Did you..." "But John," she interrupted, "the man didn't ask all those things. All he asked was, 'Does Jesus live here?'"

That's really the heart of it, isn't it? All these other things are good, but is Christ in our hearts? Does He really live within us?

It happens only, if we first of all let him in. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20) are the repeated words of the Savior. How can Jesus live in us, if we keep him on the outside?

But he can come in, in the second place, only if we do some house‑cleaning. My bad temper, my racial prejudices, my unpleasant habits, my unforgiving spirit are part of the mess that has to go. He'll help me clean it up, but I have to be willing to get rid of the trash. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me" (Ps. 51:10) must be my prayer. God and sin cannot walk hand in hand. Where one is, the other must go, and we must make the choice.

But a third requirement, is that I must turn over all the keys. There can be no Fibber McGee closets left locked and sealed. Christ becomes my Commander in Chief. If He needs my time, I must give it. If He needs my tithe, I must share it. If He needs my talents, I must use them to His glory.

Jesus one time said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and not do what I tell you?" (Lk. 6:46) Christ on my lips may be enough to get me into a church , but Christ in my heart is the only way I can get into heaven. The answer to the riddle of life, and the mystery of the Universe is this: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col. 1:27)

Got That Swiss Cheese Hole-iness?

I'm not much of a country music fan, but now and then I get some interesting ideas from their music and lyrics. The other day, I heard a tune with these words: "I've got a whole lot of holes in my life. If you could stack them all together, you could fall in them forever."

Sounds a bit like me. Sometimes my life is shot through with holes. Holes of inconsistency...holes that remind me of my mistakes and sins...holes that make what should be smooth‑sailing into a mighty bumpy life's ride.

And the "fall" is there. The Bible reminds me of a mighty "fall" that mankind took back in the days of our beginning, and which each of us continues to take. But that is part of our life, and that is part and parcel of our sinfulness, and our humanness. We are not perfect. But my Christian faith tells me that God sent Jesus into the world to take my hole‑iness and give me wholeness.

Living with Jesus in your life is a step not only towards holiness, but completeness. Thank God, I don't have to be perfect, but I do have to be open to receive the wholeness He offers.

The Harvest of Hate

At this very moment, a murder is being committed somewhere in our world. In New York City, there are several murders every day. We are a people of violence, and we live with violence and hate as a part of our daily diet of newspapers and T.V.

The "sign of Cain" is upon us. The old story of Cain and Abel in the Bible is a story of mankind.

"Am I my brother's keeper" is the taunting question we hurl at God. And in our killing, our hating, our jealousy is to be found the horrible, haunting symbol of our broken-ness. We hurt, we destroy, we kill, because we are out of relationship with both our neighbor and with God. Most of us have thought that our major issue is, "What do I have to live on?" Really, the issue is, "Who do I have to live with?" This is where the issue gets sticky.

Some have contended that man is by nature a violent person. Dr. Fredric Wertham says, however, "Violence is no more an integral part of human life than T.B., syphilis, or cancer." We study these afflictions to prevent them. Animals kill by and large, for survival. As far as we know, they do not hate, or have spite, or take revenge, or express sadism, or greed. Animals are generally averse to killing members of their own species or killing systematically large numbers. So when we speak of massacres, extermination camps, etc. we should not refer to the "bestial" in man, because the beasts of the field do not do that.

The story of Cain is a story of anger, hatred, and then violence and death. God has given us our brothers and sisters, and the only solution to alienation is love. Life calls for it. Jesus affirmed it..."Love one another", he said.

But the harvest of hate continues to take its toll. It is hard for us to think of the Cain story as applying to us, but it does. Cain’s problem began with resentment, and jealousy and anger. And that’s where many of us are. But Jesus said, that even if we are angry with our brothers, we are liable to judgment. (Matt. 5:22) It would seem that hatred itself is a form of murder, and is anathema to our Savior.

The total goal of the Christian Church is to be able, someday, to harvest the products of good will and love in our world. We may be a long way from that goal, but it must be the focus of every prayer, and the steadfast purpose of every one who has come to know the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

The writer of I John says, “Do not be like Cain, who destroyed his brother.” “We know”, he says, “that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love remains in death. Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (I John 3:14-15)

Alliances Or Crocodile Tears

Today, we live in a world in which there are few absolutes...things seem to be neither black or white, and everything gets a kind of dirty gray.

