Splash Mouth

“We need to learn to keep our mouths closed,” my wife said.

I didn’t, “Amen,” out loud but I did in my brain. Just like the Bible says: “Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise.”

Now my wife wasn’t actually referring to keeping silent. She was talking about a powerful little spray apparatus we have in our bathroom used to clean our teeth. We’ve discovered if the mouth isn’t closed; water sprays on the mirror, in our eye, and even up our nose.

In a parallel, the words we speak about ourselves askew the view we have of ourselves. Like a splashed mirror, we have a distorted image of how God sees us. Words like: “I can’t, I won’t, I’ll never,” pervert: “Created in God’s image…the righteousness of Christ…more than conquers.”

And we will strain to see God’s all-things-possible-through-Christ banner over our lives.

Words errantly sprayed from our mouth also distort our eyes. One of the most damaging is the way we perceive the people we are in contact with.

When we let words form on our lips and in our minds, solely because of what our eyes perceive, danger lurks. Instead we must more fully desire “the eyes of Christ.”

Water up the nose? Eeeew, that’s just not right.

Noses are far better at receiving sweet smells. God’s nose is no different. David in Psalm 141 addressed God: “Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You.” Fragrant, enticing, emotionally stimulating words of prayer—from our mouths to God’s nose. Are we doing this?

God allows us to speak powerful words. Words of Godly life change. So let us pray; God help my speech reflect this Bible passage: “...words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream.”

Lazy--One, Two, Three

I kept running into lazy. Three people in a two days, mentioned “lazy.”

“You’re lazy.”

“I guess I’m lazy.”

“I’m just lazy.”

First lazy: Del talked to Burt after Bible study: “You’re lazy.” Ouch! Seems a little poke-in-the-eyeish. Not exactly. While Del knows Burt’s packed with potential; Burt just isn’t digging in to get to the next level with God.

The Bible says, “He (God) is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Burt is on the edge of opening up some great opportunities, rewards from God. But “lazy” could easily knock him off course. This happens to way too many people.

Second lazy: I had seen John at church only once. He lives down the street in my new neighborhood. Next time I saw him I said, “It was nice seeing you in church.” As we talked briefly, he volunteered a reason for erratic attendance. “I guess I’m lazy.”

The Bible says, “I was glad when they said to me: Let us go to the House of the LORD.” That’s how John seemed at church. “Glad.” He was greeting people and engaged in the service. “Glad.”

A proven pathway to worthy life-experiences is to press through: “I don’t feel like it.” And arrive at: “Let us go…”

Third lazy: Richie, a middle school student, initiated the conversation. His: “I’m just lazy,” was a way of explaining his lack of success at school.

Richie head-on recognized the detrimental effects of his laziness. And he was rightfully shaking the lazys from his life with a thrust into new and positive school activities. This will head Richie toward success.

Bottom line: as Proverbs 13:4 says, “The soul of the lazy man desires and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.”

Be rich!

Twelve Year Old Pickles

“That must be the record,” I said to my wife. She responded, “Has to be.” We were talking about food for needy families. No it wasn’t a record food drive or a record distribution day.

Someone had contributed a jar of pickles outdated by twelve years! We both kind of laughed. Kind of…

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” And these pickles were definitely for “the least” in our community.

My wife and I agreed: “They didn’t know what they were doing.” It was just a little oversight mixed in with a do-good objective.

Right?

Listen to those words from Jesus again: “'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, the least in society; that was Me--you did it to Me.” So, would a person accidentally have an oops-moment and present to Jesus Christ pickles twelve years past their expiration date?

Introspection caused me to look first at my own heart. And attitude. Do I see the face of Jesus in every needy person? Or do I look upon a single lump of humanity—the poor?

The prophet Isaiah gives challenging advice: “Share your food with the hungry…bring into your house the poor wander…when you see the naked, clothe him.” In addition to these material goods he adds: “Extend your soul to the hungry.”

My soul!

This is taking all God has given me—all the love, mercy, compassion, kindness, grace…and giving, extending all to “the least in society.”

