40 Hours of Reflection

The following was not written by me.  It was written by my mother-in-law.  It was recently read at her funeral.  I hope that when my time comes, I’ll have something as profound and meaningful to leave for my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Tom Williams 

40 Hours of Reflection

by Darlene Wilson

A church service is 2 hours long. The Titanic movie 3 hours long. Watching 40 episodes of the Friends TV program back to back would take 20 hours. 40 hours is a full work week.

I spent the longest and most challenging 40 hours of my life trapped in a bathtub. I was not trying to set a world record for the longest bath for 77 year old woman, it was an accident. I'm telling you this only to glorify God, because God is my strength.

My story begins on Tuesday, December 15, 2003, shortly before 10 p.m. I had spent several hours handing out oranges at the food pantry and doing errands and was incredibly tired. I raced through the front door my mobile home without even locking it behind me as I really needed to get to the bathroom! I was so exhausted I fell asleep sitting on the stool. When I finally woke and stood up, my right foot and leg were numb and I lost my balance.

The stool was near the tub and the shower. The tub had a hard plastic folding shower door with a soft blue cloth shower curtain covering it. I fell against the folding door and into my empty four foot long bathtub with a crumpled shower door underneath me. I faintly remember removing pieces of the shower door, then assessing my situation. I was fully closed, but without my shoes. I was wearing my glasses and watch. The light was on.

I tried many times to get out of the tub without success. Since my knee replacements, I couldn't kneel, so that made it difficult. As a diabetic, I needed medicine and food. I began praying for God to be with me and for him to do a miracle. I asked God if I was being punished or had done something wrong. He assured me that I wasn't being punished; it was an accident. "Forgive me for thinking that. Devil get behind me, I belong to Jesus Christ and you can have none of me." I bound the devil and kept chanting Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus.

Eventually my family would come looking for me, however, I have no idea how long I would be confined to the tub. I did know I needed depend on Him for survival tactics. I am week, but he is strong. I needed to keep focused and listen to him.

There was no one to talk to other than God. I pray and read my bible every morning, but this was closer communion for a longer period of time than I had ever experienced. These were some of the things He told me:

- He was there for me and would never leave me or forsake me

-He was not the cause, but the answer to my problem

-I must move my feet and legs and do ankle pops. I must do some exercises to keep my body moving.

-I needed to breathe deeply and cough so I wouldn't get hypostatic pneumonia. I didn't even know what that was!

-I needed liquid to survive

-I needed to sleep, if possible

I thanked God the bathroom door was open, the heat was a at 70º and I was warm … most of the time.

I tried to turn on water, but the faucets were high up on the wall. I finally got the cold water on a bit. It dripped on my feet. I cupped my hand to get a few teaspoonfuls of water so I could get a drink. The water dripped on my blouse and chilled me as I brought my hand to my mouth. After drinking a little water, I worked to shut it off. Many times over the coming hours I repeated the steps to keep from dehydrating.

The muscle spasms were intense starting at my groin is spreading down my legs. I prayed through them. They kept coming and I kept praying. I was uncomfortable in other ways. Let's just say I know why a baby cries when their pants are wet. God was there for me spiritually, physically and emotionally. His staff ministered to me at all times keeping me from feeling sorry for myself and helping me control my thoughts and emotions.

I sang hymns and childhood songs, recited the books of the Bible, praised God, prayed in tongues and recited poems I had learned in grade school. Occasionally, I slept. I kept remembering events from my life as I thought about my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I reminisced about my husband, Darrell, and good times we had in our life together and about my parents, four brothers and four sisters.

I thought about my extremely hard of hearing grandmother, Hattie Teter, and what a strong influence she had on my life. She was the spiritual leader of our family reading the Bible to us, taking us to church every Sunday and setting a good example. She reflected the love of God.

One thing she taught me was not to worry. She said worry with a lack of faith in God. If you had faith in God, you gave your problems to him and it was up to him to solve them.

I laughed at some memories I realize I had never even told my children. We attended a small country church with a potbellied stove. There was no water, no inside toilet, just a path out behind, but God was there and so was I. At age 10, sermons could be rather dull. Sitting next to the minister’s daughter, I played a game during the sermon. She opened the song book and explained that to every song title we added the words "under the bed."

