The Storms of Life

I went to bed Friday night knowing that today and tomorrow would be challenging to the soul, hour by hour. Harvey has been knocking on my back door for about twelve hours and everyone forecasting the weather has no idea what is going to become of this historical storm, except it’s going to die a hard death some time next week. The storm is south-east of where I live and is producing big wind, but little rain with the promise of a lot more. Being on the west side of the storm is always best, but in the Houston area, the east side of the storm, where my brother lives, is getting super high wind and drowned in rain. The immediate forecast for our area is that it will remain a strong tropical storm, turn west, and come right over the top of where I live, which could produce a very interesting night and first-day-of-the-week scenario to deal with. At the moment, all we can do is wait and see what will happen as the storm is beginning to march right at us.

[Psalm 107] “...Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.” We all face many storms in our life – some strong and severe, while others are viewed as just a little bump in the road. Nobody’s life is a bed of roses nor is it without pain and sorrow. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he reminds them, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God ...if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. ...And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:4-9). Likewise he wrote to the church in Ephesus, “...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:15-21). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the story of the wise and foolish builders. He took the example of real life and applied it to man’s spiritual well-being. Building a house on a foundation of sand will not stand when the storms of life beat upon it, but a house build on a rock foundation can stand strong against the winds and tumult the world can throw against it. When we rely only on our self to resolve the troubles of life, we often find it to be a struggle we weren’t prepared to take on. But, if we build our life upon the rock foundation of God’s truth and faithfulness, every day, relying not on our own understanding, but on His guidance, found in his Word, we receive trustworthy answers to our life’s little troubles, as well as grace and comfort through our major disappointments and failures (Matthew 7:24-27). “One day Jesus said, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out” (Luke 8:22-25). You know the story – Jesus curled up in the bow of the boat and took a little nap. “...A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” Now some of Jesus’ followers are fishermen and know how to handle a boat, even in a storm, but this one must have been a whopper, enough to scare them all. They went to Jesus, probably astonished he was sleeping, and woke him, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up, rebuked the wind and the ragging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples.” - They were amazed. When a person truly comes to an understanding of what God can do – they are always amazed. Do you wait until all is about to be lost before you wake up Jesus? Do you tell him to go back to sleep until you need him again, or does your faith in him keep him awake, alive and active in your life daily? Wake Him, today!

Blind and Lost

The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887): It was six men of Hindustan, To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind); That each by observation, Might satisfy his mind. The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall, Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: "God bless me! but the Elephant, Is very like a WALL!" The Second, feeling of the tusk, Cried, "Ho, what have we here, So very round and smooth and sharp? To me 'tis mighty clear; This wonder of an Elephant, Is very like a SPEAR!" The Third approached the animal, And happening to take, The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up and spake: "I see," quote he, "the Elephant, Is very like a SNAKE!" The Fourth reached out an eager hand, And felt about the knee "What most this wondrous beast is like, Is mighty plain," quote he: "'Tis clear enough the Elephant, Is very like a TREE!" The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man, Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant, Is very like a FAN!" The Sixth no sooner had begun, About the beast to grope, Than seizing on the swinging tail, That fell within his scope, "I see," quote he, "the Elephant, Is very like a ROPE!" And so these men of Hindustan, Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion, Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!

It’s amazing how well this timeless parable fits the situation we find ourselves in this very day in the United States of America. Our government, schools and work-place are being taken over by idealists who are already terrorizing the rest of the world and will soon induct our country with fear we have never known before in our history. While our “leaders”, secular and spiritual, are blindly groping about this invading elephant, arguing over what it is and what might we ought to do about it, it is wandering about dividing and conquering the blind who are being led around by the blind. It seems true investigation and research into any given subject, with eyes wide open, is simply too time consuming anymore and dealing with facts is much harder than simply stating ones own opinion, and calling it fact. If we continue down the road following a pack of self-righteous, politically correct sissy’s, you can bet we’re going to lose everything everyone has ever fought for to make this country free. It seems we don’t have any leadership, in government, in our courts, on our jury’s, in our schools or in our pulpits, willing to stand up and speak the truth in defense of the rights of its citizens. United we’ll stand – Divided we’ll lose it all.

[Psalm 119:129-136] As John Saxe said of the blind men: “Each in his own opinion exceedingly stiff and strong, though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!” A partial view of the Bible is like that. Prejudice blinds many a person to the whole truth. When we are blind to God’s will for man we become poor leaders – simple as that! “...There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness (“I’m a Christian”) but denying its power...” (2 Timothy 3:1-9) The whole world is headed into an apostate state, and without God, lost forever.

Friends

A job posted on Craigslist: “$40K a Year to Attend Harvard University as Me.”  Requirements include a 4.0 GPA in high school or a 3.5 GPA in college. Only males need apply, since, as the listing tells us, “I have a male name.” The lucky person tapped for the gig doesn’t have to do much other than “attend all classes, pass all tests, and finish all assigned work while pretending you are me.” Don’t worry about having to actually get into the Ivy League school: “I’ve already taken care of that,” he says. Could you ever call such a person as this, friend? Would you ever buy a friend?

