12-4-2020 – A Word to the Wise – The Lord as School Master II

As I was writing the last post several other ‘lessons’ came to mind one perhaps the Lord found humorous. I didn’t but I am sure He did. So let me share it as well.

During the last semester at OCC a couple of incidents occurred which was to have a major impact on my life. If memory serves me I was taking 20 semester hour and I was weary of learning. The worse subject being Hebrew.

Because of a learning disability I cannot learn the correct pronunciation of words through sight rather only by sound. Even now it is a problem. (Still cannot pronounce aluminum correctly).

However, Hebrew is best learned by sound. So on the drive to school I would write the words on the windshield to practice. It was hard and I cringe even to this day.

It was time for the final exam. Dr. McCord only had the final test which was to be the final grade for the class. I was hopelessly lost. I had no idea what to study. So I broke down and ask the Lord what was going to be on the test. I know you already think this is funny. It was not. I was miserable.

Immediately, the answer came back; Genesis 12:1-4. I took Him at his word and memorized every aspect of those verses in Hebrew. Test day comes Dr. McCord hands out the test I open it and the only thing on that test came from Genesis 12:1-4! I made 98 on the test. Now if I could only stop there. But it was not to be.

That last semester a visitor came from Harding Graduate School to try and get students to go on for the Master degree. This person tried to convince me to go. He told me about one of the teacher a Dr. Jack Lewis who held two doctorates one from Hebrew Union, and the second from Harvard. He raved about the man how he even got to eat dinner with him once.

In that moment of time I told myself I not only would not ever under any circumstance go to Harding and if per chance I did I would never, ever take one of Dr. Lewis’ classes!

The Lord saw it differently. I argued with Him, flatly refused, demanded that He change his mind. All to no avail.

That September Mary, Timothy, and I headed for Memphis, reluctantly.

The first day of school I made it to chapel 30 minutes early. The place was empty. Go into the small chapel looked at the arrangement of pews. There were two, one on each side at the very back which would suit me just fine. The pews were very short barely enough room for one person. Perfect.

I tried the one on the left first. It took exactly three steps from the pew to the exit door. Then I tried the right side. It only took two steps to the exit. So that is where I sat down. I did not want to be here. I did not want to talk to anyone and I knew for sure and certain I would be out that door before the last amen had finished reverberating.

Sure enough the place filled up and I talked to no one, and thankfully everyone ignore me.

As soon as the last amen sounded I took two steps and was out that door. Halfway down the hall I heard someone say ‘Jerry”. I figured they were not talking to me because I had talked to no one and so I just kept walking.

A second time the voice said ‘Jerry.’ I stopped turned and there was this short little man standing in the hall. He said his name was Jack Lewis and he needed to talk to me. He ask if I was Jerry I said yes. He ask me into his office which was right there. Walked in and there were books and folders everywhere. He ask me to sit down. Picked up a folder I could see it had my name on it. I said wonderful to myself. They figured I did not belong here either. I was relieved thank you Lord. I was leaving. I did not know where I was going but it most certainly was not going to be here.

Then the hammer fell and the Lord must have been laughing his head off. “I see you made a 98 in Hebrew. Yes well accidents happen. It seems I need a new student to grade papers and teach my Hebrew class when I am out of town, the job pays some small amount.

Lord God, what have you done to me. I had a tent in the state park outside Memphis since I did not have a job therefore no place to live. I had no money. Here I am standing talking to the one person I swore I would have nothing to do with, offering me a job teaching Hebrew which I should have failed! I will never ever ask for your help on a test again!

So for the next 3 years I substituted teaching Hebrew and grading papers every day. The lesson, be sure your careful about what you pray for.

A post script. Remember the character bragging about eating dinner with Dr. Lewis. Well I never ate with him. But it came about that he was having car problems and as he was describing it I knew exactly what was wrong told him I would work on it.

He took me out to this old piece of junk and I said to myself why in the world somebody as famous as him would be driving this old piece of junk?

I fixed it and therefore the next 3 years I kept it running. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to try and change a starter on a Buick which is only reached underneath the car with a foot of snow on the ground? A lot easier than Hebrew! This just is not funny Lord!

12-2-2020 – A Word for the Wise – The Lord as School Master

I do not know how the Lord teaches you but I sure know some of the most difficult life lessons He has taught me. There are many but let me just share one.

Because of my emotional distraught childhood I developed an emotional block to learning. This problem is best symbolized by my encounter with Algebra.

From my first day in algebra class I knew I would never comprehend this subject. One of the most basic fundamental concepts is symbolize in the math concept called ‘sets’ even to this day that word drives me crazy.

Regardless in the ninth grade I had a pleasant enough algebra teacher. However, I set myself down in the class in the very last row at the back of the class. Stubbornly told myself that I could never, ever comprehend this subject.

I didn’t either. I failed the first year. The next year I had to retake the class, sat in the very same place I had the year before, same desk (knew it because I carved all over the desk) and of course at the end of the year the teacher told me she was ‘giving me a D== the first ever given, not because I earned it but because she could not put up with me another year.

Now I do not know how the Lord works with you, but He was not happy with my performance. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Thirty years later, I am reading God’s Word notice a few very simple words in Deuteronomy 30:20. “loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days.”

The Lord stopped me at that point and said I am going to prove to you the reality of that statement in a manner never seen before. Do you want to learn? “Yes Lord I would love for you to teach that to me”.

For the next several months the Lord had me painstakingly go through and collect a huge amount of material on the biblical kings of Judah and Israel.

Step by step line by line until one day He said ‘you can see, but not see.” Remember the algebra you refused to learn? It is time to go back and understand it.

Taking me through both algebra and some advanced statistical analysis the Lord revealed an astonishing secret. Those kings, all of the same linage, the same DNA of the linage of David, their lives proved the very words of Deuteronomy 30:20.

The good kings, those who worshipped the Lord and obeyed his commands lived and prospered 12.4 years longer that the evil kings.

Now the lesson I learned from this besides that bit of knowledge is that the Lord sets us in situations to learn and those situation whether in grammar school, high school, or college contains lessons to be learned and time should not be wasted.

Moreover, the Lord is a painstakingly good teacher Himself if we will but pay attention. Have you not found Him so in your life?

11-29-2020 – A Word to the Wise – The Enigma of Belief & Unbelief

Two passages in John provides for the hearer two very similar situations with dramatically different outcomes. Let’s compare the two situation.

John 5 John 9

Lame Blind

38 years From birth

Jesus approached Jesus approached

Pool of water Pool of water

Heals on Sabbath Heals on Sabbath

Charge: Sabbath violation Charge: Sabbath violation

Jews Demand who healed Jews Demand who healed

Not know who healed Not know who healed

Jesus finds invites belief Jesus finds invites belief

Relationship sin & suffering Rejects relationship sin & suffering

Sought to betray Jesus Sought to defend Jesus

Jesus said must work Jesus said must work

Now there is an important lesson to be observed here which really reflects the type of response one sees today. Jesus heals both men. By grace today Jesus offers salvation to all men.

However, just as in these two situations we have this enigma of belief and unbelief apparent in ones response to Jesus.

On the one hand the individual thankful for Jesus’ presence and soul healing experience determines that the remainder of their days will be lived in expressions of gratitude and allegiance for His gift.

In contrast the person who takes saving grace for granted wasting time and resources on self-indulgent toys and experiences.

So it is for each one of us to decide how we are going to respond to the healing power of Jesus in our life. Self or Him?

11-19-2020 – A Word to the Wise – On a personal note.

I am aware that many are suffering profound distress, perhaps even hopelessness. This feeling is not alien to me. In fact my daughter asked me to write an essay on hopelessness. I doubt she knew.

Years ago in a land not so far away I discovered hopelessness. It is one of those emotions once known, never to be forgotten. At the time I was living in, what was for me, a physical, emotional and intellectual, world akin to a concentration camp. I struggled daily with my persecutors’ expectations, demands and beatings.

I had discovered books sometime before. That is how and when I had read about the holocaust camps of World War II. Strange as it was, reading about them and war in general, was an escape from my misery.

Through pictures, and stories those places came alive. Early, I had been warned of the reality of one day being in such a camp because of my name and heritage. What no one understood, was for me, life was very much like one already. The final blow came one evening.

It was 10 pm. September 30, 1956. I was sitting in the living room. It was time to go to bed. The phone shattered the evening air and mother ran to answered it. The phone had never rang that late before. I and my brother and sister slowly went into the dining room. A sense of deep foreboding as thick as fog arose. Even to this day I hate the sound of a phone late at night. Little was said, but listening intently, I began to cry, I knew, without a word, I knew. Mother said yes, and hung up the phone. Turning she said, “your father has died, he has been dead several days, we must go to Oklahoma City tomorrow.”

I was overwhelmed with hopelessness. Not out of love for my father, who had never been there for me, rather within me died the hope of escape from my personal hell.

Several days later overwhelmed with my situation, at the cemetery I emotionally, or actually, jumped up and down on his grave with fierce anger. But it did not help nor forestall the desperateness of my existence. A desperateness from which there was no escape. I remember that I had almost escaped a few weeks before by accident.

A heavy summer rain had filled the canal a few blocks from our house and I had decided to swim in the canal. The rushing waters was totally unexpected, and I was pulled under a large pipe jammed with debris being swept downstream. I was caught underneath and almost drown. Now, I was drowning for sure and certain.

Six weeks later, after the death of my father, near the end of October walking home from school the Lord as clear as day ask me if I wanted Him to be my Father? Steams of hope raced through my soul, and I answered with an unequivocal yes. Hell, for me remained, but it was no longer hopeless.

