Ages ago, before computers/Google, Dave and I were invited to a party, and “business casual” was the expected attire.  We disagreed on what that looked like.  Hubby leaned more toward the “casual” side.  You know, shorts suitable for a beach party and a tee-shirt with three dolphins in a mid-air leap on the front pocket.  I leaned toward the “business” side: an ankle-length skirt with a really cool jacket atop a lovely V-necked, linen shirt.  We looked like a blind date gone wrong.

“Dave, this isn’t a barbecue at someone’s pool.  We are going to a party in a hotel.”

“Well, Patty, the Marriott is not the Taj Mahal.  You look like you are heading to a wedding.  Or maybe a funeral.”

We both changed clothes.  This time, Dave apparently was going to a job interview for a Fortune 500 company. He could have doubled as a plastic groom on a wedding cake. He told me that I was confusing a rodeo with a classy affair.  (Hubby had no idea how chic cowgirl boots could be.)  Clearly, neither of us had any idea what “business casual” meant.

And neither did anyone at the party.  Men’s attire ranged from suits and ties to—you guessed it—a shirt with dolphins adorning the breast pocket, while women’s clothing ran the gamut from a glittered, semi-formal dress to short-shorts and a lacy tank top.  There were no two people on the same apparel page.

Blame the host and hostess for using words that remain undefined.       Or blame all of us guests for failing to ask what, exactly, “business casual” meant.  But that’s human nature, isn’t it?  We don’t want to appear ignorant, so we fail to ask…which, of course, magnifies our ignorance.

How many times have I done that?  Too many to count.  Especially when it comes to asking God for advice.  After all, I can do it myself…figure it out…solve the problem.  Why bother Him with my piddly little issues?  Why?  Because He tells me to. In the New Testament, we read that Paul spent the years after his conversion to Christianity, relying on God for help.

We are to continually pray in all kinds of situations (Eph 6:18).  From healing our diseases to being given opportunities to disciple someone, to finding a parking spot, to having the willpower to say no to that chocolate-glazed donut, God wants us to bring our needs and desires to Him.  All of them.

Recently, I read about a little girl named Riley whose dad worked for the Christian organization Focus.  Sometimes he would share his youngster’s creative prayers…like this one: “Dear God.  I am amazed at something.  You are truly God.  Heaven is so big, which means it must be heavy—and yet it can hang so high up in the sky above the clouds.  How do you do that?  OK.  I was just wondering.  Amen.”

I have to think that God loved such a heart-felt prayer and the young girl’s desire to take all of her questions to Him. In Luke 18:17, we read that Jesus wants us to learn from children like Riley: Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.                                                                                                                                                     

Our problem isn’t that we can’t get an answer; our problem is that we don’t ask.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

One of my favorite things to do is shop at thrift stores. This is tremendous fun for me because I never know what unique secondhand treasure I’ll find. My friend Misty gave
me a framed wall hanging with a quote from J.S. Bach that reads: “Music hath no end other than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul.” Very well said, and this lovely gift was purchased at a flea market.

Both my son-in-law Levi and I like the movie, “Secondhand Lions.” The plot is about a 14-year-old boy who is sent to live with his eccentric and reclusive great uncles on a ramshackle farm in Texas. The bachelor uncles order a lion for a wild game hunt on their
farm. But when the “king of the jungle” was delivered and unloaded, all they had for their money was an old worn-out retired circus lioness, so she was turned over to the boy as a
pet. He loved her, even though the secondhand lioness had seen better days.

Toward the end of the movie, the two aging uncles considered themselves just “a couple of has- beens“ right along with the lioness.

There’s nothing secondhand about God. “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning”

(Lamentations 3:22,23 NLT). While I sleep, His loving goodness is restocked and available when my feet hit the floor in the morning. Believers know their heavenly Father firsthand and understand that there‘s always new hope for a breakthrough every day.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV).

Even when we’re in the valley we can be thankful to God.
Why? Because we aren’t without His spiritual blessings that are freely given to us

My pastor says, “There’s no free rides, just free gifts.” God invites us to receive His unfailing love, mercies, hope, faithfulness, peace, and joy. Even if we fail and miss the mark, the mercies and forgiveness of God never cease and that is proof of His trustworthiness.

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy…” (Psalm 33:18 NKJV). God sees, knows, and cares about all who revere and obey Him.

