HEAVING LINES

The entrance to Galveston harbor and the Houston ship channel are protected from the Gulf of Mexico by two jetties.  The jetties were built in 1879 and are constructed of massive rust-colored rocks which have stood the continuous onslaught and relentless attack from the Gulf for all these years. 

The North jetty reaches 7 miles out into the Gulf and the South jetty reaches 5 miles out.  They are there to protect the ships  from the rough seas but on occasion can become tools of destruction when a ship loses power and is carried  by the waves  and tide into their unyielding and unforgiving arms. 

It was an occasion such as this that I’ll tell you about. 

In the early 1970’s Galveston had a massive shrimp fleet.  There were hundreds of professional shrimp boats that called Galveston their home port.  Some were modern, well-maintained, up-to-date fishing vessels but others….. well, let’s just say they left a little to be desired.  It was usually these less than cared-for vessels that we were called upon time after time to “rescue”.  Usually it was nothing more than an engine failure and we played “wrecker” and went out and towed them back to port. 

On some occasions the gigantic piles of rust would spring a leak and we would be called upon to use our pumps and equipment and try to keep them afloat until we got them to a place where they could be repaired.

This particular day’s call went something like this.  A disabled shrimp boat had been fishing below the North Jetty and had lost all engines. The seas were high and the winds blew hard on the old vessel.   Instead of dropping anchor and calling for help the captain felt that he would just let her drift until he got the engines going again.  He let her drift too far.

His boat was quickly pushed toward the North jetty and just shy of being crushed on the jetty rocks it ran aground and stuck fast in the shallow sand.  Now the waves had their way with this old vessel.  With her bow stuck fast in the sand the stern took a beating from the Gulf waves and she begin taking on water.  In spite of all that the crew could do the ship was going down. 

That day we were manning the Coast Guard  44377 motor life boat.  This boat was  44 foot long ,self-righting boat.  Meaning that if it rolled over in the waves and if you could hold on and stay with the boat for about 30 seconds, it would roll back in an up-right position and  continue to run and function.  It had water tight doors and twin Cummings diesel engines. It was great for rough seas and a fantastic search and rescue boat.

 From the Coast Guard base to the North side of the North Jetty was about 12 miles.  Fighting the wind and waves it took us almost an hour to arrive on scene.  Needless to say these men were in a mess.  Our coxswain maneuvered our boat as close to the troubled ship as we could get.  If we got too close we too would run aground and be torn apart by the waves.  But there was still a good distance between our boat and the shrimp boat. 

We could see the  captain and his two crewmen on the deck.  They had their life jackets on, were soaking wet from the crashing surf.  On their faces were expressions of the fear that had swelled up within them.  ( After 40 something years I can still see the fear in the faces of those  men.) When they saw us pull up they begin waving their arms and calling out to us.   They expected us to pull up alongside and take them on board.  They expected to just jump from their boat onto ours and be safe and dry.  But it wasn’t going to happen. 

“This is as close as I can get Bill”.  The coxswain yelled over the roar of the wind and the crashing of the waves. 

The rescue line was long, heavy-duty and weighty.  Even being young and in good shape (at that time) I would never be able to throw that line, that far, in that wind.  But in the Coast Guard we had a little thing called a heaving line.  It was a small, strong line with a round weighted ball on the end.  One end would be tied to the rescue line and the other would be thrown to the shrimpers like a baseball on a string.   I would be able to toss that line to the  shrimp boat   They could then pull the rescue line over, tie it around their waist and jump into the water.  My seaman and I would then pull them across the distance between our boat and theirs and bring them to the safety of our vessel.  It wasn’t what they had in mind but  that is what we did.  With the coxswain holding the 377 steady I tossed the heaving line and one by one we pulled the crew to safety.

Just another day at the office…that’s what we were there to do.  We had been trained and equipped and had practiced and we did our job.  We all went home alive. 

I tell you that little story to remind you of what you and I as Christians are to do on a daily basis.  Let me see if I can apply it.

 On a daily basis, you and I cross paths with men and women who are in trouble.  They may look good and act good and carry on a good conversation but on the inside their life if falling apart like that old shrimp boat.

