GIVE?

“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”  (Proverbs 23:26 KJV)

Christmas carols are being sung, trees decorated, cookies and candy baked and made, brightly colored lights lit, decorations being hung, and the list can go on and on as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.  I ever so fondly remember going through these rituals as a child and hardly sleeping through Christmas Eve in anticipation of presents waiting under the glittery decorated Christmas tree.  When we were little we believed in Santa Claus with reindeer and sleigh alighting on rooftops so he could come down our chimney to deposit all those delightful gifts.  Children do not try to reason things out.  Things do not have to be logical to them.  The idea that a very fat man could squeeze down a narrow chimney and come out of the fire unhurt in a spotless red suit is a “given”.  They accept such things with trusting hearts full of anticipation.  Sometimes I think we should be more like children at Christmas, at least when it comes to our faith in Jesus, after all; it is His birthday.

Talking about Jesus, do you remember the Christian advertising that was popular not too long ago?  Everywhere you could see “Jesus Is the Reason for the Season”.  I believe we need reminders such as these to show us just where our focus should be; after all it is HIS birthday!

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”  (Psalm 57:7 KJV)  “O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.”  (Psalm 108:1 KJV)

So, what are you doing this Christmas?  Are you gathering with your family and friends?  How do you celebrate Christmas?  Most of our Christmas traditions come from time honored customs such as decorating an evergreen Christmas tree, having a great feast with turkey or ham, candied yams, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and giving gifts to each other.  These are all good things, but sometimes traditions pull us away from what we should be focused on, remember; after all it is HIS birthday!

“Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”  (Psalm 18:49 KJV)  “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”  (Psalm 29:2 KJV)

When someone has a birthday all his relatives and friends usually get together and throw a party and everyone brings a gift for the honored birthday guest.  Children often celebrate by playing games, eating cake and ice cream, getting “party favors” and giving the birthday kid gifts.  Adults often celebrate by going out to dinner and enjoying each others company, and give gifts as they share stories about the honored guest.  Would it not be great if we did some of this with Jesus, after all; it is HIS birthday.

“Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”  (Psalm 97:12 KJV)  “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.”  (Psalm 105:1 KJV)

I started a new tradition a number of years ago.  About two weeks before Christmas I ask the Lord what He wants for His birthday.  Each year I ask Him and He has answered something different every year.  Last year He asked for my obedience.  I found more and more opportunities in 2011 to obey Him.  Sometimes it was something as simple as keeping my mouth shut when I wanted to put my own ‘two cents’ in a discussion.  Once someone offended me and His Spirit stirred my heart to forgive right away.  Not an easy thing to do when you are still hurting from the offense.  There were many other opportunities to obey Him and I wish I could say that I obeyed right away every time; there were times He had to remind and push me, but every time I obeyed I felt the joy of His Presence and the pride He has in me when I am completely submitted to Him.  Is it irony that when I give Him what He asks for that I am blessed?  No, it is just His way.  So, with this said, I am asking Him what He wants for His birthday this year.  I am excited to find out what it is and know I will be delighted to give it to Him, after all:  it is HIS birthday!

“To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”  (Psalm 30:12 KJV)

What will YOU give Him this year?  After all it is HIS birthday!

 

WHILE I AM HERE - Part I

[As a believer I know I am only here on earth for a short time.  I know by the signs of the times that I am living in the beginning of the end of times (Matthew 24) and will be leaving with Jesus when He comes.  I sense the days drawing short and want to be ready when He does come so I am seeking God as to what He wants me doing until that very hour.  "WHILE I AM HERE" articles are snapshots, if you will, of that discovery.  I hope what I share in this series stirs you into action as well.]

Revelation 3:1-6

“And he who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys My commands to the very end (doing the works that please Me), I will give him…”  Rev. 2:26 AMP

Chapters two and three of Revelation are messages written to seven churches.  When we think of these churches we tend to focus on what their problems were.  God not only revealed to the churches what their problems were, but he gave them solutions and promised great things if they enacted those solutions.  I encourage you to read these two chapters in Revelation because I think you will find yourself like at least one of these churches.  Probably the most remembered is the Laodicean Church for being “lukewarm” but right now let us discuss the church in Sardis.

