Lesson Learned from the Bat, Buzzard and Bumblebee

Isaiah 40:26 (New International Version)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:

   Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one

   and calls forth each of them by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength,

   not one of them is missing.

The information below isn't verified but it is a great illustration

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is pl! aced on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.

It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

In a lot of ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat and the bee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, not realizing that if we look up to God, we will find the answer.

Dear Lord we pray that we would look up to You. We pray that when struggle we wouldn’t just look down around us for the answer but that we would lift our eyes to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Are You Connected to the Power?

Ephesians 1:19-20 (New International Version)

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.

Are you connected to the real power source today? Jesus wants to be your power.  Take the time to connect to Him today.

Dear Lord we thank You for the power You give each one of us. We pray today that we stay connected with You as we live our life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Are Your Feet on Firm Ground?

Psalm 59:16 (New International Version)

But I will sing of your strength,

   in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

   my refuge in times of trouble.

Caden, an eleven year old boy, was after a little adventure. After looking for crabs behind rocks and watching fish swimming against the out-flowing tide, he decided to cross the river.

Even though the water was only up to his chest, with his small body frame and light weight, he needed to concentrate and lean against the flow to make the crossing.

There was an Older teenager that was his guardian his job was to coach him through the crossing, realizing that the danger of being swept away was very real.

With his side of the river covered with rocks, and the opposite side having shallow sand banks, it was easy going to the shallow side. With less than twenty steps he was through the fastest and strongest current and gradually rose to dry sand bank. What a victory to get across!

But now the return challenge faced him. Both the depth and speed of the current increased, matching his increasing fear of disaster. With only ten steps to go, he hit some soft sand that gave way, and within seconds was floating downstream, distraught about his likely demise.

During his ‘heroic’ rescue, a thought came to him… isn’t this the same as my walk as a Christian?

It’s tough going against the current. Sometimes our feet give way, and we quickly start floating downstream to disaster. The quicker we get our feet on firm ground again, the better.

Dear Lord we thank You today the a rescue is only a prayer away! We thank You that we can keep our feet firmly planted on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Failure or Springboard?

Habakkuk 3:19 (New International Version)

 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;

   He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

   He enables me to tread on the heights.

Concerned about the disintegration of the home and the increased divorce rate, James Dobson, at the time a little-known psychologist of a southern California university hospital, wrote a book in the early '70s in support of corporal punishment entitle "Dare to Discipline."

The popularity of the controversial volume caught the eye of TV talk show guru Phil Donahue. He invited Dobson to appear on his Chicago-based show in 1978. Donahue made the Ph.D. in child development look like a child. Dobson readily admits his performance on Donahue's show was his worst ever. He left the set feeling like a failure. But Dobson's despair was short-lived.

The next day he sought out a 65-year-old advertising agent in a Chicago suburb to discuss the possibility of a national radio program. Doug Mains invited Dobson to his one-man studio in Wheaton, where Dr. James Dobson proceeded to record the pilot broadcast of "Focus on the Family."

What has developed from a disastrous television appearance is nothing short of mind-boggling. "Focus on the Family" is heard on more than 6,000 stations around the world. The 10 magazines Focus publishes reach 2.3 million families each month. Has produced the popular kids program “Adventures in Odyssey” Hear by kids around the world. This past weekend during the playoff football game The aired an ad in prime time while over 50,000,000 people watched explaining John 3:16, to the world.  

Give your plans to the Lord and let Him direct them. Then sit back and watch how God will use you.

Dear Lord today we surrender ourselves to You . We ask that You we be our strength and that we will follow You no matter where You lead us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Follow the Map?

Proverbs 3:6 (New International Version)

in all your ways submit to him,

   and he will make your paths straight.

 Do you ever wish you had a roadmap for living?  Maybe a blueprint, A tweet or even an Email?

If only someone could occasionally show us a way to go, a direction to take, we wouldn't feel so unsure of which path to pursue. We think that, with only a little guidance, we would end up in the right place.

Passengers on a regular flight from Detroit to Tri-City Airport (which is between the Michigan cities of Saginaw, Bay City and Midland), must have felt a little more than lost during the flight attendant's greeting as their flight commenced. She welcomed the passengers and stated that the destination would be Midland. A few concerned passengers alerted her to the mistake, so the flight attendant, obviously not familiar with the area, corrected herself by saying that they would be landing in "Tri-City" and Bay City.

Chuckles rippled along the aisle as she bravely tried again. This time she informed passengers that they would be landing in Saginaw. Now laughter broke out.

At that point, an authoritative voice came over the intercom and rescued her. "I'm your pilot, folks," he said, "and don't worry -- I know where we're going."

It's nice when someone knows the way. And there is wisdom in seeking help when necessary. Other people can be valuable resources.

But we cannot always depend on others for the important answers for living our lives. In the end, nobody can point us to all the best solutions for life's problems; nobody else can steer us along the path that is just right for us. We find that way by listening to God.  We find the way by reading God’s word.

So if you feel a bit lost, don't worry. This may be a perfect time to listen to what God is telling you.  And remember -- your Pilot knows where you're going.

Dear Lord we pray that we would listen to Your still small voice. We thank You for being our pilot and that You know where we are going. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Listening to the One That Calls?

John 10:27 (New International Version)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

It's like the tale of a father and a son on a journey to a distant city. There were no maps. The trip would be long and hard, fraught with danger. Only the wisdom and experience of the father would get them safely to their destination. Along the way the boy grew curious about his surroundings. What was on the other side of the forest? What would he see if he stood on that distant ridge? Could he run over there and look? His father said yes.

