It has been a few years since Jerry and I have seen each other face-to-face, although we have kept in touch. Every year his wife sends out their Christmas letter that I referred to as “The Epistle of Gayle.” Jerry and I had a great couple of days at their church in California. He took me on a personally guided tour of the most famous ship in Anglo/American history, the Queen Mary purchased in 1967 by the city of Long Beach. It is hard to believe it is longer and twice the weight of the Titanic. It is the only ship of that era that survives and it was the grandest of all ocean-going vessels. It was constantly used during World War II to help the cause against Nazi Germany. During its cruising days, she carried approximately 2,000 passengers and 1,200 crewmembers. It rarely exceeded 4,000 en total on board. The exception was between 1939 and 1946 covering the duration of World War II. During that time she transported on each trans-Atlantic trip an average of 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers from the United States and Canada to aid the allies in defeating Hitler. The Queen Mary holds the record of transporting more people on one Atlantic crossing than any single vessel in the history of the world. On one trip this majestic ship carried 16,683 soldiers from America to Europe to join their comrades in arms! She was such a blessing to the allies and a bane to the Axis that Hitler offered a reward of 250,000 dollars to the u-boat or ship’s captain that would sink her. Amazingly, this 180,000 ton behemoth was also the fastest sea going vessel on the seven seas and could outrun any German submarine. It was like old times as Jerry took me back in time aboard her Majesty, the Queen Mary! An even greater boon to the trip was when Jerry took me out to his house to visit Gayle. The most recent “Epistle of Gayle” gave the usual Christmas greetings and family information but said nothing that had just been discovered. Gayle had cancer, stage four. We could not believe it. I had been booked several years to come to their church and Gayle looked forward to coming out to the meeting, but now Gayle can only take six steps and she is as winded as if she climbed a high mountain. She can no longer ascend the stairs to their bedroom and for the past three weeks has been confined to a large green chair in their living room. I asked Jerry if I could see Gayle and have a word of prayer. He told me she had requested that he (Jerry) not make this request of me because she knew I was busy with morning afternoon and evening services, but if I asked, she would be pleased to see me. When we got there, she looked the same, except for the breathing apparatus that aids her to maintain her oxygen supply. We shared the Word and prayed and as we left, I felt like the highlight of the day was not walking aboard her Royal Majesty’s ship, but rather when I left the presence of the daughter of the King of Kings, a royal princess in her own right who can take the threat of life itself with a royal attitude. 

Old friends are rare and Jerry illustrated as beautifully as anyone when he brought me into his office and said, “Brother Johnny, I’ve got something I want to give you.” He actually had two things to give me. He gave me a book of sermons by the famed and holy servant of the Lord, Isaac Watts that is two hundred years old. Jerry also presented me with an 1881 five dollar gold piece, in near mint condition. Then he said, “In 1881 you could take this coin and buy the best suit in town with it, and you know what?” He continued, “You could still take this coin today and buy the best suit in town, because this solid piece of gold has never lost value. It still buys as much today as it did when it was made.” Then Jerry got very serious and said, “Friendship is like this gold coin. Friendship is the gold standard, through the years it never loses it value, it is as trustworthy and valuable today as it was when first minted. And I wanted to give this to you to remind you of our friendship.” 

We turn our minds to this grand thought, the golden coin of friendship. How is a great friendship found and nurtured?

1. You must search for the friend.

Rarely will you ever find gold on or near the surface. It is found in mines and the lowest parts of water. Gold is nine times heavier than water and three times heavier than iron. This is why the old prospector goes down deep into the stream and pans for gold. Gold seeks the lowest part of its habitation. 

Like prospecting for gold, dig deep for a true friend. Too often we settle for surface relationships. “Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend” (Proverbs 6:3).

2. A friend is refined in the crucible.

As Jerry and I casually discussed college days and friends we had mutually known, I was quite aware that this old friend was no “fair-weather friend.” When you go through the fires you discover the gold is refined and comes forth the purer. The Bible says, “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts” (Proverbs 17:3). God points out that He tries His people. Trials are the crucibles He allows to bring the pure gold out. Job said, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

A few years ago I was confronted by a delegation from a rather large group of people. I was told, “We love you, we want you to preach for us, but if you preach for us, you cannot preach for them (another Christian fellowship).”  I informed this representation I would not disown my friends for their fellowship. The crucible brings gold into God-ordained friendships. Solomon said, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17).

3. A friend ornaments you well.

Refined gold is made to be worn and seen. A true friend is no one to be ashamed of! It has often been said that a man can be judged by who his friends are. Solomon said, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear” (Proverbs 25: 11,12). The Bible tells us, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17). “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). 

A friend exhorts you and believes in you when no one else will. I believe it was Emerson who said, “A friend walks in when the world walks out.” Although the friend is your faithful comrade, he or she is not afraid to “tell it like it is.” A friend with integrity will serve you well in this fickle, filthy world, where compromise of character is par for the course. This is why ultimately, you have no greater friend than Jesus. He will keep us straight! James said, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23). Friends of God, those who have found a friend in Jesus, are righteous people. Make God your friend and make friends of those who are already good friends with God. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).

-Pastor Pope-

On a far less serious note, a man saved up for the cruise of his lifetime. He purchased a third class ticket and embarked with joy on his journey. Some of his acquaintances noticed that he never showed up for a meal in the elegant dinning room. One man found him outside hunkered down on the deck eating cheese and crackers. When the man asked what he was doing, he replied, “I purchased the cheapest ticket to save money for this trip and I am not about to waste what little money I have to eat in that fancy dining room.” The man laughed and said, “Why, you are mistaken, friend! Even the cheapest ticket on this liner entitles you to breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a bedtime snack. You don’t have to stay out here on the deck eating your crackers and cheese!”

In our article today I want to address the outstanding promises of God. Peter said, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises...” (II Peter 1:4). There is no need for us to exist on cheese and crackers or live our life and die having never really claimed “...the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). To exhaust the promises of God in this type of venue would take up more space than we have available. Come with me and let us claim together five of the most outstanding promises of God!

