The Lord Grants Wisdom

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

In early 1994, Ramona Callaway of Alberta, Canada, began suffering horrible seizures. At first she was convinced she had contracted Huntington's disease because her father and siblings had contracted it. But tests showed that her genes were normal.

Her husband Phil, the editor for the Christian Magazine "Servant", didn't know what to say when his young children asked if Mommy was going to die. Hundreds of friends and relatives prayed, but Ramona's weight eventually slipped to 90 pounds. Medical specialists tried everything, but by the fall of 1996, the seizures were occurring daily, sometimes hourly.

Phil rarely left Ramona's side. He wondered if she would even make it to her 30th birthday. One evening, when things looked utterly hopeless, Phil paced their dark backyard, and then fell to his knees. "God!" He cried out. "I can't take it anymore. Please do something!"

Suddenly a doctor's name came to mind. Phil called the doctor, who saw Ramona the next morning and diagnosed a rare chemical deficiency. Within a week, Ramona's seizures ended. Her eyes sparkled again. The miracle was so incredible, Phil says, "God gave me back my wife."

It is often in brokenness and in worship that the Lord grants us wisdom.

Dear Lord, we praise You that when we are humble before You, You will grant us His wisdom to make the right decisions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's Timing is Perfect

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

When Dr. Paul White was serving in a bush hospital in East Africa, a schoolteacher named Yamusi Cikata came to him, carried on a stretcher from a nearby village. Parasites and disease had attacked his feet, swelling them to twice their normal size. He was no longer able to walk or even stand.

"The disease is very bad indeed," Dr. White told him, following an examination. "The only way to save your life will be to cut both your legs off above the knee."

The man's face fell. "But there's no place for a man in our tribe who has no feet. How can I cultivate? How can I look after my garden and my cattle?"

Pulling a worn Testament from his scant clothing, Yamusi turned to James 5:16 and said, "Read this." Dr. White, unable to read the tribal language, asked his assistant to translate it. The very strong prayer of a man who is right with God is most effective.

"Do you believe that?" asked the patient. "Yes, Yamusi, I do."

"Do you believe it enough to stake my life on it?"

The doctor pondered the question. "That depends on you as well," he finally replied. "It says in the Book, `If two of you shall agree in anything that you ask, it will be done."' Together the two men made a covenant, the doctor kneeling by the man's bedside. The prayers were accompa­nied by months of hot foot baths, injections, therapy, and treatment. After seven months, a slight improvement was seen, and the two men knelt together thanking God and asking for more progress.

One morning, Dr. White found Yamusi hobbling around the ward, beaming; and before the year was out he was able to walk without pain.'

God doesn't always say yes to all our requests, but He listens with unusual attentiveness when two or three gather in united prayer-and He responds in His own way and time with power and wisdom.

Dear Lord, we thank You that You are always listening to us. Thanks that You will always  answer. Help us to accept the answers and the timing that You give us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Seeing the Savior

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Some of us know people who are blind or whose eyes are failing.

That's why we can understand the story of Rose Crawford, who had been blind since birth. I am pleased to report that after delicate eye surgery she can see. Crawford wept at the beautiful colors that greeted her after the bandages were removed. So far her story doesn't sound all that extraordinary, does it?

Sadly, that is not the case.

You see, 20 years of her blindness had been completely unnecessary. Crawford hadn't kept up on the almost miraculous advances that had been made in surgery and technology. As a result, she never knew procedures had been developed that would have restored her vision when she was 30.

Crawford's doctor said, "She just figured there was nothing that could be done. If she had, much of her life could have been different."

In contrast to Crawford, we have the story of our Savior's life.

From before His birth Jesus knew there would be no cure, no technology, no surgery, no miracle that would change His destiny. The Heavenly Father was not going to come up with some new plan for humankind's salvation. There was going to be no last-minute reprieve. So we might be forgiven, Jesus had to carry our sins. So we might live forever, He had to die the death our transgressions had earned.

Now, because Jesus accepted, endured and embraced His life, which ended in that cruel and unjust suffering and death, all who believe on Him as Savior are forgiven and saved. That is God's Good News.

The bad news is this: many millions of people don't know that blood-bought truth. Rose Crawford in the story above was blind, unnecessarily blind, but the people I'm speaking about now are in a far worse condition than was she. They are blind spiritually.

They have not seen what Jesus has done for them and, if they have seen, they have not believed, and they continue to wander in the darkness.

You know, it was a tragedy that nobody told Rose Crawford about the wonderful advances which had been made in the world of eye surgery, but it is a greater tragedy when those who know the Gospel do not share the story of salvation with those who do not.

This is why I challenge you to join me in telling the spiritually blind about Jesus, their divine Doctor who can bring light and life to those who are living in the dark.

Dear Lord, we give thanks that through the Holy Spirit's working we have seen You. We have seen how You accepted the Father's plan as being the only way by which we could be saved. Help us to share it whenever and with whomever we can. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Great Doctor

Matthew 9:12 (NIV)

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

Most people have never experienced total blindness, even temporarily. You can see the person in the office next to you, the colors of your clothes, your child's smile when you pick them up and love them. You can see to drive, shop, walk down the street, and so much more. What if you were totally blind? Close your eyes for a minute and see what you can do without seeing. What if you had to live the rest of your life like that?

I once read a story about a man who had been blind since birth. He never had been able to see his mother, father, or siblings. When he became old enough, he wanted to help his family since he knew what a burden he had been to them. He went to the streets to beg for money. It didn't matter how much or how little he got, because anything he received would help his family. At the mercy of people with generous hearts, he would wait, day in and day out, some days getting nothing. For many years he had done this and the people of the city only recognized him as part of the scenery. There was so much hurt and rejection from those he could never see. Some said it happened because of something he had done. Others said it was something his parents had done. No one really knew though.

One day a man came by who some called a physician, others called crazy, and others even called a witch or evil. This man came up to the blind man and smeared mud on his eyes.

Some just watched with horror thinking how awful to do such a thing. Others watched with curiosity to see what would happen next. Still, others paid no attention. The physician, told the blind man to go wash in a pool of water and the blind man did as he was told. He was hoping only for something in his cup if he obeyed, but surely wondered what sort of ridicule would come as a result. As the water in his hands fell from his face, he saw light! Then he saw his reflection in the pool! He could see! He looked up and saw the crowds of passers-by! It was a miracle!

The physician was Jesus.

Do you have an illness or handicap in your life that seems incurable? (We all do.) Do you know that you may be able to show the works of God in your life through this handicap? (We all can.) Whatever your specific handicap, we are all handicapped with sin. Sin comes from disobeying God. The Greatest Physician of all, Jesus Christ, found the cure. He is the cure. John 9:39,

Jesus says, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Let Jesus heal your handicap - your sin handicap. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." (Matthew 9:12)

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:17-18)

Dear Lord, we thank You for being the great healer.  We pray that when we need healing that we would completely trust in You knowing that You can do all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Jesus Will Heal You

Luke 4:40 (NIV)

At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

In 1883, Frank McCabe, his brother William, and their friend, Tom McCardell, were out to make a fortune. Those living in the 1800s were notorious for "get rich quick" schemes, and the three of them were anxious to hit the jackpot. They had originally come to the area that is now called Banff to work on the railroad, but when the work stopped for the season, they decided to spend the winter searching for the key to their fame and fortune.

While hiking in the hills one day, one of them slipped, ending up with his foot in a stream of water. To his surprise, the water was warm! The three quickly followed the stream uphill to discover an interesting hole in the ground, nearly hidden by fallen logs. They quickly build a tree-trunk ladder (In all reality it was just a tree trunk!) and lowered it through the opening. William, the daredevil of the three, courageously descended the make-shift ladder to find himself surrounded by a sea of stalactites and sulfurous mists. A little farther down, his foot touched water. He shouted up the good news, and soon all three men had removed their unnecessary clothing, descended into the cave, and were joyously swimming in what turned out to be a huge, natural hot tub. They had heard Indian legends about the healing powers of warm, mineral-laced water, and they were certain that they had just discovered their ticket to richness.

Though the atrocious smell of sulfur permanently infiltrated the area, Tom and the McCabe brothers built a small cabin near the hole in the ground. They built a proper ladder, and began charging people to come and visit their hot spring. Government officials got wind of the ordeal, however, and after much heavy debate, the government was given the rights to the hot springs, a move that eventually led to the founding of Banff National Park, the first national park in Canada. What promised to be a ticket to richness for Tom and the McCabes turned into nothingness.

The federal government called the area "Caves and Basins". They built bathhouses, put in roadways and foot paths, cleaned out the area, and eventually built a pool that the basin could drain into. The naturally heated, mineral-laced waters were said to heal almost any infirmity, and despite the horrendously over-powering smell, the people came in droves.

Naturally, the waters didn't heal all infirmities, and soon the legend of the water's healing powers became limited to diseases of the skin, such as gout, chronic rheumatism, syphilis, stiff joints, gunshot wounds (is that why the water turned red?) and poisoning by mercury or lead (if you were lucky enough to be poisoned in Banff!). This didn't seem to affect enthusiasm however, for visitors continue to flock to the area.

We now know that these hot springs are beneficial for muscular problems and relaxation therapy, and sulfur is recommended as a common ingredient for skin ointments. Any other medical claims derived from these springs however, are highly questionable. What promised to be a pool of healing turned out to be a hoax.

So many people, not only in the past, but also today, and most probably in the future as well, have claimed or will claim to possess a miracle healing potion. Unfortunately, these are all hoaxes. It's true that some potions heal specific problems, but nothing can cure every illness or ailment on our planet.