Sometimes our politics and world government gets this way too. It all depends on which side you are on, as to whether something is right or wrong. In Biblical times, the prophet Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz about this. Israel was being pushed and taxed by powers from the East. The only solution the King saw was an alliance with Egypt to the south‑west.

To remain at risk did not seem absolutely right, but to deal with the foreign power Egypt, was not absolutely wrong either. Isaiah said the King's sin was not that he chose one or the other of two possible evils, but that he failed to consider a third alternative altogether, namely to ask, "What is the Lord's will?"

Ahaz was running scared. He was looking for security from somewhere. And Isaiah proclaimed, "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord". (Is. 31:1)

In life, we have to ask the question, "Where can I place my trust? What is real?" But we have faith in the wrong things. We have tried to buy our safety with warfare, and military might. We have assumed that strong banks and Savings and Loans could save us. And suddenly we discover that we are under greater jeopardy than before. Who needs a good educational system? Just give our kids a good time, and they'll turn out O.K. Why worry about morality or Christian faith? You can't eat it.

We are much like the business‑man with a sign on his back, that read: "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts!" And so we claim to have our minds made up. We believe in Christianity and the ways of love, but we believe more in armies and in guns. We know that love is the will and the way of God, but we practice hatred and suspicion. Just don't "confuse me with the facts!"

We are making our secular alliances, but we are not placing our trust in God. And yet, God is the only Reality. Our alliances with money, and securities, and the morality of the movies, and the violence of the drug crowd, leaves us shedding great alligator tears.

With God, we need not fear. The depression can hurt us. The lack of jobs can break us. The wages of crime will haunt us. The enmity of nations will cause us distress. And yet, all of this will pass. But in God's great classroom of life, will you and I pass? This is the only question that really matters.

Just A Second, Please

There are times I wish the Lord would give me just a bit more time. I need to change. I need to be a better person. I need renovation, but I keep so busy, and there just isn't that much time for self‑improvement.

Once every four years, we get a leap year, and God does give us one entire new day. And yet, it doesn't seem that I make much use of that extra day. I keep on doing the same old things I've always done. In June of l992, we were told that we would be given an extra second. And all the world clocks had to move ahead just a little. This hadn't happened since l972 when we also had a Leap Year and got an extra day, but also got two additional seconds.

I suppose it doesn't help much to wait for any more seconds or Leap Years to get started on my personal needs. It's time I started now! "Now is the day of salvation" the Bible says. Today is the day I wished I had, yesterday. What will I do with it? Do I keep saying, "Just a minute, God!"? Or can I speak up like the great Christians of old and say, "Here am I, Lord, send me.

God has all the time in the world. He can wait. Indeed, He will wait, if we fail to come through. We may even destroy this old world God was good enough to give us. So...God will try again. Eventually "the kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdom of our God". That's the gospel truth. But when we say, "wait a second, Lord", we're just digging our own grave.

The Lord needs us now. He wants us today. Heaven waits with bated breath for my commitment and for yours. It's hard for us to believe it, but Christ has no hands but ours. Christ is able to walk in love in this world, only through us. God with all His power and majesty, breathes His will into the world, but we must respond.

In Process

Many of us have wrong ideas about the book of Job in the Old Testament. We have always said it's primary theme was that of "suffering". And yet, more correctly, it seeks to help us decide "what is the meaning of faith?"

Also, we believed that Job represented the epitome of patience. In reality, he was at times a man of terrible impatience. We have declared that this book says if you trust in God, everything will come out all right, and that if you don't lose faith, your story will come out with a happy ending. But the "happy ending" people should not look here. For although the last 7 verses of the last chapter affirm that God made everything turn out O.K., the author is really saying, "I doubt that!"

His book uses an ancient legend about a great heavenly contest between God and Satan with Job as the innocent victim. The theme of a righteous man suffering because he is being tested by rival deities, or divine beings is an old one. It comes out of several of the ancient religions.

