Stupid is His Name and Folly is His Game

Have you ever read a story in the Bible that isn’t real familiar, but becomes one of your favorites after you have read it? Maybe you have heard the name of the Bible character many times, but have failed to read the story. Or, maybe it has been so long since you heard or read the story you have just forgotten how it went. I have that happen to me frequently. I hear a name or a reference and find that I have to go back and read the story to refresh what really happened.

I remember several years ago my wife, Melinda, and I were having a discussion. It was late and the house was quiet enabling us to have some time to just talk. I don’t really remember exactly what we were talking about but it obviously must have been concerning something we were dealing with as pastor because I made a statement that caught my own attention and I have never forgotten it. I said, “Spirits beget like spirits.” I then made reference to a Bible story.

Now Melinda and I have both been raised in Church and had excellent Sunday school teachers. Both of our fathers were very good Bible teachers. Yet Melinda said, “You know, I am not sure I know that story.” My reply was, “I can remember parts of it, but it has been so long I am not sure I know it all that well.” It isn’t a story you hear preached every week. In fact, I am not sure I have heard it preached, except the next week when I, of course, used it. What makes this even a bit more ironic is our daughter is named after the main character in the story, Abigail.

I am talking about the story of Abigail and David. The word Abigail means “source of joy.” When you read the story of Abigail you will find that her name fit her. However, let me share what we found in the story that night after I got my Bible and we read the story together. It is found in 1 Samuel 25.

David, with six hundred men is living in caves and the mountains, hiding from Saul and his army. Living the life of an outlaw means you have to live off the land, which at times can be difficult, especially with some many people. While they were in the region of Carmel they protected some shepherds and their flocks. They did this kind deed without taking anything in return. The flocks belonged to a man by the name of Nabal who the Bible describes as a churlish man which means to be cruel and obstinate pr pigheaded. His wife and servants described him as being a son or man of Belial which means wicked.

When David and his men were in need of food, David sent men to Nabal to see if they could receive some help in return for the protection they had provided his men and his flocks. Instead of kindness, Nabal was angry they would even dare to ask. He went so far as to insult David. When David’s men returned with the message from Nabal, David himself became angry. He called together four hundred of his men, armed them and set out to take what he needed from Nabal, including lives.

Now a servant heard all that had taken place and went to Abigail to inform her of the eminent danger that was headed their way. Abigail’s response was to gather provisions in hopes of making amends for her husband’s insolence. She intercepted David on the road and fell at his feet. She explained to him that Nabal was not the most intelligent person in the world. In fact she said his name is Nabal, which means stupid, and folly, or wickedness, was with him. Nabal is his name and folly is his game?

After her explanation and gift, David blessed Abigail and sent her home. He told her that he was listening to her advice. He and his men then returned to the mountains. Upon her return home Abigail finds Nabal having a big party. The next morning when he has sobered up she informs him of what she has done and the danger which she spared them of. Nabal becomes so angry he obviously has a stroke or heart attack and is in a coma for ten days before he dies.

Now comes the beautiful part of the story. When David hears what has taken place and that Nabal has died he sends for Abigail. He wants her to be his wife. She shows, again, a sweet spirit in accepting this offer.
What I had noticed in the story was the reactions of the different people to the attitudes or the spirits of others. Let me give you examples.

• David shows kindness to the herdsmen of Nabal and they in return show kindness to him
  
• Nabal is angry, for no apparent reason and the response from David is anger also.
  
• Abigail blesses David, showing a repentant and humble spirit. David reacts with repentance and blessings. He was going to kill Nabal and changed his mind.
  
• David shows a sweet and caring spirit to Abigail in asking her to be his wife. She responds again with humbleness.
  

I have found this principle to hold true in my relationship with people. I have found myself reacting to the anger of other people with anger myself. Later I would wonder why I am angry. I have also found myself responding to a kind sweet spirit with kindness on my part. Spirits begat like spirits!

So why am I bringing this out? I don’t know do you ever have to deal with attitudes or spirits that bring you to the brink of frustration? Do you ever have situations that you are dealing with and you are wondering why everyone involved always end up angry and there is no resolution? Could it be that spirits are bearing like spirits? Could you be causing anger in the people you are dealing with because of your anger? Could you be responding in anger because of their anger? The answer to these and other interesting questions inquiring minds want to know!