Sardis had a major problem in their church: they were dead!  There were a few people in the church who were still alive but they were not enough to keep the church alive.  It was dead.  We have all probably attended a dead church once or twice in our lives.  You enter the church and sit down; no one greets you or acknowledges you.  The service starts with a prayer read out of a prayer book and then a hymn is sang, a scripture is read, an offering is taken, a singer sings a solo and the minister stands at the pulpit and talks about something that is acceptable or even pleasant to hear but might not even open his Bible or give scripture reference to back up what he is saying.  There is a prayer of blessing over people to close the service and then everyone gets up and walks out.  You did not sense anything from the church:  no joy, friendship, sorrow – nothing.  A dead church is a sad thing.  The potential God had for them is no longer possible, or is it?

God told the Sardis church to rouse them selves and keep awake.  They needed to strengthen and invigorate what remained and was on the point of dying.  He told them how to do this.  They were to call to mind the lessons they received and heard.  They needed to CONTINUALLY take them to heart, obey them, and repent.  If they did not do this then He would come upon them like a thief (not knowing what day or hour He would come).

“Behold, I am going to come like a thief! Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who stays awake (alert) and who guards his clothes, so that he may not be naked and [have the shame of being] seen exposed!”  Revelation 16:15 AMP

If the church of Sardis did CONTINUALLY take the lessons they had learned to heart, obey them, and repent then they would not find their sinful lives exposed at Christ’s return.

This rings true in our individual lives as well.  How alive do we feel?  Are we excited to go to church?  Do we feel the move of the Holy Spirit during our times of worship?  If not than maybe we need to do what God told the Sardis church to do:  call to mind the lessons we have received and heard.  We need to CONTINUALLY take them to heart, obey them, and repent.  Only then will we overcome and be victorious. 

“Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?  Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing.”  Matthew 24:45-46 AMP

ALL OR NOTHING

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his (own) father and mother [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters – [yes] and even his own life also – he cannot be My disciple.”  Luke 14:25 AMP

Have you even wondered what the difference is between baptism by sprinkling or immersion?  I used to wonder about that too.  Some churches sprinkle a baby, child or even an adult.  It is a ritual performed as a representation of being a believer and united with the Church.  Parents dedicate their newborn baby and have it baptized because they believe the child can be assured of salvation and going to heaven when it dies.

Some churches only use immersion which they feel is the most accurate representation of baptism, taking John the Baptist’s ministry as example.  They do not believe that baptism assures salvation but rather it is an outward sign of the individual’s inward faith that Jesus is their Lord and Savior.  They believe that as the individual is dipped completely underneath the water it represents that they are dead in Christ and when they are raised out of the water then they are raised in Christ.  These churches do not baptize infants because they feel that the person being baptized should be able to understand and make their own decision regarding accepting Jesus as their Savior.

Although I was baptized by immersion shortly after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savoir I really did not give either form of baptism a thought until I heard these words a number of years later at a 12-Step meeting, “Half measures avail us nothing.”   It seems to me that sprinkling is a ‘half measure’ and regarding anything to do with my relationship with God, I want it to be “all or nothing,” (to quote another euphemism.)   The same could be said about our relationship with Jesus.  Do We give Him part of ourselves or all of ourselves?  We so quickly answer ‘all’ like good Christians should do but do we really give Him all?  I like how Kyle Idleman puts it in his book, “not a fan”:

“…in Luke 14 Jesus defines the relationship by making it clear that if we follow him, we follow him and him alone.  He won’t share us – not with money, not with a career, not even with your family…when Jesus explains that he will not share your affection or devotion, he isn’t just saying how he wants to be loved by you; he is making it clear how he loves you.”  Then he goes on to give an example. “Let’s imagine that this week you walk into a restaurant and you see me sitting at a table having a candlelit dinner with a woman who is not my wife.  You come up and confront me, ‘Who is this woman and what are you doing?’  I respond, ‘Don’t worry about it.  I am on date with this beautiful lady tonight, but my wife knows that she always comes first.’”

Wow! Now that is a potent example, but sometimes we need to be hit hard with the truth.  How serious is God about our relationship with Him?

“…for I the Lord your God am a jealous God,” – Ex. 20:5; Deut. 5:9 AMP

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” –Deut. 4:24 AMP

“For the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God;” –Deut. 6:15 AMP

Believing in Jesus is not something to be taken lightly.  God loves us fully and completely.  He longs for us to love Him in the same way.  “Half measures avail us nothing.”  To become an “all or nothing” believer I find God calling me to give up some things.  They are not ‘bad’ things, but they sometimes come first in my life.  He loves me so and He does not want anything to separate us so He calls me to give them up.  I choose to do so.  I choose ‘all or nothing’.  How about you?  Are you willing to let him show you what has become more important to you than He is?  Join me!  Choose ‘all or nothing’.

“And the people said to Joshua, No; but we will serve the Lord.  Then Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve Him. And they said we are witnesses.  Then put away, said he, the foreign gods that are among you and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”  - Joshua 24:21-23 AMP

"I WANNA' GO HOME!"

Some of you might remember a hit novelty song by Allen Sherman called “Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda” (of course if you do you can probably make a good guess about just how old I am!)  The song was about a boy writing a letter home from camp.  Things were not going his way so he was homesick and wanted to go home, after only one day!  Although this was a humorous song, it has a ring of truth to it.  I believe we can all relate to longing to go home when we have been away for a long time.

Watching the news the other night I ended up teary-eyed as I watched a little girl reunited with her father, who had just ended a tour in Afghanistan.  Her school principle had arranged a mock spelling-bee and when she struggled to spell the word given her the principle told her she could get help from someone behind her.  At that moment her dad came out from behind the curtain and they both hugged each other and cried.  Can you imagine how much this soldier really longed to be home while he was away?

I was listening to another song about longing to go home today.  This one is by Rich Mullens called “If I Stand”.  As I listened and sang along with the chorus my heart was so moved that I looked up toward the sky in longing, longing to be with the One Who loves me most:

And if I stand, let me stand on the promise,

That You will pull me through,

And if I can’t, let me fall on the grace,

That first brought me to You.

And if I sing, let me sing for the joy,

That has born in me these songs,

And if weep, let it be as a man,

Who is longing for his home.

I find my heart longing to go home a lot these days.  Even in my own apartment I long to go home.  My home is not here; not on this earth.  My home is with my Heavenly Father.  I am here only temporarily.  I so long to go home!

Do you long to go home?  I pray that you do.  I pray that your heart and spirit are so moved that you think about it again and again, day after day, until that day when we see Him coming in the clouds.  (Matthew. 24:30; Mark 13:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:17)

In a little while,

We’ll be with the Father;

Can’t you see Him smile?

In a little while,

We’ll be home forever,

In a while…

We’re just here to learn to love Him;

We’ll be home in just a little while.

(In A Little While – Amy Grant © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group)

APATHY!

I had such an odd dream the other night:  I was with a group of people and we were supposed to be preparing for war, but everyone just went on doing their own things.  Some bought land, some had parties, and some just went here and there about their business.  The war never came but great natural disasters did.  We heard of them then a great earthquake came where I was standing on land that someone had bought.  The earthquake opened a chasm and some of their property slid into it before it closed up to make their property become a steep hillside almost right up to the store that had previously sat on the middle of the property.  I waited at the store for the public transportation then went into the city and told them what had happened to their property.  They seemed surprised but not all that concerned.  No one seemed to be concerned about anything important.

This dream was not a nightmare; I did not wake up frightened.  It did bother me, though, and I spent a good part of that next morning mulling it over in my mind.  Why would I have such an unusual dream?  Apathy!  The Lord has shown me apathy and before I can point the finger at those who are apathetic around me I must examine myself.  Is there some apathy in my life?

The New Webster’s Dictionary states that apathy is a noun that means “indifference” or “having no concern”.  If Jesus were to walk through our city today what would He feel?  When he sees the beggar sitting on the corner exit from the supermarket with his cardboard sign stating, “Will work for food” or “Unemployed, anything will help” what would He do?  When He passes by the prostitutes offering themselves, down on that boulevard we all know about but try to ignore, what would be His response?  What about other people we “classify” as sinners?  We know His response to all these people because we read about how He responded to the very same type of people in the Bible.  He met their needs.

Now let us be honest with ourselves.  We call ourselves Christians and followers of Christ, yet what do we do when we pass these same people?  We ignore them because they do not concern us.  Apathy!

 General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, wrote of an experience he had when he was traveling on a train.  As he watched out the window of the train he thought about the conditions of the people around him, how they were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare.  While he thought about this God gave him a vision:  he saw a dark and stormy ocean with a sky overhead of black heavy clouds, with occasional shots of lightning.  In the ocean he saw myriads of people plunging, floating, shouting, shrieking, cursing, struggling and drowning.  Some sank to rise no more.  Rising out of this dark angry ocean was a great rock and around the rock was a platform.  A number of those struggling in the ocean were able to pull themselves up onto the platform and a few of those already safe on the platform were helping some of the struggling reach safety; some even jumping back in the water, risking their own lives to rescue others.  There were others on the platform who did not seem to care about those still struggling and drowning, many of whom were their own husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and even their own children.  Apathy!

Booth stated that what amazed him most was that there were many people on the platform to whom Jesus had pulled out and delivered, who confessed to love and worship Him, were so taken up with their trades and professions, their money saving and pleasures, their families and circles, their religions and arguments, and their preparations for going to the mainland, that they did not listen to the cries of those still caught in the tossing waves or attempt to help them.  Apathy!

Then he saw something that was the strangest of all.  There were some on the platform that cried out to Him to come and stay with them and spend His time and strength with them, wanting Him to take away their doubts and misgivings.  Some even climbed as high on the rock as they could (from fear of falling back into the tumultuous waves) and cried out “Come to us!  Come, help us!”  And all the while He was down among the poor struggling, drowning creatures with His arms around them trying to drag them out, and looking up to those on the rock crying out to them, “Come to Me!  Come, and help Me!”

Then God revealed to him the meaning of the vision:  the sea is the ocean of life, actual human existence.  The lightning is the piercing truth coming from God’s throne.  The thunder is the echoing of the wrath of God.  The multitudes of people struggling in the stormy sea are hundreds of thousands of ungodly people from every kindred and nation in the world.  The great rock represents Calvary.  The handful of people who were risking their own lives in saving others are the true soldiers of the cross of Jesus.  The mighty being calling to them while helping others from the sea is Jesus Himself, calling on the rescued to help Him save the world.  The ones taking up in their trades, professions, etc. are those believers who go about doing what they think Christians should do and still doing what pleases themselves.  The ones up on the rock are believers who are calling out to God for an “experience” in knowing Him better.  Apathy!

When I examine myself I find that I do pass up the man on the corner with the cardboard sign, after all – what can I do that will really help him?  I avoid driving down that boulevard so I do not have to see the prostitutes offering themselves.  What is the old saying?  Out of sight, out of mind.  I tend to judge people and classify them in different levels of sin.  Now that I am a Christian am I not supposed to separate myself?  Apathy!

Lord Jesus, will You forgive me for climbing high up on the rock and calling out to You to help me and bless me with Your Presence.  Will You forgive me for separating myself from those You call me to help.  I choose to come to You, where You are in the midst of the raging ocean with waves of sin and help You rescue those who are perishing.  I choose to give you my ALL.  You gave Your ALL for me!

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."

Look carefully then how you walk,

not as unwise but as wise,

making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

(Eph. 5:14b-15 ESV)

The "Turn-Off" Title

What an unusual title for an article.  Did I use it as an attention getter?  Did I use it so people would not see what the “turn-off” was and at least give the article more than a glance?  Yes and Yes!  Let us be honest with ourselves; if we saw an article titled “Prayer” would we really have checked it out or passed it up for some more interesting reading?  That is the problem with believers today; there is no priority with prayer.

Leonard Ravenhill puts it this way, ¹“Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer.  We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters.  Failing here, we fail everywhere.”

I must admit I have fallen short in this area as well.  Why have I fallen short?  “Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:17 KJV).  I think this is clear; I am to pray without ceasing.  I admit I do not do that.  Now I could justify this shortcoming by saying that I do pray when someone asks me to do so.  I pray for friends and relatives.  I pray for my pastor and his wife.  I pray for our President and the leaders of our country.  I pray for those listed every week in the church bulletin.  Is that not a lot of prayer?  Yes it is “a lot”, but is it “without ceasing”?

