1962

 

In 1962, my dad and several other men under the leadership of Brother Grant Nelson, helped to start Faith Baptist Church in Joppa, Maryland.  After meeting in Pete Beavers’ basement for several months, the new church had enough money to buy property near the old Joppa post office.  The ten acres had a house, a goat barn, and a two-story block building used as a turkey barn.  The men shoveled out truckload after truckload of turkey manure before they got down to the floor.  But the work was a blessing in disguise: they sold the manure to a farmer and made money for the renovations.  Every Saturday was spent from daylight to sunset working on the church property.  As a junior high boy, I learned how to be a Christian man by watching and listening to those men as they worked on the new church.  They sweated and laughed and worked together to get the job done.  What an impact on my life!  One particular Saturday, two men were cleaning out the old hand-dug well. My dad had made a windless to crank the buckets of sludge up and out.  Another man was down in the well digging while the bucket was being emptied topside.  My dad would unhook the full bucket, set it aside, hook up an empty bucket, and then carry the full bucket away from the well to be dumped.  But as he turned his back, the weight of the empty bucket was just enough to overcome the resistance of the windless, and while no one was watching, the bucket began to descend on its own.  As the rope played out of the windless it added more weight, and the bucket plummeted out of control.  My younger friend, Richard, boldly reached out grabbing the rope stopping the bucket’s out of control descent.  Mt dad secured the rope, and another man triaged Richard’s hand.  Richard’s palm was scraped, blistered, and bleeding from the rope burn, but he was fine otherwise.  Quick thinking on Richard’s part was fortunate for the man down in the well.  But Richard had a reason for his quick action: the man at the bottom of the well was his dad.  Hey, Richard’s brave concern reminds me of the dear Lord’s concern for lost sinners like me.  Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  Thank you, Lord, for your love for me!  Thank you for your sacrifice on Calvary!

Harmon Killebrew

 

I read a great story a few years ago written by Hall of Famer, Harmon Killebrew.  He said, “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  My Mother would come out and grumble, ‘You're tearing up the grass!’  Dad would reply. ‘We’re not growing grass, we're raising boys.’”  No one knows what the Killebrew yard looked like.  But most baseball aficionados from the 60’s and 70’s certainly know what Harmon Killebrew did.  And Harmon Killebrew’s dad knew the importance of building into the lives of his boys.  David said in Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”  God knows what lies ahead in our lives and God can order our steps.  Hey, are you letting God direct your steps? After all, God knows exactly where you will be in the future.  Why not let Him be in charge?

Pick up the Tab

 

I have a dear friend who insists on picking up the bill every time that we eat out.  I try to speak to the waitress privately and have her give me the bill on the sly.  Or I pretend to go to the bathroom and then pay the cashier up front.  But when I do, Brother Ron is furious.  He wants to pay the bill because he is a dear friend, and he wants to meet my needs.  Hey, that’s exactly how Jesus Christ is with our salvation.  He has paid our sin-debt in full, and it is an insult to Jesus if we ever try to pay for our salvation.  That’s because Jesus has picked up the entire bill.  He has paid our sin debt in full.  Paul explained it in Ephesians2:8 & 9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  We can’t pay for any of our sins.  Not a single one because Jesus has already paid for all of them in full!  We just need to thank Jesus for His payment and rest in His goodness.

Preacher Stick

 

Thursday, I installed shoe molding in a house for a friend who had just refinished the old hardwood floors.  I like the dark stain that he used on the old wood.  With many inside corners to measure, I first made me a “preacher” stick.  “What is a preacher stick?” you might ask.  Thank you for asking.  Take a piece of the shoe molding and cut it off at exactly ten inches.  Next, check the accuracy of the floating nose of your tape measure.  Start checking the preacher stick at the one inch mark.  The end should be at exactly eleven inches.  To use the preacher to measure an inside corner, put it in the inside corner, your tape end in the other corner, and accurately measure to the end of the preacher.  Add ten inches to the measurement and you have an accurate measurement of the inside corner.  Never worry, because the preacher always tells the truth (hence the name, “preacher stick”).  Would to God that preachers today always told the truth!  Too many preachers are like the shyster televangelists looking for donations from gullible widows.  Paul admonished his young protégé, Timothy, in II Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”  Hey, preach for God; not donations.  The money may come … or the money may not come, but always preach the Word!

