SIMPLER DAYS

 

When the righteous are in authority,
the people rejoice: but when the
wicked beareth rule, the people
mourn.
Proverbs 29:2

Do you, like me, long for some former days when things were more simple and uncomplicated? I consider it a privilege that God has allowed me to live through several phases of history both in our country and in the world. There are those who feel that today is the best there could ever be. I personally believe despite of all of the immoral messes we find ourselves in, that each day we live is the most important. Our hope would be to have authority in place in various areas of government who are righteous...persons of integrity and spiritual strength. Unfortunately, despite many wonderful moral and godly persons who hold various offices of public service, we still find ourselves in trouble.

Where have we gone wrong? I've thought lately about some simpler times I have lived through when life was less complicated, a time when in our country there was a general spirit of trust, honesty and yes, spiritual integrity. One day, I sat down and wrote a poem of such a time that reminded me of mornings when the dew covered the grass and children could hardly wait to get outside and play. Check your neighborhoods these days and see how many children you see outside playing. That's all we had to do when young. The play was simple and fun, but even in our play, we practiced a certain level of morals. For instance, take a look at Roy and Dale.

ROY (Rogers) AND DALE (Evans)

The sun couldn't come up too early

For cowgirl and restless cowboy.

Lots of bad guys needed catchin'

Folks counted on young Dale and strong Roy.

With wide-brimmed hats and rope on belts

And homemade six shooter gun.

There wasn't narry a bad man

Dale and Roy couldn't keep on the run.

They ran through Mrs. Britton's backyard

That had ever so slight of a hill.

They galloped on down the alley,

Pretend horses running at will.

By end of day, pretend horses were tired

So were strong Roy and young Dale.

Every bad guy in the neighborhood

Either fled or were in pretend jail.

Lessons were learned from such playing

Reinforcement of wrong and what's right

You knew who the bad and good guys were

You knew the dark from the light.

Our culture is quite different now

Many a soul up for sale.

Perhaps we need turnin' to days long ago

Of strong Roy and a cowgirl named Dale.

The bottom line is that we can't return to those days, but there is hope. We know that Jesus is our only hope on any given day in any given situation. However, our society didn't come to where it is over night. There was a slow drifting away from God and truth. Could we ever have thought we would be facing some issues we are facing today. Now we have to be careful about what public bathroom to enter, children walking home from school alone, scandals of all sorts among government officials and who would have thought we would see scandals among religious leaders.

Where do we begin? Believe it or not, the problems we are facing now began in the hearts of individuals in every walk of life, people like you and me. Somewhere along the line, there were those who basically turned their eyes away from a Savior who loves them. Americans in general in the days of Roy and Dale knew who Jesus was and even what He had done for each person. Nothing will improve for anyone until we get back to the things of God.

So we begin with you and me. I cannot be spiritual and moral for anyone other than myself. I can't force spirituality on my family or friends let alone anyone known in society or government. Individually, we have let down Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty, but more than anyone other than godly ancestors is God Himself. Our only hope for our country is we individuals, dedicated to living godly lives in the power of God's Holy Spirit. A home, community and country can be changed one by one as we live as God desires, making decisions that are morally and spiritually pleasing to the Lord. We'll never have the righteous in authority without a righteous people who put them

Roy and Dale are long gone and folks like them. Now it's our righteous influence that is so desperately needed, but it depends on you and me to be all for Jesus we can be. Our lives will have influence that folks will sense and that will bring glory to God and righteousness back to our country.

Father, help us to be the influence for You we ought to be. In so many ways, even Christians through time in our country have failed in keeping You in the forefront of their lives. In Your power, help us to be Your people in all we do, with the hope of changing things one person at a time. We love You and pray these things in Jesus' name...Amen

GOD MOMENTS

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt Thee,
I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done
wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are
faithfulness and truth.
Isaiah 25:1

It was about six years ago, that an object I came across reminded me of the beginning of God moments in my very young life. I didn't recognize them as such, but still had special moments of meaning even when quite young. In my hometown of West Frankfort, Illinois is a wonderful historical museum located in a former grade school. It has a wonderful tea room in the basement of the school in the exact place where I attended a pre-school program prior to entering kindergarten. Down there is also a meeting room, but the various rooms upstairs are given over to different themes that have to do with those things that made our community the great and unique place it was and is.

