Monthly Archives: May 2015

Appearance

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A couple days ago I was walking through the house and I saw a “fuzzy” on the floor.  I kicked it with my foot to move it out of the way.  It is so far down to pick it up off the floor.  The floor gets farther and farther away each year.

When I kicked at this “fuzzy” it ran away.  I ran and got a facial tissue and squished it and then sent it off to a watery grave at the waste water treatment plant.

I started thinking about this little “fuzzy” creature.  It is like so many people.  We hide in social media.  We hide in books.  We hide in food.  We hide in drugs and alcohol.  You name it and people try to hide in it.  It is like the rearview mirror on your vehicle.  Objects do not appear as they really are.

Look at II Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”  If we are God’s child then we should want to keep away from things that do not appear what they really are.  I have a friend that told of a bar in his college days that had a name that sounded like a candy store if I remember correctly.

So, if we are going to be God’s kind of people then we are going to have to be what we appear to be.  We must be in public what we are in private.  We must be in private what we are in public.  We must be consistent Christians that follow Christ.So, how are you doing?

The Patience of Job

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Growing up all of my life I have heard different people make a statement to the effect of, “He/She must have the patience of Job.” I don’t know where this came from.  One thing I do know is that Job had a relationship with Jehovah.  There is no way he could have responded the way he did without it.

Someone said, “What does not kill you makes you better.”  If ever there was an example of extreme testing it is Job.  He lost his ten (10) children and many possessions.  Have you ever wondered why?  I know I have.

Then it dawned on me one day.  Look at Job 1:8, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”  As the LORD threw Job under the bus so to speak He knew something.  He knew how Job would respond.  The LORD is omniscient.  He knows all.  He knew how Job would respond.  Job on the other hand may not have known how he would respond.

Trials are a part of life.  Our response to them is optional.  Many Pastors, Preachers and people have jumped all over Job’s wife for her “curse God and die” statement.  Maybe; just maybe, it was made out of love.  If Job cursed God and died his suffering would be over.  I don’t believe this is the context of her statement; but, it is possible this was her motive.

The next time life caves in on top of you remember that God is more concerned about your character than your comfort.  He wants to conform you into the image of Jesus Christ.  He is allowing this (He is not doing it to you) to mold you and make you into the person He wants you to be.  That is God’s purpose in trials.  Your response is; again, optional.

So, how are you doing?

Evildoer Beware

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When you think about Esther I am guessing you think about the words of her uncle Mordecai.  You know the line that she has been prepared “for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

As I began to ponder this I thought about how Esther’s life probably did not follow the path she had picked out.  Many; if not all of us, experience this.  We would not pick the tough things of life if given the choice.

Here is the thing.  It is the tough things of life that mold us and make us into what God desires us to be.  We may not like what we have to endure to get there.  Yet, when we get there the rewards are unfathomable.

On the other side of the coin are those who plot and plan against us.  The enemy so to speak.  God can; and often does, thwart their plans.  Thinking about the account of Esther I was reminded about how Haman tried to get Mordecai and the Jews killed.  The results were found in Esther 7:10, “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.”  Hang on because God is still in control.  He always will be too.

So, how are you doing?

I Wish There Was Something

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Today will be the celebration of life for my friend Albert Ray Sr.  He is such a wonderful Christian man.  If you know him you understand.  As I was beginning to fix breakfast yesterday morning God spoke to my heart and gave me a poem for my dear friend Pastor Al Ray Jr.  I want to share it with you.

“I Wish There Was Something”

I wish there was something I could say
That would heal your hurt and take your pain.

I wish there was something I could do
That would bring God’s healing straight to you.

I wish there was somewhere that I could go
That would dry your tears and take your woe.

I wish there was something that I could do or say
That would make it all go away.

I wish there was something that I could do or say
That would fill you with God’s peace today.

There is one thing that I can do and say
For you my dear friend I will pray.

Written by:  David Dale May 26, 2015

I am sure that you know someone that is hurting and needs someone to come along beside them, be a friend and pray.  Get to it!  They need you.  Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So, how are you doing?

Hungry?

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The other morning I put breakfast on the table and called our son.  He did not come so I called him again.  He still did not come.  Now I wondered if he had eaten something that I did not know about.  I began to look and could not find any evidence where he had already eaten anything.

I went to his room and told him breakfast was ready.  Sometimes he gets focused on his movie in his room and does not hear me.  Other days he is just being funny and waits until I get to his room and begins to laugh as he goes past me to the kitchen.

This time I think there is something going on in the atmosphere that is effecting him negatively.  Nearly an hour later he comes to breakfast and it is obvious now that he is having a difficult day.  Thankfully, he did eat.

As I thought about him not eating his breakfast I thought about Christians who do not eat spiritually.  What I mean is that we do not read our Bible on a regular basis.  We do not spend time in private prayer.  We have left off personal worship.  This is spiritually the same as what took place physically at our house.

If our son had not eaten he would have become weak.  If he had continued not eating he would have eventually died (in an extreme situation).  The spiritual life is the same.  If we continue to forsake the things that feed us spiritually we will become weak and powerless.  I love the example in Jeremiah 15:16, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”  I want my desire to be like Jeremiah’s.  Do you love God’s Word?  I really hope that you do.

So, how are you doing?

Memorial Day 2015

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Today is Memorial Day 2015.  This is the day set aside to honor the fallen men and women of our nation’s military.  I hope you take the time or have taken the time to honor these brave men and women who have paid for our freedom with their lives.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.  It was a time where the graves of Civil War soldiers were decorated.  It eventually came to be called Memorial Day and all soldiers that gave their lives were honored.

