PastorTim

DON’T BE SORRY MAM…..

This week I was again reminded of one of those things I really need to work on. There I was at the 27^th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando meandering through the exhibit section of the Orange County convention center with 25,000 or so Nazarenes from all over the world. Along with the ministry exhibits strewn from here to yon was the Nazarene Publishing house’s large display of books, music and clothing. Nazarene clothing to be exact. Tee shirts, hats and my personal favorite, golf shirts. Now I am a bit picky when it comes to colors and styles, not that the type of collar has a thing in the world to do with my golf game, but I do have a particular taste when it comes to a polo if you get my drift. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw it, a goldish orange color with just the right logo in just the right place, in fact I could hear it whisper, “buy me Tim, buy me”. So I sauntered over to the display table and began sifting through those breathtaking bargains. The sales lady, quickly spotting a cash payin customer hurried to the corner where I was admiring the sporting attire. "Can I put you in one of those?" she mused, "Sure can I just need to find my size." Looking back, I should be flattered that she did not instantly walk up and say, try another stack pal, those aren’t available in your dimension!” but she innocently questioned, “what size do you take?” to which I replied in a mumbled form, “xl,” “what she asked”, “XL” “sir you’ll have to spea”… “XL!” I SAID LOUD ENOUGH FOR THE PEOPLE SHOPPING NEXT TO ME TO CLEARLY HEAR. Oh she replied, we are all out of extra large sizes in that one, to which I replied, “no need to say your sorry mam, I’m the one that’s, how you say, PORTLY!” hence the one of those things I have been meanin to do lines from the beginning of this little muse. A few years ago when Steph got married I had trimmed myself down to ???, now I am back up to ??? Is there anything in your life you’ve been putting off?

         For some it could be a project around the house. For others perhaps it’s a trip to take, or even a doctor’s visit you procrastinate with. These in themselves are things that need to be done, yet for whatever reason we push them to the backburner in our lives. I love the this story, “A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The former who lived nearby came to investigate. "Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I'll help you get the wagon up." "That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "But I don't think Pa would like me to."  "Aw, come on, son!" the farmer insisted. 

"Well, okay," the boy finally agreed. "But Pa won't like it." After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I just know Pa is going to be real upset." "Don't be foolish!" exclaimed the neighbor. "By the way, where is he?" "Under the wagon." My kind of humor! However when it comes to issues of the soul, it is no laughing matter.

In the book of Acts Paul found himself sharing the Gospel before a governor by the name of Felix. When the governor indicated that Paul might speak; Paul addressed the governor with courtesy sharing his faith in Jesus Christ, which began to speak to the heart of this leader. Paul said “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.” First notice that Felix Made No Decision Though He Knew The Facts. “But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.” We quickly see that Felix habitually postponed decision even when he knew what he knew he needed to do. He made the decision not to make a decision even though his mind was informed with the facts, the text says, “having more accurate knowledge of the Way,” Felix had a passing knowledge of the facts of the gospel. Secondly we see that, He Made No Decision Though His Heart Was Stirred. The outcome was that “…..Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” An old story goes like this, “3 demons were graduating from their training in Hell University and they were taking their Final Exams. Satan asked each one of them, “What are you going to do to deceive people?” 1st Demon: “I’m going to tell people there isn’t a God.” Satan said, “You’re not going to convince people of that.” 2nd Demon: “I’m going to tell people there is no heaven, there is no hell, this is all there is!” Satan said, “You won’t have much luck with that everyone can sense there is more than just this life.” 3rd Demon: “Satan, I’m going to tell people there is no hurry…Yes, there is a God, but you can make that decision some other time.” Satan said, “Congratulations, you have the winning strategy that is going to deceive millions of people!” A scholar once surveyed the Scriptures to discover the most significant words in the entire Bible. He wanted to find the saddest word, the happiest word, the most emotional word, and so on. When he came around to the Bible’s most dangerous word, he identified it as tomorrow. Anything you need to do come to mind?

Lunch on Jekyll Island on the way to Orlando..

IT’S A GUY THING

Now there is a segment of those who read this that are going to say, “Tim, You Da Man! Right On, Yesssssss” Then there will be another segment of readership that will groan and say something like, “Oh brother, Just like a man, Are you serious Tim, You too!” The guys who are reading will connect with me like apple butter to hot toast! I am bound for Florida for an amazing event that brings together thousands of Nazarenes from all over the world for our General Assembly. I don’t have to speak until Thursday, the Assembly starts on Friday so Terri and I thought we would go down a day or so earlier and you know, enjoy the 95 degree temps and that fabulous humidity, anyway we are leaving early so that we can take our time going down. Remember the phrase, “We are going to take our time”. I began to sense a twitching in my brain around Saturday before we left that prompted me to seek a destination for our first day or driving. But we are taking our time, we agreed on that. Still something deep inside kept nudging me, “pick a spot on the map man, pick a spot.” But if I pick a spot it will become a goal, and if I have a goal I have to meet that goal and if I have to meet that goal it will be a thing I have to do no matter what! You know what that means, Terri does. It mean, no stopping, no enjoying the sights, NO TAKING OUR TIME, WE MUST ACHIEVE THE GOAL! Now this can make for an uncomfortable trip to say the least, especially when you are traveling with your sweet wife, but when it comes to living for Christ, moving forward in a very determined manner is a must.

         When I think of determination I think of Paul. In his letter to the church at Philippi I get a sense of determination that can and should be modeled by Christ Followers of today. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” "I press toward THE MARK," Paul confessed. "THE mark!" So far as he was concerned, there was no other worthy objective; no other goal so compelling and rewarding. "The MARK!" Something identifiable, not vague. It was something he could perceive and understand. When his heart was fastened upon it, he adjusted the course of his life appropriately. Too often Christians "settle" for a walk with the Lord that is well below what He makes available to His people. As Abraham Lincoln prepared to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, he took his pen, moved it to the signature line, paused for a moment, and then dropped the pen. When asked why, the president replied, "If my name goes into history, it will be for this act, and if my hand trembles when I sign it, there will be some who will say, 'he hesitated.'" Lincoln then turned to the table, took up the pen, and boldly signed his name. May no one ever say of us, “He Hesitated”. May they see in us a focused goal and a life that is determined to reach it.

The 1992 Summer Olympics featured an amazing picture of determination. Unlike Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson, Derek Redmond is not a name that conjures up memories of Olympic gold medals. But it is Redmond who defines the essence of determination. Redmond arrived at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona determined to win a medal in the 400. He had been forced to withdraw from the 400 at the 1988 Games in Seoul so when the 1992 Games arrived, this was his time, his moment, his stage, to show the world how good he was and who he was.  Derek's father Jim had accompanied him to Barcelona, just as he did for all world competitions. They were as close as a father and son could be, the best of friends. The stadium is packed with 65,000 fans, bracing themselves for one of sport's greatest and most exciting spectacles. The race begins and Redmond breaks from the pack and quickly seizes the lead. Down the backstretch, only 175 meters away from finishing, Redmond is a shoo-in to make the finals. Suddenly, he hears a pop. In his right hamstring. He pulls up lame, as if he had been shot. Jim Redmond, seeing his son in trouble, races down from the top row of the stands, sidestepping people, bumping into others. He has no credential to be on the track, but all he thinks about is getting to his son, to help him up. Then, in a moment that will live forever in the minds of millions, Derek Redmond lifts himself to his feet, ever so slowly, and starts hobbling down the track. Slowly, the crowd, in total disbelief, rises and begins to roar. The roar gets louder and louder. Suddenly, Jim Redmond finally gets to the bottom of the stands, leaps over the railing, "That's my son out there," he yells back to security, "and I'm going to help him." Finally, with Derek refusing to surrender and painfully limping along the track, Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish, and wraps his arm around his waist. Together, arm in arm, father and son, with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying, finish the race, just as they vowed they would. With a heart that is pressing toward God’s best for your life, you and I will finish the race with our heavenly father right by our side. Make that your goal!

 

MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION

In the dentist’s profession, I would be what they would commonly refer to as a gagger. And all the dental assistants at Dr. Burleson’s office said, AMEN! I mean its so bad, large lollipops make me tremble. Oh I can handle a filling like a pro. Pull a tooth, I can handle that. Root canal, painful, but I can “get er done”. But let something touch the roof of my mouth and boy oh boy do I make a scene for a grown man. Embarrassing you bet, but I just can’t help it. A few months ago I had some teeth pulled to male room for a spacious new partial to be installed in the upper portion of the mouth neighborhood of my head. The problem, as I had feared was the need for an impression to be made of the my upper and lower parts of said head! Man did I worry about that! Well, the day finally arrived and all I wanted to do was to make a good impression, “I’ve been waiting all week to write that line!” Dr. Burleson was a blessing as always and with a smile on his face and bulldog grip on my jaw put er in and held on for dear life as I did my gagging thing. Finally breathing through my nose I settled down, not that I didn’t make some noise in the process mind you! All kidding aside, this needed to be done right if the partial was to come back right and work correctly. Making a good impression is not always easy, but it is very important.

