It's Another Good Day

What a beautiful day! As I walked this morning, the sky was just brightening up and the birds were singing. There wasn't quite (operative word here, "quite") the nip in the air as there has been the last several days. It is supposed to snow again tomorrow, but for today, that's past.
God and I had a nice walk together. New thoughts came to mind as I pondered my lesson for Sunday, my lesson for tonight, my lesson for Pepperdine. I thought about a blog I read recently by Terry Rush. In fact, any blog by Terry Rush. He hits a home run every time I read him. He talked recently about measuring our ministry by the seed we sow, not by all the other tangibles the world uses. I was thinking about sowing seed. Yesterday, he talked about the pivotal part of his ministry was when he quit talking about brotherhood issues and started preaching Christ. I appreciate his attitude.
So I was joyful as the day began. And to top it off, as I came down the last stretch to the house, my son drove out on his way to school. He stopped and opened the door (he tried to roll down the window, but failed. He's only a junior in high school and they are electric windows) and gave me the hand bump or the rock, whatever you call it. It's what we do before he goes to school. We say, "Jesus is Lord." We have to do it twice. Now I ask you, how could a day start off better than that? I hope yours goes as well. JW

Weather

Well, well, well. The old saying goes, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." I remember this saying from my first grade class years ago (and I mean years ago). Truthfully, March did come in like a lion here in Nebraska. We had a blizzard right at the first of the month. By the end of March it was warm and pleasant. Flowers were blooming, grass was growing, and everything looked like, well, like Spring. March went out like a lamb.
But as I look out my window here on April 11, it's snowing. However, it's actually quite warm (32 degrees) considering the weather has been in the teens overnight for over the last week. We had a record (a record, even in Nebraska) cold night at 18 degrees several nights ago. March may have come in like a lion, but somebody forgot to kill it! And it killed the lamb.
But you know what? What does the weather really matter? What matters is friends and relationships. Just ask my California friends. Paul said, "But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us." Tell me the weather was on Paul's mind when he wrote those words.
So when you start getting down about rain, or snow, or even too much sunshine (An old Arab proverb--Too much sunshine doth a desert make.), remember your relationships.
Now, just for the record, I would take a nice sunshine type day with temperatures in the upper 70s. Hope your day is great. Mine's going to be. JW

Please Pray for Wayne

I just got a shudder during a phone call that I just had in the last hour. In 1993, my father died of prostate cancer. After surgery, broken bones, and finally the cancer literally eating through his hip, he died from the horrible disease on July 8, 1993.
I just talked to my eldest brother, Wayne, who is a preacher in Dallas, TX. He just informed me that he's been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Now I know treatments have changed a lot since Dad was first told of his cancer, but that doesn't make the thought of his cancer any easier to take.
So it is my prayer that you remember my brother Wayne. He leaves for the Ukraine on Thursday of this week to teach and preach for a little over two weeks. Then on his return, he will have surgery. I'll try to keep you informed.
God is good. God is faithful. Have a great day. JW

God is Good

"The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tenderhearted and of quick sympathy, and His unfailing attitude toward all moral beings is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.
The whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us." A.W. Tozer

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD gives grace and glory.
No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

Taken from God as He Longs for You to See Him by Chip Ingram

Have a great day. JW

Two Deaths

I don't usually blog on Saturday morning, but I'm in my office. In a few minutes I'll be attending the second funeral for our congregation this week. The first was an 82 year old woman whose life was good. She lived a long, fruitful life in service in the Kingdom. In a few minutes, a fairly young man in his 40s who learned about Jesus later in his life.
Both of these situations have caused me to realize once again how really short life is. I'm only 30 years from the lady who died earlier in the week. She had Alzheimer's. I've been married for 30 years and I can't believe how quickly it's gone by. Today's funeral is a man younger than I am. I first met him a couple of years ago when he and his wife moved here. Soon after I met him, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. After a bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, other treatments, a visit to another doctor in a western state, being sent home to die, he passed this life quickly. James says our life is but a vapor. The Old Testament writers say basically the same. Why is it that it takes something like this to get us to really believe it?
"Teach us to number our days aright." Live them all to the fullest. Love your family. Hug those you love. Spread grace to everyone. Smile. Enjoy the journey. Have a great day. JW

Selective Grace

This is one of those posts I want you to consider deeply. It's been on my heart and mind for a long time. Please don't write me off if you don't agree with what I say. Instead, let's talk.
If you've been a consistent reader of my blog, you'll know that I have mentioned quite a bit about grace. You've read that I have said we need to be more about grace and less about law. Most will give me a hearty "Amen!" But there are still who don't buy it. But consider this.
Say when I die, I get to heaven and God says to me, "Jim, you know you were wrong about....(Pick any C of C issue, women's role, instrumental music, etc.). Would I depend on God's grace? Absolutely! I depend on it in every aspect of my life. I can't take one step without it. All right, if someone from another religious heritage does the same and God says, "You know you were wrong about...." (Once again, pick any issue where we disagree.) Why wouldn't God's grace be effective in the same situation? Why is it that only "our" people receive God's grace? How arrogant is that and how arrogant are we?
It's time we allow God to add to the number of His church and to quit being in the legalistic selection business. I hear the collective gasp of some of you. "Then what do you preach?" The same things I have always been preaching. But I allow God to be God and I will continue to rely on His grace mightily.
There, I said it. No grace makes us legalistic. All grace gives us what Bonhoeffer calls "cheap grace." But true grace changes us. It makes us serve out of gratitude and praise rather than a sense of "have to." I prefer serving out of gratitude. It makes our lives more joyous and full of purpose.
There. I said it. Agree or disagree. Just be kind. I hope your day is filled with joy...and grace. JW

Meditation

Bring up the word "Meditation" and it conjures up images of sitting in a lotus position mumbling some mantra that makes no sense. At least, that's what I thought of. Yet, the Bible tells us to meditate. I think I've got it.

I'm not good at it, but I think I have a better understanding. On my morning walks (and by the way, I highly recommend this) I have kept my iPod in my ears listening to Christian music. I would begin with prayer and then switch to the music. It's been a great experience. But lately, I have prayed and then allowed God's word to dwell in my mind. All of a sudden, my thoughts are clear, I have new points for sermons, I think of things I should.

Now that's meditation. I like it. I'm not good at it yet. But I think I have a better understanding of it. And I hope you do, too. Have a great day! JW

An old song we used to sing:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart,
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Song Tag

The last time I was tagged, it was a book tag. This time Franklin has done a music tag. I'm supposed to list seven songs I'm listening to. I'm going to cheat just a little. But I'll explain that in my explanations:

1. Your Are A Child of Mine--Mark Schultz, anything by Mark Schultz. This song encourages me in the mornings when I hear these words.

2. You Found Me--FFH. I just like this upbeat song about my relationship with God.

3. What Will You Do With The Time That's Left?--Another Mark Schultz. Wow, I could put any of his songs on this list. Letters from War, Walking Her Home, etc.

4. Untitled Hymn--Chris Rice. This song became special to me after the deaths of my father-in-law and my mother. Tears fill my eyes everytime I hear this song.

5. When Peace Like a River--We sang this in our worship yesterday. There is nothing more moving than our congregational affirmation of whatever happens, we trust God. I know this isn't technically a song I'm listening to right now. But in a way, yes it is.

6. My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less--Okay, sorry. I get to do another one like number 5. There are no better words than, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."

7. I Can Only Imagine--Mercy Me. I've got to admit. I almost put in So Long Selfhere. But once again, since the passing of two dear people, this song has come to mean a lot.

8. Everywhere I Go I See You--Rich Mullins, or Michael W. Smith. Actually, I prefer Rich Mullins version. As I walk in the mornings, I see the glorious sunrises, I hear the birds singing, and the whole world wakes around me, I see the Father. By the way, I listed eight when I was only supposed to list seven. It's my blog and I can do what I want. There are so many and the list changes from day to day.

