Something is missing

Something is missing from a lot of today’s preaching and teaching. I’ve been concerned about this for a while and addressed it from time to time. But I believe it has to be addressed again. I believe many are preaching a different message than that preached by Jesus and are even presenting a different Jesus.

“A different Jesus? A different message? C’mon, man.” Yes. People are so concerned about being all positive and nice that they have dropped some of the message of the Gospel. Today’s Jesus is all love and niceness - and any mention of judgment or wrath or hell is to be avoided.

I was beginning to wonder if maybe my understanding of this was wrong. But I am currently reading the Gospel According to Matthew, and there it is - the teaching of Jesus, the historical Christian message. I know this can be over emphasized. But it can also be ignored. It needs to simply be part of our message.

I have only read the first twelve chapters and I know there is more in rest of the Gospel, but here is a list of the times Jesus mentioned the judgment to come. And look how often He spoke of it! Clearly, Jesus believed in and taught a coming Day of Judgment. And hell. He preached this to both unbelievers and believers  But, didn’t Jesus love sinners? YES. That’s why He warned them of the coming of the great and terrible day of judgment, that they might flee from the wrath to come. That wasn’t ALL he preached, but it was part of the fabric of his message. And I will say it again, If this is not part of our message, then we are indeed preaching a different message than he did.

3:7 But when he (John the Baptist) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 
30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

10:14  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

12:38  Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

“How do we know there is only one God?”

Ten year olds can ask good questions. And the challenge is to provide an answer that they can understand. This forces you to abandon cliches – you have to grasp the truth and be able to explain it simply. These are all good things.

This evening I was asked such a question by a ten year old.

Last night, Mary rented the move, Life of Pi, and watched it. This afternoon Tiernan came over and she asked if we (Tiernan and I) wanted to watch it, “It's really beautiful in the beginning.” (We have a Blu-ray player and it was the Blu-ray version). We did. We didn’t get to watch much because Isabelle had a presentation at school, but we learned that this fellow, Pi, in his search for God had embraced Hinduism (with its’ millions of gods), Christianity, and Islam. Since this is not a review of the movie (I still haven’t seen all of it), that’s all I will say about the movie. We watched a little then Tiernan and I left for the school house to join the rest of the family for the presentation.

On the way I decided to comment on the movie. “It’s too bad about Pi, that he was confused about God.” I started explaining how Jesus was greater and better than Hinduism with all their gods and Islam and Muhammad; that he was the way to the one, true God. Then the great question: “How do we know there is only one God?”

I have 10 minutes and a question the size of Alaska. How do I answer? Where do I begin? Cliches and platitudes are no good right now. I need to be able to reduce this down to plain and simple terms. Really, an excellent question!

So here is how I answered.

Well, we can’t see God, so a lot of this comes down to who we believe. The God of the Bible, Yahweh, says He is God. He says He looked around and saw that there were no other gods, He was the only one. Now along comes this Vishnu and he says he is a god. Can both be right? (He shakes his head). Somebody is not telling the truth; somebody is lying. Muhammad said he was from God and was His prophet and was sent to show us the way to God. Jesus said he was the way. Somebody is not telling the truth.

So we see that the God of the Bible says he is the only God, that he created everything. How can we tell? One of the things about the Bible is that God gives prophecies about many things. And they happened! The Bible is a really old book, and a long time ago God said he would send a Savior, who would be born in a certain town and to a virgin. And it happened! Do you know who I’m talking about? “Jesus.” Yep. These are some of the ways we can know there is only one God and that the God of the Bible is Him.

A ten year olds’ mind quickly wanders. Suddenly he said, “It would be neat if the gods of the Greeks and Romans were real. I think some of them were neat.” I told him that they knew they weren’t really gods, even though they worshipped them. “Why did they worship them then?” We are having a great discussion as we are driving down Cherry Road, are we not?

