My Ongoing Thoughts

MAKING AN IMPACT!

5/22/2020

The title of Daniel Canova’s article yesterday (May 21, 2020) on www.foxnews.com pretty much says it all: “European Golfer Joost Luiten ‘Almost Kills’ Girlfriend In Social-Distancing Trick Shot”.

The Dutch golfer shred on social media this week that he “almost killed” his girlfriend while practicing a “trick shot” with his caddy, who was throwing him his golf club from a few feet away due to coronavirus pandemic guidelines. Luiten, who is ranked the 98th golfer in the world, was attempting to go directly into a swing after he caught his club, but wasn’t initially having much success contacting the ball.

But, but after a few tries at it, he made solid contact and accidentally sent the ball in the direction of his girlfriend, Melanie-Jane Lancaster, who had been standing nearby shooting a video of Luiten’s activity.

The resultant video shows the golfer grabbing his face in shock as his girlfriend lets out a cry of pain. Fortunately, for all involved, Ms. Lancaster only suffered a bruise from the incident. The video was later posted to Instagram with this caption: “Pff playing golf with a caddy and keeping the 1.5m is hard. Almost killing my girlfriend in the process(sic) trying to master social distancing (she survived, just a bruise).”

Now, I’m not knocking Mr. Luiten. What unfolded was purely accidental and could have happened to anyone. But the truth is that just about everyone (including me) can relate to this situation. You see, we have all been in situations like the one in which he and his girlfriend suddenly found themselves.

By this I mean that, at some point or another, most of us have been engaged in some form of behavior that eventually hurt someone else, even when that was not at all our intention. Likewise, most of us have also been on the receiving end of someone else’s innocent, but nonetheless careless and/or reckless antics.

Many times in life this happens as a result of what we do (or do not do). But often, it happens merely as a result of what we say or do not say!

For this reason, it behooves us all to be sensitive to the impact that our words and deeds can have on others. As well as the lack of words and deeds.

This is especially important for those of us who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us of several great truths in his Second New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (chapter 5, verse 20). Here, he states that “we are Christ’s ambassadors”, that “God is making his appeal through us”, and that “We speak for Christ…” Simply put, we represent another One from another world, even while we live in the midst of this one!

Little wonder then that Paul later gave the following admonition to the Colossians in his New Testament Letter to them (in chapter 3, verse 17): “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”

Both the things we say and the things we do invariably have an impact on others. Let’s be careful then, and as much as is possible, do our best to make certain that our words and deeds serve only to affirm and benefit others. For this is as Christ would have it!

ARTICLE SOURCES:

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/european-golfer-almost-kills-girlfriend-social-distancing-trick-shot. The writer, Dan Canova, is a Sports Reporter for Fox News. He can be followed on Twitter @DanCanova.

The article provides an online link to the actual video, as captured by his girlfriend.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-20.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-17.htm.

WEIGHTY MATTERS!

5/18/2020

Every conqueror throughout history has had to learn the same basic hard lesson: it is far easier to invade a territory than to occupy it! Whether it was Alexander marching his Greeks across the length and breadth of the mighty Persian empire and into far flung India, or simply Saddam gobbling up little Kuwait, the initial land grab has always proven a bit hard to hold.

Similarly, it took my wife and me only a few short days to move into our new home. Now, however, the process of settling in and actually establishing a long-term presence is underway. Only time will tell how long and how difficult this current phase of the occupation takes.

Nonetheless, we press on. And as each new box is opened, and its contents disgorged and situated, we get closer and closer to our goal. Bedroom, bathroom, living room - one by one, each new territory has been subdued and then fallen submissively into place.

Today, it was the pantry's turn. My wife worked diligently to conquer and to organize it. When she was finally done, I could not help but view her work with admiration. There on the shelves in front of me sat boxes of trail mix, peanuts, cashews, popcorn, Cheez-Its, and yes, even glorious Cheetos!

There were even some containers with chocolate flavored candy and other assorted high-calorie snacks. For my part, as might be imagined, I was beside myself with joy. It was like finding myself suddenly being reunited with long lost loved ones!

But alas! My joy was to be short-lived. For right there, in full view down on the floor in front of this marvelous display of gastronomic delight lay our bathroom scales! That’s right! My loving wife had strategically placed them there as a convicting reminder that the two of us will soon wear in public whatever we consume in private!

Needless to say, my appetite quickly began to wane. In due time, it had abated completely. And to this very moment, try as I might, no matter how many times I pass by those shelves, I just cannot bring myself to put one single snack in my mouth! Why? Because my conscience simply won’t allow it.

As I have reflected on the matter, I have been reminded of a Bible verse many of us learned back in the day in Vacation Bible School. It was the Old Testament Psalmist who originally declared (in chapter 119, verse 11): “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

That, of course, is the famed King James Version of this verse. The Good News Translation puts it this way: “I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.” And the English Revised Version translates it as: “Thy word have I laid up in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Just as my wife has now laid a set of scales in the heart of our pantry in order to check any unbridled self-indulgence that might undermine our physical health, so does the Psalmist affirm that he has laid up God’s word in his heart to insure that he does not violate those Godly principles that govern his own spiritual health!

