Hope Renewed

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love.  He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.  So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.  It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.  How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.  Amen.  1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

A friend who, with her husband, is facing a mountain of medical problems recently shared how, even though she and her husband have faith that is strong, there are valleys of fear the enemy throws in their way.  I know how she feels, and so do you.  We can say that without shame or embarrassment, because one of the pillars of the New Testament fathers, apostle Paul, shared the same, being greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering.  That encouragement came as Timothy brought news of the Thessalonian believer’s faith “standing firm” which renewed his hopes for their strong witness.  Paul said that good news was like new life.  Paul’s faith is unquestioned, yet the “wear and tear” of years on the road battling human and spiritual opposition do take their toll. 

The apostle’s reaction, having his hope renewed, led to an outburst of joy that he might soon see those dear friends and be able to contribute (filling in the gaps of their faith). 

In this we stand certain…strong faith in Christ is what renews hope in hard times.  And with hope renewed for the downtrodden, oppressed, and marginalized, the result is greater vision for a future of God’s blessing.  This is what the church stands for, not building bigger sanctuaries, larger attendances, better programs, and slicker organizations; the church stands for the hope of Christ in each of us[1], a testament to the marvelous grace extended to all who, though unworthy, are willing to bend a knee at the cross.  It is the message of forgiveness and love, born in Heaven, fleshed-out on Calvary’s hill, and celebrated with every breath in those who have received Christ.

For You Today 

If you’re facing trouble of any sort, and any size, don’t manage it by yourself.  Just as my friend shared with her community, keep engaged with those of strong faith; it is there you will be in a perfect place to find your hope renewed.  And with that hope renewed and shared to others, you just might start an explosion of faith!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

Play Ball

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did.  Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.  I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted.  And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.  I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice.  And I know that same faith continues strong in you.  This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:3-7

Growing up in a faith-filled family (as Timothy certainly did) doesn’t make anyone a Christian, but it does expose you to what faith looks like, and challenges you to step into the water.  Baseball is something of an analogy for faith.  The Holy Spirit and Satan are the opposing managers of two teams who are to play the game.  God, Who is the umpire (judge) shouts Play Ball, and the teams take their positions on the field.  Paul, a player worthy of election to the Hall of Fame, is no longer playing, but is now a coach.  He saw faith warming-up in Timothy’s bullpen, and he did everything he could to encourage his young protégé to fan the embers into flames.  By all accounts Timothy did just that, and became an on-field leader for his team.  (To flesh out the baseball analogy’s meaning – he became a pastor). 

All of Paul’s second letter to Timothy reads like an elder coach helping a young star player sort out what’s really important, and avoid that which could disqualify his team from any chance at going to the playoffs.  It’s important stuff!

Most analogies break-down at some point.  In the baseball as spiritual warfare analogy, it’s team-choosing that finds holes like Swiss cheese.  Baseball teams have tryouts, where the coach evaluates potential player’s skills.  In matters of faith God doesn’t have to evaluate (guess) about our abilities or usefulness, He is the One who created us.  He knows us better than we know ourselves.  

And that is the most important moment of the game for Timothy.  He was young, and imagined he was out of his league being a pastor.  But he had one thing right; he was willing to listen to his coach, Paul.  And that made all the difference when the Umpire thundered out that important phrase:  Play Ball!

For You Today 

You may not even like baseball, but the whole issue of faith does not allow for personal preference; it is what it is!  You already have faith; the question is how you will exercise that faith.  You will either be on one team or the other when God calls out:  Play Ball!  If you want to be on the winning team with Timothy, you’ll know it’s time to get in the game.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

            Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these:  Facing Your Fear  and  Fear Factor      

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

In the School of Prayer

Friday, November 11, 2022

Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call.  May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.  Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him.  This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.  2 Thessalonians 1:3, 11-12

Every November 11^th I remember Juanita “Granny” Parker.  We weren’t related by blood, but she was my sister in Christ.  This is her birthday.  She was born in 1911, which, numerically-expressed, is 11-11-11.  Today she would have been 111 years young.  It’s been 111 years since 11-11-11. 

I’ve written before about Granny[1] and how she was like Paul to me.  Granny was the “praying-est” person I ever knew.  She was intellectually-challenged, and raised on the same farm she lived her whole life.  She was undereducated in many ways, but a PHD when it came to prayer.  In that church it was customary for the pastor to call on a lay person to lead the final prayer.  I would sometimes call on Granny to end our worship service.  There was never a prayer she offered that didn’t convince me I was short-changed in the praying genes department.  She could pray Heaven down like no other man, woman, child, or preacher.  In many ways Juanita Parker was a mentor to me, of connecting with God on the simplest, and best level…honesty, compassion, and unselfishness.  

I miss her to this day.

