TAKE CARE WHAT YOU HEAR

TAKE CARE WHAT YOU HEAR

 As a young child, I passed through Morgan Avenue on my way to the Bass residence located on Schoonmaker Avenue in our hometown of Monessen, Pennsylvania.  The late Mr. James Wade, Sr. was standing on his porch, and he offered some intriguing advice which at the time seemed somewhat arbitrary.  “Wayne,” he admonished, “believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.”  Although I did not understand his meaning at that point in life, now it makes much more sense.

 Dr. Isaac Clark, my seminary adviser and an accomplished professor who taught two important subjects, “Homiletics” and “Communications,” insisted that more opportunities are won by effective communication (or lost by inaccurate communication) than anyone could possibly know.  He often warned us of the inherent dangers that live in the land of “MIS-communication.”

 It reminds me of an important battle in European history, between England and France.  On the evening of June 18, 1815, an anxious man stood in the tower of England’s Winchester Cathedral gazing out to sea.  Finally he found what he had been looking for – a ship sending a signal with the use of lantern lights.  As the young man strained to see the message, all of England held its breath, waiting for news of the outcome of a decisive battle between their military leader, the Duke of Wellington, and the French dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte. Having ruled most of Europe, Bonaparte saw England as a threat, and now the decisive Battle of Waterloo was coming to an end.

 That man stood in the cathedral tower, waiting to convey news that would actually determine England’s future.  As heavy fog rolled in, the signal arrived.  It just barely made it through, but how he wished it hadn’t, for the signal read: “WELLINGTON DEFEATED.”

 This bad news was communicated quickly across the countryside, bringing great gloom and sadness.  But then there was an unexpected reversal.  The fog lifted, and the message was sent again, this time in full: “WELLINGTON DEFEATED THE ENEMY!”  There was great joy throughout the nation for Wellington had won!

 Likewise, on Good Friday, the apparent message was simply this: “CHRIST DEFEATED.” But three days later, disciples discovered that the message had not been received in its totality.  The resurrection reversed every initial impression and confidently declared the full gospel: “CHRIST DEFEATED THE ENEMY!”

 As we emulate two Israelite stalwarts of faith, Joshua and Caleb, we will steadfastly refuse to give audience to ‘The Majority Report’ published by doubters, detractors and deceivers.  After all, YOU and GOD actually (and always) constitute THE SPIRITUAL MAJORITY, appearances notwithstanding. (Numbers 13:27-33)

 Although conditions might SEEM to be carrying you into deadly fire or deep water, here is what the Lord declares about you. “When you pass through the waters, I WILL BE WITH YOU; and through the rivers, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU.  When you walk through the fire, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

 Winner-believer, ONLY HEAR HIS VOICE and give credence to none other. (John 10:27)

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

THINK, BELIEVE, DREAM, DARE

THINK, BELIEVE, DREAM, DARE

 I thank GOD every day for dreamers and visionaries.  According to The Holy Writ, “Where there is no VISION, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)  Indeed, visionaries, our God-given ‘human gifts,’ manage to consistently mobilize energy and enthusiasm that keeps us LIVING, i.e. moving ahead, regardless of conditions or circumstances.

 So, relative to YOUR time and productivity on the planet, here is a strategic question you should ask and answer honestly: WHO or WHAT would you allow to confuse, confiscate, discourage, or drown your dream?

 How I love the story of the eight-year-old boy who was approached by an elderly gentleman in front of a wishing well.  The young lad looked up into the older man’s eyes, and asked: “I understand you’re a very wise man.  I’d like to know the secret of life.”

 The old man looked down at the youngster, considered carefully for a moment and then replied.  “I’ve thought a lot in my lifetime, and life’s secret can be summed up in four words: The first is THINK.  Think about the values you wish to live your life by.  The second is BELIEVE.  Believe in yourself based on the thinking you’ve done about the values you’re going to live your life by.  The third is DREAM.  Dream about the things that can be, based on your belief in yourself and the values you’re going to live by.  The last is DARE.  Dare to make your dreams become reality, based on your belief in yourself and your values.”

 And with that, Walter E. Disney whispered to the little boy, “Think, Believe, Dream and Dare.”

 My friend, it is never too early (or too late) to DREAM…

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

SAVIOR OF SOLDIER CRABS

SAVIOR OF SOLDIER CRABS

The message of gospel truth is present throughout creation to all who open their senses and sensibility to discerning the voice of God.  In my travels, I once came across some of God’s very simple-yet-fascinating creatures, called SOLDIER CRABS.  They caught my attention because their behavior depicts a picture of man’s need for divine intervention and grace.

Although they are rather elusive, soldier crabs can occasionally be found on sandy shores at low tide.  Their appearance is quite different from crabs we typically see.  They have a sky-blue dome about the size of a nickel.  Attached to this dome are long, spindly, cream-colored legs, which they use to lift themselves up on the sand.

The unusual name of soldier crabs comes from their tendency to move around in uniform large groups.  They emerge from holes in the sand seeking food; and because of their close formations and blue shells, they closely resemble a marching army.

As I drew closer to observe, I noticed a most distinctive characteristic in their behavior.  Soldier crabs have an amazing ability to burrow down quickly into the sand.  Sensing my presence, they vanished in mere seconds, leaving nothing behind but tiny mounds of sand.  Every time I tried to get close, they dug and hid again.  More than likely, I was too big and overwhelming – from their perspective, a potential predator.  

It occurred to me that the only way I could get close to those soldier crabs would be if I had the ability to transform myself into one of them.  Of course, I don’t have any such capability.  But isn’t this a marvelous image of what Almighty God has graciously done for US?  We were just like soldier crabs.  Our fallen nature caused us to feel too small and too sinful to commune with a transcendent and holy God. 

So…THE ALL-WISE GOD did not approach us clothed in His majestic splendor.  Instead, He condescended to our level and appeared to us in a form that looked like us and communicated like us.  And miracle of miracles, through our close encounter with HIS INCARNATE SON, JESUS CHRIST, we have become “the righteousness of God” – with the call and capacity to “come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (II Corinthians 5:21 – Hebrews 4:16) 

God never overwhelmed us.  Rather, He joined us so we could be reborn and reunited with Him.  In other words, the Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.  What a good, gracious, merciful, loving, and mighty God we serve…Jesus Christ…Savior and Lord! 

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

PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

Can I speak to all of the REAL DIAMONDS out there?  You’ve been through so much, having survived yet thrived in the crucible of off-the-chart pressure over extended time frames.  Life’s journey has taught you that there is purpose in the pressure and process.  Bottom-line: No pain, no gain.  Wouldn’t you agree?

 Keith Ready shares a story that positively affirms this fact.  Read and prayerfully ponder:

On a recent Saturday around midnight, my wife and I were about to fall asleep when we heard people talking outside our home.  Out of the blue came two loud thuds above our bedroom window, followed by the sound of laughter and people running away down our street.

We jumped out of bed, turned on the external lights and rushed outside, unsure of what had caused the two thuds and what damage we might see.  Dripping noises on the driveway and the flood light above our garage helped us to immediately identify what had happened.  Our home was the victim of an egg bombing!

The prospect of cleaning up this sticky mess was no pleasing thought, on top of which I was quite angry that we had been singled out for this annoying prank.  I decided that it was too late to clean up the mess because it might disturb our neighbors, so it could wait until morning.

Early next morning, armed with a bucket of warm soapy water, a scrubbing brush and an extension ladder, I was ready to wash off the dried-out egg grit above our bedroom window.

My task was made even more challenging by the two large canvas awnings that protect our bedroom windows from the heat and glare of the sun.  My annoyance with those late-night pranksters was slowly building to the level of the night before.

After retracting the awnings, something we rarely do except when there are very high winds, I climbed the ladder to clean the first patch of egg stains.  Then I moved the ladder to clean the second patch.  As I climbed the second time, I noticed that the glass in a window just under the roof line was badly cracked.  Since the awning protected the window, it was clear that the damage had not been caused by the egg bombing.  As I carefully placed my hand on the glass, I discovered that the pane of glass was quite loose.  Had the window been opened or closed with any force, it would likely have shattered; and all that glass would have dropped to the driveway, seven meters below.

Underneath that window, we have a basketball court, and most days there are five or six children playing in that immediate area, including our two sons.  My thoughts immediately turned to what could have happened if the broken glass in the window had gone undetected and suddenly shattered.  Their was a high likelihood that our kids or their friends could have been seriously injured.

After washing the remaining egg stains off the front wall, I got some heavy-duty masking tape and secured the cracked window as best I could.  Within 24 hours the cracked window was replaced and all was back to normal. 

Over the next few days, I realized that if our home not been bombarded by those eggs late Saturday night, I might never have discovered the broken window pane before it shattered and came down on the basketball court.  Even though it had been an annoyance, the broken eggs and stains were cleaned up quite quickly.  However, the damage that could have been caused by glass shattering over our children’s heads could have been much more severe.

Frequently in life, the small things that happen to us have a temporary negative impact, causing some pain, sadness, discomfort, or aggravation.  It is often said that we should not ‘sweat the small stuff’ and we should always look for the positive outcome, i.e. ‘the silver lining’ in the dark clouds of current circumstances.  Admittedly, this is not always easy to do in troublesome moments.

My personal experience with the egg bombing reminds me that there is always a flip side to everything.  And often the flip side provides a positive outcome or benefit; if not now, then at some point in the future.

We heartily agree with you, Mr. Ready.  Thanks for sharing your story.  Although our personal circumstances may differ, there is always AN ELEMENT OF DIVINE FAVOR present in every problem.  Indeed, our pesky problems are perfect disguises for miraculous revelations of the LOVE, GRACE, MERCY AND POWER OF GOD.  What does the Word say about this?

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) 

Since you are one of the REAL DIAMONDS in this world, you already know.  Amen? 

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

TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE BETTER!

TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE BETTER!

A few years before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, a brand new and expensive automobile stopped on the Mississippi River Bridge.  A gentleman stepped out of the car, wearing very costly clothing.  He climbed over the rail and onto a platform, preparing to jump.  Cars stopped and traffic backed up for miles.  The police arrived, along with the fire department, ministers and mental health professionals.

They began talking to the man, trying to convince him not to jump.  They told him that he might not die; he could break all his bones, or be paralyzed for life.  An old truck, loaded with lawn mowers, rakes, and shovels was stuck in the huge traffic jam.  An elderly gardener got out of the truck and walked over to where the crowd had gathered.

He waded through the people, looked over the side and hollered down to the man on the ledge, “Hey, I got to go to work.  Either jump or get off the bridge.  If you decide not to jump, tomorrow is going to be better!”

With that, the suicidal man climbed back up onto the bridge.  The police took him away for evaluation.  And the gardener walked back to his truck waiting for the traffic to move.

One minister asked the fireman, “Who was that?”  The fireman said, “He said he has to go to work!”

The police later reported to the press that all the way to the hospital the man kept saying over and over, “Tomorrow is going to be better.”  “Tomorrow is going to be better.”  “Tomorrow is going to be better.”

Bottom-line: One must SEE a future, to HAVE a future.  In other words, do not stand too close to the trees; you will be unable to see the forest.  Always remember that God is up to something behind the scenes.

 So, whatever is happening in and around your life, it ain’t over until GOD says it’s over!

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

THE URGENCY AND JOY OF NOW

THE URGENCY AND JOY OF NOW

MOST OF US convince ourselves that life will somehow be better after we have purchased some prized possession, or perhaps when we get married, or perhaps when we bring a new life into this world, etc.   And when we get married, we might feel frustrated when our children are very young, fully convincing ourselves that we will be more content when they are older.  After that, we might feel frustrated that we now must deal with challenging teenagers.  We are convinced that we’ll certainly be happier when they are beyond that stage, perhaps when they are in college.

We tell ourselves that our life will be completely joyful when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we buy a nicer car, when we able to go on that dream vacation, when we develop an awesome new career, when we get that long awaited promotion, when we can retire, etc., etc., etc.

Truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than RIGHT NOW.  If not now, when?  Your life will always be loaded with challenges.  It’s best to simply acknowledge this fact and decide to be joyful anyway…TODAY.

