Life through the living and enduring word of God.

AIR FORCE ONE

One of my older sons, Joel, gave me a book the other day titled, “IN THE PRESIDENT’S SECRET SERVICE”. It is one of those just for fun books. You are not going to learn any life changing insights, it was not suspenseful, or a thriller, it was just fun reading.

It talked of threats and attempts against our presidents, their families and their peculiarities; Clinton’s obsession with the crowds, Bush’s daughters, Carters secrets, and Reagan’s charm. The book also talks about the first ladies. How they treated the secret service, how the service loved and respected some and despised others. But to get the details you will have to read the book.

One of the things I find interesting about the presidents is that each was given a code name, as was their family members, the vice president, and speaker of the house. I also learned, by doing a Google search, that any plane the president is on is given the code name “Air Force One”.

Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two specifically configured, highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft – tail codes Special Air Mission (SAM) "28000" and SAM "29000" – with Air Force designation "VC-25A". While these aircraft have the call sign "Air Force One" only while the president is on board, the term is colloquially used to describe either of the two aircraft normally used and maintained by the U.S. Air Force solely for the president, as well as any additional Air Force aircraft used by the president, including a C-37A Gulfstream. According to “Wikipedia”.

The airplane is “Air Force One” only when the president is on board. When he steps on the plane then and only then is it officially “Air Force One”. I think they got this idea from the church.

Let me explain. When you go to the telephone directory and look up “Churches” you will find 30 plus listings just in Dodge City; Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Nazarene, Christian, Salvation Army, Assemblies of God, there are Charismatic, Apostolic, Non Denominational, and variations of almost every one. How is a person to know which one to attend?

Let me tell you…it was never intended to be this way! The first mention of “Church” in the Bible is found in Matthew 16:18 “…on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The Greek word “Ekklesia” is most often translated to “Church” in our English Bibles. The true meaning of the word is an assembly of citizens or a called out assembly. In the bible it is used to designate an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ.

Today the word, more times than not, refers to a building. As in “lets go to Church” means, load up in the family car, drive to a location, and go into a building. There in lies the problem. We talk as if the Church is a location. The church is where Jesus is. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said “For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.”

Paul addressed the people in Corinth with these words, “To the Church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.” No mention of a building.

Do you see the similarity between Air Force One and the Church? Air Force One is any plane the president is on. The Church is any assembly where Christ is present, and Christ is present where ever believers gather. So don’t get caught up in which church to attend, just make sure that you are gathering with believers in Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We don’t go to Church…We are the Church.

SPAGHETTI SPOTS

I like spaghetti! And I make a great dish of it. Last weekend, our oldest boy was sick and I stayed home with him while the rest of the family went to the KSU-Texas A & M game. Boy what a game to miss. Just in case you didn’t know how the game turned out the score was 62 to 14 in favor of KSU.

Anyway back to Luke and me. He was fighting the flu and just laid around all day. When supper time rolled around I asked Luke what he would like…you guessed it, he wanted spaghetti! So I went to work fixing my specialty.

The thing that disappoints me is that you can’t find the really long spaghetti anymore. Part of the fun of eating spaghetti is the fine art of winding it onto your fork and getting it into your mouth without it getting all over you. The kids, on the other hand, like to get just a little on their fork and then suck the rest into their mouth. After writing that it sounds a bit gross and sloppy, but that is the way we eat spaghetti.

The down side to spaghetti eating is that it is almost impossible to eat without getting some on you. No matter how careful I am, I am always left with a spot or two on my shirt, the tablecloth, my slacks, and more than a little on my face. It is really embarrassing when you are talking to someone after eating spaghetti and notice their eyes looking at your shirt instead of looking you in the eye and then realizing you have leftover spaghetti on your shirt. The other problem with the stains is that they are really hard to get out. In fact, I have more than one shirt with the lasting effect of my eating habits.

I know you are wondering where this one is going. Well, we all have a few spots on us. We even have a few that may be very difficult for us to remove. The spots we all have are called sins in the bible. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Notice the word “all”? In I John 1:8 we find the words, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The question should be, how do we stand before a holy God without Him looking at our clothing and seeing the spots of sin?

Peter encourages us to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with God. (2 Peter 3:14) Peter also tells us that Christ is a lamb without blemish. (I Peter 1:19) God has provided a way for us to use the unblemished Christ to cover our spots. In Galatians, Paul tells us to “clothe yourselves with Christ”. (Gal. 3:27) and in Romans he tells us to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:14) The bible tells us that we can stand before God blameless because we have trusted our life to Christ. To bad I haven’t discovered how to get through a meal of spaghetti without spots.

ON THE ONE SIDE

I wasn’t going to write an article this week because I had been busy at work and I just could not get my mind or heart on track. I am not like those who can sit down and just begin writing I have to be “moved”. Which means I must move everything else out of my way so I can think uninterrupted. I have one of those one-track minds.

While I was debating with myself, an image came to mind that I see about every Sunday that always encourages me, so I will share it with you. At the church we attend, like most churches, there is a baptistery at the front of the sanctuary. We also have a mosaic of a cross directly above the baptistery. But what intrigues me most is the writing that goes across the front of the sanctuary.

I know this is hard because you can’t see what I am talking about but I believe you will get the picture. On the left side of the cross it says “HE WHO HAS THE SON” and on the right side of the cross, “HAS LIFE. I John 5:12” All of verse 12 says, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

The thing that has always caught my attention is this, as you pass through the cross your priorities move from “things” to Christ. Without Christ the only boasting we can do is in our own accomplishments. What I have, who I am, who my friends are, where I live, what I drive…you get the picture. But when we trust in Christ our priorities change. Paul said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 6:14)

In Max Lucado’s book “Cast of Characters” he wrote: “Ever wonder why there were two crosses next to Christ? Why not six or ten? Ever wonder why Jesus was in the center? Why not on the far right or far left? Could it be that the two crosses on the hill symbolize one of God’s greatest gifts? The gift of choice. The two criminals have so much in common. Convicted by the same system. Condemned to the same death. Surrounded by the same crowd. Equally close to the same Jesus. In fact, they begin with the same sarcasm: “The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus” (Matt 27:44) But one changed.”

One continued to shout insults, the other realized that Jesus was being punished unjustly and sought grace and forgiveness when he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43) On one side of the cross come shouts of condemnation; on the other grace, forgiveness, and mercy.

So, going back to the church. I wish two words were moved. On one side of the cross I wish it said, “HE WHO HAS” and then on the other “THE SON HAS LIFE”. Before you accept Christ you concentrate on what you have, after a relationship with Christ it is WHO you have that becomes important.
I think our preacher would rather I concentrate on the sermon.

Don’t Worry

Have you noticed the bumpy roads the last few months around town? Street construction is going on up and down Wyatt Earp Boulevard, on North Fourteenth, East Highway 400, and now the over pass east of town is closed to traffic for repairs. Everywhere you turn the roads are being worked on. In the end, it will really be nice but right now it is inconvenient, tough on your vehicle, and worrisome, not knowing what you might be driving over.

When roads get old and overused they begin to break down, chunks come out, ruts get worn, and cracks appear. I have noticed that I have a few cracks, and ruts, a few chunks coming out, and more bumps than I would like.

I remember when I was a youngster I did not have a care in the world. All I wanted to do was reach fourteen so I could get my learners permit and (legally) start driving. Then sixteen so I could get a real drivers license. Eighteen and I could…well…you know, go out with the guys. Twenty-one and I would be a man and no longer a kid. Thirty and I would have most of the knowledge I would ever need. Then came forty, fifty, and 2010 will bring the big 60! Boy does time fly.

Like I said when I was young nothing bothered me but now every scratch, or blemish, every pain or lump, a persistent headache or blur of my vision, and I begin to wonder what could it be. Could it be a tumor, or skin cancer, will I need joint replacement or eye surgery, or another spot removed from my face? How will I know if I am having a heart attack or if I am just out of shape and gasping for air, or ate something I shouldn’t have and heartburn is giving me fits?

I have found that I worry much more than I used to and then I read that worry could bring on a stroke or heart attack. Now I am worrying that I am worrying too much.

The sixth chapter of Matthew verses 25-34 is a great place to go when you begin to be overcome with worry. The passage begins with, “Therefore I (Jesus) tell you, do not worry…” As you get to the middle of the section Jesus says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” And He ends with, “But seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Worry does not get us anywhere or add a single day to our life, it just breeds more worry. This passage has really been helpful when I think I am being overcome with worry. I always like to follow it up with the promise found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” The promise is that if you love God then no matter what you are going through it will work out for good. The point is if you don’t love God and have not answered His call, this promise is not one that you can claim or expect.

