Great Day!

It was wonderful. I sat in our auditorium and noted two in wheelchairs, white families, black families, hispanic families, bi-racial families, international families, foster parent families, and we all worshiped the same God and praised His name. I kept thinking of a song from my childhood:

Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

And He loves all of us old folks, too. Have a great day. JW

Repentance

I preached about repentance Sunday. Our definition for repentance has been flawed in my opinion. It's been the "turn or burn" mentality or the "I'm sorry" thoughts. But being sorry doesn't constitute repentance. And "turn or burn" has no love or grace involved. Sorrow can help to bring about repentance, but it's not repentance. "Godly sorrow brings forth repentance" the scripture says. But repentance is a combination of things. The Hebrew word is to sigh deeply. That indicates sorrow. Repentance is a change of mind, a change of heart. Which begs the next question. Is repentance an incident or event or is it a process? To repent is to see things through God's eyes. To see things differently than we have in the past. It's a change of heart. It's inward and it affects outward, not the other way around. When we decide to "change our minds" and to not see things in a worldy way, then we've repented. What do you think? Is repentance an incident or a process? Have a great day! JW

Forgive Our Foolish Ways

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow Thee.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

--John Greenleaf Whittier

Have a great day. JW

W.W.J.G.

Yesterday as the collection plate was passed, an interesting thought came to my mind. Many of us wear or have worn these bracelets that have W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do?). As the plate went by, I thought, "What Would Jesus Give?" Would he place a nail in the plate? Would it be His crown of thorns? Or would He place money in? You know He said to give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God's. Maybe He'd just give Himself. That's what He did, didn't He. And when I thought of that, it made me realize how little I really give. It reminded me of a song we used to sing:

I gave my life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou might'st ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave my life for thee:
What hast thou giv'n for me?

His life, my few bucks. What a contrast. What a sacrifice He made. How little sacrifice I make.

Sunday Morning

There's something about Sunday morning's. There's a rush of anticipation. There's a sense of relief. The Lord has risen. As the sun comes up, I place myself right there by the tomb over 2000 years ago and I can feel the joy that the tomb was empty.
Now, flash forward 2000 years and be with me standing in front of several hundred people who are sleep deprived, some sitting in their pews because that's where you are on Sunday mornings, and some are also excited. How do we get the excitment to spread? He is risen! It's what the day is all about. It's why we meet together on the first day of the week. It's why we take the Lord's supper. It's because we believe in Him. And we believe that He is coming again. Lord come quickly.

Thanks!

It wasn't much. Especially after what had just happened. Jesus had healed ten lepers. They were so excited and rightly so. I can just imagine their feelings as they checked out their new skin. Joyfully, they went on their merry way to show themselves to the priests. But one came back just to say "thank you." The Bible says he praised God in a loud voice. And Jesus commended him. It was something simple that anyone could do. The miracle was on Jesus' part. A simple "thank you" came from the healed man.
We've become involved in an elementary school not too far from our church building. So far we've provided school supplies and, of all things, laudry detergent. Yesterday we had some ladies bring some cookies and brownies to give to the teachers for the hard work. I wrote a simple letter thanking them for their hours of hard work, their ability to see the heart and not just look on the outward appearance of the children they see everyday. I thanked them for making a difference in the community and in the world.
What happened next surprised me. First of all, the paraprofessiol, my contact at the school said, "People just don't say 'thank you' anymore." Then she hugged me. I get way too much credit for things like this. All I did was ask people to make cookies and then I delivered them. It's not fair that I get to see what happens when something nice is done to people with no expectations of return, with no hidden agendas, and with no strings attached. I'm praying for opportunties. I'm sure they will come because God works in mysterious ways. But why do I feel so blessed? A simple "thank you" and I received a "thank you" back. Wow! What a concept. I keep learning more and more every day. Maybe, just maybe if we were gentle as the Scripture tells us to be instead of sharp and condemning, people might just listen more. You think? Lord, keep teaching me. I hope your day is a good one. JW

Slow Miracles

Over thirty-two years ago, one of the first gifts my new wife and I received was a wonderful little contraption. We didn't have a microwave oven at the time. Either they weren't invented or they were just too expensive for us to have. So someone gave us this appliance called a Crock-Pot. It was neat because you put any conglomeration of stuff in it, and you plugged it in. All day long it would simmer and warm up every so slowly. If you came in at lunch, you couldn't eat it because it wasn't finished. It would take all day...up to 8 or 9 hours. Just slowly warming until all of the ingredients melded in such a way so that we could have a succulent meal that evening. The place would smell marvelous when we walked in the door. It was a true treat.
I've been thinking about what I call "slow miracles." Now that sounds like an oxymoron. If it's a miracle, it's instantaneous, right? I think we forget that time is not an object with God. "A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day," the Bible says. But let me explain what I mean by a slow miracle.
Think about your life for just a moment. Think of yourself many, many years ago and the acquaintances you had then. Journey down through the years and remember those who have entered and departed from your life. Some may have left this eartly walk, but think of their influence. Think of the way you sense their presence even though they are gone. Think of the phone call that comes out of the blue. Remember the time you received a letter or an e-mail just when you needed it. This tapestry of your life has been wonderfully crafted by the Master into an intricate design called "Your Life." Friends have been there when the situation was dire or when the time merited a celebration. But your life has taken, well, a lifetime to unfold. Yet the fact that where you are in life is indeed a miracle of sorts, albeit a slow one. Ahh, that's what I'm saying. Slow miracles. You know it happens. Just admit it. And relish in it. And praise God for it. And realize in this Crock-Pot of life, God's still cooking, still working, still molding, still shaping. Have a great day.

Re-Writing Scripture

We've been studying about the reliability of the Scriptures in our Sunday morning Bible class. Lee Strobel's book "The Case for the Real Jesus" has been a wonderful resource. I would recommend any of his books. In class we have studied about those who transcribed Scripture. Down through the years it has been monks in monasteries who wrote copies of copies of copies of copies. In the New Testament, they are called "scribes" or "teachers of the law." Jesus railed on them for being arrogant and narrow-minded in their thinking.
Recently, however, I got to thinking how serious a task this was. To write Scripture. Many of the so-called "variations" that are criticized in our canon come from minor errors such as misspellings or other similar things. The Scripture is remarkable in its accuracy and reliability! So I decided to do something. And I'm going to encourage you to do the same. I'm writing the Scripture. I've taken my pen and sat down and started to transcribe Scripture. Philippians is the first book and I'm finished with the first chapter. It's amazing the depth of insight that I've gotten and I've seen things I've never seen before. Plus, at one point it struck me that I was writing the words of Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It's an awesome experience!
We'll see how far this goes. Who knows, I may get to the entire Bible. My goal right now is to finish Philippians and then on to the rest of the New Testament. I started to think, wouldn't it be really neat if my kids could have a copy of the Bible written by their Dad! There are all kinds of serendipities. Try it. I think you'll enjoy it.
By the way, I hope your day is a good one. JW

I Hate Politics

I'm so tired of politics. It would be my wish to limit the campaign season to six weeks and get it on and get it over with. Unfortunately, the process is nearly a two year ordeal. One accuses the other. The other complains that one is questioning his character and acts as if he is utterly amazed and offended....while he questions the character of his opponent.
I agree with Terry Rush; it's no wonder the church is like it is. Rather than the culture taking it's lessons from the church, the church takes it's lessons from the culture. And we begin questioning motives, making unfounded statements, winning the argument, then losing a friend and brother, permanently severing ties that should bind. We end up with a fractured, limping church. No one is qualified to lead as a shepherd because we have the scoop on everyone. Nothing has been forgiven, only hidden under the rug.
The church is the body of Christ. It's time that we act like it. I have quoted this passage before, but I think Paul nails it on the head. A primer for us to live by. Words to think about everytime we think we might say something that may be harmful or cutting. Paul said: "...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 aobut such things." Amen. Thanks, Paul. Have a great day.

Shall We Gather at the River

We sit around and sing songs. Occasionally, one will call another a pet name (i.e. "Trouble") and they'll all giggle. Some don't sing, they just listen. Others will comment on the song we just sang. I've got to tell you, in human terms the singing was awful. But the other night, it felt celestial as we sang "It Is Well With My Soul." My heart swelled, my eyes teared up as we sang, "My sin not in part, but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it not more. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!"
You've probably figured out, I'm not talking about church services. I'm talking about one Thursday night a month when several of us gather with several members of Skyline Manor, an assisted living home. Many of them can't hear very well. Some don't use a song book because they can't see it. But they're there when we show up.
The other night, we sang a song that I used to sing when I was a little boy. It was goofy to me then. I've even heard a joke about it. It goes something like this. A preacher was railing about drinking alcohol and he said we should take it all and throw it in the river. Right after that, the congregation stood and sang "Shall We Gather at the River."
There was something different about this song the other night. We sang it with a holy reverence. Listen to the words:

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing from the throne of God.

Yes, we'll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river.
Gather with the saints at the river,
That flows by the throne of God.

We had just finished singing those words when one sweet, gray-headed lady looked up with the look of an angel on her face. She said, "We'll get to see that river soon. Where is that verse that talks about that?" I turned to Revelation 22 and read them these words.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They wil not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

What an honor it was to read those words that night. I don't guess that passage will ever mean the same to me again. As I looked into the eyes of those wonderful aged people, their thoughts were on the One who sent His Son so they could have eternal life. The place where the river flows. "Thank you for reading that," she said. "Won't that be wonderful?" I could have sworn I heard a thousand angels shout, "Amen!" Have a great day. JW

Could Face Certain Death

I love words. A good pun is like music to my ears. Wordsmithing is kind of fun (at least for a while). I guess being the son of an English professor has helped me to love how people put words together. Two incidents this week have made me laugh.
The first I saw on a sign at the German-American Center here in Omaha. It said, celebrate Oktoberfest here, September 19,20. Now, I thought the whole reason they called it "Oktoberfest" was because it was in October. They're going to celebrate and get the beer flowing a little early here. You know, any excuse for a good drunken spree. It doesn't have to be October. Perhaps they should reconsider and call it "Septemberfest."
The other was something on FOX News last night. In talking about the evacuation of Galveston and Houston for the onslot of Hurricane Ike, it quoted someone as saying, "Get out or you could face certain death." Does anybody else find that strange? "Certain death" means you will die. "Could" means you could survive. To put "could" and "certain death" in the same sentence seems like a contradiction. Could = perhaps, there's a chance, maybe. Certain = it will happen, there is no way out, it's a sure-fire thing. Oh, well. It's good to see everyone still has a sense of humor in these days of the political scene. I hope your day is a good one. JW

My Dad (remember, he was an English professor) used to say, "I only made one mistake in my life. And when I done it, I seen it." He also used to say, "English is my most fondest subject I am of."

It's Been Seven Years

I like asking people where they were when something, like a special event, happened. As someone from the Greatest Generation where they were when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Or ask a boomer where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. It's now been seven years since the greatest terrorist attack on American soil was perpetrated. I listened this morning as several children of one of those father's who died in the attack on the World Trade Center gave their thoughts. My eyes welled up in tears as they recalled as best they could the father they will never really know. There wasn't anger, only sadness in not really knowing their father. There was hope in making the world a better place.
As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I had just had breakfast with our consultant. As Vice President of York College, I had a busy schedule, places to go, people to see. When all of a sudden, the world stopped. I'm sorry to see the rancor return. The threats are still there. Yet, it's good for us to learn that hate never cures anything. Paul said to hate what is evil and to cling to that which is good. But he never says to hate people.
Today, I chose to remember those who died who, as one of the daughters of one of those killed said, "I think of what could have been." I chose to remember the way we rallied to each other's side and knelt in prayer, Democrats and Republicans no more. Only Americans. Only Children of God. I chose to remember that one day, it will not have to be like it was then. I hope your day is good. JW

Apartment Living

10440 C Ryker, Dallas, TX. I can't remember the zip code, but that's the address of our first apartment when we married over 32 years ago. It was a 2 bedroom flat that cost us $147 a month. The price went up soon after we moved in (what doesn't?). Since that time we have lived in a number of places, mostly houses. But now we've moved back into an apartment. Why? I can give you some why's and some "no, that's not it at all's."
One--I have no children at home anymore. My daughter lives here in town with her husband, and my son is away at college. Maybe if we stay in an apartment, he won't be tempted to come home and live with us after he graduates. He's not getting married. I have a signed napkin where he told us he wasn't going to marry.
Two--I don't like to mow the lawn. What's the use? It just grows back. It makes me sneeze. It wears me out. It costs money to keep a lawn mower going. It brings back a recurring nightmare of having to mow when I was a kid.
Three--It's not because we're moving back to Arkansas. That one is going around right now. I can tell you, we have no intention of moving back to Arkansas. There are no jobs there for us. Nobody has contacted us. And unless God intervenes, there won't be jobs in Arkansas.
Four--We have a time share. Usually, it's a two bedroom condo. On one of our trips, it was just the two of us. As we rested in the place, we looked at each other and said, "You know, we could get used to this." There is no maintenance. It's easier to maintain. Less stuff. We don't need the wide open spaces.
Five--It's time to downsize. We have 32 years of stuff in our possession. Most of it I haven't seen in years. It's been in boxes that we have moved from place to place. You wouldn't believe what we've thrown away in the last several weeks and we will continue to. But does anyone want to buy a bunkbed? How about a ping pong table? A cute day bed that would look nice in a little girl's room?
Now I know there are probably some out there who can't believe we're doing this. That's all right. We are. So get over it. When we get all of the "essentials" in, come and visit us. We'll share a nice quiet evening together.
There you have it. All the reasons why and some of the "not the reasons" why. I hope your day is a good one. JW

Good Intentions

I just heard a pretty cool commercial. Tiger Woods was talking about what his father taught him. He mentioned that failure was not an option, to listen to others and then make your decisions. He talked of listening to others, but not necessarily living off of their expectations. He talked of following through on your goals and dreams. The commercial? I think it was for a watch. Kind of disappointing after a good start.
I don't know, it seems as if we can talk a good game in church. We'll tell of what we're wanting to do. We'll mention that this year will be a good one because of our recommitment to God. We'll give all of our intentions. Then we'll do something that really doesn't matter. Kind of like the commercial.
Good intentions are nice, but they don't accomplish anything, other than make us feel good. We (I) need to be a people (person) of action. Perhaps we need to listen to what God, our Father, has taught us. Compassion moves us to action. Need moves us to meet the need and to share of our means. Satan's moves should be met with our stands. God marches on and so should we. "Onward Christian soldiers..." the old hymn goes. Let's go.
I hope your day is a good one. JW

P.S. Thanks for letting me vent about losing my son to college.
P.S.S. Pray for those who are displaced and who have lost valuable things because of Hurricane Gustav. I was there after Katrina and they can't take much more.

He's Doing Fine

We talked to him for quite awhile last night. He was in his dorm room early (10:15) and he sounded different. It was as if he'd grown up in just one week's time. Either that or he's tired and hasn't been able to shake his cold. But he's already having a great experience. He's already jumped into the fray of extra-curricular activities. He's learning new skills (playing the piano--a requirement for a music major), struggling with classes some (Dad, astronomy's a killer and I'm having a hard time understanding major and minor scales), and figuring out what a Christian school is about.
He said that prayed before Bible class and before chorus and before history. He said, "They did cardboard testimonies in chapel. I was embarrassed because I cried and cried." He's already been to one professor's home and will be at another's tonight. In contrast, he talked to a friend ofhis who's gone to a very secular school. "Have you talked to Ben?" we asked. "Yeah, he's spending most of his free time in his room. He's so lonely." We talked to Cameron who was in his room (not his roommate). Dylan was obvious in the background of the phone conversation. (also not his roommate). His roommate is running cross country and they seem to be getting along fine. He's meeting new people. The Spirit is moving in his life better than I could have prayed for.
Oh, I know. Satan's still lurking. But he couldn't be in a better place. And I couldn't be happier for him. Thank you, Lord. Have a great day!! JW

Empty Nest

He just went to bed. It's late...nearly 2:00 am and I won't have the opportunity to have him say "goodnight" too many more times. At least, not from my own house. We golfed today. We ate out tonight. It's almost as if we don't want to say anything even though we know the time is short.
Don't get me wrong. This is what we have prepared to do all his life. This is what's supposed to happen. Like the mother bird forces her babies from the nest. He's excited and I'm excited for him. It's just that our job is done. I know, I know, we are paying the bills and talking to him regularly and paying more bills. But to see him every day, well, that's done.
He's made mistakes. But who hasn't? And Lord knows, I've made my share and then some. He's had his accomplishments. Lots of them. I'm proud of him and I know he'll have more. Tonight, as my tears flow, I know everything changes now. The nest is empty. He's not our little boy anymore...and he hasn't been for awhile. But today, it seemed like it as I rubbed his head. When he returns, he'll be a man.
What's in store for him? I guess that's what's scary. Satan is a mean and evil force and would love to sift him like wheat. God (and me) want only good for him. Now I don't make the decisions. I haven't made that many for several years anyway. But now, really, I don't make hardly any. The apron strings are being cut and he'll have to decide for his life. Choose wisely, son. Pursue God, I mean, really pursue Him. The book of James says to resist Satan and he'll run away. But if you come close to God, He'll come close to you. So this old dad sits here tonight (early this morning!) with tears in his eyes and he thinks of those years since December 15, 1989 when he came into this world. As I used to wipe your eyes of your tears, I pray God will wipe away mine. God bless you, son.

Reacquaintance

I've been getting reacquainted. It's been too long and I've allowed the relationship to slip. It certainly wasn't intentional, but nonetheless, it happened. By this time, you're probably wondering who I am talking about. Was it an old friend with whom I had a falling out? Was it a family member? Just who was it? The answer to the above questions is "yes."
You see, I've allowed the Holy Spirit to get away from me. I've quit listening. I've been remiss by not allowing Him to lead me. Of course, it is I who makes the decision to follow. He never forces. He just reminds, guides, prompts, and then I follow. Now you're saying, "Jim is certifiably crazy! He's lost it." That's all right. Listen to these verses.

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. I Corinthians 2:13, 14

What blows me away about this passage is the way it ends. I have it circled in my Bible. It says:

But we have the mind of Christ.

Think about that for a minute. The mind of Christ. If we allow Him to work, we will be His hands. We will be His ears. We will speak His words. And oh, what a wonderful life it will be. Call me crazy. That's all right. But I'm going to choose to listen to His promptings. Have a great day. JW

It's Over

We're back. After a great time of spiritual uplift, my son, daughter, son-in-law, and I are back from camp. What a great time of beautiful singing, wonderful classes, and just terrific time of fellowship. It was truly an awesome week.
I knew I was home when I went to pick up glasses that had been ordered two weeks ago and they weren't in. Then I proceeded to the Alltel store because my phone had been doing some crazy things and they told me it was gone. With ten months on my contract, basically my option was to get a new phone. Grrr. But I was not going to let this get to me. The week at camp was far more satisfying than any stuff that had or had not come in or a phone that didn't work.
Satan is a sly old thing. He's not going to win this round. I'm sure I'll have to fight him again, but for now I'm still hearing "How Great is Our God" sung by nearly 200 campers filling the hills with that glorious anthem. I'm still basking in the encouragement of friends and campers, counselors and elders. How can you not be encouraged when you receive a note that says in part, "I love you and pray God will always bless you." Or how about, "Thank you for your time, love, and wisdom that you give so graciously every year." I don't tell you those things to brag on myself. I tell you those things to let you see the encouragement that comes from such weeks. God bless our Christian camps! May they always be there! May they always prosper. May they always proclaim how great is our God! Have a great day! JW
P.S. It's good to be home!

It's Time--Green Valley Bible Camp

I'm getting ready for my annual trek to Green Valley Bible Camp. Since 1991, I think I've only missed two years. Before that, I used to go there in 1977-1979. Although there have been some changes over the years, there are some things that never change...and that's good.
My prayers have started already for the week. I've prayed for my co-director (he's really the director, I just tag along and get the benefits), I've prayed for the counselors, I've prayed for the campers, I've prayed for the day campers. By the time after it's all said and done, we'll have close to 300 kids there during the week counting night and day campers. It'll be hot, humid, the bathhouses are okay, the food will be fine, I'll try to play basketball. Really I just stand in one place while everyone else runs past me. I get to put away my phone, my keys, my billfold, and just be there.
What will happen will be God being glorified. The singing will be heavenly. The lessons will challenge. We'll all grow closer to God. Satan sits at the gate and waits for them all to come out and then he attacks them. The week is too good for him not to worry a little bit. But he usually waits for them to leave. Divide and conquer. That's his strategy.
But for one week out of the year, we get to see what heaven will be like. We'll encourage. We'll love. And maybe, just maybe, these young hearts will be changed. And someday, if they do wander from the Lord, they'll remember what they had at Green Valley Bible Camp. There's something special there. Everyone I know who's been there remembers it fondly (with very few exceptions). Pray for the week. Pray that lives are changed. What an impact this week is on the kids....and me.

He's Watching

Everyday, I look to see if I can find his picture. Is he in the background there? There he is! Is he smiling or frowning? Is he having a good time? You see, my son has been counseling at camp now into his second week. Every morning, they post pictures of the previous day. Every day I look to see if his handsome mug is there. I'd do the same if my daughter were there, too. They're mine, you know. They belong to me. (Well, and to my wife.) But I think you get the picture. My son leaves for college in about a month. Then he'll be gone, well, for the rest of his life. I know, I know, he'll be back through. But not on the same basis that he has been for the last 18 years.
But here's my point, if I'm so interested in seeing how my son is doing, wanting to see him, wanting to know if he's happy, gleeful (yes, I said it. Gleeful) when he calls just so I can hear his voice, what does God do as He sees us in our everyday lives?

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9, 10

He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you--the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121 3-8

He's watching. Not the "All-Seeing Eye Watching You" song where you're afraid to do anything because God will zap you. But the care of a concerned parent. Wanting to know how you're doing. Wanting to hear from you (prayer). Gleeful at the sound of your voice. Have you noticed the passages that talk about God's love? Overflowing, poured out, lavished. He doesn't just tell us, he demonstrates it as Paul said in Romans. And He's watching us right now. Wondering how we're doing. Anxious to hear from us.
My son called yesterday. I was elated. He asked me to pray for him. You bet I will. You bet I have. Contstantly since he called and asked....yesterday. If I understand that. What does that do for our concept of God caring for us? Have a great day. JW