Let’s take some lessons from Abigail. She defuses a very volatile condition with simple submission and humbleness. She did not justify the wrong in any way. In fact she called it as she saw it, “The man is stupid, his name says it all!” But she was humble and repentant, she was sorry for the actions of Nabal. In response, even though he had murder in his eye, David the giant slayer is stopped without a bowstring being drawn or a sword brandished.

What would happen in our marriages if we responded with that type of a spirit? You say that you are in the right. A man wisely said, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” Abigail is the one who was mightily blessed in this whole turn of events. She is the one who ended up marrying the King. If I can just keep my spirit right what could happen?

When I have done wrong, or had wrong committed against me, what would happen if I humbled myself in repentance? Repentance both to God and the other person involved. I know, maybe I was justified in man’s eyes! I know, maybe I was the one who was done wrong! But that isn’t real the question! The real question is this “Is being right or justified worth the loss of a friend or the relationship of a loved one?” Spirits beget like spirits!

How much more effective could we be in reaching the “unchristian” if we have a sweet and humble spirit? I have seen so often an attitude of superiority even arrogance, because we know something they don’t know. Actually our attitude should be that of humbleness because we have been so blessed to have the Truth of the Word of God revealed to us. God has asked us to be His Bride how humbling to receive such an honor! Humbleness isn’t being a mouse, humbleness is recognizing your position in response to the position you have placed God and others in. It is having our priorities correctly placed.

This comes back to the Golden Rule, “treat others as you want to be treated!” If I was in their place, how would I want me to act or react? Doing so will go a long ways to bringing about the results I desire in this situation. Why? Because spirits beget like spirits!

Stephen could have became angry, justifiably so. However, he prayed for those who were murdering him and Paul was converted. Jesus could have called a legion of angels, or more, and destroyed all those who desired to kill him. Instead, he reacted with love and mercy! You and I are the result. Nothing strengthens a relationship more than love and mercy!

Just a thought!

God Bless!

If He Wants To Go To Hell Just Let Him

My wife reminded me of an interesting event, or series of events, that took place in the history of our families. It is amazing how a story triggers the memory of another story. Just a few words that Melinda said brought back to my mind something that was very life impacting, not only for those directly involved, but for hundreds of other people.

I first met my wife, in 1963. That is correct, I was seven and she was three when we met. I would love to say it was love at first sight, but I cannot. We have now been married over thirty years. However, I have never forgotten the occasion we first met.

It was outside of the Fresno, California First United Pentecostal Church, which at that time was located on the corner of Harvey and Thesta. It was a large old building with a basement. It was in the basement that the Children Churches were located. I say Churches because there was actually two. Each was for a different age group. There was a door coming out of the basement with stairs leading up to the sidewalk on Thesta St, which ran along side the Church.

The Fresno Church, which is now Truth Tabernacle pastored by Elder Vaughn Morton, was pastored by the late Brother Murray Layne at that time. My father was Brother Layne’s assistant pastor. As the assistant he helped the pastor any way that he could.

This particular Sunday morning I came out of Children’s Church and Mike Power Sr. had lined all four of his children up along the curb. Margie had gone to the Baptist church and they were waiting for her. Now Mike wasn’t a happy camper. Michelle, Maureen, Michael Jr. and Melinda were lined up in that order, oldest to youngest, and they were all crying for their mom, who hadn’t showed up yet.

Mike was a new convert. He had just left the Baptist church because in his Bible studying God had revealed His oneness to him. Margie had yet to make the change, but did so not long after Mike. When Mike realized he needed to be baptized in Jesus Name he asked to be re-baptized. He knew he had to be baptized in Jesus name as directed in Acts 2:38. For some reason Brother Layne was unable to baptize Mike and so Brother Layne asked my Dad to fill in for him. A connection was made between the two men which lasted for many years.

