DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- KNEE-HIGH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – KNEE-HIGH

"Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: 'Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.' " (Luke 6:20)

Thus begins the Lucan account of the Beatitudes. Jesus lifted up His eyes toward the disciples. He looked them in the eye and said, "You are blessed because you are poor." What does it mean to be poor? This has been interpreted in many ways. Some believe Jesus was saying that if you are destitute financially and in poverty, you are blessed…. that God loves you more if your bank account is empty. Is this really what Jesus was saying?

Rather, it seems we need to understand this in the sense that Matthew wrote: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Poor in spirit is a picture of a person who knows that his spiritual bank account is zero. He is bankrupt. Bankruptcy is a humiliating thing. The proud person is not poor in spirit. One translation phrases it this way: "How blessed are those who know their need of God." The proud do not feel any need for God. They can get along very well without Him, thank you.

We read in another place that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (I Peter 5:5) and Peter goes on to admonish us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (vs. 6). Proverbs 21:4 says that a haughty look and a proud heart is sin.

When I think of humility, I think of the Prodigal Son when he came back home. Imagine if he had come back to his father with a proud spirit. No, indeed, he came with humility, saying he was not worthy to be called a son (Luke 15:19). Compare that with the Pharisees and Saduccees who came to Jesus filled with pride. How did that go?

Jesus said that the gateway that leads to life is narrow (Matthew 7:14). Nor is it very tall. It is only about knee-high. You have to get on your knees to get through it. It takes humility for a person to bow at the cross and confess that he or she is a sinner – spiritually bankrupt with no way to pay the debt of sin. I have to understand that Jesus paid the debt because I couldn't. That is the only way to get into the kingdom. The person who is too proud to bow before the holy God of the universe will never make it into heaven. As the Gospel song says, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

If I want to be blessed by God, I need to keep a humble and contrite spirit before Him. It is the humble person who seeks God for His blessing. Listen to what God said through Isaiah: "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and hold place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15). I echo David's prayer: "My sacrifice, O God, is are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17 NIV).

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS

"Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus." (Luke 5:18-19)

Imagine four men carrying a bed with a crippled man on it. They believed that Jesus could heal him, but when they got to the house where Jesus was teaching, they could not get into the house because of the crowd. So they went to Plan B. They went up on top of the house and tore off the roofing to create a hole to let the man down to Jesus. This was no small hole – big enough to let a bed through. I can just hear the people around Jesus complaining about the dust and debris that was falling on their heads. But the men accomplished their task and lowered the man down into the crowd. It was not an easy job, but they did it. And their perseverance was rewarded when the man was healed.

I like to think that there were at least four men bearing their friend to Jesus – one on each corner of the bed or cot. They might represent compassion, faith, perseverance, and ingenuity.

There are people around us who are crippled – paralyzed by sin. They cannot get to Jesus on their own and need to have help. So love steps up and says, "Let us take you to Jesus." Faith says, "Yes, we believe that Jesus will make you whole." Perseverance says, "We will keep at it until we get you to Jesus." And ingenuity says, "It may be a challenge, but we will find a way."

The essence of evangelism is to bring people to Jesus. It may take some doing, but when we see a person made whole, it is worth it.

May love for the lost, faith, perseverance, and ingenuity be the four corners of our evangelism efforts.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- AT YOUR WORD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – AT YOUR WORD

"When He (Jesus) had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' But Simon answered and said to Him, 'Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.' And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking." (Luke 5:4-6)

Sometimes Jesus asks us to do things that don't seem reasonable or rational. They go against our experience. They don't fit the natural scheme of things.

It has been observed that Simon and his crew normally would have fished at night. Fish seek cooler water. So during the day, they go down deep and are harder to catch in a net. They come to the surface during the night as the water cools to eat the bugs that are on top of the water. It was against reason or experience that they would catch fish during the day. This was Simon's natural thinking. This was before Jesus had called the disciples. But Simon, who is called Peter, had seen enough of Jesus' ministry of miracles and teaching to know that if Jesus said it, it must be true. He had personally experienced a miracle when his mother-in-law was healed (4:38-39). So he said, "At Your word, I will do it." Even if it went against what he thought made sense, he would do as Jesus said.

When Jesus asks us to do something that doesn't fit our reasoning, we sometimes argue with Him. But His way is best. When Jesus says to love our enemies, we say, "But Lord, look what they have done to me." When Jesus says to give up everything to follow Him, we say, "But Lord, I need some security." When Jesus said, "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it," we say, "What?" When Jesus says, "If you want to be great, be a servant," we say, "That's not the way the system works."

