A man should never ask too much of a world that gives very little.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (Whispering Range)

    “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
              –John 14:27 (NKJV)
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Are you still struggling to get going in this New Year?  Troubles loom ahead of you, and you don’t see answers to the world’s or nation’s problems.  Hatred seems to abound and there is the unknown, unforeseeable future.  There could be disasters, floods, fires, famines, and all sorts of things lurking for the devil will do anything to see you discouraged and downcast.  Look to Psalm 32 for hope and assurance.  Let’s finish it this week.

    6 – Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found.
When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him.
    7 – You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.  Selah
    8 – I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you, I will give counsel.
    9 – Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding, that must be controlled with bit and bridle or else it will not come near you.
   10 – Many pains come to the wicked, but the one who trusts in the Lord will have faithful love surrounding him.
   11 – Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart. (HCSB)

Listen to the Word of the Lord as He speaks to you.  Augustine said that “the beginning of knowledge is to know oneself a sinner.”  After that, go to the Lord, repent and place yourself in His hands.
    God is the One who guides the steps of a righteous person.  Therefore, do not fret, worry, or fail at what you might face this year.  The Lord will keep His eye on you and there is nothing coming your way that He doesn’t see.
    The horse and mule analogy is good for we are often stubborn and need the bit and bridle to get us along down life’s trail.  I like what F.B. Meyer said, “If you are willing to know, he will make you know somehow.  If not one way, then another.”  God wants you to know His will, not just through the Bible, but also in each step you take.  He will find a way to show it to you–you just have to be willing to trust and follow Him.
    Remember, the pure in heart will see God.  Seek Him, seek His righteousness and as you do He will cover you with His love and purity.  Doesn’t common sense just seem to cry out, “the Lord is a good hiding place”?

         “Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
          Till the storm of life is past;
          Safe into the haven guide;
          O receive my soul at last!”
                 –Charles Wesley

Some winter mornings, the fire just wasn’t as warm as it used to be.”
              –C. Wayne Winkle (One Last Chase)

    “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
              –Matthew 24:12-13 (NIV)
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2020 has just started and folks are already worried about the future.  It just seems that some people have to have someone to worry and fret over.  What they need is a good dose of the Holy Spirit to quench those fears.
    I came across the following many years ago, written by Milton W. Zeeb.  Since I’m already running late in getting this sent, I thought I’d use his few words for our thoughts today.

         “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow!  God will take care of your tomorrow too!  Live one day at a time.” (Matthew 6:34, Living Bible)
         Anxiety is one of the enemies of the soul and life to be shunned.  However, we recognize that all of us become anxious about things that we do not know definitely, especially those things about tomorrow.  The question “Where will I be tomorrow?” or “What will happen tomorrow?” is not easily answered.
         But there is an answer for those who have learned to trust God.  Jesus knows all about our tendency to be anxious.  He also knows that being overly concerned about tomorrow does not help our soul’s well-being.
         First Jesus tell us not to be anxious and then he explains why:  “God will take care of tomorrow too!”  In other words, you managed to overcome the difficulties of today because God took care of it before you got there.
         Our anxieties about ourselves, about our loved ones and about our friends are useless because God has already taken care of them.
         There is one thing that you can do, however, and that is trust God that he will do what he has said.  Live today in the strength that God gives, and you know that tomorrow you will be able to do the same, regardless of what may come; God is there.
         Prayer:  O God, my Father, help me not to become overanxious about my life.  Give me the faith to know that when I go through unknown experiences, you have already been there, preparing the way for me.  Amen.

Hope you have a good day in the Lord.  That’s the key:  IN THE LORD!

There have always been those who are chosen to take up the sword against evil.”
              –Lou Bradshaw  (Blue)

