He Said, She Said -- October 3, 2008

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

- Listen to Bankrupt- by Eddie Jones

The headlines declared: Fallen! Fallen! – Investors Grew Rich From Excessive Greed

A sidebar story warned readers to: Escape So You Will Not Share In Her Fall

The year was 95 A.D., give or take a few years, and the apostle John was expounding on the Revelation of Christ. The account was the collapse of a mighty empire but the indictment of “Babylon” comes upon every nation that sells its birthright for wealth. Whatever happens in the global economy today, this week and in the months ahead, God saw it coming centuries ago.

As a nation we have lived beyond the boundaries of decency. We have cast out the single-moms and fatherless children, failed to show compassion for the aliens living in our land and turned our backs on the God We Trust. And still we cry out for relief, demanding that someone lift this debt from our shoulders so that we may continue to eat, drink and be merry.

The Apostle Paul warned: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction. The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

This current financial crisis may pass. The world economies may recover. In the days to come, we may return to our life of leisure. But there is a debt that can never be paid, a margin call that will catch us woefully short of funds. When it comes to our righteousness, we are bankrupt.

“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins,” calls the angel from heaven. But we ignore the command.

Have you asked Jesus Christ to forgive your debts? Are you certain that your momentary trials and troubles in this life will reap eternal dividends in the ages to come? If not, if you are as uncertain about your years after this life as you are about the future of the financial markets, then call on the one who can save.

Ask Christ forgive you of your debts. His is the only bailout plan that matters.

~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~




- Listen to Indebted- by Cindy Sproles

Forgive us our debts, as we also have

forgiven our debtors.—Matthew 6:12

She crawled to her knees then rubbed her neck. Swallowing seemed impossible. His forearm pressed against her throat had lifted her to her tiptoes—her heels slapped the wall as she gasped for breath. She tilted her eyes toward him as he slipped on his clothes. I hate him, God. He turned and threw a robe at her. Death is not good enough for this trash, she thought. I hate him.

Her ribs ached and all she could hope was that the children did not hear the commotion.

The pages of her Bible lay open to the beautifully worded prayer of Jesus. As she traced her finger over the words a tear fell. “….as we also have forgiven our debtors.” She slammed the book shut and shoved it into the floor. This is more than I manage, God. Look what he’s doing to me and you want me to forgive him?

What was she supposed to say to her sons? “Oh boys, remember when you were little and you heard the thud against the bedroom wall? It was your drunken father raping and beating me.”
The words burned in her mind, "Forgive us our debts.” You expect me to forgive this monster…..”

“I do,” she heard the Father whisper, “Your debts are forgiven, can’t you return the favor?”
Favor! I’ve done the favor. She slipped her foot atop the Bible and pulled it toward her. I forgive continually. He nearly killed me.

“Ah, but that’s what you’re missing. They did kill me. I died for you. Forgave your debts at no charge.” The voice was clear.

She swiped her eyes with her shirt. The pain swallowed her. What more do you want me to do, Lord?

“Turn lose. Let go of the pain. Introduce him to me.”

It’s easier to hate him. Easier to walk away. He doesn’t deserve to know you.

“…..as we have forgiven our debtors. You can be free of this if you so choose.”
She thumbed through the tattered pages of the Bible. And you’re asking me to give up?

“No, I’m asking you to give over.”

She grasped her ribs and stretched to raise the blinds. A single ray of sun peaked through.
She took in the breath then spoke his name. Take him. Fix him.

“Let go. He’s mine now.”

She wiped the tears. A smile tipped the edges of her lips. Today things would change.

Forgiveness is hard especially when you’re the victim. The weight straps tight across your soul. Sometimes we bury the hurt deep within our hearts and swear it’s gone. But God knows our hearts.

Is there someone you need to forgive today? Is there a prison filled with pain that binds you in shackles?

Let go. Give it over to the Father. After all, He gave you to Jesus. And aren’t you glad he did?


Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles
write the He Said, She Said
Devotional Series. They
are the co-founders of
ChristianDevotions.us

He Said -- She Said Sept. 19, 2008

Smacked Down - He Said

By Eddie Jones

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Psalm 23: 1-2

- Listen to Smacked Down! - by Eddie Jones

Sometimes it takes total terror to make us lie down in green pastures.

In his book, A Soldier’s Faith, author John Loving tells of his first days in Vietnam and how on a recon mission a U.S. patrol boat mistakenly fired upon his unit. He dropped to the ground, burrowed into the soft mud of a rice paddy and prayed for God’s protection. Sometimes the safest place to be is in on your belly, arms outstretched, in total dependence on God.

I recently spent a night of terror in an Atlanta airport. I’d arrived a little after nine on a Sunday evening. I was traveling alone, had missed my connection and didn’t have a cell. The pay phone refused to accept my phone card. I had fifty-five dollars in my pocket. All I wanted to do was find a quiet place to lie down. Hartsfield wasn’t Vietnam but it felt foreign to me.

Near the cab stand I found a phone bank for area hotels, called one and was told they were full. The man suggested I call back in ten minutes, that a room might come available. I wasn’t sure about a hotel whose vacancy status changed on the hour but as long as the other guests didn’t shoot through the walls or yell too loudly I’d take it.

When I arrived the hotel restaurant was closing. I’d had one Pop Tart all day. Across the street was a KFC, so I took my chicken tenders back to the room, fell on my knees and thanked God for a bed.

Then I wept.

At two A.M. I awoke with this verse in my head. “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

He makes me.

Nothing about my trip had gone right but God was in the moment. I learned later that had I arrived in Managua, Nicaragua that evening, as planned, I would have missed the chicken bus out of town and been forced to sleep in a place much worse than a Comfort Inn. God had knocked me down that I might rise, again.

I’ve noticed He does that — smack us down so that we’re forced to rest and depend on Him. Only then can we realize His all-loving sufficiency.

Has God knocked you down? Has a financial setback, sudden health issue or family situation forced your face to the ground? Don’t resist. Rest, study His word and pray It just may be that God is preparing you for a long march toward a greater ministry for His kingdom.

He Makes Me
By Cindy Sproles

- Listen to He Makes Me - Cindy Sproles


"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, and he leads me beside quiet waters,”Psalm 23:1-2



My Heart calls me to you again. My soul cries from lack of understanding. My ears hear only the breeze that blows in the trees above me and my eyes, see only the sun’s reflections off the water. And I wonder what did David mean when he said “I shall not be in want.”

I want for a lot. I have need for much, yet I find little. And still I wonder what David meant by, “I shall not be in want.”

When I stand on the side lines pleading for the needs of others and there is silence. When I ask every way I know how, yet the Shepherd does not answer, I wonder what David meant. I wonder what more I must do, what more I must say, how much louder I must shout before the Shepherd hears.

He makes me lie down…..there’s nothing worse than being forced to lie down. I need to be sitting or standing. I need to see what is coming my way. Yet, the Shepherd makes me lie down. There’s no option—no choice.

