“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10

I was looking forward to the appointment scheduled with my Audiologist. The hearing devices I have are top notch! They actually have the ability to sync with my cell phone where a program lies at my fingertips to adjust my ‘ears’ to any given situation! Like the other day when I was around a pack of screaming kids. I was irritated only as long as it took to open my app! With a touch of a button I immediately tuned all that noise out! Pretty cool huh? Oh… and my ‘ears’ can do other things as well!

When I got my ‘ears’ I was told that there is a program written for the Apple iPhone that allows phone calls to be heard directly through them. Furthermore, when syncing by way of Bluetooth, I can play my favorite music right into my ‘ears’ from my iPhone. The problem is, I don’t own an iPhone! I have an Android! BUT… there is an extra gizmo I can get to make it work with my Android. Thus my excitement to see my Doctor.

There was a learning curve to the new device, but we finally had it working. I attached the enclosed lanyard and hung the new device around my neck and left for home HOPING someone would soon call me. When I got home, I took it off and showed my wife, explaining what it could do. We got to talking about HER day when it finally happened. My phone rang! But I couldn’t find my gizmo! Within 5 minutes I had laid it down… and LOST it!

I have written about this very passage before. It is one of my favorites. The ‘Lord of the Universe’ showed up, in person, among the religious elite in an attempt to clearly spell out God’s agenda. The noise from their protests forced Jesus to shout out the message in a God infused 1 liner… “the Son of Man came to seek and to save THE LOST!” He created a stir!

The word ‘lost’ here does NOT mean misplaced. It means destroyed, ruined or broken beyond repair! In looking at a picture of someone lost in a darkened woodland, there is still hope. For mankind, the situation was more like being a crushed turtle, under truck tires, on hot pavement! NO HOPE! THAT is the picture Jesus was portraying here. The extent of the word ‘LOST’ gets lost in translation!

You and I are NOT some cool ‘gizmo’ that God finds cute and wants to have around. I carry within me the DNA of the ‘Lord of the Universe!’ And He wants me BACK! He will go to ANY length necessary to seek, find and attempt a restoration rescue. But in EVERY case where His hand reaches, it stops before the hand He finds. The NEXT 6 inches, and grasp, must be made by the choice of the potentially rescued!

Jesus Christ is calling YOU… DON’T be a gizmo!

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” Psalm 66:16

Yesterday, as I was getting dressed, I grabbed a pair of shorts that I hadn’t worn is quite a while. Pulling them on I tried to button them. After sucking in my stomach I succeeded, only to feel very uncomfortable. I had to admit that there was NO way that this was going to work! Facing reality, I resolved to DO something about it and, without hesitation, I boldly ‘cut off’ the button and headed to my wife’s sewing drawer!

In 64 years I have attempted sewing on a button all of about 3 times. I felt strangely exhilarated! I was going to try something NEW! I found needle and thread and got started. Exhilaration soon slid beside frustration as 64 year old eyes, WITH reading glasses ,attempted to thread the needle. 5 minutes later.. success! Now it was time to sew!

When I was a kid my mom bought a ‘Ronco Buttoneer.’ It was a fine gadget that inserted a plastic fastener to anything needing a button. I remembered the excitement as I ran around asking, “who needs a button?” Current research revealed that the ‘Buttoneer,’ as a product, no longer exists! Feeling strangely sad, I ‘harrumphed’ and continued to sew by hand thinking, ‘what is this world coming to?’

When my wife got home, like a little kid, I told her what I had done, about the disappointment in not finding the ‘Ronco’ tool and then I showed her the shorts. Examining my work, she rolled her eyes and said, “You HAVE a ‘Buttoneer!’ It’s ME! Next time ASK…fatty!” HAAAAA she is SO cute!

There are some things best left to people who know what they are doing. Seamstresses sew, teachers teach, preachers spread the Good News… right? Not really!! This golden nugget today illustrates that EVERYONE who knows God should be a PROFESSIONAL in speaking about what God has done for THEM! If Jesus Christ has saved and now lives in YOU, it should be easy and exhilarating to share your experience with others. After all, YOU are an EXPERT in your own experience.

Telling others about what God has done for you requires no special tools and requires no expertise. It is simply an act of the will. And ANYONE can be a storyteller. All it takes is a touch from the Master’s hand and VOILA!!!… we have the ability to sing His praises. But sometimes folks allow their own comfort to cloud their own routine. How sad!

When I got back to reality, I looked inside those same shorts and read the tag… ‘Size 32!’ I haven’t worn a ‘size 32’ in 15 years! I SHOULD have simply thrown them away! Instead, I tried too hard to ‘improve’ something that doesn’t fit ME. When it comes to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, all I need to do is simply tell MY story! After all… MY story is the one that fits ME the best!

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68

I hadn’t started or ridden my motorcycle in 6 weeks. It has been too hot to ride and I had been gone for much of that time. I had replaced the battery about a year ago, but still approached the 1000 lb paper weight with honest trepidation. I turned the key and… nothin! Then the difficulty started!

To get to the battery charger required moving a large portion of my garage to get to where it was stored. Because the adapter to simply ‘plug it in’ was not attached, I had to removed the seat, which required a special tool I had placed… somewhere! After 15 minutes I found something that would work, and with much effort and sweat… got busy. Putting it all back together required an extra day, as I had spent more time and energy than it should have required. I was now in hyper-frustration mode and needed to detox!

This has been a tough year! My whole family has had 1 great big, huge prayer request for over a year. ALL of us have been storming the gates of heaven, praying together, for ONE particular request. I can’t remember ever praying this hard for anything. During this time we have experienced the difficulties of trials, the pain of death and the let-downs of discouragement. Yesterday we found out that the ONE thing we have been eagerly praying for, isn’t going to happen this year…!

Jesus Christ, who is God and 1/3rd of the Trinity, knows the feeling of discouragement. He had come to proclaim the Kingdom of God and watched as the masses turn away from the offer. In disappointment, He asked one of His top followers HIS position. We have Peter’s answer in today’s verse. He was saying, ‘”Since I don’t see any other choice…..!”

I USED to get mad at God. I mean REALLY ANGRY! My father had taught me that getting verbal with God, even UGLY, was O.K., since God knew how I felt anyway! He told me that ANY communication with God was better than none! He was right! God was ALWAYS there when I ran out of steam… loving, caring, consoling. How can I stay mad at God after THAT? NOW… I just kind of feel like ol Peter, “where else am I gonna go?”

It seems that the only thing that changes over the years is the amount of time it takes to go from let-down to up-lift! This whole experience has proven again, that MY God is bigger than anything else. It is time for our clan to start praying for another year! To look FORWARD, in HIS strength. Cuz…. “where else are we gonna go?” Wink wink!

“Is not my word like as a fire? says the Lord; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29

were in scouts or Sunday School as a kid, you may remember this song… “It only takes a spark, to get a fire going.” Yea… me too! I’m older now, and having built HUNDREDS of fires in my life, I can tell you that there is LITTLE truth to the song. If I had to bet on the possibility of a fire from a small spark, I’d bet it highly unlikely. Almost a MIRACLE even! Let me explain.

For several weeks during the summer, our family sits outside at night around a campfire. The REASON we have a fire is twofold. 1. Everyone likes and wants one. And 2. ‘I’ am the guy that has the job of building it. I can tell you emphatically that building a fire is a learned skill. Not everyone knows how.

Kids, especially boys, love fires. They’re always trying to get away with sticking something in, or throwing a big log on. I’m the guy that usually tells them to ‘knock it off!’ Fires are not toys! As they get older, it is not uncommon for them to ask permission to build a fire themselves. I never have a problem with the request. Because “I” know that ‘wanting’ and ‘doing’ are 2 completely different things. A couple pieces of paper, a lighter and a log… do NOT a fire make! And don’t even MENTION a simple spark! After failure, a class in fire building brings wanted attention!

Fires are work. You have to have a clean pit, air intake, paper or tinder, and increasing sizes of sticks and wood to succeed. When assembled correctly, it is not hard to light a fire with a single strike of a match. The KEY is in the BUILDING. And building a good fire takes time to learn.

