Our daughter’s little dog, Jack, a Chuweenie, ran into the our bedroom, leaped on our bed, then on my chest, and in clearly-understandable dog language yelled with an obvious smile, “The sun’s up! You need up, too!”
All smiles
Yep, the sun’s up, so now I’m up, having taken Jack out to do his business, and now back here at the computer listening to worship music (Keith and Kristin Getty) as my coffee brews.
It’s a Saturday morning, but Sunday’s coming! And I’m excited!
Preparing
This morning started off with reading a selection from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening – oh, what a blessing! “Have faith in God,” Jesus says in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God!’
What better way to prepare for Sunday morning, or any morning, than to have faith in God? I can’t do anything in my own strength; I am weak, scared, inadequate, unprepared. But when I look forward toward tomorrow with faith in God, I can do so resolute that the battle is not mine, but His, and He is with me!
Little-faith says, “It is a rough road, beset with sharp thorns, and full of dangers; I am afraid to go;” but Great-faith remembers the promise, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; as thy days, so shall thy strength be:” and so she boldly ventures. Little-faith stands desponding, mingling her tears with the flood; but Great-faith sings, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:” and she fords the stream at once. – Spurgeon
I am looking forward with expectation to Sunday morning! God is going to bless us with His Word and His presence, even more faith. I may even show up to church as Little-faith, but when I leave I’ll be wearing some new “iron and brass” shoes!
Sun Up Earlier
But just remember, you who will actually wake up tomorrow with anticipation, set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed tonight. Otherwise, you might end up doing something few desire to do anymore – get to church early.
Have a great day in the Lord!
*Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, Complete and unabridged; New modern edition. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006).
Folks, I am a die-hard conservative. Want me to prove it?
If I were Catholic – which I’m not – I’d nominate President Ronald Reagan for sainthood.
I was a registered Republican long before “hanging chads” were even a problem and didn’t like Al Gore (a fellow Tennessean) even when his wife, Tipper, hated rock music.
I still wear a vintage, hand-made, limited edition Rush Limbaugh tie every once in a while.
In the 80’s one of my heroes was Alex P. Keaton.
So, in other words, when I say I am a conservative, it’s not hype. However, I feel much of the ruckus over President Obama’s comments at the recent National Prayer Breakfast is, in my opinion, not much more than that…hype. To be clear, let’s define hype:
■ noun extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion.
■ verb promote or publicize intensively or extravagantly.*
Oh, don’t misunderstand me! I have many issues with the POTUS and his policies, especially those which undermine our freedom of religious expression in the workplace and the public square. But the way some on my side of the political camp, especially those of the religious persuasion, have attacked Obama for his comments at a multi-faith prayer breakfast seems to be over-the-top – more hype than anything – especially considering the context.
Context
Like I said in the title of this post, the POTUS’ speech was not that bad, that is, if you consider where he was making the speech, to whom he was speaking, and all that he could have said, but didn’t. Let’s face it, people, Obama was NOT speaking to a singularly Christian audience; there were many faiths in attendance. So, to say that Obama’s remarks regarding humility were only being directed at Christians is a tad bit disingenuous.
Now, I do not agree that there is any moral equivalency between the Crusades and what ISIS is doing in the world. For that matter, I wish more attention would be paid to the fact that the Crusades were, incidentally, a response to earlier Muslim expansion by the sword; much of the Christian “atrocities” were in response to hundreds of years of Muslim “atrocities.” But the general message of Obama’s speech was one that encouraged tolerance across the board. Even though he made comments highlighting the Crusades, he spent even more time addressing killing in other places around the world, such as Nigeria, India, etc.
Obama is the President, not a preacher or theologian. For that matter, he is not even a historian of any degree. His purpose at that prayer breakfast was ecumenical in nature, to encourage well-meaning citizens of all faiths to seek peace, to seek the face of God, and to renounce violence toward others in the name of religion. He was at a MULTI-FAITH prayer breakfast, for crying out loud! What else did those present expect him to say?
