Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Table of Contents



A Gentle God
Waiting For Sunrise
Mother's Day
All You Need Is Love - 5/11/2016
What is Truth?
Newborns
Serenity
Tornado Remembered
Opening Day
Urethane Stains
Unselfish Christianity
Now!
The Missouri River
He's Alive - 3/23/2016
Second Death
My Little Rambler
Theology in the Raw
Kermit the Snake
The Blustery Day - 3/02/16
Atticus Finch - 2/24/16
Was Jonah Right?
Algebra Concepts - 2/17/16
Grandkids - 2/10/16
George the Sea Lion - 2/03/16
I'm Sorry - 1/27/16
Open My Eyes - 1/20/16
Tornado Warnings - 1/13/16
Love = God
One Little Candle - 1/07/16
Do You Know?
Confess, Ask, Believe, Receive
A Time For Rest
Lessons From Little League
Pharisees
Don't Be Dissapointed
Born Again
Little Children
I'm Sorry
Rejoice With Me
He's Alive
I Think I Can
You Did It To Me
You Did It To Me - Part 2
The Golden Rule
Nicolas N. Scott Eulogy
Grace Happens all Around Us
Overflowing Grace
Passion
Bears
Stranded
A Picture of God
Plato's Soul
Unforgivable
How Much Are You Worth?
Failure To Thrive
Voyage to Tarshish
Tolerance
Jump
Liberty
Power
Memorial
Criticize or Encourage
The First Lie
Reunion
Reflections On Our Flooding
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
My Jewels
Marching To Zion
Deep Water
The Seventh- Day Adventist Church
Your GPS
Back Roads
Road Of Death
What Did Jesus Do?
Who Do You Think You Are
Let Them Eat Cake
Belief Or Trust
Speeding Tickets
Dirty Hands
Even Our Adversaries
Love And Hate 
The Roman Road
All You Need Is Love
Shepherds
Thanksgiving Proclamations
I Can't Get No Satisfaction
For Want of a Nail
Walking With Papa
Identity Theft
Christmas Gifts
Thank God for Grace
The Verdict
Higher and Higher
Let Me Count the Ways
Body Armor
Orphans
Your Kindness
The Bridegroom
Unforgiven
Character Assasination
Like a Child
God's Will
Walking a Tightrope
Lasik
The List
Jesus Wept
Mowing
What a Friend
Spice
Are You Experienced?
Comfort Zone
Old Friends
My Resolution
Imagination
The Wisdom of Teeth
Taste and See
The Legend of the Candy Cane
Doom and Gloom
Any Road
Five Kernels of Corn
A Little Thanksgiving History
Justice Mercy Grace
The Hammered Dulcimer
Halloween Grace
Moses
Stop to Think
The Best Gift
Sludge
Rebekah's First Steps
Why?
What Matters Most

Stand Up Paddleboards

An Arkie's Faith column from the July 10, 2019, issue of The Mena Star.


“You will be riding with me on the Megalodon,” my daughter said. Everyone had such a good time floating the Ouachita River the week before that we decided to do it again this weekend. Last week six of us floated the river in a rubber raft while the rest of the group used paddleboards. This week the water wasn’t high enough to float in a raft, so we used paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. The Megalodon is a large, very stable, multiple person paddleboard, but I was a bit nervous about riding it. I had never been on a paddleboard. Even though my daughter has lots of experience on paddleboards, I wasn’t sure how I would do.

Once all the paddleboards were inflated, we were ready to head down the river. I crawled onto Megalodon and sat down. As we paddled down the river, I was surprised by how stable the Megalodon was. I had expected more movement. Before long, I was comfortable enough with the board to try a kneeling position. It was easier for me to paddle from that position. When I got the courage to try standing, I was able to balance standing up without any problems. I enjoyed paddling down the river, standing up on the paddleboard.

As we made our way down the river, it started to rain. It was a soft, gentle rain, and the water was beautiful as the raindrops made tiny splashes and rings all over the surface of the river. The rain didn’t last too long, but it rained off and on all day. The scenery on this stretch of the Ouachita River, from Simms to Dragover, was spectacular. There were many beautiful rock formations along the banks of the river. We saw Great Blue Herons fishing in the river. The water was so clear that we could see the fish, including several large Gar. The serenity of the river was occasionally interrupted by frogs croaking and fish jumping and splashing.

