EASTER MORNING

"He is not here, He is risen. Come, and see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he goeth before you..."

After hearing these words Matthew's writing tells us it was "Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary" that ran quickly to tell Jesus' followers what had happen. Matthew 28:8 (NCV) says, "The women left the tomb quickly. They were afraid, but they were also very happy. They ran to tell Jesus' followers what had happen."

Talking about mixed emotions! The women were "afraid but also very happy". This is not exactly what they expected to find when they arrived at the tomb but they were very glad to know that Jesus was no longer in the tomb and that He lives.

Today as you celebrate Easter remember what Easter is about, remember that He is no longer in the tomb, and that He lives today. My prayer is that all of us will have a real sense of urgency to tell others that Jesus is alive!

I rejoice today because my Lord and Savior live!

He lives, He lives, I know He lives. He lives within my heart!

HOW IS YOUR MEMORY?

One of my friends once stated that he used to have a pretty good memory but was now to the point that he could hide his own Easter eggs. Memory is a funny thing. Some things seems to be imprinted on our mind while other things we forget immediately.

During Holy Week, the day after the crucifixion of Christ and the day before his Resurrection we see several things that has been imprinted on the minds of many.

Matthew 27:55 (NCV) says, Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to help him were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. I am sure that what they saw on Friday was still imprinted on their mind Saturday morning.

On the next day the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. They remembered the words of Jesus when he said, "in three days I will rise from the dead (Matthew 27:63)."  I am sure this was imprinted on their mind.

Then we have the disciples that had followed Jesus but we find in John 20:19 that on the evening of the first day of the week, they were together. The doors were locked, because they were afraid of the elders. These disciples probably had spent most of the weekend together with imprinted on their mind the many teachings of Jesus.

What is it that you remember the most about this week?  What event or words have laid heavy in your mind and on your heart?  What is it that leaves a lasting impression on your mind?  Today, may we remember the events of this week and at the same time look with expectation of great things to happen on Easter Sunday! 

Scripture for today:  Matthew 27:62-66; Luke 23:56

GOOD FRIDAY

I wondered what hurt Jesus the most. Was it when they tied him and led him to Pilate, the governor? Was it when he heard that Judas had hanged himself? Was it the cry of the people to "crucify him, crucify him"? Was it the beating with whips? Was it the crowning with a crown of thorns? Was it when the people bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, "Hail, King, of the Jews!" Was it when some spit on him? Was it when some of the soldiers "cast lots" for his clothing? Was it the insults from the people that walked by and said, "You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross if you are really the Son of God!" Or was it the nails being driven through the hands and feet of Jesus that hurt Him the most?

Unlike many of us, Jesus did not dwell on his hurts.  No where in scripture do I hear Jesus saying, "What hurt me the most is..."  What Jesus did think about while on the cross was what came forth out of his mouth, "It is finished!"  Triumph, not defeat, was on his mind.

My prayer today is:  "God help me not to dwell on my "hurts and disappointments" but help me to dwell on the victories in my life."  For the "The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us" (Romans 8:18).

Scripture for today:  Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 22:66-23:56; John 18:29-19-37

WHAT ARE THEY POURING?

It is Thursday evening and Jesus sat down with his disciples for the Passover meal. During the course of the evening Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. Then he did a very symbolic thing in taking a cup, probably pouring into the cup, thanked God for it and gave it to his followers. Another part of that passage of scripture tells us that Jesus "poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet" (John 13:5).  Jesus also had spent the last three and a half years "pouring into" the lives of his disciples his teachings and about righteous living.

Think about it for a moment.  Who are those that has "poured" into your life?  People that has invested time, money, and patience into your life?  People that when you did foolish things, they didn't give up on you.  The one single person, besides Christ, that I believed poured more into my life then anyone in my entire life was my dad.  He kept pouring and even though sometimes I did very foolish things, he didn't give up.  He just kept pouring.  Like a dad would, he saw possibilities in me that no one else saw.  Many others have poured into my life, and are still pouring.  Some intentionally and others probably not knowing the impact they have on my life.  Thank God for those that will invest in others!

Jesus saw potential in his disciples that no one else saw.  Our heavenly Father sees potential in you that no one else can see and will pour into your lives, if you will allow Him to do so.

Who are you allowing to pour into your life and what are they pouring?

Scripture for today:  Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1-30

The Price that Jesus Paid

"During the day, Jesus taught the people in the Temple, and at night he went out of the city and stayed on the Mount of Olives.  Every morning all the people got up early to go to the Temple to listen to him."  Luke 21:37, 38

Some believe that Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, that Jesus spent time going into the temple teaching.  It is clear that despite the wrong that was in the temple that Jesus did not desert the temple but continued to go and teach each day.  The routine seem to be that Jesus would spend time in prayer at night and early every morning he could be found in the temple teaching.

At night he did not stay at any of the local inns but "stayed on the Mount of Olives."  This is the same place that:

• Jesus often resorted (Luke 22:39)
• Jesus often spent the night when in Jerusalem (John 7:53-8:1)
• Jesus preached a great sermon on the end time (Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:3)
• Jesus' Triumphal Entry began (Luke 19:37)
• Jesus' terrible agony in the Garden of Gethsemane took place (Mark 14:26-42)
• Jesus' ascension took place (Acts 1:12)

By Wednesday morning most likely Judas had went to the priests and teachers of the law and talked to them about a way to hand Jesus over to them.  They agreed on a plan and Judas watched for a time that Jesus was away from the crowd to betray him.  For thirty pieces of silver, what is believe to be the price of a slave in that day, Judas will soon betray the Lord.

Before leaving the scene of the temple Jesus address the "religious leaders" of that day as hypocrites.  He calls them "snakes" and asked them the question, "How are you going to escape God's judgment?"  I can hear someone saying "Why don't you really tell them what you think of them?"

There is nothing in my life that has or ever will compare to the suffering that Jesus did for me.   There is no personal experiences that I could ever share that would measure up to what Jesus did for us.  Both physically and spiritually the next couple of days of the life of Christ will be rather demanding for him.  Jesus spent time in the garden praying and talking to the Father about this and concluded his prayer with "...Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup (suffering) from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

The bottom line is that He died for me and you!

My prayer today is "God help me to be more sensitive to the price that you paid for me!"


Scripture for today:  Matthew 23, 24; Mark 12:35 - Mark 13:37; Luke 20:41 - 21:36

HOLY WEEK - MONDAY MORNING!

I wonder how Jesus felt the morning after Jerusalem.  Sunday was a very emotional time for many.  There were some that was giving praise to Christ and then we read of Jesus’ weeping over the hearts of the people in the city.  How did Jesus sleep that night?  Was it a short night for Jesus?  No doubt before he started his day Jesus probably found a quite place of prayer to the Father, to discuss the events of the day before, as well as to discuss the events of that day.

I turned this morning to Matthew’s account of the Monday before the crucifixion of Christ and I read of one of the first things that Jesus did upon entering the city was he went to the temple.  There he found things happening that were displeasing to him and states “It is written ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves (or a hideout for robbers).’”

I have heard for years the story of Jesus going into the temple and casting out all them that sold and bought in the temple, overturning the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves in the temple.  This always seems to be the emphasis place on this scripture and many times told like we had bragging rights that Jesus would do this.

But in studying this week, the last week of the life of Christ on earth, I was reminded that this is not all that he did on this visit to the temple.  The blind and the lame came to him and he healed them.  The aftermath of the day before was some of the children was crying out “Hosanna to the son of David” (Matthew 21:14-16).  Many good things happened at the temple that day as well.  

As you journey with me through scripture this week and look at some of the events of Christ hopefully we too recognized that we have bragging rights!

Scriptures for today:  Matthew 21:10-17; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-48

THE DAY JESUS WEPT

This week as we enter into the week of the crucifixion of Christ and a week before that noted event, His Resurrection, I encourage you to follow each day of the life of Christ as recorded in scripture. Today in the Christian church is known as Palm Sunday. Read Matthew 21:1-11 and Luke 19:28-44 of Jesus' triumph entrance  into Jerusalem.