It’s not waves of water that crash in on them and threaten to sink their vessel.  The storm is not caused by the angry Gulf of Mexico but the storm is caused by a lost job, dwindling finances, a rebellious child, an unfaithful spouse, temptations that are out of control or the sickness or death of a loved one.  Sometimes it is simply the “daily-ness”  of life that has them sinking.

It is these people who will be more than happy to accept the line that you and I toss them.  It is in the storm that they are most receptive to The Savior.

But you are probably like me.  You don’t want to deal with those situations because you don’t know what to say or you don’t know how to council them.  You are not confident in tossing out the right line. .

In the Coast Guard we had lots of lines.  We had big lines, little lines, long lines and short lines.  We simply used the line that was appropriate for the situation.  Let me just give you a few good “lines” that you might commit to memory or at least keep close where you can get to them quickly.   Toss these lines out and just see who you might be able to help or pull in. 

In LONELINESS:  John 14: 18

In DEATH:  Psalms 23:4  /  Romans 8: 38-39 /  I Corinthians 15:55

In FEAR:  Isaiah 41:13 

In WORRY:  Philippians 4:19 / Psalms 32:7

In TROUBLE:  Naham 1:7 / John 16:33

 Also, you know that it’s not hard for us to talk to someone about the weather, work, sports, news, or life in general.  Wouldn’t it be good planning, training, practice for Christians to stow away some good “lines” to be able to use in conversation when the situation presents itself?  Let’s see if I can help.

WEATHER:   

·         Leviticus 26: 4   Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

·         Matthew 16:3  And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

The weather is in God’s hands.  There will always be Summer, winter, Spring and Fall.  It is up to Him to give the weather and up to us to live in it and through it.  (Gen. 8:22)

WORK: 

·         Genesis:  2:15:  The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

·         Proverbs 16:3  Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

·         Colossians 3:23:  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men

Man was made to work.  We should commit our work to God and whatever we do, do a good job of it just like we are working for Him. 

HEALTH:

·          1 Corinthians 6:19-20:  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

·         Proverbs 17:22 :  A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

·         Proverbs 16: 24:  Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body

Our bodies do not belong to us, they are God’s.  We should take care of them, being joyful and speaking kind words are medicine which anyone can administer.   

I’ll leave a little work for you to do.  Make up your own lines.  When you enter into a conversation with someone and you can throw out a heaving line….do it.  A simple verse of scripture or statement of encouragement might be just the thing that they need.  They may go down in the storm if you don’t toss them a heaving line.    

MAGI GIFTS

We had all gathered at the appointed time.  Each one bringing gifts, food, hugs and wishes of good cheer to all the others.  The kitchen / dining room in our little house was crowded to say the least.  I had arranged the tables around the perimeter of the room so all the food could be easily accessible.  We would eat buffet style tonight.  We simply have too many family to sit around a given table and eat.  I believe the smells saturating the room from the goodies that were brought and the food cooking on the stove and in the crockpots had already made me gain 5 pounds. 

Bo spoke to God and thanked Him for the food, family and fellowship.  He asked Him to bless our time together.  We attacked the food.

In years past it was Chris and Derek, then Hunter who would not be interested in eating but wanted to get right into the “presents”.  This year that role was played by Renae and Andie. 

“Let’s do presents first”! they pleaded. 

Sometimes Grumps have to be firm.  “No way!  Eat then presents”.

The food had no chance of winning but it put up a good fight.  Wave after wave of seemingly starving consumers lay into the piles of confectionary delights.  They held up for a while but eventually begin to dwindle. 

“Now presents”?  They asked again. 

“As soon as Chris is through eating.  He is the last one”. 

Now the pressure was on.  He had no chance to sit and enjoy his food.  It was like boot camp at Alameda.  “Suck it up and get out”!

So we all gathered in the living room, crammed onto the couch, two to a chair, sitting on the foot stools, but we were there.

Derek and his family were missing due to illness.  He sacrificed his time with us to prevent us from catching the flu-like crud that he had.  Kinsley was teething and also had developed some of her Dad’s  symptoms.  Lauren was preforming the duties of a doctor and good mother. 

Matt, Kimberly, Strawberry, Josiah and the unborn baby affectionately called “Number 3” had celebrated with us earlier in the month.

So here we were, set, ready to pounce on the gigantic pile of colorfully wrapped gifts.  But first things first.

