I had found that things sat a lot easier on a fella’s mind if he only worried about those things he could do something about.”
             –Lou Bradshaw (Blue)

    “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”
             –Matthew 6:25 (NKJV)
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The first part of Psalm 22, we saw David in deep depression and despair.  His soul was in agony.  Here we see him calling out to God.  David, whenever there was a problem, or a situation that brought him anguish knew where to turn; he always turned to God.  In these verses we also see the foretelling of another who was in deep despair–Jesus.

    11 – Do not be far from me, because distress is near and there is no one to help.
    12 – Many bulls surround me; strong ones of Bashan encircle me.
    13 – They open their mouths against me—lions, mauling and roaring.
    14 – I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed; my heart is like wax, melting within me.
    15 – My strength is dried up like baked clay; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You put me into the dust of death.
    16 – For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet.
    17 – I can count all my bones; people look and stare at me.
    18 – They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.
    19 – But You, Lord, don’t be far away. My strength, come quickly to help me.
    20 – Deliver my life from the sword, my only life from the power of these dogs.
    21 – Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. (HCSB)

Here is a description of the cross hundreds of years before crucifixion was invented.  The woe and pain that Jesus would face on the cross is shown here.  Philip P. Bliss would write:

              “Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
               In my place condemned he stood;
               Sealed my pardon with his blood:
               Hallelujah!  what a Savior!”

People, “dogs” were snarling at David.  They wanted to see him destroyed.  Very similarly, the dogs sought to tear at Jesus.  They snapped, and snarled, and bared their teeth.  The way people act in a mob is atrocious, there is chaos, no control.  The mob is a good description of a pack of dogs–they wanted the death of David, like in the future a mob of “dogs” would want the death of our Lord.  
    If you’ve ever seen a pack of dogs they are not like a pack of wolves.  The dogs will be of all breeds and sizes.  Even the seemingly innocent little dog becomes vicious when he is with a pack.  Kipling said that dogs were “lesser breeds without the Law.”  My, my doesn’t that fit society today?  Listen to the snarling.  There is no sense among them, they just want to tear to shreds whomever they come against.  The “dogs” of that day would raid villages and take the youth and children, strip them naked, chain them together and sell them as slaves.  The Greek word “cynic” means a dog on the loose in the streets.  
    Men would carry clubs when they walked the streets because of the dogs.  In later times, that club would become a cane, but the purpose was to ward off the dogs that might be encountered.  David said, “the dogs have surrounded me.”  Are we seeing that again?  Are the dogs coming together, vicious and snarling, ready to devour and tear apart?  Jesus had to face the “dogs” as well.  They came at Him, and eventually they put Him on the cross, all the time snarling and drooling.  They thought they had destroyed Him.  Ha, they did not know with whom they were dealing.  Jesus did not beat them off.  He had another plan, one for you and me, yes, and even the dogs.  “Christ submitted to suffer nakedness that we might be covered with righteousness and glory and walk with him in white forever.” (George Hutcheson)

The beaten trails don’t teach you nothin’.  Ride open country with yore eyes propped apart.  Yuh may never be no world beater, but if yuh learn to read the good Lord’s signs yuh won’t never be a fool.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (Chaffee of Roaring Horse)

    “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.”
              –1 Timothy 3:15 (NKJV)
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How true it is that most people will not be a “world beater.”  Few will make it to the rank of leadership, or fame and fortune, and yet so many think that is what they are called to do.  “Get a dream and follow it,” clamors the voice and people heed it.  Most then sit by and watch for that dream to be fulfilled.  Instead they should be out, making a living and looking for the “good Lord’s signs” as they pass through this life.  I would ask the question:  What is it that the Lord wants you to do?
    One of the saddest things that I see in life is a person in their 30s or older still trying to live like a child.  They have developed a Peter Pan syndrome and want to live in Never, Never Land instead of where they are placed and do the duties they are called to do.  This is not only true of the physical man, but also the spiritual.  It is a pitiful sight to see a Christian who, supposedly has been one for 30 years and they still act like they are new-born.  
    The New Testament calls us to maturity.  It tells us to grow up and quite whining and acting like the world.  It tells us to put away the former things and quit playing around.  We usually think of 1 Corinthians 13 as the “love chapter” of the Bible.  That is true, but there is also some strong admonishment for us to grow up.  Paul writes, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11, NKJV)  This should be true physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  
    Very few Christians actually meditate on the Word.  They was to remain in a garden of beauty where the fragrance of the flowers is rich and the grass is soft and green.  Hmmm, remember, it was in a garden where Eve and Adam succumbed the destroyer of their souls.  Start to grow, get in the Word and live it.  Our progress should be evident to those around us.
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Yesterday we remembered what is known as D-Day.  However, often forgotten are the other “D-Days” in World War II.  The one that took place in France in 1944 is remembered because it stopped the German advance and from that point on the Nazis were slowly pushed back into Germany, and in May 1945, Germany surrendered.
    I had in my history library a book by Joe Alexander that spoke of the D-Days in the Pacific:  Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Peleliu, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, plus a host of others.  My Dad was part of the invasion force at Palawan.  Also don’t forget the invasion of North Africa, Sicily, and Anzio.  The Battle of Tarawa was the most costly per day–247.5 Americans died per day during that invasion; it was truly “Bloody Tarawa”.  Thankfully it was over in four days.  The next costliest per day was Iwo Jima with 194.9 per day.  The most costly in Europe was the Battle of the Bulge–470 per day.  Sacrifice–Honor–Valor!
    That is not to take anything away from Normandy.  It was a spectacular event.  The planning, the supplying, the execution, and the results were enormous to say the least.  So much is owed to those who gave of their lives in one way or another to rid the world of the fascist menace.  

Reality has a way of raising up obstacles.”
                   –Louis L’Amour  (How the West Was Won)

       “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
                   –Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)
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Seventy-five years ago many a young man’s hopes and dreams were dashed on the beaches of Normandy.  It was time to turn the tide against Nazi Germany, but the price would be high.  The beaches, especially Omaha would be drenched with the blood of allied soldiers.  Yes, evil would require a great sacrifice to be put at bay and begin to retreat.  It was the beginning of the end.  It took another year for the German forces to accept defeat, but D-Day, the invasion of Normandy was the start.

                         Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!  
    You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

    Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

    But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!

    I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

    Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

                                           SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Duty often compels a great price to be given.  Have you ever thought what might have gone through the men’s minds as they left the comparative safety of their ship to the landing craft that would take them to the enemy waiting on the beach?  Would they survive?  Would there be a bullet with their name on it?  Yes, the price of duty is often high.  Yet, it was faced.  Remember that today evil must be faced!  It may not be a bullet, but perhaps the evil that is confronting us/you is even more dangerous for it seeks to destroy your soul.
    Remember, Christ fulfilled His duty on the cross.  Can we do no less than give our all to follow Him?  The battle is raging, but the victory is won.  In your own personal D-Day, “accept nothing less than full Victory!”

They…know who they are, they know what they believe in, and their kind will last.  Other kinds of people will come and go.  The glib and confident, the whiners and complainers, and the people without loyalty, they will disappear, but they…will still be here plowing the land, planting crops, doing the hard work of the world because it is here to be done.  Consider yourself fortunate to know them.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Mountain Valley War)

    “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
              –Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV)
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A couple of Sundays ago I heard a sermon:  “If Your Vision Small Enough?”  The idea of the sermon was that we need to be faithful in the things and duties that the Lord has given us before we can look on to the “grand vision.”  We live in a time where preachers clamor for us to claim the grand vision, to leap small buildings with a single bound, dare to dream the impossible.  The problem is that we should be seeking what God has for us.
    The sermon dealt with the family of Kohath.  Their job was to get the vessels of the tabernacle ready to move.  They were Levites, but they could not do the sacrifices, their only job was readiness.  However, if they didn’t do their “small” job, the tabernacle could not be moved–the large scale vision could not be attained.  Their job was to be the carriers of the ark, not the leadership.
    You need to follow the calling that God has given you–the one that God has given you, not the one that you have chosen for yourself.  Paul tells us that there are all kinds of vessels in the house.  You might be saying that you want to be a glorious vase that will hold a beautiful floral arrangement.  However, God may desire for you to be an old pot.  Or He might want you to be an earthen vessel, not one of gold.  
    The Puritan Work Ethic, which is now considered to be archaic, but is entirely biblical, states that God calls people into various vocations.  In whichever one we are working we must work the very best we can–we are to be doing the work for Him.  In doing so, we are actually worshiping.  Worship is not singing; it may be, but it is in fulfilling what God has for us.  We are to love the love with our total being that means with our wills.  To love God with your will means to obey.  It means to become a “living sacrifice.”
    Back to the sermon.  Here are four important things that we must do to properly carry on the work of God.  (Thanks to Weston Berry)
         1)  The smaller vision must take place before the larger vision can take place.
         2)  It takes obedience to worship; to follow your calling.
         3)  Sometimes we need to step back, do the small things, so the larger things could go forward.
         4)  Don’t be so focused on the large things that you neglect the small things.
   Tomorrow we will commemorate June 6–D-Day, the invasion of Normandy.  It was the invasion that finally started to bring an end to the war in Europe.  We should remember those who were killed and wounded on the beach, however, the invasion could not begin to take place without hours and days, and months and even years of preparation, planning, and making sure everything was ready.  Was there enough petroleum?  Was their enough ammunition?  Was there enough food?  Was everything timed out just right?  And on and on and on…  If these “smaller things” were not accomplished, were sluffed off as insignificant, then the large scale invasion could not take place.