“Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:3

“It won’t open!” were the words my wife said as she entered the front door-code for the 3^rd time. Looking at the door lock, I immediately knew why! The flashing lights, which are usually green, flashed blue. She didn’t know what that meant, but since household maintenance is my job, I did. The battery that powers the door lock was running low and indicated it needed replacing.

It was a few years back when I purchased the electronic lock. Not having any idea how much easier it would make my life, I’d never go back to a key locking system. Fumbling with, and trying to find the right key in the dark, is a thing of the past. Now I can even input a temporary code to allow people access to the house if needed. For now, ‘blue’ indicated I just needed some power!

Last night was our Church’s annual Christmas Decorating and Pizza party. Little did I realize that the light from my life had been flashing blue. When we all came together, everything just came together. Pairing up in groups, lights and decorations ignited joyful conversations, even drowning out the background Christmas music. Finally, with spirits aglow, we joined for our final act. Prayer!

My door lock flashes one other color besides green and blue. Red means something is wrong! Last night, as we joined for prayer, we first discussed the flashing red lights of our individual lives. A lot of sickness, death and pain was being experienced by many of our members. So they brought them out to share with the Church. Then together, we all took those flashing red lights to Jesus.

Looking back I can spiritually see how the power of Jesus Christ, also known as ‘The Door,’ took our red pains and sorrows from flashing blue to green.  By the time we were done, the Spirit of our church was unquestionably flashing ‘JOY!’ Even though the individual circumstances of our lives hadn’t changed, WE had! Such is the POWER of ‘The Church!’ And it has been this way for over 2000 years!

In all my years, I have never seen Jesus fail! The flashing red lights in life never seem to end, but time again, He has proven to me that His power is ALWAYS reliable, and that we ALL have access to The Father when we KNOW the password of His Son. Which is why I do not understand people’s choices to not do the Hebrews 10:24-25 thing and COME TOGETHER! Green beats red and blue all day long!

What color is YOUR life flashing and how could a trip to His Church help?

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” Zechariah 13:1

There is a fountain on the side of my house! It is there because Katie likes the sounds it makes as she sits there in the morning for her quiet time. Well… it’s SUPPOSED to make sound! But when the water disappeared, it grew silent. Not SEEING the water flowing and not HEARING the “tinkle tinkle,” meant it was time for me to get to work and FIX the fountain. It’s a regular project!

There are a few things that need to be done in maintaining the fountain. When the pump at the bottom gets clogged with falling leaves and debris, it requires pulling it out and removing anything blocking the water flow. Next, though the fountain runs on water, I have to keep it lubed! The spouts, over which the water flows, get messed up and the water stops flowing, going all over the place. Some Vaseline on the spouts keeps water flowing freely. Weird, I know! But necessary.

The whole project doesn’t take more than 10 minutes to get the fountain flowing again. But those 10 minutes are critical to keep the sound and water continuing for another month or so. I’ll also occasionally throw in some chlorine to prevent mold from building up, which is not a big deal. Both of us prefer the fountain not be covered in black ugly mold! Working, I recalled a hymn!

“There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins! And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains!” This song was written by William Cowper in the 1700’s after a bout with depression! After completing studies and being invited to clerkship at the House of Lords, he suffered a panic attack at his interview and was not admitted. The song flowed from experience.

I can’t help but feel his pain, as everything he had apparently wanted, hoped and worked for just came to a halt. His water stopped flowing and he got clogged! Looking backwards, I can see, and even feel, that the song he wrote was God’s way of reminding William that the work of Christ ‘was,’ ‘is’ and ‘will be’… enough! All he, and I, need to do is rest in the completed work of The Master.

This Christmas reminds me of the coming Day when ALL will be completed and no more maintenance will be required. Until then, I find that the best time of my days are when I spend them looking toward my Savior as He works on and uses the drips, clogs and black spots of my life.

Do YOU know about the fountain and have you seen it in YOUR life?

https://www.godtube.com/popular-hymns/there-is-a-fountain/

“Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” Psalm 24:7 & 9

It is THAT time of year! The time when, after reflection and Thankfulness, we turn our time, effort and attention to the Worship of the one to whom we give thanks. Which means planning, spending money, devoting time and LOTS of WORK! It was this last week, when we went to get all of our Christmas decorations from storage, that Katie said, “maybe this is the last year!” And I gasped!

