My life is full of good things; love of friends and family, faith that secures my soul, health, peace, being a citizen in a land of plenty! In contrast to my life, millions of people on this planet, find that each day is a desperate struggle merely to survive. Cruelty is a daily experience for those who are powerless. I am disturbed by knowing that thousands (perhaps millions?) of young girls who are exploited in sexual slavery because their poverty leaves them no options. I am tempted to turn my eyes from those who are mentally shattered, addicted, and living in darkness. I am aware that entire nations are held in virtual slavery by evil tyrants who steal the future and the wealth of their countrymen.
Do you know that suffering is real and it's not just 'over there, somewhere?' It may be just across the street or in your brother's house!
Do you know that there is an answer to human misery and that answer is celebrated this Season? Yes, it is Jesus Christ!
Christ Jesus defeated sin, taught us to live nobly and in love, and gives us hope. The reason my life is full of good things results directly from Him. My country's greatness, which provides me so many opportunities, resulted from the founder's respect for and love of Christian principles. (Sadly, we are in rapid decline as we reject that spiritual heritage.) My grandfathers, who were called by the Spirit and who found redemption from sin through salvation in Christ Jesus, created stable homes, freedom from addictions, and a solid work ethic. From that foundation I gained an advantage to enjoy prosperity. Yes, indeed, the Light shined in the darkness and I have benefited. The Word says, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness." (John 1:4-5, NIV)
But, am I enriched only that I might live in comfort inside a bubble of blessings?
God forgive me if that is my choice! We who are 'in Christ' have an obligation to shine brightly, to stand up, to speak out, to share our blessings. We are Light-bearers, taking the Light we have in Him.
Scripture is clear that with God's blessing comes an obligation to share, not just because of pity, but to lift others, to help them find the same kind of opportunities we have known. Think carefully about this passage. "This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ." (2 Corinthians 9:10-13, The Message)
Here's the most amazing part of generosity- it prepares us to receive more! Ah, disciple, the love and grace of Christ when truly experienced cannot help but make us people of liberality and generosity of every kind. Jesus said it spills over beyond our material goods into our relationships: "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. ... Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full-pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." (Luke 6:34-38, NLT)
May the Christ of Christmas fill you with peace, joy, hope, and love! And, may you in turn enrich others by sharing generously of that which you have been given.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
________________________
What Child is this, who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings, salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
What Child Is This
Dix, William Chatterton
© Public Domain
CoffeeBreak With The Word will be sent out after the holidays.
I will be taking time to enjoy my family and friends. Thank you for reading along.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Let the Lord work
Two weeks ago, one of our heating units in our preschool building quit. After a couple of service calls, the tech declared the unit beyond repair. Replacement was estimated to be about $13,000! Like most churches, we’re running lean these days. It seemed prudent to get other estimates on the replacement, but time was stretched thin by other demands. I handed the situation to the Lord in prayer, somewhat desperately.
Sure, it’s not earth-shaking, but I know He’s concerned about those things that concern me! He brought a man to my attention who was willing to invest time to work on a solution to the problem. Chris brought in another tech he knew who delved a little deeper into the unit. Yesterday, Matt and Chris reported that it’s working, that it can be repaired and most likely will give us another 5 years of service for about $2000. Once again, the Lord taught me a lesson in simple faith and patience.
The Lord tells us “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.” (Phil. 4:6 The Message) The invitation of the Lord is not to become childish, turning His promise into an excuse for apathy or failure to take responsibility. What He offers is counsel and care for us who are His beloved children! He offers to share our burden, to make a way through, around, under, or over our situation if we’ll walk faithfully with Him. The key to living in His care is faith that is active all of the time. If we ignore His counsel and walk willfully far from Him, we cannot expect that He will step in and remove the consequences of our sin or silliness.
However, when we are steady in faith, responsive to Him on a daily basis, and circumstances overtake us for which we lack resources, He is there. His solution may not be what we ask for or expect. When our heating unit went down and I prayed about it, what I expected was that He would send a donor to cover the expense! I had no idea that He was already working out another plan. What I knew from experience was that He had an answer for our need and I was willing (with some complaining, I admit) to trust Him even with this mundane problem.
What are you wrestling with today, disciple?
It may be much more significant in the scheme of things than a broken furnace! Maybe you have a heart that crushed with disappointment. He’s the healer of broken hearts. Maybe you’re confronted with temptation to sin that threatens ‘like a roaring lion.’ He’s the Deliverer who equips you with the soul armor of the Spirit. Perhaps you’re looking into the future without hope. He is our Hope- in life and death- the One who knows all our tomorrows!
As Advent draws to a close, bring to conscious memory the Incarnation, God becoming flesh. We are celebrating the fact that God stepped into His Creation, becoming a Man, named Jesus. He did not hold Himself apart. He entered into our world. “When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process.” (Phil 2:7–8 The Message) He did this so that we could trust Him to be our Priest and Advocate. He takes away our sin and carries our burden, knowing our temptations and challenges.
Will you let the Lord work?
Here’s a word from the Word. It is great counsel. Believe it and live in the promise.
“Trust in the LORD and do good; …
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
(Psalm 37:3–6, NIV)
Sure, it’s not earth-shaking, but I know He’s concerned about those things that concern me! He brought a man to my attention who was willing to invest time to work on a solution to the problem. Chris brought in another tech he knew who delved a little deeper into the unit. Yesterday, Matt and Chris reported that it’s working, that it can be repaired and most likely will give us another 5 years of service for about $2000. Once again, the Lord taught me a lesson in simple faith and patience.
The Lord tells us “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.” (Phil. 4:6 The Message) The invitation of the Lord is not to become childish, turning His promise into an excuse for apathy or failure to take responsibility. What He offers is counsel and care for us who are His beloved children! He offers to share our burden, to make a way through, around, under, or over our situation if we’ll walk faithfully with Him. The key to living in His care is faith that is active all of the time. If we ignore His counsel and walk willfully far from Him, we cannot expect that He will step in and remove the consequences of our sin or silliness.
However, when we are steady in faith, responsive to Him on a daily basis, and circumstances overtake us for which we lack resources, He is there. His solution may not be what we ask for or expect. When our heating unit went down and I prayed about it, what I expected was that He would send a donor to cover the expense! I had no idea that He was already working out another plan. What I knew from experience was that He had an answer for our need and I was willing (with some complaining, I admit) to trust Him even with this mundane problem.
What are you wrestling with today, disciple?
It may be much more significant in the scheme of things than a broken furnace! Maybe you have a heart that crushed with disappointment. He’s the healer of broken hearts. Maybe you’re confronted with temptation to sin that threatens ‘like a roaring lion.’ He’s the Deliverer who equips you with the soul armor of the Spirit. Perhaps you’re looking into the future without hope. He is our Hope- in life and death- the One who knows all our tomorrows!
As Advent draws to a close, bring to conscious memory the Incarnation, God becoming flesh. We are celebrating the fact that God stepped into His Creation, becoming a Man, named Jesus. He did not hold Himself apart. He entered into our world. “When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process.” (Phil 2:7–8 The Message) He did this so that we could trust Him to be our Priest and Advocate. He takes away our sin and carries our burden, knowing our temptations and challenges.
Will you let the Lord work?
Here’s a word from the Word. It is great counsel. Believe it and live in the promise.
“Trust in the LORD and do good; …
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
(Psalm 37:3–6, NIV)
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Pentathlon Christians
Most Christians work hard at something they call ‘balance.’ They carefully prioritize life: God first, family second, church third, work fourth … and in so doing find themselves in an impossible snare of conflicting responsibilities or seriously deficient in one way or another. If we try to neatly divide our days or weeks into time exclusively given to God, or family, or work, someone or something will be neglected.
Doug Sherman suggests a different model. He says that “the Christian life is similar to the pentathlon. The pentathlon requires the athlete to be proficient in five areas: pistol shooting, epee fencing, horseback riding, swimming, and running. It involves a wide range of skills and knowledge and requires a thoughtful strategy for training. The athlete’s training time must be carefully divided among the events, although some events will take longer than others to train for. The goal is to do well in all areas to win the prize.” (Your Work Matters to God, Navpress, 1990)
Everything we do; yes, all that we are, must be submitted to Jesus Christ! In that sense there is a first line priority. The Scripture commands that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV) So, we cannot restrict our “God” to Sunday or times of personal meditation. He is Lord of our marriage, of our Facebook time, of our time at work, of our parenting. Similarly, we need to integrate all parts of our lives in a way that does not lead to conflict, but rather to wise choices of wholeness.
For example, what we do to create an income stream is important! It isn’t fourth or fifth in some imaginary ladder of priorities. Should we allow our occupation to define us? No, but neither should we think that what we do for the company has no relevance to our Christianity or our family life. God has called us to whole lives where His Presence is made known equally in worship, in work, and socially. If we misuse work as a means of finding fulfillment and personal worth, our family will suffer. If we make our family life the idol that we worship, we will be unproductive employees and probably not very useful to the Lord in ministry. If we push worship to the top of the ladder, our children will rightly conclude that we love our church more than we love them.
Becoming a Christian who knows the importance of working hard, relating well to friends, worshipping whole-heartedly, and loving family may sound exhausting, but with time and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, we can learn to live wholly. This honors the Lord! Sherman offers this for our thoughts. “Accept God’s sovereignty over your life and over the time at your disposal. There is just enough time in every day to do what He wants. This does not mean you will accomplish everything you want to accomplish. It does mean that when your head touches the pillow at night you can feel settled in your spirit that you worked hard to honor God with the time and the responsibilities He gave you.”
The Bible says “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” (Psalm 127:1–2, NLT) Will you let Him make you into a pentathlon Christian, proficient in multiple areas, diligent and disciplined?
"Work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected." —George MacDonald
________________
Make my life a prayer to You,
I want to do what You want me to.
No empty words, no white lies;
No token prayers, no compromise.
I want to shine the light You gave
Through Your Son You sent to save us,
From ourselves and our despair,
It comforts me to know You're really there.
Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me.
Oh, it's so hard to see when my eyes are on me!
I guess I'll have to trust and just believe what You say,
Oh, You're coming again, coming to take me away!
I want to die and let You give
Your life to me that I might live
And share the hope You gave to me
The love that set me free.
- Keith Green
Doug Sherman suggests a different model. He says that “the Christian life is similar to the pentathlon. The pentathlon requires the athlete to be proficient in five areas: pistol shooting, epee fencing, horseback riding, swimming, and running. It involves a wide range of skills and knowledge and requires a thoughtful strategy for training. The athlete’s training time must be carefully divided among the events, although some events will take longer than others to train for. The goal is to do well in all areas to win the prize.” (Your Work Matters to God, Navpress, 1990)
Everything we do; yes, all that we are, must be submitted to Jesus Christ! In that sense there is a first line priority. The Scripture commands that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV) So, we cannot restrict our “God” to Sunday or times of personal meditation. He is Lord of our marriage, of our Facebook time, of our time at work, of our parenting. Similarly, we need to integrate all parts of our lives in a way that does not lead to conflict, but rather to wise choices of wholeness.
For example, what we do to create an income stream is important! It isn’t fourth or fifth in some imaginary ladder of priorities. Should we allow our occupation to define us? No, but neither should we think that what we do for the company has no relevance to our Christianity or our family life. God has called us to whole lives where His Presence is made known equally in worship, in work, and socially. If we misuse work as a means of finding fulfillment and personal worth, our family will suffer. If we make our family life the idol that we worship, we will be unproductive employees and probably not very useful to the Lord in ministry. If we push worship to the top of the ladder, our children will rightly conclude that we love our church more than we love them.
Becoming a Christian who knows the importance of working hard, relating well to friends, worshipping whole-heartedly, and loving family may sound exhausting, but with time and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, we can learn to live wholly. This honors the Lord! Sherman offers this for our thoughts. “Accept God’s sovereignty over your life and over the time at your disposal. There is just enough time in every day to do what He wants. This does not mean you will accomplish everything you want to accomplish. It does mean that when your head touches the pillow at night you can feel settled in your spirit that you worked hard to honor God with the time and the responsibilities He gave you.”
The Bible says “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” (Psalm 127:1–2, NLT) Will you let Him make you into a pentathlon Christian, proficient in multiple areas, diligent and disciplined?
"Work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected." —George MacDonald
________________
Make my life a prayer to You,
I want to do what You want me to.
No empty words, no white lies;
No token prayers, no compromise.
I want to shine the light You gave
Through Your Son You sent to save us,
From ourselves and our despair,
It comforts me to know You're really there.
Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me.
Oh, it's so hard to see when my eyes are on me!
I guess I'll have to trust and just believe what You say,
Oh, You're coming again, coming to take me away!
I want to die and let You give
Your life to me that I might live
And share the hope You gave to me
The love that set me free.
- Keith Green
Monday, December 20, 2010
Believe!
Are you a Believer? To be a believer means that you have confidence in the truth or existence of something or someone. A mother of a 10 year old told me that her son is struggling with his belief in Santa Claus. He wants to hang onto the idea that there is a jolly old guy in a red suit who flies around dropping gifts into the homes of good kids, but…. well, you know, it harder all the time to remain convinced that the tale really could be true.
Do you struggle to hang onto your faith in Jesus Christ, trying hard to believe? Does the cruel world beat up on your faith? It is not a terrible thing to admit it! About the worse thing a person who wants to be a Believer can do is to just ‘try harder.’ An examined faith that lets go of immature understanding and settles on those things which are true becomes foundational to life. If Jesus remains the Sunday School figure of your childhood, the ‘magic man’ who makes all your troubles disappear, faith in Him will go the way of believing in old St. Nick! However, if you grow in the knowledge of Who He is and what He promises, faith will deepen, not diminish.
Faith does not grow simpler with maturity, but even in its complexity, it can grow stronger. The Bible says it is the work of godly, gifted Christians to work together until “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:13–15 (NIV)
I am a Believer! I am convinced by the Scripture, the flow of history, the beauty of universe, and my experience of His Presence that God exists and that Jesus Christ came to be my Savior. I know He holds me in His grip, not because I am good, nor because I am desirable – but because of His love. No, I cannot explain why the Lord allows some things happen, nor can I explain why some prayers appear to be answered more positively than others. But my faith is tested and I believe! Can I prove my faith is true and make it real to you? Yes and no. If you’re demanding that I produce the stones on which the Ten Commandments were etched by the finger of God or a lock of Jesus’ hair, I can’t prove a thing. If you’ll look at the life transformation that loving Him has produced in many people, if you’ll let me tell you the story of God’s love in my life, and if you will begin to learn The Story of God’s will and purposes from the Bible – then you will find reasons to believe.
Here’ a word from the Word. Take it with you today, Believer. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. … And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. … Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 11:1,6; 12:1 (NLT)
________________
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.
While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Palmer, Ray / Mason, Lowell
© Public Domain
Do you struggle to hang onto your faith in Jesus Christ, trying hard to believe? Does the cruel world beat up on your faith? It is not a terrible thing to admit it! About the worse thing a person who wants to be a Believer can do is to just ‘try harder.’ An examined faith that lets go of immature understanding and settles on those things which are true becomes foundational to life. If Jesus remains the Sunday School figure of your childhood, the ‘magic man’ who makes all your troubles disappear, faith in Him will go the way of believing in old St. Nick! However, if you grow in the knowledge of Who He is and what He promises, faith will deepen, not diminish.
Faith does not grow simpler with maturity, but even in its complexity, it can grow stronger. The Bible says it is the work of godly, gifted Christians to work together until “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:13–15 (NIV)
I am a Believer! I am convinced by the Scripture, the flow of history, the beauty of universe, and my experience of His Presence that God exists and that Jesus Christ came to be my Savior. I know He holds me in His grip, not because I am good, nor because I am desirable – but because of His love. No, I cannot explain why the Lord allows some things happen, nor can I explain why some prayers appear to be answered more positively than others. But my faith is tested and I believe! Can I prove my faith is true and make it real to you? Yes and no. If you’re demanding that I produce the stones on which the Ten Commandments were etched by the finger of God or a lock of Jesus’ hair, I can’t prove a thing. If you’ll look at the life transformation that loving Him has produced in many people, if you’ll let me tell you the story of God’s love in my life, and if you will begin to learn The Story of God’s will and purposes from the Bible – then you will find reasons to believe.
Here’ a word from the Word. Take it with you today, Believer. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. … And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. … Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 11:1,6; 12:1 (NLT)
________________
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.
While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Palmer, Ray / Mason, Lowell
© Public Domain
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)