What about you?

I am going to say a word and you tell me what is the first thing that comes to your mind. Okay, ready? Here it is...testify.

That's it...testify...or maybe testimony...or witness. What did you think of? A trial? Maybe someone who was up for a murder charge? Did you think of truth or evidence? Maybe you went negative and thought about the command to not bear false witness against someone?

In my fellowship I believe most everyone would first think of a court trial or some legal proceeding. I have never really heard "testifying" or "witnessing" in everyday language. But in the New Testament you find it used mostly in reference to telling someone about the good things God has done, is doing, or will do in your life. They were told to bear witness, to testify.

• Jesus told his disciples that they would be dragged before high officials to witness about him. Matthew 10:18

• John the Baptist came to bear witness about Jesus so others might believe in him.John 1:7

• There was a man who had been freed from an evil spirit to whom Jesus said, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

I think we spend too much time talking about how well our favorite team is doing and not near the time talking about what God is doing or has done in our lives. In Hebrews 10:12-13 the writer says to

"See to it brothers that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

How can we encourage one another if we do not share how God is working in our lives?
How easy is it for someone's heart to be hardened towards God if Christians do not share how Christ has made a difference in their lives?

Witness, testify, whatever you want to call it today, Christians need to profess what the eternal God is doing and has done in their lives. When we don't then we rob God of his deserved glory.

A line to an old hymn we have sung for decades says:

If the name of the Savior is precious to you, if his care has been constant and tender and true, if the light of his presence has brightened your way, oh will you not tell of your gladness today?

Peter and John were called before some officials and ordered to stop talking about Jesus. They replied,

"Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help but speak about what we have seen and heard."
Acts 4:19-20

What about you?

It was at the bottom of the reminder.
Normally, I chunk a reminder into the trash because I have the info down in my Blackberry or in Outlook. So I don't need the reminder. But this one caught my eye (maybe because it was in a bright orange size 50+ font).

"Please be on time for your appointment..."

What did that mean? No, not the plea to be there at my scheduled time but the "..." Three dots...Standby...Keep reading. What did they want to draw attention to?

..."Late arrivals may have to be rescheduled for another day."

There it was. The disclaimer. If you miss your appointment don't expect us to work you in. Your out of luck.

Isn't that a little harsh? I mean, they are a doctor's office. They are supposed to be in the business of helping people. If I am a little late can't you just work me in? I wouldn't be here if I didn't want help.

That is the funny thing about rules and policies. They are only as good as the one responsible for upholding them.

Reminds me of a story:

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

The thing about God's appointment is that there is no working you in on a more convenient day. That is one appointment that we will all have to keep.

Have you set your reminder?...

Lost & Found

People often take journeys to "find themselves." Jesus journeyed to find us. Those who were paying attention heard him express his purpose in several ways. John 4:34

Jesus' walk was a working journey. He knew his own identity. He understood his reason for being there. Jesus embarked upon a search and rescue mission when he came to earth. But it wasn't to find himself. We were the ones needing to be found. (Luke 19:10)

He found people like us everywhere he went. Those who walk with Jesus become those who work with him. Those who refuse to work with him find they cannot walk with him either.

If you want to "find" yourself you have to first find Jesus. (Mark 8:33-38)

Are you trying to find yourself?

"The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches." author unknown

Spittin' Image

Have you ever wondered where some of our phraseology originated? I admit I have used phrases and slang whose origins at times have embarrassed me. I looked this one up. Seems like there is no clear winner as to the original meaning. Could be...might be...during this time was...seems to be the common answer. For me, this phrase has meant that one person so closely favors another, usually reserved for the close likeness to a relative. "He's the spittin image of his..."

Lately, I have heard that a lot about my daughter. "Boy, you couldn't deny that one!" "She looks just like her daddy!" Not something a teenage girl wants to hear but I don't think my 1 year old really cares. Isn't that the way life is supposed to work? Every seed reproducing after its kind? Shouldn't we expect two roses on a vine to look like they came from the same seed? Doesn't the tiger in our local zoo look like the one on the nature show? Can't you go into McDonalds in Florida and find the same heat lamp hamburger that is in Arkansas? (Okay, bad example but I am hungry right now).

God created us in His image (Genesis 1:26). That has deeper theological meaning than space here to discuss. But if we are made in the image of God why don't we look more like God? It's because we have gone under the knife. In an effort to be who WE want to be we have performed our own plastic surgery.

Instead of getting a tummy tuck on our selfish desires we have enhanced our pride. Instead of lifting our eyes up to see the needs of others we fat graft more waste in our lives than we have storage for. What we really need is to shed the makeup and let our true image show again - an image crafted by God.

My daughter may not grow to look as much like me as people think she does now, but I pray she continues to grow into the image of the one who made her.

Colossians 3:5-10

Lessons from an Acorn

I watched him as he picked up the shell. He studied it so closely trying to figure out what it was or was supposed to be. He rolled it over and over in his hand, prodding it with his tiny index finger.

"It's an acorn shell, buddy."

Jackson loves to explore the outdoors but what little boy doesn't?

Taking it in my hand I began to explain, "See, this is the house where a seed lives. God takes this little seed, plants it in the ground, and from this little seed that big tree grows."

I can see from his blank stare that he is taking it all in (or wondering why his dad is trying to explain tree taxonomy to a 2 year old).

I can't help but think about how God can take something so seemingly insignificant and nurture and grow it into a towering tree - a tree that can provide shelter for the birds, food for the critters, and food for a host of other creepy crawlies.

But that is how God works. He chooses people who may seem insignificant in the eyes of society and raises them up for something special.

In the Master Craftsman's hands he will nurture, grow, and form us into someone with great possibilities who can provide a blessing to many others. We just have to let Him.

My little acorn is growing way too fast.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Dusty Swords

One of Casting Crowns' best songs (they have so many) is called "What If His People Prayed." A line in the song goes:

What if the armies of the Lord picked up and dusted off their swords.
Vowed to set the captive free and not let Satan have one more?

What if the church of God was active in this world because they truly believed that God was going to hold them accountable for what they did or did not do for others? Would the world look any different?

What if those who claim to be Christian actually lived their lives like Christ lived his? What would our relationships look like?

What if God's people prayed - I mean intentionally and continually prayed for those who are in charge of this country? What would our communities look like?

Have you convinced yourself that you are doing all you can do?

The results of indifference can be seen on every newscast, in every newspaper, and heard on every radio station. The results can also be seen in the implosion of families and communities around the world.

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

If the Word of God is going to be active in our lives then I just have one question to answer:

Isn't it time we dusted off our swords?

Home Security

Today was a beautiful day! So beautiful that my 2 o'clock professor decided he needed to go home to get ready for a fishing trip so we were the beneficiaries of his excitement. I got home about an hour early. As soon as I walk in the door our 2 year old son is saying, "Daddy, get tree, get tree Daddy." That is his way of saying "let's go outside." What fun we had watching them play! Callie (our 1 year old) is walking now and they are able to interact in a whole new way.

I was pulling Callie around in the wagon when Tressa called me over to the flower bed. Jackson is standing in front of our ADT Security sign----praying: "...momma-daddy-sissy-nana-poppa-Ty-Tanner-Shan-Jeff-mema..." Tressa said he has been going straight to that sign when they go outside. Sometimes he speaks into the black rubber stopper on the top of the signpost. Apparently, that is his podium. Sometimes he will lead a song from there.

• Every day I wonder how much is getting through to him when we battle over taking a bite of corn or chewing up his meat or drinking all of his milk.

• I worry about saying the right thing in correcting him so that I do not come across as tyrannical.
  

• I worry about how much time I am away at school and then having to study. (Not because his mother does not do an outstanding job with our children because she does!).

Then, on his own, he prays out in the front yard, unashamedly, for everyone to see. I am quickly reminded of Proverbs 22:5,6:

In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Then I thought "how ironic" that a home security sign was the spiritual training ground for our child. That is what I call some real "home security."

Let me always remember the most important things, like teaching my children how to talk to their God who made them so special and full of possibilities.

Corn is probably overrated any way...