I explained about demons and how they are trying to get men to worship them, instead of the true God. “But aren’t demons working with the devil? Why aren’t they trying to get people to worship the devil?” Ah, here is the devil’s #1 goal for you – Get you to worship anything else other than God. He does not care what it takes: a false god, beer, wine, ANYTHING as long as it keeps you from worshiping God. (This was followed by a brief discussion on the relative strength of beer and wine!)

By now we had arrived. So I tried to sum it up.
What’s the devils #1 goal for you? “Keep me from believing in Jesus.”
What will he do to do that? “Anything.”

Then we got out and headed in for the presentation. Isn’t it neat? A great question, and a great discussion during a ten minute Jeep ride! No big to-do. Just life. Sounds a lot like:

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up

Indian-loving George Catlin

This is a very interesting quote from George Catlin. Catlin was able to visit the Indians very shortly after contact with the white man. They were still in their strength and their culture was strong. I highly recommend his books as well as his paintings.

I have had some unfriendly denunciations by the press, and by these critics I have been reproachfully designated the "Indian-loving Catlin." What of this? What have I to answer? Have I any apology to make for loving the Indians ? The Indians have always loved me, and why should I not love the Indians ?

I love the people who have always made me welcome to the best they had.

I love a people who are honest without laws, who have no jails and no poorhouses.

I love a people who keep the commandments without ever having read them or heard them preached from the pulpit.

I love a people who never swear, who never take the name of God in vain.

I love a people " who love their neighbours as they love themselves."

I love a people who worship God without a Bible, for I believe that God loves them also.

I love the people whose religion is all the same, and who are free from religious animosities.

I love the people who have never raised a hand against me, or stolen my property, where there was no law to punish for either.

I love the people who have never fought a battle with white man, except on their own ground.

I love and don't fear mankind where God has made and left them, for there they are children.

I love a people who live and keep what is their own without locks and keys.

I love all people who do the best they can. And oh, how I love a people who don't live for the love of money

It has been sneeringly said that I have " spoken too well of the Indians " (better to speak too well of them than not to speak well enough) — "that I have flattered them" (better to flatter them than to caricature them ; there have been enough to do this). If I have overdone their character, they have had in me one friend at least; and I will not shrink from the sin and responsibility of it.

I was luckily born in time to see these people in their native dignity, and beauty, and independence, and to be a living witness to the cruelties with which they have been treated, worse than dogs; and now to be treated worse than wolves! And in my former publications I have predicted just what is now taking place — that in their thrown, and hunted down, and starved condition, the future " gallopers " across the plains and Rocky Mountains, would see here and there the scattered, and starving, and begging, and haggard remnants of these once proud and handsome people — represent +them, in their entailed misery and wretchedness, as "the Sioux," "the Cheyennes," " the Osages" etc., and me, of course, as a liar.

From the very first settlement on the Atlantic coast there has been a continual series of Indian wars. In every war the whites have been victorious, and every war has ended in "Surrender of Indian Territory." Every battle which the whites have lost has been a "massacre" and every battle by the Indians lost, a "glorious victory!" And yet, to their immortal honour, be it history with its inferences (for it is truth), they never fought a battle with civilized men excepting on their own ground ! What are the inferences from
this, and to whose eternal shame stands the balance in the books ?

I have said that I was lucky enough to have been born at the right time to have seen these people in their native dignity and elegance ; and thanks to Him in whose hands the destinies of all men are that my life has been spared to visit most of the tribes in every latitude of the American continent, and my hand enabled to delineate their personal looks and their modes, to be seen and to be criticized after the people and myself shall have passed away.


Rambles Among The Indians 
by George Catlin

The beauty of Hawai'i

An amazing description of Hawaii by Hiram Bingham. Mr. Bingham was in the first group of missionaries that sailed to the Sandwich Islands. When he wrote this, he had been in Hawaii for three or four years. He had ministered on Oahu and then traveled to Kauai for a time. 

