Category: Character

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Thinking God’s Thoughts

In August of 2006, our daughter asked me, “Dad, will you write a poem for Timothy’s and my wedding?”

“Yes, but I’ll submit it to you for approval before finalizing it.” The first verse was from Rebecca’s point of view; the second from Timothy’s viewpoint; and so on throughout the poem.

When Rebecca showed it to Timothy, he exclaimed, “That’s amazing! Your dad said it exactly the way I would have said it. How did he do it?”

Rebecca responded, “Dad mentally climbed into your shoes. He knows the sound of your voice, he knows how you think, and imagined what you would say. Then he simply wrote what you probably would have said.”

In another situation, I worked for a man at a scientific laboratory for about eight years. I wrote many of his reports and memos, and conducted other business in his name. Rarely making editorial amendments, one day he asked me, “How do you write my reports in my ‘voice’ so fluidly? It seems as though you read my mind. How do you do it?”

I told him: “I know the sound of your voice, I know your work ethics, and I’ve watched you make decisions. Therefore, I mentally climb into your shoes, imagine what you would say concerning the situation, let those thoughts flow through my mind, and write what I hear.”

My father passed from this life in February of 2010, but I can still tell you what he would think and say in various situations because I know him intimately.

I hope you readers understand that I don’t have any special ability uncommon to the rest of you. You all can do the same thing. How?

You must know how the other person thinks. You must know how he or she sounds. You must know the person’s values and how the person reacts. Very simply: you must KNOW the person.

Jesus provided the best example of this concept. Having originally come from heaven (John 1:1-3), He knew the Father intimately. Jesus diligently sought the Father’s counsel and He always remained alert to the Father’s thoughts. Jesus knew and shared God’s values, ethics, compassion, etc. Because of that, every time Jesus spoke, He told others what God’s desires were.

In reality, we can also know God’s thoughts and apply His solutions to many of our problems in life. And if we employed that same concept with our friends and family members, we could generally avoid or settle most of the interpersonal problems that come our way.

So, how do we mere humans think God’s thoughts? I am glad you asked.

First, you have to know that God is real. Second, you have to know God intimately. And unless God, Himself, appears to you in a vision, the primary way you will know Him is by studying the Bible – God’s revelation of Himself to humankind.

We find insight into this concept in 1 Corinthians 2:13-16. The Apostle Paul was teaching about spiritual matters relating to our relationship to Jesus. He said,

“13 When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who are not Christians cannot understand these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. 15 We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can’t understand us at all. 16 How could they? For, “Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?” But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ” (NLT).

That last phrase is the key: “We (Christians who obey the Lord) have the mind of Christ.” That is, we can learn to think along the same lines as Jesus thinks because studying the Bible helps us to think more like God. But there is an added benefit: thinking more like God enables us to understand Scripture more accurately. Then, of course, more accurately understanding Scripture helps us to know the Lord more intimately, and to progressively think more like Him.

We can learn to think God’s thoughts. That was God’s plan when He created Adam and Eve. When we think like someone, we can become like that person. And that’s what God wants of us – to become more like Him. (Read Ephesians 4:13.)

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Notes on Marriage

What does it take to have a joyful, long-lasting Marriage? Not merely long-lasting, but joyfully long-lasting. This topic could possibly fill 75 books, but I’d like to share two simple ideas that will help.

First: Develop a Deep-Seated Desire to Honor the Lord.

I accepted the Lord into my life at age 5 – and I remember it clearly even today – but I didn’t know much about maturing in my Christian walk until after Carol and I were married. Was I a Christian? Yes. Did I turn away from the world? Yes. That’s why I turned down the invitation at age 18 to go to Hollywood.  Did I love the Lord? Yes, as much as I knew how.

God knew how to get my attention, and I listened. At age 15, He let me know that I would get married early. But I didn’t go looking for a girl-friend for a prospective wife: I knew God would bring her to me – or take me to her. And He did.

We married on August 22, 1966: my 20th birthday anniversary. We said our vows from memory and sang a duet for our wedding; the title is Submission [to the will of God].

Throughout our marriage, I had three priorities: 1) Serve the Lord to the best of my ability, 2) Take care of my family, and 3) In everything I do, give it my best effort. I decided to be the perfect husband and the perfect father. Well, I knew there is no such thing as perfect, but I would be next to it.

WRONG! I made many mistakes, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

But my strongest desire in the world was to live for the Lord in the best way I knew how. I also knew that Carol was more spiritually mature than I was, and I learned from her.

Second: Develop a Deep-Seated Desire to Honor your Spouse.

I had a flippant outlook on life until Carol and I were married. I was a mediocre student in high school and my first two years in college. But when we were married, my outlook on life changed. I excelled in all my schooling and vocational work. As a bi-vocational pastor, I helped stabilize churches and businesses.

But putting that kind of drive into husband-hood and fatherhood caused strife. Something needed to change. But what? My attitude, for starters. Here are several items I had to work on.

Be kind to others. Accept them for who they are. If a change needs to be made, allow God to do the work.

Be kind to Carol and the kids. Don’t try to force them into my mold. Allow them to grow into their own person. Guide them. Don’t order them, but help them.

Listen to Carol. Spend time with her. Allow her to freely express her thoughts and feelings. It was hard for me to listen without trying to fix everything, but listening without interrupting is sometimes the best thing a person can do.

Don’t try to solve everyone’s problems. I don’t know as much as I think I do, anyway. I need to allow the Holy Spirit to be the Fixer. Don’t try to take His place, but as much as humanly possible, be available to help.

When Carol & I seem to get upset with each other, it isn’t always because of something we did wrong. We might be bothered about another issue, and we’re subconsciously expressing our feelings about it. We learned this from I Samuel 8:1-9. The people were upset with the prophet Samuel; they wanted a king to rule them instead of a prophet. God told Samuel, “They’re not rejecting you, Samuel; they’re rejecting Me.”

That told Carol and me we aren’t normally upset with each other, so don’t interpret disagreements as personal attacks. The fight isn’t ours, and the Lord will help us to eventually settle it. I call it: Don’t catch the verbal hand-grenades. Don’t retaliate or respond to the perceived attack.

Don’t try to resolve every misunderstanding because some problems will not be resolved this side of the grave. Most problems are not life & death issues; they are not violations of our marriage vows; and they won’t make much of a difference anyway. State your opinions, but do not require changes. Allow each other the emotional freedom to be himself or herself.

Be each other’s best friend.

So honor the Lord, and honor your spouse; you will be surprised how much happier you both will be, and how much more joyful you home will be.

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The Dog Next Door

“He’s not here. Precious, do you know where Pup is? Have you seen him lately?”

“You’re the one who loves on him and named him Pup. He responds to your voice. Call him.”

“I have. But I haven’t seen him for three days.”

The topic at hand was the dog that lives, or lived, next door to us. I remember the first time he greeted me. Oh, it definitely was not a friendly greeting!

I went out to work in the back yard when a deep-throated mouth erupted just the other side of the fence. I suppose the full-grown dog was napping, and I startled it. I called him “Pup” because I couldn’t remember the name the little kids in the yard called it. But Pup jumped up, fur on its neck in a full bristle, anger – or fear? – on its face, with noises being emitted from its mouth at full throttle.

I approached the fence to talk with it, but that didn’t work. Pup feigned an attack, but when I didn’t back up, it ran to the house with its sound-system on a high setting. And for the next two or three months, every time Pup saw me in the yard, it stopped whatever it was doing and picked up the barking where it left off. It absolutely would not allow me any opportunity to show my friendliness to it.

Then something happened.

The neighbors brought a pot-belly pig into their family. We watched it grow from piglet to hoglet. It isn’t an Arkansas Razorback, but it is big! They named it Pickles but my name for the critter remained Piglet.

One day Piglet was resting against the fence near to where I was working. I began speaking gently to it and reached out to touch it. Piglet’s fur is not fur. It is coarse hair, almost like a bristle brush.

Perhaps Pup thought I was going to hurt Piglet, and it zoomed up, placed itself between Piglet and me, and proceeded to sound off. Before Pup realized what was happening, I seized the moment and began petting him on his head and massaging his ears.

Pup, with a puzzled look on its face, was dutifully barking at me, wanting to bite me, but enjoying the kind attention. After five or ten very long seconds, Pup stopped barking and backed up.

He just stood there and cocked its head to one side. As I began gently speaking to it, he slowly backed away. Two days later, I saw Pup through my office window and took a break from writing to see if we could connect.

I slowly walked up and hung my arms over the fence. “Hey, Pup. I like you. You want to be friends? Come on, I won’t bite, bark, or even spit.” What else would I say to a critter that probably couldn’t understand what I was saying? I was just trying to be friendly.

Believe-it-or-not, Pup came up, sniffed my hand, and let loose with two or three obligatory woofs as he backed up. But then he came back. We had connected! From then on, every time I went to the yard, either front or back, Pup came up and wanted me to pet him.

Then something else happened.

When I went to greet Pup, he stood up, put his paws on the fence railing, and as I pet him, he closed his eyes as he placed his head against my arm. He was actually loving me! Or he was enjoying me loving him. Yes, I loved him, too.

Then something else changed.

As I would be loving on Pup, if Piglet or the other dog even came near, Pup would break off and very sternly, with sound system and teeth, warn the other critters to stay away. But then, something else changed: within a week, Pup was gone.

When I enquired of the neighbors about Pup, I had a story for Carol.

“Precious, I found out what happened to Pup.”

“Oh, where is he?”

“The neighbors said Pup was jealous of the other animals, and needed a yard of his own, so they gave him away. I miss him.”

“Well, look at you: a cat person who fell in love with a dog.”

“Okay, but don’t rub it in.”

We don’t have any pets because of our periodic travels, but I do enjoy the neighbors’ critters. However, we do have visitors: racoons, possums, deer, road runners, a fox, turtles, and others. The current residents are feral cats. They have adopted our son, but they won’t let me near them. I like it that way because that means I don’t have to feed them.

But as Carol said, I am a cat lover, so, keep feeding the kitties, Michael.

To find what I do in addition to writing blogs, click on to the web site of our formatting and publishing company at: https://plpubandlit.org/.

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The $5,928,000,000 Debt

Jesus emphasized mercy in the story of the unmerciful servant which is found in Matthew 18:23-35 (KJV).

Therefore, is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Ten Thousand Talents? That sure sounds like a lot of … something. What is it?

There are three ways to think of the word talent.

The first thought is a skill such as playing a musical instrument, playing a sport, or learning a craft. But the servant couldn’t owe the king anything like that.

Another concept is weight. Various charts give different weights, one of which says a talent is equivalent to 85.5 US pounds. Therefore, 10,000 talents is equivalent to about 855,000 pounds, or 427.5 tons. For comparison, an early version of the Boeing 747 aircraft weighs about 435 tons. The servant couldn’t owe anything like that, either.

So, let’s look at it historically from the days Jesus walked the earth.

In 30 A.D. a day’s wage was a Roman denarius, sometimes called a pence or a penny in the Bible, and the laborers worked all day long with no overtime. A single talent was 6,000 denarii, or pence, which was 6,000 days’ wages. If you do the math, you find that was a man’s pay for about nineteen years.

10,000 talents were the wages for about 190,000 years. If a person today earns $15 per hour for 40 hours a week, the wages for 190,000 years would be approximately $5,928,000,000.

Would the man in Jesus’ story ever be able to pay off that debt? No. Jesus told the parable to show how deeply indebted mankind is to God because of sin. It is impossible for us to pay that debt. Therefore, God, in the form of Jesus, had to settle the debt for us.

Let’s return to the story at verse 25. When you see “a hundred pence,” remember that is almost three month’s wages.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 

So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Jesus painted quite a picture! The compound message revealed a harsh consequence for not forgiving someone. But let’s think about what happens in real life today.

We often get caught up in finding fault, or become blinded in the emotion of a problem, and we can’t see straight. We think we’ve been defrauded, or our rights have been violated, and we want vengeance. Although we’ve made mistakes and have been forgiven, we still demand justice and retribution related to others.

However, Jesus made it clear that since God forgives us of the impossible debt we owe Him, we are asked to forgive others of the minor debt they owe us if we want to continue to grow in our relationship with God.

How would we fare if God demanded justice from us? There is no way we could make it right with God. We would be judged and sentenced to be punished forever. But in the greatest act of mercy in the history of mankind, Jesus is willing to forgive us.

1 John 1:9 tells us that all we need to do is sincerely confess our sin and ask God to forgive us. But a stipulation related to our pardon is that we extend mercy to others. That’s an integral part of Christianity – an essential part of forgiveness – and we cannot ignore it. It’s a dynamic factor in the process of becoming like Jesus.

[An excerpt from chapter 5 in the book: Truth not meant to be Hidden.
Visit: https://www.amazon.com/Truth-not-meant-Hidden-Becoming/dp/B0BRYWHZDS

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Be a Blessing to Society

Karl Marx once said, “People without a heritage are easily persuaded.” That is true, but why?

Do you remember watching Fiddler on the Roof or reading the book? When Tevye was asked why he does things in a certain way, he responded, “Tradition.” Tradition and heritage are anchors that help people know who they are. They give people stability and a sense of worth.

Thinking back on Karl Marx’s statement, one of the reasons our culture has been changing so rapidly is that our heritage, our values are being stripped away, and people are losing their national and spiritual identity. One of the ways to keep our identity is to read about our history. Another way is to write about our own personal history – including our family history and family values.

So, I encourage you to read and write. Read books that build character and emotional strength. And when you write, write creatively. At the start of this new year, determine to be a blessing to society.

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Being Thankful

When I was a kid, Dad would ask us many times what we were thankful for. But on Thanksgiving, we had a family tradition – in addition to having turkey dinner.

Before I get into the tradition, my favorite part of the meal was mom’s mashed potatoes and gravy. Mmmm-mmmm-mmmm! They were good!

Oh, maybe my sisters, Gena and Janice made the mashed potatoes. Yeah, that’s right. Mom started the tradition, dad showed us how to make it without lumps, then Gena and Janice continued. It was a family effort. I can ask God to thank mom for me because she’s in heaven with Him, but I’ll tell my sisters “Thank You!”

The turkey thighs were my next favorite part, with marshmallow-covered sweet-potatoes coming in a close third. I never developed a liking for cranberries, but I would take one teaspoon of the stuff to make mom feel good.

Pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream topped it off – but sometimes we waited for several hours to let the main meal settle. Then, the pie and ice cream served as a second, special meal!

 After the scrumptious meal, we stayed around the table and each person shared a memory of something that happened that past year for which he/she was thankful. When one of my siblings was thankful that Christmas was coming soon, dad said, “We’ll get to that another time.”

When it was my turn, it was sometimes difficult for me, because emotionally I felt like I was taking a school test: under pressure, I froze up. I broke out in a sweat and couldn’t think. After what seemed like an eternity, Dad would ask, “What are you happy about?”

Now THAT I could answer because it didn’t feel like an interrogation. I was happy about the meal we just ate. I was happy that it rained that week. I was happy that Jesus kept us out of a car accident when we were going to Ramona. I could think of a lot of things if I didn’t feel like I was under the spotlight.

It’s interesting how just changing the words in the question released me from the feeling of a dreaded school test.

With twelve of us around the table – ten kids plus dad and mom – it took a while to complete the tradition, and that was good! Too many times we would eat, clean up, wash-n-dry dishes, and continue on our busy way. But the tradition kept us around for a while and helped us interact as a cohesive family unit.

An example of that is when we, as a family, went to the Greyhound Bus Depot in San Diego to greet an incoming missionary. As dad was getting information from the man, my sister Janice came around the corner.

“Janny!” I hollered; and ran to greet her with a hug.

“How long has it been since they saw each other?” the missionary asked.

Looking at his watch, dad replied, “Oh, about 10 minutes.”

“Ten minutes? And they act like that?”

“That’s what we do – we love each other and greet each other with hugs.”

Love and acceptance is another tradition we always tried to build. One person told me, “It was probably an act because you didn’t really love each other – did you?”

All I could say was, “It was – and is – real for me. I can’t speak for the others; if it was only an act for them, that’s their problem. But as long as it is meaningful for me, it keeps me emotionally and spiritually healthy.”

Wouldn’t you prefer to be around loving and grateful people more than around grumblers and complainers?

It’s a fact that, as a class of people, loving and grateful people are healthier than others. That brings three Scriptures to mind.

Philippians 2:14 says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” That includes grumbling. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength.” And Romans 8:28 tells us that if we cooperate with God, He can actually bring good out of negative situations if we trust Him.

A happy heart refers to a joyful person; one who normally doesn’t let disappointments get him down. And a broken spirit refers to a crushed or depressed attitude. Not only does depression drain the depressed person of energy, it also drains the energy of people around him.

So, become a thankful person, and make your life easier.

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Billy Graham – God’s Ambassador 

I’ll never forget the time years ago that I met Billy Graham in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Billy’s sister-in-law, Rosa Montgomery, and her husband, Don, lived in Los Alamos and we visited them often. Rosa had been my wife’s Bible Teacher back in the 1950s, and Don worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

One day Don called me and said, “Billy’s here in Los Alamos and will be speaking in the Lab’s main auditorium tomorrow. I want you to sit with me and meet him after his talk.”

“He can’t preach at the Lab – what’s he going to talk about?”

“His topic is ‘One Man’s View of the World’s Situation Today’, and I’ll pick you up at 8:15 in the morning.”

“I’ll be ready” I responded.

For fifty minutes Billy Graham spelled out the problems that the world – not just the US – was facing, and he made it clear that there appeared to be no resolution. But then, not allowed to preach, he ended with two statements that wrapped it all up: “Of course, the answers to these problems are found in a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. God bless you.”

The 800 plus people in the auditorium gave him a thunderous, standing ovation, and began gathering around him. Everyone wanted to shake hands with the famous Dr. Billy Graham. “Great talk, Dr. Graham.” “Thank you for coming sir.” “It is an honor to hear you, Mr. Graham.” And the accolades continued.

“Come up with me and meet my brother.” Don said. So we got in line.

“Billy, this is Gene Linzey, my good friend who also works here at the Lab.”

I looked up at this big man, standing six feet, six inches tall. I am only 5’8”. What could I say that hadn’t already been articulated? So I simply said, “Bless you, Doc.”

I’ll never forget it: He smiled, wrapped his arms around me, and gave me a bear hug. “Bless you, too, son.”

Billy probably didn’t remember me later, and that’s okay. He didn’t have time to remember everyone he met; he had a much broader vision of life. As Vice President Mike Pence said, “Billy Graham’s ministry for the gospel of Jesus Christ and his matchless voice changed the lives of millions.”

Throughout history, God called various people to proclaim the message of repentance, salvation, reconciliation, security, and peace. You might remember several of those names: Noah, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John (the Baptist), the Apostle Paul, Luther, Charles Finney, D.L. Moody, and Smith Wigglesworth. And God called William (Billy) Franklin Graham, Jr. to join that elite group.

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention said, “Billy Graham was, in my view, the most important evangelist since the Apostle Paul. He preached Christ: not himself, not politics, not prosperity.”

However, God used Billy in the social fabric of the world. In spite of powerful opposition in the 1960s, he decided not to preach to segregated audiences any longer. And surprisingly, President Johnson awarded Billy and Ruth the Congressional Gold Medal in 1966. Billy also wrote 33 books to help people understand life with Christ and life in heaven.

Russell Moore continued, “What Billy Graham taught us is all summed up in the invitation hymn … ‘Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me.’”

Admitting that “I am just a sinner, saved by grace,” Billy Graham said, “My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ.”

But he did more than that. As God’s ambassador, Billy dynamically lived for Jesus Christ. Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Dallas said after Billy died, “Rev. Billy Graham was one of the most faithful followers of Jesus. He made a huge impact in my life, and even led my wife, Debbie, to the Lord. This world will miss him, but we celebrate that he is now with the One he loved so much.”

The love of his life on the human level was his beloved Ruth. Married for 64 years, Ruth died in 2007. I suppose we can say: Billy and Ruth are together again. And I am sure he will not be sitting on a cloud playing a harp; for I believe God has more for Billy Graham to do in heaven. Leaving this life is merely the transition for what’s to come.

Bless you, Doc.

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The Art of Conversation

When I told a friend that there is an art to conversation, he leaned back in his chair and said, “Yeah, right!” I suppose his retort surprised me as much as my statement surprised him.

In an October 5, 2015 article, Larry Alton listed “6 Tips to Rule the Art of Conversation.” Tip #5 is: “Let the other person do the talking.”

On July 21, 2014 Eric Barker listed 7 points, with his 5th point being: “Great Conversationalists Listen More than Talk.”

Brett and Kay McKay wrote “The Art of Conversation: 5 Dos and Don’ts” on September 24, 2010. The #1 item in the Dos section is “Listen more than you talk.” And the #1 item in the Don’ts section is: “Don’t interrupt.” That is the best summary I’ve ever heard.

“Conversation” has been a hot topic for millennia – even Plato had a lot to say about it (you can look it up later).

Much of the narrative I’ve read concerning the art of conversation was about preparing our thoughts, how to get our points across, how to guide the conversation, and much more. But for those of you who don’t have time to find and read these books, I’ll make it simple. Here is my number one advice on the Art of Conversation:

Don’t Interrupt.

That’s right: listen to the other person. Listen with your intelligence. Listen with your ears. Listen with your eyes. Listen with your body language. And listen with your emotions. Sometimes it is not what we say that makes good conversation; sometimes it is merely being there. And sometimes you don’t need to say anything.

Some years ago in New Mexico, a man came to talk about a problem he was experiencing. After seating him in my office and getting him some coffee, I asked him to tell me what’s on his mind. After about forty minutes of non-stop talking, he said, “Pastor Linzey, I need to get back to work now, but that’s one of the best discussions I ever had with anyone about this problem, and I feel better. Thank you.”

As I looked out the window and watched him drive away in his pickup, I said to myself, “And all I did was listen.”

One of the most prevalent hindrances to the communication process is a discouraging concept called “interruption.” This happens in many ways, but here are four examples.

  1. A discussion is being enjoyed by two people, and a third person walks up and begins to talk. This is utterly rude, for the interrupter acts as though the world revolves around him.
  2. A person is talking but the other person repeatedly cuts right in to finish the thought. He also interrupts to override the other’s opinions with his own. The interrupter acts as though other people are either not important or their views are irrelevant.
  3. Another situation is when someone asks a question but interrupts the person as the answer is in process. My question here is: If you are not going to listen to the answer, why ask the question?
  4. Some folks give a “running commentary” as the other talks. That is really disrespectful. If not disrespectful, it is annoying.

Every adult needs to memorize the following three statements. Except for emergencies:

  1. Interrupting someone as they are speaking is a manifestation of basic immaturity. Interrupting is just plain rude. We expect interruption from a 3-year-old, but we should learn basic courtesy by the time we are five.
  2. Interrupting reveals ignorance and self-centeredness on the part of the interrupter, and a disregard for the one who is speaking.
  3. Stated bluntly: an interrupter does not care what the other person is saying. One person often asks me a question, interrupts my answer, and forgets that he asked a question. That does not generate a good conversation.

As I was growing up, dad used to say, “When you talk, you’re not learning anything. But if you listen, you just might learn something. So practice listening.”

Dad was right.

We should learn to intelligently voice our thoughts; learn to respond without being haughty or boring; give others equal opportunity to speak; etc. But the number one key in the art of conversation is to honor others by learning how to listen without interrupting. Then respond wisely, intelligently.

James 1:19 (KJV) says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak….” The NLT says, “Listen and be wise.”

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The Impossible Dream

On November 6, 2015, our church seniors group attended Wasserman, Darion, and Leigh’s classic musical “Man of La Mancha” in the Berry Performing Arts Center at John Brown University.  JBU’s Music and Theatre departments did an outstanding job producing and presenting it.

When I watch a play or movie, I normally remain objective because I want to see what is going on. (Yes, I am the perennial critic.) That means I usually do not get emotionally involved with the story line first time around.  And because I normally remain objective, I will see a movie or play twice or more if I like it. The second or third time is when I actually enjoy the story.

The original story (Man of La Mancha) was written in two volumes in 1605 and 1617 by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra; and was titled El Ingenioso Hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (in English: The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha). La Mancha means “the stain”; but the origin possibly comes from the Moors’ influence and was probably “al-mansha” – which is: dry land, or wilderness. Therefore, the title should be: The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote from the Wilderness.

The story is about the adventures of Alonso Quixano (pronounced Kihano). He read so many romantic stories that “he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world.” He talked a farmer, Sancho Panza, into going with him as his squire. In the first part of the book, Don Quixote doesn’t see the world for what it is, and imagines that he is a knight in shining armor. And there are no songs in the book.

But the musical was written in 1972, and, of course, included songs. I read the book decades ago, but watched the musical seven years ago. When the orchestra began playing the theme song, I leaned over to Carol and asked, “Andy Williams?”

Carol said, “Yes.”

That was a surprise. I heard Andy sing “The Impossible Dream” for years, yet I never knew the origin of the song. When I went home and studied the words, it began to make sense. Here are the words from the brochure, written by Joe Darion in1972:

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right without question or cause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe, to reach the unreachable star

The words haunted me for some reason. Reading them over and again, I began to softly sing them. But as I sang, the reason for the mystical feeling began to slowly sink into my mind. In awe of the message, I stopped singing and sat down. I don’t know if Joe Darion was a Christian, but in my mind, those words speak of one man, and one man only. That song is a sermon about our Lord – Jesus Christ.

