Fall Creek Christian Church

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." Proverbs 31:8-9   High school passing periods are typically too short to have time to run to the bathroom and still get to class on time, but I went for it anyway. My timing, however, didn't take into consideration the poor freshman cornered in the bathroom by two bullies. I knew the kid and managed to talk the two of them out of whatever they were planning. They seemed satisfied with his terrified tear-filled eyes. The writer of today's verses saw helpless people too. He took exception to it and called for action. Simply observing injustice, cruelty, and evil was unacceptable. There is a moral obligation, even stronger, a divine obligation to speak up for those who have no voice. The next time you witness injustice ... The next time your blood boils over wrongs being done ... The next time your head

"O Lord, I am willing to call to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering."  Psalm 141:1-2   I didn't wake up that morning saying to myself, "I think I'll wander off the hiking path alone and end up stuck and stranded on a rock ledge with nothing but boulders below", but that's exactly what I did. There were no good options available to me. Regardless of whether or not I could explain how I got there, the fact of the matter was I was there. So, I did what every other self-respecting young man would do, I yelled for help! Help did come. Not in the form of another person, but in the form of a strategically located sapling about an inch in diameter. It was just close enough and just strong enough to enable my escape. Apparently, I'm not the only one who has ever yelled for help. King David did, all the time. In our verses for the day, he was in trouble.

"No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8   I've never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. I can identify pretty quickly all the people in the room who are a few IQ points above me. I'm okay with that. Everyone has their points of excellence. It may be the lack of letters after my name or just my personality, but either way, I prefer simple. Complicated leads to confusion and miscommunication. Simple leads to action, movement and progress. God, through his prophet Micah, chose to go with simple. The people of Israel had lost their way. They were under covenant to worship God alone, but instead they added countless idols and threw in a good measure of self seeking just to seriously muddy up the water. Simple was needed ... Do the right thing, care for others, and stay close and submitted to God.  I think this simplicity theme

"I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you."  Hosea  10:12     Living in a neighborhood surrounded by cornfields has given me the opportunity to witness planting and plowing up close and personal. It's obvious even from my observer position that a bountiful harvest doesn't just happen. The soil is worked. The seed is planted. The plants are protected from bugs and weeds. Then, when the rainwater falls and the sun shines, the crops burst from the ground as if reporting for roll call. It's truly remarkable. God, through his prophet Hosea, was giving the people of Israel the answer to the question, "Where's the love?" The crop of love was missing. Why? They had neglected righteousness. They allowed their hearts to remain hard. It was time for some planting and plowing. The Lord of

"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see,  and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever."  I John  2:15-17   I visited my doctor recently, my annual physical. I talked to her about this ache and this pain and how I used to be able to __________ (fill in the blank). "Well, you're getting a little older", she says. I've decided that I officially don't like getting older, watching my youth slowly fade away. Regardless, it's happening like it or not. All is fading away. John pointed out this reality in his letter with brutal clarity. All we crave, all we think we need to have, every experience that we d

"This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly."  I Peter 2:21-23 Being a directionally challenged person, I've learned the value of following. It doesn't matter if it's following a someone or a GPS. I just don't like being lost. It's unsettling. I've been lost in cities. I've been lost in the woods. I've been lost on lakes. I've even been lost in buildings. Having someone or something to follow that is reliable has saved me from a great deal of grief. In our verses for the day, Peter has a thing or two to say about following. First and foremost, follow Christ. There are many options to choose from, but at the end of the day, come hell or high water, you will

"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do."  James 1:6-8 There's a crucial moment in fishing when a person has one foot in the boat and one foot still on the dock. Any poorly calculated movements during that time can result in some fairly unpleasant outcomes. I've watched people perform the splits who really aren't able to perform the splits. Yikes! I've seen others tumble into the boat to avoid the inevitable splash. Others well ... just get wet. None of these are desirable outcomes. In our verses for the day, James speaks to this one-foot-in phenomenon as it relates to a relationship with God. To put it mildly, it's bad. He uses words like "blown&qu

"I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one."  Ezekiel 22:30 Many times in my life I've thought and even verbalized, "Someone needs to do something about that." I am in the process of being taught by God that when he allows me to see something it's because he intends for me to be that someone to do something about it. I wonder how much of God's power and glory I've missed pondering where that someone went to hide. Ezekiel records the words of God regarding the people of Israel at his time. God couldn't find anyone interested in righteousness. Not one! God prefers mercy over judgment. He told us that. He's looking for a reason to hold off judgment. More specifically, a someone to stand between him and the people, a purveyor of righteousness. Someone like Jesus. The search

"   The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.  There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before his eyes. And it is to him that we must all give an account of ourselves. "  Hebrews  4:12-13 The time had come. I was done being "friends." I was twenty years old and ready to head out into the future with a beautiful young woman on my arm. I was convinced that she was the one, but was  she  convinced? So, with my heart in my hands, completely exposed, I told her how I really felt about her. She responded with, "I think you should ask someone else out." ... Ouch! My poor little heart was broken! I put myself out there only to be crushed. Fortunately, however, in time she decided that I was the one for her too. After twenty six ye

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world. ... for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you."  Jeremiah 1:5,7b  I've never said to myself, "Wouldn't it be great to be a press secretary or spokesman for a major political figure?" Honestly, what a terrible job! Everytime you stand up to speak, at least half of the people already hate you. Everyone is waiting to pounce on any poorly worded statement. Each word is dissected, twisted, misinterpreted, or taken out of context to fit the agenda of a particular reporter or editor. In addition to all the negativity, how would one even know if they were successful? It's just plain depressing. No wonder there's such a turnover in that job. Welcome to Jeremiah's world. He was God's spokesman to a people who had no interest in what God had to say. Most of his preaching and prophesies were

"Whenever Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king took his knife and cut off that section of the scroll. He then threw it into the fire, section by section, until the whole scroll was burned up. Neither the king nor his officials showed any signs of fear or repentance at what they heard."  Jeremiah 36:23-24  We've all witnessed our own children or somebody else's child locked into a position of defiance. It may be a temper tantrum. It may be an ear piercing, "No!" aimed at the beleagured parent. It may be a poorly disguised, "I didn't hear you." However it comes, the message is clear ... "I have no desire to respond to what you're saying and you aren't going to make me." In a word ... defiance. The king in this story chose to go toe-to-toe with God. The prophet had issued the warnings. He then had them written down and the king arrogantly cut them up and threw them in the fire. The rest of the chapter revea

"Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends."  Philippians 4:1  I used to watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball when I was a kid. I grew up near Chicago and WGN was one of the few channels we had so Harry Carey and the Cubs were my team. Their inability to win a world series title has now spanned over 100 years, the last being 1908. I don't watch the Cubs anymore. There are too many other channels these days and frankly, I've received no encouragment to remain true. Call me a fair weather fan if you will, but seriously ... 106 years?! Paul, in closing his letter to his dear friends, was thinking about remaining true as well. His concern was in regards to something infinitely more significant than baseball. He was talking about their commitment to Jesus. "Stay true." The conversation could have continued along these lines, "Remain loyal. Don

"For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die."  Philippians 1:20  As I watched one of our brave military members receive their congressional medal of honor, I was completely mesmerized. The acts of heroism recited and recognized by those honoring them left me wanting to be a better person. My mind whirled imagining the scene they encountered and the decisions they made in the midst of it. It was inspiring to all to see such selflessness, courage, and sacrifice. Honor matters. In our verse for the day, we find honor prominently placed right next to Jesus. He embodied honor at every level in every circumstance he faced. What "medal" is he worthy of? His Father bestowed upon him the "name that is above every name." What about us? What could we possibly give Jesus that wou

