http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493 Writing is a labor of love for me.  I enjoy it and find it stimulating, but it is does not come easy.  As I read, study, and pray, there are things that I learn and observe that I want to pass along to others.  What better way than through a devotional blog. Life has a way of draining you of vitality, so it is necessary to have a regular intake of grace, truth, and hope.  My prayer is that this blog will provide ample amounts of all of those things for you.Much love,J. Dave Adams, PastorWabash Valley Bible Baptist Church  AdvancedMinistry I have enjoyed crossing a lot of finish lines over the years. From my days as a young track runner crossing the finish line of the 1-mile run to more recently the completion of several 5ks, half-marathons, and even the Chicago Marathon (26.2 miles), I have had the gratifying experience of starting a race and then finishing it. In most cases I have crossed the line absolutely spent, with my lungs gasping, my legs burning, and my face distorted in pain.  But after a few moments doubled-over catching my breath and receiving some love from a volunteer who puts a drink in my hand, a medal around my neck, and offers a “Well done,” I can stand upright and celebrate. Life involves a series of finish lines. The big finish line is, of course, when you pass from this life to the next, but there are also moments of “finishing” along the way.  For example, when you start a particular project and see it through to the end, you are a finisher. When you are called on to serve in a particular capacity for a particular term and you do it, you are a finisher. When you have made a promise to someone and then fulfill it, you are a finisher. Today I feel as though by the grace of God I have crossed another of life’s finish lines.  For the past sixteen years I have had the privilege of serving as a pastor to the Wabash Valley Bible Baptist Church. It has been an amazing experience in learning, leading, and loving. Just like in a race, the start was easy and the pace was fast, but there were many times that I felt as though I simply could not continue. Exhaustion, injuries sustained, difficulties in the course, and the sheer distance left me feeling as though I was running a marathon with no end. But to God’s glory, He sustained and enabled all the way to the finish. The Apostle Paul frequently used the runner’s finish line metaphor to describe life and ministry. He compared the end of  one’s life to the end of a race, with an award ceremony to follow.  (I Cor. 9:24; II Tim. 4:7-8). It is true, the race can be long and agonizing, but at the finish line it will be so worth it. Today if you are running and the finish line seems out of reach, may I recommend a few things to cheer you on?  Ask God to help you keep going.  You can take heart, because “…those that wait on the LORD shall…run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) You don’t have to go fast – just be faithful.  Jesus, the ultimate Finisher, will go with you all the way. Enjoy an inspirational story. Whether it be in a book or a movie, the stories of other people who have persevered can uplift you when you need it. (Rocky, Chariots of Fire,  and the life of Winston Churchill are a few of my favorites.) Consider Jesus. In the book of Hebrews, the Bible calls us to look to Jesus as the ultimate example of an inspirational finish:  “…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who       for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) After clearing out my office last evening, turning out the lights, and closing the door one last time I had a sense of completion. With mixed emotions, I felt as though I had crossed a finish line. Of course, the finish line is never really the end. It is only the beginning… God bless you, friend. Dave   http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=31743 31743 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:06:00 +0000 Several years ago Tawnia and I had the privilege of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. We were in Tanzania for a ministry invitation and thought it would be a great opportunity to go to the top of one of the world’s seven summits. Standing at over 19,000 feet, Kilimanjaro’s glacier-peaked top sticks out boldly and majestically from the surrounding plains of Tanzania and Kenya. Only half of those who attempt to go to the summit make it successfully. We were grateful to be in that company. One of the lessons among many that we took away from that experience is the importance of GUIDANCE.  Our guide for the entire 6-day adventure (4 days up and 2 days down) was a Tanzanian man by the name of Hamisi.  Simply put, we would have never gotten to the top of the mountain without Hamisi’s guidance. From daybreak to dark Hamisi was there, showing us the where, when, why, and how of our climb. His guidance was especially important on day-three when we had to decide whether to stay at a certain elevation for an extra day in order to allow our bodies to adapt to the rigors of high altitude. Hamisi encouraged us to do so and we followed his lead. We are convinced that this is the reason we were able to persevere to the summit! Well, the Christian life is much like a mountain climb. We all need guidance. And thankfully, the LORD has promised to be our Guide. One of my life passages is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” We don’t have to go it alone. The trek is bigger than we are and we will succeed only if we rely on the faithful leadership of the Holy Spirit. As I think about this next chapter of our lives in Anaheim, California I am convinced that more than ever we will need to rely on the LORD to guide us. There is no way that we can navigate the twists and turns or the ups and downs on our own. But we don’t have to. We can trust the LORD to lead us upward and onward for His glory. As we trust Him and acknowledge Him every day, we will reach the summit. I close with a quote from A.W. Tozer: "With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures." Keep climbing, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=31542 31542 Wed, 8 Feb 2012 14:45:00 +0000 To escape a crisis is not the same thing as avoiding one. To escape it is to courageously walk into it and by the grace of God find your way out. This is different from avoidance, which is to go around a problem or to turn and head the other way when you see one approaching.   As I often say, I have tried both.  There have been times that I have faced those crisis moments that challenge my faith head-on, and there have also been times that I ducked into the dark alley of avoidance. I met recently with a man that has been avoiding a particular crisis in his life for months, maybe years, through a strategy of avoidance. Rather than stepping into the difficulty with both feet he has kept himself distracted with self-indulgence. But you can only do that for so long. Eventually the crisis will become unavoidable. But why just avoid when you can escape? Have you ever considered the promise of                I Corinthians 10:13?      "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be  tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." From this verse we can make at least three observations about every crisis that you face: You are not alone. Although it may feel like you are the only one facing the problem, you are not. God is faithful. People may have abandoned you, but God is with you and for you, rain or shine. God will show you a way out of this. In fact, He is the the Way out. (John 14:6)    If you feel your back is against the wall today, take heart, there's a way out. His Name is Jesus. Blessings, Dave            http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=31194 31194 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:50:00 +0000 Early this week I spoke at a funeral service for an elderly gentlemen whom I had never met. His family requested a baptist minister, so I was glad to accomodate them. It was a small, simple service. As we reflected on the man's life, I opened the Bible to John 3 to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In these verses Jesus explained to Nicodemus both why he needed to be born again and how he could be born again. It is in this very conversation with Nicodemus that Jesus made this statement: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Before the funeral started I noticed two of the pallbearers sitting in their designated seats. I went over to speak to them so that I might learn more about their connection to the deceased. They both said they were friends and had gone fishing with him. One of the men in particular, by the name of John, touched my heart. I could tell right away that John had some disability. He was perhaps near 50 in age but much younger in his mental and verbal capacities.  His eyes seemed enlarged due to the extra-thick glasses he wore. He dressed in what I'm sure was his very best but not the cleanest or best-fitting clothes. His blue-jeans were stained and well worn and his sport coat was probably three or four sizes too small. The last button left  was doing its job of holding it all together.  When John realized I was the officiating pastor, he asked "Do you know what church I go to?" After I said "No, I don't John," he promptly told me the full name of the church and its location.  He then asked "Do you know who my pastor is?" When I said "No, John, who is it?" he promptly and proudly told me. Later, I had the opportunity to give John and his friend a ride to the cemetary for the graveside service. En route I could tell that John was wondering how he had done so far in his assignment as a pallbearer. I told him "John, you did great. They couldn't have picked anyone better to do the job." He said "Well thank ye' I thought I did a pretty good job, too!" He was so proud. After we concluded at the cemetary, I gave John a ride home to his apartment.  We continued to talk about how good of a job he did as a pallbearer. I could tell that at least for that day John felt as though his life mattered, that someone had needed him. When I dropped him off, I had to laugh at what John said. He said "If you ever hear of someone that needs a pallbearer, just tell them to call me, cause I'd be glad to help 'em."  I assured him that I would. I waited until he got in his apartment and I drove off, better for having met John that day. My encounter with John reminded me of something really important. It reminded me of the value of human life regardless of age, ability, or ethnicity. It reminded me that human beings are valued and loved by God no matter what. He created people in His own image and consequently they have unique worth (Genesis 1:26-27), so much so that He was willing to give His Son to save us, every single one of us. Thanks, John, for the reminder. And thank You, God, for creating special people like John. Blessings, Dave   http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=30998 30998 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:28:00 +0000 My family and I recently took a trip to see my in-laws for Christmas.  It's always a blast to jump in our over-sized vehicle and make the 2,500 hundred mile trek to southwest Texas and back. Of course, seven people being confined in the vehicle for that long can be hazardous to your health - mentally and physically - but it makes for great memories. Before we started the trip I got to do something that I always enjoy, in a childish sort of way. I got to reset the trip meter! You know, that little black button up by the instrument panel? When you press it, it will bring up all zeroes. Before a trip, I find it gratifying to push that button. I don't know, I guess there's just something cool about starting over. As I see it, this is also the beautiful thing about a new year. It is an opportunity to reset the trip meter of our lives. As life rolls along with its frantic pace, complex circumstances and the like, we rack up some serious mileage. It all takes a toll. By the time the end of the year comes we desperately need an opportunity to reset. Thankfully, our God is One who graciously gives us that opportunity.  Throughout the Bible we find examples of God inviting His people to push reset after their lives and relationships have accumlated major mileage and the wear and tear that goes with it. One of my favorites is found in the book of I John. In his typical black and white fashion, John says "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:8-9) In other words, John is saying that the Christian can experience a spiritual reset when needed. God is willing and eager to "zero out" the previous mis-guided trips we have taken and He mercifully allows us to start all over. Do you need that? If so, get alone with God right now and ask Him to reset and renew your heart, and He will.   "Lord, I've made some bad choices for which I alone am responsible. I have sinned against You.  Please forgive me.  Thank You for the amazing opportunity to be forgiven and cleansed...to be reset within. In Jesus' Name..." May God bless you in 2012, Friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=30566 30566 Thu, 5 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000 The quest for the perfect gift...how fun!  A couple of weeks ago I went Christmas shopping with my daughter, Makenzie, and I was reminded why they put benches in the middle of the mall. After the second or third store my back and legs were aching and I was asking Makenzie to let me off the hook while she shopped til she dropped. Really, I love it that she thinks so much about getting just the right gift for the people in her life. Though she is on a limited budget, Makenzie is willing to spend her money to buy gifts that fit. She kept asking me "Which one do you think they would like the best, Dad? This one, or that one?" I tried to help, but in most cases, I had no idea. OK, so I stink at shopping. But, I have found the perfect gift. I mean the best gift ever.  It is the gift that God has given to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is the gift of salvation. It is the gift of eternal life (Romans 3:23). James says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom  there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17) In this age of ever-upgrading technology it is good to remember that the very best gifts do not have screens or buttons, nor do they require batteries. And what's more, they are free. The gifts that God gives are the best. I took a moment this morning to jot down why the gift of eternal life given to us by God is truly perfect: It is not based on our merit or performance - i.e. whether we've been "naughty or nice" as with Santa. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works..." (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is given out of pure love. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." John 3:16) It fits everyone, everywhere, at all times. "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved." Romans 10:13) It will NEVER break, expire, or go out of style. Its value to you only increases with time as you explore its meaning. There is no upgrade, nor will there ever be a need for an upgrade. You can take it with you when you die. The perfect gift. Thank You, Father, for the eternal relationship with You available to us through the Lord Jesus. In His Name, Amen. Merry Christmas, Dave     http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=30128 30128 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:39:00 +0000 When Hudson Taylor went to China as a missionary in the mid 1800’s people thought he was crazy because, as an Englishman, he adopted the Chinese way of dressing. He also shaved his entire head except for a bit in the back that he dyed black and put in a braid, a custom of Chinese men.  But he did these things for a good reason. As explained by his biographer, Vance Christie, Hudson Taylor “…desired to do this in order to lessen cultural barriers to the dissemination of the gospel and to show his high regard for the native culture he was trying to reach.” This is what I call “empathetic evangelism.” It is when you try to understand the people that you hope to influence for Christ and then with both feet you step into their world.  This was the Apostle Paul’s model for his endeavors as a Christian missionary.  He famously stated: “…and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospels sake…” (I Corinthians 9:20-23) But this brilliant idea was not original with Paul.  He got it from Jesus. The supreme example of empathetic evangelism is the One who left the splendor and glory of Heaven to come and visit us in our world and accomplish our salvation. To do that He had to assume a fragile body like ours, one that could experience hunger, tears, blood, and death.   This is what we are celebrating this Christmas. In the incarnation, Jesus humbled Himself and “made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7) To reach us Jesus became like us. This is empathetic evangelism. Here's a question to consider: Who are you trying to reach? Would you be willing to step with both feet into their world? Have a great day today, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=29701 29701 Thu, 1 Dec 2011 11:04:00 +0000  Did you ever own a Jeep? From the time I was little boy I always fantasized about having a Jeep someday.  I used to see a guy drive around town in a Jeep Wrangler with a canoe strapped to the top. I thought that guy was so cool! I wanted to have one just like it when I grew up, canoe included. (I had to settle for just the canoe.) Several years ago Jeep came out with a catchy slogan. As sport utility vehicles became more and more popular, every car-making company was coming out with its own version.  Jeep, having bragging rights to the original idea, took advantage of it in their marketing with this phrase: “Jeep – There’s only one.” Today I am reminded that the Bible says the same thing about God – there’s only one. In a world full of idols, false gods, and diverse belief systems, there is only one true God. This was at the core of the message to God’s people in the Old Testament. Speaking through Moses in Deuteronomy 4:39, God said “know therefore today and lay it upon your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” A monotheist is a person who believes there is only one God. This stands in contrast to a polytheist, who believes that there are many real gods (Hinduism, New Age, etc.). Which are you? I am a monotheist. I believe the testimony of the Bible and the Holy Spirit that there is only one actual God who can give life and who is worthy of my trust and my worship. He is my Creator and He exists in an unbreakable fellowship of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  I agree with the confession of Paul in I Corinthians 8: …there is no God but one. For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth – as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ – yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (vv. 4-6) Choosing a God to believe in and to offer your worship is not like choosing an SUV. There really is only One. May He help us to trust, love, and worship Him and Him alone. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=29642 29642 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:27:00 +0000 I love Post-it notes. I have them slapped all over my laptop, my desk, dashboard, etc.  They serve as a great help to my  impaired memory.  When I read a Bible verse or a quote in a book that I really like I will write it on a Post-it and then display it somewhere so that I can see it again and again.  I also keep my running To-Do list on a Post-it because they are just so easy.  I guess its the sticky on the back that makes Post-it notes so convenient.  You can attach them wherever you need to see them...on a mirror, a door, or between pages.  The Post-it was invented by employees of the company 3M.  One employee had invented an adhesive that turned out to be too weak to be useful, or so he thought. Later on another employee was singing in a choir when his page-markers kept falling out of his book. Brainstorming as to how he could keep them in place he remembered that light adhesive...and the rest is history.  Last Sunday in our late worship service I passed out Post-it notes to everyone and asked them to list some things that they were thankful to God for and then take them to the back of the auditorium and slap them on our "Wall of Gratitude."  What a blessing it was to see people filling Post-it notes and posting them for others to read.  On their lists of things they were thankful for were things like: "My relationship with Jesus," "My loving husband," "My job," "The four children God has given me," "my church," "My beautiful wife and kids," etc. The heart of God is blessed by an attitude of gratitude in His people. Hebrews 13:15 says "By Him [Jesus] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." Take a moment to fill up a Post-it note with things for which you give thanks today and slap it on your own wall of gratitude. Thanksgiving blessings, Dave P.S. - By the way, I thank God for you. http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=29525 29525 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:31:00 +0000 Everyone has a past. Even the most faithful of Christians has recollection of something in their personal history that could potentially haunt them.  Maybe it was a single event, or perhaps it was a whole chain of decisions and behaviors in your past that are hard to put out of your memory and underneath the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. If we were to put together a combined list of our past offenses it would look something like this: sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, drunkenness. I found this list in the book of I Corinthians in a description of the things the believers in that church used to practice.  Paul said to them “And such were some of you.” (I Corinthians 6:11)  He could say the same thing to my church, to your church, or to any church for that matter. It’s true, that’s what we were. But for the believer there is a huge difference between what we were and what we are. Thankfully, by God’s grace, our lives are not defined by what we were back then. Rather, we are re-defined by who we are now in Christ. Paul says it beautifully: “…But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (I Corinthians 6:11)  These spiritual realities happen at the moment a person trusts Christ. God washes you, sets you apart for Himself, and declares you righteous. This doesn’t mean that you don’t struggle with sin anymore, but it does mean that your life is changed and continues to change from the inside out. Maybe your life is so dominated by one of the sins mentioned above that you cannot imagine getting it behind you, into the past tense. You would love to speak of it in those terms but today it remains an issue for you. If so, consider the Christians at Corinth and countless others whose lives have been changed by the power of Christ. Have hope that just because that is what you were does not mean that is what you will always have to be. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=29176 29176 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:32:00 +0000 As a parent, I try to stay up to speed on what my kids are experiencing at school.  I ask the normal questions like “So, how was your day?” “What was the best part?” “What was the worst part?” Sometimes I have to pry it out and other times they freely share what happened. My daughters are particularly willing to share if there was drama at recess that day. Imagine that?  It usually goes something like this: “Well, so and so said this about so and so and said she wouldn’t be friends with so and so if the other girl was her friend, too, and that if I want to hang out with her that she wasn’t going to hang out with me and so I got caught in a tiff between so and so and so and so and I don’t know what to do because I really like so and so but I like the other girl, too and I’m really confused….” And I think to myself “So am I.” But we usually try to talk about it and then pray, asking God to help them sort it out. Sometimes Christians can be like kids on the playground at school.  We form little cliques and groups around particular personalities. We like this one but not that one and if you don’t like the one I like then I don’t like you, and so it goes. We do it with preachers, church leaders, theologians, and hard-to-handle issues. We identify ourselves with one to the exclusion of another.  Somehow we feel we must choose which tribe we belong to and then turn our back on the other when in reality we have common connection with both.  In my observation, a classic example of this is the theological rift between “Calvinists” and “Arminians.” Both of these groups are identified with past theologians who represent a particular orientation to issues of the sovereignty of God and the freewill of man (John Calvin and Jacob Arminius respectively).  Not that the distinctions are insignificant. In fact, the difference in the main points of their theology is certainly worth knowing. But it seems unfortunate that today Christians have virtual tribal wars with one another based on these theological associations.  Calvin and Arminius were mere mortals. Their writing was profound to say the least, but not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Neither of them had it all right nor did either of them have it all wrong.  Yet, like kids on the playground, we rally around one while rejecting the other. The Apostle Paul called this sort of behavior spiritually juvenile. The church at Corinth had factions of people forming around certain church leaders and he sought to bring it to a swift conclusion. Notice what he says in the very first chapter: Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (I Corinthians 1:10-13) It seems that Paul, Apollos, and Cephas all had their groupies at Corinth.  Even Jesus had some! But Paul, uncomfortable with having his own little following, asked three questions that we should all ask when we are facing the temptation to become groupies of anyone other than Jesus:                 1. “Is Christ divided?” (Answer: No)                 2. “Was Paul crucified for you?” [or John, or Jacob, or Dave, or Jim, or Bill, or Mike…]  (Answer: No)                 3. “Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” [or John, or Jacob, or Dave, or Jim, or Bill, or Mike…](Answer:  No) May God help us to outgrow our tendency to be groupies and instead to rally together around the one and only Lord Jesus Christ. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=28967 28967 Fri, 4 Nov 2011 11:30:00 +0000 Have you ever opened the top drawer of the night stand in a hotel or hospital looking for a phonebook, or a pen, or paper? Did you find a Bible?  If so, more than likely that Bible was placed there by an organization called the Gideon’s. The Gideon’s have given away literally billions of Bibles and New Testaments over the years. Their website states:     “We continue to place copies of God’s Word at the rate of more than 2 per second. And we give God praise as  we continue to receive testimonies of people who came to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior as a result of these distributions.” Tawnia and I had the privilege of attending a Gideon’s Pastor Appreciation banquet last evening. We were encouraged and amazed to see how God continues to use this ministry to scatter the gospel all over the globe. A man shared a testimony of having been part of a recent ministry blitz in the Philippines, where in just ten days they gave away over a million Testaments, to one person at a time. Speaking of the Gideon’s, I just finished reading about the person who is the namesake of this outstanding ministry. Gideon lived in the era of the Judges in the Bible and his story is uplifting.  Although he was a person of humble and unimpressive background, God used him in a huge way.  When God called Gideon to be a leader in Israel and to deliver his nation from the harassment of the enemy, Gideon responded reluctantly “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15)  Sound familiar? This seems to be what most of us say when God presents us with the call to serve Him. But God did not let Gideon slink away from this opportunity. Instead, he reassured Gideon by telling him “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” (v. 16) As you go on to read Gideon’s story, it is one unlikely event after another. Perhaps the most famous is when God tells Gideon to reduce the size of his army?!?  So, 21,700 men end up going home, leaving Gideo with just 300. But with the odds stacked totally against them, Gideon and his band of 300 lapping soldiers defeated the massive forces of the Midianites. (Judges 7) The point of Gideon’s story is this: No matter how big the odds are against you, God is even bigger and He will empower you to do what He calls you to and will be glorified in the process.  As Paul said, “…when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Corinthians 12:10) and “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). Gideon was weak but God was strong. If you feel that the odds are against you today, humanly speaking, maybe they are. Maybe you have some things in your past that place severe limits on what you think you can do for God. Maybe you face some personal challenges that leave you feeling very weak. If so, be encouraged by the story of Gideon. He felt weak and incapable. But Gideon learned that by trusting in the God who would always be with him and for him, he could live a victorious life against the odds. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=28653 28653 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:48:00 +0000 It has been amazing to watch the “Arab Spring” play out over the last several months in the region of the Middle East.  Beginning with Tunisia and Egypt, a movement against dictator-type governments is spreading like wildfire in that part of the world, mobilized significantly by the influence of social media. Today, rebel forces of Libya are celebrating the final capture and killing of its former long-term dictator, Muammar el-Qaddafi by taking pictures of themselves next to his naked and lifeless body. And the Arab spring is not likely to be over yet. It still has plenty of momentum.  