A History Lesson

We have heard with our ears, O God;

our fathers have told us

what you did in their days,

in days long ago.

The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 44:1

 

Have you ever had the privilege of sitting at the foot of a grandparent or great-grandparent telling stories about how God worked in their lives?  I was fortunate to have two sets of grandparents that loved the Lord and were faithful church members as long as they were able to do so.  I remember my Pa-pa Marlowe sharing with me how he found Christ in an old saw-dust arbor one hot August night during the annual revival at Hebron Baptist Church.  His life was changed forever because of that Hot August Night.  I was able to serve that church many years later for two summers as a Youth Minister and I experienced first hand those revivals in that arbor.  I remember hearing from Pa-pa Mitchell the struggles they experienced in building Harmony Baptist Church but yet how God continued to provide.  I can still hear him talk about tithing when they had absolutely nothing because they knew and had experienced the faithfulness of God and wanted to thank Him through their tithes and offerings.  I remember looking at my Granny Mitchell's Bible and asking her why she had all those check marks on each chapter throughout that well used copy.  She would smile and answer "Every time I read a chapter I would check it."  There were multiple check marks on chapter indicating to me that she spent a great deal of time reading God's word and had read the Bible completely over and over.  My Granny Marlowe taught the primary Sunday School every Sunday as long as she was able.  I can't help but wonder how many lives were changed over the many years she planted seeds of God's word on those young hearts.  One day I just may see the glorious fruit of her telling the great stories of the Bible and see just how many lives were changed as a result.

 

This verse certainly reminds me of the benefits of sharing God's word and the stories of His faithfulness over the years.  It certainly seems to be an art that is not prevalent today.  Perhaps we are too busy to sit and listen.  Perhaps we are too much in a hurry to even ask.  The amazing thing is that God still is faithful.  His stories are still changing lives.  There are stories to be told.  Maybe we need to just ask.  Father, help me to hear the stories from your faithful servants who have seen first hand Your glory.  Help me make the time to ask, then to sit and listen!

What are you waiting on?

There are country songs that I can't relate to, but there are also lots to which I can relate well!  For example, Brad Paisley's song "Waitin' on a Woman" is definitely one that I can relate too well!  In case you have stumbled on this blog for the first time, I have four daughters, a wife, two sisters, a mom, and a female dog.  So, I am always "waitin' on a woman" it seems!  Of course, there are other things I seem to wait on these days.  I have become Mr. Impatient in drive thru's, waiting for ATM's, and then there is the check-out line at Walmart.  Oh yea, this writing is about waiting not anger!  I am sure that there are many other areas in where I grow impatient waiting.  I admit, I do have a tough time waiting and perhaps you do as well.  When I read Psalm 37:34, these visions of waiting popped into my mind.  However, I am not so sure that this waiting is such a bad thing.  I will tell you that in my experience it is a hard thing, but the rewards are heavenly! 

Wait for the Lord

and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

(The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ps 37:34)

See how it works?  You wait and keep His way,  He will exalt you.  Did you catch that?  He will exalt you!  He will exalt you!  HE WILL EXALT YOU!!

Remember the words of Jesus? 

     “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

(The Holy Bible  : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jn 14:1-4)
See the punchline?  Trust and Wait are synonymous!  In this passage, trusting and waiting also hold a promise:  Jesus is coming back for us!!  In the BIG PICTURE, the waiting is just for a little while!  So hold on!  Stay true!  Keep on keeping on!

Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness

Why do you exist? Seriously....why are you here? Many of us have pondered that question at some time or another. Perhaps you have asked, "What on earth am I doing? What is life all about?  What does it mean to live, love and be happy?  Is it possible to be happy?"  Many in this world would say a resounding no...that it is not possible to be happy.  Others would emphatically say, "Yes....it is very possible to always be happy!"  Somewhere in the middle, there is a place where we can rest and do so quite comfortably. 

Life, love and the pursuit of happiness is found only through a restored relationship with Christ.  If you go any other way, you will find yourself falling short, being incomplete, and essentially empty.  So why do we exist?
God has designed you and I to Glorify Him! All that we do, all that we are, should exist to Glorify Him. It is interesting to note that even those that claim to not know God are used by Him to Glorify His Name! Take Pharaoh of Exodus as an example. In Exodus 9:16, God specifically told Moses to tell Pharoah that "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." With good folks and even with bad folks, God desires that He is glorified.  Somehow, some way, He is going to make that happen.  We can be for Him, or against Him.  Pharoah chose to be against Him, yet God used Moses to tell Pharoah that "you are here so that I can show my power and my name proclaimed!"  Can you imagine what Pharoah was thinking?  I bet he was livid!  I am certain that he was furious and wanted to punch Moses in the face!  I must admit that there have been too many times when I have developed Pharoah-like thinking.  Sometimes I feel that I know what is best and it is my way or the highway.  It is funny when I do that!  I am like a big dog whose bark is worse than his bite.  I make noise but run with my tail tucked between my legs when something jumps out of the bushes of my life.  I have come to realize that God is bigger.  God is better.  His way is perfect.  His way is marvelous!  His plans for me are much more than I could ever dream of doing on my own.  He has created me to glorify Him by showing me His power and proclaiming His name in all the earth.  Guess what?  He has created you for that very same reason!  Whatcha gonna do about it?