So, the next time you feel a lump, don’t ignore it, seek a doctor’s care, but don’t worry because God is still in control and if you are His, He will be there for you. I will leave you with Paul’s conclusion, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

Don’t Worry

Have you noticed the bumpy roads the last few months around town? Street construction is going on up and down Wyatt Earp Boulevard, on North Fourteenth, East Highway 400, and now the over pass east of town is closed to traffic for repairs. Everywhere you turn the roads are being worked on. In the end, it will really be nice but right now it is inconvenient, tough on your vehicle, and worrisome, not knowing what you might be driving over.

When roads get old and overused they begin to break down, chunks come out, ruts get worn, and cracks appear. I have noticed that I have a few cracks, and ruts, a few chunks coming out, and more bumps than I would like.

I remember when I was a youngster I did not have a care in the world. All I wanted to do was reach fourteen so I could get my learners permit and (legally) start driving. Then sixteen so I could get a real drivers license. Eighteen and I could…well…you know, go out with the guys. Twenty-one and I would be a man and no longer a kid. Thirty and I would have most of the knowledge I would ever need. Then came forty, fifty, and 2010 will bring the big 60! Boy does time fly.

Like I said when I was young nothing bothered me but now every scratch, or blemish, every pain or lump, a persistent headache or blur of my vision, and I begin to wonder what could it be. Could it be a tumor, or skin cancer, will I need joint replacement or eye surgery, or another spot removed from my face? How will I know if I am having a heart attack or if I am just out of shape and gasping for air, or ate something I shouldn’t have and heartburn is giving me fits?

I have found that I worry much more than I used to and then I read that worry could bring on a stroke or heart attack. Now I am worrying that I am worrying too much.

The sixth chapter of Matthew verses 25-34 is a great place to go when you begin to be overcome with worry. The passage begins with, “Therefore I (Jesus) tell you, do not worry…” As you get to the middle of the section Jesus says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” And He ends with, “But seek first His kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Worry does not get us anywhere or add a single day to our life, it just breeds more worry. This passage has really been helpful when I think I am being overcome with worry. I always like to follow it up with the promise found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” The promise is that if you love God then no matter what you are going through it will work out for good. The point is if you don’t love God and have not answered His call, this promise is not one that you can claim or expect.

So, the next time you feel a lump, don’t ignore it, seek a doctor’s care, but don’t worry because God is still in control and if you are His, He will be there for you. I will leave you with Paul’s conclusion, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

kww@winterfeedyard.com
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WHAT IS IMPORTANT

When my Dad was going to Denver for Chemo therapy, one thing always intrigued me. We would go up on Saturday, take the treatment Sunday, and return home Monday. It did not matter what time we arrived Saturday, the streets and high ways in and around Denver were packed. It always seemed like rush hour. But Sunday mornings, the roads were empty. We might be the only ones at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green. We never ran into “rush hour” traffic on Sunday Morning.

Where are our priorities? During the week people were going to work, running errands, taking children to and from school, and returning home from work. In the evenings there are dinner dates, school programs, and business meetings. All important. All necessary, but what about Sundays? Were people sleeping in, having breakfast with the wife, reading the paper, playing golf, or surfing the net? Is church only an option on Christmas or Easter? Isn’t it interesting what our priorities are?

Jesus said, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26) He is talking about priorities. He doesn’t say there is anything wrong with gaining the world, but if that means sacrificing your relationship with Christ...what good will it be? In Luke Jesus said, “Watch out! ...a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Hard work usually produces beneficial returns but what good is it if we don’t have time for God. In Hosea 13:6 God said, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot Me.”

There is an image from TV last week that I can’t get out of my mind...fortunately! It reinforces the lesson of importance. Not being a baseball fan may keep me from realizing the full magnitude of the situation, but let me try.

A family went to a baseball game in Philadelphia. In an amazing catch the father, after leaning over the edge of the upper deck at Citizens Bank Park, made a great catch of a foul ball during a Phillies game. He jumped in the air, holding the ball high for all to see, high-fived his little three year old daughter and in his jubilation handed the ball to his daughter, who promptly threw the ball back over the side of the upper deck. What happened next was priceless. Rather than display disappointment and/or anger at his daughter, a smile never left his face as he picked her up in is arms and hugged her. Mother, father, sister and daughter all shared the important things of life...family.

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2 & 3) That little child threw away what was unimportant for a hug that was all important. What is important to us, the things of this world or the God of this world?

