"More Than You Think"
August 27, 2000
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered, "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
- 2Kings 6:16 (NIV)
We are continuing to look at working around the non-believers in our departments.
So often, we feel like we are the only one there. By that I mean that we feel like we are the only person on that shift that is trying to serve our REAL CHIEF.
We feel so totally alone. We feel like we are surrounded by "the enemy." We sometimes even feel "picked on" or embattled because of our belief, our faith. The end result of these feelings is that we get stressed out because we think we are all alone. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In our verse this week, the prophet Elisha is the target of a wicked king who wants to kill Elisha for telling him about his sins and God's wrath pronounced on him. So, the king has sent an entire army to capture and kill the prophet. The prophet's servant wakes up to see the entire city surrounded by "the enemy." What happened? The servant got stressed out and ran to Elisha and told him of the predicament and said, "oh my lord, what shall we do?"
You know what Elisha did? He told his servant that "there is more of us than there are of them." What did he mean by that? The servant was obviously freaking out. I am pretty sure he was thinking ,"Are you nuts? There are two of us and a whole army of soldiers with horses and chariots out there!"
You see, Elisha was talking about the "army of God." God, Himself, is omnipotent... which means "all powerful." And, he also was talking about all the soldiers of God - other believers. Elisha was not stressed out because he KNEW that our all-powerful God was the leader of an army that will NEVER be defeated.
Guess what happened to the king's army? God struck them blind and they were led to their enemy's town and given to them. Then what happened? The army of God was told to feed and take care of the soldiers. The goods guys won. The bad guys got captured, then got fed and cared for. Pretty cool, huh?
Join HIS Shift. So, the next time you start feeling all alone... STOP. Pray. KNOW that there are more of you than there are of them because you have HIS entire Shift on duty with you. That shift includes our all-powerful REAL CHIEF and all of us who are serving Him. Oh, and remember to feed and care for the enemy when God hands them over to you.
On HIS Shift,
"I Want Patience... NOW!"
August 20, 2000
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes."
- Psalm 37:7 (NIV)
Over the last few weeks, we have been talking about working with non-believers... bosses and other crew members. Since I have received a lot of positive feedback about these articles, I thought we might continue to discuss more on the topic.
Have you ever been sitting around the station and everyone starts trying to out-do the other one in what seems like a cursing contest? They call it "lively conversation." Some folks, I notice, feel that a conversation MUST be mingled with foul language. I recently completed a training course. The instructor of the class sure seemed to have an affection for bovine excrement. At least, he liked to talk about it, anyway. You sit and listen to all of this all shift long and you wonder, "when is this going to stop?" You get a little upset about. You say to yourself, "I have been trying to be a good example." "I have been telling the guys about our REAL CHIEF." And it's not just the language, it's the whole lifestyle. I have even heard people talk against God or call the Bible a "fairy tale." I want patience in dealing with these folks... NOW! And now, I KNOW you have never done this, but I have: you get a little upset when you see something good happen to one of these appreciaters of foul language. Like, you wonder why such a person got a promotion.
This week's verse is some pretty straightforward advice from our REAL CHIEF. And, it is some great anti-stress advice, as well.
First, our CHIEF says to "BE STILL." Another solid, Biblical term for that is "CHILL OUT!" hehehehe. Okay, it may not be a Biblical term. But, I believe it is exactly what HE is telling us. HE also says to us "DO NOT FRET" - in other words, don't get stressed out when you see one of your foul-mouthed compadres having some success. Keep in mind that Christ said that it would be "easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle" than it would be "for a rich man to get into heaven." The reason is that the non-believer on earth strives for earthly successes and worldly riches. As believers, we are (as the Apostle Paul says) to strive to win the race... to claim our heavenly successes and riches.
We want patience in dealing with the non-believer NOW. But, we are instructed to wait for God's timing. And, while we are waiting on HIS timing, we are not to concern ourselves with the apparent successes of those who do not believe.
I believe our REAL CHIEF just wants us to know that we really can have the patience we need IF we will BE STILL. That means to STOP, DROP and PRAY! heheheh.
