“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38

When we ‘go to the cabin’ for vacation, it is to a remote location in the Allegheny mountains. There isn’t much there besides a whole lot of God’s Creation. That includes stores and restaurants! So as a treat last night, I took my wife out to Carrabba’s for dinner. It served to be MORE than a treat by the time we were done.

To start with, the place was somewhat like the place we had just left… not many people! So when our bubbly waitress met us, she was all smiles behind her Covid mask! She was sing-songy, animated and upbeat as she did the job she had had for 5 years. Had it not been for the low attendance and the masks, you’d never know there was a pandemic going gone. She was that good!

I have never been a waiter or server in a restaurant. My wife and kids have. Not me. But having spent most of my career in sales, I KNOW I would have made an excellent one! And while my girls may still cringe when I say that, I CAN say it because I KNOW the REAL difference between the 2 definitions.

Go ahead and look up waiter and server…I dare ya! What you will find is some ridiculous sexist garbage that pegs the gender of the worker versus a job description. But NEITHER are correct. Because a waiter/server is in the business of commissioned sales! Yet sadly, many who have the job don’t realize it! The worker is willing to bet that they can provide a good dining experience for a customer and receive non established compensation in excess of an hourly wage! Hence… the sales term!

Our sales gal had been at her job for 5 years! How did I know that? Because I ASKED her! In fact, my bride and I ASKED her a LOT of personal questions that opened even HER own eyes. And WHY? Because my wife and I a SERVERS! We SERVE The King of Kings which means we are called to serve His people! And we do!

At the end of our wonderful dining experience, our sales person was left with the Gospel, a homework assignment on ‘How to KNOW you are going to heaven’ and a tip 5 times the normal! WE were left with the joy of a great meal AND the opportunity to Serve her AND our Lord. You see…WE are GOOD at serving because we have made it our BUSINESS to be good at it!

So what flows from you? Are you a just a waiter for the King? Or are you one of His great SERVERS? The truth is… you already KNOW the answer! NOW… what are you gonna do about it?

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” John 3:14

I recently got back from summer vacation, having flown to rest at our cabin in the mountains of Pennsylvania. I love flying because it is SO much more convenient. Having flown for many years, I have learned a few things along the way.

There are only 3 essentials to Fly in an airplane. 1. A Destination. 2. The time necessary to make the reservation and 3. the money to pay for the trip! That’s it! Simple right? A place, a plan and the price! That said, I have learned that EVERYONE who gets ON a plane in 1 city, will get OFF TOGETHER in the next! Seating makes ZERO difference. That is…until it does!

I like to save money by flying an inexpensive carrier where I don’t PAY to pick my seat in advance. I prefer to take the one the airline offers to me for free. I don’t usually begrudge people who pay to sit in a particular seat. Except THIS time, when I landed with a prejudicial view that shall continue until I figure out the reasoning behind it. I no longer trust people who sit by a window, yet keep the shade down!

The airline NEVER gives me a free window seat. Those are reserved for PAYING customers. But this trip I noticed MOST of the window sitters never even peered out at the view!!! And as I sat in the mostly darkened plane, I wondered WHY someone who paid to have the opportunity to look out a God’s fascinating creation from a SPECTACULAR view… would not take it!

It should not surprise me though. That God exists is plain and foundational because God has MADE it plain (Romans 1:9). That said, all humans are born with the same 3 essentials for flight a landing. But there are only 2 destinations. Heaven or hell! We are born with the time needed to plan the trip. The price, according to our verse today, has already been PAID by God Himself! Which leads to a question.

You are sitting by a window seat with an opportunity to see God Himself. God has PLACED you there. All the answers are there simply begging for the questions to be asked! Are you sitting by with window with the shade drawn? If so… WHY??? Can somebody PLEASE tell me WHY!!!! Because it seems to be getting darker around here!

What do YOU see?

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11

When it gets hot, I’m not a big eater. It seems that as the heat rises my appetite declines. Such was the case yesterday when I found myself outside working for a long time. When I was done, I was done! I came home, jumped into my hot swimming pool (ICK) and headed for a nap in the A/C! 30 minutes later, I was awake…and HUNGRY!

The day came with 2 very different opportunities. 1. a mailer for the local grocery stores was lying on the table and 2. my granddaughter had come over for a visit. My hunger and my head started to converge, and soon I was planning a grocery store run AND dinner to include my little sweetie!

You know what they say about shopping when you’re hungry. Well, we did. Subsequently we ended up with King Crab added to our menu of shrimp, and several OTHER items not originally planned. The reasoning? Hey… she’s my granddaughter and HEY… let’s make this SPECIAL!

“Would you like fries with that,” was an ingenious slogan by McDonald’s for the purpose of making $$$. It is, as they say in sales, ‘an up-sell!” By suggesting fries when people are already hungry, McD’s can make MORE MONEY! Which is the whole point of a restaurant! As I read this verse today I had to snicker at God’s little jab to accomplish the exact same thing!

God is growing a people. For that He NEEDS people. And not just ANYBODY will do. He wants people who love Him to be on board with His program and, to press and sell the heck out if it to a dying world what desperately NEEDS Him. So He provides ‘incentive’ to His staff to do so. I smiled when I read and meditated on it.

Jesus commanded his followers to ‘LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURE IN HEAVEN’ (Matt. 6:20). In other words, being selfish is A O K with Him, if it advances His work and family. Here, God adds to the pot by suggesting that “I” can even come up with my own ideas, plans and goals to help His cause…and HE will even bless it if it is a good idea! Which got me thinking!

Are you excited about being His and working with Him for His cause? Got any ideas? Would you like to benefit from those? Are you going to Heaven? Will you be rewarded? Would you like fries with that???

“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Standing at the edge of the swimming pool, I saw the milky evidence that spring had passed into summer, here in sunny Florida. And once again…it had blown passed me without any warning. Having owned this same pool for over 30 years, I have NEVER been successful at the transition when it comes to chemical and temperature balance.

Four kids mutated into 10 grand-kids, and they ALL have the same love for the swimming pool. Winter time proves too chilly for them to swim, but as spring arrives their ‘wanna’ and ‘gonna’ finally meet. Over the years I have come up with ideas to warm the water sooner without spending $$$ on a pool heater! This year, black garbage bags over floating hula-hoops really seemed to work! Now…I had another problem!

To me, algae is kind of like a grand-kid, since it doesn’t like cold water either. So while I was warming the pool for my offspring, pool algae took notice as well. After all my grandchildren had been in the pool several times, I surveyed the milky water and realized it was time to forget temperature and get to work on chemical balance. So out came the floating hoops and in went the Chlorine…LOTS OF IT!

The days in which we live are more complicated than I can remember. Social problems come storming at us every day. Are they real or simply imagined? Do we act or wait? The letters to the Thessalonians mention these times and give clear and specific instructions to God’s kids. We are called to follow the Spirit and to test (judge) and act accordingly.

God’s game plan for crazy times may be likened to swimming pool balance. When judgments get cloudy and the heat starts to rise, we are called to to keep calm and stick together, balancing the good against the bad. Because God’s plan is for us to transition properly in the times we live!

I admit to going a little overboard sometimes. I took all the chlorine, acid and tablets I had, and threw it in the pool. Then went and bought more. A day later it was clear as it can be. Although the next time you see me I my be lighter in hair color and smell like a pool store! But the grandkids aren’t coming over for a while…. I think!

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” 1 Kings 19:12-13

She did it again… I know she doesn’t mean to, or that there is anything wrong with her doing it. But there it was. The voice from across the house was being focused upon the only other human here…me! She spoke… and I heard not!

Being alone in a house that has more than enough room for both of us has it’s drawbacks. One is communication. Space, along with the fact that I don’t hear as well as I used to, both contribute to my frustration. I love my wife and care about everything she has to say. it’s just that sometimes it is difficult to hear it!

When this happens I either ignore her until I get a moment to go to her with, “did you say something?” Or I go immediately. It depends on what I am doing and how urgent it is. At that point, it isn’t about listening as much as it is about MY desire and focus. I find that ‘I’ select when ‘I’ want to hear what she has to say… when ‘I’ want to hear it! Does that sound bad? I hope not.

My communication with God can be a lot like Ol Elijah’s. I HAVE to admit that there are times when God is speaking and I simply do not hear Him. But there ARE times when my listening and focus are not in tune as HE may want it to be. It doesn’t help, having an ADD brain either!

My life is not my own. HE is God…I am not! I MUST remind myself that it is up to ME to TURN my focus upon God and REALLY LISTEN! That is… if I WANT to hear what He has to say! I have found that SOMETIMES…He gently whispers…just to get me close to Him. I think I hear Him now!

“And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites–a land flowing with milk and honey.” Genesis 3:17

Anniversary, Father’s Day and my Birthday all come within 7 days…every year! With 4 kids and 10 Grandkids there is a weekly cascade of phone calls, get togethers and celebrations. It makes me feel kind of bad for them actually. Because at my age, and with my personality, I am not needy for anything. I don’t want anyone feeling obligated or go out of their way.

This year, one by one, they came…with food, presents and well wishes. So much so that they literally wore me out! And I loved every minute of it. My youngest daughter, Calah, wanted us to come to her house for dinner. So last, night we did. And what a time it was!

We got to the house and their 2 young boys were excited. The Shepherd’s Pie was in the over. Pecan pie was on the counter. Peanut butter fudge and my son in law’s famous toffee was in the refrigerator. I ate until I was blown up like a balloon, and then played with the boys. I was in hog heaven.

Our mutual favorite subject, besides Family, is Jesus Christ. As we talked about standing up for Christ and witnessing to a world that seems to increasingly NOT care, the word obligation came up. And then Charles spoke. He had NO idea he was about to minister to the Minister.

He said that He doesn’t really tell the Gospel in an orderly Biblical fashion. He just lives to show people how much better HIS life is BECAUSE of following Jesus Christ! I felt like I had been hit by a sugar cloud! I know EXACTLY what he means. I’ve lived without following Jesus…and I have lived the last 45 years WITH Jesus. And my life is absolutely as sweet as pie. Which is kind of a fulfillment of God’s promise!

The old enslaved Israelites didn’t have ANYTHING good. And God came to them with a promise. “I” will lead YOU into a land flowing with milk and honey. Which should have been a clue! Life with Jesus Christ is NOT a drudgery, an obligation or a struggle. When I trust Him, Life is simply SWEET and it WORKS!

Being old, I can get kind of cranky at times when people don’t understand the bible and its promises. I think am going to take Charles words enjoy the Sweet Life Jesus has given me. With that outlook, no obligation is even necessary!! Is YOUR life sweet because of Jesus?

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 NASB

I’m a sucker for a deal! The local Walmart has an aisle dedicated to cheapskates like me! It’s called the ‘Clearance’ aisle. I was walking it, killing time while my wife looked at fabric, when halfway down I realized I was NOT looking at the PRODUCT so much as the amount of $$$ discounted. $5 off $40 did NOT capture my interest! Then something did!

Before me lay a whole rack of Fram Air Filters for vehicles. It reminded me that I hadn’t changed ours in quite a long time! The initial price was about $19. Clearance price? $2! I dug out my phone. The reason for the phone was, that EVERY car filter has a special size. Was MY filter among the pile? Goggle could tell me, and after a few minutes… JACKPOT!

REPLACING my filter is NEVER as easy as it would seem. It sounds simple enough to unsnap the cover and swap out the filters. But theory and reality are rarely best friends. After some time I got it done and am happy that I can now drive unconcerned about dirty air getting into my car’s engine for at least another 12,000 miles…or 3 years! Whichever comes first! (that’s a joke)

Changing my air filter, It hit me that Christians have filters too! The verse above is the perfect proof. The convicting part is that OUR filter MUST be used CONSTANTLY.. AND renewed REGULARLY. Why? Because we are dirty creatures and Christ is in the business of purifying His stuff!

There is no gauge to tell me when my car’s air filter needs replacing. Jesus filter is even more state of the art because it COMES with a sophisticated warning system called ‘conscience.’ Whenever I find myself chugging out and feeling dirty, THAT is the sign that I need to apply God’s Premium THRPLGEP filter! Like a car’s filter, the MORE I use it, the less grungy I feel and act. Which, in turn, makes my life’s engine run smoothly.

I have to admit that changing my filter can is not as easy as I think it should be. Often I wrestle with coughs and chugs as dirt gets into my life and I don’t notice. But God’s filter is EXTREMELY fine. And even the SLIGHTEST micron of filth is detected. When I FINALLY realize what the issue is and go to my filter, it is easy to run the THRPLGEP test…

Is what I am thinking True? Honorable? Right? Pure? Lovely and…well.. you get the idea. Oh.. and the price?? Don’t bother trying to pay… it’s FREE!!!! Kinda! And automatically comes with your New Life in Christ! Yeah… I mean YEAH!!!!!!!!!! (That was a joke too!)

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

It was Father’s day and there were 10 of us hanging around the house. Kids were playing and adults were talking. One of the grandkids had gone to the refrigerator and brought back 2 cans of soda. BOTH of them were my wife’s favorite brand and kind of hard to find in a store. I said him, “Hey, Would you mind going to get another kind? That’s Gigi’s favorite!” And that is when it all started.

We have plenty of ‘pop’ (that’s what I called it as a kid) in the refrigerator. So it wasn’t an unreasonable request. But Katie didn’t want to have hurt feelings and immediately called for a taste test. “Let’s see what everybody thinks!” Soon she had set up a taste test between Diet Coke and Tab (her favorite). It was fun to watch!

Everyone who took the test took it seriously. They even cleansed their palate with water in between sips! I just sat back and smiled at the whole thing. Because I already KNEW what brand would win!

I don’t know all the particulars about church history and the what’s and why’s of every denomination. But I DO know that people who have an affinity for Jesus know the importance of worshiping in a church. One person likes this while another likes that. One goes here because of the music, another there because of the teaching style. Some don’t bother to go anywhere because NOTHING tastes like they want. And I wonder!!!

Jesus was clear in that He expects every one of His followers to be involved in a church (Hebrews 10:25). Church is TEAM work and it takes all of us to pull it off. But it seems that the Sheep have grown to be quite the picky bunch! Like Goldilocks…some like it hot and some like it cold! Some like it hard and some like it soft. The interesting, yet scary part, comes in the opinions.

The test between Diet Coke and Tab went on. And someone even threw out, “But if Coke ZERO were in this test what would be the result?” The winner of the game was Coca-Cola, since they make ALL the flavors in question! MY big question, that I have no good answer for is, “Does Jesus win among all his so called follower’s opinions and tastes?” in the end I think it all depends on how seriously the tasters take the test!  

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

I had the opportunity of a lifetime and I was not going to let it pass. My Granddaughter was over for a sleepover by herself so it was perfect timing. I asked her to bring her Bible and she did. We had talked a little about reading it and how to grow in our faith. Now I wanted to show her how to do that as well.

Grabbing my markers, we opened her Bible together and I began to tell her of the color system I use to mark important passages. We started with the color ‘Green’ and I asked her, “when we are driving down the road and see a green light, what does that mean?” “Go,” she said. And I explained that when I read anywhere in the Bible that is telling me to do something, I underline it in ‘Green’ so I know it is a ‘command.’ Simple right??? no!

As I have been thinking lately, I realize there are a LOT of words in my Bible that are underlined in Green. But in paying attention to some of them, I have to admit that when it comes to my obedience, my REAL reaction is to say ‘NO.’ Or ‘I GO TOO SLOW!’ I felt rather like a failure.

Conviction can bring either a sense of failure or empowerment. I talked recently with some folks who have been feeling guilty that they have not done what God has asked of them. The conviction of guilt has stopped them in their tracks. Feelings of unworthiness retard any growth. But I only have to look at MY life to see the answer. I can either stay stuck in place… or use His command to GO and DO what He says.

Jesus Christ will be the first to tell you that He does not own a ‘Guilt Bag.’ He doesn’t collect failures to whack us with then we arrive home to Glory. He DOES have a ‘JOY Jingle’ though. And when we DO what He asks, HIS JOY follows us right here, right now. So I must learn to GO when He says. And practice makes perfect.

This verse today tells us explicitly the 1 thing Jesus has asked us to Go and DO. ‘GO… Tell everyone about the life, joy and peace I offer. You know.. like the one I give YOU!’ Convicted, I realize that If I don’t have it… I can’t go share it. And I can’t GET it… until I grab and USE it!

Please pray for our Church … A few of us are going to the local street corner where protesters have been staging themselves. God has convicted me that it is MY corner, since it is on the same road as our church. One of their signs said, “Come Join Us!” So we are taking the Gospel. Thank you for praying for us. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime!