Impressions

Tonight when I went to mow my back yard I made an amazing discovery.  It looked like some sort of alien space ship has landed there recently, doesn’t it?  As you check out the picture to your right what do you see?  I see a guitar.  Wow, imagine that!  Of all the yards.  I must confess that I know how the impression got there.  A couple days ago I set up an oblong pool in the back yard for my granddaughter and it also had a small slide that led into it.  After I dumped the water out and moved the pool earlier this evening I noticed the impression.  It was so cool that I had to take a picture of it.

Impressions.  Have you ever thought about them?  We deal with them more than we realize.  For example, if we are having dental work done (a bridge or dentures) we will need to have an impression made.  An impression is a replica of our teeth.  Or where they used to be.  It is needed so that our new teeth can be fashioned to fit as closely as possible.  In a job interview, making a good first impression is very important.  This could be the difference between our getting  the job and not getting the job.  The reality is that impressions are important in any relationship - in business, at work, on a team, when looking for a spouse, etc.  They will either help us or hinder us.

When I stop and think about it, an impression is what we leave behind.  It is the mark or pattern that is left behind on a piece of leather.  Or wax.  Or clay.  Or a back yard.  Or lives.  Yes, lives.  Someday when God calls us from this earth we are going to leave behind impressions in the lives of others.  Are they going to be good impressions or bad ones?  Are people going to remember our kindness, generosity, faith and love - or our anger, bitterness, moodiness and selfishness?  Right now, at this very moment, we are making dozens, if not hundreds, of impressions in others.  I want the impression I leave behind to be a good one.  A godly one.  One that will benefit others and further God's kingdom.  I’m sure you do too.

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Lord, thank you for the opportunity that I have to make impressions in the lives of others.  I pray that Your Spirit will enable me to leave behind a good impression - of a life lived to its fullest for You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Slow Learner

When I was a child we lived in a housing project in Niagara Falls, New York.  There was a large field in the middle of all the housing units and this is where I spent a good portion of my time, especially in the summer.  I roamed this field, caught bugs in it, climbed trees there, and played in it with my younger brothers and sisters.

In that time before Frisbees had been invented, like any other boy, I liked to make things fly.  On rare occasions my dad would buy me a small airplane made out of balsam wood from the local store.  I would spend hours trying to get it to make loops and other aeronautical maneuvers.  Most of the time however I was relegated to throwing objects that I might find in the field - rocks, sticks, lids to tin cans or pieces of shingles.  Being a good father, and me being a little reckless, he warned me about throwing things as they might end of hurting someone or breaking someone’s window.  That was an expense our poor family couldn’t afford to incur.

Well one summer day, being quite bored, I came across some sort of object that I immediately converted into a projectile.  No sooner had the object left my hand than I heard my name called.  It was my dad and when he shouted my name the whole neighborhood reverberated with the sound.  I proceeded to go back into the house where I was given a spanking.  After a prudent amount of time had elapsed, I was allowed to go outside once more.  A little while later, I came upon another object on the ground and couldn’t resist the temptation to throw it into the air.  Once again I heard my father’s stern voice calling me.  Back into the house I went where I received another spanking.  At some later point in time I managed to be let free to wander outside once more.  Would you believe that I found something else on the ground that caught my interest?  Looking carefully around, left and right, and seeing no one else, I hurled the object into the air.  A third time I heard my father yelling my name.  Wow.  There are times in our lives when our parents are just like God, aren’t there?  Times when they seem to see everything, and hear everything, and know everything.  It’s enough to frighten a young boy!  Back into the house I marched where I was spanked once again.  I can’t say that I remember many of the nondescript days of my childhood but this particular day stands out vividly in my mind.  3 spankings in the same day for the same offense.  Call me a sloooow learner.  (You could also call me rebellious or strong-willed but slow-learner will do for this post!)

Now that I am an adult, I feel that I am in a much better place.  First of all, I try to think about the consequences of my actions before I do something.  This, in itself, has been very valuable to me.  Secondly, if I do make a mistake, I try to learn from it and not repeat it.  I now consider myself to be a quick learner.  In most things.

Unfortunately, there are still plenty of spiritual lessons that I am slow to learn.  I give in to lust, or worry, or pride, or selfishness and then God calls my name.  I respond in repentance and forgiveness.  Then I march right back out there and commit the same offense again.  And again.  And again.  I guess that ‘slow learner’ stuff hasn’t been erased from all of my life just yet! 

In some ways I guess that we can look at God as the Divine Disciplinarian - Someone who is always ready to punish sin wherever He finds it.  But I also think that we can look at God as the Divine Teacher.  In our lives there are plenty of lessons that He wants to teach us - patience, faith, perseverance, loving others, etc.  When we learn these lessons He smiles and then takes us to the next level where the lessons are more advanced.  However, if we are slow learners and don’t grasp what He is trying to teach us, He responds by giving us the same lesson over and over again until we finally learn it.  He wants to make sure that no child of His is left behind.  And even after we learn our lessons and advance in our walk with Him, occasionally He throws in a review just to make sure that we have the lesson down!

What a patient God He is.  What a loving God He is.  He never gives up on us.  Quick-learner or slow-learner, it doesn’t matter to Him.  He will continue to teach us, to train us, to transform us.  Why?  Because as Romans 8:29 tells us, “He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son.”  God wants us to become like Jesus - thoughtful, kind, pure, holy, loving and compassionate.  That’s what I want as well.  Well, I have to go.  There is a lesson waiting for me that God wants me to learn.

Lord, thank you for the lessons that You constantly teach me.  I know that they are a part of Your process of transforming me into the likeness of Jesus.  Help me not to resist them but to learn them and apply them to my life.  Help me to be a quick-learner!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Unwilling To Apologize

I read in yesterday’s paper that NASCAR driver Kurt Busch took 1st place at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA this past Sunday.  I admit that I am not a big NASCAR fan.  Something about watching race cars go round and round and round on the same old track isn’t that appealing to me.  I suppose that would change if I were driving one of them!  Anyway, in the article it said that Busch beat rival driver Jeff Gordon by 4 seconds.  Still nothing of particular interest to me.  Then I read a little of the background of these 2 drivers and this particular race.