Unreported Positives
Just in case you missed it, there were some other things President Obama said that were encouraging. First, whether he ultimately means it or not, he used the term “freedom of religion” in the same sentence as “freedom of speech”!
“There’s wisdom in our founders writing in those documents that help found this nation the notion of freedom of religion, because they understood the need for humility. They also understood the need to uphold freedom of speech, that there was a connection between freedom of speech and freedom of religion. For to infringe on one right under the pretext of protecting another is a betrayal of both.”
As believers, we should hold him to these words, especially when it comes to the public expression of faith on public grounds.
Second, the President took the time to specifically mention three Christians who had either been persecuted or sacrificed for their faith: Kenneth Bae, Pastor Saeed Abedini, and Kent Brantly. And what’s more, he even quoted a portion of a letter from Pastor Abedini, still being held captive in Iran: “Nothing is more valuable to the Body of Christ than to see how the Lord is in control, and moves ahead of countries and leadership through united prayer.”
Third, President Obama quoted more from the Bible than any other religious text. For example, at the end of his speech in one paragraph he quoted from both 1 Corinthians 13:12 and Micah 6:8.
“If we are properly humble, if we drop to our knees on occasion, we will acknowledge that we never fully know God’s purpose. We can never fully fathom His amazing grace. “We see through a glass, darkly” — grappling with the expanse of His awesome love. But even with our limits, we can heed that which is required: To do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.”
The fourth encouraging thing might be the most overlooked of all: despite everything else, the President of the United States of America is NOT an atheist. Hallelujah at least for that, right?
Conclusion
So, just to recap all I’ve said, I don’t think it was fair to compare the Christian church of today with the Crusades of 800 years ago, especially in the light of what Islam is doing at this moment. It was also irresponsible to morally equate the Crusades to the 15 centuries-worth of Muslim expansion by the sword. That being said, considering the audience and the context of the event, Obama’s speech wasn’t that bad – especially if you’re an ecumenical, pluralistic, main-stream liberal.
So, my fellow conservatives (of all types), quit making such a big deal about this one prayer breakfast…at least Obama went (which is a lot more than we can say for his church attendance). He even got to hear Darrell Waltrip (NASCAR legend) preach the Gospel.
There’s still hope.
*Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
This morning, before I started working on a post which I had originally intended to write, I did the usual glance-over of posts on blogs I follow. (By the way, when you’re away from the computer for a few days, it’s amazing how many blog posts can be written by other people!) That’s when I came across a post on Conform to Christ, “What does the Bible say about Suicide?”
Once I read the above post, I could not help but to lend some kind of response. The article did a decent job of presenting a biblical perspective on the subject, but I felt it needed some additional perspective. So, I wrote my comment, submitted it, then planned to get back to writing a post on my own blog. That’s when I re-read my comment, thought about it, and felt the overwhelming need to re-share my comment here.
I feel this is a “God moment.” Somebody needs to read this.
My Perspective
I am very well acquainted with the issue of suicide – very well acquainted. As a matter of fact, I have had a long history of dealing with the temptation, nearly following through [with a 12 gauge] back in my teen years. Now, even as a pastor, the thoughts still come, they still haunt. Unfortunately, once a person has crossed a certain line, things are never the same.
Nevertheless, I know that I am still here for multiple reasons, the most important of which is the glory of God. But even though I know “the words,” … suicidal thoughts can attack when I least expect them, and especially when I do. But I have come to understand that suicide is a LIE: it will not, it cannot, fulfill its promises. No matter the circumstances, suicide will not accomplish its goals. At most it may get others’ attention, but it robs one of the opportunity to see the problem fixed…to see what God could have done.
For the most part, I believe suicide is an attempt by the hurting to get others to notice, to empathize. But what Satan enjoys doing is blinding us to two very important facts:
We are NOT alone in our pain.
