Better Than a Cell Phone

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Soon after I got my first cell phone I was taking my oldest daughter to lunch one day. I took one of my kids to lunch each week to spend some time with each of them individually. I had picked her up from school and we were going to get a burger when my cell phone rang. It was the office and a church member had just been taken to the hospital. As we rushed through lunch my daughter looked at my cell phone and remarked, “I do not like that thing already.” One form of communication had interrupted another and I too could see a potential problem.

We have so many ways to communicate with each other these days. Everyone seems to carry a cell phone. Plus we have text, email, and messaging through various social media such as Facebook and Twitter. In fact, some people prefer messaging because you can respond on your own time without feeling you are a slave to other people’s desires to communicate. I feel their pain.

I wonder sometime if we are aware that God is also communicating with us through multiple means. He speaks to us through many of the ways we speak to each other. He calls me on the phone through the encouraging words of friends. He texts me through His Word, the Bible, and books Christians write. He speaks to me through music on Christian radio. He even uses social media. When I read the posts people write that spoke to them, He also speaks to me.

I have a friend who lost his wife to cancer last year. He writes a prayer on Facebook nearly every day that comes directly from his heart. Many days as I have read the prayer of his heart God has also spoken to mine.

Prayer is our side of the conversation with God. He speaks to us in many ways. How many ways do we speak to Him? We pray in the morning, at meals, at night. We can offer prayers of service because doing the work of God is a prayer. We can communicate with God through our hands, hearts, thoughts, actions, and words.

We pray for Revival in our Church but have you given any thought about how much you want Revival? Have you thought about how you can communicate your heart to the only one who can bring Revival to us?

Paul said, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (ESV)

Do not just talk. Communicate with God and listen with your eyes and ears as He communicates with you.

Bro. Robin

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

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Spring is a time for spring cleaning. When we start spring cleaning we put things in three piles. One pile is for trash: things to throw away. These are the things that are broken or of no use to anyone. The next pile is for yard sale: things to share. This pile includes things we do not want but could be useful to someone else. The last pile is for things to keep, at least for another year.

As I thought about spring cleaning another kind of spiritual cleaning came to mind. I have been studying Colossians 3. Paul talks about how we need to put off the old person, with all its bad habits, and put on the new person with all the Godly characteristics. I thought about all the things that I need to get out of my life and mentally put them on a “Put Off” list. I then looked at the Godly Characteristics that I needed to work on and put them on a “Put On” list.

I also need to think of my spiritual growth the same way I look at spring cleaning? If so, then I  need to make three lists.

The first list is like the trash pile. The trash pile is for things to throw away, such as things that are broken, or are of no use to anyone. Old habits, such as immorality, are of no use to anyone. Old attitudes, such as greed and lust, are of no use to anyone. Old feelings, such as hate, anger, or envy are of no use to anyone. The list of things I need to “Put Off” goes on. Those are all bad but there are so many more things we store up that we think are not so bad that we also need to remove. Bad feelings, bad language, and lies are among the things Paul warns the church about. Gossip and a critical spirit are also included in some of Paul’s other letters. The trash pile can get pretty deep if we are not careful.

The second list is like the keep pile. The Bible is also full of Godly characteristics we need to “Put On” and add to our lives. The things we need to keep include anything in God’s Word that renews us in knowing God better. We sometimes need to be reminded that we are made in His image at creation and we are remade into the image of His Son, Jesus, at salvation.

The third list is like the share pile. Paul said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faith, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) I think this is a partial list but you get the idea. Fruit does not grow to benefit the tree. Fruit grows to spread the tree and benefit all those around it. The Fruit of the Spirit is God sharing Himself with the world through us.

Consider God’s Word like a mirror to reveal your Spiritual life. Take a good look and then look at your lists again. Is there anything missing? Have you written something God’s Word doesn’t support? What do you need to throw away, keep, and share?

