My Ongoing Thoughts

SNAKE AND BAKE!

1/17/2020

A new twist on the old phrase “Shake and Bake” has apparently unfolded in North Carolina. According to a January 2, 2020 www.FoxNews.com article by Alexandra Deabler titled “North Carolina Family Cooks Frozen Pizza, Accidentally Bakes Snake”, we may well now have the answer to the age old question of “What’s for dinner?”!

It seems that a Wake Forest, North Carolina family was planning on a simple meal of frozen pizza at home this past Monday evening; but instead, they had their entire night ruined by a snake that somehow got into their oven.

Imagine the surprise awaiting Amber Helm and her husband Robert Monday night when they opened the oven to check on the pizza only to discover that they had actually cooked a snake in the process.

It all began when they started smelling smoke. “I opened up the oven and thought, ‘Is that part of the oven?’ I looked more closely and it was a snake,” Amber told The News & Observer.

The Helm family has no idea how the snake got into the oven – or how long it had been there. Mr. Helm was tasked with cleaning up the nearly 18-inch-long creature. Needless to say, no one ate the pizza that night; and the entire incident has left them all more than a little nervous. “I have two little boys so I’m just so concerned,” Mrs. Helm said.

Not surprisingly, the article concluded by saying that the Helm family is now looking into having someone come out and check their home for any other snakes. Not a bad idea!

For my part, I’ve had pepperoni pizza, sausage pizza, hamburger pizza, and even three-meat pizza! But I’ve never had snake pizza! I’m assuming it’s safe to say that it tastes like chicken! Seriously, I do not blame the Helms for not eating their pizza. I would have passed as well!

While my wife sand I have encountered a snake or two in the basement and/or the garage down through the years, we have never met one in the kitchen! And yet, what happened to the Helm family could just as easily have happened to us, or to you, or to any other person. Indeed, we are told that anywhere a snake can get its head, its body can definitely follow!

The truth is that snakes have been a danger to humans since we first came to be. The first two chapters of the Old Testament Book of Genesis give us an account of the creation of the world and of mankind. Immediately thereafter, in the third chapter, Adam and Eve encounter the serpent who entices them to succumb to temptation and sin.

While they are not physically bitten by the serpent, they are bitten spiritually, as it were. Moreover, they are poisoned with sin as a result of their encounter. Thereafter, they passed that poison down to all of us. And as the New Testament tells us (in I Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 56), that which brings about our spiritual death is the sting of sin we have all received!

But praise God, the very next verse (verse 57) tells us that we have overcome this death sentence by the victory we have been given in Christ Jesus!

These days, science has provided us something known as anti-venom. Whenever a person is bitten by a poisonous snake, he or she is immediately given an infusion of anti-venom to counteract the destructive power of the venom. Ironically, the anti-venom is made from venom!

In much the same way, Jesus Christ has made possible an antidote to the poison of sin. For when He allowed Himself to be crucified on our behalf, His death, brought about as a result of our own sin, paid the price for our sin and satisfied the wrath of God, making possible the new life that we now have available in Christ!

I’m glad no one in the Helm family was poisoned by the snake in their midst. But I’m also glad to know that they would have had available what the needed to overcome it if they had been.

I’m even gladder to know that Jesus Christ has provided me what I needed to overcome the poison of sin within me. And what He has done for me He has also done for you, my friend! If you are living under the sentence of death from the sting of sin today, I urge you to turn to the Great Physician, even as I have done! He alone has the cure for what ails us!

SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/north-carolina-family-frozen-pizza-snake.

Alexandra Deabler is a Lifestyle writer and editor for Fox News.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/kjv/1_corinthians/15.htm.

“EATIN’ GOOD?”

1/13/2020

We Baptist preachers are noted for certain things. Well, at least, we are often kidded about certain things. Among them are a propensity for long sermons and a love for southern fried chicken! I know because as part of a good-natured exchange with my parishioners, I take a lot of ribbing over these two items.

