MORNING DEVOTIONS

                               "Drinking Violence"

The 26 chapter of Proverbs is what I call the chapter for fools. Numerous times Solomon warns his children against the consequences of associating with foolish people and the dangers of adopting their lifestyles. He says in verse 6, "He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence." I am afraid we have become a nation of violence drinkers. We gulp down violence while sitting on our couches with as must gusto as do many of the college spring breakers who inhale their booze while sunning on the beach. At least their alcohol passes from their inebriated bodies while images of violence tend to hang around in our minds.

The artesian well of violence for our families is the television. 99
percent of households in the United States have televisions. Many families
have televisions in almost every room in the house. You can even purchase
refrigerators with a TV built into the door. The television is on over
seven hours a day in a typical American home. This adds up to over 250
billion hours of TV watched annually. And if the violence which comes in
through our cable and dish networks is not enough, over six million videos
are rented daily in the U.S. The average child will watch 1,680 minutes of
television a week. The average American youth spends 1,500 hours watching
TV each year, 900 hours in the class room, and only 104 hours in church. By
the time your child reaches age 18 he/she will have seen over 200,000
violent acts on television. Some of the results of drinking violence from
our televisions is now being seen in what researchers are calling, "Date
Violence".

Parents, for you who have teenage daughters pay close attention to the
following facts. According to the National Center on Domestic and Sexual
Violence and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abuse in teenage relationships is becoming increasingly common. One in three girls is likely to become involved in an abusive relationship before graduation from high school. This may take the form of physical, verbal, or sexual abuse and is often used to control the one being abused. 20 percent of teens have been
threatened by their partners if the relationship ended. 33 percent of teens
and 50 percent of teen girls say they have felt pressured to have sex in a
serious dating relationship. 30 percent worry about their safety in a
serious dating relationship. 20 percent have been hit, slapped, or pushed.
64 percent have been with a jealous or controlling partner. 55 percent have
compromised their standards in order to keep their dating partner. 25
percent have been called names or put down by their dating partner.
Extensive studies show those who are abused as teenagers are likely to be in
abusive relationships as adults.

Dads and Moms, how much do you know about the individuals your children are dating; especially the boy who is dating your daughter? Do you have a
curfew for your children? Do you talk to your children after they get in
from a date? Are you having those daily devotional times with your family
as you said you would? The perfect antidote for poison of the mind is to
put the Word of God in the heart. No loving parent would allow their child
to drink the water from the car battery. But that same parent will stand
calmly by while their child is watching television, and playing video games
which can corrode the conscience and poison the perception of relationships.
Loss of value and sound judgment are the result of drinking violence.


                          "Total Surrender - Total Sacrifice"

I was recently watching a special television program on the men who have scaled Mt. Everest. The list is impressive. However, someone had to be the first. At 11:30 a.m. May 29, 1953, two men stood where no men had ever stood before. Sir Edmund Hiliary and his partner stood 29,002 feet above sea level on the peak of Mt. Everest. This amazing accomplishment took months of preparation. Long hours of conditioning were required. Mental toughness was essential in getting acclimated to the altitude of Nepal and the bitter cold. Discipline was a necessity. Intense concentration was mandatory as they made their way over the crevasses. With time and strength running out they finally reached the summit. No one will ever climb higher than this.

However, there are two mountains in the scriptures which are more
significant than Mt. Everest. One represents total surrender, the other
total sacrifice. They are Mt. Moriah and Mt. Calvary. The significance of
Mt. Everest is its height. The significance of Mt. Moriah and Mt. Calvary
is not their height but their symbol of obedient sons and loving fathers.
Genesis 22 is a chapter every father should read. For Abraham, this mountain was his defining moment. This chapter shows us what Calvary meant to God the Father as well. As He had commanded Abraham to, "go to the land of Moriah and offer your son as a burnt offering," He had demanded Himself to take His Son to Calvary and offer Him as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. And there on Calvary Jesus could lift his eyes and see Mt. Moriah.  There is a place in the life of every parent where decisions are made which affect not only us, but our children for the rest of their lives. In verses
3-9 we read - "So Abraham rose early in the morning....and went to the
place" "Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place."
Verse 9, "Then they came to the place..." This was an echo of what was to
take place on Mt. Calvary. Luke 23:33 says, "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him." Every place
where we meet God is a turning point in our lives.  For both Abraham and God this was their Gethsemane. Each had a son who was facing death. Each had a son who was the apple of their eye. One son was temporal; the other was eternal. Nevertheless, both fathers' hearts were breaking over the painful ordeal their sons were about to experience. As a parent if you have not experienced a traumatic moment in the life of your child or children you will. Verse 13 tells us that Abraham was provided a lamb. God provided the Lamb. John the Baptist said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29. The Apostle John said, "Then I looked and behold the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion (Moriah),...... Rev. 14:1. One lamb was sacrificed as a burnt offering; the other Lamb was sacrificed as a sin offering. One lamb was conquered by death and fire; the other Lamb conquered death, hell and the grave. One lamb was slain in a moment in time; the other Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. One lamb's blood was tainted and soaked into the soil; the other Lamb's blood was perfect and will soak into the soul of anyone who is willing to surrender totally to the Lamb of God, even Jesus.