What is “without ceasing”?  The dictionary states that to cease is to “stop, finish, end, or come to a close”.  Does this mean that we have to pray with every word that comes out of our mouths?  No, what it does mean is that when we pray we do not stop or finish with just that one prayer.  Twice in the Bible Paul mentioned that he prayed without ceasing, the first time regarding the Roman Church (Rom. 1:9) and the second regarding Timothy (2 Tim. 1:3).  We know Daniel spent three weeks in mourning, prayer and fasting.  God sent an angel on the first day of his prayer yet the angel was delayed by the enemy for 20 days.  Did Daniel quite praying after his initial prayer?  No he kept praying until the angel stood before him and gave him God’s word of what was to come (Dan. 10).  The scripture tells us that the church was praying without ceasing for Peter when he was arrested and put in prison.  Did they stop at just one prayer for Peter?  No, they kept praying until God sent an angel to set him free and he stood at the gate of the house where they met.   Things happen when believers pray without ceasing.

God is calling every believer today to pray, pray without ceasing.  I want to be obedient to His call so I have chosen to learn from God just exactly what praying without ceasing is and do it.  Can you just imagine what would happen in your church if just one believer started fulfilling this call?  How about you?  Are you willing to be that believer?

Footnote ¹ Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill, pg. 23, par. 2

WHO AM I?

“Who am I?”  That was the predominant cry of the 1960’s generation.  Young people of that time turned to and tuned into anything they could think of, such as drugs, sex and communal lifestyles to attempt to answer that question.  They found themselves participating in all kinds of religious activities to find “the answer of life” and seldom found what they were really searching for.  Why were they asking the question in the first place?  They did not know WHO they were.

A.W. Tozer shares a story about a time when he was waiting for a friend at City Hall and suddenly a well-dressed man sat next to him with a puzzled look.  Tozer asked the man, “Do we know each other?”

“No, I don’t think so,” the man replied.  After a quiet pause the man shared with Tozer that he could not remember anything except waking up and finding he had been robbed.  Moments later another well-dressed man approached the first man and with an excited tone called him by name.  Come to find out the confused man was the First Violinist of the Philharmonic giving performances in Toronto that week.  Even after the second man explained all this, the first man still did not remember who he was.

The amnesiac had received a bump to the head and was robbed.  Tozer made a correlation with this story and the fall of man; Adam and Eve had a fall and received a terrible bump.  They realized they no longer knew who they were or what their purpose for living was.  Ever since that time man has asked the question, “Who am I?”

Tozer went on to share that when “Adam and Eve decided that early morning that they had a right to put their own wills above the will of their Creator God, they lost their God-given identity.  They tried to shake the fog out of their minds but as they looked at each other, they realized they no longer knew the purpose of their existence; they no longer held that divine sense of what they were created to be and to do.”

Some of the 1960’s generation did find the answer to their search for who they were, and out of that revelation came the “Jesus People” movement.  People became believers and went hard after God, making Him their priority and sharing His love to all those around them.  Many people became believers due to this revival.

What about today?  Yes, people are still asking the question.  We try to put our own wills above the will of our Creator God when we strive for riches, security and social position.  We are still trying to tell others who we are.  If only we could grasp the divine sense of what we were created to be and to do.  I guess it comes down to this simple revelation; if you want to know who you are, ask your Creator!

Genesis 1:26 - We were created in His image

Isaiah 43:7 - We were created for His glory

Revelation 4:11 - We were created for His pleasure

Ephesians 4:24

And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.

RUTS

Has your spiritual journey become jerky or suddenly halted?  Do you feel like your daily routine has you stuck?  You may be in a rut.  Ruts can be avoided, but you have to keep watch for them.

For instance, consider dirt bike riding?  Often dirt roads and trails are riddled with ruts cut into them by winter and spring rains.  As you speed along you have to keep careful watch for ruts.  I have seen them up to half a foot deep and about 4-5 inches wide.  Imagine what would happen if you dropped your front wheel into the rut.  The bike stops and you do not!  More than just a few riders have taken a flying fall off their bikes when this happens.  Ouch!

How do you navigate a rut when riding a dirt bike?  If it is running down the middle of the road you ride to one side or the other.  If it changes direction and goes diagonally across your path (as ruts are prone to do) then you turn your bike at a right angle to the rut and cross being careful not to turn the bike again until the real wheel has cleared it.

