“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'” Nehemiah 8:10

I had a nagging feeling that I was missing something. You know how that is, right? Searching the brain for something I was supposed to do or get. It was obviously important because the nagging just wouldn’t let up. Checking my ‘to-do’ list, it wasn’t there. I was driving myself crazy! That is until I drove past the Automobile Service Center. Then it hit me… “Check your oil!”

I’d like to say that I checked my oil as soon as I got home. But I didn’t! I didn’t write it on my ‘to-do’ list either, because, since I remembered it, I didn’t need the reminder! Then… I forgot again! FINALLY opportunity and memory converged and I got ‘it’ done. My oil level was down a little, but not critical. I made a mental note to check it again soon.

This morning I had that “I’m missing something” urge again. It actually came AFTER I read a devotional on ‘JOY!’ That ‘my wife’ sent it to me should have been a clue! The next devotion I picked up, not so strangely, had a similar theme. The Bible verse today came from a 3^rd devotional. It became obvious that the “Check Engine” light for my soul was flashing. And it was God who was sending the personal reminder…. by way of the Oil of His Holy Spirit!

Because we are all flesh we ALL get grumpy. Fears, hurts, failures and rejection can put a sour puss on ANYONE’S face. But because Jesus Christ is my SAVIOR, I am spiritually NOT PERMITTED to KEEP hold on a sour mood. By His Spirit I am required to ‘BE JOYFUL!’

The occasion of this Bible verse actually comes from a chiding by God to His people after, having not heard God’s Word for a long time, HEARD it.. and WEPT! They RECOGNIZED that they had failed Him and were sinners. Their ‘Check Engine’ lights were flashing like a disco ball at an old High School dance! Which is a great initial response. BUT… once recognized, God issued the following command which, in essence said, ‘now that you remember…come party WITH ME!’

It is easy to forget that Jesus came to give me ABUNDANT LIFE (John 10:10)! Too often I let people places and things get me down. Thank God He doesn’t WANT me to STAY, broken down on the side of the road. And thankfully, His parental command to ‘turn that frown upside down’ comes WITH His power to do just that! So… how YOU doin’?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I felt like an archaeologist as I sorted through my disgusting garbage. A question had been nagging my mind and slowly graduated into “but I just gotta know!” So there I was digging through coffee grounds, vegetable peelings and stuff I could not even explain, all to get to an answer that has plagued parents for generations!

My daughter and hubby were going to a friends baby shower, which left us watching our grandsons. Coast is 2+ years old and at the perfect ‘fun age.’ I KNEW where he would go when he got to the house… and he did! Running straight to my big colorful bubble gum machine. Turning to me with big eyes, he asked, “can I have gum papa?” I replied, “son, you can have all the gum you want here… and you don’t have to ask!” Now you now the question which had me face deep in garbage!

“How much gum will an unrestrained 2 year old chew in 4 hours?” The only RULE was that he had to spit the old (Already Been Chewed) gum into the garbage before getting another. The first number that came to mind as a guess was 28! The only person I had to use as a gauge was ME! And I thought that as a kid, ‘I’d’ chew that much… at LEAST! After all, isn’t bubble gum kind of like sin? And Isn’t desire for it like a heart that is never satisfied? I’d soon see!

When it was all said and done, and after trying to account for how many gumballs might be ‘in THAT big piece…’ It looked like ‘28’ came fairly close. But then…I felt a gentle nudge in my spirit to take a closer look at my findings!

I know some might be appalled at allowing a 2 year old free access to bubble gum. I am proud to say that Coast is alive and well AND… that he REALLY LOVES coming to MY house! Katie and I learned that the clicking sound of the Bubble Gum machine actually brought joy to our hearts. Coast was enjoying abundance and we all had a great time together… chewing gum, building blocks and playing cars. It was an afternoon of love we won’t soon forget.

In the end I had to throw out my scientific study due to faulty data. Just when my parental instincts started to gravitate toward proof that indulgence produces sin, that ‘prodding’ in my spirit made me ‘look again!’ 1 Corinthians 13, the definition of LOVE, came to mind as I got the chance to see God at work…loving ME! I am absolutely SURE that my Heavenly Father smiled REALLY BIG when I realized, at his nudging, that the bigger pieces… were actually MINE!

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Colossians 3:5-6

My favorite football team was in the Super Bowl… just not THIS year! But ‘regardless,’ I made plans with family and friends to watch it anyway! Before I even sat down in front of the TV, with folks I love and with some favorite food, I KNEW what was coming. But I went ahead and watched…’regardless!’

The Super Bowl has become a National Festival. Weeks ago I heard suggestions that people write their employers asking them to make Super Bowl Monday a national Holiday… with pay! The Mayor of the winning team called for a WHOLE WEEK of celebration and a parade! Even people who don’t normally watch football tuned in just watch the special commercials and halftime show. It was truly a celebration of our ‘earthly nature!’ Now, I have to admit that I had given THAT thought NO regard!

