THE MIRACLE OF TEAMWORK

THE MIRACLE OF TEAMWORK

 Extraordinary accomplishments are almost always the result of teamwork.  It is an irrefutable truism that no man stands alone.  The English poet, John Donne, penned these words: “No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”  Absolutely!

 Indelibly imprinted in nature are divinely designed illustrations of the awesome impact of teamwork.

 Consider the bees, a truly phenomenal example.  On hot summer days, half of the bees in any hive remain inside flapping their wings; the remaining bees venture outdoors to gather pollen and nectar.  The constant beating of wings causes the hive temperature to be ten degrees cooler than outside.  Wisely, the bees rotate duties; half cool the hive one day and rotate the next day to outdoor duties.  Think.  How much easier it would be to facilitate difficult tasks and situations if humans would only work through daily challenges in similar fashion.  That is, we should make up our minds to disallow all attitudes or actions that might result in disharmony and inefficiency.  Put simply, that’s TEAMWORK.

 And check out those stately flying geese.  Their teamwork is quite amazing.  While migrating to warmer climates, they cover thousands of miles before reaching the destination.  And they do it with maximum efficiency for several reasons: (1) Since they often fly against the wind, the geese in front rotate leadership.  When the lead goose grows tired, it changes place with one of the geese in the rear where there is less wind resistance.  (2) By flying in v-formation, they create an upward air draft that makes for more efficient flapping of wings and increased distance in flight.  (3) Should one goose become ill or wounded, two geese fall out of formation and remain there until it’s able to fly again.  (4) The geese in back of the formation constantly and loudly honk to encourage those near the front and also to let them know ‘We’re still here!’  If only human beings would mirror ‘geese sense!’

 What does the Word say about teamwork?  “A threefold cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  That’s why Godly marriages have profound and remarkable impact.  By covenant, they are threefold –  encompassing the spiritual union of God, husband and wife – a miraculous mystery of teamwork. (Matthew 19:6)  When God conjoins with our faith and unity, “all things and possible.” (Mark 9:23)

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

VICTORY IN JESUS

VICTORY IN JESUS

 My assignment today is to exalt our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the miraculous victory that is attainable and sustainable through Him.  Although my natural and spiritual father truly loved hymns and our church sang them often, there is one beloved song we somehow missed.  It was taught to me in the 1970s by a Baptist brother while I was a seminary student in Atlanta.  It’s a very inspirational hymn entitled “Victory in Jesus” by E. M. Bartlett.  Some of its uplifting lyrics are printed below:

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.

Oh victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood.

Victory is present, even in dismal circumstances.  In Colin Chapman’s book, “The Case for Christianity,” he quotes Ugandan Bishop Festo Kivengere’s account of a 1973 execution by firing squad of three men from his village: “February 10 began as a sad day for us in Kabale.  People were commanded to come to the stadium and witness the execution.  Death permeated the atmosphere.  A silent crowd of about three thousand was there to watch.  I had permission from the authorities to speak to the men before they died, and two of my fellow ministers were with me.  They brought the men in a truck and unloaded them.  They were handcuffed and their feet were chained.  The firing squad stood at attention. 

As we walked into the center of the stadium, I was wondering what to say.  How do you give the gospel to doomed men who are likely seething with rage?  We approached them from behind, and as they turned to look at us, oh what a sight!  Their faces were all alight with an unmistakable glow and radiance. 

Before we could say anything, one of them burst out: ‘Bishop, thank you for coming!  I wanted to tell you.  The day I was arrested, in my prison cell, I asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart.  He came in and forgave me all my sins!  Heaven is now open, and there is nothing between me and my God!  Please tell my wife and children that I am going to be with Jesus.  Ask them to accept Him into their lives as I did.’

The other two men told similar stories, excitedly lifting their hands and rattling their handcuffs.  I now felt that what I needed to do was to talk to the soldiers, not to the condemned.  So I translated what the men had said into a language the soldiers understood.  The military men were standing there with guns cocked and bewilderment on their faces.  They were so dumbfounded that they forgot to put the hoods over the men's faces!

