PATRIOTISM IS ALIVE AND WELL

Patriotism is alive and well in my hometown. The middle school in my town—grades 6 through 8—has a great program of recognizing veterans. Each year the students interview military veterans who live in our area, and honor them with two special programs.

First, on veteran’s day in November, they sponsor a community-wide celebration on the courthouse lawn. Bands, choirs, and special speakers come together to recognize those who have served our country in the military service.

Also, each spring the students sponsor a special night of recognition in the school auditorium. Veterans and their families are honored guests for dinner and a program. On both occasions, pledges to the flag, speeches and patriotic music abound. These are excellent opportunities for the students and older citizens to interact.

Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s.” But remember, he also said, “And unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:2 (KJV)

We must do both.

SEPARATING THE GRAIN FROM THE CHAFF

It was a windy day in west Texas—just the kind of day my parents needed. I was only a small boy, but I remember the smell of grain, and the harsh thrust of hot wind on my face.

I was fascinated to see how my parents separated the grain from the husks. Placing grain and husks in a large canvas sheet, together they tossed the entire contents lightly into the air. As they did so, the unwanted chaff caught in the brisk wind and blew away. The grain, being heavier, fell back again into the sheet to be utilized as something of value.

This boyhood experience brings to mind the analogy in Psalm 1:4: “The ungodly…are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”

A person without God is subject to destruction by the winds of adversity. But stability of purpose is found only in a true relationship with God.

BUILDING ON SHIFTING SAND

Near Alamogordo, New Mexico is an area of more that two hundred square miles known as White Sands. At White Sands there are huge dunes, many as high as thirty feet. Actually, it is not sand at all, but gypsum.

In the center of this area, visitors find picnic tables and restroom facilities. There are, however, no permanent buildings, because everything must be moveable. Picnic shelters and restrooms are built on concrete slabs with steel handles, so they may be moved lest the shifting dunes cover them.

White Sands is fabulously beautiful, but not a place to live. When we build houses we want a foundation of rock—not shifting sands.

Jesus said, a person who refuses to heed His words, is like a man who built his house upon sand. “…And the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell.” Matthew 7:26 (KJV)

Are you building upon rock or sand?

FLYING TO SAFETY

I just finished re-reading the book, The Flight of the Phoenix by Sherwood Smith and Dave Trowbridge. This is the story of an airplane that crash-landed in a desert hundreds of miles from civilization. The men on the plane waited days for rescuers to come for them, but no one came.

Finally, one of the men, an aircraft designer, had the idea of building an air-worthy craft using parts of the crashed plane. His idea was to actually fly this rigged-up airplane to safety.

The idea of flying out of the vast desert to safety can be compared to the way God stands ready to lift us up above our enemies, whether these enemies be persons or circumstances. Do we let God lift us above them? Remember, He is always ready to lift us up and carry us to safety.

He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Psalm 18:48

FLYING TO SAFETY

I just finished re-reading the book, The Flight of the Phoenix by Sherwood Smith and Dave Trowbridge. This is the story of an airplane that crash-landed in a desert hundreds of miles from civilization. The men on the plane waited days for rescuers to come for them, but no one came.

Finally, one of the men, an aircraft designer, had the idea of building an air-worthy craft using parts of the crashed plane. His idea was to actually fly this rigged-up airplane to safety.

The idea of flying out of the vast desert to safety can be compared to the way God stands ready to lift us up above our enemies, whether these enemies be persons or circumstances. Do we let God lift us above them?

Remember, He is always ready to lift us up and carry us to safety. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me. Psalm 18:48

PEANUT BUTTER AND CRACKERS

Years ago, I had just started my work as Minister of Music and Education at First Baptist Church, Alamogordo, NM. Almost every Sunday night some of our church members would get together after church for a “spontaneous” fellowship. Someone would bake a cake or some cookies and after the final amen, would call out, “Everyone come over to our house.” Often it was Graham and Jane Earl Hall who welcomed us.

We had not yet hosted the party, since we were still getting settled. But one Sunday night, Graham yelled out, “Hey everyone, we’re going to John and Marion’s house. That was fine, except Marion had not prepared any snacks. “That’s okay,” Graham responded. “Do you have any peanut butter and crackers? We did.

After that, any time there was no prepared snack, we’d jokingly say, “we can have peanut butter and crackers.” It became evident the purpose of getting together was not the food, but the fellowship.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7 (KJV)

STRESSED AND DEPRESSED

Are you stressed? Are you depressed?

It’s so easy to let the world take our minds away from God’s perfect plan for us. Sometimes we just need reassurance of God’s presence in our lives. There’s no better place to find this reassurance this than the Bible itself. So today, let’s just go straight to The Bible and see what God has to say to us:

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (KJV)

God truly cares for us! Our part is to trust Him and let his peace permeate our lives.

NOW IS THE TIME

Sometimes when supper was finished, our family would remain at the table enjoying being together. Finally Mother would begin clearing the table, a reminder to Daddy that there still were farm chores to be done.

If Daddy didn’t respond quickly, Mother would remind him of the coming darkness. Often he would reply with a statement that came to be a family saying. With a twinkle in his eyes, he would lean back in the cane-bottom chair and joke, “Well, I’ll go. But first I want to enjoy dreadin’ it for a while.”

Isn’t this typical in some of the most important areas of our lives? Don’t we sometimes procrastinate as we “enjoy dreading it for a while?” Many even hesitate in the most important decision of life: finding a meaningful relationship with God. But the Bible reminds us: Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation. II Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

WHAT KIND OF PICKLES?

Marion and I were given the “grand tour” of our neighbor’s garden. She proudly showed us her cucumbers, saying “These are our pickles, but I can’t remember which kind.” Then she saw her husband coming out to join us. “Joe,” she called, “are these sweet or sour pickles?”

It is easy to speak with false authority on subjects about which we know little. For example, we sometimes encounter persons who have developed their own ideas about God and what it means to know Him.

Some have said it doesn’t matter what one believes, so long as he is sincere in his beliefs. But Jesus declared only one way of salvation when he said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.” John 14:6 (KJV)

When it comes to a relationship with God, our man-made ideas just won’t do. We must turn to the supreme authority: the word of God.

LONELINESS

In Corrie Ten Boom’s book, “Clippings From My Notebook,” she writes of her loneliness in prison. She and her family were placed in concentration camps in World War Two Holland because of their work helping Jews. She tells of being in a dark cell alone for four months.

One day a beam of sunlight entered her cell. She stood so the beam fell on her face. As the beam moved, she moved, to enjoy it as long as possible. She says that moment she realized her loneliness as never before.

But, she says, God spoke to her through a remembered scripture: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20 (KJV)

Loneliness sometimes may be almost unbearable. But join Corrie Ten Boom and countless others in the assurance of God’s never ending presence.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9 (KJV)