Pearl Harbor - Alertness is Imperative

John 16:13 (NIV)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Alertness is imperative. The failure of the United States at Pearl Harbor is a tragic picture of failed watchmen. United States officials and commanders failed to pay attention in the critical weeks, days and hours prior to 7:55 A.M., December 7, 1941. If those in strategic leadership had realized the necessity to listen and beware, the results of the attack on Pearl Harbor could have been drastically different.

In meetings with both the Secretary of the Navy and the President, Admiral Richardson of the Pacific Fleet alerted them to the danger of the United States fleet remaining at Pearl Harbor. He was wary that the Japanese would realize the United States military's vulnerability and would act quickly to take advantage of the situation. His warnings, however, were ignored and he was dismissed shortly thereafter.         

The commanders at Pearl Harbor, Admiral Kimmel and Lieutenant General Short, were alerted to the impending danger of war on October 16, November 24 and November 27. Not believing an attack was possible, they only took precautions against Japanese sabotage. In fact, instead of strategically moving to the logical point of attack in the northwest, the entire fleet was moored in the harbor. Some personnel were even allowed to go on shore leave. Would it have made a difference had they stayed awake and remained sober at their posts?

Four hours before the attack, a United States destroyer in the Pacific sighted a Japanese submarine. Evidently not being alert to the imminent danger, no one on the destroyer reported the attack. Also, an army private (practicing on the radar set after its normal closing time) notified his superior officer of an approaching large squadron of planes. The lieutenant, however, neglected to listen and beware, but instead passed it off as being the group of B-17s that was expected from the United States.

The enemy gained the greater portion in this attack. More than 2,300 American servicemen were killed and over 1,100 were wounded; two battleships were destroyed and six others were heavily damaged; several lesser vessels were put out of action and more than 150 United States planes were wrecked. The Japanese lost less than 100 men and sacrificed only 29 planes and five midget submarines. Their task force escaped without being attacked.

The lack of alertness and false estimation of the enemy's capabilities and intentions were primary reasons this attack resulted in such devastation. Military and civilian officials in Washington, as well as the commanders at Pearl Harbor, had failed to observe and pay attention to the many warnings of impending attack. Their neglect to listen and to beware of the approaching danger allowed the enemy's plans to be successful.

Frequently, we believers ignore warnings from Scripture and the Holy Spirit.  The cost is often great.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would not ignore the warnings that the Bible and Holy Spirit bring our way. Help us listen to the things that are there to lead and guide us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

What Is Your Waterloo?

Romans 4:4-5 (NIV)

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

Napoleon's latest campaigns, in Russia, Germany and France, had all been complete failures. On April 6, 1814 he was forced to abdicate the throne, and he was given the sovereignty instead of a tiny little island called Elba.

When Louis XVIII took the throne from Napoleon, he set to work re-establishing the borders of France to what they had been back in 1791. The restoration period had finally begun.

But Napoleon wasn't satisfied with the new kingdom of France. "What a mockery," He thought. He decided to take his fate into his own hands, and he escaped from his tiny little island, landing in the Gulf of Juan, near Saint-Raphael. And somehow he ended up with 1000 troops!

On March 20, 1815 he marched on Paris, and as he met no resistance, he had no difficulties overtaking the throne. After all, wasn't he meant to rule?

Like any of us, Napoleon had a hard time giving up his ambitions, but sooner or later, he would face his end. In this case it was sooner, for 100 days after his escape, Napoleon lost everything. He lost the men in his troops, and he lost his throne. Napoleon's defeat came about just outside a town in modern-day Belgium known as "Waterloo", and this event has so gone down in history that the British have coined the expression, "Meet your Waterloo" to mean "meet your defeat".

Why are we so geared to want to be in control over all aspects of our lives? What do we gain by it? Headaches, anxiety, worrying and restless nights? Is it worth even pursuing?

Even in the case of salvation, many of us insist we have our part to play. Again, we try to be in control of our very own destiny! We truly believe salvation can be obtained by our meager efforts, that God is obliged to give it to us! "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation." Romans 4:4.