1. God promises you time to do what needs to be done!
The promise to Jacob’s son, Asher was, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25). This promise may be enjoyed by us was well. God was saying I will give you shoes that will last for your entire journey through life. Even up to our last day on earth we may still be operating in usefulness! Missionary David Brainerd used to pray, “Lord, help me not to outlive my usefulness.” That prayer was honored; even on his deathbed he was instructing and admonishing his younger brother and the powerful preacher of the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards. My father was influenced by this prayer and used to pray the same thing. When Dad died, he had tickets to India set aside to help organize a church there. You might say, “He died with his boots on.”  God promises we shall have time to get done what needs to be done and He will supply the ability for us to get those things done which fulfills His purpose for our life on this earth.

2. God promises temptations will not trump you.
Paul gives us this great promise: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13). The Lord in His gracious wisdom is telling us that with each temptation we are assaulted, He supplies a power to do right, equal to the pull to do wrong! Make no mistake; we must be looking for an avenue of escape if we are to have help. Jesus said, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). When we look for a way out of the presence of temptation God supplies the power over temptation!

3. God promises that no opposition will overwhelm you.
Isaiah tells us of another great promise from God: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17). Sometimes, we feel there is so much against us that we cannot possibly rise up from under our circumstances. Since all things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28) and knowing that God is for us, we need not worry about those who would be against us (Romans 8:31). No one is left out of this promise because God says, “This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD....”

4. God promises that trials will not trample you.
A favorite verse of some of God’s choicest servants is: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2). What a majestic, marvelous metaphor! If we are caught in a maelstrom, we will not go under! If we go through life’s fires, we will not only survive, we will thrive because the flame shall not even kindle upon us! Although we may make the metaphorical application, this promise was quite literally true in the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were cast into the fiery furnace: “...upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Daniel 3:27).

5. God promises the cross will not crush you.
Jesus said, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Notice this contrast: the Lord Jesus also said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28,29). On one hand, Jesus is telling us to take up our cross - an instrument of restriction, a place of nailing, a place of death. On the other hand, our Lord tells us the yoke He gives us is easy and when He gives us a burden, it is light. To this world it may seem like a contradiction; for us it is a paradox. The world doesn’t understand the grace that God bestows upon His children. Paul was smarting from the cross God had given him to bear which was called a thorn in his flesh. He asked God to relieve it three times; the Lord did not remove this discomfort, however he received this revelation from God: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (II Corinthians 12:9). The first promise of God that we discussed in point number one of this article says, “... as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25). This complements the final promise very nicely when God tells us that His follower should, “... take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Therefore, we see daily strength is provided as we every day die to self and follow Jesus. This is the way God’s promises work as they weave in and out of the Bible. God also desires these precious promises to weave in and out of our life giving forth a testimony that He, the Promiser keeps His promises. Let us not let these promises go unclaimed while we “...turn...again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage...” (Galatians 4:9). May God help us to ditch the crackers and cheese and feast on the riches of His grace by claiming these precious promises! “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature...” II Pet. 1:4.

-Pastor Pope-

Nineteen seventy-three was an important year in my wife’s and my life. It was the year of our marriage. Roe verses Wade created a new atmosphere in our country in the very year Mrs. Pope and I began our life together. Our children were born into this union in 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1985. It has been said the most dangerous place for a person in our county now is in the womb of a woman. More people risk death there than anywhere. Thankfully, that was not the case with our children and probably for most parents reading these words. Before they were born, we realized we were stewards of the most important product in the earth, human life. It is estimated that over fifty-three million of my children’s generation have been aborted since this infamous ruling. How many potential scientists that had the cure for cancer in their future had they lived? How many great preachers with a message to bring millions to Christ were never offered life outside the womb? How much beautiful music would have been written if those composers could have lived? How many professors and teachers would have shaped lives for the future? We'll never know. I know some hard-hearted skeptics would argue in the other direction by saying look how many criminals will not be walking the streets because of abortion, but we take the chance of having any child go in the wrong direction, even from the perceived best environments. If you decide to go down that line of reasoning, you are not un-like Hitler and Nazi Germany in their attempt to “weed out” what they deemed were undesirables in their attempt to create a “super race.” The only thing they managed to do was to show themselves murdering monsters in the Holocaust.

This brings us to our premise today: abortion is wrong. It is difficult to understand why anyone would believe it is permissible to take the life of a child in abortion. Here are some reasons why pro-abortionists go through with this dastardly deed:

1. The abortionist adheres to the depraved belief that the right to life is only true for some.

It is believed that one of the most well-crafted and important sentences ever written in the English language comes to us from the Declaration of Independence. Conservatives as well as liberals, Bible-believers as well as unbelievers appreciate it. The sentence to which we refer says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

In a children’s dictionary, the definition of “unalienable” is: impossible to take away or give up. I came across this lawyer’s definition of “unalienable”: “it is called un-a-lien-a-ble where lien is pronounced leen...meaning you cannot place a lien on it, so it can never be taken away...as opposed to un-alien-able which refers to an alien which has nothing to do with the meaning.” In our legal documentation, we not only have the right to Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, but also to Life!

No person in this country has the right to pre-meditatively take the life of another person. One of the Ten Commandments is: “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). The word “kill” in Hebrew is “ratsach” which means to murder and in some cases more literally rendered, “to dash in pieces.” What a terrorizing term! This is often what exactly happens in an abortion. It will do all of us well to remember this is a commandment, not suggestion. Our Declaration of Independence says this right is given by our Creator and no other person has the right to take that precious gift from another.

2. The abortionist adheres to the unfounded belief that the unborn is not a true person.

Another flawed argument the abortionist will give is the fetus is not yet human. Their logic (which is quite illogical) says since it is not a life, it is not murder. The long term conversation continues among politicians and philosophers: when does a human being become life? The belief that a child is not alive until it can live on it’s own outside the womb is very contradictory. Think of this, what child can live on it’s own as soon as it is born? None! Leave a child to fend for itself and it will never live. It cannot feed itself, it cannot communicate his or her needs. Any baby left to itself will die. Every baby is dependent upon another to keep it alive for the first few years of its life.

