Monthly Archives: January 2018

DIRECT LINE

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (Hebrews 10:16)

Over a century ago on January 25, 1915, Alexander Graham Bell spoke on a telephone call from New York City to his former assistant Thomas Watson in San Francisco. Bell echoed those now famous words, “Mr. Watson, come here I need you” which he had similarly first stated in 1876  – now hearing each other with much greater clarity than nearly four decades before.  This time, however, rather than running into Bell’s room saying he could understand the message, Watson replied – “It would take me a week to get to you this time.” It was the first public demonstration of a transcontinental phone call for AT&T who had purchased Bell’s company in 1899 and constructed the lines for initiating the new service. The long-distance call of 3400 miles was being celebrated at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Then President Woodrow Wilson, who witnessed the call, remarked: “It appeals to the imagination to speak across the continent.”

Less than half a century later, phone calls were being made across the world. John F. Kennedy became the first U.S. president to have a direct phone line to the Kremlin in Moscow established on August 30, 1963. The “hotline” was designed to facilitate communication between the President and Soviet Premier. The establishment of the direct line came in the wake of the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis in which the U.S. and U.S.S.R had come dangerously close to all-out nuclear war. The technology utilized was considered revolutionary, being much more reliable and less prone to interception than a regular trans-Atlantic phone call which had to be bounced between several countries before reaching the Kremlin. Although a far cry from the instantaneous communication made possible by today’s cell phones and email, it was the first direct linkage of its kind. No call waiting, no busy signals, no answering machines – just an instant hook up designed to avert threat and prevent miscommunication.

While talking by telephone across a vast stretch of geography was possible, the early days of the telephone could be limiting. Throughout much of the 1900’s, it was not uncommon for many customers to have a ‘party line’ – a local telephone loop shared by more than one customer. There was no privacy on a party line. If you were talking with a friend, anyone on your party line could pick up their telephone and listen to the intimate details of your conversation. If someone on your party line was using their phone, no one else could make a call.  I have often wondered if God doesn’t feel like He is listening on one big party line with all of us trying to talk to Him at once. Thankfully His ability to ‘listen in’ defies all mortal explanation, somehow providing a private line and individual access for each believer. In Jesus time, there was a veil in the inner sanctuary of the temple that separated man from God, who resided in the Holy of Holies. Only priests could go behind that veil once a year. The Bible says that when Jesus died on the cross – God ripped that veil from top to bottom, symbolizing that there was no longer a barrier, thereby opening a more direct line of communication (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38).

Through His sacrificial death, Jesus established a new covenant allowing us to inherit a permanent, unbroken relationship with God. Paul said: “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household …” (Ephesians 2:17-19). Under this new covenant, our bodies are a temple for God’s Holy Spirit who lives in us. We have immediate contact, anywhere at any time. When we feel like God is far away and wonder if our prayers are being heard, we must remember that He is not dwelling in some distant place. Author Wesley L. Duewel wrote: “God waits for you to communicate with Him. You have instant, direct access to God. God loves mankind so much, and in a very special sense His children, that He has made Himself available to you at all times.”  So as we journey with the Lord, we will never need to say, “Lord, come here, I need you.” We have a direct line . . . He’s already there.

REFLECTION: How do you take full advantage of your unrestricted access to God? How might we use our direct line to examine our communication through self-expression, body language and social media?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., FEBRUARY 3, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FORSAKE THE FOOLISH

“For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink.” (Isaiah 32:6)

He suffered from depression throughout much of his life. At the age of 12, distraught at the news of his grandmother’s death, he jumped from a second story window of the family home allegedly attempting suicide. Although his family was deeply involved in the church – the young man questioned religion throughout his adolescence, much to the dismay of his father who was an American Baptist minister. However, in his junior year – he took a Bible class, renewed his faith, began to envision a career in the ministry, and later graduated from seminary. He was a very high-energy man requiring only minimal hours of nightly sleep, but he was repeatedly hospitalized for periods of exhaustion when he could no longer function. He would rebound to travel all over the country and the world, sometimes giving multiple speeches and sermons daily.  This was his pace for most of his short adult working life. Increasingly he turned to tobacco and alcohol for support, and his extra-marital affairs have been well documented. Like most of us, he was a flawed individual.

