Choices
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Thursday, May 8th, 2025
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer?” Well, probably not because they are usually talking about someone else and their inability to “get it.” So here is an honest confession: I know I’m not always the sharpest knife in the drawer. I can pawn it off these days to my age (72) or to my lack of knowing the “now” lingo of this current generation. For example, our youth pastor has just begun mentoring our part-time Children’s Ministry Director and has tasked her with “glowing up” a couple of the youth classrooms. Say what? What in the world is “glowing up?” By a process of elimination (including my mind) I figured out that it meant “to make the classroom come alive, to not be stodgy and cold.” Truthfully, it needs it, but “glowing it up?” (Rolling eyes emoji here).
But I digress. Let’s go back to my original statement: I am not always the sharpest knife in the drawer. There is usually someone smarter than me; someone (most often) more media savvy than me; someone more up-to-date and relevant than me.
But then I started thinking this morning: do I really care? I came to the conclusion, Nope I don’t care. What made me think about that this morning? I was reading 2 Chronicles 1 and Proverbs 8 this morning. The passage in Chronicles is where Solomon is taking over as ruler for his father, David, and in 1:7 God asks him, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” I seriously doubt I or many in this day and age would answer as Solomon did: “Give me wisdom and knowledge to lead them (the people as numerous as the dust of the earth-v.9) properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” (v.10). God’s answer is classic: “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, or fame , or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people-I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested.” (verses 11-12) Oh…He also gave him wealth, riches, and fame. Sadly, Solomon couldn’t handle it.
I’ve always been impressed by Solomon’s answer and have wondered what I would ask for. I hope at this stage of my life and maturity I would still ask for wisdom and not say, “Live a comfortable life financially and be able to travel anywhere I want (which I don’t want to do anyway).” I hope I would still seek wisdom. Pr. 8:10-11 says, “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.”
Okay, time for you to answer: what would you choose to ask for?
{Note: All Scripture from the New Living Translation}
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Knoweldge, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Wisdom
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
Viktor Frankl. Douglas Groothuis (pronounced Grewties quiet “s”). What do they have in common? Viktor is a concentration camp survivor. Douglas is a philosopher who anchors all he says and believes in his faith in Jesus. Around 2014 his wife, Becky, was diagnosed with PPA (primary progressive aphasia). PPA is a rare from of dementia, worse than Alzheimer’s. It took a brilliant wordsmith and a member of the MENSA society and made her a shell. Douglas wrote a book Walking Through Twilight that I am rereading for the second time. There are several reasons, none of which are relevant to this post, so I will forego the reason. Doug is lamenting the loss he is suffering as he watches his once brilliant wife waste away to nothing. (She mercifully went home to Jesus in 2018).
He was writing at one point about visiting his wife in a psych ward (a terrible place for her). The drive to and from was about 60 miles, so visiting, while still teaching at Denver Seminary, was taxing. But he said, “God met me in those visits.” (p.12). He had been re-reading Viktor Frankl’s classic study of suffering and meaning, Man’s Search for Meaning, in which Frankl expresses that human value can be affirmed in the thick of searing suffering, as he found in Hitler’s prison camps. Be we have to change ourselves. Frankl says,
When we are no longer able to change the situation…we are challenged to change ourselves. (p.12)
But it is later that Frankl wrote what I consider to be the gem of his work:
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. (p.12)
WOW! That is a mouthful. And a heart full. While I am not one of the “positive thinking gurus” who walk around talking positivity is the answer to all of life’s questions, I do believe our attitude does play a lot in our view of life. Too many people, including those who call themselves Christ-followers, spend way to much time looking like they sucked on pickle juice for a good part of the day-or even their life. It’s the old discussion of is your glass half empty or half full. As I work my way through the book of Job in my reading, I am reminded again of Job’s perspective versus his so-called “friends.” You know the old statement “With friends like you who needs enemies”? That fits. Job didn’t need them. He needed the reassurance of God’s presence. He got it eventually. So do we. In fact, it is never failing. May your day be a reassurance of that truth.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Dementia, Faith/Feelings, God, Opinion, Perseverance, Positive/Negative Attitude, Reflection, Suffering, Trials
Tuesday, May 6th, 2025
Temptation to do something wrong is always “there.” So is the temptation to do something mischievous. I know you thinking, “Who me? Do something mischievous?” Yeah, I know what that’s like. I have those times too.
