The Father's Day Present

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 18, 2023

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!”

Awakened!

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 11, 2023

The words he wrote must have troubled him.  He saw a nation that was turning to lawlessness, a nation of people only concerned with their own selfish interest.  Since the War of Independence, the nation found itself in a moral decline.  The roaring waves of the First Great Awakening had now turned to nothing more than ripples.  He watched as our churches were becoming empty. Church membership in this nation had fallen to just five to ten percent, and many of our churches were facing the horror of having to permanently close their doors. The Methodist were losing members far faster than they were gaining them.  The Baptist referred to this time as their “wintry season”.  The Lutherans were looking to merge with the Episcopalians just so both could survive.  It was so bad in New York, that the Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church simply quit functioning. It had been so long since he had confirmed anyone that he decided his job was no longer needed.

As he saw the Church falling apart, he watched as the nation was following suit.  Out of the nearly five million citizens that made up this country, three hundred thousand were drunkards.  Sexual immorality was soaring, as illegitimate births and sexual diseases were becoming epidemic.  Crime had become an all to common occurrence.  Bank robberies were being seen every day, and people began to not trust the security any of the banks offered.  For the first time in our history, women were now afraid to go out at night.  Dueling had become the national pastime, and it was said that this country had become stained in blood.  

Even his friend, the President doubted our future.  A fellow friend had written to President Washington, warning of what he saw.  "Our affairs seem to lead to some crisis, some revolution; something that I can not foresee or conjecture. I am more uneasy than during the war." Washington’s reply was just as troubling, "Your sentiment... accords with mine. What will be is beyond my foresight."  All of this had so troubled John Marshall, the future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, that he found himself writing of it to his friend James Madison.  The words that came from his pen brought tears to his eyes.  “The church is too far gone ever to be redeemed.”

So what had caused the Church to fall so fast?  Most historians list a series of issues that brought the Church to this low point.  First, was the war. Many do not realize, but the war had divided the nation.  Only one-third had supported independence, while another third had sided with England, leaving a final third that sat on the sidelines uncaring.  Of the third that supported independence, many if not most had come from the churches of this country. Ministers had often been the voice that led the cause.  After the war, many churches found themselves without pastors, as these men had bravely gave their life for our freedom.  The unity of many local churches had been lost during the war.  And as the men that had fought came home, many discovered a lull in returning to everyday life.  Timothy Dwight, who would become a leading theologian of his day, spoke these words of the day.  “Seven years of war had unhinged the principles, morality, and the religion of the country more than could have been done by a peace of forty years.”

Second, was the emergence of Rationalist Deism.  They saw and taught God as distant, uninvolved in the world around us.  It also stripped the moral code as given from God, and placed it in the minds of men.  Authors, like Thomas Payne, attacked the very principles of the Bible.  He wrote, “It would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the word of God.”  Most had never even heard the Scripture questioned, and had no clue how to reply now that it was happening.

Third was an acceptance of French secularism.  During the war, America had closely aligned itself with France.  As the war ended, many of the teachings and writings of Voltaire and Rousseau became popular within our society.  These atheist teachings became an accepted part of university teachings.  An acceptance of immorality soon became commonplace in our culture. Socio-political gatherings known as ”infidel clubs”, began to arise in many major cities. The stated purpose of these clubs were to destroy Christianity, and to revolutionize government around atheist principles.  An atmosphere developed that attacked the very core of the home and the family.

Last, but far from least, was a rise in Unitarianism.  Unitarians took a universalist approach to faith, denying the deity of Christ and pushing toward humanism.  As Unitarians gained such a stronghold in one of our major denomination of the day, that the denomination not only split, but soon became extinct.  This belief also gained a strength in many of our universities.  Schools of the day that not only educated our leaders, but developed our theological ministers.  A poll taken in this day at Harvard found not one believer in the whole student body.  The same poll was taken at Princeton, a theological college at the time, and found only two believers.  At Williams College a mock communion was held.  At Dartmouth, anti-Christian plays became commonplace.  Bibles were taken by college students from churches in New Jersey, and thrown into a bonfire. Christians became so scarce on campuses that they were forced to meet in secret, keep their minutes in code so no one would know what they were doing.

So what brought America back from the depths of this immorality?  Two simple words, prayer and revival!  Revival in our churches, and the prayers of believers saved this country.  A small spark that started in the 1790’s became a raging fire that consumed the 1800’s.  A fire we all know as the Second Great Awakening!  God’s Word was again preached, heard from our pulpits and from the voices of our leaders.  Words that spoke a truth to the hearts and the minds of the people of this country.  Words that blew the Spirit across this nation, filling once again our congregations and dotting our once church less cities with steeples.  Hundreds of thousands found themselves on their knees, with their arms raised again to the Lord.  A hunger for flesh was replaced with a hunger for the Lord and a passion for His Word.  America had again found the Lord, and they soon realized the Lord had not forgot them.  America flourished like it never could have imagined.

Once again, we find our nation in similar conditions to those described by John Marshall and many of our Founding Fathers after the War of Independence. We find ourselves a nation divided by an internal war.  We watch daily as our nation attempts to redefine God.  We watch as secular principles are thrown to the forefront, and the lawlessness that comes with these decisions.  And we watch as many in the Church are willing to compromise their faith in favor of society’s acceptance.  We watch as America heads in a direction that will result in destruction, a direction our forefathers once feared this country was mired in.

So how does America avoid the cliff we are running toward?  How do we repeat the wisdom of our forefathers, and pull ourselves out of the depths we now find ourselves trapped in?  There is but one way to accomplish this goal, to miraculously bring America back from the abyss we find ourselves heading toward.  We must take a position of strength, the strongest of positions we can find ourselves in.  We must again find ourselves on our knees!  We must not only humble ourselves and admit our flaws, but turn to the mercy of the only One who can correct these flaws!

As we bend our legs and find our way to the ground, we must also realize whose knees must first touch that ground.  It must be the Church.  We cannot expect people to find their way to their knees, who do not know the purpose of being on their knees(2 Chronicles 7:14).  And we cannot expect people to turn toward God, unless the Church first knows the direction in which the Lord stands. It was once said, “To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.”  These words must ring in each of our sanctuaries,  The Church must again find its’ voice, find the One who gives words to that voice, and awaken this nation.  Awaken this nation from the sleeping coma we find ourselves in.

But in order for the Church to awaken this nation, it means that the Church must first find itself awake.  As I look around this nation today, I hear the snores and the yawns that are coming from our churches.  I see the stillness of their slumber.  I see a Church that is fast asleep.  A sleep that has made the Church oblivious to the dangers that surround us.  A sleep that has filled the Church’s head with dreams of the world accepting us, of a worldly belief that might include us.  A sleep we must quickly awakened from, but a sleep where lullabies are being sung from many in our pulpits.

Recently, the Barna Group showed the results of a two year poll they had concluded of theologically conservative pastors.  This poll looked at where they stood on the moral issues that the country faces today.  When asked if the Bible spoke to the moral issues of our country and the world today, ninety percent of the pastors answered “yes”.  But when asked if they addressed these issues, spoke of them from the pulpit and taught of them in their churches, less than ten percent said they did.  When asked what these pastors were doing to make their congregations aware of what the Bible said of these issues, the resounding answer was “nothing”.  Our pastors told Barna that they know what the Bible says about the issues that we face today, but have chose to ignore what the Lord has to say about them.  Remember, these were evangelical pastors, the ones we would expect to hear the truth of these issues from.  If we included our more liberal pastors, these numbers would be beyond staggering!  The vast majority of pastors in this country today are deliberately deciding to not teach all that the Bible tells us!

So with this in mind, Barna went on to ask what they did see as the purpose of their church.  They asked how these pastors defined a successful church.  Five answers were overwhelmingly given, five answers that pastors today define as success in a church.

-Attendance

-Tithing

-Number of church programs

-Number of staff

-Size of their facilities

Success is being seen in our churches not by the lives we touch, but by the size and beauty of our buildings!  Not by the numbers that are brought to the Cross, but by the numbers we have on our staffs!  Not by the souls that we help the Spirit to reach, but by how full our collection plates are each Sunday morning! We see success spoken in terms that are material, not described by words that are spiritual.

