Teaspoon or Gallon?

When I was a child I built entire road systems, cities, and little country houses complete with underground parking in the middle of mom's flower beds. (Underground parking was NOT a good idea!). Later I learned how road systems were measured in MILES, cities were measured with construction DOLLARS, and all houses were measured in SQUARE FEET. 

Measurement was becoming important.

Jesus talked about measurement in Mark 4. He did not talk about miles, dollars, or square feet. He talked out how to treat people. UNITS of measurement are important to Jesus.

He wants you to realize that the quantity of life given is measured. If you give someone a THIMBLE of help, care, or compassion, you should not expect to receive a TRUCKLOAD of help, care, or compassion when you need it. The UNIT of measurement you give is the SAME UNIT of measurement you can expect to receive. 

So if I consider that someday I might need a gallon of help (and you will), I need to be helpful to others by the gallon, not the teaspoon. 

When a family friend is incarcerated, what unit will you use with the family? When brothers in Christ are ill, what is the best unit to use? When any teacher is not 'connecting' with the class, how big of a cup of kindness should students use? 

What unit did Jesus use:

• When Peter's mother-in-law was sick?
• When he cast out demons?
• With the withered hand man?
• When he said "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing"?
• When he tried to correct the Pharisees?
• When he told Thomas to put his finger in Jesus' wounded hand?
• When he asked Peter three times "Do you love me?" ?
• When he told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."?
• When he died to forgive you?

What unit you use today can be determined by situations. Is kindness or criticism needed at work? How much love or correction will you use with your friends? Does your mate need gallons of love, or a 1/2 teaspoon of correction?

What unit do you need?

Parable of Salt and Ketchup

My neighbor and I slipped some matches out of the kitchen and headed for the woods behind the house. We had decided to 'smoke' something non-addictive, and would not get us into trouble with our parents. No, it was not 'Mary J.' or tobacco. It was honeysuckle. Young boys could light up a short piece of honeysuckle vine, with its hollow center, and pretend they were tough. Together we 'smoked' about 10 inches, proving to ourselves our intestinal fortitude.

When I got home from my escapade, mom announced we were having one of my favorites for supper -- fried potatoes. She hyped it up this night, causing me to commit enthusiastically to eating an exorbitant amount. When those gems were finished cooking, mom made sure they had plenty of salt, and lots of ketchup on the side, just like I liked them. 

Little had I realized what was happening to my tongue while I was pretending to be tough. But it became very apparent with the use of salt and ketchup.

The intense heat from my 'smokes' had slowly split my tongue. The salt and ketchup caused a fiery feeling on the tongue.

When I quickly slowed down eating ketchup and salt laden potatoes, mom turned on the 'guilt trip'. To cover up my pretensions, I kept eating fire. Again and again the flames burned my sore tongue. It was too much torture to continue . I to confessed my actions. (Mom later said she had smelled the smoke on my clothes).

Hidden actions were revealed.

Where do you find light fixtures? Which are the under the kitchen sink or the couch? That is right, neither.

What is the purpose of lights? Is it to reveal things hidden by darkness?

Jesus tells us in Mark's account of the parable of the lamp, lights are not under baskets, but are on lamp stands. Why? To reveal the hidden.

His point is everything will be revealed. 

Is he talking about everything needed for salvation, or is he talking about every sin and evil deed being uncovered? Answer: Yes. Both. God has given us, revealed to us, everything that pertains to life and godliness. Read Eph. 3:3-5 or Col. 1:26. Everything needed for salvation is in the Bible.

God has also given us, revealed to us, how all sin will be revealed. Even the Old Testament had such passages. Read Heb 4:13 or Rev. 20:12-13. 

Have you been hiding something?

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.

Good Soil

When Jesus begins discussing the fourth soil, he does things differently.

Instead of explaining the condition of the soil, he just used a few basic terms and was done. The first he described as 'wayside' soil, giving listeners an image of a beaten-down, hard-packed, unchangeable and unproductive soil. In the second, the 'stoney-ground' soil, the mental picture was one of ground with rocks everywhere, too shallow to grow anything of value. The third soil, 'thorny' soil, brought the visual of ground full of dandelions, thistles, briers, and Johnson grass. This dirt is too busy with growing unusable things that it will not (implying choice) produce suitable fruit.

