Ala Carte Bible

Ala Carte dining is a delight to some because each item on the menu is separate, providing the opportunity to choose only what is desired. Some restaurants offer ‘specials’ and in the fine print you see this line – ‘no substitutions allowed.’  My Mother-in-law makes me smile when we go to an Italian restaurant. The waiter is always surprised when Mom orders her chicken parmesan with a side of mashed potatoes rather than pasta.  Ah, the joy of choice.

Our love for freedom of choice does not mesh well with the call to being Christ’s disciple yet that is precisely how many Christians practice their faith. Those truths they find hard, that go against the grain for them, are excused away, reasoned out of existence, or simply refused on the basis of “I just don’t believe that.”  It’s not a new thing. Thomas Jefferson, the admired third President of the United States, actually went to the trouble of creating his own Bible.  He took a sharp instrument and cut away part of the text he found disagreeable! A copy of the text he created exists in the Smithsonian Museum. The 84-page volume is bound in red leather and titled The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth.

In my morning meditation today, I read the following text from Peter’s letter to Christians.  It’s one of those texts many Christians conveniently ignore in our time. "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “"But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:21-25, NIV)

Speaking directly to those who were slaves, but in fact to us all, Peter commands submission, a willingness to accept suffering!  “Come on, Jerry, surely you don’t believe Peter was approving of slavery or injustice?” Of course not. But, he was inspired to teach us that when those things enter our lives in this sinful world, rather than taking to noisy protest, rather than making retaliatory threats, we entrust our care to Christ Jesus and like the One who died for us, take the suffering on ourselves to allow God to do His work.

I am quite sure that more than one of you reading this blog today just shook your head and said, “Nope, not for me. I won’t just take it.”  And that is your choice. I have done that, too.  However, when we disregard what God asks of us, we are on our own. We step outside of His providential care.  He lets us refuse Him and lets us taste the consequences of our willfulness.  Some learn, turn, and find the grace to live joyfully in submission to His will. Others, like the ancient children of Israel, persist in complaint, resistance, and rebellion until they die in the desert of life, separated from the living water of the Spirit by their own willfulness.

Radical discipleship requires the abandonment of Self to live ‘in Christ.’ There is no middle ground, really, to be found in the true life of a Christian, for Jesus asks to be Lord of life, not just parts of life.

Here is a word from the Word. May the Spirit make it live in us for the glory of God. "It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.” So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet." (James 4:6-10, The Message)

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Abba, thank you for patiently waiting for me to yield,

for persistently inviting me to resources found only in You.

Forgive me for refusing You because I am convinced I know better,

for resisting Your way, preferring what seems best or comfortable.

Tell me again of Your amazing love, let me see Jesus anew.

In that place of humble surrender, may my heart find

a joy and security that is unknown to those who will not

trust with a child-like heart.

Keep me from self-will, I pray.

In Jesus’ name.  Amen

Trump and Pelosi

Spend more than 2 minutes on social media and you are guaranteed to run into a political statement and it is usually negative, critical, and full of contempt. In this time of polarized politics it can be difficult, no matter your persuasions, to respect those in office whose actions are so obviously motivated by party loyalty and power rather than national interest. For Christians, who belong to Christ above all, we do something very wrong and damaging to the work of the Lord when we hold leaders in contempt because of slavish loyalty to the ‘other’ side.

Peter, who had his own struggles with the Empire, commands us to "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17, NIV)

Throughout the Scripture, there is a common thread of truth when it comes to authority, something that eludes many of us who have been trained to question and resist. Christians are to have the humility required to accept that authority is ultimately given by God. Like all of God’s gifts, leadership and authority can be twisted and misused. Those in power can become oppressive and unjust, and often do! But, those of us who are Christ’s, though we are completely free in Him, are to be the best citizens, honorable and respectful of the office. Even our resistance to immoral policies of government is to be expressed with humility and respect. I am quite aware that many in our government today make that a very difficult choice.

