Now I Lay Me.....

Dr. Mike Murphy

September 6, 2026

“You had better be asleep by the time I get there!”  She heard herself saying the words as if robotic.  Words it seems she had to repeat every night. But that was life with a five year old son, repeating the same words over and over each day.

As she reached his room, she could already hear the constant moving. As she peeped around the corner of the door, she found her son still sitting up in the middle of the bed.  “I thought I told you to get to sleep!”

“Mama, I can’t go to sleep yet, we forgot something!”

She waited for the rest.  She thought she had heard it all, so she began looking around the room for whatever animal or toy he wanted to sleep with him. She just wished that for one night this could be made simple.  For one night she could get him to bed without a thousand distractions.  That for one night she could find a little peace and quiet, without hearing her named called fifty times before she laid down herself.

But what her little boy said next shocked her, and brought her to a speechless silence. “Mama, I can’t go to sleep yet, God would not be happy.  We haven’t said our prayers!”  The moment froze her, and as she found the smile forming on her face, she looked into the eyes of her young son.  She watched as her boy climbed out of the bed, and got on to his knees beside it.  As she watched him, she found her way to her own knees. She then watched as his small fingers came together, as his hand became one to pray.

“What prayers do you want me to say tonight?”, she so softly asked her son.

“I know the words Mama, I will say the prayer.  Is it okay if I talk to God tonight?”  As the tears formed in the corner of her eyes, what other answer could she possibly have to this question.  “Of course!  I am sure the Lord would love to hear from you!”

As she finished her own words, she heard her son begin to pray.  “Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake.  I pray the Lord my soul to take.  God bless Mama, and.......”

Words every parent has heard more times than they can count.  Words that filled our own youth, and words we still know by heart.  The words of such a simple prayer, but a prayer that is filled with more than just simple words.

Besides the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23, no other prayer has probably been said more.  Ask one hundred men and women about this prayer, and you will be shocked by how many can still recite you every word.  And as you ask each, you will see the instant smile come to their face as they remember the words of this prayer.

Although so many know the words, few know the history of the prayer. History tells us little about the prayer, including its’ origins and its’ author.  Much like the Serenity Prayer, this children’s prayers in not found in the Bible,  but does seem to be formed from one of the verses.  Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.“

The prayer, as we know it, first appeared in print in the New England Primer in the 1737 edition.  Benjamin Harris, a Boston publisher, included the prayer in his book, and the book soon rocketed in popularity.  The ninety page book soon became the standard by which the early colonies used in teach reading to school children, and continued to be that standard until 1790.  It is estimated that over two million copies sold during the 18th century, and although it would become known as a children’s prayer, it was originally seen as a prayer for all ages.  It is reported that President John Adams recited this prayer every night before he went to sleep

Although the prayer became popular as it was printed in the children’s reading primer, little is none of the origins of the prayer.  Many have linked its’ origins back to the popular English nursery rhyme titled, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, guard the bed that I lie on; Four corners to my bed, four angels ‘round my head; One to watch and one to pray, and two to bear my soul away.”  Others have linked it to Joseph Addison, and an essay he wrote for the Spectator in March of 1711.  “When I lay me down to sleep, I recommend myself to His care; When I awake, I will give myself up to His direction.”

So which version is true?  I do not know, and do not even think it matters. Many may question who the original author is, I do not.  I believe the author of this simple prayer is the same Author that gave us the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23.  And when we look at the words of this prayer, it soon becomes obvious that only One could have given them to us. The innocence and the simplicity of this prayer could only have come at the Hands of the One above!

The prayer reminds us, that in those moments when we are unaware of the world around us, our Lord is still there, caring for us and protecting us in the mercy of His Hands. The first line, “Now I lay me down to sleep”,  reminds us of the reality of each day.  We are made aware that each of our days will come to an end, and what better way can we end each day than to spend a few restful and peaceful moments with the Lord who made us. God’s Word tells us, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.”(Proverbs 3:24).  Just as the Lord is there to guide us through each of our days, He is also there to protect and watch over us through each of our nights.