Jesus loves me… under the bed. Amazing grace … under the bed. Joy to the world … under the bed. What a friend we have in … Jesus under the bed. We began giggling uncontrollably. Her mother came over and took the song look away from us. We knew better than to try that again, at least not in church!

I remember how happy we were when our first daughter, Becky, was born. We were married 5 years and 1 day when she arrived. I can still see the little pink toes and fingers as I cuddled her cheek. The memory was a happy one, yet brought tears to my eyes. This was the first time we experienced God's miracle of birth. We felt this joy three more times when Linda, Shelley and Janet were born.

I had a flashback to Becky’s kindergarten days. Our wedding anniversary with February 27th and her bath birthday was February 28th. She came home from school on her birthday telling me she had announced to the teacher that her parents were married one day and she was born the next. I quickly ask if you had explained we had been married 5 years and 1 day before she was born. "No," was her response, "she didn't ask!"

God kept my mind busy and I didn't dwell on my situation. Even in the bathtub I had peace and joy. He reminded me of the times He had already saved my life. At 5 I took my 4 year old brother, Gene and our dog to the creek. The dog kept me from drowning that day. To avoid a severe seat warming, I never told my parents.

At 12 I had measles with an extremely high fever and was delirious for three days. During the depression you didn't have a doctor come in for search minor ailments. I survived, although my hair began to grey from that day forward.

At age 64 I was in a car accident that left me pinned in my vehicle while it was turned on its side with the engine still running. The emergency squad broke my back window, turned off the ignition, and cut my seatbelt so they could free me with the jaws of life. I walked away with only bruises. Got protected me, once again.

I thought about other times God was with me. He told me this time was no different. His tremendous love provided divine protection many times throughout my life. Praise God for such a wonderful Savior who cares and protects us.

Outside the bathtub, the world was continuing on as usual. I felt like it was passing me by. I could hear the daily routine to the neighbors and my phone ringing. Was someone looking for me? I could tell daylight from dark and, of course, the time. Although I felt detached from the world, I felt a constant connection with God.

A few minutes before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, I heard a noise at my front door as someone came in. I always lock the door, but realize I forgot in my haste to get to the bathroom.

As I screamed for help a voice said, "I'm here, Grandma, it's Alyssa."

When I saw her white winter hat as she rushed into the bathroom, I told her she looked just like an angel. “Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, praise His name!”

Alyssa gave me a glass of water and called 911. When the police arrived they ask me some stupid questions to see if my time in the tub had expected me mentally. I told him I wasn't any worse of mentally than I usually was! More police, and an emergency squad and an ambulance arrived to extract me for my plastic prison. I was shaking smelly and ready to be released. At the hospital I was told my sugar level was a little high, my muscles were weak, but all other tests were normal. Once again, God had his hand on my life.

I came out of this ordeal with the greater appreciation for life and God. I cherish many things that I once took for granted. I can use my arms and legs, see, hear, eat and enjoy my grandchildren. I can get a drink of water, drive my car and sleep in a comfortable bed between sheets. He said, “I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” My life was more abundant because of my 40 hour confinement.

Don't give up because God doesn't answer your prayers in your time frame. God's timing is not ours. He is neither ahead or behind: he is always on time. Although I waited 40 hours, I wasn't mad at God. I knew God was the solution, not the problem! If anyone is wondering if God is real, have no doubt.

Did I mention my insurance policy? It covered me even when I was in the bathtub. My insurance agent is Jesus Christ. I have full coverage and it cost me nothing. He paid the premium in full over 2000 years ago when He died on the cross. If you don't have this type of insurance policy, please consider talking to my insurance agent. His phone number is 1 800 P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Family Is As Family Does

Mark 3:19b-35
3:19b Then he went home;3:20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind.3:22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons."  3:23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?  3:24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.3:25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.3:26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 3 :27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.3:28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin. 3:30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."  3:31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 3:32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother ad your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 3:33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 3:34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!  3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

 

“Family Is As Family Does”

When I read a passage of scripture, I like to insert myself into the story. It helps me to gain a better understanding of the events.

So, right now I want you to use your imagination. I want you to visualize your older brother or a slightly older childhood friend. Think of somebody that you played hide and seek with. Someone that you caught lightening bugs with, went fishing with, climbed trees, fought imaginary battles with, and play board or video games with. Have you pictured that person in your mind?

Good!

Now imagine that he has just told you that he has superpowers. He claims that he can leap tall buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive, and is faster than a speeding bullet. And he’s serious! He really believes it.

What do you do?

What if he’s brought home some friends that believe him. And they are telling you that they’ve witnessed these amazing feats.

What do you do now?

What if he’s announced his abilities on the national news and now there are crowds of people following him everywhere? Some are following him hoping to see him perform some amazing feat. Some are following him because they truly believe he can do what he says. And some are following because they want to prove that he’s a fraud.

And now he has shown up at your door looking plumb tuckered out and hungry … but the crowds keep pressing in … wanting more and more from him.

Now what do you do?

This is a very intriguing passage of scripture in the Gospel of Mark.

It is not a long passage.

It does, however, introduce us to some characters and characteristics that are worth noting.

Here is the background.

Jesus was becoming well known as a teacher, a prophet and a healer and the crowds kept following him.

There were folks from other countries that came to hear his messages and to witness the miraculous things that he was doing.

He had tried getting in a boat and crossing the sea. Yet more crowds followed.

He’d climbed up a mountainside and they still came.

It appears that, just when he thought it safe to return to his home, more crowds gathered.

Most scholars believe that this was his home in Capernaum (see Mark 2:1) this is the same home where, at another time, some men tore the roof off so that they could lower their friend down to be healed.

He and his disciples are more than tired … they are nearly physically spent.

Many of us know that feeling. Amen?

As a young father, I was working two fulltime jobs, a daytime job and a nighttime job. At one point I had been awake for nearly one hundred hours before I could get home to sleep. I was so spent that I quite literally would fall asleep walking. I’d kind of slump and then catch myself before I hit the floor. Then I’d praise God for the nap.

At least I had a lunch break at both jobs. I could set an alarm and snooze for a little bit in a back room or break-room. And I had time to gulp down a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

The scriptures say that Jesus didn’t even have time to eat because of the demands of the people following him.

So, he has returned home and his earthly family were also there. And they were concerned. Some were concerned for his health and some were concerned for his sanity. In fact they went out to physically restrain him. Isn’t that amazing?

It reminded me of another family that is mentioned in the scriptures. Mark 9:17-29 tells us this story where Jesus comes upon an argument between a group of people and the Scribes. Jesus asks what is going on.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered.  “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.

But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

This poor father had tried everything to protect his child. He had often had to restrain him to keep him from harming himself. That’s what families do … they try to protect each other. Amen?

Family is as family does.

Jesus’ family was attempting to do the same thing. Jesus was on the verge of collapse and yet the people demanded more from him. The family wanted to forcibly bring him into the house and away from the mob.

Again, use your imagination; put yourself in the role of one of Jesus’ brothers or sisters. You grew up in the same household. He was the older son and had learned the carpentry trade from his earthly father. At Joseph’s death, he would have inherited the family business and the responsibilities of the head of household. He was expected to care for his mother and siblings. But now … now he has become an itinerant preacher. And he’s not even ordained by the General Board of Clergy! He has no formal standing with the ruling religious authorities. In fact, the religious authorities are “out to get him.”

So, once again, what do you do about or for this brother who is acting so strangely?

Do you think that Jesus felt a little betrayed by his family … or was he glad that they cared enough to try and protect him? Because at this point, the family didn’t fully understand the extent of Jesus’ earthly mission. He was unable to turn away from doing what the Father had sent him to do.

We know that there is a large crowd that followed Jesus right up to the door of his house.

Among the crowd that had gathered were the religious leaders and teacher of the day, the Scribes.

Verse 22 reads: “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." These were leaders and they were in fear of loosing their positions of power and authority to this man who openly claimed to be the son of God and God the Son.

They came to catch Jesus in the act of some deceit or trickery. When they couldn’t find a way of discounting the miraculous things that Jesus did … they tried to say that he was using the power of the devil to cast out the demons.

Jesus makes fun of their argument by basically saying that the devil casting out the devil is just about the most stupid thing that these students of the scripture could say.

He then says in 3:28, "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"- for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Over the years I have heard many interpretations about this “unpardonable sin”. But I found the following statement by >>>>>>>>> that seems to explain it within what we know of Jesus character and mission. He was sent, after all, to be the savior because God does not want to loose a single soul.

He (Jesus) warned them about the eternal consequences of failing to recognize His true identity (vv.28-30) That's the only sin which cannot be forgiven... I want to make two brief statements about the verse 29 which says, "...but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”
o   That statement needs to be understood within context of this larger passage...that Jesus was doing amazing, supernatural things the Jewish leaders could not deny...instead of denying His works, they questioned the power behind His works...they looked at obvious work of God and attributed it to Satan...through Jesus, using Holy Spirit as communicating agent, God was revealing Himself to the world... these people looked directly at the revelation of God and rejected it...that's the unpardonable sin...rejecting God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ…
o   The reason that is unpardonable is self-evident...to say a person who rejects Jesus will not be forgiven is like saying a person who refused liquids will die of thirst...food /starvation...breath / asphyxiation...rejecting Jesus is rejecting our only avenue for forgiveness....as Scripture says, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we might be saved."...to reject Jesus means to die in our sins and that results in eternal separation from God...

The Scribes and Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day. And they should have been the first to embrace this Messiah for whom they had been praying. Over and over again Jesus had told them who he was and what his mission was. They were witnesses to the mighty works he was doing … works that would have been impossible without the power of God working through him. But as John says in his gospel, “He came to his own and his own knew him not.” They should have been acting like family, but they weren’t.

Family is as family does.

Other than the Scribes, who else were following him?

Among the crowd were also those who were just curious. I heard a saying once that nothing draws a crowd of people like a crowd of people. If you see a crowd of people someplace, don’t you stop to see what is going on? I’m sure that some of the people following Jesus around were like that. They were there because they wanted to see what had drawn the crowd in the first place.

Some were also following because of the wondrous signs that he would perform. I mean, really, it must have been a great “show”. Can’t you just see Him on “Israel Has Talent”?

First week he’d turn water into wine. John 2:1-11

Week 2 He’d fill two fishing boats so full of fish that they begin to sink. Luke 5:1-11

Week 3 Walk on water. Mark 6:48-51

Week 4 Heal ten lepers. Luke 17:11-19

Week 5 Raise people from the dead. Matthew 9:18-26, John 11:38-44

And in the semi finals: Raise himself from the dead. 24:5-7

The grand finally: Ascend into the clouds. Mark 16-19

Just try and top THAT!

However, these people were not family.

Some were following because they needed something from him, like the father of the child with a demon. He had come to Jesus just hoping that Jesus could do something. Some were following because they needed a physical healing for themselves or for their friends. When we are hurting, don’t we naturally turn to family for help?

Family is as family does.

Now at this point there were quite a few that he called his disciples.

In Luke chapter 10 verse 1 we read, “After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.

So we know that these 72 plus the 12 apostles were following.

Very possibly there were hundreds that were following because they truly believed in him and his message.

It was of these folks that Jesus said in 3:35 “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

Jesus, our older brother, has done something for us that we could not do for ourselves. He has the power to overcome Satan, loosen His grip on us, and set us free...that's the message of the entire New Testament... we were dead in our sins...we were trapped...there was no way out...Jesus came to pay the price for our sins through His sacrificial death on the cross and break the power of Satan over us.

The apostle Paul uses similar analogy when he writes that we were held captive by a hostile power ... held hostage in the kingdom of darkness ... but Jesus came, defeated the evil power and transferred us to His family of light and life.
·        

Rejoice! God, our father, would much rather forgive us than condemn us.

Family is as family does.

Now, I told you earlier that I am a preacher because I expect this message to change you in someway.

We have just heard Jesus say, “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

What does that mean to you? Can you claim your kinship with Jesus Christ and God the Father?

John 1:12 & 13 reads “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

To those that have received him I say, “Howdy brothers and sisters.” And ask, “Are following the leading of the Father as an obedient child of God?” If not, here is your chance to recommit yourselves to the family. Remember, family is as family does.

To those who have never received him as your Lord and Savior, I say, “The family awaits your arrival. It is a simple adoption process: Confess your sins to God, ask for His forgiveness, and seek to live a God filled … God directed life.” And we’ll see you at that great family reunion in heaven.

Amen.