Years after his death by assassination, Martin Luther King, Jr. is the most widely known African-American leader of his era. His life and work have been honored with a national holiday celebrated annually on the third Monday in January near the 15th, his birthday.  As with many historical figures, he is remembered for his ability to lead and influence others.  His deep commitment for civil rights through nonviolent means brought him distinction. His well-known and frequently quoted “I Have a Dream” speech has served to be a prominent part of his legacy. Because of his activism and his campaigns for social equality, we sometimes forget that King was a Christian minister. He once made the following observation about himself: “In the quiet recesses of my heart, I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher.” Some of his lesser-known speeches came in the form of sermons spoken from church pulpits. One of those entitled “Why Jesus Called a Man a Fool” was delivered less than a year before he died.

King used the Parable of the Rich Fool as the basis for this sermon.  Taken from the Gospel of Luke is the story of someone in a crowd who asks Jesus to intervene in a request to divide an inheritance. Jesus responds to the person in which probably today would be stated – ‘Who made me your judge and jury?’ He goes on to say that life is not about building up possessions. Then He recites this story: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.’  And I’ll say to myself, ‘you have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:13-21). You might ask why Jesus would refer to the man as a fool. Very simply, it was because he did not recognize his dependence on God. His plan was to build up earthly riches, never considering the fact that today his life could be over. Then he would have died materially wealthy but spiritually deprived.

Somewhere along the line, I remember learning as a child that is was inappropriate to call another man a fool. Now that I have the wisdom of some years behind me, I have come to realize that if we are fortunate to spend many years on this earth – we each take our turns being one from time to time. Jesus said: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. . . And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:22). Here Jesus is talking about anger that results in judgment. As Christians, we must preserve love and seek peace with others without delay. In doing so, we are reconciled to God through Christ. Perhaps the King James version states it best: “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding” (Proverbs 9:6). I think King would like that, and without a doubt – I’m sure Jesus would.

REFLECTION: The Apostle Paul said that as we mature, we should discontinue our foolish ways (1 Corinthians 13:11). What are your foolish things? How might you seek God’s guidance to overcome them?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 27, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

UNDERESTIMATING HIS POWER

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

In January of 1815, the War of 1812 was not going well for the United States. When we remember Andrew Jackson’s role in the conflict known as the Battle of New Orleans, we seldom hear about his relationship with the Ursuline nuns of that city. But, we should. On January 8, 1815, Jackson and his mostly untrained militia of only a few thousand were heavily out-numbered by a British army of veteran soldiers about three times its size. However, the U.S. handed the British the most lopsided defeat in their history, inflicting over 2000 casualties with minimal American lives lost. The night before the Battle of New Orleans – a large wooden statue of Mary and the child Jesus, known as Our Lady of Prompt Succor, was placed above the chapel entrance. All night long the Ursuline sisters and New Orleans citizens prayed for an American victory. The Mother and nuns were still at prayer on January 8 when a courier arrived at the church making a dramatic entrance and proclaiming that General Jackson was victorious. After the battle, ‘Old Hickory’ Jackson came to the convent to thank the nuns for their prayers.  He stated, “The divine providence of God through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor has shielded us and granted this stupendous miracle.” In later years whenever Jackson went to New Orleans, he always visited the Ursuline Convent where an annual Mass of Thanksgiving has been held faithfully since 1815.

In God’s Word, we are introduced to Gideon, the fifth judge of Israel. He played a small but important role in the history of God’s people. An angel spoke to Gideon who was called upon as a reluctant leader to free Israel from its enemy, the Midianites. After testing the Lord in several ways, Gideon came to be convinced of God’s power. Even though Gideon’s army was greatly outnumbered, the Lord continued to reduce his force from thousands to only 300 through a series of events. “That night the LORD said, ‘Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!’” (Judges 7:9). After overhearing a man in one of the Midianite outposts reveal a dream he had, Gideon was encouraged. He divided his 300 men into three groups of 100 each. Armed with clay jars, torches, and trumpets – they spaced themselves around the enemy camp. When signaled, “all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, ‘A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!’ Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away…” (Judges 7:19-22).