The Super Bowl Halftime Show has turned into a national abscess. This year I saw scantily clad women gyrating and singling lyrics I wouldn’t want young children to even HEAR. In the past it was men doing the same thing. Sadly, I kept rolling my eyes and shaking my head… until ALMOST at the end, I came to myself and walked out of the room. I felt foolish and dirty for watching “in hopes” that it would get better!!

I listen to myself and read my own writing. I HAVE admit that I am ‘agathokakological,’ a person consisting of both good and evil. It is true that I hate that about myself, just like Paul did HIM-self in Romans 7. It is also true that I have a VERY hard time NOT being hypocritical, since I can EASILY point to ‘everyone else’ in an attempt to make my bad parts SEEM, well…NOT so bad! But God ain’t buyin’ it! And honestly, neither can I!

The Bible is CLEAR that all those things I DIS-regarded are harmful, dangerous and… even the CAUSE of His wrath that WILL be coming. ‘Indulging myself,’ for ANY reason, in ungodly activities will NEVER make me good, better or God-like. I have constantly remind myself that living my life in a bowl, waving a banner and singing a song with everyone else will NEVER make me SUPER! And that there will never be a ‘commercial’ promoting God’s champions. Well…at least HERE there won’t!!

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:2

We went out for dinner and were quite surprised when not 1, but 2 servers came to our table. It turned out that one was in training and the other was the trainer. Not wanting to delay or cut into their training and profit making time, and since we already knew everything we wanted, we quickly ordered. It didn’t take long to realize we weren’t really ‘cutting in’ on ANYTHING!

Looking back on the experience, I realize I should have figured service would take longer than normal, because if each step had to be explained, it would take time to do so. And since we weren’t in any real hurry, it really didn’t matter. Until it did!

After finishing the meal, we stacked all of our stuff together to make it easier to ‘bus’ the table. My wife and kids had all been restaurant servers, so the kind gesture simply became habit. Having been a ‘commission only’ salesperson most of my life, ‘my’ part, was coming up. All I needed was the bill… … … …!

After about 5 minutes I started looking for the servers. I finally saw them in the back of the restaurant… talking. Several minutes later, they were STILL talking. Me, being me, and being in ministry, I had to remind myself of this Bible verse because, having lost sight of ‘their’ goal, I HAD to stay focused on mine! I was irritate because they were facing us… with their backs!

French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Last night, I almost forgot that lesson. It is an easy one to forget when I lose focus of the ‘main thing.’ I have found that the length of my ‘forgetfulness’ is directly proportional to my own ‘selfishness.’

I have to laugh at the thought, that in Old Testament times, the sacrificial lamb had to be brought to the alter, slain and placed there to atone for sin. The lamb had NO say in the matter. Now, in New Testament times, and because of the ‘Lamb of God’s’ voluntary sacrifice, “I” am required to drag MYSELF to the alter and climb up on it! Anything LESS is a sign of losing focus! In an age of growing selfishness, I have to remind myself daily! I am trying to make it my goal to keep my life in check… and to NEVER keep my back ‘turned’ toward ‘The Savior! ‘  Please take this as a tip from a guy who knows how to blow it!

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

What started off as a good idea really became one. I had something I wanted to give to someone else and needed a means of transport. Going to the garage, I opened the drawer where my wife keeps all the plastic grocery bags and pulled… nothin.’ I pulled again… only harder. As the drawer slowly opened, plastic bags belched forth like a clogged sewer! It was only THEN I realized… we have a problem.

It’s funny how time changes things. Growing up all we had was paper bags or boxes. One of the rituals of grocery shopping was folding the bags when we were done and sticking them beside the wall and refrigerator. That evolved into, “paper or plastic?” Apparently someone thought that lightweight plastic bags took up less room, and the game changed. Since then, another bright idea has come to pass. And now…it has become personal.

I wasn’t PLANNING a change. It was an issue that I cared nothing about. Honestly, until I discovered that ‘I’ am a ‘Bag Man’ with FAR too much wealth, I never gave it a thought. But now I realize I COULD have thought about it sooner. I used to find bags filled with bags in a corner of the garage. I would just throw them into the recycling bin. Now, THEY don’t want ‘em either!

People were created in God’s image for a reason. Animals do not have a spirit, and therefore do not face decisions about recycling, transportation, swimming pool maintenance… or Heaven! Humans do! But mankind generally doesn’t make positive changes in their lives until ‘inconveniently’ affected by negatives. The erupting ‘Bag Drawer’ is just an example.

The Word of God was NOT written by God to inconvenience us. He didn’t sit down and classify all the fun stuff as ‘prohibitive sin’ just to mess with us. He genuinely LOVES us and wants our BEST. Unfortunately, man thinks he is smarter and would rather fight. Only time and unwelcome consequences have a habit of forcing us to DEAL with our own ‘SCHTUFF!’

My wife was shocked when I told her, “I think I am going to work on making a change,” because being stubborn, I rarely do! I said, “I think I am going to take some of these reusable cloth grocery bags and put them in my truck,” yielded a shock of disbelief! But I KNOW it’s a good move! Even though I must continually WORK on it to make ‘the change’ effective! Reading and applying God’s Word to the areas in my life does the same thing, making the present more pleasant, to receiving an eternal reward. What unpleasant situation has God been using to try to teach YOU? Maybe it’s time to just make the change and ‘DO IT!’

“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

My wife has a birdbath…BUT! Over the years Katie has arranged, designed, planted and accessorized the side of the house to make it her own personal sanctuary. In the morning she spends her quiet God time listening to the fountain while looking at her plants and an occasional bird or squirrel. Yesterday morning, I sat in her chair and was seemingly chewed out…by a BIRD!

It was in the afternoon, as I walked by her chair, that I must have been drawn to the scenery, because I plopped down into it. Scattered movement immediately caught my eye as a bird, the type I do not know, landed in the birdbath, did a little dance, then hopped up on the bath’s edge and looked straight at me… again and again and again! I became shocked and offended!!

It took a little time but it seemed that the bird was trying to communicate its disgust with ME. The birdbath was dry as a bone and it SEEMED that the bird wanted a BATH! It looked at me AGAIN and shook it head as if to say… “WHERE’S the WATER, deadbeat!?“ Imagine MY surprised when I heard myself YELL at the bird… “it’s NOT MY JOB!” But bird was NOT deterred and… danced AGAIN!

My WIFE may have designed it, but ‘I’ set the bath and birdhouse and built the gazebo. SHE wanted it… I built it… because according to God’s marriage plan, we are ONE! If she wants it… supposedly so do ‘I.’ And the bird seemed to know that being FULLY committed to my wife meant that it was also MY job to FILL THE BIRDBATH! I finally got the message!

This morning I was shaken deep inside when this Bible verse came up in a devotional. When I forwarded it to Katie, she said out loud what ‘I’ had been thinking…”Oh.. that verse scares me! Is MY heart FULLY committed to Him EVERY MINUTE of EVERY DAY?” I could feel the Holy Spirit doing a dance in front of my eyes to get my attention! Because it’s a good question! And God already knows the answer!

O.K… I admit I am not an expert at bird-comms. AND, it is HIGHLY suspect that bird was trying to tell me something. BUT…I have a sense the Bible verse that landed in the dry spot of my spirit was from the Holy Spirit…trying to get my attention! What’s hers IS mine. And what’s mine IS His. And if there’s some filling that needs to be done… it IS MY JOB to see that it gets done!   Tweet-tweet!

“Remember the nation you purchased long ago, the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed– Mount Zion, where you dwelt.” Psalm 74:2

A while back Katie and I were in Walmart heading toward the check out when our eyes met the eyes of some folks we hadn’t seen in YEARS! It didn’t take long to realize that we needed to move off to the side, as we were blocking people from the self scanning ‘check out’ lines. After talking for about 10 minutes, I gave one of them a card with my cell number and asked if they would be in touch.

You know how things go these days. You’re never really SURE if they will call… or email.. or text… or Facebook, Instagram or Tweet! In 2020 we have more ways to get in touch with people than ever before. But opportunity does NOT guarantee a touch. I am happy to say that yesterday I was blessed in the present, with another connection from the past, of a promise for tomorrow!

It was crowded when I was running around the church yesterday. I only got to say hello to a few folks when I looked out the window saw them coming up the sidewalk. I was INSTANTLY elated! Only 1 other person in the place shared the joy of the reunion because, our relationship is unique and goes back over 44 years! We were ALL smiling!

I was driving the other day when suddenly… I remembered my grandfather! His face is still vividly etched into my brain. No one in my whole town would know him if he were to cross their path. But “I” would! And I think this Bible verse today is just right for what, I think, God is trying to tell me.

There is mystery surrounding “Mt. Zion” in the Bible. A dispute as to where is it, was, or its history. But not to me. Years ago my dad told me that, while Mt. Zion is a real place in Jerusalem, it isn’t really REAL… YET! It is the name given to the City of God where Christ returns and when His Saints gather together. A place were we (God’s People) will congregate and be together… FOREVER! I can hardly wait!