In Genesis Chapter 16, Hagar ran away to the wilderness because Sarai was treating her so harshly. But God found her and spoke to her. Hagar was the only person to give God the Hebrew name “El-roi” which means “the God who sees me.“

You may feel like nobody knows the trouble you’ve seen, but that’s not true. El-roi knows everything you’re going through and He is “at the ready” with new mercies every morning.

Whatever you need, God has it because He’s not short-handed in any way, shape, or form.

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened at all, that it cannot save nor His ear dull with deafness that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1 AMP).

God is not about to wear out, retire, give up on you, or throw His hands up and walk away. He is seated on His throne
with the King of the Universe beside Him.

“[Jesus] who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand — with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to Him” (1 Peter 3:22 NIV). God has always been, and always will be, faithful in His love and mercies.

The Key: Our firsthand experience with God proves that His mercies never wear out.

My college sorority sisters and I are organizing our annual reunion, our time to catch up on each other’s’ lives.  It is not going well.  Diana lives in Tulsa.  Keller lives in Indianapolis.  Dizzy lives in Florida.  Colleen and Cathy live in K.C.  And I live in Fort Scott. 

 Where we live is only part of the problem.  Diana is wheel-chair bound since taking prescribed medicine that caused her muscles to atrophy.  Keller fell through ice last winter while helping a neighbor, and the pins, plates and screws holding her foot together keep her in constant pain.  Dizzy has medical issues and lives on a fixed income.  Colleen’s husband retired and they have planned many trips–granted, a “problem” we all would like to have.  Cathy owns a company that suffered with COVID, so recovering has made it hard for her to take time off.  I just do as I am told.  (Um-hmmm…)                                                                                                                  

Our texting correspondence to pick viable dates shows the difficulty we are having. After   dozens of “I’m watching my grandkids then,” or “Flights are too expensive on those dates,” or “I have glaucoma surgery scheduled that week,” or “If we meet up at my house, I’ll send my husband to stay with one of the kids but I have to know soon,” or “What if we take two trips, one to Keller’s and one to Diana’s and stay only three days at each place?” or “Why isn’t Cathy responding to these texts?” or…you get the point.                                                                       

Planning our annual reunion always is difficult because just as soon as we think we agree on the dates, one of the girls has a change in her plans, and we start over. Still, we keep at it because we know that memories will be made and friendships solidified. Plus, there will be stories to share with anyone who’s interested (typically, no one) when we return home.                         

Mark 9:2-9 speaks to a special reunion, one which blows away our girls’ trips. Jesus invited his best friends, Peter, James and John, to join him for a mountaintop getaway.  With no warning, they were joined by Elijah (deceased for 900 years) and Moses (deceased for around 1600 years).  The excitable, terrified Peter did what he always does: chatter.  Why, they could make three tents and camp out there. How fun!                                                                            

God, speaking from a cloud, silenced Peter.  “This is my beloved son; listen to him.” (In other words, “Zip it, Peter!”) And with that, Elijah and Moses disappeared.                                            

Can you imagine what that must have been like? Did James and John rip Peter’s head off for causing this momentous reunion to end far too soon?  Or did that not matter because Jesus’ friends were so eager to share with their family and friends what they had just witnessed, albeit for only a short time?                                                                                                              

I imagine they were beside themselves to blab, but as they descended the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen “until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”  WHAT?  Who could possibly keep that event to him/herself? Surely part of the thrill was reliving it, right?  I would be a crazy woman if I couldn’t tell my best friends what I had just witnessed (which, if the cliché “Three people can keep a secret only when two are dead” is true, this story would be passed on to everyone I knew before the day was over).                                          

The best thing about the reunion God is planning for us is that we don’t have to pick the dates or the place or who joins us. That is all determined once we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.  Should we die before Jesus returns, our last breath here on earth will be on first one in Heaven.  Talk about a reunion! There won’t be anything we can’t share.                             

Personally, that makes me very happy.                                               

 

Keys to the Kingdom

 

Around third or fourth grade, I was watching my Dad push mow the yard. I thought it looked like fun so I asked him if I could give it a try. He gave me some instructions and away I went. That was the beginning of my fun affair with a lawn mower. Fast forward to 2020, we purchased a 60” zero-turn Bad Boy mower. The only instructions the salesman gave me was, “Make sure it’s on full throttle when you engage the blades.” In fact, all the mowing, from start to finish is accomplished at full power — the speed of the mower varies, but the power of the engine is full on.