For this nation to be awakened, we must first awaken this Church.  We must bring many of our pastors out of the dormant hibernation they now find themselves in.  We must realize that our pulpits are not leading us into this slumber out of blind ignorance, but out of willful disobedience.  We must awaken our pastors to the fact that not one of their answers for success did Christ die for. Not one of these answers did Paul describe as “success” in his ministry(2 Corinthians 11).  Not a single one of these answers has ever directed a soul to the Cross.  And not one of the answers will ring the alarm bell that will awaken this Church and this nation.

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”, Psalm 50:15.  The words of the psalmist need to now stir us, to drive us into action.  Words that must now ring through our sanctuaries, and awaken our pulpits.  Words that stirred our forefathers, and brought a past generation to its’ knees.  Men with the names of Finney, Asbury, Dwight, Beecher, Campbell, and others.  Men who not only fell to their knees, but whose words led the Spirit to cause other legs to fully bend.  Men who led a generation to not only return to the Lord, but to honor the Lord.  Men who led their generation and this nation to be used by the Lord in mighty ways.  A generation that not only sought to honor God, but brought His hope back into the heart of this nation.  

This same hope is today waiting for us, calling us back to the Lord.  A hope that yearns to fill our hearts, a hope that seeks to once again use this nation to glorify our Lord.  A hope filled with unlimited promise, a hope that knows no end to the opportunities it can bring. A hope that waits anxiously for us to awaken.

I want to tell you a little story of a man that most of you will remember from history, Thomas Edison.  Many of you know Thomas Edison as one of the greatest inventors the world has ever known.  Many of the devices we use today came at the hands of Thomas Edison.  In December of 1914, a sixty-seven year old Edison had been working at his lab and warehouse on a storage battery. Despite his efforts, he could not get it to hold its’ charge.  This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile.  Everything was destroyed. Although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought by experts to be fireproof.  With everything gone, you would have to wonder how Edison would go on!  But go on he did! The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins surrounding him and said, “There is great value in disaster.  All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”  Three week after the fire, Edison delivered what was maybe his greatest invention.  Edison delivered the first phonograph! 

Out of the fire, God created an opportunity for Edison to create a contraption that would change the world.  A device that would be used to help God spread His plan of perfection to the world!  A device that would allow many to hear God’s Word!  Out of the worst disaster, God created the greatest of opportunity.  Where most would see no hope, God saw endless potential. Where we see destruction, God sees the occasion to show His plan of perfection.  When we think we are hopeless, the Lord sees the greatest of expectations! Expectations that lead us to bring honor to His Name!

That same hope is waiting for us today. The hope that drove Edison.  The hope that lead a new nation mired in disaster to rise up, and to help the Lord spread His Word throughout this world.  The hope that stands at the door of our churches today, knocking loudly.  A hope that is without limits, that exceeds all expectations. A hope that only needs us to be awakened!

Praying each of your lives will be awakened to His hope!

Storming The Beach!

Dr. Mike Murphy
June 4,  2023

As we reflect back on D-Day, and remember the sacrifice many made for us so we might experiencing freedom, I am reminded of a long-time neighbor of ours who was there that day.  Often, I would listen closely as he would recount the events of that day. I can still see the fear in his face as he told the story. And I can still feel the tears that would form in his eyes as he spoke of the friends he lost that day.

As the small boats pulled toward the beach, he told me of the bullets you could all but feel whizzing by.  The endless explosions that hit all around him, causing waves in the ocean that reminded him of an approaching storm.  He would explain to me how these explosions so surrounded them, that their small boat could not make it all the way to the beach.  Soon, he found himself treading chest deep in the ocean, carrying countless pounds of gear, as he struggled to make his way to the sand.  With each step, he could watch as the soldier beside him would fall. And with each passing moment, the water became red, and the dead served as cover from the onslaught of fire.  He said he had no clue how he made it to the shore, or even how long it took him. And the excitement he felt as his feet came out of the water, was soon replaced by the increased fire that was now coming his way.

