Creation's Song

Unload the swim suits, boogie boards, and frog feet (aka water shoes) – leave the rest to Mr. Bill.  That’s all Mama and the boys needed to head for the surf soon after arrival!  A lesson learned many pinches ago, crabs buried in the ocean floor aren’t so friendly when stepped on.  Thus, the frog feet – good defense against "crabby" sea creatures!

Why are Christians so stingy with praise to God? Luke wrote, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." (19:40)  St. Francis of Assisi loved nature and a story is told of him preaching to a flock of birds one day in Italy's Spoleto Valley.  His words to the birds, "praise your Creator and always love Him," should inspire us to do the same.  Psalm 148 says Creation makes a show and boasts of God's Greatness -- yes, I suppose even [otherwise] crabby "sea creatures." (v.7)  Francis later wrote ... "all creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing."  Why? "His glory is above the earth and heaven." (v.13)  Join Creation’s Song -- praise the Lord!

Living Improvements

The dust pan went missing one time, and after a week or so, Mr. Bill finally replaced my humble yet faithful dust pan with a ... "good one" -- I believe that is how he described it. Now, the role of a dust pan is neither high or noble and when you consider a sheet of paper serves the same purpose, I haven't quite figured how one "improves" on a dust pan.  I thanked him all the same.

A righteous life is not a destination -- it is a journey.  The only way to improve holy and honorable living is to practice.  You've heard "practice makes perfect" -- 1 John 3:7 says, "He who practices righteousness is righteous."  There's no magic tricks, no shortcuts, no secret instructions -- just being obedient to Christ's precepts over and over and over and over without compromise.  The proof is evident in the choices we make, our behavior, and the image of Christ we reflect to the world.  And, all God's Children have room for ... living improvements.

His Excellence

The first morning look in the mirror is not … excellent.  The second or third look … maybe, a bit closer.  We keep going back for that look of … excellence.  Then, sometimes we just have to settle for … well, close.  I’ve learned to be happy with that!

Have we forgotten God created us for excellence?  Of course He did; His Word says we were created in His Image – what more “excellent” image could there be!  In the Book of Ruth, Boaz said this about Ruth: “And now my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.”  Wow!  What a dream guy – that Boaz!  Do you wonder, however, what made Boaz think and say such a thing about Ruth? Perhaps it was how Ruth tended particularly to her inner qualities like Proverbs 4:23 commands, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”  In graduation ceremonies all around the world, students have been or are being recognized for academic achievements. What if we were as diligent in pursuit of spiritual excellence as we are academic? In her book, “Becoming a Woman of Excellence,” Cynthia Heald asks: “What would a woman of excellence do?” When confronted with decisions and choices, how does a person of excellence  respond?  We respond very differently than the world … in “a more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31b)  Let us never settle for “close to excellence.” Let us always keep looking, keep reaching for … His Excellence.

Truth Be Truth

All my life I’ve heard about those little “white lies,” even [regrettably] indulged in a few over the years.  Thing is this --  Daddy and Mama didn’t seem to care what color the lie was!

It’s very clear what God thinks about lying, “Lying lips are extremely disgusting and hateful to the LORD.” (Proverbs 12:22, Amplified Bible).  Generations of winking at “little white lies” led quite a destructive path to blinking and wincing at lying in general.  According to dictionary.com, a “white lie” is “a harmless, minor, or unimportant lie.”  Harmless and unimportant?  We live in a day when it’s the norm to embellish or exaggerate the truth whenever and however it benefits our will.  Sadly, many Christians today can’t distinguish Biblical truth from secular lies!  The terrible truth about the Truth is the Gospel has largely been ignored, muddied, and watered-down so that Believers can’t distinguish fiction from “thus saith the LORD.”  Where does this leave the Christian who genuinely desires to speak truth and live in Its light?  Proverbs says, “A faithful witness will not lie” (14:5) and “A truthful witness saves lives” (14:25).  We know the Truth by reading, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word then His Grace sufficiently gives us boldness to make it real in our lives.  I challenge you: do not wink or blink at the truth.  With love and boldness, let the Truth be truth!

