DUMP TIME:                                               

            One thing every landscaper has to plan for is “Dump Time.”   You know, making time (hopefully early in the day) for a visit to the bathroom to do some business.   Since our Colon’s main purpose is to transport water, salt, and solid waste out of our bodies anything we can do to improve and regulate that process is vital.  An essential for good Colon health is sufficient hydration.

            Landscapers already need to consume large amounts of water to avoid dehydration that can lead to sun stroke and kidney stones, so consuming more H20 is never a bad thing.    The Bible often uses the word “Water” to symbolize Holy Spirit and God’s Word (Scripture.)   In Galatians 5:19-21, the Apostle Paul instructs us eliminate sinful practices like “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like this,”(NLT.)   Instead, in verses 22-23, he points out that “the Holy Spirit produces…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”

            Its multiple encounters with Holy Spirit activating God’s Word in our lives that help flush out the sinful practices and produce fruits of His Spirit.   May our churches be filled with Christians well hydrated and ready for service!   Today, Lord draw us by your Spirit deeper into your Living Word, that we can be purged of sinful practices that are replaced by bountiful luscious Spiritual Fruit.   In the Strong and Mighty Name of Jesus we ask this – Amen.

l

Spiritual Irrigation System – Part 2:

          Scientists are always reminding us that H20, aids in keeping our cells and organs healthy and functioning at peak performance.  In scripture, water represents TRUTH. We know that Jesus declared Himself to be THE way THE TRUTH and THE life (John 14:6.)  For the last two thousand years, faithful men and women have poured out their lives, sharing the awesome TRUTH of Jesus Christ with a thirsty world. Believers have been called to share this living water with others as part of God’s World-Wide Spiritual Irrigation System.

          Even if we as His sprinkles and pipe-work burnout, fatigue, and become exhausted, God is going to get the job done.  Yet, how can we prevent a break in our pipes?  Jeremiah 2:13 says, “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me — the fountain of living water and they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all! (NLT)”

          What are the things that cause a break in the Spiritual Irrigation System?  First, NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.   PVC pipe to become brittle and break.  Using the spiritual analogy, the more we harden our hearts the easier it becomes to develop a crack in our vessel and then we become ineffective for God.  Second, PRESSURE from a crowding tree root can crack lines.  Are there competing forces or people you need more distance from?  Third, Pipes can be PUNCTURED (as with an edger.  Not that I have any experience with that.)  Finally, EXCESSIVE WEIGHT from a heavy truck running over the ground above can break a pipeline. 

          If we want to keep ourselves, the Pastors, and other leaders functioning at peak performance, THE CHURCH needs to be looking for ways to avoid pipe breakage and cracking.  Decreasing pressures, preventing punctures, and minimizing normal wear and tear takes sensitivity and attention from every church member.  We are all part of His body and connected in one function and purpose. Take it from one who has helped repair seventeen broken pipelines.  It’s much easier to prevent a leak than fix one! God Bless!

Spiritual Irrigation System:

          A couple of winters ago, I helped a customer fix a faulty irrigation system.  As we began revamping sprinkler heads and fixing cracked lines, I thought of the similarities of repairing a SPIRTUAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

          The Process: 1. Find the source of the leak. 2. Determine what parts are needed for the repair.  3. Shut off the water source and/or cap off the broken line.  4. Drive to the hardware store and purchase the right sized pipe, couplers, glue, and a pipe cutter. 5. Dig out a reasonable work space (around and under the leak.) 6. Cut away the cracked or damaged pipe.  7. Glue both sprinkler pipe ends (1 inch from lip of pipe end,) inside of two straight couplers. 8. Fit the piece of repair pipe into the length of the cut you made in the sprinkler line.  9. (Test the fittings of this before gluing.) 10. Glue pieces together and test water system before the hole is re-filled. Wow, I’m tired just telling you about it.

          In the Spiritual Irrigation system, I like to think of Pastors and Missionaries as pulsating sprinkler heads (shooters,) faithfully distributing God’s word to His people. Evangelists might be seen as autonomous portable sprinklers capable of hooking up with local water sources and hosing down a community of believers with God’s Truth. A wide variety of other ministries such as the arts and media can share in widening the coverage of God’s truth; however, most of us are called to serve in churches, basically doing our work underground as pipe-work or conduits of God’s truth.

          As individuals when our digestion system becomes clogged we experience stomach aches.  Spiritually speaking, how clear are your pipes?   Do you have trash or clutter blocking your spiritual channel of God’s Truth?  Why not take a few moments today and wash out the junk of greed, lust, pride, selfishness, and other sins that so easily block the flow of God’s water (His truth-the Word) in us?  

                                                                 Don’t Scratch It!

When I trim elephant ear plants it usually only takes about 15 minutes before I start itching.   My mother always told when it itches don’t scratch it.  That was easy for her to say.  She wasn’t the one itching.  Over time, I’ve come to accept the fact that she was right.  If I could give it about thirty minutes the itching would subside.   As a rule, I’ve found that to be true for insect bites and poison ivy too.

Negative emotions like fear, anger, worthlessness, and depression can be just as annoying as an itch making it difficult to deal with life.  Too often, pain becomes something we can’t sooth or run away from.   If we accept the premise that all pain will pass in time we can learn to “sit with the pain.”  Forcing ourselves to endure the discomfort long enough to analyze and process our thoughts and feelings can help us grow.

We see in Psalm 147:3 that God: “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (curing their pains and their sorrows.) (Amplified Version).   Yet, Jesus doesn’t heal and comfort anyone who doesn’t come to Him in humility and trust.   As we learn to sit with the pain, it’s as if the presence and love of God becomes more real.  Perhaps the experience is an opportunity to learn how to “enter into Christ’s suffering.” 1 Peter 4:13 tells us that in this same way that when we “participate in the sufferings of Christ,” we may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (NLT.)

“Dear Father, I’m seldom overjoyed by my itches, irritations, stresses, and fears of this life, yet I’m willing to exercise patience and endure them because I know I can find strength and growth in you.

fasa

                             God Brings Order: 

          Grabbing my wallet, I reached the keys.  No keys.  Ugh,  I always place my keys, wallet, and cell together on the table next to the front door.   The frantic search begins and wouldn’t you know it, I’m already running late.  Checking my pants (worn the previous day) I can hear a faint ring tone.  Then, I realized it was missing too.  I dropped the pants and raced from room to room in search of the cell, but it stopped ringing before I could find the dumb thing.  Soon I hear a beep signaling a message. I spot the cell on counter, but there is still no sign of my wallet.  Making the way back to the bedroom, I find and begin listening to message.   It’s my wife  asking why I’m not there yet?  BECAUSE I STILL CAN’T FIND THE BLASTED PHONE!

            Do you ever have days like this?  In seconds, a peaceful day can be turned into chaos.  Sometimes, I find it reassuring to remember that when God made Adam and Eve He placed them in the center of everything good He created.  While the evils of chaos can’t replace God’s design, Satan has been given permission to upset our relationships.  Yet, as Christians we have been removed from the devil’s chaotic control and are born again to live as re-created beings. 

            We can make a choice to seek wisdom and live in peace.  James 1:5 (NIV) states: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without   finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  Later in James 3:17, he describes God’s “wisdom as first being pure.  It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”  

            After the call from my wife, I took a deep breath, sat down at my desk, and with child like humbleness asked God for wisdom.   My calm returned and I knew everything would be ok.  There, next to a book on top of the printer, were my keys.   God (alone)    brings order out of chaos.   Do your life lack organization?   Are you out of God’s order and plan?  Re-arranging only takes a minute.  

           

Dismemberment or Detachment?

                There’s a customer I enjoy visiting, but when I saw his new Doberman peered at me from behind the electronic fence…  I had a choice to make.  I could walk-up and greet my customer as usual and become dismembered OR I could make a phone call and physically detach myself from the dangerous environment.   (I chose the later.)

                Since the time of Christ, believers have struggled with issue of dismemberment or dis-fellowship.  We have Bible passages which speak of putting space between the true disciple of Jesus and a habitual unrepentant believer.    (These passages are found in Matthew 18:15-17, I Corinthians 5:1-8, 2 Corinthians 2: 5-11, and Romans 16:17.)   Just the same, it’s both hard and important to see that the Word exhorts us to put up TEMPORARY boundaries with the unrepentant person until they become contrite and willing to change.  

                As with my canine example above, I like to think of the word detach instead of dismember.   Why not replace ex-communication with “loving detachment?”  In place of public shunning can’t we still offer a simple smile?   Couldn’t we consider brief cordial interactions instead of complete banishment?  Even when a person has been “dis-fellowshipped,” I find no scriptural instructions exhorting us to stop praying for that individual. 

                If we “lovingly detach,” integrity of the church is maintained and our loyalty and focus remains on honoring Christ.  Through detachment we can avoid dangerous situations while at the same time giving others the freedom and privilege to be themselves.  I think George Herbert got it right when he said, “Love your neighbor yet pull not down your hedge.”   How do those hedges look in your life?  Should they grow a little higher or need a trim?

:

Dismembered?

Nope.  This guy isn’t me, but amputations are on the rise.   They occur as a result of trauma, congenital defects, cancer, and diabetes.   

Ok it was a stupid thing.  I mowing and hit a bump.  The floating deck became unlevel.  When I stepped off to adjust it, I guess I must have still been half asleep.   My headphones were on and I didn’t hear or see that the blades were still spinning.  Anyway, the tip of my finger got too close to the blade and yikes!   In an instant, my middle finger tip was dangling. 

I know.   Gross out!   How stupid could I be?   Believe it or not I felt no pain. 

Immediately, I drove to my wife’s school and got her to drive me to the emergency room.   Several hours later, a hand surgeon stitched the tip back on.  I was told I had a fifty-fifty shot.  As the weekend drug on, the finger tip darkened and began to stink.  Yep, it was disgusting.  The finger tip had to be amputated.

After a finger flap surgery, six weeks of hand immobility, and three months of physical rehabilitation my newly repaired fingertip looked normal.  Thank God.  I was blessed! 

Prior to these two decades of war, the vast majority of our amputations in the United States occurred because of uncontrolled diabetes.  Whatever the cause, dismemberment affects the entire body in variety of ways. 

When my hand was immobilized, I needed help.   Sure, I continued to work using the left limb and my casted hand as an assist.   Can you picture me out there weed-eating, edging, blowing, and even bagging grass clippings?  My Eyes and ears become hyper vigilant.  The worst part was having to use my mouth and tongue to explain everyone what happened.   I know what you’re thinking.  My brain must have taken the day off.       

In Ephesians 2:19, we are told that God no longer considers us foreigners.   We are “members of God’s family,” (NLT.)   As the BODY of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 reminds us to “care for each other.  If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it,” (NLT.)  

Just as with the physical body, dismemberment is rare and unnatural; so it is with the body of Christ.  While there is a place for dismemberment in the church (I’ll be discussing that in an upcoming post) the Word of God encourages Christ’s body of believers to work together.   (See Psalm 133:1, Romans 12:16, Romans 14:19,1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Cor. 12:25, and 1 Cor. 13:11.)   In Colossians 3:14, he says: “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony,” (NLT.)   Are you living in harmony with others, the family, and yourself?

Ready to Lead?

Any good boss must first learn how to lead by example.  Integrity is key.   He or she must not only understand, follow, and give direction, but also employ it with humility.  When an immature director lacks compassion and forgets what its like to be led, they soon experience mutiny among the minions. 

The best leaders continue to be taught, analyze, invent, delegate, and predict potential problems.  Successful, chiefs discover how to moderate their sense of passion with kindness.  It can be tricky learning to be authoritative, yet not prickly.  Seriousness, when taken to an extreme, can manifest itself by a sense of superiority and an overbearing attitude.   

Efficient supervisors will be conscientious and prepare for problems ahead of time.  As John Piper says, “servant-hood does not nullify leadership; it defines it.  Jesus does not cease to be the Lion of Judah when He becomes the lamblike servant of the church.” 

As the Church of Jesus Christ, we need passionate, competent, compassionate leaders’ ready to guide God’s people forward.  Are you ready to take the lead?