The Will

"When the man saw Jesus, he bowed his face to the ground, begging to be healed. 'Lord,' he said, 'if you are willing, you can heal me, and make me clean.' Jesus reached out and touched him. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be healed!' And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus instructed him..." Luke 5:12-14

"When the man saw Jesus, he bowed his face to the ground..."

Prayer is the collision of two opposing forces, "My Will" and "Thy Will."

"...begging to be healed...

Prayer first conforms a person to God's will and then transforms them by His will.

"Lord...if you are willing..."

Prayer provides the line of communication between the Heavenly Father and His children. Jesus is Lord. Prayer doesn't make Him Lord. It recognizes Him as Lord. Prayer turns rebellion into a relationship. Prayer honors the Lordship of Jesus, and turns ownership into stewardship. Prayer yields our rights to Jesus and prepares us to do His will.

"...if you are willing, you can heal me, and make me clean..."

Prayer places the crises of God's children, into His hands. The more His children talk about them, the less they pray to Him. The more they delay, the larger the larger their crises get. Prayer releases what God can do for us. Talk is obsessed with what a crisis is doing to us.

"Jesus reached out and touched him..."

Prayer is a high touch enterprise. When God's children pray, they get in touch with Jesus, and then they receive a touch from Him.

"I am willing."
Prayer turns "My Will" into "Thy Will." People, willing to pray, get over themselves, and get in touch with God. They are more obsessed with "Thy" than "My." Childish people are more concerned about "S'mine!" than "Thine."

My first experience in working with children, up close and personal, came when my wife, Dana, asked me to help her with her two year old Vacation Bible School class. Every day I became more and more convinced of original sin. Fights broke out over the slightest offense. Whenever two kids wanted the same toy, it was a throwdown showdown, toddler-style. I learned a new word that week. SMINE!

SMINE: definition - that is mine. To be spoken with a hissing sound, followed by a yanking action, while seizing control of another child's toy, producing a scream from the injured party. This word is often expressed when two children encounter each other in the presence of one toy.

NOTE TO ADULTS: Prayer turns SMINE! into THINE! Childish praying demands God conforms to "My Will." Answered prayer is rooted in "Thy Will." Jesus prayed, "Not My will, but Thy will be done." Follow His lead.

"And instantly the leprosy disappeared."

Delaying in praying only prolongs the agony of the crisis. The earlier a crisis is brought to God, the sooner God's children will see what He will do with it.

"Then Jesus instructed him..."

Answered prayer is not the end of praying. It is the beginning. "When" is followed by "Then." Too often praying people get in touch with Jesus when they need an answer, then lose touch with Him, after they receive it. They are more concerned about "When" than "Then."

People focused on nothing but their own health and wealth may get both and still be spiritually dead and bankrupt. The landscape between "When" and "Then" is roller-coaster ride of emotions and intimidating encounters with the enemy. Prayer turns panic into peace. Enjoy the ride.

Note to self: Prayer is not about getting what you want, as much as it is conforming you into the image of The Father. This was the passion of Jesus, and His Spirit will fan the flames of this fire in your heart. When your heart grows cold, then warm it up through prayer and the reading of God's Word. When in doubt, read the instructions and do what Jesus did.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Walk

"And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people." Luke 1:67-68

So little is known about Zacharias, and Elizabeth, in comparison to other characters in the Bible. Yet, God chose them to be the parents of John the Baptist. It is not a great leap of conjecture to believe that there was a depth and an integrity to their character that no one else could see. No matter. God truly valued it.

"They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord, but..." Luke 1:6

The Bible is filled with the junction of the conjunction.

"BUT (emphasis mine) they had no child."

This a mouthful. It is not a throw away line, or padding for a pulp fiction novel. This is the Word of God, and simple phrases often carry a powerful punch. When the weight of the words are placed on the scales of their context, they will reveal insight and understanding, that may not be initially appreciated, from a quick read.

