It's Time to SLOW DOWN!

The first automobile race in America occurred on Nov. 28, 1895. Six of these new “horseless carriages” traveled from Jackson Park in Chicago to Evanston, Illinois, about 54 miles. J. Frank Duryea won with a time of 7 hrs. 53 minutes. Now if you do the math, you will discover that Duryea averaged about 7 mph across the course of the race (which makes you wonder what the other five drivers averaged!). Today we laugh at that kind of speed (or should I say “lack" of speed!). NASCAR races feature speeds well over 100 mph with the fastest track being the Talladega Superspeedway where the record race average speed is 188 mph (and with a record qualifying lap of 212.809 mph!). Now that is fast! Far faster than Duryea’s then record setting 7 mph! 

Speed is something that we have come to expect. Life here in 21st century America is fast. And with each passing year it seems to accelerate in speed! This is why it is absolutely vital for us to regularly make some time to disengage from the proverbial rat race around us. We must do this so we can engage God in a time of connection with Him. Jesus did this on a regular basis.  He often got up before the sun and went out to a solitary (read QUIET, STILL) place to be with His Father (see Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42). We need to follow the Master’s example. So let me encourage you to take some time TODAY (or at the latest, TOMORROW) to disengage from the noise of the world around you (i.e. – turn off the TV, put down the newspaper and take a walk or even sit in a closet if that is what it is going to take to get you to slow down!). At the end of your day, you will be glad that you did! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Seek to Overkill in the Killing of Sin!

About 6 weeks or so ago, the local utility company, PPL, sent contractors to take down trees in the neighborhood of our church facility. And take down trees they did!  Their reason for doing so was to keep the 75 foot right of way of their high voltage electrical wires clear of trees.

According to PPL spokesman, Paul Wirth, "There has been a change in the way PPL is dealing with high-voltage transmission lines.Those lines are key to the electrical grid. They serve a wide region. If a tree would potentially fall on that line, it would impact potentially thousands of businesses and homes for potentially a long time. So, for the last several years, PPL has been removing more trees from rights of way than in the past (go to Lanacaster online to see more on this story)."

OK. I get that. We don't want to lose power from a tree falling on an electrical wire. But when I saw all the trees which were being removed (some not much taller than me), I just had to scratch my head as I wondered,  "How is that tree now or ever going to be a threat to those wires?"  Many a person used the word, "overkill" in referring to what PPL did in our neighborhood. And I would most definitely have to agree. 

As I thought of this ... I thought of how most of us Christians treat temptation and sin in an entirely different manner. Instead of going the route of overkill in making sure that sin is rooted out ... we have grown casual about sin. When temptation comes knocking, we often give in without giving it a second thought (or much thought). Jesus offered us HIS perspective on how we should treat the "avenues" which lead to sin. In Matthew 5, as Jesus is warning about the sin of lust, he makes this startling statement, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell." Now Jesus is not mandating plucking out an eye if we give in to the temptation of lust. He is using a figure of speech (hyperbole) to teach us that we need to look at how temptation enters our lives ... and remove those avenues so that we don't give in and sin. So if drunkenness is a sin you easily give in to, don't keep a bottle of rum on hand. If gluttony, don't be eating at a different smorgasboard each night (which would be easy to do here in Lancaster County). If lust, don't be alone with a computer for any length of time. 

So PPL may or may not be guilty of overkill in the clearing of their right aways. But most of us could take a lesson from PPL as we seek to remove sin's avenues in our lives. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Some Questions as You Start Your Week

As I got to thinking this morning ... some questions about life and faith popped into my head. Thought I would pass them on to you for you to think about (I chose seven to share as seven is, after all, the number of completion!).

1. If we truly believe that God wants us to pray .... and that He will not only hear our prayers but respond to our prayers, then why do we pray so little?

2. Why are we so quick to focus on what we do not have but want instead of focusing on what we do have (much of which we really don't need and all of which we in no way deserve)?

3. If we truly believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is the best news anyone could ever hear, then why are we so reluctant to share this good news with others?

4. If we embrace the Bible's teaching that everything we have belongs to God, why do we give such a puny amount to Christ's church and other kingdom of God causes?

5. If we really believe that the Bible is God's Word, why do we spend so little time in it?

6. Since the Bible often discusses suffering in a positive way (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4), why do we complain about our difficulties? And why are we asking God to "get us out" of them as quickly as possible?

7. If heaven is really our true home, why do we rarely think about it?

Just askin' . . .

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Merci pour les escargots!

Two weeks ago we enjoyed a week-long visit with two very dear missionary friends. Paul and Louise Klawitter have been serving in Dijon, France for somewhere around 25 years. It is always a joy to reconnect with them when they come to the States.

Their visit with us brought back memories of January 2007. It was then that my wife and I had the joy (and I do mean JOY!) to visit Paul, Louise and their son Philip and daughter Elise in Dijon. Among the many unique experiences we had (first trip to France,  first time to eat a crepe on the streets of Paris, first time to use my limited French to ask, "Excuse me, sir, where is the bathroom?", etc.) was the culinary delight of eating snails.

I must admit that when the Klawitters suggested snails for the menu ... I was not so sure. I had never eaten snails before ... never really had the desire!  But I did know that snails (escargot in French) were a popular delicacy in France.  Paul and Louise (along with then 16 year old Elise and 18 year old Philip) assured us that they ate them (and lived) and actually enjoyed them.  So much so that their family always feasted on snails during the holidays. 

So when they brought out a plateful of steamed snails, I knew I would have to be brave.  I sure did not want to appear cowardly before a sixteen year old girl!  As I scooped the snail out of its shell, I was hoping it would fall on the floor so that Marcel the dog would gobble it up.  When that did not happen, I realized I had to go through with it.  But there was something about eating a snail that just would not allow me to place this thing ... this creature ...  in my mouth.  So, Elise (seated to my right in the pic) came to the rescue.  She took my fork, and pretending to be an airplane - she flew that snail right into my mouth (If you are a parent, you can remember those days when you used this same routine to get your kids to eat their creamed carrots or stewed green beans!).  As soon as I tasted the snail (smothered in garlic and butter) I thought, "Wow!  This is good!"  So good that the second snail followed quite quickly after that. 

Sometimes all it takes is a taste.  Les escargots taste good.  Maybe that is why they are so popular with our friends.  The book of Psalms urges us to "Taste and see that the LORD is good!" (Psalm 34:8).  Indeed the LORD is good - He is very good!  I trust that today you will “taste” HIS goodness in a powerful way!  

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Thursday A La Carte

Hope you enjoy and can find something you will find beneficial for your journey of grace! 

1. Here's a book review that I found compelling about a vital - yet often neglected - aspect of our Christian walk. I plan to buy (and read the book). 

2. Speaking of books ... for those of you who like to read e-books, check out Amazon's gospelebooks site. You can pick up some really great deals here (and subscribe for their regular email as the deals are constantly changing!). Today I noticed that Gracia Burnham's book, In the Presence of My Enemies is FREE! In this book she recounts her and her husband's year long captivity in the Philippines. It's a great read (I know, I read it!). 

3. My parents are gone ... but perhaps you still have one or both still living. Here we are between Mother's Day and Father's Day ... so I thought it might be a good time to think about the fifth commandment. To help you do so, here's an insightful article by Dennis Raniey, The Best Gift You Can Give Your Parents.

4.  Scotty Smith offers up a prayer about itching ears and and good theology. It's a prayer I plan to pray - often! 

5. On a lighter note ... in this brief clip the woman asks her father, "So Dad, how do you like the iPad we got you?"  It's a hoot! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Pray Always!

If you are anything like me (and I suspect you are!), then you struggle to pray as you know you should. It is not my purpose with this post to add guilt to the guilt you may already been feeling. Rather, I want to encourage you with some encouraging words I read from E.M. Bounds this morning.

In Luke 18:1 we read the following, "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." Here is what Bounds wrote concerning the need (and privilege) we as followers of Christ have to pray and to pray always:

"The always speaks for itself. Prayer is not a meaningless function or duty to be crowded into the busy or the weary ends of the day, and we arc not obeying our Lord's command when we content ourselves with a few minutes on our knees in the morning rush or late at night when the faculties, tired with the tasks of the day, call out for rest. God is always within call, it is true; his ear is ever attentive to the cry of his child, but we can never get to know him if we use the vehicle of prayer as we use the telephone-or a few words of hurried conversation. Intimacy requires development. We can never know God as it is our privilege to know him, by brief and fragmentary and unconsidered repetitions of intercessions that are requests for personal favors and nothing more. That is not the way in which we can come into communication with heaven's king. "The goal of prayer is the ear of God," a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon him, pouring out our hearts to him and permitting him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know him, and as we come to know him better we shall spend more time in his presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight."  (E. M. Bounds. Complete Works of E. M. Bounds on Prayer, The: Experience the Wonders of God through Prayer (p. 325). Kindle Edition.)

Of course, praying "always" does not mean to neglect our daily routine (as Bounds goes on to point out). But I suspect there are not many among us who pray in such a way that we are even close to doing that!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

A Simple Prayer for Your Sunday

Gracious and Almighty God,

How thankful I am today for your salvation,
So free to me, yes ... but at a great cost to You.
I am truly amazed when I think how (and why)
You set your love upon me "while I was still a sinner!"

Help me this day to think of You, to reflect on your grace,
To adore Your majesty, to seek your face, to honor your name.
In the words of Israel's shepherd-king David,
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable to You, O LORD my rock and my redeemer."

This day . . . and every day!

In the name of Jesus, Your son and my savior.

Amen.


Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj