Life through the living and enduring word of God.

FOLLOW ME

My children and I embarked on a journey the other day. We put on appropriate attire, and entered the garage. There we adorned plastic headgear and strapped them down. We secured the air pump and checked and filled all rubber tubes to capacity, adjusted the seating apparatus, checked for proper leg extension and mounted our seven and twenty-one gear, brightly colored bicycles.

Yes, we were going for a bicycle ride. Or should I say an adventure. As we left the safety and security of the cul-de-sac we entered into a world of winding trails, low hanging tree limbs, close encounters with near by streams, and mountainous hills. We traversed gaping sidewalk crevices, sticker lined narrow bike trails, and busy intersections. But not to fear…Dad was in the lead.

I had led expeditions like this before but it had literally been decades ago with my now adult sons who have no doubt led expeditions of their own. But this was different…this time I had three adventurers following closely in my path. Their safety was in my hands. Their expectations depended upon my leadership. And their desire to go again rested in my ability not only to lead but also to inspire.

As we engaged the path I was there to warn of approaching danger, to help them avoid obstacles, to point out interesting objects and upcoming landmarks, and to keep the pace swift enough to keep their attention but not too swift as to discourage their desire to continue on.

I’ll bet you did not know that a simple bike ride was so exciting. But it must have worked because the following day all three children were preparing for another ride. Only this time they wanted to lead. And led they did. “Watch out for the tree Dad.” “There is a stream up ahead Dad, don’t go too fast.” “Stay on the path Dad, there are stickers up ahead.” “Do you want to stop for a rest Dad?” “Are you thirsty yet, Dad?” And my favorite, “There are some trees up ahead Dad if you need to…” They did not forget a thing.

With Father’s Day approaching it reminded me once again of not only the responsibility we have as fathers but also the opportunities. When they suggested we go on the ride, I must admit my first thought was for myself. I knew I needed the exercise because sitting around the house and eating double stuffed Oreos was starting to show its effects. In those two short rides I had the opportunity to lead and be led, to answer questions about flowers and clouds and dogs and fish. I showed my mechanical ability by fixing my daughter’s derailed bicycle chain. We even talked a little about God’s creation. But most of all they had my undivided attention. The only thing I thought about on the ride was them; their safety, and their enjoyment.

We have a heavenly father who also wants to spend time with us also. He too wants to lead us down the right path, through the obstacles of life, and then watch us lead others. In John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Paul, the apostle, told those who were watching him, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” So, we have the responsibility to not only follow Christ but to lead others to Him as well.

Two things I will change before the next adventure…I am getting a larger and softer seat, and I will not air up my tires as much. You would think with all the Oreos that my rear would have more padding.

A WALK WITH ASHTON

This weekend Ashton and I took an occasional opportunity to have some one on one time together. Her brothers were off playing basketball with their friends, her mom was catching up on some work, and Ashton asked if I would go for a walk with her. I had no idea what a special time it would turn out to be.

As we started on our walk, Ashton began talking and never stopped until we returned home. I am not sure I remember all the things we talked about but I was amazed at how intense the conversation was. We talked of school, teachers, and friends. We talked about a little rabbit that did not make it across the street and then she thanked me for keeping her from stepping on it.

We talked of the ease of walking down the hill and she talked about the ease of walking up the hill…after I said uphill was harder than downhill. By the time we reached the top, she had developed a blister on her toe. I had told her not to wear flip-flops, but in this case daughters knew best until the blister showed up. She removed one flip-flop and walked in the grass but constantly looked for stickers.

After watching her limp along and then asking me for a piggyback ride, I stopped and picked her up. I placed her upon my shoulders, all 60 pounds, and continued home. She never stopped talking and asking questions. As I labored along with her on my shoulders, I realized how special this time was.

After about 10 miles…maybe it was just a mile and a half, I put her down so I could rest for a minute. I thought she would wait in pain until I recouped enough to once again hoist her to my shoulders but to my surprise she never stopped talking and walked right down the street, one foot in her flip-flop and the other bare.

When we returned home she began telling her mom about our walk. As I watched and listened in quiet wonder, I once again observed her non-stop conversation. The whole experience had me thinking what it might be like to walk with Jesus. Will I have the same excitement and intensity? Will I talk non-stop and ask question after question? I am sure I will be just like Ashton who would ask question after question before I had the opportunity to answer. And after we have walked for a few years will He pick me up and carry me for a hundred more? “As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’” (II Corinthians 6:16)

If you have faith in God, let your imagination roam. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” In Hebrews 11:6 Paul writes, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

I Corinthians 15 is a great place to read about the importance of faith in life after death. That is where we find these words, ”If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures…” and the final verse of the chapter, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves to the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Do not pass the opportunity to walk with a child, a friend, your spouse, or whoever, and imagine what it will be like to walk with Jesus.