You can go to www.YouTube.com and look up “Little girl throws ball back” to see a clip of the family in action.

LOST IN THE PRESENT

My daughter and I had a misunderstanding this last weekend. What I thought we agreed upon was not what she thought we agreed upon, and what I thought we were going to do was not what she thought. Ever find yourself in that situation?

The boys wanted to go to Hobby Lobby to get a model airplane. So, Saturday, after lunch, Diane went to the office to do a little work and the children and I went to Hobby Lobby. After walking up and down almost every aisle, the boys located the model section and went about finding a plane.

They chose a helicopter that snapped together without the need for glue. I was excited because that meant they could do it themselves and there would be little or no mess. Ashton also decided that she would pick out a model but she wanted a car. There weren't any snap together cars. We searched the shelves for a simple kit but she insisted upon a car that had a 10 on the box. This indicated the age level required to put the car together, I think.

She wanted to paint the car black but I calmly explained to her that IF we painted the car that would mean painting it today and putting it together another day after it dried. She INSISTED we paint the car and put it together today. I know we compromised with getting the car and putting it together today and if she wanted to do another model then we would start with painting.

We returned home and within 15 minutes the boys had snapped their planes together, were playing and having fun. Ashton and I, on the other hand, had only gotten the pieces out of the box and I was reading the instructions to see how a 10-year-old would put this car together.

When Diane came home everything went bad. Ashton met her at the door with her arms folded and a frown telling her mom that I had not bought any paint for the car and she wanted it painted before we put it together. Again I calmly explained to her and her mom how difficult it is to paint a model car and if we did we would not be able to put it together today. Neither were sympathetic to my concerns. Both looked at me with a 'so what is the problem' look and said, “Paint it”.

I could go on but suffice to say my Saturday afternoon with my daughter did not go well. The car is still only partially built because the glue I bought was slow drying and we were running out of time. It reminded me of a verse in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebrations prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (The Message)

Things were falling apart with me, Ashton, and the car. For Ashton, it was a major crisis. She wanted the car, she wanted it painted, and she wanted it put together...now. Small potatoes as far as I was concerned, but not for Ashton. That is the way God looks at our crisis moments. To us they seem major, but to God they are but momentary. Our hard times are nothing compared to what God has prepared for us.

Ashton and I were lost in the present, while God was preparing the future. Don’t let current, momentary problems or hard times distract us from what God is preparing for us.

FEAR AND COMFORT

Diane and I took our children to Breckenridge for vacation. We went horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and biking. We took the children to the Alpine Slide, rock climbing, trampoline jumping with bungee cords, and the gyro ride. In all, we had a great time with the family.

Of all the things we did, the most memorable to the children was our trip to the pond. The pond was just a short hike uphill from the lodge that we stayed in. It was a small pond, clear as drinking water, and surrounded by trees. The first day we hiked up to see where it was and what we needed to go fishing.

I am going to confess right up front that I am not a fisherman; I don’t have any stories about the big one that got away, and I don’t know of any special, never fail, fish bait. That being said, we went to the local grocery store and bought fishing gear. Pole, reel, hooks, and lures; all for the on sale price of $20. One pole each for the boys and a $12 pink pole for Ashton. I was told that night crawlers were the bait of choice and if they didn’t work the “red fireball fish eggs” would. I did not know that fish eggs came in flavors.

Our actual fishing was relatively uneventful. No one got stuck with a hook, although Ashton tried. No one fell in, but Ashton came close. And fortunately for me, no one caught a fish, although Luke swore he had a big one on the line but it got away.

What the children remembered most was the moose. Did I forget to mention the moose? On one of our hikes around the pond as we admired the flowers, skipped rocks on the water, and darted in and out of the trees, we came face to face with a moose! Seven foot to the top of his antlers, 900 pounds, and a face as long as a yardstick. Ashton screamed, Diane ran, but we men stood our ground…for a minute. Later in the day we read a sign that told us just how dangerous a moose encounter could be…really!

I think the moose really scared the kids. We were within 20 yards of the thing and it did move toward us a time or two until we finally left the area. Ashton has taken the pictures we took of the moose to school, throughout the neighborhood, and to all of her friends. The story has grown, the moose has grown, and it has now charged us several times according to Ashton. She is still fearful of the encounter with the moose.

