Line Upon Line

I like this quote from A.W. Tozer's book, "Success and the Christian."

"The only fear I have is to fear to get out of the will of God. Outside of the will of God, there's nothing I want, and in the will of God there's nothing I fear, for God has sworn to keep me in His will. If I'm out of His will, that is another matter. But if I'm in His will, He's sworn to keep me."

Someone once said to me, "I was told that if I'm in the will of God, everything would go real smoothly for me." I said, "I don't know who told you that, but that's not what the Bible teaches." I went on to say, "Jesus was in the perfect will of God, and He suffered and died on the cross."

When you're in God's will, you shouldn't expect that everything will always go your way. As a matter of fact, you shouldn't be surprised if 'all hell breaks loose' and things look like they're falling apart. When such times come -- and they will -- keep your eyes on Jesus, "the author and finisher" of your faith. Remember, God is faithful -- and if you trust Him, He will always see you through!

think on these things...

Luke 22:41,42 (NKJV)
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.''

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up.

Kenneth E. Hagin founded RHEMA Bible Training Center in 1974, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I attended the second year of the school and graduated in 1976. After graduation, my wife, Debbi, and I spent the next 2 1/2 years ministering in southern Georgia. In the fall of 1978, we returned to Oklahoma, where I joined the RHEMA faculty, and served as an instructor until the spring of 1981.

As many of you know, Kenneth Hagin went home to be with the Lord on September 19, 2003, after working in Christian ministry for nearly 70 years. I attended the memorial service for Brother Hagin, which was held Wednesday, September 24th, RHEMA's campus, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The service was a wonderful tribute to a humble man of God. As ministers, family members, and friends shared their thoughts and memories of Brother Hagin, I, too, recalled some experiences I had with him. One memory in particular, has stayed with me more than 20 years now.

I was working in my office one afternoon, when Brother Hagin stopped by and asked if I'd heard anything from Rodney Lloyd, an instructor who had recently left the school to pastor a church in Michigan. I said that I'd talked with him, and he was doing fine. Brother Hagin nodded his head and said, "Good, good." He then turned and continued down the hall, and I returned to the papers on my desk.

A few moments later, I sensed someone's presence, and looked up to see Brother Hagin back at my door.

He looked at me and said, "I just felt I was supposed to come back and tell you that I love you. The Lord's been dealing with me that I need to let people know that I love them more." And then, somewhat embarrassingly, he added, "I guess you're never too old to learn."

With teary eyes, I thanked him, and he went on his way. After he left, I sat at my desk and thought, "Here's a man who's been in ministry nearly 50 years, and he's still learning. Where does that leave me?"

Brother Hagin's words were a reality check for that 30-year-old 'kid', as they are for this 53-year-old 'kid', today. I've come to realize, that as much as I know, I don't know it all -- there's still a lot to learn.

So, regardless of your age, you'd do well to remember Brother Hagin's words, too: "You're never too old to learn."

think on these things...

Philippians 3:12 (NLT)
I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.

Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
-- Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818)

The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come.
-- C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.
-- Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Nourish the mind like you would your body. The mind cannot survive on junk food.
-- Jim Rohn

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

On this Christmas Eve, 2003, I'm putting the word out for a missing child -- the "Christ-child."

Have you seen Him?

While driving on Krafft Road the other day, I noticed a sign leaning against a split-rail fence by the side of the road. On this piece of wood was a message that had been carefully painted in large black letters, and intended for a person unknown:

"You have stolen Jesus from our yard, but not our hearts."

A closer look confirmed the fact. There in the front yard were Mary, Joseph, and a couple "wise men", too. But there was an empty spot, right where the baby Jesus should have been.

Someone had stolen the Christ-child.

There's a lot of that going around these days. It seems to be contagious -- kind of like the flu. Judges, mayors, and city council members in villages and towns throughout the country have found the "babe wrapped in swaddling cloths" to be offensive, and they have taken him away.

A Hanukkah menorah?

That's okay.

An Islamic star and crescent?

No problem.

But the baby Jesus?

We think not.

It's best we keep the Christ-child safely stored in the attic, the basement, or hidden inside the church -- any place other than where people might see Him and be reminded of what Christmas is really all about.

But this type of attack against Christianity shouldn't surprise those familiar with the Word of God:

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.'' Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,'' and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.'' They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. (1 Peter 2:6-8)

You see, there's a spiritual battle going on -- and it's been going on for a long, long time.

