Playing Horseshoes

Mark 12:34

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

In this mornings scripture we really need to take the time to read Mark 12:28-34.  It will tell us of a scribe that came to Jesus with a question. This question dealt with what the first commandment was. Jesus answered him with, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."  Jesus told this man that loving God was the greatest of all commandments. 

When the scribe heard the answer of Jesus he responded with, "Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  The scribe knew his commandments. He was very well learned in the word of God. 

Look at what the response was from Jesus... "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."  Don't you wonder sometimes why Jesus didn't say, "Exactly! Surely you will be with me in the kingdom of my Father"? Jesus said, "Thou art not far from the kingdom". 

This scribe was so close, but yet so far away. Many people believed, even today still believe, that keeping commandments is all that you need to do. But the word of God continually tells us differently. When it comes to salvation, it's by Grace through Faith!  Keeping commandments without placing our faith in Him can be done by many people but only for a little while. But keeping His commandments after we have placed our faith and lives in His hands is a lot easier to walk in and keep. 

This scribe depended on his actions to save him. Why would you play horseshoes with your salvation?  It's not about how close you can get to perfection or being good. It is about surrendering our lives to Jesus. It's about getting closer to Him everyday. Ask King Agrippa about playing with horseshoes in Acts Chapter 26. So close!

But It's Mine!!!

Psalms 51:3
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Have you ever just sat and watched children play? Yes, those little so-called angels of yours? When it is just one of them there really is no trouble. When you add another one, well now you've got something. I always loved it when my boys were little. Oh the things they would say to one another! Such words of kindness, gratitude and love. Hahaha, not always. One of the phrases that I remember each of them at times saying in a loud and ever so loving voice was... "That's Mine!" I can remember Patti telling them both to come to her and the whole time still yelling, "But Mom, it's mine!"

Listen to David this morning in our scripture as he says the same statement. He tells God, "It's my sin Lord and it is ever before me." You know something that is very funny? When our boys were little, and even at times today, when we pointed out something that had been broken, torn or messed up they immediately became generous. Why their love took over and instantly they gave all the credit to the other brother.

David could have easily said, "Lord, I couldn't help it. She was bathing out in the open. God, everyone else is doing it." No, David said, "It's mine." You know, sin doesn't catch us by surprise. It is the result of wrong thinking, wrong actions and disobedience. Sometimes temptation creeps up and smacks us right in the face, but sin is our choice. Children of God listen this morning... We have a choice when it comes to disobedience. When we can realize that it is OUR sin and not the cause of Satan or someone else, we can find forgiveness. Oh the grace of God that we can have if only we say, "It's mine Lord, please forgive me!"

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Cover Your Mouth

Proverbs 30:32
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

Oh how many times the hand of my mom or dad came around the back of my neck to cover the words I was in mid-stream of saying or about to say. Do you remember those days? Think of how every time you had a cold or cough and people would tell you, "Cover your mouth!" You would have been coughing for days, hour upon hour and sometimes forget but Praise the Lord there were always those germ police to enforce the law. (I'm joking, it was for a great benefit)

Let's read our scripture again this morning. It says if we have done foolishly by boasting or lifting ourselves up then to put our hand over our mouths. This simple means to stop. Stop lifting up ourselves. Stop the pride and arrogance of praising our works. As Christians we should understand that there is nothing that we can do apart from Christ who dwells in us. People used to say to me, "Be careful up there on that high-horse, it's a nasty fall from that height." What could we actually boast of that we do? Think of it like this... I love to build with lumber. I love the design, cutting, fabricating of it all. I love to stand back and know that I have been able to do something like that, but I can't take the credit. God, who loves me so, taught me and gave me the strength and ability to do these things. It is the Lord who receives all credit.

Also our scripture says something that really speaks to me. If we have an evil thought, put our hands over our mouths.  Hahahaha, don't you love the way God is so plain in His wisdom that He speaks to us? Some think that in order to understand the scriptures we need a PHD or high education. No, it is simple. It's always and only understood through the Spirit of the Lord.

God is telling us that it is best to walk around with your mouth covered than to spew out the contagious, evil bitterness and pride. I would love to see Christians put their hands over their mouths before they pass it along. Let's learn a lesson from God today and "Cover Our Mouth".

Still as Strong!!!

Joshua 14:6-11
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

This scripture gets me so excited! I love to hear Caleb's testimony here. He is saying to Joshua that he is as strong in his faith than ever. He starts by reminding him that he was forty years old when he started this journey of faith and now he is eighty-five. But something he says really stirs up my heart. He says, "I have wholly followed the Lord." Wow! What a faith and trust in the Lord.