Yes, we will sometimes be perplexed as to how to accomplish this. It’s as if Isaiah knew our thoughts. He adds: “The LORD will guide you continually.”

Free Won't

Thomas had been given a free gift from God. This gift is one way God expresses His love to humans. The gift? Free won’t.

Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. The Bible says: “But Thomas…was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, ‘We saw the Master (Jesus).’ But Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it." I won’t…

Jesus died. Was resurrected to life and had appeared to a few—but not Thomas. Thomas then exercised his free won’t: “I won’t believe.” His God-given choice/gift.

At a small gathering of friends recently, we discussed some men in the Bible whose lives intermingled closely with Jesus—Peter, Thomas, and Paul. I asked the question: “Who can you most relate to?”

Two answered honestly, saying they were like Thomas during the doubting phase of his life. Free won’t in my friend’s lives said: “Until I have more evidence, I won’t fully believe in Jesus.”

I have respect for their searching attitude. But there is a huge, destructive trap that can easily unfurl. I won’t believe until…way, way too often becomes: “I won’t do anything regarding pursuing truth. I won’t believe in Jesus. And I won’t invest any effort into making an informed decision on this ultra-important matter.”

Now Thomas and my two friends (for the most part) have a proper, searching attitude.

(1) Thomas maintained his connection with his believing friends. “And Thomas was with them.”
(2) Thomas never said that believing was beyond possibility. He needed more evidence: “Unless I see…”
(3) Thomas was willing to make a swift, radical change. From I won’t; he immediately responded to Jesus: “My Lord and my God.”

Why is God Doing This to Me?

“Why is God doing this to me?” Galen asked, nearly pleading.

He wasn’t asking me. But I was interested in Sherri’s response. Galen complains of being plagued with crisis after crisis. Now he was sure, God was causing his latest run-amuck.

Sherri always tries her best to inject hope. It seemed futile as Galen was feeling pretty beat down.

Now here’s the strange twist. Sherri has experienced nearly as many challenges in the last year as Galen. Possibly more.

Family deaths. Selling her home. A business setback. Working in a variety of ministries which occasionally results in fatigue or illness Money seems semi-nonexistent. But she presses on with joy as she shares hope, God’s hope, with others.

What’s the difference between Galen and Sherri?

Attitude. Godly attitude.

The Bible says: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such thing.” We each have a choice. We decide on how we think about God. Other people. Our situation. Ourselves. Etc.

Attitude.

Here’s an example. Sherri said, “I was at Wal-Mart looking at an ice-cube tray. I put it back; it cost too much.” Her secondhand refrigerator didn’t have any trays. She continued, “I just thought: God can provide one.”

Serving God fulltime and a $1.47 purchase is too extravagant. Almost seems like a why-is-God-doing-this-to-me-moment.

Two days later she was out for a walk. She noticed an ice-cube tray in some grass along the road. When’s the last time you found an ice-cube tray? There’s more. Three days later she found a second one.

When Sherri told me, she was laughing. Raising her hands toward heaven, praising God. As the Bible says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say: rejoice.”

Attitude.

Choose One. The Heart or the Bible?

No one forced Tammy to fill in the handout. And the way she tossed it on the counter signified she was miffed.

The Free Store, where she was shopping—for free, is an unabashed Christian ministry.

And they aren’t sneaky about trying to make Jesus known. Tracts, Scriptures on the walls, church service schedules on the bulletin board, always free Bibles and Christian books.

In the flyer titled, “What do you think??” she had answered correctly on five of its six questions. Do you know God loves you? Was Jesus a fool to die on the Cross? Do you know why Jesus died on the Cross? Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? Do you know exactly what you believe and why you believe that way?

She didn’t answer: “Is the God of the Bible real?” But she left a comment: “Belief is in the heart not a book!”

This would be a common way of thinking: “Follow your heart.”

I once looked up, read, and compiled every Bible verse containing “heart.” 800 verses. During this time frame, I asked people what “heart” meant.

Amazingly, even the godliest and the most intelligent people I know, provided somewhat fuzzy explanations.

So why would a person want to follow their heart? Would they even know exactly what they were following?

The word “heart” makes its first Biblical appearance in Genesis 6:5: “The wickedness of man…every intent of the thought of his heart was evil continually.”

Following the heart way too often leads to calamity. Or worse.

The Bible says: “The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.” Here’s the superior approach: get God’s law, the Bible in your heart. This properly prepares our hearts to guide us in a slip-less life.

Hardcore

That’s what my Pastor calls them: “Hardcore.”

We both agree. We have more respect for someone who is hardcore—making a firm stand in what they believe; no wavering. Even if our beliefs are totally opposite. They’ve made a bold, uncompromising stand which they will live and die by.

Joshua, one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, spoke words which exemplify this way of living: "Now, therefore, fear the LORD God and serve Him in sincerity and truth...and serve the LORD God. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD God, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve.”

Hardcore. Make a choice. Make a stand. Till the end.

Looking in the Sunday newspaper it appeared I found someone doing just this. Miriam performs non-religious wedding ceremonies: “A humanist clergy… (she) is driven by principles of humanism, a science driven philosophy that rejects religious belief and focuses on human value.”

Pretty blunt for a Christian to read. “Science driven…rejects religious belief.”

The article then goes on to say: “Miriam often incorporates glass-breaking into her ceremonies, explaining its power in protecting the couple from evil spirits.”

What? So which science teaches glass breaking protects against evil spirits?

Jesus’ followers were often challenged with clear, focused, make-a-choice teachings. Their confused minds, filled with contrasting beliefs, were startled by words like: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.”

Later a decision-time question from Jesus forced a response.

Their answer solidified their now “hardcore” standing: “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We believe and know You are God’s Holy One.”

No wavering. Whole-hearted dedication. No doubt.

Hardcore.

Daniel's Song

The tears from the other end of the phone nearly obscured the message. And the static in my head declared: “No, this can’t be happening,” momentarily freezing my ability to respond.

Fourteen-year-old Daniel had been hit by a drunk driver while walking with a friend. He had been airlifted to a metropolitan hospital thirty miles north.

Psalm 118:17 became my prayer through the night at the hospital. “Daniel… will not die, but live. And tell of the works of the LORD.”

My faith in God remained firm all night, opposed to the words of the doctors. To the degree that it was difficult to absorb the words from Daniel’s mother seven hours later.

“He’s gone.”

The weight of his death piled on heavier than any I had ever experienced. I was Daniel’s pastor. We’re family—my third cousin. Daniel was my spiritual son. Beyond all, it felt like I had lost a son.
I’m a man of faith, the pastor. Now I have more questions than answers. My faith had been so strong: Daniel will live—“and tell of the works of the LORD.”

Through all, experience has taught me, God will provide answers.

Two hours later I received an e-mail from Bryan Corbin, a writing colleague. He knew nothing of my situation.

These are his words. “I queried the Lord yesterday about the difference between faith and trust—this is what I heard. Faith is what is required to believe in the things we’ve yet to see, while trust is what is required when what we see doesn’t seem to support what we’ve had the faith to believe.”

The answer, the message was clear—trust God. Always.

Psalm 27:13 says: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”

The Christian Man Team

“He’s a Christian,” I said before hanging up the phone.

Heather had called me: “I don’t know what to do.” Her furnace was malfunctioning. She had no money. Or anyone to help. It was snowing and the temperature was heading toward single-digits.

I barely know her. And that’s only because I know two of her daughters from church. I asked a few questions, quickly realizing the problem surpassed my skill level. After a few moments the name, “Paul,” popped into my head.

Paul is a casual acquaintance. “Heather, I’ll try to get a hold of him,” I said. “No promises.”

An hour later the man I described as, “a Christian,” was at her door with tools in hand. He was willing to help someone he had never met at no charge. Paul was cordial and kind. Forty minutes later the furnace was running. And he was thanking me!

Heather was near tears with gratitude. She saw a true Christian man. But there was a lot she didn’t see.

She didn’t see John who I initially contacted to get Paul’s phone number. John didn’t have the number. But he stopped everything and started making phone calls. Chris got a message on his cell phone, quickly responding.

Next Paul was contacted. On his way home from work, he didn’t have the proper tools. A quick call to his brother Larry and the needed tools were secured.

