Take God with You..................

WOW!!!!!!!!!  I can't believe that it's been more than a month since my last post.  Life gets so busy and circumstances become so complicated, at times, until the more quiet and gentle personal pleasures fall victim to the loud and pressing issues of life.  I've missed my time of writing in this journal space, and so, have chosen this time and this hour to draw apart from the "busy" of life and simply contemplate.

Tomorrow, we as a church family will celebrate senior day.  Our high school graduates will don their regal robes of graduation, will march into the sanctuary amidst the triumphant and nostalgic melody of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, will join together, one last time, as a group of well-known and familiar faces (and personalities), and will individually take center stage beneath photographic images flickering on wide screens - personal photographs which chronicle their growth from infancy to present day.  Each graduate will be presented a Bible - a tangible gift from the church that quietly sends the message that "we travel, in part, with you and pray that you will take Christ with you into all your tomorrows."  It's a very emotional service - the entire hall is filled to overflowing with a plethora of emotions.  Younger people yearn for the day on which they will stand in this special position, older people remember their own transforming steps from childhood to adulthood, and the young people - who are the actual graduates - are torn between running back to the safety of parental arms and forward to the promised hope of a new exciting future "just around the bend."

What do you tell the graduate?  How can you help them see that from the tears and fears of today will spring the blossoms of God's continuing story - the unfolding of His purpose for their lives?  How can you make them see that "today is the first day of the rest of their lives?"

Corrie Ten Boom once said that, "Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see."  In the coming days, weeks, months, and years, I hope our graduates will realize the truth of these words.  God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has crafted individual "traveling" roads for each of these young lives.  Along and throughout this winding and unscripted journey, there have been people and circumstances which have helped mold and shape their lives, bringing them ever closer to this day by which the pupal chrysalises of development will give way to the fluttering of wind-filled wings in soaring flight.  The most important aspect of all this, however, is the fact that in fluttering, flittering, flying, or flailing, God's mighty hand is long enough and wide enough to securely accommodate all of life's travelers when they step out into the dawn of the future with Him as their guide and friend.

And every graduate should know and remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination.  Each day we, as familiar travelers of the road or those who are just starting their journey, need to turn to the one who is the creator and orchestrator of all of our tomorrows and dedicate our lives to Him alone.  Consider these words..................

Joshua 1:9
...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

Psalm 71:5
For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth.

Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to your word. 

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.  Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

And so, graduates of 2011 (and all those living out the journey that God has placed before you), "May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind blow at your back.  May the sun shine warmly of your face.  May the rain fall softly on your field, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand."

Selah (סֶלָה )

....and once again, all is well

It was Friday evening at the Butler house - a time known for unwinding and leaving the world of work at bay.  My daughter Lauren, who had returned from college by only a few hours, was in her room preparing to go to bed.  Often times this ritual includes quiet time in scripture and/or a song of worship raised sweetly and reverantly to our Creator God.  If music is to be a part of her quiet meditation, a comfortable spot in the living room is like a front row seat in a concert hall.  It's as close as you'd want to be without distracting the one-to-One worship service that is unfolding before your ears.  Oh, how I savor those quiet moments, for I too get caught up in the spirit of worship, listening as my child renders praise to the Holy God of the Universe.  And once again, I find that all is well with my soul, and that all things which have been broken and undone become whole and complete in the light of God's unending love. 

No, it's not Lauren who creates those moments of worship, for her music and her devotion are only the transports to the throne of grace.  It is God who, in His infinite grace and mercy, chooses to become one with those who beckon Him to come and abide.  He visits with the intamacy of Himself alone and allows His name to be lifted up and exalted before all who will take the time to listen.  And with the melody of her sweet songs and the quiet meditations of her heart, Lauren opens the door for Him to linger and to pour His blessings out upon our entire family.  And the glory of the Lord is revealed, and the restful comfort of His healing spirit is poured out and overflows from the willing vessels of our hearts.

The Bible is filled with hundreds of songs of jubulation which have, for century upon century, been lifted up through God-inspired melodies of priase.  Scripture, in fact, specifies that all music made to worship the God of peace have at least one thing in common ----- melody.  "Melody" is defined as being a set of single notes arranged in a distinctive, recognizable pattern.  Warner Books' American Century Dictionary defines "melodious" as "sweet sounding."

From Isaiah 51:3 we find these words.........."for the Lord shall comfort Zion.  He will comfort all her waste places.  And He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Ephesians 5:19 gives us instructions, as believers, in the musical worship of God, saying......."speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."

Singing, therefore, is a natural response of the believer in crafting praise and adoration of Christ Jesus.  It is an expression of the soul which rises to our lips through songs of praise and worship - an offering, we pray, that shall rise to the throne as a sweet sound to the ears of our Lord.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16-17).

Paul again writes a very similar passage to the Ephesian believers:

"Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God" (Eph, 5:17-21).

I think that a natural by-product of letting the word dwell richly in us is singing and making melody in our hearts - praise and worship just naturally springing out of us.  Remember Paul and Silas praying and singing from the inner-reaches of prison - songs of faith and truth which ultimately led to the salvation of the jailer. (Acts 16:22-34).

Of course, some of the most powerful scriptures concerning praise and worship are found in the Psalms.  Notice the power of the Lord's grace and mercy toward us in these scriptures.

"You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance" (Ps. 32:7).

"I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high" (Ps. 7:17).

"Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!  For praise from the upright is beautiful.  Praise the LORD with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.  Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy" (Psalm 33:1-3)

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make its boast in the LORD.  The humble shall hear of it and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Ps. 34:1-3).

"He has put a new song in my mouth - Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD." (Ps. 40:3).

Jesus told us that if we failed in giving praise to God, even the rocks would cry out.  Don’t know how many of you have seen this article?  Scientists believe they have recorded the Sun singing!  That’s right…singing. They have shown that there are specific frequencies that resonate from the Sun’s atmosphere.  They go on to say that when the Sun sets off flares and such, there are even more sounds that are emitted.

Ok…think about this for a minute.  The Sun is singing!  The Bible says that “even the rocks cry out”.  Even the creation sings God’s praises.  Two things come to my mind in this:

1 – The frequency at which the Sun is “singing”, is too low for the human ear to hear.  If you think about that, it makes complete sense.  Why would the Sun be singing for humans?  The Sun is singing for it’s creator and no one else.  Do we sing exclusively for the purpose of praising our creator?

2 – I think there may be more to this “even the rocks cry out” statement of Jesus than we think.  At first read it sounds like, “if we don’t, then they will”.  In other words, I take that to say, "When I stop praising, creation praises for me."  I don’t think I should look at it this way.  I think that creation is always singing.  In fact, it never stops singing.  It is praising it’s Creator 24/7.  We…humans…are the ones that fail at that.  I think the scripture is saying that even when we fail, God is still praised.  It is sad that those God has created specifically to love Him, fail so miserably at it.  Take another step.  The Sun is just doing what it’s been created to do.  And because of that, God is praised!

I think we can learn a lot from creation (and young ladies who play the guitar and lift praises to their Heavenly Father).  God created all things for His glory.  He has told us that creation itself proves Him and praises Him.  Guess what…creation is doing it’s job!  Not all of us are!  Creation is going to continue to do what it is created to do.  Praise it’s Creator.  How about we do what we were created to do?

And if you're ever seeking the sweet praise of a pure heart, drop on by the Butler house.  Get there early, 'cause seating is limited!

Selah (סֶלָה )

There's a reason why the past is behind you.......

I fear the older I get (or maybe the older my kids get) the more I would like for things to level out and slow down a bit.  It's not that I don't REALLY love the present times in which I abide, it's just that I occasionally look around at my current life and fail to recognize all the markers of the here and now.  The very things that felt so absolute in the past seem to have changed the most. 

The past, somehow, feels more secure than the present and far less daunting than the future.  In other words, I ain't afraid of the past.  I've been there and done that and have the t-shirt to prove it.  It's the nagging uncertainties of now, and all my tomorrows yet to be, that send me off in search of the creature comforts of the past.  And being a helpless romantic doesn't bode well for embracing a carpe diem attitude either, for I far too often allow myself the luxury of remembering only what I want to, and in terms which are most comfortable for my present delight.

There are people, I've heard, for whom the past holds the gloomy shadows of fear and sadness, but my past - in contrast - is filled with bright happy moments, the "firsts of a lifetime" kind of existence.  Life, for me, is filled with such joys as falling in love with my "forever girl", getting married to my "forever girl", buying my first house, securing my first teaching position, becoming a father, becoming a father yet again...........etc.  But my mind sometimes lingers and strays in moments like the time Jami, Lauren, Matthew and I backed my truck up into a clearing, filled the bed with blankets and quilts and hunkered down together to watch the slow advance of a lunar eclipse - while sipping hot chocolate to drive away the chilly night air.  I can still remember the feeling of little (and not so little) feet wiggling against my legs as my family snuggled around the warmth and protection of my embrace.

Then, there was the time when all of us sat in a pair of adirondack chairs on the deck in front of the beach house.  It was the middle of the night and a field of stars blanketed the heavens above with a spectacular display of crystal brilliance.  We "named" stars that evening for each of the children.  Even to this day, there are times when they can be heard to say, "Hey look, there's my star!" and "Oh, I can see mine too!"  Yes friends, there are times when I really long for the good old days.

And the saddest part of all is the realization that there is not a single road or path that will take me back to those times - those wonderful moments of yesterday.  It's like driving in Atlanta - you simply have to do your best to go with the flow. 

But, alas, I am not alone in such longings - longings for the past.  Read the first verses of Psalm 121 and you'll feel the same longing, the same desire for the past, the same remorse over not being able to return the splendor of what once was.  I will lift up my eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help?  My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  The so-called "Songs of Degrees," of which this psalm is one, are usually, and with great probability, attributed to the times of the Exile.  If that be so, we get an appropriate background and setting for the expressions and emotions of this psalm.  We see the exile, wearied with the monotony of the long-stretching, flat plains of Babylonia, summoning up before his mind the distant hills where his home was.  We see him wondering how he will be able ever to reach that place where his desires are set; and we see him settling down, in hopeful assurance that his effort is not in vain, since his help comes from the Lord.  "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills"; away out yonder westwards, across the sands, lie the lofty summits of my fatherland that draws me to itself.  Then comes a turn of thought, most natural to a mind passionately yearning after a great hope, the very greatness of which makes it hard to keep constant.  For the second clause of text must litterally be taken as a question: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. From whence cometh my help?"  How am I to get there?  And then comes the final turn of thought: "My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

So then, there are three things here—the look of longing, the question of weakness, the assurance of faith.  It's the assurance of faith that drove the psalmist onward.  It's the assurance of faith which drives us onward as well, that plucks us from the "land of remembrance" and renews our march towards the things which are eternal. 

It was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus who said, "You can never step into the same river twice; for new waters are always flowing on to you" or "The only thing which is permanent in life is change."  And "sadhappily" (sadhappy - pronounced SUHDAPPY - a coined phrase of my daughter Lauren to describe those moments in life which are both sad and happy), that's a very good thing.  Why?  Because we serve a living Savior - a Savior who is MOST interested in what we are doing with the gift of NOW.  Jesus Christ said, "I am the great I am."  He did not say that "I am the great I WAS or the great I WILL BE, for God is actively guiding and directing, delighting in our willingness to love and serve Him now - RIGHT NOW!!!

Yes, I TRULY miss those quiet, "at home" moments with my daughter Lauren (who is away at college) who once could find tremendous comfort in her stanky blanky.  Yes, there are times when I miss the simplicity of my son Matthew's childhood where a stuffed Pooh bear and a thumb could OBLIDERATE the sadness of his little world.  But my children are not tokens of the past, but gifts of the present.  It's in the present, too, that they are being equipped to do the AWESOME work of the Lord.  God is growing their faith, their need for Him, and their PRESENT desire to be soldiers of the cross. 

And as soldiers of the cross, we too must press forward just as Jesus did.  He could have turned back to Bethlehem and escaped the anguish of the cross which loomed ahead, but He marched straightforward to Jeruselem - while never looking back or seeking a return.

So keep reading Psalm 121 and you'll know the ENTIRE context of this passage - not just my extrapolated "segment of truth" I have fished out to appease my personal sentiments   I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help?  My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul.  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

I must needs go home by the way of the cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the cross I miss.

I must needs go on in the blood sprinkled way,
The path that the Savior trod,
If I ever climb to the heights sublime,
Where the soul is at home with God.

Then I bid farewell to the way of the world,
To walk in it never more;
For the Lord says, “Come,” and I seek my home,
Where He waits at the open door.

The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home,
It is sweet to know as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.

Therefore, I shall continue to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Selah (סֶלָה )

The Pines were Whispering........

One summer, my school system "strongly suggested" that I (along with several colleagues) enroll in a SCIENCE INSTITUTE workshop that was being offered in my area.  It was a two-week course, which seems like an eternity for a teacher who is off for a much-needed summer break.  By the time the course ended, however, I was REALLY GLAD that I had been able to participate, for I carried away with me literally tons of new ideas and information.

One thing that I learned - quite accidentally (in other words, not a part of the course) was that there are several varieties of pine trees in our area.  Now I knew that varying species existed (at least in name), because I'd heard those names tossed around by people who are associated with the enterprise of "knowing their trees."  The part that was foreign to me, however, was that there are so many varying physical attributes among the list of species - like needle length, pine cone size, and bark thickness and texture.  Let me get more specific by jumping into the heart of this recollection.

This guy (in my summer class) brought to one of the gatherings a branch from a long-leaf pine.  It was a sizeable branch - what we science folk would label "a superior specimen."  I couldn't believe my eyes.  The needles (or leaves) on this branch were ENORMOUS - even COLASSAL, if you will.  It was nothing like I had ever seen before.  The few pine trees that I had been around and noticed over the course of my lifetime had needles that were a good 2/3 shorter in length.  There were no pine trees in my yard as I was growing up, only carefully placed trees and shrubs and two HUGE oak trees (that literally came with the place - the house was built under their protective shade).  I'd seen pine trees in the various parks around town, but who pays attention to such things?  After all, a pine tree is a pine tree is a pine tree.  Not so, friends.

Everyone assembled (literally EVERYONE) laughed hysterically at me, astonished that I was being completely serious and that such a detail had escaped me as a "born and raised, card-toting child of Southwest Georgia."  They declared that there were longleaf pines ALL AROUND ME.  One lady even said to me, "There are literally hundreds of longleaf pines on plantation property that span both sides of the highway that leads into Thomasville via Highway 84, East."  And then it hit me.  Number one: How do you really notice something that you're whizzing by in your car at almost 60 miles/hour?  Number two: How do you really notice something for which you have the least amount of care?  The rich diversity of pine trees is lost to the casual observer who is on the "bullet train" through life (always speeding towards something of "greater" importance).  To all the tree-huggers of the world, this has got to be a "crying shame."

But such a remembrance forces my mind to attend to an aspect of my daily life that is far more important than tree varieties.  Hold a spiritual mirror to the observation above and you will find a clear reflection of something that is oh-so burdensome to the heart of God.  We typically fly through our lives with such GREAT speed and LITTLE care that we are hardly cognizant of the fact that all around us lies a plethora of circumstances that perplexes the minds of our fellow man and tears away at the heart of our Creator God.  We are acutely aware of other how people talk to us and treat us, or of how we perceive things.  Even in the church - a place set aside for the absolute and pure worship of our Heavenly King - we notice such minute details as:
- what the preacher is wearing
- how much the choir director sweats
- how we "got" nothing from the service
- how some visitor (like visitor is a four-letter word) took OUR pew
- how the carpet in the sanctuary needs to be replaced - it's so 80s
- how the organ was too loud
- how the temperature was all wrong
- how the church allows sinners to come into the congregation
- how the deacons and ushers allowed that "homeless looking" man to enter our presence
............and literally, the list goes on and on and on and on.  But you see, all these observations are being made while literally MILLIONS in this world are dying and GOING STRAIGHT TO HELL!!!!!!!  And yes, as a Christian, I am astonished that such magnanimous and glaring details escape the sight of all professing "born and raised, card-toting children of THE ALMIGHTY GOD!"

If Christians, then, value the souls of their fellow-men MORE than themselves and their personal interests, if they look upon salvation as a matter of eternal moment, considerations of humanity (independently of any regard to the glory of God) would urge them to labor and toil and pray and strive for the success of the Gospel.  It is the only hope of a sinking world; it is in the hands of Christians, and they are required to proclaim its glad tidings of hope and pardon and mercy to every creature.  Shall they not strive, then, with earnest, unanimous, steady, persevering efforts for the recovery of their race?  Is there a man or woman (our Southwest Georgia good boy) who professes to have the spirit of the Savior that would wish to be exempt from a work like this?  Is there one who would excuse himself from the delightful task of hastening on the latter-day glory of the Church?  This is an age of great enterprises.  NONE are too humble or too poor to labor for the Savior.  All have some influence, all have some work assigned them, and it is the duty of all to be just in that part of the field which the Redeemer has allotted to them.  May we all be found of Him in well doing -- faithful, laborious and devoted servants, such as the Lord will delight to honor!

Let us, therefore, try in our daily strivings to slow down (for the bullet train is not the only way to travel) and let our eyes and ears literally perceive the cries of the lost and dying.

Throw out the life line across the dark wave;
There is a brother whom someone should save;
Somebody’s brother! O who then will dare
To throw out the life line, his peril to share?

Throw out the life line with hand quick and strong:
Why do you tarry, why linger so long?
See! he is sinking; oh, hasten today
And out with the life boat! away, then away!

Throw out the life line to danger fraught men,
Sinking in anguish where you’ve never been;
Winds of temptation and billows of woe
Will soon hurl them out where the dark waters flow.

Soon will the season of rescue be o’er,
Soon will they drift to eternity’s shore;
Haste, then, my brother, no time for delay,
But throw out the life line and save them today.

This is the life line, oh, tempest tossed men;
Baffled by waves of temptation and sin;
Wild winds of passion, your strength cannot brave,
But Jesus is mighty, and Jesus can save.

Jesus is able! To you who are driv’n,
Farther and farther from God and from Heav’n;
Helpless and hopeless, o’erwhelmed by the wave;
We throw out the life line, ’tis “Jesus can save.”

This is the life line, oh, grasp it today!
See, you are recklessly drifting away;
Voices in warning, shout over the wave,
O grasp the strong life line, for Jesus can save.

Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!
Someone is drifting away;
Throw out the life line! Throw out the life line!
Someone is sinking today.

Selah (סֶלָה )

And to think, He did that just for me............

When I was a young boy, my family and I would often drive to a wooded section of Grady County, to the very spot my Dad had called home in his formative years.  At that time, my Uncle Enos and Aunt Kathleen were living in the "old home place" and raising their family.  Those are happy times in my memory - to this very day.  My Aunt Kathleen could prepare the MOST DELICIOUS fried chicken on the planet (she still does) and my Uncle Enos was a genius when it came to preparing butter and syrup, in which he would sop one of my aunt's home-cooked biscuits (after supper, as a fitting dessert to down-home eating).  This fond journey, however, into culinary heaven is a digression to my original purpose for writing.  I'll just privately savor those wonderful meals for a few more moments and then, get back on track.

Now, where were we?  That's right, we were discussing Friday night trips to my kinfolks' home in Cairo.  It seems as if our leaving their home was always done rather late in the evening.  When we'd finally call it a night and start our trip towards home, the brightness of the moon (nestled in a blanket of stars) would literally bathe every surface with its pure luminescence - as can only be enjoyed when gazing into a "country sky."  And make no mistake, Moon Over Manhattan or Moon Over Miami ain't got NOTHIN' over Moon Over Centennial.  If you've never seen the night sky from country central, you've never really SEEN the night sky.  Concentrated civilization (city life) produces maximum light pollution (porch lights, street lamps, car lights, etc.) which hinders one's ability to view the night sky as God created it.

Well, at any rate, in those long-ago nights the moon played front and center in my upward gaze.  I'd track its "movements" carefully as my Dad would start the car up the lane that led to the main road.  I was always amazed that the moon had a sense of the direction and speed our car was traveling and would follow us (quite well) all the way back to Thomasville.  My parents would tell us that the Moon did in fact follow us, and wanted nothing more than to shine over our house, and shed its light for our pleasure.  I just knew, as a child, that people from everywhere and all walks of life must have had a real ax to grind with the Butlers for hogging the splendor of the Moon.  Well, it did shine on our neighbor's houses too - once we got back into town.  Surely the neighbors were grateful that we had the mindset to share our moon.

In the movie It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey tells Mary Hatch - with whom he is caught in the splendid moonlight - that he would like to lasso the moon and offer it to her as a gift.  He speaks those lines with the authority (or audacity) that the Moon is his to give.  But, in fairness to George, that movie was filmed and produced LONG before the Butlers assumed ownership of the Moon.  I just mention that fact so as to divide Hollywood fantasy from reality.

You might think that I've lived long enough - at this point - to have somehow outgrown that mentality.  But you'd be entirely wrong, for I've had other experiences involving "the heavens and the Earth" that have incited or goaded such perceptions.  After all, is it really that outlandish to think that our MIGHTY and MAGNIFICENT GOD would create and produce such absolute and regal splendor for an audience of one?  I don't think so, and let me tell you why.

I've driven my car to work EARLY in the morning, almost unable to stay on course, because of the magnificence of the morning sky.  So often, I will get out of my car on such mornings and just stand there with my eyes thrust heavenward and my mouth ajar with disbelief.  And when the constraints of time bring me back into the realization that I have to sign in by 7:40, I close up my car and head towards the front door.  It's then that I notice other people scurrying towards the school entrance.  The most striking difference I see in myself and my counterparts (more times than not) is that they haven't even looked upward (in their hurry) to see the very thing over which I have just marveled.  NO KIDDING - they haven't noticed AT ALL!  So, in that case, I am compelled to believe that God has created that moment and that panoramic splendor for an audience of one.......ME!

And that's the same way in which He offers the gift of His salvation.  He doesn't wave his hand over an entire nation of people and declare YOU ARE MINE.  It's more intimate than that.  He doesn't wave His hand over an entire church body and declare YOU ARE MINE.  It's more intimate still.  He doesn't wave His hand over a family of believers and declare YOU ARE MINE.  You're almost there, but think about even deeper intamacy.  He does, in fact, wave His hand over the wayward drifting life of ONE soul, and declare YOU ARE MINE, FOR YOU HAVE BELIEVED IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR SINS AND THAT HIS BLOOD - POURING DOWNWARD TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS - HAS CLEANSED YOUR LIFE AND GIVEN YOU A HOPE ETERNAL!!!!!  And yes, my friends, that comes about, in all its glory, for an audience of one.  And just like you have to claim the wonder of the moon or morning light, you have to (in that audience of one) claim the entrance of Christ into your heart through an invitation of belief.  Jesus says, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).  And for a Southern boy, that shared meal just might be fried chicken and home-cooked biscuits sopped in butter and syrup.

So, you see believer, God's only begotten Son, is ours for the claiming.  Who am I that God should be mindful of me?  He's my Father, my Abba, my Eternal King.  I am His, and He is mine!

Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as now I know, I am His, and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.

His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

Hey EVERYBODY, go out and enjoy my moon!


Selah (סֶלָה )

---

Oh,look, the CHURCH is on FIRE.......

As fire crews rushed to the location, they knew the blaze would be bad - they could see the flames blocks away.

"When we made the turn on Broadway to go west, you could see smoke rolling up and we knew it was a bad one," said fire Capt. Martin Peplinski.

That was an understatement.

Before the first drop of water landed on the church, fire had broken out of the roof, sending flames shooting in the air.

For 4 1/2 hours, the firefighters battled the massive blaze. Less than a half an hour into it, though, most of the efforts concentrated on keeping Guildhall, the adjacent parsonage, the Lumberman's Hall from meeting the same fate.

Overloaded wiring had started the blaze in the roof, where it smoldered and grew, eating away at the huge support beams before the first smoke was visible.

Winona police served as both crowd control and taxi cab drivers that morning.

Literally hundreds gathered to watch the blaze, many with camera in hand.  Downtown roads became clogged with folks out for a scenic Sunday drive.  And a few youngsters needed to be grabbed by the collar as they got a little too close to the firefighting activities.

The above is an excerpt from an actual newspaper article chronicling the devastating fire that destroyed a beautiful and historic house of worship.  We, as members of First Baptist Church of Thomasville, Georgia, know first-hand the aftermath of a flame-ravaged church.  In 1982 a tremendous inferno engulfed First Baptist Church, taking as its victim the entire church sanctuary and all that lay within.  It was a sudden and forceful blow to the faithful of this historic congregation.  In the blink of an eye - it seems - the hand of fate had dealt a deadly blow to this family of believers, and from that point, history would take a wide and significant turn.

And in both cases - with both church fires - the one absolute commonality was that large crowds gathered to bear witness to the carnage.  Witnesses, mostly at a safe distance, allowed the images of the fires to be fully seared onto the canvas of their memory.  People poured in from miles around - some driving to the scene in their cars, leaving work and responsibilities to witness the incident.  Some enterprising entrepreneur could have captured a bundle of cash by providing folding chairs for a "reasonable price" - thus making the vigil of "witnessing the event" more comfortable.  And why did they come?  Some for love, some for curiosity, some out of disbelief, some because they couldn't stand not to be witnesses to the unbelievable destruction of a physical icon that had long stood in their midst, spanning beyond the years of their own earthly existence, and some simply to see how it all would end.  Leonard Ravenhill was once quoted as saying, "There is no need to advertise a fire."  It's kind of like in the movie Field of Dreams, if you make it, they'll come. 

And time, from that point forward, was marked - as so often happens in recording historical events (especially calamities) - by the exact moment in which these churches met their ultimate demise.  "We went on that mission trip 2 years after the fire." or "Daddy passed away the same year as the fire." might well have been spoken phrases in which the memorable devastation was used as a point of reference.

We've all witnessed fires, but very few of us have actually crossed the witness line to become actively involved.  We stand at a safe distance, preferring to remain in an ambiguous line of onlookers.  We would be intimidated and shrink back from the opportunity to "man the pumps and haul the hoses."  After all, that's work that is best suited for the professionals - those who are hired to take care of such matters.  And so often, fires that rage out of control are far too big for the handful of professionals, and the fire leaves in its wake complete loss and devastation.

Now shift your minds on the KIND of fires that overtook these churches - not fires that are "a rapid, persistent chemical reaction that releases heat and light, especially the exothermic combination of a combustible substance with oxygen."  No, think about the fire of the human spirit - most specifically the spiritual fires that burn within the very chest of a believer.  Two completely different kinds of flames, with striking similarities in the area of "attending witnesses." 

What do I mean by that?  Well, if it's not obvious, let me explain.  How many of us have seen individuals, groups, entire bodies of believers on fire with the zeal of the Lord, and we choose to witness the event from a safe distance without getting actively involved?  Sadly, most of us have been there only to witness how the thing will end.  Haven't we all learned that you just can't go around like that getting your head all full of fire and passion in the church?  Pry a little deeper into the spiritual mind, and you might be surprised to note that most Christians actually hope that such a "pentecostal fire" will burn itself out - leaving nothing in it's path but a scarred remembrance for future zealots to know the path of destruction that awaits anyone who gets "carried away" for the Lord.  And at day's end, the devil dances and shouts with with a frightening roar at the apathy that he has successfully sewn into the hearts and minds of God's children, into the very midst of the "Jesus Freaks."

But friends, we as God's "freaks" MUST find ourselves ablaze with the all-consuming fires of Pentecost, so that the fires of eternity and damnation can be diminished to the fullest extent of our faithfulness.  "Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry?  Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die?  Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand?  Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you damned?" (Leonard Ravenhill).

And the task of "tending the fires" cannot be left in only the hands of the professionals - those hired to attend to such tasks.  No, in this unified endeavor, we MUST cross through and go beyond the line of witnesses and onlookers and don the armor of the Lord in order to ensure that nothing disrupts the flames of our God.

Read these indicting words of William Booth:  "Not called! did you say?  Not heard the call, I think you should say.  Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin.  Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help.  Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there.  And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."

Set my soul afire Lord, set my soul afire.  Make my life a witness of Thy saving power.  Millions grope in darkness, waiting for Thy Word.  Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire!

Set my soul afire, Lord, for the lost in sin.  Give to me a passion as I seek to win.  Help me not to falter, never let me fail.  Fill me with Thy Spirit, let Thy will prevail.

Set my soul afire, Lord, in my daily life.  Far too long I've wandered in this day of strife.  Nothing else will matter but to live for Thee.  I will be a witness, for Christ lives in me.

Set my soul afire Lord, set my soul afire.  Make my life a witness of Thy saving power.  Millions grope in darkness, waiting for Thy Word.  Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire!

Remember, it only takes a spark to get a fire going.

Selah (סֶלָה )

WHY am I blogging?

Though I am sure that I am NOT the first one to contemplate the question of blogging within a blog, I'm going to boldly strike out on this pursuit and delve into my personal motivations for casting my private thoughts and feelings into a virtual "sea of ideas."  Am I different from most or all bloggers?  Does blogging afford me the opportunity of sharing my feelings without fear or worry of retribution of any sort?  Is blogging akin to ego centrism - where one basks in the glory of personal thought and wisdom?  Is blogging necessary?  Is there anyone who really needs to hear from me?  Does blogging have the ability to make me (or anyone else) happier?

According to John M. Grohol, Psy.D., writer for World of Psychology, blogging CAN make you happier.  Taiwanese researchers (Ko & Kuo, 2009) administered a 43-item self-report survey to 596 college students who were mostly between ages 16 and 22 and female (71 percent).  The college students were young adults who had blogging experience, and specifically with blogging for the purpose of keeping a personal journal.

The researchers found support for deeper self-disclosure from bloggers resulting in a range of better social connections.  These included things such as a sense of greater social integration, which is how connected we feel to society and our own community of friends and others; an increase in social bonding (our tightly knit, intimate relationships); and social bridging — increasing our connectedness with people who might be from outside of our typical social network.

They also hypothesized and found support from their data that when these kinds of social connections increase or grow deeper through blogging, a person will also feel a greater subjective sense of well-being or happiness.

This research is consistent with prior research on personal writing (usually more privately, though) that finds that when people share their innermost thoughts of their moods or feelings with others through writing, they may gain greater social support and improve their social relationships and feelings of connectedness.  There isn’t a whole lot of research into blogging, so this study is a valuable contribution to our knowledge and understanding of this behavior.

The researchers also reminded us that since most people who read personal blogs are a person’s own friends and family, it’s likely that self-disclosure on those blogs will help them improve these existing relationships.  Not only does blogging not diminish or interfere with existing social relationships, the researchers argue, but it enhances them and has the ability to actually improve them.

I’ve seen this time and time again with some of my friends’ blogs — they share feelings and thoughts that I’d have a hard time getting from them in person.  Especially since many times people blog as they’re going through an emotional or difficult situation in their lives.  It’s so much easier to blog about it as it’s happening than to try and call and talk to a half dozen close people by phone, repeating the same information and feelings time and time again (which can result in an emotional drain).

Blogging, for me, is somewhat of a spiritually transcendental activity.  It draws me into a spiritual journey in which I seek the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  Here, let me cast a few "visual analogies" into the mix to see if I can conjure some applicable "images."

Blogging is like calling into a wide canyon and listening for the softer sound of an echo.  In this, the echo has a greater resounding truth than the initial cry.  Blogging allows me to herald my innermost thoughts and feelings, but it's the echo of His voice that speaks the truth for me.  David's Psalms would have made excellent blogs, for it was in his private contemplations that he knew and understood the still small voice of God - the truths that echo across the plains of time with undiminished clarity.

Blogging is like a message in a bottle.  In casting our thoughts and feelings into the waves of earthly babble, who do we expect will process our renderings?  It's the same response yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Blogging is not like casting our cares upon the wind, or broadcasting our seeds upon the blustering rants of daily existence.  No.  Blogging is (and should be) prayerful - meditative - spiritual.  Through blogging I am casting my cares upon the Lord, who echos my groanings with a decisive voice of grace, mercy, and provision.

Blogging is cathartic.  The writing of a blog for me is somewhat laborious, for the physical nature of my being hardly keeps time with the spiritual/emotional nature of my being.  But typing my thoughts - as quickly as I am able to do so - and going back over them to make sure they convey some intended message, is like placing my earthly petitions before the throne of God.  In that sense, blogging is (for me) therapeutic, liberating, beneficial, healing, energizing, invigorating, restorative, curative, emotive.

Blogging is appointed.  I save this one for the last for it's the MOST important.  Bro. Dan Spencer dedicates quite a bit of pulpit time in bringing forth the message that we - as the church - have got to increase and galvanize our message to the world that Jesus Christ is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE.  Because we are living in a dark time and in a dark world where the fields are white and ready for harvest, we must increase our boldness in sharing the good news of Christ through our lives, our words - our living testimony.

And that is my prayer, dear friends.  May my ramblings rise before the throne and become as sweet and fragrant exaltations to my heavenly Father.

May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my defender.  Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.  Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.  My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up and see Your face.

Selah (סֶלָה )

....... y elogiamos a Dios de usted diariamente .........

Friendships - just like the people that make them - come in all different sizes, shapes, and styles.  Because of the unique chemistry that forms the elemental constructs of all friendships, quality friendship is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor.  And friendships don't just happen - like any relationship, friendships take time and energy, but the perpetuity of the "blessings outflow" connected with deep and abiding friendship pays exponential dividends to those who dare to engage themselves in such matters of the heart.

As I prepare, in 2011, to mark almost FIVE decades of Earthly existence (two score and nine to be exact), I realize that I have had, over the length of my lifetime, many relationships with different people - as a son to my parents; as a sibling to my brother; as a colleague at the workplace; as a mate to those who went to school with me or those that I met randomly; as a fellow-believer in the community of my church; as a father to my THREE wonderful kids (Lauren, Matthew and Nick) and, as a partner to my beautiful wife Jami.

With these different relationships have come unique lessons about how to sustain each of them.

I have realized that three things apply to all these relationships:
a. Have a strong reason to sustain that relationship.
b. Act on goals to strengthen that relationship.
c. Trust those in the relationship to do the right thing.

But, that's not entirely it either.  The most important element for the sustenance of ANY relationship is a "sold out", "abiding in", "hope for the future" relationship with Jesus Christ.  Our capacity to love anyone on our own is thwarted by our inability to love anyone "larger" than our own hearts.  Loving others, however, through the heart of Jesus Christ magnifies and expands our potential to love others in proportions that race beyond the confines of the entire universe.  It is safe to say that loving THROUGH Christ guarantees that our Earthly relationships will transcend all space and time for the purposes of all eternity.

And just what is it that has friendship so completely in my heart and mind?  The answer to that question lies in the fact that we have just had the opportunity to spend GLORIOUS time with our forever friends - the Louderbacks.  Being with them - after not seeing them for a couple of years - has been so sweet and wonderful.  Because the path that connects our friendship twists and turns through the very heart of God, we have never felt "apart" or "disconnected."  We know - beyond any measure of doubt - that God brought this awesome family into our lives for all the seasons of mortal existence.  Why?  Because He knows the deepest desires of our hearts.  Because our friendship with the Louderbacks was in His heart from the very beginning of ALWAYS.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for these dear and special friends.  Bless their work as missionaries, and may the truth of your Holy Word spread forth from their mouths and lives until ALL shall know Him.

It won't be long Louderbacks, before we hop on a plane and make our way to the shores of your mission field.  And until that time - and forever more - may God bless and keep you.

Mayo la subida del camino para encontrarle,
Mayo el golpe de viento en su espalda,
Mayo el brillo de sol cariñosamente en su cara,
Mayo la caída de lluvias suavemente en sus campos,
Y hasta que nos encontremos otra vez,
Mayo asimiento de Dios usted en la palma de Su mano.

Selah (סֶלָה )

GIVE ME THE RESPECT I DESERVE!!!!!!!

It suddenly occurred to me - while writing this particular post - that a lot of people don't know how magnificent a person I am.  Truly - I am a VERY  important individual.  Just measure me by the obvious wordly standards and I think you too will come to see my tremendous worth as a unique human being.

I am a public educator - not nearly appreciated enough by those individuals with whom I am forced to work.  Did you see how smartly that last sentence was crafted?  I - being well educated - know that in no case should you end ANY sentence with a preposition, therefore, my prepositional phrase was well executed.  I have traveled the world - literally - and have been exposed to the finer things of numerous cultures.  I have seen the snowy alps of Switzerland and the watery canals of Italy.  I have dined within the shadow of the Eiffel Tower ( La Tour Eiffel) - an extremely kitschy and garish object that has been allowed by the people of France to remain in a place of prominence that overshadows the highest spires of the sacred Notre Dame Cathedral.  And for the purposes of public record, I have performed within the flying buttressed walls of this GREAT cathedral.  Je suppose que vous vous souhaiter etiez moi - mais naturekkement.  That, of course, is French for "I suppose you wish you were me - but of course.  Oh, vous petit porc commun.

As far as education is concerned, I graduated magna cum laude with my undergraduate degree and summa cum laude with my graduate degree - following the successful completion of my dissertation process.  All in all, I am a destined leader, an absolute gift to humanity................I'm gonna stop this one before it gets any uglier.  The truth of the matter is, the things that I could brag about are "bars of achievement" set up by people for the enjoyment (and self promotion) of people.  Given too much latitude, and we become nothing more than pompous/arrogant "Star-Bellied Sneetches."

Let's look at this one from a different angle.  Have you ever REALLY considered just how small you are in scope of the universe?  No, really, you aren't even a speck.  Watch this video - then try to puff out your chest of pride.

So who am I that God should be mindful of me?  Nobody - absolutely nobody.  But wait, the God who waved His hand and wiggled his fingers and created - for Himself - the heavens and the Earth, who cast every star into the night sky, knows me BY NAME!!!!!!!

William Shakespeare once posed a question.  "What's in a name?"  Our modern society usually places little significance on what we name our children other than the fact that it just "sounds good."  Some names become so popular that it seems that many get the same name.  Then, when those children start to school, there's a classroom full of children with similar first names.  To know that God knows my name is something that has caught my attention.  Oh yes, I have known that for some years, but it has become even more real to me over the last several weeks.  Just imagine the God of a universe as magnificent as ours, with Him even knowing the stars all by name (Ps. 147:4) and yet, He knows me personally, calling me by name.  The God who made the heavens and the earth in their entire vast array (Gen. 2:1) knows me by name!  It's almost too much for my small mind to grasp. 

I was at a local Thomasville restaurant last evening.  I poured on my charm with the various employees and told them how much I loved their chicken strips.  I really do, and I wanted them to know how much I appreciate what they do for me by prepring delicious food to "compliment my discriminating pallet."  At the time I placed my order, there were two of us waiting to get our orders and take our food home to eat - "to go" orders.  In just a few minutes, the guy who took my order handed me a bag and said, "Come to see us again, sir."  He had to call me sir, because he doesn't know my name.  I got home with my order, and it was NOT my order at all.  I had before me a plate of pulled pork - not my much-anticipated chicken strips.  The other "sir" got my food - and mine was a more expensive menu selection.  One thing is for sure, with the Lord, we're not a number or some obscure name on a take-out sack, but we're known to Him by name.  Our name means something to God and He knows each of us by our name. 

Psalm 139 is a beautiful chapter and the thoughts David penned are thought provoking.  To even see on paper the thoughts that God has concerning me is intriguing.  That such a man as David could even ponder such things had to be God ordained to start with!

In this chapter I saw that God not only knows my name, but that He truly knows me, knows when I sit, when I rise, knows my every thought, knows when I go out, when I sleep and is familiar with all my ways.  The Psalmist went on to say that even before a word is formed on my tongue, God knows it completely and that He has His hand upon me.  He created my inmost being and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I just have to give Him praise, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!  (vs. 13-14) 

No matter where I go I cannot get away from God’s presence because He is there.  There have been times that I have wondered, “Where are you God?” But, I have learned that He will never leave me or forsake me. (Heb. 13:5) No matter if I go up high into the heavens or make my bed in the depths of the sea, He is there.  (Ps. 139:8)  I am amazed that the Father would come to the rescue when I whisper His Name.  When I have a need, He is there.  When I’m doubtful, He reassures me and He is there.  When I’m worried, He is there to calm my fears.  When I’m in tears, He is there to wipe them.  When I’m at my lowest point, He is there to lift me.  When I’m too weak to stand, He is there to lean on.  When I need someone to wrap loving arms around me, He is there.  Whenever I have no one to turn to, He is there.  When I’m in need of a friend, He is there to stick closer than a brother.  When I cry out to Him in the midst of adversity, He is there to hear me.  When I am sad, He is there to make me glad.  When I am heavy burdened, He is there to take my yoke upon Himself.  When I’m restless, He is there to give me peace and quiets the stormy seas which threaten to overtake me.  When I’m weary from the battle that has raged against me, He is there to fight for me.  When I’m in a pit so deep that I don’t think I will ever get out, He is there to take hold of my hand and pull me out.  Wherever I go, He is there.  When I don’t think He’s there . . .  He is!  Why?  Because He knows my name! 

In Casting Crowns' song, “Who Am I?,” the question is asked......."Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?  Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way for my ever wondering heart?"  Yes, God is mindful of us and we are so important to Him that He engraved us on the palms of His hands.  (Isa. 49:16) We are so significant to the Father that He indeed calls us by name.  John 10:3 says: “He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.”  It is indeed an honor for the Father to call us by name and be mindful of us. 

It was at this point in the writing of this "contemplation" when I was at a standstill on knowing what direction the Lord would have me take, when Mark Hall's voice echoed from the kitchen-placed Bose wave stereo system with one of his many songs of inspiration.

So, who am I?  I'm God's precious child, carved in His very image, an object of His pure delight.  Jesus paid it all, so all to Him I owe.

Father, I thank You that You surely know our names and know all about us.  I pray for each of my friends and family reading this message and pray that they will make sure that their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.  What an honor to have our names written down for all eternity and that we will worship before the Throne of our God with great rejoicing.  What an exciting time it will be for all the "overcomers" and all who have their garments spotless and white.  Thank You Jesus for what You did for us on the cross of Calvary.  Thank You for the Blood You spilled out for our sins.  Thank You that You indeed love us so much that You would give Your life for us.  We come in repentance asking You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so that our robes will be washed spotless and white.  Take away our every sin and make us white as snow.  We will live our lives for You always.  In Jesus's precious name.

 Selah (סֶלָה )