From these narratives, we learn that God is much more powerful than we ever give Him credit for being. God’s power is enough to triumph in any conflict, but so often we fail to comprehend the mightiness of that power.  That is because we try to define who God is by our limited understanding of His divine nature.  Once, Jesus was asked by His disciples who could receive the gift of salvation? “Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible’” (Matthew 19:26). As our journey deepens with Him, we will discover that God hears those who seek His intervention through their prayers. All things are indeed possible with God, and our God does abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.  When we trust His power to work in our lives without definition or explanation – our faith is increased. Jesus said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14). American pastor and author David Platt states it this way: “Nothing is impossible for the people of God who trust the power of God to accomplish the will of God.” While we may not be called upon to lead a conflict on the battlefield with seemingly far too few men, there undoubtedly will be times when the adversities we face will leave us feeling overwhelmed, without much hope or direction. Then we come to realize that our spiritual victories only ever occur because of God’s power and not through our own. We must never underestimate the mighty power of what He can do in our lives.

REFLECTION: Have you experienced God’s enormous power for overcoming life’s opposing forces? If not, what changes might you consider making? Will you dare to give what little you have to God, trusting that He will take your small offering and make something amazing out of it?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 20, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS

 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)

I once heard a story about a man who was shipwrecked. After the sole survivor reached a small, uninhabited island, he prayed for God to rescue him.  But help didn’t come. As he began to resign his fate, he labored for many hours building a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day as he returned from hunting for food, he saw smoke rising to the sky in the distance. As he drew close, he found his hut in flames.  Angrily he cried out – God, how could You do this to me?” The next morning, he was awakened by rescuers. “How did you know I was here?” he asked. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. The story serves to remind us that when we find ourselves seemingly lost and alone from the turbulence of life, we always have someone by our side to calm the storm. One day, Jesus was in a boat with His disciples when they found themselves in the midst of a turbulent storm. “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’ Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ The disciples were absolutely terrified. ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’” (Mark 4:36-41).

One early January day in 1809, Louis Braille was born in a small French town. The fourth child of Simon and Monique Braille appeared to be quite frail, so his parents arranged to have him baptized right away. The early death that they had feared for him did not happen. Louis quickly showed himself to be a bright and curious lad often playing in his father’s leather workshop. One day, the three-year-old attempted to use an awl to punch holes in a piece of leather when the tool slipped and caught his eye. The eye could not be saved, became infected, and soon spread to his other eye. From that point on, Louis Braille was blind. A local priest saw potential in the boy and began to teach him.  When he was ten, he was enrolled in a special school for blind children in Paris. There at the age of 12, he met Charles Barbier, a former soldier, who had invented a system of raised dots which he hoped would enable silent communication for the solders at night. The army determined the system was too complex, so Barbier thought the school for the blind might have use for it. Braille was fascinated by this, so he dedicated all of his time to refining it. Over the next few years, he organized the raised letters into an alphabet. By the time he was 15, Louis had created the world’s first really good structure for blind reading. At the young age of 43, as he lay dying of tuberculosis – he said, “God was pleased to hold before my eyes the dazzling splendors of eternal hope. After that, doesn’t it seem that nothing more could keep me bound to the earth?”

The Apostle Paul said, “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” (Romans 8:28). We should pay careful attention to read this verse in its entirety. Note that this passage does not promise that all things work together for the good of all people. It is careful to point out that we must love Him and be called by Him. We all know of situations where things work out well for some who seem to not know God at all. But we have to remember, we usually only know a small part of the story. Perhaps God is giving that person a second chance, or maybe He didn’t have His hand in it at all. But for those who know and love Him, we can be certain He allows circumstances to occur. Rick Warren says: “But God can draw good out of each event in your life. That means every single event, no matter how dark or shameful or how guilty or bitter you feel about it, God can bring good out of it. He can work for your good. The Bible doesn’t say all things are good. Not all things in the world are good. There’s a lot of bad. But it does say that all things work together for good for those who give God all the pieces and say, ‘Will you work good out of this?’ God will do it. He has an appointed time for everything.” Just as one cannot judge a book by its cover… neither should we predict an end at its beginning. but rather judge its beginning only at its end.

REFLECTION: In what situation do you need to ask God to work for your good? Is there anything that keeps you from asking God for His help? What are the most difficult trials that you have been through? In what ways might God be working them for an eventual good ending?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 13, 2018.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.