Pastor Bob's Blog

Choose to Forgive

2009-10-12T07:17:00.002-05:00

Great thoughts from a devotional on Purpose Driven.

"Never pay back evil with more evil . . . Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good" (Romans 12:17, 21 NLT).

What is your normal reaction when people hurt you intentionally? Retaliate! Get even! We're often at our creative best when we're thinking up methods to get even.

But the Bible teaches we need to make a choice to forgive. Instead of reacting, we should take the initiative to forgive.

In his book, Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am?, John Powell says he was walking down the street with a friend and they stopped to get a paper. The man selling the paper was discourteous and very rude. As they walked away, John's friend said to the man, "You have a nice day, now!"

John asked his friend, "Is that man always that rude to you?"

"Yes."

"Are you always that nice to him?"

John's friend said, "Yes, I'm not going to let one man ruin my day."

The brilliant African-American scientist, Booker T. Washington, faced prejudice all his life, but he made a very significant choice about how he would handle it: "I will never allow another man to control or ruin my life by making me hate him."

The moment you start retaliating or seeking revenge is the same moment you give up control of your life. You have allowed the person you're angry at to gain control of your life because you are reacting, which is a position of weakness, as opposed to forgiving, which is a position of Christlike strength.

The Bible teaches, "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back,' says the Lord" (Romans 12:19 NLT).

Just Something I Read

2009-10-06T07:55:00.001-05:00

Good thought for today. A devotional I just read:

"For the grace of God . . . teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives . . . " (Titus 2:11-13 NIV).

Self-control is not optional for Christians. The race we are running is for eternity, and so we’re to develop a strict discipline (1 Corinthians 9:25). Here are some other steps to help you gain self control as you make healing choices:

Talk back to your feelings Do you let your moods manipulate you? God doesn't want you to be controlled by your feelings. He wants you to master your moods. With Christ as the Master of your life, you can learn to master your feelings.

Talk back to them. Learn to challenge your emotions: "For the grace of God . . . teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives . . . " (Titus 2:11-13 NIV).

God's grace gives us the power to make the right choices--ones that lead to healing. God gives you the ability to say no to that feeling, to that desire, to that impulse.

Believe you can change The fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control--grow in your thought life.

The seeds must be planted in your mind: The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act.

God gave us the power to change our habits when he gave us the power to choose our thoughts. Does Romans 1:2 tell us to be transformed by working hard at it or by sheer willpower? "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2 NIV).

What are we to be transformed by--the renewing of the mind. When your self-control is being tested, you need to fill your mind with the promises of God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (NIV).

That's a fact. If you are a Christian, you can't honestly say, "The temptation was too strong; I couldn't help myself." The Bible says God is faithful. If you're a Christian, he won't let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. He never asks you to bear something that is bigger than the strength he puts inside of you through his Holy Spirit.

One of God’s Great “Don’ts”

2009-07-04T10:19:00.002-05:00

My Utmost for His Highest was good today. If the truths of God's word do not work for me, they don't work for anyone. If we truly believe the word of God, we need to live them out in the times of uncertainty not just the good times. I think we are practical atheists at times. We tend to "think" the truths apply to us and that God will help us in our times of need, but when the going gets tough do we "really" believe.

Don't we really want the presence of God in our lives? Don't we want our relationship with God to be real, fresh, intimate? It's tough at times to be real. It's tough at times to trust and rely on God alone. We so want to live it out but we fail so often. I'm glad that God doesn't look at us as failures. We seem to fall short so often. Praise His name we are not alone nor are we the first. Nothing is confronting us that is not a common occurrence among us. Let's keep our eyes fixed on the author and finisher of our faith. Sound easy, huh?

“Do not fret—it only causes harm” (Psalm 37:8).

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

The Uncritical Temper

2009-06-17T07:46:00.002-05:00

Oswald Chambers Devotional for today was spot on. There seems to be such pride in the Christian Community. Maybe that's why the bible says, "You will know my disciples by their love for one another." We can't love others is we are being critical and judgmental of them.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 7:1.

Jesus says regarding judging—Don’t. The average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual. Criticism is a part of the ordinary faculty of man; but in the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The effect of criticism is a dividing up of the powers of the one criticized; the Holy Ghost is the One in the true position to criticize, He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person. Jesus says, as a disciple, cultivate the uncritical temper. It is not done once and for all. Beware of anything that puts you in the superior person’s place.

There is no getting away from the penetration of Jesus. If I see the mote in your eye, it means I have a beam in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-20). Stop having a measuring rod for other people. There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing. The first thing God does is to give us a spiritual spring-cleaning; there is no possibility of pride left in a man after that. I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

What's Happening to Our Country?

2009-04-09T08:11:00.005-05:00

While I am an eternal optimist, the scripture tells us to be watching and ready. At some time the predicted end will come. Will it be in our lifetime? Will we be the generation that sees the fulfillment of scripture regarding the end times? Some generation is going to see it. Could it be this one?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. (2 Tim 3:1-5)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. (1 Tim 4:1-3)

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matt 24:3-25)

The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. God will not be mocked.

Will God remove (or has already removed) the hedges that He had placed around the United States? While Israel is His chosen people and the apple of His eye, He removed the hedges around them when they rejected Him. Isaiah 5 tells us the story of His vineyard. He removed those hedges and allowed them to be trampled. They became a wasteland. Isaiah 5 gives us multiple woes indicating the condition of the nation of Israel that ultimately brought the nation down.

Are these same issues being seen in the United States today?

1. Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field ... and live alone... We are a materialistic nation. We have turned a corner where our personal wealth is the ultimate goal even at the expense of our fellow Americans. Corrupt companies, investment firms and even politicians have exploited their power at the expense of the average citizen.

2. Woe to drunkards (Isa 5:11-12). Revelry and drunkenness are rampant in our country. We care for our own pleasures and have abandoned any concern for the Lord. Even in the church the concept of grace has overtaken the need for holiness and separation. One example is the spring break craze. Young people have given way to their passionate lusts and are doing that which is right in their own eyes. Where is the fear of God?

