Patriotism

Your 3 Letters For Today

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weedsI like a trim, neat, lawn that sports a luscious green carpet. A lawn like this can take a lot of work, so each year I reseed some areas, apply fertilizer to feed the lawn, and I treat it with a herbicide to control the weeds.

There are usually some places around the house where both grass and weeds are about as welcome as unwanted guests. To control their invasive growth, I spray them with an unhealthy dose of Roundup and they droop down and die.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires the manufacturers of these products to give clear directions concerning the correct mixture and application of these toxins. There is also a poison control label if you happen to ingest the product or get it in your eyes.

As Christians, we need to heed the EPA. In this case, EPA means: Exercise Prudence Always. The word prudence is a form of the Latin “prudentia,” and it carries the idea of “seeing ahead.” Prudence, therefore, is the ability to understand the ramifications of your actions and behavior and to impose appropriate self-discipline. Prudence allows you to manage the present so the future does not become a problem.

I don’t know about you, but I know I need prudence. I’ve come to realize that the only consistent thing about my life is my inconsistency. To manage inconsistency, a person needs a heavy dose of prudent self-discipline.

Paul listed some toxic behaviors that requires a person to Exercise Prudence Always:

• Colossians 3:5: Put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry
• Colossians 3:8: Put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth
• 2 Timothy 2:23: Reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels

Notice the strong language that Paul used as instructions for weed control: “ Put to death, put off, and reject.” Without these EPA guidelines, the weeds of life will rob your flower bed of its beauty; steal the nutrients from your garden; and, overrun your lawn.

When you Exercise Prudence Always, you need to do more than just get rid of the weeds. You also need to apply the right fertilizer. Here’s a mixture that will get you growing again: “Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:14-17).”

Your three letters for today are EPA—Exercise Prudence Always.

Pedal Power and Praise

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hotternhellhundred-wheatfieldsOver the last couple of days, the streets and roads through Kansas have been dotted with bicycles and the support vehicles that follow them. This annual two-wheel pilgrimage of pedal-power has been made more difficult due to the high winds and the oppressive humidity.

Undaunted by the repressive forces of nature, these marathoners press on towards the finish line, refusing to quit. Their commitment to complete the course laid out for them, reminds me of the faithfulness of God—He is no quitter.

When David paused to consider the faithfulness of God, and His commitment to His people, he proclaimed that, “No one can fathom his greatness! One generation will praise your deeds to another, and tell about your mighty acts! I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor, and your amazing deeds! They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts! I will declare your great deeds!” ~Psalm 145:3-6

“Declaring the great deeds of God” can be a difficult task when you are distracted by an on-going situation. It might be a problem from yesterday that is still on your mind today; it could be that you overslept and got up late and are hurrying through your morning ritual; or, it could be that your wonderful little pet left you a surprise on the floor and you stepped in it as soon as your feet hit the floor.

Any event like the ones I mentioned will influence the way you start your day, but they do not have to determine how you will finish it. Even though David’s life was filled with heartaches, and trials, he did not allow them to skew his perception of God. David would look for God’s hand at work in his life, and praise Him for His faithfulness.

In Psalm 66 you hear David expressing this, and it is not done with a feeble voice, but with one that echoes across the sheep-filled valleys: “Shout out praise to God, all the earth! Sing praises about the majesty of his reputation! Give him the honor he deserves! Say to God: How awesome are your deeds!”

Why not give it a try today? Don’t succumb to a “woe is me” mental mindset. Instead, take a “wow is God” approach to your life today. Talk about His awesome deeds; give Him the honor He deserves; and, think of the majesty of His reputation.

Frazzled and Frayed

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???????????????????????????????????????I hate it when I have to retire a favorite shirt. It’s the shirt that fits best, is the most comfortable, and just has a good feel whenever I wear it.

There comes a point when the shirt is moved from the wear on Sunday and to the office section of my wardrobe to the yard work section. When I notice a slight fray on the inside of the shirt collar, it signals a warning—prepare to retire this shirt.

The subtle but powerful culprit that eats away at the collar is my beard stubble. Even though my neck and the collar are well-acquainted, there is no affinity between the two because of the abrasive and constant presence of the beard stubble.

It’s a simple truth that beard stubble and shirt collars cannot coexist. They are like water and oil. You can stir them up and mix them together, but they will eventually separate; and, I know that, over time, the wear and tear of the coarse stubble will fray and tatter the soft collar of my shirt.

