Investment advice

Do you read obituaries, you know, those few paragraphs that sum up the lifetime of someone who has recently departed this earth?  Is that a groan I hear? Sometimes they are just a few lines – he was born here, worked there, married to her, had children, and died!  A few are like the one I read at a recent funeral service. The man had packed three lifetimes into one! He was an accomplished athlete in school, a college scholar, served our nation in the military, raised a family, climbed the ladder of success in his work, retired while relatively young, and went on to get his pilot’s license and invest thousands of hours as an active volunteer in civic activities. That one page summary revealed a fascinating and good life.

We do not all get blessed with the same opportunities. We are gifted in different ways – some scholars, some builders, some musical, some artistic – but we all have this in common:  we live with the same 24 hours day, the moments passing at the same rate. The question we all need to ask ourselves is about how we are this finite resource. Once the day is over, it is beyond our grasp. The choices we make are written in history. I want to leave a legacy of investment of that resource – so that my obituary reflects that God’s purpose was my priority. The Bible says, "Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, NLT)

A  life spent, but not invested, is a tragic waste!

The late Chuck Colson looked back on his life near the pinnacle of power here in the United States, when he walked the hallways of the White House where he offered counsel to the President on a daily basis. The policy decisions seemed momentous at the time, he said.  Three decades later, he realized that almost every one of those policies were undone or redone by subsequent administrations!  After Colson became a devout Christian, he began to invest his life in a way much differently, far from political power, with little regard for financial success.  Answering the call of God, he started Prison Fellowship, and gave himself to the least, the broken, convicts with no social standing.  He no longer sat in the Oval Office next to the President, but he helped to change the eternal destiny of thousands of men and women.

Are you just spending your time or are you investing each day with Heaven in sight? Of course, we all do things that are 'just life;'  going to work, getting an oil change for the car, mowing the lawn, folding the laundry, taking out the garbage! But, even those things can be done in a way that honors Christ Jesus as Lord. How you do your work today matters, even if what you do will have to be done again tomorrow. God cares how we do what we do: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

Here is a word from the Word for your meditation. Jesus counsels us about the wisest investment of life.
"Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends!

The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
"Be generous. Give to the poor.
Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt,
a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers,
safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on.
It's obvious, isn't it?

The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (Luke 12:31-34, The Message)

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Take My Life And Let It Be (Hendon)

Take my life and let it be

Consecrated Lord to Thee

Take my moments and my days

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee

Swift and beautiful for Thee

Take my silver and my gold

Not a mite would I withhold

Take my intellect and use

Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose

Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose

Take my will and make it Thine

It shall be no longer mine

Take my heart it is Thine own

It shall be Thy royal throne

It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my love my Lord I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store

Take myself and I will be

Ever only all for Thee

Ever only all for Thee

Amen

Frances Ridley Havergal | Henri Abraham Cesar Malan

© Words: Public Domain

On this we all can agree

The atmosphere grows tense almost everywhere when the subject of politics comes up. In two weeks America will choose people to set the course of our towns, states, and nation. At the top of the ballot are two people that provoke strong reactions in us.  “I could never vote for her! She is …” and then comes the long list of objections. “Him? Can you imagine him in the White House?” and another long list of objections.  It is not just policy matters that divide Americans. There are deep personal reactions to the Presidential candidates in this race.

On this we can agree, we need wisdom as we vote.  The election is not just about who will provide more benefits to us. It is about the future, about responding to the ongoing threats of war, about use of resources, about the kind of society we will be. Christian, it should go without saying but I’ll remind us anyway. It is time to pray: real, earnest, heart-felt prayers that seek the wisdom of our God.

Nehemiah heard about the continuing crisis in Jerusalem. Reconstruction efforts were stymied. People were discouraged. The walls of the city were still in ruins after decades of trying to rebuild them. The Temple of God had not been restored for worship and sacrifice. "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4, NIV) That is a model for us in these times, isn’t it? Perhaps we should talk less and pray more!

His prayer begins with a higher focus. "Then I said: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands." (Nehemiah 1:5, NIV)  When we pray for America, our faith will grow when we kneel in adoration before the Living, Loving Lord who is bigger than the election of 2016!  Nehemiah was hearing a call that he was not naturally equipped to answer – to go and do where so many others had failed. So, he looked up.

He continues with true confession of the sin that caused it all to happen in the first place.  “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses." (Nehemiah 1:6-7, NIV)  Pointing the finger of blame only deepens the divide. In our prayer for this nation, we need to feel God’s sorrow over the sin of this land – apathy about spiritual matters, greed, hatred, immorality, and selfishness; to name a few. Can you acknowledge your part in failing God? Nehemiah wept! His brokenness was real and he felt the weight of shame and guilt of his people. In his confession, he opened the possibility of forgiveness and change.  Lord, break our heart with what breaks Yours.

Then, he prays the promises of God.  “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’" (Nehemiah 1:8-9, NIV)  I love to pray the Word!  When my prayers are anchored by God’s promises, faith grows. Nehemiah’s prayers about the restoration of Jerusalem were persistent and extended, going on for 6 months. That kind of prayer needs a solid foundation and he found it in the covenant of God.  Christian, we have a covenant, an agreement with God, that Christ Jesus established. We are invited to come to the Throne of Grace to find mercy, not because we are good enough, not because we have accumulated a number of points in Heaven, but because our Great High Priest invites us in!