In last year’s race it seems that Gordon had several different ‘incidents’ with other drivers, alternately cutting them off or sending them spinning and crashing into oblivion.  One of those victims was Busch.  It was an unusual display of selfish driving for Gordon and afterwards he apologized individually to every driver he had wrecked except Busch.  This made Sunday’s victory by Busch over Gordon extra sweet to him.  Gordon did congratulate Busch in Victory Lane after his win but also added, “I still didn’t apologize.”

The question I have is why?  Why wouldn’t a person apologize for causing someone else to wreck or spin out?  The only reason I can come up with is pride.  Or if it was payback for something that Busch had done to him earlier, then it was revenge.  Either reason is selfish and not a good display of sportsmanship.  Nor is it a good testimony for a Christian which Gordon claims to be.  (http://www.go2mro.com/testimonies/jeffgordon.php)

It’s not my intent to say that Gordon is not a Christian.  What I am saying is that there is something about sports that often brings out the worst in people - both players and spectators alike.  Having both played and watched sports for more than 4 decades I have seen more than a few Christians forget all about their commitment to Jesus as soon as they walked on to the court or the field (or sat down in the stands).  I don’t know why this is.  Pride, anger, revenge, swearing, cheating, slander - the list of sins that are evident in practically any sporting event is almost endless.  I do know this.  When Christian athletes and fans act this way it always leaves a bad impression on non-Christians and pushes them further from the cross.

The solution?  The Spirit-filled life.  In Galatians 5:22-23 we are told that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control.”  As I look at this list, self-control in the heat of the moment would certainly be something that every Christian should desire to have and display.  (Love, patience and kindness would be helpful as well). 

Thank God that there are many Christian athletes who do live for Jesus on and off the field.  These are the athletes that others notice, that others respect, that others are attracted to, that other listen to.

Lord, the moment that I play or watch sports, may I remember that You are more important than any sporting event.  Help me to always be conscious of Your Spirit indwelling and enabling me and remind me of the incredible opportunity that I have to be a witness for You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Every Good And Perfect Gift

We had our annual church picnic yesterday at Lawrence Park.  Church picnics are always a good time of food and fellowship.  As a pastor it is an opportunity for me to spend time with people that I don’t always get to interact with very much.

Yesterday George (in the picture) came over and asked me about playing some horseshoes.  After I finished a conversation with another guy from our church I walked over to the horseshoe pits where a game was already in progress.  George was just standing there observing the match.  After it was over I asked him if he wanted to team up with me and he readily agreed.  I haven’t thrown many horseshoes in the past 30 years so I am pretty rusty although I will say that I throw a pretty flat shoe.  (That is very important in horseshoes!)  George is 70+, somewhat out of shape and on oxygen part-time, so I didn’t even know if he would be able to make his shoes reach the pit.  Well it turns out that George had no problem throwing that far!  Who knew?  He got a couple points here and there and got a ringer to win one match.  He and I won both our matches before everyone quit playing.  This made George and I the unofficial horseshoe champs!

Now I am a pretty competitive individual and I LOVE winning.  At anything.  So I was happy that we won our two matches.  But I was really happy for George.  What a great blessing it was for him to prove that he could still pitch with the young-er guys!  My secretaries are going to have the above picture personalized and framed so that we can give it to George.  This way he will be able to proudly display it.

Ever have a happy occasion in your life?  I’m not talking mega-events here such as marriage or the birth of children.  I’m talking regular, ordinary occasions that put a smile on your face, that make you feel good, that you share with others.  A hug from a child or grandchild, a phone conversation with a long-time friend, a compliment that we receive, an evening of fine dining, a walk with our spouse.  The fact is that we all have many such times in our lives.  Our response for these moments ought to be to give praise and thanks to God for them.  The reason why is found in James 1:19 - “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights...”.  It is because all the good things that we experience in our lives ultimately come from God that we should thank Him.

In I Thessalonians 5:17 we are told “In everything give thanks.”  ‘Everything’ means in good times and bad.  My own personal feeling is that we are never going to be able to praise God in bad times if we don’t learn to praise Him in good times.  So what we need to do is to train ourselves to celebrate these little blessings.  Reflect on them.  Enjoy them.  And thank God for them.  If we can do this consistently, it will help us to develop a thankful heart - a thankful heart that will eventually be able to give thanks to God for even the tough times of life.

Lord, thank you for all the blessings You give me - especially the ones that come wrapped in ordinary circumstances.  May I learn to celebrate and savor these occasions and may my first response be to give You praise and thanks for them.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sunday's Sermon Illustrations - June 26, 2011

Below are a couple links to the sermon illustrations that I used this morning on Nebuchadnezzar and selfishness.  The first one (Rizzuto) is about a mother who left her husband and boys (aged 3 & 5) to ‘find herself’ and has since become a well-known author.  The second (Pedley) is about a man who spent years living selfishly before coming to Christ.  Now he is selling all of his earthly goods to help out people in Uganda (where he is now living).  What a contrast!

Rahna Reiko Rizzuto (the absentee mother):

http://theweek.com/article/index/212679/the-self-serving-mom-who-gave-dad-the-kids-in-the-divorce

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/rahna-reiko-rizzuto-talks_n_831135.html


Jon Pedley (the rich missions donor)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1256622/Millionaire-auctioning-1m-house-African-orphans-incredibly-selfish-existence.html


http://blog.tonic.com/from-mansion-to-mud-hut-tonics-exclusive-interview-with-jon-pedley/

Developing Biblical Convictions

Yesterday we looked at the value of having Biblical convictions.  Below are some questions that I came up with that I believe are useful for developing them.  I shared them with our youth group a month ago and thought that they might be helpful to others as well.  Below that are some suggested convictions that a person might want to make.  Whatever convictions that you develop, own them.  Live by them.  Allow them to guide your life.  Pass them on to your children and to others.  You won’t regret it.