The author concludes the story as he does to keep intact the ancient material, but his basic question throughout the writing is "What is the meaning of faith?" "What is a man's relation to God?" "Does a man believe in God for nothing, or because it gets him something?"

It calls into question our reason for being Christians. Are we Christian because we think it will be good for us...good for our business...good for our standing in the community? Or, are we Christians simply because we believe this is the only relationship there ought to be between God as He is and people as they are? Are we Christians because we believe that what Jesus said is basic truth, whether it brings us prosperity or adversity? Are we able to say with Job, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him?" (Job 13:15)

Do we trust Him, because we believe He will protect us, and shelter us, and no evil will befall us? Do we trust Him, because we believe He will prosper us, and make us great? Doesn't the New Testament really teach, that if we trust Him and are faithful, that God may even reward us with suffering and persecution? Rewards? Yes, we will have our rewards. Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt. 5:12) "In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Our reward may be to take up a cross and follow Him. It looks to me like a lot of people are following for the wrong reasons. Perhaps that is why both Job and Jesus scare me a lot.

I am sometimes like the person who cried out in despair, "I wish I had never been made!" And a friend replied: "Just remember, you're not made yet, you're only being made. And this is the Maker's process!"

In my book, "Moon Glow and the Spirit People",
the theme suggests a nuclear ending to our world
in the year 2039. Is this a prophetic message?
And, if it should be, does God still have a Plan B
for those who may survive? Who knows? There
may be an "end"! It could happen. but can I deal
with that kind of a future? What would be your
side of that story?

It's A Heavy Burden

The Beatitudes make a tremendous demand upon us. "Blessedness" is not an easy burden to carry. "Blessed are the merciful" Jesus said. "Blessed are the peacemakers" he continued. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake." he adds. (Matt. 5:7,9,10)

And the average Christian wails, "I thought a blessing was supposed to be a blessing, but instead it looks like something altogether different than that. We might even get hurt, while being 'blessed'. Blessedness is indeed a 'sticky wicket'!"

One of the great saints of the Church once said, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of Almighty God." It is much like having a tiger by the tail, you see. It can be a dangerous thing to commit yourself to the Lord's blessings.

In one of the Peanuts cartoons, Linus and Lucy are watching their baby sister crawl across the floor. Linus asks, "How long do you think it will be before Sally starts to walk? And Lucy in her cynical way answers: "Good grief. What's the hurry? Let her crawl around for awhile! Don't rush her! Once you stand up, and start to walk, you're committed for life!"

When we reach out in faith to God, He gives us the ability to walk. But then, there is no turning back. We're committed for life.

A Quilt Or A Comforter?

In Gen 17:10, the Lord talks to Abraham and says, "Walk before me, and be blameless." This was a major moment in his life, for from that time on, he would no longer be called Abram, but Abraham. It was to be a mark of new beginnings. He took on a new name. From this moment, Abraham was to walk in faith, not knowing for sure, where God would lead him, but assured that he had been in tune with the Almighty, and that this was the One who would call the tune from here on.

This did not mean that Abraham would not make any more mistakes, and in fact, he made some big ones. But it did mean that he had the assurance that the Lord would be with him.

A Seminary student while typing a class essay, used the phrase, "Jesus has taken away my guilt." His typewriter, however, typed a "q" for the "g". When the professor returned the paper, he had written alongside the student's sentence..."Jesus has taken away my quilt", the additional words, "It's O.K. He has promised to send us a comforter."

Yes, God can take away our mistakes, our guilts, as well as our quilts ("security blankets") and He gives to us something infinitely better...Himself, the Holy Comforter.

I know that I will not always be able to walk before the Lord, blameless...but with God's help, I'm surely going to try.

Brush Your Tongue

Many of the "body parts" are mentioned in Scripture, but none refers to the "tongue" quite as much as the New Testament writer, James.

"If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue...this man's religion is vain," he says. (James 1:26) And again, just two chapters later, he comments, "the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire." (James 3:5) He then goes on to say, "the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body". He says, "every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no human being can tame the tongue‑‑a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and with it, we curse men." (James 3:6‑9)

Recently, I experienced some dental problems, and along with it, discovered that I had bad breath. The dental work was corrected, but the bad breath continued. What to do? The dentist asked, "Do you brush your tongue? In the grooves of the tongue, bacterial growth can take place." Strange as it felt, I tried it, and discovered that indeed the tongue can be a "restless evil, full of deadly poison."