    “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice.”
              –Exodus 23:2 (NKJV)
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This week has seen me rushing around in the mornings, so I should apologize if the Echoes came out late yesterday.  I saw something the other day.  It was a picture of an ol’ grizzled cowpoke, thought I might have recognized him, at least he looked familiar.  But he went in to see one of those smart, enlightened doctors, those shrinks.  The gist of the story fits my situation right on the nailhead.  The ol’ boy told the doc:  “I’ve got a hitch in my gitalong that takes all the fun out of moseying.”
    So if I’ve been slow a few days it’s because my moseying has taken a detour due to the gitalong that has a hitch.
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Yesterday I used a Scripture from Amos that spoke of doing good rather than evil and to have justice in the gates.  I’m not going to get heavily into the culture of the day, nor the symbolism implied, but I reckon that the root of our problems is definitely sin.  How and why it seems to be flourishing today – I can think of two main reasons:  first, lack of courage and fortitude in the pulpits, and second, lack of justice in the gates (i.e., the seats of government).
    Just recently the United Methodist Church has chosen not to be “united.”  The reason is the ungodliness that some have accepted in the church.  Marriage between members of the same-sex is never to be smiled upon.  It is an abomination to God.  There are several verses in God’s holy Word to support this, but one that many forget is the symbolism of the Church in the New Testament.  The Church is the Bride of Christ and is referred to as feminine with Jesus being the Groom.  Marriage between humans is supposed to mirror the wedding of the Bride and the Groom–the Church and Christ.  That Church will be pure and undefiled when the Groom comes to get her.  He will not stand for the world and Satan to sully and spoil her.
    That’s just one example where the pulpit has compromised with culture.  Many say that the Church must sway with the times.  As culture changes, so must the Church.  Not so!  The Church is to be a bulwark against evil.  Where are those pastors to stand up and decry the evil that is surrounding them, even invading them?  Woe unto those who say that good is evil and evil is good!
    With that being said, the same is true in the gates of justice.  When lawmakers, with glee, will fight to kill unborn babies there is something dreadfully wrong with the culture.  There is no justice in the gates.  When justice is perverted to fulfill the demands of an evil agenda there is no justice in the gates.  
    Study the prophets.  Two things that will certainly bring the wrath of God to bear is when justice is perverted to serve evil ends and when there is spiritual adultery.  Those who have an ear to hear might better listen and turn their eyes toward the skies.  Perhaps this what is means when Paul says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, NKJV).

In this country you must never show a feather.  Give up to them once and you’re beaten.”
              –Elmer Kelton  (Eyes of the Hawk)

    “Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken. Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
              –Amos 5:14-15 (NKJV)
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I can remember a few years back when I was walking down the hallway of the school where I taught.  Approaching me was a parent, who, when he passed said, “Love you brother.”  He continued on, but only took a couple more steps then turned.  Did he really love me?  Was he just saying what he knew he was supposed to say?  Just like when you ask someone how they are, and they mutter “Oh, I’m blessed, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh,” in a mimsical way.  As he walked down the hall I thought that he doesn’t even know my name.
    Another incident, another school.  In one of the classes I asked the question “do you love me?”  The yeses came pouring forth.  I stood in front of a student and asked, “Do you really love me?” and was assured me that she did, so I continued.  “Die for me?”  She began to hesitate, “remember I’m 60, you’re just 17.  I’ve lived a full life, and you’re just getting started.  Still die for me?”  Now came the hesitation and finally she blurted, “No, I don’t think I could.”
    Part of the reason we are that way is the fact that we really understand little of what love is, or who God is for that matter.  We are conditioned by family, peers, and that monster–the media.  The media, that which is supposed to be a faithful companion to man is nothing more than a lie-spewing machine.  Let me give you something from D.L. Moody:
           “We give Columbus credit for discovering America.  His discovery was momentous, yet he never set foot in either continent.  He discovered America, but he had no idea of the vastness of the continent.  He didn’t know of the Great Lakes or the Rocky Mountains or for that matter the Amazon rainforest.  This is like God’s love.  When a person finally discovers God’s love it is like Columbus discovering the New World.”
           “I believe the reason why a great many people think God does not love them is because they are measuring God by their own small rule, from the own standpoint.  We love men as long as we consider them worthy of our love; when they are not we cast them off.  It is not so with God.  There is a vast difference between human love and Divine love…  Many of us think we know something of God’s love; but centuries hence we shall admit we have never found out much about it…  When we wish to know the love of God we should go to Calvary.  Can we look upon that scene, and say God did not love us?  That cross speaks of the love of God.  Greater love never has been taught than that which the cross teaches.  What prompted God to give up Christ?–what prompted Christ to die?–if it were not love?”
    We only have an inkling of God’s love.  
            “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God.”
                       –Ephesians 3:17-19 (NKJV)