Walking in the Light of Day

⁶¹ The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.  ⁶² At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.  ⁶³ I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.  –Psalm 119:61-63 (KJV)

The Word of God often speaks in figurative language about daylight and dark.  Nighttime is a time when evil deeds are committed and we know this is often the case.  The psalmist knew what we know today, and it is that the dark of night is as an attempt to conceal wickedness.  Consider how we as followers of Christ are to let the light of Jesus shine in the darkness, yet we also walk in the openness of the light.  We make no effort to hide our deeds in darkness, for the reverse is our desire – that we let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glory our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).  

As Jesus’ disciples, we live openly as witnesses among the world.  The lost among us, those without Christ, need to see the light in us and from this light we bear witness to Christ who indwells us. 

The psalmist stated that if he did anything in the night other than sleep, it would be to rise and give thanks to God.  We have a picture of one so devoted to God that sleeplessness results in prayer and meditation.  Let us not forget that God is ever looking upon us.  God knows our thoughts as well as our deeds.  Therefore, let us strive to live lives of holiness as we daily walk in the light of Jesus Christ. 

Living the Abundant Life in the Lord

⁷ Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.  ⁸ Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God…¹⁰ And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.  ¹¹ As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.  -Joshua 14: 7, 8, 10, 11 (KJV)

I was concerned after my last blog entry that some of you may have gotten the impression that my father had passed away.  I apologize if I conveyed this.  I did not mean to speak of dad in the past tense.  My father is alive, living with my mom in Ohio, and doing exceptionally well for 87 years old.  I can only hope that if I reach such advanced years that I too will enjoy such good health and quality of life.

When I think of people who have reached what we would refer to as elderly, I consider Caleb of the Old Testament.  Caleb was 40 when Moses selected him as one of the twelve spies to search out the Promised Land.  45 years later the people of Israel were ready to finish the task of taking and settling in the Promised Land, and Caleb, then 85, spoke of the vitality with which the Lord had blessed him.  What I sense Caleb was communicating was this; I am now 85 and I am just as fit as I was in my 40’s, so give me a sword and lets’ show these Canaanites a thing or two.  That is loosely translated, yet that is the gist of it.  He was willing to take on a challenge many younger men would have avoided.

I love this no quit, go forward, never stop growing, and never stop fighting attitude Caleb displayed.  To sit down and do nothing will result in a stagnant, dull, and hollow life.  To live the abundant life to which Jesus Christ has called us involves rising up and going forward over the long haul of life.  Like Caleb, do not fear taking on new challenges and new adventures.  Serving the Lord is a blessing in which we continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of Christ.  God is calling His followers to rise up in faith and walk forward with a renewed sense of Christ’s power.  Regardless of whether you are 20 or 80, the Lord has a unique plan for your life.  Settle for nothing less than the fullness of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.  Stop surviving and start living the abundant life in Christ today.

Now is the time and today is the day.  It is a big world out there with spiritual needs all around.  The Lord is calling us to shine His light in a world darkened by sin and evil.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get up and get going – in Jesus’ name.

Set Free by the Power of God

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  -Isaiah 55:8, 9 (KJV)

Something I have inherited from my father is a compassion for animals.  Had he not been a welder by trade I believe my dad would have made a fine veterinarian.  The house in which I grew up had a chimney that we never used, but birds would sometimes find their way down the chimney and become stuck.  We always knew when another bird was stranded in the chimney because we could hear it flapping its wings and thrashing around inside.  When this happened Dad would open the flu of the chimney which allowed the bird to fly into the house.  Dad would then calmly wait until the bird had landed somewhere, in a corner or on a chair, and he would then catch the bird with his bare hands.  Following this was their safe release outside.  Sparrows, pigeons, doves, and blue jays were the usual suspects.  Needless to say, the event always generated at least some excitement.

All of this came to mind a week or so ago when a small Carolina Wren became stuck in a light fixture on our carport.  The cover to the carport light is missing, and we have been using the new type of circular fluorescent light bulbs.  Somehow this little fellow managed to get his leg caught between the coils of the light bulb.  I found him thrashing around up there and he would have surely died.  Like my father had done countless times before, it was time to put my bird rescue skills into action.  I stood on a chair and using a small cloth I carefully enclosed the struggling bird in my hand.  With my other hand I was then able to gently free the bird’s leg, which I fear may have been broken by all his thrashing about.  The operation completed, I carried him into the yard and unfolded the cloth.  The wren needed about a second to realize he was free and he flew like a shot toward the nearest tree and out of sight.  If the bird could talk he might have been shouting, “I’m free, free, free!”  Dad would have been proud of my handling of the situation. 