The fourth kind of soil is called 'good' in the NKJV. The Greek word is more rich in meaning -- "beautiful, excellent, surpassing, USEFUL, excellent in nature and characteristics". In one word Jesus set the standard for all 'soils'.

What is different in this soil? First it is pliable, that is manageable and responsive. It is not hardened and packed by sin. Second, it has depth. It has the characteristic of being sufficiently deep enough to support obedience and endurance (choice implied). Third, it it rich and cleared. It is fertile enough soil to support something besides sand burrs. It does not have conflicting interests. 

When this 'soil' hears the message, it takes it upon itself to use it to a constructive, effective, and practical end. This is pictured as other plants like itself.

This 'end' is quantified as 30 times, 60 times, or 100 times greater than the single seed that entered the soil. The soil causes the production of many new plants.

What is the product of this excellent soil? Jesus does not exactly say. His point is NOT about the product, but the soil.

Please, consider these questions.

1. What are the qualities that makes a person good 'soil'?

2. Where do these effective qualities originate?

3. Can these qualities be improved? Increased?

4. How do we remove the inappropriate qualities and add the effective ones?

Please answer in the comments, or rate the blog.

Eavesdropping at the Church Building

Allow me to set this fictitious scene for you. This scene could happen in any church where the elders are trying to lead a congregation to being more productive. 

The elders, Kirk and Phil, have noticed that the attendance has been falling off for the past several years. They are deeply concerned because each number represents a soul that should be growing and making new Christians. These men know they are responsible for those souls. They have a good tool with Preacher Vick, who feeds the congregation well. 

This night they met with Preacher Vick to discuss the situation and how they, as a three-some, could change the course of the congregation. As we approach the preacher's study, we stop and begin eavesdropping in on a conversation already in progress.

Kirk: "Well Suzie is a good example of several others. She works swing shift and often pulls doubles."

Phil: "She is a good example. I don't know why she thinks she needs to work so much. As an RN she makes good money, and Sam (you know he is Suzie's husband) is an auditor at the steel mill and makes more than $70,000 a year.

Kirk: She thinks she has to drive that black Lexus, and he loves traveling in that motor coach every holiday. I think if he could get the time off from work, he might just travel all the time.

Vick: What about Troy?

Phil: He is so worried about the Taliban, Afghanistan, military actions and all the politics involved. You do know he is an OIF vet? When he is not working, he is watching CNN, Fox News, BBC America news, or reading the papers. He is a 'local authority' on America's middle east policies. He is expecting another 9-11.

Kirk: Don't our members remember what happened to Rusty and his family?

(You remember how hard they worked, scrimped like Scrooge, and invested everything looking toward retirement. Everyone in town knew they were rich. Then 9-11 happened, stocks went south, Rusty was divorced, then went broke, and someone in town said he was homeless and staying at the Union Street mission at night.)

Phil: And don't they remember what happened to Ed and Charlotte? They were rich, but they were killed in that terrible accident. Don't our members remember all the kids fighting over the money, the court battles over property, the hatred the split up the kids. All because Ed and Charlotte thought wealth could fix anything.

(The silence between them is long. Then you hear Phil again, his voice sounding like it has a large lump in it.)

Phil: Vick. Kirk. I just don't want my brothers to struggle like I have. Kirk, you are the best brother I could ever have. I remember the night you came over and talked with me about how much time I was spending on motorcycles. You knew how much I enjoyed them. The ride, travel, talking about cycles, making long-weekend trips, going to bike shows, and so on.

Kirk: I remember how hard it was to talk to you.

Phil: It was you that showed me how much time and effort I put into this 'hobby' and how little time I gave to God. Even with your constant help, it was so hard to re-adjust my life. I was losing my soul and not being a productive Christian by making other Christians. What is accomplished if my brothers are doing what I did. It was so hard to change.