Here comes the simile. God is like a Campfire! Everybody wants to hang out with Him and enjoy the warm glow of His Spirit. Sitting around a fire singing Kumbaya has marvelous appeal. But a vibrant faith is much like a fire. It takes time, skill and desire to actually build a good strong one.

There are numerous warnings in the Bible about fire. The one thing that is best remembered about fire is that it is one of God’s favored tools. That alone may make you rather unsettled. It should! Jesus said in Mark 9:49 that, “Everyone will be salted with fire!” If you suddenly have become nervous, good! Because He meant it. The statement means that all of your life’s plans, achievements, hopes and desires will be tested by the fire of God to see if what remains will be Godly. If one has lived a life of selfishness without God, nothing will be left after the flames. If one seeks to know God and His will for their lives, following His will will certainly prove lasting.

Reading God’s Word, applying it, praying, being a functioning member of His Church in service and love is not an accident. It’s an ‘on purpose.’ And you already KNOW if you are doing it. The work and heart you put into finding and doing His will give you continued confidence that when He strikes His match… you will BOTH enjoy what the flames reveal. Got it Sparky??

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17-18

If ‘a picture says a thousands words,’ then THIS one has plenty of stories to tell. Up in the mountains there are old back dirt roads that seem to go on forever. One crosses another etc. etc. Along these roads there are ‘camps’ or ‘cabins’ that have been there for years. Getting to them easily can be tough. For several owners, the fastest way to get to their place is to ‘ford’ the creek. If the rains have swollen it’s banks, it can be a LONG and BUMPY ride around the mountains.

Our clan had been riding those muddy trails for over an hour, ending up at the ford. Pulling into the water about a foot deep, the 3 fathers looked and pondered. Finally one asked the inevitable question… “D’ya think we can make it?” Silence hung in the air until our most experienced dad simply took off, leaving the words in his wake, “let’s see!”

Running creeks are interesting. Especially when they are flowing fast. Even when the water is clear, you can SEE the rocks and the deep parts. But there is really NO way of determining HOW deep those parts really are… until you GET IN! In this Bible verse, Brother Paul is writing to us about the vast river of the Love of God… from the OTHER side! Like OUR experienced ‘Father Todd’… Paul dove in, went under and crossed over that river of Love… and he now taunts us ALL with…”C’mon over! The God’s love is FINE!”

I had shared this picture in church, and pointed out that it was snapped only AFTER the bold and successful trip across by another dad. HIS success gave courage and desire to another dad, who shared the experience with his young son. What APPEARED to be a hazard turned into a wonderful trip that we ALL chose to enjoy… over and over again.

Jesus Christ set out to deliver to us the message of God’s love from across the darkness of death. Arriving here on purpose, His mission was to win and rescue us ALL from the grip of the grave. He entered the tomb, came out the other side and BOLDLY called out…”Follow Me!” And Paul, the writer of Ephesians… did! Now PAUL stands on the other side WITH Christ, crying out to ALL of humanity…”Come on!!! God’s LOVE and GRACE are AMAZING!”

I don’t really know what it is that keeps people from jumping in after Jesus. His Word and Creation continually cry out loud and clear… “over here… over here!” MILLIONS of people have gone after Him and now cry out, “come on in… God IS GREAT!” But while most EVERYONE knows SOMEONE who has made the crossing, the majority can still be found holding back on the opposite side… pondering!

Friend… there is NO other way to cross but the cross…(John 14:6). Are YOU holding back?

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5b

I got bit! And RIGHT AWAY! The first morning of my vacation I woke up itching and scratching 5 insect bites! I KNOW how many because I counted them. These were no ordinary bites, because no amount of medicine would stop the itch. Going from the beach to the mountains is a drastic change. I was experiencing THIS one to the full!.

Different locations and climates carry different kinds of critter and bugs. At home, a mosquito bite is a minor irritation. So either these bites were from a swarm of hunky mosquitoes, or they were from something else. The locations of these bites were odd because they were UNDER my clothing. I did my best to ignore them and carried on with my vacation.