Five men, without hesitation responded.

A Bible verse came to mind as I later pondered the whole scene. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” Our bond of unity was our Christian faith. While good and pleasant resulted from this living brotherhood. We honored Jesus.

No committee meeting needed. No prior planning. Merely a simple expression of who we are—Christian men.

Thin-Soup Christians

When Eugene spoke, I listened intently to his wisdom.

“I know a person who is always buying cookbooks,” he said. “But they never cook. They’re satisfied with just looking at the pictures.”

Eugene then expanded the thought into what he describes as thin-soup Christians. They buy books on Christian living, yet they never engage in the deeper God-life which is the thrust of those books.

They’re satisfied to: “look at the pictures.”

Consequently they lack significant godly qualities. Their spiritual soup is thin.

Do you know anybody like that? I eat breakfast everyday with someone who’s constantly battling this dilemma.

My breakfast companion? Me.

Jesus’ brother James had a lot to say about thin-soupers. He put it in the context of listening rather than reading. Same concept.

Here are his words: “Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

James is saying: just looking at the pictures is utter foolishness.

And then James offers his recipe for cooking up a thick, hearty-souped Christian. “But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God--the free life!--even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”

The thin-thick contrast is easy to spot. And “delight” is comforting. But “easy” evaporates when the action oriented God-life is pursued. Beyond a daily challenge; it’s a minute by minute push.

Our best plan? Call out to God for help.

Decide to Be Great

“Let’s pray,” my wife, Nancy said. I smiled big just before closing my eyes, thinking, “This is cool.”

Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton instinctively set down what they were carrying, joined hands with Nancy and I. Then Nancy prayed.

Now let me set the scene. We’re exiting McDonald’s. We’re in the small airlock area between the outside and the inside. All glass doors and windows. Kind of an odd place for an instant-two-minute prayer meeting.

So what was so cool?

Our four prayer partners were all young children. To them fully expressing their faith and connecting with God in a definitively public setting is a normal way of viewing life. God’s totally real to them. So taking an unscheduled break to communicate with Him seemed natural.

I have to admit, at my wife’s suggestion to pray, I had a mental flash of the awkwardness of our overtly public setting. Thank God the thought evaporated almost instantly.

Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” What would you answer if this was the first time you had ever heard this question?

The Bible says: “He (Jesus) called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The words of Jesus clearly state that the greatest in the entire Kingdom of Heaven is: “Whoever.”

Almost unimaginable, but each one of us could qualify for this stature. For me, God provide a glimpse of how it works—Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton.

Decide to be great: “Humble yourself like this little child.”

Is Jesus Returning in 2012?

I never thought about it until Stan asked the group:
“Will Jesus return in 2012?”

He said, “You know the Mayan calendar ends in 2012.”

Actually, I didn’t know it still existed.

Then he spelled out an extraordinary alignment of planets which is considered a definitive sign by some.

He kept going.

Next up, Stan, who is a true intellectual, told some very fascinating facts about Nostradamus and his 2012 predictions.

Later I did some research of my own. Here are some more reasons people cite for substantiating the 2012 return of Jesus.

I do not vouch for their facts, credentials, or truthfulness. Simply things to ponder. (1) NASA scientists predict hurling-toward-earth Death Star’s arrival. (2) 200 million man Chinese army amassed as cited in the Book of Revelation. (3)Forty-five year God-given grace period ends. (4) Hidden Bible code reveals it.

Stan, who’s also a Bible scholar, asked us to read Matthew 24. “You could spend a lifetime studying it.”

Jesus’ disciples asked Him point blank: “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age.”

He lists a lot of signs. Including the oft quoted: “Wars and rumors of wars.” In addition: calamities, natural disasters, people turning nasty, on and on. But this is not what Jesus said first. First He said: “Watch out that no one deceives you…”

So our number one concern is not the date of Jesus’ return. The big number one is: are you living an undeceived life, following the one and only Jesus Christ?

And Jesus revealed that He doesn’t know the date of His return: “But only the Father (knows).”

Beyond this, Jesus offers this stern warning. “So you also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”