Check Engine Light

 

I had an old 1990 Ford van that had a “Check Engine” light that came on.  My mechanic said it was the PCV valve and the van could run just fine without the $100 part.  But the little “Check Engine” light bothered my wife.  So, I put a tiny piece of black vinyl tape over the “Check Engine” light so Kathy and I were both happy.  But then I began to think, what if something else goes wrong with my engine, and the light is covered up with tape?  I paid the mechanic the $100, replaced the PCV valve, and pulled the tape off of the dashboard.  You know, those little warning lights are there for a reason.  And I had better pay attention when the “Check Engine” light comes on.  Hey, that’s the way it is with your life.  The blessed Holy Spirit is your spiritual “Check Engine” light.  The Holy Spirit and your conscience let you know when something is wrong.  You can ignore them if you want to, but ignore at your peril.  Jesus said in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”  God loves you too much to let you ignore truth.  God will remind you what you should be doing.  The Holy Spirit, your “Check Engine” light, will keep you on the right path … that is IF you listen.

Master Builder ... of Men

 

I like to build things.  In 2015, I built a staircase for John H.  I had to be careful and measure twice before I cut a $53 board.  I like to do my best.  I’m not bragging, I am making a point.  Bear with me.  I measure each tread to the nearest ½° angle.  I like to use Liquid Nail instead of wood glue because it fills voids under the tread better.  I position the nails so that they go into the darker line in the wood so the nail head will not show.  I set the nails below the surface with a punch to make room for wood putty.  I use wood filler instead of caulking on the painted risers and skirt boards because caulking shrinks and leaves tiny divots in the finish.  I paint the skirt, balusters, shoe molding, and risers before installation to keep paint off of the natural finish treads.  I fill and paint the nail holes after the installation.  I measure floor to floor to ensure that each step is exactly the same height.  Most homeowners never know the details that I keep in mind, but I know.  They just know that they like the stairs when I am finished.  Hey, God is the same way with the care that He uses when He is building a man.  God works on my life every day with the precision and care of a wise Master Builder.  He knows what He is up to and how each detail will contribute to the final completed project: a living soul.  Paul said it best in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works …”  And God is working on you to make a masterpiece.  Each event in your life - good or bad - works to build your life.  Hey, are you working with God or against God?  You make that decision each day.  Think about it.

Declining Vision

 

I remember in college singing the old hymns in chapel service.  I didn’t need to open up my hymnal to sing because my eyes were so good that I could follow the words of the song from the open hymnal held by a student in the row in front of me!  But now, I need glasses for reading.  My eyes are getting older, and I have lost that great vision that I used to have.  But before you laugh at me, let me remind you that you’re getting older too!  That’s the way it is in life.  As time goes on, we get older and we lose our physical vision.  But all too often we lose our spiritual vision as well.  We used to see well, but we don’t anymore.  And we used to be close to God, but we aren’t any more.  Hey, we need to get that spiritual vision back.  We can get our physical vision back (somewhat) by getting glasses or contacts, and we can get our spiritual vision back by getting back into reading God’s Word, the Bible.  Solomon said it in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…”  Hey, make a commitment to get your spiritual vision back, and start right now!  Get back into reading your Bible and get back into that prayer closet!  And get back to church this Sunday.  I’ll even save you a seat.

Constants

 

There are several constants in nature: the speed of light in a vacuum is 186,000 miles per second.  The relationship of the radius of every circle to its circumference is 𝜋, which is 3.141592653589793… (approximately, ha, ha).  The acceleration due to gravity (An object falling to the earth) is 32 feet per second per second.  And there are several others, but they get into detailed math and science, most of which I don’t even understand.  But there is one constant that I do understand, and that is the love of God.  And while I can’t understand why God loves me so much, I can understand the depth of God’s love.  It is found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  God loved me so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus, to pay for my sins!  What love, and what a constant.   Hey, God loves you too!  If you haven’t been born into God’s forever family, now would be a great time to do it.  Message me right now and we can chat.  It’ll be the best five minutes that you have ever spent!

