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"Helping Others Communicate"

ONE LAST HELPING…

11/30/2014

 
As the Thanksgiving weekend winds down (and before we all turn our attention to the ensuing Christmas holiday), I wanted to repost this particular piece here today.  I think you will understand why once you have read it. 

A few years ago, Alice Gray compiled a book titled Stories for a Faithful Heart (Guideposts: Multnomah Publishing, 2000). Among the stories she included was "Something for Stevie", a work of fiction, written by author Dan Anderson, and first published in "RPM Magazine for Truckers" in November, 1998. It reads…

Something for Stevie

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy, with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers, because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade.

The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truckstop germ;" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truckstop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie, so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.


I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truckstop mascot. After that I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible, when Stevie got done with the table.

Our only problem was convincing him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus the dishes and glasses onto cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration.

He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truckstop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was the probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.


That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often had heart problems at an early age, so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of the 50-year-old Grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look.


He grinned. "Okay, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay. I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?" Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed. "Yeah, I’m glad he is going to be okay," she said, "but I don't know how he and his mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.

Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie, and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand a funny look on her face. "What's up?" I asked. "I didn't get that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off," she said, " This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup."

She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed Something For Stevie. "Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply, "Truckers."


That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.

Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting. "Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast, "I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me. I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the possession.


We stopped in front of the big table; its surface covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said, trying to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it.

I turned to his mother. "There's over $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving!"  Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table... best worker I ever hired.*


*SOURCE: 
http://www.inspirationline.com/EZINE/29NOV2004.htm/. 
See also: 
http://www.riverbendds.org/index.htm?page=feb99.html.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

11/27/2014

 
I have previously referenced the wonderful web site called Marc and Angel Hack Life:  Practical Tips for Productive Living.  It is run by Marc and Angel Chernoff.  Earlier this week, they posted an appropriate little piece for this time of year  titled “10 Great Privileges We Forget to Be Thankful For”.  Simple and to the point, it reads:

Even in times of uncertainty – even when life seems far from perfect – it’s always important to keep things in perspective.

1.   You are alive.
2.   You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
3.   You didn’t go to sleep outside.
4.   You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.
5.   You haven’t spent a minute in fear for your life.
6.   You know someone who loves you.
7.   You have access to clean drinking water.
8.   You have access to medical care.
9.   You have access to the Internet.
10. You can read.

Some might say you are incredibly wealthy and privileged, so remember to be thankful for all the things you do have.*

Well said.  Perhaps this week we should each take time out to count our blessings – collectively and individually.  The admonition of hymn writer Johnson Oatman, Jr. still rings true almost 120 years after it was first penned…

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.


Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.


Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.


Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.


Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.


Refrain**

Happy Thanksgiving.

SOURCES: 

* 
http://www.marcandangel.com/2014/11/23/10-great-privileges-
we-forget-to-be-thankful-for/#more-796
.  They also have an email delivery service for insightful articles.  The one following this blog post, titled “5 Reasons Someone Wishes They Were You”, is exceptional.  It is well worth one’s time to subscribe.


** http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/countyou.htm.

LOSING THINGS AND FINDING BLESSINGS

11/24/2014

1 Comment

 
Are you in need of something to be thankful for this week as we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday?  How about this?  You could be up against what poor Brooklin Yazzie is facing. 

It has now been three weeks since she accidentally gave away her wedding ring with Halloween candy.  KNXV-TV (ABC15) reports that the Mesa resident says she mistakenly handed out the ring during a mix-up.

Apparently, she had earlier placed her wedding ring in a candy jar while helping her daughters carve pumpkins. Later, when the night suddenly became hectic with the appearance of “trick-or-treaters”, she had inadvertently dumped the contents of that jar into a candy bag.  Ironically, there were also plastic rings inside the candy bag as well. 

Yazzie says she is hopeful that, since the story has now made the national news, someone still has the ring and might return it.  As she and her husband did not have much when they were first wed, it is not worth much money, maybe only $50 at most. But it does have great sentimental value. 

Now, having once lost my own wedding ring in a swimming pool, I know how devastated she must feel.  And I do hope she gets her ring back.  I sincerely do.  But I also know that losing a ring is nothing compared to losing a spouse.  Or a child.  Or a home.  Or one’s health.  Etc., etc…

To be sure, my own life has had its share of ups and downs. But I recognize that, for the most part, the issues I have faced have been relatively small; especially when they are compared to the blessings I have enjoyed.  And for that I am thankful. 