(You note the long pause, and feel a lump in your own throat as you remember Phil's changes. You know you are doing the very same thing. You think about how much time you spend going to yard sales, then selling your 'treasures' on Ebay and Craigslist.)

Phil: Where can I find the warnings or teachings in the New Testament about riches and stuff? Kirk, do you remember the passages you showed me?

Kirk: Phil, I'd have to look them up again. But, I can find them. Vick, hand me that Cruden's Concordance in the shelf.

Vick: (Getting up to get the concordance) One set of scriptures is in 1 Tim. 6. It talks about how rich people should work on being rich in good works.

Phil: Isn't there one over there close to it that tells rich people not to trust in their riches?
Vick: Here you go Kirk. Yeah, Phil there is. It is 1 Tim 6:17. I was talking about verse 18.

Kirk: Ah-ha! Here is a good one. 1 Tim 6:8 then 9, and 10, too. They are about being content with basics because the rich face traps that kill their souls. Remember the 'love of money' passage'? It's here too.

Phil: I remember a story of the rich young ruler. He walked away sad.

Vick: I read a blog the other day...

Kirk: (interrupting with a joking tone) YOU read blogs??

Vick: Well, not just any blog. It is by this brother of ours over in Arkansas. I believe it is called TheStruggle. He had one a few days back on the soils of Mark 4. It was on the thorny ground.

Kirk: Yeah, that it a good reference. Here it is. Mark 4:18 and 19.

Vick: That blog writer reminded me of three ideas. Let's see. First, there was the anxiety over the times or ages people live in. Second was how riches trick people into a false sense of security. Now, what was that third one?

Phil: (with a little chuckle in his voice) Kirk, did you hear that? He forgot something he read.

Vick: Oh! Now I remember! He said the Greek words indicate how one can crave the things they do not have. It is like the desire for what has been forbidden. He said we spend our time and effort chasing what we are not supposed to have.

(Knowing these there men, you can just see them stop talking and begin looking at each other for a long time. They don't speak. You know the wheels in their heads are turning.)

Kirk: Vick, we invited you to meet with us tonight because Phil and I have been noticing our attendance has been falling off. And we have seen how only a few members are evangelistic.

Phil: Kirk, I think the Holy Spirit has just given us an answer.

(Another short period of silence)

Kirk: You may be right. The very people we were talking about have experienced the three ideas.

Vick: So an answer to our attendance AND church growth is found in the thorny-soil part of the parable?

Kirk: I thinks so.

Phil: I do too.

Vick: Ok. So how do we get this 'new' discovery into the minds and hearts of the congregation? You want me to do a sermon on the subject?

Kirk: I don 't think it will be fixed that easy, do you Phil? I mean, we are talking about several families making a major shift in their attitudes and actions.

Phil: Yep, you are right. Three big ideas and more than just my family, Kirk. So, how are we going to get this done?

(This silence is extended.)

Kirk: Phil, this may take a combination of several things, not just one separate action.
Phil: Yeah, and some longer-range planning.

Vick: Are you talking six months or a year?

Kirk: I think a year or so. (Brief pause). Phil, I have several things in mind. What do you think about a combination of two sermon series, a classroom curriculum focused on these three ideas, plus you and I doing selected home visits.

Phil: For a rough framework, this sounds good. We could start with these. What if we combined a few of these into a special event, say, a retreat for the men as heads of households?

Vick: A retreat? Has this congregation ever done that before?

Kirk: I don't think so.

Phil: I don't think so either. But I have heard of retreats being done by congregations before. And I know of seminars, like Marriage Enrichment, that does almost the same thing. But at a retreat we could have a set of guest speakers, and learning activities, small-group discussions, and meals together. It would be an intense effort to cause men, and their families, to change.

Vick: You realize that the people you were talking about earlier would be prime targets for such a retreat. And that will take at least six months of prep to get them ready and committed to attending this event. You certainly would need to visit with each of them very early in the effort.

Phil: (to Kirk) He's right. So who would do this with us?

Vick: I could visit with some teachers at the two Christian Universities to learn more. Then I could get back to you. Would that help?

Vick: That might work. Let's finish up tonight by jotting some notes and begin planning this.

