Saturday Night Musings

Here a flag, there a flag, everywhere a flag, flag. Red, white and blue flags galore are being raised, carried, planted, and painted everywhere on this Memorial Day weekend. From parades to grave sites, old glory stands upright and as beautiful as the very day she was raised.  And rightfully so! She waves proudly to the world representing a land and people where freedom is riveted in this country from sea to shining sea.  Wherever we see her, we are reminded that freedom never comes without a price to pay. The cost is staggering—untold millions who gave their lives that others may live, the ultimate sacrifice. We stand with hands over our hearts, a three pointed finger salute over the right eye, hats are removed, and with deep reverence and respect to those who voluntarily and willingly lost their lives stepping to the front line taking killer fire.  

Whether on the battle field or the corn field, life is composed of happiness and sorrow; victory and failure; and living and dying. A brief span of time which is but a vapor that appeareth for a little while and then quickly vanishes away. It is still interesting as you read the indelible dates of one’s birth and death on a tombstone is separated only by a little hyphen! Both the rich and the poor, the ignorant and the intelligent, the bond and the free all have time and are regulated by time. To those of us who have been born, there awaits a time for all of us to die. When the time to die has come, nothing can stop it. At that moment, the time line will have been crossed and eternity will begin with no end. Death is but a heart beat away—embrace it! I believe in “death-bed religion”, but I would never encourage any to wait on it. Most die like they live, however there are few exceptions like the thief on the cross who died at the 11th hour. God will give you space to repent, to set your house in order, and make final your preparations. Don’t leave this world till you have embraced death! 

It is appointed for men once to die. Methuselah died at 969 years old, David’s illegitimate child died at birth, I will die, and even if you hold your breath, you likewise will die also. There is no one today who does not know someone who has died. This week, my heart has been broken over the death of my pastor, Dr. Jerry Falwell—whose home going was Tuesday, May 14th. Even at this hour, I’m in a state of mourning. Brace yourself for this happening, for it is on the list of things we all have to do.  If I knew where I was going to die, I most likely would not go there. Dr. B.R. Lakin said: “Don’t stay in bed too long, it is the most dangerous place to be, more people die there than any other place”! But take heart as you embrace death, death to the believer is a quiet, long awaited, and comfortable time. When that happens, we will awake in glory in a land where we will never die. Hallelujah!  

As much as we would like to we can not take another’s death. It is, “Yea, though I (alone) walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”. Why, “For thou are with me”. When it’s time to die, we welcome it as finishing our race with dying grace. Both the fear of death and the pain (sting) of death has been removed. The grave has been defeated and Jesus is standing welcoming us home! 

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  911 will be a day unlike no other day America has ever experienced. You would be hard pressed to find someone today who does not remember “911”—the day when terrorists attacked America’s twin towers in New York City and murdered almost 3,000 of our people. A stigma image in our minds of fire trucks blasting their horns, people screaming, debris falling, belches of smoke blackening the skies, people jumping from windows, and buildings tumbling to the ground like a house of cards on 911. 

 Isaiah 53 is as indelibly etched in my mind and heart about the Lamb of God, the innocent servant who suffered and died for the guilty. The writer is speaking about this person as if what was happening had already happened. Yet, it did not happen till some 700 years later and it happened just as he wrote about it! The man of sorrows who carried our sorrows was God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. His life was as if it were diseased with grief, bruised from head to toe, wounds which never healed, and forsaken by all men. Contrast this man of sorrows with the rich man who fared sumptuously every day of his life. Isaiah 53 portrays the very image and purpose why Jesus came to this world—not to live, but to give his life as a ransom for the sin of the world. You and I knows no such sorrow as found in Isaiah 53. 

Isaiah 53 tells us the man of sorrows was despised and rejected of men. His value among us was that of 30 pieces of silver—the value of a slave. His own familiar friend lifted up his heel against him and betrayed him with a kiss. The thief on the cross looked narrowly upon him. How can one look on this man of sorrows and remain unscathed as you read Isaiah 53? 

Isaiah 53 is as sensitive to the heart as a dentist’s needle is to the gum. This man of sorrows bears our grief, carries our sorrows, wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, punished for our peace, and by his stripes we are forgiven. Do you feel anything as you read Isaiah 53? 

Isaiah 53 lays the crime and the penalty on the back of the innocent. All have sinned, all have gone astray, all have come short of the glory of God, all deserves to be punished in hell forever. Yet, the man of sorrows is penalized for the guilty in Isaiah 53. 

Isaiah 53 uncovers the depth of the man of sorrows as he opens not his mouth when accused of being a blasphemer, a deceiver, and ridiculed when he spoke the truth of God. They cut him off out of the land of the living, he died as a criminal, and made his grave with the worst of men. Volumes of books could be written of him from Isaiah 53.  

Isaiah 53 shows the man of sorrows offering himself as a sacrifice, knowing the travail of his soul, and drinking the dregs of sin from that bitter cup. For the intercession of transgressors, he is satisfied as he pours out his soul unto suffering. Facing the judgment of God on the cross, tasting death for all mankind, and being numbered with sinners becomes so personal to those who believes this report and to whom the arm of the Lord reveals. There is no other chapter in the entire Bible that exposes the man of sorrows like Isaiah 53!

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 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:                                                                                                                                             Philippians 1:6  

I have heard Dr. Falwell say on many occasions; “A man’s greatness is not determined by his talent or wealth, but rather by what it takes to discourage him”.

Dr. Falwell’s faith was honored by the Lord and it literally moved mountains! I have known this man of God and his family for more than 35 years of his 50 years of pastoring having been a member of his church, being ordained in his church, being in his home, having him in my home, and preaching in my churches on several occasions. Along being America’s pastor, Dr. Jerry Falwell was our Pastor. 

Dr. Falwell was a strong family man, the husband of one wife, Macel. Where ever he was in the country speaking, he would always be back at home at night with his family. He loved his wife and made his home a safe haven for his three children. 

I knew him to be a strong preacher of the gospel and compassionate pastor of a great church. What he preached, he believed and what he believed, he practiced.  

I knew Dr. Jerry Falwell to be a man of prayer. He used to say: ”Nothing of any eternal value will come apart from much prayer”. I watched him lead by example by calling upon his church to pray for victory on the eve when the Securities Exchange Commission was to pad lock the church door the next day. 

I knew Dr. Falwell to have a great sense of humor and always enjoyed a good joke—and liked to tell one. He made you feel like someone he throughly enjoyed having you in his presence and listen very intently with what you had to say always with a smile. 

Dr. Falwell’s voice was one heard in the wilderness. He had a sensitive pulse where America was and where she needed to be. He spoke his heart to America and America listen to what he had to say.

 I will always remember him being large as life, having a personal touch, compassion for the helpless and hurting, and loving people. I will miss him deeply for the impact he has had on my life, my family, and my ministry. 

Cliff Hartley

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Growing up in a contractor’s home, I have always enjoyed seeing things being built, renovated, or seeing a finished job. My dad, Shade Hartley always had a desire to build something and when he completed a job, he would stand back with his arms folded across his chest looking at his work and say: “Now, that is a good job”! He did not have any education, but he had good will, drive, ethics of working hard, and determination. 

And they said unto me (Nehemiah), The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.  And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, (Nehemiah 1:3,4) 

There is a need for America and the world to come back to their senses and back to the House of God. It is the place where we found life and learned how to live. Where right believing produced right behaving. Where faith was born and trusting God surfaced to face the black howling storms on the horizon when they became boisterous. In the House of God, we learned how to cope and to survive by living by the book. The House of God was hedged strongly from the effects of the world because some built a wall.   When one returns to the House of God having lived in worldly surroundings, they usually find things in a bad state of repair because of their lack of interest. Hearts break, desires are reborn, and a deep sorrow settles because of negligence and sin. We begin to weep, fast, confess, repent, and pray to our God in heaven for forgiveness and redemption. Flames are rekindled for someone to be burdened to rise up and build. Fortifying the House of God becomes a priority to provide a safe haven for our spiritual well being.  

The burden to rise up and build usually comes from the man who is praying about it. With prayer comes a vision and with vision comes motivation. That motivation becomes contagious because the hand of God is beginning to work a good work.  If it is a good work, then it is God’s work and God’s work demands haste. We must be about our Father’s business, the hour is late, the summer has past, and there is still work to be done. Find where God is working a good work and join the team. There is much to be done and you are needed. 

Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap if you faint not. That old serpent, the Devil will not let the work of God go without stirring up some dust where he lives and create opposition. Frustration will set in, anxiety will surface, anger will develop, feelings will erupt, jealously will kill interest, and excuses will justify reasons to quit. Stay focused, consider your calling, keep your distance from the negative, and finish the job. As long as the Devil keeps kicking you from behind, you know you are going in the right direction. God is your source, He is your strength, and His grace will sustain you. The work is necessary, people will be blessed, the work will be finished, victory will come, and God will be glorified.   Get up, put your hand to the plough, look straight ahead and do not look back. Dig deep to a solid rock, built it strong, and it will stay strong. One day, your Lord will say: Well done, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things, come enter into the joy of your Lord. Only then can you say: The hand of my God was good unto me!   Visit: www.cliffhartley.com

  But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. (II Chron. 36: 16,19) 

More than 45 times and in every chapter of the book of Ezra, the phrase, The House of God is used and has reference thereto. When Israel choose a monarch system over a theocracy, the demise of their uniqueness of being a great nation began to unravel. They not only wanted a king like all the other nations but chose to walk after the likeness of them as well. They followed in the sins of Jeroboam—who made Israel to sin by worshipping golden calves. God was merciful unto them for many years, patient and longed for repentance from them, brought revival to them by his prophets, extended grace to them in spite of their sin, suffered their high places not being destroyed, and put up with their temples and their sacrifices to Baal. They continued leaving the house of God for the gods of this world until there was no more remedy and were carried of into captivity.  

America has stood now for about the length of time (231 years) that Judah existed before she went into exile. This land is filled with the blood from the murdering the unborn to college campuses. We are seeing this adulterous generation turn to the “profits of the gospel” rather than staying with the true prophets of the gospel. Morality is now amorality to the point where there is little blushing anymore. Churches have gone to where at one time were the foundation of this land to where it now only takes a village to make it strong. I am reminded of Jonathan Edwards famous message: SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD, when he said: “…you are thus in the hands of an angry God; ‘tis nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction.”  

And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; (Ezra 9: 8,13)   

When Israel was permitted to return to her home land, the first thing done was to erect an altar and then lay the foundation for the house of God. The house of God was the center page of God’s purpose for His people. The house of God came first, before any military and commerce. The house of God was where Israel found her strength being a mighty nation. When she worshipped in the house of God on her knees she could stand against any enemy. She remembered her reason for existing by being in the house of God. People sang praises and shouted for joy in the house of God. They gave willingly to the house of God. When they came to the house of God they came as one man. In the house of God they corrected the error of their ways, they learned the teaching of the law, they were blessed and was the eye of the nations. They were encouraged by the preaching of God’s men in the house of God.  A remnant went back to their homeland and God restored His presence and his power in the house of God. The Book of Ezra is about the house of God and so should we be too! 

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 Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the former White House chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, is need of some help from above. March of this year he was found guilty on four of five counts of misleading the government, perjury, and obstruction of justice regarding the Iraq war. On the day he was indicted, he resigned from his post at the White House and presently is making plans for an appeal as he awaits sentencing. His plate is already full as we speak with more being piled on which can only give way to extreme agitation.  

Who is there that has not made some bad decisions, used poor judgment, and wished they had another opportunity to undo the mess they find themselves in? Living with regret gives way to a frustrated, aggravated and agitated bad hair day for anyone. The only way out of a dead end grave is to cry out to the only one who can help—that is the Lord. “If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?” 

Jehoshaphat one of the good Kings of Judah, found himself in the cross-hairs of the enemy and were it not for God being a very present help in a time of trouble, he would have been a dead duck. His jitters caused him to cry out immediately for God’s help. The Bible says: “… and the Lord helped him.” Later he was rebuked by God’s man who told him how foolish he was in trying to help the ungodly and loving the crowd that hated the Lord.  

How does a man like Jehoshaphat who walks with God, follows the ways of God, surrounds himself with warriors of God make such hair-brain, bone-head mistakes? Jehoshaphat who strengthened himself now becomes as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof. He went into battle with a holy man (Micaiah) telling him about an unholy man (Ahab) and almost got himself killed. Ramothgilead is a chapter Jehoshaphat would like to rewrite. God’s grace is greater than all our sin. At times only God can turn us around being at a dead end street. 

Jehoshaphat’s Jitters happens when there is an unholy mixed with good and evil. Jehoshaphat gave his blessings to his son marrying a wicked girl. This little cub grew up to be a furious lion—Athaliah, the daughter of wicked King Ahab, the wicked witch in the East who later went on a rampage to destroy all the house of Israel. How about that one for a daughter-in-law! What fellowship does light have with darkness?  

Jehoshaphat’s Jitters happens when becoming weak in the areas where one becomes strong. He who took a strong stand against the enemy now finds himself joined at the hip and in bed with the enemy. Jehoshaphat said to wicked King Ahab: “I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.”  Try the spirits to see if they be of God or not. And if it seems to be dirty, it most likely is! When 400 hundred prophets agree on one thing, something is wrong with this picture—here is you sign!

 Jehoshaphat’s Jitters will happen when a deal goes bad and all your ships sink. “After this”—after God bails you out of a jam, then you jump right back into the fire. Jehoshaphat entered into a contract with another wicked King Ahaziah. Will we ever learn? How many times does sticking your hand in the fire will we learn that it is hot! What a sad ending of having such a wonderful beginning—Jehoshaphat dies on this note: “And all the ships were broken”!

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