Category: Monday Thursday

Frantic Search: MT e61

It was a cloudy and windy November day, so many years ago. I had just completed a job and was paid in cash. As my buddy and I drove away, it was not uncommon for me to temporarily stick the folded cash between my legs.

It was about a thirty-minute drive home and we decided to get some lunch. The McDonald’s we stopped at was on a busy street full of very large vacant parking lots for strip malls which had been demolished years before. Eight-foot fences dotted the edge of those properties.

We went in and ordered our food but when it came time to pay, I could not find the cash. I looked in every pocket. Then I looked again. No success! Then I went back out to the truck and noticed that a wad of cash was sitting by the door on the pavement. I picked it up and it was only half, and a panic had set in.

Immediately I thought of the great tragedy of losing an entire day’s pay. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I saw one of the $20’s tumbling in the distance. Chasing it down I began to look frantically for the rest of the cash. The wind had driven it all over a parking lot that was the size of three football fields.

I began to pray passionately, “Lord, please, let me find at least half.” In the next ten minutes I found one $20 here and one $50 there. Some were baptized in a water puddle. Most were blown up against the 8-foot chain link fence and the rest were swirling inside a collection of leaves caught up in wind. I did find all the money and a great relief overcame me.

I was extremely thankful, and I repeated several times, Thank You Lord. Later I was reflecting on that moment, and I could not escape that mental image of me frantically searching.

I pondered; was there any moment where I had so passionately pursued anything else? When was the last time I was that motivated?

Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal (I could add here, where forgetfulness and wind will scatter). “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves do not break in a steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Mt 6:19-21.

Jesus’ words are not anti-savings account. The purpose of Jesus’ words was to bring attention to what is the chief motive or concern in life.

That November day the chief concern was chasing down on that lost money. It was an all-consuming passion for about 15 minutes, and it should have been.

What lesson can we learn from this text and my mishap?

More on this next time, until then S.D.G.

Believe: MT e 60

If I were to ask you if you believe that the Bible is true, how would you reply? For those of you who are watching this and are also Christian the answer would certainly be yes. True believers have faith that the Scriptures contains God’s truthful word.

I want to press on that just a little today.  My hope is that my challenge will bring a deeper conviction to your faith.

The focus Monday was the writer of Psalm 77 who was going through a difficult time and it seemed as if God was not hearing his cries, prayers and expressions. 

This writer could have given up, pouted or gotten angry but rather he chose to remember God’s mighty acts.

Do you believe in Scripture in the same way the Psalmist did?  Do you have real faith in Scripture?

When God’s word states that the Israelites with no where to turn were backed up against the sea with the Egyptian troupes after them, do you believe that God walled up the waters and made dry ground for them to cross the Red Sea?

Scripture says that God He poured water from a rock. It says that small David defeated a nine foot giant Goliath.  It says that Lazarus was raised from the dead.  Do you believe it?

The overwhelming  number of believers would say yes.  I know those stories.  I believe the Bible and I believe those things happened.

Why do we live our faith and pray our prayers as if they did not happen? I say this not to shame anyone but rather to encourage you. Is our Lord weak? Is our Lord incapable?

Is our Lord so distant from you and me that you and we can’t have the same confidence that the writer of Psalm 77?

This should change our posture in prayer.  It should change how we look at life, struggle, heartache, and disappointment. 

Our God is Almighty. Let us rejoice and be greatly encouraged in how He has worked in the past.  Let us be confident that His strength in no way has diminished in the present.

In short, believe dear Christian, really believe.

S.D.G.

Psalm 77: MT e59

Psalm 77 is written from a soul that is distressed.  We may even today consider this person depressed.

Verse 2 says that this person is seeking the Lord, stretching out their hand until it gets tired.

Ever felt that?  Like maybe raising your hand in a class setting but you aren’t being called on and your arm or shoulder starts feeling weak or tingly or weird?  This psalmist is praying like that but finding no comfort, no relief.

This is one distressed person.  Looking for help, looking for relief from God and yet there seems to be none.  “Will you spurn me forever and never again be favorable to me?” it says in verse 7.

I have been here.  As a Christian I have had seasons of despair and there seem to be no relief.  There have been times of consistent prayer over a matter, and it seems God has no desire to provide relief in that situation.

The psalmist does something amazing. He says, alright, I am just going to remember your works of old.  You won’t deliver me from my distress right now, let me focus on how you delivered others. 

I have never had that reaction. I find it fascinating.  The example here is to think of the time God allowed the people to cross the Red Sea on dry ground.  To do this when God SEEMS (key word) to be far away and not providing me delivery. My habit is usually to be further depressed and question if God even loves me.  Have I done something to anger you?

The Psalmist increased his faith. He looked at historical events, things that took place hundreds of years before he was born.  Things of Scripture. 

He did not just say, “I believe Scripture.”  He treated it as fact.  He used it to affirm that God is almighty. There is something in that for you and me.   More on this next time.

Until then S.D.G.

Rocky Trails & Life: MT e58

Several years ago, while in Tennessee, Tina and I were hiking on a trail.  The trail was a 5-mile loop and the sign at the trail head said that it would take 2.5 hours to hike.

I took mental note of that sign and thought to myself, 2.5 hours? At an average pace it would take less than 2 hours to walk 5 miles.

It was not long before I realized why it was going to take 2.5 hours.  The trail was loaded with rocks; I mean, rocks, not limestone. 

There were trip hazards everywhere.  A root would make an appearance here and there. At one point there was a sink hole that was at least 50 feet deep and big enough to fit a smart car.

The entire time we walked, we had our heads down.  We did not want to trip or fall into a 50-foot hole.

It was a beautiful day and the temperature was perfect; the sun was bright.  But I remember saying to Tina, “I am enjoying our hike, but it would be nice if we could look up and around and see some beauty.”

How much that hike resembles life.  If you are like me, too often I get so focused on concerns and trials in my own life that I fail to look up and look around me. 

I can look around and see the beauty in the struggle.  Maybe I need to slow down and little, come up alongside someone else who, like me, is also experiencing trials.

Paul in 2 Corinthians (1:3-4) speaks about this:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

A few sentences later Paul defines the weight his burden as more than he could bear. Yet he still was able to give us an example of looking around. 

He was not just looking at the ground, head down, going through his circumstances.  Rather, while he was working through his trials, he was helping others deal with their issues.

What a beautiful example for us to follow!

S.D.G.

Acorn GPS: MT e57

A few days ago while reading I came across the name Boaz.  Even though the reading was NOT in Ruth that name is prominent in the Old Testament book of Ruth.

It triggered a question in my head, what does the name Boaz mean? 

I got a little disappointed in myself.  I just preached through the book of Ruth THIS YEAR.  How could I forget what that name means?  How do I expect the people who hear my sermons remember things if I, the one who is preaching them, CAN’T remember them?

I was very disappointed in myself.  My adult ADD kicked in and I was reminded of this fact that I came across some time ago about squirrels. 

They love acorns.  It is one part of their food supply and when they find them, they burry them for later in the winter when they need it. 

Here is the crazy thing: even with snow on the ground they can find the buried nuts (most of the time).  I call it Acorn GPS and (mostly) they find the buried nut later.

I say mostly because scientists have found they forget, or do not uncover, 80% of the acorns they buried.  From this forgetfulness, the acorns often grow into oak trees.

Psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of God.  What this means is creation screams, proclaim, speaks that there is a Creator God.  Just look around.  Just observe.  There is a designer.  This squirrel fact, is one of those silly little screams.

Squirrels not only have Acorn GPS but in case it is not needed a new tree grows! ALL from forgetfulness.

Oh the beauty and glory of God S.D.G.

Good Foundations & Turbulent Times: MT e56

What did Jesus think about how important His teachings were? 

He who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The comparison here is your life is a house. Jesus words are a solid foundation on which to build your house.

Why is this important?  “When the rains come ( and they will ) and the streams rise ( and they do ) and the winds blow and beat on the house, (It happens ) it did not fall because its foundation was on a rock.

Good foundations withstand turbulent times.

On Monday, I had referenced some foundation work which needed to be done on my office. Have no doubt, the problem could have been ignored.

Rather than spending the time to fix the foundation issue I could have gone to play disc golf, watched some college football or anything other than fix the problem. I could have kicked that can down the road for weeks or even months.

The result of indefinite delaying the fixing this problem would have been disastrous.  It would eventually be the end of this building. That is the importance of a foundation.

Knowing about the importance of foundations is not enough

Likewise, hearing Jesus’ teachings is not enough.

He who HEARS & DOES THEM is like a wise person . . . building on a solid foundation.

Building your life on the foundation of Christ is It is being righteous in your thought life, being righteous in how you handle anger, being righteous in self-control. This is a solid foundation in Christ. Even more it is honoring God, the Creator, with your life.

Jesus is a Solid Foundation

S.D.G.

Foundation: MT e55

This place that I typically record these videos in is both a studio and an office.  Originally it was a shed to store tractors & tools. 

This building was built very well, but the person who built it, over 25 years ago, never foresaw the day when it would be full of electricity, heating, cooling, carpet, drywall, insulation . . .you get the idea.

So it was built on the ground.  It was not built on a concrete foundation.  Therefore, time and weather has not been a friend to this building.

A few days ago I had to deconstruct a portion of it because there was some erosion.  Some of the wood had gotten wet and rotted and needed to be replaced.

The building needed a new foundation.  If I replaced the old, bad wood with the same type, in a few years it would need to be done again.

So this time a different approach.  A better foundation was necessary. 

The building was raised with jacks.  Wood that is made to withstand weather was used.  Concrete was poured where it needed to be poured. Once again, the building was level and firm.

Solid and competent Foundations are absolutely necessary if you want a structure to last.  They are not just a good idea, the are necessary.

Scripture has something very similar to say about foundations.  Jesus said:

“Whoever hears my words and puts them to use is like a wiseman who built his house on a rock.  When the rains came and the streams rose and the winds blew & beat upon that house it did not fall because it was founded upon a rock.” Matthew 7:25-26

This IS the importance of God’s word in our lives.  If we see it as just a good thing but not completely necessary . . . or we will get to it when we have time . . . do not be surprised when your daily walk in the faith goes sideways.

I want to encourage you as a believer, do not just skip over Jesus’ words.  They are life. Remember, he is not saying hear my words only . . . it is hear my words and puts them to practice. How can we put to practice the words of Christ?  More on this next time.

S.D.G.

The Light of Life p2: MT e54

One event, which I may have shared already, that was very rememberable was when, as a youth, my father and mother took me to Mammoth Cave in western KY.

We took a multi-hour tour of these caves and it was nothing short of amazing.  There was one moment where the tour guide gave everyone ample warning that he was going to turn out the lights and even let us know how long it was going to last and when everyone was ready, the lights went out.

It was the thickest, most blackest darkness I have ever experienced.  It was a darkness you could feel.  I literally could put my hand in front of my face, centimeters away, and if that hand was not attached to me, I would have no idea it was there.

Monday we were in John as it was talking about Jesus, the Word and that he was the light of men and that this light was shining into darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

What was the first thing created at creation?  Genesis 1, The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The same Spirit of God who created light in the darkness of the Creation, is the same Spirit of God who created light in the darkness of the new creation.  (repeat) Every believer is a new creation.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

I like to think of that experience I had as a young boy in Mammoth Cave in seeing that thick darkness like Jesus.  The LIGHT. A light that could not be overcome with darkness but rather aggressively chased darkness away.

S.D.G.

The Light of Life: MT e53

The book of John begins,  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.  Through time I have focused so much on the first three verses of this passage, which are fascinating that I have missed the significance of that last sentence in verse 5.

The light sines in the darkness, that is Jesus, He is the light.  But the darkness has not overcome it.

Have you ever noticed that at night time, when all the lights are turned off and you are going to sleep that the smallest little light cannot go undetected?  It can be like the littlest of lights on a wall adapter or charger of some sort. 

You do not notice in the day.  But when there is no light, it can become very bright.  If you happen to have a digital clock, the light it emits in the day is dim.  But at night, it can shine like Times Square on New Year’s eve. 

These are small lights.  John 1 is talking about the Word.  This Word is creator.  This Word is God.  This Word is eternally in the past and eternally in the future.  This Word gave life to humanity.  It said to humanity, breathe and it did.

This Word is light.  It is not the little green light on your Chromebook charger.  This Word is a light that changes a life.  Complete change.

This light can cast off the dark world.  Anything and everything in you that is dark, it can be eradicated with this Light.  I want you to know this light.  Oh how your life will change when you know this light.

S.D.G.

Protect Your Heart: MT e52

My daughter has two boys, one that is around 6 months and another which just turned 2.   When you go to her house one does not have to look far to notice that this house has babies.  Even if no one was home it is easy to tell it is a house that has babies.

How so?  Cabinets that have dangerous chemicals have a special lock on so that children can’t open the door.  There are gates to keep the children from falling down stairs.  The house has  many safety features to keep little fingers from danger.

The house has been baby proofed.  As much as possible, the desire is to protect them from danger.  Protection.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

This is a protection passage.  The instruction here is with passion, diligence, be deliberate, on purpose, protect your heart.  Is this the muscle that beats in our chest?

No, this is not a call to watch our sugar intake and get cardio exercise.  Even though I could use that advice as well.

The heart in this passage is the essence of your life.  The mind.  That thing that processes what we see and hear.

This passage is saying, be careful what you see and hear. Be careful what you allow into your world.  This is a baby proofing passage. 

Just as my daughter takes precautions for her boys, this Scripture is saying, take precautions.  Set up boundaries. 

My Lord has taught me to look away.  That is protection.  Keep the danger from entering the mind.  Do this with vigilance. 

When we are faced with the potential of thinking deadly thoughts of lust, anger or anything else like this, guard the heart.  Don’t let it in.  keep the springs of life pure.

As always S.D.G.