Lead on, King Jesus!

 

51 years ago I decided that I wanted to know how to fly an airplane.  Those first flights were exciting even though the plane never flew out of the immediate vicinity of the airport.  In those early flights with an instructor I learned the basics of aerodynamics, the control operations of the airplane, and the 'feel' of flying.  In July, just after my 16th birthday, I went for a lesson and we started out with the routine - the preflight, the review of what maneuvers were planned for me to learn that day, and then up we went for a short flight in the 'pattern.'    

When we landed again in a few moments, the instructor asked me to taxi over to the office where he got out of the airplane.  He then said those scary words - "Jerry, go ahead and take her 'round the pattern a couple of times!"   When he closed the door and walked away, he left a kid trembling with equal measures of fear and excitement.

It was time to fly solo! If I would not do this, my dream of being a pilot was over. I remember the sweat of fear that dripped from my forehead as I taxied to the end of the runway. My feet literally vibrated on the rudder pedals! For a moment I wondered if I was ready to commit myself to the sky alone in that tiny Cessna 150. In the moment of decision, I pushed in the throttle and the plane started to pick up speed.  A gentle tug on the yoke and the wheels broke free of the ground. I was flying solo - a rookie pilot! I could not become a pilot by hanging around the airport, reading magazines about flying, or by sitting in airplanes. I had to commit myself to learning the skills and actually flying a plane.

Jesus said, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." (Mark 8:34-35, NKJV) There is a moment of decision when the Lord asks each one of us, "Are you ready to become my disciple?"  We do not become disciples by going to church or joining a ministry or learning Bible verses. They are valuable parts of the process, but one becomes a disciple when there is a moment of decision to answer the Spirit’s call, to relinquish one's life to the Lordship of Jesus, to live the life in obedience.

Some who claim to be Christian are not disciples, they are dabblers, inquirers, hangers-on who have an interest in Christ, but who have not said the “yes” God’s Spirit asks of us.  A person may believe in Jesus, pray, go to church, tithe their income, without being a disciple of Jesus.  There is a form of ‘cheap grace’ taught that leads people to believe that they can enjoy the benefits of knowing Jesus without choosing to make Him Lord of life. Disciples know they are followers, not leaders of the parade. They serve the purposes of Another.

Our love of independence, of self-determination, makes the idea of submission to the will of God hard to accept. We wonder how we could possibly be happy with that kind of living. And yet, precisely the opposite is true. When we accept the call to being His disciple, we find life that is full of purpose and  one that stretches beyond the end of this earthly existence into eternity.  Scripture teaches us that  "Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NLT)

The promise of life that comes with discipleship eclipses our desires for fame, fortune, and self-fulfillment but it is only discovered after we surrender to His call!  Let’s not settle merely for being religious, or knowing about Jesus. We bow our heads and bend our knees to our True Sovereign, following Him to life. Becoming a disciple is a decision made once. Living as a disciple is a choice made each day.  Surrender it all, friend. Give yourself away and then walk out the disciplined experience, discovering the adventure of living by the Spirit in this present world, while enjoying the promise of eternal life in the world to come.

The word from the Word –"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 3:12-14, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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 Lead On O King Eternal

 Lead on O King Eternal
We follow not with fears
For gladness breaks like morning
Where'er Thy face appears
Thy cross is lifted o'er us
We journey in its light
The crown awaits the conquest
Lead on O God of might

 Lead on O King Eternal
The day of march has come
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home
Thro' days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong
And now O King eternal
We lift our battle song

Lead on O King Eternal
Till sin's fierce war shall cease
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet Amen of peace
For not with swords loud clashing
Nor roll of stirring drums
With deeds of love and mercy
The heav'nly kingdom comes

-Public Domain

 

 

Blessing and Cursing

 

Someone asked me if I knew Sam Smith. The words that came next from me were not kind nor sweet. Yes Sam can be a difficult, often eccentric, and even inappropriate but rather than offer an honest reference, I tossed off a dismissive phrase. Later, on reflection, my conscience stung. Why had I chosen that? Was it to be clever, an attempt at humor that came at the expense of another person?  That same day I used words to guide and comfort a family in grief, blessing them with the truth of the Word.  

Words- how do we use them?  Are we blessing or cursing, building up or tearing down?

Words are a gift. Ever received a note that filled your heart with joy because it brought loving words of appreciation?  A friend who recently passed away sent me several notes over the last few years to encourage me to keep up the work of “CoffeeBreak.”  He took time to reference something I had written and the way it encouraged him. Those little notes were a gift of kindness!

Words can be terribly cruel, too.  We do not have to actually say “I hate you” to hurt another. We can simply dismiss them with harshness to strike a blow. In anger we risk hurting others, hurling words like bullets aimed at the heart. We can be thoughtless, saying things about another or even to them without knowledge of how our words are heard. Kids chant, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!" But, that isn't not true. Words can hurt, badly. I cringe when I hear a parent label their child as stupid, or bad, or with similar pejorative labels. Even corrective words need not be cruel.

What kinds of words flow from your lips? Proverbs contains some pithy wisdom about this.

“A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.”  (16:28)

“Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?”  (18:8, The Message)

“When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down.”  (26:20)

We need to be careful not to cheapen our words with inflation!  In our economy when the amount of money is increased, the price of goods rises because the value of a dollar diminishes. That’s called inflation and we are experiencing that at this present time. Words are much the same. When we use too many, when what we say is insincere or mere flattery, we make speech cheap.  Who has not been guilty of saying something like “this is the worst day of my life” only when dealing with some inconvenience. Is it really true? No, it’s hyperbole. We know it and discount what we hear.  But, that can become a habit that diminishes the value of our words to others. That is why Jesus teaches us to “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’”  He warns about word inflation!

Want to speak better words, encouraging words, words that are filled with life?  The key is to experience a change at the source.  Jesus reminds us that our words flow up from our inner person and are the revelation of the content of our heart, our thought life. A person who is mean, who spreads slanderous gossip, tells the world- "I have a heart that is empty of positive, Spirit-inspired life."   When I am depleted in spirit and have not renewed my strength in prayerful conversation with the Holy Spirit, I can become critical, negative, and demeaning to others. When I am filled with the Spirit, in the same situation, I am capable of encouraging, of speaking honestly, yet lovingly and with the goal of edifying others.

Let me leave you with a lengthy passage today for your meditation. The word from the Word is practical wisdom! Oh God, use it to challenge each one of us about our words – that they will bless, not curse, build up not tear down.

"We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.

So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God.

And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?" (James 3:2-11, NLT)

Oh, Lord, change my heart and make the overflow a refreshing spring of living water. Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Words

They've made me feel like a prisoner
They've made me feel set free
They've made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king
They've lifted my heart
To places I'd never been
And they've dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
God Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You (back to You)
Let the words I say (let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace (sound of Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You (back to You)

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice

I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

Jonathan Steingard | Matthew Hammitt | Seth Mosley

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We celebrate …

 

So, yesterday we marked Labor Day, one of the quieter ‘holidays’ in my calendar, not a big family day, no universal rituals. Originally, the day was one to honor ‘ordinary’ workers in a time when work conditions were often dismal, dangerous, and deadly!  For most of us, the day has become the unofficial end of Summer. Some have started back to school already, but many districts will start today or tomorrow. Labor Day is behind us and we are looking towards Thanksgiving, perhaps even Christmas.   

No matter the culture, people track time, remember key dates, make certain days of the year special.  I think we do it to stay on track, to reconnect with the past, even as we press into an unknown future. Healthy families mark birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and even the dates of the deaths of loved ones. 

So, why do we celebrate the passage of time with regularity?   These days help us set an identity that defines us in our chaotic world.

An important part of our Christianity is fixed in ‘remembering.’  We take the elements of the Body and the Blood to lean into the Covenant of God’s Grace. It is not that we worship the past. It is wrong to think that everything good happened yesterday, or that all that is important is now past.  God continues His work in us and in our world. He desires that we are alive to the Spirit, ready to do the work to establish His reign in the world, defeating sin and death by living the Gospel, pushing back fear with faithful hope, loving so powerfully that hatred is swallowed up.  It is hard work, often threatening to destabilize us.  

That is why Jesus told us to gather and remember, to strengthen the foundation of faith. "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:19-20, NIV)

There is great encouragement to be found in celebrating memories of the faithful, gone before us.  How does the ‘faith chapter’ of Scripture, Hebrews 11, teach us?  With stories that remember … “by faith, Abraham … by faith, Moses … by faith, Joseph … by faith, Rahab … David, Samson.”  We are inspired by the telling of their stories.  

I love to read the accounts of Christians in biographies. William Wilberforce and John Newton labored for 20 years to bring slave trade to an end in England. Wilberforce adopted a spiritual piety in spite of wrestling with some inner demons.  Among my modern heroes of faith are Jim and Elizabeth Elliot, he a martyr, she a steadfast teacher and writer who labored on after his death.  

During a time of spiritual renewal in Judah about 400 years before the time of Jesus, we read this: "Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name." (Malachi 3:16, NIV)

Ah, my friend, take time to recall the faithfulness of God to you, too!  When life gets busy or turbulent, when many things converge to make us weary or discouraged, one of the things we can do is to take some time to remember and count our blessings. Jeremiah’s words remind us to recall and rejoice. "His (the Lord’s) compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24, NIV)

So, as we tuck the Summer of ’22 into the history books, let’s set some good memories in place that will serve us well as we walk into the future.  

What can we celebrate as success and give thanks? 
What failure has a lesson or two for us?
Who has walked the road we are walking before us who can help find our way?
How has God shown Himself faithful to us, to others, that builds faith for this moment in time?

Richard Foster, one of those who has shaped me spiritually, says that celebration is a discipline, a choice that we make to find the Spirit’s life. He writes ‘Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees.’  Think on that, my Christian friend, and then find people, places, and events for which to be thankful and joyful. 

Get over yourself enough to toss off your polite reserve and sing or dance, to throw a party, to pour out holy praise. Yes, celebrate for those celebrations and memories are a source of strength for the journey that includes struggles and trials.  Can I get an “Amen?”

The word from the Word for today - "For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come. With Jesus’ help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:14-16, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Alabaster Box

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbles through the tears
That made her blind
She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind
Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last she knelt before His feet
And though she spoke no words
Ev'rything she said was heard
And she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster

 

I've come to pour
My praise on Him like oil
From Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry
If I wash His feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His love all around me
And you don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

 

I can't forget
The way life used to be
I was a pris'ner
To the sin that had me bound
I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I thought I found
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonder of His touch
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven and that's why
I love Him so much

 

I've come to pour
My praise on Him like oil
From Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry
If I wash His feet with my tears
And dry them with my hair
You weren't there when my Jesus found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His loving arms around me
And you don't know the cost of the oil
Oh you don't know the cost of my praise
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

 

Janice Lyn Sjostrand

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