Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- I Can Only Imagine - I Can Only Imagine: Barabbas stood on a sand dune, high above the shore, and watched a fisherman bring his boat onto the beach...John had said that Peter would be coming ashore soon. He watched as the man pulled his boat onto the sand, carefully spread his nets to dry, then started walking toward a group gathered around a fire on the beach. He saw that one of the men was John, then he recognized another man, a man he had last seen dying on a cross. Oh, my Lord, he thought, it was Jesus! He is alive! He is not a spirit; he is a real person. Barabbas dropped to his knees and wept. Through his tears, he saw that Peter, too, was kneeling, and he seemed to be crying. Then Jesus stepped close, touched Peter’s shoulder, and the two stood together. The Resurrection stood before them, but could they even think about that? Continue reading
- Hitting the Wrong Button! - Hitting the Wrong Button: Whoops! Not that long ago, I included in a Watchword a “whoops” and a “I’m sorry”. For some reason, neither I nor my tech advisor could figure this out: Why did an incomplete Watchword, scheduled for a Saturday, go out, prematurely, on Tuesday in an unfinished state? Even when we tried to make the correction, something else happened, and another Watchword was sent on a Wednesday. Well, the two errors are related, but we still don’t know why. So, we move on! I suppose we could’ve hit the wrong button. Chances are that the “whoops” that happen in our lives are of our own choosing. Maybe we let our tongue proceed ahead of our brain and we say the wrong thing? Maybe the “whoops” cause us to pause and think. Continue reading
- I Am Who I Am - I Am Who I Am: Heaven forbid that I should ever question God. If He tells Abraham, and you and I, that His name is I am, then that’s His name. It sounds like an incomplete statement to these human ears of ours, and yet in Exodus the name stands alone, with almighty, all-inclusive power. When we get into the book of John, we see some specific references and it helps us understand, point by point. In John 6:35 we read I Am the Bread of Life. In this passage, Jesus is making the point that material things, such as wealth or bread, things held in the hand, is not what people should seek after. The people need to put their confidence in Jesus, and all that He stood for, instead of in material things. In that same chapter, Jesus makes the clear point that just as bread is necessary to sustain physical life, so Jesus is necessary for spiritual and eternal life. As we read on through John, we see I Am references repeated, time and time again Continue reading
- The Final Say - Guilty or innocent? In recent months, we have been exposed to multiple court trials because of violence within our society. The killings, even accidentally, have dominated the news cycles and we have struggled with how do we change the tone and atmosphere of our society, and return to what we seem to remember as a more peaceful, calm, and innocent time in our nation’s history. But all of this court news is not new. Judging and being judged has been going on since creation. Even the act of harming others is not new under the sun. When we dwell too much on the violence, on judging, on court trials, etc., the core of our Christian faith is shaken, and somehow the truth that God is in charge, and that he loves us dearly, may get lost in the shuffle. Dear ones, never lose sight of who has The Final Say. Continue reading
- In All Your Ways Know Him - In All Your Ways Know Him: I venture to say that Proverbs 3:5-6 is on the list of favored Bible passages for many people. We can recite them by rote, without thinking. And that may very well be the problem, that “even without thinking” thing. King James version uses the phrase in all thy ways acknowledge Him, while the New Living Translation has seek his will in all you do. Another version has in all your ways know Him. How do we read and digest God’s Word? Do we acknowledge Him, seek Him, know Him? I mean, intentionally, in ALL our ways? Is that too big a lift for us? Then, along comes the Apostle Paul, walking down the road, whistling a happy tune and telling us to pray continually or unceasingly, and some of us respond by saying, “I pray by the way I live my life”. Lord help us! But, what does it mean to pray without stopping? This morning, in my conversation with my Lord, as I sat there holding my prayer list, it occurred to me, thickheaded as I am, that my God knows every single one on that list Continue reading
- Do You Believe that Christ has Risen? - Do You Believe that Christ has Risen? I know that seems like a pretty obvious question to raise during this season of Easter, but there may be more to the question then what the words seem to suggest. Do you have any element of doubt in your faith walk? There is that word, "doubt", which calls to mind Thomas. Thomas was #12 on the list of the original apostles. The 12th man, sounds like the crowd at a football game, not in the game but witness to the game. He was a follower, a witness to Jesus’ ministry. He was present at the raising of Lazarus. In the Upper Room, he was the one who wanted to know the way where Jesus was going, and had the temerity to ask. From what we know about Thomas, he was a pessimist, and a man bewildered by his witness of Jesus’ ministry. He was a man who could not believe until he had seen, yet, he was a man of courage. He was a man of devotion and of faith. Continue reading
- Giving – A God Thing? - Giving – A God Thing? What goes through your mind when your church council hands out the “Pledge Cards” on Stewardship Sunday? The treasurer goes through the budget for the coming year and you note that your church is going to carry over a surplus or, heaven forbid, ends of the year in the red. Either way, surplus or deficit, do you factor that into your decision? So, rather than cause any of you discomfort, let me make it personal. What goes through MY mind as I look at the card in my hand and try to figure out what can we afford? Can we tithe? Let’s see, we are planning this vacation trip to California and we have been asked to join a group cruise. Maybe we should cut back a little on our giving. That is not right. Ah, what to do. Sigh. Can you relate? Continue reading
- God of All Things - God of All Things: I just finished a hard read, a difficult read, and I slogged through to the end because I had read so many of Kirstin Hannah’s books that I had found spell-binding. So, I wadded through. This one, The Four Winds, was different. As I said, it was a hard read, which at time caused me to feel depressed. I would call it a detailed study on the tragic period in our country’s history called the Dust Bowl. It was a time so bad that it caused many to turn from God, a God that, in their minds, had deserted them. I won’t tell you how it ends, except to say that love wins. In a recent Jesus Calling, we read: “Trust Me in every detail of your life. Nothing is random in My kingdom. Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me.” This is a hard lesson, Lord, when we are enduring adversity and loss. Bringing ourselves to say “Thank you, Lord” during those times takes such a commitment and grit. Yet, we know that we can do all things through You, Lord, who will give us strength. Continue reading
- The Fix Was in, or Was It? - The Fix Was in, or Was It? Matthew 28:11-15 reads like notes for a cheap crime novel. The mob bosses bribe the guards with money and death threats, forcing them to tell a lie about what they had seen. The story now set, the cover-up is in place, proving the lie and eliminating the threat that the man posed to their life of crime. The guards take the money and disappear, and with smugness, that belies their motives, they smile and recline on their comfortable couches, safe from the threat. Yes, those guards were no longer a problem. But, as the day’s pass, other witnesses come forth. First, just a few, then more and more. Soon there are more than five hundred witnesses, throughout the country, testify to the truth, and the threat returns. What will they do? The plan of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin: Stick with the story and never waiver. And they do, and yet...But wait. What about the guards? Had they seen what Mary Magdalene saw? Of course, they saw that the stone was rolled away. Had they heard what the angel said? They had seen Jesus, alive! Continue reading
- Who Are the Least of These? - Who Are the Least of These? The least of these? Now wait, just a dang gone minute! Who are you calling “least of these”? That sounds like a putdown to me. I am not one of those “least”! Would you want to be a “least of these”? How would that make you feel? Like a failure, like a sinner, like one that doesn’t measure up, that’s how! Just calm down. I think you are missing the point. Remember, this is Jesus teaching, and while He does use the phrase “least of these”, it is for a reason. He also uses sheep and goats, and that is also for a reason. I learned a lot of things during my years as a volunteer at Heifer International Learning Center at the Ranch in Arkansas. One of the things I learned was the difference between sheep and goats. At the Ranch, we dealt mainly with babies. From a distance is almost impossible to tell a sheep from a goat when their babies, and the only visible difference is that a lamb’s tail stands up, while a goat kid’s tail lays down. However, it would not take you long to also discover that the temperament of a lamb is so much more docile and calm than the temperament of the kid. It was because of this difference in temperament that sheep and goats were separated. Continue reading
- Touching the Face of God - Touching the Face of God: Have you been to the Sistine Chapel? It is a stunning experience. It was not what I expected. The room itself is long and narrow with a vaulted ceiling filled with frescos, high above the floor. The lighting is dim in order to protect the famous paintings. You are cautioned, as you enter, to maintain silence, and your time in the chapel is limited. The overall impression is reverent and breathtaking. Without sounding like a Vatican guide, you are looking up at approximately fifty-three individual frescos, each one depicting Old Testament characters or events. In the center of the ceiling is the iconic scene that most of us think of when Sistine Chapel is mentioned: God Creates Man. We see two muscular figures, with God, minimally clad, reclining, reaching His hand down, to naked Man reaching up. The two did not touch, though Man is trying. Continue reading
- A Faith Thought Reprised - A Faith Thought Reprised: A year ago, in a Watchword, I shared a faith story from India, about a man who rushed up to a Monk who was passing through his village and said to him, Give it to me! The Monk replied, Give you what? What you have in your pack! Last night I had a dream and in the dream God instructed me to ask the first monk I see walking through the village to give me the precious gift he carried. So give it to me! “Oh, you must mean this”, said the Monk, reaching into his pack. “I found it during a walk in the forest.” He pulled out the largest diamond the man had ever seen. It was huge and sparkled brightly in the morning sun. Well, the man was ecstatic. That diamond represented wealth. He ran home, happy beyond words. That night he found it impossible to sleep. He tossed and turned. The next day he ran after the Monk. Here, take this back, he said handing him the diamond. Instead give me the precious gift that you have, the one that permits you to give to me so freely. That is the real treasure. Continue reading
- He Is Here - He Is Here: She started to dash across the street without looking and the car missed her by inches. The vaccine could take two to five years to develop, yet, here we are. You stand in line at the funeral struggling to find the right words, offer a prayer, and God-inspired words flow, and your friend is comforted. You paused at the intersection of a county road and a busy state highway. Limited visibility in both directions. You start to pull out and suddenly braked, the semi misses your car by less than a foot. You are in a remote part of the Gunnison National Forest of Colorado following one of the many trout streams. You hear sobbing, and there is a child, 10-years-old or so, lost from his family. You lead him back to a joyous reunion. You learn there are over 300 searchers trying to find the boy, but you were there. You are the mother or the grandmother of young children, therefore, you are witness to the God’s great love in your everyday life. Those moments of loneliness and uncertainty, that somehow dissolve into peace. The wee small voice deep in your mind, providing guidance in the eye of the storm. Can you hear it? Do you see it? Do you feel it? Interventions by God? Most assuredly. Continue reading
- Majoring in Minors? - Majoring in Minors? Last year, just before Thanksgiving, Jim, my across-the-street-neighbor and friend, brought me an article by Greg Laurie, entitled “Turn Back to Your First Love”, sub title: Living for Christ in Troubled Times. The Article appeared in Decision magazine for November. It is funny-amazing how the Lord doesn’t forget and subtly leads us back to the track of His Will. Recently, I was reminded of the Laurie article following our men’s Bible study discussion of John chapter 5. During the course of our discussion we were trying to sort out certain events that are not stated in the scripture, that seemed to be missing pieces. At some point, one of the guys commented that when we come across places in scripture which leave us questioning, “we just make stuff up.” Actually, I might’ve said that. I am not sure what made me think of Laurie’s article, because our discussion seemed to drift into the life and times of Jews and their strict following of Mosaic Law, including all 613 requirements. I think it has to do with our focus. For the practicing Jew, their focus would be on not violating any of those 613 laws, rather than on God Himself. Majoring in minors. Continue reading
- The Sermon on the Mount - The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes, setting a standard for Christian Life and faith. The sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7. This is Jesus, early in His ministry, teaching and emphasizing moral foundations for living. This sermon takes place after His baptism, after His time in the desert, probably after His first miracle at Cana, and after His return from Jerusalem for Passover. This takes place at the very beginning of his ministry to towns throughout Galilee. In the Sermon, in addition to the Beatitudes, we find the Lord’s Prayer, and the central elements of Christian discipleship. Has circumstance ever driven you to prayer, almost in desperation? Maybe you’re being rushed to the hospital and prayers are on your lips, almost without thinking. You’re desperate, you are in need, and you call on your Lord and Savior. Those people that Jesus was reaching out to in Galilee did not know how to reach out to a Lord and Savior, yet, Jesus’ message touched them exactly in their needs. Continue reading
- 2000 Years Before Jesus? - 2000 Years Before Jesus? The Book of Job. Theologians call this part of the Old Testament difficult and theologically sophisticated. One writer quoted Virginia Woolf as saying: “I read the book of Job last night. I don’t think God comes out of it well.” One theologian has written that the book of Job should be read as a parable or a folktale. One wonders if it was written during the Babylonian exile, a period in Israel’s history of great anguish and loss. How does one write a devotional based on scripture in which God and Satan enter into a divine contest, using Job as an unwitting pawn? Think about this, ten of Job’s children are killed off in the first chapter! But, wait, in the last chapter they are replaced with ten more children! (Jeff Bezos has a children’s exchange in 2000 BC?) How do we respond to a book in which God answers Job’s anguish by seemingly browbeating him into submission at the end of the story? Continue reading
- Empty Egg – A True Easter Story - Empty Egg – A True Easter Story: Jeremy was born with a twisted body, a slow mind and chronic, terminal illness that had been slowly killing him all his young life. His parents tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to St. Theresa's Elementary School. At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in second grade. Jeremy would often irritate his teach, Doris Miller, as he would squirm in his seat, drool and make grunting noises. One day Doris called his parents and asked them to come to the school for a consultation. The Foresters sat quietly in the empty classroom while Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Mrs. Forrester cried into a tissue, while her husband explained that there was no school of that kind nearby and it would be a terrible shock to Jeremy if he had to move. Continue reading
- Like a Fish in the Water… - Like a Fish in the Water... Perhaps 50 years ago, my sister called me from Colorado, and excitedly told me about attending a concert in a mountain venue in Leadville that featured a young artist with a great name – John Denver. From that point on, John Denver has been one of my favorites. I enjoy his songs, and I grieved when he died in the crash of an experimental plane. His music lives on. Many of his songs are wistful, confirming that we do not know what will come but we trust the Lord, right here where we are. In my mind, that comes most clearly in a song called Sweet Surrender. Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care. Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air. Continue reading
- The Centurion - The Centurion: Two exerpts from the book, A Life for Barabbas, that relate to Good Friday: (Calvary Hill, Good Friday, 33 AD) Barabbas’ attention was still on Jesus, when one of the soldiers, a Centurion (Longinus), approached the cross. The soldier seemed sad as he paced back and forth. He gazed at Jesus briefly, shaking his head. Then raised a spear, and, almost in anger, drove it, hard, into the side of Jesus. Jesus made no sound, nor did he move. He was dead. The Centurion withdrew the spear and bowed his head, hiding tears. Then, still looking sad and angry, he threw the spear down and walked away. (Jerusalem, three years later) The captain looked at Barabbas, surprised. “You were there, on Calvary, after Pilate pardoned you? Why in the blood of Nero would you do that? Why would you go there after you escaped that same fate? Cruel curiosity?” “No. I was drawn there. When I was released from prison, I followed a crowd of people…It was later that I learned the reason that I was there.” “So, you think you were there to learn a lesson by watching men die cruelly?” “No, that wasn’t it. I’m not sure you would understand, but being there was the most important moment of my life.” Continue reading
- April Fools - April Fool: I’m an April Fool! I was born in April, therefore, I am an April Fool. Anyone else? How about this, I am a fool for good times, for sunsets and sunrises, for puppies, even kittens, seeing love within families, flowers in bloom, a good book, The Good Book, Rummikub and Five Crowns played with friends, good wine with Italian food, a drive into the country, classical music, country-western music, any music. Just look at that – I’m a fool for a lot of things. How about you? What would you put on your list? Every idea, every point, every thought, God blessed. Oh, and I am a fool for you! April Fool’s Day. Time for a good story, like this one, entitled “I Don’t Believe God Exists” -- It started simply enough. "I don't believe God exists", Mike the barber said in a matter of fact way. Continue reading
