The Rebellious Spirit of Independence.

Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Psa 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psa 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Psa 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Psa 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psa 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Why would anyone want to flee from the Spirit of the Lord? Well, most of us, at one time or another.

As a teenager gets full of him or herself and longs to roam from home, so the believer's flesh can tend to seek its independence from the Creator.

The teenager is loved, well cared and provided for, protected and prayed for. And still, they feel the need to get out from under the old man and woman's thumb. If only they knew how good they have it.

Same with the believer. God is so good to us, He is willing to move heaven and earth for our benefit, but the rebellious will wants to go it alone.

Eventually the teen, now nearing 30, realizes how good he or she had it and how wonderful the parents actually are and longs for the old fellowship that existed before the rebellion poisoned the relationship. And so it is with the child of God who should never have went prodigal from the loving, caring God who meets every need.

Even this day, the temptation will be to sneak away from home, if only for a moment. Our flesh will long to go it alone, departing from our Maker to make an unwise decision, entertain a wicked thought, travel behind enemy lines, to give in to an unholy pleasure or habit.

Don't do it! Resist that fleshly appetite to rebel against heaven's authority. Stay close to Him, because He is always in you, above and below you, before and behind you, and if you stray, He is always there to bring you back home.

No, Never Alone!

Psa 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

How precious are the thoughts the Lord has for us! The word precious means valuable, rare, prized. And they are not just few and passing, but many and lingering.

The psalmist declares that the Lord's consideration of us is so great that we cannot count His thoughts about us. They are greater than the sand of the sea.

Is this just hyperbole? I suppose, but the point is well put. As a pastor of a small congregation, I find it difficult to pray and care for each congregant on a regular basis. I have so much to do, or so I think. Well, with all the Maker has to do, He sets aside and inordinate amount of time for me. I am blown away by the thought of His thoughts for me.

Thank you, God for thinking of me. I don't deserve your attention, yet you lavish me with loving thoughts. You go before me to plan my path. You clear the way so that I may safely tread. May my thoughts about you be more consistent and worshipful.

He's Everywhere, He's Everywhere!

Psa 139:1 Psa 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psa 139:3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Psa 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psa 139:5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

How smart was King David? Really, what is the IQ of the guy that writes the majority of the most voluminous book of the Bible? The man who invented a ton of instruments? And yet, he gets to thinking about the omnipresence and omniscience of God, has a brain freeze and gives up, saying, Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

God has searched each of us and known us, completely, intimately and intricately known us. He knows our thoughts AND understands them, which is a ton more than I can say for myself.

Not only does He know us, but He watches us. Every time we sit or stand, He takes note. He surrounds the sidewalk we head down, He knows which corner we will turn on. Every word that rolls off our tongue, He knew them before we spoke them. AND, even when we withdraw our hands from His, He keeps His hand on us!

Wow! David, I am with you, that's too much to understand.

Cry Me a River

Psa 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Psa 137:3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Psa 137:4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?

The people of Judah have been taken captive to Babylon. They are hundreds of miles from home, in a strange land, a different culture, a foreign language, and an odd religion. They are missing their people, their homeland, their way of life, their temple and their worship. Sadness prevails, depression seeps into every crevice of their consciousness and misery is their constant companion.

The locals taunt the Jews with requests for some of the old songs. how about a Gershwin tune? Maybe one calls for some Hava Nagila. But, alas, there is no joy in their step and no song in their heart. They don't feel like singing and they would really rather not praise God at this low ebb in their miserable existence.

Maybe you know how they feel? When you are in the far country feeding filthy swine, having wasted your fortune on riotous living and are destitute, lonely and longing for home, for God's house.

If only! If only I were delivered. If only I had never left home. If only I could sleep in my own bed. If only I were with mom and dad again.

Instead, you turn off the radio, you don't feel like music is appropriate for your mood. You have almost forgotten what home is like (vs 5).

Unlike the captive Jews of old, our trip home begins with a simple prayer. Lord, I'm coming home. Maybe when we get there we can strike up the band once again.

Contemporary Choruses

Psa 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

A war is raging these days in Christian circles over music. There are those who insist on the old standbys of the faith, the great hymns of yesteryear complete with King James style thee’s and thou’s.