It’s like that in life as well don’t you agree? I know the age-old line, you only have one chance to make a good first impression and that’s true. But what I’ve been thinking about since my visit to Dr. Burleson is that impressions are something we all make with our lives. We make them with our families, friends and coworkers. Our neighbors, those we see at the grocery store and gas stations have an impression of us. So I guess the question is, what kind of impression are we making? A good impression is the obvious answer, but what kind? Good in the sense of being a good person or are we drawn to a more detailed description? A Christ like impression might be the more desired intent. Is that possible you ask? You bet I say. As I have traveled recently through the book of Acts I find a pattern developing in the lives of the early church that I so desire in my life. Everywhere they went and to all those they met there was the evident habit of reminding people of Jesus. I love the Acts chapter four account where Peter and John are standing before the council accused of the healing of a lame man who begged by the temple, “What a thing to be accused of eh?” So there they stood, giving an answer to those that asked and in the process, old Ciaphas the high priest and others were not only amazed by their boldness and convinced by the evidence, “that would be the healed guy standing wit them”, but they took notice, it says, that they had been with Jesus! You talk about an impression! That’s the kind of impression I want to leave.

Someone once wrote, “I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine.” Oh that the impressions we leave with those we meet has the power to convince them that Jesus is alive and well!  J. Oswald Sanders in Spiritual Leadership writes, “Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed: When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “A man's life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies. If his life and doctrine disagree the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching.” My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done; 
Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun. This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray: Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.

         One thing I knew for sure sitting in that dentist’s chair with the mold drying in my mouth was that I wanted to get this thing right the fist time. We seldom have the opportunity to make a good second impression! During the Nazi occupation of his country in WWII, King Christian X of Denmark noticed a Nazi flag flying over a Danish public building. He immediately called the German commandant, demanding that the flag be taken down at once. The commandant refused. "Then a soldier will go and take it down,” said the king. "He will be shot," threatened the commandant. "I think not," Replied the king, "for I shall be the soldier." Within minutes the flag was taken down. I want to be that soldier myself. I want to set the example, leave an impression of Jesus wherever I go and in all that I do. Mark Twain said it best, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” Let’s think this through here, for the sake of our children, families and friends. For the sake of those we meet and work with daily, and all those whose paths will cross ours in a lifetime. May we be found guilty of making a good impression? It will make a difference, especially when you smile!

 

