They drank beer on Sunday, but they were neighborly

  In the late 1980’s my family attended a convention in Richmond, Virginia. We drove a blue Ford LTD that was long past its prime. On the return trip, a stream of white smoke clouded the highway and soon the car just stopped.

  We were a mile from an exit and 20 miles from a hotel. The five of us walked along the highway, passed by hundreds of cars as we walked in the summer heat on a Sunday morning. We looked pretty ragged that day. A man, his wife and three little boys who were dirty, sweaty and tired.

   A church van approached us and the driver asked if we wanted a ride to his worship services. We declined after explaining our situation. They van drove off to pick up worshippers waiting for rides.

   At the exit, in Ladysmith, Va., we were assisted by several men who were drinking alcohol and playing loud music. They put us in their car and carried us 20 miles to a hotel, and then returned and towed our car to their home. They happened to be mechanics.

   We had a blown head gasket, but they stayed up all night long, drinking, listening to loud music and repaired our vehicle. They only charged us for the parts and continued drinking.

   As we pulled away, the church van stopped us and the driver asked whether we had our problem solved. He said, “God bless you,” and then drove away.

   Each time we go in that direction my wife bakes a cake to take to those men, in gratitude for helping us when we were stranded. We never even thought about attending that church.

   Luke 10:29 asks a question, “Who is my neighbor?”

   On that Sunday, when we were in distress, our neighbors were three drinking men who listened to loud music on Sunday, but gave of themselves to help us.
  

She fasted and posted, did she really fast?

  A young woman was concerned with her weight, so she decided to go on a diet. She concluded that fasting at the same time was a “cool” idea. As she fasted she posted to all of her friends on Face book that she was on a 30 day fast. Her posts received hundreds of comments and likes. At the end, she announced she had lost ten pounds and attributed to fasting. She received even more comments and congratulations from her friends!

   The young woman participated in a weight loss regimen,  but it was not a spiritual fast. Fasting means we do without a prescribed diet for the purpose of helping us intensify our spiritual connection with God. Each time we would normally consume the item of the fast, we pray instead.

   The churning in our stomachs reminds us of the yearnings in our soul and keeps us on task.

   Fasting is secret. It is not posted on Face book, Tweeted or announced. It is part of a believer’s prayer life. It is not a weight loss program.

   No one should know that we are fasting by our appearance or communications; that is, if we are really fasting.

   In Matthew 6:18 Jesus says, "That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."

   The moment we tell someone we are fasting, it loses its power!

I prayed, but I'm still sick

    A young lady stayed absent for church for several months. She refused to worship, read her bible or call on the name of the Lord. She was asked why by friends and she responded that the church lied to her. She said she prayed for her mother’s sickness to be removed and followed all of the rituals and steps in the bible, but her sickness remained. She said, praying, God and faith were a waste of time.

   Believers should understand the nature of our relationship with God. Generally, sickness is related to sin or testing. How do we know which one?

   First, we confess our sins and pray the prayer of faith for forgiveness for those sins. If the sickness persists, then we know that it is not sin based, so we then change our prayer from “forgiveness” to “endurance.” –Lord help me to endure my time of testing.

    James 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they  shall be forgiven him.

    Each believer will endure testing periods; those times when everything seems to fail: health, strength, finance, relationships-everything. When test time comes we pray for strength to endure and gain from the situation. That prayer, when prayed fervently and intensely, and in faith, will count heavily toward the desired result.
 
    Those who know they are not practicing sinners, immediately know that they are in a time of testing.

    That’s when they fervently pray for strength to endure.

    The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. (James 5:16)

Absolutely 'flicted!

We’ve all seen people that we thought were absolutely “off the chain!” They did and said crazy stuff. The old timers around us had a way of describing erratic, changes in mental or physical health as being “flicted.” It was not proper English, but everyone understood what they meant.

Flicted covered a whole range of problems such as mental instability, foolishness, immorality, bi-polar issues, infidelity, abusive behavior and often physical illness.

When we couldn’t understand why a person with money in his pocket shoplifted from a store, it was described as ‘flicted. The man who had a beautiful loving wife, but felt the need to cheat, could only be described as ‘flicted. Bodily aches and pains and sicknesses were also called, "flictions."

We have a few flictions ourselves, if we tell the truth. We have flictons in our body. Flictions in our heads. Some of us have flicted zippers and skirts.

James 5:13 says people who are ‘flicted should pray that God would help them deal with their fliction-issues. It says, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.” The person who is flicted should pray for him/herself.

In most cases people are so flicted they won't pray for themselves or won’t, so in the meantime those who are affected by the ‘flicted people have to keep praying for them.

The prayers of the faithful can go a long ways.

What if you Never ask?

 Three children stood outside their father’s room and debated with each other. They wanted an increase in their allowance. They did all of their chores, obeyed all of the family rules and always tried to be respectful. They wanted an $1 increase in their weekly allowance, but two of them said it would be a waste of time because the father would probably say no. The third said, “It’s not like we’re going to get a beating for asking, let’s just ask him.” The first two refused, but the third, who was very bold said, “I’ll do it.”

   As the boys went before their father he greeted them with a big hug, and then the third one popped the question. When the father agreed all of them were surprised. The father said, “I decided weeks ago that you should be rewarded with a $2 increase, but decided to wait until you asked.” Then the father said something that they remembered the rest of their lives, “You have not, because you ask not.”

    In Hebrews 4:16 the word of God says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

     It means that we are God’s children, he knows what we need and will help.  We should not be afraid to ask for mercy and for help in time of need. This knowledge helps us to be like the third child. We should bow humbly before the father and boldly plead our case.

     We’ll find out that, in most cases, the help we need (which may be more than what we ask)  is available, just waiting for us to ask.

     We have not because we ask not.

Been there-Done that!

    A man opened a marriage counseling service and hung his many degrees on the wall. He followed all of the protocols for establishing a successful business: he was well financed, advertised, and executed a great business plan. However, after a year in business he only had a few clients. It seemed no one cared. It suddenly dawned upon him that he had the wrong business model. He changed his business to “Divorce Counseling” and his business increased. His business increased because he was now seen as someone’s whose advice could be heeded. He had been married seven times.

    When we are in despair we get our best help from those who understand our dilemma. A cancer victim can find solace in the words of  a cancer survivor. A person who has known the hard life listens to the advice of those who have done the same and rebounded. This is so because they have been in the same position. They can relate.

    In Hebrews 4:15 believers are encouraged to look to Christ for our help because whatever our dilemma, he has faced a similar situation himself. The meat of text says, “but was in all points  tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

    To be tempted is to be tested in matters of morality, social acceptance, health, financial security, family concerns, dealing with enemies, facing death and other issues of life. Jesus faced them all.

    He could easily say, “I’ve been there-done that and I have the marks to prove it.”

    He will listen when we pray and we will receive an answer. The answer we receive will be from someone who has walked a mile in our shoes. He knows what we are going through.

    An old hymn says, “He knows the pain we feel, he can save and he can heal, take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”

   When you pray, be assured that God understands and will respond at the appropriate time according to his will.

Ask a favor for Judas, too?

    Have you ever put it all on the line for someone, pleading in their defense or asking a favor for them? If so then, you know what it is to intercede or act as a middle man to help someone.
   There are many who are hired on jobs, get promotions, get scholarships or other opportunities because someone recommended them, pleaded their case or called in a favor to help them. It helps to know someone on the inside.
   In John 17:9 Jesus intercedes on behalf of his 12 disciples, even Judas. He asked God to show them favor because they have been loyal to him. He specifically notes that in this prayer he is not praying for the whole world, but especially for these twelve. (In verse 12 he notes that since  Judas' role was ordained, he doesn't like what the son of perdition is doing, but he prays for him anyway).
   In verse 13 he asks God to give his followers “my joy.”
   His prayer was personal, specific and in line with God’s eternal plan. It asked God to favor his followers to the extent that they put themselves on the line for the cause of the kingdom.
   Like Jesus, we pray intercessory prayers, too. These are not prayers for the world, but for specific people. These prayers are personal and touch the heart. We ask God to favor a friend in need or a hurting family. We ask that an opportunity be made available for a deserving person.
    There have even been times when we asked a favor for someone who hurt us in the past. We followed Christ's example.
    We ask him to give them “The joy of the Lord” for their situation.
    Jesus pleads for us and God shows us favor, often undeserved.
    We should intercede for others, even the Judases in our lives, and ask God to help them know the “Joy of the Lord.”
    Those who know the “joy of the Lord” can pray for Judas, too!