It felt like hours that day, as he made his way to cover, and even longer as they captured the strongholds that lined and overlooked the beach.  And as the day turned to night, he talked of how an eighteen years old boy looked back over a beach that was littered with the bodies and the faces of those he had been talking to just hours before.  Voices of those lost, he could still hear. Faces of those now dead, he could still see. And as sad as the loss of these left him, what he was a part of that day always turned his sadness to joy, every time he proudly told me the story.

A generation of young men that stormed a beach that day.  A beach that most would never see again, but a beach that many they served with would never leave.  Each of these young men knew the risk as they entered those small boats, and made their way to that beach.  Most realizing that many of the faces of those beside and across from them, would be faces they would never see again. Many also knowing it would be their face that others would again never see, as it would be their life the price of that day would cost.  But it was a price they were more than willing to pay. A cost they were willing to covering, so others, like me, might freely live. And a cost they knew if they did not pay, the evil that so many throughout this world would continue to see.  A cost that found them willing to pay all, so future generations might still be able to have all. A cost each of us could never repay to all of them as we remember this day.

As I remember my neighbor, and I think of what he did for me that day, my mind wonders forward to all I now see.  To the world I see around me today, and the blessing that surround me each day. To the opportunities I have this day, because of the courage he showed that day.  On that day so many years ago, on a beach so many miles away.

As I think of that day, I ask myself, "Do I have his courage?  Can future generations count on me, the way he has shown me I could count on him?"  And as I ask myself these questions, I ask myself an even greater question. As a Christian, can the Lord now count on me to faithfully and dutifully "storm the beach" for Him, the way those young men did for me on that day so many years ago?

We find ourselves living in a world today where evil does not just look to raise its' head, it now looks to proudly boast its' presence.  An evil, that not only looks to attack this church, but has the destruction of this Church in its' sights. An evil that sees persecution as a tool always at its' disposal, to silence the voice of all who seek to speak for Christ.  And an evil, that looks to wage a war of propaganda against this Church, seeking to convince this world that it is those it looks to silence that offers this mankind its' greatest threat.

In the face of this evil, can Christ count on me to climb into that small boat and fight my way to the beach?  Can He count on me to face all evil looks to throw at me, and still faithfully and dutifully fulfill all He is calling me to do?

His Word tells me, "for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses."(2 Corinthians 10:4).  Am I willing to face the fire that evil directs at me, and find in me the courage to come ashore, and take down those fortresses? Willing to give Him my all, so that future generations of Christians, may know the freedom to bring His all to a needing world?

It is time for my words and my actions to show Christ that I am willing to storm that beach.  Time for me to rise, put on each piece of armor He has given me(Ephesians 6:10-18), and attack evil's stronghold that stands right in front of me.  Time for me to be strong and courageous, not found trembling and afraid, as my feet touch the shore, and I approach evil's fortresses. Knowing that with each step I take forward, He will be walking right beside me, and His direction and leadership, will never fail me.

As I prepare for this battle, I am left with a few question.  Questions I now have for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  How many of you are willing to offer your all and enlist with me in Christ’s army?  How many of you have armor in hand, and are ready for the onslaught that will come as we climb into those small boats?  How many of you will I see beside me as I come ashore? How many of you are willing to give your everything, all you have to offer, as you storm that beach for Him?

"'No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,' declares the LORD." Isaiah 54:17

Selah

Dr, Mike Murphy
May 27, 2023

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.

In Search Of Mayberry

Dr. Mike Murphy
May 20, 2023

Being like most men, I am an expert channel surfer.  I can wear the numbers off a remote in less than a month.  As I sat the other day to talk with a long time friend, I found myself with the phone in one hand and the remote in the other.  Over two hundred and fifty channels, and I still could not find a thing to watch. As I told my friend of my dilemma, he joked with me that maybe I could find an old episode of the Andy Griffith Show.

Like so many others, I grew up watching reruns of the Andy Griffith Show.  It had often been a running joke for many of us that we would love to find Mayberry one day.  Move there, and put the worries of this world behind us. To find this simple town, where you spend the day talking with your friends and neighbors, not texting to them on the cell phone as we go about our busy lives.  A place where you not only know your neighbor’s names, but desire to help your neighbor with their needs. A town where the greatest worries involved making sure the jail cell was unlocked for Otis on weekend nights, whether Barney knew where the bullet was for his gun, and how you would find good hiding places in order to get rid of Aunt Bee’s pickles.