The ONE Deadly Sin

As I was sitting there waiting for the sun and the rest of the world to arise, I was once again thinking about “self will versus God’s will”.  This is not a new subject for me to explore.  If you’ve read, watched, or listen to my sermons you’ll see that I’ve visited the subject several times from different angles.  I have to say that I get tired of preachers who keep ‘riding the same hobby horse’ and I may be coming close to riding this one.  However, I truly believe that self will is THE sin.  That all others derive from this one source.

          Let’s explore that idea for a moment.  Let’s look at the “Seven Deadly Sins”.  These sins are: Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy and Gluttony.

          First on our list is the sin of Wrath.  Wrath is not a commonly used word however we all know by its more modern common terms: Anger or Rage.  We can read from the dictionary that “Anger is an emotion related to one’s psychological interpretation of having been offended, wronged, or denied and a tendency to react through retaliation.”  I can say it in much simpler terms, “We become angry when we don’t get our way.”  When our self will is blocked we often react in anger. 

         

          Is there any time when anger is not a sin?  Yes, of course, when our will is in alignment with the will of God and His will is being blocked, then our anger is righteous.  You have probably already thought of Jesus’ anger when He saw the holy temple being misused as a marketplace by dishonest people.  Inferior animals were being sold (and possibly resold) as sacrifices to the people.  The money changers who were changing Roman (and other nations’ currency) for the coins used in the temple, were using dishonest exchange rates.  Jesus’ will was fully inline with God’s and he was angry that God’s will was being thwarted by these supposed leaders of the people.

          Check yourself when you are angry.  Ask yourself, “Why am I angry?  Is it because something has gone against MY will or God’s will?”  If you have had the wrong kind of anger, you must do two things: Forgive and Love.  That is what God in Christ has done for us. 

          For our part forgiveness means that we stop the anger.  Do you remember Peter asking Jesus how many times he should forgive?  Here it is in Matthew 18:21, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Now look Peter was a capable of being compassionate and he shows it by continue the question with a suggestion when he said, “Till seven times?”  Hey!  Seven sounds like plenty of times to me!  But Jesus said to him, “I say not to you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”  You know, don’t you, that Jesus wasn’t literally saying four hundred and ninety times.  He was saying that you keep forgiving until you have REALLY forgiven … when you’ve stopped counting. 

          If you think forgiving is hard … just wait because now you are to LOVE those that HATE you.  Forgiveness is just the stopping of the negative anger.  Now we are to repair the damage.  Matthew 5:43-44 is where Jesus said, “You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemies.  But I say to you. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you.”  This will repair the damage that your wrath has done to YOU.

          Wow!  We’ve only covered the first of those seven deadly sins.  So I’m going to combine two because frankly Greed and Gluttony are so closely associated.  Greed is the over accumulation of whatever we desire.  It is not just about wealth.  Think of hoarders who have old newspapers stacked floor to ceiling with hardly enough room to walk in the house.  Greed can express itself in non-tangible ways also.  Jealousy is greedy love.  People who demand your time for their own purposes are greedy.  I think you are getting the point.  Amen?

          Gluttony is simply the over consumption of the hoarded items; food and otherwise.  Greed gathers and Gluttony consumes.

          Pride yells, “Look at me!  I can run faster, jump higher, and dive deeper than any man on earth.  I’m smarter than anyone in the room.  Women love me and men want to be me.  I’m better than you in every way!  No brag just fact!”

          Okay, for me, it is all brag.  It’s what Texans refer to as “All hat and boots … no cattle.”  However, even if there is some truth behind the bragging, if we fail to give the glory to God for all that we have and all that we are, we are like Goliath.

          You remember Goliath, Amen?  He was the giant Philistine who stood boasting in front of the Israelite army.  He was the very embodiment of pride.  When Goliath saw that David had come to challenge him, Goliath started trash talking him.  “Did you send children to come at me with sticks?”  “Come here, boy, and I’ll feed your flesh to the birds.”

          Goliath seemed to have the right to boast.  He was huge.  His armor weighed more than David did.

          And David?  In his family he was just “the kid” the baby of the family.  He was the youngest and smallest of all his brothers.  Nothing but a skinny armed kid who smelled like sheep.  Nothing here to be prideful of.  Right?

          Well … Maybe! 

          He’d killed a lion and a bear with his slingshot.  However, instead of bragging about what a great shot he was, he gave the glory to God.

          I’m sure that you know the story of David and Goliath.  David, through the power of God, prevailed.  “Pride goes before a fall.”  It was Goliath’s pride in his own strength and skill that got him killed.  And it was David’s trust in the Lord that made him victorious.

          Lust is a strong sexual desire for someone or something.  God built us with the ability and desire to share in physical love.  Lust is the perversion of that desire.  Lust is the desire to completely control or consume.  It is all taking and no giving.  It is the seeking of self satisfaction rather than an expression of love.  Again, it is all about “ME!"

          Envy is a desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else.  This isn’t a case of; “Gee, Bill and Betty have a really nice house.  I’d like to have one like it.”  This is a case of;  “Gee Bill and Betty have a really nice house.  I want IT!”  The envious person believes that they can and should have anything that they desire.  If they don’t have it, it is someone else’s fault. 

          Sloth:  This is a word that we don’t use much and when we do we make it synonymous with laziness.  I can’t help but think of the animal named sloth.  Just to be clear … we are not talking about that slow moving creature.   

          No, this Sloth is a spiritual or emotional apathy.  It is either an outright refusal or merely a carelessness in the performance one’s spiritual, moral or legal obligations.  The joke goes, “I used to be apathetic, but now I just don’t care.”

          Being slothful is more than just laziness.  It is the inability to care about anyone or anything other than ourselves.  That is the clinical definition of a sociopath.  A sloth lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.  Once more, it is a sense that I’m going to do what I want to do without regard to the laws of God or man.

          The Envious, The Wrathful, the Greedy, the Slothful, the Prideful, the Lustful, and the Glutton all want the same thing.  They want to be the center of their own universe with everything and everyone subservient to them.  They try to sit on the throne that fits only God.  When God commanded, “Have no other gods before me.”  That is meant to include ourselves.  We are not to put our will ahead of God’s.

          I don’t know of any who believe in God that would dare to pray, “Not THY will, but MINE”.  And yet how often do we live that concept!  We go about our daily lives living them as if ‘it is all about us”.  How many of our prayers are ‘gimme’ prayers? 

          I can only speak for myself here … but too many of my prayers are focused on MY concerns.  I get in my own way.  (Please read that carefully.  I did not say that I get my own way.  I get in my own way.)  God has a plan but I too often substitute my own plan.  Or I may just ‘correct’ His plan with a better idea.

          I am blessed to know many great prayer warriors that multiple times a day go into battle on behalf of others.  These are the people whom you call when the day is darkest and you can’t see the light.  They are there to hold you when you’ve reached the end your rope and it is beginning to fray.  I am a BIG guy and some of these folks are frail of body but they are oh so strong in the spirit that they can LIFT even me to God the Father in prayer.  The secret of their strength is that they’ve turned their will over to God and let the Spirit of God fill them so full that there is no room left for SELF.

          By the way, the Seven Deadly Sins is a MAN made list of what are considered the WORST sins.  However, realize that God makes no such distinction.  Sin is sin.  Period.  And all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  And when you realize that the wages of sin is death, then you’ll understand that ALL SIN IS DEADLY.  For sinful man can not stand in the presence of God without being destroyed … not by God … but by the sin within us.

But wait … here’s the good news … Christ’s blood has cleansed us of sin and made us able to stand before God and be bathed in the love and fellowship for which we were created.

Amen.

A Short History of Jesus

Sermon:  A short history of Jesus

(Sermon Prepared for May 24, 2015)

 This is Pentecost Sunday.  A lot of sermons today will focus on the events of that day so long ago when the Christ’s church on earth started.  Many will focus on the coming of the Holy Spirit as the promised Comforter.

I, however, am taking my cue from the message that Peter preached that first Pentecost.  Here is a shortened version.  I’ve left out the scriptures that he referenced and gone to the heart of his message.

He begins his preaching in Acts 2:22.

“You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say.  Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know – This man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the Law.  But God raised him up having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.

Continuing on at verse 29

Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us to this day.  Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.

Skipping to verse 36

Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.

Peter that day tried to give an account of Jesus ministry, death, and resurrection.

We have four gospels in our Bible that attempt to give an accounting of the life of Jesus.