For my heart, I will likely never again look at our set of bathroom scales the same way. And whenever I do look at them, I pray that I will be reminded of the crucial importance of keeping God’s Word in a central place in my life as well!

Perhaps you might also need to reposition a thing or two in your life. Say, for instance, a set of scales? Or better yet, how about the Word of God itself?! After all, in the long run, your health - your spiritual health - may very well depend upon it!

SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/119-11.htm.

CLEAR CONNECTION

5/15/2020

Ask anyone who has undergone the process of moving and they will likely tell you that there is a great deal more involved in transitioning from one place of residence to another than merely packing, transporting, and then unpacking one’s possessions. I can now attest to this truth.

After several weeks occupied with such issues, I finally found time to turn my attention the equally important matter of getting our utilities squared away here in our new home. Chief among these has been the setting up of the electricity, gas, water, trash, and similar such accounts. After addressing these basic necessities, I then called and got set up for internet, telephone, and television.

In our previous residence, we received all three of these services in a bundle together through a dependable cable provider. Unfortunately, as cable does not extend out to where we now live, this is not an option. Therefore, having done my due diligence, I finally settled upon a reputable satellite service for these provisions.

Things worked well for several days; and we were quite satisfied. But then, all of a sudden, we lost our signal. We abruptly found ourselves without internet, telephone, and/or television. Ouch! In the short term, we managed to survive by tapping into my cellphone’s built-in “mobile hot spot” app. But we needed more than this. So we called a repairman.

When the repairman showed up earlier today, we quickly discovered what the problem was. I learned about something called a “TRIA” unit. The acronym “TRIA” stands for “Transmit and Receive Integrated Assembly”. This unit sits directly opposite the dish on satellite receivers and manages the signals to and from the satellite above to the modem inside one’s home. It is often described as the brains of one’s satellite dish.

In layman’s terms, what a “TRIA” does is facilitate the communication back and forth between one’s computer and the communications satellite orbiting miles overhead in the heavens above. And ours was not working correctly!

Why? Because, for whatever reason, condensation had built up behind the lens in the “TRIA” and was now interfering with the two way signal between the satellite above and the modem within. The repairman replaced the faulty “TRIA” unit and “Voilà!”, everything immediately began to work correctly!

Now, I do not know exactly why the “TRIA” unit on our satellite dish was faulty. But for whatever reason, it was. Water, a foreign substance which did not belong there, had somehow found its way inside the unit; and when it did, it interfered with the signal so that the unit no longer worked in the way in which it was designed. As a result, the communication between the satellite above and our modem within our home was effectively blocked.

As I reflected on this matter, I was reminded of what happened in chapter 3 of the Old Testament Book of Genesis, when sin entered into the equation and disrupted the communication between Heaven and earth. As a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, our relationship with Heaven was permanently broken. And it took a uniquely qualified Repairman to fix the issue!

Enter Jesus Christ! God’s Son came into this world and gave His life in order to fix our problem! As a result of His reparative action, our relationship with Heaven above has been mended. And now, by God’s grace, communication with Heaven is once again possible, and beneficial!

In his First New Testament Letter (chapter 1, verse 9), the apostle John states: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Based on this truth from God’s Word, I challenge you to consider whether or not there is any obstruction between your heart and Heaven’s throne.

If there is, then by all means, call upon the Ultimate Repairman Himself, Jesus Christ; and allow Him to do what He alone can do –which is to clear away any and all impurities that inhibit your rapport with Heaven! Once you do, your relationship with Heaven will be forever restored!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/1_john/1-9.htm.

A RETURN TO NORMALCY

5/11/2020

Warren G. Harding ran for the office of President of the United States in the 1920 election with the slogan “A Return to Normalcy”. These were the days immediately following the First World War, wherein almost everyone’s life had been interrupted and forever altered. In such a time, his slogan must have resonated well with American voters; for he defeated his Democratic opponent, James M. Cox, by nearly a 2 to 1 margin.

Harding promised to return the United States to its pre-war character, before the concept of total war and all it entailed had consumed the minds of the American people. He summarized his approach this way:

America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration; not agitation, but adjustment; not surgery, but serenity; not the dramatic, but the dispassionate; not experiment, but equipoise; not submergence in internationality, but sustainment in triumphant nationality.

No doubt many today can relate to this sentiment! How many of us find ourselves longing for the “good ol’ days” before we ever heard of something called COVID-19?! It is with great anticipation, therefore, that so many await “the return to normalcy” as the pandemic subsides in the coming days. I, for one, am among them!