We tend to be creatures of circumstance; do you agree?  The things that happen around us affect us.  We work, earn wages, eat, sleep, participate in recreational activities, go to church every week and generally exist in response to all these regular activities.  Does that remind you of something?  It reminds me of a rut!

So, I ask you again; has your spiritual journey become jerky or suddenly halted?  Have the storms of life created ruts in your trail with God?  Have you lost that divine sense of what He created you to be and do?  God remembers.  He is just waiting for you to reach up to Him so He can lift you out of the rut and speed you on your way to fulfill all He created you to be and do.  When He does this ask Him to show you where all the ruts are so you can avoid them in the future.

Could the answer be that simple?  Try God and see!

“Do not earnestly remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  (Isaiah 43:18-19 AMP)

PATRIOTISM - (In memory of 9/11)

Are you a patriot?  Webster’s Dictionary tells us that a patriot is “a person who loves his country”.    Commodore, Stephen Decatur Jr. (serving in the US Navy from 1798-1820) is credited with saying a phrase that has come to be known as the epitome of patriotism; “Our Country…may she always be in the right; but right or wrong, our country!" 

I grew up in a family that was strong on being a patriot.  My father was a Chief Petty Officer and served in the U.S. Navy for over 23 years.  Growing up a “Navy Brat” made being a patriot a learned response.  I learned the words to our National Anthem when I was very young.  I loved reading and hearing about the history of my country.  Patriotism was and continues to be very real to me.

During the last few years of my Dad’s naval service he was stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana.  My Mom used to drive my brother and me to the movie theater on the base every Saturday.  We could watch two movies (back then they had “2^nd Features”), have a bag of popcorn and a soda for only $1.  One thing that sticks out in my mind about those times is that before the first movie started the theater would show a short film with the American Flag flying and the music of our National Anthem playing.  Everyone in the theater stood at attention and held their hand over their heart.  I remember how proud it felt to be an American.

U.S. Patriotism was moderate during World War I but much stronger during World War II.  Many people made deep sacrifices to support the war efforts.  I remember being taught that it was not as strong during the Korean War and I remember how it was weak it was during the Viet Nam War.  It seams to rise and wane depending on one thing; when the U.S. is directly attacked.  Does that make patriotism a “foul weather” friend?

During the Viet Nam War patriotism was at an all-time low as Americans searched for peace and recovery from the recession involvement in war usually brings.  There was a surge of patriotism when we entered the Gulf War, but only after President Bush promised that our fight there would not be another Viet Nam, and that we would send enough support to finish the job and then get out of there.  Patriotism diminished quite a bit throughout Clinton Administration as our military focus tended to be towards United Nations “peace-keeping” missions.  America wanted to think about itself and not deal with the “petty squabbles” around the world.

September 11, 2001 awakened Americans from a dreamy narcissism to a painful awareness of how Patriotism can surge into focus.  As we watched the destruction of three landmarks and the wreckage of one diverted jet with a totaling death of over three thousand Americans in a matter of a few hours we awakened to the fact that all of our military power and hi-tech advancements were not enough to protect us from the type of terrorism that other nations (like Israel) experienced on a regular basis.  Then we saw another phenomenon.  Patriotism swelled to great waves across our nation, much like when Pearl Harbor was attacked, yet strangely different.  This time we found our heroes not only in the military but in the people who survived the tragedy, in the people who gave their lives trying to save those who were dying as well as in those who tried to divert some terrorists from their goals at the cost of their own lives.  Hurt and anger prevailed.  People wanted the President to do something.  Patriotism grew again in response to something violent and foul, powered by our emotional response.

It is a shame that it takes “foul weather” to make patriotism strong.  Those of us who grew up “military brats” usually do not have a problem with patriotism.  We learned from an early age to salute the flag.  Saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school did not become a habit because we were taught that every time we did so we were proclaiming anew that we stood for our country and her freely dispensed liberty and justice.  We learned ALL the words to our National Anthem and sang them every time it was played standing at attention with our hands over our hearts.  We watched with pride as our fathers and mothers marched before us in parade dressed in sharp, clean, polished uniforms.  Patriotism comes easy to us because WE WERE RAISED WITH IT.  Is this why patriotism swells and wanes for most Americans?  Could it be that we no longer teach our children just what patriotism is?  It is a sorry legacy when a country only shows patriotism in result of and support of violence.

I leave you with this challenge:  Do YOU know our National Anthem, word for word, all FOUR verses?  Have you ever actually read the Constitution?  Do you know the story behind the Liberty Bell?  Do you know the real story of Paul Revere?  What about July 4^th?  Why do we call it Independence Day?  If we do not know these things then how will our children ever learn patriotism from us?  Take the time to learn, share and help us rebuild a nation of patriots.

STAGNANT?

“Do not say, why were the old days better than these?  For it is not wise…”  (Ecclesiastes 7:10 AMP)

Do you tend to get into your “comfort zone” of old ways and thinking?  I do.  I get comfortable with my concept of God and His love for me.  When I get comfortable, I relax my walk in Christ, rest from the spiritual fights, and let my guard down.  WHAM!  All of the sudden everything seems to go wrong.  “Lord, why is this happening to me?  What did I do?”  The question we should also be asking is, “What did I NOT do?”

I used to live in the mountains on some property where the water for our family cafe business and three families was supplied by a spring up behind us on the side of a mountain.  One afternoon in the early spring we joined “Mr. C” (the man who owned the property we lived and worked on) on a hike up the side of the mountain to the source of our water, a large spring-fed pond.  Mr. C explained that He came up on a regular basis to check the pond and make sure that leaves and debris do not clog up the pond.  He explained that for the water to remain good enough for us to use it needed to have fresh, uncontaminated water coming in and fresh, uncontaminated water going out; otherwise the pond would become stagnant, grow bad bacteria and become unsafe to use.  Because he did this regularly three families and a business had wonderfully tasting spring water to use and enjoy.

The Lord brought this simple lesson I learned as a 15 year old back to mind to make a point.  I am like that pond.  God has provided Living Water, Himself (John 4), to fill me.  He is the Word (John 1) and I could fill up and not allow any more in but without more refreshing from the supply Source the water would become putrid and stagnant within me; unusable by Him to refresh others.  I need to allow this spring of Living Water to continually flow into me.  Is that enough?  Now that I have that Living Water in my life should I not hold on to it?  No, because if I do not allow it to flow out of my life, it will again become stagnant.  What if I have sin in my life that I just cannot seem to overcome?  What if I allow the worries of this world to fill my thoughts?  These are like the leaves and debris that clog the outflow of the pond.  Again it becomes repulsive and stagnant.

“Purge (clean out) the old leaven that you may be fresh…uncontaminated…”  (1 Cor. 5:7 AMP)

We need to clean out the pond on a regular basis so the debris and leaves do not block it up.  How do we do this?  We start really trusting Him to take care of us not matter what the circumstances are around us.  We confess our sins to Him, repent of them, and ask His forgiveness and He cleans all that junk out.  Is it a "once-and-for-all" task?  Not at all!

“…for you have stripped off the old unregenerate self…and have clothed yourself with the new spiritual self which is ever in the process of being renewed...”  (Col. 3:9-10 AMP)

“Ever in the process” sounds like a continual flow to me.  A continual flow of fresh water in and out.  This is our goal.  So how do we keep this NEW FRESHNESS “ever in the process”?

“For my determined purpose is that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power out-flowing from His resurrection…”  (Phil. 3:10a AMP)

“Progressively” sounds just like “ever in the process,” does it not?  Herein is our answer.  Keeping our pond full, with fresh water from the Source coming in and flowing out unrestricted, only happens as we partner with God and purpose to know Him in an ever deeper way thus allowing the power of His resurrection to continually transform us.

How do I apply this to my life?  I spend time every morning with Him, reading His Word, discussing it with Him and getting His instructions for the day.  Am I perfect?  Far from it!  When I sin I do not wait until my nightly prayers to deal with it.  I stop and confess it right away.  If something touches my heart (the beauty of nature, the laugh of a child, the sorrow of a friend) I pray at THAT moment for the friend, thank God for the beauty, and praise Him for the laughter.  I spend time with Him every night using a devotion book.  I purpose that He is FIRST and LAST in my daily life.  This is how He helps me keep my pond clear, clean and pure, ever producing that Living Water to nourish myself and others.

