THE DEVIL AND THE DUCK

I have been working on my WALKING AND PRAYING MY WAY TO ISRAEL blog, but I received the following story from one of my church members. Her name is Christine Huddleston. By the way her first book is coming out in a few months. I thought this was too good not to share. May it bless you as it did me

How many times have we thought that keeping a secret was the best way to stay out of trouble? Read this story about what happens to Johnny as he hides the truth of what he did from his Grandma.

There was a little boy named Johnny visiting his grandparents on their farm.
He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his Sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, ‘Sally, let’s wash the dishes’ But Sally said, ‘Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.’ Then she whispered to him, “remember the duck?’ So Johnny did the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, ‘I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.’ Sally just smiled and said, ‘well that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help? She whispered again, ‘Remember the duck?’ So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s; he finally could not stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, ‘Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.’

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done… And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)…whatever it is…You need to know that:

God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life… He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He’s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

It is by God’s grace and mercy that we are saved. Go ahead and make the difference in someone’s life today. Share this with a friend and always remember:
God is at the window!

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In my blogs I have often used physical realities to express the truth of spiritual realities.. But the fact is, with God there is no harsh dividing line between the physical and the spiritual. All that we are and all that we do intersects with the spiritual.

I remember attending a conference with Marie and several couples from Illinois at what was then a church in Florida where Dr. Peter Lord was pastoring. It was a wonderful retreat. I remember Bro. Lord asking us in one morning session how many spiritual things we had done that day. A few hands went up, and upon asking them the number of spiritual things they had done; some rather embarrassingly would say one, or maybe two, and at the most three. They were thinking about their morning devotional, or maybe a kind word they said to a friend or to their spouse.

Then Bro. Lord asked, “How many of you brushed you teeth this morning?” Every hand went up. Then he said, “Is brushing your teeth a non-spiritual activity?” He reminded us that the Scripture says that “whether we eat or drink or what ever we do we are to do it to the glory of God.” He indicated that some how we had gotten confused between a spiritual activity and a “religious” activity. “All we do is spiritual if it fits into God’s overall plan for our lives.” Dr. Lord emphasized.

By The Way I gave you all of this to get to my point. We have been talking about walking with God. But we seem to always make the emphasis a “spiritual walk.” Well, physical walking is spiritual, if that is what the Lord wants you to do. And beyond that, it reminds us of this body that God created. Just to analyze it gives glory to God. I have a paper written by a pastor friend of mine I was in seminary with and have helped in numerous revivals. I include his paper entitled The Human Machine, by Tim Adams because it emphases the power and wisdom of God in creating us. Our body is an example of the spiritual genius of God

THE HUMAN MACHINE

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

The Human Machine is an 8-part miracle machine of creation:

• 200-212 I-Beams, Angle, U-Joint type material called bone, built to withstand several pounds of pressure.

• 14 types of mechanical motorized, electrically generated aids to ambulation in all directions.

• 1000’s of miles of expandable state of the art leak-resistant plumbing, half with dependable one-way valves, connected to a super pump in miniature model, built for 24 hour service, maintaining constant respiration, nourishment, disposal and cosmetic functions through circulation of 4 quarts of lubricant/cleaner a the rate of 70-80 BPM

• An Internal Waste Management System comprised of 1 self-emptying storage tank for liquid disposal and 27 feet of absorptive lining for the transport and expulsion of semisolid waste.

• A four-part equalized chemical balance injection system built for lifetime automatic revisions in the human model without need for recall to the factory.

• A microscopically integrated internal communication network connected to a central receiving and response station far outranking the complexities of any computerized modern metropolitan phone system.

• All neatly wrapped in two layers of he toughest, thermal protective regenerating covering called skin.

THE HUMAN MACHINE RETAIL PRICE: $$$ Priceless.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeding goodly pearls: Who, when he had found ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:45,46

THOT: WHEN GOD BREATHED INTO MAN’S NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE WE BECAME A SPIRITUAL BEING.