When I put my well-worn and favorite shirt on the other day, I noticed the frayed collar and said to myself: “What my beard did to this collar is the same thing sin does to my relationship with God.” Sin slowly eats away at the fellowship you have God, and it will wear you down and wear you out. Think about these relationship contrasts:

• As a Christian, you are formed and fashioned to walk in the light and not in the darkness ( I John 1:5-7).
• You are to be “in” the world, but not “of” the world (John 17:6-19).
• You are to focus your affections on the things above and not on the things below (Colossians 3:1-4).
• You are to “abhor” what is evil and “cling” to what is good (Romans 12:21).
• You are to “cast off” the darkness and wear “the armor of light (Romans 13:12).”

While it’s true that beard stubble can turn a shirt collar to rubble, it’s also true that when you’ve strayed from the path God has laid, you end up frazzled and frayed. You only have to read Psalm 1 to see a contrast that will confirm this.

The Perfect Pitch

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Ted-Williams-Quotes-3Over the weekend, which happened to include Father’s Day, I listened to an interview that focused on a book written about Ted Williams. The book, written by Williams’ daughter, looks at one of the greatest hitters who ever played the game of baseball, and highlights some of the lessons this daughter learned from her father.

Williams spoke one time of his relationship with Rogers Hornsby who was also one of baseball’s greats. Williams said: Hornsby “treated me like a son, couldn’t have been nicer. And he gave me the greatest single piece of advice on hitting that I ever got: Wait for a good pitch to hit.”

To an impatient person like me, “wait” is a four letter word. It is, however, an important principle in a person’s relationship with God. Notice what the Bible says about waiting:

• Psalm 27:14: Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
• Isaiah 40:31: those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
• Romans 5:1-5: Since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces patient endurance, patient endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Even though “wait” is a four letter word, it is one tht should be in your vocabulary, and the acrostic below helps to explain why:

Wisdom that is greater than yours: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).

Acknowledge there is strength that you need: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

Insight from Scripture that will guide you: I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path (psalm 119:1-4-105).

Trust in the goodness of Good: Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things (Psalm 107:8-9).

Waiting is difficult when there is no obvious reason for the delay, and being patient can appear to be a waste of time when no purpose is in sight; however, when something better is promised, and hope is just beyond the horizon, waiting on God might be the best use of your time.

Nail Biting Truth

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Hammer_hitting_Nail-274x330While watching a baseball game this weekend, I heard one of the announcers say: “Boy he really nailed that pitch.” His play by play analysis of the game reminds me that English can be a curious language.

Think about how many different ways the word “nail” is used:
• You can buy a box of 16 penny nails.
• You can use a hammer to hit a nail, but you never want to hit a fingernail or drop the box of nails on your toenail.
• You can get so frightened that you experience “a real nail-biter.”
• You can test the firmness of something and find it to be “as hard as a nail.”
• When you get your point across in a discussion you really “nail it on the head.”

If you have ever watched a carpenter build a house, you know the importance of a nail. The framer will skillfully attach one 2X4 to another by hammering a nail through one and into the other. Without this framework, the house would soon crumble and fall to the ground.

Nails are also an essential element to the foundation of Christianity. Paul called this truth to the attention of the Colossians: “God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross (2:14).”

Jesus died for you when He was nailed to the cross as a sacrifice to pay for your sins. Because He had lived a sinless life, He fulfilled the requirements of the Old Testament Law, and the Law was nailed to the cross with Him.
In the New Testament, the death of the Law is carefully interlaced with the power of grace—“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Take a look at your hand. On the nail of your pinky visualize a red “G.” On the ring finger, paint a big red “R,” on the middle finger take some red ink and print a large “A.” On your index finger a “C” and then polish your thumb with a red “E.”

Every time you feel a sensation in a finger, hold your hand up, and see the message in the nails: It is Grace! Every time you see GRACE, remember the nail-pierced hand from which it flows.

Six Years Ago Today

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4-july_1100030757012814-intSix years ago today, I had the honor of speaking at a Flag Day Ceremony. Since today is Flag Day, I thought I’d share the speech I gave on June 14, 2008 . . .

We gather here this 14th day of June to honor the emblem of our country. This is the day set aside to honor the stars and stripes that decorate the banner we recognize as a flag of freedom.

This flag defines patriotism, and S]several days ago I received an email from Becky Demo that addresses this subject:
“A veteran – whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America”, for an amount of “up to and including my life.”

That email is more than rhyme and cheap rhetoric to people like Jim and Becky, and their son Jason who has served several tours in Iraq and to those of us who call ourselves veterans. To us it is more than mere sentiment—It speaks of sacrifice!

