The Rule of Benedict

New! The word is one we love. A new car, a new computer, a new song, a new… most of us love the new and the novel, convinced that new is always better, and often, it is! My latest computer is incomparably better than the MS-DOS based one I used in 1990. My 2006 model car is much more reliable than models that were built 30 years ago. Bev and I walked through a quaint little spot in NJ yesterday called Millbrook Village, where a tiny slice of 19th life is preserved at a crossroads just outside of Blairstown. As we were leaving she said, “there’s something really appealing about this kind of life.” While the pastoral setting and the closely knit community life might have been great, it was a hard life, too, with much labor from sunup to sundown! All in all, I prefer my life to theirs! But, with my life of the ‘now’ and the ‘new’ I also know how important it is to know the history on which our lives rest. Today did not spring from nowhere.

Many Christians have no idea about the rich traditions of our faith, no grasp of the treasure of wisdom that the Church has accumulated over our 2000 year history. For the last few months, I have been slowly reading through a book, Longing For God, (IVP, 2009, Beebe and Foster) that explores the thoughts and writings from which our practices and understandings have emerged. Most recently these guides have led me through an exploration of the writing of Benedict of Nursia, a monk who lived from 480 to 547.

In the world then, there were thousands of monks that drifted from town to town without accountability, stability, or anchor. They brought their message to a town then moved on leaving people to cope with their words, which often were ill informed and even heretical. Benedict created a Rule for monks that is a system that urges structure and discipline, for the purpose of building lasting community.

One of the Rules involves humility, in Benedict’s mind, with twelve degrees or steps to living humbly.

First among them is the ‘fear of God.’
Second is submission always to the will of God.
Third is seeking input from others.
Fourth is to actively submit to a superior’s instruction.
Fifth is living transparently and confessionally.
Sixth is contentment in all things.
Seventh is to put ourselves at the service of all, thinking none beneath us.
Eighth is to remain in our place within the community without seeking to climb higher.
Ninth is to govern our speech, not speaking of ourselves and our accomplishments.
Tenth is to avoid laughter! Now that one challenges our modern minds. Benedict was not against joy, but he felt that frivolity, especially that which came from ridicule of others (the source of much ‘humor’) was incompatible with Christ’s spirit!
Eleventh is a requirement to use gentle words always.
Twelfth is a summary that required a posture of humility before God and others at all times.

I can only say “Amen” to Beebe’s summary of Benedict’s rule.
He writes, “We have something of the same problem Benedict faced. Numerous present-day prophets function without any serious accountability or training. They come to a city, deliver their ‘prophecies’ and leave for regions beyond, while local Christian leaders are left to deal with the fallout of these often destructive pronouncements. Some are on the airwaves and so send out their ‘prophecies’ without even meeting the people about whom they are prophecying. … Perhaps we need a new articulation of a Benedictine Rule for our day!”

Disciple, watch out for the deception of the novel, the misinformed idea that the Christian life requires some new expression, some stimulation to excitement by a new revelation or great miracle story. While we need to be refreshed in the Spirit, renewed by a deepening love of Christ Jesus, the core values of our faith never change.

The Word says, "Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself. Don’t be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life."
(Hebrews 13:7-9, The Message)
_____________

My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.
On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

- Wm. Bradbury, public domain

God on the cheap?

In a recent conversation with an uncle who loves to travel, he said he was going to spend the extra money to upgrade their seats on a flight to Egypt to business class. It’s not the cheapest way to go, but the extra cost of the wider, leather seats for such a long flight was worth the money! There’s frugal and there’s cheap! A frugal person knows how to contain expenses but factors in value. He knows that the value of a product is not necessarily measured by its cost. So, when he makes a purchase, he looks for the product that will best serve his needs within a range of costs. A person living on the cheap looks for the lowest price, sacrifices quality just to save a dime.

Some people try to know and serve God cheaply! They look for the minimum standard of participation in His work. They do their ‘religious duty’ but have little delight in Him. They show up late and leave early, so to speak. When it comes to loving and serving the Almighty Father of Glory, the statement, "Yeah, that's good enough!" has no place. How can we think we can truly serve God on the cheap? The prophet Malachi, who wrote to God’s people at a time when they were living in relative prosperity and peace, saw their half-hearted devotion, their ‘cheap’ worship, and told them they were insulting the Lord. Take a look at this lengthy passage.

“The Lord Almighty says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and master, but where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have despised my name! ... "You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord Almighty. ... * "I wish that someone among you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not at all pleased with you," says the Lord Almighty, "and I will not accept your offerings.

... "you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it's all right to defile the Lord's table. You say, 'It's too hard to serve the Lord,' and you turn up your noses at his commands," says the Lord Almighty. "Think of it! Animals that are stolen and mutilated, crippled and sick-presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" asks the Lord. "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is feared among the nations!” Malachi 1:5-14 NLT

This Scripture emerges from a time when passion for God had cooled. The temple worship was done as a matter of obligation, rather than as a matter of love. Instead of regarding their worship of the Lord God as a privileged honor, they thought it a burden. The result was that they did the minimum they felt was required to keep up appearances. Their hearts were not in what they did! And God was offended by what He saw as contempt for His Person! When a person cuts corners in those things he does in service to God, when he goes to his private time of prayers and thinks about everything and everyone but the Lord, when he mouths prayer words as a matter of rote recitation, when he attends worship services with his body, but lets his mind walk the golf course - he fails to fully honor God. Jesus challenges us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’" (Mark 12:30, NIV) Anything less than our best - in thought, word, and deed- is an offense to the King of the Universe.

Let’s get practical.
When you write your offering check, is it a minimum amount or a generous gift that honors God? When you go to worship do you come exhausted from staying up late into the night watching TV or do you come with a refreshed heart and mind that is ready to sing, to pray, to hear the Word?
In your daily worship what is your motivation- to spend enough time and stay focused until you meet God or just to check off the box that says, "Duty fulfilled"? Only a fool tries to offer God anything less than his best: because He demands and deserves it. Here’s His promise: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV) Let's never be content to say, "Yeah, that's good enough for God!" Rather let's passionately serve Him, as is fitting for the Majestic Lord.
___________

All I once held dear,
Built my life upon,
All this world reveres,
And wars to own,
All I once thought gain
I have counted loss;
Spent and worthless now,
Compared to this.

Now my heart's desire
Is to know You more,
To be found in You,
And known as Yours,
To possess by faith
What I could not earn;
All surpassing gift of righteousness.

Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings,
To become like You
In Your death, my Lord;
So with You to live, and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You, Lord.

Knowing You
Kendrick, Graham
© 1993 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)CCLI License No. 810055

Contentment - Elsie style?

For years Bordens, the maker of dairy products, featured a smiling cow named Elsie as their marketing logo. She was alleged to be a 'contented cow.' Well fed, safely pastured, and living in the herd, she supposedly produced better milk for Bordens. As I was thinking about contentment today, that the image that popped into my mind. A happy cow laying in a sunny pasture, chewing her cud! If that's the definition, it is no wonder I have difficulty finding contentment in life. I confess to being discontent with my current situation. I am called and fulfilled in the work of ministry, but know that many things within the church which I serve as Pastor remain incomplete, unresolved, or in need of attention. And, then too, I am painfully aware that personally I am a work in progress; with skills yet to develop, discoveries yet to be made, sins to be conquered. In this, I am discontent.

Some people appear to live in a state of perpetual bliss; untroubled by the weeds in the yard, their incompletely 'hidden' sins, or the messes they leave in their wake. Is such happy 'contentment' a good thing? In a sense, yes, for those people are easy to be around, making few demands. Their 'live and let live' attitude invites more friendships! But, I don't want that kind of 'contentment' because it is actually complacency!

The high calling of Christ invites us to engage ourselves in the pursuit of excellence in all things, with a holy discontent compelling us to contend with self and Satan. Jesus spoke to a complacent, self-satisfied church with stern rebuke. He said, "Since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me-gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference." (Revelation 3:16-19, NLT) So, what is contentment?

The Word indicates that it is acceptance of what God provides!
We can be broken-hearted over our circumstance and still be contented in the grace of God that comforts us! We can be facing critics on every side and still be contented with His promises to walk with us. We can be confronted with financial straits and yet be contented with the little we have because of the assurance that He will provide what we need, if not what we want. We can be fighting the very demons of Hell and experience contentment because He said, "I am with always, even to the ends of the earth!"

Paul, though a Spirit-filled man, went through life's up's and down's. Some days he was hero (even thought to be a god by some pagans!) and some days he chased out of town like a criminal by the local authorities. Sometimes he enjoyed the esteem of the churches he taught and sometimes they ignored him and followed smooth talkers! He felt the joy and the pain equally. Yet, his life remained constantly committed to the Christ he loved because his true contentment was not circumstantial, but fixed on a Person greater than this world.

Here is his testimony. "Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. ... You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. " (Philippians 4:11-13, 19-20, The Message)

Is your contentment fixed on Christ Jesus or in your experience? How do you know? Do you think that God is good when life is good and that God is unworthy of your love when things go wrong? Do you do what is right when you are at peace, but ignore things like worship, prayer, or Scripture intake when you're life is full of problems? A Christ-centered person will experience the full range of emotions and yet keep his commitment intact, for he will be contented with the love of His Savior.

Sorry, Elsie, you're not a good model for contentment as you lay chewing your cud. You just don't know any better! I do! I know there is more than the herd, the food, the safety. There is God who calls me higher and walks with me.

Here's a word from the Word for this day.
"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" (Lamentations 3:21-24, NLT)
"But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6, KJV) ______________________

What do you want me to do?

I slept restlessly through the first half of last night. My mind kept digging up unfinished business, projects that are demanding attention, ministry demands, people's needs. Against the many needs I saw myself as powerless, unable to change a thing. I’d wrestle with the problems, then drop off to sleep... only to awaken and do it all again. Finally, in the early AM, I prayed a prayer of surrender, of a willingness to 'let go and let God.' It went something like this:
“Lord, my faith wavers right now because I only see myself in this situation and I know too well my inability to control or change the things that concern me. Please give me the courage I need to throw myself into the fight. Give me the wisdom to know to whom I should turn, the vision to know where to lead, and stamina to stand. Help me to conquer unbelief and to live with real joy today.” And, I fell into a deep, restful sleep!

When we get ourselves so focused on our responsibilities that we are weighed down by life we become vulnerable to all kinds of temptation. I am sure that the Devil loves when we mistakenly allow ourselves to think that it all rests on our shoulders, that we must meet the challenges alone. This I know: we are least effective when we are focused only on our own resources, intellectual capacity, or creativity abilities. You don’t have to be a Pastor or leader to feel the pressure. We all deal with seasons of life when challenges pile up, when questions form and for which we have no answer, when others demand more of us than we think we can produce.

In Numbers 20, we read the tragic story of the failure that cost Moses the privilege of leading God's People into the Promised Land. The throngs he was leading through the desert needed water. In their desperation, they demanded the impossible: “Give us water now!” Their thirst and fear drove them to such despair that they attacked Moses and Aaron asking, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt to this terrible place?" They forgot the awful lives in slavery that cost them their sons and daughters! At first, Moses made the right choice. He went to prayer and God gave him the solution: "Go out and speak to the rock and it will pour out water!" However, Moses held onto the sting of the accusations that he was failing as a leader. It led him to resentment that boiled to the surface as he went back before the people who doubted him, accused him, ... and he sinned.

In Numbers 20:10-12 we read, “He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

In implying that he, not God, was producing the water needed, Moses sinned. It’s so understandable, but God said it was unacceptable! Moses dishonored God by taking too much responsibility on himself! What a powerful lesson for me. Our true Source is Jesus. He is our Rock and from Him pours the waters of a fruitful life. Honor Him by declaring your dependence on Him. Defeat Devilish lies. Destroy the fear that produces restless and/or sleepless nights, by looking to Jesus in humble confession of your dependence. He knows how to make you wise so you can meet the demands of your boss. He knows what you need to meet the needs of your family. He knows what your needs are TODAY.
____________________

Make my life a prayer to You,
I want to do what you want me to,
No empty words, no white lies,
No token prayers, no compromise,

I want to shine the Light You gave,
through Your Son You sent to save us,
from ourselves and our despair,
it comforts me to know You're really there.

Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me,
Oh, it's so hard to see, when my eyes on me!

I guess, I'll have trust and just believe what You say,
Lord, You're coming again, Coming to take me away.

Make My Life A Prayer
Melody Green © 1978 EMI Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music
Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing
CCLI License No. 810055

“Our Buddy in Heaven”

The black and white was tucked away off the road barely in sight, just past the sign marking a 15 MPH drop in the speed limit. As we drove past the classic speed trap, I sarcastically remarked about the police keeping us safe from those going 40 miles per hour. Bev challenged my attitude: “You have a problem with authority, don’t you?” Perhaps she is right. I know that I chafe under authority that is abused. I hate seeing power used to oppress others. I resist silly rules created to benefit a few at the expense of many. I do respect and admire those who use their authority in a way that brings great good for others.

There is an authority before Whom we all must yield! The Bible says, "Do not be stubborn, as (your fathers) were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. … If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” (2 Chronicles 30:8-9, NLT) These words were part of an invitation sent to ancient Israel and Judah by King Hezekiah who was attempting to lead a spiritual renewal. The king knew that the people ignored God’s law to their own peril, that their rebellion was inviting His discipline. The sin of that ancient people continues to this day. Contemporary Christian practice is long on grace and short on awe! We think of God primarily as our Friend and we read His Word like we would read a letter of advice from one of our ‘buds.’ He is not “our Buddy in Heaven!” He is “our Father in Heaven” whose Name is holy!

Our casual contempt for authority, which is an American as apple pie, directly effects how most of us relate to the Lord. The Ten Commandments are read as the Ten Suggestions. We are quite ready to hold our personal happiness in as high a regard as obedience to God’s directives. Somehow we think we can live as we choose and still enjoy the blessing of intimacy with our Father and the promises made to those who do what is right. And, we are foolish, even deceived. This principle of life is inviolable!
"Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up." (Galatians 6:7-9, NLT)

Jesus spoke of two roads – one broad and inviting, one narrow and steep.
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." (Matthew 7:13-14, NLT) Doing what I want to do, when I want to, how and where I want to, is easy. Even a child finds willful self-expression natural! Yielding to the authority of Christ, the Lord, runs counter to Self. It requires a prior choice to obedience that cannot wait for the critical moment at the fork in the road. True submission begins anew each morning when we present ourselves before our King humbly to acknowledge that ‘He is God and I am not!’

Disciple, are you inviting God’s corrective discipline by ignoring His will?
Or, are you planting the seeds that will bring a harvest of everlasting life by choosing obedience?

Prayerfully ponder this word from the Word, then submit yourself anew to Him.
“Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me.
What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. …
These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock." (Matthew 7:21, 24, The Message)
_______________

Let me be a man
With a perfect heart,
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father;
Let me be a child
Who reveals Your will
In all I do and say.
Fill me with Your Spirit,
Lord, I pray, that Jesus
Will be seen in all of my life;
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father,
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.

Fill me with Your Spirit
Lord, I pray,
That Jesus will be seen
In all of my life.
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father.
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.

Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father.
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.

A Man With A Perfect Heart

Hayford, Jack© 1995 Annamarie Music (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by The Copyright Company])
CCLI License No. 810055

Re-Orientation

Last week I took the first extended break from pastoral ministry since my Dad died in February. For much of the time I was short-tempered, depressed, and generally anxious. Even though I was with my lovely wife, traveling in a beautiful region, doing things I should have enjoyed; my emotions were unpleasant. Prayer felt like an exercise in futility. If I thought about anything sentimental tears were quick to blur my vision.

"Why am I like this?" I wondered. Then about the 5th day of vacation, I came to realize how much I had been depending on my daily work to keep my emotions at bay since his death. Preparing sermons, managing the church, and making calls were an effective way of putting a lid on my inner turmoil.

Our emotions are like young children! No matter how disciplined, they will occasionally ignore the fences and rules, turning rebellious. "See me! Deal with me! Pay attention!" Their demands will not be dismissed. Those are dangerous times! Like a child who no longer is within the safe boundaries of his yard needs extra monitoring so he does not run into the street, emotions that are outside the fence need to be tended as well. Why? Because, they can lead us into harm's way by bringing us to sin.

Once I was more consciously aware that it was my grief that was acting up, I was better able to cope with my emotions. It would be nice to tell you that I found a way to neatly wrap up the package and affix a pretty bow. I'd like to say, "I'm all better now," but I know I am not! Grief cannot be neatly managed. It is a messy experience. It intrudes at inconvenient times and places.

Yes, my head knows that there is no way to restore my life as it was before February 5, but my heart is not in in line, yet! The world is different for me forever. My mortality is more real now. My hope in Christ and His Resurrection is more important to me, too. The questions are acute, the longing for assurance more poignant! "What if, what next, where to..." are not just exercises in theorizing now. It is important to really 'know!'

The Bible tells me that my emotions can cause me to be be vulnerable in another way, too. Our doubts and fears born our psyche lower our defenses against the one that the Bible says is our "enemy the devil (who) prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, NIV) That is why we are told to be "self-controlled and alert." On reflection, I can see that on several occasions through this week, the Enemy was actively attempting to steal blessings that God prepared for me. I was never alone in my struggle and pain. God was there, too! Using people and situations, He unmistakably brought me words of comfort, messages of hope. I can affirm this: "The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ-eternal and glorious plans they are!-will have you put together and on your feet for good." (1 Peter 5:10, The Message)

This word from the Word is one to hold onto tightly in those times when inner storms rage. May it comfort you as it did me and help us to reorient our lives around His love, and be led to healing for our hearts and hope that leads us Home.
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

... Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

... By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42, NIV)
____________

There's a peace in my heart
That the world never gave,
A peace it can not take away;
Tho' the trials of life
May surround like a cloud,
I've a peace that has come
There to stay!

This treasure I have
In a temple of clay,
While here on His footstool I roam;
But He's coming to take me
Some glorious day,
Over there to my heavenly home!

Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
He never leaves me lonely,
Whispers, O, so kind:
"I will never leave Thee,"
Jesus is mine.

Constantly Abiding
Murphy, Mrs. Will L.
© Public Domain

Draw on your account!

The elderly woman lived in squalor, surrounded by garbage, eating only the most basic staples. She refused help from the community and slid out of sight. Months later, when people realized they had not seen her at all, police found her body under a pile of old newspapers that fell on her in her home. To everyone’s astonishment, her estate was ample, with investments made over the years that could have provided a very comfortable life for her. But, she would not sell her stocks, cash in her bonds, or draw on her accounts. What a tragedy.

In my prayertime today, the Lord reminded me that He was my Resource, that I need not try do my work alone! He brought to mind the amazingly skilled, deeply dedicated people that serve alongside of me at the Assembly in her ministries. The sighing, the sense of never ending work, the risk of burn-out are all unnecessary if I will walk with Him, in humble obedience; and if I will lean on my team!

Pride is such a subtle temptation. It puts on the disguise of ‘just doing my job,’ or ‘carrying my own weight,’ or ‘meeting expectations.’ This sin overtakes me from time to time. I recognize it only when I start to feel the isolation that comes with the silly idea that nobody else is capable of doing what I do. Thinking one’s self indispensable may feed the ego, but it also increases the burden and ultimately makes a person even less effective!

Solomon, who became an awful cynic in his old age, sagely observed: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV)

Being a productive person is a worthy goal. Accepting responsibility for the tasks assigned to us is a good thing. Having the ability to assemble the resources required to get the job done and showing creativity in meeting the demands of life are admirable traits. Being a Lone Ranger is not a good thing. A truly wise person builds teams by sharing his skills and accepting the advice of others, fits himself into networks of people who multiply his influence, and knows when to say, ‘help!’ before his lack of knowledge has created a disaster!

Are you suffering the sickness of prideful self-sufficiency?
Are you struggling to keep going, afraid to ask for help, refusing to admit that you need support?

Begin a change by bowing your head and heart before the Lord and asking Him to show you the resourceful people around you. Then, go serve somebody without any expectation of thanks, affirmation, or repayment! It’s good for the soul.

Here’s a word from the Word for your thoughts today.
"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. … Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:2-5, 9, NIV) May the Spirit make plain the tension between being responsible for your own backpack while helping to carry the weight of the work of the Kingdom with others!

Draw on the resources God provides and you will find the promise of Jesus fulfilled - "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10, NLT)
________________
CoffeeBreak With The Word will be back on August 10, Lord-willing. I’ll be attending “Influence” a conference in Orlando next Monday through Wednesday, then taking a few days out of the office. See you then!

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

Sometimes my life travels a smooth road, one good day following another; and sometimes it gets really bumpy! This is one of those bumpy stretches! I’m not whining, but I think I have had enough of criticism, disappointment, and unreasonable people for one week. In the middle of the messes, I try not to forget that one of the major responsibilities of being a leader of any kind, including pastoring a church, is solving problems! (Or at least managing them!) Yes, my phone will ring today and there will be another challenge. With God’s strength, I’ll step up wisely, patiently, and with love!

When, as a little boy, I would complain about something I found unpleasant my Grandma used to quote a snippet from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Funny, isn’t it, how thoughts stored away for decades float back to the surface? She used to say:
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Disappointment ranges across a wide spectrum of emotions - the awful to the merely unpleasant. Finding out that you have cancer is a kind of disappointment that is entirely different than discovering that the dinner you just ordered was poorly prepared! Disappointment, of any kind, turns some into angry people, making them ugly and defensive. It turns others into cynics who never see a good thing in anyone or anything! There is a better way to deal with it. Want to know? Read on. So what to do with life's disappointments? 1. We can insulate ourselves. I think I first read the following line in Peanuts, the cartoon strip - "Blessed is the man who expects nothing for he will never be disappointed!" True, but he won’t do much with his life, either!

There is a kind of safety in the philosophy of disengagement that teaches you to withdraw from life, to never take a risk by loving anyone, to never pray a prayer asking for the 'impossible.' If you do these things, you will save yourself from some disappointment, but is that really how you want to live- safely insulated from both joy and sorrow hiding away from real life?

2. We must learn humility that allows us to forgive! Forgiveness, in one sense, is releasing others from our demand that they act in ways we approve or like. This is especially difficult when we know we have done our best, given our utmost - and get kicked in the process. The Devil sees to it that we see it as a personal offense, that we perceive the actions of another as directed at us. Demons sit on our shoulder reminding us how noble we have been and how little others care! Can you see where that leads? It ain’t pretty! Even when we are wronged, we need to cultivate humility and let it go with forgiveness. It IS NOT trying to force ourselves to think: "Ah, forget it. What you did or did not do doesn't matter." That's not true. When a person fails us, breaks our heart, rejects us, or harms us -- it does matter! Our disappointment is real. If we try to convince ourselves that our emotions are not important or that they are not real, only deepens our internal conflict and anger.

Forgiveness is a choice to turn to God's Spirit and seek His help in subduing Self. We make the choice to surrender our pain to God. We invite Him to enter into our lives with wisdom, peace. And, forgiveness is complete when we accept that ultimately - here or in eternity - God will act justly! When we release that person who has disappointed us to God's court, we find freedom from the anger, hatred, and bitterness that often accompanies disappointment. Jesus, when teaching his followers about prayer, reminded us to pray like this: "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors....But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:12, 15

3. We learn acceptance of circumstances beyond our control.
Reinhold Neibuhr penned the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and
wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.

Such serenity requires that we lives as Jesus taught becoming like a little child. A child takes each day as it comes with little or no thought of tomorrow. What peace we find IF we take each day from God, deeply trusting His purposes and plans. When disappointment comes, one of the first casualties is often faith. Don’t let that happen to you. Instead, choose to trust. The bitterness of missed expectations is sweetened when we set our ultimate hope in the Lord! Here’s a word from the Word for the disappointed. Isaiah 40:30-31 reminds us that:
"Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

In this broken world, full of disappointment, marked by uncertainty about tomorrow, yes, with rainy days that come to all of us - we are people of hope. Ours is not a naive and silly way of thinking that will not see life as it is. It is not escapist. Ours is a hope that connects to our eternal life in God and trusts in His promise to make all things right.
And so we pray, ever more earnestly,
"May your Kingdom come, and Your will be done - on earth, as it is in Heaven." Amen.

Break my heart, Lord!

Bob (not his real name) is a strong man, a hard-working man who makes large machines accomplish amazing tasks, a man’s man who knows about calloused hands and sweat. As we talked earlier this week, he asked about the church, our Christian school, and life in general. When I told him that some of our parents who had overdue tuitions who were not likely going to be able to continue with Christian education, he reached into his pocket and wrote a check for $2500! “Help some of those Christian people out with this.”

Bob cares! This is not the first time that I have witnessed the tender heart of this big man. When one of the parents was notified that her student’s overdue account had been paid, she wrote- “You have no idea. I cried … may God bless this person… I have to tell you it was coming down to us having to take P. to a public school because of the situation. God works in mysterious ways.” Sometimes He does, but often He work through ordinary people who let their heart’s be touched by needs of others and who choose to be the hands of Jesus!