Preserved

Women in the community were always busy during "canning" season, and that meant us kids were busy.  It seemed we were picking, shucking, shelling, popping or peeling something when school was out instead of playing in the sprinkler or riding our bikes. Making  preserves meant very little to me until hot buttered biscuits presented themselves in the winter. Then, I sure was grateful for canning season!

God didn’t ordain "canning season," but He certainly knows about preservation!  "The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul." (Psalm 121:7)  Those unexpected and unpleasant things in life are neither unexpected nor unpleasant to God.  He is never surprised or blind-sided. And, aren't we glad!  R. Leighton writes, "That flower  which follows the sun doth so even in dark and cloudy days: when it doth not shine forth, yet it follows the hidden course and motion of it."  Preserves refer to fruit or vegetables that have been especially prepared (canned or jarred) for long-term storage. Such are hearts moved after God because He IS preservation. When we truly embrace this, we will relax and rest to know we are completely ... preserved.

Believe

All my life, I’ve heard “the proof is in the pudding.”  It’s actually a very old proverb that dates back to the 14^th Century, and is shorthand for “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”  In other words, you can tell me all day long how good something is but until I taste it for myself … well, I just don’t know!

Does belief come easy for you?  I’m actually a pretty believing-sort but Mr. Bill is [basically] a if-it-sounds-too-good-to-be-true-it-probably-is kind of guy.  There is, of course, something to be said for being gullible (as I have been accused) but [total] skepticism doesn’t always serve us well either!  Paul writes, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (4:3)  Throughout Abraham’s life, God promised and Abraham believed!  He didn’t rely on pudding-proof before trusting Almighty God; Abraham believed then began to personally experience God’s Greatness.  Why do we have it backwards, wanting God to show-do-prove Himself before we’ll “taste the pudding?”   God’s Word says Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” (4:20-21)  I always heard to never trust a skinny cook.  Well, there’s nothing “skinny” about the promises of The Great Elohim (Almighty God, Creator).  Every promise He’s made is firm and secure.  When we believe (with an Abraham faith), we taste the sweet and blessed evidence (proof) from the Mighty Hand of He Who promised.  Just like the old proverb -- the proof is in the eating: believe and be blessed!

Immeasurable

Have you ever used your fingers to measure distance on a map?  The space between one town and the next is often very misleading.  "Why, it can't be that far" are surely words of navigational terror!

Hannah More wrote, "a small unkindness is a great offence."  How true!  How can we possibly measure the long-lasting, far-reaching effects of even one unkind act?  We cannot see beyond what is visible into the hidden parts of another person's heart and spirit.  Romans 12:10 says, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love."  Our usefulness to God is hindered, perhaps destroyed, by disobedience to this command. However small, however seemingly insignificant, an act of brotherly love shown in kindness to another renders immeasurable results.

Best Breath

Those who suffer with asthma know firsthand how scary it is to need a good breath of air.  My Dustin works for an oxygen supply company, and routinely gets calls from patients who understand both the danger and fear of running out of oxygen.  On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like a deep breath of fresh air!

Hope can be defined in many ways; Octavius Winslow describes it as “oxygen of the soul.”  How many of us want to wake to a day without oxygen?  Well, we probably wouldn’t “wake” at all!  Surely, it’s a commodity we take for granted.  If you’ve ever fallen and lost your breath momentarily, you know the feeling of terror of no breath.  Paul write in Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”  What a powerful sentence!  If indeed hope is the oxygen to the human soul, when Believers know Christ as the Supreme Source for joy and peace, we will “abound in hope.”  The word “abound” in the Greek means to “exceed measure”; our “God of Hope” gives His joy and peace in measureless quantities [and ways]!  There is never a case of spiritual asthma – no, we can know breathing at its very best!

Tool of Kindness

At work I have a tool kit, which includes various sizes of screw drivers, nut drivers, a set of tweezers, a flashlight, and a few ... thingies.  The "thingies" [my word] are extremely useful, but don't have a specific name. I may not know its name but I certainly know what it’s used for!