"His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure."  Ephesians 1:5  I am a huge fan of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. What a fantastic idea!  If being too thin was my ailment, the cookie dough ice cream would be my daily medicine.  I treasure in the deepest parts of my heart fall walks in the woods with my sweetheart ... the cool air, the crunch of leaves under our feet.  Priceless.  The beauty of God's creation holds me spellbound ... thundering waterfalls, the brilliantly lit Milky Way, the melodic ocean waves, majestic mountains, and the energetic rivers that roll through the landscape. Pleasure.  We were made to enjoy this mystery called life.  Why? As it turns out, the One, in who's image we were created, also feels and experiences pleasure.  So, what makes his list?  Our Bible verse for the day reveals one of them - our adoption.  Jesus is the only beg

"I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians  2:20 I look forward to going home. My wife and kids are my favorite people on the planet. No matter how many crazy and unhappy events a day may hold, there's something about holding them in my arms that just tells my soul, "Everything's going to be okay." Being loved changes everything. In our verse for the day, Paul proclaimed this principle from a divine perspective. Jesus' love for us, as declared on the cross, creates a life of confident trust. He loves me so I'll surrender to his leadership. He loves me so I'll take my pain to him instead of blaming him for it. He loves me so I will believe, really believe what he says. He loves me so I matter. Being loved changes everything. Days of difficulty are upon us all or soon will be. Fear, anger, broken hearts, bitterness, depressi

"As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. For God says, 'At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.' Indeed, the 'right time' is now. Today is the day of salvation." II Cor. 6:1-2 I have received some pretty amazing gifts in my life. At the time of their arrival, my heart absolutely overflowed with joy and gratitude. These gifts represented the meeting of desperate needs or deep longings. They've come in all shapes and sizes with values so huge that no price tag could contain them. Sadly, however, not even the magnitude of these incredible gifts has kept my heart attentive to them over the long haul. Given Paul's plea in our verses today, it is clear that this problem is not unique to me nor our moment in history. Paul calls out this church for receiving the most marvelous of gifts, God's kindness, and then ignoring it. What?! God heard them. H

"When people boast about themselves, it doesn't count for much. But when the Lord commends someone, that's different!" II Cor.  10:18 A few weeks ago, during a men's softball game, I fell victim to the visions of granduer that sometimes plagues us middle aged men. A deep line drive provided me the opportunity to do my best Willie Mays over-the-shoulder catch impersonation. Well, let's just say there is a very good reason why he played major league baseball and I didn't. While looking over my shoulder to catch the ball, I failed to notice the chain link fence that was closing in on me at a high rate of speed. When I regained my senses, I was bleeding and bruised from head to toe. Worst of all, however, was the fact that I had dropped the ball when I hit the fence! My moment to boast of my "greatest catch ever" was lost. Not only could I not commend myself as a great softball outfielder, I actually succeeded in imprinting my below average athletici

" I waited patiently  for the  Lord ;  he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me up out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him." Psalm 40:1-3 On a mission trip to the coast of Panama, I found an unexpected physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenger.  Mud.  The ground upon which we were building homes and a school was saturated with rain.  After the first day of hauling lumber and supplies over the construction site, we had turned the ground into a deep, thick, and slimy mess.  Each step, day after day, was a fierce fight to keep possession of our boots. When the week came to an end, we left our boots, loaded up the boats, and headed for solid ground.  The first step on dry ground was like a sweet reunion with a dear friend.  The joy of rediscovery was indescribable. I doubt David

"That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way."   I Corinthians 11:28-31   I'm not a big fan of self examination. As a matter of fact, there are at least a million other activities I'd rather participate in than taking a good, long, honest look at myself. My guess is most of us would prefer to examine other people's lives. The multitude of gossip magazines and web-sites bear this reality out. Introspection is, at times, uncomfortable, discouraging, and frustrating. We would all much rather say, "Nobody's perfect" and leave it at that than face the cold hard truth about our cold hard hearts. I need to give Paul c

"Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the sheep gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel." Nehemiah 3:1   I have several lists in my life, some I write down, some I don't. These lists feel most like a collection of starting lines. I've observed that, in many instances in my life, the subsequent race attached to the starting line leaves me hesitating when the, "On your mark!", is called out. Other times, I'll take an item on the list and start running only to discover the item on the list never should have been there in the first place! It's all a bit wearying. These observations cause stories like the one in our reading for the day to feel like a cool rain on a scorching hot summer day. Nehemiah laid out an item on his list: 1. Rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. His witness of God's affirmation to the proj

"The Lord is my light and my salvation-- so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress protecting me from danger-- so why should I tremble? When evil people come to destroy me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear. Even if they attack me, I remain confident."   Psalm 27:1-3  A few days ago I saw a spider that was so big, my first instinct was to grab a baseball bat to defend my life and the lives of all those with me.  After taking a photo of said arachnid, we did some google research.  It turns out this kind of spider is such a bruiser that it doesn't even bother to make spider webs.  It just sneaks up on dinner and pounces on it.  ...  I don't like spiders. Even though we humans are typically not on the menu, their mere presence is simply unsettling to me. Fear is a reality for all of us.  It may or may not be spiders, but it's there lurking in the shadows of our

"Then King David went in and sat down before the Lord and prayed. Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving me a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O Lord God!"  I Chronicles 17:16-17 There are no shortages of examples in my life of times when I have embarrassed myself and those around me. My propensity to say and do things that miss the mark is one I cannot deny. Humiliation and self-depreciation follow closely behind these episodes. Finally, there is a struggle to regain my footing and move forward. Does this pattern sound familiar? In our verses for the day, we see David humbled before God. His humility, however, was not rooted in his failures even though he had his fair share of those. It was rooted in his clear recognition of his comparative smallness in the presence of God. One commentator expressed it this way, "Humility is not

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:2-3 As the movie scene rolls on, the battle between the special forces and the terrorists, along with those helping them, reaches an extreme crescendo. One of the bad guys manages to drop a grenade right in the middle of the good guys who are pinned down by machine gun fire. Without hesitating, the commanding officer yells, "Grenade!", and then dives on top of the grenade buffering his troops from the explosion. His death saved their lives. Intense? Heart-breaking? Sad? Yes. Courageous? Selfless? Honorable? Also yes. The writer of Hebrews recounts a similar, yet true story. The salvation story he reminds us of however, involves Jesus. His mission? Save the

"Yet I never shrank from telling you the truth, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for Jews and Gentiles alike -- the necessity of turning from sin and turning to God, and of faith in our Lord Jesus." - Acts 20:20-21 I have some wonderful truth tellers in my life. My wife is one. My kids. The leaders at church. Close friends. Truth tellers are those who care more about us than whether or not we like them at any given moment. They says things like, "You're just being selfish. ... That was rude. ... Self-pity doesn't look good on you. ... That's not right. ..." Sometimes I receive these kinds of conversations well. Sometimes ... not so much. I, like all of you, am a work in progress or at least I hope I am. Paul was a truth teller. He was consistent. He didn't present a public face and then a different private face. Truth didn't change with the person's heritage. He was passionate about three things: not sinning, seeki

"But Naaman became angry and stalked away. 'I thought he would surely come out to meet me!' he said. 'I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! Aren't the Abana River and Pharpar River of Damascus better than all the rivers of Israel put together? Why shouldn't I wash in them and be healed? So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. But his officers tried to reason with him and said, 'Sir, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he simply says to go and wash and be cured!'" II Kings  5:11-13 Approaching the big 5-0 has caused me to pause and consider life's journey so far. Why didn't I ask for help when I needed it? Why wouldn't I heed the wise counsel of those around me? Why did I persist in a course of action that was clearly flawed? Why do I dwell on 'I' to the neglect of others? Why do

"But Elijah said to her, 'Don't be afraid! Go ahead and cook that last meal, but bake me a little loaf of bread first. Afterward there will be enough food for you and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be plenty of flour and oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!" I Kings 17:13-14 Many times in our lives, my wife and I have looked at each other completely befuddled at what we were hearing God tell us to do.  Many indicators at the time pointed to this "word from God" being an unrealistic, not to mention "unwise" move.  From financial decisions, to professional decisions, to child rearing decisions, to adoption, to giving, to relational decisions and everything in between, we've looked up to heaven and said, "God, are you sure?" All throughout the Bible, we see people brought to a similar place in their lives again and again.  It

"Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.  For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?  The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and was glad that he had asked for wisdom."  I Kings 3:9-10  On a more noble day, if I were given one wish, I'd wish for cures to all diseases or world peace.  On regular days, I'd wish for all the money in the world, an infinite number of more wishes (most times this game is played this wish is not allowed), the ability to play every sport better than anyone else, to be smarter than everyone else, all of Superman's powers ... you get the idea. As far as we know, there has only been one man granted the privilege by God to make one wish and that was King Solomon, David's son.  He wished for wisdom.  Wisdom!?  I think he should have at least tried the infinite more wishes wish just to see if it really is a rule.  Regardless, his answer

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."  John 13:34-35 The gift was overwhelming.  Our family was about to go to five and a minivan was such an incredible blessing.  A fellow church member, moved by God's Spirit, gave of their resources to bless a young and growing family.  Love. Not talked about.  Not intellectually affirmed.  But expressed.  Love becomes love when it's given away. As it turns out, in our verses for today, Jesus promoted this love in action.  Even more than that, he told us that loving one another was a megaphone to the world.  It was the iron clad evidence that proved we belong to him. So, the request to make to God this week is this, "Please work through me to provide positive proof that I am a follower of Jesus."    Grace and Peace, Tom

"You made me; you created me.  Now give me the sense to follow your commands." Psalm 119:73 My dad was meticulous in giving me instructions regarding gun safety.  I, however, wasn't quite as meticulous in putting those instructions into practice.  As a kid, when dad and I were on a rabbit hunt, I neglected to follow the rule regarding keeping your finger away from the trigger until shooting time.  I tripped over some railroad tracks, reached out to catch myself with the safety off and my finger on the trigger.  The barrel was so close to my head when the gun went off, that all I could hear for the next several minutes was ringing.  Thankfully, my foolish failure to follow the instructions didn't cost me or my dad our lives, but it sure was a powerful lesson. The Psalmist here points out something so obvious we simply say, "Duh."  However, he still needed to say it, because he and we needed to hear it.  God made us.  Life was his idea.  His instructions and c

"Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, 'My lord the king!'  When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, 'Why do you listen when men say David is bent on harming you?'  This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave.  Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.'"  I Samuel 24:8-10 Having taken many road trips, I've been faced with the question time and time again as to what speed the cruise control should be set.  On a few occasions over the years, the lights in my rear view mirror indicated that I had chosen poorly.  The fact that certain speeds were available to choose did not mean that I should. David, in our story for the day, wrestled with this oft-repeated life dilemma.  He could have killed the man who was trying

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger."  Proverbs 15:1 Once while we were traveling, we stopped at a truck plaza for the usual: snacks, restroom and gas.  I noticed when I came to the counter where my wife was asking the clerk some questions and paying for the snacks that a drunk man was there also.  He was talking to my wife and judging by the reactions, I was convinced immediately that the comments were inappropriate.  I came up between them and asked if everything was okay.  Very gently and calmly she took my arm as she said, "yes" and led me out the door. The author of the proverb for the day had seen enough human interactions go awry to be able to identify a common theme.  Challenging situations can go from bad to worse.  They can also go from bad to better.  The key factor?  Did the parties involved respond or react?  Reactions are what we say and do before we think things through.  Responses are well-considered words and actions

"'Don't call me Naomi (pleasant),' she told them. 'Instead call me Mara (bitter), for the Lord Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why should you call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy?'"  Ruth 1:20-21 Typically, we see the glass half empty.  Sometimes, on a good day, we might see the glass half full.  On a bad day, that glass is a desert.  When I'm frustrated with my wife or one of my kids, I can't see much positive to put in their corner and vice versa.  Difficulty, pain, loss, frustration and all of the other negative emotions have this vision shrinking effect upon our lives. We see this in full effect in Naomi's life.  She had endured multiple tragedies and as a result had settled into a deep bitterness, a bitterness that blinded her from the obvious.  She didn't return "empty".  The Lord had blessed her wit

Dear Church Family, As most of you know by now, our church building was vandalized on Sunday night.  Like all of you, I have gone through a roller coaster of emotions from being annoyed, to feeling violated, to being angry and everywhere in between.  How could someone stand under the lit cross on the front of our building and hurl rocks to smash our windows?  I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you nor can we ask those responsible as that is still unknown at this point in time.  In praying through this sad event, God has reminded me of some truths that you may find helpful in the face of this crime against us. Our mission as a church is: To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus.  Any church family who is sincerely committed to that mission not only in words, but also in deeds, is a church family who needs to expect and be prepared for any and all attacks from the enemy.  Just to be clear, our enemy as the scriptures say, is not flesh and blood.  We don

"An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable."  Proverbs 14:4 On multiple occasions raising kids, we've had conversations with them about the connection between work and having some spending money.  We'll be asked questions like, "Why did she get money to buy ______ and I didn't?" To which we respond, "Well, did you do _______ or help with _______ ?"  Their expressions are priceless as they answer, "Uh..."  In our family, it didn't take long for the kids to figure out that the one who goes with dad to the hardware store and helps with a project receives a "thank you" of some kind. The proverb for the day expresses this principle in a clear, no non-sense manner.  In an agricultural society, someone with an empty, clean stable was on the fast track to becoming destitute.  Shoveling a little manure is far better than going hungry. There is the obvious application here to earn a living by work

"When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community -- the heads of the clans of Israel -- heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied.  Phinehas son of Eleazer, the priest replied to them, 'Today we know the Lord is among us because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord as we thought.  Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed by the hand of the Lord.'" - Joshua 23:30-31 Jumping to conclusions is a common malpractice in our interactions with others.  I've wasted an incredible amount of time and energy anguishing over scenarios that existed only in my mind.  I discovered later, if only I would have paused, asked a few questions, waited, or simply listened very carefully, all the angst could have been avoided. In our verses for the day, we see Phinehas and friends practicing the fine art of listening.  It appeared as if 2 1/2 tribes of Israel were committing a great sin and t

"On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel.  He said, 'Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.'  So the sun and the moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies.  Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar?  The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.  The Lord fought for Israel that day.  Never before or since has there been a day like that one, when the Lord answered such a request from a human being."   Joshua 10:12-14 Children are fantastic at dreaming up big requests.  They ask us to go to exotic places, to purchase immeasurably expensive items, to perform super human feats, to rewrite history, just to name a few.  For kids, impossible is nothing. Apparently, Joshua had refused to grow up.  Or, perhaps, he simply never lost sight of the magnitude of his Creator.  As the bat

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do everything in love." I Cor. 16:13-14 How would you answer the question, "What does it mean to be a man?"  Desiring to be a man myself and one who wants to encourage others to be men as well, I've thought about it quite a bit.  About the only thing I'm completely sure of is that I have not fully "arrived" in my understanding of what it means to be a man.  Some things I have observed in my journey so far would include: being a male does not make one a man and our society will be of little to no help in increasing our understanding of what it means to be a man.  Our search for answers must begin with and continue with our creator. In our verses for the day, we see God posting a sign ... Wanted: Men  Not just any men.  He's looking for attentive men.  Firmly rooted men.  Men of courage.  Men of strength.  Men who are driven by the highest motivation - Love. Our worl

"If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels."  Luke 9:26 We've all been in those, "Share your most embarrassing moment" conversations.  Stories range from misspoken words to inappropriate actions to anything else imaginable.  Laughter normally follows the stories, which is the point of course.  There are, however, shamed filled moments that are no laughing matter. In our verse for the day, Jesus mentions the most important ... shame for knowing him and for following what he says.  To be ashamed of him and his word sets us up for a bad day when he returns in all of his glory.  He will be ashamed of us. O my ... I don't know about you, but I really really do not want to be one of Jesus' "most embarrassing moments" stories.  What are we doing or not doing that betrays a shame for Jesus in our hearts?  What are we v

"I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.  It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. ... 'I am not even worthy to come and meet you.  Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.' ... The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news."  Luke 6:47-48, Luke 7:7, Psalm 68:11 My 6th grade teacher was my favorite.  He was tough, but fair.  His expectations were high and articulated very clearly.  It was one of the few moments in my life where I actually wanted to sit in the front row.  In doing so, I made sure I was listening to what he had to say. The Bible puts a premium on listening, particularly when God is speaking.  Our verses for the day tell us that God's word provides a solid foundation, unleashes his power, and results in the heralding of good news.  We're told also that the heavens declare his glory and

"But you have raised a banner for those who honor you-- a rallying point in the face of attack.  Use your strong right arm to save us, and and rescue our beloved people. ... Oh please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.  With God's help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes."  Psalm 60:4-5, 11-12 I've had the privilege of personally sitting down and listening to some of our WWII heroes as they recount some of their harrowing experiences in the war.  Grenades. Foxholes. Snipers. Chaos. Confusion.  Scenes of life and death struggle.  One marine told me of walking up the mountain on Iwo Jima.  He watched those in front of him carrying a large flag.  As he made his way out of the jungle into the next clearing ... There it was, waving in the wind.  A rallying point, a banner of hope and victory. King David, who wrote this Psalm, knew the horrors of war.  He had looked for the rallying point banner in the midst of battle man

"But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it."   Numbers  14:24 In the too few moments in my life where I could honestly say, "I got it right", each one would have a connection point with God's instructions.  I have never experienced regret, guilt or shame when I chose to trust and obey God.  I am unable to recall any time when I did not obey God and left feeling good about it. In Numbers 14, we find a man named Caleb who got it right.  God told Moses to send some men to explore the land which he was about to give to the Israelites.  Ten of them decided to change the mission.  They decided it was their job to determine whether or not it was a good idea to take possession of the land or not, essentially disregarding God's instructions.  They got it wrong and it cost them their lives.  Caleb, however, was firmly fixed on one question:  What did

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with surging."  Psalm 46:1-3 Life seems to follow a pattern of:  Storms approaching, Storms raging, Storms subsiding.  The older we get the less surprised we are at this pattern.  However, regardless of age or mounting experiences, the fury of the storm never loses its sting.  It still hurts when others are cruel.  It still concerns when resources are not matching needs.  It still grieves to say, "Good-bye."  Broken dreams still break the heart. This reality was not lost on the writers of this Psalm.  They got it.  Perhaps, it's better to say, "They got him."  Ever-present trouble requires ever-present help.  The ground beneath our feet may give way.  The towering strength of the mountain may crumble.  The sea may rise in fur

"Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, 'Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.  Nothing outside a person can make them unclean by going into them.  Rather, it is what comes out of a person that makes them unclean."  Mark 7:14 - 16 While attending a martial arts class many years ago, we had some random man show up in a full ninja outfit, complete with mask and sword.  The instructor had seen him before so he wasn't too concerned.  At some point, he came back and took the instructor up on an offer to work out with him.  It turns out the man had absolutely no clue about martial arts.  He looked the part on the outside, but inside ... nothing. Jesus had a challenging time, as this passage in Mark reveals, convincing people that outward appearances of righteousness did not make a person right with God.  He continually drove people to evaluate the internal.  What's in the heart?  Is there a genuine love for God and others or not.  Ultimately, an ugly h

"As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collection booth. 'Come be my disciple,' Jesus said to him.  So Levi got up and followed him.  That night Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax-collectors and many other notorious sinners. (There were many people of this kind among the crowds that followed Jesus.)"    Mark  2:14-15 On more occasions than I care to admit, I've found myself in a place of real internal tension being around certain people.  It wasn't an issue of personal safety.  It was an issue personal image.  I didn't really want people to see me with that person or those people.  It feels really ugly even as I write the words, but I'm just being honest.  My suspicion is that I'm not the only one who has struggled with this insecurity. Thankfully, Jesus was and is perfectly comfortable with those at the bottom of the social strata.  He was neither diminished nor expa