Righteous is not a word to be treated lightly. Practical piety in the day of Zacharias and Elizabeth was expressed by giving, praying and fasting. When Jesus presented His Sermon on the Mount, he expressed the same elements of this character would be seen in the citizens of The Kingdom. He put great emphasis on these very three things. He magnified the private purity of motive, but He devalued any ostentatious public expression of giving, praying and fasting. Interesting, that no one else seemed to appreciate what these two people had invested in The Kingdom, BUT God did.

The conventional wisdom of the religious system and the general scuttlebutt expressed by their friends and neighbors had this couple pegged as losers and underachievers. All they could see was the "BUT." God always sees past it.

"But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years." Luke 1:7

In other words, they were done. Check please. Clear the table. Next! They still had a place of service, but life was moving on without them, and it was about to give them "the bum's rush." Zacharias had no son to pass on his name. Elizabeth had no child to validate her existence. Each day they rose, worked, ate, slept and aged. Mundane monotony, can be the cancer that eats away at the meaning of life.

In spite of what might have appeared, to most of their friends and family, this couple never lost sight of their real reason for living. They did not find hope in climbing the ladder of the current religious system. Their passion was not invested in making a name for themselves. They poured what they had been given, and what they had left into a genuine walk with God.

"...walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord." Luke 1:7

WOW! What a statement. "Blameless." Don't get me wrong. They had their critics. The cultured, big city religious elite hated to see the hicks come to town. The great unwashed hayseeds from the country would roll into Jerusalem for the feast days, and their poor priests would arrive to do their service to them.

At home, there were the hissing serpents of gossip that always whispered behind Elizabeth's back when she walked through the market. They would nod knowingly, and say maliciously that her childless condition was punishment for some unseen sinful condition. The "Fruit Inspector" boys and "The Share and Tear" girls will always be around. In the case of this couple, dirt could be dished. Mud could be thrown. BUT it just couldn't stick.

"All." There was not one thing that God commanded and required that they did not obey. What a legacy! They were not large and in charge. They did not have the trappings of success or status. They didn't have the capacity to make a name for themselves, or even leave one behind. Still, they walked with God, and He knew them by their first names.

For all practical purposes, Zacharias had already made his mark in life. Elizabeth never would. He was a very small cog in the great religious machine that operated The Temple. For him, there would be no fast track to fame and glory. No high office or prestigious position was going to be in his future. He was part of the priestly class, but that meant he was expected to be honored to serve, when his time came. After guiding people through the worship experience at The Temple, he was expected to go home and pick up his quiet, obscure life, with his barren wife Elizabeth.

"Now it happened." Luke 1:8

The Bible is filled with stories about people who seem to be set on permanent, poignant pauses, right before God's unction falls upon them. In the case of Zacharias, he was on pause, and about to be put on mute. BUT, in both cases, God was at work in his life.

Note to self: God is always working to bring about His best in your life, and He does His best work in what appear to be the worst of circumstances. Don't try to talk yourself through a crisis, just keep walking with God through it. What He has brought you to, He will bring you through.

"While he was performing his priestly service before God, in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour at the hour of the incense offering. And the angel of the Lord appeared..." Luke 1:8-11

My gosh, this is like reading the prose of an automobile manual found in the glove box of my car. "When jumping the battery, turn off the engine of the car with the live battery. Attach positive cable on the car with the dead battery to.." Wah. Wah.Wah. Wah. Wah.

Are you kidding me? This is how God works? He shows up in the daily, mundane errands and at the stopped up kitchen sinks of our lives. YES! God was about to jump start the lives of these two wonderful people, but they had to be in the right place at the right time.

Getting up, and showing up for a walk with God is where the unction is. Staying connected to the right power source is the only way to have what only God can give. LIFE. POWER. PURPOSE. Without taking an active interest in spending time with God, their lives were dead. With Him they were about to have the adventure of their lives.

God saves the best for last. Cynics say that youth is wasted on the young. I remember trying to get up a group for a trip to the Holy Land. I had pretty good crowd until they found out we weren't going to Branson. To the uninformed, Branson is Vegas for Baptists. Senior Adults who make this pilgrimage will stand in line in a thunderstorm to gain entrance to a session with their version of Justin Bieber. They will clap, and cheer for their idea of "American Idol." BUT when they get home, they whine about that loud "rock n roll" music in their church. Go figure.

Anyone who has ever been around a Senior Adult ministry in a local church knows that the old can hold their own, with any young person alive, when it comes to wasting the best years of their lives. Can you spell ukelele? I didn't think so. To be a part of the next Great Awakening, it is time for people who know better to step away from the "All U Can Eat" Branson buffet, and pursue the path of this righteous couple. This walk never ends, and it never gets old.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The HIMpossible

"And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people." Luke 1:67-68

So little is known about Zacharias, and Elizabeth, in comparison to other characters in the Bible. Yet, God chose them to be the parents of John the Baptist. It is not a great leap of conjecture to believe that there was a depth and an integrity to their character that no one else could see. No matter. God truly valued it.

"They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord, but..." Luke 1:6

The Bible is filled with the junction of the conjunction.

"BUT (emphasis mine) they had no child."

This a mouthful. It is not a throw away line, or padding for a pulp fiction novel. This is the Word of God, and simple phrases often carry a powerful punch. When the weight of the words are placed on the scales of their context, they will reveal insight and understanding, that may not be initially appreciated, from a quick read.

Righteous is not a word to be treated lightly. Practical piety in the day of Zacharias and Elizabeth was expressed by giving, praying and fasting. When Jesus presented His Sermon on the Mount, he expressed the same elements of this character would be seen in the citizens of The Kingdom. He put great emphasis on these very three things. He magnified the private purity of motive, but He devalued any ostentatious public expression of giving, praying and fasting. Interesting, that no one else seemed to appreciate what these two people had invested in The Kingdom, BUT God did.

The conventional wisdom of the religious system and the general scuttlebutt expressed by their friends and neighbors had this couple pegged as losers and underachievers. All they could see was the "BUT." God always sees past it.

"But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years." Luke 1:7

In other words, they were done. Check please. Clear the table. Next! They still had a place of service, but life was moving on without them, and it was about to give them "the bum's rush." Zacharias had no son to pass on his name. Elizabeth had no child to validate her existence. Each day they rose, worked, ate, slept and aged. Mundane monotony, can be the cancer that eats away at the meaning of life.

In spite of what might have appeared, to most of their friends and family, this couple never lost sight of their real reason for living. They did not find hope in climbing the ladder of the current religious system. Their passion was not invested in making a name for themselves. They poured what they had been given, and what they had left into a genuine walk with God.

"...walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord." Luke 1:7

WOW! What a statement. "Blameless." Don't get me wrong. They had their critics. The cultured, big city religious elite hated to see the hicks come to town. The great unwashed hayseeds from the country would roll into Jerusalem for the feast days, and their poor priests would arrive to do their service to them.

At home, there were the hissing serpents of gossip that always whispered behind Elizabeth's back when she walked through the market. They would nod knowingly, and say maliciously that her childless condition was punishment for some unseen sinful condition. The "Fruit Inspector" boys and "The Share and Tear" girls will always be around. In the case of this couple, dirt could be dished. Mud could be thrown. BUT it just couldn't stick.

"All." There was not one thing that God commanded and required that they did not obey. What a legacy! They were not large and in charge. They did not have the trappings of success or status. They didn't have the capacity to make a name for themselves, or even leave one behind. Still, they walked with God, and He knew them by their first names.

For all practical purposes, Zacharias had already made his mark in life. Elizabeth never would. He was a very small cog in the great religious machine that operated The Temple. For him, there would be no fast track to fame and glory. No high office or prestigious position was going to be in his future. He was part of the priestly class, but that meant he was expected to be honored to serve, when his time came. After guiding people through the worship experience at The Temple, he was expected to go home and pick up his quiet, obscure life, with his barren wife Elizabeth.

"Now it happened." Luke 1:8

The Bible is filled with stories about people who seem to be set on permanent, poignant pauses, right before God's unction falls upon them. In the case of Zacharias, he was on pause, and about to be put on mute. BUT, in both cases, God was at work in his life.

Note to self: God is always working to bring about His best in your life, and He does His best work in what appear to be the worst of circumstances. Don't try to talk yourself through a crisis, just keep walking with God through it. What He has brought you to, He will bring you through.

"While he was performing his priestly service before God, in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour at the hour of the incense offering. And the angel of the Lord appeared..." Luke 1:8-11

My gosh, this is like reading the prose of an automobile manual found in the glove box of my car. "When jumping the battery, turn off the engine of the car with the live battery. Attach positive cable on the car with the dead battery to.." Wah. Wah.Wah. Wah. Wah.

Are you kidding me? This is how God works? He shows up in the daily, mundane errands and at the stopped up kitchen sinks of our lives. YES! God was about to jump start the lives of these two wonderful people, but they had to be in the right place at the right time.

Getting up, and showing up for a walk with God is where the unction is. Staying connected to the right power source is the only way to have what only God can give. LIFE. POWER. PURPOSE. Without taking an active interest in spending time with God, their lives were dead. With Him they were about to have the adventure of their lives.

God saves the best for last. Cynics say that youth is wasted on the young. I remember trying to get up a group for a trip to the Holy Land. I had pretty good crowd until they found out we weren't going to Branson. To the uninformed, Branson is Vegas for Baptists. Senior Adults who make this pilgrimage will stand in line in a thunderstorm to gain entrance to a session with their version of Justin Bieber. They will clap, and cheer for their idea of "American Idol." BUT when they get home, they whine about that loud "rock n roll" music in their church. Go figure.

Anyone who has ever been around a Senior Adult ministry in a local church knows that the old can hold their own, with any young person alive, when it comes to wasting the best years of their lives. Can you spell ukelele? I didn't think so. To be a part of the next Great Awakening, it is time for people who know better to step away from the "All U Can Eat" Branson buffet, and pursue the path of this righteous couple. This walk never ends, and it never gets old.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Catch

"But when the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, 'Children, you do not have any fish, do you?" They answered, 'No.' And He said to them, 'Cast your net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.' So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus love said to Peter, 'It is the Lord." John 21:4-7

When the exhausted disciples approached the beach, they had no catch to show for a long night's effort of casting and pulling the net into their boat. The monotony and the futility of their effort must have been mind-numbing and heart-breaking. Aching backs, empty nets and growling stomachs combined into a toxic stew of discouragement, in their souls. As the sun rose over the mountains to the east, they heard a call from the beach.

Jesus always knows the condition of His church. Seven times in John's account of The Revelation, Jesus addresses His churches, with the same declaration, "I know!" When He asks a question, Jesus is not looking for information. He already knows the answer. His question probes the heart of the listener, and prepares the way for a blessing. All that one must do is admit, what Jesus already knows.

Jesus asked if the fishermen had a catch. They had nothing to show, and less to brag about. Of course, He already knew that. From His place on the beach, He could see the ripple in the water of a school of fish. It was not unusual for fishermen on the Sea of Galilee to have spotters on the shore, to point out to them what they could not see. Sometimes the catch is so close to the boat, a tired fisherman cannot see his way clear to make one more cast. Jesus encouraged them to do it His way. Those who do, will always have a catch.

The old King James Version says that Jesus told them to cast their net on the "right side of the boat." I like that. Take it from some one who knows what it means to work long and hard, casting a net on the WRONG side of the boat. Working longer at the wrong thing, and rowing harder in the wrong direction, never produces the right catch. Listening to and obeying Jesus, always will.