As regards long sermons, my only defense is that the greatest sermon ever preached, the famed “Sermon on the Mount” preached by Jesus Himself, is three whole chapters long. Not to mention that the book of Acts tells us that Apostle Paul preached so long into the night (Acts 20:9) at Troas that at midnight a young man fell asleep and tumbled out of the balcony!

Regarding my love for chicken, I admit that I have been personally responsible for quite a few chickens entering the ministry! (One bite at a time!) I like to remind everyone that it was actually a rooster who ratted on Simon Peter in the Gospels. And we preachers have all been duty bound ever since to even the score!

But the good folks in my church family know that there is one other food I simply love. I am a Cheetos junkie! Now, I know what the nutritionists all say. Cheetos are bad for you. They have no nutritional value and are full of synthetic and highly-processed ingredients. Apparently, one serving (about 21 individual pieces) has 150 calories and 10 grams of fat, but essentially no positive nutritional value.

But I also know one other thing: Cheetos are just about the best tasting thing on this planet!!! And I hope we get to eat them in Heaven!

Perhaps it was my love for Cheetos that made me notice the following recent headline: “Cheetos Announces Official Name For The Dusty Cheese Residue Left On Your Fingers”. The story, written by Alexandra Deabler, was published January 13, 2020 on www.Fox News.com.

As the headline indicates, the article deals with that cheesy residue we all get on our fingers whenever we eat Cheetos. At issue what to call this residue. Apparently, this has been a topic of discussion since Cheetos were first released way back in 1948.

The good news is that we do not have to worry anymore; because Cheetos has finally given it a name. The dusty-cheese byproduct of eating Cheetos that consumers, for decades, have known as “Cheetos fingers” (a description that even has its own Instagram hashtag) now has an official term: “Cheetle”.

According to a press release from Frito-Lay, "Cheetle" is defined as “that orange and red dust symbolic of true Cheetos fandom”. Henceforth, people might use the term "Cheetle" thusly: “My hands have Cheetle on them,” or, “Did you stain my shirt with Cheetle?”

To celebrate the coining of their new term, Frito-Lay is rolling out a brand-new product covered in Cheetle. For the first time ever, they will offer ready-to-eat popcorn “that has been infused with Cheetle.”

According to Brandi Ray, senior director of marketing for Frito-Lay North America: “We’ve seen the way Cheetos lovers don their red- and orange-dusted fingers like a badge of honor, and we’re always looking for ways to help them step up their snacking game. The only way to truly take popcorn to the next level is to add the iconic Cheetle, the cheesy dust that will entice Cheetos fans to snack on this popcorn all year long.”

Talk about a match made in Heaven! All I can say is “Sign me up!” Breakfast, lunch, and supper!

And yet, if I am to be honest, as much as I love both “Cheetos” and popcorn, I know in my heart that a diet consisting solely of such items would not really be healthy for me. While both of these items taste extremely good, I recognize that they are each to be consumed in moderation, meaning only periodically, and even then, as a snack, but never as a meal.

On those occasions when, viewing a ballgame or some such program, I have foregone a meal and eaten a large bowl of either, I have never really felt satisfied. Even if my appetite has been curbed, I have still felt somewhat of a “blah” feeling inside afterwards. And I know that I would never want to fill up on any such before going out to do a full day of manual labor.

The truth is that we are not designed to subsist of junk food. Rather, our bodies function best when we nurture them with a nutritious balance of genuinely wholesome foodstuffs from the basic groups reflected in the food pyramid. If we eat healthy, we tend to be healthy. And if we do not, we tend not to be.

Of course, what is true for our physical bodies is also true for our souls. We are designed to be nurtured on a steady diet of the Word of God. When we consume both the milk and the meat of God’s word regularly and consistently, we tend to be much healthier spiritually. But when we cheat ourselves and consistently consume only spiritual junk food, we serve merely to weaken ourselves spiritually; and we increasingly lose our effectiveness as followers of Christ.

STORY SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/cheetos-name-cheese-dust-residue-fingers-new-snack. The author, Alexandra Deabler, is a Lifestyle writer and editor for Fox News.