We see these words in Holy Scripture: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah1:5). The Hebrew word for “form” is “yatsar,” which means to mold into a form; especially as a potter, to purpose. So before a child takes shape, God has a blueprint in mind. The Lord was just as creative and personally involved in His design for you as He was when He created the first man, Adam out of the very dust of the ground! For God, the issue is not mere “tissue”; it is human life and it is life that He knows and has a plan for. To interrupt this process is to play God.

Dr. Suess had it correct in his wonderful, colorful book, “Horton Hears a Who” when he said, “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” If you recall the story line, everyone wanted to destroy this little civilization on a speck, but Horton was willing to go to the ends of the earth, even risking his own life because he heard one little voice in that one little world. In 1954, long before Roe verses Wade was argued, even Dr. Suess “got it.”           

3. The abortionist adheres to the selfish belief that their body is their own.

The pro-abortionists will insist their body is their own and therefore has the right to do anything to their body. For the abortionist, that goes for having veto power over life within the parameters of their body. If life is growing inside them, they can take it. I recently heard a young woman refer to her pregnancy as an invasion. Had sad for a mother to view her child as an invasion! For one thing, in most every case the child is invited by virtue of the fact of what you did to cause the conception.

The Bible refers to this prenatal period in Psalm 139:13-16, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” I marvel at the intricacy and intimacy of the details of the unborn baby known to God. Please notice the wording of the opening of this inspired discussion, “For thou hast possessed my reins....” In the Old Testament, “reins” refers to the seat of a person’s being. It is the epicenter of who we are. So God is declaring He owns us in creative authority from the primal point of our personhood. As a Christian, we see this truth illustrated dramatically in I Corinthians 6:19: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” One of the most selfish and uncaring cries of a wicked heart is, “This is my body; I’ll do with it as I please.” Well, you belong to God, you are not your own to do with as you please. The same goes for the unborn baby. That life belongs to God.

4.The abortionist adheres to the misjudged belief that because the baby is not wanted that this crime is justified.

Two wrongs don’t make a right. Many just flippantly write off the baby’s life because they don’t believe they can afford or desire the responsibility of rearing a child. There is one argument that so-called “right-to-lifers” will sometimes cave in on and it is in the case of rape or incest. These are crimes of the deepest dye, no argument there. But we mustn’t punish the innocent baby for the crime of the parent! Would you believe it would be okay for a mother to bring her second grader into a hospital and request that the life of that second grader be terminated because it is the child of a rape or a near relative?  You would cry out this is ludicrous and I would agree, however, you are only talking about the difference of seven years. If at seven years age the life of that child is precious, it was no less precious in the sight of God seven years earlier. When good King Amaziah was confronted with possible punishment inflicted upon children of murderers he held true to the teaching of Deuteronomy 24:16, “But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin” (II Chronicles 25:4).

Let us continue to pray for America to wake up. Let us pray for our President, Senate, House of Representatives and Supreme Court to do right and reverse the unconstitutional and ungodly act of legalized murder.

-Pastor Pope-

A Song of Trees

             For those of you who live far north of the Mason-Dixon Line, you may be surprised to know we just experienced autumn. We had a first freeze just a few days ago and some of our trees are now bearing witness. It seems the colors this year are exceptional. Plants take water from the ground through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use the sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar is called photosynthesis, which literally means, “putting together with light.” A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color. As winter approaches, the trees shut down their food making process and the chlorophyll disappears from the trees. Job said, “...speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee...” (Job 12:8). Let’s allow God to speak to us through this seasonal change and see if He doesn’t have a message for us. How could this process relate to our lives? David said, “Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD...” (I Chronicles 16:33). Let’s listen to the song of the trees!

1. The most beautiful trees are the sweetest ones. 

            In some trees the glucose, a form of sugar, is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops and the combination of the sunlight and cool autumn nights cause the leaves to turn colors. As the life cycle becomes dormant, it’s the trees that have the sweetness retained that make the most beautiful display in God’s nature.

            An old preacher friend of mine was a close friend with Joe Henry Hankins, the famed pastor from Arkansas. Dr. Hankins was known for his compassionate heart even in his old age. My old friend asked Dr. Hankins what was the secret to his compassionate heart and pathos in his preaching. Old Dr. Hankins replied, “Every day I pray, ‘Lord, keep me sweet,’ because I have seen many older people become bitter with life and I don’t want to ever become that way.” 

Life is full of disappointments. I love the words of the reformer, Martin Luther who wrote in his famous hymn, How Firm a Foundation, “When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee -- I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.” God has designed the heartaches to help us not hurt us. No wonder the Bible says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). This is only one out of two places in the entirety of Scripture we find the words “...this is the will of God...concerning you.” The Word of God is teaching us to get better, not bitter about life. The next time you see one of those beautifully colored trees, just remember that’s a sweet tree and pray, “Lord, keep me sweet.” 

2. The true colors come out when the life cycle runs its course. 

            The lovely yellows, golds and reds are actually already in the trees. During spring and summer the chlorophyll is so strong in the leaves we cannot see the true colors. So it takes the near death of the tree to see the true colors. 

Have you ever heard, “Well, he or she is showing their true colors”? We cannot always judge where a person is spiritually speaking when the summer winds have kept life very cozy and warm for us. It is usually not until the cold winter wind gives us a reality check that the real person is seen. Do we shine forth beautifully when this time comes or do we respond very carnally to the events and circumstances to which our Lord exposes us? If God doesn’t send the winter, the world will never see the flamboyant Christian testimony that comes forth. Thinking again of Luther’s old song, I am reminded of Proverbs 25:4, “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.” 

3. We are to be God’s Christmas Tree! 

            A young elementary age student named Wyatt asked Brian Jorgenson of Boise Community Forestry Service, “Why do evergreen trees stay green all year round?” Mr. Jorgenson answered, “Evergreen trees (trees that keep their leaves year-round instead of losing them all at once) originated in cold, northern climates. In the north, the growing season (spring/summer) is very short compared to that of the south. Trees use light to make food through photosynthesis. In order to survive in the shorter growing seasons, trees need to gather light all year long. The only way to do this is to gather light for photosynthesis in the winter. (However, trees can only photosynthesize when water is available in a useful form, so when the only available water is snow or ice, even evergreen trees are dormant. They rest until conditions are right for photosynthesis to start again.)

            Botanists long ago discovered that needles are actually regular leaves that are rolled up very tightly. This shape is an adaptation that allows evergreens to conserve water (also necessary for photosynthesis). Evergreen needles also have a very waxy coating that helps save water during summer and winter. 

            Try this experiment: put two cups of water on a table in the sun, leave one cup open to the air, but cover the other with plastic wrap. The sun's energy begins to evaporate the water. From which cup does the water evaporate faster? The answer to this experiment will help you to understand how the waxy covering on evergreen needles helps conserve water. 

            There is your answer...evergreen trees are regular trees whose leaves are rolled up and covered with wax! This way they can make food for themselves all year long (as long as water is available in a useful form), without drying out.” 

“The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted” (Psalm 104:16). Cedars are evergreen. Christ hung upon a dead tree so that we might be planted in the soil of God’s mercy and grace and bloom in evergreen freshness! 

            God says, “As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters” (Numbers 24:6). In Psalm 1:3 it says, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” God likens His obedient children to that cedar tree beside the waters! I would be remiss not to make this application: God allowed His precious Son to come into the world, lay in a wooden trough in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, which were burial clothes for the dead. This Only Begotten Son lived the perfect life we could have never lived and then hung on a dead tree, the old rugged cross. But on that old dead tree, our Lord showed His true colors. His opening words were most sweet, “...Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” (Luke 23:34). We behold Him and declare with the centurion, “...Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). So in this life and the one beyond we can be God’s Christmas tree, which is basically a decorated evergreen that tells a story. We can be ever- green because Christ took our “fall” and gives us springtime all year round.

       America is a baseball culture. My brother and I did our part by participating in that great game growing up. Our first hero was Harmon Killebrew of the Washington Senators (because until I was nine we lived outside Washington, D.C.) followed by the legendary Mickey Mantle, Roger Marris, Willie Mays and Yogi Berea. We read books and watched movies about baseball. We read of Babe Ruth and my favorite player of all time was Lou Gehrig. I read his life story and learned some character lessons from him. If you want to see a true American classic, find the video “The Pride of the Yankees” in which Gary Cooper plays Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth plays himself. My brother and I played Little League, we listened to the games on the radio and when I was nine we moved to Lakeland, Florida, the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers. How often we would go to Bryant Stadium and watch the Tigers practice. Baseball is and was for us the American pastime.

       It’s October and soon we will be involved in yet another world series. Today, I want to discuss one of the more bizarre, sad and yet insightful events that came to us from the world of baseball. It is the Steve Bartman incident. The date was October 14, 2003, Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was the eighth inning. Mark Prior was pitching for Chicago, Lou Castillo of the Marlins was up to bat, Juan Pierre was on second. Chicago led Florida 3-0. They were five outs away from clinching the championship and going to the World Series for the first time since 1945 and they had not won a World Series since 1908! To say things were optimistically tense would have been a serious understatement. Prior made the pitch, Castillo connected and hit the ball toward the left field corner, going foul. Many fans reached for the ball, however it was Steve Bartman’s contact with the ball in an attempt to catch this foul ball that will go down in Chicago Cubs infamy. Moisés Alou approached the wall, jumped, and reached for the ball. Bartman’s hand deflected it away. Alou slammed his glove down in frustration and was seen shouting at several fans. The Cubs argued for interference, but umpire Mike Everitt ruled there was no fan interference because the ball had broken the plane of the wall separating the field of play from the stands and entered the stands. The Marlins went on to score 8 runs and won the sixth game and then on to win the seventh game, securing the National League Championship and going on to defeat the Yankees in the World Series. As of 2011, the Cubs have not yet won the National League Championship and it is now over one hundred years since they have won a World Series.

Steve Bartman was only twenty-six years old when this happened. Immediately, the media kept replaying this over and over again. They captured his appearance and froze it for all time: a young fan sitting there in his Cubs hat, glasses, green turtle neck and ear phones and chewing gum nervously. People came down out of the stands cursing and threatening him. Food and beer were thrown at him from the upper seats and finally, fearing for his safety, security had to escort Bartman off the field and away from the outraged fans, many of whom to this day blame Bartman for the failure of the Cubs to break their losing streak. In the midst of enjoying this years World Series, I would like for us to reflect upon lessons learned from the Steve Bartman story.

1. Everybody makes mistakes.

       Steve was doing what you or I or most any baseball enthusiast would have done when a ball is going foul and heading in our direction -- we would try to catch it! He no doubt did not see how close Moisés Alou was to catching the ball. This was not a sin! If anything it was a mistake. People sent death threats and when his address was discovered (he still lived with his parents) he actually had to go into hiding.

Life is full of mistakes we make. If we sin, we should not only repent, but seek restitution if possible. In the case of Bartman, we see a young man, who held down a good job, was a baseball enthusiast and even coached Little League himself. He did no wrong for trying to catch a ball going foul. The most reprimand that he should have received was to be more observant of his environment. He came to the game with no agenda and no maliciousness. As a matter of fact, he was cheering for the Cubs! His dad tried to soften the anger directed toward his son by saying, “I took him to the games growing up (they only lived about five minutes from Wrigley Field); I taught him how to catch a ball in the stands going foul.” Steve issued this statement soon after the incident: “There are few words to describe how awful I feel and what I have experienced within these last 24 hours. I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan’s broken heart. I ask that Cub fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented towards my family, my friends, and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs.” He would never make another public statement again.

       There is no need for a fine young man like this to live in that kind of remorse. All of us blow it at times. We must go on. Don’t allow the Devil to take your mistakes and categorized failures and rub them in your face and try to make your future useless. He is a liar and the father of lies, Jesus said. So let the truth make you free! (John 8:32,36). My advice is to stay faithful to God when circumstances have risen against you, and wait for your opportunities to arrive. Then, by God’s grace, shake this thing that hangs over your head. The Bible says, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Your time will come!

2. Don’t live superstitiously.

       The Bartman experience was not the first “bad luck omen” that the Cubs have lived with. It goes all the way back to 1945. It’s called “The Curse of the Billy Goat” and was supposedly placed on the Chicago Cubs when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave a game against the Detroit Tigers at the Cubs' home ground of Wrigley Field because his pet goat was eating other fans' hot dogs. He was outraged and declared, "Them Cubs, they aren't gonna win no more," which has been interpreted to mean that there would never be another World Series game won at Wrigley Field.” There have been different interpretations of it, but that is the summation -- no more World Series won. Baseball announcers have kept this silly superstition alive and Bartman’s left

palm had no sooner deflected the ball and announcers began to say, the curse continues.

People by nature are superstitious, but we who are Christians have been delivered from this rule. “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious” (Acts 17:22). “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). We live by the Providence of a loving God, not the luck of arbitrary gods of superstition!

3. Be kind. What goes around comes around.

     The now defrocked Governor Rod Blagojevich declared after the game, Bartman “will never get a pardon from this governor!” When this governor was caught in error, he received no pardon. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

4. Determine what is important and what is not important in life.

       In the sphere of all that is important in life, where does baseball fit in? If the outcome of a game is so important that your life is altered, be careful; you have allowed this to become an idol in your life! It’s just a game. It is a pastime. You know what should be important in life? God and your relationship with Him, your family and your church. Being faithful, prayerful, being a witness, being honest, being hard working, being forgiving, being Christ-like and being a good citizen.

       To those who read this (I would hope that includes Steve Bartman himself) I would say, get over the things that are not important in life and dwell on things that really matter. Live right and claim the words of Jesus, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

            In the Gospels, a man brings his son afflicted by demonic torment causing the youngster to be out of control. Do you ever encounter “out-of-control” events in your life? The man took his son to the disciples and they could not help him. Now his doubts are being reinforced rather than alleviated. The seeker now advances toward Christ and asks Him a remarkable, astounding question: “...if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22). What a question to ask the Lord of Glory! What a question to ask the Maker of Heaven and Earth! Can He do anything? On this side of the completed cannon of Scripture we almost feel like shouting, Yes, dear sir, not only can Christ do anything and everything, He “...is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). But alas, we, like that man, sometimes get into a quandary of doubt and, in essence, by our actions are saying, “Lord, if you can do anything....” Our Master challenges the man to believe and the next statement spoken by this man is where many of us may find ourselves today: “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

            Dr. Carl Hofmann says doubt “comes from a Latin word meaning ‘to waver or vibrate.’ Its origin has to do with the number ‘two’: to waver between two options with uncertainty. In ancient Greek the word for doubt means to find yourself ‘between two minds’ about something.” Os Guinness in an interview with Danielle DuRant said, “Americans...don’t admit they doubt. It is un-American to doubt, so I think there are very few books on doubt. Since doubt is so unpopular, nobody admits it.” I think we want to appear to be on top of everything; we are the go-getters, the ones hoping to appear to get it done. Doubt flies in the face of the assured man. The doubter appears to be hesitant, not sure of where he or she is going. Yet surprisingly enough it is the doubter, who upon perusal of doubts can find answers and deliverance from what we so often don’t want to admit: a wavering between two minds. It was Thomas who, after questioning the veracity of Christ’s resurrection, was told by our resurrected Lord, “...reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). At this moment the most dogmatic statement affirming the Deity of Christ appears in the Bible: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Yet, as beautiful as this statement of faith is, Christ rebukes and encourages generations of doubters and believers to come: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

            Christ assures the believer a blessing for believing without the evidence on the table. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). There are five times in the Gospels the word doubt comes from the lips of our Lord. I believe an examination of these pronouncements can help us deal with our doubts.

1.Doubt is present when we allow the fears around us to deafen the voice of Christ within us.

            “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Simon Peter requested of Jesus to bid him come to Him over the water. Jesus said one word: “Come!” (Matthew 14:29). So Peter, with eyes fixed on Jesus, begins to walk, but soon we observe, “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink...(Matthew 14:30). When Peter looked at the evidence around him, everything said, “This is a storm and these are waves of ferocious water; man doesn’t walk on water and you are going to drown!” Listening to these fears, he began to obey the voice of fear and sink. His only hope was to do what he did, “...he cried, saying, Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:31). The Savior asked Peter, “...O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Our Lord is rebuking his faithlessness because Peter was basing his behavior on his fears rather than steadfastly hanging on to the simple command, “Come.” If Jesus says, “Come,” then He will give us the power to overcome any and all circumstances. He who allows the waves and the wind to beset us also has the power over the elements. So, let us turn up the voice of Jesus within us, faithfully adhering to His written Word and waiting before Him in prayer. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude, verse 20).

2. Doubt is relieved when blame is exchanged for trust.

            “Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24). Jesus said, “...I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me” (John 10:25). These unbelievers heard the voice of Jesus say who He was. They also bore witness of some of His miracles. Yet, they ignored His Words and deeds and cast blame on him because of their doubts. In our stubborn human way, we play the blame game, even to God! We are this way because you made us this way! We behave this way because you don’t give us the power to behave otherwise. My advice is: calm down! Rest in the Lord! You are like a man beating a poor beast of burden who has collapsed under the heavy load. If you will just put your whip down, quit calling the donkey by names, he will get enough rest and eventually get back up. In our way of panic stricken unbelief we are castigating God with our problems when we need to enter His rest of belief. “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Hebrews 4:9-11).  The Bible says, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself…” (Psalm 37:7a). The word “fret” means to wax hot. The word “Rest” means to be silent before the Lord. To use twenty-first language terminology Psalm 37:4 is saying, “Chill out, be quiet and quit arguing with the Lord!” I would be remiss if I did not say that I firmly believe much doubt that blames God comes from an unwillingness to repent of our sins. Blame is a false projection on God for our own chosen shortcomings. We see this evidenced in the words of Jesus as He wept over Jerusalem, “how often would I have...and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34).