To a spectator from the missionary's door, or from the fort, or either precipice, is presented a good specimen of Sandwich Islands scenery. On a calm and bright summer's day, the wide ocean and foaming surf, the peaceful river, with verdant banks, the bold cliff, and forest covered mountains, the level and fertile vale, the pleasant shade-trees, the green tufts of elegant fronds on the tall cocoanut trunks, nodding and waving, like graceful plumes, in the refreshing breeze ; birds flitting,, chirping, and singing among them, goats grazing and bleating, and their kids frisking on the rocky cliff, the natives at their work, carrying burdens, or sailing up and down the river, or along the sea-shore, in their canoes, propelled by their polished paddles that glitter in the sun-beam, or by a small sail well trimmed, or riding more rapidly and proudly on their surf-boards, on the front of foaming surges, as they hasten to the sandy shore, all give life and interest to the scenery. But the residence of a Christian missionary, toiling here, for elevating thousands of the heathen, and an humble house of God erected by once idolatrous hands, where from Sabbath to Sabbath the unsearchable riches of Jesus were proclaimed, amid the ruins of the bloody temples of heathenism, gave the peculiar charm to the scene which it never had for ages of pagan darkness, and which Cook, when he gazed on this landscape, did not expect it would ever have. For it was the opinion of that navigator, that the fairest isles of the Pacific would never be evangelized.
When the golden sun, declining in the west, had sunk below the ocean horizon, and the short twilight had disappeared, I walked out with Mrs. B. to enjoy the evening scene, on the bank of the gentle river, which on a former visit had so cheered and delighted her. We united in adoring that goodness which had hitherto led us beside the still waters. The natives of the valley were gathered to their little cottages. The wind breathed softly through the foliage. The moon rolled silently her silver orb smiling on our evening landscape. The starry host glittered with tropic brightness, in the lofty blue canopy. The up ruffled surface of the silent river, like a polished mirror, beautifully reflected the exact inverted image of the native huts, the shrubs and trees on the opposite bank, and of the spangled arch above. With such a view of the exterior of our little Waimea, the capital of Kauai, who would not have breathed the aspiration, that its spiritual aspect might soon be equally engaging ! For this, the utmost efforts of the missionary were required.

A Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands
Or the civil, religious, and political history of those islands : Comprising a particular view of the missionary operations connected with the introduction and progress of Christianity and civilization among the Hawaiian people. 
by Hiram Bingham

The poet in me

I have written poems since I was a teenager. They are not really very good. I doubt there is a drive to gather and publish them, but I write them nonetheless. While I enjoy writing them, my family usually just roll their eyes and shake their heads. I haven’t decided if it is because they are so truly awful or if it is just another weird thing that I do. Or both!

An interesting facet of poetry is your subject matter. You can write about something, an incident, or a feeling, and phrase it so that very few people know what you are talking about. Take Robert Frost’s well known poem, “The Road Not Taken.” I don’t know what inspired that, but I don’t need to in order to enjoy it.

I know we have been taught to read silently. Taught? It’s been drilled into our heads. Nevertheless, I believe poetry is best experienced when read aloud. It helps to know where the author put the emphasis, but you can get close by simply reading it aloud.

I am not able to sit down on command and pen a poem. It’s like an inspiration. Not in the classic biblical sense of God working in me, but a mood. Or something. I don’t know what to call it. I have times where I’m thinking in rhyme. Once that happens and I am working on a poem, for a while afterward I want to put everything in rhyme. I write it down and then work on it and improve it, but my point is, I can’t work it up. I will later work on the rhyming patterns and sometimes I am very concerned about the meter. So I do polish it (I know, if you have read any of my stuff, you may wonder what the rough cut looked like – ha!), but still, it's like it was birthed in me.

Take the other night as an example. Mary got up early and went to Augusta to see Mary K. When I woke up I called her to make sure she got there safely etc. and just for fun I asked her, “What am I gonna do for supper?” She laughed and told me she was sure I would figure something out. Well, I made a fire and while I was sitting by the fire, these verses kept coming to me. I finally decided to get up, get some paper and write them down. The poem is included below. As you can tell, I wasn’t too concerned with meter and I was having fun with the rhyming pattern. It is mostly ABCC, but I have one stanza with ABAB and another with ABBC! It’s just a fun, light-hearted poem based on that one recurring phrase, I have no woman to cook for me.

I enjoy it. They just come to me at times and it makes me feel better to write them down, and in an odd sort of way, it often helps me express things. Maybe I am simply the odd-ball my family thinks I am, but I enjoy writing these down. Hope you enjoy it. Oh, be sure to read it out loud!


I have no woman to cook for me.
Alas! What shall I do?
I hear my stomach bleat
and I know not what to eat.

My wife got up and went down south
to see my little girl,
but now it’s time to eat
and I’ve no one to cook my meat!

I called her up on the phone
and we each said “Hi”
“You’re gone, what will I eat?” said I
She laughed and said, “You won’t die.”

I was disconsolate, over-wrought,
And knew not what to do.
I went and made a fire and thought
“You’ve no woman to cook for you.”

As the flames leapt sky-ward
I was struck by a thought:
“No woman to cook for me??
Hot dogs on a stick. Yippee!”

Did they hit the spot?
Did they fill me up?
No. I’m still lean and mean,
Now on to cookies and ice cream.

I’ve no woman to cook for me,
Will I make it through the night?
Just how desperate is my plight?
I think I shall faint!

I write in jest, of course
I’ll figure something out
I’ve ice cream and a cookie
And lots of Pepsi Wild Cherry!

A good question

Every conversation includes questions. Usually easy and light, How are you? What time is it? Where did you go? Did you have a good time? Been busy? A good conversation has more substantive questions.

I’m a grateful for those times when people have asked me really good questions. What qualifies as a good question? It is one that asks something I have not asked or have a ready answer for. It is one that surprises, shocks, and makes me think, really think as a result. It’s like in baseball. You have two strikes and you just know the pitcher is going to throw a fastball for strike three. And you wait for it. Instead, he throws a curve and you just watch it cross the plate because you weren’t ready for it.

Last Friday I was asked one of those really good questions.

I have lunch once a month with my pastor for mutual encouragement. We’ve discussed my future and if there is the possibility of public ministry again, etc. This month I purposely didn’t bring it up at all. But he did. He asked me, “What do you want to do?”

I admit, I’ve been thinking in terms of:

What will people let me do?

What will the Church let me do?

What will God let me do?

In other words, What will I be allowed to do?

But this brother shook me up. “What do you want to do?” I kinda stumbled and stuttered in my response, and offered a general answer, because I wasn’t prepared for that one. It was a good question.

As a result, I will continue to pray, “What is Your will for me? What is my place and purpose?” But I am persuaded this question was from God, and is part of His working in me. Now, I have two other petitions:

† "Lord, what is the desire of my heart? Clear the rubble and the smoke, heal the wounds, and reveal to me what it is I want to do."

† Then, as that prayer is answered, “Lord, let me do that!”

Amen.

Regulative or Normative? Or, What is he talking about?

Yesterday the pastor preached on Ezra 6:1-6 (as part of his series on the book of Ezra). As we read through these verses together, I noticed something that was stated at least four times in these six verses. And I began to think, This must be important.

First, a quick summary of the passage. The people who had returned to Judah gathered together in Jerusalem, re-built the altar and began offering sacrifices to the Lord.

Now for what I noticed:

2 Then stood up Jeshua…and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. 
4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, 
and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; 
5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated

What I noticed was that everything they did was based on as it is written. They were restoring the worship of God. So they went to the Bible to see what they were supposed to do, when, and how. They weren’t making things up. They weren’t being innovative. They weren’t cutting edge. They weren’t trying to be culturally relevant. They were interested in only one thing, What does God say about how He wants us to worship Him?

And it got me to thinking again about something that is dear to my heart. Regulative or normative?