God has given us a tool, which is tried and true -- kindness.  We live in a world where it is common to repay evil for evil, wrong for wrong.  That is not God's way!  He says in Romans 12:19, "Do not avenge yourselves ... vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord."  He can't be much clearer than that!  Vengeance, getting even, should not be on any Believer's agenda. So, what do we do with those feelings of anger toward those who drive us to the peaceful edge?  "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink ... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:20-21)  Returning an unkindness with kindness is not exactly a knee-jerk reaction, but it always ushers in a better way -- God's way.  I have a friend who bakes brownies for those who are unkind to her – if nothing else, it leaves the enemy speechless!  Give the tool of kindness a try – you’ll be amazed just how useful it is!

Smiles to Go!

My Dad was born on May 15.  If angels smile every time a baby’s born, Heaven was beaming when Daniel Douglas Fuller arrived.  Oh yeah, they knew!  They smiled because they knew what he would become, I smile today because of what he became, and he smiles because that's who he is.  I cannot recall a time when Dad didn’t have a smile in him.  I've seen him at some pretty low points in life, but his smile eventual broke through.  If you ask him how he's doing, his response comes from deep within – and with a smile.  When Mr. Bill first met Dad, he didn't believe Dad was for-real.  Mr. Bill said he’d never known anyone who smiles that much, but it didn't take long till he learned Dad's joy was genuine.  Of course, when Mr. Bill got to know the rest of us, he was even more amazed Dad could smile!

What is genuine joy?  Genuine joy isn’t superficial, nor defined by circumstances or else we’d lose it over and over.  Real joy, sourced in Christ Jesus, is the tap root of Dad's continuous and contagious smile.  It searches out each situation for its [otherwise] lost counterpart.  Joyless circumstances simply don’t exist; rather, we allow them to overcome us and our joy momentarily losing it.  Paul said, "You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence." (Acts 2:28).  The promise of God is to always "fill me with joy" – joy from Well of Joy -- the Spring of Abundance within each Believer.  There’s where the endless smiles come from!

I'm so thankful for my Dad; his influence on my life cannot be measured. The thought of his smiles often sustains me.  I’m most grateful to my Heavenly Father that he has placed within me The Source of all Joy, which gives me full confidence I too can influence others to for joyful living in Him.  Oh, wonderful, marvelous joy for the journey ... and many, many smiles to go!

No Disguise

A mess can rarely be disguised.  Many years ago, I returned home to a stack of dirty cups in the sink.  They were stacked three-foot high!  “But Mom, we stacked them neatly” they said.

God isn't fooled nor pleased with “tidy” lives.  No, He’s way more interested in pure hearts.  I'm always amazed when I look into the mirror of God’s Word, my own unrighteousness looks right back at me!  "Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." (Psalm 26:2)  I cringe when I recall my attitudes, reactions, and words brought on [no doubt] by what I feed on rather than God’s Word.  Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  Wisdom found in the Bible does more than tidy up: His words wash us and empower us.  Tidy is not what God desires!  See the mess, confess it, and be completely cleansed.  The results need no disguise!

Blink A Lot

You know that I hate bugs, but I must confess ... I love lightning bugs. Well, they don't bite and they're not gross like most bugs.  Anyway, lightning bugs and me go way back.  My grandparents yard was the best place to catch those little summer night lights.  I remember lots of nights when it was me and my pint jar on a mission chasing then capturing lightning bugs.  Daddy Bill would use the wooden-handle ice pick to punch holes in the lid so the bugs could get air.  Later from my bed I would watch my night's harvest light up the darkness of the room.

Just like lightning bugs give the persona of a summer night, so do Believers to an otherwise dark world.  Matthew 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world ... Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14 &16)  Can you imagine what this world would be like without some presence of God here?  Not so pretty!  Hence, we've been assigned to this world to shine a little and blink a lot.  Those little bugs still bring a lot of joy to me, and we just never know just how much joy the little things we do bring to the lives of coworkers,  neighbors, friends, family members, even strangers -- just by being an instrument of God's light!  Go ahead -- shine a little and blink a lot!

Sweet Smells

Oh, how I remember the lingering smells of summer camp.  Fun just doesn't describe the excitement of unpacking and sorting little boys’ clothes after a week at camp -- unzipping duffel bags and inhaling.  The aromatic evident confirmed they much preferred lake-water baths over showers.  It must have been heaven for a whole week not hearing "put on clean underwear," "did you use soap," "clean behind your ears."  Trust me, those camp smells were far removed from Heaven!

As I held my breath there at the washing machine many moons ago, I wondered if this was how I smelled to God.  For sure, my life must often cause Him to turn His face away. How in His Holiness does He tolerate the likes of me!  This is what He desires of His children, "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ ... " (2 Corinthians 2:15a)  The Father wants us immersed in Christ, resulting in a His sweet aroma.  Oh how I wish Godliness was a first response, not one I often have to ponder and practice!  I want the fragrance of The Savior to follow me everywhere I go, in everything I do; I want others to smell Christ in me!  Yes, it’s been a long time since those camp smells, but they do linger [at least] in my mind.  Get alone with Christ and come away … smelling sweet!

The Shut-Off

The move was subtle but I noticed a common feature Mr. Bill looks for when replacing small appliances at our house; that feature is an automatic shut-off.  Yes, after a preset time period of inactivity, things shut-off.  Now, perhaps Mr. Bill became weary of following me around turning things off but let me tell you how wearisome it is having to turn them back on before I can use them.  Oh, bother!  Maybe next time, I’ll do the shopping!

Don’t you wish we had an automatic “shut-off” for sin!  I’d be the first-in-line for that deal!  Truth is, this side of heaven, sin will remain an enemy but it remains no match for the Word of God!  “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:9-11)  Are you struggling against the power of sin in your life?  The more time spent in God’s Word, the more you’ll feel the “shut-off” to sin’s influence.  I know that auto shut-off feature of things such as my iron and curling iron is an otherwise handy feature, and I’m certain the words of our Living God are more than handy – they are powerfully sufficient to produce holy living.  Make it a daily habit -- turn to The Word and “shut-off” the sin feature!

Shiners

Every fisherman knows what a shiner is.  The term “shiner” is a common name for a variety of small silvery fish.  Come to think of it, even fishermen’s wives know what shiners are!

Shining for Christ is a particularly troublesome task it seems.  There’s no doubt Christians have drawn attention to themselves, however, not necessarily in the most positive way.  I fear our form of “shining” has cast Christ in very poor light!  Paul wrote to the Church at Philippi about living blameless lives “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as light in the world: holding forth the word of life …” (Philippians 2:15-16)  How in the world is this possible?  Well, the answer is actually part of the question – we cannot do it “in the world” for “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (2:13)  Too diligently and too long Believers have tried to generate our own light, which is dimly lit and constantly casting shadows.  The key to shining genuinely for Christ will always be in holding forth – in every area and arena of life – the blessed Word of Life.   I don’t fish, care to fish, nor give a flip about shiny fish, but I do know a shiner when I see one. Consider your shine today – do others know one when they see one?

How Sweet It Is!

Sweet tea is a staple at my house.  I keep two gallons in the refrigerator at all times.  I make tea more often than I do laundry.  Myself, I like unsweetened tea but that is neither practical nor popular, and ample cause for mutiny here!

Do you know the sweetness of God's Kingdom?  Oh, how we miss the richness of His Kingdom because we just don't see it.  My favorite apple is the golden delicious, however, it is not enough to just look at it -- I'll never know its sweet taste.  Jesus said to the Pharisees in Luke, "God's kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. People will not say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' because God's kingdom is within you." (17:20-21)  The natives of Nigeria say that "to be happy is to be sweet inside."  For Believers in Christ Jesus, we do not need to look any further for we would be searching vainly for what Christ has already given us at salvation. It's joy that cannot be taken away (John 16:22).  Jackie Gleason used to say, "How sweet it is!" That's the absolute truth about the Joy of Christ in kingdom-living.  Go ahead, say it right now -- How Sweet It Is ... now live it!

Today -- His Way

"What's the game plan tomorrow?" is usually one of Mr. Bill’s last questions of the day.  He forgets before the next morning so “What’s the game plan today?” is one of his first questions of the day.

God has a plan for each of us.  We forget that sometimes, don't we? Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you ... thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."  You know, the most frustrating yet most challenging part of life is trusting God's plan -- knowingly moving into the unknown!  In his book, "Growing Strong In the Seasons of Life," Chuck Swindoll writes: "The best test of my Christian growth occurs in the mainstream of life, not in the quietness of my study. Anybody can walk in victory when surrounded by books, silence, and the warm waves of sunshine splashing through the window. But those late takeoffs, those grocery lines, those busy restaurants ... that's where faith is usually 'flushed out' ... the ability to accept delay graciously. Calmly, Quietly, Understandingly. With a smile."  I suppose that which causes our faith to need "flushing" is wanting to follow our own plan -- good or bad ... our plan.  God calls us to be persistent in our faith, and to trust him. He has called us to according to His Plan, not our own.  My former pastor and friend used to say, "God doesn't call the qualified; he qualifies the called."  He has called us today – His Way

Good Company

Have you ever played "Twenty Questions?"  It's an infamous [game] teenagers hate to play with their parents -- I know I did!  Until I was a parent myself, all the questions seemed pointless: Who's going? Who's driving? How long?  By the end of the "game," I almost didn’t want to go!

Time with Jesus denotes evidence of a different life.  The religious and military leaders were amazed at Peter and John in Acts 4. Verse 13 says, " ... they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus." How distinguishing!  The Twenty Questions game wasn't really a game; it was an act of my loving and responsible parents who cared about the company I kept.  Believers should ask themselves often, "what do others conclude by my responses and reactions to life? Do they reflect enough time in the company of Christ." The passage below from Beth Moore's poem, "The Company I Keep," says it beautifully:

Let me be known by the company I keep

Eclipsed by Your Presence that I may decrease

'Til all You have chosen this traveler to meet

No longer see me but the Company I keep.

Leaning

The Tower of Pisa wasn’t built to lean, nonetheless, it does.  This free-standing Italian bell tower is  famous mostly because … it leans. Set in weak and unsettled soil, its foundational design was flawed from the start yet it remains a work of art. I’ve never been to Italy so I’m limited to pictures of this leaning world wonder. I really think the “leaning” would bother me!

Did you know God wants us to be “leaners?”  Now, don’t get the idea we are some flawed design of The Creator; no, sin flawed His perfect work. Our sinful condition is why it’s important we … lean.  Has anyone ever whispered something to you and you just couldn’t make out the words?  Isn’t it amazing what leaning a little closer does!  James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” The Father has some important and wise things to say to His children but, mostly, we don’t get it.  Sometimes we actually hear Him but just don’t quite make out His words.  Consider what a little leaning does!  In Leviticus 26:9 we read how God rewards those who obey and walk according to His commands, and I love how the Amplified Bible puts it: “For I will be leaning toward you with favor and regard … “  To lean towards something or someone is to incline or bend from a vertical position.  Now, imagine The Father leaning Himself toward us!  What a picture!  We lean towards Him then He leans toward us!  Don’t you see how wonderful “leaning” can be!

Spontaneous Love

An athlete, I participated in high school track.  My main event was the 880 yard run (now known as the 800m) or ½ mile run.  On occasion, however, I had to compete in the long jump and high jump events.  There’s an art to the running-start, I learned; you get the rhythm going in your head then you run with that same rhythm!

Have you ever considered spontaneous love?  It’s foundational characteristic is that it is not premeditated – it just happens, shows up automatically.  In truth, however, love doesn’t always work like that; we have to get a “running-start” to love some people and some things.  Oswald Chambers says, “The springs of love are in God, not in us.”  Oh, how we forget the natural man until love DOESN’T show up when it should: a driver cuts us off, the cashier is snappy, someone puts an empty tea pitcher back in the refrigerator.  Where’s the love then?  Evidence of God’s love in us shows Itself without warning or announcement. “And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)  That’s the rhythm of love, a strong and repeated pattern empowered solely by God’s Spirit poured into our hearts and spilled forth in daily living. There’s no running-start necessary – it’s spontaneous!