The second lines tells us, “I pray the Lord my soul to keep”.  The Bible tells us, “The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand.”(Psalm 121:5).  Our prayer each night reminds us of the One who is the keeper of our soul.  The One who keeps a watchful eye over us, and who we entrust to also protect us.  Ask yourself, who else but our Lord could we ever entrust our soul too?

The next line says to us, “And if I die before I wake”. In this line of the prayer, we can take the greatest of comfort.  Paul addressed this line of the prayer, with the most powerful of questions.  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”(1 Corinthians 15:55).  Our faith in Christ brings us a certainty, a certainty that death holds no power over us.  A certainty that death can bring no fear to us.  A certainty of knowing, that this breath may be the last I take on this earth, but will not be the last breath I take for eternity.  We have the blessed assurance of knowing, that this breath will not be our last!

The last line of the prayer tells us, “I pray the Lord my soul to take.”  What a powerful ending to such a simple prayer!  No greater request could we make than to desire to spend our eternity with our Lord!  Romans 10:13 assures us, “For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved.”  Because of what Christ has done for each of us, the promises that our faith in Him brings us, nothing that we may face should ever scare us.  He alone has made the unknown known to us.  And has made our future secure before us! 

No greater beauty can be found than in the four lines of this simple prayer.  A prayer that so simply shows us the promise of our assurance.  A prayer that shows us the reality of who we are, and the desire of where the Lord longs for us to be.  Four simple lines that show us just what an amazing gift this life is, and the love and assurance He offers us with this gift.  A giftful beauty that can even be seen through the eyes of a child, heard in their words as they speak a simple prayer.

Although we are called to mature, and grow beyond a childlike faith, I pray I never grow beyond a childlike trust.  As a child, without question, will leap into the open arms of a parent, I pray I will always approach the arms of the Lord with the same trust.  With the same assurance that those arms will never fail me, will always be there to catch me.  A trust that with each night my life is not filled with fear of what tomorrow may bring, but with the assurance and trust of the beauty that tomorrow will offer.  And as I lie down at the end of this day, I praise the Lord for each word of a prayer that my childhood taught me, and the promise that each word of that prayer still brings me.  Praise the Lord that I am His child!

Praying each of you will never outgrow this simple prayer!

Knee-Mail

Dr. Mike Murphy

August 23,2026

 
She prayed.  When trouble came, she prayed.  When joy placed a smile on her face, she prayed.  When temptation would hit her, she prayed.  While reading the Word, she prayed. Good times or bad times, well or sick, in giving or in receiving, she prayed.  She prayed not only because she needed to, but because every ounce of her being wanted to. She knew she was limited, but that God was without limits.  That a limitless God could handle all things, so she turned all things over to Him.  No matter what she faced, no matter what she saw, no matter what came her way, she prayed.  She prayed to the only One who could ever receive her prayers.

Knee-mail, a term I have affectionately given to the prayers we send to our Lord.  I have often said that knee-mail comes with a one hundred percent delivery guarantee, and has a perfect customer satisfaction record.  Knee-mail places us in the strongest position a man or woman can ever take, humbly on our knees in front of the only One who holds the power to know the answer to our prayers.  The only One who can give us the strength to face today, but also the only One who can give us the wisdom to change our tomorrows.

Each Sunday we hear just how much power there is in the Blood.  We hear how much power we can find in the Word.  And both are true!  But I am here to tell you there is a “trinity” of our worship, as there is also power in prayer. Prayer shows that we acknowledge the power that is held in each word of His Word.  And prayer show that we accept the power that is found in the Blood, as we turn all over to Christ.

Prayer shows that with God, nothing is impossible(Luke 1:37).  Prayer teaches us persistence, patience, thankfulness, and strengthens our faith. Prayer shows us the will of God, the glory of God, and the heart of God.  And prayer confirms that the Lord is listening to us, and just how deeply He cares about us.

Many will ask, “Is there a proper way we are suppose to pray?”  To even ask that question is to not understand prayer.  Prayer is not a ritual, one that requires us to turn in a specific direction, requiring us to memorize and repeat certain words, or to bow before idols and statues holding items and beads while we cite those words.  Prayer simply put, is a conversation with God.  A conversation with the One we share our closest relationship with. A conversation where we pour out our hearts openly and honestly, knowing that the Lord already knows each of us better than we will ever know ourselves.

