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12-19-2023 – A Word to the Wise – For you Bible Scholars:

How many sets of seven do you find in John?

Seven Signs

Seven Episodes And Discourses

Seven “I Ams”

Seven Witnesses

Seven Scenes In Dialogues

Simon Peter’s Seven Appearances

Seven Named Disciples

Seven Claims About The Right Time

Seven As A Complete Meal

Are there more? Of course

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12-17-2023 – A Word to the Wise – What is like when a Christian refuses to abide by the Lord’s instructions?

My mother taught me the fundamentals of sewing, so when I got in the military, the first day they issued a sewing kit. I knew what it was and how to use it. Skip forward 63 years, the hem in my pants was coming loose. Hey, I can fix this.

I find my wife’s’ black thread and a needle. I sit at my desk for 20 minutes just trying to thread the needle. Finally, I see this red thing in the sewing kit, and recognize it is a tool to help thread the needle. I spend 15 more minutes trying to thread the needle with the threader. Finally, get it threaded.

But while picking up my pants to sew, I knock over a glass of water that had no lid. My daughter has told me at least thousand times “PUT A LID ON IT”. NO LID, so my thread, the needle, all end up in the floor wet, and here I sit.

Amos 5:18 ff Woe to you desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light: as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him: or went into the house and leaned with his hand against a wall and a serpent bit him!

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12-13-2023 – My daughter asked for some short reminders when overwhelmed with the problems of the day. In the rush of our daily lives, in times of fear or anxiety, maybe a short reminder from Psalms helps:

“ I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord” 72:11

“I am poor and needy but the Lord takes thought of me” 40:17

“For God alone my soul waits in silence” 62:5

“O Lord, my God I will call for help by day, I cry out in the night before thee. Let my prayer come before thee, incline thy ear to my cry.” 88:1

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12-8-2023 – A Word to the Wise – There are some experiences that seem to live forever in your brain. This is one of them.

July

Element 341

It is very hot. Sweat is already dripping off my face and this armored vest seems to weigh a ton. My partner and I are preparing to leave the station at four in the afternoon. I put the shotgun on the floor beside my feet and grabbed the mike “341, clear us from the station and we are available for calls. She responded, ” 341, you have a Signal 6 on Valentine. (Signal 6 is a disturbance call.)”Received.” I answer.

“Well, it looks like it’s going to be a long evening, I had no idea. The location of the call is only a short distance and to be honest it seems we have been getting frequent calls here to this location in the past.

Our conversation is interrupted by the dispatcher again stating, “341, we are getting numerous calls from that location you might step it up.” “Received dispatch we are en route.” And we increase our speed. Silence filled the vehicle as we both begin to feature the location in our minds.

Ten seconds later, the emergency signal is emitted, it is impossible to convey the feeling when that emergency signal goes off. Everyone listens intently for the location and the problem. the dispatcher states: “341 your call is now a shooting. You are authorized code three.” The tenseness in the dispatcher’s voice reflects our own feelings of the moment as I turn the red lights and siren on. The shrill of the siren pierces the hot afternoon. For change other autos move to the side.

A few moments later, again the emergency signal is emitted up until now I had never had two signals on the same call and again a very tense dispatcher speaks, “342, 345, 313, 311, cover 341 on a shooting. Shots are being fired and the suspects are using automatic weapons. There are numerous victims approach the location with caution.” I mumble to myself now just how are we supposed to do that? Now twelve officers are on the way and to be honest it is somewhat a relief to have backup on the way.

In the distance, we could hear the gunfire even over our siren as we approached the location. “341 we are a block from the location. Inform the other elements shots are still being fired.” There is no time for fear, or anxiety, every sense is alert as we pull up another vehicle leaves eastbound. We did not realize that it is the shooter. Nor am I prepared for the sight.

Stepping from the vehicle weapons drawn an individual tells us the suspect just left.

The Fire Department arrives. In the front yard is one of the victims, he has been shot in the chest and DFD starts working on him. I walked down the driveway on the side of the house, gun drawn, and saw another victim. He is dead next to him another wounded individual. I need to clear the area before I help with the wounded. Walking into the backyard there is an upset card table with cards strewn everywhere and another body. Two other people have been shot and are also in the backyard. It is odd how some sights remain stuck in your mind. On the ground are numerous chicken bones.

