Crazy world, hopeful none the less!

I did not live through the Great Depression of the 1930’s but the stories I read of massive unemployment, of poverty, of hunger are frightening! What hopelessness filled the land at that time. My parents were children during the Second World War and spoke of the fear that they felt and sensed in their parents. America in 2016 faces another time of crisis, but our uneasiness is less defined than in those eras.  We seem to have lost hope for the future.  “Me” and “mine” are tearing us apart from the inside out as we fracture along racial and economic divides.  Despair is like a heavy fog over our nation. Even the young, those who are most hopeful for the future have become cynical, skeptical about hoping for a better tomorrow. 

Grim pictures of savage warfare in Syria and Iraq make any hope for peace unimaginable. Corruption, while not a new thing, is so much a part of life, we make allowance for it! There is a growing group of Americans who cannot even hope for a job that will pay enough to reach a place of sufficiency. For them, government subsidies are a way of life, generation after generation. “Church” is to many a word describing a place of tradition and ideas without any connection to ‘real life.’  A recent poll showed that only about a quarter of Americans say that their church plays a key role in their life.

The cynical chant of old Solomon is often heard in various forms these days: “Meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is meaningless!”  (Ecclesiastes) Yet, hope remains!   Christ Jesus invites us to come under the reign of God, to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He teaches us about loving, about working against darkness, giving us a reason to exist that goes beyond scrambling for things and finding some momentary happiness. When we are people of the Spirit, knowing and doing the will of God, we find purpose that carries us in these times of despair. We discard apathy (“whatever!”) empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what others no longer even dare to imagine!

Christian, let’s not amuse ourselves to death. So many are chasing momentary pleasures to mask the pain of hopelessness. God is the strength of our life. We can be realistic about the present darkness. We can face the the challenges with honest assessment and yet not despair. Habakkuk preached to the people of God in a time of great sorrow, with a grim future; yet he was hopeful.  He sang, "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains." (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT)

Then, too, let’s not play the part of fools refuse to see that there is peril, that ignore the real problem. No matter how loudly you shout, “Praise the Lord!” it means nothing unless there is an active faith at work in you that rests solidly on the foundation of Christ- who was born, lived, died on the Cross, and rose again to assure of life beyond this life.  Hiding from daily life by burying ourselves in religious activities is no solution. What good is a ‘revival’ that produces no life, no transformation?  God’s people are called to roll up their sleeves and go to work.  They follow the Spirit’s lead into the battle, often bloodied, but not beaten.

Has the drumbeat of despair become the cadence to which you’re marching?

Stop. Look up. Listen. Offer sincere worship. Find hope!

Here’s the word from the Word. They were written by ‘The Preacher,’ Solomon, in Ecclesiastes. Near the end of a life full of glorious achievement, grand wealth, and pleasure in every way; he lost hope, becoming a terrible cynic. Then, he remembered God.

"Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead." (Ecclesiastes 5:7, NLT)

"Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore." (Ecclesiastes 12:1, NLT)

"That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NLT)
___________
In Christ Alone


Verse 1
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand


Verse 2
In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live


Verse 3
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ


Verse 4
No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

CCLI Song # 3350395
Keith Getty | Stuart Townend
© 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
For use solely with the SongSelect. Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 810055
 

Buried under words?

Our church is going to employ a person on the Pastoral staff.  We advertised the position and received dozens of applications.  Trying to discern who a person is by reading words on a page is no easy task. The standard things are there; education, past positions, awards, and accomplishments.  I look for more subtle clues about the identity and personality of the person. Do they use formal language or informal? Are they fond of “Christianese” and “Church-speak”?  What values creep into their statements? What authors are shaping their thoughts?  But, even then, I know that the individual who put those words to paper is a much more complex person than I could ever know from two or three pages of words. There may be a gem buried under all those words!  When we select a candidate for interview, he will spend time with us, with the hope that the real person will shine through and a partnership formed for the glory of God. Some of those resumes are obviously what I would call “puff pieces.” The applicant has created an image that is almost certainly an inaccurate reflection of his abilities and gifts. My response? Set it aside. No further action required!

Let’s take a look at what Jesus says about our resume of life! “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)  “It’s not just what you say,” He reminds us, “it’s how you live that matters!”  There are those who claim to be “Christian” who know the creed, who show proper respect for the holy, and who even do some things that show positive results for good and yet, they are not authentic disciples of Christ. They are not ‘alive in the Spirit.’  What is the problem? They have kept their true selves hidden from Jesus.

We tend to trust too much in our professions of faith. We can fool ourselves into believing that we are right with God because we go to First Church, because we can quote the key passages of Scripture, and can pray with all the right phrases. But, what is the state of our hearts and minds? Have we hidden parts of ourselves from Him, refusing His Lordship, keeping Him from dealing with our pride, some pet sin, our stuff, our sexuality, our relationships? If we remain ‘unknown’ to Jesus, He will not know and welcome us into His eternal life!

