The Time

“While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7

God never wastes our tears, trials or triumphs. The guiding hand of His perfect purpose is always at work. When you cannot see His hand, trust His word. The Father’s loving direction, protection and correction are often seen clearly through your rear-view mirror, never through your crystal ball.

“While they were there” is a phrase that marks the junction between The Providence of God and man’s obedience to God. These words remind me of a great Oswald Chambers quote.

“Wherever the providence of God may dump us down, in a slum, in a shop, in the desert, we have to labour along the line of His direction. Never allow this thought—“I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly can be of no use where you are not! Wherever He has engineered your circumstances, pray.”

Mary and Joseph’s lives were in the hands of God, but persistent, personal, private prayer kept their hearts tender to His touch. Prayer brings a perspective to pain and privation that only God’s Spirit can provide. Like salve to your soul, prayer keeps your heart from being hardened and stiffened by the process of being conformed to God’s will. Remember! Blessed are the flexible.

The hardships the earthly parent’s of Jesus experienced by relocating to Bethlehem were not orchestrated by God to inconvenience them, or to test them. They had already been tested. Now Mary and Joseph were being trusted. Big difference.

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:4-6

“When the fullness of the time” may be one of the most poetic uses of language ever to roll off the tongue of man. It is certainly one of the most powerful expressions of the mind of God.

God, The Creator, refuses to be rushed, bullied or panicked into conforming His will to any man-made schedule. As hard as it is to accept, The Father intends to conform His children to His will, not their own. Believe it. Mary and Joseph did, and the world is a better place because they did.

Pax Romana describes the world in which Jesus was born. Under Roman rule, the seas were swept clear of pirates. The Roman roads were guarded and safe to travel. A common language united the nations of the world. Throughout the empire there was a spiritual bankruptcy that created a vacuum in the hearts of people that only Jesus could fill.

When Paul wrote to the Church of Galatia, PAX ROMANA provided the setting in which The Gospel could be spread around the world. Long before the world wide web, God had prepared the way to spread His story of redemption.

In spite of the upside, there was a downside to “The fullness of the time.” Millions of people were enslaved. Nations had been either obliterated or absorbed under the iron fist of Rome. Life was cheap, and evil was abundant. From the perspective of God’s prophetic Word, everything was right on schedule. Hard to believe, but true.

God’s sending of His son to be born of a virgin had been prophesied long before it happened in Bethlehem. Still, it took an obscure, praying couple to be in the right place at the right time to usher onto the scene of human history, Jesus, The Redeemer.

Unnoticed by those in power in Rome, the cry of a baby in a Bethlehem manger was heard in Heaven. His tiny voice was the forerunner of the cries of billions who would be redeemed. Adopted into the family of God and given the right to be called sons, they would cry out to God by His Spirit, “Abba! Father!”

NOTE TO SELF: Where are you? If God seems far away, guess who moved? Pray your way back to that place where you once heard His voice and obeyed Him the first time you heard it. Being right with God means being in touch with Him right where you are. “While they were there,” Mary and Joseph met God. You will too.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.”
Oswald Chambers

The Census

“This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.” Luke 2:2-5

There is a lot going on in this brief passage of Scripture. Two thousand years ago, Syria was in the news, and taxes were being exacted from overburdened people. Some things never change.

As “The Christmas Story” in the Gospel of Luke unfolds, the known world was gripped in the iron claws of Pax Romana. The lives of ordinary people were thrown into chaos at the whim of Augustus, the powerful emperor in Rome. His main concern for counting his conquered people was to exact tribute from them, not to express concern for them.

With so much at stake, it just doesn’t make sense for God to allow a tyrant to demand that a woman travel cross-country in her ninth month of pregnancy. In spite of this senseless census, God was at work. Never forget. He always is.

The Governor of Syria was following orders from Caesar Augustus, again, not to count heads, but to collect taxes. Syria and Christianity have a long history. Believers of Jesus Christ would first be called Christians in Syria. Until 2015 this ancient land would be home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Long before ISIS there have been forces of darkness who have sought to snuff out The Light.

God often wraps up some of His greatest gifts in the strangest packages, and He ties them up with the scariest ribbon. The census must have seemed senseless to Mary and Joseph. They were not alone. People all over the world were being forced from the meager comfort of their homes, and ordered to return to the location of their ancestral roots.

From my perspective, returning to my roots would require me to return to the land of the French Huguenots who came to America in the early 1700’s.  To be clear, Mary and Joseph weren’t humming, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” They were on a dangerous trip and the life of their unborn child was at risk

In spite of all outward appearances, God was unfolding His redemptive plan and making sense out of the senseless. Bethlehem, The City of David, was the ancestral home of the poet -warrior King of Israel. Though a humble carpenter, Joseph could trace his roots to the threshold of royalty.

The city fathers of Bethlehem would offer no welcome mat for the weary couple, but God had them exactly where He wanted them to be.  The birth of Jesus would take place in this little town, unnoticed by men, but protected by angels. Being where God wants you to be is always the safest place in the world.

NOTE TO SELF: When The Census of life does not make sense to you, step back, kneel down and pray.  Prayer, not panic, provides God’s Spirit the elbowroom He wants to have in you to complete what He is doing for you.  In time, prayer will make sense out of the senseless.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Honor

"Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

The Word of God equates honoring God with a spirit of giving. God honoring giving elevates His name, not yours. Donors who put their name on a brick, a building or benevolent act may gain credit in the eyes of man, but it doesn't always give glory to God.

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is one of my favorite movies. It depicts a collection of fools racing to find treasure buried at the base of "The Big W." I won't ruin it for you. The plot is filled with laughs, but it also has a moral to the story. Chasing after "The Big W" reveals a streak of greed hidden the hearts of people from all walks of life. This never ends well.

In a consumer culture wealth becomes "The Big W." American Christians racing for more wealth find out it is a speed trap. The need for speed leads to greed, and those who win the rat race end up feeling like a rat, hoarding everything they get and rummaging around for more.

When I was in seminary, circa 1978, Dr. Oscar Thompson quoted from a survey conducted by a national news magazine. After interviewing the economic ambitions of American citizens with annual incomes ranging from $15,000 to $150,000, they discovered a common denominator. The interviewer asked, "How much more do you need to be satisfied?" The responses varied, but the average amount came close to 10%. In other words, no matter how much they made, everyone needed just a little bit more.

My wife and I have been tithers our entire married life. This means we set a base of 10% of our weekly income to give to the local church we attend. Any gifts to other ministry groups or missionaries have always been given over and above that 10%.

Some believe tithing is an Old Testament law and no longer holds any meaning for those who live under grace. Jesus affirmed three signs of righteousness in The Sermon on The Mount, giving, praying and fasting. Apparently He thought giving was worth mentioning.

For us, the tithe has been proven over and over again, as a sign of God's faithfulness to us, not our generosity to Him. We have learned we can't out give God. We shovel out.He shovels in, and His shovel is bigger than ours.

I have been a part of discussions on giving for half a century. Some things never change. People are always looking for ways to lower the bar of their giving rather than to raise it to the next level. Dr. McGorman, my New Testament professor, settled the issue for me when he said, "Jesus did not die by fractions on the cross." Since that day, when it comes to giving I have always rounded the amount up, not down.

In 1978 Dana and I were audited by the IRS. Our gross annual income was $17,500. We were terrified. We had just moved to Oklahoma to begin a new ministry, and had no idea what the impact of this audit would be on our future. It turned out that our giving to our church raised a red flag. The IRS wanted proof. We showed the agent in the Tulsa office the cancelled checks, and he was satisfied. We spent the rest of the session talking to him about Jesus, and why giving was our way of honoring Him for all He had done for us. The audit was God's way of placing us before someone who was seeking to know His Son, not trying to harm us. Good to know.

NOTE TO SELF: "Honor the Lord from your wealth." Take a look at your checkbook. Does it show how much you honor God? No matter how much you sing or serve in the local church, your giving is one of the vital signs of a healthy Christian and it provides the support necessary for a healthy church. When you count the cost of giving, don't put a pencil to it. Put your heart into it. Jesus also said, "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also." When you face a new level of giving, throw your wallet over the bar. Trust me. Your heart will follow.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Correction

"If you have been foolish in exalting yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth." Proverbs 30:32

There are few things more effective and corrective than speaking less and listening more. I remember the library lady at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas, Texas. In the 1960's, she ruled her realm with an iron will, and tolerated no spoken word within her sanctuary of learning. She was old school, but she had it right. Speaking in the presence of so much written knowledge was not only sophomoric, it was moronic.

