Reflection

Well, I almost made it. I got right to the end of the month, having posted 25 days in a row, and then...well, didn't post these last two days. Last night, my brain was absolutely fried! So fried, that I kept zoning while in conversation with my host. I spent all day on the road today, driving from where I was to where I am. And now I just want to lay my head on my pillow and sleep until Monday, but that's not going to happen.

Eleven hours on the road, and for at least seven of those hours I had the Word coming out of my speakers. I listened to Isaiah, Romans, and Revelation today. And those other three hours I was singing at the top of my lungs with my old timey music. All in all, a good day.

I wish I had something profound to blog about, but I don't. However, I will note this. Isaiah is a profound book. He saw so much, and I wonder how much of it he really actually understood. The insights that God gave that man would have overwhelemed most mere mortals. The things God told that man to do would make most of us cringe in horror at the thought. I mean, what woman would let her husband name their children things like Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hasbaz? And what kind of preacher preaches in the nude for three years? Isaiah upbraided friends and enemies alike, prophesied the death of one of the latter, and spoke a word that caused the shadows to move backwards! He was quite the guy.

But I marvel and rejoice with the things he saw about the future...rivers in the desert, a highway of holiness, crooked places becoming straight and rough places becoming smoothe. He saw the child to be born, the son that was given, the One called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. He saw the anointing of the Spirit on the chosen one of God to preach, to heal, to liberate. He saw signs that would be shown in the heavens and the earth, and miracles such as the eyes of the blind being opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame walking and leaping and praising God, the tongues of the dumb able to sing. He saw the One who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, by whose stripes we are healed.

And then he saw the new heavens and the new earth, wherein righteousness dwells.

What wonderful things, such glorious things! And I wonder if he wondered what it all meant when he wrote it down. I can't wait to get to heaven to ask him.

Wonderful Peace

Psalm 120:6-7

My soul has dwelt too long

with one who hates peace.

I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war.

I was contemplating a question recently: "Casey, what do you want?" After a few days of pondering and prayer, I came to the conclusion that I wanted three things. I want love in my life, joy in my heart, and peace in my home.

Regarding that last, some may laugh with the knowledge that I am a warrior, or a fighter, whichever you prefer. I admit I like a good debate, and I have been known to willingly go into battle if I thought the cause was just. I'll stand up for what is right, and I won't back down if I know I'm right. But all things considered, I really do desire peace.

Unfortunately, peace isn't always dependent upon you. Remember that the Apostle Paul said, "As much as is possible with you, live in peace with all people." The Bible also says that if your ways please the Lord, He will cause even your enemies to be at peace with you. But what do you do when the source of strife is not an enemy, but a friend? There are people whom we love who do not want peace with us, but seem rather to prefer conflict.

Being in close and constant contact with someone who insists on being disagreeable has a way of taking away your peace. You want peace, but the other is for war. They may even say they don't want to fight or argue or disagree, that they want peace as well. But actions speak louder than words. When they only want to contradict your every word and counteract your every move; when they resist your every effort, they don't want peace. Probably all they want is quiet--from you. And as long as you're quiet, there will be peace. But speak up, even once, and it's war.

The Psalmist says he has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. Perhaps you can identify. When you long for peace, and peace is long in coming, that makes it sweeter when finally it happens. Always remember, Christ is our peace, and He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is set upon Him. And instead of worrying, let us pray, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our heart and our mind.

I want peace, and joy, and love. And I will have it, though at what cost I'm not sure. I'm just glad to find rest in the peace of the Lord.

Untouchable

Psalm 118:6

The Lord is on my side;

I will not fear.

What can man (or woman, CLS) do to me?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I want people to like me. Actually, I want people to love me, and I don't think it's that hard to do. Furthermore, when people don't love me (or like me, for that matter), I have a difficult time understanding why. Fortunately for me, there aren't many people like that in my life, that I know of, and if you'd like to inform me differently, I'd rather you keep that information to yourself. I'm on a need to know basis, and that's one thing I don't need to know.

There have been occasions when certain people, who shall remain nameless for the sake of protecting the guilty, have chosen not to like me, love me, or even be nice to me. And because of their dislike, they have been mean to me. I'm not crying about it, I'm just stating a fact. People can be mean. They call you names, say bad things about you that are mostly untrue, alienate you, leave you out of things. Sometimes they even take actions against you that are hurtful and destructive.

But the Psalmist wrote that God is on our side! Paul put it like this: If God be for us, who can be against us. Isaiah said, No weapon formed against you shall prosper. John: Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world! CLS thought: If God is for you, everybody else might as well be.

There's an old song that says, "I've got Jesus, and that's enough, that's enough, that's enough!"

People can say what they want to. I know what is true.

People can do what they want to. I know what is true.

Sticks and stones, and all that.

I'm untouchable by the things of this world. So know this; if you're trying to hurt me, you're only bringing hurt to yourself. I'm already dead in Christ; nothing more can harm me.

Make Your Daddy Proud!

Proverbs 23:15-16

My son, if your heart is wise,

My heart will rejoice--indeed, I myself;

Yes, my inmost being will rejocie

when your lips speak right things.

Put into their original context, Proverbs is a book of sayings that Solomon gave to his son Rehoboam, or possibly to all of his sons. It was intended to impart in easy to read, understand, and remember phrases the wisdom that Solomon had received from God for daily living. And it's pretty good stuff. I may have said it before, but I'll say it again--I've been trying to read the Proverbs daily for over 20 years. There are 31 chapters, 30 or 31 days in most months, so one can easily read through the Proverbs every month. Like I said, I've been trying to do so for more than 20 years now. I don't exactly have the book memorized as in chapter and verse, word for word quotation. But I think I have a Proverb for just about every eventuality. I often quote the Proverbs when I'm talking to people about life stuff. And each day I find encouraging insights in them.

