For the Children

Back in the early 90s, a group called 4Him was popular among fans of contemporary Christian music. Even though I was never a fan, the group has one song that resonated with me. It speaks of the future and the responsibility we have toward those who will occupy our space long after we are gone.

Here are the lyrics:

If we could find a way to preserve our faith
So those who follow us see the price that was paid
Then maybe when they question what it’s gonna take to survive
They’ll find the strength to carry on in what we leave behind

So I won’t bend and I won’t break
I won’t water down my faith
I won’t compromise in a world of desperation
What has been I cannot change
But for tomorrow and today
I must be a light for future generations

Lookin’ in the eyes of the children
Knowing that tomorrow is at stake
When the choice is up to them
Will they have the strength to say

We won’t bend and we won’t break
We won’t water down our faith
We won’t compromise in a world of desperation
What has been we cannot change
But for tomorrow and today
We must be a light for future generations

Threatening Prayer

From the words of David when pursued by Saul's men:

"My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down --
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

They fully intend to topple him
From his lofty place;
They take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
But in their hearts they curse.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
My hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
Pour out your hearts to him,
For God is our refuge.

Lowborn men are but a breath,
The highborn are but a lie;
If weighed on a balance,
They are nothing;
Together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion
Or take pride in stolen goods;
Though your riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken,
Two things have I heard:
That you, O God are strong,
and that you, O Lord are loving.

Surely you will reward each person
According to what he has done."

-- David's prayer when pursued by Saul's men (Psalm 62)

The Gift

Cloudy and overcast.

The phrase is used by meteorologists to describe a day when the sun is hidden by the clouds and blue skies are replaced by gray shadows. It is day when workers fight the urge to sleep after lunch, when people find themselves a little more tired than usual, and when conversations begin with mention of the possibility of "blue skies and rainbows and sunbeams."

It is a little ironic how much the weather resembles life.

We experience times in our lives when the sun is shining and the blue skies are not marked by a single cloud. These are days when everything seems to go right. These are the moments when we embrace life as a beautiful gift.

Then, the gray skies and the clouds invade our lives. On these days, our problems seem to take over. We find it hard to be happy. Everything seems to go wrong. These are the moments when we see life not as a gift, but as a burden.

Interestingly, the same God who gives the sunshine and makes the skies blue, is the God who sends the rain, crafts the clouds, and makes some days overcast. As the "Good Book" says, God causes the rain "to fall on the just and the unjust."

If God causes both -- good and bad weather -- then both are gifts. This is hard to grasp, because we think that gifts are always good things designed to satisfy our desires and cravings. But not all gifts seem good.

Remember the first time your parents made you eat some type of vegetable that you did not want to eat? It was probably an unpleasant experience. In their reasoning, your parents probably said something like, "eat your green beans; they are good for you." Well, it did not seem good at the time.

However, it was a gift. It was the establishing of a habit that would reap benefits throughout life.

Sometimes life sucks. Sometimes people are mean-spirited. But "sometimes" does not mean that God is absent or unaware. There is a good that is being cultivated that will appear in unmistakable fashion. Here is how Peter put it, "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Life is a gift. Even when friends abandon you -- life is a gift. Even when the truth is obscured by others -- life is a gift. Even when the unexpected comes crashing through your door -- life is still a gift. Even when your faith is challenged by the subtle compromises of others who claim such faith -- life is a gift. Even when you stress about family ... or finances ... or the future -- life is still a gift.

Live it!

Prayer

May those that love us, love us;
and those that don't love us,
may God turn their hearts;
and if He doesn't turn their hearts,
may He turn their ankles
so we'll know them by their limping.

-- Irish prayer

Mercy?

One of the ironic happenings in the forgiveness debate is the absence of mercy from people who have fallen into the same sin, yet refuse to grant mercy to others who take such a plunge.

This is a critical faux pas for any Christ-follower, because God explicitly states that one of our duties is to "love mercy" (Micah 6:8). Failure to extend mercy is self-condemnation.

Why do the forgiven sometimes fail to show mercy to others who find themselves in the same situation? What makes a person accept mercy from God and others, only to withhold it from someone crying for help?

Jesus once told a story to illustrate the importance of mercy. Here is what he said:

"Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold -- along with his wife, his children, and everything he owed -- to pay the debt. But the man fell down before his master and begged him, 'Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.' Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

"But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it' he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

"When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."

-- the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, as told by Jesus (Matthew 18:23-35)

A Father's Counsel

From Solomon:

"My son, pay attention to what I say
Listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
Keep them within your heart;
For they are life to those who find them
And health to a man's whole body.

Above all else,
Guard your heart,
For it is the wellspring of life.

Put away perversity from your mouth;
Keep corrupt talk from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,
Fix your gaze directly before you.

Make level paths for your feet
And take only ways that are firm.

Do not swerve to the right or the left;
Keep your foot from evil."

-- Solomon's fatherly advice (Proverbs 4:20-27)

The Popularity of Deception

Somewhere behind the blurred lines and various stories exists the truth. Everyone claims to want the truth, but what we really want is whatever version of the truth makes us feel comfortable. So we entertain lies, rationalize behavior, and spin the truth so many times that it becomes a tangled mess of spider webs.

We sacrifice truth without blinking an eye if it does not fit our desires or preconceived notions. This is why liars prosper and the honest will not receive affirmation until the day of God.

The word that describes such behavior is "enabling." When dealing with a drug addict, hard lines must be drawn or any attempt to help simply becomes an "enabling" of the drug habit. The person takes such kindness to continue the addiction.

The same is true for liars as well. Lying is not the unforgiveable sin, and there is certainly forgiveness for the penitent liar. However, continuing in that sin is trampling on God's grace and makes forgiveness unattainable. In the wake of such destructive behavior are found the bodies of the innocent. These are the people who are drawn into situations not because of their actions, but because of the actions of others.

I have a very good friend who is one of these "innocent" people. Unfortunately, this person's innocence does not prevent feelings of abandonment or hurt. At one time, the person remarked, "Maybe I should lie to gain sympathy from others." I looked at my friend and said, "That is not you."

So, the cry of the innocent goes before God. They cry out for help, for retribution, and for God to take away the hurt and punish those who continue to harm them.

Even though he not was one of the "innocent," David understood what it means to leave your sin in the past, and move closer to God. Yet David's enemies were many and sought to do him harm. Still, David trusted that God would make things right and those who seek to deceive others will be exposed. Here are his words:

"O God, listen to my complaint.
Protect my life from my enemies' threats
Hide me from this gang of wrongdoers.

They sharpen their tongues like swords
And aim their bitter words like arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent
Attacking suddenly and fearlessly.

They encourage each other to do evil
And plan how to set their traps in secret.
"Who will ever notice?" they ask.

As they plot their crimes, they say,
"We have devised the perfect plan!"

Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.

But God himself will shoot them with his arrows
Suddenly striking them down.
Their own tongues will ruin them
And all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

Then everyone will be afraid
They will proclaim the mighty acts of God
And realize all the amazing things he does

The godly will rejoice in the Lord
And find shelter in him
And those who do what is right will praise him.

-- The words of David found in Psalm 64:1-10

Little Wonders

Experience life by enjoying each moment given to you. Embrace the "little wonders" in life, as these lyrics by Rob Thomas remind us.

Let it go,
Let it roll right off your shoulder
Don't you know
The hardest part is over

Let it in,
Let your clarity define you
In the end
We will only just remember how it feels

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain

Let it slide,
Let your troubles fall behind you
Let it shine
Until you feel it all around you

And i don't mind
If it's me you need to turn to
We'll get by,
It's the heart that really matters in the end

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain

All of my regret
Will wash away some how
But i cannot forget
The way I feel right now

In these small hours
These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away but these small hours
These small hours, still remain,
Still remain

These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away
But these small hours
These little wonders still remain

Life

There is a life we imagine
And there is a life we live.

Life is influenced by the past, characterized by the present and redeemed by the future.

So, are you imagining your life or are you living it?

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a day with Brad Avery, the lead guitarist for the band Third Day. The group was in town to play a show at the Municipal Auditorium as part of their nationwide tour.

Brad is a very down-to-earth guy, with an intense focus on serving God (not to mention he is an incredible guitarist as well). We both attended Cincinnati Christian University and we both grew up as Preacher's Kids.

Anyway, Third Day has written some pretty incredible songs, and here are the lyrics to one that is needed when walking through the valleys of life.

So, here is my gift to a friend who the other day told me he was really struggling.

I won't pretend to know what you're thinking
I can't begin to know what you're going through
I won't deny the pain that you're feeling
But I'm gonna try and give a little hope to you

Just remember what I've told you
There's so much you're living for

There's a light at the end of this tunnel
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
For you, for you

There's a light at the end of this tunnel
Shinin' bright at the end of this tunnel
For you, for you
So keep holdin' on

You've got your disappointments and sorrows
You ought to share the weight of that load with me
Then you will find that the light of tomorrow
Brings a new life for your eyes to see

So remember what I've told you
There's so much you're living for

The Indian and the Snake

The story is told of an Indian who was making his descent from a mountain. On his way he came across a rattlesnake shivering from the cold.

"Please sir, pick me up and carry me to the bottom," the snake asked the Indian.

"I can't do that," the Indian replied. "You are a snake and will bite me. More than that, your bite is fatal."

"I know what I am, but in gratitude for your kindness, I promise to not bite you," the snake said.

"I'm not sure I can trust you," the Indian countered.

"Please," the snake begged, "carry me to the bottom so I can get out of this cold and I will do you no harm."

Finally, the Indian relented. He picked up the snake and carried the snake to the bottom of the mountain without any incident.

As he placed the snake on the ground, it coiled and bit him. Shocked, the Indian shouted, "Why did you do that? You promised you would not hurt me."

Without any remorse, the snake responded, "You knew what I was when you picked me up."

Be careful what you pick up this week.

May 6

Yesterday was a great day!

Yesterday was my son's eighth birthday.

God blessed Mendy and I eight years ago when he answered our prayer for a son. Back in 1997, we had prayed for a daughter, and God gave us the best daughter imaginable. Then a little more than two years later, God blessed us with Drew.

Drew is fun to hang around. We play catch together (football, baseball). We shoot hoops together. We even play video games together. We have a relationship that does not carry any false pretenses. It is genuine.

I love Drew deeply and am so honored to be called his Daddy.

Trust

"Don't worry about the wicked
Or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass,
They soon fade away.
Like spring flowers,
They soon wither.

Trust in the Lord
And do good
Then you will live safely in the land
And prosper.

Take delight in the Lord
And he will give you your heart's desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord
Trust him and he will help you.

Be still in the presence of the Lord
And wait patiently for him to act.

Don't worry about evil people who prosper
Or fret about their wicked schemes."

-- Psalm 37:1-5, 7

Choosing Where to Stand

In the last post I mentioned T.B. Larimore. Since that post I have thought more about Larimore's legacy and his influence on churches connected with the American Restoration Movement.

F.D. Srygley, in his book Larimore and His Boys, wrote about Larimore's school in Florence, Alabama. The book describes Larimore's teaching of these men desiring to enter full-time ministry, and it also gives insight into Larimore's influence on his students. Srygley wrote about Larimore and his students in these words:

"They stuck to the Book. They preached neither less nor more than the Bible, and in the very words of the Bible. They looked upon all divisions among professed Christians as not only grave errors, but grievous sins. ... No man has a right to make a test of fellowship of any thing which God has not made a condition of salvation. No man should be denied fellowship in the church on account of any thing which will not deprive him of admission into heaven. No man has a right to require a sinner seeking salvation to any thing he cannot read in the Bible. Man's opinions are his own private property, and no man has a right to deprive him of them. But no man has a right to trespass upon another's liberty in Christ by making his opinions tests of fellowship. ...The gospel, and not opinions, is the power of God unto salvation." (Srygley, 150-151)

Once one of Larimore's students asked him his stand on a number of potentially volatile church issues. The student asked, "Brother Larimore, how shall we stand on this question?"

Larimore responded, "Better not stand on that question at all; stand upon Christ and him crucified. If you must do any thing with that question, sit down on it. It is not a good thing to stand on."

Hiding Behind the Cross

Preaching is dangerous business.

Attempting to lead people closer to God is an ambitious and daunting task.

Living in a glass house makes the preacher susceptible to injuries from stone throwers.

How can mortal, fallible, sinful, and weak man claim to speak for God?

This mystery of preaching is a perplexing one. A fallible preacher proclaims the message of an infallible God. The sinful minister teaches about the sinless Savior. The weak evangelist preaches about the omnipotent Creator.

Thus, the door to criticism is open to all who wish to enter.

There are some, who for some reason or another, choose to ignore the preacher. You see them each week. Sometimes they leave during the sermon. Sometimes they read the church bulletin or other materials. Sometimes, they stare at the pages in their Bible. Their connection with the preacher has been lost along the way.

Maybe there was a personality conflict.

Maybe they discovered their preacher is all too human and prone to sin.

Maybe they simply do not like him.

Maybe they view their relationship with God as an afterthought to everything else in life.

Mind-reading is not my speciality, so I do not know why some people act the way they do toward their ministers.

But, I do know how ministers should act toward their calling. Ministers are called to "hide behind the cross." I first read this expression in a book about one of my favorite preachers, T.B. Larimore.

Hiding behind the cross is the only effective way to preach. As a preacher, you will never become super-human. You will never achieve moral perfection. You may slip badly in your ministry.

Those are the reasons why you must always preach by "hiding behind the cross." Despite where you are in your ministry, God is still speaking through you ... always remember that.

The other day, someone remarked to some good friends of mine, that s/he gets no spiritual nourishment from my sermons. S/he gets fed by his/her personal Bible study and prayer. Such a comment cut deeply. But such comments are nothing new. I have never met a preacher who at some point in his ministry did not have someone criticize him by saying, "I'm not being fed." It is the first critical pot-shot taken at ministers. And, more often than not, it is empty, baseless, and simply a mean-spirited attempt to hurt his ministry.

That's why ministers must preach by hiding behind the cross.

I am currently teaching a weekly Bible class on 2 Corinthians. In this letter, the apostle Paul has to defend his calling and his authority to preach. There are some who have said that Paul does not feed them spiritually. There are some who question his right to preach. And there are some who just don't like him.

Within this context, at one point in the letter, Paul writes these words: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body." (2 Corinthians 4:7-11)

So, brother, keep on preaching. God speaks through you. God works in you. And as you, in your fallibility, continue to proclaim an infallible God to a fallible audience, remember to stay hidden behind the cross.