Something I read today about a teacher who lined her students up to go to lunch and they always jockeyed for the front of the line spurred my thinking. One day she switched it around and those in the back where the ones who went first. That got me to thinking about being snarky and mischievous. More mischievous than anything. You see…it is always a joke, especially in a church, how people jockey for the back row. I have one (Gail) who stands in a crowd all her own. She immediately goes to the front row. Like me, she knows distractions abound when you have others sitting in front of you. I prefer the front row. But I digress. Most people (except the really spiritual ones like Gail and me 🙂 ) head for the back rows. Now, here is where the little mischievous boy in me comes into play. I have been tempted-and so far I have resisted-to suddenly stand up to preach and change directions. Go to the back of the room and make people turn their chairs around. Can you imagine the moans and groans and the words reserved for Pastor Bill? It’s not possible to do that anymore since we have a camera set up in the back for our live stream, but oh…the fun I would have! Or the mutiny. Take your pick. 🙂
That teacher had to teach her class a lesson in “me first, you second” vs “you first, me second.” Jesus did the same. He once taught that the “one who wants to be first must be last.” There is something to be said and something that happens when we learn to put others before ourselves. When I was a kid I was taught J–O–Y– is Jesus first; Others second; Yourself last. In our get-ahead world, imagine the difference it would make if we all had this attitude. Others Before Self.
Jesus came to start a revolution (“I did not come to be served, but to serve.”). Maybe it is time we picked up on it.
And yes, I published this before Gail was able to put her .02 worth in. But I know Gail: she will forgive me. 🙂
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Humility, Jesus, Joy, Kindness, Leadership, Lifestyle, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection
Monday, May 5th, 2025
During Spring Break about 15 of our people went to east Tennessee to help IDES (International Disaster Emergency Services) with cleanup and rebuilding homes caused by flooding from Hurricane Helene. They were supposed to give a presentation of their work on April 6th but ironically, we had to cancel services that morning due to extreme flooding in our area and a RED travel advisory (only emergency vehicles were to be out). So we rescheduled it for May 4th (yesterday). As the people spoke about the one item that stood out to them, I noticed what I thought was a theme that wove its way through each one: the opportunity to serve. There were variations of that to be sure, but several of them came right out and said it: “I wanted to be a Mary not a Martha. I wanted to listen to people.” “I wanted to serve in any way possible, even if it meant shoveling gravel” (said by a young lady who was not strong-looking by any stretch). Several others related how they simply wanted to serve these people. One even mentioned how the lady’s whose house they were building served them a hot meal every day. I guess you could say, “The served being the server”?
In his May 5th devotion in Everyday Gospel, the author, Paul David Tripp, began his devotion with this little gambit:
Grace transforms us from being those who live for our own glory to being those who find joy in living for the glory and fame of another.
In this case, it was David’s passion to build the Temple, but God in His wisdom told him that he was a man of war and a man of peace was to build the Temple. That man of peace was Solomon, his son. David’s words to his son were, “MY son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God.” (I Chron. 22:7) David did his part in helping build the Temple by gathering materials needed for the building. He commissioned men to use their gifts to build the Temple. He solicited the help of others in getting the lumber for it.
Put plainly: David wanted a building that would show off the magnificence of God. It really wasn’t for him to have a lasting legacy of “Look what David built.” His sole purpose for building it was the honor and glory of God to be spread. What a great purpose for our lives!! What a great challenge for today, for every day. Live my life to bring honor and glory to God. And you?
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Humility, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Purpose, Reflection, Servant's Heart, Service, Story
Thursday, April 24th, 2025
Have you ever felt called to do something? Sometimes you knew what it was and sometimes you were clueless and had to sit back and wait. (Don’t you just love waiting?) In Book #5 of the Dancing Priest series by Glynn Young, the issue of calling was huge. Prince Thomas, the youngest child of Michael and Sarah Kent-Hughes, struggled with his calling. Compounding the questions and the whole situation was his relationship with his father. During his early years, while King Michael was engulfed in Government he became close to his mother, Queen Sarah. He was also a very bright and “feeling” boy/young man. When Angus McLin, an autistic boy, needed a friend, Thomas was that friend and they remained friends through adulthood. Angus flourished because of Thomas’ friendship and insight. But his closeness to his mother caused a rift between father and son. Michael’s jealousy and anger were always the elephant in the room. Prince Thomas also chafed against being a royal.
Once, in a conversation with his oldest brother, Hank, and his wife, Hannah, the issue of calling came up. Hank was in line to be the next king and had even gone through the ceremony. In their conversation, Hank asks Thomas if he remember the story of Samuel’s anointing of David. {Note: Samuel is impressed with David’s brothers but after each one he is reminded that God does not see as we see because while we look at the outside, God looks at the heart}. Hank goes on to say, “I may have looked and acted the role, Tommy, but I don’t think I ever really had the heart for it…I was going through the motions; this wasn’t me. I wasn’t comfortable in this Prince of Wales skin. My head and heart were in the City; what set me on fire was how to harness investment and wealth to help people flourish.”
He paused. “But you do have a heart for it. Even when you were a boy, you seemed like you’d been called to it. You were always the serious one, the wise one. You understood things long before the rest of us did.” When Hank apologized to Thomas for handing this ball and chain to him, Thomas said he didn’t see it as that. He then clarifies what he means. When he graduated from ICS (a Christian high school), he said, “I had a distinct impression that I was being called to do something. I thought I was being called to the priesthood, but that seemed off.” Through his wrestling he spoke with his Uncle David (Sarah’s brother) who told him to bide his time, “that if God was calling me, I’d be tracked down in God’s time.” Hank summed it up: “You were being called, but it wasn’t to the priesthood.” (Edited from pages 334-336)
If you read Dancing Prince you will find the answer to that question and how that sense of calling was fulfilled. My next post will also give my personal testimony on that issue and I’ll tell you what happened to Thomas.
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God's Plan, Leadership, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025
In my post yesterday, I repeated a discussion from Glynn Young’s Book #4 in the Dancing King series. I’ll repeat it here:
King Michael and Queen Sarah were talking about when life was simpler and that it seemed like it was just yesterday when he studying and preaching and she was expecting their first biological child. Michael laments that it seems so far away. The following is Sarah’s reply:
Sarah replies: “It was another life. Even if we don’t know what we’re doing, Mike, or what we should do, God does. The stuff that’s horrible or appalling or perplexing, He knows it. He has us both here for a reason, if we can’t fathom it and even if we want to be anywhere else but here. Mike, He’s ripping the lid off the sewer; it’s just hard to be one of the workers He sends in to clean out the pipes.” (p.222)
I wanted to comment more on what she said but word count put a limit on what I said. So I thought I would make a comment or two today. First, what prompted Michael and Sarah’s musing has been, unfortunately, headline true. The Church of England, of which Michael was an ordained priest, was having the lid blown off its sex abuse scandal-the coverup and moving around of pedophile priests who maimed over a thousand boys mentally and spiritually. That is a heavy weight for any to carry, especially a fictitious king and queen whose God-inspired and God-involved life had been radically interrupted, first by becoming king and queen of England; second, by the government’s inability to function; and third, by the exploding scandal involving the church.
God places people where He wants and needs them. Sometimes it is often unexpected. I know I have used the phrase “Who da thunk it?” when referring to circumstances that defy logic. A person who seems to be out of their element performing a feat that defies explanation. Sort of the like the unexpected athlete who becomes a superstar or a gold medal winner. God does not make mistakes at any time, and that is especially true when placing people where He needs them. Some are shepherds of people and some, like Sarah says, are used to clean out the filth. I am old enough to remember the Christian singer, the late Keith Green, who was vilified and misunderstood because he dared talk, write and sing about hypocrisy and deadness in the life of the church and individual followers of Christ. Some used the term “prophet” which I hesitate using. He was fiery like a prophet of the Old Testament and his “take no prisoners” approach sure was in your face, but there was no compromise acceptable to Keith. Nor should there be for us.
