CURLY

How many of you remember “Curly”?  If you ever saw the Billy Crystal movie, City Slickers, you met Curly.  He was the trail boss on the cattle drive.  Curly was a cowboy philosopher.  Curly, played by Jack Palance, advises Billy Crystal, who is in the middle of a mid-life crisis.  Curly keeps talking about “the one thing” that is most important in life. You never find out what he was referring to and Curly dies from a heart attack, about in the middle of the movie.  At the end of the movie, Billy Crystal’s character returns home, having realized his “one thing”, is his family.

I had not thought about this movie until tonight as I was reflecting on yesterday’s sermon from Philippians 3:11-14:

¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

¹⁶Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Paul had “one thing”.  What was his “one thing”?  Paul’s “one thing” was,” forgetting those things, which are behind”, a past that included hunting down and killing Christians.  If Paul can forget his past, do think we can and should.  You can’t change your past, whether it be, very negative and painful, or very good.  The past is past!  Forget it!  We can’t live in the past; but we can learn from it.

You say, “I can’t, it hurts too much”.   Biblical “forgetting” is not, not remembering.  God forgets our sins; but, he still knows about them.  He does not have selective amnesia.  He is all knowing; but He chooses to act as if they never happened.  They do not affect Him.  We must do the same!  Do not let the past affect or influence you.  We must decide to not let it affect us as, we focus on the future, on “the one thing”’, our relationship with our heavenly Father.

Paul’s “one thing” included his present and future.  It meant reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

It is easier to understand if you read it from The Message paraphrase:

So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!

He was single-minded, focused on “the one thing”.  Compare this to Martha, Mary’s sister.  Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to His words, while Martha was busy serving food. Jesus rebuked Martha:

“Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Compare this to Christ message in Revelations to the church in Pergamos: “I have a few things against thee”.

Or, the church in Thyatira: “I have a few things against thee”.

When Christ returns will He commend us for our single-minded focus on Him or will He say: “I have a few things against thee”.

Which will it be?  What is your "one thing"?

Jeopardy – Numbers for $1000 - 2,926

For the two people reading this who don’t know the answer to this Jeopardy question, the answer is:  What is number of days since University of Michigan Football Team beat Ohio State?

Having gotten this out of my system, I want to tie yesterday’s victory to the sermon we heard this morning in church.  For me the connection was easy; but, I am sure that I was the only one in church this morning in Ft Myers, that connected the sermon to yesterday’s game.  The scripture text was Philippians 3:11-16.  The King James Version reads:

¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

¹⁶Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Now, to me I can see the connection but let me give it to you from  “The Message” version.  It will be easier for you to see.

¹¹If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

Focused on the Goal

¹²I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.

¹³Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. ¹⁴I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

¹⁵So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!

¹⁶Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

NOW, do you see it: “The Goal”.  Right about now you are sure that I have gone off the deep end.  You are thinking, what a dummy, Paul was not talking about football!  I know that!

I want to talk about Paul’s statements: “I’ve got my eye on the goal” and ^“So let’s keep focused on that goal.”

When Brady Hoke took over as coach in mid-January, he installed countdown clocks throughout Schembechler Hall, displaying the number of days since Michigan had beaten Ohio State.  They ended every team meeting this year with the team chanting “Beat Ohio”.  This was basically the same group of players that lost last year to Ohio, 37-7.  What changed?  Coach? Coaches? Attitude?  Dedication? Commitment? All of the above! THEY WERE FOCUSED!

NOW, with this in mind, go back and re-read those verses.  Do we, you, and me, have this same FOCUS when it comes to our relationship with our heavenly Father?  We say that He is first in our lives; but, do our actions reflect our words?  If you asked last year’s coach and staff, they would also say that they were focused.  They were focused.  They were not FOCUSED!

What would happen if we all had this FOCUS in our relationship with our Father?  Do you think our life might be different?

YA THINK!

The Tastes of Thanksgiving

When you mention “Thanksgiving”, food comes to mind.  It is sort of like “peanut butter and jelly”, “Abbot and Costello” and “Mutt and Jeff”.  There are certain foods that are just part of Thanksgiving: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and gravy, sweet potato casserole, yams, green bean casserole, cranberry jell, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, apple pie.  If you are not salivating right about now, you need to check if you have a pulse.  Just mentioning these foods and you start to taste them.  Isn’t Thanksgiving great!

I want you to add another taste to your Thanksgiving plate.  The Psalmist, David, tells us: “O taste and see that the LORD is good”.  We don’t usually think of “taste” when we think of our experience with God.   Taste is usually thought of being experienced through our taste buds; but it also involves our senses of smell and feeling.  “To Taste God” involves your whole person.  You must immerse yourself in Him.  You must surround yourself with His presence.  You must get to know Him. 