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Alfred D. Souza.  He wrote, “For a long time it seemed to me that life was just about to begin – real life.  But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, some time remaining to fulfill a personal obligation, or some debt to be paid.  THEN…life would begin.  At last it dawned on me that these challenges ARE my life.”

Souza’s perspective helps us to see that there is no singular condition that produces happiness.  Thus, the priceless emotional commodity that we call CONTENTMENT is the only sensible pathway.  My friend, you must appreciate every moment (and circumstance) that you have, and treasure it more because you share it with some special people – special enough to spend your valuable moments with.  Remember: TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE.

So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you get married, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are financially set, until the first or fifteenth of the month, until your song comes on, until your ship comes in, until you retire, etc., etc., etc.

Once you have been BORN AGAIN, you must and shall make the conscious decision that there is no better time to be joyful than RIGHT NOW.  Remember…

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Work like you don’t need money,
Love like you’ve never been hurt,
And laugh like no one’s watching.

God has afforded each of us UNIQUE GIFTS that we must identify and activate to achieve our purpose and to glorify His name!  Have you discovered and embraced yours?

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

WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN (Part IV)

WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN (Part IV)

I AM A BELIEVER.  Today, I will share one final reason in this series regarding my decision to be a Christian disciple.  Indeed, there are many more than I have time and space to articulate.

REASON #4

I have personally witnessed THE SOVEREIGN HAND OF GOD, moving in and around my life.

Each one of the redeemed has a powerful personal testimony, whether we know it or not, whether we tell it or not.  With your permission, I would like to share just a portion of my own. 

Long before my birth, “prevenient grace” (John and Charles Wesley’s theological term) orchestrated the conditions for my existence in this world.  Godly parents (and grandparents) set the stage for a very early encounter with Christ.  Thankfully, I was bathed in fervent prayer, surrounded by Christian values and virtues.  To wit, nine siblings and I never heard our parents utter a single word of profanity, never witnessed them smoking a single cigarette or imbibing a single glass of any alcoholic substance.  In a word, Jesus Christ was the spiritual head of our home and His Word was our constant companion.

I remember two modest plaques hanging on our dining room wall: “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths” and “There is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” (Proverbs 3:6 and Acts 4:12)   I suppose that these scriptures were unofficial Bass family themes.  Our father was an esteemed man of God, a pastor, a hard-working provider and an exceptional role model.  Our mother meticulously cared for her family and home – cradling us in loving nurture and covering us with daily prayer.  We were never permitted to leave home for school without first bowing on our knees before Our Creator and being anointed with blessed oil.

Thanks to the purposefully spiritual environment fostered by our parents, at the tender age of eight I had more than sufficient knowledge of the gospel to recognize my personal need for the Savior.  By His grace, I accepted salvation and developed a lifelong relationship with our Lord.

At age fifteen, I was miraculously called into the ministry.  Although I had been saddled with a major speech impediment, God healed me and empowered me to do something I never imagined I could, to speak boldly before congregations large and small.

On a personal level, I know Jesus Christ as The Great Physician.  I am a cancer survivor, and I am still here by the grace of God.  Beyond any shadow of doubt, our God is indeed great, and greatly to be praised!

Additionally, Jehovah Jireh has come to my financial rescue more times than I can recall.  I know Him to be “a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) What a mighty God we serve!

Years ago, when I was a backslider, momentarily turning my back on God while still active in the church, His unconditional love sought me and brought me back into spiritual balance within the Father’s family fold.  Oh, how He loves you and me!

Now, by the grace of God, I am what I am.  My accomplishments may be modest, but daily I sense His presence and His power; and, I am eternally grateful for an intimate covenant connection with Christ.  There are no other alternatives for me; there is no other way that I choose to live.  From my heart, I joyously echo the words of the Apostle Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  YOU have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)  My heart rejoices in the assurance that I am His, and He is mine.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for allowing me the position, privilege and power of sonship.  Thank you, Jesus, for dying vicariously in my place and securing my salvation and victory, both now and forevermore.  Amen.

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