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Every place I have visited overseas, the fact that I was a tourist must have stuck out like a sore thumb. I know this because the vendors who were selling crafts or souvenirs would always head my way trying to sell me something. Even if I was not visiting one of the many markets they would often stop me on the street. Most of all my trips abroad was for mission purposes, but lets be honest, I was also a tourist. I guess it is hard for an American traveling in third world countries to keep from looking like a tourists.

But By The Way, when it comes to spiritual truth and our journey through this life on our way to that Golden City, we are not tourist, we are pilgrims. Notice the Scriptural Basis of our Blog.

Hebrews 11: 8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Now let me point out some obvious differences between a tourist and a pilgrim.

1) A tourist is on a journey simply for the pleasure of it. His main goal is to have an interesting and enjoyable time. He is there (wherever there is)because it was his decision. On the other hand, a pilgrim is on his journey because He felt a call. His call was not from a tourist agent, but from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Note: 8aBy faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance… Notice, the Scripture says “He was called.” As believers we have a call upon us. We are traveling this Gospel road because God called us to it.

2) Notice also that normally a tourist has an itinerary, where as a pilgrim does not. He travels each day by faith, knowing that each day he will receive fresh orders as to exactly where and how to travel. Note: 8bBy faith Abraham…obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Abraham did not know in his flesh were he was going, but he was not traveling blind; he was traveling with spiritual eyes.

3) Notice that a tourist is always planning to go “home” after his vacation, but a pilgrim has no permanent home, except his spiritual one. Note: 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Abraham simple sojourned here and there. His tabernacle was a temporary shelter. Today as believers we tabernacle in the temporary shelter of this human flesh. Our real home is in heaven, from which we look and long for our redeemer to come and take us to be with Him

4) Notice that a tourist is looking on the temporal, the earthly, but a pilgrim is always looking through eyes of faith that helps him see a place not constructed by man, but by God himself and is permanent. Notice: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. As believers we know the “hear and now” is not all there is. There is a heavenly city to which we travel and our responsibility is to get as many as we can to go with us. We must never lose sight of that fact.

5) Notice, a tourist makes his journey by money, credit card, or by some earthly benefactor. A pilgrim lives by faith. 13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. A Christian pilgrim lives by faith, sees the future by faith, clings to what he knows by faith, and is not ashamed to openly declare what he knows by faith. A tourist lives in the past once he returns home, showing his pictures, his souvenirs, and telling his travel stories. A Christian pilgrim lives in the present but his mind and heart is focused on the future; the high and spiritual goal of his journey.

6) Notice finally, a tourist my have visited many countries, and may have a favorite one, or he may have enjoyed them all the same, but purely for personal reasons. A Christian pilgrim sees a destination that cannot even be explained with human words. Abraham knew that there was no earthly place that would ultimately fulfill the longing in his heart. Notice: 16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. There is a longing in the heart of every Christian pilgrim to get a glimpse of that city that has been prepared just for them. A pilgrim knows that city is his ultimate destination where all that he could ever need is supplied, and more than that He will realize his ultimate purpose, and that is to praise his Creator for endless ages.

THOT: ONE CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH A HOUSE HERE WHEN HE HAS A DWELLING PLACE, SPECIAL MADE, JUST FOR HIM IN HEAVEN

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I got out of the house today and ran around doing errands . The main roads were clear of snow and ice, but not all the side roads were, nor were all the parking lots. On those surfaces I could not always see where the center line was, or when parking could not always tell if I was between the lines. But I was doing the driving, and doing my best. There were some whose cars were in ditches or parked in odd positions. Their best was not quite good enough. But what are you to do when you travel territory that is unfamiliar, and you are the one behind the wheel? …Maybe nothing when it comes to traveling the streets and roads around town.

But By The Way if we are talking about traveling the street, the road, that leads to that Golden City, the New Jerusalem, we can do something. In fact we must do something. In John we find this exchange between Jesus and Thomas.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

When Marie and I moved to Kentucky in the mid-80s to pastor in Manchester, I soon discovered that there was very little flat ground and no straight roads. Every road had several forks and I must say I found myself lost many times just trying to find the residence of a church member. So, one day I ask my pastor friend, Roger Williams, who was from that area, to take me on a tour and show me how to get from place to place. I did not get lost that day, I never felt nervous or anxious about where we were even though it was often unfamiliar territory to me. The reason was simple. Some one who had passed that way before was under the steering wheel. Roger Williams was "my way."