In spite of having read them over and over and over again, there are still days where something will jump out at me as if it's the first time I've read it. Today was one of those days, and above is the Proverb that did it. It was Solomon telling Rehoboam how he would feel once he heard his own wisdom coming out of Rehoboam's mouth. But under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, there is a broader application to us.

Imagine how God feels when His words start coming out of our mouths. After all, the only time I'm speaking something that is totally God and none of me is when I am speaking His Word. To let His Word dwell in us is to have His wisdom and ways governing us in everything that we do. His Word brings life to us, and power for daily living. His Word holds the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, the key to every puzzle. And when our heart grows wise with wisdom Divine, how happy God is!

Proverbs says He will rejoice over us when His wisdom dwells in our hearts. And He will rejoice over us when His wisdom comes out of our mouths. How must He rejoice even more greatly when we go from knowing and speaking to living and doing? Let us be doers of that Word, and not hearers only! Let us practice what we preach.

What's Your Excuse?

Proverbs 22:13

The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside!

I shall be slain in the streets!"

The world is full of excuses, it seems. Ask someone to do something, you'll hear why they can't. Tell someone your dreams, they know why it won't work. There is an excuse for just about anything.

Jesus tells a parable in which people give various excuses for not attending the most important social event of the season. A rich man's son is getting married, and all the neighbors are invited. But when the day of the celebration arrives, hear their justification for not attending:

"I have just bought a piece of property, and must now go check it out. Please excuse me."

"I have just bought a yoke of oxen, and must now test them out. Please excuse me."

"I have just married a wife myself, and just cannot go. Please excuse me."

I'm reminded of a phrase we used when I was a kid--There's no excuse for you!

Would you really buy something as important as a house or car without inspectinjg them first? And why should your own recent nuptials keep you from celebrating someone else's? What it comes down to is this--those people just didn't want to go, so they found a reason not to.

Someone once said, "Every day is a gamble! Being born is a gamble!" Well, I'm not to sure about the gambling part, but there are dangers that we all must face, risks that we have to take every day. Some of the greatest rewards come from take a step outside your door and seeing where it leads. But sometimes its easier to think of an excuse not to.

Like the man who doesn't want to work, or go to the market, or attend church, or wherever it was someone wanted him to go. He wouldn't step outside, because there was a possible danger that might involve him, and he'd rather not be bothered. So he creates a justification not to.

What keeps us from doing the things that we should do, from doing the things God wants us to do? People employ them all the time, but like another wise philosopher once said--Excuses are like armpits; everyone's got one or two, and they both stink." I'll tell you this: God doesn't want our excuses, our reasoning, or our justifications. He just wants our obedience.

Well, I Almost Blew It

Okay, I've had two devotional goals this month: Read through the Gospels and blog everyday. Well, today I finished John, but I almost didn't blog. And just so you know, it still counts as today, even though it's already tomorrow, because I haven't gone to bed yet!

Anyway, I heard someone recently say that if Christians were really serious about being disciples of Jesus Christ, they would read the gospels through at least once a month. Thus, my goal. Technically, I read Matthew at the end of last month. And to be totally honest, I listened to half of Luke and all of John on CD. But in a four week period, I consumed the four evangelists with the fervor of a fat kid eating cake. Tomorrow I will start again with Matthew and see where it leads me.

I can't say that I found anything new. I had no fresh insights about the greatest story ever told. I had no majorly profound revelation that will revolutionize Christianity. But I will say this. I got to know my Jesus in a more personal way than I had before. Something about taking in all those stories at once made a difference in the way I felt about him. Having to experience the crucifixion four times in as many weeks was excruciating, but shouting four times when the stone was rolled away was pretty exciting! I have to tell you, I developed a hatred for Judas Iscariot that I've never known before, and I really wanted to shake Peter's marbles loose by John 21.

Last night after church, I was listening to the last few chapters of John. And when that great moment of revelation came, Jesus appearing to the frightened disciples in that upper room, I was overcome with emotion. All I could do was hunch over the steering wheel and weep with the glory of His presence as they realized together the Lord was alive! I longed to call out to the disciples, "Don't you get it yet!" But they were only living it for the first time.

What's my excuse?

What Am I Like?

Proverbs 20:6
Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,
but who can find a faithful man?

It's true, you know. If we were asked to write or speak a description about ourselves, most of us would err on the side of making ourselves look good. We would talk about our talents, not our inabilities. We would tout our successes instead of our failures. We would showcase our good qualities and none of our bad. And why? Because we want people to like us, to feel good about us, to respect and love us. We want people to think highly of us, so we place ourselves in the best light.

Imagine what would happen if we actually told our friends all of our faults at our first introduction. Would they still be our friends? During that first get-acquainted meal, what if we gave them a run-down of all of our failures--the mistakes we've made, the jobs we've lost, the relationships we've ruined all on our own. Would there be a second get-together? What if we confessed that we sometimes woke with a rotten attitude, got our kicks out of gossip and complaining, and uttered swear words everytime things don't go our way?

The Proverbs actually applauds the man who is honest in his assessment of self. But the Proverbs is also replete with correction of all those faults, flaws and failings. We should be working to better ourselves and put away all our bad habits and sinful lifestyles, because there really is no excuse for being sorry examples of humanity.

On the other hand, I'd also like to point out that I don't beleive it is a virtue to extol your vices. You don't have to tell everybody all the gory details of your inner man; most of that needs to be kept between you and God. But neither should we promote ourselves as the best thing since sliced bread. I think we need to be real with each other, and let our actions speak for themselves. Then let others talk about our goodness (or lack thereof).

Where is the Secret Place?

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

It's hard to pick a "favorite" part of the Bible. I often tell folks, "This is my favorite verse (or passage, chapter, book, character), right up there with all the rest of them. And it's true. I love the word of God. But if I had to pick my favorite Psalms, three come immediately to mind. One would be the 90th, the Psalm of Moses which I blogged about yesterday. One would be the 139th, which tells me just how well God knows me and loves me. And one would be the 91st, because of its promises of power and protection.