I retired from the pastorate on March 8th of this year. One week later, churches all over America stopped worshiping together “en masse”. It’s now been two months and many of them are still not yet gathering for worship. As a Pastor, I am not accustomed to not attending church. While I certainly understand the reasoning behind “flattening the curve”, I just miss assembling regularly with the people of God.

As if this sudden loss of interaction with our church family of nearly two decades was not bad enough, my wife and I also found ourselves being uprooted from the home in which he we had lived for the past nineteen years. The last two months have been consumed with the move (packing, transporting, and unpacking) from our previous home to our new one.

Thus, in a period of two short months, we have had to undergo very significant changes in three major contexts of life: professional, residential, and ecclesiastical. Needless to say, none of these have been easy. As a result, the two of us are in complete agreement that we are now ready for a “return to normalcy”!

In 586 B.C., the children of Judah were besieged and overrun by the Babylonians. Almost out of nowhere, the people of God were captured and marched off in chains to a foreign land hundreds of miles away. There, in Babylon, for the next seventy years, they were held in captivity.

During that time, they longed for what all they had once had, and also for the future in which they could have it once again. Eventually, in 516 B.C., God answered their prayers and allowed them to return home. But when they did, they found a land that was at once both the same and different. To be sure, it was still Judah, the very land they had been given by God. And yet, it was a very different Judah! For it had changed considerably over the intervening years. And while it would always be home for them, it would never be quite the same as it had been before.

Of course, the good news in all of this is that even though their circumstances had changed, their God had not! He was the One consistent force in their lives. He was the One who was the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And with His help and guidance, therefore, they could make a life again, no matter what their circumstances!

It is at this point that my wife and I can relate to God’s people of so long ago. We too have found ourselves in a position where our world has changed – both suddenly and rapidly. And in the process, we have longed for “a return to normalcy”.

Thankfully, after two months of furious activity, our world is finally starting to settle down. While to some degree, we are still living out of boxes, we are at least ensconced in our new residence. While we have new phone number, at least we have phone service. While our mail is in the process of being forwarded to a new address, at least we have mail service. While we have a new internet service provider, at least we have access to the web. And while we have all kinds of new channel numbers, at least we have cable TV! (After all, who could possibly live without access to The Andy Griffith Show?!)

Of course, having one’s life settle down involves so much more than merely the accoutrements of one’s residence. This is especially true for me in my profession as a Minister.

Therefore, now that I have “settled in” to my new home, I also plan to “settle in” to a new discipline. To begin with, I was forced to let my exercise cycle go during the process of our move. But this very day, I resumed exercising.

In a similar fashion, our recent move necessitated interruptions to my previously established regimen of blogging. However, as of tonight, I am now “back on track” there as well.

Just as our God has not changed, neither has my calling to serve Him! The only change here is in what capacity. As many of you know, I felt led to retire from the pastorate solely for the purpose of transitioning to a writing career. It is now my firm intention to follow through on that and begin writing in earnest. Over the coming weeks and months, I plan to continue to post regular blogs with what I hope are thoughtful and relevant ideas.

At the same time, I hope to begin writing books, and especially novels, which will be designed to have an impact for the Kingdom of God in this world. (I will be saying more about all of this in the coming days.)

In the meantime, as I continue boldly down this unknown trail into what will become my own personal and professional “new normal”, I covet your prayers. May God bless my efforts as I now pursue what all I believe He has called me to do!

STATUS CHECK...

5/4/2020

To All My Faithful Blog Post Readers...

Thank you for being patient with me during these last few days. Over the past week, my wife and I have been in the process of moving from one home to another. During this time of transition, I have found myself without two key ingredients essential for sharing my ongoing thoughts.

The first of these has been having basic access to the internet. I was without it for a few days. But, thanks to my new ISP, as this short update shows, I now have that issue resolved.

The second issue has been even more critical. It has to do with time. As anyone who communicates regularly knows, it simply takes time to compose and present one's thoughts. Unfortunately, over the last week, the process of relocation has so occupied my time that I have not had the opportunity to write any regular blog posts.

By God's grace, however, we are finally getting settled in at our new residence. As a result, my plans are to resume blogging in earnest by the end of this week - hopefully with little or no further interruptions in the foreseeable future.

Until then, my wife and I appreciate your prayers. As well as your forbearance. They each mean a lot!

NOTEWORTHY!

4/29/2020

The Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. is closed right now due to the coronavirus pandemic. But when it does reopen, it will have two very special Bibles on display for the viewing public. These two Bibles belonged to none other than Elvis Presley.

According to an article published earlier today on www.FoxNews.com and titled “Elvis Presley's Notes Show He Probably Read This Book of the Bible Most”, the young man who would go on to change the world from the little town of Tupelo, Mississippi apparently read his Bible fairly regularly.

The article reminds us that we should not necessarily be surprised that Elvis’ work was somehow impacted by the Bible. After all, he got his start performing in an Assembly of God Church back there in Tupelo.

What is more, though Elvis was known as the King of Rock n’ Roll, his only Grammy awards were actually for his Gospel music, winning “Best Sacred Performance” in 1967 and “Best Inspirational Performance” in both 1972 and 1974.

In any event, as the title suggests, one Biblical Book in particular seems to have had special appeal for him: the Old Testament Book of Psalms. The museum's lead curator of art and exhibitions, Amy Van Dyke, said she could tell it was "something special to him" by all the notes found in the margins.

According to Van Dyke, "His favorite book, from what it looks like, was the book of Psalms. Because in the book of Psalms there's a lot of notations and writings in there, which makes sense because it's a book of songs. So for a musician, it made a lot of sense. And in the back of that Bible, there's also some writing and some stanzas that he's written in there and poems and other things that really spoke to him."

Dr. Jeffrey Kloha, chief curatorial officer at the museum, further reminds us that it should be no surprise that the “King” spent so much time in the Book of Psalms. “Musicians have always found inspiration in the Psalms," Kloha said. "Like Elvis, J. S. Bach, for example, wrote notes in his Bible throughout the Psalms. This is because the Psalms themselves are intended to be sung, and have been sung in churches and synagogues for centuries.”

If you desire to know more, check out a series called "Lonesome Curator" on www.YouTube.com. Here, the Museum of the Bible staff has been sharing about its treasures while the gates remain closed. For now, though, based on this article, I have a thought or two to share.

To be sure, there are those who believe it is wrong to write notes inside a Bible. In the world where I grew up, this was certainly the case. Some considered it a grievous sin to “mark up” God’s Word.

(Ironically, many of those same people readily filled in the genealogical charts provided in the pages of their family bibles. And if no such charts were there, they eagerly wrote the names and births of their children and grandchildren. Even more ironic, they often gobbled up the notes of C. I. Schofield printed in the margins as if they were as inspired as the very words of Holy Writ they accompanied!)

My own conviction, however, is that it is entirely appropriate to write notes in one’s Bible. I say this for two reasons…

First, because no document in the history of this world is more noteworthy than is the Holy Bible itself! By this I mean that no other written work is more designed to evoke a response from human beings than is the Word of God! And this leads to the second reason.

A Bible filled with notes is a Bible that has been read! More than this, a Bible filled with notes is a Bible with which some reader has had some level of genuine personal interaction! In short, a marked up Bible got read, and got embraced!

Such was clearly the case for a man named Elvis Aaron Presley. Such is the case for yours truly. (I, too, have many “marked up” Bibles!)

The real question is: “Is such the case for you?!” If your own Bible were ever put on display, would it testify to your having read it? More to the point, would it testify to the fact that you interacted with it? That you believed it? And that you believed it enough to put its assertions into practice? In effect, that you tried it and proved its relevance?

Before you answer, remember that whatever your response is, it will be worthy of being noted!

SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/bible-elvis-presley-favorite-book-museum-washington-dc.

NOTE: The reporter, Caleb Parke, is an associate editor for www.FoxNews.com. He can be followed on Twitter @calebparke.

CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?!

4/24/2020

A few years ago, a popular cell phone commercial employed the catchphrase: “Can you hear me now?” My title today is a play on that question.

On my desk in my study, I have what is a called a “Hidden Jesus” plaque that looks much like the following on taken from www.worthpoint.com:

Did you see Jesus here? If not, look again. And then look again. Eventually, you will see “Jesus”. And once you see Him there, never again will you not see Him there!

As I begin to focus my thoughts on my future writing career, I have now planned out several books. One of them that I am working on has the running title of “Christ in the Movies”. In it, I plan to explore how often and when and where Jesus is reflected in movies and television.

Continuing my thoughts from my last post on “The Andy Griffith Show”, I thought I would devote tonight’s blog to one such example of how Jesus can be seen in film.

Fans of the series will be familiar enough with the first episode of the third season, titled “Mr. McBeevee”. According to “The Andy Griffith Show Wiki”, in this episode:

Opie weaves the fabulous tale of Mr. McBeevee, a man who walks in the treetops, wears a silver hat, has twelve extra hands, blows smoke from his ears, and jingles when he walks as if he had rings on his fingers and bells on his toes. But other than those few quirks, Mr. McBeevee is normal.

Andy and Barney laugh it off, but when Opie brings back a quarter he claims was given to him by his friend, Andy is forced to call the stories to a halt. Faced with the threat of a spanking, Opie is still unable to betray the existence of Mr. McBeevee. Andy may have to accept the unacceptable in the face of Opie's insistence.

Later, when out for a walk, Andy happens past the very same tree Mr. McBeevee, a telephone linesman, is working in. Andy gets his own introduction to the man who walks in the trees and Opie is vindicated.

To “accept the unacceptable” is better grasped by the reviewing the actual script. As recounted by M. G. Piety, the two crucial scenes in the episode unfold as follows:

“Opie,” Andy says, “there comes a time when you have to stop the play acting and tell the truth, and that time is now, right now. Opie, I want you to be man enough to tell me that Mr. McBeevee is just make believe. That’s all you have to say and it will all be forgotten. But if you don’t, then something else is going to happen. I believe you know what I mean, don’t you.”

