The genealogy of Jesus reads as a who’s who of misfits, thieves, murders, and prostitutes.  Several within the linage turned their backs on the concept of God, while some tried to please Him.

Within the linage is Abraham who had a child at 100 years of age.  Jacob was a coward and stole the family birthright.  Rahab was a prostitute at Jericho, but she saved the lives of the two Israelite spies.  Ruth was a Moabite, an outcast of the Jewish society. 

Then there is David.  David broke all the Ten Commandments, in some occasions all at the same time.  He had an affair with Bathsheba, but it did not stop there.  She became pregnant and he had her husband killed.  In doing so, several other men died.  During the later years of his life, God gave him a command not to count his men.  He did.  The punishment was the death of over 70,000 people. 

God used these individuals to bring His Son into the world.  He took the good and the bad and brought good, showing that there is hope.

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king,

of whom he testified and said, “I have found in David the son of Jesse,

a man after my heart, who will do all my will.”

Acts 13: 22

In The Grace of Giving,  Stephen Olford tells of a Baptist pastor during the American Revolution, Peter Miller, who lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed the friendship of George Washington. In Ephrata also lived Michael Wittman, an evil-minded sort who did all he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. One day Michael Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to die. Peter Miller traveled seventy miles on foot to Philadelphia to plead for the life of the traitor.

“No, Peter,” General Washington said. “I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”

“My friend!” exclaimed the old preacher. “He’s the bitterest enemy I have.”

“What?” cried Washington. “You’ve walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in different light. I’ll grant your pardon.” And he did.

Peter Miller took Michael Wittman back home to Ephrata–no longer an enemy but a friend.

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 4: 43 – 48

When peace life a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

This great hymn was written by William Spafford, after two great tragedies.  The first was the great fire of Chicago in October 1871, which ruined him financially.

Whatever my lot, thou has

Taught me to say,

Shortly after, while crossing the Atlantic, all four of his daughter died in a collision with another ship.  His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.”  Several weeks later, as his ship passed near the spot where his daughters died, he wrote these words.

It is well, it is well,

With my soul.

The words of this hymn provide comfort and hope to all who are in pain, because it was written from pain.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

“Jump, I’ll catch you,” yelled the father to his little girl stuck in the tree.  “Jump,” again he yelled with arms opened wide.

That is what God told Abram.  “Leave your home, your family, friends, job, 401K, neighborhood watch program and move to another land.  Don’t worry, I will take care of you.”

Abram believed in God.  He had a good relationship with Him, but now God wanted his belief to take on feet.  He wanted Abram to have faith—a living breathing faith.  Abram had to make a choice.  He did.  He left all.

Many today do not want to leave their comfort zones.  They like their belief system, their little quirks, and demons.  Comfort zones provide security, familiarity, and balance to a crazy world.  So why leave?  Why wreck a good thing?

When God says, “Go,” what He is asking is do you believe?  Do you really have faith?

I have to admit—it is nice to say I have faith.  But when it comes right done to it, I make excuses also.  It is difficult to explain God’s “insane” plan, to a spouse, children and relatives.  It is far easier to come up with an excuse, go to church, and feel snug.  Who wants to upset the apple cart?

Step out—use your faith!!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

Every done anything outrageous?  Have you ever done something outlandish; something that astonished everyone you knew?  Few try anything out of the ordinary.   They are afraid of ridicule.  Einstein was ridiculed for his theories.  All “greats” have been described as “insane” at one point of another during their lifetime.

God comes to Noah, “Noah.”  Now Noah is taken back.  Why would God come to him?  “I want you to build an ark, Noah,” God states.

“What’s an ark?”  Noah responds, “why an ark?”

“I’m going to flood the world,” God responded soberly.

So, Noah begins building an ark, surrounded by people who have never seen rain or big building projects.  But Noah starts building the outlandish.

God will always ask for what seems to be insane.  God operates differently than what we are accustomed.  But God sees the entire picture.  He looks at the “el granda mosaic,” and then comes to the most unlikely person, asking the impossible.

You know what I mean; “I want you to take your family and move to Africa,” or “make this person (the most undesirable) your friend.”  What will you do? God does come to you asking the impossible—will you take the challenge?

An interesting fact concerning the “greats,” they took on the impossible and won.  You?

So make yourself an ark of cypress wood…

To be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet height.

Genesis 6: 14 & 15

God wants to walk with us.  He created us.  He provides for us.  He wants to talk to us, even if we have left Him.  It is simple for us to use the excuse, “God does not want me, look at my messed up life.”  Still, God wants to walk with us.

There is a story of a Spanish father and son who had become estranged.  The son ran away, and the father set off to find him.  He searched for months to no avail.  Finally, in a last desperate effort, the father put an ad in the newspaper.  The ad read:  Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday.  All is forgiven. I love you.  Your Father.  On Saturday, 800 Pacos showed up.

The Bible is God’s ad to His creation.  It is His call for us to walk with Him.

And I will walk among you,

and will be your God,

and you will be my people.

Leviticus 6:12

I am just a little boy, but I know that God loves me.  He gave me two good hands and two good feet and legs so I can run and play.  He gave me eyes so that I could see the wonders of this world.  He gave me ears to hear all the things around me.  He also gave me a brain so that I could learn of all the things in this world.

I am very thankful for all these things but most of all He gave me life and a chance to choose if I want to live for him and live forever in Heaven or go into the lake of fire.

He gave this choice to all of us, but where you want to go is up to you.

But I hope that all of you will come and be in the family of God with me.

Written by Jack Pogue

friend, brother

In his memory