DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

God is willing and able to answer our prayers, but we must do something about it. If we ask Him for something, we should be ready to act and get ready for His answer. Remember, though, it will be His answer and His timetable. He’s a Father Who loves us and will answer our prayers, even when the odds seem against us.

A hundred years ago, a young farmer’s wife died, leaving him with four young children to raise. After a year of trying, he realized he could not do this alone. Being a Christian man, he prayed and prayed, but no answer came. Finally the man realized he had to do something about it. So he got on his horse and rode to a neighbor’s farm nearby, where he asked to see their oldest unmarried daughter. When the young woman came out, he proposed to her on the spot. Of course she refused him.

Undeterred, the man rode to a second farm, and again he asked to see the oldest unmarried daughter. She came out, and he proposed to her. Amazingly, this woman accepted his proposal, and the family says they were married over forty years before one of them died.

What is amazing is that the farmer proposed without even getting off his horse! That man was related to my wife, a distant great uncle through her father. God answered the man’s prayers, in part because the man did something about it.

God works in surprising ways. Old Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for a child and God answered them through an amazing boy they named John. But they also had to do something about it. Even at their old age, they had to be part of the solution. God sent an angel to tell them to get ready for a new arrival. Their prayers were answered, but only after they did something about it.

The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13)

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

READY FOR THE UNEXPECTED?

        I hope you are observing Advent in some way, getting ready for Jesus’ first coming at Christmas, and also getting ready for His Second Coming. Getting ready is what Advent is all about.
        Living on the farm, my parents often had neighbors over for a visit. Our nearest neighbors were the Arndts just east of us, but my parents’ visited most often with the Olsens to the west of us. Recently I received an E-Mail from their daughter, Mavis. She periodically comments on my “Weekly Message”, and it’s fun to hear from her.
        There was a custom my parents had with the Olsens. For many years during the winter once a month they got together on Wednesday night to play cards. Evidently they had some sort of calendar of whose turn it was to be host.
        I recall one afternoon after chores Mom handing me a broom to sweep the kitchen. I asked if someone was coming and she said, “I think so, the Olsens.” I asked if she knew for sure if they were coming, and she said, “I want to be ready just in case they come.” I asked her, “Why don’t you call them on the phone?” “No need,” she said, cleaning the counter. “We’ll just be ready in case they come.”
        The Olsens did come that night for an hour of two of “Five Hundred” in the kitchen. I stayed in the dining room, reading or watching something on our snowy black and white Philco. I heard their laughter, smelled their coffee and Dad’s pipe, and was invited to the kitchen to eat something Mom baked before they left.
        Mom baked nearly every Wednesday, and Mrs. Olsen probably did too. And she probably cleaned her house on that special Wednesday, too, just in case the Taslers came over. Good neighbors always like to be ready, just in case.
        Advent is a time to be ready for the unexpected. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus several times told His disciples to keep watch, because He was going away and would return at a time they wouldn't expect.
         In Luke 12, He told them at story that ended, “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.”         Jesus, God’s Son, waiting on us because we were ready for Him - think of it! Being prepared for Christ’s return means having a faith that shows itself in worship and prayer and also in service to those in need.

How ready are you for Jesus’ return?

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com

GOD'S IN CHARGE!

        We continue to be bombarded with the drama of the presidential election. Newsbits vary from intense and to trivial, so that most of us can hardly bear listening to them. It is as if we think our leaders can determine the life or death of our nation itself. 

        But how important, in the scheme of things, are our leaders or even our nation? How important is our government? If "wrong" leaders are chosen, will America really fall into ruin? All governments eventually fail and fall. Although ordained by God, none will last forever. 

