The After-Oakdale Chronicles

a wonderful day to consider what can happen with faith.

“By Faith…”  Various Scripture

Found throughout the Bible, in any translation, those two words precede many examples of the power of having an unshakable confidence in God.

The list of individuals throughout history who demonstrated their faith and profoundly impacted the world is long. Noah had faith enough to build an ark where there was not even any water simply because God instructed him to do so. Since those members of Noah’s family and the animals that he built accommodations for were the only survivors in the whole world, the impact of Noah’s faith is evident.

The author of the book of Hebrews is not really known, but whoever wrote it provides us with example after example of important figures who put their faith in God with amazing results.

Faith is not hoping.

Faith is not thinking,

Faith is not assuming.

Faith is believing.

Faith is confident knowledge.

Faith is complete trust in God.

Abraham had it. He was ready to kill his son simply because God told him to. God didn’t let him do it, of course, but his confidant trust in God would allow him to do no less than what he was instructed to do. Can any of us truly understand that level of faith? That degree of trust?

The list goes on, familiar names and familiar situations: Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab.

Can our faith possibly have the same impact on the world and the people in it as did the faith of all of those individuals?

That is a question that we may never really know the answer to, but if we have that unshakeable, unquestioning, confident trust in God, then our lives will be shaped by His instruction and His will. As a result, actions that become simply a way of life for us can have a life changing impact on someone we meet. The kindness, generosity, and compassion that we offer to another could change the way they think and act towards others. They, in turn, might change the way they live, and so on.

Can we ever possibly know the full impact that our faith can have upon the world? Probably not. But we can be assured that it is working in the hearts and minds of those around us.

Your faith in God makes you a powerful force on earth. Use the gift of this day to think about that.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a great day to go through the curtain.

“By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.”  Hebrews 10:20 NLT

The Most Holy Place gives us direct access to God; to talk directly to God and to know that He will hear and answer us.

When we stop and think about it, this unfettered access to the One who created all that we can see, hear, touch, and smell is a truly remarkable gift given to us by Christ through His death on the cross.

If any of us were to have unfettered access to the President of the United States, we would be members of a very exclusive group and we would most likely develop a little bit of an attitude. After all, he’s a very important man and he has little time to waste on trivial matters. We would be very proud of our status and feel very special.

And yet, each and every human being has direct access to God, and most don’t even give it a thought. The giver of life and the creator of the world has all the time you need, and nothing is trivial to Him. He knows your heart and He knows the burdens you carry, and He wants to carry them for you if you will only let Him.

Yet so many of us think nothing of this unbelievably free access to the One who gives us all we have. So many of us look to ourselves, those around us, or even the president to solve our problems. The simple truth is that; we are too involved in the problem, those around us have their own problems, and the president is far too important to be bothered with our problems.

But God always has time, always has the patience, and always has the answers that we need.

So we have to ask ourselves: While it would certainly be pretty special to have the president on speed-dial, isn’t it much, much better to have direct access to God?

Embrace the gift of access that Jesus Christ gave us when He shed His blood for us and died on the cross. Be proud of the fact that anytime you need Him, God will be there to listen and to help.

Step through the curtain into the Most Holy Place and humbly thank God for always being there for you.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18 NASB

The love that God has for us will protect us if we will only embrace it.

Just as the love we have for our children causes us to keep a watchful eye over them, God watches over us. Does God prevent every bad thing we can think of from happening?

No.

But then, good parents know that children will incur some bumps and bruises as a normal part of growing up. It is not wise to even attempt to protect those we love from events that help them to grow. They would have to be placed in a protective bubble, and that would hurt them in the long run more than the bumps and bruises their bodies and hearts will sustain along the path of life.

Our love will reassure them, give them confidence, and help them to set aside their fears. We will encourage them to get on a bicycle and attempt to ride on two wheels. We will do this knowing they may fall down a time or two and sustain a scrape, a cut, or a bruise. In our love, we will help them up, clean them off, comfort them, and encourage them to try again. This is the pattern of life, and the responsibility of a loving parent. The love we give our children gives them courage to do things they are afraid of: joining a drama club at school; learning ballet; becoming a member of a baseball team; speaking in public.

No matter what their interests, we know that there is an element of fear involved and it is our job to allay those fears, and we do this with love.

So it is with ourselves, our fears, and our God. He is the perfect parent, giving us perfect love, and He is always there for us. He will not remove every obstacle. He will not prevent us from falling down or failing. As the perfect parent, He will watch us, knowing that we will hurt ourselves, and then He will be there to pick us up, dust us off, and show us His perfect love.

And for those times when we get hurt, there is no better place to seek comfort than in the loving arms of God. Let the power of God’s perfect love give you all the courage you need to live to the fullest the gift of each new day He gives you.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the day to search our hearts for signs of self-righteousness.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable…”  Luke 18:9 NIV

….and then Jesus went on to tell the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. In telling the story, He compared the sincerity of their prayers. While the Pharisee thanked God that he was better than everyone else, the tax collector was honest and was ashamed to even ask God to hear his prayer, admitting honestly and humbly that he was a sinner.

Jesus was very clear as to which one earned God’s favor when He said, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14 NIV).

Sometimes it is very difficult for us to admit that we are sinners.

But God knows that we are, so when we admit it to Him, we are really admitting it to ourselves. We need to hear the words come from our own mouths: “Dear God, I am not worthy of the love You give me, but You love me anyway. I am a sinner, but You forgive me. I humbly thank You for Your love and Your forgiveness.”

We must resist the temptation to look down with self-righteousness on the sins, mistakes, and shortcomings of others. It is alright to pray for those around us, but it is certainly not alright to condemn another while expounding on our virtues.

When Jesus told the story of the prodigal son, the message was a little different but still warned against self-righteousness. Upon the younger son’s return from years of decadence, self-indulgence, and sin, the father welcomed him back with open arms. The key here is that while the younger son demanded his inheritance so he could leave home and live a life of sin, his return home was very humble and he was ashamed of what he had done and how he had lived.

“…and the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” (Luke 15:21 NASB).

Of course, the father was having none of that and his welcome was warm, loving, and forgiving. However, the older brother felt slighted and self-righteously decided his brother did not deserve the love of the father. He felt that only he should receive that love since he had stayed, worked, and demonstrated loyalty while his younger brother was out partying.

Do not fall into this trap either.

When someone admits wrongdoing and seeks to return to the family or to the church, we must set aside any suspicions or negativity, eliminate our self-righteousness, and welcome them back with support, encouragement, and love.

Search your own heart today, and if you find any pockets of self-righteousness anywhere, empty them immediately.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a terrific day to get on the right side of the Lord.

“…and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”  Matthew 25:33 NASB

Does someone’s race, social status, education level, or job determine how we treat them?

Does someone have to be ‘worthy’ of our kindness?

The eyes of God see only the hearts of His children. What does He see when He looks at yours?

Throughout the many beautiful pages of the Holy Bible, the need to show kindness and concern for each other is repeated often, and in many different ways. Christ used several examples and took advantage of many different opportunities to teach the supreme importance of this.

When Jesus was teaching on the Mount of Olives, He told a powerful story about the final judgment.

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” (Matthew 25:31 NASB).

When we are all gathered in His presence, He will separate us as a shepherd separates the goats from the sheep. He will place the sheep on His right and He will tell those He places there that they have been blessed by God and have been chosen to inherit His kingdom as promised.

Jesus then tells them why they have been selected:

“For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25:35-36 NASB).

The good people He would be saying these things to would be confused, for they would have no recollection of feeding Jesus or clothing Him, taking care of Him when He was sick, or any of those things that He was referring to, so tasked Him when they were supposed to have done all of those kind and generous things.

Jesus told the crowd, “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:40 NASB).

Christ is in all of us, so nothing else should matter.

We should be kind to one another because of our love for God through Jesus Christ. We should do for everyone we meet as we would do for Christ, and in doing we will show the world our love for Christ and ensure that when we face judgment before the King, we will be on His right side.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the ideal day to search for wisdom.

“Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”  Proverbs 4:7 NIV

Searching for the wisdom of God is the key to a rich, productive, and significant life as a servant of the Lord.

Being a servant of the Lord does not mean we must all be priests, pastors, or ministers. Being a servant of the Lord means that we attach maturity, significance, and seriousness to our time on this earth as we prepare for God’s promise of life everlasting.

Wisdom gives us the knowledge and understanding, coupled with the ability to use them, which helps us to mature as Christians and lead lives that are full of purpose and meaning. In a world that seems to always be caught up in the moment; in a world that is self-indulgent, selfish, self-centered, and materialistic, actively searching for the wisdom of God is more important than ever before.

Life is not as slow, and not as simple, as it once was. At the same time, our ability to help others is greater than at any time in our history. Therefore, so is our responsibility to our fellow man. How best to serve a useful purpose in our short time on earth is easier to determine with wisdom.

The search is never-ending, but it is all too important, especially if we have children who are also trying to find their way in this world. We cannot teach what we do not know, so we must search the Bible constantly for knowledge and show our children where to find it and how to use it.

When we were young, 70 or 80 years seemed like such a long time. Those of us who are older know that it goes by quickly. If we use our time searching for God’s wisdom and applying what we learn to our daily lives, to the way we treat others, and to how we seek out opportunities to serve God and glorify His name, we will spend more of those years with smiles on our faces and the glow of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

One of the wonderful things about the wisdom that God has to offer us, is that no matter when we come to the realization that our lives can be so much better with it, we can be secure in the knowledge that it is never too late to start searching for it.

If you have not experienced the joys of God’s wisdom, pick up the Bible today and begin the search for yourself.

If you already know those joys, then you also know that you must never stop searching for more of the wisdom of God.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a great day to choose a good first impression.

“Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.”  Proverbs 22:1 NLT

We are all probably familiar with the expression, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”

We should certainly all want it to be a good one. Not very many people would knowingly, and intentionally, set out to make a bad impression. Our reputation precedes us in many aspects of life. For many individuals, their only impression of us is our reputation.

So we must ask ourselves what sort of first impression is our reputation giving others?

If we are seeking employment and are approaching someone we have never met for an interview, we have probably sent out a resume ahead of us and something about that resume caught the eye of the one making decisions. So far so good. First look is a good one, so we show up for the interview on time, properly groomed, positive, confident, and upbeat. The second “first look” is good. The interviewer checks into your background and things start to go downhill. Perhaps there is a past history of legal problems that we were not forthright about. Perhaps they check with a previous employer and, while it is not acceptable for a previous employer to speak poorly of someone, saying nothing at all, or simply stating that we are not eligible for rehire, speaks volumes in a negative sense.

If we have good reputations in our personal and professional lives, it is of the utmost importance that we live our lives making a conscious effort to keep it intact. A good relationship with God can help us do that.

But what if we have made mistakes? What if some of them are serious errors in judgment? God has assured us of His forgiveness, but what about the forgiveness of our neighbors, our friends, our families and our employers? Can we ever overcome a bad reputation and get a second opportunity to make a good first impression?

The answer is an emphatic, “Yes!”

Do not be discouraged and do not give up. The first thing to do is to look to God’s Word for guidance.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT).

We must ask God to give us all that we need to be forthright with people about our mistakes, and to give us the patience we will require to rebuild our reputation.The process can be a long, and sometimes discouraging, one.

But it can be done.

Whether this is our first or second “first impression”, look to God for help in choosing to make it a good one.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

a super day to think again.

“But you thought your fame and beauty were your own. So you gave yourself as a prostitute to every man who came along. Your beauty was theirs for the asking.”  Ezekiel 16:15 NLT

We are all aware that God bestows different gifts, talents, and abilities upon different individuals. For the myriad ways in which humans differ from one another, we all share the fact that whatever talents we have, they all came from God. And this is true no matter whether we choose to believe it or not.

Ezekiel’s message to the exiles in Babylon was relatively simple and is one we should all heed. If we have forgotten the source of all that is ours and have come to think that our achievements are the result of our own human abilities, we had better think about it again.

Our artistic abilities that have earned us prominence and have made our work popular; our astute business acumen which allows us to capitalize on opportunities that others cannot see; our ability to throw a football farther or run faster than anyone else: all of these gifts, talents, and abilities were given to us by God and are to be used, first and foremost, for God. The rewards realized from these talents should be used to help others and spread God’s message.

Of course God wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labor as well, and He has nothing against us having nice homes, cars, clothes, or other material possessions. But He expects us to use the gifts He has given us to assist those less fortunate than we are, and in return, He will reward us with even more good fortunes.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 NIV).

God wants our love, our trust, our faith, and our recognition that all we have comes from Him.

Are there selfish, self-centered, boastful people who deny credit that is due the Lord and keep it for themselves? Absolutely. Do many of them surround themselves with incredible wealth and luxury and claim it as their own and not God’s? Of course.

But for them, when they die, that is where it all ends. For those who praise God for all they are and all they have, God will multiply their blessings in this life, and it does not end with death.

If you think you are successful just because you are special, perhaps you need to think again.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the right day to consider your choices.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15 NIV

Some of us may have faced times in our lives when we have thought about turning away from the Lord. Perhaps life hadn’t been going our way, or something happened to us or someone we love that we were angry about.

Maybe we blamed God.

Maybe we questioned His very existence.

Joshua was a very capable leader and he willingly accepted his role as successor to Moses and successfully led the Israelites into the Promised Land. He did not become leader of the Israelites in spite of his faith in God. He became leader because of his faith.

That faith gave him the courage and the wisdom needed to do what he knew God wanted done.

We all make choices, and the most important choice we can make is whether to follow God, or whether to follow our own human instincts, thoughts, and desires. If not God, in all His wisdom, power, grace, and glory, then who? How can we possibly think we can negotiate the highway of life on earth without God’s help? And without God, what awaits us when the bloom of our life withers and dies?

What is it that is so unattractive about everlasting life with God that makes any of us reject it? How could we possibly choose the ‘nothing’ that non-believers say awaits us when we die over the ‘something’ that awaits us when we follow the teachings of Christ and live for service to others as God so desires?

We can be pushed and pulled in a multitude of directions as we go through life. We can encounter tragedy that causes us to call God’s leadership, and even His sovereignty, into question. We can encounter smooth talking individuals who seem to have it made and have all the answers.

But if the answer doesn’t include God, then it is really not an answer at all. Certainly not an answer that will lead us to a joyful and everlasting life with God.

No matter what we are facing in our lives, it is easier to face it with God. No matter how attractive some misguided souls may make a life without God seem, we must all realize that choosing that particular option will not have the eternal peace and joy we will have if we choose to follow God.

Choose wisely.

Your life, and your everlasting life, depend upon it.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson

the perfect day to turn your prison into paradise.

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’”  Genesis 41:41 NIV

Have any of us experienced the level of difficulty in our lives that was experienced by Joseph? What a remarkably perfect example of how to handle adversity!

While it is true that his initial arrogance born of his youthful pride caused Joseph’s brothers to conspire against him, the way Joseph conducted himself from that point forward should be an example each one of us should strive to replicate.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, resold to the captain of the guard for Pharaoh, was thrown into prison, and was forgotten by those he helped. Despite all of that Joseph always responded to negative situations with a positive attitude.

In the end, it became apparent to everyone, including Pharaoh that God was watching over Joseph. “So Pharaoh asked them, ‘Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?’” (Genesis 41:38 NIV).

Joseph went on to become second only to the king of Egypt in importance and, ultimately, was in a position to reconcile with his brothers and show them that he loved them and harbored no ill will.

The question we must ask is this: Did Joseph have a positive attitude because God was watching over him, or was God watching over him because he had a positive attitude and always did what was right in God’s eyes?

Joseph always made the best of a bad situation, turning the prison of his adversity into a paradise of positive thought, positive action, and a life guided by God. It could not have been easy for Joseph. How great his faith must have been that he always knew the Lord was with him and would always stay with him if he never gave up, never gave in, and never stopped believing in the goodness of the Lord.

None of us would like to be treated in the manner in which Joseph was treated. None of us would want to go to prison for doing the right thing after being sold into slavery by our own family. But each one of us can find inspiration in the story of Joseph and how he turned prison into paradise.

No matter what trials and tribulations are before us, each one of us can do the same thing.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson