YARD WARS!

Posted on September 7, 2023 by Ted W Harris

Every time I mow the yard, there they are staring at me. Watching me. I can only assume with a smirk. I can feel it as I pass over them. Weeds!  I hate weeds. I long for that lawn of luscious green grass. When we bought our house and moved in last summer we were already way behind in the ‘get the weeds under control’ war. As Sari and I took walks through the neighborhood, we would look at the lawns we passed and after seeing a few that looked great we noticed what lawn care company truck pulled up and treated the yard.  We made a call and after a few applications we could notice a difference, fewer weeds, thicker, greener grass. And then it happened. After those late summer rains, they began to come out of hiding. Popping their big leafy heads up above the grass. Just a few encampments of some unknown but unwanted foliage in the midst of the grass. And then the untreated weeds in the neighbor’s yard formed an army and were mounting an attack on the western front. We were losing the battle and now as I mowed, they stared, watching me, mocking my efforts. Calls to the specialist for back up went unanswered. I fear the worse in the days ahead!
 
Okay, I get it, it’s just weeds in a yard. But I could just as easily be metaphorically describing our spiritual lives. As unbelievers, we live our lives with no recognition of Christ, no real acknowledgement or even care of the weeds, sins, that our life is producing. At some point, we come to the realization of our sinfulness, accept Christ as our Savior and the Holy Spirit moves in and we begin to notice weeds, sins. Sins that were always there but until now unnoticed or we just didn’t care. We begin treating those sins with confession and repentance and we receive forgiveness. Our life starts to transform, become a beautiful thing. Weeds, sins are replaced with luscious grass, the loving grace of a Savior and the desire to live for him.
 
But then out of nowhere, the weeds, sins, we thought had been eradicated begin to pop up in our life again. Where did that thought come from? Temptations, bad ideas, false teaching that blows in from neighboring podcasts and social media posts. We feel the spiritual growth we had been seeing, the deeper understanding and relationship with Jesus, has taken a hit.  Jesus warns us that this can happen. In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a parable, those stories of everyday happenings that illustrate a point. The Parable of the Sower. This sower went and was spreading seed that he might grow a crop and the seed fell on 4 different kinds of soil: packed, rocky, weedy, and good. And while this parable speaks about a person first hearing the gospel, it is a great illustration of the life of a growing believer.
 
Let’s be honest all of those soils still exist in our life and if we aren’t diligent in the cultivating the soil that makes up our heart and mind, fostering a biblical worldview that allows growth, it is easy for old ways, wrong teaching, bad ideas to blow in and begin to take root, grow and pop up in our lives. And we are all susceptible to weeds, sin popping up. But the diligent disciple, the one who is alert to his heart and mind and what is sown in them, will be intentional in breaking up the packed ground, mindful of the rocks and weeds, cultivating, preparing the soil of our mind to receive the truth of God. Taking those old, hardened parts of our life to God in prayer, keeping them before the Savior is how we break them up. How we cultivate good soil out of packed, rocky, weedy stuff.
 
Do you know where the ideas that are growing in your mind are coming from? What are you doing to break up the hard places? What rocks still exist and need to be confessed, dug up and thrown away?  How do you discern the good seed from the weeds? Someone once told me that the best way to eliminate weeds is to have strong healthy grass. Strong healthy grass chokes out weeds. A steady, healthy application of the gospel, on soil that is cultivated and prepared to receive the truth of God, “this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” Take some time this week and ask God to show you the packed, rocky, weedy areas of your life. To fertilize that soil with grace and truth through his Spirit and the Word. And see what begins to grow!

“The battle is real”

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The Religious Sampler

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Ted W Harris

Thursdays are staff meetings at the church. After staff meeting, we pick a place to go to lunch and whoever can make it loads up and heads to the restaurant du jour. This week it was Zionsville Pizzeria and their all you can eat buffet! I love buffets. Not only will I be assured of getting my money’s worth but I love a variety. I can eat from four or five different pizzas. Try new ones with little risk. And a salad bar. Don’t get me started!  Sometimes when we go to dinner and I can’t nail down the one thing I want to eat I go for the Appetizer Sampler Platter. Variety. Options. Wings and Mozzarella Sticks and Fried Pickles!

The Sampler mentality works well in a lot of areas of life; music (Contemporary Christian and Classic Rock, because the 80’s had the best music); movies (Barbie and Oppenheimer – Barbenheimer); books (classics, biographies, sci-fi). The Sampler offers different options for how a person is feeling at the time. And while it works well in some areas – religion is not one of them. But many live their lives sampling various religions and taking something from Hindu, a little from Buddha, a pinch of secular humanism and mix it in with a healthy shot of Christianity. Whatever makes them feel good. We call it pluralism and it doesn’t work. It basically states that all world religions are true and equally valid in their understanding of truth, God and the world. A neighbor to pluralism is relativism. Where everyone gets to choose their own version of truth and no one can tell them they are wrong. But this doesn’t work. Two people can’t believe opposite things and both be right. That isn’t reality!

As we continue our discussion on consecration, we are reminded that the definition is to set apart or to devote a person or thing. We understand that to mean devotion to God and God alone. Consecration doesn’t offer a sampler patter. Yet many times reality finds us treating consecration with a sort of relativism. We allow things and activities to crowd out God as number one in our life. We allow misinformation or just bad teaching to shape our understanding of God. God is all loving, therefore, Hell doesn’t exist? God and science don’t mix? God will answer my prayer if I am good? God loves everyone, so it doesn’t matter how you live your life? We push God to the margins and live as practical or temporary atheists.

What does Scripture say about this Religious Sampler?

1 Corinthians 8:6, “But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.”

Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The question then has to be asked, What part of the world’s thinking have we allowed to shape our faith in God? or Where have we conformed to the pattern (whether thinking or behavior) to this world? or What area of our life reflects more of the world than it reflects the image and character of God?

The answer points to the area that is yet to be consecrated. That part of our life that we need to confess and bring under the lordship of Christ.

Sampler’s are good to eat but a lousy way to build our faith!

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a person fully consecrated to him. Will you be that person?”

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BIGGS!

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Ted W Harris

Meet Biggs. The Big Snort! The Lovable Doofus!  He goes by many names but seldom comes no matter what you call him. He is a bundle of hairy fun and has quite the personality. He is our 5 year old English Golden Retriever.  He loves to be outside. Outside laying down, surveying the vast kingdom of our backyard. Occasionally we have intruders. Little brown creatures with long furry ears and a cottontail. They are everywhere. Now Biggs is not the most stealth creature and has never come close to catching a rabbit but he tries. Well until one time, we aren’t really sure when, he planted his 120 pound body and made a quick turn tearing the ACL in his back knee. In fact we learned that at some point he had torn the ACL in both back knees. He was in bad shape. Fast forward through x-rays, two weeks of hobbling around, losing 25 pounds, taking daily meds and he is back at his post guarding the back yard. There are still bunnies to be chased and while his head says go, those back legs have lessened his already minuscule chance of catching that rascally rabbit. But he still tries.

Biggs’ situation reminded me of a verse that Jesus shared with his disciples the night he was arrested. He was in deep sorrow of his soul knowing the cross was just hours away. He went into a garden to pray and asked his disciples to be praying as well. At one point he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. “He asked Peter, ‘So couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (Matthew 26:41, NASB)

We are entering a season of consecration at Eagle Church. Consecration is a practice throughout the Bible where people were called on to consecrate or set apart for God, items used for worship or service. At times they were to consecrate themselves. Say one big Yes to God which leads them to say a thousand no’s to the world. Last Sunday we learned that Consecration is the opposite of Compromise. Consecration is a choice we make. A daily choice to devote ourselves, our stuff, our life to the things of God, the person and purpose of God.

And while the concept is easy to understand. And I would guess, by the 100+ who came forward at the end of the service, it is something we want to do. But a lot of times the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That word weak in the Greek is used several times in the New Testament but almost every other time it is translated ‘sick.’ That is the hard part of consecrating ourselves. We want to in our spirit but our bodies are sick. Sin is the great opponent to consecration. This is why it must be a daily choice. A moment by moment decision to chase after God and not the things of the world.

If you make the decision, take heed to Jesus’ words: Stay awake and pray! Stay awake or stay alert. Consecration is a declaration of war on the enemy. And he will not go away quietly. The call to consecration is a call to prayer. 
Pray for yourselves – that you will be aware of the devils schemes, so that you won’t enter into temptation.
Pray for one another – that we might see what God can do with a church fully consecrated to him.
Pray for your church staff and leaders – that they would be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading as we navigate these days of unprecedented compromise.

Biggs has to daily take his anti-inflammatory meds and his glucosamine supplements or any progress he has made will be lost. You and I need to daily present our lives, consecrated to the Lord. We need to daily be praying as we chase after the person and purpose of God by the power of God.

“The world is yet to see what God can do with a person fully consecrated to him. Will you be that person?”

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THE EAGLE

Posted on August 8, 2023 by Ted W Harris

I love going to the zoo. I love to see animals. I could sit in front of an orangutan enclosure for hours (not kidding, ask my family)! Even more, I love to see wild animals in their natural surroundings. I don’t mean the backyard bunnies and chipmunks or even occasional blue bird. I mean the only-on-vacation animals; moose, antelope, mountain goats, bears, alligators, etc. I had never seen a bald eagle in the wild until a few years ago kayaking down the White River near our house. So imagine the thrill of learning there was an eagle’s nest at Eagle Creek Reservoir just a few miles from our new house. Or even more excitement to pull into the church parking lot and see one sitting on the bank of the church’s retention pond. Or when Sari was on her walk and texted me that title picture as one is perched on a neighbor’s house overlooking a pond. Or the next day when a friend sent me a picture of the same one on the same house! I have yet to see it but you better believe my eyes are scanning the roof tops when going through our neighborhood.

There is something majestic about an eagle. It doesn’t matter if it is perched on a roof top or soaring high in the sky or just above the water of the White River (that was a awesome kayaking day!).  I think that is why God uses the image of an eagle to describe his followers.“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah penned those words at the end of his description of God’s sending Israel into exile in Babylon but promising that God would one day deliver them. These are words of hope no matter what hardship we are facing or suffering we are currently experiencing. Israel was facing judgment and exile. You have a marriage that is struggling. You have a job that is less than fulfilling or demanding too much of your time and energy. You have a fear-filled doctor visit coming up. No matter what scary thing is before us. Even if we are sending our 5-6 year old into the world of kindergarten, or our 17-18 year old college freshman out into the world to fly on their own!

God offers hope. God is HOPE! Verses 28-30, says God is everlasting, doesn’t grow tired, giver of strength, giver of power, keeps us from stumbling and falling as we go through the pressure packed circumstances of everyday life. With God, life can be one of overcoming. A life of victory. We are more than conquerors. We will persevere and prevail. “We will be able to stand our ground. And after you have done everything, to remain standing.” (Ephesians 6:13, the armor of God) These are descriptors of champions, fighters, winners, even more than conquerors = those who have put their hope in the Lord.

Where is your hope in the midst of what ever you are facing?

“Walk, Run, Soar!”

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The Myth

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Ted W Harris

I recently picked up off our book shelf the biography of Martin Luther written by Eric Metaxas. I love biographies and especially those that tell the life of spiritual leaders and US presidents. Outside of his 95 thesis nailed to the church doors, I really don’t know much about him. And apparently neither do a lot of other people. The first chapter deals with correcting many myths and legends about him that have been handed down through the centuries. The first thing we don’t know is the year he was born. Best guesses have landed on 1483. Some of the myths that Metaxas sets out to debunk is that he “was born into a family of peasants and poor minors.” The truth is Luther’s father, Johannes, was a “successful entrepreneur in the mining business.” His mother, Margerethe, came from an “established, prominent, and quite well-to-do” family. Mayor, Doctor, Electoral Councillor, teachers of medicine were all cousins on his mother’s side. Archeology has uncovered much in the last couple of decades. Digs in the city of Mansfeld and the very house which Luther lived most of his growing up years, show a family who lived well with a steady diet of pork, beef, goose, and various other meats. Not too bad for a bunch of ‘poor peasants.’ They found many household utensils, toys, buttons and other items that would belong only to those with considerable means in that day.

Why do I tell you this? It is fascinating how myths and legends get started. How easy it is to lose facts and truth when the myth seems to fit the narrative we would like to believe. It is easier to picture Martin Luther, the poor peasant turned monk, taking on the big Church that had been taking advantage of the poor for years. 

We are living in a culture where facts are readily discarded or twisted if they don’t fit the narrative we want to believe. We have become very loose with the truth. Truth has become ‘relative.’ I have mine and you have yours. But if we want to live in reality that never works. Jesus, at one point, asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” There answers pointed to myths and legends that people had been sharing – John the Baptist raised from the dead, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Myths and legends that many believed but were not true. Jesus then asked “But you, who do you say that I am? Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Matthew 16:13-20.

Today, there are many ideas, myths, legends stating who Jesus is or isn’t. Many would believe the Bible to be a book of myths. Who is Jesus? If we do not have the right answer to that basic question, we will have an eternity, separated from Jesus, to realize just how wrong we were. The Bible is very clear on who Jesus is, what he has done and how we are to respond to him. How well do you know Jesus? From where did you get your idea of who Jesus is?  Are there myths and legends about him that you hold onto because it fits what you want him to be? 
Matthew gives us a warning in Chapter 7, “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophecy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name? Then I (Jesus) will announce to them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, you lawbreakers!” (HCSB)
 Those people were following the wrong Jesus. They bought into the myths and legends of their day. How about you?

“Who do you say that Jesus is?”

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Where is God?

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Ted W Harris

It turned out to be one of those weeks. Not atypical as far as ministry goes. Ministry is a lot of highs and lows as you enter the lives of other people and have the opportunity to walk beside them. The week started out on a high. Sunday I was able to officiate the wedding of a good friend who was a part of my previous church and I happened to be his youth pastor once upon a time. I know the family well and there were others from that ‘once upon a time’ era that were there as well. Weddings are times of celebrating the present and looking into the future with hopes and dreams. There was a lot of catching up, telling stories, laughing. We filled in a lot of life’s gaps sitting around that table at the reception. As the sun began to set, there were still stories to relive, but we said our “good-byes” and our “see you laters” and made our way home. The bride and groom, literally, heading off into the sunset looking forward to their future together. Dreaming!

Turn the page.

On Saturday, I assisted with the memorial service of another friend who leaves behind a husband and two teenage daughters. Cancer. An almost 10 year battle. Fought hard. Fought well. But cancer doesn’t fight fair. I know, I lost my mom to colon cancer a little over 17 years ago. This is a family that is from the same previous church and the friends are about the same age. But the atmosphere was very different. Yes, there were stories told and folks who had seen each other in a while did some catching up and I even saw a few smiles and laughs as we all remembered better days. An overall sense of hope undergirded each conversation, knowing that our friend placed faith in Jesus and God welcomed her into his presence and we will see her again someday. But overall, there was sadness, loss, tears were shed. And at the end of the day we said our “good-byes” and “our see you laters.”  Most headed home with a heavy heart, and into a future with a piece missing and for a husband (did I mention she passed away the morning of their 23rd wedding anniversary) and his two daughters a huge piece will just be gone. Hurting!

Stop and consider.

Where was God this week? I can tell you with confidence that on Sunday he was right there in the middle of that wedding party uniting two hearts that were experiencing a grace-filled second chance at love! And on Saturday he was right there in the middle of that memorial service healing hearts that are hurting! I am confident that was in both places because that is who God is and that is what he does. The psalmist writes in Psalm 139, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” While the psalmist is alluding to a person trying to hide from God, this Psalm is encouraging to those wanting to find God in the everyday circumstances. The Mountains and the Valleys of life. For that person, it’s a description of God’s deep longing to have a relationship with every one of us. We can’t hide from God and God won’t hide from us. The idea that no matter where we are, what we are facing, high or low, God can be and wants to be found in that place. Read all of Psalm 139 and see how much God loves you! 
He knows you! (verse 1)
He sees you! (verse 2)
He understands you! (verse 2)


“I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too – your reassuring presence, coming and going”
Psalm 139:5, The Message

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Serving an Eviction Notice

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Ted W Harris

“Serving an Eviction Notice”

I looked out my kitchen window and there he was sitting on my hammock in the backyard as if he owned the place. I went to get shoes on and by the time I returned he was gone. I told Sari we needed to keep an eye out for him in case he returned. And wouldn’t you know, less than an hour later he was back and he had a lady friend with him this time. Obviously homeless and just looking for a place to live, Sari looked at me and said, “We need to get a bluebird house in the backyard!”  We love bluebirds and spotting one is a rare treat especially in a housing addition. They are pretty particular about where they live and they like wide open spaces with little competition from other birds. My Dad always had a blue bird house, or two, when we lived out in the country and was excited when a husband and wife moved in. Bluebird houses come with a pretty specific building design to suit there needs. Small hole without a perch. Interior climbing wall for young ones to climb to the opening. Must face east. At least 50 feet from the nearest tree. They really don’t like neighbors!
That is our problem and why they are so rare in the city. Those building specs are hard to come by. But we bought a bluebird house (my Dad always built his own) and tried our best to find the right location that would be attractive to this young couple. We got it fixed to a fence post in the corner of our yard and waited. The next day we saw activity! It appeared that a nest was being built. Upon further inspection our bluebird house was being inhabited by a chickadee. I immediately went out and served an eviction notice, opening the door and removing the beginnings of a chickadee nest. The only way to attract a bluebird is to continually let all of the other birds know this house is not for them.  It is now an ongoing struggle to evict the unwanted chickadee in order for the bluebirds to thrive.

A topic of the elders this time of year is the process of appointing new elders in the leadership of the church. 1 Timothy 3 is a section of Paul’s letter to the young pastor outlining what characteristics he is to look for in leaders, elders specifically. 1 Timothy 3:4,5, “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.” That means a leader must be able to manage his family, his house well. And while this is a requirement for elders, I think it is a worthy idea for any person. Spiritually run your home well. Live your life well, in a manner that is worthy of respect. And I thought for a healthy bluebird home, the chickadees have to be evicted. What have I allowed to live in my home that maybe needs to be served an eviction notice. Is there a ‘bad habit’ chickadee? Is there a ‘cultural compromise’ chickadee? Have I adopted aspects of the chickadee way of thinking into my bluebird world?

As believers, compromise with the world is not an option. If I want bluebirds, I can’t compromise with the chickadees! God has given us through his word a design for holy living. Dependence on the Holy Spirit to help us keep the chickadees away. We are called to a different way of life. A holiness that resembles the life of Jesus. Our house should look different. Should follow biblical worldview specs. The world of the chickadee needs to be evicted.

Christian, we are living in a world where compromise and fitting in seems to be the norm when actually it is abnormal, subnormal to the life Jesus lays out for us. Take some time and really look into your spiritual backyard. What things are calling you to compromise the life Jesus has for you? What are you allowing to live in your spiritual house that may need to go?  What is your attitude about blending in with all of the other birds versus standing out and maybe appearing a little different?  This is not an easy exercise and like any worthwhile change may take some time. Chickadees don’t give up easily! Sin and compromise will not go away with out vigilance and spiritual discipline?

Set out today to begin evicting the ways of the world from your way of living!

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Hush!

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Ted W Harris

It seemed to come out of nowhere! Yesterday afternoon, sitting in my office on the lower level of the church, the sky got eerily dark. I checked the weather app and saw a line of orange with a lot of green behind it heading our way. Seeing that it was close to our house in Brownsburg, I called my wife. They were saying winds up to 70 mph. She answered with a frantic, “I am outside.” She had gotten caught during her afternoon walk. It seemed to come out of nowhere! I waited it out for a while at the church and then headed home. Tree branches scattered along my route. Wind is an amazing and powerful thing. And storms with high winds can be scary. And even in the beauty of a lightning filled sky, there is usually damage and debris in its path.