When some of my littlest grandchildren joined us, several cans of insect spray came out to protect them from what I had experienced. During the course of our weeks together, we battled, mosquitoes, spiders, bees, ticks and, at one point, a swarm of biting flies that apparently mistook my bug spray for shots of fly whiskey. They LOVED it! And do I have to mention the ‘look out for snakes?’

The biting incident happened a month ago. I have 2 spots that STILL occasionally itch. I am not sure if there is such a thing as phantom itching, but I scratch just the same. Which led me to think about what it is that might irritate my soul and spirit like that. In reading the story of Joshua, I discovered one… The Holy Spirit!

Have you been bitten by the Holy Spirit of God? If so, then you may have an idea of where I am headed. Have you noticed that one characteristic of God is that He never leaves you alone? Have you ever considered God to be like some irritating pest? He comes, invades my space, and when I have determined to go about doing my own thing my own way…ZING! There He is! Well ‘I’ have! And I can tell you from experience…. I can’t get away with ANYTHING!

The promise God made to Joshua He makes to US though His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus reconfirmed it to His beloved followers in Matthew 28:20, “YO, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Yes… I changed ‘lo’ to ‘YO’ because, BRO… He means it!

I have met many people who have told me that they feared committing ‘the unforgivable sin. Haaaaa! How silly! Worrying about ‘the unpardonable sin’ is proof that you WON’T! Non believers don’t even CARE about sin! But believers in Christ have the power and presence of the loving, caring, irritating Holy Spirit that is ALWAYS present to lead, guide, encourage, teach… and sometimes… even BITE!

Now THAT’S gonna leave a permanent mark!

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Luke 10:21

I am Giddy this morning! I just realized, again, that I am an honored and privileged man! I had the opportunity to take a vacation to a place that has rooted it’s beauty into my soul. A place which God has blessed me ALL of my life. As I reflect on this year’s trip, I realize that I am privileged to have been to, and seen, places that 99.99% of all humans on Earth have never seen. And WON’T!

Growing up in Pennsylvania, it was a treat each summer to be packed into a car for a 3 hour northbound trip to ‘The Mountains.’ There, My Grandfather had a rare place that was simply called ‘The Cabin.” Way up there on dusty, dirt roads carved by ‘CCC’ boys during the depression, I fell in love with something you cannot package, bottle or ship. It has remained in my soul all of my life and NEVER fails to bring peace and joy to my family and me.

Years ago a rare, and I believe divine, opportunity came up to acquire a place there myself. I now have the privilege of owning a place we affectionately call…you guessed it…“The Cabin!” Now, my own family gets the opportunity to share what I have experienced. The gift goes on! Traveling through the paths and woods that the majority of humanity never gets to see, I always find joy there as I gaze in wonder and rejoice at God’s creation.

I was reading a devotional, that sent me to a Bible verse, that cross referenced to another location, that shocked me! It was like a mountain view after a long walk uphill which took me by surprise! Luke 10:21 starts out with, “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said,” And I stopped right there! Jesus (God) experienced an epiphany, personally delivered by the Holy Spirit (God) directly from His Father (God)! And His reaction was to be FULL OF JOY! Shockingly, I again realized that God doesn’t need me at all! Even MORE shocking though, is the subject of the epiphany!

What brought the Creator, the Son of God, this blessing? It was the shocking truth that God had chooses to hide REAL ‘truth and life’ from stuck up, snooty folks… and delivers them, through Jesus, to ‘simple’ kids like ME! That means that… God CHOSE to CHOOSE ME! THAT brings ME Joy!

The majority of humanity chooses to be offended at the idea that God would entrust and bless undeserving simple kids with the magic of Eternally True Life. And I think that is just the point! While walking in the Spirit this morning, I came upon a verse that, like a vista overlooking mountains and valleys, is a timeless reality… God CHOOSES Me! And get this… ON PURPOSE! That makes me feel like only .01% of the population can feel. JOYFUL and BLESSED!! Do YOU see and feel it too?

