Storm Warnings

Matthew 8:23-27 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

I grew up in the bay area of the Gulf Coast. It wasn’t exactly a pretty place with pristine beaches but you just can’t knock living in such close proximity to fresh seafood! I could quite happily eat fish every day even at my present ripe old age. Watching a storm roll in across the water can be fascinating, beautiful and a little scary if you’re caught unaware ten miles out from shore.

I now live in the edge of the hill country on top of a hill. I still watch the storms move in here. The power can be intense, the lightning magnificent and the wind will not be ignored. To look out my window at this moment it is hard to tell how sever the weather was last night. The birds are singing, the breeze is blowing and the sun is gracing me with a clear picture of my beloved vista of distant hills painted in a rich hue of blue.

When we experience ‘storms’ in our lives it’s more like the ones that sneak in at night. They aren’t really sneaking, they’ve had time to build and grow in intensity. They are shrouded in darkness and we are occupied in the activities of day-to-day life inside the perceived safety of our homes, so they catch us off guard. These storms can bring catastrophic loss and suffering. The only forecast of this kind of storm and survival therein is found in God’s Word.

Regardless of the storms we face, either in the natural or storms brought on through sin, Jesus is always there. Notice in the verses above, He did not prevent the storm from happening in the first place. He knew the storm was on the way, He could have uttered a few words and it would never have been an issue, but He didn’t. Storms are going to come, count on it! Jesus used this opportunity to grow the disciples’ faith. This was not a painless lesson. They experienced fear and anxiety. Here they were with Jesus Himself and yet still quaked with fear and doubt. We are not exempt from getting soaking wet in the midst of a storm. Where we have advantage over the disciples is in knowing the ‘rest of the story’, to quote Paul Harvey. We KNOW we have a savior in Christ. We KNOW we have the only life raft we need when we are in the boat with Jesus. This comfort comes from knowing and believing and trusting our lives completely in the hands of Jesus.  

In the midst of my storm, Lord, my trust is in You!

Evidence Not Opinion

Ephesians 4:14-16  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

In a day of instant foods, high tech info and worldwide communication at our fingertips we are exposed to more diversity in culture, politics, ethics and faiths than any time before in history. As a lover of cultural foods, I enjoy the exposure to ethnic foods I can access without getting off my couch. That is an example of the good. We now have a heightened awareness of how easily we can offend an entire culture by something as simple as an ‘incorrect’ handshake, a lingering glance, or eye contact. Knowledge is power when it is used for good.

For today, let’s look at the culture of Christianity. Christians come in every color, nationality, economic level, political preference and are as diverse a group as you will find. Yet, we are all family members, siblings in God’s family when we call Jesus Christ ‘Lord’. Sadly, it is ‘family’ we most often take for granted. There are times we do not even show family the same courtesy we show strangers on the street. Yes, I am still speaking of the Christian family but this holds true to our earthly families as well.

Just as there as times in our earthly families we hold our tongues for the sake of keeping the peace, this happens in our Christian family, too. However, like in our earthly families, there are times when harsh and insensitive words are spoken about and/or to a Christian family member. Gossip is shared disguised as concern. Silence in the face of sin is deafening. You can “love someone to death” as you watch them flounder in sin without so much as throwing a life raft of God’s Word.

Proverbs 27:5-6 says: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Have you ever heard that "you can catch more flies with honey?" The intent of the statement is to say that we can win people over to our viewpoint by being sweet and kind, more than we can through anger, bluntness, or harshness. And yet, this concept can be misleading when it comes to using God's Word as God designed it to be used in the life of His people. Our method of working with people is not only to be in the manner that might be viewed as "sweet, kind, loving, gentle, and gracious, etc.;" but God's Word is also "useful for...rebuking." In other words, we are to show biblical evidence of the sin and say, essentially, "Stop doing that." This is why knowledge of God's word is vital. We are to show evidence, not merely voice an opinion. People typically don't care a hoot about our opinions.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Leading Of The Spirit." 

The Spirit of God causes every true-born son of God to burn with love to the rest of the family. He who is a stranger to Christian love is a stranger to divine grace. Brethren, we have our disputes, for we dwell where it must needs be that offenses come; but we would be slow to take offense and slower still to give it, for we are one in Christ Jesus, and our hearts are knit together by his Spirit. I take it that no honest man ought to hold his tongue concerning any of the errors of the day, it is a mean way of cultivating ease for yourself, and gaining, a popularity not worth the having; we must speak the truth whether we offend or please, but this is to be done in love and because of love.

Psalm 91

I speak often of my pups, my hounds, my babies…Nikos and Pan Dulce. They are my bundles of unconditional snuggling love wrapped up in little long-haired Chihuahuas. As I write this they are curled up next me so close I have to lift my right elbow up as I type so I don’t bonk them on their heads. The only thing keeping them off of me is the lap desk on which my laptop sits. They sleep with me, too, and Pan’s favorite spot is right under my arm. He often lays his head on my body as if right next to me wasn’t close enough.

This morning I first woke at 2:30. Ekk! I stayed in bed trying to go back to sleep in vain till 3:30. It was no use to try to sleep, my brain had shifted gears and no amount of coaxing made any difference. I turned on the lamp, pulled on something warmer, and found my house shoes. Still, not one wiggle from under the covers, so I called to the pups to wake them up. My bed is too high for them to jump down. They can but their thin little legs shouldn’t and I was afraid to leave them sleeping while I was in the other room. Out to potty they went and up on the couch right under my arm once back in. I am like a mother hen with her chicks. All is well in their world!  

Psalm 91 calls for us to take shelter in the Lord. It assures us that God will protect us from danger (Psalm 91:1-13). In verses 3 and 4, it features the metaphors of a mother bird and of metal armor as it details the fullness of His power and presence.

Commenting on these verses, a Bible teacher once wrote, “The mother bird safely tucks her young under her wings. There they are secure. There is a very tender touch here, stressing the warmth of God’s love and concern. Not only is there a tenderness in God’s care, there is also a toughness, as is seen in the imagery of the metal armor.” What a wonderful promise from the Lord! Nikos and Pan trust me to be their refuge but we have much more in God.

Psalm 91 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“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. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Another FOGgy Day

It is a foggy day at Hacienda Hill. I can’t see across the street much less my beloved view of the distant hills. I know I said I was going to start back with ‘Truth in the Morning’ on Monday but God sent the Holy Tap on my shoulder as I stood looking out the front door. His ways are higher than my ways and His plan was different than mine. So here we are…

When I woke this morning it was still dark out but the fog was evident as I stepped out the back to let the hounds scamper to the potty run. It looked eerie and intriguing to this writer and my mind took off on various story lines to fit the scene. I entertain easily, can you tell?

It is brighter now and the density of the fog is more obvious. I feel quite comfortable and safe in my home though shrouded in fog, yet I know there is a whole world out there which is not. Some of that world is beautiful and wondrous. Some of it is dark and dirty. I can hear the sounds of workers doing their job on the rail line in the valley across from me. From a hilltop advantage you hear many things. I can’t see them but I know they are there.

My life is going through a foggy time right now. I can’t see what is on the road ahead of me but I know the same God that sends the Holy Taps is looking at His big picture for my life and has His hand on me all the time. Just as with the sounds of the rail workers, I hear things out in my unseen future…questions of my own, questions from others…even whispers of doubt both human and not.

 
For my life I have chosen a new credo inspired by this morning’s Holy Tap. FOG…Faith Only, God. I will walk my life out; come what may, in faith only. Not my plans or schemes, neither my time table nor yours, but solely and completely in faith only. I profess this to God and you, here and now. I will not walk in darkness but I will relish the FOG.

I Am the True Vine

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

The reference scripture this morning is from the NIV Bible. It is plain spoken and to the point. It encouraged me to read the Book of Titus. It is a sound and basic outline for Christian living. The quoted verses above rather jumped off the page at me. In my mind’s eye I saw a bowl with the empty stem of a cluster of grapes in it. There were a few grapes left behind in the bottom of the bowl. Okay, this really tweaked my curiosity and I had to ask God to show me what that meant.  

John 15:1-8  (The Vine and the Branches) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

I get the connection about God, Jesus and man in the scripture from John 15…it was the reference verse from Titus and the few grapes left behind that confused me. I read the verses over and over, asking God to give me new insight and understanding. Finally, the light bulb went off over my thick head.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

The grapes are the fruit of living in grace and walking in salvation as we are told in John 15. Everyone loves the plump juicy fruit and readily accepts it. We need the mercy of grace and gobble it up. The grapes left behind in the bowl…is that the fruit that teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age?

Do we pick over the parts of grace and salvation that appeal to us and ignore the parts that aren’t convenient? Are we ‘situational’ or ‘seasonal’ fruit pickers? Are we willing ‘to say ‘NO’ to ungodliness and worldly passions’ when it suits us but leave them behind in the bottom of the bowl when it doesn’t? Let’s face it, sometimes it is just plain easier to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age than others. Isn’t it?

“…I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned…”

Not one word about having the latitude and option to pick over the fruit and take only that which appeals to you do I see in that scripture. Christians are not migrant farm workers moving from vineyard to vineyard. We are to remain in me and I in you if we are to bear much fruit. Nothing left in the bottom of the bowl…..