Those three men faced the firing squad standing close together.  They looked toward the people and began to wave, handcuffs and all.  The people waved back.  Then shots were fired, and the three were with Jesus.  We stood in front of them, our own hearts throbbing with sorrow, mingled with joy.  It was a day never to be forgotten.  Though dead, those men spoke loudly to all of Kigezi District and beyond, so that there was a tremendous upsurge of life in Christ, who challenges death and defeats it.  The next Sunday, I was preaching to a huge crowd near the home of one of the executed men.  Again, the feel of death was all over the congregation.  But when I gave them the testimony of their man, and how he died, there erupted a great song of praise to Jesus!  Many turned to the Lord that day!”

Unquestionable victory is eternally resident in the presence of Christ Jesus.  But we do have a part to play.  Consider the words of General Dwight Eisenhower: “There are no victories at discount prices.”

Our salvation represents extraordinary and endless victory.  Salvation is a free gift, but it does cost something.  It costs the Father, His Son.  It costs the Son, His life.  And in the Words of Jesus, it costs every believer the unwavering commitment to “take up his cross and follow Me.”  The joy of the Lord is not always easily discernible in our crosses.  For example, it is difficult to envision sunshine during torrential rain, or to believe for a deluge of moisture while walking through desert-dry places.

But wherever you are, no matter what you are experiencing, Jehovah-Shammah is there.  And if HE is there, your victory is also there.  In 1933, C. Austin Miles penned a relevant choral declaration, “If Jesus Goes With Me, I’ll Go…Anywhere!”  A similar conviction empowered the Psalmist David to raise a song of worship in the midst of troubling of times: “You will show me the path of life.  In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

No matter what life’s scoreboard seems to suggest, never ever doubt that you are walking in ultimate victory.  We will trust and believe that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)  My friends, keep looking up!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

OUR COVENANT CONNECTION OF QUIETUDE

OUR COVENANT CONNECTION OF QUIETUDE

 We 21^st century people are far too busy for our own good.  All day, there’s an endless array of places to go, things to do, people to see, etc., etc., etc.  The result: our society seems to collectively yearn for ME-TIME.  We have an urgent need to somehow displace the chaos of incessant busyness and inhabit personal islands of solitary peace.  While I cannot dispute the need to have sufficient time for one’s self, it’s more of a necessity to pursue quiet communication with our Creator.

 Early African converts to Christianity were extremely earnest about (and dedicated to) their private devotions.  As such, Christians reportedly picked separate spots in the bush where they would pour out their hearts to God.  Over time, the paths to these prayer places became quite worn.  As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it soon became apparent to the others.  They would kindly remind the backsliding brother or sister, “The grass grows on your path.”

 It is mission critical to start every day in quality time with God.  The famed 19^th century preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, wrote “The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.”  It guides the quantity and quality of one’s agenda.  A dear friend and colleague in Texas, Pastor Ron Eagleton, makes it a daily practice to make this fervent inquiry of the Lord, “What do you plan for me today?”  In other words, since we belong to God, HE must be the trusted and sole architect of the daily agenda.  In truth, all of our time, talent and treasure belong to Him and are thereby subject to His will.

 However trite and oft repeated, a sage saying reports, “Seven days without prayer makes one weak.”  Get it?  Failure to commune consistently with Christ means we become self-appointed occupants of Heaven’s throne.  We lack sufficient wisdom and knowledge for that seat, and the results can be catastrophic.

 William Wilberforce, a Christian statesman of Great Britain in the late 1800s and early 1900s, once remarked, “I must secure more time for private devotions.  I have been living far too public.  The shortening of private devotions starves my soul.  It grows lean and faint.”  Following a failure in Parliament, he decided that his problems were directly due to the fact that he had spent less and less time in private devotions where he could earnestly seek the will of God.  And Wilberforce concluded, “God allowed me to stumble.”  Some ‘stubbles’ cause us fall to our knees before the Throne of Grace.

 Friends, it is in the quiet spaces that we truly discern the heart of God.  Such spiritual intimacy causes us to abandon those shallow and superficial prayers that only seek His hand, not His face. The Psalmist David put it best: “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ my heart said to You, ‘Your face, LORD, I will seek.’”

 God-consciousness emerges in quiet moments – and it enlarges us.  Never forget: Wise men and women still seek HIM.

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

WATCH OUT FOR 'UNREAL' PEOPLE!

 WATCH OUT FOR ‘UNREAL’ PEOPLE!

 Authenticity (a.k.a. integrity) is one of the unmistakable hallmarks of the Christian character.  Yet many people, both believers and unbelievers alike, are seriously lacking in it.

 In his book, “Growing Deep in the Christian Life,” Pastor Chuck Swindoll relates a true story about a man who appeared to be acting with utmost integrity.  Some years ago in Long Beach, this fellow went into a fried chicken establishment to purchase chicken dinners for his date and himself.  The lady at the counter inadvertently handed him the proceeds from the entire day (a bag filled with cash) instead of the chicken dinners.  After driving to a picnic site, the two sat down to enjoy their meal together.  They discovered a whole lot more than chicken – over $800 in cash!

 But this particular man was an entirely unusual soul.  He quickly put the money back in the bag and returned to the restaurant.  ‘Mr. Clean’ walked in and became an instant hero.  He looked the frantic manager right in the eye and without fanfare said, “I came by to get a couple of chicken dinners and wound up with all this money.  Here it is.”  The manager was thrilled to death.  He said, “That’s fantastic, thank you so very much!  Let me call the newspaper and they’ll write a story with your picture since you’re the most honest person I’ve ever known!”  To which that man quickly responded, “Oh no, don't do that!”  Then he leaned closer to the manager and whispered, “You see, the woman I’m with isn’t my wife...she’s, uh, somebody else’s wife.”  This man seemed to be for real, but only in certain aspects.  Otherwise not.

 People do strange things to get over.  The March 1980 edition of “Reader’s Digest” advised caution for tourists planning to vacation in Zambia.  It warned, “beware of street-corner emerald vendors.  And if you’re driving, be prepared for confusion on the streets, owing to stolen traffic lights.”  These two different travel warnings were actually related.  The traffic light thieves were selling green glass chips to unsuspecting tourists who thought they were getting bargain-basement emeralds.  Bottom-line: Things aren’t always what they appear to be, neither in marketing nor in life, so let the buyer beware!

 Unfortunately, anyone who falsely purports to be a believer is arguably the worst and most disastrous commercial for Jesus Christ.  Hypocrisy kills.  Indeed, it causes the practitioner to have a seared conscience.  That is, according to the Apostle Paul, such persons have been misled by “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” (I Timothy 4:2)  However, hypocrisy not only has an adverse impact on its perpetrator, it nullifies Christian witness and the emergence of faith in unbelievers.  I repeat: Hypocrisy kills.

 If you intend to be a Christian disciple, fence-sitting is never ever advisable.  It places one in mortal danger because a “seared conscience” has the potential result of becoming permanently immune to the reception of gospel truth.  It invariably leads one to a “strong delusion.” (II Thessalonians 2:11) 

So be for real.  Don’t ever play around with God or His people.

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

THE WISDOM IMPERATIVE

 THE WISDOM IMPERATIVE

 The acquisition of wisdom is mission critical to any meaningful degree of success in life.  Of course, my friend, you don’t have to be listed in Who’s Who to know what’s what!  It has been said that a wise man learns by the experience of others.  An ordinary man learns by his own experience.  A fool learns by nobody’s experience.  As we begin, carefully consider that. 

 But let’s lay a proper foundation.  What is wisdom?  Undoubtedly, wisdom is the one thing that is mission critical to navigating life effectively, i.e. minimizing the impact of distractions, roadblocks, challenges and setbacks that inevitably come.  In his book, “Knowing God,” J. I. Packer writes,  “wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.”  Doug Larson reveals one practical path to wisdom: “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk.”  Both statements contain irrefutable truth.

 However, the Fountainhead of any and all wisdom, its undeniable Source, is an intimate relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.  According to the Apostle James, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)  So never leave God out of your life-equation.

 Arguably, King Solomon (King David’s son) was the wisest and richest man to ever walk this earth.  HOW he attained to that rarest pinnacle of divine wisdom is a strategic key to understanding the way that WE can open a wide door to the same.  For clear-cut clues, pay particular attention to Solomon’s prayer and God’s response, as recorded in The Holy Writ:

 “Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.  Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.” (II Chronicles 1:9-12)

 And he displayed such extraordinary wisdom, that “all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which GOD had put in his heart.” (I Kings 10:24)  His wisdom was not the product of formal education; it was divinely granted – along with “great understanding and largeness of heart.” (I Kings 4:29)  This means that no one can truly be wise in the absence of (1) understanding, i.e. practical insight on how to navigate the issues of daily life, or in the absence of (2) largess, i.e. the ability to sincerely empathize and ably assist the life situations and limitations of others.  It’s the underlying reason for Solomon’s statement in Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.  And in all your getting, get understanding.”  Gaining understanding (the nuts and bolts of wisdom) is the ability to clearly perceive and skillfully enact the plans and purposes of God.

 This insight only comes from one Source.  Not from the Ivy League, not from captains of industry, not from the movers and shakers, not from educators, not from philosophers, not from statesmen, not from the power elite – ONLY FROM ALMIGHTY GOD!  “For the LORD gives wisdom, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”  (Proverbs 2:6)  Solomon concludes that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:20)

 Bottom-line: The highest illumination of wisdom is manifested in and through “the light of the world,” Jesus Christ, whom The Word identifies as “the wisdom of God.” (John 8:12 and I Corinthians 1:24)

 If you’ve not yet developed a covenant relationship with Him, get started today.  If you are already on the path of that spiritual journey, draw much closer to Him through the intimate communication that is only available through continual prayer and meticulous meditation on His Word.  It will truly revolutionize your thinking and transform your way of life. (Romans 12:2 and II Corinthians 3:18)

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

OUR AMAZING GRACIOUS GOD

 OUR AMAZING GRACIOUS GOD

 Grace is unfathomable and inexhaustible.  It seems that the matchless grace of God knows no barriers or limits.  He sees us for what we are and He reaches out to us, no matter how distant or dark the spaces we might inhabit.  The love of God is the explosive power that propels and targets amazing grace into every nation, culture, people and circumstance.

 It does not matter whether we recognize it or not, whether we believe it or not.  In the words of John Wesley, God’s grace is prevenient.  Its origins are long before our birth and its manifestations are skillfully woven through the fabric of our lives.  Although some may doubt, His grace is yet sufficient. (II Corinthians 12:9) 

 An atheist once cynically remarked, “If there is a God, let him prove himself by striking me dead right now.” Nothing happened. “You see, there is no God,” the atheist declared loudly.  A nearby Christian quietly responded, “You’ve only proven that He is a gracious God.”

 Unquestionably, the grace of God is powerfully present in every place and person on this planet.  Its amazing and unmerited favor reminds me of an inspirational story I recently read:

 Longing to leave her poor Brazilian neighborhood, Christina desperately wanted to see the world outside her tiny village.  She was totally discontented with a home that only had a floor pallet for a bed, a washbasin, and a wood-burning stove.  Christina dreamed of a better life in the city.  One morning she slipped away, carelessly breaking her mother’s heart.  Knowing what life on the streets would be like for her young, attractive, naïve daughter, Maria hurriedly packed to go and find her.  On the way to the bus stop, she entered a drugstore to get one last thing.  Pictures.  She sat in the photo booth, closed the curtain, and curiously spent all she could on pictures of herself.  With a purse full of small black-and-white photos, she boarded the next bus to Rio de Janeiro.  

 Maria knew Christina had no way of earning money. She also knew her daughter was too stubborn to give up her dream of a better life.  However, when pride meets hunger, people sometimes do things that were before unthinkable.  Knowing this, Maria began a panicky search of motels, bars, nightclubs, strip joints – any place that could be connected to street-walkers or prostitutes.  Maria searched them all.  At each place she left her picture, taped on a bathroom mirror, or tacked to a motel sign, or fastened to a phone booth.  On the back of each photo she wrote a note.  It wasn't too long before her money and pictures ran out, and Maria was forced to return home. This weary mother wept inconsolably as the bus began its long journey back to her village. 

 A few weeks later, an extremely weary Christina descended a flight of motel stairs.  Her young face was exhausted; her brown eyes no longer danced with youth, but reflected only pain and fear.  Her easy laughter was gone and her city dream had become a nightmare.  A thousand times over she longed to trade these countless beds for her modest yet secure floor pallet.  Yet her little village was, in so many ways, too far away.  As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes landed on a familiar face.  She looked again, and tacked on the lobby mirror was a small picture of her mother.  Christina's eyes burned and her throat tightened as she walked across the room to retrieve the photo.  Written on the back was this compelling invitation: “Wherever you have been, whatever you have done, it doesn't matter.  Please come home.”  Christina did.  Grace.

 I, too, am the blessed recipient of Heaven’s unmerited favor; and I am eternally grateful for the timely and life-saving manifestation of God’s amazing grace.  He has always looked beyond my faults and unconditionally ministered to every one of my needs.  Thank you, Jesus.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

THE HIGH COST OF NEGLECT

THE HIGH COST OF NEGLECT

 It has been wisely stated that ‘inch by inch life is a cinch.’  It’s a reminder of our need to be diligent in taking care of small matters before they loom large.  In life, there is an extremely elevated premium to be paid for the personal decision to let things go.  That is, there is a very high price for anyone’s avoidance of placing a finger in their leaky dike.  Passivity nearly always results in calamity.

 For example, in the booming downtown business district called The Loop, Chicagoans passively ignored their city's looming budget crisis for the better part of a decade.  This was because Washington’s cutback of aid to urban areas seemed to have minimal impact on the growth and development of their business community.  However, they soon discovered the costly price of neglect, and they learned it the hard way.  A quarter billion gallons of murky Chicago River water gushed into the 60-mile network of antiquated freight tunnels underneath The Loop and brought business to a soggy halt. 

 There was a sad and largely avoidable reason behind this horrific tragedy.  It turned out that a top city official had long known about the watery leak.  But because he deemed the government to be cash-strapped, necessary repairs were delayed, which would have cost only $50,000.  In the long run, the final cost of the flood damage had a price tag over one billion dollars! 

 It’s far better to directly confront and deal with small matters before they become monumental.

 There is spiritual application here.  We often fail to consider the gradual, cumulative effect of sin in our lives.  It’s something like one avoidable family tragedy that occurred in a Saint Louis home in 1984.  The owner noticed a few bees buzzing around the attic of her home.  Since there were only a few, she made no effort to deal with them.  Over the summer, the bees continued to fly in and out the attic vent while the woman remained oblivious and unconcerned, totally unaware of the growing city-of-bees.  In fact, her whole attic had become an extremely large beehive.  Eventually the ceiling of the second-floor bedroom caved in under the massive weight of hundreds of pounds of honey and thousands of angry bees.  While this woman was certainly blessed to escape serious injury, she was financially unable to repair the resultant damage of her accumulated neglect.

 That homeowner’s situation is not entirely unique.  Relationship issues grow and fester when we do not address them prayerfully and compassionately.  Wars break out when nations allow seemingly small matters to slide by unattended.  Churches split when wisdom is not constantly and judiciously applied to occasional points of disagreement.  Death occurs prematurely when we delay doctor visits or fail to follow wise medical counsel.  You see, inch by inch, life IS a cinch!  But one has to pay close and constant attention, while remaining open to adjustments or change.  Think.

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!