Hard Core

Good morning on this Friday! Great things are coming, and a little enthusiasm in the devotional will not go amiss. Today is the 30th anniversary of the Grenada landing, or Operation Urgent Fury to those of us recalling the wonderful heat of the southern waters. To conduct an actual invasion from the sea is a Marine Corps specialty. For that we got to walk around with an invisible suit of 'hard-core' armor on for a while. But that's nothing. In this week's Julesburg paper is an ad to rent a 33 bedroom, 1.5 bath house. Now that's hard-core. For the sake of those anticipating a wait of just short of forever to use the potty, I sincerely pray that is a misprint. I wonder if the landlord would be so kind as to permit a few of Scottie's Potties out back?

In our Christian walk we may run into what might be called the hard-core Christian. This is one who very much resembles the legal experts of Jesus' time, those scribes and Pharisees. The approach of this follower of Jesus usually begins with something like, "You gotta..." They also love to quote the thou-shalt-not's from the King James. This Christian is the self-appointed sergeant-at-arms of the Christian sphere. No rule is too niggling; no latitude is given, he or she knows exactly what you should be doing (or thou shalt not be doing) for the cause of Christ. This is not the loving advice of the brother or sister in Christ, that we all need from time to time, but the stern command of the self-promoted general of the Christian army going about his duty as overseer of his/her flock of doctrinal slaves.

We don't much like those people, and imagine how the one searching for relief from sin must feel. How welcoming would a good smack upside the head with a stone copy of the Ten Commandments feel at your moment of greatest need? Right, the good news should employ those gifts of the Spirit that we are given: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and so on. A new Christian babe can be easily shattered on the rocks of legalism. Let us make them welcome with our gifts.

And a great big Friday-sized dose of God's love to you on this day!
Bucky

A Hare Trigger

Whoa, cinnamon and cloves in the oatmeal this morning, I am living the wild life! As I walked this morning, I tried to recall the words to a hymn...all four verses of that hymn. Memory games are good for keeping the mind sharp. But I realized that although the hymn is about God, I am not talking to Him while doing this game. The words of the hymn are good but my mind is concentrating on a formula of words and not my Lord. My memory game might as well be about the recipe to pumpkin pie or the mathematical steps to solve an equation. It is rather a classic case of seeing the trees, but not the Creator of the forest. Okay, maybe that isn't exactly the classic line about trees and forests.

As I grow older, I tend to swap around the old lines a bit. The hare trigger of bygone days now functions more like a tortoise trigger. I can still produce a bang; there is just plenty of time to move out of the way. My so-called wild life is getting cold while I try to come to some point here. Uh oh! Mental meandering is another sign of advancing years, better to get back on the story. Heh, mocking myself in the morning, what is that a sign of?

The word of God tells of the perils of the double-minded. A person with no goals in mind, who is easily distracted from the way, and who believes one thing and then another. We have that unique part of the curse on us. Migratory animals don't get lost as they travel each year. We do not look up to see geese holding a meeting because the leader of the 'V' isn't sure where the flight was going. The predator on the savanna does not suddenly stop because she forgot what she was doing. That part of the curse sits more heavily on us. Sermons may wander, singers may drop a verse, and of course devotional writers are famous for a laser-like focus on the point of the writing. Guarding against double-mindedness is a duty for all of us in Christ.

As always, the good news is that last little prepositional phrase - 'in Christ'. Jesus helps us to maintain our focus on Him. Often times that is through a problem, a trial, or a good ol' fright that sends us spiritually and mentally running back to Him in prayer. We don't get far on our own. We look down and there is no more trail under our Christian feets. We look around and see lots of darkness in the valley of death's shadow. Looking to our own skill and knowledge, we find that we have lost the way and the light. We need a guide, a trailblazer to take us to our eternal home.

Now, the next duty - learning to trust our holy guide and Savior!
Bucky

P.S. Well shiver me timbers, that African grassy place doesn't have an 'h' on the end. You're waiting for me to correct 'hair' trigger, but it ain't happenin', I'm a Bugs Bunny fan! :-)

But...It Doesn't Sound Loving

Good morning! I'm still in the dark, but there is a hint of light in the eastern sky. Vocabulary Man walked into the disreputable tavern to lubricate his elocution. Tarrying beside the serving counter, he noticed a man distinctly marked by particular signage upon his epidermis. The man stood respectfully, but closely behind a woman with similar symbols adorning her overgarment. Vocabulary Man, desiring convivial relations, leaned in and said, "Madame, I admire your pulchritude!" Whereupon, he found his posterior painfully pounding the parking lot with gradually diminishing velocity. Apparently, his compliment did not sound loving!

Pulchritude is one of those words we don't use much anymore, probably because it looks nasty when written, and sounds worse when spoken. However, the definition is entirely different, the word means: great beauty and physical attractiveness. Ebbeh? It sounds like something you might find in a pit of refuse. Some things our Lord said did not at first sound loving either.

Go ye therefore into all the world was the command, but the disciples probably thought they had gone plenty far already. They had followed Jesus through places the Jews didn't normally go, slept out in the garden, argued with the authorities, and fled the arresting soldiers. All the world? No doubt that sounded frightening to the men who had not in their lives travelled more than fifty miles or so from home. "Does anyone know how big is the world?" Peter may have asked the other disciples. I'm sure they had among them heard about much more than any had seen, and the stories of the Roman Empire alone would tend to overcome their courage. "Did He say, 'All the world...', Pete?" John may have asked with a nudge in the ribs to their unofficial representative.

The command of our Lord may not always sound loving to our ears. Even today, all the world is a big place. A church-full of people staring expectantly may cause your carefully prepared words to dribble right out of your brain. Do I have to do this, Lord? Learning a new skill may be the command from God you heard in the still, small voice of the night hours, but that seems so hard in the light of day. Then there is that statement... you know the one: You are a sinner in need of saving! Ouch, what happened to God's own image and that good-sounding stuff? We like that better. No, the truth hurts sometimes when love speaks. How about this one: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. The truth can also sound very loving.

In Christ,
Bucky

Self-Unconsciousness

In order to make sure of the obvious this morning: ah, the leaves they are a changin'! Yes, I can whip out the obvious for you any day of the week. Well, at least on those days when I don't forget to check right in front of my face. Narcissism comes from the fable of Narcissus, who it seems saw his reflection in a pool and couldn't look away for thinking himself so beautiful. The overly self-conscious person on the other hand is too much aware of himself or herself, not through worshipping the image of the self but through worry or anxiety. Every pain is a pending heart attack or cancer or total physical breakdown. The self-conscious person cries out for help but in the wrong way, for the doctor will say nearly every time, "There is nothing really wrong with your body."

An interesting, but seemingly obvious cure is to turn the attention of the self-conscious person outside himself. See the other persons around, care about them, think well of them, and above all, love them. Of course, this is a cure very easy for me to type out. I only corrected a couple of typos in getting the sentence typed into the e-mail. Difficult is when I read the sentence and have to translate it from the Venusian typing that came out of my fingers. Putting the cure into practice, and practice it most certainly does require, is the more difficult proposition. We are not for the most part initially prepared to care for and love others above ourselves.

The nerves of the body report first to the brain in that body. I don't feel what pains you may have today, and you do not feel mine. We find it difficult to ignore our immediate pains first, and more difficult to empathize with the other person's pain. A hurting joint or digit is right there and the nerves faithfully report the data to us repeatedly. What can the other person feel that compares to this thing? We know intellectually that the other person may be hurting more, but there is no physical data connection to report the signals to our brain. Of course, if we did get a glimpse into the actual pain of another body, we might be overwhelmed by the sensation. All in all, turning outside of the self to become caring and loving of our fellow human is not so easy. We need the help of our Lord and Savior to become like Him in self-unconsciousness.

Jesus looked out from His pain on the cross to call down God's mercy on those who crucified Him. I rather suspect that I would be fully caught up in my own suffering at such a moment, and indeed have evidence from my experience to support that theory. How did our Lord do it? Something that overcame His body's natural inclination to self-consciousness. Probably that thing we must learn: Love.

Have a great day in Christ,
Bucky

Putting It On

The sunbeams below, clouds above, and a little rain too, an interesting morning has dawned. Halloween parties begin soon, I wonder how many of us are putting it on like a costume these days. Are you cheerful in church, scholarly in school, and industrious in your industry while in the public view, but then at home you feel no urge to the prayer closet as show after show slips by on the television? We can through following the god of what others think become one of those who puts it on before going out.

The costume seems to fit so very well, and others think so much better of us in flattering words and smiling faces. We must therefore be on the right track, no? We can ask but one question to ascertain if the direction is correct: Will the opinion of the fellow sinners save us from God's judgment? Hmm, perhaps a better guide is available? What if this guide says that our children do not have to be perfect, our self-discipline may slip a bit at times, and that forgiveness is available to all? Gasp! I don't have to be perfect in my own eyesight to make it? Exactly, the work of salvation comes from God's Son. We don't have to meet the world's standards!

With the constant bombardment of today's media, we can fall into a habit of 'putting it on' for the masses. We try and try to please the world's opinion, and along the way hope that enough compliments will penetrate our perfectionism to make us look good in our own sight. Jesus died on the cross fully knowing us as we were, but rose again to make us something more. The first freed us from eternal condemnation; the second allowed us time to believe and to grow in the faith. Yes, we must grow, for no one is saved to immediate super-Christianhood. We gotta practice faith and grow like the tiny mustard seed. Throw off the costume, folks, I need room to grow my faith!

Bucky

An 'orrible Infestation

Good Saturday to you! God's blessing and protection to you on this fine October weekend. Some folks are storing pumpkins outside in the freezing temperatures, but mine are all inside; who is correct? That should begin a flurry of pumpkin mail. As I walked by Mike's garden this morning, I noticed an 'orrible infestation of asparagus. I would volunteer to help with his embarrassing problem, but some folks don't like their faults pointed out like that. What about you and me? Do we like someone to point out faults for us?