WHAT STEPHANIE SAID TO ME…

Last year I was honored to be invited to speak at an Annual event in Southern Ohio to the choicest of people, the Prime Timers. These are the Senior Citizens from Churches all across the Southeastern part of Ohio. This past week while preparing my remarks I was reminded of what my little girl said to me a few years ago. It was June 30th as I recall, and a Saturday to be exact. Planning for the event was eclipsed easily by the events of the day before and that day itself. The decorating, the rehearsal, the worrying about what might go wrong, the reality of what was about to happen finally sinking in to a daddy that was about to walk his little girl down the aisle....sniff sniff..... sorry, I’ll be fine. Then, the moment of truth. The moment she had been waiting for all her life. The moment I had dreaded since she was but a child, then it happened. Something she said, one little line, but I will never forget it. Right before the doors swung open to the sound of the Wedding March she looked at me and said, “Daddy, I want my marriage to be just like yours and Mommies”. Just then the doors swung open wide and the rest is still a blur, “You Dad’s will know exactly what I mean!” just like your and mommies? Twenty-eight years now I have been blessed to be married to the sweetest little girl that ever grew up on Mount Hope road in western Scioto County. We’ve have our ups and downs like everybody, but we always loved the Lord together and each other, and you know what? Stephanie was watching. Terri and I didn’t always agree, in fact, many a time it was hard for Terri to see things my way, just kiddin! But Stephanie was watching. We faced heartache and loss, we laughed and cried, we did our best to honor God and each other, that was our vow before God, and she was watching. All that swirling around in my mind got me to thinking. What will each of us be remembered by? There is a favorite chorus of mine that goes like this, “In His time, In His time He makes all things beautiful in His time, Lord please show me every day, as your teaching me your way, That you do just what you say, In your time.” In the last few chapters of Acts Paul is concluding his third missionary journey. He is headed back to Jerusalem with an offering he has received from the churches he visited. On his way back he stopped in Ephesus, Tyre, and Ceserea and in spite of warnings, he traveled to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, as predicted, he was arrested. He had gone to the temple to worship, a riot began. He was taken before the Sanhedrin where he gave a beautiful testimony. The following night God gave him a promise, “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” Perhaps at that point Paul thought, well I’ll be out of here soon and back on the road. However following the word of God spoken to Paul… There was a plot to kill him, He was transferred to Caesarea, He was placed before Felix, the governor, later Festus. He remained in Prison for two years where he appeared before King Agrippa. Finally he headed to Rome for trial. On the way he experienced Shipwreck and a hurricane and just before the ship wrecked, the Lord spoke again to him and he comforted those on board he ship, “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” What trust and faith in God! What steadfastness even when all seemed to be lost! What courage and hope even when things didn’t go just the way he planned! He remembered what God had told him would come to pass, and lived his life in full obedience to the one who had called him! I want to be remembered like that! Fact is, we all will be remembered in one way or another. Lets look quickly at what Paul faced and how he handled it so that we may be challenged to look at the legacy we are leaving behind. First we learn from Paul, WHEN GOD SPEAKS, DELAYS MAY OCCUR. What God said would happen back in chapter 23 didn’t come to pass for some time, yet he never forgot the promise and never gave up. Also we see, WHEN GOD SPEAKS, SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP MAY RESULT. A great lesson to learn as a Christ Follower is that just because you are doing what God says to do, you may face problems in life. The fallacy of red carpet and roses all the way to heavens gate is not reality. Real people face real life, and the problems that go with it. The difference is Christ now lives in us and we face them with His help and not on our own strength. Lastly we learn from Paul, WHEN GOD SPEAKS, BELIEVE HIM REGARDLESS OF THE COST. Remember the song I shared earlier? “In His time, In His time He makes all things beautiful in His time, Lord please show me every day, as your teaching me your way, That you do just what you say, In your time.” As I said earlier, I will never forget Steph’s words to me that day. I was challenged not only to realize she was watching my life, but others as well. Wow, what others see in us perhaps could shape the way they desire to live their lives. Pretty intense thought eh? May we be found honoring our creator in all that we do. And by the way, that same Creator, God, He is also watching!

THE LUMP IN MY THROAT…..

 

Whether it is this time of year when I see the cemetery’s lined with the American flags, the flag folding ceremony at the graveside service of a Veteran of our Armed Forces or simply when we sing the national anthem with hand over our hearts I seem to get a lump in my throat. I am so very thankful for this great country we live in. Traveling abroad and talking often to friends around the world I can tell you that with all the problems we face in the United States, we are still blessed to live in the greatest nation on the face of the earth. May we never forget that truth.

Speaking of the flag folding ceremony, did you know that each fold has a meaning? The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life. The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life. The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world. The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance. The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, May she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong." The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day. The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded. The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born. The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost. When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."  After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today. So the next time you are privileged to witness the flag being folded remember the significance of each fold and the Christian heritage it represents.

While aboard an English ship trying to secure the release of a friend, Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry. When the bombardment was over, the American flag was still flying. He wrote a poem The Defense of Fort McHenry, which was first printed anonymously on a broadside in 1814. On September 20 it was published in The Baltimore Patriot. Key's brother-in-law suggested he set the words to the tune To Anacreon in Heaven. When the sheet music was published in 1815, the name was changed to The Star Spangled Banner. The song was first adopted by the army and navy as the national anthem. It was officially recognized as the American National Anthem in 1931 by an act of Congress. The last verse has always touched my heart, “O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,

Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation; Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust", And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!” Don’t you get the feeling that Sir Francis Scott Key and others involved in the Revolution had a profound reverence for the God they served and a wholehearted dependence on Him to lead them? Perhaps they realized, as we should as well, it is more than just a country at stake.

         The lives we remember during the celebration of Memorial Day instill in us a thankfulness for the freedoms we enjoy everyday. They also call us to the God whose principles this great nation was founded. That’s a line by the way that always generates a response or two of disagreement to my inbox, but nevertheless it’s still true! And being drawn to the God who created us we are ushered face to face with His love and sacrifice for us in these timeless words, “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.” your physical freedom was made possible by those who we remember today, your spiritual freedom was purchased a few thousand years ago by one man, Jesus Christ on a small hill outside Jerusalem. What a battlefield that was! Good triumphed over evil so that we could be eternally free.

Talk about a putting a lump in your throat….

BRAND NAME LOYALTY

Brand name loyalty is loyalty to a brand name product. For example, if you buy Jif peanut butter, even though other peanut butters are cheaper, some even tastier, but if you're loyal to Jif you buy Jif. Usually, along with the loyalty, you truly think that the product is greater or better or tastier, nevertheless you are loyalty to that brand name. When it comes to peanut butter I’m a Jif man myself. When it comes to trucks, me, I’m a Ford, Chevy, er uh, Dodge man! I have owned a truck or two over the years and I’ll never forget my first one. A 1965 Ford ¾ ton metallic blue it was, and quite a looker. The year was 1984 and it was still in great shape for being 19 years old. Then it was a little ford Ranger that was a lot better on gas, but a lot smaller especially when a wife and two little ones rode along. Ford man, that’s me. Next came a full size Chevy, another ¾ ton if I recall. It had belonged to a paving company and was undercoated with asphalt. Just an old work truck but I really liked it. You just couldn’t overload the thing it seemed. Then came the good-looking Chevy extended cab, no more old work trucks for me. This was a Cadillac of a truck with every option and plenty of room. You hated to get the thing dirty if you know what I mean. Chevy man, that’s me. Then life, as it sometimes does took a drastic change, loss of a job, selling the farm, and then the day I will not soon forget. Out of necessity I had to trade my manly Chevy in. I have to tell you I have experienced much in my life and I kind of feel like the apostle Paul when he talked about knowing how to live well and knowing how to live without. I’ll never forget the day when I drove that full size decked out Chevrolet truck onto Glockner’s car lot and drove off in a used Geo Metro! I had forgotten what hubcaps looked like as you are driving! Years have gone by and I cannot count the time that I have said to Terri, “Honey I really need a truck!” Well folks, I’m a Dodge man now! Yes sirrre my friend, I’m the proud owner of a 1982 Dodge pickup and as I speak I can gaze out my office window here at the house and see that forest green man toy sitting across the road parked in my Dad’s field. Forest green with John Deer yellow wheels I might add. It does turn a few heads I gotta tell ya, it’s a looker to say the least! In fact the dear lady from the DMV who inspected it burst out laughing when she saw it parked in front of her office, so did the crowd in line at the time if I remember right. No matter I’ve got me a truck! As Tim Taylor would say, “OOH OOH OOH”, and I quote. Brand name loyalty in cars can be expensive.

When it comes to eternity, brand name loyalty can be of the utmost importance. We are overwhelmed with a plethora of denominations as well as abominations in our world today when it comes to religion. As Jesus began His earthly ministry he was quick to warn against certain things. For example He warned against divided loyalty  “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” No room for divided loyalty when serving the Lord! Jesus also warns of counterfeits…. Listen to John 10: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” True abundant life only comes from the real thing, a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

Haddon Robinson in Biblical Preaching writes, “ A Chinese boy who wanted to learn about jade went to study with a talented old teacher. This gentle man put a piece of the precious stone into his hand and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour he took back the stone and sent the boy home. The procedure was repeated for several weeks. The boy became frustrated. When would he be told about the jade? He was too polite, however, to question the wisdom of his venerable teacher. Then one day, when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instinctively, 'That's not jade!'" Let me suggest to you that you and only you know what you hold in your hands today. The real thing or a less expensive substitute. The thing is, when you stand before God one day, you will want the real thing!

GIVE THEM ROSES…..

Salute a: to address with expressions of kind wishes, courtesy, or honor b: to give a sign of respect, courtesy, or goodwill to. : to honor

 

If you find yourself driving eastbound on U.S. 52 through New Boston Ohio you have seen him. You may not know his name, you may have never waved at him but you have seen him. I promise if you do wave, he’ll wave back. I don’t know his name or where he came from, but it appears that he is a veteran of the armed forces. I do not know what branch of the military, that doesn’t matter at all. But I wave, and he waves back. His wheel chair prevents him from walking about the yard, mowing grass or raking leaves. It has become his only piece of furniture he really needs, and to most, that would have long since taken away the joy in their life, but it doesn’t appear so in what I have seen in him. I wave; he waves back with a smile. Veterans Day is a long way off, but Memorial Day is upon us. Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action. Yet many forget, many ignore and some even protest such displays of respect and recognition. Why? It’s beyond me.