God NEVER wastes a tear.
The One who literally laid His life down so that we could live walks with us, just like Daniel’s friends in the Babylonian furnace. And no matter the pain, no matter the situation, no matter the shame, there is someone else out there who needs us to shoulder up to them and say, “I understand.”
Seek Help
Coming from someone who has walked down the suicidal road for 30+ years, never try to deal with this on your own. Fight the temptation to put a wall between yourself and others. If you are struggling, God already has someone prepared to be a shoulder to lean on. Seek help!
You may even be a Christian and find yourself thinking, “How does Jesus understand what I’m going through? He never sinned!” I used to think that, too! And if not for my dad knocking on my bedroom door to see how I was doing, I might have pulled the trigger on that shotgun…all because I though God didn’t understand.
But here’s the thing: Jesus not only bore your sin on the cross, He bore your shame, too! As a matter of fact, the Bible even says that He who knew no sin, “became sin” for us (2 Corinthians 5:21)! In other words, if guilt is behind what you feel right now, and you think nobody could understand or has walked in your shoes – Jesus understands!
Your sin is what He took to the cross, and it was the shame of THAT sin He felt as He hung there – instead of you! …FOR you!
If you are feeling suicidal, talk to somebody about it. Find a good, Christian counselor who isn’t legalistic and judgmental, but understands God’s grace and mercy. In other words, if you are feeling suicidal, I’m sure there’s someone available who’s not only sympathetic, but knows the “Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
Your life is priceless because of Who was paid for it; don’t throw it away.
If you don’t know what I mean by “Cacophonous Flabbergasts,” don’t worry; I’ll explain it for you.
You wake up in the morning, turn on the radio and/or television, and check your email, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. If you have time, you read a quick devotion and say a 30-second prayer of thanks for a new day.
As you eat breakfast, if you don’t distract yourself with meaningless, mind-numbing popular music, you turn on CNN, FOX, or some other network and hear nothing but depressing, irritating, and ultimately out-of-your-control news and propaganda (unless you watch Al Jazeera – nothing but objective truth). You may even learn a new recipe.
On the way to and from work you get bombarded by advertising created to snag your attention and your money. During breaks, and then later at home, even while doing other things, even while eating, you subject yourself to social media: cat videos; news stories; gossip; pictures of nude celebrities; images of ISIS victims; and things others have, but you want. When bedtime comes you’re ready for sleep, except one more game on the iPad must be played…then another…then answer an instant message…
Cacophonous flabbergasts: Incessantly loud noises and distractions made up of circumstances and situations – some controllable, some not – meant to sap our strength and weaken us, both physically and spiritually; the overwhelming, unending waves of life that eventually knock us off our feet and drown us.
The Result
If it’s not one thing, it’s another. If it’s not terrorism, it’s a phone call. If it’s not the stock market in trouble, it’s a friend with marital problems. If it’s not too many things on the schedule, it’s not enough money to pay the bills. If it’s not another unexpected illness that insurance won’t cover, it’s the water being turned off as you’re washing your hair, late to an interview.
The waves of life have a way of taking our eyes off Jesus, don’t they?
When we take our eyes off of Jesus; when we get distracted by all the upheaval, the noise, the shifting surface which continually gives way beneath our feet; there’s no peace, only fear, which leads to doubt, anger, depression, etc.
Much like Peter, whether intentionally or not, we allow the cacophonous flabbergasts to drown out His voice and divert our attention, and we become afraid
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid… – Matthew 14:30
Change Your Focus
I don’t know about you, but I’ve let a lot of what is going on in the world get me down. I’ve let the bills make me worry. I’ve let a lot of bad stuff take my focus of Christ. I’ve been flabbergasted by the cacophony of trials and tribulations.
What about you?