God has placed you; He has placed me, exactly where He wants us to be. And while we may not understand it all, He is not asking us to. He is simply asking us to trust His way and work and be obedient.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Church, Cleansing the church, God's Plan, Humility, Leadership, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Sin, Story
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
As a parent, I think one of the hardest things to endure is a child disengaging from you, and the worst case scenario, the faith you raised them in. I’ve had occasion recently to read of two such incidents in the Bible where this happened. Each time the son went off the rails.
I worked on a sermon recently where I studied about Hezekiah, the father, and his son, Manasseh. Hezekiah was a good and godly king who brought much-needed reform to Judah. His major glitch happened after a sickness that was to kill him was healed, after he begged God to let him live. (Okay, he whined). He lived 15 more years. During those 15 years Manasseh as born, but it was also when Hezekiah allowed his pride to get in the way and he opened up the temple stores to brag about his wealth to visitors. When he died, Manasseh took over and the Bible says he was one of the most wicked kings ever. 55 years of ungodly practices, witchcraft, sacrificing children to a foreign god (including his own son), and much more. If Hezekiah had lived to see that he would have probably rued the day Manasseh was born. His life was totally off the rails, unlike his father’s in every way, especially in his faith.
The other is Absalom, the son of David. He avenged the rape of his sister by Amnon, his and her half brother. I get it. David did nothing to punish Amnon. N.O.T.H.I.N.G. A father should defend the honor of his daughter. What David didn’t do, Absalom did. The result was banishment from the kingdom and even after Joab convinced David to let him back in, David refused to talk to him. For two years! Eventually, Absalom rebelled against his father and David went on the run. In time, Absalom gets his hair got caught in a tree and Joab makes sure he never breathes again. David hears about Absalom’s death and only a father can sense the anguish in his cry, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.” (2 Sam. 18:33 NLT) There is some debate as to why David was this remorseful, especially when he banished him and then ignored him. I simply take it as a father who loved his son and missed him, maybe lamenting the way he treated him. I know plenty of fathers who fit that last statement.
Not always does life, or people, turn out the way we planned or wanted. All a parent (or relative/friend) can do is to ask God to help them leave a legacy behind that is worth seeing. I have a daughter who will soon be 50 and another who will soon be 46. I have a grandson who is 18 and a multitude of people who call me pastor. I pray I have left a godly influence and my legacy says I had a heart for God.
And you?
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God's Plan, Leadership, Legacy, Ministry, Opinion, Parenting, Rebellion, Reflection, Story, Wickedness
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
A very common thought, especially in today’s culture where there seems to be very little boundaries, is “How much can I get away with and not get caught?” or “How much can I get away with and not pay any consequences?”
For example, a young Christian couple gets too close and play with fire and she ends up pregnant. Horror and remorse sets in, let’s suppose, for both. They tell their parents. Decide to put the baby up for adoption (or to keep it). They repent and ask forgiveness for their sin. They are assured they have received God’s forgiveness. Does that take away the consequences of that sin? The answer is, obviously, no. She didn’t suddenly become un-pregnant. The baby didn’t miraculously disappear from her womb. The evidence of their sin will be obvious over the next 9 months or so. The forgiveness and grace of God will also be evident as she and he heal from the recklessness they exhibited.
I know that seems like an extreme example to use, but it isn’t really. All you need to do is go to 2 Samuel 11 for a real life example in the Bible. Two names: David and Bathsheba. The story is pretty well known. David sleeps with Bathsheba and she tells him she is pregnant. David takes it a step further. He has Uriah, her husband, murdered by having Joab, his general, pull back while in battle. That left Uriah unprotected. It was also supposed to give David a clear view of being with Bathsheba. But the prophet Nathan told him a story that fried David and Nathan pointed his finger at David and said, “You are the man!” David was contrite. He fasted and prayed when his son got sick and died. He wrote Psalm 51, a penitent psalm if there ever was one.
