Truthworks

“All things  work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

There is a delightful little story of two angels who stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.  The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guestroom. Instead they were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the two angels came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest.

When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was perplexed and asked the older angel, “How could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you fix a hole in his wall. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.”

You see, things aren’t always what they seem. The Bible promises us that “all things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Surely you can trust the Lord to work things out for your good during this strange season of craziness in our topsy-turvy world!

Just remember, things are not always as they seem.

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)

Recently a friend of mine told me a quite humorous thing. Though the circumstances that brought this matter to light were sorrowful, the end result was one that will definitely make you laugh.

My friend’s father had passed away and left him as the executor of his will. In the process of settling all of his father’s affairs, my friend met with a man named Bomanicious (pronounced, “bom-ah-neh’-shus”).

Bomanicious was the gardener and caretaker of the man’s estate, doing all sorts of odd jobs that kept the place looking great. He had worked for the man for over thirty years.

My friend met with him to let him know that things were going to continue as they were, so not to worry about his future employment. Then he asked, “I’m curious. How did you get the name “Bomanicious” – is that a family name, or what?”

“Bomanicious is not my name,” the man replied with a deep southern accent.

“What?! I’ve known you since I was seven years old, and that’s what we have always called you.”

“I know,” the man replied. “When your daddy hired me, he asked what should he call me. I said, ‘Call me by my initials.”

The rest is history.

Shakespeare got it right, “A rose by any other name, is still a rose.”

“The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are themselves helped.” (Proverbs 11:24,25 The Message)

We are all familiar with the great classic by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, and his consummate description of Ebenezer Scrooge. “Oh, but he was a tightfisted hand at the grindstone. Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!  Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.”

God has called us to something far better. He wants us to be generous.

I have learned that poverty is not the state of not having; it is the fear of not getting, which causes you to hold on tightly to what you do have. And the moment you do that – you shut down your heart from being generous, and close down your life from receiving the blessings that God has for those who give.

“Give , and it shall be given unto you,” Jesus said, “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men pour into your lap.” (Luke 6:38).  John Bunyan wrote, “A man there was, and they called him mad; the more he gave, the more he had.” As the old saying goes, “You cannot out-give God.”

Giving is the gateway to greatness. The splendor of a generous life is that it lifts you above the downward pull of poverty and empowers you to enrich others. And, at the same time, by your generous acts towards others you  enrich yourself in ways that cannot be fully measured. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

Let me close with this short humorous story.

A missionary was sitting at her second-story window when she was handed a letter from home. As she opened the letter, a crisp, new, ten-dollar bill fell out. She was pleasantly surprised, but as she read the letter her eyes were distracted by the movement of a shabbily dressed stranger down below, leaning against a post in front of the building. 

She couldn’t get him off her mind. Thinking that he might be in greater financial distress than she, she slipped the bill into an envelope on which she quickly penned the words, “Don’t despair.” She threw it out the window. The stranger below picked it up, read it, looked up, and smiled as he tipped his hat and went his way.

The next day she was about to leave the house when a knock came at the door. She found the same shabbily dressed man smiling as he handed her a roll of bills. When she asked what they were for, he replied:  “That’s the sixty bucks you won, lady. ‘Don’t Despair’ paid five to one at Santa Anita.” 

Why not be generous in some way to someone today? Your horse just might win tomorrow!

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Nothing would be more incongruous than for a follower of Jesus to be found groveling at the footstool of Caesar. And Paul wanted to make sure that Timothy knew exactly where and how he himself stood as he prepared to enter the High Roman courts to be sentenced to death.

Was Paul filled with fear? Was he on the threshold of buckling before the threats of the Roman Emperor? Was he second-guessing his actions? Was he having regrets about the decisions he had made in following Jesus?

NOT IN THE LEAST!

In the face of imperial intimidation he was standing with power, love, and a sound mind.

The Message puts the verse this way: “God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible” (2 Timothy 1:7, The Message). Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, and to us, is that we can do the same in whatever we are facing.

Power, Love, and a Sound Mind.

POWER assures us that we have all that is necessary to triumph, and thereby makes us bold in the face of intimidating circumstances. LOVE insures that we will use our power in ways that are constructive and redemptive. And a SOUND MIND secures us with clarity in the face of confusion, and marks us with sensibility in times of insanity.

Power, Love, and a Sound Mind — these three keep us focused upon the opportune moment for action and make us decisive when that moment comes.

If you are facing difficulty at work or home, with friends or neighbors who intimidate you, or circumstances that seem to back you down from being who God has gifted and called you to be — this verse is for you!

If you feel yourself inwardly cowering into silence and passivity — then this verse is for you. It is packed with power to change you from the inside out.

Stir up your gifts! You can be what you are meant to be. You can shine like the sun in its race across the sky if you stay within the gifting the Lord has placed in your life. Be who you were created to be — bold and loving and sensible — and that will silence the critics and nay-sayers every time!

That is the triumph of a gifted life!

“He was a burning and a shining light” (John 5:35).

This lasting tribute was said of John the Baptist, by none other than Jesus Himself. Indeed, Jesus also said, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11). This means that each one of us may, like John, be a burning and shining light.

But there is a price to be paid. Years ago I heard the great revival preacher, Leonard Ravenhill, say, “The cost of shining is burning.”

Many want the glow without the heat, but there can be no sparkle where there are not sparks. And, there can be no sparks where the hammer of God’s word does not strike the anvil of our souls as the Holy Spirit forges Christ-like character in the metal of our lives.

The cost of shining is burning.

The disciples said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us along the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). In yet another place the Bible asks, “Does not My word burn like fire?” says the LORD. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).

As we open ourselves to the igniting power of God’s word, all within us that is wood, hay or stubble is consumed by its tireless flame. And then, whatever yet remains that is hardened and unresponsive deep in our hearts is busted loose by the mighty blow of God’s hammer — His living word unleashed in our yielded lives.

Will you let the truth of God’s unchanging Word have its way in your life? In your thoughts, your hopes, and your aspirations? In your opinions, your attitudes, and your behavior? In your family, your friendships, and your associations?

If you say yes, you will become a burning and shining light; and you will be counted great in the Kingdom of God.

On the other hand, you can light your own fire and burn out in no time — with nothing to show for the one life you have lived. Surely you can see the better choice is to yield your heart to Christ and let Him be honored by the light of your ignited life.

And He will say of you on that day, “This one was a burning and shining light.”

“The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope”(Colossians 1:5, The Message).

How well is your life anchored in this shifting, titling world?

Some are carried about by every wind, and tossed about by every wave. The changing tides affect their ups and downs, and their ins and outs. But there is a better way to live; a way that is much less flimsy and unstable. You and I can live an Anchored Life.

When we are tethered to Truth, and full of a hope that goes beyond this world into eternity, we can face whatever comes our way with unflinching resolve. Each day is filled with purpose and revitalizing energy. Such is the power of Hope.

Morrison wrote, “Hope is the kindly instrument of God for rescuing mankind from inactivity and stagnation.” What a gift God has given us! There is nothing more empowering to the human soul than hope; and, conversely, nothing more destructive than hopelessness.

Thomas Carlyle observed, “In idleness there is perpetual despair.” The hopeless man is forever idle.

You and I were created by God for a purpose that fulfills us; but this purpose can only reach its full potential when we are anchored by Hope that stretches beyond this world. A man or woman with Heaven on their mind is not easily impressed or distracted with the things of this fallen world. They live with a purpose that never grows slack; and the engine of their lives burns with a fuel that is supplied from God Himself — a supply that never runs out.

May God fill you with hope! May you live Today in hope of a better Tomorrow. May you work, play, rest, and live in the unshakable assurance that the Lord Jesus has vouchsafed your future in the Kingdom of Heaven, and even now extends the benefits of that inheritance into your world her on earth!

May you live the Anchored Life!

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword” ((Heb 4:12).

Don’t know if this is something you can authenticate or not, but I do know that it is funnier than just about anything I’ve come across. I’ve used this on many occasions when teaching about the importance of knowing God’s Word well enough to defend yourself against the insidious attacks of that Old Serpent, the Devil.

Enjoy this helpful advice:

The following is from the U.S. Government Peace Corps Manual for its volunteers who work in the Amazon Jungle.  It tells what to do in case you are attacked by an anaconda.  For the record, the anaconda is the largest snake in the world.  It grows to thirty-five feet in length and weighs between three and four hundred pounds at the maximum. (Basically, we’re talking about a telephone pole with a bad attitude!) 

This is what the manual said. 

• If you are attacked by an anaconda, do not run.  The snake is faster than you are. 
• Lie flat on the ground.  Put your arms tight against your sides, your legs tight against one another. 
•  Tuck your chin in.
•  The snake will come and begin to nudge and climb over your body. 
• Do not panic.  
• After the snake has examined you, it will begin to swallow you from the feet end – always from the feet end.  Permit the snake to swallow your feet and ankles.  Do not panic. 
• The snake will now begin to suck your legs into its body.  You must lie perfectly still.  This will take a long time. 
• When the snake has reached your knees, slowly, and with as little movement as possible, reach down, take your knife and very gently slide it into the side of the snake’s mouth between the edge of its mouth and your leg.  Then suddenly rip upwards, severing the snake’s head. 

(The last  two suggestions were the ones that got me.) 

• Be sure you have your knife.
• Be sure your knife is sharp!

 Seriously? Don’t you think that should be number one and two on the list! You don’t want to get halfway into the process of being eaten by a snake only then to discover that you forgot your knife!

Neither do you want to go unarmed into a world crawling with snakes and scorpions and a host of others posionous critters, stalking your every move and seeking to do you harm. “Be sure you have your knife (the two-edged sword of God), and be sure your knife is sharp (ready for whatever comes your way).

 ”The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.” (Exodus 32:16)

Several years ago we purchased one of those huge Family Bibles, bound with engraved leather and filled with tons of extracurricular stuff like maps and charts and assorted Bible studies. There were also places for you to put your family’s pedigree — dad and mom, grandpa and grandma, uncles and aunts, etc.

It was a centerpiece purchase, placed in high visibility on our coffee table. Truthfully, that was about the only place it could go. There was no way in the world you could carry it around with you, unless you had a pet Yak. The thing measured 14″x10″ and was at least four inches thick.

Apart from the obvious blessing received from reading the Word, there is one piece of literature found in that old Bible that I have always cherished in particular . It succinctly sums up the fulness of the Bible’s power and authority in the lives and affairs of mankind.

Here is what it said:

This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.  Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and it decisions are immutable.  Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. 

It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.  It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.  Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the Gates of Hell disclosed. 

Christ is its Grand Subject, our good its design, and the Glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.  Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.  It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. 

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgement, and be remembered forever.  It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all who trifle with its holy contents.

This volume is the Word of GOD.

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” (James 2:23, NIV).

His story began with a whisper, some say. One night while he was standing near a grove a mulberry trees with a group of friends, a strange breeze rushed in from nowhere and rustled the leaves a bit. Some say that’s all it was – just a strange wind. But he heard the Voice. The look on his face didn’t go unnoticed by the others, for it seemed as though he had seen a ghost. No, he didn’t see one – he only heard one. And it was a Holy Ghost.

The Voice, tender and befriending, called him by name – “Abram.” We know him today as Abraham. And the Voice that spoke to him that night we now know as the God of Abraham.

They were friends, you see.

Their friendship began when Abraham believed. And what was it exactly that Abraham believed? Simply put, he believed God. Whatever God said to him, no matter how impossible or unlikely it seemed or sounded – Abraham believed that the One who spoke was true, and able to do what He had said.

Listen to how Paul puts it in his letter to the Romans:

“When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, ‘You’re going to have a big family, Abraham!’ Abraham didn’t focus on his own impotence and say, ‘It’s hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.’ Nor did he survey Sarah’s decades of infertility and give up. He didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.” (Romans 4:18-21, The Message).

What crazy, insane, impossible, and most unlikely thing has God promised you? And now does it all seem hopeless; certain never to happen?

Well, you are on the brink of becoming friends with God! Just believe!!

“Some of the followers in Rome heard about us and came to meet us at the Market of Appius and at the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.” (Acts 28:15).

This is a delightful moment captured forever in the words of Luke, author of The Acts. What makes this moment so special was that, for Paul, it came at the end a long and arduous struggle against one thing after another.

Here’s a recap of what Paul and his fellow travelers had encountered.

First, a mob of religious fanatics rushed upon Paul intending to stone him to death in Jerusalem. Being both a Jew and a Roman citizen, Paul appealed to a Roman jailer who secured him in the local prison. From there he was sent first to Festus, who then passed him up the food chain to Agrippa; who then put him on a ship headed for Rome to appear before Caesar.

The ship, despite Paul’s warnings to the Captain, got caught in a horrific storm at sea; a storm of such force that all hope of their being saved was lost. Breaking apart upon a reef, they were able to make it to land, where Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, but miraculously survived.

Finally they reached the shores of Italy and headed towards Rome — the one City Paul had tried to visit so many times before, but was, in his words, “hindered by Satan” from doing so. And now he is on his way — as a prisoner in chains.

That’s when this happy scene unfolds.

Believers in Rome had somehow heard that Paul was enroute, and traveled almost fifty miles out of the City to not only meet him on the way at a place called The Three Taverns, but to escort him into the City as if he were a visiting dignitary.

When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged. One translation says, “his spirits rose.”

My friend, if the road you travel is beset with one blow after the other, and yet you are pressing on in faithfulness to the Lord — take heart. The Three Taverns is yet ahead, and a band of brothers will greet you there, lifting your spirits and filling your heart with praise!