A WARM BED

Have you slipped into bed and found the sheets a little too crispy? I don’t mean starchy crisp, but cold crisp. I had an electric blanket one time and it sure was nice to climb into that warm bed. The only problem was after I was in it for a few minutes it became too warm.

Our children enjoy the feel of a warm bed. We have this ritual that takes place each morning. When they get up, they come, one at a time, into our bed and snuggle up close to enjoy a few minutes of a warm bed before getting ready for school. I guess the truth is they snuggle more with their mom than with me. I am usually gone and I think I lose out to the mother/child relationship.

Do you remember crawling into bed when you were a child? It was not only warm but also secure next to Mom. It makes you anticipate how warm and secure it will be with Christ when we enter into His presence in heaven.

There is a book by Randy Alcorn called “Heaven” that I have recently finished which gives a biblical glimpse of what it will be like in heaven. I have really enjoyed the book and am looking forward even more to that time when we will be with Jesus.

God created the perfect place for us to live and walk with Him when He created the earth and placed man in the Garden of Eden. Man was removed from the garden for a while because of sin but the bible teaches that we will return.

Romans 8:18-25 records Paul’s writings on the subject when he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

The book of Revelation records what it will be like to be in the presence of God, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…prepared as a bride beautifully dresses for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their god. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” When we move from this world, as we know it, into the very presence of God it will be even greater than that warm bed next to Mom and Dad.

The familiar but often times overlooked verse in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” is a calling for all to come into the warmth of a loving God and rest in his presence.

Our children look forward to the warmth of our bed as we should look forward to the security and warmth of being in the presence of God. We choose to come into his presence by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul writes in Romans that, “creation waits in eager expectation”.

“Eager expectation” describes our children’s desire to jump into our bed every morning. Diane and I will never grow old or impatient with them for wanting to be next to us…and neither will God.

PUT A LOCK ON IT.

Too many times I have written an article about our children or something that has happened to our family only to realize that we are in the midst of a holiday. I have neglected Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, (I just neglected Valentines Day), Independence Day, and even my wife’s birthday. So, with Easter upon us I decided not to forget.

I began by reading from each Gospel about the trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. All seemed familiar except one passage from Matthew. As you would expect all four gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write about Jesus’ final days.

One thing stands out. It was the “religious” people, the ones who claimed to believe in God, who were responsible for the death of Jesus. Again and again scripture talks about the “Chief Priests, the officers of the temple guard, the elders, the Sanhedrin, the teachers of the law, and the High Priest,” who were accusing Jesus.

Matthew records that the religious leaders did their very best to find “false evidence” so that they could put Him to death. Matthew says they finally found two false witnesses who declared, “This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.” When asked to reply Jesus remained silent, until he was asked, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” This, the high priest finally concluded, was blasphemy and deserving of death.

Blasphemy is not a word that I use often…or at all. It means the high priest had decided that Jesus reviled the name of God. I don’t use reviled very often either, it means despised. Bottom line is, He was falsely accused by the religious people of being too religious. The same thing happens today, it is OK to be “churchy”, just don’t preach to me.

The last nine verses of Matthew chapter 27 are where I found my overlooked verse. It records that Joseph, a disciple of Jesus, went before the Roman governor and asked for the body of Jesus so he could give Him a proper burial. He was granted permission and took the lifeless body of Jesus, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb. He then rolled a big stone in front of the entrance and went away.

The next day the religious leaders came before the Roman governor one final time and begged to have the tomb secured so that no one could steal the body of Jesus. Now this is the part I have overlooked, the Governor told them, “Take a guard (which met several soldiers), and make the tomb as secure as you know how.” In other words, do everything humanly possible to make sure that Jesus does not get out and that no one got in.

All of Christianity rests on the resurrection. If, Jesus did not rise from the dead, then He was nothing more than a teacher. If archeologists can find a tomb with the bones of Jesus, then Christianity is dead. If other religions can disprove the resurrection of Christ, then Christian churches will close. Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile… Those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (I Corinthians 15:17-19)

Thank God…the tomb is empty.

SNOW CREATIONS

We have been skiing this past week in Colorado. The snow is great and the weather is the same. The temperature has hovered in the forty-degree area, no wind, and plenty of snow. We have gone as a family each of the last five years and age is slipping up on me.

