Author: ChristianHolinessDaily

They Were the Greatest

September 4, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

My parents were a part of what journalist Tom Brokaw calls “The Greatest Generation.” My dad fought with the army in South Pacific, was wounded, came home, married, and did his best to provide for a brood of five, a girl and four boys. My mom was the typical late twentieth century mother. She loved us, read us stories, stretched a dollar twenty ways and hid the leftover change in the cookie jar. When Dad died, and even before, Mom went to work to provide for the family. Their generation was the greatest because they knew the true meaning of words like love, sacrifice, and honor.

My brothers and sister and I never suffered. My brothers had bikes and skateboards. I had a trike that I peddled down the street after my sister and her boyfriend. I don’t remember my parents spoiling themselves, though. The never purchased anything on credit. They never owned a new car or fancy clothes. A photo of my parents sitting in my grandmother’s travel trailer shows Dad looking very uncomfortable. He would never own such a trailer or a nice enough car to pull it with.

We children never went without anything we really needed. Because of the sacrifice of my mom and dad, I didn’t realize until I was grown that I had grown up poor.

The Apostle Paul calls us in Romans 12:1 to be a living sacrifice to God. A traditional animal sacrifice in the first century consisted of the very finest. It was an animal without flaw, perfect, and pleasing to God. Jesus, God made flesh, presented His perfect life as a permanent and perfect sacrifice for all mankind. This being the case, then, why is it that Paul call us to present ourselves sacrificially.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

– Romans 12:1

Here, he speaks of our daily walk with Christ. Just as my parents sacrificed so much because of their love for me and my siblings, Paul tells us that our love of God should compel us to sacrifice our own selfish desires and seek the finer things that God offers us.

We should surrender ourselves daily to God. After all, God sacrificed His only begotten Son for you and me.

Time Keeps on Slipping

September 3, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

“Stranded,” the sign read. Scribbled on a piece of cardboard box, it continued something like this: “food. shelter. Anything will help.” The young woman holding the sign, sitting between a parking lot and the street looked like she had been crying. She looked frightened, like she’d been fighting off wolves. She was desperate.

I’m one of those guys who cannot pass by a homeless person, a beggar, someone in need, without helping. When I first got married, I also picked up every hitchhiker I saw. My wife cured me of that. I can’t give much, but. I give as I can, when I can, to whom I can.

This day was different. Uncharacteristically, I didn’t stop. I couldn’t; I was late and in traffic at a busy intersection. This woman’s tears, though, broke my heart. Still, I couldn’t stop.

Her face haunted me all day. I failed her. No, I failed God. I gave her nothing because I was too busy. Running late. Too much to do. Not enough time. People waiting on me. Too many irons in the fire. Couldn’t hold up traffic… You get my point.

All I could do was say a prayer. “Send someone to help her, God.”

“That’s why I routed you past her, so you would see her and help her,” He said.

“I couldn’t. Send someone who has more time.”

“Time,” said God, “is the only thing that you, my children, are given in equal amounts. You all have the same amount of time in a day.”

—–

I will never forget How scared she looked, how alone. How helpless. Most of us, myself included, are one or two paychecks away from a situation similar to hers.

Lord, help us to make better use of the time you’ve given us. Help us not to be so scared when the wolves are howling outside our doors. Help that woman, wherever she is today. Send someone to her not quite so calloused as I was that day.

Sounds are rushing

Noises crushing

Telling us this
Telling us that

Too many voices

Too many choices
Better not miss
Better stand pat

Good Shepherd, wolves circle round.

Can’t you hear our fearful sound?
We cry out in the dark of night.
Lead us into the daylight.
For, we are lost without your love.

– S Hager 2016

The Jungle Book… Really?

September 2, 2016 by ChristianHolinessDaily Leave a Comment

What does The Jungle Book have to do with Christian Holiness? Not much, honestly, but let me explain.

I was six years old when the original Disney flick was released and I loved it. So much did i love it that I begged my mom for the book. She brought home the Disney book based on the movie. I wanted Rudyard Kipling’s novel, but school had just started and she had spent every dime she had on clothes for three school-aged boys. So I was content for a while to relive the movie through Disney’s colorful book, and even tried to imitate the voices of Baloo, Bagheera, and Kaa, but especially Bagheera and Kaa because I knew them as Mr. French and Winnie the Pooh. (Look it up.)

I eventually got the Kipling book and was as enraptured by it as I was by the movie. I read that book a dozen times growing up. Fifty years later, though, it’s not Kipling’s book that stands out in my mind, it’s the movie. Here is why I make reference to it. The elephants. Remember? In the Disney movie Col. Hathi, the commanding elephant is a true leader, a benevolent and kind figure whom every other elephant follows.

No. I am not going to compare Col. Hathi with God. I will, however, contrast him with God. In rewatching, I realize that most of the time the elephants do not follow Col. Hathi, rather they follow the elephant that follows the elephant that follows the elephant that follows the colonel.

God never asks us to follow anyone else but His Son. Not once did Christ say, “Follow James. He is following me and I am making him a fisher of men.” He never said, “Follow John. He’s young but he’s wise in spite of his youth.”

Christ inevitably called – and still calls – every man, woman, and child to follow Him. He never calls us to follow a man who is following Him. Sure, we can learn from our pastors and teachers and Christian mentors, but we follow only Christ.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the father, and, if you have accepted Him as your Savior, His Spirit lives in your heart. He acts as our advocate. He teaches us, guides us and even prays for us when our broken spirits cannot utter a word. He preserved all things necessary for salvation and discipleship in His Holy Book, the Bible. All you have to do is follow His command when He calls you.

And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. – MARK 2:14

So… Hup two three four

Keep it up two three four

Company, sound off!