It was ordinary men and women with everything they held dear to loose who for simply the love of God and what is right wrote, “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” Not the most quoted line of the Declaration of Independence is it? They not only wrote those words, they lived them. And as well, all those who voluntarily following in their footsteps gave, as Abraham Lincoln said, “their last full measure of devotion” for what we enjoy and cling to today, freedom. A freedom that the rest of the citizens of the world still today long to enjoy. Let me encourage you this year as you plan the picnics, celebrate with graduates and enjoy this precious freedom that you take the time to remember, give thanks and display respect. I recently found a quote from Actor Jimmy Smits, who at the 2007 National Memorial Day concert shared this fitting reminder, “All of us who have lost loved ones know the searing pain of grief. We know how difficult it is, even impossible, to let go. Grief is our wound, the hole inside us left by each precious life that has been taken from us, an emptiness that indeed can never be filled by anyone else. We go on with our lives; we must. But tonight as we remember those who have died for our country, let us be reminded that grief is a sacred wound. So let us respect our own grieving; for it is, after all, an expression of our love. And it is an honoring of those who died for us. Let us be assured that the feeling we call grief -- its shock and sadness, its anger and confusion, and most of all its loneliness -- is our way of saying, “We love you.” Abraham Lincoln spoke from his heart and the back of an envelope on November 19, 1863. “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people and by the people shall not perish from the earth.”

As we remember lives given for freedoms cause let us not forget the greatest sacrifice of all. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” And oh how he loved his friends! He did lay down his life for them and each of us. The deserving and the undeserving, the caring and the uncaring, the good, the bad and the ugly of heart were on his mind as he died on the cross. And the battle he fought was not just to give us physical freedom that would only last to the end of our brief existence, but eternal freedom from the struggle and the bondage of sins grip. So as we remember those who died for our freedom let us never forget the one who gave his life for the liberation of our soul. It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."            Salute!

YOU REAP WHAT YOU THROW…..

Who would have thought, certainly not me, not back then anyway? We do so many things in those wonderful years of youth that we just take for granted we will never regret, never remember, and never think of again. But from time to time there they are, right before us like that goofy little stack of money in the Geico commercial just starring at us with those beady eyes as if to say, “thought you were rid of me didn’t you my pretty!” I just added the my pretty for effect, anyway, there they are starring us right in the eyes reminding us of the sobering truth of acts committed oh so long ago that that still remain.

The past wrong that I am referring to in my life that was recently revealed centered around the wise counsel of a grandfather and the erratic throwing arm of one overconfident teenager. The year was probably 1975 and I was enthralled as many were with the amazing “Big Red Machine”. The likes of Rose, Bench Morgan and Perez occupied the mind of this 12 year old boy most of the time as I with glove and ball seemingly permanently affixed to my being wandered the property that I now call home finding hard fixed surfaces to bounce said ball of off thus simulating a fly or ground ball. In other words, I was bouncing balls of any wall I could find! As I found my way to the front wall of my Grandpa’s garage where McDermott sandstone lay in place to the height of the 12 feet or so to the point where asbestos siding finished the front of the garage wall. There I stood practicing my Don Gullet windup only to be interrupted by Grandpa warning me to be careful because siding would break if I was to toss a pitch that high. Brushing his advice off like a high and tight fastball I proceeded with my endeavor until, you guessed it, with a dull crackling thud an errant pitch mashed sharply into the second tile up just to the left of a window. The damage was done, a Grandpa was angered and a teenager learned a lesson. Or at least I thought the lesson was learned that day. As I have mentioned before I now own the house my grandparents lived in those days and just a few weeks back spent the afternoon pealing of the ivy that covered the front of that same garage. Along with siding and sandstone that no one had seen in years there was a familiar broken tile that brought back to my mind a warm summer day when a wild pitch tough me a lesson. Problem is, it’s still teaching me.

         That little dent in the siding teaches me that Listening today prevents future regret. The writer to the Hebrews said “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Every time I see the broken piece of siding I am reminded that I need to pay attention to what God says to me. Through his word, through his leading and through his still small voice. I need to listen. That broken tile teaches me that covering up never erases past wrongs. An Old Testament writer reminds us, “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” you can sweep it under the rug or let ivy grow over it, but it’s still there until God takes it away. Lastly that broken piece of wall covering reminds me that, You reap what you sow, or in my case throw. Paul wrote, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” I don’t believe Paul was referring to a high outside fastball, but how many of us have made a wild pitch we wish we could throw again or not at all? We need to listen and remember that our actions of today will affect our tomorrow.