How often do we take to heart the words of James and keep our tongue in discipline to the dictates of Christ's loving spirit? When was the last time, I spoke in anger, or with bitterness, or with scorn or malice? When was the last time I hurt someone needlessly by careless and hurting words? It happens, doesn't it? Why couldn't I have made those words helpful? Any reason why words of compliment, or words of encouragement, or words of love might have come from my tongue instead?

Our faith is in vain, James says, if we fail to bridle our tongue, and let it be a power for good rather than something that sets a "dangerous" fire.

Note: Through the miracle of computer technology,

I find there have been 16 readers at this Blog in the

last two days: Belgium, Finland, and Iran, as

well as Naperville, Saint Louis, Valley Forge, Omaha,

Waukesha, Chesapeak, Atlanta, Orlando, and Lombard.

Glad to have you checking it out! Any comments?

Don’t worry! I have no way of “blowing your cover”

unless you wish to share comments with me.

I Had A Dream

I had a dream" the Rev. Martin Luther King proclaimed years ago before the nation. And last night, I too had a dream!

It was a dream of the Church, lifting up hands in prayer, and then reaching out arms of love to those around.

I saw men and women, starry‑eyed youth, newly married couples, standing at the altar of commitment. I saw them take the hand of the living Jesus, and walk with Him into their homes, and into their businesses. I saw them reaching out in love to the poor. I saw them sharing a few moments with the lonely and the aging ones. I saw them offering a prayer for their enemies. I saw them inviting their neighbors to worship with them. I saw them giving as generously to the work of the Kingdom as they spent on their trips and their cable‑vision and their bowling and their recreation. I saw them caring for their Church. I saw them giving sacrificial hours in places of leadership. For some it was to teach, or to work, or to lead, or to administer. I saw the Church come alive! I saw the Church receiving their tender, loving care! I saw the Church growing, I saw the Church with a Soul! I saw the Church as that living, pulsing heart of the Savior, for the Church is truly the "Bride of Christ", and the Church is surely the hands and the lips and the heart of God's Spirit in our world.

It was only a dream, but what a beautiful one! And why should it not be so, when we who name the name of Jesus...we who have received Him, and we who claim to be His ambassadors are living, breathing people? The Church is dead if we who are in it, are dead! But, I had a dream of a Church Alive! May it really be so, and may God's Spirit fill us to make it come true?

Do It Today

Someone once said, "Procrastinating is my sin, it brings me endless sorrow. I really must stop doing it‑‑in fact, I'll stop tomorrow." Does this sound like anyone you know?

Sometimes we say, "The Church must really go ahead. Now is the time for her to come alive." If everyone went out and brought in two neighbors to add to the congregation, it could happen very quickly.

Doesn't this sound exciting? What a great feeling it gives us to think of the Church growing and coming alive, and working for the Savior!

But, of course, I have other commitments too. I would like to get to church more often, but so many other things crowd in. I plan soon to get more serious about my prayer life, and reading the Bible, and talking to others about going to church. I wonder who those new people were in church last week? I didn't speak to them because I was sure Frank would do it. Why don't the young people come like they used to? Things sure aren't the same as they were when everyone was so faithful. Can't see why the Church keeps asking for more money? I've been giving my $5 a week for ages now!

O Lord, people are so careless these days about spiritual things. I wish the Church could do more for more people. People sure do need the Gospel and the good old‑time religion. Some day I plan to get back to Sunday School again. One of these days, we'll get more active!!!

P.S. What if God with‑held His love until "tomorrow"?

The next time you feel like God can't use you,
just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Moses had a stuttering problem
David had an affair and was a murderer
Peter denied Christ
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious, AND
Lazarus was dead!

(Source unknown)

You're Taking Quite A Chance

I did some thinking today about people who take "chances". Chances on the highway, chances in the lottery, chances in the use of drugs! It's a risky business!