            Doubt is relieved when we quit blaming and start trusting! Jesus said, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you” (Luke 11:20). We can believe what God has done and we can believe what God has said and when we do, we shall be living with “...no doubt.”

3. Miracles ensue when doubt is ignored.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done” (Matthew 21:21). Jesus said these similar words in Mark’s Gospel, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23).

            If you noticed, I did not say miracles ensue when doubts are removed. I want to emphasize when doubts are ignored. We are human and our kind and precious Lord understands. Let’s return to the man that asked, “...if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22). Our Lord answered with this compassionate challenge: “...If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). Christ can be toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose in the face of a haughty skeptic with undertones of impending judgment. However, to the honestly seeking doubter He gives hope! He says, look, if you can just believe, I’ll do what needs to be done. In other words He is saying, “Give your belief a chance! You wouldn’t bringing your needs to me if you didn’t think there was even a margin of hope!” Praise the Lord, in resigning terms the man tearfully cries out in desperation, “...Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Our Lord’s response was instantaneous: “...He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him” (Mark 9:25). Jesus said, “No more....” For the young man, no more foul demons! For the dad, no more heartbreak because of uncontrolled events with his boy! And for you, whoever may be doubting, no more angst and agony. Ignore the doubt, don’t entertain it; believe God, exercise your faith and be prepared for the miraculous!

My heart is broken. I am in Africa and Joe Adams has passed into the glory. I am so sorry to be so far away at such a time as this. The Adamses have been members of our church for several years. They have single-handedly watched over our Fifty-Plussers with love and affection. They have even helped some of them pass over into heaven with great care. Hard to believe, but true, Joe has joined many of his class members on the other side. As we look back over the years my heart is warmed with the memories of Joe. The one consuming thought I have today of Joe Adams is, he was not just any Joe. The Scripture comes to mind of what was said of the father of King David, “…whose name was Jesse…and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul” (I Samuel 17:12). In so many ways, Joe was a man among men…and he will be greatly missed.

What made our Joe so special?
1. He developed a heart for God. When I first met Joe Adams, he was very much what one would define as a nominal Christian, living the average Christian life. I walked with him through his struggles of growth in grace. I remember as God began to talk to Joe, he listened. I still have in my library a book he gave me during this time that defined what he was personally experiencing. The title was “The Spirit and The Flesh”. I am glad to say as his pastor, he made the trip in to the spiritual walk God had destined for him. I remember so well Joe going out the door with tears in his eyes at the times God spoke to him. Would that all my members would say, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1). He developed a hunger and thirst for God. He was not just any old Joe!

2. He overcame life’s obstacles. Joe knew what it was to be blessed in his business and he knew what it was to have some serious reversals. I have known him through downturn and upturn and he remained the same friend for all seasons. He learned to trust God and leave the results in His hands. Joe loved to read. One of the saddest days came when he lost his eyesight, only able to see light and very faint images, but his reading days were over. There was a time when he came down the aisle with a spring in his step and then the time came when he would tenderly hold to his wife’s shoulder as she led them to their seat. He never lost his smile. We always hugged on the way out the door. In the last couple of years I would have to say, “I’m right here Joe.” I always thought Joe was a sharp dresser, but after he lost his vision, he dressed even sharper than usual disclosing that his secret to looking nice was his wife. Through it all he was faithful to services and His Lord. He was not just any old Joe!

3. He married and loved his one great love of his lifetime. Beverly Ann and Joe met in their youth. They married and did everything together. They had a remarkable love for each other that ripened through the years. We were scheduled to have dinner together one recent weekend, but they asked to have a rain check on it until we returned from Africa. The reason was that he and Beverly Ann were going to enjoy their forty-fifth wedding anniversary together, the two of them. Mrs. Pope and I certainly understood and we both thought how romantic they still were after all those years. I am so happy they made it to forty-five together! Joe and Bev never had children, but in a real sense, they adopted with open arms all friends as though they were family. In a precious way this is why our Fifty-Plussers is such a close group, if you participated in their activities, you were more than a welcomed guest, you were part of the family. I cannot think of Joe without thinking of Beverly Ann. I cannot think of Beverly Ann without thinking of Joe. Isn’t that the way God intended for all marriages? “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). He was not just any old Joe!

4. He was pleasant. Being pleasant is perhaps one of the most important characteristics a person possesses; yet gets little praise for. Joe did far more smiling than frowning. There is a verse in the Bible that commemorates Saul and Jonathan and could just as easily be tweaked for Joe and Bev, “Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided…” (II Samuel 1:23). They were not divided in his passing and in this life he was pleasant. I loved to see him smile and I loved to hear him laugh and I was able to see and hear him do both quite frequently. When I enter the auditorium and sit down in my seat at Church, I often scan the audience and look for the “old faithfuls”. I would often look to my left and see Joe and Beverly Ann. I would see Joe get his hearing aid adjusted and often get a smiling nod from his wife, as if to say, “We are here Pastor”. I will say with Jonathan after he knew he would not see his great friend, David for a long while, “Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty” (I Samuel 20:18). He was not just any old Joe!

5. He has made Heaven more like home. An older man once commented that when he thought of heaven, he thought of a place of mystery, misty clouds, high-spiraled buildings, be-jeweled walls and pearly gates. Then he said, he had a little brother who died and then the clouds were not as thick and in the clearing he could see the buildings were not as spiraled and it was not quite as mysterious. Years past and his mother died and the clouds were greatly dissipated, the walls were not quite as untouchable because now a little brother and mother were there. Then his Dad died and he began to see the lakes and flowers, the spirals were nearly gone and almost all the clouds were removed. Then he said as the years have gone by, I find I have more friends on the other side than I do here. Now Heaven is no longer a place of mystery. Heaven is home. As I write these words I hear my dear Grandmother singing, “Oh they tell me of a home far beyond the sky, oh they tell me of a home far away…oh they tell me of an unclouded day.” That was the last time I saw my grandmother. She’s home now. I am beginning to understand why the old timers refer to it as home. Well, Joe and I missed our last opportunity to have dinner together here on earth, but we shall sit down together at the Wedding Supper with The King! Then we’ll all be home.