David explains what God tastes like:

-      He “delivered me from all my fears”

-      He “cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles”

-      “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them”

-      “blessed is the man that trusteth in him”

-      “there is no want to them that fear him”

-      “they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

-      “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

-      “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles”

-      “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

-      “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

-       “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”

-      “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.”

If you have not tasted of the Lord, I encourage you to do so.  If have tasted, I encourage you to taste some more.  We need to stuff ourselves in His goodness.  It is OK.  It is not being selfish to do so.  It is “the goodness of God leads us to repentance”.  If it were not for His goodness, we would be toast, lost, without any hope in a hopeless world.

The goodness of God is the reason for Thanksgiving.  The Pilgrims were thanking God that first Thanksgiving.  Compare what we have to what they had.  Would you and I be thankful if we were in their situation?

I have to admit that I might not have been thinking of Thanksgiving if I had just experienced what they had.  During the first winter, half of the Pilgrims died from starvation, sickness or exposure.  Most of the Pilgrims present at that first Thanksgiving, had experienced the death of members of family and/or friends.  If they could be thankful, it should be easy for us.

TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!

Something God Never Is?

Right about now, you’re trying to figure out what is he talking about.  Well, I want to talk about something that God never is: surprised!   He is never caught off guard!  Never can it be said that He did not see it coming, regardless what “it” is.  Most of the stress in our life comes when we are caught off guard:  death, sickness, loss of job, accident, unfaithfulness, cheating, and divorce, just to name a few.  None of these are a surprise to our heavenly Father. 

Yesterday I talked about the “real me”, the “real you”.  I included the verses from Matthew 10, where Jesus tells His disciples, there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Mark records a similar statement, there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  Those hidden things are never hidden from the Father.  They are only hidden to us.  We get caught off guard!  He knows how many sparrows there are.  Yes, the sparrows that I shot with my BB gun as a kid.  Jesus tells us that the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  As we get older this may keep Him busier as we keep losing hair; but He knows.

If He knows and is not surprised, He also has a plan for you, and for me!  In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells the Israelites, being held captive in Babylon, “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.”  These were the people that had turned their back on God.  If this was true for them, the same is true for His children today, for those who have given their life to Him and accepted His Son as their Savior.

Paul tells the Philippians: 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus…… And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

The next time you are caught off guard and feeling that God has deserted you, forgotten you or let you down, think about those pesky sparrows that dirty up your windshield.  He has not deserted, forgotten or let down the sparrows,

AND

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’….. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow.

Please help me Lord to trust you completely and cast all my cares on you.  Please help me to know you better and deeper each moment of each day.  Thank you Father for being my Jehovah-rapha, my healer; my Jehovah-jireh, my provider; Jehovah-tsidkenu, my righteousness; and, Jehovah-shalom, my peace. 

Thank You Lord for a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Will The Real “Merle Jaarda” Please Stand Up?

For 25 years, starting in 1956, there was program on TV called “To Tell The Truth”.  It featured a panel of four celebrities attempting to correctly identify a contestant’s vocation or unique experience.  Along with the central character, there were two imposters who pretended to be the central character.  The celebrities questioned all of the contestants.  The imposters could and would lie; but the real central figure could not.  The panel had to identify the real person.

During this upcoming holiday season, there will be many parties and gatherings with family and friends, some who we know very well and others, not so well.  It will be a time when everybody tries to put their best foot forward, many pretending to be something that they are not.  It is easy to maintain a façade for an hour or two; but it gets harder as time goes on.  Some people are able to keep up a façade for years; but eventually the “real” person shows up.

There are many people who will attend church on Christmas Eve for the first or second time in the year.  They are the “Holiday Christians”, who come out on Easter and Christmas, maybe for weddings but definitely they will be there for their funeral.  Then there are the “Sunday Christians”, who show up in their Sunday dress or suit; but come Monday, you could never tell that they had been in church on Sunday.

As much as we might want to deny it, we all have a little bit of the “Holiday and Sunday Christian” in us.  When Jesus sent out the “twelve” in Matthew 10, He warned them about this about this, in fact He told them to expect it.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

²⁷“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

³²“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Jesus had to deal with the Pharisees on a daily basis.  It was these same people who crucified Him.  He consoled His disciples by telling them that “there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known”.  Eventually the truth will come out.  Jesus also consoles and encourages them, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

The holiday season is a joyous time; but also a stressful time.  For many, it is a downright depressing time.  It is a time of lost expectations, lost relationships and broken promises, a time of memories past, before reality hit.  Before that what was done in the darkness, came to the light.