FIT FOR A KING

1/9/2020

Although he has been deceased since 1977, Elvis Presley remains among the top selling artists of all time. A recent ranking has him at number three in all time sales, just behind the Beatles and Garth Brooks. He leads the category for posthumous sales.

As the prototypical rock star, movie star, and sex symbol, one can only imagine what his life was like. Little wonder that we are told that he literally craved privacy. Indeed, some of the most intriguing videos of Elvis are the home movies posted online of him at joyous play on the fourteen acres of his Graceland estate. One can see him laughing hilariously as he is playing ball, riding horses, and driving his family around on his celebrated golf cart.

It is somewhat surprising, therefore, that in a highly publicized auction earlier this week, this famed golf cart did not draw any serious bidders. According to the headline of an article by Gary Gastelu, published January 09, 2020 on www.FoxNews.com, “Elvis Presley's Harley-Davidson golf cart duffs at auction”.

The beige and white vehicle is near pristine; and even though it doesn’t currently run, it remains all-original, save for the golf bag holder, which was removed complete with documentation. Apparently, the king of rock ‘n roll paid $1,055.38 for the cart before having it fitted out to his exact liking.

Before the auction, it was estimated that it would sell for $60,000 to $70,000. However, while lots of other items pulled in big bucks, no one even met the minimum bid of $20,000 for the cart.

I myself like to hear to Elvis sing. He was definitely gifted by God with a tremendous singing voice. I have a playlist on my device of some of his more famous songs. And I also have a gospel collection he released.

Nonetheless, what I find interesting is that a generation ago, any item even remotely associated with an entertainer of such stature would have been gobbled up. Now, however, as many of his fans are aging (like me) and passing on themselves, even the personal items of someone like Elvis are not as sought after as they once were. One assumes that, given enough time, even those that are still highly valued will lose some of their appeal.

All of this reminds us that all this world has to offer is fleeting. Life itself is short enough. Elvis got 42 years. And he certainly made the most of this time. He amassed a lot of fortune and fame. Yet with each passing year, even these things, sought so desperately by most people, still diminish.

The Psalmist (Psalm 144, verse 4) once stated “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” Peter understood this, and affirmed the following in his First New Testament Letter (Chapter 1, verse 24): “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

I believe Elvis understood this. While he had his share of personal struggles, as we all do, an examination of his discography record shows that, in and among his other recordings, he released Gospel albums and/or singles all throughout his career.

More to the point, it is reported by those who knew him that best that Elvis sometimes used to stay up all night singing gospel songs. He once said, "We do two shows a night for five weeks. A lotta times we'll go upstairs and sing until daylight - gospel songs. We grew up with it... it more or less puts your mind at ease. It does mine."

Perhaps this was his way of reminding us that even one who was considered a king in this world knew that he would one day stand before the One True King! When that time comes, nothing this world has to offer will compare to having been fitted for that moment!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.foxnews.com/auto/elvis-presleys-harley-davidson-golf-cart-duffs-at-auction

Gary Gastelu is FoxNews.com's Automotive Editor. He can be followed at @garygastelu.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/144.htm;

https://biblehub.com/niv/1_peter/1.htm.

ELVIS QUOTE SOURCE:

https://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/music/2009/02/elvis-presley-quotes.aspx.

Note that this page also records that Elvis once plainly stated: "There's only one king...and that's Jesus Christ."

WHAT’S UP YOUR SLEEVE?

1/5/2020

Most of us have seen the credit card commercial which asks the question “What’s in your wallet?” My title today is a take on that concept.

Recently, I was getting dressed for the office and was putting on my dress shirt. It had been duly washed, dried, and ironed by my precious wife (who simply will not allow me to go out of the house and off to work wearing a wrinkled shirt).

You all know the routine. Being right handed, my right arm went in the right sleeve first. This was followed by my left arm going into the left sleeve. It was then that I felt it. It did not hurt. It was not necessarily uncomfortable. But it was there where something in the mind told me that it shouldn’t be.

In response, I promptly retracted my left arm and shook out whatever was lodged in my garment. When it came out, it was a simple dryer sheet, placed in with the clothes by my wife to add fabric softener in the drying process. It had remained in the sleeve and had even undergone the ironing process. I concluded the latter because it was neatly pressed with a nice crisp crease from the iron.

For some reason, what came to my mind was the simple question: “What’s up your sleeve?” I did some research and discovered that it’s a common enough expression. Its origins come from the card playing days of the old west. Slick gamblers would generally keep an ace up their sleeve. We are all familiar with this concept.

But some also kept derringer pistols there as well. And in this sense, the phrase actually predates the wild west of America. It seems that assassins in the ancient world were known to often known to carry daggers hidden up inside their sleeves.

Another prominent use of the term comes from the world of illusion. Magicians and entertainers often conceal objects up their sleeves as props for their feats of magic. In this case, the immediate purpose is the same as for card playing – deception. Albeit, one can contend that the deception is harmless and designed more for entertainment rather than nefarious purposes.

Isn’t it interesting that most of what we associate with having something up one’s sleeve is negative? Is it possible to have things up one’s sleeve that serve some purpose other than these negative things? Perhaps so; and perhaps the soft, fresh smelling dryer sheet that popped out of my sleeve gives us a hint.

Perhaps we can find ways to approach people with some wonderful little surprise up our sleeve. Something that brings them relief from the all too harsh world in which we all live.

Something that soothes rather than grates, that refreshes rather than drains, and that uplifts rather than brings them down. In effect, we can find simple little ways to surprise others by uplifting and encouraging them in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is full of examples of people who did just that – who encouraged others in the name of and on behalf of God. Consider the following examples of Biblical encouragers…

1 Samuel 23:16: “And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in the Lord.”

Acts 11:23 “Then when Barnabus arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord…”

Acts 14:21-22: “Then Paul and Barnabus returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith…”

Acts 15:32: “Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren…”

Colossians 2:2: Paul writes and says, “My goal is that their (the Colossians’ and the Laodiceans’) hearts may be encouraged…”

Colossians 4:8: Paul writes and says, “For I have sent Tychicus to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.”

Colossians 4:11: Paul again says, “Justus and other fellow workers for the kingdom of God have proved to be an encouragement to me.”

Dryer sheets are quite inexpensive. A box of 240 costs just $8.94, for an average of 3.7 cents per sheet. Yet, just one of those sheets was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for me.

Likewise, one of the few things we can do each day that cost us very little and yet still has a powerful impact is a simple, unexpected, pleasant little word of encouragement!

So keep several of these up your sleeve; and be ready at a moment’s notice to pop one out whenever it might be needed. This simple act will prove a blessing to both you and the one you surprise with it!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/People-Encouraging-Others.

MAKING ONE’S MARK!

12/31/2019

As I pen this blog post, I am sitting up a little later than usual in order to usher in the new year. At this point, I still have about an hour to go before 2019 gives way to 2020. I can only hope I make it. Admittedly, my eyelids are a little heavy.

While much of the world is preparing to “party hardy”, as it were, I have been in somewhat more of a reflective mood. The reason is that I cannot seem to get a devotional I heard earlier in the day out of my mind. It was shared by Ron Hutchcraft on his daily “A Word With You” program.

He spoke about how he and his wife would often go to the beach and take walks together, leaving footprints behind them in the process. Of course, footprints left in the sand at the water’s edge were inevitably destined to be obliterated whenever the next wave came in - usually almost immediately!

By contrast, he observed, footprints made in concrete by the various stars of Hollywood outside Grauman’s Chinese Theater were destined to be around for a whole lot longer!

He then raised the issue of what sort of mark you and I can be said to have made upon this world. What sort of imprint, if any at all, will we have left upon the world whenever we depart this life? Will it be fleeting or lasting?

As I look back over 2019, I am compelled to ask myself what, if anything, I myself have done to leave a lasting imprint upon this world and its inhabitants.

As I have reflected on this, I have also been compelled to ask myself what, if anything, it is that I intend to do in 2020 that will leave a lasting impact on this world and its inhabitants.

In the New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 17, verse 6), we are told of a group of Christians who left quite an impact upon the world: “These are the men who have turned the world upside down and they have now come here also…”

I can only hope that such an epitaph will one day be attached to my own legacy as a follower of Jesus Christ. For this reason, I pray that what time I have left in this world will afford me opportunities galore to leave a lasting impact upon it!

And I intend to spend the coming year seeking opportunities to do just that! I trust you will join me as I do!

ILLUSTRATION SOURCE: https://www.hutchcraft.com/a-word-with-you/your-mission/footprints-the-tide-can-t-touch-8602.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://www.biblehub.com/acts/17-6.htm.

HOW SWEET IT IS!

12/28/2019

As a young Pastor, I realized early on the wisdom of the phrase: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Attributed to Saint Ambrose, this well-known phrase means that it is always advisable to follow the conventions of the area in which one is residing. Accordingly, I quickly learned that it was prudent for me as a Pastor to take my own time off and/or away when most of the congregation did.

In other words, it was not advisable for me to work through the week of July 4th while everyone else was gone, and then take my own vacation the week after school started back in the fall once everyone else was back in the proverbial saddle. For this reason, along with many others in my church family, I have been enjoying a little “down time” this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Of course, the great irony is that such “down time” can very often be “up time”! By this I mean that not being in the office, nor in meetings, nor out visiting, nor writing or delivering sermons, etc., I have found myself with the extra time needed to catch up on a small stack of items that, while not urgent, nonetheless needed attention.

My practice is to collect up such matters in a stack on the corner of my desk; and then to address them when I finally find the time. Until I do, I always see them as uncompleted projects. Thus, having now devoted the last two days to the disposition of such projects, all that comes to mind is another phrase – one made popular by Jackie Gleason: “How sweet it is!”

Leonardo da Vinci once famously declared that a well-filled day brings blessed sleep at its completion. I have found this sentiment to be true in the past; and I expect that it will true again today. For this reason, I look forward to a good night’s sleep tonight.

It strikes me that such a sentiment applies not only to a well-filled day, but also to a well-filled year. As we approach the end of 2019 and as 2020 looms, now might be a good time for you and me to ask ourselves just how productive we have been over the past year. It might also be a good time to ask ourselves how we might be more productive this coming year.

Ultimately, of course, the same is true for all of life. The full quotation from Leonardo da Vinci referenced above is: “Just as a well-filled day brings blessed sleep, so a well-employed life brings a blessed death.” The great sense of accomplishment that I have felt the last evening or two as I have cleaned up so many lingering projects has now reminded me once again of how I hope to feel when I come to the end of my time in this world.

In all of this, I have been reminded that a well-filled life comes about as a result of well-filled years, which themselves come about as a result of well-filled months, and these by well-filled weeks, and these by well-filled days, and these by well-filled hours, and these, ultimately, by well-filled moments! For this reason, I am committing myself to making the most of every moment in 2020! I urge you to join me and do much the same.

Together, we can make 2020 one of the sweetest years yet!

A POEM FOR CHRISTMAS

12/23/2019

THE WISE MEN by G. K. Chesterton

Step softly, under snow or rain,
    To find the place where men can pray;
The way is all so very plain
    That we may lose the way.

Oh, we have learnt to peer and pore
    On tortured puzzles from our youth,
We know all the labyrinthine lore,
We are the three wise men of yore,
    And we know all things but truth.

We have gone round and round the hill
    And lost the wood among the trees,
And learnt long names for every ill,
And serve the made gods, naming still
    The furies the Eumenides.

The gods of violence took the veil
    Of vision and philosophy,
The Serpent that brought all men bale,
He bites his own accursed tail,
    And calls himself Eternity.

Go humbly ... it has hailed and snowed...
    With voices low and lanterns lit;
So very simple is the road,
    That we may stray from it.

The world grows terrible and white,
    And blinding white the breaking day;
We walk bewildered in the light,
For something is too large for sight,
    And something much too plain to say.

