Give Me This Mountain

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dear Ones, As you see by the date, this again from the archives. I prayed, Lord which one?  Thinking I should find one on celebrating the 4th - Independence!  God said, "This one, my child."  People need to be strengthened in faith.  Remind then I AM a mountain moving, earth shaking, ever-loving GOD! 

D

"And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to the mountain 'be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen". (Matt. 21:21).

Hey Gang:  Did you ever read something and then have it rattle around in your head?  I have often read the Scripture verse for today and wondered if Jesus was talking in the literal sense.  One of my very favorite places on this earth is the Teton Mountains.  There are no words that can describe the awesomeness of the Grand Teton Mountain.  And, as I think of standing at the foot of that awesome sight, there is no way I can visualize my having enough faith to say, "mountain be gone into the sea!"   

So I began to do some research to find a profound story that would certainly qualify as a ‘moving a mountain experience’.  I believed the parting of the sea, Jonah's ride in the whale, Elijah's confrontation and victory over the prophets of Baal could be classified as "mountain moving experiences".  But the one that kind of caught my eye was a story of Caleb, found in Joshua 14:12.   Perhaps because Caleb was 85 years old when he requested that Joshua award him a mountain, and I am starting up that eighty decade.

He was probably the oldest of the surviving wondering nomads of the Wilderness of Zin,  yet his faith and courage in a great God was vibrant and alive.  In fact, so great was his faith, that he asked Joshua to give him the cities of the mountains - the great and fenced (walled cities) where the enemies lived. He was willing to lay down his life for his fellow travelers - to be the first one to step out into the unknown future to face the enemy head on.  Truly, it was a mountain moving experience when he said, "If so the Lord be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said." (14:12c).

As I read this verse, and then reread it again and again, the Lord seemed to be saying to me "Hey, hillbilly, when will the people who have been called by My name step forward and say, "If so the Lord be with me, then  I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said".  There is no question that the most depressing part of my day is listening to the evening news (which I do less and less frequently).  My question is, "Where is the church? Where are God's warriors who cry out, "If so the Lord be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out"?

 Is there any doubt in your mind that Satan is in his al-out-attack mode and making inroads into the church by convincing us the practice of self-denial and submission is outdated and no  longer needed?  To that I ask, "Is our Lord God still not greater in His children than he that is in the world? We need to say, "be gone evil one!."

Soooo, my young friends ,yes, the dark clouds are gathering but, we serve a mighty-awesome God who developed His plan for His creation even before time began.  And this we know, He will never leave His children or forsake them.  Are you excited this morning?  If not, let me share a fabulous piece of news - one of these days, and I believe soon, "Heaven is going to open and a white horse will appear and He who sits on it will be called Faithful and True:...And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS".

Blessings,

Gramps

Are You Comfortable?

Monday, June 29, 2015

  Dear Readers, I have encountered this verse several times in the past few days and when it was the first in the archives, I decided that maybe you needed it too.  Then reading Kermit’s words thought he might have written it last week!  God is still shaking our world.  Be prepared to join Kermit in Glory!

 

Jesus said, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, otherwise believe because of the works themselves.  Truly, truly, I say to you he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."  (John 14:11-12).

Hey Gang:  Notice, He did not stop with this promise but added several more to it that we need to heed in these days when God is shaking everything that can be shaken.   "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it and If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (vs. 13-15).

But how Lord, can I do far greater things that You, who are all powerful?  His reply, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because He abides with you and will be in you." (Vs. 16-17).

I believe with all my heart the events of the past weeks have ratcheted up the final days of this earth.  If there was ever a time when we need a comforter, it is today.  The medical guru's tell us the number one malady in the world today is anxiety-driven infirmities.  The head doctors and pharmaceutical companies are getting wealthy as they try and glue people back together.   

I was watching the Kentucky Wildcats working to gain their 38th victory with no defeats.  As the camera man panned the huge arena of the ten thousand or more people, most wore the ‘blue’ of Kentucky and screamed with every point that was scored.  That still quiet voice put the thought into my brain, ‘probably, if Messiah were to come at half time and take His children home, there would be very few empty seats.’   

That still small voice also seemed to say, ‘If the church would be as excited about spreading the Good News of salvation to a hurting world, as these were about a basketball game that will be replaced by the realities of the day when they walked out of the arena, He could heal our land.’

How very tragic that so many people are hurting but turn their backs n the One who can heal their hurts and give them comfort during these very tough days.   The Bible tells us, "For the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted (Isa. 49:13).  In truth, our God is "... the Father of mercies, and  the God of all comfort ,who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Cor. 1:3-4) .

God promises to give us "...beauty for ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.  So they will be called "oaks of righteousness', The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified" (Isa. 61:3).

Sooooo, Now hear this, the comfort that God gives does not necessarily make us comfortable, but it does meet our need in times of loss and discouragement.  When it appears that the sky is falling and the alligators are on the move, I turn to Revelation 22 and read again Jesus words, "There will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in  it, and His bond-

servants will serve Him; they will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads" (22:3-4), and the last two verse of the Bible, "Yes, I am coming quickly, Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen" (22:20-21).  And that my friends and neighbors you can take to the bank!

Blessings,

Gramps

Prayer Is Warfare!

Dear Blog family, I have not had the concentration to write as yet. I found this one in the archives and thought it appropriate.  For over 20 years Gramps wrote in his prayer journal daily.  We kept lists of special needs, on-going needs and especially those needing Jesus. The last few months not writing so much as praying nearly all day. Then today our pastor taught on Joy.   Both addressed in this blog.  Share the Joy of Jesus with others. Galatians 5:22 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is Love, JOY…..”

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the 

hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it:  but I found none - (Eze. 22:30).

Hey Gang:  Wow, the rains have stopped and the sun was out bright and beautiful today!  So I got out my work cloths and enjoyed a day in the sun and it feels great to be tired.  I cut the part of the lawn that was   not under water which is always a joy for me, for I can sing praises to God at the top of my lungs and no one can hear me but God.

The past year has been a time of testing with some ‘slight afflictions' licking at my heels.  At eighty, one expects to see some slow down in their vim and vigor, but on some days it just plain ‘gets up and goes’.    A good friend once said the first thing she does in the morning is check the obits and, if her name is not there,  she gets out her vitamin case and takes on fuel for the day.

I spend a lot of time in the Book of James, during times of testing, just seeking assurance that there is a purpose for battling alligators on a very regular basis.  I have learned that when we are confronted with wilderness experiences, we have to make a decision in whom we will put our trust.  James gave us the key to victory when he said, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance" (1:2-3).

He goes on and gives us the reason for staying the course, even in the midst of adversity, "Let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (vs. 3).  

Years ago, in my tenure of working with young folks who had made some bad decisions, God taught me a lesson that has been the foundation of my efforts to help these young folks.  It seemed I was to be willing to share the mistakes I have made in my lifetime and how God bailed me out from those mistakes.  I learned that hurting people crave to hear someone sit down with them as say "been there, done that"  but I serve a living Savior who collects those things from anyone willing to lay them at His feet and take them to the cross daily.

Our God is an awesome God! Isaiah 1:18 gives me the assurance that "Though my sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow, though they are crimson, they will be like wool, if you consent and obey."   Notice the "if". 

Soooo, young warriors, reread the Scripture today and note – “He sought for a man so stand in the gap but He found none".   Wow, is that not tragic.  Jesus said, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest" (John 4:35b).  What are your goals for today?  Do they include keeping your antenna's up, asking God to use you to come along side someone and say, "been there, done that" but there is a God who loves you, who is willing to take your burden to the cross. 

Blessings,

Gramps

A Gramps’ Morning Message To All of You Who Feel You Have Nothing to Give to God. (Con’t)

 Repeat from  June 25, 2019

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Hey Gang, After graduating from high school - which was by mutual consent, (the Junior Hi guidance counselor, upon meeting my mother for the first time said, “Are You the Mrs. Hainley – not knowing my Dad was on of 7 brothers! )”- I trudged off to college.  I have no idea why I chose to go to college; my academic achievements, up to that point were less than dismal  

My confidence level that I would be more than a janitor or painter, like my dad, was engrained deep in my mind.  I was truly locked into “I was what I thought I was” -a nothing burger that would never reach the next step in the ladder.  But I need to make a point here: my attitude had not one iota the attitude that God had of me; however, that would become abundantly clear to me later in my life.

Like many young folks today, I was totally ill equipped to handle being on my own on a college campus.  In my two-year tenure in college I went from probation, to double probation and finally the dean called me in and said “Son, at the rate you are going, it will take you seventeen years to graduate. 

For the next two years I did what I had learned to do very well, “floundered” but God was in the process of getting me ready to enter into that phase of my life called “Don’t get to comfortable”. I fooled him and accomplished that goal in twelve years!   Steps one and two came fairly close together;  I met this girl, a Cadillac kind of girl, and I did not feel I was worthy to even consider a relationship.

But, when God is doing the programming, one should never not at least see if the door is ajar.  A lesson I learned during this tenure was open every door of opportunity and let Him shut it, if it is not His will for your life.  

  

The second door was a second major change. In 1955 I received a letter from my friends and neighbors that said, “Your help is needed in the United States Army.”  But coming from a flying family, I chose to by-pass the two- year hitch and joined the Air Force for four years!  It was during this time that my attitude began to change and began to feel that perhaps I had some value on this earth.  

Now this epistle could turn into a book so let me cut to the chase and free you to go about your day.  In the Air force they did not ask me or beg me to step up to the line to become a productive airman, they said, “You will do it!   You will use your God-given talents and become an Air Traffic Controller- the top of all career fields that opened the door for a career job after my AF Service days ended.

The doors were now open, and it was up to me to walk through them.  I proposed to that Cadillac I mentioned above and amazing to me, she said yes.  We married in 1957.

  After we completed my tenure as an airman the door opened for a career job with the Federal Aviation Agency.  But remember the statement, “Don’t get to comfortable?”   By this time we had two little ones and changes were being made in FAA and I did not feel they were in the best interest of my family to adapt to the new changes.  Sooo it was to that place the Dean said it would take me seventeen years to graduate - but this time it was with a different attitude!   Kermit and father in law 1963      One month later      

Now, let me wrap this up, the message I am trying to give to you- who feel you have nothing to offer God.  Your worse enemy is the person who greets you every morning on your bathroom mirror.

When God wired you before birth He installed His wiring system unto you and that wiring system consists of the plateaus  He wants to give you in your life.  But as mentioned above, we can lock ourselves into a low rung on the totem pool by believing “We are what we think”.  It is like the principle of the Seed Planter! Doctor Luke wrote, “If we give, God will give back to us” (Luke 6:33).  Does that mean just giving to others?  I do not think so, for it is like the speech that the Flight Attendance give on every aircraft:  “If oxygen fails in the plane, put on your oxygen mask on first- so you will be able to put the mask on others”.

Kermit before leaving CA

One last point before I close: In that same verse given to us by Luke, he goes on and uses a wonderful word not once but three times.  That word is ‘”measure”’. Luke says, “If you give, I (God) will pour into your lap in the good measure running over.”  Now zero in on the next phrase: “But, by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38). 

Do you get the point?  When I realized God was ready to move me to higher ground, I had to be ready, willing and work hard to follow the way He prepared for that climb!   I know this works because he took my raw protoplasm – the person who was locked into the cellar and broke me free from the bondages that I had placed on myself!  Go thou and do Likewise!

                                                           Kermit and Jean 2018

Blessings,

Gramps, President Emeritus Eagle Village, Writer of more than 1100 Gramps Morning Messages.

Gramps Morning Message to All You Who Feel That You Have Nothing to Give to God!

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

I thought I would pull another Devotional from Gramps Archives and this one came up. It is only a year old, but I thought it appropriate.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Hey gang, A confession, I feel very qualified to address the title of the day for Slue foot reminds me of my shortcomings on a regular basis.  Now what triggered that in my mind?  I mean, when we give our lives to Jesus, should we not put the past in the garbage can and move to higher ground?  Did Paul not say, “When you were dead in your transgression and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all of our transgressions” (Col. 2:13). 

I recently came across the following statement that got my attention; “You are what you think you are”.  That kind of brought a whole barrelful of thoughts, questions and even memories out of the cedar chest of my past. As I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and asked, “Is that really true?” I had to agree that was partially true in my life.

