The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

Proverbs 14:15, ESV

 

This is a lesson on thinking about what you do before it's too late.

 

Have you ever heard that old proverb, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"? I heard it when I was younger, but didn't think much of it. When I was young, I usually said what I said, and then thought about it later. I got more than a few black eyes and bloodied noses as a result, but it took me a while to relate the two actions.

 

Now, this doesn't mean that I was a complete idiot. I learned very young not to speak my mind without regard for consequences when in the presence of my parents. I was about four years of age when my mom told me to hop down from the couch I was standing on. Quick as a whip, I responded with a catchy little phrase I had heard in the neighborhood while running with the boys. The phrase was, "I don't have to if I don't want to". Technically, I was correct. Discerning person that Mom was, she realized that her boy needed swift and decisive action, and she was happy to provide it. She didn't teach me that I did have to even if I didn't want to. She simply taught me to want to.

 

The year of that fateful event was 1964, and my sweet mother passed in 2019. In that 55-year gap, I don't ever remember talking back to my mother a single time. The lesson was learned.

 

But there were other lessons that I was slower to learn - some from my own deeds, but most from observing the actions of others. For instance, did you know that a nosebleed lasts for a couple of minutes but that the bruising from a broken nose lasts for several weeks? Did you know that a cool Mohawk haircut can be given in about 15 minutes, but that it takes about six months to grow it out? Or that it only takes an hour or so to get that edgy tattoo on your neck, but that the ink is permanent and will last a lifetime? Or that it only takes an hour or two to get drunk, but that a DWI complete with your name listed in the paper with the rest of the criminals will damage your reputation for a long, long time, and that if you kill someone while you are driving under the influence that your actions will sometimes last for years after you pass from this earth?

 

The point of all this is that prudent people will realize that their actions have consequences, and that this realization will hopefully cause them to think before they act. I know that this will hurt the feelings of some who have already participated in these types of behavior, but it is an important line of thinking for people to engage in who might be thinking of doing these very things but who haven't done them yet. 

 

And, more importantly, it is most critical that we think of things that have eternal consequences before we rush into them and do them anyway. I have seen a lot of grief in the lives of those who have made poor eternal decisions. The fact of the matter is that those who reject God and His ways will suffer for all of eternity. Hell is a very real place, even for those who are convinced that it is not. God will place many, many people into this eternal punishment, regardless of their belief to the contrary. Because of this, many feel depressed, angry, and trapped. I have spoken to several people (and have witnessed more) who realize that their behavior has doomed them to this punishment. 

 

But the nice thing - the beautiful thing - is that their punishment is not sealed yet. It is true that their actions may come complete with penalties that last their entire physical lives (such as that multi-colored face tattoo) but we need to understand that the sins we have committed when we were imprudent do not have to follow us into eternity. God's love for us has resulted in His extending a grace that can save us from permanent consequences, for those of us who will accept the terms of that grace. Christ's sacrifice really can cleanse us from our past sin, if we will follow Him in the way that He has decided it must be done.

 

I realize that this will hurt the feelings of those who have already decided that God's grace and Jesus' sacrifice mean that we don't have to do anything ourselves, but that's okay. I would rather have my feelings hurt when someone is honest enough to tell me in advance that the cool nose ring I am contemplating will make me look like an idiot, and I would far rather have my feelings hurt when someone enlightens me in the truth that God's grace and Christ's shed blood have never been a license for sin.

 

So, I know that the truth is sometimes hard to hear when it comes to the eternal, but I also know from experience that the accepting of that truth will change your life! You do not have to go to Hell! You can repent of your past sins and have them washed away in the pure waters of baptism. You can allow God to remove every spiritual penalty and enjoy the remainder of your life in a confident yet humble realization that you really are going to Heaven someday if you will simply be prudent and remain faithful. In short, you can be prudent enough to see that your actions can not only have permanent penalties, but that they can also have permanent rewards.

 

All you and I have to do to take advantage of this choice is to be prudent and give thought to the steps that we have remaining. God loves you! He does not want you to suffer. That's why sin is forbidden, but it is also why He gives us the opportunity to take advantage of the greatest "do over" ever offered. The only question that remains is this: Are we prudent enough to see it?

 

 

And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Matthew 10:42, NASB

 

Do you remember when you were young and fresh and ready to "make a difference" in this world? Poll a group of graduating college students as to what they want to eventually accomplish, and I'll bet at least 50% of them are going to say that they want to make a difference.

