Blog Archives

SINCERELY YOURS

3/30/2014

Each year at our church, we host a “DiscipleNow” weekend for students.  This year, our speaker was Chris Brooks, who serves as the College Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  In his message this past Sunday, he used a marvelous illustration.

Whenever most of us compose a letter, we include a set of standard parts.  These are: the heading, the salutation, the body, the closing, and the signature.  The closing is usually comprised of something like “Take care”, “Best wishes”, or “Sincerely”. The latter term was the focus of his illustration.

The term “sincere” is said to come from the Latin language.  If so, it may well be a combination of two Latin terms:  “sin”, meaning “without”, and “ceras”, meaning “wax”. Given the fact that Latin is technically a “dead language” (in that it is no longer spoken), the matter is open to debate.

Nonetheless, the story goes that the phrase “without wax” first became widespread during the height of ancient Roman and Greek culture, when sculptures first became a popular form of artistic expression. Whenever a sculpture had a flaw, the artist is said to have filled in the chip or crack with wax colored to match the marble.

Thus, wax was said to serve as a type of cover-up, masking imperfections on what was supposed to have been a quality piece of work, but was instead terribly flawed. Therefore, only perfect pieces of work were literally “without wax.” Accordingly, pieces were stamped with the phrase “without wax” as proof of their authenticity.

Chris shared that, not being a language scholar himself, he could not definitively vouch for the etymology of the word “sincerely”. Nonetheless, the point of the illustration is well made. Being sincere is very much like being “without wax”. Sincere persons exemplify the virtue of integrity in that they are truthful and honest, without pretense.

Little wonder then, that in that very same Roman culture, the Apostle wrote a letter to the Christians at Ephesus (4:25, ESV) telling them:  “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another”.

May we also prove to be sincere in our dealings with others, and thereby show the world what the Apostle Paul called “a more excellent way”.

NOTE: As stated above, the etymology of the word “sincere” is heavily debated by scholars to this day.   For a fuller discussion, check out: http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/etymology/f/Sincere.htm. See also the discussion at:  http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2012/03/sincere.html.

Chris Brooks' podcast is available on iTunes.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

3/27/2014

Once upon a time, I lived in New Jersey.  Several people who had grown up there used to recite a certain little ditty each year at this time. It went something like this:

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris.
I wonders where the birdies is.
They say the birds is on the wing.
Ain't that absurd?
I always thought the wing was on the bird*

Nowadays, as spring unfolds each year, I think not only of the limerick above, but also of one of my favorite poems by United States Poet Laureate Robert Frost. (As I have mentioned before in my blog posts, it was while in school in Princeton that I first learned to appreciate the works of Robert Frost.)

I thought I would post one of his poems today. He gave it the title of “A Prayer in Spring”.

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.**

As you look around at the beauty of God’s unfolding world this time of year, be sure to take time to offer up some such similar prayer.

And in this process of seeing the beauty of nature as she breaks free from winter and brings forth new life, remember that, as the Apostle Paul says, love is the most important and beautiful thing there is (I Corinthians 13).

Little wonder then, that Easter comes in spring time.  Not only has the grass "ris", but so has our Lord! And nothing so combines the beauty of love and new life as well as the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

SOURCES:

*No one seems to know where this little rhyme first originated. It has been variously attributed to Ogden Nash and Spike Milligan, among others.   For a full discussion of the possible origins, cf.: http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/59/messages/875.ht
ml.  See also:   http://www.cjr.org/language_corner/boing.php?
page=all&print=true.

**Frost’s poems are available online. My source for this one is: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-prayer-in-spring/.

According to the official Library of Congress website, Robert Frost , who lived from 1874 to 1963, was Poet Laureate from 1958-1959. He is “the best known and most beloved American poet of the 20th century.”

