Be A Hero

The official definition of a hero is one who is “admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.”  Hebrews 12:1 speaks of a great “cloud of witnesses.” (12:1a).  In Chapter 11, we’re encouraged by a sampling list of past heroes such as Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Samson, David, and Rahab.  We must not forget the list is still being written!  We have modern-day heroes such as Billy Graham, Tim Tebow, and endless unnamed heroes among us.  What about you and me?  Are our names being named among those who are faithful in little things – day by day promoting Christ and His kingdom: in our homes, in our workplaces, in our communities, in Christ’s Church?  As Joshua challenged the pioneering Hebrews as they continued their march to the Land of Promise: “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve … as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15).  Then with boldness, “let us run with endurance.” (Hebrews 12:1b).  Be a hero!

 

Shepherd Your Heart

Tedd Tripp has written a book: Shepherding a Child’s Heart, and I’m so thankful my Grands are exposed to its teaching by their parents.  The guiding principle of the book is Jesus’ words in Luke 6:45b – “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”  The concept of “speaking to the heart” is not limited to children!  While we all learned acceptable social behavior as children, we never outgrow behavior; it is part of adulthood as well.  Jesus said, “For every tree is known by his own fruit … A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil.” (V.44-45a). This is precisely why God commands Believers to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23).  When we leave our heart unguarded [by the Word of God], destruction looms and destructive behavior comes: addictions, anger, bitterness, hopelessness – the list is literally endless. America has certainly lost its ways as we endlessly try to fix problems with laws, restrictions, medicines, etc. when the heart of America’s problems is problems of people’s hearts.  Is guarding your heart – allowing God’s Word to train your heart – a priority for you?  If not, you are in grave danger!  Be diligent and faithful to study and apply God’s Word to your heart! Yes, shepherd your heart!

The Wedding

Weddings bring back so many sweet memories for me – even though it’s been almost 44 years since my own!  I just can’t seem to help teary-eyed moments.  There is a greater Wedding of the Most Holy Bridegroom and His Bride: “Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the Marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7).  What joy it is to be part of Christ’s Church – His Bride!  What responsibility it is to – like an earthly bride – prepare ourselves for Jesus’ return, when He comes for His Bride.  Oh, the preparations for weddings here; however, they are small in comparison to the preparations that have been made for The Wedding: “And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’” (Revelation 19:9).  What The Event it will be: the Feast of all feasts, the Banquet of all banquets, the celebration of all Celebrations! All the Saints (Believers) have reserved seats!  I pray your seat is reserved and you are making yourself ready for His return.

 

No Trace

Have you ever traced something and found it to be a pretty good rendering of the real thing?  After His death, Jesus’ followers must surely have wondered many things: what just happened? what next?  The greatest question must have been what hope do we have now? With the appearances of the Risen Savior and the coming of The Holy Spirit, their hearts were encouraged and hope renewed!  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13).  Circumstances of life can tempt us to lose hope but life is not without hope – that is, Hope securely rooted in Christ.  All other hopes – worldly, temporal, passing things – are only traces, and not the real thing!  Hopelessness was put to an end when the tomb became empty on the third day!  Like the psalmist, the Rock and Fortress of Hop was discovered: “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more.” (Psalm 71:14).  Let us never settle for traces of hope but find lasting and joyous Hope in the Risen Christ!

 

Choose Freedom

A child’s “time out” is an educational tool.  The loss of freedom is meant to teach we do not live independenlyt of rules and submission to a greater authority. Paul wrote about the constraining love of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5: “And He died for all so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died and was raised for their sake.” (V.15, AMP).  The idea we can self-govern sounds good but is actually quite dangerous – that’s what Adam and Eve did, and it didn’t end well.  The hard truth is we were not created to live independently of The Creator!  In order to be in right-standing and sweet fellowship with God, we must understand  “the doorway to freedom is submission.” (Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies).  What a radical concept!  One thing I’ve learned: when I seek to live unto me and choose to do according to what pleases me, I find myself sitting in a spiritual timeout complete with great losses of freedom.  God’s way is best – His wisdom wisest – His knowledge greatest.  By a conscious, deliberate and determined act of my own will, I choose freedom. What about you? 

Hold On!

