Don't Ya Just Hate That?!

Good Wednesday! Note the inspired use of the interrobang in the title. Yesterday, an article may have slipped by you. So, I will yank the chain on your headlong rush toward ignorance, and bring it up again. This was a good news article, so we shouldn't miss it.

I can attest to hearing the bad news from more than one pulpit. Many of us can witness to the same thing. Here it is: 50% of marriages end in divorce, and most are unhappy. At one time, I thought that was just true of Sidney (the one in Nebraska), because Paul Harvey, no less, called it the divorce capital of the U.S. on a broadcast. Where did this 50% figure come from? Well... therein lies the lie that has been repeated by the pastors of America. Don't ya just hate that?! That figure was a projection based on trends seen in the 70s and early 80s, and the expectation (didn't we address those recently?) that the new no-fault divorce laws would increase the rate of divorce. But, we have the good news. Not true it seems, never made that figure, didn't come close to it. Praise the Lord.

Look for the new book, The Good News About Marriage, by Shaunti Feldhahn and read some better news about her research and what her team found through stopping to look, as opposed to repeating an untruth. Hold it! Let's address that bit about catching the Church, the bride-to-be of Jesus, in the wrong. It's going to happen.

In the early days, just after Jesus ascended to Heaven, the church was born and lived in infancy. Paul, Peter, and the gang of apostles worked to grow the new church in the power of the Holy Spirit. Just short of 2,000 years later, maybe the church is no longer an infant, but even as a young adult church, so to speak, we the church are quite likely to make mistakes and be caught in the wrong. Only God is perfect, we as the growing church are going to make mistakes and repeat an untrue statement now and then. Jesus will make sure His bride is ready for the wedding of the Lamb. Somehow, all those brothers and sisters in Christ with our disagreements on this or that bit of theology, the misquotes and mistakes, and even those groups who concentrate too much on one aspect of God at the expense of His other qualities, will be brought together as the spotless bride to our great Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Yes, the church can grow from a few mistakes, just as each Christ-one does through the Spirit of God.

Have a Spirit-growing day in the grace of Christ Jesus!
Bucky

Do You Suppose Jesus Knew?

And... there is a Monday after the big 51 birthday. Just when you think nothing stranger can happen. At what age do Mondays get banned? Shouldn't I be old enough now to start the working week with maybe a Funday, ya know, the one that comes right after Sunday? No? Ah well. Years and years ago, I used to get picked near the last for teams at recess. Then, I joined the Marine Corps, went to boot camp, and enjoyed the very same privilege. Do you suppose that Jesus knew way back when that many of us would know the sting of being chosen last in this world?

Even in a job search, if a person does not get the job, that is the same as being chosen last, or worse, not being chosen at all. We feel the sting. You're not suitable. I was looking for someone with a bit more experience. How 'bout the dating thing? I was looking for a man/woman with something else. You're not my type. I'm not ready to settle down yet. All ways of being chosen last or left out just like that playground time back in the day. It hurts emotionally and physically to be left out or put down. Of course none of us would force something as important and long term as a marriage on someone just to avoid hurting. Jesus knew then and He knows now that we will get hurt in this world.

The usual advice is to 'let it go'. I'm not all that usual, so I'll give some different advice. Take it to Jesus. Talk it over with our Lord in prayer. Yes, if the playground thing still hurts, talk it out with the Savior. Jesus knew we would suffer a lot in this world, and He said so in John 16:33. Jesus may have something new to say to you on this day. Something like, "Little child, I chose you!"

Bucky

My Happy Birthday

Good morning! As the sun shines through another breezy day, I realize that this is the 16th birthday since the prodigal came home. Birthdays, I think, are a bit more special after something nearly stops the normal sequence of marking off the years since birth. Living becomes more precious when a close view of that grim spectre (I like to call him 'Morty') passing by, but not quite stopping, graces life. Why alter the flow with a cute nickname? Well, it just doesn't do to receive extra years from my Lord and then spend them in morbid fear of the shadow of Death that Jesus conquered so many years ago.

Morty likes to bluster and threaten. Many in the world flee his presence with every ounce of their strength. On the other hand, it does not do for us to embrace the ugly thing by constantly moaning to Jesus to 'take us home'. The world condition we see in the news does not lend itself to learning to enjoy being here, but I believe that is what our Lord would have us accept. Yes, we are to yearn to be with our Lord, but at the same time He wants us to love one another. The bride, the church, longs to see the groom, our Lord Jesus. Yet, we also must long for one another. We do that by suffering and living and rejoicing together.

At one time, I felt that birthdays might be just as well ignored. Now, I am glad to celebrate. We are here together. Morty has been allowed to separate some over the past year, and in spite of him we look forward to our eternal reunion. Morty is a silly character in that he can hurt, but cannot win. Jesus already holds the victory. I'm 51 today! At the tender age of 35, I shook hands with Morty, but he was not allowed to separate me from those I love. Now, I am learning to enjoy being here in a world that, though fallen and cursed, still belongs to God the Creator. We may not belong in this world in the condition it is in right now, but one day we will see it renewed.

Have a happy birthday with me in the love of Christ!
Bucky

Ha, ha, oops! Forgot to post this yesterday! I must be going over the hill this year.

Swinging the Self Bat

Good Saturday morning! Okay, the baseball seasons are going strong, so it's time for us once more to have some sort of weak sports analogy. The subject came up again, as it does from time to time, about how hard we are on ourselves. Yes, the worst critic of me is usually me, and you are most often your own harshest critic. Imagine for a moment that we are watching a baseball game. Live, on television, whatever you like. If you don't like, at least try to bear with the story teller for just a moment or two.

Casey is on the bench today because he is overused in a famous story. The first batter we see for the Provencal White Sox is George. I like George as a plumber, so he might as well spend some time on the ball field this morning. George approaches the plate, does the thing batters seem to do like whacking his cleats and adjusting his ensemble, then steps into the box. "Play ball" calls the ump, and the pitcher winds up. The ball is thrown, and suddenly George takes a mighty short swing and whacks himself on the leg. What in the world?

For lack of any idea which rule covers this, the ump hollers, "Strike One!" After all, George did swing and the ball was thrown as per usual. The pitcher shakes his head; the catcher is rendered speechless, and the ump tells them to play ball once again. The throw, the play at the plate... George whacks himself again! Now the entire crowd is silenced. Is this some new and strange play? Something to distract the fielders perhaps? We may never know, as with the final pitch, George takes a bigger swing and succeeds in knocking himself out cold.

Of course this is crazy talk, or George has gone 'round the bend, or something. No batter would take his wood or aluminum batting stick and smack himself. Yet, when it comes to criticism, we often grab a figurative self bat and proceed to whack away at our self-respect, ego, love (as in loving your neighbor as your self), and even our ability to face others with our head held up, if we beat the poor self enough with this bat. Yes, a accepting criticism and feedback does help us learn to treat others with respect. While we are doing that though, let us learn to treat the self with respect too. After all, Jesus loves that self with an everlasting love!

Bucky

National Day of Prayer

Good morning as we look to pray for our nation on this National Day of Prayer for 2014. On a day many years ago, a king stood forth to dedicate a house of worship to his God and for his people. In his dedication and prayer, Solomon made an interesting note that might be considered by many a shortcoming in his father, King David. His father did not get the job done. We know from the stories that David wanted to build a temple to the Lord, but that he was refused by the Lord. In this prayer of dedication we have another view on that incident. Through Solomon, God says this about David: "Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart." (2 Chronicles 6:8)

I like that the Lord saw what was in David's heart and gave him credit for doing well even in what he did not get done physically. We tend to think of the many things we have not done for the Lord. That the Lord allows us to build church buildings, give offerings and gifts, help the poor in His name, and many other things is a great blessing and privilege. However, we don't always get to do all that we want to the glory of the Lord. We can take comfort and maybe stand a little taller in that what was in our heart to do for the Lord is noted and commended by our God.

Today, let us thank God for our nation. No, it most certainly is not perfect and good in all its ways. We don't kneel down in prayer ignoring that all is not right in our country. However, we can give thanks to God for the goodness we have in Christ, the generosity of this people who believe in the Son of God, and the land we hold dear. Perhaps for this day of prayer, we can set aside the partisan slings and arrows and look to God together. Seek the Lord in prayer, ask for wisdom and goodness from Him on this day, and look for the Lord to answer in a big way.

"Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation,
And let Your saints rejoice in goodness." (2 Chron 6:41)

God bless you all on our National Day of Prayer,
Bucky

It Happens To Us Too

Good morning on yet another windy day. We may like to think that following Christ protects us from the things of this world but we know such is not the case. A Christian is not guaranteed a quiet, peaceful passing in his old age at home surrounded by friends and family during his last moments. Although that does happen, we too are subject to the destruction and death from the violence of the world. A ministry many of us listen to during the evenings on MyBridge radio, Family Life Today, lost a man in the Arkansas tornadoes. Two of the man's daughters also died in the storm. We suffer when we hear about things like this, and we mourn too.

We look forward to that place where safety is the norm and there shall be no more sorrow or mourning. Until that time comes for all of us who are found in Christ, we know that the disasters of this fallen world happen to us too. In Job 1:18-19, the family of Job is killed by our common adversary with a great wind that collapses the house in which they had gathered to fellowship. The methods of the enemy probably have not changed in thousands of years. Does this mean that Satan murdered these people? Not necessarily, death happens in this world, and we know it very well. Death is something Adam earned for us by doing the only thing God told him never to do. The good news is that the Seed of Abraham conquered Death and the Grave. We don't have to look at death as the end for our fellow warriors in Christ. We mourn, but we know of the great hope we share in Christ Jesus.

As we learn in the military service, let us stand in the full armor of God, pick up the sword of the Word, and return to the fight. Some have fallen, but in Christ we stand until that day we are reunited with our Lord and our brothers and sisters in Christ. God bless you all,

Bucky

Over-matched!

Good Tuesday morning! Last night, I was over-matched by a pop bottle. Yup, all 42.2 fluid ounces of it. I couldn't drink the thing in one meal. I forgot to ask who was selling this behemoth of personal pop bottles. (The 2 liter and larger sizes I consider to be family sizes, and certainly wouldn't attempt to drink one at a meal.) The world over-matches us too. Not one of us can hope to match the world's forces of nature, government, or many other juggernauts that can end our lives, happiness, or well-being. Then, we run into one little statement of our Lord's in John 16. Yes, look carefully right at the end of this chapter. "...but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

"Hey! Overcome the world? When's that gonna start?" You and I may say when we read this. It surely doesn't seem as though our Lord has overcome the world in the present time, does it? Yet, He tells us to be of good cheer? We must always remember that God does not see time as we do. When Jesus gives the word, it's a done deal, but we may not see the fulfillment for a while in our time view. The prophecies in Ezekiel and Revelation of our Lord's victory over the military might of the world is a done deal, but to us these things have not happened yet. Before Jesus tells of His overcoming, He also reminds us of the tribulation we will endure in this world. Obviously both cannot happen at once to us in our time-limited view. Our Lord is there for the troubles with us, and is there at His victory. All is under His sovereign control, even in those things that He chooses not to control such as disasters and accidents, and the bad choices we get to make. In a fallen world with our fellow fallen people, we will have tribulation, but, be of good cheer, the overcoming victory of Jesus is as good as in the books.

To God be the glory!
Bucky

Someone Like Me?

The April showers have arrived this morning. I seem to recall hearing the wind much of the night. This morning the article opens with what is supposed to be a shocking question: "Still think STDs are something that can't happen to someone like you?" (Women's Health) Why yes, actually, if the past several years are any indication of the future, my risk is quite the lowest. Ah, but there is the problem for someone like me, or for someone like you. The past is no reliable indication of what tomorrow may bring. An area of life that appears safe from temptation one day, may be the area the enemy brings out his big guns in tomorrow.

Someone like me may feel safe from a particular sin today, and then be gasping from the speed of my fall into that very sin tomorrow. The devil seems to love pulling the rug out from under a Christian standing confidently, but foolishly, on the throw rug of past success. What feels distant on the threat board today, may be a major enemy tactic tomorrow. Job sat easily at the dinner table one day, then the messengers began arriving.

All that is needed to throw life into seeming chaos is the right set of circumstances. A little overwhelming stress, one too many phone calls with bad news, and suddenly the child of the King finds himself in the fight of his life. Forget for a moment to call upon the Savior, and the hands may reach out for something seductive that appears to offer relief. Sex, drugs, rage, grumbling, and all the other things that have tempted humans since near the beginning of Creation are still here for us to fall into, especially if we think we got it made in that particular area of sin. Yes, someone like me is vulnerable to most anything the world throws at me...when I try to stand on my past success instead of in Christ where I belong.

The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus to all,
Bucky

But, I'm Only Human

Good Saturday morning! Yes, you may have heard correctly, the long experiment with standing up to write has ended. I can tell you that it is a good way to stop writing entirely. Better by far to lean back in the chair a bit and find something to prop up the feets. I think they call it a foot stool for some reason. I'm not sure what are all the health reasons not to sit all day, but I think taking 5 or 10 every hour to walk around is better than trying to stand. Okay, there is your practical part of the lesson based on my experience today. What can I pass on in a spiritual sense this morning?

Early this morning, waiting for the sun to come up, I thought that my tendency to make mistakes is excused by the fact I'm only human. Is that true though? What am I saying about God's creation when I do that? What we don't know is how many mistakes Adam made in the Garden of Eden before that really big one. It may well be that God did not create our ancestor to make mistakes in his gardening duties. Perhaps the expression should be something like, "But, I'm only fallen and in need of a Savior." That which we know as human today may be very different from what God created in the beginning and saw that it was good. What we will become in Heaven may be just as far from what we know today.

Enjoy the weekend in Christ Jesus,
Bucky

A Cleanup Day

Good Friday morning! It's cleanup day here in the little town. I don't see much waiting for pickup down the alleys though. It may be that every house is already pared down to just the essentials, or that all is valuable, functional, and necessary for living, recreation, and play. Yeah, right, that sounds like the American homes I've been in, sure it does. How many of those same homes have full garages, full basements, attics, storage sheds, and off site storage barns? We tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. An annual cleaning up day is probably good for us. If not to throw out stuff, at least to consider what could be sold in a yard sale or auction, or dare we say it, donated to those in need. Oho! Why does my soap box say, 'materialism, on it this morning? What is that noise I hear from conscience?

It may be because I knocked apart and hauled out some furniture pieces that I had saved for one of those projects that never get started. So, now I feel qualified to get on the ol' soapbox and preach a little. Um, hmm, a little gaze around the homestead may reveal some clingers of my own. Stuff I don't need, don't use, and don't even remember why I held onto may even now be hollerin' "Hypocrite!" I suspect that if all preachers, teachers, and writers in the Word ever refused to take up any subject in which he or she was not completely and totally right with God we wouldn't have very many devotionals, sermons, or books to read and hear. All of us need grace, and more often than not, a devotional subject is or has been a problem for me too. Perhaps that 'lesson of the log' helps us to develop understanding and sympathy before we take up the preaching.

Have a great and wonderful today in Christ!
Bucky

The Burden of Tomorrow

Good Thursday morning! But...tomorrow is Friday, how can that be a burden? Ah, but not just any tomorrow do we worry and fret over. We like to live in the anxious tomorrow all the time. Jesus calls to us from now, today, right here and right now. The imagination takes off into tomorrow, ready to heap upon us the dread of an unlikely day. Like a credit card that charges unseemly interest by flogging the brain, we borrow short-term dread from an imaginary tomorrow. What a burden to carry into today! The peace given us by Jesus trampled under by the anxiety of a day never to come. Oh, that we would stay in the comforting arms of Jesus today!

Maybe a little melodramatic there, but the shoe does fit many of us like Cinderella's glass slipper. We think of all the dread remotely possible with an active imagination, add a few highly unlikely scenarios, and take off into feeling awful under a burden of anxiety. We don't feel the peace of Christ because we have tripped an avalanche of imaginary grief that fell down on top of it. The loving arms of Jesus feel distant because we are looking into a future that we cannot possibly know. Yet, those loving arms, though we don't feel them physically, are about us even as we look into the darkness.

Never leave us or forsake us, he said, and that is true even when we look in the wrong direction or at a wrong time. Be comforted in the present. Let the future worry about itself. Trust in Jesus today and walk with Him in this day. Stopping those dark thoughts is difficult. That is why tomorrow is such a burden. Let us walk together in Christ today.

The blessings of grace to you on this day,
Bucky

He Will Be Here in The Morning

Good morning on this fine day! Did you fall asleep while saying your prayers last night? I did too, and you know what? God was here this morning when I woke up! I have in the past felt guilty for falling asleep during my talking with God. Yet, now I cannot think of a finer thing than to say my last words before the nightly rest to my Lord. Why shouldn't I fall asleep in the everlasting arms of Jesus? If I am so uptight in the Law that I must speak some ritual sign-off at the end of prayers, how am I free in Christ? Gasp, whatever will become of that uptight law keeper if he cannot say those closing ritual words just before the plunge into that undiscovered country?

Ritual prayers may have a place, but as for me just talking and listening to the Lord is the way to follow. I could sit down at the computer and attempt to write the perfect prayer. Perhaps, I would succeed in my opinion after some weeks or months of labor. Then, a year later, I might open up that perfect prayer file and, hey!, it wouldn't be perfect anymore. My needs may have changed, but more likely my knowledge of God and His great love grew up a bit more. The perfect prayer is the one given wholly and unreservedly to God each time we pray.

Let me, dear Lord, not worry about the form but simply throw myself into your grace on this day.

Bucky

Staying With The Brethren

Good Tuesday morning as the students head back into school after Easter break. Here is an interesting verse: "And [Joshua] said to them, 'You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.' " (Joshua 22:2) The context of the verse is the return of the eastern tribes to their land beyond the river Jordan after helping the other Israelites in a lengthy war. Joshua blessed them for not leaving their brothers. We can learn from that a lesson in faith, as in keeping faith with our fellow soldiers in this fight.

The world dumps a lot of bad things on us. This cursed earth not only brings forth a lot of stickers, but a lot of sickness and grief as well. Humans go out of their way to hurt and kill each other, and of course we have the accidental things that come along in life. We need each other, and keeping faith with our brothers and sisters in Christ is of particular importance in our suffering. Is this always easy? No, it is not. We each suffer, and sometimes that gets in the way of our being there for our brothers. How important then becomes the promise of Christ to NEVER leave us or forsake us? We need each other, but we need our Lord Jesus more.

Now, to remember that the bad things come and go, while my Lord is always here with me! Have a great day in Christ and with Christ!

Bucky

Relationship Builders

Good Monday! I didn't pester you all weekend, so lookout this morning. No, no, that isn't the way to build relationship. Why did Paul tell us to let our gentleness be known to all in Philippians 4:5? Another translation uses 'reasonableness, but the advice is the same. We often want our ability to handle any situation to be well known, or our physical strength, or the facade that is the outside of our body, or even the fame and wealth of worldly success. No doubt all those ways will bring some kind of relationship, wealth and fame in particular. However, the Bible calls for a better way to build relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. No, actually the verse calls for us to show our gentleness to all men, that is to all human beings. It is simply another way of saying, "Love your neighbor as yourself." And, is not gentleness, lovingkindness, reasonableness, and other relationship builders following the command of our Lord to do unto others as we would have them do unto us?

Of course, the carnal man isn't much of a relationship builder. The carnal man steeped in the wisdom of the world wants to crash in like the Incredible Hulk (though on the outside he resembles more the incurable bulk). Today, let the carnal man submit to the will of the spiritual man and let us build some relationships. Gentleness, love, encouragement, peace, kindness, these are the way to relationship, and let us not forget that power we are given: forgiveness. Amen. Joy and gratitude to our Lord who rose from the dead!