3. Woe to the doubters of God (Isa 5:18-19). Out of the same mouths come blessings and cursings. We want God to heal our nation but we don't want to change our lifestyles. We want God to act but we don't want give up our sinful practices. A spiritual change must precede God bringing healing of a nation. If my people, who are called by my name will "HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND SEEK MY FACE AND PRAY AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS" then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. (2 Chron 7.14)

4. Woe to those calling evil good and good evil (Isa 5:20). We are a nation of perverted values. What was once considered evil is now looked upon as good. What was once looked upon as good is now looked upon as evil. We are a morally backward nation. At one time the McGuffy reader was used as a text book in our public schools, now we can't even pray in school. At one time television would not allow even the flushing of toilets or couples to sleep in the same beds (even though they were married) as in the Dick Van Dyke show. Now there is nudity and obvious sexual intercourse being seen.

Romans 1:32-2:1) Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

5. Woe to conceited ones (5:21) We are an arrogant people in the United States. We think we are so clever and we think we can deliver ourselves. We have no need of God. We have no need of His standards.

6. Woe to the drunken bribe-takers (5:22-23) Rather than being heroes and good government authorities, many leaders were known for their heavy drinking. They were ready to be bribed, not caring for the people they were ruling. They were more concerned for their own pleasure than for the rights of the innocent. Our court system has fallen. We are now seeing judges ruling the country from the bench.

There is no doubt that the whole world is in trouble. But, the United States is not innocent of these woes delivered to the nation of Israel thousands of years ago. God will once again restore the nation of Israel but it does not come without a cost.

Let me give you three things to think about today.

1. God is all powerful. He could change things if He wanted. The same God who created the heavens and the earth is able to save.

2. God is all knowing. He knows the situation we are in as a nation and personally. He is not unaware of what is going on.

3. God is good. He still is watching over His people and all things will work together for our good and for His glory.

There is no need to fear for the child of God, however, there is a need for us to be true followers of Jesus Christ. He calls us to be His disciples, to live holy lives, to come out from the lifestyles of this world and live lives worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus.

Let us run the race marked out for us and let us not get weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

Does the Story Below fit the Previous Blog?

2009-01-16T10:34:00.003-06:00

Talking Dog

A guy is driving around Wadsworth, Ohio and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there. "You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

"So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."

"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

"Ten dollars," the guy says.

"Ten dollars? This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheaply?"

"Because he's lying, he never did any of that stuff."

Identified With Christ

2009-01-16T09:18:00.005-06:00

Recently I joined facebook. It is a great way to communicate with old friends and stay connected. I have reconnected with friends I haven't seen or heard from in years. In a way Facebook allows you to spy on everyone's life.

I put a little post on the wall (as they call it) mentioning I was sitting thinking about Facebook and I made the comment, "so many Christians but very little talk about the Lord." I have only received a few comments back. One said they agreed, one said that it is a great to stay in touch with others and to reconnect to which I agree. This second comment in a way avoided the real issues. I agree with their statement but continue to think that if the Lord is really our life, should it show in our general conversations of life?

It got me thinking about Colossians 3.

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 FFor you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have aput on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."

Since we are "in Christ" we are new creatures. We have been given a new nature since we have received forgiveness of sins. We have been bought with a price and we are not our own anymore. There is no need to exert effort or to try to have a new nature, we have been given a new nature. While it would be nice if that old nature were totally gone, in reality it is still here and we need to train ourselves for godliness and day by day, moment by moment continually be being filled with His Spirit. We are told to put on the new man, to yield to the Spirit, to put on the armor of God. But we do have a new nature as well.

Christ now is our life (vs 4). We have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and have been transferred into the Kingdom of His dear son. (Col 1:13). It appears there is an active part of our lives that Colossians says we are to do, such as putting on compassion, kindness adn humility etc; but there is also a passive resting transformation that the Spirit of God does in our lives. We are told to let the word of God dwell in us richly, let the peace of God rule in our hearts. But the new life ought to show itself naturally in our lives.

William Ramsay says in his Daily Bible Study Series on Phil, "the Christian will view everything against the background of eternity and no longer live as if this world was all that mattered. This will obviously give him a new set of values. Things which the world thought important, he will no longer worry about. Ambitions which dominated the world, will be powerless to touch him. He will go on using the things of the world but he will use them in a new way. He will, for instance, set giving above getting, serving above ruling, forgiving above avenging. The Christian’s standard of values will be God’s not men’s.

I believe it will effect all of our lives. It will effect our interests and passions; it will effect our values and priorities and it will show itself naturally throughout all of our lives. The Christian life is not just another way to live life, it is our life. We have been eternally changed and are being changed daily into His likeness.

How are we being changed? Is it evident to others around? Shouldn't it show in what we talk about and how we talk about it? The city of Jerusalem took note that the people had been with Jesus. It showed. They turned the whole city upside down. We are suppose to be mirrors reflecting the glory of God to a world around us. The King of the universe lives within us. We are joint heirs of Jesus Christ, we are children of the King. Those are truly incredible and motivating truths that should spur us on to love and good deeds and to walk worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus.

My fellow believers, watch your speech and manner of life closely because others are too. What a joy to be His.

Direction of aspiration

2008-11-24T14:27:00.001-06:00

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master, . . . so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. Psalm 123:2.

This verse is a description of entire reliance upon God. Just as the eyes of the servant are riveted on his master, so our eyes are up unto God and our knowledge of His countenance is gained (cf. Isaiah 53:1. R.V.). Spiritual leakage begins when we cease to lift up our eyes unto Him. The leakage comes not so much through trouble on the outside as in the imagination, when we begin to say—‘I expect I have been stretching myself a bit too much, standing on tiptoe and trying to look like God instead of being an ordinary humble person.’ We have to realize that no effort can be too high.

