Articles by Bill Sherrill at Heartlight

Place of Quiet Rest

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV).

Is there a place, which lies within your memory, where you go for refuge? A place where the insults and fears drift away and give residence to feelings of joy and peace?

Bee Rock was such a place for me in my youth, and my mind still goes there in these later years. Just a few miles to the north of my home town, where the Little Red River made its last assault on the foothills of the Ozark Mountain uprise, before spreading lazily into the widening soft soil of the flatlands, there was a bluff of sheer stone overhanging the river. At one time, many years earlier, men had shattered the peace and quiet of the area, blasting with dynamite, to recover the stone for gravel roads. But now, the old gravel plant is long gone and the noise of its thundering blasts and raging rock crusher have given way to the gentle breezes and the peaceful songs of the Mourning Dove and Bobwhite Quail. Just at the south edge of that ragged gouge where men robbed Nature of her treasure, there is a prominence which is untouched, still beautiful and serene. And my heart is often found there, drawing once more the peace and serenity that heals the troubled soul.

Some of my best decisions were made on that outcropping over the Little Red River. Perhaps the most important one of my life among them. I have a friend who was my idol as a boy. He was brighter than most. His mind filled with a thousand wonders and a heart of science. We were both fascinated with guns and often slipped away to the gravel pit to test some new rifle or shell. And we never left without climbing to the point which rose more than one hundred feet over the Little Red River. But I was speaking of important decisions, two rush clearly to my mind. The first changed the character of my speech for life. Sitting there on the point, and I suspect wanting to impress Bill Rushton with my maturity, I included a few good words of profanity in a statement I likely thought profound. There was a silence while he looked straight into my face. Then he replied, "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say!" I was crestfallen, but I never used foul language again.

The second, the one to which I referred as being the most important in my life, came at a time when I struggled desperately to hold some sense of faith in God and His Word. Bill and I sat there in our place, leaning back against the lone tree which had clung to the bare rocks to survive many a storm, and we silently gazed at the beauty of that view. To the north lay the ragged cliffs of the gravel pit. To the northeast the Little Red River flowed with turbulent stream through Echo Dell and became quiet as it slowed in the wider pool which lay below us. With the mountain still rising to our backs in the west and the gentler hills to the east, we sat and thought. A thing we both loved to do to separate ourselves from the turmoil of life away from this wonderful spot. Bill spoke without even looking in my direction. "A man would have to be a fool not to believe in God in a place like this." If his bright mind saw God there, then surely it must be true!

There is a line from an old song that comes to mind:

There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God.
A place where fears cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

For me, Bee Rock must be that place, "near to the heart of God."

Bill is a long time minister in Nacogdoches, Texas who loves world missions. His passion for ministry has led him all over the world. In addition to his work as a minister, he is also a licensed professional counselor. Bill's family is also involved in ministry and service to the world and community.

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

The Lord's Prayer

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

When someone speaks of the "Lord's Prayer," our minds immediately turn to "Our Father who is in heaven." It is a beautiful and deeply meaningful prayer. However, it actually should be called the "Disciple's Prayer." It was in response to their request, "Lord, teach us to pray," that Jesus gave them that form of petition.

The Lord prayed many prayers. These prayers were also beautiful and deeply meaningful. They let us see into the heart of the Savior. Of all the prayers he prayed, however, none was, and is, more important than the one he prayed on the night of his betrayal. Three times he repeats the significant phrase, "that they may be one" (John 17:11; John 17:22; and John 17:23).

Among the ancients, a repetition of three added significant impact to the communicator's point. This practice was an indication of the communicator's desire to reinforce the importance of his point -- the repetition of "Holy, Holy, Holy ..." referring to God is one memorable example (Isaiah 6:3). This petition was very important to the Master, and must also be important to us.

