Flight Paths

     Eleven weeks ago I had surgery on my right thumb.  Well, actually, the surgeon made two incisions—one in my forearm and one where my thumb connects to my wrist.  I never realized that arthritis could get so bad that they would actually take a bone out.  This one is called the trapezium.  "There was severe degenerative arthrosis and sequelae of severe degenerative joint disease as surrounds the trapezium," the report says, and who am I to disagree.  It certainly hurt more and more, and I was unable to use that hand more and more.  I couldn't peel anything; I couldn't button anything; I couldn't open anything, even the non-childproof caps; I couldn't write more than a word or two before the pain became too much to bear; more and more often I dropped what I picked up because it hurt too much to hang on to it.  The rheumatologist had tried everything else and this was the last resort.  A bone was removed and a tendon harvested from the forearm to put in the empty spot where a hole had also been drilled to thread it through and fasten it in.

     So after time in a bandage and splint and more time in a cast, I am back to a splint/brace and doing physical therapy.  I am a pianist and writer who types constantly.  Surely this will be a cinch for my strong hands, I thought.  Oh, if only.  All you need to do is look at my two hands side by side with the brace removed to see what has happened in these past weeks.  My right hand now looks like a skeleton's hand with loose skin draped over it.  The musculature is simply gone.  Touch your thumb to the tip of each finger on the same hand.  Easy, huh?  My affected thumb couldn't even begin to do that, especially not to the little finger, which shook like someone with the palsy.  This also took a toll on the surrounding body parts.  My entire hand and arm were swollen twice their size and I could no longer bend my wrist in any direction at all.  After four weeks in therapy and diligently going through the ten exercises sent home with me twice a day, I am beginning to make some progress—but no one has actually promised that I will get it all back.  Disuse, even if it was necessary while I heal, has done a real number on me, and if I refuse therapy because it hurts, I will never get it back.

     For every one that partakes of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for fullgrown men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil  Heb 5:14.

     Too many of us think that sitting on the pew four hours a week is the same thing as "exercising our senses."  We don't want to do anything we consider "extra."  Well, guess what?  If you are to grow and become stronger and more knowledgeable, you have to work at it every day, not just at your therapy appointment on Sundays.  You can't get away with ignoring God's Word because "who needs to know anything about these obsolete old books anyway?" as one brother said, complaining about a study of the minor prophets.  Just look at what the Hebrew writer tells us we will no longer be able to do if we don't exercise:  we will no longer be able to tell good from evil.  If you cannot see that influence in our society now, your soul is at risk, something far more important than your physical health, because eventually, that same disability will infest the church.  In fact, I have heard some of it already.  Even if you had a great amount of knowledge and ability in the past, disuse will steal it from you just as I have lost my hand and finger dexterity.  If you don't use it, you lose it, a maxim that applies in all things.

     Work hard, today and every day.  You don't want to wind up in a spiritual cast for eternity.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ  Phil1:10.

Dene Ward

            When our boys were small, on summer days when a soft, warm rain fell, they often asked if they could go outside and play in it.  I was reminded of those sweet days last spring when our grandson Silas did the same thing. 

            He put on his swimming trunks and headed outside, first just running a few steps out, then racing back in under the carport.  Gradually he ran further and further, eventually out to the old water oak stump some thirty feet from the house, stood there a minute hopping up and down, holding his arms out to present the most skin to the sky, and laughing uproariously. 

            He must have gone at it for ten minutes, running back to the carport and excitedly jabbering, “It’s wet!  It’s cold!  It’s fun!” then running back out into the rain even further, eventually to the swing hanging from the live oak limb out past the well.         

            But it was still spring and his little chin began to quiver, and all too soon we had to take him in and dry him off.

            Do you know what started all this?  Pure, unadulterated joy.  He and his little brother had been with us for five days while Mommy and Daddy were out of town, and although we had a great time, when they drove up that afternoon, it was clear who were most important in his young life.  They were back and before long they would take him in his own car seat in his own “blue car” to his own home and his own room where he could sleep in his own bed.  I know the feeling.

            But life may have made me forget that feeling of pure joy. 

            Despite the troubles of life we always have real reason for joy, and God expects us to show it.  David had that joy, and he expressed it before the people of Israel as they brought the Ark of the Covenant to his newly captured capital city. But he was married to someone who didn’t have it, and who did not understand.  She scolded him and received this reply:

            [It was] before Jehovah, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over Israel: therefore will I play before Jehovah, 2 Sam 6:21.

            .Do you see the word “play?”  David was out there “leaping and dancing before Jehovah.”  That’s how he was playing.  That Hebrew word is found in Job 40:20, “the beasts play in the field.”  You will find it in Prov 8:30 and 31 where it is translated “rejoicing,” and in Job 5:12 where it is “laugh.”  The same attitude that had Silas laughing and playing in the rain had David playing before Jehovah--joy.             

            When was the last time you felt that way about God and your relationship with Him?  I think we are a little like Michal—too embarrassed to act like God means that much to us.  We are too conscious of ourselves and how we look, and far too worried about what other people think.

            If I am too embarrassed to show the Lord how much He means to me, I wonder, on the day He comes to pick us up and take us home, if He might be too embarrassed to act like we mean that much to Him.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, I Pet 1:8.

When my mother raised us, she always said, “I’m not running a restaurant.  You get what I serve,” and what she served was always fine with me.  I don’t recall a single bad meal.  Even recently I heard a television cook reminisce about coming to dinner as a child and eating what was put in front of her, so my family wasn’t weird, and neither was I when I followed suit as an adult.  It was as much about finances as anything else, but it certainly helped teach a few things, like, you don’t always get what you want in life and be grateful for whatever there is.

            But once in awhile I tried to please everyone as much as possible.  If the main dish was one boy’s favorite, then dessert was the other boy’s favorite.  It was the best of both worlds for them—a favorite entrée and a favorite dessert.

            Recently I have come up with a dessert that has to be the best of both worlds.  I haven’t decided whether to call it a cheesecake brownie or a brownie cheesecake.  It has two layers: a brownie bottom, and a cheesecake top.

            So, if you like chocolate and cheesecake, you can have both in one piece.  If you want chewy and smooth and creamy this is the dessert for you.  If you like chocolate and vanilla, this is even better than Neapolitan ice cream.  It’s even part convenience food and part “from scratch.”  The brownie layer is a mix and the cheesecake layer is all homemade.  A friend told me it’s perfect for her and her husband.  He has celiac disease, so he eats the gluten-free cheesecake layer and she eats the brownie layer.  Like I said, the best of both worlds.

            Now try to convince your neighbors that as a Christian you have the best of both worlds.  All they can see is what you can’t do and how much you sacrifice in time, energy, and types of entertainment.  Especially if all you do is complain about what you can’t do, ruing the messed up weekends, the missed ball games and picnics, what else do you expect?  You are supposed to make your life look like something they will want, not something they will hate.

            So perhaps we should start by convincing ourselves.  We don’t have to go to church; we get to assemble with our spiritual family.  We don’t have to dress differently; we get to look like decent, classy people instead of prostitutes.  We don’t have to give up drinking and smoking and drugs; we get to keep our dignity, breathe clearly, and preserve as many brain cells as possible.  We don’t have to give up revenge and gossip; we get to get along with people and stay out of trouble.  We don’t have to watch our language; we get to look like intelligent people with a real vocabulary.  We don’t have to give up status and money and things; we find our joy wherever we are in any situation—we have learned in whatever circumstances we are “to be content,” Phil 4:12, and contentment equals happiness.

            God does not expect us to be miserable in order to earn Heaven.  Being a Christian is not a horrible life.  It is a life of joy, a life of fulfillment, a life of health, a life of spiritual wealth.  I have more family than any of my neighbors.  One of them was amazed at the food brought during my surgeries, at the women who cleaned my house and the teenagers who raked the yard after Keith had a serious illness.  If I ever need help, I don’t have just one person to call, I have a whole list. 

            My marriage is intact and happy.  My children are happy, productive citizens, and servants of the Lord to boot.  We don’t have money problems because we don’t love things and don’t need luxury to be satisfied.  We don’t have legal problems because we are honest and law abiding.  We don’t lose our faith over our illnesses and disabilities because we have something far better in store for us.

            Which leads us to the next world.  If this life has been good—not perfect, for how could it be in a cursed world—the next one will be nothing short of amazing, an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,1 Pet 1:4.

            God promises us a “best of both worlds” life, far better than a “best of both worlds” dessert.  But He doesn’t make you eat it.  He gives you a choice.  You can have this world and the next if you do it His way.  Otherwise, this one is all you get.

For bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim 4:8.

Dene Ward

If you want the mentioned recipe, click on "Dene's Recipes."

Today I have a short observation to share with you.  We all know that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” but no one is going to be blessed if there is no one out there ready to receive!  It should go without saying that I am not talking about people who go around with their hands held out, but I learned a long time ago that anything that should go without saying probably needs to be said anyway, so consider it said.  Now to today’s point…

            I know a lot of older folks who have given and given and given their entire lives.  They have served their sick, hurting, sorrowing brethren in every capacity you can imagine.  That person may very well be you. 

And now I hear people ask you, “Is there anything I can do for you?”  I know what you are going to say because I have said it too:  “No.  We’re fine.”  A lot of times we aren’t fine, we’re just too proud to accept help, or we have the mistaken notion that patience and humility involve sitting quietly in the background without complaint, even when we are in desperate need.  If we do ask for something it’s only, “If it isn’t any trouble.”

            Brothers and sisters!  God expects us to sacrifice for one another.  He expects us to generously give to those in need and serve those who are afflicted.  Indeed, He expects me to go to a lot of trouble for you—it doesn’t count as serving and sacrifice if it isn’t trouble.  I can’t do that if you won’t let me.  You can’t do that if I won’t let you.

            When people ask what they can do for you, tell them!  It may go against your grain to accept help, but you need to get off your high horse and let God bless those givers by your willingness to receive.  In fact, it may be more than your physical needs they are meeting.  It may be exactly what you need spiritually—a recognition that you actually need someone else’s help.

            Your turn to help will come again.  It has already come, again and again for years, which may be the reason you find it so hard to turn the tables and accept it now that you need the help.  Accept it, not just gratefully, but graciously too.  This is, in fact, another way you can give to others—both the pleasure of helping someone and the blessing God promises to the givers.  You are denying them a blessing with your stubborn refusal to admit you need help.

            May I just paraphrase 1 Cor 12?  “If all the world were givers, where would the receivers be?  If all the world were receivers, where would the givers be?”  It happens to us all sooner or later.  When your turn comes, be generous enough to allow others the same blessings you have been receiving as a giver for years.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith, Gal 6:9,10.

Dene Ward

May the following help you in reaching out to the lost with the gospel.

What does mankind have that can help him gain knowledge? Only through his ability to reason and learn from what he does – experience. but it is not enough. We cannot look inside ourselves and learn the answers to questions like: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Is there any reason for my being here? Unless there is a third source of knowledge these very important questions cannot be answered!  We can look around us and see our world and know there is an all-powerful Being who created the world and that He is eternal. (He was never born and He never died – He has always been!) Romans 1:20" For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” 

Just looking at His power around us cannot answer our all questions, but we can know that this powerful Being(God) CAN choose to answer our necessary questions. Without God there is nothing. With God there is everything– including His words, the Bible. God is spirit – so how did He write the Bible? He told certain men what words to speak to the people and these words were written down.  2Peter 1:20 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  We have the Bible because God, the creator, loves us, his creation. In His own words, God tells us how we came into being. He tells us why we were created. He tells us what He wants us to do with our lives. He tells us what is going to happen in the future. He tells us He is not controlled by his creation. He tells us WE NEED HIM!  We learn in the Bible of THE PLAN God had in His mind before He created the heavens and the earth. His plan was made in order to keep us close to Him. Therefore, we learn of God’s justice and God’s everlasting kindness. By reading the Bible we can learn that God is our Creator and our Redeemer through Jesus Christ, His son. Hebrews 1:1 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in [His] Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” 

The Bible is not just a collection of stories, letters, and poems. They are all tied together perfectly. There is agreement between them all – even though they were written throughout 1,500 years! Most of the time each writer didn’t even know what another writer had already written.and sometimes they didn’t even understand all of what they were writing! These forty writers were kings, prophets, teachers, musicians, farmers, a tax collector, a doctor, a tent maker, two fishermen and two carpenters! Some of the writers had a lot of education, some had very little.  The book from God is a divine library that is tightly woven and it is complete.Acts 20:26 "Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.”  Jude 1:3 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” The Bible is still the same book today that it was 2000 years ago! The words have not been changed. We still have the Bible, even though evil men have tried to keep everyone from reading the Bible. Some have even burned all the Bibles they could find! Through God’s providence the Bible is forever. It is the only book that STILL has the answers to all our questions. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” But the Bible is a book that demands we LISTEN to it. Not only must we listen, but God’s words demands we DO what God wants us to do. It will change our lives but not by ways we might devise. Jer 10:23 “I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself; Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” 

When we first read the Bible we do not learn right away all about God and his plan for mankind. God chose to reveal Himself gradually and we see truth unfolding more and more as we read and study the Bible. It is an exciting journey to discover why we existence and the mystery of how we can be saved from ourselves and walk with God.  There are many ways to study the Bible. One of the best ways to study the Bible is to prepare a foundation for future study. We want to try and understand what each section in the Bible is about and then tie the section together with other sections of the Bible. In this way we can understand why the Bible is so important to us. It will also help us to see that the Bible is the living Word of God. We want to see God in a way that will cause us to love Him, and trust Him, and OBEY Him–all that He expects from us.

The Old Testament 

LAW - The first 5 books were written by Moses, the man God chose to lead a special group of people out of bondage to become God’s chosen nation, Israel. This nation would bring all men to God.

HISTORY - The next 12 books that were written about God’s chosen nation, how they served him and how they tried to ignore God. It didn’t work, because God punished the Israelite nation by letting other countries conquer them. After 70 years God allowed them to return to their land.

POETRY - The 5 books of poetry are of a personal nature and they deal with problems of the heart.

PROPHECY - The last 12 books of the Old Testament are prophecies which were first spoken in warning to God’s special nation and to nations around them. These prophecies were then written down so that everyone could know there was hope. A perfect man (God in the flesh) was going to come from heaven to save all men and rule a kingdom that will never end.

The New Testament 

GOSPELS - Again, there is order and unity in the books of the New Testament. The first four books tell about the perfect man. These four books are the foundation for knowing Jesus Christ and how he was crucified without cause, and then resurrected for all mankind.

ACTS OF APOSTLES - The book of Acts tells the history of how the kingdom of God (the church) began and what the men did who were sent by Jesus Christ to preach the good news. They were called Apostles. This book tells us how you and I can enter the kingdom of God.

LETTERS TO CHRISTIANS - Next comes a group of letters (books) that were written by men guided by the Holy Spirit. Some of these letters were addressed to different churches and some were written to certain preachers.There are 21 letters in the New Testament.

PROPHECY - The last letter (book) in the New Testament was written by the apostle John. The Holy Spirit guided him to tell the Christians not to give up hope. God is still in control of nations and events. His hand is upon His own people. We live in hope of eternal life with Him. Colossians 1:10 “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please [Him] in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously.”

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

"Always back in" was my mantra for all aspects of being safe when I was out in the felon's world. It covered a number of other safety tricks I employed as a Community Control (House Arrest) Officer, but was also literal. We never knew when a probationer might be drunk, on drugs, or just had a fight with his girlfriend. A hasty exit might be necessary and also not being too obvious about it could be important for "the next time." An officer I had helped train knew the news reports were wrong when they said that I was shot while I was backing out.  He knew I would have backed in and thus, pulling straight out into the street.

After my excitement, I had numerous opportunities to speak on officer safety, so here are a few of the rules: I switched to an analog watch because it can be read in lower light without lighting you up and taking both hands; I had the door-operated light in my vehicle disabled so I would not be silhouetted every time I got in and out after dark; I used a clicker pen because I could operate it one handed; I kept my pepper spray available to my weak hand so if the situation escalated, my gun hand would not be tied up; I stood balanced on both feet, my right elbow in my left hand so that I looked like an attentive listener while actually my vitals were covered and my hands could move quickly for defense; and several more as well.

Actually, Christians daily go into a more dangerous world than any street I ever entered (1 Pet 5:8).  Yet, we carelessly go forth not only unarmed but apparently unaware of the dangers. A rule often repeated for being safe in the world is "be aware of your surroundings at all times. Interviews with criminals reveal they target the unaware, not the alert." This is not true of Satan. He already owns the unaware and targets the active Christian. We cannot avoid entering his world, so what safety tips can we use to avoid becoming his prey? Spiritual safety is not a one size fits all matter as the temptation that is very strong for one may not be a blip on another's radar. The following are suggestions and cannot all be used at once.

Fill your heart with hymns and songs of Zion.  Maybe it is just me, but I am much more likely to recall a spiritual song when I am in spiritual trouble than a scripture citation, no matter how glibly I can quote the passage. It is very difficult for Satan to keep pornographic fantasies in your head when you are singing—aloud or silently – "Holy, Holy, Holy." Humming "Angry Words" or even "Higher Ground" while in bad traffic and running late can prevent stress and road rage. The list can go on for as many types of temptations as man faces. God did not write 150 plus psalms without reason. The aptness of the song to the temptation is of little importance; the spiritual attitude it brings is your strength. And, have you noticed that many of the new songs are not easy to memorize and leave our armory empty?

Always back in—if you have any reason to suspect temptation in a situation you will be in, plan your exit in advance. If work took you there, your exit may cost you a sale or a promotion. But, staying most likely will cost your soul.

Know your strengths and keep them up front. Do not let your "sword arm" become entangled with matters that do not profit. Proclaim your faith often so you will be obligated to live up to it. Engage in reasoned conversations about Biblical morality. As Jesus said, "Let your light shine." Satan is the Lord of darkness and you just might save someone else too.

Don't silhouette yourself, stand in doorways, or focus on anything other than the dangers around you. You have no safe haven other than church and often Satan attacks your mind even there. The advertisements on TV, the books, the movies, the lifestyles of co-workers, the desire to blend in and avoid being a troublemaker all work against your faith, your growth, your salvation.

"If we walk in the light as he is in the light…"

Keith Ward

Last Tuesday, several of my sisters in the Lord met for an intense Bible study.  We were at it for well over an hour.  We opened our Bibles and read and discussed topics that were deep and heavy.  We came away with many new insights, some of them probably different than if it had been a mixed class or a class led by a man.  Women do have a different perspective.  The Tuesday before that we did the same thing, and the Tuesday before that, and the one before that, as far back as 25 years.  We call it the Ladies’ Bible Class, not because it is some organization separate from the church which has a name, but just to identify to others who might be interested what it is, a group of women, Christians with the same roles in life and the same problems those roles entail, who meet and study together. 

            But let’s just consider the past two months’ worth of classes—about 12 hours.  What if, instead of meeting 8 times for an hour and a half each, we met two days for 6 hours of study and discussion each day?  Would that be wrong?  If we are studying the same thing, participating in the same activities, why isn’t it just another means to edify?  And if, because we have a chance to study without children sitting in our laps (due to Christian husbands who are concerned for their wives’ spiritual education), we decide to have it someplace besides the meetinghouse, but we each pay our own way and nothing comes out of the church treasury, isn’t that too just another ladies Bible class?  That is exactly what a women’s retreat is—time to get away from the distractions of life for an extended period and do some in-depth Bible study and encourage one another.

            These groups are not making themselves into an organization of any kind at all.  They are simply doing what the word says—retreating.  Jesus “retreated” when he went to be alone and pray.  Isaac “retreated” when he went out into the field in the evening to meditate (Gen 24:63).  Did that make what they were doing an organization?  Even if they had taken a friend to discuss spiritual things with them, no organization existed, just a few people who were spiritually minded enough to set aside the time to study together or pray together.

            I have also read the accusation that any time women retreat for Bible study it shows a dissatisfaction with the edification the church can provide.  That the church is supposed to be where we find all our spiritual blessings, including prayer, teaching, and encouragement.  That women who do these things may have good intentions, but they are doing it in an unscriptural, unauthorized way, separate from the church where they should be finding all their needs met.

            The Bible tells us that some of the church in Jerusalem met in the home of Mary the mother of Mark to pray for Peter when he was in prison (Acts 12).  Was that wrong?  We can easily infer that it was not the whole church—no one’s house is big enough for that.  That means a group of Christians that was not the church met for something besides the regular worship, not because they didn’t pray enough at their assembly, but because they felt the need to pray even more.  Does that mean they were not satisfied with God’s arrangement?  Are we not allowed to come together for even more prayer than we have on Sundays?

            A few members of the church meeting somewhere besides the appointed meeting place for more study does not constitute setting up an organization.  If women’s retreats, or week-ends as they are sometimes called, are wrong, so are Ladies’ Bible Classes.  So are Men’s Training Classes.  So are gospel sings in people’s homes or out in the park or in an auditorium somewhere.  So are personal Bible studies.  But of course, none of those things are wrong.  God has ordained that the older women and men teach the younger women and men, that children be taught, the unbelievers be taught by all of us, not just the preacher.  In the early church they often met “house to house.”  Weren’t their needs being met in the assembly?  Of course they were, so this is obviously something other than an attempt to go beyond the purpose of the church.

            And then we have that group of men who met to show others exactly what God wanted them to do about Judaizers and their demand that Gentile Christians be circumcised (Acts 15).  They did that with a long meeting where they gave approved examples, read the scriptures, discussed and prayed.  It was not the church.  In fact, it was members of more than one church.  Some people call it a Council.  What people call it does not make it what it is not.  These men “retreated” from daily life for the sake of edification.

            “Women’s retreat” is not a name any more than “church of Christ” is a name.  Both are descriptions.  Maybe some of us need a little more edification about that. 

            Some of us have become so wedded to our traditions that we have forgotten what is and is not tradition, “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.”  Fulfilling generic commands to teach and edify with “new” methods does not make them automatically wrong or you had better take that power point away from your preacher. 

And just what makes this retreat thing “new” anyway?  Aside from all the Bible examples already given, Lydia met with a group of women down by the river.  I think we are in good company.

Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, Acts 16:24-25.

Dene Ward

Thirty years ago I saw a dress in a catalogue that I adored.  My style tends to be plain, tailored, and dark.  I generally like a blousy waistline because it makes me look like I have one, which I haven’t had since I was about two years old.  Every time that catalogue came, I salivated over that dress, a black shirtwaist with long button-cuff sleeves and a broad, white collar embroidered on the edges.  At that time we just couldn’t afford it.  Feeding two teenage boys and paying a mortgage on a state salary and music studio tuitions was almost more than we could handle.

            A couple of years ago I was wandering through a second hand clothing store.  You would be surprised the bargains you can find if you are careful.  I have bought name brands for literally one-tenth their original price, some of them with the original price tags still on them, the extra buttons still sealed in plastic. 

