2 Tim. 1:5
I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois. (NLT)

The other night, at about ten o’clock, my wife Darlene and I sat on our screened-in back patio, sipping diet cokes and chatting. We did so for a long time. It’s a strange thing, but we grew up about fifty miles apart (she in South Dakota and I in Iowa), and yet we never met. Neither knew the other even existed. Her father was a pastor, and mine was a barber. It would seem that the two of us didn’t have much in common in our growing-up days. Yet, over the years, we have realized the enormous bond we enjoyed, and it was Christ’s Church.

We both grew up in Sunday Schools. We never failed to attend. We both loved summer Vacation Bible Schools. Both of us knew the Bible very well by the time we were in junior high school. We had both gone to lengthy revival meetings in our respective churches, some of them lasting months, and we were there each night. No, not always willingly. We had both heard the finest evangelists our fellowship could provide. We both attended summer Bible camps and loved them. We each had great pastors; Darlene had her father C.T. Beem, and I had Pastor A. M. Alber. Over the past half century or longer, those spiritual foundations have provided the footing we needed in ministry and in raising our own four kids. We would have doubtless failed in our life without them.

But what about today’s generation? Many churches don’t have Sunday schools any longer. Many don’t have protracted revival efforts. Some churches don’t even have altars. How can any building, and I speak of society here, stand very long without solid foundations? Think about it. Where can the Bible knowledge, the church loyalty, the basics of Christian discipleship originate if churches continue to shrug off their responsibilities? Oh, my friend, let’s consider once again foundational Christianity!

Prayer: O God, this devotional makes me consider my own tie to the church. Let me see my “discipleship” as You see it. Am I faithful? Or faithless? Is Your Word, the Bible, the lamp of my life? Am I bringing up my progeny in the faith of our fathers? Convict me in this matter, O God, and don’t let me fail! Amen.

Romans 13:3
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

It is a story that somehow never grows old to us Americans. On the morning of February 12, 1809, Tom came out of his cabin to the road where he stopped a neighbor. He asked, “Please tell that granny woman that my Nancy will need her help now.” The “granny woman,” the midwife, arrived and before long Tom and Nancy Lincoln welcomed into the world (in the words of Carl Sandburg) “of battle and blood, of whispering dreams and wistful dust a new child, a boy.” Someone asked old Tom what he was going to name his son. “Abraham,” was the answer, “after his grandfather.”

Over 100 years later, Congressman Homer Hock of Kansas stood in the House of Representatives to say, “There is no new thing to be said about Lincoln. There is no new thing to be said of the mountains, or of the sea, or of the stars. The years go their way, but the same old mountains lift their granite shoulders above the drifting clouds; the same mysterious sea beats upon the shore; the same silent stars keep holy vigil above a tired world. But to the mountains and sea and stars men turn forever in unwearied homage. And thus with Lincoln. For he was a mountain in grandeur of the soul, he was a sea in deep under voice of mystic loneliness; he was a star in steadfast purity of purpose and serve. And he abides.”

The legend of Abraham Lincoln continues to loom before us today as each year we celebrate the birth of this man whom many consider the greatest president of them all. If he was not the greatest, then certainly he was one of the true high-water mark leaders of our history. We must always cover our leaders in intercessory prayer, whether we are subscribers of their political party or not. Anyone can criticize or poke fun; it takes quite another person to under gird our leaders before the throne of God. And it requires a “giant” to fill the shoes of Lincoln.

Prayer: O God, America is in turmoil at home and around the world. We pray for those currently in authority over us and ask that You somehow lift them to the status of true “states-persons” of dignity, effectiveness and godliness. At this stage of our American history, we can afford no less standard than this. Amen.

James 4:14
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

A college student came to my study recently to talk to me about a dilemma she faced. In her speech class, she was required to give a six-minute informational talk. Her chosen subject was Jesus Christ. However, she was warned that she could not use the Bible or any church literature for support nor give any kind of evangelical nuance. Her question was, “How do I give such a speech?” I told her that I would give my proverbial right arm to substitute for her in that class.

I recalled that years earlier I received a call from the superintendent of the largest public school in a certain state. He said, “Mr. Betzer, we would like to have you give the commencement speech at this year’s graduation. Last year, our speaker was Bob Hope. There will be nearly nine thousand people in attendance. But you cannot mention God, Jesus, church or the Bible.” I told him I would be delighted to come. I fervently asked God for guidance on what to say. My opening line to the speech was this: “Two thousand years ago, a very smart man asked a startling question: ‘What is your life?’” I kept my word to the school official and yet was able to talk about biblical values.

There is a wealth of historical, sociological, geographical and other data in libraries and bookstores that gives a treasury on the life and times of Christ. My goodness, the birth of Jesus Christ split the ages! That’s why we use the terms “before Christ” and “after Christ” in citing dates. Jesus and His disciples transformed the world! The “politically correct” idea to deny the life of Jesus and His impact on society shows a determination to be an intellectual know-nothing. I could talk about Jesus all day and never be required to refer to scripture. Boy, I just wish I could have given the speech for that college gal the other day!

Prayer: O God, may I never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ or deny its power to change lives. But I also ask You to make me a better student of Your Word and humanity at large so I can be a better witness for you. Amen.

Matthew 27:31
And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

In the past, I have led several dozen tours to Israel. Quite often on the first night in Jerusalem, after I know my guests have been fed and are sound asleep, I slip away from the hotel and walk about a half hour to the hill called Calvary. It’s located on the north side of the old city of Jerusalem. There, several hundred yards away from the famed Damascus Gate, stands a diesel-smelly bus station. During the daytime, it’s both crowded and noisy. But at night, bathed in moonlight, it’s not so bad. Just behind the bus station stands a rocky crag. Clearly etched against the facade is a skull. Golgatha! It is at the foot of this rock, I believe, that Jesus was crucified. I stand there alone, sometimes for a long time, just contemplating the enormity of the price paid for my salvation.

The Romans were experts at crucifixion. One April day, A.D. 30, three men emerged from the Antonia Prison, flanked by the death squads. Three cross-pieces had been requisitioned from the supply room. The actual uprights were always left standing at the place of execution and were used frequently. Each of the three victims had his wrists bound about six inches apart, allowing his hands to curl over the timber on his shoulders. Only one of them, Jesus of Nazareth, had been beaten prior to the cruel march. His body had been bent over a whipping post in the courtyard of the fortress. The soldier who had beaten Him had used a flagellum, a whip made of strips of leather with bits of bone and chain fastened to them. Every time the whip crashed against Jesus’ body, skin and flesh were torn away. Now, at Calvary, the banging of mallet against nail could be heard. Jesus’ cross stood at the edge of the roadway where passers-by could revile Him and spit upon Him. But, as my friend Tony Campolo has preached so often, “That was Friday….Sunday was comin’!” Lest I forget God’s love for me, I visit Calvary as often as possible. And I stand there – and just remember.

Prayer: O God, what infinite love You have shown to us in the giving of your only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would never die but have eternal life. Thank you! Let my life show my gratitude today. Amen.

Ephes. 4:11 12
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

God has blessed me so much by allowing me to be a pastor for thirty-three years. I am still learning the impact of the Ephesians 4:11-12 passage. Along the way God has sent some outstanding mentors to help me learn the “ropes.”

One of the greatest pastors I ever knew was Wayne B. Smith, founder and senior pastor of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. His congregation numbered in the thousands on Sundays, and, in addition, his church had mothered a number of other congregations in the city and area. Smith retired some years ago and his church has continued to expand in every area. The most amazing thing to me about this pastor was that he knew everybody’s name. I often watched him in the church lobby, greeting people as they left the building, calling them by name – and never missing! He was a relational-type guy and spent most of his time visiting his people. But I have known other pastors, equally successful, who spent most of their time in the study.

There is no “one right way” to pastor a church, except the way God lays on each minister’s heart. But all the winning pastors I have encountered have had a couple of things in common: passion for the lost and a love for their people. I have kidded my staff that one day I am going to write a book called Pastoring for Dummies. It will have only three pages and one sentence on each page. Page 1: Love your people. Page 2: Feed your people (from God’s Word). And page 3: Don’t do anything stupid. It’s pretty hard for any flock to love a shepherd who is uncaring, reckless, foolhardy and selfish. Thankfully, most pastors are truly gifts of God to the church. The Bible says so.

Prayer: O God, I uphold all pastors in prayer. I know many of the challenges they face. Give them direction and encouragement this day. May they see the fruit of their labor. And may they continue to grow in grace and godly power. Amen.