“Yes, Pa,” Opie mumbles without looking up.

“Alright,” says Andy, “I want you to say that Mr. McBeevee is just make believe.”
But Opie can’t do it. He tries, but he stops before he can complete the sentence.
“I can’t Pa,” he says trembling and looking directly into his father’s eyes. “Mr. McBeevee isn’t make believe. He’s real.”

Andy shakes his head sadly.

“Don’t you believe me Pa? Opie asks pleadingly, "Don’t you Pa?”

Opie, lower lip trembling, is on the verge of tears. Andy stares disappointedly into his son’s face. Then suddenly his expression changes. There’s a brief look of incredulity, not at what his son is saying, but at something else, something at which the viewer can only guess. He sighs resignedly, smiles slightly, and responds: “I believe you.”

When Andy comes downstairs again to Barney and Aunt Bee, he informs them that he has not spanked Opie after all.

“Well that’s good,” says Barney with obvious relief. “He learned his lesson. A good talking to is the best thing. Making him stay in his room…”

“I didn’t do that either,” says Andy, lighting a cigarette.

“Well what did you do?” asks Barney.

“I told him I believed him,” responds Andy.

“You told him you BELIEVED him,” Barney blurts out. “But Andy, what he told you is impossible!”

“Well,” Andy explains, “a whole lot of times I’ve asked him to believe things that to his mind must have seemed just as impossible.”

“But Andy, the silver hat, the jingling, the smoke from his ears, what about all that?”

“Well,” says Andy, “I guess at a time like this, when you’re asked to believe something that just doesn’t seem possible, that’s a moment that decides whether you’ve got faith in somebody or not.”

“Well how can you explain it all?” asks Barney.

“I can’t,” responds Andy.

“But you do believe in Mr. McBeevee?”

“No,” responds Andy. ”But I believe in Opie.”

More than one person has pointed out that before he became an actor, Andy Griffith gave some consideration to becoming a Christian Minister in the Moravian Church. As a singer, he also recorded and released numerous gospel songs. For this reason, it is not hard to see the Christian imagery intentionally embedded within this particular scene.

Opie has met an individual who comes down from above with the business of improving communication and relationships between people. This individual is good to Opie, who is turn wants others to come to know him as well. But Opie’s testimony about this individual and his many characteristics and abilities is not received well by others, who view Opie’s words with great suspicion.

One among them, however, chooses to believe the testimony despite the irrationality of it all. Later, when the time comes, this person (Andy) is rewarded by also coming to know the same wonderful individual from above.

The closing scene is particularly powerful. As Andy wanders through the woods, he walls out the name of “Mr. McBeevee” in utter desperation. To his great surprise, Mr. McBeevee actually answers. The script then puts it this way:

When he finally climbs down to the ground, the man says:

“McBeevee at your service. What can I do for you?”

“You walk around in the trees,” Andy says, grinning incredulously. “You’ve got a silver hat, and you jingle. You can make smoke come out of your ears, can’t you!” he says. (This, it turns out, is a trick Mr. McBeevee showed Opie where he exhales cigarette smoke into his cupped hand and then releases it after moving the hand to his ear.)

“I sure am glad to meet you!” says Andy, who then proceeds to shake Mr. McBeevee’s hand with a vigor that threatens to remove his entire arm from its socket.

Interestingly enough, names in Scottish beginning with “Mac” or “Mc” mean “Son of”. Therefore, “McBeevee” means “Son of Beevee”. I do not know definitively what “Beevee” means. But it may well be related to “Baigh”, meaning “from the upper part” (presumably of Scotland). If so, then the meaning of the name is simply “son from the upper part”.

As Christians, we also give testimony to an Individual Who is “the Son from the upper part”. He too has unique characteristics and abilities. He too came down from above to improve our ability to relate – both to our Father above and to our brothers and sisters here beneath. In the process, He too gives us good gifts. Therefore, He too brings us great joy once we meet and come to know Him!

To be sure, others may not believe our testimony about Him. And yet, we remain steadfast in our resolve to share what we have both seen and heard of Him! Hopefully, through our faithfulness to stand firm in our testimony about Him, others will eventually come to know Him as well!

In the fourth chapter of the New Testament Book of Acts, the Apostles Peter and John are arrested and dragged before the religious authorities of their day, where they are threatened if they do not stop testifying about Jesus Christ. In verses 19-20, we read their response: “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard!”

Opie stood firm in his testimony about “Mr. McBeevee”, who came from above and blessed him personally. Peter and John stood firm in their testimony about Jesus Christ, Who also came from above and Who blessed all who encountered Him. We, too, must stand firm in our own testimony about this same Jesus, and about His ability to bless all who come to know Him!

Hopefully, if we do, the testimony of those we encounter will mirror that of Andy, when they also say: “Jesus, I sure am glad to meet you!”

SOURCES:

PLAQUE PICTURE: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/jesus-optical-illusion-name-plaque-wood-sign-hand.

THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW (TAGS) INFO:

https://mayberry.fandom.com/wiki/Mr._McBeevee_(episode);
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0512516/;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Griffith.

SEE ALSO:

https://metv.com/lists/6-things-you-never-noticed-in-the-andy-griffith-show-favorite-mr-mcbeevee.

SCOTTISH NAMES:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mac-surname-prefix;
https://family.disney.com/baby-names/baby-boy-names/meaning-of-baigh/.

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/niv/acts/4.htm.

NOTE: I am clearly not the first person to recognize such a connection. See, for instance:

http://www.oocities.org/jamntm/opie.html.tmp; as well as
https://pietyonkierkegaard.com/2015/02/22/mr-mcbeevee/.

Soren Kierkegaard was a famous Danish theologian of the nineteenth century noted primarily for his emphasis on the necessity of a “leap of faith” for eternal salvation. Cf.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_of_faith#The_leap_into_sin_and_into_faith.

Several years ago, an official “Mayberry” Small Group Bible Study Series was released based on the Christian principles exhibited in “The Andy Griffith Show”.

It is still available at: https://www.christianbook.com/mayberry-bible-study-leader-vol-1/9780979125904/pd/125904.

ESSENTIAL WORKERS!

4/21/2020

One of the promises that I made myself once I retired was that I was going to try to learn to relax a little more. I say this only because, as a Senior Pastor for decades, I rarely found such opportunity. For years, I seemed to find myself never able to catch up. There was always something else to do at the end of each day!

For this reason, I fell into the pattern of spending evening after evening on my cell phone and/or laptop returning phone calls, and/or answering text messages, emails, or similar correspondence. And if these things were not pressing, then writing a blog post, a letter of some sort, or else working on the next sermon to be delivered was.

All that changed a few weeks ago. While I still answer calls, messages, and emails, and while I still write blog posts, my nightly routine now intentionally involves at least a little relaxation. In the process, I have re-discovered my love for “The Andy Griffith Show”.

I would that the old “40 Acres Backlot” where “The Andy Griffith Show” was filmed still existed. Sadly, it was torn down back in the mid-1970s and paved over with office complexes. How nice it would be to visit the fictional Mayberry and walk down familiar streets! At least, though, we can still visit Mayberry each night on the classic television channel.

Most of us know the cast of characters we find there all too well. Sheriff Taylor, Deputy Fife, Aunt Bee, Opie, Floyd the Barber, cousins Gomer and Goober Pyle, Mayors Pike and Stoner, Helen Crump, Thelma Lou, Otis, Clara, venerable old Judd, Reverend Tucker, John Masters, Howard Sprague, and Emmet Clark.

Beyond the regulars were the interlopers who regularly passed through town – Earnest T. Bass, the Darlings, the so-called “Fun Girls”, and Rafe Hollister. It would be hard to imagine Mayberry without any of these unique characters. Each and every one regularly brought his or her own unique blend into the mix that was “The Andy Griffith Show”.

But lately, I have noticed another group of recurrent characters on the “The Andy Griffith Show” – one that rarely if ever gets any attention. Yet, without these faithful cast members consistently doing their part, the show could have never been as wildly successful as it has been over the decades.

The people I am referencing are the “townsfolk”. In one episode, Sheriff Taylor references some 2000 people who reside in Mayberry. You see some portion of them in almost every episode as they quietly populate the town of Mayberry. They can be seen walking by in the background, standing in line at the Mayberry Savings Bank, shopping in Weaver’s department store, getting gas at Wally’s filling station, and even sitting attentively in church.

Often, they can be counted on to congregate in mass on the streets whenever Deputy Fife has found it necessary to climax some scene by calling upon them to cease and disperse.

They do not get to talk. (One assumes that the Screen Actor Guild, or some such governing entity, allowed the production company to pay them less if they technically uttered no lines.) However, they are often heard mumbling, grumbling, cheering and/or amen-ing as the scene dictates.

The point is that they were an integral part of just about every episode. Mayberry would not have been possible without them. And yet, they were never officially recognized. We do not know their names (of either the fictional character or the actual actors who portrayed them). Their names do not appear in either the opening or closing the episode credits. In short, they fulfill a vital role in an anonymous capacity!

As I have reflected on this, I have been reminded of the church of Jesus Christ. In most congregations, a select few receive a fair amount of attention. These include ministers, church staff, church officers, committee members, teachers, etc… All these individuals tend to receive recognition for their service to the church.

But beyond this, there is a whole host of individuals who populate the church. And the vast majority of these faithfully serve the Lord in obscurity. They quietly go about the business of making the church what the church is. They do this day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out. And they do so in relative anonymity.