Okay. I tag Karen Koonce. She will love this. Have fun with it, Karen. Have a great day. JW

I Really Did Hear Him

I received a smart remark from a friend concerning one of my recent blogs. I thought he was just making the statement out of ridiculing me for hearing God one day recently. So I just laughed it off and went on.
Then I checked my blog and saw that it contained only the title of the writings for that day...I Heard Him. It wasn't until then that I realized that my blog did not register for that day. In fact, there was a message saying there was an error, but it also said the blog had published.
So, to make a long story even longer, no wonder he made the snide remark. What I had said was that I heard God speak to me one morning on my walk. It wasn't a still, small voice. I heard Him in the chirping of the birds. I heard Him in the colors of the sunrise. I heard Him in all of the awakening of the earth. I quoted two verses, one from Psalms about the heavens declaring God's glory. The other from the New Testament about those being without excuse having seen His creation.
So THAT'S why I said, "I heard Him."
Now, I hope it all makes sense. By the by, I went ahead and deleted the title. I confuse people enough without stuff like that happening. Have a great day. JW

The Girl in the Pink Dress

Because I am the father of a son who participates in high school music, I get the "opportunity" to hear many concerts. Now I'm not complaining too much for I have been able to hear wonderful chorales, moving spirituals, opera, foreign language pieces and a host of other beautiful music. I've also been able to hear these concerts in a number of fabulous venues. Last night, I was privileged to attend the area-wide concert of all the schools in the district. This was a chance for the 6th graders to hear the other groups in the middle school and high school and theoretically desire, yea long for the opportunity to sing with them once they reached the age of singability.
The 6th graders were given the opportunity to sing several songs last night. I noticed that the style du jour for the boys right now is horizontally striped polo shirts. It's still pretty eclectic for the girls. The noise level was deafening. I also observed that the kids sing will little or no emotion. They just stare at the conductor (if the conductor is lucky, otherwise their eyes are darting all over the auditorium) and sing their song. When they sang "The Wells Fargo Wagon" the noise level picked up with the pace of the song, but the emotion level basically stayed the same.
There was one little girl who caught my eye. She had a pretty, sparkled pink dress, she was sporting a blue headband, she wore glasses. She moved with the music, but she was always several beats behind. When they clapped, she just couldn't quite get in synch with the rest of the kids. She rarely sang the words at the right time. It looked as if she hit about one word out of every three. She craned her body awkwardly as she sang and looked around at her classmates often. But this she did, she sang with feeling. This little Down's Syndrome girl had something that nobody else did...emotion. Tears filled my eyes as I wondered about her. Did she get teased at school? What kind of home life did she have? Was it a happy one? Did she bring joy to the people in her life?
As I looked at all the good looking kids last night, I realized that they didn't have anything on this little girl. After the concert, someone was taking her picture. She posed just like a model. I guess she felt like the most beautiful girl in the place. And you know what? In my eyes, she was. Have a great day. JW

Beginnings

I love this time of the year. I noticed the daffodils are starting to bloom (I know, I know. The people in the south are far beyond this, but I live in Nebraska!). The trees are starting to bud. The grass, although cutting it is not my favorite task, is starting to green up. Spring has arrived and with that a newness that just can't ever be matched.
It was about this time two years ago that I launched into the world of blogdom. I wrote and sometimes people read. I admit, what I write is often (mostly, okay, never) deep or profound. But it's fun to write what's on my mind knowing that some enjoy reading my pitiful thoughts.
It's also the time of year that a young boy who wanted to follow Christ was baptized into his death and resurrection and began his journey into discipleship. So three new beginnings here at the end of March. That makes it a great day. I hope your day is good. JW

Little Decisions, Big Results

I'm debating as to what to write about today. Several things are swirling through my mind. That could be dangerous. Oh, well, I guess I just need to pick one.
I read the book of Ruth yesterday. This book is short, yet so full of great stuff. First you have Ruth telling her mother-in-law that she'll go wherever she goes. You know the passage...it's the one we use in weddings all the time. Really, it's about unconditional love that a daughter-in-law has for her mother-in-law. But the real story is about what happens after that.
It looks as if Ruth won't get to marry Boaz because there is another kinsman-redeemer in line. But once he finds out there's another wife involved, he backs off the land deal real quickly. Eventually, he takes his sandal off and gives it to Boaz and Ruth becomes his.
But that's not the story. Boaz and Ruth marry and have children. They live happily ever after. They have kids and Naomi becomes a grandmother. Now we're getting close, but it's still not quite the story. The story is that because of Ruth's love and dedication to Naomi, we have a savior. The promised seed that was first promised to Abraham stays intact and we have the Messiah. You see, sitting on the lap of Naomi is her grandson, Obed. Sound familiar? Obed was the father of Jesse who was the father of David. Don't ever underestimate those "little" decisions that you make. And certainly, don't ever underestimate what God will do with those who offer their lives in His service. Have a great day. JW

Peter Pan Lives

Have I mentioned recently that I was in Disneyworld last week? I know, this blog will be similar to yesterday, but I was able to do one of my favorite things there...people watch. I was sitting in front of the U.S. exhibit in EPCOT one day last week watching all the parents trying to deal with their children. There was one family of three, pushing a stroller; the kids were probably 5, 3, and a toddler. What set them apart was all three kids were dressed in green Peter Pan outfits. I mean, complete with hats and a red feather. They were so cute.
Then my mind started to wander and think. Can you imagine if one of the parents had been wearing a Peter Pan outfit also? What would have been the reaction? You can imagine the chortling and guffaws coming from those watching. "What's a grown man doing in a Peter Pan outfit?" we might chuckle.
It happens all the time. Really. We put on our outfits, we hide behind masks, we pretend to be something we're not. If you don't believe me, go to church on Sunday morning and see all the people all dressed up looking very spiritual, yet living lives that are full of sin and hate and despair. What's the difference? Just as we think a grown man wearing a Peter Pan outfit is ridiculous, so is wearing fake smiles and fake personalities and fake lives. When God knows everything, every thought every motive about you, why do you (we) try to fake everyone else out? Fear. We're afraid everyone won't like us. When our goal should be to please the One, the only One, who matters, we spend our time trying to fool everyone else. Instead, we should be working to please God and not worry about all the others. Once again we have it completely switched. So, listen to these words from David.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. I couldn't have said it any better myself. Have a great day. JW

This (Disney)world's Hat

I am amazed at what happens at Disneyworld. One doesn't have to walk far before one sees Micky Mouse ears, Cat in the Hat hats, Goofy ears, and all sorts of Disney regalia. And that's what the adults are wearing. Thousands, yea hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent on this ridiculous looking garb. I understand that children what some type of souveneir of their trip. But adults? And here's the thing, how many times will they wear that when they get home? I would venture to say that it goes on the shelf rarely if ever to be worn again; it's destined to become garage sale material.
Why should we laugh at such things? It happens all the time right in front of us. The world holds out a bill of goods and yells, "Buy me! Buy me!" And we obediently submit to the urge. We buy something that is absolutely worthless, yet we spend good money to buy it. "Clothe yourself with the vest of selfishness. Wear the hat of greed. Here, buy the glowing trinket of sin that glows in the dark." Satan has his tricks and we succumb to such silliness. Yet, when it comes time to go home, the items we have bought hook, line, and sinker have absolutely no use anymore.
Let's be careful what we "buy" in this life. The Scripture continually warns us of not being "of the world." Jesus told us that our hearts will be where our treasures lie. Don't allow Satan to sell you the useless refuse of what this life has to offer. I hope your day is good. JW

Happiest Place on Earth

I've returned from a trip to Disneyworld for a show choir competition my son was involved with. But more about that later. Disney bills itself as the "happiest place on earth." I told someone that I was going to the happiest place on earth and they said, "Heaven?"
Anyway, one of our number made this observation: If Disneyworld is the happiest place on earth, why are all the kids crying, the brothers and sisters fussing at each other, and the moms and dads yelling at each other? Good point. I did a lot of people watching on this trip and I have some good blog material. But that will be for another day.
Our show choir placed second in this competition which is higher than they have ever placed before. But the real news is my son completed in the solo competition and won! It was truly exciting and my wife are I are extremely proud. Not for what he has accomplished (although we are proud of that), but for just being our child. Along with winning came a nice trophy and a $500 scholarship. Maybe it is the happiest place on earth (Nah!). It was exciting. It's good to be home. Take care. I hope you have a great day. Thanks for letting me brag. JW

Glad

Some of you remember the old song book "Great Songs of the Church." We used to sing from that at the College Church in Searcy, AR. There are some great songs in that book. I'll admit, some of them are kind of high church stuff, but there are some beautiful words with wonderful thoughts.
We used to sing a song Arise, My Soul, Arise. Listening on my iPod Nano today, Glad sang the same song with the words changed somewhat. A good improvement I might add. Here's what struck me.
Before the throne He stands, before the throne He stands, my name is written on His hands.

Before the throne of grace, before the throne of grace, He glady takes my place.

Then, one line particularly moves me. They sing ...this ransomed sinner must not die. I like that. Must not die. Urgency. Our message is so urgent. Jesus does gladly take our place. My name is written on His hand. That's so good. I hope your day goes well. JW

P.S. Be praying for my son who just left for a trip to Florida. His mother and I will be following tomorrow so my blogging will be finished until Monday. See you then.

And Israel did Evil in the Eyes of the Lord

Those of you who read this blog know that I write in my Bible. I take notes, I underline, I make comments. When I see something often, I will circle the word because if it's being emphasized in Scripture, then I probably ought to take note.
Recently, I've been reading through the book of Judges. I know the same phrase is being repeated in Kings, Chronicles, and Samuel; or at least something like it. But I see the phrase, "...the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord." Several times it's preceded by the word, "Again." It's my tendency to shake my head and tsk, tsk, tsk at those poor Israelites. They didn't listen did they.
Fast forward to March, 2007. Last night I sat in an elder's meeting and listened to the plight of a number of people. Marriages that are struggling, lives that are in turmoil, flat out sin. And I wonder....if the prophet were writing today, would he be saying, "Again Southwest did evil in the eyes of the Lord." Realistically, I don't think so, because our leaders are meeting to talk and pray and to help intercede in such issues. But if it comes the time when all of us, leaders included, begin to being involved or condone such things, then we would be just as guilty.
Praise God for His grace! May we never get to the point that evil would not be associated with us. Have a great day.

