04.07.2023

Halfway through the Words of Today, Katie sent me this!  For the day we recognize as ‘The Day’ our sin was paid for, this is better than ANYTHING I can write. Read SLOWLY!

Joni Eareckson Tada on the cross (When GOD Weeps)

Here is the most astonishing, moving description of the cross I have ever read. You might want to print it out and read it slowly.

The face that Moses had begged to see—was forbidden to see—was slapped bloody (Exodus 33:19—20). The thorns that God had sent to curse the earth’s rebellion now twisted around his own brow…

“On your back with you!” One raises a mallet to sink in the spike. But the soldier’s heart must continue pumping as he readies the prisoner’s wrist. Someone must sustain the soldier’s life minute by minute, for no man has this power on his own. Who supplies breath to his lungs? Who gives energy to his cells? Who holds his molecules together? Only the Son do “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). The victim wills that the soldier lives on—he grants the warriors continued existence. The man swings.

As the man swings, the Son recalls how he and the Father first designed the medial nerve of the human forearm—the sensations it would be capable of. The design proves flawless—the nerve performs exquisitely. “Up you go!” They lifted the cross. God is on display in his underwear and can scarcely breathe.

But these pains are a mere warm-up to his other and growing dread. He begins to feels a foreign sensation. Somewhere during this day an unearthly foul odor began to waft, not around his nose, but his heart. He feels dirty. Human wickedness starts to crawl upon his spotless being—the living excrement from our souls. The apple of his Father’s eye turns brown with rot.

His Father! He must face his Father like this!

From heaven the Father now rouses himself like a lion disturbed, shakes his mane, and roars against the shriveling remnant of a man hanging on a cross. Never has the Son seen the Father look at him so, never felt even the least of his hot breath. But the roar shakes the unseen world and darkens the visible sky. The Son does not recognize these eyes.

“Son of Man! Why have you behaved so? You have cheated, lusted, stolen, gossiped—murdered, envied, hated, lied. You have cursed, robbed, overspent, overeaten—fornicated, disobeyed, embezzled, and blasphemed. Oh, the duties you have shirked, the children you have abandoned! Who has ever so ignored the poor, so played the coward, so belittled my name? Have you ever held your razor tongue? What a self-righteous, pitiful drunk—you, who molested young boys, peddle killer drugs, travel in cliques, and mock your parents. Who gave you the boldness to rig elections, foment revolutions, torture animals, and worship demons? Does the list never end! Splitting families, raping virgins, acting smugly, playing the pimp—buying politicians, practicing extortion, filming pornography, accepting bribes. You have burned down buildings, perfected terrorist tactics, founded false religions, traded in slaves—relishing each morsel and bragging about it all. I hate, loathe these things in you! Disgust for everything about you consumes me! Can you not feel my wrath?”

Of course the Son is innocent. He is blamelessness itself. The Father knows this. But the divine pair have an agreement, and the unthinkable must now take place. Jesus will be treated as if personally responsible for every sin ever committed.

The Father watches as his hearts treasure, the mirror-image of himself, sinks drowning into raw, liquid sin. Jehovah’s stored rage against humankind from every century explodes in a single direction.

“Father! Father! Why have you forsaken me?!”

But heaven stops its ears. The Son stares up at the One who cannot, who will not, reach down or reply.

The Trinity had planned it. The Son endured it. The Spirit enabled him. The Father rejected the Son whom he loved. Jesus, the God-man from Nazareth, perished. The Father accepted his sacrifice for sin and was satisfied. The Rescue was accomplished.

04.06.2023

“…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:21

“Don’t forget, I have another appointment.” And as strange as it may sound, even after 45 years of being married, the first initial impact of that statement from my wife, over the phone, after work, hits an empty hole somewhere inside me. While it may be hard to explain or understand, the fact that it is there cannot be denied. I believe it’s supposed to be that way.

Monday through Friday is typically spent with us being separated most of the day. Katie goes to work about 8am and gets home about 4pm. I’m in and out all day myself, but most often, I make sure I’m home to be there when she gets home. And while it’s not like a gushy, sappy, teenage kind of feeling, it is still an anticipation. When I get that call, my mood is never a natural YIPPIEE!!!!

Today is Maundy Thursday. The day Christians typically celebrate the change in the Passover celebration. The one where Jesus instituted Holy Communion with His Disciples. It was there that He gave them information of another appointment He had to keep… that He wouldn’t personally be around much longer. So He gave them something to remember Him by. Holy Communion.

The breakup of the original 12 into a worldwide movement lasting 2000 years was intentional. The invitation was meant to be intimate… something to look forward to. To the world it may seem strange, but that was intentional as well. The call was to come join Him and be His. And while the price to join was covered, the invitee was still required to show up and join in. It still is.

While it is clear that ‘The Church’ has multiplied around the globe to millions, it is also clear that the enemy has used division as ‘his’ weapon of choice to counteract Jesus’ unique invitation. Whether by COVID or personal disagreement, the result is the same. To keep people from coming together as ‘the people of God where God resides.’ And it is, as always, a choice.

I look forward to Holy Communion tonight as a symbol of a future reality, when Jesus Christ and ALL believers will unite in reality and never be separated again. To get a glimpse of that future scene only encourages me more. Ask anyone who has lost their significant other, “what would you do or pay for even an hour reunion,” and you will discover the importance of Communion.

Are YOU in Him and is He in you? Are you looking forward to the reunion?

04.05.2023

“’No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’” John 13:8

“You don’t have to do that!” And though the words sounded sweet coming from my help-mate, I was not really listening to her. My MAN-voice was dominating me, drowning out her wisdom. Wisdom that was coming directly from God, and falling on deaf ears. Running and working myself ragged, I had every reason to since. “I have a job, and my boss demands my full attention!” But is it true?

It’s Holy Week. At the Church I pastor, there are LOTS of events and things to do. Almost every year I end up sick from wearing myself out ‘working and doing,’ dutifully showing my Lord and Savior that I DO love Him. After all, didn’t He say, “if you love me you’ll do what I do (John 13:15)?” “O.K. then Master Jesus,” I responded, “here’s my proof!” I’m starting to see that – He isn’t impressed!

The point is, I KNOW ‘the point’ on which the teeter-totter tots! I am saved by my Faith alone. But PROOF of that transaction can CLEARLY be seen by what I DO (the classic James 2:14 argument). But after belonging to Him for over 56 years, I STILL clunk HARD on the ground after Jesus slides off the teeter totter, after I have I moved the pivot point in my favor! Rule #1 is, He sets the rules!

As a called Teacher by Christ, The Word says I will be judged more strictly! NOT based upon how effective I was and how many people followed, but by how well ‘I’ followed JESUS in my calling! It is a CONSTANT problem, and one that He continually reminds me. Jesus is not nearly as concerned with WHAT I do, as He is with HOW and WHY I DO IT! Cuz Rule #2 is, He must always go, and be first!

So listening to The Spirit, I decided, after being tired and sore for days, that He wanted me to take a nap! And yes, I can see how that command might get abused! But that was the directive! “I want you rested and dependent on me.” He hinted, “I called for a sheep dog, not a bulldozer! So do what I tell you and go pull a Snoopy!” And I did what I was told! AHHHHHHHHHH!

Are YOU rested and resting in Jesus or are you trying to impress and perform for Him? Is HE in charge of YOUR life and are you following Him… or have you switched places and made yourself the king of your own universe? So… what has Jesus been trying to tell YOU lately?

04.04.2023

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.” Matthew 27:45

“At Urgent Care!” That was the start of a text from my son’s wife, letting me know that my son had been in an accident. Along with the text was a picture of him lying on the examination table. My son’s position was all I needed to see… to know that his body, soul and spirit were NOT in a good position. My immediate and most natural response was to run to MY Heavenly Father and PRAY!