If you have ever been to our house at Christmas time… you know. My bride is not only an artistic wonder, but she loves Jesus more than anyone I know! She displays that love throughout the Advent season by opening box after box of ornaments that have been packed, repacked and added to for 45 years! Now that the kids have grown, the results don’t get seen as much. Which begs the question!

It takes a lot of work to prepare for Christmas. We aren’t as young as we used to be either! So in light of the few who actually see the results, the question, “why do we do it?” is only natural. In reading this Psalm this morning, I was overjoyed to find the real and true answer to the WHY question. We do it because HE DESERVES it!

I have to admit that this last year has been a rough one. Pain, suffering and sorrow have not hidden themselves as in years past. With so much going on in the world, OUR world has been taxed and overrun. Things that never made sense make even less these days. Answers don’t come as easily either. But THE Answer showed up this morning in ALL of His Glory… and paid me a visit!

I’ve been to Jerusalem, so I can see the ancient gates and doors in my mind. They are both old and rather small. Trying to imagine Jesus Christ preparing to victoriously enter those gates leads to the same question we asked this week. ‘WHY? Why would He BOTHER?’ Maybe the answer lies in the reason He bothered to come in the first place! Shockingly, it’s because HE thinks I’M WORTH it!

The history of The Golden (or Eastern Gate) of Jerusalem is prophetic (see the link below). It is this gate where Jesus Christ will enter the city to reign as King of the Earth. It doesn’t look like much now, but it WILL! In reading Psalm 24 I noted that verses 7 and 9 are the same! And they are a call for ME to raise MY mind, soul and heart to receive the King of Glory who wants IN! Welcome Advent!

So when all is done, it really doesn’t matter if anyone comes to see the results of our decorating for Christmas, because HE is the one we do it for. And HE is the ONLY reason we need! And as the old cliche’s go, we’re ‘keeping Christ in Christmas’ because ‘Jesus is the reason for the season!’

Are YOU preparing to receive the King of Glory into YOUR heart and house this Christmas?

The Story Behind Jerusalem’s Sealed Golden Gate

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

“An “F”… on a test?” And just like that, right in the middle of a Mexican Restaurant, court was in session! The occasion was lunch after church. As a group of us met around chips and salsa, my daughter said that her son, my grandson, had missed school due to illness, then subsequently got an “F” on a test. Embarrassed, the lad defiantly hollered, “Whatdaya expect ME to do about it!?”

Since the service was slow and we had a lot of time, questions popped out from nearly every adult sitting at the table. The object? A school test. The subject? Math. The preparation? Nada! As the hole got deeper, my defendant grandson got more attitude. Which made ME more disappointed. But when the KIND of math turned out to be Algebra, I lowered my head in shame, then reflected.

In Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way,” one of the lines says, “regrets, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention.” In MY life I’ve had more than just a few. Algebra was one of them. I took Algebra 3 times in school. I earned a ‘D’ all three times! To this day I carry a scar over my incomprehension of understanding ANYTHING Algebraic. In remembering MY failure, I took the high road!

There was no doubt in my mind that, had that same test been given to the adults at the table, we all would have received the same grade. So it wasn’t about math. It was about Character! And the question on the table wasn’t what WE thought about it, but rather what HE thought about it! Thus, MY responsibility as Patriarch, was to help HIM see THAT, and to discover what HE should DO about it.

Jesus is my Teacher and… He is TOUGH! There are lessons and pop quizzes EVERY DAY, so keeping up is tough. Admittedly there are more ‘F’s’ than ‘A’s.’ But that does NOT stop ‘The Teacher’ from doing what He does. Nor does it lower His expectations of me. Today’s verse says that God made me to DO good works, and His expectation is I DO THEM WELL… ALWAYS! Defiance only adds scars to the pain.

With Jesus, there is no punishment! He died to free me from all that. But there ARE consequences and expectations that come with the Freedom He procured on my behalf. Because HE cares, He expects ME to care as well. AND to DO something about it when an ‘F’ shows up on my report card. I’ve learned that, positively expecting me to learn from my negatives, is kind of His thing!

So where are YOU failing to meet His standards? What is He suggesting YOU DO about it? Are you doing it? Because Character Counts, He will NOT ‘let it go!!’  Now THAT”s a key to li’F’e!