Mayberry takes us back to a simple, but good life.  A life where “love thy God”, and “love thy neighbor” were more than just words that had once been read on a page(Matthew 22:36-40).  A place and time where morals were not an afterthought, but a forethought. A place where right and wrong were not decided in the moment, but practiced and keep in the hearts and minds of each every moment.  A place where good was not sought in the minds of men, but looked for in the One who created the heart of man.

If we were to search this world for Mayberry today, we would spend a lifetime and not find the place or town.  In a world where so many of us seek a Mayberry, we find ourselves in a world that looks to destroy the very concept behind Mayberry.  A world we live in that is filled to the brim with confusion. A world where good is no longer sought, because it is believed to be nothing more than a passing thought.  A world where man is told to look within himself for good, instead of seeking the only One who can show him what true goodness is.

We watch as the world today seeks to define good without God.  Man looks for good in his own nature, instead of finding good in God’s standards and teachings.  Man looks to define good by his own vision, not through God's eyes, and not in relation to God’s purpose.  Famous atheist Richard Dawkins once attempted to define good and evil without God. He did it this way, ““Humans have always wondered about the meaning of life...life has no higher purpose than to perpetuate the survival of DNA...life has no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind pitiless indifference”.  Despite the meaningless purpose that Dawkins sees life holding, look at the conclusion about life we see in his words.  In the midst of all of Dawkins words, even the most devout atheist is left trying to define and explain the impossible. If right and wrong is ultimately for survival, then right or wrong will be seen differently in every situation.  Based on Dawkins way of thinking, there could never be a standard of right or wrong that man could live by. No standard by which laws could be given, no expectation by which crime could ever be stopped. Without a standard of right and wrong, whatever I deemed necessary in my situation, could never be denied me.  The very thing I might see as right today, could well become the very thing my neighbor decides is wrong tomorrow. Without even realizing it, Dawkins has made Scripture’s point. Without God, without Him setting a standard that clearly defines good and evil, man would never know what good and evil is. Without God, man is left with nothing more than chaos as the governing force of our lives. 

As we look at the chaos of this world today, we see our society constantly seeking to explain good without God.  But when the honest man takes a moment to think, he quickly realizes where the conclusion of this argument leads.  C. S. Lewis once found himself in this very position, looking for good in every direction but “Up”. Of this, he would go on to write, “A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”  C.S. Lewis came to the conclusion in his life, that without God, he was incapable of defining good.  That without God, he had no way of ever understanding what is good. And all this led him to realize that only in having a personal relationship with God, could he ever come to see good(Exodus 34:6, James 1;17).  Lewis came to love and understand what the Word of God tells us, “And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.’”(Luke 18:19). Realizing, you cannot have good without God. You cannot know good if you do not first know God.  And you cannot see good without first seeing God. 

It is from this basic acknowledgement that only the Lord can define for us good and evil, that draws us back to the simplicity of Mayberry.  A place where we see good and evil so clearly defined. A place where our love for our Lord, and our call to love our neighbor, takes center stage.  A place that reminds us, if He is truly the love of our life, then our concern for our neighbor will be found as a priority in our life. 

Mayberry draws us back to a place where the neighbor we stand beside as we worship Him on Sunday, is still found in the thoughts and concerns of our heart come Monday.  A love for our neighbor that finds us quicker to reach out a hand to them, than to be found gossiping about them. A love that finds us looking to share what we have with them, not remembered for the grudge we held for days against them.  And a love that leads us to want to share Christ with them, because at some point in our life, a loving and faithful neighbor was willing to share Christ with us(Matthew 7:12).

Mayberry, a place of simple goodness so many of us wish we could find, a place we wish we could call home while we are here on this earth.  We would love nothing more than to be able to talk to Helen at the PTA meetings. Or to be able to step in the Barber Shop and tell Floyd “just take a little off the top”.  Or even to be able to ask Goober to check the oil as we fill up our gas tank. But as we long for this perceived utopia on this earth, we must realize that the goodness we seek does not come at the hands of man.  Mayberry is not our perfect town because of anything man has done, or because of anything a single resident of this town could do. When we watch the episodes we soon realize that the goodness we seek lies behind the scenes, in the only One who could make each of  our lives truly good! The only One who can define good. And the only One who can show us the perfection of its’ meaning!