 

The definition of “full throttle” is holding nothing back, with great intensity, full speed, as much speed and energy as possible, the maximum setting on an engine, an all-out effort. That’s a pretty good definition of a true Christ follower. I’m not referring to burning the candle at both ends or running on fumes. We need to make sure we’re not overworked and under-joyed as we give God everything we’ve got. Crashing and burning accomplishes absolutely nothing for the Kingdom of God. But it does give the onlookers something to talk about. The goal is to love God and others and do His will in a balanced “all or nothing” lifestyle.

 

Believers can’t cut the grass or the mustard if we’re not living at full throttle for God. A compromising Christian who has one foot in the world and one foot in God’s Kingdom  is simply going to bog down and wimp out. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10 NLT). Because Jesus left the splendor of heaven, died on Calvary’s cross and rose triumphantly for us to have an abundant life through Him, the least we can do is give Him our all. Believers should be prepared to roll up their sleeves in their service for Christ. Let’s determine to be a powerhouse for God, not a playhouse.

 

God never cuts corners and Christians shouldn’t either. “Whatever you are doing, let your hearts be in your work, as a thing done for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23 WNT). God wants us to joyfully serve Him with our whole hearts; He’s not pleased with half-hearted effort. To half obey is to disobey. A yard that’s half mown still looks tacky. I think the following motto is superb: “Do your best and God will do the rest.” The Great God Jehovah won’t do what you can do, but He will sure do what you can’t do.

 

Before I hop on the mower, I always check the fuel gauge. Believers need to do a fuel check every day. Spending time with God, reading His Word, and communing with Him in prayer is what fills our spiritual gas tank which then enables us to do whatever comes our way that day. “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Philippians 4:13 AMP). This amazing strength is inside believers and goes to work when the task before us is difficult. The time spent in filling the tank is never wasted because it enables us to reach way down within ourselves when the mowing gets tough. When life hands you an acre of tall grass, just mow at a slower speed, keep it at full throttle, and don’t stop until it’s finished.

The Key: Stay at full throttle, do your best, and you’ll finish your task.

My husband’s mother, Phyllis, worked for decades as the office manager of a car dealership.  Buyers dealt with her when they purchased a vehicle.  One day, a man sat down at Phyllis’s desk to finalize the details of his purchase.  Phyllis noted that his last name was “LaRoche.”

“LaRoche?  Seems like I’ve heard that name before,” she chuckled.

“Do you follow baseball?” he answered.

“I do.”

“Well then, that’s probably it.  My brother Dave is a pitcher for the Angels.”

Dave’s mom started laughing.  “You could have fooled me.  I’m Phyllis LaRoche.  I’m Dave’s mother.”

Some people will do anything to be recognized or valued, a theme repeated in my upcoming book.  If you’ve ever stretched the truth to appear qualified, needed, or superior, you know what this is like.

In the New Testament, we read that Barnabas had sold his property and presented the disciples with the money he made from the sale.  We can imagine the accolades and high-fives given to Barnabas for his generosity.

The married couple Ananias and Sapphira wanted in on the praise.  They too sold their land but kept back some of the profit for themselves.  There’s nothing wrong with that, except they lied to the disciples and said that they gave it all, a lie that cost them their lives.

God doesn’t want big-shots; He wants people of humility.  In The Best of Lee Strobel’s “Investigating Faith,” he writes this: “Humility involves an appropriate acknowledgment and realistic assessment of oneself. If you’re a skilled piano player, you don’t say, ‘I’m no good on the piano.’ That’s being out of touch with reality. On the other hand, the pianist should recognize that this talent is a gift he’s received from God.”

“John,” an American atheist who owned at our condominium complex in Mexico, showed up one year with long hair and a story about how he, in a few months, would lead an orchestra in his hometown in the United States.  Impressive, right?  Everyone was talking about his conductor opportunity.  I ran into John one day and congratulated him on being selected for his upcoming debut.  He began demonstrating his “a-one-and-a-two-and-a” pretend-baton movement while shaking his long hair from side to side.  He definitely was into his new role.

A few days later, his wife and I were chatting.  I asked if she was impressed that her husband had been chosen to conduct an orchestra.  She seemed surprised.  “He wasn’t chosen.  He won it in an auction.  He just outbid the other bidders.”  A small detail John failed to share.