In an honest look-back, I have to confess that my pastoral visits to Granny (who lived next door to the church, because she’d given the property to build it), were more likely beneficial to the pastor than the parishoner.  No matter what else was going on in Granny’s life, children, grand-children, great-grands that were living with her, and she was helping to raise…everything stopped when the preacher arrived, and we’d “set-a-spell” on the front porch.  We’d never sit on the back porch, because (I suspect) it was the scene of too many gruesome encounters with that mean rooster.  (But that’s another story for another day).

As a young-ish minister, with less than 3 years under my belt as pastor, I was still too green to recognize the tower of strength sitting nearby.  As a depression-era saint, who’d faced more physical, mental, financial, and relational challenges than I’ve had to navigate, now in my fifth-decade of ministry, Granny was tougher than Muhammed Ali in the boxing ring, Ghengis Kahn on the battlefield, or a crazed rooster in her backyard.  But with God, she was a child, tender, dependent, soft, and faith-filled.  It seemed she melted like heated plastic in a mold…to the shape of the most faithful saint.  No matter how I tried to steer a conversation with Granny, or move us to prayer, she was always ahead of me, and she was the one who took the initiative to end our times in prayer – for me!  I always left her little house shining brighter, and a lot stronger, than when I’d arrived.

For You Today  

Everyone needs a Granny Parker in their corner (especially would-be preachers, discouraged preachers, and sometimes a know-it-all preacher).  If you’ve got a praying saint in your life like Granny, you know it – and you probably treasure that relationship.  And if you have one like my praying, 111 year-young on 11-11 Granny Parker, maybe it’s time you become one.  Because there’s always someone who needs one.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

       Paraclete   and   Hitching a Ride

Images: Title image Pixabay.com Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] See Flash Mob on a Judean Hillside and The Peace Formula

Troubled Times

Friday, August 12, 2022

Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.  Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.  Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.  You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy.  You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.  So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.  Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.  Then you will receive all that he has promised.  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.  And my righteous ones will live by faith.  But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”  But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction.  We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.  

Hebrews 10:32-39

To say that Christians suffer in troubled times is to understate reality by a country mile.  We face difficult circumstances just as much as every other human on planet earth.  There are some who face little, but others who suffer more than we can bear on our own.  This is why Paul’s advice to remember the early days, when we first accepted Christ, is so encouraging and helpful.  By doing so, we re-center our focus on the joy of being connected to heaven’s great cloud of witnesses, and earth’s heaven-bound family.  But Paul also tells us to look forward to the return of Christ, and how He will change everything in an instant.  If that doesn’t re-light your fire, your wood’s wet, my friend.

It is an easy temptation to fall into, spending all your time looking back to the good ol’ days, or forward to the coming joy of reuniting with loved ones and the reign of Christ.  But – truth be told – that isn’t where you live, is it?  You live in the here and now, political turmoil, climate change, dwindling resources, increasing age issues, inflation, and the ever-present shrinking trust in everything that comes across your screen on social media.  Who wouldn’t want to reminisce about good times of the past, and ruminate on the coming great times of the future?

Paul tells us to not throw away (our) confident trust in the LORD.  He tells us to get a firm grip on patient endurance, the unanxious, present and joyful spirit of faith in Jesus Christ.  And he tells us to live and rest in that, because there are plenty of people you know who will need you to have that ready for them when troublesome times begin to swallow them whole.  It’s then, with a present confidence and spirit of Christ, your helping hand is going to make an eternal difference in another human being’s life. 

For You Today

We are always mindful to pray for First Responders because they are on the scene when people need them most.  Let that describe your life’s mission, a follower of Jesus Christ, First Responder with the Spirit of Hope and Salvation!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these:  Resting in the Connection and Joy in Troubling Times      

[1] Images:  Pixabay.com     Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

Nexus of the Heart

Monday, May 16, 2022

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria.  They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.  However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.  The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.  When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.  Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.  And many people were brought to the Lord.  Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul.  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch.  Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people.  (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians).      Acts 11:19-26

Barnabas seemed to always be in the middle of good things happening.  He is what I would call a Nexus of the Heart, that connection that brings kindness, mercy, and the seeds of love to bear on any situation.

While it was God at back of all the events, orchestrating, and moving people by His Spirit, Barnabas was the nexus God used to hold it all together and cross-pollinate goodness, joy, and obedience throughout the process.

From Acts 10 through 15 we find Barnabas continually cooperating in bringing believers together, as well as leading unbelievers to believe.  The Holy Spirit chose Barnabas to work with Paul on his missionary endeavors, starting churches all over Asia Minor, especially at Antioch (in today’s southern Turkey).  When there was difficulty or disagreement on methods or what to do, it was Barnabas who helped people reconcile and get along[1].  Doing that God was glorified by Barnabas’ life!

Not all of us will have that kind of pivotal public life of building the church, or being instrumental in changing the world.  But we all can (and should) be part of that work; it is our calling to work in God’s vineyard.  You may be the one who cleans up after the master brewer gets done with the grapes, but, if you’ve invited Jesus to be your savior, you’re part of His business.

For You Today

If you take just a moment or two to consider the kind of love and care Barnabas had for bringing people into the fold, and then think about the people that you encounter in your neighborhood, work, shopping, school, or any other activity…those are the kinds of people Barnabas would embrace.  And Jesus would say:  Go, thou, and do likewise!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road with Jesus; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Compare Acts 15:37-39 and 2 Timothy 4:11

Optional or Vital?

 

Monday, January 31, 2022

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.  Hebrews 10:23-25

I came across a quote attributed to C.S. Lewis the other day about genuine faith:

The oft stated, I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian, will spasm and die out when the threat of persecution comes.  If one can’t commit themselves to the most basic task of the Christian faith when it costs them very little, it is a fanciful dream to believe they will pay the ultimate price when the stakes are highest.[1]

The writer of Hebrews seemed to think the church gathering was vital for several critical issues:

1.    Shoring-up faith that could waver.  Another quote…one I heard drop from the lips of Evangelist Vance Havner when I was attending New Orleans Seminary, was:  Faith that was fickle at the first will fizzle at the finish.  That was a homestyle version of Hebrews.  The basis in fact is that we are prone to wander, we humans.  We need our faith strengthened.

2.    Motivating us in the right direction.  I’ve heard motivational speakers all my life.  Most of them do well, and are helpful; many are less so.  But the motivational forces that have always served to make me a better man are those of personal testimony, whose lives I saw up close over time.  Jerry was a businessman, Ossie, a laborer, and Marshal was a steelworker.  These men helped form me by their character.  I met them all in church.

3.    Encouraging – putting faith’s wheels on the rocky road of this life.  In days like these, with challenges political, societal, personal, medical, and every other way imaginable, it takes faith just to get out of bed in the morning. 

I could and would say so much more about the virtues and benefits of church if we had a couple of months this morning.  Let it suffice here:  it’s VITAL!  And the only evidence I need is what Jesus said: 

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  John 13:34

For You Today

So, here I am, Monday-Morning-Quarterbacking…but I will press the question, nonetheless:

Did you go yesterday?  And if you did, was it habit, or because it was as vital as your next breath?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title and Other Images:  Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

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[1] Quote attributed to C.S. Lewis (source uncertain, but it sounds like him, and fits his thinking)

Barnabas

 

Friday, May 28, 2021

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria.  They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.  However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.  The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.  When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.  Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith.  And many people were brought to the Lord.  Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul.  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch.  Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people.  (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)   Acts 11:19-26

Barnabas is one of the Bible’s lovely characters.  His name means son of encouragment[1].  The entire ministry of this friend and fellow-laborer of Apostle Paul was spent as an encourager, from Gentiles who had no idea what the Messiah’s birth, life, death, and resurrection meant, to bearing the burden of bolstering the courage of John Mark, a failed coward, who just needed a second chance.  That piece of encouragment cost Barnabas dearly, having to separate from his other friend, Paul, who wanted nothing to do with Mark.  Barnabas’ unselfish loyalty to being Mark’s supporter resulted in Mark being around long enough to  write the second Gospel.  Some things are worth the fight!

As I look back over my life and serving Jesus, if I regret anything, it’s that I couldn’t have been more like Barnabas.  If ever there was a gift sorely needed (especially in this cuturally-polarized culture) it is encouragement. 

I’ve had plenty of encouraging friends over the years, people who were like Barnabas to me.  My chief encourager has always been Elizabeth.  My bride has always seen me at my best and worst; she still believes in me.  (Makes me know for a fact that miracles are possible).  Dr. Don McCutcheon is a friend of 30 years, and has encouraged me more than I deserved.  There have been so many!

I recently discovered another Barnabas.  He’s just turned 10, but this next-door neighbor’s son seems to have gotten a full measure of how to think of doing for others.  

We came home the other day and found a rock on our front porch.  It was a work of art – the art of spreading God’s love and thoughtfulness.  It was also a day I needed an encouraging moment.  Some time ago I found out from my little encourager’s Dad that “G” prays for me – regularly.  When I was 10 my prayers were that Santa would remember to bring me what I wanted on Christmas.  This child is light-years ahead in spiritual development.  And I blame the parents.  These neighbors take seriously their responsibility to train a child to trust God and serve others.  Their lives show that!

Barnabas, son of encouragement; we all need one in our life…and a whole army couldn’t hurt!  Even more, we all need to BE ONE in someone else’s life.

For You Today

Have you ever wondered what it is that God had in mind when He put you here on earth?  Well, whatever else it was, you can be a Barnabas while you’re waiting.  Everyone needs some of that in their life, and you just might meet someone today who needs a “God Loves You rock” on his front porch.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!   

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[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

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[1] Acts 4:36