Only one adequate plan has ever appeared in the world, and that is the Christian dispensation.
John Jay - First US Supreme Court Chief Justice
Wednesday's Word: June 2007

Wednesday's Word

Welcome friends, feel free to look around, make comments and whatnot. I'll try and keep this thing updated with interesting pics, stories and other odds & ends. Feel free to criticize, but please share the 'truth in love'. No reason to be purposefully offensive. Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Hide and Go Seek

      After many years of intense study on the subject, I ‘m sure of this one thing: There’s not a child alive that, at the drop of a hat, would’nt be up for a game of ‘Hide Go Seek’. Though wouldn’t it be a strange thing that once the ‘seeker’ began to count, no one goes to hide? After counting to 10, 20 or whatever and screaming out “Ready or not, here I come.”, he turns around to see everybody just standing right there in plain view. “Why are’nt you hiding?” He’d ask. “Then how would you see us?” they’d all reply. And then He’d say… “But I’m not supposed to see you.”
Here’s the word:
Colossians 3: 2-3 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Like most, I’m concerned about our culture today as we’d rather wear God around our necks as a prideful status symbol, rather than hide ourselves in Him to the point where we become oblivious. Romans 1:12 speaks about the evidence of God by seeing the natural created order. Notice the sheer creativity of God even in your very body and mind. Even when you’re hidden in Him, His unique signature that make you you shines through to glorify Him. This is the place where abundant joy is. We can waste so much time trying to impress folks shinning up and polishing ourselves while at the same time keeping those tarnished spots hidden. Christ is ALLready ALL shiny ALL over, His love already covers a multitude of your tarnished spots, what better place to be hidden?
      In closing, wether we realize it or not, God is not confused about who’s in or not and I’m definetly not a judge…. More like a fruit inspector  (heard that from a friend, told him I would use it often) but Christ, our example said this in John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Hide in Christ, and do His will – Seek the lost, some are right there in plain view.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Service Dress

      I would spend a good amount of time meticulously making sure that everything on my Class A U.S. Air Force service dress uniform was in “white glove” inspection order. I'm using my uniform as a teaching point to my Youth Ministry class. I’d get to the classroom a good 10 minutes before any of the students arrived to set up the room; about ¾ of the chairs arranged on the left, and ¼ of the chairs arranged on the right . I’d also check over my uniform once more, just to make sure. As each student would arrive, they’d open the door and be immediately startled by me standing inches away from them belting out my greeting… “ARE YOU SAVED?!?!?!” I know. Surprising to say the least.
     Any hesitation or fumbling to answer my question was met with a stern “Please take a seat here to my left.” Students who were able to gather some assemblance of composure and answer my abruptness with a responsive “Yes.” Were commanded “Please take a seat here to my right.” After the 10 minutes or so that it took the entire classroom of students to show up and get organized, I’d get right into the heart of the matter.
Here’s the Word:
Revelation 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

In the military we have basically 2 uniforms, the work uniform and the ever impressive ‘Service Dress’. I think in some ways when people imagine Jesus, they see Him in the sandals, tan long bath robe with the beard, you know, like the pictures.When Jesus was here some two thousand years ago, His mission was to seek and save the lost. He has commissioned His true disciples to carry on this work. We are now in a time of grace where we can turn from our worldly ways and seek Him with His pierced hands and outstretched arms.
Oh, but a day is coming!
The next time we see Jesus, He won’t be in His humble servant work clothes, and that time of saving grace, will be over. And you’ll have to go through that door and meet Him. He’ll be in Service Dress.

Why were the chairs set up that way? I’m glad you asked.
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.