Bucky

The Lamb of God

Happy Good Friday to you! I cannot think of a better subject for the Friday before Easter than the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The prophets of old said that He would come. John the Baptist had the privilege of saying "There He is!" Jesus told the woman at the well that He was the One. The world and its prince were glad to say, "He died." We have with our brothers and sisters in Christ, the disciples, saints, martyrs, and apostles, a great privilege to say, "He lives!"

The cross paid the price, but the resurrection gave us the promise. We testify to the life of the Lamb of God that we may share in His triumph. Because He lives, we live eternally in Christ. Good Friday is Good News applied to our sin debt, but Resurrection Sunday is the news of eternal life we live for. Jesus did so much for us in one weekend that we hardly do justice in our Easter celebration. Praise God that each year we have the opportunity to add to the celebration of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.

You or I may have to work through this weekend, but we will celebrate Christ in our heart. The time of His return is near. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world has not forgotten us down here. Have a great Easter weekend in Christ Jesus!

Bucky

There Have Been Times...

Good morning, complete with clouds and the promise of rain or snow. In life, there have been times when I thought I was smart, but acted stupidly. There have been times when I thought I was kind, but hurt someone. I may have thought tough love, but the passage of time shows only cruelty. We all have those things in our past, whether we realize it or not. Our rebirth in Christ does not automatically mean that we will never do it again, unfortunately. In the moment, we may think that we are doing the right thing, but later on the realization comes that quite the opposite was the case. I hate those times and I really wish that I would always do the right thing. Praise God that I and all of us can learn in the Spirit.

As we grow in Christ, we learn to pause at times and listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We don't do the same things in all cases. The enemy's traps must become more elaborate to catch us and trip us up. Is it any wonder that grandparents know how to spoil the grandchild, yet also hold the wisdom to not harm the child with too much spoilage? They have learned through a difficult bout of parenting how to raise children. We learn through a difficult bout of life how to live in eternity with Jesus and each other. Of course, most of the work by far is done by our Lord. We learn in the 'boot camp' of this life how to serve in the eternal blessing of Heaven. Praise God for this time of learning!

Bucky

Did Jesus Suffer a Headache?

Good morning, with wind, on this new day! Listening to the wonderful song "Midnight Cry", I think of the many midnight cries that have issued from me. I have yet to go home with that kind of midnight cry, but that does not mean God didn't hear me. Waking up to a headache is one of those tribulations in this life that can cause me to cry out around midnight. What seemed a good night's sleep is interrupted by pain in the noggin. This morning, I had to ask if Jesus suffered a headache. The temptation of course is to take points away from Him if He didn't suffer every possible ache or pain that we suffer. As we approach Good Friday this week, we are well reminded that our Lord suffered much worse.

Not only did Jesus suffer those things recorded in the gospels, but He also suffers along with all those who call on His name. Jesus suffered the punishment for our sins on the cross. I don't have to worry that Jesus might have suffered less than me, or somehow used His authority to cut himself some slack at some point in His earthly life. In fact, those were the very points Satan used to tempt our Lord out in the desert, and He fell to no sin. "Make it easy on yourself, turn those rocks into break loaves." Yet, our Lord stood firm on the Word of God.

When pain comes in this life, we want nothing more than to get out of it, or have it end, or get some relief from it. It sounds obvious, but pain hurts. Relief or rescue may not come right away. Most of us, probably all of us, have suffered pain the bigger part of our lives, sometimes more and sometimes less. We must count it a privilege to suffer a bit of what our Lord suffered on the cross. Rather just have it end? Yeah, me too. But at least for the time we suffer we can call on the Lord to help us endure and to count it a privilege in Christ.

Grace to you in Christ Jesus,
Bucky

False Promises

Good morning on this Tuesday! I gaze upon the picture of a great library. Then, I wonder if the fireplace is ever lit for the enjoyment of reading a good book. Wait, no comfortable furniture! Only a couple of benches. I begin to suspect that the fireplace with its logs is only for decoration. Perhaps the chimney is sealed off to retain heat. We live in a world of false promises. A corporate office building boasts an entrance with comfortable couches and chairs in groups for easy conversation, but the employees behind the locked doors labor in little cubicles and noses are vigorously applied to the proverbial grindstone. The bank holds out the promises of loans for homes, but in reality many in need of a permanent home cannot qualify for the loan to purchase one. This is not to get you down and depressed on a Tuesday. We know the world is full of these false promises.

Who do we look to for the promise of real and lasting joy, comfort, peace, love, and eternity? Jesus, of course. A lovely fireplace on earth may be just for show, but there is no need to mourn over it. This whole earth is just for show; one day it will all pass away. Once upon a time, I was refused a loan for a house. But, now I know that my Lord has gone to prepare a permanent place for me in Heaven. Labor, toil, work, these things are here and are not always pleasant for us. We know this is but the training period before eternity. Businesses may have guest foyers the employees are not allowed to touch, homes with fancy landscaping may hide a mess inside, buildings may hide an ugly purpose behind a designer facade; hooray for them. We know all this is not the promised land, but that time we endure before the eternity Christ gives to those who believe in Him.

Once, God created this beautiful place for Adam, and our ancestor blew it. We have the promise of a new paradise awaiting us, and for a short time we must endure a rough, cursed place. Let us labor to shine for the glory of God in this place, that He may quickly bring us to our eternal home with Him.

Bucky

Pray and Walk Away

Hmm, should be "Return to Winter Devotional" But, the sun is coming up way over where it doesn't shine in winter. What is wrong with this picture today? Power outage yesterday morning, snow, wind, but look how late it stayed light in the evening; what is wrong here? I have all these great ideas for devotionals...until I stand before the computer monitor with an empty head. (Contrary to popular opinion this is not a normal condition.) Ah well, pray and walk away! That is not just a rhyme to encourage play. We often shoulder the project or task solo, as in trying to do it without the Lord. We get bogged down, or stuck, or stumped, or whatever word we want to use for coming to the end of what skill or strength we possess. To pray is to admit to the Lord that we need His help, that we need Him in our work. Walking away allows us to let go of that control we so desire in our earthly nature.

Jesus invited those with heavy burdens to come to Him. There was more in that command though than just coming to our Lord. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Promises and comforts such as, "learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart..." sound like the best kind of teacher. Of course, what could be a better promise than the Son of God affirming that "I will give you rest."

Bring your burden to Jesus on this cold Monday morning,
Bucky

Content, Not Complacent

Good Saturday! A day that we often get up just a bit more slowly than during the working week. Have you ever dreamed of bathrooms? I don't mean a house with one or two, or even three. No, this dream was of a condominium home with about 20 rooms, 12 or more of these were bathrooms in my dream. Bathrooms with huge showers, including benches and chairs, and little bathrooms with combined shower stalls and toilets, something like an RV might have in it. And of course, all sizes in between, all very bright, white, and clean. I think that sometimes God likes to have some fun with me in dreams. I have wanted to remodel a bathroom downstairs in my house; I have a dear friend who wants to remodel hers, and I have been looking at bathroom pictures at work for my website development. All of that seems to have combined into a quite humorous dream of a home that must be some plumbing contractor's dearest wish. I have to ask though, is my wish to remodel a bathroom a lack of contentment in my situation?

A bathroom may do its job, and we may be content. However, I don't think that to be content in what God has provided need be the same as complacency. God gave us minds and brains, and we are to use those for His glory. This world is fallen along with man, and things are far from perfect. I believe that we can be content, as Paul had learned, and yet not be complacent in how things are in the world. Imagine politics or government if all Christians were content and complacent. To be content with God's material blessings, I don't believe means that we must complacently accept what is obviously not as good as it may be with some effort and resources. God may indeed give us something that is less than optimal to see what you or I might do with it. Perhaps, the best thing the Lord gives are those things that we can improve on with the work of our hands and minds. No home we are blessed with will be perfect so that God may bless us with work to improve and enjoy together with Him.

Imagine the place Jesus has prepared for us in Heaven is not perfect as we think it should be, but is a complete mess in every way. However, God does not expect us to complacently accept, but would have us to work with a certain carpenter to remodel and restore and have a good time in making this place a beautiful heavenly home. Yes, that may well be Heaven as God knows it.

Enjoy your Saturday in Christ,
Bucky

The Pain of Mocking

Good Friday morning! Next time we do this on a Friday, it will be Good Friday. Today the question is a humbling one for me, because I have done this in my past. The question is: Have you ever mocked? Since most of us began life as babies and grew up into toddlers and kids, chances are good that we have mocked or been mocked. The usual first step is to point out a difference in a little toddler body. Second, the kids in school make a different word of another kid's name. As a born Sealey, I still remember a kid pronouncing it 'silly' ad infinatum until the mock was firmly entrenched in my memory all these years. Kids are creative, so every name given to children - first, middle or last - has been mocked in several ways, I'm sure. Even pronounced correctly, we have the ability to put an inflection on a name that mocks. Is it any wonder then that God made His name holy and put a law on that to keep it that way?

You and I can easily recall the kid we called by some derogatory name, or we can recall the name given to us that we didn't like. Cain and Abel probably came up with mocking nicknames for each other way back in the first days. We tend to grow out of it because of the pain of mocking. The thirty or forty-something year old man still using all the old nicknames people didn't like at the class reunion comes across as more than a little pathetic. We don't like to see an adult person mired in childishness. Partly because such a person tempts us to mocking way too much! Jesus gave us a positive, pro-active method for this sort of temptation. Do unto others as you would have them do for you.

Mocking is painful when received. As we grow to be more like our Lord, it becomes painful when given as well. I hesitate to think of the mocking our Lord endured on the way to Calvary. Mocking comes from a hating heart, and our Lord endured more than we can ever know. Praise God that none of that caused Him to hate in return. When we give mocking, He gives mercy and forgiveness with healing. When we must receive or endure mocking, our Lord gives us strength and faithfulness with His comfort.

Rejoice in the Friday!
Bucky

Maybe There Isn't One

Hmm, a tiny rappelling artist on my light fixture; not quite what I expected this morning after my Bible study. What is the difference between wishful thinking and faith? At first glance, it may seem to be the unlikeliness of the event. The Bible is full of unlikely outcomes though. How likely is the Red Sea to part right now and allow me to walk across on dry ground? Yet, the Bible tells of that very thing happening. Perhaps we missed something in that story. The event was highly unlikely until God said that is what would happen. So we can mark down one difference right there. When God gives His word, no longer is wishful thinking an issue.

A woman approaches a man in a crowd hoping to simply touch his garments and have her illness healed. Wishful thinking indeed, except that in this case she knew the man as the Son of God, a healer and prophet. She came in faith and went away healed. Another difference we can mark down, come to Jesus believing and a desired outcome is faith, not a wish. Or, maybe the wish is fulfilled by faith, and thus is not a bad thing at all. Another comes to the Son and says, "If you will..." God's will makes a thing possible, no matter how unlikely the outcome seems to us in our world-raised view. Maybe there is no difference between faith and a wish except in the action.

Prayer brings a wish to God in faith, and then God may say yes or no. Not all of our desires are good for us to have fulfilled, and God will deny the request. As any parent or boss knows, it is not easy to say no to requests when you want to give those you love all they desire. Perhaps the world looks down on wishful thinking to stop us from bringing the unlikely to God in faith. Wonders and miracles may be stopped by those who believe in Christ refusing to ask, seek, and knock at the doors of faith. Have we learned to edit our requests just because they seem wishful thinking in the world's view? James reminds us that we have not because we ask not. The world's prince can stop the miraculous if he can keep the children of God from asking in the first place.

God may give the thumbs down to your wish. However, it was very unlikely that a group of hungry lions would refuse a tasty meal for an entire night.

God's grace and peace to you,
Bucky

Nope, Don't Work That Way Neither

Ha, working on my new program this week - spading the garden. One problem I can see already is in digging for a bit and then trying to switch over to typing. I think it diminishes my usual blazing speed of 20 or 30 words per minute. Hmm, yup, I never did exactly smoke those typing tests back in the day. Of course, if I could type over 200 wpm, then maybe I could impress God and He would choose me. No? Man, what does it take? We know that is the wrong direction. An impressive resume of skills and education may impress a human boss, but that isn't what God is looking for to fill His team. I don't know about you, but I find it too easy to think that God is looking for those with enough degrees, certificates, skills, gifts, talents, or experience because that is what the world looks for in a man. Oh, wait, I forgot that one thing the world seems to value above all others - he or she looks good on TV.

Okay, maybe I ain't that either, but I seem to recall some interesting verses regarding who God might choose. Verses such as Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." All you? That sounds like just anyone who is burdened in this world. I think I can qualify there. How about that famous 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." Hmm, I think most of us can make it into 'whoever'. How many is most? Probably, and you can see this one coming, whoever wants to believe! Oh, yeah, qualified for the team once again!

God doesn't choose the special or accomplished people. God chooses people because we are all special to Him. Born again in Christ, we are now re-creations of God.

Enjoy the day with Jesus!
Bucky

I Can't Take That!

Oops, I was just caught messing with the laser switch. Someone knows well the sound of his nemesis being activated. Now to carefully let the cat go back to his morning nap. Okay, all is quiet again. Now, over the years I have accepted many a criticism of myself. The critical remarks that slip off my tongue now and then are little compared to the volume and frequency of self-disparaging remarks I have heard in my mind. Why does it not work when I give myself a compliment? Why are we so wired to be negative toward the self when Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves? If I learned to love my neighbor in the same horribly critical way that I showed love to myself, I would soon have no friends or neighbors.

Perhaps it is something in our western culture that causes so much self rebuke and criticism. Whatever the cause, we are going to have to learn to drag ol' third wheel along when we learn to love God and our neighbors more each day. A cart with two wheels going forward and one sideways will not get anywhere fast. Love of the self needs to join the other two loves and grow in the same direction. God sees all of my imperfections, sins, and failures, and yet He loves me with an everlasting love. Maybe it is time for me to get on board that love boat and learn to love me too!

Have a loving day in Christ!
Bucky

It Doesn't Work That Way

Good Monday morning! I know you have seen the little old ladies in the commercial, mostly because I have seen it and I don't even have television service. "None of this stuff works that way!" she says. If you have tried self-improvement and self-salvation, you know what this is all about. Psalm 127:1 reminds us: "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." This is easy to take as, "I shall do nothing until the Lord gets me up and moving with His mighty hand." From my experience, that is not quite what the Lord meant there. We do have a calling to perform, and we do have work to be done for taking care of the self and those who depend on us. However, first we must seek the Lord and His will. Prayer comes before the performance, in other words.

Often, I think I know exactly what needs doing to improve my life and my situation. I take this view and present it to the Lord in prayer. I fail. What went wrong? I tried to build my house without the Lord. I watched the dark countryside in the dark of night on my own, and in my own plan and strength. I didn't wait to hear the Lord's will, but took off with the rolled-up plans for my will in hand. The Lord has a good plan for me. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." The way ahead is plain: I must first seek the Lord's will and follow His building plan. I stay awake to guard the city when God commands, and not when I think it best. Hoo, the metaphorical talk is falling thick today!

We have the Lord's good pleasure ahead for us, but we will have trouble reaching the party if we take off on our self-prophesied, self-improvement plan. Ouch, glad I don't have to attempt saying that out loud. A self-improvement plan is by nature a list of rules and regulations. If that is what we want, the Bible has plenty of those for us. Organizations of all sorts like to add more. Talking heads on the Internet and television can dump on many more. The Lord tells us, "Come to Me, all you who are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest."

Start the week out in Christ, and go easy on those self-imposed, self-righteous rule books.

Bucky

The Grim Spectre of Separation

Good Saturday morning! I'm hoping you can work at home doing something you enjoy this morning. A classmate posted her separation on Facebook. Our family saw the grim spectre of separation pass close by this past week, but it has moved on for now. We also suffer separations in this life. Divorce, job loss, people moving on to a new opportunity, or a child leaving the home all give us pain in this life. While some separations are more painful than others, we all walk through the valley of death's shadow every day. Even a joyful separation such as a child marrying and moving away to the city causes a little pain in the separation. We don't get to keep everyone we love close by in this life. When one moves on into the next life, that separation is quite grim for those of us left to say, "farewell for this brief time!"

Though we go about our duties, work, and play, the grim spectre of separation haunts us with occasional reminders. Of course, we also have those times in this life when we suggest to the Lord that a good time for the rapture of the church has arrived. In the moment, we would gladly separate ourselves from the world to avoid some pain. Since we're all still here, I can assume that prayer didn't work. We look to the rapture as a way not to enable the grim spectre, but to defeat it. Jesus rose from the dead to prove to us that He had overcome death, the substance of the shadow I am calling a grim spectre this morning. With Jesus holding the victory over the substance, we need not fear the shadow. Separations hurt us, but one day Jesus will hold the big reunion, the one that never ends. I look forward to seeing y'all there!

Love in Christ,
Bucky

That's The Best You Have?

The end of an exhausting work day. Two days of nearly constant phone calls, hours of grunt work to push a new web site, passwords impossible to recall, problems to solve, and now, NOW, the rotting pumpkin shows up with gray nastiness oozing out the backside where I couldn't see it! Ha, ha, ha! Like Sisyphus I laugh at you! That is the best you can do to the tired Christian on a Thursday evening? World, I mock thee. My God is all powerful; my Savior with me at all times. Of course I discover such a thing at the end of a long day and weary week, I expected nothing less of you. But, you cannot have me. I will not sink down to despair when the good news of Jesus lives in my heart!

The morning of Friday is here! A new day to glorify the Lord. The week may be tough, but the week will end as has been commanded by God long ago. We mock the world's woes in the strength of the Lord, but never to test the Lord. No, for we know that should the Lord withdraw the least of His strength, we would be lost in a tidal wave of worldly persecution. We stand only in the strength of our Lord. The world may lay us low at times, but Jesus has overcome the world. One day, He will reign. Not that one who desires our destruction now, but the One who died to set us free. He, the Christ, will reign forever. For a little time we are tried in the furnace of the world. Sometimes we can laugh at the trial, other times we weep for the pain of it. One day, one day very soon, our Lord Jesus returns to take up His kingdom. May it come swiftly on the wings of the morning!

Bucky

Is That a Proper Excuse?

Good morning! The week totters on toward its conclusion and work awaits us. Yesterday, the discussion turned to music. Like politics, music can be a very polarizing venue. Some support their freedom of expression, others their rights to avoid hearing objectionable 'noise'. There are those musicians who come up with an act that portrays worship of the devil, satanism, and evil acts. It might be said that they are in it for the money and do not really believe in these things. Okay, but is that a proper excuse? If a person says that his job is in banking, but in fact he makes a living robbing those banks. Would we say that he has a proper excuse? Probably not, certainly the long arm of the law would place him in a sort of protective custody for his criminal actions.

As we live in Christ, we don't get to separate making a living at our work from our behavior at church or when the pastor is watching. Jesus didn't die for our sins at home or down at the local bar while leaving alone that workplace because, as they say, everyone has to make a living. If the musician makes songs praising Satan, but then says it's all a goof and they don't really believe in it, are they not the hypocrite? We don't get to steal from the boss and then say how good we are in church. We can't excuse our betrayal of a co-worker to get ahead in the corporation as making a living for our family, and then take the family to church as though all is right with God. We don't want to become the legalistic judgmental Christian, but we don't want to be the hypocrite.

But, ya know, hold my life up to the microscope of God's law and you will find something hypocritical, something sinful, or a chaffed conscience. Your life probably has a few legal holes in it too. We are not perfect, and in fact Paul reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of God's standard. We need Jesus, and in only in Christ can we be righteous. Only the cross makes us free of sin's penalty, and only in grace do we live. Praise God for the forgiveness of sin and the free gift of God in Christ.

Bucky

Uh, What Is That A Sign Of?

Good mid-week morning! Sounds kind of weak, like maybe an attempt to shorten the ol' workweek. Hmm, ever have a house grow in your dream? A friend let me into his home in my dream, and it was nice and rather large; say, in the 3,000 sq. ft range. A big home, but not a mansion by any means. However, when I woke up in the dream, I couldn't find my way out of the house. Rooms with people staying in them occupied what I thought was the front entry. After asking me about buying a house, a man told me my truck was, "12 minutes that way." Wait, what, 12 minutes? A person can walk at least a mile in 12 minutes, probably a mile and a half or more. I dreamed a house that grew to something more than a mile to walk out in at least one direction. What is that a sign of? Approaching insanity probably, maybe I'll forget to mention that one to my counselor.

As we studied the Revelation, we read many signs and wonders. While it is tough to tell from this side of the Tribulation, some signs are literal and others are metaphorical or figurative. As we read of yet another earthquake in the news this morning, we know that Jesus told us in Matthew 24 that these would come, a literal sign that is fulfilled. The 1,260 days in Revelation 12, 13, and 17 are most likely literal time spans. Peter did say that a day is as a thousand years to God, but we shouldn't take that as 1,260,000 years for the time the two witnesses will do their thing. The 75 - 100 pound hailstones unfortunately are likely to be literal, though we might wish for something a bit less crushing. However, we also read of signs like the woman standing on the moon and clothed with the sun. If that sign is literal, it will be hard to miss a woman of such dimensions. We can safely call that one figurative, but with God literal is certainly possible too.

Signs are tough. We may like to see signs, even yearn for God to show us one. We may also be terrified that He would give us a sign. Most dreams are just dreams, and we shouldn't use them as a guide to our day. The Scriptures are far better guides. Prayer is a more sure means of communication with God. Walking with Jesus is our sure pathway and His light is in His word.

Love in Christ,
Bucky

Some Folks Practice More Than Me

Good morning! As I bumbled and stumbled my way through vocalizing some words in my Bible lesson this morning, I realized that some folks practice talking much more than I do. Now, this is not an insult to them. A person can talk quite a bit more than me and never come close to being known by the pejorative, 'blabbermouth'. Each of us has something he or she likes to practice. We have a passion for some skill and practice follows without coercion. No one must force us to practice or practice more, as happened when we were children and only wanted the performance and praise without the practice. As fallen human beings, we need to practice to perform well.

We see the minister of many years flawlessly giving a sermon, and it looks so easy. What we didn't see was the years of training, practice, and short, stumbling sermons that came before. It may seem funny, but even our sinning requires practice to avoid mistakes. The first time your child told a lie, you probably wondered if he or she was brain damaged so obvious was the fiction in the tale. Your parents and mine could tell of a similar incident from our childhood. In most cases, we gave up practicing such things as a moral code was instilled in us. As we grew older, we learned through some trial and error that some skills would remain beyond mastery, no matter how much practice we applied. Since the Air Force made it clear that half-blind aspiring fighter pilots need not apply, I learned at the tender age of seven or eight that this skill would not be on my future resume.

People practice skills that you or I may not possess because they enjoy a passion and then see some success in that area. Some of them become among the best of humankind in their particular skill, and often we enjoy watching them perform. However, Jesus did not say that He had come to save the best and brightest, or the most skilled and proficient. Jesus came to save all of us who believe in Him. No matter how many skills we have tried and failed at, we can call upon the name of Jesus and be saved for all eternity. When it comes to talking well, perhaps there will be time in Heaven for me to practice that skill. Eternity should be just about right.

Love in Christ!
Bucky

I Feel The Sting

Good morning as the debate rages outside. Snow or rain? The weather seems in a mood for either or both today. This weekend, I felt the sting of powerlessness. We don't much like that feeling. I think given the choice all of us would choose to live filled with the power to do something about many of the things we live with every day. A bunch of titans would walk the Earth. Need some money? I make you rich through my power! Need some healing? I make you well right now! The government not to your liking? Well, let me just make the adjustments you want! The problems we have now would of course be multiplied exponentially as billions of powerful titans changed everything that bothered every one. Then, there is the obvious question; if all of us were powerful, who would we help?

We may feel the sting of powerlessness, but it is best to follow God's way. Far better for all of us that One alone holds the ultimate power, and that He holds the wisdom, righteousness, and love to match it. We have faith and prayer. Those may seem puny in comparison, but that is because we tend to look at ourselves first. All those great qualities of God become available to us through faith and prayer. Does that mean that God always responds exactly in the way we wish? Ah, no, even the billions of wishes in the world are in conflict much of the time. However, we also gain the power to wait patiently on the Lord's way, and to trust in His answer as the best way.

For our comfort in this latest trial, let us recall James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Oh, the power and effect I hoped for! To the prayer closet, Christ's man!

Love and affection in Christ,
Bucky

Heads Up, It's The Super Mega Pack!

Oh, yeah! I'm home and ready to write. Now, what to write about on this fine, somewhat hazy morning at the end of March? I notice as my oldishness increases slightly each year, that some would have us buy more stuff. This comes up after my early morning trip to Wal-mart and the purchase of something called the super mega pack of paper plates, all 282 strong! I can only imagine the quantity Sam's must sell of the same item. This morning, besides the S.M.P., I bought mega rolls, maximum strength's, 1st Defense, 23 flavors, dual packs, triple packs, super size, and in case I might have forgotten it...the Original. With all of the super-marketing going on, I can see why I must be reminded of the original. Oh, and lest I try to ignore the seizing of muscles, two of the 38-lb multi-cat scoopables for 76 lbs of something soil-like for my cats to soil. I wonder if it would be easier to scoop the multi-cat outside to do his business?

Life is complicated enough these days, but it seems that even a trip to the supermarket must be made more difficult to get us to buy the stuff we need anyway. Super-mega Bible study anyone? Why then is the Bible the same as it has been for many hundreds of years? Don't we need new marketing terms for the Word of God? Should we be studying the new and improved Revelation? I suppose not, it seems that John said something about adding or deleting words from the Word. Plagues and other horrors were to be added to the one who thinks God's Word needs a little additive to make it go down easier or something. I write not of the different translations of course. Those are to help us with the changing idiom of plain old American English, which isn't plain or even static as the generations go by. Praise God that when He inspired and revealed His Word, it was good!

Have a great Saturday in Christ!
Bucky

Speaking of Phases

A coating of snow arrived this morning, much to my surprise. At times in life I have fallen into the worst sort of legalism. Sort of: Rules is rules, and only fools would break the narrowest possible definition of the rules! Yesterday, I mentioned those phases of the Christian growth that we might rather avoid. Legalism is certainly one of them. Legalism in the Christian sense makes the growing Christian miserable, AND it makes all those around him or her miserable too. Legalism walks about using the biblical rules as a club to pound others senseless. There is no love in legalism. Yet, in our growth from newly reborn Christian to fully mature child of God, we all seem to find that phase.

The good part of that time is in the realization that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard. We know that our salvation is wholly dependent upon Jesus and Jesus alone. We understand that we are no better than the pagan unbeliever, except that Jesus has saved us. Exactly what the Law is supposed to do. Hooray. But, when we fall into the harsh legalistic judgment of the self and others, we start beating that whom God loves into the ground of despair. God loves you and God loves me, and it's not up to legalistic me to beat down thee or me!

Let us love one another in Christ, and have a great and wonderful Friday in God's love!

Bucky

Hey! I Think a Mistake Has Been Made

Yaargh! Plain Jane the Brain Drain and the Empire of No returned in a dream! Save me! Just to set your mind at ease, 'Jane' is not a human female of any age or appearance. There's my politically correct disclaimer for the morning. Here I am, well fed and happy, ready to start the day with a devotional message. Sputtering about, brain-drained, no ideas coming forth, the dream Jane having done her work all too well. Hey! I think a mistake has been made somewhere. I'm not this writer who can produce a devotional every morning on demand!

We are reborn in Christ. Then we have a mission in Christ. At some point in that life, most of us will come to a pinnacle of doubt. I'm not that person in that calling. How did I get here? We may be doing the same job as before our rebirth, or we may have moved into a new calling, but that dull, bland peak of doubting comes along whenever it feels like testing us. Having served with passion and talent for several years, perhaps several decades, the Christian is stuck in glue. I can't preach another sermon, there's no more in me! I can't sing before people; why did I think I could? It happens.

Years ago, I stated that I would not go through one or two of the stages I heard in a sermon on Christian growth. "Don't need to do that," I confidently repeated to myself. If any Christian needs humbling in any way, of course God is only too happy to run 'im through a particular season to get the desired result. Whether that stage involves doubt or boredom or a complete change of situation, our Lord will make sure that we get exactly what we need to grow into full Christian maturity. Poor Christian might even find that he must go back for a time to a place he thought left behind forever.

No, I'm pretty sure the Marines won't have me going to boot camp again. Probably wouldn't survive it this time around! If you must go back for a time, trust in God even more than the first time through. Have a great Thursday in Christ!

Bucky

How Have I Changed?

Good spring morning to you! Perhaps not every day, but at least once in a while we must examine the life Jesus gives since our rebirth in Him. One question we must look to is: How have I changed (or been changed)? Of course, all the credit for positive changes goes to Jesus our Lord, but it is good for us to note them.

The same temptations we faced back in the days of sin probably still assault us now. However, are those temptations now defeated in Christ? Do we see victory at times? Perhaps not in every battle, but in the strength Jesus gives do we win a few? What about those feelings toward others? I can recall a day when a favorite sport of mine in I.T. (MIS, back in the day) was to belittle those with less technical knowledge. That temptation is still there, but now the spirit in me no longer desires that action. Yes, every now and then someone does make it too easy, and resistance is strained to the breaking point. Every fall though does not show an improvement the other person needs to make, but the space I must grow into while growing into the shoes my Savior showed me by His example. Er, uh..."grow into while growing into"?!? I left that to show that my writing skills in the morning may have a bit of growth room left too!

Ah, ha, ha, we all deserve a good laugh this morning! Hopefully, the next one won't be at your expense. Love Jesus with all your heart, and love one another as He commanded.

Bucky

What Is Worse?

Good Tuesday morning! What is worse: going through one of those death valley shadows yourself, or watching another person endure the difficulty of it? Our first answer probably volunteers the self. That answer that comes out before we can stop it tends toward the selfish most every time. However, that answer may not be correct. We suffer along with each other, and watching the other person go through a deep tribulation may cause us more emotional pain than the trials we endure with Jesus in life. As we grow in the faith, we may be much more willing to endure a trial than to have someone we love endure the thing.

What advice do I give him in his time of trial? How do I approach her without hurting her feelings even worse than they are now? Part of the problem with another person's trial is the very powerlessness we feel. Though it shouldn't, sometimes praying for the other person seems a thin and weak answer. We know better! Prayer is the best answer because we are bringing that request to the almighty God. Prayer is the first and best doing for the other person, but does not rule out the physical actions we like when God sends us to the rescue. Yes, in prayer we may find God showing us the way to help out without trampling on feelings or shoving an unwelcome nose into the business.

It hurts to just watch a person endure suffering. So don't, jump right into your prayer room and learn the right actions from God. Yup, that too - we may find that the test also involves our waiting and watching in emotional pain while God takes care of it in His own way. We still get to pray though!

In Christ,
Bucky

Twisted Take Number 1

Yup, the Nebraska team, like its former mates Oklahoma and Colorado, took school seriously and went home after one game in the tournament. The Nebraska women's team won its first-round game in the tournament. I guess they're just not as serious about their education. Ah, the turn of a viewpoint, the twisting of our take on the situation, we can always make something look better or worse, or perhaps just a bit different by looking at it from a different angle.

Indeed, the natural view may be that Jesus just came to show us up, to make us look bad by living the perfect sinless life. However, John 3:17 gives us the heavenly view: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." The worldly view is that the commandments are to keep us from doing what we want or having any fun. But the heavenly view is toward our not hurting ourselves through actions of hate and disrespect. No one could keep the law, but God sent a better way in His Son. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

Enjoy the week in Christ Jesus!
Bucky

Saturday in the Snow

"The kitties are fed, no longer blue. Their noise has diminished, now I'm happy too!" Sung to whatever tune you want to make up. I see that many of the psalms have notations regarding the melody used in singing. However, that doesn't really help us now as the music has been lost to the centuries gone by. At one time, churches sang only the psalms, but likely not to the original tunes. Music and singing is such a gift from God that we often don't realize how precious it is to us. Many people prefer live singing in their church services. It sure beats the dead singing. I for one find their sort of music a little creepy. We are told to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Indeed, those in the afterlife, or upper-life or up there in Heaven, are heard to make many joyful hymns to the Lord in the Revelation. Singing and music it seems will be present for some time to come.

What music glorifies the Lord with the falling snow outside? Perhaps any music that makes us happy, joyful, worshipful, or get up and dance. The music of the psalms may be lost so that we don't think up limitations to what we can sing or play or listen to for our music. It is interesting that the group Jesus came down on the most, the Pharisees, seems to keep coming back into our worship and religion. Nothing but the psalms? Bah, think of the many great songs we might never have heard in our worship.

Have a great and joyful weekend in Christ!
Bucky

A Step, And The Journey Begins

Good Friday morning! How is your bracket doing? Colorado got sent back to classes yesterday. Oklahoma is due in school this morning. Will Nebraska do any better today? Some people are wondering what in the world I'm writing about this morning. The big college basketball tournament is the only time of the year I pay attention to NCAA basketball. I'm just not much of a fan of the sport. Even during the tournament I only pay attention to read about the big upsets, and there were 3 good ones yesterday. Now, this devotional is not about sports except as they relate to our life in Christ. And I don't have any startling analogy that fits this morning, so I had better get on with the main show.

As I began sputtering about not writing much of anything, I asked the Lord to help me out here. The Lord told me that He was ready to go, but that I wasn't going much of anywhere yet. Yes, taking that first step is a big responsibility on any journey. The prodigal had to not only decide to go back home, he also had to overcome the inertia to stay in the awful place he found himself. Abram couldn't become Abraham without getting that first step toward the promised land out of the way. When Israel refused to cross the Jordan, God sent 'em out to the wilderness to wander for forty years. Not taking that first step has consequences. Israel took a lot of steps with no other reason than to get the faithless ones out of the way. I don't want to be faithless to my God. So, when a step in faith is required, I trust that God will give me the strength to get the journey underway.

Praise God for Fridays!
Bucky

Spring! Let Us Renew Our Love of Jesus

Good morning and a hearty welcome to that first day of Spring! Winter seems long this year, but in time it must always give way to the coming of spring. Of course, here in the more northerly areas, we know that does not mean that trees automatically spring into bloom and flowers may hold off for a bit yet. The weeds are coming up though. Still, whatever the weather does today, it is nice to see the date arrive on the calendar. Easter is a month away yet, but the first day of spring is a good time to renew our love of Jesus. A few moments today in private with the Word of God will do quite nicely. Read a psalm or two, your favorite passages from the gospels, or perhaps that letter of rejoicing: Philippians. Take time for prayer and thanksgiving in your prayer room alone with Jesus our Lord. Do a good deed in the Lord's name. Sit back for a while in your favorite chair and enjoy being with Jesus.

We have many ways to worship and praise our Lord, and we can do them on any day. Once in a while though, it is nice to have an unscheduled holiday, whether at work or not, to renew our love for Jesus. If you can, take the day and get away to a quiet place to listen as Jesus loves you. Yes, we were not the first to express our love. Jesus did it way before we were born on this earth. We send up a few drops of love, and a deluge comes back our way. Even in those times when our mind is far away, the love of Jesus flows into and over us like a mighty unstoppable river. As the apostle wrote: nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Have a loving day,
Bucky

Eyewitness

Good morning! Hey, my first testimony of the day. Yes, in saying that it is a good morning, I can either give my testimony that it is indeed a good morning, or I can write a useless greeting that means nothing. Why then, would you believe anything else I write if I type out a 'good morning' as nothing more than a couple of general words to get the typing fingers moving? Exactly, you wouldn't and I shouldn't, my devotional is my testimony and every word must come from my eyewitness.

In telling stories from my days of yore, some may seem easy to doubt. It is easy to pad a story with a few details or descriptions to make it seem more exciting that it was during the actual events. When I tell a story, I can easily understand some doubt. When I give my eyewitness testimony, I rather like to be believed. An eyewitness testimony is more than a story for entertainment. Matthew wrote down his gospel as an eyewitness saying in effect, 'these things actually happened when I knew Jesus.' We go out to give our testimony in the same way. The problems come when our testimony is so wonderful in some way that it sounds a lot like one of those stories of days gone by.

Matthew referenced prophecies from of old and showed how Jesus fulfilled them. People of the time had trouble believing his testimony. Some of my testimonial tales may be hard for those who were not there to believe as well. As the years go by, memories pile on top of memories and it can be easy for the doubter to suspect that I've lost my marbles. There was a big marble auction out at the fairgrounds over the weekend, possibly some of mine got mixed in and sold. However that may be, it remains an insult to the eyewitness to doubt the testimony. Stories from back in the day, especially those involving fishing or hunting, may be subject to a certain skepticism. Testimony is a cause for listening and learning. Of course, to make sure we are showing the love of Christ, let us fact check our testimony that we not give good reason to the doubters. After all, we have no need to embellish the work of Christ in us. When a sinner becomes a disciple by the sacrifice of the Lamb, adding embellishment only diminishes the awesomeness.

Have a wonderful Wednesday in Christ!
Bucky

Returning To The Fold

Good morning on this breezy day! Maybe 'breezy' is a bit of an understatement. Often, when the wind is blowing through these parts at 0600, it will be much worse by 10. Jesus is the Good Shepherd; says so right in the Word. However, this Good Shepherd chose a flock of the most prone to wander and unruly sheep ever invented. All we like sheep have gone astray, and we do it in thought and deed almost daily. We can be easily led astray by a little temptation, and almost as easily by the attack of the thorns. Even in the herd with our shepherd, we have a strong desire to look around at the world outside.

I may use figurative language, but I also know from my experience that this holds true for me. Returning to the sheep fold is not easy. Sometimes, like the prodigal, I must walk from a far country to return to my Father and the Good Shepherd. Of course, unlike the prodigal, I don't walk that journey alone. The Good Shepherd has traveled far at times to fetch me back to the fold. The mind likes to go on intellectual explorations in strange places. The body likes to whine and complain (and grow older), and the senses will turn the head at the slightest provocation. All me like the proverbial sheep goes astray fairly often.

Praise God for our Good Shepherd. Returning to the fold is not a bitter experience; that's what happens out in the lost fields. No, returning is a joyous time of reunion with my fellow sheeps. We don't tend to say, "Where have you been?" We tend more to the "Welcome back!" It may seem at times that I'm the only one prone to wander off, but that just isn't true. Our Shepherd knows where we've been, and He is not one to accuse; that comes from the other side, 'ol darkside devil and his gang.

Praise the Lord for the returning!
Bucky

Inquire For the Word

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today dawns and what, we wonder, should we do on this day? Something in the Bible surely applies to this, probably many verses, but let us look at one. Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire for the word of the LORD today." (1 Kings 22:5) The history of the kings of Israel holds many examples of kings who did righteously in the sight of the Lord, and those who did not. Some kings listened to the Lord's prophets, others listened to the prophets that told them what they liked to hear. Some kings took a special delight in killing the Lord's prophets. We have the Holy Spirit in this age. Do we listen? Do we first inquire?