And then there are the choruses of today with quite a bit more beat and repetition of words over and over again, redundantly repeating deja vu repetitive words. (I wonder if I made my point. :<)

The old folks don't like the new, the young don't care for the old and then there are the ones caught in the middle who like both. Contemporary vs Traditional, Conservative/Progressive, some even say Liberal/Pharisaical.

Personally, I like a good balance and would prefer that all Christians practice a little grace and learn to like both kinds of music.

Someone said, the key to learning is repetition. I never learned who said that, I guess I didn't hear his/her name enough times. Repetition also confirms the thoughts expressed by the words. A person may become bored by what they consider over usage, while others are emotionally struck by the thoughts as they are repeated.

As I read the 136th Psalm, I am struck that both the writer and the Inspirer, the Holy Spirit, would be at home with many of the modern choruses. 26 times the phrase "for his mercy endureth forever." Hey, lookie there, repetition and a KJV word 'endureth' together in the same phrase. Talk about a blended music program.

The hard liners would cringe if this Psalm had a tune put to it and it were flashed on the overhead to be sung in the worship time! And yet, how more "old school" can you get than the words right out of the Bible?

Makes a guy think, "Hmmmm."

But that's all really beside the point, isn't it? The real gist is that God's mercy endureth forever, and for that, we need to give thanks.

Dumb Idols, Dumb Idolaters.

Psa 135:15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psa 135:16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
Psa 135:17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
Psa 135:18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

Notice that verse 18 says that the people who make the dumb idols and the ones who trust in them are just like the idols themselves - dumb!

I don’t mean to be unkind to simple and ignorant people who have been fooled by false religions, but rubbing the Buddha's belly is a futile practice that defies sensible faith. And yet how manifold are the idols made by hands?

Why anyone would bow to an unspeaking, unseeing, unhearing, non-breathing statue is beyond me. And yet hundreds of millions of poor dumb souls do it each day.

Tell me how some person, who no longer lives, can broach the span of this life and the next to hear a prayer, receive adoration or any other such foolishness.

Let's take Mary for instance. Mary, Jesus' mother was a great lady in every sense. God chose her to birth His Son, she was highly favored, greatly esteemed, pure, passionate in her faith. And yet, how embarrassed must she be up yonder in heaven when fooled adherents bow in front of her statue or picture, light candles to her, ask her to plead to her son to assuage His anger against them.

She is not supernatural. She cannot hear prayers of devotees from all over the globe simultaneously. Mary needed a Savior just like the rest of us. That’s why she ‘rejoiced in God her Savior.’

How simple can these superstitious idolaters be to think that some patron saint, whom not even their own religion can confirm whether they be in heaven or purgatory, can, by virtue of paying a few centavos so that a candle may be lit, and then they could protect the petitioner?

And so we are told in the following verses to simply "Bless the Lord." Forget statues, put aside the candles, ignore artist's renditions and bow before the living Christ Who speaks, hears, breathes and works miracles.

Israel Belongs To the Jews and Heaven Belongs to You!

Ps 135:10-12 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings; Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan: And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.

Could you imagine how simple things would be if everyone in Europe and the Arab world would just understand that God has given the land of Israel to His people, period!? It does not belong to the Palestinians, Russia cannot overthrow it, Ahmadenijad cannot annihilate it and Saudi Arabia cannot push His people into the sea.

The Word here says that God has given the land to the Israelis for an inheritance. He owns it, He has the rights to it, and He gave it to them.

In 1967, the Arab world came against it, in the Yom Kippur war they did so again, yet each time, it was confirmed, that inheritance belongs to Israel. When God grants an inheritance, it is irreversible and irrevocable.

So we look in I Peter, the first chapter, and find this promise to us, His children of the New Covenant: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Child of God, no matter what happens, no matter how fierce the attack of the enemy, you are promised an inheritance that can never be revoked. It is an incorruptible, undefiled home in heaven reserved for you.

Whatever heaviness or temptation, no matter the trial nor the fire, heaven awaits you who have been adopted into the King's family.

So keep on keeping on, depend on His grace and strength, knowing that soon, you will take up residence in your eternal home.