1 - What does God’s Word have to say about this?
    •    Psalm 119:11 - “Your Word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

2 - Will this help/hurt others?
    •    I Cor 10:32 - “I will not cause anyone else to stumble”

3 - Do I feel comfortable with this?  Does it bother my conscience?
    •    Acts 24:16 - “So I strive always to keep my conscience clean before God and man.”

Categories

Spiritual
•    God is the #1 priority in my life
•    I will read my Bible every day
•    I will pray every day
•    I will live my life by the principles found in the Bible
•    I will say grace before every meal
•    Attending & participating in church is a priority to me

Relationships
•    I will never speak negatively about others behind their back
•    I will treat others with respect
•    I will not flip anyone off
•    I will not lie

Opposite sex
•    I will not date a non-Christian
•    I will not become intimate before marriage
•    I will not cohabitate before marriage

Substances
•    I will never smoke, try drugs, or abuse alcohol

Media
•    I will not allow myself to become addicted to media
•    I will not view porn
•    I will not watch things of questionable content

Language
•    I will not take the Lord’s name in vain
•    I will not swear
•    I will not use vulgar or offensive language
•    I will encourage someone daily

Finances
•    I will tithe
•    I will use my resources to help others
•    I will not go into debt
•    I will not go bankrupt

Clothing
•    I will dress modestly
•    I will be careful not to show off or cause anyone to sin

Important things to consider as we live life:
    WWJD        What would Jesus do?
    HWJD         How would Jesus dress?
    WWJS        What would Jesus say?
    WWJW       What would Jesus watch?
    HWJR         How would Jesus react?

Lord, help me to develop good, Biblical convictions for my life.  Then give me the strength to live by them.  Also help me to pass them on to others.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Importance Of Convictions

Convictions.  It’s an old-fashioned word that we don’t hear much anymore.  I’m not referring to the legal term.  What I’m referring to is synonymous with a principle.  As such, a conviction is more than a like or a dislike which can easily change over time.  Convictions go much deeper than that.  They are strongly-held beliefs which, when set, do not change much, if at all.  This makes convictions important from the standpoint that they provide boundaries in our lives.  They control and shape our behavior.

The importance of a conviction is seen in the life of Daniel.  In Daniel 1, after being chosen for a 3-year training program to become a royal official, Daniel and the rest of the trainees were given meat and wine.  In other words, they ate very well.  This brings us to verse 8.  “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine..”  The King James translation says that Daniel "purposed in his heart".  For some reason (we are not told and so we can only guess) Daniel and his 3 Jewish friends did not want to eat the meat and drink the wine of the king.  Most likely this was because they wanted to continue to follow the Jewish dietary laws as found in the Law of Moses and the meat & drink may also have been offered to idols first.  So Daniel requested that he and his friends be given vegetables and water for 10 days.  At the end of this trial period Daniel and his 3 friends appeared to be healthier than all the rest of the trainees so they were allowed to continue their unique diet.  The point is that Daniel had a conviction that even though he lived in a foreign country he was still going to be follow God.  And God rewarded Daniel and his friends for that conviction.

As I survey the Christian landscape today, it appears that convictions have gone by the wayside.  In word and deed there doesn’t seem to be much difference between the way that Christians live and the way that the world lives.  The viewing of pornography, involvement with premarital sex and the divorce rate are almost even in both groups.  What I believe is missing is Biblical convictions.  Without these convictions to guide us we are going to live exactly like the world.

How does God feel about this?  In I John 2:15 we are warned, “Do not love the world nor the things of the world.”  In Colossians 3:17 we are told that “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  These and many verses like them tell us that there ought to be a distinct difference in the way that we, as Christians, live from the world.  This is known as the doctrine of holiness, or being ‘set apart’.

As I examine my own life I find that I have a fair amount of convictions, convictions which I have attempted to live by over the years.  Some of these convictions are:
    - I will not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs
    - I will not watch movies that are rated PG-13 or R 

          (exception: movies where there is no overt sexual content, swearing, etc.)
    - I will not swear or take God’s name in vain
    - I will not cohabitate before marriage
    - I will not call Beth names/yell at her/verbally or physically abuse her
    - I will not talk bad about Beth to my children or to others
    - we will not sleep in separate beds (except if ill)
    - I will not go on welfare
    - God will come before my work
    - I will spend time w/my wife and children
    - I will make the church & its ministries a priority in my life
    - I will tithe off the gross

Now, since these are my own personal convictions they may or may not be the same as yours.  The point is that my convictions are either found directly in God’s Word or implied.  Over the years they have helped me live a life of integrity - a life that honors God and others.

The fact is that, as Christians, we all ought to have some convictions of our own.  There ought to be things that we either do or don’t do simply because of our faith.  Biblical convictions have great value in that they help us to live a godly life.  If we don’t have any Biblical convictions the world will be only too happy to supply us some of theirs!  The reality is that the people of the world have all kinds of convictions (safe sex is OK, ditto for homosexuality, abortion, cohabitation, etc.)  The problem is that their convictions don’t come from the Bible and they do not glorify God.

Now that my children are grown and out of the house, and raising families of their own, I am glad to see that they have taken many (though not all) of my convictions as their own.  These convictions will help keep them from wrong choices and wrong behaviors.  It will help them live a life that is pleasing to God.

Lord, thank you for the truth that is found in Your Word.  Help me to understand the necessity of having good, Biblical convictions - what they can do for me and for others.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Airport Security

I took my daughter, son-in-law and 3 grandchildren to the airport today.  They are flying to Minnesota to spend time with some of his relatives.  They will be gone 10 days.  10 days without seeing the grandkids!  That’s a long, long time.  (Oh, and without seeing our daughter and son-in-law too! :)

I was with them as they checked in their luggage and then watched them go through security.  Truthfully, the security stuff makes me not want to fly.  At all.  I know, I know.  The security is for my and everyone else's good.  It’s just that the government always overdoes stuff.  There had to be 15 people inside the small security area, checking luggage, liquids, laptops, sneakers, and passengers.  You go through a metal detector.  You get wanded,  You get patted down.  How much is enough?  Like one guy said to me “Remember the old days before 911?”.  Yes I do.  Fondly.

The spiritual parallel in this is that God’s Word, the Bible, is our spiritual security.  At times, just like airport security, it may seem a bit burdensome and excessive.  There’s all the ‘thou shalt nots’ and all the other commandments that are found throughout it.  Do this.  Don’t do that.  Avoid this.  Flee that.  You know what I’m talking about.

The main thing to keep in mind, however, is that God didn’t give us commands to take away our fun and make our lives miserable.  Or boring at best.  Quite the opposite.  God gave us His commands so that we could enjoy life, so that we wouldn’t get bogged down with sin and all the baggage it brings, so that we could have life, and have it abundantly.

Psalm 119 is a wonderful psalm that talks about the importance of God’s word.  There's 176 verses in this psalm and just about every other verse has something to say about God's commands.  The following is a sampling:

    v   11 - Your word I have treasured in my heart

    v   16 - I shall delight in Your statutes

    v   18 - Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Your law

    v   50 - Your word has revived me

    v 105 - Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path

    v 162 - I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great spoil

    v 165 - Those who love Your law have great peace

Clearly the Psalmist had a good view about God’s commands.  They were his security, his guide, his protection.  We should view God’s word the same way.

Now I don’t know that I’m ever going to get to the point where I do back-flips over airport security.  (If I did, I would probably be arrested!)  But I am excited about the power of God's word and its ability to provide spiritual security for my life.

Lord, help me to value, cherish and see the wisdom of Your commandments.  More than this, help me to obey them, to love them, to teach them to others.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Symbols Of Love

What do you see in the picture to your right?  Water.  Bottled water.  Propel black cherry to be exact.  I am not much of a water drinker.  In fact, unless I am playing sports or am very thirsty, I don’t drink much of it at all.  Combine this with the fact that I don’t drink coffee, or tea, or very much pop, and you get the idea that I don’t drink very much.  To correct this, I began drinking flavored water several years back.  For some reason I really like the taste of the black cherry.  Not too strong but enough taste that I actually drink it.  The result is that I drink about 40 oz. a day.  Yeah, I know - you’re supposed to drink 64 oz. or more but this is about all that I can handle.  Unless I’m outside in the sun - then I might get all of my daily water requirement in.  Now to the reason for the picture.

My wife takes very good care of me which is good because I tend to minimize and overlook my own needs.  It was the way I was raised.  One day I came home and saw all this Propel all over the place in the garage.  There must have been double the amount of bottles that you see in the picture.  Needless to say I noticed.  It was an impressive amount of water.  Knowing Beth, she got a great deal and so she decided to stock up on it.

When I saw all that water sitting there, I saw something else.  I saw a symbol of love.  Beth  knows that I like to drink it so she made sure that it was there when I wanted it.  How thoughtful.  How loving.  Of course, this isn’t the only symbol of love that I see around our house.  I see fresh, hot meals at dinner time.  I see clean, folded clothes lying neatly on the bed.  I see rooms that have been dusted and a bathroom that’s been cleaned.

The reality is there are symbols of the love of others all around us.  These could include any number of things - from a vehicle that was washed and/or vacuumed to a cup of coffee that was prepared for us; from a dishwasher that was loaded & unloaded to clothes that were washed and dried; from a lawn that was moved and trimmed to groceries that were purchased and put away.  Each and every day, dozens of little expressions of love enter our lives.  All we need to do is to take the time to recognize and appreciate them.  To savor them.  To thank the giver for them.

The same is true of God.  Each and every day He fills us with symbols of His love.  The smile of a spouse, the laughter of a child, the voice of a friend, a sunny sky, a star-lit night, a flower, a rainbow, the sound of a bird, the Bible, His promises, the breath of life.  In a hundred different ways God shows His love for us.  All we need to do is to take the time to recognize and appreciate them.  To savor them.  And thank God for them.

I don’t know what symbols of love are in your life but be on the lookout for them.  They are right there - right in front of your nose.  Train yourself to see them.  Take the time to appreciate them.  Take the time to be thankful for them.

Lord, I thank you for the dozens of symbols of love that invade my life every day.  Thank you for all the symbols of Your great love for me as well.  May I have eyes to see them, a heart to appreciate them, and lips to express thanks for them.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The First Day Of Summer

At last!  It’s finally here!  The first day of summer!  At least it’s here ‘officially’.  Unofficially, I always consider summer to arrive with the weekend of Memorial Day.  The reality is that summer doesn’t really start here in the Flathead Valley until sometime after the 4th of July.  This is when the weather finally begins to get nice.  And sunny.  And warm!

Unfortunately, the beginning of summer also brings with it a little sadness as well.  After today, the amount of daylight will begin to diminish a little each day.  At first it will be almost imperceptible - a minute here and a minute there.  Gradually it will get to the point where we will lose 3 to 4 minutes of daylight each day.  So, we will go from having 16+ hours of daylight to barely 8 by the time Christmas arrives.  Is that depressing or what?

This is life.  Good and bad often come packaged together.  The glass is both half-full and half-empty at the same time.  It all boils down to perspective.  We can be thankful for what we have or complain about what we don’t have.  The choice is up to us.  Obviously God wants us to be thankful, grateful people.  This is why we are told in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  While not denying the reality of the negative, we need to locate and celebrate the positive.  As Christians, we really ought to be the most positive, upbeat, happy people on the face of the planet.

So, I am going to enjoy summer.  And fall.  And winter.  I am going to enjoy it when it’s light out until 10:30 PM or 5 PM.  God is good and He’s good ALL the time!

