“Give Me a Man!””

 August 31, 2021

Goliath’s taunting challenge echoed through the valley of Elah: “Give me a man…!” (1 Samuel 17:10). God’s foes are still issuing this challenge, and like Saul and his army, God’s people are for the most part like them, quivering in fear, refusing to answer, failing to come out of hiding behind the safety of our hastily erected defenses. Like the ancient Israelites who went out each day shouting their war chants (v.20), despite all our talk, our bravado isn’t enough to get us into the fight for our culture.

It only takes one man whose ear is cocked to the voice of God instead of the culture to make a difference. Though he didn’t know it at the time, David had been preparing his entire short life for this moment. He had faced the lion and the bear, to him far more formidable opponents than this mere man. Preparation is key; the problem with many of us is, although we read our Bibles, pray, and worship with abandon, we aren’t preparing ourselves for the enemy who will issue the challenge. If the enemy of our souls is crying out, “Give me a man,” so is the LORD God, but like Saul and his army, we are trembling behind the protection of church pews and protocol instead of answering the call. With all our religion, we haven’t really prepared for battle. 

When called before king Saul, David told him of his preparation. Saul looked at his youthfulness and military inexperience; he and his army looked at the stature of their opponent; but David looked to God. Listen to his words to the Philistine:

“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” —I Samuel 17:45-46 

David looked to the size of God instead of the size of the enemy, and when he did so, he also saw himself in a different light. He told king Saul who he was in verse 34: “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep…” Did you catch that? As he stood before his king, he wasn’t standing there as a mere shepherd. He saw himself as a warrior. He USED to keep his father’s sheep; but no more. Today he would become a giant-slayer! The giant had no idea what was in store for him when he shouted, “Give me a man!” He took one look at David and scoffed, “You’ve sent me a mere boy.” Like David’s brothers and like Saul himself, Goliath saw only the outside, but inside that boy was a man who knew who he was, and was eager to pick up with five smooth stones the gauntlet Goliath so foolishly threw to the ground.

“Give me a man!” 

“O God, raise up that boy-man today and let him run to the giant, sling whirling overhead, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

Descriptive or Prescriptive?

 August 29, 202

Do I see the Bible in the light of the world, or do I see the world in the light of the Bible? It makes a huge difference. Seeing the Bible in the light of the world means I look at all that’s happening before reading the Bible. Doing so, the world is winning, evil is ahead, hope is in vain. There may be comforting words here and there, but overall, it’s a picture of despair, violence, anger, and injustice. The Bible becomes secondary, it’s perspective merely descriptive instead of prescriptive.

Reading the world in light of the Bible changes everything. The Bible then is no longer a mere collection of ancient stories and irrelevant dictums. Reading the world in light of the Bible, it all begins to make sense, and evil loses. Where we finish depends on where we start. The daily news is a bad place to begin. The Word of God is the best place to begin.

This morning began with baptisms in our creek. It’s become somewhat of a habit; I’ve lost count of how many have made their profession of faith and begun their life in Christ in our creek. Baptisms were followed by worship in the village commons, further cementing Christ’s centrality in our lives. Building one’s life upon the Word of God helps me see the problems of this world in light of the Gospel, the Good News that Christ died to save this sinful, broken world, and that death was not in vain. It looked for awhile like the powers of darkness had won, but three days later, the tables were turned. When it looks like Death is winning, I only need see it in light of the Bible. There is always a resurrection, and someday this Savior sacrificed for our sake on a cruel cross will come again, this time not in weakness and humility, but in power and great glory. This hope is what sustains me, and what makes me give thanks tonight.

Leadership

 August 28, 2021

1 Kings 14-15: Does God make mistakes? In 15:11, he states that he regretted making Saul king. In 9:2, Saul was known for his stature and good looks. According to the word of the LORD, at the beginning, Saul did what he had been called to do—to lead Israel agains their enemies, but in chapter 13, his weakness begins to show when he disobeys a direct order from the LORD. In chapter 14, he is weak and dithering when facing a real foreign foe, while presenting a blustering show of faulty and unthinking leadership in domestic matters. He covers it all in 15:24 by giving the lame excuse that he was afraid of the people; and in v. 30, he shows his hand: the only thing that really mattered to him were polls and appearances. If he could look good before the people, all was well in his mind.

Samuel put his finger on the issue in 15:17, when he told Saul, “When you were little in your own eyes…” Saul believed his own press, and it was his downfall. When politics are driven by polls, doom is just around the corner, whether it occurs in the public arena, in education, the military, or even the church. Saul cared only about image, and image is another name for idolatry. When it came to where it really mattered, Saul’s image wasn’t able to produce real leadership.

The parallels between Saul’s leadership and what we are seeing in our country today are unfortunately unmistakable. God said he regretted making Saul king because Saul was full of himself. Saul stood head and shoulders above other Israelites, and was handsome to boot. David wasn’t so impressive. Samuel was impressed by David’s brothers, but God knew better. He chose a man after his own heart. He still does today.

Being Still

 August 26, 2021

Psalm 46 is often included in funeral liturgies, beginning with the words, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Quite fitting for a funeral, but also for the troublesome times in which we live. Our present administration appears weak and dithering in the face of a ruthless and implacable foe whom we recently equipped with state of the art weaponry. In times like these, it’s easy to forget that our God is a PRESENT help, not just remembered for what he did in the past, or what we hope he will do in the future. Surely it’s becoming clear that we aren’t going to be saved by politicians. God is our present and only hope! 

In the eighth verse, we are commanded to behold the works of the LORD. I used to read verses like this as mere statements of encouragement, suggestions, if you will. No more. This is more than an invitation; it is a command to shift our attention from the troubles of this world to the God who “makes wars to cease, breaks bow and spear, and burns chariots (the ancient equivalent of tanks).