So as I finish my story, I again pick up my remote.  And as I flip through the channels, I see so many filling the screen of my television with theories of failed logic, instead of His truth of proven wisdom.  Men and women who try to describe for me the good of this world, without the perfect hand of the One who created this world. A goodness man looks in every direction for but one, “Up”.  So once again, I find myself flipping the channels in search of Mayberry.

Praying the true definition of good will fill each of your lives! Even if it means you have to eat a couple of Aunt Bee's pickles!

A Conversation With God

Dr. Mike Murphy

May 13, 2023

A conversation with God.  So many times we find ourselves desiring to hear from God, to hear His voice guiding us, giving needed direction to us. Others will say if they could only hear Him speak, then they could believe, then they would know He is real.  So many questions would be asked of God, if we could just have a conversation with Him, just one little chance for us to talk to Him.  So many who think to themselves, if I could just hear Him speak, all my questions would be answered.   Each time I hear someone say this, I stop and ask myself, “How do you not already hear His voice?  How do you not hear it above all the other sounds around you?”  And with each question we would ask, I can all but hear the Lord saying, “Why have you not already listened to My answers?”

Each day, I find myself having a conversation with the Lord.  Some days, it seems like it is me doing all the talking, sharing with Him all my concerns, and laying all my problems at His feet.  Other days, it is me doing all the listening, carefully hearing each word of wisdom He gives me, and understanding the plans He has for me.  Like all good conversations, our conversation goes both ways. And with each word He speaks to me, our relationship grows, my faith is strengthened, and my understanding of His ways become greater.

Many will hear this and ask, “Does God actually speak to you, does He really have a conversation with you?”  My answer to that question is a one hundred percent yes!  I have a conversation with our Lord every day!

The dictionary defines a “conversation” as an exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas.  In everything around me, in all I see and all I hear, it is impossible for me to ignore that exchange.  As the thunder roars and the lightning strikes, I can hear the voice of God reminding me of Who created this world around me.  As I watch the faith grow in those around me, I hear the love in the gentleness of His voice.  And as I watch the news, and I see what man is capable of without turning to Him, I hear the stern warning in each of His words. But above all, as I daily turn to Him in prayer, I hear His Spirit speaking back to me, internally answering me.  And as I pick up His Word each day, and carefully read the words He has given us, I clearly hear His voice guiding me, giving purpose in each answer He shows me.  I cannot begin to imagine spending one minute of a single day, not hearing His voice, and not being in conversation with Him.

Though we do not realize it, the Bible is one of God’s main ways of speaking to us.  If the heavens are the megaphone on which He gets our attention, then Scripture would be the cell phone He uses to send us “text messages” all day, everyday.  When we read His Word, we are hearing His voice, just as plain and clear as if He was standing in front of us speaking.  Each minute we spend time in that Word, we are interacting with Him, spending priceless time with Him,  and are in the greatest of conversations with Him. The Bible is God’s love letter to each of us, and as we read that letter, we can hear Him speaking each word of that love to us.  Pouring out His heart to us as He shares with us His encouragement, His strength, His insight, and His wisdom.  Speaking to us a love so deep, that He would give everything to reach us, to protect us, and to spend eternity with us.

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”(Isaiah 55:11).  Each conversation He has with me, each word He speaks to me, carries a purpose and a plan that I know is so much greater than me.  But despite the greatness of those plans, He includes someone as simple as me.  And He shows me that the purpose for His plans were made with simple me in mind.

My God is not a quiet God, but a God who will speak to me as much as I will listen to His voice.  A God who is always ready to share His wisdom with me. A God that despite all the chaos I see going on in the universe around me, is never too busy for me.  I find myself so easily forgetting sometimes, my God is the greatest of multitaskers, He can get more accomplished in a single second than I can even think about doing in a whole day.  He is able to give more of His time and attention to everyone, individually, on the face of this earth, than I can give of my attention to a single person.  And with each conversation, with each second He spends with me, I recognize more and more just why He is God, and why I am not.

With each conversation He has with me, with each second He spends talking to me, I come to realize the wisdom He has to offer me.  I can feel His words shaping me, and molding me, making me into a reflection of each of those words.  I can hear Him whispering to me, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”(James 3:17).  Each day as this world does it best to also speak to me, I hear the selfishness and envy in the world’s words.  Calling me to put myself first at all cost, despite what that cost might bring to others. But as I hear His voice speak to me, I hear the calls of this world fading away, only leaving me to hear the pureness that His voice is calling me to.  A pureness in His voice so peaceable and gentle, that it is slow to find confliction, but quick to lovingly show me ways to serve.  A reason in His voice that leads me to see that my way is not always right, and helps me to see His wisdom being expressed in the words of someone else.  A mercy and goodness in His voice that always brings me back to His ways, leading me to a sincerity that calls me to also lead others to His voice.

With each conversation I have with Him, I grow to appreciate each word of His Word a little more.  With each word I read, with each prayer I share, I find myself walking step in step with Him.  And soon I have come to realize, I cannot walk with Christ, without finding myself in a conversation with Christ.  Each word He speaks to me comes to life, proclaiming louder and louder His love, wisdom, mercy, grace, and truth with each step.  Drawing me closer into His arms with each word.  I soon find myself realizing, there is no One I had rather talk to, no One I had rather spend time with.  No One I would rather have a conversation with.  And each day, I found myself living more and more for the moments when I can share a conversation with my Lord.

Praying you find time to talk to Him today.

Can I Get A Witness!

Dr. Mike Murphy

May 6, 2023

It would be the trial of a lifetime.  Tom Daniels got the case of the century thrown into his lap.  He had tried many major cases as a top Assistant District Attorney for the city.  But this case would be like no other.  The murder of a city councilman, who was running for mayor upped the stakes.  Top that with the fact that known mob associates with connection to the sitting mayor had been arrested for the crime, turned the focus and the heat up on every word he said. This was the case he had dreamed of, but could be the case that buried him.

With the District Attorney out on medical leave, recovering from a recent heart attack, every decision for the case fell on his shoulders.  He made sure that all evidence for the case found its’ way to his desk, as it would be him answering the media hounds if even the smallest tidbit of information was overlooked.  He also made sure that by all evidence coming through him, he could keep a lid on all of it. He knew that with any leak, City Hall would be at his door faster that the reporters.

As he looked over the evidence, he felt confident in so much that he saw. The ballistics reports had come back in his favor.  Detectives had turned up a half-smoked cigarette with the DNA of the accused at the rally where the councilman had been speaking as the bullet took his life.  He had a written message in the handwriting of the accused also.  A message that had been coded, but as the code had been broken, a message that talked about the assassination of the councilman that day.  

Tom had all he needed to proceed at trial.  All that is, but one thing.  He did not have a witness!  Over seven hundred people had been at the rally that day, but not one had come forward stating they had seen the accused commit the crime.  He could not even get a single person to confirm they had seen the accused at the rally that day.  With the mob’s involvement, he knew that many were scared.  Scared for their life, and the lives of their family.  He had offered witness protection to anyone who would step forward.  A huge reward had also been offered to anyone who had evidence of the shooting.  Day and night, detectives continued to interview any and everyone who had been at or near the rally that day.  But as the detectives asked the question, echoes could be heard through the silence of the replies.

Just one witness was all he needed.  One reliable man or woman who could visually place the accused at the rally that day.  Just one person who could get him beyond the circumstantial and physical evidence, who could put a voice with the evidence for the jury to hear and see.  Each day they searched, but each day they failed.  As the day of the trial approached, all of Tom’s thoughts turned to one question.  “Can I get a witness!”

History has shown us, that with each piece of evidence there is importance in a witness. Someone who can bring the words off the page, and put a face to the facts that lie in front of us. Someone who can verify what is said, and confirm what is seen.  When we look at the word “witness”, we soon see the definition behind the word.  The dictionary tells us a witness is someone who sees something happen or occur.  The word “witness” actually comes to us from the Hebrew, and from the same root word we also get our word "testimony".  The word actually means, “to see or to observe the door or pathway”.  In ancient days, there was no more important part of the house than the door.  The door was by far the most used part of the structure. You could not go anywhere unless you first went through the door, and found yourself on the path.  Many houses in this day did not have windows, and in most that did, the windows were very small.  So if something was going on outside your house, you had to go and open your door so you could see or observe what had gotten your attention.

It is through this, that the terms witness and testimony soon found their way into the public forum, into our courts.  Under Hebrew law, a witness was held to a very high standard. The witness was so accountable for what testimony he gave, that to give false testimony could cost him dearly, could even cost him his life.  The life and the future of the one who the witness was giving testimony against or for, often came down to the truthfulness of the witness.  For him to accurately, factually, and without bias give an account of what he had observed.  It was the witness, and his testimony, that brought an accountability and proof to the case.

As the word made its’ way into the New Testament, and into the Greek language, it continued to carry with it this same meaning.  From the same root word in Greek that we get our word witness, we also get the same word "martyr". And although they have a complete separate meaning, it is by no mistake they come from the same root word.  Show me a sane man who was willing to die for something he did not believe in?  Willing to give his life for something he has no faith in?

Stephen serves as a perfect example of how the root word applies.  We read in Acts 7:1-53 of the stirring testimony of Stephen as he gives a witnessing account of how the hand of God had moved throughout the history of Israel, and how that history led all to the foot of the Cross.  As his testimony was angrily rejected by those who had no desire to hear the truth, Stephen was stoned to death(Acts 7:54-60).  Even as the stones were thrown at him, Stephen clung to his faith, and called on our Lord.

It was with this same faith that the Apostles also taught us to be witnesses, sharing our testimony of the Lord.  It was by this testimony that Peter reminded all of what the Disciples were a witness to(Acts 3:12-16).  It was also by this witnessing faith that Paul reminded us of what he was told, “For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.”(Acts 22:15).  Our faith makes us the perfect witness to the truth of Christ, and our testimony to this world tells them of the love Christ has shown each of us.  When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, He answered by saying, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”(Mark 12:30).  When we follow these words, our life bears witness to the grace, mercy and power of Christ, and our testimony serves as a solemn oath to others of His life and His death.

Why should we, as Christians, be a witness?  Because Christ commands us(Matthew 28:19-20).  Because He has conditioned us for it(Matthew 9:36-38, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Jude 23).  Because the consequences call for it(Matthew 7:13, Revelation 20:15).  Because of the promise of His coming(1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).  Because the love He shows us requires it( 2 Corinthians 5:14, Romans 10:1).  Because the character of the Gospel stands on it(Acts 4:12, Romans 1:16).  And because of our commitment to His Word(1 Corinthians 9:16-23, 1 Timothy 1:11-16).  Peter and John answered the question this way, “for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”(Acts 4:20).  We are not just a witness because we are called to be, we are a witness because we desire to be!

We so easily forget, the Holy Spirit makes each of us a witness.  The Holy Spirit calls each of us to be witnesses.  And it is only through the Holy Spirit can we, as witness, give our testimony.  From the moment we are “born again”, we are a witness to all that Christ has and is doing in each of our lives, and we have a responsibility to take the stand, and let this world hear and see the overwhelming evidence of the difference that Christ has made in each of us.

My testimony is the witness for all the Lord has done in my life.  Each day the Lord reminds me of all I am a witness to.  I serve as a witness to the life He has given me.  To His mercy that has forgiven me.  And to His grace that alone has saved me.  Each moment that as I look at this world around me, I am  a witness to His beauty and His glory.  I am a witness to the power of His voice, and the truth of His Word.  And as I watch that Word being put into action every minute of the day, I am a witness to the amazement of His love.  Nowhere can I look around me, and not see that I am a witness to the Lord.  As I see all the Lord shows me, I realize the importance of all I see.  And with each sight I see, what it calls me to do.  I must take the stand, place my hand on His Word, and give a truthful testimony for all the world to hear. I must be willing to honestly answer every question this world may ask me about Him.  And I must be willing to give an accurate account of all I have seen Him do in my life, and in the lives of those around me.  I am a witness.  

As the Lord stands at that door knocking, I pray that each of you will answer, and be a witness to His mercy and His love!