“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1

At Bible Study last night we proved that the Church doesn’t have all the answers. The Word clearly tells us that all of us are different and, though all are made in the image of GOd, we all have a single purpose.  You are unique in thought, gifts, capabilities and action.  But there is one area where we should NEVER differ or disagree.  And that is the purpose of today! We were created to Glorify God and to be dependant and thankful for His blessings to us.  That is the one area where NONE of us should have a different opinion.

So today, I invite you to stand up to the principalities and powers of darkness in high places and, leveling your finger into satan’s kingdom, let it be known that YOU stand with Jesus Christ and are THANKFUL for being stuffed full with His Love, Grace and Kindness.  

Happy Thanksgiving

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:1

“Do you mind if we stop by the store?” Katie asked. In fact, she asked it a couple times yesterday while we were out and about. Which was a logical conclusion, since we are heading toward the HUGE FAMILY celebration of Thanksgiving. There are things to be made. Food to be prepared. Stuff to organize. Going from store to store, the crowds only grew larger, making me think!

Thanksgiving is an American Tradition. Having made some new friends visiting our church from the UK, Paul had said how much he loved the Thanksgiving Holiday. But Thanksgiving isn’t an American invention. The word itself give clue that something gifted has been received and acknowledged. I wondered how many people were preparing, anticipating and seeking The Giver!

When it comes to the celebration of Giving Thanks, I can’t remember EVER walking to the refrigerator on Thanksgiving day and, at the last minute saying, “let’s see what we’ve got here!” Nope! Only the BEST recipes will be made and presented AFTER planned trips to the store. LOTS of hours and labor go into eating a feast that will take about 25 minutes to devour. Which isn’t the point!

If God is your point, the fun of Thanksgiving isn’t food. The point goes even further than family and friends. The most joyous fruit of Thanksgiving is preparing my heart for receiving the Lord of the Universe. And when a BUNCH of us are doing that TOGETHER… There is no greater joy or pleasure in the Universe. It is the living reality of Emmanuel. God WITH US!

I am a Son of God by Faith in His Son Jesus Christ! I have a seat at HIS table and have the honor of being His Heir. So Thanksgiving to me is simply practice… for His Coming and Gathering His family all together… FOREVER! I pray HE is on YOUR mind as together, we prepare for His return.

Are YOU ready?

“resolve (set in your heart, make up your mind, take it to heart, take seriously the need) to honor my name,” GOD Malachi 2:2

I’ve had a lot of doctor appointments lately. Over the years I’ve deliberately made it ‘a thing’ to show appreciation to the people entrusted to take care of me. So before I go to an appointment, I stop off at the store to pick up some candy for the nursing and office staff. Often I’ll take a gift to the doctor as well. I have found a way to make candles serve as a double gift! Here’ an example.

Yesterday I was going to see my urologist. So I took him a Christmas candle. Now men are not particularly fond of getting candles from other men, but when handing it to him, I explained that it was NOT for him. What I wanted was for HIM to use the candle to be seen as a loving heroic husband and to give that candle to his wife and say, “I ran across this gift today and thought of you!”

Something interesting has happened EVERY time I’ve asked a man to give their wives the gift and not mention me at all! The common reply is, “she’ll know it wasn’t from me!” Which for me, is both a sad, but good, response. Sad in that the husband hasn’t set his heart on making sure his chosen bride KNOWS that he still loves her. GOOD in that NOW, a seed has been planted to start!

YEARS ago one of my special pastoral mentors started hammering me on the importance of loving my wife! In fact, he’d end every departure with those words, “love your wife.” And when I’d see him the the next time, he’d ask, “how are you and Katie doing?” At first I found it annoying. But soon I realized what he was trying to instill in me. LOVING someone should NOT be a surprise!

Malachi is kind of a pre Dear John letter from God to Israel. They had not been showing Him love, and He was getting pretty sick and tired of it. He laid out some expectations, warnings and even a love dare to His chosen people. His ultimate warning is today’s Bible verse. There is absolutely zero evidence that we in the Church Age, as the Bride of Christ, get any pass on this requirement.

The law of sowing and reaping starts with God to us. HE loves us SO much, that to ignore the facts of what He has given and done for us, are limitless. Because He gave His son in love, he EXPECTS to receive our honor and love in return. When I don’t show Him my love in time, gifts and service, my life just doesn’t go very well. The deep constant gnawing in my heart that something is missing just grows louder. SAYING it then grows into ‘PROVING it!’ And I DO!