Hunter had already marked the Christmas story in his new Bible.  Chris took it and with his children and family around him begin to read.

“And it came to pass, in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed”.

His voice was clear, strong and he continued the scripture reading. 

“And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in  swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”.

My first born son was reading to his family about God’s first born son.  If you don’t think you can get blessed hearing the Christmas story read, try that one on for size.

This  is not the first time this has taken place.  I have vivid memories of my Dad, Paw-Paw, reading to us.  I can still see my Mom, Granny, sitting by his side listening like it was the first time she had ever heard the story. 

I have had my share of times when I was the reader and my children sat around me listening to this same story. Somewhere, stuffed back in a spot where I placed it so I wouldn’t forget where I put it, is a video of Paw-Paw sitting in a rocker in Bo and Neet’s living room.  He is reading just as Chris did on this night and we all sit around listening.  I was warmed and blessed by that time.  But tonight is something special. It’s almost like passing the sword or the baton. 

The portion of scripture ended and we bowed our heads and prayed.  I don’t remember the words I said.  I know I prayed for those who could not be with us.  I thanked God for His blessings and asked that He draw us near and make us grateful for The Gift that He had given us.  

As we said “amen” and I raised my head, I noticed tears in my sister’s eyes. (I missed them too Sis.) 

Julie put her camera on the tripod and begin filming the event for viewing in Christmas times to come.  But now the onslaught of the Christmas presents began.  It started out slowly.  “Let’s give out one gift at a time so we can watch everyone open theirs and see what they got”……needless to say, that didn’t work.  In just a short time gifts were piled in front of each of us and we were ripping paper and holding up our prizes.

In a few days I will forget what I got in those boxes.  We usually do.  I doubt you can remember what you got last Christmas. 

But  I want to share with you some of the gifts I got this Christmas that I won’t forget.  They are in no particular order. I’ll forget to mention some that were special but I’ll just jot  some down as they roll over in my rattled brain.

·         A day off work to go last minute Christmas shopping with my wife.  Yes, you heard that right.  I enjoyed shopping with my wife even if the day was long and Grump was getting more grumpy with every minute.

·         Making bird houses from the cane poles that grow on our land.  I know they looked like a third grader made them but it was fun and they came from our land.

·         Smelling the apple cider stuff that Keva puts together only at Christmas. At 61 years old I finally recognized what a chive is and what a combination of chives and cinnamon can do to apple juice.

·         Holding my newest grand-daughter as she wore her Santa suite at her first Fulford family Christmas dinner at Nanny’s. 

·         Sitting with Mrs Hermie and Regina on Christmas Eve morning in their lovely little home on Active Road, drinking coffee and enjoying the hospitality and company of these two fine Christian friends.

·         Listening to the chatter of the Collum family gathering at North Side Baptist Church in Calera as we shared our food and shared stories of days gone by. (I remember the old family times at Papa Dink and Mammy’s house when similar voices, the ancestor of these young people, made the same happy chatter)

·         Hunter and I wearing the same “Snoopy” shirt at Christmas

·         Hunter showing me his Christmas gifts.  Instead of toys and games now he is proud of devotion books, study Bibles and of course his Alabama gear.

·         Making eggs in a basket on Christmas morning for my wife.  (“Don’t put my eggs on the bread, it will make it soggy.  I hate soggy bread”, I can hear her now.)

·         Sharing that special time when it is just me and her, Gracie and the girls (cats) on Christmas morning.  (There was no sadness there, just peace)

·         Watching Perrin as he played with his cowboys and Indians…..then stopped and climbed up on the couch beside me and “read “ me a few lines from his book.  (If there is anything more fantastic than having your grandson sit beside you at Christmas I don’t know what it is.)

·         Hearing Renae sing “Happy Birthday Jesus” as the finale of the Heritage Homecoming Christmas program.

·         Leading a choir in which my two oldest granddaughters and my wife are members

·         Sitting in the sanctuary of Heritage and realizing that The Gift from God The Father was given to me and lives in my heart. You can’t top that one!

And although there are more, and I could sit here at the computer on the day after Christmas 2012 and make a list that you would tire of reading, I’ll end with this last one.

·         A phone call from Matt and Kimberly telling me my new grandchild, which will be here in April 2013 will be Grandson number three!