I was enjoying going down the river on the paddleboard. I became comfortable standing up and felt stable most of the time. Occasionally I would feel a bit unstable, but by bending my knees and shifting a foot, I was able to regain my balance. Before long, I was quite comfortable and had confidence in my newfound ability to stand up and paddle a paddleboard. We went through several small rapids, and each time I would go from a standing position to a kneeling position before we went through the rapids. As my confidence level rose, I thought, “the next rapids we come to; I will stay standing,”

Before long we came to some small rapids that looked very tame. “I am going to stay standing through these rapids,” I told my daughter. As we started into the rapids, my daughter realized that they were very shallow. “We are going to stick,” she hollered back to me. I knew that when we made that sudden stop, I would not be able to keep my balance. I started to go down into a kneeling position, but before I could get down, the paddleboard came to an abrupt stop, and I was thrown into the water. It was a hard fall into the rocky shallow river, and it hurt. After sitting in the water for a few moments, I realized that even though my leg and my hand were aching, I wasn’t badly hurt. After my daughter dragged the board off the rocks, I crawled back on, and we continued down the river. Although I stood back up, I wasn’t as cocky about my abilities and the next rapids we came to, I kneeled on the board instead of standing up

At Fulton Branch, we stopped for a picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, hummus, cherries, grapes, and cookies. As we ate our lunch, we had a short devotional. We talked about how important stability is in our lives. Stability is important when you are on a paddleboard, but stability is also important in life. In either case, if you lose stability, you will be thrown off. We talked about the things that help make us stable, like family, church, faith, and the Bible.

On Supboardguide.com, I found the following information. “We think it’s helpful to focus on the most important factor for true beginners: stability. Why is SUP stability so important when buying your first SUP? You need something stable to get your bearings. Becoming familiar with balance and water surface fluctuations involves practice and developing muscle memory. If you start with a narrow board – say a racing or touring design – you will constantly fight the board and lose out on this fundamental phase of learning. Plus it will be less fun. The wider the board, the more stable the platform.”

Just like stability is an important factor for stand up paddle boarding, it is important in our lives. Have you ever felt uneasy, unsettled, or unstable? Or maybe a better question is; who hasn’t? How do we overcome these feelings? George Muller, director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England, had these feelings, but he had a plan for stability. He wrote in His diary on May 9, 1841; "Now, I saw that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God, and to meditation on it, that thus my heart might be comforted and encouraged.” Isaiah 33:6 (NET) tells us that God “is your constant source of stability; he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; he gives all this to those who fear him.” When we search for wisdom and knowledge in the Bible, we become more stable in our lives! Let’s aim to spend more time in the Word and gain more stability in our lives.

Author Jim Gerrish writes, “In other articles, I have referred to this age as the ‘Jello Era’ of human history.  In the last twenty or thirty years, we have seen many things shake and tremble before our eyes. These are things we used to trust in, like banks, jobs, companies, governments, family values, etc. In all these areas, and in many more, our world is beginning to look about as stable as a big bowl of Jello. Today, we are all being blasted with the words and opinions of men. The evening newscast is a good example of this. These opinions change by the day. In a week or even in another day these opinions may no longer be considered true. They are like the grass and flowers Peter mentions, but the word of God stands forever. If we build our opinions, our theologies, and our lives upon God’s word, we will be like the man who built his house on the rock.”

Gentle Reader, we all need stability in our lives. Stability is important on a stand up paddleboard, and it is important in every aspect of our lives. Let’s aim to spend more time with God and his word, the Bible. That is the only way to gain more stability in our lives. Don’t let it be said about you; “You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures. And you do not know the power of God.” Matthew 22:29 (NIRV)

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Angels on the Ouachita

An Arkie's Faith column from the July 3, 2019, issue of The Mena Star.


The house was with a flurry of activity as kids and adults prepared for a day on the river. We were excited because the Ouachita River levels were perfect for floating a raft. Seven adults, four kids, food, drinks, a rubber raft, and three paddle boards including the Megalodon multi-person paddle board loaded into the vehicles and we were ready to head out. It had been raining off and on, but our spirits were high as we headed to the Ouachita River.