That being said, where is the secret place of the Most High? Have you ever thought about it? The Psalmist says the secret place is darkness, or the Lord's tabernacle, or the source of thunder. Solomon says it is the cleft of the rock. Ezekiel says thieves want to break in and defile it. Jesus says that's where we should go and pray...in the secret place. But at its most basic, the secret place is the presence of God, wherever He chooses to reveal it.

He who lives in the presence of God lives in His shadow. WOW! What a great place to be. And it's not a "secret place" as in a place of enigma and mystery. It's not a hard place to find. With the Holy Spirit dwelling in us as His temple, we can constantly be in the presence of God. When we read or hear His Word, we are listening to His voice. When we praise Him, we build a place for Him to come down and dwell in our midst. When we call upon Him, he answers. When we seek Him, we find Him. The presence of God is as close as you want it to be.

But there are times when, I have to admit, I don't want to be in the presence of God or when I wish I wasn't in the presence of God. His presence is sometimes too clean, too holy, too exacting, too demanding for me to bear. But that is where I long to be. In His presence there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures ever more! His presence overshadows us when we are living in relationship with Him, and we need to let His presence cover us and cleanse us.

For if we live in His presence,
He will deliver.
He will cover.
He will defend.
He will watch.
He will love.
He will lift.
He will exalt.

He will save!

The Psalm of Moses

Imagine with me the scene.

There is a lone man sitting in the shadow of a rock, trying to stay cool in a desert land of scrub brush surrounding a mountain of stone. A large flock of sheep grazes contentedly nearby. He is dressed in the desert garb of his tribal in-laws, everything about it designed to protect him from the heat, the sun, the wind and the dirt. His callused hands hold a thick wooden staff upon which he has recorded the major events of his life, and if you get a close enough look at his face you will see the wrinkles of time around his eyes and mouth and across his brow, and the graying of his dark beard. He looks tired, and not a little sad. And if you listen, you might hear him singing the prayer of his life.

God was here before this mountain,

He'll be here when its gone.

My life is a blink of an eye in His sight,

Like fresh cut grass, my life withers in the sun.

My labor here is almost done.

The years fly too fast,

offering nothing but anger and wrath.

God sees our sin, and it does not please Him.

My life will leave with a sigh.

I wish I'd taken a different path.

I'm seventy years old, and what does it matter.

My life has been a waste.

I could have done so much for God,

but those days are gone.

Too many mistakes in my haste.

I'll never make it to eighty,

but if I do, will it matter?

It's just more labor and sorrow, and soon gone.

I wish I'd counted my days,

I wish I'd done things better.

Come back for me, O Lord my God,

how long will you make me wait?

Have compassion and mercy, I want to rejoice.

I want to see your hand at work again,

before I meet my fate!

Is there nothing I will do that will last?

The 90th Psalm, from the CLS paraphrase

And then in the distance, something catches his eye. A flicker of movement and light, and something more. Never one to put his curiosity on hold, he brings himself to his feet and begins the walk to investigate. Closer he comes, and then he begins to marvel at the phenomenon of a bush burning with fire but not consumed. There is no scorch or blackness, no billows of smoke. The bush is living and green, filled with flame but not itself on fire. And then a voice, the voice he had longed so often to hear, brings the revelation that his life is not quite over.

In fact, the years ahead will be better than the years behind, fuller, sweeter. Life will be a triumph after all; the best is yet to come!

Not Really Devotional Quality Material

I would really like to give some serious thought to blogging about some wonderful Scripture that leaped out at me today, but my brain is practically fried from a full day of ministry, and if you want to know the rest of my story, check out my latest blog at www.myspace.com/ayseekayaffordstay. It's a hoot! But I would like to share something with you.

You know how I've been keeping track of things David wished upon his enemies? It's not for any vengeful purposes on my part. I don't think I have any real enemies (but if I do, I'm praying God will give them a limp so that I'll know them when I see them), but something happened tonight that puts those kinds of Scriptures in perspective for me, and all the others about God as our defender.

A crew of youths drove out from Albuquerque tonight to stay in the same hotel as me and accidentally got checked into my room while I was gone. When they moved to a different room, they accidentally on purpose took my laptop with them. When I returned from church, I immediately knew my stuff was missing and contacted the desk clerk, who contacted the manager, who contacted the onwer, the head housekeeper, and the local police, who arrived shortly. It didn't take them long to figure out what had happened, and within half-an-hour after my arrival, my computer was found and back in my possession. As far as I was concerned, the problem was solved. I had my stuff back and had no interest in pressing charges.

Unfortunately for the youths from Albuquerque, they were dopes who had been smoking some right in the room, and they had a whole stash of all kinds of other goodies which drew the interest of the entire Moriarty Police Department and the New Mexico State Police. If they had just kept their sticky fingers off my computer (which surely they realized would be missed), no one would have ever bothered them. But now they are under arrest, probably in handcuffs and on their way to the cross-bars hotel. There is a major drug bust going down in my hotel, sort-of because of me.

You see, it really does work. God takes care of those that are His. And I'll bet those folks will never forget the night they jacked a computer from a preacher.

My Favorite Proverb

You'd think that as long as I've been reading the Proverbs, I'd have them all memorized. Not so. However, there are some that are always stuck with me. I never really think about them beforehand, but when I open my Bible each day to the Proverbs, that are certain chapters that bring a bigger smile than others. Like today, for instance. Proverbs 16.