He also won the Pulitzer Prize four times for "New Hampshire" (1924), "Collected Poems" (1931), "A Further Range" (1937) and "A Witness Tree" (1943). Much of Frost's work dealt with the life and landscape of New England. He was a poet of traditional verse forms and metric, avoiding the poetic movements of his time. Frost taught primarily at Amherst, 1917-1963. He received 44 honorary degrees, many government tributes, and the Bollingen Prize posthumously.

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS

3/24/2014

The national news recently carried several articles on the possibility of “Iron Man” suits inching closer to reality for our military personnel.  The technical term is “TALOS”, which stand so for “Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit”. Apparently, the military is in the process of designing such suits in coordination with various universities, laboratories, and technology industries.

The whole purpose of “TALOS” is to provide to provide Special Operations soldiers (such as Navy Seals, Delta Force, Green Berets, etc…) with a much improved and more versatile protection system than they have ever had before. The suit would presumably comprise multiple layers of “smart material” and sensors.

Inspired by ground troops in Afghanistan, “TALOS” was first proposed by Admiral Bill McRaven at a conference back in May of 2013. It is now anticipated that the armored suit will be available as a “1st gen capability” by the spring of 2015. Full development and deployment could take a little longer, however. Admiral McRaven expects a fully working system to be fielded by 2018.

For now, three unpowered prototype suits are in preparation for delivery in June of this year. This has been a collaborative effort between as many as 56 corporations, 16 government agencies, 13 universities, and 10 national laboratories.

The result of their work is what amounts to a powered exoskeleton, complete with full-body armor, and situational-awareness displays. SOCOM (the Unites States Special Operations Command) is even considering holding a "monster garage" type event designed to tap into good old fashioned American ingenuity and to encourage mechanics and craftsmen to create components for the suit. Moreover, there is even the possibility of a distribution of prize money in order to generate plenty of interest.

The features envisioned for the suit include:  “Reducing of impact of load by intelligent weight distribution throughout the body”, “A low power requirement”, “A low suit profile to fit under the existing uniform comfortably”, “Providing of sensor cues to soldiers to reduce injuries”, “Integrated components to provide joint support where user needs it most”, “Reapplication of energy to enhance the efficiency of motion and improvement of overall metabolics”, and to “Remain compliant and flexible stiffening only when needed.”

With all this, one can perhaps guess what the single biggest challenge is. That’s right:  power supply. In fact, the report states: “Power demands might require a lot of additional weight due to the power source”. No one wants to go into battle carrying an enormous and heavy battery pack, let alone dragging a lengthy power chord.

As I sat reading this in utter amazement, I was reminded that this maybe a case of life imitating art. Decades ago, I read Robert Heinlein’s classic science fiction book titled Starship Troopers. It had first been published way back in 1959. The book describes military personnel conducting warfare in just such powered exo-suits, as they literally leap hundreds of feet at a time, onto and over buildings, all the while being protected from atomic blasts and other mortal dangers by their armored suits!

I do not know if I will live to see the day when such suits are commonplace within the military and/or law enforcement agencies. Should the Lord tarry His coming, then I suppose that these things are inevitable. But I do know that powered suits of armor are nothing new to believers.

In the sixth chapter of the Apostle Pauls’ letter to the church at Ephesus, we are given the following admonition:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you
have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Verse 20 in this same chapter tells that the Apostle was enchained in a Roman prison even as he wrote these words. One
can only imagine the sight before him, as Roman soldiers in full military garb went about their assigned duties.

In seeing and pondering these things, Paul realized that Christians, too, were engaged in a conflict – only it is a far more significant one in that it is a titanic spiritual battle. He also understood that we had been well equipped by the Lord for that very struggle.

I hope you will find that encouraging as you engage in your portion of this great struggle between the forces of good and evil. Left to our own devices, we could have little impact against so great a foe as Satan. But with the power of God on our side, we know already that the victory will be ours, for as the Apostle John tells us (I John 4:4): “The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Little wonder then, that in Romans 8:31, this same Apostle Paul would also pose the following insightful question for all believers: “If God is for us, who can be against us?!”

Amen!