After having lunch with my sister Kay in the tea room, we roamed through the different upstairs rooms. I got stuck in the school room and just couldn't seem to pull myself away. It was a room set up like the old school rooms I had known with desks, chalk board, all the décor that went with making an elementary school room homey. There were bookcases with various school texts from most of those elementary years. I drooled over a couple of them wanting those copies for myself, but happy they were there for people like me as reminders of those by-gone days.

One of the items in that room that had been salvaged from my first grade classroom was a special round table. It was probably in its day an old dining room table but had been cut down and lowered to accommodate small six year old legs. Miss Irene, my first grade teacher, had this table in her classroom, painted a bright red. It sat in her room with seven or eight small chairs around it. In the middle of the low table were several grade-appropriate books. It was a treat to get to go to the red reading table. That same table now sits in the museum, but someone painted it a light green color. I still would have recognized it. I can still almost feel the thrill when I would hear, “Glendarae, you may go to the reading table.” Time at the table was only for a few minutes, but what a thrill it was to walk to that table and sit in one of those chairs I always felt like I had “arrived.”

It was a privilege to get to go to the red table to read a book. It was a treat that was earned, not given to any student because of their name, parents rank in the community, cute or nicest dressed. If you had done your work and done well in a reading circle or reciting from word cards, you were told when you could go to that table. When I got to go to it, I felt ten feet tall, like I had grabbed the brass ring while on the merry-go-round.

All of us have had what I call “God moments” that loom huge in our lives....first job, first car, engagement, unexpected contact with an old friend, a gift out of seemingly no where, God's special healing touch during a long illness and on and on the list could go. Many such moments have to do with things we can't even see...answer to prayer, a compliment from another, moments of peace that overtake us or just the sensing of God's presence in a special way. I realize that many special things can occur in the lives of unsaved folks, but as a Christian, all of those things have been special touches in my life from God Himself.

I'm thinking of folks in the Bible who knew God moments in their lives. We read of these things but almost gloss over them as if they are expected. After all, the following folks are in the Bible. However, they were all just as human as you and me. They were not more or less important to God than you and me. For instance:

Daniel knew special moments with God but especially in that lion's den.
Moses traveled up a mount to meet God and to receive God's commandments
Esther was selected for the special purpose of saving her people.
Disciples were chosen by Jesus for ministry, each one having their special moment.
Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus.
The Samaritan woman had her moment at a well with Jesus Himself...what a moment.

All of us are probably negligent at times of not giving God credit for so many wonderful happenings in our lives. I have a friend in Texas who is raising some baby ducks in her back yard. I see those pictures and see her delight at this wonderful phenomenon of nature. That can be a real God moment. Sounds like a little thing, I know, but I don't think it is for her.

So often I find God meeting me in the most unusual and unexpected ways that are such blessings. I've come to know them as God moments and am sure you have those as well. I'm encouraging us to watch for those things God does in our lives that are so special and above the ordinary and to even share some of them with other Christian friends who will be encouraged by your testimony. Everything God does in our lives is special, but every now and then, He gives something beyond the usual, as special as getting to go to the reading table.

The day will come when we as Christians will be called to another table, that being the table where the marriage supper of the Lamb will be held. That will far outshine Miss Irene's bright red reading table. It will also far surpass the emotions as that little six year old girl felt in those moments as she sat down to read.

And He saith unto me, Write,
Blessed are they which are called unto
the marriage supper of the Lamb....
Revelation 19:9a

Dear Father...Thank You for all of those special moments You reveal Yourself to us in so many special ways that bless and encourage us. Thank You for Jesus Who bears that name above all names in Whose name I pray....Amen

WASTING THE PAST

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of
all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort those who are
in any trouble, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God.
II Corinthians 1:3-4

Having been a social worker, I found myself many times in a position of counseling people of all ages. Sometimes, these sessions had nothing to do with my job, but did have to do with dear women in various church positions who were bogged down with things dealing with past experiences. Too often, when folks are struggling with the past, they try to find solutions in therapists, psychiatrists and medications. There are times for those things I guess, but often for a Christian, those are things turned to first with no regard of what Jesus wants to do in their circumstances.

Many of us have unfortunate events that have occurred in our pasts. Some events have been more serious and traumatic than others, but whatever they were (and still may be), they are real and can be crippling. I have learned through these many years of life that no matter the unfortunate circumstances in my life, God never wastes a single crumb of that experience. There are things He intended for my further learning, growth and yes, even ministry. The most negative of life's events in our lives, God has more of a far reaching plan than we can imagine of our being an encouragement and even teacher for others.