            That day I saw the black arms hanging out from the press of the rack; I saw the white collar.  Could it be?  I checked the neckline for the label and found the old catalogue name.  So I pulled it out and felt a thrill.  This was the dress I had wished for.  Thirty years ago it was a $45 dress.  This store wanted $6.00!  Then came the moment of truth:  I checked the size.  Yes!  Just to make sure, I tried it on, and then quickly shelled out my $6 and change for tax.  It almost made me believe in fate.

            This dress is long sleeved and a fairly heavy knit so it was just after Thanksgiving before I could wear it here in Florida.  I wore it to church that Sunday.  One of the first people I saw, a sweet five year old, came running up and exclaimed, “Mrs. Dene!  You look just like a pilgrim!”  I laughed a little, gave her a hug and thanked her.  Before I was halfway down the hall, another child came running up and said the same thing, word for word. 

            Okay, I thought.  I look like a pilgrim.  Maybe it’s too close to Thanksgiving to wear this.

            In the middle of January I wore it again.  A third sweet child gave me the same compliment.  It was enough to make me wonder, do they teach this phrase in the Bible classes these days?  But I suppose what capped it all was a good friend who came up to me and laughed, saying, “You look like a pilgrim!”

            I donated the dress to another thrift store.  All I could see when I looked in the mirror were the missing white cap, buckled shoes and white stockings.  It certainly isn’t what I thought of when I used to moon over that catalogue.

            I wonder if Abraham and Sarah had in mind the pilgrim life God had planned for them when they answered the call to “Go to a land I will show you.”  That doesn’t necessarily sound like they would always be nomads.  It doesn’t sound like they would never have an earthly home again.  When someone tells me to go, usually they have a specific destination in mind.

            Even if they didn’t understand that in the beginning, they finally did.  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God, Heb 11:8-10.  Eventually they knew they would never have a home on this earth, that the real one was waiting beyond the border of physical life and death.

            We must eventually, and as soon as possible, learn the same thing.  Our culture is too caught up in the here and now, in instant gratification, in “if it feels good do it.”  We think this is what matters.  That’s why we let it bother us so much when things do not go right.  That’s why we become angry over the inconsequential and throw away the truly valuable, including our hope.  They made me mad and they are going to know it!  They took what’s mine, and I have a right to take it back.  They hurt me and now I am going to hurt them—usually in exactly the same low way they hurt me. 

            If I know what it means to be a pilgrim in this world, none of that matters.  I don’t need to throw a tantrum.  I don’t need to get even.  I don’t need to have more and more and more because everyone else has it.  I don’t even need an easy, carefree life with no trials.  It will never compare to Heaven no matter how wonderful it is, and it certainly isn’t worth giving up Heaven for.

            Maybe I should have kept the “Pilgrim” dress.  Maybe it would have reminded me of things I need to remember, when I need to remember them most.  Maybe you need to wear it, too.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city, Heb 11:13,15.

Dene Ward

When I was very small, my favorite song was “Wake Up, Little Susie.”  I am probably dating myself with that admission.  In case you are from a different generation, the song was about a young couple who fell asleep during their movie date, and were afraid of what people might think. 

            Psalm 103 is David’s version of the song—one he is singing to himself.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! ​Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, vv 1-2.  I found it difficult to see that “wake up” admonition, I admit.  But every commentator I checked, five of them, saw it clear as a bell.  One likened it to Psalm 42:5:  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.  That one is much easier to see.  Why are you so depressed, he asks himself, when you have the salvation offered by God?  Now look again at 103:  Bless the Lord…and forget not his benefits.

            For isn’t that exactly what we do?  We go along in our ordinary, normal lives, nothing important happens, nothing exciting happens, and we become complacent in our service and even a little despondent in our ordinariness, and forget what God has done for us.  But just think about this morning.  You woke up in your comfortable bed (check) in your comfortable house (check), possibly next to your beloved (check).  You ate a breakfast from a pantry and refrigerator full of possibilities (check).  You stood in front of a closet and chose from among all those clothes what you wanted to wear (check).  You might have gotten in your car (check) and driven to school or work or the store without mishap (check).  How many blessings is that already that you never even noticed?  How many more will you receive the rest of the day, and still not notice?

            “Forget not his benefits!” David reminds himself—and later on the people of Israel, and ultimately us.  Why is it that when something bad happens we will blame God, but never think to give Him credit for all the good we enjoy nearly every single minute of the day?  “Wake up and praise the Lord!”

            And then there is this:  while God gives us brethren to encourage us, David shows us that in the final analysis, we are responsible for our own rousing.  We cannot blame the church, we cannot blame the elders, we cannot blame our families if we fall into hopelessness and despair—it’s my business to see myself clearly, to notice when I need a nudge or a prod or even a kick in the rear.  And after I have awakened, then I will follow David’s example of leadership and wake others too. 

            Which is what this has been, I hope—wake up little Susie, or Joey, or Charlie, or Cathy, or whatever your name may be.  Do not forget the benefits of being God’s child.  Always count your blessings, no matter how trite that may seem.  David did.  He’s not a bad leader to follow.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change, James 1:17.

Dene Ward

For people who are quick to quote John 4:24, that our worship must be “in spirit and in truth” and then simplify that to doing right things with the right attitude, which only begins to touch that statement, we certainly do a lot of “worshipping that which we know not” (4:22). 

            So tell me, when you sing “A Mighty Fortress” and you reach the second verse, what exactly do you think you are calling the Lord when you sing, “Lord Sabaoth his name?”  No, it is not “Lord of the Sabbath,” which is what I thought for many years

            Sabaoth is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word Tzebhaoth.  I don’t even pretend to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar, but I can read English fairly well.  The word means armies or hosts.  In fact, it can even refer to a specific campaign the army might be involved in at any given time.  It is above all a military word.  So any time you see “Lord of hosts” in your Bible you are seeing the word Sabaoth or Tzebhaoth, depending upon whether you are reading the Old Testament or the New.

            I cannot find the actual Hebrew word un-translated in any English version of the Old Testament—it is always converted to “LORD of hosts” or “Jehovah of hosts.”  But you can find Sabaoth un-translated in the older versions of the New Testament in Romans 9:29 and James 5:4. 

            And Isaiah cries concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved: for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short. And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah, Rom 9:27-29.

            This passage is twice as powerful when you understand the meaning of the word.  The Lord, who commands all the powers and armies of the universe, could easily have wiped Israel off the earth.  But in His mercy, He spared a remnant, Isaiah says.  Paul’s point is that God has in the past come close to obliterating the Jewish race, and He will have no trouble doing it again if necessary.  That’s the kind of power He has.

            Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries out: and the criesB of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, James 5:4.

            This passage makes you just as shivery.  Anyone who cheats the laborers of their hire should remember that the Lord of Sabaoth hears their cry and is there to defend them.  Do you really want the Lord of hosts with all His armies of angels and spiritual beings fighting you?

            Now look back at the song.  “For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.”  That may well be said about Satan, but we have Lord Sabaoth on our side—the Lord of hosts, the commander of all the spiritual forces of good “and He must win the battle.” 

            We miss so much when we don’t care enough to research the songs we are singing.  In fact, I have heard people complain about “all this archaic language.”  If it’s in the Bible, people, we ought to care, and if we believe all those pet scriptures we always quote, we will want to “sing with the spirit and the understanding,” 1 Cor 14:24.  The context of that passage may be spiritual gifts, but the meaning in every context is that what we sing must be understandable and edifying, and that requires some effort on our parts, not simply deleting certain hymns from our repertoire because we don't understand them and won't work to find out what they mean.  All those "ignorant" people, as we call them, hundreds of years ago knew what they meant. 

Let’s see if we can practice what we preach.

​The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. — Selah, Psa 46:7.

Dene Ward