Wednesday, September 16, 2009

They don't make 'em like they used to...

If you’re like me, you appreciate quality workmanship of products that don’t break after only a few uses. I have a “Leatherman” multi-purpose tool strapped to my belt that I use nearly daily for a quick fix of something. I’ve broken the tips off the pliers now twice because I was in jam trying to crank on something I was fixing and the torque was just too much.  Both times I returned it to the company telling them what I was attempting to do with their tool and they sent me a brand new one each time! Many times other tools I use are not as reliable. If I break something I’m using, I’ll mutter “I guess they don’t make em like they used to.”

I’ve noticed that’s not only true with tools, it seems they don’t make people like they used to either. There was a time, not all that long ago,  people were people of character and integrity. They stood for what was right and opposed what was wrong. They were willing to stand for truth, regardless of opposition and whether or not it was popular did not matter. These were people of their word and their commitments were better than any contract you could sign. In my quiet time this morning, I was reading about four men like this. You know them as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. From the minute we’re introduced to these young men in the Scriptures, they stand out because they are willing to go against the grain – not because they were trying to be difficult, but because deep within them was a desire to honor and please the Lord first before they pleased anyone else. We see them honoring the Lord with their diet and the Lord blessed that, we see them honor the Lord in refusing to bow to an idol and it got them thrown into a fiery furnace that God delivered them from – without even the slightest smell of smoke on their persons. What’s amazing about the fiery furnace account is they clearly said God could deliver them, but whether or not He would deliver them did not matter. They were not going to bow down to worship this idol and were willing to stake their lives on it, because it was the right thing to do. Late in his life, Daniel was forced to choose whether to obey a foolish order the king signed, or honor the Lord. He chose to honor the Lord and not bow to the political winds or pressures of his day, even though he knew he’d be tossed into a den of lions. Whether he lived or died was not the issue, Daniel had the courage to do what was right. You know the story there too, God delivered Daniel from the lions’ den. (You can read about all this in Daniel 1-6). What I love about these men is they were just ordinary guys, they were captives in a foreign country who could have just gone with the flow. But they chose to honor the Lord in every decision even though it was going to cost them personally.

What I thought this morning was where are all the Daniel’s, the Shadrach’s, the Meshach’s, and the  Abednego’s in our world today? People of character are rare but they do exist.  I was speaking to a friend of mine last week who had to make a tough choice and honor a commitment he made in business. He had to replace a faulty product and it cost him thousands and thousands of dollars. Now the Lord is honoring that decision because my friend “dared to be a Daniel.” He put the Lord first instead of making his decision on the financial impact. One of my own daughters was in an accident a week ago and the guy who stopped to help her was trying to get her to lie to the officers about what actually happened. Ginny actually told them the truth, admitted her fault and I believe the Lord is honoring her commitment. Old dad is proud of his daughter who did what was right.

These modern day Daniel’s encourage me. Choosing to honor the Lord first, standing for what is right, even if it costs them. Imagine if every Christian made a choice to be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego every single day, at work, at school, at home, in our personal and social activities? How quickly could we evangelize this world for Jesus if we all had the fortitude of these men to put the Lord first no matter the cost? If we did that, people would be flocking to find out what makes us different. I’m going to choose to be a Daniel today, tomorrow and with God’s help, all of my days. God still makes em like He used to when we choose to put Him first. Something to consider, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Refreshment(s)....

Long and intense days of work, coming home in a rush to get kids off to practice, butting heads with them on some major issues and poor choices they are making, standing up and being a dad or mom in the face of your kids with what you know is right instead of doing what’s easy; but the temptation to do what’s easy is overwhelming because you are exhausted.  The tense atmosphere at home combined with deadlines and pressure at work can really weigh you down. Getting the kids to finish homework, get their teeth brushed and get them into bed. Trying to catch your checkbook up in the late hours after you get kids in bed, frustration because you transpose some numbers and it takes longer to balance the checkbook than pay your bills. Collapsing into bed around midnight for a fitful night of sleep knowing you’ve got an equally long day beginning no later than 6 a.m. the next day; and the thought: “This is only Monday and I have a full week of this?” Can I get a witness? Can anyone relate to what I’m talking about?

The next morning, I walk outside to get the kids off to school. There is a stiff cool breeze out of the north and you know instantly a cool front pushed through last night as goose bumps appear because your shorts and t-shirt are not much protection from that incredibly wonderful breeze; and you don’t care because it feels so refreshing. Bright sun, clear skies, low humidity and you think: “Wow, what a gorgeous day.”  I get them off to school, rush to  finish getting dressed, out the door, climb on my motorcycle and the breeze gets even cooler as I’m tooling down the road to work with that breeze snaking up my sleeves chilling my torso; again I don’t care because it feels so awesome.

Then your quiet time reading from yesterday comes to mind from Lamentations 3:22-24: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’” I begin to worship the Lord in my spirit riding that motorcycle and all that pressure and stress from the previous day melts into oblivion as I  repent for trying to “do life” on my own strength and in my own power and remembering my hope is in the Lord. That’s why I’m drawn in the morning to God’s word like a desert wanderer to a refreshing oasis when he’s parched and dying of thirst. The rigors of life and service are intense, there is only one place for me to find strength, encouragement and the desire to serve the Lord again today, in that marvelous oasis of God’s word, communing at the feet of my Savior. Thank you Lord for refreshing me today with that cool breeze. Lord, thank you for giving me strength in the inner man today. Thank you for reminding me that it is by your mercy life doesn’t consume me and melt me into a useless pile of dribble. Thank you for reminding me I have an opportunity today to make a difference in my kids lives, my wife’s life and in someone else’s life today. Thank you for refreshing my little corner of the world.

If you are weary and need some refreshment, maybe it’s because you haven’t been to that oasis of the Word of God, you haven’t come to the Lord Jesus, the living water, you haven’t been allowing Him to splash His faithful mercy all over you. There isn’t anyone or anything who can refresh your soul like Jesus. The world’s “refreshment” is nothing but a mirage, a cruel trick of Satan which leads to deeper discouragement and defeat. The Lord’s oasis is waiting for you; what are you waiting for?  Just a thought, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph