You know what’s worse than listening to than an instrument that’s out of tune? Listening to TWO instruments that are out of tune! Even worse is an orchestra full of them. Although each person is trying to play the same piece of music, it sounds awful. And when you combine everybody together, you get an atrocity!

Now if you were the conductor, what would you do with an orchestra like this? Would you group everybody into pairs, and tell each pair of players to tune their instruments to each other? That wouldn’t work. Each pair would probably settle on a different pitch. What if you just tell everyone to be quiet and stop playing? That’s silly! Then you don’t have any music! You know what they really need? A tuning fork. You, the conductor, must give them a tuning fork.

We Christians are like instruments; the church is the orchestra; and our song is love. When we Christians love one another perfectly, we experience joy, and the world looks and listens in amazement. But guess what!? We’re notorious for being out of tune.

Maybe Erica’s tune is talking about introspective feelings and gushy things. If she gets together with someone who plays the same tune (also likes to talk about those things) then they’ll feel close to each other. They’re “in tune,” and it may feel like love. But it’s not God’s definition of love. And it doesn’t satisfy.

Maybe Jack’s tune is cracking 100 jokes per second and getting pumped on sports. If he gets together with someone who’s also crazy about those things, then they’ll feel close to each other. They’re “in tune,” and it may feel like love. But it’s not God’s definition of love. We will only be fully satisfied when we’re in tune with God the Conductor.

Your tune could be business, or video games, academics, gossip, or American Idol, or Star Wars. Perhaps you know people with these tunes. Their life seems to revolve around these things. But we must tune our instrument to God’s tuning fork…Christ! We watch Him, listen to Him, and imitate Him. The Holy Spirit enables us to do these things.

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. (Jn 13:14-15)

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (1 Jn 3:16)

Jesus shocked the world by playing something so “out of tune” with everyone else. He said, when someone slaps you on one cheek, turn and let them slap you on the other. He said, when someone takes your video game, give them your gaming system as well. Then he went and died for us, to bring us to God. We also are to lay down our lives for one another. That means pouring yourself out for the good of others. Does that sound draining? Well, as we bless others, God promises to bless us in return. “One who waters shall himself be watered,” and:

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will…satisfy your desire (Is. 58:10-11).

Christian, tune yourself to Christ. Close your ears to the bad tunes that are around you: perhaps in your own household, definitely on your TV. Study the person of Christ, observe his ambassadors, and imitate! Christians that are in tune with Christ will be in tune with each other: full of joy, and knit together in love.

A prayer

O Lord, this semester I have not honored you. I have been silent before the enemy, my mouth sealed up. I have not sought your glory. I have nursed sin. I long to be near you, but will not bear the humiliation of going to you outside the camp. As you know, tonight I have done something very difficult. I have written the gospel in a letter to my history professor. At first I wanted to write it. But after I had finished writing, I did not want to send it. I had to send it. But I could not. So I prayed, and prayed. Lord, if I say I would bear scorn and shame and derision for your sake, yet am unwilling to send the power of God in an email, what integrity have I? If I have any claim to the power of the gospel myself, but am unwilling to remove it from its bushel and let it shine, do I have anything at all? You said, shout from the rooftops what you hear in secret! Alas, I cannot even send it in an email.

But I did. If I’ve never done anything else in faith, that was in faith. So now I pray the word you promised through your prophet Isaiah: make your word not return to you empty, but accomplish the purpose for which you sent it. For Your namesake, Lord, make Your Spirit go with my simple words, and convict Professor B—- of sin, and righteousness, and judgment. And give him that inexplicable sense of Your great love and mercy. And cast him on his face in reverence. Save Professor B—-, Lord.

In Christ,
Joshua

A story hymn from old John Newton

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace
Might more of His salvation know
And seek more earnestly His face.

‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray
And He I trust has answered prayer
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry powers of Hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed
Cast out my feelings, laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cried?
Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?
“Tis in this way,” the Lord replied
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”

“These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou may find thy all in me.”

- John Newton, 1779

Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live. (Ez. iixx. 31-32)

Last year, a bright 13 year old girl named Hannah had a happy life. Then she started participating in the ‘emo’ culture. Why did she dye her hair black and start wearing black make-up? Why did she sit alone in her bedroom listening to disturbing music for hours? Why did Hannah give herself the screenname “Living Disaster,” and an avatar of bloodied wrists? Why did she start cutting her wrists? Why did she romanticize the ‘Black Parade?’ Why did Hannah say to her mother one night, “I feel like killing myself?” Why did she write in her diary, “Diary, today I give up.” Why did Hannah hang herself from her bunkbed that night? A school friend wrote in the yearbook, “Hannah- I hope you are enjoying the Black Parade.”

The LORD says to his young daughter Israel, “Why will you die, O house of Israel?” I made you, and I love you. I love you so much that I lay down my life to redeem you! Why do you reject me? Do you think it is pleasure for you to die in your sins? Still with your own sins you dig yourself into hell. Your death will be terrible for you, and I take no pleasure in it. Turn to me and live! See, I spread out my arms to you all day, yet you will not repent.

Unbeliever, the LORD waits to be gracious to you. Though you might not be thinking about suicide, your sins are carrying you straight into the pit of hell. Your burden of guilt betrays the coming judgment. Why would you choose death, when the Lord Jesus offers you his own life? Do not laugh at me. I am pleading with you. Repent, look to the Lord Jesus, and be saved.

If you’re a born again Christian, remember that there is probably a Hannah in your town right now who needs desperately to be born again. O that some loving soul would rejoice her heart with the offer of eternal life! Be on the lookout for her.

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. (Is. xxvi. 4)

Last year, Hurricane Ike buried thousands of acres of oyster reefs in sediment off the coast of Texas. Without these reefs to adhere to, oyster larvae sink to the bottom of the ocean and die. In order to save the oysters, the state dumped more than 18,000 tons of rock into the bay! This gave the oyster larvae a chance to cling to the rock and keep the life cycle going.

Friend, this world is an ocean. You may have great reefs like a nice house, car, lots of money, education, or friends that you cling to. But any reefs you’re clinging to will be buried in the time of trouble. Your nice house and car will mock you when your loved one lies dying on a bed of cancer. And if you have nothing else to cling to you’re going to sink to the bottom and die. But friend, Jesus Christ is a great Rock. He’s been dumped into your ocean, and He stands waiting for you to cling to Him. Before you sink into the black waters of tribulation, take hold of Him. Before you drown in your sins at the judgment, take hold of Jesus Christ. Trust in Him forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. (1 Cor. xv. 25)

When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple and set it up beside the false god Dagon. What a surprise when, in the morning, they found that Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD! So they put Dagon back in his place. But when they rose the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen down again before the ark. This time his head and both his hands were lying cut off! Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.

Friends, if the Lord Jesus has entered into the temple of your heart, He will reign there till he has toppled and broken all your Dagons under His feet. Your nice house, toys, stores of money, education, or friends, the false god of the American Dream: if these rule your heart, they are the LORD’s enemies. And though you set them up again in the morning, He will dash them to pieces till your heart is perfect toward Him. Do not resist the LORD’s ruling in your temple, lest he make a whip of cords to cleanse you! For he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet.

Being purged,
Josh

Take care then how you walk…, making best use of the time. (Eph. v. 15-16)

The Apostle Paul tells us to “redeem” or “buy up” the time. Today I spent some time trying to figure out why time is so precious. Maybe this will be helpful to you too, maybe not:

12 Properties of Time Wherefore it is Precious

1. It is a gift. We did nothing to obtain a share of life and breath. God was in no way obliged to cause your birth; your small allotment of time is a gift from Him.
2. It is at our disposal. Though God as creator ultimately owns both you and your time, he has permitted us a measure of choice in how we use time.
3. It is finite. We have a predetermined amount of time, and when it is all gone we will have no more.
4. It is unknown in length. You do not know if your life may be snuffed out in the next moment, and your time be finished.
5. It is perpetually consumed. The flow of time does not respect its use. Whether you sleep, or labor, or idle, the floor of time’s hallway crumbles away at your heels.
6. It is prey. Both man and devil seek to tax our days with fruitless toil, devouring our precious moments to further their evil designs.
7. It is irreclaimable. You get one shot at every moment.
8. It is immutable. Not one of your deeds done in time can be undone or their effects erased.
9. It is repercussive. What is done in one moment of time bears on every successive moment for better or worse.
10. It determines our temporal happiness. An hour spent in communion with God will gladden the soul as surely as an hour spent estranged from Him will erode it.
11. It determines our eternal residence. Salvation may be obtained only within our alloted window of time.
12. It determines our recompense in eternity. To everyone shall be given according to his works, whether good or bad.

Beware (take heed), then, that you walk (live, deport yourself) carefully (exactly, circumspectly, diligently, perfectly) not as unwise (fools) but as wise, redeeming (ransoming, rescuing from loss, buying up) the time, because the days are evil (hurtful, vicious). Therefore do not be ignorant (unbelieving, unwise), but understand (comprehend, put together mentally) what is the will (determination, desire, pleasure) of the Lord.

(Ephesians 5:15-17)

I am suddenly doubting the wisdom of this piece. It does not smell like the fear of the LORD. It may be a case of Job 38:2. Comments welcome.

‘Tis a senseless costly waste
To dig a mine in a mirey place
To spend long hours in worldly books
Complying with the council of comely crooks
Crooks- say you- why deem them so coarse?
They take a small fortune, place career on a horse
And bedraggle me off the level course

Thy Word is truth and life and light
I yearn to learn it with all my might!
But time is pressed by crooks’ inflation
As I pay to live by their dictation
What is the cost of breaking the tie?
And what is the benefit gained thereby?
The cost is the loss of a paper certificate
Which qualifies me to negotiate
For a few of the livings available on earth
Whose stress with their cost is commensurate

But what is the gain from parting ways?
From self-directing my training days?
The benefit gained is eternal I say
For the best years of mind
Shan’t be spent on benign
Subjects only divine and the useful
Divine I concede is paramount indeed
But useful- say you- what is that?
Why- languages cultures both formal and raw
Bricklaying medicine I’ll learn them all
When the Lord pours his Spirit on me from above
Hands feet and lips shan’t be awkward to love

But looky- say you- here
You’re only a dreamin’
Putting food on the table ain’t as easy as yer seemin’
All dreams are a fancy
Til they’re blighted with hunger
Be practical good man and awake from your slumber
A bachelor’s will secure a steady living- don’t go scheming

Dear friend you may trust that a trade I won’t forego
A livelihood is vital to be living here below
Business skill is found not only in professors’ knowledge
Thus a simply more efficient way to train is out of college
I thank thee for thy council but it comes from only one
Of the many ways to live one’s days beneath the blazing sun
Remember Proverbs says the godly pauper is the better
While the bachelor holder’s clawing deadlines fit him in a fetter
Seeking third the Kingdom drains a life and makes it vapid
Seek ye first His righteousness, these things shall all be added

- Josh Rodatus, October 2009

Running round the dark of night resting fate in hands of sight
With fears of questions silence answered, he’s a-fraid he might be lost
Underneath the stiffened mask his eyes grow weak when Father asks:

Did you thank me for the trees?
Did you thank me for the rain?
Did you thank me for my answers, spoken softly just the same?
Will you thank me for my kingdom, did you thank me for the cross?
Do you trust me now enough to face the cost?
Do you know I’ll always be here when you’re lost?

Drawn beneath the waves of earthly toil and unrest
Life’s unveiling treasure lies in paper food and dress
When once what mattered slips away his hands draw back and Father asks:

Did you thank me for the trees?
Did you thank me for the rain?
Did you thank me for your purpose, though un-earthly just the same?
Will you thank me for my kingdom, did you thank me for the cross?
Do you trust me now enough to face the cost?
Do you know I’ll always be here when you’re lost?

- Josh Rodatus, May 2007

Ever wanted to play a practical joke on a monkey? Find a jar with a mouth just wide enough for his hand to fit through, and put a peanut in it. Then give the jar to the monkey. Oh, we all know what happens. In his frenzy to seize the treat, the monkey reaches into the jar to grasp it. Unfortunately, as long as he clenches the peanut in his fist, he cannot remove his hand from the jar! It won’t fit! The poor monkey is bewildered. He goes about his day with a jar stuck over his hand. He simply sees no way other way to procure the treat.

I am often exactly like that monkey. Things such as winsomeness, friends, respect, and power are mere peanuts in a jar. Try as I might, they simply can’t be taken by force. These things belong to God! None of them can be taken by any human. They can only be given.

Think of the guy with the spiky hair, Nikes, and bulging muscles. He basically lives at the gym. Why? He has completely sold himself to looking attractive for the ladies. But he’ll never be attractive that way. Anyone with a true eye for beauty will find his kind of character disgusting. ALERT!! Monkey is clutching his peanut!!

Think of the woman scrambling for promotions at her job. She wants power. She wants control. Soon she is made a high-level manager in the company. For a little while, she is successful and happy. But very soon she begins to realize that no one wants to listen to her anymore! Her desire for power has made her proud and bossy. And nobody wants to obey a proud bossy person. ALERT!! Monkey is clutching her peanut!!

Attractiveness and power: such things simply can’t be taken. They can only be given by the God who created them. Returning to our poor monkey, it is now evening. The monkey’s eyelids begin to grow heavy; his hand relaxes its grip on the peanut. The jar slips onto the floor. The peanut rolls out and is summarily devoured by a colony of ants. If only our monkey could talk! He might have asked his caretakers for help.

I know that spending my energies to win friends, influence people, merit respect, and acquire power is foolishness. Again and again I have seen these pursuits backfire. When driven by selfishness, they always do! I also believe that the pursuit of God is categorically the most rewarding pursuit known to Man. I believe this with all my heart, and with all my heart do I commend it to you.

Matthew 6:31-33

So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted  pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NET)