Jesus once said (in the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I once heard a wise pastor tell of having met and old friend who asked how he was doing.  He replied that he was doing okay under the circumstances.  To which his friend replied, "Just remember, it is entirely possible for us to live, not under, but above our circumstances!"


Thus, whatever befalls me, be it little or be it big, I can still have an overwhelming sense of peace within.  I know this because Jesus has promised this very thing.  And for that, if for no other reason, I am thankful today. 

Besides, not two months after I lost my own wedding ring, our friends were vacuuming out their swimming pool and found it. In short order, they returned it to me.  And I am trusting that, in due time, the same thing will happen for Brooklin.  And when it does, I will have yet another thing for which to be thankful as well.

SOURCE:  http://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/
mesa/mesa-woman-loses-wedding-ring-handing-out-candy
.
1 Comment

OPEN MY EYES, LORD…

11/21/2014

 
John Calvin was a famous Christian theologian who lived from 1509-1564.  The school of thought he spawned, known as Calvinism, is somewhat controversial in theological circles today, most notably for its views on predestination.  But Calvin himself is still regarded highly for his role in the Protestant Reformation of the Sixteenth Century.

In his most significant work, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin compares the Word of God to a pair of spectacles (or reading glasses), that enables us to properly interpret everything we see in the world around us each and every day (1.6.1):

“For as the aged, or those whose sight is defective, when any books however fair, is set before them, though they perceive that there is something written are scarcely able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to read distinctly, so Scripture, gathering together the impressions of Deity, which, till then, lay confused in our minds, dissipates the darkness, and shows us the true God clearly.”

I share this this thought because it has stayed with me for over thirty years, ever since I first encountered it in a class I took on the life and teachings of John Calvin while in seminary.  In fact, so impressed was I by this simple illustration that it has pretty much become a way of life for me.  As a preacher of the Gospel, I have learned to see the world through the lens of Scripture.

Once a believer embraces this notion, he or she cannot help but see biblical truth almost everywhere he or she looks.  I thought I would cite one such example for my blog post today.

The national news carried s story fork San Francisco about a window washer who fell 11 stories from a bank building Friday morning onto a moving car, crushing its roof and sending shattered glass flying into the street, police and witnesses said. Witnesses described seeing a falling blue streak and the man's shadow as he fell. 

The window washer, who was not immediately identified, was heard to be screaming all the way down.  This was followed by a crashing sound as he hit a car and then rolled onto the ground.  He suffered critical injuries, but he was conscious, police said. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital and is now listed in stable but critical condition.


About 20 other people ran to the man, who was on his back.  He was described as lucid, understanding that others were with him.  What saved his life was the fact that he fell onto a moving car that was passing by underneath.  In some miraculous way, the moving car appears to have helped to absorb the impact and dissipate some of the devastation that would surely have resulted if the man had landed squarely on the pavement.  The driver of the car was also spared serious injury.

For my part, I am thankful that this man’s life was spared. I cannot imagine what was going through his mind as he was falling.  Nor can I imagine what has gone through his mind since he has been in the hospital.  But in all of this, I cannot help but be reminded of a great truth communicated in the Bible.

In Genesis, chapter 3, the Bible records the story of what is often termed the fall of mankind.  Men and women, created in the image of God, and placed in the Garden of Eden, fell prey to temptation, sinned against God, and suffered the consequence of eternal death as a result. Unbeknownst to Adam and Eve, however, God loved them and their offspring so much that He was already undertaking the process of redemption. 

The unfolding story of the Bible shows us that God’s own son, Jesus Christ, was already moving toward the rescue.  And before mankind was forever destroyed by spiritual death as a result of its fall away from Almighty God, Jesus Christ absorbed the impact of that fall by sacrificing Himself on a cross.  In so doing, He saved us, making it possible for us to experience eternal life rather than eternal death.

And thus, the Bible declares (in the Apostle Paul’s New Testament Letter to the Romans, 5:19 New Living Translation): “Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”

The consequences of falling away from God can be terrible.  But, praise God, we do not have to suffer those consequences.  As Paul further states that same Letter (Romans 10:9-13):

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

My own desire is that all men and women everywhere will call out to God in Christ and find salvation and eternal life as a result.  More importantly, so does God Himself.  For, as His word says (2 Peter 3:9):  “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 

That promise is for everyone, including you and me.  I can only that hope you have found Jesus. I hope that you have found life.  I myself have, and the knowledge of that great truth has brought me more peace than anything else I have ever experienced.