There is very little learned by talking. Learning thrives by listening, not by exalting oneself with self-inflated puffs of hot air. When Billy Graham preached, he often peppered his messages with, "The Bible says," Too many people, and preachers are not immune from the habit, rely on their own insight, and say much too often, "I think."

At first glance, plotting evil and exalting yourself do not seem to be mutually related. God thinks otherwise. In His view, it is foolish to think of yourself as a wise person by exalting yourself in person.

Self-promotion is, after all, a promotion of self. The Old Testament solution is, "Put your hand on your mouth. In other words, "Stop talking."

The New Testament solution to the pride of life is, "Die to self." The Apostle Paul admitted, "I die daily." These aren't words to live by, but they are words to die for.

Self-promotion and self-denial are mortal enemies. Donald Trump often says of himself, "I'm huge!" His definition of "huge" is a bit unclear, but he has grown so used to self-promotion that he can no longer distinguish between self-inflated success and spiritual significance. He is a man who appears to be most sure of himself, when he is full of himself. Within his Presbyterian Bible are words of correction for all of us, me included. "Put your hand on your mouth."

The "plotted evil" thing is disturbing. God knows what we are capable of doing. Getting our own way, and having our own say leads to an addiction to self-promotion. It drowns out the still small voice of His Spirit offering us direction, protection and correction.

Plotting evil begins by drowning out God's voice and placing an over-inflated value on our own voices. God is always whispering words of wisdom, but when we fall in love with the sound of our own voices, we end of taking the advice of a fool.

NOTE TO SELF: Put a hand on your mouth. Listen to God. He is speaking. Are you listening? Prayer prepares your ears for the silence of the sanctuary. Prayer is not a chance for you to speak to God. It is a time for you to hear from Him. Many times you go to God by getting on your knees. If you haven't heard His voice lately, put your hand on your mouth. When you pray, listen. When you hear from God you can barely see your lips move.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Destination

"A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination." PR 18:11

Proverbs utilizes the time proven method of teaching by contrast. This passage follows, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe." PR 18:10.

Wealth becomes a fool's paradise when a rich man gets lost in his imagination and misses his destination. A fool imagines his wealth to be a strong city with high walls offering protection from the storms of life. It isn't. God is.

Don't get me wrong. I recently heard a man say, "I have been rich, and I have been poor. Rich is better." I agree with him. Still, wealth is not the problem. It becomes a problem when a fool allows his vain imagination to reduce God's value, and inflate his own self-worth.

Note to Self: Count your money, but don't count on it. The name of the LORD is your strong tower, and the source of safety, not your wealth. Don't let your imagination cause you to lose sight of your destination. Your net worth is made up of what money can't buy and death can't take away. Never change the price tags. Prayer is the key to the strong tower. The Fool imagines he has arrived when he has his own jet. The Wise always arrive at the right destination on bended knees. The Wise don't make a name for themselves. They run to the tower and kneel before The Name.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Burn

"The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests hearts." PR 17:3

Teachers often hear reluctant scholars ask, "Is this going to be on the test?" In other words they are saying,"Why should I bother to remember it if I'm not going to be tested on it."

Dr. William Barclay was once asked, "Isn't that one of your students?" He responded, "No. He only attends my classes."

The truth of the matter is, everything is a test. The Wise will prepare their heads to receive knowledge, no matter how insignificant it may seem. They will also place their hearts in the furnace and prepare to feel the burn.

When Jesus presented the Sermon on The Mount, He pointed to the heart as the proving ground of a believer's authentic faith in God. What is on the inside reveals the true character of a citizen of His Kingdom.

Squeezed oranges provide orange juice. What is on the inside comes out. Pressured Christians reveal the content of their hearts. You don't always get what is on the label. Don't take my word for it. Squeeze one and find out.

Note to Self: Changing churches and t-shirts won't improve your character. Only having the impurities in your heart burned away by drawing closer to the flame of God's holiness will bring out sterling character. Prayer does not coat your heart in asbestos to protect you from sensing God's Presence. Prayer reveals your heart to the fire of His furnace. Through prayer He burns away the dross of your self-centered will until He can see His face reflected in your heart. Feel the burn?

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Proud

"When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom." PR 11:2

Proverbs values humility over pride, warning leaders of the inherent danger of self-glorification. Stealing God's glory begins with self-deception and leads to self-destruction. Humility is not a matter of thinking less of yourself. It involves focusing on God more than on yourself. Don't take my word for it.

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”  C.S. Lewis

Pride in a job well-done or a mission accomplished does not move from success to sin until it can no longer express, "To God be the glory." Taking credit for what God does through you will feed your pride, but it will starve your soul.

Doing what you can do in your own strength and giving God the credit for it is not humility. It is hypocrisy. God gets a lot of blame for good ideas and man-made effort posing as His will. There is a huge difference between a good idea and God's idea. The loud and proud will always confuse the two, while shouting down the still, small voice of The Spirit.

The famous are often famished people starving for the approval of others while feeding on their own press-clippings and dining on their own introductions. Humble people are not unfamiliar with the spotlight, but they reflect the light of God's favor back to Him. They live for His honor and glory, not their own. Anything less is dishonor.

Note to Self: Start taking God more seriously, and stop taking yourself too seriously. God's call on your life was not based on your ability, but on your availability. God is always able. You must remain available. Prayer may not improve your ability, but it will increase your availability. When you pray, you give The Father elbow room. He longs to prove to His children what He is able to do through them when they are available to Him. The childish are prayerless and prideful.The child-like are prayerful and humble.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Receiver

"The wise of heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be ruined." PR 10:8

The sign of a great leader is not in their intelligence or their eloquence, but in their reverence for God's Word. Proverbs reminds us that The Wise will listen to His instruction, while The Fool will always fall in love with the sound of his own voice.

Jesus reserved his greatest praise for a Roman centurion who recognized that power comes from being under authority not in authority. Those who chase a position of authority without positioning themselves under God's authority are potential tyrants. They may present themselves as reasonable and electable, but in God's eyes they are rebels.

Not all rebellion is expressed in flaming rhetoric or riotous behavior. Some people blast through life politely ignoring God. On the surface they appear calm and collected, but in their hearts God's commands are completely rejected. Don't be fooled by them.

Leaders receive God's commands. Liars reject them, babbling about their new and improved alternative to the challenges of the 21st Century. They rarely say the words, "God is dead." They just act as if God is irrelevant. Actions speak louder than words.

Receiving instruction from God is more than listening to His commands. It involves immediate obedience, with the right heart attitude. The wise of heart are receivers. The fool is a deceiver. Self-deception is always the first step towards a disastrous choice.

Note to Self: Prayer prepares your heart to receive God's commands, and to yield your will to His authority. When you fail to pray, you prepare to stray. When you won't receive His Word, you fall in love with the sound of your own voice, and take the advice of a fool.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Heart

"Do not let your heart turn aside..." Proverbs 7:25

The heart of the problem in the heart of any unfaithful man is not his wandering eyes, but his poisoned heart. Proverbs warns men repeatedly to guard their hearts by binding them to God's wisdom. The heart is more than a blood-pumping organ or the seat of human emotions. It is the reservoir of God's truth. Straying from His truth in order to satisfy the desires of your heart reveals you have been infusing into your heart a poisonous venom supplied by an ancient enemy who seeks to destroy you. Before the act of adultery becomes a roaring lion of infidelity, it was embraced as a thought that climbed up in your lap, appearing as harmless as a kitten. Don't be a fool. Before you have to fight the lion in the street, kill the kitten in your heart.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Eyes

"Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, & hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, & one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6:17-19

Bullying those who don't agree with you to be on the right side of history, while ignoring the The Author of history, lands you on the wrong side of God. Removing His Word from the public square, and elevating your personal opinion as the highest authority in the land is not a sign of intelligence. It is arrogance.

Proverbs mentions seven things God hates so much that he calls them an abomination. The first one on His hit list is described as "haughty eyes." They reveal the soul of a fool who has the capacity to brag without speaking and the audacity to strut sitting down.

When a nation continues to choose leaders who refuse to look up to God they can expect their leaders to look down on them. The God of history chooses to write HIS story through the lives of broken men & women who will humble themselves before Him, and call on Him to heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Broken people look to God first, to fix what is broken in their lives. God still heals a nation one heart at at a time. Refuse to trust arrogant people who make promises to you they don't intend to keep. God warns you to look at their eyes. They speak volumes and reveal the contents of an arrogant heart. Look to God. Look for leaders who will do the same.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!