SOURCE: http://video.foxnews.com/v/3203486047001/iron-ma
n-suits-for-us-military-inching-closer-to-reality/?intcmp=obnetwo
rk#sp=show-clips.

A simple Google search for TALOS and also for exo-skeletons, etc... will provide plenty of background information as well.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

3/20/2014

John 3:16 is arguably the world’s most well-known Bible verse. This is due in part to the efforts of Billy Graham. Long before the modern era when Tim Tebow painted it on his eyeblack in adavance of the NCAA National Football Championship game and spawned 90 million Google searches, Billy Graham was about the business of repeatedly proclaiming this essential verse from God’s word.

In a career spanning some 55 years, Dr. Graham has preached the Gospel message to more than 215 million people in over 185 countries around the world.  (This does not include the untold hundreds of millions who have watched him on television and/or heard him on the radio.) And most all of that preaching has focused on one basic message.  According to his official web page:

An old preacher approached Billy Graham following the 1954 Harringay Arena Crusade in London. “I have come here every night” and listened to many different sermons, the minister told him, “and I have heard only one message.” It was a compliment, for he, like Billy Graham, knew that there is only one message that can bring real hope to a lost world.

Billy Graham’s message has never changed, and it never will. It is a simple message, but one that comes straight from God’s Word. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV).

The essence of the Gospel is encompassed in that one verse. Men and women, uniquely created in the image of God, nonetheless rebelled against Him in sin. Rather than give up on us, God in His mercy set about to redeem us.  He did this by giving His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice on our behalf.

Why was the sacrificial death of Jesus on a cross necessary? Because God had told Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden that the price of their disobedience would be death. For thousands of years, He allowed for mankind’s atonement through the vicarious death of animal sacrifice. But these were only temporary measures at best. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son to die once and for all in order that our redemption might be complete.

And now, for those who have received his Son, there is no condemnation.  Indeed, John 3:17-18 continues the thought and says:  “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Accordingly, God has created two places which will last for all eternity.  The Bible calls them Heaven and Hell. The first is a wonderful place where the redeemed will dwell with God forever in perfect bliss.  The second is a terrible place of punishment reserved for those who reject God and his Son.

I know which one will be my home, for I chosen to embrace Jesus Christ and to accept His grace and forgiveness.  I hope you have as well. If not, please weigh this matter out carefully, for nothing short of eternity is at stake. And whether we are prepared or not, one thing is for certain:  at some point, we will all take the giant step out of history and into eternity!

Charles Swindoll popularized an illustration that helps us to begin to comprehend what eternity is all about. He says, "Imagine a solid steel ball the size of the Earth. There is a sparrow that lives on Mars, and every 10,000 years, it flies to Earth and pecks it one time. Ten thousand years pass, and the sparrow pecks again. When the sparrow gets the size of a small BB, that would be considered the end of Day One of eternity."

I assure you that day one (and everyday thereafter) in eternity will be better spent in Heaven than in Hell. Why not prepare today for where you will be spending eternity?

I began this post with the world’s most recognizable Bible verse. Let me conclude with the words of the world’s most recognizable hymn. Consider especially the significance of the first and last stanzas.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.  His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below, will be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise, than when we've first begun.

SOURCES:

1. Billy Graham story: http://www.billygrahamlibrary.org/PGView.aspx?pid=20

2. Chuck Swindoll story:  This exists in various versions, having been used in different contexts down through the years. The printed version can be found in his book:  The Tale of the Tardy Ox Cart (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998).

3. Amazing Grace Lyrics:  http://www.hymnlyrics.org/mostpopularhymns/am
azinggrace.php.

JUST ONE LIFE

3/17/2014

Two and a half months ago, the Disney Corporation created no small stir when it chose to cut the reading of a short three minute essay from its annual “Candlelight Processional” Christmas show at both Epcot World and Disneyland.

Ostensibly, “operational needs and concerns over timing” were given as reasons for cutting the time honored piece from the show.

