A Learned Trust in God - October 3, 2009

Good Saturday morning, good and cold Saturday morning that is! The thermometer is telling me that it's 26° outside this morning. That's a bit cold for October 3rd, but not entirely out of the realm of experience around these parts. Praise the Lord for the first freeze; my allergies are grateful! It's 0430 and I've already fixed a breakfast of pancakes and read the newspaper. Yes, that is too early, but some days I just can't wait to get up and get writing. Trust seems to be the popular subject today. Perhaps, no perhaps about it, I have been guilty of not trusting enough in the past, but I very much want to learn a complete trust in God.

We sometimes think that at our moment of salvation we should be given complete faith and trust in God right then. However, at least in my case, complete trust is something that I must learn. The doubts and fears still creep up on me from time to time each and every day. Of course, there is an agent of this and it isn't my own insecurity that is responsible for all of this doubt. The enemy will try to trip us up from every conceivable and inconceivable angle. You may find a fear nagging at you that you never knew before. The recent economic upheaval probably caught some people by surprise who had never before been subject to fears of poverty or bankruptcy. All of us were reminded that trusting in the world's institutions and our own financial abilities is foolish. We need to learn this trust in God and then cling to it tightly. Look up trust in your Bible's index and seek out the verses telling us to trust in God and not be afraid; there are many.

The cat stopped in for a skritch. I was about to tell him that you were out there depending on me to get this written and sent out, but I realize that not many of you are even awake yet this morning. Insert a pause for a few minutes while I take care of the cat's need. :-)

Back once more! The cat has taken off already; his needs are simple and short-lived. We have a similar attitude about our fellowship with God. We come running to Him with an urgent need; He puts forth His power and solves the immediate need, and then we take off on our own until the next time a trial comes our way. God wants us to be close to Him at all times, to walk with Him and stay by Him. When we run off on our own like that, we become open to temptation and sin.

In my book related to this devotional, I'm calling one chapter "The Cat of a Thousand Examples" It seems that God has sent Capt. Kidd to provide many examples of our own spiritual behavior. The outline was started yesterday and I want to start going through three years of blog postings today as well. If you have the time, go out to http://bucky-dailydevotional.blogspot.com/ and pick out your favorites. The blog is just short of 1,000 posts, in fact that post should occur this month. :-)

Have a great Saturday in Christ!

Bucky

Appearances and Train Conductors - October 2, 2009

Good Friday morning! Also, a happy Oktoberfest to those of you around the Sidney area. Do you have your lederhosen and knickerbockers all ready to go? I'm not quite sure what either of those are, but the appearance is supposedly important for a good Oktoberfest. In this life we often get tied up in appearances. I'm listening to a CD of rarities from the early Pink Floyd, and I do seem to hear a kazoo featured in one song. Many years later the band members might refute that saying that the sound was made by some technical sounding piece of gear: "no, no, we made that sound with a Elkotronics P-1244 phase-locked, dual-loop, 56khz, oscillating synthesizer, not a bloody kazoo!" The listener might not be convinced, but there it is... We tend to worry overmuch at what people might think of our appearance or performance. Some people expect celebrities to look perfect at all times, and then spend a fortune emulating them. Other folks look to magazines to tell them what to wear, eat, own, and think. Of course, blaming the magazine is not the answer. Over the years much good information has come our way through the print media. The problem comes when we start to judge our personal value by what we see in advertisements and articles. If we don't look as good as Patrick Jayne (The Mentalist), we think that something must be wrong with us. I'm picking on that show because it's the last thing I watched last night. However, the point is that we shouldn't try to judge our value by what the media presents to us.

Like many messages, I bring up the subject in the devotional after being hit with it in Bible study group, other devotionals as you will see below, and even in my own personal Bible study. Some messages come from so many sources that even a writer as slow as I am will take the hint and write about the subject. :-) You and I must be having trouble with this appearance thing right now if the Holy Spirit is putting forth that much effort to get our attention! Notice how I include y'all with me in the problem. No one wants to hear God say, "No, it's just you having this problem!" To a greater or lesser degree, we do often share the same problems with sin. Anxiety or depression might try to tell one of us that our problem is unique, but usually that isn't true.

The cat, on the other hand, cares not a whit for appearances. He has decided that a plastic trash bag full of foam peanuts is a great place for a nap. Unfortunately, his mounting of the "bed" makes for quite a spectacle of sound and cat gymnastics as he tries to get each peanut in its proper place. The lesson is that he doesn't give a hoot what it looks or sounds like. Not that we should act like animals, but perhaps we do care a bit too much about appearances. In the love of Jesus, we need to see ourselves and others as God sees us and them.

Which group or type of person do you see as the "least of these"? We may not want to admit it, but when someone asks that question of us, a certain person or persons will come to mind. For me it's train conductors; I'll admit it this morning. They ride around on trains without a care in the world; occasionally pestering the engineer doing the actual driving with absurd demands like: "Turn right!" or "Let's pull into the drive-thru!" If a few cars fall off the track, they lean out of the cab and say something helpful like, "oops". I'm not sure how anyone doesn't look down on train conductors. :-) I'm picking on Rick this morning, but you probably thought of some group or person when I mentioned "the least of these"

Thinking of how Jesus used the phrase in the Bible: how often have we failed to obey our Lord's command by ignoring a person. At times a person's appearance might lead us to consider him or her dumb or stupid, beneath our notice, or of having no value to us. That wasn't our Lord's way, and praise God that He didn't consider any of us beneath His love. Imagine if the blind beggar had considered himself too dirty to believe in Jesus? What if Christ had refused to die for our sins until we promised to take a shower? I have much to learn about sharing the love of Jesus, including learning to love all people and not judging on appearance. A lifetime of training in the world needs to be unlearned, but Jesus is the master at making all things new! Praise God for His patience with me!

Bucky

Jesus' Celebrities - October 1, 2009

Good Thursday morning! Don't get blown away by the breeze today. Calling it a breeze might be a bit of a misnomer. The high wind warnings began early yesterday, but the wind didn't arrive until late last night. Do you suppose the delay was to allow me to complete my giving mission yesterday morning? I believe in the sovereign power of Jesus.

Many organizations and ministries depend upon our giving. Tough economic times for people in general can mean starving times for ministries whose only income arrives in the form of offerings and gifts. Perhaps you and I cannot give as much in tough times, but please don't forget to give. We don't give to get thank you's or to receive recognition and praise, but to store up treasure in Heaven. However, once in a while you and I may get the privilege of giving to a ministry or charity that is in such need that our gift is timed perfectly and received with joy... and we know who arranges for that! The reward of heartfelt gratitude and joy from the recipient should remind us of how we should feel toward God all the time.

By the way, for those of us right here in Western Nebraska, I found out that the food bank has been hit hard lately. If you can give food or money, now would be a good time to get on down there! The Salvation Army Thrift Store on 10th Ave is where to give donations.

I looked at a list of celebrity sightings today on a popular web site, but that only made me wonder about something. Who would be on a list of celebrities if we asked Jesus to publish His list? At times I tend to think that I wouldn't make the list. I haven't done enough or am not good enough, or some other disqualifying thing prevents me from being on the list. Whose list is it anyway? The problem with that kind of thinking is that you and I ain't making the list! Jesus' list of celebrities does include you and me because of what HE has done, not what you and I have or have not done. We wouldn't have time in this life to view a slide show of Jesus' favorite celebrities. Yes, for the most part that list would be quite different from those the world holds up as celebrated. If you and I are saved, born again in Christ, and beloved by Him, we are celebrities in His book.

Enjoy your celebrity in Christ today!

Bucky

Someone is there for You! - September 30, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! The last day of September for this year. Much of 2009 has already passed us by. Longer school days, school open on weekends, less summer vacation... sounds like one of my childhood nightmares! Decades later, it isn't a nightmare, just one of the new plans put up by our President. Perhaps it isn't the amount of time spent in school, but how that time is spent. Just a thought...

I'm slow this morning. I'll blame it on the nice day yesterday. Not a very good reason to be slow, but it's all I can think of at the moment. The wind is supposed to blow hard today, more new weather coming our way. I am grateful for our changing weather; it keeps things from getting too boring. Does it sound like I'm reaching for things to be grateful for? No, we can never run out of things to be grateful for in Christ. Has anyone thanked you for being alive today? You do have a choice in the matter you know. Some people for one reason or another do opt to end their own lives. Let me tell you that I am grateful that you and I are here together. A group e-mail might seem like not the best way to tell someone that; but what happens if no one ever stops to remind you that we are glad that you are here with us in this life? Jesus tells us this often, but He also uses others to remind us that we are loved. In the darkest times in our lives, we find the suffering easier to bear when we know that we are not alone. Whatever you are suffering this morning, if anything, let me remind you that Jesus is glad that you are here with Him. Furthermore, let me remind you that we, your brothers and sisters in Christ, are thinking of you and praying for you on this fine day!

Look up and see the glory of God's creation, it's all there for you!

Bucky

Buttin' Heads - September 29, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! I'm getting that Outlook thing going again on my PC. You never know when I might need a backup method of sending out e-mail devotionals! :-) A lovely morning has dawned today. The air is cool, the cat is parked on his towel, and I'm up and writing the devotional; praise God!

How often do you find yourself butting heads with someone else? Growing up most teenage boys butt heads with their fathers, and probably a few teenage girls test their mother's will. We go through this while growing up until we come to realize that our father's heads are stronger, bigger, wiser, and they did the same thing with their fathers back in the day and aren't about to be taken by surprise in this. In Christ we often tend to go through the same adolescent phase where we try to butt heads with God. Our Lord sends ministers, counselors, teachers and our brothers and sisters in Christ to disciple and teach us. At first, in the child phase of our Christian life, we listen eagerly, absorb all that we can understand and praise God. As we grow into that teen phase, we pay them back for their service by arguing points of scripture, avoiding constructive criticism, and testing the limits of God's patience. The very things we hope to not repeat from our teen years in this life, we tend to repeat when growing in our Christian lives!

Praise God that this is part of growing closer to Christ. We argue points of scripture as we begin to understand more of God's Word. The key in this is not to become angry and to ponder the other viewpoint. Often I have found that my disagreements are not as far away from what my brother in Christ has said in the first place. At other times the Holy Spirit has led me to see the error in my understanding and the correctness of what a sister in Christ has stated. Sometimes the realization comes the other way, and the brother or sister in Christ will see that I have been given understanding. The main point in this comes from God's Word that commands us to submit one to another. As all of us grow to Christian adulthood, there should be no arguments in the media with our brothers in Christ, no backstabbing our sisters in Christ, and certainly no physical altercations.

If you're out in the church parking lot duking it out with Sallie Mae, both of you are in the wrong, period. You have let the anger go too far and need to seek forgiveness. Besides that, if you're a man, you will want to stop that before Sallie Mae lays you out. You don't want to be both wrong AND embarrassed. :-) Okay, so I'm letting my humor run away there. I have never seen an actual fight in church or Bible study, but we have seen heated arguments in churches, and worse, in the media over church doctrine or God's Word. As is often the case, prayer and listening to God will help us to come closer to each other as we grow closer to Christ.

Love your brothers and sisters in Christ!

Bucky

Sometimes it takes a Losing Streak - September 28, 2009

Good Monday morning! Winning may not be everything in this life, but losing for a long time may not be so good either. Congratulations to Detroit. The Lions finally won a pro football game for the first time since December of 2007. Detroit needs some good news, even a little secular good news, in a tough time. Team sports may not be your cup of tea; but when we hear about a long losing streak, I think all of us start rooting for the underdog. Remember the long losing streak that Northwestern University had in college football back in the day? I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when that ended. Riding a long losing streak is often what brings us to Jesus. A sudden traumatic event can do the same thing. Mortal peril has caused many to call out to the Lord. Who is this person who uses our worst situations to bring us to salvation?

Jesus often met people in their worst situation or condition when He walked the lands of Galilee and Judea. Medicine was nearly useless in those days, demonic activity was up front and common, and the ruling teachers and priests burdened the people with a thousand traditions and rules. Jesus healed the sick, cast out the demons, and freed all of us from trying to be perfect before the law. Jesus should have been just as miserable as everyone else in that time. He was born a Jew in Roman occupied Judea, lived under the same conditions and law, and might have died from a dozen childhood illnesses that medicine had no way to stop or cure. Yet the Bible records no illness in his life, that He provided funds to pay the temple tax, and told his followers to give Caesar his due. Jesus observed the requirements of the Law including the holy days. However, upon fulfilling the Law, Jesus didn't come back to tell us "See, it can be done!" No, he came back and gave us the Holy Spirit and freedom from the penalty of sin.

Even with the Gospel to tell us that we are free only in Jesus, some of us seem to need a reminder that we cannot save ourselves with our own strength and abilities. It is in the worst situation that we come to realize our weakness and our need for God's salvation. Jesus didn't live the perfect life to put us down, but to become the final and perfect sacrifice for our sins. God doesn't use the tragedies of this world to torture us, but to make us realize our sorry condition in this sinful life. A person might seem successful in this life, but deep down that same person might be coming to the realization that his life is nothing but a long losing streak without Jesus. Let's be ready to help point the way!

Bucky

No Lies! - September 25, 2009

Good Friday morning! What makes up a lie? Why am I even worried about such a thing on a foggy Friday? Perhaps its the trick you often run into on Internet commerce sites. You know the one where an item page says "in stock", but when you go to check out the item is listed as "we ain't got none, and don't even try to backorder!" We run into situations fairly often where someone says or indicates that they will "be there", but when the day arrives, fails to show up. Are these lies or simply changes in stock or situation? As always, we should look at it from the other person's point of view. If an emergency or sudden illness occurs, a person might not get the time to notify us of their change in plans. Millions of people, at least the web site owner hopes it's millions, may be trying to order some item at the same time. Many of us know from our time at the big C that inventory levels can change moment by moment; kind of like my cat - here one moment, gone the next.

A lie is a deliberate sin; one in which we will have that moment of choice where the Holy Spirit reminds us of what we are about to do. A company that runs out of stock is not lying, but a con man who advertises an item, takes the money for orders, and has no intention of fulfilling the orders is a liar. A person who says "I'll be there!" but already knows that he or she will be at an appointment in Vladivostok at the same time is not telling the truth. Maybe the appointment isn't quite that exotic, but you know what I mean. :-)

We can also lie by deception. This deceiving is usually accomplished with what Scott Adams called weasel words. Not sure what he has against weasels, but there you go. A few years ago we had quite a few cases of deception from CEO's in the news. A spokesperson might indicate that the company had a "plan to become profitable", leaving out that the plan used dream interpretation, astrology, and wishful thinking to project reaching profitability around the year 2352. The company knew that turning a profit was a pipe dream, but led the investors into thinking that the imagined profit was a part of some five or ten year plan. Today, even though hundreds or even thousands of CEO's are quite honest, we tend to associate "CEO" with "crook". I'm even going to use it in my novels. A hundred years from now, if Jesus doesn't come first that is, a person might wonder why we assumed that all CEO's were crooks. An old timer might say, "We'll that's an interesting story. You see there were a few greedy corporations around the year 2000..."

Honesty starts with making the right choice. Trust in Jesus to guide you!

Bucky

Share the Joy! - September 27, 2009

Good Sunday morning! We have a freeze warning for tonight. Is autumn over already? What is your joy dependent upon? This morning, I heard a sociologist put forward the point that our joy is dependent upon sharing that joy with others. What if you and I are not feeling any joy at the moment? First of all, we may not be feeling happy, but joy is not a passing feeling. You may be feeling sad, and I may be feeling depressed, and Joe Bob may be feeling a little irritated, but all of us need to share our joy with others to feel the good feeling that joy brings into our lives. Joy can bring happiness, contentment, and above all, more joy! However, we cannot get more joy unless we share the joy God has already given to us. Our container of joy can dry up from a lack of use, but it can never be emptied through sharing. As we share, God pours more into us; our cup of joy will literally run over!

I found that to be true in my devotional writing. Some of you will know that this summer I went through a time where I did not write on the weekends. The reason was that "they" are all going to church anyway... said the man who has trouble going to any meeting of more than a dozen or so. Yeah, not very good reasoning there. I may have listened too closely to the suggestions of someone else in that case, a certain adversary of ours. Sharing this devotional helps me to have joy, on the weekends and the weekdays. Without sharing you might say that I set myself up for a weak day.(ouch!) It isn't my place to say who is going where or whether this will be read or not; it is my place to share the joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ!

The only way to make sure this will be read by everyone on any particular day is to make some outrageous gaff; not something I want to do. :-) It's much more fun to share some insight or joy that God has given me on a fine morning. I will let the Holy Spirit worry about who is reading the e-mail or blog. I'm sure that pastors feel like they are preaching to the air on some Sundays, but that doesn't steal their joy. Our joy is based on Jesus, not on how we feel. You may feel down one day, but don't let that be a reason for not sharing your joy in Jesus!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Bucky

Leave the Old Boat Behind! - September 24, 2009

Good Thursday morning! Houston! We have a problem! The contacts won't load on Google mail. I didn't think that I would ever need to memorize everyone's e-mail address, but it seems that I may have to work on that. The men's Bible study group started up last night and we had quite a few men there. Praise God! This year, 1 Peter is our book to concentrate on. Be prepared for lessons learned and insights gained to be passed on to you in the devotional. Sorry, but memorizing a bunch of e-mail addresses was not one of the lessons from last night. We did go over the incident in Peter's life where he had the courage to get out of the boat and walk on water. He did sink, but not in the manner that you and I would if we stepped out of a boat a few feet short of the dock.

You would have been proud of me last night. When introducing myself, I held back on mentioning my former employer and other comments that came to mind. Stepping out of the boat and walking to Jesus may involve leaving something behind. Relationships that God has decided to end - such as your employer telling you to hit the trail - might need to be left behind in that boat. Jesus may even have a new boat for you to sail, or He may simply say "Walk with me!" At times we may wish for a do-over, but Jesus would remind us that we are starting over in Him. Getting back into your old boat may not be part of God's plan for your life. People have occasionally asked me about going back to my former employer or job. However, I have noticed that God does not often send his children back. Jesus might tell us that if He wanted us there, He would not have brought us out in the first place. :-)

Peter only began to sink when he looked at the wind and waves instead of Jesus. In getting out of our old boats, we must do the same thing. Looking at our problems and conditions will cause us to despair and sink. Looking at our Lord and Savior will cause us to rise above the waves of world and personal problems... including all the notices from G-mail about connection problems and such. I'm staying out of that old boat, but some of the knowledge gained may help me to get this e-mail sent out this morning! :-) When leaving our old boat and moving on with Jesus, He will use the knowledge and experience we have from our old life. I have often thought that my IT knowledge is what He wants, but perhaps the whole point of all those years was not the technical knowledge, but the relationships and interaction with people. Sometimes we look out the wrong side of the boat...

Bucky

Where do I fit in? - September 23, 2009

Good morning on this cool, wet Wednesday! What place do we take in each other's lives? Should Christians put others first or second? The answer is not first, God must take first place in our lives and hearts. Second place then? Jesus told us to love others as we love ourselves, so second place tie at best. However, we also may have spouses and family. Certainly we wouldn't expect our brothers in Christ to put us ahead of their wives. We would not expect a Christian mother to put us ahead of her children, not even on a day when the child's behavior is so bad that she is seriously contemplating how much the kid might sell for on E-bay. :-) How about the church? Should a friend in Christ put us ahead of the church as a whole? No, for we serve the body of Christ while we serve individual friends. We sometimes think that we should put others ahead of ourselves, but then we run into what Jesus told us again. Paul told us to think of others as better than ourselves, but that is to keep us humble, not to love them more than we love ourselves. So where do we fit in this scheme of things?