But His way is always the way to life and peace. If we want to experience a truly full life, then we will do what Jesus says. It may not fit our rational thinking or our experience, but if Jesus said it, it is the best way. The song says,

        I'll say, "Yes, Lord, Yes," to Your will and to your way.

        I'll say, "Yes, Lord, Yes", I will trust You and obey.

        When Your Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I'll agree,

        And my answer will be, "Yes, Lord, Yes."

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHAT SHALL WE DO?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHAT SHALL WE DO?

"So the people asked him (John the Baptist), saying, 'What shall we do then?'….Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?'….Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, 'And what shall we do?' " (Luke 3:10, 12, 14)

Luke recorded that John the Baptist "went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (3:3). This preaching had a profound effect on the listeners. They were convicted of the way they were living and wanted to know what they should do. There was one common question: "What shall we do?" John gave them some specific instructions about the changed life that comes with repentance, and he baptized them as an outward testimony of their confession of sins.

This question was not fully answered until the Day of Pentecost when Peter preached his great sermon (Acts 2). "When they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' " (Acts 2:37). Peter gave the answer: "Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…." (Acts 2:38). This baptism was a demonstration of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance means to turn around and go the other direction. True repentance will result in a changed life. Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more" (John 8:11). The evidence of true repentance is a transformed life. If there is no change in the way I live, the way I think, and my world-view, then I could properly ask if I have truly repented.

The transformed life is vibrant testimony to the power of the grace of God at work in our lives. Not that we will become perfect immediately, but there will be a change in our desires. As a child, I used to listen to a preacher from Tennessee who had a radio program called "Changed Lives." The changed life wants to serve Jesus, to communicate with Him, and wants to know Him better.

Some of us were converted as children, and there was not the drastic change that an adult alcoholic or drug addict might experience. But we are changed. We are different. And that difference is a powerful evidence of God at work in our lives. Repentance and the work of the Holy Spirit transforms our lives.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A BOY LIKE ME

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A BOY LIKE ME

"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him…..And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:40, 52)

I believe Adam was created as a mature man, with everything that were needed to survive life in the garden. He was not dependent on a mother or father to protect him and help him grow. He did not evolve into man-hood. He was man. But not Jesus. He began as a baby and grew into manhood through all the phases of life.

It is an amazing wonder that Jesus was a boy just like me. He humbled Himself to the maturing process from infancy to adulthood. That means that he had to learn to walk just like I did. He had to learn to speak just like me. He had to learn submission to His parents just like I did. He had to struggle through the teenage years just like I did, and He probably had acne just like I did. He had to memorize God's Word just like I did. He grew physically, intellectually, and spiritually just like me. He grew into who He was as a human adult.

This gives me real encouragement. I have passed all the seasons of life and will not grow in stature any more – unless I eat too many cookies! But I am still growing in wisdom and knowledge, and spiritually in my relationship to God. I have not yet arrived. But like the Apostle Paul, I say, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus....Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind" (Philippians 3:12-16). Like Jesus and Paul, I am still growing in wisdom and knowledge, in favor with God and man. And I hope this is the same for you. Let's grow together.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS --THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS

AD'S RAMBLINGS – THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7)

The Christmas Story. I don't know about you, but sometimes I lose the awe and the wonder of it all because I have heard it so many times. But as I read it again, I am brought back to the excitement of it all.

The wonder that the God of heaven would come to this earth as a human and as a baby. The wonder that He would have to be laid in a manger instead of a comfortable crib in a palace. The wonder that the King of Heaven would be wrapped in swaddling clothes instead of royal garments. The wonder that God would use a common teenage girl to accomplish His plan instead of a royal princess. The wonder that the angel would call His name Jesus because He would be a Savior. The wonder that He would be born in lowly Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem, the center of power. The wonder that the angel would announce His birth to a bunch of lowly shepherds instead of to the editor of the Jerusalem Post.

What wonder. It leaves me awestruck.

Yet in God's eternal counsel, He often uses the lowly things of this world to accomplish His plan. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are might, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence" (I Corinthians 1:26-29).

If Jesus had been born in a rich, high-class family, then the grace of God would not be so clearly seen. We would attribute His success to His affluent circumstances.

God still uses the lowly people in the eyes of the world to accomplish His plans so that all the glory goes to Him. He still uses people who, like Mary, will say, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). The wonder of Christmas is still alive.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD

" 'And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins' " (Luke 1:76-77).

The story of the birth of John the Baptist is a marvelous record of God's divine working in the lives of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Luke began his historical account in this book with the announcement of an angel to Zacharias that they would have a son, despite the fact that they were old and past child-bearing age. The angel said that this baby, whom they were to name John, would prepare the hearts of the people for the coming Messiah. Because Zacharias did not believe the angel, he lost his voice and was mute until the birth of the baby.

We are not John the Baptist and we do not have his calling. Yet, we still have the privilege of preparing the way of the Lord. We prepare the way for His coming into the lives of people around us by the lives we live and the words we say.

It's like ground that needs to be prepared to receive the seed. We can till the soil, we can plant the seed, we can water the land. That is what the Apostle Paul said: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building" (I Corinthians 3:6-9). The KJV translates vs 9, "We are laborers together with God." Like farmers, we get to soften the soil, plant some seed, and water the ground. But it is God who saves people. We can only help prepare the way for God's work.

John the Baptist had a special calling, but he recognized that he was nothing in light of the One who was to come. John himself said, "He must increase and I must decrease" (John 3:30). We do not prepare people to accept us but to receive the Lord Jesus. May my life magnify Jesus in the eyes of people around me, and may I decrease as I present Him to others. In this way, I can prepare the way of the Lord.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

"Then she (Elizabeth) spoke out with a loud voice, and said, 'Blessed are you (Mary) among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of our greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.' " (Luke 1:42-44)

The question about whether a baby in the womb is a person has raged through the years. The old theory was that the fetus becomes a human person when he or she draws the first breath. Modern science has debunked that idea. The human genome project has demonstrated that the fetus is a human from the time the sperm and the egg join together making a new person with his or her unique human genes and chromosomes.

The Biblical view has always been that the babe in the womb is a human person possessing all the attributes that are need to identify it as a human, in the same way that a fertilized condor egg has all the genes and chromosomes needed to make it a condor after it is hatched. The DNA identifies what species it is. And the unborn baby inside the womb carries all the DNA to identify it as a human being.

Consider the O.T. psalmist who wrote: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned (ordained) for me, when as yet there were none them'" (Psalm 139:13-16). Or God's word to Jeremiah the prophet, " 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations' " (Jeremiah 1:5).

So it is no wonder that the baby in Elizabeth's womb jumped for joy at the sound of Mary's voice. That was not just a blob of tissue. It was a living human being who could hear sound, and have a spiritual response to the Mother our Lord. We are not just a mass of flesh. We are a living human being created by God in His image for a particular purpose, even in the womb. You are a valuable person from conception and continuing until today. God has a purpose for you.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN?

"Then she (Elizabeth) spoke out with a loud voice, and said, 'Blessed are you (Mary) among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of our greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.' " (Luke 1:42-44)

The question about whether a baby in the womb is a person has raged through the years. The old theory was that the fetus becomes a human person when he or she draws the first breath. Modern science has debunked that idea. The human genome project has demonstrated that the fetus is a human from the time the sperm and the egg join together making a new person with his or her unique human genes and chromosomes.

The Biblical view has always been that the babe in the womb is a human person possessing all the attributes that are need to identify it as a human, in the same way that a fertilized condor egg has all the genes and chromosomes needed to make it a condor after it is hatched. The DNA identifies what species it is. And the unborn baby inside the womb carries all the DNA to identify it as a human being.

Consider the O.T. psalmist who wrote: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned (ordained) for me, when as yet there were none them'" (Psalm 139:13-16). Or God's word to Jeremiah the prophet, " 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations' " (Jeremiah 1:5).

So it is no wonder that the baby in Elizabeth's womb jumped for joy at the sound of Mary's voice. That was not just a blob of tissue. It was a living human being who could hear sound, and have a spiritual response to the Mother our Lord. We are not just a mass of flesh. We are a living human being created by God in His image for a particular purpose, even in the womb. You are a valuable person from conception and continuing until today. God has a purpose for you.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- HE IS RISEN!

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – "HE IS RISEN"

"But he (the angel) said to them, 'Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.' " (Mark 16:6)

These three words – "He is risen" – are the definitive words that separate Christianity from all other religions. Without them, Christian faith would be no different than the rest of the world's belief systems. It would be a religion of "Do the best you can and hope for the rest." But these three little words make all the difference in the world. The great statement of Christians faith is found in II Corinthians 15:3-4 – that "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." Paul went on to say that if Christ is not risen, then our faith is empty and futile (vss.14-17).

The unregenerated mind can not understand or accept something so outlandish – that someone would rise from the dead to live again. But to the Christian who believes that with God all things are possible, there is no problem believing it.

The Apostle Paul ran into this human-centered philosophy when he preached to the people at Athens in Acts 17. The Epicureans and Stoics called Paul a "babbler" because "he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection" (vs. 18). The margin reading for babbler is seed-picker, or an empty talker.

This is the conclusion of Paul's sermon: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead" (vss. 30-31).

When they heard the words, "resurrection of the dead," some mocked, while others wanted to hear more, and some believed.

Resurrection does not fit into the thinking of a non-Christian. But to us who believe, it is a source of great comfort and strength to know that our Savior is alive today. Because He lives, we shall live also. Jesus showed that Death is not the end of the road – it is only a gateway to a new, everlasting life of joy and peace. It is not yet Easter, but we can always celebrate the fact that our Savior lives!!!!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SIX HOURS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SIX HOURS

"Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him….And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour...And Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed His last." (Mark 15:25, 33, 37)

Six hours. From 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon.

Six hours does not seem like such a long time. But when you are suffering, six hours can seem like it will never end. Mark does not elaborate much about the suffering of Jesus during these six hours. But we can know that Jesus endured much agony during these last hours before His death.

Consider the thorns on His brow. Consider the raw flesh that was the result of his scourging. Consider the weakened condition of His body after the loss of so much blood. Consider the nails in His hands and feet. Consider the trouble breathing because of the way He hung on the cross. Consider the mocking and taunting of the crowd around the cross. Consider the humiliation of being stripped naked. Consider that He felt alone, even feeling that His Father in heaven had forsaken Him. Consider his sorrow that His mother, who was in the crowd around the cross, had to watch her Son be so tortured and humiliated.

I cannot even begin to imagine the torture of those six hours. Yet it was six hours that changed the world. It was six hours that bought my salvation. Praise God for those six short – yet long – hours.

He was the Lamb of God who was being sacrificed for the sins of the world. He was the King of Heaven who had the inscription above his head, "King of the Jews." He was the Lord of Glory who was reduced to a bunch of torn flesh. And it was all for me and for you.

What a Savior!!!!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLING -- THE SUBSTITUTE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE SUBSTITUTE

"So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified." (Mark 15:15)

The footsteps of the soldiers echo up and down the corridors of the prison where Barabbas sits in chains, waiting in dread, fearing that they are coming for him to take him to his execution. He is worthy of death for committing murder. But he does not want to be crucified. It is better to be killed outright and die quickly than to hang for days on a cross and slowly die.

The footsteps stop at the door of his cell. His heart quickens. The keys to the lock on the door jangle in the quiet of the dungeon. The door opens and the jailer, flanked by Roman solders, commands, "Barabbas, come." He has no possessions except the clothes on his back, and after they unlock the chains, he arises and follows.

The jailer leads the way down the hallway towards another door, and he thinks to himself – "This is what I deserve – death. I've killed so many people, it is only right that they kill me. But I don't want to die."

The jailer opens the second door, and says, "Barabbas, you are free to leave." He stands there stunned, not knowing if he heard right. A thousand questions flood his mind – Why? What's going on here? There must be a mistake. I must have heard wrong.

Finally he gains his senses again and asks, "Is this a joke? How can I be free when I have been judged guilty of such horrible crimes?"

The jailer looks at him with disgust, but answers, "Someone else is being crucified in your place." "How can this be?" he asked in unbelief. "Who would take my place and bear my just punishment?"

"A man called Jesus of Nazareth," the jailer replied.

"Oh, I've heard of Him. He is a good man who has done many good things. He is not deserving of death. Why is He taking my place?"

"I don't have all the answers," said the jailer. "I only know that Pilate has ordered it. So go. Get out of here before Pilate changes his mind."

Barabbas starts to leave, but one more question pops into his mind. "How can I thank Him?"

"You can't. Even now He is in the street carrying His cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull, where He will be crucified. If you really want to show your appreciation, quit you life of rebellion and murder. You would honor His name by turning to God and living worthy of His sacrifice for you."

That is my story. I am Barabbas. I quit the evil life I had been living. And after this Jesus was resurrected from the dead, I believed in Him and became a follower of Him.

Years have passed, and I am still indebted to the One who took my place so that I could live. Jesus took my place and the punishment I deserved for my rebellion. But now I understand that He took my punishment in another way. He died in my place for my rebellion against God. He sacrificed His life so that I can live eternally. I am a Christian – a servant of the Lord Jesus who was my substitute. What a Savior!!!!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FOLLOWING AT A DISTANCE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – FOLLOWING AT A DISTANCE

"And they led Jesus away to the high priests; and with him were assembled all the chief priest, the elders, and the scribes. But Peter followed Him at a distance." (Mark 14:53-54)

Jesus is alone facing this throng of people who hated Him. And where are all of His disciples? Verse 50 says they all forsook Him and fled. Those who just hours earlier had vehemently declared that they would never forsake Him.

Peter followed Jesus, but, "afar off" as the King James phrases it. At least he was there, but He did not want to identify Himself with Jesus. Instead, he was warming himself at the fire of the servants of the high priest (vs. 55). He was more concerned with what others thought, and perhaps was concerned for his own safety amid those who hated Jesus.

This is the problem. Too often we want to sit by the fire of worldly people. We want to follow Jesus, but not too close. We want to be accepted by the people around us, so we are not bold to admit "I am one of Jesus' disciples." We are more concerned about what other people think of us than what Jesus thinks.

May God grant us boldness to declare Jesus as our Lord and Savior before the unbelieving people around us, and not be so concerned with what they think of us, or even what they might do to us. This strength comes from the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to His disciples, "But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). The disciples did not have his boldness until after the Day of Pentecost when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they were able to boldly stand against the mob and declare Jesus. They faced their adversaries with God's strength.

May God grant us that power to stand in a dark and evil generation, and boldly declare our faith in the Lord Jesus.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- SELF-CONFIDENCE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SELF-CONFIDENCE

"Then Jesus said to them, 'All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night'…. Peter said to Him, 'Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.' Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.' But he spoke more vehemently, 'If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!' And they all said likewise." (Mark 14:27a, 29-31)

Easter is just three weeks away as we come to these final chapters of the Book of Mark that describe the last few hours of Jesus' earthly life.

Probably most of us are aware how this turned out for Peter. It was just as Jesus said. When push came to shove, the disciples all deserted Jesus during His arrest and trial – even Peter who was so strong in his proclamation of dedication to the Lord Jesus. It is easy to declare our faith when things are easy, but not so easy when the chips are down.

But the issue before us is where we place our confidence. Peter was a strong person. That is evident from the Scriptures. He was a fisherman and you have to be strong to be a career fisherman. Self-confidence is not necessarily a bad character trait. Many of the benefits we enjoy in this life we have because of self-confident people.

But when it comes to spiritual things, it is not such a good thing because we end up trusting ourselves rather than God. Notice how many times Peter used the pronoun "I." I will not stumble. I will not deny You even if I have to die.

Scripture is full of admonitions to trust in the Lord. Psalm 118:8 declares, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." That includes me and my own abilities. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put my confidence in myself. He is my strength. Let this be my song: "I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust" (Psalm 18:1-2). "Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:8).

Jesus never fails. I may stumble and fall, but Jesus never fails.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WATCH OUT!

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WATCH OUT

"And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" (Mark 13:37)

The disciples were bragging about how beautiful the Temple was. Jesus used their question as a platform to talk about what was coming down the track. Jesus pulled them up short by telling them that the Temple would be destroyed. The disciples then began to ask him to explain about the signs of the times when this would happen. Jesus gave them an extended teaching about how things would be before the end would come. Things such as false prophets, wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters like earthquakes and famines and troubles, persecution and betrayal of the righteous. He spoke of the time of the "abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet" and a time of tribulation greater than anything that has happened before. He explained that after the tribulation, there would be great cosmic disturbances. And then, the Son of Man would come in the clouds with great power and glory.

Jesus ended His discourse with two parables. One was about a tree. We know that Winter is past and that Summer is coming when the branches sprout leaves. I see that in my neighbor's tree. Where it was bare of leaves, now it is sprouting green. The second parable was about a man who went into a far country and left his house in the custody of his servants. The servants did not know when the Master of the house would return, so they were to live in watchful anticipation of that day. The meaning of the parable was that the Son of Man would come at any time – at evening, at noon, or in the morning, and they were to be watching and not sleeping. So the key word is, "Watch."

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the issues of today that we lose sight of the fact that Jesus is coming again. We just don't know when. Jesus said that even the angels don't know when. Only the Father (vs. 32). So it is incumbent on us to keep a watchful eye on the signs of the times, but know that He will come at an unexpected time. As the Gospel of Matthew in a parallel and extended passage puts it, "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect….Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 24:44; 25:13).

The Apostle Peter wrote about this coming. He said that there would be scoffers who would say, "Where is the promise of His coming. For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation" (II Peter 3:3-4), but that "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (vs. 10).

So, let us be watching and ready because Jesus could return at any time.

Love,  Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ALMOST A CHRISTIAN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ALMOST A CHRISTIAN

"Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' But after that one one dared question him." (Mark 12:34)

We often lump people together under labels. We stereotype people. Like, "Pharisee." When we hear that word, an image pops into our mind of a pompous, proud, hypocritical person who wanted people to know how good and righteous he was. But here was a Pharisee who did not fit the mold. He apparently was an earnest and sincere person who actually wanted to know the truth. He was like another Pharisee, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night asking questions (John 3).

This man perceived that Jesus answered his questioners well. So he asked Jesus what the foremost or premier commandment was. Jesus answered him, " 'The first of all the commandments is: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our god, the Lord is one. 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' " (vss. 29-31).

The Pharisee said to Jesus, " 'Well said. You have spoken the truth.' " He showed that he understood what Jesus said by adding that these commandments were greater than offering sacrifices – that is, doing the religious ceremonies. Jesus saw that this man grasped the truth, and declared that he was not far from being a Believer.

Scripture does not tell us what happened to this man. Did he become a follower of Jesus? Did he take the step to become a true disciple? We don't know. But the fact is that knowledge can bring a person close to being a Christian, but it is not the clincher. It takes a step of faith to go beyond knowing to actually putting one's faith in Christ for salvation.

The Apostle Paul ran into this scenario. The historical account is found in Acts chapter 28. Paul was giving his personal witness to King Agrippa and declaring the Gospel – that Jesus would suffer, and rise from the dead. Then he pointedly asked King Agrippa, "Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." He answered Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian" (Acts 26:28). King Agrippa had the knowledge and even believed, but he was not ready to take the step of accepting Christ. He was not far from faith. Almost – not far – but not quite.

I suspect that there are many people we come in contact with who know about Jesus – they know, and may even believe that He lived, and died, and rose again – but they have never taken the step of faith to put their whole trust in Him for salvation – that He died to pay for their own sins. Becoming a true authentic follower of Jesus is more than just knowing about Him. To truly be His disciples means fully accepting Him as our only Savior and committing our of our lives to Him..

Remember, close only counts in horseshoes.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE IMAGE OF JESUS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Mark 12 17)

In an attempt to trap Jesus, some Pharisees and Herodians came to Jesus "to catch Him in His words" (vs. 13). They asked Him if they should pay taxes to Caesar. They thought it was the perfect snare. If He said, "Yes," then He would be seen as a pawn of the Romans and the people would not forsake Him. If He said, "No," then He could be accused of treason against the Roman government and the Romans would take care of Him.

Jesus, in His wisdom, saw through their scheme and answered adroitly that what belongs to Caesar should be given to him, and what belongs to God should be given to Him.

Aside from the fact that everything belongs to God, we still live in a world that demands that we pay our taxes as a part of being in this nation. Someone has to support all the benefits we receive from the government, even though we acknowledge the fact that there is a lot of waste and corruption. Still, God has ordained government and it is supported by taxation.

There is another thing that is often overlooked in this teaching. The Roman coins had a likeness of the emperor Caesar stamped on it. Jesus asked these inquisitors, "Whose image is on the coin?" They answered, "Caesar's." In effect, the money belonged to the one whose image was on it.

In a similar manner, we have the image of Christ stamped on us, and we belong to Him. We bear His image. We do not belong to ourselves nor to the government or the culture. If we bear the image of Jesus, we belong to Jesus, and we need to give Him all of ourselves. The Apostle Paul wrote, we "have put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:10). Even as Adam was created in the likeness of God, so in our new birth, we are born in the image and likeness of Jesus. May that likeness and image become more and more clear in my life. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (II Corinthians 3:18), so that people will know that we belong to Jesus.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

"The He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a "den of thieves."'" (Mark 11:17)

Again, Jesus used an incident as a teaching point. The incident was the cleansing of the Temple of the merchants and money-changers. They were misusing and abusing the Temple for their own gain and profit. The sellers of the animals were taking advantage of the people who came to worship. And the money-changers were defrauding people. The whole scene was a sorry mess. Jesus was moved to righteous anger when He saw the abuses taking place.

The Temple was meant to be a place where people could meet and worship God. But these scoundrels had turned it into a commercial enterprise. Jesus quoted Isaiah who wrote: "My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7).

God's Word makes it plain that prayer is a priority. Jesus often talked about prayer. One of the strongest statements Jesus made was "men ought always to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Jesus took time out of His busy schedule to go to a secluded place to pray. Prayer was a priority for the early Believers as "they continued daily in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42), and the record shows that in the early days of the Church, they prayed a lot. They called special prayer meetings when some of them were thrown in jail for preaching the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul picked up this theme when he wrote, "Pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17), and "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). Paul understood the necessity of prayer, and often he prayed for others or asked prayer for himself, as in his comment to the church at Thessalonika, "we pray always for you" (II Thessalonians 1:11), or his request for prayer from the believers at Thessalonika, "Brothers, pray for us" (I Thessalonians 5:25; II Thessalonians 3:1). In a letter to the young preacher, Timothy, he said, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (I Timothy 2:8).

So I must ask the question. If praying is a priority in God's sight, if Jesus taught much about prayer, if the early church prayed a lot, and the Apostle Paul stressed it, why is it such a low priority on our part? I understand that prayer is not always easy. But it should be a priority – both on a personal level and on a congregational level.

Let us make it our goal to make our personal temple a house of prayer, and the place where we come together in corporate to worship to be a house of prayer.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DOES JESUS NEED ME?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DOES JESUS NEED ME?

"Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, 'Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here.' " (Mark 11:1-3)

"The Lord has need of it." What an amazing statement. It is amazing to think that Jesus would need anything.

It was time for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem just before His encounter with the Cross. So he told His disciples to get a donkey's colt which was not yet broken or trained. This was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 – "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, you King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."

He – Who could create wine out of water, multiply the loaves and fish, heal the lame and bring people back from the dead – asked His disciples to get something for Him – a colt to ride on. He could have created a colt out of nothing, just as He did in the Creation. Or He could have asked for a Stallion. But He didn't. He used a common donkey, untrained at that.

So the disciples did as they were told. I can only imagine the surprise of the disciples when they found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And I can just see the question on the face of the owner when the disciples told him that the Lord needed the donkey. Strange, indeed. I would probably have required some kind of payment, security, or at least an IOU. But he allowed them to take the colt. And Jesus rode into Jerusalem on it, just as the prophet had prophesied.

I guess the thing that strikes me is that Jesus – the Lord of Heaven, of Earth, and all the Universe – would need anything. I don't know that He needs me – a dumb donkey, a jackass as we used to call them. However, He allows me to be a part of His plan. In a way, He does need us to spread the good news of the Gospel. He could use angels or some other method, but He has chosen us. We may be like the colt, untrained, but He can use us when we say, "Yes! Here I am. Use me."

I'm reminded of the song that Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sings. "If You can use anything, You can use me. Take my hands Lord and my feet touch my heart Lord, speak through me, If you can use anything Lord, You can use me. I remember a story in the Bible days. You took a man called Moses with a rod in his hand. You told Moses, "Take the rod in your hand, stretch it forth and walk on dry land:" – If You can use anything, Lord, You can use me. I remember a story, I remember I well. He took a shepherd boy, David with a sling in his hand. Flung the rock and the giant fell dead, and I know if You can use anything, You can use me." From my childhood, I have sung the song, "Jesus use me, O Lord, don't refuse me. Surely there's a work that I can do. Even though it's humble, cause my will to crumble. Though the cost be great, I'll work for you." God really doesn't need us, but can use us if we will allow Him to.

Love,  Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- MOTOR MOUTHS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – MOTOR MOUTHS

"Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah' – because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid." (Mark 9:2-6)

Peter. Dear Peter. It seems that he was always putting his foot in his mouth. Often he spoke on the spur of the moment without thinking through what he was saying. We used to call people like, "Motor-mouths," because they think they need to say something, even if is inappropriate. They put their mouth in gear before they turn on their brain!

But I can't talk much about Peter. I have the same problem. When the conversation dies and no one says anything, I hate the deafening silence and feel I should say something, even if it doesn't make sense. Many times, I end up feeling foolish because what I say is vacuous and rambling.