Seriously, BE STILL means: pray - meditate - trust - and sit in obedience to HIM. You keep on doing what you were called to do: be a living witness to others on your shift. Let our REAL CHIEF take care of things...
...On HIS Shift,
"Longing to Belong"
August 13, 2000
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..."
- Hebrews 11:25(a) (NIV)
About a hundred years ago (give or take 80 years), I was a paramedic. You know, back in the days when our "squad" was a covered wagon. heheheheh. Anyway, I was not serving our REAL CHIEF back then. I thought I was totally in control. I mean, after all, I was one of the first paramedics in the state. I saved lives.
Back then, I would occasionally drink booze. A lot. Several of us would get together after shift and it would seem as if it were a race to see who could get drunk first. We called it "choir practice"- so-named because of the novel "The Choirboys", written by Joseph Wambaugh. That story was about a bunch of L.A. cops who did the same thing we did.
Now, you may call it something different today. But, nonetheless, it is still an excuse to get together with the crew and try to erase a bad shift or, sometimes, to try and fit in with the rest of the crew. We have been talking about this for the last few weeks.
Our verse this week is a reminder to keep meeting together. BUT, let me emphasize that the purpose of the meeting is NOT to "fit in" with a worldly crowd and to drink alcohol.
God wants us, as believers, to meet regularly with one another so that we may encourage each other. Why? Because our REAL CHIEF knows we need it! HE knows we need to be around other believers. God never said that serving Him would be easy, either. So, HE knows that we need to be around fellow servants;
To learn from each other.
To know that we all fall down and need someone to help us up.
To know that others sometimes feel the same way as we do.
To encourage others
To receive encouragement from others.
To worship HIM!!!
Many a time, even when I didn't feel like going to church or to a Bible study, I would make myself go. Why? Because I know, through God's promises, that the times I didn't feel like going where the times I needed to go the most! I needed the encouragement of my brothers and sisters in the faith. I need to be with my REAL CHIEF. And, the way I accomplish that is by fellowship with other people who are serving HIM, too.
Have YOU been finding excuses lately to keep yourself apart from HIM? Put the excuses aside this week... go get encouraged!
On HIS Shift,
"Why am I Here?"
August 6, 2000
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
- Matthew 28:19-20(a) (NIV)
I think every single one of us has asked the question, "Why am I at this job?" or "Why am I having to work with these people?" How about you? I know I certainly have, and more than once in my life.
A couple of years ago, I was between contracts and I didn't see a new contract on the horizon. I was offered a job at the county 9-1-1 center by its' director. I thought and prayed about it. It was hard to accept an eight dollar per hour job at my age. But, then, my Real Chief reminded that it was much better than starving to death! hehehehehe. So, I accepted the job (I now have a much better appreciation for the people who serve in our profession that take the calls that we respond to). But, I knew (and trusted) that God had a bigger plan for my being at 9-1-1 other than to appreciate the call-takers.
I had been working there for about three months. I had the pleasure to meet some fine Christian people there. But, as with most places of employment, most of the employees did not follow our Real Chief. I had the honor of working with a young man who was struggling with things/influences in his life. I kept witnessing to him about what God had done in my life. Then, one day when he and I were working the center by ourselves, he started asking me questions about the Bible! Usually, I carried a Bible in my car. But, on that particular day, something told me to bring it into the center with me. I pulled the Bible out and told the man about God's plan of salvation. Guess what happened? The young man got tears in his eyes and prayed with me for his salvation!!! He and his wife eventually joined a local church and began serving our Real Chief instead of caving in to worldly plans.
Funny, but about three weeks after that shift, I was given another contract and left the 9-1-1 center. Apparently, my job for God was completed in that place. AND - I got the answer to my question.
You see, this week's verse is commonly known as "The Great Commission." As believers, we are commanded by the REAL CHIEF to go and tell others the Good News.
The next time you catch yourself asking, "why am I here?", STOP, take a look around you, and ask our Real Chief who you need to be telling the Good News to.
On HIS Shift,