Henry Ward Beecher spoke of this sacrifice: If anyone asks me the meaning of our flag, I say to him – it means just what Concord and Lexington meant; what Bunker Hill meant; which was, in short, the rising up of a valiant young people against an old tyranny to establish the most momentous doctrine that the world had ever known – the right of men to their own selves and to their liberties. Our Flag carries American ideas, American history and American feelings. Beginning with the Colonies, and coming down to our time, in its sacred heraldry, in its glorious insignia, it has gathered and stored chiefly this supreme idea: divine right of liberty in man. Every color means liberty; every thread means liberty; every form of star and beam or stripe of light means liberty – not lawlessness, but organized, institutional liberty – liberty through law, and laws for liberty!

I can recall my four years of service in the Air Force, and each evening when the colors were retired and taps was sounded; and, almost without fail, these memories bring goose-bumps with them. I love everything this flag symbolizes, and the words of Wilbur D. Nesbit capture the essence of my feelings for the flag.
He wrote: Your Flag and My Flag—

Your flag and my flag,
And how it flies today
In your land and my land
And half a world away!
Rose-red and blood-red
The stripes forever gleam;
Snow-white and soul-white –
The good forefathers’ dream;
Sky-blue and true-blue, with stars to gleam aright –
The gloried guidon of the day, a shelter through the night.

I find it interesting that one of the first things we teach our toddlers is parade etiquette. We teach them to hold the flag in their tiny hands and to proudly wave it. Jared Gomez, a young cousin of mine and a former El Dorado toddler, has grown into manhood as a marine. As I speak, Jared is about to depart for a third tour of combat. It is the sacrifice of young men and women like him who define the significance of the Flag and give meaning to the word patriotism. They grow-up to serve our nation, to defend it and to take the chance of returning home in a flag covered casket having made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the cherished virtue called freedom.

When speaking of rights and duties associated with freedom, Calvin Coolidge said:
We do honor to the stars and stripes as the emblem of our country and the symbol of all that our patriotism means.
We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth. It represents our peace and security, our civil and political liberty, our freedom of religious worship, our family, our friends, our home. We see it in the great multitude of blessings, of rights and privileges that make up our country.
But when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights, we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done. A yearly contemplation of our flag strengthens and purifies the national conscience.

On this Flag Day, June 14, 2008, we stand here to pay tribute, to honor old glory, and to offer our gratitude to those who have fought and died for this country. This flag should serve to remind us of our obligation to preserve the freedom that is ours today. It is a freedom that did not come cheaply, and it is a freedom that will only be maintained if the present generation and the ones to follow are willing to pay its price.

Bells, Whistles, and Anniversaries

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bells-and-whistles3When I check my phone of a morning, I find an email from Google Calendar, and it reminds of my schedule for that day. When the gas tank in my truck reaches a certain level, the computer in my truck sounds a beep and displays a message on the dashboard. This is a reminder that I can only drive another 50 miles before I run out of gas.

Reminders come in different forms. Some are sounds like bells and whistles; others are anniversaries recorded on the pages of a calendar; and, some can be as a simple as the old string tied to your finger or a note scribbled on the palm of your hand.

The purpose of communion in a church service is to remember—“Do this in remembrance of me,” is what Jesus said when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. The Psalmist knew the importance of reflecting on the goodness of God, and he wrote: “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth (Psalm 105:4-6).”

God even went to extreme measures with some of the more colorful figures in the Bible. Both Jacob and Paul were left with a physical ailment to serve as a reminder of who they once were and where God was taking them.

Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, and the pain in his hip caused him to walk with a limp the rest of his life—a reminder of the presence of God. Paul was pursuing and persecuting Christians like a raving madman until met Jesus on the Damascus Road. This is where I believe Paul received his “thorn in the flesh” that vexed him the remainder of his life.

What reminds you of the goodness of God? I encourage you to take some time over the weekend to pause and remember. Turn off your cell phone; find a quiet spot; read the first six verses of Psalm 105; and, flip through the pages of your mind to reflect, remember and see how God has been present in your life.

As you “remember His marvelous works which He has done,” you will be able to give Him thanks, and the peace of God will find its way into your life.

The Goodness of God

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roof4It is a rare occasion when I hear anyone speak of Paul Bunyan and Babe. I thought of the mythical lumberjack and his blue ox early this morning as I listened to the thunder and felt it’s presence as it shook the house.

Mom used to attribute the fearsome nature of a thunderstorm to Paul’s anger, Babe’s stomping, or a sack of potatoes being dropped on the floor of the sky. When things calmed down, she might say: “Well Paul and Babe have made their peace.”

The calm after last night’s storm and the memory of Mom’s explanation, brought the word “reconciliation” to my mind. Paul spoke of this in 2 Corinthians 5: “God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of the reconciliation. God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to himself—not counting their sins against them—and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation. We are now Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were appealing direct to you through us. As his personal representatives we say, ‘Make your peace with God.’ For God caused Christ, who himself knew nothing of sin, actually to be sin for our sakes, so that in Christ we might be made good with the goodness of God (Phillips Version).”

According to this verse, when we make peace with God, we become “agents” or “ambassadors” of God in the peace-making process. The first step in the process is to realize the source of our peace—“we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5).” The second step is to understand that God works through His children to get His message to the world.

There is no place in the verses above that even hint at the idea that we are secret agents with a coded message. Instead, we are to shout from the rooftops that Jesus became sin, so we could be made good.

Now here’s the best part: You are made “good with the goodness of God.” When God looks at you at, He doesn’t see a bruised peach or a smashed tomato. He sees His divine perfection at work in you. You are no mistake—you are His answer and agent to the world!

The bellowing thunder early this morning was not Paul Bunyan expressing his displeasure; it was the clap of Heaven, and God celebrating His creation. You may look into the mirror with blurry eyes and see the reflection of messy hair and a wrinkled face, but God sees the reflection of His Son in you.

You are God’s morning miracle, and you are good because of His goodness. He has a message to share and you are the agent through which He will speak peace to the world.

Faith: Who? Why? and Where?

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Question Everything Clean_0Studies have shown that people with no faith are more likely than their religious counterparts to suffer from depression and are more likely to commit suicide. I believe faith makes a difference because it provides you a sense of meaning and a purpose for your life; and, it offers you hope beyond the grave.

There may be times when you struggle with the big “W” questions of life:
• “Who am I?”
• “Why am I here?
• “Where am I going?”

Without God in the equation, finding answers to these questions can be difficult. Animals are guided by their instincts, but mankind needs the Spirit of God to solve the riddles of life. If God does not exist, both man and the universe are without hope. If there is no life beyond the grave, the future of man is exactly that—grave! Without the hope of the cross and the power of the resurrection, life is little more than a flickering candle that fades and is engulfed in a consuming darkness.

One of the accounts that helps to verify the claims of Christ, the crucifixion, and the resurrection is found in the words of John. He was present with Jesus from the early days of His ministry, at the time of the crucifixion, and he was also a witness to the empty tomb.

If the biblical record was inaccurate, why would John continue to fabricate a hoax? If he was spreading a myth, he had nothing to gain and everything to lose, but John spoke the truth; and, he dedicated his life to the cause of Christ.

As an old man with a still vibrant faith, John wrote: “From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, and verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy (I John 1:1-4 The Message)!”

I hope this blog will strengthen your faith and help you enjoy the joy of knowing Jesus.

A Moment or A Minute

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downloadWhat’s the difference between a single moment and a single minute? If you were watching Wheel of Fortune last Thursday night, you know the answer—a trip to the Dominican Republic. A contestant shouted “minute,” and the correct answer was “moment.” His error cost him a trip to what some travel enthusiasts would describe as a trip to paradise.

When you read the New Testament, you will find Paul using the concept of time to impart some spiritual truth:

• Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God. Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking), but let the Spirit stimulate your souls. Express your joy in singing among yourselves psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making music in your hearts for the ears of God! Thank God at all times for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And “fit in with” each other, because of your common reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:15-21).”

• Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

• Listen, and I will tell you a secret. We shall not all die, but in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, every one of us will be changed as the trumpet sounds! The trumpet will sound and the dead shall be raised beyond the reach of corruption, and we who are still alive shall suddenly be utterly changed. For this perishable nature of ours must be wrapped in imperishability, these bodies which are mortal must be wrapped in immortality. (I Corinthians 15:51-53).

The three verses above can be summarized by saying you are to live life with a sense of responsibility that is seen in the wise use of time; the momentary trials of your life are to be seen through an eternal perspective that compares them to the glory that is waiting for you in heaven; and, you are to look to the future with hope because your frail mortal body will be wrapped in immortality.

The difference between a minute and moment is so minute it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is what you do with the moments of your life today. The moment you take to consider your relationship with Jesus might just change the minutes of your eternity.