In the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” there is a dialogue about the devil.

Pete: I’ve always wondered, what’s the devil look like?

Everett:  Well, there are all manner of lesser imps and demons, Pete, but the great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, and he carries a hay fork.

Tommy: Oh, no. No, sir. He’s white, as white as you folks, with empty eyes and a big hollow voice. He likes to travel around with a mean old hound. That’s right.

The three main characters in the movie escaped from jail and are being pursued by a man that fits the description that Tommy gave. They recognize him as the law but not the devil. Then toward the end of the movie the man bearing this description admits he is not the law.

2 Corinthians 11:14

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

The adversary, along with Hollywood, would have us believe that the faces of evil are hideous, dark red faces with horns. When in reality, evil is anything that has the propensity to separate us from God. Satan’s main goal is to get us to reject the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit that convicts our heart of sin and draws us to Jesus Christ. So, if the adversary can trick us into feeling we have reached a point that we cannot be forgiven, or, if he can just numb us to where we feel nothing, he has met his goal. Being human, we have the capacity to make mistakes, wrong choices and commit sin. Satan’s goal is to get us so filled up with regret and guilt by our “own” choices that we cannot forgive ourselves; much less ask a Holy God for forgiveness.

2 Corinthians 12:7

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Jesus and His disciples were in the upper room, hours before Jesus would be tried, punished and crucified. Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was to come. In their dialogue it is reveled that He knew Judas would betray Him and that Simon Peter would deny Him three times before sunrise. Knowing what was to follow and how each disciple would react, Jesus did nothing except show them genuine Godly love. He broke the bread and poured the wine showing a renewed covenant relationship with all of them. Then, after the meal, he wrapped a towel around His waist and started washing their feet.

“Man has received two great spiritual needs. One is for forgiveness. The other is for goodness”. Billy Graham

From the time when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, life is made up of choices. We all can look back on how we should have made better choices, or how we made a few right choices by mistake. Billy Graham, at age 92, reflected on this in an interview question with Greta Van Susteren. When she asked “If you had the opportunity to live your life over again, what would you change”? Graham stated “I would study more. I would pray more, travel less and take less speaking engagements”. This should be an example that no matter who we are, each person that has lived on this earth looks back and would like to change something.

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is known as the “Faith Hall of Fame.” Each person mentioned by name is considered to have accomplished great works of faith, so their deeds are written down for eternity as an example to us all. Yet, with few exceptions, the people mentioned there either lied, killed someone, got drunk, was a prostitute, rebelled against God, committed adultery, stole, swindled, I could keep going…… The point I want to make in this writing, and shout out with my entire being, is this: No matter what you have done in the past, no matter how you feel you have disappointed God, your family, or yourself, God’s grace and love is greater! He has a greater purpose for your life.

He is jealous for me,

Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden,

I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me.

Oh, how He loves us, oh,

Oh, how He loves us,

How He loves us so

“How He Loves” John Mark McMillan

The layers of not forgiving ourselves deal with not accepting God’s grace, not forgiving others and getting in a cycle of regret; if only I had not done this or said that. We have been programmed by traditions, denominations and churches that the Bible is all about rules and we have to follow those rules to perfection, or we will not be fit for the Kingdom. The truth is that none of us are perfect or fit for the kingdom. We all have “stuff” in our lives.  That is why Jesus Christ came and died for our sins. When He died it was for ALL our sins and imperfections, not just the pretty ones.  It was for our guilt, our shame and our regrets.  It was for everything we have ever done. He died once, for all our sins.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

If we are to come to the path of forgiving ourselves, we have to understand that God’s love and grace is continual. His mercy endures forever. Satan whispers in our ear, “you are not good enough, you have failed, you cannot be forgiven, you should not act like you are a Christian, you do not measure up”. If we accept this thought, we will began to slowly reject the Holy Spirit’s call of repentance and the drawing to Jesus Christ. We may withdraw and feel isolated, then turn inward to things like alcohol, different types of drugs, relationships and other “things” so we don’t have to face ourselves. We can commit a type of mental suicide by making our mind so busy or sluggish that we do not have to think about our past choices or failures. We feel rejected, so we think everyone else feels that same way toward us.

Luke 22:31

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

The disciples sat at the feet of Jesus. They had seen His miracles and His transforming power; yet, in their last few moments together before His death, Jesus took time to remind them of His grace and love them through communion and washing their feet. Like the “Faith Hall of Fame,” we now call these men apostles and have built cathedrals in their names and given them sainthood. Jesus knew them as men with “dirty feet”. God uses our weakness more than our strengths to accomplish His will in this earth. There were two distinct outcomes between Judas and Simon Peter. Judas hung himself. He listened to the voice that told him he had failed and could never be forgiven. Simon Peter listened to the words of Jesus, and understood his greater purpose. Peter continued in the faith and strengthened the church when five weeks later he came down from the upper room filled with the Holy Spirit, then began preaching the Gospel to the world.

1 John 1:8

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

As we forgive ourselves, we have to understand that God’s forgiveness comes to us like a hurricane. We have to see Satan for who he is, not red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, but that nagging voice that comes to us in our dark hours and says we have failed and cannot be forgiven. When we see through God’s eyes we will see that Satan isolates with rejection, hatred and bitter feelings, while God brings together through grace, love and forgiveness.

Several years ago my wife and I got a few spearmint sprigs to plant in one of our flower beds.  Wow, what a mistake! We had thoughts of a refreshing minty scent blowing through the summer breeze.  We also had visions of using a few leaves to adorn our meals. At first we set out a couple of sprigs, innocent enough, but the next spring those few sprigs had taken over the whole flower bed.  First, we tried pulling them up.  We thought we got rid of every plant.  Then, the next season they came back with a vengeance.  The root system was amazing!  They came up everywhere. I’m convinced if we had not taken a garden tiller and tilled up the flower bed, by now those sprigs would have taken over the world!

Here is a tweet from a Member of Parliament from the United Kingdom, that went viral a few months back, (7 years as an MP. Still waiting for a “Christian” to send me a letter on child poverty. Plenty on homosexuality and abortion. Reply; Retweeted …)

 Matthew 5:16

Ye are the salt of the earth:but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

I am not a fan of polls, because I believe polls can be manipulated.  But one poll I have read in the past several years is the approval ratings of Christians and the Christian church.  The trends have continued to drop.   We do not live in the same world our parents grew up in, where Christians were respected.  We now live in a world that is beginning to have an unfavorable opinion of Christians.   I know part of this is due to Christians being presented as wacko’s anytime they are shown on a TV show and/or interviewed on news programs.   I also understand that Jesus taught that as followers we would endure persecution and hardships (I get that), but He was referring to standing up for, and living out the Gospel.   Christians have become sidetracked.  We continue to wage war on people, rather than the evil or the sin.  We are no longer salty and have lost our viability, we are no longer making a difference.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The goal of Christians should not be simply to win an argument, nor simply to have the best managed campaign.  Winning public opinion is good, but does not take the place of the Gospel.   If we were able to go to Planned Parenthood and debate them as to when human life began, and have them finally admit that abortion is murder, then,  if we accompany their representative to interviews on every news venue across this nation, having them give full disclosure of their new found truth, the next day nothing would change.  They would still have no trouble aborting the unborn at the same number as the day before. Evil is not overcome by winning debates, holding up posters or organizing rallies.  It is like  my struggle with the sprigs of mint, we are only fighting what we see, the real battle is underneath the surface.  Jesus Christ did not come down to earth and die on the cross so we Christians could brag about being right.  He came to seek and to save those that are lost, dying and going to an eternal hell.   If simply winning an argument would save the world, all we would need to do is join a debate team and practice.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes…

One of my favorite kings from the Old Testament is Josiah.  His grandfather, Manasseh, was notably one of the most evil kings in the history of Judah.  His father, Ammon, was also evil and was assassinated after reigning only two years. Josiah became king when he was eight years old. Josiah started seeking God when he was young and began tearing down the places where false gods had been honored and worshiped by his fathers.  At age twenty six, seeing a need to repair and refurbish the temple of God, he found out there was money and offerings that had already been collected for the work, but no one had cared enough to start the project.  He sent his scribe, Shaphan, to the temple with money so that the construction workers could be hired.  After the work began, the High priest, Hilkaih, found the ancient Book of the Law that had been given by Moses.  Shaphan carried the book back to Josiah and read it out loud. Josiah, upon hearing the Law, tore his clothes and humbled himself and prayed, for he realized his father and grandfather had sinned, causing the people to sin. His repentance and actions held off God’s judgement on the land for generations.

Mark 12:28

…“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ’ The second is this:‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

In the history of Judah, King Josiah was considered a great reformer, bringing the people back to God.  If you analyze his actions they were easy to understand, not complicated, not glamorous, not saving the world like Superman.   He simply took small actions on the things he saw that were needed to honor God.  First, he got rid of anything that honored false gods.  Then, he realized the temple needed repairing.  He then started that process, which lead him to find the money that had already been accumulating.  He then sent those funds to the temple so workers could be hired to accomplish the repairs.  As the repair process started, Ancient Words were found.  Ancient Words that had been given in generations past, but had been lost or misplaced (maybe from lack of use or interest).  Once these Words were read, Josiah responded with humility, prayer and repentance.

Could you believe if I carried my own cross?

If I saw that the children were fed

If for a moment I held my opinion

And quietly led, could you believe?

Could you believe if I was really like Him If I lived all the words that I said If it was clear that I held  in my heart What I know in my head Looking at me, Could you believe? – TWILA PARIS – COULD YOU BELIEVE

As followers of Christ, we are not all called to build glass cathedrals, nor are we all called to be missionaries in the Congo.  We are simply called to do what we already know to do.  Look around at our lives and our homes and get rid of anything that does not honor Christ. Stop supporting unGodly things in our life, cleanse our home of TV shows and magazines that defend the very things we speak out against.  Use the Internet for good, not for evil.  Then, we should find a local Bible-believing congregation and support it.   Not just with our presence.  We should get involved, get our hands dirty, give our offerings that have been going to honor other things, and now let them honor God.  Find out where we fit:  feeding the poor, teaching the children about God, visiting jails, helping the single parents, helping the widows; there is always something that we need to do.  Next, let us repent and then apply the Ancient Words that we already know to our lives.  As Matthew 7 teaches, let’s take the plank out of our eyes, so we will be able to help take the speck out of our neighbors eye.  Let’s worry about our own sin and stop judging someone else’s sin, just because it is different.

     “Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergyman or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth.” —from a letter in the Works of John Wesley

The same polls that show an unfavorable opinion trending towards Christians also reflect that in 2012, 76% of the people in The United States claim to be Christian. The total population is considered to be around 315 million, so that would make around 239 million professing to be Christians.   If, tomorrow those 239 million woke up and silently followed the path and actions that King Josiah followed, it would change the world. God is a righteous judge and He will judge our world, but if we will humble ourselves and pray, then do what we know to do, He will heal our land.

1 Peter 4:17

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God…

When we tilled up the roots of the mint sprigs, with the garden tiller, we exposed them to the sun, they quickly died.  It is the Christians that are blocking the Son, not the world.

In the movie “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” there is a dialogue that takes place after Delmar and Pete get baptized.  Pete thinks because they had made it right with the Lord, all of their other wrong doings were resolved and they are now free men.

Pete: “The preacher said it absolved us.”

Everett: “For him, not for the law. I’m surprised at you, Pete. I gave you credit for more brains than Delmar.”

Delmar: “But they was witnesses that seen us redeemed.”

Everett: “That’s not the issue Delmar. Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the state of Mississippi’s a little more hard-nosed.”

Matthew 6:14

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

When we step up to the crossroads between forgiveness or un-forgiveness, we usually choose un-forgiveness. We feel that if we forgive, then we are somehow justifying the wrong of that person and that they will be pardoned by God or the law. Another problem as we look down the path of forgiveness is the layers; keeping our rights to hold onto our anger, wondering what others will think of us if we forgive, dealing with our emotions, trying to understand the how and why.  Even though we are older and hopefully more mature, we still tend to look at the offense the same way we did when it happened.

Matthew 5:44

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

The major idea that separates Jesus Christ’s teaching from any other man-made religion or ideology is His teaching about loving our enemy. There are people in everyone’s life that are unlovable. It’s easy to love our friends, but when it comes to enemies, we may say it, but do we really put it into practice? Let’s face it, loving our enemies (or those who have wronged us), takes more than we as humans can do, but, if we are to truly follow Jesus Christ, forgiveness is a path we must walk.

John 11:32

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

I think the story in John 11 about Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, being raised from the dead, talks more about forgiveness than we realize. Jesus was away and His friend, Lazarus, became sick.  Upon hearing the news of Lazarus’ sickness Jesus did nothing, then stayed away two more days. By the time He reached Bethany, Lazarus had died. Both Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters firmly told Jesus that if He had arrived sooner their brother would still be alive. Jesus proceeded to the tomb, and asked them to remove the stone where Lazarus was buried. Martha told Jesus that by then the body stank. Jesus then said “Lazarus, come forth”!  Lazarus came out of the grave wrapped in grave clothes.  Jesus said “loose him, let Him go.”

Ephesians 4:31

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

Ultimately all our anger and bitterness in this life, (if we are honest with ourselves), can be traced to our relationship with God. Like the statement of Martha and Mary, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” the enemy that hurt us would not have had power over us if Jesus had been there. Where was God when we needed Him? He could have stopped the enemy. He could have stopped the accident. If He is all powerful, He should have been there. Martha and Mary’s concern is also our concern. This could have all been avoided if only God had been there.

So, after time passes with no resolution, in order to deal with the pain, we bury it. Just like Lazarus we wrap it up in grave clothes and seal the door. Then the holidays or other occasions come and somehow the topic keeps rising to the surface. We hide our pain, sometimes through laughter or sometimes through tears. The more we rehearse it, the more it hurts (stinks), then a barrier comes between us and God. It becomes harder to pray.  We know we need to forgive  We are afraid to tell God our true feelings.

Matthew 5:41

If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

In the times of Jesus, the Romans occupied Judea. A Roman solider could ask a young man over 13 years of age to carry his back pack and armor. The young man was required to carry the pack one mile. Jesus, as usual, added the hard lesson and taught us to go the second mile. The first mile was required, the second mile became an investment. The first mile was walking with an enemy, the second was making a friend.

It is not everyday that we come to the crossroads of forgiveness.  We may pass it many times before we stop to ponder it’s path. Somehow we need to get to the point where we can think about taking a step. Praying for God’s help is the first place to start. We have to understand that we bury those we hate and that only God can resurrect the dead. We, in our human strength, are powerless to forgive. We have to depend on His Spirit and the direction of His Word. If we are to walk the path to forgiveness, we have to invest in our enemy. We have to walk the second mile. We can invest a short prayer, then possibly a small, good deed.  We have to “loose him, let him go”!   We have to take hold of the grave clothes and pull, one piece at a time.  Like medicine, it may taste bad at first, but its good for you. You will find out after you start the process that it is helping you and your well-being.

I realize this is a difficult.  I have had to learn and experience more about this subject than I really wanted to know. There are a lot of difficult topics that exist to cause a person to have to forgive. Each situation is personal and there is no cookie cutter idea that will cover it all. Forgiveness is a personal journey. The purpose of this writing is to say: just consider taking that path. It will help you. When we forgive, we are only forgiving in our hearts. We do not have to allow that person access to our lives or become best friends. We are not pardoning the offense or over-riding justice. We can let the state of Mississippi or whoever deal with that part. We are just allowing the wound in our heart to heal so that we, too, can be forgiven.

Matthew 6:12

Forgive us as we forgive others.

Proverbs 22:28

Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.

One of my favorite vacations as I was growing up was a visit to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I traveled with my parents up the coast starting at Morehead City across on a 2 hour ferry to the Outer Banks. I had such fond memories of visiting that area that I had always wanted to go back. A couple of years ago my wife and I were blessed to get to travel to Virginia Beach, so we decided to take our time and travel that route. As the days approached for our vacation in early September, there was a hint of Hurricane Irene foiling our plans. Sure enough, we were unable to take our intended route going, but all was clear coming back, so we traveled the one lone Highway 12 to visit the Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras. About 10 miles out we could see the silhouette of the light house. It was a perfect day. The hurricane had passed and there was nothing but blue skies and blue ocean with very little debris left from the storm.

We purchased tickets so we could walk to the top of the lighthouse and look out.  The photo at the top of this blog was one that I took that day. As we walked to the top, I wondered how many storms (like Irene) the lighthouse had endured and how many changes this country had seen since it was built. As we entered at the base, we saw two areas: one to the left and another to the right of the stairs that were set up as storm shelters, then there are spiral stairs going up as far as you could see. The present light house was built in 1870. At some point in the late 1930’s it became automated, but before then someone had to live next to the tower to keep it running properly. When I reached the top and looked out, I noticed that  the lighthouse now sat in a different location than it had when I was young. It had to be moved inland around 2,900 feet because over the years the ocean had eroded the beach to the point that it was beginning to compromise the foundation. If left in its original position next to the beach, it would have been impossible to maintain a solid foundation, then eventually it would have fallen and been destroyed.