So here I lie—face down, belly on the floor, still in want. Still in need. Where is the comfort in The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures?

Why is it we must be forced into complete turmoil and shoved to our stomachs before we are allowed to see where the Shepherd is leading us? Perhaps we are far too self-sufficient. Perhaps we stop relying on God—and perhaps, we do it unwittingly.

I can’t answer. It’s my thought David couldn’t either and maybe this is why he penned the lament in the Twenty-third Psalm. For such words of peace, such words of faith and belief to have been written from his heart, he must have been in a season where he suffered.

There are seasons in our lives when God forces us to lie down. When He takes us to our stomachs kicking and screaming, just as the shepherd pressed the hook of his staff against the neck of stubborn sheep, He holds us in that position of submission until our heart surrenders. Often we can’t see why. Many times we think we’re in that submissive spot when really, our eyes and hearts fool us.

David was right. The Lord is my shepherd and even when I think I am wanting, He knows exactly what I need and when I need it. He makes me lie down in green pastures beside quiet waters because I need to be quiet. I need to listen. I need to surrender. Only then, can He work in my life and fill my needs.

Are there times when you wonder if God has abandoned you? Times when your heart aches to the point of bursting?

Remain faithful even when you do not understand. The shepherd cares for his sheep.


Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles author the He Said, She Said devotions and are co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us

He Said, She Said -- September 5, 2008

Go away, Lord! -- He Said

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.” - Luke 5: 8-10

- Listen to Go away, Lord! - by Eddie Jones

“Go away, I hate you!”

Even as the lanky man tried to console the boy his son ran off crying, “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!”

It’s hard to cut your own son from the team, especially when he’s tried and done his best. But ball clubs are built to excel and win games, not make players feel good. At least, they were when I was growing up.

To be rejected by God, though, to be told you’re not good enough for His team… that is the deepest cut of all. Lately, I’ve felt as ifI were standing on the other side of the fence looking on God’s field of dreams, waiting for Him to wave me over, but hearing only the crack of the bat. I suspect I’m not alone.

That’s why I’m bothered by the story of Peter and the miraculous catch. The incident may lead you to conclude that success is guaranteed when Christ calls but that hasn’t been my experience. I understand that Jesus can do anything, that He’s all powerful. But what happens when He doesn’t bless the catch? What happens when he commands us to put out from shore, let down our nets and we catch a bad case of sunburn instead of fish?

What happens when we put our hope in Him and He says “no” to our prayers?

A few months ago a friend contacted me to say; “I've stopped working on our book project. Today my youngest daughter was killed in a car crash. That morning my pastor and I prayed for her safe travel. I have to say I'm not in the mood to write to or about God right now. Eddie, I'm sure you understand.”

I did and I do. “Go away from me, Lord!” said Peter. There are days when, as a sinful man, I want to scream at God; “Just go away, okay? Leave me alone!”

In a broken world, sin opens the door and pain rushes in. Today someone will learn that the cancer is back, their job is gone or that their spouse has left. Somewhere a prayer for provision and protection will be answered with a resounding “no.”

But the love of Christ is not measured in “yes” prayers; it is shown in how much He loves us during our pain. If God has said “no” to your prayer, if you find yourself in a time of testing, then ask him to join you in the midst of your problems. He always says “yes” to that prayer.

Christian Devotions

Abundance in Obedience -- She Said

- Listen to Abundance in Obedience -- by Cindy Sproles

"For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners."
– Luke 5:9-10

Monkey Bread. Have you ever had Monkey Bread? I hadn't, and honestly, it wasn't something that sounded especially appetizing. I've had friends offer me a "start" numerous times and politely declined. After all, what kind of bread requires "being fed?" There's something innately wrong with that.

My face must have spoken volumes when my friend offered me the start and the instructions. She said, "Trust me, you'll love it. The result is abundant." She grinned a mischievous grin.

The batter came in a one - gallon zip-lock baggie. It was to live in my refrigerator for a week — me adding flour every other day and "punching" down the batter on the off days. Something should have clued me when words like "punching," "feeding," and "start" came into play.

On day three, I opened the refrigerator and nearly fell over. The batter had inflated and was hissing to be free of the confines of the zip-lock bag. Abundance was an understatement. It had tripled in size. If one cup of flour tripled the batter, what would happen if I kept feeding it? We'd not be able to close the refrigerator door.

The day Jesus called Peter to follow Him, He'd given him a command. "Take me out from the shore so I can teach." Peter obeyed. Next Jesus sent him into deep water to cast his nets and fish. Even though Peter was tired from a day of fruitless fishing, he still obeyed Jesus — the reward was more fish than he could handle. More fish than his buddies could handle as well. Abundance!

When we are a servant — when we obey, God rewards us with abundance. His rewards will be more than we can heap into our boats. He loves caring for His children.

My Monkey bread dough tripled, then quadrupled, and then…well, you get the idea. One "start" yielded ten gallon-bags of batter. And that was what I could retrieve before it began literally running all over my refrigerator. There was so much, I couldn't give it away.

God does the same for me in my Christian life. When I give, when I obey—He blesses me to the point that I don't know what to do.

Has Jesus called you to obey? Did you ignore Him or did you obey and receive His blessings?

There is abundance in the Lord. Don't pass on the opportunity to receive the joys He offers.

Serve Him with an open heart and your Monkey bread will grow, and grow, and grow.


Christian Devotions


Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles
author the He Said, She Said
Series.

He Said - She Said - July 25, 2008

How You Bean? -- He Said

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” - Psalm 84:11

- Listen to, How You Bean?

A few miles south of Granada, Nicaragua the Mombacho volcano rises above Lake Cocibolca offering an incredible view of the Zapatera and Ometepe islands. As clouds engulf the hills of the wildlife reserve, toucans, parrots and howler monkeys hoot from the tree tops while below, on the forest floor, volcanic soil, darker than a shot of espresso, spreads like chocolate. Here the richness of God’s beauty is breath-taking.

I stood on the platform, my back resting against the trunk of a tree so thick a compact car could have been parked on the other side. Looking down through the canopy of branches I counted the plants, each almost as tall as a full-grown man. In the spring these plants produce majestic blooms that undergo a natural self-pollination process. As the buds blossom their white flowers open, but for only a few days. It is then, during this time of pollination, that the hills of Mombacho appear as if covered in snow. The abundance of blooms predicts the bounty to come.

It is also during this time, when the plant is most vulnerable to disease, thieves and insects.

Our righteousness is like that. We desire to be holy, to be snow-white pure, but then we pray, asking God to transform us into the likeness of His Son and the enemy swoops in to rob us of our bloom, turning tomorrow’s produce into today’s sin.

The beauty of the petals is the promise of perfection, but it is not the final product. For the coffee plant—the bean, is the harvest. For us, it is service done in His name and the proclamation of the Good News.

In the fall the pickers pluck the beans from the hills of Mombacho, but we must wait longer. Our harvest lies years, perhaps an eternity, away. Still, our righteousness should be evident long before the picker fills His sack with our efforts.

Has sin robbed you of your beauty? Has shame, guilt and bitterness caused you to whither on the vine? If so risk righteousness, dare to be holy and walk blameless. Confess your sin and ask Him to forgive you.

Then get about the business of producing a bumper crop for your Lord.

Christian Devotions

The Flavor of Favor -- She Said

By: Cindy Sproles

- Listen to The Flavor of His Favor


"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." Psalm 84:11

The simple pleasures are the best and Ben and Jerry's ice cream rates at the top. For some the hardest thing about B&J's is deciding which flavor to choose, but I don't have that problem. For me anything chocolate works just fine.

Or it did until a few days ago.

The store I shop at added a few new flavors. Normally this wouldn't be an issue for me because the newbies are usually some off-the-wall concoction like Turkey with Dressing, French Toast or Bacon Biscuit A-La-Load. But this time, they actually came up with something that sounded pretty good.

Chocolate Brownie.....the name says it all. Chocolate on chocolate. Nothing short of a dream. Phish Food, chocolate with chocolate chunks. Now, there was a catchy combo.

Okay, Phish Food was one of the new flavors at the store, but not the one that got my attention. What had my saliva glands glistening was Chocolate Therapy. Humm..... I decided I could use a little of couch counseling, so I bought a whole tub.

The road to righteousness can be like this, sometimes littered with choices tempting us to stray from our favorite - His will and love. Sometimes we take a bite of Rocky Road Rejection and end up with a lot of sticky goo on our shirt. Or Marshmallow Cream Compromise which is sort of like Half-N-Half gone bad, just rotten enough to make you want to spit it out after you've swallowed a mouthful.

God calls us to walk blameless before Him. Some think this leads to boring days of duty, void of any of life's sweet goodies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just like chocolate mixed with anything, anything mixed with and approved by God is scrumptious. The key is to start with the right base.

Chocolate. God. For me both bring a smile to my face.

Do you have a hankering for something cool, sweet and refreshing? Try God. Add whatever topping you wish but a dish of Him is enough by itself.



Christian Devotions
Authors, Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are co-founders of www.ChristianDevotions.US and writers of the weekly series He Said, She Said. Visit ChrsitianDevotions.US and read the multitude of devotions that will touch your life.

HE SAID - SHE SAID --July 18, 2008

Another Day in Paradise -- He Said

- Another Day In Paradise- By Eddie Jones

“I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wickedness.” Psalm 84:10

I took a seat on the “chicken bus,” hugging my backpack to my chest. Outside brown-skin people scurried from stall-to-stand as street venders hawked bananas, mangos and poultry. Spikes of broken glass ran along the top of a cinderblock wall, protecting the busses from vandalism and thieves. In a place where lawlessness runs rampant even rudimentary forms of security offer a measure of comfort.

In a few minutes the aisle swelled with peasants standing chest-to-back, the heat oppressive as the bus idled. Over the radio speaker a popular Phil Collins tune began to play and I wondered if the song was more than just a random selection. Perhaps God was whispering to me.

“Oh, think twice, ‘cause it's just another day for you and me in paradise.”

Nicaragua wasn’t paradise. Not even close. But it was the place to which I’d chosen to vacate so as the sweat soaked the front of my shirt I thought of the long bus rides over dusty highways and muddy roads, cool showers dripping from rusty pipes and a bathroom trash can overflowing with used potty paper. (Only Flush Fluids And Such, read the sign above the toilette in my hostels.)

Then I thought of Christ and how he, too, had left the splendor of His Father’s kingdom to travel to an impoverished people. But for Him, leaving the luxury of His palace to save and serve me was more than a minor inconvenience. It was His life’s mission.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet,” He said. “I have set an example for you. Now, do as I have done for you.”

As the song ended, the bus pulled away. For me it was just another day in paradise, but I sensed God was calling me to a new pilgrimage, to something more than just a week of surfing the coast of Nicaragua. I had the means to help these people find the riches of God’s kingdom, even the time. But was I willing? Had I become addicted to the palatial comforts of my “tent of the wickedness?”

If you feel God is calling you beyond your comfort zone to serve others do not ignore His voice. It just may be your role as doorkeeper in God’s house is to serve those in the streets and invite them into His kingdom.

Christian Devotions




Watching the Door -- She Said

- Listen to Watching the Door- By Cindy Sproles

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.—Psalm 84:10

I sat at my computer, chin resting in my palm, frustrated and shunned. I'd waited, just like I was asked, and then nothing. I gritted teeth and wrenched my jaw. Self-pity seeped in. I'd done everything that was asked, been on time, answered the questions, and now—now I have to wait again. Couldn't someone be inconvenienced for me, just once?

Do this, do that; be here, go there. Wait. I grumbled, tossed my pen, then sent my desk chair rolling across the floor. I popped the monitor switch with my knuckle and shut the door. I'd had it. I took the stairs by threes and headed to the pond.

What does it mean to be a servant? Does servanthood mean always being left behind? Always being last?

A breeze brushed the hair from my eyes as I lay, one arm and leg hanging off my swing. The impending night sky pushed the last remnants of daylight away, and I thought, "I'm tired of being the fall guy?"

The tree limbs swayed back and forth in front of me and as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I began to think of how Jesus must have felt when He asked His disciples to wait for Him — to keep watch and pray — only to return and find them sleeping. Could they not serve Him for just one hour?

That's when it hit me, the realization that I, too, was derelict in my duty. I’d allowed myself to fall into the pit of pouting, thinking only of my needs, not the desires of my Father or, more importantly, the needs of others.

Striving to be Christ-like isn’t hard; it only requires that we give up and give in to His will. Ah, but that’s where our free will battles best, striving to retain control.

My bitter thoughts melted as I rolled off of the swing, resting on my knees, face buried in the grass. "Oh, Father, I'm so slack. I had a place at the door of your house and I walked out to go looking for a better room. Please forgive me."

The job of a doorkeeper doesn't protect us from frustration and temptation. The hard time will come. We are, after all, standing in the doorway as the storms swirl outside. But I would rather be abundantly blessed in His house than left to fend for myself in the streets.

Has someone asked you to stand in the gap for them, to lift them up and serve them in a time of need? Don’t shirk your duty. To serve is to see the face of Christ in those who are hurting.

Christian Devotions

Eddie Jones, author, columnist and humorist, and Cindy Sproles author and columnist are the co-founders (along with the Father) of ChristianDevotions.US. Two friends, called by the Father to serve together in this ministry, they work along with 22 other writers to spread the Word of God worldwide.

HE SAID - SHE SAID July 11, 2008

Knock On Wood -- He Said
By Eddie Jones

"There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born... and a time to die." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-2


The morning after Bob Deaton’s funeral I awoke to find a red-headed woodpecker of some dark denomination drilling a hole in the top of my dock piling. Pecking away in the bright sunlight. Knocking on wood. Reminding me that I should be too.