Mortals have established a number of systems to bring about oneness. Early in church history, the responsibility passed to elders, bishops and finally popes; but unity on expression from a dominant head did not produce unity of life in the followers. Through the various reformation attempts, systems of interpretation of Scriptures were developed to assure unity of belief; but these, being man-made, generally failed. Somehow, it was believed, agreement on interpretation of the Scriptures would produce unity in the followers. It sounded rational, but rational and realistic are only similar in the fact that they both begin with the letter "r."

To be one is an attitude! It will never be achieved by total agreement on all points of the Word. This is not because such agreement is bad. Agreement is one of our aims in searching the Scriptures, but total agreement seems to lie outside our grasp. While many divisions have resulted in differences over the meaning or application of Scripture, the root of disunity is found in the hearts of human beings, not in their ignorance. I certainly do not wish to take anything away from the need to continue our efforts to understand the Word alike, but listen to the focus the apostle Paul uses when he calls the believers in Philippi to unity:
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose (Philippians 2:1-2 NASB).

Nothing is said here about doctrine, as important as that is, but Paul addresses the attitudes of love and compassion as the bedrock of unity. That has not changed. Two thousand years have passed since Jesus prayed on the night of his betrayal, and all the systems of human creation have failed. Only a deep love for God and His children will ever answer that plaintive prayer of our Lord and produce the effect, "[T]hat the world may believe that You have sent me" (John 17:21).

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

But Do You Trust Him?

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

So much is written in the Scriptures concerning faith. It was Abraham's faith that led him to the land of promise and allowed him to be called "the father of the faithful." He, along with many others, is given as an example of faith in the Hebrew letter. It is there that the statement is written, "And without faith, it is impossible to please God ..." (Hebrews 11:6 NRS). The explanation is given, "for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Jesus is quoted again and again as saying "If you have faith ..." or "unless your faith ..." In the most important reference of all, we are told, "He who believes [has faith] and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16 NKJV).

What is the source of this faith?

The Scriptures claim, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17 NKJV). My concern is whether or not each of us has the faith written about in the Word. I am not thinking of whether or not we believe in God, but rather, whether or not we believe God. There is a significant difference.

James writes, "The demons believe -- and tremble" (James 2:19 NKJV). In other words, one can believe in the existence of God without giving any respect to what He says. Even those who profess to be Christians can do that as well, can't we?

To believe God is to accept His nature and the truth of what He tells us. The world is filled with those who do not believe that there is a god, or at least don't believe that Yahweh is the one true God. That is a tragedy in its own right, but the greater tragedy is that many who do accept God and profess belief in His Word, fail to show evidence of that belief (Matthew 7:21-29).

Perhaps my point will be clearer if I use the phrase "trust completely" for the idea of faith. To "trust completely" is more than mental assent. It is to respond to that assent with actions that show the trust. In a time when one of the greatest maladies seen in individuals is anxiety, it is obvious that many have not laid hold of the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5 through 7) when the Lord said, "Be not anxious about anything." His explanation of God's care for the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air falls on ears deafened by the cares of the world. Or again when he said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."

Do you live with the evidences of a life of trust? It is often difficult, but always absolutely necessary. The struggle is real, but the promise is greater. We, like the man who was told his son would be healed if he would only believe, may often cry out "I believe, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24); but at least we are struggling in the right direction.

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

The God of Power

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Most folks, including Christians, have little concept of the power which is available to those who follow the LORD. In fact, much of the so-called Christian world spends much of its energy trying to remove the miraculous vestiges from the Bible and replace them with "natural phenomena." They say creation was just a way of explaining evolution to ignorant and superstitious people. The story of Noah was the result of a local flood. The Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River during the dry season. On and on we could go. We may spend considerable time arguing with the "unbeliever" about these and other events, but our real problem is that too many Christians, too many of us, while defending the theories of God's power, do not really accept it in our own lives today.

Many professing to be followers of Jesus today, actually grew up loving the great stories of God's power in the Bible account, but cannot bring that power into the 21st Century. While thrilling at the accounts of faith recorded of the faithful in Scripture, they stumble at the thought of God supporting men of faith today with power and might. What a tragic loss!

This "past power" kind of faith in God is a little reminiscent of Paul's confrontation of the Galatians: "Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:3 NLT). I wonder if after seeking to know God because of His great creative and sustaining power proclaimed in the Bible, how many today are now trying to "attain (their) goal by human effort."

Review the great stories of God's mighty works. Study the faith-filled souls recorded in the "Faith Hall of Fame" (Hebrews 11). Reflect on the promise of God's Son as he says, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 TNIV). Spend time in prayer considering this truth, "So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith" (Hebrews 11:6 NLT).

With Joshua of old we hear the plea, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15 NASB). Joshua's people were torn between the gods of the very people who had fallen before the might of the "living and true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB) and the God of Power. People today are not all that different. They can serve a powerless god of human wisdom and logic, or they can serve the "One True and Living God" of power and mystery. However, they cannot serve both! Neither can we!

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV).

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Don't Let Go!

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

I find it sad that in a time when so many are full of joy, the pain of the lonely is increased. In more than fifty years of seeking to comfort the wounded, I have become acutely aware of the increase in depression and grief during the holidays. There is just something about seeing others enjoying themselves that makes those in depression feel even worse.

The situation reminds me of a sleigh full of Christmas carolers passing a funeral procession. Neither group can feel what the other is feeling, but out of respect the carolers are silent as they pass by and the grieving long for the joy of the carolers. There is nothing wrong with the respectful attitude of the carolers, but as they continue on, must they now sing dirges rather than carols? To lose the sweet songs of the season only deepens the sorrow, prolongs the grief, and deepens the darkness of those depressed.

Over and over, I have watched this darkness bring down the joy of those who are near to it -- only making those trapped in the darkness feel worse. Our joy may not be shared by another, but is it necessary to forgo the joy welling up within our hearts because someone else does not feel it? Can we not have our joy without feeling guilty that others do not feel the same? The command to "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15) opens the path for sharing in varied feelings without adopting them as extended patterns of our own lives.

Should we be sensitive to the sorrowful? Of course!

Should we encourage and love those who are downcast and despondent? Absolutely!

On the other hand ...

Should we let go of our friends who are struggling with their own brand of despair? Absolutely not!

Should we let go of our joy in Jesus, family, and the season? Absolutely not!

Oh if everyone could find comfort and joy as one who is covered by the "shadow of the Almighty." No one had more reason to be dragged down than the Sweet Singer of Songs, King David, yet he constantly found his way out of the pit (Psalms 40:2) and into the joy of the LORD. He knew the secret: it was in his relationship of trust in the loving kindness of his precious Father. Listen to these deep truths found in the 91st Psalm.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD,
"My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!"
For it is He who delivers you ... (Psalm 91:1-3).

David adds to this the verse which has comforted me in my darkest nights.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5).

Oh that everyone could find the comfort of which David speaks! This love is there for you in the loving presence of our gracious LORD.

To the joyous, you are called to be sensitive to those who cannot find their joy, but you are not called to surrender your joy. It was given to you by the Son, who "was anointed with the oil of gladness above that of his fellows" (Hebrews 1:9). He entered our world as one of us and he paid a great price to bring us this precious gift. Don't let go of the struggling during this time, but at the same time, don't let go of your joy, either.

Don't let go!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Give Thee or Give Me

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Well here we are, trapped between the "Thank You" and the "Give Me" seasons. Somehow it seems that Thanksgiving should follow Christmas. That way, after everyone finished getting their Christmas gifts, they could spend a little time giving thanks.

Jesus taught, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), but it is difficult to find many who agree with him. I am reminded of Lucy in the "Peanuts" cartoon. She invariably had a "get list" made up each Christmas. Of course, Lucy represented the perennial selfish child in the cartoon, but humor is seldom funny unless it is close to recognized fact. The world is full of Lucys. It is just that most of them are a little less obvious with their "get lists."

Jesus said, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good" (Luke 6:45 RSV). We might hope that the season of thoughtful thanksgiving we have just finished might lead us to overflow with gratitude and produce an outpouring of true gift giving.

