Baldy!

There's a story in the Bible that has always kind of bothered me - the story of Elisha and those pesky, disobedient kids.

"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys." - 2 Kings 2:23-24

Okay . . . now, doesn't that seems a little harsh? Why did Elisha do that? He was a prophet of God. Where's the compassion and the love?

This story is just one example of why it is SO important the STUDY the Bible and not merely read it. There are several things to note here.

First, as I mentioned earlier, Elisha was a prophet of God. That demands a certain respect, perhaps even fear. These 'boys' were not giving Elisha the respect he was due.

Second, the Bible translation used above was the NIV, not always the most accurate translation. The word 'boys' appears in the NIV. A good source to use in studying various translations of text is BibleHub.

If we search for 2 Kings 2:23 on BibleHub we get all the various translations of the text. 'Some boys' (NIV) is not the only translated words we find here. 'A group of boys' (NLT), 'some small boys' (ESV), 'little children' (KJV), 'some youths' (NKJV)' etc.

So which it is? Bible study tool #2...

The Old Testament Interlinear Bible I use is ScriptureForAll. The link here is for Old Testament (Hebrew). There is also a New Testament Greek version. If we click on the 2 Kings 23 link we get this Hebrew words: unorim qtnim. This translates to 'lads, small ones.' Let's move on.

So we have some small lads disrespecting the older prophet of God. What does scripture say about children disrespecting their elders?

“You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." - Leviticus 19:32

And although there is not a specific punishment written for disrespecting elders, there is one for disrespecting parents. It's the Fifth Commandment.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." - Exodus 20:12

There is a case of a disrespecting son found in Deuteronomy, his parents brought him before the elders for judgement. The following was the law given to Moses by God.

"Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid." - Deuteronomy 21:21

The penalty for not honoring one's parents was death. I imagine it would be the same regarding demonstrations of honor for one of God's prophets. 

So, was Elisha wrong for calling down a curse on these young lads? No. Not under the law. But let's consider Jesus and the grace of God.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48

The punishment under the law was death for not honoring parents. God's law has not changed. And even though Jesus spoke about loving our enemies, He also said this:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." - Matthew 5:17

He died on the cross to fulfill the sentence required for not honoring those who deserve honor.

How will we handle being disrespected today? Will we honor those who are worthy of honor? Or who require honor?

Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump are older than me. Both have held the position of president. Are they due honor and respect, despite what we think about them? Hmm.

We can have our opinions but we also must respect the office.

"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." - Romans 13:1

You Are My Witnesses

"You are my witnesses," says LORD, "And my servant whom I have chosen." - Isaiah 43:10

God repeats that "You are my witnesses" phrase three times in chapters 43 and 44 of Isaiah. Why? Could it be because God wants us to, oh, I don't know, be His witnesses?

In my last story I wrote about King Hezekiah and his thankful prayer to God for extending his life by 15 years. I kind of feel the same way after a visit to the ER last week. Thankful!

But how does being thankful translate into being a witness for God? I mean, what do we do?

This past Tuesday I visited the place where I used to work. Everyone was glad to see me and to SEE that I truly was recovering. Hugs, smiles, and love are wonderful healing tools.

Everyone asked how I was doing. And I told them. I was a witness to God's goodness and healing power. A dozen people heard that day about God, Isaiah, and Hezekiah. They heard Bible verses and could see in my eyes what they meant to me.

THAT is what being a witness for God means. It's a loving conversation between two people who care about each other. It's living out that love in daily life.

I've seen people standing on a street corner with a sign telling me I need to repent because, "the end is near." While that is certainly true, it's not being a very effective witness.

Do you remember what Jesus said was 'the first and greatest commandment?" It's to love (Luke 10:27). More on that next time, but for now, know this.

No one can argue with your personal story, of how God has touched YOUR life. Always be ready to tell it. And, when you tell it, tell it with truth and love. You will be praising God and bringing glory to His name.

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." - 1 Peter 3:15

What's your story?

Honor

A friend of mine died recently. He was a veteran of the United States Army. He was also a cop in the City of Chicago. Honor and respect were due him, and he received both at his funeral.

My friend was a member of our church. He still is. That's because members of our church, and the bigger Church in general, have an eternal home, and eternal life, through our faith in Jesus. And by the grace of God.

I used to sit next to my friend in church. Everybody has "their seats" you know. Lol! We had many good conversations before the church service began - mostly about the crazy world we live in. And the fact that "God is still on His throne."

But the thing I will always remember about him was the number of people at his graveside service. It seemed like half our church was there! And it was a work day!!

Why did so many people show up? Was it because he was a veteran and a cop? Maybe. Partially. But I think the reason so many people came to pay their respects was because he was loved and because he was our brother in The Lord.

There were no tears. There actually were a few smiles. Why? Because our brother was home with The Lord! "Rejoice! I say again, rejoice!" - Psalm 106:1

As I left the service, I wondered, would there be as many people at MY funeral as I had seen today at my friend's? I think the answer lies in how we live our earthly lives.

Did we love others, as Jesus commanded us to do? Did we love God? It is our common love for God that unites us with such a large family of brothers and sisters.

I look forward to future conversations with my friend and brother. See you soon! 🙂

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12:10-12

Father-Son

Over the past few days I have witnessed the special bond that can exist between a father and his son. I say 'can' because not all fathers and sons have that kind of relationship.

Sadly, some fathers couldn't care less about the children they sire. They were just interested in their own sexual gratification. They are just interested in themselves. A TRUE father is more interested in His wife and children than he is in his own welfare.

My wife and I watched our grandson play in a football game on Saturday. After the game our grandson couldn't wait to tell his dad about the whole thing, even though his dad had already watched the entire game. A special bond.

I played a few rounds of disc golf later that same day with a man and his nephew - a relationship similar to that of a father and his son. After we had finished playing, the older man said to me, speaking about BOTH of his nephews, "I can't tell you how much it means to me to be out here with these boys."

Many of today's societal issues could be eliminated all together if sons and fathers loved and respected one another.

Jesus and His Father are our perfect example of this ideal father-son relationship. Jesus was, and still is, very obedient to doing His Father's will.

And God the Father's relationship His Son?

"And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:17 - Matthew

I am grateful to have a good relationship with my son. And equally as grateful to see that same relationship exists between MY son and HIS son.

As I reflect back on my life I can remember similar relationships with fatherless sons in youth groups at church, encountered while playing disc golf, or while attending Christian music festivals.

Hen a father loves a son, and a son loves his father, the results are NEVER disappointing.

"The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands." - John 3:35

"For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does." - John 5:20

"I am in the Father and the Father is in me." - John 14:11

Righteous Disobedience

Being as old as I am, I can remember a time when we used to be proud of our country. We used to put our hands over our hearts every time the national anthem was played. We would sing along because we actually knew all of the words. Those days are gone now. Or are they?

In 1969, then President Nixon offered up a speech regarding his Vietnam War policies. He asked for the help of what he called "the silent majority." That silent majority he referred to are American conservatives and they are a powerful force when they become agitated.

When the U.S. Women's Soccer Team recently lost their opening Olympic match to Sweden, many U.S. citizens actually cheered. Why? It was because of what's going on in this picture. The silent majority in this country is reaching the boiling point.

These kneeling ladies as individuals had the right to do what they did. The problem for the silent majority however is that these athletes were representing the United States. The United States Olympic Committee also had the right to kick its kneeling players off the team. They didn't.

I was reading a story the other day about the Egyptian midwives back in the days of Moses. They too defied their government's wishes, saving the lives of many babies born to the Hebrews. Pharaoh said to them: 

“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live." - Exodus 1:16-17

Righteous disobedience. The Hebrew midwives had it. I think the silent majority has it too. Should our government come for the legal gun owner's guns or mandate vaccine injections, you will see the silent majority resist and take action. The resulting 'war' will not be pretty.

Before things really get ugly however, God will remove the righteous from the coming battle. 

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Scripture says that "One day, every knee will bow" but that bowing will take place in heaven. That bowing will be in submission to the one true King. It will be to honor Him and to respect Him and to worship Him.

We must remember to respect our government and obey its laws EXCEPT when they conflict with the laws of God. Then we must become disobedient to man in favor of God's will. We must become righteously disobedient to laws and authorities who oppose God. The time is coming. Very soon.

Soon And Very Soon - Andrea Crouch

Who's The Loser Now?

Just about everybody was happy to see the New England Patriots lose this past weekend. Everybody except little Tommy that is. Why is that?

Well, part of our joy in seeing the Patriots lose is because they are always winning. How many Super bowls have they won? Five? Six?

And, even though Tom Brady will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history, nobody likes the guy. Why? They see him as a whiner and a cheater. Remember "Deflate Gate? And look at that face! Poor little puppy.

Maybe if Tom Brady was a little more humble. Maybe if he cared about others more than he cared abut himself. Maybe if he was just a little more "human."

So, what does any of this have to do with God? Not much really. But it has a lot to do with us. Take a step back for a moment and look at the person in the mirror. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? These are the words of Jesus.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48

We like to sit back in our recliners and on our couches and tell the people on television exactly what we think of them. We cheer when someone we don't like has a bad day. Are we any better than the politicians we elect or the opinion shows we watch or the people we are trashing with our words?

Nope.

So how can we change all this - these negative attitudes towards our fellow human beings?

As always, Jesus is the answer. The world needs more of Him. But how do we do that? Look, we all have a "Tom Brady" in our lives. Let's "be Jesus" to them and BE the example, like Christ did for us.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." - Ephesians 4:29

The Sacrifice of Family

Okay. Let's see. Where was I before leaving for my mother's burial? Well, I missed posting a story on Monday. Also, my laptop broke in half, but I rigged something up using an old CRT monitor - for just such an occasion as this! However the image on the screen is convulsing so this may be a really short story. LOL! AND near the end of today's story my computer actually died. Three hours later, I am coming to you from our basement using an old Windows XP computer. Had to download a new browser, delete all my cookies so . . . FINALLY, here it is.

-------------------------------------

It is good to be home. All the miles my wife and I logged during this last week approached the 2,000 mile mark. :O But all the travel was well worth it for all of the love we received at my mom's funeral. The sacrifice of family touched our hearts.

I was doing pretty good that day - keeping my emotions in check pretty well - until all the people started showing up. Kari Lyn, a distant cousin, came from Southern Michigan. several hours in a car, leaving her parents behind whom she cares for.

Then I saw my cousin Jeff and his sister Cathi walk in. They had a longer drive - southeast Michigan and Ohio. Jeff saved my life when we were in our early teens. No big deal for him. Just helping someone out. It was a BIG deal for me, nearly drowning in the local swimming hole.

Then there was William, a strapping young man, the son of my cousin. William is in the army, stationed in Tennessee, but said he "had to drive home home for Aunt Jane." I think I gave him four hugs while he was there. We then honored his love for my mom by asking him to be one of the pall bearers.

But the one visit had us ALL teary-eyed and in shock was when William's sister Sarah came walking through the door. Her left leg was bandaged from the tip of her toe all the way up to her hip. She had just gotten out of the burn unit at a hospital a few hours earlier. The adhesive residue was still on her arm where the IV was and the identification bracelet was still on her wrist. She had been burned in a workplace accident by 300-400 degree grease.

My young cousin was in tremendous pain yet she came to pay her last respects to my mom and our family. She sacrificed her comfort to comfort others. Wow!

All these people attending my mother's funeral, sacrificing their time just to show how much my mom meant to them. What a wonderful way to demonstrate their love. It reminded me of when Jesus died. He sacrificed Himself that day to demonstrate His love for us. In turn, the disciples sacrificed THEIR lives for Him to proclaim the Gospel. Do we sacrifice OUR lives for Jesus to demonstrate our love for HIM?

I need to examine myself a little closer. Where do I come up lacking in MY sacrifice to others? Sarah's example of sacrifice and the sacrifice of all my family members, will forever be in my heart.

^"15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another." - Romans 12:15-16

O The Blood - Gateway Worship

Do You Love Me?

Ever wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep? Ever wonder why? Something you've left undone perhaps? Or something you are afraid of? What if it's someone trying to tell you something. "Wake up Neo."

I had a weird dream the other night. I was having a conversation with two friends in a bar perhaps or in a crowded restaurant. Suddenly two men came in. One of the men reached down towards one of my friends, like he's giving my seated friend a hug, and he placed something into my friend's coat pocket. Drugs.

That was at 3:15AM.

Naturally, my brain had to figure out what all that meant . . . for the next hour or so. Thoughts bounced around in my head like a shiny steel ball in a pinball machine. Perfect. The bouncing ball finally stopped and I was able to fall back asleep but not before getting up and writing some of my thoughts down on paper. This is what I wrote.

 .......