The disciples experienced a storm that seemed to come out of nowhere. Early in his ministry, shortly after choosing the twelve men that would accompany him for the next 3+ years. Jesus had a long day of teaching the crowds and as evening approached he told the Twelve to set sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Leaving the sailing to the fishermen in the boat Jesus found a cushion and headed to the back of the boat and fell asleep. It seemed to come out of nowhere! A storm! Mark called it a ‘furious squall.’ Waves breaking over the top of the boat.  The disciples, even the seasoned sailors, feared for their life. Jesus? He was still sleeping in the back of the boat.
Mark says, “The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Hush! Be still! Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” (Mark 4:35-41)
He then asked the disciples why they were so afraid. Didn’t they have faith? Now they were really terrified! Who is this guy that controls the weather?

Yesterday was a thunderstorm. And maybe you are trying today to clean up the aftereffects in your yard. I know of one whose car took the brunt of a fallen tree. (He wasn’t hurt.) But what about life’s other kind of storms. Relational storms! Emotional Storms! Physical Storms! Spiritual Storms! It seemed to come out of nowhere! A furious squall of life’s worst circumstances and deepest hurts crashing over your soul. And where is God?  At times he feels distant. Or silent. We feel that he isn’t interested in the storm we are going through. Maybe the storm isn’t big enough for him to concern himself with? Maybe I am not good enough for him to concern himself with? When the truth of the matter is, he is concerned! He cares about every detail of our lives. Peter tells us to “Cast all of our cares (our anxieties, fears, concerns, worries) on him. For HE CARES FOR YOU! (emphasis mine). Cast all your cares – never too small, never unimportant!

I read those verses again but this time I read Jesus’ rebuke to the waves as if he said those words to the disciples and to me. That way also makes sense. When we are in the middle of one of life’s storms, Jesus could just as likely say to us, “Hush, Be still.” There is no reason for us to fret or worry.

The one who created the wind, controls the wind and will carry us through the storm.
What is your storm today? What winds are you facing? What is crashing over the bow of you boat? Take a moment right now and take it to Jesus. Be completely honest!

“Hush! Be Still!”

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Now What?

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Ted W Harris

I knew it was coming. The warning signs were all around. And then one morning… BAM! My peaceful morning commute through the country was blocked. Road Closed to Thru Traffic. Detour. Now What? I had the perfect route. I had it timed down to exactly when to leave the house? Now What?  If you have to travel between Brownsburg and Zionsville you know what I am talking about. Let’s be honest, if you are traveling at all in the state of Indiana during orange barrel season you know what I am talking about!

Have you ever hit a God-detour? You had a great plan, a spiritual plan, even a God-honoring outcome. And you were faithfully working the plan. You are even convinced that God is in it…how could he not be! You had mapped your life, or at least the next chapter of your life, and BAM…Road Closed to Thru Traffic. Obstacles. Road blocks. Detours. It all made sense and now…
The Book of Proverbs – that Old Testament book right after Psalms – is many times left unread, unstudied. It is a book of wisdom handed down from God to Solomon and speaks in practical ways to our every day lives. One of the wise sayings is this
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9 
These wise words are speaking to the very thing I am talking about – God sized road blocks that seemingly mess up my best laid plans.

What do we do when our best laid plans are presented with seemingly God laid road blocks? I am glad you asked.
1. Pray – This is the first answer to any question we may have but it is often not the first thing we do. When your life gets hit with an unforeseen obstacle – Pray. When your life is sailing along on smooth waters and all seems to be going great – Pray. The roadblock doesn’t automatically mean you are wrong about the plan you had. God may just be saying, “Yes, but this is the path we are going to take to get there.”

2. Wait – Psalm 27:13-14, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  God knows the best time for the plan to play out.  We can actually wait in confidence that, because of the goodness of God, the waiting is not in vain. He is directing our steps. Someone once said, “God’s waiting room is the hardest place to be.” She wasn’t wrong! And while you are waiting, Pray!

3. Trust – Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Our own understanding? You mean my human plans? The way I think things ought to go? When we give those plans to God, he not only will direct our steps but will make the path straight. A straight path is the most efficient way to get somewhere! 