I was born the son of a coal miner who had an eighth-grade education and very limited social skills.  My mother was also an eighth-grade graduate and equally lacking in social skills.  You might say, we lived in a coal miner’s environment, where education and advancement were not topics of discussion.   It was said that my mother had the potential to be an accomplished pianist and my dad the unique ability to be able to fix just about anything.

 Their hearts’ desire was to move up the social ladder but there was a huge yoke around their necks - eighth-grade educations -in a period when the depression was like a hammer in the lives of the masses.  

And then one day an injury in the coal mine ended his coal shoveling days.  There are times when adversity can be a dictatorial motivating power to seek higher ground.  After moving his family from deep in the mountains (they used to say we lived so far back in the sticks even the hoot owls carried knapsacks and they had to pump sunshine to us) he pounded the streets until he ran into a painter who needed a painter who was fearless and willing to climb radio towers and paint them by dipping his gloved hand in a bucket of paint and using it as a paint brush as he descended down the tower.

Shortly after we arrived in the city I was enrolled in school.  They placed me in a class with more kids than I had ever crossed paths with in my first six years.  On the first day of school I gained immediate attention because my name was Kermit, I had large front teeth that resembled “buck teeth”, wore knickers and brogan shoes, which placed an immediate target on my back.

Due to our economic woes, it was deemed by the school district that I should receive milk twice a day- which only added to my harassment as the ‘milky kid’ who had to go into the bowels of the school and drink my two pints of milk each day.  

To say I was a very bad student is to put it very mildly.  I learned very early to detest walking up Fourth Street to that place of pain called Fairview Elementary School, which set the stage for my twelve years in the educational system of Altoona, Pennsylvania.  Now I tell you this to set the stage for what is to come which I will pick up on in the next Tuesday morning message. 

As Paul Harvey often said, “Tune in tomorrow and get the rest of the story”.  Keep in mind the focus of these messages is to give hope to those who believe they have nothing to offer to God. 

Blessings,

Gramps

Have You checked Your Insurance Policy Lately?

Ein Gedi

Today's picture is of flowers and palm trees near Kibbutz Ein Gedi near the southern coast of the Dead Sea. It reminds us of Song of Solomon 1:14-15; "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Ein Gedi. How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves."

 Life is rather busy right now.  I have several new blogs churning in my head but went to Archives and this one came up from June 2012.  Seems appropriate for today!  Gma J

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”  (Isaiah 43:2). 

Yesterday was burn day!  The raking has produced many piles of leaves, pine needles and pine cones that needed to be cleared in order to begin repairing the lawn and flower beds from winter damage. This meant that I was tied to the fire for most of the day.

 As I watched the fiercely burning flames I noticed that three things were happening; first the pile was getting smaller as the flames consumed the leaves, secondly, the fire was generating heat; and thirdly the fire was generating light. 

As a lad growing up in Pennsylvania, I remember my sainted grandma use to talk about God’s Word as a consuming fire.  

Notice Jeremiah’s words: “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth.  What does straw have in common with grain?”  "Is not My word like fire?”  declares the Lord,” and like a hammer which shatters a rock?”  (Jer. 23:29)

How is God’s Word like fire?  As the leaves are burned and turn to ash, so the Word of God burns away the chaff and dross, So,if we will avail ourselves to read the Word and meditate on it and Be still beforeHim, we can learn to hear God’s voice.  I hear many people tell me that are avid Bible readers but not too many tell me they are avid Bible study-ers or Listeners! 

An old adage that I have tucked away in the leaf of my Bible is the fine print on my insurance policy with the Lord: “If God sends us down a fiery path, He provides sufficient shoes.”

At the end of the day, I looked with satisfaction at what was large piles of leaves and needles that was now clean and ready for new growth and beautiful flowers.  Is that not God’s way with the fire of His word?  John wrote, “...but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

Soooo, good folks, fire can come in many forms and many times it comes very unexpectedly.  That is why God suggests that we keep our minds and hearts honed to the wheel and our asbestos suits clean and polished.  James gives us the key to keeping our insurance up to date, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands you sinners.” (James 3:8)      

Blessings, 

Gramps