Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Broken and Worthless Branches

I have several mature trees on my place and, after a windstorm in the night, I will usually  see broken tree branches and dead sticks littering the yard. Sometimes the branches do not break clean, so they’re just hanging on by the skin of their teeth. These damaged branches will initially look alright, but after a few days the leaves begin to die and turn brown and crispy. What an ugly mess! These once-healthy branches didn’t have the strength to hang on to the tree, so now they’re nonproductive and worthless and must be hauled off to the burn pile. These branches are simply good for nothing.

God told Moses “I AM”, and Jesus told His disciples “I am…” John the Beloved recorded Christ’s words: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does not bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches (John 15:1-4 ESV). The Bible is the believer’s owner’s manual for our life that sometimes goes in one ear and out the other – or is flat-out neglected. Jesus teaches how we are to live so we need to heed His words in order to live right.

The biblical definition for abide is: to remain, continually dwell, or walk daily in a close, enduring, personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Disciples of Jesus are to abide in Christ,  develop a healthy, fruitful life, represent Him well, and bring glory to His Name.

I have two godly women in my life and both have one small tattoo. One tat simply reads “Abide” and the other is “Faith” – both of these gals are serious about constantly abiding in Christ and following His Word. All believers must somehow remind ourselves about staying connected to the Vine in order to bear lots of fruit. We’re to live abundantly in life-union with Jesus. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NLT). No one can truly live the way God intended for us until we surrender to Jesus and choose to abide in Him. Make the critical decision to stick with Jesus so you’ll bear fruit. Otherwise, you’re on your own and the definition of that is FAIL.

Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 ESV). This is a sobering scripture. We must live every day of our lives in Christ – attached at the hip, heart, and mind. Without His empowerment and wisdom we can do nothing spiritually for the Kingdom of God. Man, I don’t want to stand before God with an empty fruit basket — how embarrassing and needless!

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:6 ESV). I don’t want to be fruitless for the devil, I want to be judged fruitful for the Lord when I cross the Jordan River at the end of my journey.

The Key: If you don’t want to be broken and worthless, abide, abide, abide in Christ Jesus.

By Patty LaRoche

Dave and I thought we had thought this “moving thing” through. We would pack most of our belongings into storage for a few weeks, but some items we would need until we could move into the house we were renovating. The plan was to live in the basement of the house we bought until the upstairs was ready to be inhabited, so great thought went into what we would need temporarily. We made mistakes. Clearly, “great thought” was not enough.

For example, we kept back the portable vacuum cleaner…but not its battery charger. Same with the leaf blower. They both lost their power within the first week we were here. We failed to keep the coffee pot and toaster and so breakfasted on frozen Jimmy Dean sandwiches. (The house came with a microwave.)

And yes, I know, these are not big problems. There is, however, one area in which thinking things through can have eternal implications. This is fresh in my mind because I focused my Bible reading this morning on Matthew 7 where Jesus speaks to his disciples about who will make it to Heaven and who won’t. One of the most convicting, disturbing, thought-provoking passages of scripture is found in Jesus’ words: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?” And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Think about it. God will judge what’s going on inside us. If that doesn’t shake you up, you’re pretty unshakeable.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t brag about prophesying or casting out demons or doing “wonders” in Jesus’ name. I haven’t led hundreds to the Lord. I haven’t even prayed faithfully or read my Bible every day. I’ve spent weeks trying to memorize Psalm 91 (a prayer for my family members) and still stumble at verse nine.

The fact that I go to church, write this article, speak to Christian audiences, am in a Bible study and don’t cuss will not be enough. My thought life needs to be melded to God’s heart. I need to know His will and do His will…and that requires thoughts that lead me to love the unlovely and not judge, to mourn over my sins and be a peacemaker, to do nothing for others’ approval and not let the sun go down on my anger. Thoughts that cause me to do good works will be the evidence of a relationship with Christ, not the basis for it. No matter what my circumstances are, I need to trust that God is in charge and I’m not. In secret, I need to honor Him, yield to Him, obey Him, and “think these things through.”

Giving God his rightful due is a critical “thought” that demands I do just that.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

Retorque After 50 Miles

After buying new tires and reading the information on the job ticket/invoice, I noticed a statement in caps at the bottom: “HAVE YOUR LUG NUTS RETORQUED AFTER THE FIRST 50 MILES.” The last time I purchased a new set of tires, I didn’t see those instructions.  This was news to me so I made a mental note to come back and have them retorqued.  About a week later, I walked into the shop and asked to have the lug nuts retorqued. Both service technicians went into shock and nearly fainted and fell to the floor! The one guy said, “I’ve worked here for years and never had anyone ask for this service.” I responded, “Well, you guys didn’t mention this to me, but I read it on the paperwork, so here I am.”