I didn’t run to my Father and then run back out. We hung out! ALL DAY LONG. Since my son was over an hour away, I did what I could do and just kept praying. And my Heavenly Father kept on listening. And while there were no words directly from heaven, a deep sort of knowing came later, letting me know that he was going to be ok. Then, for some reason, I thought about Jesus!

This being Holy Week, I’ve spent time thinking and reading about what Jesus went through leading up, and through, to The Crucifixion. Maundy Thursday is the day we remember His appeal to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. The time when HE prayed and God listened. Jesus’ appeal was heart wrenching. Being a dad, I have NO doubt God’s heart was doing the same thing.

I can’t imagine anything my son asking me for, in a crisis situation, where I wouldn’t say yes. But while Jesus wept and poured His heart out, God the Father must have wept as well. Because the ONLY way OUT of hell for ME, was for Jesus to go THROUGH hell to save me. God HAD to let that happen. So He walked with His son, until He could go no further. Then He HAD to turn away!

God is perfect. HE cannot coexist in a same space where imperfection resides. With ALL of my sin, and the sins of the entire world, hanging on the back of His Son, God HAD to turn away. Darkness is simply the absence of light. NOT the other way around! When God turned, darkness came. And with it, the purpose of a higher agenda that NOW gives my dark days the hope and light I need.

It turned out as I was led to believe. My son was released and is going to be fine… though the scar from the stitches will remain. Just like the scars from My Savior’s dark day… on a cross… dying for ME! I’ve been told that the ONLY person carrying scars in Heaven will be Jesus. And because THOSE scars remind my Heavenly Father that MY dark days need His light, I can call on Him ANY time!

Are YOU special to Jesus and The Father? Is YOUR name priority one for Him when you are in a time of need? Are you listening to what He is trying to tell you in the dark times of life? Because it is THEN that He speaks most clear!

03.31.2023

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” Romans 1:18-19

“Yer an idiot!” I couldn’t believe he’d said that to me! Immediately my hackles went up as I prepared to fight. Which astonished me, because I’d only been through this with this same guy at LEAST a gazillion times! So much so that, I finally just gave a sigh and dropped my fists. Having both won AND lost this battle before, I simply gave up the fight with me and asked, “what’s the point?”

It had been a good day too! There was no reason for battle or stress. I was reasonably content and wasn’t looking for something different or new. But there it was! The invitation to war. And while there were other people around me, no one else heard the shots fired… EXCEPT me. Thinking about it then, as I do now, it is the silent, stinky, deadly war that goes on inside of me… every single day!

It’s not like I don’t have a host of allies on each side! Being agathokakological, meaning consisting of both good and evil, my good side has lots of friends, and even in high places! But my bad side has history and appeal! And while NONE of that history EVER ends up well, underneath there lurks the lure of pleasure and self-gratification that, for right now, appeals to my what… BOREDOM?

Oh how I wish I could get rid of ME once and for all! Because DAILY, I feel like Paul when he diatribed against himself in Romans 7, “O wretched man that I am… who will rescue me from this body of death!” But “The Point,” God reminds me, is JESUS… Him IN me, for this very purpose! As crazy as it sounds, I was MADE for WAR! That I turned myself against myself is a tragedy the enemy loves.

So I go to, or remind myself, of God’s Words of promise to always be with me. That no enemy can or will separate me from Him ( Romans 8) and that WE, (God and I) WILL ultimately win the victory, which WILL be eternal. But today? Well… today that creep just fired off another volley and needs to be dealt with AGAIN! Besides, I can see YOU are already too busy with YOURself to pay me any mind!

Are YOU beating up your creepy self? Or is the creep beating up YOU? This, being a tag team sport, is the time to tag Jesus. It’s up to YOU… the saved one!

03.30.2023

Oh Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” Psalm 109:21-22

“How do ya turn this stupid thing OFF?!” And I was not happy when I said it! The ‘this’ referred to the ‘Lane Assistance’ button that is pre-programmed into both of our new vehicles. The first time I encountered its existence was VERY unwelcome and uncomfortable. When ‘it’ is engaged, it is STILL NOT WELCOME! Luckily for me, ‘it’ can be turned off with a touch of a button. So I did!

