My Most Unforgettable Character - May 16, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the May 16, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

When I was a young boy, I used to eagerly read the “My Most Unforgettable Character” story each month in the Reader’s Digest. I read the Reader’s Digest from cover to cover, but I always looked forward to reading “My Most Unforgettable Character.” In real life, my most unforgettable character is my cousin LeRoy.

When he was thirty-four years old, a car accident left LeRoy paralyzed from the waist down. His chances of survival were not good for the first few days. After a few weeks, doctors inserted stainless steel rods in his back to stabilize his spinal column. The accident left him with constant, excruciating pain for many years, until an experimental laser surgery relieved ninety percent of his pain. He was told that at best he had fifteen years to live, but he proved the doctors wrong, living an amazing life; remaining very active until shortly before passing away at the age of eighty-three.

LeRoy lived life on his terms, far exceeding the expectations for a person with paraplegia. His freedom and independence were very important to him. For many years he refused to be tied down to driving with hand controls. He didn’t even want to drive an automatic. To him, it was like admitting defeat. He would drive a manual transmission by using a cut off shovel handle in each hand, leaning forward into the steering wheel with his chest. Over the years he drove hundreds of thousands of miles across the United States, searching for car parts, pulling cars on tow dollies and trailers, and visiting family and friends along the way.

One of my favorite stories about LeRoy’s driving happened when he was driving a Mazda RX-7 cross-country to deliver it to California. As he was driving across Arizona, the road was straight, and you could see for miles. The was no traffic, and LeRoy liked to drive fast. He had the cruise control set at 110 mph. LeRoy never saw the cop, but the cop saw him and pulled him over for speeding. When LeRoy handed the cop his driver’s license, the cop noticed that the license was for hand controls only. He asked LeRoy about it, and LeRoy showed him the sawed-off shovel handles that he used to press the pedals. The cop just shook his head and told him to slow it down a bit and let him go on his way.

Not all patrolmen were as understanding. For several years whenever LeRoy was driving between Hot Springs and Little Rock, he avoided Highway 70 and drove 20 miles out of his way to avoid that section of highway. He had a couple of encounters with a hard line patrolman who had no mercy for the fact that LeRoy drove without hand controls. The last time he stopped LeRoy, the cop wasn’t going to let LeRoy leave because he didn’t have hand controls. As LeRoy politely conversed about the situation with the cop, the cop said, “I should just take you to jail.” LeRoy answered, “why don’t you just do that. I’ve got nothing I have to do, and I could use a place to stay and three meals a day.” When the cop couldn’t get ahold of anyone to impound LeRoy’s car, he let him go but said, “if I ever catch you again I will send you to jail.” LeRoy must have believed him because for several years he would not drive on that stretch of road.

LeRoy spent many years in Mena and was a big part of our family’s lives. He spent much of his time while he was in Mena at my shop. He loved to be involved with cars. In the days before the internet, LeRoy was the internet for many of us in the car business. He had a little black book of contact information for most of the salvage yards in the Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas area. He would find, order and pick up parts for me, my Dad, my uncle, and many other friends in the Mena area. He knew just about anyone who was in the car business in Mena and offered his services to anyone. Many days I saw him sit in my shop and spend the entire day on the phone with salvage yards hunting parts.

Recently, a mutual friend told me the story of the first time he met LeRoy. My friend had a body shop in Mena and rebuilt a lot of wrecks. He had just purchased a car in Dallas and asked my Dad if he knew anyone who would be willing to haul the car to Mena. My Dad said that he had a cousin who would probably be able to get the car. My friend talked to LeRoy on the phone and made the arrangements for him to pick up the car. When Leroy pulled up in front of my friend’s shop with the car, he got out and was unloading the car off of the trailer. My friend had no idea that LeRoy was in a wheelchair when he had hired him to pick up the car. It was a big surprise to see a man in a wheelchair unloading the trailer. He went outside and asked LeRoy if he needed help getting the car off the trailer. LeRoy answered matter of factly, “no, I’ve got it.”