The boys and Ashton no longer like going on the green and blue slopes but prefer black and even double black diamond. For those of you who are not skiers, slope ratings go like this; green is flat with no bumps, often referred to as the bunny slopes. Blue and blue diamond slopes are steeper with a few bumps called moguls and referred to as intermediate slopes. Then come the black and double black diamond slopes. They take several years of experience and are challenging for some of the best skiers. They have big moguls, are very steep and very narrow. These final ratings also apply to what they call the bowl runs. These slopes get their name from the bowl shape they have. A bowl that is turned up on its end that is. These are called extreme runs.

Diane and I ski the blue slopes and a few blue black diamond. Ashton is now skiing the black slopes and the boys are skiing the bowls and having a blast. Diane and I skied with Ashton for one afternoon. She and Diane goaded me into skiing with Ashton down a black diamond. I have no desire to ski black diamond slopes with Ashton. I felt like a child with my parent (Ashton) shouting at me from the bottom of the slope, “Come on Daddy you can do it.” Enough said?

We were standing in the ski lift line and Luke reached over into the fluffy white snow and made a snowball. Thus came the idea for this article. Luke picked up a handful of powdery snow and formed a hard round ball of ice. It made me appreciate the creation process that God went through to get us where we are today.

In the first book of the bible, Genesis, we have the record of creation. “In the beginning God created…” From the book of Hebrews we are told what faith is and how important it is. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” (Hebrews 11:1-3)

It was obvious looking at the snowball that someone formed it, just like it is obvious by looking at creation that someone designed it. It did not just happen any more than the snowball formed itself. As Luke formed that snowball, which he threw at me, I could see him packing and molding it into a round, hard, ball of snow. Something as simple as a snowball has helped me to better understand God’s creative work.

At God’s command, everything from the formation of earth to the creation of life was spoken into existence. To look at just one of God’s creative works, man, it would be impossible outside of God for the circulatory system, skeletal system, nervous system, respiratory system, and thought process to have just happened over tens of thousands of years. They all depend upon each other and could not have evolved into existence one at a time. Since no one was there but God, we accept this by faith and logic.

I would much rather place my faith in intelligent design than dumb luck, accidental mutations, and thousands of years. Fortunately, snowflakes don’t fall from the sky and form snowballs, which gives me some time to avoid Luke’s creating them and throwing them at his dad.

IT’S YOUR CHOICE

Have you ever watched a child make a choice? This one…no that one…no may be the blue one…or, it must be the pink one. Yes, that is it, the pink one…I think. Reminds me of the game show where your choices were behind one of three doors. The contestant was given three options. Each option was behind a different door, door 1, 2, or 3 and you were given a little hint as to what might be behind each door. Two of the doors contained lesser items but one of the doors contained a marvelous trip to the Bahamas all expenses paid and a new summer wardrobe. You had to make a choice.

As we get older our choices are more calculated and less emotional. Sometimes the rewards are less exciting than when we were children, and the consequences much greater. To make a choice, we must first be presented with options. Without options, there is not a choice; we just accept the consequences.

Some people have suggested that God should just eliminate all evil and temptation. Then we would not have to make any choices. But that would mean eliminating our ability to choose God. Without the ability to choose, we would be compelled to love God…and that would not be love at all.

At some point in our lives we have been faced with the choice of believing in Jesus Christ or not believing. Living in the United States, we have all been faced with this decision. It is not like we are some lost tribe without printed material or radios or a TV. There are numerous churches in almost every city. We have been exposed to radio and TV broadcast, as well as friends and neighbors with the story of Christ. We have all made that choice to believe in and accept Jesus as our savior or to reject Him. And, it is an either/or choice. There is not a middle road.

God also made a choice. He chose to send his son Jesus Christ to earth, to be born of a woman, to grow up as a carpenter, and to spend the last three years of his life ministering to the people. Jesus chose to be crucified on our behalf so we could be with him eternally in heaven. His choices give us the opportunity to accept Him as our savior and believe in him, or reject him.

At the end of Joshua’s life, Joshua brought the people together and recounted all that God had done for them as a nation and warned them about making the right choice as to who they would follow and who they would believe in. He reminded the people, “You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” (Joshua 23:14)

With many other words, Joshua encouraged the people to remain faithful to God, but knowing the choice was theirs to make, he ended his farewell to them with these words, “Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness…But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15) What choice have you made? “Choose for yourself this day who you will serve.”

I went out to eat with family this evening and after a rather large meal I had a decision to make…dessert? I made the wrong choice and now I am sick. By morning I will have forgotten that wrong choice. If we choose wrong about accepting Jesus, we will not be better by morning.