May YOU have a JOY filled day!

“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:27

My bride and I were killing time at a store before we headed to the airport for our return home from vacation. I was startled when my phone rang, since I hadn’t really been using it most of the time I was gone. At the same exact time, I was joyful because the distinct ring indicated that the caller was my daughter! “Hi Sweetie… what’s up?” I asked. “I’m at your house to turn on the A/C and hot water for you… and the front door won’t lock!” was her panicked reply.

Before we go on our summer vacation, I do what YOU probably do. I turn off the things that provide us comfort and cost the most money. Not needing A/C or hot water… I save considerable money if I turn them off. The LAST thing I do before leaving is to make sure that my possessions are secure by locking the doors. The front main door had been giving me some problems, but I knew how to make it work. I passed that info on to her and she secured the door and left. I love my daughter.

I am back to enjoying a home with A/C and hot water! The door lock? It is still finicky! But as I said, I know HOW to make it work. But I also realize that time is ticking, and I have to DO something soon! The lock that locked will soon lock no more! It is a temporary item that needs to be replaced. Which brings me to gratefully reflect on the main security of my entire life. Jesus Christ!

The average price for a standard door lock set is under $50. It is a cheap price to protect all my earthly possessions! But MY life is NOT about my earthly possessions. That is why I am not panicked. I am a child of God who has eternal treasure placed, stored and protected by God Himself. I need not worry one bit about loss, thief, rust or insects (Matthew 6:19). I am secure… FOREVER!

I came home to more problems than just my door lock. Several things failed or broke while we were away. If I want to continue life here as I like, I have to DO something to repair or replace those items that no longer do their job. NOT so with my TRUE life and possessions. What REALLY matters to me is NEVER in danger of failure or loss, because Jesus Christ has given me EVERYTHING I need for life here…. AND a secure possession there. THAT is SECURITY.

As you know, life here can get hectic, busy and inconvenient. But MY Master Lock reminds me that I do NOT have to worry or over-react when it does. All He asks of me is to simply… ABIDE IN HIM! I took this moment today to lock everything in my life directly under His promise! Did you?

“So watch yourselves.” Luke 17:3

Just back from summer vacation in the mountains, I took time to go over notes of the experience. One of the great highlights was our annual adult ATV ride through the mountains. We have friends up there that know places one can only DREAM about in Florida. Places where the mountains are steep, secluded and at times, treacherous! That’s why we leave the kids at home!

We have all been riding ATV’s and dirt bikes together for years. The relationships have been cemented and we know each other very well. Each year we grow closer together and each year the bond gets better and better. Though I cant say the same for the 4-wheelers! My son-in-law just bought a brand new one, but he was the exception. The rest of us rode on old things that are in need of some repair. One of those things… is brakes!

I am sure you are thinking that mountains and ‘no’ brakes go together like filet mignon and rat poison! And you would be quite right. But our nature is not to pass up a good ride over some silly little thing like… brakes! So off we went! ‘No’ or ‘LIMITED’ brakes makes for an interesting adventure. As usual, the lead dog of our party never changes over the years, and his speed is ALWAYS fast. So we all have to ‘watch ourselves.’ Getting too far behind means we may miss the trail (I did)! Too close and well… you get the point!

Going up and down the mountains and through the streams of life is challenging. The verse today is a good technique for navigation. If you read the verse in context, you will see that it is NOT an ‘every man for himself’ mentality. It calls for us to watch, not only our own life, but to look out for the others close to us as well.

There is no real firm rule or gauge that says, ‘maintain 127.5 feet between ATV’s.’ Sometimes we get very close. Sometimes the distance grows. But at NO time are we EVER to NOT be looking out for our own welfare, AND ALSO…the welfare of the others with us! There are no rules except one… ‘care enough to care!’ Which can get rather exciting at times.

We made it back safely with the only incident being the lead dog breaking an axle! But it was a great time… one for the books! We WILL get together again around a fire and talk about the time when….” And that is just what the Christian life with mutual believers is like. Watching ourselves while watching out for each other. I wouldn’t choose any other way!