The bird departed when I lifted the top hatch board of my sailboat and stepped into the cockpit, disturbing the glaze of frost that coated the cushions. I looped a leg over the lifeline, found good footing on the narrow pad along the toe rail, and stepped onto the finger pier. My yard-sale bike, a boy’s model at least two generations too small for my short legs, was propped against the white dock box. The black seat was gray under the dusting of frozen dew. The air was cold. Mighty cold. Too cold for me to be riding a bike on a narrow dock in February.

I mounted the bike, pointed the front tire south, and started towards the bathhouse, hoping this would be one of those good mornings when the hot water heater worked. The apparent wind from my forward progress bit into my thin skin, but I didn’t risk adjusting my grip for fear of veering off the dock and into the creek. I’d tested the temperature of the water in February, once, clothed only in jeans and sneakers. It wasn’t an experience I wanted to repeat.

So I rode slowly, shifting the small pouch of shower garb over the front spokes, centering the weight more evenly, making careful corrections to keep me in the center of the dock. The sun was rising over the black pine tops. Dock lines glistened like tinsel as sunlight broke through. Hot breath formed dense clouds as I worked the low gear. Beneath my pedals I could see fresh tire tracks carving a slender trail in the thick icing on the planks.

There was a lot of beauty in the early hours of that cold February morning, but it came with some pain. Thin air burned my lungs. Knuckles hurt from the chilled wind. Eyes watered from the intense cold. Pleasure and pain were both a part of the morning. You can’t have the splendor of a winter sunrise frozen in time without the pain of the cold. The sting of death mutes the joy of life, and it’s a very gray world indeed, without both.

The hot water worked, but the pressure was low. I hurried along, changed into my author’s outfit and headed for New Bern to participate in the first annual Book Lovers Affair. I set my box down on the short end of a long table, saving most of the counter space for Nicholas Sparks. Sparks didn’t arrive, but I sold a few books, any way.

Still, there remained a chill in the air. A tremor of remorse rattled the crowd whenever the conversation turned to boating. The news was still too fresh, the after shocks too close to home. Someone would stop to look at the cover of my book, tell their own story of how they’d run aground, and then end with, “It’s just awful about Bob’s death, isn’t it?”

It was. And it is. And it will be for sometime. Fifty-two was a good-sized number, but it’s not big enough. Not by a long shot.

The great deception of life is to believe that we’ll live for a very long time, that we’ll always have another chance to make a difference. But we won’t. Often we only get one chance to do the right thing, at the right time, for the wrong kind of person — for the person who is interrupting our plans with their own petty problems. Then we’re off again on our bike or car or boat. Filling another busy moment with ourselves. Making a living, making a life, making excuses for why we can’t stop to help or hear or offer a measure of hope to someone in need.

I missed Bob’s funeral. I didn’t think I knew him well enough to attend. But I should have gone. I should have gone out of respect for his life, out of respect for what he meant to this community. I should have gone to testify that his life made a difference, that his work had meaning, was necessary and good. It would have only taken a little time out of my day. I had the time. I should have spent some.

Take the time to be a friend today.

(Reprinted with permission from Hard Aground... Again)




Christian Devotions


He Said--She Said
authors, Eddie Jones
and Cindy Sproles




In His Time -- She Said


By Cindy Sproles


"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born... and a time to die." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-3


My dad sat up in the bed and broke into prayer. “If this is what you want for me I’m ready,” he said. As comforting as it was to know dad was ready to leave his earthly body, it did nothing for me. I wasn’t ready.

I’ve often been amazed at the wonders of life and death, at the coincidence of the last breath of life leaving a body, yet and in the same instant—a newborn takes its first gasp of air. It’s as though one draws from the other. One gives and the other takes. Somewhere in the scheme of things God has His ultimate balance and when we talk about events happening in His time, we need to understand that those words are not just words, but truth.

We worry much too much about time. My friend reminded me, “He makes me lie down in green pastures so He can restore my soul.” When I ignore the time God has set aside for me, I’m missing out on His presence, His peace, and His restoration. God has His timing. A time for everything. And though disease and accidents are horrible things the truth of the matter is, none of us know the hour our soul will leave our bodies. We’re really all on the same plane—a time frame that is only known to God.

I’ve brought life into the world, two sons. I’ve lost it as well, one unknown infant. I’ve experienced the loss of my dearest friend whose death twenty years in the past, still aches as though it was yesterday. Then death struck home and dad left this earth, and as I stood by his gravesite, I realized that in an instant it could be me.

That’s when I learned about God’s time. I realized I needed to live my earthly life with joy; be an encourager to others. In my impatience, God teaches me that His agenda takes precedence. His winter puts nature to sleep and spring wakes her. New life inches through the dirt and from the womb. But for the new to come, something must go. We call it the circle of life. God calls it timing.

When you feel as though your life is out of balance, seek the Father’s timing. Call to Him and He will hear. There is a time for everything. Summer and winter, life and death, peace and war, hope and despair. But through it all, God is eternally faithful—walking us through His plan…..in His time.

He Said -- She Said June 27, 2008

He Said -- Wave Walking

“Lord, if it's you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” - Matthew 14:28-31

What would if feel like to drown?

In a few weeks I’m traveling to Central America to surf the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. I’m not worried about wiping out. I’ve done enough of that already know I can’t catch and ride every wave. Failure is a part of success. But I do worry, a little, about drowning.

When I read the story of Peter wave-walking across the sea I don’t judge his “little faith.” I have looked up the face of a twenty foot set rolling toward me, knowing there is no way out up and over. I’ve felt the weightless of free falling as the lip tosses me onto a reef.

“If Peter had kept his eyes on Jesus he would have been fine,” the Christian-lite landlubber preachers tell us from the safety of their pulpits. Coaching from the beach is easy, but it takes a true disciple to get into the water.

The call to the abundant life is real, but so are the dangers. Without the sting of death, living on the edge of adventure means nothing. I like Peter. He’s a man of action.

• Peter called and Christ said “come”


• Peter got out


• Peter walked on the waves


• Peter experienced both excitement and fear


• He sank


• Peter cried out


• Jesus reached out

It is that last part, the Jesus reaching out, that I like best.

Jesus didn't scold Peter for his foolish faith. If anything, Christ praised him. Remove one adjective and it reads, “You of … faith. Why did you doubt?”

Why indeed? Success lies in only one direction — straight ahead. If you look back, you’ll get sidetracked.

That night on the Sea of Tiberius the wind was real, the waves were large but sometimes a boat, even a large boat, will get swamped. The storms of life will come. That’s a fact. But if I’ve learned anything from wave walking it’s this: life begins when you jump in.

Are you stuck on the beach? Take a dip. You know what God is calling you to do. Now do it!

