Burn Out

It looks sad.

You see the portable basketball goal for the little children in the front yard. There is a heap of warped corrugated roofing. Chard lumps of ??? are everywhere. A charcoal wall teeters. The soot-covered chimney weeps for the better days.

In the heart of winter I rode by this same place, as I had many times before. But this day was sad. The red, rotating lights on the fire truck, from the nearby rural volunteer fire department, flashed as the flames blazed from the second story windows. A disconsolate firemen held a dripping hose, having used all the water available. 

In the evening the family picked through the debris, looking for anything. This day was sad.

All this reminds me of a struggle I face frequently, although not alone. John said to "Love not the world, neither the things of the world." (1 John 2:15). Paul wrote Colossians 3:1 to keep seeking the things above. Possessing the possessions, instead of vise versa, is the continuing struggle. 

But when possessions are lost, suddenly, traumatically, as in the case of a fire, those with the proper command of them should be the first to show compassion. When a scene, like the one above occurs, Christians should be first on the scene with help. Now in words, but in deeds (1 John 3:18).

I am completely unsure what I would do in the event of a burn out, but these might be helpful?

• Collect money from friends to add to your sacrificial contribution. It will be days before insurance matters are settle, but this same day they will need clothes, food, a place to stay, etc. Don't let the smoke settle before help arrives.
• Don't offer your home as a place to stay. Insist on it. Cause them to use your home for a few days as they study and consider their options.
• Give them a week with your cell phone and charger. Communications with be in high demand.
• Don't be concerned as to whether they are members of your fellowship or not. There spiritual state is not your concern, but God's. let Him handle that part. As for you, remember Gal 6:10 begins, "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all men....

If you have experienced a traumatic or sudden loss of possessions such as this, or a flood, tornado, etc. would you please add to these suggestions, or revise them. Let us know what did work for you, or what would have been better. PLEASE, teach your fellow readers!

"Mrs. Stevie"

Mrs. "Stevie": "Where were you at this morning? I looked around the church building and I didn't see you? You should be here, you know?"

Me: "I was here, Mrs. Stevie. I sat back by Ken and Diana. You didn't see me?"

Mrs. "Stevie": Are you 'back-sliding'? (eyes twinkling) "Well, I was looking for you to be sitting in front of me, like  you always do."

Me: "Mrs. Stevie, thanks for caring." (hugging her)

Mrs. "Stevie": "You know I do, and all your kids and your wife, too!"

Me: "I know!"

Conversations like these were a staple of Mrs. Gladys Stevens. A wiry little grin from a caring spit-fire of a woman made her everyone's delight. Everyone appreciated Mrs. "Stevie's" motherly guidance, courage, caring ways, and her twinkling eyes.

I met her at about 77 years old. I saw her at every service of the church. Her  broken hip when she was in her 90s did not stop her. She loved Jesus.

Not many see 100 birthdays, and even fewer stay faithful to God's writings.

• Christians should encourage each other to faithful attendance, "and so much the more as you see the day approaching." She did.
• Moral excellence is a tall order. But she did it.
• Knowing Christ's ways and being able to use it to separate good and evil is a goal for Christians. She achieved it.
• In control under diverse situations is achievable when we concentrate on the ultimate goal. Jesus did. So can we. Look at Mrs. Stevie.
• Everyone wants to 'give-up' and quit at some point. This is not the way Jesus lived, and neither should we. We must persevere if we want heaven. She did.
• Godliness (God-like-ness) is a noble goal for any Christian. Good works are evidence. She was godly.
• And a godly woman is to be valued, trusted, admired for her dedication to work and family. She was.
• Godly women are investors, hard-workers, skilled, generous givers, well dressed and supportive of her husband. She worked hard.
• Godly women make good business people. She was successful.
• Christian women are to be strong and dignified. Stevie epitomized these.
• Christians women take great pleasure at looking into the future. She did.
• Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren can see the Christian woman's wisdom, kind teaching, ambition, and praise her. Stevie's family did.

It has been well said by Solomon, "A woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."

God wanted this kind woman near him, and took her home. 

Mrs. Gladys Stevens, dead at 102. 

To God: "Thanks for loaning her to us for a little while."

To "Stevie": "Thanks!

What Jesus Said About "Things" (Part 3)

Thank you for being a kind, persistent reader.

Part 3 of What Jesus Said About “Things” is much simpler. But with simplicity comes reader participation. Please click on the links to read the passage or open your own Bible. Then consider the question.

What did Jesus teach about using “things” for Him? Mark 14:3-9 has the story of a woman anointing Jesus with a very expensive perfume. Did he approve?

What does Jesus say about financial contributions?

Read the story of the woman giving her last 2 copper coins while others gave by the bagful (Mark 12:41-44). What did He think?

Can the rich get to heaven? Is it possible? What about the camel and the eye of a sewing needle?

Jesus says it is possible with God, but not by man's feeble abilities. (Mark 10:23-27)

Are the rich automatically rejected, or have they received all they are going to get? His answer is in Luke 6:24.

What does Jesus say about worrying over necessities? He said worry is ineffective, so don't! (LINKS TO Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31)

If you are sued for a possession, what should you do? Check out His statement in Luke 6:29.

If you help others, what is your reward? His answer is Luke 6:38.

How much did the despised Samaritan spend on a usually-hateful Jew in the Good Samaritan story? Look for two answers in Luke10:29-37.

If your business has enjoyed a very successful year, what should be your response? Jesus addresses the concern in Luke 12:12-21.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

What did Jesus think about "Things" in Part 1? Part 2?

Thank for reading.

Pity the Poor

Financially, I felt like a June bug hitting a car glass at 60 mph---not much left. Three of us attending college, four others at home, and only my wife's salary.

I was blessed to preach Sunday's, and teach a Wednesday night class, at Aldridge Road in Percy, Arkansas.

One Sunday night, after locking up the building, I plopped into my high-mileage Chevy S-10 pickup for the tiring, 78-miles home. What is this? A brown paper sack of groceries? The unsigned note spoke of someone thinking I could use them. They were right!

The next time the church met I thanked the mystery person(s).

About six weeks later, I found $50 extra dollars for my electric bill. Again, I thanked the congregation for the generous, anonymous soul(s).

I suspected a few members, but none ever suffered financially.

So, Proverbs 19:17 is true. "He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given." Someone at Aldridge Road had pity on this poor man. And God made sure no one suffered.

Matthew 6:3-4, "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

Shortly, we will enter the season of giving. I challenge you to test God. Find one person or family in financial distress. Give them something useful without them knowing you helped. Then, watch God give you something as repayment. If He keeps His word, what worry do you have?

Debt for Faith??

Measuring faith is difficult. How large is a #7 faith? Is there a five-cubed faith? How big is a size 14 faith?

Essentially, faith is evidence of what has not be seen. 

Occasionally, faith surprised Jesus.

• The Gentile soldier requesting Jesus' help long-distance excited Him.
• Was He disappointed in His followers not having mountain-moving faith? (Matt 17:20-21).
• Did frustration prompt Him to say some had "little faith"?

Jesus used situations to evaluate faith.

Christians are urged to "walk by faith, and not by sight." We conduct life based on God-given promises and principles. We do not need to know the future before beginning a walk with God.

So why do church leaders (elders / deacons) want to see the $$$ in the bank before they start, or fund, a good project? Is this walking by sight and not by faith?

I certainly will not imply money can solve church problems, or well-funded programs will succeed. I know Christians having debt is not His desire for His people (Proverbs 6:1-5; Prov. 11:15; Prov. 22:26). Debt reduces giving, and low-level giving is an indicator of a less-than-mature faith. So, low-level-faith limits God's efforts.

Image borrowed from http://www.crushyourfinances.com/

I look forward to finding men, families, or leaders WILLING to go into debt for God's efforts. WILLINGNESS reveals our desire to step out with faith. Enthusiasm plus trusting God to bring completion is faith.

So, is a commitment to get out of debt an act of faith or a selfish act of greed? Evaluate. Do you believe God will take care of all your needs (Matt 6:33) if you fund His work first? Demonstrate the size of your faith. The next time a missionary visits your congregation will you empty your pockets with purposeful giving? The next time they need volunteers will you put your wallet away and grab your work gloves?

Image borrowed from http://astrologyunboxed.com/

So, is a commitment to get out of debt an act of faith, or a selfish act of greed?

Make your comments below. 

Send a friend a link to these pages. 

Do you have the faith needed to promote this on FaceBook? 

Any help is always appreciated. Thanks.

Before Man, God's Plan

Before there was man, God finished the plan.  

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10-11)

God knew, before He made mankind, all men would sin.

Because all men sin, God's wrath is aimed at every man, including you. "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Rom 1:18-20)

 

So the loving, merciful God created a plan. The plan sanctions Him to be both holy and just plus gracious and merciful.  

All things work according to His timetable. It was so precise man could recognize it. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. " Galatians. 4:4-5 

The Plan stipulates a sinless human sacrificial 'lamb', similar to the Old Testament Jewish sacrificial lamb of atonement.  Jesus, God's only son, was the only sinless man.   For God's divine and only son to die would require him GIVING his life. If Jesus chose NOT to GIVE his life, men would NOT be able to take it from him.  In Matt. 20:28 and Mark 10:45, Jesus said he would "give his life as a ransom (the 'buy-back' price) for many." The greatest love is when He would "lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.  Jesus' most powerful statement is in John 10:18. "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." 

I wish to Intensely Highlight Jesus GAVE His life. HIS ACTIONS OBLIGATED Powerful People to Consider Him AS GUILTY when THEY KNEW He was INNOCENT.

Jewish confrontation is not resolved like ours. Confrontations were like mini-debates. It required an un-answerable accusation or a disabling reasoning. If an response was considered, it required being more profound, more UN-answerable, more disabling, or out-witting. The rebuttal must out-do any previous comment by either party. Generally the last one to speak, if he is better, is considered the winner. 

Every challenge results in a strengthening (or decline) in political power, or an improved (or diminished) ranking in the public's opinion. If challenged and won, you moved up and the challenger goes down. The reverse is also true.

Below are three of the ten times Jesus was challenged. Find the pattern. I followed Matthews account.

1. Matt 9:1-8 (Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26) Jesus healed a paralyzed man to prove He could forgive sins. The religious 'establishment' challenged him (in their thoughts, which Jesus read.) Jesus spoke last -- he won. He increased and they decreased.
2. Matt 9:9-13 (Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:27-32) Jesus was challenged for eating with tax collectors and sinners. He gave his usual brilliant answer. They did not offer a rebuttal. Jesus won and increased more.
3. Matt 12:1-8 (Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5).  The Pharisees charged Jesus with allowing his disciples to do work on the Sabbath (they rubbed wheat kernels together in their hands before eating the kernel). Jesus answered with the story of David and the shewbread. They could not refute. Their popularity and power diminished as Jesus' increased. Get the idea?

His score: 10-0 (10 wins and no loses.)

How did the people view him? He was the greatest authority of His time. 
 
How did the people view the religious leaders? The people could have used descriptions like pathetic, substandard, valueless, or flawed.

Now, let's add the parts. First, Jesus said He would GIVE his life. Jesus said no one would TAKE HIS LIFE from him. Second, all His victories made Him the most powerful religious leader in Israel. GIVING His life will be complex. He must reverse the power-hungry people's opinion of Him, so they will crucify him on Friday.  How can He do this?


He follows God's eternal plan. He uses silence and humility.

Note His changed behavior following the Garden of Gethsemane.

• Matt 26:62. The High Priest asks "Aren't you going to answer?" In verse 63 "Jesus remained silent" -- He 'lost' purposefully.
• Matt 26:63. They asked, "Are you the Christ?"  His answer of being the Christ was self-condemning. He 'lost' intentionally.
• Matt 26:67. They mocked Him with ""Prophesy. Who hit you?" He made no answer. He suffered a 'loss'.
• Matt 27:11. Pilate asked, "Are you the Jews King?" Again a self-condemning "yes." Again, a defeat.
• Matt 27:12.  He was accused by the Chief priests and elders. Still He gave no answer -- only silence. Another intentional failure.
• Matt 27:13-14 Pilate: "Don't you hear the testimony against you?" Jesus response: No answer. He is suffering a rout.
• Matt 27:40 "Save yourself!", was the challenged to a Jesus on the cross. What did he do? Nothing. He had so many losses, so quickly.
• "Come down from the cross." they taunted. He gave no response, and successfully lost a final time.

Can you hear Isaiah 53:7?  "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth." (Emphasis mine.)
 
Do you hear Phil. 2:8? "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Emphasis mine.)
 

God's plan was for Jesus to GIVE his life, so you would not need to suffer God's eternal wrath. Why suffer God's wrath?

Your sins made His death necessary. Your sins put Him in the grave.
 
But it was God's eternal plan that raised Him from the grave, never to die again.

Because He suffered God's wrath, you have an opportunity to live forever with him.
 
How do you claim this opportunity?

• Believe Jesus is God's son (Mark 16:16).
• Repent, which is to stop sinning and start following Jesus' teachings. (Acts 2:38)
• Confess your faith (or belief) that Jesus is God's son. (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10.
• Be baptized to have your sin removed. (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38).

Psoriasis and Priorities

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that is non-contagious, according to Wikipedia. It produces extra skin (thicker) with red blotches, white-scales or both. 

Those suffering from this disease, are certain to tire of the problems associated with it. But how valuable is the cure for a disease that returns?

Much earlier in my life I made simple commercials for a low-power television station. Now I view commercials with a caustic eye, critical of how they control viewer thought processes to reach their desired end. Either the producers are incredibly brilliant, we (viewers) are extremely dull-minded, or we are amazingly stupid. 

Take for example the advertisements of pharmaceutical companies. You are told the astounding results of their medication while showing you pictures of people without any disease living life to the fullest with large smiles of contentment. Producers want you to think their product will make everything wonderful again, regardless of whether we have just had a heart attach, or have death-causing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Fortunately, the government requires them to tell you the negative side effects. This is more difficult for producers to overcome. But they do very well by using either our inattentiveness or our stupidity. The legal requirements are quickly met while continuing the barrage of images of 'cured' people with happy families in 2-second scenes of recreation. 

Were you listening or watching?

One drug that begins with the letter "S" is used to treat psoriasis. The producer creates thoughts of their drug giving perfect, beautiful skin. Quickly you are told the side effect could lead to death. 

Lead to death??? Friends, did he just say you could DIE if you that use their product??

How valuable is nice skin? Is dieing an acceptable cost to having pretty skin?? Will your skin look good as people file past your coffin??

WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES???

Ok. We have a problem, and it is NOT our stupidity.

One problem is our dullness or inattentiveness. Jesus quoted Isaiah as saying the Jews were dull-hearted, not listening, and with closed eyes. The Apostle Paul told Christians from a Jewish background their dullness was limiting what he could teach them. 

The second (and MOST IMPORTANT) problem is losing track of what is important. Search for His kingdom and what is right. Re-establishing relationships with offending(-ed) brothers BEFORE attempting worship. Correcting self before correcting others. Loving God supremely. Being ready and willing to give.

An answer to our priority problems should begin with focusing on things above and not on things down here (COL 3:1-2).

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What commercials have you seen that change your thinking? 

What experiences have you had at re-establishing priorities?

Please rate this blog, or kindly write a short comment or answer.

Parts or Production

For the past month I have been a fire-watching night guard at a sawmill. I walk four to eight miles each shift. I patrol the grounds and buildings looking for fires and security breaches.

In the process I see, besides sawdust everywhere, machinery, pneumatic/hydraulic equipment, chains designed to move logs, chains designed to remove waste products, control booths, and industry-specific hand tools. Ready for use are front-end loaders, large unloaders designed to handle tons of logs at a single bite, and forklifts. There are some items I am around that I am not permitted to write about. And it is almost inconceivable the number of piles of hardwood logs mounded 15-20 feet high all under spraying water. 

Up till recently this was what I thought a sawmill was. I could see all the parts, and stacks of product. It felt cold, static, and lifeless. But not now.

What is the difference? The sawmill came to life. I saw what happens when trained people use all that stuff. I saw rough, butt-cut logs go in. I saw useful crossties, planks, 'fuel', and woodchips come out. I saw how each part of the big place works together to make desirable products.

So where is "The Struggle" in all this? 

Each of us should read the Bible daily. We read about all the 'parts' in the church. We note elders, preachers, and members with many different skills. We see how financial contributions should be used. We memorize the 'great commission', 'Be-attitudes', Jesus' example of prayer, the steps of salvation, and various love passages. We might use our imaginations and pretend to be in the crowd on that sadistic Friday, the wondrous day of Pentecost, or agonizingly watch Stephen being stoned. Yes, we know all the parts.

But is that how it is meant to be? Is there something is missing? Could it be Spirit-led disciples? Could it be passionate, prayer-filled preachers proclaiming Jesus, hope, grace, love and duties? Is it elders leading by example instead of 'administrating'? Is life breathed into a dead congregation when ALL members use their skills, whatever they are? What happens when deacons report the results of joyous and generous contributions? What life-producing changes occur when we halt memorizing, and initiate the practice of soul winning, attitude changes, praying, and loving the people Jesus loved?  Is it advisable to quit limiting the gospel to our imaginations and pretentions? 

It just might be that we have a 'log yard' of egocentric people, grasping after the wind, that can be changed into productive, useful individuals if we, the trained disciples, use our Spirit-endowed skills.

Now do you see your personal struggle? I do.