This is one where it might be best to turn that question around. Why do we think we have to be ranked somewhere in the affections of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Much of the issue is already decided anyway. God must be first in the lives of all Christians or they cannot claim the title of Christ-one. Of course our brothers and sisters in Christ will put their spouse ahead of friends and other obligations, or they will not long be married. Children must be cared for daily, whereas an adult friend should certainly be able to care for himself. None of this is to say that when an event or emergency occurs that we won't rush to the aid of a friend. The devil would like us to believe that we take a distant place in the lives of our friends in Christ. This could not be less true and is a part of our adversary's strategy of dividing us from one another. The adversary's ultimate goal is to separate us from God. The Bible makes it clear that nothing can separate us from God's love. The only thing that will separate us from God is our own decision to walk away. Believe in Jesus and there will be no separation. Don't worry about some imaginary ranking in the love of other Christians. If you have a serious need, the Holy Spirit will make sure that you have a prominent place in the hearts and prayers of your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Every one of us has a special place in the heart of Lord and Savior!

Bucky

Armor and Fortress - September 21, 2009

Good Monday morning! Something has stolen our warmth! The sound of the wind this morning reminded me of winter; the sight of rain and moving trees reminds me that autumn begins today, in spite of what the calendar says. Yesterday, the warmth of summer in the pasture; today, the cool, wet, and wind of autumn. Has someone or some event stolen your warmth? Do you find it harder to meet new people because your past is littered with incidents of: confidence scams, threats, intimidation, and even physical abuse? Perhaps your past meetings have been difficult but not quite so serious as all of that. We all have faced ridicule, embarrassment, and scorn from those we have met, or even the loss of those we have met and come to love. At times it may seem better just to stop meeting new people or making new friends. The rewards of having a new friend may not seem to be worth the cost of what has and may happen to us. What has happened doesn't change, but our dwelling on it makes our adversary quite happy. What may happen is in God's hands, but we are too willing to visualize the potential bad things in our future. This also makes our adversary quite happy.

When going out, I often find a fear nagging at me. If I don't dwell on that fear, another one appears to take its place. I don't particularly want to dwell on this kind of thing in my mind, but it seems to come in waves like some kind of spiritual attack. Ah ha! I may be onto something there. I began to call it the fear du jour; as in: what is the fear du jour for this day? Yes, our adversary, who as Peter reminds us, stalks about like a roaring lion, does not want us to get out into his world.

Christians can become like a village in the bush that has been terrorized by lions too much. The villagers build a wall of thorns to keep the lions out, but succeed also in keeping themselves in. While the harvest rots in the fields, the terrified villagers hunker down inside their thorny wall. The Bible reminds us that God is our fortress, and we know that He is not stuck in one place. We are also to put on the full armor of someone. Body armor like a police officer might wear? Full military garb? No, you know that this is the full armor of God. Not only is God our fort, He also provides armor for us to stand guard, patrol, pray, read, write, speak, and to go out into enemy-held territory, whatever our calling is in Christ.

As you start a new workweek, know that God does not build a hedge about you to keep you in, but to provide a secure place to talk to Him and to learn from him. Our thorny place may keep the lion out, but unlike the poor villagers, it is not fixed in place and works no matter where we may find our calling leading us to in this world. We will find that attacks are battering at the hedge and our armor as we go forth to work on God's harvest.

Enjoy the coming of autumn!

Bucky

A New Light - September 20, 2009

Good Sunday morning! When thinking of the commandments in the Bible we often think that the first commandment starts with "Thou shalt" However, looking in Genesis, we find the first spoken commandment by God is "Let there be light" This light is not the light we commonly see from the sources around us. The sun and moon were not created until later. In Eden there seems to have been another light. We see the stars and moon at night, we see the sun in the daytime and we have all manner of other forms of light in the modern world. If all of those lights were extinguished, we would have some serious darkness, often called "total". What if this other light were to shine though; that light that God created first but seems to have been lost somewhere? Isaiah foretold a new light coming into the darkness when he spoke of Messiah; "Those living in darkness have seen a great light." He wasn't speaking to cave people and certainly the people back in the day had the same sun and moon as we have now. So what is this other light? A light that shines when all others are dark, I want some of that!

We have learned in various ways that good people can do bad things; we also learn that bad people can do good things. So why do we need salvation if even bad people can do good things? First, bad and good as we tend to judge others is a relative measure. One bug can call another bug good or bad based on its actions, but they are both still bugs. The Bible does not say that all people are bad or good, but that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard. If you were born of Adam, and all of us were, then you have sinned even before that first conscious decision was made. Doesn't seem fair, does it? Even if that were not true, all of us have at one time or another committed a sin. We like to call some of them little sins, but sin is sin. Children of rebels and rebels ourselves, we have all fallen short of God's standard which is perfection. We don't know the way to gain salvation, the truth about our condition, or what life is in truth. We don't have God's first light and we are lost in the darkness. What are we to do?

The answer is one man and one God. Jesus came on the scene and fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy. Two statements make the choice clear. Jesus said: "I am the light of the world" and "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Jesus is that light seen in the darkness, the one not dependent upon sun or moon. Jesus doesn't know the way or point to the way; He IS the way. Jesus pointed out the truth of our condition, much to the discomfiture of the Pharisees, and created the way to have life in Him. The choice is to scoff at his bold statements and not believe in Him, or to stand with Him and believe. One way offers eternal condemnation, the other eternal life. Adam and Eve decided to lean on their own understanding, believed a serpent, and brought sin into the world. Jesus had God's wisdom, told the serpent to go away, and brought the light of his life into the world. Praise God for a new day in Christ!

Bucky

Burnin' Right Through! - September 18, 2009

Good Friday morning! As of this morning, you can use $1,014.49 per ounce to figure how much your weight is worth in gold. That seems like a lot of money to pay for a one ounce block of metal to set in your safe. In reading the Bible verse for Pastor Rogers' message this morning, it is interesting that while the world calls gold an inert and incorruptible metal, the Bible says something different. From our science classes we know that gold is valued for its properties: it doesn't tarnish or rust, you can store it in sea water and it will not fade, acid won't eat it like most metals, and it conducts electricity very well. Gold is also relatively rare. At least it is in my house. You could melt the gold off my entire supply of jewelry in but a few moments and it would be far short of an ounce. I'm not even sure what solid gold is. This only makes me just like most everyone else. Few people in the world will ever have so much as an ounce of gold to hold in their hands. For the most part, we are much more concerned with having enough money to buy food, clothing, shelter, and many other needs. A starving person cannot eat a chunk of gold, and a thirsty person cannot drink a gold coin. Gold will not save a person, no matter how much we give away in an attempt to please God. We can buy things with gold, but they are even more corruptible and temporary. Gold apparently is not the answer to many of our deepest needs.

Sharing is the way to fulfill a need to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We began our six-week course on sharing last night. It will take us longer than six weeks due to taking time off to fellowship together a time or two, but we will learn more about sharing through the Holy Spirit. I must share something that happened last night. In the group, one of our members had the courage to confess something deep. That is not easy to do even in a group of people you are familiar with. The Holy Spirit placed the desire to make a bold request in prayer upon my heart. I remember thinking: "Okay, Lord. If you want me to make that request, have Burt call on me to lead the prayer." Now you know that I should know better than to ask for signs like that. :-) Burt hesitated not in the slightest before calling me to obey the Lord and make that request public. The Holy Spirit of God moves among us. Now that is something of great value! I had to get up early this morning just to make sure that I shared that in the devotional. Sometimes the light of Jesus burns right through any bushel basket we try to put over it!

Praise the Lord for sharing in His holy name!

Bucky

It's all About the People - September 16, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! The sirens are going off on the other side of town; I always hope that no one is hurt when I hear that noise. Why, you might ask? Because it's all about the people. Even those I do not know and have never seen are loved by God. Persons who I like or dislike; those who make me feel good and those who would rather I jump in a fast-moving current, all are loved by God. We cannot scan through a crowd of strangers and know who will be in Heaven and who will not, but God knows each and every one of them. My books may be made up of fictional characters, but the stories are still about people. Whatever genre of reading or movies you enjoy, the stories are about people too. Robots and insects are odd images of us in some movies, but everything still comes down to people. Our relationships with each other and the world we live in, and the most important relationship, or lack thereof, with God our Father in Heaven.

I think back at times to the moments that I met a person in passing and failed them. Not even a "God bless" or "Praise Jesus!" coming out just when I might have lifted someones day. However, we won't always fail and we must trust in God to save those who will choose to come to Jesus. Writing, reading, praying, speaking, and loving: it's all about people and God. All of us 'peoples' need salvation from the one true God. Pray for those around you and love them as Jesus loves them.

Better news and a link I promised to pass on - http://www.blurb.com/bookstore In the bookstore search for "Nohr" and you will get a page with four books. There used to be five, but one of them seems to have become a collector's item. Burt, save the pink one! Seriously, these books are written by none other than my sister, Kerri. The original copies I purchased a couple of months ago are receiving some good reviews around here. You should spend a few bucks and give them a try.

God bless!

