I Thirst

 "Later, knowing that everything had now been finished and so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19: 28-30

    Sitting up at two a.m. for a drink of water, the words Jesus said on the cross suddenly came to my mind: "I thirst." Odd that, of all the stripes and deep wounds He suffered during the horrors of crucifixion, it was His deep thirst of which He spoke. 

    Perhaps His mind drifted to a happier time in Cana when He lifted His glass with the others in a toast to the bride and groom, partaking of the wine that had been water. Or, maybe He recalled that hot, sunny day in Samaria when He sat at Jacob's well and asked a woman for a drink, using water as an object lesson. Most likely, though, our Savior thirsted for the souls of the lost to kneel at the cross in repentance as the beatitude came to mind: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6) 

    I am so grateful to have an ample supply of fresh, clean potable water; I drink it all day long and even in the wee hours of the night. But I am even more thankful for the Living Water drawn from the bottomless love of Christ. When I wake, my soul requires the daily saturation of God's presence, which He reveals in the Bible, prayer, music, sermons, fellow Christians and the beauty of creation.

    Only Jesus can quench your thirst. He's the real thing.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare." Isaiah 55: 1-2 

Counterfeit Christians

 "Jesus said to them, 'Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name claiming, "I am he," and will deceive many." Mark 13:5

    There's an invasion of psuedo-Christians in our culture today who call themselves "progressive."

    The core beliefs of Christendom, that have shaped the church from its onset, are all up for conjecture according to this invasive group. The odor of Satan abounds in their tenets. Just smell this:

• Rather than seen as the inerrant, inspired, infallible word of God, the Bible is seen as an ancient spiritual travel journal written by people who were trying their best to understand God.
• The truth of Original Sin, which mankind inherited from Adam and Eve's fall, is rejected.
• The cross of Christ, which is the central message of the gospel, is deemed horrific and unnecessary.
• The deity of Jesus is questioned; we can follow his example by finding the divine within ourselves, which is the Universal Lie Satan first introduced in the Garden of Eden.
• Both the virgin birth and the resurrection are downplayed, unimportant.

    To recognize lies, one must know the truth and that is only found in the word of God. I am urging you today to become a Bible thumper! What a shame that Biblical illiteracy is so rampant among Christians. And why? We are so blessed to have the Holy Scriptures written in our language along with the liberty to read it openly. This vital piece of the armor of God is our sword, our only offensive equipment in battle. If you are satisfied with a scanty diet of the living word, you are under-armed and very vulnerable. 

    

    In the gospel of Mark, chapter 13 verses 5-37, you will find what's known as the Olivet Discourse. Jesus, sitting on the Mount of Olives, taught his disciples about the times in which we are currently living. Here's a list of his warnings I gleaned from that sermon: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Do not be alarmed. You must be on your guard. Do not worry. Stand firm. Let the reader understand. Pray. Do not believe it. So be on your guard. Learn. Keep watch. Do not let him find you sleeping. What I say, I say to everyone: Watch!" Please study this passage for yourself.

"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect...Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." Matthew 24: 24, 35

My Epitaph

 "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." 2 Corinthians 3: 2,3

    My grandmother, Harmony Schupp, was a prolific poet. She left behind three binders of poems, many of which she shared each week in her company newsletter when she worked for Ohio Rubber. A slim volume of favorites was published into a book entitled, "Harmony in Verse." Etched on her tombstone is a depiction of this book, a tribute to her legacy.

    The definition of the word "epitaph" is twofold. It is either an inscription in memory of the deceased on their gravestone or it's a brief statement epitomizing the person. Have you ever pondered what your epitaph will be? 

    Like my grandma, I love to write so I was tickled to purchase a T shirt that declares, "God is not done with my story." Maybe that's a great epitaph for me. Death is not the period marking the conclusion of life; rather, it's a semicolon linking the two clauses that are closely related. The climax of my story is yet to come!