I'll never forget the first time that particular passage made the biggest impact on my life. It was September 16, 1995. On the following day, the congregation with which I had been working was voting to decide whether they wanted to move me from my position as assistant pastor to the big chair. My dad had pastored this church for five years and was leaving rather unexpectedly to take on another challenge. During the transition, someone began to voice some rather loud and, might I say, stupid opinions about his ministry and the value of getting rid of both of us while they had the chance. In one week's time, a board which had voted 3 to 1 to let me be their first candidate revealed that they were 3 to 1 against me ever being the pastor. I needed some guidance and perspective from someone otuside the immediate situation, so I called two godly men who were in positions of authority over me and asked to see them. One told me to withdraw my name from consideration, thus rising above the conflict and removing myself from any further hurt. The other told me that if I did not let my name stand, I was removing it from the hands of God. Was I confused!

I kept praying and mostly fretting about the approaching election, because I had followed the advice of my second advisor and the big mouths from church had ceased their attendance, but not their mouthing. The night before the election, I opened up my Bible to read my Proverbs for the day, and all my fears, worries, and doubts were put to rest.

Four years later, I was trying out for my second church, and was facing different turmoils over the transition. God brought me back to Proverbs 16, and I preached a message from it which put a Holy Ghost smack-down on a lot of busybodies, gossipmongers, and manipulators. At that point, it didn't matter which way the vote went--my conscience would be clear about having told them the truth that they needed to hear.

In both instances, I was elected to the position by overwhelming majorities (not unanimously, as I would have liked). And the verse that set me at ease about all things?

Proverbs 16:33

The [bal]lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord.

This is Why I Smile

Proverbs 15:13

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,

but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

The other day I was walking into Kroger and realized that my expression was hurting my face. I don't know how long I'd been scowling, but it felt like forever. So I broke out in a wide smile and all the achiness in my face went away. I guess it's true what they say, it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. And I reminded myself, you're going to have to remember to smile more often! I so felt like I hadn't been smiling much lately that I mentioned it to a friend, who laughed and said, "Casey! You smile all the time!"

Do I? I guess so; it's always been my default expression. Smiling just feels good, and I think it makes other people feel good, and I know it certainly feels good when they smile back at me. There are lots of reasons to smile, I suppose, and I know a lot of people smile when they don't really feel like it. Some smiles hide a secret sadness or pain. Some smiles make people wonder what you're up to. But when I think about why I smile, it's not hard for me to come up with a reason.

I smile because I'm happy! In spite of sadness or pain, in spite of everything else that's going on that may or may not be pleasant, I can honestly say that I'm happy. I'm happy because I know Jesus. I'm happy because I know I'm blessed. I'm happy because I know God loves me. I'm happy because I know He cares, and in all things is working for my good. But to tell you the truth, I'm happy becuase I don't like the alternative. People can find all kinds of excuses to be sad or mad. I prefer to be glad!

Being a man of constant sorrow is a heavy load to bear. When my heart is breaking, there are days I just want to cry. There are some days I just want to die. But I don't do either of those things (well, at least I don't do the first for long.) There are times I just want to close the world out and have myself a solitary pity party for one! But then I realize, that's what kills the soul. That's what breaks the spirit. And I refuse to let my spirit die. So I choose to be happy.

And that is why I smile!

Now turn that frown upside down and give happiness a go!

Smile, it increases your face value!

Don't worry, be happy!

Give the world a smile each day!

Smile, Jesus loves you. And I do too.

Things David Wished...Part 4

Psalm 70:1-3, from the CLS paraphrase

God, deliver me from those who want to hurt and kill me.

Then confuse them, embarrass them,

make them fall down on their backside and humiliate them!

Just Baring My Soul

I know I shouldn't be this way, but there are days when I'm reading the Scriptures and I just wish I could take somebody to them, point to some appropriate verse, and say, "See! That's talkin' about you, right there in the Bible! Straighten up!"

There's hardly a day that goes by that some verse, especially a Proverb, doesn't just leap to my lips at any given moment in reference to some person or happenstance. I find the Bible highly applicable, especially to the lives of other people.

It's so easy sometimes to hear the Word or to read the Word, and think to myself, "Wow, I wish so-and-so would read this. It would probably help them." Or even, "This would make a good sermon for someone to hear."

But the Bible is not just for other people. In fact, it's not really for other people at all when it's in my hands, being read by my eyes and understood by my brain. The Bible is just for me. Truly, there's never a time that I read it that I don't see myself in its pages. Sometimes it's in the good stuff, where God is praising and blessing people because of their uprightness and integrity. A lot of times, it's in the not so good stuff, where God is so not impressed with my personality. That's when I want to shut the book and go watch The View; at least Whoopi and Barbara don't single me out, and I can always change the channel if I don't like what they're saying.

I said, That's when I want to shut the book. But I don't. I keep reading. And as I read, I pray, "God, make me more like those words. In fact, make me more like THE WORD." And the Word strips away all the things that don't belong. Unfortunately, I have a lot of layers to get through. So I keep reading the Word of God.

Proverbs 14:6

A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,

but knowledge is easy to him who understands.

Lord, let me understand.

The River of God

Psalm 65:9-10

You visit the earth and water it,

You greatly enrich it;

The river of God is full of water;

You provide their grain,

For so You have prepared it.

You water its ridges abundantly,

You settle its furrows;

You make it soft with showers,

You bless its growth.

Thoughts about the river of God have been on my mind this week. On Sunday I preached a new message (so new I had not a scratch of notes to look at; it was all from the heart) about the river; specifically, how the Israelite crossing of the Jordan River was a type and shadow of the New Testament Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Then later I blogged about the river that makes glad the city of God, which again is the Holy Spirit flowing in the church. Today, this Psalm caught my attention.

David was writing in the context of a largely rural and agrarian-based society, so water was very important to them. But divine inspiration lends life to this passage that extends beyond the farmer's need for rivers and rain.

The Holy Spirit has always been God's active agent and presence on this planet. In the beginning, the Spirit moved over the face of the deep. In these last days, God has poured out His Spirit on all flesh. That is how He "visits" the earth and waters it, with the river of His Holy Spirit.

The river administers the riches and blessings of God upon God's people.