Bucky

Far, Far Away - September 15, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! I read an interview with a college coach this morning wherein he complained that because the college had turned itself in to the NCAA and punished the staff and students involved that they should be free of further punishment. Do you suppose that would work with God? Somehow I don't think so. For one thing if turning ourselves in and levying our own punishment upon ourselves would work, then Jesus need not have died for our sins. Secondly, who would choose eternal punishment in Hell as fitting for their own sin? Not me, I'm quite sure that I would let myself off somewhat easier than that. We can turn ourselves in, we have to in fact to repent of our sins, but we cannot decide our own punishment. Instead we turn ourselves in and beg for mercy and forgiveness.

While a human organization such as the NCAA will never catch every rules violation, God already knows of our every sin. Turning ourselves in is only the beginning of forgiveness. We may still suffer punishment even though the price for all of our sins has been paid for by Jesus. At the same time, God will not constantly remind us of sins already forgiven. In this life, you may hear about a humiliating mistake at times for the remainder of your earthly life. People often delight in extended psychological torture; we sometimes call it "going home" or "visiting my hometown." Each of us have had it happen to us: "I remember the time you..." and the torturer will tighten the rack of memory another notch. God doesn't bring up old sins in that manner. The Bible tells us that once a sin is forgiven, God puts it as far from him as the east is from the west. I like to be reminded of that, especially when old sins are paraded through my memory. Trust in God and leave your old sins where He has put them; far, far away.

Have a wonderful day in Jesus!

Bucky

Glorify God Today - September 14, 2009

Good Monday morning! Since I am once again slow getting started on a Monday morning, most of you are probably already at work and wondering when I'm going to get to it. The answer is now of course! I have much to work on today, and it's time to get started. Yesterday I didn't have much to say, so what will I write today to the glory of God the Father? I find it a good goal to have each day; do something to glorify God. Did you know that while the various anti-Christs and their father demand worship to glorify themselves, God demands worship for our own good? God is God as He told Moses back in the day when He said, "I Am that I Am!" Our worship will not make Him any more God than He is already. However, our worship and obedience will make us better and more like our Lord Jesus. Even the angels refused worship when delivering messages in the Bible saying, "worship only God!"

Doing something to glorify God each day is a form of worship. If we spend each day glorifying ourselves then we have entered into pride. Since we know that pride won't get us any closer to God, I choose to glorify God! We yearn for a choice in this life where so much is forced upon us. There you have it. God doesn't force anyone to believe in Him or worship Him, but doing both is a good option to choose. I love the Lord and choose to believe in and worship only Him!

Have a wonderful Monday in Christ!

Bucky

A Christ-one First! - September 11, 2009

Good Friday morning! What is a common question to ask of persons when getting to know them? Please don't send answers to that. I'm sure there are as many different questions as there are curious people in the world. One common one that I hear is: what church does he/she go to? Which is followed by some comment like: oh, so he/she's a Catholic/Methodist/Lutheran etc. Why wouldn't any of us be a Christian first? All of us should strive to first live as Christians and let it be known that we follow Christ first in our lives. Certainly we have found by now that a person can be a denomination-ist without being a Christian. Simply attending a certain church building on a regular basis and agreeing to become a member can make one some kind of 'ic, 'ist, 'an, or even an 'al, like a Pentacostal or Evangelical. It's easy to be one of those, no one has to surrender to anyone to pick up those labels. Becoming a Christ-one though, that's a different story. The Christ, Jesus, will not take second place in our lives. He is Lord. We surrender our lives to Him and He sends His own Holy Spirit to dwell in us. Any of us can become a member of a denomination or church by simply saying "Okay". But to become a Christian, we must first accept Jesus as Lord.

The problem mentioned earlier comes when Christians forget to be Christians first. We might want to remember to answer the question of where we attend services with: I am a Christian and I attend this church. We might introduce a friend as: "This is John, he's a Presbyterian." The better way would be to introduce John by putting his faith in Christ first, "This is John; He is a Christian and attends the Presbyterian church." Perhaps we can even get to the point where we are happy to make the introduction, "This is Burt, my brother in Christ!" The denomination or church Burt attends can be, pardon the pun, attended to later. The answer might also be found by asking yourself: what do you want to be known as? Try this, pretend you are being introduced to God before His throne. Would you want Jesus to introduce you as a Protestant or Catholic? I'm thinking that all of us would want our Lord to introduce us as one of His own, a Christ-one!

Bucky

The Debt has been Paid - September 9, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! Whoohoo! The holiday weekend is over and the "buy me!" e-mails are back with a vengeance! Okay, so that may be the wrong thing to get happy about this morning. I had a long talk with an old friend last night and a prayer breakfast with the guys from life group yesterday morning. In both cases, I found out that things at the Big C are not as bad as rumor has painted them. Call it what you will, but I call that an answer to prayer! :-) Throw it out there, run it up the flagpole, but I think it's time that we saw some good news in the job market too! Tell the government to quit throwing money around like they own Ft. Knox and let's get America back to work. What? They do own Ft. Knox? Oh, well, the new administration doesn't have to spend it all away even if gold did hit $1,000 per ounce yesterday.

The spending ways of our elected officials reminds me of the story about ol' Sven and Ole. If you're from the north, you might remember the old Sven and Ole stories. To cut it short and to the chase, Sven and Ole stories were about two dudes who weren't, shall we say, the most wise and intelligent gentlemen of their community. The one in question is about writing a check as a opposed to actually having money in the bank. Ole got a new checkbook, learned how to write a check, and proceeded to spend checks like there was no tomorrow. Of course, the punch line goes something like; "vat do you mean, balance ze checkbook?"

Speaking of debts that we cannot pay... how long do you think it would take each of us to pay what we owe for our sins? Would we even know where to start? Some might answer, and I have seen this in books and movies, that one good deed equals one bad deed or sin. The theory is that somehow a person can balance his spiritual bankbook by making up for whatever sins lurk in his checkered past. How would we know in the first place that giving money to someone in need could possibly make up for embezzling money from an employer, for example? What if you got to the pearly gates and it turns out that you forgot the exact amount you embezzled and came up short by a few bucks? I suppose the closest biblical equivalent is the system of sacrifices God laid out in the Mosaic law. However, this system didn't particularly work as I recall. Actually, the idea of sacrifices goes back before Moses, but that isn't what we're getting at here. Dead animals could never make up for sin unless God allowed it. So even under the system of sacrifices it was God's grace that "made up for" sin rather than something we could do.

No, I think that I like the grace of God better. For one thing I know that the sacrifice of Jesus was perfect and sufficient for the debt owed. God's grace is not dependent upon how well I perform my good deeds, nor is it tied to how many good deeds I do in my lifetime. God's grace can't be taken away by the powers in this world or those in the unseen places, to paraphrase the Apostle Paul. Since we cannot possibly earn it, God has also given His grace to us as a gift. I didn't know the way to salvation, but when I turned to Jesus I found that He is the Way. I didn't know how much to pay for my sin, but in Christ I found the debt had already been paid.

Look up, rejoice, and enjoy a grateful day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Trusting God to use Our Mistakes - September 8, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! Labor Day is over and back to laboring we go! :-) Some go to a labor of love and others to just labor. Have you ever tried to explain your reason or wish to trust only in God and then blown it by saying too much? I did just recently and I do regret it. For all of us, it is far too easy to answer the call of reliance on God with the world's methods and means. For example: "I am trusting in God; what else am I going to do?" The last part leads a worldly person to answer with things like finding another job, setting up a business, and other things that may not be what God would have a person to do. Such things may not even be possible in this economy or at this time. However, what is worse is adding that little question makes God sound like a last resort when I want to let the world know that trusting in God is my first and best hope. Well, I apologized to God a lot this weekend for that, and asked forgiveness for that slip of the tongue. What did I hear from the Holy Spirit? "I'll take care of it, you make sure to keep going out there."

In our witness, we can and probably will screw up from time to time. God can use our mistakes as well as our talents in spreading the Good News. What we cannot do is stop reaching out to someone that God has sent our way. It would be easy for any of us to say: "I'm not going to try witnessing any more, I just mess up every time I open my mouth!" Wrong answer; there was one perfect witness in Jesus Christ, the rest of us must trust in Him and learn from our mistakes. I like this one: "My grace is sufficient for you; my strength is made perfect in your weakness." God said that to Paul when the great apostle had a moment of self-pity, not unlike what you and I do at times.

Have a better day in Christ Jesus; trust in Him completely!

Bucky

No Conditions! - September 6, 2009

Good Sunday morning on this fine Labor Day weekend. My mind seems to be a bit wandering this morning, probably the sleep wasn't all that I had hoped it would be last night. The question I have this morning is: Does our love have conditions? If your love of another person requires that the person also love you, then that love is not like Christ's love. Some people like pets because "they love you back." If our love requires that the object return our love, then it is not like Jesus' love for us. What if a person decides not to love another because they haven't been introduced, or don't know them well enough, or they are from a foreign land? We have heard all of these reasons before, perhaps we have used them in our own denials. Praise God that Jesus didn't wait until He had met everyone before dying for our sins! Praise God that Jesus made no excuses for loving every person: past, present, and future. Jesus prayed for those who refused to believe in Him, those who believed but didn't understand his mission, and even for those of us not yet born when He knelt in prayer in Gethsemane. Thank you, Lord, for loving me without condition!

Bucky

No Security Here - September 5, 2009

Good Saturday morning! The Labor Day weekend is underway, and I can also report one more set of neighbors on the road. Maybe the traveling for this weekend won't be as bad as I thought. Then again, maybe more folks decided to travel because they figure their job might be gone by Thanksgiving. The job situation does look rough, especially if you define your worth by your job, or perhaps worse, your job title. The LWF devotional has a few words from the late Pastor Rogers about defining our worth by what we see in the world as opposed to remembering whom we belong to. Jesus died for me, not because I held a good job for almost 20 years, or served in the military, or even because of [in spite of?] what I look like. Jesus died for you and me because He values us above even the perfect life He lived on this earth. Let that sink in for a moment...

Jesus lived the perfect life to save all of us. Did He stop for a moment and do an end-zone victory dance? Did He run down and crow in the devil's face? Nope, He lived again and gave us life. Did Jesus tell a parable where someone in the story would not believe even if a person returned from the dead to tell them the Good News? Why yes, he did! We know that many still refused to believe even as Jesus walked the earth in His risen form. He was so glorious that even Mary Magdalene had trouble recognizing him. What a great weekend to take a moment or two and think about our risen Lord! Now, isn't that a lot more comfortable and encouraging than thinking about your job and the vapor-ish security we have in our earthly employers?

Trust only in God, live for Him!

Bucky

Trust and Jobs - Sept 4, 2009

This morning I walked in the fog. The noises from the interstate were muted and the trains don't seem to be running this morning. A diesel pickup truck half a mile away could be heard clearly and a few steps in gravel were enough to make me feel like apologizing to sleeping folks. Of course if the walk had been in one of those movies, I would have heard footsteps behind me and turned to see... nothing! As we don't live in a movie, I walked in the near silence and thought about trusting in God completely. We all need frequent reminders of where to place our faith these days.

God has not left the scene and He is still sovereign. While so many are out of work, God has not thrown in the towel on His great work. Many wags are predicting years until we see recovery of lost jobs. Try holding a national revival. Let the nation return to God, and watch how quickly we see prosperity and employment return. Until we come back to the worship of God and belief in His Son, we as a nation may suffer. This will not be comfortable news to those who do not believe in Jesus. While we do need words of comfort, we cannot deny that our nation has allowed sin to flourish in many ways.

So, starting the weekend on that very non-comforting note doesn't seem quite right either, but I don't take it back. No matter what happens in the world around us, we may just have to be like the little, green farm in Pastor Schuller's story this morning. We may be surrounded by a desert of sin and unbelief, but God is our rock and our support. We have nothing to fear and a whole desert to minister to! We have Jesus in our hearts and each other in our prayers. Live gently in Christ on this fine holiday weekend!

Bucky

Walk Without Fear - September 2, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! The paper is full of back to school stuff this morning...as though kids need to be reminded. It's kind of like a big, black cat parked in front of your computer screen. When the thing is a fact of life, you don't need to be reminded of the obvious. :-) "Meow!" Yeah, get out of the way, you!

Another nice, autumn-like morning today. I hope you have the chance to get out in it by your own choice. Some of you are already headed to work. Somehow the condition of the morning just didn't sink in when crossing the parking lot to go to work. The alternative was to let it register and regret having to go in on such a nice morning. Now I can walk the morning trail without fear of getting started late. Walking without fear; that is something we should do in every situation. Have you ever managed to walk without fear at all times and in all circumstances? Me neither. Jesus tells us to obey his commands and one of those commands is to not be afraid. Once again we seem to find ourselves not living up to God's glorious standard, Jesus.

Take courage though, the removal of our fear is a part of the Holy Spirit's work in us. One day you and I will meet Jesus face to face and He will take away the last part of our fear and sorrow. Today, God can use our current imperfect condition to bring glory to His name. He once told Paul that His strength was made glorious in Paul's weakness. Our fear can cause many bad behaviors in this world, but it can also lead us to seek God. And Jesus promised us that he who seeks will find. What happens of course is that we turn in our seeking Jesus and find that He has been there all the time, waiting for us to turn from our self-rightness to His righteousness. The grace of Jesus is sufficient for you and me.

Enjoy the day! Live in Jesus.

Bucky

Words of Comfort - September 1, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! At first I wanted to write on rebellion today, but that isn't very comforting in these difficult times. All of us are familiar with that subject as well, probably spending no small amount of time in wondering why we have such a problem with that in our lives. However, better news for us all. Last night I asked God for words of comfort and received an answer. That answer was Isaiah 41:9-12. If you could have been inside my head last night, you would realize just how perfectly this passage of scripture fits. Of course, God was inside my head last night and He knew exactly what was needed to quiet the storm.

"I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

"See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and ashamed. Anyone who opposes you will die.
You will look for them in vain. They will all be gone!" (Isaiah 41:9-12, NLT)

My enemies at the moment are not other men or women, but God can certainly "kill off" the problems and obstacles that we face. Enemies in the spirit realm? God can take care of those too. My enemies may simply be my own fears and weaknesses. God says they will die. Verses 9 and 10 are the most comforting to me. How great does it feel to have God let you know that first: you are called, and second: He will not toss you away? Wonderful indeed! Of course each of us could take verse 10 alone and put it over our desk at work or home. All of us together could not count how many believers throughout history have been encouraged and strengthened by God simply telling each of us: "Don't be afraid, for I am with you..."

Rest in the grace and comfort of God,

Bucky

Trust in God...and Wait! - August 31, 2009

Good Monday morning! The final day of August for 2009 and the Broncos lost again. Sidney lost on Friday night; so we had a bit of a losing weekend in the football arena. It's a good thing Nebraska didn't play yet. :-) I enjoyed a good trudge today; the mornings are getting on the cool side up here on the high plains. The message to me on my walk this morning? Hold on: trust in God only, not in "I". If you take a look at the Hour of Power devotional this morning, you will see that someone else got the same message.

How many times do you trust in "I"? As in "I" can do this, and "I" can change that, or if things work out, "I" will be successful. We tend to bang around that "I" word so much that we forget who "I" is trusting in when "I" throws down the plans and schemes. The Bible reminds us often to trust in God, and not in our own abilities and understanding. What is so hard about trusting in God? Waiting. When things look tough or just downright bad, we have a lot of trouble waiting on God. We seem to be wired to take off in every direction trying different ideas, and probably wasting a lot of effort and resources. I have noticed that God doesn't always reveal His plans and means to us until the event or action occurs. This is probably to keep us from mucking up the plans He has already set in motion. Can we mess up God's plans and opportunities for ourselves? Yes, God may send help and each of us has the choice to refuse it. We can miss opportunities and in general make things worse by not listening to the Holy Spirit. When we gained salvation by believing in Jesus, we didn't lose the ability to make choices. A choice gives us the opportunity to follow Jesus, or to go the wrong way. How do we find out the way God wants us to go? Prayer and quiet time with Jesus.

Enjoy the new week and share the Good News of Jesus!

Bucky

Share the Week? - August 28, 2009

Good Friday morning! Yes, the day is here at last. Friday, the end of the work week for most folks; the start of another great weekend. What makes the weekend so great? The drudgery of the week of course! :-) In thinking about work, I often wonder if work must be the thing that this world makes it to be? When Adam began his first toil the cursed ground brought forth inedible thorns and weeds. Adam had to put forth the sweat of his brow in order to eat. That sounds much like what work is in these times many thousands of years later. However, we have been redeemed. The price of sin paid for by the blood of Jesus; who said, "my yoke is easy and my burden light." That sounds like our work for Jesus should be enjoyable, not something we hate. The work does still belong under a yoke though. Doing work for Jesus doesn't mean that we goof off all the time.

Work should give each of us a sense of accomplishment. Work should be something we look forward to each day, with the exception of the one set aside to worship God. Do we have to work six days for an employer then? Certainly not. You may find that you can get by on less days per week at a job and do other work on the days off. We seem to have too many employees in America right now, perhaps the time has come to share the work week in some cases. I realize that ideas of this kind might make me a wild-eyed radical in some circles. :-) Could you see sharing a job with someone? One person works 3-10 hour days and then the other person works the next three, with the shop or office closed on the seventh day. Something a little different for folks to think about today! :-0

Have a wonderful Friday in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

A Singular Great Idea - August 27, 2009

Good Thursday morning! There is some confusion in that as I took off early this morning after reading today's paper last night. For a bit after coming back from the grocery store, I was firmly convinced this day was actually Friday. Working in the cubicle world as I did back in the day, a revelation like "today's only Thursday" would have been the death knell for the day. As it is, I have one more day this week to accomplish great things in Christ! :-) So the question came to me while reading the news this morning: what can I do for all those people out of work and with exhausted jobless benefits? I can pray for all of them; but am I missing something? We all want to do something directly, but none of us have the resources to solve the problems of unemployment and impending poverty. The savings rate is up in America - certainly due to people who have jobs and money saving as much as they can right now. I'm also sure that nearly every jobless person wants to work for their living; handouts are hard to take when a person is perfectly capable of working.

Is there something I can do to put people back to work? Can I win some lottery and put the funds to use in making jobs for all those who want to work? Actually, taking care of everyone is neither my job nor our government's. We all, whether acknowledged or not, depend on God. Jesus explains in the Bible that God takes care of all of us, even the lilies of the field. It is not my job to take God's place in taking care of folks, unemployed, retired, or working hard as they may be on this day. Does God have a great idea that will put everyone back to work? Yes, I hear that He does. But like most of His great ideas, it's a God-sized idea and it will be implemented by God himself. I say "most" only in that sometimes God does give an individual one of His great ideas and allows that person to work for God's own glory. I don't have a great idea that will put everyone back to work, with perhaps one exception - turn to Jesus!

The world scoffs at such an idea, relegating it to the heap of "religious nut cases" and other derogatory terms. Take a good study of our history or the history of Israel. When the people turned to God, the nation prospered. I'm sure that will work on an individual basis as well. You may not become rich, but God will take care of every need.

Trust in God, believe in Jesus, and watch your outlook turn to the better!

Bucky

Musings - August 26, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! There seems to be some small confusion about the date today. Devotionals and MSNBC say it's August 26, but the website of our dear local newspaper puts the current e-edition at August 25. The cat doesn't care either way, as long as I don't use the discrepancy as an excuse to skip his morning skritch. I'm being manipulated by a couple of little, black paws right now. Aaah, fall must be approaching, the cat wants to cuddle up to me; a sure sign that the mornings are getting cooler. Speaking of cool; how cool would it be to live in a church? I looked at one yesterday, but when I saw how much it cost to heat the place each month, I realized that it would have to be cool for me to live there, perhaps even downright cold. Ouch! The pasture is pretty green right here; it might be a good time to just stay put.