 

But what does that mean? What does "making a difference" look like?

 

Jesus told us many years ago. It is to help someone in some way, regardless of how small that help may seem to you. People all their lives are looking for some great thing to accomplish. They want to cure diseases, they want to end poverty, they want to solve world hunger. These types of goals are noble, to be sure, but they are also so large that they cannot be accomplished. By the time we realize that we are older and tired, and we are likely just scrambling along with the rest of the pack, running the same rat race and fighting over the same scraps.

 

So, eventually, we lose sight of our dream to "make a difference" and we settle for getting what's ours. What can we do about it? What secret formula can we implement in our lives to get back to our original intent of helping others? The answer, of course, has been there all along: It is to start passing out those cups of cold water!

 

Now, obviously, Jesus was not primarily concerned with us making sure that a kid didn't get thirsty - when I was growing up, there was a garden hose in every front yard and we kids took advantage of it. And we didn't need teams of government agencies doing studies on the water quality, or other teams of government people sending out PSAs on the dangers of drinking from hoses, or more teams still of enforcement agencies to punish the parents who let their kids drink from those hoses. We just did it and we were no longer thirsty!

 

Have you ever noticed that kids didn't get dehydrated in those ancient days in which we grew up?

 

But, I digress. Just what was Jesus getting at when He said if we gave a cup of cold water to one of these little ones that we wouldn't lose our reward? The answer I have found may shock some: He simply meant that we should help others according to their needs, in any way, no matter how small or insignificant it seemed. That means if a little one is thirsty, you will give him water. If they have fallen down, you will help them get up. If you see someone struggling with a load, you will help them carry it. If an older person is going into a building, you will hold the door for them.

 

Too small? Then try this: If someone is approaching you with a frown on their face because they are tired from a hard day, smile at them and let them know how good it is to see them. If they are sad, do something to cheer them up - no matter how small that something may seem to you. If you are out at a social gathering - say a place of worship for instance, and a stranger comes in, let them know how very glad you are to see them. If someone is genuinely struggling for their daily needs and you are in a position to help, then do so. Even if you cannot help with everything, you can help with something.

 

Still too small? How about volunteering to coach, or maybe even teach a Bible class? When you really get going, you can advance beyond just giving them a cup of water and help them "dig a well" so that they won't be continually thirsty in the future. You can start praying about others who appear to be lost. It's true that we are not to judge - that's God's exclusive realm - but we can observe. How else can we tell if someone is in need of help? Then, you can go beyond merely praying for someone. You can invite them to church. Not everyone will accept your invitation, but some will, so when they get there make sure that they feel welcome. 

 

Then you can introduce them to the Savior by teaching them the Good News! "But I don't know enough" you may protest. That's fine, connect them with someone who does. And should they accept a study with that someone who does "know enough", go with them, because you clearly could use a little "brushing up" with the message of the gospel yourself.

 

The bottom line to all of this is that Jesus wants us to help those who are struggling. It can start out with simple things like offering a cup of cold water (notice that there has to be enough thought given that we make it refreshing, for a lukewarm offering is kind of pitiful) to someone who is genuinely thirsty. We can then climb the ladder by just being nice to others in whatever way we can. This will become habit after a while and you will then begin to focus on helping in more substantial ways - more eternal ways, if you will.

 

If you truly want to "make a difference" but you have gotten off track somehow, then let me encourage you to get back on. You can do it! And once you do begin this simple thing of helping people in little ways, you will find yourself changing. You will like helping others, and you will find that they will often like you for your having done so. You will begin letting your light shine more and more for Christ, and you will find that this light is good. And you will begin to realize that this "making a difference" has always been so that God might be glorified instead of yourself.

 

Someday, there will be a judgment - what will it be like for you? Will there be others there on the right side of Judgment because you helped them in some small way? Maybe you were the one who connected them to the good news of Jesus Christ. And, maybe, this all started because you gave them a cup of cold water, in whatever form that cup took, and it influenced them to get back on the right path.

 

Our life here should be a service to God and to others. This service is rarely convenient, but it is mostly pleasant, and it is always consequential. So why not begin today by actively looking for someone who is thirsty? You can be there to hand them that cup of cold water that they so desperately need.

Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool; for He is holy.

Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called upon His name;

They called upon the LORD, and He answered them.

Psalms 99:6-7

 

Have you ever considered the accessibility of God? Whether we are thankful or in need or simply filled with joy, He is always near us when we are walking in His ways, and we therefore have total and immediate access to Him whenever we need or desire His attention. This fact has been brought to my attention on several occasions in recent days, and the comfort that I and those I love have experienced is nothing short of incredible.

 

Late Saturday evening we got the message that my brother-in-law had been in an accident. He was by himself in a shop that he and his wife own a few miles from their house. He was straightening up some stuff on a set of shelves that were high above the floor. A large piece of equipment became dislodged and struck the ladder he was on, causing him to plunge about ten feet. His impact was so hard when he hit, that he lost both his glasses and his cell phone. His family and friends later found them scattered on the floor some distance from his fall.

 

After Ken hit, he experienced two things - sharp pains coming from his face and shoulder, and the loss of a great deal of blood. Since his shop is located in an area that is somewhat isolated from people, he had to walk and crawl as best he could to where his old truck was parked. When he finally got into his truck, he was faced with the fact that it was a manual shift, and he couldn't even get the thing into gear. After about ten minutes of struggling, he finally did get the truck in gear and began the slow ride home. He then had to walk and crawl to the house where he was able to get the door open, only to collapse onto the floor when he finally did.

 

And that's where his wife Janet found him!

 

Imagine coming upon the scene of your husband, lying in your doorway and covered in blood. It's a nightmare that most only hope they never even have to experience in their dreams much less in reality, but there he was, barely recognizable with a battered face and lying in a heap of blood-soaked clothing!

 

Well, it does get better from this point. Janet was able to get Ken to a chair and begin a combination of damage assessment and triage. She got the bleeding mostly stopped and then got his face cleaned up a little. His cheek was swollen horribly and, at first, they thought his jaw was broken. They got him to the emergency room where he got all the scans and x-rays that you would expect one would need in such a situation. I suppose he got more than his fair share of stitches, if the pictures we later received were any indication. Amongst those pictures was a pile of bloodied clothing that probably didn't have more than a square inch or two that was not covered with his blood. The photos of the floor of his shop looked like a crime scene, with pools of blood and equipment scattered everywhere.

 

At first, one might think that Ken is lucky to be alive, but I doubt that luck had anything to do with it. From the moment he fell, he had access to the only One who can help - and help perfectly, in any situation. When Janet came upon him, there was the comforting presence of the nearness of our God whom she, too, was able to call upon. When Carolyn and I heard of his accident as he was in route to the emergency room, we sat down and asked for the help that only God can give. I know that scene was repeated by a number of family members and friends as soon as they were notified of his situation.

 

To make this already long story, short, it is sufficient to say that Ken got off light considering the severity and danger of his accident. He has a broken cheek, but his jaw appears to be intact. He has a round of doctor appointments to access the internal damage, and he may have a surgery or two on the horizon, but maybe not. He has access to competent doctors, and a loving wife who will make sure he gets the ones he needs and that he does what they tell him. More importantly, he has a host of family and friends who are praying to the One who already knows what He needs and who also has the power to make sure He gets it.

 

It is at times such as this that I get a small glimpse of just how blessed we are to have a loving God to call upon when we are experiencing our greatest needs. We have had many such times of need, and I'm sure that you yourself have had situations that were far more serious than this particular one. Yet, God has always been near, and He has always given us the opportunity to seek His help whenever we have had the sense to ask for it. It is true that things do not always work out the way we want (I'm sure Ken would have far preferred that he had never been knocked off that ladder in the first place) but God does not always give us an explanation - nor does He owe us one.

 

The bottom line is this: God is near to those who are near to Him. Furthermore, He not only gives us an immediate response, but He also gives us the best one. We have not earned the right to this great blessing, but He has given it to us despite the fact that we don't deserve it. Since this is true, perhaps we should take advantage of another benefit of His being so near: perhaps we should be taking this opportunity to thank Him!

 

 

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:13, ESV

 

I believe many Christians are heaving a sigh of relief as the new President is sworn in. They realize that we have been going in the wrong direction, and they are convinced we needed a change in leadership for our nation. I share that conviction, but I am also convinced that this is but the start and not the end. I do not believe that a mere change in leadership has ever been the cure for what ails this nation, but I do believe that it is a necessary part of that remedy. Eight years ago, I thought the same thing. As a matter of fact, it was the beginning of the same President's term that I believed we were somehow saved, and that all would be made right... but I was to find that this was a foolish notion, and that this change was in reality a challenge to evil that was met with a furious reaction.