The river brings fullness into the lives of God's people.

The river prepares the harvest for which we labor, no longer a harvest of grain but of souls.

The river smoothes and softens the soil of our souls and blesses the growth of the seeds planted there.

This is the great work of God's River, His Holy Ghost!

Who Do You Listen To?

Proverbs 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,

but he who heeds counsel is wise.

There are a lot of places out there where we can seek advice, and a lot of people we can find who will be more than willing to offer their nickel's worth. Open a newspaper and you've got all kinds of advice right there with the daily funnies...except your horoscope is fantastical fiction and whoever replaced Dead Abby isn't nearly as good at her job. Call you Mom, she's full of it. And most of your friends are too.

But who are you really going to heed when you need a little counsel?

There are a few people in your life who have a wealth of wisdom stored up in their noggin, and they have been placed there by God to dole it out on occasion. When they do, pay attention. There are years of experience at your disposal, life educations beyond compare that can be applied to any given situation. Listen up.

In addition, God speaks to us through His word, if we'll read it. He speaks to us through His Spirit, if we'll hear it. He speaks to us through preaching and teaching, if we'll receive it. And sometimes He even speaks to us through other people who are sensitve to what the Spirit is saying. A wise man will seek counsel and listen to it, then weigh it against the Word and the Spirit and do what he beleives God is leading Him to do. When it comes right down to it, God must be the ultimate voice that we hear.

But a fool won't listen to wise counsel. In fact, a fool will only listen to their own heart, which usually only tells them exactly what they want to hear. It doesn't matter what Mom or Dad say, or what Pastor says, or what this Spiritual person or that one says. It doesn't even matter to the fool what the Word of God says. When they've got their mind made up, don't confuse them with facts, and certainly don't bring the Bible into it. This is the real world, after all! They have to follow their own heart, not some old book, or some old people who don't really know what's going on.

Who has God placed in your life to give you counsel? Who do you listen to? The one who listens to godly cousnel is wise.

Glad River

Psalm 46:4

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,

the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

John saw the city of God, coming down from heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. It was the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of the saints, the tabernacle of God with men. John describes the city in great detail, from its twelve foundations of precious stones to its great gates of pearl, its width, its breadth, its height, a city built of purest gold that was clear like glass. It is a real city, yet it is more. It is the whole assembly of heaven, all the saints of all the ages gathered together in one place at one time. And there is no temple in it, for God Himself and the Lamb of God are its temple. And there is no sun, nor moon, for the Lamb of God is the light.

We are the city of God. Individually, the Bible says we are the temple of God. Collectively, we are the body of Christ and the household of faith, and with our praises we build for Him a tabernacle in which he is enthroned when we worship Him. The local church is a body with many members, and the universal church is a body with many members. We are, each of us, living stones being built into the temple fo the most high God. We are that city!

And the Psalmist saw a river that makes us glad. What is that river? Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water!" That river is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God and of Christ which dwells within each one of us. It is a river of life that flows directly from the throne of God, from the presence of God, through the temple of God, and out from the temple to heal the nations of the world. It is a river that makes us glad, just as Peter quoted the Psalmist on Pentecost by saying, "In His presence there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand pleasures evermore. Therefore my heart rejoices and my tongue was made glad!"

Peter had been filled that day by the river that makes glad the city of God! Dear God, let the river flow!

Things David Wished...Part 3

Psalm 55:15, from the CLS paraphrase

I hope the one who betrayed me dies and goes straight to hell!

Gone Fishin'

Simon Peter may have been a fisherman by trade, but I'm convinced he wasn't very good at it. Every time you see him doing it, he's been out all night and hasn't caught a thing (I've been fishing with guys like that). Take Luke 5 for instance.

Bleary eyed and tired from pulling an all nighter, Peter squats in the shallows of the Galilee as a crowd gathers on the shore around a teacher Peter has met a couple of times. Suddenly, that teacher steps into Peter's boat and says, "Hey, Pete. Why don't you push out a little ways." Without questioning, Peter launches his boat back into the water, climbing on board with the teacher who sits down and proceeds to teach the crowd. I can imagine his voice carried clearly across the waves to the shore, and in the warmth of the springtime sun, perhaps resting with his hand dipping into the cool waters, Peter closes his eyes for just a moment (I've pastored guys like that).

Then the teacher isn't teaching any more. The sermon over, the teacher touches the snoozing Peter on the shoulder and says, "Hey, Pete. Why don't we row out to the deep water and catch a few fish." Now this is where the story takes on a slightly humorous bent. The nail pounder from Nazareth is telling the professional fisherman how to fish.

As every fisherman knows, the worst time to fish is the heat of the day. That's why so many of them fish at night. And the best place to cast a net is not in the deep water, but in the shallows where the fish have schooled to feed on smaller fish and other little critters.

Peter replies, "OK, Lord, I'll do what you ask, as long as you know I've been doing this all my life, and I'm telling you now. I've been out all night fishing and didn't catch anything." But as the net leaves his hands, it surges with the splash of a few hundred fish. Suddenly what seemed unlikely is now happening to Peter's amazement, and as he and Andrew struggle with the weight of the catch, the net begins to break. Now they're calling for help from their partners James and John, and as the team of fisherman sweep basketsful of fish out of the nets and into the boats, the tonnage of fish begins to sink the boats. This is when Peter realizes he is in the presence of a very holy man and begs Jesus to go away, "Because I am a sinner."

And Jesus just smiled and said, "That's alright, Pete. From now you will catch people."

What amazes me is that this happened again three years later, following the resurrection of Jesus. Discouraged by his failure on the night of Jesus' arrest, Peter abandons the call to save people and goes back to his nets. After fishing all night with six of his fellow disciples, Peter was probably in a very ugly mood when an all-too familiar voice calls to him from shore. "Hey, Pete. Throw your net on the other side of the boat!" And there is a great catch again. This is the last time you see Peter fishing.

