Aladdin's Lamp

 

I remember reading Aladdin’s Lamp as a kid.  This was before Robin Williams and the Disney production by the same name.  I remember thinking that if I were ever granted three wishes, I would use my last wish to ask for three more wishes.  How easy is that?  I don’t know why the movie Aladdin never figured that out, but I did as a kid.  I thought that I was pretty clever.  But you know, in I Kings 3, Solomon was granted a single wish by the Lord.  Solomon didn’t ask for a long life; he didn’t ask for victory in battle; and he didn’t ask for wealth.  He asked for wisdom to rule over God’s people.  And because he made such an unselfish request (not like mine would have been) God granted that request AND gave him the other three in addition.  Hey, when we are unselfish, wonderful things happen!  Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Put God first in your life, and you’ll never be sorry that you did.  Solomon wasn’t sorry, and you won’t be sorry either.

Resist

When I was ten years old, I said something that angered my eight-year-old brother.  We got into it, I slugged him, and ran.  My best move was to run through the front door and lock it really fast.  I made it through the door slamming it behind me but didn’t have time to lock it.  So I jammed down my foot against the bottom of the door while leaning against it.  In a split second, Phillip hit the door and his fist went through the glass panel.  As pieces fell all around me, I turned to see my dad.  He had seen everything.  The damage cost my brother and me $12 to replace the glass - this time with the shatterproof type.  Hey, when Phillip hit the door, I was “resisting” his attack.  That same word is used by James describing how we should “resist” the devil.  James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  The formula is clear:  As we submit to God, we are resisting Satan.  And when we resist Satan, he will fold like a Bedouin tent and fade away.  Satan cannot compete with the Almighty.  Hey, the closer we get to God, the more difficult it is for Satan to attack us.  Just like I resisted my brother, we should resist Satan … in the power of the Lord.

Invasion

 

It was late in the evening in 1985 when I heard a blood-curdling scream from the den.  I came running in to see who had been killed.  My dear wife was standing on the couch, obviously terrified.  In a distraught voice she hissed, “I just saw a mouse over there!”  And she pointed.  I moved a laundry basket, a sewing basket, and saw the tiniest little mouse scurry for the closet.  Kathy screamed, I grabbed a history book (a big one), and threw it pinning the mouse.  Then I stepped on the book just for good measure before looking underneath.  I was victorious!  That little varmint was dead, dead.  But my wife was only slightly relieved.  She gasped, “Get that thing out of my house!  Git!  Git!  Git!”  And I did.  But hey, our homes are invaded by much worse than a mouse every night on the TV.  Our computers are invaded by so much filth that it would make a mouse sick (not a computer mouse).  Our minds are invaded by vulgar lyrics from the music blaring from the tricked-out car beside us at the traffic light.  Hey, we need the good Lord to invade our minds, invade our homes, and invade our country!  David said in Psalm 127:1&2, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it … It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows ...”  A mouse is not nearly as dangerous as wickedness in our homes (although my wife may disagree with me).  Hey, we need to let God be in control of our homes.  Let’s let Jesus invade our lives, not selfishness, greed, and anger.  Let the Creator of the universe have His rightful place in our country!  Let God invade us!

Powderpost Beetles

 

Years ago, I had a friend who bought a house from a man at church.  It was an older house, but seemed to be in good condition.  My friend was up in the attic getting some stuff out when he found a tiny pile of sawdust on the attic floor.  He thought nothing of it, but was in the attic a few weeks later and found more piles of sawdust.  Upon closer examination, there were numerous piles of sawdust on top of the insulation all over the attic.  Above the sawdust were tiny holes in the roof rafters.  Consultation with an exterminator confirmed his suspicion: powder post beetles.  Those little pests had been working for some time on the inside of the 2X6 rafters, and the entire roof structure was compromised.  It cost him several thousand dollars in material and labor to get rid of the beetles!  Hey, do you have damage secretly going on in your heart?  Is sin doing damage to your soul?  Why not get rid of your sin and turn your life over to Jesus Christ?  Let clean up your life and make you whole.  Psalm 139:23&24,” Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”