Space Bars

Growth is not always a bed of flowers. Sometimes it is just plain old hard and a little embarrassing. A man bought a computer, even though he had never even used a typewriter before. After investigating the computer, he decided to call the help line. A friendly voice explained step by step how his new machine worked. All went well until the voice told him to press the space bar. After studying the keyboard, the man said; "I've got the latest model and it doesn't have a space bar." But after further explanation, he managed to find it.

A week later, this man again had problems and called the help line. An instructor was then sent to his house for training. But after a few minutes, this poor man’s head was spinning. "You don't need to go any further," he sighed, I don't understand a thing."

To cheer him up, the instructor said: "Hey, there are people who understand a lot less than you. Last week we had someone on the phone who didn't even know where the space bar was!"

There may be times in your life when you don't even know where your space bar is. Everyone else seems to have it all figuted out except you. You wanna know something? That's okay! It is called growth. Even better to know is that Jesus will bring you through it. I know this because that is exactly what the Bible says. Check out how The Living Bible paraphrases Philippians 1:6:

And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grac until His task within you is finally finished an that day when Jesus Christ returns.

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The Twigg and The Trunk

You may have heard this prayer uttered by a Christian. He said,

“Dear God,

So far today I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper, I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed, and from then on, I’m probably going to need a lot of help. Amen”

That is the way it is supposed to be. We could not function with out Him. We depend upon him for our strength to survive like a branch depends upon the trunk to survive. I don’t remember where I heard the following story, but it sure helps me to understand how important my need is for Jesus.

There once was a branch called Twiggy. Twiggy was an amazing branch; his leaves were a vibrant, living green. Joy rested in his heart especially on windy days when he would hum with his special tree voice. His friends Ms. Butterfly, and Robin often visited him. Other friends came to visit also like Mr. Eagle and the Possum family. When the friends were through with their visit, they always left feeling a bit refreshed, like they could go on for a while longer.

One day Twiggy started to think that it sure would be nice if he could wander away from the old trunk. After all who needed old trunk any way? It was twiggy that had all the color. Where were all of trunk’s leaves? When was the last time that Mr. Eagle landed on trunk and was refreshed? Sure, the possum family always came up old trunk, but it was so they could get to him, Twiggy!

So that afternoon, when the wind was blowing by, Twiggy let go of old trunk. Twiggy felt a new kind of freedom- it was called falling. He didn’t like it very much. Especially when he landed with a hard thump. He tried to reassure himself that it was better now that he had his freedom, but it seemed like the view from down here was very limited. Immediately he started to feel lonely, but then Twiggy thought his friends will soon come to visit. The Possums came and walked right past him and straight to the trunk. Robin hopped by but seemed distracted as he kept pecking at the ground. Mr. Eagle just circled above and kept his distance.

“At least I have my beautiful leaves,” Twiggy thought to himself. And so they were, but… After just a short time the leaves seemed to have lost their spunk, their body, and that special sheen. In fact they actually started to get droopy! It was just a few days later that a passing boy picked up Twiggy and said that Twiggy would make great kindling.

Attachment to our Trunk is critical. He gives us the strength to whistle during the windy times of life. Cut from the trunk and our strength withers.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John 15:5&6

The best place for us Twiggys, is to remain attached to the Trunk.


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Better than a Pig

Rod Cooper, in a sermon titled, Worship or Worry, tells the following story of a man named Rod:

“He said that they raised pigs- about a thousand pigs a year. In one field they had two or three hundred little oinkers running around. Every day, at four in the morning, as he'd walk into the field to feed those guys, they'd scatter. Once a little pig came up and began to chew on his foot, so he picked him up and began to pet him. Soon the little pig wanted down.

Rod said, "No, I'll let you down when I'm ready." At that moment, the piglet let out a squeal such as he had never heard. In about two seconds, thirty mama pigs weighing five to six hundred pounds each were headed his way. He put the piglet down and headed for the fence. He barely made it over, and all the mama pigs were snorting and walking back and forth, daring him to come back over and bother one of their kids. Rob said that he looked back at that and realize the little rascal wasn't intimidated. He was out of control, but he wasn't intimidated. Why? Because one squeal away he had resources.”

Rod Cooper at this point in the story asked this question, “If one of God's creatures is that sensitive to the cry of its own, how much more sensitive is the heavenly Father to the cry of his own? Just one squeal away we have resources.”

Jesus, Himself said that God feeds and cares for the birds of the air. He then ask the question in Matthew 6:26, “Are you not much more valuable than they?” You are more precious than you can ever imagine.

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Why Christians are Crazy

It was Malcolm Muggeridge who said-

"One of the greatest attractions of Christianity to me is its sheer absurdity. I love all those crazy sayings in the New Testament-which, incidentally, turn out to be literally true-about how fools and illiterates and children understand what Jesus was talking about better than the wise, the learned, and the venerable; about how the poor; not the rich, are blessed, the meek, not the arrogant, inherit the earth, and the pure in heart, not the strong in mind, see God."

Muggeridge is right; Christianity is absurd. It is backwards and against the grain. Christianity, as Muggeridge points out, goes counterclockwise when we compare it to this world. It is almost as though Christianity was from another culture, or another world. Perhaps that is exactly why Christianity is so crazy: it is from another world.

It is that very point that the writer of Hebrews makes. Before launching into a list of heroes of the faithful, the writer gives the reason why these people were so spectacular in their faith. Each one had gone against the grain, or counterclockwise to the ways of this world, and they did so because they were the citizens of another world.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

Citezens of another world- that is what a Christian is. And, just like the customs of nations differ from one another here on earth, so to do the customs of that nation Christians belong to differ from the customs of this world. The Christian faith will always seem odd and crazy her on earth, but not there in that city to come. Set your hope on your Home to come where your oddness of today will be normal there.



 

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Shine

There is something to be said about the power of enthusiasm in a believer. John Stott made this point by a story he told about an stanch unbeliever. Following are Stott’s words:

A strangely fascinating power is exerted by those who are utterly sincere. Such believers attract unbelievers, as with the case of David Hume, the eighteenth-century British deistic philosopher who rejected historic Christianity. A friend once met him hurrying along a London street and asked him where he was going. Hume replied that he was going to hear George Whitefield preach. 'But surely,' his friend asked in astonishment, 'you don't believe what Whitefield preaches, do you?' "No, I don't,' answered Hume, 'but he does.'

When you live like you believe, it shows. I don’t think it is too far fetched to say that it is for this very reason that we are asked in the Bible to let our lives shine with our passionate beliefs. The Apostle Matthew passed on the words of Jesus that touch this very issue in Matthew 5:16.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

There it is. Let the world see what you believe. Let them know your enthusiasm and passion for your faith. Let it shine forth in your actions, in your word, in your life. And as you do, people will be attracted to the God whom you love.

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Mercy Forever

I don’t know who it was that wrote the following, but I found that it illustrates a tremendous truth about God.

I used to go out in the morning to get the paper when we lived in El Paso. Our house was a good four miles from the main parade ground at Fort Bliss. On most mornings I could hear the whump, whump, whump of the thirteen-gun salute which was sounded every morning at seven o'clock. But on some mornings I could hear the sound of the drum corps as they rolled their cadences.

   However, if the morning was clear and still, as in the winter time when the air was crisp and cold, I could also hear the sound of the music of the army band, the blast of the trumpets, the wail of the clarinets, and the mellow tone of the horns.

   But on the mornings I could only hear the cannon, I knew the drum and the horns were there, whether I could hear them or not.

Life has many different sounds when it comes to our walk in this world. There are times in which it seems as though we can hear the sweet sounds of heaven in our ears- we know the presence of God and the fulfillment of walking therein. We are cradled in His mercy. Then there are times when the cannons of this world drown out that heavenly musical, and life seems to come booming down all around us.

But there is one thing to remember: when the cannons boom, the trumpet still plays. When the problems of this world drown out our communion with God, we must remember that God is not gone.

Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever. 2 Chronicles 20:21

That word forever means that there is not a time in which God’s mercy is not available. No matter the problems that face us, His mercy endures forever. Have you lost a job? His mercy endures forever. Have you been diagnosed with a dread disease? His mercy endures forever. Is someone close to you going to die? His mercy endures forever. Have you been raped? His mercy endures forever. Have you been caught steeling? His mercy endures forever. Have you been divorced? His mercy endures forever. Have you been cheated on? His mercy endures forever. Have you lost a child? His mercy endures forever. Have you struggled with drugs? His mercy endures forever. No matter how load the cannons boom, His mercy is always there.

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Broken Windows Chapter 11

If you are new to Broken Windows, thanks for reading. You may want to start here http://paulblais.blogspot.com/2011/11/introduction.html. I hope you have a good time with the book.

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Verge asks me if I wanted to stop at 7-11 which was right on our way home. Well, it wasn’t exactly on our way home. You had to walk about three blocks out of the way to get there. He also said he’d get me a candy bar.

“Hey,” verge said, “I owe you for the gum.”

Stink. In the back of my mind I was still seeing Mrs. Tender dialing the phone when I went into the VP’s office. I was so busted as soon as I cast a shadow in my yard. The longer I could postpone that, then the better. Plus, who the heck doesn’t like candy bars!

It was kind of cool to be hanging out with Verge. Somehow, being stuck in detention gave us a kind of camaraderie. You know, partners in crime, or something stupid like that. Even though we didn’t actually do anything wrong together, it was like we were both getting it from the adults. So it was cool.

We got to 7-11 and he told me to go over to the where the bottled drinks were and grab him a Snapple or something while he grabbed the candy bars. By the time I got back to the front Verge was already in line. There was a dude in front of him, and this really old man behind him.

“I don’t like that flavor,” Verge said as he pointed at the peach ice tea in my hand.

“What flavor do you like?”

“Forget about it. I’m not that thirsty anyhow.”

So I was about to go put it back, and Verge stops me and tells me to just give it to the clerk and that the clerk would put it back.

When it our turn, I handed the clerk the Snapple and told him that we changed our mind. Verge puts one candy bar on the counter and pays for it. I thought that was kind of weird that he was buying just me a candy bar and not one for himself also. Then I thought that he was buying one just for himself. And I started to feel awkward. Did I hear him correctly? Didn’t he say he was going to buy a candy bar for me also? Should I just go and get my own?

I hadn’t really finished working it out in my head when Verge turns to the door and starts to leave. I hesitated for a second and then just fell in step behind him.

Then I heard the old man that was behind us talking to the clerk in an old shaky voice that old people get. “That boy’s got more candy in his pockets that he aint paying for.”

To be totally honest, I didn’t really understand what the old man was saying. I mean not at first. I heard him and all, but it just didn’t make sense to me. Stink. I never stole a thing in my life. Not a penny. And I was thinking, why would he say that I took something when I didn’t?

The clerk then says, “Hey, you guys. Come back here!”

By this time we were already at the door. And Verge doesn’t stop. He doesn’t even look over his shoulder. He just keeps on walking. I am a bit stunned. I feel drawn to just keep up with Verge. It was like he had a rope tied to my neck and I couldn’t obey the command of the clerk. The door closed behind us.

Then I heard the door reopen and I can hear the sound of the clerk’s feet running toward us and he is yelling at us to come back. Verge says, “Lets go!” And he starts running.

Man, I don’t know what came over me. I could have totally stopped and just talked to the clerk. I wouldn’t get in any trouble because I didn’t have anything my pockets. I didn’t even really know Verge all that well. I just happened to be with him. It would have been so easy. So stinking easy to just let the clerk catch up to me.

But I ran. I ran as fast as I could right on the heels of Verge. We rounded the tree that was in the corner of the parking lot and kept on going. The clerk didn’t go any further than the tree. What was he supposed to do, keep chasing us and leave the stupid 7-11 all unattended? That would be really smart.

We kept running though, taking a few turns in the neighborhood so we could disappear. After a couple turns we slowed down to a walk as Verge looked behind us and saw that the coast was clear. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out two more candy bars and hands me one.

“You stole that?” I said. I was still catching my breath, and I just know my face must have been all scrunched up in disbelief. I must have looked like a total dweeb.

“Why do you think we were running? If that dumb ass old man hadn’t seen us, it would have been totally cool.” There were two things that kind of struck me. One was that he said “us”. There was no us in the stealing. It was Verge. The other thing was that the way Verge said this was that the close call was not the result of him doing anything wrong, but instead that the old man had done something wrong. “Why don’t old guys like that just keep their mouths shut.”

I didn’t open the candy bar. I just held it not really knowing what I was supposed to do with it. It was stolen, for Pete’s sake!

“Why did you buy that one?”

“Dude,” Verge explained, “if you are going to take something, then always buy something. If you walk in and just pocket a few things and then leave, man, you are going to get busted. But, if you pocket what you want and then buy something else, you always get away with it. Except when some old man is sneaking around. What does he care for? He doesn’t even work there!”

“Eat your candy bar,” says Verge.

“But you stole it. You said you were going to buy a candy bar for me and then you stole it.”

“I didn’t say that I was going to buy you a candy bar. I said I was going to ‘get’ you a candy bar. I got you a candy bar. What do you care for? You didn’t steal it.”

It was true. I didn’t steal it. I was clear of all guilt, right? But it sure felt like I was the one that did the stealing.

Then it started to bug me, you know, the other candy bar. I mean he bought one stinking candy bar, and then he stole two more.

“Why did you take two candy bars?”

“Oh, this one is for Jack. I owe it to him.”

“What for?”

“It was part of the dare about throwing the gum. I told him that if he hit the Vice Principle, I would get him a candy bar.”

I didn’t eat my candy bar. I just put it in my coat pocket.

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