The Child that was ere worlds begun
    (... We need but walk a little way,
We need but see a latch undone...)
The Child that played with moon and sun
    Is playing with a little hay.

The house from which the heavens are fed,
    The old strange house that is our own,
Where trick of words are never said,
And Mercy is as plain as bread,
    And Honour is as hard as stone.

Go humbly, humble are the skies,
    And low and large and fierce the Star;
So very near the Manger lies
    That we may travel far.

Hark! Laughter like a lion wakes
    To roar to the resounding plain.
And the whole heaven shouts and shakes,
For God Himself is born again,
And we are little children walking
    Through the snow and rain.

SOURCE: http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/the_wise_men.html.

WHO’S GETTIN’ WHAT!

12/19/2019

Here it is, less than a week before Christmas, and many of us are feeling the pressure. Well, at least those of us who have perhaps not been quite as diligent as we should have been in completing our shopping early are.

Seriously, if you are like me, you may find yourself slightly behind on your list of gifts to secure for those friends and family you desire to bless. This does not necessarily mean that I am a procrastinator. Nor does it mean that I am inherently irresponsible.

Rather, what it means is that, sometimes, the search for just the perfect gift to give someone can be frustrating, especially in this day and age when everybody seems to already have everything.

I was glad, therefore, when the Lord seemed to direct me recently to a quote from Charles Swindoll in his book titled Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life:

Some gifts you can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value: Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell someone, "I love you." Give something away - anonymously. Forgive someone who has treated you wrong. Turn away wrath with a soft answer. Visit someone in a nursing home. Apologize if you were wrong. Be especially kind to someone with whom you work. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or hypocrisy.

Can I be honest? As soon as I read this quote, my quandary over what to give certain people suddenly got a lot easier. In fact, I have already decided who’s about to get what!

Having now read this post, and Swindoll’s quote, I hope you have benefited in much the same way! As Jesus Himself told us: “Freely you have received; now freely give!”

QUOTATION SOURCE: Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing, 1994), pp. 400-401.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/matthew/10-8.htm.

PRECIOUS NAME!

12/16/2019

In recent few years, my wife and I have been blessed with several grandchildren. It is quite a blessing to watch each of them as they grow and mature. It is particularly wonderful to see them undergo many of life’s experiences for the very first time. My post today comes as a result of one such experience that recently unfolded.

Not too long ago, one of our grandsons was due his next round of shots. As his mother dutifully packed him into the car seat and prepared him for the trip to the doctor’s office for the ordeal, she discovered that he had grabbed an item from their living room to take with him on the trip. Of all things, held firmly in his iron-tight little grip was the small baby Jesus from their nativity scene!

Needless to say, she immediately recognized the great spiritual truth embedded within the whole situation. In this seemingly innocent little action, her son had actually illustrated a profound truth. For we who are followers of Jesus Christ know that whenever we face an impending difficulty, no matter how traumatic, we do not have to face it alone! Our Lord and Savior has promised to go through it with us!

We know this for two reasons. The first is because the Bible tells us so. In the New Testament Book of Hebrews (chapter 13, verse 5), we are reminded of God’s promise to us when He said: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

We are also told in the First New Testament Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (chapter 10, verse 13) that: “God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.”

The second reason is because all of us who are genuine believers have invariably lived out the truth of these promises! And we have the testimony of God’s faithfulness as a result.

My grandson survived the ordeal. He got through the doctor’s visit and made it back home just fine. I am happy to report that, other than a few expected side effects from his shots, he is now doing just fine!

And baby Jesus? He too completed the trip and is doing just fine. In fact, even now, He is ensconced once again in my grandson’s home, ready and willing to undertake any other journey and offer any other support wherein He might be needed.

I trust you know that this same Jesus has promised to be with you and with me as well. And for the very same reason and with the very same results! I hope you know this and that you understand that you do not have to travel the road of life alone! Remember the promise of the Psalmist (as found in Psalm 145, verse 18): “The LORD is near to all who call on him…”

I leave you with the words of a famous hymn written by Lydia Baxter nearly a century and a half ago…

Take the name of Jesus with you, Child of sorrow and of woe.
It will joy and comfort give you, Take it then where'er you go.

Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven;
Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

Take the name of Jesus ever, As protection ev'rywhere.
If temptations 'round you gather, Breathe that holy name in prayer.

Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven;
Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

At the name of Jesus bowing, When in heaven we shall meet,
King of kings, we'll gladly crown him When our journey is complete.

Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven;
Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

Amen!

SOURCES:

SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/hebrews/13-5.htm; https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/10-13.htm; and https://biblehub.com/psalms/145-18.htm.

HYMN:
https://hymnary.org/text/take_the_name_of_jesus_with_you_child_of.

NOTE:
I almost titled this particular blog post: "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee!" Cf. https://hymnary.org/text/i_need_thee_every_hour_most_gracious_lor.

NOTHING TO FEAR!

12/12/2019

This past week, I saw a young man wearing a t-shirt that had “NO FEAR” emblazoned boldly across its front. I realize, of course, that this phrase is merely a logo/slogan for an American lifestyle clothing brand that has since expanded into other products. But I still wondered if the young man sporting the shirt really and truly did live his life without any fear at all.

I quickly concluded that, if he did, then he was indeed a rare individual. You see, in my experience, most people live with multiple fears on a daily basis.

To name but a few, people daily contend with fears about their health, their careers, their finances, their relationships, their past, their future, etc, etc...

In fact, fear is such a prevalent component of modern life that our culture has developed a long list of phobias, or things which people seem to fear. Among them are:

Aerophobia: the fear of drafts.
Auroraphobia: the fear of the northern lights.
Calyprophobia: the fear of obscure meanings.
Chaetophobia: the fear of hairy people.
Dextrophobia: the fear of objects on the right side of the body.
Graphophobia: the fear of writing in public.
Levophobia: the fear of objects on the left side of the body.
Odontophobia: the fear of teeth.
Peladophobia: the fear of baldness and bald people.
Porphyrophobia: the fear of the color purple.
Stabisbasiphobia: the fear of standing and walking.
Thalassophobia: the fear of being seated.

And last, but not least, believe it or not, there is even an officially recognized condition known as:

Phobophobia: the fear of actually being afraid.

Do you suffer from any of these? I certainly hope not. But even if you do, then take heart, for you are not alone. Indeed, ostentatious t-shirts notwithstanding, the reality is that each and every one has one or more fears with which we regularly contend.

For this reason, even though it has been some 2000 years since the recorded events unfolded, the Biblical message of Christmas is quite relevant today. I say this because the Bible’s infancy (or Christmas) narratives continually address this business of living without fear.

For instance, we read in the New Testament Gospel of Luke (chapter 1, verse 13) that before Mary ever became pregnant with the baby Jesus, Zacharias, the aged husband of her cousin Elizabeth, was confronted by an angel and told: “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

Shortly thereafter, in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 1, verses 20 and 24), we discover that a man named Joseph was also confronted by an angel, who had this to say to him: “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife... Then Joseph ... did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him.”

Afterward, Luke continues his narrative (chapter 1, verses 30, 35, 37), as an angel appeared to Mary and stated: “Fear not, Mary... the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee... For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Finally, on the night of Jesus’ actual birth, the shepherds were also told not be afraid. The Gospel of Luke (chapter 2, verses 10-11) further states: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings... which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

And so, my friend, what can we conclude from all of this? We can conclude that, to truly live a life without fear, we must be willing to go beyond merely wearing a garment asserting any such. We must actually be willing to talk with God; and then we must also actually be willing to embrace His divine will for our lives.

Indeed, if we do these things, and only if we do these things, can we ever be truly assured that we have “nothing to fear”!

SOURCES:

LIST OF PHOBIAS:

Fraser Kent, Nothing to Fear: Coping With Phobias (New York: Doubleday & Company, 1977).

SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS:

https://biblehub.com/.

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