A few years ago, a dear lady in a Sunday school class of mine lost her husband after his very long illness. He had suffered terribly and those of us in the class did all we could to be a help and encouragement to her. I recall going to the funeral home for the visitation time. Ladies from our class were present and were being very helpful when our friend needed anything. I recall I took charge of a Kleenex box and saw to it that my friend had fresh tissues every now and then. I also went for cups of water when I thought she needed some refreshment.

I noticed some ladies from my class as well as some others who came for the visitation time all saying something similar to my friend....”I know how you feel right now.” It suddenly
dawned on me that there was no way I could say that to this dear lady. I still had and have a living husband. I could do all I could in little ways for her, but I hadn't been her shoes, walking where she was walking. There's nothing wrong with that. The ladies in my class who are widows knew so well what this dear lady was going through and that in itself can be a tremendous comfort. God didn't waste their sorrow...He was and will use that difficult time in their lives to comfort and minister in the lives of others.

We are too quick to revert back to past events with great regret almost to the point of taking ourselves into a darkness that is hard to escape. I don't care how serious the sin or the incident, God forgives every repentant heart and can continue to use that person. Of course, the real beginning is that of salvation, but even born again Christians have their leftover past events to deal with. I'm thinking of ladies who have told me of abuse they've endured, abuse in any form whether physical, sexual or emotional. Some ladies have told me about having had abortions, others have been unfaithful to husbands. There are ladies who have told me of past problems with addictions...pills, food, alcohol, etc. I'm talking about ladies who in every incident are now viewing these things from the present back to their past.

Why mention these particular incidents? No lady has to go about airing out past dirty laundry, but God may use a lady who has known past difficulties to minister in the life of a lady who is struggling with something similar right now. The credential is, “I know what you're feeling...I have been where you are.” In that instance, one who speaks from experience is in a position to render hope to someone who feels all hope is gone, and that can expect unconditional and lasting forgiveness from God. It could be that with some problems, there are human beings around such a lady who will not be forgiving, leaving her lost and vulnerable. That is very much the likelihood in this day where forgiveness often seems in short supply. The important thing is God's cleansing, restored relationship with Him and His bringing good from what seems impossible.

In our day, we are surrounded by hurting people. The hurts may seem minor to some, but not to all. I've seen young women go through broken engagements that have been devastating. I know teen girls whose steady boyfriend broke up with them...they didn't make cheerleader...their parents are divorcing. I also know men and women who have been caregivers with loved ones now in Heaven. In our day, counsel from those caregivers is valuable. You see, there is a myriad of problems, large and small at various stages of life that can leave mental scars and yes, bitterness in ones life.

I have shared the two opening verses above with several people lately. It's what I refer to a “ones license to comfort.” Paul sees our tribulation as opportunities for us to comfort others in the same ways we were comforted during our own difficult time. Then, we can honestly say, “I know where you are right now and know there is hope for you, a hope only found in Jesus.”

All of this may not mean our ministering to a great crowd of people...it may be only one on one...but oh, the comfort and hope for a healthy future we can share with one so lost in a dreadful past. In those moments, God takes those crumbs from our terrible past experiences and uses them to be a blessing. In that process another person is helped, but we are helped as well when we can see good coming from something that at the time broke our hearts. I have watched my two daughters who have gone through some tough stuff being now in a position to be a comfort and hope to other ladies. They don't have to be older, seasoned Christians. God gives the wisdom and power to know how to handle the various needs that might come ones way in the most unexpected times. Whatever our past events that we consider crippling, God can use now as opportunities to minister in lives of others who need to know they are not alone and that there is hope. We don't have to go looking for these people who have need. God has a wonderful way of bringing them into our paths.

Here again is where we have an opportunity to be “Jesus with skin on” in ministering in the lives of others who need His touch. Scripture tells us that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are...He lived the very human life and because of God coming to earth, Jesus can feel with our heartbreaks. He can in reality speak to our hearts as we deal with heartbreaking issues in our lives, saying, “I know how you feel. lean on Me.”

Dear Father, You know there have been times I've felt swallowed up in life's circumstances in my own life and found it hard at the time to thank You for them. I now see some of Your plan as You've handed me those crumbs to use in comforting others. In Jesus precious name...Amen

Negatives, Be Gone!