Lord, thank you for life, for ups and downs, for twists and turns.  Thank you that no matter how bad things might be around me or in my life, there is always a lot of good as well.  Help me to focus on the positive, to celebrate & embrace it.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Top Dads

My Top 10 TV Dads

As I shared in yesterday's sermon, my top dads are based on ones who were their for their children and who attempted to teach them life lessons: 

  1.    Fred McMurray         Steve Douglas             My Three Sons
  2.    Michael Landon        Charles Ingalls             Little House On The Prairie
  3.    Andy Griffith              Andy Taylor                 The Andy Griffith Show
  4.    Chuck Connors         Lucas McCain             The Rifleman
  5.    Bill Cosby                  Cliff Huxtable               The Cosbys
  6.    Hugh Beaumont        Ward Cleaver               Leave It To Beaver
  7.    Tom Bosley               Howard Cunningham    Happy Days
  8.    Ralph Waite              John Walton                 The Waltons
  9.    Lorne Greene           Ben Cartwright             Bonanza
10.    Dick Van Patton        Tom Bradford                Eight Is Enough


My Top 5 Biblical Dads

Not a lot of choices here since the Bible doesn't focus much on family dynamics.  Obviously God, the Father, is the #1 Dad in the Bible.  The dads I chose are human ones who reflected God's character as Father.

1.    God, Our Heavenly Father    every good quality
2.    Abraham                               good priorities
3.    Father of the Prodigal Son    loving
4.    Joseph (father of Jesus)        protective
5.    Jairus                                     unselfish

Top 50 TV Dads Of All Time

As promised this morning, here is the TV Guide list of the Top 50 TV Dads Of All Time (June 20, 2004).  See how many you recognize, who you would add, how you would rate them!

  1.    Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show)
  2.    Ben Cartwright (Bonanza)
  3.    John Walton, Sr. (The Waltons)
  4.    Charles Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie)
  5.    Danny Williams (Make Room for Daddy)
  6.    Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best)
  7.    Steve Douglas (My Three Sons)
  8.    Andy Taylor (The Andy Griffith Show)
  9.    Howard Cunningham (Happy Days)
10.    Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
11.    Reverend Eric Camden (7th Heaven)
12.    Steven Keaton (Family Ties)
13.    Dan Conner (Roseanne)
14.    Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch)
15.    Tom Corbett (Courtship of Eddie's Father)
16.    Alex Stone (The Donna Reed Show)
17.    Forrest Bedford (I'll Fly Away)
18.    George Lopez (George Lopez)
19.    Herman Munster (The Munsters)
20.    Tim Taylor (Home Improvement)
21.    Ozzie Nelson (The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet)
22.    Rob Petrie (The Dick Van Dyke Show)
23.    Tony Micelli (Who's the Boss?)
24.    Archie Bunker (All in the Family)
25.    Sandy Cohen (The OC)
26.    Doug Lawrence (Family)
27.    Michael Kyle (My Wife and Kids)
28.    Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver)
29.    Jack Bristow (Alias)
30.    Chester A. Riley (Life of Riley)
31.    Andy Sipowicz (NYPD Blue)
32.    Lucas McCain (The Rifleman)
33.    Tom Bradford (Eight is Enough)
34.    Philip Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
35.    Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
36.    Rick Sammler (Once and Again)
37.    Jason Seaver (Growing Pains)
38.    John Robinson (Lost in Space)
39.    Martin Lane (The Patty Duke Show)
40.    Will Girardi (Joan of Arcadia)
41.    Jim Walsh (Beverly Hills, 90210)
42.    Fred Sanford (Sanford and Son)
43.    Andy Brown (Everwood)
44.    George Jefferson (The Jeffersons)
45.    Rocky Rockford (The Rockford Files)
46.    Michael Steadman (thirtysomething)
47.    Bernie Mac (Bernie Mac)
48.    Paul Hennessy (8 Simple Rules)
49.    Graham Chase (My So-Called Life)
50.    Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Zippity Do Dah

Earlier today I had the opportunity to go with my son-in-law Charles, and his friend Chris, to  Big Mountain in nearby Whitefish.  The purpose - to ride a zip line.  In case you are not familiar with it, a zip line is a long, continuous cable strung between 2 points which differ in elevation.  (This way gravity supplies the power.)  All told, the Big Mountain resort has a total of 6 zip lines that run from 100' long (and 20' in the air) to 1,900' (and 300' in the air).  1,900' - that’s over one-third of a mile.  It doesn’t seem that far on land but it does when you’re hurtling through the air!

There is a reason why they are called ‘zip’ lines.  It is because you go fast.  Very fast.    Reaching speeds of up to 50 mph is what I call fast.  All the while supported only by a harness.  Let me say this is not the kind of activity for the faint-of-heart!

I certainly had a good time.  It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.  I am glad that God has given me the health to be able to enjoy it.  I was also glad for the opportunity to spend time with my son-in-law and to be out in God’s wonderful backyard.  The reality is that the time flew by (pun intended!).  This is a picture of life.  ‘Mountaintop’ experiences are few and far between and they go by very fast.  Zip.

A lot of Christians I know are continually in search of ‘mountaintop experiences’.  That sermon or retreat that rocks their world.  That time of worship that takes them to the very throne of God.  That time of ministry when they know that God has used them to touch the life of someone else.  Mountaintop experiences are good.  They are inspiring.  Uplifting.  We can go a long way from one of these events.  But they don’t come along every day.  The reality is that most of life is lived in the valley.  Where the scenery is not spectacular.  Where the clouds gather above us.  Where the pace of life is much slower and routine.

This is why perseverance is such an important quality of the Christian life.  In Hebrews 12:1 we are encouraged to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  The race referred to here is life.  The fact is that anyone can handle the mountaintop experiences - those times when life is good.  And fun.  And simple.  It’s the everyday living in the valley that is difficult.  Taking care of several toddlers on a daily basis.  Going to work at a job we don’t like and that has no future.  Paying the bills.  Washing the dishes.  Mowing the grass.  But these seemingly ordinary moments make up the majority of our lives.  They shouldn't be overlooked.  Or resented.  Or wasted.

So, thank God for the mountaintop experiences of our lives.  We should enjoy them.  And savor them.  And take pictures.  And remember them.  But be must also be prepared to go back down to the valley, the place where most of life is lived.  It is there that God will meet us.  And sustain us.  And use us.  And transform us.

Lord, thank you for those mountaintop experiences that you give us - those times when we thoroughly enjoy ourselves and Your blessings.  Help us to persevere during our extended times in the valley.  To continue to look to You for strength, hope, peace, wisdom, joy and love.  To be faithful to what you have called us to do, no matter how ordinary it make seem.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Clever vs Inspired

This past week I was working on my annual Father’s Day sermon. I don’t know if I’m ‘old school’ or not but I like to take advantage of holidays. Holidays are those times when friends, relatives and others who don’t normally go to church, attend. They generally do so because of the particular holiday, so why disappoint them? Besides, each holiday has its own unique emphasis which makes it special.

That being said, holidays can be tough for pastors as far as sermons are concerned. I mean, at this point I have preached 18 Father’s Day sermons. How many different ways can you say that fathers are important, that they are needed, that we should honor them? Another aspect is that there just isn’t a lot of material about fathers in the Bible. Sure, there are a few standard texts such as ‘Honor your father and mother’ and the Apostle Paul has some advice to fathers, but it’s not exactly like the Bible is a handbook on fathering. So, after a while, preparing sermons for holidays (Christmas, Easter, Mother’s & Father’s Day, etc.) can be very challenging.

Well, this past Mother’s Day I felt that God gave me a good theme to preach on without duplicating much of what I had said in the past. The same thing happened this week. Out of the blue (while watching TV with my wife while I was working on my laptop, no less) God gave me a theme for this week’s message. Now let me tell you, there is nothing like when a good idea comes together - when that small seed of a thought mushrooms into a sermon, a good sermon, a sermon that you know has substance.

As I was putting the finishing touches on my sermon I was proud. I can’t wait to preach this! This is good. Man, am I clever. Clever? Did I just think clever? That’s not good. As I thought about this I came to the conclusion that clever is a human word. When someone is referred to as ‘clever’ the emphasis is on them - their talents, their abilities, their ideas. No, clever will never do because the idea for this message didn’t originate with me. What would be a better word? I know, inspired! Yes, that’s the word! In my way of thinking, it is the exact opposite of clever. Inspired is a ‘God’ word. It means that the emphasis is on God’s talents, God’s abilities, God’s ideas.

So, I will be glad to go into the pulpit on Sunday with what I know is an ‘inspired’ message - a message that God gave me, that God developed and that God will bless. I like inspired. I am going to use it in my vocabulary a lot more. I’m just happy that I was clever enough to come up with it! :)

Lord, thank you for Your divine inspiration - for those times when You give me an idea, or a solution to a problem, or the right word to say at the right time. I know that these come from You. Thank you for speaking to me. May you get all the credit and the glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lilacs

With all the rain that we’ve had this Spring (and we’ve had a LOT of it!) my backyard looks very nice.  Along with the lush green grass, (which seems to need cut every other day!), the leaves of the trees, and various bushes that are blooming, we have lilacs that are in full bloom.  Actually, we have a lot of lilacs that are in bloom as we have a total of eight bushes, all of which we planted in various locations around the yard.  They are also different colors - white, lavender, pink and a deep purple with white highlights.  They are a pretty sight to behold.

Of course, in addition to the nice foliage that they maintain all summer long there is the fragrance.  Ah, the sweet smell of lilacs.  When we are anywhere out in the yard we can immediately smell them.  Since several bushes are located just outside our bedroom, we can enjoy their wonderful fragrance when we have the window open.  I even cut a sprig off one of the bushes last week and brought it into the house.  Did that ever make the house smell nice!

As I smell the fragrance from our lilacs I am reminded of a spiritual application.  In 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 we read the following - “He (God) uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?.”

What Paul is saying here is that, as Christians, as we daily walk in the Spirit, we are a sweet smell to God.  Imagine that.  God walking among us, delighting in the sweet fragrance of our lives!  And we also are a sweet fragrance in the lives of other believers.  When they see us, speak with us, work with us, or worship with us, we bring the very fragrance of Jesus into their lives.  Now that is something to think about, isn’t it?  Just as we like the smell of fresh-blooming flowers, we are a breathe of sweet perfume to others.  And other Christians have the same affect upon our lives.  They bring the wonderful aroma of Jesus to us.

Now, as much as I love the smell of our lilacs, the sad reality is that they only bloom a short time each year.  However, as Christians we have the wonderful privilege of being incredibly aromatic 24/7, all year long!  We can bring delight to the lives of others and to the very nostrils of God Himself.  Now that is something to be truly excited about!

Lord, I thank you that, as a believer, my life is full of the sweet fragrance of Jesus.  This smell pleases You and it also is pleasing to other believers.  Help me to live so close to you that my life will be a continual source of spiritual fragrance.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wacky Rubber Bands

If you don’t have children or work with them, then you might not know about a new craze, wacky rubber bands.  Simply put, they are rubber bands.  They are not, however, the rubber bands that we grew up with.  No, no.  Instead of being mostly tan in color and pretty much round or oval shaped when not stretched, wacky rubber bands come in every color and shape imaginable.  These wacky rubber bands are made so that they retain their original shape when they are not stretched.  That ‘shape’ could be literally anything - a fruit, a religious symbol, a word, a tool, a truck, a boat, an action or cartoon figure.  Anything.

Somewhere along the line my 4-year-old grandson Brett was introduced to them.  Probably by his parents.  One day he came to our house and he had his wrist loaded with all kinds of them.  Then, in a spirit of love and sharing, he insisted that I have a couple to wear.  OK, more than a couple.  Eight of them.  So I started wearing them on my wrist everyday.  Now normally I wouldn’t do anything like this but it’s surprising what one will do for his/her grandchildren!  So I wear them when I’m home, when I’m at church, when I play softball, wherever I go.  In fact, my particular wacky rubber bands have gone international!  I wore then back in March when I went to El Salvador and Guatemala.  My favorite one is of Shrek, the green ogre.

As I periodically look at those wacky bands on my wrist, who do you suppose I think of?  My grandson Brett.  I also think about the love that he has for me, which is why he shared them with me in the first place.

In the Christian life, the cross is the equivalent of my wacky rubber bands.  (I'm certainly not trying to demean the significance of the cross!)  What I mean is that the cross is also a symbol.  Whenever we see it - whether it’s in or on a church, in a book, on a necklace that we wear, wherever - we immediately think of Jesus.  We also think about the love that He has for us, the love that motivated Him to die a horrible death on the cross so that we could have eternal life.  Talk about love, this is it!  Only the love of God could turn a horrible symbol of torture and death into a symbol of love and grace!

Lord, thank you for the symbol of the cross and what it represents, Your great love for us.  Help us never to take it for granted or fail to be moved by it.  Instead help it to be a constant reminder of the incredible price that was paid to reconcile us and the world to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jeff Conaway

It was just a couple weeks ago that actor Jeff Conaway died.  He was an actor whose main claim to fame was playing John Travolta’s sidekick, Kenickie in Grease and Bobby Wheeler in the TV sitcom Taxi.  After that he had a number of appearances over the years in minor TV series, movies and on stage.

What I didn’t know until I read his obituary was that Conaway spent a good portion of his life battling an addiction to drugs.  It seems that he started doing drugs way back in the ‘60's when he was a part of a rock and roll band.  To his credit, he realized that if he stayed in the music industry that he’d be dead in a year.  So he left music and turned to acting.  Unfortunately, somewhere along the line he developed back problems and the constant pain he experienced really worked against his efforts to be free of drugs.

The part that really caught my eye, hence the reason for this post, was something that he said in a 2011 LA Times interview this past January that resulted from his appearance on Celebrity Rehab.  “I got a lot of love from people, and when people stop me on the street and say, ‘Man, your story touched me so much’, it makes all this pain worthwhile, you know?  I don’t know where actors go after they die, but I know people who help other people have a nice place to go.  And I would like to go there if I can.”  Man, something about these words just touched my heart.  They brought tears to my eyes.

I guess it’s because in these comments I see a lost and lonely person, someone who’s struggling, searching and hoping.  Hoping he can go someplace ‘nice’.  Hoping that he can be free of addiction and pain.  Hoping that his life counted for something. 

I hope that someone told Jeff about Jesus.  I hope that someone told him about John 3:16 and the great love for him that sent Jesus to the cross.  I hope that he responded in repentance and faith.  I hope that he is in that ‘nice place’, Heaven, in the presence of God.  Only time will tell if he is. 

Lord, direct me to people in my life who are lonely, struggling, confused, hurting.  Help me to point them to Jesus and the cross, to the greatest display of love that the world has ever witnessed.  Help them to understand the opportunity that they have to be free - free from sin, guilt, addictions, and their past.  Help them to run into Your waiting arms of love.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Peter & James

In my reading through the New Testament I came to Acts 12.  In the beginning of the chapter it tells how King Herod had the apostle James arrested and killed.  Seeing how much this pleased the Jewish leaders, he also had Peter arrested with the intention of killing him as well.  The night before Peter was supposed to be brought to trial he was rescued by an angel who freed him from prison.  It ended up that Herod died shortly after while Peter lived another 20 years.

As I finished my reading there are two questions that I have about Acts 12.  First, why did God allow James to be killed first, of all the Apostles?  Now it’s not that the other apostles weren’t important but James was one of the ‘Big Three’, the inner circle of Jesus that included his brother John and Peter.  It would seem to me that James, with all of his intimate knowledge of Jesus (at the transfiguration, seeing Jairus’ daughter raised to life, being the closest to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, etc.) would have been one of the last of the disciples to die.  (Interestingly his brother John was the last one to die, somewhere about 100 AD, or about 55 years after James died.)

The second question I have is why God allowed James to be killed by Herod but not Peter?  The difference between James and Peter is evident to anyone who reads Acts 12.  Both apostles were arrested by Herod - James is killed while Peter is miraculously rescued.  Why?  Did God love Peter more or James less?  No.  The answer lies in the sovereignty of God.  God’s will for the Big Three was different for each of them.  James was killed by the sword rather early (45 AD), Peter was crucified later in Rome (64 AD) and John, the only disciple who didn’t meet a violent end, died in Ephesus (100 AD).  Three different deaths in three different cities in three different parts of the Roman Empire.

In Isaiah 55:8,9 we read - “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways’, declares the Lord.  ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts that your thoughts.’”  The bottom line is that only God knows why He allowed events to happen the way they did in Acts 12 and only He knows why things happen in our world.  Two people get cancer - one is cured the other one dies.  Two people are in an accident - one survives, the other one dies.  Two people give birth - one child is born healthy, one child is not.  The fact that some people suffer more misfortune in life or die earlier than others does not always indicate divine displeasure or judgment.  It just means that God’s will for each person is different.  Someday, when all is said and done, we will discover how everything fits together - for the glory of God and the accomplishment of His will on earth.

Lord, help me to embrace Your plan for my life and for those I love.  Also help me not to be angry or bitter when Your plans are different from what I had planned.  Help me to learn that, in all of life, Father knows best!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Destruction Of Sennacherib

Since I spoke on the life of Sennacherib this morning as a part of my series, Good King/Bad King - the Foreign Edition, I thought I would share this poem concerning him.  It was first published in 1815 by the British poet Lord Byron. 

The Destruction Of Sennacherib

The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,   
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;   
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,   
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.   

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset were seen:   
Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,   
That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.   

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,   
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;     
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,   
And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!   

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,   
But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;   
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,     
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.   

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,   
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:   
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,   
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.           

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,   
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;   
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,   
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

The Router

Recently I purchased a router for my home.  I have a laptop computer that I use at the office and a desktop that I use at home.  On Tuesdays & Wednesdays I work on my sermon in my study at home because I need quiet so that I can concentrate.  The problem is that I use my laptop while working on my sermon and it doesn’t have internet access when I’m home.  It does when I’m at the office, since it is connected to the church wireless network, but at home only the desktop is connected to the internet.  I could unplug the phone line from the desk top and switch it to my laptop but that is a real pain.  So what I end up doing is using my desktop to look things up on the internet and then type them into my laptop.  It is rather comical to see me sitting at the chair in front of my desktop, looking at the screen, while typing on my laptop!

Before I get to the spiritual aspect of this story allow me to rant.  When I purchased the router from the store the side of the box said, in big, bold letters - Easy 3 Step Connection Process.  I should have known not to trust the advertisement.  Let me say this - THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ‘EASY’ WHEN IT COMES TO COMPUTERS!!!  I took the router out of the package, hooked everything up, put in the installation CD, and nothing!  When my son-in-law came over (who knows more about this stuff than I do) he confirmed that everything was connected properly.  So he called the 800# for tech support.  He must have been on the phone with this guy for 30+ minutes, going to all kinds of screens, making all kinds of changes.  After all was said and done, the router still didn’t work and I could no longer access the internet!  Long story short, I had to call the tech guy at my local internet provider to get back on the internet and take the router to my provider and have it physically programmed.  Finally the router worked!  3 Easy Steps.  Yeah, right.  (I feel so much better now having typed this!)

Anyway, now that my router is working it is heaven on earth at my house.  I can take my laptop anywhere, anywhere, and connect to the internet - while sitting on the couch, lying in bed, even in the bathroom! :)  It is absolutely wonderful and has made my life much, much easier.

It occurred to me that this is a wonderful example of prayer.  Because we are God’s children through faith in Jesus, we have 24/7 access to Him anywhere, anywhere - at home, work, school, on the road, in the air, on the water, on vacation.  It’s absolutely wonderful and it makes our lives so much better!

Lord, thank you for the incredible privilege of prayer, that we can talk to You, the Lord of the Universe, anytime, anywhere!  Thank you that You want us to call on You and when we do, You always answer.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Cottonwood Seeds

Every June the gentle breezes in our neighborhood blow white, wispy seeds from some nearby cottonwood trees for miles and miles around.  (At least I've been told that they are cottonwood trees!)  As I look out the window of my house on a sunny day I see the seeds everywhere - at all levels of the atmosphere.  I admit that it is sort of nice to see them floating effortlessly through the sky - that is, until I go out into my garage!

We leave our garage door open most of the time when we are home because we use the door inside the garage to go in and out of our house.  Leaving the garage open this time of year means that it becomes a haven for thousands of cottonwood seeds.  They are everywhere.  On the shelves, on the floor, in the corners, underneath things.  So I take my shop vac and suck up all the seeds I can find in order to make my garage tidy again.  Of course, several days later, there are just as many, if not more, seeds in my garage than before!  So I get out my shop vac and suck them up once more.  This continues for several weeks until the cottonwoods finally quit shedding for another year.

As I look at all those cottonwood seeds I think of my recent reading in the book of Acts.  In Acts 8:1 it says “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles, scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”  The ‘day’ being referred to here is the stoning of Stephen in the previous chapter.  From the Day of Pentecost and the birth of the church right up to Stephen’s death, the church in Jerusalem grew and grew until we read in Acts 6:7 - “So the Word of God spread.  The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”  After the death of Stephen, just like cottonwood seeds, the church was blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit so that it scattered everywhere.  First believers went into neighboring Judea and Samaria, then on to Antioch, and ultimately throughout the Roman Empire.

So the next time I get out my shop vac to sweep up some more of those cottonwood seeds, I want to remember that God works in mysterious ways.  He uses wind to blow seeds from cottonwood trees so that new trees can develop and He uses persecution and other means to scatter His people so that new believers can develop.  What an amazing God!

Lord, thank you for the way that You have scattered Your people over all the earth.  The result of this is that someday every nation, tribe, people and tongue are going to be gathered around Your throne in worship.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Whistleblowers

If you keep up with sports like I do, you are sure to notice a disturbing trend lately.  It’s all the so-called whistleblowers, people who come forward and point an incriminating finger at someone who has done wrong.  Tuesday it was an anonymous friend of former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor who says that he personally witnessed Pryor getting paid cash for his signing of OSU memorabilia.  Just recently it was Tyler Hamilton who pointed an accusing finger at cyclist Lance Armstrong, saying that they both had used illegal PED’s previously.  Before that it was Floyd Landis saying the same thing about Armstrong.

If these allegations are indeed true, then I am glad that they were made because God is a god of truth and He wants it be known.  Unfortunately, it seems that there are ulterior motives for all these sudden displays of honesty.  In the case of Terelle Pryor, the accusations came from a former friend who no longer likes him.  Hmmm, let me think about that one.  Could jealousy be the reason he is coming out with these allegations now?  Or is it revenge?  As for Hamilton & Landis, they only made allegations against Armstrong after they were both caught doping.  Let’s think about that one, too.  Could these allegations also be the result of jealousy or vindictiveness?  Or do they now stand to make all kinds of money from some publisher for a tell-all book?

The problem I have with all these suddenly-honest-accusers coming forward is this - why didn’t they blow the whistle when the alleged crime was actually taking place?  If what was being done was wrong, why wait?  Why wait until later, sometimes years later, and then make the accusations?  It appears that none of the three above accusers had any scruples with what was going on when it was happening.  Isn't this being an accomplice?  This means that they should bear some of the guilt as well.  Beside this, in my opinion, when people come forward long after the event in question, they lose some of their credibility.  Now all kinds of questions begin to surface about their delay in coming forward and what their motivation might be.

In James 4:17 we are clearly told "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  Among other things, what this means is that each of us has the responsibility to speak up when something unlawful or evil is happening.  We can't be silent and look the other way, thinking that we have done nothing wrong.  In the words of Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Lord, help me to be a person of integrity.  When I see a situation where things are happening that are not right give me the courage and the boldness to speak out, right then.  Then help me to be a conduit of Your forgiveness, grace and mercy.  In Jesus' name, Amen.