It's not a smooth flight & that's OK:

I could be wrong, but it seems that back in the day before you had to be frisked to get on an airplane, when men wore suits to fly, and women, well-coiffed, carried little designer bags, that there was an ad promoting a new line of jets.  The flight was so smooth that a passenger was able to balance a dime on edge mid-flight.  Granted, First Class is just something I walk through on the way to my seat, but the flights I take don't leave room for a dime between me and the next passenger.  Even if the flight were that smooth--and it isn't--where would you balance a coin?

Meanwhile back at the point I'm making, most of us see the ideal life as a long, smooth glide into heaven.  I've been reading, recently about some of the more disturbing things that Jesus had to say.  It seems He has planned some turbulence in our journey.  He talks of leaving Father and Mother, of bearing a cross, of living a life that others will regard as irresponsible, indeed, He speaks of losing a life as if it were a good thing.

Our's is not a pleasure cruise.  We are headed into battle.  A few years after Jesus said things like, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24, NASB95)  Or,
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26, NASB95), a group of people took Jesus at his word.  They went out with the audacious ambition of reaching the world for Him.

This wasn't their press release.  This is what others--others who weren't very glad to see them coming--said about them:  "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also."  (Acts 17:6, ESV)

 

I invite you to find out more at Covington Bible Church, 8:30 or 10:55, or online at our Truthcasting channel.

 

 

It's STTA.

 

On our website, covingtonbblechurch.com, put your cursor over the "Devotional and Study Aids" tab and select "Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God."  Follow the link.

   

You can find the message these guys took to the world at the link below:

There is lots of information about the one Who died so that we could have life at our webpage, covingtonbiblechurch.com.  Click on "Life's most important question."

What Are You Waiting For?

One way or another, waiting, when done correctly is an intense activity.

Little kids wait for Christmas, longing to find out what is in, and play with whatever is in, those boxes wrapped to enhance anticipation.

We wait--or at least we used to, and should again--for marriage.  There is a strange mix of utter exhilaration, dread, awareness that this is unknown, but it surety it is an unknown "I want to know."

We wait for the other shoe to drop, not knowing how things will turn out, but knowing that they need to come to some conclusion.  

We wait on the results of a critical medical procedure, knowing the word could be good or bad--three possibilities: bad, good, or continued unknowing.  The waiting gets so hard that we would prefer even the bad over the unknown.

Not all people who put in time before something happens wait.  Though the time between supper and breakfast is typically the longest spell between meals in my day, I don't wait for breakfast.  I sleep.  Waiting involves not only the passage of time, but a certain recognition.  I think it is the recognition that something isn't quite right--sometimes, that something is very wrong.

Toys don't belong in boxes.  They ought to be in the joyful hands of girls and boys.

That couple so much love, long to share that love in the most intimate--though unknown--of ways.  When the time is right, it will be right.  Behind their starry eyes they know.

We long for our world to make sense.  One of our earliest words is, "Why?"

To truly wait one must recognize, or sense the imbalance, the out-of-place-ness, the un-rightness  of the present state.  Truly waiting sharpens our awareness, and refines our sense of what is best.  The great temptation is to quit waiting too soon, to accept something not as good rather than to wait for that which is best.  We grab the teaspoon of satisfaction rather than wait for the bucket brimming with gratification--delayed, as seen by our eager timetable.

 

Those of us who follow the God of the Bible must do a lot of waiting.  As Cornelius Plantinga so eloquently points out this world is Not The Way It is Supposed To Be.  Paul tells us that all creation "waits eagerly."  There is a "futility," a "slavery" and a "corruption" that afflicts our world, and we in it.  Solomon saw it and for much of his life refused to wait.  He shoveled countless teaspoons of satisfaction, so called, into the gaping maw of his desire, only to find that it didn't work.  

The conclusion of Solomon the philosopher, Paul the Theologian, and John, who reveled in the wonder of God's love, is all the same.  

WAIT!  

Only the Lord can set right the imbalance, reveal the unknown, and, without limit,  provide that for which we were created.  See, Romans 8, Ecclesiastes 1, 2, &12:13, and 1 John 2:28-3:3.

It's STTA.

Proclaim the Truth:

Last Sunday the focus of our entire service was Communion, the Lord's Supper.  1 Corinthians 11 says that the Communion service is a "proclamation" (v. 26).  The Greek word means to "to proclaim, promulgate:- declare, preach, show, speak of, teach."  It should be no surprise that the word is very common in the Book of Acts, the Bible's record of the early spread of the Gospel and the establishment of the church.

In Acts 4:2 the Apostles proclamation "in Jesus the resurrection from the dead," was disturbing to the Lord's enemies.

It was on the basis of Christ's resurrection that Paul and his companions proclaimed the forgiveness of sins (13:37-38).

Looking back on a portion of ministry Paul said they had "proclaimed the word of the Lord."

Even the forces of evil realized that these early missionaries were "proclaiming . . . the way of salvation" (16:17).

It was a clear word that left no doubt,  "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." (17:3)  So clear that it brought opposition from the Lord's enemies (17:13).

It was a proclamation that people needed to hear even if they didn't know they did.  It is a proclamation that is true, and has the authority of the God of the universe behind it (17:23).

It is a proclamation of the Gospel--the good news that Jesus died, and came forth from the grave and that He did that for us (26:23).

Last Sunday, and in the days since, I have found myself wondering how my, how my church's, proclamation measures up to that "turn-the-world-upside-down" (17:6) word proclaimed by these folk in the Book of Acts.  My answer is not encouraging.  I am challenged, and I challenge my brothers and sisters in Christ:

Let's do some proclaiming!

It's STTA.

 You can listen to last Sunday's message about Communion here.

Keeping My Feet On The Ground:

I look forward to heaven, but my address is still 2106 S. Carpenter Drive.  As I pointed out yesterday, I need to leave final relocation plans to the Lord.

As I think about those I have known,  personally, and through scripture, I can think of no one more heavenly minded than the Apostle Paul.  I also know of no one who kept his well-worn sandals more firmly on Terra-firma than the Apostle from Tarsus.  In fact, by keeping his eye on eternity he found motivation to keep going down here.

 

 After  stating "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ," Paul goes on to say, "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men."

 

While interpreters disagree as to just what the "upward" or "high" call of Christ is in Philippians 3:14, it is clear that it is "heavenward" (NIV).  This motivated Paul to "Press on . . ."

 

He labored with the realization that there was something to be lost.  He did not want to be disqualified from the race he was running.  Rather he looked forward to receiving the prize.  ". . . woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"  

   "Run in such a way that you may win [the prize]."   He says no sacrifice is too great.  Comparing the race he was running to that of the athletes at the Isthmian Games, the Apostle said "They . . . do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  On that basis he found no effort in fulfilling his ministry too great.  I think he would have liked the song, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus."  (You can read about Paul's heaven-earth reasoning in 1 Corinthians 9.)

Indeed, it seems that all of Paul's life was tied up in heavenly investments.  He clearly lived out the Lord's admonition to "lay up treasures in heaven."  Concerning the Christians at Thessalonica, people in whom he had invested his life, he said, "[You are my] hope or joy or crown of exultation. . . . For you are our glory and joy."  (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

The Apostle's focus on heaven was not a distraction.  It kept his focus clear.rd,

It's STTA.

Looking forward to Heaven:

I look forward to heaven.

And it's not just because my knees ache.  

Over the past few days I had the privilege of visiting with old friends and hearing from some others.  I miss them.  I received news of the birth of a great niece, named after my grandmother, and I am processing the ongoing process of my mothers gradual decline toward death--a process that long ago robbed her of all that makes her who she is.  

I'm acutely aware of the separation of miles, and more touched by the gaps that grow between people because of the friction of life here on this sin-cursed globe.  

An acquaintance just died one of those "senseless" deaths--as if death ever surrenders to good sense--and a friend, younger than me, who very much needs to stay with us--Lord, are you listening?--is battling a life threatening disease.  To top it off I just attended the funeral of a little guy who never got to come home from the hospital.

As my late pastor used say, these things "cause us to long for heaven."

I want to be in a place that is not controlled by the wicked one.

I long for a place where distance and stupidity do not come between friends.

I am looking forward to being in a realm where the only mention of death will be to observe that it is dead.

My knees won't ache, and in the same way some wonderfully sweet people I know, won't be hampered by thinking apparatus that doesn't work up to spec.  (I figure were all in that group to one degree or another.  I know I am.)

I desire the completion of what my Lord has begun.

I want to thank Him.

Yep, Heaven is looking good.

But, enough of that.  God is the conductor who punches the tickets.  Until then I need to be faithful.  The Apostle Paul, somebody on my list of people I want to meet, has some things to say about that in Philippians 1 & 2 Corinthians 5.

Lord, help to live here and now, with then and there on my mind.  Amen.

It's STTA.

HEAT & PRESSURE

Before I go on to today's STTA I want to acknowledge, thank, and encourage prayer for our armed forces and first responders.  We live in a world of evil.  Those who respond to its manifestations are doing a good work.  They are, as the Apostle Paul says, "ministers of God." On this anniversary of the attack on New York and Washington, and the third attack foiled in the skies over Pennsylvania, let's remember to give thanks and pray for those who serve us.

Yesterday I wrote about making a smooth place and making our hearts hospitable for the Lord.  

The activity around CBC changed today.  Asphalt was put down.  Where just a few days before there was uneven ground, now there is a smooth, nicely sloped blacktop drive.  

As the guys were getting ready to do the paving, one of them asked if we had a hose.  He needed to put water in the big roller that compacts the asphalt.  As the rather narrow portion of the steel drum that contacts the paving material exerts its pressure the extremely hot asphalt is made dense and strong.  Did I mention it is hot?  Standing several feet away you can feel the heat radiating off the newly paved drive.  

What does it take to make a road the kind of road that is a pleasure to drive on?

Heat and pressure.

Lord.  I pray that you will make me pliable and mold me into the servant you want me to be.

Amen.

It's STTA.

"Clack, Clack, Beep, Beep"

Isaiah proclaimed the coming of the Lord, and His forerunner, John the Baptist, with these words,

"A voice is calling, "Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. "Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."" (Isaiah 40:3-5, NASB95)

When the king comes the people of the region are wise to make sure he has a good ride as he comes into town.  His disposition-whether he will be inclined to do good for the community--might be affected by the condition of the road.  Though the King of Kings and Lord of Lords rides, if you will, above the earth's surface (Look at the description of His glorious chariot in the opening chapters of Ezekiel.) and His disposition is not fickle, still Isaiah drew on this image to encourage his countrymen to prepare their hearts.  The New Testament picks up this refrain in the early chapters of the Gospels, Matthew 3 for example.  Of course in our day these from Isaiah words have been made famous by Handel's Messiah.
As I type I am listening to a very unmusical sound.  The clack of the treads on an end-loader and a track hoe, and beeping of the reverse warnings.  They are cutting down the high places, filling in the low, and making the rough places smooth.  It's very non-oratorio-ish.  It does, however, communicate, Isaiah's thought.  I'm sitting here thinking, "Have I made my heart a hospitable place for my Lord?"
To change the image to an agricultural one, Jesus says in John 15, that He prunes His vines, to make them more fruitful.  To change the picture, yet again, Paul tells Timothy that if one is to be a "vessel for honor," there are certain things that must be cleansed away-"youthful lusts"-rather one must "pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace."  (2 Timothy 2:21-22)

Lord, may the "clack-clack-clack," and the "beep, beep, beep," that will make me more hospitable for You, echo in my heart.  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23-24, NASB95)

It's STTA.

Wide-Eyed Wonder:

I'm involved in a slow--because of who I am--intermittent--because of other responsibilities and interupptions--reading of Millard Erickson's Theology.  It's a good sized book over a thousand pages long.

When I opened the text this morning, my marker was on a major division page.  The section it introduces is about one-hundred-fifteen pages long. 

 

"PART FOUR

What God Does"

I opened the book right after reading a Facebook posting.  A sharp, perceptive, preschooler asked his mom, "Why doesn't God make "broken germs"?"

For those of you aren't as perceptive as this young man, broken germs wouldn't be able to do what germs do, which is make people sick.  I'm fairly sure that after working on it for forty years I still can't give this budding theodicy-seeker an answer that he would find satisfying.  So, I was already in a humbled state when I opened the book of the learned Doctor and saw the headline, "What God Does."

I immediately thought:  I could have saved a lot of paper and ink.  Dr. Erickson, in your revised edition I propose that Part Four consist of this:

Whatever He Wants!*

 

 (I realize, of course, that that might require a couple hundred pages of footnotes.)

Lord, may I never get over the wide-eyed wonder that You are greater than I can know.  Thanks for the reminder that mental boxes are as inadequate for containing You, as are cardboard cartons.

Help me to continue to learn more about you, and to gain a greater grasp of the truth of Romans 8.

And, Lord, I look forward to a day when all germs will be broken.  Come quickly, Lord.

Amen 

(I Suffer from hangups.  I didn't feel right putting a link in a prayer, so here it is:  Romans 8.)

It's STTA.

On our website, covingtonbblechurch.com, put your cursor over the "Devotional and Study Aids" tab and select "Thirty Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God."  Follow the link.

   

There is lots of information about the one Who died so that we could have life at our webpage, covingtonbiblechurch.com.  Click on "Life's most important question."

  

 (* I realize, of course, that that might require a couple hundred pages of footnotes.)

Those of us who have raised kids, especially if we made it through the teen years with them, have heard the words,"That's not fair!" about a million times.  Indeed, the youngsters are right.  Life is seldom fair.  Many of Solomon's observations in the book of Ecclesiastes could be filed under that heading.

 

Generally, when one lets loose with the plaintive three-word cry about life's inequity it isn't because we get more than we deserve.  Yet, truth be told, in my case, at least, the table often tilts that way.  If I get more than I deserve I just enjoy it, in fact I may come to expect it.  If I get less than I think I deserve, I lodge a protest to the nearest ear--or maybe to no one at all.

 

That's not fair!

Fairness, however, is the last thing I need.  Run fairness through this grid.

"All have sinned."  (Romans 3:23)

"The wages of sin is death."  (Romans 6:23)

Clearly, I won't make it through.  I need much more than fairness.  I need grace--of the amazing variety.

 

I invite you to join usSunday morning at 8:30 or 10:55 at CBC, as we look at one of Jesus' upside-down stories.

If you want to look on your own you can read it here.

It's STTA.