Only when I focus on God can I settle down and be still enough to actually get to know him as it says in v. 10 (“Be still, and know that I am God.”). As long as I dwell upon the troubles and depend upon the weaponry, God’s peace and glory will elude me. V. 2 describes the fearfulness of the situations in which we are commanded not to fear because God in our midst still reigns. I am struck by the faith of many Afghan Christians who fully expect to die, and are not afraid. In fact, they welcome martyrdom because this world holds no attraction for them. Tonight, if they can go to sleep without fear, I can surely lay my head down in peace.

Wiring Life

 August 25, 2021

DIY home improvement projects rarely go as planned, especially if the home is 1850’s vintage. After laying. A new floor in the millstone room, we figured it was high time we had a couple outlets on the inside wall. It’s 20 feet long, with nary a place to plug anything in. A thick carpet can hide an extension cord, but hardwood not so much. Installing outlets is pretty simple; what could possibly go wrong? I was to find out.

The first outlet wasn’t too bad. I was able to drill through the bedroom wall and run a short line from the bedroom outlet to the new one I installed on the other side in the back room—pretty straightforward. Tonight’s project wasn’t quite so easy. Our back room used to be a porch; the inside wall is made of old wood lap siding. Sometime in the past, perhaps when the porch was enclosed, the bottom board was cut short, leaving about a three inch gap between the board and the floor. When the room was originally wired, they just ran the Romex along the gap, tucking it in wherever they could. It looked like a simple connect from the outlet at the end of the wall to the new outlet we wanted in the middle. Silly me!

Turned out, the line running along the bottom of the siding wasn’t connected to the intended supply outlet. The power was coming from somewhere else, so instead of that simple connect, I had to remove the entire unit, since it was the old style metal box that wasn’t big enough to house the new line I needed to put in. The wall had to be cut out larger and the box replaced. When I ran the new line, I discovered that there wasn’t enough room behind the siding to accommodate the depth of the box. Not having a shallower box, I had to drill out the beam behind the siding to make it fit. What should have been an hour’s job took about seven. 

Fortunately, I have the tools I needed. The floor was littered with them—screwdrivers, a drill, impact driver, plunge cutter, hammer, pry bars, pliers, wire tools, work lights. 

All this is a picture of life. Life doesn’t always run as we expect; there are unseen obstacles and hidden snares. Without the right tools, it becomes pretty hopeless. Even with them, perseverance is required. God has given us the tools we need for life; Peter tells us that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” —2 Peter 1:3 

We have the Holy Spirit, the Holy Scriptures, the fellowship of believers; we lack no tool for the job of life. The only possible lack would be in our determination to finish the job, no matter what. God has given us all we need, but it is our job to persevere. 

My wiring job was tougher than I expected, but with the right tools and some determination, the job is finally done. Life too, can get tough, but God has given us what we need, if we will simply refuse to quit. Jesus didn’t quit; I won’t, either.

Treetops

 August 24, 2021

The firs in front of our house are easily 100 feet tall, standing majestic In the setting sun. Living as we do at the bottom of a gorge, the sun greets the tops of the trees in early morning, and only gradually does the light creep down the trunks to the ground. The tip-tops of the firs glow yellow as the sun slips below the line of maples and ash at the edge of the embankment on the west end of our property, but it’s the treetops that have my attention tonight.

The younger and smaller trees are never graced with that golden glow. It takes time and maturity to be crowned with glory. Perhaps this is why there are so few young saints in the world. While there is no guarantee age will produce wisdom and character, it is the best shot most of us have. There is a reason old people speak of the foolishness of youth; they were there, and see things from that tip-top perspective that is only acquired with time and growth. 

It’s tempting as the years roll by to fall into a mindset of “having seen it all,” and ceasing to be surprised or challenged by life. It’s too easy to dismiss anything that disrupts our settled way of thinking, but though the bones and joints may stiffen, there is nothing that demands our brains and spirits fossilize too. I am grateful tonight for the golden treetops before me. They remind me to make good use of the years I have been given to keep reaching for the heavens and soaking up the Son of life, who each day makes all things new.

Pastoral Prayers

 August 22, 2021

This girl is headed off to college where I’m sure she will cause just as much excitement as she has in our lives. It is a precious privilege to watch your grandchildren grow up and mature while maintaining their zest for adventure. I don’t know if people really do have their own guardian angels, but if they do, Izzi must have been given two so they can tag team it. We love you, Izzi…more!

August 23, 2021

“Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us…then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.” —1 Samuel 7:8-9

“Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you.”

—1 Samuel 12:23

Samuel was a man of prayer. Whatever leadership he exercised over Israel, it was birthed and nourished in prayer, so much so that when the people were in a tight spot, they begged him to not just pray, but to pray continually. And, as James tells us, “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

When the children of Israel decided they needed a king instead of a judge, Samuel was essentially deposed. He stepped aside, anointing Saul, who proved to be a disappointment, then David, who became a man after God’s own heart. In his farewell speech to the nation, unlike most contemporary politicians, he didn’t boast of his accomplishments or blast the incoming administration. He simply passed the torch and continued to pray for his people and his new king. A measure of his greatness was his determination to pray for, instead of undermining those who rejected him. 

If I have failed in anything as a pastor, it has been in not praying enough. Prayerlessness not only deprives God’s people of the spiritual protection they need and deserve; it is a sin against God himself. I’ve cried out for the people, but not with the intensity and consistency of Samuel. Fortunately, even at my age, I’ve only begun. At 85, Caleb was eager and ready to conquer mountains for God. If he can do that at 85, surely I can serve Jesus at 72! The best part is that in retirement, I have time to tackle some of the projects that got put on a back burner during those years of ministry. And I have time to pray, so pray, I will.

Hands Up!