But one thing it didn’t change was Bathsheba’s pregnancy; his guilt and shame over Uriah’s death; and the prophecy that a sword will be in his family forever. It found its fulfillment in the rape of his daughter, Tamar, by her half brother, Amnon. Such ugliness from sin. And yet, David prayed and asked forgiveness. David received that and more. But the consequences!!
That same principle applies to me and you. We sin and think no one knows. After all it was done in secret. No eyes saw or witnessed it. Like the embezzler who thinks no one will find out, sin comes to roost. I guess the best thing to do is to not lay the egg to start with. God’s grace is great. God’s forgiveness is matchless. But let’s not take advantage of it nor take it for granted.
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Forgiveness, God's Plan, Grace, Mercy, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Sin, Story
Monday, March 31st, 2025
We make decisions every day. From turning the alarm off (who wants to listen to that!) to then deciding whether to heed the alarm’s call to get up, to taking a shower, to fixing or eating breakfast on the run, the list is endless. Some mundane. Some life-changing.
The Bible is filled with characters who made major decisions. For example:
- Samson who decided to follow his lusts instead of being obedient to the one whom his mother promised him to (God). While Samson knew some victories (usually brought on by his anger or his strength) his life is also a story of missed potential. He played with fire until the fire didn’t just singe him, it burnt him and consumed him.
- Ruth decided to be submissive to her mother-in-law by following her back to Jerusalem. As a Moabite woman Ruth could have stayed home and remarried one of her kind. But she chose to honor Naomi and in the process met Boaz, the man she eventually married. As a result she is in the lineage of Jesus. She had Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
- Then there was Samuel who was promised to God even before he was born, but made the choice to follow God at a young age. A few words: “Speak, your servant listens” changed the trajectory of his life. His entire life was spent as a prophet in service to God. He anointed Saul until that became a monumental mistake and then was led by God to anoint David as the next king of Israel.
- Saul was “head and shoulders about everyone else” in physical stature, but his obedience factor was bad. Really bad. He spent more time disobeying God and blaming others for it than he did in being a godly king and leader.
- Then there is David, the “man after God’s heart.” Perfect? Not by a long stretch. Who doesn’t know about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband ordered by David? But David was also a man who admitted his sin and sought forgiveness. (I’d like to ask you to read Psalm 51 at this point). David shows us humility, and repentance, and that there is hope for even the worst of us.
We all make decisions-some good, some bad. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 14:2 says, “Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.”
Choose wisely (cue up Indiana Jones in the last crusade when he finally handles the cup of Christ). 🙂
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God's Plan, Leadership, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Surrender
Friday, March 28th, 2025
We make decisions every day. Turning the alarm off, for example, is not a hard one to make. After all, who wants it to continue bugging us, telling us it is time to get up. HOWEVER, getting up is a whole ‘nother decision. We then decide whether to shower (please do), make coffee or some other drinking venture, eat breakfast or eat on the run, go to work, etc. Every moment of every day we are making decisions. Truthfully, some are mundane. Some are day-changers. Some might even be life-changers.
Sunday’s message is about 3 people (with a fourth tossed in for a preview of him next week) who made the decision about whom they would serve and what would rule their life. Samson. Ruth. Samuel. (with a tip of the cap to Saul). Here is how I plan to develop it:
Samson-Ruled by lust
Ruth- Ruled by submission
Samuel- Ruled by a choice
Saul-Ruled by small thinking (better known as disobedience)
My title is Who Rules Your Roost? and it will be taken from Judges 13-I Samuel 12. I hope you will join us at 9:00 and 10:00 AM. If you are unable to be with us live, then please join us via our Facebook or YouTube channel. You can send a request to join our Facebook Group at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship or view our public page at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship-Spencer, In. Or you can watch via YouTube at Owen Valley Christian Fellowship. I look forward to seeing you or hearing from you online.
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Reflection, Sermon Series