Which government will be the next to fall? Syria? Yemen? Jordan? If you look at the history of these tyrannical leaders that have fallen hard and dramatically for the world to see, you will notice one common thread – arrogance.  The Husseins, Mubareks, and Qaddafis of the world were notoriously self-obsessed and arrogant men.  They held power with an iron grip and terminated anyone who threatened them. That is, until the uprising against them was too strong to suppress. These men are vivid, modern examples of an ancient Biblical warning. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” In other words, if you put yourself at the center of your world, you will crash…hard.  This reality applies at all levels of life, from the home to the halls of justice. Perhaps the most extreme example of this is in the person of Satan, or Lucifer. Consider the description of his fall given in Isaiah 14:                  12 “How you are fallen from heaven,       O Lucifer, son of the morning!       How you are cut down to the ground,       You who weakened the nations!        13 For you have said in your heart:       ‘ I will ascend into heaven,       I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;       I will also sit on the mount of the congregation       On the farthest sides of the north;        14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,       I will be like the Most High.’        15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,       To the lowest depths of the Pit. Here's a simple observation: Lucifer was more concerned about himself than anyone or anything else.  Five times he uses the word “I,” because “I” is always at the center of pride.  “I” is also the center of sin. It bears repeating that when you put yourself at the center of your world, you will crash…hard. On the other hand, the Bible says that God gives grace to the humble, those who put Him and others before themselves.  Peter, who had taken a couple of falls in his life due to self-centered pride, would later write “…God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (I Peter 5:5). May God help us to walk humbly with our God today and thereby avoid a crash. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=28378 28378 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:37:00 +0000 This weekend I will be participating in the Chicago Marathon as a member of Team World Vision. I love World Vision and what they do for children in developing countries around the world in Jesus' Name. They build wells, provide healthcare, serve through disaster relief...and the list goes on. Nobody does it like World Vision.  May I ask you to consider sponsoring me? If you go to my participant page at http://support.worldvision.org/site/TR/TeamWorldVision/General?px=1113372&pg=personal&fr_id=1430 you can learn more about it and how to be a part of the team.  On behalf of the kids that will be helped because of your gift, thank you. P.S. - Please pray for me this weekend, that God would give me health and strength and that He would be glorified through my running.  Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=27763 27763 Wed, 5 Oct 2011 16:51:00 +0000 Today a new movie is appearing in theatres around the country by the name of Courageous. It is written and produced by the same people who made Facing the Giants and Fireproof. If the success of those movies is any indication, Courageous will be a hit with a hard-hitting and hopeful message. The other day I listened to a radio interview with the Kendrick brothers, who wrote and directed Courageous. In the interview they explained how they had prayed for an extended season to determine the message of their next project. In that time it became clear that the movie would focus on calling men back to fatherhood and their inspiration was the Bible personality, Joshua. Joshua was definitely a courageous man.  He was the leader of Israel who received the baton of leadership from Moses on the banks of the Jordan River and then led the children of Israel home to the Promised Land. He was a warrior of warriors.  Joshua 1-11 explains how Joshua and his forces conquered everyone who stood in their way until finally the land was settled. It took several years, but Joshua fought his battles and won gloriously. But Joshua was not always courageous.  It seems that there was a time earlier in his life that Joshua was scared to death.  He was not always a tall-standing warrior.  He was not always the Braveheart that we read about shouting the walls down at Jericho. No, there was a time that Joshua needed help in this area.  You see, over and over again early in his career as the point man for Israel Joshua was told by God not to be afraid but to have courage.  Check it out. Count how many times you find God saying to Joshua “Be strong and courageous” in Joshua 1. I counted at least three (v. 6, 7, 9).  What does this mean? By implication, it means that Joshua was struggling with fear!!  He was shaking in his boots (or sandals)! He probably remembered how big and ugly those guys were over there from his spying mission years ago (Numbers 13). And knowing that Joshua was intimidated by the God-sized task ahead of him, the Lord continually spoke to Joshua’s fears to reassure him and reinforce his faith. God said “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Joshua hung onto those words and marched. By faith in the Lord, he moved forward into a land full of danger and delight.  He figured if God was with him and for him, the job could be done. As Joshua faced his battles and won, his confidence grew. He would later charge his men with the same message that God had told him: Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous… (10:25) Are you afraid today? Would it make a difference if you knew you weren’t alone? You are not. Would it help if you knew that God is going with you and before you? He is. Would you have more courage if you knew that He will never leave or bail out on you? He will not. May God help us to be strong and courageous, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=27504 27504 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:39:00 +0000 The other day I was talking to a friend who is experiencing a severe trial. For the past several months he and his family have been walking through a deep, dark place.  I will not go into details but suffice it to say that he has probably had many days when he wondered if and when the nightmare will end. As we talked I really wanted to offer something helpful and hopeful.  Since he is a pastor I figured he's probably heard (and said) most of the standard lines of encouragement, so I wanted to keep it simple.  You know what I said? I just looked at him and said "I've been there." I cannot say these words to every person that I meet who is facing life's painful situations, but in the case of this friend, I could.  The particular circumstances that he is facing is ground that I have tread myself. I was glad that I could honestly tell him "I've been there." When we face what C.S. Lewis referred to as life's "Shadowlands," we sometimes wonder "Why is this happening to me?" This is a good question but it comes with no easy answers. Job's "friends" had a few theories on why he was suffering but they would have been more helpful to keep their theories to themselves, because they were wrong. Job was not suffering because of some sin he had committed (Job 1:1). Yet sometimes sin is the problem. God loves us enough to discipline us when we have lost our way. Rather than just letting us go, He will allow us to experience hardship for the sake of our learning and growth (Hebrews 12:6).  As we hack our way through the jungles of adversity, God faithfully brings us into clearings where we can better see what He is up to. In II Corinthians 1:3-7, the Bible offers a helpful perspective on the question "Why is this happening to me?" There Paul writes:         "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts   us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Based on these verses, we can say that at least one of the reasons _______________ is happening to you is to help prepare you to be an encouragement to someone else down the line who is going to face something similar.   As God helps you through the situation, you will be able to say "I've been there. God helped me and He will help you, too." How much more comforting to a patient is a doctor of oncology who has actually faced cancer himself or herself? How much more sympathetic is a counselor trying to comfort grieving parents over the loss of a child when that counselor has walked that valley, too? Since they have been there, they can honestly say "I've been there." If you are facing something hard today, I pray that God will comfort you in a way that only He can and that sometime in the future you will be able to say to someone who is hurting "I've been there. God helped me and he will help you, too." Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=26864 26864 Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:12:00 +0000 Someone told me one time that it is a good idea to occasionally write out your prayers to God. So every now and then I do.  After reading Joshua 1 in my devotions this morning, this is the prayer that I wrote.  It isn't profound or eloquent; it is just my simple prayer today: "LORD, help me to learn from the example of Joshua.  He was quite a man and leader.  Help me to be strong and courageous, knowing that You are always with me.  I stand in need of much grace today. On behalf of the people in my care, please have mercy upon us. We are desperately in need of You to continue sustaining us by Your almighty hand. Please show us where we have fallen short that we may confess and repent of our sin.  Help us to return to You and love You with all our hearts and minds. There is no substitute for You. There is none like You.  You alone are God. Help me today as I struggle to keep insignificant issues from dominating me. Help me to have true perspective on life. In these moments this morning remind me of who and what really matters and help me to give my heart to those things. I have gotten distracted and encumbered and I come to You requesting relief. I desire to live this day in fellowship with You, my God. I commit my family, Your church, this community, this nation to You and request Your kindness and help, please. In Jesus’ Name, Amen." Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=26661 26661 Fri, 9 Sep 2011 08:41:00 +0000 She finally arrived!  Our daughter, Ruby Rain Adams, was born last Friday evening, August 26th. And, wow, were we glad to see her! She was born a couple of weeks past her due date and it was an agonizing wait.  The contractions would come and we would think she was coming soon, but then they would subside.  Tawnia (my wife) was amazing. She showed such strength and grace throughout her labor. Our mid-wives waited as long as possible for the birth to happen naturally, but eventually they had to take steps to induce. Welcome to the world, Ruby Rain. One of the fun privileges of being a parent is being able to choose the name of your child. Tawnia and I have very much enjoyed that process for each our five children – Makenzie Lauren, Abigail Monet, Jonathan Sage, Olivea Cheyenne, and Ruby Rain.  I thought I might fill you in a little on how we chose Ruby Rain’s name. Last December we celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary. I wanted to get Tawnia a special gift and in my research found that a ruby is the gemstone associated with fifteen years of marriage. So right away “Ruby” was toward the top of our list of names for a girl. Later, we came across the verse in Proverbs 31 that describes a woman of virtue. It says “her worth is far above rubies.” (v. 10) That sealed the deal. “Ruby” it would be. For her middle name we bounced back and forth between “Rain” and “Sophia,” the Greek word for wisdom. We settled on Rain because we thought it fit nicely with Ruby, but it had Biblical significance, too.  I had recently read in Deuteronomy 28 where Moses describes the blessings that would come to the children of Israel if they would be faithful to God. In verse 12, it says “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless the work of your hand…”  Just as rain would come to that ancient land as a blessing from the treasure of God’s heaven, so our Rain has come to us as a blessing from the treasure of God’s grace. To give a name is a great honor because names can have such profound and prophetic meaning. Consider the name “Jesus,” chosen for the Son of God. It means Savior.  How fitting. Believer, did you know God has a special name for you? In Revelation 2:17 it says “…To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Think of it, God has picked out a name just for you. This reminds me of the line from the old hymn “There’s a new name written down in glory, and it’s mine…oh yes, it’s mine.” What’s in a name? Maybe more than we realized. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=26374 26374 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:26:00 +0000 I watched a movie the other day that had a classic battle scene.  The good guys were outnumbered by the bad guys ten to one.  The battle was intense, with scores of injuries and casualties, but in the end the seemingly disadvantaged prevailed.  Against all odds the side with fewer men was victorious. Is that real?  Or, is it just a naive story line for the movies? Is it possible to win even when circumstances say you don’t have a chance? It depends. It depends on whether you keep fighting or not. If you listen to the voices that say “It’s over,” then it’s over.  But if you refuse to base your hope only on what you can see and instead believe that God is behind the scenes large and in charge, then you can expect ultimate victory – regardless of present disappointments or defeats.  Take heart from what God said to His people in Deuteronomy 20:1, just before they crossed over to the yet unknown Promised Land:  “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you…”   You see, when you have a relationship with God through Christ, you can know that He is always with you so that no matter how bad the odds are against you, you have Him present within you, and that means you need not be afraid. You can and must keep moving forward, even in the face of daunting opposition. Maybe you feel outnumbered today.  Perhaps as you look around it seems that it is just you against the world. There are bills to pay, children to raise, obstacles to overcome and you are tempted to throw up the white flag, or throw in the towel. Don’t. God loves you. He is for you. He is with you. Remember, regardless of the numbers, with God, you win. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=25553 25553 Wed, 3 Aug 2011 13:05:00 +0000 I am currently at war with flies at our house.  