        In the 1981 historical film "Chariots of Fire” Christian athlete Eric Liddell preaches a sermon to a Paris Christian congregation on the Sunday he was to have raced in the 1924 Paris Olympics. He had refused to compete that day because he believed it wrong to do so on the Christian Sabbath. Historians are unsure of the content of his message, but it is reported to have been based on Isaiah 40, and the movie has Liddell quoting the following verses:

        "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales… All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are accounted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness… He brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness." (Isaiah 40:15, 17, 23)

        Some would have us believe that the most important thing in our future is who runs our government. While good government and faithful leaders are great blessings, we cannot place our faith in them. Caesars of the past are long gone, and even Cuban leader Fidel Castro is finally dead. All leaders, no matter who or what they’ve done or how long they have lived, will fall and fail. 

But our Lord God will not. He alone remains from one generation to another. We would do well to remember verse 28 of Isaiah 40, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and His understanding no one can fathom.“ 

        This election process will pass, and we hopefully will learn to deal with the outcome. Whatever our wishes may be, let us trust God completely in life, for we can do no better. We may support our party as we wish, but it is He who governs our souls, not our bodies, that really matters.

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:31)

Rev. Bob Tasler

www.bobtasler.com

SUGGESTION FOR GIVING THANKS THIS YEAR

       My wife and I believe in giving to worthy charities as a way to show our thankfulness to God at Thanksgiving. I'd like to share with you two Lutheran Charities we support and will continue to do so during the year: ORPHAN GRAIN TRAIN OF CASTLE ROCK, and SHEPHERD'S CANYON RETREAT. These are also good places for your Christmas year-end gift-giving.
       ORPHAN GRAIN TRAIN OF CASTLE ROCK is getting ready to ship their 6th shipping container of 2016 filled with used clothing to Latvia where it will be divided among four Christian orphanages. Each container contains 1,642 boxes of used clothing sorted and packed by the members and friends of Epiphany Lutheran Church, Castle Rock, CO. This clothing is shipped around the world with funds raised by Epiphany OGT, and each container costs $7,000 to $14,000 each to ship. "Thrivent Choice" dollars is a good way to donate, or just send your checks to Orphan Grain Train, 6557 Turnstone Ave, Castle Rock, CO 80104. Garry at gdfuller@ogt.org can answer your questions.
       SHEPHERD'S CANYON RETREAT is an 8-day intense therapeutic experience where full-time church workers (and spouses) can go who need a renewal of strength to keep serving the Lord. Located at "Standing Stones" Retreat Center, SCR has helped hundreds of pastors, DCE's, missionaries, chaplains and other church workers to work through struggles they face in their work for the Lord. Attendees must provide their own funds (av. $3,000 each) and are given direction hopefully to remain in their tasks, rather than leave their ministry. Dave Anderson, chairman of SCR, directs this worthwhile work. Contact him at Dave@shepherdscanyonretreat.org if you have questions. Mail your gifts to SCR, Box 51510, Phoenix, AZ, 85076.
       Either of these fine ministries will use your gifts to show your thankfulness to God. Some people make charitable gifts directly from their IRA annual distributions. That's what we do.

"OH GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD." (Psalm 118:1)

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

OUR THANKSGIVING FEAST

         What can a person do at Thanksgiving if all the food is ready but the guests can’t come? I recall a Thanksgiving meal my wife and I hosted 40 years ago in North Dakota. We had been at this church about a year, and my brother and his family were planning to drive up from southern Minnesota and join us for the holiday. A heavy snowfall, however, cancelled their plans at the last minute and they could not come.
        So, what can a person do? The turkey was thawed and the side dishes ready to be cooked. Pie was baked and the house was decorated. What did we do? We invited someone else! That day we got up early, put the turkey in the oven and made ready all the potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetable dishes, cranberry relish (gotta have that) and freshly baked pumpkin pie. Then we prayed others would join us.
        As the people left after Thanksgiving worship that day, I invited some right out of the line, people with no family there whom I knew would probably be eating alone or at the cafe. Six accepted our invitation and our table was filled. I can even remember some who came - Grace and Merle Akers, Vi Solberg, and three others.
        Instead of having a quiet house with just us four, there were ten happy, sociable, hungry people. What a Happy Thanksgiving it was, filled with food and joy! While I’m sure those guests are all with the Lord now in the heavenly Thanksgiving, our impromptu feast of 1976 is still a fresh memory to me. I’ve thought of trying this again, but thought better of it. Times, places and people are different today.
         This year, Carol and I are hosting Thanksgiving with family in Tucson, and thanks to Boston Market, it will again be a feast. Ten people will be there again, and again we will be filled with food and joy, freshly baked pumpkin pie, and perhaps a bite of cranberry relish.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1)

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com

EMPTY THE ARCHIVES!

        My iPhone kept bugging me about its lack of storage space that I finally did something about it. I deleted unneeded emails and texts and especially dozens of photos -duplicates, silly things I can’t remember why I took them, mistaken photos of feet or when the button stuck and gave me ten shots of the same group. I deleted a bucketful junk, leaving only the good stuff and assuming this action would give my phone lots of storage space. 

        But, alas, it registered the storage as full as before. I tried other things that didn’t work, and almost lost some valuable information. Finally I resorted to an anonymous online expert as to what to do. He said the useless stuff was still there and I should empty the archives. He also wondered why I got a phone with so little storage, and I told him I hated junk in closets. He said just empty the archives. So I did and suddenly I had ten times the space I had before. Actually that conversation never took place - I only read what others had written the expert, but knew he was talking to me.

        There are times in life when we may feel like we can’t get rid of sins that jam up our lives. That’s because we really never get rid of them. We don’t ask forgiveness, just look the other way, try to forget they’re there or hope we won’t do them again. But we must get rid of them.
        Paul tells us in Colossians 3:8-9, “You must get rid of all such things these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filth language. Do not lie to each other since you have taken off your old self and have put on the new self which is being renewed.” Jesus is more than happy to get rid of them for you. Just ask Him. 

        After last week’s election and its unintended consequences of rioting, irrational anger, finger-pointing and childish giggling or weeping, all of us need to clean out our archives. We need to ask God to remove the trash that blinds us and stops up our ears. It’s time to act like adult Christians who face who we are, sin-filled people who need a Savior. It’s also time to start showing love to those with whom we disagree

        As Paul also said, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father though Him” (3:17)

“May the God of peace sanctify us through and through.” (1 Thess. 5:23)

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

TAPS FOR FREEDOM

        This Friday, November 11, is Veterans Day. Last month when we laid to rest Carol’s step-father, Pat Frank, the local Legion Post held the honors ceremony for their WWII Coast Guard comrade. An aging Vet played “Taps” and brought tears to our eyes.
        Of all the melodies known in America, none is so easily recognized or more apt to render emotion, than “Taps.” The twenty-four note melody is both eloquent and simple and is used at all military funerals.
        “Taps” is unique to the United States military. In 1862, General Daniel A. Butterfield (1831-1901, Brigade Commander, Medal of Honor recipient) was not pleased with “Extinguish Lights,” the bugle call which ended the day in most Union brigades. With the help of bugler Oliver W. Norton, (1839-1920), Gen. Butterfield composed the melody “Taps” to honor his men stationed at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, following the Seven Days Battle of the Civil War. 
        The new bugle call was sounded on a night in July, 1862, and soon spread to other units of the Union Army, and eventually also to the Confederates. “Taps” was made an official bugle call after the war. The origin of the words to “Taps” is not known, but here are the two known verses:

          Day is done. Gone the sun,
          From the lake, From the hill, From the sky;
          All is well, Safely rest - God is nigh.

          Fading light, Dims the sight,
          And a star, Gems the sky, Gleaming bright;
          From afar, Drawing nigh, Falls the night.

 “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you.” (3 John 2)

Thank You, Lord, for all our veterans, past or present, who have given us freedom.

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com