Jesus is our Way. In fact He is the only way. And he must be the one doing the driving or leading. If he is our way, we can rest in Him and not be anxious or nervous, because He has been that way before.

THOT: IF JESUS IS YOUR CO-PILOT YOU BETTER SWITCH SEATS

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During this recent snow storm I do not remember how many times the question has been ask by me or someone else, “How much snow did you get?” There is something within our human frame that wants to compare our situation or experience with someone else. Some how we feel a little more privileged if we received an inch or two more than someone else.

By The Way, the same is often true in the spiritual realm. I remember so many times when I was a much younger pastor going to conferences and state Baptist gatherings, and inevitably some one would ask, “How many you running in church?” Or “How many did you baptize last year?” We would always try to give the “ministerially speaking" answer and make it as large as we could without feeling we were actually lying. The truth is, there is nothing spiritual at all about this. The older I get the less these things appeal to me, but before I start feeling proud of my spirituality; I still have to deal with this comparison thing in other ways. Perhaps they are a little more subtle, but they are present none the less. Now I am more apt to look at life accomplishments, places I have been, people I have met, important decisions I was part of, or awards I have or have not received.

Spirituality is not how we do in comparison with others. It has nothing to do with doing more, having more, experiencing more, or being better known that someone else. It has everything to do with our daily intimate walk with God. The greatest and most important call from Jesus Christ was, “follow me…”

I feel I must include a quote from one of Dr. Henry Blackaby’s devotions. It speaks to the subject at hand. Dr. Blackaby is talking about the appearance of Jesus on the sea shore after His resurrection. Here he addresses Peter. He had just given Peter the command to “Follow Him.”

“Rather than responding to what Jesus told him, Peter looked around at his fellow disciples. His glance fell upon John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. ‘But Lord, what about this man?’ Peter asked. Peter had just been given the somber news of his future death. How natural to compare his assignment with that of the others! This is the great temptation of God’s servants: to compare our situation with that of others. Did God give my friend a larger house? Did God heal my friend’s loved one and not mine? Did God allow my friend to receive appreciation and praise for his work while I remain anonymous? Did God allow another Christian to remain close to her family while I am far removed from mine?

Jesus assigned Peter and John to walk two different paths, but both Peter and John have enriched our lives. Jesus knew how dangerous it is when a servant takes his eyes off the master to focus on a fellow servant. Where is your focus? Have you become more concerned with how God is treating someone else than you are with how He is relating to you?”

I have heard criticism of another pastor or Christian worker with the words, “They are so heavenly minded they are of little earthly use. Can we be too heavenly minded? The problem all too often is, we are so earthly minded, we are of little heavenly use.

The Model prayer that Jesus taught His disciples contains the phrase, “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” We are to be so in step with our Lord, so intimate with Him that we can be a conduit to bring Heaven’s will to our earthly situation. That would eliminate any human comparison of “spiritual” service.

Note these Scriptural references. John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.(NKJV)

John 8:28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.(NKJV)

We should be doing only those things we see the Father do, and speaking only those things we hear the Father speak.

THOT: IF WE DO COMPARE OUR SERVICE WITH ANOTHER LET IT BE THE LORD CHRIST

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Snow can be an inconvenience, a hazard, and a danger to be on. But it can also be beautiful and a great way of covering up all the ugly.

We Notice some interesting references to snow in the Scripture
Job 38:22Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?...

Psalm 51:7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Isaiah 1:18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

This recent snowfall was beautiful as it came down and as it turned the landscape into a pure white blanket. No longer could I see the grease spot in front of my car, the crack and chip in the pavement in front of our apartment, dirt and debris that had fallen off cars traveling on the street, nor the dead and broken stems on some of the evergreens planted in our flower bed.

Oh, By The Way, God has a covering for the ugly of our lives. Sin is the one thing that cannot be removed by good deeds, reformation, or resolution. It takes something from God to cover our sin, our guilt, our spiritual ugliness.

In the Old Testament, the only Holy celebration for the Hebrews which was a fast instead of a feast was Yom Kipper. Yom Kipper means "day of atonement." It was when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies with the blood of sacrifice and sprinked it on the Mercy Seat, which was above the Ark of the Covenant, between the two Cherubim or Angels. Atonement and Mercy Seat both refer to covering. One very important item in the Ark was the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. We could never be saved by those commandments. They simply show us how ugly and sinful we really are. From God's point of view, He looked through the blood to see the law.

The Scripture says in Hebrews 9; 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.or(NIV)

All the ugly is under the snow, but of course the snow is temporary. But all the ugliness of sin is under His blood, and this blood is permanent.
23 So the copies of the real things in heaven had to be made clean by animal sacrifices. But the real things in heaven need much better sacrifices.

24 Christ did not go into the Most Holy Place made by humans, which is only a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself and is there now before God to help us.

25 The high priest enters the Most Holy Place once every year with blood that is not his own. But Christ did not offer himself many times.

26 Then he would have had to suffer many times since the world was made. But Christ came only once and for all time at just the right time to take away all sin by sacrificing himself.(New Century Version)

The road to that New Jerusalem, that New Israel is a blood sprinkled way, It is not paved with good intentions, creative engineering innovations, or man's artistic and architectural wonders, but it is paved with the blood of a once for all Savior. Praise His Holy Name!

THOT: WE ARE EITHER UNDER THE BLOOD OR UNDER JUDGEMENT

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Several years ago when were "church planters" in Illinois we were ask about certain words and phrases that were common to us in Arkansas, but sounded rather odd to our friends in northern Illinois. One such phrase was, "gettin ready." So often I would say to some of our mission attendees, "well I'm gettin ready to ....." You get the idea. One day Angela Callan, a full blood Italian, ask me, "Pastor Edwards, why is it that you are always getting ready to do something, why don't you just do it?" I really did not have an answer except just to say that it was one of those Arkansas idiosyncrasies.

The problem is there are a lot of folks getting ready to do something, but never get around to actually doing it. James says in

James 1: 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Have you noticed that there are industries that have grown up around the popularity of walking or jogging. There are sports store chains that specialize in the latest equipment for the avid walker. Now in order to make my point let us say I have this special friend who really wants to get into the walking craze. He goes out and buys the best walking shoes he can find. I ask him, "How do they feel when you walk?" He replies, "Oh, I have not walked in them yet, I am still getting ready, but don't you think they look great, and stylish, and comfortable?" "Yes," I say, "let me know how they work as soon as you start using them." I don't see him or hear from him for a couple of weeks. Then we cross paths at Walmart. "How are those shoes working out?" I ask. "Oh," he said, "let me show you what I have just purchased, "the latest in walking clothes." They are so comfortable, and I am told they will make my walking so much more rewarding. They are the right color, so it make them safer for me because drivers can see me at a greater distance." "Have you used them yet," I ask. "Oh, no, but I'm getting ready and I will let you know how they work out." I met him a few weeks later, and he was quick to show me some safety head gear. He was still getting ready. Later I met him and he showed me a magazine that was devoted exclusive to walkers and he assured me was really getting some good tips on how to make the most of his walks. It has been a year now, and he is still getting ready.

By The Way, folks do the same thing spiritually. They intend to get started walking with the Lord. They buy the most expensive leather backed, referenced, annotated Bible they can find. They look for a church that suits their musical taste, and look for a pastor that gives encouraging messages and humorous stories. They are just spectators, but they really intend to get involved one day really soon. Years later, they are still getting ready. the truth is, IF YOU WANT TO WALK WITH GOD YOU NEED TO START TODAY, AND HE WILL GET YOU READY.

I remember several years ago, witnessing to an elderly gentleman about his need to accept the Lord as Savior. He was 83 years old. Before I left him he told me he really wanted to accept Christ, but he was not quite ready, and as soon as he got things ready he would make his decision. In less than a year I was preaching his funeral. And to my knowledge he never got ready.

THOT: THE BEST TIME TO DO ANYTHING IS NOW