STAY THE COURSE

One of my favorite movies is "The Patriot" staring Mel Gibson. Whether you like Mel Gibson or not is immaterial to the movie. It is a stirring  portrayal of he struggle of our forefathers during the Revolutionary War, our war for freedom against Britain's unfair taxes and control over their colonies in the new world of the Americas.

Many people were not in favor of this "revolt" against Britain. It was their home nation, they had friends and family there, and many had been born there. If fact the main character played by Gibson was against the revolution, until forced by the evil and violence of those in power to make a choice to stand for the right and freedom.

One of the themes running through the movie was the use of the simple phrase, "Stay the course." This was saying, "Don't forget your purpose," "Don't be dissuaded of the urgency or importance of your convictions". It was a way of saying, "Don't be discouraged by what is going on around you, simply stay the course (or stay on course)."

It's interesting also that Gibson stared in the movie Braveheart. It was the story of William Wallace and the fight of the Scotts against the British trying to subjugate them. The message was similar in that movie, "Stay the course," "don't loose sight of what is important."

Both movies asked the question of the viewers (I believe), concerning "what is really important to you". For what would you be willing to die? And the answer comes ringing back in both movies: "My freedom, the freedom of my family and the freedom of my nation is that important!"

This 4^th of July, is our celebration of our nations Independence from the cruel and unfair demands put upon our ancestors by the British ruling powers. Although we are no longer under the control of that nation, we are under the control of a government in our own nation which has (for the most part), lost all connection with us, its people. They have also lost all connection with the principles upon which our nation was founded of being "one nation under God".

We are (it seems to me), still fighting the same battle which has been fought through the years. The battle to hold on to our freedom! The freedom to worship and live the way we as individuals want, freedom from persecution or restrictions regarding our beliefs by the government which is suppose to protect our freedoms.

I know at times it seems as if we cannot win against the powers which govern our country, but know that God is still in control. Know that there are millions of people in our nation who will stand along side of you and be counted for righteousness.

I do not know what the future will bring. I do not know how we will be called to stand and make a difference, but I challenge you to be ready to do whatever it takes to maintain your (and my) freedom. Stay the course! "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8)

Memorial Day

Folks today seem to have lost some of their enthusiasm regarding Memorial Day. I know that is a general statement and surely doesn't include everyone. However, ask almost any young person what Memorial Day is about and they won't be able to tell you (probably a few of the adults also). For most folks today, it means a day off work and a big party, cook out or picnic.

What is Memorial Day? A "Memorial" is an object or action which serves as a focus for memory of something. "Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed annually in the United States on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. (Southern ladies organizations and southern schoolchildren had decorated Confederate graves in Richmond and other cities during the Civil War, but each region had its own date. Most dates were in May.) By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces."  (Wikipedia)

The idea of a memorial is not new. We find a memorial mentioned 78 times in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament (KJV) and it always has to do with people's relationship to God. Whenever we do anything that focuses our memory upon God we have a memorial to him. In Acts 10:4 we read of Cornelius, "The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God."

The principle of course we want to think about is the most important memorial, which is remembering our God. We read in Psalm 135:13, "Your name, O LORD, endures for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations."

Let's not forget the fallen hero's of America, but more important, don't forget a memorial to our God for his sacrifice.

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT

Seriously, I thought these words were immortalized by Charles Shultz with his famous cartoon character "Snoopy". Often Snoopy would be shown sitting in front of a typewriter typing those words. Needless to say, I was somewhat surprised when I just began a new SiFi novel (new to me) written back in 1962. The first words on the first page were, "It was a dark and stormy night" (From: "A wrinkle in time").

As I read those words, my mind flashed back to the night in the New Testament when a few men were making their way across the Sea of Galilee on a dark and stormy night. Have you ever experienced one of those nights? The ones that seem to bring total darkness, that leave you feeling totally alone, that cause you to feel like no one in this world cares?

Those disciples felt that way, but what they forgot was that Jesus was right there with them all of the time. Notice the story in Matthew 8:23-27, "Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!"

Have you ever forgotten that Jesus was right there in the boat with you on your "dark and stormy night"? Or like these men, failed to realize his power or who he really was? After Jesus stilled the storm these men ask, "Who is this man?" they still didn't get it, they still didn't understand. What about you?

When you are in the middle of your personal storm, to who to you cry out? Do you call your parents, or your friends, or your work mates, or your school mates? Why is it that far too often we don't think to call out to the one who can still the storm until we have no where else to go, rather than calling on him first?

A MOTHER'S DAY THOUGHT….

         

"Mother's day", a special day set aside to honor our mothers. Mothers we do honor you and thank God for your influence in our lives! Now having said that, I realize that not everyone has that kind of relationship with their mother, which will allow them to honor her. That is a pity for all involved, but that is Satan's influence with sin in the world.

Each year, we and most churches across our land acknowledge Mother's Day in some way. Have you ever wondered whether or not we should be doing this (as a church activity)? Have you every considered whether or not it is scriptural to celebrate Mother's Day? I mean, is it based upon scriptural doctrines, principles or example?

Well, I hadn't either, so here is what I came up with, I think it is. No, it is not commanded in the scripture and we have no example of the early church setting aside a special day to recognize mothers. However someone did acknowledge just how important mothers are to us and honored their mother.

Nine times in the scripture we are commanded by God to "honor your… mother." Think about Jesus' last few moments upon the cross, who did he remember out of all of the people gathered there? His mother! In John 19:25-27, we read: "Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home." (NLT)

If our God feels it is important to honor our mothers, even when he is dying in agony, then I feel it is important for us to do so also. So, for each of you mothers, I wish you the happiest of Mother's Days. May your husbands and children honor you as God intended.

Why go to Church?

Easter is now a thing of the past, many folks won't be back in church for another year, or at least until Christmas service rolls around. Why should they go to church any more than that? OK, I understand that you really don't "Go to Church." I understand that the Church is not the building, but rather we "ARE THE CHURCH" as people. But, as most people in our world use the term, they understand it as "going to church". Hopefully we understand that we really "Go to Worship," when we gather as the church (God's people).  

But as they say, "I digress". The question under consideration is, "Why Go". Actually there are a number of reasons for us to go and be with the church. For fellowship, for growing our relationships with others, for the singing and prayer, all of these things are good things. I would suggest though that we should primarily go to worship God. That's the most important thing we can do. We come together with others of like mind in the presence of the creator of the universe and give worship to Him. How important could that be though?

In his autobiography, Albert Schweitzer said that one of the best things his parents did for him as a child was to take him to worship services. Even though he was too young to understand much of what was going on, just being there was important. He claimed it is not important that children understand everything. What is important is that "they feel something of what is serious and solemn" in our relationship to God. Just being in the presence of God with others shapes a part of our hearts and minds in the image of God.

Why go to church? Notice what the writer of Hebrews 10:19-25 has to say about this:

(I kind of like the way "The Message" paraphrases this passage). Notice the words: "

 "So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The "curtain" into God's presence is his body.

So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching." (they title this section: Don't throw it away).

So, how about it, don't you think you could be just a little more frequent in attending the worship of our God? Why wait for a "special occasion," when each time the church meets it is a special occasion. The problem is, our world has forgotten that, how about you?

Russ Lawson

WHITER THAN SNOW

How do you get things really clean? The scripture used the picture of the whiteness of snow and of milk in comparison to a life without sin. How do  you get things really clean?

I know how strange that may sound, but it is the truth and I'll warn you right up front, "DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME".

When we were youngsters, it was a common practice for parents to "wash out the mouth" of a disobedient youngsters with soap. Normally this happened when they were using words (or language) that were not appropriate, often a curse word they had heard somewhere and had been warned about using. I honestly don't remember ever having to endure that experience (I may have blocked the memory), but I know many of my young age mates did.

 

Yesterday was an extremely busy day for us. Melody was cleaning (everything) in preparation for a group of ladies coming to the house the next day. I was helping out and we were both rushing around trying to complete the tasks we had chosen to do. In the afternoon I decided to take a break and fix me a cup of tea. I rushed into the kitchen and filled my cup with distilled water, put the jug back away and noticed I had filled the cup too high. I picked up the cup and took a mouthful of the water and immediately realized there was something wrong. After I finished spiting and washing my mouth out with water (it kind of helped) I realized there was another cup on the counter also.

It seems that Melody had put water in to a cup and mixed Oxyclean (soap) into the cup, stained with tea, to do some cleaning. Of course I managed to pick up the wrong cup. And no, I didn't get mad, I just laughed at the foolishness of the situation!

I wonder how you would have reacted (or have reacted) when something that makes you feel foolish happens to you? I laughingly told Melody, "Look what you made me do", (but honestly, I took full credit for the incident). One passage came to mind after this where David cried to God to be cleansed from his sins. Psalm 51:7, tells us: "Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow". As I said, don't try this at home (however I think my teeth may be a little brighter).

They say that "you can't judge a book by its cover or a man by his appearance." But I believe that you can find out a lot about a person by noticing what makes them mad or how they react to foolish or difficulty situations.

How are you doing?

Happy Easter

I was in a store this past week and saw the greeting card display filled with hundreds of Easter cards. I noticed that there were bunches and bunches of them that proclaimed in large letters, "Happy Easter".

Happy Easter, really? As I thought about that I wondered how many of those who would receive those cards, would think about the fact that they can say that because someone died. This is a time traditionally that folks dress up in their finest clothes, plan family gatherings, have special family meals, give candy and colored eggs to the children. All of this is done because of tradition. That's not a bad thing, but we need to stay focused on what is really important too.

Now I understand that Easter isn't a celebration of the death of Christ. That's not a problem for me, but then again we wouldn't have the ability to find anything happy about this particular time of the year, if it hadn't been for him first dying.

As Christians we should understand that this time which the world calls "Easter" is the culmination of the plan of God. Yes, it is a time celebration, at time of rejoicing, a time to be happy. But happy because of the promise fulfilled of the death, burial and resurrection of God's Son, Jesus Christ!

If you want to know what Easter is really about, then read what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:1-3, "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (NIV)

Then in 1 Corinthians 15:13-17, "For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sin." (NLT)

Happy Easter? Yes, but we should be shouting Halleluiah rather than just saying we're happy! Because it is through the resurrection of Christ Jesus, that we have our hope of eternal life. It is the fulfillment of the first prophecy made in Genesis 3:15 about the hope of man and the defeat of Satan. The empty tomb cries out to the world that God has kept his promise, Christ has risen and we will be also!