Have you noticed that those who don't know love personally tend to depend on personal achievements to reach heaven? The Pharisees in Jesus' days were certainly specialists in this, and this attitude continues to exist even today.

Salvation is not an obligation, it is a free "gift" from above, a gift that cost God a great deal. Remember that it was not us who initiated reconciliation with God, but God Himself who reached out to us, providing salvation through the sacrifice of His very own son Jesus the Christ. Imagine the pain God endured while His son was hanging on that despicable cross! How much pain it must have brought upon God! But at the same time God wanted all of His children, even those who had wandered away, to have the opportunity to experience His grace fully.

Any effort to justify our own salvation is a mockery to the One who sacrificed Himself for us. It is God who provided us salvation, after all, not the other way around. We are the ones who erred and got lost, and we are still lost if we persist on obtaining grace through our own efforts!

"However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5

Grace is not deserved, and it God isn't obliged to give it to us. It is a gift from above, demonstrating that God is pure love. There is thus no other way to obtain salvation. Anyone who takes his salvation into his own hands will certainly "meet his Waterloo". Grace is a gift from the Most High Himself (See Romans 6:23)! Like any gift we receive, we either accept it, ignore it, or reject it. The unaccepted gift can never be opened.

Dear Lord we thank You for the free gift You have given to us.  We know it cost You a great deal. Help us to rely completely on You in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What Does Your Goodness Buy?

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.

Here's a story that was supposed to have taken place in the early 1900s. It is similar to one a few weeks back but it serves as a good reminder of our need for the Savior as we enter the Christmas season.

The story tells of a man who had worked hard all his life. The earning of a fortune had not stopped him from being a good husband, father, employer and friend. He had given generously to charities and treated all men fairly.

Living that kind of good life, as you might imagine, had been most wearying.

That's why one day the man woke up, looked in the mirror and decided it's time for a vacation. "I've earned it," he said. A trip to America seemed like just the ticket. Two days later he was standing in the shadow of an ocean liner ready to make the crossing to New York. As he waited in line to board the ship, he felt good about the past and what he felt would be his future.

In short he was more than ready to take that trip his many selfless acts had earned.

At the foot of the gangway, the cruise company's representative asked if he had a ticket. The man replied, he had no ticket, indeed, he felt no need of a ticket. The representative informed him that without a ticket he couldn't go on board.

That was when the man reviewed his impressive and lengthy list of good works. He summed up his feelings by finally declaring, "I am sailing on this ship. I've earned my vacation."

The representative summed up the cruise line's position with the words, "No ticket. No travel. You may have been good, but nobody's goodness will let them take this trip."

This, of course, is the point St. Paul was trying to make to the church in Ephesus.

He wanted believers in every generation to know that if you're trying to get into heaven through your own accomplishments, you're not going to make it. No matter how big, how impressive, how dedicated you've been, you're not going to make it -- not on your own power.

Seeing our helpless condition, the Lord Jesus was born into this world to take our place. As our Substitute, He would have to live a perfect life by fulfilling all the Commandments all the time; He would have to resist Satan's temptations all the time; He would have to carry our sins with Him to the cross and die the death we had coming.

That Jesus did everything that was necessary is an example of love beyond understanding. All we can do with God's grace is say, "Thank You!"

Dear Lord, today we give thanks that You continued to love us even as You despised our sin. Thank You for sending Your Son into this world as our Substitute, we praise You and give thanks. May we always remember that we are saved by Your works and not ours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You a Broken Branch?

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It was a glorious spring morning. The warm sun shone down on the cottony-white layers of blossoms that covered the old apple orchard. The calm, still air was filled with the sound of buzzing as swarms of bees delighted themselves with the sweet nectar. They flitted from one branch to another, pollinating the flowers as they went and ensuring that in the fall, these same trees would be loaded with apples. Everyone and everything was totally at peace. Everyone and everything that is, except for the one unhappy apple branch . . .