A Great Big Wonderful God!

Psa 135:7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

Many people desire to live their lives independent of the Creator. They wish for no interference from above. They are content with their own agenda and life style.

So, what if God pulled out of their lives? I mean, what if He backed off and let them run the whole thing themselves? Well, we see in this verse that they would occupy a barren desert. This "godless" existence would mean no morning dew glistening in the sun from green blades of grass. Roses, poppies, xenias and marigolds would never bloom. Birds wouldn't chirp, bees wouldn't buzz. There would be no brooks to babble, rivers to roll, no ponds to ponder nor lakes to live by. The breezes would never blow. Only desolate wasteland with endless vistas of hopelessness.

And this pretty much describes the soul without the Savior. An eternal conclusion would mean death, where all the aforementioned become reality in a place called hell.

I am so glad to have a loving Lord, a sovereign Savior who draws the moisture from the ground, sends it heavenward, and then allows it to fall back to the earth, only to repeat its cyclic journey.

I am thankful that He blessed my soul with celestial dew and opens the windows of heaven rouring out rich and undeserved blessings.

Lord, today, send the wind of your Holy Spirit out of your heavenly treasury into the depths of my soul. Thank you for always being there even when I indicate that I'd rather go it alone!

God Above All Gods

Psa 135:5, 6 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

For most of us, this verse holds kind of a "Duh!" quality.

We know that God is God, that He alone sits in the heavens as Creator, Sovereign Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know that He has no equal, He is unmatched in power, knowledge, ability and presence.

But in the world and to the people to which this was written, these verses were greatly important. In that world of idolatrous practices, everyone had their householk, local and regional deities. People paid homage to gods of battle, peace, fertility, water, gods of the mountains and gods of the plains. Common were the taunts of "my god is greater than your god!"

So the Psalmist proclaims what he knows from experience, "Ain't no God like my God! He does what He pleases in heaven, on earth, and even in the seas."

But we are so advanced in our society, so assured that our contemporary times have no room for such foolish, backward, barbaric thinking of the ancient idolaters. But are we really so wise?

Just look around and note the idolatrous practice of 21st century America.

On an average Sunday morning in the good old U.S. of A, how many are bowing at an altar to Jehovah and how many are bowing at altars of the lesser gods?

Many are passionately worshiping the lord of the lawn, the rector of recreation, the czar of the car, the sovereign of sleep, the sultan of sex, and the greatest idol of all, the master called me!

To be blunt, most people make contortionists look stiff and unyielding as they easily and with much practice bend the knee to self. "I did it my way" is the hymn of praise of these modern heathen. God, they serve with their lips, but with their hearts, they serve the trinity of id, ego and super ego, me myself and I, body, soul and spirit.

And though my flesh tries to revert to this same heathen practice on a daily basis, I know the abject failure that ensues with each act of idolatry, whether the statue I bow to is self or any other of the lesser gods.

I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Planting the Seed

Jesus said that the harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few. Recently, I have been convicted about my lack of soul winning. Frankly, I had a sort of “let them go to hell” attitude. I foolishly began to feel that if people really wanted to be saved, they would seek Him out and maybe I could be there to enable them in their decision for Christ.

Imagine, a stalk of corn knocking on my door and asking me if I would come to the field and harvest it and its friends. No, I would have to go to the field on my own, toting the proper tools and get busy.

On Sunday, I challenged our people to plant a seed in the hearts of the people they came into contact with by the time they pillowed their heads on Monday evening. One of our men called me, thrilled that he had had a great opportunity to do so.
When I made this challenge, I was the one who I was aiming at more than anybody else, after all, Jesus called me to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, just as He had any other believer.

While on duty as the chaplain for the police and fire departments, God allowed me to have plenty of opportunities to plant the seed with four little words, “Jesus is your answer.” In an especially poignant exchange, I encountered a poor mother with her hands full. Her two adolescent boys and their problems were all she could handle. She was at the end of her rope. It was my joy to present to her Jesus as her answer. It was thrilling to see her accept this fact. I had told her that what I was about to offer may seem awfully simplistic, she responded by saying that usually the answer is something simple. She was actually excited that her boys could get plugged back into church for some support.