The cheering was on! Many from different settings of life stood alone the roadside cheering as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.  Maybe Bartimaeus, the one that was blind but now could see.  Maybe Zacchaeus who had paid back his debt to society and had made peace with God.  Maybe the lepers who skin had been cleansed and now they were rejoicing for the healing that the Lord had given them.   No doubt many that had been touch by the life of Christ. They even took their coats and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road as they cheered praises to the Son of God.

But the cheering soon stopped as they noticed Jesus weeping. He was not weeping because he would soon face death but he was weeping for the city. Jerusalem had rejected the way of peace.  This is one of two occasions that I find recorded of Jesus weeping.  (The other time is at the foot of the grave of his friend, Lazarus.)  I believe that there was an emotional outburst of tears that flowed from the Master's face as he looked beyond the city and saw the condition of the heart of the people in the city.  Maybe there is tears flowing from the Master's face today as he looks again on the condition of this world.

As you begin this journey with me in following the scriptures that relates to the Lamb's journey the week before his crucifixion, has the cheering stopped in your life?  Do you find your life in disarray?

If so, my prayer for you today that as you read the scriptures this week and follow this daily devotion for Holy Week that you will find peace like a river that is overflowing at it's river banks!

Thanks for following with me in scripture this remarkable "Journey of a Lamb"!

I WANTED TO BE A POLICEMAN

I was asked as a first grader in school "What do you want to be when you grow up?"   My response was, "I want to be a policeman!"  I was fascinated by the policeman (Mr. Hoggnett) in the uniform that patrolled the traffic at "Unity Elementary School", where I attended.

I recently used the quote by J. Wallace Hamilton, "Every person's life is a diary in which he or she means to write one story and is forced to write yet another."  

Life is a funny thing.  It never turns out the way that we thought that it would.  Culture, education, dreams, and decisions we make, all help to write down on unseen pages the story of our life and it never turns out the way that we planned.


But there are some absolute truths about our life that we can be certain about.  

• God KNEW you before you were ever born. 
• "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."  Jeremiah 1:5
• God has GREATER plans for us than what we have for ourselves.
•  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord."  Isaiah 55:8
• God is ALWAYS writing a new chapter in our life.
•  "Look at the new thing I am going to do.  It is already happening....I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land."  Isaiah 43:19

Being a P-olicemen would not have been a bad thing but I am glad that God called me to be a P-astor and a P-reacher instead.  (At least I had the first letter correct.)  How did you start out writing your life story and has it turned out different than you planned?

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SING IN THE CHOIR!

As a child, growing up in a small church environment, anyone could go to the choir.  With only two rows of church pews in the choir I stood in front of the first pew singing from the top of my lungs "When old age is stealing on, and my strength is almost gone, Hold to my hand, dear Lord I pray."  (At the age of five I am sure I knew exactly what I was singing about.)   But it was a joy to sing in the choir.

In the third grade I thought I would try out for the school choir, but failed miserably.  I loved music so that I took flute, guitar, accordion (my mom's idea), and piano lessons but never seem to master any of these instruments.  However, after watching some of America's reality shows recently, I may... well, just a thought.

It is true that Thomas Edison, the great inventor of 1,093 US patents in his name (as well as many in Germany, United Kingdom, and France) stated "Many of life's failures by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." 

So if you come by the church where I serve as the lead pastor and I'm sitting at the piano playing and singing, don't laugh, just remember I may be close to success as a very talented singer and musician.  

Don't give up; you may be close to conquering your life long dream!

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

It was Esther, around 480 B.C. that Mordecai stated to her, "Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  Esther was an ordinary woman with an extraordinary challenge.  “She is a Jew in a foreign land and a woman in a male-dominated world- a minority within a minority.  But God raised her up at exactly the right time.” (John Maxwell)

Later, around the years of 445 B.C. Nehemiah had a burden for the people of Jerusalem and shares his burden with King Artaxerxes.  With the queen by his side, the king asked Nehemiah how long would this journey be?  Nehemiah was able to give him a time it would take and also speak to him about the building materials that were needed (Nehemiah 2:6-8).   The king gave him permission and provision to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem.

It was Winston Churchill that states, "There comes a special moment in everyone's life, a moment for which the person is born.  That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission-a mission for which he is uniquely qualified.  In that moment he finds greatness.  It is his finest hour."  

For all of us there are times in our life for in which we are born.  It may not mean living in the king’s palace or rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem but it does mean fulfilling a purpose in life.  Sometimes it is the simple things that God places in your life to do, that make a world of difference for someone.

I use to visit a friend of mine in one of the local nursing facilities that had a room mate (Earnest) that was in his 30's and had a terminal illness.  After finding out that Earnest was in the hospital I paid him a visit.  To me it was an ordinary visit:  conversation, prayer, and I left the room.

That's when I realize something was a little different about this visit.  Outside the room door on the third floor of the Tanner Hospital stood a young nurse with tears streaming down her cheeks.  With a broken heart she said to me, “thank you for visiting with Earnest today, no one has been to see Earnest since he has been in the hospital.”  I must admit that I was feeling pretty good about the moment.  I realized that I had not only made a difference in Earnest’s life that day, but in this young nurse as well.  I told her I would be back and the next day I did, only to find out that Earnest had passed away shortly after I left the room.

I can not relate to you the number of last time opportunities that God gave me to minister to someone but I also know deep down in my heart there are many missed opportunities that God would have given me if only I had been more sensitive to his direction in my life.

My prayer is that:

  

“Lord, every morning you hear my voice.  Every morning I tell you what I need, and I wait for your answer.”      Psalm 5:3 NCV

HALF-TIME

 A few years ago I felt a need to change some things in my life.  I felt that my devotional time was not all that it needed to be and not all that I had promised God.  I stepped down from a couple of responsibilities I had and refused to take on any other obligations that would distract me of the time that I felt needed to accomplish my goal.  Recently, in reading a book called Half Time, by Bob Buford (a good read) I begin to realize that I was probably in the "half time" of my life and began to have a different perspective of the second half.  

In the United States of America every year millions of viewers sit and watch the "half-time" show of the Super Bowl (football) game.  The show has changed over the past 5 decades.  It has gone from marching bands, to popular music acts such as "New Kids on the Block", and "Michael Jackson", to the more recent performance of the group "Blackeye Peas" at the XLV Super Bowl.  While some people thought that they were the best since their New Year's lunch "I've gotta a feeling" after reading some of the reviews, that the group "Blackeye Peas" does not appeal to everyone's taste.

Something else is happening while the entertainment is taking place on the playing field.  Back in the locker rooms the players of the game are "strategically planning", "healing the wounded", and working on their "second wind" for the second half of the game. 

"Half-time" is great for those in ministry as well.  It is a great time to assess disappointments and victories, deal with the wounded, and also give us a chance to get a second wind. 

It is most likely that I have reached the "half-time" of my life, and probably well into "third quarter" of the game.  Some would say that the "clock is my worse enemy" but in reality "time could be my best friend"!   Jesus said it well when he said, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34).


I am thankful for the "time-outs" that I have left and possibly the "two-minute" warning but I don't plan to "delay the game."  However, in the second half of my life I do plan to often "take a knee" and bow before the Father because I want to finish well!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts.  See if there is any  wicked (offensive) way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

FEELING LIKE A "HEEL"?

It is probably 80 % of the time that if you feel like a "heel" it's because of the tongue.  (The other 20% because of what you do.)

I was sharing with someone recently of some of the discipline I received in grade school.  Only paddled once but wrote a lot of "I will not _____" sentences.  It was in my last day at Junior High School I was sitting in the school auditorium, after class, writing "I will not ________ ______________ __________" some 200 times.  I am too embarrassed to tell what I did but rest assure today I still feel like a heel for doing such a foolish thing.

My dad, being the religious man that he was, tried to correct this "foolishness" by using what Proverbs 22:15 says, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."   It is true that it did drive it "far from me" but every once in a while I still do a foolish thing.  Sometimes doing a foolish thing is simply saying the wrong thing, or as we call it, "putting our foot in our mouth."  Psalm 38:5 says, "My wounds sink and are corrupt because of my foolishness."

I believe "foolishness" is something that probably many of us have to work on.  I enjoy "good clean fun" as we call it, but sometimes even I can take my "foolishness" too far.  So now that I have confessed, here's my prayer:

"God help me with my foolishness.  You know that in your word it says that this is something 'bound in the heart of a child.' True, my daddy tried to drive it out of me with leather but because of my tongue I still struggle and sometimes feel like a heel.  God, save my soul (and sole) from so much foolishness!"

I usually go to the shoe repair shop in the small community in which I live to have my shoe's resole and the owner of the shoe shop will laugh and say, "Yes Sir, I can save your sole!"   So off to the shoe shop!

THE BIG BAD WOLF

It was the nursery rhyme The Big Bad Wolf that I thought of this morning as the wind was whipping between the two buildings behind my office window.  It has been 40 plus years since I heard this nursery rhyme, and now there are several versions of this story, but the part I remember is I will huff and I will puff and I will blow your house down!   

Job 1:19 tells us that a "wind" (not a wolf) blew down the house of  Job's children - Suddenly a great wind came from the desert, hitting all four corners of the house at  once, the house fell in on the young people, and they are all dead..."

With a risk of sounding negative for just a moment, every day of our lives there is one that would like to "blow our house down" (or destroy you).  Jesus said it well when he said, "A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life-life in all its fullness"(John 10:10).  But the focus is not on the "thief" trying to destroy us but Jesus giving us fullness of life.

There are days that we will feel the wind from the storm.  There are days we will feel like that Satan is outside our door huffing and puffing and threatening to blow our house down. There are days that we do feel the pressures of life.  But when we walk in the fullness of life, the abundant life that Christ speaks of, we can weather any storm.

The Apostle Paul gave us some inside information on how to build our house that will stand against these storms (I Corinthians 3):

1. Laying a good foundation
2. Being careful how we build 
3. Using the right materials to build with

With these principles in place Satan can huff and puff and threaten all he wants, but "me and my house will serve the Lord!"  (Joshua 24:15).

...There is another character that I learned about 40 plus years ago.  In Sunday School we sung about "the sly old fox."  (The fox and the wolf are both from the same family, the Canidae family.)  "The devil he is a sly old fox, if I could catch him I put him in a box.  Lock that box and throw away the key for the many old tricks he's played on me..."

I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS...

"I remember you, the kindness of your youth..."  Jeremiah 2:2a

Oswald Chambers in his devotional "His Utmost For His Highest" brings out this thought that made me reflect on my youth this morning.  He asked the question, "Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me?...How much kindness have I shown Him this past week?...Am I as full of the extravagance of love to Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him?  Does He find me recalling the time when I did not care for anything but Himself?... Am I so in love with Him that take no account of where I go? or am I watching for the respect due to me; weighing how much service I ought to give?"

These are very provoking questions that at the end of the week that we probably ought to ask ourselves.  As a youth I lived in a Christian home and lived what some would defined as a "sheltered life."   There were certain things that as a youth, my parents "sheltered" me from.  To some degree I still live a sheltered life, but now of my own choice.  I choose not to put myself in uncomfortable situations, and when I find myself in that situation I am looking for an escape.  I want to be kind to God as I were as a youth.  To me it is important that I love him as much, and more, as I did in my youth and to show him that love.


My prayer today is "God help me to show my kindness to you as I did in my youth."   I remember those days...

WHAT IS "JAWING?"

Webster (online) dictionary defines "jawing" as scolding, clamorous, or abusive talk."  This is a word that I have heard used frequently during some of the recent pro-football games by the commentators when two or more players from opposite teams would get nose to nose and helmet to helmet and "talk with loud abusive language."


I am reminded of someone else that did a lot of "jawing".  One of the greatest battles in the bible is mentioned in I Samuel 17.  Eighty times, at least, Goliath "get in the face" of the Israelites and "jaws."  Why did Goliath spend so much time talking in place of fighting, when he was such a huge fellow?  I believe that Goliath wanted to intimidate his opponent.  Saul and the Israelites heard Goliath and they would tremble and run.  Goliath was literally winning the battle just by running his mouth!