 August 21, 2021

Sometimes, all you have to do is open your mouth. After all, In Psalm 81:10, God says, “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” A couple days ago, I posted about developing an apprentice-based men’s ministry. It’s been on my mind for years, but I haven’t the foggiest notion of how to go about it. Since then, I’ve had numerous people prodding me into action, one of which is a publisher, and the other a connection with someone who seems to be doing something similar. 

I opened my mouth, so I’m expecting God is going to fill it with more than my usual befuddlement. It has often puzzled me how Islam has no trouble recruiting men eager to stand at the front of the line for their religion, and by contrast, how hard it is to get Christian men to lead their families in matters of faith. I suspect there is a blockage here that goes far deeper than we imagine. The enemy of our souls knows that when men step up, the battle for the soul of a family, a community, and a nation takes on a new urgency, so he will throw up every roadblock imaginable to keep us on the sidelines. Sadly, that’s where most of us are.

Someone once described American Christianity as “11,000 men in the stands, desperately in need of exercise, watching 11 men on the field, desperately in need of rest.” Watching someone else scoring the goal only satisfies for a moment. Most of us secretly see ourselves crossing the finish line, arms high in victory, or kicking the game-winning field goal, or stopping the advance of the other side. It’s time we got out of the stands and onto the field.

Some years ago at a local sports hall of fame dinner, Kyle Petty was the featured speaker. It was a special time for our family, as Linda’s father raced early NASCAR against Kyle’s grandfather Lee. The two of them sat together on the dais, and afterward, Kyle told us it was like talking with his grandpa again, as Lloyd told some of the same stories Kyle had heard growing up.

The highlight of the evening however, was Kyle’s presentation of Victory Junction, a camp for kids with sever chronic, but not necessarily life-threatening illness. These are kids who never get to do the things other kids take for granted. They have a complete medical facility staffed by doctors and nurses, and give these kids and their families a week where they can do the stuff other kids do all the time…all without charge. This camp is heavily sponsored by NASCAR, and Kyle’s son Adam was deeply committed to it before he was tragically killed in a racing accident. Kyle and his wife picked up the banner, and it has been the most rewarding thing he’s ever done. 

At the end of his talk, Kyle told us, “All I did was raise my hand.” When God opens a door and offers an opportunity, all we have to do is raise our hand. We don’t have to know the road ahead; we don’t need special training. We might feel overwhelmed and even scared, but it’s OK; if God is opening the door, he knows what’s on the other side, and won’t abandon us. We are living in perilous times; it’s high time we got serious about our mission. The days of sitting around a table with Bibles in our laps may be waning, but the need for men who know their calling, know their Bibles, and know their God has never been greater. I’m not sure how to proceed, but the door has been opened, and my hand is in the air. 

Bethlehem

 August 20, 2021

The Biblical book of Judges is the record of a dreadful time of anarchy, social, and cultural confusion in Israel. It is best summed up by its own words: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:68 & 21:25). The decadence of those times is seen acutely in the last chapters which record events that strangely enough, are centered around Bethlehem, a millennium later to be the birthplace of our Lord.

It was a time much like our own—chaotic, violent, dissolute, and corrupt. The rule of law had pretty well collapsed. Religion was for sale to the highest bidder, immorality was the norm, human life, especially for women, was hard, often degrading, and always dangerous.

But in the midst of such a tragic time, we have the story of Ruth—“in the days when the judges ruled” lived a man named Boaz; honest honorable, kind, and merciful. Instead of following the crowd and customs that abused the weak and vulnerable, he protected the young widow Ruth, and eventually married her, saving her from a life of destitution and perhaps prostitution.

The future of the nation didn’t lie with the prevailing culture. The depravity of the day eventually gave way before the patient, quiet, and unobtrusive work of God in an honorable man and a loyal woman. It didn’t happen overnight, and there would yet be much trouble and suffering, but from the chaos of those times, God set in motion his plan which ultimately led to the birth of the Savior of the world. The times we live in will not dictate nor determine the will and work of God, so whenever I look around me despairingly, I will also look again at Boaz and Ruth, and know that though the final chapter has yet to be written, it will be written by the God who gave us his Son for our salvation, healing, and cleansing, and will bring blessing and peace to this troubled and wretched world.

Choose Joy

August 19, 2021

Often when I read my Bible, my mind just isn’t taking it in. I will read whatever text I’ve chosen for the day; perhaps a number of texts, but my brain just isn’t in gear. It is frustrating; my son says that with his method of reading the Bible, God never fails to speak to him. His brain is much more agile than mine, apparently. My obtuseness doesn’t discourage me. Sometimes I’m not particularly hungry, but I sit at the table and eat what Linda places before me, knowing that I’m receiving nourishment whether I feel hungry or not. I even occasionally eat my own cooking, which isn’t usually very pleasant, but even if it doesn’t taste quite right, it nourishes my body. So whether I have an aha moment, or read uncomprehendingly, I keep at it, because it is God’s Word, and he promised it would accomplish his purposes.

At times like this however, it can be helpful for me to try something different to connect with the Lord. My daily gratitude calendar is one of the tools I’ve found helpful. Today’s suggestions were to give thanks for three things found in church. Easy-peasy! I am thankful for the Apostles’ Creed that reminds me of the foundations of my faith. It begins, “I believe,” not “I feel.” Affirming my faith instead of my feelings never fails to plant my feet on solid ground for life.

I am thankful for the men in our men’s Bible study group. They encourage me to be a better man, husband, father, and grandfather. Their faithfulness is not flashy or spectacular, but is solid and filled with integrity. 

I am thankful for Leslie’s fingers. Leslie and I tag team playing bass for our worship team. Years ago, she and her sister were in our youth group, so I watched her grow up. She is one of those people who for reasons known only to God, hold a special place in my heart. And she is a very good bassist. I have to work at paying attention to the lyrics when she is playing because she seems to do it so effortlessly as I watch her fingers flying up and down the fretboard in a walking bass line. 