They have attacked. Somehow they have found an opening and are making themselves right at home in our kitchen.  There’s nothing more unnerving to me than a buzzzzzzzzzing fly!  Thank the Lord for a flyswatter. Mine hangs on a hook right by the table.  I have found it to be the best weapon against these pesky pests. I’ve tried towels, newspapers, and my bare hands, but the flyswatter is the best way to hit your target. Sometimes I even hit two flies in one swat! Speaking of weapons, Ephesians 6:17 says that the Sword of the Spirit is “the Word of God.”  Just like the flyswatter can be used to swat flies, the Bible can be used to swat lies.  It is the Holy Spirit’s weapon of choice in doing battle with the devil and his demonic host which are continually firing darts of doubt, deception, and discouragement our way. Here are a few of the tempter's standard lines: God didn't really say that (Genesis 3:4). God is holding out on you. He really does not know or want what is best for you (Genesis 3:5). Follow your appetites. If you crave it, take it and you will be fine (Matthew 4:1-3). In order to rid our house of the unwelcomed flies I have had to aggressively use my weapon, the trusty flyswatter.  The same is true in spiritual battles, too. In order to effectively deal with the constant harassment of demonic attack we must aggressively use the weapons given to us by the LORD.  When you are under siege spiritually, prayer and the Word of God are the only things that will make the devil depart  (Matt. 4.11). As I finish up our Sunday morning series on Ephesians, I am looking closely at the passage on spiritual warfare (6:10-2). It is the believer’s call to arms, to help us stand up under spiritual attack. So, let’s armor up and do battle.  We aren’t just swatting flies. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=24804 24804 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 14:54:00 +0000 Ah, Father’s Day.  What a great time to reflect on the importance of the family and to cheer on the men that God has charged to love and lead their homes. I must thank God for my Dad, John T. Adams. When I was growing up as a lad still under my parent’s supervision I remember one of the things that motivated me to behave was that I never wanted to shame or embarrass my Dad.  I realized he had worked hard to be the best husband, father, and pastor that he could be. He did not have a lot by most standards but what he did have he gained by the grace of God and the sweat of his brow.  I understood that the integrity of his name was to a great extent in my hands – it could either be upheld or damaged by my life choices. Though my Dad is not perfect, he is genuine. I could tell that Dad always wanted to grow and develop in all of the roles that God had given him. I watched as God gradually transformed him into a strong but humble, gracious, Spirit-controlled man of God. Knowing that a relationship with Jesus Christ changed my Dad’s life has always given me hope that I could grow and change, too. Proverbs 17:21 says “He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.” When a child (regardless of age) lives foolishly, it breaks the heart of a father.  On the other hand, it is an incomparable blessing for a father when his children choose God’s way. As John said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (III John 4) Will you honor your Dad this Father's Day? If your Dad has passed on, you can honor his memory.  Or, maybe it is really hard for you to find something good about your Dad.  If so, take a moment to pray for him right now and ask God to show you at least one quality about him that you can appreciate.  And if you never had a relationship with your earthly Dad, you can take heart in knowing that God is the “Father of the fatherless.” (Psalm 68:5) He knows your name. He loves you very much, so much that He gave "His only begotten Son" for you. An amazing thing about God is that although He has lots of other children, He can give you his undivided attention. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=24246 24246 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:01:00 +0000 Have you been asking God for something that, so far, has not materialized? Maybe you’ve been asking Him for a different job. I know someone right now who is asking God for ANY job.   Or, maybe you are single and you are feverishly praying for that right person to come into your life. Perhaps there is a particular school or program you want to get into and you are praying every day to be accepted. Or it could be that you or someone you love has an illness and you continually ask God for healing. We all have things that we really want and we rightly turn those desires into prayer requests before the living God. Philippians 4:6 says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” So we pray. And we keep praying. But what happens when nothing happens? How do we deal with it when it seems that our requests are being denied? This can be a very discouraging thing. In Deuteronomy 3:23-25, the Bible says that Moses pleaded with God “Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan…” and God’s response was “Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.” (v. 26) Notice this. Moses, a great servant of God, was told “No” by the LORD. Moses really wanted to have at least one look at the land he had dreamed about for decades. He wanted his sandals to at least touch that ground one time before he died.  But God told him “No.” God had told him “No” previously (Numbers 20:12) and the answer was still “No.” Someone has said that God always answers our prayer with either “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” “Yes” is good. “Wait” is ok. “No” is unbearable. From childhood, none of us likes to hear the word “No” when we ask for things. But the truth is that sometimes “No” is the answer that we need.  God knows what He’s doing.  He wants the best for us.  He does not say “No” to be mean. He says “No” for our good. I can think back on several occasions in my life when God told me “No” and now I am so thankful that He did, because it put me in the position to later hear Him say “Yes.” If it seems that God is telling you “No” today, maybe He’s actually saying “Wait a while.” But if He is saying “No,” trust Him. He loves you and He has the holiest of intentions for your life.  Thank Him today for loving you enough to tell you "No." Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=23915 23915 Tue, 7 Jun 2011 12:26:00 +0000 It is always funny to see farm critters reaching their heads through the fence to eat the grass on the other side.  A few years ago we raised a cow that did this. Rather than naming him (since he would eventually wind up in our freezer), we called him “96,” after the number tag in his ear. Even though the grass on his side of the fence was the same, 96 would carefully negotiate through the barbed wire to get to the good stuff on the other side.  This isn’t just an animal thing.  People do it, too.  If we are not careful we can get caught up in that illusion that the grass is greener on the other side.  We can find ourselves enamored with the next guy’s wife, or the next gal’s husband. Or we might fantasize about how much better our neighbor’s job is than ours. Many people falsely believe if they just had another person’s life then they would be so much happier.  So, rather than enjoying their own pastures they are constantly preoccupied with those across the way. Today I read about some people in the Bible who thought the grass was greener on the other side, too.  Just as the children of Israel were finally about to enter the long-awaited Promised Land, some of them decided they would settle for the pastures on the wrong side of the Jordan.  Rather than go into the land that God had promised, “flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8), the tribes of Reuben and Gad went to Moses and asked him if they could stay on the other side (Numbers 32:1-5) because it seemed the grass was greener.  After working out the terms, Moses agreed. This seems kind of sad to me. Instead of accepting the “good and broad land” (Ex. 3.8) that God wanted to give them, these people chose to stay on the outside.  Would it be better over there? No, not really. Would they have problems there? Yes they would. The grass just looked greener. Some wise person has noted that when the grass looks greener on the other side, it is because it is growing over a septic tank!  How funny, and true. One of the secrets of being a contented person is to develop the art of wanting what you have – the job that you have, the address that you have, the husband or wife that you have.  This is an attitude that can be learned (Philippians 4:12-13). And it can change your life. As Paul said to Timothy,  “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment…” (I Timothy 6:6). May God help us to stop craning our necks for the next pasture and instead find the milk and honey located right here, on this side! Blessings! Dave     http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=23543 23543 Wed, 25 May 2011 12:52:00 +0000 Wedding season has officially begun.  This evening I will participate in a wedding rehearsal for a young couple and tomorrow I will officiate as they “tie the knot” in a lovely outdoor setting in the country (Pray it doesn’t rain!)  I am very happy for them.  These days so many couples are settling for just living together, so it is refreshing when a man and woman decide to formally, publicly exchange vows. The Bible stands for the proposition that marriage is a covenant relationship established by God (see Proverbs 2:16-17; Malachi 2:14). At a beautiful wedding ceremony in an exotic garden, God gave the following words to the original bride and groom, Adam and Eve: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen. 2.24) The math of marriage is “One plus one equals one.” Yesterday I read in my devotional time from Numbers 30: “If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”  (v. 2) It is pretty plain and simple.  God expects us to keep our promises and He is willing and able to help us do so.  Contrary to the message of our pop culture, commitment does not equal confinement.  A relationship of loyalty and single-minded devotion is really the most fun and fulfilling kind of relationship there is.  God intends monogamy to be hot (see Song of Solomon). Escapades of infidelity and deception are shallow, short-lived, and potentially lethal. When we exchange wedding vows we are making promises to our beloved and to God. They are solemn and they are serious. May God help us to go against the flow of our adultery-ridden generation and celebrate the beauty and fun of keeping our promises. Blessings, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=23389 23389 Fri, 20 May 2011 11:28:00 +0000 Warnings are a necessary part of life. Imagine if there were no flashing lights or dinging bells at a railroad crossing.  The recent tornadoes in the south were devastating, but what if there had been no sirens to warn people to take cover?  What if you are cruising along at full speed and suddenly there is a drop-off, or a hairpin turn, but there is no advanced warning?  Yes, we need warnings. Did you know that God loves us enough to warn us of things that will hurt us?  Like a parent that looks ahead at the dangers lurking before his children and cautions them accordingly, so God sees the potential pitfalls in our path and lovingly shows us how to avoid them. The Book of Proverbs is full of what we could call compassionate cautions. We just began a teaching series at our church based on Proverbs called the “University of Wisdom.” Proverbs is called “the book of wisdom” because it contains a variety of information on how to live life with wisdom and skill. If you look closely you will find that a major part of the wisdom offered in the Proverbs is in the form of warnings.  For example today I found four helpful warnings in Proverbs 6, which I summarize here: 1. Be careful about co-signing for a neighbor. Putting yourself on the hook legally for someone else’s debt is usually disastrous (6:1-5). 2.  Be on guard against laziness. It’ll make you a poor person in more ways than one. We can learn a lot from the industrious ant in this regard (6:6-11). 3.  Beware of the person who lacks integrity. Avoid that person and don’t become that person. (6:12-19). 4. Avoid adultery. Bottom line - it’s a killer. (6:20-35). Thank God, He loves us enough to warn us.  May He help us to hear the warnings, and take heed. Blessings! Dave   http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=22959 22959 Fri, 6 May 2011 10:21:00 +0000 I have learned much from the psalms over the last several months. As I have considered these passionate and sometimes raw expressions to God, I have gained a deeper appreciation for them. I agree with Dr. Ron Allen, one of my professors at Dallas Theological Seminary, who said "The Christian can learn to pray in the psalms, for here he can learn how the saints talk with God. The number of moods which are expressed here, joy and suffering, hope and care, make it possible for every Christian to find himself in it, and to pray with the  psalms." (And I Will Praise Him, pg. 24) But as much as they help us in prayer, the psalms also teach us how to praise. They are a virtual textbook on praising God. Over and again, in spite of honest points of anguish and confusion, the writers of the psalms come back to praising God, and they prompt us to do the same. In fact, these are the final words of the entire book: "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 150:6) I love this. After traversing all over the map of human emotion and circumstance, plumbing the depths of despair and scaling the heights of happiness, the last words of the psalter are "Praise the LORD!" What a fitting conclusion. The bottom line of the psalms is to praise God and to do so with exclamation. May God help us to live with a "!" May He help us to love with a "!" May he help us to praise Him with a "!" Dave         http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=22752 22752 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:09:00 +0000 This is the time of the year that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hopefully, we will look beyond easter eggs, chicks, and bunnies to reflect on the greater meaning of Resurrection Day. Hopefully we will pause and give our attention to the testimony of hundreds of witnesses who said they saw Jesus alive after He had been crucified and buried (I Corinthians 15:3-8), many of whom were willing to die for their testimony. If we are not careful, the significance of this earth-shaking story can be lost on us. If we allow it, the meaning of Easter can be covered over by layers of time gone by and accumulation of circumstances.  To avoid this, take a moment to read the Apostle Paul's testimony and teaching about the resurrection in I Corinthians 15. The essence of the story is that "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared..." (vv. 3-5)  This is the gospel, or the good news that Christians have been talking about and dying for ever since. If it is true (and I believe it is), it changed everything. As author and pastor Tim Keller put it, "The truth of the resurrection is of supreme importance. It is the hinge upon which the story of the world pivots." (King's Cross).  What is the significance of a blood-stained cross and a vacated tomb? Why does it matter? It matters because it is the difference between hope, or no hope...hopefulness, or hopelessness. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, no matter how dark and difficult things may get, we can know that resurrection is the way the story ends, and begins again, for those who believe in Christ. In Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Sam asks Gandolph "Will everything sad come untrue?"  Because of the resurrection, the answer to Sam's question is an emphatic Yes! The big deal about Easter is that because of Jesus, there will be a day when everything sad becomes untrue. Happy Easter, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=22505 22505 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:22:00 +0000 There are places in the ocean that are literally miles deep. For instance, the Mariana Trench near the Island of Guam is some 7 miles to the ocean floor. That is, if you cut Mt. Everest off at sea level and put it in the ocean, there would still be over a mile of ocean on top of it! Explorers have found that at those depths it is totally dark and the pressure is off the charts! Sometimes life is like this. Sometimes we find ourselves in deep, deep places where it is dark and the pressure is unbearable. Circumstances are such that we feel we might never get out and see the light of day again. If you are saying “Yes, that’s me right now!” may I recommend Psalm 130 to you? There, with rugged honesty and passion, the writer says “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O LORD, hear my voice!” (v. 1) I believe this psalm expresses some basic things that we need to do when we are in life’s deep places:  Pray – v. 1-2 > Pour out your heart to God. Be as honest with Him as you can possibly be. He will hear you and you will feel better as you release the pressure from within.  Accept God’s Forgiveness – v. 3-4 > Everyone sins and therefore everyone needs forgiveness. Does God keep score? No, thankfully, when we confess, He forgives. Confess your sin to Him and discover the freedom that comes with forgiveness. (See I John 1:9) Wait – v. 5-6 > God doesn’t always see fit to quickly extract us from the low places of our lives.  Sometimes in His wisdom He allows us to remain in that place for a while. Why? Because of what we can learn there and how we can grow there. Be patient, keep breathing, continue praying. He will not leave you there forever. Hope – v. 7-8 > Hope is a staple of survival. We can’t live without it. To have hope means that you have a confident expectation of good for the future.  Here, the writer is full of hope that the LORD WILL come to his rescue. He will come to your rescue, too. If you are in a deep place today, I pray that you will find these things helpful.  Someday perhaps you will be able to share with someone how deep down you were and how God rescued you at that point, because no matter how deeply life can hurt, God’s love and mercy are deeper still. Blessings, my friend. Dave     http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=22057 22057 Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:57:00 +0000   Several years ago when reading the book "Every Man’s Battle" with a group of men from our church I learned about a technique to help in guarding my heart against sin.  It’s simply called “bouncing your eyes.” The idea is that when your eyes come in contact with an image that could potentially entrap you and take you down the dangerous path of sexual compromise, you should bounce your eyes AWAY from it.  Whether it is a sparsely dressed girl (or guy) at work or school, a supermodel on a Sports Illustrated cover, a text with a crude picture, or a pop-up on your web browser, you will be wise to bounce your eyes. Like the super bouncy balls in the machine at the grocery store, you can train your eyes to bounce away from those images at first glance and save yourself a world of trouble.  Rather than indulging in a protracted gawk and thereby giving the enemy access to your heart, you purposefully re-direct your eyes.  It is difficult at first, but with God's help it can be done.  I think this is what the psalmist had in mind in Psalm 119:37 when he prayed to God “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” This entire chapter, the longest in the Bible at 176 verses, is dedicated to the beauty and benefits found in the Scriptures. The writer realized the important truth that a person’s eyes are gateways to their heart and mind.  What is allowed entry through the eyes will be there a while, for better or for worse. I had the opportunity to practice the old “bounce the eyes” strategy yesterday. As I approached the checkout line at our local Dollar General to pay for a few groceries, I was greeted by the seasonal bathing suit edition of SI. You’ve got to be kidding me. God bless you, friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=21822 21822 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:53:00 +0000  This week you may have heard about the practice of Lent and are unsure what it means. So, what is it? To put it simply, Lent is when a Christian opts out of consuming certain things for the 40 days leading up to Easter. Why? Well, motives vary, but for some the purpose of observing lent is to help them prepare and participate in Easter, that season when we recognize Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, followed by His resurrection.  For example, I read that some people are giving up Facebook for their observation of lent this year. Others are foregoing sugar, caffeine, chocolate, etc.  Heard enough already to know you’re not interested? Many think that lent is only practiced by Catholics, who formally begin the season of Lent on what is called Ash Wednesday. But actually several other Christian denominations and fellowships also observe lent.  And others, while they may not formally participate in the program of Lent, do recognize the value of seasons of fasting and prayer.  Jesus’s example of 40 days of fasting in the wilderness is an obvious Biblical example (Matthew 4:1-11). I read recently in Numbers 6 about something called the Nazirite vow.  This was a special vow of dedication to the LORD that a man or woman could make to God either for a lifetime, or for a specified period. During that time they would separate themselves from certain things, like any grape products (raisins, juice, wine, etc.) and they would also avoid cutting their hair. The point for a person taking such a vow was to “separate himself to the LORD.” (Numbers 6:2) By abstaining from certain normalcies of life the person was giving special attention to their relationship with God. How about these days? Does such a practice have a place in this New Testament era of grace? It certainly does.  While we may not call it “Lent” or a  “Nazirite vow,” it is entirely appropriate for Christians to give up certain things for a time for dedicatory purposes.  Combined with prayer, fasting is a valuable Christian discipline. Although Paul did not teach extensively about fasting, he definitely practiced it often (II Cor. 6:5, 11:27). In fact, it appears that he even made something like a Nazirite vow. In Acts 18:18, Luke says that Paul “…had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.” So, giving up specific things for a specific time for a specific purpose does have a place in the life of a Christian. What do you give up, and for how long? That is between you and God. Pray about it and ask God to guide you. Remember that when you are fasting it is important to have a right motive. The purpose of fasting is not to punish yourself, but to pursue God’s perspective, His heart.   It is not that you might gain favor with God, but because He has already favored you in giving you eternal life through His Son.  By giving up things that we crave and enjoy, our hearts are drawn closer to the One who our souls crave the most. Easter is coming. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=21076 21076 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:48:00 +0000 Confront the brutal facts, yet never lose faith.  This is what is called the Stockdale Paradox. It is a principle named after Admiral Jim Stockdale, who was the highest ranking US military officer in the “Hanoi Hilton” POW camp at the height of the Vietnam War. Not only did Stockdale himself survive the torturous three-year experience but through some inspiring and courageous actions, he helped keep dozens of other POW’s alive, too. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins identifies certain companies that made the leap from being good to great. One of the common factors among the great ones was that they operated according to the Stockdale paradox. That is, when they hit crisis points, they were able to deal with it by confronting the ugly realities while never losing faith. Collins explains that it was more than just optimism that helped them succeed. It was a rare combination of both rugged realism and resolute hope. I thought of the Stockdale paradox the other day when I read from Psalm 102 in the Bible. Early on in that chapter the writer is confronting the brutal facts about his life. He is in such a bad place that he cries to the LORD “Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble…” (v. 2) Then, with metaphor after metaphor he describes his pain - “My days pass away like smoke…” (v. 3) “My heart is struck down like grass and has withered…” (v. 4) For eleven verses he confronts the facts as he sees them and feels them. And it is not pretty. But then something wonderful happens. His focus shifts from the facts of life that were hurting him to the greater fact of God who would help him.  He remembered that God was still in control - “But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;” (v. 12). He also remembered that God hears our prayers and that He cares, even when it seems that He does not – “He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.” (v. 17) My friend, Jerry, recently faced a major surgery. It was a procedure that made permanent something that he had hoped would be only temporary. It was not the option that he had hoped and prayed for, but one that the doctors advised him would be best. Jerry had an opportunity to live the Stockdale paradox - confront the brutal facts but never lose faith. As it turned out, the procedure was a success and today Jerry is on the road to recovery! How about you? Are you facing some brutal facts? Are you in a position that you did not expect or desire to be in? Has your life taken an unforeseen turn? Are you up against some circumstances that could drain you of hope? Perhaps the Stockdale paradox can help you. Confront the brutal facts…but never lose faith. God bless you, friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=20825 20825 Fri, 4 Mar 2011 17:29:00 +0000  Makenzie, Abigail, Sage, Olivea and I just finished reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, the second in a volume of seven children?s stories by C.S. Lewis. We celebrated by watching the movie last night, staying up way too late! Aslan has become a new hero in our household. As my children have discovered, the more you get to know Aslan the more he reminds you of Jesus.Aslan, which is a Turkish word for Lion, was the good, noble, and rightful Ruler of Narnia. Yet for a seemingly never-ending winter (without Christmas), the White Witch was in power.  In due time, Aslan asserted his rule and word spread over the entire realm that He was ?on the move.? The opposing forces of good and evil collided. Ultimately, in order to break the cruel grip of the White Witch Aslan let himself be sacrificed for the sins of another.In reading Psalm 96 this morning I thought of Aslan. This poem is a call to praise God, to ?declare His glory among the nations.?(v. 3) It says in verse 10 to say among the nations, ?The LORD reigns!??What a great statement for you and I to make today. You know why? Because to the person who is hopeless ?The LORD reigns!? means there is reason to keep hoping. To the person who feels as though things are out of control ?The LORD reigns!? means that there is still One who is in control. To the person who grieves the lack of leadership among men ?The LORD reigns!? means that there remains a Leader of all leaders. To the person disillusioned by injustice in the world ?The LORD reigns!? means that in time all wrongs will be made right. To the person who feels like giving up ?The LORD reigns!? means that there is reason to persevere.One of our favorite lines from the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe was by Aslan after his return to life, when asked by the girl Lucy ?What does it all mean??He answered "...though the witch knew the deep magic there is magic that is deeper still which she did not know." How beautiful. No matter how deep the pain and sorrow of sin may be, there is the well of God's righteousness and mercy that is deeper still.Tell somebody the good news today that ?the LORD reigns!? They need to know.Blessings,Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=20419 20419 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:57:19 +0000 After Amen Today I am struck by the statement of Psalm 91:1, that ?He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.? To paint the picture for us, the lyricist uses the imagery of a young bird in the protective shadow of its hovering parent. As long as the bird stays close, he has nothing to fear.One of my personal desires and goals is to have constant fellowship with Christ. By this I mean that I want to always be aware of His presence and involvement in my life, via the Holy Spirit, and to acknowledge Him consistently in my thoughts, attitudes, and conduct. But would you be surprised if I told you it doesn?t always work out that way?Psalm 91 is a beautiful description of how no matter what is going on around you, if you are continually dwelling in the presence of the LORD, you will have His peace and confidence within you. Yet, the problem for me is in dwelling in the LORD. I tend to wander off. I can be close to Him in one moment and then in just minutes or hours after I have said ?Amen,? l am a million miles away. Though Jesus and I were still intimately joined in fellowship, the implications of our fellowship went unrealized by me.Many of you would agree with me that fellowship with Jesus usually flows during devotions (Bible reading and prayer), but what about after we close our Bibles, and say ?Amen?? What happens then? Is our communion with Him over until the next devotional time, or maybe until the next church service? It doesn?t have to be.God desires to have continual fellowship with us. He desires to walk with us and be a part of our entire day, from start to finish, whatever that day may include. He doesn?t want to be a visitor who comes and goes making only cameo appearances here and there. He?s not just interested in the ?spiritual? moments of our day, but remains engaged in our all aspects of our lives, from the mundane to the grand.In The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer said ?One of the greatest hindrances to internal peace which the Christian encounters is the common habit of dividing our lives into two areas, the sacred and the secular.? He is right. There is no such division. Every dimension of our lives is one in which we can potentially glorify our God (I Corinthians 10:31).In reality God is always with the Christian and never leaves (Hebrews 13:5). The Bible assures that when you trust Christ the Holy Spirit becomes a permanent Person in your life (I Corinthians 3:16). However, our awareness and appreciation of His presence comes and goes, depending on so many variables. The three ?P?s? ? people, pace, and problems ? can really get in the way.Does this does mean that we should just sit, read the Bible and pray all day so we can be close to Jesus?  Not a chance. But in the words of a man they called ?Brother Andrew,? it does mean that we should ?practice His presence.? We can grow in acknowledging the LORD in all aspects of our daily living. We can learn to pray and reflect on Jesus even when life is in fast, furious motion.Today try dwelling in and on Jesus, even after you?ve said Amen. http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=20145 20145 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:42:55 +0000    I continue my slow journey through the book of Psalms as part of my daily time alone with God. One of the things that I love about the Psalms of the Bible is their rugged honesty about life.  They are an expression of the whole range of human emotions, all the way from elated praise and gratitude toward God, to the depths of lamentation and despair over life’s troubles. In one chapter the writer is on a mountaintop and has a clear view of God’s goodness and grace, while in the next chapter life closes in on him, the bottom falls out, and it is so dark he can barely see his hand in front of his face. I can relate.  Life does this to us sometimes. In Psalm 88, the writer is definitely on a downturn.  His description of his life is so bad that it reminds me of what Abraham Lincoln said in a letter in his younger days when he was afflicted with relationship problems and corresponding depression – “I must be the most miserable person alive…” The psalmist passionately writes “O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength…” (vv. 1-4) I’m no clinical therapist, but I think it is safe to say that the person writing these words is depressed.  Consider some of his symptoms:                 1. He feels that God is angry with him. (v. 6-7, 16)                 2.  He feels abandoned – i.e. - social isolation. (“Loved one and friend you have put far from me.” - v. 8, 18)                 3.  He feels trapped. (“I am shut up, and I cannot get out.” - v. 8)                 4.  He feels helpless. (“I am helpless”- [ESV] – v. 15) Isn’t it encouraging to know that you are not the only one who has really bad days?  You are not.  The most godly of individuals have had those days, sometimes seasons, that are painfully overwhelming.  David had them. Lincoln had them.  Spurgeon had them.  Luther had them. And most of all, Jesus had them - “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death…” (Matt. 26.38). I am convinced that one of the reasons that God allows us to experience these excruciating periods is so that we will see how much we need Him and cry out to Him for help. Notice this is exactly how the psalmist copes with his hurt in Psalm 88 – “But to You I have cried out, O LORD, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.” (v. 13) He prayed and he prayed. He lamented, he praised, he cried out to God from a heart that was hurting expecting that God would help him. And God did help him.  He brought him through that difficult place. And he’ll bring you through it, too. http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=19839 19839 Wed, 9 Feb 2011 12:05:00 +0000 I have never owned a mule...  but they say they are stubborn. They just kind of stand there with a blank expression while someone nearby pleads with them to get with the program. The phrase “Stubborn as a mule” is classic. Maybe it has been used on you a time or two? Now stubbornness is not always a bad thing. It is possible to be stubborn in a right way for the right things, like the teenager who stubbornly refuses to cave into the pressures to conform to popular attitudes and behaviors because she has some beliefs and convictions that are not for sale. Or, like the man who stubbornly speaks out about the truth even when we he is repeatedly mocked and made fun of. This is good stubbornness. But stubbornness is bad when it keeps you from moving in the direction that God is leading you. Sometimes we act like mules when God is trying to get our attention about something He wants us to do, or maybe something about us that needs to change. He is lovingly trying to lead us in a better direction, but like the mule, we dig in our heals and won’t budge.   We can learn from the mistakes of Israel in the Old Testament on this one. For example, consider the word of God in Psalm 81: “But my people would not heed my voice, and Israel would have none of me. So I gave them over to their stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!” (vv. 11-13) There were times that the nation of Israel was so stubborn that God eventually released them to do it their own way. Then their lack of cooperation with the LORD would catch up with them and they would find themselves in a very hard place and desperatley needing His help.  It is still true today. God desires that His people love and worship only Him, but He will never drag or coerce us to do so. Is God prompting you in some area of your life today? Is He trying to get your attention about something? Do you sense someone tugging on your reigns? If so, that just might be the Holy Spirit. Maybe there is something He wants you to do. Perhaps there is something in your character or lifestyle that needs to give way to something better that God has for you. If so, go with it. Don’t be like the stubborn mule. Respond to the Lord’s leading. Move with Him – not against Him – and you will be so glad you did. Grace and peace, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=19311 19311 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:36:00 +0000 Half way around the world... ...a man, his wife, and their young daughter sit confined in their house today. For months now they have not been able to go or come, nor have they been able to have any contact with the outside. Their phone lines have been cut and their computers confiscated. The entire village where they live has been turned into a virtual prison by police officials who guard its perimeter.You see, the man, Chen Guangcheng, had the audacity to stand for the value and dignity of life. Chen and his family live in China, where a one-child policy is in effect and enforced through forced abortions and sterilizations. Some estimate that there are 35,000 forced abortions a day in China. Chen was recently released from prison after serving over four years for supposedly damaging public property and inciting the public. In actuality, he was protesting the government?s inhumane enforcement of the one- child policy.You should know that Chen is a Christian. He is a self-taught lawyer from a rural area of the Shandong Province.  He is known as a ?barefoot lawyer? because of not having had access to formal education.  Before he was imprisoned, Chen served as a legal advocate and representative of those in remote rural villages. He was recently released from prison but now is under constant surveillance and house arrest. But there is more to Chen?s story. Chen is blind. A sickness in infancy caused him to lose his eyesight. His efforts to study law, to defend the poor and needy, and to protest the one-child policy of China were all done without the benefit of sight. Yet, Chen saw clearly what many of us with perfect eyesight are blind to ? flagrant injustice. And not only did he see it for what it is; against great odds, he determined to do something about it regardless of the cost. I admire Chen?s compassion, and his courage. I find his story inspiring. To do what he has in spite of his own personal challenges and adversity touches my heart deeply and gives hope. Pray for Chen and his family today. It's tragic, isn't it, that in China people long for the right to have babies while in America we have the unthinkable right to kill them? Grace and Peace,Dave  http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=19099 19099 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:27:11 +0000      This week marks the somber 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. Since that decision, over 49,000,000 (million) babies have been legally aborted in the United States.  Sadly, the court determined that the foundational human right to life does not apply to the pre-born child.  I could not disagree more. In that difficult case the court balanced the rights and interests of the mother versus the child in her womb.  In the end, they concluded that the mother?s non-explicit right to privacy, found in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, weighs more on the scales of justice than a pre-born baby?s right to live.  The text of the ?Due-process? clause of the 14th Amendment reads:     ??nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty,  or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.?Commentary on Roe v. Wade is, of course, controversial and voluminous. What is black and white for some is fuzzy and grey for others. Positions are polarized with proponents of ?choice? on one side and advocates of ?life? on the other.Yet one thing is clear about Roe v. Wade.  As the Supreme Court interpreted the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, they obviously did not consider the pre-born a ?person? to whom these protections apply. As a consequence, the lives of millions of babies have been terminated without due process of law.  Some see this as a tragic injustice of epic proportions akin to the holocaust, while others just dismiss it as a fact of life.When we search the pages of Scripture for the mind of God on this delicate issue, what do we find? How does the Bible inform us? There are several references to life prior to birth, but none more vivid than Psalm 139. There David said ?For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother?s womb. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made?Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.? (vv. 13-16) In the eyes of God, David believed that his life had dignity and value long before he became a giant killer and a warrior king. He believed God?s knowledge of him and involvement in his life could be traced back to those vulnerable moments in his mother?s womb. In general, it is evident in the character and plan of God that He is for life. At the outset, He charged mankind to ?be fruitful and multiply? (Gen. 1:28; 9:7). In fact, it is because God made human beings in His own image that He instituted the penalty of death for those who take another person?s life (Gen. 9:6-7). Paradoxically, the death penalty was intended as a pro-life measure because it serves as a deterrent to murder.In Exodus 1, there is a story of Hebrew midwives who disobeyed Pharoah?s order to kill all newborn Hebrew males. The paranoid leader was afraid that the Hebrews were growing too strong and powerful and implemented this policy as a means of population control. Instead, the midwives courageously saved the male babies and because of their heroic actions, ?God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.?(Exodus 1:20) Today we honor the similarly heroic actions of people in the United States who are defending the defenseless and being a voice for the voiceless. We celebrate the people who are laboring at all levels of government to change the laws so that those laws once again protect the right to life at all stages. We commend those who serve at women?s resource centers and counseling agencies where expecting mothers are given hope and help in their unplanned pregnancies. May God continue to give strength, focus, and hope in the cause of defending life.Grace and Peace,Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=19031 19031 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:57:41 +0000      Did you notice the date today?  Just like on January, 1st, it’s all about number one again - 1/11/11.  Now that’s not going to happen very often! Not again for another hundred years to be exact. I am taking this as an occasion to evaluate who is number ONE in my life.  Will you join me? I mean, who do we place first above everything and everyone else? As an automatic and conditioned response, we might say “Well of course, God is number one.” But is He really? If we take a close look at the choices we make in life – in our lifestyles, our habits, our relationships, our use of our time, talents, and money – what do they suggest about who is really number ONE to me, and to you? If I say “God is first in my life” today but I only briefly engage Him in prayer (if at all) while at the same time managing to have multiple media exchanges with various people, how is it that God is number one? If I say “God is first in my life” today but I only give Him a few minutes of squeezed-in Bible reading (if any) wherever it might happen to fit after everything else is done, how is God number one? If I say “God is first in my life” today but give little or no attention to how my life can reflect His love and truth to those I’m doing life with, how is God number one?  Bottom line – He isn’t. It is really pretty simple.  God loves us and has a good and wise plan for us.  But for life to work as He intends, we have to keep Him first.  We have to resist the pressures and temptations that somehow can make number 1 become number 2 or 10, and number 6 or 20 somehow become number 1.  It’s that weird phenomena that happens causing us to major on the minors of life and minor on the majors.  God never wanted to be second to anyone or anything.  In fact, number one on his top-ten list to Moses was “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2) In the words of Jesus, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) To paraphrase, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. I am currently making some adjustments in my morning routine.  I got a new phone a while back and I have allowed its neat little web-surfing features to crowd the Lord out of the first moments of my day.  I am determined that the first things my eyes should behold at the start of a new day is not the headlines of the New York Times. Rather, it is the eternal, life-giving Word of God. God desires to be number one to me and you.  He deserves to be number one.  And life is so much better when He IS number ONE. Grace and peace, Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=18688 18688 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:30:37 +0000    My family and I are enjoying our traditional visit with my wife?s family in south Texas this Christmas. It makes for a very long road trip to get here (1200 + miles), but it is so worth it.  We always enjoy the warmer weather, the relaxed schedule, and just being together ? eating, laughing, and eating some more. When we pulled in the other night I got the rudest of welcomes from one of the many dogs on the property. My in-laws raise Dachshunds, aka ?wiener dogs,? and though these critters are small, they make their presence known.  As I was in the process of unloading our car, one of the dogs they appropriately call ?Dipstick? snapped at me from behind as I walked by her dog house.  She then bared her teeth and yapped frantically as if to let me know I was in her space. I got the point and have done my best to stay clear ever since!Ironically enough, as I was reading from Psalms this morning, I noticed something about growling dogs.  As David described his constant run-ins with some people in his life who intended to do him harm, he said about them ?And at evening they return, they growl like a dog?? (Psalm 59:6, 14)An unfortunate reality for David, the man after God?s own heart (I Kings 11:4), was that there were people in in his life who were not on his side.  Though God had especially chosen David, there were individuals (like Saul, Absalom, and others) who did not support him or see the beauty of God?s plan for his life as the King of Israel.  Instead, they tried to undercut his leadership, injure him, and even murder him. Like a pack of wild dogs, they came aggressively after him.Know this, when you are attempting to walk with the Lord you will be attacked.  As was true in David?s life, when you are passionate for God, the Devil will come after you (I Peter 5:18). Using intimidation, discouragement, temptation and everything else in his diabolical arsenal, He will oppose you. And in most cases, like a puppeteer, he uses difficult people as the main players in his schemes.One of the keys to David?s success is that he had the uncanny ability to look beyond these problematic people.  Rather than let them ruin his life, David prayed and trusted that God would deal with his ferocious enemies.  He constantly prayed along the lines of ?God?save me from bloodthirsty men.? (Ps. 59.2)  Then he would be free to turn his attention away from the badness of people and behold the goodness of God.                                 ?But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge  in the day of my trouble.? (59:16)As I was shopping in Borders Bookstore the other day I noticed a biography of Winston Churchill. I am fascinated by this man so I grabbed it for some holiday reading.  The writer explains that Churchill had this same amazing quality of not letting himself be knocked out by the many people that dogged him. He...                    ?...wasted an extraordinarily small amount of his time and emotional energy on the meanness of life: recrimination, shifting the blame onto others, malice, revenge seeking, dirty tricks, spreading rumors, harboring grudges, waging vendettas?It is one of the reasons for his success. There is nothing more draining than hatred.? (Churchill by Paul Johnson, pg. 164)Do you have some aggressive types in your life?  Do you have people that growl, bark, or nip at your heels, so to speak?  Most of us have a few.  Maybe you live with such a person.  Maybe you work next to one.  Perhaps their influence is so overbearing that you still hear them ?barking? in your mind even when you are not around them.  Constantly they dog you.If so, perhaps you can take a page out of the book of David?s life.  Take some time to focus on the character of God. Consider his unlimited power, his unending mercy, and his faithful protection over you (v. 16). Like David, give the Lord your prayers and your praises today and the growling of your adversaries will not be as troubling.  You may not be able to stay entirely clear of them but you can keep them in proper perspective.By the way, if you reverse the letters of dog what do you have?  God. Grace and peace,Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=18250 18250 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:12:49 +0000 Last Sunday I preached a message from the classic Christmas passages, Matthew 1 and Luke 1-2.  The message was about being afraid.  I attempted to highlight a very specific part of the angelic message delivered individually to a terrified Joseph, a nervous Mary, and panicking shepherds.  That message was ?Do not be afraid.?  (See Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:30, 2:10) I think this is a beautiful part of the message of Christ's birth ? do not be afraid ? because fear is so common to man.  It must be, because in the Bible God says dozens of times to us in various ways ?Do not be afraid.? We all face the potentially paralyzing effects of fear. Because of a variety of fears like the fear of loss, separation, rejection, failure, disgrace, and the biggie, death, we are sometimes tempted to withdraw from people, from life, and from God.It is fear that robs us of vitality and vision.  Fear prompts us to go into a survival mode and when this happens we forfeit the abundant life (zoe) that Jesus intends for us (John 10:10).But I am hopeful when I notice that God uses people who struggle with fear.  Rather than discard them because of their fears, God speaks to those fears and dispels them with the power of His presence. Virtually every person in the Bible that received a call or an assignment from God was initially horrified.  This includes people like Abraham, Moses, Esther, Paul, and certainly David.There was a point in David?s life when he said ?Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.? (Ps. 55:5) I may be mistaken, but this sounds kind of like a panic attack.  Look closely at the life of the warrior David and you will find frequent moments of fear and anxiety.  Yet, fear did not dominate him.  He was not fear?s slave. David successfully encountered his fears by approaching them this way:                 When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can  flesh do to me?? (Ps. 56:3-4)When David focused on God his faith developed and his fears diminished.  The same can be true for you and me.  The reason Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds did not need to be afraid was because of the coming Jesus, the Savior that would be born in Bethlehem.  Jesus Christ is the great Deliverer from fears, even the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). Because of Jesus, who is both the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, there is no need to be afraid.  Have a fearless Christmas, friend.Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=17978 17978 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:51 +0000     Our family GPS (affectionately named “Mildred”)is set up to take us on the shortest and fastest route to our destination.  Mildred is a reliable navigator, for the most part. We type in the address and she gets us where we need to go. We recently misplaced Mildred in the trunk of one of our vehicles and while she was missing we realized just how much we depend on her!  Glad to have you back, Mildred. In reading a little from Exodus this morning, I noticed something odd about the LORD’s method of navigation. He takes the long way.  After Pharoah had finally had enough and released the children of Israel from Egypt, their exciting journey back home began.  You can imagine that they were downright giddy about finally being able to head north to their native land, the place they had heard about all their lives. Their bags were packed and they were totally ready to go. But it was going to be a while.  Rather than take them the shortest and most direct route, God “led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea...” (Exodus 13:17-18) In His infinite wisdom, the LORD faithfully led His children in the direction that they needed to go although it wasn’t the shortest and fastest way.  He knew the particulars of each available route – the dangers, the exits, the attractions, etc. He had a plan and He led them accordingly.  You see, with God it is not just about getting to your destination.  It is about the journey and what He wants to teach you on that journey.  It is about the transformation that can occur in your life between point A and point B.  If you let Him lead, the Lord will take you the long way intentionally, because the long way is the one on which He forms and shapes you as you learn to trust Him and to depend on Him. If you are frustrated because you are not getting where you want to go in your life, perhaps it would be wise to pause and ask God what He wants to teach you.  Rather than taking matters into your own hands and trying to rush things, embrace the delays and detours as something that God can use in your life for your good and for His glory. Everyone likes a shortcut.  Our society glorifies "the fast track."  We just want to get there.  But perhaps we need to understand that our way is not God’s way (Isaiah 55:8-9).  His way is better than ours and His way is most often the long way.  God bless you, my friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=17821 17821 Wed, 8 Dec 2010 11:53:08 +0000    PIANO MOVERS       Are you familiar with the word synergy? It is defined as a “mutually  advantageous conjunction of participants” or more simply as “combined action.”  (Merriam Webster Dictionary) To illustrate the concept of synergy in a recent church service, I asked six or seven guys from the crowd to move our piano from the platform to the floor in order to make room for Christmas decorations.     First, I asked them up individually and requested that they move the piano all by themselves (it’s a grand piano by the way). They were good sports and played along, but the futility of their lifting and pushing was obvious.  One-by-one they made their way up and were dwarfed by the size of the task.  One wise guy just took a seat on the piano bench! After it was plainly clear that this was not a one-man job, I asked the same guys to come up and move the piano together.  With relative ease, through their combined action, they gently plucked the piano from its position and placed it on the floor.  Synergy was very well illustrated.  The point we were trying to make was that the ministry of the local church is most effective when we understand that combined action is better than individual action.  We are stronger and more influential for the kingdom of God when we throw in our lot with others who are on the same mission, and work together. Everywhere I look in the Bible I see the value of people connecting themselves with other people who share the same passions and committments.  In Psalm 34:3, for example, David said "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together." One can definitely serve and praise God individually, but there is something especially good about doing so alongside others. I was in a high school natatorium (swimming arena) a few evenings ago.  A banner was hanging which read, "Swimming is an individual team sport." I think I get it.  You participate individually, but as part of a team. Following Jesus is like that, too. Our individual gifts and energies are stronger and more meaningfully invested when they are given as part of a greater, collective mission. Are you in fellowship with a group of Christians?  Have you hooked yourself up with a church that maximizes Jesus and the Word of God?  If not, you should.  Throw in your lot with them and your lot will become much more than it could by itself. By ourselves, we can move the piano bench.  But together, we can move the piano. Dave   http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=17580 17580 Wed, 1 Dec 2010 18:14:35 +0000 From a Starbucks in Nashville, Tennessee on Thanksgiving morning, Happy Thanksgiving.  I am here with a team from our church serving with Eight Days of Hope, a Christian disaster relief ministry.  We are giving a few days of our lives to help lend a hand to people hurt by the disastrous flooding back in May.  Today we will finish up a project that we started for a homeowner yesterday, putting some new flooring down in her simple basement.  The woman's tears express her deep gratitude. Meanwhile back in Indiana a team  from our church will be serving residents of our community a Thanksgiving meal in Jesus' name.  God is good.  He has blessed us this year with opportunities to serve others. Today I agree with the Apostle Paul's words in I Thessalonians: We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers. (v. 2) Has anyone told you that they thank God for you?  May I?  I really do.  Thank God for His work in your life...for the grace that He is pouring into you that overflows into the lives of others. Thank You, Lord, for all that You have done.  You have been so faithful. Your power and glory are on display in the lives of the people who's lives you are transforming day after day.  Thank You.  You deserve our gratitude. http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=17388 17388 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 07:54:27 +0000     I have a question.  Why are there so rarely questions in our conversations with God?  I mean, if prayer is communion with God, how come we do not ask questions of Him?  Isn’t that part of communicating, asking questions?   I know, there is a common idea that this is not a spiritually mature thing to do.  According to most prayer models, there is no place for questions.  For example, in the ACTS model prayer includes only adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.  There is no “Q” for question.     It is true that in Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Matthew 6, in what is commonly referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer,” there is no obvious reference to asking questions of our Heavenly Father.  Yet, we may learn not only from the words of Jesus, but also from His example.  At least on one occasion Jesus’ prayer to the Father consisted of a question.  From the cross, Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27.46) Notice the question mark.  Questions are a part of life.  That little character with a big belly, a straight line, and then a dot below is as necessary as a period.  Imagine what life would be like without it.  Words like what, when, why, where and, how would be meaningless.    Contrary to the popular view, it seems that there is a place for asking questions of God.  For example, in Psalm 42, the Psalmist confesses “I say to God my Rock: Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of my enemy? (v. 9) In Psalm 89, David asked “How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?” (v. 46)    It is normal to ask questions of God, especially in moments of hardship.  Poor Job asked questions (Job 7:17-20). So did Moses (Exodus 5:22).  When adversity falls, even those who love and trust God are prone to ask questions.   And who better to take those questions than the LORD Himself? Asking questions means that we are searching for answers.  It means we have a teachable heart.  After all, if inquisitive Thomas had never asked Jesus the question “How can we know the way?” he would never have heard Jesus answer “I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Do you have a question in your heart?  Maybe you are in a difficult place and it has you asking God why?  This isn’t a bad thing.  Because not only does He have the answers; He is the answer.  God bless you, friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=17091 17091 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:55:18 +0000   Imagine...yourself before a crowd of people ? maybe it is 5 or 10 people, maybe its 50 people, 100 people, or 100,000 people. Perhaps the crowd is mixed - racially, religiously, and economically. Some in the group are friendly, some not so friendly. Some are Christians ? many are not. You have the platform. You have the microphone. What do you say? Specifically, would you mention God? Jesus?Of course, there are a lot of variables that factor into a situation like this, but when by some providential means God gives you an audience, will you use the opportunity to glorify Him? Would you use the occasion to tell others within the sound of your voice that He is God and He is good? In Psalm 40, David said:I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly (v. 9-10)Rather than keep a lid on the Lord?s salvation, righteousness, faithfulness and love, David spoke up about it. In public, he declared the good news of the LORD. It can be kind of intimidating to talk about the LORD to people when we are not sure how they will respond. Whether it is in a one-on-one situation, or in a crowd, talking about Jesus can be very awkward. After all, they might laugh at us or humiliate us in some way. They might even get offended or angry with us and walk away in a huff.These were possible reactions from the ?great assembly? around David, too. No doubt not everyone in that great assembly was eager to hear about David?s God. But he spoke up anyway. It was news too good to keep to himself. It was a message that had to be shared. So with appropriate tact and sensitivity, David publicly testified.Sure, they might be offended. They might roll their eyes as if he were a religious wacko. But you know what?  They might just say ?That?s the most wonderful thing I?ve ever heard. Tell me more.?May God help us to speak up.Blessings,Dave"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..."   Romans 1:17 http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=16896 16896 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:33:12 +0000 There is a difference between being a reluctant leader and leading reluctantly.  The first is surprised and hesitant that God would give him a leadership assignment in the first place, while the second lets fear and insecurity interfere with his leadership after God has called him to it. In reading through the story of the call of Moses in Exodus 3 recently, I was reminded of how some of the most distinguished of leaders in history were often reluctant ones.  Moses was faithfully tending sheep in the pastures of obscurity when God engaged him with a very tall order.  Moses is famous for objecting “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex. 3:11) But by no means is Moses alone in his reticence about the call to lead others.  He’s in good historical company – biblically and otherwise.  Solomon, for example, when presented with the task of succeeding his Dad, is on record as saying “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.” (I Kings 3:7) Then there’s General George Washington, who, prior to his inauguration as President, wrote these words to Henry Knox: “... my movements to the chair of Government will be accompanied by feelings not unlike those of a culprit who is going to the place of his execution: so unwilling am I, in the evening of a life nearly consumed in public cares, to quit a peaceful abode for an Ocean of difficulties, without that competency of political skill, abilities and inclination which is necessary to manage the helm.” Many of us can relate to feelings of reluctance about leading others.  We feel like we can barely manage leading ourselves.  The thought of heading up a program, leading a study group, or running point on a project makes our hands sweat and our faces go pale.  Realistic objections of “How is this going to work? I don’t…I’m not…I can’t…” bounce around like ping pong balls in our head. But it seems that perhaps the best and longest lasting leaders have a sense of “Me? You’re kidding, right?” about them when they are first presented with the high calling of leadership.  Furthermore, it seems that it is the elite ones that retain this ongoing sense of wonder over the entire span of their lives. The truth is that this initial reluctance is highly valued in a leader.   In the book Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders quotes  A.W. Tozer on this point: A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of [circumstances]…There was hardly a great leader from Paul to the present day but was drafted by the Holy Spirit for the task, and commissioned by the Lord to fill a position he had little heart for…The man who is ambitious to lead is disqualified as a leader.  (Spiritual Leadership, pg. 30) So, contrary to the man-centered model of leadership that flashes resumes and credentials, the Christ-centered leader appropriately asks “Who am I?” This gives occasion for God to answer us just as He did with Moses…because His answer to the questions of today’s reluctant leader is still:  “I AM.” God bless you, friend. Dave http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=16767 16767 Mon, 8 Nov 2010 13:59:28 +0000 Recently a lady shared with me the story about how she had been sabotaged at work by her boss with a malicious and inaccurate job review.  She got fired over it.  Now she can barely find any work, much less something near her previous skill level and paygrade.  People can be mean.Yesterday a man was telling me how in spite of his best efforts to be kind and respectful to a particular person in his life, she responded to him with nothing but rudeness and contempt.  He asks "Why should I even bother?"  People can be really mean.Most can relate to the feeling of having it put to you by someone.  But what about when that someone is a person that you liked...loved...trusted?  That, my friend, is a different animal.  That hurts like nothing else.That is exactly the scenario that David is describing in Psalm 35 when he prays "Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive against me; fight against those who fight against me." (v. 1)  He complains "For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life." (v. 7)Who is it that was attacking David?  Friends maybe?  Family members?  Clearly, they were people that David cared about.  He was good to them.  When they needed something, he gave it. When they were sick, he prayed for them. (v. 12-13)  In return, they tried to crush him. I remember reading this psalm when I was still having a knife extracted from my back a few years ago, put there by a trusted friend and brother in Christ.  People can be mean.  David's empassioned words resonated with me then, and they still do. It is incredibly painful when people that you have loved and trusted turn against you.  It is hard to know what to say or what to pray.  That is why the psalms are so beautiful, because you can adopt them as your own.  Jesus did this.  In John 15:25, for example, as He was preparing His followers for the hate and the rejection that they would encounter, Jesus quoted verse 19, where David said "They hated me without a cause."  On a human level, Jesus was hated and crucified without a cause. He had done nothing but love people.  But in the grand scheme of things we understand that He died for a very real cause - our's.  He died for our sins that we might be reconciled to God.In the end David entrusted the matter to our sovereign God.  Rather than try to vindicate himself, he realized he must let God do that in His time and in His way.  And with the benefit of hindsight, we can see that God did just that.As usual, David ends Psalm 35 on a positive note.  What began as mourning over the senseless betrayal of a friend ends as a celebration of the greatness of God.  David exclaims ?Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!? (v. 27)People are sometimes mean, but God is always great.  Dwell on the greatness of God today ? not the meanness of people.  You?ll be better for it.  God bless you,Dave  http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=16625 16625 Wed, 3 Nov 2010 13:03:25 +0000   Sometimes I think I have forgotten what a blessing it is to be forgiven by God. I have enjoyed my relationship with Christ for so long that perhaps I have forgotten what it felt like back in the day when I was saddled with guilt for all of the regrettable things in my past. Indeed, one of the blessings of being a Christian is that through Christ we are free from the domination of guilt, or at least God intends for us to be.  Yet, if we are honest we will admit that sometimes the oppression of guilt gets up on top of all of us. Take David, for example.  In Psalm 32 David described two different sinners.  Yet interestingly, they are the same person.  Two polar opposite scenarios describe the same man.  In one instance, the person is “blessed,” because he is forgiven and his sins are covered.  He is obviously happy and he is obviously light.  In another scene, however, his bones are “wasting away” and his strength dries up like an Arizona creek in August; he groans under the hand of God as it lays heavy upon him.  And exactly what is the difference? Is it that one is a sinner and the other is not?  No, remember the descriptions apply to the same man – David.  So what is it?  What made the difference in his condition? Notice that in David’s assessment the difference was in confession of sin, or the lack thereof.  He explains “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away…”(v. 3)  David hid from God in the closet until he finally changed his mind and said ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (v. 5) Both guys were sinners.  Both had feet of clay.  Both lived in the tension of God’s will versus their own and often failed miserably.  The difference between the two is simply this - one sinner humbly and honestly confessed his failures while the other sinner chose avoidance.   Consequently, one enjoyed the blessing and freedom of forgiveness while the other unnecessarily suffocated under guilt. Forgiveness of sin is real, not just wishful thinking.  God actually forgives people of their sins on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7). John assures us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) Sin is an unpleasant reality.  As Luther said, “We are justified, yet sinners.” As we continually acknowledge the raw truth about our thoughts and actions that fall short of God’s glory, we can say with David, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (v. 1) Like David’s, my life has been a tale of two sinners. There’s the sinner that has kept silent, and there’s the sinner that has honestly and openly confessed. From one sinner to another, I recommend the latter. Blessings, Dave       http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=16241 16241 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:35:26 +0000   Perseverance is a beautiful thing.  I recently read of a Korean woman, Cha Sa-soon, who finally passed her driving test after the 960th try. The 69-year-old woman had to go through a 50-minute, 40-question test in order to pass. She had taken this test once a day since April 2005, but failed every time, until at last she succeeded. This mighty little woman stands as a reminder that just because you have failed doesn't mean you are a failure. Speaking of failure, a guy in our men’s Bible Study last night said “I’m kind of frustrated…I keep doing the same things that I know I shouldn’t do.  I ask God for forgiveness but then it comes up again.  Is this normal?”  Every man in the room could relate to that guy.  We’ve all struggled with nagging, persistent sin issues in our lives.  The Holy Spirit convicts us about some attitude or behavior in our life, we come clean before God with a desire to get it right, and then it happens again.  And again.   As Christians, how do we deal with the frustration of failure?  In a word, perseverance.  Because of God’s grace and mercy, we have the opportunity to rise up and try again when we have failed.  Although we are saved from sin’s ultimate penalty through the death and resurrection of Christ, we still have to face the ugly realities of our old nature.  Engrained patterns of self-centered living will not go quietly or without a fight.  Yielding to the Spirit of God instead of our flesh is not natural and therefore it is difficult.  It takes endurance. It takes guts.   This is why the writer of Hebrews cheered “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12.1-2) You will get tired.  You will trip.  You will fall down.  You will get discouraged.  But in those moments you must hear the LORD calling out to you to rise and keep on keeping on.   This weekend I am going to need perseverance.  I am going to attempt to run the Chicago Marathon – 26.2 miles without stopping. I know that I will get tired, my legs will ache, and my lungs will gasp. In my mind there will be a back and forth of "I can't" versus "I can."   Metaphorically speaking, this is the story of the Christian's life.  May God help you today to run your race with perseverance!   Dave     http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=15751 15751 Thu, 7 Oct 2010 12:30:21 +0000 David was a warrior...a consummate man of valor and courage on the battlefield. From boyhood, he was willing to square off with giants. Yet, there were times that he had to run. He had to run to God for safety. Chased by the rabid forces of evil, David ran like a scared rabbit. In Psalm 18:2 he said "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge."To where did David run? Maybe he ascended the craggy Mount Masada which juts up a shear 1000 feet from the desert floor in Israel (see pic). But in the truest sense, David ran to the LORD. In his heart, he retreated to the inpenetrable shelter of God's everlasting love and mercy. It's not that David was running from his problems. Rather, he was running to the only One who could help him with his problems.This teaches us that even for a warrior there is a time to fight, and there is a time to run?a time when it is necessry to disengage from the battle into the rest and refuge that God provides.Today I run to you, Lord. I don?t have strength to fight. I am asking You to defend me. You are my stronghold. Keep me safe now, for I must soon return to the battle.  In Jesus? Name http://www.wabashvalleybbc.org/index.cfm?i=6344&mid=25&blogid=4493&comments=15356 15356 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:22:45 +0000