There is one person who can heal all illnesses, however. While on this Earth, He healed anyone who approached Him: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

This God-given power was transmitted to His disciples: "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick." (Luke 9:1-2 NIV); and "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." (Luke 10:17 NIV)

Jesus is the only one who can heal diseases. Sometimes He does it Himself, and sometimes He empowers others to do so, however nothing can compare to Him, and His power of healing is still available today. The problem is, it seems that humanity is more interested in trying human-made elixirs than in following Jesus. Remember, Jesus said: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV) Water can be thirst quenching, even relaxing, but it can never fulfill our thirst for good. Only Jesus can do that. "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14 NIV)

Hot Springs are nice to visit, especially when your muscles are tense and you feel extremely tired, but only Jesus can carry you through adversity and heal you from addictions, disease and unforgiveness. If you have made the time to visit a hot spring, may I encourage you to also take the time to find out about Jesus? Experience a full life through Him. You won't regret it!

Dear Lord, Thank You for healing us. Thank You that we can come to You with all our sickness and needs. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Lord's Baseball Team

Ephesians 2:8-9  (NIV)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

I love baseball season. I remember Dad taking us to Tiger Stadium to watch the Detroit Tigers play.  Dad would get tickets right on the dugout. I remember thinking  how cool   it was to sit   so close to the players as they came and went off the field.  Then as I had a family of my own the surprise trip we took that ended up at Tigers Stadium. I still remember the joy and excitement that was on my oldest son’s face as he woke up from his nap in the car. In honor of another baseball season I wanted to share this great story about baseball and grace.  PLAY BALL!

Bob was caught up in the spirit where he and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game. The Lord's team was playing Satan's team. The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs. They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate whose name was Love. Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because Love never fails. The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love. The next batter up was named Godly wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch; Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass, because Godly Wisdom does not swing at Satan's pitches.

Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked, because Godly wisdom never swings at Satan's throws. The bases were loaded. The Lord then turned to Bob and told him He was now going to bring in His star player. Up to the plate stepped Grace. Bob said he sure did not look like much! Satan's whole team relaxed when they saw Grace. Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch. To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen. But Satan was not worried; his center fielder, the Prince of the air, let very few get by. He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground; then it continued over the fence for a home run! The Lord's team won.

The Lord then asked Bob if he knew why Love, Faith, and Godly Wisdom could get on base but could not win the game. Bob answered that he did not know why.

The Lord explained, "If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, faith and wisdom will get you on base, but only My grace can get you home. My grace is the one thing Satan cannot stop.

Dear Lord, we thank You for Your amazing grace. Help us always remember that we can’t do it on our own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

April Fools Day

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

The fool says in his heart,

    “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;

    there is no one who does good.

There have been many practical jokes pulled on folks in recognition of this day. In 2005, the media reported that NASA had discovered water on Mars, and had actual pictures on the official NASA website. Those who went to the NASA website to check it out, found a picture of a glass of water sitting on a Mars candy bar.

On April Fools Day in 1996, Taco Bell announced that they had purchased the Liberty Bell, and that they would be renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Man, people were calling the national parks department, all in an uproar. Later in the Day, the press secretary for the white house announced that they would also be selling the Lincoln Memorial and renaming it the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

The April 1985 edition of Sports Illustrated reported that there was a new rookie signed up to play for the Mets. This rookie, named Sidd Finch, supposedly trained by Buddhist monks, was said to have a 168 MPH fastball that he delivered with pinpoint accuracy. Mets fans rejoiced until they found out it was an April Fools joke.

1998 Burger King published a full page advertisement in an American newspaper announcing the introduction of a new item to their menu: a "Left-Handed Whopper" especially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new whopper included the same ingredients as the original Whopper (lettuce, tomato, hamburger, etc.), but all the items were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. The next day, Burger King issued a follow-up.

The follow-up press release said that although the Left-Handed Whopper was a hoax, thousands of customers had gone into restaurants to request the new sandwich. Simultaneously, according to the press release, "many others [had] requested their own 'right handed' version."

Probably the best April Fools joke ever reported was when the BBC news program “Panorama” reported in 1957 that due to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. Many people called in wanting to know how to grow their own spaghetti tree.

Psalm 14:1

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."

The most foolish thing anyone can do is fail to believe in God.

The fool believes that good people go to heaven.

The fool believes going to church isn't important.

The fool believes you can ignore what the Bible says about sin.

The fool believes there are errors in the Bible.

The fool believes there is no place called hell.

The fool chooses to neglect salvation that comes only through faith in Jesus.

Let’s make it our goal to share the good news of Jesus to those around us. Let’s be bold so we can show the truth to the foolish.

Dear Lord, thanks for giving us the wisdom so that we can make wise decisions rather than foolish ones. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.