Mike was a very sincere young man. He studied the Bible, not just reading it, but really studying it. I won’t go into a lot of the “wherefores” and “be causes”. Just let it be said that for the first four or five years of his walk with God Mike had a hard time living for God. Mainly it came down to not being able to be as good as he thought he should be. This would cause him to become discouraged and decide to quit.

There would be times when Margie would come to church with just the children. Dad would ask her where Mike was and she would reply that he was at home. Dad would get in the car and drive to their house. He would talk with Mike for a while and then, most of the time he would bring him to church. This went on for about a year and a half.

In September of 1965 Dad felt called to pastor a church in Rio Dell, California. This is a lumber mill town on the north coast. It was a small town and a very small church. There was actually only one member, a seventy-five year old man named Burl Horn.

Every service Brother Horn would raise his hand and say, “Pray for my family.” None of his family, children or wife, lived for God. Yet every service that was his request and prayer.

We had been in Rio Dell for about four months. We were living in three rooms in the back of the church. It was a late cold wet winter night when a knock came on the back door of the church. When Dad opened the door he found Mike Power standing at there.

Dad invited him in and in the course of the conversation asked him why he was there. Mike told us the story. He had been having a hard time living for God. In fact it had gotten so bad that he and Margie had split up. He had left Fresno on a freight train. He was headed toward San Diego going to a place he didn’t even know, just getting away. While riding the freight, he began to pray. God spoke to him and told him if he would go to Rio Dell God would help him get his family back together. So there he was.

God worked miracles immediately for Mike and Margie. The next day he went to work for the lumber mill in the neighboring town. It was a well known fact if you wanted to go to work in that mill you had to show up at their office every morning for about three months or more before they would hire you. Mike was hired the first day. It was pretty difficult to find a house in that town. My cousin had just moved out of a house and it was still empty. So right away Mike was able to secure a house and find a job. On March 1, 1966 he returned to Fresno and moved his family to Rio Dell.

The next two years were difficult for Mike. He was still fighting the same battles. There were times Dad would go down to their house and talk and pray with Mike and get him back in church.

I will never forget one night, it was late. We had all gone to bed and there was a knock on the door. I heard Dad get up and get dressed and answer the door. From my bedroom I heard him greet Mike. Mike came into the living room, I heard this from my bedroom, and laid his church keys on the coffee table. I heard him say, “I quit! I just can’t do this, I can’t make it!” I went to sleep that night listening to my Dad talking and encouraging Mike that he could live for God. I heard him reaffirming that God loved him and would help him if he would allow Him to. Mike never gave up on God. Dad never gave up on Mike. God never gave up on either of them.

I remember getting into the car after church one night. We had been to a revival at a neighboring church. Dad was very hurt and upset. David, my brother, and I had learned that if we would be quiet and act like we were asleep, mom and dad would talk. That night Dad, with tears in his voice, told Mom what the pastor of the church we had just visited had said to him. He said, “If Mike Power doesn’t want to live for God, just let him go to hell! Quit wasting your time on him!”

Well Dad refused to give up! Mike refused to give up! God refused to give up! It wasn’t long after this that Mike stabilized in his walk with God. There was a dramatic change.

In the summer of 1969 Brother Burl Horn went home to be with Jesus. Dad was visiting this dear old warrior of the faith in the hospital just days before his death. Sitting with him in the hospital room was his youngest daughter Jean Daniel. Brother Horn called Jean over while Dad was there and made her promise that she would take a home Bible Study. It was her last promise to her father.

Over the next several months after the death of Brother Horn there were several life changing events that happened in the life of Jean Daniel. They all, combined with her promise, lead up to her and Will, her husband, taking a Bible Study.

About two or three weeks into the Bible Study Will’s brother and his wife, Slim and Rose Daniel asked if they could join the study. It started all over. About two or three weeks into the study Peggy King, a friend of the Daniel’s asked if she could sit in the study. They started over a second time. About two or three weeks into the study, David Daniel, Slim’s fourteen year old son, asked if he could sit in on the study. They started over a third time.

The Sunday before Christmas 1970, Mike Power, the teacher of the Bible Study led seven new people into Sunday morning service. On New Years Eve he rejoiced as six people were baptized in Jesus Name for the remission of their sins. A few weeks later all of them received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost during a revival.