“Above all, put on love – the perfect bond of unity.” (Colossians 3:14)

Bro. Robin

Power and Heat

Spring is almost here but the air is still cool. This means jackets and heaters stay on for a while longer. This would not be a problem if the heater in Joyce’s car was reliable. It has always had issues but she has learned to deal with them by adjusting the dials like the combination on a safe. But last fall not even the combination would work. So we decided it was time to have some work done on it.

After charging us the equivalent of a house payment she drove the car to work and turned on the heater. It worked! She had heat. She turned the thermostat down a tad to control the heat and suddenly she was getting cold air. She turned it up and got heat, hot heat. Turned slightly down and she got cold, no heat. There was nothing in between all the way hot and all the way cold.

I called the shop and got a conversation that included things like, “It could be several things,” and, “We won’t know how much it will cost until we find the problem.” We decided Joyce could live with it for now.

I realized later my mistake in describing the problem. We did not just want heat we wanted control over the heater. It was a matter of control. I also thought about how typical that is for many areas of our lives. We all like control and need it to some degree in our lives in order to feel secure. We need to feel some sense of power to make our own decisions for our own lives.

God also recognizes our need for power. He sent Jesus to bring us salvation and then gave us the power to choose. He gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us to be able to live the Christian life that He promised us in His word.

Paul said, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV) God wants us to feel secure in Him.

Bro. Robin

I Can Fly

One of my favorite games as a child was playing Superman. I would stand on a high place, like a wall, hold out my arms, and jump. If I was high enough and jumped just right I might have a whole second of flight. At a young age a second can seem like a long time. Then my dad, or an older brother, would catch me and I would say, “Again.” I knew that as long as he was there I could fly.

I played the same game with my children and now it is my grandchildren I hear saying, “Again, Poppa.” As long as I can I will keep holding out my arms to catch them.

I enjoy listening to Christian music and one song that has caught my attention lately is “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)” by Chris Tomlin and Ed Cash. Based on scripture, Chris Tomlin sings about God’s protection. The chorus says, “Whom shall I fear, I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind, the God of angel armies, is always by my side.” Music can draw us in and encourage us with an interpretation of God’s word that speaks to our hearts. I find myself thinking about God’s protection as I hum along with this song.

There are many scriptures that speak of god’s protection. One of my favorites is Psalm 34:7, which says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them.”  He is always there to protect us and catch us. We can fly, just like those angel armies, into His hands.

Bro. Robin

Plugging In

One Saturday afternoon last summer we noticed that the house was getting warmer and the air conditioner had not come on. It had been a cool couple of days so we hadn’t noticed if the AC was running or not. As the house grew warmer I checked the thermostat and saw that according to the settings it should be on but nothing was happening. I checked the breaker box to see if perhaps a power surge had shut off the power to the A/C, but everything looked good there.

I called a friend who works on heat and air systems and he had me check several things inside and outside. He told me that he thought it was strange that both outside and inside units of the system seemed to not be working at the same time. He said he would put me on the schedule for a service call on Monday and it would cost about $80, not including any needed parts. Ouch.

We spent Saturday night with the windows open. Sunday is always a busy day for us with Church and other activities. As I was getting ready for bed that night, my mind ran through a checklist of what might be wrong with the system. I remembered then that we had an exterminator service on Thursday to spray for spiders. I had checked the plug on the unit already but I thought perhaps the outlet had gone bad. I grabbed an extension cord and headed upstairs to try plugging the unit in another outlet.

As I unplugged the cord I looked at the plug and a thought suddenly dawned on me. This was not the right plug. This plug went to a ceiling fan. I looked on the floor and there, buried in insulation, was the plug to the A/C unit. I plugged it into the wall and … the unit kicked on. It is amazing how much better it worked plugged in to the power source.

How often do we find ourselves in situations when things just don’t seem to work? Could our problem be that we just are not plugged in? If you want answered prayers, plug in. If you want more from your Church, plug in. If you want to understand the Bible, plug in. If you want to know your family better, plug in.

The Bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV) Come to Jesus and plug in to the power of His Spirit today.

