The Running of Roy Regals

On New Years Day, 1929, Georgia Tech was playing California. Late in the second quarter, Roy Regals recovered a fumble for California. In his excitement, he became confused and began running in the wrong direction. After racing 65 yards he was finally tackled by his own player at the California 2 yard line. California attempted to punt from deep in their own end zone, but the kick was blocked and Georgia Tech scored a safety. In the locker room at half time, Roy Regals sat in the corner with his face buried in his hands, crying. The room was silent. The Coach didn’t make his usual halftime speech, but shortly before the team was to take the field for the second half, he said, “The starting team is going back onto the field to begin the second half.” The entire team left the locker room except for Regals, who remained in the corner with his face in his hands. “I can’t do it Coach,” he said. “I can’t play. I ruined the team.” The Coach said, “Get up Regals. The game is only half over. You belong on the field.”

Our spiritual opponent doesn’t want us to know this, but, our game isn’t over yet either. Philippians 3:13-14 reminds us that regardless of the mistakes made in the past, we still have the rest of the game to play. God is willing to forgive the mistakes of the first half…and He expects us to do the same with ourselves and with others.

Water Well Witness

We must be willing to share the peace we have with Christ with others in loving and creative ways. I listened to an Indonesian pastor tell of the time when his church was unjustly shut down by the local Muslim officials. This would now cause a huge problem as the only water well in that small community was located on the church property. What would their response be? If they would withhold water from the other villagers, chaos would erupt. It would be tough but they decided that even though they were unjustly shut down, they would continue to let the local Muslims freely use their water supply. After eight months, the Muslim officials peacefully let them reopen their church. I’m coming to realize more and more that peacemaking is not merely a concept or a doctrine, it’s an activity. It’s not passive, it’s active. It’s not so much something we are, it’s something we do…in our homes, in our work, in all of life. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Third Grade Kickball

I still remember today what recess felt like when I was in the third grade. That year the game was kickball. More pointedly, I remember the awesome red ball we used. It was the kind of ball which was somewhat solid, yet spongy enough that when it hit that sweet spot on your foot, it seemed to soar in the air for a mile. I also vividly remember the classmate who never thought he was out. The play didn’t even have to be close, but regardless, he would dispute the call if he was out. After weeks of this behavior, another classmate and I decided that it was time for us to become the teachers, so we made up our own lesson plan. Thus, 'table-top' technique was applied. This was done very quickly, succinctly and successfully. I engaged the whiner in a conversation while my buddy slowly walked behind him and proceeded to get down on all fours. Once he was in place, I gave a quick shove and watched as he tumbled backwards over my accomplice’s back and onto the ground. We had a good laugh…until he started writhing around on the ground in pain. His cries and groans caught the attention of the teacher on duty and our laughs quickly turned to concern and to that dreaded 'oh, no' feeling. As we weren’t able to go out to recess for a while after this, we realized very quickly that our reactive, aggressive behavior certainly didn’t solve the problem. A peaceful solution wasn’t tried and things only got worse. Remember, "If it's possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:18)

Big Macs

A 54 year-old Wisconsin man says his obsessive-compulsive disorder drove him to eat 23,000 Big Macs in 36 years. Don Gorske, who has kept every receipt in a box, says this pleasurable obsession began the day he got his first car. The only day he skipped a Big Mac was the day his mother died, only to respect her wishes. He said he doesn’t care if people think he’s crazy because he’s in love with the burgers, which are the highlights of his days. Makes you wonder what consequences this decision will have on his physical body and how soon it will be until we read his obituary! Whether physically or spiritually, let’s remember that “…our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…therefore let’s honor God with it.” (I Cor. 6:19-20)

Dog Food

A dog food company’s newest product wasn’t selling like expected so the president called in his management staff and asked, “How’s our advertising?” “It’s going great sir! We’re on track to win the industry’s top awards.” “All right,” he continued. “How about our product design?” “Great boss! Every marketing test we’ve ran has scored high.” “Ok, well, how’s our sales staff? Are they doing their job?” “Sir, you hired them and we all know you’re a great evaluator of talent. You know they’re the best!” “Well then, we’ve got great advertising, great packaging and a top-notch sales force, yet we’re coming in dead last in the dog food market. Does anyone have an idea what’s going on here?” Everyone looked at each other until finally one brave soul spoke up and said, “It’s those stupid dogs sir. They just won’t touch the stuff.”

Titus 2:7 encourages us, “In everything set an example by doing what is good.” What example do we give as we live? In other words, spiritually speaking, “Are people buying what we’re selling?”