One of my favorite quotes on humility comes from Pastor Rick Warren.  “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less…”  No one knew this better than Jesus.  After Jesus fasted for 40 days, Satan appeared to him and gave him three chances to exalt himself: change stones into bread so he could eat; throw himself down from a high building and be saved by his angels; or worship him (Satan) and be given all the world’s kingdoms.

Jesus wasn’t about to do any of those things.  His purpose was to show others the way to Heaven, not to call attention to himself.  One demonstrates humility, the other, pride.

Dear Lord, let me remember that in everything I say and do.

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

My six-year-old granddaughter came to spend two days and a night with me. Prior to her arrival, Felicity had made a lovely card for me. My grandma name is “Mammy,” so here’s what she wrote with her pink ink pen on the outside of the card:  “I love you Mamee.”  The inside message was: “I love you Mamee. I will love you no madr wut. I love evreebudee in the hol intiure wrld. Frum Felicity.” I was astounded that this young child  had actually written the main theme of the Bible in her simple handmade card.

 

In 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, we’re told that the more excellent way to live is by practicing a life of love. In regard to the spiritual gifts of faith, hope, and love, God tells us that the greatest of these is love. Felicity wrote that she would love me no matter what. That means she would love me even when she is required to put away the toys, try new food, and obey instructions. Love is not a feeling; it’s our attitude and actions. In childlike faith, my granddaughter expressed that she will love not only those who love her, but everybody in the whole entire world. That reminds me of John 3:16.

 

If I had to name one earthly person in the whole entire Bible that best expressed his love for Jesus, I would choose John.  This disciple authored the fourth New Testament Gospel, three Johns, and the book of Revelation. We often refer to him as John the Revelator. But as the writer of the Gospel of John, he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.“ Jesus loved everyone in the whole entire world, but not everyone totally grasped that concept. But John clearly accepted Jesus’ love for him personally. “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23 NKJV). Feeling confident in the Savior’s love, John was completely at ease resting his head on Jesus’ chest while at the table of fellowship. He was not afraid to demonstrate solid devotion for his Messiah, Master, and Lord. John recognized that Jesus was real love in human form and that He could be fully trusted in all things.

 

Believers have the ability to love one another because the Holy Spirit lives inside us and helps us to do the right thing. By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John was certainly qualified to write about love. He had experienced it, seen it in action on the cross, and practiced it. “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion — how can God’s love be in that person?” (1 John 3:16,17 NLT). Jesus is our source and motivation to practice loving others. His atoning sacrifice calls us to perpetual responsibility to actively love others. When we claim to be Christians, we are beholden to live like Christ.

 

Love is God’s idea, so it’s a big deal to Him. We learn the importance of love all the way from Genesis to Revelation. God said, “I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love Me and obey My commands” (Exodus 20:6 NLT). In the last book of the Bible, God is still talking about love. John the Beloved pens, “Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]” (Revelation 3:19 AMP).

 

The Key: Love God and evree budee no madr wut.

Scripture instructs us to pray.  Loved ones ask for it, depend on it, and trust we will follow through when we promise to intercede for those who are hurting.  Oh, we try (don’t we?), but there’s this haunting, little inadequacy thing. The words are fleeting.  Our mind wanders. We don’t begin to understand to Whom it is we are talking.

In A Morbid Taste for Bones, Ellis Peters gives a sweet description of someone she watched who was deep in prayer: “He prayed as he breathed, forming no words and making no specific requests, only holding in his heart, like broken birds in cupped hands, all those people who were in stress or grief.”

Do you picture that as I do, with a sense of awe, and know that this is the type of intercessor you want in your corner?  Or the kind of prayer warrior you want to be but perhaps are not delivering? You question the usefulness of your petitions. “What’s the point? The last sick people for whom I prayed have not improved, even though I visualized the miracle.”  “The marriage for which I prayed ended in a split, in spite of how I was praying in God’s will—He who disdains divorce.”  “The drug-addicted son for whom I grieved ended up in the penitentiary.”  Have you been there?

So, why are my prayers ineffective?

We forget that bad things happen to good people, our prayers are not a magic bullet, and to God, our spiritual growth is more important than our physical desires being met. Just as a sailor does not learn to master the sea during calm waters, so is our faith tested during the difficult times.  More importantly, we simply can’t see God’s purposes.

Someone once wrote that God offers three answers to prayer: (1) Yes, (2) No, and (3) I have something better for you.

As it turns out, I personally have some ownership in the battle of prayer.