Satan, the "god of this world," has a 'problem' with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It's okay with him if you choose to believe in any other religion or any other god -- or choose to believe in nothing at all. But, believe in Jesus? Well, that's another matter entirely. (Who do you think invented "Xmas," anyway?)

Christmas is not about Old Saint Nick, or mistletoe, or tinsel hanging on a tree -- Christmas is about Jesus Christ, God's love gift to the world.

And with that thought in mind, I wish you a most blessed CHRISTmas, and a God-filled new year! I also pray that if you haven't yet opened your heart to receive God's precious gift of life through Jesus Christ, you will do so today.

think on these things...

John 3:16-18
"For 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. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

"For decades, Christmas has been commercialized and secularized. Silly 'holiday specials' announce that the 'true meaning of Christmas' is spending time with family and friends, or buying special gifts, or feeling happy all the time. Christmas has been whitewashed and sugarcoated within an inch of its life. Really, is it any wonder that a season of relentless, meaningless hype is making some people feel crankier at Christmas than at any other time of the year?"
-- Chuck Colson

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree."
-- Sunshine Magazine

Guess what I found in one of my desk drawers last night -- my little black book!

No, not one of "those" little black books -- this is a small book I bought a few years ago to write down memorable quotations I came across.

Would you like to see some of my little black book entries?

Ok, here they are. Maybe you'll see something that interests you!

"I found success one step beyond defeat." -- Anonymous

"The devil doesn't fight you too much when you're going his way." -- Anonymous

"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success." -- Henry Ford

"I will remind myself that whenever I allow my goal to be the same as God's, it cannot fail." -- Hugh Prather

"If your heart's in the right place, your feet will be, too!" -- (I think I said that.)

"It is a great moment in any life when a Christian comes to realize that the Church, as Christ formed it long ago, was not a crowd watching a performance, but persons engaged in a ministry to other persons." -- D. Elton Trueblood

"Any man who has a religion is bound to do one of two things with it -- change it or spread it. If it isn't true, he must give it up. If it is true, he must give it away." -- Robert E. Speer

"A servant is one who gains pleasure in making another succeed." -- Anonymous

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Let's put a catchy message on our Dixon-Ticonderoga No. 2 pencils to help kids remember to stay away from drugs."

And so they did.

The upstate New York pencil pusher made their point by stamping the slogan, "Too cool to do drugs" on their writing sticks.

And they were sent throughout the land.

This was thought to be a noble idea.

But, alas, 'twas not.

One day, an observant fourth-grade student noticed that as he sharpened his pencil, the message changed from "Too cool to do drugs" to "cool to do drugs" to "do drugs."

Doh!

Here is The Law of Unintended Consequences at work.

In his article from The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics, Rob Norton, a columnist for "eCompany Now" magazine and previously the economics editor of "Fortune" magazine, defines the 'law' this way:

"The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people -- and especially of government -- always have effects that are unanticipated or 'unintended.' Economists and other social scientists have heeded its power for centuries; for just as long, politicians and popular opinion have largely ignored it."

Choices have consequences -- some unintended, some undesirable.

Take those pencils -- what a wonderful way to get a positive message into the hands and in front of the eyes of young, impressionable children.

Uh, erase that.

Maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe somebody should have thought this through a little more.

You think?

Every day we must make decisions that affect our lives and the lives of others. Often, it's impossible to anticipate or predict the resulting outcomes of all our choices. What seems like a good idea in the short run, can yield disastrous consequences in the long run.

That's scary!

That's why we need God's wisdom to do the right thing -- to make the right choices.

When we simply "trust and obey", God has this amazing way of making "all things work together for our good."

You may be facing a major decision in your life today. I encourage you to seek God first -- and don't make a move until you've heard His voice.

Remember the Ticonderoga!

think on these things...

James 1:5-8 (NLT)
If you need wisdom -- if you want to know what God wants you to do -- ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.

Romans 8:28 (NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

"The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
(adapted from a line in "To a Mouse," by Robert Burns)

As I waited for the green arrow so I could complete my left turn onto Krafft Road, I noticed the big electronic message sign in front of Walgreens Drugstore.

The glowing red LED's said it all -- "Santa will be here today!"

Wow! How in the world did our Ft. Gratiot, Michigan Walgreens arrange that?

When I was kid, the REAL Santa Claus could only be found in one place -- Smith-Bridgman's Department store in Flint, Michigan. (I just read that fellow Flint native Michael Moore, of "Roger and Me" fame, mistakenly thought the REAL Santa made his holiday home at the Fourth Avenue Sears store. Sorry, Michael -- maybe that's where all the confusion began.)

Just like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story", we would make our way downtown to Santa's Wonderland to experience the excitement and joy of seeing the jolly old guy in person, tell him what we wanted for Christmas, assure him we'd been good, and get our picture taken to preserve the magical moment.

But other stores decided they wanted Santa, too.

Send in the clones.

Now, how can Santa Claus be at Smith-Bridgman's, Sears, and Montgomery Ward at the same time? That's just not possible! We've got scheduling problems here, folks -- any kid can figure that out.

Will the REAL Santa please stand up?

Actually, the Walgreen's sign got me thinking about the REAL JESUS.

It reminded me of something He said before He left this planet to return to His heavenly home -- "Be on the lookout for counterfeit Christs" (my translation).

Truth is, everyone who dresses up, talks like, and calls himself "The Anointed One", isn't.

In a season when people will try to get you to buy all sorts of things you don't need, I offer this reminder -- accept no substitutes. There's nothing like the REAL thing!

Oh...and just to set your mind at ease, I haven't believed in Santa Claus for some time now. However, I did visit Santa Claus's Naughty or Nice website to see where I stood with him -- just in case.

Here's what I found:

Randy Gearhart -- "Nice," but you'd better watch out! I'm checking my list (twice!) and I see that the manners sometimes slip a bit. Please remember to say "thank you" especially in a season when people are giving gifts and doing such nice things. Good work brushing those teeth! Floss regularly and you'll earn extra "Nice" points!

That reminds me -- I've got a dentist appointment in a couple of weeks.

think on these things...

Matthew 24:3-5 (NKJV)
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'' And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."

Revelation 22:12 (NKJV)
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."

P.S. Looks like somebody is making a list!

He sees you when you're sleeping,
He knows when you're awake,
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for Jesus' sake!

I like good news. How about you?

I got back home this morning about 2:30 AM, after attending a meeting at Good News Fellowship Family Church in Owosso, Michigan. I'd gone over to hear Larry Huggins, a wonderful minister and longtime friend of mine. I went to bed and must have finally fallen asleep around 3:00 AM.

About 8:00 AM, I was awakened out of a deep sleep by my wife, Debbi.

"Randy, they found Saddam."

Now, that's good news!

It's especially good to hear on this particular day, December 14th.

Why December 14th?

It was on this day 39 years ago, that I received 'not-so-good' news that my father had collapsed in an office hallway at Fisher Body Plant #2 in Flint, Michigan. He'd suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 40 years old -- I was 14.

Mom and I had just returned home from a neighborhood store where I'd purchased a Christmas gift for my dad -- an electric shoe polisher. My dad's shoes always looked new and shiny. He taught me how to polish and put a 'spit shine' on a pair, too. Maybe he took such good care of his shoes because as a kid he had to wear shoes with cardboard slid into the bottom of them because the soles had holes.

That afternoon, as I sat alone in the darkness of our basement family room, I knew something was up. I'd heard the back screen door opening and closing, and the muffled sound of voices upstairs.

Reverend Lomas was summoned to tell me the news: "Your father won't be coming home any more."

That's all he said -- or at least that's all I remember him saying. For years I hated him for the way he told me of my father's death. But, how do you say it so it doesn't hurt -- so it doesn't cause pain?

I don't know, do you?

The news of my father's death made me cry. But today when I heard that Saddam Hussein had been captured, that news made me cry, too.

Weird, huh?

From now on, December 14th will carry added meaning for me. On this day I received bad news that a good man was lost -- and good news that a bad man was found.

And life goes on...

think on these things...

Proverbs 25:25 (NKJV)
As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country.

Step 1. Stand in front of a mirror.
Step 2. Open your mouth.
Step 3. Stick out your tongue.

One potential WMD found.

Be careful where you point that thing...it's loaded!

think on these things...

James 3:2-10 (NLT)
We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.

So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

I thought somebody -- maybe you -- needed to hear this today.

So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. -- Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

think on these things...

"The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur." -- Vince Lombardi

"Never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.'' -- Sir Winston Churchill

"Sharing makes you bigger than you are. The more you pour out, the more life will be able to pour in." -- Jim Rohn

think on these things...

Acts 20:33-35 (NLT)
"I have never coveted anyone's money or fine clothing. You know that these hands of mine have worked to pay my own way, and I have even supplied the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help the poor by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Matthew 10:8
Give as freely as you have received!

"You can tell more about a person by the watch they wear than by anything else."

That's the theme of watch maker Seiko's new ads -- part of a 20 million-dollar-plus marketing campaign to help raise its image and appeal to a younger 25 to 40 year old audience.

The premise of this promotion is that "one's choice of a watch is purely personal -- the brand, the design, and the functions all reflect the type of person that each individual is and wants to be seen to be. One's watch is like a window into one's personality; through the selection of a watch, each person decides how the world will see him or her."

Really?

I did not know that.

I didn't realize that the secret to knowing a person was right there on their wrist all the 'time.'

The marketing strategy includes a television commercial that was shot on the Mediterranean island of Minorca -- shot in a marble quarry -- shot in black and white.

It's not your job...
it's not your accent...
it's not your clothes...
it's not your car...
it's not your lipstick...
it's not your friends...
it's not your shoes...
it's not your laugh...
it's not your hair...
it's your watch.
You can tell more about a person by the watch they wear than by anything else.

OK -- I'm missing something here. (But maybe that's because I'm not in the 25 to 40 year old target group.)

Seiko's new Arctura Kinetic Chronograph is the star of the ad. Its Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price is $650. It is a good looking watch, and it would probably look good on me. But to give it super-powers beyond that of accurately telling time is stretching the truth somewhat, don't you think?

Now, if it's true that 'one's watch is like a window into one's personality', then I suppose if you don't wear a watch, you have no apparent personality. Hey, slap on a Timex or Casio, quick! Any personality is better than no personality at all -- besides, you'll have a better chance of being on time for your appointments.

Hey, if the Arctura Kinetic Chronograph isn't 'you', you might want to take a look at the Sportura Kinetic Chronograph, with a MSRP of $2495. If I see one these babies on your wrist, it will tell me one thing about you -- you've got more money than I do!

P.S. If Seiko's premise is true, you might think twice before you strap on a FOSSIL Brand watch. You know what I mean?

think on these things...

"It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy."
-- George Horace Lorimer

"Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
-- John Wooden

"True wealth is not measured by that which one possesses, but rather by that which is given away."
-- RCG

If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?
-- Matthew 16:25,26

The way you see life is the way you live life.

That is, if you really believe there is a God, if you really believe in life after death, if you really believe there is a judgment, if you really believe in Heaven and Hell, if you really believe in Jesus Christ -- it will affect the way you think and live.

Really.

This truth was brought to light through a recent study by the Barna Research Group.

The results are startling -- but not surprising.

Citing the findings from a just-completed national survey of 2033 adults that showed only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making, researcher George Barna described the outcome. "If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think - our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We're often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance."

For the purposes of the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.

You can read the entire article, A Biblical Worldview Has a Radical Effect on a Person's Life here.

Interesting stuff.

By the way, there are only two places a person can get their "worldview" -- either from the Word of God or from the world.

Your choice. Pick one.

think on these things...

Ephesians 4:17-32 (NLT)
With the Lord's authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed.

But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ. Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness-righteous, holy, and true.

So put away all falsehood and "tell your neighbor the truth" because we belong to each other. And "don't sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil. If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live.

Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

The Christmas holidays offer a time for reflection, celebration, and fellowship with family and friends. But they can easily become busy and stressful, too.

You might want to visit CBN's Christmas webpage to keep 'the reason for the season' in focus.

There's a lot of great information and inspiration there -- including stories behind some of the most beloved Christmas hymns and carols, such as this one for Silent Night! Holy Night!.

If you ever travel to Michigan, be sure to stop by Bronner's, the world's largest Christmas store in Frankenmuth, and visit a replica of the original memorial chapel in Oberndorf, Austria which was built on the site of St. Nicholas Church.

St. Nicholas is the church where "Silent Night" was first sung.

May the peace and joy of that first Christmas night, live in your heart and your home!

think on these things...

Matthew 1:18-21 (NLT)
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance', being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."