Maybe we should do as Peter did when he began to sink. Maybe we should quit looking at the waves and turn our focus back on Christ. Maybe we should cry out, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him… – Matthew 14:31
Some people think I should be committed. They have good reasons, I suppose, especially when it’s cold and rainy outside. You see, I am one of those strange people that actually enjoy rainy days.
Yes, when I wake up in the morning to cloud-induced darkness, the sound of water droplets hitting my roof, and the thought of having to drive on wet streets with my windshield wipers struggling along to a steady 4/4 beat, I get excited. That makes me strange. Maybe even crazy.
But seriously, I have no problem with cold, rainy days like today. Believe it or not, driving a school bus in the rain, especially in the early-morning darkness, feels sorta cozy. I mean, think about it: I am the one in the warm confines of a climate-controlled vehicle, unafraid of other motorists, enjoying the soft roar of water droplets tapping on the metal roof, and thankful I’m not those kids having to stand in the cold rain waiting on me. (Of course, there are a couple of kids I’ve known…well, that’s another story)
There Are Limits
As I look up at the dark, rain-soaked, leaf-bare tree in my front yard I can admire a beauty never seen during summer. The same thing goes for driving in the rain; everything sparkles and glistens when headlamps, brake lights, and blinkers illuminate the wet pavement. I’ve learned to find enjoyment in cold, rainy weather. But, I’m glad it doesn’t last. Yes, there are limits, even to my madness.
Even though I can enjoy stormy weather, I do so with the knowledge and assurance that warmer, sunny days will return. I can find peace in the rain because I know one day it will stop, and I will enjoy the flowers. I can find ways to enjoy the cold while it lasts, because scorching days are sure to come. What gets me through one season is the hope that another season is just around the corner.
Seasons Change
Why do we get so depressed, so discouraged, so faithless, when cold and rainy weather moves in? Oh, it makes us change our fair-weather plans, rearrange our schedules, and cancel certain events, but why act like it’s the end of the world? Don’t we know that “in ever life a little rain must fall?”
Maybe you’ve never thought about it this way, but God sends the rain as a sign He hasn’t left us, that He’s still active in our lives. Paul and Barnabas said that God left the rain as a “witness” to fill our hearts with “gladness” (Acts 14:17). The rain, along with the sunshine, show us God is watching over us, giving us what we need in due season.
Are you waking up to a cold, rainy, depressing day? There is beauty to be found, even at times like this. Just remember, silver linings are rarely noticed without the clouds.
A pic of Ty and his oldest daughter (from her Facebook page)
Today I received the sad news that a brother in Christ, Ty Sweeney, went home. He was only 38 and died of complications resulting from a heart attack. And, like with the loss of others I’ve known, news of his death was an oxygen-sucking blow to my gut.
I didn’t know Ty as well as some other friends of mine in Hopkinsville, KY. I saw him at church (it was a big church) and played music with him a few times. Once he even loaned me his cedar-topped guitar – that was a GREAT guitar. But what I did know about Ty was that he was a great musician, songwriter, and that he loved the Lord and his family.
I lost my dad when I was only 24. For a moment I felt like my whole life would come crashing down around me. However, with the grace of God and the peace that came with the assurance I would see him again, the loss was tempered with the knowledge that our separation was only temporary. My prayer is that his wife (Sarah) and two daughters (Conley and Claudia) will find comfort in the same Hope.
For the saints of God, death is only a brief departure; sweet reunions are still to come.
Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
First of all, I have only watched a couple of episodes of The Voice. Like most programs of this kind, I am not interested in most of what comes across the stage, nor the drama associated with it all.
Personally, I quit watching shows like The Voice when Katherine McPhee lost to Taylor Hicks on the 5th season of American Idol – it all went downhill from there.
However, every once in a while a performance from one of these programs is posted on the web and gets a lot of attention. The following is a good example.
The Cross
I guess what shocked so many people is the fact that a singer chose to sing this hymn on a national stage – in a competition. I mean, the cross? Really? Was this guy thinking straight? I hope so.