But David could jaw too and he came out and jawed back at Goliath saying, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of t he armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.  this day will the lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (I Samuel 17:45, 46)"


 The result of Goliath's jawing is that he literally lost his head!  I bet (just an expression of speech) he didn't do anymore "jawing."  Maybe Goliath should have fought the battle before David arrived in the camp instead of all of that "jawing".


The moral of the story is that Satan likes to run his mouth with a lot of loud abusive talk.  But David finished up his speech to Goliath with "...for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands."   If you will trust God with your life and your battles, He will fight your battles for you.  Do not be intimidated by all of the loud abusive talk that the devil does.  He's all mouth!

I ALSO WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU MUCH MORE!

"I also would have given you much more!" is the word that I hear ringing in my ears of what God is saying to King David.  Read 2 Samuel 7 and hear the words of King David giving thanks to God for "bringing him this far."  Hear David telling God "with your blessing let my family always be blessed."

It sounds like David is on a journey headed toward success.  But then in 2 Samuel 11 we see that David's journey takes a left turn.  It is John Maxwell that states, "When we stop growing, we stop leading.  When we stop sacrificing, we stop succeeding."  Many times people ask the question, what happened?  Things were going so well for them and then they take a wrong turn.

In over 30 years of pastoral ministry I have seen many lay leaders and pastors take a wrong turn.  I have sat and listen to pastors and lay leaders relate how that they could not blame anyone but themselves for their sin.  (I heard other pastors and lay leaders wanting to blame someone else for the wrong turn in their life, as well.)  It is a sad day because the blessing of God stops when we stop being obedient to his word.  It is like stopping up a kitchen sink with yesterday's grease.  Grease hardens and stops the flow as sin will harden our heart and stop the flow of God's wonderful blessings in our lives.

But, God ...would have given you much more!

Thirty-four years ago, as a 16 year old grocery clerk one day I spoke with the Keebler Sales Representative that was busy stocking the cookie shelf.  I begin to witness to him about God and what he had done in my life.  As I told him about Jesus he stood there with tears in his eyes and told me that he "once was a missionary" for God.  God would have done much more in his life but somewhere, somehow, he had made a wrong turn in his life.  Thank God for his saving grace that brings forgiveness and restoration in our lives.  Today, thirty-four years later, I still vividly remember that incident of speaking with this total stranger about Jesus. Maybe it was as much for me as for him!

God still has much that he wants to do for you!  God blessed King David but the fact is that God had much more for him then what he ever received.  (Read of King David's sin in 2 Samuel 11 & 12).  The fact is that God has much more that he wants to give you, as well.  It is my prayer today that you will be able to walk out your journey with God, receiving all of the blessings that have your name on them.  For God has great things that He wants to give YOU!

Don't Call Me Stupid!

"Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid" (Proverbs 12:1).  Now I don't make it a habit of calling folks "stupid".  (That is one of those "s" words that as a kid I learned that in using cost me a "mouth washing"  Kinder like "foot washing," both will bring about a great sense of humility.)  But in several translations of the bible this is the word that is used to translate the word "brutish".  Call them brutish or stupid, it makes no difference, the point is they are the folks that hates correction.

Reading recently about King Saul and King David in the Bible, I see this contrast.  Saul seems to be one that hated correction while David was one that was acceptable to instruction.  Samuel spoke to Saul about a burnt offering that he made to God, which was not acceptable.  Saul shows no sign of repentance in that episode.  On the other hand King David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin with Bathsheba, and David had a repentant heart.  There is a great difference!

Recently I have been reminded of the thought, "What is God saying?"  It is my prayer that if it is correction or instruction in my life that I will listen every morning to what God is saying.  God help me to always spend time listening to you before I spend time speaking for you!  I don't want folks labeling me "stupid" because I fail to accept correction.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!

One of the most difficult tasks for some of us is to be able to make decisions.  It starts out as a kid when we can't decide what toys to play with, rather we should go with mother or daddy, or what we wanted for Christmas.  This phobia of making decision continues all through life.  Some of us deal with it better than others.  I know adults today that can't seem to make decisions.  While we may blame it on the wrong size, often the day after Christmas many will stand in long lines ready to return something that they decided they did not want.

In my devotion time this morning I read of a great military leader by the name of Hoshea.  He was a great military leader, but only after there was an identity change.  Moses changed his name from Hoshea to Joshua (Numbers 13:16), and while the name by itself did not bring this change, there was a transformation in the identity of this leader.  Joshua was very decisive in his leadership skills.  (Read Joshua 13 through 19 and see a man that was very decisive in dividing the land among the different tribes.)  He showed great skills in delegating, organizing and leading the nation of Israel.  The words that many hear this great military leader say, "...choose you this day whom ye will serve...for me and my house will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15 KJV).

John Maxwell states, "Leaders cannot afford to be indecisive; they must give clear and specific directions."  It use to be that I was undecided about what I wanted for Christmas.  Now I am face with the temptation of "Decidophobia - the fear of making decisions" (http://phobialist.com/). It is a battle that many of us face almost daily.  To be a leader you must be able to make decisions and feel confident about the decisions that you made.  No "second guessing" your decisions!

You may be face with difficult decisions today. You may have in the pass been very indecisive about your decisions.  I pray that God's spirit will enable you today to make the right decisions and then enable you to have peace about your decisions. 

Over 16 years ago I was given Isaiah 52:12 "For ye shall not go out with haste, nor by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward (your rear guard).   God has your back side when you make decisions based on God's word and your relationship with Him.

Merry Christmas, and by the way, do you know what you want for Christmas?

COMING IN SECOND

I recently finish reading the bible through for the year and started over again.  (I figured I would get a head start for next year.)  In Genesis 5 we have "the family tree" of Adam.  Adam lived 930 years and he died.  Seth, a son that according to scripture looked much like Adam, lived 912 years and he died.  A grandson of Adam, Enosh, lived to be 905 years and he died.  Methuselah is recorded to have lived 969 years and he died.  Almost everyone have heard the name "Methuselah" as being the oldest living man recorded in scripture.

But what about Jared, Who?  That's right, Jared.  Jared was the great-great-great-great grandson of Adam (or something like that).  You know, his son was Enoch, the one who "...walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5:24)."  

Jared lived to be 962 years of age and died.  Only seven years younger than his grandson, Methuselah. Jared came in second in this chapter of the oldest living, but went unnoticed throughout the generations of time.  Almost everybody in the Bible Belt of America have heard of Methuselah, but mention Jared in the bible and their response may be, WHO?

Sometimes we too come in second.  Sometimes we too are the one that our name are forgotten.  Sometime we too are the one that "almost" achieved the same thing the one that got the spot light achieved.  But with God there is no "second place".  God loves you as much as He loves anyone else.  The song writer said it well when he penned,

"The love of God is greater far, Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!  How measureless and strong!

It shall forever more endure, The saints' and angels' song."

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

CAN YOU SEE NOW?

"Charlie Brown holds up his hands before his friend Lucy and says, 'These are hands which may some day accomplish great things.  These are hands which may some day do marvelous works!  They may build mighty bridges, or heal the sick, or hit home runs, write soul-stirring novels!  These are hands which may some day change the course of destiny!'  Lucy, who always sees things as they are, replies, 'They've got jelly on them."

Luke 8 Jesus heals a blind man and asked him the question, "Can you see now?"  The blind man said, "Yes, I see people, but they look like trees walking around."  This man's vision was distorted but when Jesus touched the man eyes again and the man opened his eyes wide, his eyes were healed.
 Maybe the man just needed to open his eyes wide!

Maybe we just need to open our eyes wide and see the big picture and sees things as they really are.  In 2 Corinthians 4 the Apostle, Paul, speaks of what he saw -

• trouble on every side - but not distressed
• perplexed -but not in despair
• persecuted - but not forsaken
• cast down -but not destroyed
• outward man perishing - inward man being renewed daily
• light affliction for a moment - much greater reward that will last throughout eternity

When we look at the big picture we can see beyond the suffering and see God's glory.

Prayer today:  Lord, regardless of what I might go through, help me to see the "big picture" and know that mercy and grace will follow me all the days of my life!