I leave you with these words from wonderful song that Christians often sing…

Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch Him
And say that we love Him
Open our ears, Lord
And help us to listen
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus

He paid a debt He did not owe
I owed a debt I could not pay
I needed someone to wash my sins away
And now I sing a brand new song:
“Amazing grace” (amazing grace)
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay

Open my eyes, Lord
I want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch Him
And say that I love Him
Open my ears, Lord
And help me to listen
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus


SOURCES: 

The news story is available widely on the web. Cf.:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2014/11/21/sanfrancisco
-window-washer-11-story-fall-survives/19352725/
.

Calvin’s Institutes can also be found online at: 
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.iii.vii.html.

Song lyrics from:  http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/913/
hymns..unknown..open_our_eyes.html
.

SAY IT AGAIN

11/16/2014

 
The story is told about a group of Americans, all retired teachers, who recently went to France on a tour.  One of the participants, Mr. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 89, arrived in Paris by plane.  At French customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry-on.

“You have been to France before monsieur?” the French customs officer asked sarcastically.  Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.  To which the official replied, “Then you should know enough to have your passport ready.” 

The American said, “The last time I was here, I didn’t have to show it.”  Came the reply, “Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France!” 

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long, hard look. Then he quietly explained, “Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn’t find any Frenchmen to show it to.”*

Oh well, as General Patton once quipped, “What can you expect from a country whose tanks seem to have one forward gear and five reverse gears?!”

Veteran’s Day roles around every year on the 11th day of November.  The reason for this is that it was originally a commemoration of the end of World War One, which ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the cease fire with Germany went into effect.  First called Armistice Day, it has since evolved into the observance we all know and love today.

This past Tuesday, we were once again given the opportunity to recognize and pay homage to our veterans. Fittingly, businesses all over America offered free meals, free cups of coffee, free car washes, etc… to veterans of the U.S. Armed Services.  Perhaps you yourself did something similar.  I know I tried to say thank you to every veteran whose path I crossed.   

Which brings me to the point of my post today.  While it is important to recognize and honor our veterans on a given day set aside specifically for that purpose, it is equally important to remember them the other 354 days of the year as well.  After all, they didn’t just serve one day out of the year.  They served for as long as it took to get the job done and to fulfill their service to our country and us, their fellow citizens.

So, don’t pass up the opportunity to say a word of appreciation to any and all veterans you encounter this day and this week, even as you did on their day last week.  It will surely mean a lot to them; and it will very likely be rewarding to you as well.

SOURCE:  Based on a story told by Paul W. Powell in his book:  Laugh and Live Longer: Good Humor to Brighten and Lighten Your Life, (Self-published, Tyler, TX, 2008), p. 28.   (Note: The full text of this work is  also available online at: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/66830.pdf.)

You may also want to visit:  http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-760536.  The article here is titled "You Could Have Heard A Pin Drop".  Robert Whiting's story is one of five listed that will make you very proud of our Armed Forces.

LAND THAT I LOVE

11/13/2014

1 Comment

 
The church that I am privileged to serve as Pastor undertook a wonderful and generous ministry to its own staff several years ago.  Every seventh year, the church offers a one month sabbatical for her Pastoral Staff members.  Having been the recipient of one such sabbatical after my first seven years as Pastor, I can attest to the blessing that this is.  I was able to make a trip to England and study ancient Greek and Roman culture at Cambridge University.  It is amazing what a change of pace will do for one’s perspective.

Another blessing our church provides her Pastors is recognition on significant milestones in their ministry.  One of my fellow Pastoral Staff Members celebrated 35 consecutive years of ministry on staff at our church this past year.  As an expression of love for him, the church family gave him and his wife a trip to Israel.  Down through the years, the two of them have been blessed to take several mission and/or ministry trips; but the Holy Land is one place they have never been.  For this reason especially, I am excited for them.

Because a trip to the lands of the Bible will forever change the life of a believer, I encourage any and every person to go. Having made such a trip myself on several occasions, I can attest to this truth.  The Scriptures will come alive as never before.  Moreover, having completed the journey, the lands of people of the Bible will stay in one’s memory throughout life. And every time one opens the Bible to read it again, these visual components will continue to inform the text and give deeper and richer meaning to its many stories.