We are told in Matthew chapter two that the Magi brought costly gifts to Jesus on that special day many years ago.  I am sure they were meaningful and were well received with joy and thanksgiving. I’m sure Joseph and Mary’s hearts were full and about to burst.  I know that because I sense that same fullness this morning.  I feel that same joy and peace and I just want to say “thank you” to all of you and especially to “Our Father”.  Merry Christmas.

SMELLS I LIKE

I was driving down the road the other day and passed an industry off to the side of the road.  It was a company that makes railroad cross ties.  From this industry came the smell of creosote.  I slowed down and took in the smell.  As I did the thought came to me that I needed to make a  list.  So here is a list I’ve put together.  It’s in no particular order, and has absolutely no spiritual significance.  So if you don’t like my list, make your own.  Here are smells that I like:

Creosote

Leaves, rotting in the woods in the fall

Taboo – perfume

Hot chocolate chip cookies right from the oven

Coal burning in a pot belly stove

Salt water and the Gulf of Mexico beach

Baby powder

Cedar lumber

Pine kindling

Bio-silk

A library

Freshly ground coffee

Rich Chilton County dirt just after plowing

The smell of wood burning in a fire place

Leather

Apple cider simmering on the stove at Christmas

 

If you aren’t familiar with some of these smells, take some time and smell them for yourself. You might just find something that will make you smile.

WORDS ON A ROCK

 I have found that it is not that hard to convince people that they have done wrong.  When the Word says “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”….most don’t try to argue.  They may try to justify their actions, blame them on others, but they will pretty much admit that they have done wrong. 

 Often, people will just accept the fact that they have done wrong and “so what”.  “I’m not the only one” or “I’m not the worst” are excuses we use to lessen the guilt.

What I’d like to discuss is the various ways people try to keep themselves from committing these wrongs again.  Because after all folks, it’s one thing to be forgiven of your past sins and another totally different thing to not do those things again. 

 In another writing I have spoken of the fact that Jesus was not teasing when He said “Go and sin no more”.  So let me share a few ways we go about trying to  be righteous.

  Rules:  Thou shalt not!  On a mountain somewhere I’ve never been, in a place I’ve never seen and couldn’t point to,  God gave Moses a list of rules which someone has called The Ten Commandments. With His own finger He wrote these words on a rock and gave them to Moses.  You will not do this and you cannot do that.  If you do this will happen and if you don’t that will happen.  And so the Children of Israel and those of us who live in this century and in this place, have made valiant attempts to obey those rules.  But I just stopped by to tell you that words on a rock will not change us. You nor I can make it happen.  I contend that if those words could have been followed why would Jesus have had to come and die for me? 

It has been said somewhere that “the law is like a mirror”.  When you wake in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror you can clearly see that your face needs washing and your hair needs attention.  But none of you will take the mirror off the wall and try to wash your face with it. No one is foolish enough to try and comb his hair with a mirror.

So it is with the law.  It shows us where we have failed and where we are wrong but the words on that rock cannot make us righteous. 

Rituals:  Others will put on the robe of “rituals” in order to be righteous.  I’ll read my Bible, I’ll pray three times a day, I’ll go to church on Sunday and Sunday night and Wednesday night.  We make these attempts.  We will do good and perhaps the bad will go away.  We will put ourselves in the right positions and just maybe we won’t be tempted and fail. But rituals, no matter how religiously preformed will not free us from the chains of sin.   

 Regulate:  I’ll do whatever it takes Dear Lord.  What do you want me to do? I’ll make it happen.  I’ll regulate the thoughts I think, the words I say, the acts I commit and then sin will be overcome and I will win.  I don’t have to tell you that doesn’t work do I?  My strength is not a challenge to Satan.  My plans are not a contest for him.  My attempts are not a match for his power. 

So how is sin overcome in our lives? How can I obey the command of Jesus and “go and sin no more”?  What can I do to follow the instructions in Romans 6:6 that tell me that from “henceforth we should not serve sin”?

I firmly believe that much of our misunderstanding concerning this topic comes from our definition of “sin”.  Some feel that sin is anything that is out of the center of God’s will.  While others believe that in order for sin to be sin it must be premeditated, intentional, knowingly committed.  Perhaps that is a topic for another place and time.

