WILL MY REAL FATHER PLEASE STAND UP?

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:35-40 KJV

Growing up during the late '40s and early '50s provided a great opportunity for a young man like me to meet many special men who would have a profound impact on my life. The background of these men ranged from the educated to the illiterate, from the successful business man to the hard working man who spent long back breaking hours in the woods cutting logs with a cross cut saw.

I learned a lesson early in my life that still serves me to this day. If you strip away the book learning, the upper class mentality and fleshly pride, all men are truly equal at the core. That being the case, then every man has life experiences that are valuable to those who follow.

I remember in those early days how my mind was stretched to its limits when I learned the power of thought from the educator. There didn’t seem to be a limit to my dreaming and creative possibilities. After all-if you can dream it-you should be able to achieve it. Since that time I have dedicated my life to being an active dreamer. I shall never stop thinking creatively, thanks to my learned friend who taught me the power of thought.

I was also fascinated and learned from the businessman. He had the ability to turn what seemed to be nothing more than a dream into a mass of activity...producing product, jobs and money. In my mind he was outstanding because of his ability to constantly create.

One of the most cherished lessons of my life was from a man who worked in the woods. He started his career and made his living by cuttings logs with a cross cut saw. He worked from morning until dark in that back breaking job, but I never heard him complain. He lived a life of holiness, and every Sunday he went to church and thanked God for His blessings. He was a man of humility who rarely said a word, but spoke volumes through his life. I often wondered how a man like that could teach so much and say so little.

I am sure I would not be where I am today if I had not learned the power of thought from the educator, or to be creative from the businessman. I would also have never learned to be a dedicated teacher without words, if it had not been for the woodsman.

Since I am a product all these men...I wonder...would my real father please stand up?

Father,

I thank you for the educator who inspired me to think. I also thank you Lord for the businessman who taught me to dream big dreams and expect miracles. I thank you as well Lord for the woodsman who taught me the value of walking out my faith in humility. Thank you Lord for letting these men father me through those important times of my life

Amen.

Watermelon Hearts and Raccoons

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 KJVA

Over the years I have noticed that some people seem to have a hollow look. As I have considered a multitude of reasons why this could be , I have thought that at times the hollowness could be a result of not having one or both parents. Or they might look hollow because they were repeatedly abused by a parent. Others might look hollow because they had an abusive mate and over a period of time they began to die on the inside.

As a teenager growing up on the farm, we would plant several acres of watermelons each year. I always enjoyed walking up and down those long rows looking at all our beautiful melons. Occasionally I would notice one that was starting to shrink. After closer examination, I would discover the problem.

During the night a raccoon had invaded our watermelon patch and dug a hole in the melon large enough to reach in and eat the heart out of it. When the sun came up the next morning, it would cause the melon to start shrinking because it had no heart.

Making such a discovery was all the encouragement I needed to get Old Blue and Binky (our two hound dogs), and go coon hunting that night. Of course Old Blue, Binky and I didn't need a lot of encouragement to go coon hunting. We felt it was our Christian duty to rid the watermelon patch of pesky racoons

Over the years I've seen a lot of hollow looking men and women who have had their hearts destroyed by an invading enemy as well.

I remember one man in particular that came to a service in which I was speaking. I was particularly drawn to pray for this man. As I started praying, God began giving me revelation knowledge about this man and how to pray for him. When I finished praying for the man he left and went home. During the night the power of God came upon him in such a way that it transformed his life. The next morning, his wife didn't recognize him as the same man. I found out later that his boss and friends didn't recognize him either. He had been terribly abused as a young man, but God had performed such a supernatural healing that he literally became a new man.

My point is-when we see a brother or sister who is starting to shrink on the inside-it is time to go hunting. Your hunting companions are not a couple of old hound dogs-it is the sword of God. Discovering and healing shrinking Christians is our responsibility. It is one thing to search out and destroy a watermelon heart-stealing coon, and it is another thing to search out and destroy the damage done by the thief that steals the human heart.

Father,

I thank you for searching out and destroying the invader of my shrinking heart. Help me to always be a faithful spiritual hunter for the sake of those who are now experiencing that shrinking feeling. You said in your Word that the devil has come to steel, kill and destroy, but you have come to give life and that more abundantly. My desire is to have your heart of restoration.

Amen!

Did You Bring the Money?

And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 ASV

Some lessons we learn seem to be just for that particular moment while others lessons are for a lifetime. In the case of our text, "God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus," there is a life lesson we must keep on learning. Sad to say, we have to keep on reminding ourselves that God is our supply.

In my early days of evangelism God would not allow me to spend any of the offerings I received for the ministry. I could collect the money but I could not spend the money. I would save the offerings until God told me where to take it and give it away in answer to someone's prayer. Occasionally I would have saved quite a bit of money before the Lord would tell me where to take it.

I remember such an occasion when the Lord spoke to me one morning and told me take the money to a preacher friend of mine who lived an hour away from where I lived. Even though I had not seen him in a while the Lord told me that my friend would know what to do with the money. I could not imagine him needing the money…nevertheless I picked up the money and was on my way.

I drove an hour to where he was, got out of my car and walked into his office. He saw me walk in, and without any greeting at all the first thing he said was, "Did you bring the money?" I said I did…and gave it to him. He then told me the story of why he had prayed that morning that I would bring the money. He knew how the Lord was dealing with me regarding money, so he was sure I must have some to give away.

There was an old lady that lived next door to him whose house caught on fire the night before and burned to the ground. She lost everything she had except the little dress on her back. My preacher friend quoted the above scripture to her and told her that "everything was going to be alright." He then began to pray and ask God to send in the money to meet her immediate needs. He remembered that I always saved my ministry offerings and would give them away as the Lord would direct. He began to pray that morning that the Lord would direct me to "bring the money." That morning the Lord spoke to me and told me to take the money to my friend and he would know what to do with it. That is why his greeting was "Did you bring the money?"

There are many lessons that can be learned from this scripture. The main lesson is that God is our supply and sometimes He can use a tragedy as an opportunity to work miracles. It is amazing to me how this entire story came together. There was a lady with a need. My friend had mountain moving faith. I was able to hear the voice of God and a miracle took place.

Each of us can be the answer to someone's prayer every day if we will only learn to listen to our Father.

Father,

I thank you for the faithfulness of this little old lady whose house had burned down. She lived next door to her little country church and never missed a service. I also thank you Lord for a man of God like my friend who had mountain moving faith, the type of faith that believed You would fulfill our scripture text on this little mother's behalf. I also thank You Lord for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful miracle. Father, help all of those who read this "Meditation" to have ears to hear the prayers for help that are being prayed this very moment.

Amen.

What Would You Do Different?

GOD, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.

Psalms 30:3 MSG

I really enjoy learning while listening to the older generation share their life experiences. Many times they have traveled the roads of life in ways that I have never thought of. When I am with an older person I find myself digging around in their memory bank looking for treasures. It is almost like discovering an old trunk tucked away in the attic. You can not wait to open it because even the meager findings become a treasure to you. There seems to be a story written in each item as to their failures and successes in life. I am not sure if I learn more from their failures or their successes. I know how to succeed-I just want to learn how to keep from failing.

Some time ago I went to see my ninety-one year old aunt who lives in a convalescent home. It was not long into the conversation before I asked the question, "If you had to do it all over again, what would you do different?" At first she did not understand the question because she thought I was talking about her long wonderful life with my uncle.

After rephrasing the question she soon realized a trivial answer would not be sufficient for what she now believed to be a very important question. After a long silent period of deep thought and looking at the ceiling, she looked at me and said, "I will have to get back to you on that one."

She and my uncle lived through some hard times over the years but never complained. Both had served God with all their hearts from a very early age.

I remember my aunt telling me the story of how, as a little girl, she would drive a team of horses pulling a wagon up and down the clay hills of East Texas, picking up little bare-footed kids for Sunday school and Church. That little Baptist church still stands there today tucked in among the pine trees of deep East Texas. Next to the church is an old fashioned cemetery filled with the saints of the past. One day she too will find her resting place there, next to her husband of some 60 years.

Perhaps it is impossible for a woman who spent her life loving the Lord and living by faith to answer such a question. Would answering a question like that mean that she would somehow have to go back and undo part of her life and take a different path? Who knows, maybe she would not be the same woman today had she missed all the stretching experiences and deliverances of those difficult times.

It might seem foolish to ask such a question to a righteous saint of the Lord.

She and my uncle lived on the edge of their earning ability their entire life. Through faith in God they were able to be faithful in tithing and yet pay all their bills on time-while raising and educating two fine sons.

I drove away from the convalescent home that day wondering what her answer might be to my question. However, I am not sure I really want to know. There is one thing that I do know and that is the gift she gave me was a clear path in walking with the Lord and expecting the same end result.

As a father, I stand ready for the next generation to also go up to my attic and find my old trunk. There truly is excitement in discovering treasures. As a matter of fact, we should encourage the next generation to be treasure hunters in our attic.

Father,

We're surrounded by treasure that is locked up in the minds of the elderly. Our only cost of digging that treasure out is kindness. You told us that we were to "honor our father and our mother". You have given us many fathers and mothers who would be more than willing to share their treasures with us. I thank you Father for giving us a living treasure map that is easily found and followed. I pray I too will be a treasure map for the up and coming treasure hunters.

Amen!