One time, Jesus even sent Peter out with a hook and no bait to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth. Peter just tosses the line in, and immediately there's a fish swallowing the empty hook, line and sinker! It seems Peter could only catch fish when Jesus told him how, when and where to do the deed. But then again, Peter wasn't put on this earth to catch fish. His destiny was to catch men, and what a job he did at that!

Things David Wished, part 2

Psalm 41:10, CLS paraphrase

Lord, raise me up in your mercy so that I can kick the one who kicked me.

Two Women

Two women stand side by side for comparison in Proverbs 9, each the personification of opposing worldviews.

The first woman is Wisdom. She works hard to prepare a place of gathering, then lays out a banquet for her guests. And then she goes to the most public places and extends this invitation: "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! Come eat of my bread and drink the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live."

The second woman is Folly. Silly and loud, she knows nothing and she does nothing. Rather she lounges on her porch or loiters in random places, distracting whoever happens to pass by with an invitation of her own: "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

The banquet of the first is a meal of instruction, offering knowledge and understanding. The banquet of the second is a meal of pleasures, offering shadows and secrets. Feasting at the first table brings life, because the seeker wants to become more than he is. Feasting at the second produces death, because the seeker simply wants to exercise who he is.

It is the height of futility to correct one who scoffs at wisdom and rejects righteousness. The world is full of people whose worldview is, "I've got my mind made up; don't confuse me with facts." They follow the path of their own choosing, using as their guide not the incontrovertible wisdom of the Almighty, but the variable inclinations of their ever-changing mind. Try to teach them and their actions put you to shame. Try to disciple them and you do so to your own hurt.

But instructing someone who wants to learn reaps everlasting rewards. The wise get wiser, the just add to their knowledge.

To go with the woman called Wisdom is to gain great things from her and grow wiser to your own benefit. To go with the woman named Folly is to bear the burden of life by yourself, for she takes away rather than adds.

Proverbs 9:10-11

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For by wisdom your days will be multiplied,

and years of life will be added to you.

Worth the Wait

Psalm 40:17

But I am poor and needy;

Yet the Lord thinks upon me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

Waiting on the Lord just might be one of the hardest lessons for the natural part of me to learn. We wait for nothing these days. We live in a drive-up window, fast food, microwaved, remote controlled culture that has little patience for waiting on any thing. But when we are truly in need, the Psalmist teaches us that there are great benefits to waiting upon the Lord.

Then again, acknowledging our own need for Him might be one of the hardest lessons for us to learn. "I am poor and needy," the Psalmist wrote. He had that right. At the beginning of this Psalm, he compared his situation to being stuck in a horrible muddy hole with no way out. But he said, "I waited patiently for the Lord." And look what happened:

The Lord paid attention to me and my situation.

The Lord heard my cry and came to see what was going on.

The Lord reached down to me in my plight and rescued me from it.

The Lord set my feet on firm ground so that I would sink no more.

That God does those things is amazing. I mean, He's God and I'm not. I'm not anywhere near His level, and I'm never going to be. I'm an infinitesimal cosmic speck on an insignificant sphere in an out of the way corner of a less than average galaxy in a universe full of wonder, and He holds it all in the palm of His hand. Yet He always knows exactly where I am and what I'm doing, and He cares. He actually cares for me, and when I need Him, He is right there doing what only He can do. And not only that, but...

The Lord put a song in my mouth--Praise to our God!

And to draw from Psalm 37--

Trust in the Lord.

Delight yourself in the Lord.

Commit your way to the Lord.

and finally, Rest in the Lord.

Things David Wished Upon His Enemies

I like keeping track of the things David prayed would happen to his enemies. Here's one:

Psalm 35:5-6, CLS paraphrase

Let the angel of the Lord chase him down a dark and slippery alley!

The Worth of Worship

Besides the fact that he was a total shmuck, have you ever wondered what motivated Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus? I was reading this morning in the 14th chapter of Mark and it suddenly occurred to me. I've read it many times, I 've preached on it a few times, and the connection was never really there for me until today. Judas betrayed Jesus over a bottle of perfume.

Imagine the scene with me

The twelve disciples are reclining around a banquet table in the home of a man called Simon the Leper. Why he was nicknamed that, I do not know, as most lepers are social outcasts and allowed no fellowship with other people; perhaps he was one of the lepers that Jesus healed during three years of miracle-working ministry. At the head of the table, Simon the leper and Jesus are quietly conversing together, and servants are busy serving the feast. There are lots more interesting details found in other gospels, but we'll stick to Mark's account.

In the middle of dinner, a young girl slips into the room with something in her hands. It is a vessel carved from a soft mineral stone, and it contained a costly and aromatic lotion. Standing behind Jesus, she breaks open the seal and pours the contents of her bottle over the head of Jesus.

Judas Iscariot, group treasurer, offers a snide remark: "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?" Are you kidding me? Jesus is the guest of honor at a banquet leading into the most celebrated time in their culture. He's a very popular, not to mention, important man in their Jewish communities. Everybody loves him. Everywhere he goes, people flock to him. This little girl, in other accounts, is shown to be part of a family of Jesus' closest friends, and she has performed an extremely extravagant act of affection for this man who has done so much for so many people.

Then to justify his comments, Judas adds: "This oil could have been sold and the money used to help poor people!" Yeah, that was Judas' motivation; he was concerned about poor people, namely himself.

With an entire jar of thick, scented oil running down his hair, onto his face, into his beard, down his shoulders and back, and quite possibly dripping onto a fancy tablecloth, Jesus looks over at the critical disciple and replies, "You will always have poor people to help when you want to help them, but you won't always have me. What this woman did was a good thing. She used what she had to bless me, and she has prepared my body for my burial. What she has done will be spoken of in all the world forever."