Are you tired of everything going wrong all of the sudden?  Do you want power and victory in your life?  Do you long to live above the circumstances around you?  Get into God’s Word every day to start receiving that fresh Living Water from the Source.  Clean your pond (and keep it clean) thus allowing the Living Water to flow in and out freely so others can drink and be refreshed.

WALK THIS WAY

Did you ever play the game ‘Walk This Way’ as a child?  It is like ‘Follow the Leader’ yet you not only follow someone but you also imitate what they do as they walk.  It can be fun, challenging, and even have a reward at the end, depending on the leader.  It is not usually embarrassing because what you do the leader did already.

Did you know that God has called us to play “Walk This Way’?  Jesus became a man with the same weaknesses as we have (Philippians. 2:5-8) to be the leader of the game.  He has walked on ahead and leaves clear instructions on how to imitate Him.  In His Word we can see and follow His path in His way, imitating Him as we go.  Often we have fun, find it challenging and there are promised rewards at the end.

There are many places in the Bible where Jesus has called us to “Walk This Way”.  Sometimes it is just a simple command like the Great Commission (Mark 16:14-16) and sometimes it is a list of things like those contained in The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the Beatitudes (Matthew 5).  I recently came across another list from the Lord in Psalm 15 which contains some of the things we are to do in ‘Walk This Way’.  Let me share it with you:

Walk blamelessly; do what is right.

Speak the truth.

Do not slander.

Do not do evil to your neighbor.

Do not take up a reproach against your friend,

            when he despises a vile person.

Honor those that fear the Lord,

            and those who keep an oath even when it hurts.

Do not loan for interest.

Do not take a bribe against the innocent.

The reward:

He who follows these things shall never be moved.

So I have a simple challenge for you today; Walk This Way!

HE WOKE ME UP THIS MORNIN'

Isaiah 50:4 states, “He wakens Me morning by morning”.  Have you ever been woken up by God?  On occasion God has woken me to pray when He has had a burden for me to pray for, but quite often He wakes me up in the morning with a worship chorus or song on my mind. 

There’s a song our Choir sings that I love, “Wonderful Is Your Name”.  Part of it goes like this:

You woke me us this mornin’,

Started me on my way,

Put food on my table,

You put joy in my day,

I’m glad Your love has never changed,

And wonderful, yes wonderful, so wonderful,

Wonderful is Your Name

All of my life I’ve never known You to fail,

You remain the same and,

            Wonderful is Your Name

All of my life I’ve never known You to fail,

You remain the same and,

            Wonderful is Your Name

God stated that He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (the Before all and the End of all)” (Rev. 22:13 AMP).  I started thinking about this a few months back and I purposed to spend the first part of each day in quiet quality time with Him.  I also purposed to spend some more quiet quality time with Him just before I went to bed at night.  God has blessed me for this obedience.  Throughout the day I recognize His voice telling me to do something or to avoid something.  He shows me His will and how to “speak a word in season to him who is weary”.  I have found great spiritual strength by starting and ending each day in fellowship with my Heavenly Father!

Jesus is our best example of how to spend time with our Heavenly Father.  Jesus made it a regular habit to go off by himself and spend time with God the Father in prayer (Mt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17).  How did this affect His walk while He was here on the earth?

“[The Servant of God says] The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple [as one who is taught].  The Lord God has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious or turned backward.”  (Isaiah 50:4-5 AMP)

A large group of scholars believes that the "Servant of God" mentioned in this scripture is the Messiah, the One Who will establish God's kingdom on earth.  God gave Him the ability to hear His will for each moment in the day and the ability to speak the right word to each who was weary.  One might argue that God did not have to give Jesus that ability because Jesus was God Himself, but we must remember that Jesus gave up all “the fullness of the attributes which make God God…and privileges and rightful dignity” to be an example to us on how to live (Phil. 2:5-8 AMP).

He is our example.  He spent regular quality time with God the Father.  Look what marvelous things He did.  He also promised us that we would do even greater things than He did (John 14:12).  Can you imagine what would happen if every believer spent regular quality time with God like Jesus did?

“I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12 AMP)