"Why do I have to be attached to this tree?" he muttered to the buzzing bees. "I would fare much better if I was on my own! I could prove the world that you don't have to be attached to a tree to make it!"

And with this, he tried to shake itself off the tree, but it was to no avail.

"Can't anyone help me break free??" he cried in complete despair.

"Why would you want to be separated from your tree?" asked a neighboring branch. "You need its vitality and support to survive!"

"I need NOTHING!" shouted the branch. "My tree is restraining me. I feel like a prisoner. I want to be free and be able to do my own thing and prove myself to the world."

"You are not a prisoner," replied the other branch. "Your tree loves…"

"Stop with your nonsense!" interrupted the dissatisfied branch. "I know what is best for me! Can anyone help me break free from my tree?"

"I can!" boomed the thunder.

All of a sudden the sky was darkened by massive, menacing clouds. Lightning seemed to appear out from nowhere, striking the tree in question, breaking the rebellious branch from its mother trunk and sending it plummeting to the orchard floor.

"Oh thank you," said the branch. "You have made it possible for the world to be able to see what I can do!"

As the days went by, a new sound could be heard over the buzzing of the bees in the orchard: "I can do it. I can do it! I can make it on my own!"

However the branch's buds were turning gray.

"It's not MY fault!" reasoned the rebellious branch. "That other branch shouldn't have interfered with what I wanted to do!"

The other branches didn't pay any attention to him, however. They were too busy enjoying their snowy-white blossoms and all the attention they were receiving from the bees.

The independent branch soon began to see that he was the ONLY branch with wilting buds. Nothing he could do would make those flowers open. "Maybe if I had a drink!" he thought. But this thought just served to remind him of how desperately thirsty he had become. "Someone, please help me," he pleaded. "I need a drink!"

All of a sudden he heard footsteps. The gardener was coming! He would surely be able to provide him with some water! And he would most DEFINITELY compliment him for succeeding in becoming so independent!

But that's not what the gardener said at all. As the rebellious branch felt himself being picked up and transported out of the orchard, the only words he could hear from the gardener's mouth was: "Sure a pity!" He didn't fully understand these words, however, and he repeated over and over again: "See everyone? I knew I could make it on my own!"

Only too late he found out, to his horror, that his fate would be FAR from ideal: "No, no, no," he cried. "Not the fire! I didn't do anything wrong. I wanted to prove myself and live independently. No, no. Not the fire!"

But the smoke prevented him from seeing the tears in the gardener's eyes.

One day the Master Gardener pronounced these words: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5 NIV)

Why is it so hard for us to realize the importance of these words? Way too often we find ourselves vying for the driver's seat. We want to be in control! We know what we are doing! We want to prove ourselves to everyone. Only too late do we find ourselves in complete misery, realizing that we cannot do anything on our own.

We wonder why we aren't bearing any fruit. We read Gal 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." NIV and we conclude that we need to try harder. But the harder we try, the more we find ourselves utterly frustrated. We can't seem to be able to bear this kind of fruit. We may have some of them, but not all. The important ones are still missing.

"Why Lord?" we cry. "Why am I not bearing this fruit?"

The answer is simple: Apart from Jesus "we can do nothing!" John 15:4. "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine." NIV

Way too often we try to remedy the symptoms instead of the problem itself.

"I will take a self-help course on producing 'joy' in my life," we decide. "Then I will learn the 102 steps to master 'peace' and then…"

No matter what kind of effort we put forth, our problem will remain. Symptoms can be treated, but healing can only be done if the problem itself is treated. Complete freedom is only possible by complete dependence on Jesus.

The "I want to be independent!" reasoning leads only to bondage and certain death. The only solution to all of our problems can be found solely in Jesus Christ. Without Him, we are driving ourselves straight to disaster. We may be able to be successful on our own for a short while, but we can't fool ourselves forever: We are not free! The price of our own success is steep! Is it worth it?

