When Treed By The Lion (Kent Heaton)

In his book "Standing Tall" Steve Farrar made the following observation: "I like the perspective characterized by a good ol' boy from the back-woods by the name of Jeb. Wolves were picking off the livestock of ranchers at an alarming rate, so the state offered a bounty of $5,000 for every wolf killed. Jeb and his friend, Ernie, decided to go into the wolf hunting business."

"They had been out hunting wolves all day and into the night, and made camp way up in the mountains near a beautiful little stream. About four o'clock in the morning, Jeb woke up to see their camp surrounded by thirty or forty wolves. In the light of the dying campfire, he could see the blood-lust in their eyes, and the white of their exposed, razor-sharp teeth. He could also see that they were about ready to spring. 'Hey, Ernie,' he whispered. 'Wake up! We're rich!' Now that's a man with a positive attitude."

A positive attitude is a very important part of the Christian's life. The life of the Christian is filled with many challenges, trials and temptations. Darkness comes over our lives many times and if we are not in the proper frame of mind, we can be overcome by them. Storms will arise that try to blow us off our course to heaven. The devil, that lion that Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 5:8, is seeking to devour us with doubt and pessimism. If he can succeed in keeping our eyes off the goal of heaven, he will succeed in keeping us from heaven itself.

The way of the disciple of Christ is not an easy journey. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13,14 - "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and DIFFICULT is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Satan would have us focus upon the difficult nature of our lives and fail to realize the true blessing of being in God's family.

If the outlook is dark, the uplook is always bright. We must always know that God is there for us and will help us to overcome the storms of life. Someone said that when the storms of life come upon us, God stills the storm. There are times though that God lets the storm rage and stills the child. In all of these times, God is there, ever present and ever near.

Our outlook must always be toward God. When Christ was in the garden with the shadow of the cross laying heavy upon him, He looked to His Father for His strength and courage to finish God's will. He looked beyond the momentary suffering of the cruel tree to the glorious resurrection "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) He did not dwell on the shadow of the cross but rather the sunshine of the resurrection. Peter shows Christ as our example (1 Peter 2:18-25) and that we should follow in His footsteps.

How do we view the storms of life? We can complain about the storm and let the heavy clouds of doubt weigh us down or we can adjust the sail and move on - knowing that the gray skies are just clouds passing over. J. Sidlow Baster said, "What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it! Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity."

This reminds me of the story of the ant who was burdened down with a heavy piece of straw. To complicate his task, he came upon a huge crack in the sidewalk that made his journey impossible. His problem remained unsolved until he turned the burden into a bridge - he laid the piece of straw across the crack and walked over. We must face our troubles and use them to help us get beyond them.

This is fortified by what God assures us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Our view of the situation will greatly determine the outcome. God has promised to help us and deliver us. The Israelites looked at Goliath and cowered in fear because of his huge size. David looked at the same giant and said, "He is so big, how can I miss?" We need to view our "Goliath's" with the same faith of David. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Read Romans 8:31-39. In the midst of all the darkness that may come upon us, it is then we can clearly see the stars.

Facing the challenges of life with the courage and strength of Christ is how we will conquer Satan. And conquer Satan we will do if we believe in the promises of God. James 4:7 tells us, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will FLEE from you." We have the power to make Satan flee from us if we but face those doubts and fears and keep our minds on things above. Satan seeks to take our minds away from God and focus them upon the troubles of this world.

If we look long enough and hard enough at our troubles, all we will see and know is troubles and heartache. Yes, these trouble's tempt us and try us but through it all we find hope. Romans 5:3-5 says, "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

The bright side of things is seen in the cheerful frame of mind that enables a tea kettle to sing though in hot water up to its nose. The saints of old bear witness to the hope that lived within them and the longing for a new world. They looked beyond the shadows of this world and looked for the glory that is too be found in Christ. The uplook is always bright!

Walter Winchell said, "An optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery." Grow wherever you are planted. The clouds of doubt and despair will only seek to destroy our lives. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) True peace and comfort can only be found in the body of Christ.

The Green Wood (Kent E. Heaton Sr.)

As Jesus was being led away to be crucified, "a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never nursed!' Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, Fall on us! And to the hills, Cover us!' For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:27-31)

In the final hours of His life, Jesus offers a proverbial pronouncement upon the sadness of the world around Him. Mankind was about to kill the Son of God - to murder an innocent victim of jealously, greed and lust of power. The creature was killing the Creator; the servant was destroying the Master. How tragic and how sad for the world when based upon the whims of jealous men, an innocent man was put to death.

The Roman government (as represented by Herod and Pilate) had found no fault in Jesus (Luke 23:14,15). Pilate suggested that he would beat the poor man and release him. The people cried more, "Crucify Him, crucify Him." Luke 23:22 records the final plea of Pilate: "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go." The Jewish crowd would have no such thing - they demanded the death of the man of Nazareth ... and they led Him away to the place called Calvary.

Jesus reflection, "If they do these things in the green wood (tree - KJV), what will be done in the dry?" ask the question of what the Jews think the Romans will do when the wrath of the Roman power is turned against them. There will come a day when they will wish they had never been born nor their children. The wrath of the Roman army will come down upon them in a most horrible manner. While the scene of death at the cross of Jesus was tragic, how sad when Jesus knows of the events that will unfold for the Jewish nation not many years away.

Matthew 24 tells of the horrible nature of the coming destruction upon Jerusalem. In the short space of forty years all this would come about. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman armies, under the command of Titus in A. D. 70. Josephus (a Jewish historian) recounts the bloody massacre when the city was taken: "And now, rushing into the city, they slew whomsoever they found, without distinction, and burned the houses and all the people who had fled into them; and when they entered for the sake of plunder, they found whole families of dead persons, and houses full of carcasses destroyed by famine, then they came out with their hands empty. And though they thus pitied the dead, they had not the same emotion for the living, but killed all they met, whereby they filled the lanes with dead bodies. The whole city ran with blood, insomuch that many things which were burning were extinguished by the blood." [Jewish Wars, b.vi.ch8; ch9]

While the Jewish leaders led their captive away to death with rejoicing at their greed and jealousy, the very government allowing them to do so would turn and rend them in a great destruction. Jesus is the only answer we have in our lives. Psalm 118:8 says, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Amen.