And then it occurred to me, that some of us are taking an awful chance with God. Some church members haven't taken Communion for quite awhile...I wonder if the Lord has noticed? Some folks just sleep in on Sunday mornings...too tired (they claim)...I wonder if the Lord cares? Some folks haven't assumed their church responsibilities for quite awhile...I wonder what the Lord has written on their golden ledger books?

By what line of reasoning do we assume that we can stay away from worship, forget our prayer life, let someone else carry the load, and believe that God isn't going to hold us responsible?

This week, we received a catalog, with a letter stapled to the front. It said, "this may be the last catalog I can send you, unless you place an order."

What if this was the last worship service we could attend before the end of the world? What if the Lord held no promise of mercy for us, if we missed another Communion service? What if our church would no longer be available to us, when we got sick, or needed a funeral, or counseling from our pastor?

What if God invited us all to a party, and nobody came? You're right...God is inviting us all to come to His service of worship this week, and all through the year. Will we say "yes" or "no"?

The letter with the catalog, had this additional word, "I wanted to make sure that not one customer missed out on all the good things in this catalog..."

And that's the message of the Church...we just want to make sure that not one member or friend misses out on the good news of the Gospel. But don't take chances with the Eternal...you can miss some T.V....you can miss some basketball and hockey...you can miss a little sleep...but don't miss the invitation of the Lord of Hosts!

What Is My Christian Duty?

We've heard the question raised before: "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Not having the marvelous scroll upon which the Angel Gabriel keeps the records of good and bad deeds of every living person, we can only look at those aspects of life that show.

Unfortunately, Christians have been more than successful in keeping their Christianity from showing. For lack of the positive deeds of good will, we have substituted words and resolutions. We have organized committees and boards to formulate the doctrines of our faith. We have held tightly to the conviction that a person is "justified by faith", but "faith" sometimes becomes a convenient hide‑out for people who want to tuck their heads in the sand, and pretend that the world around them really isn't so.

And then there are those who give evidence of their faith, by preaching it, moralizing it, sentimentalizing it, and literally force‑feeding it to everyone they meet. There is an inner zeal within them that sends them out to change their world, to convert their neighbors. But the evidence of their faith doesn't hold up in court, or any place else, for that matter.

I suppose both methods have their point of value, but the first method ends up in a sterile institutionalism, and the second method seems all too often to end up with a superficial faith that lives on "Cloud 9" or arouses hostility and resentment, driving away the very persons who most need it.

Robert L. Stevenson once said, "There is an idea abroad among moral people that they should make their neighbors good. One person I have to make good, and that is myself. My duty to my neighbor is much more clearly expressed by saying that I have made him happy." In my Bible, I do not find that it says my job is to change my neighbor, it says simply that I am to love him!

I did not always believe this. There was a time, when I felt God had placed a burden upon my heart, to convert my neighbors. Now, a new peace has filled my soul as I shift this burden to my Heavenly Father. My job is to love my neighbors...to love them in whatever way is required so that it is real. And when I have done this in obedience to my Savior, who also loved me (unworthy though I may be), then I can leave it up to God to do the changing of those I have tried to love!

Have you really tried to love your neighbors lately? All the angels in heaven will rejoice when they see this kind of evidence of Christ‑like faith!

Get Out The Camphor Bottle!

Donald A. Laird, the psychologist, said that whenever his grandmother was over‑wrought she would get the camphor bottle and put a little camphor on her fore‑head, behind each ear, and on her throat. Then she would sit in her rocking chair, close her eyes, and relax.

Dr. Laird said that the camphor bit was simply a gimmick. Grandma used it as an aid to relax her tensions. Most of us don't have a rocking chair or camphor bottle handy, but we use sedatives, aspirins, etc. as one of the contemporary remedies to life's anxieties.

All of this, it would seem is quite unnecessary, if we could just learn some of life's basic rules. So perfect have become the computerized lift‑off procedures of our modern‑day space vehicles, that we sometimes wonder why our own lives cannot run so smoothly. And yet, people are not like rockets and should accept the fact that there are very few times in a person's life when all conditions are "go".