    Like my grandma's dear volume of poems, I wish to leave some evidence of my existence. As a writer, I leave words on a page (or computer screen) to hopefully become etched on the hearts of those who read them, words not from my mouth, but those of God. When the power of God's living word transforms lives for all eternity, time extends beyond the grave. As my legacy, I'd love nothing better than the beautiful assurance that hearts have been given to Jesus, our Savior. 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitude of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans 1: 16

Stand Firm

 "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9

    A nonprofit group called "Americans United for Separation of Church and State" have been busy pursuing their agenda. Having caught wind of instances of prayer and proselytizing infractions at various school events in Tennessee, they dutifully wrote a letter to a school district in Putnam County reminding these offensive schools that these things will not be tolerated. "Courts have consistently ruled that prayer and proselytizing cannot be sponsored by schools or school personnel," said a school lawyer. 

    However, high school football players there took a stand for their faith by taking a knee and leading fans and parents in prayer after the game.  One fan, Bob Vick, enthused on Facebook: "Satan's power was defeated tonight as the threat of a legal action to forbid prayer after the game was overwhelmed by player-led prayer." 

    The book of Daniel tells about these three guys whose names are always listed in the same order: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were given strict orders to bow down and worship a huge golden statue of the king. Upon their refusal, the king demanded to know what their problem was. Boldly, they stood their ground and declared, "We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it." (Daniel 3:16, 17) They stood firm, confident in God's ability to save them. "They trusted in Him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." (Daniel 3:28)

    The time to confirm your convictions is not when the heat of the moment arises. We must choose this day whom we will serve. Be brave! Be bold! If you want to know how to overcome the enemy, that rascally accuser and stonefaced liar, read Revelation 12:11: "They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." 

    Jesus went to the cross for you. Take a stand for Him.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13

    

They Knew Nothing

 "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away." Matthew 24:38, 39

    Sometimes, does it seem like you are the only believer around? Does it exasperate you when others just will not see, will not listen? With glazed eyes and moldy ears, they go about their daily agenda unaware and unconcerned with what's going on around them and your heart longs for them to come to salvation! "There is none so blind as those who will not listen." (Neil Gaiman) 

    One of the most significant words in the Bible is "but." It's a small arrow whose purpose is to point the reader in a new direction and one of the best examples is found in Genesis chapter six. In just six short chapters since the creation, the world had become so corrupt with wickedness that the Lord regretted he'd ever made human beings so he's going to wipe them all out..."but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." (verse 8). One guy, ONE. But he was enough to save from the deluge, he and his family. Though Noah preached for over one hundred years while he swung a hammer at gopher wood, others would not listen and, as Jesus said in the verses above, "they knew nothing" when the judgement came. 

    Keep planting seeds as you "swing your hammer" even though it feels as if no one hears. Speak truthfully. Love unconditionally. Lift high the cross. As it was said of Noah, may it be of you: "...he walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 6:9)

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:12

In My Back Yard

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2: 14-17

    Like a runaway kite, a bit of news landed in my own back yard. When I read a newspaper story about a ministry located a mile within my home who is preparing to house and care for twenty-five Afghan refugees, I paused to ponder that. 

    Of course, I had heard of the catastrophic collapse of the government in Afghanistan (a chill should run down every spine at the thought of anyone in the hands of the vile Taliban); such a thing could indeed happen to Americans one day. I was especially touched by the love shown by the Christ Kingdom Ministry, who are the Good Samaritans in this story. They are backing their faith with action, demonstrating the love of Christ.

    An argument can be made that we, as Americans, should take care of our own first after securing our borders, and there is merit to that. But, as Christians, love has no borders. 

    Recently, I'd listened to a radio broadcast about a Muslim woman whose faith in Islam, with its rules and rigid expectations, left her feeling as an empty vessel. She declared the Quran makes no mention of love from Allah. Can you imagine? It was the bottomless love of Jesus that won her heart to Christianity. May the same hold true for these refugees in my neighborhood.

    News stories can seem distant and irrelevant, but when they land in your own back yard, may we be prepared to share the love of Christ with anyone in need, as God has commanded us to do. There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19

 

Father Knows Best

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5, 6

    The above verses are a cinch as long as your life is going in the direction with which you agree. But what happens when you're being lead where you do not wish to go?

    I was watching "Leave it to Beaver" the other day. In this episode, the parents put in an offer on a house in another city, which displeased the older brother, Wally, very much. He had accomplished friendships and participation with athletic teams where he currently lived and, well, he just did not want to go! 

    Catching wind of this, the dad had a talk with Wally. Putting his arm around his son's shoulders, he said, "You know that I wouldn't do anything that was wrong for you, don't you?" 

    My heart quickened as if God tapped me on the shoulder. You see, I can identify with how Wally felt as I dispiritedly see that what's happening in America is leading where I do not want to go, but God has another path in mind for me. I may have to go through discomfort, sorrow or sadness along the journey, but there's also much good to enjoy, too, especially when I place my faith in my Father's plan on not on my own conceptions.

    When Jesus reinstated Peter after he had denied knowing his Lord three times, He told his apostle:

    "Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." (John 21:18)

    Scripture tells us he said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Tradition says when Peter was sentenced to death by crucifixion, he chose to be crucified upside down so as not to lessen the glory of Jesus's sacrifice. When I imagine this same man in his younger days as a married fisherman in Galilee, it likely never occurred to him that he would die in this way, but I remain convinced he would not have had it any other way once he received his inheritance. 

    Our Father really does know best.

My Father

 "By this I will know that God is for me...in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56: 9, 11

    When I was a child, there was a boy who was mean to me. When my father found out about it, to my surprise, he strode out into the street to speak to the boy. Though my dad was wearing his old yard clothes that day, to me he was attired as the Caped Crusader of Gotham City. I felt so safe, beloved and protected.

    Years have passed; so has my dear father. The bullies that bother me today are much larger, far-reaching and more threatening, but they are no match for my Father. Just as my dad took care of me, how much more does God?

    When the shadow of Goliath falls across my path, I draw such comfort in knowing there's nothing that can ever separate me from the love of God as shown in Christ Jesus. No circumstance in life, no threat of death, nothing in the unseen world nor in the ages to come, not a thing far up in the sky nor in the pits of hell can ever make God stop loving me. It's not because I have deserved it; it's just who He is.

    He's my Father.

"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8: 31, 32

How to be a Pray-er

"I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before Him, I tell my trouble." Psalm 142: 1, 2

    Prayer is hard work. Often it seems like a one-way conversation which takes time, planning and a certain methodology. Should I go in my room, close the door and kneel by the bed? It's been said that I should first properly address God in reverence and fear, then pray for the needs of others before getting around to myself. Though I am sure there's truth in these, maybe I'm overthinking it as well.

    A Christian friend of mine is a prayer warrior so I asked her, "What's the secret to being a pray-er?" Her response was simple and candid: "I just talk to Him."

    This brought to mind the words of a Johnny Cash song, "I talk to Jesus Every Day." 

"Well you talk about important people that you say you know,

Presidents and superstars of big television shows.

Well, I know Someone personally who's bigger than 'em all,

And, next to Him, your superstars look mighty small.

I have a talk with Him each day,

And He's interested in every word I say.

No secretary ever tells me He's been called away.

I talk to Jesus every day." 

       In a day when robots answer phones and Alexa talks back to people, isn't it so refreshing to banter with the Creator of the Universe? If I could travel back in time to take part in a Bible story, I'd love to be one of those guys on the road to Emmaus, when the resurrected Jesus covertly sidled up to them, asking questions and listening to their tale before explaining everything in the Scriptures, beginning with Moses and all the prophets (Luke 24:13-35). Just walking along, talking. 

    That's what prayer is all about.

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked with them; but they were kept from recognizing him." Luke 24:13-16