Yet, try and run the church and/or her ministries without them! To do so would not be difficult; to do so would be impossible! For this reason, I take this opportunity to pause and say thank you to all those who quietly go about serving the Lord; and who do so with little or no expectation of acknowledgment or recognition.

These days, I am personally intent upon discovering just who those unknown “extras” on the “The Andy Griffith Show” cast actually were. I, for one, appreciate all they did to enhance the value of the show! So, for me, it is quite rewarding to search the internet and uncover such information.

But just as I have come to appreciate the unsung heroes of Mayberry, even so have I come to appreciate those of the church of Jesus Christ! More to the point, I find myself eagerly awaiting the day when the roll is called up yonder and the books are opened. For then, and only then, will we fully appreciate the part played by each and every person in the church!

In the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapter 20, verse 12), the Apostle John says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”

My suspicion is that, when that day comes, we will all be more than a little surprised to discover just who did what for the Kingdom of God!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/revelation/20-12.htm.

SEE ALSO: Mark 10:29-30; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; and Revelation 2:23, 22:12.

ALSO, FOR A FUN FEW MINUTES, VISIT THE FICTIONAL "MAYBERRY", N.C. AT: http://www.retroweb.com/40acres.html. Be sure to click on the "Virtual Tour" tab and take the tour.

FORTY-FIED!

4/17/2020

These days, many people receive daily devotionals via multiple and varied digital formats. Especially popular these days are items delivered through smart phone apps such as “Instagram” “Pinterest”, and “Twitter”, as well as social networking sites such as “Facebook”. (Note the buttons linking to these various sites accompanying this page.)

Similarly, a few years ago, equally reflecting the times, a popular series of devotional books was titled “Instant Messages from God”. These were available in editions for both boys and girls.

Kudos to all the authors out there who are keeping up with the times as each successive generation of technology is released. As had been said many a time, the method may change; but the message remains the same.

I myself am still more of an e-mail guy. In fact, somewhere in my library, I believe I still have a copy of one of the first ever devotional books to capitalize on the digital transformation. It is titled “I Read It in an E-mail” (or something to that effect). The author simply collected up a series of devotional thoughts that had made the rounds in the early days of e-mailing, added commentary, and then assembled them in a printed book format.

Being old school, to this day, I still use e-mail for a fair amount of my communication. Accordingly, I receive lots of devotionals and similar materials via e-mail. And on occasion, some of them are pretty good.

One such thought I recently received is a case in point. It was sent to me by a church member. Given its relevance to our current world situation, I thought I would simply post it here for my blog today. I hope it speaks to you as it did to me.

QUARANTINE

The Latin root of the word "quarantine" is "forty".

So what does the Bible say about 40?

The flood lasted 40 days.

40 years Moses fled Egypt.

40 days Moses stayed on Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments.

Exodus lasted 40 years.

Jesus fasted for 40 days.

Lent is 40 days.

40 days for a woman to rest after giving birth.

A group of theologians thinks the number 40 represents "change”. It is the time of preparing a person, or people, to make a fundamental change.

Something will happen after these 40 days. Just believe and pray. Remember, whenever the number 40 appears in the Bible, there is a "change".

Please know that during this "quarantine" rivers are cleaning up, vegetation is growing, the air is becoming cleaner because of less pollution, there is less theft and murder, healing is happening, and most importantly, people are turning to Christ. The Earth is at rest for the first time in many years and hearts are truly transforming.

So, during this time, enjoy it with your loved ones and return to the family altar together. Family prayer is a great blessing. Through prayer you will see the changes God can work in you and in your home. Christ promises us that everything works together for the good for those who love God: Romans 8:28!

Remember we are in the year 2020, and 20 + 20 = 40.

Also, 2020 is the year of the United States Census. Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, was born during a census.

Lastly, 2020 is perfect vision. May our sight focus on the Lord and living according to His perfect vision for us knowing He holds us in the palm of His hand.

May these days of "quarantine" bring spiritual liberation to our souls, our nation, and our world.

The best is yet to come.

Trust in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Well said and worth saying! It is obvious that God can and will do a lot in a forty-day period. He has done so many times in the past. And I hope and pray that He uses this current quarantine period to do some good things in our lives. Perhaps even in some ways we never imagined.

SOURCE: Ass stated above, I received this via e-mail from a friend. I have researched its origins; but have not as of yet been able to determine just who the author was. It is also available on social media. See for instance: https://www.facebook.com/1stfruitsmobiledetailing/posts/2581275782087543.

NOTE: According to Webster’s dictionary, a “quarantine” is literally a forty day period, originating when ships suspected of carrying passengers with the plague were held for such a period in the harbor before being allowed to disembark persons and/or goods. Obviously, such actions helped to ensure the ongoing health of the general population. Cf.: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarantine.

SEE ALSO: https://www.etymonline.com/word/quarantine. Apparently, the Venetians introduced the concept of quarantining as early as the fourteenth century.

WAIT AND SEE!