The girl's outpouring of costly ointment on the head of Jesus was an outrageous act of worship, probably more costly and extravagant than anything anyone else in that room had ever done for Jesus in a single exploit. That's what made Judas mad, and that was the catalyst to his betrayal. Offended at being put to shame in front of a crowd of people by a little girl, Judas agreed to betray Jesus.

One act of worship--300 days' wages

One traitorous kiss--30 pieces of silver

The soul of Judas--worthless

The heart of worship--priceless

Think about that the next time someone's worship bothers you.

The Best Advice

So, I wanted to be vidicated today. I wanted to pray like the Psalmist in Psalm 26, because I know I am right and have been wronged. I wanted to tell the Lord all about my integrity and my innocence and my intentions to worsihp and serve Him. And that's what I thought I would do.

And then I read the next of David's prayers.

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord;

Be of good courage,

and He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord!

It doesn't matter. Whatever happens to me in this life, on this planet, it doesn't matter on the face of eternity as long as I have Jesus. And I have Jesus! And thank God, He has me.

I will have no fear, because my enemies are defeated.

I will dwell in the house of the Lord, and I will be safe there.

I will rejoice, because He has lifted my head.

I will seek the Lord's face, and He will be found.

And I will not lose heart, because I know in whom I have beleived! (I feel the shout comin' on now!)

Now all I have to do is wait, which is sometimes the hardest part of all. But I will wait. I will wait for Him in hope, and while I wait for Him I will wait on Him in service. I will wait, and receive good things from the Lord.

The Meaning is Clear

I've been reading from the Proverbs almost daily for about twenty years. When I was a teenager, someone pointed out to me that there were 31 chapters in Proverbs, and 30 or 31 days in most months. If you read a chapter a day, you can read Proverbs through in a month. So that is part of my daily regimen. (Someone later pointed out that if you read 5 Psalms a day, you could read the Psalms through in a month, so I added that to my routine as well. Add 4 chapters a day from anywhere in the Bible and you can read the whole Bible through in a year with some days left over).

But I have specifically commited myself to reading a chapter of Proverbs everyday. "Why?" you might ask, and I'm so glad you did, because I'm going to tell you. Proverbs is a book of special wisdom that deals with every aspect of practical daily living. God, marriage, business, children, relationships, ethics, morality--it's all in there. And the wisdom is directed especially at young men who have a lot to learn. Since I'm still learning, I consider myself a young man, so I keep reading the Proverbs.

Take today for instance. It's February 5th, so I'll be in Proverbs 5, and I've been reading them long enough to know what is in Proverbs 5. It's actually one of my favorite passages in the Scriptures (right up there with all the rest of them). Proverbs 5 is about commitment and faithfulness to one woman for life in the covenant of marriage.

Here are some nuggets, presented to you from the CLS paraphrase version of the Bible.

Don't go after a woman just because she's a good kisser. Kisses are sweet and smooth, but the kisses of the wrong woman can kill you, and then it won't matter how good her kisses were.

Don't go after a woman just because she offers you a moment of pleasure. Looking for satisfaction and fulfillment outside the bounds of marriage is like spilling precious water in the street.

Don't go after a woman who is not your wife. Every man's needs can be and should be satisfied and fulfilled only by the attributes given to his wife by God.

Don't go after a woman because her hugs feel good. Those hugs can be deceptive, resulting in a lifetime of slavery.

Proverbs 5:21-23

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,

and He ponders all his paths.

A man's own iniquities entrap the wicked man,

and he is caught in the cords of his sin.

He shall die for lack of instruction,

and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Waking Up to Perfection!

Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

One of these days, I will awake to the awareness that nothing more needs to be done in my life to make me better than I am. After all, you can't improve on perfection. One of these days, I will have arrived at the full measure of the stature of Jesus Christ, I will have attained completion in Him, and there will be no work left to be done in my life. One of these days, I will be like Him.

Unfortunately, that day was not today. Tomorrow doesn't look so good either.

David prayed with the expectation that one day he would live up to the purpose for which mankind was created. The King James Version says God made us in His image and after His likeness. The CLS paraphrase says He made us to look like Him and to be like Him.

Every face is different, they say. It's true enough that I look a lot like my dad, but when I stand next to mom I look a lot like her too. My dad favored his mom in some ways, his dad in others. Mom takes attributes from both of her parents. But every person on the face of the planet looks basically the same--two arms, two legs, ten fingers, ten toes, a belly button, two eyes, two ears, a nose and a pie-hole. Inside, we're built the same too--lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, intestines, heart. God made us to look like Him in that God has a body which served as a pattern for our bodies. His body is God incarnate, God the flesh, otherwise known as Jesus the Christ. When God met face to face with people in the Old Testament, it was the second person in the triune Godhead coming down to our level. We don't really know what the Father looks like, for no man has seen His face and lived. But we know what Jesus looks like--He looks like us.

But more than being made to look like Him, God truly made us to be like Him. He wanted us to have his attributes and characteristics. He wanted us to take on His nature. My body is shaped after the pattern of His body; my spirit needs to be conformed to the pattern of His Spirit. The characteristics of God and of Christ are summed up in passages like the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. God is the fulfillment of all those things, and He wants them to be fulfilled in us.

One of these days, I will wake up and I will be the very model of the likeness of God. I will be the perfect personification of all his attritbutes. I will have produced fruit worthy of my calling. Of course, I fully recognize that my awakening may come after this body has fallen asleep permanently. Completion may only arrive after I have cast off this mortal flesh and exchanged it for immortality. But it is still my hope, as it was the expectation of the Psalmist, that one day, I will be just like Him, and on that day, I will wake up satisfied!

All in a Day's Work

Have you ever conisdered a day in the life of Jesus? We often think of Him in terms of the gospels as a whole, or perhaps in terms of the birth, death and resurrection, or perhaps even in his present place at the right hand of God. But I love looking at details. Take Mark 1 for instance.