Like all good conversations, prayer must be a two-way conversation.  Far too often we find ourselves, eyes closed and hands raised, telling God about our problems, and stating to the Lord our wants and our desires.  Although the Lord loves every minute of time He hears from us, prayer is about far more than our wants, it is about His needs. His needs for our lives.  His will for each one of us.

I have often said, one of the greatest lessons I ever learned was one of silence.  And anyone who knows me, knows that for me to be silent is a true miracle!  But the Lord has taught me, through prayer, sometimes my silence is indeed golden.  Some of the greatest time I have spent in prayer with the Lord has come when I sat with my mouth shut, and just told God, “here I am Lord, tell me everything you need for me to hear.”  Time for God to tell me His will for my life, His plans and purpose for my life.  And a time for me to see the opportunities to glorify Him that He is placing in front of me each and every day.

Like any good relationship, prayer gives us a chance to tell the Lord of our love, our gratitude, and to express to Him the passion of our heart for Him. Prayer is not about the eloquence of our words, but is about the content of our heart.  God does not care if we express those words while we are standing, sitting, leaning, or yes, kneeling. He does not care if we express those words with our hands held together, or our hands held outreached and high.  He does not care if we express those words with our eyes wide open, or with our eyes closed tight. He just longs to hear the words, to feel the love and the personal acknowledgement of our heart.

The closest the Word of God comes to showing us a way to pray is when Christ teaches us the Lord’s Prayer(Matthew 6:9-13).  But I must admit. I often get aggravated when I hear the prayer Christ gave being recited today.  It has become more about ritual and memorizing the words, than the content and purpose of those words He gave us.  Christ gave us the Lord’s Prayer to teach us the power of prayer, not so we could blindly repeat the words. The Lord’s Prayers teaches us what should go into our prayers, the worship, the praise, the trust, the application, the admission, the submission, and most important, the love.

With prayer, it does not matter if this is your one thousandth prayer, the fourth prayer you has offered to God today, or the first time you have ever prayed. Each word is just as precious to the ears of our Lord.  The Lord knows the power of prayer goes beyond the words, He knows that power is found in the action. When we pray, we acknowledge God, we submit ourselves before God. We admit that we do not have the answers, but we know One who does.  Prayer turns His needs into our needs.  Prayers turns His desires into our desires. Prayer turns His will into our will.  His Word tells us, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”(1 John 5:14).  The God to whom we pray, is the true source behind the power of prayer. And He makes it clear, He can and will answer each of those prayers.  An answer as beautiful as each word He hears us say.  An answer that is always fulfilled according to His perfect timing, and His perfect will.

As I explain and discuss the power of prayer, I find myself on my knees turning to God in prayer. I find my thoughts and my prayers focused on this Church.  I pray this Church will again turn to God in prayer, that we will again find the true power of prayer. That His will might again become our will.  That His Word might again be heard in our words.  I pray we will seek to talk to Him because we want to, not because it has come to the point we need to.  I pray our conversations will be less about appeasing this world, and more about serving the One who made this world.. I pray we will share more conversations of silence, with us listen carefully and intently to what He has to say.  I pray that our prayers will not be heard in words we have memorized, but reflected in the words Christ taught us.  Heard in our cries of worshipping Him, in our praise of trust for Him, in our submission before Him, and in the love we show for Him.  I pray this Church will remember, God did not call us to be ordinary, but the Lord created this Church to be extraordinary.  I pray this nation and this Church will become heavily invested in kneepads, knowing that all the answers to our future can only be found on our knees.  And I pray that “knee-mail”  will once again become the most used form of communication for this nation and this Church.

Praying you send at least one letter today by "knee-mail".

Selah

Dr, Mike Murphy
July 12, 2026

With each word, he saw the beauty.  With each word, he heard the praise. With each word, he felt the power.  And with each word, he fell to his knees in awe before the Lord’s endless love and mercy.  Each word did not only convict him, it freed him.  Each word did not just move him, it stilled him.

It has often been said, music feeds the heart.  But the greatest songwriter and composer this world has ever known, David, also believed that music showed purpose in our soul.  David did not compose just because he needed to, not even because he wanted to.  David composed because he had to, because every fiber of his being called him to. Each word that David sang might speak to our heart, but David sang each word he wrote in the Psalms to the heart of our Lord.

There is such power in the words that David wrote.  In each psalm he wrote, David poured out his love for our Lord, bringing to life each word he sang. Each word David sung could have been written in blood, because with each sound of his voice we can all but hear as David poured out his heart before the Lord.  David brought beauty to each of the words, and causes us to pause and listen closely to each of the words we hear.  And each time I read the Psalms, I can almost hear the slight quiver in David’s voice.  I can almost picture the tears forming in his eyes.  And I can all but see the smile on his face, as he pours out his love for God.    

Of all the verses, the cries of compassion, hope, love, and praise I have read in the Psalms, one word David wrote has always fascinated me above all the others.  One word that has often caused me to think, and more times than I can count, led me deeper into His Word.  A word many have read, few remember, and even less will know.  That word? Selah!

We see the word “Selah” seventy-one times in the Psalms, and it is found three other times in the Book of Habakkuk.  Most would never realize it, but the word is used in the Old Testament twice as many times as the word “amen”, and three times as often as the word ”hallelujah”.  Although many have tried to explain the word, most theologians will tell you the exact meaning is unknown.  Most of our versions of the Bible do not even try to explain or translate the word straight from its’ Hebrew meaning.  Most are unsure as to what the root word for selah is. But not knowing has always made me think.  If God saw such importance in placing the word in His Word, then should we not make every effort to best understand what the word means?

Many scholars look at the word, and say it is just a musical term.  A call for a pause, giving all those who are listening a moment to reflect on what the psalm or song is saying to them.  They believe the word comes from the Hebrew word “salah”, which means “to take a pause”.  If this is the case, then each time we see the word appear, the musician would have taken a pause, a moment to reflect on the One who they were singing to.  A second of silence in the midst of the beauty of their song, so they could quietly praise the One they sang about.

Others have said the word comes from the Hebrew word “salal”, which means “to lift up, to praise”.  They say that when we see the word we recognize that we are to take a moment to lift up the Lord with our voice, to praise Him in our song.  Those who teach this will often point to Psalm 9:16, “The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah”.  The word we see before selah, “higgaion”, means “to mediate, to take a moment to reflect”. They say that although we do not use the word, we still practice the word to this day.  That when we sing to the Lord, we often find ourselves raising our hands in praise, taking a moment to reflect on all His glory.

Still others say the word comes from the Hebrew word “calah”, which means “to weigh or measure, to value”.  That when we see the word selah, we are measuring, giving value to all God does.  To all He has given us, and to all He will still do for us.  That just as when we weigh a precious and unique gem, we realize that it is greater and more valuable than we are capable of measuring. And when we see the word selah at the end of these verses and psalms, that we are to realize that our God is greater than any value we could ever place on Him.

Many scholars argue as to which one of these have it right.  But when I look at the word selah, I wonder if without even realizing it, all three might just have it right.  Perhaps God, in all His wisdom, intended for selah to mean all three.  That when we see the word, God is reminding us to take a pause, to take a moment to reflect on all His glory.  To lift Him up in praise for the majesty of His plan and purpose.  And to realize we can never weigh, measure, or even begin to value all He does for each of us.

Psalm 66:4 tells us, “All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You, they sing the praises of Your name. Selah!”.  As I read that verse, I can all but hear David begin to sing.  And I understand why the Lord would have him place the word selah at the end of this verse.  A time comes in all our lives, when we must take pause, when we must bow down and humble ourselves before the Lord.  When we must sing His praise, not with a whisper, but with a shout.  A time in our lives when as Charles Spurgeon once said, “to the worship of fear shall be added a singing of love”.  I can still vividly remember that day in my life when His music first caused me to shout louder than my misery.  And once that song got in my head, I have never been able get enough of it, and I always find myself singing it.  And every day since, as I still find myself singing the words, I find my hands lifted, my mouth filled with praise, and my heart incapable of measuring all the love He alone has placed in it. And it never fails, I always find myself pausing in awe as I sing that song, just like David must have done as he wrote down that word, selah.

