Pointy Fingers

by   February 28, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Did you ever have the pleasure of meeting my mom-in-law Nina? She was feisty, funny, and fierce. If one of us did something she considered socially unacceptable, she’d purse her lips trying not to comment. But she’d point her old crooked finger at us with a warning. Personally, I witnessed the wrath of the pointy finger on many occasions. Usually it was accompanied by a twinkle in her eye because she also had a great sense of humor.


For example, back in the days before internet, she had to phone in the info for the kids’ sermon she’d be giving at Trinity Baptist. One week the person at the newspaper misunderstood. Instead of printing ‘by Nina Clark” it read “by nine o’clock.” So naturally we had a t-shirt made for her with 9 O’CLOCK printed across the front in big bold letters. She SAID she couldn’t wear it because it would “bend her hair” if she pulled it across her head. I remember thinking that hair wasn’t going anywhere with all that AquaNet in place. Apparently she could read minds because that was one of the many times I was the recipient of the accusatory finger. There was no accompanying eye twinkle.


Do you recall the time Jesus used His finger to write in the dust? No wait. You’re not as old as me. Let me tell you about it. The story is found in John 8.


Some very self-righteous men who had the law memorized and followed it religiously brought a woman before Him. How embarrassing to be caught in sin then shoved in front of the public. It would be bad enough to be videoed over-eating at the Golden Corral. But her sin was considered pretty scandalous.


Instead of pointing at her with condemnation or even just a stern warning, Jesus knelt in the dirt and used His finger to write. It’s a mystery even now what He wrote. The story goes that one by one her accusers left… from the oldest to the youngest. Makes you wonder what in the world the Lord wrote in the dust. Oh how I wish I could have been there to get the scoop on those guys. I can just imagine how the poor woman felt as she stood there waiting for the other shoe to drop; or in her case a stone to be hurled. But instead of condemnation, she received mercy, with gentle instruction. We tend to hear only the end. Like thunder from heaven it sounds like “GO AND SIN NO MORE YOU FILTHY ANIMAL!” As a preacher friend of ours says, “Four out of five folks think God is mad at them.”


I could be wrong. I mean it’s happened before. But it seems to me in the context of the story, Jesus let the woman know that He wasn’t there to condemn her. I think gently He gave her a taste of what her life could be without the sinful lifestyle. I think she left that day with a fresh start.


Romans 2:4 reminds us that “It’s the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.” Oh what a concept! To enter the presence of God covered in shame but to leave clothed in grace. That’s the true message of the cross.
No pointy fingers.

Fast and Pray

by   February 27, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Fasting is not a topic I have ever chosen to write or talk about.

If I were to score myself on fasting, I would give myself a score of zero. I did fast technology — including cell phones — for a few days, and one time I actually fasted food one day a week for several weeks.

When the suggestion would come up, I have normally tended to go with an excuse for not participating.

Verses about fasting have been read in church services I have been in, but rarely as the main part of that passage for the message on that particular day, so I could easily ignore it.

I guess I could call myself a fasting failure, a fasting flunk-out or a fasting fizzle-outer.

Sure — I have my excuses, I mean, my reasons.

Let’s see:

I will get sick if I fast.

I will be cranky if I fast.

I have to prepare food for my family anyway, so it would be hard to fast. I like food. It’s a highlight of my day. My days are built around when it’s time to eat again, and those who know me well can concur.

Food comforts me and makes me happy.

But, a few years ago when I was going through one of the darkest, deepest and most stressful periods in my life, there were days I had no ability to pray. It was then that the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and sent me a three-word reminder that I could not ignore: fast and pray. It was not just once, but over and over in my head until I understood. I needed to fast and pray.

Matthew 17:21 says, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” This kind of what? What was it talking about? The previous verse tells us that if we have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, we can move mountains and that nothing will be impossible unto us. I needed this kind of faith.

So I did it. My situation that I needed God to guide me through was personal, and my fasting and prayer was personal, too. Every time I felt my stomach begin to growl, I made sure to pray specifically for my need. When I would feel the rumblings of hunger, I would pray and read God’s Word. I would lay on my bed, cover myself with a blanket and ask the Lord to hold me as I prayed. It was intimate. It was personal. It was “God and me” time.

The hunger was enough of a distraction to get my mind off my regular routine and focus on my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Have you ever been somewhere so beautiful and experienced something so amazing that you told others, “I wish I had the words, but I don’t?”

Not only is that how it felt, but that is still how it feels when entering into a time of intimacy with Jesus.

Fast and pray — it is worth it.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

Signs of the Season

by   February 25, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I just came in from my afternoon walk and the signs of spring are everywhere. Many people have daffodils blooming in their yards. I saw cherry trees and saucer magnolias in full bloom. The forsythia has been blooming for a while now. I noticed that many trees are starting to bud, too. Better stock up on allergy medicine, the season will be here soon.

