Summer Update

Pictured: First daughter Hannah with our granddaughter AnnaPreston, who is "too cool for school" in her first pair of summer shades

I'm still here! And, despite appearances, we'll be continuing our confessions and musings on "medals of faith" in the days to come -- an "attitude of gratitude" is next.

A funny thing happened enroute to writing those reflections: I stumbled into Facebook! Of course, I've known about Facebook for quite awhile, but hadn't really spent much time in that realm. I've been doing it for a few weeks now, though -- not really because I didn't have anything else to do, but for two other reasons:

1. I'm intrigued by the mindset behind "social networking," and I'm seeking to understand it especially for its potential in evangelism; and,

2. I have a teenage daughter and I'm trying to stay savvy on the ways of her peers. I'm especially determined that "boys" (and, yes, I'm calling them that diminutive term on purpose) understand that I am an inescapable factor to be reckoned with if they choose to so much as glance in my daughter's direction! (Hey, I can say all this, because I'm a male and I've had two sons :-)

At any rate, if you too do Facebook, look me up there. Otherwise, keep dropping by here from time to time for more thoughts from my walk with the Lord through this out-of-order world. And, of course, feel free to share your own comments anytime.

Stay sharp,

Preston

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 5)

An Attitude of Gratitude

More than having a positive outlook or habitually counting the ways that our circumstances are "fortunate," the believer's attitude of gratitude is founded on reality that endures, even when we find ourselves in the midst of "unfortunate" circumstances.

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 4 cont'd)

For all you shy lurkers out there, here's a little something more to spark an outpouring of your thoughts about the medal of gracious speech that is to "adorn, make attractive, add luster" to the Gospel in our lives:

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone" (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV).

Here's the same passage from The Message:

"Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out."

Given what James says about the tongue (namely, that it "is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body...and is itself set on fire by hell"), how then does gracious speech develop in our lives?

Jesus said, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart" (Luke 6:45).

He told the Samaritan woman at the well, "...whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life" (John 4: 14).

He declared to His hearers at the feast in Jerusalem, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:38).

So...the picture is that when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ, He takes up residence within us by His Spirit and, as a result, some radically different speech inevitably begins to flow from our mouths.

This was my experience when I came to faith as a teenager. The profanity and vulgarity that had previously marked (marred) my speech, but that I myself had been unable to control or alter, just changed. The reason was that there was a new spring bubbling in my heart, and what came out of my mouth demonstrated it. It wasn't really something I did -- it was something He did in me and through me. And others around began to notice it, and to be curious about what had happened to me. This gave me the chance to tell them about Jesus.

Now -- CAN I GET A WITNESS? Has anybody else experienced this? How, and what was the result in your life? Come on, don't be bashful...tell us about it!

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 4)

Gracious Speech

Once we lived in a house that received its water from a small spring, trickling from the mountainside above it. The water ran from the spring into a holding tank located just downhill from it, and was then gravity-fed further downhill through pipes that led to our faucets.

In theory, the system was ingenious. In practice, it was dismal. For one thing, the spring was seasonal and, in dry summer months, it was not uncommon to turn on the tap and get nothing. Another problem was that the holding tank was exposed to the elements and, when the temperature went below zero in that mountainous zone, the holding tank turned into a very large icecube, once again leaving us with no water for washing, cooking and bathing. Yet another problem arose when, on occasion, we neglected to chlorinate the water adequately and some foreign object (like, say, a salamander practicing his breast stroke) fouled the water. Then, we would quickly see that a little contamination in the depths of the water system affected what came out all through the house.

Hmmm...starting to sound familiar? Bring to mind anything Jesus said, or something elsewhere in the Scripture? If so, TELL US ABOUT IT!

In other words, finish this thought for me, from the Bible and from your own life. It'll help me, and lots of others too.

Waiting to hear from you,

Preston

"Jesus Is Enough"

Pictured: Nathan Parrish

Click on the link below to read this story of God's faithfulness to our family, published in the April issue of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's DECISION magazine:

http://billygraham.org/DMag_article.asp?ArticleID=962

Perhaps someone you know will find it helpful; if so, feel free to pass it on.

Blessings,

Preston

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 3)

Honesty and Integrity

Here's a confession for you:

Before I began following Christ in my teens, I lied.

I lied not just once, but repeatedly.

In fact, lying was for me a pattern, a way of life.

I lied to authorities; I lied to teachers; I lied to my parents; I lied to schoolmates. I did it in order to get and to do whatever I wanted. The operating premise of my life was that "the end justifies the means."

When I realized my need to turn from my sins and place my faith in Christ, however, an acute awareness that the lying had to stop came with it. For one thing, Jesus said, "I am...the truth" (John 14:6).

The Bible says, "God is not a man, the He should lie" (Numbers 23:19).

The Apostle John wrote, "And this is the message we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as he Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one anther and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).

So...bottom line, I had to quit lying. Or to be more accurate, I had to let the Holy Spirit who had come to dwell in me transform me and make me a person of truth, like my Savior and Lord. Over time, He did so, and the operating premise of my life became "the end (living for God's pleasure and glory) controls -- rather than justifying -- the means."

As we saw in our previous focus on "transformed priorities," this was the realization to which Zacchaus came. When he did so, he both quit cheating people and he also made restitution to them. That's something the Holy Spirit convicted me that I needed to do as well.

How did you do that, you ask?

Well, simply put, one person at a time, as the Holy Spirit brought them to mind and in whatever way seemed appropriate. I remember, for example, going to my employer, a kindly filling station operator, and telling him that I had stolen money and merchandise. I paid him back and asked him to forgive me, which he most graciously did.

In the process, I began to experience the blessed freedom of coming out of the shadows and walking in the light, a feeling of cleanness and soundness that I had never really known. In fact, what I was experiencing was the approval of my heavenly Father as I sought to do what was right in His sight. Over the decades since, His approval of my motives and conduct has become the "magnetic north" that I seek to walk by moment by moment, situation by situation, day by day.

Do I always get it right? Absolutely not. Sometimes I dismay myself greatly by how I fail. But in those moments, I find consolation and help in John's words that follow the verses already quoted:

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 1:8-2:1).

I'm going to stop for now, in part because blogs seem to work better without long blocks of text. But I'm thinking maybe you can identify with this confession and, in following Christ yourself, have had to come to terms with the importance of this "medal of faith" that adds luster to the Gospel in our lives. If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Stay sharp,

Preston

Pause and Give Thanks...

for the grace of God that transforms us, then let Him "make you over" into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Enjoy!

Coming Next!

For you who have been patiently checking for new posts, I wanted to let you know that our family has been away for our daughter's spring break and also for Easter. We had a great time together and we're more thankful than ever for the resurrection triumph of our Lord!

Coming next here will be some more confessions and musings on "MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel." Specifically, after introducing this idea and focusing on "broken chains" and "transformed priorities," we're going to move into "honesty and integrity," "gracious speech," and "an attitude of gratitude." In my experience, these are some of the most immediate evidences that emerge when we encounter the Master.

Meanwhile, if you have thoughts and examples in these areas, get ready to share them! Thanks for all your encouragement along the way. More soon.

Stay sharp,

Preston

Coming Next!

For you who have been patiently checking for new posts, I wanted to let you know that our family has been away for our daughter's spring break and also for Easter. We had a great time together and we're more thankful than ever for our Lord's resurrection triumph!

Coming next here are some more confessions and musings on "MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel." Specifically, after having introduced this topic and focused on "broken chains" and "transformed priorities," we're now going to move into "honesty and integrity," "gracious speech," and "an attitude of gratitude." I've found that these are some of the most immediate ways that meeting the Master begins "making over" our lives.

I'll be posting more on these medals over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, if you have any thoughts or examples in these areas, get ready to share them! And thanks for all your encouragement along the way.

Stay sharp,

Preston

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 2) P.S.

P.S. on Transformed Priorities

Straight from the Scriptures, here's a P.S. on the "medal" of transformed priorities (see previous post) that is to adorn the Gospel in our lives:

"...true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

But you...run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you...And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords" (1 Timothy 6:6-15).

Stay sharp,

Preston

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 2)

Transformed Priorities

He took advantage of people, and he did it very well.

After all, it was for a good cause: himself.

Zacchaeus collected taxes for Rome, and Jericho was his turf. The way it worked was that he paid Rome their specified due, then he got to keep whatever else he could extract (or extort) from his neighbors. This was not exactly the way to win a village popularity contest!

Nor was it the way to satisfy his soul. Zacchaeus, you see, was empty. He was, in the words of Luke, "very rich" (Luke 19:2). But as he encountered Jesus that fateful day in Jericho and heard the Man from Galilee invite Himself to his house (see verse 5), Zacchaeus was about to gain something different, something incomparable. Jesus described it this way:

“Salvation has come to this home today...For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (verses 9-10).

What action by Zacchaeus prompted this declaration from the Lord?

For one thing, Zacchaeus -- who was used to people heading the other way when they saw him -- "took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy" (verse 6).

Jumping down from the sycamore-fig tree that he had climbed to improve his vertically challenged vantage point, he gladly welcomed into his no-doubt lavishly appointed home the Man who had "no place to lay His head" (Matthew 8:20).

He brought the One who "came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45) right into the very inner sanctum that he had padded and lined on the backs of others.

The people watching were, of course, "displeased."

“He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled (verse 7).

But Zacchaeus did more than just ask Jesus to sign his guest book. His encounter with the Son of God brought Zacchaeus to his senses, spiritually speaking. He repented of his sins and placed his faith in Jesus. As Jesus said, he showed "himself to be a true son of Abraham" (verse 9), whom the Apostle Paul describes as "the father of all who believe" (Romans 4:11).

And Zacchaeus' salvation bore tangible fruit. It could be seen in his transformed priorities. This man who for years had soaked others for his own advantage, "stood before the Lord and said, 'I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!'" (verse 8). He not only quit cheating people -- he quit living for money!

In short, he came to embody the transformed priorities of people who have come to know Christ, priorities that Jesus Himself spoke of in His Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5-7:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth...Store your treasures in heaven...Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be...No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money...So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

For Zacchaeus and for us, transformed priorities are a medal of faith that adorns, adds luster to, and makes attractive the Gospel. But this raises a question, especially for those of us who profess to follow Christ:

Does the world see this medal in our lives?

In other words, as believers are our priorities really that different from those of people around us who have not yet placed their faith in Christ?

Or to say it bluntly, are we still trying to live for the wrong master, or two masters, rather than THE Master?

I'll leave it here for now, so that I can ponder this question afresh for myself. Maybe you'll want to do the same.

Stay sharp,

Preston

P.S. I've posted a video illustrating this topic. Previous videos I've posted have on occasion mysteriously morphed to some other segments that I didn't select. We'll try to work through this glitch, but if this video suddenly disappears from this blog, you'll know why.

Video: "I Believe in Jesus"

A great testimony...post your own tribute to the Lord's work in your life so that others can benefit and rejoice with you!

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 1)

Broken Chains


He must have been quite a sight --

Naked under the desert sun...

Cut and bleeding...

Smeared with dirt and body fluids...

A noxious cloud of odor surrounding him that would turn the stomach of anyone who dared to draw near...

Shouting at everyone (but at no one in particular) as he stumbled through the parallel universe in his mind...

Gashing his flesh again and again with the stones that he gripped in his gnarled fingers...

Roaming erratically among tombs filled with corpses, perhaps with a shackle still jangling from his arm or leg.

The man's torment was unceasing and, while no chains could hold him, he was unquestionably bound -- bound to the point where even his identity as a human being had been subordinated by the dark minions of hell's prince.

On this day, though -- this Day of days in this man's miserable existence -- everything was about to change.

This was the day that the Son of God Himself, Jesus of Nazareth, would stare down the fiendish beings living within him, whose stratagems He knew all too well.

Jesus was about to command the ones who had taken possession both of this man's body and his soul to come out of him.

Jesus was about to consign them to a herd of ceremonially unclean swine where they could fulfill the agenda that was consistent with their nature -- to steal and kill and destroy.

Jesus was about to break the chains binding this man and to make him free, free indeed. Before another day dawned, this man who for years had been the byword for brokenness, was about to be made new.

According to the physician/Gospel writer named Luke, that's just what Jesus did...and in the aftermath of Christ's sovereign, gracious intervention in his life, the man was found "sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind" (Luke 8:35).

Those who had known him for years in his former condition "became frightened." Astonishingly, they "asked Him [Jesus] to depart from them" (verse 37). Jesus obliged them (what a tragic moment!) but not before giving the new man a new command:

"Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you" (verse 39).

Dr. Luke says the man did so. In my imagination, I hear him giving his testimony in words something like these: "I was bound, but not with humanly forged shackles and chains. You yourselves know that your hardware couldn't hold me. Rather, I was enchained in my soul, I was a slave in my spirit. But then Jesus came to me, and everything changed. I know Him now -- in fact, I sat at His feet -- and I'm here to tell you that whatever chains may be holding you, He can break them and make you free too. Will you let Him?"

And as incredible as it may have sounded to his hearers, they wouldn't be able to dispute him -- after all, the evidence was right there before them, plainly visible in his emancipated life. Surely if Jesus could unshackle him, He could unshackle them too.

Such is the power of a life that has been clearly transformed by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, I submit that "broken chains" are the first "medal of faith" that bears witness to the world about the reality of His presence and reign in our lives.

When you get right down to it, it's hard to argue with broken chains -- that is, with a soul that has been set free and a life that has been radically altered. Sure, some will be frightened by a dramatic change that forces them to reconsider their perceived superiority over one who was previously pitiful. They may even rue the presence of one who has found newness, because they themselves don't have it and aren't willing to seek it.

Still, though, a life that's been visibly changed can silence even the most bitter skeptics. This is especially true when that change is communicated with humility and love and not merely as religious rhetoric. Coupled with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, it can convince people of their own urgent need to be set free by the Savior.

This raises a question: "What evidence of emancipation is present in our lives, that others can only attribute to the transforming work of the Son of God?"

Or, to be more personal, from what has God delivered you and me?

For some, it's the conditions we tend to think of immediately -- dependencies and addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, and various forms of sexual depravity.

But maybe none of those things seem to apply to you. Chains have other names, however. What about --

Greed...
Pride...
Hatred...
Bigotry...
Dishonesty...
Legalism...
Hypocrisy...
Lawlessness...
Laziness...
Fear...
Anger...
Selfishness?

Did some of these chains once hold you, till the Master came into your life and set you free? Probably, and they did me as well.

One thing is for sure: "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

The Apostle Peter said, "...for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved" (2 Peter 2:19).

Therefore, all of us were enchained at some point by something incompatible with God's nature and with His loving desires for us. But the Good News is that, through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, the power of those chains has been broken. The Name of Jesus causes chains to snap and to fall away, freeing us to walk in newness of life.

The Apostle Paul said, "...as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

So, if you've turned from living in sin and been forgiven and changed by Christ, let your gratitude for what He has done "adorn, make attractive, and add luster" to the Gospel. Wear that medal openly and gladly.

Also, if you've never done so, consider "returning to your house" -- that is, to those who knew you best in your former condition --"and describing to them what great things God has done for you."

As you do, others may see it and dare to believe that He can change them too.

And as you do, you too will be "quite a sight" -- for good -- certainly in the eyes of God, and very likely in the eyes of some others.

More soon, including a video on this subject. Meanwhile, please consider whether someone you know might benefit from this blog, and let them know about it. And, by all means, sign in and give everyone the benefit of your comments.

Stay sharp,

Preston

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Part 1)

Broken Chains


He must have been quite a sight --

Naked under the desert sun...

Cut and bleeding...

Smeared with dirt and body fluids...

A noxious cloud of odor surrounding him that would turn the stomach of anyone who dared to draw near...

Shouting at everyone (but at no one in particular) as he stumbled through the parallel universe in his mind...

Gashing his flesh again and again with the stones that he gripped in his gnarled fingers...

Roaming erratically among tombs filled with corpses, perhaps with a shackle still jangling from his arm or leg.

The man's torment was unceasing and, while no chains could hold him, he was unquestionably bound -- bound to the point where even his identity as a human being had been subordinated by the dark minions of hell's prince.

On this day, though -- this Day of days in this man's miserable existence -- everything was about to change.

This was the day that the Son of God Himself, Jesus of Nazareth, would stare down the fiendish beings living within him, whose stratagems He knew all too well.

Jesus was about to command the ones who had taken possession both of this man's body and his soul to come out of him.

Jesus was about to consign them to a herd of ceremonially unclean swine where they could fulfill the agenda that was consistent with their nature -- to steal and kill and destroy.

Jesus was about to break the chains binding this man and to make him free, free indeed. Before another day dawned, this man who for years had been the byword for brokenness, was about to be made new.

According to the physician/Gospel writer named Luke, that's just what Jesus did...and in the aftermath of Christ's sovereign, gracious intervention in his life, the man was found "sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind" (Luke 8:35).

Those who had known him for years in his former condition "became frightened." Astonishingly, they "asked Him [Jesus] to depart from them" (verse 37). Jesus obliged them (what a tragic moment!) but not before giving the new man a new command:

"Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you" (verse 39).

Dr. Luke says the man did so. In my imagination, I hear him giving his testimony in words something like these: "I was bound, but not with humanly forged shackles and chains. You yourselves know that your hardware couldn't hold me. Rather, I was enchained in my soul, I was a slave in my spirit. But then Jesus came to me, and everything changed. I know Him now -- in fact, I sat at His feet -- and I'm here to tell you that whatever chains may be holding you, He can break them and make you free too. Will you let Him?"

And as incredible as it may have sounded to his hearers, they wouldn't be able to dispute him -- after all, the evidence was right there before them, plainly visible in his emancipated life. Surely if Jesus could unshackle him, He could unshackle them too.

Such is the power of a life that has been clearly transformed by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, I submit that "broken chains" are the first "medal of faith" that bears witness to the world about the reality of His presence and reign in our lives.

When you get right down to it, it's hard to argue with broken chains -- that is, with a soul that has been set free. Sure, some will be frightened by a dramatic change that forces them to reconsider their perceived superiority over one who was previously pitiful. They may even rue the presence of one who has found newness, because they themselves don't have it and aren't willing to seek it.

Still, though, a life that's been visibly changed can silence even the most bitter skeptics. This is especially true when the reason for that change is communicated with humility and love and not merely as religious rhetoric. Coupled with the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, it can convince people of their own urgent need to be set free by the Savior.

This raises a question: "What evidence of emancipation is present in our lives, that others can only attribute to the transforming work of the Son of God?"

Or, to be more personal, from what has God delivered you and me?

For some, it's the conditions we think of immediately -- dependencies and addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, and various forms of sexual depravity.

But maybe none of those things seem to apply to you. Chains have other names, however. What about --

Greed...
Pride...
Hatred...
Bigotry...
Dishonesty...
Lawlessness...
Laziness...
Fear...
Insecurity...
Anger...
Selfishness?

Did some of these chains once hold you, till the Master came into your life and set you free? Probably, and they did me as well.

One thing is for sure: "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

The Apostle Peter said, "...for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved" (2 Peter 2:19).

Therefore, all of us were enchained at some point by something incompatible with God's nature and with His loving desires for us. But the Good News is that, through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, the power of those chains has been broken. The Name of Jesus causes chains to snap and to fall away, freeing us to walk in newness of life.

The Apostle Paul said, "...as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

So, if you've turned from living in sin and been forgiven and changed by Christ, let your gratitude for what He has done "adorn, make attractive, and add luster" to the Gospel. Wear that medal openly and gladly.

Also, if you've never done so, consider "returning to your house" -- that is, to those who knew you best in your former condition --"and describing to them what great things God has done for you."

As you do, others may see it and dare to believe that He can change them too.

And as you do, you too will be "quite a sight" -- for good -- certainly in the eyes of God, and very likely in the eyes of some others.

More soon, including a video on this subject. Meanwhile, please consider whether someone you know might benefit from this blog, and let them know about it. And, by all means, sign in and give everyone the benefit of your comments.

Stay sharp,

Preston

A Man Fell in a Hole...what now?

MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Series Introduction)

The muscles in my legs were quivering and the joints in my feet were hurting. Several hours of extreme physical exertion had taken their toll. I wasn’t going to be able to go much farther. It was only a matter of time until, despite all the willpower I could muster, my body was going to refuse to be denied some much needed rest, as well as the replenishment of liquids and nutrients. In short, I was going to collapse.

Thankfully, however, the finish line was in sight. The closer I drew to it, the more I realized that something profound was happening: I was completing a marathon!

Actually this was the second time I had covered 26.2 miles on my own two feet – the first took place in San Diego, a few months after our 25 year-old son Nathan died in a rock climbing fall. (I’ve written about that event in "Windows into the Heart of God," published by Harvest House.) My participation in this marathon reprise came to pass when Nathan’s brother Gregory, older by 19 months, wouldn’t let well enough alone and urged me to train with him for the marathon in our hometown. In a moment of weakness I thought, “Why not? If I wake up on race morning and don’t want to run, I’ll just roll over and go back to sleep in the comfort of my own bed.”

Well, when race morning dawned, I had no honorable “out” and, on a chilly December morning, I found myself standing beside Gregory on the starting line of the Charlotte Marathon. As soon as the race began he left me behind. I didn’t see him again until I was nearing the finish line, which he had already crossed considerably earlier.

Gregory, my wife Glenda, and the rest of our family cheered as I crossed it…but then, in those blurry seconds of relief and exhilaration, I noticed that something was wrong: no one from the race greeted me to hang a finisher’s medal around my neck!

In my previous marathon that had happened, and I knew it was supposed to happen in this one because I saw others being “hung.” Somehow, though, as a cluster of us finished at the same time, I got overlooked.

In one way it was a small matter – after all, I knew what had just happened, and those closest to me did as well – but in another way it was a big deal. I didn’t need it for my ego (at least I don’t think I did!). I just wanted a medal around my neck to indicate to the hundreds of people milling around the course that I wasn’t just a spectator – I had striven and, by God’s grace, I had persevered, and now I was celebrating what had happened in my life.

Before I was able to develop a full-on pity party, a race worker noticed me and hurried over to duly bestow my medal upon me. I then limped to the car to reflect on the event. A few weeks later, I began realizing that the idea of being “adorned” as a testimony to something that has happened in one’s life has some profound spiritual implications.

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul wrote to early-church leader Titus these words:

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds " (Titus 2:11-14 NAS).

Immediately before that masterful summation of what God has done for us in Christ and how it is to shape our lives, he told Titus to urge those whose first-century lot in life was that of a slave to conduct themselves in a manner that would "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect" (Titus 2:10).

Another translation renders it: "in every way...make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (NIV).

Still another helpful rendering comes from a contemporary paraphrase and speaks of "adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God" (The Message).

Adorn…make attractive…add luster – according to Paul, that’s what we’re to do for the Gospel. While being saved from our sins is unlike a marathon because there is absolutely nothing we can do to achieve or earn God’s forgiveness, the idea of adorning the Gospel by the quality and content of our lives is very much applicable. In other words, as we walk with Christ, certain results of His gracious work in us will come to characterize us, adding luster and making the Gospel attractive to others.

Certainly the fruit of the Spirit that Paul spells out in Galatians 5:22-23 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – is to be abundant. But in my own experience over many years, and in observing others, I have found that a number of specific “medals” will appear in the lives of individuals who consistently walk with Christ. As they emerge – and shine – they do indeed make the Gospel attractive and beckon others to follow Christ for themselves.

What are these “medals of faith”? Over the next few months, my aim is to focus on them in regular (weekly, unless they're not!) installments. As we begin, though, I hope you’ll resolve now to be a participant and not just a spectator, to go the full distance and not to give up in the strain of the race. Even when it might seem difficult, I assure you it’s worth persevering – for your own sake as well as for others. And ultimately, as our lives bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all of Heaven celebrates with us.

So…are you ready? Good. On your mark…get SET…GO! More next week.

Stay sharp,

Preston