Tag: Trust

Jump, I’ll Catch You!

Donnie Martin in his sermon, “The Faith that God Favors” quoted this story: “One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, “Jump! I’ll catch you.” He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: “Jump! I will catch you.” But the boy protested, “Daddy, I can’t see you.” The father replied, “But I can see you and that’s all that matters.”

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Who Will? We Will!

“As for Me and My House We Will” (Joshua 24:15)

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”

I’ve read that Scripture many times. However, this time those two words “we will” just popped out at me.

In reflecting further, the following points come to mind:

  • The inclusiveness of the entire family is obvious in this Scripture; cannot be denied or skipped over.
  • Ministry is a family thing. It is inescapable. It’s my calling. It’s our calling.
  • Ministry is best done in community.
  • So goes the family; so goes the church.
  • So goes the family; so goes the nation.
  • The family is the church in miniature.
  • If Momma ain’t happy, no one is happy.
  • If the children ain’t happy, no one is happy.
  • The leader’s family is the example for others to follow and emulate. You can’t bypass that.
  • It only takes failure to pass truth on to one generation to bring about apostolic extinction in that family rather than apostolic succession.
  • Some see family and ministry as a vertical arrangement: Priorities, in order of, God first, family second, the church last. At least that is an attempt to prioritize and a step in the right direction.
  • However, consider the possibility that it is a spiral, inseparable, circular arrangement with God at the center of all we are, ever hope to be, and all we do, and ever hope to do. From that relationship with God spirals my marriage, my family, my ministry.

In research for this, I went to her my daughter’s blog to check on a posting where she said something about “Daddy.” Google popped up with her latest blog post. It hit me smack in the face and pierced my heart. She was writing on the very subject I am addressing right now. Here goes:

And it was said in Acts 16 – believe and you’ll be saved. You and your house. And after days and days of news piled on news, it turns out that that’s what finally made me cry.



House. He didn’t mean the architecture of brick piled on stone. Not the building you live in but the loves in your life. By “house” he meant “your people.” And for so many years, my people? They’ve been the only home I really have. 
And I can barely see to write this because there is so much sickness in my house. Failing kidneys and tumors and rumors of cancer and hearts ripped right open.

In. My. House.

Speaking of houses, what did He say of His? “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”

So I do what we all should. I endeavor to model my house after His. And I remind myself daily that

”

The life of the flesh is in the blood.” Life. Not cancer. Life.

That He said in the Psalms flesh and hearts fail but that He is the strength of hearts and a portion forever.

That straps of whip sliced open His back so that right before He secured our tomorrow blood flowed to offer healing in our today.

That no matter what happens in our today our tomorrow is certain.

And I know that He can shrink tumors and balance equilibrium and restore kidneys and I place them all in everlasting arms connected to a back once stripped bloody. Because He is here and He heals. 



And me and my house? We serve the Lord.

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Rescued Never to Drown Again

We need to be like the man who was drowning in the ocean.  A ship passing by threw out the lifeline to him; he grabbed it and was pulled into the ship (the place of safety).  Once on the vessel the ship’s crew encouraged him to let go of the lifeline.  He continued to grasp tightly the rope and refused to let it go.

The captain pleaded, “You are now safe.  Let go of the rope.”  The man persistently refused.

Again he pleaded, this time trying to loosen the man’s grip on the rope.  The man fought back adamantly and said, “I will not let it go.  When I grabbed onto this rope I grabbed it for life.”

You and I were also sinking in sin (Psalm 40:2) and were brought by the Great Rescuer, Jesus Christ, into the ship.  How can we let go of the lifeline now?  We must remain in the ship in order to be saved. (Acts 27:31)

In Hebrews 2:1-3 we are warned against drifting away from the faith.  As believers allowing the gospel to slip away from us we find ourselves drifting downstream and having no anchor (Hebrews 6:19) to hold us secure.  We have, through neglect, let go of the lifeline.

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation…” (Hebrews 2:1,3)

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O Taste and See that the Lord is Good

Perhaps, you have not been taught any type of Christian tradition. Maybe you have not been searching for answers to, “What must I do to be saved?” You may have even had bad experiences with churches and so-called Christians. This story is for you.

A farmer had an orchard of orange trees. His friend came to visit one day, and the farmer offered him one of his oranges to refresh him. The farmer was surprised when his friend refused to eat one of his oranges. This had happened on one other occasion, and it provoked the farmer to ask, “Why don’t you ever want to eat one of my oranges?”

His friend hesitantly responded, “I really don’t like your oranges.”

The farmer asked, “What is wrong with my oranges?”

The friend answered, “They are very bitter!”

The farmer looked at him with a puzzled look and asked, “When have you eaten one?”

He responded, “One day I picked one of your oranges, at the edge of the orchard, close to the road. I found it to be very unpleasant.”

The farmer roared in laughter. He explained, “The trees that I planted at the edge of the orchard are indeed bitter. I did this on purpose to discourage the children from stealing the oranges. However, the trees in the middle of the orchard are very good and produce a very sweet fruit. You just needed to come into the orchard, pick an orange, eat and enjoy.”

Many times a person on the edge of accepting the truth of Christianity and God’s Word experiences bitter things like guilt, conviction, and condemnation (blame). But, when he moves on into the midst of the church, he finds that the closer he gets to God, the more pleasant and sweet the Christian life becomes.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalms 34:8).

photo credit: driek via photo pin cc

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