None of these is particularly earth-shattering, but when the world around us is going crazy and swaths of people are suffering, it can make me feel almost guilty for the blessings I enjoy. Then I read texts like Psalm 73:17, where going into the house of the Lord gave the writer the perspective he needed to face a corrupt and violent world. I remember Scriptures commanding me to give thanks in all situations (1 Thessalonians 5:1), and understand that allowing the evil in this world or my own slowness to understand Scripture to rob me of my joy is to do a disservice to Jesus Christ. So tonight, I choose joy and gratitude, for I am deeply blessed.

 

Apprenticeship

  August 18, 2021

Back in the mid-90s when Promise Keepers was in vogue in Evangelical circles, a bunch of men from Park church drove to Cleveland for one of their seminars. As is often the case with seminars like this, a variety of Christian publishing houses were hawking their materials around the perimeter of the room. At the time, we had a pretty strong men’s ministry, but I felt something was missing. We were getting together to read and study the Bible, but it didn’t feel like we were making much progress in discipleship, so I approached one of the displays.

The rep smiled and began his little speech extolling the virtues of their product. I interrupted. I had seen enough resource material to know that though the specific material varied with the publisher, the format was nearly identical. The subject could be a book of the Bible or a theme; the format was the same, and it wasn’t working.

“I’ve noticed that everything on these tables takes an academic approach; open a book, read a bit, answer the questions, and fill in the blanks. It’s like it was written for middle-class suburbia. My men are mostly blue collar. They aren’t stupid, but their reading is mostly limited to instruction manuals, hunting magazines, and the sports page of the newspaper. I’m looking for apprenticeship, not academia.”

The gentleman behind the table looked at me like I had two heads. “No one has ever asked me for that before.”

“Well, I’m asking.” I might as well not have. He didn’t have anything, and neither did any of the others.

That was more than twenty years ago, and though I’ve come across plenty of study materials since, I’ve not seen a single men’s discipleship program or process based on an apprenticeship model, so the search for it slowly faded into the background of other pastoral responsibilities.

Tonight, Bri Katilus led our team leaders in a teacher training exercise. Her enthusiasm was infectious, her material organized, and the process she led us through imaginative. Part of her presentation involved having us brainstorm what we believed God has called us to do. Since I already lead our men’s Bible study, I began by thinking of them…until this old dream began bubbling to the surface: an apprenticeship-based men’s group. The big question is, “How, and Who?” I’m not sure of the former, but two faces popped into my mind for the latter. 

When God leads, he doesn’t usually shine a searchlight revealing the entire path ahead. Psalm 119:105 tells us that God’s Word is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The lamps of those days were pretty primitive, a flickering wick in a small oil lamp, unable to illuminate much more than a step or two at a time. I can barely see the next step, but I don’t need to. God sees, and that is enough. Thank you, Lord for the original vision, and thank you, Bri for rekindling it.

A Deliverer

 August 17, 2021

Judges 18:28–“There was no deliverer.” These are four of the most heartrending words in the Bible. The people of this town were living quiet, peaceful lives when armed thugs from God’s chosen people descended upon them, murdering them all before confiscating their homes and possessions. It is a tale played out countless times throughout history; the aggressive and powerful preying upon the helpless. 

With sickening regularity, the shell of our secure and peaceful lives is shattered by events half a world away, and I wonder as did the psalmist, “How can I sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” This world we inhabit is not really our home, and is filled with injustice, unspeakable evil, and incomprehensible suffering. If the events in Afghanistan were the only example of this, we would consider ourselves fortunate, but it is a scene played out repeatedly upon the world stage. North Korean concentration camps, Chinese forced labor of the Uighurs, the Soviet gulags, the Jewish Holocaust…the list could go on forever, and these are just in our lifetime. Human brutality seems built into our DNA, as Scripture confirms when it asserts that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,” —Jeremiah 17:9, and ““The wickedness of man [is] great in the earth, and…every intent of the thoughts of his heart [is] only evil continually.” —Genesis 6:5 

I have often felt almost guilty for the blessings I have known in this life. Years ago, Kris Kristofferson put into verse my experience and feelings when he wrote, “Why me, Lord? What have I ever done to deserve even one of the blessings I’ve known? What could I ever do that was worth loving you, or the kindness you’ve shown?”

I cannot change what is happening in Afghanistan. I can feel shame for the way this country has abandoned the people there, but I cannot fix the situation. I can, and do, pray. I can send money for humanitarian aid, but the evil unfolding there is likely to continue. What I cannot afford to do is allow that (and other) evils to overwhelm me. If my focus is only upon the evil everyone else can easily see, I will become no more than a mirror of society, a critic and complainer like everyone else. 

This world is not our final home. We were made for more than this, and it is towards eternity and towards the God who brought eternity to us in the person of Jesus Christ, that I must turn my face. Jesus is the hope of the world, the only hope we have, and although at times that hope seems a slender thread, it is strong enough to bear the weight of our burdens. So with the morning sun, I turn my face to the Light of the world in the sure and certain hope of his resurrection and of our ultimate salvation. There is, in fact a Deliverer! His name is Jesus

Samson

 August 16, 2021

The story of Samson and Delilah is legendary even for people who’ve never read the Bible. His strength is somehow in his hair, and it vanishes when after Delilah seduces him, he falls asleep and she gives him a trim. He had been flirting with temptation for months, and it caught up with him.

Judges 16:20 reads, “He didn’t know that the LORD had departed from him.” Samson had played with fire so many times he didn’t even know when he was getting burned. The LORD had left him, but he was unaware of it. He thought nothing had changed when everything had changed.