(You realize how much these men care for the congregation. And you realize you need to stop eavesdropping, and go home where you can pray for these men and their plans for the future, whatever they decide to do.
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Would you please rate this blog? Is it meaningful to you? What are some solutions to the problem of Christians focusing on the things of this world and not on Jesus and His ways?

Commercials -- Awgh!

I saw the one tonight for DayQuil that almost fools us.

Man in a car. DayQuil in the seat. Driver in heavy coat. Man comes banging on window while seeing the words "Never take a sick day, On Game DAY". Driver climbs out of the car, shedding his coat and shirt. He reveals the same NFL symbol on his chest that his two other friends have. 

Good commercial? Well, it made the point very well for Vicks DayCare.

Here is their mistake. They want you to think the three friends are going to a professional football game to stand shirtless in a snowy-cold stadium. The symbol they proudly wear is that of the New Orleans Saints.

Did you catch it?

They are going to stand shirtless in the New Orleans Superdome at 72 balmy degrees, which is warmer than my house at this moment. 

Such toughness.

Such intelligence.

Today, WATCH!  THINK!

'Shoulder Of The Road'

Are you like me? Once I have something figured out an idea I don't want to do anything to it? I like putting it in a 'cubbie hole' and leaving it there till I need it.

So if you are like me, then you may struggle with this parable in Mark 4 like I am. I MUST take this 'figured out' parable out of the 'cubbie hole', think it through AGAIN, and then RE-CONSIDER my conclusions.

This code talk about soil quality has been familiar since childhood. I have spend most of my studies and sermons on either Matthew's or Luke's account. But studying Mark's chapter 4 version has forced at least 3 changes in my thinking about the first of the soils.

The first change deals with where the seed goes. I read several versions like NKJV, KJV, NASB, NIV, Youngs Literal Translation., The Message, Easy To Read V., and others. The translations (or paraphrases) differed as to where the seed went. So, I used a Greek interlinear bible with translation abilities. It has a neat word ("PARA") meaning beside or near. The seed fell NEAR / BESIDE THE ROAD. 

For years I considered these folks to not have the ability or opportunity to be responsive to God's word. They were the highway, so hard packed, like pavement or concrete, that God's powerful message COULD NOT GET IN. 

But Mark records this as being the 'shoulder of the highway', a notable difference. Some highway shoulders, in Arkansas at least, have grass flourishing through the asphalt. These people are reachable. God's word is getting in. It says "when they hear..." Rom. 10:17 says this is the beginning point for faith. I am rethinking their possibilities.

The second point being reconsidered is based on "akouswsin", to hear. This word, sounding much like "accoustics", includes the hearing of sound. Generally, it means more. It includes "perceiving", "considering what is being / has been heard, and "comprehending" a thought.

These meanings carry heavyweight implications. This implies a PERCEIVING the word (seed) as being from God. COMPREHENSION is present. They CONSIDER what is being heard. God' word is at work. 

I had previously thought these folk COULD NOT be reached because the message was removed too quickly. I did not know what God was going to do with these people on judgment day. Now I know. They PERCEIVED, COMPREHENDED, and CONSIDERED God' message of love, grace, and consequences, and chose to nothing. Doing nothing equals deciding against. They will receive God flaming vengence.

The third item to be re-considered is based on the first and second, namely why Satan is able to remove the word so quickly. Certainly Satan wants it gone as quickly as possible, before it can have its full effect. Satan can not remove God's word by force. But Satan can and will remove the word from anyone not positively choosing God's way. 

Since these 'shoulder-of-the-road' souls have considered the message and selected against acceptance of God, Satan moves quickly before they can do any re-considering. He "carries away" anything without roots. 

Are these souls worth my effort at evangelizing? Yes, since I can't easily tell how 'hard packed' a heart is. God has made me, a servant, into a seed sower (with your help in this blog). And now that I know they are capable of dealing with God's message on an intellectual basis, it is my responsibility to make sure they have a chance. 

It not be terrible if on the judgment day on of these "hard packed" people looked at me and said, "You never mentioned Him to me."