Cliff Swallows

 

Last Saturday, I took my wife to Ross’s in Ft. Oglethorpe looking for a dress for our granddaughter’s upcoming wedding.  But we were met with a bevy of Clift Swallows that had taken over the entrance of the store.  The plastered finish and two protected overhangs provided the perfect place for the swallows to nest.  Nearby fields and a swamp provided mosquitos galore.  The birds were out of reach and well entrenched in their new habitat.  It will be interesting to see how they are evicted from their new-found homes.  And I’m sure that they will be evicted because they are making such a mess at the front door of the store.  Nest-building mud and bird poop are splattered all over the sidewalk!  Not a welcoming sight for any business!  But the swallows don’t care.  They are simply looking for a home.  Opportunists who take advantage of any situation.  And like little birds, God honors those who are tenacious.  James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”  God will reward the faithful, not with a tiny nest in a crevice, but with an eternal home in heaven!

Jumper Cables

 

I drive a 2002 GMC Sonoma pick-up truck.  It’s not much to look at, but it gets me (and my tools) from point A to point B.  I have only owned one new car in my life: a 1974 Gremlin.  Please stop laughing.  I paid $2,700 for it brand new in Rockwood, Tennessee.  I drove it for almost ten years and sold it for $600.  I always carried jumper cables in the trunk of that car (or what passed for a trunk) because I needed to be prepared.  Many a time I have sat in a parking lot with the hood up waiting for someone to offer to help me with a jump.  But a week ago, I realized that I still carry jumper cables in my truck, but now it is for a different reason.  I carry jumper cables now so that I can help others who need a Jump.  Hey, God has been good to me through the rough times, and now I am able to help others.  Can I give you a bit of advice?  Don’t forget where you came from so that you will remember to help others who are where you used to be.  Paul said it in II Corinthians 1:3&4, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”  Don’t get too uppity; remember what it was like when you were poor.  Help another human being and be a blessing.

Counterintuitive

 

Seven years ago, TDOT began an improvement on the I-75/I-24 interchange here in Chattanooga.  Because of the huge expense, it was to be done in phases, the first costing $70 million.  But when the first phase was finished, the interchange was much worse than before (temporarily).  They are working on phase two, but I won’t be alive (or at least not driving) when phase three is finished.  Oh well.  Because the intersection had to be used during the construction, the new ramps were built first and then traffic was rerouted onto the new ramps while the old ramps were demolished.  So now, Northbound traffic on I-75 that is going right must use the left three lanes, and traffic turning left onto I-24 must use the right two lanes.  It’s very confusing.  Drivers coming northbound through Chattanooga for the first time are challenged.  To turn right, they must turn left, or to turn left, they must turn right.  Most newbies get into the wrong lane until they are right up on the intersection and they can see where the lanes are going … but then it’s too late.  They have ignored the overhead signs and are in the wrong lane.  The lanes are clearly marked, but the signs just seem wrong.  Hey, that’s the way it is in life.  To follow Jesus Christ just seems wrong.  But in the end, following Jesus is the best way possible.  Jesus said in Matthew 16:24&25, “… If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”  Counterintuitive, but absolutely the best way!  Put Jesus first, and you’ll never be sorry that you did.

God Is at Work

 

In 2018, the retail store that my son worked at was bought out by a bigger retailer.  The new owners restructured their management staff, and my son lost his job.  He was devastated.  After going through a couple of other jobs, my son was offered a position at his church, which was a perfect fit.  He was right where the Lord wanted him to be.  God knew what He was doing when John was let go of one job because God had a better job waiting for him.  And then, two years later, that retail store (Cabella’s) that had been bought out by the bigger retail store, was closed and padlocked.  Further proof that God knew what He was doing.  My son would have been out of a job anyway.  But now he works at Calvary Chapel.  King David got it right when he said of the Lord in Psalm 139:5 “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.”  The good Lord goes before us, and He goes behind us - He absolutely takes care of His children.  How comforting.

Waiting for

 

My dear wife is waiting for a delivery from Amazon.  But it has been delayed twice.  They have given her plausible excuses, but still …  But on the other hand, we are both looking for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He will NOT disappoint us!  We don’t know the day nor the hour, but He will come.  Looking for an Amazon order or looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is not the same.  They are on totally different levels!  Jesus WILL come, but Amazon may or may not come.  II Peter 3:12, “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.”  Hey, will you be ready for the coming of the Lord?

The Night Cometh

 

Two weeks ago, Pastor Jamie mentioned Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish poet.  In Scott’s garden is an old sundial with this simple inscription, “The Night Cometh.”  Scott’s quote are the words of Jesus found in John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”  Jesus was reminding the disciples that He had only a few days on earth to do the Father’s will.  Hey, Do you realize that you will not live forever?  Do you realize that your time is limited?  So today, take the time to do the things that you need to do before you pass on into eternity.  Say those things to your loved ones that you do not want to be left unsaid.  Make amends before it is too late to make those amends.  Hey, do it now!  Do it today, because … “the night cometh.”

Life Insurance Humor

 

Forty years ago, my wife and I had a good laugh.  Well, sort of.  We were low on money (happens quite often) and were considering cashing in a small life insurance policy that I had had from my college days (thanks, Brother Briggs King for selling it to me).  As we looked at the “fine print” on the policy, it had several ways to pay out.  If you lost a leg OR an arm, you received ½ the cash value of the policy.  If you lost BOTH an arm AND a leg, you received the full value of the policy.  If you lost BOTH eyes or the use of BOTH ears, you received the full value.  And so on and so forth …  Kathy and I were calculating the least inconvenient scenario in order to collect the most money.  Not that we would ever DO any of those things to collect on the policy.  After all, it was ME that we were talking about!  Hey, often we forget the benefits of belonging to God.  And God pays out much better than any life insurance company.  David said in Psalm 103:2, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”  Don’t forget the benefits of God today.  And you don’t have to lose an arm or a leg to get those benefits!

Earthen Vessels

 

Fourteen years ago, I received a Doctor of Ministry from Covington Theological Seminary in Rossville, Georgia.  All my family turned out to see me march down the aisle with the velvet sleeves and all the trappings.  But after the party that evening, I still had to take out the trash.  You see, with all the accolades, I was still just an ordinary man who grew up in the country.  All that knowledge was still held in my simple head.  Hey, did you realize that the glorious Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ is contained in ordinary simple humans?  It’s like keeping valuable gold coins in an old peanut butter jar.  The value isn’t in the container, the value is the contents that are in the container.  Paul said it best in II Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”  It isn’t about us, we are ordinary; it’s about Jesus Christ, and He is extraordinary!

Forgetfulness

 

Forgetfulness and poor memory are brothers.  And they have cousins who are old age and absentmindedness.  Saturday, I carried a basket of dirty clothes downstairs to put into the washer.  I needed to take a picture of my college diploma on the downstairs wall for an upcoming post (stay tuned tomorrow), but my hands were full.  So, I put my cell phone in the basket of dirty clothes and carried both downstairs.  Now, before you get ahead of me in my story, no, I didn’t wash my cell phone.  I’m not that forgetful!  Well, actually, I was worried about forgetting, which heightened my attention, which pushed aside my absentmindedness.  Downstairs, I took the picture of the diploma (another commercial for tomorrow’s post), laid my phone aside, got the dry clothes out of the dryer, put the washed clothes into the dryer, and put the dirty clothes into the washer … and remembered my cell phone.  I panicked because I couldn’t find my cell phone in the top of the dirty clothes basket.  I had used it and set it aside, but so much had happened after I had set the phone aside that absentmindedness had set in after all!  Confused?  Welcome to my world.  Often, I forget things because they are not important enough to remember more than a few seconds.  I have too many other really important things to remember.  Hey, do you let everyday little stuff creep in and crowd out important things that you need to remember?  Like praying to God first thing in the morning?  Like reading a short passage in the Bible before the day gets busy?  Lamentations 3:25, “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”  Hey, seek God this morning.  And that is important to remember.