Daylight Savings Time

If you're like me, you're still reeling from the hour of sleep you lost from the beginning of daylight savings time. I like the extra daylight. I don't like the loss of sleep. Somewhere we have to find the happy medium.
My grandparents (the White side of the family) were farmers...and they never changed their clocks. I still can hear my grandfather say in his class Ohio drawl, "The cows don't know the difference." They did continue to live by the standard that was set by the U.S. government, though. Grandma would say, "Okay, it's 5:00 our time and 6:00 your time."
One of my brothers went through the house on one of our trips and secretly changed all the clocks. He didn't reveal his secret until we were well down the road. My grandmother wrote a scathing letter to my dad complaining that "one of your boys changed our clocks."
They had a point, you know. The cows don't know the difference. It reminds me of a joke my dad used to laugh at from the old Hee Haw program. One farmer said he used to hold his pigs up to the apple tree to let them eat apples. The other farmer said, "Doesn't that take a lot of time." The first farmer replied, "What's time to a pig?"
Really, we get so caught up in everything that we forget what's really important. Our kids grow up, the seasons change, people move in and out of our lives, and the next thing you know you face retirement saying, "What happened to my life?" I know I talk about this a lot, but it's important. In the grand scheme of things, what really matters? I don't know of anyone who, while on their death bed, says, "I wish I'd spent more time at the office." Family and God. Relationships. All blessings that time take time. The kind of time that is really important.
Look at it this way. Not too long ago we had a 24 hour prayer vigil at our congregation. It was right before we were selecting new shepherds. I scheduled this event to be held on the weekend the time changed. You guessed it, we had a 25 hour prayer vigil. Maybe God thought we needed the extra hour. Enjoy the extra hour. Have a great day. JW

Time Keeps on Slippin', Slippin', Slippin' Into the Future

I have been reading a book called Margin as well as leading a Sunday evening class by the same name. Dr. Richard Swenson (I believe that's his name) writes very concisely about what we do to our lives. We live life on the edge. (In fact, the new Ford commercial gleefully sings, "I like to live on the edge!") Our lives get going faster and faster as we emulate the hamster in the wheel.
So notice something with me. Jesus says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel..." Notice he didn't say, "Go, go, go into all the world..." The old song is so pertinent, "Slow down, you're going to fast. You've got to make the moments last..." I've got a trip coming up next week that I'm looking forward to and I'm dreading. My family is going to the happiest place on earth. At least that's the way they describe it. But it's based on hurry here, go there, stand in line over here. I want to enjoy the time. Slow life down. Lands knows it goes too fast.
I'm working on this. I'm not very good at it, yet. Getting better. Paul said in Ephesians, "Be very careful, then, how you live (walk, KJV)--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." He's not saying the days are bad. Maybe Paul know what it was for the days to fly past. Notice, though, "make the most of every opportunity." For just one day, let's try that. Have a great day. JW

60 Seconds or Less

I was listening to the radio this morning to a commercial about child behavior problems. Some kind of "transformation." The guy guaranteed that he could make a child change without yelling, without...well, you name it. They even said if you ordered today, they would throw in a book called "Transformation in 60 Seconds or Less." Or something like that.
That seems to be our take on Christianity. Become a Christian. Get dunked and "voila!" you're transformed. Sixty second or less and the old attitudes are gone, the old behaviors are out of there, and the the new you is there." I believe the Greek word for that is "hogwash." There is a reason our life is called a walk. It's a journey. And sometimes it takes a lifetime (and sometimes, not even then) to overcome and to transform. Praise God for grace! Paul struggled until the end of his life. I know some say that his thorn in the flesh was some kind of eye condition. But what if it wasn't? He said, "God's grace is sufficient." Suppose Paul's thorn was a sin he struggled with and he desperately needed God's grace for it.
The next time someone tries to make you feel guilty for a sin you are fighting with, don't let them. I believe Jesus said to make sure the plank is out of yours before removing the splinter in another's. And it isn't easy. It isn't automatic. And until we get to the end of our lives and can say we have finished the race, then I wouldn't fuss too much at anybody for falling short. That's what the rest of us are for. This journey is to be walked together. We help those who stumble. We rest when we're tired. We rejoice together at the end. Have a great day. JW

John 3:17

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while but the blizzard of 2007 hit us last Thursday and it's been hard to get out. No kidding, a foot of snow and the wind blowing sometimes over 50 miles an hour.
Remember the verse, John 3:16? Of course, everyone knows that verse. It is the most quoted verse of all Scripture. But have you ever read the verse right after it? "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Yeah, so what?
What do we do most of the time? We condemn everyone. I don't mean we condemn people to hell (although I know a lot who do). I'm talking about griping about the way people drive, the way they talk, they way they do certain things. We complain about their lifestyle, their hair, and everything else. Jesus himself didn't come into the world to condemn. He came to save. Shouldn't that be our mission also?
Which brings in grace. My words should be full of grace. My actions should be full of grace. My attitude should be full of grace. Why? Because that's what Jesus did. You might say, "What about the passage in Matthew 7:6? Don't cast your pearls before swine." I get the impression Jesus is talking about religious people there (mind you, I make a distinction between religious people and spiritual people).
I'm working on this. I wrote several blogs back that I the older I get, the more I get into grace. Fewer rules and regulations. More freedom in the Lord. And above all else, less condemnation. Have a great day. JW

Walk

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. A paraphrase from the heart of Jesus. I have a credenza in my office that has a lot of objects from life on it. There are two rocks from Green Valley Bible camp given to me by the girls in Cabin #1. They are "Rock" Awards that they give every summer. There's the glass crystal eagle given to me by our Spanish minister at the church in Arkansas. He gave it to me right before we left for Nashville. There's a wooden clothspin I comfiscated from Mom's house after she died. Not the kind you buy today with the spring, but one made from a single piece of wood. I used to make airplanes out of them when I was a kid. There's a miniature model of the Eiffel Tower I bought from a man right before I went up in the real thing in Paris several years ago. A broze rose from my Mom's casket sits in a place of honor near the front. There's a piece of the old Berlin Wall. A rock from the beaches of Normandy. I still have a bracelet that turns my wrist green given to me by Vladimir, a man I baptized in Vladivostok, Russia. If you were to offer me money for any of these items, I would turn your down. I don't think anything are worth much to anyone anyway. But they are priceless to me. Why? Because they represent things in my life. A trip made with my family. A game played when I was little. Camp. A mission trip.
These things are valuable to me because I received them on my journey called "Life." The New International Version of the Bible translate that word as "life." The King James Version as "walk." I prefer the walk image. They are valuable because they represent times in my walk when I crossed paths with someone. They mean something deeper than the value of the object. They are so deep in valuable to me that I will pass them on to the future generations in my life. There will be more things that I accumulate along the way. But it's not the things that are important, it's what they represent. Jesus said a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of his possessions. So I would like to invite you to walk with me on this journey. Let's enjoy the good and the bad, the family and friends, the blessings given to us by God. Have a great day...and enjoy the walk. JW

My Favorite Bible

I've been teaching a class called Letters from Dad taken by a book by Gregg Vaughn. What has struck me in this class is the disconnect between fathers and their sons. (I know there is also a disconnect between fathers and daughters sometimes, but I'm dealing with the sons who are now fathers in my class.) There are deep-seeded emotions present when we talk of these things and they want to make sure that the mistakes of the past are not continued to their children. Tears come easily and quickly. Emotions run high every time we have class.
This got me thinking. Four of my most valuable possessions sit in my office. They are my father's Bible, my mother's Bible, my Grandfather White's Bible, and my Grandfather Garloch's Bible. They each have a different reason for being precious. Dad's Bible is the first NIV Bible he ever owned. I gave it to him. He underlined things that were of importance to him. So when I need a dose of Dad, I go to what I call "The Gospel According to Ed" and read some things he deemed important. Mom's Bible is precious because it looks exactly the way it was the day she died. It has a bulletin tucked in it as well as a tissue (with a verse written on it, Proverbs 29:20. "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him." Why she wrote that verse down, I don't know. But perhaps I should listen. My Grandfather White's Bible was given to him by my parents on December 25, 1943. He also has a Bible verse written--Titus 2:12. "Teaching us that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Finally, my Grandfather Garloch's Bible, once again, given to him this time by my mother on December 25, 1940. Written inside is the price...$5.50. Granddad wasn't one to write in his Bible, but the pages are dirty and worn, obviously from use.
Why are you talking about this? I gave my 23-year old, married daughter my Bible the other day. It was the one I had been preaching from for the last several years. It's getting worn and used. I've written so many notes in it, that I love to have it when I'm reading. But I thought, "Why should she wait until I die to get this?" I wanted her to have it to see that her dad depended on God. I loved her comment when I gave it to her. She said, "What about Nathan?" (My son). I told her there would be another Bible with more notes and worn out like that one. I thought she would tuck it away, put it with the things she would save. Instead, I picked her up for church services (Her husband was working and there was snow on the ground. She isn't driving in snow right now. That's another blog, another story, another time). She was carrying that Bible. Tears are in my eyes right now as I recount this. Never did I know that it would be one of her valuable possessions.
My call to you fathers out there, never underestimate what your love for your children does. Don't hold it back. Don't be ashamed to show it. And leave them a legacy for your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Let them know that you chose to follow God. Have a great day. JW

Absurd Statements

We had another snow Saturday night. After all, this is Nebraska. Anyway, I was listening to one of the meteorologists and he was talking about the weather today. He said we would probably have some sun and it would melt some of the snow because the snow did contain a lot of water. Duh! There's a new revelation! All these years I thought snow contained marshmallows, but now this guy tells me it's mostly water.
Have you ever heard any other absurd statements? How about in John 8 when Jesus was talking to the Jews about His teaching. He said that if they would hold to His teachings, He would make them free. Their response? "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone." Can you believe that? What about all of their occupations in the Old Testament? What about their captivity? What about at the very moment they are speaking? Are not the Romans holding them under their rule of an iron fist?
What about Peter? "I will never forsake you." I think he probably believed that. We give Peter a hard time, but the Scripture says the rest of them said the same thing.
What about us? Do we ever make rash statements that are absolutely absurd and untrue or just plain stupid? I have to admit, I'm the king of that one. Promises I make to God, not owning up to my own mistakes, making it sound like I've got everything under control. Maybe that's why Jesus told us to make sure we got the plank out of our own eye before we take the splinter out of our neighbor's eye. Perhaps we would do better to mind our own business and work on our own lives instead of condemning everyone else. So raise your hand and repeat after me. "I promise not to make rash statements today. I will not speak until my brain is fully engaged. And I promise not to deny the obvious working of the Lord in my life." Have a great day. JW

All My Life

One of our newer members is a gentlemen who has a great talent for painting. He has had several of his art works displayed at the request of the Audubon Society. He moved from Alaska, so naturally his paintings are of nature (no pun intended on the "naturally" comment). All of us who see his works ask him, "How long does it take you to paint one of these?" I love his answer. He says, "All my life."
So many times we think the walk of Christianity is a quick fix. Become a disciple, "get" baptized, and we immediately think good thoughts, never say an evil word again, and generally just act as a Christian should. Instead our response should be like my friend's. "How long has it taken you to become as you are?" "All my life....and I'm still not there yet." Have a great day. And keep going on your journey. JW

I Saw God This Morning

I saw God this morning. No, it wasn't one of those "out of body" experiences or anything similar. I was walking toward the east when I saw the morning sunlight hitting the clouds. The beauty in the purple and pink hue of the marshmallow-like clouds reminded me that God is still in control of everything.
But that wasn't all of what I saw. Even though it's been above freezing during the day and melting the snow, during the evening it gets below freezing again and changes everything,. The water that runs down the street from the melting snow lies in a motionless way still looking as if it is still running. The ripples frozen in place give a a illusion of water running even though it's frozen. And the frost on the concrete makes thousands of gold and silver sparkles. I remember this scene from an earlier time in my life. Walking on the beach in southern California near San Diego, I remember seeing similar sparkles. They call it "fool's gold" out there. I'm not sure what they would call frost on concrete.
The thought went through my mind, "Of course, the clouds are beautiful. They've always been that way." But the concrete is old and hard and cracked and grey. But if God can take something that old and cracked and grey and make it into something beautiful, what can He do with a life that's old and cracked and grey?

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1

As I finished my walk today, I heard the song sung originally by Rich Mullens, but this time by Michael W. Smith, "Everywhere I go I see you. Everywhere I go I see you." Thanks, guys, for the reminder. The cloud by day, the fire by night. Everywhere I go, I see You. Have a great day. JW

Unwholesome Talk

Piggy-backing on yesterday's blog, have you noticed how much criticism there is in the world? Everyone has an opinion. Sometimes we're vocal, sometimes we vent only to those around us. But it spreads into the church. Two groups of people are the targets of a lot of criticism. Preachers, for one. "His sermon was soooo boring!" Or, "I just didn't get anything out of the sermon today." But, in my humble opinion, most criticism is guided toward elders/shepherds. They don't do enough to suit me. They did too much. Just do something. I had an elder tell me one time that elderships were the statues and the congregation was the pigeons. How sad! What gives us the right to do such a thing?
The Scripture is full of instructions concerning this. Don't believe me?

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. I Timothy 5:1

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8

"Well, it's true!" seems to be our only rallying cry when it comes to gossip. Unwholesome talk. Interested phrase. What is "unwholesome talk?" Sounds to me that it's anything that doesn't build up. Join me, would you, in trying to be a positive influence, in saying only things that build up. Let's not gossip. Let's not criticize. Let's encourage. Let's not tear down. Let's extend this courtesy to all. I think that's part of loving your neighbor as yourself. Have a great day. JW

Winning the Argument

I'm a little tired of the political bickering that goes on the news channels of today. It seems the one who yells the loudest, interrupts the most, or demeans his opponent is the one who is deemed the winner.
I think that's how we think we win the argument when speaking of spiritual things. "Be ready to give an answer!" we proclaim. I find Jesus' response very interesting. Brought before Herod, he says nothing. Before Pilate, once again relatively nothing. "Well, you don't understand, they wouldn't have listened anyway." Probably true. But Jesus could have answered more profoundly and could have had a tremendous influence. He could have even won the argument. But he still would have been put on a cross and crucified.
Which brings me back to my original point. I'm not sure the argument is to be made. Paul's statement concludes his statement about giving an answer with "gentleness and respect." Jesus didn't respond. Often we win the argument and lose the war. Perhaps a we need more who are gentle in spirit, soft-spoken, and don't have to be right all the time.
"Are you saying we are not to defend our Christianity?" No, I didn't say that. I'm saying to defend our Christianity doesn't mean we have to win the arugment. Perhaps a life well-lived or a gentle word or a sweet spirit will be a better answer than we can imagine. Raging anger never seems to win the day even when the words may be right. I'm thinking we ought to take the Lord's example more often and just let our actions speak. Have a great day. JW

Just the Facts

I remember as a college student hearing Jim Woodroof say that we should read a gospel after every book of the Bible we read. In other words, read one of the 66, then read one of the gospels, read another book, read a gospel. The gospel of John remains my favorite because it tells so many different stories of Jesus' life. Today I started reading the gospel of Mark.
Remember the old Dragnet series? You had Detective Joe Friday who started every episode with, "This is the city...Los Angeles, California..." And when he questioned people he would say, "Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts." That's what I get from the gospel of Mark. He begins with with Jesus, switches briefly to John the Baptist, then tells the story of Jesus by John the Baptist. Then he says he went out into the desert with the wild animals. Whereas Matthew and Luke spend a little more time on the temptation of Christ, that's it for Mark. There's a quick story of driving out a demon, then my favorite healing story. The story of the leper. Nine words by the leper, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Five words by Jesus. "I am willing," he said, "Be clean!" I know, he speaks some more later, but don't you get the impression there's more to that story than those few words. Don't you feel there was more than "just the facts, ma'am."? Maybe I'm wrong, but I think there's a lot more.
Last night in our Bible study, we wondered about Judas. Did he have a choice? We know he fulfilled the Scriptures. But there are so many questions. I have a Bible study on Thursday with a lady in a wheel chair. Often we come across things that we really don't have an answer for. It both instances, I say the same thing. "Make a list." We'll ask about it when you get to see Jesus. Then we'll get more than "just the facts." Have a great day. JW

Valentine's History

Happy Valentine's Day! I had a church member chastise me one time for speaking of Christmas in a sermon. (He also didn't think I should use the New International Version of the Bible, only King James Version). Being the smart fellow I am, I asked him if he had ever given his wife roses or a card on Valentine's Day. Yes, I had him. "No, I haven't!" he said emphatically. Shucks, I thought I could get him on that one. "How sad," I thought that you wouldn't even do something like that for your life's companion.
I decided to do a little research on Valentine's Day. Seems, as usual, it was originated to take the place of a pagan holiday. Once a year the pagans would have a lottery for the men to select the women they could, well, have sex with for the next year. Once a year they would do this so that every year one would get another partner. The Catholic Church didn't approve of this practice. In about the 3rd century A.D., the emperor Claudius outlawed marriage. He felt that married men made horrible soldiers. There was a bishop by the name of Valentine who would surreptitiously marry those who were in love. He was jailed and eventually martyred. Thus, the Catholic Church began to honor this. Also, it's said that Valentine fell in love with the jailer's blind daughter. He allegedly healed her blindness and in a farewell message wrote to her, "From Your Valentine." Let's hear the collective "ahhhhhh," from the women folk out there. There you have it.
May it never be said that this blog is occasionally educational. I hope your day is good. Be kind and nice to your Valentine. Have a great day. JW

Grace

I've spent a lifetime trying to understand grace. So far, I'm stumped. But then again, that's usually not too hard to do for me. It seems to me that people either kind of get it or they don't. It' s the difference between freedom and have to. And it changes everything.
Paul talks about grace often. He uses Romans as his jumping off point. Then he uses Ephesians to unveil more of his description of grace. He calls it "his glorious grace." (Eph. 1:6). He talks of forgiveness of sins by saying it is in "accordance with the riches of God's grace." (Eph. 1:7). Later he says, "It is by grace you have been saved. (Eph. 2:5). He once again calls it the "imcomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:7). And once again, just for emphasis in the same passage, he says, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." (Eph. 2:8). What's your point, Paul?
I was once told by an elder than we can preach too much about grace. Huh? Tell that to Paul. It was one of his themes. He, if anybody, truly understood it.
When we understand grace, it makes us look at others differently. We're not as harsh on them. We give them the benefit of the doubt. We extend grace to them. When we understand grace, we see God differently. We see His benevolence and His love. We fall on our knees in gratitude for what He has done for us. When we understand grace, we see ourselves differently. We try harder to please God. Not because we have to, but because we want to. It changes our motivation from fear to love. It gives us a positive outlook on life.
When we don't understand grace, we become legalistic. We follow the rules, and then and only then, God will give us grace. We see no room for mistakes in us or anybody else. When we don't understand grace, we think we are to work as hard as we can to earn God's approval, then He'll take care of the rest. Kind of like we don't have quite enough to pay the bill, but God steps in and takes care of the shortfall and the tip. But you know what? That's an extremely shallow (and wrong) view of grace. God paid it all. The meal was on Him all along. And there is nothing, nothing I can do to earn any part of it. Praise God!
Grace is kind of like God's love to me. It seems as if Paul tends to describe it in the superlative as much as possible. And I'll never understand it. But I will accept it. Have a great day. JW.

P.S. There is a gorgeous snowfall going on right now. We've gotten another 4 or 5 inches. More snow. More white.

Good Intentions

I've mentioned the book Margin by Dr. Richard A. Swenson before on this blog. We are using his (out-dated) video series right now. It may be a little dated, but it is as true and accurate as it was when it was produced. In fact, his words ring prophetically even more in the 21st century. One of the things he said in last night's video was that "...our children are lying wounded on the ground and run over by our good intentions." That hit me right between the eyes.
How many times have we intended to say an encouraging word instead of a rebuke, intended to give a hug instead of a wave, or intended to say, "I love you," instead of "put your coat on." There are so many times when my teenage son seems fine, yet inside he is roiling with teenage angst. And although he acts as if he's fine and doesn't really want me hanging around, he truly needs the solidity of dad's love. That's not the time to have good intentions. That's the time for actions.
I've had a daughter go through this, I need to remember the lessons learned from that and to realize that raising a boy is different than raising a girl. So parents, join me if you will. Don't let good intentions get in the way of truly loving your kids. Make sure you are the solid foundation they need. Make sure they know you are constant in their lives. Make sure they know that any foundation they get from you is only because you have put your trust in Jesus. Don't be ashamed of that. Have a great day. JW

More Snow

I'm not usually here on Fridays, but I'm here and decided to blog a little bit. We got another two inches of snow last night. So I was out bright and early shoveling it off the driveway. I tried the best I could to come up with some kind of spiritual application, but it was a little hard when the attitude wasn't the best. Another snow. The last snow from two weeks ago is still on the ground. It's supposed to snow another 3-6 inches tomorrow. It may snow again Monday.
I know the Scriptures say, "Wash me and I will be whiter than snow." But that's been used before. I started thinking about grace. Underneath the snow is the dirt and the sand of the trucks trying to clean off the road. Once again, it's pure white. Then it comes again, spraying the filth on the snow. More white stuff. Kind of a good comparison, but God doesn't leave the dirt underneath. When He makes us white as snow, the dirt isn't there anymore. It isn't covered up, it's gone.
So my quest to find something good about the snow is messed up again. I know, I know, the moisture is good. But really, other than that, what good is snow? Have a great day. JW

Legacy II

My son is in a play at school. It's Arthur Miller's All My Sons and it takes place just post World War II. Since my wife and (grudgingly) I are working with concessions, my wife decided to decorate one of the tables with memorabilia. "I have a bunch of pictures of my uncles in WWII. Then there are several of my great-uncle and my grandfather during WWI. They are really cool pictures. As I looked at them, I recalled riding on the tractor with my great uncle Seldon as we baled hay. I saw my Uncle Les whom I'm named after. And even my son asked, "Is this Uncle Russell? Uncle Pud?" Pud was the name we affectionately called him later. There was my grandfather as a young buck ready to take on the world. I mostly remember two things about him. First, him dying of lung cancer and black lung disease (he was a coal miner). But second, was in church at St. Joe, Ohio when we prayed. You see, he would kneel every time a prayer was said. Not only him, but every man in the building.
What a wonderful legacy these people have left for me. It made me think of Aunt Maud who taught our Bible class at Bearwallow when I was just a little boy. My Aunt Evelyn gave me my first job at C & E Super Valu in Athens, Ohio. She was an elder's wife and always treated everyone with great integrity. She was so trusting to let a young 16 year old take her car home in the evenings and to let me even live with them for a summer. She still writes and asks when I'm coming back to a reunion. She understands the value and worth of family.
Now it's my turn....and yours. What will your kids remember about you? Will they remember a servant's heart and a soul turned towards the Lord?
So many times I think of situations when I didn't act the way I should. When something was way more important to me than it should have been. Or I was stubborn and obstinate over frivolous things. Is that what my kids will remember? Is that how my friends will remember me? I hope not. When I was in graduate school, one of my professors had us do a little exercise that brought all of this home to me. He had us write our own epitaph. Do that some time and see that it's not as easy as you think.
So here's to my the legacy left to me by godly parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. I have been so blessed to be in the family I'm in. But if you haven't been so blessed, why don't you break the cycle and begin being a blessing to your kids. Be the kind of person that they remember with great fondness and gratitude for your gentle spirit and godly attitude. Leave them something to remember you by. I hope your day is filled with wonderful blessings. JW

Trust

You don't hit the horn because they are turning into the lane you're not driving in, going the same direction, but you trust that they are going to stay in your lane. So you continue at the same speed. If you didn't trust them, you would honk your horn and slow down. Slightly trusting would be to place your hand on the horn preparing to honk if needed and maybe lifting your foot off the accelerator.
We've all watched the shriners with their fez hats and their little motorcycles. They are in the local parade and all of a sudden they go into figure eight pattern. They zip in and out looking as if they are going to run into each other. But again, they trust each other and they know their partners will be where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be.
What's the operative reason for this? I can give it to you in one word. Trust. They trust each other. We trust the person turning into the opposite lane. When there is trust, things continue on the way they have been. When there is no trust, we hit the brake, we slow down, everything comes to a relative standstill.
We used to sing the song, "Trust and Obey." We don't sing it anymore because it's "old school." That's a shame because as has been noted by several blogs lately the old songs often have wonderful words. "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Notice when we trust, we don't panic, things go smoothly, there is no braking or slowing down. The Psalmist said, "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10. I hope your day is a good one. JW

Lessons from a Little Boy

It happened so quickly that if you weren't watching you missed it. Our worship leader had dismissed the kids to Wee Worship. It's not unusual for the kids to high-five our worship leader as they exit the auditorium. But this one was different. He was purposeful and committed. A little tow-headed boy around five years of age marched right down the aisle straight up on the podium and grabbed our worship leader around his legs and gave him a big hug. Having done that, he filed out of the auditorium toward Wee Worship.
He was stunned. Choked up. I could tell he had a hard time starting the next song. But after services he explained to the crowd what had happened. He said that he and his wife had been teaching the Bible class this little guy was in. "The reason you teach not to receive certain things, he said, "but that was worth every minute of it."
Why did the little guy do that? I don't know. But it was the right thing to do. He knew that this man loved him and the only way he knew to return the favor was to lay aside any fear of the crowd watching and go up and hug him. Hmmmmm. You make the connection. Is it any wonder that Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven belongs to the little children? Have a great day. JW

P.S. Franklin, I hope you're out of sun-tan lotion. It's supposed to warm up to 27 degrees today. A virtual heat wave. Maybe by this time your burn is pealing! Have fun in Florida!

The Lord's Way

I don't know about you, but I got a little tired of hearing that this was the first time two African-American coaches made it into the Super Bowl. Don't misunderstand me. I am glad that black coaches are getting the opportunity on this level and are being successful. But did you hear these men as they talked to one another?
Instead of the "kill the other team" and "win at all cost" and "he's the enemy" rhetoric, it was wonderful to hear them speak to one another in kind terms. They said that Tony Dungy didn't curse. That both coaches were not ranters or screamers. I heard one interview where the two were seated next to another another and Tony Dungy said, "We're friends. And I hope that we will always be friends."
Although I don't think God particularly cared who won the Super Bowl, Tony Dungy said on national television, "I want to thank the Lord. We did it His way." That's what I've been talking about! How do we proclaim God in an extremely hectic world? He should be our life! It's not what we do, it's who we are. And Coach Dungy understands that. Too bad the press doesn't. Too bad we don't. Thanks, Coach, for showing us. Have a great day.

Foolish Thoughts

As any of you who write blogs know, sometimes the thoughts just don't come. Or, even worse, they do come and you can't really express what you're feeling. So it just comes out sounding pretty lame. There are times when you just want to say something pithy or deep or meaningful. Instead, it comes out with misspelled words, silly conclusions or inane thoughts.
But one thing I've learned from preaching, God can do unbelievable things with what you offer Him. I've come out of the pulpit thinking I should go back to college admissions. And about the time I think I am a fool, someone calls and tells me how much the sermon meant to them. So I don't discount anything that God can do. Oh, my words are still misspelled and my conclusions may still be silly and my thoughts completely inane. But God can take anything and make it into something good.
So for those who read my foolish words, I'm sorry. Second, thank you. Third, praise God that He can take my simple thoughts and make them what He wants them to be. May we always be instruments for God available when He needs us, ready to serve at a moments notice. Have a great day...what's left of it. JW

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

Words Mean Something

We had our first Letters from Dad meeting the other night and we had a good turn-out. Having had a wonderful father (certainly not perfect, and sometimes stubborn and downright conservative!), who loved me in spite of my imperfections, I sometimes have a hard time identifying with someone whose father was less than what they should have been.
In our discussions, the emotions came to the surface quickly with some of the men. Some (Really, all) want to be better fathers. Others told stories of how difficult it was for their fathers to simply tell them "I love you." It helped me to realize that words mean something. The words we so flippantly say to our children can cut to the quick. They remember them for years. It was a lesson to me to measure my words carefully and to make sure that I tell my children how valuable they are, what a blessing they are to me, and how much I love them. I used to take Nate to school and the last thing we did was the rock (hand bumps) and we say, "Jesus is Lord." He told me the other day that he missed that. We don't get to do that often enough. A little thing I thought was trivial was special to my son. Fathers, be careful what you say and realize that everything you say, no matter how trivial you think it might be, makes an impression on your children...and of course eventually to their children.

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers...." Malachi 4:6

Have a great day. JW

They Love Each Other

She was having surgery today. This is her second surgery in about three or four months. The first to replace her shoulder, today's to replace her hip. She couldn't stand with the use of her arms (shoulder) when she had the hip replaced so the shoulder was first. He had surgery last month, an aortic valve replacement. They are in their upper 80s and have been married a long time. Occasionally, they seem to get on one another's nerves. I've heard them talk about selective hearing.
Yet when he came in today, there was genuine concern on his face. He looked at his daughter and said, "How is she?" Nothing else mattered at that point except for her well-being. What a wonderful love story. In this day and age when marriages don't last as long as car loans, it's nice to see one that has lasted and is thriving.
She's fine. She'll be fine. She's a tough woman and I woudn't bet against her for anything. But thanks for your prayers anyway. God is good. Have a great day. JW

Tag, You're It

Well, there is a new kind of "tag" going on. I've been tagged by our youth minister, Franklin Wood who says I'm supposed to do these things:

1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence.
3. Post the text of the following three sentences.
4. Name the author and book title.
5. Tag three other people to do the same.

So here's mine:
He was purchased with a great price. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (Johnb 15:13). But He laid down His life for His enemies (Rom. 5:10).

That came from Warren W. Wiersbe's book Be Rich. So I'll tag these three people.

1. Karen Koonce
2. Brian Koonce
(Husband and wife team with two different blogs)
3. Bobby Stokes

Have a great day. JW

Sunlight Lessons on Sunday Morning

I was here at the building earlier than usual this morning. There were some things I needed to do before everyone arrived. As I walked into the auditorium, there was a sliver of sunlight that streamed through the stained glass windows. That light landed right across the plexiglas podium where I would speak in about an hour or so. Contrasted with that was the computer monitor that sits in front of the podium. In the sunlight you could see the cobwebs that had gathered around this piece of technology. It was quite a contrast, the light on the podium; the cobwebs on the monitor. We've come to rely an awful lot on machines and I'm the worst at that. I've got to have my cell phone, my computer is not far away from me, microwaves, fax machines, palm pilots, hand-held computers. In the sunlight in the quiet of this Lord's Day, it was almost as if God was saying to me, "Jim, the technology means nothing. Preach the Word." I stopped and prayed just that. That God would take my words and take me out of the way and allow God to go far beyond the technology of our day to hit the center of what really counts....relationships. Relationships with God, Jesus, the Spirit, relationships with our spouses, our children, our parents, our friends, the world. "I want to know Christ," is what Paul said. Indeed, we all want to know Him. Have a great day. JW

Footprints

There is a little story that's been overused (IMHO) called "Footprints." Good stories tend to be overused. Kind of like the guy throwing starfish back into the ocean. You get my drift (pardon the pun).
But since we had an influx of snow last Saturday, I've noticed footprints in the snow around our house. Most of the time, they tell a little story. It's fun trying to figure them out. (I know, it sounds as if I've lost my marbles, but hang in there with me.) First you can see where the squirrels have been digging. Hungry, they're trying to reach the stash the buried in the ground in the fall. You can see the steps leading up to the spot where they have dug. I wonder if they found what they were looking for.
Then I noticed a rabbit track. It was steady, straight, committed, almost as if someone had made them in a straight line on purpose. It looked as if this creature was on a mission.
Finally, there were some human footprints that led up to our house. From there, they crossed our yard into our neighbors. Who did this and what was he after?
In all of our lives, we leave some kind of indication that we've been around. Footprints, so to speak. What kind of impression will you leave. Will there be indication of hard work? An impression of purpose or commitment? Or will people wonder what you were up to? It's up to you. Have a great day. JW

We Want To See Jesus!

I was watching television this morning and came across one of those televangelists. You know the ones. I kid you not, "...there is a woman sitting in a rocking chair. She has short hair, she's got lumps in her breast, just lay your hand on the television set and you'll be healed." He was wearing a jacket with all kinds of sparkles on it, so many it would have made any country singer proud.
He told the people of his audience, "If you will call, I'll send you a vial of miracle water and you do what I tell you to do and you'll be healed. " Do what I tell you to do!! I'm sorry, first of all, he lost me at the sparkles. I couldn't see Jesus wearing such an outfit. Second, the arrogance to say to do what I say to do.
Sorry. Just one of those days when that stuff rubs me the wrong way! I guess it's because I know of people who are suffering from cancer. The treatments have caused them to lose their hair. Or a friend of mine will have by-pass surgery tomorrow to take care of serious blockage. And then this guy shows up and says, "Do what I say to do." I'm sorry, I want to be like the ones who said, "Sir, we want to see Jesus." Let's continue to look for Him. Have a great day. JW

Between Intellect and Transcendence

I've never been accused of being intellectual. Philosophical discussions even make me dizzy. So yesterday, I was asked this question. "God can do anything? Right? Then can he make someone change their free will?" Really, that's the wrong question to ask. God can do a lot of things that He won't do. This got me thinking.

For instance, why pray? Why would the God of the universe who created all things listen to some of my silly requests? And there have been times where He has said "no" or just wasn't listening. At least that's my perspective at times. Why doesn't God heal certain people and allow others to die? Why was I born in the United States to godly, Christian parents?

Then I realize that I am a human being. God is God. I liked Mike Cope's blog today where he has the quote, "The biggest difference between you and God is that God doesn't think he's you." (Anne Lamott). So when reason fails me, I start to think that God is beyond me. His ways are higher than my ways. His thoughts higher than my thoughts. And so I get stuck between intellect and transcendence. When it gets far beyond my intellectual capabilities, I cede back to the fact that God is who He says He is. I read Job 38-41. Then I rely on something called "faith." Being sure of things hoped for and confident of the unseen. I'm sorry, that's where I always land. . .at least that's my answer. I trust in One who is greater than I and realize there are some things I just don't understand. Perhaps one day I will. I hope you have a great day. JW

Bad Day

At first I thought when I wrote a blog and it didn't post that it was a sign from God that He didn't want me to publish those particular thoughts to all who might see. Now, I'm just thinking I'm just pretty stupid! It's been one of those mornings. I lost a glove (one glove! It was my father-in-law's glove.), I deleted a perfectly good blog that I thought was poignant and witty and good, and then I've had someone disappoint me by not following through on a task.
But God is good and reminds me constantly not to take things too seriously. Once again, my friend Dee Skillen sends me something and #1 on the list is "Life isn't fair, but it's still good." Okay. I can handle that, but I still am not having a good day. I'm a busy man and I have things to do and these roadblocks are not making it any easier. #4--"Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does." But you don't understand. I thought this stuff was taken care of and I don't need this today. #16--"Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying."
Okay! Okay! Okay! My bad. I have a smile on my face. "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." I'll be happy. But I'll be happy being dragged kicking and screaming. Have a great day. JW

P.S. By the way, I called the place where I think I lost the glove. They found it. Hey, the day's getting better already!

Coffee Cups

I received this from my friend Dee Skillen and I thought it was worth putting in here.

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups--porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite--telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all you you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups...And then you begain eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups...Enjoy your coffee!

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Thanks, Dee! Have a great day. JW

My Brother, Judas

The hometown crowd was amazed. How did this guy get to be so smart? After all, we've known him since he was a little tyke. He's the carpenter's son. His mom lives with us and his brothers live here. You know them, James, (Ah the eldest. The one with a good name. That's a good name derived from Jacob) Joseph, (You remember Joseph. The one who saved his brothers. The one who wisely predicted Pharoah's dilemma and ended up being the salvation of Israel) Simon, (Didn't Jesus have an apostle by that name? Yes! Simon. Simon Peter. Good strong name!) and Judas. Are you kidding me? Jesus had a brother named Judas?
What do you think he thought all of his life knowing that He would be betrayed by someone named Judas? Do you think it was a constant reminder of what was to come? Do you think He ever had a conversation with the betrayer and tell him, "You know, I have a brother named Judas."? What a strange mix of betrayal and home. Do you think Judas ever "told" on Jesus? How do you think that would make Jesus feel? Perhaps in some small way it helped to prepare Jesus for what was coming and for the forgiveness He felt in His heart toward the man who was an accomplice to His death. Maybe this is a great lesson of forgiveness for us, too. Have a great day.

Contentment

For some reason, my post didn't publish this morning. I guess it wasn't worth reading! My goodness it is cold in Nebraska this morning! The sign at the bank said it was -4 below zero. I started to bemoan the fact that it was so cold and then I started to think about those in Antarctica. (I know, I know, what a weird thing to think!) But here's what I was thinking. No matter what your condition in life, you can always find someone or something worse. Green Valley Bible Camp was over 100 degrees this summer. But I bet if you had gone to Death Valley, CA it would have been hotter.
Paul said that no matter what place he found himself, he was able to be content. So that's where I am today. If it's cold, there's somewhere else that's colder. If it's windy, there's somewhere else that's having a tornado. If I have a cold, someone is dealing with cancer or something else more serious. Content. That's what Paul told us to be. You want to know how to find something really good in all of this? You want a big return on your investment? Paul said that godliness + contentment = great gain. All right, all right. I get the picture. But you have to admit, it's still cold! Have a great day. JW

Judgment

This weekend my family attended a show choir competition that my son participated in. After performing they are judged on a variety of things and then ranked. Obviously, I'm not biased. But I was amazed that my son's show choir didn't place higher than they did. If you know me very well, this got me thinking.
We are judged by so many things in our lives. Teens are given a score by the video game they play judging their skills. They are also judged daily by their peers on their clothes, their talents, and just about anything else you want to name. Teenagers are not shy about expressing their opinions, nor do they care what anybody thinks when making those judgments. Teachers rate their students all the time. Bosses evaluate their employees and if they are not performing, they are fired.
Can you imagine if our Christianity were judged by the same standards? That's how some people measure the "Christianity quotient." If you do a certain amount of good deeds, and your bad deed numbers are smaller than the good deed numbers, then it's been a good day. Thankfully, we don't serve a God who measures us in such ways, although to hear some, that is the way He judges us.
But if you enter the courtroom of judgment, you'll hear these words, "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who is he that condemns?" Then listen to these words. "Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." So in the courtroom of judgment, we serve a God who's Son intercedes. I'll take my chances with Him! Have a great day. JW

Prayer On a Different Level

I can be pretty dense. Now wait a minute, I just heard a resounding "AMEN!" from those of you who know me out there. I have done studies on prayer, taught classes on prayer, read books on prayer, but it wasn't until this morning I understood something about prayer. There are all kinds of passages talking about different kinds of prayer, i.e.

And pray in the Spirt on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. I Timothy 2:1, 2

There are all kinds of prayers mentioned and I have done the word studies because they all mean something different. Intellectually I understood, but my heart wasn't in tune. Today, I was praying earnestly. It was different that my morning prayer of greeting and thankfulness for the new day and the beauty that surrounded me. It was a heart felt prayer asking God for blessings in a certain situation. Then it hit me.

There are conversational prayers that I have with God. Prayers of relationship. I don't want to make light of it, but it's the same with any relationship. It can be surface level. You just keep the channels of communication flowing. Nothing deep. Just making sure the water is still flowing. But there comes a time when there is a gut-wrenching, heart cry of need to the only One who can do anything about it. A little girl (and little girls aren't supposed to have to be tested for multiple sclerosis) who lies in a hospital, a dear friend who is going on a mission trip, a marriage that is getting worse. Not that my other prayers don't mean anything, but these prayers mean something.

The light bulb went off. And I finally got it. There are different kinds of prayers. There is a difference in intensity in prayers. Don't believe me? Check Jesus out in the Garden of Gethsemane. Why didn't I see it before? I don't know, I'm still learning. Hope you are, too. Have a great day. JW

We Are Not Animals!!

The news has reported an experiment being done in Australia where humans are put on display in the zoo. These humans are allowed to snack only on bananas while there and they are allowed to go home at night. Some psychologist will evaluate them to determine what the similarities and the differences we have with our "ancestors."
My first reaction to this was laughter. But then, my thoughts turned to how ridiculous and demeaning this is. This is, in my humble opinion, one of our problems. You see, if our view of our fellow humans is that we are animals, then whatever we do is just instinct. We can't help ourselves. We can act however we want, there is no accountability, there is no correction, there is not recourse because we can't help it. That's just the way we are. Scary thing is, I've heard those words many times to explain behaviors.
Oh, we are not animals. We are created in God's holy image. We are made for relationship with Him. David said, "What is man that you are mindful of him." We are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Don't let Satan sell you this bill of goods. He wants us to see ourselves in such light. But God has made us for special relationships, for special purposes, for special lives. I don't buy this. I hope you don't either. Have a great day. JW

Exclusive

Lately I have been struck with the exclusiveness of the Jews in Jesus' day. After all, they were thechosen people, the one's with whom God had a covenant, Abraham's descendants. They were the only ones, the chosen ones. When did problems arise in the early church? When the Jews insisted on doing things the "right" way. The Gentiles could become Christians, but they had to do things the Jewish way. When did Paul have problems with the Jews? When he went into the synagogues on his missionary journeys. Oh, he had success for a while, but when the leaders came in, they made sure that everyone toed the line and followed orthodoxy. Jesus' harshest criticism was for those who "honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
So why my obsession with this topic? Well, when I started thinking, haven't those same attitudes been the norm in the church of Christ? Haven't we been exclusive? Haven't we had all the answers? Haven't we excluded so many people because they didn't do things the "right" way? And if Jesus' harsh criticism was inflicted on the Jews of His day for such things, what would He say to us today? We make the circle as small as we can so, I guess, we can make ourselves look better. Instead, we make ourselves seem smaller. God forgive us for such attitudes. Help us to not only enjoy God's mercy and grace, but be the instruments of the same. Have a great day. JW

Dealing with Life

I am often amused by the stories I read in the news. It's interesting to see what people get all riled up about. Most of the stuff is not worth even mentioning. Yet, there it is many times on the front page of the newspaper, or on the internet, or on the evening news. Where it's happening, though, is in the trenches. People are struggling with life everyday. Divorce, health issues, relationships, (or lack thereof), are where it's really happening. Once we understand that everything is not just fine, that it's hard, maybe then we can start helping. We don't have to have all the answers. In fact, it's good that we don't. As I see it there are two important things we must do. First, we must point them to Jesus. He does have all the answers. They may not be the one(s) we want. But He told us to bring all our cares and burdens to him. Peter said to "cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you." Second, we must care. Rather than explaining to someone why their loved one died or giving your particular thoughts of God's reasoning is futile. But a hug and a sincere, "I'm so sorry," goes a long way. Then, and only then, can we begin making a difference. I hope your day is blessed. JW

Press On!

At this point, my father would always say something like, "I haven't seen you in a year." I know, it's corny. But it was my Dad. Here we are at the beginning of 2007. There is so much to say, but I won't say it all here. First, I want to say that 2006 is over. Good or bad. Profitable or unprofitable, it's over. There's nothing we can do or say that can change a thing. Paul said, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
I love that passage. Forget what is behind...good or bad. It's over. The trophies won, the losses that occurred. The victories, the defeats. They're all over. This is a new day, a new year. And besides, our Lord renews us every day. What a comfort. What a joy! What a message!! That's the message for 2007. Our mistakes are never fatal. Our victories are only temporary viewed only in the fact that the real victory has already been won by Jesus. Let's press on. Let's strain. Strain to what? The prize that we've been called heavenward. Have a great day. Have a great year. JW

Seatbelt Christianity

Coming up Interstate 29 the other day just north of Kansas City, the road splits and a decision has to be made which direction one will go. The problem? The left option was blocked off by the state police. Once we got passed, we could see a serious wreck on the other side of the freeway.
I happen to be in the left lane, the one I need to be in, the one I'm in to go to the right which is the way I'm supposed to go. However, the lady in the van next to me one lane over realized that she had to get over because she had no options. So she decided to get over....Now!....Right where I was....I guess she thought I should let her in. As she crept closer and closer to me (realize that she is slightly behind me) I look over and I'm looking at her passenger mirror. I mean, it's right beside me. I glance at her and she's putting her seatbelt on! If I hit this guy in his Honda, that doesn't matter, but I sure as shootin' don't want to get a ticket for not having my seatbelt on!
Isn't that just like us? Things are going badly for me. The world is caving in. Oh, I think I'll go to church services. Let me put on my spiritual seatbelt and surely I'll be fine. Never mind the fact that our lives are caroming wildly out of control. The key is to take care of those things before we our lives get out of control.
Fortunately, everything was fine. She realized what was happening and slowed down. But what about the next time? Or the next? I remember hearing Dr. Paul Faulkner asking the pertinent question, "Where do you want to be in five years? ten years? twenty years? Then throw yourself in that direction today. The journey starts today and not years later. Good advice. Have a great day. JW

A New Resolve

Driving to the office this morning, I realized the end of the year is near. I was trying to get "the" right song on my iPod, but I couldn't find it. Finally, Point of Grace came on singing, "Everybody's worshiping something, I choose You!" Perfect!
With new resolve I face this new year. I have already written down goals most of which I won't share with you. I do want to exercise more. There are some other personal goals for my life. But today I had the resolve to make 2007 a great with for the Lord. I want to love more, care more, be more sympathetic, to worship more freely, to sing His praises more loudly, to celebrate His life by living a life worthy of my calling. I want my heart to become more like Jesus'. I want to see things as He does, to respond the way He would. I want to recommit myself to being His servant, to allow Him to work in me, to be His instrument to play and use however He chooses. To quote Paul, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
I hope you resolve, too. To be more like Him. It's all right if you miss the mark, because you will anyway. The effort will make you better and you'll become more and more like Him. Have a great day. JW

P.S. Please keep my friend, Al Fowler, in your prayers. He lost his lovely wife way too early in her life right before Christmas. She's celebrating with the angels right now.

Mom's Poem

Last year I placed a poem in my blog that found in my mother's papers after her death. I don't know if she wrote it or not, but my hunch is she did. I wanted to place that here again. This is for all of you who will not be able to spend the holidays with all of your loved ones for whatever reason.

I may not be there Christmas eve,
But I would have you folks believe
That my heart will be there with you
With all my love and I'd renew
The family ties that bind us fast
With memories of Christmas past.

I'll close my eyes and see your faces,
And all those sweet remembered places,
About our home that I shall miss,
And on that day remember this:
I'm thankful God has given me
So wonderful a family.

Have a wonderful Christmas. JW

Jesus and Silver Dollar City

One of my favorite places in the world used to be Silver Dollar City. My family used to live close and we would get the season passes every year. The rides and the entertainment were good for the two little children I was given the privilege to raise. But at Christmas time, my wife and I used to make a trek up there just to see the 100 miles of lights. Silver Dollar City has the typical train ride where you go through the woods and you are "robbed" by a group of bandits armed mostly with bad lines, i.e. while holding a twig in the air, one would shout, "This is a stick up." Get it? Stick up?
But at Christmas, the ride was different. You stopped at the same place where you were "robbed" in the summer. A man came out in his overalls and told the story of Jesus. It was the first time I had ever heard Mannheim Steamroller's rendition of Silent Night. I was stunned by its simplicity. That's the story of Immanuel. In all the complexities of life, God sent His Son to become like us. It's the mystery that's talked about in the Scripture. In amazing simplicity, God gave us the one thing that could and does change our lives. It was announced with heavenly pomp and circumstance only to those who knew nothing regal celebrations. It was revealed to wise men who searched for several years before finding Him. And in some people's lives, it takes a lifetime to find Him while others grow up knowing His excellent greatness. But the message is still the same. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life." Have a great day! JW

Prepare the Way

John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin. He was considered the one who would prepare the way for Jesus. He was born first (at least on this earth) and he did what he was intended to do. He called Jesus the Lamb of God. At times he sent some of his disciples to Jesus to say, "Are you the One, or should we look for another?" He also said, "He must become greater, I must become less."
As I think of the story of Jesus' birth, I flash down 2000 years later. John is no longer around. Who will prepare the way for Jesus now? I think that's where we come in. It's now ourresponsibility to prepare the way. It's our job to tell of His greatness It now becomes our task to tell of His coming to this world.
And so the Christmas story continues. Only now, we tell it. Have a great day. JW

Mary and Joseph

One of the questions I've had about the story of the birth of Jesus, why did God pick Mary and Joseph? Everything that I read about them I see total compliance to what God says to them. When the angel comes, they obey, no questions asked. Now I know that you might say, "Well, if I had an angel come to me, I wouldn't have a hard time believing either." Is that so? Then answer me this. Why did the children of Israel who saw the 10 plagues on Egypt, (including the Passover Angel), the Red Sea divide, the cloud by day and the fiery pillar at night, the manna and the quail, the water from the rock and everything else they saw, why didn't they do everything God told them to do?
With Mary and Joseph, you had two people who had soft hearts and were attuned to God's call and they did everything He asked them to do. No wonder God entrusted his One and Only Son to them. Have a great day. JW

The Great Announcement

One of my fond memories is a 4th of July at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. On the 4th, there is a HUGE fireworks display that is phenomenal. After the baseball game, they allow people to go down on the field and watch the fireworks. They even give you 3-D glasses if you want, but you don't need them. The "bombs" burst right over you even so much that some of the debris falls on you. I was covered with little black flecks of firework residue. It looked as if they were exploding right down on me.
When the birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds, the Bible says an angel appeared and then it says the glory of the Lord shown around them. Can you imagine that. It would make the Rosenblatt display seem like a little firecracker. I what it looked like, but it says they were terrified. Then there was a great heavenly host praising God. What were they doing? How were they praising God? I've heard great choruses sing beautiful music where I had goose bumps. Can you imagine a heavenly host praising God?
But why to shepherds? Seems as if they would have wanted to alert the Jerusalem Press or KJEW television. Why wasn't there a story by the Bethlehem Times? But shepherds? If you read the passage, the shepherds told everyone they saw. So it is with us. Perhaps we don't have the connections. Maybe we can't have the impact that a person of position or power could have. But we can tell everyone we see about the Savior who came to this world so that we might have life to the full.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Have a great day. JW

His Star

If you watch the movie The Nativity, they do what most everybody else does concerning the star that comes to rest right over where Jesus was. They can understand the miracle of a virgin birth, they can understand the miracle of nearly everything else. But for some reason the miracle of a star just doesn't cut it. It has to do with the convergence of several planets and those planets light up the night sky, etc., etc., etc.
Why can't it just be accepted that the star was another miracle? It was there to show not only where Christ was, but that this was one of those extremely important events. When you read about it in the Scriptures, the Magi say, "We have seen his star. (emphasis mine). It was His star. I know, I know, they are all His stars. But there was something special about this one. It wasn't the planets coming together. It was the announcement of an the most significant event up to that point in history. Immanel. God with us. God moved into our neighborhood, according to Peterson in The Message. And the world has never been the same since...and neither should our lives. Have a great day. JW

Gifts

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Three gifts. That's how some have determined that there were three wise men. It's the impetus for giving gifts at Christmas. I've been wondering, what did Mary and Joseph do with those gifts? How much did they get for them? Did it help support them for the next several years? Did they give them away?
How often are we the recepients of gifts? Gifts of great value. Perhaps they are not material, but spiritual. Maybe they are tangible. I think the fact we really don't know any more about the gifts is because they really didn't matter in the whole scheme of things. Maybe there were more symbolic than anything. But here were men who were known for their wisdom and they wanted to give of their means to the Messiah, the baby whose star they had seen.
So it is with us. What do we have to give. I love the old hymn that says, "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling." Even if that's all we bring, it will be accepted by our Lord. Have a great day. JW

Messiah

What was it that worried King Herod so much about a child being born in Bethlehem? It was a king. A new king would be a threat to his reign in Judea. For so long the Jews had looked for a king, a new King David who would free them from the bondage of the Romans. These Romans who taxed them and abused them and generally tried to ruin their way of life.
Now the thought of a Messiah had reached a fever pitch. They were looking for armies, for another man who stood head and shoulders above the rest, another who would make them favored in God's eyes again.
He came. Now with flash, pomp, and circumstance. He came with humility and poverty. They never could quite understand His kingship nor His kingdom. They tried to make Him king by force, but He slipped away. And when we try to make a secular Jesus, He will also slip away. His kingdom was and is not of this world. It is holy. It is spiritual.
Although Jesus may have disappointed many of His time, I pray that He doesn't disappoint us. I hope we are not looking for the wrong kind of Messiah, but One who will be our King, our Lord, our Ruler. I hope we don't try to make Him King by force. Instead, it's my prayer that we invite Him into our hearts. Quietly, calmly, once again without flash. Have a great day. JW

Scandal

After watching the latest movie on Christ's birth, "The Nativity Story," I realized what a scandal it was for Mary to be pregnant with no father seemingly around. She went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. She is engaged to marry Joseph. When she returns, she's pregnant. What happened while she was gone? With whom did she sleep? You can imagine the reaction of her parents, the townspeople, Joseph. Here's this seemingly innocent girl who comes home pregnant. She's not innocent, she's promiscuous. She's not holy, she's sinful. She claims nothing happened. She says the Holy Spirit came upon her. She says that an angel told her she would be pregnant. This is just plain bawdy, scandalous, and wrong.
I remember a few years ago teaching about one of the theories of Mary's pregnancy...that Jesus was the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier. A woman came into my office in tears, saying, I can't believe you said my Lord was the illegitimate son of a Roman soldier." "I didn't say that," I responded. She was horrified the words would even come out of my mouth. "Our children don't need to hear that." "Yes, they do," I replied. "I would rather them hear it from us so we can explain what really happened. I want them to hear it from us."
It was pure scandal when our Savior was born. Raised by a poor family. It's a wonder Joseph hung around. But in the end, he believed Mary--and the angel who appeared to him. But it would be hard even in the best of circumstances to believe their stories. And that's the atmosphere our Savior was born in. Scandal. Have a good day. JW