To hold on can actually mean more than hold tightly; it can also mean keep holding on!  “But Christ as a Son over His own house Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the Hope firm unto the end..” (Hebrews 3:6, KJV).  Don’t you love it – Christ, Whose house we are!  It’s Emmanuel – God with us. Yes, every Believer is God’s dwelling place – His House, over which Jesus is the faithful Son.  Our duty is to hold fast (firmly) the confidence and victory in our Hope (Jesus) unto the end.  The unto the end speaks to longevity – not letting go but rather faithfully holding on to what is ours through The Son.  Yes, hold on tightly but also hold on faithfully to the One Who is Most Faithful!

The Gospel

Mr Bill and I will host our family this weekend for an Easter gathering. As hosts, there is much to do: sweep, cook, mow – yes, we’ve been at-it! On Thursday of His final week, Jesus and His disciples shared the Passover meal, and yes, there were planning and preparations to be done.  “Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where will You have us prepare for You to eat the Passover?’” (Matthew 26:17).  In the following verses, it is clearly Jesus Himself Who is “in charge.”  This wasn’t just any Passover; it wasn’t about those who would share the meal. No this Passover was about Jesus!  Throughout the meal, we see Jesus as the host: washes feet, serving and blessing the bread and the wine. (Matthew 26:19-29). Jesus was also the Guest of Honor – the Unleavened Bread, the spotless Lamb without blemish. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” (Matthew 3:1).  There is none worthy to be the Honored One than the Apostle, the High Priest, the Son, the Christ.  What we do in remembrance today, Jesus portrayed there with the twelve what was about to take place on Golgotha: a willing offering of His own blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of God, the broken Bread, the poured out Cup as our kinsman Redeemer.  “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” (Matthew 27:50-51).  Done! Finished! Complete! God’s wrath against sin satisfied.  Access to The Father secured for all who believe.  An empty tomb.  A living Savior.  You see, Jesus is The Sacrifice, The Broken Bread, The Poured Out Cup, The Risen Savior.  This is The Gospel – The Gospel is Christ.  This is why we celebrate! 

 

Wonder Of None

“None” isn’t always what we want to hear: no more vacation days, no more milk, no more money – no, good things “gone” isn’t always fine with us. As religious leaders plotted to kill Him, Jesus spent His last few days teaching and preparing His followers of things-to-come. Speaking of the final judgment and the eternal sentencing for those who rejected The Messiah, Jesus’ words empowered His disciples: “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46).  The end would come – inevitably.  Jesus was going away but only temporarily: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command …” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). What might that “command” be? In his book, The Final Week of Jesus, Max Lucado speculates: “The angels will stand and the Father will speak, ‘No more’ … Every person who lives and who ever lived will turn toward the sky and hear God announce, ‘No more.’ No more loneliness. No more tears. No more death. No more sadness. No more crying. No more pain.” The end [of life here as we know it] will come along with the end to sin’s reign and rule among nations and men.  Oh, the wonder of none – no more!  O glorious day!

 

Wonder Of Worship

When you say the word “worship,” myriads of ideas and imaginations come to mind. God through the psalmist directs us in genuine worship: “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at His footstool! Holy is He!” (Psalm 99:5). Imagine [then] how frustrated and infuriated Jesus became at seeing the buyers and sellers front-and-center at the temple! “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.” (Matthew 21:12-13).  Jesus’ actions left no wonder of what should not have been present in the temple.  What He looked for was missing: Exalt the Lord our God!  Worship at His footstool!  Holy is He!  Believers are now God’s temple – where Christ dwells: what does Jesus find in His temple today? Do we wonder how to rightly worship? “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8).  Purity – Truth – Righteousness – Surrender – Humility – these bring us into His Presence.  O, worship our wonderful King!