As I reflected on this, I tried to place myself in the bird’s place.  What did he think of all this?  Here I am, stuck in a hopeless situation.  All of a sudden this being, larger and stronger than my mind can comprehend, approaches me.  I have no idea his intentions.  Suddenly, I am enclosed in his huge hand, yet he is not harming me.  My mind races as I try to understand what he is trying to do.  I feel his powerful, yet gentle touch.  I am engulfed in his presence.  Now the light shines and I am free – I can fly away!  I have been rescued!  Thank you for saving me from my desperate plight.

God Almighty, a being above and beyond our comprehension, has made Himself known to us in Jesus Christ.  Through faith in Him the Lord takes us into His hand, He engulfs us in His presence, and in so doing He sets us free from sin, death, sorrow, and hell.  In Christ we are now free to fly, yes, to soar with wings like eagles, for we are now free, free, free!

Overcoming Worry and Fear

²⁵ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  ²⁶ Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  ²⁷ Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  -Matthew 6:25-27 (KJV)

Worry is the great robber of the peace and joy Christ intends for us to have.  We know that worry creates problems such as unease, restlessness, stomach problems, and hypertension, yet we often worry anyway.  I once heard it said that most of what we worry about never happens and I have found this to be true.  Jesus warned us of the futility of worry.  We add nothing to our lives by worrying.  Indeed, we suffer and miss the joy and fullness of life when we allow worry to rule us. 

  

What would it take, short of leaving this world, for us to stop worrying?  The other day I finally heeded the advice of my dentist and began the process of having a crown placed on one of my teeth.  This involved a good amount of drilling and would be an involved and potentially painful procedure, so along with having the tooth numbed I agreed to use nitrous oxide, also known as laughing glass.  I had never used nitrous oxide before, so this was a new experience for me, and I will say a pleasant one.  As I lie there, breathing the gas and undergoing the ordeal of having my tooth drilled, I tried to come up with something to worry about.  Amazingly, I could not think of anything that was causing worry, stress, or fear.  “Wow,” I thought; “this stuff really works!”  I then decided to contemplate an asteroid the size of Texas hurtling toward earth.  Nothing; I could have chuckled at the idea. 

What a shame it took a drug to get me not to worry.  Here I must pause and consider the power of faith in Christ.  Faith empowers us to rise above anything that hinders our joy in the Lord.  The dark forces in our lives need not detract from our faith, but instead can strengthen faith.  The late Adrian Rogers once said that “faith is like film; it develops in the dark.” 

No doubt you are facing situations that are creating fear and worry.  Allow Christ to strengthen your faith in those difficult times.  You may feel dark forces are overwhelming you, yet Christ is able to strengthen your faith in these trials.  Cease from worrying and do not fret, for as the Scripture says it leads only to evil (Psalm 37:8).  Trust the Lord and walk forward in faith and claim the peace of Christ.  We are not alone, for the Lord is always with us. 

Physical and Spiritual Health

¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  ² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  ³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  -I Corinthians 3:1-3 (KJV)

I have noticed an interesting phenomenon lately in fast-food commercials.  They depict young, seemingly healthy people laughing, dancing, and eating fast-food hamburgers and French fries.  The irony being that if people continue eating this kind of food over a period of time they can say goodbye to being fit, healthy, and happy.  Their days of being able to dance will probably end as well.  These days as I head into my 50’s I am more aware than ever of the need to be physically healthy.  If you are looking for a few tips on maintaining proper nutrition and fitness please have a look at my other blog, “Health, Happiness, and a Brighter Outlook” which can be easily linked from this page.  Feel free to peruse the archives.

Physical health is important, yet so is spiritual health.  If we desire to stay spiritually healthy then we must commit ourselves to prayer, worship, and daily time in God’s Word.  Neglecting prayer and time in the Word is akin to not eating right.  Failure to maintain a proper diet results in physical weakness and declining health.  The same occurs when we fail to maintain a proper spiritual diet.  Do not settle for skimming the surface in prayer and daily Bible reading.  Take the time to delve deeply into God’s Word so that the riches we find there can adequately make their way into the heart. 

Countless believers walk daily in frustration and spiritual weakness because they have neglected their spiritual health.  Where are you today in terms of these vital disciplines?  If you are like many people you could greatly benefit from rearranging your schedule to allow for more time in the Word and in prayer.  When we commit ourselves to daily time with the Lord we soon find our problems, trials, fears, and daily frustrations no longer look so large and imposing.  Instead, we realize the promise of God that with Him all is possible. 

Paul the Apostle bluntly told the church in I Corinthians that they were not ready for the meat of the Word because they were so worldly.  As followers of Christ we are called to be lead by the Holy Spirit.  God’s Spirit will lead us toward peace, joy, and soundness of mind.

Okay, who’s hungry?  Be sure to eat something healthy.  Who’s hungry for the Word of God?  Open the Word today and seek the Lord in prayer.  Make definitive steps to grow in spiritual health. 