         There is however a larges difference between a cracked piece of siding and the wages of sin. The same Paul that talked to us earlier about reaping and sowing reminds us that, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Talk about a payday you DO want to miss! Few college football coaches have made a point against drugs as effectively as Erk Russell of Georgia Southern College. He arranged for a couple of good ol' country boys to burst into a routine team meeting and throw a writhing, hissing, six-foot-long rattlesnake onto a table in front of the squad. "Everyone screamed and scattered," Russell recalls. "I told them, 'When cocaine comes into a room, you're not nearly as apt to leave as when that rattlesnake comes in. But they'll both kill you!" Sin is the same way; you don’t want it near your life. F.B. Myer wrote, “This is the bitterest of all--to know that suffering need not have been; that it has resulted from indiscretion and inconsistency; that it is the harvest of one's own sowing; that the vulture which feeds on the vitals is a nestling of one's own rearing. Ah me! This is pain! There is an inevitable Nemesis in life. The laws of the heart and home, of the soul and human life, cannot be violated with impunity. Sin may be forgiven; the fire of penalty may be changed into the fire of trial: the love of God may seem nearer and dearer than ever and yet there is the awful pressure of pain; the trembling heart; the failing of eyes and pining of soul; the harp on the willows; the refusal of the lip to sing the Lord's song.” Who’s song are you singing? Or better yet whose team are you pitching for? May your heart know the freedom of sins forgiven and the peace of Gad that passes all understanding. Nothing hidden but all forgiven. That’s the way to live, and the way to die.

THIS COULD BE BAD!

MEN COOKING just doesn’t have the same ring to it as MEN WORKING now does it? Yet every year the proud men of the Plymouth Heights church doe it proudly. We cook, we serve and we clean up for the Ladies Spring banquet just to show the women of the church how much they are loved and appreciated. No one can make a kettle of green beans and bake 150 potatoes like Roger. I can order fried chicken and rolls with the best of em and my associate Pastor Shady, yes that’s his real name, and this year put together the tossed salad. Ironically, Pastor Shady is the best cook among us! Anyway, you couple all that with drinks and dessert and the women of the Plymouth Heights church are well on their way to a great evening of fun. Speaking of dessert, that was the only hitch in an otherwise uneventful evening just last weekend. A few years back someone, not sure who but someone brought to us a simple yet tasty recipe for dessert that even preachers and ex N&W workers can put together with ease. It consists of layering angel food cake, “all crumbled up”, vanilla pudding, cherry pie filling, chunked pineapple, banana’s and cool whip into large punch bowls until they are filled. Even we can’t mess that up! Want to bet? Now here where it coulda gotten real bad, quick! After the bowls were filled and we were awaiting the arrival of our guests I was carrying the large plastic spoons we had used to prepare the delicacy back to the kitchen for cleanup when I noticed that one of the prongs on a large plastic salad spoon was er uh missing! Yep, somewhere in the four punch bowls filled to the brim with tasty delight was an inch long spear of plastic. Oh how this could be bad, on so many levels this could be bad. It was almost time to serve and there was really no other option than to run to the local gas station and buy up a selection of ice cream sandwiches and popsicles! With no time on the clock I opted for the “let’s warn them about it, and offer a prize to the one who finds it strategy and see what shows up.

In the end the dinner was a success and the dessert turned up nothing to my relief, but as I watched with great interest enjoyment of the last portion of the meal I was reminded of how God is interested greatly in what we consume as well. Not just in our bodies but in our hearts. Did you ever just stop and think about what you are feeding your heart? The culture is offering a very unhealthy diet of misdirection and false security on a daily basis. It’s available on demand 24 seven and if one is not careful it can be dangerous and deadly even! So what do you feed your heart and mind? What is it that you allow to fill the thought processes of your life? Paul advised us to have a mind like Jesus, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Think like Jesus, how can we do that? And why does it even matter you may ask. Frank Outlaw wrote “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” Paul also gives us some direction we should heed…. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” I wonder what the spiritual health of the world would be if everyone was on a diet such as that?  Someone wrote, “Let the mind of the Master be the master of your mind.” What great advice.