Have YOU set your heart on loving and honoring God in all things in your life? Are you 100% satisfied that God KNOWS you do? How can you show HIM you love him?  It’s simple, share His love with your spouse, family or friends! Don’t let HIS or YOUR LOVE be a surprise!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

“Yea… 10 O’clock news! It’ll be on!” One of my friends had let me know that a special news story about ‘Harbor Pilots in Tampa Bay’ was going to air. I thought it funny coming from him and not my own son… who IS a Tampa Bay Harbor Pilot. Naturally I texted my son to verify. “Yup! 10Pm,” was all he said. Katie and I were bursting with pride and anticipation, then stayed up to watch.

My Harbor Pilot son has no real schedule. He goes when and where called. That said, he sleeps when he can, an art he has learned over the years. There are times I’ve called him in the afternoon and I can tell by his voice that I had just woken him up. While ‘I’ had been sleeping, HE had brought a ship, longer than a football field, safely into harbor! I hadn’t known. But THAT was the point!

This morning I woke to a text from my son with HIS comment on the job. Happy his face hadn’t made the news story he wrote, “Anonymity is our super power.” The comment sparked a smile from me and a remembrance of this Bible verse. The only way my son could become famous at what he does, is by failing! Because then, the news would have his picture plastered all over the screen.

‘God exists’ and ‘Jesus works,’ are 2 truly very important facts that the world should certainly know. Unfortunately, the world grows further into disbelief in those statements… by choice. And while it is completely possible for God to put on an outrageous display to show and prove His power and Glory, He doesn’t! Instead, He does something completely opposite. For proof… He sends ME!

Lost, sinful, broken, hurt people need God. Unfortunately, just as dirty Cinderella would cringe at coming into the presence of a princess, so people would fall back in shock and fear, were they to find themselves in the presence of perfect Almighty God Himself. Because of God’s nature, he saves them embarrassment by introducing Himself through anonymous, saved, dirt-bags like me! I am living proof!

God calls me to be His witness and to testify to His love and Grace. My purpose is NOT to make ME look good, but that what I do shines out HIS Glory, heart and power. And If YOU have experienced the wonderful Savior as well, then anonymity is YOUR super power as well!

Are YOU shining for Jesus? Do you give HIM the credit for everything good and boast about Him to those in your world? If not.. why not go and be non-famous for Him!

“Thou shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15

It was lunchtime, and the craving hit right on time. Now I love a good tube-steak, but unless it has chili on it, Katie doesn’t eat them. Entering the store that sold hot-dogs, my desire triggered the next events. The only question on my mind was, shall I have 1 or 2? Seeing only 3 dogs on the rotisserie, I began to prepare 2 buns. Halfway, 2 men came in looking for the same thing as me!

One man expressed a desire for 2 dogs to his friend, who deferred. But I had already put the mustard and ketchup on the 2 buns so I couldn’t yield one of mine, if he wanted different condiments. I realized if I threw a bun away I would be stealing from the store, so I simply said, “Hey bro, I’m so sorry, I already have these 2 buns ready!” “O.K.,“ he said, then made a decision!

Reaching in, 1 man grabbed the last dog, placed it in a bun, and to my and his friend’s shock, simply walked out the door! My brain was overloaded with what to do about what I had seen! Walking to the counter, I told the manager that they were out of hot-dogs. Then let her know that the last one had been stolen! She surprised me by saying, “I know, I saw him and know who he is!”

The whole surreal scene left me in a conundrum because I didn’t know what to do. Though I felt like there was something! Should I have kept my mouth shut? I offered to pay for the hot-dog, but the manager was already overloaded herself. It seemed more personal to her than to me, and my $2 wasn’t going to help! She just wanted to get back to work and let the offense go… for now.

One thing I have learned in life is that at SOME point, EVERYBODY steals! I’ve also learned that EVERYBODY KNOWS it is wrong! Which should give the clue that ALL are sinners in need of a Savior. Which should make MY job as a Preacher of Good News, VERY easy! Unfortunately, as they say, denial is not just a river in Egypt! But Hot-Dog!! I’m glad He sent The Savior!

Have YOU been convicted of your sin and checked out with the Savior for forgiveness? Because… He sees everything!