Truthworks

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).

I love the way the Amplified Bible puts it – “taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them; living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.”

The Lord cares for us in every way – even in ways that we may never know. He has planned out our lives and charted our course for the highest and best, even if it means that we must pass through the lowest and worst of things. He will never leave us, nor forsake us – no matter what.

A couple of years ago I had a lunch meeting with a friend – Major General Schuyler Bissell (retired); former Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. We discussed his long and honored career in service to our country – especially the 119 combat missions he flew in North Vietnam as a young pilot. I asked him if there was one defining moment during those perilous days. “Yes,” he said, “there was.”

He told me that he had been assigned a mission that was imminently dangerous, and the morning before his squadron was to fly into harm’s way he spent some quiet time in the base chapel. While no soldier wants to yield to the immobilizing power of fear, common sense requires that a man count the cost by facing up to the reality of the risks involved. As Schuyler prayed that morning, the Lord spoke to him in the most direct and calming manner. “I’ve taken care of you your whole life” God said, “what are you worried about?”

General Bissell, seventy three at the time he told me this story, said that a peace came over him that was indescribable. He rose from prayer, went on his mission, and has been kept by God to this day.

“I’ve taken care of you your whole life — what are you worried about?”

Isn’t that what the Lord is saying to each one of us today? Truly a sparrow does not fall to the ground without His knowing…and caring. What a Savior.

George MacDonald, in his sermon Trust God by Obeying Christ, writes: “The care that is filling your mind at this moment, or but waiting till you lay the book aside to consume you – that need which is no real need, is a demon sucking at the spring of your life.”

Lord Jesus, here; take our fretful hearts and draw them near to Thee. Fill us once again with that blessed assurance which comes from casting all our cares upon You, knowing that You care for us. Lift our vision higher and set us walking once again on the path You have chosen for each one of us.”

Today let us become those who are “taking the paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them; living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.”

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Proverbs 4:23 GNB).

Solomon’s proverbial insight are as relevant today as ever before. “Be careful how you think,” he tells us, “your life is shaped by your thoughts.” In the New Testament we are told by the apostle Paul that our lives are transformed by the “renewing of our minds”(Romans 12:2).

In other words, beliefs determine behavior.

We are living in historic times – times that require deep conviction and decisive courage. We must not be so absorbed with self interest that we become easily offended with what we don’t understand and, thus, make rash and stupid choices. Our thoughts must become formed by truth; our opinions must become enlarged by intelligence; our words strengthened by wisdom and grace; our behavior monitored by self-restraint; and our interaction with others marked by respect and civility.

What hangs in the balance in these days of global turmoil and uncertainty could be the very welfare of our world. “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.”

 Think truly. Decide courageously. Act nobly. Stand firmly. Live generously. And die honorably. Your life matters now more than ever, and how you think shapes your very life. And what you choose to do with your life has lasting consequences.

“Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever, ’twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and fortune, and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.”

James R. Lowell, 1845

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5).

Back up in the hills several years ago the mountain folk pondered a mystery that has vexed mankind from the earliest days. Their musings produced a gospel standard that is sung at camp meetings everywhere. “Tempted and tried, we’re oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long. While there are others living about us, never molested though in the wrong.”

Indeed, why do the righteous suffer, and the wicked prosper? Surely you’ve wondered as much from time to time. The only solution those Tennessee highlanders could come up with, still remains the only answer anyone can give to this very day, “Further along we’ll know more about it. Further along we’ll understand why. Cheer up my brother; come sing in the sunshine. We’ll understand it all by and by.”

Job, in bitterness of soul, pointedly asked, “Why does God let evil people even live? And not only live; but live well. They grow old and prosper! No calamity comes to their homes.” (see Job 21). Yet. he wisely concluded, “But who are we to tell God how to run his affairs? He’s dealing with matters that are way over our heads” (21:22, The Message).

Jeremiah took a more tactful approach, and appealed directly to the Lord, “You are right, O GOD, and you set things right. I can’t argue with that. But I do have some questions: Why do bad people have it so good?” (Jer.12:1, The Message).

The Psalmist Asaph, in the typical self-disclosing style of all poets, put it this way, “When I looked at the prosperity of the wicked I became envious. They aren’t troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else. Why then should I even try to be righteous?” (see Psalm 73)

We’ve all been there in one way or another from time to time. Life for most of us usually moves along at a pace that’s marked with a routine and rhythm – until something happens that sets us back. A tragedy, a heartbreak, a defeat, a disappointment; failing health, financial loss, relational stress, or a thousand other things that fall like Niagara into our lives without any warning. We sigh, cry, cuss and fuss, groan or moan; shaking our heads at the problem, and sometimes our fists at God.

But wait a minute! God is on our side. King David, a man after God’s own heart, put it in the clearest of terms. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers,” he wrote, “neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:1-5).

Trust. Delight. Do good. Commit. Relatively simple steps, with profoundly significant results.

“Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” (Luke 13:8).

There was a bird that lived in Canada. One winter he announced to the other birds, “I’m not flying south for the winter. I’m staying right here!” All the other birds said he was crazy, but he answered, “You’re the ones that are crazy. You’ll get down south, turn around and fly right back up here again next year. What’s the point?!”

The other birds took to flight and left him behind.

Wondering what winter in Canada would be like, the lone bird was pleasantly surprised at the stretch of Indian Summer that lingered long into the fall. “Aha!” he said to himself, “I was right to stay. This is wonderful!” But then, winter hit full force in the middle of December. Shuddering in the cold the silly bird finally realized, “I must hurry and leave before I freeze to death!”

He took to flight and made it as far as Montana. There, in mid-air, he froze up and tumbled to the ground; landing in a farmer’s barnyard. “Oh, what a stupid bird I am,” he moaned to himself. “I should’ve flown south with all the other birds, but now I am about to die.”

Just then a cow in the barnyard strolled past the fallen bird and without realizing it dropped a big cow-plop right on top of him! “Oh, this is just great,” mumbled the buried bird. “It’s not bad enough that I’m about to die; now I’m covered with cow manure!”

But then he noticed something he had not expected. The warmth of the plop actually began to thaw him out and restore him to life. “Why, what do you know about that?” said the bird. “This ain’t so bad after all!” Then he began chirping and singing under the pile of poop.

Meanwhile, the barnyard cat was passing by and heard the sound of singing coming from the pile. Curious as a cat can be, he pawed around in the pile and uncovered the thawed bird. Their eyes met, there was a silent moment of suspense, and then the cat ate the bird.

The moral of the story is three-fold. First, not everyone who dumps on you is your enemy. Second, not everyone who cleans it off is your friend. Third, when you do get dumped on, it is best to keep your mouth shut.

The bottom line is this. When the chips are down, the Lord is up to something good. Take heart, and place your trust in Him. You’ll be blessed in every way.

“Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” (Luke 13:8).

Manure is the “black gold” of the gardening world. It contains a rich and wide range of minerals and nutrients, providing the three main chemicals all plants need — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition, manure also adds to the composition of the soil and promotes easier and healthier root growth. So, seeing its great value, why wouldn’t the Lord use it on us?

The Holy Spirit digs about our lives to expose our roots. He orchestrates those invasive things that disrupt and overturn us, and He supplies those unpredictable people who frustrate and upset us – all to make sure we are trusting in Christ alone. Paul wrote, “Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him.” (Colossians 2:7).

If you and I draw nourishment from any other person or thing, it will be uncovered and corrected. And it must be, if we truly want to be the very best we can be.

When we put our trust in man we will always be disappointed. Our hopes will fade, our effectiveness diminish, and our lives become aimless. In fact, we become so preoccupied with what others have promised and failed to deliver, that we lose our ability to see the good that comes from God despite our duplicity. We sulk and sag in silence; praise long having left our hearts and lips. Such is the estate of those who look to the arm of flesh for deliverance.

But when we trust in the Lord, He commands rich blessings upon us. Here is what He told the prophet Jeremiah, “I will bless the person who puts his trust in Me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. He is not afraid when hot weather comes, because his leaves stay green; he has no worries when there is no rain; he keeps on bearing fruit.” (see Jeremiah 17:7-8 GNB)

Are you trusting in Man or in the Lord? Is your heart set upon riches? Is your confidence in the flesh? Here comes a shovel! Are you trusting in your abilities, your looks, or your own wit and charm? Here comes a herd of cattle! My friends, if we seek stability and security in anything other than Christ, or look for safety and significance in any one apart from Him – the scoop and the poop are just around the corner.

“To what purpose” we ask, “is all this digging and dunging?” Nothing but this: that we might be strong and fruitful. Would you really want the Lord to leave you alone? Would you be content to settle for less than you could’ve been? To accomplish less than you could’ve done? Surely not!

So bring it on, Lord; dig me and dung me! Burrow deep into the unseen places of my anxious heart, and leave not a single root holding on to anything or anyone other than You. And then pack the manure deep and wide, and pile it high as the sky! Don’t let me be a flimsy perfumed man – pale and weak, bending to the whims and fancies of this fallen world. Make me like a tree planted by streams of living water, that brings forth fruit in season. Make me a prosperous man, whose leaves never wither. Amen.

Dear reader, you may as well start praying like this, ‘cause He is determined to do it anyway. Scoop, and poop, and all.

Let me conclude this tomorrow with a short story…one that you will definitely be telling your friends!

“Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” (Luke 13:8).

It has happened to all of us sometime or another. Usually in the spring time, but not exclusively. Fact is, it can happen anytime, and almost anywhere – even when and where you least expect it. Indeed, the more unlikely the place and time, the more astonishing it is to our unsuspecting senses. In particular, our sense of smell.

You wake up on a cheerful sunlit morning to new mercies and a fresh cup of coffee. Birds are singing in the trees, and a few friendly neighborhood noises hum in the background – giggling kids jumping on a trampoline, a one-eyed dog barking at a squirrel, and the drone of a lawn mower a block away. You step out the front door to greet the day and – wham! The full bodied aroma of rural America has been dumped somewhere in your immediate proximity, and you are located directly downwind.

Though no cattle have been seen in these parts for nigh unto fifty years, it smells like a truck load of ‘em spent the night two doors down, laughing and drinking and having a party. Piles of manure – fertilizer they call it these days – sit in the middle of the street waiting for the lawn crew to disperse it with creative dispatch in a newly landscaped yard. As far as you’re concerned, right now would not be soon enough.

You can’t breathe, at least not through your nose, ‘cause the smell will make your eyes roll back in your head. And you dare not breathe through your mouth, ‘cause that almost feels like your eating something. So you gasp with hands cupped over your face, and your eyes go crossed for lack of oxygen. Strangely enough, however, you somehow adapt to the odor and manage to make it through the unsolicited ordeal. And when its all said and done you see the worth of it in the lush, award-winning landscaping just down the street. Who knows, you might even order a pile or two yourself seeing how well things turned out.

Jesus told a story along these lines one day. “Once upon a time,” He said, “a man had a fig-tree growing in his garden, and when he came to look for the figs, he found none at all. Disappointed, he said to his gardener, ‘Look, I have come expecting fruit on this fig-tree for three years and never found any. Better cut it down. Why should it use up valuable ground? This is space we can use for something else.’ And the gardener replied, ‘Master, don’t touch it this year till I have had a chance to dig round it and give it a bit of manure. If it bears fruit after that, it will be all right. But if it doesn’t, then you can cut it down.’” (see Luke 13:6-9).

The old King James puts it this way, “Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.” The phrase literally means “to dig all about it, and throw manure throughout it.” In other words, this was not going to be a neat and tidy job, wrapped up in a few surgical minutes. No, it was going to be prolonged, deliberate, disruptive, messy, and stinky.

Do you see any similarities to how your life has been lately? If so, be of good cheer, you are undergoing the Ministry of Manure. It seems that each one of us sometimes need our roots exposed, and a good dose of compost packed about us in order for us to grow strong, and become our most fruitful best.

Tune in tomorrow for another truck load!

“He looked for a City which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:10).

Clearly you have come too far to turn back now. But not knowing how much farther you have to go leaves you in a quandary. Take heart, pilgrim; it is not much further. The best thing you can do right now is to take stock of what you have.

Look now among your stuff, search carefully and you will find it; find the handwritten invitation from the King Himself, beckoning you to leave your own land and come to dwell with Him. It contains a promise that cannot be broken, a promise of peace in the valley and rest for the weary. A promise of forgiveness, freedom, and fulfillment – made by the great Promise Keeper.

Also, look about you along the way for there are the etchings and markings of earlier travelers – the tracings of those who have already passed this way before you, leaving you notes and signs of encouragement to speed you on your way. It is as if they knew you were coming after them, and that you would need to see, read, and know this or that.

There is Abraham, the first pioneer into this great Friendship, saying, “I was seventy five when I set out on this journey, not knowing where I was going. And though the way was fraught with difficulties all along, God was faithful to His promise. He has blessed me indeed. Therefore, weary wanderer, go on still toward that City whose builder and maker is God. For it is surely there, and you will be most welcomed therein.”

There is Moses who says, “I endured, seeing Him who is invisible. Come along now, for there is a place near Him where you can stand on a rock. He will hide you in the cleft of the rock, and make all his goodness pass before you. Up and at ‘em, friend; hasten to that place – for it will be worth it all when you see Jesus.”

There is David singing softly, “The Lord is my shepherd, and He is yours also. He leads us in the way that is right and brings us into His house, refreshing us at His banquet table. Come, friend; onward. There is a place set here for you, and the family is not complete while you are yet in the woods.”

There is Paul, beset on every side by dangers, toils and snares – the likes of which few of us will ever know – and he says, “None of these things move me; so, don’t let them trouble you at all. There is a crown laid up that bears your name, fashioned by the Lord Himself. And He is even now waiting your arrival to place it on your head. Come along then and enter into your inheritance.”

And there is John, Poet of the Apocalypse, now resting by the river of life, reminding us that “He will wipe away every tear. For there is no more curse, no more night, no more sin or sorrow.”

And there is the Spirit and the Bide who say, “Come.”

And always there is the Lord, who walks with you in the glen and converses with you along the way. “Rise, let us be going,” Christ beckons.

And so, taking fresh breath, you stand upright and strike out yet again, ever onward in hope of finding a better country. And because your heart is so inclined, God is not ashamed to be called your God.

Perhaps this short poem says it best for all of us,

Light after darkness, gain after loss;
       Strength after weakness, crown after cross;
Sweet after bitter, hope after fears;
       Home after wandering, praise after tears;
Sheaves after sowing, sun after rain;
       Sight after mystery, peace after pain;
Joy after sorrow, calm after blast;
       Rest after weariness, sweet rest at last;
Near after distant, gleam after gloom;
       Love after loneliness, life after tomb;
After long agony, rapture of bliss;
       Right was the pathway, leading to this.
                                                      ~ Anon

“Are we there yet?” No, not quite; but we are closer than you can imagine!

“He looked for a City which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:10).

It is a question that has been asked countless times on adventurous treks across great distances throughout the history of travel, “Are we there yet?” Some trips seem to take forever, and so the question is repeated incessantly by some whining soul stuck in the back seat, while a besieged dad furrows his brow and a long-suffering mom rolls her eyes — “Are we there yet?”

There are, of course, a few other questions tossed in for variety. “How much farther is it? How much longer is this going to take? When are we going to get there?” We can all relate to this, for we have each been the kid who asked the questions; and the parent who ran out of patience somewhere between Denver and Dallas. “Are we there yet?”

But the question goes beyond the nuisance of a child trapped in a trip with nothing more to do than play the alphabet game, or I Spy. It is a question asked by travelers of all ages who journey through life in quest of something – something more than they have known; something other than the status quo; something sure, something secure, and something satisfying. And when we peel back all the superficial layers we discover we are really seeking something spiritual. Indeed, in the sacred words of Scripture, “We seek a city, whose builder and maker is God.”

Perhaps you are one such pilgrim. A sojourner who set out long ago in the springtime of hope, stocked with enough supplies to sustain you during those arduous desert crossings and bring you refreshed and tan to your desired destination. Resolved in your purpose, decisive in your steps, confident in your God – you pressed forth convinced that just over the next mountain your eyes would catch sight of the city, whose builder and maker is God. But, alas, the road stretches onward for what seems like miles. In the words of George MacDonald, “For the sake of the vision God longs to give you, you are denied the vision you want.”

 In other words, “No, we’re not there yet.”

And now, long into your journey, you find that there are more mountains than you at first anticipated. And dark woodlands with brush so thick it tore at your clothing, and left more than a few scratches on your arms and legs. Then there were bugs, and snakes, and spiders, and bogs. And there have been bandits who have pilfered your pouch and depleted your stock. Rodents that have nibbled away at the grain, while fears chip away at your soul.

And though you have suffered the blow of many misfortunes, yet your faith is still undaunted. Sorta. And deep down in places you don’t like to talk about there is a gnawing doubt about whether or not you are really doing the prudent thing. Whether or not this journey is worth it after all. Whether or not those who thought you foolish to leave on such a fancy voyage of faith were right.

“Are we there yet?” No, pilgrim, we are not. But tomorrow I will tell you something that will put a bounce back in your step, and rejuvenate your battered soul with a living hope.

“For there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7).

These empowering words were spoken centuries ago by a good King named Hezekiah, as he sought to instill faith and hope into the hearts of his frightened people. And his words proved true, for God defeated their dreadful foe.

And as for us, these words are even more true today, for we share in Christ’s triumph over all the power of the enemy. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Yes, because of what Christ did for us at the Cross, it is now said of us as it was of Hezekiah, “So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.” (see 1 Ch.32:20-22). Did you catch that last line? God took care of them on every side. Wow. Isn’t that what you want Him to do for you?

Earlier we asked the question, “How does God reward His faithful servant? What does Hezekiah get for all his gallant duty?” The answer is profound – Hezekiah had the high honor of being the one king in all history who defeated the King of Assyria! You see, God set Sennacherib up for destruction by permitting him access into Hezekiah’s life!

And is it possible God does the same in our lives today? Is it possible that He allows the devil access for no other reason but to bring him to ruin and an open shame?

Is it possible that your faithfulness, your devotion, your service are often the occasion for the Lord to draw the devil into a trap? Could it be that we are sometimes used as “devil bait” – the means whereby the Lord lures Satan into battle, and gives us the honor of actually overcoming the wicked one?

Oh how humiliating this must be to Satan, that Christ has placed His victory in the hands of school children who by faith put the devil to fright and flight! What must the hordes of hell think of their dark master now? He who once wielded such power as to shake nations, now buckles when a little girl prays!

My friend, take a new perspective on those unexpected invasions of your life; those times when darkness gathers about you though you have long been faithful and true. Brace yourself not for battle, but for victory.

A celebration is coming, for the Lord has decided to promote you for your service, and to distinguish you with a badge of honor — by the defeat of a dreadful foe at your hands.

“For there is a greater power with us than with him.” (2 Chronicles 32:7).

The Bible says that the king of Assyria “laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.” The fact is that God had indeed blessed Hezekiah, so much so that the king of Assyria became envious to the point of war. He invaded in order to possess for himself the many blessings God had showered upon Hezekiah.

Sennacherib brandished his blade, and bellowed out his demands to Hezekiah in full expectation of an immediate and cowering surrender – just as many other nations before had done. He could not have been more mistaken.

Hezekiah, good man that he was, never doubted the Lord for a moment, nor did he fear Sennacherib for an instant. Instead, he rallied the people and encouraged them, saying, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from the words of king Hezekiah (see 1 Ch.32:7,8).

While Sennacherib amassed his army and prepared for a full frontal assault, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah bowed their heads in prayer. And the Lord answered them. The Bible says, “the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.”

Hey, you want to know how powerful God is? He sent one angel – ONE! And annihilated Sennacherib’s army. Wow! What do you suppose an entire army of angels could do?

And what of Sennacherib? What happened to him? The Bible goes on to say, “he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword.”

Those who follow in the footsteps of Satan are doomed to meet his own fate. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12). In this story Sennacherib is a figure representing Satan. Just as Sennacherib met a disgraceful end, so likewise will the devil.

Isn’t this in fact exactly what happened to Satan at the cross? Jesus, having accomplished everything His Father sent him to do, finally goes up Calvary’s mountain to die upon an old rugged cross. And just as Sennacherib laid siege to Judah, Satan surely must have thought his moment of ultimate conquest had come as he watched Jesus die at the hands of the Romans. But, in the same manner that God had baited the Assyrian king into a snare from which there was no escape – so likewise the devil was drawn and quartered by Christ at the Cross!

Tomorrow, we’ll finish up this three part series by showing what all this means for you and me today!