Be careful

A rabbi and a priest drive their cars into each other. It’s a bad accident. Both cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither one of them is hurt.

As they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest's collar and says, "So you're a priest. I'm a rabbi. Just look at our cars. There's nothing left but we are unhurt. God must have meant that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace the rest of our days."

The priest replies, "I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God."

The rabbi continues, "And look at this. Here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Kedem wine didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune."

Then he hands the bottle to the priest. The priest agrees, takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap on, and hands it back to the priest. The priest asks, "Aren't you having any?"

The rabbi replies, "No . . . I think I'll wait for the police."

It’s Friday, so laugh and use this anyway you want! Have a great weekend and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

Money

It happens from time to time - a lottery jackpot reaches an almost unfathomable amount, and people, fueled by media frenzy, rush to the convenient stores.

"You can’t win if you don’t play!"

"Who knows? Somebody has to win. Why not?"

During the latest frenzy there was a good article by NBC news entitled, "$500 million jackpot will buy you. . . misery." It tells of how the winners of big jackpots are often less happy after winning than they were before. The two winners should pay attention.

All that reminded me of a few verses of Scripture.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 — Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

1 Timothy 6:9,10 — People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Hebrew 13:5 — Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Amen.

Giving Gifts

I’m reading through the Bible again this year. I’m always surprised by the things I find along the way – things I forgot, things I now see differently.

This year I am reading primarily The Message, Eugene Peterson’s translation/paraphrase of Scripture. Yesterday’s reading included a sentence, found in Ephesians 4:29, that really struck me.

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

There is a lot to consider from this verse, but the last phrase, especially, caught my attention. Have you ever thought of each word you form possibly being a gift?

‘Tis the season to give gifts.

How about we give some early Christmas gifts with our words today? Encouragement. Support. Loving instruction.

I’m going to try doing that today.

Unmovable

Did you see this in the news?

An elderly couple in China refused to sign an agreement to allow their home to be demolished, so the authorities built a road around the building.

I’m not sure what to think about that.

I guess one way would be to say they are stubborn and selfish. There is another way to look at it, the way I am choosing this morning. There are times when you must stand for what you believe in.

Knowing one from the other is a matter of spiritual discernment that needs to be rooted in a firm understanding of God’s story and through a relationship with a community of others also living in the Story.

* * *

I Corinthians 15:58 — Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

What are the unmovable things in your life?

Simple Prayer

Do you ever need help praying? I do.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed at times with all the needs and requests. There is so much to pray for! Sometimes the feeling of being overwhelmed stops us from praying at all.

Many years ago I received some very good counsel about prayer, especially when you feel overwhelmed: keep it simple.

Here’s a sample of a simple prayer that I came across in Proverbs 30.

"God, I’m asking for two things

before I die; don’t refuse me—

Banish lies from my lips

and liars from my presence.

Give me enough food to live on,

neither too much nor too little.

If I’m too full, I might get independent,

saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’

If I’m poor, I might steal

and dishonor the name of my God."

Isn’t that a wonderful prayer?

Let’s keep growing in truthfulness, both in what we speak and in what we hear from others.

Let’s seek the balance and satisfaction that only God can supply, becoming totally dependent upon him.

It’s a good place to start.

Family Reunion

A frustrated man in his 80s, living in Florida, calls his son in New York one November day, shortly before Thanksgiving.

He says to his son, "I hate to tell you this, but we’ve got some troubles here. Your mother and I can’t stand each other anymore, and we’re getting a divorce. I want to live out the rest of my years in peace. I’m telling you now, so you and your sister won’t go into shock later when I move out."

He hangs up, and the son immediately calls his sister in the Hamptons and tells her the news. The sister says, "I’ll handle this."

She calls her father in Florida and says, "Don’t do ANYTHING until we get there! We’ll be there Wednesday night."

The father agrees, "All right."

The old man hangs up the phone, "high-fives" his wife and proudly says, "Okay, they’re coming for Thanksgiving. Now, what are we going to tell them to get them here for Christmas?"

Happy a thankful Thanksgiving!

Give Thanks Always

It’s hard to believe, and it’s even harder to practice. Yet God asks us to believe it and to practice it.

What?

Giving thanks always! Always? Yes, always.

Here it is:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It’s true that there is always something for which to be thankful, even in bad circumstances. It’s true because it’s rooted in who God is and how he works, especially working in the bad to bring good.

At the most basic level, we should be thankful no matter what. Every breath you take today is a gift from God. May each exhalation be a brief but powerful praise, a "thank you" to the giver of life, no matter what circumstance you find yourself in today.

Thank you Lord!

Give Thanks

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.


Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.


In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.


Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Ten Dollars

Fred and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year. Every year Fred, pointing to an old biplane, would say, "Edna, I'd like to take a ride." Edna would always say, "I know Fred, but that ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars."

One year they went to the fair, and Fred said, "Edna, I'm 71 years old. If I don't ride that airplane this year I may never get another chance." Edna resisted, "Fred that airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars."

The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take you both up. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say one word, I won't charge you, but if you say one word it's ten dollars."

Fred and Edna agreed. Up they go! The pilot does all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but not a word is heard.

They land and the pilot turns to Fred, "Well, I did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you didn't. The ride is free."

Fred replied, "Well, I was going to say something when Edna fell out of the plane, but ten dollars is ten dollars."

* * *

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. [2 Corinthians 9:6-8]

Simply Praying

Here are some beautiful words by Mary Oliver.

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch


a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway


into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

* * *

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." [Luke 18]

Confession vs. Concealment

You’ve probably heard comments and jokes about Patraeus rhyming with "Betray us." I’m not here to talk about the General’s problem but rather the general problem of covering up sin.