From that Bible Study alone there are scores of people living for God. Jean Daniel has taught literally hundreds of Bible Studies over the past thirty eight years. Slim Daniel has picked up hundreds of boys and girls, men and women on Sunday School Buses and brought them to church. Rose Daniel has taught scores of Junior Boys and Girls in Sunday School, one of them is now my wife.

Mike Power went on to be my Sunday School teacher for the next six years. Every time I went up a class, so did he. He helped me to have a love for the word of God. He helped me to learn to love the things of God. He was my youth leader when I started to preach at the age of thirteen. It was Mike Power that asked me to preach my first youth service. He became the Assistant Pastor and right hand man.

Mike Power taught many more Bible Studies. It seemed like for a while, every one that started coming to our church was taking lessons with Jehovah Witnesses. They would try to get them to leave them alone and they kept coming back. Mike would be there the last time they would come and when he finished showing them scripture they would leave permanently. He was one of the most knowledgable Bible Teachers that I have ever known.

Today, Mike Power has been gone for twenty-six years. Yet the impact that he has had on lives hearing the Gospel is still happening. He has a son and daughter in law who are very involved in ministering in their local church. He has a son in law who is an ordained minister of the gospel. His daughter is involved in music ministry. He has a grandson and granddaughter in the ministry. Several of his grandchildren are living for God. All are involved in winning souls to the Lord.


Many of the people he taught Bible Studies to have taught others. They have discipled and won souls. Brother Horn’s prayer request was answered through the efforts of Mike Power.

When my wife mentioned to me that her family would not be living for God if it hadn’t been for my Dad a memory was awakened. I was reminded of something my Dad told our family when he told us we were moving to Rio Dell. He said God had given him a scripture which he shared with us, “Ps 142:4, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”

He told us the question came to him, as if God were asking it, “Do you care enough to go?”
God planted a caring heart in a preacher. Because he cared only eternity will tell how many souls were influence by the Gospel.

I have been tremendously blessed to have two men who were Godly, God fearing, God loving, Bible believing and preaching, people loving men in my life. The wonderful thing is one was my Father in Law and the other was my Father. Both of them made the name of the Lord known to all generations.

God Bless!

How's Your Hearing?

Several years ago I was given a new Bible by a Bible Book store that I frequented. It was newly published and they wanted local Pastors to check this new Bible out and give them an opinion about it. Well, I am a big book fan and a bigger Bible fan, I have a small collection of each, so readily accepted the offer. I am a bigger fan of free!

I took the Bible home and at my first opportunity excitedly sat down and began to read. I first went to favorite passages and read each of them. I then just began to thumb through it and read different passages that caught my attention. In doing so, I came across a passage that surprised me. I quickly picked up my worn King James, Thompson Chain to verify what I was reading. Although I had read the passage many times and had even used it in different messages I had never seen it on this wise.

For many months I had been seeking God to know more of Him. In this time and endeavor God had been instilling in me a greater love for His Word. He had awakened an appetite to learn all I could of Him. He had been showing me that if I didn’t have a great love for the Word of God I could not have a great love for Him because He and His Word are inseparable.

During this time period I had several friends, along with others that I had known and respected, who had walked away from the Truth they had once held and preached. I am not talking about adjustments but I am referring complete rejection of these Truth. The question had often come to my mind, why was this happening. The prayer had often come from my heart to my lips, “God I want to protect my love for Truth, show me how to keep this from happening to me.” When I read the above referred to passage I felt God had answered my prayer and given me some insight and direction for my life.

Jesus is teaching on the seaside. He is giving good, basic instructions to His followers. These were instructions that dealt with the basics of a relationship with God. He talks of the Kingdom of God and the importance of the Word of God in our lives. While sharing these principles he makes a statement which is what caught my attention, let me share:

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.” (Mark 4:23-25)

Now, before I talk to you about what I felt God showed me in this passage, let me share this from the Bible that I was reading when it caught my attention:

“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand — and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them." (Mark 4:23-25 NLT)

What a powerful statement. We are often told to listen. We are often told to take heed how we hear. We are often told that when we give we will be blessed in receiving. However, I had never connected all of these together. I had never noticed, before this time, Jesus links listening, understanding to a closer relationship with Him.

In fact Jesus tells us to be willing to listen and understand. We need to have a hunger for the Word of God. We need to have a desire to learn more of Him through His Word. We need to be careful and give close consideration to what we are hearing. Along with these instructions there are some assurances or even promises, notice:

1. The more we listen, understand and pay attention the more we will understand.
2. By being open to His teachings He will give us more understanding.
3. By not being open to His teachings we will lose what we have already learned from Him.

When I had read this and spent some time thinking on it, I became very thoughtful in my soul. I came to realize that God was answering my prayer and question at the same time. He was assuring me that if I wanted to know Him better and wanted a greater relationship with Him it would come through a desire for His Word. By loving His Word and learning of Him I would acquire a greater understanding of Him. How awesome! This was an assertion there was a way to get closer to Him and that was through His Word.

The answer to the question of why people were walking away from the Truth they had once embraced was also given. It was simply that somewhere along the road they had lost their love for Truth, for the Word of God. Because they were not careful how they heard, they lost what they had. Because they didn’t have a hunger and desire for the Word of God, the Truth they had received was gradually removed from their lives. Let me give you an example of a couple of passages of scripture.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 Paul warns us that in the last days before the second coming of God we should be very careful to guard what we are hearing. Caution should be used in what we embrace as Truth. If we fail to love Truth, God Himself will send a great deceit that they would believe a lie and be damned.

There is a very sad and shocking story shared with us in the closing chapter of 1 Kings. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah has joined forces with Ahab, king of Israel against their common enemy Syria. Before going into battle Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the Lord to give them direction. Ahab calls his prophets but Jehoshaphat wanted a prophet of the Lord. Ahab said there was only one around but didn’t like the man because he never had anything good to say to him. However, it being insisted, he sent for Micaiah the prophet.

The prophets of Ahab all prophesied Israel would route the Syrians and win the battle. When Micaiah was brought before the Kings, he was instructed by the messenger to likewise say good things. Micaiah did as the others and said good things but was rebuked and told to say what God had told him to say. He told this story, please pay attention it is very sobering: “God was having counsel with the host of heaven and He asked who shall persuade Ahab to go to Ramoth-gilead that he might die there, as had been prophesied? Several came before Him with suggestions until a spirit came before the Lord and said, ‘I have a way to persuade him! I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ The Lord said that would persuade him and the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets of Ahab.” Ahab believed the prophets, disguised himself and went into battle. A random arrow, shot into the air, pierced his armor and killed Ahab in that battle. He died just as prophesied, because he did not love truth, but loved what made him feel and look good.

Without a love for Truth we will be destroyed. If we fail to take heed to how we hear, we are seeking destruction. This is not a time to walk away from the Truth of the Word of God. Today is a day, more than any before, when we need to embrace Truth, we need to love Truth.
I desire a greater love for Truth. I desire and purpose to be careful to what I listen to. God give me a greater understanding for your Word and a greater knowledge of you!

Just a thought!

God Bless

Friends Visit With T.E.A.M. Ministry

Melinda and I were blessed with the opportunity to meet some more friends of TEAM Ministries. Reba Smith and her husband Scooter stopped by along with their sons Nathan and Ashton. The family was on their way to Branson, Missouri for a family vacation.

We all enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship and getting acquainted. We have been friends with Reba and Ashton on Everyone's Apostolic which is a social network and this was our first time to meet in person. What a blessing to have such wonderful friends.

God Bless this family!

The Sickness Whereof He Died

Have you every heard something said that impacts you so profoundly you still remember it many years later? I don’t mean remember it in a way where you say, “Oh I remember something about that. “ I mean, remembering it so vividly that you remember exactly where you were when it was said. You remember the day, time and everything else about it. You can see it in your minds eye as if you were still there. Several years ago this happened to me and I have never forgotten what was said.

It was a Sunday morning in July of 1990. My family was on vacation and we had stopped to visit some close friends. We were in services with them that day and setting in the Adult Sunday School Class. Elder Harvey Cantrell was pastor of the Church we were visiting in Hanford, California and was teaching the lesson that day. During the course of the lesson Elder Cantrell read a passage of scripture that impacted my life. Now, in all honesty, eighteen years later I don’t remember what he was teaching that day. Nor do I remember much that was said before or after he read and made a short comment on this passage of scripture. It was the scripture and the brief comment that struck a chord in my heart.

The scripture was; “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died…” (2 Kings 13:14). The comment that he made was, “We will all die sometime, unless the Lord comes first. That is why sickness comes and people aren’t healed. It doesn’t mean they don’t have faith, it means that it is time…”

What made this scripture and statement so impacting to me was the fact that just a few months prior to this we had found out my father had Parkinson’s disease. We had been praying and fasting for his healing, however, he wasn’t getting better but was getting worse. I was dealing with unanswered questions in my mind and in just a few simple words God had given me an answer to my question. There are just sometimes God doesn’t heal because it is time to go home. That day God let me to know that my father wouldn’t be healed in this life. I needed to live my life accordingly.

Death is a hard subject to address for a couple of reasons. One is that very few people are around to tell us about death that has actually experienced it. Because of this it remains a mystery and we are all somewhat afraid of the unknown. The second reason is death is looked upon as the end of everything, which it is in this life. No one wants to experience death. However, I have a couple of thoughts about death that came to mind recently with this memory and I felt maybe I should share.

Death was introduced into this world because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden. The Bible tells us it is the curse of man, because of sin. We also know that it is appointed unto man to die. That is the end of it all for us.

There is another way that the child of God can view death. Looking at our own death or looking at the death of a loved one who is a “believer.” The Psalmist tell us in Psalms 116:15, the death of one of His saints is precious in the eyes of the Lord. This should let us know there is a different view of death for the born again child of God. In God’s opinion His saint passing on is a special event. Why? One of the reasons is God looks upon us with great value and calls us His jewels in Malachi 3:17.

Death came to this world by the sin of one, Adam. By the same token life was brought to us by the second Adam, Jesus Christ. Paul said that when we were born again we became new creatures in Christ. Those things of old are passed away and all things become new. I am in no way saying that we will never die, I have preached too many funerals for faithful saints to say that. What I am saying, however, is that we can take a different view of the death of a saint. The curse of sin was death. Yet when we are born again, that curse is removed. Jesus Christ walked into hell and demanded the keys of death and hell. Death no longer has dominion over us. It no longer rules or has authority over us. Death is no longer a curse to the saint of God, it is now precious. Our second birth has brought about that change.

I remember sitting there that morning and thinking of my loved ones who had already gone before me to meet the Lord. I thought of others I knew who were dealing with sicknesses whereof they would die if God didn’t heal them. I realized, although I was a healthy young man at the time, there might come a time when I would hear a doctors report that spelled out the end being near. I remember these thoughts going through my mind and thinking; “Isn’t that just like God, He takes sickness, tragedy and all of the other things that seem to be so bad and brings about that which is precious. He uses it to add another Jewel to His Treasury!”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

Friends Visit With T.E.A.M. Ministry

Don & Melinda Doran with Don & Kathy Davis

from St. Francisville, Louisiana

What a pleasant surprise when the phone rang and Kathy Davis said I am going to be in your area and would like to visit and also introduce you to my husband Don. We had met Kathy and Ty a few weeks back and now it was a thrill to meet and visit with Don. We were in service with them on Wednesday night and then spent the evening just laughing, and crying too, on Friday. We were so blessed and they ministered to us in such a special way. It is so wonderful to be a part of the family of God.
.

When we met up with Kathy and Don on Friday afternoon we were surprised, to say the least, when Debbie Bennett, Kathy's sister, stepped out from hiding behind Don. Debbie is a long time friend of ours on EA and we didn't know she was going to be with us, she came up on Thursday night. This was our first time to meet in person, although we have laughed, cryed and prayed together many times on EA.

Don & Melinda Doran with Debbie Bennett

of St. Francisville, Louisiana

Jared Doran with Debbie Bennett.

Both Kathy and Debbie are team members of TEAM Ministry MVPs. MVPs are Much Valued Prayers and pray for needs that are sent to TEAM Ministry. We appreciate their commitment to prayer and we were so excited to meet these wonderful folks.

Entertained by the Ambassador of the Enemy

It is 2:20 PM on Sunday afternoon, footsteps echo down the hall as Admiral Momura and Mr. Kurusu approached the office of Secretary of State Cordell Hall, for a requested meeting. The two Japanese representatives enter the office and hands the Secretary of State a decoded message from Tokyo saying, in brief, negotiations between the two nations were at an end. They were totally taken back and embarrassed by Secretary Hull’s reaction. You see, what they didn’t know is that moments before they entered the room, Secretary Hull had received word of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the same Japanese nation these men represented. That attack had happened at 1:53 PM Washington, D.C. time. In fact, they themselves didn’t even know of the attack at that time.

This picture of Pearl Harbor was
taken from a Japanese attack plane.

How like the enemy! No matter who your enemy is, they want to make you feel at ease and catch you “off guard” with their attack. The enemy of our soul tries the same tactics over and over again. He will send his ambassador to entertain us and keep us busy while he slips in the back door to destroy us.

The messenger arrived with a letter of great importance. I am shocked to receive a message by a messenger since almost all messages are sent by email or by text message now. I opened the envelope and read the message, surprised at the signatures at the bottom of the page. What could they possibly have to say to me? My surprise deepened when I read the contents as it was an invitation for coffee! Wow, who would have thought this would take place, not even in your wildest imaginations.

The invitation was from Sandy and Toby, two people who do not like me at all. They wanted me to meet them at the little Java Hut on the corner of Ono and Plains Streets. Which is not a good area of town; in fact, it is a good place to stay away from. These two men can have nothing good on their minds.

The messenger turns to leave but I stop him before he reaches the door. “Wait a moment and I will send the reply with you!” If they were going to be formal, I would as well. I would also handle this immediately since I didn’t have to think about my answer.

I sat down at the keyboard and quickly typed out the return message which read, “Ono, I won’t go! Why should I leave the work I am doing for God to be entertained by the enemy of my soul who desires to do me harm.” I hit print and as the message printed I grabbed an envelope. I gave it to the messenger, along with a tip for his efforts, and sent him on his way. The matter was all settled.

As Nehemiah refused to meet with Sanballat and Tobiah and the others, we should refuse to be entertained by the enemy of our souls. Nehemiah had purposed in his heart he was going to see Jerusalem rebuilt, no matter what the cost might be. When the enemy did their best, on several occasions, to distract him, he refused to be distracted. He refused their offers of entertainment. Ono, he just wouldn’t go to the Plains of Ono!

Satan tries his best to distract us from the work we are doing for God. He tries to get us engrossed in other things drawing our attention away from our purpose.
God tells Adam and Eve they can eat of every tree in the Garden except the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan appears and asks them, “…hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen 3:1) Suddenly the emphasis is off what God is blessing them with, every tree but one, to what God isn’t giving them, not everything.

He speaks to a young man, Cain, and tells him it doesn’t matter what he sacrifices, just make a sacrifice. He wouldn’t have dared to say, “Don’t make a sacrifice!” That was too big a step. He just said your sacrifice is as good as what God is requiring, so do it your own way.
He spoke to Saul and said you are the King why do you have to wait for a prophet? Go ahead, the people expect you to make the sacrifice.

He comes against us with partial truths, which are only lies. He tries to distract you, confuse you and destroy you. Let me encourage you to refuse to sit down for coffee. Don’t let him in your living room or office. Don’t be entertained by the enemy.

When President F.D. Roosevelt gave the news to Secretary Hull he instructed him to not let the Ambassadors know that he already knew of the attack and to quickly and discreetly send them on their way. However, Secretary Hull called it as he saw it and the two men left in embarrassment. We don’t need to negotiate with the enemy, we need to send him on his way, with a firm, “ONO, I won’t go, why should I leave the work of God while you intend to do me harm?”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

It is About Point of View

Do you fly? You know what I mean; do you fly in an airplane? To me, flying is one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I was flying into San Francisco on a 707 one time and we stopped in San Jose. We let off a lot of passengers there. The plane seated about 220 passengers and I doubt there were 10 people left on the plane when we took off to make the short hop to San Francisco. I will never forget and it is twenty years later, the g-force and incredible take off we had that day. It was awesome!

I am not a frequent flyer. It is only every now and then that I get the opportunity to fly. I would like to share some observations about flying that I have made. I remember my wife’s first time to fly. We were flying on a twin-turboprop commuter airplane that seated 30 passengers. Now this was my first time to be on this small of a plane and Melinda was “freaking” out just being on a plane. We were seated over the wing and I had the window seat. As we are waiting to take off, I looked out the window and notice there was a “patch” riveted on the cover of the prop motor on the wing. What really caught my attention was I could see a little bit of oil squirting out of the “patch.” Now I didn’t mention this to my wife or anyone else because I knew they wouldn’t get that plane off the ground if I did so.

However, on our return trip I noticed some things that I want to share with you. I noticed there were times when, because of the clouds, I couldn’t see where we were going. In fact all I could really see was right where we were. My vision was very limited but the pilot had assured us that his visibility from the cockpit was many miles ahead. I also noticed that as we were flying at the thirty thousand feet altitude I could not distinguish anything on the ground. In fact, I pretty much had no idea where we were. The pilot, however, seemed to know exactly where we were at all times. There was no hesitation on his part at all.

When we came into the airport I noticed the closer we came to the ground the bigger things became. At first you could barely make out the cities, then the houses, then the cars, and then the people. Just as we were coming in we flew over a golf course and you could actually see the people playing golf. The closer we got, the bigger things became.

I remember on another flight, I was flying from San Francisco to Dallas. We flew into Denver and I switched planes. The flight from Frisco to Denver was very rough. It was bad enough they wouldn’t let the flight attendants up. This plane was fairly large, and full, but was being tossed around like a kite in the wind. It was bad enough the person sitting next to me filled several “doggie” bags before we landed. When we left Denver for Dallas they allowed us to tune into the pilots radio frequency with our headsets and we were able to hear him communicate with the tower. Again, we were being tossed pretty bad and the pilot kept asking to be allowed to fly at a higher elevation so we could get above the turbulence. They finally gave him permission and we had a smooth ride.

I flew from Springfield, Missouri to Fresno, California several years ago. I was going to where my mother was living at the time and moving her to Arkansas. The day that I left I woke up with a terrible cold. I wasn’t in the air five minutes before my ears plugged from the pressure. They remained plugged until we were in Flagstaff, Arizona, elevation 7,000 feet, traveling to Arkansas three days later.

Let me try and tie this together. When I am in a plane I place my life in the hands of the pilot. I don’t have to be able to see because I trust his judgment. I don’t have to understand if the plane is leaking oil because they have checked it and know what is happening. If I will let the pilot have control he will take me from point A to point B safely. He has my safety as his concern! I need to do the same with God. I need to put my life in His hands and trust Him to get me to heaven safely. It doesn’t matter if I can see or if I understand everything, I must trust Him.

This is the USS Ronald Reagan in the San Diego Bay. Notice how small they seem. The higher I fly the more my point of view changes! There will be some pressure. There will also be some turbulence. But the closer I get to heaven the less the turbulence is going to affect me. Those things of this world that seemed so “big” to me on the ground now seemed so insignificant. Things like houses, cars, pleasures, people, all of these started to loose their importance the higher I go. They eventually become insignificant. I noticed just climbing into the plane changes one’s perspective, of everything on the ground. The closer I get to God and the more I learn of Him, the more my perspective of this world changes.

A scripture comes to mind, “They that wait upon the Lord… shall mount up with wings like an eagle…” I have to wonder if part of that meaning could be that when we bind ourselves together as one with God (which is what the word “wait” actually means) we will get a totally different point of view about the things of this life. Will the way we view things change? Will the “…things of this world… grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace?”
What would happen if we really developed a “heavenly point of view?”

Just a thought!

God Bless!