Our freedom was purchased by the blood of these men and women that answered the nation’s call.  My greatest regret in life is that I never served my country in the military.  If I had enlisted I would have been in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.  Needless to say I might not have been here to write this piece.  This is a sobering thought.

There is a popular saying going around and it goes, “If you can read thank a teacher.  If you can read in English thank a soldier.”  There is a lot of truth there.

Yet, even the American soldier cannot provide the freedom that we have in Christ.  He is the ultimate Freedom Giver.  When you come to put your faith and trust in Jesus then you have the ultimate freedom.  There is no earthly king that can provide that for you or I.  Only Jesus can give true freedom to all who want it and are willing to receive it.  All you must do is trust Him.  Put your faith and trust in Jesus today and rest in the truth that you can know that when you die you will spend eternity in Heaven.  John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

So, how are you doing?

Memorial

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As we are well into the Memorial Day weekend I wanted to share some thoughts with you today.  As I was thinking about Memorial Day my mind went back to the Word of God.  I began to think about the children of Israel and all that God did for them.  Yet, they still rebelled against Him.  Then their enemies would take them captive and they would cry out to God and He would send a deliverer.

At different times in the Bible they were admonished to remember.  The one instance that comes to my mind of their travels and troubles can be found in Joshua 4:7, “Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.”

We have done a great disservice to the generations that follow us.  We have let our heritage slip.  I am guilty, I must admit.  I did not like history in school and so I did not apply myself to learn it in school.  Now I am an old man and I deeply regret it.  We have young people now that do not know history and care nothing about it or for it at all.  I am deeply sorry for my contribution to this.

In our verse of Scripture God instructed the children of Israel to gather stones and pile them up in a certain place.  He did this so that when the generations following asked about the piles of stones it would spark conversation and a teaching moment to teach the younger generations where they came from.  We need to have memorials in our lives too.

So, how are you doing?

Son Remember

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As I get older I am struggle more and more with m memory.  Some days I wonder who I am let along who others are.  Due to blood loss many years ago my memory is not what it should be and certainly it is not what is used to be.  This is bad on one hand and good on another hand.

Jesus talks about the reality of hell in the His Word.  In one instance He tells of a rich man and a man named Lazarus who both died.  Lazarus is taken to Abraham’s bosom; where the Old Testament saints were taken at death.

Then to the other man who is in hell the exhortation is given, “Son Remember”.  Look at Luke 16:25, “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

Far too many times we get so wrapped up on the nasty now and now that we forget.  A favorite southern gospel song of mine is “Remind Me Dear Lord”.   It says, “remember I’m human and humans forget.  So remind me.  Remind me Dear Lord.”

As we are in the Memorial Day holiday we celebrate those who have and are serving in our nations military.  Let me say to all who are and have served, “Thank you for your service to our country!”  We cannot forget the price they paid.

Even more important we must remember what Jesus did for us and never forget His love gift to us.  He paid the ultimate sacrifice in giving Himself to pay our sin debt.  He willingly gave His life for each one of us.  We owe Him everything.

So, how are you doing?

 

Grace and Mercy

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Joshua 2:1, “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

Recently I attended a camp meeting at a local Church.  One of my favorite Preachers was there.  The format was to have my friend preach one evening while another family provided the music.  Then the next night my friend would do the music and the other Brother would preach.  It was a great meeting.  I really enjoyed meeting Brother Ron Hoy.  His a big man with a big voice.  He has written some song and I was privileged to receive a copy of their CD’s.

The first song I listened to was “Grace and Mercy”.  It is an awesome song about the two spies coming to Rahab’s house.  This song is so full of truth.  I listen to it all the time and I cannot help shedding tears every time.

Brother Hoy brings out some things in his song that are just wonderful.  I love the picture he paints of salvation in the song.  The two spies are represented by grace and mercy.  If it were not for God’s grace and mercy we would be forever lost.  Then the talks about the scarlet thread (vs. 18).  This causes me to think about the scarlet thread of the blood of Jesus that is all throughout the Word of God.

If it were not for Jesus’ finished work on Calvary we would have no hope.  All because of Jesus we can have mercy and grace extended to us and we can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Have you been visited by the grace and mercy of God?  If you have not then let me take the Bible and show you how you can be saved.

So, how are you doing?

 

See You At The House

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Well, I just arrived home from a dear friend’s house.  His father passed away about 7:30pm yesterday.  Anyone who knows Albert Ray Senior has been blessed.  He was a veteran.  Thank you for your service Brother Ray!  He is a wonderful husband.  He is a wonderful Daddy.  He is a wonderful Christian.

I know that I will miss him deeply.  His family will miss him even more.  Every time I walked in the door he would have a gracious smile and a warm handshake.  When his health began to fail my family and I purchased an electric throw for him to use as he sat in his chair. He warmed our hearts for many years and we wanted to warm him in return.

Yes, the tears of sadness and pain stream down our cheeks; especially Albert’s family.  We all have the calm assurance that Albert Ray is home with Jesus this evening.  He longed to see his dear wife Helen and many others who have gone on before him.  He most importantly wanted to see Jesus who loved him and gave Himself for Albert.

As I sit here and weep for my loss of a dear, sweet friend I must say, “Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!”  If you knew Albert then you know how often he said that and meant it.

Thank you Brother Albert Ray for your love and your outstanding Christian testimony.  It will not be long and we will all have the reunion we are looking for .

 

See you at the House my Brother!