Finally, he makes his request with specificity.  "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” (Nehemiah 1:11, NIV)  Nehemiah went on to do amazing things, not only restoring the infrastructure of Jerusalem, but laying the foundation of the renewal of the faith of his people, leading a national spiritual revival!  He acknowledges the source of his success, too. "And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests." (Nehemiah 2:8, NIV)  After we worship, confess, and renew our hope in His promise, let’s not fail to close the loop by asking God for specific things with confidence.  James teaches us that one of the reasons we do not see God at work is that we fail to ask!  Our God is not obligated to do everything we ask of Him, but He hears every prayer.  A ‘no’ is just as real an answer as a ‘yes.’  May we have the faith to accept what He decrees, but at the same time, we must not slip into apathy about prayer. We hold the power to change the course of history!

So, in these next two weeks, let us pray! On that, hopefully, we can all agree.  Regardless of our political persuasion we who love Christ Jesus can come together in humility to pray.

Spend a few moments meditating on this word from the Word. Lord, let faith grow in us, helping us to take hold of the Kingdom and bring Your eternal purposes to our day to day life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

"Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well. When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, “Why couldn’t we throw it out?” “Because you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.” (Matthew 17:17-20, The Message)

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Song For The Nations

May we be a shining light to the nations

A shining light to the peoples of the earth

'Til the whole world sees the glory of Your name

May Your pure light shine through us

May we bring a word of hope to the nations

A word of life to the peoples of the earth

'Til the whole world knows

There's salvation through Your name

May Your mercy flow through us

May we be a healing balm to the nations

A healing balm to the peoples of the earth

'Til the whole world knows

The power of Your name

May Your healing flow through us

May we sing a song of joy to the nations

A song of praise to the peoples of the earth

'Til the whole world rings

With the praises of Your name

May Your song be sung through us

May Your kingdom come to the nations

Your will be done in the peoples of the earth

'Til the whole world knows

That Jesus Christ is Lord

May Your kingdom come in us

May Your kingdom come in us

May Your kingdom come on earth

Chris Christensen

© 1986 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))

CCLI License # 810055

What a talker!

Will (not a real name) always has a great story. “What have you been up to these days?” is all it takes to bring on another tale. There is sometimes a grain of truth in them but, as I have learned, most of the time he is beyond exaggeration and into pure fiction.  Knowing the struggles he has dealt with I understand why he escapes into the world of words. I feel sad for him, that he feels the need to create this imaginary life of exploits. At the same time there is a level of amusement at the detail his mind creates in this fictional existence. But, in the end, he is all talk.

Mark Batterson, pastor and author, alludes to a masterful musician generally esteemed as the best cellist of the 20^th century, Pablo Casals. He played for Queen Victoria when he was 22 years old and 64 years later, at age 86, played for President Kennedy in the White House.  He lived to age 96 and was still practicing 3 hours a  day. Asked about that habit, he said, “I’m beginning to notice some improvement.”  (Chase the Lion, 2016, Multnomah) Casals was not content to reach a certain level of competence and rest. He did not just dream of performing. He worked at it, honing his skill, learning, developing until the end of his life.

What kind of Christian do you want to be? Perhaps the question puzzles you.

Am I referring to the church you attend – Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal? Not at all. 

Then, perhaps you think that since becoming a Christian happens by faith in Jesus, there is nothing more to say. And, in that, you would be mistaken.

We are given new life, restored to our Father in Heaven, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. But, what of the life that follows that new birth?  Paul urges us to “live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”  (Philippians 1:10-11)

Our  habits and attitudes need to be shaped by a daily encounter with the Holy Spirit.  
Do you love your stuff and find being content difficult? That can change. 
Are you enslaved by emotions that hold you back – hatred, fear, feelings of worthlessness?

God can help you to become loving, courageous, and confident! But, it won’t happen because you just learn the language of the Church.  The ability to quote a Bible passage for every situation is useful, but not if the truth of the Word is disconnected from where we live. Authentic Christians know that they cannot just let ”Word go in one ear and out the other.” James tells us to “Act on what you hear!”  (James 1:22)

There are daily disciplines that pattern our lives, that open channels for the Spirit to flow into our lives.  When we give them a priority place in our otherwise busy lives, we grow in grace and the beauty of the Lord emerges, becoming more radiant each day.  What are they?  Prayer is primary. When we are conscious of God’s presence, presenting ourselves to Him, listening – He speaks.  Confession is critical, too.  This discipline keeps us before Him and receptive to grace. Study of the Word feeds the soul and enlightens the mind.  Richard Foster’s work, The Celebration of Discipline, outlines twelve disciplines:  meditation, prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration.  

Isaiah reveals the promise of those who engage in the pursuit of godliness.

"The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. …My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26:7,9, NIV)

Why settle for just being a Christian when you could become a beautiful, skillful, gifted, effective follower of Jesus?  Don’t be a good talker. Be a faithful do-er.

Here is a word from the Word. 

 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly."
(2 Timothy 2:15-16, NIV)

Lord, call us deeper into Your love, transforming us day to day into Your holy likeness. Amen.

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Mighty To Save

Ev’ryone needs compassion

Love that's never failing

Let mercy fall on me

Ev’ryone needs forgiveness

The kindness of a Saviour

The hope of nations

Savior He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me

All my fears and failures

Fill my life again

I give my life to follow

Ev’rything I believe in

Now I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see

We're singing

For the glory of the risen King

Jesus

Shine your light and let the whole world see

We're singing

For the glory of the risen King

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan

© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055