...too small a thing...

When The Lord Shows UP

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is the account of the men walking on the road to Emmaus found in Luke Chapter 24. Download The Walk to Emmaus

Basically this is the scene. Two men unnamed, left Jerusalem on the day that Jesus had risen from the dead. On this first Easter they were walking and talking about the events that had happened surrounding Jesus from Nazareth. They were joined by a third man walking. He listens as they describe what has taken  place, and then reminds them of all of the Hebrew writings that foretold all of the things that had happened in detail. When it is late Jesus seems to be going on, but the two men convince him to stay. They are eating when suddenly the two recognize the fact they have been with Jesus all along. They are amazed and quickly return to Jerusalem to confer with the disciple about seeing Jesus. 

This first account of two men seeing the risen Savior is repeated so, so, often. We as Christian people move about in the world. We are talking and meeting people all the time. When we are bold enough to talk about our Savior, and what we know to be the the reality of the Gospel, so often we suddenly realize that the Lord is right there with us. I do not mean the person you are physically talking with is Jesus, but the fact that Jesus is with us and never leaves us. I am talking about the fact that we do not seem to realize that he is with us. He told us that he would always be with us. The very last words of the Gospel of Matthew say: "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

It is not really so much about the Lord showing up as it is us opening our eyes. This time of year leading up to Easter is one of the best times for you talk about your faith to others. Your plans to worship. Your moment you came to faith. Your love for the Savior can all easily just be a natural part of your conversation with others in the coming weeks. When you do you will be aware that Jesus is with you.

If the Lord has shown up in your life... guess what, He has never left you. 

Moving YOU ON

I love to teach the Bible. Every time I teach, I am looking to see what does this mean to me NOW. The Bible does call us to serve and so we should walk away from Bible teaching better, stronger, and realizing that we are blessed of God to serve Him. This Sunday in the Public Safety Class at Burnt Hickory I will be teaching a lesson from James 2:1-13. The lesson title for this week is Toward Mercy and Impartiality. Is this something you are doing? Are you moving toward this elusive thing we call mercy. This is something the Lord has surely had towards me, but do i show it to others? And Impartiality? How quick do I size someone up by the way they look? By their age? By the way they dress? By the first statement they make to me? We tend to judge others so quickly. James Speaks to this. So I will try to teach this thought. 

Christians speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom.

I want to give you an open invitation to join us this Sunday at 9:30 am at BHBC in room 287. 

If you are wondering why Calvin and Hobbs are on this short invitation I have been know to use these two to make a point. Come Join us.

   

Today's Task

I do not know if you are exactly like me, but you most of us rise up every morning and think, What are my task today? What will I do today? So often we have planned this the day before or maybe even weeks or months before. We call these appointments and reservations. These events we plan in the future. Some days though rare we may arise and think - I have no appointments reservations or plans today. Then we quickly begin to think I can relax or maybe I can get that thing done that really needs to be done that I just have not had time to do. But the point is we usually think each morning about the task ot today. 

I always start my morning the same. Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, is read and maybe reread to think about the Lord and my devotion to Him. Then my through the through the year bible is read for the portion of Scripture for today. If somehow this is missed for me then it set the day off right. Then I try to pray. Praying is a hard discipline.  To stay on track praying about the things that matter is always difficult. You see I start off good but then within seconds of my focus on the Lord, i begin to think of the things I want to do and today's task. So too often I see the world and and diverted from my prayer. Social media, Television and email pull at me. Plans for the day and preparation for task are seemingly more important than focus on God. Prayer and time with God is always difficult to just worship and focus on God. 

This can be difficult for sure and then frustration can come and we begin to think, what is the use? Why trouble myself to attempt to pray? Why? Is God really listening? Does He care? Will my prayers be heard and something change? People in Malachi's day thought the same thing. They thought, What is the use of serving God? Does it Matter? Here is what the prophet wrote: 

13 “You have said terrible things about me,” says the LORD.

“But you say, ‘What do you mean? What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 15 From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”

The LORD’s Promise of Mercy

16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

17“They will be my people,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.18 Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”  Malachi 3:13-18 NLT

You may be a bit like these and be forgetful of the fact that Jesus Christ died for your sin and you are a child of God. We get to looking at the world and all that has to be done. Or at least what WE think needs to be done for us. We take a minute or two for God and and then focus on us. REALIZE the truth of this passage from Malachi. All is being recorded or written down. Every day has task. Your number one task always is to honor the Lord. Putting Him first is the task for today. 

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

 

 

2 - Things - Check it OUT!

This morning I am putting up a couple of things on the web for you. if you are a police officer or work in public saftey this is for you. And even if you are not, I ask you to pray about these things and maybe even check them out. 

First is a web site to introduce the Marriage Enrichment Event for Public Safety Planned for May 12 at NorthStar Church. 

WWW.COBBCHAPLAINS.COM

Take a minute to think about this and pray for this event and carefully consider the difficulty that faces the men and women who serve us in public safety. Then if you are in public safety sign up to be a part of this event. If you are not public safety pray for, and tell someone who is to consider this time of enrichment. 

The second thing is this weeks audio devotional from the series called MORE 39.  In the radio traffic of the police world "39" means information. More information is what MORE 39 is all about. In the current series we are talking about "Rancid Report." Every officer writes plenty of them everyday. Some of them have horrible or "rancid" details. I am featuring different types of reports with some thoughts about them for officers. Check it out at the website for Mission Team Inc. 

 

WWW.MISSIONTEAMINC.COM

 

Thanks for taking a minute to read this blog. And thank you to all of you who support this ministry with your prayers and financial support.

A Second Wind for Dreams

In the fall of 1951 a young country girl from Ellijay GA, came to the big city of Atlanta with great hope and dreams of being a Registered Nurse. She entered the Crawford Long School of Nursing and began her studies. A dream in the making but it was not to be until 67 years later. You see in that day you could not be married and be in nursing school. And into the life of the young nursing school student came Howard C. Davis. A veteran of two wars. Young good looking and suddenly the world was upside down. Right after Christmas 1951 these two were head over heels in love and on Jan 3,1952 they took off. The Charge nurse told my mom she was going to call the police if That man did not leave, so he did. But my mom got in the car with him. My Grandmother fainted and had to be carried to the hospital when she found out that Sue and Pete had gone to see Wayne Davis and got Married. Sixty Seven years they spend together I guess it is going to work out OK. 

Now Daddy is with Jesus and several wonderful people at Elmcroft Assisted Living and at Kennesaw State University have honored my mother with an Honorary Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing, to fulfill a dream. This happened yesterday March 6, 2018. 

Judith Hold is the professor of a class of 4th year nursing students who are studying " Palliative Care" brought great joy into an eighty four year old nursing students life. They led us through the Florence Nightingale Pledge and then pinned my mother as an honorary RN. When they did mom spoke up to say, "But I only went one semester." We all knew this for sure but we also know that there was a dream.

Sue got a full tour of the Nursing School at KSU including the clinical lab. She made the class picture and got pinned. What a full afternoon that even included a trip to Chic-fil-a. Wow what a wonderful thing for a class at KSU and an assisted living home to do together.  

The photographs captured the moment that thrilled all of us and I know makes all of us in the Davis family proud.  Thank you Elmcroft Assisted living for loving my mother. Thank you Erica Lyons and Amir Woods for your kind and persevering spirit to make this happen. I am delighted for my mother who is now Nurse Davis. 

 

"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in

the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

 

A Simple Truth

No matter what we say or do, we cannot change this simple truth. We are saved by what we believe, not by what we do. The bible is very plain about how salvation comes from God. 

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good.  Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT

While we are taught this it seems we forget this simple truth way too often. We think we have to do stuff to please God. And then when we have done whatever is good, we will make a statement like this: "God owes me for this one." What a mockery of the death of Jesus is that kind of a statement. God owes us nothing. But He has given us everything.

The simple truth is such that even the simplest mind  can comprehend it. You see when you believe that Jesus Christ came to this world and died for your sin it will change you. There is no choice but to confess him because you do know the truth. 

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 10:9 NLT

How confused and defeated we can easily become it we for one minute think that we must do something to please God. And how lax we become if we forget for one minute what we believe. When you believe you will become what He calls you to be.