It really isn’t silly for this Psalm to ask God to ‘remember’ His people. After all, it is impossible for God to forget! But the word really means to “bring to the front of the mind.” “To put up in front and first.” I know EXACTLY how that word feels… and so do you! I was reminded again yesterday… of our mutual tomorrow… when all the people I have known and loved because of Jesus Christ are united in 1 single place. Because of yesterday, my heart cannot help but YEARN for that Day… and for HIM! And I don’t mind saying as I am getting older, hopefully sooner than later! What about you?

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

I didn’t really understand the question. I had copied some files for a church member onto their own flash drive and handed it back. The following week she brought the flash drive back to me, along with her MP3 player, saying she couldn’t get it to work. I took it home and a few days later handed everything back to her with a, “here ya go!” Her baffling question to me was, “how did you DO that?”

Last night at Bible Study, we were covering the technical aspects and current applications of ‘The Feasts’ in the Old Testament. Afterward, someone came with a question and then added, “how do you KNOW all this stuff?” Again, I didn’t understand the question enough to give an answer.

Years ago, before the IBM PC, I went into computer sales and I was required to learn 3 different operating systems AND programs for 3 different computers. Learning was long, hard and grueling. Today, with Windows, it is a lot easier process…but it CAN get technical if someone doesn’t know HOW to copy or transfer a files. To learn takes time, study and perseverance. It is the same for learning the Word of God.

I was blessed to have a pastor for a father. One who loved to learn the Bible and its applications. From the age of 5 he taught and drilled it into me. When I got older, I learned how to find answers to my own deep questions because of the training I had previous. It’s not that I am smarter, I just may have more time and experience at it. But the MAIN motivator that brought me along was ‘desire!’

Back in the day, I HAD to find a good job because I had a wife, 2 little kids and a mortgage. My DESIRE to provide pressed me forward to learn hard stuff that I wouldn’t normally need, or care, to learn. The difficulties I had faced in life led me to the Word of God because I had learned that the answers are IN THERE… if I would just take the time and desire to FIND THEM.

I discovered that the real answer to the flash drive question would require me teaching a class on “How to use Windows.’ At both her and my stage of life, neither of us really desires that. I simply said, “when you need something copied, I’ll just do it for you.” The answer to the Bible question is not as easy.

I like the King James Version of this verse better. It says “YOU (implied) STUDY!” Most of the other versions say, “Do your best!” Having discovered that if ‘MY DESIRE’ to learn something is not there, ‘MY BEST’ will be tiny. What it takes to get close to God is simply the ‘WANT’ to! After that, it is simply showing up every day with desire, and putting your face in His Book and His Church! The BEST is just ahead! I guess the best answer to “how do you know this stuff,” can be answered with another question. “How badly do you REALLY WANT to know?

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

It was MY fault really. Having taken too much time to write out my lesson plan, I had run out of it… time that is. But I had JUST enough of it to send it to the printer. I hit print and… it didn’t! THIS was NOT part of the plan!

We have several computers in the house but only 1 printer. When we bought it we were happy to have joined the new fangled world of ‘wireless printing.’ Since no cables were needed, we would be able to print from anywhere in the house! Which was AWESOME… until it wasn’t!

Back in my old computer sales days, technicians had to wire up special printer cables if they hooked up to a serial printer. Each wire, or ‘pin,’ had a specific job. I remember asking and being told, “that one is the ‘clear to send’ pin.” Which was kind of like a batter in the box saying… ‘I’m ready… pitch it!’ All the other pins did something similar and, working together, they were able to get the signal from the computer. It’s the same today.. but different!

The computer has to contain that particular printer’s ‘drivers’ for it to work. If another computer, hooked up to it previously, had not finished it’s task, the printer wouldn’t even CONSIDER MY instructions. And when I get impatient and hit the print button a bunch of times, the robotic brains of both components goes insane and shuts down…confused by too many instructions! It is the same with Christ’s Church!

The purpose of God’s salvation is to make us into the “image of His Son”…Jesus Christ. Though each page from a printer may be different, they are ALL supposed to have the same clear image as was directed from Daddy God. If only that were ALWAYS the case!

As an individual, I have my own microprocessor (brain) that often get in the way of God’s intent. When that happens, “God wants” gets replaced with “I want, I need, I won’t, I can’t etc!” Unfortunately, a human operating in human mode can NEVER effectively display what ‘God’ wants. It takes a reboot, or reset, to get hooked up, online and ready. And ONLY the human can reset itself.

Because of His love, Christ gave Himself up as a sacrifice FOR ME! I get embarrassed when I realize I have been operating in K.C. mode. Then, when I don’t sacrifice MY stuff to receive HIS stuff, I STINK… and am FAR from being a fragrant to Him. When that happens, it doesn’t matter what time it is or how much I have. It is up to ME to yield and get back online with Him. And THAT is how I, you and me… work!