My furry little friends Waylon and Willy survived the fourth of July. They are terrified of fireworks. They are unnerved by any sharp sound, but particularly fireworks. All the sizzling, popping, and booming immediately sets them shivering and trying to get as close as possible to their master. If you remember earlier, Willy crossed the creek and had to be reprimanded. He was dealt with by some stern words and just a touch with “the stick.” That incident is behind us. Now we have a totally different issue. Due to the fireworks, these poor little fellas are beside themselves with fear and anxiety. For this, the master will take measures to bring safety and comfort to them. In preparation for the fourth, I put the large kennel in our house. I put a foam floor in it with a blanket and bowl of water. I got the little CD player and set it on repeat with some worship music. I have taught them the command to “kennel.” They know to go straight back to the back room and get in the kennel. So, when the popping started, I went out and opened the boys’ pen and told them to “kennel.” They quickly headed toward the house, but stayed close to me. They went right into the house as I opened the door and trotted to the place provided for them. I went in later to find them snoozing with the music going without a care in the world. I was happy to see them resting while the world around them was popping and going ballistic. Peter denied Jesus but later repented. Jesus assured him that He had prepared a place for him to be with Him forever. Jesus ministered to him to bring him into peace in this world, and into peace hereafter (John 13:36 – John 14:1-6). Jesus went back to heaven. Peter, with total allegiance to follow Jesus’ instruction, was filled with the Spirit. He became the leading minister to fearlessly reach thousands of people for Jesus. In fact, by the power of the Spirit of God, he preached to the very Jews who killed Jesus. He was instrumental in turning many of their hearts to believe in the Lord (Acts chapters one and two). We might have fallen and failed the Lord. That is not the end of the road. The Lord reaches out to us to free us from our sin. He will comfort us and instruct us to be filled with His Spirit, and He will use us mightily. He is the Master with a heart of love and a mind to fulfill the purpose of God in our lives. We can turn from our sins, faults, and failures. We can look to, obey, and cling to Him. By trusting Him alone, we come into His safe place. He has a safe place provided for you in the Spirit. Run to Him. Allow Him to fill you and love you, as only He can love you.
Category: Jackie Calhoun
Punch the Right Button
We have been engaged in a plethora of hospital visits for others. Navigating in hospitals requires elevator rides, unless you decide to get your daily stairs work out. Elevator rides require pushing the buttons that will take you to the desired floor. Perhaps I am the only one who has this challenge, but when I am looking at a panel of buttons in an elevator, I have to really look to push the right button. Most of the time I get there and push the colored button that has a number on it. I guess the stainless-steel button just blends in to me on the stainless-steel panel. My attention is drawn to the colored indicator button, so without thinking, I often push the indicator button. More than once, I have done that and just stood there for a moment waiting for something to happen. If my mind is busy thinking about something else and I wait long enough, finally the door will close and I am still just standing there. By then my attention is drawn to the fact the elevator is just sitting there and not going anywhere. Then, I purposely search for the right button and punch it, getting my journey underway. In a busy time, the door will close and you will go somewhere, but not the floor of choice. So, when I get to the elevator, I study the panel of buttons and pull my attention away from the colorful buttons and punch the stainless-steel button of the floor of choice. That gets me where I want to go. That probably does not apply to every elevator at every hospital, but I know it does apply to some. I have embarrassed myself before, laughing at myself, by punching the wrong button and just standing there waiting for something to happen. If we want to get to our desired location in life, we’ve got to punch the right buttons. Sometimes we are attracted to the brightly colored buttons that don’t take us toward our destination. That’s when we need to back up and study the panel board to choose the button that is hooked to our desired floor. It might not be colorful. It might just blend with the daily grind and discipline of life, but it is connected to where we want to go. That’s the button to punch. It is the same with the things of God. We might have punched a button that is taking us nowhere, while we are desiring more. Study the panel board. Study the Word. What does the Word say in plain language? Punch in with God what the Word says. God is faithful to his Word. The Holy Spirit works with the Word. Jesus is the anointed Word who is come in the flesh. By the same operation of God through faith, the Spirit-anointed Jesus can come into your spirit man who lives in your flesh man. Christ living in you will take you where you want to go.
