My hearing aids

Three years ago, I decided that I needed help with my hearing. I could ‘hear’ the sounds of conversation but often without clarity. I was missing out, or worse, would say something that was totally unrelated to the topic because I could not hear properly! So, I bought hearing aids. What a blessing they can be when I remember to put them in my ears before I leave my home.

Are you able to hear the voice of the Lord, attuned to His ways and will, ready to respond?

He does speak, promises to guide us, and is our “ever-present help in times of trouble.” Enjoying those blessings, however, do require some choices we make, much like my improved hearing required me to choose to get help! What follows is not a formula of ‘3 easy steps to knowing God’s will.’  Rather, I want to offer some suggestions that you may consider for increasing your spiritual insight.

In Luke 10 we read the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha was taken up with her work to provide hospitality and grew angry at her sister for just sitting around listening! The Lord famously did not join Martha’s indignance, but instead said this - “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40 NIV) Jesus came to visit with both women. One was willing to listen. The other felt only the frustration she created for herself.

Martha teaches us that we can be so taken up with our religious service that we miss out on knowing the true Presence of Jesus. IF we make our spiritual life all about the songs we sing, the scrupulous adherence to rituals, or digging around in the words of the Bible for some new ‘truth’ – our ability to hear the Spirit’s voice can be diminished, even lost. Like Mary, we must choose to make ourselves available to the Lord and examine our attitude toward Him if we desire to hear His voice.

If we want to hear Him, we must choose to respond to Him. Ever watched a parent attempt to speak with a child who has decided to ignore her Mom? That little one hears the words but has chosen not to actually listen. We watch knowing that correction is coming at some point in time.

When God speaks to us, He desires that we respond with obedience. There are times when I am reading the scripture or listening to a sermon when I sense the Spirit asking for growth and/or change. In that moment, I am faced with a choice: submit to Him or ignore His voice. I confess that sometimes I try to dismiss the impression, excusing my actions or determining that what I feel is just a left-over echo of my own conscience.

Using the example of the ancient people of Israel, the Word warns us of ‘hardening our heart!’ "As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?" (Hebrews 3:15-16, NIV) They had seen spectacular miracles as they left Egypt. They were living with day-to-day provisions from the Lord, but they chose to ignore Him and became spiritual deaf! The risk remains when we resist the clear call of the Spirit to walk faithfully in His ways.

A good conversation that is rich in understanding requires at least as much listening as it does speaking. Someone suggested that too often we formulate a response to the other person before they finish speaking. We are so focused on what we want to say that we do not really ‘hear’ the other person. Ever had that experience? It’s not great, is it? 

Prayer is not JUST bringing a list of requests to God. Yes, He wants us to ask Him for every need, to share with Him every doubt, to bring our friends and family before Him in our prayers. AND, He wants us to learn to listen, too. Contemplative prayer, that which is focused on the Person of God, in which I am with HIM in silent focus, allows Him to speak. Oh, it is hard! A thousand thoughts will intrude as we quiet ourselves before Him. Most of us are so addicted to noise, to our smartphones, to constant background chatter on the TV or streaming device, that we experience a kind of anxiety when we enter into silence for more than a couple of minutes.

But, if we would hear from God, we must learn that discipline. We must choose to wait before Him with simple faith and earnest expectation. When you attempt this, do not be discouraged if days pass when you come from silence feeling that time was wasted.

Yes, God is speaking everywhere, all the time. The Scripture is His revelation of His will. But He does not only speak to us when our Bibles are open. He speaks to us in the voice of friend, in the arrangement of our circumstances, in the good times and the awful, too. As Elijah learned on the mountain, He seldom roars or shouts. Mostly His is the ‘still, small voice.’ Let’s learn to listen!

This word from the Word is a precious promise. Be encouraged by it to learn and listen.
"The LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." (Proverbs 2:5-11, NIV)

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

Morning Prayer 107

Abba, I am incurably religious, willing to slip too quickly into making my faith about the songs I sing, the holy days I observe, and the parsing of words in my studies of the Bible. Forgive me for the misplaced focus on ‘me.’  Draw me to change and cause my heart to desire You.

My heart is a rebel so I pray you will call me persistently and grant me the grace of patience as I wait for Your ways and will to unfold in my life.

Renew my spirit as You move deeply within me, making my stony heart into one that is pliable in Your hands, responsive to Your leading. Help me to see You and Your goodness in moments of wonder that are scattered throughout my ordinary days.

When Self struts, convict me and lead me to new humility before You.
Help me to keep in step with the Spirit and to discover the rich and full life offered to those who are followers of Your Son, Jesus.

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, O LORD,
your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD." (Psalm 25:4-7, NIV)

In Jesus' holy Name I pray. Amen.

The End Of The World As We Know It

Is anyone else sick of the campaign ads yet? Once again we are in an electoral season that has turned ugly, with personal attacks, half-truths, and even outright lies featured in those intrusive and annoying ads. Both sides insist that if the other party takes power, it will mean the end of democracy, the ruin of the nation. I am quite aware that the election will have consequences for the country.

BUT I have lived long enough to know that swings from right to left and back again are normal in our system of government. Will the election of one party or the other really effect American history? Most certainly! Public policies for the next decade will be changed by the legislation enacted. My intent today is not to minimize the importance of this election, but I want to set it in context of Heaven's truth.

God makes it known in the Scripture - "I am in charge of history!"

Consider Daniel. He was taken by invaders from his home in Jerusalem to Babylon where he was put in the service of a pagan emperor. It must have been hard for Daniel to reconcile the truth that God was revealing to him concerning His control of human events and the fact that his homeland was in ruins and that young Jews like himself were in captives in a foreign land. Yet, he stayed faithful to the revelation.

Daniel, despite tragedy, remained God's man. As a result, he was amazingly effective as God's spokesman through three successive empires!

One time, Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his counselors tell him what he had dreamed and the meaning of his dream. Impossible? Yes! Daniel went to prayer, received the revelation, and went to tell the king what God was saying to him. God showed Daniel that He was still in charge.

The king had dreamt of a large statue with golden head, silver chest, bronze belly, iron legs, and feet of clay. God revealed the coming empires that would follow the Assyrian one. The key part of the dream was the Stone that was cut out of a mountain, not with human hands, which rolled down to destroy the statue.

What is the meaning?
All earthly kingdoms will come to an end when the King of Kings sets up His reign.
As hard as it may for us to discern, we know, by faith, that GOD HOLDS HISTORY IN HIS HANDS and HIS PLANS WILL SUCCEED.

When Daniel was about 80 years old, once again a king saw a terrifying vision. Belshazzar, the regent of Babylon, whose arrogance far outstripped that of Nebuchadnezzar, was throwing a banquet when a hand appeared to write on the wall of the hall. No one could understand the cryptic phrase - MENE MENE TEKEL PARSIN.

In the terror filled moment, the queen mother reminded Belshazzar of an old Jewish man who had counseled the prior king. Daniel came and read the inscription: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" -- "Numbered, numbered, Weighed, and Divided!"

Boldly, Daniel pronounced the message of Heaven.
"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. ... But when his heart and mind were hardened with pride, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. ...until he learned that the Most High God rules the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them. You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. For you have defied the Lord of heaven ...you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So, God has sent this hand to write a message." (Daniel 5:18-24, NLT)

God rules!  Though the world is filled with chaos, though the parties declare that the end of all things is imminent, Christians are assured that Heaven has not abandoned us. The Scripture consistently calls us to be responsible, proactive, and engaged all the while reminding us that we are not in charge and that we need not be afraid. Though we are aliens in this world, passing through on our way to our home, the Spirit is with us and God is guiding us.

Jesus follower, I want to urge you to trust that revelation today.
Steady yourself in faith in God.
Don’t be duped by the politicians who claim the Name of Jesus and espouse hatred in the same breath!
Pray for eyes that see what God sees and a mind that thinks as He thinks as the Spirit gives revelation. In this election year when there is so much anxiety about the future of this country... remember the Truth!
"saying, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he alone has all wisdom and power. He determines the course of world events; he removes kings and sets others on the throne. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars." (Daniel 2:20-21, NLT)  

I am NOT a fatalist! I accept that the Lord has charged me with responsibility to pray for His will to be done and to seek the establishment of what is good and just. So, I commit myself to discern His will and then to live with heart-deep faith and rock-solid assurance.

Pray with me the simple and wonderful prayer that Jesus taught us to pray:
"‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’" (Matthew 6:8-13, NIV)

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen

MAID in America

In the guise of ‘compassion’ and/or ‘justice,’ Americans continue to degrade the value of human life. 14 states now have MAID (Medical Aid In Dying) laws. Have you heard of them? In short, these laws permit, with some limits, physicians to prescribe pills that will prematurely end the life of people who are terminally ill. The state of New York outlines the law’s intent this way – “when a terminally ill, mentally competent adult patient, who is likely to die within six months, takes prescribed medicines, which must be self-administered, to end suffering and achieve a peaceful death.” 

If you are like about two-thirds of American adults you read that and thought – “So what’s wrong with that? It’s a good idea.”  In purely practical terms, I could agree. I have watched both my parents and my wife struggle through months of sickness and suffering and eventually die from cancer that ravaged their bodies. Some part of me wondered about allowing them to choose an earlier exit from it all.

BUT, they and I share a high view of human life and the sovereignty of our Creator God, Who alone holds the keys to life and death!

Theologian Brad East wrote - “The church’s moral teaching has always held that murder—defined as the intentional taking of innocent life—is intrinsically evil. It follows that actively intending the death of an elderly or sick human being and then deliberately bringing about that death through some positive action, such as the administration of drugs, is always and everywhere morally wrong.”  (https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/12/why-christians-oppose-euthanasia)

A great tragedy has come over the evangelical Christian church in which most pastors are silent on the issue of the sacredness of human life. The line has steadily eroded over the last 40 years from a firm insistence that all life must be protected and cherished to a more utilitarian view that couples the value to life to some supposed ‘quality of life.’  Tolerance for abortion has crept into our minds. Widespread acceptance of capital punishment, despite the revelations of so many mistaken convictions, is now common among us. I heard not a peep of protest about the proposed travesty of a firing squad execution that our government proposes to stream live from our pulpits!

One advocate for life and speaker on Christian ethics, Heidi Janz, who has multiple disabilities and speaks with a voice synthesizer, says “The silence has been deafening, We’re just collectively shrugging our shoulders. I think we’re going to have a lot to answer for.”

We seem to have forgotten a key truth of our faith – that God will redeem our suffering for His purposes. Our very salvation came at the cost of suffering by Jesus at the Cross. Few seem to be willing to accept that God can use and does use pain. I am not trying to sugarcoat the awful pain and loss of dignity that came with the long process of death that my parents and wife endured when I say that in each of those experiences a new and amazing depth of love and grace were uncovered. There were long nights when I sat with my Dad’s head lying in my lap as we listened to songs that reminded us of God’s grace. My Mom and I shared faith and hope in the darkest moments and my faith grew. Bev and I fell more intensely in love even as her strength ebbed away and I became less her husband more her caregiver. Yes, it was hard for me and even harder for them – BUT truly God’s love was present in a way we never knew before the ‘awful.’  I cannot imagine what would have been lost in their lives or mine IF they had chosen to end life prematurely.

Christians are called to the highest love, a love that goes beyond bliss, romance, or mutual affection. Our love is modeled on that of Jesus ‘who came to serve, not to be served.’   Consider the consistent theme of the New Testament.

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." (John 13:34, NLT)

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." (Romans 12:10, NLT)

"Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, NLT)

That kind of love provides purpose and value to each person for we are, together, the Body of Christ. "Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:16, NLT)

Another common argument offered in support of MAID, is framed as ‘death with dignity.’ To be sure, dying is an ugly business! Frequently there is a decline in self-care, a growing reliance on others for even the basic physical needs. Yesterday I went to visit a man in hospice care, a man who once gave voice to faith, who shared my hope in Christ Jesus. When I entered his room, I saw a man now totally dependent on care, who did not even recognize me, and who talked in confused jumbles of words. It was my privilege to offer my hand, to extend care to him, to pray with him knowing that even in this greatly diminished state he remains a child of God!

We must regain our understanding that we belong to God – from birth to death. That we do not own our bodies, not can we claim radical autonomy. The inspired Word says clearly – “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”  (1 Corinthians 6:19) That statement is not qualified in terms of good health, convenience, or practical value!  God owns me and I surrender what others claim to be my ‘right’ to self-determination to His will.

Is that a hard truth? It is! But, it is a foundation of life’s sacredness.  

Let’s live well, investing ourselves in the highest and best for the glory of God, even as we remember what the Word tells us about our mortality: “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) IF we reject the modern fascination with youth and accept the fact of dying, we will live better lives.  And the fear of death will be tempered by the hope found in Christ Jesus who promises that “There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”  (John 14:2)

Amen

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

A Beggar and A Rich Man

How much do you care for the poor? It’s not an easy answer in part because it can be hard to actually define what being ‘poor’ means.  Are you poor if you drive a car more than 10 years old or use a smartphone that is more than 3 years old? Are you poor if you cannot afford to eat in restaurants regularly? Must you be homeless to be poor?  Most Americans, even those who are poor by our standard of living are relatively well off compared to many in developing nations in the world.

Rather than assign an economic measure I would say that an almost universal indicator of poverty is being ‘invisible person.’  For whatever reason, when a person is no longer seen, no longer given human worth, they have become poor. Now let ask the question again – how much do you care for the poor?

No one knowing even a little about what Jesus taught can miss the fact that He cared deeply for those who were invisible, impoverished to the point of becoming ‘worthless’ in the eyes of others.
Consider a teaching story He told … 

 “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed and who lived each day in luxury. At his door lay a diseased beggar named Lazarus. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham.

“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. Anyone who wanted to cross over to you from here is stopped at its edge, and no one there can cross over to us.’ “

Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them about this place of torment so they won’t have to come here when they die.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.’ “

But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’”" (Luke 16:19-31, NLT)

Let’s get one erroneous conclusion out of the way quickly. The rich man was not condemned because of HIS WEALTH! Jesus pointed out his willful ignorance of the plight of a poor man who lay right at his doorstep. One of the main points of the story is that value in God’s eyes is vastly different from value in human eyes and in His grace, God makes possible a great reversal.

A man who had everything – the right clothing, the right food, the right home – but who lacked a right heart loses it all.

In Jesus’ telling the poor man is named unlike the rich man. In this he is made a person not just an object. His plight is terrible – a beggar, diseased, and set upon by scavenging dogs. It is a horrific existence made worse by the fact that relief was steps away, but denied by the blindness of the rich man. We know nothing about the spiritual practice of Lazarus but we are told he entered into paradise.

Note, too, just how entitled that rich man is even after death! He asks Father Abraham to send Lazarus to comfort him in his torment! He still thinks of himself as better than the poor beggar to whom he now ‘looks up’ to see.

Dear Christian, will you ask the Spirit to help you to see the poor, to give dignity to those denied it by the blindness and assumptions of others?

Jesus spoke often about caring for widows, orphans, and children – people who were often invisible, powerless, and living on the edge of survival in His time, mostly dependent on the charity of others. His message is consistent that pleasing God includes being aware of human need and caring enough to become involved.

He summarized His mission succinctly - "And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.”" (Luke 19:10, NLT) Yes, we rightly understand He seeks those who are spiritually lost, reconciling them to His Father. But, a wider view of that statement, drawn from His earthly ministry, cannot ignore His care for the poor.

Indeed, in His announcement at the synagogue in Capernaum, He quoted the prophecy of Isaiah that says - " The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn." (Isaiah 61:1-2, NIV)

The first generations of Christians in the Roman Empire were noted for their care for the lowest, the least, the poor and powerless. Slaves were welcomed to their worship. Social distinctions were erased when one became a Christian. This was the inspired revelation that they experienced. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29, NIV) 

Can we practice the usual social discrimination of our culture and claim to ‘in Christ?’
It is possible to allow ourselves to not see the poor – whatever the reason for their poverty- and claim to like our Lord?

The questions beg our answer. Hopefully, we will take up the Call to care before we challenged by our Lord Jesus at the Day of Reckoning before His throne.

The word from the Word as I close comes from Proverbs 31. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice." (Proverbs 31:8-9, NLT)

Amen.

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

What Jesus Makes Possible

I love conversion stories! In my Christian tradition we often call this a person’s “Testimony.”  When a person tells the story of an experience of the grace of God, I’m moved. What joy it is to hear about - violent people who become peacemakers,
hopeless people who find new life,
addicts who learn to live in sobriety,
loveless people who discover the transformative love of the Father.

All of those stories illustrate the key principle of a passage in 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.”

When God’s Spirit touches the human heart and there is a response of faith, something real and wonderful happens. A whole new way of life becomes possible. The assurance of eternity with God in Heaven is written on the heart of that one who comes to Christ Jesus.

Have you been ‘saved?’ 

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, writes of the predicament of humanity in chapters 1 to 3.

Sin came into the world, separating us from God. As a result of sin, death, both spiritual and physical, was the lot of Adam’s children, including you and me. The famed verse says that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23, NIV) 

But, through faith, we can receive a gift that changes everything. Romans uses three words to describe what it means to be ‘saved.’

We are justified. (Romans 3:24 “We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”) 

In the court of Heaven, we were indicted and bound to be condemned at the Judgment. But, when we believe and receive Christ, God declares us ‘not guilty,’ not because we are deserving, but because Jesus extends grace to us. It’s more than a pardon. We are released from all guilt!

We are redeemed. (Romans 3:24 “We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”) 

In the world in which Paul lived people were sold into servitude to settle debts! It was a terrible thing. However, there could be redemption! If family and/or friends put together enough resources to pay off the debt, the person enslaved was redeemed, set free. You and I, in our natural state, are slaves of sin, but there is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son. Jesus tells us of His mission to pay the ransom for our freedom. (Mark 10:45) “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Our love for Him is such that we become servants of God, living to please Him. As Paul says “You were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

We are given the gift of righteousness.  "Now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, … God presented him (Jesus) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” (Romans 3:25, NIV) 

Paul has in mind here the Jewish rituals of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. In the Holiest of Holy places, the Ark of the Covenant was kept. the mercy seat that was the lid of that box that contained the 10 Commandments. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest carried blood for an offering on behalf of the people that satisfied the holy demands of God.

A system of sacrifices turned away God’s wrath from the sinner. Shocked at that language?

Perhaps that is because our concept of God is so impoverished. He is a loving Father, the glorious Creator, and the Judge of all the earth. We are, “by nature objects of wrath,’ except that God, mysteriously and wondrously, offered His own Son as the final sacrifice for sin, once for all time.            

Yes, those are hard concepts for us, but we must go beyond a superficial and emotion-based grasp of the amazing gift of God. When our minds are filled with the wonder of salvation – that we are justified, that we are redeemed, that God has made us right at great cost – there is an unshakeable assurance that fills our mind and heart, compelling us to joy and faithful love.

Have you been ‘saved?’  Trust Christ Jesus with your life and accept the offer of forgiveness and renewal … and salvation is the gift He gives.

Here is a word from the Word. Oh, may the promise of God that saves us from the human predicament cause us to sing today.

