Too Easily Pleased

Six days ago (Sunday night) I developed a sore throat with swollen glands. I stayed home the next day thinking that a day of rest and lots of fluids would do the trick. Throughout the day on Monday I felt sick but not horrible. Horrible came calling Monday night. I spent most of the week in bed. I think I’ve had everything except a fever: sore throat, cough, runny, stuffy, weak, achy, headache, lack of appetite, and weight loss. The last one I don’t mind so much. To all those who have been praying  ~  thanks. To those who have endured a similar fate ~ sympathy. To all those who have avoided this so far ~ hope. Someone recently sent me the following quote by C.S. Lewis. It is my hope that the quote and post are as much as an encouragement to you as they were to me. 

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"Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”  C.S. Lewis

Read the following as if  you'd never heard it before.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. He was a godly man who hated evil. He was blessed with 7 sons and 3 daughters. He was a wealthy man who owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 donkeys. He was the greatest of all men in the east.

On a day like any other, a servant ran into the presence of Job with terrible news. “The Sabeans took all your donkeys and oxen and killed all the servants that were there. I am the only one to escape.”

While that servant was still speaking, a second servant arrived with terrible news. “The sheep and the servants who were with them were consumed by a fire from the sky. I am the only one to escape.”

While that servant was still speaking, a third servant arrived with terrible news. “The Chaldeans took all your camels and killed all the servants that were there. I am the only one to escape.”


While that servant was still speaking, a fourth servant arrived with terrible news. “Your sons and daughters were eating together, and a great wind from the desert collapsed the house and all are dead. I am the only one to escape.”

All four servants speaking at the same with the horrible news that Job has lost everything.

Some of you may have noticed that I omitted the conversation between God and Satan - when God spoke so highly of Job and gave permission for Satan to cause such loss. I left out what Job didn’t know.. Imagine that you are Job and limited by what he knew. He experienced all of the heartache, pain, and loss without explanation. He didn't know why it happened or what the future would hold. He was reduced to four servants, his wife, and what he truly believed about God. With all that in mind, try to grasp the beauty of his humble response.

Job said, “Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Be thankful, and take courage. We came into this life with nothing, and we will leave with nothing. For all that God gives or takes, be thankful. We can be content with pleasure in God alone or be content with pleasure and leave God alone. With the first chapter of Job fresh in your mind, try re-reading the opening quote by C.S. Lewis.   PM 

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
I Timothy 6:6-8

    

Thankful Enough To Share

Mrs. Max and I had the privilege of buying our first home in March of 1999. (We would have had it paid for on my 65th birthday, but we moved to Arizona!) We thanked God for His marvelous provision. The house and yard were beautiful and in excellent shape.  The boys enjoyed the room to run, the extra bedroom, the yard, the basketball hoop, and, especially, the pool.
  
We spent many hours planting, pruning, and doing general yard work. We completed several in-door projects: hanging ceiling fans, painting, stenciling, and wallpapering. I especially enjoyed puttering around in the garage ~ it’s a guy thing. It was a great house.
  
Hunting for a new home was sometimes fun but was often frustrating: big house--small yard, big yard--small house, nice living room--small bedrooms, nice everything--too expensive, inexpensive--bad neighborhood, or bad everything. When we think back on all of the homes that we considered purchasing, none compared to the one that we bought. We loved that new house and were proud of it.
  
Some might not have found our new home to be that great, others might have thought it average, while still others might have found it to be an excellent house. But even if others had really liked our house, they wouldn’t have appreciated it like we did. We spent nine years with three boys in a two-bedroom condo with one, just one, bathroom. We were happy there, but we really appreciated the new, bigger space. We thanked God for His provision. We appreciated what we had, and even more so because of what we didn’t have before.

  
Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a merry (joyful) heart is good like a medicine but a broken (crushed) spirit dries the bones. Joyful people are thankful people who like to share their joy. Complaining people are unthankful people who like to share their misery. A thankful person who finds a dollar might excitedly say, “Can you believe it? I found a dollar - way cool!” An unthankful person might sarcastically say, “Look at me. I found  a whole dollar.” Same find - completely different responses. You’ve probably already thought of people who might react in these same ways.     

  
When something special or exciting happens to us, we want to share it with others. Sharing the blessings of God can work like a medicine to a discouraged heart. That’s what caring and sharing is all about.
  
Do you remember what you didn’t have before (salvation), how lost you were, and what God did for you? Are you thankful for God’s great provision of grace? “Why should I care?” Because God cared enough to send His Son to rescue me from my sin and its punishment. Care enough to share your faith.  
    

Read the following verses. Take note of God’s provisions for which we should be thankful.

Romans 5:1-8

Matthew 6:25-33

John 14:1-3

My Sincerest Thanks

Years ago, I was kidding and being a bit silly when I told a group of teens that I had three goals in life.
     1. Write a song
     2. Become the vice-president of something
     3. Write a book

I recently added a fourth. My father-in-law, who I loved dearly, passed away in August. Okay, now I’m typing through tears. He was a great guy who taught me many things. Well, I got his cool, garage stuff: including two plastic cabinets with 105 clear plastic drawers. There are thousands of little items: nuts, bolts, screws, fuses, etc. I’m not even sure what some of the items are. The fourth goal – maybe you guessed it – use all that stuff before I join him. Crazy, I know, but why not? Well, there you go - busy guy with four extra things to accomplish.

I’m happy to report that the first two goals are in the books. When my oldest son (Michael) was about 4, I composed (made-up) a song called the Goodnight Michael Song. “There once was a boy named Michael who laid upon his bed . . .” Of course, as the other two boys got older it became the Goodnight Michael, Jeffrey, and Timmy Song. So, check off goal #1. I also secretly formed the “Pastor Max Fan Club” and became the vice-president. I couldn’t find a president or members, so the fan club quickly disbanded. Check off goal #2.

Now to goal #3. It was about a month ago that I started considering writing a blog. Why a blog? Truthfully? Goofy as it may sound - I’d like to put together a 365-day devotional book, and I thought it be a good way to get something on paper. Well, maybe it’s not actually on paper, but you get the point.

I knew little about how blogs worked or how to start one, but with help and encouragement from a grad student (JM) and a high school senior (GE), I finally got started. The theme of the blog is encouragement – with a focus on the three E’s of ministry: exaltation, edification, evangelism. Love God – exaltation. Love your neighbor as yourself – edification, evangelism.

Sustainability is the biggest challenge. The average post takes 3-4 hours. I’m a slow thinker, a slower writer, and an even slower typist. No one who knows me is surprised by any of that. I just like to share what God is doing. He’s an awesome God, and He’s always doing great things.

When I first started, I was hoping that someone would read the blog. 50 views in the first two weeks would have been a thrill. Tomorrow will be the end of the second week. As of this moment there have been 656 views. I am thankful and very humbled by the number of views and all the kind comments (by way of facebook). Please accept my heartfelt thanks. Goodnight. Have a great Lord’s Day.   PM

I'm against sin. 

I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, 

and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist. 

I'll butt it as long as I've got a head. 

I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. 

And when I'm old and fistless and footless and toothless, 

I'll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition!

Billy Sunday (1862-1935)
American evangelist