Bro. Robin

Christmas Memories

Christmas is my favorite Christian holiday. I enjoy the music. I could listen to Christmas music all year long. I enjoy the food. I help make candy, prepare the ham, and make the filling for the pecan pie, (Joyce makes the crust). I enjoy preaching through the Christmas story. I enjoy having the family together for worship and fun.

Christmas at the Cowin house has gone through many changes throughout the years. My favorite memories involve the children. These days Christmas revolves around the Grandchildren. It is not just about the presents. In fact, there is so much more to the whole event that opening the presents almost seems anti-climactic. 

When the kids were small Christmas Eve was always a late night. We started with a Christmas Eve service at the Church followed by supper. We tried to get the kids in bed early. They were always cooperative; since they knew the sooner they went to bed the sooner Christmas morning would arrive. Then, Joyce and I would stay up late wrapping presents and sometimes putting them together before we wrapped them.

When Christmas morning arrived we had given the kids strict instruction not to wake us but wait until the alarm went off. We found out later that they would gather in one room and watch the clock until they heard our alarm. Then they would all come running in together and pile on our bed. We made them wait in our room until everything was ready and we called them in to the living room.

Some things never change. Before we opened presents we always read the Christmas Story from the Bible. Then we take turns opening each present so we can all appreciate the blessings of the day.

Some years we tried to be creative. One of my favorites was the year we wrapped the presents early but left all the names off the packages. None of them knew which package was whose until we started opening them. They soon realized that each one had their own wrapping paper. That’s how we could tell them apart. It was fun and we made good memories. We always wanted to make good memories for our children.

Remembering that year has made me think about an important lesson. We also are wrapped in our own unique “wrapping paper.” We are all special to God and He sees us all as individuals. He knows us all by name. He wants us to spend eternity with Him. That is why we have Christmas. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” (John 3:16).

Bro. Robin & Joyce Cowin

 

Sunday Nights

Sunday nights at church have gone through many changes throughout the years. When I was a youth we had a full Sunday night that included Training Union and Worship Service. Training Union was changed to Discipleship Training, but the program remained essentially the same. The lessons were more topical and included giving out parts to the different members of the class.

I often volunteered to be the one handing out the parts. That way I got to pick the one I wanted, usually the shortest one. Later the teacher gave me the responsibility of planning the Bible game. That sounded like fun. I soon learned that planning a game around the topic of the lesson involved studying the lesson more than just doing a part. However, it was still fun and I came to enjoy it. I think the teacher knew something about God working in my life even before I did.

I learned years later that dividing the lesson into parts was the training aspect of Discipleship Training. It did not seem like much at the time. But, we were learning how to present a lesson in front of the class. This training would prepare us to teach a class of our own someday. Many of us went on to teach as adults in one of the many church programs that included Sunday School. Class participation is still an important part of learning to teach. That is what being a disciple is all about.

Paul told his disciple, Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2). Learning to follow Jesus should include learning to teach the things you learn.

The church should grow by multiplication as well as addition. We add to the church when we lead people to Jesus through evangelism. We multiply the church when we disciple people until they are able to disciple others.

Our Sunday nights include fellowship, with game and movie nights, fellowship, food, Youth home group, Bible Drill, and Bible Studies for women and men. Come together to learn and grow in Christ. See what God will do when you truly become a disciple.

Bro. Robin

In a Jam

This season of the year one thing we enjoy doing at our house is to make jams and jellies. We enjoy making jam as a family project. We often go places we can pick our own or buy good fruit for our jams. It is especially satisfying when we can use fruit we grow ourselves. In the winter we all enjoy the fruits of our summer labors.

This summer we decided to try some new recipes that just sounded good. One recipe we found was for Habanera Mint Jelly.  We had some fresh mint in the garden that we did not know how we were going to use. We bought some fresh habaneras. We like things spicy and thought it would make a good sauce for meats, to add some heat and spice things up.

I picked the mint and sliced the habaneras while Joyce and Carra cooked and stirred and cooked the mixture, added the remaining ingredients, and processed the jelly.

When it was all done we tasted it. Since it was an experiment we did not have too high hopes. To our surprise it turned out to be a mild flavor. The coolness of the mint combined with the heat of the habanera produced just the right amount of spice and flavor. The jelly on cream cheese with a cracker turned out to be perfect! This jam turned out to be an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Many times something happens in our lives that turn out to be an unexpected surprise. Sometimes the surprise is good and sometimes it is not so good. A fresh perspective can temper every experience. If we fret over every little detail we can worry ourselves to death. But if we see them all as part of a bigger picture the good and the bad can mellow each other out.

We may think that we have it all figured out but unexpected surprises can change our plans. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.” God is not surprised by the extremes that happen to us. It is all part of his recipe for Jam. He takes the mint and habanera that we experience and makes it all surprisingly good.

Bro. Robin

Worth Repeating

“Again!” said the little girl in the back.

“What do we say?” said the mom in the front.

“Pweease!” said the girl.

“OK.” Said mom as she punched some buttons and the song we have heard so many times we have forgotten how many started playing again.

That was a familiar conversation between my daughter and granddaughter on our recent vacation trip together. After we got to our condo in Denver a similar conversation involved which princess movie we would all enjoy watching. By the end of the week the songs from “Little Mermaid” and “Tangled” were rolling happily around in my head.

At one point I was on my way out to take out the trash and stopped to watch the end of “Mermaid.” Joyce looked at me and asked, “How many times have you seen this?” “Oh, a half a dozen,” I said as I turned toward the door with the trash. “This week alone,” I said to myself.

A really good story, like a good song, is worth repeating. We all want to hear a story with a good Hero, a good Heroine, a conflict to overcome, a villain who is defeated, and a happily ever after ending. After all, it is the story we all hope will be our story. It evokes emotion and gives us hope in a happy ending in spite of all the struggles we all go through. We want to be the Hero or Heroine of our own story.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a story worth repeating. Our personal testimony is a story like all epic stories. Through Jesus we experience the rescue from disaster and rise above circumstances. Jesus makes us all heroes and promises a happily ever after.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Bro. Robin

Missions and Mosquitos

Mosquitos were a problem on our Mission trip in the Dominican Republic. It is an island and we were never far from the ocean, less than a mile most of the time. We all brought something to protect us from mosquitos.

I found interesting the lengths to which some went to avoid mosquitos. Some brought big cans of spray for their rooms. Most brought bottles of repellent containing the chemical Deet.  Some had creams to spread all over and sprays they used for their clothes to keep them away. Someone heard that bathing in lice shampoo would keep them away. We were willing to try almost anything.

As I got ready for the trip I set out a repellent cream to pack and then remembered something a pharmacist told me before my first trip to Africa. He said B vitamins would make my skin taste bad to mosquitos and worked as good as any repellent. I could not remember which B vitamin I needed so I bought a bottle that had a generous portion of all of them and took them along.

When I got to the DR I opened my suitcase. I searched every nook and could not find any repellent cream. How could I have left such an important item at home? All I had brought were the B vitamins.

I took the vitamins and for the first few days bummed repellent from other people. I soon discovered that when I did not use repellent I was not bothered by mosquitos any more than when I used repellent.

Some people sprayed and creamed so much they walked around in a cloud and still complained about being eaten up by mosquitos. I told some about the vitamins but nobody wanted any. One said he heard it did not really work. Mosquitos still found me but not many or often. My internal solution worked better for me than the external ones.

Mosquitos are a lot like sin. External cures for sin are everywhere. People try works, strange religions, and Psychology. Many just accept it as normal and let sin rule their lives causing damage to themselves and those around them. There is a cure. It is an internal one.

John 1:12 says about Jesus, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” Some will say it does not work but if you trust Jesus you will find His salvation will work for you.

Bro. Robin

Pray for Missions

We will be sending ten of our members on Mission Trips this summer. We also have our local mission reaching children with Terrific Tuesdays and Tremendous Thursdays. Missions include camps such as Youth Camp and Children’s Camp. All of our summer activities need to be wrapped up in prayer. Here are some thought on how to pray for Missions.

M – Pray for the members of each team. Pray for them individually by name.

I – Include their families who stay and support them. Intercede for them as you pray for their safety and blessings.

S – Pray for the Spirit of God to Surround them with protection as they travel and Share the Gospel. Pray that we will have strength in God’s Spirit and stay strong each day. Pray that we will carry that strength with us with we return and share what great things God has done.

S – Pray to see the needs and see the vision God has for meeting those needs with the Gospel. Pray for the souls of those who will hear the gospel that they will see the need to turn from sin and receive Jesus as Savior.

I – Pray for the Interpreters who help us cross language and cultural barriers. Interpreters are needed not only for different languages but also we need guides who can lead us to relate to different cultures. This is important for every team we send.

O – Pray for one Spirit of obedience and unity among the team members. Pray that we will be encouragers to each other and that we will all be filled with the joy of the Lord.

N – Pray for all news to be Good News. Pray for a good report. Pray that nothing will stand against us and nothing will hinder the Gospel of God’s Love through Jesus Christ that we are sent to tell.

S – Pray for God to send us all where He wants us to serve. He may send you across the street or around the world. When we go in God’s strength we know that nothing is impossible.

When we put on the full armor of God the last part of preparation is to stand guard in that armor. That is the place of prayer. Paul said, “With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador…” Ephesians 6:18-20a nas

Thank you for your prayers.

Bro. Robin

What I Learned in Vacation Bible School

I was thinking this morning about Vacation Bible School beginning soon. I have been going to VBS as long as I can remember. It was where I learned many lessons that left an enduring mark upon my life.

 Several years ago there was a book written, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum. His book spawned a bunch of similar books taking lessons from everything from cats and dogs to Star Trek. There were even similar books about lessons from Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. This got me wondering what I would put in a book of lessons from VBS.

I learned the importance of making new friends. There were always kids in VBS that were new to the community.

I learned the value of the golden rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a Bible verse, Matthew 7:12, not a bumper sticker. Jesus said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (NIV)

I learned to memorize important scriptures. John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 1:9, just to name a few, still comfort me at times.

I learned to sing songs and pay attention to the words. We sang and learned from, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

I learned that cookies dunked in red Kool-Aid were a delicious treat on a hot day.

I learned to be creative in decorating my VBS folder with doodles that meant something only to me.

I learned the pledges to the US flag, Christian Flag, and the Bible, and what the symbolism of the flags mean.

I learned that when you get stuck trying to learn something new there are people around you who can help, and sometimes I can help someone else too.

Most importantly I learned, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

These are just a few of the lesson I learned from VBS. Perhaps you could add some from your own experience. You could also volunteer for VBS and add a few more lessons. There is room for everybody in Vacation Bible School!

Bro. Robin

A Mission Vision

It was on a mission trip to Mexico City in the early 1980s that I had a revelation. Joyce and I were visiting a neighborhood for a local church. We were going door to door sharing our testimony, talking to them about Jesus, and inviting them to the local church. Our translator was a high school teacher who was also a member of the church we were representing. The area was steep in places as we climbed the hillsides. The houses were built next to each other in a tight mass that was densely populated, up to 80,000 people per square mile. At that time Mexico City was said to hold over10 million people, and it was on the rise.

At one point we stopped to look back at the valley below us. The scene was breath-taking as we saw a valley stretched out to a distant mountain. As far as the eye could see there were no patches of green, only city.

“Mexico City is really big!” I said to our guide.

“This is not Mexico City,” he said, “Mexico City is through that pass,” he pointed to our right. “This is the suburbs.”

Suddenly I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I already knew that with the Baptist Seminary in Mexico City and other missionaries assigned for evangelism we had around fifty SBC missionaries assigned to this area at that time. That was considered a large contingent for a major city. Fifty missionaries were supposed to reach ten million. That is an impossible task. Then I realized it was not just their responsibility. It is the responsibility of ever Christian to reach the world for Christ. They need our help.

I have been asked why I take mission trips to other countries when there are needs here at home? I tell this story. If we take two weeks out of a year to do groundwork to assist our missionaries we still have fifty weeks to reach our local community.

When Jesus gave His Great Commission He said, “but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Jesus did not say go here first then there. He said go both here and there.

Perhaps we cannot all go. Indeed, we should only go if God calls us to go. But we can all send with our prayers and our resources. Our summer missions include trips to The Dominican Republic, Vancouver B.C., Alaska, and our Summer Children’s Program. Pray for all of the teams. Ask about ways you can help. Volunteers are needed for the summer outreach. This is us being the Church Reaching Across the Street and Around the World with the Love of God.

Bro. Robin

Front Porch Missionary

Mrs. H. was a sweet elderly lady with a heart for missions. She was involved in Sunday School, church, and the women’s mission organizations for as long as her health permitted. When we announced that we would be taking a mission trip to Africa she wanted to be involved. By this time her age and health kept her homebound except for coming to church on Sunday morning. She told me that all she could do was pray and that she would pray for us every day.

Mrs. H. had a habit of sitting in the same chair every day with her Bible and prayer list and spend much of the morning praying and reading her Bible. When spring brought warm weather she began to sit outside on her porch for her early morning devotions. It was a special time for her to talk to her Lord about people including many missionaries who were on her prayer list.

One morning she noticed the children walking by her house on the way to school and she began to pray for them. She did not know any of them. As she prayed she wondered if these same children came by her house on their way home. That afternoon she watched and spoke to some of them as they passed by. Two middle school girls stopped and visited with her on their way home. After that the girls would stop by everyday for a friendly visit.

As the days got warmer she made some lemonade and brought some glasses with her to the porch. When they stopped by she shared her lemonade. The girls acted like they enjoyed their daily visits with Mrs. H. They began asking questions about her life and she was happy to share her stories and the kind of wisdom that an older woman can share with young girls. The conversations quickly included the Bible beside her chair. As she told stories of her long life and handed out wisdom born from experience she also shared about Jesus and the difference He made.

One day she asked them if they would like to pray and receive Jesus and they both said yes. She listened to them pray and told them to go home and tell their parents. With their parents permission she would be happy to teach them more about Jesus and the Bible that meant so much to her. Mrs. H. continued to mentor those girls for many months after that.

Her story inspires me. When she was not able to go on a mission trip she prayed and God brought the mission field to her. She stayed on her front porch and led two young girls to salvation. Jesus calls us all to go and preach the Gospel, (Mark 16:15). It is not about where or how far you go. It may be to the ends of the earth. It might be no farther than your front porch. God can use you in His mission.

This summer we have a mission program for children here at home. We are also sending mission teams to the Dominican Republic, Alaska, and Vancouver. Pray for us. Pray for God to use you where you are.

Bro. Robin

WWJ Drive

A few weeks ago we were driving home from western Oklahoma. It had been a stressful week and a stressful day, having driven four hours to Kingfisher, Oklahoma, and now we were beginning the four-hour drive home.

Our trip took us through a small town with a large Catholic Church and school. As we drove through town I observed the signs and traffic. I noticed the sign for the Trinity Catholic Church. I saw the buildings and the driveways. As we passed a gated driveway that led to the campus I casually glanced up the entrance and saw that it ended at a garage and my mind quickly noted its three garage doors.

Trinity Catholic Church has a three-car garage! What began as a simple observation suddenly took hold of my attention. Then I thought what would Jesus drive? Apparently the answer is behind door number two. I began to laugh. It was not just any laugh. I laughed so hard that Joyce and Carra began to laugh too. They were laughing at me because I was laughing so hard I could barely tell them why.

The relief of that moment was like a cool drink of ice-cold lemonade after mowing the lawn or a nap in the middle of a hard day. It was a release that brought us relief from the stress of the day. There would still be more stress to handle throughout that week but for the moment there was this reminder of God’s love and His supreme sense of humor.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine.” Sometimes it is the best medicine.

I have tried to share this story several times since then and most people smile politely. It will never be as funny, even to me, as it was at the time. That’s ok. God gave me a good laugh at a time when I really needed one. He loves us like that.

Bro. Robin

The Cheering Cloud

When our children were in school we often attended sporting events. The boys wrestled and played summer baseball and the girls were in the marching band and played softball. Now we watch our grandchildren. The older we get the more pictures we take.

As spectators we get to enjoy the action on the field from a distance. We try to feel what they feel. We get excited for their successes and yell encouragement when things don’t go their way. We do not score any points and we really do not have as much influence over the game as we think. What happens on the field is still up to the players, not the spectators.

The influence of a hometown crowd is not to be overlooked. An excited crowd can make a difference in the excitement on the field. A cheering crowd can cause runners to put out that ounce of extra effort that gives them an edge and takes them across the finish line to victory.

This is the picture we see in Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” Paul is describing runners on the field of a race. Track and field was common sporting events in his day, as they are today. A cloud of cheering fans surrounds the runners. These fans are called witnesses using the same word that is used for martyrs. The language tells us that this cloud is made of the people in heaven who see us and are cheering for our success.

Think about it. What greater fans do we have than our parents and ancestors, our loved ones who have gone before us? Like spectators at a race they cannot run the race for us but they can cheer us on. Knowing that they are cheering for us can make the difference in that extra ounce of effort whether it is a race or a critical decision we have to make. We have their support as they wait for us to join them in that cloud.

Easter is a reminder of resurrection. It reminds us not only of the resurrection of Jesus Christ but also the resurrection we will all experience when He calls us to himself. By faith in Jesus we will one day see all those who cheered us on the victory in this life. Then the celebration will begin.

Happy Easter, Happy Resurrection! The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!

Bro. Robin

Trash

I watched as my almost two year old granddaughter toddled through my study. In her curiosity she looked at everything she passed. She came to a large box with a lid that once held reams of paper and now was labeled "Taxes 2012." She lifted the lid and saw the jumble of receipts and bills.

"Trash," she declared as she dropped the lid and moved on to something else.

I smiled as she left the room and reached over to adjust the lid on the box she had just identified as trash. I thought about how valuable the contents were to me. I had collected those papers throughout the year and was getting ready to use them in preparing my income tax return. They were of vital importance to me but meaningless trash to her.

Whether something is valuable or trash can often depend on the individual. It can depend on how important it is to us. It may not matter if it is important because it is useful or because it has some other meaning.

Sometimes trash can be turned into treasure. We have a cabinet that came from the farm. It had been used in the barn to store tools. We brought it home, cleaned it up, made some repairs, and put a coat of stain on it. It still does not look new but to us it is a prized possession. Not only is it useful but it also has a special meaning.

Occasionally we go through the house and remove things that have no use and have lost their meaning. We need to do that in our personal lives as well. We can accumulate stuff that take up space and have no meaning, or may even be harmful to us. Bad habits can start out as a good idea at the time and soon become a barrier to our spiritual growth. We need to look at the things we treasure and determine if they are good or trash.

Jesus said, "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:20-21) He even gave us a test to apply to our treasure. "...where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal." (Matthew 6:20).

Years ago I realized that the only treasure we have here on earth that we will take with us into heaven are people who share our faith in Jesus. About the only thing I know that fits those conditions are the relationships I have with people, and with Jesus. I am glad that when Jesus looks at us He always says "treasure," He never says, "trash." I'm glad He, "...so love the world."

Bro. Robin

Ice Cream Voice

It was a warm summer day, three of my grandsons were actively playing in the backyard, and I had just finished a batch of my homemade ice cream. I went to the back door to invite them to enjoy the ice cream with me.

As I stepped to the door I noticed that they were all the way to the back of the yard by the fence, about thirty yards away. Ordinarily, at that distance, I would have to yell to get their attention. But the thought crossed my mind that this might be a good time to try an experiment in selective hearing. So I quietly opened the door and in a normal speaking voice said:

“Anyone ready for ice cream?”

Suddenly three heads turned in my direction as all three boys began running for the door yelling, “Ice Cream!”

We sometimes teach our children to control the volume of their voices. We refer to “inside voice” and “outside voice” to distinguish the volumes needed to communicate in different settings. Perhaps there also needs to be a designation of “Ice Cream Voice” for those things we like to hear.

There are those words that make our ears perk up when we hear them even when they are whispered. There are even many phrases that may rank more important than, “Ice Cream,” or “Have more pie.” Phrases like, “I love you,” can be heard when whispered across a busy airport. “Good job,” “Well done,” and “Thank you,” also come to mind. Our ears become tuned to words and our eyes to wordless expressions that become a special language for friends and couples over time.

Paul said, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) Our ears and our senses can also become tuned to hear the word of Christ. As our relationship with Him grows over time we learn to recognize His voice in His word and in the daily occurrences of our lives. If we are listening God has an “Ice Cream” voice. When we are sensitive to His Spirit it is as though we are children and He has said “Ice Cream.” We can come to the sound of His voice and enjoy the blessings He has prepared for us.

Bro. Robin

Praying for friends

When I went to pastor my first church it was out in western Oklahoma wheat country. One of the men of the church came to me with a burden for two of his friends. He picked a day he knew they would both be available and we went out to visit them in their homes.

We went to visit the first one and he made it clear that although he knew about Jesus and his family went to church he did not want to become a Christian.

The second man we visited was a young man in his twenties. He was not home but we were told that he was out on the tractor spraying for greenbugs. We drove around his farm and when we found him we waved to get his attention. He pulled up and stopped his tractor and we shared the gospel with him. We talked about how Jesus died on the cross for his sins and that he could have His forgiveness and start a new life if he would believe in Jesus, turn away from his sin, and pray and invite Jesus to come into his heart. Compared to me he was a giant in size and that made it an even more awesome sight to see tears roll down that dusty face as he prayed and asked Jesus to forgive his sins and give him a new life. I told him he got rid of his greenbugs and his sins on the same day.

Nearly ten years later that same man, who took me to visit his two friends, asked me if I could make another visit. We went to see the first friend we visited years earlier. We sat in his living room and saw the answer to years of prayer as he said yes to Jesus.

When you pray for a friend God hears your prayer. His work is on His time. We see only a friend in need. God sees everything and knows all the pieces that need to be in place. His timing is always perfect. We do not make things happen. We pray and God makes things happen. Whether it takes a day or ten years His hand is at work while we pray bringing all the pieces together for an answer.

What are the pieces in your life that need to come together? You only know a few of them. Only God knows them all.

Bro Robin

The Ruler

When my parents moved into the Baptist Home we had an auction to sell all the stuff they had accumulated over a lifetime. Our family was allowed to go through and pick out a few personal items. I picked up a mirror that had hung in my bedroom as I grew up.

My oldest brother walked through the tables and joked about all the junk. Suddenly he reached down and picked up an old folding ruler. It was the kind carpenters used before tape measures. A smile spread across my brother’s face. “This is the ruler Dad used to build the house. This means something.”

I understood. My brother was a teen-ager when Dad built the house and he and my other brothers helped with the construction. This ruler was the standard every piece of wood in the house was measured against. The house stood strong against the elements as a shelter for a growing family because of that ruler and the man who knew how to use it.

The family bible was the standard against which everything that went on inside the house was measured. When my parents were married, at sixteen, they accepted Jesus and were baptized together. They made a commitment to Christ to keep their family in Church and raise them by the principles of God’s word.

The prophet Amos saw a vision of The Lord holding a plumb line in His hand, (Amos 7). A plumb line is simply a weighted string that gives a true vertical line for building a wall. If a wall is not built according to plumb it is destined to fall. God told Amos that He had put a plumb line in the middle of His people and he would “…never again pass by them.” (Amos 7:8-9) As a result, everything was about to be “made desolate” and “laid waste.”

It was not the plumb line that was about to destroy Israel. It was their failure to build their lives according to God’s plumb line that would result in their own destruction. They chose their own standard over God’s and were about to pay the price. The word of the prophet, God’s Word, is the perfect standard by which we stand or fall. It does not matter how we measure up to each other. What really matters is how God sees us.

Bro. Robin