For instance, you came to a crisis when you made a stand for God and had the witness of the Spirit that all was right, but the weeks have gone by, and the years maybe, and you are slowly coming to the conclusion, ‘Well, after all, was I not a bit too pretentious? Was I not taking a stand a bit too high?’ Your rational friends come and say—‘Don’t be a fool, we knew when you talked about this spiritual awakening that it was a passing impulse, you can’t keep up the strain, God does not expect you to.’ And you say— ‘Well, I suppose I was expecting too much.’ It sounds humble to say it, but it means that reliance on God has gone and reliance on worldly opinion has come in. The danger is lest, no longer relying on God, you ignore the lifting up of your eyes to Him. Only when God brings you to a sudden halt, will you realize how you have been losing out. Whenever there is a leakage, remedy it immediately. Recognize that something has been coming between you and God, and get it readjusted at once.

Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (November 24). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

More Than A Doctor

2008-11-03T18:42:00.001-06:00

In a sermon, leadership consultant Nancy Ortberg told about an experience she once had while working as an emergency room nurse. At the end of a long shift, a senior doctor was debriefing a new physician on the night’s work. At the end of the discussion, he asked, “Did you notice the young man from housekeeping who came in to clean the room?” The young doctor’s face went blank. “His name is Carlos,” the older physician said, going on to describe the housekeeper’s family, home, and personal history. Then he said, “Next week I would like you to tell me something about Carlos that I don’t already know.” Then they went on their rounds.

Ortberg, watching the exchange, was stunned. “I have just witnessed breathtaking leadership,” she thought.

Adapted from Forbes.com

HELP JUST ONE PERSON

2008-11-03T18:31:00.004-06:00

The famed louisville slugger baseball bat was born from another bat—a broken one. According to the official story, it began when a 17-year-old woodworking apprentice named Bud Hillerich went to watch a local ballgame one day in 1884.

The star of the home team broke his bat during the game. Hillerich ran up to him afterward and invited him to his father’s woodshop, promising to make a new bat for him. With the new bat, the baseball star went four for four in his next game. Then more baseball players began coming to the shop for bats. At first Hillerich’s father wasn’t happy. Baseball was associated with booze, womanizing, and gambling. But the business soon became too profit able to ignore.

Louisville manufacturer Hillerich & Bradsby now produces more than 2,000 Louisville Sluggers every day one in five headed for the major leagues all because young Bud Hillerich spotted an opportunity to help one person.

Adapted from the MSNBC Web site

You Are My Strength

2008-10-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

"You Are My Strength" by Hillsong Music

Memorial Day 2008

2008-05-23T13:34:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day is not a tradition of recent origin. A look at history reveals that the roots of this day of remembrance can be traced to the days of the Civil War. It was the bloodiest war in which America has ever been engaged. Cannon's belched fire as iron balls flew across an open field toward the entrenched enemy line. Musket balls whizzed through the air. The stench of gunpowder filled every nostril. The cries of the wounded and dying were everywhere. Finally, the guns fell silent in yet another Civil War battle.

But it was just one battle - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - July 1, 1863; a battle and a battlefield that have never been forgotten; a battlefield to which President Abraham Lincoln journeyed to dedicate a cemetery four months later. It's been 140 years since the Civil War, a period in American history that pitted brother-against-brother and father-against-son. By the end of the war nearly one million citizen soldiers died from wounds or other results of battle. Yet, the end of the Civil War did not bring an end to the loss of life for those who serve in the uniform of our nation's armed forces. We remember all too many who died from too many wars. We carry on a tradition that can be traced back to President Lincoln and his dedication address at the Gettysburg battlefield cemetery. Remember the words: "The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here ---- but it can never forget what they did here. We gather as free men and women, without regard to race or color because we all share one creed.”

We are Americans and Christians bonded together in solemn reflection. We remember that our nation's freedom was purchased at a heavy price. And as Christians we remember that our freedom was purchased at a heavy price. We DO remember the sacrifices spanning generations. We DO remember the heavy price our Savior paid. Many here today have lived through periods of war. Some have friends or family members who made the ultimate sacrifice. But what about those who have never lived in time of war? How do they come to appreciate the price of freedom? There is an old saying that: "You must know before you can forget." On this Memorial Day we must also not forget that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

The words of President Thomas Jefferson still ring true this day: "The tree of liberty needs to be watered from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants." America is not engaged in a declared war. Yet we have thousands of men and women in uniform serving in more than 130 countries. They face danger on a daily basis. Not a year passes that we don't lose active duty lives in a never-ending vigil to maintain peace. I'd like each one gathered today to bow for a moment of silent prayer for the 1.4 million men and women in uniform who now stand guard for us. As George Orwell said: "We sleep safe in our bed because rough men - and I add to his words, women - stand ready to visit violence on them who would do us harm." The world IS a dangerous place and we thank God for those who keep us safe. ~author unknown

Faith Lessons

2008-02-25T06:54:00.002-06:00

Faith Believes Everyone is Important To God

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the question, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school? Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you'll meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'.I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

The faith lesson is that everyone is important to God. Psalm 8:4, 5 says, "what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." (NIV)

When God made man He made him in the image of God. When creation was finished he looked at all he had made and said it was very good. The man driving down the street who cuts you off is made in the image of God. The worker whom you want to curse out was made in the image of God. The neighbor whose stuff you want to take was made in the image of God. When you look at someone on skid row or in prison or of a different nationality we see someone made in the image of God. When we see another Christian who doesn't live like we might think he should, yes, made in the image of God.

What value God would place upon man. We have been bought with a price. God placed such a value on us that he bought us with nothing less than the blood of His dear Son. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

What a world it would be if we saw people as God saw them.

Removing the Veil - A.W. Tozer

2008-01-19T12:14:00.000-06:00

Moses met with God in a "tent of meeting" that was setup outside the Israelite camp. He used to go out there to talk with God face to face as a man would talk to his friend. Moses true heart for God became evident as he pled with God to reveal to him His glory. Moses pled with God asking Him not to send him unless His presence went with him. When God promised He would go with Moses, Moses with boldness and seeming arrogance asked God to reveal His glory to him. God honored Moses' faith and hid him in the cleft of the rock and made His glory pass before Moses. How much of the Christian life is lived in the presence of God and with the power of God? How much do we do without the presence of God in our lives. We have figured out how to live the Christian life in our own strength and in our own imaginations. What we need is a visitation from God, a renewing of our passions and devotion not to the work of God but to the person of God. As Tozer says, "we need to be worshippers first and workers second." Oh that we would seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and let God do His work in our midst.

