Mother's Day - The Gift

Gifts are sometimes not thought out before they are given. A
report this past week said that Mother's Day gifts are much harder to find (or
purchase) than Father's Day gifts. Harder, in the fact that they take more
thought to find an appropriate gift. Another survey said that most people spend
between $40 and $100 on Mother's Day gifts, whereas Father's Day gifts are
typically between $15 and $25.

 

Understand I'm not complaining in any way shape or form, I'm
just trying to make the point that it's sometimes hard to find the perfect
gift. I'm reminded of a gift box we one time received while working as
Missionaries in Kenya, East Africa. Some good friends wanted to do something
special for us and fixed us up a special box. They wrote us about it and kept
check with us to see if we had received it, but wouldn't say what it was. It
took over 6 months for the box to arrive (you never know if you will actually
receive a box from America
or not, but we did.)

When the box arrived, I commented that it looked like an
elephant has stepped on it. With great anticipation we opened the box and found
a gallon can of Tapioca pudding (one of my favorites) and a bag of Mikesell's
Potato Chips (crisps) from our home state in Ohio (one of my wife's favorites)
and a couple of bags of chocolate.

Can you imagine a box, six months in transit with a gallon
can of Tapioca and a plastic bag of potato chips and chocolate (which had set
in the hot sun in a shipping container in the docks in Africa looked like when
we opened it? Actually the can made it through pretty well with only some minor
rust, the potato chips were now potato dust and crumbs and the chocolate was
large lumps (rolled in potato chip dust).

Do you want to guess our reaction? We were thrilled to get a
box from home. We enjoyed the stale potato chip crumbs and used some of them in
cooking, we ate the chocolate anyway and opened the can and ate the Tapioca
pudding. We rejoiced that these dear friends had remembered us in the far away
foreign land and had sent their love in the form of a battered box.

All of this is to say, with gifts, it really is the thought
that counts! Love is shared, not in things, not from spending money, but in
remembering to let the one you love know that you love them!

Mother's, we children and husbands sometimes stumble on that
point, but know that you are loved and appreciated for all you were and are in
our lives!

Some of the foundation principals in relationships is found
in 1 Corinthians 13:7, where we
read: "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures
through every circumstance". (NLT)

New Ideas!

New Ideas always
are a problem, whether in our homes or in our churches. Understand I am someone
who is very skeptical about change, but I embrace it when I am convinced it is
(1) in keeping with the guidelines found in God's Word and (2) it will really
benefit God's Church.

Not all ideas are
good ideas, just because they are new, nor are they of necessity bad, just
because they are new. I got a chuckle out of the following story about
embracing change:

      The elderly priest, speaking to the
younger priest, said, "It was a good idea to replace the first four pews
with plush theater seats. It worked. The front of the church fills first."

      The young priest nodded, and the old one
continued, "And you told me a little more beat to the music would bring
young people back to church, so I supported you when you brought in that rock'
n' roll gospel choir. We are packed to the balcony."

"Thank you, Father," answered the young priest, "I am
pleased you are open to the new ideas of youth."

"However," said the elderly priest, "I'm afraid you've gone
too far with the drive-through confessional."

"But, Father," protested the young priest, "my confessions
have nearly doubled since I began that!"

"I know, son," replied the old man, "but that flashing neon
sign, 'Toot 'n' Tell or Go to Hell,' is just not staying on the church
roof."

It is a blessing
for us that God did not give us directions on everything we do. Yes, he did
allow us some leeway on how we do some things. I'm not saying that we change
the doctrine of the church or God's plan of Salvation, or our worship as
outlined in God's Word. But we shouldn't be afraid to embrace new ways of doing
the old things.

I know that some
of us don't like change, yet there are some who like new things and change.
There is nothing wrong with that. God made us different. If you don't like
change I'm sorry, but the world in which we live is constantly changing.

We continue to try
and improve our facilities; we are trying to complement our worship and bible
study periods with a new sound system and coming soon a new projector system. A
new way of presenting the message, but we are not changing the message. I can
remember preachers hanging white sheets behind the pulpit with a bible message
printed on it, we don't do that anymore. We found a better way. In years past
we often knocked doors and passed out flyers about our church. Now we mail
bible study material and information about our church into 2,000 homes around
our building. We have a website with sermons you can listen to in your own
home. We have email contacts, etc. in other words, we have changed, but the
message hasn't and I like that! I kind of even like the idea of the flashing
neon sign on top of the building…. Well, maybe even I'm not quite ready for
that much change.

Tragedy

By Now you have heard or read thousands of word and seen
countless replays and commentaries on the bombings in Boston this week. Yet with all of those words,
the one word we have read and heard most often is the word "Tragedy".
I'm sure that each of us as Americans has the greatest sympathy and pain in our
hearts for those involved in this tragic event, I know our house has sorrowed
for them and prayed for them.

The word "tragedy" simply means "a disastrous event"; how disastrous depends upon which side of
the tragedy you are on!

These bombings were a tragedy in several
ways. First, to those who were killed and injured. Almost nothing can affect
our lives more than the death of one we love or our own injury or the injury of
one we love. It has the ability to take away dreams for the future if we allow
it. It sometimes hardens our hearts and fills them with a sense of hate or
despair. For those of us who did not have someone we knew personally killed or
injured in the bombings it can instill anger and outrage against the ones who
did these terrible things.

Secondly, it is a tragedy that someone
thought so little of the lives of innocent people to plan and carry out such a
horrific attack. It is the sign of a mind that is sick and twisted with sin.
Satan has been extremely successful it causing hate in the heart of the ones
who planted those bombs and I'm afraid he is successful in getting hate to rise
in the hearts of many of God's people. I readily admit that I have no sympathy
for the ones who brought about this terrible attack. I desire justice to be
rendered upon them to the full extent of our laws!

That of course is the human side of me
speaking. I demand justice for others, those who steal, rob, car jack, sell
drugs, murder, injure others or any number of other things which break our laws
or the laws of God. At the same time I tend to avoid thinking of all of the
times that I break God's Law. I depend upon His Grace rather than justice.

The other side of me, the side that tries
to be more like God, remembers a murderer by the name of Paul that God chose to
use. This man turned his life around and became one of the greatest teachers
and evangelist in Christian history. He wrote of God's purpose and his life in 1 Timothy 1:15 where he said: "This
is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners and I am the worst of them all".

At times I really don't know which side of
me is the strongest. Maybe it's like the old parable that says, "the side
that wins is the side you feed". How about you, which side are  you feeding?

Russ Lawson, Messages From The Heart

BLOG: http://messages-from.blogspot.com

Messages from the Heart is sent several times each week written by Russ Lawson.

To subscribe send a blank email to: join-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

To Unsubscribe send a blank email to: leave-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

Send any comments or questions regarding this article to: rlawson@mfth.net

Books by Russ Lawson @
http://www.lulu.com/russlawson

Doubt

Do you ever have doubts about your life or perhaps
about your faith? I think we all do at one point or another in our lives. Not
that we doubt God or his ability, but many times we doubt ourselves and whether
or not we are really pleasing to God.

In David Heller's book, Dear God: Children's Letters
to God. He has recorded many insights from children, such as:

"Dear God, What do you do with families that
don't have much faith? There's a family on the next block like that. I don't
want to get them in trouble, so I can't say who. See you in church. Alexis (age
10)



Dear God, I have doubts about
you sometimes. Sometimes I really believe. Like when I was four and I hurt my
arm and you healed it up fast. But my question is, if
you could do this why don't you stop all the bad in the world? Like war. Like
diseases. Like famine; Like drugs; and there are
problems in other people's neighborhoods, too. I'll try to believe more. Ian
(age 10)"

Doesn't that sound like us? Sometimes we really
believe, but we have our doubts sometimes, don't we?

One of the problems is that we look at those around us
and think, "I wish I could be like them". "I wish I could have
their faith". But what we don't realize if that they are thinking the same
thing about us. We don't have the ability to see into their hearts and minds
and know how often others (just like us) doubt themselves.

In Mark 9:20-24
we see a perfect example of doubt and faith concerning a father and son
possessed by and evil spirit, in need and their relationship to Jesus. We read,
"So they brought the boy (to Jesus). But when the evil spirit saw
Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground,
writhing and foaming at the mouth. "How long has this been
happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was a
little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to
kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can." "What do you
mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person
believes."  The father instantly
cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"
(NLT)

Doesn't that sound exactly like us at times? I know it
sounds like me! I do believe, but at times it doesn't seem like enough. I just
don't know if I can make it through this life with the amount of faith I have
or if I can really be pleasing to God.

In Mark, Jesus understood the problem of the father's
faith and did what was necessary to help. Do you think he is any less
understanding with us? No, he is caring and compassionate and wants everyone to
be saved 2 Peter 3: 9.

Dear God, I believe, but help me in the times of my
weakness to overcome my unbelief.

Jesus - Our Savior

This past week one of the news stories which stood out to me
was the teacher who had students write the name of Jesus on a piece of paper,
then told them to put it on the floor and stomp on it. Our world has lost the
understanding of who Jesus is and what his purpose is. He is the Savior of all
mankind.

What or who do you trust to save you? I for one have never
understood the mentality of the folks who want to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel or some other way.
It just makes no sense to me to put your life at risk for no good reason.

After reading about a number of those people who have gone
over Niagara Falls
I noticed one thing they all had in common. None of them expected to die! All
of them had some idea of protecting themselves from the dangers of going over
that powerful water fall.

One of these dare devils was Robert
Overacted, a 39 year old man challenged the mighty Horseshoe
Falls on October 1st 1995. He planed this stunt for months, he
checked and rechecked all of he figures and plans. He planned on riding on a
single jet ski until he reached the brink of the Falls. There he would deploy a
rocket propelled parachute, which would help him land in the River below the
Falls to allow for a rescue.



Overacker launched himself into the Niagara
River upstream of the falls. At the brink of the falls, Overacker ignited
the rocket which deployed the parachute as planned. Unfortunately, as the
parachute deployed it did him no good at all, because Overacker, he had
forgotten to attach the parachute to his body.

To me that was a perfect, howbeit
sad, example of what will happen if we trust in men or man made things to save
us rather than Jesus. One of the most powerful testimonies about Jesus is found
in Matthew 1:21 where the angel says
of the coming birth of the Savior, "And she will have a son, and you are to name
him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

Many today live dangerous lives,
going through life with nothing to protect them or save them from what really
counts. Until they (and we) join ourselves to Jesus, we are just as near death
as Robert Overacker. You may think you have it all together and are safe, but
are you really?

This week our world celebrates
Easter, which traditionally is a remembrance of the Death, Burial and
Resurrection of Jesus. It's not about Easter Bunnies or colored eggs, it's
about remembering the one who can save us from our sins.

Russ Lawson

Leaving Sin Behind

Getting away from sin and temptation is probably one of the
most difficult things we have to do as Christians. Through the years people
have tried many ways. They have tried starting private communities where only
believers are allowed. Some have joined monasteries, in hopes of escaping sin,
but the results are always somewhat mixed, because Satan is not easily foiled.
He fights for our souls and far too often makes himself look attractive to us.

We often handle sin like the children in a story reported in
the news paper awhile back. It seems that a mother of eight in Darlington, Maryland
had been visiting next door. When she came home and went into the living room,
she saw her 5 youngest children huddled in the center of the floor, on her new
carpet, very much involved with something wiggly and squirmy. As she got closer
she saw, to her horror, that the children were gathered around a family of
skunks. She screamed, "Run, children, run!"  Hearing their mother's frantic scream, each
child grabbed a skunk and ran.

Sadly this story is often a reflection of our lives. We may
have some very troubling things in our lives, yet, try as we may, we can't seem
to run away from them, we just take them along with us.

I Peter 5:8-9a
tells us, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around
like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and
be strong in your faith."

This passage tells us, rather than running off and carrying
Satan or temptation with us we should stand firm against him! Another
translation says to "resist" him. Being able to succeed in staying
away from temptation is not accomplished by walling ourselves up in a
monastery, but is taking the fight to Satan that keep us free. Matthew 16:18 tells us that when we
fight with the knowledge of God in us, the gates of hell itself will not be
able to stand against us.

So, you have a choice, grab you skunk and run or stand up
and be counted as you join with your brothers and sisters in Christ in the army
of God to overcome Satan.

Increasing Security

We have had a problem at our church building for the past
few years, which seems to be getting worse instead of better. Folks are leaving
doors to different parts of the facility unlocked. It varies by days of the
week and times of the day. We speculate that folks just don't remember to lock
up after themselves when they leave, but it makes you wonder if there is
something more sinister going on. Could someone outside of our members have
gotten a key?

There is no denying that security has become a major concern
in our world today. Each of us tends to be a little more cautious with our
personal security. We make sure we lock our cars and our homes; we install
alarms (and try to remember to set them). We are told that in our community, crime
has risen by 14% in the past few months, (mainly breaking into homes).

I understand, from those who are suppose to know, that no
matter how hard you try and secure your stuff, there are always weaknesses in
your preparations. Someone who is an experienced thief will find those
weaknesses and exploit them to get you stuff if they really want it.

What are we to do? What can you do, when you've done
everything you can to secure your stuff or even your own safety and it's not
enough? Who do you trust in then?

As a Christian you know the answer already, you trust in
God.

I love the story about Thomas Edison when a fire completely
destroyed his research facility. His son found him watching the blaze destroy
everything he had created. Rather than dwelling upon the destruction he told
his son, "Go and get your mother, she'll never see another fire like this
as long as she lives." 

He of course picked up the pieces of his life and
laboratories and went on to invent even more wonderful things.

In Matthew 6:19-21
we read: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust
destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in
heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and
steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."
(NLT)

Maybe we need to stop and ask ourselves, "Just what is
it in this world in which I really trust?" In Matthew 28:20, after giving directions as to what he expects his
followers to do, he makes this promise: "And be sure of this: I am with
you always". (NLT) I will continue to trust in the Lord, the maker
of heaven and earth (Ephesians 3:15).