Fear grips each of us differently. Some of us get over a fearful moment and others never do. I am sure before it is out of Ashton’s mind she will have some scary dreams of the giant, charging moose. For me and the boys it will be more of a badge of valor as we stood our ground. Fear does that, it brings out the fight or flight response.

Jesus’ most repeated words to his disciples, in one form or another, were “fear not”. I don’t think He was talking about a moose, but He was talking about life. And the reason He said fear not is best represented in Matthew 14:27 where He said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” In life's scary moments, it is comforting to know that God wraps his arms around us.

That’s what I do with Ashton. When she is scared I put my arms around her and say “Don’t be afraid sweetheart, Daddy’s here.”

TELLING IT AS IT IS

Sometimes when children talk, we, as adults, need to listen and ponder before we react. My usual response is to correct them even before they stop talking. I get in real trouble with my wife when I do that. Adam, our nine year old, told his mom that he wanted to go to the “bath”tism ceremony the church was going to have. She started to correct him and tell him it was a baptismal ceremony but stopped short.

Had Adam accidently pronounced the word correctly and we have been mispronouncing it all this time? Baptism is, at best, a controversial word in our congregations today. We often discuss its importance, timing, and method. Some try to explain away its importance while others seem to make it the pivotal point of salvation itself. We have infant baptism, sprinkling, immersion, and spirit baptism, and I do not have the intention or the knowledge to discuss the pros and cons of each. That is for the theologians.

But had the word been “bath”tism, the discussions and disagreements might have been less. We know that it involved water. In Acts 8:36-40, Philip and an Ethiopian had a meeting arranged by God. As Philip explained the scriptures to the Ethiopian, and I really like this part, the Ethiopian interrupted Philip and said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” When is the last time you saw a person so convinced by a sermon on Sunday that they stopped the service and said, “Preacher before you go any farther, I want to be baptized.”? In this case, it involved a lot of water because it says they went down into the water and then came up out of the water. Kind of like a bath.

The bible also uses the term “wash” when referring to baptism, also like a bath. In Acts 22:1-21, we see Paul recounting his experience on the Damascus road that changed his life forever. When he was told by Ananias, a devout observer of the law, what his mission for God would be, Ananias said, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away…” I know I have told Adam more than once to wash the dirt away. So, he would understand washing his sins away.

At the beginning of Acts, there is another show stopping experience. In the second chapter, Peter was giving what some believe to be the first recorded sermon when he was stopped by the crowd. In Acts 2:37 & 38 it says, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…’” When the sermon really sunk in, they interrupted the preacher and said, “What shall we do?”

When Adam has been outside playing in the dirt and is covered from head to toe, I look at him and shake my head. He looks back, shrugs his shoulders as if to say, “What shall I do?” I tell him, “Go take a bath and then you can join the family at the supper table.” I really think Adam understands “Bath”tism better than me.

Have you been washed?

CASINO

When you drive to the northwest edge of Dodge you can see the new casino going up. From the very beginning I have wondered just how it would affect our town. Would it bring in new business, new people, new opportunities, or new problems? I assume a little of each. But there is a mysterious draw to a casino.

There is something about taking chances that draws us. Our hope is always that with the gamble of only a few cents we will reap dollars in return, and the next time will be our time to win. We know that the odds are with the house…they don’t build big fancy casinos with losses, but still we take our chances.

So, why are we willing to take chances when the odds are against us but unwilling to take chances when the odds are with us? The bible says give and it will be given unto you but we lay more on the table at a casino or in the slots than we place in the offering plate on Sunday. Drive by a casino about any night of the week and count more cars than you would find at the churches on any given Sunday. Who is taking the biggest chance, those at the casino or those not at the church?

We also take chances on lottery tickets. When you buy a lottery ticket you hope you win. You know your chances are slim but, nonetheless, you take a chance and put your money down. When you believe in Jesus you know you’re going to heaven. John wrote, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:13) Some hope they are good enough to go to heaven just like some hope they are good enough to beat the house at a casino. The bible says you can know.

The bible tells us that there is not anything we can do to deserve Gods love, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8) If we could earn or win heaven, we would have something to brag about, but we can’t. We can only go to heaven because it is a gift from God. It is kind of like Christmas. I am sure I did not always deserve a gift, but I always got one because I was a child of the family. As Christians, we are children in the family of God, and we are going to heaven.

I don’t want to gamble with salvation and neither should you. If I must take a chance, I will bet on the House of God.