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." (Ephesians 1:13-17, NIV) Amen

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

Being “good”

Our news has been awash in the sordid story of sexual assault at a fraternity house at Cornell University. The details are too ugly for this blog but suffice to say – the behaviors recounted all around sicken me with sadness. Young adults degraded themselves while turning another person into an object for their own gratification.

Terrible behavior is nothing new. History is replete with examples of depravity and cruelty. Yet, I believe it is time for Americans to take a long look at the results of our culture in which music and entertainment for the last generation has regularly mocked what is good all the while celebrating sensuality and unrestrained sexual pleasure as a virtual right and something quite sophisticated. We have redefined our most basic understanding of what it means to be human.

    Pornography has become a $100 billion business with digital content available anywhere at any time.

        A majority of babies are now born outside of the covenant of marriage.

    Protection for those who are homosexual has morphed into gross parades of depravity on our city streets.

     We demonize those who are different, speaking words that show no regard for humanity at large.

§          The discussion of ending the lives of the elderly or disabled no longer brings revulsion.
    And the list could go on …

Christian, let’s reclaim ‘goodness’ as something beautiful, to be celebrated and taught to our children.

Jesus says – “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  (Matthew 5) The word He uses, “tob” -is packed with meaning - “good; favorable; festive; pleasing; pleasant; well; better; right; best.”

The wisdom of Scripture tells us not to surrender to the baser things of the world which we live thinking that ‘is just the way things are.’  Instead, we who belong to Christ are told - "Don’t let evil get the best of you but conquer evil by doing good." (Romans 12:21, NLT)

At one time we praised people who were careful to be kind, to pursue excellence in character, who trained themselves to avoid coarse and profane speech, who honored their parents, who did not even allow a hint the ugliness of sin to be tolerated. Were we always perfect? Of course not! I am not naïve. Hypocrisy has always been a part of humanity and many times our professed ‘good’ did not match our private reality. Never the less, we are fools to abandon God’s call to goodness, thinking that being able to ‘tolerate’ sin is a mark of sophistication or maturity.

Another passage tells us that the key to knowing peace with God is our commitment to true ‘goodness.’ The passage is often quoted but truly lived much less often. Take a look. "And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT)

Join me in praying that the Holy Spirit will lead us to a kind of life that marked by “tob,” a commitment to that which is pure, worthy of the Light, that causes us to keep the royal law in our thoughts, words, and actions. What is that law? James defines it for us: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”   

Jesus taught us that there are just two rules for life that will create true goodness in us-
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT)

How about it, friend? Shall we recapture the good for the glory of God?

Amen.

Give Me Patience … Now!

Patience is not one of my strongest traits, and that is an understatement. When I’m stuck in heavy traffic, I grow impatient. When I sit in an office waiting for my appointment to begin, I have to do some mental exercises to stay calm. When the circumstances of life are frustrating me, I want things fixed and orderly – right now!

To me, God speaks this wisdom. "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:14, NIV) He does not always work at the speed at which I desire. He does not always reveal His plans. Yet I am told to ‘wait.’

Sometimes in those seasons when I am waiting, I confess that other issues enter my life.
My prayers grow colder and more formal.
Scripture is harder to understand.
Worship does not flow from a glad heart, offered more from duty than delight.
As I grow more restless, distractions draw me in many directions.

Thankfully, there is this promise that helps me press through the difficult time. "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31, NLT) What a paradox. In our anxious desire to see something happen, the answer is not “try harder.” Rather, it is trust Him with patience.

What does it mean to ‘wait on the Lord?’ 

A key part is the willingness to surrender to His will. The Psalm illustrates the concept - "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so, our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us." (Psalm 123:2, KJV) Those who worked in a household as servants stood by, patiently. They were not focused on their own agenda but were attentive to the desires of another. “So, we wait upon the LORD, our God.” 

Waiting on the Lord requires deep faith.
Others may see the choice as laziness or lack of enthusiasm.
Some may claim to have a vision for you, urging you to act now.

Even the first disciples, who had an urgent mission to ‘go in all the world and preach the Good News’ were told first to wait. There was work to be done in them before they were ready to serve. It may be that the Spirit desires to do something IN YOU, building faith, changing your heart.

Here is what Jesus said to those first disciples about expectantly and patiently waiting for the Spirit.
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." (Acts 1:4, NIV) “Wait,” He said, “don't rush off, trying to force something to happen while you are only half-prepared.” 

In God's time, the Spirit moved on them. "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting." (Acts 2:2, NIV) "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:4, NIV) Those men and women left that Upper Room, filled with the Spirit, empowered to go and become the foundation of the Church. Prepared, ready, and effective - changing the world! Let God do what He needs to do as you wait patiently on Him.

Our word from the Word is a Psalmist's prayer. If you are in a time of waiting – make it your plea. "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel (people of God), put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption."  (Psalm 130:5-7, NIV)

I will wait on the Lord. Will you?

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

It Doesn’t Make Any Sense

A flow of information floods our lives like water pouring from a firehose! Pundits tell us about public policy. Doctors inform us about the latest health trend. Podcasts bring us ideas about every conceivable subject. Conversations with dozens of people each week require more thought and evaluation.

We absorb information about the economy, wars around the world, the corruption in our government, the failure of higher education … and a thousand other things. Much of it is presented in terms that demand changes unless I want to witness the end of life as I know it.

My question is - how do we evaluate all this information?
How do we make the best choices with such an array of options before us?

If left to human wisdom alone – be it my own or that borrowed from others - I realize that I am in real peril because the so-called ‘experts’ have failed me too many times. The 'wise' have turned out to be fools; the 'righteous' revealed as frauds; last year's 'truth' was replaced by this year's discoveries.

The late Dr. David Wells wrote that when we turn from a God-centered life to a man-centered one, "everything drifts apart. It begins to resemble confetti - a myriad of experiences, none of which is related to the others.... and which can mean anything. The human being becomes 'homeless' adrift in a world that is beyond comprehension."

Solomon tried making sense of life with various philosophies. In Ecclesiastes we read his cynical conclusions. "Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless. ...I decided to cheer myself with wine. ... In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world. I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards. . .. I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. .... I had everything a man could desire!

So, I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never failed me. ... But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. . . . This is all so meaningless!" (Ecclesiastes 2:1-15, NLT)

How easily we can slip into that kind of cynicism. When we attempt to make sense of life without an anchor in the truth of the Living God, the Creator and Source of life itself we will inevitably be cast adrift in a sea of contradictions. With age and experience we can lose touch with good, with beauty, with the joy of a life that rests on a solid foundation. 

Are you attempting to make sense of your life with pleasure, money, technology, control and/or organization, education, or something else in this present world? Those things will, in the short term, give us some bright days and social benefits, but they will certainly fail to provide a life with meaning and hope as our days come to an end.

Perhaps you have taken yet a different path attempting to live ‘above it all’ retreating from engagement with the wider world as much as you can. Maybe you have made this your philosophy - "I don't ask the questions! I just retreat into my little world and forget the rest."  

Even that choice ultimately fails because eventually the world we have tried to ignore will invade our little circle and we will know the consequences of choices made on our behalf by others.

Here is the best choice, one recommended by Solomon, near the end of his life. Solomon, after all his efforts to satisfy his inner longings, to understand life as meaningful, comes to this conclusion:  "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV)

My friend is the True Center of your life the Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus promises that He will be with us 'even to the end of the age.'   He gave us the gift of the Spirit of God Whom He said would not just be with us, but Who would live in us, when we choose to submit ourselves to Him in faith. He said – “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”  (John 14:15)

 Of Himself, Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

This is not a simplistic answer to the complexity of life. In Him, in His wisdom, and by the Spirit we find an anchor, a point of reference, and access to a way of living that supersedes all the things of this temporal world. As He guides us, our lives become meaningful; even the pain we suffer useful in the hand of God for His eternal purposes.

The word from the Word today reflects the certainty found in our trust and faith. May these words grant us peace in these tumultuous times. “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8)

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55