            I noticed today and yesterday that it wasn’t just the flowers and trees that were showing signs of spring, the birds have been active too. I have heard so many different bird songs in the last couple of days. I saw several groups of robins playing in some yards. It won’t be long now and we will be hearing the babies peeping from their nests.

            The days are getting longer and I like that. Also, it is nice that grass cutting season hasn’t started yet, but I am sure we aren’t too far away. Most people are hoping that winter, if you can call what we experienced winter, is behind us. I have looked at some long-term forecasts and it looks like winter might be coming to an end. I will remind you that spring and winter often battle it out in March and we can still see some snow.

            For now, I think the flowers, trees, and birds are doing a pretty good job pointing to the arrival of spring. It is one of my favorite times of year. I am beginning to wonder if I can plant my peas and potatoes in a few weeks. I want to work on my fences a little bit in hopes of enjoying more of my harvest and leaving less to the rabbits, squirrels, and deer. We are definitely in the dream stage as we will have some cold nights in March and early April.

            We all know the signs of spring and we welcome them…unless you suffer terribly from allergies. We look forward to the warmer weather because we know it will eventually lead to summer. We see the signs and we recognize the signs of the seasons. My question becomes, do we recognize the signs of the times we are living in?

            Things are happening spiritually around us and we need to sit up and take notice. I wrote about the revival taking place on the campus of Asbury University last week. That service lasted for ten days straight for 24 hours a day. People from across the country and the world were flocking there to experience a visitation from God. There is an awakening occurring.

            The awakening has spread to other college and university campuses. Some are going on for 24 hours a day while others are stretching for multiple hours every day. I have read and heard stories where the leadership of some Christian colleges are praying that a visitation will occur on their college campuses. I believe where people are crying out to God for an outpouring of His Spirit, God will show up.

            What were some of the signs that we saw during the revival on the campus of Asbury? First, people were repenting. We have all sinned against God and when people break down and confess their sins God is drawn to meet the broken hearted. God’s heart is always drawn to people who call out to Him, especially when they are seeking mercy and forgiveness.

            Second, there was a deep desire to worship God. We are going to be spending time worshipping God in heaven, so worshipping Him here on earth is just a reflection of what is happening in heaven. When you think about it, when we worship God we are joining what is already happening there. We are participants. So we enter His presence in a greater way.

            There are two things that I hope come out of the Asbury outpouring. First, I want to see it spread throughout the world. I want to see people getting born again and experiencing God’s love in new and profound ways. Second, I want to see transformed lives because people have been touched and changed through an encounter with the living God. Real revival means changed lives.

            I want to encourage you to join me in praying that this outpouring continues, especially on our college campuses. God often chooses to do new things with young people who are open to seeing God move in new and unique ways. Pray that this revival will spread across the globe. We want to see people getting born again and experiencing a love-filled transformed life. I am excited and expecting to see God do great things.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Failing Can Be A Good Experience

by   February 24, 2023 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

            This past weekend Mary Ann and I were in my hometown to visit my elderly mother, and I was to give a short speech for my high school wrestling coach who (unknown to him) was receiving North Carolina’s highest civilian award: The Order of the Long-Leaf Pine. Well over two hundred people showed to honor Coach Bob Mauldin for his years of community service, teaching and coaching in the public schools, active in his church, serving as a principal, and wrestling official. In prior years, Coach Mauldin had been honored as principal of the year in Kannapolis, inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame,  and now this, the highest award North Carolina  could bestow on a civilian. After the speeches lauding him and the presentation of the award, Coach Mauldin spoke. He shared a great deal with us, thanking us all, but one story he told I had not known—he failed the 7th grade and had to repeat it. Coach Mauldin had flunked.

            David Halberstram, in his classic study of the Vietnam War, The Best and the Brightest, writes a great deal concerning the “boy wonders” who were an influential part of the Kennedy cabinet. The young men that President Kennedy brought to Washington had impeccable academic credentials, training,  and academic backgrounds. They were, as the title suggests, the best and the brightest.  Halberstram writes honestly of them and their obvious talents, but he concludes that their collective lack of real life experience, especially in the political area, was  one reason for our involvement in Vietnam and its deep cost to our nation.  Recounting the origins of that costly war, Halberstram observes that what these well-meaning “boy wonders” lacked was “true wisdom..the product of hard-won, often bitter experience.”

            One of the requirements for Coach Mauldin’s 7th grade English class with Mrs. Howard was an oral book report. Up to his 7th grade year, Coach Mauldin had received a pin for perfect attendance each year, but in the 7th grade, in order to “dodge” giving that oral book report, Coach Mauldin missed some days. As he explained it to his gathered admirers, he was too shy to get up in front of the class and talk. He dodged the dates until he finally ran out of days, so he failed English, thus the 7th grade. One more school year with Mrs. Howard.

            Now, I understand that not everything concerning public education in “the good ol’ days” was good or even policy that we should be following. For instance, in the time that Coach Mauldin failed Mrs. Howard’s class, a student could be paddled—that, in my mind, is a policy that needed to be gotten rid of. However, there is a dimension of a student failing a grade that is worthy of consideration. It seems to this writer that in some degree we have gone too far the other way in  many facets of modern day life and how we educate our children. For instance, in Shenandoah County, the lowest numerical grade a student can receive in the first marking period of a new semester is a 60 no matter how little work was done or how poorly the work was done.. This policy was instituted so that a student will not be discouraged and quit working over the course of a semester and eventually pass the course. That is a noble thought, but I question its value.

            It seems to me that we have given our children the idea that life is like a railroad track. We lead them to believe that they can get on the track of life and pick a destination. The trip will be without obstacles such as steep hills, sharp turns, and the crossing of any troubled waters will be made easier and safer by a sturdy bridge. Instead of letting our children make their way, often by trial and error, we have leveled the trip and removed all obstacles. In our desire for their succeeding, we have done too much for them. We have removed failure from their lives.

            I can imagine the difficulties a teacher would encounter today if he or she wanted to hold a student back. If the issue were an oral book report as in Coach Mauldin’s case, the teacher may be asked to alter the requirement in some way to make it more conducive to the student’s learning style. Perhaps an administrator would point out that the student needed to pass because of class size, or that in failing the grade his or her self esteem would be damaged.

            A child knows whether she or he has made an honest effort to do required work. Any child knows when she or he has not met a reasonable expectation. When we allow less than the best from each child in our schools, we cheat that child and our society. Failure can be a great teacher.

Behind the Scenes

by   February 23, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Salisbury’s 40th Annual New Sarum Brewing Winter Flight races are in the record books for 2023. No other race in the county takes as much planning and cooperation as this event, and I thought this column would be a good opportunity to explain how the event comes together each year.

Usually in the spring, Salisbury Rowan Runners officials confirm the date for the next race. This is done by avoiding Super Bowl Sunday and coordinating with the Catawba College athletics schedule. Catawba has been a partner in the event for 35 years, with the race start in front of the gym and ending on the track.

Next comes making up the race’s information brochure, crowded with the long history of the race and any new changes. At the same time, SRR members begin to seek sponsors for the event. Most of the approximately 40 community sponsors continue their support year after year, especially with all proceeds going to Rowan Helping Ministries.

Since the historic course remains the same and is nationally certified in distance, all that needs doing there is to repaint the mile markers, plus the start and finish. A City of Salisbury events permit is required 60 days ahead of the event and once acquired, the race is full speed ahead. The City of Salisbury provides support from the police, fire and street maintenance departments.

Shirts and awards for three races, the historic 8K, the community health 5K and the half-mile fun run on the track, are ordered. Meredith Abramson and the Lettered Lilly do their new annual logo for the front of the shirt, and they put it in the proper format for printing. Within the last few weeks ahead of the race, the shirts are printed while overall and age group awards for the three races are made at the Trophy House.

Sharing brochures and social media promoting the race are a main focus in the last 4-6 weeks before the race. Rowan Helping Ministries prints the brochures and both SRR and RHM spread the word by social media.

And finally in the last 10 days to 2 weeks, volunteers are lined up and assigned to specific jobs or as course monitors. About 60 overall volunteers are required to make the races happen, many of them focused on race day check in and registration for participants. By 1 p.m., the Catawba gym is very busy as runners/walkers rush to be ready for the 1:30 p.m. fun run (all ages allowed) and the wheelchair and open races that start at 2 p.m. Amidst all of this, the streets are coned, and final course volunteer assignments are made.

At about 1:54 p.m., a welcome and encouragement message from RHM’s Kyna Grubb, a rousing national anthem from Neal Wilkinson and final instructions are all completed by 1:58, the start time for wheel chairs. The 8K/5K races start at 2 p.m. City of Salisbury police and fire, along with the assigned course monitors, keep the runners safe on the course and in the finish area.

A stadium announcer and his crew provide names and hometowns as participants enter the track on the way to the finish. Water, refreshments, photos, awards and cleanup close out the day, at usually about 5 p.m. And by 5:01 p.m., at least some talk begins on how to make next year better.

Next up locally is another favorite race that also benefits Rowan Helping Ministries. On Feb. 25, Centenary Methodist Church hosts the 10th Annual Will Run for Food. It’s a very rural course without a major hill and its protected by the local fire departments. The logo for the race is a shopping cart, ready to be filled with food. No other race in the county has as many home baked brownies, cookies and other pastries. It’s a fun event, always staffed by friendly church members, and walkers are encouraged!

More information about Will Run for Food and other upcoming events is available at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

God’s Good Plan for Us

by   February 22, 2023 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • God has always had an amazing focus and plan for His church.  
  • It is and was not God’s plan for us to suffer or go through difficulties, but rather be victorious, because of the price Jesus paid.
  • This salvation that Jesus paid such a dear price for compares to nothing in this world.  It is the most amazing gift of God ever.

Prayer:  I lift my hands to rejoice and worship You for this wonderful salvation that You have given to me.  Help me to share it today with someone that they may hear the gospel and receive eternal life.  I praise You Lord that I can expect blessing and Your favor each day.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Uncommon Sense

by   February 21, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

On a rare day of sunshine in early February, my beloved and I enjoyed time on the back deck. David built a fire — well, he turned the knob to light the gas flame in our firepit. The wind was chilly so I wrapped up like a mummy. We settled in to enjoy the great outdoors. We might be old, but there’s no shortage of adventure at the Clark house. Being Saturday, it was a busy day for overhead traffic. Small planes from our local airport circled often. We wondered if it was practice day for would-be aviators, or if they just got a kick out of seeing old people point and wave like they were in a parade.

Later that day we heard of the “weather balloon” which drifted off course. No big deal, except it had lost its way from China. Hmmm…

Reports came in that it had been sighted over much of the continental U.S., including areas over several nuclear sites. Logic would tell us that a live video feed likely streamed back to China with clear and accurate pictures of our “weather.” I wondered if I would be part of the surveillance footage. As they reviewed the live feed, I imagine the conversation went something like this.
“What is big aqua blob by firepit?

Dangerous?”

“No. Just old woman in bathrobe. Got it on sale $17.99 with coupon on Amazon. She barely waddle; no big threat. But keep eye on man. Alexa say he spoke of shooting weather balloon down.”

A few hours later, somewhere off the coast of the great state of South Carolina, a couple good ol’ boys assess the situation.

“Hey Bubba, hold my beer.”

BOOM!

And the footage ends.

Sorry China. While we appreciate your keen interest in weather, we don’t actually trust you. And though politicians assure us that all is well, we don’t trust them either. Thankfully our great country is still filled with good ol’ boys from sea to shining sea who possess a strong thread of common sense. Of the rest I can hear my daddy ask, “Ain’tcha got no common?”

I’m afraid the weather balloon has revealed the answer to this burning question.

But while the jury is still out, let’s think on this: “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” — Psalm 37:7

That dear friends is uncommon sense.

Lynna Clark lives in Salisbury. Read more at LynnasWonderfulLife.wordpress.com

Believe for it…Part 2

by   February 20, 2023 with No Comments

He had become well-known and a man of fame in that city and abroad. He had gained a magnificent reputation, and He was known as one of exceptional character. He was the Healer.

Multitudes had come to hear him speak and to be healed of their infirmities. Luke 5:15-16 says, “But Jesus walked away from the crowd and went into the wilderness — to pray. Yes, Jesus left the crowd and went to an isolated place to talk with the Father on their behalf.”

That is remarkable.

Jesus loved everyone, so I am sure He loved those in the crowd. But at that moment in time, He needed a “praying in the wilderness” experience.

Sometimes, we need that, as well. Not always just on our behalf, but also on behalf of others. A prayer for someone is one of the greatest gifts we can give or receive.

As for me, I need to give that gift more often. Sometimes, it may feel that our prayers are not a big deal — but they are. Our prayers reach God!

Our prayers transcend the world and go straight to our Heavenly Father.

When God freed His people from slavery in Egypt, instead of going straight to the Promised Land, they went on a journey through the wilderness. But while wandering around in that wilderness, God revealed Himself to them.

Being in the wilderness sounds horrible, but if it brings us to a place of solitude with our Savior, we have the victory. That sure beats sitting around complaining about our difficulties, right? Going into His presence is His present to us — as we are surrounded by love, rest, and peace that comes with being in the presence of our Savior.

If God leads us there, why would we not go into the wilderness — apart from the crowd — to pray?

It would be like failing to accept the gift of His presence. God’s Word tells of many times Jesus prayed. Here are some of my personal favorites:

• “Early in the morning while it was dark.” — Mark 1:35

• “On the mountain during the night while making a decision.” — Luke 6:12-16

• “At a special occasion.” — Luke 3:21

• “With others — Peter, James and John went with Jesus to the mountain to pray.” — Luke 9:28

• “When in need — in the garden, Jesus asked that the cup be removed from him.” — Luke 22:42

• “When in pain — On the cross, He cried out in agony.” — Matthew 27:46

• “For those who had hurt him, Father forgive them.” — Luke 23:34

• “In surrender to God’s will — Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.” — Luke 23:46 Jesus prayed, and so should we. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Look to the Lord and His strength.”

Seek His face always.

Always means always!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

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