 

What A Wonder

We all had a good laugh years ago at the “Here’s Your Sign” comedy. The comic called attention to the oft common, less-than-sensical (foolish, dumb, stupid) things we say and do. The cause and effect made us think and even say, “no wonder!”  There is most certainly a wonder of God’s Love for us!  Even when God regretted and was deeply grieved He had made man (Genesis 6:6) yet saved a remnant (Noah and his family) from an earth-cleansing flood, for example, His Love for the best of His creation is a wonder.  Paul David Tripp writes, “Now it simply defies redemptive logic to allow yourself at any moment in your life to think that God would go to the extent that He has gone to provide you with Salvation and then lose you along the way.”  What extent?  This week we focus on and celebrate The Event of all events in history: God sent His Only Son to satisfy justice for man’s sin against The Creator. Furthermore, Jesus said, “My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of The Father's hand.” (John 10:29). You see, we have a definitive Sign of God’s Love-Mercy-Grace: His Name is Jesus.  George Beverly Shea sang it beautifully, “O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.” I encourage you day-by-day this Holiest of weeks to pause at the wonder of the cross, lift your head-hands-heart in praise for God’s wonderful Salvation!

 

Show It Off

Have you ever paused to consider the inventions which have radically changed the way we live?  Mr Bill got new waders; instead of “wading” into frigid winter waters, he can stay both dry and warm. Neoprene – a synthetic rubber – changed the sport for duck hunters across America. The word “faith” seems to roll-off the tongues of Believers casually, but real faith is anything but casual!  Words are cheap but putting words to work is conclusive.  “But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, AMP).  When we say we have faith but do not apply live by faith (apply it to living), there is no evidence of it in our lives nor is there reward. Now, honestly, I have no idea why Mr Bill would deliberately wade into frigid winter waters but this I know: when Believers walk-live by the faith they profess,  the deeper they come to love and trust Christ Who is completely trustworthy and faithful in all things!  Is yours a radical faith – the kind that is showing off its integrity and depth?  If that describes your faith, show it off!

 

A Matthew-Response

When the boys were young, they loved to explore the woods behind our house. Yes, it made this Mama a bit nervous so the rule was they should stay within sight of the house.  Matthew is named among Jesus’ disciples in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts but we know little else about him. Here’s what we do know: “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew (Levi) sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ And Matthew got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9). No fireworks or razzle-dazzle, just “got up and followed.” Simple obedience. An irresistibility to the Call of Christ.  As the boys got older, they would venture deeper into the woods – out of sight of the house but within the sound of my voice [when I called to them]. Jesus said, “The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).  Do you know The Master’s Voice when you hear It?  When you hear It, do you respond in obedience?  Oh, how we all need a Matthew-response!

 

Share the Shade

Oh, the comforts of home: my bed, my comfy chair, my porch swing, my routine.  A brief get-away is nice, but there really is no place quite like home!  I’ve mostly lived an on-the-go lifestyle, but this older-me seems to enjoy the ... home-style. You don’t have to read much of the Apostle Paul’s writing before you see how much he loved his friends in-the-faith.  He begins most of his letters with the warm and affectionate greeting, “grace to you.”  Paul didn't just long to be with his friends -- he deeply desired to bless them

usually across great distances.  He writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (1 Corinthians 1:3-4). Because life is continuously stormy, we have great potential and opportunity to grow in Christ.  In our front yard is a sugar maple -- I brought it home some 30 years ago in a coffee can.  Mr. Bill shook his head and rolled his eyes at the pitiful little thing; nonetheless, he dug a hole and planted it.  We've watched it grow, and now in the summer time it's probably 10 degrees cooler in its shade.  As we grow in grace through life's storms, we have so much to offer others in their stormy times.  As Paul gave God glory for "all comfort" in his difficulties, he recognized the responsibility to faithfully share the shade of Godly comfort with others.  Consider what blessing-delight-favor (grace) you can extend to someone who may be experiencing a once-familiar storm.  As the amazing God-of-all-Comfort comforts us, so let us comfort one another … share the Shade.

You to You

Do you talk to yourself? I've heard it's okay until you start answering yourself! Paul David Tripp proposes "no one talks to you more than you do." Sounds absurd, but is it?  Each one of us lives by and makes decisions based on an accepted set of standards. We are ever and consistently contemplating present and future paths by these personally-held guiding principles as well as asking and answering ourselves by them. Proverbs 12:15 says, " The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel." Be sure when you're talking to yourself, you're hearing Godly counsel rooted in The Truth of God's Word.  It's always your best answer to yourself!