A wholesome morality, a mature knowledge of Scripture and doctrine, and a good record of service in God’s work are not to be scoffed at.  Make no mistake about that. Jesus’ point is that those things cannot replace the inner relationship, the core transformation that knowing Him brings.  In truth, when our heart and mind belongs to Him, when the Spirit is living in us, those kinds of things will develop. "Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions." (Matthew 7:19-20, NLT)

Are you pursuing Christ, seeking to know Him and to be known by Him? In our word from the Word, we read of Paul’s great desire. I pray for you that is it yours, too. He had once known a religious life, full of ‘right things,’ rigid morality, and even zeal in what he thought to be the work of God. Look what happened when he met Christ.  “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:6-14, NIV)

Open your heart. Give the Spirit of the Lord an invitation that has no boundaries. And, in knowing and being known, press on towards the goal of entering into eternal life! For the Glory of God. Amen

______________

Passion For Jesus

I'm calling out to You

There must be something more

Some deeper place to find

Some secret place to hide

Where I've not gone before

Where my soul is satisfied

And my sin is put to death

And I can hear Your voice

Your purpose is my choice

As natural as a breath

The love I knew before

When You first touched my life

I need You to restore

I want You to revive

Oh place in my heart

A passion for Jesus

A hunger that seizes

My passion for You

My one desire

My greatest possession

My only confession

My passion for You

Brian Houston

© 1999 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Do you love me?

This planet can be a big, lonely place.  It is not uncommon to awaken in the morning and wonder if any really cares about us, or if we are just a cog in the machine. Things happen that make us insecure:  family changes, friends move, death visits, we relocate into a new community, we take another job. And often, deep inside ourselves, we feel like a little child, alone, wanting to be loved. Things happen to us, or we make choices, which cause us to feel ugly, physically or emotionally; or like a failure spiritually, and the question bubbles us into our consciousness, “Could anyone love me? Why would they want to?”

In a small group of people from our church family, I heard each of them answer the question, “what is the best part of your church?” by speaking of being loved and accepted.  Two of them have children with special needs who have been loved in our congregation.  One of them said that even though there were not many in her place of life, she stayed because it is ‘my home where I belong.’  That love is very personal to me. In the terrible months of Bev’s illness and then following her death, the love that I found has kept me on my feet and moving forward.

Love hunger is real.  Yes, many confuse it with many other things, but at the core of our being, we want to love and be loved.  So many things happen to us along the way that many of us have some confusion about what that means.  We come to believe contradictory messages – on one hand thinking we are unworthy of unconditional love – and on the other, wanting it more than anything in life.  We learn how to get a kind of ‘love’ from others depending on our circumstances.  We may become high level performers at work, confusing the rewards with love. We may become emotionally manipulative, confusing the concern that comes our way with genuine love. Many people confuse sex with love thinking that being held is the same as being loved. This confusion runs wide and deep, reinforced at every turn by pop culture.

The Gospel is the answer to the question – do you love me?  John’s declaration, when received by faith, transforms and heals us. "So the Word (Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity) became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son." (John 1:14, NLT)   “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17, NLT)  God, the Creator, took the initiative to love you and me.  Why? Was it because we were beautiful or good? No, He expressed His nature which is Love!  "God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life!" (Romans 5:8-10, The Message)

God saw us, not as worthless, but as beings of such incredible value that He rescued us from our rebellion, pulled us from our headlong plunge towards being separated from Him forever. He restored us to His family, giving us a home in His house, an expectation of life forever.  When we believe the message of His love, we begin to change from the inside out.  Selfishness yields to selflessness. Fear is eclipsed by faith. Despair is replaced with hope.  Death is overtaken by life. And "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)

Consider this. What does God want from us? Jesus said it simply and directly.  “One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?” Jesus said, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ “  (Matthew 22:35-39)  And, He made it possible for us to please Him by LOVING US FIRST! 

Do you struggle with love? Is it hard for you to give and receive love? Pray an honest prayer that bares your heart before God. If there are things there that produce guilt, tell Him. If you are unsure of His love because from your perch on history He seems not to care, tell Him!  Then, ask for the Spirit to open your eyes to the revealed truth of divine love, to bath your soul and spirit with the Spirit’s love.  Let God love you.

Meditate on this amazing prayer and receive the blessing! "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21, NIV)

_______________

Jesus Loves Me

I was lost I was in chains

The world had a hold of me

My heart was a stone
I was covered in shame

When He came for me

I couldn't run, couldn't run from His presence

I couldn't run, couldn't run from His arms

Jesus, He loves me

He loves me, He is for me.

Jesus, how can it be?

He loves me, He is for me.

It was a fire deep in my soul,

I'll never be the same.

I stepped out of the dark and into the light

When He called my name.

He holds the stars and He holds my heart

With healing hands that bear the scars

The rugged cross where He died for me

My only hope, my ev'rything.

Jesus, He loves me,

He loves me.

Jesus, how can it be?

He loves me, He is for me

He loves me, He loves me,

He loves me, He is for me.

My God. it's amazing.

Jesus loves me

Ben Glover | Chris Tomlin | Reuben Morgan

© 2014 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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