“In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.” 1 Kings 6:7

“WHA WHA WHA WRRRREEEEE” was kind of the sound it made when I fired it up. This Radial Arm Saw was the first major power tool I purchased over 40 years ago. It was loud AND messy! But it could cut wood quick and smooth! Still can! I bought it because my dad had one… my friend had one… and I wanted one!

Back then we were very poor., and it was a reach just to buy it. But I worked in the construction business, had a reason AND a place to have a wood shop. It was easy for neighbors to tell when I was working in that shop. Noise screamed through the walls every time I turned on one of the shop tools to build something.

Today’s verse gives insight into how GOD works. As we have been studying Exodus, we have learned that God can get VERY loud. But when He does, it’s not usually for the benefit of those hearing the noise of judgment. When working on the Temple, no tools were allowed, cuz God doesn’t need or use man’s noisy tools.

I can see the Temple is a type, or example, of the place God inhabits… like my heart! When I get flustered, anxious, worried or lost, I have a tendency to throw every tool at those problems, to get some kind of answer or relief. But like my old wood-shop, people can tell I’m doing my own thing… MY WAY… by the noise!

The Psalm 46:10 verse comes to mind, “Be still and know that I am God.” The lesson is, God doesn’t need MY noisy help to fix my heart, soul and spirit into his abode! He needs me to just relax… and quietly LET HIM. Will YOU?

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” Isaiah 55:1

“Uh… garbage,” I said, then threw the junk mail into the trash. Every week I get something in the mailbox offering a fancy dinner, for FREE! All I have to do is show up! At least that’s the sales pitch. Come to this expensive restaurant and we’ll buy your dinner. The ‘pitch’ is, I have to listen to them tell me how to invest my $!

Sometimes I’m offered travels to exotic places. Or even, how to save money on FUNERAL costs! Yes… even dying isn’t free! Being a salesman most of my career, I know that the first 2 things toward making a sale is to get the potential buyers ‘attention,’ and then get their ‘interest!’ Signing up for a free dinner proves both!

The idea of “Free Salvation” was common when I started out experimenting with Evangelism. Even the Bible says that Heaven is a Free Gift… right? Well… not exactly. Heaven is a gift (Romans 6:23). But ‘The Gift’ was never ‘free!’ A couple translators of the Bible added ‘free,’ presumably to make salvation appealing!

Today’s verse seems to capture the Spirit of God’s idea of Freedom and presents a quandary. “Come and buy… without cost!” When I first heard the message of ‘Free Grace,’ I admit I was looking at it from MY point of view. To gain eternal, heavenly blessing for NOTHING sounded too good to be true. And it was!

I have learned in life that NOTHING is FREE! ESPECIALLY ‘Salvation’ and ‘Justification by Faith.’ In fact, those items literally cost me EVERYTHING I HAVE… AND AM! To get Him… I have to give up ME! Thinking of ‘milk and honey’ rolling down my cheeks, while dying of thirst on a hot desert, is GREAT salesmanship!

Having been the recipient of MASSES amounts of Grace from God, I no longer spout the ‘Free’ word! Because Salvation is a transaction… a sale! Jesus offers ALL of HIM, in exchange for ALL of ME! While the reward is beyond comparison, the cost is ultimate! And He doesn’t make deals. It’s ‘All’ or ‘Nothin’!

Have YOU given’ Jesus your ALL? Are YOU ‘ALL IN?’ If you are, you know that every day is filled with the difficult and expensive proposition of dying to YOUR self-ish ways to gain HIS. But the reward is immeasurable! Have YOU purchased “The Deal of a Lifetime?” If so.. then let go of yourself!

“…store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21

“There it is… and OH WOW… THAT’S HERE TOO!??” I was shocked and in wonder because, over the last couple months, I had actually looked for BOTH items in 2 garages, searching for the items before me! Inwardly rejoicing, I knew THIS time I needed to set them in a special place… and REMEMBER where I put them!

I suffer from a disease that affects the majority of people in this country. I have TOO MUCH STUFF! It’s a hard disease to diagnose because, well… it’s HARD to admit… I’m a junkie! When Katie picked up a couple items to throw into the garbage, I immediately cried out.. “WAIT! I need that!” She rolled her eyes.

Junkies are hard pressed to see that there’s only so much space to put stuff. If I can’t remember WHERE I put it, it is of no use to me when I need it. Looking at one Item that I have owned for about 17 years, I can only remember using it once! Asking a friend if he wanted it, he said, “Sure… ya can’t have too many of THOSE!”

It only took a flash to remember the person who gave me a piece of stuff that I now debated getting rid of. I appreciated him. We were very close friends. But he passed away years ago. Seeing the item made me remember and caused me to miss him. He’s in Heaven now, and I took a moment to treasure a future reunion.

Looking around at stuff made me realize that I can’t take it with me. And that just because “I’ like a piece of stuff, doesn’t mean my family will after I’m gone. No… the greatest treasure I own isn’t something that I can put away and go back to get later. It’s God and People. Today’s verse tells me what to do with BOTH of them.

What are YOUR Treasures in life? Are you sending them ahead?

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2

WHEWW… IT’S HOT out there! I know because I’ve been in it for the last several days! And it wasn’t to sit beside the pool or to go to the beach. The only relief from I got was to take a towel and wipe off the sweat from my face, after it’d run into my eyes. Then… it seemed the hotter it got, the less my brain worked!

I have a ritual when I work. Most people do. I gather and take all the tools I think I may need, throw them into my truck, along with Power-aid and snacks… AND my headphones for music. Focused plans typically follow the wind as I work from 1 thing to another, stopping to drink, munch, plan and wipe my face! Add heat!

If I take off my gloves to adjust the music, or if I drop a hammer or wrench to go find another tool, I’ll pass by another job that needs attending and pick up where I left off there. Which means, it doesn’t take long before I forget where I put my gloves, wrench or hammer! As my shirt gets drenched, my brain shuts down.

The combination of all these events take a brutal toll on my self worth. As I question how I got into this mess in the first place, I start to feel small and more useless. Then… satan joins in by having my music system play, “Have You Heard about the Lonesome Loser!” Soon, depression takes its toll and I feel like the song.

Getting out, or through that valley, always requires help. A literal BREAK from the process of what is going on, in and around me, helps. It takes God focus, The Word, people (thank GOD for my wife!) reminders and effort to get me THROUGH those times. The Promises of God, in today’s verse, are His… to me… IN the storm.

It is interesting to note that God’s method for storms of life is to GO THROUGH THEM WITH ME. He’s ALWAYS there. If I can just stop, wipe my eyes and see! So… how’s YOUR storm outlook progressing?

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

I was wanting to get a particular job done, but I needed that ‘thingamajig’ to get it done… which I had! The problem holding me back was, I couldn’t find the ‘whatchamacallit’ that attaches to the ‘thingamajig’ to get it to actually WORK correctly. I’d tried a ‘thingamabob’… but that proved unsuccessful. So I searched.

It seems everyday, I have to SEARCH for something in order to DO something else. I can’t determine if I’m just not very well organized, or if I’m losing my mind! But when I can’t find a thingamajig, I’ve noticed that anger begins a slow burn inside. Given time, it can get very bad. I often swear satan owns a ‘thingamajig’ hider!

An ‘upset’ state of mind is not uncommon these days. In fact, ‘upset’ perfectly fits with ‘the pattern of this world.’ When I don’t get what I want easily enough, anger comes naturally! Using what ‘I WANT’ as a measuring device has no place in God’s economy… since I GAVE Him ‘me’ long ago. Now… I should want HIS wants.

Colossians 3:2 says “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Which is a GREAT way to ‘renew my mind for finding out GOD’S will. God isn’t concerned as much about the ‘thingamajig’ as He is my state of mind in looking for it. His will, made readily available, is always ‘good, pleasing and perfect.’

Do the things of the world cause YOU to become discombobulated? Why not try looking up and applying ‘GOD’S’ whatchamacallit attitude first. It sounds like a perfect plan to me!

“Continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5

“I committed murder 4 times on the way home from Church!” That’s what one of my tough Jesus guys confessed to me. Then he said, “You’re my priest and this is my confession.” At that I interrupted. “Whoa… wait a minute… not me man.” We both laughed at the jokes which, in retrospect, weren’t really jokes at all!

His comment to me had followed my confession to HIM earlier. I was on my way to a Christian Middle School program when, once again, SEVERAL people cut in front of me and hindered my progress. My fleshy attitude is to get angry when that happens (yes… I know I’m working on it). Jesus calls that MURDER (Mt 5:22)!

These days there’s a LOT to be angry about! The other day I counted 7 cars that ‘just happened’ to block my exiting out of my subdivision. All within 1/10th of a mile from my house! I DON’T believe that coincidence! Satan hates me! He has workers that have ways of getting me upset and angry. Is it up to ME to stop it?

It is absolutely true that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for ALL my sins over 2000 years ago. Even the ones I haven’t committed yet! I’m forgiven before I even sin! Which is why we could laugh at our pre-forgiven ‘road rage.’ But Today’s verse follows deeper instructions to engage the enemy. The key is CO-OPERATION!

I’m called by Jesus to DO what He SAYS. But DOING takes MUCH more than superhuman effort. It takes God’s directed love, Christ’s perseverance and MY co-operation to pull it all off. Graceful responses are not auto-magical. They take determination and willful obedience to engage evil. ESPECIALLY in today’s world.

As our world becomes increasingly more evil and complicated, it will require even MORE dependence upon the Holy Spirit of God. What took Paul WEEKS to deliver in a letter, today can be done in nanoseconds! And OFTEN with negative repercussions! Are YOU working on DOING the things God commands in love?

God is trying to get your attention for a special delivery of love and perseverance!!

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

“WHAAAAT???” I said in my frustration at the Presidential Debate. I could not believe what was being said, and NOT said, between both candidates. The louder and nastier they got with each other, the more discouraged I became. It didn’t take long for me to simply walk out of the room. I just couldn’t take it anymore.

As a Believer in Jesus Christ I KNOW the History of the U.S.A. I KNOW we’re a nation that was ‘founded upon the Bible.’ I recognize that evil has been secretly creeping into the fabric of America since its inception. But it no longer creeps… it BULLDOZES! Evil is being CHOSEN as truth! I left to pray for God’s intervention.

For almost 7 decades I have lived in the aftermath of choices made by my parents and grandparents after a World War. In my lifetime, I have watched the most hideous and disgusting sins and lifestyles, be accepted and SOLD as an alternative to what I KNOW to be Truth from God’s Word. Now, TRUTH is difficult to even hear!.

We are a world at war with God. It is just that simple. As I talk with friends and fellow Believers in Christ, it’s becoming more difficult to find people even OPEN to hearing The Gospel…because to get The Good news, one must first agree with the BAD news… we ALL DESERVE eternal punishment AND banishment from God!

In my prayer of desperation, I felt just a tinge of peace come from the Prince of Peace. His Truth and Justice absolutely DO exist. He reminded me that my ‘fretting’ and ‘deep concern’ over the future of America is truly a temporary issue. I HAVE the Eternal Truth, and His Peace IS MINE… ETERNALLY! Then He asked me to simply FOCUS ON HIM!

When one can’t see land, and the boat is furiously rocking, it is easy to get seasick. Jesus reminded me that peace and sanity are as close to me as the stroke of a pen on election day. I simply need to CHOOSE Him! So… as for me and MY house… WE WILL serve The Lord Jesus Christ. No matter WHAT! What about YOU and yours?

“…but those who hope in (wait for) the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“OOOOOOO!!!! THAT HURTS DEEP JUST LOOKING AT IT,” Katie said when I took off my sock. The picture proved that I kept the appointment with my foot doctor. But admittedly, that it LOOKED a lot worse than it felt. Dr. Cohen told me I could take the bandages off and go smaller ‘in an hour.’ But I couldn’t resist taking a picture.

Wrestling with toenail problems over the last year or so, I’d finally had it and called a new podiatrist in town. He is AWESOME. Given the choice to take care of one at a time or all 3 at once, I thought ‘getting it over with’ was the best method. Now… time, rest and care are what the Doctor ordered to move better… later.

Researching what causes ingrown nails… heat, moisture, genetics, nail care and age are the big factors. The older I get, the more worn out and tired my body can become. But Isaiah 40, and the verses before 31, have a lot to say about growing strong instead of tired and weary. I can Biblically say… God has a cure!

The cure for renewed strength and enthusiasm is to put “Hope in The LORD!” The Latin word is ‘en-theos’ … which means ‘God within.’ By focusing on getting God inside me, I can be renewed to run the race He has set before me, with success… no matter how old I am. It’s like having an ‘in-grown GO-nail!’

So how are YOU dealing with heat, humidity, genetics, spirit care and age? Are you being renewed by your Creator with His Hope and Strength? Has YOUR Faith ‘grown-in’ action for The LORD, to be seen by those around you? Are you running the race He has set before you? Are you placing YOUR feet into God’s hands?

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” Romans 3:20

“EWWW… What is THAT?” Katie asked me. Which was a silly question… because the box clearly stated what it was. The crumpled package with the packing tape on top was what brought the abnormal reaction from my bride. “That looks DISGUSTING! Why are you buying it?” “FAITH!” I responded.

Going through Walmart, I had turned down the cereal aisle and was immediately drawn to the big yellow price sticker, AND the tape on top, which made the price necessary. The box had been crumpled and, in order to sell it to a customer, something had to be done to appease any buyer. But I had faith in the contents.

The box was not alone. There were at least 8 others sitting there, side by side. I figured something happened at the factory, or in the store, that caused the outside box to get disfigured. Knowing Walmart sells its products with a warranty, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. So I took advantage of the bargain.

Today’s verse sounds a little like legalese. Maybe even hard to understand. But God Inc. has His own set of rules and policies that MUST be met before ‘I’ can get into His Presence in Heaven. To God… “I” have to be PERFECT in HIS eyes! The 613 Commands of God only PROVE I am a disfigured sinner. They can’t CLEAN me.

God’s Law is impossible to keep. Its only purpose proves that I am, ‘in-deed,’ a SINNER. Not only do I look bad to God.. I look bad to ME! I need something MUCH bigger than a low price tag and a piece of tape to get God to notice and purchase ME. And I KNOW it! Thank God for Jesus! Look up and read verses 21-28.

Are YOU in God’s Shopping cart and headed for His House? Because He’s looking at you right now!