Below is a portion of A.W. Tozer's book the pursuit of God. It was the first book I read as a christian other than the bible.

The presence of God is the central fact of Christianity. At the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to push in to conscious awareness of His presence. That type of Christianity which happens now to be the vogue knows this Presence only in theory. It fails to stress the Christian's privilege of present realization. According to its teachings we are in the presence of God positionally, and nothing is said about the need to experience that Presence actually. The fiery urge that drove men like McCheyne is wholly missing. And the present generation of Christians measures itself by this imperfect rule. Ignoble contentment takes the place of burning zeal. We are satisfied to rest in our judicial possessions and, for the most part, we bother ourselves very little about the absence of personal experience.

Who is this within the veil who dwells in fiery manifestations? It is none other than God Himself.

"One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible." It is "one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father."

And it is "the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified." Yet this holy Trinity is one God, for "we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal and the majesty co-eternal."

So in part run the ancient creeds, and so the inspired Word declares.

Behind the veil is God, that God after whom the world, with strange inconsistency, has felt, "if haply they might... find him" (Acts 17:27). He has discovered Himself to some extent in nature, but more perfectly in the Incarnation. Now He waits to show Himself in ravishing fullness to the humble of soul and the pure in heart.

The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for want of His presence. The instant cure of most of our religious ills would be to enter the Presence in spiritual experience, to become suddenly aware that we are in God and God is in us. This would lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be enlarged. This would burn away the impurities from our lives as the bugs and fungi were burned away by the fire that dwelt in the bush.

— Pursuit of God, The

Christmas Past, Present and Future

2007-12-24T06:03:00.000-06:00

Reading from "A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, " . . . "Are you the Spirit, sir, whose coming was foretold to me?" asked Scrooge. "I am." The voice was soft and gentle. Singularly low, as if instead of being so close beside him, it were at a distance. "Who, and what are you?" Scrooge demanded. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past." "Long Past?" inquired Scrooge: observant of its dwarfish stature. "No. Your past."

No one likes to see themselves for what they really are, sinful. Because we really don't believe we're all that bad.

But in all reality we are sinful. So much so that the bible says we are totally depraved (Romans 3:10-18). It is not bad to realize our present condition as long as we understand that we don't have to remain there. When I found out I had diabetes it was quite a shock. Finding out is what really saved my life though. A friend a fellow worker found out he had two blocked arteries at 38 years old. Finding out is what saved his life.

Finding that we are sinners, totally depraved while shocking to some is what can ultimately save our lives.

Colossians 1:21 Christmas Past …you who were once far away… You were his enemies, separated from him… (NLT)

Colossians 1:22 Christmas Present …Yet now, he has reconciled you to himself… (NLT)

Colossians 1:23 Christmas Future …you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it… I have appointed you as God’s servant to proclaim it… (NLT)

However the Bible shows us our Christmas Past as:

“loving darkness more than the light, because our deeds are evil.” (John 3:19)

The Apostle Paul writes from his own past, "There is none righteous, no, not one . . . There is none who does good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10,11)

Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

Our Christmas Past is one of alienation, enemies of God desiring to do bad things.

Colossians 21a "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works..."

Reading from "A Christmas Carol" . . . "Come in!" exclaimed the Ghost. "Come in, and know me better, man." Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his head before this Spirit. He was not the dogged Scrooge he had been; and though the Spirit's eyes were clear and kind, he did not like to meet them. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," said the Spirit. "Look upon me."

God does not intend to leave you or I dogged with the spirit of the Christmas Past for there in the midst of our darkened sin stained life is the glimmer of Light emanating from the cross fashioned tree and the closer we move toward it we begin to hear the call of the Christmas Present that says "Look upon Me!

"Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:22).

However the Bible shows us our Christmas Present as:

Colossians 1:22, "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (NLT)

Reading from "A Christmas Carol" . . . "I am in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come?" . . . "Lead on!" said Scrooge, "lead on! The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!"

There is a Christmas Future that awaits every child of God. It is truly the unfolding of the greatest gift in Christ Jesus, our glorification. Paul assures us that what God has begun in each of us He will finish it . . . bringing it to completion (Philippians 1:6).

However the Bible shows us our Christmas Future as:

Christmas Future speaks to the time when we who are His, will be as He is! (1 John 3:2) Paul refers to it as a time of presentation before God.

Colossians 1:22a "to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight..."

But the Lord has not taken us home yet. He has left us here to be a light in the darkness, to be salt in an unsalty world to testify to the world of the wonderful grace of God. When Christmas Future (2008) comes, who will we be? and what will we have done to bring Him glory?

Let me give you four things to consider:

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me -- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24 (NIV)

Have a Mission in 2008:

to become more like Chirst (Romans 8:29)
to bring others into God’s family (Acts 20:24)

John 20:21 Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." (NIV)

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (NIV)

Romans 10:13-14 "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (NIV)

Share the Message:

Fulfillment
Freedom
Forgiveness

Luke 2:11 “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord.”

Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (NIV)

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (NIV)

John 8:36 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (NIV)

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in {Or [through]} Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV)

Do it all in Love:

2 Corinthians 5:14 "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died." (NIV)

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (NIV)

Just do it:

Invest in someone's life - SHOW IT
Invite them to Christ and Church - SHARE IT

Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (NIV)

Colossians 4:5 "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." (NIV)

2 Timothy 1:7-8 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God..." (NIV)

My Core Values

2007-12-19T11:00:00.001-06:00

I. "The Bible says it; that settles it" (2 Timothy 3:16). Be a Man of Conviction
All that I do is based upon the inerrant Word of God. I am biblically conservative and unapologetic in my stand for truth.

II. "I will get in on what God is up to" (John 5:30). Be a Man of Vision
Just as Jesus sought to only do the Father's will, so I adjust my activities to the will and Word of the Lord. I am nothing without Him, but through Christ I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). My method of operation is not to think up good ideas through man's reasoning but to receive my directions from God.

III. "I share because I care" (Matthew 28:19-20). Be a Man of Obedience
All Christians are to be verbal and lifestyle witnesses for Christ. We share His love with the lost because we truly care. The Great Commission also compels us to go into all the world through missions. We seek to be both evangelistic and missions-minded.

IV. "What the world needs now is God's sweet love" (I Corinthians 13:8-13). Be a Man of Love
While people may sing, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love,"I know the importance of God's love for them, for their family, for the church, and for the lost. Love must prevail in my life with an attitude of grace and patience.

V. "I will be positive in a negative world" (Hebrew 10:25). Be a Man of Hope
I seek to be positive in all that I do. My primary motivation for service is gratitude not guilt. I seek to have the "can do" attitude of a winner who knows that "with God nothing is impossible."

VI. "Everybody is somebody in His body" (Ephesians 4:11-13). Be a Man of Encouragement
I should strive to have a ministry in the local church. My church consists of all kinds of people. There is unity in diversity. I must strive to equip believers for the work of ministry. I will try to help believers discover his spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, calling, and ministry.

VII. "Show up, look up, grow up" (Hebrews 10:25 & 12:2; I Cor 9:24-27). Be a Man of Discipline
It is important that I show up in loyal, faithful attendance in Bible Study, worship services, and other major activities. I will attend to look up to Jesus in worship and to glorify Him in all that I say and do. I mature as I grow up into Christ, especially growing in obedience and faith. I will continue in the basic disciplines of prayer, Bible reading, witnessing, giving, and service.

VIII. "Touch people where they hurt" (Acts 3:4-6). Be a Man of Grace
As God leads, I should recognize needs and meet them and find hurts and heal them. This is how I can attract the attention of non-Christians. This is also a part of ministering to the body. I carry out caring, healing ministries which relates to the emotional as well as the spiritual needs of people. Hurting people should find help from me and then help others in return.

IX. "I desire to help the church grow by getting smaller" (Acts 2:42). Be a Man of Work
In order to minister to people and to keep them from getting lost in the crowd, I need to help establish more and more small groups. These groups provide Bible teaching, ministry, and support to care for those in the Body. This may involve a regular Sunday school group, a home group or a recovery group.

X. "Where God guides He provides" (Matthew 6:33). Be a Man of Generosity
Ministry, not money is my major concern. I have God's provisions to reach people for Christ. I believe I am to pray, give, and go as I operate in the provision of God's Spirit and resources (Phil 4:19).

Not by might nor by power

2007-12-03T10:32:00.000-06:00

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Cor. 2:4.

If in preaching the Gospel you substitute your clear knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the Gospel, you hinder people getting to Reality. You have to see that while you proclaim your knowledge of the way of salvation, you yourself are rooted and grounded in faith in God. Never rely on the clearness of your exposition, but as you give your exposition see that you are relying on the Holy Spirit. Rely on the certainty of God’s redemptive power, and He will create His own life in souls.

When once you are rooted in Reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset that faith; but nothing can ever upset God or the almighty Reality of Redemption; base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God. When once you get into personal contact with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification. God puts His disapproval on human experience when we begin to adhere to the conception that sanctification is merely an experience, and forget that sanctification itself has to be sanctified (see John 17:19). I have deliberately to give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can us me as His hands and His feet.

Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (December 3). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

How to Be Mighty for God - Pt 3

2007-12-03T09:51:00.000-06:00

Mensa is an organization whose members have an IQ of 140 or higher. A few years ago, there was a Mensa convention in San Francisco, and several members lunched at a local café. While dining, they discovered that their saltshaker contained pepper and their peppershaker was full of salt. How could they swap the contents of the bottles without spilling, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly this was a job for Mensa! The group debated and presented ideas, and finally came up with a brilliant solution involving a napkin, a straw, and an empty saucer. They called the waitress over to dazzle her with their solution.

"Ma'am," they said, "we couldn't help but notice that the peppershaker contains salt and the saltshaker"

"Oh," the waitress interrupted. "Sorry about that." She unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them.

The work of God is simple: Love God and do what you want. As you love God with all your heart you will end up doing what He wants. Don't complicate God's work or His will. Paul said there was one thing he did. He kept it simple and kept his focus.

III. DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN WERE AWARE MEN (32)

2 Peter 3:3 "First of all, you must understand that in these last days some people will appear whose lives are controlled by their own lusts."

[to the Pharisees and Sadducees Jesus] replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."

We need to know what is going on around us and meet the needs.

I have been noticing recently that some of the secular commentators of our day are growing extremely frightened and disturbed about the conditions of life in America. For example, Richard Reeves, a New York columnist, wrote recently:

I can barely stomach the newspapers here in my hometown. In the tabloids, day after day, the first four or five pages are routinely filled with stories of parents beating or starving their children to death, of children plotting to kill their parents, of people being killed by random gunshots, of people chopping up other people, of cyanide being put in yogurt at the supermarkets.

America, I think, is out of control in some very weird ways. I don’t know how bad it really is or exactly why it is happening. There are obviously many, many reasons, beginning with the unrelenting pressure of living in an open and competitive society.... I don’t know the answer to any of this. I suspect that things will get worse before they get better.

Observe the mood of bewilderment there, the lack of understanding of why things are going wrong.

Richard Estrada, who writes in the Dallas Morning News, describes something very similar, and then comments:

More than anything else, this ugly social breakdown threatens to desensitize us as a nation. Wild West shoot-outs that kill innocent bystanders have become commonplace. Drug dealers and gang members have taken to using children as murderers. Executions of entire families by drug dealers are not unknown. Sweeps of whole communities by police bent on stopping the killing are now routine in Los Angeles.

Numbed by it all, we as a people, shrug our shoulders. Something is disastrously amiss. This is not the America most of us grew up to revere...We are demeaned as a people by this retrogression. We are less and less civilized.