Remember a detour is simply a promise of better days ahead. Something is being improved. It is not a complete stoppage. This new road may very well make my commute even easier. And what perfect plan or promise of God didn’t come with a road block or detour. Abraham was to be the father of a great nation but was childless, 75 years old, married to a barren wife. He couldn’t see how he would be a father at all.  Moses was called to lead the nation out of slavery, out from under Pharoah’s ungodly rule. Pharoah refuses, then says yes, then refuses – 10 Times! Then there is that whole road block of the Red Sea.  Why doesn’t God just do it? Why doesn’t he just make it happen? Why the obstacles? Well, God gets the glory if what seemed possible before has to first go through the impossible obstacle.  Would Abraham’s story have the same impact if he and Sarah were 30 years old, vibrant, healthy and gave birth to a son? But overcoming the obstacle was all God!

That obstacle you are facing; that roadblock that seems to be holding you back; might it be God’s way of doing the impossible.

“Pray – Wait – Trust – Persevere”

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Excuse me, How do I get to…

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Ted W Harris

When was the last time you had to ask for directions somewhere? Guys don’t need to answer, we already know! I honestly can’t remember because with all the smart phones you just punch in the address and let the nice lady tell you when to make every turn.

But when was the last time you tried to give someone directions somewhere? This topic came up in two separate conversations this week and I was reminded that different people have very different ways of giving directions. If you grew up in the country you may very well use words like north, south, east or west. For a city boy like me those are not helpful. I need straight or left or right. Or maybe your directions are based on landmarks. When we first moved to Pennsylvania and asked directions, I can remember being told that what we were looking for was out past the ‘old’ Walmart and not too far from the new ‘Sheetz’. That was not at all helpful as I wasn’t sure where the new Walmart was and had no idea what a Sheetz was. 

Giving directions is actually an art form. To be able to direct someone to a precise location who has never been there and not at all familiar with the area is not as easy as it sounds. You have to be clear and anticipate where the pitfalls and possible wrong turns will come. You have to know the way very well yourself!

Now, what about heaven? How good would you be if someone were to ask directions to heaven? How do you get to heaven? You have to be precise. This person is already lost and you don’t want to compound their lostness.
When Jesus was meeting in that little upper room with his 12 disciples the night he was killed, he was trying to explain to them what was going to happen. Trying to comfort them in the fact that he was leaving and returning to the Father in heaven. At one point he tells them that they know the way to where he is going. Thomas says, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?”
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” Apparently the way to heaven is a one way street and it passes through Jesus. Talk about precise. There aren’t multiple ways to get there. There aren’t multiple ways of thinking that all lead to God. There is only one street, and apparently it is narrow and can be easily missed (Matthew 7:13-14).

While there is only one way to God, through Jesus, there are probably countless methods of explaining the one way to get there. Personal testimony is probably the best, tell them simply how you got there! But here is another tool, a way to answer the question. It’s called Romans Road and it is five truths that a person needs to believe and act upon. Even if the person you are talking to doesn’t believe the Bible, remember they have never been here and aren’t familiar with the area – just explain the truth behind the statements.
1. Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Foundational truth that we are all equally sinful, born that way in fact and separated from God.
2. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The unconditional love of God that in our rebellion he still loves us and longs for a relationship with us. Introduces Christ as the sacrifice for sin, but why?
3. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin comes with a cost. Death, the wrath of God, is the just outcome of sin. But Christ sacrifices his sinless life, to pay the wages for my sin.
4. Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is the really good news. Christ’s death is an acceptable form of payment for sin, for every single person. And with the payment made there is no condemnation, no future penalty, no wrath. Paid in full
5. Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The way to secure this payment is through confess Jesus as Lord. That means confessing our own sin, believing Jesus is Savior and as Lord, living our life to please him. There is a repentance or turning from the old life of sin.

Five Truths, five right turns in a world filled with wrong turns, back alleys and deadly exit ramps. Know these truths for yourself, memorize the way and begin asking God for the opportunity to point someone in the right direction.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15

“Heaven?, I’m glad you asked!”

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