Of course, not everyone can make such a trip.  Understandably, some have limited financial means and simply cannot afford it. Others have health and other concerns which limit their ability to travel. This is another reason why I am thankful for the blessings of today’s digital world.  Because of today’s technology, it is possible to experience the lands of the Bible in a virtual manner. I would like to devote today’s post to a few resources that serve that very purpose. 

The first is a basic overview of Biblical sites presented in a DVD format.  It is a six part Readers’ Digest series titled:  The Christian Traveler, featuring many of the “must see” sites of Jesus' times and the journeys of the Apostle Paul.  According to the Editorial Review...

“The Holy Land of old comes alive as you witness firsthand the paths of Jesus travels from Bethlehem to Nazareth, Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, from Capernaum to Jericho. Finally Jesus returns to Jerusalem, is betrayed and crucified. Apart from Jesus Himself, no person shaped the history of Christianity like the Apostle Paul. Follow Paul to Antioch, Philippi, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Malta and to Rome where he was executed for the faith he once denounced. It‘s all here, from Jerusalem to Egypt, to Athens and Rome a pilgrimage that will touch your life as it has millions of others. “


One wonderful bonus is that the narration is by noted actor Richard Kiley, who was an American stage, television, and film actor who twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, as well as three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards during his fifty year career.  Even if you do not recognize the name, you will certainly recognize his "sonorous baritone" voice, which was featured in the narration of a number of documentaries and other films (including Jurassic Park). 

The shortcoming of this series is that it is not so much designed to increase one’s devotion as much as it is to increase one’s knowledge.

Another Multimedia DVD source is titled:  What the Bible Is All About Holy Land Tour DVD: A Life-Changing Visit to the Holy Land (part of the What the Bible Is All About Bible Study Series) by Jack W. Hayford, the Founder and Chancellor of The King’s College and Seminary, and Director of The JWH School of Pastoral Nurture.  He is most widely known as Founding Pastor of “The Church On The Way”, where he was senior pastor from 1969-1999. He served as President of the Foursquare Church from 2004-2009. He has authored 52 books and written more than 600 musical works (including the classis “Majesty”), and serves on various international and interdenominational committees and councils.

In this series, Hayford offers “insightful and historically grounded teaching” to help viewers put each place in scriptural context. He does so by utilizing Henrietta Mears’ classic Bible handbook What the Bible Is All About to help readers understand how Jesus Christ is revealed in every book of the Bible, by letting individuals and groups can see for themselves where Jesus’ earthly life and ministry unfolded as they journey to the Holy Land to see such sights as “the top of the Mount of Olives, overlooking the ancient, holy city of Jerusalem, to the Kidron Valley and Jericho, to Jesus’ birthplace of Bethlehem and the site of His garden tomb, and to many more places of biblical significance”.

The third is a much more lauded and in depth DVD series with Biblical principles taken from various sites in the Holy Land.  It is tilted:   That the World May Know: Faith Lessons with Ray Vander Laan.  You can read more about this series at:
http://www.faithlessons.net/.  For those unfamiliar with this Ray and his work, here is a quote from the Editorial Review on www.Amazon.com:

You may be wondering, who is Ray Vander Laan and what does he have to do with me? Well, if you haven't heard about Ray and his new Faith Lessons DVD series then you need to keep reading. Ray Vander Laan has created an instant sensation in his Faith Lessons DVD's in which he explores different Biblical topics from on-site locations in Israel. Why is a series like this necessary? Not enough Christians understand the context of various key Bible stories. Once they understand the history behind the words, the Bible really comes alive for them as never before.

Using this series in Sunday school, Christian
School, home study groups or for self-study you will learn the historical, cultural and geographical context of many of the great and inspiring narratives found in the Scriptures. And this knowledge will bring into a deeper knowledge of our LORD and his call on your life. Ray Vander Laan is the founder of That the World May Know Ministries.

Ray has been a teacher for more than 30 years, and is currently the religion instructor at Holland Christian Schools in Western Michigan. Ray holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary and is an ordained minister with the Christian Reformed Church. Since 1977, he has hosted more than 5,000 people on educational trips to the Middle East. His immense background in teaching, as well as his numerous trips to Israel, makes him the perfect guide for the Faith Lessons Series.


Lastly, let me point out a wonderful web site by Dr. Wayne Stiles.  Wayne lives in north Texas and attends Stonebriar Community Church.  He holds degrees from the University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary and works at Insight for Living, the Bible-teaching ministry of Chuck Swindoll. 