There are two mountains which in reality loom over Mt. Everest. One, Mt.
Moriah, is the site of supreme testing; the other, Mt. Calvary is the site
of supreme love. We each will climb our own Moriahs, but only Jesus can
ascend Calvary. Just as His Father brought Him down from the Cross and up
from the grave, He will do the same for those who have confessed His Son as the Lamb of God. Have you and your children made this confession? This is the only thing that will enable you to ascend your Mt. Moriahs in total
surrender and total sacrifice.

                               "Serving in the Shadows"

This past Tuesday Jack Munday, Director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, Al New, Chaplain Coordinator of the RRT, and I were meeting with David Dockery, President of Union University. As you are
aware, this is the alma mater of our entire family and the campus which was
devastated by the February 5, 2008, tornado. As our time together was coming to a close Jack led us in prayer and in his prayer he said, "Thank you Lord for allowing us to work in the shadows here on the campus of Union." I have been thinking about the words, "work in the shadows", for the past few days.  In reality all Christian work should be done in the shadows; the shadows of the manager, the Cross and the empty tomb. There are plenty who are willing to serve Jesus in the spotlights, but not enough in the shadows. Christians will preach, sing, teach, administer, and even volunteer in the light of recognition, but few who will do the same in the shadows of anonymity. Many are willing to sit at the candle lit table and eat, but few there are who are willing to stand in the shadows and serve.

Parents, teach your children that true greatness is not found in being
served, but in serving others. Jesus said, "And whoever desires to be first
among you, let him be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." Jesus was
born in the shadow of his Father's throne. He lived in the shadow of his
Father's image. He died in the shadow of his Father's love. He rose in the
shadow of his Father's authority. It can truly be said that the life of
Jesus was one of serving in the shadows. So may it be with yours and mine.

                  "Footprints In The Frost"

One of the gifts I received for Christmas was a beautiful hourglass. As I placed it on the corner of my desk I was reminded of the opening statement from the soap opera, Days of our Lives, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." I do not watch the soaps, but I have heard that phrase many times since November 8, 1965, when the show first aired. Today as the sands of time run from the hourglasses of our lives we each mark another milestone. It is the beginning of the New Year, 2008. It is also my birthday which means I turn 61 today. There is more sand in the bottom of my hourglass than in the top.

As I was walking our Labrador puppy, Lady, or maybe it was the other way
around, at the bottom of Oak Hill the field was covered with the diamond
luster of frost. With each step I could hear the crunching of the delicate
ice crystals beneath our feet. When I looked back our tracks could be seen
as clearly as when you walk on the beach next to the waves of the ocean.
But, just as quickly, the rays of the winter sun evaporated our icy imprints
just as the waves cover our sandy footprints and they are no more. The
Bible has something to say about this which we as parents know all to well,
"The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they
are eighty years...... So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a
heart of wisdom," Psalm 90: 10-12. Whether we live 60, 70, 80, or more
years the purpose of life is to gain a heart of wisdom. And this precious
gift comes only from years of walking with the Lord. If there is one thing
I desire for myself in 2008, it is to gain a heart of wisdom as I relate to
my family. Being a husband is not a burden, but a blessing. The same is
true when it comes to being a Daddy. As I told a father this week who is
concerned about one of his married children, "Once a parent always a
parent". That is apparent to each of us who truly love our children.
However, it also means there must come a time when they are expected to
stand on their own. The sand in their hourglass is running out as well.
So, as we begin a New Year may each of us as parents understand the
importance of time. The greatest legacy you can leave your children is that
of a life filled with wisdom. Someday our last grain of sand will find its
way to the bottom of the glass. Someday the impression of our steps will
evaporate like footprints in the frost.
 

                           "Two Little Brothers"

 First came Joshua then came Jesse. Joshua is eleven and Jesse is nine. I met these two brothers when I preached at China Grove Baptist Church outside Rutherford, Tennessee last Sunday. This is the smallest church congregation in the United States I have ever had the privilege of sharing the Good News with in my 32 years of itinerant evangelism. The total attendance was 18. In this beautiful little country church, which was organized before the Civil War, there sat two brothers. They come each Sunday with their grandmother. After teaching on revival during the Sunday School hour I asked Joshua's grandmother if I could talk with her grandson. He and I went into a separate room where I shared the plan of salvation with him. He bowed his head and prayed to receive Christ as his personal Savior. When I asked him about his brother he said, "He needs Jesus too." At the end of the morning worship Joshua stepped out and came forward to tell the pastor what he had done. Lunch was served at the church. When I had finished eating I went to Jesse and asked him if I could talk with him. Within minutes he too had asked Jesus to come into his heart and forgive him of his sins. He then looked at me with his big blue eyes and said, "Guess I had better go home and tell my mother." Immediately the Holy Spirit had put a concern for his mother in his new heart. Jesse made his profession of faith public when I gave the invitation following my afternoon message. The Bible tells us in John 1:41, "He [Andrew] first
found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah
(which is translated, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus..." Joshua
found Christ and wanted his brother Jesse to find Him also. They are now
brothers on a deeper level. Someday they will be separated physically, but
never spiritually. Their earthly relationship is temporal. Their spiritual
relationship is eternal.

Parents, if your children have never invited Jesus into their lives and
confessed Him as Savior do not wait for an evangelist to come to your
church. It is your responsibility to introduce your children to Jesus and
instruct them in His ways. This is done through daily Bible reading, daily
prayers, daily listening, daily sharing, and daily reliance on the Holy
Spirit to convict them of their sins and their need of Jesus. Thank God for
grandparents who sit with their grandchildren in church while their own
children sit at home.


I have preached in larger more prestigious churches, but never in one more
important. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, I am
there in the midst of them," Matthew 18:20. He certainly brought that to
life last Sunday. He not only touched my heart, but He touched the hearts
of two little brothers. To God be the glory.
 

                       "The Perplexity of Pain"

Due to a series of events in the lives of several who receive this weekly newsletter I want to ask you some very important
questions which deserve your consideration. Why is there pain in the world? Why doesn't God intervene in times of senseless tragedy? What good can come from walking the long, dark, lonely valleys of suffering and broken heartedness? Must anguish and sorrow pierce the soul as some frigid, wintry relentless wind? When grief and distress numb the senses and the weight of agony is so heavy on your heart you can't get your breath where is God?

These soul-searching questions do not come entirely from my reflections, but from everyone who has wrestled with the crucial issues of life. For instance, how do you respond to a devout Christian friend who has battled consistent pain for forty of her sixty years? What do you say to a young married couple whose baby was born with severe birth defects? What words of assurance do you use when a wife and mother is told that her husband was found dead while on a business trip? When you look into the eyes of a divorced mother whose teenage son was killed in an accident and see the horror and disbelief, how do you respond? How do you offer hope to a friend who has had major surgeries, whose wife has left him to walk in the dark side, whose oldest son has turn to drugs and whose source of livelihood has almost vanished? After three years of chemotherapy for a little five year old, what do you say to the father and mother? Why does a dear friend wait for an incurable disease to claim his earthly life?

These situations are not hypothetical, but real. These life changing encounters can not be comforted with pious platitudes or academic jargon. They deserve and demand answers which bring peace out of pain and assurance out of affliction. Else you think I have lost my faith the opposite is true. However, I reject the shallow answers and condescending rhetoric which never addresses the person behind the pain. As C.S. Lewis expressed in The Problem of Pain, "Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." When Jesus hung on the Cross for the sins of humanity his shout reached the ears of his Father when he cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?", Mark 15:34. The wonderful news from Heaven is that our Father never forsakes us! When we can't see Him, He see us. When we can't feel His presence, He feels our deepest misery. When we can't hold on any longer, He never lets go. Our security and sufficiency is not founded on our abilities, but in His omnipotence. God can redeem even the most dreadful and fearful circumstances for His glory.

So, there are basically two answers to the questions in the first paragraph. First, these unwelcome and unwanted experiences are a result of wrong choices due to our sin nature. Second, these uninvited and undesired events are a mystery which defy reason. However, as with Job who endured pain as few others without being given an explanation, stated with utmost conviction, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him," Job 13:15. We turn to God in our times of trials because he is who he is and not because he does what he does. Parents, husbands, wives, and children in the midst of our most excruciating moments trust in an ever trustful God and faith in His ever faithful Son is the enduring answer to the perplexity of pain.

                        "Losing Your Angels"

“The Sounds of Oak Hill”

 Last night the sounds of laughter, chatter, squeals, and shrills once again filtered through the trees on Oak Hill.  Our daughter, Becca, came home and was joined by three of her sorority friends from college years.  In addition, our  very cool pool, temperatures were in the 50’s, was filled with nine pre-teen girls celebrating the birthday of our neighbor’s eleven year old daughter.  They were bluer than the water.  Hundreds of little lights lined the deck and the iridescent orange fire of the tiki torches glowed in the black velvet night.  Sitting on the porch having dinner, Becky and I were listening to Becca and her friends reminisce about their days as sorority sisters and all that young women have to share.  Added to this were the girlish giggles of the nine shivering swimmers who were in their own world creating their own memories to be shared in years to come.  As I observed yet another special occasion in our home I thought of the times that Becca and her little friends had filled the pool.  Within a few feet of each other were two generations of young ladies, one child-like and some what naive, the other mature and worldly-wise, one just beginning to think about boys, the other thinking about their husbands, one concerned about soccer and school, the other centered on their marriages and their jobs.  In a world filled with the cries of war, terrorism, and injustice it is so refreshing to hear the sounds of joy, friendship, and innocence once again.  The Bible tells us, “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!  They walk O LORD in the light of Your countenance,” Psalm 89:15.  Parents, the greatest sound you can every experience with your children is the sound of Jesus walking through your family.  That sound will echo in your hearts long after the rooms are silent, the pools are drained, and the night air whispers their names on the evening breeze.  Praise God for the sound of His voice in the lives of your children.  And the good news is that tonight we get to repeat it all over as our son Drew and his girl friend join us for dinner on the deck minus the mermaids in the pool.  I treasure the sounds of Oak Hill.     