My enemy's enemy is my friend

  There is an old proverb that says, “The friends of my friends are my friends also, and the enemies of my friends are also my enemies, but the enemies of my enemies are my friends.”

  It’s a strange twist of relationships, bedfellows and associates, but it usually proves true. We tend to like the people who are friends with our friends. We are uneasy around people who enemies of our friends and we have a tendency to cozy up to anyone who dislikes the same people we dislike.

  That’s the reason why people who often disagree on one issue may find themselves on the same side if they have a common enemy.

  A children’s song has these lyrics, “The more we get together the happier we’ll be, for your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends. The more we get together the happier we’ll be.”

   In John 17:10 Jesus prays to God for the safety and protection of his friends or disciples. He says, “And all of mine are thine and all of thine or mine; I am glorified in them.” He asked God to consider believers as friends of God because any friend of the cross is a friend to God. In essence he said, “My friends are your friends and your friends are my friends.”

   God showers us with favor and blessings because we love, respect and promote his son. That connection explains how knowing Christ puts us into the fellowship circle of the Creator who is in a position to help us as we help further his kingdom.

   Jesus is our friend.
   Jesus says to God, help my friends by showering them with favor and grace.
   God says, any friend of my son is a friend of mine.

   And the blessings come…

You know him, but does he know you?

     We all know the President and follow the details of his life daily, but do you think that he actually thinks about us personally when he wakes in the morning? What about the governor? Does he wonder about our personal safety and security?
    No one likes to be a faceless name in a crowd with no connection, but that is often the case. The world seems to be filled with big powerful wheels and millions of little wheels that are nice to have but do not really matter.
    A who friend moved to a large city had considered joining a mega-church with 30,000 members. She asked me should she join. I told her she was from a small church where folks knew each other by name. To test how she would fit in I told her to request a meeting with the pastor to discuss her interest. She later called to say that meeting the pastor was not possible, but his assistants met with her. She sensed that if she joined she would be connected to the 30,000 membership, but the leader would not know her name, recognize her in the grocery store or come to her funeral.  (She joined anyway).
    That’s a contrast our bible lesson for today, John 17:9 where Jesus prayed for his 11 faithful disciples. Read what it says, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
    Though he was soon to be crucified for the entire world, Jesus in this recorded prayer, prayed for 11 people specifically. He prayed for their protection, understanding, unity and ability to withstand the days ahead.
    He knew them by name. Even though he was concerned about the whole world. He was concerned about them personally because “they are thine.”
     As believers we are connected to God in a personal way. He knows us and thinks about us just as he thought about the eleven during his garden prayer. He meets with us in our moments of solitude, walks with us in our meditation, and is present in our moments of despair. He knows us by  sight, even if we are shopping in the grocery store.
     When we pray, it’s good to know that we have a hookup with a big God, who is not so big that he doesn't know all of us…by name!

I prayed for a new car, but didn't get it! What's up?