In Zachariah 4:6 we are told that it is; “Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit, saith the Lord”.  All the effort I can put into living for God will not free me.  All of the hoops that I jump through will not save me.  All the words that are written even though they are written on a stone…will not deliver me. 

I think then it is only when I commit my all to Him, when I turn loose and fall into the arms of mercy and grace that I will be able to live as God intended for me to live.  Instead of simply using all of my might, and obeying all the rule, regulation, and rituals I release my situation into His hands.  It is then that I am not only made free from the guilt of sin but also made free from the power of sin.

BLESSINGS FROM THE JUNK YARD

 BLESSINGS FROM THE JUNK YARD

 

Over the 29 years in which I have worked for Chilton County EMA, very seldom have I taken all the vacation time which I have been allowed.  Usually it works out that at the beginning of December I will ask how many days I have and then over the month I will take that many days off.   

Such was the case last week.  It was a take it or lose it vacation day and so I thought I’d get a few little things done around the farm.  I planned on hauling off some scrap iron and making enough money to pay for a used tire and used battery for my old 81 Ford truck. 

 As I prayed that morning I was completely aware that I wasn’t going to see that many people that day.  I think it was by design.  I have a better vacation when no one else is around….ha.  But I prayed my usual prayer, “Lord, help me be a blessing to someone today”, Doubting, hoping, I wouldn’t have the opportunity. 

I  arrived at the scrap yard and as the girl was weighing my load I asked her about her dad who was the owner of the scrap yard.  He had a stroke over a year ago and had not been doing well.  She was excited to tell me that although he had not regained his ability to talk yet, that he was attending church every time the doors were open and that he was attempting to say grace at each meal.  I was very glad for that news and left the yard thanking God for helping him and drawing him closer. 

My next stop was at the used tire place.  The old man who owns this place has had many medical malady’s and is  only operating off 40% of his heart now.  I have mentioned to him on occasion how that he needs to focus on getting his heart right with God with little or no response. 

This morning, sitting off  to the side of the shop was the old owner and a couple of other folk.  I waved and spoke a general good morning as the men started working on my tire.  One of the guys sitting there impressed me as being a “meth-monkey”, a “crack-head” or some such.  Although the day was warm and I was wearing a t-shirt, this poor soul was bundled in a hooded jacket and seemed to be freezing.  He was frail and you could only see a small portion of his tan, wrinkled face through the front of his hoody.

I had no reason to talk to him.  I didn’t know him.  But that did not stop him from walking over to stand in front of me and begin a conversation.  “

Oh, great!  Just what I need”.

As our conversation continued he somehow mentioned the name of the guy at the scrap yard.  I told him that I had just came from there and how the guy was doing.  I guess I thought that was a good “Christian-eez” thing to do. 

“He and I have been going through the same sort of thing”, the guy  said.  “I have been dealing with throat cancer.  The chemo and radiation have been eating me up”. 

Now I felt really  bad.  I had labeled him as a drug abuser when in fact he was dealing with a serious condition. 

“Well, how long have you been over your cancer”, I asked.

“I’m not”.  He said bluntly.  Just a short time ago the doctor did a bunch of test and told me I have lung cancer and only have about 90 days to live. 

Now what do I say?  “Well, sometimes God gives us times like that to make sure our hearts are right with Him”.  I’m reaching, trying to share a Christian view of this with this old guy.  (Honestly, I doubt he is my age.)

“I’ve already done that”, he said.  Now the little slits that were used for eyes were open wide and I could see his big ole brown eyes.  In the corner of one a big ole tear drop formed.  He begin to tell me how that it was only by the blood of Jesus that he could ever expect to make it to heaven.  He told me how blessed he was. 

We talked about heaven, and mercy and grace and peace.  He spoke of how his children didn’t understand the peace and desire he had to just “go home”. 

Obviously, this little guy didn’t own a handkerchief because he was now wiping his nose on his sleeve.  The tears now came out of his eyes and made their way like a steel ball in a pin ball machine down through the tracks and wrinkles in his face finally falling off his cheek onto his old coat. 

I thought to myself that  I was standing here talking to a man who in 90 days or so  would be walking in a place called paradise. 

I reached out and patted him on the shoulder.  “Thank you for sharing your story with me today”, I said.  “You have been a real blessing to me”. 