Aim to Honor

Mr. Bill usually hits what he's aiming at with the help of a trusted and well-sighted scope. Oh, how I would love to have a conversation with the Apostle Paul! His words are profoundly inspiring but sometimes leave me wanting to know more!  As he wrote to the Church at Corinth about a particular act of grace, he said, "For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of men." (2 Corinthians 8:21). For certain, in all things, Believers are first devoted to God but [interestingly] Paul takes Christianity a step further: "but also in the sight of men." There are numerous moral and social issues today about which Christians are divided. Early in our marriage, God led Mr Bill and I to make some personal choices to be distinctively different than what was socially and culturally acceptable, even among Christians.  At times we felt as we were swimming upstream, even a bit out-of-place. Because they were rooted in the call to be "set apart," God honored our choices.  A life-verse became, "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor." (1 Corinthians 10:24).  The Lord has shown me on [many] more than one occasion how my personal interests have often been self-seeking  and lacked honor. Paul's aim is clearly an honorable one -- one pressing for Christ illuminated in and through Believers.  Let us take aim and "whatever you do, do all for the Glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31b). Always aim to honor!

Spiritual Habits

Most of us have a morning routine - a ritual we go through as the day begins. I don't even have to look at the clock; I can gauge the time by Mr Bill's morning routine.  Proverbs 16:17 says, "The highway of the upright turns away and departs from evil; he who guards his way protects his life (soul)."  The phrase "highway of the upright" is a metaphor for the way a person lives habitually. The Believer - who seeks to live holy before God will choose a highway or habit that does not sin willfully. We do this by not compromising but [rather] consistently living by grace obediently to God's commands.  It it surely the divine protection plan. It's good and wise we faithfully evaluate our spiritual habits!

Digging

Many people I know love to dig in the dirt - they describe it as therapeutic!  My idea is "front porch" therapy: a cup of coffee, a book and the porch swing! Life poses many questions: some come in the form of choices, conversation or making important decisions.  Where do we go for the answers?  Available to us are shelves of good advice (although suspect) and otherwise clever voices of reason, but wise counsel?   We should also consider how sound is the counsel we offer other people.  Scripture warns us how foolish it is to trust in our own minds and ways of thinking (Proverbs 28:26).  Who among us doesn't face critical moments-of-decision [perhaps daily] when we need guidance and direction!  God says His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths (Psalm 119:105).  We are told to hide God's words in our hearts, hold tightly to His instructions, never letting go, for It is Life itself! (Proverbs 4:13).  I carry a small treasury of Scriptures with me everywhere I go because - quite frankly - I need help!  Digging in the yard may not be my passion, but honoring Christ with my life is!  Believers should be passionate about Christ and should ove to dig in God's Word, gather Its priceless gems of Truth, then apply them to life.  Make digging in God's Word a priority -- dig faithfully and dig often!

Court Day

Oh my, how everything and everybody seem to be put under a microscope these days. The real and overlooked issue is the unscrutinized one(s) doing the scrutinizing! I suggest it is not popularly accepted that there will come a day when everyone will be examined and judged by the only Righteous Judge. The Prophet Daniel read the "writing on the wall" for his king: "O Belshazzar, you have not humbled your heart - you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven - You have been weighed on the scales of righteousness and found deficient." (Daniel 5:22-23, 27, AMP). Chilling words for the ruler, "King Belshazzar, your time is up!" Regardless of whether man believes it or not [or chooses to live in denial of it], The Truth remains: "The Ancient of Days (God) took His seat ... The court was seated, and the books were opened." (Daniel 7:9, 10, AMP). Chilling words for each of us! As Savior-Redeemer, Jesus has Guaranteed [for those who believe], that day need not be a time of terror! Do you know The Ancient of Days, The Righteous Judge personally and The Messiah Who saves intimately? Make sure you do before ... court day!

Conclusion

There are certain things we have learned about this life - things indisputable. Besides the fact there will always be spiders (you know, I'm not a fan), one undeniable truth is that everyone's life comes to an end; sooner or later, our physical bodies give out and we breath no more. Paul David Tripp suggests [as Believers] we view all of mortal life in relation to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: "The resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection too." Scripture says: "Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also." (2 Corinthians 4:14). This truth speaks to time beyond our mortality, that there is more than the daily as we know it - something past an earthly conclusion. This truth gives hope but only to those who have by faith trusted in The One Who promises Hope beyond the last breath. Jesus Christ is that Hope - I pray He is your eternal conclusion to your earthly end.