You Can't Keep A Good Man Down

You Can’t Keep A Good Man Down

Thank you for having me speak here again tonight. Our pastor and his wife are on vacation so they don’t have to hear what I have to say. I guess they are the lucky ones. No, I think they needed a break. They work very hard in this church and everybody needs to get away once in awhile.

It’s nice to get away, isn’t it? But isn’t it funny that whatever you’re getting away from seems to always be there when you get back.

We had septic tank trouble a few years ago and it happened the night before we were going to go to Florida. We called the septic tank guy and he said he’d have it fixed before we got back. We spent a relaxing week in Florida, went to Disney World and saw a lot of nice things and really had a great time. Then we drove home – something like 15-20 hours and when we pulled in the driveway everybody had to go to the bathroom. Guess what? The septic tank wasn’t fixed. He hadn’t even started on it. So even though we can go away on vacation, there’s always something to return to.

Someday, Praise God, we’ll all take a vacation to Heaven.

I’ve been listening to Southern Gospel music lately and really liking the Hee Haw Gospel Quartet – much to the horror of my children. When I pull up to pick them up from tennis or track practice with “WHEN THEY RING THOSE GOLDEN BELLS” blasting from the truck, they want to run and hide. When I was little, my grandparents used to watch Hee Haw every Saturday night. I remember wishing there was something else on TV to watch. So I guess I can relate to how my children feel. Now, I wish I could have another Saturday night on the couch watching that with them, with a bowl of Jiffy Pop Popcorn and a glass of mamaw’s iced tea.

I’ll take my vacation in Heaven,

What a wonderful time that will be

Hearing concerts by the heavenly chorus,

And the face of my savior I’ll see

Sitting down by the banks of the river,

Neath the shade of the evergreen tree

I will take my vacation forever,

Won’t you take your vacation with me?

Isn’t that great. We’ll all get away from this world and it’s strife and relax in Heaven. But first we have to get there. Just like on vacation, you need a road map and God left some teachers, including His son, to give us a map – we call it The Bible.

Ever been on vacation and took a map? Sure you did because you didn’t want to get lost. Well, if we don’t want to get lost going to DisneyWorld, then why should we take a chance on getting lost on a daily basis going to the store, working in the yard, going to work or raising a family? This map is pretty handy and I think God doesn’t mind when we stop and ask for directions once in awhile. I know my wife wishes I’d stop and ask for directions when we’re traveling.

God has his own unique way about things. He doesn’t drive us to our destination – He gives us a map and shows us the way. However, if we stop off on the way and get distracted by the World’s Largest Ball of String or something, then we delay our arrival or sometimes we don’t get there at all.

Last Sunday morning Brother David spoke about all the great women in the Bible. That’s great to include those women in the Bible on Mother’s Day – a time to reflect back on the importance of women and their role in all of our lives. Where would we be without women?

Tonight I wanted to speak a bit about some of the fellows in the Bible – some of the men. But it’s really a talk about Faith and Trust in God. They all followed a road map and came out successful. Not rich or famous, just blessed by God’s grace.

This message really started the Sunday afternoon David asked if I’d speak tonight. I went home after church and prayed for God to give me words for a message. Instead He gave me a song. I love music and used to listen to music all the time. With a family, about the only chance we have to listen to music is when we’re outside working or in our vehicles going somewhere. Sometimes music is on in the house, but who could here it?

I used to listen to and collect all kinds of music, but after giving my life to the Lord I try to listen to only Gospel and Christian music. There’s a great Christian station, other than WSLM, out of California – KLOVE on 91.5 here in Southern Indiana. The song this message is based on is called, “CAN’T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN.” It’s about Jesus and the fact that He suffered all these trials and troubles that would have killed a normal human being. Even death didn’t stop Him from living. And He continues to live today, more than 2000 years after He walked this Earth. When I heard the song, I knew just what I wanted to talk about.