The Daily Scroll - Back to the Present

 Most parents dream great things for their children. We actually wish that they surpass our achievements and success. Father God is no different. As a matter of fact, He is the ultimate Father of all mankind. His dreams for us far surpasses our dreams for ourselves. He wants us to dream big! The Bible says, 

“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) Dream big!

There was a middle aged man in prayer to whom God gave a vision. In this vision he was riding a horse through rolling hills of a vast farm. He pulled up the reins and stopped his horse on a hill overlooking plants and vegetables as far as the eye could see in every direction. These could feed multitudes of people. As he surveyed all of this, God gave him a challenge. He said, “Pull the future into the present by seeing it in me.”

Unable to wrap his mind around a challenge such as this, he thought, “How can I possible accomplish this? He the remembered the words of the Lord, “Pull the future into the present by seeing it in me.” 

I can’t pull this whole dream that He has for me into the present at once, but I can do it piece by piece. I’ll plant a garden in my yard. A big garden, so I’ll have extra produce to give to poor needy families. I’ll start with what I can do and watch God grow His dream of the future back here in the present.

The Daily Scroll - The Quietness of Alone

Ken was a song writer just arriving in Nashville Tennessee to make his mark in Christian music. He walked the sidewalks of music row during the day and slept in his old van near Centennial park at night. He tried to make his pitches at Benson, Word Music, Capitol music and every company in between. Most wouldn’t even give him a chance. “Please leave your demo with me and I’ll see it gets into the right hands.” Said the receptionist. He heard those words so many times over the next several weeks until he was filled with dread as he entered that last door. 

Out of money, out of time, and out of hope, Ken faced the facts and gave up. He had failed. And worse, he was all alone. Sitting on the back bumper of his van, he looked to the star filled sky and began to pray. But there were no words. The night was silent except for the distant traffic on the Interstate. His thoughts turned to the quietness of being alone. The silence of his soul was deafening. He opened his mouth but this time his prayer had words. 

“Lord Jesus, I’ve asked you for help before, and you’ve always come through for me time and time again. Lord, after I gave up today I sank lower than ever, but now I see. My defeat, my loneliness has not beaten me. No more than yours beat you. No, now I understand a little better what you went through. As I sit here quiet and alone, I feel closer to you than I have ever felt before. In this stillness I’ve found you, in the fellowship of your loneliness.” 

Ken reached for his guitar and began to strum. And penned the words which eventually got recorded. “Oh what loneliness, Jesus had……”

The Bible records the following, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke5:16)

Also, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“ (Isaiah 41:10)

The Daily Scroll - Suffer Ring

 Sam is a thirty three year old man who has come to a crossroad in his life. He was injured in a construction accident two and a half years ago and lost the use of both his legs. Today he sits in his wheelchair beside the busiest intersection in town with a decision. Should he end his pain and suffering by rolling out into traffic or continue home, back into misery. 

In the past, he was a positive Christian man of faith, but these last years have taken a severe toll on him. Not only his body, but also on his mind. He almost called the veterans suicide hotline for help, but he would muster his faith and thoughts of suicide left him. Nevertheless he was tortured inside his suffer ring. He called it his suffer ring because it was a circle, a cycle of pain. The physical pain was oppressive, but added to that was the mental pain. Why? Why me? Why Lord?

Just then he placed his hands on the wheels to roll himself into traffic to end it all when a stranger, a young  lady, took hold of the wheelchair handles. Holding firm she said, “Excuse me sir. May I assist you by pushing you safely across the street?” Sam bowed his head and wept. He said, “Yes lady. I surely would.”

As they waited for the light to change, his thoughts went to the Bible and the account of Jesus and His suffering before and during His crucifixion. He remembered how Jesus wept because His own people, those He had come to die for, had rejected Him. The mental pain and anguish that Jesus suffered in the Garden as He asked God to take this cup from Him… if possible. (Matthew 26:38-39) Sam finally understood how Jesus was in a suffer ring encompassing Him physically and mentally. 

The light changed and they made it safely across the street. As the wheelchair bumped over the curb to safety, Sam thanked the lady as she walked around to the front to face him. She said,”Hello, my name is Samantha.” She then reached out her prosthetic hand to shake his hand. She was a twenty nine year old war veteran with a prosthetic hand and left leg. He chuckled and told her that his name was Sam. She said, “Well Sam, would you like to go inside this coffee shop and get a cup?” 

“Yes. Yes Samantha I would.” And with that, God began to ease his suffer ring.

The Daily Scroll - Light in the Darkest Night

 Chuck was an adventurous young boy. He took his new bike, which he just received for his eleventh birthday, for a ride on a long country road near his house. It was such a beautiful afternoon, and he was enjoying himself so much that he lost all track of time. As he noticed the sun beginning to set behind the trees, he thought that he had better start back. 

Off to the right was a dirt road that he figured was a shortcut that led in the direction of his home, so he went to the right and followed that road. However, it curved to the right and curved to the left until he wasn’t sure if it was headed toward home or not. Then the sun dropped and darkness set in. With the darkness came uncertainty and fear. Looking around he couldn’t see ten feet in front of him. His whole world became dark shadows inhabited by even darker shadows. Then came the sounds of darkness.

Creatures of the forest, creatures of darkness, began to make their noise and howl. “What do I do now?” Chuck said out loud. 

Have you ever been there? Has the sun ever dropped and darkness set in? Have you found yourself suddenly wrapped in darkness permeated with fear. Low finances, bad medical report, spousal abuse, troubled children. With no end in sight, hopelessness can set in. Like Chuck we utter, “What do I do now?”

There’s only one thing to do…look up. Look up! Our help comes from the Lord. Seek Him for he will be found. And then He’ll light our path and give us hope. 

Chucked looked up and prayed. “Jesus, please show me the way. I’m frightened. Suddenly Chuck noticed the moon began to rise and illuminate the countryside dimly. As he looked around he saw a solitary light in the distance, so he rode in that direction. The light would come and go through the trees but he stayed on that direction. When he least expected it he came to the edge of the woods and out to the road which ran right by his house. He turned left and made it home safely. 

Have faith in God. He’ll lead you out of the darkness and into His perfect light.

The Daily Scroll - Words

Words can hurt people. Words can heal people. Words can release anguish, and words can send one spiraling into the depths of depression. Frankie was an easy going young man who didn’t know a stranger. A sixteen year old high school junior who helped his dad by working in the family gas station and fast mart. He pumped gas, swept up and cleaned around the place with a good natured pleasant demeanor. 

One day a bully at school verbally attacked him, called him names, and made fun of his family, all in front of a large group of students in the hall. Frankie was devastated. He had done nothing to deserve this treatment. After school at the store, he moped around until his dad asked him what was the mater. When told, his dad was not impressed. He said, “Son those are only words and they mean nothing.”

Frankie was not comforted by his dad at all. After work he stopped by his grandmothers house on the way home. With kind and comforting words his grandmother brought Frankie back to the easy going young man that he was. 

Words are important and the words from God are the most choice, perfect words ever spoken. Search the Bible and find the many words of God describing you, His child. You’ll be amazed at how He sees you, and the words He uses to tell of His love for you.

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.“ (Psalm 12:6)

The Daily Scroll - Sea of Forgetfulness

 Darlene was 11 years old and loved to go to her grandpa‘s house after Sunday morning church and spend the afternoon with him. One day, on just such a visit, Darlene sat down in the rocking chair on the front porch and started scratching her head. “Darlene, Grandpa asked, “What are you thinking about?” Darlene said, “I was thinking about what the preacher was telling us this morning. Grandpa asked, “What part? She said. “The one where you forget everything. I don’t wanna go anywhere where I forget everything Grandpa.” He remembered what she was talking about and said, “Darlene, that’s not exactly the way it is.” 

“The Preacher was telling us that God, with all His power, loves us so much that when we ask forgiveness for our sins, not only does He forgive us, but He throws our sins far away into the sea where they will never be seen or heard from again. He doesn’t even see them because He doesn’t want to see them. They are gone!”

“So what is the Sea of Forgetfulness? “Grandpa asked? “A place where The Lord does away with our sins. A place where He doesn’t even see our sins of the past. Our past sins are not only forgiven but they’re forgotten. The Bible says, 

“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)