Two Ways of Thinking

Is the proverbial glass half full (or) half empty? Do we hate doing the dishes (or) are we glad to have food to eat? Do you despise your job (or) are you glad to provide for your family? Do we hate changing diapers (or) are we blessed with healthy children? Am I worthless because I’ve made some bad decisions (or) could my story help others? Do I get irritated because people always want something from me (or) am I in a position to help people? It’s true that our way of thinking really sets the tone for our way of living. *How we think is often what we become. *Where we keep our minds will determine our level of spiritual growth. *What we do is a result of what we think. How do you choose to think about things? Are you hopeful or hopeless?

The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. His boss was sorry to see him go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart wasn’t into it. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used cheap materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter was finished, his boss handed the front-door key to him and said, "This is your house. It’s my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we’ve built. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It’s the only life you will ever build.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

Closed Lips

An iron factory worker accidently fell onto a red-hot iron plate. As he was rolled off by his fellow workmen things looked bleak and they cried out to send for a doctor. The suffering man pleaded, “Never mind the doctor, I’m dying without God, who can help me?” Although many men surrounded him, not one spoke up. One of these men was an inactive member of his church whose witness at work simply wasn’t there. Later, when asked about the accident, he said, “I’ve heard those cries ever since and I wish I could’ve spoken up and pointed him to Jesus, but my life closed my lips.” What would’ve we said?

Ridiculous Requests

Real responses from comment cards at the Bridger Wilderness Center:

-Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.
-Too many bugs and spider webs. Please spray the woods to avoid these pests.
-Please pave the trails so they can be snow-plowed during the winter.
-Install chair lifts so we can get to the wonderful views without hiking there.
-The coyotes make too much noise. Please eradicate these annoying animals.
-A deer stole a jar of my pickles. Can I please get reimbursed?
-A McDonalds would be nice at the trailhead.
-The places where trails do not exist are not well marked.
-There are too many rocks in the mountains.

What ridiculous requests do we make to God?

Blue Ink

I heard about a man who robbed a bank and drove off. He thought he was in the clear until he opened the bag and it exploded with permanent blue ink. He was blue from head to toe. Day after day he scrubbed himself trying to get free from the ink but it was futile. He lived with all this money yet could not leave his home for fear the ink would be seen and he would be arrested. The ink served as a constant reminder of who he was and what he had done.....a constant reminder that he was a guilty man. He was completely isolated from the world because of the ink and almost went insane. Finally the day came when he could no longer take it anymore and he decided to turn himself in. At least in prison he could be free from the guilt of what he had done. John 8:32, ".....and the truth will set you free."

A Peculiar Patience

In the grocery store, her two year old begged for cookies. Mom said no and the little girl began to cry. “Now Sarah, we’re halfway done, it won’t be much longer.” Of course the same thing happened in the candy aisle. “There, there Sarah, only two more aisles then we’re done.” When checking out, she reached for the gum. When mom said no again, she screamed louder than ever. The mother patiently said, “Sarah, we’re leaving now. We’ll go home and have a nice nap.” A man who witnessed these events in the store, complimented the woman on her way to her car by saying, “I couldn’t help noticing how patient you were with little Sarah.” She replied, “Thank you, but my little girl is Samantha, I’m Sarah!” Too often, we’re like this two year old when we don’t get our way. We beg and cry and carry on. In 2 Peter 3:9 we see how patient God is with us. Can we also be this patient both with Him and with others?

True Change

A barber’s supply company held a large convention. In the morning, they showed the crowd a man they picked up off the street. That same afternoon, they showed the same man after he had been shaved and groomed with their products. They exclaimed, “This is what our products can do for you!” Everyone was impressed to see the completely changed man. The next day, they wanted to repeat this process to new clients and sought this man out again. Guess where they found him? Lying in a gutter, all filthy and drunk again. They had changed him on the outside, but had anything really changed? What about us? Over the past year, has anything really changed? Fact is: True Change only happens when a True Commitment to Christ is made. Today, are you content with the status-quo or do you truly desire to be changed?

The Blame Game

The game had not been going well and the manager of the baseball team was so disgusted by his shortstop’s performance that he yanked him out of the game and assumed the position himself. The first ball that came to shortstop took a bad hop and hit him right in the mouth. The next one was a fly ball which he lost in the glare of the sun, until it bounced off his forehead. The third hit was a hard line drive that went right past his glove and between his legs. Now furious, he ran back to the dugout, grabbed the shortstop by his uniform and shouted, “You’ve got shortstop so messed up that even I can’t do anything with it!” As we read passages like Ezekiel 18:1-4, the truth is that we’re each responsible for our own actions and behavior. And even though it’s one of our favorite things to do, starting today, may we be aware of and quit playing the blame game!

Grumpy Old Men

There were two grumpy men in a nursing home who had argued for years. One became ill and thought he was on his deathbed, so he called for the other man and said, “John, I’ve been thinking about our relationship. I’m willing to forgive you for what you have said and done against me over the years, and I’d love if you’d do the same for me.” With tears in his eyes, John agreed that he too would like to forgive and be forgiven. Then his friend in bed said, “But if I get better, this doesn’t count!” Oh, how we love to be in control over life’s circumstances. We plan the agenda and freely call the shots. And sadly, at times, we even treat God with the same kind of conditions and in the same way this elderly man treated his friend. Today, is your relationship with God one-sided? Do you serve Him on your terms and conditions? May we all see the uselessness of such a stance and may we instead, rely fully on his Spirit to work in and through us.

Your Spiritual Gift

The story is told of the wealthy Texan who was in the habit of giving his father unique gifts every father’s day. One year it was hang-gliding lessons. The year before it was the entire record collection of Slim Whitman’s Hits, autographed by the singer himself. But this past year he had outdone himself. He purchased a rare kind of South American bird, called the translator. This bird could speak five languages and sing the “Yellow Rose of Texas” in any key while standing on one foot. The talented bird cost ten thousand dollars, but he felt it was worth every penny. This would be the father’s day gift his dad would never forget. A week after Father’s Day he called his father. “Dad, how did you like the bird?” His father responded, “It was delicious.” Scripture states how “…each of us has been given a spiritual gift.” (I Cor. 12:4) Today, have you opened your gift and are you using it as the Giver intended it to be used?

Below the Water Line

Gordon MacDonald tells the story of how the Brooklyn Bridge remains a major transportation artery in New York City today, because over 100 years ago, the chief engineer and his construction team did their most patient and daring work where no one could see it…on the foundations of the towers below the water line. It is one more illustration of an ageless principle in life: the work done below the water line will determine whether what we do will stand the test of time. Spiritually, this work is called worship, devotion and a variety of spiritual disciplines. It's done in quiet, where no one but God sees. Think about it. We may be blessed with great natural skills and charisma but remain vulnerable to a collapse in our character, our key relationships and our ministries if we’ve never learned that we can’t build above the water line until there is a substantial foundation below it. A re-read of the life of Moses is a great example of this. This man spent 80 years preparing for his more visible work. MacDonald goes on to say that the test of a person is less what we accomplish before 45 years of age and more what happens after. He calls it sustainability. The key is to last and grow stronger, wiser and more focused with the years. In Ephesians 2:19-20, Paul writes, “You are God’s people and members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Is your trust in your “foundation” strong enough to sustain you? Is what you’re building today, being built to last? Is Jesus Christ solidified as the immovable, primary cornerstone in your life?

Spiritual Spectators

A few years ago one of our boys ran on the youth cross-country team. Our family often went to the meets and noticed that the same thing happened at the end of every race. When the runners were finished, they’d gulp down water. Think for a minute of the funny looks I would have gotten if, as a spectator, I was standing there chugging the water. The runners were the ones who had been generating a thirst and naturally were thirstier than any spectator would’ve been. They had worked hard and deserved the refreshment. In life, when we’re only spectators, we quickly get out of shape and become lazy and complacent. In doing so, we don’t generate an intense appetite for food or a strong thirst for water within our bodies. It’s only when we have a true passion, a yearning, and a goal in mind that we will stretch ourselves, go the extra mile and become hungry and thirsty. We must simply choose to put on our running shoes and get out on the course. In a similar way, scripture exhorts us to crave the things of God. Peter writes, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). These words aren’t for spiritual spectators, they’re for participants. We are to desire and long for the things of God as intensely as a baby desires milk. To those of us with children, this is a vivid picture. I remember how unsettled and unsatisfied my boys were before they drank the milk and how peaceful and content they were afterward. Are we like this with the things of God? Are we even hungry for him, let alone crave him? A certain peace and contentment will always follow when we drink from his living water.

Three Hours of Fishing

A laid back, southern fisherman worked diligently from 5:00 to 8:00 every morning. After keeping some of his catch for his family, he then sold the remaining fish at the local market until 10:00am and had the rest of the day free to do whatever he pleased. A slick entrepreneur from the city went to the coast on vacation, spotted the fisherman and struck up a conversation. He encouraged him to hire two or three more guys so that more fish could be caught and more money could be made. The fisherman could then put them in charge and hire five to six more men to catch even more fish. Meanwhile, he could travel around and look for other markets to sell the bigger amount of fish they were catching. The city slicker said, “Each year you could double your manpower and within 5 years, you’d only have to work a couple of hours a day.” The country fisherman said with a sly smile and a slow drawl, “Sir, thanks for your concern, but I’m doing that already.” We often hear it said that “more is better” but let’s be careful with wanting more and more money. This temptation can quickly become an obsession. I’ve seen the love of money take over person’s lives and believe me, it can get ugly. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have…” Contentment is the key. Remember too that more money also means more taxes, more fair-weather “friends” and many more decision-making responsibilities. Money is necessary, but when our “love of money” takes precedence over our “love of God,” it is sin. Today, are you content with what your three hours of fishing nets you?

51-0

Our perspective on the things that life throws us typically brings about one of two results…it’s either life-giving or life-draining. The way we choose look at life often determines whether we have joy or despair. It’s something like what Coach John McKay of USC said to his team after they had been humiliated 51-0 by Notre Dame. McKay came into the locker room and saw a group of beaten, worn-out and thoroughly depressed young football players who were not accustomed to losing. He stood up on a bench and said, "Men, let’s keep this in perspective. There are 800 million people in China who don’t even know this game was played." That’s what you call perspective! Coach McKay provided another way to look at a tough loss. In effect, he turned a potential pity party into a thought-provoking win-win scenario. Paul did a similar thing in Philippians 1:21 where he says, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” He was able to boldly say this because he didn't fear feath. Instead, he fully understood that his physical death was not an ending, but rather the beginning point of where true living begins! Today, what in your life is frustrating you? Where might you need to ask Him to help you change your perspective?

Jogger Shot in City Park

A while back I had some time off from my church responsibilities so I went with my wife to a conference she was attending. As she spent time during the day at her seminars and workshops, I explored every bookstore I could find and enjoyed the miles of walking trails that this city offered. When I told my wife what I had planned to do, she responded by reminding me to “…please be careful.” I smiled and playfully made a sarcastic remark. She smiled back and sincerely stated, “honey, I just want you to be safe.” One day then, after walking several miles, I stopped for lunch a nearby café. As I picked up the local paper, I got chills as I read the headline, ‘Jogger shot in city park.’ I instantly felt uneasy and vulnerable. Very quickly, my wife’s prophetic words echoed in my mind. I realized that she hadn’t been lecturing me, she simply wanted me to be safe in an unfamiliar place. I got the point! Ezekiel 34:23-31 speaks of things that will happen to ‘sheep’ who remain in the right pasture. They will have protection, provision, be blessed, be rescued, live in peace, and will be kept safe. None of these, however, are promised to those sheep who are enticed and wander away to reside in other pastures. In the unfamiliar places in our lives, let’s remember to do all we can to remain safe, alert and under the care of the right voices and the right shepherd.

The Unopened Door

A bride and groom spent their wedding night in the bridal suite of an elegant hotel. As usual, everything ran late and by the time they arrived, they were exhausted. Upon entering their luxurious suite, they were surprised to find only a sofa, some chairs and a table, but no bed. Fortunately, the sofa was a hide-a-bed, but like most it had saggy springs and a lumpy mattress. At that late hour, they were too tired to complain and thus spent a terrible night on a terrible excuse for a bed. Early the next morning, they marched down to the front desk and demanded an explanation for their dilemma. Listening calmly, the manager asked, "Did you open every door in the room?" After calming down themselves, they returned to their room and discovered that the door they assumed was a closet was, in fact, the way into a beautifully furnished bedroom, complete with a heart-shaped jacuzzi and complimentary flowers and chocolates. What they had desired was there all along, they simply had to choose to open the right door. The management had everything in place as promised, the couple just became too impatient and too demanding too quick. Let's be careful not to do the same with our Proprietor.

The Burning Hut

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed and prayed for God to rescue him, but to no avail. He eventually built a little hut to sleep in and to protect him from the elements. One day after he was out looking for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened! He was angry and in disbelief. Later that day, however, he saw a ship approaching the island, coming to rescue him. With excitement he splashed out into the water to meet his rescuers and shouted out "How’d you know I was here?" They replied, "We saw your smoke signal."

It’s easy to get discouraged when tragedy strikes. But never lose heart or hope. Remember this... The next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be the very thing that will rescue you! Scripture says, “Now, for a little while, you have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Christ is revealed.” (I Peter 1:6-7)

The Full Meal Deal

Here’s a scene that many of us know very well. It’s around noon on Thanksgiving Day, and we’re eating our turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pie. We get to that point where we decline any more
food because, instead of the turkey, we’re the ones who are stuffed. We put up our hand to our host and assuredly say, “I’m so full I probably won’t eat again until tomorrow.” But some of the leftovers often remain on the table during the afternoon, and before you know it you are grazing again. A few hours later you devour a turkey sandwich and just one more “small” piece of pie
with whipped topping. We’re reminded here that when we eat, we’re only temporarily full. Jesus shares with us how we can permanently be filled in a spiritual sense with him: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Mt 5:6). In the context of this verse, to hunger means to have a starving spirit. It is having a desperate hunger for the things of God. It’s saying, “If I don’t have it, I can’t make it.” It indicates a deep hunger for all of righteousness and for all of what Christ has to offer, not just little tidbits. Are you hungry enough for the full meal deal?

3 Buckets and a Sponge

Look at your life as a sponge and imagine three buckets beside you. The first bucket is full of water and represents the living water of Christ. The second is one-quarter full of water, and the third is empty. As the sponge, you fully immerse yourself in the first bucket, the living water, and let it fill up every available space. Once full, you then squeeze and empty yourself into the second bucket, which obviously needs more water to become full. You repeat this process several times until the second bucket is full and now prepared to share its water. You then immerse yourself in the second bucket, and pour the water into bucket number three, which has an even greater need than the second bucket did. As this is repeated several times, bucket number three slowly becomes filled as well.How is it that all three buckets are now full? Little wonder that Jesus himself says, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). Because Christ provides an eternal spring, the first bucket will never run out of water. You can immerse yourself in it again and again. Then buckets number two and three and four and five can be filled as well.

24 Mailboxes

Somewhere in my teen years it had seemed like a good idea to my friends and I to go out and demolish twenty-four mailboxes and have a blast doing it. It was fun, and we had the neighborhood bragging rights—until a dreaded phone call a few days later informing me that we “got caught.” After recovering from that horrible feeling of my heart sinking into my stomach and just sort of sitting there for several weeks, it was time to face the music. As I stood there and faced the judge, I fully realized that I was completely at his mercy. He had done his homework and knew a good bit about me. He asked me if I had been drinking and why in the world I would do such a thing. I assured him that I hadn’t been drinking and as to why, I said, “It just kind of happened.” After bracing myself for a lecture and the sentence, something magically and mercifully happened. He went on to share a story from his own youthful years about the time when he was walking out of a roller-skating rink and bashed out someone’s car lights with his skates. He said he wasn’t sure why he did it, but figured that it “just kind of happened.” He had determined that I wasn’t likely to be a lifelong criminal and gave me a reduced sentence that consisted primarily of going back to those I had wronged, paying for new mailboxes and agreeing that I would “sin no more.” Mercy is good, and the mercy flowed that day.

Flashlights

A large, old tree may naturally become weak and begin its descent toward the ground. Imagine the futility of seeing this tree begin to fall toward your house with you standing beneath it, yelling and shouting at it, attempting to redirect its landing spot by telling it precisely where it should come to rest. Sorry, but it will lie wherever it wants to, and you can’t do anything about it. Isn’t this so indicative of life? Good news comes and bad news comes just the same. Things happen and surprises occur without any help from us. We don’t know how and when these things will come, but only that they will indeed come. As we read verses like Ecclesiastes 11:2-4, the point is clear…If we wait around for perfect weather, the seeds will never be planted. If we wait for the perfect situation to give our 'bouquets of blessings,' we’ll probably never do it. As Christians, we are not called to make excuses. We can't be hearers only, but rather, actual doers of the word. Because Christ has not left us in the dark, our job then is to be a shining light into someone else’s darkness, all for the glory of God. Who do you know that's living in the dark? Shine on!

Steadying the Ladder

Our lives as Christians are doing one of two things each and every day. We’re either *Clarifying the gospel message or *Confusing the gospel message. Which does your life most often do? In other words, when persons look at the way you live, do they say, “Alright, I get it—that’s what it’s like to be a Christian.” Or are they more inclined to say, “Hmm, if that’s what it’s like to be a Christian, I’m not so sure.” As long as we’re living, we each have a job to do. As we constantly strive to do what the Word says, we do it best by recognizing the necessity of operating and partnering together as believers. We get the most out of life when we realize and celebrate that we all have different gifts, one not being more important or more valuable than another. Some of us preach from a pulpit with words while others preach in the workplace with actions. Some of us like to visit the sick while others make meals for young mothers. Some of us simply smile and have a good attitude while others of us are patient and gentle as we change yet another diaper. It’s been said that the man who steadies the ladder at the bottom is just as important as the man at the top. All kinds of spiritual gifts are clearly needed. It’s when we live out our lives, sharing these giftings with others, that the gospel message is best Clarified and understood. What spiritual giftings do you have and where can you freely give one today?

Aunt Bee and Footballs

In an episode from The Andy Griffith Show, Aunt Bee comes to live with Sheriff Andy Taylor and his son, Opie, after the death of Andy’s wife. They thought that maybe Aunt Bee could bring that missing feminine touch. Opie wasn’t impressed, so Andy tried to help them bond by inviting her to go fishing and frog catching. She fails miserably at these things and later with trying to throw a football. One night, Aunt Bee talks Andy into taking her to the bus station. Opie hears her crying and guesses that she is leaving. He then runs out and exclaims, “We can’t let her go, Pa, she needs us. Besides, she can’t even catch frogs, bait a hook, or throw a football. Pa, we’ve got to take care of her, or she’ll never make it.” We know that it takes one tree beside one tree beside one tree to create a forest. Together they provide many purposes and produce life-giving shelter, food, and oxygen. As we exist one person beside one person beside one person, we too can produce life-giving effects in a spiritual way. Instead of waiting for something “big” to happen, we can decide to be faithful and bloom wherever we’re planted. Here's to a good harvest!

6:01am

James wrote, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (1:22). Clearly, it’s one thing to listen to something or to read about something, and it’s something quite more to do what it says. My wife Jocelyn had been waking up a little earlier than usual to start out her day with some uninterrupted “quiet time” with God. She had been getting up great for a while, but like all of us, she sort of started the habit of hitting the snooze button again. One night she asked the Lord not to let this happen again the next morning. She really wanted and needed this time alone with him, so she earnestly prayed that he would “get her up.” At six the next morning, she reached over and shut off that annoying sound of the alarm clock and started drifting off back into la-la land. At 6:01 a.m., a vehicle went past our house, and a man yelled out his window, and I quote, “Get uuup!” This had never happened before and hasn’t happened since. As she laughed to herself, she rolled out of bed and started the coffee, amazed once again at her Creator. She could’ve simply listened to that wild man’s voice and stayed in bed, but she chose to do what it said. How do you read, hear, and listen to God’s Word? Do you view the Scriptures as mere suggestions or as commandments to be lived out?

A Humbling Provision

Soon after I became a pastor, my family’s financial situation became strained, to put it mildly. Jocelyn and I were living in an eight-hundred-square-foot house and parenting three boys, ages
four, two, and four months. Jocelyn was a stay-at-home mom and could no longer contribute financially to the family. My beginning pastor’s salary only stretched so far. Having never been in financial need, we were in uncharted territory. We never knew how to ask for assistance and yet we found ourselves at a desperate point where we needed help. Reluctantly, we signed up with the Women, Infants, and Children public assistance program, which generously provided many of the necessities our little guys needed. I remember how humbling it was when we went through the grocery lines and saw people’s judgmental reactions as Jocelyn handed over the food vouchers. At one point, all I could do was cry. In retrospect however, once we got past our pride, we now recall those years as some of the best years of our lives. We realize now that it was an integral time of learning and of substantial spiritual growth for both of us. We’ve actually thanked God for allowing us to experience those circumstances. He is indeed Jehovah Jirah—our Provider.

Junk Food

You’ve hit another milestone birthday, and your spouse has decided to remind you of this by throwing a surprise party. You and I have been friends for a few years, and so when I get my invitation, I make a note of it on my calendar and plan to attend. The days leading up to your party are hectic for me and on the actual day of it, I’m flat-out swamped. Somehow, I do manage to remember your party and arrive, albeit a little late. When I get there, my heart sinks because everyone else is giving you a birthday gift. It obviously slipped my mind to get you a gift, so I quickly rush next door to the convenience store. I scan the shelves for an entire minute and hurriedly grab a bag of chips and a king-size candy bar. When I come back to your party, you smile, thank me for coming, and gladly receive my gift, sort of. It’s obvious that I didn’t spend a great deal of time picking your gift out, unless I can convince you that every time I think of salt and vinegar potato chips, you readily come to my mind in an endearing way. You know my gift wasn’t from the heart and, quite frankly, it does make a difference. Have you ever treated God this way?

Knowing Christ

When one of my sons was younger, he asked me if I knew the famous basketball player Lebron James. I said that I did, much to his delight. I wondered why he was so excited about this, and as
our conversation continued I discovered why. He thought that I knew James personally. I then had to clarify that I knew of him but had never spent any time with him to really know him and
to discover what he’s like personally. I then explained that just because you know about someone doesn’t mean you really know him or her on a personal basis. What about each one of us? In our spiritual lives, do we simply know things or remember stories about who Christ was, or do we honestly know him on a personal, intimate level?

Blue-Collar Nobodies

In Scripture, God has pulled many surprises. The apostle Paul went from being a persecutor and a murderer of Christians to a writer of at least a dozen books of the Bible. Peter went from promising to never deny Christ, to repeatedly doing so, to then becoming the rock on which the church was built. David went from the murder-conspiracy boardroom, to the satisfying of his flesh, to becoming best known as a man after God’s own heart. The motley bunch of men known as the disciples were blue-collar nobodies without proper education or credentials. They were slow to grasp what Jesus was teaching. At one point, Jesus wondered how they could be so dull and dense in their lack of understanding his parables. Yet God took this pitiful bunch and equipped them to carry out the gospel message. It’s because of them that we know it today. As a charter member of the "pitiful bunch" crowd of today, this is proof that there's hope for me (and you)!

Horse, Hope and Heaven

There’s a story about a prize-winning horse that had a disease in its hoof. Because of the severity, the horse’s owners knew it would have to be “put down.” But shortly before this happened, a new invention had been developed: a steel hoof prosthesis that could be drilled into the bone of the horse’s leg. This news changed everything. The prosthesis saved the horse’s life—from no hope to a living hope. This is precisely what mercy does for you and me. Peter shouts it out when he says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). God Almighty, in his mercy, has provided a way for you to be with him forever. He saw your great need to be saved from evil and knew you were incapable of saving
yourself. In seeing your desperate need, he put his compassion into action by sending his Son to die a death only he could die and to become the sacrificial lamb that would pay the heavy price
of sin in the place of you and me. Our sins can now be forgiven and, by his mercy, we can fully embrace the reality of our eternal heavenly home!

The Elderly Farmer

I once heard the story of an elderly farmer who was known in his small community as the town grump. He was incessantly negative, nasty, and noncompliant to most everyone he met. For
years, area pastors were encouraged to visit and talk with him. One by one they went, but they were unable to change him. Imagine then, the surprise when word got out that this 90 year old farmer had prayed the sinner’s prayer, asked Jesus into his heart, and was now a changed man. How did the gospel finally penetrate his heart? Part of the answer had to do with the farmer’s seed salesman of the past forty years, who for several decades had patiently and methodically cultivated an intentional relationship with the farmer. The cultivating yielded an eternal crop. For me, the story raises a question: With whom is God more pleased: this seed salesman or Billy Graham? It’s clear that God is equally pleased with both of them. As a believer, you are the seed salesperson. You’ve been given a territory that is uniquely yours to “do good works, which God prepared in advance for [you] to do” (Ephesians 2:10). As you travel the streets and roads of your assigned area, your initial job is to simply plant the seed. Scripture says that as you’re faithful in planting the seed, others then come along to water it. Ultimately God himself will make it grow (see 1 Corinthians 3:6).

Whiffle Ball

When my boys were really young, I would often be found in the backyard, pitching ball to them. I knew it was impossible for them to hit it every time. Actually, if they hit maybe three out of ten, it was an accomplishment. If I saw them wanting to give up too soon, I would assure them that no one hits the ball every time and encourage them to keep trying. In the end, if they really tried hard, even though they whiffed at more balls than they hit, I would still credit them with a job well done and maybe go get them ice cream cones. Logically, this makes no sense. Here were my children with a 30-percent success rate, and I was rewarding their effort. Likewise, God intercedes for us and counts us as righteous because of our hunger and our desire for him. (Matthew 5:6) Pretty amazing huh? The truth of the matter is that He doesn’t expect us to be perfect; we often expect us to be perfect. Let's quit striving for perfection and start living in this freedom!

The Orange Vest

A life jacket was developed to keep people alive...but it is useless unless you wear it. During one particularly stressful time, I took my wife on a little surprise getaway. We traveled to a nearby
lake and rented a boat. The idea was to get away from everything for a while. No phone, no noise, no responsibilities. We were having a great, relaxing time out in the middle of the lake—until my wife realized that I wasn’t wearing my life jacket. Why couldn’t she relax? For good reason. She was anxious because I can’t swim. She knew what the result could be if I fell into the
water unprotected. I assured her that I’d be fine, but she wasn’t convinced and insisted that I put the jacket on. This is the same kind of anxiety and urgency we must have for persons who are unprotected from the shark-infested waters of sin. Who do you know that's exhausted from swimming against the tide and is struggling to stay afloat? God calls us to intercede and be lovingly persistent with those persons in our life who need to be fitted with the eternal life jacket.

Great Intentions

In life, it’s crucial that we choose to lighten our schedules. When we shut off the noise of ourselves and clear our minds, we can actually hear, listen, and be open to the Lord’s instructions. We are told many times to be there for one another, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to do these things in both physical and spiritual ways. We know this, and yet many of us lay his instructions aside until tomorrow. We feel that nudge, but we bargain and say, “Tomorrow, tomorrow.” We mean to offer a word of encouragement, but never get around to it. We want to write a letter or make a call, but it never gets done. We desire to share Christ with a coworker and intend to get serious about our Christian faith. We hope to read the Bible and pray more. In short, we all have great intentions, but time, laziness, and the trivial things of life sap our strength and divert our attention until the day comes when the desire is gone and the seeds of complacency and mediocrity take root. Has this happened to you?

The Almost-Built House

At times I think of a piece of property I see on a certain drive through the countryside. On it is an almost-built house with a driveway grown over with grass. It’s clear that the builders had
started out with great intentions, but for some reason they stopped their work. If we’re honest, this is what happens to many of us and our outreach efforts. We have great intentions and start things out with a great deal of energy and ambition, only to allow some lame excuse to douse the fire. Paul tells the church at Corinth that they are to “finish the work, so that their eager willingness to do it may be matched by their completion of it” (2 Corinthians 8:11). Where have you stopped working? Finish the work!

Life-Giving Mercy

True mercy is putting our 'compassion into action.' Jesus is the greatest example of this kind of mercy. In his encounter with the adulterous woman(John 8), he not only physically saved her life, he also gave her the opportunity to embrace a new spiritual life she had seemingly never known. Also, in the story of the woman at the well in chapter 4 of John’s Gospel, we see how his power and presence transform the woman from a five-time divorcee to an anointed evangelist who reached her community with the gospel message. Christ clearly majored in misfits and outcasts. He healed the sick, made the lame walk, loved the lepers, gave sight to the blind, made deaf ears hear, gave life to the dead . . . We could go on and on, but the point is that he saw those in need, and he showed them compassion by intentionally choosing to do something about it. A truly awesome thing about Jesus’ mercy is that it meets us both physically and, better yet, spiritually. He loves and forgives everyone, from loose-living prostitutes to dishonest tax collectors to regular old sinners like us!

...Of Races and Runners

A story is told of a race between two neighboring rival schools. The two best runners for each team often ran together in the offseason and thus became very good friends. As this much-anticipated race began and progressed, the two were running stride-for-stride. As they rounded the last turn, one began to take a short lead. The one who was slightly behind tried desperately to catch up, and somehow their feet got tangled together, causing the second-place runner to fall hard onto the track, yelling and grabbing his bloody ankle. When his friend, who was only twenty-five yards from the finish line realized what had happened, he stopped running, went back to help, and lost the race. What do you think the spectators who witnessed this race
remember about it? How many persons five years later could even recall who eventually won the race? What lesson is seen here?

Cheeseburger and Fries

A friend of mine is a retired truck driver who has eaten in his share of restaurants and diners during his years out on the road. He made a good analogy when he said that for years, he would
go into the diner and not even look at a menu. Every time it was the same order: cheeseburger and fries. He was so comfortable with his cheeseburger and fries that he never bothered to consider anything else. He feared that maybe he had become this way in his spiritual life as well. Same old, same old, predictable and bland. How about you? Is it time you tried something new?

Bouquets Book now available!

Bruce Hamsher puts everyday evangelism and daily discipleship into easily readable and understandable terms. By choosing to develop intentional relationships with those outside our personal circles, we can bring people to Christ and help turn lost souls into believers. By patiently cultivating relationships in the world around us, we can live out the scriptural call to be “the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved” (2 Corinthians 2:15). Includes a study/discussion guide.

“In a practical, sound, and biblically-based manner, Bruce has captured the essence of what it means to ‘be the aroma’ of God to those around us. Bruce offers clear, concise guidance on developing purposeful relationships. As you learn the importance of being honest, real, and available in your relationships, you will be overwhelmed by the flow of blessing that will
result. Your friendships will never be the same.”
—Stephen R. Wingfield, Steve Wingfield Evangelistic Association

Bruce Hamsher is a pastor at Berlin (Ohio) Mennonite Church and a certified pastoral counselor. He holds a ministry degree from the Masters International School of Divinity. Mentoring and discipleship have been an important part of his pastoral ministry.
Paper, 90 pages, 978-0-8361-9407-4: $11.99

Available at your local Christian bookstore or by contacting Circle of Friends Ministries, 1 330 852-0000.

Published by Herald Press, 616 Walnut Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683. Phone: 1 800 245-7894.
http://www.heraldpress.com/ hp@mph.org