The River

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.” Psalm 46:4 

The river goes back to the creative genius of God.  Even as the artist signs every painting or inserts something into the artwork to reflect his or her nature, the river depicts a physical manifestation of the character of God.  The river bears more resemblance to eternity than any other geographical contour.  The five oceans cover vast expanses of the earth’s surface, but a shoreline of sand or rocks imposes boundaries on every ocean.  Mountains rise to majestic heights from 390 ranges in the world, but though they tower above tree lines and challenge the hardiest climbers to conquer their snowy summits, they fall woefully short of forever.  The seven continents stretch for thousands of miles through the arctic, temperate and tropical zones, but they all stop at the water’s edge.  But the river is eternal.  Although the source may be a subterranean spring or melting snow, although we can identify its source and its discharge into another body of water, and although we can locate its banks, we cannot stop it.  We can dam it, divert it, restrict it and change its course; we can pollute it, pave over it or steal its power for electricity, but we cannot prevent its flow.  It will overcome any obstacle, circumvent any barrier and overwhelm anyone who tries to halt its progress.  There is a divine component to the river that you cannot find in the seas, mountains or earth.  That’s why God is in the midst of the river. 

Every great city in history has been founded upon a river.  Alexandria had its Nile; Rome had its Tiber; Babylon had its Euphrates; London had its Thames and Paris had its Seine.  The river meant commerce, irrigation, transportation, and water supply for the population.  The river is the water of life.  It is a living reminder that there has always been an eternal presence of God.  He has made Himself knowable, findable, accessible and responsive.  In the very beginning God moved upon the face of the waters, and a river flowed to the four corners of the earth.  God is not a long-bearded hermit up in a mountain cave.  He is not flitting among the stars.  He is not still in a human body. Paul says to think of God as a vast, overwhelming river flowing through the world even today.  (2 Corinthians 5:16).

But mankind has abandoned the river.  “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:11-13.

• Abortion, or total disrespect for human life.
• Prayer forbidden in schools, except when being shot at!
• Sex education, but moral ignorance.
• Historical revisionism: The past is wrong.
• Moral relativism: Don’t judge.
• Progressive education: Let us play with the minds of children.
• Permissiveness: Never say no and never enforce rules.
• Freedom of expression: I can say anything I wish.
• Political correctness: You can’t say anything you wish. 

But God will not be confined to museums!  He is not kept in that big family Bible on the coffee table.  “Whatever God was, He still is!  If He was a healer, He still is a healer!  If He was a savior, He still is a savior!  If He was a miracle-worker, He still is a miracle-worker!  If you ever had an experience with God, cheer up because He can do again! And, whatever He is today, He will to be tomorrow!  He not only IS my healer, He WILL BE my healer!” (David Smith).  His source can’t run dry, His force can’t be stopped, His goal can’t be subverted.

The river flows and rises, but you will not feel the effects of the river until you get in the water!  Everything you need is in The River!  Healing, restoration and miracles.  The distance from you to the river is as far as your faith will take you.  “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38.  Come to The River!

Choose Life

“If a man die, shall he live again?” Job 14:14

Death had long raised the clenched fist of victory. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, man goes to his long home and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Death claimed the lives of God’s first human creations. Every miracle of life ended in death’s icy grip. Infants aborted, slaughtered, thrown into the fires of Moloch. Heroes slowed death down, but eventually succumbed to its relentless hunger. Not money, intellect, talent, knowledge, political influence, physical strength, technological genius, will power, diplomacy— nothing kept it at bay. The Babylonian armies, the Persian hordes, the Greek phalanxes, the Roman legions could not stop death.  It respected no name, regarded no person, avoided no man or overlooked no race, tribe or ethnicity. It fears no miracle drugs, surgical suites, science labs, funeral parlors or burial vaults.  

Then, the most magnificent personage of all history walked on the Stage. He stunned death by His statement, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Leprosy met its match, demons met their master, blindness met the light, and death met its fate.  Never a man spoke like this man.  The elements obeyed His voice. The name Jesus was on everyone’s lips. But, a plan hatched in hell turned the tide.  Nails hammered the Perfect Man’s palms and feet, nailed His flesh to a blood-soaked cross.  His head tilted forward on his lacerated chest, and He cried “It is finished!” His limp form sagged on the shoulders of Joseph of Arimathea and spread out lifelessly on a marble slab. They sealed the stone, and the laugh of death reverberated throughout earth and hell, chilling the bones of the living and the spirits of the dead. Laugh, Satan!  It was to be the last gloat of earth’s greatest nemesis. Something was about to happen. Death seemed omnipotent for thousands of years—until the Almighty God decided that death had had its way long enough. “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes!”  

Death reigns in morgues, funeral parlors and cemeteries, but wherever Satan spreads sin, he spreads death. “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:15. Substance abuse injects death into human frames. Sexual sins embrace death. Lying, cheating, stealing and dishonesty dance with death. But death doesn’t just stalk the open sinner.  Every cancerous tumor diagnosed, every wince from arthritic pain, every artery clogged, every time COPD suffocates a set of lungs, death lets you know he lurks within arm’s reach. This failing body is subject to sickness and disease, and will finally lose its viability. But, the same God who created you heals your pain and suffering! “And with his stripes we are healed!” 

But even if none of us get our healing, this resurrection message makes victorious us as well!  Then, there is something called carnality.  “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6. If you choose to be a half-way Christian; if you choose to be a sub-standard, Christian-in-name-only; if you choose to ride the fence, you are choosing death! The holy winds of revival need to sweep through your life and set you on fire!  

Are you disillusioned by life, bitter at circumstances, angry at people and depressed over your future? Choose life! God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Thank your Creator for every breath; it’s “the breath of life!” Life embodies the essence of God; life represents the power of God.  The ravages of death may send its pain, tears, grief and suffering, but it can’t stop life!

Life is unstoppable, irrepressible, inexorable, inevitable, unavoidable, and unconquerable.  Life is relentless, persistent, insistent, determined, adamant, resolute, and stubborn. Choose life! This is not impersonal force, energy, universal element or raw power. This is the Lord Jesus Christ!  He is the Resurrection and the Life! 

How Much Do You Weigh?

“You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.” Daniel 5:27 

Belshazzar rode atop the opulent kingdom of Babylon.  His pomp and arrogance surpassed even that of his father.  After a night of reveling, God crashed the party with handwriting on the wall, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL UPARSIN.”  Daniel interpreted the message to mean “tried in the balances and found wanting.”  Body weight, fat grams or need for liposuction are not in view here.  Imagine a huge set of scales that held the entire Babylonian empire on one side, and the favor of the Almighty God on the other.  The scale dipped sharply to the Almighty.  Nothing in Babylon outweighed God’s power and might.  Babylon fell that same night and in its collapse, Belshazzar lost his power, his kingdom and his life.  

In ancient days, balances accounted for money.  Merchants weighed all the gold or silver used as currency to conduct business.  Since there was no uniformity among coins of the realm, it was necessary to weigh them to ensure that the right amount was transacted. So, what did God weigh in the balance?  Not the great walls, the wide streets, the magnificent Ishtar Gate or the Hanging Gardens which were considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  He didn’t weigh the king’s treasure house, the standing armies or the wealth of the famed merchants that lined the broad boulevards. God weighed none of these structures that impressed the world and established Babylon as the greatest city and empire of the day.  God weighed something far more valuable. “Found wanting” simply meant that the amount paid for a commodity was not enough.  You short-changed the merchant or the person with whom you were doing business. 

When this visual is projected into the twenty-first century culture—and to us, personally—it becomes something of a great concern.  It tells the story of the true value of your life.  Just as Belshazzar, many people look at the wrong things as their valuables.  I could go down the litany of the things we treasure—house, car, clothes, bank accounts, good looks, etc.—but these things do not tip the scale.  In fact, when we pay attention to these things in trying to better our lives, we actually do the opposite.  The more you accumulate, the less value you have.  The more you are worth in this life, chances are the more worthless you are in the life to come. 

Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21. Whether you know it or not, you are on God’s scales.  He is not looking for the pound or two that you gained this morning when you stepped on the scales.  He is not counting calories or fat grams.  God weighs attitude, humility, gratitude, obedience to His will, and faith in his being.  

So, let’s take inventory. How much is your car worth in heaven’s currency?  What’s most valuable to you?  House? Clothes? Gadgets? Good looks? Good health? Good mind? But, in God’s accounting system, He is not impressed. The things that you may be spending all your money, time and energy on will be utterly and totally lost in the end. Maybe it’s time to start looking at life through the eyes of God.

The Bible warns us against placing a high value on earthly things. (Revelation 3:14-18).  God says you need Truth!  The word, TRUTH sums it all up! Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” There is freedom in truth—freedom from society’s expectations, from the flesh, from the rat race of life. You are responsible for the truth you know.  When you exchange ignorance for knowledge, your life is forever changed. 

The Responsibility of Knowing Truth

“I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” 1 John 2:21 

Knowledge makes you responsible.  Once you know truth, you cannot claim ignorance.  From that point on, everything changes. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”  1 John 2:3-5.  It follows that just because God is love, doesn’t mean He loves sinful behavior.  Does a doctor love the cancer just because he loves the cancer patient?  If we love Jesus, we will keep his commandments.  Obedience is the measure of our love.  Love dramatically affects our attitude. 

• You make sacrifices for those you love. You may go without so the person you love can have the things he/she may want or need.
• You think about that person often. You want to be together with the one you love.
• You share secrets with the one you love. Whether it’s something good or bad, you want to confide in someone you love.
• It makes you happy when your loved one is happy.  When the one you love is happy, it makes you happy.
• You get upset when the one you love is upset. When that special person is hurt or upset about something, it affects you.
• You care more for the one you love than you do yourself. You show more concern for the well-being for the one you love than yourself.
• You communicate with the one you love.  You spend countless hours talking about anything and everything.
• You show affection to the one you love. You don’t feel embarrassed about showing public affection.
• You want a future with the one you love. You think about spending a lifetime with the one you love.
• Despite disagreements, you want to be with the one you love. Arguing happens, but you don’t let that argument tear you apart. 

Beware of the “Doesn’t Matter” syndrome.  (Doctrine doesn’t matter; lifestyle choices don’t matter; belief system doesn’t matter.)  Translation:  There are no rules, no prohibitions, no compulsory doctrines. Real Translation: “I make up my own rules.  I do whatever I want to do.”  That’s not the language of love.  In fact, your love for God doubles as your greatest protection against future deception. This Scripture states it succinctly:

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.

Knowledge negates neutrality.  Once you have it, you are obligated to respond. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.  But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you … and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. 1 John 2:22-29. 

Did you get that?  Christ’s coming inspires confidence. When you consider the fact that Jesus is coming, does it excite you or scare you? Truth-bearers possess a greater responsibility to God and to others.  They can only be saved if we share the Good News!

The Perfect Storm

“A day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess.” Zephaniah 1:15

Meteorologists called the storm that hit North America’s eastern seaboard in October 1991 a “perfect storm” because of the rare combination of factors that created it. For everyone else, it was perfect hell.  Then, on August 23, 2005, Tropical Depression Twelve—a.k.a. Katrina—formed over the southeastern Bahamas. It sustained winds of 184 mph, making it the fourth most intense Atlantic Basin hurricane on record. Katrina made landfall three times, affecting a wide swath of land covering a massive portion of southern and eastern North America. A fifteen to thirty foot storm surge came ashore on virtually the entire coastline from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. The surge recorded at Biloxi, Mississippi is the highest ever observed in America.  Upper air movement, water temperature and the barometric pressure all converged at a critical point, making this a perfect storm. The overbuilt, overpopulated coastline presented its most vulnerable point. Katrina was categorized at Level Five, but the levees were built for a Category Three.  Miscalculation and denial gave people a false sense of security.  

I detail the damage and devastation of Hurricane Katrina because it is a microcosm, a miniature example of a coming storm, a storm that is outlined in the Book of Revelation.  The four horsemen of the Apocalypse rain down famines, plagues, geophysical upheaval and death.  “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Revelation 6:15-17. NIV.  And, there is more to come.  Hail and fire mingled with blood, the sea turned blood-red, sea-life destroyed, and ships sunk rock John’s prophetic pages. 

How will people react?  “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore. They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment.” Revelation 18:11-15 NIV.  This storm—not of the century, but of the millennia of human history—gathers, even as I write this piece. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”  2 Peter 3:10-12. 

The Bible predicts the perfect storm.  Most people don’t believe it. If they do believe it’s coming, they don’t believe it will affect them.  If it does affect them, they don’t think it will be that bad. If it is bad, they think they will be rescued. If most people are rescued, everything will be rebuilt and get back to normal. But, the predominant story of Katrina was not the intensity of the hurricane but the lack of preparedness of people!

The predominant story of the coming storm is not the extreme destruction it will cause; it is not that ample warnings didn’t go out; it is not that people didn’t have an evacuation plan.  It is that too many people were lulled into a false sense of security.  Yes, Jesus may be coming…later. The Great Tribulation is coming…later. Prophecy will be fulfilled…later.  Heed the warnings.  Publish the news.  Your eternal life depends on it!

Five Secret High-Impact Words and Phrases for Spouses

1. Now.  “I will make that call now.”  “I will schedule that job now.  In fact, I will run down to the hardware store (or supermarket) now and get the stuff I need.  “I will pick up those clothes now.”   The last thing your husband or wife wants to hear is another empty promise to do something later.  Chances are that the particular chore in question has stared both of you in the face for too long a time anyway.  When you say “Now,” however, you send a message that his or her desires jump to the head of the list of things-to-do.  First, the immediate response satisfies the urgency of the need.  Second, stopping whatever you’re doing and turning your attention to the task at hand confers the feeling of priority to him or her.  And, under normal circumstances, acting now invites a warm and grateful feeling in return.  

2.  What else?  After you’ve completed a certain task for someone, take the time to ask what else you can do.  Think about it.  You are there; you are in a mood to accomplish something; while it may not be the most convenient time, it will certainly be less convenient to come back some other time.  Most importantly, it greatly enhances the other person’s esteem for you because you are truly focusing on their welfare.  

Doing the minimum has no place in a Christian’s conduct and attitude.  Jesus taught us to go the second mile.  When you do more than asked or expected, you invest into immense good will and gratitude. 

3.  What do you think?  It galls some people to admit that someone else may have a better idea.  Nothing is more damaging to a relationship, however, than to continually override or ignore input from the other person.  When you ask that special person what they think about something, you show that you are not above them.  

Besides that, the other person may actually have a better idea.  He or she certainly will have a different perspective than you, and might even know some additional facts about the situation that you lack.  Moreover, when the feedback comes, resist the temptation to rebut or refute the suggestion.  If you do, your initial invitation will be seen as phony.  

4.  I’ll try.  Whenever you’re asked to do something that you feel incapable of doing, don’t cover it up by boasting about your dubious abilities.  When you say, “I’ll try,” you show that your spirit is willing, although your flesh may be weak.  You are not expected to be able to do everything, but you can give it your best shot.  The value in that kind of attitude shows up in the impact it has on the relationship.  

5.  Just you.  “I just want to be with you.”  “I just want to know what you want (think, like, feel).  For your spouse, those words have almost as much warm meaning and positive value as “I love you” does.  For close friends, they demonstrate respect and high esteem.  The other person will do almost anything for you when you show this kind of spirit toward them.

Norman R. Paslay II - A Tribute

Norman R. Paslay II was larger than life.  From reverent to raucous, from pensive to loquacious, from hushed to hollering, one can still hear his booming “HELLO, NOW!” or, “That’s EPIC!” shattering the silence of, well, just about anywhere. Whatever NRPII could be, he could not be ignored.  He put the exclamation point on every exchange and injected mirth into the monotony of the moment.  (He would have bellowed at my alliterations!)  He unwrapped the gift of laughter and distributed it to us all, and no one suffered more from his deprecatory style of humor than he, himself. His off-the-cuff characterizations of life around him continually cracked us up—like referring to Jeanie as “the Brunette,” or moaning about his family that was overpopulated with females as “drowning in a sea of estrogen.”  Norm’s refreshing wit could turn the most mundane objects or situations into melt-down hilarity. 