     If the bible says all we have to do is ask, seek and knock and we would receive, why is it that we have often asked for things and have not received them?
   Do you remember the job you prayed for or the new car, clothes or that 82” big screen T.V. that was on your prayer list? Why didn’t God keep his promise and deliver our prayer request?
   Our expectation is based on popular notions, but not biblical truth.
   In our lesson for this week Jesus gave his disciples an outline of what to pray for and how to pray. In Matthew 6:9-13 he gives the outline. In Luke 11:1-13 he gives the outline again with a more detailed explanation.
   The idea is to ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives daily, to guide us and protect us from evil and from ourselves.
   It is the Holy Spirit or the presence of God that we should pray for to help us deal with all of life’s issues. He will guide us in the right direction, and help us deal with the issues we face. It is better to pray for God’s presence than a new Xbox or a new refrigerator. We are promised that if we ask or seek the Holy Spirit he will come.
   God can do anything: heal, bless, open doors and provide new refrigerators. We should pray for the Holy Spirit, not for things.
   The idea of asking for things such as cars, new clothes, a fine woman or a super lover is not what is meant by ask, seek and knock.
    Look closely at Luke 11:10 and 13 together and you get clear answer: 10: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
   Instead of asking God for the Saints to win a football game or for a new fishing pole, the Bible says when we pray we should ask for God’s presence. He heals, opens doors and makes the magic happen in our lives.
   If we ask for him, seek him, or knock on a door looking for him, he will co

Blessed in the Mess

  Have you ever considered  how God blessed you last year in the middle of all the mess that surrounded you?
 

  It was all around you: in your family, at work, at home, in your relationship; it was everywhere.

  Mess.

  Yet, in the middle of that mess God blessed you anyway.

  Luke 6:8 details an instance where a man with a withered hand sat in the midst of many people who called themselves religious, but no one did anything to help him. In that time many believed that withered limbs, leprosy and other abnormal conditions were caused by sin; the victims brought it on themselves. So, no one helped the man with the withered hand, but there were probably many opinions about the cause of his problem.

  In the middle of all of that mess Jesus appeared and told the man to “rise up and stand forth in the midst.” Right there in the middle of the mess that added to the misery of his life, Christ healed him.
  
  He was blessed while still in the middle of his mess.

   Today, we have the same witness. In the middle of our mess, God raises up believers and blesses them right in front of those who doubt our faith.

   Today, as you step forward into the mess the world has created for you, prepare to be blessed!

Let the Haters Talk

Does it bother you that many people watch you every day?

Whether you know it or know there are many people who watch you. Some watch you because they admire you and the keep track of your every move. There are many who track the movements of movie stars and recording artists; they know all about them.  They study them and know them very well. You are not a star, but they track you for the same reason.

However, there are some who watch you for different reasons; they are trying to find a reason to criticize or tear you down.

That’s what is happening in Luke 6:7. The religious leaders were watching Jesus to find a reason to criticize him. They looked for anything they could find to accuse him of wrong doing, even if he healed the sick on the Sabbath.

Jesus was always aware that people watched all he did, so he chose his words carefully, but remained true to his calling.

We should remember that we can’t stop people from watching us, but we can control what they see. Let’s follow Jesus’ example and choose our words carefully and act responsibly, so when our critics report our activities or “hate” on us they won’t have anything embarrassing truths to report.

Jesus’ attitude was simple, let the haters talk, but don’t let their talk stop you from doing God’s will.

Positive God Talk

There is such a thing a positive God talk. Ever heard of that?

Positive God talk is conversation with others about the greatness of God and how important He is to your life and family.  It’s talk about what God has done, how he has touched your life and opened your eyes to things that have always been there, but you have not seen. Positive God talk is contagious, people want to hear it. Neither is it conditional. Even when things are going wrong for us, God is still good.

In Luke 24:14 shows us two men walking on a road who were engaged in positive God talk about Jesus. They talked about the crucifixion and believed Jesus to be a prophet with a mighty word. They talked of his persecution, miracles  and many other events. They were excited and their conversation was filled with positive God talk.

When God has moved in your life, it’s a good idea to fill your mind and heart with positive God talk. Talk about  the wonderful things he has done in your life. Talk about the confidence he inspires. Talk of the strength he gives.  Even when life tests us, we still should have positive God talk.