Do You Love Me?

True obedience to the will of God

Do we love others as much as we should?

As much as He loves us?

Do we live our lives as a reflection of Him?

Do we minister to those in need of Him with passion?

OUR ministries must take a backseat to His.

OUR will, OUR thoughts, OUR hopes.

Love one another. If you love Me . . .

.......

"If you love me, keep my commands." - John 14:15

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

In Ephesians 5 the apostle Paul describes the relationship between Jesus (the bridegroom) and His church (the bride). He speaks of respect and sacrifice but he starts off the chapter with this.

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5:1-2

Then I stumbled upon the lyrics of an old Vic Damone song that asked this question.

"Do I love you because you're beautiful? Or are you beautiful because I love you?"

And how about this verse?

"19 We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19

What does all this have to do with my dream? I have NO idea. Well, I actually I do. We, as Christians, are to love one another. That seems pretty clear to me. And we are to do so unconditionally. But can we love a drug dealer? Can we love someone who is addicted to drugs? Can we love someone who is living in sin? Can we love someone who pulls a trigger and removes a loved one from our lives? Yes. Absolutely. We are commanded to!

I met a man at a local food pantry this past Saturday. Late 50's maybe. walking with a cane. Frail, wobbly, weak. I demonstrated love towards him, placed my hand on his shoulder and we talked. The man smiled and thanked me. He shook my hand. I don't even know his name. His name is not important. What IS important is that I loved, like Jesus loved, and that made all the difference to this man.

Do we love others as much as we should? No. Why not? Are we afraid? I think we are. We're afraid of how we might be perceived. We shouldn't think that way. Why? Because . . . there is no fear in love.

"Perfect love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." - 1 John 4:18

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. "

Let Me Love You Tonight - Pure Prairie League

Remember Your Leaders

"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." - Hebrews 13:7

That verse came to mind yesterday as my wife and I were visiting a family friend and his wife.

This couple we visited are in their 80's - a pastor and his wife. We usually get together once a year or so to catch up on things and yesterday was the day.

As we sat and exchanged life stories I couldn't help but think about this man and his wife. Their stories were amazing. Starting out in seminary school, they didn't have much but made much of what the did have.

As pastor and wife they served their congregation their whole lives. They raised five kids, all of whom play an active role in the lives of THEIR children and their communities. Another verse comes to mind:

"6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

This man has taught me much. If those he ministered to would examine HIS life and "imitate it", this world would be a much better place in which to live.

Do you have someone like that in your life? I hope you do. When was the last time you spent some time with them? What lessons have you learned?

As I myself get up there in years I want to be like our friend and his wife. Loving, teaching, and doing so in the name of Christ.

Who are the teachers in YOUR life? Timothy had Paul, The Apostles had Jesus. So do we. Who has taught YOU? Are you imitating their behavior?

Here's a video of one of my other mentors in the faith. Consider HIS life and imitate HIS behavior. You could do worse. Seek out good teachers in your life. Pay attention to the ones God places in YOUR life. You will be the better for it.

Tony Dungy - I Am Second

One True Love

Yesterday my wife and I celebrated 40 years of marriage. How did we last that long in a world where over half of all marriages end in divorce? That's an easy question to answer. All you have to do is find the love of your life. Your one true love.

My wife and I were married in 1977 (in case you're bad at math) and we have not stopped loving each other since.

I have had people ask me, "How did you know that Bev was "the one"?" My answer is always a cryptic, "Oh, YOU'LL KNOW!" I knew.

My wife and I met at the end of summer. We had two weeks together before we both went back to school. By the end of those two weeks . . . I knew. The next few months apart were filled with letters and phone calls until October 17th came around and we were both home from school. I proposed. She said yes. And we've been a couple ever since.

It wasn't always easy. There were occasional bumps in the road, but they were few and far between. The secret to our success as a married couple is simple. Love. Unconditional, sacrificial love. It was that unconditional love that solved every problem, healed every wound and restored every cracked and chipped moment to "better than new". It was sacrificial love that headed off other differences in favor of the greater good - our marriage.

There are two verses that come to mind when I try to explain the marriage commitment. The first verse if from 1st John.

"God is love." - 1 John 4:8

Simple verse, complex concept. Do you know God? Is He your Lord and Savior? If you answered "yes" to those questions you know exactly what the love is I'm talking about. If you answered "no", I'm sorry. You might think you know what love is, as defined by the world, but you really have never experienced the greatest love of all. When I was younger, I thought I knew what love was. But that was before I met Jesus.

The second verse is kind of like the first in a way. It's from the Book of Ephesians.

"²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:21

After this verse Paul goes on to explain the roles of husband and wife and the love, respect and sacrifice we have for one another. It's not until verse 31 that we learn that Paul is talking about our relationship (the bride) with Jesus (the Groom).

Love involves sacrifice, it involves submission, it involves surrender of our own personal will in favor of something greater, bigger and higher - our marriage. Our marriage to Christ.

I loved my wife in an earthly sense when we first met. As the years went by and we began to follow God's desires for our marriage, it was only then that we became better, together. The same is true for our faith. When God is part of a marriage it can't help but succeed.

One more verse to leave you with. Ecclesiastes 4:12

"A triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

If the husband is one strand and the wife is the second . . . who do you think is the third strand in the triple-braided cord? :)

I'll close with two of our favorite songs. We always dance to the first one . . . and the second one . . . well, that's where the love of my life and I are going to celebrate our 40th. And the third link is to a video. It displays how my wife and I react inside when we are ever apart for any amount of time.

I love you, my bride. My love for God does not diminish my love for you. It enhances it.

Weekend In New England - Barry Manilow
Somewhere In Time Theme - John Barry
Richard and Elise Reunited - Somewhere In Time

What Mom's Can Do

I have been hearing a lot about somebody lately. Their name seems to pop up in conversations, I have been hearing this person mentioned in stories and sermons. But yesterday I heard a brand new take on this young man. And I became rather impressed . . . with his mom!

I'm nearing the end of 2nd Chronicles in my reading and I came across the story of Josiah. Josiah became king of Israel at the age of eight. But before I tell you about Josiah, let me tell you about his father, and his father's father.

Josiah's father was Amon. We can read about what kind of king he was in 2nd Chronicles 33, verse 22.

"33 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD."

Josiah's grandfather wasn't much better. We read about him in Chapter 33, verse 2.

"2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD."

Things do not go well for you if that is how you are described. But Josiah was different. We read about him in Chapter 34, verse 2.

^"2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left."

How could someone turn out like Josiah did when he had such an evil father and grandfather? If we learn by example from our parents, how come Josiah didn't do "evil in the eyes of the LORD?" The answer can be found in a completely different book of the Bible - 2nd Kings.

 The book of Second Kings tells pretty much the same story about Josiah only the 2nd Kings story has some additional information.

"22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left." - 2 Kings 22:1-2

I'm just guessing now but I think Jedidah was a pretty good mom. Do you have a mom like Jedidah? I was blessed with an amazing set of parents but not everyone receives parents like mine. Some kids get maybe one good parent like Josiah. Others don't receive any.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day - a day our nation has set aside to honor our mothers. D0n't just run out a buy mom a card and some flowers. That's nice, but it's not the best we can do. Honor your mother they way Jesus honored His Father. Honor her with your lives. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Cards get discarded, flowers fade, but someone's life, if lived like a good mom teaches us, will honor her for the rest of her life.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." - Exodus 20:12

"20 My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching." - Proverbs 6:20

^"4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:2

Thanks To You - Richard Marx

Greater Love

I'm not sure if you saw it or not. I almost missed it myself Tuesday night. A very special moment that spoke volumes about how the people of this country feel about our service men and women.

The special moment occurred during President Trump's State of The Union speech when he recognized the widow of fallen Navy Seal Ryan Owen. What a touching tribute memorializing the soldier and honoring him and his wife.

After the applause died down . . . and it took a while. A LONG while. Our president quoted Jesus.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

God insists that we take care of the widow and the orphan. He tells us to do so several times. James 1:27, Isaiah 1:17, 1 Timothy 5:3, Exodus 22:22, Psalm 68:5, - the list goes on and on. 2000 years ago the widow was without standing in society. She had no means of supporting herself and had to rely on the generosity of others. Read the Book of Ruth to learn more.

As I watched this young widow Tuesday night I couldn't help but feel compassion for her and her children. She had lost the man she loves and the father of her children. Her tears flowed freely. So did mine.

Yet, there are some people in this world born without compassion, or so it seems. They are so full of themselves and their own desires and aspirations that they can't see the truth when it is staring them right in the face. Some man tweeted about this grieving widow after Trump's speech, calling her "an idiot." He lost his job and rightly so. Maybe he'll learn. But this guy wasn't the only one in need of repentance.

This country's leaders are incredibly out of touch. They are so in love with their doctrine and their beliefs that they simply cannot fathom any other possibility besides their own. Does all this sound familiar? Open your Bibles to John 18.

The Jewish leaders of the day disagreed with the view of a certain prophet named Jesus. They arrested Him and turned Him over to the Romans for punishment (to be executed) because Jesus did not believe as they did. So who's right? And where do we find the truth?

^"33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

³⁷ Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all." - John 18:33-38

Pilate was staring The Truth right in the face and he never saw it.

Earlier in Jesus' ministry He spoke these words to Thomas . . .

^"6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

Thomas heard Jesus' voice and thereby learned the truth. Pilate did not.

We who call ourselves Christians should be responsive to the voice of our King. When He tells us to look after the widow and the orphan we should do as He commands us. There should be no doubt. NO hesitation. There should be no questioning or expressing "opinions." There should be no denying His command.

The world we live in has turned its back on the truth. It did 2,000 years ago and it continues to do so today. Look at this picture. It sure tells a sad story. Nearly everyone is standing and clapping. With the except ion of one guy on the right side of the aisle, all on that side are sitting, motionless.

The Supreme Court justices and military leaders excluded (they are to be impartial at these events), it is still obvious that some people just don't get what this president is saying. The same was true when Obama was president, only it was the other side of the aisle dissenting. These men and women are so full of their own version of the truth they refuse to acknowledge God's command about the widow.

"¹⁰ Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” - Mark 6:10-11

May we be more like Jesus in our relationships and in our speech. May our thoughts always be about others rather than ourselves. Maybe, if we become less, placing the needs of others above our own, we actually live out the Gospel instead of trying to ram it down the throats of those who don't believe as we do.

CPO Ryan Owen's Widow Receives Standing Ovation
Ex-Clinton Volunteer Loses Job

LORD

There is something uplifting about discovering a new truth in God's Word. It's like being an archaeologist and finding a clue to the location of an ancient lost city. Or like piecing together clues on a treasure map to find hidden treasure!!

The Bible, in its compiled form, has been in this world for nearly 2,000 years. It has been in MY life since I received my first one back in Iowa nearly 60 years ago. The only problem was I never read it. I never read the Bible until I was in my 50's. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I fell away from the faith during college. Sad.

I ran across something interesting the other day, not while reading the Bible, but by reading a book by Tony Evans called Kingdom Man.

About half way through the first chapter there is a sub heading entitled God's Authority. That is where a new truth was revealed to me. Doctor Evans was writing about who God is and why the the Bible is written the way it is, in terms of God's identity. Open your Bibles to the Book of Genesis, Chapter one, verse one.

"In the beginning, God . . ."

Notice how the word God is spelled - capital "G", small "o" and"d." In Hebrew, God, spelled this way, is Elohim, which means "Creator God." God is referred to by the name Elohim while He is creating the universe, the animals, etc. Always spelled G-o-d.

Now skip ahead to when Adam comes onto the scene. Genesis 2, verse 4, after the heading Adam and Eve. How is God referred to in THIS verse? Now God is written of as "LORD God." Now there are two words to describe God and the first one, LORD, is all caps! Why?? What does that mean?

LORD, with all caps, means Yahweh (master and absolute ruler) and we already know that God means Creator. So now God is referred to as not only the Creator but He is Adam's master and absolute ruler.

Things were good in the garden up to this point. God was Adam's master and absolute ruler. Chapter 3 now, verse 1 . . . The Fall.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”"

Did you catch the change? Satan is only referring to God as "the Creator," NOT as his "master and absolute ruler." Satan is not giving God the respect He deserves. So, what else is new, right? But look what happens next in verse 2 & 3.


"2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, . . ."

Oh my . . . Eve has already demoted God, her LORD God, to just a simple G-o-d. God is no longer her "master" or her "absolute ruler." So . . . who is? I'll give you one guess. Satan. And Eve hasn't even taken a bite out of the apple yet!

Eve sinned BEFORE she even did anything! She sinned in her mind and in her heart when she thought of herself before her LORD God. Eve and Satan referred to God as simply the "Creator." They never refer to God as their "master and absolute ruler."

And Adam? He doesn't mention God by name at all. He didn't know what to think it seems. We never, EVER had it right.

Is God simply "God" in your life? The Creator? Or is He "Yahweh Elohim?" - your "Master and Absolute Ruler?"

I wonder. If the New Testament would have been written in Hebrew, would we have seen a translation of "LORD God" when referring to Jesus? As it is, Jesus is referred to simply as "Lord" in the New Testament. Make Him Yahweh Elohim, "absolute ruler" of your life today.

Agnus Dei by Michael W. Smith

Anger

There's not much that makes me angry anymore. Not since I made Jesus Lord of my life anyway. I get frustrated to be sure. Just turn on the news and you'll probably get frustrated too! Anger is a different emotion all together.

I remember punching Jimmy Fosbinder in the face once back in sixth grade. Does that count? Nah. That was just stupid kid stuff. The anger was okay to feel. I had been wronged. But the punching someone in the face part . . . yeah, that was stupid.

I'm really a pretty easy going guy . . . I guess. Although there have been a few times, since I have become a believer, that I have gotten a little mad at someone. Twice in eight years. That's not too bad is it?

Anger is an emotion. It's not one of the more politically correct, user-friendly emotions out there but it IS an emotion, given to us by God.

Most people think anger is bad but I'm not one of them. Like I said, anger is simply an emotion. What we DO with that anger . . . well, that's another story.

I don't know about you but I DO take some comfort in knowing that God Himself gets angry.

"9 The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command." - 1 Kings 11:9-10

Like Father, like Son . . .

"4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts," - Mark 3:4-5

As I was scrolling down through the posts on Facebook recently, I saw a post by one of my friends. After reading it and thinking about it I decided I didn't like his words very much and I began to get a little upset. I'll let you read it and see if you don't feel the same way.

"Every time I listen to Jeremy Camp's "Jesus Saves" song, I sing along but replace "saves" with "shaves" so while the song plays I keep having this image of clean shaven Jesus...he's got such a little baby face in my mind."

Some might say, "That's not so bad, Bob." I would reply with this. Is the post indignant? Is it irreverent? I think it is. To further explain where I am going with this I would like to offer you a word definition from the 1828 Webster Dictionary and I would like you to consider . . . Does this word fit the Facebook post?

BLAS''PHEMY, n. An indignity offered to God by words or writing; reproachful, contemptuous or irreverent words uttered impiously against Jehovah. Blasphemy is an injury offered to God, by denying that which is due and belonging to him, or attributing to him that which is not agreeable to his nature.

In Hebrew culture, when one is in mourning for the sins they have committed, they were to do the following:

"Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, to shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth." - Isaiah 22:12

I don't think Jesus would have ever shaved his head or beard in mourning for his sins . . . because He never committed any!! I know my friend probably wasn't thinking about what he was typing. I have made similar mistakes with the pen. But my friend is a youth pastor and really should watch what he says. Little pitchers have big ears.

This world, this country, has lost it's fear of God. It has turned it's back on the very God who created us in the first place. Scroll down through the Facebook posts and look at all of the OMG's. It has become a way of life . . . acceptable practice to use the name of the Lord, our God, in vain (3rd commandment). Even as a curse word! The only time we should be using the name Jesus Christ is when we are reading, praying, worshipping or evangelizing.

I know we live in America, where we have freedom of speech, but having that freedom does not excuse us from using it to the detriment of others, especially our God and King, Jesus. He deserves the highest amount of respect we can muster, and then, WAY more than even our tiny brains can offer. To use him as a punch-line of sorts disgusts me.

And so I will leave you with a description of Jesus. Not the baby-faced Jesus, or the pristine Jesus with the curly hair that hangs on a cross in so many of our churches today. Remember, He was beaten and bruised and He was, and is, a God who gets angry.

"11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords." - Revelation 19:11-16

That's my Jesus.

I get upset when people talk about God in demeaning ways. I get angry when people, and churches, put words in His mouth or "interpret" scriptures to line up with some political agenda. God's Word is God's Word.

"2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you." - Deuteronomy 4:2

We as a people need to show more respect for the God of the Universe. We need to get to the point where we tremble at the very mention of His Holy name. I encourage you to take a step today to correct someone when you hear them use the name of God in vain. Loving talk to someone who is making fun of our King. Our God is a very loving, patient God but He does get angry from time to time. We, as His children, must NEVER give Him a reason to do so.

Sissified, needy Jesus by Voddie Baucham

Abba

No, this isn't a tribute story for the 70's Swedish pop band, ABBA. This post is about our relationship with God. Is it reverential? Or is it casual?

The idea for this post came quite a while ago actually. It was during a prayer of adult and student leaders at our church. Our youth pastor asked one of the students to pray and they led off their prayer this way . . .

"Hey, God . . ."

The first time I heard that I thought "Hey? Isn't that just a little informal?" I mean, we're praying to the King of the Universe. The Holy and Righteous One who destroys nations with a thought, who pours out his wrath on a disobedient people (whom He loves) and who offers up and sacrifices His one and only Son so that WE might be able to share our lives with Him in heaven. He allowed His Son . . . to die! "Hey, God?" No.

I was watching Wretched TV the other day, one of the few television shows I actually watch. Host Todd Friel was talking about the word "Abba." He spoke of how, in recent times, the evangelical church has embraced the word Abba and defined it as meaning "Daddy" or "Poppa," implying that that's how our relationship with God should be. However most scholars now say that Abba means "Father, dear Father."

Remember when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray? It wasn't "Hey Dad! What up?" No. It was "Our Father which art in heaven. HALLOWED be your name."

We as a people seem to have lost our FEAR of God. Not that we should be AFRAID of God but . . . well . . . yes, now that I think about it, we should be. Too often my prayers reflect someone praying to a genie rather than to . . . well, someone like "The Great and Powerful Oz!"

Remember in the movie the Wizard of Oz? Dorothy, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion all stood before The Mighty Oz. Dorothy was very respectful. Then, when the Tin Man spoke to the Wizard rather casually, Oz yelled, "Silence! You clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk!" Yikes!

I think that's because, for the most part, when our prayers are met with silence, we tend to think we're all good to go with God. When in actuality we may be on the very brink of blasphemy. Humbling ourselves before the Lord should be the norm, not the rarity used only when we REALLY want something.

I went walking with my friend the other day and we spotted a rather large ant crossing the path ahead of us. My friend went out of her way and stomped the ant out of existence. God has the power to do the same thing to us if we wishes. Yet, even though we disrespect Him, God still takes the abuse. Why? I think it's because God is VERY patient. And He actually DOES love us.

Our lives are a mere speck in time. We are VERY insignificant. We are VERY small. Yet we as a people tend to act just like we are just the opposite. We act like we're the boss of our own lives and we can do whatever we want. That is the wrong attitude people! We should consider ourselves as slaves (Romans 1). We should do God's bidding and obey every command.

Have you ever said something like this? "I don't feel like going to church today." Or what about, "I was too busy to pray this morning." Oh, and here's MY personal favorite. The one I use WAY too often. "I just didn't FEEL like praying today."

No, you get down on your knees and pray. Now BOB! We are commanded to pray, people. It is NOT an option!! It is not left up to our discretion or to when we feel like.

So, my question for today is this . . . what will it take for us to fear God again? A national disaster? Yeah, that would work! A tornado seems to get people praying. Or an earthquake! Yeah, an earthquake! Seriously? Let's get real. What would it take?

How about this for an idea. What if we TOTALLY made Jesus Lord of our lives. And I mean TOTALLY. Make God the focal point of every activity instead of a footnote and the end of the day. We need to give God our first fruits, give Him our best. It's in the Bible!! We need to humble ourselves before the Lord and fear for our very lives - because HE is God. WE are not.

The God we SHOULD be worshipping is NOT the God most people worship today. We live in a "Christian" world where Jesus WANTS us and He NEEDS us. We must "die" to that world and become transformed (Romans 12:2) into a world where God is everything, the ONLY thing. We should NOT be worshipping a politically correct, all roads lead to heaven, your best life now Jesus. God is NOT politically correct! God is God!

Yes, God loves us. Why do you think he gave up His one and only Son to die for us? Let's live like we appreciate what was done for us! Let us not live the "Yeah, but what have you done for me lately" life we seem to be living today.

I'd like you to watch this video. It's part of a Voddie Baucham sermon on this very topic. It is an excellent example of where we have come to as a people and an example of where it is we need to get to.

A Sissified Needy Jesus by Voddie Baucham