Christian Devotions

She Said -- Scared to Death

- Scared to Death - By Cindy Sproles


"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" - Matthew 14:28-31


I gazed up as the green cars soared overhead, then swallowed and pulled my shoulders back. “Naw, I'll be fine.” I'd convinced myself there'd be nothing to this adventure — this it was do-able, that I’d be fine. Then I took a deep breath and recalled of the ride’s specifications: zero to 40 mph in two seconds, maximum speed, 67 mph, seven inversions through two subterranean trenches, the longest 2-minutes and 15-seconds. For me, the ride would last an eternity.

I hate roller coasters, but the mother in me said I should spend quality time with my sons. With feet like lead and a mouth dry as sand, I smiled and followed my boys to the front of the line.

“Mom, you're the best. You'll love this,” said Cameron. Somehow, I didn’t think so.
More coaster cars roared past; metal grinding against metal, passengers squealing, women and some men bawling. My husband leaned over and offered to wait with me if I was too chicken. But I knew that wouldn't be fair. My husband’s the biggest kid of all.

The cars stopped and I slid in, my legs braced me against the front of the cart. They snapped the shoulder harness in place and I changed my mind. Too late. At the first inversion I felt as though I was going to slip through the harness and fall.
I can't count the times that I’ve fallen and failed Christ, the number of days when I’ve lost courage. And never once has he denounced me. Instead He's told me to come to Him, to joyfully step out on faith and walk toward Him. Unworthy as I am, He’s reached His hand to me and pulled me to safety, even when my heart has failed me.
What an amazing God.

Halfway through the ride, my husband’s arm came across me and grabbed my harness, and then Cameron's. My men pressed against me holding me firm. I cracked open one eye to see them laughing hysterically, yet they never turned loose. One ride on the Hulk was enough, but I will never turn loose of the arms that hold me, that love me, that keep me close.

When I keep my eyes centered on the Father, regardless of the perils that surround me, He never lets me fall. It's all about focus and trust.

Do you feel like you're sinking? Cry to Him. He will lift you up.


Christian Devotions

He Said, She Said -- June 20, 2008

The Graduate - He Said

- Listen to The Graduate- He Said, By Eddie Jones

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” – Luke 15:7

The instructions were explicit. There was to be no cheering, no clapping — no whistling or calling of your child’s name. The culmination of twelve years of formal education was to be celebrated with silence. All the homework, lab experiments, research papers, class projects and late night study sessions had earned my son the right to rush across the stage and return to his seat empty handed. Even the real diplomas were stored in a box off stage.

As I watched him hurry across the platform I thought of how many times my wife and I had preached the importance of education and how on this, the biggest day of his high school career, we couldn’t applaud his efforts.

The silence was deafening.

Life is that way, sometimes. To often we reach our goals only to find the fame fleeting, the cheers muted. The world’s best golfer fights through an injury to win a major tournament and, after five days and 91 holes, his reward is a ten second sound bite on the evening news.

Man was meant for more than restrained adoration, made for more than solemn tributes. He was and is created in the image of God. Mark Twain was right when he said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

It’s true. We appreciate being appreciated — wives, especially. And it helps to hear the words, “well done, good job and I’m proud of you,” even if for a few moments. But the applause is not enough because in the end, adoration is addicting.

Fame begets pride and pride gives birth to sin which, when it is full grown, kills.

Later that evening as I settled down with my Bible, I thought of my son’s achievements and how proud I was of his hard work, of how I’d wished I could have cheered when they called his name. Then I re-read the words of Jesus and was reminded that the real hand clapping and foot stomping began years earlier when my son gave his life to Christ.

“There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents,” said Jesus. I was glad to know that the crowd had clapped and cheered on the day my son had repented and chosen Christ as his rabbi. In the end, that is the only achievement that matters, the only true hope I have for each of my sons, nieces and nephew.

But this I know for certain. On the day when I see my savior take His place of honor on the heavenly throne, no one will be able to silence my applause or quiet my voice as I chant the name, “Jesus Christ!” again and again.

… and again.

Christian Devotions

Lost -- She Said

- Listen to Lost - He Said, By Cindy Sproles


"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." - Luke 15:7


I was lost! Someplace where Mount Le Conte meets heaven, the Smokey Mountain mist sailed in on a breeze and covered the summit. The crystal blue sky turned white and miles of breathtaking views vanished in seconds. So I sat. Nothing else I could do. I'd only taken a short hike from the camp but everyone would wonder where I was. After all, who'd have thought I would be lost. When the minutes became hours and the fog did not lift, fear crept in.

The Father knows us each by name. He numbers his flock and when one wanders-when one is lost - He begins His search. Sometimes we elude Him unintentionally, stepping behind a rock to avoid detection and keep our sin private. Other times we just wander off to graze on the worldly desires that, in and of themselves may not bad, but which cause us to become distracted.

I was lost so I crawled across the ground in search of a pathway I couldn't see. I knew the others would be searching for me, and they were, so eventually I stopped crawling, sat and waited.

At last the hand of a friend touched my shoulders. A shriek joy and laughter sang across the pass and echoed off the mountain. Lisa embraced me and sobbed. "I was scared to death," she said. "I asked God to find you. How could someone be lost so close to heaven?" Never before had I felt such warmth and happiness as my friends celebrated. The mountainside rejoiced.

When I think of the times I sin--fail God, I hang my head. Still, Christ searches for me. He looks behind every bush and tree for this lamb who has lost her way. And when He spies me, crouched next to a rock, He lifts me into the air, and there thunderous rejoicing in heaven.

If you're lost and crawling on your hands and knees. Stop. Sit still. Allow Christ to find you in the mist. You are as worthy as the rest. There will be great rejoicing because you have been found.

And when we find our way back into His arms, the Shepherd cries tears of elation.

HE SAID - SHE SAID -- June 13, 2008

Shine On -- He Said


By: Eddie Jones

"The LORD make his face to shine upon you” – Numbers 6:24

How long can you stand in the presence of God before you grow bored? I lasted twenty minutes. Finally quit because my knees hurt from all the kneeling. Back ached from leaning hunched over. Trust me. This worship business takes physical stamina, something I can't even spell much less find on the aisle of a drug store.

I didn't mean to stumble into the presence of God but then Moses wasn't hunting for a lunch buddy when God appeared at the cookout. Jonah ran away, Gideon hid. I was taking a nap in the cockpit of the yacht.

I had a sailboat once. Sold it. Bought another. Sold it, too. This pattern continued for almost two decades before I realized I was addicted. I figured the cure was to go sailing on another friend's sailboat. He had a yacht. A yacht is any boat that's bigger than mine. So I was napping on his yacht.

We were a day north of the Bahamas, a hundred miles west of Florida and one longitude away from a stalled tropical storm squatting over the Gulf Stream. We were sneaking around the eastern edge of the storm, trying not to wake it.

Sun out. Seas calm. Sails tucked away. Diesel engine lulling us to sleep.

Then from the bow I heard my son call for me to grab his camera. We'd plowed through a pod of porpoises or dolphins or whatever they are. I can never tell the difference. I passed him the camera and then lay on my stomach, reaching down, trying to touch one. It rolled onto its side (the mammal, not the yacht) and looked at me. No kidding. My hand was less than a foot away. So close, in fact, that we made eye contact. I waited for it to swim away.

But it didn't. It swam beside the boat. In a while another one took its place and for the next twenty minutes the pod of porpoises or dolphins or whatever they were played with us. Then the rest of the crew grew bored and strolled back to the cockpit. I stayed, waiting. Trying to touch one. Wondering if I slipped under the lifeline and grabbed the fin if it would pull me along like Flipper.

Then I too grew tired, sat up and broke eye contact. The pod swam off. The water became calm again. I pounded on the hull but they dind't return. Ever. We did not see another porpoise or dolphin or whatever they were the rest of the trip.

I know God returns when we blow Him off but I wondered how many times He's been standing right in front of me. Enjoying my company and I've grown bored and wandered away.

Silence during my devotion, where's the fun in that? Long cryptic passages from Paul that make no sense so I finally close the Book, thinking, there's no way I can meditate on that. Staring a list of folks who need prayers and thinking, but I need to get to work. So I get up and wander off.

God, I'm sorry if I bailed on you. If you hear me banging on the hull will you come back? I can't promise I'll stay the whole time but I'd like a little more time with you.



I Can't Get Enough
by Cindy Sproles





"The LORD make his face to shine upon you” – Numbers 6:24

There’s nothing better than meeting God on the mountain. When I need to think, to sort things out—I find myself perched on a huge rock that forms a shelf on the side of sheer face of the mountain. It overlooks the river. Rock, river, mountains and God. The simple things are still the special things. God meets me in the cool of the evening on that rock. In my mind’s eye I see Him leaning back against the rock face, legs extended, ankles crossed, hands locked behind His head, listening to the sound the wind and water washing over his handiwork.

When I sit on that rock I, too, can hear the wind and water and I sense Him near, nudging me over to His side of the rock. The breeze that whispers through the leaves reminds me of the many prayers I lifted up and I imagine each leaf is an answer. Some beyond my grasp, others fallen and never noticed because of my too busy life. And still calls me close, telling me to lean back, rest and listen to His voice.

I never tire of sitting on that rock with God. Lose patience, yes. Get too busy to go sometimes, yes. But I never tire of the beauty of His tapestry of trees, ravines and rolling hills. And I long for Him to look upon me, to pat me on the shoulder, for I, too, am a part of His creation. His best part. He said so. I was made in His image. Made after Adam. God saved the best for last.

Moses met God on a mountain. He even got to see God’s backside pass by. But it was the shekinah glory of His face that Moses remembered. The glow of His holiness. I don’t see God’s glow. I only hear Him whispers as he rustles the trees, but the reflection of His glory bouncing off the sun and moon are enough for me.

To race through the day without spending even a small moment to admire the work of His hand is to say, “You are not enough, God, give me more.” As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and pray that His face will shine upon us for if we have that, we have it all. I can’t get enough.


Christian Devotions

He Said -- She Said June 6, 2008

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. - Psalm 119:105 Walking in the Dark - He Said By Eddie Jones I walked in darkness, taking small steps as the trail curved down and into the woods. To my left a creek drooled over rocks, spilling into the lake. Beneath my boots the path felt smooth and I used its solid familiarity to confirm my steps. But the darkness was oppressive, cloaking the forest in a heavy blanket as tree tops formed a canopy overhead. No moon, no stars. Not even the wink of red and green running lights from an airliner. I paused and whistled for my dog. Ahead a curled finger-shaped shadow wagged, and I walked on. I could have flipped on my flashlight, but I was about to make a large decision in my life, so I needed to learn to trust in darkness. I needed to discern God's will. The Latin word for will is voluntas. It means yearning. That night, as I walked, I asked, "Lord, what do you yearn for me to do for you? What is your will for my life? Which way should I go?" He did not answer. But I walked anyway, placing one foot in front of another. Wrestling with the decision I had to make. Would this choice be a better use of my gifts? Would the other make me more loving? Which one would benefit those I love the most? Would either lead to fulfillment and a sense of peace? An hour later I walked out of the darkness. There were other paths I could have taken that night and any one of them would have led me back to my car. But I had to walk the path in darkness. I had to learn to trust in the small steps of His leading and the faint flicker of a dog's wagging tail. I had to learn to move on. What yearning has God placed in your heart? What hard choice has He asked you to make? Ask others to pray that He'll give you discernment as you ask the hard questions. Then trust the decision that He puts in your heart. Going back isn't an option. It only leads to more darkness.

The Position of Submission - She Said By Cindy Sproles The text on the church sign warned, "Famous last words: I did it my way." I laughed because I've been known to do things my way, to plow forward and run ahead without thinking about the consequences until the problems in my path trip me up. There's another way that works much better. It's the path of posture. I've learned my best decision making comes when I'm on my knees with my hands clasped. God and I talk a lot when I'm like that. Well, mostly I talk. He listens. God knows I'm a lousy decision maker, so He's patient because I'm not. Lately He's been teaching me to turn to His Word for discernment. The past few weeks, when tough times tackled me, I found peace in the Psalms. I quoted His scripture back to Him. "I have suffered much, O Lord, so preserve my life according to your word." Psalm 119:107, the New Cosmopolitan Cindy Version (NCCV). Recently I had to make some tough decisions that worried me. I couldn't sleep. I threw God's words back at him again. "Your word says, 'He makes me lie down in green pastures,' so make me, Lord. Make me lie down and rest." Waiting on the Lord is hard work. I wanted to move ahead, but He said wait. This morning I picked a spot by the pond where the early mist hung heavy over the lily pads. I watched as His breath clung to the grass along the bank, moving like zephyrs across the water as the breeze ruffled the pond. The only noise I heard was the peaceful trickle of the water against the rocks, His voice whispering through creation. I closed my eyes and tried to discern His muffled message. But the Psalmist would not be quite, "Direct my footsteps according to your word," I heard him say. "And let no sin rule over me." Psalm 119:133, the New Inspirational Cindy Version. (NICV) Are you facing a tough choice? Take a moment to pause and wait upon the Lord. Give Him the chance to pop a scripture into your brain. Kneel, listen and ask, "Lord, what would you have me do? Which path is right? Guide my steps with your light." When I have hard decisions, I take the position of submission. I go to my knees and hand it to the Father, and He leads me with His word. The decisions are no easier, except I have Him to lean against and look toward. In Christ, Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles Christian Devotions Listen to Position of Submission by - Cindy Sproles

HE SAID - SHE SAID May 9, 2008

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9





He Said -- Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done!


By: Eddie Jones


With me? He's patient with me? How about I'm patient with Him? Yeah, that's right Big Boy, I'm talking to you. Glaciers form and melt in the time it takes you to.....