The bible calls positive God talk witnessing. It’s recognizing God’s hand in our affairs and pointing it out to those who want to know. You can feel the excitement in a room when people begin to tell of the wondrous ways God has blessed them, including sometimes causing them to fail to save them. That’s when you hear someone say, “It wasn’t nothing, but the Lord!”

“It wasn’t nothing, but the Lord, chile!”, “It wasn’t nothing, but the Lord.”

That’s positive God talk.

The Greatest

Luke 22:26-27 

Muhammad Ali promoted himself as the “Greatest” in fact, he said he could “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” He was a great champion, but he is probably loved and respected because of his willingness to champion the less fortunate around the world. Whether in America, where he was stripped of his title for refusing to fight the innocent or overseas where he spoke for the rights of the little people,  Ali was a champion of the less fortunate.

He was a great boxer, but what probably made him the “Greatest” was his service to mankind.

In verse 226-27 Jesus’ disciples debated among themselves about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. They wanted to be in positions of power. Jesus told them that the one that would truly be the greatest would be the one who served most.

That’s true even today. 

Those that we revere as the greatest are those who served most. Whether its in your family or the church, the ones you remember as the greatest in your opinion, were usually the ones who served others most and themselves less.

Betrayed by a Friend?

   Have you ever been betrayed by a person you thought was your friend? That’s a hard pill to swallow. We trust our friends with our confidential information, fears, weaknesses and sometimes we tell them our intimate thoughts. It really hurts when a person misuses that trust and reveals your secrets or acts against you.
 

That’s what Jesus referred to in Luke 22:21. At the Last supper he said someone eating with Him would betray him. Someone in his inner circle would turn Him in to the authorities. 

   Everyone at the table asked, “Lord is it I?” including Judas, who knew the answer to the question.

   As believers we must be careful not to betray our Lord. We do that when we claim to be His followers, but live just the opposite. When we try to sleep with the hounds and run with the rabbits we betray him. When we run with devil all week and then sit among the Saints on Sunday, He says, “Someone who is praising me with their lips and shouting hallelujah, is betraying me right now?”

  Every one is the church asks the question, “Lord is it I?”

  Only Judas knows the answer.

Choosing to Suffer

To suffer is to endure hardship, deprivation, pain or loss. Suffering connotes sacrifice, struggle and even death. Yet, even with its gloomy forecast we willingly endure suffering if there is hope that our suffering will lead to a positive end.

A mother faces nine months of suffering buoyed by the joyful thought of bringing new life.
...
Our people suffered as slaves, but they always hoped that the children would be free.

Athletes endure the pain of training encouraged by the hope of victory!

In Luke 22 Jesus told his disciples that his suffering was about to begin. It would be painful, humiliating and deadly, but its end would usher in a new day.

Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and even certain members of our families have lived out the scene, deciding to suffer to bring about a better end.

Verses 14-15 show us Jesus preparing to suffer the cross so that all believers could get the crown of life. He was was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity..

 

And with His stripes we are healed.

Sleep on it!

Sometimes God shows you some things about your family, your job, your friends or even about your future. Sometimes we don’t like what we see and wish we didn’t know. So what do you do with it?  Sometimes we sleep on it and get up the next day and go about our business and put it in God’s hands.

In Daniel 8 God showed Daniel many things that were troubling. He saw the future and it bothered him. He saw trouble ahead. He also saw victory down the road, but not before a lot of suffering.  At verses 26-27, the last verses of the chapter, Daniel was so sick about what he knew was coming that he fainted.  However, the same verse says, “afterward” he arose and went about “the king’s business” and kept what he felt and knew to himself, astonished, still not understanding, but trusting God.

This verse could very well be for you. If you have been shown some things that are about to happen and you have tried your best, but failed to give warnings or prevent them.  Don’t worry yourself.  Put it in God’s hands, then get a good night’s sleep.

Tomorrow arise and refreshed and ready to do the King’s business.

We have a Pope!

  The Catholic Church named Jorge Bergoglio as its 266^th Pope this week. His record of service demonstrates a passion for the poor and to live the simple life of a man dedicated to God’s service.

   That impresses me.

   When it is all said and done the pope is a pastor. He just happens to pastor more than a billion people. As a pastor his interests are focused primarily on building the kingdom of God.

   Sometimes pastors forget that become absorbed in the accumulation of creature comforts, wealth and fame. Pastors who wear flashy jewelry, live in luxury mansions, and drive expensive automobiles soon become distant from the passion that drives them to save the people on behalf of the Lord.

   The new Pope has lived a  sober and austere lifestyle. He travels on the underground, the bus, when he traveled to Rome he flew economy class.

    He probably won’t see much of that anymore. He won’t get to ride the bus or fly economy class because he is the Pope, but all of his life is interest has been with the poor and downtrodden.

    At 76 years of age he’s probably not going to change, because his address and title has changed.

    When Jesus began his ministry he announced a life of poverty where even “foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the son of man hath no place to lay his head.”

    In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

    To the extent that he remembers the poor and reaches out to the disenfranchised in the name of our Lord, I welcome the Pope and pray God’s blessings upon him.

The New Pope emerges



http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/03/video-pope-francis-elected-cardinal.html

Kate didn't say she would obey

They said what millions of others said, but she didn't say it all.

The world watched the wedding of Prince William and Kate in England. The world saw the pageantry and fanfare, the beautiful dress and the impressive celebration that followed. It was a ritual followed in England for hundreds of years. It has been replicated in smaller events around the world for centuries as well.

However, the vows of the couple were modified a bit. The vows that the couple took at first sounded traditional Old English, but there was one significant twist.

Did you catch it?

William promised to love Kate in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer until death. It is the same vow that has been shared by millions for centuries, including the funny sounding phrase "I plight thee my troth" which means I pledge to be faithful to you and you alone.

Kate gave the feminine response in her vows with the exception that she did not promise to obey her husband, only to honor and respect him. Hmmmm!

It was a beautiful ceremony filled with great pageantry. The price tag was in the millions, all paid for by the English government.

Jesus said in John 19:5-6, "..For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

It was a by the book wedding, except that the couple apparently agreed that Kate could ignore 1 Peter 3:1 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands..."

And now the fairy tale begins!

Christ wrote with one finger, did He have an Ipad?

Does anybody write in cursive writing anymore? Has email and texting killed a centuries old communication method?

I was surprised to learn a few years ago that cursive writing is no longer emphasized in many schools. Gone are the days when handwriting was considered a necessary skill. Then teachers took the time to guide a students hand to help them learn to form the letters as they placed their thoughts on paper using pen and ink.

Pen and ink? What's that? Many in this generation have never seen a fountain pen; what's it used for? Many hotels no longer feature writing paper and pens in desk drawers. Who writes when they can text.

Cursive writing is key to the soul. Handwriting experts agree that our handwriting provides keys to who we are, how we feel and what we think. These keys are hidden in the shapes, loops and curves of our letters. Just as a shaky or warbly signature indicates an elderly or sickly person, cursive writing gives clues, too.

The cursive writing gives love letters and diary entries a feel that typing or script cannot do. A typed or printed letter is not as revealing as a cursive written letter. The former is personal, the latter is more formal and businesslike.

Today there is email, texting and tweeting. It's faster and often written without thought and is often oblivious to syntax or spelling. Cursive requires a slower contemplative pace. Today's generation says cursive is too slow.

Today, it's used mostly for signatures, but digital signatures are now legal. Soon signatures will be out, too.

If cursive is not taught, how will this generation read historical documents, or personal notes?

In the past they wrote because they could not type or text. It could be that handwriting as we know it will soon fade away.

God wrote the 10 commandments with his own finger. Jesus wrote in Hebrew. John 8:6 "...Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not."

Today, they would have used an Ipad; they can write on it with one finger. Maybe they would have used a smart phone and used two thumbs.

The death of cursive writing seems such a loss!