A Drop of Hot Solder
Many years ago, I was the major financial force to support my family. We had young ones with all their needs, and I was self-employed working in the home repair and remodeling business. For me, time was money so I did not like to have to do things twice. My idea was to do it right the first time and go on to the next thing. This practice kept me busy, and I needed to stay busy to make ends meet. I recall a water tank I installed. It was plumbed with copper pipe. In those days we did not have all the quick-connect stuff that allowed you to just screw something off and on when installing a hot water tank. The joints of the piping were soldered together, which is sort of a type of welding using a torch, a metal brush and flux compound to clean the joint, and a roll of silver solder. The silver solder is a coil of soft metal thread about one eighth inch thick. After cleaning the joint of the pipe and the coupling with the metal brush and the acid flux compound, you stick the pipe together with the coupling and heat it with the torch. With the heat still going on it, you then touch the end of the silver solder to the hot pipe, and when the temperature is right, the solder will melt and migrate into the joint of the pipe to seal it. Everything must stay in place for a few moments for it to cool down thereby sealing the joint and fusing the pipe together. The water tank was in an awkward position so I was straining to reach the piping to work it. I got the pipe all cut to length, cleaned, and dry fit together. When I torched it to put the solder on it, I failed to notice that as I held the pipe in place, my hand was directly below one of the joints I would be soldering. When I soldered that joint, the excess solder dripped down on my hand. I could not let go or the joint would come apart until cooled, and the whole process would have to be repeated. Time lost. So, I just gripped it tight and let it cool with the drop of hot solder sizzling on my hand until all was cool enough to turn loose. The burn healed, but that moment was a test of endurance. We get tests in life that require raw endurance to hold things together. It can be a painful moment until things “cool down.” Then it is time to turn loose and let the healing take place. Jesus came to make us all overcomers. To overcome we must hold to the promises of God in spite of what is going on. Trusting in God’s faithfulness, we can be assured He will perform His Word. Our faith is accounted as righteousness. The repair is successful as we hold to His faithfulness.
Across the Creek
I watched Willy gingerly prance across the back yard toward the creek. Waylon and Willy had a dog meeting by the creek. Then Willy disappeared, walking down the slope to the creek. Waylon watched the house. Waylon trotted across the yard and went back into the pen. Everybody knew what was going down. Willy crossed the creek – a big no-no! I got a stick, walked to the creek, and waited. I didn’t call. Waylon came back out of the pen and stood by. I petted him and assured him he was okay. I had left the gate open so they could run around in the yard for a while. This is a normal practice that I have done for years, but I have to watch them just for days like today. Occasionally they get an itch to go beyond the boundaries. So, we waited. By watching Waylon, I knew when Willy was making his way back through the thick cane. Sure enough, in a minute he emerged and paused, assessing the situation. I made eye contact and curtly said, “Willy, you get back over here!” He didn’t move. I said it again, this time with more force. He slowly started wading the creek. Seeing the stick in my hand, he knew what was coming. It just takes a touch of the stick when they have done wrong to get the job of reproof and instruction accomplished. When he got within range, putting great displeasure in my voice, I touched him with the stick telling him to get back in the pen. This evoked a disgruntled muffled growl from him as he made his way across the yard to the pen. “Creek, no!” was my repeated instruction, as I followed him across the yard. I purposely slammed the gate behind him after he got in the pen, demonstrating my displeasure for the deed. They both know better than to go across the creek. They have both done it. Today, Waylon chose not. He remained in the safe zone within boundaries. Willy fell to temptation. He had to be disciplined. I would like to see them get off the 1.65 acres and have some new adventures, but the dangers are too great. Injury, loss, and death looms in those pleasures of sin that last for only a short season. I must keep them on the straight and narrow. Man has been sneaking around and trying to cover and justify his sin since the beginning. Romans chapter one tells us that man knows better, but we do it anyway. That is why we need the Savior who gives us his Word and Spirit. Jesus came to save us from the injury, loss, and death of sin. When we yield to the temptation, he waits as we do our thing, then he disciplines and instructs us of a better way of life. He loves and cares for us and wants the best for us. We stay in the safe zone by listening to Him.
A Leg, a Thigh, Mashed Potatoes and Biscuit
My wife, Barbara, recently went into a certain no name, no blame fast food restaurant that sells chicken. There are several different chains. She asked what was included in the box of food. The young man dutifully replied a leg, a thigh, mashed potatoes, and either a roll or biscuit. Barb asked if she could get all white meat. He mechanically replied, “You get a leg, a thigh, mashed potatoes, and either a roll or biscuit.” She asked if she could get coleslaw instead of mashed potatoes. In his expressionless, flat, deadpan manner he replied, “You get a leg, a thigh, mashed potatoes, and either a roll or biscuit.” Barb said “I don’t want a drink.” He said, “You gotta have a drink. It comes with a drink.” There were two customers in the restaurant, Barbara, and a man at a table eating. The order was brought to the counter by the other worker who could see Barb was the only person waiting. Looking around the virtually empty room, she raised her voice and called out “Order 717”. She looked at Barb and asked “Did you order two five-dollar boxes?” Barb said, “I paid six dollars.” “Oh, my bad, it is six dollars”, was the matter of fact reply. So, Barb brought back two boxes of food that had a leg, a thigh, mashed potatoes, and a biscuit in each. We laughed at the incident and blessed the food with thanksgiving and ate it. The young people were working a job. That’s good. They were well trained. That’s good. We got some food. That is good. The Lord has spiritual food for all people. His box of food is not limited. He custom designs our spiritual diet to meet our needs and desires. His service toward us is not mechanical and impersonal. He knows us intimately. He knows everything going on in us and around us. He is not just doing a job to make it through the day and make a little money. He has actually given all to make sure we have all the provisions we need to prosper in life in every way – spirit, soul, body, in family, financially, having favor in life, and with an eternal future with him in heaven forever. Too often, it is only presented to us, here’s what you can have: a leg, a thigh, mashed potatoes, and either a roll or a biscuit. No. In God’s kingdom there is forgiveness and the fullness of God’s presence and supernatural power. There is healing, having an identity in Christ, and living with spiritual authority in life’s circumstances. There are new relationships with apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists. There are ministries of helps, giving, and showing mercy, and other manifold operations of grace. All this spiritual food is available and operates as we repent toward God and have faith in the promises of God that we have in Christ Jesus. We can feast abundantly at the table the Lord has prepared for us.
Ten Pews and a Cargo Trailer
The inside of the church has been receiving a facelift. Part has been painting, and part has been replacing the old pews with modern padded chairs. Pastor Barbara expressed to the church one Sunday that she was praying about swapping the pews out with chairs. She asked everyone to be praying with her about that. Later in that week she mentioned to the property owner she was desiring this. He said that would be fine, and that he just happened to have some nice padded church chairs. He paid fifteen hundred dollars for some chairs from another church moving into a facility. They had their own chairs and did not want the ones that were already in the building. He had the chairs stacked and covered in his storage building. He said we could have them if we wanted them. Barbara determined that we would need about 70 chairs. We went and looked at them and there were 75 chairs. We gladly received the chairs that same week with thanksgiving unto God. God had provided before we ever asked. Now, to get rid of the pews. It was advertised and some were picked up by some people. With 10 pews left, a man from Tupelo, Mississippi came for them with an 18-foot cargo trailer. The pews were 10 feet long. We had the task of getting all ten pews in that trailer. They would not fit end-to-end. The trailer was not long enough. The pews did not stack one on top of another. There was the driver and three of us men and Barbara. It was like working a puzzle. We would try to envision the best way for it to go, then try it and have to try another way. We all had our envisioned ideas and suggestions. If one way did not work, we would have to take it out and turn it around and try it another way. The pews were very heavy and hard to handle. It took everybody making suggestions, being proved wrong, trying another way, submitting to another one’s suggestion, and trying that. We all had the mutual goal to get ten pews on the trailer. We all worked together toward that one goal. It was not my way or your way that was important. It was whatever is the way that works, that is the way to do it. In this way we got all ten pews in the trailer in the midst of sporadic rain. After the man drove off, the bottom fell out. This is the way things are accomplished in the kingdom of God. It is not my way or your way that is important. What is God’s way as revealed by the Word and Spirit of God? This is what will work. Sometimes we have to admit our idea of it was wrong and back up a go at it a different way. In this way, God’s goal of reaching the world for Jesus, with power, can be accomplished.
Clean the Windshield
Many years ago, I worked as a loader for a crop duster. He had a couple of planes at the time. One was a large plane that looked like a huge vulture with wings curved down on the ends. The other was a small tail dragger known as a “cub”. With this plane we would go into the backwoods areas around Sparkman, AR where there were cotton fields scattered around of various farmers. I would drive the eighteen-wheeler semi-truck that was outfitted to carry loading supplies. I would snake my way back through the woods on little dirt roads to get to a staging area in a cow pasture big enough for a landing strip. It did not take a lot of run way for the loaded cub airplane to take off. By running the cows off the runway area, the plane could safely take off and land. However, with the cows just removed from the area, there were deposits left behind. A plane with its engine that close to the ground creates a lot of suction against the surface of the earth. This air that is sucked up from the earth is very forcefully blown back over the airplane which creates lift which causes the plane to fly. Even when the plane has landed and sitting there with the engine going in idle mode, there is still a lot of suction going on. Part of my job in loading the plane was to clean the windshield of “deposited material”. That meant that when the pilot came in for another load of cotton spray, and turned his plane around, with him sitting there in idle mode, I would step up on the tire and wash the windshield. Sometimes it would be right over a “deposit” on the ground, and the suction would pull the deposit from the ground and abundantly splatter it all over me, the windshield, and other parts of the plane. The windshield had to be cleaned from that “deposit” along with what was picked up taking off and landing. With the new load, he would take off, do his spraying, return, and we repeated the whole process. Sometimes in life the “deposits” fly. It is not pleasant, and it must be cleaned so the job can be completed. How we deal with the bad, stinky stuff in life often determines the outcome. God gave abundant provision through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the beating which he endured, to clean all our stinky stuff. God’s provision is to wash all our sins and sicknesses away. The Word is abundantly clear. This provision is applied to the windshield of our life by our repentance from sin and faith in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. Sickness is also covered in the covenant. It was demonstrated by Jesus, the disciples, and the early church. We can’t use the small rear-view mirror of life to see where we are going. Keep the windshield clean, look ahead, and keep flying.
Time For An Update
I like for the number of words for this article to be five hundred words – not four hundred and ninety nine and not five hundred and one, but exactly five hundred words. That is not a requirement by the publisher. It is just something I like to do. For some time now I have noticed the draft of the articles sometimes appearing to be a little longer on the paper than at other times, but I just attributed it to maybe using some longer words or something. One day I noticed the word count on the computer saying that I had five hundred and seven words. I proceeded to edit out unnecessary words. I took two words out. The count then read four hundred and ninety. My education from Arkadelphia elementary school taught me that five hundred and seven less two is five hundred and five, not, four hundred and ninety. I knew I had a computer issue. I tried to figure it out and could not. I took it to my computer repairman. He could not fix it. My version is a 2007 version of Word. It is so old Microsoft has quit supporting it. It is like driving a Model T Ford for which you cannot get parts to fix it. So having written this article today, my computer is going back into the shop to get an updated version of Word installed that will work correctly and be completely serviceable. There will be about five hundred words in this article. My OCD tendencies will just have to be at rest for today and until I get my new version going. Sometimes, in the Lord, we need an updating. Things that have worked well for us in the past have become “stale” and “mundane”. We need a refreshing, like a cool dip in the water after a long hard day’s work in the hot summer time. God has made full provision for the “version” of our daily walk with him to be “updated” in an ongoing way. This provision is very simple. It is “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:20-21). It is committing our life into God’s hands to allow him to remove what he desires to remove. It is to believe for and receive a fresh infilling of God’s presence, power, and provisions that is for us in Christ. In Christ we have forgiveness of sin, and fullness of the Spirit with supernatural peace, joy, and supernatural spiritual gifts. In Christ we have healing of heart, mind and body. Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. We can say the pliable ones who release the past and grasp the promises of God in Christ, are updated and functioning in a new ability. These receive fresh provisions from God. Like a computer, we can all use a discarding of the old with an updating to the always available, uplifting, powerful, presence of God.
When the Rain Comes
The annual Blue Diamonds ladies over fifty basketball team held their multi-family yard sale at our place last Friday and Saturday. It is a big event here with lots of stuff and lots of people coming through. I had the task of managing the cars as they came through, and the team of working women managed handling the stuff. Saturday it rained and then the sun came out on three occasions. It was tarps to cover things, then uncover and dry things off that got wet, three times. The first rain was first thing in the morning before they could finish setting things up. This put those of the team who were there in the house sitting out the rain yakking. It so happened that the women present had a keen interest in the things of the Lord, and the conversation went that direction. I was the only rooster in the coop so I just sat by and listened. I figured this was a women’s seminar and I would do best to keep mum, listen, and learn. My wife, Barbara, has been walking with the Lord for many years, and she is quite exercised in prayer and hearing God’s direction, and she does not mind ministering and praying with people in public places such as Wal Mart, Cracker Barrel, or any other place where need arises. Questions came to her like a Philadelphia lawyer on the hottest case in the county. “How do you know God’s voice?” and “What is the approach you can use to reach people for Jesus?” “How do you overcome fear?” This was the general tone of the questions and conversation, replete with testimonies and experiences of how God has worked in people’s lives. As I listened, here is some of what I heard. The basis of living a life of walking with God starts with falling in love with Jesus. Barb was rescued as she was flipping a car in La Grande, Oregon back in 1996. At the same instant it was happening, her Mom was prompted to pray in a Benton, Arkansas Sunday school class. God used other people just loving her with the love of God to draw her to himself. Later, Barb was diagnosed with 5 years to live with emphysema. She was supernaturally and instantly healed through the working of Jesus Christ. This Jesus, she fell in love with. This Jesus has gotten her through much and continues to be her closest companion. It is through love of and yieldedness to him that a person can walk with God. Does that make a person perfect without ever any fault or failure? Absolutely not! But what it does do is it puts you in relationship with the person who is perfect and who is without fault and without failure, and, who always has your best interest in mind. His name is Jesus. By loving him and yielding your life to believe him, you will find his directions in and through your life.
Beauty in the Back Yard
In our back yard we often see a plethora of activity, particularly in the spring of the year. The mamma Robin, protecting her baby learning to fly, refuses to back off of the persistent squirrel wanting to eat seeds on the ground. With a flogging, pecking attack she runs him up a tree. The striking black and orange Baltimore Orioles, on their migration to Mexico, Central, and South America, stops in for a few days to enjoy the purple grape jelly from the jelly jar stationed among the feeders. There are five or six of them fluttering around enjoying the sweet fare and the seeds. They also love to indulge in pieces of orange. The red, white, and black Grosbeak steadily pecks away, getting as many seeds as he can from one of the feeders. A Blue Jay will swoop in and with his raucous carryings on, run them all away for a moment, but when he leaves they come right back. The bright red Cardinals, our year-round guests, join in with the group, enjoying the various seeds that have been placed before them. It seems they all know when the feeders have been freshly filled and the word gets around. With all this, the Robins are hopping around with their amazing ability to just hop over to a spot and with one peck pull up a wriggling worm. And they do this all over the yard! I can go out there and earnestly look for a worm and not find one worm. And with all this, a beautifully painted butterfly will drift onto the stage and with his calmness in being carried by the wind, and show his beauty for all to see. It is particularly entertaining in the spring for at this time the whole show has the backdrop of the blazing red roses. These two extended beds flank each side of the archway that leads to the rest of the back yard. All of this is framed all across the very back yard by the bamboo fence topped with lattice that I built when we widened the creek. The neighbor across the creek was kind enough to let me have the bamboo that we cut, and that’s what I did with that. We can all enjoy and glorify the Lord for the beauty of his marvelous creation. God is a creative God who enjoys beauty and diversity. Just studying the animals on earth attests to this fact. He did not have to do all this, but he did it to provide the “garden” for us to live in, maintain, and enjoy in God’s presence. Sin spoiled it all at one time, but Jesus took our sin upon himself. Because of Jesus we can be reconnected to the presence of God and enjoy him in all things. What a wonderful God! What a wonderful Savior! We can enjoy his goodness now and for all eternity through Jesus Christ! Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our precious Lord!