Hopelessness is an emotionally devastating experience. Often it results in deep depression and even eventual suicide. The roots of hopelessness can be traced to several situations and great distress either physically, emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually. The only real solution to me is a relationship with the Father.

11-16-2020 – A Word to the Wise – On the power of obedience

There is nothing in all of creation more powerful for the human than obedience. Nothing affects man’s existence more than this quality. It governs intellect, emotions, and physical ability. The ultimate obedience is rooted in the fear of the Lord. The least obedience is discovered in passive compliance with society’s customs.

The foundation of obedience or disobedience as the case may be, begins in early childhood. Beginning about the age of two and extending through four, the child experiences a series of trials the outcome of which influences a lifetime of behavior. Often known as the terrible two’s, a child repeatedly must choose obedience or disobedience. As this process develops, the child experiences a chemical release in the brain resulting in feelings of joy, peace, or euphoria when he obeys. A wise parent will discover that repeated obedience calms the child. The child should receive an instant reward for obedience.

Conversely, each stimulus of disobedience brings a chemical release which results in distraction, agitation, and insecurity. During this period lasting from about 18 months to three years, the child experiences intense releases of these chemicals as a result of obedience or disobedience. The releases of these chemicals continue into adulthood.

I am suggesting that when we are obedient, our bodies physically experience an event that promotes physical health. When we are disobedient, our bodies experience a physical event which causes physical deterioration. This is a lifelong process.

The heart and mind show the effects of obedience/disobedience. The function of obedience is a trait rooted in the spirit of man.

11-2-2020 – A Word to the Wise – On Prayer

Notice we have church prayers, family prayers, group prayers, elder’s prayers, peoples prayers with all this praying I would think a few mountains would move. But they are not moving. Have you noticed in scripture most of the prayers are offered by individuals? Not all but most. Something else not often notice about these prayers by individuals is one always knows who is responsible for the prayer and the answer. More specifically in our time just who is the Lord listening too? Consider please how do we know whom the Lord listens too? More specifically how does one discover whose prayer is being answered in any given matter? As you look at scripture you are never left to wonder whose prayer. It is always apparent. The reason it is obvious is so that others will notice the depth of this person’s faith, marvel and desire to obtain the same degree of faith. Yes even to move mountains. I have an idea how in our time that may be determined. Do you?

11-1-2020 – A Word to the Wise – How to know whose prayer is answered.

Scripture gives a few clues as to how to know whose prayers is answered. As one searches passages one quickly discovers that in most circumstances it is a matter of time. For instance with Jesus it is repeated over and over again that it was immediate. Even with others in both the Old and New Testament it is an immediate determination.

A couple of incidents occur with Jesus where in one case the man returns home and ask when the healing occurs and is told the same hour the day before when Jesus told him so. So what are we saying here? You are ask to pray write down the time and purpose. Write down your request of the Lord and see when and if it is answered.

Perhaps even better wait till 2 or 3 A.M. and pray when no one else is. Then later ask when the person improved.

The problem with us is much like the circumstance with Peter in prison. The assembly got to gather to pray yet they did not believe Peter would be released. That is why the girl is astounded when he stands at the door and knocks.

So test your prayer life see if the Lord is listening to you.

10-31-20 – A Word to the Wise – The ability to heal is determined and purposed not for the benefit of self rather that others will marvel at the power of God and believe.

As we look at scripture in each circumstance we discover that the purpose is to impact the depth of belief either by the person but more the belief of others. This lacking in our prayers tor the sick today. We seek only the welfare of the person, when we ought to seek that God may be glorified.

10-29-2020 – A Word to the Wise – Happiness without gratitude is a as remote as an earth without a sun. Cannot you just imagine the horror if suddenly we had to grope about in continual darkness, and yet we marvel because our spirits grope for the sunshine it needs to spread happiness abroad in our hearts. When we refuse to be grateful we refuse the light of happiness.

Happiness is in belonging not getting.

10-26-2020 – A Word to the Wise – WHAT IS MISSING?

Notice how we talk together. We read the Lord’s word together. We sing songs of praise to the Lord together. We even, at times pray together.

Do you see what is missing? Malachi 3:16, ‘ A book of Remembrance was written before (or about) him, and shared with others. It is my opinion, that what is missing that would make a world of difference in our relationships is this matter of individuals writing down life time experience of what the Lord has done for them and sharing this with others openly. Why is this important? The answer is in your hands. We read the faith experiences of the godly one to four thousand years old. Things written for our learning, shared with men of old. It has been an example and influenced literally billions over the years. That is our example. I sit here looking at perhaps twenty or more journals kept over the years some as old as sixty years ago spelling out the details of mighty deeds the Lord has done. Someone is going to have a real time reading them after I am gone. Perhaps they should have been shared before then.