Keys to the Kingdom

 

My childhood pastor’s wife, Thelma, was an exemplary wife, mother, and friend; a perfect example of the Proverbs 31 woman. Everybody adored her because she loved much, lived well, and laughed often. Thelma inspired other people to laugh also. She told her daughter Christa and I (just young girls at the time) this joke: A mother was concerned that her daughter’s beau  was never going to ask for her hand in marriage. As the daughter was preparing for her date one evening, the mother gave her specific instructions: “When Homer picks you up, don’t say anything — just be quiet all evening. When he finally asks you what you’re thinking about, say, “I’m contemplating on matrimony.” The daughter agreed and the date transpired exactly as the mother predicted. After awhile, Homer said, “I’ve noticed you’ve been awfully quiet and just sitting there with an odd look on your face. What are you thinking about?” With a sigh, she responded, “I’m constipated on macaroni.”

 

Are you contemplating on wanting a better year in 2023? I suspect all of us would like to come up higher in multiple areas in the new year. I suggest that all of us consider our ways. When the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, he told the Jews who had returned from Babylon, “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5 ESV). In the Old Testament book of Haggai, the major problem was that the temple of God was in ruins and the people weren’t doing anything to restore it.

 

In the New Testament, we know that the believer is literally the temple. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20 NLT).

 

If you’re a Christ follower, but your life seems to be in ruins, pause and consider your ways. The word “consider” means to think carefully, chew on it, be mindful of, ponder, examine, inspect, scrutinize. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. How we do our life is worth the effort to mull it over, which is to analyze and meditate on the possible actions as well as the outcomes. Are we doing everything we can to closely walk in all the light of Jesus?

 

Let’s consider our ways. The definition of “way” is: a method, style, or manner of doing something; our habit, practice, procedure, routine, conduct, behavior, or nature. If we’re not including Jesus in all areas of our life, we need to seriously consider changing our ways. Jesus wants to be flat-dab in the middle of everything we do. And (if we have any sense) that’s exactly where we should want Him. Jesus desires to be intricately involved, but He has to be invited to do so. He’s not going to bulldoze His way into our lives.

 

“Jesus once again addressed them: ‘I am the world’s Light. No one who follows Me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in‘” (John 8:12 MSG). If I’m walking in the dark with someone who has a flashlight, I need to stay close enough to  benefit from the beam of light. “Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me” (Psalm 119:105 NIRV). Today is the day to consider our ways and see if there are behaviors that need to come under the Lordship and light of Jesus. The Key: Mull it over and change whatever rears its ugly head in the light.

“I’ve discovered that if people are not on my heart, they’re on my nerves.”                       Pastor Rick Warren

Struggling to find a New Year’s resolution?  Maybe we could start with Jesus’ suggestion: “Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.” Of course, it’s not a suggestion.  Seriously hard to do…but no one did it better than Jesus. His capacity for love is infinite. How else could he forgive his crucifiers while hanging in agony on the cross? Still, we make it so hard.  Why can’t we love like he does?                                                                           Saint Augustine said, “Good for good, evil for evil, that is natural. Evil for good, that is devilish. Good for evil, that is divine.”  Dave would say I need a little work in the “divine” department. I told him I’m going to get my Conceal-and-Carry license.  He is concerned.  Not that I won’t pass the test but that I might kill someone.  I’ve given that a lot of thought.  I don’t think I would kill thugs who ransack an Apple store or help themselves to racks of clothing or purses.  But I might wound them.  If they were threatening a loved one, however?  Dave might have reason to be concerned.  Does that make me unloving?                                                                I read about a young couple who went to see their pastor to try and get him to approve their divorce because, as they put it, “There’s no feeling left.” The pastor told the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church. The husband said, “I can’t do that.” The pastor asked him to love her as he would love himself. Again, the said that ‘I can’t do that’. So the pastor said, “The Bible says to love your enemies. Try starting there.” (Is it possible to love someone you shoot?)                                                                                                                                                  Just how do we love the unlovable?  The first step is remembering God’s love for us when were/are unlovable. Beauty and the Beast illustrates this well, and it certainly represents how we are loved by God.   After all, there’s a little beast in all of us.  Scripture says that none of us are sinless, yet God loves us.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) His love is not based on my goodness; nor is it based on my prayer life or my Bible reading or how many cookies I made for the church potluck. I didn’t have to work out my imperfections or do any good deeds for Him to love me.  He loves me, beast that I am.                                                      The second step to loving the unlovable is to recognize that the people we aren’t loving are no different than us.  We have no right to set ourselves in the lofty position of choosing not to follow God’s mandate to love them.  1 Corinthians 13:4-5 tells us how we are to act: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” God loves like that and calls us to do likewise.

The ability to love the unlovable, to hate the sin but to love the sinner, represents God’s divine nature.        In 2023, I’m going to work on loving the unlovely.  I guess I’ll figure out that shooting thing later.

 

Keys to the Kingdom

I was headed in the right direction, but when I spotted the detour and roadblock signs alongside the highway, I had to turn north and follow the detour route. I was then driving in the wrong direction to get where I needed to go and there were no more signs to direct me. The GPS didn’t have a grip on reality and kept telling me to return to the main highway with a non-existing bridge. It quickly became obvious that I couldn’t trust the GPS to get me to my destination. I was getting nowhere and I needed to talk to a real person who understood my dilemma, knew the countryside, and could direct me to a  sensible route. There was simply no way to get from here to there without human help.

 

Fortunately, I found a welcoming farmhouse and pulled in under a shade tree. A kindly man wearing denim overalls greeted me in the backyard. Although I was smiling, I’m sure I had a lost look on my face. As I shook his firm and rough farmer’s hand, he pretty-much knew my problem before I told him. Since he knew the area like the back of his hand, he told me how to beat the detour at its own annoying game. He gave me concise directions, which consisted of four turns on gravel roads, and then I was back on the road again. I finally arrived in Parsons after losing 40 minutes of time and fuel — but I got there because someone cared enough to point me in the right direction.

 

There are occult and false-religion books that offer alternative ways to navigate through life. Some individuals read them because they’re truly searching for answers, and some read them out of sheer curiosity. But dabbling in the evil spiritual abyss is a dangerous detour because it opens the door to demonic influence.

 

There is a broad divergence of opinions regarding gods, the true God, and living life in general. Earthlings simply can’t follow our own map and expect to get to heaven. The only true authority on spiritual beliefs and life issues is God’s Word. I once heard a pastor say this great one liner: “Whatever the Bible says, that’s my opinion.” God’s Word carries authority, weight, and power. It’s the believer’s foundation for everything on earth and in heaven, and it will be the last Book standing. “Heaven and earth will disappear, but My words will never disappear” (Mark 13:31 NLT).

 

Christ followers, who’ve found the one and only way to God, need to keep a sharp eye out for lost people who are needing someone to extend a hand of hope to them. The only way to make it to heaven is through Jesus. Many people are wondering, “How do I get to heaven from here?” Some think that “all roads lead to heaven.” But Jesus explicitly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s Home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:6,2 NLT). By reaching out to those who have spiritual and real-life needs, we open a door for God to work in their lives. A genuine love walk with Jesus is a lot more than words on a cool t-shirt. It’s a weighty realization that the only Bible some people ever read is you and me.

 

The Key:  Jesus is the mercy bridge between here and there. Our job is to lovingly point the lost in the right direction so they can get to the other side.

“Dave, it has to be on your end,” I said, patiently.

“Patty, I want you to turn off your phone and turn it on again.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I can call everyone except you.  My calls go directly to your Voicemail.”

“So why couldn’t that be your phone’s fault?  You’re in Mexico.  I’m in the United States.  Chances are, I have better reception than you have. After all, my calls go through to you; yours don’t come through to me.”

This went on for a few days.  In that time, I, a submissive wife, followed Dave’s advice and turned my phone off and back on. No success.  Dave’s email let me know that he couldn’t figure out why I didn’t answer his texts.  “Because I never got them,” I answered

This was not going well.

I called Dave.  “I will visit Verizon to see if this is my phone’s fault,” I said, trying to be a good team player, even though I was positive this problem was his phone, not mine.

“Great. Unless you’ve blocked me, there has to be a problem coming from the carrier.”

“Or you,” I added.

How silly of him to say, “Unless you’ve blocked me.” Who would block their spouse? Just to make sure I wasn’t responsible for this disaster, however, I checked my contact list.

Sure as shootin’, he was blocked.

Desperate measures were needed.  How could I make Dave think that he was responsible?  Was it possible for him to block himself?  I think not.

“Well, what do you know, Honey?  You were blocked. Ha-ha. I have no idea how that happened.”

Dave then reminded me that I had blocked three other friends in the past few months.  Like this was an epidemic or something.

Anyway, we worked it out, but as I thought about how easy it was to block someone unintentionally, I considered how I sometimes do it intentionally, like ignoring a phone call or a text because I just want to be alone.

But what if I block God?  Like when I feel His nudging to do something kind that day, but I’m too tired or too irritable or too insensitive to obey.

Yes, I do that, but my New Year’s resolution is to listen to Him purposefully and do what He says.

This morning, I felt God telling me to be kind to someone I didn’t know.  I was flying from K.C. to Florida, and I had gotten little sleep, but I was determined to obey.

I won’t list here all the things that went wrong, but I still had opportunities to help.

At ticketing, I traded places with a man who was late for his flight.  Going through security, I overheard a mother instructing her teenage son on what to do while traveling alone.  I assured her that I would get her son to the right gate…which I would have, had I not been pulled out of line because I had five ounces of sun screen in my carry bag instead of the three allowed. Ultimately, I caught up with him and assured him he was at the right gate. He looked at me like I was a nut-case.

While boarding, I noticed a young girl standing by herself.  I struck up a conversation with her.  She was “really nervous” as she never had flown alone before, so I told her that I would wait for her when we deplaned and get her to her next flight.  She seemed thankful when I ushered her through the airport, although she seemed to know exactly what she was doing.

Still, not bad for one day. Let’s just hope I can say the same at the end of 2023.

 

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

When I was pregnant with our first child, my brother and his wife came for a nice visit. As they prepared to leave, Randy looked me straight in the eyes and said, “A baby will change your life.” I vaguely agreed with him, not truly understanding what he meant but certainly not disagreeing with him since he was the father of three. Like Mary, I pondered his statement in my heart and soon realized exactly what he meant. The birth of a baby rocks everything in your world.

 

When Jesus hit the stable on planet earth, His boy story rocked the world and turned it upside-down. The arrival of this Holy Boy of Joy was prophesied in the Old Testament. “All right then, the Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel (which means God is with us)” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT). Jesus forever bridged the chasm between God and man.

 

As Joseph secretly considered breaking his engagement to Mary, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:20-21 NLT). Because the people couldn’t save themselves, God provided the perfect Redeemer through His only Son Jesus. And the King of kings still rocks everyone’s world who personally receives Him as Savior.

 

As the shepherds guarded their sheep at night, an angel appeared and the Lord’s glory surrounded them. Think of it — the actual glory of God is what suddenly illuminated the countryside. “The angel reassured them, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people‘” (Luke 2:10 NLT). Reverential fear was an appropriate reaction to witnessing the glory of God, but shouts of joy would have also  been appropriate because this was the best news man had ever heard!

 

The angel further announced, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12 NKJV). Born in most-humble circumstances, the Good Shepherd was found by lowly shepherds. What a strange beginning for the Holy Infant who was sent to save the world. But, we find that the Mighty God colored outside the lines. The Bread of Life taught truths and performed miracles that were outside the religious box. The Prince of Peace came to rock the world, set up the kingdom of God, and make a way for those in darkness to have great joy.

 

Jesus taught His disciples, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! (John 15:11 NLT). Joy is an important trademark for believers. The following scripture is one of many ways Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ child at Christmas: “And Nehemiah continued, ‘Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!’” (Nehemiah 8:10 NLT).

 

The Key: ’Tis the season to be full of the glory and unspeakable joy of the Lord.  

My friend Sherrie told me that she has cut back on Christmas gifts.  At one time, she gave 80 each year, not to relatives but to all the employees at the condominium complex where she lived.  She shared how much she loved shopping for something people wouldn’t buy for themselves.

Sherrie stopped when she realized that only 15 of the 80 ever said thanks, and one asked her to take back the gift and just give him the money it cost.

We all know that it’s no fun to give a present that is not appreciated, and even though we don’t give to be thanked, it is hard to reward ungratefulness year after year after year.

I wonder if that is how Jesus feels. His gift to you and me was about as personal as possible, and it certainly went far beyond the pajamas and gift cards I deliver.

He sacrificed his life for us, yet people get so wrapped up (pun intended) in the shopping and decorating, they can’t find time to even thank him for leaving Heaven to be born in a stinky, wooden trough so he could die on a blood-stained, wooden cross.

I reiterate: For you. And me.

Is Jesus anywhere in your Christmas plans?

A toddler, Spencer, was at the mall with his mother and grandfather when he noticed the long line of families waiting to get their kids’ pictures taken with Santa. Spencer had been taught that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of God’s Son, and with the innocence of a child, he turned to his mom and asked, “Where’s the line to see Jesus?”

 Both his mother and grandfather–Becky Kelly and Steve Haut–were so struck by the profoundness of this little boy’s question (and the message inherent within it) that they collaborated to write and record a song based on that experience. The recording was appropriately titled: “Where’s the Line to See Jesus?”  The words in the song are insightful:

“…Where’s the line to see Jesus?

He was born for me

Santa Claus brought me presents

But Christ gave His life for me.

In the blink of an eye

At the sound of His trump

We’ll all stand in line at His throne

Every knee shall bow down

Every tongue will confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord…”

Please don’t be like my friend’s ungrateful staff who failed to recognize the intent of their gift’s giver.  Take the time to be grateful, especially to the One after whom this holiday is named.  Happy birthday, Jesus!

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

 

Dressed to the Nines

 

“She looks like she just stepped out of a bandbox.“ Where I come from, that’s a nice compliment. My Mom’s favorite piece of attire was shoes, and so is mine. She taught me the importance of coordinating the appropriate shoes with the style of clothing. She told me, “Shoes make or break the outfit.” About 30 years ago, when the physicians started dressing casual, I was a bit shocked. Being trained by my mother on how to put an outfit together, it was distressing to see the doctor look like my friendly next-door farmer. Because of the relaxed-clothing style, my confidence in his medical skills plummeted to the cellar! I realized I needed to quickly adapt my opinion regarding a physician’s attire. Now I just look at his shoes and that makes everything alright.

 

God’s Word tells believers how to be properly dressed in order to defeat the devil in the combat zone. “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm“ (Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT).

 

The military issues tactical gear for the brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. The Bible teaches us about warfare in the natural world and in the spiritual realm. I’m  always impressed with the description of David’s three elite warriors in the Old Testament: “Josheb-Basshebeth…fought with his spear against eight hundred men and killed them all in one battle. Eleazar…stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so cramped that he could not let go of his sword. The Lord won a great victory that day. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines, but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord won a great victory that day” (2 Samuel 23:8-11 GNT). These mighty men would have been defenseless without their weapons.

 

When we leave the house, we wear the appropriate clothing and footwear for the activity  we will be carrying out. In fact, we wouldn’t leave home without it. As Christians, God has outfitted us with the spiritual equipment of a fully-armed soldier that we’re to put on everyday. “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:14-17 NLT).

 

Christ followers must make the daily decision to live by faith equipped and empowered to stand firm and defeat the enemy. God has properly outfitted His soldiers to fight victoriously. Even though the devil does his dead-level best to dress us down, he’s a defeated foe because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37 NLT).

 

The Key: Be sure to wear all of God’s armor when you fight in the pea patch.

“Some people create their own storms, then get upset when it rains.” anonymous

Have you ever met a wimp? I have. As soon as life gets tough, they don’t; instead of being a problem-solver, they point fingers.