A good friend can point out faults away from the public eye and in a gentle manner. We may feel a slight rising of the old defensiveness, but not like we do if someone blurts it out over an Internet forum or mocks us in front of that attractive young lady or gentleman. What happens when God's word points to an 'orrible infestation in the life of one of His own? Yup, probably our first instinctive reaction is to immediately disagree.

That 'orrible infestation of sin in our natural life defends itself with the viciousness of a cornered beast. That is a pretty good description of our carnal nature after Jesus enters our life, a cornered beast fighting for its existence. We know that one day that cornered beast will be removed for all time, but for now it fights with cunning, zeal, and as one with nothing else to lose. I don't like it; you don't like it, but that crafty beast does win a round every now and then. (Sometimes it seems like it wins all the time.) We need that 'orrible infestation cut out of us, but like Mike's asparagus it is rooted deep in the soil of our living garden.

Praise God that we are given to the Master Gardener and He will not let us go.
Bucky

When She Said 'Foolproof', I Knew Disaster Was Close

Good Friday morning! The following line concluded a simple recipe for pie crust, "This is foolproof." When I read that, I knew that disaster was near in my future. Anyone who learned of old to make a pie crust probably remembers that first time, and maybe the second and even third as well. Rolling out a pie crust is one of the more tricky operations in baking pies from scratch. Many will go to the store and purchase pre-made and rolled pie crusts to avoid this very thing. The last thing anyone should place on a pie crust recipe is the label 'foolproof'. Partly this is due to the fact that nothing is foolproof because fools are so ingenious. I can tell you that we have a lot of ways to mess up things people try to label as proof from us.

The Titanic was supposedly unsinkable. We know the rest of that story. Airships, bridges, buildings, and other large projects have fallen after someone tried to label them as great or wonderful or, dare we say it? - foolproof. Salvation is foolproof. Whoa! Did I just dare to do that? Yes, I believe I did. Wanna know why? Easy, God kept the fools out of it.

We can't mess up our salvation because we had nothing to do with it. Jesus came here, died for our sins, and rose again on the third day. From the cross, He said, "It is finished!" Me and my fellow fools were not involved. In fact, some of them even scoffed while the master chef was giving His life for the recipe that saved us all. Fools may not see the great work going on right before their very eyes. Fools may also try to label a man-made work as foolproof, but we know this is just foolish. Jesus performed the work of salvation himself with good reason. Us poor lost sinners and fools really know how to mess stuff up the first time we try, and salvation is just too important to mess up. Our only duty is to believe in the One who gave us eternal life. And as practicing fools, we tend to fool around with our belief more than enough. Let it rest in Him!

Bucky

Did You Say "If?", Aw, Ya Just Blew It!

Good morning in the air! Eh, is one of us flying this morning? No, I just anticipate that meeting in the air with Christ a little sometimes. James reminds us to have faith and don't doubt. So we struggle to believe constantly in God's goodness and provision, only to run into that moment when an 'if' escapes our thoughts or lips. Did you say, "If?", aw, ya just blew it! God's provision cannot come to unbelief, I am doomed, let in the Philistines, the city has fallen. Maybe it isn't that bad and the real doubt didn't arrive until we started all the negative thinking.

Thoughts and stray words will come. If I am called to account for every doubt and idle word I am lost, of that there is no doubt. Forgiveness works for these little darts that get by my shield of faith, or God's mercy has holes in it and Jesus need not have endured the cross. I don't believe that God's mercy can have holes or exceptions. A doubt may fly in from the enemy, or it may arise in that ever-doubting carnal flesh we carry. Our job is to learn self-control so as not to entertain these doubts with a full-blown negativity luncheon. Did you know that shields in the olden days were not regarded as passive defenses?

No, a shield could be used in the offense too. By smashing down on an emeny, er, enemy, or ramming with the weight of the soldier behind it a shield became a weapon. We tend to look on our shield of faith as a passive defense only. Use your faith to smash those doubts!

And be sure to get up for some Christmas music this morning, like me!
Bucky

The Way or Their Way

Good n' cold morning! Last night I watched a documentary on a different way of living. Curious, I watched for signs that this was not in agreement with the biblical text. They opened with a still of the Golden Gate Bridge, uh oh... Yes, the 'new' way went downhill from there, starting with that word, evolve, and going on into nudity, sex, and all the very things that Paul found in the worship of various sects around the Roman Empire, and that God condemned in the Ba'al and Ashtoreth worship the Israelites liked to stray into in olden times. Nothing new about this way, humans have gravitated to it since Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The sex thing went on until the bombshell dropped, the guru stated, "You are God!"

How our Adversary must laugh at these 'new' things that come around again and again. God's laws are beautiful and they give us the way to live in love of one another. Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. How does one start that? Look at the Ten Commandments: don't covet what they have, don't lust after his/her spouse, don't steal the neighbor's nice lawnmower, and so on. Then, we do to the neighbor as we would have them do to or for us. When the neighbor is ill, we take comfort to him. The commandments tell us how to avoid hurting, but we take the next step into helping. No doubt many a Pharisee avoided the 'Don'ts' of the Law by avoiding neighbors entirely, but Jesus called us a bit further than that.

Of course, the Devil would be delighted for us to believe that we are God, or God is a myth, or whatever as long as we don't believe the truth, or better still, in the Truth. Jesus made it quite clear that He was God in human form, and that He was here to save us. Now, if I was God, then I wouldn't need saving or a Savior. Obviously their way and the Way of John 14:6 cannot coexist. One or the other will stand alone at the end. The choice is the same as it has been for many a year.

Let us choose once more the Way, the Truth, and the Life,
Bucky

The Unexpected Goodness

Good morning! Though not nearly so early as my morning began on Monday. I was messing around with the time on a clock radio/CD player and inadvertently set the 'B' alarm on Sunday. The alarm obligingly triggered at midnight and I woke up to some faint goodness in the form of Third Day. Of course had the alarm volume been set higher I might not have called it goodness as too much of any music at midnight can be quite the fright. Not that a pre-Halloween fright may not be good for me, but as I get older I find that those sorts of things aren't quite so enjoyable.

Now, the other side of the story is that my dear mother visiting this weekend expressed some small displeasure in hearing her progeny go on about their old age experiences. So, to honor my mother and father, I resolve to mention only my youthful good looks, sharp memory, clear eyesight, and...um, why do I feel as though I just dropped into a marketing black hole? I suddenly feel the urge to write ad copy. Yes, taking just two Vunder pills each morning can return the magical powers of youth! Available at your local outlet for just $18.99 per month. Payable in installments of $49.99 whenever we feel the urge to charge your major credit card! I would claim too much caffeine, but I drink decaf.

Unexpected goodness is a treat we may not get often enough for our liking. Yet, as we discussed in our Bible study this morning, if we get it often, we come to expect it, and we lose the pleasure of the unexpected goodness. If I set my alarm to go off every midnight with no good reason to get up at that time, it wouldn't matter how good the music, I would still be classified as what the psychology professionals call 'crazy'. As a man of youth and vigor, I sleep perfectly for 8 hours each night. There is no sense interrupting that with music I can listen to in the daytime. Wow, I think that ad copy snuck in there again!

Praise God for the unexpected goodness that comes at His perfect timing!
Bucky

Why Did Sam Bother?

If you haven't read the magnificent epic, The Lord of the Rings, by now, I suspect you never will so I have no problem with spoiling the ending. The problem is that the ending to this novel really stinks. I don't mean that it's bad, just that it makes me cry and ponder the seeming futility we endure in this world. To sum up tens of thousands of words in a nutshell, Sam and Frodo are forced out of a quiet life and into a desperate adventure from danger to feast to peril to the very brink of death. All along the way, Sam serves Frodo even to the point of saving his life. After the great mission is accomplished and the rewards are handed out, Frodo and Sam arrive home to find that home is not there and no one from the neighborhood cares about the great things they have done.

"There is a high king once more, and, Frodo and I helped by defeating the great evil lord of our time!" to summarize Sam's good news.

To which the folks back home reply, "There's a new boss here and we can't get a beer down at the pub anymore."

But that isn't what makes the ending so hard. After saving all of Middle Earth, and then saving their little land, Frodo drags Sam down to the docks, gets on a ship, turns to Sam, his faithful servant and friend through so much, and tells him with a little help from the other swells on board, "I'm leaving, you can't come...go home." Ow! Poor Sam, why did he bother serving so well and faithfully all that time?

Our call to serve faithfully and well may end in the same way, with a sorrowful parting that is tough to bear. You may serve a church faithfully for decades with one pastor who, you may begin to hope, will speak at your funeral before he goes on his final journey. Then one day, the pastor announces that he feels the call to another ministry in a far city. You feel almost betrayed, but you can't argue with God's will. A friend of many years may get a transfer at work that he feels called by God to accept. Yet, it seems that God is only telling you one thing, "Go home." (Different from the "Come Home!" we all want to hear from God someday.)

We don't know all the plans of God, especially those concerning friends, family, and the many partings we endure in this life. Partings are tough for us just like the fictional Sam. We don't like 'em, but we bear them in the strength of Christ. Our service may seem unappreciated at times, but that too we continue in Christ. At such times the most important words of Christ may be these: "I will never leave you nor forsake you, even to the end of the age."

A toast (the kind where you cook a slice of bread) to our eternal God and His gathering of us all together one great day!