 

And that reaction by Satan's children caught me off guard!

 

Now don't get me wrong, for I am not referring to any particular political party - I believe that Satan and his minions have infiltrated both. And we could have expected nothing less, for this nation is filled with people who are far more interested in serving the evil one than they are in serving God. If you don't believe that, I would encourage you to examine history, and especially the history of God's chosen people - the nation of Israel. Start with the Prophet Isaiah and read through the end of the Old Testament. I believe it will open your eyes! At times, it will seem like you are reading from the headlines of today's news, rather than the history of a people who lived nearly 3,000 years ago.

 

Like America today, Israel of that era was much more wicked than they were good. They were shedding the innocent blood of unwanted babies by sacrificing them to false gods. We do the same today by sacrificing them to the gods of convenience and selfishness. Just how wicked does a person have to be before they slaughter their own child? Just how blind does a Christian community have to be to think that God will let them go unpunished for sitting quietly and idly by while it happens? Just how hardened does a conscience have to become to think you can vote for someone who tells you that they stand for the shedding of this most innocent of blood? Just how gullible do we have to be to believe the words of those who say they will oppose this heinous behavior, but then do nothing to stop it? 

 

Like America today. Israel of that era was much more evil than they were righteous. They were indulging in sexual immorality in every imaginable way. America today seemingly has pornography lurking behind every corner. Turn on your phone, your TV or your computer and you will see what I mean. Fornication is a light thing now. Adultery is casual. Homosexuality is actually honored - there are companies and even some false-churches that are seeking out men and women involved in this particular sin to come and be part of their group. We have lost our minds! More accurately, we have lost our moral compass.

 

And we have truly lost our minds if we think a change at the top will solve the problems that run all the way to the bottom. Changing leadership is a start - and hopefully a good one, but it is nothing more. In two years, there will be another election. If the results are typical, the party that doesn't have the Presidency will gain more power. They will do so because an intellectually weak and morally corrupt citizenry cannot see that their actions as well as the sinful actions of those they are tolerating is the problem. Unless we come to our senses in a genuine repentance, things will be worse in two more years, not better.

 

So, what can we do?

 

First, we need to get our own lives right. There are countless Christians who are convinced that they can take part in evil, in addition to throwing their support behind wicked men and women. This has to stop! We have to humble ourselves, turn away from this reckless path that we are on, and return to God and His ways. We have to remove the wickedness from our own churches and return the cleansed church to the One Whom it belongs to in the first place. We have rejected Christ as our leader and have gathered around us wicked men and women who tell us that sin is good and that those who oppose sin are judgmental. We need to wake up from those lies!

 

Then, once we have cleaned up our own lives and restored the holiness of Christ's church, we can then turn our attention to those we vote for. As the founders of this nation pointed out, we need to prefer Christians for our leaders. As they pointed out, we need to realize that our Constitution was made for a righteous people and that it is wholly inadequate for the governing of any other. We need to understand that failing that, our nation will fail. We need a wholesale "dumping" of most of our leaders - Republican, Democrat and Independents! We can no longer tolerate the ones who have been harming our nation. They are worse than the opportunistic carpetbaggers who helped to keep the post-civil war nation divided and impoverished at the expense of their own greed and lust for power. Unless a man or woman has an allegiance to God, they can never be worthy of taking a position of service in a nation.

 

The next two years are going to be filled with turmoil. There will be problems from the inside and out, and if we are relying solely upon a new leader to solve our ills, we are going to be sadly disappointed. The change we need is one of the heart and one of the soul. It will begin with us, but it will continue with what we decide we can tolerate, so our tolerance for evil must come to an end. Perhaps more than anything else, we need to pray - first for forgiveness, then for wisdom in knowing how to proceed from this point. Only then can the needed purging of evil begin.

 

If we will do these things, I believe we will have a very real chance at returning this nation to the godly standards of the past when things truly were better. Before we can do that, we will have to return to God ourselves. I am very much aware of my own limitations to understand things and I realize, therefore, that I might be wrong, but I believe we have about two years. If that's anywhere close to being accurate, we better get to the work now! I believe that our nation, our children, and especially our Father in Heaven are worth the effort it will take.... don't you?