John begins his Gospel at the beginning … literally.  “In the beginning was the Word.”  He uses rather poetic language to introduce us to Jesus as the divine Son of God. In just 18 verses he lays out the whole life story of Jesus, the Christ. 

Here is what you need to know about Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.

Christ is eternal and divine.

Before the creation of anything, Christ was already there.  God’s only begotten Son was not a created being.

He is God along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

This is a mystery.  Our God is one God composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Christ tried to explain it simply by saying, “The Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 

Whole libraries are filled with people trying to understand this concept. 

I have my own simple analogy.  It’s not perfect … but it helps me get my mind wrapped around it.

I think of the Godhead as water, H₂O, two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. 

The Father is liquid water which is the lifegiver.  Every living thing has water in its cells. 

The Holy Spirit is steam which is the invisible, powerful, motivating power of God. 

Jesus is ice which is the solid, tangible presence of God.  As John calls him, “God the only son”.

Christ was born. 

We celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus, but remember He pre existed this earthly body. 

What an amazing event when the God of Creation took on human form.

God the Son took on this body of flesh and lived among us. 

That was why he was also called Emmanuel.  It means God with us. 

Think about that!  God … with … us!  Not a distant … disinterested … disconnected … God.

God WITH us!

Try wrapping your mind around that thought for a while.

No wonder, the crowds called out to him … gathered around him … sought to touch him.

And still do!

What an amazing God we have!  Amen?

We celebrate His birth as a gift to us,

but think for a moment how it must have seemed like loss to him. 

Look at what he laid aside to live this life! 

While earth is OUR home and heaven OUR hope,

He had what we hope for … all of eternity in heaven … all of eternity with the complete Godhead:

the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Himself. 

And He stepped out of the heavenly realm onto .. and into … this broken world. 

This world that WE broke.

Adam and Eve were given a perfect world in which to live.

And they were in perfect union with God!

And then … and then … they listen to the devil and did the very same thing that Satan had done that got him cast out of heaven … they set their own self-centered will against the will of God.

Yep!  We broke it and Jesus came to live in that world with us.

 That was God’ plan to heal all of creation.

Christ Lived

Of his early life we know very little. 

We know that he was born in a stranger’s stable … laid in a manger … visited by angels, shepherds and wise men. 

We know that, as a small child, his family fled to Egypt to avoid being murdered by a jealous king.

He was just freshly born into this world and already sinful men tried to kill him.

The devil, the ruler of this world was scared!

Oh was he ever scared! 

He was scared of this promise … this plan … which would break his grip on the world … on us!

The angels said to us, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

We know that at age twelve Jesus was in the Temple in Jerusalem asking questions of the learned temple priests. 

And at the same time he was answering questions that dumbfounded those men of knowledge, because he had wisdom beyond his years … and beyond this world.

Yes, he lived the life of a man, a plain man; although of a Royal Linage he grew up in what we would call a Blue Collar household, the son of a carpenter. 

I can imagine Him as a hard working man with dirt under his nails and calluses on his hands. 

Can’t you? 

Those same hands who smeared mud on the eyes of a blind man to heal him.

Those same hands who sat a little child on his lap and explained, that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must become trusting and believe just like a little child.

Those same hands the made the lame to stand … and the dead to rise from their deathbeds.

Those were the same hands that lifted Peter as he began to lose faith and sink into the sea.

Those same strong, yet gentle, hands waved to some fishermen and invited them to join him.

Yes, at around thirty years old, he began calling others to follow him. 

He called to an odd assortment of folks: fishermen, tax collectors, shop keepers, lepers, women, blind people, rich young rulers, priests and Pharisees. 

One thing he asked of all of them: “Follow me.” 

Some dropped their nets or their purses of gold and followed. 

Some turned away sadly. 

And some turned away angry. 

For the most part the angry were angry because he was a threat to their power and authority. 

These are the ones who murdered him.

Christ has died

Yes, He was unjustly crucified by those who feared Him. 

But in truth they didn’t kill Him. 

He gave up His life.  Did you realize that?  “It is finished,” he said and then he died.

Hanging beaten and broken with his life’s blood dripping from Him, he allowed all the sins that ever had been or ever would be to be laid on Him. 

He bore our guilt and accepted our punishment for that guilt.