In all of the time that I spent with LeRoy over the years, I never once heard him complain about his situation. It seems to me that James 1:12 (NIV) was written especially for LeRoy; “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” Hebrews 12:1 (KJV) asks us to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” LeRoy's life is an example of doing just that.

Gentle Reader, whenever things are a bit tough and aren’t going the way I would like them to, I always think about LeRoy and how he handled the challenges that life gave him. His optimism and cheerfulness in the face of very difficult situations impressed me. Like Job, he seemed to say, “I decided to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful.” Job 9:27 (NLT) His determination to do things for himself and not be a burden to others was evident to anyone who knew him. I’m sure that I am not the only person who counts LeRoy as their most unforgettable character.

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After LeRoy's memorial, an old college friend of his wrote; "LeRoy would stop in to see me as I moved around the country, I visited him in the rehab a few weeks before he died. Upbeat to the end. Every time after a visit I had the same prayer, "Lord, forgive me for complaining about ANYTHING."

You can read more about LeRoy's life here.

Worth the Cost - May 9, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the May 9, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

A couple of months ago, a customer came into my shop wanting an estimate on a paint job. He had a Nissan pickup that was over twenty-five years old. The little truck needed a lot of work, and the estimate was for more than it was probably worth. I never expected to get the job. The truck just wasn’t worth it.

About a month later, I received a call. The customer wanted to know If I remembered estimating a paint job on his Nissan pickup. I told him that I remembered it. He wanted to know when he could bring the truck to me. I was surprised that he wanted to spend that much money on the truck. Then he told me the story of the little Nissan hardbody pickup. His brother bought the pickup off of the showroom floor and drove it for many years. My customer inherited the Nissan when his brother passed away. The little truck had great sentimental value to him.

When we were repainting the truck, my customer wanted to make sure that it was refinished exactly the way it was when his brother had bought it new. We had to special order the same striping tape so we could match the stripe that the dealer had added when the truck was new. Because the rear bumper was twisted and damaged, I suggested replacing the bumper with a new one. But the bumper had the dealership name made into the face, so the customer wanted to save it. We straightened it the best we could and repainted it.

When the customer came to pick up his little Nissan, he was very happy with it. Before long he was going to a family reunion, and he was looking forward to being able to show everyone the refurbished Nissan. He didn’t complain when he paid the bill. To him, it was worth the cost.

How much are you and I truly worth? What value should we place upon each other? We as Christians have been given the message of God’s love and grace to spread around the world, but in many ways, we have failed. We have passed judgment on many of those around us. We say "they don't deserve the love of God; they aren’t worth my time, because they are no good.” We tend to look at people of certain races and religions as having little value. When people have made certain lifestyle choices, or have made mistakes in their life, we view that person as of little value. We might even describe them as worthless. But is this the correct way of seeing value in someone?

Because we are all God’s children, you are not more valuable than anyone else, and you are not less valuable than anyone else. All people equally bear the image and likeness of God; Male and female, young and old, black and white, rich and poor. All have dignity, value, and worth. One of the greatest lies is that some people are more valuable than others.

When God looks at His children today, he sees billions of people selfishly divided and opinionated. He sees people that He created in His image, “to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (TLV) He sees people who claim to follow Jesus and yet can't see the value of people that Jesus loves so much that He gave His life for them.

Think about it, if we truly saw the value of people as God does, would we still treat each other the way we do?  In Mathew 25:45 (NLT), Jesus tells us, “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.” The key to seeing and understanding the value of all other people is to see their worth in the light of what Jesus did to save them! To Him, it was worth the cost.

The Bible has many passages that tell us what God has to say about our worth and our value in His eyes. Genesis 1:27 (NIV) says that “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” You were made in the image of God. So was the person that you don’t think is worth saving.

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) says that “even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” God chose you even before the world was made. He also chose that person you don’t think has much value.

In Romans 5:8 (NKJV), the Bible tells us that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus died for you; not because you were good enough, but because he loved you. He also loves those people you can’t bring yourself to love. If we focus on how much God loves everyone and the price He paid to redeem them, we’ll come to see people as God sees them, and that will help us understand just how much they are worth.

Gentle Reader, let’s remember how much value we have in God's eyes! All of us! And remember to be kind and loving to all people, because of what Jesus has done for us, and the great worth He has placed on each of his children. To Jesus, it was worth the cost. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16,17 (NKJV)

It Is Well With My Soul - May 2, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the May 2, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

Last week, in our weekly Bible study group, we started by watching a video produced by La Sierra University music students who performed a beautiful arrangement of the hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.” The music video tells the story of how Horatio Spafford was inspired to write the lyrics to this classic hymn.



Horatio was a prominent Chicago lawyer. He owned several properties throughout the city. He and his wife had four beautiful daughters and one son. Horatio was a successful lawyer, and with his real estate investments became a very wealthy man. But suddenly things began to go very wrong for Horatio. It began with the tragic death of his young son. Then he lost everything overnight when the great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed most of his real estate holdings.

Two years later, Horatio with his wife and four daughters planned a vacation in Europe. At the last minute, Horatio had to stay behind to deal with some financial problems, so he sent his wife Anna and their four daughters on ahead to France. Halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, their ship was struck by another ship. Anna Spafford led her girls to the top deck where they tried to get into a lifeboat. Just twelve minutes after the accident, the bow broke, and they were swept into the frigid water of the Atlantic Ocean as the ship sank. A lifeboat later found Anna floating unconscious on a piece of wood.

Horatio received a dreadful telegram from his wife, “Saved alone…” It bore the terrible news that the ship had wrecked and all four of his daughters had died.

After receiving the telegram from his wife, Horatio immediately booked passage to Wales to bring his wife home. On the Atlantic crossing, the captain of the ship called Horatio to his cabin to tell him that they were passing over the spot where the ship had sunk. While he was in the area of the ocean where his daughters had perished, Horatio penned these words. “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.” It is hard to believe that such encouraging and uplifting words were written at a time of such unimaginable sorrow. Horatio Spafford is an example of amazing faith and trust in God.

After watching the video, we began our study of Matthew chapter 8. “Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’ Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared.” Matthew 8:1-3 (NLT) I was drawn to the similarities between this leper and Horatio Spafford. Both men were going through times of great difficulty, but both of them showed great faith and trust in God.

After our Bible study, we headed out to the Ouachita River for a picnic. We were hoping to meet up with family and friends who were on a 19-mile Ouachita River float trip. The Ouachita River is one of the most beautiful and clear rivers in Arkansas. The river begins in the Ouachita Mountains near Mena, and flows easterly through the Ouachita National Forest, eventually becoming part of Lake Ouachita.

We picnicked at the Rocky Shoals Access to the Ouachita River just off of Highway 270. It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was warm without being too hot. We stayed there for some time, but our group never floated past. We did talk to a large group of ladies who were part of a wedding party.

From there we made our way downriver to the Fulton Branch Float Camp. From the picnic area, there is a commanding view of the river. We spent a very peaceful hour relaxing on the bluff overlooking the river. During that time only one group paddled past us. It wasn’t our group, but we talked to them as they made their way past us. From Fulton Branch, we traveled over several miles of Forest Service roads to the River Bluff Float Camp. The secluded area has a great view of the river. We were all alone while we were there. The beautiful day and the peaceful surroundings helped melt the stress away. As I took in the gorgeous views, I realized that all was well with my soul. We were never able to find our group, but we had a wonderful day anyway.

On the drive back home, I thought about the stress that I had been under for the past few months. But after spending a lovely sunny afternoon in the beauty that is the Ouachita National Forest, I realized that peace, like a river, had attended my way. This year has been a tough one for my family and me, but even though sorrows like sea billows roll, God wants me to be able to say, “it is well with my soul.”