No, we must live by an acceptance of our humanness, our limitations, our imperfections. We are tiny specks in an amazingly big universe. We are imperfect, and more than that, we are inclined to self‑centeredness, making us sinful and rebellious to the basic rules of life. We cannot make that trip to our space rendezvous, because we are too much "a‑go‑go" and not enough "go‑ ye". Our lives are lived by our feet and our anxieties, rather than by our commitments and our fidelity to our Maker.

The ancient prophet once said, "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." (Isa. 30:15) God is saying to us through the prophet Isaiah, that we should learn to trust in Him more than in our own schemes and defenses.

It is good advice, for so much of our anxiety and tension comes not from actual situations as from nameless dread of situations beyond our control. The unsettled condition of our world is contagious. But we cheat ourselves when we worry, for it does us no good, and certainly no one else. To be concerned...yes! To do what we can...yes! All of this we must do. But beyond that point, let us learn to use either Grandma's camphor and rocking chair...or, better yet...shift the burdens that are too big for us to God. Then we will find to our amazement that God is able to take that which we have committed unto Him against that day, and care for both us and His world.

Is The Lord Watching?

There is a beautiful old phrase that comes out of the story of Jacob and his father‑in‑law in the Old Testament. We call it the "Mizpah" benediction. It goes like this: "May the Lord watch between me and thee, while we are absent one from another." (Genesis 31:49)

Originally, the meaning was somewhat sinister: "remember, the Lord is watching...keep your distance!" But through the years, we have come to think of it in more endearing terms.

One person remembered that her father always concluded his letters to her by using the word, "Mizpah". This is a greeting that we could say to one another as we leave church, or as we go on a long journey, or as we separate after a family reunion.

"Mizpah"..."May the Lord watch between me and thee". How beautiful to know that He is watching, that He is there to care for us in our separateness.

It is good to learn to trust our loved ones to God's care as we leave them, whether it be for a day, or an hour, or many years. As we send our children off to camp, or when they simply cross the street. "Mizpah"...may the Lord watch over them as we are apart. As we lose loved ones in death..."Mizpah"...they are in His care and keeping. We can be sure He is watching over them!

Every day, I ask the Lord to watch over family and neighbors, and the many loved ones we have come to know through the years. Yes, thank God, He never sleeps, never leaves on vaca tion, never deserts His post! Our Lord watches over us, each and every one. Aren't you glad?

No Gloves On His Hands!

If we are honest with the New Testament, we discover that Jesus was a lot less critical of some things and some people, than we are. We have established a kind of legalistic morality. We are extremely hard on certain sinners, but terribly lenient of others. And the fact is, of course, that we are all sinners.

Are the drunkards the sinners? Are the sex perverts, the thieves, the murderers the sinners? What does it mean to say that "my sin is less than theirs?" My sin is perhaps more serious, because I ought to know better! Some of us actually "look down upon some people." We find ourselves sub‑consciously saying, "Lord, I thank Thee that I am not like that man over there."

If there is someone without sin, then let him affirm it! It is not a case of whether we are greater sinners, or lesser sin ners. It is just a matter of what kind of sinners we are. And so I guess this means that I am: a conscientious church‑going, Protestant, middle‑aged male parent, trying‑to‑be‑a‑good‑Christian‑type of a sinner! And next to the holiness of God, my own goodness is like filthy rags, by contrast.

Have you ever gone into a home, so filthy, so dirty, that you thought you would be contaminated to sit down? I did once. I was invited to eat dinner there. I did so, but with a queasy feeling inside. I confess I ate with self‑righteousness, thinking to myself, "I am clean...they are not!"

I wondered how God feels. Our hands are stained, our lives are not clean, and still He invites us to come: "All who do truly and earnestly repent of their sins and are in love and fellowship with their neighbors, and intend to live a new life, come!" He really is inviting us!

There is a delightful story told about the former President Lyndon Johnson, when he was on a tour in Africa. He was riding through the streets of an African town with the local ambassador. In typical style, he reached over the edge of the car to shake hands with the people running alongside. The ambassador grabbed his arm back and insisted that Johnson wear gloves, so his hands, his flesh not be contaminated by the grime and dirt. It is no surprise that our President refused to wear the gloves!

Jesus set the pace! He ate and had fellowship with the outcast, the scorned, the prostitute. He wore no gloves! But how am I any better than the outcast, the prostitute? Are my sins any less, or just of another kind? The wonder of it all, is, we were not clean when our Savior invited us. Our sin‑stained lives were obvious when He accepted us. He took us, with no glove upon His Hand. And He led us to the center of His love.

Shall we, who profess His name, do any less...be less accepting, less forgiving? For only as we forgive, shall we be forgiven. Only as we accept, shall we be accepted.

It Takes A Miracle!

The Christian Church was born out of miracles: the miracle of the miracle‑baby born in a manger, and the miracle of the death and resurrection of our Lord. From a peasant woman, and in a lowly manger, came a King; and out of death and crucifixion, came new life. From defeat to victory is the movement of the Christian Church...truly a miracle!

We do not understand how miracles work. If we did, then they would no longer be miracles! But within the faith of the Christian, there is an assurance that in this problem world of ours, we do not work alone! We move our tiny chess player as wisely as we know how, and somewhere, God moves another one. We neither control completely our successes, nor guarantee absolute ly our failures. Somehow, there is still another unknown factor in life's amazing world. Success must never make us vain because God has given us the very breath we breathe. Sin and failure are not the end of the world...because God provides forgiveness and new beginnings, if we ask Him.

There is a beautiful solo, that says: "It took a miracle of grace" to change my life. That is correct! In my natural self, I am vain and proud, and self‑centered. But God can correct that, and make me mellow and usable for His purposes.

When a Church believes more than anything else that the Lord's work must go forward, and organizes itself to do His will, then get out of the way! God is coming through! Our gifts and our tithes and our efforts are suddenly caught up in the whirl winds of God's Spirit. It is like holding a tiger by the tail! God's miracles begin to show!

God will bless us. God will multiply our efforts and our sacrifices through the miracle of His grace. But we must be within His will. We must believe and pray for His help.

Will you pray for a miracle of grace, for an out‑pouring of sacrificial offerings, and a treasury of souls throughout the Church?

Listen To The Signal From Space!

A farmer was working in his barn and amidst the hay, dropped his watch. He stomped all over the floor, and raked the hay, and poked into the dark corners with a flashlight to find the lost time‑piece, but to no avail. Finally, he gave up his fruit‑less search and went in for lunch. His small boy ran out to the barn, and a few minutes later came in with the watch. "How did you find it" his father asked? "I just lay down on the floor and kept very still, and soon I heard the watch ticking."

There is a lesson to be learned from this simple story. Far too many of us waste our energies with a great deal of stewing and fretting and stomping through life. As we do so, we lose one of our most valuable possessions, namely fellowship and contact with our Creator.

There is a Divine resonance, a holy signal, a faint moving of the Spirit of God, that sets the pace and directs the inner heart to a life of significance, and an inner peace. This beat of the universe is ever present. This "Music of the Spheres" is always there. This still small voice is available. But we have so completely tuned it out by our loud and frantic striving.

If we would make this day, or tomorrow, one that responds to the beat of the universe, instead of having it shake and tremble in discord, then we must learn to wait upon the Lord, to be still and know that God is God. There is a signal there. There is a still small voice waiting to give direction, give hope, and give peace, if we but listen for it. God has not left us desolate.

A German astronomer, Sebastian von Hoerner, says that there are at least ten civilized communities on planets within one thousand light years of the earth. He thinks that some of these people may be far more advanced than ourselves. He believes our best hope of avoiding disaster is to listen for some message from outer space which might save us and our civilization.

It is an interesting idea. Our amazingly sensitive listening devices have never picked up any such signal or voice. And even if we heard, would we obey?

Man does need a wisdom and a signal higher and wiser than his own. But we have such a message already. It comes to us from the eternal, sovereign God, the Creator of all the universes that may exist. The simple, universal code of love, forgiveness, mercy, and justice has been tapping out its message through the centuries. It has come down to us through the prophets and most perfectly through Jesus Christ.

When we become quiet enough to listen for this Voice, to discover the inner serenity and power of His Spirit, then life may be lived victoriously and meaningfully. The Voice out of Space has come. Will we be obedient to it, now that we know what it is?