Oops, sorry, Lord. For a moment there I had you confused with the name-it-and-claim-it god sold by the power of positive-possibility-preachers who leave their debt ridden believers broken and despondent after they've fleeced their flock. Did I just say that out loud?

Last night my wife tried to cook a turkey. She put the bird in the oven and set the temp on 350 degrees. Later, as I was cleaning up the kitchen, I saw that he oven was still on, so I cut it off. When I looked inside I noticed the turkey, so I turned the oven back on and did what every good husband does.

I kept my mouth shut.

When we got ready to go to bed, my wife checked on the turkey - I'm back to talking ab out the bird in the oven, now - but it wasn't done, so she set her clock to get up every half hour.

Now me, I'd have tossed that turkey. No bird is worth losing sleep over. But not my wife. She wasn't going to chunk a turkey just because her husband was an idiot.

A few months back I asked God this question. "Does the extravagance of your blessings ripen with time, and if so, is this waiting and wishing a season of blessing? Is my impatience a reflection of my small faith? Will I be embarrassed when, at last, you answer my prayers?"

That turkey stewed a long time in its sauce. I've been stewing this week, too. Looking in the mailbox for a missing manuscript, listening for the rumble of the FedUPS trucks to deliver some packages. Sitting by the phone, waiting for agent to call with a book contract.

But if I understand the writer of Peter correctly, it is good to stew and wait. To simmer and sit until the full richness of our character fills the kitchen. On ly then will the favor of God bring forth the full flavor of our lives.

Does God have you on slow roast? Don't turn off the heat. It could be, your life is the main course for an important feast.



She Said -- I Asked. When Will You Answer?

By: Cindy Sproles

My head rested on the pillow and my eyes grew heavy. Somewhere between the 11:00 news and a late night talk show, I drifted in and out of consciousness. You see, I have one speed, and it's hyperdrive, so even when I sleep, I never really rest. My head never seems to shut down.

I've been praying a lot lately, especially for a good friend. Every time I pray, I find myself reminding God that "He promises." In fact, I caught myself saying promises, promises, promises, promises. Promises, promises, promises, and promises. When are you going to keep one? Answer a prayer? Buck up and pay attention? Come in from the back yard and answer an email? Shortly after I said that, we had a thunderstorm and a very heavy rain. Perhaps I was out of line-a little.

Still I take the Father at His word and He promises to hear our prayers and answer. He's slow. I'm sure God is wondering by whose standards I'm comparing Him to, and that would be my hyperdrive speed. But I don't get it. I don't understand the logic when I pray faithfully, ask according to His will, and pray persistently, why the Father doesn't throw me a bone-give me a break.

The fact is, sometimes His answer is in the "not" answering. Sometimes the answer is the silence. We will never comprehend the timing of God and we most certainly will never understand his patience with us, but the one thing we can rest assured in, is the fact that He always keeps his promise. "He knows the plans that He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us," and just because I'm tapping my foot impatiently waiting does not mean God is ready. All the pieces to His plan are not in place and all my toe tapping is going to do, is hurt.

So, I roll over and pull my pillow close. I close my eyes and rest in the assurance that God is God, almighty and amazing, and I am simply impatient. Thank goodness He is not. I feel His breath against my face as I drift into rest, and I heard Him whisper, "I always keep my promises, but I keep them in my time. Patience."

HE SAID - SHE SAID May 5, 2008

HE SAID - KINGDOM WORK

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13

I understand the appeal of prison. The security, the shelter, the daily sustenance provided by tax payers. Once you’ve tasted the fear of freedom, returning to prison can seem mighty appealing. I know. Two years ago I was tempted to return to prison, to my own, maximum security facility.

Before stepping into the stark landscape of freedom, I’d spent my whole career working for myself but I’d grown tired of it. I’d seen whole industries implode, my benefits cut, the meager investments in my retirement account, decimated. As a hard working American, I’d done everything my dad had told me to do. Get an education, earn a degree, work hard at every task and pick my nose in private. But in the end there was no security.

So when God called me again, as He’d called so many times before, and asked me to come to work for Him, I signed up. The paragraph on the job description was blank, the starting salary missing and the location vague. But that didn’t matter. I was ready for a new employer.

Then came that day when I looked over my shoulder and turned back toward my prison.
“I’m working at a job that isn’t paying the bills,” I wrote in my prayer journal. “But I’ve kept at it. That’s faith. I’m doing what you’ve called me to do even though I see few opportunities for advancement. That’s hope. I’ve shelved my dreams in order to spend all my energy training for this craft. That’s selling out to serve you.”

“And now it’s fall and the sky is gray. The air is damp and the wind cold. The season of hope has passed. Summer is gone, but it never really came for me. All that is left is fall and I feel as if I’ve failed in the job you’ve given me. Did I get it wrong? Should I go back?”

I understand the appeal of prison. It represents safety and significance, even if on a limited scale. The call to serve God, to follow Christ, is not a life of lottery winnings. It is a job. It requires work. And there are no employment manuals.

But Christ says that with perseverance, we will reap a harvest. Maybe not in material blessings and maybe not in this lifetime. But we will share in His joy. And what was the job God gave me?
To write. To become an author. To do what I’m doing today so that others may know of His goodness and glory.

When you hear His call, say “yes.” When you are tempted to turn back toward your prison, say “no.” And when someone tells you that your ministry made difference in their life, say “you’re welcome.”

Then thank God for the opportunity to work for Him.


SHE SAID - You Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13

There are some things in life we have to do for ourselves. When asked why, there’s no good answer other than, “I just needed to do it.” I’d like to think I could hop on Interstate 81 and have a straight shot, four lanes and seventy miles per hour, to get from point A to point B. Unfortunately life has other plans for me, so I exit occasionally to grab a bite or take in a sight. Life is like that. Drive, exit, drive, exit, drive, potty break.

We all have roads to travel and our reasons, sometimes only known to the deepest part of our being, as to why we drive the routes we do. I remember picking my grandmother up from the bus station once and telling her that for someone who was supposed to enjoy a trip she looked pretty rough. She grinned and said, “I look this way for a reason. I’ve traveled a lot of roads and a lot weren’t paved, what do you expect?”

I’m not sure what I expected, but humorous as that was, her analogy made sense.
When we start down a road toward something we’ve longed for it looks like it’ll be a straight shot to our destination. However, many of us lose sight of point B long before they arrive, while others become lost and turn around. But for those who follow the map, stay the course—the reward is just ahead.

Heaven is that way—you know, due north, left turn upward. The problem is we take side trips. We never want to wait in traffic or be inconvenienced. That’s just not how you get there. We get there by following the Words the Father has given us. The directions are pretty clear. We’re the ones who muddle them, who insist on taking Highway Exciting only to find the excitement was all in dodging the potholes. Then we have to turn around, dodge again and hope we find the on ramp to the interstate.