We exchanged names and I left him standing there amongst the old tires and the grease.  I doubt that I’ll ever see him again this side of heaven.  But I hope that someday I will walk up to him and thank him again for sharing his story with me. He will never know how much he blessed me today. 

No Lord, I wasn’t much of a blessing today.  You blessed me with the good news from others. 

I have said recently that our nation and our world is “going to hell in a hand basket”, ( I have no idea what that phrase means, do you?)   But I have been given hope today.  Hope from an old junk man who tries to say the blessing even when he can’t talk, and hope from a dying man who is in ear shot of home. 

Let the world do what it will.  Let this nation run its course.  God is still on the throne and Jesus sits at His right hand and souls are being saved and lives are being changed.  And that my friend is why you and I cannot give up or give in. 

Try to be a blessing, try to tell someone about Jesus.  You might just find yourself on the receiving end of the deal.  

"THANKS-HOARDING"

 

When you have lived all of your adult life “responding” to emergency calls they often run together and I can only remember certain calls when I trip over their memories that I have left lying around on the floor of my mind.  I tripped this morning and this call came to mind. 

The “beeper” blared it’s obnoxious tone and immediately I responded to the report of a structure fire with heavy smoke showing.  As I pulled up on the road in front of the structure I identified it as a double wide trailer, clear of exposures on all sides with heavy smoke from the front windows. 

Another volunteer firefighter was already on scene dressed in turn-out gear.  I quickly donned my bunker pants, threw on my jacket and swung my Drager air pack over my head and buckled it in place.  I reached behind me turned the wheel on the air pack allowing the compressed air to flow through my mask.  Reaching back over my shoulder I pulled my red nomex hood over the top of my head and then strapped on my helmet.  I slid my hands into my fire-gloves and I was ready to rock.

By this time the engine had pulled up in the front yard and someone had pulled an inch and three quarter hose to the front door.  As my partner and I approached the door I patted the top of my helmet and yelled through my mask “Gim’me water”! 

On our hands and knees we opened the door and crawled inside.  The smoke was intense.  You could literally not see your hand in front of your mask.  We had learned to “see” with our hands so with one hand cradling the hose I reached out my other hand and “looked” for the wall.  Only inches to my right I felt what I thought was the wall.  Reaching to my left I felt what I assumed was another wall.  We must be in a hallway. We continued on down the “hallway” dragging the hose.  As yet we had not “seen” nor felt the fire. 

 “Bill, this is crazy”! My partner yelled.  The ”hallway” seemed to wind its way through the house instead of going in straight lines like most hallways.  We continued on until we faced the dragon and quickly put him to sleep. 

After the fire was extinguished and the smoke cleared I experienced my first encounter with “hoarding”. The “hallway” we had entered was in actuality stacks and stacks of books, magazines, cloths, yard sale items and various piles of “junk”.  These things were stored in cardboard boxes and in most places, throughout the house, stacked to the ceiling. Only a tiny trail led from one room to the next. 

 I’m sure to the owner of the home, these things were good, these things were valuable.  But because they were stored, stacked and stashed in his home, because they were “hoarded” they become a hindrance and certainly were no good for anyone. 

Let me see if I can transition here.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day 2012.  Recently, I have been reading the unabridged writings of E.M. Bounds.  In that work he explained the difference as he understood it, of gratitude and thanksgiving.  He stated that, “Gratitude is an involuntary, inward emotion of the soul while thanksgiving is the voluntary expression of that gratitude”. He further states that “Gratitude is felt in secret while thanksgiving is an open expression of that feeling”. 

Without a doubt, we all receive the benefits of the blessings of God.  Many of us stop long enough to recognize that involuntary emotion of gratitude.  We may even be cognizant of the fact that we should not only be grateful for the things that God does for us but also for “who” God is and what it means to be loved by an all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God.  A few, oh Lord, an ever decreasing few, will even experience that personal relationship with the Holy Trinity and experience that involuntary, overflowing, gratitude inside our hearts. 

However, I suggest to you this morning, dear reader, that we have become “Thanks-hoarders" instead of “Thanks-givers”. We hold that gratitude in our hearts and do not in any way express it openly. 

Someone has said that we must be “thanks-livers” as well as “thanks-givers”.  We must voluntarily express to God and to others our thankfulness to Him by the things we say and the way we live. 

 I hope I can do that tomorrow.  I hope I can do that throughout this coming year.  I don’t want to hoard up all my gratitude inside myself, doing no good for anyone and becoming actually a hindrance to myself.  I want to express and communicate that gratitude to those I meet.  I want to voluntarily give my offering of thanks to God. 

ESCAPE HATCH (I COR. 10:13)

I have read the above referenced scripture many times throughout my life.  I’ve turned it over in my mind’s hand and looked at it from what I thought was every side.   

I can accept the statement that the temptations I face are nothing new.  Satan is really not picking on me when adverse things come my way.  Others have faced the same problems and temptations.  Some have faced much more than I.  I can’t call out to God and say “Why me, Lord”? 

I certainly understand the statement that God is faithful.  That’s one of the few things I can testify to about growing old.  When I was young I didn’t have a lot of experiences to fall back on regarding God’s faithfulness to me.  But after all these years, and all these miles, and all these trials I can stand with the Apostle Paul and tell you “yes, God is faithful”. 

When my sweet Mama died she asked me this question, “He won’t leave me will He”?  I was able to tell her with absolute assurance, “No Ma’am He will never leave you”. God is faithful. 

When Paul said that our God will not allow us to be tempted “above” or more than we are able to stand, I understand that.  He is  our loving Father.  If we love our children, if we love our grandchildren, if we know how to love anyone or anything….our God, our Father loves us so much more and He will not put anything on us that will drive us beyond our limits and His care. 

But the statement in the 13th verse regarding escape has caused me to pause and consider it's meaning. Let me quote it to you from the KJV.  (The real Bible)  “…but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”. 

The thought I’ve always had regarding this statement has been that God would insert some special circumstance, some supernatural occurrence, some angel, some person to come by to get me out of my situation.  That’s happened, that will happen in many instances.  But I think His meaning here is deeper than that.  

 

I believe the “way of escape”, the “escape hatch” if you will, was provided for us many years ago.  I think it has been here our whole lives.  I think it is so close that perhaps we can’t see it. I believe the “way of escape” for us is the gift God sent on the Day of Pentecost.  I believe the “way of escape” is the Holy Spirit of God.   

When I am tempted, when I am in trouble, when my world is crashing in around me, I need not look for an angel in a fiery chariot to come riding by to save me. But instead look to the Comforter who is in my heart.

In John 14 Jesus told His disciples that The Father will, “give you another Comforter….He will abide with you forever…..He will dwell with you and shall be in you”.   

If your heart has been forgiven of sins and your life has been totally committed to God and He has given you His Holy Spirit, then you have had that “built-in escape hatch” installed into your being.  He is “in you” and is ready to assist you at a moment's notice.  

You understand that an escape hatch is useless if not used don’t you?  If you don’t know how to use it, it cannot benefit you in times of emergency.  Emergency service folk practice using emergency equipment and practice getting out of tight spots. Does it not make sense to you dear reader that we should practice the presence of the Holy Spirit?  We should recognize that He is right there with us, in the car, driving down the road, at our job site, in every conversation and at the supper table.  We should recognize that there is no where we can go that He is not with us.  Then when the emergency comes, when we are faced with trials and temptations, our “way of escape” is oiled and ready to function to get us out of our troubles.   

Check out your escape hatch today.  Ask God to make His Holy Spirit real in your life.

 

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I almost stopped there.  I almost left without giving you the following scripture. It’s one of my favorite.  There may be some of you who don’t understand how God goes about giving His Holy Spirit to us.  You may have thought that there is some sort of mystic, far out, process that you must go through.  You may think that you have to “do” something special, “be” in a certain place.  Let me share a gift with you, for that is exactly what our loving Father calls it.  Look at this scripture, look at these words.  As I read them from the Word just now it blesses my heart again.  

“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him” Luke 11:13 

As I write this, Christmas 2012 is only a few weeks away.  Keva has asked our kids and grandkids what they want for Christmas.  Do you think that what they ask for we won’t bust our butts to get for them? Do you think that we are more gracious than our loving God?   

Do you need that “heavenly hatch”?  Don’t wait another day.  Don’t go into another battle without it.  Go to your Father and ask.  He will be more than happy to install it in your heart.