First, a big shout out to my youngest daughter, Janna, who celebrated her birthday yesterday. It was especially a sad one since Mike, her husband, passed away last Wednesday night. Please say a prayer for her.
He was 7 years old when he and his parents heard the word everyone dreads: The “C” word. How do you explain that to a 7 year old? Not even the parents can understand it, let alone a 7 year old. But Keaton fought. He endured 8 years of various treatments/surgeries/remission/return. He loved life and laughing. He fought a good fight. His faith was amazingly strong and transparent for a teenager. He recovered well enough to play for his high school baseball team last Spring. But it would be his last. This brave, young man lost his earthly battle on Thursday, August 20th at 8:30 pm. His mom called to tell me. Earthly battle lost; heavenly reward gained.
His name was Jim. He and I rode hundreds of miles together on bicycles. Our friendship goes back to the 80s when he and his family began attending the church I pastored. We talked. We laughed. His family came and stayed with us when we lived in Castalia/Sandusky and they went to Cedar Point. But our world changed when he began describing symptoms he was experiencing I told him what I suspected and asked him to get checked because I wasn’t ready to lose a friend. It came back with the dreaded “C” word. He went through surgeries, chemo, different types of treatment, even visiting one of the most renowned cancer hospitals in Texas. After 15 years their verdict was we can’t do anymore for you. A little over two years ago, I was 5 minutes from his house when his wife called to tell me Jim had just passed. 5 minutes! He was the first of my dearest and closest friends on this planet lost to the “C” word.
One day I was talking to the mother of a young man who was real close to Keaton and was taking cancer’s return hard. The mother invited Keaton and His mom, Jessica, to church so she could meet me. She mentioned my name and Jessica said, “Oh, I know him. He was my dad’s best friend.”
Jessica’s dad, Jim, was Jessica’s son, Keaton’s, grandfather! WOW! I didn’t see that coming. It still blows me away. It never ceases to amaze me how God pulls things off. Who would have thunk it? That kind of stuff only happens in books or Hallmark movies. Right?
Today grandpa Jim and grandson Keaton are reunited. Jim is showing Keaton all the glories of heaven as they explore heaven together. But most of all, Keaton gets to see Jesus in all His radiance and splendor. While I miss Jim and I miss Keaton, I have to ask myself, “What could be better than that?” The answer that comes back to me is “N.O.T.H.I.N.G!”
{Understand: the Sermon on the Mount is chock full of superior and riveting teaching by the Master Teacher. What I’m about to suggest in no way exhausts Jesus’ words. I leave you with 4 (although there are more) highlights from Matthew 7:
#1. 7:1-5. Judging. These verses are often used by people who want to live life their way. When their sin is pointed out and/or condemned, “You have no right to judge me” is the go-to saying from their mouth. Inherent in this verse is “I have the right to judge because you sin greatly. Your sin is worse than mine.” Let’s face it: we see someone else’s sin much graver than our penchant for gossip. Self-righteousness stinks.
#2. 7:7-8. The proper rendering of this verse is how the NLT does it: “Keep on asking…seeking…knocking.” You have to notice the “keep on.” It is continual (Linear action in the Greek), not a one-off.
#3. 7:15. Keep the eyes sharp, radar constant and antenna alert. Things taught is often Satan’s way of infiltrating our lives and the church. If he can convince us of an untruth being the truth, or the opposite (truth being a lie), he can win the battle against us.
And that begs…
#4. 7:20.Be careful who you listen to and who you follow. There will be many who will claim to be Christ-followers, but are not.
Wrap up: Be discerning. Be wise. What you hear or read, always check with the Word. Reject lies and falsehood. If it’s too good to be true it probably is. Write off shysters and hucksters who make claims based on their own truth. Build on the Rock not sand.
Please understand something right from the get-go: the Sermon on the Mount is chock full of superior and riveting teaching by the Master Teacher. What I am going to highlight and focus on this morning will in no way suggest this is exhaustive. I’d like to highlight 3 passages from Matthew 6:
6:1-4. I would suggest this passage be summarized as such: do things for others, not for public notoriety or acclaim. If you give, give privately or anonymously. If you do, do it privately or anonymously. Avoid publicity if at all possible. When Jo and I were seniors in college I was serving as a youth pastor. One of the young ladies in the youth group came from a very poor family. She had no money for her senior pictures. Jo and I gave it anonymously and nothing gave me greater joy than to see her smile and tell me what someone did for her. It was worth it.