The lane-departure warning system uses sensors and cameras to detect the edges of the lane that I’m in. If the system thinks I’m about to cross a line unintentionally, it’ll warn me by, very briefly, stopping my steering capability. But even a nanosecond is too long for me and I come unglued. The way I see it, if I NEED assistance to stay in a lane, I shouldn’t even be behind the steering wheel.

My 15 year old Grandson Isaac just received his ‘Learners Permit’ to start learning ‘how to drive.’ As a LEARNER, he is REQUIRED to have all kinds of assistance in the process. Meaning that his mom or dad will be required to sit beside him and tell him what to do and how to do it… that is until such time he proves he has learned to drive alone. The process takes a year and cannot be turned off!

Programmers at car companies had a meeting one day and determined that THEY needed to tell consumers what they needed! Having driven for 52 years, I don’t feel I need a computer jerking me around while I drive around, in an endless quest to avoid people, cars and potholes! That’s NOT to say that I don’t have needs! In fact, MY manufacturer built ‘needs assistance’ inside of ME!

A lesson I’ve learned, and hate continuing to learn, is that I actually REQUIRE assistance in MANY areas of my life. Since I am not my own, my title holder has ‘built in’ safety warnings REQUIRING regularly scheduled ‘Owner’s Manual’ study time. There I learn the ‘How-to’s’ for healthy maintenance of HIS property! A life where I am ONLY a steward who WILL BE held accountable.

Giving up control of my life is naturally hard. It became hard when sin entered and became man’s ‘life-blood.’ Learning that I am poor and needy with a broken heart is a wake up call that is more irritating than comforting. But I am blessed to have a Maker that completely acts and moves with MY, and His, best interests at heart! I’m still ‘learning!’

How is YOUR heart and do you regularly go to and depend upon HIM for assistance?

03.29.2023

Then He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.’” Matthew 9:37-38

“Where is it?” That was the question I asked 3 different store employees, 3 separate days in a row. NO ONE had an answer! At my house, our day STARTS with coffee! And coffee, for us, included Half-n-Half! Katie likes her coffee frothy on top, and the fat in the half n half makes that possible. No Half n Half… no froth! But the store has been out of it for 4 days now! I just want to know WHY???

This morning I did what I COULD have done on day 1 but, unconcerned, I didn’t take the time. After days of the dilemma, I finally Googled the question and got an answer. YES… cows have NO control over how much milk they produce! YES… cows CANNOT go on strike to hold out for more hay! YES… cows CANNOT quit working at producing product… even if they want to. But PEOPLE can!

After researching, I discovered that the problem with the Half n Half supply isn’t with cows, it’s with PEOPLE. There are simply not enough people who want to work at collecting milk to turn it into usable products. But this problem isn’t isolated to the Dairy industry… it’s LOTS of industries. Depending on the type of business and location, workers are just too hard to find these days!

The frustration over my coffee creamer has spiritual overtones. Not believing in coincidence very often, I found myself, earlier than usual, reading The Word… where my eyes fastened upon today’s Bible verse. Apparently today’s labor problem isn’t an isolated ‘time or place’ incident. Back in Jesus day, He TOO saw employment opportunities everywhere. Today, I see an even bigger problem!

I’m just coming clean here and saying what I see. And what I see… I don’t like. Peering into the spiritual world of Jesus, I not only DON’T see people who want to work, I see people who don’t even want Jesus’ PRODUCT! And THAT is a concern I don’t really know what to do about. So I am going to do what Jesus did and pray to His Father to not only send workers, but some RESPONDERS as well!

Will you join me in praying for workers AND for a Harvest? Will you join Team Jesus and get out there for Him? Cuz if there aren’t any more takers, we oughta be praying for Him to shut this whole thing down and take us home! WhatdaYOUthink? Cuz, like Him, I’m not too happy with just a Half n Half out kinda supply and demand!