I am thankful that God enables us to do the work that He has called us to do. He opens the doors for us if we will look for the cracks. I encourage you today to stop, look and listen for openings to tell those you encounter that Jesus is the answer to every need or problem they have.

Unity, Sweet Unity

Psa 133:1-3 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Ah, one of my all time favorite Psalms. I despise confrontation and disharmony, especially in the realm of God's work. Why in the world do God's kids have to fight. If more people agreed with me more often, we wouldn't have a problem! :<)

Really though, if a church is all on the same page, whether it be the Bible, by-laws, church covenant, etc., then why should there ever be disunity? The answers are really pretty simple.
1. My agenda verses yours.
2. You hurt my feelings.
3. I just don't like his personality.
4. No one is going to talk to me that way.
5. They mistreated my kids (spouse, car, donkey, etc).
You get the idea, right? Disunity always boils down to carnality, personality and other non-essentials.

Augustine said it so well: "In essentials, unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity."

Now, why can't I ever say things that profoundly elegant? I don't like Augustine anymore!

If anyone in my church ever decides to get in the flesh and cause problems, I think I'll punch their lights out!

Really though, I love what Paul said in Eph 4:3 “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

That word "endeavoring" is active and not passive. It is work, but we must strive to stay united, bound together and peaceful.

In the end, Jesus said that “blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

Questions we should ask ourselves this morning: Am I more adept at division-causing or at peace-making? When was the last time I was part of the solution rather than the problem? How can I bring about healing in our church starting today?

Get filled with the Spirit and start tearing the walls down, removing stumbling blocks. Forgive offences, heal, help, give, have compassion and bite your tongue rather than sharpen it. Peace is possible among God's people if we will but cooperate with God and each other.

Bind us together Lord!

The House of the Lord

Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and...where are the people?

Read Ps 132

Psa 132:3-5 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

I am struck by David's all consuming desire to build a house for the Lord. He commits to not even sleep until he finds a place to build it.

It takes me back to our search for land for our church. We had to consider zoning and local covenants. Once we found it there was the ordeal of procuring building permits and doing it according to all the building and safety codes. We had to prepare the ground, dig footers...well you get the idea, it was a long, drawn out labor of love to build the house of the Lord.

However, now that we have a wonderful edifice to house our local body of Christ, I am saddened that people are so reluctant to worship in God's house, ours or another.

Someone said, "build it and they will come." That isn't exactly the case. I hope that the people of the Lord will be faithful in their attendance to church.

It is Sunday morning and I am preparing for my trip to the house of the Lord. There will be the singing of His praises, encouragement and fellowship among the brethren, worship, the teaching and preaching of God's Word and so much more.

God's day, God's house, God's Word and God's people. I am excited!

Humility, The Characteristic that Turns God's Head

Psa 131:1 A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
Psa 131:2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
Psa 131:3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

Humility is a hard thing to come by because the flesh fights it at every turn.

If anyone had an opportunity to be haughty, it would have been David. He slew a lion and bear with his hands, slew Goliath with a slingshot, invented 100s of instruments and was known as the sweet Psalmist of Israel. He killed a couple of hundred men to earn the hand of the king's daughter in marriage. He personally served in the king's court. He won innumerable battles and ascended to the throne. Women swooned in his presence. If ever there was a man who earned braggadocio, this was the man.

And yet, this psalm has him walking to the temple in sincere humility. His heart is not proud, his eyes are on the ground, shoulders are hunched, mouth shut. Wow!

As flawed as this man was, it is no wonder that God would later call him a man after God's own heart.

You may have compiled a nice list of notable accomplishments. Possibly you also have a laundry list of failures. But neither of these turn God's head. What grabs His attention is humility, an honest inventory of our own capacity for good and evil. God knows the stuff we are made of and when we align our thinking with His truth in the matter of our limitations, Then He can give grace to the humble.

Waiting on the Lord

Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Psa 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Sometimes we feel as if the Lord is somewhat dispassionate about our plight, maybe even disinterested. We pray about deliverance or relief from a difficulty. We make supplication for ourselves or others concerning some distress, but the answer doesn't come as we would like. Then we begin to question whether it is God's will, or, are we crossways with the Lord?