The disciples had been told by The Risen Christ to wait for Him in Jerusalem. He never told them to go north to Galilee, and take up fishing. Their obsession with doing things their way, and taking up where they left off, was an act of disobedience. Those whom Jesus calls, He disciplines, and sheep who wander from The Shepherd's voice, will hear it, over and over again, until they return to His fold.

While the catch was being hauled into the boat, John had a mini revelation, "It is the Lord." Jesus is always the source of every catch. Fishermen who have to take credit and claim glory for what only Jesus can do, will find themselves weary of effort and empty of net. No matter how much they accomplish on their own, they will always be haunted by the regret, of what might have been. Mark this down. When you stand in the middle of a catch, large or small, "IT IS THE LORD!" What you claim, you will have to sustain. Where Jesus guides, He provides. Tired yet?

When you are in the middle of a catch, don't forget who made it possible. If the catch is in your boat, and Jesus is on the beach, get to Jesus! He is your focus, and your reason for living, not the catch. By the way, there is more where that came from. Prayer prepares you for the catch. Cast your cares on Him. He cares for you. See you at the beach.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Collision

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law," Galatians 4:4

The Christmas Story reveals a collision between man's need, and God's love. Good and evil are essential parts of the narrative. They are contrasting threads woven through the fabric of the tapestry, from the manger to the cross. Man's futility, to reach up to God, was met by God's ability, to reach down to man. God provided a lost world a Savior, in the form of a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

"Good and evil travel down parallel tracks, and generally arrive at the same time." Ron Dunn

The first time I heard Ron speak these words, I couldn't tell, if they were profound or just perplexing. His explanation helped me make a connection, between the tracks of good and evil. I often need his insight, when I face the intimidation of immediate circumstances.

When I asked Ron to explain to me what he meant, he related an experience, he once had with a grandmother, holding her first grandchild. The woman poured out a heart-breaking story, of a wayward husband, who had abandoned her daughter. She said, "I wish she had never met that man." Ron's response to her was, "Then you must regret the birth of your grandchild?" The grandmother instinctively tightened her embrace, on her little one, and emphatically said, "No!" Ron empowered her to make the connection, between good and evil, by sharing with her the statement quoted above.

When I heard Ron's explanation, the perplexing became the profound. I often lose my perspective, in the trauma of a train wreck, at the junction of good and evil. The collision is not a result of crossing the two tracks, but the arrival of a train of trauma, at one destination. My first reaction to evil is usually, "What the hell is going on?" Given time to cool down, I eventually respond with, "God, make something good come out of this?"

Finding out what God can do, in the face of evil, is what the Christmas story is all about. At the darkest of times, the night may be silent, but God is not still. He is always at work, and His train runs on time. He is never late, but sometimes, I think He misses some great opportunities to be early. I am a work in progress.

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law," Galatians 4:4

When Jesus came into this world, He arrived at a very evil time, in human history. God sent The Light of the world, into a very dark place. The Roman world deserved the heat of His anger, but God sent them The Light of His love. Note to self: Light trumps heat.

"Better to light a candle, than curse the darkness." John F. Kennedy

I understand these words were first spoken by Peter Benenson. An English lawyer, who founded Amnesty International, he shared them at a Human Rights Day ceremony, December 10, 1961. Amnesty International symbolizes their work with a candle circled by barbed wire. The followers of Christ might consider lighting a candle wrapped in a crown of thorns.

There are many memorable scenes in the Mel Gibson movie, "The Passion of the Christ." One, that stirred my heart the most, was the moment when Jesus dropped to his knees, under the weight of the cross. He looked up, and said, "Behold, I make all things new." Revelation 21:5

This graphic, cinematic picture of the collision of good and evil, revealed to me, in one breath, the heart a Savior, and the mission, of His followers. On His way to Calvary, Jesus was a man on a mission, not a victim of circumstance. His followers are commissioned to be His missionaries. As such they carry the same message, to a world in darkness. They are candles, wrapped in a crown of thorns, indeed.

From the earliest moments, as a Southern Baptist Sunbeam, I was taught to sing, "This little light of mine. I'm gonna let it shine." It ranks up there, with one of the most profound truths ever put to music, "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so." Both tunes carry a powerful message, and have a spiritual shelf-life that will outlast most of what passes for today's latest holy hits. But I digress.

The world will always be a very dark place, without The Light of God's love. Without Jesus, people never see what they are missing, until it is too late. When we sing it, we bring it. "Let it shine!"

At the collision of good and evil, expect evil to blame good, for the consequences. For example, if an evil person uses a gun, to kill innocent people, the first reaction of people living in a dark world will always be, "Take all the guns away from good people." To people blinded by the dark, this makes perfect sense. They just can't see without The Light. The Light cannot cannot be described to someone who has not seen it. They must see The Light. So again, "Let it shine!"

Evil hates The Light, because it can only thrive in the dark. When Jesus steps into the darkness, evil is seen for the malignant, repugnant beast that it really is. It cannot bear to be exposed to The Light. Because God's love triumphs over darkness, evil sought to keep people in the dark, by defeating The Light, at the cross.

Evil always overplays it's hand, in the blame game. At the point of collision, evil placed all the blame on Jesus, and nailed Him to the cross. Evil claimed victory over The Light, because it could not see what God was up to, in the dark. It still does, and it still can't.

In three days time, The Light broke through the empty tomb, and the message of The Christmas Story lit up the night, so a dark world could see The Light of God's love. It still does, and it still can, if you, "Let it shine!" MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Star

Yesterday, I turned off Fox News at my house. I couldn't take it anymore. If I heard one more expert pontificate about gun control or spew anymore psycho babble, I was going to drive my car, into the next tree, I came to.

Dana and I needed some fresh air, so we accepted an invitation to attend a birthday party, for two of our best friends. They are four year old twins, who have been our neighbors, for half of their lives.

The twins, Lacie and Grace, recently moved to another neighborhood, and we have missed them...ALOT! For the record, when we walked into Chuck E. Cheese at 9:30 AM, the twins ran right past the guy in the costume and hit our kneecaps, with the force of a ball peen hammer. It was great! My spirit was renewed. Jesus loved little ones, and we do too.

Dana and I spent the next two hours observing little ones, and their parents, enjoying the twin's birthday party. Chuck E. Cheese is "Vegas for Munchkins," so we left before they cashed in their winnings. We have had some previous experience with this. It is never a pretty sight, when little ones arrive at the Judgment Counter and find out what their fist full of tickets are really worth. It is a life lesson, best learned, early on. That is all.

My heart was so burdened, for the parents who lost their little ones, at the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. I flashed back to a 1999 school shooting, I experienced. Seven young people were shot. None were killed, but thousands were terrorized. I held the baccalaureate service for the High School, and hosted the Vice President of the United States for a meeting, with the parents of the injured children. Let me say this. The trauma and the drama are real, and run deep and wide, through the soul of the students, parents, and residents of a community.

The current knee-jerk reactions of secularists and the politically motivated lessons offered up by pundits, are not going to solve the crisis of evil, in this nation. The only way to remove the darkness, is to replace it with The Light. Jesus is The Light of the World, not a twinkling light on a Christmas tree.

Evil simply hates innocence. It is an ancient hatred perpetuated by a relentless enemy. When word of the birth of Jesus reached King Herod, he dispatched soldiers to kill all the male babies born, in the city of Bethlehem. Note: No guns were used in the killing of these baby boys. Just hate.

Evil is not restricted by gun control, or birth control. Over 3,000 babies a day are murdered, in this nation, by legalized birth control. There are no photo ops, no pontificating, no pundits running to the death scene, of these innocent children and there is no end, in sight to the murder. If government approved birth control has unleashed this kind of slaughter, one can only wonder what government gun control will accomplish.

People stumbling, through the dark, would be wise to move toward The Light. A nation is turned around, one life at a time. There is no quick fix, to turning a great ship around, that has been heading, on the wrong course. It takes time to see the change, but it is time to fix this nation's course, upon the right star.

There is still a star that will guide The Wise out off the darkness, and into the light of God's love. The name of this star is Jesus. Those desperate for His direction, protection and direction, like The Wise Men of old, will seek Him, and follow Him. Fix your course on The Star, and follow Jesus into The Light.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Duty

John Adam's words give insight into what the founding fathers thought about religious liberty.

"It is the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshiping GOD in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship." John Adams, 1776

Jesus was asked what He thought about paying taxes, to an all powerful government.
15-17 That’s when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

18-19 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece.

20 “This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”

21 They said, “Caesar.”

“Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”

22 The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads. (Selection of Matthew 22 quoted from The Message)

When asked what He thought was the most important command in God's Word, Jesus responded with the prototype for the construction of His Church.

34-36 When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?”

37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” (Matthew 22: The Message)

The words of these two founders, one for a country, and the other a church, serve as two essential pillars for religious liberty. Disregarding either one of them, leads to the collapse of the structure.

King Solomon said, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14: 34 (New American Standard Bible)

Fools destroy a nation, by weakening the foundation, upon which is was built. What a leader of a nation initiates in moderation, the people perpetuate in excess. Sin has been described as blasting through life politely ignoring God. The result is personal and corporate disgrace, in the eyes of God. The fall of a nation begins, when fools do what is wrong, and confuse it with their rights. Before a nation falls on its face in disgrace, wise leaders will humble themselves, and fall to their knees, and pray for God's direction, protection and correction.

God said, "My people...humble themselves and pray." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Prayerless people are prideful. stiff-necked people. Unless they admit they are heading to a fall, on their face, they will never fall to their knees, and ask God for help. Bent knees have a way of adjusting a stiff neck. The Wise go to God for regular adjustments.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Exchange

"When you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose they will be heard for their many words." Matthew 6:7

Singing involves borrowing words written by someone else, and using them as your own, as a gift to honor God. Some equate repeatedly singing the same thing over and over again as praising, others say it symbolizes praying.

Praying initiates and perpetuates intimate conversation between The Father and His child. The words should be your own, and from your heart. Be careful borrowing what another man said to his wife, to impresses your own. They can tell when your heart isn't in it. God can too.

A beautiful Hallmark Father's Day card might appeal to the eye of the buyer, but it only takes the simplest scrawl from a child's crayon on a paper sack to reach a Dad's heart. Put your heart in what you pray.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Righteous

"The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand." Proverbs 12:7

As a Southern Baptist preschooler, I was enrolled in "Sunbeams." While Mom was occupied with WMU, I was taught to sing the words of a great song. For over half a century, these words have proven to be a solid source of theology for me. Perhaps they will encourage you today.

The Wise Man Built His House

The wise man built his house upon the rock
The wise man built his house upon the rock
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down

Oh, the rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the wise man's house stood firm.

There is another verse to the song, about the fate of the foolish man. It was always a hit, with "The Beamers." SPOILER ALERT: It doesn't end well.

The wicked man is a wanderer, always looking for the grass that is greener, on the other side of the fence. This fool soon discovers that the grass is always greener, because it is over a septic tank.

The wise man stands his ground, with the confidence that he has built his life, on the solid rock of God's Word. His stand is not based on whimsy, or wild speculation. He is simply obeying the last Word he received from God. He knows, from experience, the safest place to be is the last place God told him to stand.

"Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13

Paul described a warfare waged with a spiritual foe. All the armor required for this warfare was defensive in nature, save one, the sword. This sword was the Word of God. First Century Christians found that the two-edged power brought comfort to the user, and defeat to the enemy. It still does, for those who stand and wield it, in the 21st Century.

Righteous people are not perfect, just forgiven. They have been declared right, by a Holy God, on the basis of the blood The Lamb, His Son, and our Savior, Jesus. Those, right with God, are the ones who stand next to The Champion, and face the enemy, with confidence, in His victory. Take your stand today.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Result

"When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom." PROVERBS 11:2

This week the nation has heard the word "honorable" used in public discourse, more than usual. Unfortunately, it has been used to describe a man who has provided "honorable" service to his country, but has dishonored his wife, with his marital infidelity.

What a shame! America has set aside this weekend to honor the birthday of The Marine Corps, and to remember those who have served the nation, through the Armed Forces. Veterans' Day deserved better. Stories prepared to highlight the nation's pride in their military have been overshadowed, by the lurid details, of a marriage gone wrong.

A man's service to his country, in God's view, does not outweigh his responsibility to his wife. The pressures, of leading a nation in a foreign war, or maintaining the security of a free people at home, may explain, but do not excuse what a husband did to his wife. His words, though honest and heartfelt, will not alter the damage done to his reputation, his career, and his family.

“After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.”

So, once again, the nation is given a glimpse, into the poor judgment or moral failure of one its highest leaders. A national hero has added his words to the litany of great sayings, that generations of young people will recall, in times of crisis.

"I am not a crook." Richard Nixon

"Read my lips. No new taxes." G. H. W. Bush

"It all depends on what the meaning of the word, 'is,' is." W.J. Clinton

"I think I was unprepared for war." G. W. Bush

"After my election, I have more flexibility." B.H. Obama

It is often pointed out, that "pride" cannot be spelled without the letter "I." The Greeks called it "Ego." Both observations are correct. Children enter into this world looking out for number one. As a person matures, they become aware, grudgingly, the world does not revolve around them. They gradually learn, they must consider the needs and expectations of others.

Pride obliterates maturity, and returns a person to their earliest instincts. The person, with the most power, must exercise the most maturity and self-restraint. Those under them, cannot control them. They must control themselves. The higher up the tree they climb, the easier it is to see their failures. When they expose themselves, it is never a pretty sight.

The Wise humble themselves, and avoid the notoriety. They do this by maintaining consistent companionship with God, through prayer. Prideful people are prayerless people. They are too full of themselves to take any advice from God. It is not until life squeezes some pride out of them, that they have any room for His wise counsel or His sense of direction.

Prayer, not self-promotion, prepares a person for the pressures of life. When people are squeezed, the world sees what is on the inside of them. For a Christian, there should be truth in advertising. What they wear on the outside, should match what is on the inside. Let me explain.

Years ago, there was an infamous bumper sticker, "Honk if you love Jesus!" It must have been a best seller on the pagan market. Whenever I honked, my response to their request was always greeted, with a distinct reaction: the international sign of contempt. It may have been pointing upward, but it wasn't point the one way to Jesus. The words on the outside, didn't match what was on the inside. Traffic has a way of making liars out of us all. Can I get a witness?

Humility is a condition that results, from coming to the end of oneself. It initiates prayer, and leads a person to the beginning of God. The fear of God, or the reverence for God's direction, protection, and correction leads to His wisdom. This is the by-product of prayer. A person rarely thinks like God, until they spend time with Him. Wisdom is not a self-inflated view of oneself, for what they know about God. It is an appreciation for how little they know about Him, in spite of all God has taught them.

The "What Would Jesus Do" bracelets a few years ago were very popular. These little WWJD rubber bands were also the number one item shop-lifted, in Christian bookstores. Go figure. Still, their message is worth remembering. When Jesus was in need of God's direction, he turned to His Father in prayer. Nuff said. To be wise, go thou and do likewise.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!