“‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.'” Psalm 91:14

“They’re BAAAAAA-AAACK!!” The rats that is. But honestly, having grown up with an ex-exterminator, I know for a fact that they were never REALLLY gone! The few I had caught before may have put a dent in their numbers, but in reality, it was a very small dent! And before anyone gets all freaked out, disgusted or judgy… I’ll remind you of a fact… they’re around YOUR house too!

The old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ works wonders for our mental security. When our children had nightmares over things ‘out there,’ we got creative and protective in our wisdom. For whatever fear they had, we came up an answer to combat them, responding to their fears with our own strength. When my little daughter worried about burglars, I showed her my bat! She slept well!

Rats are out there, in the dark, all the time! They are smart and cunning. I set some traps out and caught 3 right away. Since then, when I check the traps, I find the traps have been ‘set off,’ with no rat to be found. They are sneaky, and somehow LEARN to be even sneakier! I swear they’re a by-product of satan. No matter how hard I try in my faith, satan tries even harder to trap me! It’s tiring!

I found myself reading the temptation of Christ this morning, landing in Psalm 91. When satan came to Jesus, he quoted from this Psalm, but left part of it out as bait to trap Jesus. But Jesus is no rat! He saw the trap and avoided it. But the entire Psalm is an EASY trap for ANYONE who loves God. Because it promises a LOT of things (like rescues) that honestly, we don’t always experience!

The devil has learned my weaknesses and knows where I am vulnerable. He LOVES it when I puff out my chest and claim my invincibility ‘in the Name of Jesus.’ When rescue, from pain, sorrow, hurt or fear doesn’t come… satan makes sure to rub this verse, and others like it, into my heart to try to get me to feel abandoned. Sadly and much of the time, it works. Trapping me again in defeat or despair.

But God! The verse satan left out was “He will guard you in all your ways.” Seems straightforward to me! Except that MY ways are NOT ALWAYS God’s ways. Satan knew that Jesus knew that… and omitted it. But do YOU know it? Because if we are walking in GOD’S ways… ANYTHING that happens HERE, will NEVER keep us from His rescue to THERE!

Mighty, wearied, warrior… have YOU been baited or are you feeling trapped? Don’t stay in the darkness or take the bait! Why not read Psalm 91

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

This last weekend proved to be quite interesting as Katie and I had several opportunities to get together with people – over food. There’s nothing better that can break barriers and provide opportunities to share lives with one another, than fellow-shipping over vittles! Everyday this weekend I was able to spend time with different people over food, but the results were all the same.

Last night we got to see some old friends that we hadn’t seen in over a year. Kevin and I had worked together for decades. But now that we don’t, chances to talk have to be cut out and planned for. When we got together last night with our wives, conversation flowed and questions rolled on. “How are your kids? What are they doing? How old are they now? What and how are YOU doing?”

Dinner lasted for about an hour and a half. We spent another half hour out in the parking lot continuing discussions about life, age, health and prayer concerns for other people we mutually know. But it really didn’t strike me until this morning, when thinking about having dinner, I realized we actually had Church! All of us love Jesus first, and conversation flowed around Him over dinner!

We may all be traveling this thing called life, but we are NOT all traveling it TOGETHER. There are lots of reasons and purposes for all kinds of people living out there. Most are selfish. But like ships passing in the wind, we can see each other without really knowing or appreciating each other. But add Captain Jesus to the mix and life courses will fall in line as we sail toward a common horizon.

It is a fact that 2 ships that are moving parallel to each other will have a tendency to come closer together! I didn’t know that until this morning, therefore don’t take credit for the information. But interest had me looking up the reason that happens. A couple people said it was ‘The Bernoulli effect.’ Others stated it was the ‘Coriolis Effect!’ I’ll have to ask my sons, but I know it is true!

When fellow Christians get together and move together in the same direction, especially when food is involved, they tend to become closer together! And while I can’t be certain of the Science, I CAN tell you for a FACT that in reality, it is the Jesus Principle! And bumps along the way are only natural. Are YOU in a fellowship relationship with Jesus and His People?  

“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'” Mark 16:15

“Oh no,” I thought! “I must warn my daughter!” That was the immediate reaction when I saw the story on my phone last night of not one, but TWO shark attacks at New Smyrna Beach, Florida this last week. My daughter and her family, with 3 little grandkids, live there and go to that beach regularly. As I thought about warning her, a BIGGER concern swept across my brain. So I didn’t!