03.28.2023

I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

“Do you have the keys? That was the question being asked over the phone as I listened to my voicemail. I had to play the message a couple times because I didn’t recognize the person speaking. But soon enough I put it all together and understood the what’s, the wheres and the why’s. Now, the only question in my mind was… “do I know where those particular keys ARE?” So I went looking.

Years ago I was given a set of keys to a home of one of my church members. The owner had asked if I would mind checking in on their property when they were away for the summer. Those keys went right into the consul of my truck, where I had about 40 OTHER keys. Having recently sold my truck, I had nonchalantly taken all those keys and thrown them into a box. Now I had a problem!

I really don’t know what all the keys I have, go to. Over my lifetime I have had access to dozens of doors. Some mine, some belonging to others. But as time passed, access to those doors were no longer needed or available. Keys are important because without them, access can be denied. I just don’t have the heart to throw away something that important. And it was a good thing!

The ‘voicemail person’ had left their phone number, so I called. The family had lost track of the keys to their winter home, but remembered that I had been given a set. Grabbing all the keys I had, I drove

to meet them. Thankfully, I had the key they were needing. And while the key didn’t go to anything ’I’ owned, it brought me joy to be able to help them not have to kick a door down!

Today I have the privilege of presenting ‘THE KEY’ to a group of Middle Schoolers. It is the same ‘Key’ presented to me years ago. But unlike my other keys, I make SURE I don’t misplace or lose it, because the VALUE of what THAT Key accesses, is PRICELESS! It was entrusted to me by The Master of the Universe, and it came with 2 conditions. 1. NEVER lose it. And 2. ALWAYS share it with others.

DO YOU hold ‘The Key?’ Do you know what it is? Do you hold its value above all things? Is your Key well worn and used? Do you have a habit of sharing The Key with others?

03.27.2023

God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:4-7

“Ohhhhhh!” is what I said! Which meant I was frustrated! While working in the garage, I had plugged in my drill… and it didn’t work! I immediately KNEW from experience that it wasn’t the drill that was the problem. The fault was in the outlet the drill was plugged into! Everything LOOKED right, but there was NO POWER! And I knew exactly why… which frustrated me even more!

This light switch, in my entryway, has 4 switches. The second one from the left is the culprit. It USED to power a light outside my entryway. Long ago I converted it to power a wall fountain for decoration. It ran for years until Katie just put a plant in it. Now, the switch runs power to an outlet that ran the light, and then a fountain. BUT… having been turned off, it WASN’T running my drill!

Since electricity is invisible, I can’t SEE if power is running to the outlet or not. The only way I can determine if the drill I am going to use will work, is to pull the trigger! If it doesn’t WHIRRRR, it’s because the switch in the entryway is turned off! I must then walk inside the house and turn it back on. With 4 switches, forgetting what goes where means that ‘on’ or ‘off’ is a random state!

I was reading Psalm 19 verses 7-11 when it hit me that the adjectives describing ‘The Law’ of God are exact adjectives that describe Jesus Christ. And why not? Since Jesus IS ‘The Word,’ His characteristics; perfect, right, pure etc., are who He IS. For He and I to share those characteristics, we must be connected. And sometimes, like my garage outlet, we are not. ‘I’ have to turn us on.

The point of this story is to admit that, the older I get, the more ‘Ohhhhhh’ I feel! Today’s verse tells me that I am His son, therefore His heir! An heir is one who gets stuff after the Father dies. But I don’t WANT His STUFF!!! I want HIM! But until He returns, I will always be fighting for connection! Oh how I look forward to the Day I can just BE with Him! “When ‘Ohhhh’ becomes “AHHHHH!”

Are YOU looking forward to continually being in the presence of Jesus? Do your prayers include the sigh of “Maranatha,” which means ‘Come, O Lord!’ Are you keeping the connection with Jesus Christ ‘ON’ and notice when it isn’t?