What?? What in the world am I talking about?

It saddens me deeply that many evangelicals today don’t seem to have an interest in making sure their worship is biblically based. I still remember attending churches who dedicated a portion of their bulletin to explaining the biblical precedence for what they were doing: “This is why we sing, shout, have music, lift our hands, clap our hands” etc. In many contemporary churches, who knows why they do what they do?

Which brings me back to regulative and normative:

“The regulative principle of worship is a teaching … on…public worship. The substance of the doctrine… is that only those elements that are instituted or appointed by command or example or which can be deduced by good and necessary consequence from Scripture are permissible in worship, and that whatever is not commanded or cannot be deduced by good and necessary consequence from Scripture is prohibited.
The regulative principle is often contrasted with the normative principle of worship which teaches that whatever is not prohibited in Scripture is permitted in worship, as long as it is agreeable to the peace and unity of the Church.” *

I believe we should start with the regulative principle. That is, we should search the Scriptures to find what God says He wants us to do in our worship of Him. And whatever it is He calls for, we should by no means not have that in our worship service! The pastoral epistles are a good place to start. Paul left Timothy in Ephesus and sent these letters so that he would know how to conduct himself in the house of God. Among the many instructions Paul gives, he says

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty…I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

The most important thing he mentions is a vigorous prayer life. This is in church, as a church. When we come together before God, it is to pray. Then he mentions the public reading of the Word. Third, the preaching of this Word (exhortation, doctrinal teaching, reproving and rebuking). Any worship service that lacks these things is less than God wants.

Elsewhere we learn about other acceptable, approved, and expected elements such as the Lord’s Supper, giving, singing. Have you ever noticed that the New Testament does not contain a single word about praise teams? Choirs? Special music? light shows? Or buildings for that matter? Does this mean they are wrong? No. But, at the very least it means they are not top priority with God.

This brings me to the normative principle. I believe the regulative principle is the place to start – What does God command? But that it is too restrictive. The Bible gives us commands and principles and freedom. For example, When do we meet? We know we meet on Sunday, but what time on Sunday? Since there is no command to meet on Tuesday or Wednesday, would it be wrong to have a prayer meeting or Bible study on those days? What about the public reading of the Word? There is no command concerning which book to begin with, or how many verses at one time should be read. Can we have special services to celebrate the birth and resurrection of the Lord? There is no order of service offered in the New Testament, can our order of service be different than yours?

Yes! We have freedom in the Spirit. But this freedom does not negate the need to be concerned with the as it is written. There are elements of worship that God has commanded in His Word, and we need to have them in our worship service. In the record of God, it needs to be written of our worship, “They did…as it is written.” And we do not want it written of us, “They offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.”


* I got this definition from Wikipedia

I love this stuff!

Yesterday I saw an article about a hymnbook printed by the Puritans in 1640. Here are two pictures that accompanied the article. Click on them for a larger view.

 




The picture on the left is the title page. The picture on the right shows portions of Psalms 22 and 24 and all of Psalm 23. I love the old spelling. And in the rhyming pattern (ABCB) you can get a feel for the pronunciation. I have updated the spelling below and highlighted the rhymes. Most of the words are still pronounced the same, but there are some that are a lot different. Like most poetry, it’s better to read it out loud, and that way you can hear how it sounded.

(Psalm 22)
25 Concerning thee shall be my praise
in the great assembly:
before them that him reverence
perform my vows will I.
26 The meek shall eat and be sufficed:
Jehovah praise shall they
that do him seek: your heart shall live
unto perpetual aye.
27 All ends of the earth remember shall
and turn unto the Lord:
and thee all heathen families
to worship shall accord.
28 Because unto Jehovah doth
the kingdom appertain:
and he among the nations
is ruler Sovereign.
29 Earth’s fat ones, eat and worship shall:
all who to dust descend,
(though none can make alive his soul)
before his face shall bend.
30 With service a posterity
him shall attend upon,
to God it shall accounted be
a generation.
31 Come, shall they, and his righteousness
by them declared shall be,
unto a people yet unborn,
that done this thing hath he.

23 A Psalm of David
The Lord to me a Shepherd is,
want therefore shall not I.
2 He in the folds of tender grass,
doth cause me down to lie:
to waters calm me gently leads
3 Restore my soul doth he:
he doth in paths of righteousness:
for his name's sake lead me.
4 Yea, though in valley of death's shade
I walk, none (w)ill I fear:
because thou art with me, thy rod.
and staff my comfort are.
5 For me a table thou shalt spread,
in presence of my foes:
thou dost anoint my head with oil,
my cup it overflows.
6 Goodness and mercy surely shall
all my days follow me:
and in the Lord's house I shall dwell
so long as days shall be.

Psalm 24
A Psalm of David
The earth Jehovah’s is,
and the fullness of it:
the habitable world, and they
that thereupon do fit.
2 Because upon the seas,
he hath it firmly laid:
and it upon the water floods
most solidly hath stayed.
3 The mountain of the Lord,
Who shall thereto ascend?
And in his place of holiness

This is the introduction. I would have included it above but blogger would not permit it.

Sleep

Sleep.

Sweet and rare.

You may say the ‘rare’ is because I’m old as them thar hills. If I wasn’t born of a woman and made of the dirt from those hills, I’d say I’m older than the hills!

I work all night and try to sleep all day. But my body cannot be fooled. I have made my room as black as I am allowed, but the light comes pouring through every crack, it slips in under the door, and heads straight for my eye. I’m tired, I lay down, I sleep for a while, but the light tells my body, “No. No. No sleep for you!”

My eyes are open. I’m awake. I lay there in the semi-dark room. I cannot sleep, so I get up, but immediately I know, I need more sleep.

This morning, I got off a little after 7 and laid down at 8. I was meeting a brother for lunch at 1 so I planned to sleep until 12:15. Slept fitfully until a little before 11. I got up even though I was still so tired. But I am happy to report that lunch itself helped a lot. But I know what will happen tonight.

As things settle down, around 7 tonight, I will start feeling it. By 8, I will start falling asleep, if I sit down. I could be in bed and asleep by 9. Ah, sleep has come, right? This is good, right? Ha! I will be awake by 2 or 3 am! This is my first day off.

What about my second day off? You can see the pattern developing, but things will no doubt go well and I will be up ‘til maybe 11 or 12. But no matter when I go to sleep, I will wake up at 4. Through determination I may make it until 5. AM.

What’s really funny is that my best sleep on my days off comes on the night I return to work. I will lay down and get the best three hours of sleep.

Ah, but I complain. I know other people who are just as sleep deprived as me, even more so. Sleep is rare. And usually for those who work nights. But sleep is also sweet.

I know people who sleep as little as possible – “Life is short and I might miss something.” I have a different problem. Many times I wake up with too little sleep and don’t feel like a person. Solution? Sweet sleep. Another hour or two and I feel human. Sometimes, I get up and am as irritable as a riled up bear. Remedy? Sweet sleep. And then the darkest times - I wake up way too early and am depressed. Cure? You got it!

Sleep is sweet. I know that one day I will fall asleep in Jesus and then rise again, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

It may seem like I’m complaining and whining. I’m not really. I started this while lying in bed this morning, upset because I couldn’t sleep any longer. But you know what? it’s 7 pm and I feel ok right now. I can’t quite see straight, but I feel pretty good. It’s a beautiful day and I think I shall go out on the lanai, make a fire and enjoy the rest of the day and early evening.

Comforting thought from Hawaii Five O

No one will be surprised to hear that I watch Hawaii Five 0. Nor will anyone who knows me be shocked to learn that after episodes I will frequently look up actors, just to learn a little more about them.