Wayne is absolutely passionate about the lands of the Bible. For those wanting a simple but meaningful approach to the lands of the Bible, Wayne has a insightful blog that is devoted to “Connecting the Bible and its Land to Life”.  It is a wonderful devotional site that helps to inform both our understanding of God and His Holy Word.  You can find it on the internet at:
http://www.waynestiles.com/category/bible-lands/devotionals-for
-bible-lands/
. 

On Wayne's web site, he also has available a superb eighteen part series titled “A Pictorial Library of Bible Lands”, containing more than 17,500 High Definition photographs from nine different countries in the ancient Mediterranean world.  these include more than 1500 photos of Jerusalem, more than 1500 photos of Judah and the Dead Sea area, more than 2300 photos of the areas of Galilee and Samaria, and thousands of other photos from Turkey, Greece, Italy, Egypt, and Jordan, where man of the stories of the Bible also unfolded.

The series is produced by
www.BiblePlaces.org, and along with other such resources, is also available on their web site.  There, you will find yet another insightful blog as well.  The various contributors discuss numerous topics related to the study of Biblical ands and peoples.

Lastly, for those who still prefer to learn from the printed page, numerous books are available on the lands of the Bible.  In fact, they are so numerous that they hard to list.  I would recommend going to
www.Amazon.com, as well as any of a number of Christian booksellers such as www.ChristianBook.com, and keying in such search terms as “Bible Atlas” or “Bible Geography”.  There will be much to choose from.  Along the way, check out Zondervan Publishing’s The Archaeological Study Bible (available in both King James and New International Versions).  For a single volume work, it is amazing how much information is contained in the notes about the lands of the Bible.

I leave you with the following: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RR_dYM4jJA.  ENJOY!
1 Comment

HANDS OFF!

11/9/2014

 
“Newser” is an online user-participation news site based in the United States that allows any user who wants to post a story.  This past week, Evann Gastaldo posted a piece under the following title:  DID BRUSHING UP AGAINST PLANT KILL GARDENER?

Nathan Greenaway collapsed at the English estate where he worked and was rushed to a hospital in September, where, for five days, doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with the 33-year-old. He died on Sept. 7 of multiple organ failure, and at a pre-inquest hearing this week, a potential cause was heard.

Greenaway's father did hours of research into his son's death and believes the gardener must have brushed up against aconitum. The deadly flower, also known as Devil's helmet, monkshood, and wolfsbane, was indeed growing on the grounds of Millcourt House, a $6 million estate owned by a retired venture capitalist. A histopathologist testified at the hearing that the flower "more likely than not" caused Greenaway's death, though it's not clear why he may have come in contact with it.

If it's handled without gloves, the flower can cause vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, heart palpitations, and, in severe cases, paralysis of the heart and airways, the Telegraph reports. Others testified that the toxin would have caused massive damage to the gardener's internal organs within hours. But a lawyer for his employer isn't convinced, and one problem is that the blood sample taken when Greenaway was admitted to the hospital has been destroyed.

According to testimony, the plant's toxin wouldn't have been detectable in his blood in as little as 24 hours, making samples taken after his death potentially useless, the Independent reports. The BBC notes that aconitum poisoning is rare and typically happens when the plant is eaten; indeed, a Canadian actor died after accidentally eating the plant while camping in 2004.*

Obviously, this is a tragic occurrence.  I grieve for this man who lost his child whom he obviously loved to so freakish an accident.  One can certainly understand why this father was so driven to uncover the cause of his son’s death.  Perhaps now, others might somehow be spared such an untimely and unnecessary death.**

Of course, this whole episode reminds me of another tragic occurrence involving death in some other garden.  Genesis chapters 2 and 3 tell the story of how God, after having created Adam and Eve, placed them in the Garden of Eden.  There, they were put in charge of the Garden “to work it and take care of it” (2:15).  But, He also clearly commanded them (2:16-17), “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Sadly, chapter 3 records how Satan, in the form of the serpent, tempted Eve to violate this very commandment, which she promptly did.  And when Eve offered Adam the forbidden fruit, he also violated God’s command.  And with the violation of God’s command came the inevitable punishment, which God had previously declared to be death.

The apostle Paul tells us that, through this original sin, all of us, as descendants of Adam and Eve, have been tainted.  Because of this, we all live under the same curse of death.  How sad if that were the end of the story.  But, praise God, there is more.