Jesus fought and conquered the unbeatable foe. He bore the unbearable sorrow. He righted the unrightable wrong. He created the unreachable stars. He gave His life for the right without questioning. He marched into hell for His heavenly cause. Jesus was scorned and was covered with scars. And the world is, indeed, better because of all that Jesus did, and all that He is. No man, and no group of men, could ever do for us what Jesus did.

Jesus is called the Man from Nazareth. The Man from Galilee. The Man of Sorrows. And the Son of Man. He came from heaven to this wilderness called earth. He is God almighty – the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Our Redeemer. Our Savior. He is the Coming King.

He’ll ultimately share His heavenly dream with you, if you live for Him now.

God’s plan is not an impossible dream.

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You Have Faith? In What?

In 1979 when I worked for a car dealership, a man walked up to me one day and requested an automobile. He listed the specifications: make & model, color, engine type and size, what he would pay for it, and all the rest. And he wanted it within two weeks. I chuckled and said, “You won’t get it at that price.”

Waxing eloquently about his faith, he said, “I told God what I wanted and I’m holding God to His word. The Bible says God will give us the desires of our hearts, and this is my desire. Therefore, I know I’ll get what I ask. And I want you to receive a blessing by getting it for me.”

I was flabbergasted to think a puny human could be so brash as to “hold God to His word.” God isn’t on trial. We humans are the flaky ones, and God is holding US accountable. We don’t have a right to demand anything of God.

When I asked, “Is your faith based on what you want, or on what God wants for you?” he retorted, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I told him although he was sincere in his belief, sincerity doesn’t make something true; rather, truth substantiates faith, or exposes ignorance. Truth either validates or invalidates a person’s sincerity. So I asked him again about the object of his faith.

He laughed at my apparent ignorance, and said, “Scripture says ‘you have not because you ask not.’ I WILL get that car, everything I want on it, and at my stated price; but someone other than you will be blessed for getting it for me.” With that, he walked away.

I have many friends who tell God what they want. They say if they truly believe it, they will get it. They also tell me that not receiving what they want reveals a lack of faith.

I agree with Scripture but I disagree with their application of Scripture.

Although many of these folk have a true love for Jesus, they are taking those verses out of context. So what is the Biblical teaching?

I think some of you just tuned me out. But for those who are still reading, the interesting part comes next.

James 1:6 says to ask without wavering, and James 4:3 says we don’t get what we ask because we ask for the wrong things. So, let’s go to Jesus’ words.

Jesus said in Mark 11:24 – “Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.” His immediate audience knew what He meant; it is we new-comers who missed it.

Jesus stated it more fully to another audience in John 14:12-13. “The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.”

Two phrases stand out: “in My name” and “brings glory to the Father.” And this is where the rubber meets the road.

“In My name” means to ask for what Jesus would ask; and that includes 1) asking in the manner and attitude in which Jesus would ask, 2) asking specifically for what Jesus would ask, and 3) accepting the timing of God’s response. Jesus’ continuous attitude was, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we will have Jesus’ attitude.

“Bringing glory to the Father” means that the answer to the request is to glorify God – not to primarily benefit us. Jesus never asked for a new donkey, a faster horse, or a better place to sleep. Those are not bad things, but that wasn’t what Jesus needed. God promised to meet our needs – not necessarily our wants. Psalm 37:4 instructs us that if we are in tune with God, He will give us the proper desires – the desires of our hearts.

Faith in God is not self-centered, but God-centered. True faithfulness is purposely living according to God’s word, and is revealed by a life dedicated to the Lord – not necessarily by things we have.

That man returned a month later to show me his new car. But when I pointed that many of the features he demanded were missing and that he paid about $2,000 more than he told God he would pay, he shrugged and said, “Well, I guess you can’t have it all.”

Perhaps he woke up to the truth of “asking in Jesus’ name” and maybe he didn’t. But dear reader, I hope your faith is in Jesus Christ, not in what you want. I hope your desire is to bring glory and honor to God, not merely to make yourself happy.

May God bless you as you learn what it means to truly honor our Lord.