The news feed on my phone gives me just enough info to keep me ‘kind-of’ in the know. At the bottom of the page to this shark-bite story, I saw ANOTHER picture with the headline, “Bison Pins Man To The Ground In Yellowstone National Park!” It made me think… about news, information and sharing! Isn’t it funny that my attention was drawn more toward attacks from wildlife than politics!?

Having been a Florida guy most of my life, I’ve been to the beach HUNDREDS of times! I’ve never been bitten by a shark. I don’t know anyone who has, either! I’ve come within 6’ of a shark while scuba diving, just waved hi, and got no bite. Having never been to Yellowstone, My daughter and her family have, and they came home ‘unpinned by a Bison.’ But yesterday’s story was… interesting!

Bad news travels fast! It seems the more sensational the story the faster it travels. Pictures give stories life, and get the victims… empathy. But I did NOT want to scare my daughter. To do so would keep her kids out of the ocean FOREVER! Not wanting to promote fear, I said nothing. I don’t need to warn because my son in law is VERY smart! He’s been surfing those waters all his life! He knows!

Today I find that sensational news sharing is done to make profit. The shark story said “more shark attacks happen when more people are in the water!” DUH! The Bison pin was due to a dude wanting to get up, too close, for a sensational picture! We can FEEL the teeth and horns… and we squirm! Now my thoughts. How involved am I in spreading the worst, and best, news in the world?

My daughter is too busy with kids to read these words. And while Charles is the one who posts them online, he’s smart enough to not pass on ‘ridiculous fear’ as ‘important information.’ But there IS REAL IMPORTANT information that NEEDS to be passed on. And Jesus HAS given us the command in today’s Bible verse. Are YOU involved in promoting His-Story of guaranteed rescue from death?

When it comes to sharing the Gospel… it’s O.K. to be sensational at it!

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

“OUWWWWCH!!! THAT HURTS!” Having just purchased a blood pressure contraption, Katie was at her first attempt to try to use it. I figured there was no reason for me to get involved, though I could see she was getting frustrated. The first time she tried it she did something wrong and it squeezed her arm so hard she winced in pain! I hit the ‘Stop’ button and she, with a bruised arm, survived!!

For most people, blood pressure is a non-issue. Having the need for equipment to monitor blood pressure can mostly be found in the drawers of the elderly. Katie had completed a required physical for Medicare and found that she, like her genes could predict, has high blood pressure and needs to monitor it. I told her, “But you’re only getting old on the inside honey!” She was not amused!

After learning HOW to use the contraption, it was her job to monitor and record her daily readings. The next couple days I saw her flustered, seemingly trying to solve some kind of puzzle. Complaining that something “wasn’t fair” or was “not right,” she said that the results were still too high! “Something must be wrong,” she said! It was like she had failed a math test! So I intervened again!

“Honey, there IS something wrong” I said. “But as smart and as beautiful as you are, it ISN’T YOUR FAULT! Peaches… we are getting old!” She had no comment, as she seemed to settle into that fact. Later, I called Bob from the church. He sounded rough! Asking him how he was, he said, ‘getting along, but my hip is the problem! “How old are you?” I asked. “80,” he said. I almost fainted!

It USED to be that, to me, anyone who was 80 was ANCIENT! Taking a moment to do the math, since it takes longer to do so, I calculated Bob was only about 12 years older than me! “OH DEAR LORD!” I laughed out loud and Bob joined in. I realized, I’m not getting old… I’m getting CLOSE! Because soon enough… Jesus, Heaven’s joys and the rewards I have been working for will be right before my eyes!

What could I do? I broke into the chorus, “When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!” and my mood adjusted. But how about YOU? Are YOU looking forward in excited anticipation of seeing Jesus and your eternal home? No worries, He’s coming. But keep working for Him! Cuz it ain’t like we’re getting a busload together to go today!  

“Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ But the people said nothing.” 1 Kings 18:21

“CUCKOO, schwhirrly-schwhirrly, Cuckoo,” was a different sound than we were used to. But by looking at the new clock on the wall, we were able to verify that it was indeed… 1:00! My wife giggled while my daughter, who was over for dinner with her family, rolled her eyes! Hanging on the wall was a brand new Cuckoo Clock that I had purchased Katie for her Birthday!