My heart broke when I first … finally … really realized that Christ died for MY sins!

Can you imagine that?  This holy, blameless, Son of God who knew no sin, took the beatings for my hardheaded, willful, rebellion against the will of God. 

His blood was poured out to cleanse and purify my sinful nature so that I could come into the presence of holy God.  Thank you, Jesus!

It is recorded that at His death the sky darkened, the ground shook and the Temple veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was torn apart.  And the Centurion in charge of the execution proclaimed, “Truly he was the Son of God.”

Christ is risen.

We can all thank God that death was not the end of the story for Christ.  Amen?

For, although His pale lifeless corpse was quickly cleaned and interned in a cave like grave,

even though the tomb was sealed with a heavy stone,

He rose from the dead. 

He was always in control. 

And, just as he allowed himself to die the physical death, he also rose from the dead because death had no hold on him. 

Son of Man and Son of God.  The Word made flesh that could not be held by death and the grave!

He ascended into heaven

There on a mountainside near Jerusalem, He gave his last command,

“Go into your world and tell everyone the Good News!”

What good news?

The Good News that the price has been paid. 

The Good News that we are free.

Our salvation has been secured.

And the good news … He’s coming back for us.

Now you know about Jesus.  However, it is more important to KNOW Jesus than to ABOUT Jesus.

“He made a change in my life and I want you to know that He can make a change in yours.” 

Really!  That’s what it is all about. 

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in the life changing business.  Praise God!

All sins stem from that same root.

And that root sin is to follow our own will instead of the will of God. 

God loves us and wants the best for us all the time. 

God is good! (All the time.)  All the time.  (God is good.) 

Anytime that we stray from God’s good path, we sin. 

It doesn’t make any difference to God which “flavor” of sin you commit. 

Sin is sin and God is perfect.

Sinful man can not stand in his presence because God’s perfection would destroy us.

Christ’s death erased my sin, your sin, everyone’s sin.

This is the arrangement that the Godhead created so that we, could enjoy that perfect fellowship for which we were created.

Our only duty is to accept that freely given salvation by turning our will over to God.

You’ve heard that, “Not my will, but thine O Lord!” thing?  Amen?

Such easy words to say.  Such a hard promise to make ... and to keep.

I made that promise … to surrender my will to God’s will. 

It wasn’t easy because I am a strong willed child. 

I struggled like Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord. 

And, honestly, there are times when I still, like a disobedient child, stamp my feet and hold my breath and demand that God do it MY way. 

But in the end, my prayer is, “God, lead me, push me, pull me, place me where you want me.” 

It’s my own version of “not my will but thine.”

That’s MY story.

How about you?

If you haven’t turned your will over to God,

or if you have given yourself to God … but are stamping your feet and holding your breath … I want you to take a moment right now to ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life and to take control. 

You can do it silently right there in your seat, right now. 

It doesn’t have to be a fancy well thought out prayer.

An honest prayer of, “God, I messed up. 

I’m sorry.  Forgive me. 

Make me the person you want me to be.” Is music to God’s ears.

 

If the Spirit of God is speaking to you right now, I want you to know that I and others will pray with and for you.

If you are feeling embarrassed about making a public display, that’s okay, I understand. 

However, if you are serious about turning your life around and turning it over to God,

understand that this is THE moment to demonstrate that commitment.

Don’t be like those that Jesus called that turned away sad. 

Jesus would make you glad.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

For those who may be “almost persuaded”,

as far as I know, this may NOT be the last chance you have. 

You MAY have another day. 

But our days are numbered and only He knows the length of our lives.

Here is the message I bring to you, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy to you is given a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Amen.

Perils of Paul - part four - Hold tightly to the pattern

2 Timothy 1

            Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

            To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving and Encouragement

            I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.  Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.  I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.  For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;  for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

            Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,  who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Perils of Paul - Part Three - All the Prisoners’ Chains Came Loose

Acts 16:16-40

            Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.  She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

            When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.  They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar  by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

            The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

            About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.  The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

            The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

            They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.  The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

            When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”  The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

            But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

            The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.  They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.  After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Perils of Paul Part Two - How Beautiful Are The Feet

Romans 10

            Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

            5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

            14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:  “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

            19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

            20 And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

            21 But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”