Today I watched “A Study in Rage.” A little over halfway through a character made a brief appearance. Of course, she supplied the last clue that led McGarrett to find the bad guy. I’d seen her before both in Hawaii Five 0 episodes as well as Magnum episodes. When the credits came on I saw her name, Josie Over. And I looked her up. Not much is known about Josie Over. Here is pretty much all I found:

Josie Over (1942–1992)
“Josie Over was a frequent guest on TV shows set in Hawaii. She was married to a Donald Over, himself a guest in a few “Hawaii Five-O” episodes. Neither did a lot of acting roles, though, so I don't know what their day jobs were.”

“She died Tuesday, March 24, 1992 at her home on the North Shore of Oahu. She was 49 years old and died of multiple myeloma. Her name was Josephine Nunez Over. Nunez was her maiden name. She had 3 sons and 8 daughters. Ethnically she was Filipino, Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish. She was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea.”

Another site reported that was also a pretty good Hawaiian hula dancer.

What struck me was, here was this person who had a life, friends, a husband, (lots of) children, and a brief moment of fame – she appeared in a few Hawaii Five 0 episodes. Because of her appearances on Hawaii Five 0 and Magnum etc we can find a little information about her on the internet. But just a little. Yet we nothing about her: Did she have a sense of humor? Did she laugh a lot? Was she sad? We don't know and now that she is gone, we will never know.

And that’s the point. The vast majority of us live our whole life in near anonymity and relative obscurity. Most of us only make the news when we are born and when we die. We have a life, we have friends, we have a job, we pay taxes, some of us marry, some of us have children, we buy a house, we buy a car, we take vacations - all kinds of life stuff. But no one knows who we are. A hundred years from now someone may come across our name in the county rolls, but it won’t mean anything because they won’t know who we were.

Does this mean I was depressed? Or that I am now as a result of thinking about this? No. It is true that in regard to the mass of humanity, I am easily lost and overlooked. We live in a fame crazy culture and I am an total unknown. But there is One who knows my name, who sees me all the time. Who says of me, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

He knows my name

He knows my every thought

He sees each tear that falls

And He hears me when I call *

Way back in 1981, a brother named Dallas Holm wrote a song, I Saw The Lord:

The place was white as snow

and pure as finest gold.

It had the look of new,

yet had the look of old.

I felt like I was home,

but felt so far away,

In fear I thought to leave,

but felt the urge to stay.

And then a silence fell

like none I'd ever known.

I stood among the millions,

I stood there all alone.

His face was like the sun,

His eyes were like the sea,

His voice was like the thunder

rolling through eternity.

And I saw the Lord

He was high and lifted up

and rightfully adored

And I saw the Lord

and He saw me

Yes, I live among millions of people and I am insignificant. Not only that, I try to fly under the radar. But there is One I cannot hide from – the Creator. He sees me. He knows me. He knows my heart. In the midst of all the people who have ever lived, and who are alive today, He see me and hears the cry of my heart! And in that Day, when I stand with a multitude too large to count, and see the Lord, I will not be lost in the crowd, for He will see me.

Isn’t it funny how a comforting thought can cross your mind even when you are looking up someone from a Hawaii Five 0 episode?

Psalm 139

* He Knows My Name by Tommy Walker

What right do I have?

I admit it, I have preached many a sermon late at night. At work. Alone! As I read the Scriptures and meditate on the Word, I wonder how I would teach and preach that passage. I wonder if I will ever have the opportunity to teach again. Many nights, I doubt it altogether. A few nights I have a small hope. Those nights, I think about a passage I heard someone preach and wonder, How would I preach that? I have even thought about having highly supervised opportunities. I mean, my pastor would ask me to preach on a certain passage, or verse, or phrase in a verse, or a topic. How would I preach it? Of course, this is made easier and more interesting because in my imagination I am picking the passage!

One of the first times I thought about this was this past December. The pastor had preached a sermon that included Luke 2:11

For unto you is born this day in the city 
of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

That night I thought, How would I preach this verse? And I preached a wonderful message! (This is no way suggests any fault with the pastor’s message!)

But I do confess, I was immediately stopped short by the word, Savior. What right would I have to preach about the Savior? I failed. I stumbled and fell. Savior speaks of being rescued and restored, of victory. How could I ever talk about Savior??

I instantly realized, I am a perfect person to speak of a Savior. If my story was about me; what a wonderful person I was, how strong I was, how good I was, then I would have no right. But, if that were the case, what need would I have of a Savior? But clearly, that is not the case. I needed someone to rescue me, to deliver me, to save me. 

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

My story is: I stumbled, I fell down, and I could not get back up, and Jesus saved me. He rescued me, He delivered me, He restored my soul. I think that is the very definition of Savior! My wound was raw and red and He is healing me. As the Psalmist says:

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.

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:

Yes, I have a right to speak of the Savior. I don’t know if I will ever preach again, but I clearly have a testimony of Christ as my Savior and Lord.

(Just in case someone comes to the conclusion that I am recommending my path - No. What, you didn’t hear me? NO! You don’t understand me? NO! NO! NO! Having a Savior doesn’t mean He condones my sin, simply that He rescues me from it.)

Songs in my heart

Last Friday I woke up with a portion of a song in my heart:

Though He fall, though He fall
he shall not be cast down
for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand

I was singing it over and over and then I put it together with the rest of the song:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
and He delighteth in His way
Though He fall, though He fall
he shall not be cast down
for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand
with His hand, with His hand
for the Lord upholdeth Him with His hand
though He fall, though He fall
He shall not be cast down
for the Lord upholdeth Him with His hand. ~Psalm 37:23-24

Then, last night at work, toward the end of the night, maybe even 5:30 am, I had a tune pop into my head. I began to hum it. I thought, I know this…what is it? I intentionally hummed it and voilà! I remembered:

With healing in his wings
With healing in his wings
The Sun of righteousness shall rise
With healing in his wings ~Malachi 4:2


You suppose these are words of encouragement from the Lord?

Easter Surprise

Easter Sunday and I was surprised. I have not been at this church long enough to know their patterns and so I didn’t know we would be observing the Lord’s Supper on Easter. And, after years of Communion at night, I’m still surprised by Communion in the morning service.

Tiernan was with us and it soon became evident that he had never been in a Communion service before. How? He asked, “What are they doing?” Boy, was I caught off guard! But, this was a good question and now I had to explain Communion and prepare him to receive it – in whispered tones, while they were passing out the elements!

Tiernan is ten years old. He’s a sharp fellow, but still, he’s only ten. And these are deep truths.  Here, to the best of my recollection, is what I told him.

“This is Communion. By this we remember that Jesus died for us.”

They distributed the bread. When we each took a piece I said, “With this bread we remember how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When we eat this we are saying, ‘Lord Jesus, I believe in you. I believe you died for me. And I receive you as my Savior.’ If you don’t want to do this today, that’s fine too.” But he did.

When they distributed the cup I leaned over and said, “This is grape juice. It reminds us of the blood of Jesus. When you drink it you are saying, ‘Lord Jesus, I believe in you. And I ask you to wash my sins away.’ ”

We drank the cup and I showed him where to put it but he said, “Can I keep it?” Of course.

So that was my Easter surprise. If I had known we would be celebrating Communion and that Tiernan was going to be in the service, I would have talked in depth with him the night before. Or at least on the way to church. But that’s why it was a surprise! Do I think he fully understood? Ha! I think there are plenty of church regulars who don’t understand communion! How much did he get from it? I don’t know. One of the reasons we celebrate so often is to keep these truths before our eyes, and each time builds on the last - there is no doubt that I understand and appreciate this more now than when I was a new believer. Besides, we distribute the elements but the Holy Spirit has the ministry of making Jesus present in them.

I love the Lord’s Supper! Communion with my Lord, receiving Him! And I pray that this will be a means of grace for Tiernan as well.