Those words are not written by Christian writers. Those are the thoughts of secular commentators who see the results of rejecting the wisdom of God but they do not know to explain it. They do not know the cause of the terrible evil they chronicle.

It is only when you open the Book of God that you learn the reason for these kinds of conditions. We learn from the Scriptures that as individuals, and as a nation, we have turned our backs on God’s ways and wisdom. We have ignored his laws. We have missed the glory of his plan. We have messed up the beautiful world that he gave us. When we see the sad results and hear them poured into our ears continually by the media, it makes us weep, doesn’t it? It makes us sorrow for all the fine young people who are being destroyed by these terrible practices.

How to Be Mighty for God - Pt 2

2007-11-29T11:48:00.000-06:00

During Operation Desert Storm, the Iraqi war machine was overwhelmed by the Coalition Forces' ability to strike strategic targets with never-seen-before accuracy. Unknown to the Iraqis, the Allied Supreme Command had dropped Special Operations Forces (SOF) deep behind enemy lines. These men provided bombing coordinates for military targets and first-hand reports on the effectiveness of subsequent bombing missions.

To avoid unintended targets, pinpoint bombing was often required. A soldier from a SOF unit standing on the ground would request an aircraft high overhead to drop a laser-guided missile. Using a hand-held laser, the soldier would point at the target. The missile would hone in on the soldier's target for the hit.

In much the same way, the prayers of Christians focus the attention of the spiritual powers on high.

II. DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN WERE ARMED (equipped) MEN (2, 23)

Verse 2 of our chapter tells us that the ones who came to David were "equipped" with weapons. The Hebrew word is “chalats.” Which means to be "prepared" for battle.

One of our main roles is found in Eph 4:11 …to equip God’s people for works of service…

Luck has been defined as “…the place where preparation and opportunity meet…”

How are we to be prepared:

Word of God - 2 Tim 3:16
Prayer - 1 Tim 2:1
Armor of God - Eph 6:10ff
Faith - 1 Jn 5:4
Silver or gold have I none but what I have I give to you…

Aqaba in 1917 seemed impregnable. Any enemy vessel approaching the port would have to face the battery of huge naval guns above the town. Behind Aqaba in every direction lay barren, waterless, inhospitable desert. To the east lay the deadly "anvil of the sun." The Turks believed Aqaba to be safe from any attack. But they were wrong.

Lawrence of Arabia led a force of irregular Arab cavalry across the "anvil of the sun." Together, they rallied support among the local people. On July 6, 1917, the Arab forces swept into Aqaba from the north, from the blind side. A climactic moment of the magnificent film Lawrence of Arabia is the long, panning shot of the Arabs on their camels and horses, with Lawrence at their head, galloping past the gigantic naval guns that are completely powerless to stop them. The guns were facing in the wrong direction. Aqaba fell, and the Turkish hold on Palestine was broken, to be replaced by the British mandate and eventually by the State of Israel.
The Turks failed to defend Aqaba because they made two mistakes. They did not know their enemy, and they did not have the right weapons.

We must be careful not to make the same mistakes. (Ephesians 6:12) makes it very clear who our enemy is: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world."

Tomorrow we will look at Pt 3 "Knowing Your Enemy"

How To Be Mighty for God

2007-11-28T11:16:00.000-06:00

1 Chronicles 12:1-22, 23, 32, 38, 40

Remember the old commercials when the bully comes along and kicks sand in the face of the puny guy and steals his girl? When your 12 years old being mighty is having big muscles. Might to a teenage girl might be being good looking, then she can control those boys, to an adult, mighty is often defined by money, or position or prestige. Ford did a take off on the sand commercial and reversed it putting Mr. Puny in a new Mustang with his girlfriend and threw sand in the face of Mr. Muscle by spinning the new tires of the Mustang. In the passage before us, David had mighty men who joined with him to accomplish God’s purposes for Israel. Standing Stones is partnering with the Almighty and is looking for Mighty Men and Women to accomplish great things for His glory.

How do you become a Mighy Man or Woman for God?

“…not by might nor by power

but by My Spirit, says the Lord.”

Zech 4:6

I. DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN WERE ABLE MEN (2, 8, 14)

“…I’ve given you everything you need for life and godliness…” 2 Peter 1:3
"…my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus…” Phil 4:19
“…I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength…” Phil 4:13
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15

Weaknesses become Strengths: I read recently the story of a 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move.

"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. "No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue." Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament.

He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and the sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind: "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?" "You won for two reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

Tomorrow we will look at point 2

God Knows Us By Name

2007-11-27T08:30:00.000-06:00

Sheep aren’t smart. They tend to wander into running creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They need a shepherd to lead them to “calm water” (Ps. 23:2). They have no natural defense—no claws, no horns, no fangs. They are helpless. Sheep need a shepherd with a “rod and … walking stick” (Ps. 23:4) to protect them. They have no sense of direction. They need someone to lead them “on paths that are right” (Ps. 23:3).

So do we. We, too, tend to be swept away by waters we should have avoided. We have no defense against the evil lion who prowls about seeking whom he might devour. We, too, get lost.
We need a shepherd. We need a shepherd to care for us and to guide us. And we have one. One who knows us by name.

Lucado, M., & Gibbs, T. A. (2000). Grace for the moment : Inspirational thoughts for each day of the year (360). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

Armor of Integrity

2007-11-26T16:22:00.000-06:00

During the time of the twelve Caesars, the Roman army would conduct morning inspections. As the inspecting Centurion would come in front of each legionnaire, the soldier would strike with his right fist the armor breastplate that covered his heart. The armor had to be strongest there in order to protect the heart from the sword thrusts and from arrow strikes. As the soldier struck his armor, he would shout "integritas" [in-teg-ri-tas], which in Latin means material wholeness, completeness, and entirety. The inspecting Centurion would listen closely for this affirmation and also for the ring that well kept armor would give off. Satisfied that the armor was sound and that the soldier beneath it was protected, he would then move on to the next man.