We need to take a lesson from David and his relationship with King Saul. He would not move against the king, even when urged to do so; even when circumstances seemed to indicate that he had opportunity to take the throne promised to him by God. He saw Saul, though flawed, as a man in the hands of God. Faithfully he saw the sinful man as “God’s anointed!” That did not mean that David accepted every terrible thing Saul did in his times of insane jealousy as right or good. But, he trusted God, in His time, to remove the one who was in power. He also had the courage to speak truth to power, which he did repeatedly, but never with threats, never with hate, never with disrespect.

No matter your political leaning, Christian, take a moment to consider your reactions to the ‘other’ side and the representatives of policies you find abhorrent. You may find this simplistic, but pray before you repost that picture that demeans, before you make a personal attack. There is a way to respectfully express disagreement with those who hold office – be it local, state, or national. There is nothing wrong with spiritual debate, but the moment we cross the line into disrespectful mocking of the person, we err.

Leadership is not easy – not for anyone who must make hard decisions! If we become angry, critical, and disrespectful – our actions can obscure the Gospel of Christ. That is the worst kind of mistake. So, let’s not conveniently forget Paul’s teaching about those who are given the reins of authority.

Here is a word from the Word. "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NLT)

How about starting now by praying for that person in office with whom you disagree most. Really, pray wisdom over them. Pray for the truth to be known, for God, the Holy Spirit, to move in the minds and hearts even of those who seem to be ignorant of His ways. “Prayer changes things” and people, too.

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Jesus has torn down all the dividing walls that separate human beings. He prays that His followers— all of us - from the political left and the political right—will live as one, with unity brought about by the Spirit. Our love demonstrates to our world that we are His disciples

Dreaming of Paradise

Last night 'round 9:30, I sat alone, prayerfully thinking about the chaos in which I am presently living. As I prayed, God was near.  Please understand that I am not complaining!  I enjoy rich blessings - the love of God, many friendships, a comfortable home, great kids. Yet … there are struggles with which I wrestle, even with my good life. And thus, I rightly long for that promised place where sin cannot enter, where suffering is unknown, and where intimacy with God is unbroken. In my weariness, I dreamt of Paradise.

The Psalmist expresses my desire:  "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." (Psalm 27:4, NIV)

Heaven is written into our beings by our Creator.   He made us to love and serve Him and, as we invite His Spirit to be at work in us, we will more intensely desire His Presence, which will be perfectly known when we reach Paradise!

This morning, my meditation returned again to the words of Peter who tells us to be wary of getting too cozy in this present world. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12, NIV) 

Without a firm grasp on the promise of Paradise, we will almost certainly become disillusioned, even embittered, with the passing of time. "I meet many faithful Christians who, in spite of their faith, are deeply disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Sometimes it is a matter of how they experience aging, which they take to mean they no longer have a future. But often, due to circumstances or wrongful decisions and actions by others, what they had hoped to accomplish in life they did not .... Much of the distress of these people comes from a failure to realize that their life lies before them... the life that lies endlessly before us in the kingdom of God."   (The Divine Conspiracy, Dr. Dallas Willard) 

Christians who loses sight of Paradise Promised will revert to the same responses to life that those without God experience. They will fight for their own interests and fiercely protect what they believe is important to their own happiness. They will fear what they cannot understand or control, but when eternity is in view on time’s horizon, faith settles, trust grows, and peace comes.  My friend, do not make the mistake of believing that eternal life only begins when we die, that the joy of Heaven is only available to us after our bodies are in the grave!  We are citizens of Heaven even now by the grace of Jesus Christ. We enjoy intimate communion with the Lord of Glory now.

Indeed, our high calling is to bring the kingdom reign of God to earth now.  Jesus taught us to pray, “may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.”  That is for now, but we cannot do the work of the Kingdom if we have little hope for it in our hearts.