BUT,

“Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

A Little Peace And Quiet

As I get older, I realize that I appreciate peace and quiet more.  I get tired just watching the grandkids run around.  This was even driven home when last Saturday, Linda and I decided to visit a church that just moved in near our house.  We had driven past it several times on Saturdays, noticing that there was a lot of activity.  I decided to look up their website and saw that they had Saturday and Sunday services.  Saturday afternoon, after watching the Michigan game, we decided to check it out.  I had checked out their mission and belief statement and they seemed pretty much in line with our beliefs.  We got there about 10 minutes before the service began.  There was a lot of activity, lot of young people and couples with kids.  They had designer coffee available to take into the service.  When we walked into the auditorium, it was dark with large lit stage, something you might see on TV in a night club.  Soon the music started.  It was LOUD!  Now I have been in a variety of churches with a variety of music; but this was LOUD!   I could feel the vibration from the drums in my chest.  It was physically disturbing, not from a spiritual point of view; but sort of like when a car, with the large woofers, pull up along side of you at a light.  We were the oldest people there, at least it seemed that way, but the young people were excited and they WERE praising the Lord.  It was not a rock concert, they were focusing on the words and praising the Lord.  I decided that the best way for me was to close my eyes and just concentrate on worshiping in my own way.  One of the things that impressed me was that during the singing, the pastor, a young man around 40, interrupted to pray for any one who was sick.  They dedicated about 20 toddlers, explaining the Biblical basis and commitment of the church and parents were making to raise the kids to know the Lord.  The sermon was above average, but a little short on scripture, similar to a lot of churches I have visited.  We might go back to visit; but probable sneak in after the music.

Sunday we went to our church in Ft Myers.  In our small group, the leader had written on the board, Psalm 95:1-7:

  O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

The words “joyful noise”  in verses 1 and 2 caught my eye.  I have often joked that my singing is a joyful noise” ; but I always thinking about Psalm 100:1:

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

I did not remember that the phrase appeared elsewhere.  I glanced at the adjacent page in my Bible and the phrase jumped out at me in Psalm 98:4-8:

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

I immediately turned to the concordance in my Bible and found the same phrase in Psalm 66:1:

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.

And Psalm 81:1:

 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

  

Do you get the feeling the Lord was trying to tell me something?

The Big “D”

What is the big D?  If you are a football fan, you would probably say it refers to “defense”.  If you are a Detroit Tiger fan, you may think of the Old English Script D.  But today, I want to talk about the little “d” vs. the big “D”.   Yesterday, I talked about the twelve Disciples, disciple with a big ‘D’.  Today, I want to talk about disciple with a little ‘d’.  When most people hear “disciple”, they think of the “twelve”.  When Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”, most people do not think of making disciples with a big ‘D’.  Most people consider that the twelve were unique, with unique abilities and unique tasks. They walked and talked with Jesus.  They experienced His miracles first hand.  They had a special relationship with Jesus.  They touched Him, ate meals with Him.  They saw Him crucified, buried, resurrected and ascending into heaven. I will grant you that their life experience was unique but their ‘job description’ was not. 

First of all, you may ask, why would I even want to challenge that idea?  I think it is very critical in how we, you and I, view our life and work here on earth.  If the ‘twelve’ were unique in their ‘job assignment’, that means that our ‘job assignment’ is different, not the same.  If our ‘job assignment’ is different from the ‘twelve’, how is it different?  If it is different, what is the scriptural basis for this ‘different assignment’?  Does any part of our ‘job description’ overlap with their ‘job description’?

Well I think there is sound scriptural support that the ‘twelve’ were not unique.  Their experience was unique but their ‘job assignment’ was not unique.  There were at least seventy other individuals who were not part of the ‘twelve’ but had the same ‘job assignment’.

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. ²Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ³Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. ⁴Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. ⁵But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ ⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. ⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. ⁸Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. ⁹And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹‘The very dust of your city which clings to  us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ ¹² But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

This is the same ‘job description’ that He gave the twelve. 

“Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. ⁸Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. ⁹Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, ¹⁰Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. ¹¹And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. ¹²And when ye come into an house, salute it. ¹³And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. ¹⁵Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city “

Most ‘church goers’ are familiar with the phrase ‘the great commission’.  When that phrase is used, most ‘church goers’ refer to Mathew 28:19

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

This same event is reported by Mark in chapter 16:15:

“ ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ¹⁷And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

SAME JOB DESCRIPTION!

Why the apparent discrepancy? 

Matthew says: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”.

What are the things that they observed and what were they commanded to do?

^“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give”

We can choose to do things our way or HIS way.  We've done things our way for years, maybe we ought to do something radical, try doing things HIS way, the supernatural way!