God knows every need of mine, even the ones I do not know to ask for, why must I inquire of Him? Maybe, my Lord just likes to hear from me and you. To inquire of the Lord is to acknowledge His preeminence in our lives. To come before the Lord in prayer seeking counsel is to give first place to God's wisdom over our wisdom. We seek the all-seeing vision of our Lord over the limited and restricted view we have here on Earth. Much as it goes against our carnal nature, can it be that the Lord just wants you, me, and Him together in all things? The Lord has the best answers for us in all we do. What an awful thing to ignore our Lord and try to depend on our knowledge and wisdom.

Our Lord likes to be asked. This is not for His benefit, but for ours. At the same time, strange though it may seem in light of my sinful record, the Lord wants to be near me. My asking is one way to draw the reluctant sinner to be near the Lord of light and mercy. The same works for you too. The Lord of all wants us to come to Him! Let us today inquire for the word of the Lord.

Bucky

To Do The Things We Can't Do

Good Saturday to you in Christ Jesus! One day in the hospital many years ago, I got into some odd mind set where I stuffed my mouth full of bread. For some reason, I thought in the moment that I had to get it all in. Of course, my mouth dried up from all the bread and I could neither chew nor swallow the big lump. Now, back in my youth I was told many times that I could do anything I set my mind to accomplish. Wrong, I had to reach up and get enough bread out of my mouth to keep from choking and gagging on the stuff. At the time, dealing with two long-arm casts, this was no easy task. For some hours afterward, I wondered at my foolishness and at the source from where that peculiar idea arrived in my mind. To this day I do not have a definitive answer.

Whatever the rah-rah boys may say, the spirit within me is full of grand or mundane ideas, but the flesh it lives in right now can only perform a much more limited repertoire. I can play the piano some, but I haven't practiced or had a lesson for almost 40 years, so I cannot play the piano well. I have never played a violin, so it can be said that I cannot play the violin at all. I could set my mind to practice and train at either skill, but the chances of virtuosity arriving in the time I have left on this earth is not great. However, there are other things that I have no chance of doing on my own, no matter how much I set my mind on it.

I cannot, for example, reach into another person's body and heal them. Reaching my hands into another body, or even my own, is the stuff of nightmares and horror movies. Surgeons need cutting tools and years of training in anatomy to perfect their skill. Even those professionals don't just reach in and move stuff about like a big Lego set. The human body doesn't work that way. I cannot step in front of a speeding truck and stop it. The truck would stop me in a rather permanent way. Setting my mind on stopping the truck's momentum would make little difference in the forward velocity of the thing. I am so powerless in so many ways...but I'm okay with that.

You see, to do the things we can't do, we must come to a higher power. That term has been used tritely, and vaguely, and in many other wrong ways in this world. However, Jesus is a higher power, and His power is effective, wise, gentle, and unstoppable. I have access to my higher power through faith and prayer. Jesus may answer in the negative, because what I asked is not good for me. Jesus may work what I ask through another person. Jesus may tell me 'not yet'. Jesus may accomplish what I asked in His way and not involve me at all. Or, Jesus may work in me and through me to accomplish His good purpose and for the glory of God the Father. Don't give up on faith and prayer in our Lord Jesus; it is how we do the things we cannot do!

God's great love to you,
Bucky

Cheerful Gratitude

Good Friday! I hope that you have some plans for fun and cheerful gratitude this weekend. Does it go against our carnal nature to put cheerful and gratitude together? Sometimes it feels like it. A religious person might go for the sacrificial part of giving in a big way, and put his countenance into one that says, "look, and pity me for I have given much!" God sees our giving, and His count of how much does not depend upon the dollar figure of the gift. It is interesting that God likes our gratitude, and He likes our cheerful. But, where He really wants to meet us is at cheerful gratitude.

Cheerful gratitude doesn't harbor reservations about the gift. It brings a good feeling of faithful freedom when cheerful gratitude lives in us. Our spirit and God's Holy Spirit agree that it is good to meet in cheerful gratitude. Good feelings abound; sin is far away, and just maybe this is a little taste of Heaven. I find that cheerful gratitude brings me close to God and to those He loves (including me!). Cheerful gratitude takes my focus off my problems and pains, and places my mind on the giver and His wonderful gifts. Of course any good thing that takes the focus off the problems that surround us daily is a cause for some cheerful gratitude!

Enjoy the weekend in Christ!
Bucky

It's, uh, Sometime in the Morning

Good morning, it's 0617 and it's quite dark outside. After my statement of the obvious, I noticed this morning that there was a cat where my oatmeal carton should be sitting. Something or two was definitely out of place. If a space opens in the house that the cat has not seen for a day or so, that space must be checked out. Move a piece of furniture, and every square inch of the revealed space must be thoroughly reviewed by the cat/occupant of the domicile. How does this relate to our Christian life? I don't know. It's early in the morning in what is still the first week of the spring time change and my brain is just not awake yet. I wonder if my slowly awakening brain gives me some insight into others.

I have this theory that the mind does not reside in the brain, but uses the brain as an interface computer to the body. When the brain is not awake yet, the mind is still just as powerful and thoughtful, but those actions do not reach the typing fingers in my case, or the speaking mouth in other cases. Is the life of what we call a retarded or mentally slow person not one of stupidity, as many might surmise, but one of incredible frustration? The spirit to move the body to communicate is there, but the brain is faulty and the interface thus does not function well. Inside, the mind is not dull, but terribly frustrated by its inability to get through to others of its kind. Fingers that should dance over the piano keyboard are instead clumsy and the melody pounded out is painful to the ears. Does the mind deep behind that malfunctioning brain intend a music so beautiful that Mozart would blush with envy? We don't know, and we may never know. Will we one day meet that kid, the one we thought so unable to learn way back in our school days, in heaven and hear the most eloquent words and ideas come forth? Maybe so.

Have a wonderful day in Christ, and thank God for the ability to read and communicate with each other. It does make it much less frustrating to spread a little of the good news of Jesus.

Bucky

Ah, The Pressure Play

Good morning! I don't want to spread the love or good news of Jesus today. No, instead I want to hold your feet to the fire in some way. Why? Of course it makes me feel good, powerful, a legalistic guardian of the faith, ready to battle waste in the Christian world. Have you used every penny and second well for Christ today? No! Then I'll dump some new pressure on you from my devotional high seat today. Don't feel like walking with Jesus when I do that sort of thing? Maybe if I get out my piety whip and use it liberally on your poor aching back, you will step into line. Still not doing it for you? The world is much better at beating you down, you say? Yeah, I'm there with you. We don't need any piety whips or reminders that we must redeem every moment and every penny given by God.

How about a walking, talking, friendly, and ever loving relationship with God's Son? Yeah, gimme some of that in place of the whip of religion. Yes, God has given me 86,000 seconds to use today. However, I can't even notice every one, much less thank God for them individually or make sure that each is used in labor for the kingdom. A few moments of pondering what I will have for breakfast, and suddenly many of those seconds are gone. Do I kneel down and beg forgiveness for that small lapse? Time tracking long ago beat me down in the corporate world. If every second is a gift, why then do I have to account for each like a POW captured in the Piety Wars? Imagine a family so legally uptight that the kids were forced to account for every second's usage of their Christmas presents. How awful! "Have you filed your Gift Usage Form 11778-rev. B for Aunt Hilda's gift yet, Bobby?" Yaaaah! Let me out of this tendency to legalism!

Christians may be among the worst at grabbing every rule in the Bible and beating up themselves or each other with them. The truth sets us free, and we grab a big bunch o' rules and flay about trying to whip us all into line. How do we even know that our line aligns with God's line, anyway? Perhaps we should first take the opportunity to walk with Jesus for awhile. Let us follow two commands Jesus gave us first. "And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”. (Mark 12:30-31) Love, not overbearing legalism, seems to be the will of our Lord Jesus in these commands. Let us learn to walk in that every moment first.

God's love to you through the matchless love of Jesus in me today,

Bucky

Duty Calls...sigh, Again.

Foofield smins! Eh? The first day of the spring time change is a sleeper; the second an oddity. But that third day, the Tuesday, that just seems to be one of tough adjustment. Where is my head? It feels misplaced somehow! Why am I trying to write this at 0554? Duty calls, things must be done, appointments to be kept call for me. The wind is coming up early this morning, that speaks of a change in the weather.

Sometimes duty calls when we don't feel ready. A part of our tribulations on this earth means that may happen more often than not. The call of duty gives a ring, and we give a groan. "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Whoa! I want some of that overcoming too. How do I become an overcomer in Christ? Well, I almost hate to tell myself this so early in the morning, but when duty calls, we must get up. When tribulations come to the door, we must answer. Endurance builds enduring faith, and those tribulations can be tough to endure. However, never, never are we facing the latest challenge alone. Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us even to the end of the age. We need constant reminding of this because it often seems that we face the world alone. But, like the feeling that my cranium is misplaced this morning, that feeling just ain't true!

Have a glorious morning in Christ!
Bucky

Beware the Unbeliever's God

Aaah, the Monday of daylight savings time. Once more I am tempted to use the devotional space for a political rant. We'll just say "Good morning!" and let that temptation go on its way. Today, let us beware of the unbeliever's god. You know the one; you have probably cowered from him a few times. The unbeliever knows some of the biblical stories, but ignores many others. To the unbeliever the god is punishment, retribution, condemnation and eternal hell. Yet, my Bible says that God is not willing that any should experience these things. The unbeliever thinks his god is all about that final judgment; is he good enough? Surely, this judgment is based on the lowest common denominator. Name a person in history worse or more evil than the unbeliever and he is off the hook. Tra la la, off to heaven we go. My Bible says something a bit different there.

For all have sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard. No one gets a free pass to heaven, and no one gets to use other sinners as a stepping stone up. Yet, God also provided a Way to Heaven, and a man who died to save all. That man was God's Son. All can be saved in Jesus, and know the righteousness of God. But many would rather depend upon their own righteousness and cower from a god of divine displeasure. Living this way is too difficult for anyone, so in time they would rather not believe in a god at all. Unfortunately, by ignoring the saving mercy in God's Son, they fall into the God of judgment they feared all along. The good news is that while we walk this earth, we have time to tell of repentance and the saving power of Jesus' name. We can speak of a God who loves mercy.