Someone/thing is responsible for life not offering them the all-you-can-eat-dessert-buffet they deserve. Some even blame God for not being their personal caterer, wondering why He wimps out instead of ordering up whatever it is they want.

Well, God is not a wimp. We are, but He isn’t. Still, too often He gets a bad rap.

You know what I’m talking about. Things start to go south, and we despair for someone (other than ourselves) to be culpable. Who better than the only One—the miracle-maker—who could really
make a difference…BUT DOESN’T? After all, how can an all-loving God stand by as tragedies unfold?

We all have stories. Listen well to others, and you will hear them. My friend’s 10-year- old granddaughter died. After decades serving God, my prayer partner had to place his adult daughter in rehab. A Christian woman, spending hundreds of hours on her knees, has not seen God change her overbearing son-in-law. A second marriage is dissolving, in spite of Christian therapy and mental illness. A young woman prays to marry and start a family, but the years go by and she doesn’t meet the right one.

Some people believe that if we just lived up to our Christian label, if we really, truly lived a life devoted to God, bad things wouldn’t happen. (The disciples would have a lot to say about
that.) Others have an outlook I question.

Look at what Chintan Jain wrote: “If you still want to blame God for all the problems in your life, then you can but with a simple condition:
…only if you dedicate all your hard work to him.
…only if you have celebrated all of your happiness with him.
…only if you have the ability (or) skill to accept that you have failed.”

I understand what Jain is trying to say, but I disagree. There never is a time we can blame the One who loves us in spite of ourselves, who lavishes us with blessings when we don’t deserve them.

I am not guiltless when it comes to blaming God. Embarrassing to admit, but that’s how I reacted when our baby died and again when my brother died.

Other people saw miracles; why couldn’t I? I failed to understand that God would never be the source of my problems. Never. His goal is always that we grow in our faith and that we lean on Him.

Satan is the one who seeks for us to accuse God of being unloving.

“No one undergoing a trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by God.’ For God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone” (James 1:13).
Good things can come from life’s disappointments. I became a Christian following my baby’s death, and I became a better teacher after so many students described why my brother was their favorite teacher. Amazing, isn’t it? When we get something good that we don’t deserve, we celebrate, but when it’s bad, we blame God.

As one author put it, “God is the author of a lot of things, but He is not the author of our pain.”

We wimps need to remember that.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

My first pet was a little black and white Rat Terrier named Stormy. He came into my life as a delightful surprise, as I wasn‘t expecting him. We spent lots of time together and had fun playing in the great outdoors. I would imagine the acquisition of this puppy was mainly my Dad’s idea and, of course, my Mom agreed. As I think back on this wonderful childhood experience I realize that my folks knew I would benefit from a pet, so Dad searched out the options. My little pal was born on a stormy night and Dad brought him home to me on a stormy night, so that’s how his name was chosen. I didn’t ask for a dog, but I sure did love him. As a little kid, I wasn’t smart enough to ask for special things that would help mold me into a well-rounded person. Thankfully, my wise parents lovingly provided the proper life tools I would need as an adult. And I didn’t even have to ask.

 

In the New Testament, a Roman military officer approached Jesus and presented Him with a critical situation: “When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with Him, ’Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.’ Jesus said, ’I will come and heal him’” (Matthew 8:5-7 NLT). The officer didn’t ask Jesus to come to his house because he knew that any Jew who entered a Gentile house would be considered ceremonially unclean. However, the compassionate Healer didn’t hesitate to ignore manmade religious traditions. Beautiful story short, Jesus knew the desire of the officer’s heart. The young servant was healed and Jesus didn’t even have to be asked.

 

In another New Testament account, the Prince of Life and His entourage are about to enter the city of Nain when they are met by a funeral procession. “The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. ’Don’t cry!’ He said. Then He walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. ’Young man,’ He said, ’I tell you, get up.’ Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother” (Luke 7:12-15 NLT). The mother didn’t even ask for her son to be brought back to life, but Jesus understood her broken heart and dire situation.

