The Invalid Ticket

Two years ago our daughter Emmie, her boyfriend Sheldon, and his parents, spent December in England with his family.  Before their return to the states, Emmie and Sheldon traveled to Italy to spend some time with his sister who lives there.

One day they took a train to a nearby city and after their sightseeing was over, boarded their train back.  But they had missed one slight detail. Apparently the steward of the train knew they had missed this detail because he put them off the train.

 Apparently in Italy train tickets must be validated by a small machine located inside the station. Neither Emmie nor Sheldon had seen this machine before boarding the train and as a result had to wait until the next train arrived.

Once their ticket was appropriately validated, they could ride back without difficulty.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," (John 14:6.)

Our train to heaven requires a validated ticket. 

We don't have to purchase that ticket, the Lord Jesus Christ did so by His death on Calvary and His resurrection three days later.  Our ticket, however, is validated by our faith in His purchase.  If we do not believe that He is the One and only true way to heaven -- if we are deluded into thinking there are other ways -- then our ticket will not be validated. 

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead;  thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith, 'Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.' "  Romans  10:9-11

There is a ticket waiting at the ticket booth for each of us.  By faith, as we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, our ticket is validated.  The train is coming...are you ready?

"Thank You" Just Isn't Enough

My husband and I have been watching the Ken Burns documentary, "The War," about World War 2.

If one considers only the sheer numbers of our military who were lost in the multiple fronts of this war, the sacrifices would be tremendous. But when we add those wounded, those interred in prison camps, the civilians interred, wounded and killed, the sacrifices are indescribable.

How do you say "thank you" for the sacrifice, the bravery and the perserverance displayed during this great war, and doubtless those wars before and after? The mere words are not enough.

In watching this documentary, my heart swelled with pride and with sorrow at each description of Guadalcanal, Peleliu or Iwo Jima. Having read "You'll Be Sor-ree!" by Sid Phillips and "My Helmet for a Pillow" by Robert Leckie, I have a tiny perspective of what our men and women in uniform suffer during combat.

 It didn't take much for my thoughts to travel from the wars of yesteryear and those who fought those wars, to the wars of today and my son who helped fight them as a United States Marine. I see, and hear, in him the same attitude as portrayed by the men of years ago. . ."We were just doing our jobs." If we tried for the rest of our lives, we could never offer enough thanks for the sacrifies that have been made to secure our freedom.

But there is another sacrifice, infinitely greater, that has secured another, greater, freedom...

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:2-4

Our Lord was tempted in all ways as are we and was yet without sin. He willingly left the glory of His Father to sacrifice all for us. The Creator of the universe lived a life as a human that He might free us "from the law of sin and death."

"Thank you" just isn't enough to convey our gratitude for the sacrifice He made. If we tried for all eternity, we could never offer enough thanks for the sacrifices He made to secure our freedom from sin and wrath.

As we should take every opportunity to thank those who have secured our earthly freedom and we should take every opportunity to thank the One who has secured our eternal freedom.

My Tribute

by Andrae Crouch

 

How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me?

Things so undeserved yet You gave to prove Your love for me?

The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude,

All that I am and every hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.

 

To God be the glory, to God be the glory,

 to God be the glory, For the things He hath done.

With His blood, He has saved me.

With His power, He has raised me.

To God be the glory, for the things He hath done.

 

Just let me live my life, may it be pleasing Lord to Thee.

And if I should gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.

 

 With His blood, He has saved me.

With His power, He has raised me.

To God be the glory, for the things He hath done.

To God be the glory, to God be the glory, to God be the glory,

For the things He hath done.

 

 

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;

 that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 

2 Corinthians 5:21

Meeting Saban

To fully understand the importance of this post, you must know that we live in Alabama.  The Alabama of the University of Alabama.  As in football.

In our state, football is big.  In the last five years an Alabama team (either Alabama or Auburn) has won four of the National Football Championship titles, with Alabama winning it three of those years.  (Just as a note, a southern team has won this championship every year since 2005.  What is it with those southern boys and football?)

This is perhaps one reason why it was so special for us to meet Saban.

We were walking through Washington Square in our city, a beautiful park in the historic, garden district near downtown when we saw him.  He was absolutely handsome. . .not a hair out of place, athletic and graceful.  He came over to us right away and was friendly, gregarious and full of energy. Those with him did the honors of introduction and we were immediately impressed with every aspect of his visage and carriage.

I guess I should explain that this Saban was a black lab.

His owner (wearing the appropriate Alabama hat and shirt) was walking with him through the park.  As Saban bounded over to us, we asked his name.  When his owner told us his name was "Saban" we both just laughed at the appropriateness of that name in this state.  We enjoyed petting Saban and chatting with his owner before we continued our walk.

In our state, any mention of the name "Saban" brings an image of a man whose passion is coaching football and helping to shape the lives of young men.  To many in this state, there is no other Sabin.

Conversely, to those we encounter in our lives, the name "God" conjures up many different images.  While we may clearly be speaking of the God of the Bible, but "God" to them may mean Buddha, Allah, or even a vague ethereal force existing in the universe.

The Bible tells us, however, that "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," (Acts 4:12.)

The idea that there are many roads to God is one created by those who seek an easy way, a way apart from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of His Son. 

It is also untrue.  The Lord Himself told us :

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: 

no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me,"  John 14:6.

While it is true that we met Saban that day in the park, we did not meet the Sabin that has earned the fame associated with that name.  While many use the name of "God" quite loosely, they may not be speaking of the God which framed the worlds and "upholds all things by the word of His power."

This should make us more careful to present the one, true God to our world and encourage others not to seek any way, but the One who is the only way, the truth and the Life.

UPDATE: The dog Saban may be spelled with an "i", but the man Saban likes his name spelled correctly!

The Rustling Grass

Two weeks ago Glen and I experienced our first hiking trip and slept in a tent in the Smokey Mountains.  There were several people at the site we were and at first when we settled into our sleeping bags for the night there was a lot of sound and activity.  Gradually, every one went to sleep.  I know this because several people were snoring, loudly.  

As the night wore on, I noticed the sound of rustling outside of the tent.  It was a very windy night, so I knew this was probably just the wind blowing through the grass, but still, when one is in the wilderness the thoughts of bears come quickly to mind.  I wondered what type of critter -- be it bear, squirrel, chipmunk or even mouse -- could be making the sounds just beyond my tent flap.

Today I was reminded of this as we sang the hymn "This is My Father's World" in one of our services.  In this hymn is the line, "in the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere."

In our Christian lives we live in a world of "rustling grass."  We face difficulties, problems, pains and troubles.  Sometimes our "rustling grass" may be just the wind, or maybe a chipmunk or even a bear. But the truth of the matter, whatever it is that stirs the grass of our lives, it is ultimately the Lord speaking to us.

Sometimes we have trouble hearing that voice, though, because He speaks to us with a "still small voice," and our fears (of the bears, perhaps?) speak with loud voices, shouts and screams.  We must choose to quiet ourselves to hear His voice above all else.

"Be still and know that I am God," said the psalmist.  He ends that song with the line "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."  When we make the choice to still ourselves to know God, we will begin to know Him as our refuge and to know He is always with us.  Our peace will move from people, things and circumstances to Him and Him alone.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted. 

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah."Psalm 46