6:24. Don’t be a slave to money. Keep it all in perspective. Pursuing the almighty dollar will only bring heartache and personal turmoil. Besides, there is an emptiness which cannot be filled by all the money in the world. Rockefeller was correct when asked how much it took to make him happy. “Just a little bit more.”
6:33.The answer to the previous mentioned verse. Seek Him first. That may mean a lesser version of something. That may mean a “no.” But at the same time, trusting Him to provide makes my life richer and fuller.
Tomorrow (Lord willing) some thoughts from Matthew 7.
Just a short thought today, one to hopefully make you think.
I’m on my second read through the NT in 2026. My morning reading consists of reading 2 chapters of Psalms every day; the book of Proverbs every other month; and a chapter in the NT each day. As I read Matthew 5 this morning, it, of course, is full of the words of Jesus. The Beatitudes. Salt and Light. Teaching about the Law. But each time I read it, I’m struck by the “You have heard…” and the “But I say to you…” statements. Jesus is contrasting the strict legalistic approach of the religious teachers versus the broader “grace” approach that He takes. Jesus was trying to show that following His Father was more than living a set of laws narrowly interpreted as rules to keep. Living for His Father was much more than that! It also involved the heart and the intent. “You have heard it said, ‘Do not murder.’ ” “But I say to you…” (Mt. 5:21-22)
Sin is not just action carried out in the public eye. Be careful of what is found in your heart.
I’ve been absent from here for almost a week. I had my Encounter Time each morning and I did write a post or two last week, but lots has happened.
The biggest: Mike passed away on Wednesday night. Here is how it played out. Monday evening at 5:30 I received a call from Janna’s best friend, Shauna, that they were not expecting Mike to last much longer so they were making quick prep for the wedding to take place. It was originally scheduled for August 29th, then moved to August 14th (the one I was to perform but Ohio said I didn’t exist). So they did a quick pivot and Janna became Mrs Janna Clark within the hour of the call. Braden was able to be there to walk his mom in and to stand with her. We then moved up our travel date to Wednesday to see him/them. It would have been in the hospital, although Mike was to come home to hospice and home health on Thursday. Tuesday night we got a doozy of storm that knocked out power to a section of Spencer. Jo dislikes storms a lot and Wednesday there was to be a storm system from Indy to Columbus, Ohio about the time we would be driving that area. So for her sanity (and mine as the driver) 🙂 , I chose to wait until Thursday. Mike would be home and in more comfortable surroundings. Janna understood. 11:20 Wednesday night she called to tell us that Mike had passed. So we made our trip on Thursday with heavy hearts. Then due to other circumstances we ended up making our way back home early Friday morning.
I have had mixed emotions:
Extreme disappointment. I never got to tell Mike one last time in person that I loved him (I was doing it by text over the last few weeks) and to thank him for loving Janna and giving her life back to her.
Shame. I never had that last chance to talk to him about his soul. At this point, I don’t know.
Guilt. For not just saying, “No. We are going (storm or no storm).” But then, how was I supposed to know?
Hurt. For Janna. She found one who truly loved her for who she was and now she’s alone again.
Grateful. For her close friend, Shauna, who has stood by her side, and continues to do so.
I’ve cried. I’ve prayed for peace. I’ve prayed for Janna. She has friends, but I’m not sure-in fact pretty convinced-they are not Christ-followers.
I’ve also prayed for forgiveness. I never told Mike about Jesus. The opportunity never presented itself. He knew who and what I was. I’m sure Janna told him. {Side funny: when they were talking about me early on, Mike asked Janna what I was like. Would I sit with him and have a beer or two? Janna laughed and say, “No. Don’t think so. Dad has never had a drink in his life.”} But Mike never stopped being Mike and I never asked him to not drink a beer at a meal. There are more important things to concern myself with. But I also never allowed myself to be more open, to find the time to ask him and tell him about Jesus. In fairness, we were never alone for any extended period of time. Maybe 5-10 minutes max. When we were together for one of the last times (which he had not been to the doctor yet), we talked about something else that seemed to be more pressing. Tragically, his destiny is sealed. It is known only by God.
Thanks for listening to my rambling. Your continued prayers for Janna, Tami, Jo and me would be appreciated. His celebration of life is September 19th at the Pickle and Chill Club where Mike and Janna loved to play pickleball.
That’s what life is made up of. And we all have them. The past couple of days has been like that. To be more specific…yesterday.
Background: at the beginning of 2026 we found out a couple was expecting their first child in February. She ended up coming in March, along with two boys. April brought a little boy. May brought a 2 boys and a girl. June brought 4 little girls. And then there is August.
As of Sunday morning, we had 3 babies left to be born. As of last night (Monday), we are down to one. One little boy was born yesterday at 12:01 am to a couple who went through IVF and who had waited 10 years after their first (considered a miracle child she was even conceived) That mom and another were “competing” for who would come first. 🙂 Last night the other little boy was born. At this point we have one due in October (I told them the 9th would make it a very special baby. And yes, that is my birthday). 🙂
Meanwhile, I received a call that Janna’s fiance’ was not doing well, so they were hurriedly making preparations so they could get married. It was originally scheduled for Friday and I was supposed to do it, but I don’t exist according to Ohio. Long story short Mike and Janna became husband and wife. Living 4 1/2 hours away, Jo and I could not make it. The low: Mike’s deteriorating health. The high: they were able to pull off the Mr. and Mrs thing. Jo and I will be making our way to Ohio tomorrow so prayers would be appreciated.
Highs and lows: part and parcel of living on this planet. In spite of the myriad of false teachers with their health and wealth garbage, the follower of Jesus was never (read that N.E.V.E.R.) promised a trouble-free life. What we were and are promised is God’s presence through those ups and downs. He is more there when things are up; no less than when things are down.
Trust His presence. Trust His goodness. In all circumstances of life.
Here is a song that tells the truth (and yes, it is more like my style). Words are easy to hear. If you have trouble click on “More” and scroll down for transcript. (I’m not into Bethel AT ALL but I do like this song).
I recently had a big disappointment. Our daughter, Janna, is getting married to Mike. Originally scheduled for August 28th at the courthouse (with a reception on September 14th at the Pickleball Club they played at), Mike’s health deterioration due to his pancreatic cancer is causing them to move things up. The original plan was to be married at the courthouse by a magistrate. Plans changed to this coming Friday and I was asked to marry them. To say it would have been an honor would be an understatement. When they went Thursday to get the license (they both had to be there), Janna was told I was not in their system. I would have to jump through hoops to make it happen and I tried. Two unreturned phone calls, one undeliverable email (using the address they gave), finally said, “I can’t.” Ohio said I didn’t exist. Funny thing is that I have my original license to perform marriages in Ohio from 1974! So, Jo and I will be there as proud parents watching our grandson, Braden, stand up there with her.
I sure am glad God doesn’t look at me as though I don’t exist.
I finished Out of the Blue by Greg Murtha yesterday afternoon. In his final chapter Greg wrote the following:
When I check out of Hotel Earth, please don’t say, ‘Greg lost his battle with cancer.’ That will not be the truth. No, when that time comes, when I get to the front of the line, it will be a point in time when I have never been more alive, and it will be an epic win. (p.183)
“So many men lives their lives in quiet desperation” as Henry David Thoreau once said. There are scant few who really and truly live life to the fullest. As Howard Thurman once said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” (quoted on p.102). Or as that great theologian, William Wallace 🙂 says in Braveheart: “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”
Greg’s earthly life ended in 2017, 6 years after his initial diagnosis. He moved to the “front of the line” as he put it. He left behind quite a legacy. There is so much more I could write or say about this book. There are posts galore just begging to be written. I would encourage you to read his book.
I’ll close with this from The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
For us this is the end of all stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than before.
They all lived happily ever after is not a fairy tale. Live life to the fullest, my friends, knowing this is not all there is. Jesus has promised so much more!!
I had hand surgery yesterday. They have been dealing with a trigger finger of my left index finger for close to 2 years with shots, trying to get it to cooperate. It hasn’t. Surgery was scheduled for yesterday. But there is a twist. I was to meet the surgeon on Monday, July 27th. That morning I woke with my left ring finger in locked position. It eventually let up and you can’t tell, but after talking to the surgeon I was given a choice of doing the shot regimen again or having surgery. I told him, “You are already working on my hand. Let’s get them both done.” The total procedure is done under local anesthetic (I’m awake and talking the whole time while he works behind a sheet place between me and my hand) and one finger takes 5 minutes. Needless to say, typing may be an issue. 🙂 Recovery is supposed to take 5 weeks. At least I’m not allowed to ride my bike or lift weights (upper body) for that long. The stitches come out in 2 weeks. My fingers will be in splints so I’m not sure how much typing I will be able to do. I have been working frantically to finish my sermons and have one left in this current series called “Break Those Chains.” (It, by the way, is called The Elephant in the Room. It is a sermon on suicide.) Please pray for a quick and complete recovery. Thanks.
For today, I thought I would share another quote from Out of the Blue by Greg Murtha.
The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. The strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians-when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths. Sheldon Vanauken (quoted on p. xv)
Greg says that without cancer he would have remained that somber, self-righteous, smug, narrow-minded Christian who turns people off. Yeah…don’t want to do that either. I’m eternally grateful that God’s grace has ramrodded my life. It took me from a legalistic, pompous fool pretending to be religious and having all the answers, to (hopefully) one who is grace-filled and loves people genuinely for who they are not what they can give me. I don’t want to be one who misses the joy of following Jesus and doing His will willingly for any amount of money in the world.
Join me will you?
I wrote and scheduled the above yesterday
{Update: the surgery went well. But typing is a challenge. There is no splint, but my hand is wrapped in this big bulk of gauze and wrap. I’m supposed to put ice on it but I’m not sure how that is to be done. I slept in my recliner last night to keep it elevated. Not sure I will do that tonight. 🙂 Some good news: the doctor said if it heals well I can start using it and riding in 3 weeks, not five. YAY!! Continued prayers would be appreciated}
I began rereading (for the 3rd time) Out of the Blue by Greg Murtha. Greg was a 46 year old man, a long-distance runner, an entrepreneur, and a very self-motivated man. After an 11 mile run, in which he felt at the top of his game, he knew something wasn’t right. The words, “Mr. Murtha, you have cancer” rocked and changed his world. Even more, Aggressive Stage 3 colon cancer (later upgraded to Stage 4). Given the state of Janna’s fiance’, Mike, and his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer which has spread to his liver and abdominal wall, I felt it appropriate to read it again. My plan is to share some thoughts from the book (and some of my own) over the next few posts.
Several quotes have stood out to me in the Introduction and 1st chapter. Here’s one:
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn our, and proclaiming, “WOW!”(p.xviii)
The other is by writer, Bob Goff, the author of Love Does and Everybody Always (2 excellent book I have read):
God’s more interested in our hearts than our plans.” (pp.7-8)
Greg says, “The worst diagnosis is the best thing that ever happened to me because it changed my heart.” (p.8)
I can remember reading a book (several times) by the late Tim Hansel, entitled You Gotta Keep Dancin’. Tim was an avid outdoorsman when a freak accident mountain climbing changed his life forever. He landed upside down in a crevasse and when he came down from the mountain he felt smaller. The physical damage to his body played itself out in numerous ways as he got older but Tim refused to allow it to stop him. “Dancin’ is a wonderful and encouraging book where Tim encourages us to choose joy in the midst of life’s hurts. He closed his book with this quote:
There is no box made by God nor us but that the sides can be flattened out and the top blown off to make a dance floor on which to celebrate life. Kenneth Caraway (quoted on p. 143)
No life is “charmed.” We all face trials, difficulties, set backs, and challenges. My prayer is that whatever comes my way will be met with faith and trust in the ONE who knows all and controls all. I want to be used up when I breathe my last breath, knowing I gave it all for the glory of God.
{Please check back tomorrow for an update…and no, that is not clickbait}