Surely you have experienced these frustrations.

A preacher called me the other day out of the blue just to tell me that there is nothing that is going to happen to me or for me one second too early or one second too late. He said that the Architect of the universe is always right on time and is always working things out for us as He deems best. So there is no need to worry or fret, just trust.

So wait for the Lord and hope in His word. He will bless you at the exactly perfect moment.

A Reason to Keep Your Life Clean

Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

The Bible says that the goodness of God leadeth us to repentance.

It seems that the best punishment is God heaping goodness upon the undeserving.

When I am bad, God is good, and it makes me feel like a real louse. I wonder how I could offend One who is so kind to one who is so rotten. It gives me the incentive stay closer to Jesus and farther from sin.

There are those times that, because of our wretchedness, we would wish that God would put us out of our misery, but He knows the stuff that we are made out of, and because of our special relationship, He loves us much the more.
I cannot understand God's infinite wisdom. It seems so incongruous to me at times, but His ways are so far above mine and I am grateful that He knows best.

May His goodness today cause me to resist temptation.

Sin Counting

Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

So, how many times did you sin yesterday? Come on, be honest. Remember, sin is that which we think, say or do which breaks God's law.

Anger, lust, gluttony, sloth, gossip, slander, lies, disobedience, the list goes on and on and on. Were you guilty of any of these and more? Remember, lying is on that list!

I really couldn't tally mine either. There were probably a lot more that I couldn't remember than those I could.

The point is though, and this is big, God doesn't keep a tally. 'Cause if'n He did, we'd all be in a real fix. This verse says that if God kept score, none of us could even stand.

The word mark means to regard, beware of, take heed to, observe. The word stand means to continue, to go on, to remain. You get the idea, God's mercy and selective senility regarding our sins is all that allows us to draw another breath. If justice had its way, we'd all fry like an egg on a Las Vegas sidewalk in August.

You ask me why I'm happy, so I'll just tell you why, because, my sins are gone. And when I meet the scoffers who ask me where they are, I say, my sins are gone. They're underneath the blood of the cross of Calvary, as far removed as darkness is from dawn. In the sea of God's forgetfulness, that's good enough for me. Praise God! My sins are gone.

The law of sowing and reaping

Psa 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Psa 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Paul tells us in Galatians that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

This year's garden in our back yard will have some great produce items; strawberries, radishes, asparagus...mmm.

Basically, we are expecting to reap about what we sowed (except for the weeds, those are planted by the enemy). I don't expect many pineapples or cumquats from this year's harvest simply because we neglected to plant any.

Funny how we expect things in life that we have not done the ground work for, neither have we planted the seed. In our society of “gimmie, gimmie, take, take,” we have raised a generation of folks who think that, "What's mine is mine and what's yours in mine." They feel as if they are owed something they didn't labor for.

Today's verses say the same thing about souls. If we want to bring people into God's family, we are going to have to go forth (that means getting up off our ample ecclesiastical lazy bottoms). Then we must get out there with the seed, the Word of God, the Gospel, plant it in some hearts and then water that seed with some tears.

Then, and only then, can we expect additions to God's family and a church which is alive with growth.

Let me ask, when was the last time you planted the gospel seed? Would you look for one soul today whose heart is open to that precious seed?

A Blessed Mother's Day

M - O - T - H - E - R
"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell
"MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.
Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

Mother's Day Story: Struggle of Anna Jarvis
A loving daughter from West Virginia, Anna Jarvis is recognised as a 'Founder of Mothers Day' and 'Mother of Mothers Day'. Anna kept the word of her activist mother, Mrs Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis who once expressed a wish that someone should strive to provide mothers their due recognition. After her mothers death in 1905, Anna's determination became strong and she along with several supporters started lobbying for the official holiday on Mothers Day by writing letters to the people in power. To celebrate Mothers Day, Anna began to send her mothers favorite flowers, carnations in her local church requesting people to wear them in honor of their mothers. The idea gained immense popularity over the years and in 1910, West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mothers Day holiday. On May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

How low can you go?