You see, it was on the cross of Calvary that the “Dearest and Best” was slain. It was on this cross that the “ordinances against us” were nailed (Col. 2:14). It was on this cross that our Savior promised that if He be lifted up, He would draw all men unto himself. It was on this cross where Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
So, I will cherish the old, rugged, blood-stained cross on which Jesus paid the penalty for my sin. It was the crossroad of judgment and mercy where the Lamb of God humbled Himself (Phil. 2:8) and purchased my reconciliation with God (Eph. 2:16).
Why cherish the cross? Because it was and is proof positive that even before I knew Him, even when I was steeped in sin, God loved me enough to die in my stead.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. – Psalm 40:2
The Pits
Can you imagine being in a deep, dark, hole? Imagine no cell phone, no rope, no ladder, and nothing but slippery, muddy walls. The ground on which you stand, if you could call it ground, is nothing but thick, sticky, pull-the-shoes-off-your-feet miry mud. If you could manage to climb, you’d first have to find a way to pull your feet from the clay.
That’s the kind of circumstance I believe David was describing, but not a literal pit, like an ancient well or cistern; he was talking about his circumstances. David wasn’t really in a well, at least not the kind that held water. He hadn’t really fallen into a muddy pit. The pit David was describing was not all that dissimilar to the pits we fall into every day.
Faith and Waiting
What is it like to fall into the pit of depression? What about the pit of financial ruin? What’s it like to be trapped in the pit of emotional or physical pain? Are the walls in the pit of broken relationships any less slippery? As with the pit David was in, does the pit you’re in, or have been in, make your feet feel stuck, yet unsteady? See, David understands – and so does God.
What did David do while in the pit? As noted in verse one, he cried and he waited. Now, that’s not too hard to do in the average pit, is it? I mean, when you are down in a hole it’s not that difficult to cry and to wait – what else is there to do? But instead of just crying, instead of just waiting, David cried unto the Lord and waited patiently on Him for deliverance. While in the pit David put his faith in God.
Perfect Timing
Then, once the time was right, deliverance came. And when it came, which was in God’s timing, David was lifted out of the pit, set on solid ground, and pointed in the right direction.
Think about it: David didn’t get out of the pit when he wanted or how he wanted to; he had to depend on God. What if David had had a stroke trying to deliver himself? How many people kill themselves (literally and figuratively) trying to get out of their pits? How many people never cry out to God for help, never wait patiently, but curse the circumstance, frantically flailing about in a useless attempt to get free? Maybe you are in a miry pit for a reason, to cause you to trust God.
One thing is for sure, when you are in a pit there aren’t many places you can go fast. Unless you’re going up, right or left, east or west, really makes no difference, does it? When you’re in a pit, all you can think about is the pit. But what happens when you do get out? What then? Where do you go? When God lifted David up out of the miry pit, He set his feet on solid ground and made sure he set off in the right direction. Maybe you are still in a pit because the timing is not right for the direction you need to go. Maybe you are still in the pit because you are so week from trying to deliver yourself – if lifted out you might simply fall right back in. Again, wait patiently on the Lord.
Learn While You Wait
All pits are horrible, aren’t they? But as we wait patiently on the Lord, knowing He has heard our cry, maybe we should take note of where we are, how we got here, and how to warn others of the dangers, the darkness, and the loneliness. There is something to learn until deliverance comes.
God doesn’t want to leave you in a miry pit, but what we learn while there may impact the timing of our deliverance and the direction of our going when free.
I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. – Psalm 40:1
There’s an old saying, “good things come to those who wait.” Where did it come from? Who said it first? I don’t know, although I’m sure it’s traceable. All I know is that the first verse of Psalm 40 says almost the same thing, only what comes to the one waiting is better than anything this world can offer.
Something’s Wrong
Let’s think about some things that have to be going on for this verse to make any sense. First, something is wrong. Why else would David be crying out to God? Something is wrong. Why else would he be wanting God to do something.