A well-known speaker started his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple up the $20 bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. “Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now who wants it?” he asked. Hands went into the air. “My friends, with this demonstration, we have learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It is still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. Nevertheless, no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.” Could you ever call such a person as this, friend? You can’t buy this kind of friend.

The coffee friend I have spoken of several times has been taken from this world due to illness. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and the prognosis was grim - terminal in three months - and thus it was so. I preached his funeral this past Wednesday morning and with the family, committed him to eternal rest in the family plot. Bill is a one of a kind friend I will miss. It is rare to befriend a person who will literally treat you like family and never ask or expect anything in return. We would do anything for one another if asked and trust our devoted time to be worthy. We shared in the core values of what righteous living meant without being too judgmental of others, because we both remember and still pray daily for forgiveness of our own imperfect life. Like me, Bill had fallen in life several times, been crumpled by others, dropped and stepped on, and sometimes made to feel worthless. Neither of us ever gave up, only pressed forward in life. I guess that’s why we could be friends in the best of ways, yet keep out of one another’s business, just be friends and confidants. I’ll miss him for sure, but I have an order in for the Lord to send me another good friend, someone who knows righteous living, one I don’t have to buy.

[Proverbs 27:19] “As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” ‘“...Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend” (James 2:14-26). “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). It matters not what kind of life we have led or sins we have committed, God will accept us into His kingdom, if we truly believe, repent and obey His commands. God values our souls no matter how “crumpled” we may be. Sins are forgiven in the waters of baptism, forever.

Working and Watching

I think my precious little dog, Bella, is harboring the spirit of an extra-terrestrial fugitive being sought after by inter-galactic bounty hunters. She has recently displayed fear in certain sounds like never before. Wind in the trees making rustling and whooshing sounds, and thunder. I woke up the other night with her shaking nervously right next to my face – must be rain coming, I thought. Then the smoke alarm went “BEEP” (weak battery) and she jumped. This happened several times and I had to get up to remove the battery in order to get back to sleep. What really tipped me off was the “Si-Fi” alert sound on my phone for in-coming text messages. It sounds weird, like a laser gun or something, and she runs scared every time it sounds off. I don’t know. Naw – Can’t be!

[Luke 12:35-40] “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes...” After more than 100 years brother Charles Hodge remains one of the most famous preachers in our brotherhood. He is reported to have baptized more than any other man in the late 19^th and 20^th centuries. His quips, answers and comments are still quoted in many sermons today. Near the end of his life, Brother Hodge wrote: “As I come to the end of my ministry and life, I have never been more committed to Scripture! What an awesome privilege simply to possess a Bible! Our hands must tremble in reverence as we hold our Bibles (Isaiah 66:5). Is the Bible the Word of God? This question must be answered. We must teach our children this. What good is a “talking God” without “listening ears”? The need of the world is to listen to God. The Old Testament is full of “...But they would not listen.” “...Thus saith the Lord.” “...It is written.” Start with the Bible; Stick with the Bible; Stay with the Bible! . . . . “Oh earth, earth, earth, Hear the Word of our Lord! (Jeremiah 22:29).” — Gospel Advocate, August 2007. Greatly are these words of brother Hodge needed in the brotherhood and in world today! Far too many are like the Israelites after the death of the last judge following Israel’s deliverance from Egypt: “In those days there was no king in Israel‘ everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21 :25). Doesn’t that sound like the world today? Why do we expect God to hear and answer our prayers, if we refuse to listen to Him? Jesus said, “the sheep follow Him (Good Shepherd), for they know His voice” (John 10:4). Watching is also an important spiritual exercise denoting a perpetual state of vigilance and readiness (Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Colossians 4:2). It denotes a constant condition of soberness (2 Timothy 4:5; 1 Peter 4:7). The following are some whom the Lord will NOT find working and watching: * The Slothful: The slothful person spends much time in bed (Proverbs 26:14). The lazy and lukewarm are reminded to watch and repent (Revelation 3:2-3; 19). * The Sleeping: The disciples slept while Jesus suffered (Mark 14:37). Some are still sleeping while the Body of Christ suffers (Ephesians 5:14). Paul admonishes, “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled” (1 Thessalonians 5:6). * The Side-tracked: Distractions can destroy us. A distracted pilot can take hundreds to their death. A distracted driver can lose his own life and cause others to lose theirs. A diversion is the oldest trick in the world (Genesis 3). It is still being used today by criminals and the devil. Our eyes must be taken off the world and focused squarely on the Lord (1 John 2:15-17; Hebrews 12:1-2).When Jesus comes, will He find you working and watching? Are you ready for Him?