But the boy was a little nervous. "What if I wander too far from you, Father? What if I get lost?"

The father said, "Every few minutes I will call your name and wait for your answer. Listen for my voice, my son. When you can no longer hear me you will know you've gone too far."

Everything depends on the relationship of the listener to the One who calls.

Dear Lord we pray that our ears would always be open to hear what You are saying to us. We also pray that we would do the things that You want us to do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your Mission

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 (King James Version)

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Your mission: You are to parachute into the remotest of areas in the Amazon jungles of Paraguay. You are to make your way to the nearest tribe and convince them of the wonders of technical advancement. Should you succeed in your mission, you will be awarded $10,000,000. Wow!

You know that the native people have never seen a white man before, and this thought makes you self-confident. "Piece of cake!" you mumble. "They'll be eating out of the palm of my hand by sunset!"

With the help of your personal interpreter, you begin: "Dear friends, I am here to share with you the wonders of modern technology!"

That's as far as you get before you are interrupted. You wait patiently for your interpreter to tell you what the old man said: "Technology? What's technology?"

What? They don't know what technology is? It has never occurred to you that these people wouldn't even know what technology is! You swallow. You will just have to speak simply and to the point. How hard can that be?

"Technology is the world outside of these jungles!" you explain. "Do you know how I got here?"

As one, the natives shake their heads at the interpreter's words.

"By airplane! An airplane is a kind of bird made by humans in which people like you can fly! That's technology!"

You are encouraged. They look impressed! But then one of them cries out incredulously: "Show us!"

"I-I can't!" you stammer. "I don't have the plane with me!"

"Ridiculous!" exclaim the rest of the group.

"We also have cars, man-made devices that take us from one place to another without the help of animals. This, by the way, is how I get to work."

Your statement creates a frenzy of excitement. Yes! You are getting somewhere! But then your interpreter explains what they are saying: "They say that you talk nonsense. They ask why anyone would need such a device when everything they need is so close by!"

Good point. Hum. You decide to stay away from modern transportation, and instead you focus on technological home advancements.

"We have homes as high as your trees, where thousands of people live."

"That must be quite a busy tree!" laughs a woman in the crowd. "Does anyone fall out?"

"Not at all!" you assure her. "Our trees are made of cement."

"Cement?" questions a curious one. "What is cement?"

"It's a mixture of different materials, like mixing dirt and water together."

"That's not practical at all!" shouts a child. "If I mix dirt and water together, it breaks as soon as I touch it!"

"The materials we have are stronger!" you insist, beginning to wish that you could have brought pictures with you.

"I wouldn't want to live in the top of a tree!" exclaims an older woman. "I'd have to climb down a long way in order to relieve myself!"

"Not at all!" you hurry to assure her. "We have bathrooms in our cement trees. We use toilets to relieve ourselves!"

"Bathrooms?" mumbles one, as if trying to figure out what that could be.

"Toilets?" echoes another. "What are toilets?"

You try to stay calm, to keep your frustration under control. "In a bathroom you can take a shower." But then you realize they won't know what a shower is either and you hasten to add: "Its water spraying over your whole body. Kind of like rain, only man made!"

"Fantasies!" yells the chief. "You're just telling us fairy tales!"

"No," you insist through your interpreter. "It's all true! A toilet is about this high!" You lower your hand to about two feet off of the ground. "You sit on it to relieve yourself, and then water appears to flush it all away."

"Where does it go?" asks the curious one.

"It goes into the sewer."

"A sewer?" interrupts a toothless woman. "What's a sewer?"

This time you decide to ignore her. "We also have radios. They are small boxes where you can hear people sing and talk. And we have televisions, you know, flat, about this high!" You indicate about a meter with your hand. "They permit us to see and hear people in action…"

"You mean there are people that small?" questions a child with a dirty face.

As time has gone by, the chief seems to be getting more and more agitated. You decide to ignore it: "We also have stoves. They permit us to cook food without having to start a fire…"

The chief stands up abruptly, and his very presence silences the people. Then he begins to speak, and though you don't understand the words, they hold the people in total silence.

"What's he saying?" you whisper to your interpreter.

"He says that you are crazy," answers your honest guide. "He says you are trying to confuse them with your fantasies. He is telling the people to go back to their work and ignore your ravings."

And just like that, the natives stand up and wander away.

"No!" you yell. "Stop! Everything I've said is true. It really is! How can I make you believe what I am saying?"

But there are now only a few youngsters left, and these are rolling in the dirt with laughter. An older one tries to imitate you, which makes the younger ones laugh even harder.

You stamp your foot in frustration as you see your millions of dollars evaporating into thin air. You have failed. But why? You told them the truth, why can't anyone see it?

Each of us are on a mission, one that is far more rewarding than millions of dollars. We are on a mission to tell the world about Jesus glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

On our own, witnessing is as impossible as trying to convince those Paraguayian natives of the wonders of modern technology. The gospel is foolishness to those who do not believe. It is only by depending solely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit that people will see the truth. We are God's messengers, the ones who drop the seed. It is the Holy Spirit who must make that seed grow:

Remember, our reward awaits us in Heaven. It's even better than 10,000,000$, so don't forget to follow His lead!

Dear Lord we pray that we would be ready for the mission you have for us. We pray that we would be able to share Your love in a way that the world can understand. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.