Miss Marcia

Miss Marcia. Role model. Teacher. Musician. Singer of Happy Birthday using the highest notes imaginable. She took over a show originally called "Romper Room" in 1962 and a year later the show was renamed "Funtime". Every kid back then knew that at 9:00 am, Miss Marcia was on the television, channel 9, (one of three channels we could get with our rabbit ears antenna). You could look forward to possibly hearing her call out your name during the famous Happy Birthday segment, but she also introduced generations of kids to music, how to tie your shoes, and how to tell time. Clocks were a mystery to me until I figured out that when the big hand was on the 12, and the little hand was on the 9, that was 9 o’clock: Funtime!

I was actually on her show twice, once when my piano teacher volunteered me to play a song for her, (I think I was eight or nine) playing the same piano she used each week to play Happy Birthday! It was too cool! The second time I was part of a group of young piano players promoting an upcoming Pianorama event at Memorial Auditorium. Both times I remember the hot, very bright lights, but also how small the actual studio was, (and how cold!) and how the big cameras on wheels would easily roll to their next assignment, guided by men who had to be the luckiest people on the planet to be that close to Miss Marcia every single day! 

When God Changed His Name

Okay, correction forthcoming, God didn't really head to the local courthouse and fill out paperwork to change His name, but He did add a name to the list of names used in the Bible to describe Himself. If you would like to discover what prompted Him to add a different name for Himself, today's blog is for you. 

Genesis - Chapter 1 - The creation chapter. The Hebrew word for God in the first chapter of Genesis is "Elohim". This word describes the majestic, universal title for God as Creator and Ruler. But you might also notice that this word is not personal, it's more of a 30,000 foot view of the Creator and his processes. It's like the difference between a speaker describing himself to a group versus his interaction when conversing with a small group of individuals. 

Moving on . . . 

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Genesis | Chapter 1

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day . . .

Billy Joel - The Ballad of Billy the Kid

 

"God Is With Us Always"

 

God's Goodness In 25 Verses

1. "The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” - Psalm‬ ‭145:17-18‬ 

2. "The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in spirit" ‭‭- Psalm 34:18‬ ‭

3. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield.” - Psalms‬ ‭91:4‬ ‭

4. "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him." - Lamentations 3:25 

5. "Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him!" ‭‭- Hebrews 11:6‬ ‭

6. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10 

Does God Truly Care?

Would it bring you comfort to know that for thousands of years man has asked the following question, “If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13)

Gideon asked the question thousands of years ago, and we’ve been asking it ever since. 

Looking at his circumstances, Gideon saw no evidence that God cared. And if we are not careful, we can also fall into that same mindset. In the circumstances facing Gideon, the children of Israel had been warned that their worship of pagan gods would result in judgement, and that was the primary reason God was allowing His people to be disciplined. 

But that is not the only reason that God will allow us to walk through seasons of trials and pain. Jesus, He who was without sin, also suffered many trials and pain beyond our imaginations. And He told His disciples, "If they hate me they will also hate you." So sometimes suffering can be the result of persecution for our faith in God. 

But there is another type of suffering that honestly might be tougher to understand then the examples above, and that is where people, through no fault of their own, are allowed by God to undergo trials and tribulations. And that is where we have to trust in the character and love of God and take refugee in the fact that He is with us, through all circumstances in our lives, and there are mysteries in God's sovereign rulership that escapes our finite capabilities to understand. Yet, even in those situations, God gives us a clue in John 9: “that the works of God might be displayed”.

The Jackson Five

I came upon this clip on YouTube and it reminded me that the first time I heard of this group was their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Looking back its pretty amazing how many legendary artists made their USA TV debut on that show. 

I mean, check this out, here are just a few of the artists that made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show: Elvis, The Beatles, The Jackson Five, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Supremes, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Dusty Springfield, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, The Mamas and the Papas, The Lovin' Spoonful, Herman's Hermits, Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand and many more! All of this broadcast on a variety show that aired on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971 from 8:00 to 9:00 pm. 

My Flesh and My Heart May Fail . . .

"Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment . . .

The Tartan Army Takes America (by Peggy Noonan)

This last in a series on July Fourth themes is about a small sweetness that was gratefully received. As we near our 250th birthday, let us never forget the gift of the Scottish national soccer team and its followers, the famous Tartan Army—the pleasure and delight they gave as they marched through America, drank our cities dry, sang their songs and said: We love you. They brought something out in us; they moved us and helped reveal something we’d stopped noticing. They allowed us to see our battered old country whole, and through fresh eyes.

No one knows exactly how many global visitors have come and are coming to the U.S. for the World Cup. Oxford Economics predicted a surge of 1.2 million international tourists for the games, peaking in June. The U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg said as many as 10 million would come to the 11 host cities.

However many there are, we are hearing from the young ones as they fan through the country to venues down South, out West, in Texas and Utah. They are seeing an America they never imagined and have made now-famous videos about how shocked they are—in the most positive sense. They expected a dark and brooding nation; they discovered a sun-filled magnificence. It’s so big, so spacious, has such wondrous shops, the best food and absolutely wonderful people. The videos have flooded TikTok, Instagram and X, and they speak with the wonder of 18th-century explorers who discovered an unknown indigenous people on a brilliant new continent.

His Love Endures Forever

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

To him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever.

Who by his understanding made the heavens,

His love endures forever.

Lament

Lament is a crying out to God that something is not right and needs to be righted. In its very action, lament is a step of faith. It is saying, “God, you are present. God, you are real. God, you are the only one that can fix this. God, I know you want to hear me.” Lament is therefore an act of hope in crisis.

Lament is all over the Bible. All our prophets lamented. Many of them had no one else to go to but God Himself. About 40 percent of the Psalms are straight-up lament, and if we count the Psalms that have laments sandwiched within them, we go up to 70 percent. That’s a lot of lament!

Those who have no hope do not go to God. They think God, (if they even believe in Him) does not hear them, or worse, does not care. I am reminded of a Dave Matthews song, Grey Street, where the character in that story prays, even though they fear God, if He is even there, is not listening. The belief that God does not care about you and your struggles, can plunge one deep into darkness and the absence of light grows more pronounced with each passing day. That is the foundation of despair and hopelessness, to believe there is no one to turn to, no one bigger then ourselves that could rescue and comfort us in our trial. The pain of that unbelief can be unbearable!

I cannot imagine living in that type of belief for an extended period of time. But there is good news, available to all who acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Savior and King. There is comfort, grace, kindness, hope, protection, provision, and so much more that Jesus longs to give us as we walk in the growing darkness of this world. 

But why do you think lament is important for Christians to do?

American Historical Sites I've Visited (Part I)

In 1977, one year after the Bicentennial Celebration, our high school band and choir visited the Washington D.C. and Philadelphia area. It was a fascinating trip for a young person to experience and four of the five sites I'm going to reference in this blog series were part of that trip. I'm forever grateful for the sacrifices and foresight of our teachers to allow us to visit this part of the country.  

Okay, the first site I'm going to list is the Liberty Bell Center, home of the Liberty Bell. I recall the line to view the bell was quite long, and as we were visiting in March, the weather was cool but easily tolerable. At that time you could actually touch the bell which I remember doing as I exited the viewing line. However, to my shame, my most vivid memory is my buddy Jon trying to figure out a way to stick his chewing gum inside the bell. I am happy to report he was not successful in this attempt. Anyway, after an attack on the bell in 2001, the bell was moved out of reach of visitors and a no touching ban was instituted going forward.

Obedience | The Hard Facts

Am I the only one that does this?

For the past few weeks, I felt like God was wanting me to explore the book of Jeremiah, in particular, chapters 35 through 45. Jeremiah was one of the Old Testament prophets who by all accounts, did not live a life of comfort. (He also wrote the book of Lamentations, which is a great read on a stormy, lonely, Saturday evening . . . ) He was constantly instructed by God to inform the people of Israel what God thought of their decisions and news flash, it was rarely positive. And here is a even greater shock, the people never listened!

The chapters that I have been reading chronicle the disobedience that at times seem comical. When God tells them to stay where they are, they leave. When He instructs them to leave, they stay. When He reminds them that He alone is their protector and provider, they nod and continue to look for any other resource to protect and provide for themselves and their families. 

I mean, you talk about a nation of clod heads! (And I'm being sarcastic because unfortunately my behavior eerily mirrors the nation of Israel way too many times.)

Here are a few examples of the people of Israel's views of God, as described in these ten chapters:

Psalm 121

 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore."

Psalm 121

Grief

Grief.

Five letters that make up a word that can only whisper of the transformative impact of loss. Loss of a friend, loss of a parent, but perhaps one of the most painful losses of all, the loss of a mate, whom God Himself has prepared for you and whose loss is, to quote C.S. Lewis, "The crushing blow, the loss, which is Satan's corruption of that great gift of loving and being loved." 

I believe in the following truth, that God ordains all our steps, and nothing escapes his attention or providence. Which, of course, means that what God brought together, He, as the Creator and Sustainer of all that is in the universe, is the only One that can allow that dissolution. That divide, can come about due to death, or perhaps worst of all, the culmination of a thousand silent (and not so silent) cuts by all involved. 

Bobby Cox's Three Rules

Interview Notes: John Smoltz is a former major-league pitcher who is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played for manager Bobby Cox for almost 20 years with the Atlanta Braves. Cox is fourth all-time with 2,497 wins and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Cox, 84, died on Saturday.

"There’s no player in the history of the game who was impacted more by Bobby Cox than me.

He was the general manager of the Atlanta Braves who traded for me in 1987, and then he became my manager for almost 20 years with the Braves.

In the 1991 season, I was 2-11 and headed nowhere. The cries for sending me down to the minors or moving me to the bullpen were getting louder and louder. Bobby just didn’t pay attention to it. He kept staying with me — he just knew that I would turn it around.

He gave players confidence when they had zero. He just had this quality about him that said to you: I believe in you. You’re going to get this done.

I did and the rest is history.

The Wages Of Sin Is Death

"Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.”

Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you, my son!”

When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.”

So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house.

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest. In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit." - Judges 17: 1-6

[Beginning with the deceit of a child stealing from his mother, we will see the impact of one man's sin on an entire nation . . . 

The Foundation Of Moral Law

"If there is no God, all is permitted" is a famous philosophical, often-quoted phrase linked to Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, The Brothers Karamazov. 

Sounds simple doesn't it? For if there is no divine law-giver, than each of us is free to discern our own moral conduct. And if there is one thing I know to be true, the human heart is unparalleled when it comes to the ability to rationalize our own behavior. 

The Russian novelist Dostoevsky in “The Brothers Karamazov” was deeply right when having another character comment on the skeptical Ivan Karamazov's intellectual position: "Crime must be considered not only as admissible but even as the logical and inevitable consequence of an atheist's position." Elsewhere, Dostoevsky has another character say: "Then, if there is no God, man becomes master of the earth and of the universe. That's great. But then, how can a man be virtuous without God? That's the snag, and I always come back to it. For whom will man love then? Whom will he be grateful to? . . . We, for instance, may think that virtue is one thing while the Chinese may believe it's something quite different. Isn't virtue something relative then?" The bloody history of the religiously skeptical yet politically fanatical 20th century shows this snag indeed caught atheists and agnostics: Wasn’t the Europe of the Nazis and Communists even morally darker than that of Medieval Catholicism at its collective worst?

The True Nature Of Man (According To GOD)

"The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually." - Genesis 6:5 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

1 Timothy 4:10 (by Matt Slick)

"Much is made out of 1 Tim. 4:10 by the Universalist to solidify his claim that Jesus will redeem all people whether or not they accept or reject Christ as Savior here on earth. Eventually, they say, all people will repent (either here or in the afterlife) and come to a saving relationship with God. 1 Timothy 4:10 is used as proof of this truth . . .  

Unfortunately, the verse does not prove what the Universalists hope it does. Can God be called the Savior of all men and yet not redeem all? Yes. Let’s take a look.

“For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers,” (NASB).

“(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe,” (NIV).

“For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe,” (KJV).

All people are, by nature, born under wrath (Eph. 2:3) and should go to hell.  Why? Because God is holy and we are sinners. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:28) Yet, we have hope in Christ. The Christian is saved by faith (Eph. 2:8) and will join the Lord in heaven.  But, the unbeliever is under judgment. 

Freedom!

"A soul alive, is one quickened by Christ. True spiritual life depends entirely on daily grace, as the same power that initially gives life is required to sustain it." - C.H. Spurgeon

What are you thinking about and why does it matter? Throughout the Bible, we see verse after verse reminding us of the importance of our thoughts and why we need to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds. But we also need to be aware of our true condition before we can appreciate the freedom that God desires and equips us to have in Christ!

"The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." - Genesis 6:5

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." - Romans 3:11-12

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." - Proverbs 14:12

So if we incapable of doing good in God's eyes, what chance do we have of pleasing God? Fortunately God does not leave us without redemption, Praise God! Read on for the Good News!

Oh, The Places I've Seen (Part I)

 

Chuck Swindoll "Five Statements To Remember"

When God rescued me from myself in my late twenties, He had a lot of work to do in my heart and soul. My worldview needed to be replaced with biblical truth and God used a few different Pastors on the radio to help get me started in this journey. I was working as a Vice-President for Southern Food out of Nashville, but that title was just a fancy re-dressing of the more accurate description of supervisor. I was in charge of seven Wendy's restaurants, with locations as far south as Rome, GA and as far north as Cleveland, TN. and as you can imagine, I spent a lot of time in my car. NOTE: This was right at the cusp of mobile phones becoming an essential tool and though my company had purchased a bag phone (look that up kids) for my purposes, it was rarely utilized.

During my travels, the local radio stations were my entertainment of choice. I've always enjoyed talk radio and during my commute I found a couple of stations that had programs from preachers such as, Tony Evans, Charles Stanley, Steve Brown, Chuck Colson, and my favorite, Chuck Swindoll. I look back with great fondness of driving those distances accompanied by some of my favorite teachers, pointing me to the truth about Jesus Christ and the life He desired me to live. Driving through the hills of Northern Georgia, the sun fighting to stay relevant on the horizon, with the promise of clarity that only the night is so quick to impart, were special times indeed. 

Harry Chapin

 

Harry Chapin was a generationally talented songwriter, and an even more gifted performer. His life was cut short before he turned 40, but the songs he wrote continue to outlive his short career. And looking back so many of his songs dealt with the brevity of life, and the choices between dreams and family, (or passion versus responsibility - whichever way you choose to look at it . . .) 

The song above, W.O.L.D., as well as his classic, "Cats In The Cradle, are probably two of his most popular songs but his most haunting hit, in my opinion, is "Mr. Tanner". He was in heavy rotation in my late 70's playlists, which probably seems like a weird choice for a teenager. But there was something about his voice, that built a bridge, imparting hard-earned wisdom, tinged with pain, that demanded my attention. And his stories turned into lessons with the passage of time and the accumulation of my own experiences, and that is why I struggle to find the words to express my gratitude for his art.

Whatever your favorite Chapin song, I'll bet we'd agree that his talent was immense and burned brightly for too short a time.  

The Power Of Humility

A few weeks ago, I published a post about what we can do to please God. In our lives, our choices, our loyalties, our purchases, our work, our hobbies, our friends, in all things we are to endeavor to please God. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord . . .  it is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24)

Like most things in our culture, this attitude runs contrary to what we are told by the world. The framework for what most of the world is telling us is that you must love yourself, placing your needs and goals before all others. And yet, this is counter to what the Bible teaches. Jesus instructs us to, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

But let's be honest, what is your first reaction when reading these words of Jesus? 

My reaction is that sounds good, but it is next-to-impossible to realistically put into daily practice. I mean, there are too many things I need to do each day just to take care of myself, how am I also supposed to love others with that same passion and priority? 

I can't.

"Losing the Humanity of Umpiring" by Joe Posnanski

I would like to take this moment to bring to you an article of great passion, written by an author who I magnanimously admire, on a subject beyond realistic dispute, except, for the person in authority who got it wrong . . . 

Losing the Humanity of Umpiring

There’s a very famous strike zone story that has been connected with Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, and others. I’m not sure the story ever happened, but if it did happen, it probably involved Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem and Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby.

It goes a little something like this: A young pitcher, maybe even pitching in his first game, throws what he thinks is a good pitch to Hornsby. The Rajah doesn’t swing, and it’s called a ball. He throws another pitch he likes, Hornsby takes it, and the pitch is called a ball again.

He starts screaming at Klem, who looks at him with a fatherly gaze.

“Son,” Klem says, “when you pitch a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know it.”

I couldn’t help but think about that story again on Sunday during the United States’ unsatisfying 2-1 victory over the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Juan Soto led off against Garrett Whitlock. Here’s what the at-bat looked like:

Yes, home plate umpire Corey Blaser rang up Soto on a pitch that wasn’t even close to a strike, and while this wasn’t what made the game unsatisfying — as most of you know, a worse call was yet to come — it really struck me wrong. I couldn’t even believe how much that call ticked me off.

John Ortberg "It All Goes Back In The Box"

 

Seven Promises Of God

We can stand on the Word of God, because it’s the only thing that does not change, and it’s not subject to our moods.

There are thousands of promises in the Bible. This is just a small place to start. I encourage you to write these down, especially the ones that you need to stand on, and memorize these eternal promises that echo through time. Remember, these promises are from the lips of Almighty God!

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." (Psalm 34:7)

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” (Psalm 91: 14-15)

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) 

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

Pleasing God

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

"So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:8)

"To do righteousness and justice, is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." (Proverbs 21:3)

"And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:7-8)

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13:16)

The Last Days

Our world is in bad shape, and there are days, if I'm honest, where I struggle to grasp the hope that Jesus promises.

In my better moments I know that I'm surrounded by God’s blessing, yet I also struggle daily with anxiety, fear, resentment, and discouragement. The chaos of the world can easily seep into my heart. Fear can erode my faith if I allow it to camp out in my heart.

Is that also true for you? 

I need God! I need Christ and His teachings. I need the Holy Spirit and His indwelling. And I need the Scripture and its prophecies about the future.

Let's focus on what we know is true. Our Lord knows everything that has ever happened and that will ever happen. He knows it totally, in advance, and in detail; He understands the future into infinity. He already knows everything that will befall you and me during our lifetimes, and He offers powerful promises in His Word to reassure us of His presence and protection, and of His ordering of our days.

The future of the entire world is in His hands as well. Every sentence in the scriptures listed below is addressed to you, if you’re a child of God through Jesus Christ. They are for your information, anticipation, and motivation. And most importantly, they are promises straight from the heart of God. 

So let's dive into the truth of God's Word together.

Jesus, Our Only Mediator

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people." (1 Timothy 2: 5-6)

With all respect to my Catholic brothers and sisters, this has always been a stumbling block to understanding the Catholic doctrine of praying to the saints to intercede for us. I'm not debating the theology that those who have already died on earth are alive, with God, in heaven. "For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (2 Corinthians 5:7-9) 

So help me understand the belief that praying to Mary, or any of the saints who have gone before us, would yield more power in heaven than praying to the Son of God, who gave everything for us? He knows all, He loves all, He earned the right to be our Savior on the Cross, He laid down all of His rights and power to humble Himself in the body of a man, and He experienced all the trials and tribulations that we will ever encounter.

So what benefit is there, other than tradition, to praying to anyone else? 

Revelation 9 - The Final Three Trumpets

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 

And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

Revelation 8 - The First Four Trumpets

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

10 Promises Of God

1. God will be present with you (Isaiah 43:1-2) – God does not promise His people that they won’t go through trouble. But He does promise that He will be with you through all your challenges, pain, tribulation, isolation, grief, and loneliness. He will never leave you!
2. God will provide for your needs (Matthew 6:25-33) – Jesus assured us that the Father knows our every need and will meet it. Sometimes His provision may not be what we expected, but we can always trust in our divine Provider. But this subject cries out for context, for this is not our home, and all of our dreams, promises, and longings will never be met here, but will be fulfilled forever in the age to come. 
3. God loves you (Romans 8:39) – No matter the quality of your other relationships, as a child of God, we can always depend on our heavenly Father’s love for us. His love does not waver, it cannot be swayed, it cannot be earned or lost, He is always for us!
4. God will ease your fears (Psalm 34:1-7) – God is greater than anything that can hurt or harm us. He can deliver us from trouble and whatever He does allow into our lives He will deliver through it, even if it’s all the way to glory. We have no need to fear what today or tomorrow holds because God is with us.

The Longest Conversation

I mistyped the title three times, each time substituting the word "Day" for "Conversation". Chalk one up to the power of movies. For today I want to discuss a conversation that Jesus Christ had with a woman, at a well, in Samaria, which ended up being the longest recorded conversation between Jesus and another person. 

Let's check it out together . . . 

When we join this story, Jesus has decided to leave Judea, because of the rumors that He was baptizing more people than John the Baptist. (So we see that pettiness ruled the ancient religious culture as well) Scripture tells us that despite the fact that the rumor was not true, (His disciples were the ones actually doing the baptisms), Jesus felt that it was time to leave. He starts back toward Galilee, which requires Him to travel through Samaria. 

Dave And Me

I worked for a company in Nashville, Southern Foods Inc, for over ten years during the mid-eighties and nineties, and among the company's holdings were fifty-two Wendy's restaurants. I ended up supervising eight of those Wendy's from Chattanooga, TN down to Rome, Ga. Our company headquarters, as I mentioned, were located in the Vanderbilt Plaza in downtown Nashville, where we were beckoned to give an account of our stores on a regular basis. 

On one of our regular visits, (as supervisors we were called to account for our stores P&L statements as well as discuss our sales figures), we were walking from the parking lot toward the front entrance and who did we see exiting the entrance but Dave Thomas! We excitedly introduced ourselves and his first, and only question now that I recollect that conversation was, "How are sales?". Dave knew that volume could whitewash a lot of mistakes but the opposite was also true. His attention to detail was notorious, and his focus on customer service, quality of food, and the results of those priorities was memorable. I thought my readers, however few . . . , might appreciate a peek behind the curtain of Wendy's lore. 

1968 - A Year To Forget

By all accounts, 1968 was a year most people would rather not remember. I was eight years old and it seemed like the world was exploding in front of my very eyes. Many of you reading this blog were not even born and have only read about it in history books or historical videos. Regardless, let’s remember for just a minute about the year that everyone wanted to forget:

January 1968. The war in Vietnam is raging and the Tet Offensive kicks off on all fronts across Vietnam. This month-long attack by Communist forces brings a new level of violence and bloodshed to the American military in Vietnam—and to American television screens from coast to coast here in the States. Up to that time, no war has ever been televised. But now, but now Americans everywhere see the bloodshed and carnage every night . . . and it has an effect on our Nation. In fact, in February 1968 after the Tet Offensive, CBS newsman Walter Cronkite declares that the war in Vietnam is unwinnable. And yet, the war rages on for seven more years. By the way, over the course of 1968, an average of 50 American servicemembers  

February 1968. The movie “Planet of the Apes” is released. Like a number of movies during that era, this blockbuster is based on the premise that humanity has destroyed itself through nuclear war. Indeed, the very-real specter of nuclear annihilation hangs over the Baby Boom generation like few other things do.

March 1968. American troops commit what becomes known as the “My Lai Massacre,” the worst slaughter of unarmed civilians on the battlefield in American history. A company of American Soldiers brutally kill and mutilate over 500 men, women, and children in the village of My Lai. The American public is outraged, and the anti-war protests swell in numbers.