It is a very long evening interviewing witnesses and taking them down to Crimes Against Persons to be interviewed. All of this over a card game.

Detectives arrive and we help sort the witnesses and start transporting them to the police department to be interviewed. It is a very long and hot evening.

Postscript. Two weeks later we were on patrol and see the wanted vehicle and suspect. But that story if for a later time.

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12-6-2023 – A Word to the Wise – I have shared the following many times and, in many ways, just feel compelled to tell again some aspects of my journey with the Lord. It is like Psalm 136. I never want to forget what the Lord has done. Now, from what follows, you reach the conclusion that I was my mother’s favorite I was not. Actually, I was 5th If I was on the list at all. However, that is a different story.

I want to share some of my experiences with prayer. I must begin at the beginning; I was born a twin premature, in the middle of World War II. Deathly sick from the beginning things, I did not look well. Then things got worse. I had been in the hospital for nearly two weeks before my second birthday when the doctor told my mother that I would not make it through the night. A few months prior to this I have my first memory. My mother rocking me and softly singing the popular hymn “ I come to the garden alone.”

But back to this fateful night. As my mother related the story, after the doctor left she bowed in prayer and beg the Lord to spare my life. My mother had a unique saying about prayer; Why would anyone think that prayer is a one-way street? How is it possible to take comfort in praying to a God who does not talk to you?

When I was four my parents divorced, and I was taken care of by a host of abusive people. From time to time I spent a few weeks with my mother then went back to these places. During one of these interludes, under the care of my mother, I was perhaps six years old. I got in a rock fight with another child and got hit in the eye. Mother rushed me to the hospital. After the examination the doctor told my mother that I would probably lose the eye. It was bandaged and sent home. Upon arrival mother asked me if I wanted to know if I would lose the eye or not. I assured her that I did. We went in the bedroom knelt down and she told me to ask the Lord. This is the first time I prayed. I asked the Lord would I lose the eye and he said no. Mother asked me what he said, and she confirmed the same answer.

That is the beginning of my prayer life. But now I return to my private hell.

When I was nine, I had enough and did not want to live any longer. It was the summer of 1952, there was a terrible plague going around. Far worse than Covid, it was called polio. Midafternoon Mrs. Smith called my mother and told her to come and get me I was running a high fever of 106 degrees. She told her she did not even know how to take a temperature. Mother was pretty straight forward. She came over. Took my temperature it was 107 degrees. She rushed me to the hospital. I still remember that gurney someone pushing it quickly towards an elevator, a doctor on one side and nurse on another shoving injections into me as fast as they could. I passed out. She prayed, diagnosis polio. She prayed more. Later, much later I was going home, and I told her I would never go back to Mrs. Smith’s. She agreed and the family moved to Lawton.

However, by this time the damage had been done. A host psychologist was of no help. I had an emotional block to learning, plus what is now ADD, and all types of acting out behavior.

Late one night in early September 1955 the phone rang. All the children were getting ready to go to bed. It was 10 PM. Mother answered the phone and there was dead silence. We started to cry, she hung up the phone, and quietly said we will be going to Oklahoma City tomorrow, your father died.

Six weeks later I was walking home from school (it was a 2 mile walk hot cold, rain or snow). I was nearly home crossing a field when the Lord asked me a question just as clear as day. Do you want me to be your father? I said yes. Thus began a unique journey that was to be a deciding factor for the rest of my days. I was 12 years old.

Frequently mother and I prayed together, and we would ask and agree on the answer.

I did begin to wonder was this just unique to us? Mother had warned me never to talk about prayer in church for these people believe that communication with the Lord was a one-way street. That would have gotten me kicked out of the ‘synagogue’ really quick.

However, for me some very difficult life questions had to be answered and I did not trust my own judgement. only the Lord could know the wise path to take. I just turned 17, very shy, and I would be graduating in 4 short months. Lord, what do I do? I Have no clue.

He said to talk to a recruiter there will be one at the school tomorrow. Which one Lord? The Air Force. So, I obeyed. June 6, 1961, I was headed to Lackland Air Force Base. How do I put it I am astounded at the perfect timing and the lifelong blessing that prayer led to? Even today, sixty-two years later, I benefit from what the Lord told me to do. The VA still pays a portion of my medical bills. The last few months I was in the service we lost 11 F105’s in a place called Viet Nam.