Caleb was just like us. He heard the people and their negative reports on the land. I imagine that everytime he got pumped up and excited about going into the promised land he heard the voices of those naysayers. Maybe Caleb would have a few men gathered around him saying, "Men, brethren, the land is just over that horizon. We can do this! God will be with us!" Then those around him murmuring, "Yeah, like He was in Egypt? Someone told me that the people in this land were twice as big as the Egyptians..." "Yea, we're like grasshoppers to them..." another would say. And as Caleb said, the people's words would melt their hearts. The sound of discouragement often made the people feel defeated.

Caleb wholly followed the Lord. Would you? Or better yet, do you? Even when the people tell you how worthless your stance is? Even when the naysayers degrade the Word of God that you have preached for years?

Caleb said that his strength was strong then, and today it's still as strong, in faith as well as in body. Thank you Lord for my calling! It is just as fresh today as it was in the day you called me. The Gospel is just as true and powerful today as it was back then when I trusted and believed.

Passing Him Along

2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Lately one of my strongest prayers is that I would leave the truth of God's Word with my family, especially my sons. I find myself focusing my prayers toward making a difference in the lives of those around me. Not that I want to be remembered or anything prideful, but that my life would make a difference through Christ and for the cause of the Gospel. I have prayed, "God I don't want to be better than others, I just want to be the best I can be."

There have been many, many saints of God that effected my life. Some are now walking the streets with Jesus Himself while some are still walking beside me. I often reflect and think of their ministries and they way they ministered to me. The other day I passed a church sign that a member hand made. I remember him welding the posts and painting the sign. Every year during the spring and summer, when the grass would grow, he would make sure that the grass was cut and everything looking good around that church sign. Well my friend passed away and went home to be with Christ. After about two years the sign began to fade and the grass was overtaking the sign. A few months ago I passed by this same sign and you couldn't even see the name of the church.

God really began to show me something. Too often our ministries die with us. We somehow forget, or just don't know how, to pass on our ministries to those around us. Is it because we are the only ones who thinks it is important? Is it because we are too prideful? I think it's probably because we don't know how to ask people to help us or how to pass it along.

Let me ask you something, Will your ministry die with you? Will your legacy die with you or will you somehow pray that you can teach your children? Will those that replace you in your life love and respect the Lord like you do?

Block Down

Ecclesiastes 4:10
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

I know that many of you reading this are preparing for the football season to begin this year. I see the commercials priming everyone for ticket sales. I see our local high school practicing every afternoon in hopes of the winning season. With all of the hype of football around us, I thought of this scripture. 

It makes me think back to some great speeches that were given to us in football practice during high school. As we would practice with the hogs (offensive and defensive linemen) coach would tell us that we needed each other. He would say, "If you see your buddy next to you getting handled, then if possible, block down for him." 

Do you know what one of the hardest things for a big strong lineman was? Knowing you were getting beat and asking someone for help. But there were times that we knew if we were gonna overcome and score that we needed help. Thankfully we had some guys who would be team players and help with a block. 

What if they were alone? What if the one beside them didn't want to help? Well I've got great news. JESUS said He would never leave you and that He is always ready to block down for you. 

Lord, thank you for others beside me who are willing to block down in my life. My wife, sons, parents, brother, deacons, church and friends. But most of all You! 

Muddy Shoes

Psalms 40:2
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

I had an opportunity to help with some friends of mine in laying sod in their new yard. The job was huge, but there was a lot of help and we got the job done pretty efficiently and fast. One of the obstacles was that the night before it had rained... a lot! So needless to say the soil was wet and clotting on our shoes.

As I was laying the sod alongside other workers, I begin to inquire about who they were. Some were from churches, others from Christian-based programs. One man begin to tell me his story of coming to Christ. He told me of his life of crime and prison before he came to Christ through this program. He then began to share of how he reunited with his parents, who also didn't know Christ. He said, "I didn't try to push it on them, I just tried to show them what happened to me." He said his parents now know Christ and attend worship also. All this was said through tears in his eyes.

Remember now that during all of this...the sun was beating down on an August day and my feet were sore because they now weighed much more than when I started. Step after step, the mud just kept on building on my shoes. But then it came! We finished! I was so ready to change my sweaty clothes and get those heavy shoes off. Finally I reached down and slipped them off. I'm not sure but I think my feet shouted for joy!

All they way home from working that day I couldn't help but think about this man that Christ saved. Did you know that my life was the same? Step after step in the sin of the world my life became so bogged down. I was so tired and defeated because sin ruled my life. Then Christ came and pulled me out of the miry clay of sin. He set my feet upon a rock, The Rock, Jesus Christ. Those old muddy shoes that me and my sod laying friend used to wear are now sitting at the foot of the cross.

Lord, thank you for the simple parables and illustrations that you show me everyday. You help me to see  and understand you so much better. I love you!