Bucky

A Bunch of Don'ts, Then The Do's

Good Saturday! What is the Law of Moses? Much of it is what we expect, don't do this, don't do that, and here is the consequences when you do. Then came our Lord with a change: do love your God with all of your heart, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. Wait, are we sure those do's are news? Actually, though we tend to look at the law as a bunch of fun-robbing don'ts, Jesus quoted laws from scripture. Love your neighbor is Leviticus 19:18, and loving God with our all is in Deut 6:5. But, there is a do that is new: make disciples out of the lot (my paraphrase).

The chosen people had blown it, and now the Word was to go out to all nations. We are a part of that command, both in our reception and in passing it along. We pass on the teaching of Jesus in the way we live mostly, but we are also allowed to speak and sing and write. We do not have to grab people off the street in a headlock and force the word on them, but when they ask, and many will, we must be ready to testify.

Here is where the professional devotional writer would just shut up and leave it. To me this seems a bit weak today, and you have probably heard this message before. Sorry, my Saturday mind is in falling on other things. Distractions are bumping my thought train right off the tracks. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to write this morning, even when it's a bit of a mashup.

God bless,
Bucky

Faith: The Mountain

Good wet Friday to you! I dreamed of a mountain last night, a particularly difficult one. The mountain had no road or trail, steep sides with many boulders, and these volcanic vents spewing lava and hot gases every now and then. The four wheels of my vehicle slipped, sometimes all at once, and progress came slowly. Ah, the mountain of faith, at times almost a nightmare to us. This mountain is not made up of faith, that would be too easy. Instead, the mountain is there to test our faith, and such a test it is.

At times in our life, we feel that faith has slipped. The trail is so steep that all four wheels are sliding backward and it is so difficult for us to believe. Like the man in Mark 9:23-24, we cry out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!" Other times we find the going difficult, but we make some progress upward to "win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Then, we occasionally get flamed by a volcanic vent on the side of that dreadful mountain. The burn hurts and perhaps our vehicle comes to a stop for a while to beg for healing.

Other pitfalls and difficulties you may imagine on your own mountain of testing. Perhaps you don't need to imagine at all but can list a lengthy catalog of such things. The view from the top of this mountain is well worth it, but we have to take that on faith too. What I can see from partway up the trail does not look very fun, though it is at times exciting. I seem to recall a trailblazer that was to go ahead of me, but I don't see his trail. Perhaps I have created difficulty by trying to bulldoze my own way through the briars and thickets without a bulldozer. A pause on the mountainside for prayer is the ticket here!

Have a great Friday, wet though it may be.
Bucky

Gently Does It

Good morning! Whazzat? A noise in the morning light! I often gently pet the kitty, careful not to hurt his little body. Then, I hear the most awful racket as he deploys his rear claws and goes after an itch on his head. Why did I worry about gentle? The fact that kitty seems quite willing to rip his own head off is not the point. I am commanded to meekness, gentleness, self-control, and compassion in the Bible, and then love is placed on top of the fruits of the Spirit to make it a perfect dessert. What another person does to himself or herself, how another person acts or speaks, and the way our pop culture media portrays its characters is no excuse for me to do anything but what God has spoken in His word.

Consider the gentleness of Jesus as He lifted the man to his feet. Or think what might have happened to the soldiers of the temple guard had Jesus been other than meek and called down those 12 legions of angels. What if, in the worst case, Jesus had looked out from the cross and said the jeering, taunting crowd was not worth forgiveness or the life of God's Son? I'm sure the high priest's servant appreciated having his ear back. We have a great example, but our world does not encourage us to follow it.

Follow Jesus, gently does it today.
Bucky

A New Person

Good morning at the mid-week! I was thinking of new persons this morning. Not the new persons that a group leader points out as having never attended. Most of these aren't even new having lived quite a few years before arriving at the group meeting. Infants are new persons, but we don't get to see them for the first nine months. Jesus said that He makes all things new. The question I have today is: Does that happen only once in our lives at the rebirth of the spirit, or does that happen more times?

Well, let us see. God's mercies are new each morning. That is something we need. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds; there's another new thing. We will be renewed in body and mind in the resurrection that is to come. That sounds like a lot of new going on there. Each day we wake we call a new day. One day Jesus will create for us a new heaven and a new earth. Yes, I guess the evidence points to Jesus making all things new. Of course, we already believed that by faith. New is no surprise to us.

What does surprise, though we know in faith that it should not, is our new person we see each day. Sometimes the progress seems slow, and other times we think maybe we have taken a step or two backwards. However, we trust the Holy Spirit in us that indeed we are becoming new persons. Once in a while, a reaction or statement that we know was different back in the day comes from us. Change happened without our direct involvement. Yes, you and I are new persons in Christ, but we cannot see all the new yet.

Have a wonderful new and more Christ-like day!
Bucky

Working The Watch

Good morning! I can admit it; I'm growing less fond of bananas. The doc wants my potassium level to come up, but I'm seriously considering other methods. Ah, a little bit of insight into what those Israelites felt when facing another manna breakfast back in the day. When we grow weary of something, it may not be a desire for variety that leads us so much as an effect of the curse of sin. There was nothing wrong with manna, in fact it was a direct gift from God in the wilderness and tasted good. Bananas are not bad for me and the taste is at least endurable - probably should have asked myself on another day, like before I ate them daily for a couple of months.

Working the watch, we grow weary of seeing the same view or scenery. There is nothing wrong with the scenery, it is the curse upon us. We grow easily bored. The military is especially good at putting a person in a small office with a phone that must be answered in a specified manner. How the poor phone watch must long to give a more cheerful greeting, or pop in the occasional funky rap, or something to break up the monotony. Again, there is nothing wrong with answering the phone, in fact it is a useful communication device, but we are not well suited to keeping watch in our current condition.

We can get drunk on alcoholic drinks, fat on food, and dopey from dope, but what if nothing is inherently wrong with these things? What if our reaction to them is a result of the curse of sin that Adam brought down upon us all? Why would I put that out there? The promise of Isaiah 25:6 in the ESV speaks of well-aged wine and fatty food in the Lord's feast. Why would the Lord promise something that is bad for us? Of course, He would not. That turned my thinking to what happens here, under the curse. The bad things like getting drunk or fat that come from the good things of God are a part of the curse, not how God intended it to be for us. In the garden, Adam was not weak in the way we endure our weaknesses for things each day. Some of us are so weak in an area that a flat 'no' is the only option.

Now that is a terrible thing to say with Halloween and the candy season fast approaching, but there it is. Each of us may have something that we can only avoid until we can enjoy it properly, and without consequence, in God's kingdom. Until that day comes, our will power and will may not be enough to stand alone. We need Christ and an infusion of His strength and mercy each morning. Another day of working the watch may seem the most boring thing imaginable, or the excitement may be too much to handle, but some days we just gotta submit to God's will and endure the test.

Okay, I'm psyched up, no more Snickers today! God bless you on this fine day,
Bucky

We Are Forgiven

Good morning on this brand new Monday! As I sit here writing and thinking about forgiveness, I wonder if I have forgotten to forgive anyone. Well, if I cannot recall an incident, there is no sense in trying to dredge one up from the distant past to torment myself. Forgetting in that case seems rather too easy for me. The saying goes that we should forgive and forget. On the other hand, forgetting is not so easy when the wrong is coming from the opposite direction. God forgets as He forgives by placing our sins as far from Him as the east is from the west. I find that my forgetting is not quite up to the level of my Father in Heaven.

Jesus gave us a directive for that, something about forgiving many times. God places sins away from His memory as an act of love. We struggle to achieve that same level of forgiveness, but that does not mean that we should stop trying. After seventy times seven times we may in fact find that enough time has passed that we have forgotten the offense. Of course if one reminds himself 490 times by forgiving then the event may be so cemented into the memory banks that nothing can jar it loose. The curse sits deep in us, and we may need the powerful assistance of our Lord Jesus in this and many other tasks in this journey.

Hmm, I checked the game score once and it didn't look good yesterday. However, I didn't check at the end and it appears that I cannot yet call the Broncos any derogatory names. It seems the team does well when I cannot watch them on my television. Congrats to the 5-0 Denver Broncos, even if their defense took a bit of a holiday until the last minute or two.

Bucky

Just Wind, No Frizz

Good Saturday morning! The big storm appears to have gone well to the north of us. Lots of wind last night, but it didn't even frizz. I'm not sure that I am ready to use the froz...word yet. October 4/5 is kind of early for that. Ah, but according to our history in these parts, that is not at all early for our first frost. Oops, there I said one of those bad words. It wasn't that long ago that a frost on August 29 or 30 was fairly common. Hmm, weather babbling, it must be a Saturday devotional.

So, what is it like to take off on a project or task without the Lord? Imagine you have a vehicle that you seldom service and check the fuel level only occasionally. You jump in and take off without having any idea how soon the engine will sputter and quit on you. At the time of rolling to a stop, neither do you know whether it is the lack of fuel or the death of the engine. On the other side of your garage is your faith car. That one is serviced regularly, not always by you but by ministers, teachers and God's Holy Spirit. There is always enough fuel because God provides as needed, but there is a catch: no fuel gauge and the service history is kept somewhere you can't see. Faith says that vehicle will get you to the destination every time, but doubt causes you to take the 'real' car that you have worked on at least a little (and it has a fuel gauge!).

When the so-called real car dies along the roadside, that is usually when we remember prayer and faith. The bus is in the ditch, the car is broken down, the project is at a standstill, or the way we chose is a dead end in a box canyon with a landslide about to crash down, and then we remember to come running to our Lord. Maybe we just like living life on the edge of disaster. Perhaps a good gamble with plenty of risk stirs up our blood a little. We give a little pep talk to the self right then, perhaps vowing to remember our prayer first next time, but the car called Me is still stuck.

God may leave us to walk back to get the proper restart to the task at hand, or He may send a rescue, we don't know. Starting in the faith car with a prayer for God's help and blessing may not prevent a breakdown either, but a trial of our faith is better than a failure of our meager strength in trying to go it alone. The failure of our strength is a humiliation because pride and self-will began that trip. A trial of our faith is a cause for praising God because we left in His will and had faith in His strength. The breakdown may look the same, but on God's way we know the roadside assistance vehicle is on the way, we just don't have an ETA. On the way of self, that car has no fuel and no hope.

Have a great Saturday in Christ,
Bucky

I Don't Have An Explanation For Everything

Rain and wet it's just a bet, but I feel that snow is near! Time for Christmas music and the Snoopy dance. As it has been established by the title that I can't explain everything, I have decided to descend into silliness for today. Did you know that a morning banana kind of ruins the taste of coffee? I don't have an explanation for that. I wonder if a Snickers bar will restore it? Nah, better stay out of the Halloween candy. Try just one piece at 0730 and I will probably eat the stuff all day. Candy calls out to itself, wanting any pieces left in an opened bag to join with it in a constant symphony of sweet taste and pleasured palate. I don't have an explanation for that. Returning to the house from my walk this morning, I discovered that I was all wet, or maybe I discovered it after writing my first paragraph. If you don't get it, you need an explanation for that!

This devotional is not always a forum for deep theology. I think that sometimes we seek God too much in what we think is the deep end of theology, eschatology, and other big-sounding words, only to turn and find Him playing with the children back where the waters are calm and faith is powerful. Not everything has a deep meaning in this life. The meat of the gospel is not necessarily a difficult read with months of study behind it. Did you ever think to sit down and just enjoy the words of Jesus as He gave the Sermon on the Mount? To read and enjoy the greatest sermon without loading the self with a ton of demands for changes to make an acceptable sacrifice out of what God has already accepted in Christ? Perhaps for today, I can walk with Jesus in place of trying to study His words under the microscope of my intellect. Ya know, just have fun with my Lord for a bit, enjoying His company and delighting in Him as He delights in me.

What a thought for a Friday. Praise God our Father!
Bucky

Great And Glorious Is Our God

Good morning! The clouds and humidity have returned, no doubt pushed from behind by the approaching storm. How does Sidney do this? Rain dances? A virgin sacrifice? Failure to pay the weather bill? Days of mild weather with clear skies gives way just hours before the start of Oktoberfest to clouds, cold, rain, possibly snow, and wind. According to the tall-talers, last year's parade took place in hip-deep snow, but they soldiered on through to the beer tent. I guess everyone has their motivation. We don't even talk about the famous Oktoberfest of '49 when the entire parade was frozen and didn't thaw out until May Day the next spring.

Anyway, enough of the historyfest, on with the teaching for this morning. We take the title statement and use it for our comfort and to worship God, but what does it mean? Great is an adjective denoting someone or something that is exceptional, above the average; with ability or eminence that is prominent. For those who believe, the word definition seems to fall short, as though over the years it has been dumbed down perhaps. Glorious is having or deserving glory, fame, or honor. Oops, what is glory then? An interesting definition is: worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving. Or, another is: great beauty and splendor. Good words for our God, but because of the overuse in our media, we feel a little cheated. However, the original is not diminished by later usage. Here is a good one: something that is a source of great pride.

Are we not proud of our God? Is that not why we say things like 'great and glorious is our God'? If I don't feel proud of my God, if I cannot look up to God worshipping someone greater than myself, then something is wrong. For the terrible sin of idolatry is that the person worships something less than himself, usually a poor model of one of God's creatures or an imaginary being modeled out of God's materials, and turns away from his or her Creator. I am glad that my God is God, the perfect Creator.

Sorry about the tardiness of this today. The weather arriving this morning has brought about a barely tolerable sinus headache in me. God bless and keep you today,

Bucky

God Doesn't Shut Down

Well, it has happened and we cannot ignore it for long. The men and women we elected over the past few years have gone and shut down the government, at least partially. Some of the shutdowns are downright silly, such as trying to block access to a monument in Washington D.C. that is owned, at least we tend to think so, by the people of this nation. I can understand something that must have an operator or guard for safety reasons, but we're talkin' stone monument that just sits and is viewed by people walking by. It is at these moments that I am most in favor of recalling the lot, and I mean every one of 'em. No states holding out for one senator, no districts trying to keep one representative, no political party allowed to keep one or two favorites, just bring 'em all home and get some new ones. I wonder if we could pass a constitutional amendment to that effect? Oh, and maybe include the bozo who blocked access to inanimate monuments owned by the people too.

Praise God that our Lord does not shut down. We fear no notice posted on the pearly gates that Heaven is shutdown until further notice. God's grace is not held up in committee. Salvation cannot be blocked by angels upset over a reduction in their travel pay. (That one might be a bit on the fictional side.) The Cross of Christ has only one notice, and it tells of His royalty.

All of our toys and gizmos may shutdown. The services that we enjoy and to some degree depend on may shut off. Crops can fail, famine may ravage the land, drought shuts off the moisture, and earthquakes might destroy everything, but God does not shutdown. One day the body you or I use to walk and talk may just shut down, but God is still active and knows exactly where we are. God does not require a budget motion, or a funding measure. He is sovereign. He is omnipotent. None can overrule or stop our Lord. A government is not something to believe in or trust. Our money says it correctly, "In God we trust."

Enjoy a day without some government. Pray for our elected leaders, please!
Bucky

Not Even One Hour?

Not sure why they didn't have school yesterday, but the little 'uns are back in their numbers today. Ah, the call goes out for the miniature horde to go into the classroom. Maybe that should be, 'horde of miniature humans' or something. I'm glad they don't gather 45 minutes earlier and make their noise for a full hour. One hour: it seems so long at times - waiting for the doctor to administer sharp pokes as they like to do - or so very short. I like the time in the Bible when Jesus prays by himself in the garden and asks the disciples to watch with Him. He returns to find Peter, John, and James zonked out, and asks, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?"

One hour, is that so hard? We were not there at that time in the disciples shoes, or sandals, but we can gain some perspective from events in our lives. Eating a big meal, staying up until the wee hours of the morning, the quiet of the peaceful garden with no one around. Yeah, I can see how they fell asleep on their watch. It is interesting that the two forces, as we might call them, that did stay awake were Jesus in prayer for so many, and the so many of the religious authorities who wanted to kill the One. It was like Jesus was fated to stand alone against all the forces the world could gather to take Him down. Hmm, there might even be a prophecy or two that says something like that.

Our human weakness stands in contrast to the strength of Christ. He prayed in earnest for us, and we failed Him through our representatives, the disciples. As disciples of the disciples, does that mean that when our Lord stands alone in prayer against the forces of the evil one we are to fall asleep? No, we would not take that as a lesson of what to do, but a lesson of what not to do. I find it both sad and amusing that so many of our lessons from the Bible come from people doing what they ought not to have done. And, my experiential lessons in life have often come in the same way. Praise the Lord I am no better than the folks in the Bible, except in one way: the salvation of my Lord Jesus. No credit to me there, they can have that salvation too, and all the credit or glory in it goes to Jesus who died on the cross to save us.

Enjoy the day! Have a good meal, take a walk, and then try to keep watch for an hour. No radio or television, no book or other aid to wakefulness, just keep watch for one hour. See if you can do it in the daytime, then imagine trying to do it at 0300 or thereabouts! Extra points if you can do it with a cat nearby; they go to sleep at the drop of a hat.

Bucky

You Are Mine; I AM Your Lord!

Good Monday morning! For the Lord said to us that we belong to Him, and that He will be our Lord. Do we recall the honor that has been placed upon us by this? In our thinking it is just opposite for the perfect God to become Lord of that which has become imperfect through sin. It is wrong, so God sent a way to bridge that great divide. How could we get to God's heavenly home otherwise?

You might point upward in a vague direction of Heaven as we think it sits, but all we see are the stars and planets of God's Creation. Pointing down or around just seems wrong, so up it is, but what good does that do you and me? We cannot hop high enough. Rocket ships carry us to where we cannot breathe, and planes eventually must land again. Someday we might go to another planet, only to stand on its surface vaguely pointing up once more. Moral perfection then?

The Pharisees perhaps came closest to that in their rigid adherence to many rules and laws, including God's law, but Jesus had nothing but criticism for their way. Is a code of ethics kept faithfully the way to be with God? Nope, something is still missing, for to seek Heaven only for the purpose of getting there is selfish. For if one is self-righteous, then he or she does not need the righteousness of the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed that of a group who policed each other and kept an army of rules down to tithing on their herbs. If one cannot make himself perfect, and a group cannot make its members perfect, where do we go from there, a nation or an empire? I think we have studied enough history to know that has never worked.

What then is this way? Some would have us believe that all about God is mysterious; that we can never know enough about God. Hmm, seems to me that I can hear my little Bible scholars racing ahead of me here. Yes, John 14:6 plainly states not what is the way, but WHO is the way, the truth and the life. Nothing mysterious or hidden, Jesus plainly states the answer we seek. Our Lord has not forsaken us in our search for either truth, or the way to Heaven, or for that which is our deepest desire, eternal life. The way to my perfection is in the Lord Jesus. The way to your perfection is in Christ too. We cannot perfect ourselves back into what God created us before the sin and the fall. And why would we want to? For God's way is forward to the fulfillment of His plan. We are going somewhere in Christ, my friends, let us not faint in the way.

Bucky

Enjoy To God's Glory

For the folks from Kimball this morning, we will call this the Farmer's Day devotional. Whoo, I remember the cold mornings in a band uniform waiting to march down the street. Then, we had to walk home to change because the usual heat of September days was on the way. Somewhere down the road a bit, a bunch of kids are preparing to do that very thing. Meanwhile, at 36 deg outside, this is a good morning for hot drinks or hot breakfast cereal. Why limit yourself, have hot drinks and a hot breakfast, and enjoy it to the glory of God our provider.

We wonder at times if we should enjoy anything at all. Are we not to share in the sufferings of Christ? Yes, but did Jesus leave us His peace so that we are only allowed to suffer peacefully? Do we not go the way of the man earning his salvation by constant penance when we eliminate joy? How do we tell the unbeliever that she is signing up for a lifetime of nothing but doleful suffering? Well, I certainly hope that is not the life of following Christ. Tribulation and suffering will come, but I want to know the joy of following Jesus. What good for Jesus to overcome the world if we cannot enjoy His victory?

It seems to me that God would enjoy our company a lot more if we were not always heavy-burdened with suffering. Does not the Shepherd celebrate when the sheep have a victory? I believe that my God wants to enjoy His bounty with me. Yes, He will train me up and grow my faith in sufferings. But, He also lives in me and wants me to be joyful, grateful, loving, and even at times, happy. Not every circumstance is sent to plant my hopes and joys in the grave of despair. It is too easy to grasp our sufferings around us like a cloak of many colors, and then explain to the Lord how good we are becoming. Might be time to open up that cloak and let some of God's Sonshine in.

Bucky

The Music of the Day

Ulp! I see some leaves changing color. For some of us that is a crescendo or a series of pleasing notes that sings of autumn. For others, the changing leaves are a passage in a minor key, a mourning of summer that is passing. The music of the day is different from one to another in this great concert God has wrought. Friday, of course, is often a cause for a sprightly, happy tune. A melody of weekly cares easing into the weekend celebration. Monday, on the other hand causes the tune to wander into dark areas of back to the job for some, while others celebrate their return. (Some folks is kinda peculiar that way.) A shower of a morning is a cause for singing along with the day's tune, mostly 'cuz the shower covers up the less well-sung notes. We have a tune to hear this day.

Music is often spoken of in the Bible. David used it to perform his poems, and he played the harp to soothe the distressing spirit in Saul. The heavenly host celebrated the birth of the Christ child. I'm sure the host would approve of Christmas music with only 3 months to go to the blessed date. What's that, you didn't begin the day with Christmas tunes? I guess your music of the day will survive this one time. Probably should look into fixing that tomorrow though, December the 25th is just around the corner. The day begins; time for me to play a happy tune of glory to God!

Bucky

Somebody Needs Some Joy

Good morning on this fine autumn day! I don't know what is going on with you today, but God told me that somebody out there needs some joy in his or her life. Happiness is an emotional response to a set of circumstances, and I cannot provide that for you. Joy, on the other hand, I cannot provide either, wouldn't even know where to start. But I do know where our joy comes from! Whether you surrendered, submitted, responded, opened the door, or committed to Jesus, you gained His Holy Spirit within you on that day, even in that very moment.

The source of our joy is the comfort of our salvation, the knowledge of God, love of God and one another, and the faith placed in us and grown to a mighty strength by the very Spirit of our Lord and Christ. We do not have to beg for this each day, but it does help to ask of God. We may need to search a bit harder for that joy on some days, and find it quite easily on others. The joy of the Spirit multiplies more quickly in the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but it also spreads to those who do not believe. The joy we gain from Jesus helps us in times that seem far beyond our strength. Strength of emotion and spirit we did not know we possessed comes from the same source of joy who lives in you and me, the Spirit of God.

It is interesting that joy is not something I can give to you, but it is something I can share with you. My joy cannot be complete when yours is not, but each of us has complete joy in the Holy Spirit. We can rejoice in the Lord always, even though we don't always feel like rejoicing. We may go to bed defeated, but fresh joy comes in the morning. Joy is a gift from God. Ask Him to open your heart to receive it.

Bucky

Faith, The Final Frontier

These are the voyages of little Christian ships everywhere. Our lifetime mission: to explore new worlds seeking God's will in our lives, to boldly witness to the good news of Jesus Christ, and to grow in faith when certainty is silent. Wait, when certainty is silent? But certainty is what I have sought for much of my life. I want to know beyond all doubt that I am right in this believing. Sorry, faith is described in Hebrews eleventy-one as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We don't get to see the promised Heaven. We don't get to see the backside of Jesus as we follow Him. Our knowledge is based on hope, the evidence of our faith is in believing that our Lord died for our sins and lives again. We don't get to see with certainty.

Faith is our final frontier. God did not reveal in the Revelation that Jesus would return on a specified date. We believe that Jesus will return based on His testimony to John and the other disciples. For certainty we get long ago eyewitness reports and historical stories. Nothing has been added to the Bible for many a year. Yet, something or someone must enable our faith. Where does the seed of faith come from in us?

The journey to that glorious meeting where faith meets certainty in the person of Christ begins with a step of belief. The world we know mocks this belief. "There is no certainty, no proof," they will say, and in this they are correct. We take it on faith, just a little at first, but growing as the years and tribulations roll by. Who are the birds who shelter in that greatest of trees that sprouted from the smallest of seeds? We are! Those who believe and receive the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord. At the time of this belief, the Counselor is granted and in us the seed of faith is planted.

In the matchless name of Jesus,
Bucky

Is It Safe To Mock The Devil?

Good morning after a wonderful Tuesday Bible study. I got the response yesterday; Courtney is out for the week. So, we can mock the poor old girl all we want this week. Oops, the 'old' was a mock already, she is considerably younger than yours truly. Ah, the gentle sounds of the breaking surf can be heard in Brandee's basement. Mine is dry so I can mock by speaking of tidal currents, rip tides, surf and other basement horrors not generally found in Nebraska. Wow, I'm really asking for it, if justice is to be served, by mocking the misfortunes of others. Not that a week away from work is a misfortune, but Courtney's sweet, softball-smackin' husband might take offense at my mention of her precious name. The lighthearted mocking of my friends in Christ brings up the question in the title: is it safe to mock the Devil?

We have read that we are to resist the Devil and he will flee from us. However, there are also statements handed down from of old that by mocking the Devil he will flee from us as well. This sounds like fun at first, but then it also sounds a bit scary. Is not the Devil that former great angel called Lucifer? Even though fallen from on high, should we not show respect? Good questions! The Bible speaks much of reverencing and respecting God. I cannot recall a command to respect our Adversary. The power of the Devil lies in, well, lies. This deceit causes us to fear, and Jesus says many times to not fear. Jesus called Satan a murderer. Do we respect murderers? Do we reverence a known liar? Certainly not!

What is safety? Is it in getting along with a liar? Whose power do we depend on in this life of faith? God's power of course. We are saved through the power of Christ who rose in victory over death and the grave. Jesus is our Lord, and our Lord said that the prince of this world had no authority over Him. I suppose the question is best answered by where we place our faith. In a known deceiver and liar? Then you had better show respect. But if your faith is placed alongside mine in the Almighty God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, then I think we should reverence Him and not worry about that other being. Can we ignore the Devil all the time? No, you and I are on God's side now, and we will be attacked. When it comes, use resistance, mocking, the name of Jesus and get the liar out of your head. Get into prayer, and if you have an in-house pool as I did last year, meditate on God's word to the gentle sounds of the basement surf.

Let the goodness of God reign down upon us!
Bucky

Grateful For My Blessings

When in the course of events (Sounds a bit like I'm starting a declaration of independence or something.) life changes from what it was, we may be tempted to stop the gratitude and concentrate on the circumstance. Not so very long ago, I had money to spend and to lend, as Tolkien put it, and I did. Giving to ministries was a high privilege and one that I enjoyed very much. I thanked God for it, and even tried to be a good steward by directing that money into certain ministry buckets at times. Then, as I grew in faith, I just gave into ministry general budgets and praised God for it. I no longer thought it my duty to direct and control in my giving. (However, the temptation to be that person still exists in me.) Then, the time came when there was nothing in the bank tank to give.

It was at that time that I should have thanked God for my blessings, but I was too caught up in the circumstance to remember. Like the Israelites, I would look around and grumble, while knowing full well that sort of thing angers my God. Like the Israelites, I also fell into looking back to 'Egypt'. That temptation also still comes up in me at times. In the Bible study I am preparing for tomorrow morning, Joseph finally arrives in his promised land. What I cannot forget is that Joseph in faith endured much before arriving there, and his tribulations probably did not end with his new position. The Israelites also entered their promised land, but after not one trip through the wilderness, but many years of wandering in it. The Pilgrims came to a promised land of religious freedom in America, but they too had to endure a period of severe trial before that day came. All of them had at least one thing to learn: give thanks to God even in what seems the most dire of circumstances.

For our God did not promise to provide in only the good times; He promised to provide what we need at all times. What God knows I need may fall far short of what I think I need. That kinda goes without saying, but I said it anyway. Thanking God in all circumstances does run up against my perceived shortfalls, but all the more reason to work on thanking Him. I do have blessings all around me. Most of them walk, talk, and praise God with me. Some are related to me, others I call friend, but all I believe are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Loving these blessings helps me to remember to thank God for them. Just like loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength helps me to remember to thank God for His Son.

The wonderful and gracious love of Christ to you on this fine morning!
Bucky

If Only For One Person

We read the bit about all nations or the uttermost corners of the Earth, and we may feel guilty that our witness does not spread quite that far. We must remind ourselves that the church is a team. We do not do this alone. This morning, I thought about the reasons for writing a devotional. If it is about the number of recipients, or the geographic spread of those numbers then many more writers and preachers are doing much better than me. This would of course mean that ministers of the very large churches will have a higher place in Heaven.

I don't need to search the gospels very deeply to see that it is not about numbers, but about love. If a person seeks to serve numbers, then he will naturally want higher reward. When it comes time for the salary review, the numbers will be brought out and displayed. However, I don't think that a motivation for numbers will hold up in life, or in God's court. The higher the number of recipients, the greater the correspondence and the more attention the minister gains. But, these things can only make the servant feel that he or she is doing a good job. A feeling is not necessarily an indication of the truth, for our feelings are easily swayed by circumstance.

Love says that witnessing, if only for one person, is a worthwhile endeavor. We are somewhere near the seventh anniversary of this devotional, and some of you have been reading it since the beginning in September of 2006. If only one person reads what I write, then I will continue writing for it is my witness to the world. How valuable is a witness to just one person? Imagine where that person may spend eternity if he or she does not get that witness. A Christian may be chained in a dungeon somewhere in a far country. She may have only one human contact to witness to through a small hole between cells, but that witness is valuable to God. You or I may not have a large audience, but we have a great and wonderful witness full of the Good News of Jesus Christ!

God be with you in grace and peace on this day,
Bucky

Praise Him All The Day

Good morning! The flood waters are due to recede today and the town is still dry. We look forward to a good day, one of praise and thanksgiving. However, we must also remember those who lost lives or homes in this disaster. We know that God makes great things come from what we see as a disaster in our lives. A person staring at the remains of their home might find that hard to hear or even believe. How much greater would life be if God had stopped the disaster in the first place? A person might ask us in return. We don't have an answer to that, because we are not permitted to know what might have been or would have been.

Some circumstances present an easy answer. As the students arrive at school across the street, one may ask something like, "Why do we have to go to school when the kids over in that other town do not?" That is an easier answer. The town upstream a ways from us cannot flush toilets or take a shower. The towns downstream are just starting to deal with the flooding effects. We have it pretty good here. Sorry, the kids must go to school in our little town. They don't sound too upset at the moment. In a far country, kids cannot attend school without armed escort. In all things, praise the Lord.

What? Can't we wait for the perfect circumstance or at least the perfect day to praise Him? Some days are easier than others, some circumstances more conducive to praise and thanksgiving. We don't always get to choose which ones surround us. Praising God in a tough circumstance is a witness that shines brighter than the praise that comes from plenty and easy living. So, we who walk by faith love to stay in the tough circumstance to increase our witness? Goodness no! We try to get out just as soon as we can. We have a heart for Heaven, and these tough times will not last against the coming of Christ our Lord.

Bucky

The Beast Passes By

Good morning as the new day begins. We pray often and sometimes at length for something to happen. But, there are those times when we are grateful to God that the beast we feared has passed by. Last night, if you or I were sensitive to the prayers around us, we might have heard a rather large shout of "No, not now, Lord!" as the rains came down. The river is still above flood stage and we could stand a couple of days off from the rains. However, around 1300 yesterday, God made some room in the river to the tune of about 2,000 cfm in the flow. Probably just enough for the rain to fit in.

The beast passes by. The flow in the river is down this morning. I saw no difference in the fields when I took my morning stroll, which means the waters came no closer to town, well, other than the rains falling on the town that is. The thunderstorm did not unleash a torrent by any means, but it was enough to get us all praying together while still in our individual homes. An event can be like that. God wants us praying with one mind, and certain conditions bring that out in us. At least I hope there was no evil knothead somewhere in town praying to be flooded out. In that case we would have to say praying mostly with one mind except for Georg Gurkel down the block who needs a good head thumpin'.(Georg is a fictional person I made up for an example. Please, put down the torches and pitchforks!)

Without a catastrophic event or the possibility of a catastrophe, we must use other means to pray with one mind. Church prayer lists are wonderful for getting us organized to pray for the same things. Perhaps we won't pray at the same time, but we have the promise in Revelation when an angel takes a golden censer and offers up the prayers of the saints with incense to God. We don't often think of our prayers as an offering to God, but keep up the good work! Pray that the beasts of the world pass on by. Work to pray with one mind and heart. Give God the offering He is due. Amen.

Bucky

Today Is The Day That Much Will Happen

Good morning! I walked across the rails today for a few photos, but there was not much to see. There is water on the town side of the trees by the river, but not much. We are far from danger as of 0600 this morning. The flood crest is due this evening as of the last report I heard. Today is the day that much will happen. Interesting thought. If a mystic sort of person in a certain environment said that to us, we might think it a curse. However, in the light of a new day and watching for flood waters, it simply means that we wait only today for disaster, inconvenience, or just a sight of something we may not see for another 50 years.

In our Christian life and walk, such a statement may mean the end of a waiting period. A day when slow turns to fast in events that God has promised. Forces our Lord set in motion months or years ago may collide or connect today in ways we never imagined. Yes, it may mean a disastrous event for us, at least in what appears to our limited vision. Or, the events may be so stupendously wonderful that we can only tremble in praise and adoration of God our Heavenly Father. Mostly, we fully expect the first and scoff at the latter, and with that kind of faith we get what we believe in.

Praise God for the possibility of great and wonderful things in life today.
Bucky

Taking the Humble For Granted

Good morning, because God is good. No, we are not underwater this morning. The flood is due beginning today and peaking tonight or tomorrow morning. Measurement difficulties all along the river make peak determination difficult, and it probably doesn't help that some of the river wants to take off across the prairie and visit fields and farms along the way. Sterling, the town up river about 50 miles, has some difficulties this morning. Scan through yesterday and think about not flushing the toilets, at all...anywhere in town. The humble little porcelain thing in our homes and businesses gets a lot of, uh, business in any given day. We tend to take them for granted as they are always there and mostly available. Some places or homes fail to clean them regularly. Others let them languish in chipped brokenness. A humble thing deserves humble treatment it seems.

Every town has one or more servants who are treated in much the same way. "Oh, she does this menial job and..." usually in a lowered voice, "she's mentally retarded you know." We may do this without a second thought due to our growing up in a society that does this sort of thing. Actually, all societies since the term was invented probably have done the same thing. Bird societies kick and berate the ugly duckling. Lion prides boot that horrible male lion who grew up without a mane. "He's funny you know, not a real lion at all," the pride's senior lioness comments with a snarky aside.

Jesus was humble. Oh, dear... Yes, the Son of God came down to this ball of dirt from which He created us. The humble servant of all was often taken for granted. The Pharisees refused to believe and used their rules to accuse Him of law breaking. The scribes tested our Lord and plotted how to murder Him. Even His closest disciples fled His presence in the dark hours of His need. The humble Teacher was treated poorly by many and ignored by many more. Yet, Christ alone brought salvation, a way out of our sin depravity and the penalty looming over us all. The humble was taken for granted and still obeyed God, accomplishing His mission out of His great love.

Praise God for the humble things, amen.
Bucky

Good News From Far Away

Good morning! I took a good long look as I walked up 1st Street this morning, but so far the river remains within its channel here at Julesburg. The watchers are watching, and some farm equipment and livestock has been moved. Thank you for your prayers; they are more precious than gold to me. I will continue to pray for you.

Yesterday, I received a bit of good news from far away. Someone among us is about to be a little happier in the coming days. We don't even need specifics to feel a lightening of the load we bear. One of our brothers in Christ has some good news and we share it. A sister in Christ is promoted or gets a raise, and all of us feel the joy. A child is born - I wasn't immediately referring to the Christmas one, but, hey, it is getting closer! - we share the good news and spread some cheer among our brothers and sisters in Christ helping just a little in their daily struggle.

Might as well go with it, I can't get it out of my mind now. The Christ child is born. The first Christmas celebration follows with angels singing in the heavens, shepherds taking a road trip, and wise guys searching for the newborn king. The child grows to a man and spreads good news throughout the region and through His disciples to the uttermost parts of the world. Good news is infectious. We love and live for some good news.

Some mornings, I look around at the circumstance and pray for some good news of my own to spread. Then, I look at this devotional and realize: all I have to do is push 'send'. Praise God for our good news of Jesus Christ.

Bucky

It Is A Glorious Day

Good morning and good day! The world is in such a state; how can I say that this day is glorious? I choose to believe it. Jesus has come. He died for your sins and mine. On the third day, just as He foretold, He rose again. In faith I am forgiven. In mercy I receive a reprieve from the judgment. In grace I walk forward in joyful anticipation of all that is to come. The Lord is great and gracious. The Lord loves me and you! How can we not say the day is glorious?

My Lord sees tomorrow. He holds it in His hands alone. The Devil may try to steal our hope with lies, but the Accuser of the brethren no more holds tomorrow than you or I. God alone knows the future and speaks of it to us as He wills. Today is the day He has granted to me. As we are commanded in His word, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Hallelujah!

Wait, some may ask, how is it that you, given what we know of your situation, can celebrate the day? Ah, but wait I say, how is it that you believing your situation to be better are not? If I compare situations by looking around me, surely I will never celebrate except when meeting those of the most dire and unfortunate circumstances. I have collected a few 'worse than me' stories in my time, but none have helped me to celebrate. This is not the way of joy, but of pity. I am not blind to the situation, but I choose to believe in the providence of God. It is not what I see, but what I choose to believe that lifts me up to the joy we may have in Christ.

Amen, Lord! You are with me, I am with You. Let us go forward to the joy You have prepared!

Bucky

Superstitious Silliness?

Happy Friday the 13th! We haven't had one of these since the last time the 13th hit on a Friday. They seem to do that now and then. We tend to make light of some superstitions, but are they all silly? We read in Samuel of Saul's attempt to use a medium to get instructions from God. It worked. The prophet Samuel was called up by the medium, and he wasn't particularly happy about it. The problem we have with the occult, other than it seeks in the opposite direction of God, is that not all of it is silly superstition. People chase after the occult because they get results, when God at times seems silent.

It's not fair! we holler at the clouds. We witness to God's everlasting grace, and then the seeker of knowledge gets an answer from the other side. The sinner finds his sought after higher power, and we are left wondering. We seek God in prayer...and no answer. The sneaky question worms its way under our shield of faith, "Am I on the wrong side?" Wait, that was the answer: faith!

Faith in God is entering at the narrow gate, and treading the straight path. God may be silent for a time to see if we will remain faithful. Many sinners will get the answer they seek in their hardened hearts, while for a little while we go without an answer. Faith is a tough road at times. We may see a brother in Christ searching, seeking, waiting for an answer, and it grieves us that he doesn't get one for a season. Faith is not the easy way of quick answers. It is easy for the worldly to get their answers from the prince of this world. We who walk in faith may have to wait, and it is a tough place to tread. It may seem unfair to us, but how much would faith grow if God always provided quick and easy answers?

I have been in that tough spot for some time now. Yes, I will admit to praying for answers and hoping God would respond quickly. However, I want to remain faithful and count on the strength of Christ to stand. Many of you have helped me in this time through prayer and donation, and I have prayed that God would bless you for it. I trust that an answer is near, and I ask that you remain faithful with me for just a little longer.

The blessing and peace of Christ Jesus to you on this Friday of faith,
Bucky

Let Me Not Put Anything Ahead of My Lord

Good soggy morning my friends in Christ! Much demands our attention these days. A job is a precious thing in a world system that requires money as payment. Pleasure is available in so many ways that we may be tempted to live a life of distraction. Work even of the non-paying type can overwhelm our need for our God. Feeling useful is a good feeling, but not if it interferes with our relationship to God. Pain intrudes with forceful misery when we least expect it, blotting out thoughts of anything but begging or grabbing for relief. Politics, especially that of others, may clash with what we believe is right. This in turn causes us to concentrate on political issues when much of the world still cries out for the salvation of Christ. Just when we get a chance to sit down and open the Bible, a call from work jangles our one remaining nerve. Useful to the company has its limits I see by your climbing of the wall.

This world is geared up to smash down our worship of God, any friendly and sharing relationship with our Lord and Savior, and even our dependence on God alone. Distractions fly thick at us as we attempt to stand in our armor of God. Urgencies, emergencies, and a simple call to 'join us for your own good' come from every conceivable source. Christ says that we have much to live for, but the world dumps on us a lot of distraction to live with. The narrow gate is a tough place to enter through!

Jesus gave us one important reminder about these tribulations we experience, "I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) We want to believe at times that means a good overall stomping of the world's nations and systems, but Jesus came as a healer and teacher. As long as the world system is just so darned useful for providing trials and tribulations to grow our faith, I don't see that stomping arriving just yet. Times are tough; for me, for you, and for so many who do not have our hope in Christ. A host of problems may beset you right now, or you may be in a season of relative ease, but Jesus has overcome the world. Place God first in all things and we will get through this with Good News to spare.

God's grace and peace to you on this dampish day.
Bucky

I'm From Nebraska, Not Bethlehem

Good morning! Yes, I mostly realize that I live in Colorado now, but much of my life I lived in Nebraska. Last night, I was thinking that in trying to be like Jesus, I sometimes get confused and try to BE Jesus. I remind myself that I am from Nebraska, not Bethlehem.

A Christian strives to become more like Jesus in behavior and thought, and especially in what we say. However, some things remain in Christ alone. We can forgive one another, but we cannot forgive sin. We can be merciful to one another, but to grant mercy from sin belongs to God. We can die on a cross, but only the death of Christ on the cross removed the penalty of sin from us. I can encourage you, and you me, but only Jesus could send His Holy Spirit into us. One of us might guess what the other is thinking, but only Jesus in the Spirit knows what is going on in all of our thoughts.

One of us may joyfully greet the other on our arrival in Heaven, but I think all of us want to see Jesus then, and when we see Jesus, we will know that He is from Bethlehem, not Nebraska. We will know that many have become like our Lord, but we will also know our Lord. We will see then that we are adopted into the family of God, but there is only one Son of God. You and I will also know what we should learn now, that Jesus created us to be who He created us to be. You and I are becoming like Him and bearing His image more and more, but we are also His creations and we bear unique qualities and traits that He treasures.

In Christ,
Bucky

What Can We Do?

Aiee! My resources are not enough. My time is too little. The days go by so quickly. My intelligence is far short of what I need. I have nothing to give this month. I'm putting the 'me' in these examples, and now I sound like a great big whiner. We have heard comments such as these and probably used them at times ourselves. Every church has felt that there is never enough volunteers (try paying them!) or the offering is too little (Oops). Many households have felt the financial blow of a job loss. We look at our resources, or at least what we think is the sum total of our resources, and complain that we have too little to accomplish what we want or feel called by God to finish. Wait, called by God? Is that the key?

The number one resource of every Christian man or woman is God. James reminded us that we have not because we ask not. When we do ask, we fail to ask in faith. It may seem strange to our earthly ears, but God wants to serve us. After salvation, God serves us by raising up a tiny little seed of faith into a mighty tree of faith. This faith is what enables all of the other services God does for us. Love grows in us because we believe in God. Confidence in God's provision grows in us when faith grasps the promise of God. We learn more of who God is when we trust what God says in His word. Belief and trust belong to faith as hydrogen and oxygen belong to water. If belief in Jesus is the root, then faith is the trunk and trust is the branches of our living tree. Covering the entire tree are the leaves of God's grace, and the blossoms of His love. In the due time, God will bring forth the fruit on this tree, and a bountiful harvest it will be.

What we can do with all of this faith, love, trust, and belief is pray. At the moment you may not have enough money to give, but you have enough prayer to give. Today, there may not be time on your schedule to give, but on the way to some event you can give some prayer. Tomorrow your physical resources may be less than today, but you still have prayer in the cupboard to give. If any of us stop to think about it, no matter how short we are in some resource today, we would take prayers for us above any other giving. I know that I would, and I thank God for your prayers for me. I will take the time today to give some prayers for you. We may be short of everything in this world today, but hug the tree of your faith and pray for one another.

The grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord to you on this day of prayer.

Bucky

Control Surfaces

Good Monday morning! The beginning of the cool down to normal temps is supposed to arrive today. We'll see about that, in the meantime, let's talk control. Watching a certain gang of mostly-literate hooligans, I have noticed they like to exercise control of little flying things from a distance. Some of these things may stretch the definition of little, but all are controlled through a set of control surfaces. The 'pilot', to really stretch a definition, uses a radio control set on the ground and sends control signals to a receiver on the little plane. Each plane has small models of an airplane control surfaces. Ailerons, flaps, rudders, and a throttle are all manipulated from the relative safety of the ground. One advantage to this is that the model planes can perform maneuvers that would cause a human pilot to lose consciousness.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this sport is not in the actual performance, but in the way we think about salvation. How often have you or someone you know wanted Jesus to fly him or her like a little plane? It doesn't work that way, but we say something like, "I belong to you now Lord, I expect you to control me so that I never sin again." Then, we fall, stumble, or run right into sin once more and we blame Jesus. After all, we try to reason, He holds our remote control. If God wanted little remote-controlled servants, He could have created them long ago and avoided all the heartache we tend to cause Him. If salvation made us little Bible-verse spouting robots controlled from Heaven's control room, God would have a different plan than He has right now.

At the moment, God has ambassadors in a foreign land. You and me are controlled from Heaven in that we take our orders from there and carry them out as best we can in the strength of Christ. Like a national ambassador, we have different skills from each other. Some of us are skilled in singing or preaching; others can write or speak well. Some contact many of the earthly natives, others only see or listen to a few in this life. God may push on a control surface here or there in our journey, but His touch is so gentle that we may not realize it until long after the fact. We are guided in our decisions through God's Holy Spirit, but we still make the decisions. Alas, that means the blame for sin still rests on me. Time for some prayer and supplication with thanksgiving!

Bucky

Deny Myself, Deny Every Pleasure?

I suppose it has been tried down through history, after all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23). That must mean that we are to deny the self every pleasure, right? The question to ask is, will that save me? We know that without Christ, self-denial counts for nothing. I cannot by living a secluded life of bare necessity in eating and clothing save myself. I will not save anyone else by denying myself every pleasure. Perhaps the self-denial we tend to think of is on the wrong track. What if the denial of the self Jesus speaks of is the denial of our desire to save ourselves through our own works?

We do face a temptation to polish the outside of the cup as the Pharisees did through a life of strict religious self-denial. We think that by living a monkish life avoiding all pleasure in food, sex, companionship, and activity that we will somehow be holy. Doing this we end with a horrible loneliness and eventually fall to boredom and despair. A period of this kind of life might be good for us all, but only a season, and perhaps a short season at that. Attempting to deny every pleasure is not what we were made for. If God denied himself every pleasure, how could He delight in us? If Jesus denied himself every pleasure, how could He eat and drink with the tax collectors and other sinners?

However, if denying myself means that I no longer rely on my efforts or good works to achieve my salvation, then the salvation of Christ Jesus can shine in me. I can witness by enjoying a dinner with friends. I can witness by enjoying a time of, uh, I almost hate to say this, flying little airplanes with remote controls and pointing out the beautiful sky God made for us. I can witness by watching children play, or playing in some activity we as adults like to call a hobby or sport. A period of pleasure denial may be helpful, but a lifetime of that sort of thing is not attractive to anyone but a few nuts trying to save themselves. I think that I would much rather take pleasure in Christ and with Christ in fun activities, rather than to deny every pleasure in life and try to convince God that I am good enough in my own efforts when His word says that I am not.

Jesus saves, I live in Him!
Bucky

A Thimbleful

A test! Right in the middle of my devotional composition the Gmail tests me by saying I'm expired. So, after looking up my password, I'm back to try this again. Perhaps you don't want to be wished a sleepy good morning today, but that is where I am. I woke up only sort of awake today. The eyes are gummy, the wits are still in bed, and I don't feel like doing much of anything right now. I do not have a reason, such as going to bed too late or waking up more often than normal to account for this sleepiness, it just is. I guess that is the second test already this morning. What if I had just a thimbleful to work with?