Tonight I dealt with some serious prayer requests from people in my congregation. One thing led to another and I brought up the question that so many ask: “If there’s a God, then why is there pain? Why do good people suffer?” Here’s another question, though: if there is no God, and there is still pain and suffering, then what’s the point? Either there is pain and suffering, people going through bad times, for no reason whatsoever, or the other option is that there is a great plan beyond our understanding, one being worked out by a loving God. The pain is there, regardless. Why not believe there’s hope?
In God’s Time
The second thing to observe is the fact that God works on His own time table. David cried out, for how long we don’t know, but God’s response was not immediate.
How often to we find ourselves calling out in prayer, “Do something! Do it NOW!” In David’s case, whatever was wrong was more than he could handle on his own; he needed divine intervention. How often do search for immediate answers? How often do we question God and His timing all because we know more about what is really needed at the moment?
David waited patiently. Patience requires faith. It is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Are you waiting patiently?
To Those Who Wait
To those who wait patiently on the Lord; to those who have faith that God will indeed do what is best; to those who wait God gives something that most do not realize they never truly have – His undivided attention. David waited patiently on the Lord, and He “inclined” unto him.
Picture two people sitting at a table. Lots of other people are at the table, too, just going on and on about all manner of stuff. One person tries to talk to the other, but there are so many distractions. Eventually, when the other notices how much the one wants to talk, he leans over, rests on an elbow, bends an ear, and says, “Now, what were you saying?”
God is omniscient; it’s not like He can’t hear all prayers. But within this verse we get a glimpse into the reality that there is something special, a sweet privilege that comes to those who “wait patiently on the Lord.” To reach that point of communion with the Creator of the universe, to know you have His ear: now that’s a good thing for which to wait, don’t you think?
There are not many men left who actually saw combat in WWII, especially those who participated in some of the more well-known battles. Many were transported to the beaches by an LST, much like the one which is visiting for a few days in Chattanooga (it leaves 9/18).
When I went down to the river to take a picture of LST 325, the last of its kind, it wasn’t hard to spot the older veterans. If they weren’t walking slowly, supported by a walking stick, they were riding in wheelchairs, or holding on to a younger loved one’s arm. Each of them, no matter what age, exhibited a nostalgic look, one that hinted at a smile, yet betrayed a sense of loss and pain.
One elementary teacher I talked to said after touring the ship, “You know, after going through that thing, I don’t know how any of them survived to make it back.”
Well, yesterday, after attending an executive board meeting with our local Baptist association, I got to meet an extraordinary veteran who actually rode one of those LST’s to the beaches of Iwo Jima to fight the Japanese, Mr. Paul George.
Mr. George, like so many others, risked his life not only to preserve our freedoms, but to liberate others. Fortunately, he survived; many others did not. To all of them we owe an incalculable debt.
Waiting for His Time
But here’s the thing: odds are none of us are going to make it out of this life alive. And as a matter of fact, some of our loved ones have already gone on home and are now waiting for our tour of duty to end. I believe that’s what Mr. George was sorta getting at when he wrote the following note to be sent to his friends and loved ones, those who were concerned about him after his wife’s departure.
“Just a note to let you know that I am doing quite well even though Martha left me June 17, 2013 (eight days short of our 70th anniversary) to be with Jesus. I do miss her but I know she is much better off and is waiting for me.
My life now is like it was when I was in the Pacific during WWII. Her picture is ever before me and now I wait for life to be over as I was waiting for the war to be over and we would be together again. The difference is that I am not in a hurry for our reunion as I was before, I want The Lord to use me as a witness of His Grace. The Lord’s timing is Right and I will wait.” – Paul George
They call men like Mr. George “the greatest generation.” This is just one more reason why.
God bless you, dear brother, for your desire has been granted: you certainly are a witness of God’s grace.
The Recovering Legalist 