Several years ago, a man who was obviously upset said; "Give, give, give! That is all I ever hear from the church!"

The man to whom he spoke quietly answered, "You pretty well summed up the central theme of Christianity."

This theme may be best caught from John's gospel and one of the Bible's favorite verses. "For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only Son ..." (John 3:16, emphasis added). When the hymn writer, Augustus M. Toplady, penned "Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling," he certainly was not referring to a selfishly clutched hand. But, many today could sing that song with gusto if only they could eliminate "the cross" from the phrase.

If there is to be a spirit to this season of the year, let it be the spirit of selfless giving. Learn the true lesson of Thanksgiving by giving liberally out of thankfulness!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Why Pray When You Can Worry?

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500

We are such a worrying people! Some of us certainly more than others. I can remember so clearly how my mother seemed to have perfected the art. I would receive a letter while away at school warning me to stay away from the water for a time because she had a bad dream. Of course it was a little difficult for me to oblige since one of my jobs was to care for the college pool as well as act as a water safety instructor. Mother was a good God-fearing woman, but she had a little trouble with "be not anxious."

Mother was not in a class by herself. Many today continue to find it difficult to trust the future to God. Perhaps some of that is from lack of faith, but I believe that some stems from misunderstanding the promises.

So often today we hear some preacher or teacher promising wonderful things if one can only trust God. When others try trust based on earthly rewards, they are often disappointed and sometimes lose their faith in God's control of their future. To trust in God is not a panacea for all life's troubles. Troubles may well be our lot -- remember our hero was hung on a cross and many of his earliest followers lost property, were thrown in jail, or gave their lives for Jesus' cause. Trust allows one to find peace in the midst of troubles and hope on the darkest nights.

In "Wringing Our Hands or Resting Our Hearts?" Mary Lou Redding describes her tendency to worry to a friend. Her friend replied back with the gentle tease, "Well of course! Why pray when you can worry?" Mary Lou said that caused her to reflect on what worrying says about how she approaches her daily situations in life. Her words cause me to reflect as well.

We are called to "peace which passes understanding." That means that we do not find that peace because of logic or circumstances. Our peace is the hope we hold. And that hope comes from trusting the good and loving nature of the God who is always in control.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13 TNIV).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Spring!

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

It's happening again! Spring is calling my mind to the resurrection! I do not want to start a discussion with those who might prefer a different climate, but I love four seasons. There are few things which excite me more than the first daffodils breaking the soil and bursting forth with their lovely blooms. They signal the end of the depression of winter.

Oh I don't mean depression in the psychological sense; although for some, the darkness and somberness of winter can produce depression. What I am thinking of is the depression of the symbols of life that winter suppresses. It is the loss of flowers, leaves and green grass that I miss so much. But spring - now there is not only the return of all these beauties, there is, at least for me, the reminder of that great Springtime of God, the resurrection to eternal life. A time when the heat of summer and the dread of winter vanish into the joy of everlasting life!

This reminder is what really fuels my joy this season of the year. The life of a minister is sometimes overwhelmed with death and the accompanying sorrow that follows. For many years, I have made it a habit to always stop by the nursery in the hospitals just to remind myself that there are two sides to the events of each day. If one is constantly faced with death, he really needs to be confronted with life to keep things in balance. It is not that death is a fearful thing. It is just that, with the sadness of separation, we tend to lose focus on the life which bursts forth each day.

East Texas is in full resurrection today. The pattern continues. First the daffodils, then the tulip trees with their gorgeous blooms, along with the beginnings of the "white bloom" trees and the redbuds. Now along with everything else, the azaleas are bursting out with radiant bloom. Yet, with beauty at every turn, there is nothing here to compare to what lies before the child of God on that Great Day.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets." (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NLT)

Although the beauty of spring never fails to excite me, there is deep within me, and you as well I suspect, a desire that far exceeds the longing for springtime. King David said it best.

One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord .... (Psalm 27:4 NRS)

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Invitations

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Invitations tend to come and go. How many have said to someone, "You are welcome to our house anytime," only to regret the statement later when the "anytime" appears to be becoming "all the time?" Or perhaps that most often used, "Let me know if there is anything I can ever do for you."

I am sure you, like me, have heard, "That invitation is open ended, take me up on it anytime." All of these were offered in good faith, but presuppose a reasonable limit to the level of acceptance. Remember that beautiful invitation, which for more than a century characterized America, written by Emma Lazarus and found at the Statue of Liberty, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," (Emma Lazarus, 1883). While it was the inspiration of millions of people over years, it has pretty well been used up.

We begin to find excuses for not complying with our invitations. A recognized number on our caller ID will provoke an instant need to be busy at something that will not allow us to fulfill that too often request for our help. We may turn another way in the shopping aisle to avoid meeting some one who has become too needy of our services. Those of us who are Americans find ourselves nationally, having rejoiced at the destruction of a wall to keep people from escaping the hardships of Communist countries in Europe, now building a wall to prevent escape into our own country. Invitations, no matter how well meaning, have their limitations.

There is one, however, that has no such limit. It was offered about two thousand years ago and is still very much open to acceptance. This invitation was offered at great cost and has been maintained over the years in spite of considerable attempts at misuse. It was an invitation of such great worth that no other has ever compared to it. It was spoken by one who knew how much it would cost to provide, but was willing to extend it indefinitely. It came from the heart of God Himself and was offered to the frailest and most pitiful of creatures.

This invitation is as beautiful today as it was when first spoken. Unlike the beautiful invitation of 1883 for the tired, poor and huddled masses, it could never be rescinded by regret, greed or saturation. Jesus' words were not inscribed on a brass plate on some great statue; rather, His words are eternally inscribed on the portal to eternity. "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). It crosses all boundaries, bridges all chasms, and extends to all peoples.

China could not save her frontier by her Great Wall, Communist Europe could not contain freedom by its Berlin Wall and it is unlikely that the U. S. will stop the flow of illegal immigrants by its wall. However, one thing is very clear: nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God. His invitation is open ended and ours for the taking. He continues to invite us today, "Come to Me ... and I will give you rest."

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Seasons

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0600

Seasons! I have visited, but never lived, in a place where there is only one season. I do not think I would really like that very much. It is nice, if you live in a climate where the winters are desperately cold, to dream of perpetual warmth. Or, if most of your season faces blistering heat, it is nice to think of cool breezes. Still, I would miss the wonder of four seasons. I can't help but believe that God gave the best of creation to those who enjoy all four of the created seasons.

I have a hard time trying to choose which one is my favorite season. In the winter, I look forward toward the spring. In the heat of summer, I wait for the fall. One might think I could limit my favorites to spring and fall, but that is not really true. I love the winter in the mountains when the leaves are gone and the rocks and crags stand out in clear relief. There is something majestic that does not show itself when the green leaves cover the view. And summer, when would you swim or spend a day at the beach without summer? God made them all and I love them!

Seems to me that God may have also placed seasons in our lives to remind us of life itself. Spring is the season of beginnings. Summer is the time for growth. Fall is the time of radiant beauty with a hint of coming winter. Winter is waiting for the resurrection that the warmth of spring brings.

It sounds biblical, does it not? I find it helpful to think in these terms. At no time is it more comforting than when I stand in grief beside a loved one's grave. Like the barren trees of winter, there is no sign of that which I viewed in the radiance of life, but there is the faith that, as certainly as the trees will leaf out and flowers will bloom in spring, this one whom I love and miss will find new life in the blazing glory of God's greatest spring, the resurrection!

Solomon wrote, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). And again, "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart ...." (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I like to think the seasons are just this way. Especially the part where He "set eternity in their heart." I love the blaze of colors in our East Texas fall and I grieve the loss when the last leaf has left the tree. But ... I also know that though the winter is upon us, spring is coming and the bitter chill and the barren land -- and lives -- will soon be filled with warmth, growth, and joy.!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week