The first thing Adam and Eve did, after sinning, was to cover up and hide, and we have been doing it ever since.

The problem is that sin has a way of calling attention to itself and exposing us in the process.

Along time ago, the people of God were warned, ". . . Be sure that your sin will find you out." Exposure. Embarrassment. Condemnation.

Writing young Timothy, Paul, the mentor, said, "The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them."

Either way, your sins will be discovered.

What are we to do? We all have sin. Honest confession and transparency are the best way to go. It’s quite liberating and leads to healing of all kinds.

James, the brother of Jesus, says, " . . . Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

Confess to trusted others. Do not conceal. Ultimately confess to a loving, forgiving God, receiving peace and joy.

Proverbs 28:13 — He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Asleep in the Storm

Decades ago, farmers came to the country fair to find hired hands for the next year. One farmer spotted a strong boy and asked, "What can you do?"

The boy answered answer in an unusual way, "I can sleep when the wind blows."

The farmer didn’t really like the answer and started to walk away, but he turned back and said, "What did you say?"

"I can sleep when the wind blows."

"Well," said the farmer, "I don’t know what that means, but I’m going to hire you anyway."

Winter came, followed by spring, and the new hired hand was steady and simply did his job. Nothing remarkable. One night a strong wind blew, and it created deep concern for the farmer. He got out of bed and hurried to the barn, thinking he would help the hired hand prepare for the storm.

When he got to the barn, he was surprised to see the hired hand’s sleeping quarters dark and quiet. The farmer was disappointed that the boy was asleep, but he quickly noticed that all the animals were in the barn, the doors and windows were prepared, as were the gates.

The hired hand had anticipated the storm and prepared for it. Then the farmer remembered this young man’s unusual words.

"I can sleep when the wind blows."

Crouching Sin

It’s one of those sentences that really grabs my attention. It paints quite a picture.

Cain and Abel came to worship the Lord. Abel did it right, because he gave his best. Cain did not give his best and was criticized for it. This made Cain angry, angry enough to kill his brother.

Before Cain commits the murder, the Lord warns him with these words (in Genesis 4):

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It’s that last part that grabs me: "Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you master it."

Wow, that’s worth thinking about! It was true then, and it’s true today. We need to be alert, careful, and aware that we have an enemy that is hell-bent on our destruction. Be careful how you live this week.

If you belong to God, then you know you can overcome the challenges, trials, and temptations that will be yours. Master them by the power of the Master!

Head Hog

The church secretary answered the phone and then heard a very countryfied voice on the other end saying, "I want to talk to the head hog at the trough!"

Puzzled, the secretary said, "Excuse me sir?"

"I said I want to talk to the head hog at the trough!"

She then realized what the man wanted. He wanted to talk to the pastor. Somewhat indignant she said, "Sir if you want to talk to our pastor, you will have to address him properly. You should call him Pastor, or Reverend, or Brother, but you certainly cannot refer to him as the Head Hog at the Trough!"

The man on the other end said in a country drawl, "Oh, I just wanted to donate $10,000 to the church."

The secretary promptly replied with friendly enthusiasm, "Can you hold please, I think the big pig just walked through the door!"

I find that funny! It also reminds me of these words from James 2.

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Have a great weekend, and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

A Good Prayer

John Baillie, a Scottish theologian who died in 1960, wrote a devotional book entitled, "A Diary of Private Prayer." Here is a prayer that seems very appropriate for this week.

Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.

Let me use disappointment as material for patience;

Let me use success as material for thankfulness;

Let me use suspense as material for perseverance;

Let me use danger as material for courage;

Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering;

Let me use praise as material for humility;

Let me use pleasures as material for temperance;

Let me use pains as material for endurance.

Amen.

Gentle Answer

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

These words are true. We know they are, don’t we?

I’ve proven/experienced the second line a lot over the years, and I am working on making the first line my practice. Lord, help me.

Blessings in Diguise

I heard it again the other day – a beautiful and powerful song that arrests my attention, grabs my heart, and speaks to me every single time.

It’s "Blessings" by Laura Story. Here are a few of the words:

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater

thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?

Then the beautiful chorus:

. . .What if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are

Your mercies in disguise?

Story echoes and points me to these life-changing words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.

He (the Lord) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Thanks, Paul and Laura, I needed that.

Prayer for the Week

Here is it again. Monday. I hope you are ready for all the opportunities that will unfold before you this week. Are you ready?

As we launch into this week, I invite you to join me in saying this prayer, prayed a long time ago by David, recorded in Psalm 139:23,24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

It’s a great prayer for the week, don’t you think?

Drive Safely

Three big burly fellows on huge motorcycles pulled up to a highway diner where a truck driver, just a little guy, was perched on a stool quietly eating his lunch.

As the three fellows came in, they were feeling in the mood for a fight. They spotted the small framed trucker, grabbed his food away from him, and laughed in his face.

The truck driver said nothing. He got up, paid for his food and walked out.

One of the three cyclists, unhappy that they hadn’t succeeded in provoking the little guy into a fight, commented to the waitress, "Boy, he sure wasn’t much of a man, was he?" The waitress replied, "Well, I guess not."

Then, looking out the window, she added, "I guess he’s not much of a truck driver, either."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, he just ran over three motorcycles as he left."

Drive safely this weekend and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

What's your Focus?

I read a couple of things the other day that I want to place together. Here’s the first one.

I am not what I ought to be,

Not what I want to be,

Not what I am going to be,

But I am thankful that

I am better than I used to be.

And now for the second:

"How much more pleasant this world would be if we magnified our blessings the way we magnify our disappointments."

I think they are related, and they are related to, and reflect, this wonderful thought in 2 Corinthians 4.

. . .We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.