Some Things to Consider When Hated

Let brotherly love continue.
Hebrews 13:1

Ask the question, “What is the opposite of love?” A big majority of time, you will receive a common answer... “Hate.” The answer can be right according to some and wrong according to others. However, two positive emotions cannot be opposites. Here's a test: “I love you” or “I hate you.” Both are perfectly sound grammatically speaking and both make positive statements with no awkwardness, therefore, love and hate cannot be opposites at least in word usage. In our day, however, many people view love and hate as being opposites and those views are sound in most folks minds. I won't even argue with the concept as that's what we have been taught through our growing up years.

What is the true opposite of love...it is apathy. For one thing, a very bad sentence using that word as we did above would be, “I apathy you.” There you have opposites. Now there is an opposite meaning of love but what does it mean. Any number of dictionaries say similar things about the emotions of apathy as well as that of hate. In a nutshell, they are as follows:

APATHY:

Lack of feeling, emotion, interest or concern. It can be a natural response to disappointment, dejection or stress. Apathy helps an individual justify behavior toward another person or situation. This emotion can often be hidden or misunderstood by an outsider. One with apathy may be viewed as having a bad day, be ill, etc. It's not as verbal as our next emotion.

HATE:

Feeling intense or passionate dislike for someone. Hate is feeling hostility toward a person or situation. It is to detest, loathe, despise or abhor. This emotion is hard to hide. It may not express violence as can happen, but it will eventually be revealed in attitude and verbally as well. The person of hate will be forthcoming with friends about their hate for another even though they might not use that four letter word.

Apathy and hate have some things in common:
Both are human emotions...not good ones
They both have targets...aimed at another person or even situation
They have their roots running deeply in evil and not in the spiritual things of God
For a Christian to feel either emotion toward another, is not in God's will, no matter the hurt.
Hate and apathy are both things that grow through time...they never shrink until dealt with.
Mental illness can result from both emotions.
Both behaviors are sin/evil.
God is the only answer to any negative, non-spiritual emotions that have taken over ones life.

So if neither emotion is acceptable, and the Bible does speak of hate, do we ever have God's permission to hate. The answer is “YES.” I recall one of our children coming to me crying over something that had happened with a friend saying, “I just hate______.” My answer was instant and I probably said it more than one time in our lives. I said, “The only person we hate is Satan.” Yes, we are to hate him, his angels, the situations he authors that are anti-God, the sin he fosters in human beings and our world, etc. The list could go on and on.

There are things in Proverbs 6:16-19 that God is very clear about:

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven
are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that
shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and
he that soweth discord among brethren.

Note that of the seven things God hates, “a proud look” leads the list. The rest of the list has roots in that pride. One can't have a proud look without the sin of pride being present in a life
That's a list all we Christians could take a good look at and examine our own hearts.
However, we must note that over and over in the Gospels as we saw Jesus deal with His enemies. He always expressed love but hated the sin that seemed to rule in their lives.

Our God is a God of love. His will for us is that we love. When I love an enemy, it means spending a lot of time in prayer for that person. When I am praying much for that individual, I'm talking more to God and less to others. It means I'm not setting out to spread verbal venom. There are folks I love but things about them I don't like. That's going to be true of most of us as we deal with differences in personality and lifestyles. But God can even help us overcome those things as well if I'm willing for Him to do that work in my heart.

Despite all of the hate and apathy in the world and in many hearts, God's love can overcome any situation and help us conquer those negative feelings we feel toward others. It will have to be His work though. What is His heart's desire for us and what do when we are on the receiving end of another's hate? We find the answer in Matthew 5:43,44 when Jesus said:

Ye have heard that it hath been said,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and
hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you.

So if you are a hater...get rid of it through God's power in you. If you don't have that power, ask Jesus to come into your life and save you from this and other sin. If you are the hated,

don't let that person(s) take over your inner life, which is easy to happen. Jesus made the job of the hated very clear...love, bless, do good and pray for that hater that may be lurking in your life. I understand the hate from a non-Christian as they know nothing of the love of Christ. Jesus told us to expect that from the world. I find it most difficult having to go through the hatred or apathy brought about by another Christian. God's family should never have to bear the modern title, DISFUNCTIONAL.

God won't hold us responsible for the hateful actions of another but will hold us responsible for our response to them. May we in Holy Spirit power be able to move beyond the pain another inflicts and stay on the high road where God wants us to be.

Father, give me victory that I may have a part in loving those who bear a hatred or apathy toward me. Help me to have a deep, sincere love for those members of Your family that I'm a part of. In Jesus precious name...Amen

"Call Me!"

Call unto me, and I will answer thee
and show thee great and mighy
things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3

One of the things I loved about going to spend time in the country with Aunt Dora and Uncle Bob (my dad's aunt and uncle) was their big box phone that was attached to their kitchen wall. To make a call, one would pick up the ear phone and stand on tip toe to speak into a small speaker attachment. The caller would then turn a crank on the side of the box and would ask to be connected to a certain party. During the day, that phone would just about ring off of the wall but my aunt and uncle would rarely answer it. They told me they listened for a certain ring that was their unique ring.  All the other rings were for someone else on their party line.

This was odd to me as we had a phone at home that sat on an end table. When we made a call, we picked up a receiver and heard a friendly voice say, “Number, please.” Our home phone number at one time was 889-J...no area code, no dialing a number 1 in front of anything. It was pretty simple. We always had a party line which meant we could pick up the phone and could listen in on other people's conversations if we wanted to, but didn't because it was a rude thing to do. The calling was pretty uncomplicated “back then.”

Those were also the Dick Tracy comic book days. Dick, a police detective wore a radio wrist watch where he could call anyone or people could call him. That seemed so incredibly impossible, it wasn't even funny. Who could know what we would see today with all of the cell phones people carry around in pockets or purses. We've gotten used to seeing people with phones up to their ears whether in the grocery store, in cars, at sporting events, etc. It's a long way from that big wooden box attached to the farm-home kitchen wall of my relatives.

Communication has come a long way. Where we used to be so dependent on telephones in their original state, our phones are now very portable and have even become a combination of phone and computer. Now whether at home or on the move, we don't even have to phone people. We can text on the move or engage in e-mailing if at home on computers or on lap tops that can go with us wherever we go. We are getting away from writing notes and letters and are even getting away from human, face-to-face contact that used to be a part of every day life.

The amazing thing today is that we can be in almost instant contact with another person who holds a similar gadget that we hold on our end. The thing is that when a call comes through, I can look at my phone and see who is calling me. I can choose to not even answer the call from that person if I don't want to talk to him or her. My dead-pan, stoic pre-recorded voice can come on after so many rings asking the person to leave their name and phone number with the apology that “I can't come to the phone right now...”. How cool is that... or so we think. We can even become liars in a simple thing like answering or not answering the phone.

Much of this information isn't anything new to any of us. However, just the act of “calling” has been important to us for our lifetimes, calling that in many instances, hasn't had anything to do with a phone or computer, such as:

*A lost child in the store, calling for his mom or the mom calling for her lost child
*Mom calls children to supper
*Dad calls the family dog into the house
*Teacher calls the class in from recess
*Doctor calls a patient with test results
*Someone calls 911 when an emergency arises
*One neighbor calls across her yard to another neighbor

In every one of these situations, an immediate response is expected or hoped for. There are many instances when we call out to someone that we want their attention right away. Calling out is more than calm, cool conversation. There's a little more importance attached to when we call out to someone for something. It may not always be an emergency but it may be a little more important than general contact with another.

Lately in my Scripture reading, I have been coming across verses that assure me that when I call to God, I get His instant attention. He doesn't have some old-timey phone hanging on a Heavenly wall where He has to wait for His certain ring. He doesn't have to fumble for a cell phone or look to see who is calling in case He doesn't want to hear from a particular person. Others may not choose to take a call from me or may not get back to me with an answer to an e-mail I sent. Sometimes, we judge God by our own societal norms but God doesn't act according to our ways. He works in His own ways on our behalf.

For the Christian, God hears every communication. For the unsaved person...no. The only prayer God hears from the non-Christian initially is when the unsaved confesses his/her sin and accepts Jesus as personal Savior. Then there is the establishment of a relationship. Good things happen in the lives of the unsaved but Scripture tells us that that is for the purpose of drawing them to God, the Source of all good things.

Meanwhile, let's be encouraged by what we see in God's word to encourage His children that He hears us when we call and that our praying is never in vain. He gives us His undivided attention unlike friends who allow their children to interrupt conversations while they are on the phone. Let's go to the Word and be encouraged:

Because He inclined His ear to me,
therefore I will call on Him as
long as I live,
I will offer to You the sacrifice of
thanksgiving and call on the
name of the Lord.
Psalm 116:2,17 (ESV)

Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call upon Him while He is near.
Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all
who call upon You.
In the day of my trouble I call upon You,
for You answer me.
Psalm 86:5,7 (ESV)

Dear Father, even in this moment, You are hearing me as I type. You hear my heart no matter how I communicate with You and I thank You for that. I don't deserve a moment of Your listening ear except through Jesus, Who with You loves me beyond words and died for me. When no one else will listen, I know that You do. Thank You more than words can express. In Jesus Precious Name....Amen

Intimacy With God

...and when this cometh
ye shall know that I
am the Lord God.
Ezekiel 24:24b

In these lazy, hazy (and hot) days of summer, it's so easy for any of us to become lax in our spiritual habits (not a good word) and practices. Our spiritual walk can seem slow and belabored. I can't tell you how I have longed lately to have more intimacy with God, coming to know Jesus in a deeper way than ever before. I have recently done a personal search into things I know are holding me back from being the seeker God would have me be. I have given up a major church position as it has gotten to where it isn't a “builder” for me but a “drainer.” I, bottom line, just want more of Jesus in my life's walk than ever before...an intimacy I find myself longing for.

There are times as I prepare a Sunday school lesson for my ladies that a lesson especially strikes me in the heart of my spiritual being more than some others might. This was one of those weeks that challenged me beyond words. I realize that Christian books have been written and have almost exhausted the subject of being intimate with God and I don't intend to add anything that others haven't stated. I can only express what the Lord has put on my own heart.

Ezekiel, one of God's prophets was put to a test most of us would never be called upon to endure. He was to serve as a special example to God's people who had fallen into idolatry. Ezekiel was to tell the people in God's words that judgment was coming. Not only were they to go into captivity but their beloved temple would be destroyed. They loved the temple like they loved the dearest of people on earth to them. However God didn't want the people to mourn the loss of the temple. He wanted them to mourn their sin.

Ezekiel's wife was to die in this process and he was given strict instructions as to how he was NOT to mourn. I'm sure it came as a great shock to the people when Ezekiel didn't carry out the mourning procedures that were a part of the culture of that day. In all of this, God wanted His people to not only acknowledge their sin problem of idolatry but their problem of priority in their lives. They would grieve the loss of the temple, but not grieve the reason for the loss of it. God wasn't even in the thoughts of most of the people.

Many of God's people of that day, I'm sure, felt they had been doing all of the right things even though idolatry had taken over the life of their nation. Many, I'm sure were still serving God as best they could despite others disregard for the commands of God. However, for the majority, they had gone through certain spiritual rituals, even making idolatry a part of them, but their knowledge of and regard for God Himself was lost. In our day, we can find ourselves very busy with God's work...usher, nursery worker, teacher, preacher, choir member, instrumentalist, children's worker, etc. We may do one or many of those things in our churches with never a regard for God or even His will in our lives. All of our service though, means very little if our relationship with God has very little meaning.

So in reading all of this, I asked myself as I was preparing the lesson from this Scripture (that you can find in Ezekiel 24), “How well do I really KNOW God right now?” There are several meanings of that word in Scripture. It is used with reference to Adam and Eve coming together in that intimate, physical relationship of marriage. However, in our Scripture verse, written above, that word doesn't refer to a physical act but it does refer to having a deep and personal, intimate relationship with God. When all was said and done, God wanted the people in the entire process of what they were about to go through to KNOW that He was the Lord God. God longed for His people on an individual basis to really know Him in the very depths of their spirits with nothing in between Him and them. You see, anything that comes between me and God is an idol. Let me add that God is in the business of tearing down idols, so beware! There is to be nothing or no one more important in your life and mine than God Himself. I know that it may not seem fair, but our loving Father has every right to demand that kind of love and loyalty from us.

Things for the Israelites were going to get tough. There was going to be loss in abundance, inconvenience, hurt, death and every negative I could mention. In it all, God's purpose and desire was for His people to know Him like never before. When hard times do come, if we haven't kept in close and right relationship with God, we won't understand what He's doing....we won't really KNOW Him well enough to trust Him. All things in our lives are expendable when it comes to being in a personal and intimate relationship with Him.

I want that kind of relationship. I want to know Him so much better than I do at the present time. I want to view my circumstances through His eyes as best I can knowing that He is in control of all things and will never allow anything in my life that isn't for my good and His glory. The tough times are going to come, but the better I know Him, the stronger my trust will be, assured that God won't allow anything to touch my life until it first comes to His attention.

Paul speaks in Philippians 3:10:

That I may KNOW Him,
and the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable to His death.

I love that wonderful power in my life made possible through the Holy Spirit. Being in fellowship with Jesus in sufferings will be a part of it all and in the entire process, there's a lot of dying to self that will be required of me. No matter how difficult, I really do want to KNOW Him more personally and intimately than ever before. It will require my time and attention, with eyes off of other things I might think to be important. God has given us responsibilities and loved ones. He's more aware of that than you and I are, but we still must be aware of Him being our top priority, willing to yield to whatever He desires and allows in our lives. He will empower us through His love to handle whatever comes our way and believe it or not, we will love Him all the more intimately in it all.

Dear Father...I thank You for Your patience with me. I need Your strength to keep my priorities in proper order. I want You at the top of my list, learning to love You more. I want to know You better and to trust You more than ever. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

Storms of Life

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on Thee;
because he trusteth in Thee.
Trust ye in the Lord forever:
for in the Lord JEHOVAH
is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 26:3,4

You may have heard of it or even seen the movie but “The Perfect Storm” was a real incident that happened October 30, 1991. The Andrea Gail was a swordfish fishing boat manned by six experienced fishermen. They were out to sea when bad weather moved in quicker than expected. It ended up that three massive storms collided and that boat was caught in it, and the crew was unable to control the boat. The six men were killed in the horrendous weather event that many referred to as the “No-Name Storm.”

Storms happen all the time. Most of us will experience storms of various intensity on land but not necessarily on the water. There are places though where storms at sea can arise almost out of no where. Folks on those seas can be in serious danger. Such is the way it is with the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Winds can sweep down from the Mediterranean Sea through a mountainous area and can whip into the area of that sea. Severe storms have been experienced by fishermen on the Sea of Galilee for centuries.

I can't say I've ever been in a terrible storm at sea but I've been in storms of various intensities on land. Some were storms of different kinds but they are never fun. Some cause great damage to property while some may do no more than water one's lawn with some sound effects thrown in. Storms generally come with some warning. Weathermen get on TV with alerts about oncoming storms. In the distance, dark clouds can form and move quickly along with thunder and lightening. We may be cautioned to take cover for safety reasons. During a storm, nerves can become frayed and when over, hopefully, calm is restored.

There are other storms of life other than those of nature. Satan has a way of stirring up things in our lives that can keep us in turmoil and living on the edge of seeming insanity. Even without Satan stepping in, we can often create our own negative situations in our own power. However the storms come our way, they cause us great discomfort, stress and misery.

Mark 4 gives us a favorite story of the disciples and Jesus in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. We read that there “arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.” Four of those men had been career fishermen. They knew the dangers and knew that particular sea. If they were scared out of their minds, then there was reason for it thanks to their own life experiences.

Where was Jesus in all of this? He was in the back of the boat asleep on a pillow. He had taught and preached that day and being the human being He was, He was weary to the point that He could sleep even with all of the noise and confusion going on. The disciples woke Him while in their state of panic. Didn't Jesus even care that all of them were near drowning?

Jesus arose, spoke to the wind and then to the sea saying, “Peace, be still.” The wind stopped and the sea became calm...all in an instant.

Over the last couple of weeks, I think from about four different sources, I have heard a certain phrase. It may have been worded differently each time but each version said the same thing,

being...”When you accepted Jesus as Savior, He got into your boat and will never get out of it.” During any time of testing or trial (storms), I have the same access to Jesus as those disciples had in that storm tossed boat except for His human form. In my boat, He sees everything going on in my life. Just as it was with the disciples, I can cry out to Him anytime a storm of any kind strikes my life. At times, it may seem that He is asleep and I may feel like the disciples did for a bit....”Don't You care what I'm going through?” Sure He knows and He has all the answers. If He doesn't choose to calm a storm in my life, He certainly has assured me that He is always with me and will never forsake me.

Some storms in my life have been meant to bring correction while others are meant to teach me...teach me how to trust Him more and to know Him better. I don't like storms. I like my life to be calm and uninterrupted but life isn't like that for us, is it? The biggest lesson for me to learn is that I must keep my focus on Jesus and not on the storm. The storm will rob me of physical energy and spiritual strength.

The simple fact is:

Peace isn't the absence of
problems, but
is the very presence of Jesus.

Dear Jesus...Thank You for being my peace, my joy and my everything. I'm more than grateful that You are in my boat of life and that I can call on You at anytime whether in joy or during the stormy times of life. I love you more than I can express. Amen

In God We Trust

It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 118:8

There are always those in these days who like to mess around with the basic principles of our country. There also those who are un-American, who want to tear down those spiritual basics that have come to be so meaningful for all of us. “In God We Trust,” the motto of our country has recently come under fire. What bothers me about this is that as much as we Christians fuss about folks wanting to do away with this precious motto, we Christians have the privilege of placing our trust in our wonderful, loving Father and often continue relying on our own resources.

Looking up the word “trust,” I find that it is the belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest and effective. It is also the reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person or thing. These are mere definitions of what trust is and all of it, we find in Jesus Christ and more. There isn't a thing we face but what we can dump it in Jesus' lap. We can trust Him with any care or problem we face. He is ever present and we can rely on His ability to work on our behalf.

We've all seen it or we have done it ourselves. I think dads especially like doing it while doting moms look on. The first time I saw it done was my own dad with my little sister Kay. He put Kay standing on the edge of our front porch when she was about 2 years old. He stood below at ground level. Our porch was rather highd and Daddy extended his arms upward to Kay and encouraged her to jump. It was obvious that Kay had never done this before. Mother and I both called out encouraging words to her to jump. I had done this any number of times and knew that Daddy never dropped me. After a few minutes, Kay jumped into Daddy's arms with her banana curls bobbing in the air. She did it a second time, still reluctant but more trusting than the first time. With practice not just on that day but other days, she could jump off of that porch into Daddy's arms with abandon.

I have seen dads do this and at times would teasingly pretend to drop the child with a deep catch and unbeknown to that dad, a trust was broken. All it took was one jump like that that broke a trust that was hard to retrieve.

In recent days, I've gone through some difficult things in my life. When it rains, it pours and that's the way it's been for me. I'm afraid for a time, I did what I've done before in trying to work things out for myself. Trusting God in the hard times just wasn't registering with me. I wish I could be a spiritual giant who immediately puts my trust where it ought to be but I often fail. The Lord seems to let me do my struggling and then He so very gently steps in with His sweet assurance that I can rely, and yes, trust Him to sustain me and work on my behalf.

I know that the Lord is faithful to His Word and because of that, He is more than trustworthy. Just want to share some things from God's Word that will encourage us. Some of these are very familiar, but all should encourage us to place our trust in Jesus with no hesitancy.

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust,
and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH
is my strength and my song; He also
is become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2

For therefore we both labour and
suffer reproach, because we trust
in the living God, who is the
Saviour of all men, specially
of those that believe
I Timothy 4:10

Then, of course, is the old but good verses from Proverbs 3:5,6:

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.

I have decided that in my own life, I must make the decision to trust. In the course of life, I have had people who “dropped” me, destroying whatever trust I had at the time. We've all experienced times where people have disappointed and let us down. Trust under those circumstances was seemingly destroyed. However, Jesus has never let us down...He's never dropped us when we have jumped into His loving arms. I want my first reaction in times of difficulty to trust in the Lord Jesus. I invite you to join me in this wonderful venture of trust.

Dear Father...I praise You for being worthy of my trust in every way. Increase my faith in the fact that You can solve any problem I face. I love You...in Jesus' precious name...Amen

The Sweetest Name

 

...and thou shalt call His name JESUS
Matthew 1:21b

Very recently, I heard something very convicting in a sermon. The preacher was suggesting that for the most part, Christians can go day after day never even speaking the name “Jesus.” He added that a sad fact is that if not careful, even on Sunday's in church, we might go the entire day not hearing Jesus' name. At first I was shocked at both statements. I thought quickly to my own teaching of my Sunday school class and had to ask, “Do I ever mention His name in the course of my teaching?” Today's Sunday school literature tends to be very topical so a teacher can get lost in a topic and not in Jesus. The sad thing is that we may hear His name used in cursing out in the world where God isn't honored. If the world misuses that precious name, I'm not surprised. However, what's with us if we never counter-act the world's evil usage of that precious name by never speaking it in love ourselves.

In an acrostic using His precious name, I am reminded of just a few of His qualities that have meaning in my own life:

J- JOY...as I am reminded in Scripture that “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

E- ETERNAL LIFE...because of Jesus, my Savior, and His love I have eternal life.

S- STRENGTH...He is my strength and shield in all circumstances of my life.

U- UNCHANGING...yesterday, today and forever...consistently the same.

S- SHEPHERD...this poor, dumb sheep needs tending and I love my shepherd.

We could use so many wonderful words for Him in an acrostic like this because He's just too precious to describe in one small article. You could look at the letters of His name and add your own characteristics you have found in our Lord. I could write blogs on all sorts of topics that I would hope could encourage, bless and perhaps help with some healing. However, there is no one like Jesus who has all the answers to our lives whether in our ups and downs or in's and outs.

In these days, I have been reminded of the chorus from a hymn:

Jesus is the sweetest name I know.
And He's just the same
As His lovely name.
And that's the reason why I love Him so,
For Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Dear Jesus, I thank You today for who You are in my life. Forgive my laxity in thinking more about You in the course of my day. I realize there is power in a name but no power like in Your name. May I never forget that. I love You...in Your precious name. Amen

"Mom, I'm Starving!"

Blessed are they which do hunger

and thirst after righteousness,

for they shall be filled

Matthew 5:6

I guess every mom in the world has heard those three title words at one time or another. Our responses to those rapidly growing children might have been of any variety depending on the mood of the moment. You and I knew that our children were not starving. Most had just had a meal a couple of hours prior to the plea. Sometimes right after coming in from school, a snack might be in order, but STARVING?....I don't think so.

Hunger is a funny thing. We don't have to be hungry to hunger. I can smell fresh popcorn and my mind can quickly decide for me that I'm hungry enough to have some even though I may have had lunch just an hour prior to smelling the popcorn. I can be sitting with nothing to do and convince myself that a snack is in order. I can even pass by my refrigerator at times and sense a hunger pang. With steady habits of yielding to these yearnings, obesity can get a quick foothold in anyone's life.

Hunger can be the body's signal that it's running short of fuel. If that signal isn't heeded when genuine hunger sets in, there can be a feeling of discomfort or even weakness caused by a lack of food. When hunger is ignored, although uncomfortable, over a long period of time, malnutrition can then set in. When one is malnourished, it doesn't mean there isn't food available. One can have a refrigerator full of food but still be malnourished if the appropriate foods aren't eaten.

Malnourishment can lead to starvation and some serious eating disorders. Starvation is an extreme form of malnutrition. It is in this area the the body really begins to break down in many areas that can affect one's immune system, brain functioning, heart and skeletal structure and functioning.

Much of this, I realize you already know, but how much of these terms can be applied to our spiritual system, such as:

Hunger:

Hunger isn't just a physical function, but hunger is a feeling that should be prevalent in Christians...my hunger for God and those hunger pangs for His Word and time spent with Him. If this hunger isn't heeded, it can lead to some very serious spiritual problems. The problem here isn't a lack of available nourishment. I have my Bible, my spiritual bread. I am filled with God's spirit with His living presence filling me to the fullest if that's what I desire. I attend a great church where I am blessed with the preaching and teaching of God's Word as well as having fellowship with some of the greatest of God's people. If I choose to ignore all of this spiritual nourishment, it's no one's fault but my own.

Malnutrition:

This term doesn't mean that there isn't food available. You and I must guard our hearts spiritually speaking because there are those who pervert the things of God that can make us sick in more ways than one. We must take in truth as God's Word teaches it and feed on it on a regular basis. Spiritual malnutrition can set in when we aren't feeding on the true things of God. Just as we can get food poisoning from spoiled food, there are those “out there” who have spoiled and perverted the things of God. They don't preach, teach or write truth and must be avoided or we too can become spiritually sick from it all. There are speakers and preachers on television you and I should avoid. They can sound and convincing and in weak moments we can be sucked in to false doctrine.

Starvation:

Spiritually speaking, this is when we've gone beyond intake or poor nutrition problems. This is where one can just give up on everything. There are those at the point of starvation where physical food is concerned that they can get to the point of rejecting food because their systems have completely broken down and they are at a “failure to thrive” point in life. When we reach this point, we can lose all interest in the things of God. Our Bibles may lay untouched, prayer can be a thing of the past, and church attendance can be less and less. Being backslidden can be a very sorry state for a Christian and very difficult to pull out of. God's power, however, is greater that we can imagine or think. He is able to feed, strengthen and replenish us. The secret though is for us to never allow ourselves to get in this sorry state.

One of the most important things we can do is to maintain a daily spiritual routine. Just as there are meals we would never think of missing, we should feed on God's Word daily.

Jesus is the living water and we should drink from him as well so that we don't become spiritually dehydrated. We need regular times of feasting on the things of God with others who love the Lord and with whom we can be encouraged and strengthened.

As summer months approach, may we keep ourselves spiritually strong and healthy in every way. We live in some difficult times and there may people around us who need folks to lean on and learn from.

Dear Father, Thank You for caring about who I am physically but I know that my spiritual condition is even more important to You. Help me to stay strong in You, even when I don't sense myself weakening in any way. I need Your constant strengthening. I love you...in Jesus' precious name. Amen

When No One is Applauding

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be

ye steadfast, unmoveable, always

abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your

labour is not in vain in the Lord.

I Corinthians 15:58

In our society, we have become quite used to hearing applause. We hear applause at ballgames, concerts, parades, voice or piano recitals and in many churches. It has become the custom to clap after any special music or accomplishment at any number of events.

Applause is defined as a physical exertion where we slap our two hands together in order to create a sound of approval. However, I've been in settings where it is appropriate to make no sound at all after another person's accomplishment. People can show their approval with a big smile, approving nod of the head or a quiet gesture with the hands such as a thumbs up.

What is the purpose of applause? It is primarily a way of saying to someone(s) that they have done a great job. Sometimes the applause can be almost insulting when in a group of people, only 4 or 5 clap, which sounds weak and most insincere.

The bottom line is that applause is not just a sign of approval but is meant to be of great encouragement. We live in a day where life is very fast-paced in most places. People can be unkind and not very thoughtful of the needs of others. Compliments and words of praise may not come our way on any kind of a regular basis. Encouragement can be scarce even within a group of close friends. Everyone today has their own problems and concerns.

So even though certain folks will not be able to hear my applause, there are some I wish to applaud and you could add to this list and in some cases, write a note or just express a sincere “thank you” to them. Right now, I'm thinking of the average church and the unsung workers who keep the place going week after week. Here goes:

Thank you to:

...the church pianist/organist who has been at the job for any number of years. She has not only played for the services but has attended rehearsals for choir practices and for special music groups. She may be on call for weddings and funerals and playing for Bible School opening rallies. She has new music to learn when no one else sees her hours of practice. Whether paid or not, the job is often a lonely and thankless one. Play on, sitters on the bench!!!

...the maintenance personnel. They usually have to show up early to get the temperature adjusted and the doors open. They clean bathrooms, empty waste cans, dust, vacuum and may get calls day or night when there's an emergency with the facilities. Appreciate you!!!

...nursery workers. Some have been in the church nursery so many years they've raised about two generations of babies. They've changed diapers that contains all sorts of surprises, been spit up on, kicked, and screamed at. We won't even mention the verbal abuse they often endure from particular parents. These workers are the first church people to have contact with the new baby or it's 3 year old toddler brother. They often spend their own money on snacks and even some diapers for those empty diaper bags. You are candidates for sainthood.!!

...pastors/Sunday school teachers. Yes, the pastor is paid to preach but there are times when a pat on the back that is sincere would be a welcome change. There are teachers who spend hours preparing lessons for their classes. Sometimes a class member will give a word of encouragement but most often, not. Study on friends, because there are some who listen!!

...choir members. Take a look at the average church choir and you'll see there folks with very gray hair or balding heads. Many times there are choir members who have been in the church choir since they were teenagers. They've attended more rehearsals than they could ever count let alone all of the rehearsals for special events. They may have lost at least 3 lbs in sweat wearing a heavy choir robe for the morning service but smile and sing anyway. They have been faithful no matter the season or weather. Let's hear it for the choir!!!!

...ushers. Take a look in the average church at offering time. In all probability, again you'll find gray hair or balding heads. Some have “ushed” for as long as they can remember. They've greeted people and passed out more visitor's cards than they could possibly count. They are expected to smile when they don't feel like it and have to find a seat for visitors who happened to sit in a “reserved seat” that members insisted on sitting in. Thanks guys!!!

...and on and on the list goes....parking lot attendants, PA workers, prayer captains, children's choir workers, Vacation Bible School workers, lawn care, special events planners, and you can add to the list.

Bottom line is, we shouldn't crave the accolades of others for serving the Lord. I don't read in Scripture where Jesus got a lot of pats on the back. He got a lot of stripes on His back which weren't meant to show any appreciation. He paid the greatest price that could be paid for you and me. Even with 10 being healed by Jesus, only one came back to say “thank you.” So I guess things haven't changed much...people will be people even though they don't always mean to be ungrateful.

We're coming up on summer. It's during that time that churches suffer when many church workers decide to take a three month vacation from church. It's during that time that we gain a new appreciation for those who faithfully stick with the stuff. One time, I played an offertory on the organ entitled “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” I had worked my fingers to the bone on that thing and doubted anyone would pay attention but what I was doing, I was doing for the Lord. That night when I got to the organ for the evening service, there sat a small ceramic bird with a note that simply said “Thanks.” I still don't know to this day who put that bird on the organ. That had to be 30 years ago and I still have that bird. It's carried me a long way in these years of serving the Lord and am so grateful for someone's thoughtfulness that meant the world to a weary organist that evening.

A word to all church workers...at the end of a service as you walk to your car, in case you haven't noticed, there won't be a crowd of people on either side of you waving flags and singing your praises for jobs well done. You will probably drag yourself home, eat a sandwich and take a nap. No one will notice, there will be no applause, no great words of appreciation. One thing you can know that Jesus saw everything and He is pleased. His “Well done” is really all I need after serving Him the best I can.

Thank You Father, for the ways You have gifted me to serve You. May I seek only Your approval and not the temporary accolades of people. Thank You for the privilege of being a part of Your work. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

I WILL SING

I will praise thee with my whole heart:

before the gods will I sing praise

unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple,

and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness

and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified

thy word above all thy name.

Psalm 138:1,2

I never knew Granny Fancher very well. She and her two daughters lived next door to us. They lived in a fairly run down two-story house. Her two daughters lived downstairs and Granny Fancher lived upstairs.

On many spring and summer evenings, Granny would sit at her open upstairs window with a kerosene lamp on a table beside her chair. Down on the ground between both houses was my swing set. It wasn't some fancy thing that was store bought. My Dad had the swing set built with metal poles, welded to the safest degree. It was only big enough for two swings. I loved nothing more than swinging on a swing when the urge struck me.

There was something that was a real event for me that happened on one of those warm-weather evenings. After supper when I was allowed outside for a little bit of time, there was something strange that occurred. After her supper, Granny often sat by her open window and she would begin to sing. I remember in the beginning wondering about an old lady singing. Even in church I'd never noticed our older ladies singing. Granny would sing in kind of a crackly voice and it wasn't terribly loud but enough that I could hear her. She would sing “Amazing Grace,” “Standing on the Promises,” “The Old Rugged Cross” and other still familiar hymns. With some songs she sang, she rocked back and forth in the rocking chair.

Unknowingly, I probably learned some of those songs through Granny Fancher. As I watched, those hymns were reinforced in my memory because during many of those times, I decided to rock back and forth on a swing along with her. I would not recognize Granny if she were alive today. She so rarely left her upstairs apartment that I'm not sure how many people would have recognized her. I loved swinging with her singing until my Mom called me into the house.

I've been in a lot of churches and must tell you that I have often noticed whether I was in the choir or at a piano, that only about half of the people present participated in the music part of the service. I also observed that many of those non-participants were age 50 and older. There was a day when those golden folks sang heartily during times of congregational singing, but now, it seemed like their song was gone. I don't think Granny Fancher had any idea that there was a little six-year-old girl in her own yard, down below her window, watching and listening. That little girl was also participating as best she knew how to do it, taking part in Granny Fancher's evening worship.

In Psalm 138, David writes of three determinations in his life when it comes to giving God his undivided attention. He determines that he WILL praise God, Will sing praise unto God and WILL worship toward God's holy temple. The most progress I have ever made in my own life has been when I made some determinations to do things differently, spiritually speaking. I've enjoyed the most in spiritual freedom when I've determined that I WILL do something for the Lord. Even now, I need to determine to be more a person of praise and worship. Mixed in with the two is the fact that they cannot be done minus a feeling of gratitude. We are blessed people.

Take a look at Psalm 138 written by David that has only 8 verses in it. As one reads this Psalm, you or I can see clearly some of the characteristics of God for which we can be so very grateful: lovingkindness, truth, word, answers prayer, strengthens, His ways, His glory, respect, all knowing, revives, protects, saves, perfects, merciful, endures and His works. We can never cease finding things for which to be grateful. They are so evident throughout the Word of God. Each one of those things mentioned in that Psalm, God activates in your life and mine.

I'm grateful for the memory of Granny Fancher. The picture is as vivid one in mind...swinging on my play set to her music. I wonder how many people know you and I to be people of praise and gratitude. It'll take some determination on our part.

I WILL praise.....sing.....worship and will do it wholeheartedly.

Father, I'm so grateful for all You are in my life. I don't deserve an ounce of Your attention, love or provision but thank You for it all. Forgive me when I ignore You in my life and help me to stay focused and centered right down to the core of who I am in those things that matter to You. I love You and thank You for Your every work in my life. In Jesus precious name. Amen

This and That

Grace unto you, and peace, from

God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

II Thessalonians 1:2

“Love and marriage, love and marriage...go together like a horse and carriage.”

I was much younger when I first heard that song. It had a wonderful sing/song rhythm to it. Love and marriage...two words closely associated not just by a song but because the two words do go together.

There are lots of words in our vocabularies that seem to be linked with the word “and.” In some cases, those words may just be everyday words or there may be proper names that are associated in the same way. I've been thinking about what some of those associated words are that I've heard through the years, such as: Sears and Roebuck, odds and ends, come and go, black and blue (bruising), up and down, Barnes and Noble, David and Bathsheba, Mary and Martha, soup and sandwich, Psalms and Proverbs, rain and shine, hide and seek, sharps and flats, steak and potatoes, wash and wear, bacon and eggs, bread and jelly, young and old, love and hate...you can probably add some such things to this list but at this point for me, it is an exercise in futility.

However, it was a pattern in words in Scripture that has caught my attention over the last several weeks. I think I've seen them off and on but never really observing how many and their locations. On top of that, the order of the words proved to be interesting as well. These words are found in the New Testament, written consistently by Paul in each of the letters he wrote either to people or churches. They are found near the beginning in each epistle, at least within the first verses of Chapter 1 and often in the first two or three verses.

The two words I'm referring to are: GRACE and PEACE

Paul used those words as a kind of opening blessing in his letters. I thumbed through Paul’s letters, all thirteen of them and found in most cases, this phrase: “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” This sentence can be found in I Corinthians 1:3. Notice in this verse (and will be in some of the others) Who the source is of that grace and peace. It is from God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory be!!!!

There has been so many opinions through the years as to who wrote the book of Hebrews. As I checked that book for the very same phrase, it is not to be found. Why would Paul use that blessing in every book we know he wrote and leave it out of an important book like Hebrews IF he actually wrote it? It's just something to think about.

Looking up various sources on the two words “grace and peace,” I found the following thoughts that by far could not be exhausted or a book would be required to expound on them, thus some definitions that follow might be food for thought:

GRACE:

It is God's divine favor exhibited toward us when we accept Jesus as Savior. Grace can come in the form of hope, the call of God, faith and even forgiveness. God continues to pour that undeserved favor into our lives continually.

PEACE:

Although the world has a form of counterfeit peace, true peace comes from God alone. He is the fountain of peace. When at true peace, a person is free of care or disturbance. Peace is God's gift when we walk in His ways. It is soundness of spirit and well being.

Here is my thought...

Paul never says “Peace and grace.” He consistently puts those two words in the order he did. Here's what I think for what it's worth. There can be NO peace until there is the wonderful experience of God's grace being poured into our lives. God is the source of peace but the real thing isn't available to us until we have the grace of salvation that has been poured into our lives.

When we think of peace, we think of two people, two groups or even two countries being at odds with one another. We may struggle beyond endurance to make peace with another person(s) but unless both people have accepted Jesus as personal Savior, true peace will be an impossibility. Oh, they may be able to come to some agreement and get along with each other for awhile but eventually, things will fall apart again. Real peace only comes through Jesus Christ. This is also why there will never be peace in the Middle East at any time. When unsaved people try to make a permanent peace between their peoples, it'll never work.

Both sides must have God's favor for there to be a lasting peace.

How many times have I been frustrated in a relationship with another where I've done everything I know to do to make amends and nothing seems to work. Even if there is a “cease fire” in the relationship, I often feel that I'm walking on egg shells. I'm not saying the other person isn't saved but remember in one of our definitions for peace is that peace is God's gift when we are walking in His ways. Consistently, Paul also puts those two words in the same order... Grace and Peace. You see, Grace must come first as it has to do with our relationship with God THEN comes Peace. Paul always puts those two words in that order.

When reading Paul's letters to whoever, sometime notice those words of blessing he pronounces at the beginning. Guess what? All those people he wrote to are now dead and hopefully in Heaven. His letters now are for our instruction and blessing. I read most of his letters putting my name where I find “you, ye, thou”. The Word of God is for me right now. I pray I will be able to live up to the GRACE and PEACE God has made available to me and may it be so for you as well.

Thank You Father for all You have invested in my life through Jesus. Help me to live in peace no matter what the behavior of another person might be. Grant me Your spirit of peace and help me to seek and walk in Your ways. I love you. In Jesus precious name...Amen