4/14/2020

Like a great many people, I love the movie “Braveheart”, starring Mel Gibson. One of Hollywood's best productions ever with regard to leadership, this 1995 film is a fictional account of the late-13th-century Scottish warrior, (Sir) William Wallace, who led the Scots in their (First) War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I (also known as “Longshanks”) of England.

This excellent production was filmed on a budget of $70 million and brought in an impressive $210 million at the box-office. The critics must have agreed with the fans, as “Braveheart” was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and took home five. It has since gathered a cult following.

While there are many memorable scenes, the one I wish to reference here is the one recounting the 1297 A.D. Battle of Stirling (Bridge). Having suffered terribly at the hands of Longshanks’ earlier cavalry charges, Wallace contrives a novel way to defeat the enemy. He has his men once again line up arrayed for infantry battle, thereby inviting the inevitable charge of the enemy.

Sure enough, the English cavalry take the bait, and charge full force. In a classic display of raw courage, Wallace keeps his men in place, repeatedly bidding them to “Hold”, “Hold”, “Hold”! At the very last moment, as the full brunt of the cavalry charge is bearing down upon them, Wallace yells “Now!” Thereupon, he and his men immediately drop to their knees, relinquish their infantry weapons, and raise a forest of extra-long spears abutted against the ground.

The end result is, of course, terrible for the charging English cavalry. Horse after horse and rider after rider alike is impaled and neutralized as a weapon of war. In the ensuing melee, Wallace and his men retrieve their swords, battle-axes, maces, and other infantry weapons and proceed to annihilate the heretofore invincible English force.

The Battle of Stirling was a tremendous victory for the Scots. From there, they went on to raid and sack the fortified city of York, in England proper. But what made the victory at Stirling possible? While the battle was technically won with sword and battle-ax, it was essentially won by courage - the courage of one man to lead and the courage of a whole army to obey his command to “Hold” in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds!

It still works much the same way for us today. We are accustomed to think of victory as something we attain through sheer strength, sheer passion, and/or sheer persistence. But the truth is quite different. Often, our victory comes through our ability simply to hold on courageously until our Lord makes a way for us to win!

This is clearly a Biblical principle. A case in point: after the events of Easter Sunday, the disciples of Jesus were, in effect, told by Him to “Hold”! He instructed them to go to Jerusalem and wait for Him to send them a Deliverer. Not surprisingly, that wait turned out to be a full fifty days in duration!

One can only imagine the fear, the anxiety, and the apprehension that must have overwhelmed them during this time. Nonetheless, when the time came, on Pentecost Sunday, the Holy Spirit arrived right on (and in God’s perfect) time!

And when the Holy Spirit did arrive, He was a game-changer. No longer were the disciples out-numbered, out-gunned, and out-done. Now, they were taking the initiative. Now, they were calling the shots. Now, they were winning the day!

Was this newfound victory due to their own strength? Was it due to their own ingenuity? Was it due to their own ability? Most assuredly it was not.

To what, then, was it due? I would suggest that it was simply due to their willingness to “Hold”, “Hold’, “Hold”!

This is, and always has been, the key to victory for those who follow Jesus Christ – we must be willing to wait upon the Lord! If and when we do, we will be victorious! Such is the promise of Scripture!

Most believers are fairly familiar with the words of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah (chapter 40, verse 31), who tells us that that those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. But how many remember the promise of God’s Word in Psalms, chapter 37, verse 9? Here the Bible affirms that “those who wait on the LORD shall inherit the earth”!

As Easter, 2020 gives way to a period of awaiting Pentecost, 2020, some fifty days hence, I find it intriguing that we are in a stretch of time in which our civil authorities are also telling us to stay at home and wait. It is as if we are being told to “Hold”, “Hold”, Hold”!

How striking that the admonition of Caesar is the same as that of Christ!  Caesar bids us to “Hold” in order to await his last second victory over a physical virus. And well we should! In this case, social distancing and scientific inquiry are proving jointly victorious even as I write this.

But at the same time, during this same season, Christ also bids us to “Hold”. Only He does so in order to encourage us to await the replenishment of the Holy Spirit! Once again, well we should! For in this case, Divine Authority and our obedience to it will inevitably win the day!

When it does, we, as God’s people, will also eventually win the day. And when we do, we will surely “inherit the land” our God has for us! Such was the case for those early disciples. The New Testament Book of Acts (chapter 17, verse 6) affirms that those who had obeyed their Master and held for fifty days “turned the world upside down”!

Hear me well - God can and will do in and through us all that He did in and through those early disciples. The key is simply whether or not we are willing to trust and obey during times of uncertainty. If we do, we too will most assuredly emerge victorious and change the world!

SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braveheart;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stirling_Bridge; and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost.

SCRIPTURE:
https://www.biblehub.com/isaiah/40-31.htm; and
https://biblehub.com/psalms/37-9.htm.

NOTE: The above-referenced “Hold” scene from “Braveheart” can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDVuQi4gdtk.

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