Ecclesiastes 12:10

  As rulers go, King Uzziah was about as good as it gets. In 2 nd Chronicles 26, we read about his rule. Taking the throne at sixteen years of age, he ‘ did right in the sight of the LORD’ . He defeated some of Israel worst enemies and forced others to pay tribute.  His fame spread across the region. He improved the infrastructure of the cities, was a friend to the farmer, and strengthened the military. He not only increased the manpower of his nation but brought in new technology and innovation as well.  You name it, religion, power, prestige, technology, defense, agricultural; he excelled in them all during his reign.      Except at the end.  In 2 Chronicles 26:16 we read: But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.   He wanted to go and lead the worship. He was a king, a ...

  Tom Osbourne, the legendary coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, was a great recruiter but the one recruit he regrets not getting was Marshall Faulk.  While several big-name programs were after him, Nebraska seemed to have the inside edge. Osbourne had charmed all the people in Faulk’s life, his mother, his teacher, his coaches, even Faulk himself. However, they made one crucial error. They were recruiting him as a defensive back. Marshall wanted to run the ball. So when the less notable program of San Diego State said they’d let him carry the ball, he signed with them.  In his second game as a freshman, he set the record for yards in a single game. He would run all the way to the NFL and the Hall of Fame.     What could he have done at Nebraska, a team known for its great running game? We’ll never know because they never bother to ask Marshal Faulk if he wanted to be a running back.   David did something similar. He wanted to build a nice ced...

  In the book of 2 nd Kings 2, we have one of the most unusual, violent and curious passages in scripture. It involves the prophet Elisha siccing a couple of bears on some kids that were mocking his bald head.    As a guy that is a little light on top that has been around some surly kids, I can feel for the guy. But seriously a bear attack? On kids? What is going on? ….young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"  When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 2 nd Kings 2:23-25  It might help to explore the passage a bit more. The baldhead statement: This was an identifying mark of the prophet as opposed to Elijah who was hairy (1st Kings 1:8) a jab to say you are not him. The taunt to go up: Elijah has just been taken into heaven by the Lord a sight seen by ...

  If I have learned anything in my life, it is that for most things we do we have two reasons. The reason we give and the real reason.   The reason we give is the politically correct, well-reasoned, people pleasing response. It, however, isn’t always the real reason. Our real reason may be petty, or self-serving. We may have it but we can’t say it, so we come up with another reason for our action   A great example of this occurs in 1 st Kings:  “Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah." So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt. " 1st KI...

  Enzo Ferrari felt he made a pretty good car.  So when a customer had a complaint about a weak clutch in one of his high-end sports cars, he was a bit miffed. What did he know! The customer in question worked on tractors!  Ferrari responded to the man, “You may be able to drive a tractor but you will never be able to handle a Ferrari properly."   So that customer, Ferruccio Lamborghini, decided to make an even better car, the perfect car in his mind.  He made his first production car in 1964, the 350 GTV. Today that particular car can go for $300,000 at auction.   Maybe the tractor guy did know a thing or two…   It is easy when we have people point out faults to dismiss what they say. They don’t know what I know. They have not been in my shoes. Who do they think they are? While there is a lot of undue criticism, we would be foolish to think that there isn't something we can be doing better. A scoffer does not love one who reproves...

  There is a room at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, Minnesota that will drive you mad.  One person has been able to withstand the room for 45 minutes, but most can't last more than thirty.  Some people can't even make it inside the room at all.  It’s not the color of the walls or the decorations that drive people bonkers. In fact, it isn’t what the room has that causes the effect; it is what it doesn’t have, sound.   This room holds the Guinness World Record for the world's quietest place. The anechoic chamber, which means "no echo", is able to absorb 99.99% of sounds. The sound level in the room is negative 9.4 decibels, but humans can hear sounds only above zero decibels (an average quiet room is about 30 decibels).  It is so quiet that many people find it unbearable to stay inside since and it often disorients people or causes them to hallucinate. Other senses are amplified without the reflection of sound off the walls, and without t...

  Recently the social media site Facebook launched Facebook Live. Like other platforms, it offered users a chance to broadcast to the world events from their daily lives. Everyone could be famous. However, the fame that has been garnered has been more infamy than acclaim. Teens abusing a mentally challenged boy. Athletes recording private events. It seems in the desire for fame people will do terrible and foolish things   It reminds me of an actor named John. John came from an acting family. His father was famous thespian, despite a drinking problem. His brothers both made a name for themselves on the stage, especially his older brother Edwin. John was obsessed with fame.  He told his sister, " Fame, fame, fame I must have fame!”   John was able to make a career on the stage. His acting was mediocre but his good looks and physical presence kept him employed. But John longed for something more, he wanted to be known and remember as a hero, as someone grea...

  My second ‘job’ is in sports broadcasting. OK that sound way more legitimate than it really is. For the last couple of years I have been lucky enough to get to broadcast the Hope Bobcat High school football games for the local radio station. It’s not really a job more like a hobby that someone else lets me do.       When I first got the gig, I was terrified about how bad I would be.  I tried to read up on any advice I could find about calling football and made it a point to listen to as many radio and TV broadcasts as I could to try and pick up anything to improve.  It is one thing to hear a broadcast it is another to try and do one!  After two seasons, I’m not sure if I have gotten any better but one strange thing I have noticed is I’m a lot more critical of the announcers of any game. Now I pick up more of the broadcast foibles, poor explanations, redundancy, errors those kinds of things. Even in those at the top of business, I hear things...

     Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred ninety two.  Every good boy does fine.  My very excellent mother just served us nine planets. The Great Lakes are HOMES.    You may recognize these mnemonic devices from your school days [i] , the little memory trick you employed to keep those random facts in your head.  The repetition does something to your brain, making those easily quickly forgotten facts somehow stick.    It however can seem a little childish. I know as a preacher, I blush a little when I still sing my books of the Bible when looking up a passage. While the simple technique may be effective, we might dismiss it as somewhat immature.    That is exactly what Isaiah’s critics are doing in Isaiah 28:9-13; " To whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?  "For He says, 'Order on order, ord...

   There is a joke that is going around, “How can you tell if the person at the party is a vegan? Don’t worry, they will let you know.”    I guess that means vegans are not afraid to brag about themselves and their accomplishments. It’s not just the vegans however. It’s the ultra-informed voters or the organic market extremists or the five figure club members.  It is the super dads, the academic all-stars, the Bible thumpers, the healthy living fanatics, or the triple marathon runners.  Maybe it is the green police, the homeschool warriors, the extreme couponers, the grammar Nazi or just the “cool kids”.  Those that think because of x you are much better than all the y’s in life.    Now most of these things are not bad in and of themselves. If you want to teach your kid at home, eat a restrictive diet, exercise a lot and always use who and whom correctly, that’s great, more power to you.  That’s not the problem. The proble...

   In the book of 3 rd John, we see a church in turmoil.  Paul is writing to Gaius, a church elder, about a continual problem in the church that seems to surround one man Diotrephes. Two Views of One Man    We don't know the role Diotrephes played in the church.  He could have been a minister, elder, deacon or just a member. We do however see he has enough influence that he is attempting to run the show.  If you talked to him, he is the one that is keeping the church straight. He’s the leader they need. He can tell you all about the negative influences, who you shouldn't be listening to and what you should be doing.  He has the answers and there is no need to consider anyone else’s point of view.    John however sees something very different. He sees a man full of arrogance and ambition.  One who is doing harm to the church there and the work of spreading the Gospel elsewhere.  John sees a man that need to be ca...

  An Ad hominem attack is one that rather than dealing with the situation or issue, you attack the person making the argument.  Some people by their character and conduct make this an simple job. It’s easy to state their flaws and let that ruin their words.  It might be easy but it's not always right.  Those whose arguments are only about tearing others down will themselves be easy to tear down.   Over the years, I have noticed the men that have had great success in long term ministry are not “brother bashers”.  It can be easy to pick out the flaws we see in others but that attack eventually will turn sour.  To last, you have to lift people up not tear them down.  Some of the preachers I think most highly of are ones that I can barely ever remember having a negative word to say about anyone .  These men are completely sound and will reprove error but they don't attack people .  They preach to problems not pe...

   John  Sedwick was a civil war general that is remembered for his last words more than his military record. During a battle in 1864, his troops were probing skirmish lines ahead of Confederate defenses and he was directing artillery placements. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards away and their shots had caused members of his staff and artillerymen to duck for cover and suggest he do the same. Instead Sedgwick strode around in the open and was quoted as saying, " What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line ?" Although ashamed, his men continued to flinch, so Sedwick replied, " I'm ashamed of you, dodging that way. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance. " Well you may have guess what happened next. Just seconds later he fell forward with a bullet hole below his left eye.     Proverbs 12:15   The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who lis...