                                     The "Inasmuches" of Life

Parents, tomorrow is the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday throughout our nation. This provides a great opportunity for you to sit down with your children and talk to them about the importance of life in all its stages.  Jesus taught us a lesson about what I call the "inasmuches" of life in Matthew 25:31-46. For those who enter the kingdom of heaven He will say, "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." After the righteous ask when did these things take place King Jesus will respond by saying, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch (italics mine) as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it unto Me." If you take all the "inasmuch" opportunities of life and minister to humanity in the name of Jesus you will end up with a gift of "inasmuches" to lay at the feet of the King.

The first "inasmuch" opportunity you can teach your children about is the not yet born stage. You will find this is Psalm 139:13-16. This passage leaves no doubt as to when the Creator begins life. Yet, in our country approximately 1,370,000 abortions occur annually. 88 % take place during the first 6 to 12 weeks of pregnancy. 52% of those who have abortion are younger than 25 years old and 19% are teenagers. Unmarried women are six times more likely than married women to have an abortion. And 63% of abortion patients are white, however, black women are more than three times as likely to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are two and a half times as likely. Parents, teach your children that life is a precious gift and abortion should not be an option.

The second "inasmuch" opportunity is the new born stage. In Luke 18:15 we find Jesus taking the infants in his arms and blessing them. What a lesson for parents to learn. Nothing substitutes for holding those little ones in your arms before their arms hold someone else. There were 4,100,000 births in our nation in 2004 and every life is valuable to our Father in heaven.

The third "inasmuch" opportunity is the novice born stage. This is the time our children go from sitting on a bicycle to sitting behind the wheel of a car. It is the time when fathers either start loosing their hair or it turns snow white. It is the time when parents are not sure why they had children to begin with and children are not sure why God gave them the parents He did. It is also the time, hopefully, when you assure your children your love is unconditional and that God has a very special plan for their lives. There is nothing you would not do for the good of your children as told so beautifully in Luke 8:40-42, 49-56.

The fourth "inasmuch" opportunity is what I call the neglected born stage.  Each week, child protective services (CPS) agencies throughout the United States receive more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. This is average of more than 2,450 children per day. More than half (60 percent) of victims experienced neglect, meaning a caretaker failed to provide for the child's basic needs. Fewer victims experienced physical abuse (nearly 20 percent) or sexual abuse (10 percent), though these cases are typically more likely to be publicized. The smallest number (7 percent) was found to be victims of emotional abuse, which includes criticizing, rejecting, or refusing to nurture a child. An average of nearly four children die every day as a result of child abuse or neglect. Jesus had some very strong words of warning for those who abuse children in Luke 17:1-2.

The fifth "inasmuch" opportunity is for better terms the not normal born stage. Not every child has the ability to run. Not every child has the ability to talk. Not every child has cognitive skills. Parents, please teach your children that just because another child is different does not make him or her any less of a human being. God never laughs or makes fun of those he created a little lower than the angels. Perhaps not all angels have perfect wings. The father in Mark 9:22 loved his little boy as much as the father in Luke 15:20.

The final "inasmuch" opportunity for parents on this Sanctity of  Human Life Sunday is to teach your children about the November born stage. This is of course found in Psalm 71:8. Until the last breath is drawn life is priceless. The average life expectancy for a white male in the United States is 75.4 years and for black males it is 69.2. White females live an average of 80.5 years and black females 76.1. Senior adults are our national treasure. When they die much wisdom departs with them.

So, from the womb to the tomb life is indeed a gift from God. It is our responsibility as parents to impart this concept into the very fabric of our children's lives. In all that Jesus did and said he celebrated the sanctity of human life. Let us do the same.

                             The Land of Somewhere In Between
                                             
This special New Year's edition actually started in my thoughts around midnight on December 30, but due to a very early departure for Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the next day I am just now sharing it with you. Have you ever experienced those few moments just before sunrise or sunset when you are not sure if the light is coming or going? It seems you are suspended in time. You can see, but not with great clarity. You can walk, but not with much confidence. You can hear, but not with total certainty. Everything around you seems to be waiting for either the breaking of the dawn or the covering of the night. It is not a time of fear, but rather anticipation. The sunrise is an opportunity for action. The sunset is an occasion for reflection. As this New Year dawns upon planet earth what are your expectations? What actions will you take as a husband, wife, parent, employer, employee, citizen of this great nation, and a member of the family of God? And when the last day of 2006 slips into the pages of history what will be your reflections on your past decisions?

There has never been a more urgent need for husbands and wives  to commit themselves to each other and for fathers and mothers to commit their families to the instruction and discipline of God's  word. In our nation where marriage vows are lightly esteemed, where homosexuals are given free right to practice their perversions, where pornography has been elevated to the status of recreation, where the unborn has been denied their right to
take their first breath, where the dregs of humanity have become
celebrities, where the media promotes idol worship, and where church worship is often equated more with emotion than encounter we are somewhere in between God's judgment and mercy; somewhere between light and darkness. We have come to dwell in the Land of Somewhere In Between.

The children of Israel found themselves in the same location once. Joshua called for a gathering of all the tribes at Shechem. He recounted all the blessings which God had poured out on them and then made this statement, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD," Joshua 24:15. Dad, let me call on you again to be the spiritual leader of your home. In addition your wife needs to know that you love her and your children need the same affirmation. Mom, if you work outside the home be reminded that nothing substitutes for working in the home during those formative years. No one can take the place of a loving mother. Single parent, do not feel guilty if you have no choice. Just make sure that when you are at home, you are at home. The television, computer, or CD player can not listen and bring comfort to a child who is caught somewhere in between.

When the children of Israel were in the Land of Somewhere In Between with Pharaoh's army on one side and the Red Sea on the other they had to make a choice. They were either going forward at the command of the LORD or they would return to Egypt as slaves. We as Christian husbands and wives, fathers and mothers must make choices in 2006. We can no longer make decisions based on the flakes in Hollywood, the fashions in New York, the fanatics in the Middle East, the fools who deny God and the failures who
call themselves leaders. We must stand with conviction and echo the words of Joshua. We must decide to live in the land where even the night will be light; the land of uprightness. To do other wise will  cause our children and grand children to grow up in those times just before sunrise or sunset when shadows and silhouettes suspend you in time in the Land of Somewhere In Between.

                          A Katrina Kind of Christmas

 Bewildered. Broken. Battered. But, not beaten. This best describes those who have endured the worst disaster this country has ever faced. I have just returned from my fourth deployment in New Orleans as Chaplain Coordinator for the Rapid Response Team of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This past week I was privileged to sit in on the installation of the new police officers for the city of New Orleans. A Department of Integrity has been established to hold every officer accountable for his or her actions. This would be a great department to have in our churches and denominational agencies. I met with a pastor and his family who lost everything during hurricane Katrina. A clerk at SAM'S shared with me how her home was spared, but completely destroyed by the looters who followed the storm. We prayed together as the tears flowed down her cheeks. A well known musician in New Orleans who sang before I preached last Sunday told me that all he had left after Katrina were the clothes on his back. A young waitress told me that her family could find nothing of their home after the surge of water washed everything out to sea. A policeman broke down and shared with a fellow chaplain about all the events which have transpired in his life since August 29. Everyone has a story. For all the evil, wicked, sinister, blackhearted, things which took place immediately following Katrina there were many more expressions of honesty, morality, honor, bravery, and goodness among the citizens of New Orleans. The unknown heroes who risked their lives to save their fellow citizens seldom made the front page, but they will certainly be remembered by those who lived to tell of that awful event. I have been privileged to view unpublished pictures which show the good, the bad and the ugly side of thosecaught up in this mother of all storms. This Christmas has taken on an entirely different meaning for me personally. Watching people stand in line for water, blankets, towels, food, and other essentials makes all the glitz and glamour associated with giving and receiving presents somewhat insignificant.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-36, "For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Christmas is more about touching than receiving. A bottle of water given to a thirsty individual, a place to sleep shared with a weary soul, a medical need met for one in distress, a visit made to a lonely inmate, a toy placed in the hand of a fearful child, a prayer of hope offered to one who is discouraged, these are the gifts which keep on giving.
You can not purchase these kinds of presents. They come from the heart and go to the heart. You do not have to travel to New Orleans to practice the above statement of Jesus. Parents, share with your children that where ever you are tonight there is someone in your community who is experiencing a Katrina kind of Christmas.

                     A Blameless Father( a four part series)

The Bible tells us in Job 1:1-2, "There was a man in the land
of Uz, whose name was Job and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him." He was equal in his character on all four sides. Job was a square. He had four distinct, but equal characteristics.

Job was blameless. Proverbs 13:6 says, "Righteousness keeps him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner." This means to be a person of integrity and right conduct. It takes daily discipline and devotion to develop a blameless life and only a few moments to destroy it.
Several years ago a husband and father who was a very successful business man traveled to New York City for a meeting. While he was there he hired a high price call girl. When he awoke the next morning she was gone. As he entered the bathroom to get ready for his appointment he turned on the
lights and to his horror he read a message the prostitute had left him on the mirror. There in large letters written in her lipstick were the words, "WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF AIDS". Returning home he went to his doctor for a HIV test. It came back positive. From being blameless to being wicked took
only a matter of moments. The consequences lasted much longer.  Daddies, we must keep our guard up at all times. We must live Monday through Saturday what we profess to be on Sunday. Proverbs 25:26 warns us, "A righteous [blameless] man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well." You can not drink from a murky spring and
water from a polluted well will kill you. We as fathers are to be sources of pure, uncontaminated springs of instruction and encouragement for our children. Our children watch us 24/7. They hear what we say and watch what we do. Speaking of watching, the fastest growing addiction among men in America is Internet Pornography. There are over 260 million pages of
pornography on line on the Internet. Pornography accounts for 7 per cent of the 3.3 billion Web pages indexed by Google. Promise Keepers reported that 62 per cent of men who attend their events admit to struggling with Internet pornography. And if that doesn't get your attention, Christianity Today, the most widely ready magazine by pastors in the United States found that 42 per cent of the pastors surveyed admitted to struggling with Internet pornography. Daddies, if you are into pornography, get out! It will destroy your life, your marriage and your family. Fathers, we must keep ourselves blameless at all cost.

                                    An Upright Father

Remember the first characteristic of Job?  He was blameless.  Then God said he was upright.  Job 1:1, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil.”  What does it mean to be an upright husband and father?   First, it means that you are a man of impeccable character.  The abundance of it or lack of it has a lasting influence on your children.  Character is what comes to the surface when only God is watching.  The Bible tells us the way we live our lives affects children even unto the fourth generation.  In recent years we have seen a divorce between character and integrity in our country.  Men in high profile positions of leadership have plunged to the depths of immoral behavior.  The message being sent to the youth of our nation is one of tolerance for lack of integrity and character.  Second, to be an upright father means you are a man of consistent Christian conduct.  Psalm 1:1 tells us, “Blessed in the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, not sits in the seat of the scornful.”  We as godly fathers are instructed not to walk, stand, or sit with those whose conduct is ungodly.  Third, an upright father seeks to raise upright children.  Little is said in the Bible about Amram except he was of the tribe of Levi.  He married Jochebed.  They had three children.  The name Amram means, “a high people” and Jochebed means, “God my glory”.  God used this father to carry his children’s character and conduct on high.  He used this mother to bring God’s glory down to earth and into their hearts.  The names of their children: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.  Moses taught the children of Israel how to be saved.  Aaron taught them how to be sure.  Miriam taught them how to be satisfied.  Fathers, what are you teaching your children?  If you want your children to find a father in God, then they need to find something of God in their father.   

                                 A Father Who Feared God 

Remember the first characteristic of Job? He was blameless. Then God said he was upright. Thirdly, the Bible says Job was a man who feared God. Job 1:1, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil."  In a world of fear what does it mean to fear God? First, it is a desire to seek after God rather than run from God. As a father and husband, wife and mother, are you a seeker or runner? Are you experiencing God in every area of your life?

Second, to fear God is to lean toward his commandments. Joshua told the children of Israel, "Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel," Joshua 24:23. Are there any false gods in your life? Could it be your religion, your vocation, your recreation, your politics, or your family? Do you have any addictions? Anything you lean toward more than God is your god. Just as plants are inclined to lean toward the sun, children are inclined to lean toward their parents. God bless the children who do not have a father or mother to lean toward. God bless all the single parents who are raising their children.  There are 72 million children in our nation under the age of 18 and one third of them (24.3 million) live in a home without a biological father. We
do not need more laws to protect our families. We need fathers in our homes to protect our families. And we need Jesus in the hearts of those fathers.  We do not need more attorneys to handle the divorce cases. We need more husbands and wives who are committed to each other, their marriage and their children. We do not need a village to raise our children. We need God fearing fathers and mothers who will accept that responsibility. 

Third, to fear God is to stand in awe of his greatness. What have you ever experienced that took your breath away? Whatever it was can not begin to compare to the awesome fear of God. This fear causes you to remove your shoes, kneel in silence and lift holy hands. This fear causes the angels in heaven to stop in mid flight, fold their wings, cover their faces and cry out, "Holy, Holy, Holy!"

Fourth, to fear God is to realize you are part of the family of God. God is your Father. You are his child. This is only true if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You can be in the church of God without being in the family of God. All people on earth are God's creation, but not all are his children. The Apostle Paul puts it quite well in Romans 8:15, "....but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father'". Abba means "Daddy". Just as your children call you "Daddy", you can call God, "Daddy", only if you have been adopted into his family. Have you? The greatest gift you will ever give your children is to give them a father who fears God.

                          A Father Who Shunned Evil

Remember the first three characteristics of Job?  Blameless. Upright. Feared God. Job 1:1, "There was a man in the land of
Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil." This father did what few fathers do. He abstained from every form of evil.  

We face a challenge from evil. How is this possible when we live in such an evil world? That which once made us blush in now on prime time television.  That which was once denounced from our pulpits is seldom topics for sermons anymore. That which once would land you in jail will now land you book contracts and movie deals. That which once protected your children now makes them prey to every pedophile on the Internet. We live in the same age as did Isaiah when he warned his people to beware of those, "Who call evil
good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20). If this was true in 742 B.C. it is certainly true for 2005 A.D.