Psa 130:1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
Psa 130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Psa 130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Psa 130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
Psa 130:8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

I am not a very flexible person. Take that in any sense you want to, but doing the limbo is one of the worst ideas imaginable for a non-bender like myself. I wasn't made to contort like that.

Getting low spiritually and emotionally isn't very enthralling to me either. The lower I go, the harder survival gets.

The psalmist finds himself way down in the dumps for the umpteenth time and tells us how to get back on top of things.

It seems that only when most of us hit bottom, do we decide to look up. When we are at our lowest, then we cry out for our "Higher Power."

So, from the depths this godly man cries out to the Lord. As usual, the Lord hears him. In spite of sin and iniquity, heaven has mercy for the millionth time and grants forgiveness.

There are three words repeated here that we must mark well; wait, hope and watch. The Lord rejoices in redemption, but it is not always on our schedule, so we must be patient and continue to cry out from the depths, the depths of depression, discouragement and disillusionment. Wait, hope and watch, for with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption.

No matter how low we go, the Lord's arm is not shortened that it cannot save.

How low are you today? How far down have you gone? Cry out to the One who will hear your voice and grant mercy.

Mom's day is coming.

Ps 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: (Children)
Yes, the man can be happy with a bunch of crumb crunchers under foot, but what about the mom?
Busy is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Blessed is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Concerned is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Responsible is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Over protecting is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Full of love is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Industrious is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Harried is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Sleep deprived is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Selfless is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Frustrated is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Over worked and under paid is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Greatly loved and appreciated is the woman that hath her quiver full of them.
Here is a shout out to all those wonderful mom's who make this world a better place.

Workin' on a Building.

Except the LORD build a house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1

The longer I live and the more I observe, the more I am convinced that without God's leadership and involvement, whatever we do is a waste.

I weary of "Christian homes" which are built around the TV set or some other device or activity. I have seen the end of that futility, and it is not pretty.

The Lord is the only foundation which will not crumble. We must allow the Lord to be the architect and builder of our homes and lives to ensure stability and prosperity. Otherwise, all will be in vain.

Jesus gave the analogy of a foolish man building his house on the sand and a wise man building his on a rock. When the storms came, only one house had the safety of a good foundation.

Friend, please make sure that your house, your life, your existence is built by and upon the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The law of sowing and reaping

Psa 126:5-6 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Paul tells us in Galatians that whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

This year's garden in our back yard will have some great produce items; strawberries, radishes, asparagus...mmm.

Basically, we are expecting to reap about what we sowed (except for the weeds, those are planted by the enemy). I don't expect many pineapples or cumquats from this year's harvest simply because we neglected to plant any.

Funny how we expect things in life that we have not done the ground work for, neither have we planted the seed. In our society of “gimmie, gimmie, take, take,” we have raised a generation of folks who think that, "What's mine is mine and what's yours in mine." They feel as if they are owed something they didn't labor for.

Today's verses say the same thing about souls. If we want to bring people into God's family, we are going to have to go forth (that means getting up off our ample ecclesiastical lazy bottoms). Then we must get out there with the seed, the Word of God, the Gospel, plant it in some hearts and then water that seed with some tears.

Then, and only then, can we expect additions to God's family and a church which is alive with growth.

Let me ask, when was the last time you planted the gospel seed? Would you look for one soul today whose heart is open to that precious seed?

Happy Life!

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Ps 126:2,3

What makes you happy? What turns your crank? Are you happy these days?

Ol' Blue Eyes sang:
It's a wonderful world, I'm just walking on air
Talk of heaven on earth, I've got more than my share
Haven't got a care, happy all day thru
It's a wonderful world, loving wonderful you.

This is the kind of attitude we all strive for, a kind of euphoric high that floats us above the garbage that keeps everyone else sad.

I find that it is not circumstance that makes us happy or sad, but perspective. We choose gladness or sorrow based on how we receive and percieve circumstance. Good and evil come upon each of us daily but there is that which never changes for the child of God. We have been eternally set free. He has done wonderful, great and marvellous things for us which can never be undone.

If we would choose to dwell on things like our salvation, our security, our acceptance in the Beloved, our future home in the heavens, then our difficulties down here below would seem relatively insignificant.

