by leaps and bounds

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head (Psalm 3:3).

There are plenty of put-downs to go around in the somewhat sarcastic, negative society in which we live. There certainly are numerous people who are eager to put someone else down over a variety of things. Following are just samples:

“You are not intelligent enough.”
“You are not good looking enough.”
“You come from the wrong place and/or the wrong family.” “You simply are not good enough.”

Sadly, we sometimes place God in the same basket with everyone else. Our thinking is that He is ready to put us down- even come down hard on us because of our imperfections. We really need to remember- God is not people.

Of course, we should hold God in the highest of reverence. Humility toward Him is necessary, but it is also rewarded. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” His desire is to lift us up- not put us down.

When people- even the most precious people to us- forsake us, God is there to lift us up. Psalm 27:10 verifies this:

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

God even lifts us above those who dislike us. In other words, He does not side with our enemies. Psalm 18:48 says, “He delivers me from my enemies, You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.”

The bottom line is – we don’t have to live life with our heads down. God is not out to get us. He doesn’t want to put us down. Let us remember the words of Psalm 3:3: “You are the lifter up of my head.”

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:17-24)

We can all cherish some of our earliest memories of our children. These memories keep their childhood alive in our hearts and in our minds- our “children forever.”

I can remember my son following me around the house as fast as his short legs would take him. He is now six feet tall and weighs over two hundred pounds- a strong and intelligent man. I can remember my daughter coming to the kitchen door with dirt on her face and in her blonde hair- after only a couple of minutes spent outside. Now she is a very busy young woman with very little time to spend on recreation.

Remember the skinned knees and the bruises from childhood play? As years go by, the hurts are much deeper. Relationship issues result in broken hearts. Financial issues create uncertainty. Health issues can spawn fear. In other words, childhood “boo-boos” turn into serious adult problems.

Then there is the possibility of our children straying down the wrong path. No matter how tough or how together a father is- this is the greatest wound of all. When we see them fall short of the expectations we had for them we must recall the words of Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Luke 15 gives an account of a son who took his inheritance early and left his father’s house. He then squandered everything he had in a binge of partying and immoral living. However, he finally came to himself and realized how far he had fallen.

Broke, disheartened and starving, he faced reality. He said, “My father’s servants have more than enough. I have sinned against heaven right in front of my father. I am not worthy to be called his son, but I am willing to simply be his servant.”

The young man approached his home. No doubt he was dirty, disheveled, underweight and probably rather smelly. His father saw him afar off. He had no doubt watched for him every day. Before the son could start his rehearsed speech, the father ran, met him and hugged and kissed him. The father had not forgotten him. The father had not given up on him. He just wanted him to come home! Why? The answer is “a father’s love.”

Now and then our children call, text or somehow communicate that all is not well. As fathers, we let them know the door is open and the light is on. They will always have a home to run to.

You see, the father in Luke 15 is a beautiful picture of our Heavenly Father. As his children, we sometimes run off to do our own thing. He doesn’t forget us. He doesn’t give up on us. He just wants us to come home! He will keep the door open and the light on. In the meantime, he will be watching for us to come walking up that dusty road. Why? The answer is “the Father’s love.”

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel (Philippians 1:12).

It would be nice if life was all sunshine and flowers- but it isn’t. There are times when rain falls on our parade. These are the times we ask: “What in the world is going on?” These are the times we ask: “Why is this happening to me?” There are accounts in the Bible that teach us that God always has a “Why?” behind our “What?”

Joseph’s life is a great example. His brothers hated him so much that they sold him into slavery. Later, Joseph was falsely imprisoned. Knowing that God had definitely chosen him, these had to be monumental “whats.” Through a series of events, God’s “why” came into focus. Joseph became the second in command in Egypt, enabling him to spare many people from starvation in the midst of a terrible famine. The people he saved included the brothers who had sold him. Genesis 50:19-20 proves that Joseph had discovered the “why” behind all that he had suffered:

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

Then there is the account of Stephen. Scripture says he was full of faith and power. He was a righteous man who simply preached the gospel. The crowd became so angry with him that they ended his life in a hail of stones. We may ask, “How can a good “why” come out of this horrific incident?” The answer, easily overlooked, is found in the following verse:

And they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58).

This young man, named Saul, was later named Paul. This was the same Paul that wrote, “The things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” Having been converted to Christianity, he became a preacher of the same gospel he had tried to abolish. His compelling goal was to preach the gospel in Rome. Instead, he wound up a prisoner in a cold, filthy, rat- infested Roman prison. This was his “what.” Let’s look at God’s “why.”

During his time in prison, Paul wrote to various churches and individuals. In spreading the gospel through this means, he spread the gospel for centuries to come. Today, his writings are in our Bibles. These writings are: Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy,Titus, Philemon and possibly Hebrews. These books of the Bible are read and preached throughout the world. Only God knows how many men, women, boys and girls have come to know Jesus as Savior because one man’s “why” was to share the gospel with billions- even after his death.

Maybe- like me- you are in the midst of a “what.” Let us take comfort in knowing that God has a “why” for every “what” we go through. In fact, let us be encouraged by the words of our friend, the Apostle Paul:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:35-37)

With all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind… Obviously, this means we are to love God with everything we have- our whole being. Is this a tall order?

At first glance, it is indeed a tall order. After all, we do not see God in a tangible form. It is a rare occasion when He speaks audibly to us. Therefore, we have to believe in His existence. Then we have to understand that loving Him completely is not an instantaneous matter. It is a process. So, how do we love God the way we are told we should?

Wouldn’t you agree that it is much easier to love someone who loves us? It sure helps things along doesn’t it? A good starting place for loving God is simply realizing that He already loves us. I John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Before we were born, He decided to love us. It would seem reasonable to conclude that loving God is not just an emotion- it is a decision we make.

Searching Scripture we find that God cares very much about how we treat others. Actually, we can show our love toward God by loving other people. People are made in the image and likeness of God. We can see them with our own eyes! Notice the words of John:

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him: that he who loves God must love his brother also (I John 4:20-21).

Finally, loving God depends on our desire to be close to Him. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” As we approach God, we fully understand how much He loves us. As we understand how much He loves us, we can’t help but love Him more and more. Loving Him completely becomes less and less of a tall order. In fact, it becomes a delight.

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (I Corinthians 1:10).

In a world full of divisiveness and confusion, people need a place to turn in order to obtain stability in their lives. The church, God’s family, needs to be that place.

As God’s people, we need to be the best we can be. We need to share common faith, common purpose and common effort. This is how we will properly influence the lost in the world.

Did you know that a church is way more than just a building? The church is not ours- it belongs to God. He has established it to be the catalyst to help people find their way into the Kingdom of God.

Who is the head of the church? The following Scriptures tell us God has made Jesus the head of the church:

Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:21-23).

And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).

We need to take the church seriously. Jesus- the head of the church- certainly does. In Mark 11, He drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He told them in no uncertain terms, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” His church is a place of worship- worship to God alone.

Then there is God’s people. We come from all walks of life, but we have our Savior in common. It is a tremendous honor to be God’s people. Notice the words of I Peter 2:9-10:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Before we became God’s people,we were engaged in sinful things that brought shame and condemnation into our lives. Those sinful things are gone! Condemnation is gone according to Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Shame is gone also. Joel 2:26-27 declares that God’s people will never be put to shame.

Finally, there is God’s harmony. Make no mistake- confusion and discord are not of God. Scripture speaks strongly against this type of behavior:

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them (Romans 16:17).

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (I Corinthians 14:33).

God’s desire is that His people operate in unity. When unbelievers- surrounded by divisiveness and confusion- see this they are drawn to what the church has to offer. Again, the proof is in Scripture:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3).

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

As Christians, we must remember- the church is God’s church. We must remember we are God’s people. Then we must take responsibility to serve in harmony. We want people to see that God has so much more to offer them than what they are seeing in the world.

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16)

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high having become so much better than the angels, as He has by an inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they (Hebrews 1:1-4).

God has spoken. In times past, He spoke to the fathers of Israel by the prophets. He spoke to them at sundry times- in many portions of time. He spoke to them in diverse manners- in many ways (varied in method or form).

In these last days, He has chosen to speak to us by His Son. After all God has done, who is Jesus to us?

In John 14:8, Philip asked Jesus to show them God- the Father. Jesus’ answer was, “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me? He who has seen Me has seen the Father: so how can you say, “Show us the Father?” He wanted them to know that all His power and authority came from God. He only said and did what God wanted Him to say and do. This was true because He was the sent Savior of the world. I John 4:14 says this plainly: “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.” He is the sent Savior of the world to us.

It is so important to realize we cannot save ourselves. We have no means of covering our sins or making up for the wrong we have done. John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the One who could atone for our sins. In John 1:29, he declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” To us He is the One who saves us from our sins.

Jeremiah 14:8 says, “O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in the time of trouble, Why should You be like a stranger in the land, And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?” Why should Jesus be a stranger to us- someone we don’t know? To us He is our Savior in all situations.

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.

Now David said, “Is there anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “At your service!” Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar.” Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, “Mephibosheth?” And he answered him, “Here is your servant!” So David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.” (II Samuel 9:1-7)

First, let’s clarify who the characters are in these verses. David was the reigning king. Saul was the former king- who had actually tried to kill David several times. Jonathan was Saul’s son- who had become close friends with David. Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson.

Mephibosheth was crippled because, as a small child, he had been dropped by a servant who was fleeing as David took over the kingdom. The name Mephibosheth actually means “shamed.” He was alone- the last of his family. He could not take care of himself. He was in Lo Debar- a very desolate place. Many of us can relate:

We have been dropped by people who were supposed to care for us.
We have been alone.
We have been in desolate places in life where it seemed things would never get any better.

When Mephibosheth was called to see the King, he probably figured his life was over. What a relief it must have been to find out that the King wanted to help him- not harm him.

Why was David doing this? He was showing the kindness of God for Jonathan- the son’s- sake. He was spared because of Jonathan.

God does the same for us. Jesus gave His life for us. All that God does for us is done because of God’s Son- for His sake.

Saul’s land was restored to Mephibosheth. David said, “You will eat at my table from now on. Pull up a chair.” Just imagine God saying to us: “I am restoring all you have lost for my Son’s sake. I will take care of you from now on- you will never be alone again. By the way- PULL UP A CHAIR!”

Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.

Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children  — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter  — Breanna. 

Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.