Amazingly enough, the Father waits patiently for us to do what we feel we need to do before we finally drive to Him. He provides a map, complete with yellow highlighted directions and when we arrive, He will work for the good. Won’t you flip open your map and follow?

By the way. Don’t wait too long—you may miss the turn completely.

HE SAID -- SHE SAID May 2, 2008

Courting The Bereans - He Said

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." - Acts 17:11

Twice this week I’ve pilfered through my wife’s library of chic flicks and plugged in the VHS player. I am a hopeless romantic. I keep Christmas, birthday, valentine and anniversary cards. Beside my bed there’s a drawer full of my boy’s pre-school artwork, in the attic a box of high school love letters, and on my dresser a basket of ticket stubs from Jimmy Buffett concerts.

Okay, the Buffett thing isn't so much romantic as it is just sad.

The point is that I long for love and memorialize the moments when I find it.

The converts in Berea knew a few things about romance, too. For them, the message from Paul was an invitation to love, a call to courtship. When the apostle told them of God’s love, of how God desired for them to be made whole, they eagerly examined the Scripture, parsing Paul’s words to see if what the apostle said was true.

It was, and still is.

God is love. We only need to hear the laugh of a toddler, smell the biscuits of grandma, see the limbs bending in the pines. Small trinkets left for us by a God who loves us so much, He exchanged the life of His son that we might rest in His arms. My desire to return to Eden, to find Eve and the perfection of paradise is not the aimless wanderings of a hopeless romantic. It is the heart of a man hungry for the one who made me in His image.

Looking for great romance novel? Consider the world’s longest running best-seller.

*************

Be a Berean! -- She Said

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see what Paul said was true. – Acts: 17:11

When you raise a household of boys certain things are inevitable -- bloody noses,

belching contests, and comic books. As a teen my husband loved comics. There are a number of plastic storage bins in the basement filled with original Spiderman and Fantastic 4 comics. He, like most kids in our youth, collected pop bottles and redeemed them for pennies to buy comics.

As our kids grew into adolescents, Tim involved them in his comic book interests. Each week he’d load the boys into the car and drive to the comic book store. They would burst through the door after Wayne, the owner, asking what books were in their tubs for the week. Wayne knew when the sideline books would hit, and he tossed a copy in their tubs, keeping them on top of all the characters. The kids couldn’t wait to get their new editions. They could bolt upright in their beds from a dead sleep and tell you the details of Spiderman because they were excited.

I offered some information on the scriptures to a group of folks who’d obviously missed their afternoon naps. They left the information in their seats as they trudged off to catch a few zzzz’s. Can we talk, and talk honestly –no lies (can’t do that according to the ninth commandment). I was saddened no one was eager to study the word. How can we be the Christians God asks us to be if we are not eager and excited to know His word? How easily can we be misled without knowledge?

The Bereans were “off the beaten path” from most folks and honestly –here it is again -- few expected them to latch on the Word with zest, but when they received it they were thrilled. More so, they studied it daily finding assurance in what Paul was teaching them was tried and true. We take for granted when a scripture is offered to us, that it is given in the right context. If we never study, we can never know if Satan has turned the word around to suit his agenda. You can justify most anything scripturally when you take it out of context –even sin. Loving God with an eagerness and a desire to know Him should come as easily as my boys’ excitement over comic books. That “want” is what will ground us in very basis of God.

Love Him with eagerness. Study His word with fervor. Know Him fully. Share Him with excitement to others. Be a Berean!

HE SAID - SHE SAID ....April 25, 2008

A New Leash On Life -- HE SAID

"Everything is permissible"­but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"­but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.... So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble." - 1 Corinthians 10:23 & 31

Remember a few weeks back how I was telling you that my dog had the freedom to roam because I used an electronic leash? How I would warn her with an audible beep and she'd come running, and when she didn't I'd give her a little jolt? What I didn't tell you is that I also carry a lanyard-type leash with me when we walk because it's the law, and because not every dog owner understands the liberty Sandy enjoys.

Church folks are like that, too. We don't all understand or agree on the doctrinal issues. In fact, some days it seems as if the body of Christ can't agree on much of anything except that if it weren't for Easter and Christmas we'd never meet the financial goals of the church budget.

I blame it on God. He made us in His image, so I can only conclude that He's one schizophrenic dude with an vast assortment of idiosyncrasies.

There's the God of wrath, justice and just Jews, but there's also the the turn-the-other-cheek God of the Gentiles. There's the God who calls many, but chooses few. The saved by faith promise and work out your faith with fear and trembling, God. The God of law and the God of mercy.Which means it doesn't take much to cause a brother or sister to stumble. All that is required is that one of us push a hot button issue and the fight'n is on.

So the next time you're tempted to turn the body of Christ into a punching bag for your favorite doctrinal issue, remember this. Whatever you say or do, eat or drink, it all should be done for the glory of God. And if a weaker brother or sister doesn't share in your freedom, agree with your doctrinal stand or sing from the same page of your traditional hymnal, remember.Submit to the leash. Christ did, and aren't we glad of it.

**********************************************************************************

Humanitarian - hu•man•i•tar•i•an (noun). --SHE SAID

Everything is permissible,­ but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible ­but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble. 1 Corinthians 10:23, 24, & 31

Something has been bothering me. Humanitarian. Odd, I know, but it’s been eating at me, so I looked up the word to see what I was missing. The meaning is simple: a person promoting human welfare and social reform. There was nothing there that said, “Humanitarians are silent givers with the aim of helping others and not bragging.”

Hollywood relishes in its wealth and when a need arises, its media children rush to donate millions, waving to the masses as they are praised for their efforts. Don’t misunderstand, these folks do wonderful things with the donations they offer, but when all is said and done—where is their heart?

In my Google search of humanitarian, I clicked on images. There I saw pictures of Angelina Jolene, Brad Pitt, Oprah, Bono, and Princess Diana-all individuals who have given countless dollars to aid the welfare and social reform of others. I kept clicking through the pictures, and nowhere did I see a picture of the elderly lady who gave her grocery money to a poor single parent so they could feed their kids. Nor did I see the picture of the man who wrapped his arms around the shoulders of a wailing soldier's wife, whose husband had given his life freely that others might have freedom.

Where are their pictures? Their gifts may not have been monetary, but they were given with the heart of a servant. Most gave quietly, and they expected nothing in return. Their gifts were for the good of others, and to glorify the Father.

I kept gleaning through the photos, never once seeing the face of Jesus. I suppose He wasn’t listed because He hadn’t donated a half-million dollars to help Oprah broadcast her worldwide class on inner peace (which by the way, says you can find the higher power any way that makes you happy. Forget “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me”).

The silent and selfless gifts of time and effort are worth so much. Jesus was beaten brutally, and He said nothing. Instead, He lay on the cross arms extended and palms open, giving His life. Not for the glory, but for the sin. Those of us who look to Him find what it means to be a humanitarian.

In Him, we find peace and forgiveness. In Him, we find eternity.