Pavement Ends Ministry

Jacob was a man who would grab whatever he wanted. From his brother he grabbed the birthright and their father’s blessing. From his father-in-law he grabbed, two wives, two concubines, thirteen children and many animals. Now he is between a brother who promised to kill him and a father-in-law who told him not to come back. This is when he finds himself in a ditch wrestling with God. In this podcast i talk about what can happen when you come to grips with God.

What I Learned From Jethro We said goodbye to Jethro last week. He came here as a tiny puppy and had lived at our house for almost twelve years. He was hit by a truck and could not get well. The veterinarian said this was the best thing for him. When he gave him a shot, I held his chin in my hand and scratched his long floppy ears. While I looked in his eyes and talked to him, I felt the weight of his head in my hand and saw his eyes close. And yes I cried when RoRo died. Please listen to this podcast to hear the last thing that Jethro taught me.

The Roman soldiers dragged him from the dungeon. They made him pick up a heavy wooden beam. When the lash of the whip cut across his back, he started walking. He and two others carried the instruments of their deaths up the hill. Today he was going to die. It was what he deserved because he was a thief. How could this be the best day of His life? Listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story.

Often I stand outside on a clear night and marveled at the immense beauty of the night sky. The stars I see in the sky are innumerable and yet I know that some of the stars are not stars at all. Instead many are entire galaxies of their own. Science tells us there could be as many as 100 billion galaxies in the universe and each of those galaxies could have more than 100 billion stars. This boggles my mind. Please listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story

I found a dead bird lying under a bush. There were no wounds on its body, nothing to show why he died. It looked as if it had just come to the end of its life. As I looked at the tiny remains, I thought about the life and purpose of a bird. What is a bird’s purpose? Well, it seems a bird’s purpose is to live, raise its young and sing. By doing what it was placed here to do, it fulfills its ultimate purpose, which is bringing glory to its Creator. Please listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story.

John was sent from God. He had a purpose and that purpose was to bear witness that Jesus is the Light of the world. He was born to point to Jesus and say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". John knew that he was not worthy to untie Jesus' shoes. He knew that he would decrease while Jesus increased. He knew that it might cost him his head but still he raised his voice to declare that Jesus was the Son of God. Even though he knew all this, he was happy to be nothing more than “A voice crying in the wilderness. Please listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story.

We must understand this; Jesus does not care about the haul of the offering plate. He only cares about the heart of the giver. One day we will all stand before the Savior. When you do, He will not ask how much money you gave or what great things you did for your church. You see, He does not care about the amount you give as long as you trust Him with all that you have. He does not need your money, but He longs to have your heart. Listen to this podcast to hear more about the one who gives the most.

His sisters were raising a ruckus. They did not think he should be working in the hot sun. But working in the vineyard is what he wants to do. Rocks have fallen from the wall and need to be replaced. Vines have to be pruned and briers must be pulled. At the end of the day Mary and Martha will continue to nag him about taking it easy. But his sore muscles and his sweat soaked clothes are trophies of life. There was blood trickling from a scratch on his arm. Lazarus looked at it and chuckled. He said, “Just think, before Jesus came, I was dead last week”!

I want to tell you a story about my neighbor Bud and his great grandson Logan. Bud is with the Lord now and Logan has grown into a fine young man. This story took place many years ago when Logan was a toddler maybe two or three years old. Bud had a pasture right across the road from my house. The pasture fence was old, the cedar posts were loose and the barb wire was sagging. One day I sat on my front porch and watched as Bud and little Logan worked on this old fence. Listen to the podcast to hear the rest of the story.

Some people ask, “Is it safe to follow God”? And I answer “no”! This very inconsiderate God that I serve has said to His children, “Take up your cross, and follow me. The very idea of a cross speaks of danger. So, no, God is not safe, but safety is entirely overrated anyway. Listen to this podcast to hear more about The Inconsiderate God.

All around where I live are places where houses once stood and families once lived. If I use my imagination, I can see these houses still standing and smell the smoke that rises from their chimneys. Children play in the yard and trace chains rattle as daddy brings the mules in from the day’s plowing. Supper is on the table. You can almost smell the corn bread and pinto beans. These imaginary aromas are wafting traces of many yesterdays. Please listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story

I have two dogs. They are both mongrels. Jethro is a Basset Hound mix. He is not a small dog, but he is short and he is long. He has long sharp toenails and he can dig a hole in a heartbeat. I am not sure what Theo’s ancestry is. She is black with tan markings on her face and legs and she has short pointy ears. Her legs are very long, which helps her to run very fast. Her greatest asset is her loyalty. Wherever I am there she is. (Right now she is lying under the chair that I'm sitting in.) Please listen to this podcast to hear the rest of this devotion.

This morning as I sit in my study there is a fly buzzing around, and I am determined to hunt it down and swat it. As I think about my place in the history of this earth I know that life is but a vapor. Along with all the billions of people that have lived here before me, I know that I and that fly will soon be nothing but dust. The Word of God tells us this, it says, "from dust you were taken and to dust you will return”. Please listen to this podcast to hear more.

She had lived on this earth for almost a hundred years; her body was worn out and tired. Her fingers would no longer play the piano and her voice was too weak to sing. Now the Savior she served was ready to receive her unto Himself. Family and friends gathered around her bed to say goodbye. Her last words could barely be heard on earth, but they rang loud in Heaven. With a soft but sure voice she said, “In Jesus’ name amen.” Then she closed her eyes and went to the place that had been prepared for her Listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the story.

Joseph did not have to be a daddy to Jesus. But he listened to God and did it anyway. That is what real men do. We listen to God. Hear me men, it is time for you to step up and become the righteous leaders of the church. It is time to address the uncomfortable issues. It is time for men to be a Godly daddy to their own children. It is time for men to be a righteous father figure to those who have no daddy. Listen to this podcast to hear the rest of the devotion. Thank you.

I am an American. I am blessed to have inherited the DNA of my parents and grandparents. They were and are Great Americans who worked hard and prayed harder while they worshiped and served the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. I am an American, And I pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, and now, we must again become one Nation under God and forever be indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The words of famous men are often immortalized, but the reserved and quiet man will not be remembered by many. His taciturn nature will frustrate his wife and children. But his love is revealed through his actions. God has created him quiet but faithful. He does not seek to be noticed, he just seeks to please God. Great men show their greatness not with words but with deeds.

The soldier has a few hours of quiet. He spends this time cleaning his weapon and checking his equipment. Christmas is coming. He thinks about his wife and the kiss that he won't have under the mistletoe. The children will be excited as they open their gifts. He wishes he could put their bikes together. It is hard to keep the sand out of his equipment. He wonders, "Will there ever be peace on earth?"

We sing silent night, and for most of the world, it was silent. In Bethlehem most slept deep and dreamlessly, not knowing that time was being divided. The streets of the city were dark, lit only by the silent stars; no one knew that the Light of the world had come to banish darkness. Please listen to this podcast to hear more about the little toen of Bethlehem.

When God delivered His final message through Malachi, (who wrote the last book of the Old Testament), He stopped communicating with man for nearly 400 years. It was a deafening silence in divine revelation. After 400 years God broke His silence by sending angels to speak to Zacharias, Mary and Joseph. The message they heard was this. The fullness of time had come and the promised Messiah would soon be born. God had broken His silence with the sound of Christmas. Listen to this podcast to hear the rest of this story.