Sin silently robs us like the hacker who steals one’s identity or the financial advisor who assures you everything is fine while he’s juggling your investments to his advantage. We don’t see the consequences of our sin till it’s too late. We can’t feel the departure of the LORD till we call on him and hear only silence in reply. The power is gone. What often starts out foolishly ends in blindness and bondage. 

If the devil went around sporting a red suit, horns, forked tail, and a pitchfork, we would run as fast and far as possible, but he doesn’t do that. He walks with smooth confidence, perhaps in a three-piece suit, with that furtive glance, the offer of easy pleasure, fame, or fortune. We travel a long way down his crooked path before we realize where it leads, and by then, it’s often too late. Best that we learn the lesson Samson never did, and guard our steps and hearts at the beginning. Life is much less painful that way.

Simple Truth

 August 15, 2021

Standing on trial before Pilate, Jesus who called himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” said, “For this cause I have come into the world, that I should ear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”

Pilate, with the cynicism borne of his office, sneers back. “What is truth?” Asked honestly, it is a reasonable question, and one deserving of an answer. Along with many claims to truth, there are those who question not only the possibility of knowing it, but of its very existence. Much in academic philosophy has seeped down into the popular culture, claiming that everyone makes their own truth. The end game in all this is to deny others the right to challenge thought, belief, and its resulting behavior. The end result in this philosophic dance is anarchy that not only challenges rational thought, but leaves society a moral and social wreck.

Denying Truth is a dangerous game, and a logical impossibility, but the alternative is the necessity of discernment and of that word so anathema in todays world: discrimination, for if there exists such a thing as Truth, everything else is a lie. Judgments must be made, and if those judgments contradict the accepted political and moral construct of the day, people get very upset, which is why Biblical claims are so vehemently opposed by so many. As Paul says in Romans 1:18, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” A better translation would be “who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” What Paul is saying is, people use their sin as a way of suppressing the truth so they don’t have to face it. Our bad behavior is our defense against our conscience.

But truth is a slippery foe, and pops up in unusual places. Take for example, the 2019 movie “Knives Out.” A wealthy author is discovered in his mansion’s study with his throat slit. Various members of the family are bit by bit discovered to have motive and opportunity, and it is up to the famous detective Benoit Blanc to thread the needle and ferret out the truth. 

As the plot thickens, Blanc sits with the elderly widowed and mostly silent mother of the dead author, commiserating with her over the loss of her son while shrewdly and patiently waiting for the clue he believes she can provide. He is in pursuit of the truth, and says to her, “The inevitability of Truth; the complexity and the grey are not in the truth, but in what you do with the truth once you have it.” 

Here is wisdom for our age. Truth itself is not the complex thing politicians would have us believe. If it is complex, it can be manipulated and twisted, which is to their advantage. Truth however, is quite simple. It is written in our hearts, revealed in the Scriptures, and proclaimed in the Gospel. It is Jesus Christ, who has confronted all the complex philosophy of this world with his simple claim: “I am the Truth.” The complexity, and grey, as Blanc mused, is not in the Truth, but what we do with it once we have it. 

Sadly, many even in Christianity, have chosen mental, interpretational, and logical gymnastics trying to get the Bible to say things it does not say. It is all really quite simple: “Whoever has the Son has life, and whoever does not have the Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:12). If I want Truth, the Truth that sets us free (John 8:32), the only question I need to ask is, “Do I have the Son?”

He Hears

 August 14, 2021

In the eleventh chapter of the book that bears his name, the apostle John tells us of the day Jesus stood before the tomb of his friend Lazarus and prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me…” Before he could call the dead to life, he had to know his Father heard him. Years before, coming up out of the Jordan at his baptism, he had heard his Father say, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am pleased.” 

Jesus prayed often, but here, it was the Father’s listening ear that gave power to the Son’s clarion call for Lazarus to rise again. Seeing Lazarus hobble from the grave, swaddled in the burial bandages was perhaps the vindication of his prayer that gave assurance to him when in Gethsemane that prayer was not answered. Here, he had a foreshadowing of his own resurrection when he would hear the voice of his Father thundering, “Jesus, come forth!”

If we want confidence to be able to say to the spiritually dead, “Come forth,” we must know beforehand that our Father hears us, for if he won’t listen, why would anyone else? But if he does listen to the prayers of his children, the fact that our Heavenly Father hears us enables us to believe that when the God of all Creation is listening, how could anyone lesser not hear?

Called or Culled?

 August 13, 2021

Judges 7 tells the story of Gideon’s call to lead an army against the Midianites who were devastating the countryside with their repeated raids into the heartland of Israel. He initially mustered more than thirty thousand to confront them before God culled most of them out. It is a story of fitness for service to God.

Two things make us unfit to serve. The first is fear. This story is true to life; more than 2/3 of the people were disqualified by their fear (7:3). Even today most people allow their fear to take them out of the game at the very beginning. Businesses, churches, schools are shuttered in fear of COVID, fear promoted by the government and media who have vested interest in keeping us afraid and dividing us one against the other. Aside from COVID, people are afraid to risk their security for the hope of a better future, whether it is in a new relationship, a better job, or the calling of God. The fear in most of Gideon’s army, had it not been for the three hundred, would have meant the loss of their freedom, as it always does. (You need to read the story to understand this.)

The second obstacle to being effective for God is unpreparedness or carelessness. Those who knelt down to drink instead of bringing the water to their faces in their hands were by their actions unable to keep watch on their surroundings. Carelessness and  inattention to what is happening around us makes us vulnerable to surprise attack by the enemy of our souls.

Of those who were unafraid, most were disqualified by their inattention, ie. they were untrained, incapable of even defending themselves, let alone fighting a battle. Sadly, most of us are in these first two categories, disqualified by fear, or by our lack of even basic training. Even as a pastor, very little of my training dealt with what is required to actually engage in the spiritual battles our culture is waging against us. Much of my life I’ve lived  fearfully, hiding my light instead of shining brightly. I haven’t studied and developed the spiritual muscle memory” that enables me to meet opposition deftly and effectively.

