Edtucner, Author at Creation Beckons

He Guides my Feet

Habakkuk 3:19 He Guides My Feet

“The Lord gives me strength, He makes my feet as sure as those of a deer, and he helps me stand on the mountains….” (CEV)

I took this picture fifty-three years ago. Norma and I, her twin sister, Dorla, her husband, Ernie, and another couple, Wayne and Sue, took a camping trip to Glacier National Park where we spent much of our time on hiking trails. This was a 7 ½ mile hike to Granite Park Chalet, where we slept on rugged bunks wearing all our clothes and all the blankets we could get. We noticed something interesting as we walked up to the bunkhouse. Sticking out from the door were numerous long, sharp spikes. We were told that they discouraged the grizzly bear from knocking down the door and entering.

Each couple had a child of about two years of age with us, and each couple alternated carrying their child in a “Gerry” pack from which the kids could look at the scenery or take a nap. All three of the kids were good campers, and they gave us insight to the sights through their eyes.

The trail began at Logan Pass, went along the Garden Wall that overlooked a deep valley with a river and a long lake, across snow fields, across rocky slopes that ran along the edge of the Garden Wall, and ended up at Granite Park Chalet with this magnificent view of aptly named, Heaven’s Peak. What a glorious hike it was. Even when the view was not long distance, the things close by were interesting—interesting included rocky mountain sheep. Once we got to the chalet. we saw a group of people and a ranger looking through a spotting scope. When we asked what they were looking at, they let us look at the grizzly bear mother and cub less than a hundred yards off the trial we had just hiked.

I believe this hike to be a metaphor for my Christian life. I have walked this walk alongside my wife of sixty years. We were joined on this journey for many years by Ernie and Dorla until they both moved on to an even more spectacular place, heaven. Throughout my Christian life there have been many exciting times, from teaching in Christian schools, to having a Christian ministry to campgrounds across the United States. Now we are providing church services in an assisted living home two Sundays a month. In between the exciting times, there were years of living for and learning to know our Lord Jesus better day-by-day. There have been times when the “spikes through the door” provided protection, and there were times when we later on looked back and saw times when the “grizzly bear” had been close to where we walked. At the end of this hike mentioned above, we saw Heaven’s Peak, and we had a safe and beautiful place to stay for the night. At the end of my Christian life here on earth, I will see the real “Heaven’s Peak” as I am welcomed into the best place I could ever stay, except this stay will not be for a night—it will last forever, and it will be in the company of my Lord, Jesus Christ, who created every bit of the beauty I saw on the trail to Granite Park Chalet. I’ll look for you there.

Is It Still There?

Psalm 66:4 Is It Still there?

“All the earth worships Thee; they sing praises to Thee; sing praises to Thy name” (RSV).

This sign was there at the Grand Canyon sixty years ago. I wonder, is it still there? The Scripture is still true: “All the earth worships thee; they sing praises to Thee; sing praises to They name.” All the earth does worship the Lord. It’s only the people who have stopped singing praises to His name. Just look around and observe the earth still singing the praises of the Creator. He has created fantastic beauty. Just feet away from this sign is one of the views that people from all over the world travel thousands of miles to see—the Grand Canyon. Okay, not all the people have stopped singing praise to Him. There are still many millions on this earth who appreciate the beauty that God has created, and they worship and praise Him for it.

When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, the people were saying in Luke 20:38, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (NKJV). The Pharisees told Jesus to stop the people from saying such things. His answer, in verse 40 was,”…I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (NKJV). I wonder if that would happen today. Would the rocks cry out? They do to me. They speak of the glory of God in all their myriad shapes, colors, and composition. But I am not going to wait for the rocks to cry out. “Praise the Lord for He is good!” Won’t you join me today and praise the Lord out loud where people can hear you? Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. We can certainly speak to the world on His behalf. Let’s do it. Let’s praise the Lord out loud every day.

Thoughts to Ponder(3)

Deuteronomy 6:5 Thoughts to Ponder(3)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (NKJV).

I will wait upon the Lord with faith and trust and joy and peace, for He is good, and He cares for me.

God sent His best. Jesus gave His all. The least I can do is praise Him every day.

If I were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?

Do I have the welcome mat out for Jesus today?

Would someone guess that I was a Christian by my actions?

When the heat of life drives the bad stuff to the top, let God skim it off. He knows where and how to get rid of it.

My salvation doesn’t depend upon my goodness. It depends upon the mercy of God. THANK GOD!

Every day, find time to be alone with God. He always has time for you.

Think about and pray for one different person every day.

Today might be the last chance you have to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Take it! You’ll be glad you did.

PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Thoughts to Ponder(2)

John 3:16 Thoughts to Ponder(2)

For the nexr two days I will be posting ten thoughts a day. Hopefully, one or several, will give you something to think about or pray about.

“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” (NKJV).

Lord, help me approach this week of work as if I were working directly for You.

Do I look forward to Jesus’ return as much as He does?

Jesus loves me as much on my bad days as He does on my good days, and He expects as much from me on my bad days as He does on my good days.

Lord, show me how to make a difference in someone’s life today.

Sin in my life must be replaced by something. Lord, fill me!

No one will ever love you as much as Jesus Christ does.

I am not the general manager of the universe., but I know the one who is.

Keep a folder of favorite Scriptures at hand.

Be the last one to speak. By then you have heard everyone else’s opinion and have had time to pray about yours.

Some of the best conversations my wife and I have had have not been particularly long, but they were heartfelt and filled with love, care, and appreciation for each other.

PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Thoughts to Ponder(1)

Genesis 1:1 Thoughts to Ponder(1)

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (NKJV).

For the next three days I will be posting ten thoughts a day. Hopefully, one or several, will give you something to think about or pray about.

Even on my worst days, when I am most ashamed of myself, Jesus still calls me His friend, and He speaks to the Father on my behalf.

When the lines of communication are broken between God and me, guess who is at fault, and guess who is ready, willing, and able to re-establish the connection at a moment’s notice.

When Jesus returns, will I be glad to have Him see what I am doing?

Whenever I question who I am, I just have to remember whose I am.

To whom have I shown the love of Jesus Christ today?

When I walk toward Christ, I walk away from sin.

I study to make myself worthy. I strive to make myself worthy. I work really hard to make myself worthy. But I can never become worthy of Jesus’ love on my own. Jesus asks me to accept Him. As soon as I do, I am already worthy because He is worthy.

Do you have a Christian heritage in your family? If so, thank God. If not, thank God that you are beginning one.

Take time to listen when I pray. It’s a two-way conversation. God’s words are more important than mine.

Probably someone you love needs to hear you express that love today.

PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Not As It Appears

2 Corinthians 4:18 Not As It Appears

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (NIV).

At first glance, this appears to be a springtime picture of a tree or bush covered with beautiful white blossoms. Well, I took this picture during a rare snowfall in Tucson, and all the white stuff is snow. So, in this case what is seen is very temporary. The snow melted within a few hours. What is unseen, the twigs covered by snow, are certainly not eternal, but they will last longer than the snow.

I have two applications for this Scripture. First, If we are to live by faith, we must be able to take our eyes off what we see and put them on what God has promised. That is often not easy to do. The car payment is due tomorrow, but the bank account is empty and payday isn’t due for a week and a half. It’s not easy to see the car payment made on time. The most extreme circumstance I had of this kind involved my wife who was in intensive care. I didn’t know what to expect as I walked into the room. At least four or five people were working feverishly on her, and numerous tubes and several machines were attached to her body. I felt like they had let me come in so I could say goodbye. My heart hit the floor, and my spirit cried out to God. She soon stabilized enough that the medical personnel seemed to slow down and give a sigh of relief. In my prayers that night God asked me to put her in His hands. After a while, I did, and He assured me that He would take care of her and give her back to me. I was able to see not what I had seen but what He showed me, my wife healed. She left intensive care about twelve days later.

The second application is not as dramatic, but it is important. In this world, we need to be careful that we are not deceived. Not all that looks good or sounds good is actually of God, but may be from the deceiver. Deceit is his major tool, so we have to be careful to be constantly checking God’s Word to determine the source and the “goodness” or “badness” of what we hear.

The Abundant Life

John 10:10 The Abundant Life

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (NIV).

Even in the desert, we have abundant life, and in a saguaro cactus, we have abundant life. Near Tucson there are large abundant stands of saguaro cactus, and this particular one exhibits the trait of abundance well with the large number of arms. What little rain that falls is collected and stored in the arms of the Saguaro and other cacti. After a good rain, the cacti are plump, and when the rains are far apart, the arms of the saguaro and the paddles of the prickly pear get visibly smaller. Somehow, they seem to be able to hold enough to last until the next rain. I think that was planned by the same God who created all of this in the first place.

If there is evidence of abundance in the desert, how much more should abundance be evident in our lives and in the life of the Church. Perhaps we should take a clue from the cacti and drink in all of God’s blessings we can get whenever we gather together as His children. It seems like His blessings flow in greater abundance when our praise and thankfulness are in abundance, whether it be corporately in a church gathering or in our one-on-one time with our Lord. He has provided for abundance as a gift, but like all gifts, it must be received. If we showed our desire to receive the blessings of God to the extent that God shows His desire to give them, the world would have to take notice. The greatest compliment that we can receive, and the only compliment we desire from this world, is when someone says, “I want the peace and joy you have. How can I get it?” By sharing the love of God and demonstrating the peace and joy we receive from Him, we open the opportunity to share God’s message of salvation. That’s when we let the Holy Spirit take over and speak the words that need to be said. Our actions and our lives are the gateways into the realm of the spoken word, and when we let the Holy Spirit speak, we know that the message is spoken with love and grace. It appears that one of the best ways to spread the Good News is to live the life of abundance that God provides.

Steady and Trustworthy

Colossians 3:23,24 Steady and Trustworthy

“Work willingly at whatever you do as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (NLT).

The plant in the center of the picture can be easily overlooked. It is not particularly bright or showy in appearance, but it does add a certain beauty to the section of the garden in which it is growing. But you have to stop to look at it to appreciate it. Fortunately, there are many Christians just like that in our churches, and they form the solid glue that holds the congregation together. They don’t stand out. They don’t demand attention, and they don’t detract from the attention given others. It’s not that they are “just there” because they do much more. They spend time greeting newcomers. They greet and speak with many regular attenders at every service. The joy of the Lord is visible on their faces as they sing His praises. They are attentive to the sermon, and they are able to discuss it even the following Saturday. They are a little like the bread in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Like the bread in the PB and J sandwich, they provide the solid substance that holds the whole thing together. Thank you for being one of these special people. Although not much is said about your presence or of your normal church activity, you and your witness are important and appreciated. Just by being there and doing what you do every week, you help the church draw closer together, and the Lord appreciates your service. He is preparing a reward for you, an inheritance, that is yours for all eternity.

Like A Child

Luke 18:17 Like A Child

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (NIV).

Jesus was with His disciples, and mothers were bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus. The disciples got annoyed at the frequent interruptions and tried to move the women and children out of the way. Jesus took the opportunity to tell us how we must receive His act of sacrifice and enter into eternal life. I’ve read this passage many times, but today the Lord stopped me and insisted that I meditate upon it. The Lord may have not shown me anything new, but He made me realize that this description had better apply to me if my desire is to be a joyful, blessed citizen of His kingdom. Little children accept new things with joy and excitement. They “jump right in.” They don’t question what their parents offer them but rather accept it as “gospel truth,” which is an appropriate way to accept the kingdom of God. It is not until children get older that they learn from us to doubt, to question, and to reject many good things. If a mother tells her daughter that she will get a new doll for Christmas, the daughter expects a new doll. She knows she will get one. I need to accept the kingdom of God with great joy, excitement, no doubts, no questioning, and no “but what if” statements. “Jesus said it. I believe it, and that settles it for me.” I’m not sure I adequately expressed the effect God’s insistence that I meditate on this verse has had on me, but it has been profound. I hope I’ve helped you to have a complete childlike acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice and His assurance of eternity with Him.

Set Apart

Romans 12:2 Set Apart

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you” (TLB).

The flower certainly stands out from the background. It is unique in the picture, being obvious to the viewer. God is calling us to be just that distinct from the world, from the hate, the anger, the bitterness, the lack of boundaries, the dark and sinister view of life, the hopelessness that this world presents. Oh, I know that this world claims to be enlightened. That’s exactly what satan told Adam and Eve, that they would be enlightened and know what God knows. Once they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, things went downhill, and it’s been a slippery slope since then. A long list of “unthinkable” changes have become common place. The differences are becoming more and more easy to see, and we are called to stand firm and remain the salt and light in this age. If we want to know if something is wrong according to our Lord, we need to read His Word and speak to Him in prayer. We have been given a guidebook that shows the goodness of God and provides footsteps to follow. Following in His footsteps guarantees buffeting from all sides in this world amid blessings from Him. The road is a difficult one, but it is one that leads to eternal rewards. It is time to choose to purposely make ourselves stand out from the insidious darkness of satan’s domain.