Our evil age is characterized by some pastors who do not practice what they preach, by priests who abuse the very children they bless, by some CEO's who steal from their own employees and stockholders, by some college and professional athletes who break the law on Saturday and play ball on Sunday, and by some political leaders who can not define the word, "Is". Tolerance is our national motto and Political Correctness our mantra. What has happened to
intolerance for evil? It is not political correctness, but spiritual
boldness we need in this day and hour. Christian fathers must stand up.

We face the character of evil. If we as godly fathers are going to shun evil we need to know the characteristics of those who practice evil. Proverbs 2:12-15 gives us five distinctions of those possessed with evil.  (1) Their speech is perverse. (2) They walk on the dark side. (3) They rejoice in committing evil acts. (4) They delight in the wicked actions of others. (5) Their entire lifestyle is full of evil. Proverbs 4:14-19 describes the four habits of those who live for evil. (1) They have a well worn path. (2) They have a well defined walk. (3) They have a well planned scheme. (4) They have a well rounded diet of wickedness and violence. Romans 1:21-25 lists the three religious practices of the evil. (1) They worship themselves. (2) They worship idols. (3) They worship sexual perversion.

We face the result of evil. Those who practice evil become evil; evil in their character, evil in their conduct, evil in their conversation, and evil in their countenance. It so distorts your life that you begin to resemble Smeagol in the "Lord of the Rings". There is a high price to be paid for low living.

These four characteristics of Job made him a square father in a round world.  Let the same hold true for each of us who are blessed to be called "father".  When the eulogies are read at our departures may it be said that we were blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil.

                                  A Tribute to Mothers  

Devotional thought:  “Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her,” Proverbs 31:28.  What greater rewards can a woman who has been blessed with the title of Mother and Wife have than to have those in her house celebrate her presence in their lives?  A godly mother is both the rising sun and the evening star to her family.  The light from her eyes and the smile from her face is often the first and last impression of a weary day.  When even the judge can not reach a wayward child a mother’s word has soften many a harden heart.  Though children may wander miles beyond the front door of their homes a mother’s memory returns them immediately to her side.  Those who have embraced the evils of the world are frequently delivered from the pits of destruction because of the purity of a mother’s love and her unfailing prayers.  A young man who had run away from home and joined the Hell’s Angels once told me, “It was hearing in my heart my mother’s prayer, ‘Lord, save my boy’, that brought me back home and to my knees.”  As a stone thrown into the sea sends its effects around the world so does the influence of a mother when cast upon the lives of her children.   

The first love of most children is their mother.  It is in her smile they find acceptance.  It is in her voice they hear the sound of heaven.  It is in her embrace they learn security.  It is in her songs they rest in peace.  God bless the children who never knew their mothers.  As light is to day so is the existence of a mother in the lives of her children.

Can a mother’s love ever be replaced?  Never!  It would be easier for a lifeless statue to substitute for a breathing man than for such a thing to happen.  A mother’s love transcends all other emotions of the heart.  It is affectionate when the child is alone, bold when the child is bashful, caring when the child is crushed, devoted when the child is distraught, encouraging when the child is embarrassed, fearless when the child is fearful, and graceful when the child is guilty.   

For those of us whose mothers have joined that great cloud of witnesses around the throne of God, Mother’s Day takes on a dimension which only death can render.  Her gentle voice can no longer be heard.  Her prayers are only warm memories.  Her touch is greatly missed.  Few places on earth are worthy of the removal of our shoes as are the graves of our mothers.  Here time stand stills and our memories travel through unmeasured space to visit her once again.  This mother who was the nurse of our infancy, the guardian of our childhood, the advisor of our youth, and the prayer warrior of all our days now sleeps in this scared spot waiting the glorious resurrection.  There is no influence more lasting, no praise more joyful, no smile more endearing, no power so intense, and no love so deep as that of a godly mother.  Praise God, death does not have the final word.   

No one can know the summit of joy and the valley of despair like a mother.  She delights in the accomplishments of her children and walks with them in their darkest hours.  Her love never grows cold, never burns out, never sleeps, never evaporates, and never gives up.  A godly mother will sacrifice her comforts for those of her children.  She will surrender every need to meet the needs of her family.  Her heart knows the depth of sorrow when she stands by an empty cradle of a baby who will never be held again, or receives word that her son or daughter who went off to war will return in a flag draped coffin.  Such sadness and brokenness only the heart of a mother can feel.  Even after she is gone her voice can still be heard in the whisperings from heaven.  Thank God for a godly mother whose life lives on in generations yet unborn.  “Her children rise up and call her blessed………”

                        God's Court versus Man's Court

Recently the highest court of Massachusetts declared that their state constitution guarantees gay couples the right to marry.  Chief Justice Margaret Marshall stated, “We declare that barring an individual from the protection, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution.”  Well to that humanist statement let me say, “That marrying a person of the same sex violates God’s Constitution.”  Jeremiah 8:12, tell us about the people in Israel during Jeremiah’s day.  It sounds like the events of this week.  Listen, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?  No!  They were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush….”  We live in a society that has forgotten how to blush.  We embrace that which is perverted and shun that which is holy.  The Apostle Paul stated in his letter to the Christians in Ephesus, “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), proving what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them,” chapter 5: 8-11.       

Parents, you must take the time and teach your children that what the world often calls good God calls evil; what the world often calls right God calls wrong.  It is God’s Constitution, namely the Bible, which must be the guiding principle and standard of our lives.  While most of society is concerned with political correctness we must train our children to be spiritually correct.  Be it homosexuality, adultery or any other sin, we need to teach our children that it is not only alright to blush when confronted with sin it is expected.  Paul went on to say in verse 12, “For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.”  The liberal judges of our land may make a mockery of the teachings of Holy Scripture, but the Chief Justice of the Universe will bring down the final gavel.            

                              "Descent Into Decadence"

 Genesis 6: 5, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”    

The descent of our nation into decadence seemingly shows no sign of abating.  After the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding homosexual conduct two weeks ago I wondered what would happen next to exhibit to the rest of the world just how far the United States has fallen into the abyss of evil.   Well, we have four events this week that once again bear out what the above verse declares.  First, is the Kobe Bryant charge of sexually assaulting a young woman.  If nothing else it must be abundantly clear that money, endorsements and championship rings do not insure championship character.  Charles Barkley stated that this doesn’t make Kobe a bad person.  YES IT DOES!  Any man or woman who commits adultery and breaks their marriage vows is a bad person.   It doesn’t matter what your title or position in life sin is bad.  Good husbands and wives do not go around sleeping around.  America lived through an eight year soap opera with the Clintons and now all the young people in our nation who have idolized Kobe will be sucked into every detail of his sin.  The shocking truth is that it won’t matter much to most of them.

Second, the debasing of females has taken a giant step into the pit of slime.  The adult paint ball game outside Las Vegas, “Hunting for Bambi,” combines live sex with live violence.  Immoral men are willing to pay $10,000 to “hunt” down and shoot naked, immoral women with a paint ball gun.  Michael Burdick who came up with this perverse activity said that it is just innocent fun.  Sin may be fun, but it is never innocent.  How many of these men do you think might be husbands and fathers? 

Third, the homosexuals have not only torn the doors off their closets they now have their own television show.  The network, Bravo, introduced one of their new shows, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”.  At least the producers called it queer as opposed to gay.  Gay means “joyous and lively”.  The homosexual life style is anything but joyous and lively.  However, homosexuality now hits prime time and if you receive the Bravo channel your children will be subjected to the debauchery and depravity described in Romans 1: 20-32. 

 We have descended so far into darkness in our country that we shield our eyes from the Light.   That which is perverted is now openly practiced and that which is unnatural is now willingly embraced. 

If we do not fight for our families and all that is decent and holy we will not only answer to God, but we will answer to our children.  Remember, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it,” Psalm 127:1.   

                     "Seven Special Gifts of Christmas"

Becky and I are sitting in front of our stone fire place watching the bright orange and red flames of the roaring fire.  It is the first of November and already we are inundated with magazines advertising everything imaginable.  Whatever happened to gifts that didn't require a bank loan?  I fear that Christmas has become another financial speed bump for many Americans in our secular society.  The success of Christmas is measured by the ringing of cash registers rather than the changing of hearts. It is look forward to for what is received rather than what is given.  May I suggest you consider giving something this Christmas which has become a tradition in the Drace family?  When our children were very young, Becky would wrap seven gifts and place them under a special tree.  Each gift represented something simple from the life of Jesus.  It might be an angel for the annunciation, Luke 1:28-38; a piece of hay for the manger, Luke 2:7; or a piece of paper with the names of the disciples, Luke 6:14-16.  You can come up with your own gifts.  Our children would open one each night beginning a week before Christmas and then we would share the scripture and the meaning of the gift.  Even now with Drew being 22 and Becca 20, they still look forward to the seven gifts which help keep in focus why we celebrate the one day which is unique only to those who know the true meaning of CHRISTmas.  What better time of the year to remember these words, "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it," Psalm 127:1.  God bless you and your family during this special season.

                                             "1+1 = 1"

                                        John 17: 20- 23

 As I recently preached at my home church, Englewood Baptist, in Jackson, Tennessee, I shared in the three morning worship services a portion of our LORD'S prayer.  In the verses mentioned above Jesus prays a prayer that gives new meaning to an old equation.  He asks His Father that all who would believe in Him might be, "one as You, Father, are in me, and I in You."   In other words Jesus was giving us a new formula to follow: 1+1=1.  He requested that we be one with Him in power (vs.21a); one with Him in unity (vs.21b); one with Him in glory (vs.22) and one with Him in perfection (vs.23).  As we realize His power a deeper dimension of living comes into our lives.  As we demonstrate His unity a stronger bond of love begins to blossom in our family.  As we experience His glory we seek His will and not our own.  As we strive toward His perfection our family sees Jesus in action.  What a tremendous prayer our LORD prayed for us.  May we earnestly seek to be an answer to His prayer so that 1+1=1.

                           "TRIBUTE TO MY DAD:"