My Offering

I come with so little in pocket to offer My King, No large sums of cash - no costly diamond rings, I do not possess lands, riches -nor have I fame, I have nothing of value to offer to my shame, O, but Lord - I do come humbly with one little gift, Placed lovingly before You to view to carefully sift, It is not much - others are able to bring so much more, Yet my offering I lay before Your throne on the floor, A precious offering given from the depths of my soul, I offer you my life - not in part - but offer the whole. (Written after reading and meditating on the offering of the loaves and fish to feed the 4,000 in [Mark 8:1-9].)

An Offering

From where I sit I do not have a great deal to offer God. I do not have large sums of money to be given. My talents are few and rather ordinary. I do not have a large ministry. I serve a small church and the few books I have written have not even made the local best seller's list. I have little to offer. All around me I see needs. Broken families. Lives destroyed by destructive behavior. Rampant sin. Poverty. Lostness. A nation heading on a collision course with God's judgment. At times I feel powerless to do anything about it or to make any difference. I am sure that is how the person felt who had the seven loaves of bread in [Mark 8:1-9]. Seven loaves of bread. 4,000 people who had not eaten in three days. A desolate place where no food could be found or bought. The obstacle was huge. The offering of the seven loaves was small and might have seemed insignificant. I googled the question how many people could seven loaves feed. One commented they served sandwiches for 35 people and that took five loaves. They estimated a sandwich and a half for every person (men eating two and women eating one.)How in the world could anyone think the small offering of seven loaves would make any difference? The disciples certainly didn't. I bet the hungry people didn't either. Great obstacles met with sacrificial offerings equal God's opportunities. You know the rest. [Mark 8:9] sums up the whole story. "And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces." Little is much when God blesses it. Today you come to God's table like me with little to offer. All you really have is your life. You offer that to be blessed, broken, and given in service. Little is much when God blesses it. You serve in your little corner of the harvest field faithfully. You leave the results up to God. You teach a class of junior high boys. You head up the hospitality team in your church. You serve on the missions board. You volunteer at the Care Center for senior adults in your community. You put a meager amount of money in the offering plate each week wishing you could do more. You offer your life laid down on the altar as a sacrifice. [Rom 12:1] God can do much with what is offered to Him whether it be a few loaves, a few dollars, or a few years of devoted service. God can do more with a true offering to Him than with talent, eloquence, charisma, riches, or fame. God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. [I Cor 1:27] I say it again. God can turn a little into much when He blesses it. So what about it? Will you make your offering today? For some of you monetary offerings costs very little because you have money in ample supply. Will you offer the loaves and fishes of your life? Will you give your remaining days to follow His leadership and serve wherever He leads you. It may not require any great changes on your part other than being available. On the other hand He may call you to follow Him in leaving everything comfortable and familiar like He did with Abraham in [Gen 12:1-3]. Are you willing to lay it all on God's altar? Will you give Him the offering of your life and your "yes" to follow His leadership? While walking on the campus of Dallas Baptist University last week at youth camp I saw a statue of Jesus with a net in His hands with this caption written on a large brick wall, "Will you follow Me?" Without hesitation I answered that question in the form of a prayer. "Yes! I have in the past. I still am. I will continue to follow You wherever You lead." That is my offering. That is my loaves. My life. All of it. Every dream. Every relationship. My finances. My future. My dreams. My home. All His. My writings are His. My preaching is devoted to Him. It is a small offering but I pray Jesus would take it, bless it and multiply it for His own purposes. Who will join me in the offering of your life? Little is much when God chooses to bless it.

Righteous Judge

O God, faithful and true - Righteous Judge,
From Your holy standards You don't budge,
You are set apart - all Your ways are just,
Sinners held accountable You will and must,
Hold forth true justice - none without excuse,
Just and right when You judge and accuse,
We deserve the holy gavel of Your sentence,
Only able to satisfy You through repentance,
Though a Righteous Judge still You acquit,
Those who sin and stand ready to admit,
Our hope is Jesus and Your marvelous grace,
To declare us righteous to meet face to face.

There is Coming a Day

I am thinking at this moment of a time fixed in history where things will change. There is coming a day when Jesus will return not as a loving Savior but as a Righteous Judge. The Father alone knows this day. [Matt 24:36] It will come like a thief in the night when we do not expect it. [Matt 24:42]

This became a topic of conversation among our students at youth camp. They spent a solid hour asking me questions about the second coming, the rapture, the seven years of tribulation, the anti-Christ, mark of the beast and the end times. They know there is coming a day when people will be held accountable.

This celestial planet is fast spinning toward a date with judgment. Yet people seem unconcerned. They continue to live in open rebellion and defiance toward the God who created them. They continue in their sin unashamed as though God could be mocked. They fail to realize there is coming a day when they will reap what they sow. [Gal 6:6-8] There is coming a day of reckoning. There is coming a day when all must give account for their lives.

[Rev 19:11-16] paints a picture of such a day. Jesus will come as a righteous judge to declare war on those who have not been saved. He will come to trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God. This is not going to be a pleasant day. Husbands, wives, teenagers, rulers, common people, rich, poor, the famous and the obscure will all be judged. The only hope for survival will be for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save them from their sins and from eternal damnation.

Though many have heard there are few who walk through the narrow gate. The gate is wide that leads to destruction and many go through it to their eternal damnation. [Matt 7:13-14] This is the popular way. This is the prevailing path of the day. This is the politically correct path but it is WRONG! DEAD WRONG! People are heading toward their own doom and they must be warned though many will never heed that warning.

Yes, there is coming a day. A terrible horrific day for the sinner. A day I cringe to think about. May we all be moved by the Spirit of God to "labor for the master from the dawn till setting sun to talk about his wondrous love and care." May we not get distracted from our mission to rescue the perishing by throwing out the life line of Jesus Christ and praying people will cling to Him for mercy and salvation against that coming day.

Supper

Some people call it dinner. I grew up calling lunch dinner and dinner supper. I would be out playing and I would hear my mother calling out from the front door, "Matt, come home. It's time for supper." Reluctantly I would break off a game of football, baseball, or riding bikes to come eat. We always ate at the table. I cannot even remember seeing a tv tray until I was in college.

We always ate home cooked food such as stuffed bell peppers, roast, stew, dumplings, goulash and fried chicken. We ate fresh vegetables like tomatoes, new potatoes, green beans, turnip greens, squash, green onions, fried green tomatoes, corn, and beans. Yum yum!

I never even saw a taco from Taco Bell or even laid eyes on a burrito until I was in high school at a friend's house. Supper was a delightful experience growing up.

For the past two years my family has not gotten to enjoy supper together. We have eaten off tv trays for Brenda and me, Tucker at the corner of a make shift bar, and the other three around a cheap table we bought. Tanner ate standing up because one of the bar stools collapsed on him months ago. For two long years the only time we sat down to eat at a table together was when we went out to eat.

Tanner asked me yesterday if we could eat our first cooked meal at the table in our new house in the dining room. Finally life slowed down enough tonight where we were able to cook a home cooked meal. Baked pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and corn. It is the best meal I have eaten in a long time. We sat around the dining room table and gave thanks for the meal, the house, getting to eat together as a family, and for the blessing of family. It was a true supper.

I am sure many of you reading this take sitting around a table sharing a meal together with family for granted. I hope I never take sharing supper with Brenda and the boys for granted again. Eating at a table, surrounded by my family, and enjoying delicious home cooked food sets my heart deep in contentment. What a blessing. Even more so knowing Taylor is entering into his senior year. We will have at home for much longer. This is something I asked God for. I asked God to bless us with a house Taylor could enjoy and make memories in before going off to college.

We at different times make comments like, "We can't believe God lets us live in this house. I can't believe this is our home." Today I am thankful for supper. Supper with my family. Supper at our dining table. Supper filled with memories. I don't ever want to forget this night and the supper we shared together.

103

I spent last week at youth camp on the campus of Dallas Baptist University. I have never seen a more beautiful college campus. The meeting place for the Bible study I taught and for our church group was down a steep hill. Three times a day I had to walk down that hill down steps. Somewhere on the second day I counted those steps going up and going down. 103.

My legs felt the burn. My lungs screamed for oxygen. My knees started to ache before the end of the week. I often had to get my mind right to climb those steps back to our dorm. The first forty were not that tough as you climbed to a gazebo with benches. I never stopped and sat down there. The last sixty or so steps is where the burn set in. They were steep and not evenly spaced. At times I had to take two steps before reaching the next step.

One day after teaching I walked outside and discovered it was raining. I decided to run up the steps with my backpack. At least that is what I attempted. By the time I got to steps eighty or so my legs burned so badly I was forced to slow down.

What an analogy for life. There are seasons of life when everyday feels like climbing up those steps. Life can be hard. Real hard. There are busy seasons. There are seasons battling injuries and disease. We face the sorrow of death of loved ones. We face crushing defeats and bitter failures. It is an uphill climb.  Day after day and step by step we forge ahead with God's strength and grace.

There are times when we don't feel like climbing. We don't feel like going to work, chasing the kids, volunteering at church, praying and studying the scripture.

Life can be difficult. Uphill. God does not forsake us in those seasons. In fact He strengthens us during those seasons.[Phil 4:13] He enables us to endure, to press on, to persevere, and get to the top. Each day when I reached the top of those steps I rejoiced. That cannot compare to the rejoicing that will take place when I finally climb the last step of this life on planet earth and get to heaven. To live is Christ and to die is gain. [Phil 1:21]

103 is the number of steps I climbed. A total of 12 times I did that at camp. 46 is the number of years I have been alive. Eternity is the number of years I will spend in worship and enjoyment of my Savior in eternity. If I have to climb a few steps to get there it will only make eternity all the more worth it.

Don't Do This

When my great uncle died I was driving to preach a camp in south Texas. I prayed and debated whether I should cut short my preaching assignment to attend the funeral on Friday. I knew what my uncle would have wanted. He would have wanted me to preach the gospel at camp and rejoice for him. He know I loved him.

The youth minister at camp proved gracious allowing me to preach what should have been the Thursday night message on Thursday morning. I spent the afternoon with the group and headed for home Thursday night. I arrived home after 11:00 p.m. and was on the road for the funeral the next morning by 9:00 a.m. I made it to the funeral with fifteen minutes to spare.

I had not seen my family in over a decade. I did not sit with them but sat in the back of the church alone. Most of them did not even know I was there until one of my cousins, who is a preacher also, mentioned me and gestured in my direction. When the service ended I filed by the casket stopping with tears in my eyes as I viewed the shell of Uncle Buddy's body. I then went out the side door and got in my truck ready to leave and head back home without having any contact with my family except my great uncle's children and grandchildren.

As I started the truck and cranked up the air conditioning I sensed the Lord whisper in my spirit, "Don't do this." That was it. Yet I knew what the Lord had told me. He did not want me to leave the funeral but go to the grave side and face my family. I sat there debating and wanting to drive away. Finally I moved up and waited on everyone to leave and pulled into the funeral procession line.

Driving to the cemetery I began rehearsing what I would to say to cousins, siblings, and extended family. I finally decided on, "It has been a long time." When I parked at the cemetery prepared to share my ice breaker someone called my name from behind. At first I could not make out the man who had called my name. He was bald, skinny, dirty, with sunken eyes with dark circles. Then I noticed it was my brother. He would not have been my first initial contact by choice. We made small talk but our conversation seemed forced and not natural.

Two brothers stood side by side but you would not have known it . He was dirty, scarred, with a raspy voice from years of smoking. I stood there in slacks, starched white shirt with a red tie. I am no better than he is. The only thing that differentiates the two of us is Jesus Christ saved me and changed my life.

At this point my cousin Gail, who is a couple years older than me, saw me from a distance and made a bee line for me hugging my neck. She broke the ice. After that I visited with her younger brother Ronny and several others. What a reunion.

After the grave side service I exchanged phone numbers with Gail and Ronny promising we would keep in touch. They were all gathering to visit but we were moving the next day and I had a five hour drive in front of me.

I am so glad God spoke to me and so glad that I listened and more glad that I obeyed. In facing my family I was able to get a huge monkey off my back and to remove over a decade of bitterness. God's voice did not come loudly. He spoke quietly and I could have missed it. How many times does God speak quietly and we never hear His voice. All He said was, "Don't do this." Thank you Jesus.