The True Nature of Friendship

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  –Proverbs  17:17

I recall a number of years ago when the Internet was getting popular and everyone was starting to send and receive emails.  All of a sudden we were connecting and reconnecting with friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances.  These days, however, plain old email does seem a little boring, right?  I mean, we now have Facebook, blogging, texting, Skype (Internet on-screen phone calling), and Google messenger to name a few.  However, I cannot help but smile when I reflect on the time when email was so new and exciting.

During this early experience with the Internet, I was able to reconnect with a family who had been members of a church in another state where I had been the pastor.  Once I received my former church member’s email address I excitedly sat down and sent him a detailed message bringing him up to date on all that was going on with my family and ministry.  I told him about my family, what our sons all were doing, what was going on in Andrea’s life, and how the Lord was blessing our ministry.  I even told him about the puppy we had adopted.  A few days later, there was a message in my email inbox from my friend.  I eagerly opened it and read the following: “Dan: My old friend.  -Doug”

That was it.  Somehow I thought Doug might have taken the time to provide a little more detail as to what was going on in his life, yet he seemed content to simply acknowledge me as an old friend.  I have to admit I felt a little slighted.  I thought, “Come on, Doug; you can do better than that!  This is 1998 – we are on the Internet here!  Give me a few details.”  However, as I read the message I thought of what a sincere man my old friend is and how when it comes to electronic communication he is indeed a man of few words.  I contented myself with the knowledge that Doug considered me an old friend. 

The Word of God says that a friend loves us at all times.  Even though my friend did not have a great amount to share in his brief email, what he did say spoke volumes.  He thought of me as a friend.  I honestly have no doubt that even these years later were I to call him with a favor he would do anything in his power to help.  He is that kind of faithful friend.  Have you considered that a true friend does not have to say it, but expresses friendship through actions, trust, and deeds?  This is the test of true friendship; the test is not in words, but in the way they are always there for us when we need them. 

I am sad to say that in recent years I have lost touch with my friend Doug.  I am thinking of tracking down his email address and saying hello and bringing him up to date on all that has been going on in my life these recent years.  On the other hand, I might just make it much more succinct and say something like this:

Doug:

My old friend.

Dan

I am sure that would do just fine.

Beware of Distractions and Obsessions

⁴⁷ Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.  –Luke 6:47, 48

If I told you that people do the strangest things you would not surprised.  People often behave in odd, strange, and eccentric ways.  We all have our little habits, right?  Personally, I cannot go to bed at night unless I have flossed and brushed my teeth.  In addition, I almost never leave the house in the morning without shaving.  Okay, I realize my behavior does not rise to the level of odd as millions of people probably practice similar daily rituals.

 

However, what about something that becomes an obsession?  Just how far will people take a desire or pursuit?  I have a relative who decorated the den of his house entirely with the colors and insignias of the Cleveland Browns football team.  The room positively blazes in orange and brown and one wall is covered with a giant representation of the team helmet.  Everything in the room, from the furniture to the lamps to the carpet and pictures on the wall is dedicated to his team.  Of course, there is a large TV screen on which the games are watched every Sunday during the season.  My relative’s wife seems perfectly willing to indulge her husband’s obsession with the Browns.  What a wonderfully patient young woman.

You may think my relative’s obsession is something, but it pales in comparison to Mr. Ron Wade of Longview, Texas.  Mr. Wade has spent over $250,000.00 turning a room of his house into an exact replica of the Oval Office of the White House.  Have a look for yourself.  

 Not too shabby, I must say.  It truly does look like the Oval Office.  One news source said it took him two and a half years to design and eight months to build.  Mr. Wade stated that his is a “healthy obsession.”¹

Consider the words of Jesus concerning the foundation of our lives.  The Lord said that when we build our lives upon Him we are building upon the solid rock, which will withstand the test of time.  It’s easy to get off track and become caught up in all sorts of distractions, worries, and yes – obsessions.  There is nothing wrong with a hobby as these can be relaxing and enjoyable.  However, anything which takes us away from our focus, which is a life dedicated to Christ, should be brought under control before it consumes us.  The Lord is always willing to help us remove from our lives anything that becomes a hindrance to a Spirit-filled and Spirit-directed life.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, those parts of our lives that keep us from the abundant in Christ are brought under control.  Remember that Christ is greater than any problem, or obsession, we will ever face. 

Resolve to build your life on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  You will not regret it, for your life will be rooted, grounded, and firmly established.  With Jesus as the foundation we have power to overcome anything that hinders.  Stand firm on the Lord, and go forward in faith.

¹http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/03/president-obsessed-texan-ron-wade-has-an-oval-office-of-his-own-in-his-home/