When Solomon was old and about to pass he said, “…man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5). This man who had a palatial mansion and worldly spender beyond description said in essence, “Now when you see the mourners gathered at my funeral, just remember, I am home and not just any home, he was saying the home I have been longing for, my eternal home.” I love Joe and we shall all miss him, but he’s home now and as David said of his deceased child, “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (II Samuel 12:23). He was not just any Joe! He’s in his new home waiting for us; that’s our Joe!

Mrs. Pope and I have arrived at the Kafulafuta Baptist Mission and home of The North Star Bible Institute in Kafulafuta, Zambia, Africa. Thank you for praying for the meeting tonight. To use an old Texas expression, we feel "rode hard and put up wet." The famous preacher of the Great Awakening, George Whitefield at times would say, "Lord, we are weary in thy work but not of thy work." 

We left Monday, spent the night in Johannesburg on Tuesday and arrived at noon on Wednesday in Ndola, which is near Kayfulafuta. On the way to the mission, we were astounded at the people everywhere. Termite hills would ascend upwards to twenty feet in the air. You have to careful, we were told, when approaching one of these hills because the King Cobra loves to nest in them. We were informed that a Green Mamba had been killed in one of the mission houses (the most lethal snake on earth, also called the "two step," not named after the Texas dance, it means after bitten you have two steps before you die.) The missionaries tried to comfort Mrs. Pope by saying, "But it wasn't in the house you're staying." I still think Barbara may have a difficult time falling asleep with the thoughts of Cobras and Mambas in our geographical circumference.

This is an amazing continent. Hard to believe, in about a two hour drive, the famed David Livingstone died. The natives asked to keep his heart here and then they carefully carried his remains to the coast and laid him to rest in Westminster Abbey in England.

We are 7 hours ahead of you. So when it is Prayer Meeting time (7:30) at Christchurch, it will be 2:30 am on Thursday here. It is also winter time here. It is a very pleasant 75 degrees in the daytime and about 50 degrees at night. The windows are open and we are preparing for service, I can hear the African choir warming up. Oh Wow! I think we are going to hear some great singing tonight. Please pray for the meeting tonight. "Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ..." (Colossians 4:3).

I love you all.

Pastor and Mrs. Pope

P.S. The only way to contact us is through email; we have no phone service.

“Luck” is defined as success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. “Luck” has hardly a place in the believer’s vocabulary, except when used in jest. I much prefer the word “providence” when used in a serious consideration of the apparent blessings that have come our way. The definition of “providence” is: foresight; care; especially, the foresight and care which God manifests for his creatures; hence, God himself, regarded as exercising a constant wise prescience. A manifestation of the care and superintendence that God exercises over his creatures; an event ordained by divine direction. I agree with Alexander Pope who said, “A god without dominion, providence, and final causes, is nothing else but fate and nature.”

In 1588 King Phillip of Spain commissioned the galleon of 130 of his mightiest war ships in his “Invincible Armada.” His goal was to bring Protestant England to her knees and back under the control of the Roman Catholic Church. He boasted that he would shed Protestant blood to the horses’ bridles. The fleet under the command of Sir Francis Drake was no match for the formidable Armada. As the Armada circled the British Isles she hit troubled waters like she had never known. As a matter of fact, the worst gale (what would later be known as hurricane force winds) hit the Spanish fleet with incredible power. Allow me to give you two quotes from secular history:

Thompson said: "As the armada came around the northern coast of Scotland and met the gales of the Atlantic Ocean, what remained of the great Spanish engine of war was hurled against the rocks or swamped in midocean. No more than half of the Spanish Armada managed to struggle back to Spanish ports in 1589. History interprets the defeat of the Spanish Armada as an English victory. It was not thought so at the time. The armada had not sunk under English bombardment, but under the wind of God. 'Afflavit Deus,' said the English --- 'God blew!'”

Military History said: “Because of bad storms, the fleet never reached its objective. The remaining Spanish ships endeavored to escape by sailing northward around the Isles. Blown off course, the vessels went all the way north and around the British Isles, and ended up in the North Atlantic. They were caught in terrible storms and the ships were dashed to pieces on Scotland and Ireland’s rocky coastline. The Spanish Armada owed its defeat mainly to the violent storm it encountered off the coast of Britain. Upon hearing of the defeat Phillip II calmly and simply said, ‘I sent my ships to fight against men and not against the winds and waves of God.’”

The Spanish started with 130 ships only 50 made it back to Spain. God blew! The threats of Phillip were miniscule next to the wind of God. How blessed we have been from the wind of God!

1. The wind of God can protect or punish.

“And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21). “Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters” (Exodus 15:10). The same wind that protected the Israelites while they crossed the Red Sea on dry land is the same God that brought the very waters held at bay on top of the Egyptian soldiers.

The principle is repeated in the Bible from Old to New Testament. If we obey God we are blessed; if we disobey God we fall under the curse. “A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:27,28). How many times have I warned young people to obey God in the obvious things we understand. It is presumptuous to think God will let you by with what He has judged others for. Presumptuous sinning is bold going against the limits of what is right, knowingly and on purpose. This is why it is often called the forward or high-handed sin. “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psalm 19:13). “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10: 26,27).

2. The wind of God can convict.

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Our Lord likens the workings of the Holy Spirit to the movement of the wind. Sometimes the wind is unpredictable, always sovereign. In our prayer it would serve us well to trust God in His dealings with other people.