I was ignorant because I hadn’t previously read the warning. There was no one to blame but me, myself, and I. Having the lug nuts retorqued after installing new tires is critical. It ensures that your wheels remain securely fastened to the hub assembly. During the first few miles of driving, the wheel and hub components settle, and repeated heating/cooling from braking and road friction can cause slight loosening of the lug nuts. Plus, uneven torque can cause misalignment, leading to uneven tire wear, steering issues, and handling problems. The bottom line: Proper torque prevents future problems. It’s not the technicians’ job to warn the customer. It’s the customer’s responsibility to read the fine print and then return the vehicle to be serviced.

Apostle Paul warns young Timothy of the dangers lurking in life. “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT).

God’s Word is a valuable treasure box, full of instruction, admonition, warning,  blessing, wisdom, etc. Apostle Paul informed Timothy of the importance of reading and obeying the valuable information in the Manual of Life.“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT). For under $20, you can purchase a nice Bible and give it away. If the individual reads it and believes it, his/her life will be changed forever.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), brilliant American theologian and preacher cautioned, “Be assiduous in reading the Holy Scriptures. This is the fountain whence all knowledge in divinity must be derived. Therefore, let not this treasure lie by you neglected.” Have you ever been in a situation where the wheels fell off in your life? It’s never too late to begin faithfully reading the Bible and practicing what it says. God’s Word is a safeguard against driving down the road of life with dangerous philosophies that aren’t biblical.

The Key: Believers, keep the lug nuts of your heart properly torqued with God’s Word.

Cafeteria Lovers of Jesus

What would Christianity look like if everyone served like you and me? A pastor recently asked that question, and it stopped me in my tracks. If I were the face of my religion, would I take it a lot more seriously? How many hours a day would be given to evangelizing, to sharing the gospel with people with whom I come in contact, to sacrificially loving the unlovely? What if discipleship depended on you and me as we are right now? Would our smorgasbord witness make a difference? You know, a little of this, a lot of that…but only when we aren’t inconvenienced. Serving when it doesn’t cost a lot of time, talent or money. Sharing a little bit of gospel…enough not to be embarrassed or lose friendships. Being angry or judgmental or complaining instead of faithful. Forgetting that we have nothing except what God has given us and can do nothing except what He enables us to do.

My friends and I recently were introduced to the plight of “Selah,” a hard-working, determined, single mother of four who has found herself in trouble. A failed marriage to an abusive man has caused this immigrant to provide for her children single handedly by getting her masters’ degree while at the same time cleaning houses and working part-time at the college. Selah has been without transportation and was borrowing a friend’s vehicle until she could finish school and get a full-time job. But then the car’s loaner needed her vehicle back.

That’s when Selah’s boss told my girlfriends and me about her situation. Could we help? A used car had been located. We made contributions, but I knew our small group could not put together the numbers needed to buy Selah a car. I was wrong. Some must have been much more generous than others, me included. Within a day, the money was raised to purchase this desperate woman the transportation she needed.

Jesus teaches that serving others is the same as serving him. “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) I have to believe that if Jesus appeared to me today and asked for my car, I would not think twice about handing him my keys, so why didn’t I do that for this woman in need? I have a bike. I have two legs. How sincere is my faith when my first thought was to make sure I had my transportation needs met instead of helping her?

Somehow, taking cookies to an ailing neighbor or running errands for a friend or giving clothes to the needy or even tithing is easy compared to being inconvenienced, but inconvenience is more in line with what Jesus wants. In Romans 16, Paul cites several people who sacrificed for the ministry. At the top of the list—for good reason—are Priscilla and Aquila, a couple who were kicked out of their home and had to take their tent-making business elsewhere. On that journey they met Paul and risked their lives for him – and probably for the gospel as well. Being inconvenienced was not an excuse for them to quit working; it was simply God leading them to rely on Him.

We can never forget that Jesus died for you and me. Compared to that, giving up my car should have been no big deal. I need to remember that in the future, but something tells me that I probably won’t.

By Patty LaRoche

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

Jimmybilt

In the action movie “Black Dog,” Patrick Swayze’s character expertly drives a 1994 Peterbilt. This tractor is known for long-haul and heavy-duty capabilities. No matter what the make, these big rigs are impressive as they barrel down our interstates. When I woke up this morning, I began thanking God for specific blessings. With so many people homeless, I thanked God for “our” home. (My late husband has been gone for five years, but it doesn’t sound right to say “my” home.) In my gratitude, it came to me that I have been living in a Jimmybilt home for 45 years. It’s a modest, well-built, efficient structure that has always suited our needs. Our home is a welcoming, heartwarming, and peaceful place where I see Jimmy’s excellent craftsmanship everywhere I cast my eyes.