Kids

 

Kids are honest.  If they are hungry, they whine.  If they are afraid, they cry.  If they think something is unfair, they say so right out loud.  But we adults have learned to control our emotions.  Well, kind of ...  When we are hungry, we have learned to be patient and to wait.  When we are afraid, we have learned to pretend not to be afraid.  We “whistle in the dark” and act as if nothing is wrong.  We learn to put up with unfairness and just keep it all inside.  As adults we have learned to be independent and strong.  But there is only so much “stuff” that we can keep inside.  Only so much that we can push down before it all comes boiling out.  Paul said it best in II Co 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”  If we will admit the harsh things in life, we can face them.  If we lean upon our heavenly Father, He will comfort us.  He has promised to be with us, right there in the midst of our struggles.  Hey, you can lean on the dear Lord.  And you can be honest and speak out to God.  Don’t be afraid.  He understands you and He’s right there.

Connections

 

In 2005 we took a senior mission trip to Europe.  There were four seniors, with me and my wife as sponsors.  It was just as cheap to fly out of Chattanooga as it was to drive to Atlanta and pay for parking for 2 weeks, so we flew out of Chattanooga thru Atlanta to Amsterdam, our final destination.  But Chattanooga is so close to Atlanta that Atlanta air traffic control wouldn’t let the flight leave Chattanooga until there was a landing slot in Atlanta.  Our flight was delayed twice, but finally took off.  So, when we landed in Atlanta, our connecting flight to Amsterdam had already left.  Bummer.  But as we stood at the ticket counter, our delay turned into excitement for the kids.  Since the delay was caused by Delta’s scheduling, it was their responsibility to get us to Amsterdam one way or another.  The ticket agent was thinking out loud, “Well, I could put you through Zurich, (the kids got excited) but there aren’t enough seats.”  Then the agent said, “I could get you to London, (more excitement) but the connection from London to Amsterdam is no good.”  These teenagers had never been out of the country and were excited at the prospects of seeing an extra European city, even if it was only for a couple of hours.  To the kids’ delight, we ended up going through Paris.  Delta made good on their promise to get us to our final destination safe and sound.  Hey, often we have delays and side trips in life.  Some delays are exciting but other delays are fearful.  Often, life doesn’t turn out exactly how you had planned it.  But God has promised to get you to heaven safe and sound.  That is His responsibility, and one that He takes seriously.  Paul said it best in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  You can trust God to see you safely through to your final destination: your eternal home.

The Tonic Note

 

In music there is a “tonic” note.  A tune usually begins on the tonic note but ALWAYS ends on the tonic note.  For instance, in the key of Ab, the tonic note is Ab. In the key of D#, the tonic note is D#.  The melody may go up and down the scale or skip around, but the melody ALWAYS ends on the tonic note.  ALWAYS.  Hey, the Lord is the tonic note in your life.  Everything keys off the Lord and His plans in your life.  Whether it’s major or minor, up or down, or skipping around, ALWAYS put God first in your life … and as you draw your last breath, He will be your final “tonic” ending.  Proverbs 3:5&6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Trouble

 

Have you ever been in trouble?  I have.  When I was in elementary school, I lived at the principal’s office.  But I got good at talking my way out of trouble.  I heard the story of the roofer who was working on a steep two-story house.  He began to slip and called out to God, “Lord, help me!”  Suddenly, his pants caught on a nail stopping his slide.  Then he called out, “Never mind, Lord.”  All too often, we do not notice God’s providence in our lives.  But the good Lord is there all of the time, whether we acknowledge Him or not.  David said in Psalm 34:6, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”  We need the Lord every moment of every day.  Hey, are you grateful to God for his help?  Why not thank Him right now?