By the time that we reached the Pine Ridge access and started unloading, the rain had stopped. While others were blowing up the rafts and paddleboards, a couple of us ran the shuttle to drop off a vehicle at the Shirley Creek access, six miles downstream. When everything was ready, we pushed off into the water and started downstream. The river was gently winding its way between the banks with lush green trees whose roots have been exposed by high water earlier in the year.

It was a perfect summer day; not too hot, and the early morning rains were gone. There was blue sky and sunshine with enough cloud cover to make it comfortable. The river was peaceful and serene as we floated past amazing rock formations and the occasional home. The kids were having a great time jumping off the Megalodon paddle board, swimming in the river for a while then climbing back on the board. Shrieks and laughter filled the air as we made our way downstream.

After an hour or two, we found a gravel bar and beached our raft. We pulled the coolers out of the raft and had a lunch of sandwiches, chips, fruit, and cookies. It is amazing how hungry you can get paddling on a river. Just upstream from the gravel bar was a large rock outcropping. The water at the base of the rock was quite deep, and the kids, along with my son-in-law, had a great time jumping off the rock into the water. The kids were having a good time swimming and jumping and didn’t want to leave, but it was time to get back on the river.

While we were on the river, we pulled the paddle boards around the raft and stopped in the middle of the river for a devotional. We talked about Naaman and the Jordan River. Naaman left Syria and came to Israel looking for Elisha. His servant girl had told him that Elisha could heal him of his leprosy. When he knocked on Elisha’s door, “Elisha sent Naaman a messenger who said, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed, and you will be clean.’” 2 Kings 5:10 (NCV) But Naaman wasn’t impressed. He said, “‘the rivers of Damascus, are better than all the waters of Israel. Why can’t I wash in them and become clean?’ So Naaman went away very angry.” 2 Kings 5:12 (NCV)

Naaman’s servants spoke sensibly to him, helping him to see that what Elisha asked was not that difficult. He went to the Jordan River, dipped seven times, and was healed. Why was he healed? It was not because of the Jordan River. It was not because he dipped seven times. It was because God told Naaman, through His prophet Elisha, that if he obeyed he would be healed. God healed Naaman because he obeyed. God wants to heal all of us, but he asks that we obey Him. Obedience doesn’t save us; God saves us. But He asks that we obey Him as a sign that we trust Him.

We continued down the river until we reached the Shirley Creek takeout. When we had pulled our raft and paddle boards up the steep muddy stairs to the picnic area where our shuttle vehicle was parked, we realized that the keys to the vehicle were back at the Pine Ridge drop off point. What would we do? We had a group of tired people who had just spent the day floating six miles on the river, and they were ready to go home. But we were miles away from the keys that we needed. Walking would take several hours. Just as we realized our dilemma, a vehicle drove into the picnic area. Two guys were scouting out the river for a float trip. They were asking some of our group questions, so they sent my son-in-law to talk with them. He is very knowledgeable and has floated many rivers, including the Ouachita several times. He told the guys about our predicament and asked if they would take us back to Pine Ridge. They agreed to take us.

My son-in-law and I rode back with them to pick up the two vehicles that we had left at Pine Ridge. As we drove along, we talked about our river floating experiences. When they dropped us off at our vehicles, I told the guys, “I have always wanted to know what angels looked like, but you really surprised me.” The laughed, and said that no one had ever called them angels before. But if they weren’t angels, I still think that they were sent by God. We could have been at the picnic area for hours without seeing anyone.

When we had returned with the other vehicles, I was reminded of the fact that. “your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Matthew 6:8 (NLT) It made me think of my heavenly Father in such a loving and caring way. In the middle of taking care of the universe, God saw fit to remind me that just because I didn’t yet know how He was at work in my situation, didn’t mean He didn’t know exactly what was happening. He provided the answer to my problem even before I knew I had a problem.

Gentle Reader, God knew what I needed even before I asked. He provided a way out of my predicament. He sent angels on the Ouachita. He will do the same for you. Just because God provided two guys to give me a ride when I needed it doesn’t mean they weren’t actually angels. “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Hailstones

An Arkie's Faith column from the June 26, 2019, issue of The Mena Star.