Abraham is a model for us.  He heard God's call, grasped the reality of Paradise, and lived the rest of days here on earth on pilgrimage.   Was he perfect?  No!    He took some detours from the straight and narrow path, but he never lost sight of where he was going.  The Word says  "By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations-the City designed and built by God."  (Hebrews 11:8-10, The Message)

Perhaps one reason we do not anticipate Paradise with greater desire is because we have adopted a flawed vision of it. The images of the misty fog enveloping transparent spirits floating in a ghostly realm, of little cherubs strumming harps as their feet dangle over the edge of clouds, are nonsensical!  Paradise is a real substantial place, of unimaginable beauty, where we know unbroken communion with God and perfect love of one another. Beyond that, let’s remember that Heaven was created by the God that thought up the refraction of sunlight by water moisture which produces the beauty of a rainbow.  If He would do that for beauty that lasts for a few moments what must He do for a place that is eternal?   We gave on the beauty of majestic mountains, enjoy the babble of tumbling streams, and are moved to tears by the cooing of a baby.  Now think;  if He would make a temporary world of such splendor, what must our eternal home look like?

So, by faith, reach out and hold onto Paradise.  When life is overwhelming, when sin threatens to engulf you,  when all seems futile,  when disappointment breaks your heart - look up and thank God that He has written Heaven into your heart. I did, and it brought rest, put me on the right path again.  It is precisely that God-instilled longing for Paradise that makes us unwilling to settle down and desire our best life now.   We are headed home!

Here is a word from the Word. My prayer is that the Spirit will write in large letters in our minds and hearts. "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."   (Hebrews 11:13-16, NIV)
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Build My Life
(a beautiful prayer of worship and hope)

Worthy of ev’ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev’ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none besides You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

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Who Do You Think You Are?

 

One of the best gifts I received from my parents is the sense of ‘place’ and ‘purpose.’  In my formative years my Dad often said to me, “You’re a Scott, take care that good name.” It was not said in a prideful way. It was to remind me that I belonged to something bigger than myself, that my life was not just about finding my own bliss.  In the turbulence of my teens, when I was drawn towards temptation, Dad’s words echoed in my mind, preserving me from many foolish, short-sighted choices.  That gift of ‘identity’ was a powerful motivator to do good. A half-century has past and another Father now speaks to me, calling me to take care of His Name.  

The primary reason I (and you) exist is not to find happiness. We were made to known and love God, to make His Name great as we reflect His glory and good to our world. Peter writes to us, inspired by the Spirit, to remind us that our lives become a thing of beauty when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  God take 'nothings' and make them into 'somethings.'  We are called into God’s "Ekklesia," the Church! "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." - 1 Peter 2:9-10 NASV

Elect, royal, holy, God's treasure! Those words give us an identity, call us to a purpose, and ennoble our lives. Is pride possible? Not if we know the whole story which includes the reality that we are who we are only because of His work of Grace. "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:8, NLT)  "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)

Are you living in your God-granted privileges today?
Are you rejoicing that He has called you out of the dark and into His wonderful light?

Zechariah urges people called by God to take their place, to live in His promise, and to know their destiny. The pictures painted by his words are jolting yet compelling. "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey... Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign LORD will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be!" Zechariah 9:9,14-17 NIV  What are the words used to describe the people of God?  Protected. Powerful. Celebrating their victories with the abandon of those who are intoxicated! Precious as jewels and as beautiful, too!

So, who do you think you are? It is not a rhetorical question. It is a key to living the life He desires.  Believe His statement that you are “Elect, royal, holy, God's treasure!”

IF you are Christ's then you can live that description. Shake off that 'I'm nothing, unworthy; don't look at me' attitude.  God has set His favor on you. Live in it today with thanksgiving, humbled by His grace, and fed by His goodness.

Abba, so much of life conspires to make me feel worthless.

So many tell me that I am less, that I have failed because I do not meet their expectations.

This immense universe sometimes makes me feel like a drop in the ocean.

Whisper, today, in my heart of Your Love.

Put steely resolve in my steps to find Your purpose and live it.

May I know, anew, who am I in Your eyes so that

I will live to make Your name beautiful before my world.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen

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