“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?

“I am insignificant and despised, but I do not forget your precepts.” Psalm 119:141 CSB

Having just purchased a new Smart ROKU TV, I received a request to complete a survey regarding their product. I don’t usually do surveys because they can take too much time, often putting me on someone a never ending email list. But liking the product, I clicked ‘Take the Survey.’ The first screen to pop up offered boxes to check for my age. 18-25. 26-35. 36-45. 46-55. 56-65. None of the Above!

I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw my age was of no significance! I busted out in uncontrollable laughter when, after selecting ‘None of the Above,’ The screen said, ‘Survey complete!’ I thought… ‘that’s IT??? You don’t even want to know my opinions or thoughts about your TV programming?’ My ‘thinking out loud’ turned into absolute silence as I answered my own question. “I guess not!”

It took a LOT of suffering, persistence, failure and come-backs to get where I am at 68! It was harder for me than some because, being stubborn, I was usually forced to learn things the hard way. Now, though I have a hard time sleeping, hearing, smelling and seeing, all those lessons are STILL there… from the tops of the mountains to walks through the valleys. From Marriage to child raising… worldly to Christ centered. I’ve learned a lot!

The world is moving along on the time-line predicted by Jesus Christ Himself. He said that the time of the end will be worse than ANYTIME in history. Having lived in a time when God and Country were at the center, the world is now wobbling under decisions made by the unwise and unlearned. Hard learned lessons of age are rarely sought, and ‘None of the Above’ is a class most prefer to skip!

But there IS a joyful learned perspective I have the privilege of seeing, as I approach this category of life. In light of His-story… I WOULD be insignificant, if it weren’t for Him. It is IN HIM that I rest my heart, souls and mind. In Him… I am NOT insignificant. I am God’s child and Christ’s ‘significant other.’ And HE is ALL I need to know and focus on to make this age ‘NOT insignificant!’ How ‘bout you?

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

It was a church dinner. Jesus (via the Church) was providing the sandwiches while the individual Church Members were asked to bring a side or dessert. It’s a formula that works because the MAIN thing is guaranteed to be there. I took it upon myself to order and pick up the sandwiches and some other items. I had picked up some coleslaw for my offering. Then… forgot to take it!

It’s been my experience that people today are more busy than ever, and time is not something that is easy to carve away. Church dinners USED to be called Pot-Luck dinners because people would bring what their favorite recipe happened to be. Mary was famous for Fried Chicken. Martha for meatloaf! Tables would be overflowing with main courses and fancy desserts. But fewer sides.

Over the years, as time became harder to find, main courses slowly disappeared and sides, made and purchased at a store, became the norm. A decision was made to have the Church provide the main dish (sandwiches, pizza, spaghetti etc.) and the attendees bring sides and desserts. Coleslaw was quick and easy. Since I had a lot to do to arrange getting the main things, I grabbed it! Easy right??!

Life was crazy for me the day of the dinner, and time was slipping by quickly. I’d already been to the church to turn on the AC so it would be cool. But time was approaching to get everything together and to pick up the sandwiches, ice and tea. It wasn’t until I got to the church that I realized I had forgotten the coleslaw at home! I felt horrible. My attempt at an offering… nadda!

I tell people one of the greatest lessons and blessings that I have learned in following Jesus over the years. “Give Jesus your time and your money, and HE will make sure YOU have plenty of time and money!” It’s a synopsis from several Bible verses, from which today’s verse is included. After the dinner, I felt a nudge that Jesus has some room to play with when it comes to giving!

The dinner was a success. The sandwiches were all gone and all that were left was sides. I realized that, in retrospect, my coleslaw would have made zero difference. But I was VERY content and pleased that the dinner went well. I even felt better when Jesus nudged me with the thought, “thanks for the gift of your time!

Are YOU giving God top priority in your life? Are you reaping His blessings in the form of ‘overflow’ as proof? Because Jesus’ way is a GREAT way to live!  

“If the Lord delights in the way of the man, he makes his steps firm. Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

When and where were already established. The what, how and who remained the only questions. Katie and I had the honor of meeting with an engaged couple seeking to be married. Just visiting here, they had a marriage license in hand AND a plan to have their ceremony on the beach this Saturday. They wanted to know if I would marry them. Our meeting would determine my answer.

As a pastor, I have had to politely refuse to marry ‘love birds’ several times over the years, a position that is uncomfortable, but very necessary. When a couple asks a Pastor to officiate, they are really asking God to be there. If someone dislikes baseball, it would be a shock to see them schedule their wedding at Yankee Stadium! We had to determine what KIND of marriage they wanted to have.

First things being first, I asked them about their relationship with Jesus Christ. Already knowing the key words I needed to hear in order to say yes, we were delighted and honored when we heard them. The conversation revealed that each knew Jesus Christ as their Savior AND that they wanted HIM at the center of their marriage. A good start! Next comes the follow through… at the beach!

Jesus tells the story of 2 different men who built houses. One on rock and 1 on sand. We know the conclusion when the storm hits. As long as no storms come, the beach is a BEAUTIFUL place to be. But in a storm, there is no place worse. I know of no place more filled with storms than in a marriage! In order for marriage to work, principles and intentions must be ROCK solid on Jesus!

Whether an individual, couple or group, the basis of, and the reason for any successful relationship, must be built upon the same ground. Today’s verse applies to EVERY individual, couple or group who has made Jesus Christ their choice of what, when, where, how and why. It is a promise He has NEVER failed to deliver. The question is… ‘Does The Lord delight in you and yours?’