28 years ago I bought a Black Forest Cuckoo Clock for our 18^th anniversary. She had mentioned that she always wanted one, so I decided the idea wasn’t a bad one. The clock became the center of attention for my smallest grandchildren whenever the Cuckoo came out! They loved it! So did I. Except for nighttime cuckoos! Thankfully, it had an off switch! Over 27 years, it’s needed repairs.

We purchased the same clock for my son and his wife when they got married, but they left it behind in a move! When OUR Clock finally died this year, I was told that the weights on the clock were actually it’s undoing! That because of their unreliability, it’s hard to find someone to fix them anymore. So I bought her a battery operated one. It LOOKS the same, but it sounds funnier!

One thing I’ve discovered about Cuckoo Clocks is that people either like them, or they don’t! There seems to be no wavering opinion. Today’s Bible verse actually amazes me. Because about 2700 years ago, the people remained UN-opinionated about which god WAS God! Elijah, being God’s man at the time, decided a little contest might help the folks along in swaying their opinion!  And it worked!

Today is not unlike it was all those years ago. The weight of multitudinous opinions on SO many issues is taking its toll on all of us. The courts are log-jammed with cases aimed at defining what should be acceptable in society. God has been put on the back-burner, so verdicts have been absolutely CUCKOO! But as the clock is ticking and the hour is approaching!

God only wants to know one thing… What is YOUR living opinion about His Son, Jesus Christ?

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:24

Cannonball Contest! That was the bait line I used to try to excite 2 of my grandkids to help me with a small problem. The last tropical storm left my swimming pool filled to the top, so I thought the line would motivate the kids to help remove some of the water. But looking at the pool, there were THOUSANDS of little tiny bugs laying dead on top! So I grabbed a strainer to clean it up!

Pool screen comes in various sizes, and I had the smallest and tightest screen available. But somehow, a tiny species of gnat managed to get in between the screen mesh anyway. When I tried to find out WHY, the explanation was more gross than the carnage! Having been attracted to the water, their dead bodies lay floating on top, needing a cloth filter to screen them out.

As I was skimming the pool, I thought about this Bible verse and Jesus’ confrontation of the Pharisees of His day. Being legalistic, they would do things intending to SHOW that they were completely obeying the Law. But Jesus saw their dead works and called them out! This verse is a perfect metaphor for the ridiculous, and made me think about the ‘swallow-ability’ of my own life!

The rules and laws we live by have changed drastically since I was a kid. The major theme of change seems to yield laws allowing greater permission for doing things previously unacceptable. Sadly, swallowing camels seems to have become the norm. But now I am convicted that too much focus on camels has led me to forget about the basics of paying attention to the smaller details!

I think God is not as much interested in my opinions of how the world is going as He is about MY own heart as I move through it. While on earth, Jesus never took a public stand against slavery. He DID, however, command that slaves treat their masters with honor! WHAAAAA? He didn’t condemn those who attacked His people, but DID command that His people love their attackers!

When I get to Heaven, and yes, I WILL be there, I will be graded on how well I loved the unlovely and reacted to the ridiculous! Calling out evil in those doing it doesn’t’ seem to win them over to Jesus’ side. Loving them in action and word seems to be what Jesus was trying to say. Trying to get God to swallow my life of righteous indignation at a world gone bad isn’t going to go down well.

What are YOU trying to get God to swallow about YOUR prickly life?

“In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.” Psalm 81:7

“Thank you Lord!” Those words were said POST-Hurricane Idalia as I was picking up a half-garbage can of small branches from the ground. It was a HUGE difference from last year’s Hurricane Ian where, it seemed, every road was lined with 8’ tall tree branches. EVERYBODY had lost SOMETHING. With that remembrance in mind, local Floridians began to freak out over the news of another storm.

Having been here since 1975, I don’t have near the concern as, let’s say, someone who has moved here recently. Without experience, it is hard to know what to expect. So when a ‘newby’ asked me if they should ‘board up’ their windows, I let them know that I don’t even THINK about that until a Cat 4 has been announced as imminent! Experience tells me personally, it just isn’t worth the effort.

Storms of life ALWAYS leave lessons. Some are more painful than others. And depending on whether the weather hits directly, or just comes close, determines what folks might do in another difficult season of life. My experience has proven over and over again that ANY kind of storm that is headed my way, is best filtered through the strength and promises that come from KNOWING my God and Savior, Jesus Christ!

The world has, and always will, argue over what the world believes is most important. It’s the same with the other 2 enemies of the Believer… the ‘Flesh’ and the ‘Devil.’ The agenda of those enemies are NEVER in my favor. I know that from reading God’s Word AND from experience! Sure, I’ve tried testing and arguing with God over what is most important. In the end, He has ALWAYS been right!

So while the world is freaking out over things that MIGHT happen, I try hard to keep my eyes on God who already HAS a 100% perfect Track Record in application during life’s storms. Jesus is Coming back! It could be today… or it could be 2000 years from now. But He IS… Coming back! And EVERYONE will be either rewarded, or judged, based upon their own personal Faith in Him and preparation!

So what do YOU know and believe about Jesus Christ? Because the answer to THAT question, is the only one that will matter when He comes! Tick-Tock!

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22

Yesterday afternoon I had completed my purchases at a local store and was headed to the exit. Seeing through the glass doors, I saw the manager confronting incoming customers,1 crying… “But I only need 1 item… I can be quick!” The temper of the manager was growing as people tried to force their way in. “Sorry,” didn’t work, so undeterred, he finally hollered out “PEOPLE… WE ARE CLOSED!“

“I was happy because I already had my stuff! I felt bad, in a way, because there had been no warning to say, “we will be closing in 20 minutes!” He just locked the door, leaving people trying to get storm supplies standing outside looking in. I had been blessed… and appreciated it! On the way out I tried to help the manager, who IS a good guy, by telling approaching people… “they’re closed!”

And thus it is today… 2000+ years after Jesus Himself exited Earth and headed back to Heaven with… “Behold… I will return! And SOON!” Everyone has heard it! Most just ignore or dismiss the warning. In light of an approaching Tropical Storm that MAY become a Hurricane… people are freaking out! But they ain’t seen NOTHIN’ YET! The Promise of His return is IMMINENT! Preparation is necessary!

I KNOW where I am going when I die. NO QUESTION! I heard the warning and yielded to the Gospel. Now, like that store manager, I cry out, but with warning… “GET READY… BE PREPARED! But that is the ONLY weapon I have against the onslaught of Hell. His Words have become MY words. And if you know Jesus Christ as Lord… so should yours! A Storm or Hurricane is NOTHING like the Lake of Fire!

Are you hollering?

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation…” Colossians 1:21-22

I’m calling him ‘Jesus II!’ The diagnosis from Ryan, our Jesus Plumber, was that the Church’s septic tank was full and needed to be pumped out. It hadn’t been in the 43 years it existed! Calling Ryan’s recommended company, I was greeted 2 hours later by ‘a guy’ in a BIG pump truck. I like getting to know people, and what I discovered by talking to him made him MORE than an acquaintance.

His name was Vince and yes, he confirmed, he was a ‘Jesus Guy.’ So immediately we discovered we were brothers. As he dug around to find the cover to the tank, I went inside to do MY job. When I came back out to check on him, I couldn’t resist a picture of what I found. There Vince was, bare handed and elbow deep in poo juice, ripping out roots that clogged our septic system. WOW!

Talk about DEDICATION? He had been poking around while I was inside, then told me I had a problem. I NEVER would have expected him to take it so personally, but there he was, without being asked, digging around and getting his hands stinky dirty to fix what was stopping up the overflow poo juice to a drain-field that wasn’t HIS! One need not be a deep thinker to see the metaphor!

The sin in my life, which started from birth, had collected for years! Little did I know I was storing up wrath for myself, incident by incident, with NO hope of repair. As life got even messier, I got more stinky! Like a septic tank, there was NO way for me to clean myself out! I needed a savior! Enter Jesus. I didn’t ASK Him, and He didn’t bargain or try to convince me. He just jumped in and did it!

I remember the shock and unbelievable feeling when I realized that ‘perfectly clean God’ laid covered, disgustingly putrefied, by my own personal sin. I could not resist His Grace… the image remains in my head to this day. Jesus died for ME! How could I not receive His utterly indescribable gift? Now, I have another friend. One who loves Jesus and is willing to do what it takes for a brother!

Do YOU know the Savior? Are YOU dedicated to Jesus’ goal to eradicate the poo from the world and willing to jump in to serve Him… no matter HOW nasty the need?