Black clouds began to sprawl across the sky as we sat at Papa’s Mexican CafĂ©. It was our weekly family night, and we were having a wonderful meal at Papas. The kids wanted to sit at their own table separate from the adults. They were making up storylines for their very own superhero movie. From the adult's table, we could see out the front door. As the clouds rolled in and we began to hear thunder, we thought that we should cut the evening short. On our family nights, we usually sit and visit for quite some time after we have eaten. But tonight, we decided that it would be a good idea to get home before the storm hit. My Daddy had driven his Shay Model A Roadster, and with no side windows, it would be good to get home before it began to rain.

As we walked to our cars, we could see dark, brooding, black clouds to the southwest. The skies looked ominous. We made it home before the storm hit. As we sat in the comfort of our living room, we could see the boughs of the trees in the back-yard swaying in the strengthening gusts of wind. The rain started with just a few drops; then the dark clouds unleashed a torrent of water, driven by the strong wind. The sky turned a strange color, and the thunder rolled as lightning flashed all around. I checked the radar on my phone and saw that there were serious storms to the south of us.

While the rain fell in great sheets, lightning flashed around us followed by loud cracking booms. We were concerned about how severe the storm would be. Some small, pea-sized hail beat on the windows. When I checked the weather radar on my phone, I saw that there were very severe storms a few miles south. Reports started coming in on social media, showing very large hail south of us.

Baseball-sized and even softball-sized hail fell in the Cove, Vandervoort, and Wickes area. We wondered if the hailstorms were heading our way. Before long, the storm in our area weakened, and the winds died down. The rain slackened and began floating down in gentle waves.

Later that evening when I saw the photos on social media that several residents in the towns of Cove and Vandervoort posted of hailstones ranging from the size of a tennis ball to larger than softball-size, I knew that there would be a lot of damage. I was sure that the hail had damaged many cars and trucks. Sure enough, the next morning, as soon as I opened my auto glass shop, the phone started ringing off the hook. Many people in the area had their glass broken by the hail. I was busy all day pricing, scheduling, and ordering glass.

What could have caused such large hailstones? Hail forms when thunderstorm updrafts are strong enough to carry water droplets well above the freezing level. This freezing process forms a hailstone, which can grow as additional water freezes onto it. Eventually, the hailstone becomes too heavy for the updrafts to support it, and it falls to the ground. The hailstones grow larger as they move up and down in the thunderstorm updraft.  Eventually either the hailstones get too large and fall to the ground or get blown out of the updraft. For hail to get the size of a baseball, you need the updraft in the thunderstorm to be moving more than 100 mph! I can’t imagine what the speeds were to form softball and even grapefruit-sized hailstones.

According to Weather Underground historian Chris Burt, the world's largest hailstone by diameter and weight was observed in the U.S. on July 23, 2010, near Vivian, South Dakota. The hailstone measured 8.0 inches in diameter, and it weighed 1.9 pounds. The National Weather Service has confirmed the hail which fell during the evening of June 19 in the Vandervoort community in south Polk County tied for an Arkansas record of approximately five inches. By comparison, a softball is 3.5 inches in diameter. The largest hailstones in this storm were the size of large grapefruit. There were reports of a calf that was killed by the hail.

As large as the Vandervoort hailstones were, the Bible tells of much larger hailstones that will fall in the future at the very end of time. “Huge hailstones weighing about 100 pounds each fell from the sky. The hail crushed people. And they spoke evil things against God because of the plague. That’s because the plague of hail was so terrible.” Revelation 16:21 (NIRV) After seeing some of the damage that was caused by this storm, I can’t imagine the damage that 100-pound hailstones would do. The hailstones at the end of time are not the only hailstones mentioned in the Bible. In Joshua chapter 10, we find the story of the day that the sun stood still when Joshua and the Israelites were in battle with the Amorites. Did you know that a hailstorm was a pivotal point in the battle? “As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword.” Joshua 10:11 (NLT)

Hailstorms can be deadly. Forty years ago, when we were living in Loveland, Colorado, a hailstorm damaged our new Toyota Corolla and broke out the windshield and the back glass. The hail punched holes in our neighbor’s camper. Hail damaged the roof of our home and had to be replaced. In that same storm, a baby died when a grapefruit-sized hailstone came crashing through a skylight in a shopping mall.