Good news: employers plan on hiring full-time positions in the next year. That will be good news for some, though other reports seem to indicate that not all the positions lost will be regained in the job market. The question for this year might be: will Christmas be jolly without lots of spending and buying? For those thinking that Christmas has become too secular, this will be a good year to go easy on the presents. We like buying and giving gifts to one another, so I don't advocate stopping the practice. However, it will be much better for us to concentrate more on the gift given to all of us on that great day so long ago - the Christ child.

The cat is very affectionate today. Should I expect a cold weekend or what? Today my goal, God willing, is to get some of the many ideas I have floating around on scraps of paper and voice recordings onto or into print. Time for the neighbor's herd to be shepherded to school. Time for me to get to it myself.

God be with you,

Bucky

What's Done is Done - August 25, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! The weather out here has cooled off once again with clouds and rain to go along with it. This has been one of the nicer summers we have ever seen in this area. No doubt someone is bemoaning the lack of electrical utility revenue lost due to the lower use of air conditioners this year. I see that wind generators, not the huge ones you see traveling throughout the Midwest, but the smaller ones for one farm or home, are becoming much more available. With some of them running as much as 12 grand before installation, you probably won't seem them popping up on too many homes just yet, but it'sa comin'!

A while ago I heard the statement, euphemism, platitude; whatever you want to call it that "what's done is done." True, but I thought that we might want to add a bit more to that saying. For example; "What's done is done: Thank you Lord for the suffering I have endured!" Using this as opposed to wallowing in the pit of "I wish this or that had not happened to me" helps to heal the emotional or psychological hurts from our past. How 'bout this one: "What's done is done: praise God that I can grow right here!" This reminds us that God has brought us to this location and time. Not for the purpose of running away, but for His great plan for each of us to be fulfilled. We often look at other locations or careers as the answer to all of our current problems. While we may be called to move or change careers, God wants us to realize that HE is the answer for us right here and right now. Yes, as I am learning, that answer might be to stay put and wait for His answer to arrive. What about: "What's done is done; Praise God for the errors that teach me wisdom!" This one helps remind us that God has guided our steps and will use our past mistakes to glorify His name through our growing closer to Him. The other way is to constantly give in to self pity and regret over the missteps we all have in our past.

You have probably come up with some of your own even now. Looking back at our past is tough because our enemy wants us to remember only the bad parts; those mistakes and missteps that showed us our own imperfections in a harsh, glaring spotlight. God has a few things about your past that gleam with a different light. Perhaps the time you were able to help someone in trouble, or the time you said "I love you" just when someone needed to hear it. You have shared the Good News of Jesus Christ to others, prayed for many people, voted, paid taxes, graduated from school, served your country, and many other wonderful accomplishments in the strength of Jesus. What's done is done, and I'll bet that if you will let the Holy Spirit speak to you; He will show you some great things in your past. Can't find anything good about your past? Let God show you His greatness in your present and future! Read about the glorious New Jerusalem at the end of Revelation. Believe in Jesus and you will be there!

God bless,

Bucky

The Lesson Learned - August 24, 2009

Good Monday morning! Another week is upon us as we wind down the month of August. Masterfully stating the obvious is as good a way as any to begin the devotional for this morning. :-) I see a notice for yet another class action lawsuit in my mailbox. I think just living qualifies a person for at least of these in their lifetime. I'm sure a few more are lurking out there somewhere for me. Sometimes we deliberately join a class, such as purchasing a particular appliance or stock; other times we become members of a class without realizing it, as in going to a grocery store regularly. Each time we may find ourselves as party to some sort of class action lawsuit. The story usually goes that a person does nothing and someday a small check or gift card may be in the mail. The real winner in these suits is often a legal firm specializing in class action lawsuits. I have even written about these suits before, probably just after another in the seemingly endless stream of notices has arrived in the mail. I suspect that a hermit living in the remote mountains of Idaho would receive at least one notice of legal action each year filed on his behalf.

Back around 2001 or so, I picked a few stocks in my area of expertise. Of course, all of them failed miserably in the dot-com, tech stock bust that occurred. Fortunately, as I have come to realize in the blizzard of class action suits, I am not to blame! In every case, the company or CEO is to blame for misleading me into taking a risk on the stock. Funny, I thought stocks were risky when I bought them. Hmm, should have realized it was the dern CEO's fault all this time... However, given the choice, I would rather learn my lesson. If I accept that my mistakes are always someone's fault other than my own, I will jump in and make the same mistakes all over again. I joined the class of stock market investors, tried to pick stocks, failed at it miserably, and lost money. Big deal, that's the stock market.

One day, all people, will be told to join a class. This class will have many advantages that we take for granted these days such as: buying groceries in a supermarket, losing money in the stock market, paying a mechanic to fix our vehicles, purchasing fuel for transportation, or even supporting a wildly expensive hobby like all of those I've ever attempted. We know about this coming one-world system of government and commerce because God has warned us in advance. The only catch to this very organized, and no doubt prosperous, system will be that a person must bow down before the image of the Beast. The world may scoff at such a prophecy right now, but come it will just like all the others fulfilled in the Bible. Imagine how easy it would be to pass a law stating that all users of popular Internet auction and e-commerce sites must be registered by scanning their mark. Doesn't seem too far fetched at all...

Trust only in God,

Bucky

The Word is Best - August 21, 2009

Good Friday morning! The kids around here will be looking forward to their first weekend during the school year; other schools in the area will be starting up on Monday. I read the Hour of Power devotional this morning with an attitude: it's just a bunch of Bible verses, how lazy can a person get when writing a devotional? Of course, that other voice, you know that one that seems to be much wiser than me, gave me a reminder that God's Word is exactly what is needed in most cases.

You don't need me to tell you that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, if you read John 14:6, but you might need to be reminded of this verse from time to time by your brother in Christ. Jesus gave us many wonderful stories and quotes, but with a few exceptions we do not memorize the four gospels. One exception that I am thinking of was Fanny Crosby, the blind hymn writer, who memorized large portions of the Bible. With a little commentary, a bit of lead in, a Bible verse can also make a great finish to a personal story. You and I may enjoy devotionals from other Christians, but we enjoy and need the Word of God. At times the Word of God alone is just what is needed during a time of darkness in our lives. Perhaps you don't need a love letter from me today, but a love letter from God himself might just fit the need; read the Gospel of John - God's love letter to all of us.

Devotionals are good for encouragement, sharing the love of Jesus, spreading the Good News, and for letting others know that someone cares enough to write, but God has already done all of this in His own perfect way. You will find this in the Bible, the inspired Word of God! Devotionals are great, but none can ever take the place of God's own Word.

Have a wonderful Friday in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

Losing It - August 19, 2009

Good early Wednesday morning! Some mornings I wake up at the "usual" time from back in the day. Old habits don't want to let go of a person. Did you know that the same feel-good pathway that cocaine can create in the brain is present with many of the fast or processed food creations we eat now? The sugar-fat-salt combinations that are pushed at the various eating places can cause us to become addicted. Think of how many times you say something like: "I really loove that snikflapperdoodle at Gonzo's, you really need to try one!" A reward pathway has been formed in your brain. This in turn makes you want to come back for more and more. Interesting news to start your day...watch that donut! :-)

Interesting devotional from LWF today; how do you stack up in all three areas? Did you feel, like I did, that you are neither happy, nor healthy, nor holy? The first thought to follow that was that I should not sell Jesus short! Greater is He that is within me than he that is in the world, to recall a verse that we should remember often. The work of the Holy Spirit may seem slow at times. You and I may even feel that we haven't changed from as far back as we can remember. The whispers of the devil will point out all the areas in your life where you and I have failed. However, the Holy Spirit is going to point out all the area in which He has succeeded! The first and most basic thing: we cannot lose the salvation that has been bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus!

In this world we can lose everything that we have gained, including that extra weight we don't need. Some things are lost without effort due to deterioration, age, theft, or plain ol' absentmindedness, while others require much effort - like that weight thing. We know that anything we purchase can be lost; that may even be one of our big worries after making the purchase. However, you and I did not purchase our salvation; we can only accept the free gift of grace through faith in Christ Jesus. We can be lost before our Lord finds us; but we cannot lose what Jesus gives and keeps safe for us, our place with Him in Heaven. A bit of wisdom there for those who think they can earn their way to Heaven through giving away lots o' loot. If you can buy, earn, grab, or steal it; you can also lose it!

Be at peace; you may not see all the results of Jesus' work within you, but He does not fail.

Bucky

More Troubles - August 20, 2009

Good Thursday morning! Aiigh! I missed it yesterday; school started without me! Ah well, I think I can live with that. :-) I thought that Pastor Schuller's devotional looked pretty good today. We fear change; often without checking first to see whether the change will be good or bad for us. We all start out as sinners, the Bible says so in no uncertain terms. Obviously to enjoy the presence of God there must be a change. A change for the better, though it may be painful at times.

On the other hand, getting fired, laid-off, terminated from our respective jobs doesn't seem like a good change and we rightly fear it. Is the fear justified though? Tuesday morning at our weekly prayer breakfast, we got on the subject of people we know losing their jobs, an all too common subject in the past year or so. Some of us have gone or are going through that very same change even as I write, myself included. What do we tell those who have lost their means of making a living? Those folks need to know the same thing that I did: God is in control, trust in Him! I can tell you that I still have to remind myself of that fact. We prayed that no one else would lose their jobs, but we also know that didn't happen. So here is your chance and my chance to be there for someone in a time of need. I don't know all the names, probably never will, but between all of us we should be able to help with the emotional pain of those we do hear about.

Going through a major life change, especially one that is thrust upon you, is very difficult. I don't know what I would have done without Jesus, and my friends and loved ones. I can only imagine how difficult it would be for those who believe in only themselves. If you know someone, get out there and see what you can do for them. It helps a lot just to talk to someone; you can take that from me. :-)

Pray for those going through the big changes today. Trust in God!

Bucky

God Loves You Here and Now - August 18, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! The light of day comes and we tend to forget the promises made to God in the darkness. In thinking about my main character in one book, I wondered how often you, me, or anyone makes promises in our fear and then forgets those promises when the darkness is lifted in God's mercy. In many cases, God doesn't need everyone to fulfill his or her promise of a mission to the Congo. These days it could be that God has more missionaries from the Congo to send out than a need for more to go in. Often the promises in the dark we make only come from what we think God needs. God may have us forget a promise because he needs one or all of us to be right where he has each of us already. If God took up every promise made in the dark, who would stay to form the lifelong friendships that help us grow closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ? What happens when all those fulfilling promises in far away lands suddenly have another dark night? Would you have to promise to have a mission trip back to your home town?

Some will be called to travel to other towns and lands, but I suspect that what most of us need to promise in the dark times is to learn to trust in God. Complete trust in our Lord does not come automatically or instantly. When the wind howls, the darkness descends, and your life looks like a lost cause, make a promise to learn to trust in God. We may come at it from different directions; from the "why am I here?" to the "I'm scared to be here right now!" If God has brought you to Nowheresville, trust that He has a godly reason for you to be there. If God has brought you to the bottom of a dreadful valley, trust that He will show you the route to climb back up to His mountain.

When God brought the Israelites into the wilderness, many of them despaired and wanted to go back to Egypt. I can only imagine the astonishment in Heaven when God told the angels that His people wanted to go back to slavery. After all the examples of God's might shown in their escape, their faith wavered and the people looked away from God. We can easily be in that same frame of mind - looking back and failing to trust in God. Learn from the stories in the Old Testament. God has never and will never fail in His promises. If you are called to go far away, trust in God. If you are called to stay put, trust in God. Both calls have the potential for much anxiety if we look at the darkness and take our eyes off of our God.

God loves you and me, here and now, today and tomorrow; trust in Him!

Bucky

Caught Late! - August 17, 2009

Good Monday morning! I'm late today... whoohoo! Little trip to Safeway to start the day, a little bit of breakfast and news, and the next thing you know... 0800 has past. Time catches us whether we watch the clock or not. That is why Jesus warned us more than once in Revelation that He is coming soon. The final trumpet will sound and catch much of the world in complete surprise. We, on the other hand, are told to be watchful. While no one will know the exact day or date of Jesus' return, the Bible does give signs to watch for. Read in Thessalonians and Revelation about the events that must happen. Jesus himself gave us clues to watch for as well in Matthew 24. Though at times it may seem that God would have us wait and wait, only to be caught in shock and awe like the world will be, we find in our Bible study that is not true. Without revealing His perfect time to us, God has given us much to watch for in the coming times and signs that have already been completed, such as the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Some days the coming of Jesus seems far away, but like my 8:00am deadline, the time will arrive without warning if we don't watch!

Have a great day in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

God Needs Me - August 14, 2009

Good Friday morning! I smell school in the air! Believe it or don't, school begins this coming Wednesday around these parts. As always, that seems kind of early to me. August 19th? Yikes, where did the summer go? Labor Day comes late this year, the kids will have to endure like, 2 1/2 weeks of school before the first 3-day break. I feel for the poor little bairns! I know: "Why do you feel for them, you've been on break since last October 7th?" True, but I remember the anxiety of summer's end and the dread of going back for another year of school. I think home schooling is the answer. Then you can set summer vacation from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Heh, heh, I'm full of advice for parents...having never been one myself! :-)

In reading the Hour of Power devotional today, I had to wonder if "needs" is the right word? Does God need us? I don't know that the all-powerful God needs us to do anything for Him. But I am glad that He allows me to write for Him. I am glad that He wants me to write for Him. Perhaps I should look at "need" as not that He cannot do it himself, but that He prefers that I do the things He wants me to do, and that those tasks are for His glory and my improvement. The cat here can scratch his own head if he wants to, but he prefers that I do it. You might say that he needs me to do it to strengthen the bond between us. In that we can see how God needs us to do things for Him. He wants to strengthen the bond between us!

God could do many things for each of us. You could wake up 50lbs lighter tomorrow, or healed of all diseases and hurts. God could even pray for you and turn the pages of a Bible. However, would any of that strengthen the bond between God and us? Working for something over the long haul brings us closer and closer to God. That may be why our sanctification takes a lifetime. You and I are a work of God in progress. Feel the love of being a special project of the Creator himself! You are God's special work of art! :-)

Thank you Lord, for caring enough to make me special!

Bucky

A Savior Comes? - August 13, 2009

Good Thursday morning! I am glad to be here writing for you! We are in another two or three day heat wave, it may hit 96 today. No complaints about this summer; the Lord has blessed us with good rainfall and little heat. Speaking of good/bad, I read this morning that the government's CARS program is not doing good by everyone. Used car dealers, used parts users, and charities are all being hurt by the program. It seems that the government cannot provide a panacea for our troubles. Have you seen the reports of emotional outbursts at health care reform meetings? Not everyone wants the government to put its big boots on top of the health care industry; others want the same boots to stomp down hard. Another issue with no easy answers. I think most of us have one concern with the health care industry... what about me? Those with insurance have noted the rising deductions and out-of-pocket costs, those without wonder if one medical problem will wipe out every cent and stitch we own. How does someone without Jesus in his heart stand the strain of this?

We can easily tell that God's will is not being done in all that we read and see in the news these days. Thinking back to the years that I tried to get by on my own, I often wonder how I managed. Of course, now that I can look back with the Holy Spirit in my heart, I know that God looked after all of us even when we tried to ignore Him. At the moment, the world is held safely by God. However, many still look for a savior they can touch and feel. The prince of this world will be allowed to respond to that search in the near future when the Anti-Christ comes on the scene. You might look at the Anti-Christ and his minions as the final piece of evidence against those who will refuse to believe in Jesus. The real savior has come to earth, gone to the grave, and returned; if a person refuses to believe in Him, that person will have no defense or defender when the false messiah comes. We can easily see the many problems in the world today. Imagine how easy it would be to believe in someone who showed up and began solving those same problems quickly, efficiently, and charismatically! Such a person might put on a front of humility and compassion to sway millions to his side.

As more problems come to light in this life, the more people on this earth will come to realize their need for a savior. As always, they are going to have a choice. Let us work to make sure they are fully aware of choosing Jesus as the only way to eternal life!

God bless and keep you this day,

Bucky

The Bus Approaches! - August 12, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! Do you miss someone from the past? I suspect that all of us have someone who has gone to be with Jesus or has simply dropped out of contact due to the shifting currents in the river of life. We might think; "Should I write? He probably remembers me as that goon from back in the day." I know that I lost some contact info from my work PC; my own fault, I knew better than to keep it there. :-) The question today is: do you write, e-mail, or call those that you do have contact information for and see on a regular basis? Sometimes we tend to assume too much. "He or she knows that I'm okay 'cuz they haven't heard anything to the contrary." The fact that you haven't made the local, or worse - national, news because of some tragedy is only some consolation.

Just a short time ago we were much more dependent upon letters to communicate. Imagine how many anxious thoughts could go through a loved ones mind if you only wrote twice a year. Today we have e-mail and other forms of electronic communication. Drop someone a quick note to let them know you care. We don't have to start out a loving message with: "You're a sinner and your doom approaches!" This is often what the world tells its own that Christians will do. That doesn't sound like good news to me, and it wouldn't to our long lost friends either. Would you tell a loved one standing on the road that he is a pedestrian and a speeding bus approaches? No, you would reach out to pull him out of the way. Praise God that our Lord is more merciful than a speeding bus! We can gently point out the peril of a loved ones position without fear that he or she will be mowed down immediately upon realizing their own mortality. How much good could we do if every time we tried to share Jesus with someone a bus ran them down? One thing we can know about our sovereign Lord; if we are to deliver the message, the friend will have the time to hear it. But we must not delay, the figurative bus is indeed coming!

Glad to hear that all of you with jobs are much more productive and doing it for much less money! Congratulations, employers all over the country will get bonuses for getting you to do more while earning less! :-) I won't charge you for the sarcasm since you've probably given so much of yourself to your employer this year. I am sad for my former teammates though; I think you and I could both see that is what would happen, and now government figures have confirmed it. I sound very Dilbert-ish, but a few lay-offs and the remaining workers scurry around like frightened rats trying to keep their jobs. As a former corporate slave, I have only one piece of advice: trust in God and not in any earthly employer. I wonder if Scott Adams needs any help? I could use my years of experience in a large corporation in writing Dilbert strips. :-)

God bless you on this fine day,

Bucky

Bring Glory to God - August 11, 2009

Good Tuesday morning! Have you ever tried to push something along in your life? You know that God has great plans for you. However, you don't know exactly how the plans will be fulfilled, and so you start pushing where God says to wait. We know that is called impatience and even disobedience. Yet we still catch ourselves doing such things while letting other areas, the ones where God says "do", slide. How did we ever get into such a horrible condition? Of course, the answer is sin; that rebellion against God begun way back when Eve first reached for that forbidden fruit. We feel the pull away from God that Adam first felt when God first asked "why are you hiding back there?" What did Adam do when his sin could not be hidden from God? He pointed his finger away from himself, "it wasn't my fault!" We feel that pull too.