In his faith and his given wisdom, David knew that a day would come when all men would make that pause.  When the One that he song for, would be worshiped this world over.  A day when the Gentile would know the words of the song as well as the Jew,  A day when no pause could be more joyous or filled with excitement than when all of creation would be reconciled again with their Creator.  A day, when those the world over would pause, taking a moment to reflect, an opportunity to raise their hands in praise, in a measure without value, to the One above.

Each time I see the word selah, I realize that each pause does not bring those songs David wrote to an end, but connects us to the next words he wrote about our Lord and Savior. Each time we see the word selah, we are not watching as one song ends and another begins. We are seeing the connection that brings each of the psalms together. Every vision He shared with each of the prophets.  Every sentence He entrusted to those who wrote down His Word. And every word He taught to each of the Apostles.  It was for the promise that our Savior would bring that David sung, and for the hope He would bring this whole world that caused David to pause, and lift his hands in praise. Because I believe that in each pause, in each selah, David saw what I see today.  Hope.  

With each selah you read, may you pause, lift your hands, value His Word, and remember that hope.

Behind My Mask.....

Dr. Mike Murphy
July 5, 2026

Cancer often brings with it many realities and emotions.  Realities we try our best to avoid so that we do not have to face them, and emotions we do everything we can not to have to feel them.  Those who battle with all that cancer can bring, often find they wear a mask.  A mask not to cover their fears and their pains, but a mask to hide what a true look into their face might show to others.  It is not in the reality we face, but the emotions that reality might bring to those in our life, that often has us putting our mask in place.

Many days, I find myself picking up that mask.  Putting on that mask so I can privately deal with the cancer without others having to see it.  Not letting others see the toll it takes, or having to worry about the concerns it brings. Knowing that the Lord is right here with me behind this mask, holding me closer than I thought any arms possibly could.  

But today, as I again reach for my mask, I realize the great mistake I have been making each day in wearing that mask.  One of my favorite passages in the Bible tells me, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”(Proverbs 3:5-6).  So often I have quoted those words, using those words in sermons and in writing articles.  Today, as I reached for my mask, the Lord showed me an even deeper meaning to those words.  A purpose in those words that I could never speak out loud with my mask on.

I cannot trust the Lord part way, not fifty percent, seventy-five percent, or even ninety-nine percent.  I either trust the Lord one hundred percent, or I do not trust the Lord at all.  And in that trust, in each acknowledgment I give to Him, I realize how often His hand works through the lives of those who call on His name. Through the prayers they give, through the words of encouragement they speak, and through the experiences they share. In each of those instances, it is impossible to not see His hand moving, to not feel the Spirit of His presence, and to see His will being done.  And behind my mask, I am blinded from watching the glory of His hand at work in the lives of those around me.  Giving me strength as He coordinates through each of them with every movement of His hand.

His Word tells us that the prayer of a righteous person has great power in His hands, and produces the most amazing of results(James 5:16).  Behind my mask, I keep that great power away from bringing the amazement of those results to my life.  I keep silent the prayers of those around me, by not letting them know just how much I need them to pray for me.  And no matter how good my intentions might be, by placing on my mask, i cover my eyes to the complete direction of the path He planned for me.  And with my mask in place, I have failed to see that strength can often come when I allow others to see me vulnerable before the Lord.

In each prayer those who care for me offer, and in each word of encouragement those who care might give me, the glory of our Lord is seen.  And whether the petitions of those prayers are granted or not, I see the power that is held in His hands, and the trust that is placed in those hands.  I watch the love and care for me being given to the hands of the only One who can make a difference in me.  Those who are concerned and reach out to me, doing all they can to place my life in those hands.  And as I take off my mask, and the Holy Spirit opens my eyes to each of your prayers, my vision becomes clear with a picture of incredible hope.

As I remove my mask, I quickly realize that the healing request of each of your prayers are being answered.  Answered in a more powerful way than many of you might even realize. The answer to your prayers might never bring a healing to my body from the cancer, but it has already brought a healing and a comfort to my mind from all I see in this world today.  So often, like so many of you, I look at this world and the evil I see overwhelms me.  Each day it seems that evil is overrunning us, and we wonder out loud what tomorrow might bring. But as I take off my mask, allowing the Holy Spirit to focus my eyes, and I see the faces of each of you, a very hopeful smile comes again to my face.

The reality of my cancer tells me that one day soon, my days on this earth will end. And as my name is soon forgotten by this world, reality tells me that this world will still keep turning. And as it turns toward tomorrow, I do not see evil bringing it to a stop.  As a glimpse of tomorrow comes into my sight, I see this world turning with hope.  An incredible hope that brings a smile to my face as I look into the eyes of each of you.  

God’s Word tells me, “For I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”( Philippians 1:6).  Each of you are the fulfillment of that confidence.  Each of you are the hands of that good works.  If each of you are so quick to pray for one as undeserving as me, then I know, without a doubt, that each of you will be just as quick to pray for all those around you.  Just as quick to reach out with all your might to one hurting close to you.  And just as quick to take His Word to a world in need.

I have come to realize from His Word and this world, there is a great wall that our Lord has built.  A wall that helps protect us who call on His name, from the evil of this world. Many stand guard on that wall, helping to keep the destruction of that evil from flooding us. And each day, evil does everything it can to bombard that wall, hoping to chip away at it a little at a time. My job for the Lord has not had me standing on that wall, but has called on me to care for that wall.  To each day pick up my trowel and mortar and to help repair that wall, keeping it standing strong.  Today, as I take off my mask and take a hard look around at those who also have the mortar mix caked on their hands, I see the faces of so many of you.  And the biggest of smiles comes to my face, as I realize that tomorrow when I am no longer here, this wall will be standing just as strong.

As you see me today taking off my mask, for the first time showing you my vulnerability, and giving you a glimpse of the reality of what the cancer has physically done to me, do not think the tears that have formed in my eyes are from the pain.  They are actually the start of the most amazing tears of joy.  Tears of joy that fill my eyes as I look into the faces of so many of you, and see the hopeful reflection of our Lord with each glimpse I see.  In each of you, tomorrow brings hope.

 

Thank you for all you are doing for the Lord today, and all I know He is going to do through each of you tomorrow!

And Satan Smiled.....

 Dr. Mike Murphy

June 28, 2026

 

“Quiet.  I once longed for it, but now it haunts me.  It surrounds me, punishing me for what I have not done, and for what brought me to this place.  I still ask myself how I got here. How did I end up at this place?  I did nothing, but doing nothing soon became the evil that faced me and the sin that convicted me. From the small flicker of flames soon came a blazing fire.  A fire that not only consumed all who were close to it, but eventually those that watched from a distance.  A fire that grew so large it could no longer be controlled.  A fire that most chose to try and escape, until many, like myself, had nowhere left to run.  A fire that engulfed and destroyed this land.  A fire that has now consumed me.”

(And Satan smiled.)

“For thirty-two years I have served as a pastor.  I have served at an average size church in the Midwest of this country for the last twenty-six of those years.  I served the church each day.  I have been there for the good times, and I was there through the bad times.  I was there when the church saw its’ pews full, and I remained faithful to the church at times when there was plenty of room on those same pews.  I was there as the church built a new sanctuary.  I was there as it added a fellowship hall and a gymnasium.  I was there for the births of many of its’ youngest members.  And I was there as many of its’ oldest members left this earth. 

Each day I was there.  And each day I watched as the faces of those I looked out at on Sunday morning changed.  As they changed, the values they brought with them also changed. Just as this nation changed, the changes that came to this church happened slowly at first. But over the past few years they have escalated until they were out of control.  Words that were once viewed as nothing  more than rejected suggestions eventually became the law of the land. Values that were once spurned, soon found themselves endured by the people. Then those values that were endured, became an accepted part of our society, soon celebrated and embraced.  And before we even knew it, those embraced values became the standard, the law we were told to live by.  What we once did not question as wrong,  became the standard that all were forced to see as right.”

(And Satan smiled.)

“As the standards changed, the fire found the door of the churches of this nation.  Would these churches stand by the words the Bible taught them, or would they rethink those words to fit the beliefs of our society?  Many bowed to the pressure, teaching that the Lord’s standard of old did not apply to this world today.  Some taught that God’s Words were nothing more than fables, suggestive stories for good men to live by.  Stories not designed to teach a standard, or a way of salvation, but a recommendation to help men overcome. Others believed that the God of the past was not the same God of today.  God knew more today that he did when the words of the Bible were written.  The God of today had come to accept many of the things He once saw as wrong.”

(And Satan smiled.)

“Then there were those that stood firm, teaching that God’s Word was the only truth. His Word was unchanging, His teachings were unwavering.  The words and examples He gave to us yesterday, are the same words and examples He gives to us today.  At first they were dismissed, uneducated fools babbling about things they could never understand.  But as the issues grew, their stances stayed just as firm.  Soon they were seen as intolerant, hate-filled bigots who stood in the way of progress.  As these values continued to grow, those that spoke out became less and less.  But a few did not lose their voice, continuing to hold steadfast in God’s Word.  But the harder they held to the Word, the more despised they became.

The day finally came when their teachings were no longer accepted.  Their words and views were considered so hateful they could no longer even be tolerated.  Their words caused harm to society,  standing in the way of this nation’s progression.  Soon laws were written and passed to ensure their words could not be heard, and that their actions must confirm the new found values of our nation.  Many faded into the background out of fear. But others continued to speak, and refused to be a part of this change.  At first they were outcast, no longer allowed to speak.  Almost overnight, this nation began to take stronger action on anyone who refused to accept these changes.  Pastors who stood firm soon found themselves facing charges. Many of these were the lucky ones. Others found their churches and homes burnt to the ground.  And what happened to so many others was simply unspeakable, crimes committed against them and their families that the government deemed unworthy to prosecute.  We watched as ‘freedom of speech’ became ‘freedom from speech’, and God’s Word was replaced by society’s voice.”

(And Satan smiled.)

“I followed many others, I decided to take no stand.  We would remain silent on the issues.  Our church would focus strictly on God’s love, and avoid all other topics.  Our church board agreed, that although we did not agree with many of the issues of the day, we would not speak on them.  They would hold no place in our church.  Some around us taught that God’s grace and His truth were entwined, that you could not know one without the other.  We took a different approach, only teaching God’s mercy, and leaving the rest up for interpretation. We figured if we avoided the issues, the issues would avoid us.  We believed that compromise would keep the focus of this nation from the doors of our church.

We watched in horror as many churches around us were closed.  Their doors shut because of the words that had been spoken from their pulpits.  As we prayed for these people, in the back of our minds we were just glad it was not us facing this persecution.  But when those that spoke out were silenced, society did not stop.  It was no longer enough to remain silent, it became required that these new found values had to be accepted within the walls of every church, and spoken of from the pulpit each Sunday.  Persecution was now knocking on the door of our church.”

(And Satan smiled.)

“Society and our nation now turned to me for an answer.  I tried everything I could to show those who questioned us that we were no threat.  I showed them every sermon I had given over the past several years, not a one speaking on the issues that troubled this country. But my examples were not enough.  I pleaded with them for a compromise, telling them that we would never try to interfere with how they lived their lives, if they would just let us live ours. My pleas of compromise were mocked.

I was now standing face to face with my own choice.  I would either conform my beliefs and those of my church with the values of society, or I would face the consequences that would follow.  At that moment the truth of what I had done all these years overwhelmed me.  I had compromised God, and now I was left with nothing to stand on.  My fate was not being decided today, but had been sealed years ago when I let fear drive me.  I had denied God, and placed my hope in my own understandings.  Without even realizing what I was doing,  I had fought this fight until now on the side of man, not on the side of God.  And I was about to be sentenced by man as a traitor, as I suddenly realized that I could no longer raise my sword in the air against the Lord.”

(And Satan smiled.)

 

“I will never again see my church, I will never again speak from its’ pulpit.  I do not even know what has become of it or anyone who graced its’ walls.  All I know are the dingy stones and bars that I see each day.  I spend each day reflecting on the lost opportunities of my past. I pray each day for forgiveness, and I realize that if this horrible place does not kill me, the anguish of what I have done soon will.

I now find myself alone. Contained by these four walls. Locked away because I am seen as a threat to others.  The words I once refused to speak, society is now afraid others may hear from me.  Now that I have found my voice Lord, I have no one left to speak with. Now that I have found the words, there is no one around to hear them. I now sit in the quiet, and the remembrance of my own silence is all that is left to torment me.”

(And Satan smiled.)

Before it is too late, it is time the Church rose up, and removed the smile from Satan’s face.

The Father's Day Present

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 21, 2026

As his dad entered the diner, he looked at his face as if he had never seen it before.  A face he had seen all his life, was a face he seemed to be looking at for the first time.  He noticed the gray and balding that was continuing to come his hair. And he noticed the wrinkles that were starting to form. Wrinkles, he was sure he had placed there through the years.

His life had not turned out the way he had planned.  And if was far from the life his father had wanted for him.  At seven, his mom had passed after battling for weeks with pneumonia.  But despite the devastation of the lose, his father had always been there. Each day as he grew up, his father made sure he had all he needed for school.  Was there loyally at each football and baseball game he had ever played. And each Sunday, his father was always up early, to make sure they were both ready for church.

Through the best of times and the worst of times, his father had always been there. And as he grew into his teenage years, those “worst of times” had come far more often. To say he had grown to be rebellious would be an understatement.  So often finding himself in trouble as a teen, and so often turning to his father in need of help. And as the years continued, the rebellion did not cease.  He went into the military as a young man in search of escaping all his problems, only to find it had brought to his life even greater problems. Problems that had shamefully lead to a dishonorable discharge. As he made his way back into society, he did nothing but carry those problems with him.  Problems that soon found him in even more trouble, and problems that soon found him serving time behind bars. And each time he saw trouble raise up its’ ugly head, he had asked his father to met with him, over lunch, to talk. To apologize to his father, and to ask his father for help in getting through each of those problems.

In the eight months since he had gotten out of prison, he had looked to get his life back on track.  Blessed to be able to find a good job, and blessed to find a girlfriend that had far more to offer him that the trouble that had always found him.  A woman, who each day demand more from him. And who each day, he could not imagine hurting by bringing trouble into his life again. But as he sat there that day, watching as his father entered the diner, he bowed his head, because he knew he soon had news he had to tell his father again.

As he made eye contact with his father, the biggest of smiles came to his father’s face. And soon, he found himself again in the familiar embrace of his father’s arms. As they sat at the table, passing small talk, and placing their order, he knew he could no longer put off the news he had called his father to the diner that day to tell him.

“Dad, I asked you to join me for lunch today, because I have some news I need to let you know about.”

As his father heard these words, the events of the past all came rushing back.  All the times of sadness and disappointment he had experienced each time his son had asked him to join him at this diner. And as he came this time, he had prayed that what he would see was a change.  Not a repeat, of all he had seen before.

“Chris, what has happened this time?  What trouble have you gotten into now?  So often I have prayed for you, that the Lord would find a way into your heart and guide you. So many nights I have worried about you. Not knowing if the trouble you have always found, would lead to the moment I would never be able to see you again.”

As Chris bowed his head, his father continued.  “There is so much I want for you. And there is nothing I would not give up for all to come to you.  But Chris, I just do not know if I can do this again.”

As Chris heard the words, he sat in silence.  A silence that seemed to last a lifetime. And as a lifetime passed, Chris slowly began to raise his head to speak.  “Dad, there is not enough time in a year for me to tell you all the apologies I owe you. Not enough minutes in the day for me to tell you just how sorry I am for all I have put you through.  And I am so sorry for the sorrow you now feel here today. I just wanted to get with you, as I have something I want to give to you.”

As Chris finished the words, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small envelope addressed to his father.  As he placed it in his father’s hands, his dad held it unsure what to do next. Unsure of how a small envelope could make this situation any better.

“Before you speak again, would you please just open it, Dad.”  As he heard the words, Frank looked again at the small envelope.  With each glance of the envelope. time stood still. He began to lift the flap from the back, only to find a small, white card placed inside, with a few simple words written on it.  Simple words, that brought tears to his eyes as he read, “This is to personally invite you Sunday to the baptism of Christopher Ryan Smith.”

As Frank sat in that diner with tears growing in his eyes, he heard his son again speak.  “Dad, I know tomorrow is Father's Day, and I could not think of a greater gift to share with you than to personally invite you to be there as I let the world see, I have given my life to Christ.  Happy Father's Day, Dad!”