Who is in your driver's seat? Do you let Jesus be the driver in all that you do? Without Him no fruit will be forth coming!

Dear Lord, we want You to be in the driver’s seat. We pray today that we won’t try to do it on our own but let You lead us and give us the strength. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Are You Drifting in the Current?

John 1:14 (NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Certain times while we walk on the beach at Daytona you can count on finding jellyfish on the beach. As I read about jellyfish I came across a red jellyfish.

Though its name, probably derived from the jellyfish's reddish-brown coloring, is far from unique, there is nothing else common about this particular creature. For example, did you know that the red jellyfish spends part of its time as a plant? It's true! Its eggs develop into a type of plant called a polyp! The polyp has many sections, which all look identical. Over time, the top of the polyp will pop off and turn into a red jellyfish, and each section will eventually do the same!

Only the tentacles of jellyfish can sting, thus if you touch one by accident lying on the beach, you won't be hurt. The red jellyfish is unique in that its sting isn't deadly. If you come into contact with one of its tentacle, all you will feel is a burning sensation. In order to stop it, you first take a cloth of some kind to brush the tentacle off, and then you rub wet sand on the infected part of the body. The sting will immediately vanish!

The jellyfish eats microscopic plant life and plankton, and its means of propulsion is to expand and contract its cup-shaped body. This isn't a very productive way to move, however, and the red jellyfish usually tends to find itself following the latest water current. Unfortunately, this can be a deadly habit!

While walking beaches in New Brunswick, you will discover a multitude of these creatures. In fact, you have to watch where you walk in order to not step on them! They had been following the current, and at high tide, they had been driven up onto the beach. Now they were desperately waiting for the next high tide to wash them back out to sea. Meanwhile, they were being bombarded by the heat of the sun, which, if they didn't return to the water soon enough, would eventually turn them into a baked, crisp substance, devoid of any life. Too late they learned the hazards of following the latest current.

We, as humans, also have the choice of whether or not to follow the latest trends. If we are not careful, some of these can be quite deadly, especially if they turn God's message into utter mockery. You can read about churches that no longer promote the gospel message. They proclaim that anyone can get to heaven and that sin doesn't matter. Some even preach that eventually everyone will turn into a god. God's Word, the Bible is set aside and replaced with literature promoting their own ideas.

Some churches pretend to follow the Bible, but at the same time they put other writings at the same level as God's Word. Every word found in the Bible is always interpreted by their own literature. Beware of these! They are like wolves disguised as lambs, promoting false doctrines! "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matt 7:15 NIV); "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard!" (Acts 20:29-31 NIV); and "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible." (Mark 13:22 NIV)

Friends, anyone promoting anything besides the Bible is broadcasting a deadly message. God's gospel is simple. Sin is deadly. We cannot be saved through our own merits. Salvation is solely made possible through Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can save us. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-10 NIV); and "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NIV)

Who will you follow? The latest current or God's Word made flesh?

Dear Lord, help us not follow the current but put our trust in You.  Help us follow Your true words and not the watered down words of the world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

We All Have a Legacy

Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are renowned for being good sculpture material. Most people have heard of Mt. Rushmore, where the colossal granite portraits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln have been carved into the top of the mountain. But did you know that not far away from Mt. Rushmore is another mountain being carved into a monument?

Right after World War II, Korczak Ziolkowski received an invitation from the North American Indian authorities to carve a memorial dedicated to a famous Indian, Crazy Horse. He quickly took their dream to heart and made it his passion. The chosen site was in the Black Hills, just a few miles from Mt. Rushmore, and beginning in 1947, Korczak worked diligently on this project until his death in 1982.

Throughout this time, the dream grew until it not only embraced the colossal sculpture carved into the mountain, but also the development, at its base, of the Indian Museum of North America, and eventually the Indian University (and Medical Training Center) of North America.

But carving a mountain is a monumental task, and unlike Mt. Rushmore, which was publicly funded and was carved by hundreds of workers, Korczak had no money and he worked alone. At the time of his death, only a rough outline of his carving could be seen in the mountain. He had a large family (5 sons and 5 daughters) however, and following his death, seven of his children decided to continue his dream.

Today, the head of Crazy Horse, as well as part of his right arm, can be clearly seen. Once finished, this colossal monument will stand 563 feet high and 641 feet long, far surpassing the size of Mount Rushmore, where the carvings are 60 feet tall. This monument-under-construction will serve as a constant reminder that North America is not only the land of the Europeans who arrived in the 16th Century, but more importantly, it is the land of its native people.

Who was this Crazy Horse? He was a courageous Indian strategist who furiously defended the rights of his people. He was a caring man who had at heart the interest of the widows, the ill, and the children. After the white man had taken away his ancestral land, he was asked where his lands were now. His response? "My lands are where my dead lie buried." The North American Indians couldn't have chosen a better representative for this monument.

Both Crazy Horse and Korczak Ziolkowski left a legacy that will always be remembered. But in all reality, we all leave a legacy. Some are perhaps more significant than others, some are better remembered than others, and some are definitely more negative than others; but we all leave a legacy!

It is sad how fast we tend to forget our ancestors and what they once stood for. When you read Genesis 5, you see that Adam's descendants are solely remembered by the sons and daughters they gave birth to. All except for Enoch. And Noah. Enoch walked so closely with God that His Heavenly Father took him directly into heaven (see verse 24), and Noah's obedience to God is legendary!

Only the firm, dedicated followers of God and His Son Jesus will be remembered for all eternity. Why? Because they become sons and daughters of the Most High. "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:18 NIV); "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:26-27 NIV); "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." (Gal 4:6-7 NIV)

What is it that your descendants will remember you for? Will they remember you as a caring, loving and thoughtful individual? Or as a self-seeking, egotistical scrooge? What will be your epitaph on your tomb? My desire would be for mine to read: "He found God's grace too amazing to keep it to Himself."

Dear Lord, we pray that we would live our life in a manner that would those that know us would see Your amazing Grace through us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How Will You Be Remembered?

Romans 8:6 (NIV)

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Le Louvre, the famous national art museum of France, has a secret. Located in Paris, on the right bank of the Seine River, it wasn't built to be a museum at all! Instead it was initially built to be a fortress. Philip II Augustus had it constructed early in the 13th century to protect the Seine against Norman and English attacks, and it became a palace for the French kings.

The original structure looked little like the massive, beautiful palace-turned-museum that we see today. Many of the monarchs who resided there added on to the original structure. One built a new wing here, another a mansion over there. Then in 1564, Catherine de Médicis decided to build her own castle in a nearby field. She called it the Tuileries, and it was soon decided that an extravagant palace could be created by joining the Louvre to the Tuileries through a series of buildings. Additions continued to be built until 1682, when Louis XIV decided to move his court to Versailles, and le Louvre is now one of the largest palaces in the world.

In 1793, only four years after the French Revolution, the Louvre opened as an art museum, but Napoleon I and III continued to live in the Tuileries. During an uprising in Paris in 1871 however, the Tuileries was destroyed. Fortunately the Louvre and the buildings leading to the Tuileries were left intact.

The world-renowned Louvre currently covers over more than 48 acres of land. What used to be a palace for the kings has become a delight for tourists and art admirers alike. The long-gone kings, who now only exist in books, have becomes nothing more than fables of the past. The art, however, is admired by young and old alike.

It is interesting to note that most French kings who resided at le Louvre were not well received by the commoners in France. Their tendency to abuse their power eventually led to a revolution, and they became nothing more than a horrible memory from the past. We have to wonder how we will be perceived when we are gone. Will we be remembered as someone who abuses those around us? Will we be renowned for spreading death through our nasty words and actions, and through our selfishness? Or will we be remembered as one bringing life, love and peace to our surroundings?

Dear Lord, help us live our life in a way that is positive. We pray that the memories of us will draw others to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.