(1). There has to be a relationship between God and me.  He is not interested in being my bottled genie when the only time I talk to Him is when I want something. Think of your children.  If they have no regard for you except when they want you to meet their demands, you would feel used, not respected or loved. So it is with God.

(2). Sin interferes with our relationship. Psalm 66:18 makes that clear. “If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”  Sin seeks to control us, and yes, we all are sinners, but if we make no attempt to stop sinning and cling to it like shrink-wrap on a jar (or like my waist when I was younger and tried to lose weight), we will not be seeking God with our whole heart.

(3).  Selfish motives can kill a prayer.  I can ask God all day long to make me a better witness for Jesus, but if my hidden intent is to get notoriety or praise for doing so, God isn’t interested.

4).  Unforgiveness is not the way to get God into our court.  Mark 11:25 tells us that God will not forgive me unless I forgive someone who has offended me.

James 5:16 is a powerful verse: “The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power.”  You want power in your prayers?  I do.  Then our petitions need to be “effective,” meaning God will hear—and act on—those prayers. A few verses previous, James asked if anyone was suffering.  “Let him pray.”  That was the same answer given to anyone uncheerful or sick or sinning.  They all were to pray.  Why?  Because prayer works. And it works not because of us…but because of God Almighty.

Martin Luther said it well: “To be a Christian without praying is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.  I think that’s the kind of prayer Ellis Peters was talking about.

 

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Hayward Tucker

I didn’t understand much about the He-Man Woman-Haters Club. All I really remember is that The Little Rascals got into a lot of mischief and they had a cute dog named Petey. Spanky was the ring leader, Alfalfa had awful hair and vocal ability, and Buckwheat’s smile was adorable. These are the boys I remember best, although there were several others. Their neighborhood exclusive boys club was against girls and Valentine’s Day.

Being excluded doesn’t promote acceptance or positive emotions, but being included lets us know we’re loved, valued, and appreciated. Before the foundation of the world was laid, God the Father decided that anyone who loved His Son would be loved and accepted by Him as His child. God decided He would adopt all those who believed in and accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV). If you’ve ever memorized Bible verses, this is probably one you’ve committed to memory. This scripture is the gospel in a nutshell. God loved everyone, so He sent His Son to save them. Salvation is not an exclusive offer, but rather all-inclusive.

When Jesus was born, the angel told the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid!“ he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to ALL people” (Luke 2:10 NLT). This super-good news was all-inclusive. The word “all” is used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group. All means everybody. “For God shows no partiality [undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another] (Romans 2:11 AMP). Salvation is offered through Jesus Christ for the good, the bad, and the ugly. No one is ever too bad or too-far gone to come to Jesus. No matter what you’ve done or haven‘t done, His blood washes away every sin stain to make you white as snow. All means all. “He [Jesus] is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name” (Acts 10:43 NLT).

When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord, Simeon was there. He took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as You have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for ALL people. He is a light to reveal God…” (Luke 2:29-32 NLT). All people means Jews and Gentiles. God’s mercy is available to ALL, but not all will accept it. His mercy and forgiveness is all-inclusive, but all people have a freewill to accept Jesus or reject Him.

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. For it is my Father’s will that ALL who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life” (John 6:35,40 NLT). God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in cahoots together so ALL who believe in the Son will have an abundant life now and eternal life later. There are no restrictions, rules, or regulations required to walk through the open gospel door. The good news is for ALL who choose to believe and receive Jesus as Savior. “…Contrary to man’s perspective, the Lord is not late with His promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, His ’delay’ simply reveals His loving patience toward you, because He does not want any to perish but ALL to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 TPT).

The Key: All can smile like Buckwheat because of the all-inclusive invitation to be part of God’s family.

Happy Father’s Day!

Last week, Dave and I met with our Mexico banker, “Eduardo.” He is a wonderful, Christian man who, like Dave, loves sports and shared what recently happened at his six-year-old’s basketball game.  The opponent accidentally hit his son “Jose” in the face, so his son punched his competitor in the back.

Intentionally.  Jose’s dad left his seat and met his son on the bench where the coach was addressing the young boy’s bad attitude.  Eduardo thanked the coach for disciplining his son and said that if his son was a poor sport again, he wanted him out of the game completely.

On the ride home, Dad and Son had a meeting about not playing with dignity.  Eduardo led Jose in a prayer that night…and again the next morning when he dropped his son off at school.  When Eduardo shared the incident with his wife, she reminded him of a story he had told her when they were dating.  He, as his baseball team’s catcher, pinned his opponent up against a wall after his teammate on third base screamed at the other dugout.  Eduardo’s close friend was on the other team and asked why he was so upset.  He was “defending his teammate,” he said, because the opponent “must have said something derogatory.”

Eduardo’s friend started laughing and explained that the teammate had gotten worked up when the competition referred to them as “ponis” instead of caballos (“horses”), their official mascot. A molehill had been turned into a mountain, and Eduardo was publicly embarrassed by his actions.  He wanted to make sure his son did not follow in his footsteps.

We were proud of our banker for the way he handled his son and told him so. After all, it seems there is a shortage of great fathers today, but other than teaching a child right from wrong, what makes a great father?  For one, he is present.

In my upcoming book, A Little Faith Lift, I cite the 2021 National Fatherhood Initiative, “The Statistics Don’t Lie: Fathers Matter.” Over 40 percent of all U.S. births are to single moms (compared to less than 5 percent in 1950), and each year 180,000 guys become teen dads. That equates to more than 1.5 million babies born into unmarried households, with only 20 percent of teen fathers marrying the baby’s mother. Unfortunately, approximately eight of ten teen fathers will end up flying the paternal coop, with most children born to teen dads never knowing their fathers. No surprises there. Most of these “dads” themselves grew up in a fatherless household.

What kind of a dad deserts his children and cares not that their needs are met?  If the dad is absent, the burden on the mother is enormous. My father died when I was eight-months-old.  I had a brother one year older than me, and my mother was pregnant when Dad died.  Mom spent her entire life selflessly dedicated to our upbringing and somehow kept us all walking the straight-and-narrow (well, except for me, but let’s not go there right now).  My brothers and I never felt abandoned by our dad.  Big difference from those who question their worth when their fathers intentionally jump off the family ship.

Scripture assumes a dad who is present.

Luke 11:11 refers to a father’s kind heart: Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?  Ephesians 6:4 reminds the dad of his role in raising his children: Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 

The Bible is not short on stories of inadequate fathers: Lot, Isaac, Jacob, Eli, Samuel, King David, Eli the High Priest, and let’s not even count the inept kings who fathered inept sons. But there is one Father who never fails, and that is God.

Zephaniah 3:17 addresses how watched over we are: The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Fathers, on this day celebrating you, I pray that you do the same for your children as God does for you.  Be present.

 

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom

 

On a warm summer’s day, my brother Randy, his girlfriend Corda, and I headed to the Stockton Sac River for a fun swim. This was around 1965 BD (before the dam) and our  transportation was an old pickup with a standard transmission. Randy knew how to drive a standard, but he wasn’t much of an expert on the treacherous and rocky uphill road. When we were halfway up the steep incline, he killed the engine.  He proceeded to put one foot on the clutch and one on the brake, and desperately needed another one for the accelerator. We were in a bit of a pickle because he needed three feet and only had two.  The last thing he wanted to do was roll harum-scarum backwards into a tree. Since Corda was sitting in the middle, he coaxed her into loaning her left foot for the gas pedal. All’s well that ends well.  All I cared about was playing in the water.

 

Jesus knew that, in and of ourselves, we would not be enough without the Holy Spirit‘s help. His close disciples loved Him, needed Him, and depended on Him. Because of the depth of Jesus’ love for His followers, He left no stone unturned. “But now I am going to Him Who sent Me, yet none of you asked Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]” (John 16:5-7 AMP).

 

When Jesus said, “I will send Him to you,” that’s a promise believers can trust in and act upon. When you need more than what you’ve got, the Holy Spirit is there inside you to help you. There’s more to a believer’s life than what meets the eye. Usually, it’s the invisible things that we need the most. When you need more guts, strength, understanding, and self-control than you’ve got, merely ask for the Spirit‘s help.

 

Simply put, God’s Word is either true or it’s not. We’re either Christians or we’re doubting imposters. Personally, whatever the Bible says is my opinion. I choose to believe that Jesus was not a liar when He said, “It is to your advantage that I go away….”  We now have hope and help by the power of the ever-present Holy Spirit. Again, Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit…” (John 14:16,17 NLT). Since the Spirit lives in believers, we are never alone and have what we need when we need it. You might say that we’re to take advantage of our advantage.