At about the same time, the Praetorians or imperial bodyguard were ascending into power and influence; drawn from the best "politically correct" soldiers of the legions, they received the finest equipment and armor. They no longer had to shout "integritas" to signify that their armor was sound. Instead, as they struck their breastplate, they would shout "Hail Caesar," to signify that their heart belonged to the imperial personagenot to their unitnot to an institutionnot to a code of ideals. They armored themselves to serve the cause of a single man.

A century passed and the rift between the legion and the imperial bodyguard and its excesses grew larger. To signify the difference between the two organizations, the legionnaire, upon striking his armor would no longer shout "integritas," but instead would shout "integer" [in-te-ger].

Integer means undiminishedcompleteperfect. It not only indicated that the armor was sound, it also indicated that the soldier wearing the armor was sound of character. He was complete in his integrityhis heart was in the right placehis standards and morals were high. He was not associated with the immoral conduct that was rapidly becoming the signature of the Praetorian Guards.

The armor of integrity continued to serve the legion well. For over four centuries they held the line against the marauding Goths and Vandals, but by 383 A.D., the social decline that infected the republic and the Praetorian Guard had its effects upon the legion.

As a 4th century Roman general wrote, "When because of negligence and laziness, parade ground drills were abandoned, the customary armor began to feel heavy since the soldiers rarely, if ever, wore it. Therefore, they first asked the emperor to set aside the breastplates and mail and then the helmets. So our soldiers fought the Goths without any protection for the heart and head and were often beaten by archers. Although there were many disasters, which led to the loss of great cities, no one tried to restore the armor to the infantry. They took their armor off and when the armor came offso too came their integrity." It was only a matter of a few years until the legion rotted from within and was unable to hold the frontiers. The barbarians were at the gates.

Resting on Certainties

2007-11-26T15:52:00.000-06:00

Several years before the Titanic, passengers on another ocean liner faced terror in the night. It was the Empire State, and a Methodist worker named Phoebe Palmer was aboard. The evening was very quiet, the waters placid. Suddenly a blast shuddered through the ship as a boiler burst, jolting the passengers from their beds in alarm. They might have panicked but for Phoebe Palmer who began singing hymns on deck. Others joined, and soon calm was restored. After the danger passed and all the passengers were safe, someone asked Phoebe, “Weren’t you afraid?”

She replied, “No, thank God,” explaining that from the very moment of the explosion, 2 Timothy 1:12 had come to her with such force that she could only sing of the One who was able to keep what was committed to Him.

The devotional writer Samuel D. Gordon knew a woman who had memorized much of the Bible, but age took from her memory all the verses but this one: … I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

In time, she could only remember: … what I have committed to Him. When she came to her deathbed, her loved ones noticed her lips moving. Bending low, they heard her repeating one solitary word over and over: Him, Him, Him.

Dr. Gordon noted that she had lost the whole Bible but one word. But in that one word, she had the whole Bible.

This was also Michael Faraday’s verse, the English scientist who pioneered research into electrolysis and the magnetic field. He was a dedicated Christian who lost no opportunity of testifying of the One in whom he believed.

People were so impressed with his knowledge and theories, that on his deathbed, he was asked, “What are your speculations?”

“Speculations?” he replied. “Speculation! I have none! I am resting on certainties. I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that Day!”

Morgan, R. J. (2000, c1998). From this verse : 365 scriptures that changed the world (electronic ed.) (November 26). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Have we become domesticated, sophisticated Christians? Are we really resting on the certainties of Christ or are we resting in our comfortable homes and trusting in our 401 K's?

So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.

This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.

Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (2 Ti 1:8-12). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

Managing Your Stress

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Stress is caused by two opposing forces which pull against each other. We usually think of this as something negative but actually some stress is essential for living. For instance, gravity is a stress to your body – but you couldn’t live without it.

You’ll never be able to eliminate all stress from your life. You wouldn’t want to. But you can reduce the intensity of stress and you can learn to manage it.

When a violinist tightens the strings on a violin, she puts stress on them. The strings are pulled in two directions. The capacity of a string to be stretched is called “tensile strength”. If the strings are weak, they break when stretched. But if the strings are strong, the violinist is able to produce beautiful music because of the stress.

People are like that. When pulled in two different directions, some people snap from the stress. Others, however, are able to handle the stress and use it to produce something beautiful. The difference is the spiritual strength of the individual.

How do you get recharged spiritually when you’re feeling stressed?

PAUSE! Step back from your work for a moment. But instead of taking a coffee break, take a spiritual break! Take a deep breath, quiet yourself, and focus on the fact that God is with you right now. You’re not alone. God is ready to help you. “God says, ‘Be quiet and still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 - NCV).

PRAY! Prayer is a powerful stress-reliever that you can use any time of the day. It works best when you pray aloud – but when your situation doesn’t allow that you can talk to God with your thoughts. Tell Him exactly how you feel. Of course, He already knows. The relief comes from getting it off your chest. God won’t be shocked. He made you and He loves you. “I pour out my problems to Him; I tell Him my troubles. When I am afraid, you, Lord, know the way out” (Psalm 142:2,3 - NCV).

PRIORITIZE! Pinpoint what’s really most important to do and what isn’t. You can’t do everything, so clarifying your priorities is essential to reducing stress. Your work will be determined by pressures or by priorities. It’s your choice. If you don’t determine what’s important – others will decide it for you. “There is a right time and a right way for everything” (Ecclesiastes 8:6 - NCV).

Direction of Aspiration

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"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master,

. . . so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God." Psalm 123:2.

This verse is a description of entire reliance upon God. Just as the eyes of the servant are riveted on his master, so our eyes are up unto God and our knowledge of His countenance is gained (cf. Isaiah 53:1. R.V.). Spiritual leakage begins when we cease to lift up our eyes unto Him. The leakage comes not so much through trouble on the outside as in the imagination, when we begin to say—‘I expect I have been stretching myself a bit too much, standing on tiptoe and trying to look like God instead of being an ordinary humble person.’ We have to realize that no effort can be too high.

For instance, you came to a crisis when you made a stand for God and had the witness of the Spirit that all was right, but the weeks have gone by, and the years maybe, and you are slowly coming to the conclusion, ‘Well, after all, was I not a bit too pretentious? Was I not taking a stand a bit too high?’ Your rational friends come and say—‘Don’t be a fool, we knew when you talked about this spiritual awakening that it was a passing impulse, you can’t keep up the strain, God does not expect you to.’

And you say— ‘Well, I suppose I was expecting too much.’ It sounds humble to say it, but it means that reliance on God has gone and reliance on worldly opinion has come in. The danger is lest, no longer relying on God, you ignore the lifting up of your eyes to Him. Only when God brings you to a sudden halt, will you realize how you have been losing out. Whenever there is a leakage, remedy it immediately. Recognize that something has been coming between you and God, and get it readjusted at once.

Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (November 24). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

Distraction of Antipathy

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"Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us:

for we are exceedingly filled with contempt." Psalm 123:3.

The thing of which we have to beware is not so much damage to our belief in God as damage to our Christian temper. “Therefore take heed to thy spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” The temper of mind is tremendous in its effects, it is the enemy that penetrates right into the soul and distracts the mind from God. There are certain tempers of mind in which we never dare indulge; if we do, we find they have distracted us from faith in God, and until we get back to the quiet mood before God, our faith in Him is nil, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is the thing that rules.

Beware of “the cares of this world,” because they are the things that produce a wrong temper of soul. It is extraordinary what an enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention from God. Refuse to be swamped with the cares of this life.

Another thing that distracts us is the lust of vindication. St.Augustine prayed—‘O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.’ That temper of mind destroys the soul’s faith in God. ‘I must explain myself; I must get people to understand.’ Our Lord never explained anything; He left mistakes to correct themselves.

When we discern that people are not going on spiritually and allow the discernment to turn to criticism, we block our way to God. God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (November 23). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

Inspired invincibility

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"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me." Matthew 11:29.

“Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth.” How petty our complaining is! Our Lord begins to bring us into the place where we can have communion with Him, and we groan and say—‘Oh Lord, let me be like other people!’ Jesus is asking us to take one end of the yoke—‘My yoke is easy, get alongside Me and we will pull together.’ Are you identified with the Lord Jesus like that? If so, you will thank God for the pressure of His hand.
“To them that have no might He increaseth strength.” God comes and takes us out of our sentimentality, and our complaining turns into a psalm of praise. The only way to know the strength of God is to take the yoke of Jesus upon us and learn of Him.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Where do the saints get their joy from? If we did not know some saints, we would say— ‘Oh, he, or she, has nothing to bear.’ Lift the veil. The fact that the peace and the light and the joy of God are there is proof that the burden is there too. The burden God places squeezes the grapes and out comes the wine; most of us see the wine only. No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God in a human spirit, it is an inner unconquerableness.
If you have the whine in you, kick it out ruthlessly. It is a positive crime to be weak in God’s strength.

~Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (April 14). Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.

A TIMELY CHOICE

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A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT MANAGER was known for his positive attitude and sense of humor. He followed the popular wisdom of waking up each morning and consciously choosing to have a good day—and it seemed to work for him. Then he made a serious mistake that put his attitude to a real test. One of the worst mistakes to make in the restaurant business is to leave the back door open, and that is exactly what the manager did. An armed robber took advantage of the opportunity, held him at gunpoint, panicked—and shot him. The manager regained consciousness in the hospital as the ER doctors worked on him. He could tell from their faces that things weren’t going well. They were looking at him as if he were a dead man. He knew he needed to act. A nurse was shouting at him to get vital information. When she asked whether he was allergic to anything, he gathered all the strength he could and shouted back, “Bullets!” As the staff laughed, he said, “I’m choosing to live. Work on me as if I were going to.” He survived, and his belief in making a positive choice—and leading others to buy in to it— grew stronger than ever.
~Adapted from the Cyber Quotations Web site

I’M GRATEFUL TO GOD …

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A mother turkey was disappointed to hear that her teenage son had gotten into trouble and had been locked in jail. She fumed all the way to bail him out. When she finally saw her son, she gave him a terrible lecture. "If your father knew what you had just done, he would roll over in his gravy."

“Everything has come from You and everything belongs to you.”

1 Chron. 29:16 (NCV)

1. FOR A LOT OF GRACE

“You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.” Eph. 2:8 (NCV)

“I will… not forget the glorious things God does for me. He forgives all my sins. He heals me. He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with love … He fills my life with good things … He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; He is slow to get angry … He never bears a grudge … He has not punished us as we deserve for our sins.” Ps. 103:2-11 (LB)

2. FOR AN EXCITING PRESENT

“I have good plans for you,’ says the Lord, `I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.’” Jer. 29:11 (ICB)

3. FOR A WONDERFUL FUTURE.

“We know that our body…will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever.” 2 Cor. 5:1 (NCV)

“God has reserved for His children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in His mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it because you are trusting Him… So be truly glad.” 1 Peter 1:4-6 (LB)

4. FOR THE CHANGES IN MY LIFE

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases him.” Phil. 2:13 (NLT)

“And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him.” 2 Cor. 3:18 (LB)

It's All In The Attitude!

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WHISTLING FOR SUCCESS

JIM PATTISON whose Vancouver based conglomerate, The Jim Pattison Group, has yearly sales of $5 billion—once sold pots and pans door-to-door. He made his first major leap in success by discovering what his customers wanted to hear—whistling. Pattison knew that to make sales he had to get people to open their doors. Experience showed him that for every sale he needed to get 30 doors to open. He asked himself what would make more people willing to listen to yet another salesman. The answer was building an image and a relationship with people even before meeting them. “People like dealing with happy people,” Pattison reasoned, “so I increased my productivity by whistling and being happy.” Whistling projected confidence and a positive attitude, and folks were intrigued by the whistler on their doorsteps. Now it took only 22 calls to make a sale. More whistling, more sales. ~Adapted from the Toronto Globe and Mail