The Cost

THE COST
Jonah 1:3
 
"But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD."
 
I don't know how much Jonah paid for the ticket to Tarshish, but there will always be a price to pay for running away from the presence of the Lord – financially, socially, psychologically, and spiritually. The trip is not worth the price. As the old saying goes, "Sin will take you where you never wanted to go and cost more than you ever wanted to pay." The cost to follow Jesus may seem heavy at times, but it will never compare to the cost of running from Him.  Jesus said to "count the cost" (Luke 14:28).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: There is a price to pay for running from God.
 
Have a "following" day. Love you.
 

The Missionary Call

The Missionary Call
Jonah 1:1-2
 
"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.' "
 
God called Jonah to be a missionary to a foreign land. Jonah was a prophet in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. This was a king who did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the affliction of Israel was very bitter (II Kings 14:23-26). If a nation ever needed a prophet to be God's voice, it was Israel. But God sent Jonah to a foreign city that was also very evil. Israel had a godly heritage and knew God's way, but rejected it. The people of Nineveh had no such godly heritage, but God loved them anyway enough to want to bring them to repentance. There is a parallel to what we see today. America, like ancient Israel, has had a godly heritage but has rejected it. Many nations in the world do not have that Godly heritage, and God calls missionaries to spread the good news of the Gospel – that God loves them and wants them to repent.   Some people say, "Why send missionaries to China when our own nation needs a prophetic voice so badly?" The answer is that God loves the peoples of the world and wants to save them. Nations without the truth of the Gospel deserve a chance to know God. So God calls missionaries – like Jonah – to go to them. Missionary evangelism is God's heart.  "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel"  (Mark 16:15).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God loves the people of the world – not just America – and wants to save them, so He calls and sends missionaries.
 
Have a "missionary" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- The Snare

Parables of Jesus – The Snare
Luke 21:34-36
 
" 'But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighted down with carousing and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.' "
 
Even though there are signs pointing to the return of the Lord Jesus, as a snare is sprung without warning, so shall be that Day. Jesus warned against being so involved in this world that we would not be ready for His coming. Carousing and drunkenness are not an issue for me, but I can easily fall into the trap of the "cares of this life." It is like a mouse that is so intent on his desire for the cheese that he doesn't notice the trap. It takes prayer and vigilance lest I fall into this trap. Jesus offers an escape from the snare. It is keeping my heart focused on Him and His return. Jesus said, " 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The person who is alert and looking for the return of the Lord Jesus will avoid being caught in the snare.
 
Have a watching day. Love you.
 

PARABLES OF JESUS -- Look Up!

PARABLES OF JESUS – Look UP!
Luke 21:29-31
 
"Then He spoke to them a parable: 'Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourself that summer is now near. So also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.' "
 
Each Spring, I look for the blossoms and buds on my orange tree because I anticipate it will eventually bear fruit. Jesus gave warning signs to look for that would signal His return, if we are looking for them (verses 25-26). The fact is that most people are not looking for His return, so they don't pay attention to the signs. After every school shooting or bombing, the question arises, "Did anyone see any signs that this was going to happen?" After the fact, it becomes apparent that there were signs but no one paid any attention. Unless we expect something to happen, we don't pay attention to the signs. But for those who are living with the anticipation that Jesus will return, we see the signs. To these people, Jesus said, "When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (verse 28). So, look UP!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: There are signs that Jesus is going to return that should cause us to lift up our heads in anticipation.
 
Have a "looking up" day. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- The Gift Everyone Has

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Gift Everyone Has
Luke 19:15
 
" 'And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded his servants, to whom he ha given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.' "
This parable is very similar to the Parable of the Talents recorded by Matthew (Matthew 25:14-30), where each servant was entrusted with money to invest for an increase. When the master returned, the servants were called for accountability of how they had used the gifts. I think the talents or the minas are a picture of faith. Uniquely among all of God's creation, all humans are given a "measure of faith" (Romans 12:3) – the ability to believe and trust in the Creator God. That faith can increase when it is used properly. But people who innately know there is a God but bury that knowledge are like the servant who hid his mina in a handkerchief (Luke 19:20). They know there is a God through observing Creation, and will receive God's wrath because they rejected that knowledge (see Romans 1:18-21). The first step toward wisely using our gift of faith and pleasing the Master is to believe that God is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We are accountable for how we use the gift of faith God has given to each of us.
 
Have an "increasing" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- Freedom

Parables of Jesus – Freedom
Luke 19:14
 
" 'But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, "We will not Have this man reign over us." ' "
 
Jesus knew what it felt like to be despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3). He came to His own, but his own did not receive
Him (John 1:11). Why do people hate Jesus so much? Perhaps it is because he demands loyalty and obedience to His lordship. Most people do not want to be told what to do or how to live. So they exercise their freedom, only to find that libertarianism ends up under the bondage to another dictatorship. It's like the kid who ran away from home to join the Army because he didn't like his parents' rules. Those who reject God's reign will be ruled by something or someone, and their freedom will become bondage.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: People who hate God's rules will be ruled by someone or something.
 
Have a "free" day under the lordship of Jesus. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- Taking Care Of Business

PARABLES OF JESUS – Taking Care Of Business
Luke 19:12-13
 
"Therefore He said, 'A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said, "Do business till I come." ' "
 
Jesus was picturing His own departure into a far country (heaven) and His return. In the meantime before His return, He has entrusted His "business" – spreading the good news of the Kingdom – to His servants, and has given them the resources (time, talent and treasure) to do His business. I am confronted by the question: "How much of the giftings that God has entrusted to me do I really use for His business in comparison to the amount that I use for my own business?" Sadly, I must confess that I use most of God's resources to do my own thing. God forgive me.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We, as the servants of Jesus, have been given the task of doing God's business here on this earth.
 
Have a "business" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- Jesus Is Coming Soon

PARABLES OF JESUS – Jesus Is Coming Soon
Luke 19:11
 
"Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately."
 
Anticipation was running high and the followers of Jesus felt sure that He would very shortly set up His earthly kingdom to rule and reign. I can understand this feeling. I have heard the message, "Jesus is coming soon," since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. As a kid, that was a basic understanding, because Israel had just become a nation (in 1948) and prophetic history hinged on the return of the Jews to Israel. In 1964, I just felt it in my bones that Jesus was about to return. Remember the books and films of the 1970s – "Left Behind" and "The Sound Of Thunder"? Then there was the book, "88 Reasons Jesus Will Return In 1988." Now with the situation of Iran and Israel in the Middle East, it seems His return is immanent. I have to guard against the attitude Peter wrote about: "Where is the promise of His coming?" (II Peter 3:4). God's promises and His Word are true. They just aren't controlled by my timetable. My job: "Watch..." (Matthew 25:13), "Be ready" (Luke 12:40), and "Do business till I come" (Luke 19:13). Jesus IS coming!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God's promises are true, but they may not happen by my timetable.
 
Have a "watching" day. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- Reputation

PARABLES OF JESUS – Reputation
Luke 18:14
" 'I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.' "
 
I get so wrapped up in trying to make myself look good to others because I want them to think well of me that I forget that God is the one I need to please. Peter echoed this teaching when he wrote, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you" (I Peter 5:6-7). I need to cast my ego upon Him instead of building my self-esteem or expecting others people to exalt me. In a hundred years, what difference will it make what other people think about me? He who humbled Himself to die on a cross was exalted above every name that is named (Philippians 2:8-9). When I humble myself and die to my ego, I can cast myself on Him. That's what really counts. He really does care about me.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: It is more important what God thinks about me than my reputation with other
people.
 
Have a justified by God day. Love you
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- The Sob of the Repentant

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Sob of the Repentant
Luke 18:13
 
" 'And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" ' "
 
I can hear the sob in the tax-collector's voice. This is no mass prayer repeated by the congregation after the preacher. It is a heart-felt, gut-wrenching cry from a desperate heart who knows he is a sinner before a holy God. These are the kind of prayers that God likes to hear. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite spirit – These, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God hears the sob of the repentant.
 
Have a "heart-felt" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- I Disease

PARABLES OF JESUS – "I" Disease
Luke 18:11-12
 
" 'The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I possess." ' "
 
The Pharisee had "I" disease. All he could talk about was how good he was and what he did, but he never confessed his sin of pride. A proud man can only pray "with himself" because God does not listen to his prayers; He resists the proud (I Peter 5:5). People who compare themselves with other people are not wise (II Corinthians 10:12). I am humbled when I compare myself to God's standard and I understand how far I fall short of measuring up (Romans 3:23). Thank God for His grace.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God does not listen to the prayers of people with "I" disease.
 
Have a humble day. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- God Loves IRS Agents

PARABLES OF JESUS – God Loves IRS Agents
Luke 18:10
 
" 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.' "
 
Today is April 15 – Tax Day – the day our nation looks forward to every year with angst. In the Israel of Jesus' day, tax collects were more despised than IRS agents. Not only were they dishonest and rip-offs, they were agents of the occupying Romans which made them disgusting traitors. Does Jesus love tax collectors? He loves anyone who is humble and repentant.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Our acceptance by God is not dependent on our social status but a repentant heart.
 
Have a "love the tax collector" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- Self-righteousness

PARABLES OF JESUS – Self-Righteousness
Luke 18:9
 
"Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others."
 
You can identify self-righteous people by their critical and condemning attitude toward those who are not as "holy" as themselves. In their condemnation of other people's sin, they commit perhaps the grandfather of all sins (the sin that got Satan booted out of heaven) – Pride. The humble person recognizes that we are all sinners, and the only thing that makes us good is not what we do but what the Lord Jesus did on the cross when He shed His blood for our sin. If I trust in my own righteousness, I am still a proud sinner and have no cause to boast. I am just a sinner saved by God's grace.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The self-righteous person looks down his nose at those who are not as holy as himself.
 
Have a truly righteous day in Jesus. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- Will He Find Faith?

PARABLES OF JESUS – Will He Find Faith?
Luke 18:8
 
" 'I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?' "
 
Where did this rhetorical question come from? It seems to come out of left field, and doesn't seem to fit the teaching of persistent prayer. Yet, I can see that it is true. In our time, just before the return of the Lord Jesus, it seems people have faith in everything but God to meet their needs  – the government, Wall Street, credit cards, science and medicine, psychology/psychiatry, or their own abilities. God can use any of these things to supply my needs, but the question is, where do I really put my trust? Will He find true persistent faith on the earth when He comes again? I want to be found faithful.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: True persistent faith trusts God to meet my needs, though He may use worldly means.
 
Have a "true faith" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Parables of Jesus -- Continual Coming

PARABLES OF JESUS – Continual Coming
Luke 18:4-5, 7
 
" 'And he would not for awhile; but afterward he said within himself, "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me" .... And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?' "
 
When Cheryl had the problem with her neck as a month-old infant, it took three months of diligent prayer before she was miraculously healed. Suppose we had given up after one month?  After two months? After two months and three weeks? Would she have been healed? I don't know. I do know that our job is to keep seeking God until the answer comes. It is easy to lose heart (vs. 1) when God does not seem to intervene immediately. But I have to remember that the all-wise and all-knowing God has perfect timing, and I must trust Him. The answer may be just around the corner.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God encourages us to come continually to Him with our needs.
 
Have a "coming" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- PARABLES OF JESUS -- Partiality

PARABLES OF JESUS – Partiality
Luke 18:3-4a
 
" 'Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, "Get justice for me from my adversary." And he would not for awhile.....' "
 
Lady Justice is supposed to be blindfolded, and not influenced by the status of the person. But let's face it; a widow is poor and has no standing in the community. I can almost guarantee that if the petitioner had been a rich man with prestige, the judge would have heard the grievance quickly. It seems that the more money and celebrity a person has, the greater the chance for a favorable verdict. The LORD is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18) and He loves justice (Isaiah 61:8). Judges aside, we all judge people. It is so easy to form opinions based on the person's appearance or status. God commands: "You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality" (Deuteronomy 16:19). Our judgments need to be without favoritism or partiality that is based on the person's celebrity or they way they look.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Justice should be blind to societal position.
 
Have an "impartial" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Rambling -- Righteous Judges

PARABLES OF JESUS – Righteous Judges
Luke 18:2
 
" 'There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.' "
 
Our judicial system is a mess because many of the lawyers and judges do not fear God nor regard people, so they make laws (Congress and the White House) and interpret the law (the Courts) without regard for God's law. They become a law unto themselves, doing what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). Much of our Constitution was based on the philosophy and writings of Sir William Blackstone (Blackstone's Law), an English legal scholar of the 18^th Century. His understanding of law was formed from the Judeo-Christian perspective, and the founding fathers, most of whom feared God, used his teachings as a basis for our Constitution. In the 20^th Century, humanism has replaced theism in our laws and our courts. No wonder the rulings in our judicial system are so skewed, especially in the higher courts. No righteous judgments will issue from them if there is no fear of God.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Righteous laws and righteous judgments will only come from righteous people.
 
Have a God-fearing day. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- Don't Give Up!

PARABLES OF JESUS – Don't Give Up
Luke 18:1
 
"The He spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart."
 
Of all the Christian disciplines, prayer seems for me the hardest to do consistently. It is difficult for me to keep my mind focused when I pray. And I get discouraged because it seems there are so few results from my praying, so it doesn't seem worth the effort. Yet, Jesus said it is something I "ought" to do. The Apostle admonished us to "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17). And I keep hearing in my spirit the words of David: "Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy upon me, and answer me. When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face will I seek' " (Psalm 27:7-8). So when I get discouraged about my prayer life and feel like quitting, I need to suck it up and "just do it" because God said to.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Prayer is something I ought to do, even when I get discouraged.
 
Have a prayerful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Duty of Faith

PARABLES OF JESUS – The Duty Of Faith
Luke 17:10
 
" 'So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you were commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do." ' "
 
Great faith is not a cause for pride. There is no room for boasting just because something happened as a result of the exercise of faith. "Look who I am! Look what I've done! Look what I've sacrificed because of my faith." No! Whatever results from faith only comes from being obedient to what I've been called to do by the Master – whether great miracles or simply living by faith. Any fruit of faith is because of Jesus. I have only done what was my duty. As the song goes, "All the glory belongs to Jesus; all the praise belongs to Him. All that I am or ever hope to be – all the glory belongs to Him."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The fruit of faith is not a cause for pride but for praise to Jesus.
 
Have a faith-filled day. Love you.
 

PARABLES OF JESUS -- Pluggers Who Live By Faith

PARABLES OF JESUS – Pluggers Who Live By Faith
Luke 17:7, 9
 
" 'And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, "Come at once and sit down to eat"? .... Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.' "
 
In this parable about faith, Jesus turned the spotlight from doing miraculous exploits to just plain living – working in the field as a servant. Most of life is not the miraculous but the mundane labor of life. Often our lives are filled with a lot of stuff that is not spectacular. We just plug along, struggling with our problems, not getting much recognition or thanks for our work. But that's life. Pluggers get the nitty-gritty of life done without much reward. In the midst of the day-to-day living, we serve the Master by faith, doing what we are supposed to do. We want the miraculous, but that is not normal living. Hebrews Chapter 11, the Faith chapter, talks of those who experienced great victories and miracles (vss. 33-34). But it also talks of "others" who just experienced life – those who were tortured, scourged, stoned, ripped in two, tempted, afflicted, tormented, and wandered destitute (vss. 35-39) – but who still lived by faith . Now which takes more faith – to do great miracles or to live for Jesus in the hard times of life?
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: It takes as much or more faith to live for Jesus through the mundane struggles of life as it does to do great miracles.
 
Have a "plugger" day. Love you.
 

Parables of Jesus -- Increased Faith

PARABLES OF JESUS – Increased Faith
Luke 17:5-6
 
"And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it would obey you.' "
 
Many times I look at people who have faith to work miracles and wish I had that kind of faith – faith to move mountains (Matthew 21:21), faith to see people healed and delivered from the power of sin. I know one of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit is faith (I Corinthians 12:9) and He gives that gift as He pleases. But still, I am like the man who came to Jesus for the deliverance of his demon-possessed child, and said, "If You can do anything, help us!" To which Jesus replied, "If you can believe, all things are possible." And the man cried out with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:17-24). Lord Jesus, I believe that with You all things are possible. Increase my faith!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Faith can increase and grow, but the mustard seed of faith is believing that with God, all things are possible.
 
Have an "increasing faith" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- God Has Spoken

PARABLES OF JESUS – God Has Spoken
Luke 16:29-31
 
" 'Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." And he said, "No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent." But he said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead." ' "
 
God has spoken – through the General Revelation of creation (Psalm 19:1-6), by Special Revelation through holy men of old who spoke the Word of the Lord (Psalm 19:7-11; II Peter 1:21), and through His Son, Jesus, who was resurrected (Hebrews 1:1). I think Jesus, in this parable, may have been saying that even though He would rise from the dead, people would still not believe. So what will make people believe and repent? Would great miracles – like a loved one coming back from the grave – cause people to have faith? Probably not if they do not listen to the revelation they already have through creation, the prophets, Christ's resurrection, and the voice of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. The fact that people go to hell is not God's fault, for He has spoken, and if people will not hear, they will end up in the company of the rich man (and his brothers) in hell.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God has spoken; it is our responsibility to listen and believe.
 
Have a listening day. Love you.