Gentle Reader, I want to be able to say with the Apostle Paul; “I have learned to be content and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy regardless of my circumstances. I know how to get along and live humbly in difficult times, and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing life, whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need.” Philippians 4:11,12 (AMP) With God in my life, no matter what happens to me, I can truly say “it is well with my soul.”

Become a Possibilitarian - April 25, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the April 25, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

For the past few years, my wife and I have met my sister and her husband in Eureka Springs each April. Eureka Springs is about halfway between our homes, so we can easily meet there for a weekend. We have had great times over the years during our spring get-togethers.

Each year we try to find an interesting cabin, bed and breakfast, or cottage where we can stay together over the weekend. This year we rented the Sunflower Cottage. It is located on First Street with a porch that looks out over downtown Eureka Springs. Sunflower Cottage was originally built in 1880 and has been updated into a very comfortable place to stay. We enjoyed staying so close to downtown. We were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go and never had to find and pay for a place to park.

There was rain in the forecast for the weekend, but there were no more than a few drops until late Saturday evening. We enjoyed walking the streets of Eureka Springs and sitting on the front porch of our cottage, hanging out with the resident cat. Our favorite thing to do in Eureka Springs is to eat, and we enjoyed wonderful meals at our favorite restaurants, Local Flavor, Mud Street Cafe. Aquarius Taqueria, and Thai House.

Sunflower Cottage is painted bright yellow and decorated in a quaint and whimsical style that is very Eurekan. There is a piece of wall art hanging in the bathroom that caught my attention. It was a print with the words, “become a possibilitarian,” across the bottom. The print intrigued me, and I found that it was by the artist, Kelly Rae Roberts.

Kelly had been working for years as a medical social worker when she started painting.  She began to use the part of her that cared deeply for others as a catalyst for her artwork. She says that “when I finally put paint onto paper, my heart + life exploded with renewed passion and joy.” She goes on, “an important part of my journey was realizing that I hadn’t abandoned my former social worker self or the people I’d helped. I was still listening, sharing, healing, navigating messy emotions, making an impact — except I was now using a paintbrush in a studio, instead of a clipboard in a hospital. Same message. New medium.” Her website has the header, “I’m Kelly Rae Roberts, and I’m a Possibilitarian.”

I decided that I need to become a possibilitarian. Jesus tells us that “all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 (NKJV) How many times have you said to yourself, “that will never happen!” It is very easy to get discouraged and to postpone our hopes and dreams, feeling that they will never happen. We often keep our focus on what is instead of on what could be.

Sometimes a door is closed, and we can’t see a way forward. I know that I have experienced closed doors in my life. I recently had a door closed to me that I worked on for over 35 years. I now realize that even though that door is closed, there are an endless amount of other possibilities. I need to become a possibilitarian, and so do you.

You and I are created in the image and likeness of God. We have gifts and talents that will allow us to make a positive contribution to society. You and I are unique and special because God made us that way. He “has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (GNT) God has created us for a life full of possibilities. I believe that we, as followers of Jesus, should be the most innovative and creative people on the planet because we serve a God who says all things are possible.

Often we can’t see the possibilities in our life because we are trying to reach them on our own. In John 15:5 (NKJV) Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” For the possibilities in our life to become realities, we need Jesus in our life. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Imagine the possibilities when we work with Jesus.

It is all about Jesus and not us. It is about what He has done, is doing and will do. It is about trusting Jesus in this life and believing the He is the one who created all things, knows all things and can do all things; even the impossible. Dan Peek, of the group America, had this concept in mind when he wrote the title song from his debut album as a solo artist, “All Things Are Possible.” In the chorus, he sings, “All things are possible. With you by my side. All things are possible. With you to be my guide.”

Jesus knows that for us there are so many things that are impossible. In Luke 18:27 (NKJV) Jesus tells us that “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” God has possibilities in store for us that are greater than anything we can ever humanly achieve.

Gentle Reader, if you are facing what seems to you an impossible situation, give it to Jesus, and trust Him to see you through it. Say with the prophet Jeremiah, “Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” Jeremiah 32:17 (NKJV) There is nothing that is too hard for God. Ask Him to help you become a possibilitarian!

Jury Duty - April 18, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the April 18, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

Have you ever received a letter asking you to report for jury duty? If so, what was your reaction? From talking to people, I have found that many people try to find an excuse that will allow them to be released from serving. When my letter came in the mail, I must admit that I wasn’t pleased. As a small businessman with no employees, If I am on jury duty, my business is closed.

I believe in our justice system, and I believe in each citizen doing his or her part, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t find serving inconvenient. When I received the phone call telling me to report to the courthouse on Thursday at 9:00 AM, my heart sank. I was in the middle of a very busy week and had been going in to work early and working late. Why did it have to be this week? I called customers to let them know that there might be a delay in completing their jobs.

When I arrived at the courthouse, I had to park a few blocks away because all the parking places near the courthouse were full. When I stepped into the courtroom, every seat was filled, and people were standing in the back. Sheriff’s deputies brought chairs to sit across the back of the room and along the sides. I looked around and saw how many potential jurors were there, and thought that I had a good chance of not being picked for the jury. I hoped it wouldn’t take too long so I could get back to work.

After roll call to find out who was present, the judge asked questions of the potential jurors to find out if they would be able to remain unbiased. His questions were simple. Several people were dismissed during this stage of the jury selection process. When the twelve jurors were picked, I breathed a sigh of relief. My name hadn’t been chosen. But after the prosecution and defense attorneys met, four jurors were dismissed. After the four were replaced, and my name still hadn’t been chosen I thought that would be it. But three of those jurors were dismissed. After one of next group of replacement jurors was replaced, the jury was finally seated, and I was able to go back to work.

As I was driving back to work, I thought about the verse in Hebrews 9:27 (NLT) where the Bible says, “each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.” Even though I was a bit frustrated that the process of picking the jury had taken up two and a half hours of my time, I realized how important it was to the defendant that the jury was impartial so that he would receive a fair trial.

As much as I wanted a fair trial for the defendant, I don’t want a fair and impartial trial when it is my time to be judged by God. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) And Romans 3:23 (KJV) tells us that, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Fortunately, the Bible tells me that I have a mediator. “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV) And it also tells us that Jesus “is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” Hebrews 7:24,25 (NLT)

In this heavenly trial, who is the judge, who is the accuser, who is the witness, and who is the defense attorney? “The Ancient of Days was seated … the court was seated, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9,10 (NKJV) God the Father, the Ancient of Days, presides in the judgment. 1 John 2:1 (NKJV) tells us that “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Jesus is our defense attorney, our advocate. But in a strange twist, Jesus is also our judge. “The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.” John 5:22 (NKJV)

Who is our accuser? Many people think that God accuses us. But even though we all have many things to be accused of, God isn’t our accuser. The Bible tells us that “Satan, who deceives the whole world” is “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:9,10 (NKJV) Satan is your only accuser. In the heavenly court, Jesus, who loves you, and is your best friend, will be your attorney, judge, and witness. I like my chances before that court.

You and I are no match for Satan, but with Jesus as the judge and our defense attorney, we can face the judgment without fear. Throughout history, Satan has presented God as a harsh, demanding, and relentless God, who is ready to condemn us. Many of us as Christians have helped Satan in his quest to paint God as a harsh, demanding tyrant. Don’t listen to Satan’s lies.

Gentle Reader, instead of being afraid and dreading judgment, we can look forward to judgment because we know that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1 (NIV) The Bible makes this very clear in John 3:16-16 (NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” I hope that you believe in Jesus as your Saviour. You can’t have a better defense attorney.

A Little Help From My Friends - April 11, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the April 11, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

In the summer of 1967, The Beatles released their seminal album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album number one on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The album has sold more than 33 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums in history. 

During the recording of the album, John and Paul wrote a song specifically for Ringo to sing. Drummer Ringo sang a song on most of The Beatles albums. The song they wrote was titled, “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

After an all-night recording session, laying down the backing tracks for the song, an exhausted Ringo began to trudge up the stairs. Ringo was often very nervous when it came time to record his vocals, so his fellow Beatles hatched a plan. Ringo was almost at the top of the stairs when Paul called out, “where are you going, Ringo?” “Home, to bed,” Ringo replied. “Nah, let's do the vocal now,” Paul answered. Ringo looked to the others for support. “But I'm knackered,” he protested. But both John and George were taking Paul's side. “No, come on back here and do some singing for us,” John said. Reluctantly, Ringo took his place at the microphone.

Recording engineer Geoff Emerick recalls in his memoir, Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles; “To the sleepy Beatles' delight, it only took Starr a few takes to nail most of his part. Perhaps the shock tactic of having him sing when he was least expecting it took the nervousness away, or perhaps it was just how supportive everyone was being. All three of his compatriots gathered around him, inches behind the microphone, silently conducting and cheering him on as he gamely tackled his vocal duties. It was a touching show of unity among the four Beatles.”

Since the release of the album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the song “With a Little Help from My Friends” has been a favorite. We all need a little help from our friends.

One day last week at about closing time a friend of mine stopped by the shop. He knew that my windshield warehouse had some problems. The roof had been leaking, and several of the rafters were rotten. He said, “let's repair those rafters if you have time.” I am not much of a carpenter, so I had been dreading the job. But with my friends help, that is with me mostly watching my friend and being his gopher; the job was soon completed.

My friend’s actions really lifted my spirits. It had been a tough week with many negative things happening. Parts weren’t delivered when they were supposed to. Twice I had received damaged, “new,” parts. I had a strange problem with the wiring to my heat pump at home that required more than one visit from the repairman. An acquaintance felt that they needed to criticize my writing. We all have problems in life, but we can get by with a little help from our friends.

I remembered the passage in Proverbs 18:24 (RSV) where King Soloman wrote, “there are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” No matter what we have to face in life, no matter how hard things get, we have a God who is always there for us. Jesus tells us in John 15:14,15 (NKJV) “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Jesus calls you His friend.

Joseph Scriven is not a household name. Chances are you have never heard of him. When he was 24 years old, he had an experience that changed his life. The night before he was to be married, his fiance drowned while he watched helplessly.

Many years later, Joseph was making a living as a country tutor who worked for some families in Ontario. Joseph met Eliza Roche while he was tutoring for some of her relatives. He asked Eliza to marry him, and she agreed. Shortly after their engagement Eliza fell ill with tuberculosis. She died in 1857, a few days before the date she and Joseph had set for their wedding. Fate had dealt Joseph Scriven another broken heart.

Around this time, Joseph learned that his mother was seriously ill. He didn't have the money to visit her back home in Ireland. When he wrote to her, he sent her a poem he had written as an encouragement. He called it "Pray Without Ceasing."

The first verse read, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” Are his words familiar to you? You probably have heard them before.

Sometime later when he was ill, a friend who came to call on him happened to see the poem scribbled on scratch paper near the bed. The friend read it and asked Joseph if he had written the words. He replied, "The Lord and I did it between us."

Joseph never intended for the poem to be published, but it made its rounds as he gave copies to friends. Ira D. Sankey discovered the poem in 1875, just in time to include it in his well-known collection, Sankey's Gospel Hymns Number One. Later Sankey wrote, "The last hymn which went into the book became one of the first in favor."

Gentle Reader, you have a friend in Jesus. He is there to help you when you are going through difficult times. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Jesus Wept - April 4, 2018

An Arkie's Faith column from the April 4, 2018, issue of The Mena Star.