(Needless to say, not everyone accepts the reason that was given. If you desire to know more, you can read the full story at: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/12/24/too-religious-so
me-people-dont-believe-disneys-explanation-for-making-a-big-c
hange-to-its-christmas-show/.)

The essay in question, which has a long and close association with Christmas in general and the Disney show in particular, is titled “One Solitary Life”.  This simple essay has been treasured by untold millions of readers since it was first penned almost ninety years ago by Dr. James Allan Francis.   Ms. Angie Mosteller, in a well written and well sourced blog over at www.celebratingholidays.com, has done an excellent job of pulling together the history of this piece in its various iterations. Cf.: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=4456.

With permission, I am reposting her material here.

One Solitary Life
Author: James Allan Francis, 1864-1928
Genre: Sermon Excerpt, 20th Century
Reading Time (for story text): approx. 3 minutes

The Background

Dr. James Allan Francis was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. He became a pastor at age twenty-one and served in ministry for the remainder of his life. His first pastorate was in New York City at the Riverside Baptist Church, and after serving in other varied pastorates in the East, he came to Los Angeles in 1914.(1)

Though he had a busy life as a pastor, Francis was able to publish a handful of books: Drops from a Living Fountain (1895), Christ’s Mold of Prayer (1924), and Christ Is All and Other Sermons (1928). His publications are full of passionate encouragement for Christians to know their Lord, to rely on him, and to follow his example.

Francis’ most famous words, now known as “One Solitary Life,” originated as part of a sermon that he delivered on July 11, 1926 to the Baptist Young People’s Union at a Los Angeles Convention.(2) A friend transcribed the message titled “Arise, Sir Knight,” and Dr. Francis published it that same year in a collection called The Real Jesus and Other Sermons.

Since one section of the sermon was particularly popular, minor changes were made to the original words in order to circulate them independently. This adapted version was first published around 1930 by The American Baptist Publication Society and was titled “Jesus — A Brief Life.” This is the version that follows.

Over time, Francis’ powerful description of Christ came to be known as “One Solitary Life” (the last words of the passage), and it was most often circulated during the Christmas season. Truly, it is remarkable to consider how Christ’s birth proved to be predictive of how he would spend the rest of his life on earth — in great humility.

Interestingly, Francis’ passage was so widely circulated that, along the way, its authorship fell into obscurity. In fact, to this day, the words continue to be credited to an anonymous author. Perhaps this anonymity is fitting. After all, Francis’ purpose was to turn attention to one particular man and his “one solitary life”.
_________________________

(1) “Historian Tracks Down Description of Christ.” Los Angeles Times. December 1, 1973, p. 32.

(2) Francis, James Allan. The Real Jesus and Other Sermons. The Judson Press, 1926, p.121.
_________________________

And now for the beloved piece itself…

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village as the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another obscure village.

He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty and then for three years was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book.

He never held an office.

He never owned a home.

He never had a family.

He never went to college.

He never put his foot inside a big city.

He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born.

He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of his divine manhood.

While still a young man the tide of popular opinion turned against him.

His friends ran away.

One of them denied him.

Another betrayed him.

He was turned over to his enemies.

He went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed upon the cross between two thieves.

His executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth while he was dying, and that was his coat.

When he was dead, he was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today he is the center of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon the earth as powerfully as has this one solitary life.

I am thankful for all who had a part in disseminating this exceptional piece of short prose over the years – from Dr. Francis on down to today.  I know the meaning it has had for my life; and I hope it has the same for you in reading it here.

NOTE: I mentioned above that “One Solitary Life” has existed in various iterations through the years.  A more modern version can be found at: http://www.word4life.com/influence.html.

POSTSCRIPT: Ms. Angie Mosteller also has written a book on holiday materials. It is available on her web page.   Cf.: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=805.

Lastly, for a fuller appreciation of the impact of the One who lived out that solitary life, Jesus Christ Himself, check out a book written a few years ago by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe and titled What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994).

From the development of hospitals to the birth of higher education to the eradication of slavery and the campaign for basic human rights, the world has been profoundly impacted by the followers of Jesus Christ in their honest attempt to live out His ethic and transform the world for good.

As one reviewer at www.amazon.com says, “For all the animosity that is out there toward Christianity and how it's been a disservice to the world, there is much to be seen and understood from this book as it provides ample evidence to the contrary.”

Of this, believers can be justly proud.

LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND!

3/13/2014

The news this week carried the following amazing headline: “Louisiana Man Unearths 2.89 Carat White Diamond at Arkansas State Park”. The ensuing article then gave the details about a Louisiana man who had recently found a 2.89 carat white diamond at the “Crater of Diamonds” State Park located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.

Apparently, Mr. Brandon Kalenda of Maurepas, Louisiana, found the diamond, “triangular-shaped with a metallic appearance and about the size of an English pea”, back on March 6. He has since
affectionately christened it the "Jax Diamond" after his infant son
Jackson.

It also appears that the diamond is the 47th one to be found and then registered by visitors to the park this year.  Even more impressively, it is the fourth one weighing more than a carat to be found in the last month.

Park officials say that they encourage visitors to look for pockets or layers on the surface of gravel, and search there.  This is exactly what Brandon was doing, when after only searching for about 20 minutes in the Fugitt’s Bank area of the park, he hit pay dirt!

It appears that conditions right now are "perfect" for diamond hunting at the park. As they periodically do, the park staff plowed the diamond search field at the end of January.  That action, combined with recent rainfall, makes for optimal search conditions.

A spokesperson for the park was quoting as saying that... “diamonds are a bit heavy for their size, and they lack static electricity, so rainfall slides the dirt off diamonds that are on the surface of the search field leaving them exposed.   When the sun comes out, they’ll shine and be noticeable.”

Wow! I don’t’ know about you; but when I first read this, I was pumped! In fact, I was tempted to pull up stakes and head for Arkansas immediately! Who among us is not enthralled by the notion of going over some site that is so well-trodden and still finding some immense treasure?

And yet, we do not have to pull up stakes and move to Arkansas to have that experience. I have discovered that the Bible is a book that has been pored over by others for millennia, and by me as well for decades. Nonetheless, every time I return to its pages, I discover new truths to treasure.

In the thirteenth chapter of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, Jesus shares seven different parables. One of them is about a man who discovers treasure in a field.  He says… “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

As if to emphasize His point, he immediately adds another parable:  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Jesus’ point is that the message He came to proclaim, that of the Gospel or “Good News” of the Kingdom, is of infinitely more value than anything this world has to offer. And thus, a wise person, upon discovering the Gospel, will immediately recognize its immense value, will quickly seize this great treasure, and will then hold on to it as life’s dearest possession.

I have personally done just that. I encountered this wonderful treasure and secured it one day back in May of 1970.  The possession and protection of it have been the primary occupations in my life ever since. I hope that you too have found this great treasure.  If not, then, in the words of Jesus, “Seek, and ye shall find.”

For the same Jesus Who said this also told us (in the third chapter of the New Testament Gospel of John) that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And no treasure on earth can even begin to compare with that of eternal life!

*SOURCE OF NEWS ITEM: http://www.foxnews.com/science/201
4/03/12/louisiana-man-unearths-28-carat-white-diamond-at-arka
nsas-state-park/.

ENTER HERE

3/10/2014

As a gifted communicator, former Missionary, and Professor of Christian Missions at Asbury Theological Seminary Emeritus, John T. Seamands preached in over forty countries around the world throughout his distinguished career.

He also authored numerous books, including Dayspring: Daily Devotions from 4 Gospels, Tell It Well: Communicating the Gospel across Cultures, and Who Do You Say That I Am?

In one of his earlier books, Harvest of Humanity (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Scripture Press, 1988), he tells a story about a certain Eastern European soldier who was wounded:

"He was ordered to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, 'For the slightly wounded,' and the other, 'For the seriously wounded.'"

"He entered through the first door and found himself going down a long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, 'For officers', and the other, 'For non-officers.' He entered through the latter and found himself going down another long hall.