By verse 21, Jesus has been baptized by his cousin John. The voice of God His Father approved Him from heaven. The Holy Spirit descended and rested upon Him in the physical form of a dove, then drove Him into the wilderness to be tempted and tested by the devil. Angels came to minister to Him there, and when he shows back up preaching the gospel given to Him by His Father, he starts calling fisherman away from their nets to follow and learn from Him. Then we get a glimpse of a day in the life of Jesus Christ.

On a certain Sabbath morning, He went to church where he was the speaker. And as He was teaching, a demonized man began to make a scene becuase the demons inside him recognized who Jesus was and were afriad He had already come to send them to their doom. Through their possession, they began to cry out, but Jesus silenced them with a word and delivered the poor man from their control, which flabbergasted the onlookers.

As people hurried out of church that morning to tell far and wide what they had witnessed, Jesus and his disciples went to the house of Simon Peter for lunch. Unfortunately, Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a fever and had not prepared anything for them to eat. So Jesus took her by the hand and healed her, after which she arose from her sick bed and started fixing them lunch.

The Sabbath was over at sunset, and suddenly people began to arrive at Peter's doorstep from all over town, bringing with them all who were sick, diseased and demonized. And Jesus began to heal and deliver them by His power. He ministered long into the night, caught a little sleep, and then early in the morning, long before daylight, he was up again for prayer. His disciples found him there and said, "Here you are! Everyone is looking for you."

To which Jesus replied, "Let's get out of here, because people in other towns need this ministry too, and that's why I came."

On any given day, Jesus could be found teaching people, healing the sick, casting out demons, doing all kinds of miracles in the lives of people. That was just all in a day's work for Him, and He has commissioned us to do the same. So what have we done for the Lord lately?

Hidden Treasure

Proverbs 2:4-5
If you seek wisdom as silver,
and search for her as for hidden treasures;
then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs is a book of wisdom whose secrets are revealed layer after layer as one reads it repeatedly. It personifies wisdom as a lover, as a mother, as a father, as a teacher, as milk and honey, as precious treasure. It is hidden treasure that must be located and sought after, and only then will it divulge its mysteries. A cursory reading will not unveil the deepest truths; we must go back again and again to sift through its words. This is God's way of keeping us coming back for more.

Foolishness is the root of all sin. That, and unbelief. But unbelief is, in itself, foolishness. To paraphrase the Psalmist, "Only a fool does not believe." Foolishness is the root of all that is wrong in the world today. Foolishness is what made our ancient father and mother disobey the single commandment of God. Foolishness is what brought about the wickedness that brought about the flood. Foolishness is what caused Satan to think He could destroy the plan of God by nailing God's Son to a cross. Foolishness is the source of all that is evil and wicked and sinful and stupid in the world today. But the Bible gives a very simple solution to foolishness.

Seek wisdom.

And it's not talking about an education. It's not talking about experience. It's not talking about the worldly philosophies and cogitations of men. It is talking about the very knowledge of God. The proverbial wisdom of Solomon is impartation from a man who was offered anything he wanted, and he asked for wisdom, which gave him the ability to acquire everything else his heart ever desired. Of course, the pursuit of his heart's desires is what led to his downfall, and the bitter tears of Ecclesiastes as an old man reflects on the wisdom that he wasted. Foolishness, he calls it.

Seek wisdom. He said it early, and he said it often. And when he told us to seek it, he said to do so as if we were searching for hidden treasure, wealth beyond belief. Wisdom, true Biblical, godly wisdom, is intelligence and knowledge and understanding and discernment and cunning and giftedness all rolled into one. In New Testament terminology, it is having the mind of Christ, knowing what God knows, seeing what God sees. And we are to seek after wisdom as for gold and silver.

Myth and legend and lore lend to our imaginations the idea of hidden treasure. A crumbling map with faded ink, landmarks and booby traps and X marks the spot. Find the map, find the location, find the gold! But it takes effort to find what we are looking for. It takes hard work.

That is why so many people remain in their spiritual folly. Finding the wisdom of God in His word and in His presence is too difficult, too exacting, too demanding of our time and energies. But to find wisdom, Solomon says, is to find the meaning of life--the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of God.

Can anger be a virtue?

Psalm 4:4
Be angry, and do not sin.

Is that even possible?

I've always been taught that anger was an undesirable quality, a lack of emotional control, and a sin, and yet here is the great psalmist saying anger is not always a sin.

So often, we get angry at people. Someone hurts us, someone offends us, someone sins against us, and we get mad. If we're not careful, anger turns to grudge, grudge turns to unforgiveness, unforgiveness turns to bitterness, bitterness turns to hatred, and now all of a sudden, the victim is the perpetrator. We have become just as guilty of sin as the person who wronged us, if not more so. It is said that most of the things we're mad about were forgotten by the people we're mad at almost as soon as it was done--not because they thought nothing of hurting us, but because they did not know they hurt us to begin with. And we're mad about that, and our anger becomes a sin. Jesus even said that anger directed at people becomes murder in one's heart.

But Christ's own example was one of anger toward the things that were displeasing to God. I can think of two instances, one early in His ministry, and one late, in which Jesus opened up a big can of whipcord on some folks, overturning tables and stampeding sheep as he drove dishonest money changers from the temple grounds. They had defiled the dwelling place of God, turning His house into a den of thieves. Yet when dealing with dishonest tax collectors in their own homes, Jesus sat with them and ate with them and let his love and compassion permeate the room. He seldom had to point out a person's sin, for they were always well acquainted with their short-comings, and His presence was convicting enough to produce change in people's lives.

So where is the balance between anger and righteousness? How can we be angry without sinning? Here are my suggestions.

Be angry at the circumstances, but not at the people who caused them.

Be constructive, not destructive, in making efforts to resolve those circumstances.

Be honest with the people who hurt you and give them a chance to make it right.

Be forgiving toward people, whether they ask for it or not.

Be reconcilable to those who offend.

At the end of the day, let it go.