Sometimes when we don't know what to say, it is better to say nothing. It is better to let the conversation die than fill the vacuum with idle words. It's like the old saying goes, "It's better to look like a fool than to speak and prove you are."

I truly want my words to be meaningful. If they aren't, as the Psalmist says, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3). "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE LEAVEN

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE LEAVEN

"Then He charged them, saying, 'Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.' " (Mark 8:15)

This is a strange saying and worthy of some meditation. What was Jesus saying to His disciples?

Let's go back and get the context. The chapter begins with the feeding of a multitude of people who had come to listen to His teachings. At the end of the day, Jesus recognized that because they had been there three days, that they had run out of food. Rather than send them away hungry, He had compassion and multiplied a few loaves and a few fish to feed about 4,000 people. In fact, there were seven basketsful of leftovers. Now they were in a boat the sea, but had forgotten to bring sufficient bread with them. They had brought only one loaf of bread. Who knows what happened to all the leftovers.

Jesus used this as a teaching point and told them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. What in the world is He talking about? A clue is in verses 11 and 12 where the Pharisees tested Him seeking a sign from heaven. They didn't believe in Him, even after seeing the miracles of the loaves and fish. Jesus said to His disciples, "Don't you remember how I provided in feeding the 4,000 and 5,000?" It is like He was saying, "Why don't you trust me? Are you like the Pharisees who see all the signs and still don't believe in Me?" He had shown that He was able to meet their daily needs, and that they needed to trust Him.

How often are we like that? God has been so good to us and showed His care for us. But in times of stress, we forget how God has met our needs in the past, and we fail to trust Him for the present. This is the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod. Unbelief.

Let's not be like the disciples. Remembering how God has helped us yesterday give us faith for today.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DEFILED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DEFILED

"When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, 'Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!' " (Mark 7:37)

The Old Testament Covenant contained dietary laws that forbade the Israelites from eating various types of food because eating them defiled the person – made him or her unclean. In this teaching, Jesus was initiating a new Covenant – that what they ate did not defile them, because the digestive process takes the food through the stomach and it is eliminated from the body, purifying the body from unclean waste. Whatever comes out in the bodily discharges would still make people unclean externally and they need to wash. But this washing was different than the ritual washing of hands which was done "in a certain way" (vs. 3). The ceremonial cleansing had nothing to do with cleansing the motives and intents of the heart.

Jesus used the digestive process to illustrate a spiritual truth. It is not what comes out of the physical body that defiles a person. It is what comes out of the heart – evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. These are all moral issues that flow out of a person and make him unclean.

The point is that we can be so careful about outward cleanliness. We wash our hands well, we prepare our foods properly, and we have clean dishes as healthy practices. These are all necessary and good. But at the same time, we take so little care about what is really important – the things that make us unclean inside. We probably all know people who are fastidious about cleanliness, but have dirty mouths and filthy lives. May God help us as Christians to not be like that. Cleanliness is important, especially what is in the heart.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- TRADITION!

DAD'S RAMBLING – TRADITION!

"Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders." (Mark 7:1-3)

Remember Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof yelling "Tradition!"? Traditions are good. They provide continuity from generation to generation. We all have our traditions, especially around holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm reminded of the story of a young bride who was fixing Thanksgiving dinner for the first time for her extended family, including her parents and grandparents. As she was fixing the turkey, she cut a portion off the top of the turkey. When someone asked her why she did it, she replied that it was always the way her mother did it. So they turned to the mother for an explanation. Her answer was, "That's the way my Mom always fixed turkey." So finally, they turned to the grandma for her reason. She answered, "Because that was the only way it would fit into the pan that I had."

The pharisees and scribes had customs that had been established through the years from Rabbinical teaching called the Mishnah that went beyond the mandates that God had established in the Torah and Tanakh. Perhaps the intent was good as a way to serve God, but they went beyond the Scriptural order. Jesus gave an example in this instance. The Mosaic law said, "Honor your father and mother." But another tradition had been added called Corban that said if they dedicated to God what they would have given to their parents, that they would not be required to support their parents. Jesus ended this exchange with the Pharisees by saying that by doing this and many other things, they were "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down" (vs. 13).

Even as Christians, we sometimes live by traditions. Traditions are not bad unless they supersede what God says. We need to beware that we don't let tradition become our authority instead of what God has spoken through His Word. We shouldn't be bound by traditions – "We've always done it that way." Just because our parents did it a certain way, or our church does it a certain way, we need to be careful that we do not let tradition take the place of God's Word.

Love, Dad