 Yet, for all his merriment, a deep current of solemnity ran beneath the surface of Norman Paslay.  His love of people, his awareness of the fragile sensitivity of those to whom he ministered, his ability to identify with children and youth, and his kindness to fellow-laborers endeared him to the world.  He could shift from a light-hearted demeanor to meaningful commentary at such lightning speed that you knew that his laughter only served as a disarming cover for profound thoughts.  It takes a gigantic intellect to pull that off, and he did it with class and ease.  His election as district superintendent, his earning of a master’s degree later in life, and his recruitment as an FBI chaplain all testified to his intelligence and ability. 

Multi-talented, charismatic persons often stumble over their own egos, but Norman Paslay maintained a humble and respectful spirit despite his success in local, state-wide, national and international arenas.  He remained true to Apostolic doctrine, and he fiercely defended the holiness lifestyle.  In addition, he possessed remarkable resilience. He refused to allow deep hurt, occasional betrayal and infrequent disappointments to taint his dedication to ministry.  Situations that could have slowed him down only served to inspire and motivate him to do the work of God with greater excellence.  Of all the aspects of his personality that people will miss, his coaching, encouraging, and affirming qualities top the list.

Norman R. Paslay II was a champion.  He instantly brightened up a room just by walking in, he made so many people feel good with a sentence or two, and his generosity became legendary.  No one of his caliber leaves us without creating a huge vacuum in the fellowship.  We are poorer because he’s gone, but we are richer because he lived.   

Who Knew? The People God Puts in Your Life (Part Four)

The Pretender to Your Throne.  “After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.” 2 Samuel 15:1.  Absalom stole the hearts of the people away from David and tried to establish himself as the new king.  Instead of offering loyalty and support to his father, he undermined him and split the kingdom. 

Someone wants what you have.  They want your position, possessions and power.  There may be a confrontation.  If they draw you into a conflict, make sure your motives are not personal vengeance, but righteousness and honor.  It is not wrong to oppose evil and ungodliness, and to fight for right, but it is always wrong to fight for selfish purposes. 

Your Right-Hand Man. “Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.” 2 Samuel 10:7.  Joab was devoted to David’s interests and served him faithfully, both politically and privately. When David made wrong choices, Joab tried to dissuade him from his purpose. He was not always successful, so Joab, nevertheless, did David’s bidding.  Joab was a man of great military prowess, valiant, and capable. He was revengeful, and not above treachery to gratify his vengeance. Scholars agree that David’s right-hand man appears in history as one of the most accomplished and yet darkly unprincipled warriors that Israel ever produced. Whatever he was, David could always count on Joab’s unwavering devotion to him. 

God will always put someone in your life who attends to your welfare.  All of us need general support and understanding, but beyond that, we need a certain person to lean on in hard times and to trust in when we are especially vulnerable.  David was that kind of person to his father and brothers.  When he assumed a leadership position, God supplied him with the same kind of individual.  That person may be your husband or wife.  He could be your close friend or understudy.  Be grateful that God takes care of your needs on a personal level. 

Your Network.  “These are the names of the mighty men whom David had … thirty-seven in all.” 2 Samuel 23:8; 39.  Situations in life arise when a band of people—a posse, if you will—become necessary.  This band consisted of fighters and bodyguards who were intensely loyal to David.  They would literally do anything for him.  

Sometimes, one or two friends cannot adequately meet the needs of your life.  You need a network of people that will rally around you and lift you to victory.  How do you build a network?  (1) Be a part of someone else’s network; (2) Don’t overload your network; (3) Be a faithful and loyal part of the church, God’s greatest network! “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-27. (By the way, check out the identity of number thirty-seven).

Your Legacy.  “Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: ‘I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” 1 Kings 2:1-3. 

In God’s timing, someone will take up the torch of your family, your job and your ministry.  Ask for God’s help, because it is the totality of your life.