Our home is beginning to show its age (and so am I). For believers, our destination will be a final Godbilt home. Ever since my parents, husband, and brother checked out of this world, I’ve been especially interested in heaven. I know that in the last moment of closing our fleshly eyes, we’ll open our spiritual eyes and find ourselves at Home. Even though there are descriptive verses in the Bible about heaven, I want to know more!

In my growing-up years, during testimony time at church, I would often hear, “There’s a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.” That’s a true statement that I haven’t heard in over 50 years. Should someone, in the distant future, tear down this Jimmybilt house, they will find that some of the 2x4s have a testimony! While helping to construct the house in 1980-81, I was compelled to write messages on the wood, “Jesus is Lord,” etc.

King David penned these words to the Lord: “Your house glows with Your glory” (Psalm 26:8 MSG). Some of the scriptures in the Book of Psalms were prophetic and this verse could fall into that category as we read further in the last book of the Bible: “The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23 HNV). Nothing negative that we’ve experienced on earth will be found in heaven. No regrets, no unhappiness, and (I believe) all questions about everything will be answered in some awesome fashion. “He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4 NLT).

Oh my! There are more biblical descriptions of heaven than I have room to mention!  Actually, all I really need to understand about heaven is this: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT). My focus right now is to seek Him, love Him, obey Him, and serve Him with gladness. What my loved ones are doing in heaven at this moment is none of my business. Right now, my job is to represent Jesus well on earth and take as many to heaven as I can. I don’t want to be so heavenly minded that I’m of no earthly good.

During the stoning of Stephen, he tells what he saw, “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:54-56 NKJV).

The Key: Believers know enough about heaven to understand that God built it and we’ll enjoy living there forever.

By Patty LaRoche

Hubby Dave returned from pickle ball today, excited about birds. After he shared with the players that we had installed a Purple Martin house in our back yard, the conversation turned to how many birds either live in Kansas or make it their rest stop on to better climates. Sort of an Airbnb for aerial travelers. He brought up the newsflash when I was answering emails.

“Patty, did you know that there is an App for birds?” (No surprises here. There is an App for everything.) “It can mimic a bird’s tweet, so if I go outside and tell it to sound like a redbird, if there’s a redbird in our area, it might come to find the sound.”

“Sounds sort of cruel to me,” I said. “You get its hopes up that it has a friend, but you’re just faking it out. Isn’t that birdie-bullying?”

“You don’t understand,” Hubby responded. “This is so cool. Did you know that Fort Scott is the fly-over for some very interesting birds? There is the Crested Caracara, the Roseate Spoonbill, the White-winged Crossbill…” He was on a roll. So began his diatribe on about a dozen other crazy-named fowl he couldn’t pronounce that we might find in our back yard, should we opt to camouflage ourselves, don binoculars and hide in the bushes.

Apparently, some pickle ball friends had located over 60 birds in our area alone. I haven’t seen Dave this excited since he bought a golf cart with lithium batteries. I know what’s coming. Boots. Insect repellant. A fanny pack and rain jacket. Waterproof boots. And one of those funny, mesh, Safari-looking hats. I now have Dave’s Christmas list.

The crazy part of this writing is that this morning, my Bible study concerns how God takes care of birds. Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” By trusting that God cares for the birds, we can also trust that He cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 complements Matthew’s scripture. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Over 40 species of birds are recognized in the Bible. God created them a day before He created Adam. Could it be that some of Adam’s first sounds he heard were the tweets and crows and warbles of his flying friends? Noah used a raven and a dove to determine if the ark was near land after spending months at sea. And then there were God’s chosen people.

When the wandering Israelites complained about having to eat manna, God showered them with dead birds, quails (it’s thought, two-feet-deep). The greedy Israelites picked up huge quantities of these birds and laid the meat out in the sun to cure. What they didn’t realize is that quail, unlike manna, left in the hot sun, spoils. God, unhappy with his children’s selfishness, “smote” them with a plague. Look it up. Smote means deliver with a hard blow. Serious stuff.

Here in Fort Scott, the Milken Center features an unsung hero bird named Cher Ami, a carrier pigeon who played a crucial role during World War I by delivering a vital message to American forces, despite being shot in the leg. On his final mission, he carried over 200 American soldiers’ names to the front lines, helping to save their lives. I encourage you to visit the museum and learn about Cheri Ami for yourself.

This morning, Dave and I were having our quiet Bible time on the back patio. Hubby interrupted the silence. “Patty, do you hear that bird?” There were many. “That’s a Northern Cardinal.” “Is that part of your Bible reading?” I asked. My way of getting my easily distracted husband back on track.

I can’t wait for the birds to begin their migration south. Something tells me that our lives are going to be much quieter…although, in truth, not nearly as interesting.