As I was driving home later that evening I was thinking, perhaps the tong was already missing from the salad spoon and we all just worried for naught. I was in the middle of that thought when my cell phone rang. It was Pastor Shady, “You are not going to believe this!” he said. He had taken home a sampling of afore mentioned dessert and was taking the last bite when, you guessed it, there in the bottom of his bowl was the missing plastic missile. It was no longer a mystery, no longer would I not be sure, the evidence was in hand and all that was well, you know the rest. I breathed a sigh of relief and thankfulness that no one was hurt and the Lord watched over the “Men Cooking”. Still I was thinking, I wonder how many are still in danger of swallowing something more dangerous than a sharp piece of plastic. You are what you eat, the old adage goes, and it’s true in more ways than one. A former park ranger at Yellowstone National Park tells the story of a ranger leading a group of hikers to a fire lookout. The ranger was so intent on telling the hikers about the flowers and animals that he considered the messages on his two-way radio distracting, so he switched it off. Nearing the tower, the ranger was met by a nearly breathless lookout, who asked why he hadn't responded to the messages on his radio. A grizzly bear had been seen stalking the group, and the authorities were trying to warn them of the danger. Any time we tune out the message God has sent us, we put at peril not only ourselves, but also those around us. How important it is that we never tire of the soul nourishing truth of God’s word. Bon Apatite!

 

 

 "The Fork in Question and the ladies we served and survived!"

YOU HAVE TO SPEND IT HERE!

Easter Sunday was an amazing day as always. After two services at STAR Community Justice Center, I was ready to enjoy the morning worship service at Plymouth Heights. As I was making my way toward the front of the sanctuary I saw a grandma with beautiful little granddaughter sitting on her lap sitting in the front row surrounded by the rest of her family, proud as could be I might add. She called me over to share what her granddaughter had just informed her. Seems that grandma had given the wee lass a dollar bill for the offering later in the service to which the precious little one replied, “You now Grandma, you have to spend that here!” I love kids! Not just because I can already see in her a great supporter of the church. Hey, maybe I need to get her to help me with our next pledge drive. Anyway, I love kids because they are so honest and transparent. We’re good at hiding; they’re good at revealing. We’re good at weighing our words and they’re good at “letting them fly!” She was honest, she was sincere and she was RIGHT! She was right, not just about the dollar, but about life. You’ve got to spend it here!

Your time, your life…. however you want to observe it, the truth remains you can’t take it with you! Some have chosen to embrace the fanciful Idea that this isn’t the only dance we are invited to. In other words, this life is just one of many which will eventually lead to eternal bliss. The bible says it his way… “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment”. You won’t be recycled; you have to spend it here!!!! So now that we have that out of the way, let’s proceed to the two things that I believe make this the most important issue you will ever wrestle with.

First thing to consider is this, Life is short! In an average lifetime, the average American spends 3 years in business meetings, 13 years watching TV, Spends $89,281 on food, consumes 109,354 pounds of food, Makes 1811 trips to McDonalds, Spends $6881 in vending machines, Eats 35,138 cookies and 1483 pounds of candy, Catches 304 colds, Is involved in 6 motor vehicle accidents, is hospitalized 8 times (men) or 12 times (women), Spends 24 years sleeping. Looks a little different when you sum it all up that way doesn’t it? If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,000 that carried over no balance from day to day...Allowed you to keep no cash in your account, and every evening cancelled whatever part of the amount you failed to use during the day, what would you do? Draw out every cent every day, of course, and use it to your advantage! Well, you have such a bank, and its name is TIME! Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as lost whatever of this you failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balances, it allows no overdrafts. Each day it opens a new account with you. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against tomorrow. The psalmist reminds us, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

The second thing to consider about your life is, you choose what you will do with yours. Carl Sandburg wrote, “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” Perhaps that’s what the prophet Isaiah was trying to convey when he wrote, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thought. Let him return unto the Lord for he will have mercy and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.” It’s not just the fact that you have to spend it here but also remember, it’s vitally important as to what you spend your life on! Benjamin Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for it is the stuff life is made of.” Tat great theologian Erma Bombeck once offered, “Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.” Seneca wrote, “We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end.” And Martin Luther penned, “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first 3 hours in prayer.”  Quite a few profound perspectives to ponder eh? Bottom line is, this is your life, you only get one, and it matters much to God and to you whether you realize it or not what you do with it. But remember, you have to spend it wisely here if you are to enjoy eternity there!

Someone wrote, “More time is wasted not in hours but in minutes. A bucket with a small hole in the bottom gets just as empty as a bucket that is deliberately kicked over.” If we would put as much thought and concern into our eternal souls as we do the economy and our 401 K’s I wonder what our lives would be like. We do have to spend it here, in fact, we will!

 

What a great day!