Here is a summary of the Apostle Paul’s message from his New Testament letter to the Romans, often referred to as the “Roman Road to Salvation”:

"As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one…'"  Romans 3:10 NIV

Paul is here quoting Psalm 14 from the Old Testament.  He next tells us why no one is righteous.

"…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…"  Romans 3:23 NIV

Elsewhere in the New Testament, Paul elaborates on the fact all of us have a sin nature.  He contends that we are all sinners both by nature and by choice.  That is to say, we are guilty of sin because of Adam’s digression.  And even if not, even if we had somehow been born sinless, we ourselves would have soon sinned on our own.

So, if we are all in the same proverbial boat, if we are all sinners, then what is the big deal?  He provides the answer. 

"…the wages of sin is death…"  Romans 6:23a NIV

He is not talking about physical death.  He means spiritual death, or eternal separation from our Creator.  The Bible elsewhere describes what this entails.  Jesus in particular, but also the Apostle John describes the horrors of spending eternity apart from God, in a miserable place called Hell that was originally created, not for men and women, but for the Devil and those fallen angels who followed him in willful rebellion against God.

How sad it would be if men and women, because of their sinfulness, had no hope but to be condemned to hell for all eternity.  Alas, however, the story does not end there.  Paul next tells us…

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8 NIV 

In his great love for us, God was willing to allow His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf.  This He did by allowing Himself to be crucified on an old rugged cross some two thousand years ago.  Then, three days later, in order to prove He was God’s Son, Jesus Christ rose from the grave!  In the process, He conquered sin, death, and Hell itself!  

And because of this, He alone has the keys to eternal life and entrance into a place the bible calls Heaven.  And He wants so much to take as many people as possible to that place.

The Apostle John put it this way (3:16-17):  "For 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.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  And Jesus himself said (in John 10:10):  "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  Thus, Paul next states:

"...but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 6:23b NIV

And Paul then tells us how we can appropriate that gift of eternal life.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10:13 NIV

In that same chapter, he says:

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."  Romans 10:9-10 NIV

He tells us this because he wants us to understand clearly what he elsewhere says in his New Testament Letter to the Ephesians (2:8,9): “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”   

Paul had seen innumerable people fool themselves into thinking that through the practice of religion or by living a good life, they could somehow be good enough to be good enough, righteous enough, to earn for themselves eternal life and a trip to Heaven.  But Paul knew how foolish this was because he knew the depravity of the human heart. 

And he knew that the only way the terrible curse of death could be removed, the only way our sin nature could be truly cleansed and one day eradicated was through the redemptive work of God’s Son and the gift of His grace afforded to us.  

Thus, in his first New Testament Letter to the Corinthians (15:21-22), he joyously proclaimed , “For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

I do not know Mr. Greenaway.  I may never meet him.  But I am quite certain He would do everything in his power to restore life to his son.  Alas, he cannot.  Neither can you or me.  But God can. And He did restore life to His only begotten Son.  And because of this, all of us can have eternal life, spiritual life! 

The Apostle Peter assures us that God does not desire for anyone to perish, but rather that all men might repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9).  Paul echoes this same sentiment in first New Testament Letter to Timothy (2:3-4), when he says:  “…God our Savior … wants all people to be saved”.   

In light of this, my friend, I hope you have embraced God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  I hope you have been delivered from death and have found eternal life through Him. 
For, according to the Bible (1 John 5:12)… “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  

*SOURCE: 
http://www.newser.com/story/198339/did-brushing-up-against-plant-kill-gardener.html?utm_source=part&utm_me
dium=foxnews&utm_campaign=rss_science_syn
.

**NOTE:  In fairness, the cause of death for the young man is still being debated.  Some have contended that the symptoms described are classic for organophosphate poisoning (originating in substances used in herbicides and pesticides), thereby claiming  that it is significantly more likely that the young man  came into contact with these substances than with aconitum.

STEPPING ON OR STOOPNG DOWN

11/6/2014

 
This past Sunday in my morning message, I talked about the importance of Christians loving others in the name of Jesus.  I based my thought on Jesus’ words after He witnessed certain people “trampling” on others, as recorded in Luke’s New Testament Gospel (12:1-7):

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.  What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


It seems apparent here that Jesus is speaking to two groups of people.  First, to those who care a lot about their own position but very little for that of their neighbor (the ones trampling others), He gives a stern warning.  Then, He speaks to those are actually being trampled by others.  To these who find themselves being ground down by others, He offers words of encouragement and an affirmation of worth. 

In numerous other places in the New Testament, Jesus challenges His followers to consider the eternal significance of how sensitive and attentive we are to the needs of others.  One such example is found in Matthew’s Gospel (25:31-46):

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.   For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”


Ouch!  Who among us can read these words and not be compelled to examine our own heart?  Who among us can read these words and not ask whether we have truly been sensitive to the needs of those around us?  Indeed, who can read these words and not ponder just who the Lord may have placed in our path?  And thus, who it is that we are expected to minister to in His name?

In response to my message, a good friend and fellow church member shared the following poem with me - one that he had first encountered years ago.  It was written back in 1972 by Stevie Smith and is titled…

NOT WAVING BUT DROWNINGthought   ot waving but drowning.

Nobody heard him, the dead man, 
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought  
And not waving but drowning.
 
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he’s dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,  
They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always  
(Still the dead one lay moaning)  
I was much too far out all my life  
And not waving but drowning.*

Not Waving but Drowning



May the Lord help us to open our eyes and actually see those around us who are in need.  And as He does, may we care a little less for our position and a lot more for their condition!


*SOURCE:  http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/poem/175778. ill the dead one lay moaning)   s much too far out all my life    And not waving but drowning.

JESUS LOVES ME

11/2/2014

 
Warren Cole Smith recently wrote a very informative article for World Magazine titled “Pain and Gain”.  In it, he details the experiences, including the tragedies, which have made Rick Warren “a different man and a different pastor”.

For those who may not know, Warren pastors Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, California, which has a Sunday attendance of more than 20,000 persons.  He and his wife founded this church from scratch in 1980.  He is also the author of The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 30 million copies.  Warren is no stranger to controversy.  He has also faced his share of heartache, particularly through the suicide of his son, who had had a long history of mental illness.

The article unfolds in a series of questions and answers. I wanted to repost a particularly meaningful portion of it here today…

I’ve heard that you put your feet into the water of prison ministry a while back.

Ten years ago, after The Purpose Driven Life came out and we were suggesting “40 Days of Purpose,” one Christian inmate asked, “Could I do this in my prison?” I said, “Of course,” and from doing the 40 days he started a church in that maximum-security prison.

And you went to preach there.

I had two hours to speak to the entire prison. There were 4,000, maybe 5,000 people out on the yard. Nobody was paying attention except a couple hundred people right up front. I was standing on the ground with no stage, just a microphone, but the microphone could be heard through the entire yard. I pulled out a $50 bill, held it up, and said, “How many of you would like this $50 bill?” Five thousand hands went up. I had everybody’s attention. Then I crumpled it in my hands, tore it a bit, and said, “How many of you would still like this $50 bill?” Five thousand hands went up. 

What came next?

I spat on the $50 bill, threw it on the ground, stomped it into the dirt, held it up, and said, “How many of you would like it now?” Five thousand hands went up. Then I said, “Now, for many of you, this is what your father did to you. You’ve been mistreated. You are abused. You are misused. You were told you wouldn’t amount to anything. You’ve done a lot of dumb things too. You sinned. You’ve done some crimes, and you’re paying for them. You’ve been beaten. You’ve been torn. You’ve been dirty, but you have not lost one cent of your value to God.” 

You had their attention.

That day, I think 79 guys gave their lives to Christ. I baptized all of them on the yard that day. We brought out a big laundry bin, filled it with water in front of the entire prison. The church in that prison grew to 500. Later, authorities decided the prison should be smaller, and many prisoners went elsewhere. We commissioned them as missionaries to start churches in those other prisons.*  

I once heard an evangelist describe how much God loves each and every one of us.  He said that if you (or I) either one had been the only person who ever lived and died in the history of the world, God would still have sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for your (or my) sins!  That is how much He loves each one of us!

The Apostle John tells us in his New Testament Gospel (3:16-18):  “For 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.   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…”

And the Apostle Paul adds this thought in his New Testament Letter to the Romans (8:1):  “…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Praise God for the truth of these two Biblical passages.  I hope you have grasped that truth.  I hope you have embraced the grace of God and found new life though His Son, Jesus Christ. No matter what you have been through, God still loves you.  And He can and will forgive your past failures and restore you to a proper relationship to Him through Jesus Christ.  If you will but let Him, my friend, He can change your life forever!

*SOURCE: 
http://www.worldmag.com/2014/09/pain_and_gain.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

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