Bighorn Surprise
Matt Miles • April 23, 2021
On a recent trip to the great state of Montana, we experienced the Lord working in people’s lives. In the midst of being blessed by great hospitality and open arms from our brothers and sisters in Christ, Bob and I were far from home to accomplish a task. The Lord used us to reinforce faith in Him and His Word in mighty ways. We saw strongholds, from big to small, of evolutionary worldviews broken down and filled with the Truth instead. The freeing was visible on many faces, with a renewed excitement for the Lord’s Word and study.
While in Montana we also had the opportunity to observe wildlife we don’t experience often here in Oklahoma. For Bob, a bighorn sheep was on the list. So, one afternoon we were shown a herd of these majestic sheep - not on the side of a mountain, not on a mighty cliff face, not at high altitude after a strenuous hike… but in the chain-link fenced backyard of a subdivision house. Not exactly where we expected to see them, to say the least. Evidently, this is a common occurrence during this time of year as they forage the greening grass and flowering plants in yards. This was not the most impactful site for me that afternoon, though.
As the herd peacefully grazed in this nice suburban backyard, they didn’t seem to notice or care about us on the street. Traffic came and went, slowing to observe this seemingly odd site. The sheep didn’t even seem to be concerned by the home owner working around the front yard and vehicles. Then, in a flash, the herd’s posture changed to alarm. We observed all their bighorn-adorned heads pop up and clearly observe an impending threat. In almost one fluid motion they began to move away from the house and flew over the fence. To my shock, a small white dog came running around the house, obviously upset by the sheep in its yard. (Take another look at the picture) This dog was barely taller than their ankles and could be silenced by a couple of swift kicks of a hoof, or better yet, a nice thump of a head and horn from these mighty animals. Yet, this small, high-stung vocal attacker fooled the sheep into fear and intimidation. I could only watch in total shock as the sheep didn’t stand their ground and fight but instead gave up their “green pasture” to this unworthy adversary.
O, what a truth was expressed that afternoon for each of us. During these days our adversary, Satan, is putting up a lot of bluster and intimidation. Like those sheep, many times we let that cause fear and we run from what the Lord has blessed us with. We are fooled into thinking that he (Satan) actually has more power than he does, maybe even mightier than the One who lives within us. I was reminded of 1 Peter 5:8-11 where we are reminded that in the face of suffering we are to stand firm knowing we are not alone. In the face of increasing persecution from the evil one and his minions, I urge you to stand firm. Continue LOOKING UP to the One who gives us strength and freedom from all adversaries!
Moses & History (part 3)
Over the course of time a person can accumulate many things. Most of the stuff we collect is meaningless to most everyone else, but when a person collects books, they can be treasured for a lifetime and even beyond. In this age of digital media, physical books seem to be less important to many people. Digital books are searchable, and copy/paste functions make it easy to use those great quotes. Yet, there is still something great about a physical book, things you can’t get digitally: the turning of pages, the feel of it in your hand, and the “book” smell. For our founder Dr. Sharp, physical books could never be replaced by digital. While my collection of books is growing each year, it is dwarfed by Dr. Sharp’s collection. Over the years he collected thousands of titles for research and enjoyment. Through the course of his ministry he had to sell his book collection a couple of different times to support his family, only to start collecting again when he was able to do so. When Doc passed his office full of packed bookshelves to me and said he would clear the shelves, I laughed out loud at the prospect of having loads of empty bookshelves. So I urged him to instead leave his books for my, and anyone else’s, use. Little did I understand that the four bookcases in my office were only a fraction of his entire collection. A couple of years back when Doc moved from his house, it was decided that his book collection would be stored at the office. Our thought was to establish a library, yet none of us had time to plan, organize and catalog all 79 boxes of books. They sat piled in his office until last year when my daughter Megan joined our ministry. She has a love of books, both reading and writing. So we offered her the task of cataloging and establishing Doc’s library. Can you picture me, a bbq lover, being offered a table full of succulent smoked offerings - brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, turkey and all sides? Yep, that was Megan’s response to the library. For over four months she cataloged and organized the entire collection. The Dr. G. Thomas Sharp Library was completed earlier this year in his old office space, with overflow into my office. The entire 2700+ volume agglomeration is digitally cataloged for searching and locating. As you might expect, there is an extensive collection of creation and evolution subject matter, yet the library is full of many different categories. It very much reflects Doc’s love of gaining knowledge and research. An extensive commentary collection and multiple Biblical reference sections are invaluable to our ministry. There is even a whole bookcase housing books that are over 100 years old. Our desire was not to just house books but to also make a place of honor and inspiration. One wall exhibits Doc’s many diplomas, and throughout the library we have placed personal memorabilia of the mission trips he took over the years. Come, grab a book, relax in the sitting area and allow Doc’s handwritten notes from the margins or post-it notes bring a smile to your face. For those who may be more ambitious, Doc's office chair resides at the credenza for anyone to sit and be inspired to study. This is a place to honor Doc’s life and love for books. We at CTF have already utilized this great resource for further study, and we are so thankful to Diane and their family for donating these books for continued Kingdom growth. Blessings.