God culled from Gideon’s army the fearful and the careless and untrained. He continues to do so today, which is why although our nation is dotted with churches, we are for the most part ineffective in fighting the cultural battle before us. We may have volunteered when the call went forth, but in reality, we have been far from ready for the task before us.

“O Lord God, Father of mercy, forgive me. By your Spirit and in the Name of Jesus Christ, mold me. Make me one of your three hundred, alert and brave, ready to break my jar, let my light shine, and shout your praise to the discomfiture of the enemy. This is my prayer; may it be the prayer of those who read this post today.”

Valor

 August 12, 2021

“The angel of the LORD appears and said to [Gideon] “The LORD is with. You, you mighty man of valor.” Gideon said to him, “If the LORD is with us, why is all this happening to us? Where are the miracles our fathers told us about? …The LORD has forsaken us.” —Judges 6:12-13

Times were bad; God’s people needed help, and they needed it now, so God stepped in with a message for a particular man who was questioning his nation’s present state of affairs. But Gideon only heard part of the angel’s announcement. (BTW, the word “angel” simply means “messenger;” it doesn’t refer to critters with wings, harps, and halos). The angel’s message didn’t match up with what Gideon was experiencing, so he made the mistake of putting his trust in his experience instead of God’s Word, and by so doing, missed God’s evaluation of him. His life experiences told him he was a nobody, abandoned by God, a victim of circumstance, while God saw him in a very different light. “Go in this might of yours,” the angels said—a might Gideon didn’t feel and didn’t believe he had. “How can I save Israel? I am the lowest of the low.” (6:15) It took plenty of persuasion before Gideon was able to own up to his calling.

Things aren’t much different today. There’s a lot in life that isn’t as it should be; people are oppressed, restricted, and downtrodden by circumstances beyond their control. They are angry, but feel helpless, victims of nameless bureaucrats making life and death decisions over them. How we see ourselves makes all the difference. Gideon’s situation didn’t change with this angelic visit. It wasn’t until he began to see himself as God saw him that things shifted. What about me? Am I letting circumstances tell me who I am? Do I let the physical limitations of my age, or COVID related weariness define my existence? Do we let a bad marriage, a pink slip, political affiliation, a diagnosis of cancer, or a failing grade define us? 

For me, am I allowing my image of what retirement should be to become an idol before which I bow and worship? Or will I rise up in my might to face and defeat the enemy? St. Paul said that in Jesus Christ, “the old has passed away; all things have become new.” (1 Corinthians 5:17). My identity is in Christ—who I am in him, who he says I am. How I may feel at a given moment is never the issue. Feelings come and go. What is eternal, and what gives solid footing for this life and the next, is Jesus Christ who died that I might live in him. “Mighty man of valor?” I may not feel it, but if God says it, it is so, and this life can throw at me nothing greater than God’s Word.

Lead!

 August 11, 2021

The fifth chapter of the Biblical book of Judges records one of the most ancient songs we know. It celebrates the victory of the fledgling Israelite coalition against the Moabite oppressors led by king Jabin. Among other things, it is perhaps the earliest known record of a female leader in the person of Deborah, a prophetess and judge of Israel. As John Maxwell loves to say, “everything rises or falls on leadership.” Deborah had called Barak to lead the Israelite army against Jabin’s commander Sisera, but Barak balked. He would go if she went with him, but not without her. His hesitancy cost him the military glory that usually accompanied a significant victory (2:9). I wonder how often I have missed out on the blessings of God because I’ve been too timid to step out at the word of the Lord?

A leadership lesson is embedded in this song when in verse two, we read, “When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!” Verse nine follows this up with, “My heart is with the rulers of Israel who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD! The parallel is unmistakable and intentional. Taken together, these two verses give the secret to success: leaders who lead by offering themselves willingly to the people, and people who then offer themselves willingly to the task. Taken together, God is honored and the people blessed.

Reading the rest of the song reveals that the Israelite confederation was divided; not everyone joined Deborah. But those that did experienced the blessing of both victory and deliverance.

Interesting too, is the manner of their victory. The previous chapter merely says the LORD routed the armies of Sisera, with his nine hundred chariots of iron. This was no small accomplishment; it was the beginning of the Iron Age, and Israel had nothing comparable to these weapons of war. It would have been like infantry going up against armored tanks; apparently suicidal. These chariots of iron, formidable as they were, had one weakness: their weight. In a sudden storm and the accompanying flash flooding characteristic of the area wadis, these iron chariots became a liability, getting stuck or completely washed away in the torrent. According to 5:4-5, this is exactly what happened. God stepped in and did what Israel’s armies couldn’t do. Such is God’s deliverance—“When the enemy comes in like a flood, the battle belongs to the Lord.” (Isaiah 59:19)

There are times when all appearances would lead us to believe evil has the upper hand, and we are tempted to throw in the towel and make peace with this world as best we can, but that would be the worst thing we could do. Remember, when God is behind something, no matter how formidable the obstacles we face, we cannot lose. We only lose when we like Barak, refuse to take up the banner God places in our hands. As Mordecai said to Esther, “If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”” —Esther 4:14 

Shema

 August 10, 2021

“The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen the great works of the LORD…When all their generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them, who did not know the LORD nor the work he had done for Israel.” —Judges 2:7 & 9

How did this happen? How could the people of God fall away so precipitously? It’s really simple: they had no personal experience of the great works of God because the generation that experienced them neglected to teach their children the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:6-7. “These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them…you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the door posts of your house…”

Success in life means nothing if I fail to teach my children. Faith is always but one generation from extinction; as our old friend Everett Scofield used to say, “God has no grandchildren.” Failure to teach our children is catastrophic. Nothing I do as a man, as a pastor, or as a father is more important than teaching my children to know the LORD. Failure to know the Lord invites testing (2:22) that is otherwise avoidable. Churches are in crisis because we have delegated the teaching of our faith to pastors and Sunday School teachers who cannot do in an hour or two what we fail to do for the remaining 166 hours of each week. Similarly, I believe we are being tested today as a nation because we have turned over the education of our children to strangers.

My prayer tonight is simple: “Lord, show me how to raise up young fathers who will teach their children well. “This generation” hasn’t yet passed; I’m still here, so there is still time, and with it, great reason to hope.

Sharper Together

August 9, 2021

Ever since Promise Keepers hit the stage back in the 90s, Proverbs 27:17 has been a touchstone Scripture for men, probably because it rings true. In a world where masculinity has been deemed toxic, and “manly” pursuits pilloried in academia, men have often found themselves isolated, lonely, and unappreciated. Women can have their segregated groups just for them, but traditionally male gatherings have all but disappeared, and with them has also disappeared the opportunity to both exult in masculinity and commiserate with one another over the challenges we face in everyday life. 

The Scripture in Proverbs is, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Tonight, our men’s Bible study gathered at Harry’s for a cookout, conversation, and prayer. Harry pressed us on how we expected to exercise our spiritual gifts in practical ways. We talked of how God has been challenging and convicting us, and prayed together. We aren’t super-spiritual; we are fourteen (sometimes more, sometimes less) men standing shoulder to shoulder so we can be stronger and better for Jesus Christ, and I am thankful tonight for each one of these men whom I can call friend and brother.

 

Tired

 August 7, 2021

Kinston, North Carolina is fourteen hours from Sinclairville. Fourteen long hours on the road with only gas and bathroom breaks, no accidents and only one close call, we are tired and thankful to be home. Our brother in law Dennis is doing better, one baby step at a time, for which we are also deeply grateful. God is good and we are ready for bed. 

Dwelling in the Dark

 August 6, 2021

Psalm 36 begins, “An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked.” David proceeds to.  Describe the behavior of the wicked in verses 2-4, much like we do when we complain about how bad things are getting in the world.  

In verses 5-12 however, he takes a different tack, proclaiming God’s mercy and righteousness, his lovingkindness. When reflecting on the evil around him, instead of dwelling on it, he turns quickly to God’s faithful mercies. We would do well to follow this example, turning from the evil to reflecting upon God’s merciful faithfulness every time we’re tempted to complain. Dwelling only upon the evil magnifies it in our hearts and diminishes the power of God at work in the darkest of hours. It doesn’t take any special talent or grace to see the evil. Seeing God’s faithfulness requires a deliberate exercise of faith, a faith that enables us to see behind the surface of things to the goodness of our God.

Faithful God

 August 5, 2021

“There aren’t any kids around here.” He said this matter-of-factly, without rancor or drama, but we couldn’t make ourselves believe it, so we took it as a challenge, going door-to-door, up and down the valleys that met in the little community we had begun to call home. We were too young and naive to think we couldn’t do it, and in a couple of weeks there were about thirty ragamuffin kids milling around the parsonage, eating hot dogs and s’mores while we welcomed them one by one. 

One of the doors we knocked on was Dennis’s. When his folks asked who it was, he blew us off with some smart-alecky remark, but he still showed up for the hotdogs, along with his friend Charlie. They were like Frick and Frack, Dennis, tall and built like a tank, Charlie, short and squat. Along with the others, they would sit at our kitchen table eating her chocolate chip cookies as fast as Linda could pull them out of the oven. We played softball, and to the chagrin of the church patriarch and matriarch, but to the delight of the teenagers, installed a pool table in the dining room. They came for Bible lessons, Sunday School, and general hanging around. We even started a youth choir, with Charlie and Dennis in the back row, sounding like the drones on a bagpipe, their notes going neither up nor down. 

The stories we could tell, of Linda getting met at the front door of one of our kids by her father and his shotgun, of the 25 mile hike we took that some walked barefoot, of lives transformed by the Gospel, and others who never seemed to make it stick, of Dennis who after a stint in the Navy, got pretty messed up until the night of his accident when after rolling his Plymouth Belvedere, woke up in a puddle of gasoline with a shattered hip, thinking he was going to die and praying that he wouldn’t. 

We stayed in touch all these years since he was a teenager. Today, he is a leader in his local church, witnesses to anyone who will listen, and even leads worship. I’m guessing he’s learned when notes go up or down in the fifty intervening years. He’s 67 today (I think), and in the hospital again, recovering from the surgery he had two weeks ago when he again almost died. God had plans for him those years ago, and still has plans for him today. Linda and I had the privilege of visiting him in the hospital today, of holding his hand and praying for him, blessing him in the Name of Jesus Christ. 

Being a pastor is funny business. Your failures stare you in the face, and are evident to even a casual passerby. Successes are often harder to gauge, and can take years to germinate, flower, and bear fruit. It was that way with Dennis, but we are humbled and grateful to have played a small part in it all, and to be able to pray with him once more. God is good, and he is faithful, and I am thankful tonight.

Responsibility

 August 4, 2021

There comes a time when you have to let go of the bar, trusting your partner has timed it well and will catch you. I’m thinking tonight of the trapeze artist who if she never lets go of the bar will never “fly through the air with the greatest of ease.” Of course, there is no ease to it, but months and years of practice to make something extremely difficult look like a piece of cake.

I’m finding myself trying to figure out how to let go of the bar. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the familiar story of the Talents, or more accurately the three servants. When reading this, I’ve usually been focused on the “wicked, lazy” servant who buried the master’s money in the ground instead of investing it. This morning, it was the faithful servants who drew my attention. The master’s commendation wasn’t a monetary reward, but a promotion. “You have been faithful over a few things; I will make. You ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (vv. 21 & 23). In other words, they each earned a promotion.

This is different than how we often imagine our eternal reward to be. The common cartoonish picture is of haloed saints sitting on a cloud playing harps, which has caused more than a few to reject faith in Christ as leading to eternal boredom. But what if this isn’t talking about heaven and eternal rewards at all? What if Jesus is teaching us about how things are ordered here in this world when we set ourselves about the Father’s business?

I’ve been retired for seven years, and still haven’t figured it out. Am I supposed to take it easy or find a new challenge? I don’t want or feel able to push as I once did, but sitting on the sidelines holds no attraction to me. I watch people who spend leisure hours on a boat or touring the country or world, and though there are places I would like to see, most of them would require more time and money than I’m willing to give for the privilege. To me, the better reward is not rest, but responsibility. Anything less feels like burying my talent. 

So what is the bar? For me, I think it’s rest/leisure. There is part of me wanting to hold onto it. I know I need to put more effort into carving out my time for the Lord, giving him full, undivided attention. But that time has purpose. We retreat to recharge, that we may receive greater responsibility. Tomorrow awaits, filled with opportunity and challenges, and tonight, I await tomorrow with anticipation.

Planted

 August 3, 2021

Perhaps the greatest danger in retirement is to stop living before you die. Like the runner who celebrates before crossing the finish line, only to be passed by the second or even third place runner, when the finish line looms within sight, it’s easy to let up. At such times, it’s good to remember my nephew’s maxim: “Second place is first loser.”

Psalm 92:13-14 says, “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing.”

It isn’t written in stone that old age must be a debilitating decline into senility and infirmity, listlessly waiting for the grim reaper. Sadly, too many walk that dark path through no fault of their own, while others hasten it by poor life choices. None of us knows for sure what path God has chosen for us, but I am counting on this promise of fruitfulness in old age. Even if I am unable to physically do what once came easy to me, I can flourish in the courts of God. Though the flesh may fail, the spirit can continue growing till we take our final breath. 

Weariness dogs my steps. At times, I have to force myself to get moving, but I do it because I believe the Scriptures that tell me I am an “oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:3), and whatever God plants, he intends to flourish. At 97, my mother told me, “I don’t know when I stopped getting old and became old.” I am working on it, but am not there yet, and don’t plan on making that transition any time soon. God planted me here in Sinclairville forty years ago; my roots have grown deep, and my hope and intent is to flourish and bear fruit. Who knows? God may pull me up and plant me somewhere else, but planted I am, and with God’s help, fruitful I intend to be. 

Repetition

 August 3, 2021

There is power in repetition. Sometimes when trouble sweeps in like a sudden summer storm, it isn’t enough to simply declare our faith in the teeth of the wind’s fury. Sometimes, we need to repeat it over and over again so it builds momentum like an avalanche rolling downhill gathers size and power till it crushes whatever is in its path.

In Psalm 62, David clings to the Rock of his salvation, declaring in v. 2, “I shall not be greatly moved.” We can almost feel the hesitancy in his words, the sense that he’s not quite sure of his strength in the face of trouble. “I think I can hold up, but if not, I don’t believe I’ll be completely defeated.” He is waiting on God, but he’s only just started, tentatively feeling his way through the morass.

So he keeps going, repeating his declaration with a slight change. He began with, “Truly my soul silently waits for God. From him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense I shall not be greatly moved.” He revisits this theme, but instead of a declaration, he utters a command: “My soul, wait silently for God alone! For my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense, I shall not be moved.” When he takes charge over his faltering faith, commanding his soul to wait, he no longer speaks of being somewhat moved; he shall not be moved!

It’s not enough to hopefully declare our faith like a child whistling his way past the cemetery. As we repeat our faith in Jesus Christ, declaring over and over that he is our confidence, that confidence begins to build in us till it carries us through the storm. This is why memorizing Scripture and repeating the Creeds are so important—by sheer repetition, they fortify the soul, strengthening it for the day of trial. I don’t remember Scripture as easily as once I did, so I am grateful for those Sunday School and youth group leaders who drilled verses into us at a young age. And I am thankful for the Creed that gives a summary of truths I don’t always feel, but which always provide a foundation that holds in the storm.

The Goodness of God

 August 1, 2021

It’s only the second time I’ve heard it, but it’s lyrics, sung with such power by our Bri Katilus, moved me almost to tears this morning during worship. Linda and I talk often of our blessings that repeatedly are showered upon us, blessings that have at times come in the form of tests and trials. Charles Spurgeon once said that he had learned to “kiss the waves that dashed [him] against the Rock of Ages.” 

I love the good times, the easily received mountain top blessings of family, friends, resources, but it’s been in the valleys that I’ve experienced most the intimacy and tenderness of God. Bri led us as we worshipped in song, bowing in gratitude for the wonder and goodness of our God. The lyrics alone are meaningful, but the melody drives them home with even greater power. The song can be found online, but here are the words that ministered to me this morning:

… I love You, Lord

For Your mercy never fails me

All my days, I've been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

… And all my life You have been faithful

And all my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

… I love Your voice

You have led me through the fire

In the darkest night

You are close like no other

I've known You as a Father

I've known You as a Friend

And I have lived in the goodness of God

… And all my life You have been faithful 

And all my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God 

… 'Cause Your goodness is running after

It's running after me

Your goodness is running after

It's running after me

With my life laid down

I'm surrendered now

I give You everything

'Cause Your goodness is running after

It's running after me

The loving faithfulness of our God revealed by the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ is worthy of our praise, so tonight, I sing again of the goodness of God. Thank you, Bri, for leading us into the Presence of God this morning.