At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, 'For party members' and the other, 'For non-party members.' He took the second door, and when he opened it he found himself out on the street."

"When the soldier returned home, his mother asked him, 'How did you get along at the hospital?' 'Well, Mother,' he replied, 'to tell the truth, the people there didn't do anything for me, but you ought to see the tremendous organization they have!'"

In truth, at times, life can seem as if it is a maze of choices. Often, we are forced to decide which way to go; and the consequences of our choices can be significant and lasting.

But thankfully, as followers of Jesus Christ, we do not have to make our choices alone. In John’s Gospel (16:13), Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would be here for us to “guide” us in all things.

For my part, I have learned the value of prayer when it comes to seeking guidance. The Apostle John, in his first general epistle in the New Testament (I John 5:14-15), tells us: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

So, if you are facing a major decision today concerning God’s will for your future, why not follow the admonition of Scripture and simply seek Divine guidance? As you do, however, remember that the process of prayer involves not only speaking, but also listening as well.

The Old Testament Prophet, Jeremiah, tells us that God is serious about answering our prayers and giving us guidance whenever we need it (33:3): “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

So, when trying to determine whether to continue straight, turn left, or right, or even back up, perhaps the most important way to go is up – in prayer. And then, the words of the Old Testament Prophet, Isaiah (30:21), will have special meaning: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

MARCHING ON

3/7/2014

Some time back, I heard a speaker tell a cute story about winter weather. Thereafter, I searched the web and found a copy of it, which I am posting below.  It seems that…

Several Indians got together and asked their Chief in autumn if the coming winter was going to be cold or not. Not really knowing an answer, the Chief replied that the winter was probably going to be cold and that the members of the village were to collect wood to be prepared.

Being a good leader, the Chief then went to the next phone booth and called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is this winter going to be cold?"

The man on the phone responded, "This winter is going to be quite cold indeed."

So the Chief went back to speed up his people to collect even more wood to be prepared.  A week later, he called the National Weather Service again, "Is it going to be a very cold winter?"

"Yes", the man replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter."

So, the Chief goes back to his people, and ordered them to go and find every single scrap of wood they could find. Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service once again: "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely," the man replied, "the Indians are out collecting wood like crazy!!!"*

The winter of 2013-2014 will go down as one of the most memorable in recent history. Parts of our country experienced repeated poundings by winter storms, with records snowfalls and much colder than normal temperatures.

Here in East Tennessee, we have had more than our share of all these things. In fact, somewhere between global warming and polar vortices, we experienced numerous bitterly cold nights (with single digit temperatures) and several snow falls, with one of these being the worse we have had in decades.

And while the snow is a beautiful thing to see, at this point in the game, I am convinced that about the only people happy to see any more of it are the folks who sell salt and brine for melting frozen precipitation on the roads and walkways.

I will say that I feel for the people over at the weather office. They are invariably under a tremendous amount of pressure to get their forecasts out, and to do so ever more quickly and with ever more accuracy.   And yet, even with the aid of modern computer based modeling techniques, forecasting the weather can never be an exact science. There are simply too many variables.

One thing is for certain, though. Shortly after God first destroyed this old earth in a great flood, He promised us (in Genesis 8:22) that:  "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

And because of this, I, for one, am glad to see March arrive. Because March generally means less cold and more heat, which therefore means seedtime, and thus, the beginning of spring. And in my book (especially after a winter as harsh as we have now had), the flowers of spring will be much prettier than yet another blanket of snow.

*JOKE SOURCE:  http://www.jokesabout.net/winter-cold-winter.

BEWARE THE SILVER LINING

3/3/2014

I recently came across the following story by Steven Dow, Pastor of Palmer Wesleyan Church in Palmer, Nebraska:

There’s an old fable about a miserable rich man who went to visit a rabbi. The rabbi took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. "Look out there," he said. The rich man looked into the street. "What do you see?" asked the rabbi. "I see men, women, and children," answered the rich man.

Again the rabbi took him by the hand and this time led him to a mirror. "Now what do you see?" "Now I see myself," the rich man replied.

Then the rabbi said, "Behold, in the window there is glass, and in the mirror there is glass. But the glass of the mirror is covered with a little silver representing wealth, and no sooner is the silver added than you cease to see others, but you see only yourself.

In this simple little story is a profound truth: the more wealth one accumulates, the more one tends to focus on his or her self; and conversely, the less he or she tends to focus on others.

In fact, studies have been done which tend to indicate this.  In an intriguing article titled “The Money-Empathy Gap”, published by Lisa Miller in New York Magazine on July 9, 2012”, one can read how researchers studied the effects of success and/or a lack thereof on two players in a simple game of Monopoly:

In a windowless room on the University of California, Berkeley, campus, two undergrads are playing a Monopoly game that one of them has no chance of winning. A team of psychologists has rigged it so that skill, brains, savvy, and luck—those ingredients that ineffably combine to create success in games as in life—have been made immaterial. Here, the only thing that matters is money.

One of the players, a brown-haired guy in a striped T-shirt, has been made “rich.” He got $2,000 from the Monopoly bank at the start of the game and receives $200 each time he passes Go. The
second player, a chubby young man in glasses, is comparatively impoverished.  He was given $1,000 at the start and collects $100 for passing Go.

T-Shirt can roll two dice, but Glasses can only roll one, limiting how fast he can advance. The students play for fifteen minutes under the watchful eye of two video cameras, while down the hall in another windowless room, the researchers huddle around a computer screen, later recording in a giant spreadsheet the subjects’ every facial twitch and hand gesture.

T-Shirt isn’t just winning; he’s crushing Glasses.  Initially, he reacted to the inequality between him and his opponent with a series of smirks, an acknowledgment, perhaps, of the inherent awkwardness of the situation. “Hey,” his expression seemed to say, “this is weird and unfair, but whatever.” Soon, though, as he whizzes around the board, purchasing properties and collecting rent, whatever discomfort he feels seems to dissipate.

He’s a skinny kid, but he balloons in size, spreading his limbs toward the far ends of the table. He smacks his playing piece (in the experiment, the wealthy player gets the Rolls-Royce) as he makes the circuit—smack, smack, smack—ending his turns with a board-shuddering bang!

Four minutes in, he picks up Glasses’ piece, the little elf shoe, and moves it for him. As the game nears its finish, T-Shirt moves his Rolls faster. The taunting is over now: He’s all efficiency. He refuses to meet Glasses’ gaze. His expression is stone cold as he takes the loser’s cash.

What can Christians learn from this?  Just a little reminder that it is all too easy to fall into the trap of assuming that wealth somehow provides significance and/or esteem.

If you have fallen prey to that notion (or if you are about to), then consider well the words of our Lord and Savior in Luke 12:15: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

Verses 16-21 continue Jesus’ train of thought:   And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Ouch! Oh well, the truth hurts; does it not? Besides, anyone who has ever played and won a game of Monopoly knows one thing for sure. When the game is over, everything is invariably boxed up and put away.  No matter how much you win, you cannot take it to the store and spend it! It only has perceived value for a very short time, and even that is only within a very specific context.

In truth, when the game is over, even if you win, you still have nothing more than you did when the game began.  And is that really anything to be proud of?

Such will be exactly the case for all material accumulation when the next life unfolds! Earthly riches have no value in Heaven! Little wonder then that Jesus admonishes us to store up our treasures there rather than here!

SOURCES: Lisa Miller’s article can be found online at: http://nymag.com/news/features/money-brain-2012-7/.

Scientific American published a similar article by Daisy Grewal, dated Apr 10, 2012, that is titled “How Wealth Reduces Compassion: As Riches Grow, Empathy for Others Seems to Decline.” It can also be found online. Check it out at this site: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-wealth-reduces-compassion/.

NOTE: Rev. Dow’s web site is:   http://www.palmerwesleyan.org.