Praise God for the new day,
Bucky

Serving the Master

Good Saturday morning! The day is getting on, and tomorrow it will seem to get on even faster. In 2 Kings 5, we read an interesting story. Naaman was a warrior, general, and the king's favorite in Syria. The Lord had given the Syrian armies victory, his wife and his boss loved the man, and oh by the way, he was a leper. In all the events of kings and prophets, Elisha in this case, we may find it easy to miss one little lesson. How did Naaman find out about Elisha? Right, a girl captured in a raid from Israel served Naaman's wife. Now, the things we might expect in this day would be for the girl to be a spy and report the matter back to the ancient version of Mossad in Israel. Or, perhaps to use the circumstance to laugh at the enemy, and make him pay for her slavery in a foreign land.

The girl from Israel does neither. She takes the opportunity to serve by telling her master's wife about this prophet in Samaria who can heal Naaman. Our master on earth may not be the one we would choose. Your boss may be a greedy, grasping, coveteous old sinner; a mean hand at the grindstone in all things. Your life at work may seem overwhelming, overbearing, and over-stressed. Yet, God may have you there to serve for His purpose. What a horrible thought for a Saturday! You may be crying out to God for rescue. "Lord, please move me to another job! Somewhere else...anywhere else, but move me quick before I die!" The answer the Lord gives may not be "Okay", but more along the lines of "Stay put, you!" Aaagh, no! We want the freedom to run away from problems.

In this world we will have tribulations. The Lord is faithful to bring us through them for His glory. I'm hungry; time for breakfast!

Bucky

A Dirty Housekeeper

Good Friday morning! No, not that kind of house, though I am not perfect in that regard either. We are speaking of the house that God built, the temple where the Holy Spirit resides after salvation. We're talkin' lust instead of dust. That stuff we let into the house of the mind that causes sin - greed, coveting, hate, envy, and the other stuff that we don't always make much effort to remove in a timely manner is the dirt and detritus of this house. When we look at the filthy corners of our home, we must stop to wonder that God would even want His Spirit to live here. Oh, but He does, and the Spirit brings a much bigger broom than we have in our cupboard.

During our sanctification, we do a lot of cleaning in our lives, or so it seems to us. Most often I suspect that we are the child sweeping a little while the Spirit sweeps a lot. The cleaning effort we are capable of is certainly much less than God's Spirit does in us. The real problem comes when that sneaky carnal desire of ours sneaks around tossing dirt back into the cleaned corners of the mind. Then, instead of helping in the cleaning, we try to hide that little bit of dirt. Sigh, at times we think perfection is so far from us. But then, Jesus says, "I'm right here with you!"

Enjoy a great Friday in Christ!
Bucky

Keeping The Spirit Too

Okay, Lent has begun. What did you give up? Religious observances longer than 2 hours? I'm not quite sure that is really in keeping with the spirit of the thing. Of course, there is a spirit of the command in not judging others too. So, I guess we both have some spirit keeping to look at today. The legalist Christian likes to wield the law on others like a club or a whip in a vain effort to make himself look better. The perfectionist Christian uses the law to load himself with shame and guilt in a vain effort to perfect himself. Neither method sees the spirit of mercy that God gave us with the law.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Justice is there, for God does not set His justice aside in His great love. However, for the legalist, the command is to love mercy. For the perfectionist, the command is to walk humbly with God. Now, walking humbly is not as the perfectionist thinks. Humility is not walking with God saying, "I am a worm, the dregs of human life; I am worse than nothing." No, humility is listening to and reading what God says about us. Would Jesus go to the cross to save a bunch of dregs? Well, yes, but that isn't what we are made in Christ. By the sacrifice of Jesus we have been given great value. Mercy is not as the legalist thinks. We do not point out the lawbreaking with glee and then 'let him off'. Mercy is to bring the sinner before Christ to receive forgiveness for judging, and then to help the lawbreakers without that beam in the eye getting in the way. Justice is of course what Jesus satisfied on our behalf for all the things we have thought and done that broke the spirit and the letter of the law.

Now we can go keep Lent, or not. We do not have to for legal reasons, but we can because we like to honor God in this way. Salvation does not require it, sanctification does not demand it. We are at liberty to keep it to honor God, or to leave it alone because we think it adds unnecessary burden to others or the self. If you keep it, do not make a big deal of it. Tell God in your prayer room, and pray for the strength to complete it faithfully.

In Jesus name!
Bucky

A Shaky Quantity

God's love and peace to you on this fine morning! You've done it before, and it is quite likely that I have as well. Some task or job we do every day brings with it some quantity that we take for granted. That is, we take it for granted until someone else finds out our estimate of the quantity is a little shaky. The substitute teacher finds out for herself how many kids are in the class, and it's more than "just a few". When the kids are wound up from a 'cute, little show', she also finds out how easy they are to control. Even to the bystander the quantity may be a little shaky. We don't know how hard the work is until we walk a mile or two in the other guy's sneakers. All that fellow does is drive a car around an oval track for a few hours on Sunday. How could his job be called tough? There is no end to the doings of the human race that may look easy or light from a certain unfeeling distance.

In a little sermon, Jesus gave us some instruction in gaining insight into some of these things. "If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles." (Matt 5:41) As a part of teaching us to not seek revenge, Jesus told us how to gain insight into the other person's situation. I ran into this a lot back in the big corporation. Always, some group or person over there, out yonder, or in that other place had it pretty good, or at least better than 'we' have it here in this place. If it wasn't a different part of the corporation, then it would be great to work in a smaller shop, or perhaps not at all for a spell. We have all looked around at others and estimated a shaky quantity. Then that Paul had to go and preach about learning to be content.

Yes, looking around the world, we tend to find every situation but our own to be much easier for learning contentment. We like to think that God made Paul magically content whether he was wealthy or poor. We don't want to think that Paul had to endure both of these things first, and probably more than once, before he learned that contentment. Single folks think that married folks have it great, and the married people sometimes yearn back to the simplicity of living alone. The desk-bound worker wonders if the construction job might not suit better, while the laborer on the hot day thinks that a desk job in the air-conditioned office would be just the ticket. Paul must have found a better direction to look for learning contentment and estimating his quantities. Maybe we can look to Him too!

Have a great day in Christ Jesus,
Bucky

Where Did That Come From?

Good morning! A surprisingly warm day yesterday, praise our Lord! The question that comes to mind is: Where did that come from? The blessings from our Lord may come from out of the blue, so to speak. Sometimes, we don't even know to ask for a particular benefit or boon, and yet the Lord provides it to us when we don't expect it. Romans 8:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit makes intercession because we do not know how to pray or what to ask. Yet, we are surprised by sudden blessings. Well, maybe that is the way God wants it!

I like a good surprise gift, either in giving or receiving. Why should it surprise me that God likes to pour out an unexpected blessing? I have a tendency to look for the worst to come. Therefore, the unexpected blessing is more likely, maybe. I cannot use some sort of reverse-psychology technique on God; that will never work. So, the temptation is set aside, and the appropriate response is praise and gratitude. I expect that the unexpected blessing will often be the norm, for my vision is so limited in this world. Praise God for His lovingkindness to me and to you. Let us all praise His name for the blessings of yesterday, and those we do not see coming this day.

Thank you, dear Lord, for the wonderful day that was yesterday and for what you have for me today.

Bucky

Tomorrow Is...

Good morning on this day, not that next day, but this day. How many times have we awakened on one morning only to remind ourselves that tomorrow is something or some day? What about today, this day we are given? Today I am watching my pot for some reason, and as the cliche goes it isn't boiling. Anticipation is a hard thing to follow. It skips over today and says that tomorrow is something we cannot have today. Okay, maybe we can give a pass today because, "I don't care what tomorrow is, as long as it isn't Monday!" Yes, today is Monday, and of all the days this is the one we like to skip the most. A good legalistic finger pointing is probably not what we need to start the Monday. So...

Yesterday's tomorrow is now here. Hallelujah! God loves me and you, and nothing, not even a Monday, can separate us from His great love. Each day we are a bit closer in our journey to be with Jesus forever in the glories of Heaven. Any mistakes or stumbles from yesterday are safely in the past, and today, God's love flows over us once more. Right in the middle of all those lamentations, Jeremiah reminds us that God's compassions are new each morning. (Lam 3:22-24) This is a good morning to remember the lovingkindness of God and seize on a few of those mercies. Remember the peace Jesus left with us. (John 14:27) Recall the prophecies of the glorious age to come (many places in God's word!) and the promise of our Lord's return. Yes, I think that helps with today quite a lot.

God's grace and peace to you,
Bucky

Thankfulness in the Dark

It's Saturday; it's snowing. Didn't we just do this last weekend? The world is a dark place. Not from absence of sunlight, or because of the snow. It is dark from the sin covering the land. The easiest and fastest ways to get the things people need and want usually involve sin. Hard work and patience in many circumstances are not possible. How does one living in the city work hard at a job that doesn't exist? Do you dare tell her that hard work is all she needs when no job offer has arrived for five long years? Some folks are in those very circumstances, and the long-term unemployment checks will soon end. But people hurting financially is only the tiny tip of the iceberg when it comes to the darkness ruling the world.

How do God's children reach thankfulness in the dark? For one thing we are not grateful for the world beating people up in every which way that it does. We must look to God. We learn to be grateful in the dark, not for the darkness. We have a great hope in Christ!

The people who walked in darkness
​​Have seen a great light;
​​Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
​​Upon them a light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

The great light of Jesus has shined in our lives. For this we are grateful. Jesus walks with us in this darkness, for He will never leave us nor forsake us. That prophecy from Isaiah isn't just for Christmas, kids. We have the light shining in us now, and a sacred duty to share it. Thank You, dear Lord Jesus for your great lovingkindness in this darkness of the world.

Bucky