Paul said that the sufferings of this present world are not even worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.

Brother and sisters, be glad this day for Jesus' sake, laugh and sing like there's no tomorrow, because your tomorrow may just be repleat with streets of gold and grand mansions.

Living the Dream!

Psa 126:1-3 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

"It's only a dream"
"You're dreaming"
"Pipe dreams"
"Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming"
"When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true"
"Day dreams"
"Whenever I want you all I have to do is dream"
"California dreamin'"
"I have a dream!"
"In your dreams"

Wow! You'd think dreams were a good thing...and they are! In my dreams, the impossible can happen. The dead are brought back to life, I can fly, happiness reigns.

My little girl dreamed last night of gold all around the streets. I said that's what heaven is like. She said it was heaven.

The psalmist is telling of an event so wonderful, so impossible, so satisfying that he thought it had to be a dream.

That event was the LORD delivering His people from captivity. After decades of Babylonian bondage, they were given their walking papers, and walk they did. All the way back to their homeland, to rebuild the city, the walls and the holy temple. It was so unbelievable that they were pinching each other to make sure it wasn't just a dream.

I said earlier that I often dream of flying. Sometimes I can dunk a basketball like Dr. J. Other times I can long jump and not land until I want to. In another recurring dream, I can be walking down a sidewalk and start bounding and not touch the ground for a block, or even more. That dream is so real to me. I think, while still sleeping, that I should enter the Olympics. Ha! I am 50 and thinking about the Olympics. "Only in your dreams."

OK, back to reality, time to wake up and smell the coffee.

Every time that God delivers me from an impossible situation, each time He frees me from bondage, when the God of the impossible turns again my captivity - another dream comes true.

Oh, and one day soon, I am going to fly. I will fly away from sin, away from corruption, away from heartache, sickness and pain. I will fly to the clouds, through the atmosphere, above the stars, through the Milky Way to my eternal home.

Don't be surprised if, on the way up you see me and I say to you, pinch me, I think I'm dreaming!

Mountains all around me

Psa 125:1 A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
Psa 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

What an absolutely beautiful picture the writer of this psalm gives. This is another of those songs that worshippers sang as they walked up to Jerusalem to visit with God at the temple.

Think of a little boy or girl, holding to a parent's hand, looking about their little band of believers and seeing the mountains encompassing the holy city. Then this chorus would be sung, "they that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be moved."

Then the young one would look at their goal, Mt Zion, the hill of God.

And then, they would move on to verse two, "as the mountains are round about Jerusalem..."

How awesome would be that wedding of song and sight. Mountains speak majesty.

"So the LORD is round about his people..." That little mind must have been highly impressed by that phrase. Like these mountains surround Jerusalem, so my God surrounds me."

Nothing like a visual aid to teach truth. We don't have many mountains here in Nebraska, so some may not fully appreciate this visual, so let me make another analogy. Let's say you are being bothered by some punks on a regular basis, and then somebody enlists the entire interior offensive and defensive line units from the Huskers. They agree to surround you wherever you go, whatever you do. Who or what could you possibly fear with an entourage like that?

Sci-fi gave us the concept of the force field, an invisible, impenetrable shield of protection. God is like that, only better, He loves you!

My God Never Sleeps

Psa 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Slumber and sleep are two completely different words. Slumber indicates getting drowsy and nodding off. Sleep, on the other hand, means to remain long in unconsciousness.

When Elijah challenged the prophets of baal on top of Mt. Carmel, he taunted them because their false god didn't answer their incantations to consume their sacrifice. He said, “maybe your god is sleeping, or perhaps is on a journey, better cry a little louder, maybe you'll wake him up.” Jehovah God, on the other hand answered in a powerful manner.

I am happy to announce that my God is alive, alert and attentive to every need in the life of His children. He sees, He hears, He knows and He acts, time after time.

The rest of this wonderful, assuring chapter tells us that the Lord is actively watching out for us in the most minute of details. He watches our every step, orders shade to hide us from the sun's harmful rays, and preserves us as we go out and as we come in.

Be assured, friend, that God is attentive to your plight. He neither slumbers nor sleeps.