The rebellious little boy who was ordered to sit down by his mother said, “Although I am sitting down on the inside, I am standing up on the outside.” Have you ever wanted to get inside your kids and make them sit down? That question could very easily be defined rhetorical. Probably all parents have desired to make their kids feel, think and behave with the right attitudes. Ah! Herein is where God can come through with His mighty wind of conviction. God can get inside of people and bless them or bother them. Let us pray that God will do what only He can do. And when He does what only He can do, we get what only He can give. “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

3. The wind of God can empower.

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). I wonder what might have been going through Peter’s mind when he heard and felt the mighty wind of God come through the upper room. Might he have been remembering the blowing wind on the lake that was filling the boat with water? Might he also have thought about his walking on that stormy water? Now it was time for the church to be the church God called them to be. It was time to arise out of complacency and take a stand with the prophets and saints of old. It was time for providence to work in a mighty and amazing way. Society and culture from the times of the ancient Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans was about to be overthrown, not from the proverbial “winds of change,” but from the Wind of God. “And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind” (Psalm 18:10). Who can argue that as empires rose and fell, a great blessing followed as the Holy Spirit moved from east to west. Think of the British Empire that experienced the puritan and pilgrim movement which blew our spiritual ancestors across the waters of the Atlantic. Think of the Great Awakening that shook Britain and her daughter, America. Contemplate the second Great Awakening, the revivals of prayer. In the history of the church she will long remember the greatest missionary and evangelistic movement of the Victorian to the present time. I long and pray for the Mighty Wind from Heaven to visit us one more time in renewal and blessing.

This past week we had the privilege of sharing the platform with Bill Gothard, founder of Institute in Basic Life Principles/Conflicts. The first time my wife and I heard him was in 1974 as a newlywed couple and his biblical character lessons we heard were life changing. He is seventy-five now and still has a great word from the Lord. As he was speaking last night, I was thinking about how blessed we have been to be associated with great people of God. Along with the association comes the power of influence. It has been said, “You are the same person one year from today except for the books you read and the people you meet.” Meeting, knowing and admiring people will help formulate your opinions, convictions and actions for good or for evil. First of all, let me bring to your attention the power of influence:

1. For Good

The Bible says, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise...” (Proverbs 13:20). Jeremiah said, “I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD...” (Jeremiah 5:5). Insight is given when Jeremiah says, “...for they have known the way of the Lord....” Those who have known the way of the Lord have the ability to augment the knowledge of the Lord to others around them.

A godly man who had a measure of influence in my young life was an old Norwegian fisherman named “Pop” Stouning. He looked the part with his dark sea captain’s hat and salty sailor’s language, minus the cursing. Pop had a boat made by his own hands. He even built the engine located in the center of the boat. I can remember heading out to the Gulf of Mexico on his rig with the fresh morning ocean air welcoming us out to the sea. We would set the trot lines out then go on an island he affectionately named “Captain Johnny’s Island.” I was taught the value of patience as we set out our lines. “Don’t get in a hurry; wait things out and the Lord will bless us with a catch,” was his attitude. As I look back I see the value of trusting the Lord even for a catch. One day as Pop and I walked along the shore of our island, I approached a huge empty shell where a shellfish once lived. I kicked it hard, breaking it into a hundred or more pieces. He took me by the arm and looked firmly into my eyes and said, “Son, never do anything like that. That is where life once was; have respect for life, no matter what form, no matter what size.” Even today as I think back on his wise words I am reminded of what the Word says, “For with thee is the fountain of life...” (Psalm 36:9). I listened to him, for the Bible says, “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32). Pop Stouning made an indelible impression on my life for good. Then there is the power of influence:

2. For Evil

Never underestimate the power of Influence, for not only good, but sadly for evil. Amnon, King David’s oldest son had strong ungodly desires for his half sister Tamar. Even as wicked as he was, he did not appear to think and connive ways to take advantage of her until his encounters with his cousin Jonadab. TheBible says, “But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man” (II Samuel 13:3). I am convinced Amnon would have never thought up the scheme of wrong doing without the influence of his cousin, Joanadab. The Word says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33).

Picture this: A young man is with the wrong crowd. He is driving his car with some friends when they say to stop at this convenience store. Three of his new “wrong friends” get out and soon they are clutching something tight to their chest while running to the car. The doors slam behind them and they scream to the young driver, “Go, go, go!” Unbeknownst to him, they have robbed and killed the owner of the store. He is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. He didn’t know these guys; he didn’t know what they were going to do at the convenience store, yet he must now pay the consequences of hanging with the wrong crowd. Proverbs 1:10-18 says, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.” Notice when we hang around the wrong company we end up doing it to our own destruction, because the Bible says, “..they lay wait for their own blood...” (Proverbs 1:18). The wrong crowd promises fun but can only give you folly. They promise you adventure but can only give you destruction.

3. For Eternity

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. said, “The greatest truth that ever changed my life was when I realized I had to live somewhere forever.” We should be in the world, but not of the world. We should make good company our mainstay and avoid associations with the wrong crowd if we are going to compromise with them. How about the lost people who don’t know Christ and we want to be a witness to them? I love this story that illustrates the point and also shows the power of influence not only for time but also for eternity.

I had an old preacher friend, now with the Lord, who went to school with a young man who went a totally different direction from him. After serving time in the armed forces during World War II, he finished preparation for ministry and then settled down into a pastorate near his old boyhood friend’s home. Shortly after moving, the old friend invited him and his wife for an evening meal. Soon after dinner, the conversation quickly went to matters of the faith. The old friend was a skeptic as well as an unbeliever. He kept bringing one question after another to the preacher. The preacher could have entered into an argument but after every question, the preacher simply answered, “The Bible says in I John 5:12, ‘He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.’” Finally, after about two hours of only one answer for every potential argument, the skeptic asked, “Is that all you can say, ‘He that hath the Son hath

life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life?’” They talked late into the night and left without resolution. Three days later, the skeptic called up his old friend, the preacher and asked if he would come over. As soon as the preacher was invited in, his friend said, “All I have been hearing in my mind day and night since you left was ‘He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.’ I can’t stand it any longer,” he cried, “I’ve got to get saved and have that life!” This story also illustrates not only the power of our influence, but also the power in the Word of God! A book was written decades ago entitled, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Just a few years ago, a fellow colleague of mine who taught in the college where I taught, wrote a book that played upon the former title and said, How to Win Friends and Influence People For Heaven. And this is exactly what all of us can do who have a saving knowledge of Christ. May God help us to take advantage and seize the day to influence all we can for God, for good and for Heaven.