Jeremiah 35:2

“Go to the Recabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

In Jeremiah, chapter 35 there is a story that is so interesting, it is hard to comprehend its significance. Jeremiah, the prophet, is told by God to go to the house of the descendants of Recab and bring them into one of the rooms of the temple and offer them wine. When Jeremiah obeyed God, the Recabites refused and were somewhat insulted that a prophet of God would ask them to drink wine. They had been commanded by their grandfather, Recab, to never drink wine. There were several other things that Recab had commanded: never build a house, never plant seed, or have a vineyard. As strange as this all seems, the purpose of their grandfather’s command was so they would not settle in with the ungodly people that lived in the land. His goal was that the Recabites stay pure in their beliefs of God and not defile themselves with sinful living.

This was not a lesson about alcohol consumption, this was a lesson about conviction. This lesson came in the final stages before the fall and disintegrating of the kingdom of Judah, and was one of God’s last warnings to that kingdom. The lesson was: if the people of Judah would listened and heed God’s law, like the descendants of Recab, then He would bless them. He then told Jeremiah to go bless the Recabites and tell them there would always be one of their descendants standing before God on this earth.

Song of Solomon 2:15

Catch for us the foxes,the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

The kingdom of Judah was established based on the Law that Moses received from God on Mt Sinai. These laws were the foundation to one of the wealthiest and greatest kingdoms ever recorded. Then, like all kingdoms past and present, one generation letting go of something, making a small, seemingly inconsequential compromise, begins to change the overall structure. The final result becomes unrecognizable to the Law it was founded on. Every empire or kingdom on this earth has risen to a point and fallen because the last generation lost sight of its original purpose.

Isaiah 59:14

So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.

Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

Each generation and nation is faced with the problem of Truth. Truth is like the laws of physics.  It does not change just because it becomes politically incorrect. Nations, religions, and even some Christian movements have taken the truth of God’s laws and either discounted them or replaced them with their own. Before we move a fence or boundary, we should always consider why it was put there in the first place.

Exodus 15:26

…If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Can we live without God’s Laws? Yes, but we end up with man-made laws of fairness that punish the innocent while letting the criminal go free. We end up with dictators, political prisoners, and oppression of whatever belief system is not popular.

Can we live without God’s moral laws? Yes, but we end up having to contend with AIDS, venereal diseases and a bitter world of broken relationships.

Can we live without God’s dietary law? Yes, but we live with high blood pressure, gallbladder problems and the quicker breakdown of the body’s health.

Hans Christian Anderson wrote a short story called “The Emperors New Clothes.”   In this story the emperor has two weavers who promised him new invisible clothes, to be seen only by those who are qualified to see them, but as the emperor was “wearing” them a small child said “but he is not wearing any clothes”!  The child’s father scolded him, but then slowly the other subjects begin to repeat that the child was right. The emperor was embarrassed at first, but then he felt it was better to go on pretending than to admit he had been tricked.

Psalms 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

The whole world crumbles around us and nations are working frantically to solve crises after crises. The basic foundations are eroding, families are splintered, pregnancy is treated like a disease, children are treated like a curse rather than a blessing, there is no reason to work, no reason to build wealth, no reason to pass on an inheritance.  The family unit has been replaced by government taking care of everything. World leaders think they have the answers at the top, but all the while they are allowing the systematic removal of the foundations of society. Ancient boundaries have been torn down and trampled. This world has “no clothes” but is too embarrassed to admit it, and just continues on the path to destruction with no repentance. Like the lighthouse, unless corrective measures are taken at the basic foundations, man’s world will fall and be destroyed.

The first time I read about the Recabites, I was in my early 20’s, trying to figure out for myself if God’s Word was true. So I challenged God in my mind by thinking, “okay God if the Bible is true and You are who You say You are, there should be proof that a descendant of the Recabites is still on the earth”.  One day while traveling through Atlanta, Georgia, I saw a huge billboard and I nearly ran off the road. It said “Recabites Construction Company” and gave an address and phone number.

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Living in Alabama we get very few snow events, maybe one or two a year at the most. A significant snow will be anything an inch or more. Once this occurs, or if the weathermen on all the stations get together and say it is going to occur, schools let out and it officially becomes a “snow day.” One of the last big snow events that happened a couple of years ago, the family all got to stay home. We went outside and built a snowman. I think it was a hobbit snowman, it was very short and the snow removed around its feet displayed the mud and grass. Once our fingers and toes got froze and we could not take anymore, we came inside and warmed ourselves by the heater, drank hot chocolate, ate snow cream, then took naps.

John 12:24
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

When Jesus called his disciples, I do not think they understood what they were getting into. He came by and simply called out “come follow me”. I think it was part curiosity and part the inward feeling of the Spirit drawing them. They followed a man who had no home, could quote the Hebrew Law, taught in the temple, could heal the blind, cast out demons and did not condemn sinners. Even though they did not totally get it, they did recognize that He was the Son of God. Things progressively got bad. The religious leaders were jealous and there were continual plots to bring Jesus down. Then, after an evening of fellowship and close communion, the drama started unfolding. Jesus was arrested. Peter fought at first, but then slipped into the shadows. Judas hanged himself out of guilt and grief. There is really no narrative in scripture as to where the other disciples went or what they were thinking. Then the next day they all watched Jesus bleeding, dying on a cross, and then giving up His last breath. It had to run through each of their minds, “why did I follow this man”?
There were no greeting cards at the drug store that anyone could buy to make them feel better. No poems about one set of footprints in the sand, nothing but silence.

Psalms 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.

I know there are a lot of verses in the Bible that give comfort during times of trouble, but in the course of human events, there are times when we feel all alone. We feel like our prayers just fall to the floor the minute they are spoken then evaporate. We feel all hope is gone. Depression or lack of faith, whatever you call it, we reach the bottom, where there is absolutely nothing left. Our soul is empty and all we experience from God is silence, silence that is deafening. Darkness so black we can’t see the next day, loneliness so real we can hear ourselves breathe. We have no reason to get up, no reason to go to bed and we wonder, where is God?
If we look at the great artists of the past, one thing we will recognize is that they took their time when they painted the great masterpieces. The most reproduced and recognized religious painting in the world is “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci. It took him around three years to paint the 15ft x 29ft painting. The “Mona Lisa,” another well-known painting, took around four years; da Vinci could picture in his mind what he wanted from the beginning, he had to work the detail through art, using the right brush strokes, making sure the shades of color were right, this all took time.

2 Samuel 23:20
Benaiah son of Jehoiada …went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
Benaiah’s name means “God built.” God had a special purpose for his life. Benaiah was to be a body guard for King David and also for David’s son, King Solomon. Benaiah would become one of the many brave men surrounding King David, helping him fight many battles. In order for him to have the necessary skills for this job, Benaiah needed to be proved, so he could gain confidence for the fights ahead.

Matthew 5:11
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Sometimes sermons in our day reflect that, if we are living for God and going to church like we should, the road ahead is paved with soft flowers. We are sometimes told if we really live in God’s favor, everything will just fall into place. You would think if this lesson is true, Benaiah would have an easy road and that every battle would have already been “fought and won” and so on. Well, that is not the real world. We cannot all ride in a pink Cadillac or gain wealth by sending in $100.00 to our favorite TV preacher. The road of a true follower of Christ is sometimes hard. We are all called to suffer for what we believe in. We have to sometimes make choices when we feel God’s leading, choices that will cost us comfort.
Benaiah traveled on a wet, cold, snowy day into a pit, and killed a lion. When you break it down and think about it, he had to be one bad dude. We are not talking about a “snow day” with hot chocolate, naps and snow cream, We are talking a hike through the cold snow, where you have to double or triple your normal effort, then crawl into a pit, to face a lion. This story is where the rubber meets the road; the story is about faith, about resolve, about looking adversity in the eye. He had to want that lion on that day.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Sometimes we have to experience the rock-bottom of a situation to bring us to the point of feeling so much pain that it motivates us to change. Then, at that point, even if it is snowing, raining or whatever, we will have the determination that the “lion” has to be killed. We have to stop whining, stop wondering “why God” and just start walking through the snow. Climb down into that pit and kill the lion. We have to find that deep down faith. The faith that even though we do not “feel God” we know He is somehow there, leading us through the valley. Faith is like that, that is why it is called “faith”.

James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

King David would have been killed several times if it had not been for his bodyguards,
There were no shortcuts for Benaiah. God built him tough for a purpose. It would be the same toughness and resolve that the disciples needed to get them through the trial and death of their Savior. The silence after Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion turned into joy the morning of the resurrection, then to power at the feast of Pentecost. The same disciples that were afraid and stayed in the shadows before were preaching with power and conviction when they came out of the upper room. Our struggles in life make us who we are. Our darkest times fade when we begin to understand God’s greater purpose. In the three or four years it took da Vinci to paint those masterpieces, there were weeks at a time he left them alone just so the paint could dry and he could see the true shades of color. God sometimes lets us, His masterpiece, alone for the shades of colors in us to form and dry.
God allows our struggles, so we will have the endurance and strength to face the lions, even on snowy days.