We tend to look down on the poor thimble as a measuring device. In poetry, music, literature, and other media, writers and composers use the measure of a thimbleful to mean scarcity or an unfair amount. A thimbleful of water will not keep a person alive. Serving a thimbleful of mashed potatoes to your guests would be an insult. But not all substances are this way. A thimbleful of plutonium in a city water supply could kill millions of people. Many substances in nature are so toxic that a thimbleful is overkill. Medicines work in tiny amounts too. What about a thimbleful of God's love? Is that enough or too much? We don't know. The little thimble does not work to measure such things.

If God gave me just a thimbleful of faith, I would believe it more than enough. A mustard seed is smaller, yet faith of that size can move mountains. A thimbleful of God's love would more than suffice. Not because I am sure of the amount, but because I am sure in faith of the source of that love. What is a thimbleful of my love shared between all those I know? Again, the amount doesn't matter because the measure is flawed. What matters is to start loving one another and leave the amount to grow like that faithful mustard seed.

God bless you this fine morning!
Bucky

The Fog of the World

Good Thursday in this hot month of Aug... wait, the month changed, why didn't the heat wave go away? The weather since about the one year point of my stay here in Julesburg seems very much like the weather when I arrived. I guess you can blame me for the heat wave. Not sure if that makes any sense or not, but you might need someone to blame.

Last night, I thought of going forward in faith. We want to go forward in knowledge. That is, knowledge of what is going to happen tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. This lust after knowledge probably began with the partaking by a couple of naked folks way back in the first days of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Ever since that time, we have wanted to go forward in knowledge so that we can control our lives. However, how much control really do we have over tomorrow? Right, none at all.

Instead, we are to go forward in faith, and faith seems a lot like walking into a big fog bank. I can imagine my Savior's hand in mine, but I don't actually feel it. The fog of the world is so thick, and my eyes so experienced at seeing only this world, that faith seems to tell me nothing about tomorrow. Why do I feel lost? Probably because I am one of those lost sheep that Jesus came to save. I am walking around lost in the fog, bleating my little sheep head off, and hoping for a view of the road ahead. Then I hear a voice from the past. The voice of scripture says, "Let me tell you about God's provision for today...and don't worry about tomorrow." BLEAT, BLEAT, BLEAT! goes the little lost sheep. I still want to know about tomorrow.

Of course, we are to walk with Jesus, our Lord and Shepherd, today. Jesus gathers His flock of lost little sheeps and we walk with Him in the day, not the next day or one down the road, but today. The fog of the world swirls around us so thick that it's hard for us to see even the other sheep. We walk in faith that Jesus will keep His flock together, for we cannot with our limited vision. We walk in faith that Jesus will bring us to the rest at the end of the day. That voice from past scripture speaks once more, "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age!" And we recognize the voice of our Savior making happy little lost sheeps like us.

Have a great day in Christ Jesus,
Bucky

If It's Such a Gimme, Why Don't It Seem to Gotme?

In faith I came to Jesus for salvation. From that gift, I expected the desire to sin to have gone away by now, but it has not. You have probably felt a little of that, even as you know intellectually that it doesn't work that way. We might ask in a moment of stress: if salvation is such a gimme, why don't it seem to gotme? Perhaps any of us would ask the question in a more educated form, but we must admit to asking something rather like that at times.

The carnal person inside is a part of us from conception. We don't know the day when Jesus will remove all temptation and desire to sin. The day is somewhere in our future, but it was not promised in this life. Even the disciples were heard to ask Jesus, "Who then can be saved?" At the time, Jesus had not yet died for all sins so that many could be saved. The answer to the question for all time is Jesus. Our part of the salvation deal is faith.

Faith tells us that Jesus took care of salvation at the cross. Faith did not say that the point of salvation would remove all desire to sin. We are still human and still living in this world. The carnal person inside is not nice to us. He or she desires, we should say 'lusts', for a great many things that we know are against the law, God's law that is. Why not remove all desire to sin? That is not our question to answer. Faith also reassures us that God has some use for this carnal desire we feel. Perhaps to remind us of where we came from before salvation. Without our carnal desire, we might be tempted to feel superior to our fellow sinners who are not yet saved by Christ. The times we fall remind us that we are no better than anyone else, we just have a better Savior.

I don't have to feel the gimme of salvation. I just have to remember that the Savior gots me. Salvation was never mine to perform. That is why I cannot grab a hold of it. I must in faith trust God to hold me. I am 'gotten', even though it doesn't feel that way at times.

The grace and mercy of Christ Jesus to you on this fine day,
Bucky

For One, His This Day Has Come

At the end of an earthly life, we like to list the achievements of the man or woman. These may consist of business or social accomplishments, progeny, or athletic and military feats. We try to say something good about that person, but for some few just living the life to the end is accomplishment enough.

For these few, the list of their suffering is sufficient to make one wonder how he or she made it to the end. An accumulation of injuries, a debilitating disease or condition, or what the world calls just plain bad luck leaves a person suffering more than the normal lot of most humans. Fortitude for these is not in running a marathon, but just getting up and walking. A victory of endurance is not a lifetime of work, but each day worked successfully. Of course, the man himself may not see it that way. Often the man we see as especially given over to suffering considers himself blest with an unusual outpouring of God's grace as he lives each day.

Hearing the story of Mark's health issues for the first time left me wondering once if God was not teasing the poor man with the promise of his 'this day'. The day I am referring to comes from Luke 23:43, when Jesus promised the believing thief that 'this day' he would be with his new Lord in Paradise. Exaggeration of Mark's story is hardly necessary, so I will not attempt to list the near-death and other serious health crises that Mark suffered and I heard about second hand. Once I imagined Mark and I walking away from each other up at the Cabela's headquarters building each praying to God that the other might gain some relief in this life. You can imagine the little thought balloons over our heads as we cried out, "Lord, that fellow has suffered enough!"

Of course, God decides when the day of relief from this world will come. As I'm sure Mark did, I do not consider myself particularly unfortunate in suffering when compared to those who have died as martyrs for Christ. Even now, those who might be considered blessed with extra suffering can point to another that we consider worse off than us. We are not judging that person, only praying for them with a little extra care and attention. I know that Mark prayed for me, as I did for him. Perhaps one of the reasons God blessed us with Mark was for the express purpose of reminding me and you to pray for others. The love of Christ in us shows through best in our prayers for one another.

Mark invariably asked after my health concerns or pain level when we met. He did not fail to give the glory to God even as we compared notes on where to get shoes built up on one side. As Mark stood out in my mind as a noteworthy sufferer, I'm sure that many such unacknowledged prayer partnerships existed between him and another that he considered more in need of prayer than himself. Paul acknowledged that he suffered much, but also exhorted us to place others ahead of ourselves in prayer. Giving up was not an option for the great apostle, and it was not for Mark.

The courage to endure to the end may be bolstered by the suffering of another. Certainly watching God lead Mark through enduring another major medical this or a minor medical that for months and years, and yet have the strength to testify of God's love while enduring another biblical contest with the JW's, gave me hope to carry on to the end. Mark read and lived the Word while giving up his body to medical invasions seemingly without end or rest. We too have the responsibility to testify of God's goodness in situations that look so very bad.

For Mark loved and trusted God, the One True God who has now fulfilled Mark's promise of his 'this day'. The day the Lord Jesus promised to a certain thief who took a moment to believe at the very end of his mortal journey, has come for one of our own. We give Mark up to God for a brief time while our time of testing and trial continues. I need not envy Mark his 'this day', nor do you, for our 'this day' will arrive one day - not in our will, but in God's will - at the perfect time to honor and glorify our Lord and Father in Heaven.

Mark's great hope is now fulfilled in Christ, but his greater hope is that one day all of us will visit him in his new home for a worship celebration of the One who died to bring us all together in His heavenly home.

God bless you all,
Bucky

Jump In Any Time

Good morning on this first Monday in September! Today we celebrate the art of labor by spending the day laboring like a little donkey pulling the family cart up a mountainside after the family Thanksgiving dinner. No, we lay around all day celebrating labor with a day off? Sounds kind of backwards, it does. We celebrate Memorial Day by remembering, shouldn't we cap off the summer by laboring on Labor Day? The thing is that we can celebrate with labor all we want. The day is free from the employer, and many get this holiday with pay, but that doesn't mean that we can't jump into some labor today. Sometimes it is a celebration of something to do it when we don't have to.

Prayer is much the same at times. We may get in a bad habit of looking upon prayer as a labor that must be done before we do something else. However, we do not have to pray. God wants us to, and His will is what we seek, but no one is going to force us to pray. We like to tell others of what is going on, especially if something very good happens. We also like to share our troubles with others, kind of spread the heavy load around a bit. Why would we look at prayer as a labor then if God wants to hear all about our day, our week, every trouble and tribulation, and especially all the good things? Jump in and pray at any time.

Do something strange to celebrate prayer, like praying at the end of a meal instead of the beginning. Make this Prayer Day by praying for everyone but yourself for a day. Or, do what God wants and just talk with Him. Leave out the forms and ceremonies, and just tell God what a good job He is doing in your life. Get angry, tell God He is doing a lousy job. We would be wrong of course, but God is not afraid to hear our emotions poured out to Him. Sometimes life seems to be going all the wrong way, and we tend to blame God for it. Don't try to hide the thoughts, pour them out in prayer. As the anger drains away, or God answers, we may find that angry prayer turning to one of praise and thanksgiving. Give prayer as an offering to God; it certainly works when you seem to have nothing left to give.

God bless and keep you this holiday,
Bucky