However, two years before another event took place which was to have a profound effect on my prayer life. It was late fall I had come home on leave and my mother told me the church was joining with another church in Norman for a hayride. Do I want to go, Absolutely, emphatically not, first off, I do not like crowds I am an introvert. Second, I have a terrible allergy to hay. No, I am not going. Well ask the Lord. So, I went. Drove up to the farm, got there in time to get on the hay wagon and sat next to a girl named Mary.

As I left that night, I reminded the Lord of one of his passages Matthew 7:7, “Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find, Knock and it will be opened”. Lord, I want Mary as my wife. He said it would be but I needed to mature. Two years later we were married.

Now this is not an autobiography. Rather descriptions about prayer, its power, and just how often the direction came from the Lord and how it always came to pass. Trust undergirds this powerful tool the Lord gives those who choose to believe.

After the Air Force mother told me I should start college. I reminded her I had a huge emotional barrier to learning. She said ask the Lord. Well against my better judgement I ask him. Sure, enough he said go.

However, the first semester I made poor grades. I told you Lord, I told you what would happen. I Finally brought the grade card home bowed down and told the Lord if he would remove the barriers to learning any degree earned would be His. That next semester and each semester thereafter I was taking 18, 19, 20 semester hours at a time and on the honor roll. I finished a 4-year college in 2 years and seven months with honors. During the same period, I was working at an airport 40 hours a week refueling airplanes and my son was born. The Lord did that! He did it, I obeyed, but He did it.

Part 2 will follow

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12-5-2023 – A Word to the Wise – Ephesians 6:10ff

Sometimes it takes a parable to help us understand the power of a passage.

The first 2 years I was Reserve Officers we were unarmed. Whoever thought that idea up was nuts. You felt very vulnerable, moreover it could put your partner or others at risk.

However, one night 2 A.M. we were called to a large disturbance in the projects. Several elements were already out. Things were getting out of control. Here I stood with no weapon. Suddenly I remembered the shotgun on the floor of the squad car. Most certainly better than nothing, so, I open the door and pick it up. I hated shotguns, they were just useless, but there were no other options in case things got out of control. I racked a shell into the chamber. Suddenly there was dead silence. You could hear the sound of me racking a shell into the chamber a city block. Never again did I underestimate the value of that weapon.

To the other extreme was the baton. The police department trained all the officers on it for hours, you believe in it, trust it, depend on it. One could control anyone or situation with a simple baton. After all that was all the British police used.

One afternoon we were called to a family disturbance. The grandmother met us outside and told us her son was out of control. He was trying to kick them out of the house. “Please help, but don’t hurt him.” Sure. I opened the front door and stepped inside to see a massive 6’8 300-pound giant who immediately started cursing us out telling us to leave. “This is my house, get out.”

Whereupon he grabs my partner and I quickly draw my trusty baton, yes, the one I trained on, carried everywhere and with a mighty blow hit him across the chest. It snapped in half. I will never trust a baton again. Drew my trusty seven cell metal flashlight and went to work. Sometimes what you trust and believe in does not hold true. It could be tools, equipment, or yes even theology.

On the other hand, there are some things you depend on and never go without. Like a 20-pound armored vest, a sixteen shot Sig Sauer P26 handgun, (not one made of plastic either) a metal foot long flashlight, a radio to call for help. But more importantly, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph 6:10ff ESV

So, you have the tools necessary to do the job, physically, and spiritually along with the training necessary to utilize those tools in all circumstances. How much of your equipment is untrust worthy? Used improperly, or never picked up? How much actual training, have you taken to heart and used to intervene for others?

One item is missing from Paul’s list, the most important one; prayer.

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12-2-2023 – A Word to the Wise – SAUL

Unlike the peaceful rule of Samuel, Saul saw bitter fighting throughout his forty-year rule. Saul, in spite of himself, fulfilled the purpose for which he is chosen. Saul is a warrior king. He looks like a warrior. He surrounds himself with exceptional warriors. Though faced with tenacious enemies he perseveres. As a military commander Saul appears to be above average. He violently ripped from the hands of Israel’s enemies much territory which had been lost.

The first twenty years of Saul’s rule sees much success. This is accounted for by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I Samuel 10:6 reveals that Samuel’s anointing of Saul makes him a changed man. This is the key to his success. However, Saul’s pride and jealousy are his undoing. He is rejected by God for his spirit of disobedience. Apparently, in the same moment in time that David is anointed by Samuel and empowered by the Spirit, the Spirit left Saul. (I Samuel 16:13-14)

From this point on Saul is seen as fearful, indecisive and wasteful with the meager resources that he possesses. Instead of focusing on the enemy he chases David all over the country trying to kill him.

The first combat occurs against the Ammonites when King Nahash besieges Jabesh-Gilead. The Ammonites were offspring of Lot. History is filled with cruel, vicious nations, who by force desecrate the living. The Ammonite nation is just such a people. Listen to the words of the prophet Amos concerning this people:

This is what the LORD says:

“For three sins of Ammon,

even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}.

Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead

in order to extend his borders,

I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah

that will consume her fortresses

amid war cries on the day of battle,

amid violent winds on a stormy day. (Amos 1:13-14)

Note now the threats of Nahash three hundred years prior to Amos;

Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” (1 Samuel 11:1-2)

The elders of Jabesh send messengers to King Saul reporting their plight. Saul calls up the militia. At this time in Israelite history there was no army. Throughout the period of the Judges each time the nation was faced with conflict a general call-up went out. Saul is going to change this method. However the call goes out and 330,000 men respond. Saul sends the messengers back with confirmation that they will be rescued the next day.

The text says that Saul gathered his forces at Bezek. (I Samuel 11:8) Bezek is being used by Saul as a staging area. As soon as they are assembled Saul chooses from the 330,000 probably around 30,000 to make the rescue.

By now the tactical pattern is obvious. Using a forced overnight march of 12 miles Saul is ready to attack in the early morning hours at sunrise. Saul divides his force into three companies and prepares for battle.

The division into three companies brings up an interesting detail. Who commanded the other two companies? It is possible that Jonathan, Saul’s son, commanded one of the companies, and the other was Abner. (I Samuel 14:50)

Jonathan is going to be important later on.

The town of Jabesh-Gilead sits atop a hill. The Ammonites were waiting outside the town for the people to surrender. There is no indication of the Ammonites having advanced weaponry. However, they were fierce fighters and had acquired a reputation as a cruel people.

Tactically, Saul follows the methods prescribed by the Lord in previous engagements. Overnight march, division into three companies attacking from three directions, swift strikes and terrorizing the enemy all exemplify the methods approved of by the Lord. In this first engagement Saul did it all correctly. Even Saul’s attitude towards his critics was excellent.

Following the battle Saul set out to establish a standing army and a reserve element. This basic plan is adhered to even today by Israel. David enlarged the organization and provided training based on his experience. Later Solomon perfected it.

The text indicates that during this early period before disobedience sets in that Saul is successful with his program. Saul trains three thousand men as a standing army which he then divides into two groups. Two thousand are under his direct leadership, and Jonathan leads the other thousand.

It is after the army is set up that Saul makes his first major mistake. According to I Samuel 13, faced with a massive Philistine invasion of thousands of chariot and horsemen, Saul falters.

With only two thousand men to face this invasion Saul and his men lose heart. The army begins to desert in the face of the enemy. Saul intrudes into the office of the priest by offering sacrifices which were to be offered by Samuel. Samuel tells Saul that the consequence for this act is the loss of the kingdom. The situation worsens as the Philistines disarm Israel and remove all craftsmen capable of working with iron weapons. Then the Philistine army divides into three companies and sets out to destroy the Israelites.

This is the setting for one of the most courageous battles in Israel’s history. It is comparable to the three major encounters that Israel won over its enemies in the latter part of the 20th Century. It is known as the battle of Michmash.

Men of courage are found throughout scripture. The Old Testament is filled with men who stir the emotions and challenge the warrior. In Hebrews 11:34 it refers to an ancient incident which one may easily pass over. It says referring to men of faith “became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” I can think of no better illustration of this than the battle of Michmash.

Michmash? I have never heard of it. It is the story of an Old Testament warrior and his exploits and helps us understand why David loved this man so much.

Jonathan was an adventurer. A man of honor and filled with courage. His nation was being occupied by the Philistines, a loathsome enemy who had successfully subjugated Israel.

The enemy established a garrison at Michmash which controlled the surrounding mountainous area. Jonathan observed one of their outposts occupied by twenty of the enemy. He reasoned with his armor-bearer that the Lord could overcome whether few or many. So they go behind the garrison outpost and climb up behind the enemy. The text says they climb up the high hill on their hands and knees. Looking at the area where the battle took place all one sees is rocks, boulders and a very steep climb.

Reaching the top Jonathan attacks the unsuspecting enemy and quickly kills 20 of them. Imagine that in close hand-to-hand combat, armed with only a sword, you slay 20 in just the space of a few minutes.

The results are incredible. The enemy army watching from a distance is thrown into a panic. In the resulting chaos the Philistine army, composed of many different mercenaries, start killing each other. King Saul sees the battle ensuing and joins the melee. The enemy is driven from the area, and many are killed in the ensuing rout.

This major battle is started by two brave, courageous, god-fearing men, and it results in a major defeat for the enemy. Two men induced 30,000 of the enemy to flee. There is a lesson for us in this battle. Jonathan is using a form of combat that is very rare, but when practiced with just the proper person the combatants are unconquerable. What is that method?

The key is the word armor-bearer. What is that? Someone who carries your sword or spear? No, not at all. This is a special tactic perfected by Jonathan and his companion. The armor-bearer carried a medium size shield by which he shielded Jonathan and himself from enemy blows. This freed Jonathan to attack with two hands on the sword. It was a very effective form of combat but rare because two had to think as one.

The sword used by Jonathan was probably a sickle sword as indicated by the word ‘smite’ in the text. With this sword he could rip defensive weapons from enemy hands and slay them. Yadin gives us further insight into the swords of the time.

The sword has always been the principal weapon for hand-to-hand combat. There were two main types of sword, each serving a specific function: the sword for stabbing and the sword for striking. Both consisted of two main parts, a handle or hilt and a metal blade. The stabbing sword had a long straight blade tapering toward the point. To give it strength, the blade was thickest along its center and tapered toward the edges. This straight sword, sharp at the edges and at the point, served equally to cut as to stab.

The striking sword, on the other hand, had only one sharp edge, and the thickest part of the blade was not along the center but along the opposite or blunt edge. This type of sword could also be curved, the sharp edge being the convex or outer edge. Sometimes the curve was slight, sometimes so considerable as to give the appearance of a sickle. It is, indeed, often referred to as the sickle sword. But this may be misleading, for in a sickle the inner or concave edge is sharp, whereas in the sword it was the outer edge. (The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, Yadin, Vol. 1, pg. 11)

Jonathan’s sickle sword and the part his armor-bearer plays have significance for hand-to-hand combat and a correlation and significance to spiritual warfare.

It is certain that courage in the face of the great enemy is the key to winning intense spiritual battles. A courage rooted in the fear of the Lord ensures that one will not run and hide, nor cave in when the enemy comes in like a flood. When the dark night of the soul sets in, when others quake in fear, when surrounded with the night terrors or overwhelmed with the most intense pain, when calamity is to be found at every turn, when the storms of life drown us in sorrow beyond measure, even then one cannot be induced to curse their God.

Buried in the midst of overwhelming difficulties complacency does not set in, rather the paths of justice are guarded with even greater zeal. This is the heritage of the God-trained warrior. One, who in the words of John, “does not cling to life even in the face of death.”

The key to success in spiritual warfare is who the person is along side. This is not necessarily a friend, but must be able to function in unison with you. It is not a person who agrees with you, rather one who balances and protects.

The first battle that occurred after the anointing of David and the loss of the Spirit on Saul’s part is the encounter with Goliath. Saul, with all the equipment of a warrior, is afraid to face Goliath. David, however, with none of the tools of a warrior, faces the enemy fearlessly and destroys him.

Perhaps one of the paradoxes of scripture is that the New Testament’s greatest warrior was of the tribe and lineage of Saul. Paul was even named after this king. Saul serves the warrior caste as an example of a potential failure who serves himself more than the Maker, yet who in spite of himself prepares the kingdom for the golden era ushered in by King David. One is left to wonder the Lord’s original intent in choosing Saul.

We know the people’s purpose. Their purpose in choosing Saul as king is summed up in their request, “so we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” (I Samuel 8:18)

Is not that like the desire of our hearts? We want someone to fight our battles for us.

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