Jesus told us to be at peace and then gave us his peace as well. This peace comes from knowing that even when we mess it all up by doing what we shouldn't and not doing what we should, God forgives us by the grace of Jesus Christ. You may be tempted to just do nothing when faced with the possibility of messing it all up, but that only covers half the problem. The sin of not doing what we know that we should be doing cannot be solved by doing nothing. Jesus told us that we must each be quickly about doing the work assigned to us. Learn or find out what your assignment is, and get to it! Bring glory to God our Father!

Bucky

Who Saves? - August 10, 2009

Good Monday morning! Football season began last night with the Hall of Fame game out in Ohio. School season begins very soon too. The start of school brings back the "faith vs. reason" argument as some like to call it. That complaint the world has that someone who chooses to believe in Jesus cannot be a scientist or have an "open" mind. A while back I may have mentioned a book by Dr. Francis Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. The debate is starting up again as Dr. Collins is the nominee by President Obama to be director of the National Institutes of Health. The argument, as so often happens, is framed to sound bad for the believer. The argument is not that faith and reason cannot coexist in the same person, but that we who believe in Jesus are at odds with the world's wisdom. So what is this world's wisdom that we oppose?

The world would have us believe that humans are basically good with a few bad tendencies. The Bible on the other hand says: " for all have sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard" (Rom 3:23), and, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?" (Jer 17:9) The world also believes that many things can save us all, including: science, philosophy, being nice to each other, education, philanthropy, government, and other things of the world. Jesus told us that He alone is the Way. We are at odds with the world's reason; so can a believer function as a scientist? You bet. Who wants to know more about God's creation than one who believes that God did in fact create it? Faith in God gives us the desire to know more about the Creation we see all around us. Faith in Jesus allows us to be saved; not by our own action but by what Jesus has done for us. We choose to believe in God, not from any lack of intelligence or education, but because of His great love for us. No one runs around saying "the world saves!", but I do hear many wonderful voices saying "Jesus saves!"

Have a great day in Christ!

Bucky

Too Much Senses? - August 7, 2009

Good Friday morning! I'm thinking it has been a while since we just had fun on a Friday morning devotional so I will try to bring some today. We have wondered at times what Hell would be like or who would end up there. We know that those who refuse to believe in Jesus will end up there, but what is it like? One hint comes in Luke 16 with the story of the rich man and the beggar, also named Lazarus. The rich man ends up in Hell and Lazarus is taken by angels to Heaven. But, what amuses me about this story is the first request by the rich man to Father Abraham. Is it "please get me out of here"? or even what we would hope, "I repent, please save me!"? Nope, the first request is to send Lazarus to Hell with a drop of water to cool the rich man's tongue. You may shake your head over this; I certainly did. We might expect a fervent desire to repent among those in Hell, but according to Jesus' story, they will still want service...right where they sit!

The cat is sniffing the air. I read that my feline has a smell ability that is 30 times better than mine. When I think of the smells that waft through here from time to time, I have to wonder: how ever does he endure that? Sometimes we wish for better senses, but would you really want hearing so good that you heard everything your neighbors said about you? Would you want to have vision good enough to gaze around town and see everyone as they are getting up in the morning? Yikes! Perhaps one step toward contentment in Jesus is to realize that everything we want may not be what is best for us. :-)

What if you could see tomorrow? This sounds like the opening to an old Twilight Zone script. A man, not like other men... this one, Robert Jamison by name, could see tomorrow. He used his ability to gain great wealth... until he saw his death coming the next day. Robert Jamison rushed about trying to enjoy all that he could enjoy, to buy everything he could buy... and then he died the next day... of exhaustion. :-) We'll let God worry about tomorrow; have a great weekend in Christ.

Bucky

Checking In from Clownyland! - August 6, 2009

Good Thursday morning! I think our weather prognosticators were only off by about 20 degrees on the high yesterday, no big deal. Since it was to the cooler side of their predicted high temp, we'll take it. :-) Today we want to think about checking in. I know that in the corporate world you could use a lot less checking in. You have to track your time spent on jobs or projects, your time spent at work, time spent at this or that location, and then account for every penny spent too. In the family you check in with your spouse or parents, and if friends don't check in once in a while, you tend to start wondering. Even in our faith we are expected to check in each day with Bible reading and prayer. Of course the government wants to know where you are too. Too much checking in? Perhaps in the corporate world, but the remainder of our checking in is for our own benefit and to prevent worry.

In hiking or backpacking, especially in wilderness areas, a hiker is advised, and in some cases required, to post a plan; much like a flight plan for pilots. The hiker checks in with family, friends, or rangers to let people know that the party is alright. The benefit to this is that in missing a check in or two, the wheels of help start turning much more quickly. A person who rages against the restrictions of periodic check ins may not be missed until well after help is rendered moot by death. We might call that person a fool... and then do something very similar ourselves!

Letting a loved one know that you or I are taking a trip and giving them our approximate plans is courteous and wise. They worry less, and we get to send quick messages such as, "made it to Clownyland, plan to leave at 0600 tomorrow for the Clown Hall of Fame ceremony, love, Bozo." My parents are doing that very thing right now. (The checking in part, not the clown thing) I do it in a similar way by writing this devotional each day. (The clown part, not the checking in thing! ;-) The Clown Hall of Fame is in Wisconsin, by the way. I drove past it once or twice in the old location. It has since been moved to Milwaukee, i.e. "the city"; which makes sense as we know the city is where all the clowns live and work anyway. :-) Back in the days of traveling to cable stores and such, I didn't always check in as often as I should. One boss was okay with it, but others got very much bent out of shape if I didn't constantly (it seemed) update them on progress or problems. The funny-interesting thing is that at the time I was not good at checking in with God either.

Why does He who knows our every thought want us to check in with Him anyway? The best explanation I heard is that God, the creator and ruler of the universe, is intensely interested in hearing from you and me. Each day, God wants a personal time with each of us to simply talk to Him. I don't believe that God worries about us, but that He worries for us. When we don't talk to Him on a personal level each day, God worries for our spiritual well-being. Put yourself in the frame of having God sitting right beside or in front of you leaning on every word. He wants to know how your day went, what is bothering you, all the things you are grateful for, who you feel called to pray for, and even your worries about the economy, terrorists, wars, weather, and the dog. God wants to hear it all! Some of the great men and women of the Bible complained bitterly in their prayers to God. Their "check in" began with something like, "Lord, I gotta beef with you!" God is not afraid of how you and I feel. Let Him know everything! Check in with God and listen to His healing words.

Bucky

Out of Sorts - August 5, 2009

Good Wednesday morning! I didn't have my usual _____! You can fill in the blank with whatever you want, but we all might have those mornings, evenings...entire days, where we didn't or don't have our usual something. Perhaps you wake up to a cup of coffee and the automatic brewer didn't work this morning, or maybe the radio station changed programming formats on you overnight. Whatever the cause, sometimes we feel out of sorts because we didn't get our usual. I know from back in the day that getting up late or receiving an early morning phone call could make a whole day off in ways that ranged from the obvious to the subtle. We tend to take comfort from the constants in life.

This life is so complex that to make every day completely different would probably drive most of us over the edge. I don't have to make any wild guesses to say that most of us do similar things to start most days. We like our mornings to have at least a bit of routine to them. The noise from the wind has the cat out of sorts this morning; he doesn't know whether to go or stay, or even which side of the desk to park on. Whatever is making us out of sorts on a given day does not have the staying power that Christ has in our hearts. Jesus knew that in this chaotic world we would need something stable. He is known as the cornerstone, the head of the church, the rock of our faith, the Almighty One, and other terms of strength, stability, and permanence. God the Father rules from heaven and we learn from the Bible that He does not change having been perfect from the beginning. Want to start the day consistently? Look to the Savior and live in Him.

Have a great Wednesday in Christ Jesus,

Bucky

The Lies We Fear; the Promise He Made - August 3, 2009

Good Monday morning! August has arrived and the summer-fall things will start soon. Football, school, cooler nights, hunting, shorter days, will all come to visit us as the year wanes. At the beginning of August it's still summer with all the good and bad things that go with that. We have enjoyed a cool summer, but the next few days look more like normal summer temps for us.

While sitting in my chair in my house, I thought of that as an analogy for the way we want Jesus in our lives. Jesus told us that he stands at the door and knocks. If a person answers the door, then He and the Father will come in and dine with that person. I have always liked that verse and certainly would want to answer the door literally should Christ arrive at my front door, but of course Jesus is speaking of our salvation. When we are first saved we invite Jesus in and give him the best chair. Somewhere along the way though, we often start to move Jesus around in our lives. We don't trust him as we ought to and try to take back control. Soon we may find that we have seated Jesus not as the honored guest, but on a bar stool by the door with his coat draped over the back to facilitate a quick exit should we not want him to be seen. We know this is wrong, but sometimes we don't think of it.

The one who would be Lord and nothing else, is seated out back and we only come to him when we want help with something. Our house will only be right when Jesus is seated as the head of the household. The funny thing is that we fear seating a dictator as the head of our household when Jesus simply wants to sit as our friend. As our friend, He sends the Counselor into our hearts. Jesus doesn't want to enslave us, He wants to guide us. We fear giving control to an overseer, but the one who comes is the gentle teacher and shepherd. How do we always get this so wrong?

Lies, of course! We want to invite Jesus into our lives and the enemy whispers, "He's gonna be mean." We fear pain and discomfort, so the enemy whispers, "that Jesus is gonna send you to a far country you've never heard of... and they don't even have toilets there!" What did Jesus promise though? "My yoke is easy and my burden is light; He who loses his life for my sake will find it; I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly!" And of course that big one - "...that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

Let's worry less about what Jesus might or won't do, and think more on the promises He set down in His own Word!

Enjoy the love of Jesus this week!

Bucky