 

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NIV). This scripture became very real to me in June of 1996 when I was privileged to study voice with a Christian professor of music. I hadn’t even thought about praying and asking for the opportunity to acquire voice lessons, but God knew it was a desire of my heart. Although I’d been singing most of my life, it was by the “letter” method — open ’er up and let ‘er fly! The professor was in town for a limited time, so I approached him after a campmeeting service and asked if he would consider giving me voice lessons. He did not know me, but right there on the spot he answered, “Yes.“ I was totally elated with his immediate affirmative response.

 

At the conclusion of my vocal studies, Professor Garen L. Wolf confessed that when he told his wife he had agreed to give me (a complete stranger) voice lessons, she declared, “You don’t even know if she can sing!“ He responded, “The Lord told me to do it.“ As the tears welled up in my eyes, I knew I had experienced a musical miracle that only God could have orchestrated.

 

The Key: Love Jesus with all your being and He will give you the longings in your heart.

The story is told of a little girl who developed the bad habit of lying. On her birthday, she received a Saint Bernard puppy but told all of her friends she’d been given a lion. When her mother heard this story, she was not happy. “I told you not to lie. Honesty is very important. Now go upstairs and tell God you’re sorry. Promise Him you’ll never lie again.”

The little girl slowly climbed the stairs to her room, said her prayers, and then came back down to play. Her mother was waiting. “Well, did you tell God you’re sorry?” she asked. “Yes, I did,” her daughter quickly responded. “And God said that sometimes He thinks it’s hard to tell a Saint Bernard from a lion, too.”

If there is any sin more prevalent than the lie, I’m not sure what it is.  The book The Day America Told the Truth reports that 91 percent of those surveyed lie routinely about matters they consider trivial, and 36 percent lie about important matters; 86 percent lie regularly to parents, 75 percent to friends, 73 percent to siblings, and 69 percent to spouses.

As surprising as those numbers are, who of us hasn’t been guilty?  We download illegal songs.  Cheat on our tax returns.  Embellish our accomplishments.  Permanently “borrow” the stapler from the office. Tell our friends we will “pray for them” but don’t. And then… we justify. Not the way to make God happy. After all, He watched the downfall of man begin with lies.

Think about it.  Satan introduces himself to mankind by lying about God to Eve– “You shall not die.”  In other words, “God fibbed when He warned you of the consequence of eating from the tree of life.”  Eve and Adam learn quickly that God means business, as they are banished from the Garden of Eden one itty bitty bite later.

In the book of Job, Satan lies to God.  “The only reason Job obeys you is because you’re so good to him.”  At Jesus’ crucifixion, the same liar convinces the masses to support the Romans and religious zealots who have sabotaged Jesus’ ministry. In the book of Revelation, Satan embodies the antichrist who tells a lie so believable it brings about the end of the world.

As one author put it, in Genesis he uses a lie to corrupt a godly man.  In Job, he uses a lie to criticize a good man.  In the New Testament, he uses a lie to crucify the God Man. It’s no wonder John 4:4 warns us:  When men are deliberate liars, they prove their kinship to the devil, for Jesus said: “The devil … he is a liar, and the father of it.”

I know someone who lies to make himself feel important and then gets angry when confronted.  Repentance is not part of his vocabulary.  In fact, typically more lies follow in the cover-up.  I wish he could have the same outcome as the store manager who heard his rookie clerk tell a customer, “No, ma’am, we haven’t had any for a while, and it doesn’t look as if we’ll be getting any soon.” Horrified, the manager came running over to the customer and said, “Of course we’ll have some soon. We placed an order last week.” Then the manager drew the clerk aside. “Never,” he snarled, “Never, never, never say we’re out of anything- say we’ve got it on order and it’s coming. Now, what was it she wanted anyway?”

The clerk answered, “Rain!”

For many, deceit holds the key to money, fame, revenge or power. I’d rather hold the key to truth and integrity.

One will keep me in bondage.  The other will set me free.

 

 

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom

As a kid in the 1960s, I liked to watch the CBS game show “To Tell the Truth” where four celebrity panelists questioned three contestants. One contestant always spoke the truth about himself/herself and the other two pretended and lied. This was very interesting to me and I was often surprised at who the “real” person out of the three turned out to be. Some of them were super-good liars and pretenders and were able to trick the celebrities and the viewing audience. God knows my name and frame and He knows my heart. He’s the God of all truth. He knows more about me than I do. I scratch my head and smile in the fact that He knows everything about me and loves me anyway! He knows the real me.

 

I find consolation in this scripture: “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13,14 NKJV). Our heavenly Father has affection, mercy, and deep compassion for His children who revere and obey Him. He knows how we’re formed and all about our weaknesses and frustrations. He never gives up on us and is sympathetic to our difficulties. God’s not looking for perfect people, He’s looking for nonpretenders with perfect hearts.

 

Sometimes a vehicle ends up with a bent frame. An individual can also have a bent frame from all the hard knocks in life. But God knows what shape we’re in. And if we’re bent out of shape, He can restore it because God is in the business of restoration. He doesn’t throw any part away, He simply works it over and uses it for His glory. God isn’t generic; He’s specific and intentional and He knows what He’s doing. We can trust Him wholeheartedly because He’s proven mile after mile that His speedway record is unbeatable. If believers stay within their God-designated lane, we’ll never crash and burn.

 

A famous musician/entertainer owned a fleet of cars and, after he died in 1977, some of these cars were eventually showcased in Memphis. Although they were meticulously  clean, not one little dent or ding was repaired because each imperfection was proof of use and told a story. Real believers can be compared to these unique vehicles. We may have some cracks in the sidewalls and dents on the body, but we’re willing to be used in the service of Christ Jesus. But it’s sure not a job for sissies! And there’s no place for a U-turn when we’re barreling down the Interstate. Once we get headed in the right direction toward heaven,  what’s the sense of slowing down and turning back? In the song lyrics of Vestal Goodman, “I’m too near my heavenly home to turn back now!”

 

There’s no restoration job too big for God. He can fix a blown head gasket (mental issues) a misfiring cylinder (emotions), or rebuild an engine (physical needs). Just imagine seeing your vehicle up on the racks and, after a quick inspection by the most-qualified mechanic, he tells you, “She can’t be fixed, just tow ‘er to the junkyard.” God will never haul us away; He’ll always restore us if we’ll ask Him to do it. King David prayed, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You” (Psalm 51:12 NLT). This was the prayer of a nonperfect regenerated man desiring a holy heart. Repentant prayers and changed hearts lead to God’s restoration. Our heavenly Father knows the real us (with all our imperfections, dents, and dings) but He still wants to use us if we’re willing to be humble and honest servants for the Kingdom of God.

 

The Key: Will the real you please stand, be restored, and get back on the road again?!

Mattie Nelle Dixon, 98, former resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 1, 2022, at the Medicalodge in Frontenac, Kansas. She was born in Pittsburg, Kansas on February 14, 1924, to John W. Gier and Mattie (Winterbower) Gier.

She married Floyd J. Dixon, Jr. on September 21, 1941. He preceded her in death May 9, 1988.

 

Mattie attended Sunrise School and graduated from Hepler High School. She was a member of Hiattville United Methodist Church, Emera Chapter #427 of Hepler, Kansas, and Ideal Chapter #369 of Hiattville, Kansas Order of the Eastern Star, and served as organist for many years.

 

She worked as a shipyard welder during World War II, and returning to a farm in the Hiattville area, she worked several years at the O’Bryan Ranch.

She also worked at Dr.’s Basham – McKenna Clinic, and retired from Fort Scott Family Physicians in December of 1989.

 

Caring for her were nieces Judy Smith, Fort Scott, Dorothy Kurth, Carrollton, Missouri, and Cleo Hilstand, Larned, Kansas. Other survivors are nephews and a niece.

Preceding her in death were her parents, half-sisters, and a half-brother, and her husband Floyd.

 

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at the Walnut Cemetery, in Walnut, Kansas, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hiattville United Methodist Church, and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.