From 1961 to 1963 there was a comedy sitcom named, “Car 54, where are you?” It was a pretty funny show with all the misadventures of a couple of real mutt and jeff kind of guys who were always goofing up. The show started with the radio dispatcher yelling, “Car 54 where are you?” SO I am borrowing that title for today’s post. It could be Christian 23, or Christian 5,000,469, or any other number for that matter. It is for each of us.
Have you ever asked someone, “How are you doing?” and gotten the answer,”OK, I guess, under the circumstances.” So I have a question for every Christian? Are your circumstances stronger and greater than your ‘god’? Nothing is too difficult for the God in the Bible, the one true God. So why in the world would you ever live under your circumstances when God has conquered your circumstances and desires you to live in His joy?
It probably sounded like a good idea in his head before he spoke the words. As Jesus walked toward the boat, Simon Peter said, ‘Lord, if that is you, invite me to come to you.’ And Jesus said, “Come.” To his credit, Simon got out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus. But the Bible says, “He saw the wind and the waves.” He looked at his circumstances, and “OOPS’ he is sinking beneath his circumstances, and in this case the water. Jesus challenges him to greater faith, and I can almost imagine him saying, “Peter, what are you doing under the water (under your circumstances)? I told you to walk on top with me.”
I do not know what your circumstances may be today, but if you are a genuine believer, a follower of Christ the king, I want to challenge you to walk on top of your circumstances, not under them. The only way to do that, of course, is to walk to Jesus, keeping your eyes focused on Him. Jesus may not calm the storm in your life, but He will certainly calm your life through the storm, if you will trust Him.
I remember watching the movie “City Slickers” with Billy Crystal. Three middle aged men head out west for a cattle drive and an attempt to recapture their youth. Riding along one day they are discussing some of the wrong turns in their lives, and one who has an upcoming divorce is really singing the blues. One of the characters says, “Remember when we were kids, and we would yell ‘do over’?” Wouldn’t it be great if we could roll back the clocks of our lives and have a do over.
I am not much of a golfer. In fact, they need to make up a new word for what I do on the golf course. But I always enjoyed playing in “Captain’s Choice” tournaments where you played the best shot one of the team members made. I also loved being able to purchase “mulligans” which were second efforts at a shot that went wrong. You just hit another in its place. Wouldn’t life be great if we could have mulligans.
Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with either “do-overs” or “mulligans”, but there is another option. Through Jesus Christ we have the marvelous privliege of second opportunities. 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ Jesus, they are a new creation. Old things have passed away, and behold all things are made new.” Yes there are consequences to the choices we have made, and all of those consequences are not magically wiped away. But God does forgive us of our sins, and He gives to us opportunity after opportunity to get it right in our lives.
The Word of God cautions that we not be surprised at the fiery trials that come our way. A good friend of mine sent me an email this morning, applying the story of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego to a situation in my life. I love that story, don’t you. Three Hebrew children who faced the wrath of the king for not bowing down to his golden image. Three men who said, “We know God can deliver us, we believe He will, but even if He doesn’t . . .” I hope God grants me that grace of character strength.
One of the things that I am praying these days is that God help me discern the voice of “godly counselors” and heed their wisdom, while avoiding the traps of those who have their own agendas and would seek to intimidate or control. I am praying that God help me remain faithful and true to the Vision that He has given. Someone has often reminded us, “It is not how you start, but how you finish.” I am praying that God might enable me to finish well.
A scripture verse that God has recently brought to my attention helps keep it all in focus.”Whoever speaks, (let him speak) as one who speaks the oracles of God, whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies – in order that in everything God maybe glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
(I Peter 4:11)
Where Two Rivers Merge, Gold becomes the color Green.
Posted: May 15, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: Desert, Garden, gold, Hunger, Mali, Military Junta
That title may not make sense, yet, but hopefully in will in a moment. The first river is bush village in Mali, West Africa that is home to more than 3000 residents. (In a part of the world where villages may be 30 or 40 in number, it is a major metropolis. There is no electricity and no running water, and much of life goes on as it has for the last 2000 years. Add to the mix they are on the edge of the Sahara desert, and a multi-yeared drought, and you have near starvation. In January of this year when I was there most of the men in our fledgling church had traveled to distant regions to literally “dig for gold”. For most it is a waste of time. Rarely does it pay off; in fact it is almost like buying a lottery ticket here.
The other river takes place in the rural community of Hopkins, SC where a “city slicker preacher” begins to learn how to be a farmer. Several years ago my wife pushed me to plant a garden. I have been raising beans and tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, peppers, and an assortment ever since. (And fighting off the deer and squirrels). This experience enabled me to begin to try and teach lifelong farmers another way to raise their crops. We have fenced in and divided up a section of land large enough to feed the entire church and more for the whole year, irregardless of the rains.
Problem, we put in a diesel motor to pump water from a well. Problem, the diesel motor is too advanced in technology for the believers to keep it running. We know the solution, however. We want to sell the motor,and install multiple hand drawn water wells around the garden. Bigger problem: No Money. I am frantically trying to raise enough extra money to dig several wells, which will cost between $1,000 and $1200 each.
This is where you can help. If you want to contribute to feeding a group of villagers in the bush country of West Africa, where we are trying to teach them to fish, not just give them a fish for one meal, you can contribute to these wells.
How? I am so glad that you asked that question. You can go to our church website, and select the menu item to contribute online through paypal. It is tax deductible, and you can print the receipt from your computer when you give. Note it is for West Africa.
Time may be running out.Military insurrection has transformed this republic into a potential landmine of terrorism. WHile we can still get folks from the city to the village to help, please prayerfully consider helping us. Thank you and may God bless you.
What is a Vision from God worth? THe writer of Proverbs said, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained.” The word for vision in that text means a “God given revelation.” When a people or a church have no vision from God they wander aimlessly. All across America are churches that have lost their vision, and lost their direction as a result.
Recently, God revealed a new direction for Beulah Baptist Church. He defined the plan and the direction, and launched His church with a new name, Church Unleashed. Sometimes a vision like this is opposed by folks who don’t understand and who fear change. Sometimes it may come under attack from those who come from other places and try to direct the church toward what is familiar to them. Everyone may even have the best of intentions. Some may be good friends and folks we love very much, but who have a different agenda.
The difficulty is this. As the apostles asked the religious leaders in Jerusalem when they were commanded to stop preaching in the name of Jesus, “Is it better for us to obey God, or to obey you?” Human plans are simply that, human plans. They may be altered and changed whenever folks think they find a better way. But a Vision from God carries the challenge of obedience to God. As painful as it is to hear, God says, “My vision is not for sale.”
So what is that vision? It is clearly defined in Matthew 28 and Matthew 16. Jesus said to his disciples, “You make disciples”, and “I will build my church.” Some have said it this way, “To know Him and to make Him known.” No matter how you say it, we must obey God and follow His vision. It is important to see God’s vision and to sacrifice our own dreams and wishes for His plan.