As I sit at my computer this morning to write, it is Good Friday and the Easter weekend is approaching. My granddaughters are still asleep, and the house is quiet. My sister and her family are here for a visit. I’m looking forward to a great weekend.

Because of the Easter season, I have been thinking about the final week of Jesus' life. One of the stories that I remember from that final week is of Jesus crying for the city of Jerusalem. If He cried over the city of Jerusalem, can you imagine how He is crying over the world today?

When I was growing up, I attended a small church in Fort Lupton, Colorado with my family. The small church shared a pastor with another church. Sometimes when the pastor wasn't there for the mid-week prayer service, those in attendance would take turns reciting a favorite text. Being somewhat of a smart aleck, I thought it was amusing to say that my favorite verse was John 11:35. “Jesus wept.”

As I have been studying recently, it has become a favorite verse of mine. I believe the simple words, “Jesus wept,” may reveal as much about Jesus as any other words ever said about Him.

I’m sure that you remember the story of Lazarus. When he became ill, his sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, the one you love is very sick.” Jesus chose to wait until Lazarus had died before He came. We read the story in John 11:33-35 (NLT). “When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within Him, and He was deeply troubled. ‘Where have you put him?’ He asked them. They told him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Then Jesus wept.”

Let me ask you a question. Why did Jesus cry? Was it because of his love for Lazarus? He knew Lazarus would be alive in a few minutes. Jesus was crying because of the grief of his friends. Their sorrow moved him. Jesus is painfully aware of your suffering. When you cry, He is aware. Psalms 56:8 (NLT) tells us, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

There is one other place in the Bible where it tells us that Jesus cried. We find it in Luke 19:41 (ICB). “Jesus came near Jerusalem. He saw the city and began to cry for it.” Why was Jesus crying? Was He crying for a city?  I think that Luke 13:34 (NLT) gives us some insight into this story. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

Jesus was crying for the people of Jerusalem. He had come to save them, but most were not willing to be saved. Even though they had rejected him and his salvation, He had compassion on them.

As Christians our example is Jesus. If we are to follow the example of Jesus, how should we relate to sinners? We should have compassion. It seems to me that many Christians have lost their compassion. As I look around, I don’t always see Christians dealing with others with compassion. I am more apt to see hate than compassion.

I don’t want to meddle, but maybe I will a little bit. Think about a few of the hot button topics of our day and see what your response is toward the following groups. Gays, Muslims, Adulterers, Abortionists, Thieves, Drug Dealers, Prostitutes, Atheists. Do you have compassion for them, or is your response something different? Can you hate someone while you are praying for their salvation? Should we hate someone that Jesus loves and was willing to die for?

Following the example of Jesus and having compassion on sinners is very liberating. It allows us to leave the judging up to God while we practice the self-sacrificing love He demonstrated on the cross. It allows us to hold ourselves to a high moral standard without feeling that we must hate those who do not see things the way we do.

Daniel Darling states, "we must not allow our protest against values with which we disagree to overshadow our responsibility to show Christ's love for the world. It may very well be the person who offends us the most whom God is in the process of saving. And our gracious response might be the bridge that the Spirit uses to usher him from death to life.”

A very popular catchphrase in Christianity is, "What Would Jesus Do?"  WWJD is found on jewelry, emblazoned on bumper stickers and has made its way into popular culture. The only way to determine what Jesus would do is by learning what Jesus did. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) tell us that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus cried for a city of sinners who rejected him. He asked his Father to forgive those who tortured and killed him. We should love the sinner as Christ loved us sinners and by our conduct and words, model a better way. When we uplift the right and the good, sin will appear in its true colors. However, if we do not model the love of Christ and give no evidence of His power in our lives, no amount of argument will induce the sinner to give up his sin. Holding a sign that says “God Hates You” is not an effective way to witness to sinners.

Gentle Reader, let’s follow the example of Jesus and love sinners and hate the sin in our own lives. John, the disciple that Jesus loved, tells us in 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) that “he who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”