Gentle Reader, when 100-pound hailstones are falling at the end of time, I want to be among the people who say, “this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9 (NKJV) I don’t want to be among those who see the hail and say to the mountains and rocks, “fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” Revelation 6:16 (NKJV) I look forward to the day that “God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3,4 (NKJV) I hope that you are looking forward to that day too.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Don't be Afraid


It seems like a day doesn't go by that someone doesn't talk to me about the condition of our country and the world. What I have noticed in the past few months, is that it seems like the people I have talked to who have been the most worried are Christians. I have gotten numerous e-mails from Christian people who are sure that doom and gloom are right around the corner. I can't believe that God wants us to live that way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says "may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way."

I do believe that we are living in the last chapter of Earth's history, but I am puzzled by many of my fellow Christians. Does God want us to worry about the future?

I saw something the other day that puzzled me. I was in a Christian bookstore, and I saw that they had Christian worry stones for sale. According to tradition, a worry stone is a smooth, polished stone that when rubbed is believed to reduce one's worries and add a sense of calmness. When the stone is rubbed, the negative energy and worries are supposedly transferred into the stone and you are left calm and peaceful. I don't think worry stones are compatible with Christianity.

In Matthew 6:31 Jesus tells us "Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?" He goes on to say "do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own".

Why do we worry? We worry because we fear the future. Over 100 times, the Bible tells us; do not fear, do not be afraid, fear not. In Proverbs 3:24-26 we read; “You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security.”

And Psalm 46:1-2 tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.”
Many Christians teach us to be afraid of the end of time and the second coming of Jesus. I know that when I was a teenager, I was taught to fear the time of trouble and the last days before Jesus comes. I was taught to be afraid that I would not be worthy of making it through the end times.

Let me ask you a question. At what point in the future does your salvation stop being about what God does and start being about what you do? I was taught to ask if my faith would be strong enough to stand in the end-time persecution? Instead of asking that question, why don’t we ask ourselves a better question: Am I learning to trust God now? Am I giving God my everything now? Because if we are, then God will get you through the end times. By listening to God and surrendering today, you are doing the very best thing you can do to get ready for what’s coming tomorrow. And if God helped you yesterday to prepare for the challenges of today, what makes you think He won’t continue to do so through to the end? Jesus says, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20

I was taught that I had to perfect my character so that I could make it through on my own without a mediator. But making it through to the end is all about trusting God and not about trusting myself and my perfect character. In the end, it is God who vindicates His name, not us. He simply uses us in this process. If the universe at the end is remarking about how good we are instead of how good God is, something will have gone terribly wrong.

I feel that some of these false ideas that are taught is why so many of us fear the end times. I want to be with the group that says, “this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9 I don’t want to be with the group that is afraid.

In Isaiah 41:10 God tells us, “Do not be afraid - I am with you! I am your God - let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.”

When my daughter was little, my wife would sing to them when she was trying to get them to go to sleep. “Rock, rock, rock, little boat on the sparkling sea, Rock, rock, rock, dear Jesus rides in thee; Rock, rock, rock, o’er the waters swiftly flee, For Jesus rides in the little boat on blue Galilee.”

While researching the Sea of Galilee, I found out that it is the lowest freshwater body of water in the world at 685 feet below sea level. It lies in the Jordan Rift, a fault zone with steep hills and mountains all around it. The Mediterranean Ocean is only 27 miles to the west.

Ocean winds funnel through passes of the hill country and down the steep hillsides. As the warm moist air rises from the Sea of Galilee, it collides with the dry, cool air from the mountain heights to the east and thunderstorms can develop over the sea.

The worst storms on the Sea of Galilee are caused when a low-pressure zone to the east causes the winds to blow down from the Golan Heights. The air compresses in the passes of the Trans-Jordan mountains and rushes down onto the Sea of Galilee which has a relatively small area of 64 square miles. The water is forced down, but has no place to go, so it pushes up into towering waves. A storm surge on the Sea of Galilee in March of 1992 sent ten-foot waves on the west side of the sea crashing into downtown Tiberias causing heavy damage to the shopping area and marina.

The Bible describes one of these severe storms on the Sea of Galilee in the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story. The storm in the story was a serious storm that put anyone out on the sea in grave danger. But Jesus was the master of the storm. Ever since then, people facing all kinds of storms in their lives that that threaten to destroy them have found hope in Jesus because of this Bible story.

The story is found in Mark 4:35-41. “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

The disciples are sure they know who Jesus is. To them, he is a teacher and story-teller, a miracle worker and an exhausted man. He is a celebrity, someone exciting to be around. It makes them feel good to be useful to him--to sail away with him from the crowd on the shore that envies their closeness to him.

They know the Sea of Galilee like the backs of their hands. They know what it takes to sail these waters. They are out for a nice cruise this evening, certain that they are in control. Suddenly their certainties are shredded along with their sail. The storm almost kills them. They are powerless, adrift, just one gust and one wave away from drowning.

Jesus is sound asleep on a cushion in the back of the boat, oblivious to the terrible storm that is overpowering them. The disciples wake him up in a panic. “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?” It's an odd question. Determining his state of mind about their welfare seems the least of their concerns. Something more direct would be in order like, "Help!" or "Lord, save us!"

Jesus rouses himself and tells the wind to stop. He says to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" although he may be addressing the terrified disciples as well. After all, it was his idea to cross the lake. They aren't going to drown on his watch, but they don't know that or trust him yet.

The wind stops, and the sea calms all in an instant. The disciples are surprised, but Jesus is disappointed. He had given them the amazing catch of fish when their best efforts had come up empty. They had seen him feed the 5,000 with only five loaves of bread and two sardines. He had healed the sick and raised the dead.  But they are still focused on their needs, not on what Jesus can do.

Jesus wants our trust because our salvation depends on him and our trust connects us to his saving power. Jesus wants us to trust Him to carry us through the end times.

Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” Our salvation isn't a personal achievement. It is a gift of God, and we have to trust that even in the midst of the storm God will save us.

The disciples are finding out that there is a lot more to their "Teacher" than good stories and food distribution. He has faced down the worst storm that they have ever experienced, and they are stunned. They have only one question now, and it is the right one -- "Who is this, that even the wind and waves obey him?"

Having seen his power in action, the men are now more afraid of Jesus than they were afraid of the storm. "They feared exceedingly," is the way the Bible puts it in Mark 4:41. Phobos is the Greek word that Mark's Gospel uses for how the men felt when they witnessed Jesus calming the waves. Phobos is the root word of "phobia," an abnormal, intense, illogical fear. It is a pathological terror devastating them to the core of their very being. At that moment, they realized that Jesus was more than just a good luck charm. They thought that when Jesus was with them, surely there wouldn’t be any storms. But when they witnessed the actual power that Jesus had over the storm, they were afraid of His power.

We have a lot of sweet illusions about Jesus. He tells us to cross the sea. He comes to us just as we are and climbs in your boat just as he is. We sail out with the other boats. We're proud to be in his company--Jesus and us sailing off together into the sunset and he's picked our boat, not theirs! "It doesn't get any better than this--we're taking Jesus for a ride," we think. We even pride ourselves that we've got everything under control so Jesus can sleep.

Then the wind changes and blows up a storm so severe that it robs us of rational thought. The waves turn rough and hit us again and again and then recoil and crash into us from the other direction with no let-up. Our carefully constructed little vessel begins to break up and take on water. "Hello, we're sinking here," we think. "We're dying!"

We wonder, "How can he be our sailing buddy when he is asleep in the back of the boat while we are bailing hard and not keeping up?" We call out in desperation, even anger, "Teacher, don't you care that I'm drowning?"

I know that I feel that way at times. When I am going through tough times, I wonder why God is allowing these things to happen. Sometimes I feel like David in Psalms 13:1, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” And in Psalms 10:1 David wrote, “why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?”

Often when we are going through tough times others no longer seem as supportive or as friendly, an abandoned feeling leads us into the downward spiral of thinking: No one cares for me! Like David, we may then conclude: God has also abandoned me!

Jesus has promised that He will calm the storm. We forget that Jesus told us the destination and said that we would go across together. It's our perception, not his reality that has us scared.
Paul says that "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! (Phil 4:7). Jesus is our peace.

It isn't the boat that you are in that is going to save you. It is being with Jesus and trusting him that makes all the difference.

Christianity is built on faith and trust in Jesus. I want to close with a story about one of the greatest tightrope-walkers of all time. His name was Blondin. He became obsessed with the idea of crossing Niagara Falls the first time he saw them in 1858. A year after his initial visit, he returned to accomplish the feat. The stunt was not without controversy. Many people felt that a stunt like Blondin's would trivialize the falls, turning them into a backdrop for a circus act, and should not be allowed.

Eventually, Blondin was allowed to string his wire across the falls and on June 30, 1859, he was the first man ever to cross Niagara Falls by tightrope. A large crowd of 100,000 people watched him walk on a single three-inch rope, 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the falls on one side and 270 feet at the other.

Blondin made many more trips across the gorge during the next year. Each time, he thrilled larger crowds with more exciting acts. He balanced a chair on the rope and stood on it. He took pictures of the crowd while he balanced on the rope. He cooked a meal on a small portable cooker and lowered it to amazed passengers on the Maid of the Mist below. He crossed blindfolded, in a sack, on stilts, and pushing a wheelbarrow.

In 1860 a Royal party from Britain that included the Prince of Wales saw Blondin cross the tightrope on stilts and again blindfolded. After that, he stopped halfway across and cooked and ate an omelet. Next, he wheeled a wheelbarrow from one side to the other and returned with a sack of potatoes in it. Then Blondin approached the Royal party. He asked the Prince of Wales, "Do you believe I could take a man across the tightrope in this wheelbarrow?" "Yes, I do," said the Prince. "Hop in, then," replied Blondin. Well, the Prince declined Blondin's challenge. He might have believed Blondin could do it, but he wasn't about to trust him with his life.

When it comes to our relationship with God, this kind of trust doesn't do much good. God doesn't want us to say "Yes Lord I believe in you, but not enough to put my life in your hands." Belief has to come with trust. Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Is there a difference between trust and belief? The Prince of Wales believed that Blondin could walk a man across the rope in a wheelbarrow, but he didn't trust him enough to get in. Do you believe in God? Do you trust him with your life? Trust God with all your heart. Trust Him to take you through to the end. Trust Him through the storms of your life and don’t be afraid. Jesus says, “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Will you take Him at his word?

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Anniversary at Steel Creek

An Arkie's Faith column from the June 19, 2019, issue of The Mena Star.


The warm evening sun shone on the towering and picturesque Roark Bluff. The Buffalo River rushed past the bluff, which is one of the most iconic and photographed bluffs along the river. In an open grassy field at Steel Creek Campground, over one thousand people gathered, waiting for the concert to begin. The band, National Park Radio, would be playing a free outdoor show in this beautiful location for the fourth consecutive year.

National Park Radio is a modern folk band from Harrison that is known for its hopeful, heartfelt lyrics with themes about life, love, and difficult choices, all while echoing the enduring beauty of the band’s deep-seated roots in the Ozark Mountains. I first heard them when they headlined the 2018 Lum and Abner Days Festival. I became a big fan of National Park Radio and their music. I made plans months ahead to attend the Steel Creek concert. The concert date just happened to be on my 44th wedding anniversary.

In an article about the concert, Superintendent Mark Foust of the Buffalo National River said; “This is a highly popular event among our local communities and park visitors alike. Last year’s concert brought out almost 1,300 people, many of whom spent the weekend in the area and supported local businesses while they were here. This event has proven year after year to cultivate stewardship and appreciation for the Buffalo River and the Ozarks through National Park Radio’s poignant lyrics, and it has also served as a great boost for the local economy.”

My wife and I, along with my sister, brother-in-law, and granddaughter, were among those who boosted the local economy. We rented the lovely Azalea Falls Cabin near Kingston and had a wonderful anniversary dinner at the Low Gap CafĂ©.  We arrived at the campground early in the afternoon. So early, that we were the first to set out our chairs in front of the stage. We spent the afternoon swimming in the Buffalo River and picnicking while taking in the incredible scenic beauty of the area.

All afternoon people streamed into the concert area, and by the time the show began, the field was a teeming mass of people. When the first strains of music filled the air, everyone in the audience cheered as they settled down to watch the band play with the beautiful bluffs above the Buffalo River in the background. During the intermission, I was able to talk with the leader of the band, singer/songwriter Stefan Szabo, and asked him if he could acknowledge our anniversary and told him that we considered, “If the Rain is Fallin” our song. The song begins, “If the rain is fallin', it makes me think of you. And when the birds are callin', it reminds me too.” And it includes the lines, “And though the years have tired and worn us. We hold hands, and I can't hide, that now the only thing I truly need is just to have you by my side.”

Before the band played “If the Rain is Fallin',” Stefan let everyone in the crowd know that it was our anniversary and that we had chosen to spend our special day at the concert. He then dedicated the song to us. It was a special moment and came as a big surprise to my wife. After the concert, National Park Radio posted on social media; “We had another magical evening with all of our Buffalo National River family at Steel Creek! You guys and this place completely fill our souls. We are forever grateful for the love and support you all give us.”

Why do we celebrate wedding anniversaries? I think that it is because we make a covenant with God to become like one person. “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife. The two of them become one.” Genesis 2:24 (NIRV) Celebrating your anniversary says, “you matter enough to me to do something special to remember our union.” Remembering helps you continue to value each other and reflect on all you have been through since you were first married. And if it’s anything like our marriage, you’ve been through a lot.

We celebrate wedding anniversaries because if there is anything that should be celebrated, it’s a time-tested marriage. Even if you haven’t been married that long if you have made it to at least one of your anniversaries, your marriage has been tested. There is something special about another year of marriage that deserves to be celebrated. It is sacred because you have kept a covenant to God and your spouse. Your marriage milestone is meant to mean something. It is not just another day that comes and goes without recognition. King Soloman wrote; “Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18 (NKJV) and Paul wrote, “on top of all this you must put on love, which ties everything together and makes it complete.” Colossians 3:14 (NTE)

In Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV) the Bible tells us, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” When a bride and groom are in love, they can think of nothing else but each other. That is the kind of love God has for His people.  The symbol of marriage between God and his people also occurs in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 62:5 (NLT) it says, “God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.”

Gentle Reader, your relationship with Jesus is meant to be a symbol of your marriage. They are both by grace. A good marriage only happens because your partner gives you grace. They both require focused attention and learning more about the other. So celebrate your marriage anniversary and enjoy the blessings of being together over time. It is something to be proud of because God says marriage is meant to last a lifetime. “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:9 (NRSV)

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

The Summer of Love

An Arkie's Faith column from the June 12, 2019, issue of The Mena Star.


I can still remember the summer of 1967. I was just a kid, but it seemed like the world was changing. 1967 became known as the Summer of Love, and the song All You Need Is Love by The Beatles was the anthem. Just like other kids from around the world, I loved The Beatles. I remember visiting my cousins in California that December and listening to the Magical Mystery Tour album for the first time. One of the highlights of the album was All You Need is Love.

Is there any truth to the catchphrase, “all you need is love?”  I believe that it is the truth.  “All you need is love – Love is all you need.” In 1 John 4:7,8 (NCV)  the Bible tells us, “Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Love should be the basis for everything we do.  In Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT), Jesus was asked, “what is the most important commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’”

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets – The entire Bible is summed up in these words. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself.” When you distill it down that much, it seems so simple. It really is true – All you need is love.

In the love letter God wrote to you called the Bible it says, “I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:38,39 (CEV)

How would you feel if you wrote these beautiful words to the love of your life and they were ignored? God says to us, “there is nothing that can separate you from My love for you in Christ Jesus.” We will never know all the ways God shows His love to us.

God's Word is His love letter to us. The love of Jesus waits on each page! Don’t leave your love letters unopened and unread. God loves you, and he wants to tell you just how much. Open his love letter to you and listen to what he has to say to you.

The greatest love poem found in the Bible is in John 3:16,17 (NKJV). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

What beautiful words. We need to keep in mind that it is the world that God loves, not a single nation, not a single race. Not just the “good” people, not just the people who love God back. “God so loved the world.” This includes the lovable and the unlovable; those who are popular, and those who have no one else to love them; the ones who love God, and the ones who never think of God. It includes all of those people and people groups that you dislike. Many Christians on social media show their hatred toward certain races, religions, and lifestyles. These are people that God loves.

In 1 Corinthians 13 (NLT) Paul expresses the importance of love to the Christian, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing… Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless... All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

Gentle Reader, remember that God loves the world - the entire world. He has told us that no matter what we do for Him if we don’t have love it is nothing. You see, it is true. “All You Need Is Love” – God’s love!