 

When I was young, I said to Dad, “It would have been so wonderful to be with Jesus!” His response was, “It’s better now because Jesus couldn’t be everywhere with everyone at the same time, but the Holy Spirit can.” I’ve lived many years since that meaningful conversation and I can testify that when I’m not enough, the Holy Spirit comes to my aid and makes me enough. The following scripture has an asterisk, is underlined and highlighted in my late husband’s Bible: “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NLT).

 

The Key: Partnering with the Holy Spirit is enough to make the uphill climb.

 

Keys to the Kingdom

My Mom had planned to name my older brother, “Robert Randall,” and then call him “Bobby.”  Well, the delivery room in 1947 was a lot different from today‘s hospital. The birthing process was what we now call, “knock ’em out and drag ‘em out.”  Shortly after the baby was born, the nurse asked Mom for his name so she could complete the necessary forms. Mom was so discombobulated that she replied, “Randall Robert” which was exactly backwards. When she read the birth certificate information later in her room, she realized the name wasn’t right. However, she didn’t want to be a bother, so she just let it go. Therefore, she had to switch her preference and call her newborn “Randy.” This is one of the most bizarre family stories I’ve ever heard! My brother lived his entire life being called the wrong name because our mother was such a sweet and peace-loving lady.

 

The name parents choose for their child is important because names have meanings. God made sure that the Son of God would have the most-appropriate name, so He gave these specific instructions to Mary through the angel Gabriel: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:31,32 NLT).

 

When Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married, while still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. As Joseph considered breaking the engagement, 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 (meaning The Lord saves)…“ (Matthew 1:20,21 NLT). Both Mary and Joseph were separately told by angels that this child was to be given the name of Jesus. There was to be no confusion, mistakes, guessing, or doubts that the Messiah’s name was to be Jesus.

 

Salvation through Christ alone is one of the main themes of the New Testament. “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NLT). Jesus is the only way to God, salvation, and eternal life. In the book of Acts, the apostles were busy loving and helping people by using the name of Jesus to pray for them.

 

There are many other titles in the Bible that are given to Jesus. Here are just a few KJV references: Advocate (1 John 2:1), Author and Finisher of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2), Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4), First and Last (Revelation 1:17), Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22), Light of the World (John 8:12), Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), Truth (John 1:14).

 

Jesus’ name is so powerful, He instructs believers to pray to the Father in His name. “You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13,14 NLT).  Jesus gave believers the “Power of Attorney” to use His name for every situation we will ever face.

 

The Key: Don’t answer any questions while coming out from under anesthesia.

I wish I would have known when I was younger several things I now realize:

1. Praying daily at a set time for a set number of minutes is a wonderful discipline, but it doesn’t compare to communing with God throughout the entire day.
2. Something heart-changing happens when I read the Bible. I can’t explain it, and even if I’m slugging through Leviticus, I still close that book knowing I am nearer to the One who orchestrated its writings than I was when I first opened its pages.
3. Everyone I meet is an encounter with Jesus. This past week, I drove by a young, emaciated woman. Convicted by her desperate state, I did a U-turn and drove up next to her.  Holding out some pesos for her, I was stunned by how she stared at me through hollow eyes that barely opened; she had no idea what I was trying to give her.  When her mood switched from confused to angry, my idea of taking her back to our condo to offer her a shower and a meal suddenly seemed like a less-than-brilliant plan.  She took the money, but as I pulled away, I couldn’t help but ask what Jesus would have done.
4. My example is far more important than my words.  Showing people I love them trumps any language I use to express that love.
5. God cares about details. He is every “coincidence” in my life. When I forget my umbrella and return to the house only to find I left the oven on, I now credit Him with the reminder that even my forgetfulness can be used for my benefit.
6. The fact that I am breathing and my fingers are able to type this article are all because of God’s provisions.
7. I never should take my husband or my children or my friends for granted, and I never should stop being open to meeting new friends.
8. Disciplining a grandchild might be my least favorite thing to do in the whole world.
9. Life is not fair, and I’m grateful it’s not.
10. My aches and pains remind me that this is a fallen world, and sometimes—not often– Ibuprofen can be my friend.
11. Sweaty, manual labor is a really, really good thing.
12. When Dave says “I love you,” I am blessed.
13. No matter what anyone says, there’s no magic formula to make wrinkles disappear. I’m sort of glad about that.
14. It’s okay if I like crab and my best friend gags on it. Best friends celebrate their differences.
15. Some days, I just look up and say, “Thank you, God, for making that happen.”

I need to do it every day…probably every hour.