And the night following the Lord stood
by him, and said,
Be of good cheer, Paul: for as
thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem,
so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Acts 23:11

In our day, it seems we are surrounded on every side by negatives. Whether it's economics, educational systems, politics, social problems or the ill treatment of insects, it seems we can't turn on our television sets or computers without being bombarded with negatives. If we aren't careful, we can find ourselves even in church situations where there is little encouragement and too much negative nit-picking. Every church has some of that, but some have it in great degrees. I'm so grateful for the church I attend where I feel flooded with encouragement both in a congregational as well as one on one contacts.

As we read in the Gospels, it isn't too far into them until we see Jesus being attacked by political and religious leaders and there's nothing positive about those attacks. Jesus always handled those attacks with a grace where He always took the high ground in those confrontations. What we often forget was that standing nearby unless we are told differently, were Jesus' disciples, taking in the whole scenario. Even though there were hundreds who came to love and in some cases follow Jesus, there were also those who felt threatened by Jesus and His message. Those leaders felt threatened at the idea that many felt Jesus was the Messiah, that was a thought they couldn't even tolerated. We forget the disciples in all of this. They were just common guys, laymen for the most part, not as strong in the Lord as some day they would be. As much as they loved Jesus, the negative attention toward Jesus at times must of outweighed all of positive response of so many. That's the way we human beings are. Negatives tend to soak into our minds as if they are contagious.

What are some things to help us with the negatives?

First, remember God is in control. There isn't a person walking the face of this earth He doesn't know about. Nothing or no one has slipped through His very capable fingers. Despite what we read, see or hear, nothing will never be new to Him. We can be sure He has His eye on everything and everyone. God has control over everything that touches us.

Second, we must do all we can to be people who are positive and who keep positive attitudes. This isn't an easy thing to do considering our surroundings. We have to be IN this world, but we don't have to be OF this world. I don't think the fresh, new Christians we find in the early days of the fledgling church would be able to recognize most modern-day Christians as even being born again people. Through the years of world changes and compromise, many of today's Christians look more like the world than they should.

Third, it would be of great help if we would be careful to surround ourselves with friends who are positive people. Everyone has their down days, but there are many for whom every day is a down day for one reason or another. With closer friends, more in depth problems will be shared that are anything but positive. Our dearest friends are those with broad shoulders we can cry on and the Lord provides those dear ones for us as extra support. Even with them, however, we have to be careful to not fall into habits of non-constructive conversation on a frequent basis.

Lastly, we must always remember that we are a part of a very positive Gospel. Jesus didn't die for you and me to live at low ebb every day of our lives. He died that we might have life in abundance with the hope of Heaven ahead of us. There is nothing negative about those things. If we don't stay snuggled up to Him through prayer and taking in His Word, we will lapse into attitudes that are unpleasing to Him.

Jesus spoke of good cheer in three of the four Gospels. Cheer is one of the most positive things I can think of. In Matthew 9:2, a man with palsy was brought to Jesus to be healed. He said:
                                               "...Son, be of good cheer;
                                                thy sins be forgiven thee."

Jesus after several minutes healed the man, but it's important to see that Jesus took care of the most important things first. He encouraged the man to be of good cheer, but also realized the man wouldn't know true cheer without the forgiveness of sin. By the way, the same is true of us. An unsaved person isn't going to know the true cheer that comes from God so don't expect it. For we Christians the cheer of God is available to us all the time if we want to take advantage of it.

Jesus made a similar statement while walking on stormy water toward some very scared disciples. In Mark 6:50, Jesus said:
                                             "...Be of good cheer it is I;
                                                        be not afraid."

Negatives such as the storms of life can rob us of the cheer Jesus gives even when we are most nervous or afraid regarding some of our circumstances of life. He gave a command to those scared disciples to not only be of good cheer, but to realize His presence with them.

Lastly, Jesus speaks of cheer where you and I really are today with regard to the negatives of the world and our dealing with them. He said in John 16:33:
                                        "These things I have spoken unto you, that
                                          in me ye might have peace. In the world
                                    ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
                                                     I have overcome the world."

Whether ill, in times of fear or in just looking around at world circumstances, Jesus shows us He is in control. In it all, you and I are to be people not just of cheer, but of GOOD cheer. May it be so that we not only accept His encouragement, but that we share it with folks we come in contact with. Some people may be ill, scared in their life circumstances or looking hopelessly at the world. We have the privilege to be “Jesus with skin on” spreading His positive message of hope good cheer.

Father, thank You for all the positives you pour into my life. Just the cheer, hope and peace You provide is worth more to me than I can say. Thank You is all I can offer. In Jesus' precious name....Amen