Are you tender-hearted?
Life is much easier if we put on a hard shell and refuse to let the needs of others get to us. When we see someone suffering, dealing with a hard situation, we may be tempted to throw the blame back on them. If we just look at the facts, frequently we can find poor choices. Good people often do stupid things, show amazing lack of foresight, and ignore consequences of their choices. So can we just let them suffer? Did God look at you and me and said, “He brought destruction on himself with his willful sin. Let him die!”? No. He got involved. "Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us!" (Ephesians 2:4-5, The Message) Now the Word says that "as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,” we should “clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12, NIV)

Jesus’ story makes the principle of compassion quite clear. Take a look.
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’" (Luke 10:30-35, NIV) “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37, NIV)

Today, you will pass by people that are busted up, bleeding, and broken. Will you let God break your heart on their behalf and lead you to be a friend, a healer, an encourager?

Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder and obey and be blessed as you are a blessing.
"I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love." (Ephesians 4:1-2, NLT) "Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:29-30, NLT)

Lord, don’t let my self-protective actions break your heart today. Instead, please break my heart and help me to care. For your Glory, I pray. Amen
______________

Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity
From sin and the grave;
Weep o'er the erring one,
Lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus,
The mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing,
Duty demands it,
Strength for thy labor
The Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way
Patiently win them,
Tell the poor wand'rer
A Savior has died.

Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.

Rescue The Perishing

Crosby, Fanny J. / Doane, William H.© Public Domain

Serve Me, god!

Paula and Randy White started Without Walls, a church in Tampa, Fl, 18 years ago. It grew to mega-status built around a message that most basically says, “God wants you healthy, wealthy, and happy!” The Whites were not subtle about it. They proclaimed it loud and proud! The upside down theology that says, “Serve ME, god!” (no typo there) sold well and brought in thousands. Then, two years ago, the Whites marriage fell apart. They chose to be ‘happy’ with other partners. Randy’s (Bishop White, his chosen title!) sermons often drifted into stories his trips to bars, his association with formers strippers, and other less than savory subjects. Paula left, church attendance declined, and the mortgage came due! Now, media announcements are that he is gone and she is back as “Pastor.” I only hope the troubled waters of the last two years has brought a deeper grasp of who Jesus Christ is and a theology that is no longer self-centered, but truly focused on the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Disciple, the Bible does teach us that God is a good God and that He leads us to still waters and green pastures! But, He remains God and we remain His servants. We serve His purposes which do not always include sunny skies, smooth highways, and full bank accounts. He calls us to battle with the world, the flesh, and the Devil – to deny Self even when Ego is screaming for soothing. And He promises to “never leave us, never forsake us!” Best of all, He has opened up the door to eternal life to us and we learn that in His Presence, sin and suffering will be banished forever. John’s Revelation, filled with amazing word pictures, includes this promise. "Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center. His servants will offer God service—worshiping, they’ll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God. Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs. And they will rule with him age after age after age." (Revelation 22:3-5, The Message) But, perfect rest only comes after we are welcomed into the Eternal Presence of our King. The fullness of the Promise awaits us!

Don’t be misled by prophets of prosperity who rip Old Testament stories out of context and promise you that “God will heal you, fill your bank accounts, and make you happy” if only you learn the right prayers or give enough money! Their messages often include just enough ‘truth’ to sound good, but the focus is misplaced from Christ to ME, the Cross ignored in favor of the Crown. If you want proof their ignorance of the Truth, look at the fruit of their lives. Time and time again, where you find the prosperity message, you find all the other evidences of Self-worship. The Bible lists them: "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom. " (Galatians 5:19-21, The Message)

My heart’s appeal to you is this: go deep. Love God without reservation. Give Him total access and worship Him for Who He is more than for what you want Him to do! And then, you will live in the fullness of the Spirit. "When we live God’s way… He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message)

No, it’s not ‘Serve Me, god,’ it is “God, I serve You!”
______________

I will come and bow down
At Your feet, Lord Jesus.
In Your presence is fullness
Of joy.
There is nothing,
There is no one
Who compares with You.
I take pleasure
In worshipping You, Lord.

Heaven is Your throne,
And the earth
Is Your footstool.
Jesus, I come to bow down
At Your feet,
O, how I love
Just to worship before You.
In Your presence
My joy is complete.

I Will Come And Bow Down

Nystrom, Martin J.
© 1984 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

Ripples through time

About 70 years ago, Walter Scott walked down the sawdust trail at a tent revival in Truesdale, Iowa to accept Christ. A Danish immigrant who was fond of his liquor and quick to swing a fist, he was transformed! His conversion was solidified when a terrible automobile accident left him unable to farm. Members of the local Assembly helped out and kept his farm in order while he healed. The effect from the loving service offered by that anonymous (to me, anyway!) group of disciples ripples through time. Grandpa Scott's decision meant that my own father was brought face to face with Jesus, and made his own decision to embrace Christ as Lord. Thus, I was raised in a home where the highest priority was loving and serving God. As a child I obeyed the Spirit and received Christ as Lord. My children, early on, were taught the the knowledge of the Holy One and each has made a decision to trust Christ and are pursuing His will in their lives. And now... my grandsons are being trained to pray, to trust, to look to eternity. The long line of influence ripples through time, across miles, and into eternity because of the life of a man that my children never knew, Walter Scott!

What effect will ripple through time from your life? Positive, joyful, encouraging, life giving actions? Critical, embittering, crippling choices? Uniting or dividing words? Everyone of us effects the world of which we are a part. Often we have no idea whose life will feel the ripples that come from something we say and/or do!

Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, wanted them to realize the ripples into the community from their fellowship. A man who claimed to be one of them was living in an immoral relationship with his step-mother. Even in the licentiousness of the Roman Empire, that was a scandal. The apostle wrote to that church: “Your flip and callous arrogance in these things bothers me. You pass it off as a small thing, but it's anything but that. Yeast, too, is a "small thing," but it works its way through a whole batch of bread dough pretty fast.” (1 Corinthians 5:6, The Message) This man's immorality, left unchecked, would spread through the entire church destroying the work of God and disgracing Christ.

Influence that ripples out into the lives of others does not require that we shout our message or overwhelm the world! Salt is a critically importance ingredient in so much of our food, but it doesn’t take much! Light is a powerful influence. Put a brightly colored rug in front of a sunlight filled door. It will fade quickly! Plants bend toward the source of light. Jesus reminds us to be like "salt and light." He says, "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:13-16, NLT)

Keep in mind that what you do is creating a culture. Make it one of excellence!

“Heavenly Father, may a ripple of grace follow me today.
Let my conversation be full of grace, by life marked by compassion.
Create a wholeness in me that lifts the hearts of those pass.
Thank you for those who have influenced me.
Be honored by my thoughts, words, and actions.
Jesus, I pray in Your Holy Name.”

____________

I would be true,
For there are those who trust me;
I would be pure,
For there are those who care;
I would be strong,
For there is much to suffer;
I would be brave,
For there is much to dare!

I would be friend of all,
The foe, the friendless;
I would be giving,
And forget the gift;
I would be humble,
For I know my weakness;
I would look up, and laugh,
And love, and lift!

I Would Be True
Walter, Howard Arnold / Peek, Joseph Yates © Public Domain

Full faith and trust!

On a trip yesterday, my Tom-Tom®, a GPS unit, indicated that I should turn left off of the highway onto a side road. I did. Soon the side road turned into a gravel road, then a one lane road through the northern Pennsylvania woods. 4 miles later I came onto a main highway again, on the way to Montrose, PA. The ‘brain’ in that little unit had used the satellite signals and the maps stored in memory to take me on a 10 minute mini-adventure along a road I am unlikely to travel again. What fun!

An unpredictable series of events led me to Montrose Bible Conference center yesterday. It started with an email to the editor of a magazine for pastors offering a critique of an article. It continued with an unexpected reply from one of the author’s of the article who responded to me with gentle grace! He invited me to meet him at a Christian writer’s gathering. I thought about it and set it aside because I was ‘too busy.’ Then, last Friday, a member of the congregation ‘just happened’ to let me know she would be attending a conference with that same author. When she greeted Torry on Sunday and mentioned me, he wrote me again and renewed his invitation for me to drive up for an afternoon. Wasn’t the Lord persistent in getting me to take His lead? I am convinced that yesterday’s afternoon of networking with new acquaintances and planting seeds of a new friendship was all in the plan of God. To what ultimate purpose is yet to be revealed.

God, my fail-safe Guide, sometimes prompts me to leave the main road of life, just like my GPS did yesterday. Usually, His leading is not so dramatic, just a tug of the Spirit to make a call, to pick up a book, to change up the routine of the day. Other times He uses people or situations to re-direct my way. I’d love to tell you that I always respond readily, joyfully; I don’t! Sometimes I resist His leading. Sometimes I am so committed to my agenda I ignore Him. But, when I say ‘yes, Lord,’ I discover His faithfulness again and later on (days, weeks, years!) I can see more clearly why He changed my course.

Remember Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land? God gave them His Presence to lead them – a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day. He led them and He fed them. We would think that their faith would have become so strong that they would have followed Him without question. They didn’t! When they came to Canaan and sent in the scouts, the report of the obstacles facing them caused great fear. Full of doubt, they "grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The entire community was in on it: “Why didn’t we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? Why has God brought us to this country to kill us? Our wives and children are about to become plunder. Why don’t we just head back to Egypt? And right now!” (Numbers 14:2-3, The Message) They missed an opportunity and that entire generation died during the next 40 years of living as nomads in the wilderness!

Let’s commit ourselves to full faith and trust! When the Holy Spirit nudges us, whispers to us, speaks to us with the Word; may we be quick to say – “Yes, Lord! Let’s go!” My experience parallels what I find in the Word about the way He generally leads. He does not usually show us more than this day! He unfolds His plan only as we are obedient to walk in it day by day.

It’s a faith adventure, so "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." (Galatians 5:25, NLT)
____________________

Sweet are the promises,
Kind is the word,
Dearer far than any message
Man ever heard;
Pure was the mind of Christ,
Sinless, I see;
He the great example is,
And pattern for me.

Sweet is the tender love
Jesus hath shown,
Sweeter far than any love
That mortals have known;
Kind to the erring one,
Faithful is He;
He the great example is,
And pattern for me.

Where He leads I'll follow,
Follow all the way;
Where He leads I'll follow,
Follow Jesus ev'ry day.

Where He Leads I'll Follow

Ogden, William A.© Public Domain

Contending with Humility

NOVA, a news documentary program on PBS TV, aired a program called,
“Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial.” It told the story of the fight in Dover, PA public schools in 2005 over the teaching of Darwinian theory of the origin of the species. Once again, Christians were not portrayed in a very attractive light! Lacking first-hand information, I cannot say if that was because of biased reporting. It did seem to me that those Believers who were elected to the school board, who pursued the goal of bringing an alternative theory of Man’s origins to the classroom, were often very unwise. The Christians who flexed their political muscle showed a lack of genuine humility as they contended for what they believe to be the truth.

I felt the sting of conscience as I remembered my own struggles with public school teachers and principals 15 years ago. In the heat of ‘battle,’ I sometimes failed to remain as ‘harmless as a dove’ as Jesus taught. In one instance, my daughters then in 7th grade, came home to tell about being “instructed” about the proper use of a flavored condom quite graphically with a banana as a prop by high-school aged peer facilitators! I felt then and still believe that the topic and presentation was inappropriate for a group of middle-schoolers. But, I regret that I immediately adopted a posture of hostility towards the school’s officials that hindered open dialogue that might have led to greater understanding and lasting change. Instead, in my ‘moral crusade’ I grasped for a place of power that would force immediate change. Short-term, I was successful, but I doubt my fiery letters and threats changed any minds. Most tragic of all, I am sure I did not present Jesus Christ in a winsome loving way to those that came under my verbal assaults! Oh, Lord, I repent and ask your grace!

In an increasingly secular culture, those who love God and His Truth find themselves at odds with policies, laws, and attitudes of the majority. In many situations it is not just about a preference, it is about a basic truth. The questions are real and potentially divisive!

• Did God create the world or did the earth and her inhabitants emerge from random events?
• Is life sacred and therefore to be protected or may a woman choose to abort her unborn child?
• Is marriage a covenant for a man and woman or should we celebrate a formal union of same-sex couples?
• What does compassion for the poor involve and how should compassion shape public policies, if at all?
• Is war a just response to assure our standard of living?

In defense of what we believe to be ‘the Truth,’ disciples of Christ are often quick to take up ‘natural’ tools of conflict: anger, power, and shouting loudly. This becomes more tempting when the positions we adopt, based on our understanding of the Bible as the revealed Word of God, are ignored, mocked, or marginalized. In such situations we must commit ourselves to what James teaches us. "If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom." (James 3:13, NLT) In Matthew 10, there is a lengthy passage in which Jesus explains to His disciples that they will live at odds with the world. He warns that total commitment to His ways will even ‘set a man against his father,’ something that was foreign to the culture of His day that revered elders! He instructed them to live humbly, even under such pressure. “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove. … And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words." (Matthew 10: 16, 19-20, The Message)

Disciple, truth is offensive. We must not shrink of holding onto what the Word teaches even in the face of attacks. We should not think that we are failing to be Christ-like if others in our family, workplace, or community become angry when we live the Truth. (Be careful students of the Word. Many proclaim a ‘truth’ that is merely their preference or their mistaken understanding.) But, we must always seek to ‘speak the Truth in love.’

Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it and let it shape your engagement with your world. "Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT)

_________________

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill;
O may it all my powr's engage
To do my Master's will!

Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.

A Charge To Keep I Have

Wesley, Charles / Mason, Lowell© Public Domain
______________________

From the top of the mountain

On a clear Summer day in 2005 I drove the twisting road that leads to the top of Pike’s Peak, a mountain in Colorado. The summit is 14,110 feet above sea level! Standing there, like every tourist, I gushed over the vistas to the east that looked out across the Great Plains and the tops of rocky mountains that stretched to the west. There is a definite sense of exhilaration one feels when standing on top of a mountain. It is a natural ‘high,’ no pun intended! My ‘climb’ involved a couple of hours driving and still I felt a sense of accomplishment! What must those who walk to the top feel?

My walk with Christ involves climbing some mountains, too. Looking ahead, we see peaks that rise menacingly, filling the horizon, daring us to climb. Finishing school, healing a broken relationship, seeing our child through the turbulence of the teen years, beating an addiction are some of the kinds of things I have in mind. One year ago, I was climbing a mountain, so to speak, as I walked with my Dad in his illness. I knew that unless God granted a miracle, the climb would only become more steep, as his health declined; and it did! His suffering left me breathless, nearly prayerless, sometimes. When he died, it was like reaching the summit of a mountain, with new views opened to me. Death is less menacing to me having climbed that mountain. Faith is stronger now.

God summoned Moses to the mountain! "Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights." (Exodus 24:15-18, NLT) There, in God’s Presence, Moses received the Law, the plan for the Tabernacle which was the center of Israel’s worship, revelations great and wonderful. He was a changed man after his ascent to the top of Mt. Sinai.

John, too, was carried to a mountain where he gained new perspective! "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." (Revelation 21:10-11, NIV) From the height of his visionary mountain, John wrote of the disciple’s great hope, the promise of God’s victory over sin and suffering in a book that has encouraged and intrigued Christians for two millennia- The Revelation of Jesus Christ!

In the classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, an allegory about our journey to the Celestial City, John Bunyan wrote of the Delectable Mountains that afford the pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful, a view of their final destination. His insight is clear and instructs us well. From the heights of the mountains we have to climb along the way, we catch glimpses of God’s glory that draw us along.

Are you living in the shadows of the valley right now? Does some peak stand ahead of you, daring you to scale its heights? Or are you in the climb, feeling exhausted; seeing only more difficulty as you look ahead? Keep climbing! New vistas will appear when you get to the summit!

"People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:3, NLT)

A silly superstition?

A friend died in spite of my faithful prayers. I wondered why. A man told me how he prayed for God’s intervention during that terrible day of 9/11/2001 when New York City was attacked by terrorists. He told me how his faith in God collapsed along with the second tower of the World Trade Center. Is faith supposed to create a trouble-free zone for us? Will enough prayers bring us lives of unbroken peace and astonishing prosperity until we die in our sleep at a ripe, old age? That is what some believe. But, is that what the Bible teaches?

I know people who claim to be persons of faith who treat prayer and God more like a lucky rabbit’s foot. Remember those? One of the sillier superstitions of Americana involves carrying a preserved rabbit’s foot, usually bound with a brass ring that allows it to be attached to a keychain. Various rituals, such as rubbing the fur, are alleged to bring ‘good luck’ to the owner of the totem. But, I have yet to meet a person for which the rabbit’s foot is central to life. It exists for crisis moments, hauled out to produce a win in a game of cards or to ‘help’ the deal to close! Silly? Of course. But, is it not equally foolish to think that we can ignore God and His will until we need Him to change some situation we find unpleasant or give us an advantage in a moment of competition?

Faith and prayer touch every part of my life. How I spend my money, the way I use my time, the standard by which I measure right and wrong, and more are anchored to my faith in Jesus Christ. As I drive to a meeting I breathe this prayer: “Spirit of God, use my words, my presence to make Your goodness known.” When a new day is dawning, my prayer, spoken and wordless, is to be available to Christ Jesus. There is nothing that I do that is separate from my life of faith. Yes, of course, there are lapses when I push the Lord from the picture consciously or unconsciously. On the whole faith is a thread that is woven into the fabric of my life.

Going to church, reading the Bible, active prayer, tithing, making certain to be ‘good’ are not done to earn points so we can avoid difficult situations! God doesn’t exist to be our personal good luck charm. He exercises a claim to be the Lord of life and offers us the opportunity to walk with Him through each day, come what may. The spiritual disciplines that are a part of our lives are our obedient response of living faith, expressions of our desire to know Him in a way that allows us to participate in His plans for our individual lives and His world, to live as a participant in His kingdom rule.

Did Daniel’s faith exempt him from ‘bad luck?’ Not at all. In fact, his faith caused him great difficulty in the short term by causing him to act in ways that put him in direct conflict with the edicts of the king! He lived by faith and saw God’s providence that preserved his life in the middle of the lion’s den. Paul’s faith did not exempt him from persecution, shipwreck, or suffering. He knew Christ Jesus was the hope of the world and this faith carried him through years of hard travel from one end of the Roman Empire to the other as he built the Church. He wrote that "since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:1-4, NIV)

Disciple, don’t allow your faith to be reduced to the status of a silly superstition!
Make faith in God the center, that by which all things in your life are measured, from which all decisions flow. There will be moments when it will seem that God is not present, when prayers go unanswered, when nothing makes sense. Remain faithful!

Here’s a word from the Word. Live in the truth!
"Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

_____________

Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb.
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?

Sure I must fight if I would reign,
Increase my courage, Lord:
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.

And when the battle's over
We shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown.
And when the battle's over
We shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown,
Wear a bright and shining crown;
And when the battle's over,
We shall wear a crown,
In the new Jerusalem.

When The Battle's Over

Watts, Isaac / Waters, Harriette / Lind, A.E.
© Public Domain

Simply Trusting, not so simple!

My faith is complicated! There are a lot of questions about God, some might even call them doubts, that roll around in my head.
Do I doubt that He exists? No.
Do I doubt that He is a good God? Not at all.
Do I understand what He does? Sometimes.
Do I wonder why He allows other things to happen? Yes, most certainly!

Having my grandsons in the house for the last few days has reminded me of characteristics of my relationship with Him. Gavin and Payton understand many things about me, but at their tender age, there are many, many things that are mysteries! Even if I tried to explain, they would not ‘get it.’

A long time ago I came to the conclusion that I could spend inordinate amounts of time wrestling with my doubts and/or trying to reduce God to a size where He would fit into my life, or I could love and trust Him, fitting into His greater plan with obedience. It’s hard to do both at the same time. I am convinced that genuine faith is a choice, one we all make all the time, often without really realizing it. Every time I get into my car I put a great deal of faith in other drivers, don’t you? Every time I use a product, I am putting faith in the company that produced it. But the greatest choice of faith is to trust God and then to obey Him – even when our natural (should I say, selfish?) inclination is to do something else.

Some think that faith is only shown when we pray for things like world peace, hurricanes to be turned from cities, a friend to be healed from cancer. Certainly asking God about such things is a kind of faith. There is another faith that is quiet and persistent and much more basic to daily living. This faith shapes our actions today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our lives.

· I wrote a tithe check this month like I have for the last 35 years, because I have faith in God as my Provider and I believe He asks me to honor Him with the firstfruits of the income I receive. So, writing that check is, for me, an act of faith.
· I choose to discipline my affections, honoring my wife and our marriage covenant, in part because of faith in God, believing that His Word is right. So, loving her is, in part, an act of faith expressed in obedience.
· Through the years, I have forgiven those who have done wrong to me because God tells me to do so, a faith response. Sometimes I wanted to hate, to get even, but faith demanded a different response, one that required death to every natural desire!

Sure, I pray for the ‘big deals,’ too, but in those matters my faith is more complicated and sometimes I honestly am not all that sure I am even asking for the right things. Even then, I have faith that He will hear, but not necessarily do what I want Him to do.

James reminds us that we don’t create faith by doing right things, but that real faith always has visible evidence. Take a look.
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:14-19, NIV)

The life of a disciple is a life of faith. Our lives do not center on things we can see, hold, or experience; rather we live with our hope set on the Eternal. We accept that we cannot ‘work it all out’ now, but that we can walk it out faithfully with the hope that He sees, He hears, He loves. Let me urge to you make the choice of faith today. Trust God with your life and obey. Love as He commands. Forgive, be holy, turn your eyes from things that distract. Be generous, accepting, and noble.

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1, NLT)
___________________________

You have led me
To the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised
Nearly broken
I'm crying out to You

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys
Of sorrow to rivers of joy

When death
Like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still
Look to the heavens
I will still seek Your face

But I fear You aren't listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness
And the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys
Of sorrow to rivers of joy
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia

While we wait
For rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground
Using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain
Is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed
Greater waters
Higher mountains
Have come down

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys
Of sorrow to rivers of joy
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia

The Valley Song
Jars of Clay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvHMjILrSJ0

Keep one thing in mind!

“Now, don’t forget….” How many times have you heard that? Our lives are full of responsibilities, big and small. Our brains are stuffed with things we must recall – get the oil changed in the car, pick up shirts at the laundry, send a note of thanks, pay the water bill, get a card for Smitty’s retirement party, make an appointment with the dentist … it is a seemingly endless list. There are so many things to remember that we need reminders, don’t we? Some people make lists. I use Outlook, a computer program, that helps me remember dates, deadlines, birthdays, and events!

In the Scripture, Peter says, “Now, don’t forget the most important thing.” In the 3rd chapter of his 2nd letter, he tells us to always keep the promise of the Coming of the Lord in mind.
"You must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment."
(2 Peter 3:8-10, NLT)

Many a sinful decision, many regrettable acts, occur because someone has forgotten that they will be held accountable, that the circumstances of this moment will change. If we fail to calculate the consequences of today’s choices, we will live as fools! Wisdom is born in the realization that what we do today plants the seeds from which tomorrow grows!

Our lives are kept on track if we frequently recall that life is not endless, that assuredly God will wrap up history – perhaps for us in our death, perhaps for the world by the Return of His Son in glorious power. This is both an awful and awesome fact. It is awful for those who have ignored the will of God who will find themselves judged and destroyed. It is awesome for those who have looked forward and lived faithfully, obediently; who will finally receive the reward and vindication of the righteous.

Peter asks, "Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?" (2 Peter 3:11, The Message) We need not live in terror of the brevity of this earthly life since we have the promise of eternal life! But, we must not live in the delusion that life as we know it now will never end. Understanding our destiny motivates us to live well, to leave behind the sinful, the silly, the superficial. A person who knows his mortality goes deeper in the pursuit of Christ. The stories of lives changed by a brush with death are many in history.

Why wait for such a dramatic event?
Why not take the wisdom of the Word to heart and start to live with the end in sight?
"And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, the Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved." (2 Peter 3:14-15, NLT)

Now, don’t forget!
_________________

A parade began at Calvary,
And the saints of all the ages fill its ranks.
O'er the sands of time they're marching
To their King's great coronation.
And this could be the dawning of that day.

Nothing here holds their allegiance,
They're not bound by shackles forged of earthly gold.
Since that day they knelt at Calvary,
They've been pilgrims ever wandering
Just looking for a place to rest their souls.

All the saints are getting restless,
O, what glorious expectation fills each face.
Dreams and hopes of all the ages
Are awaiting His returning.
And this could be the dawning of that day.

O this could be the dawning
Of that grand and glorious day,
When the face of Jesus we behold.
Dreams and hopes of all the ages,
Are awaiting His returning.
And this could be the dawning of that day.

This Could Be The Dawning

Gaither, William J. / Gaither, Gloria
© 1971 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management
CCLI License No. 810055

Lost or Exchanged?

Guys who are getting married often joke about losing their freedom. “She owns me now,” they moan, half seriously. It is true that a married person is no longer just ‘me!’ They now live as ‘we.’ If a married man and woman try to maintain separate lives, they will never achieve the oneness that God planned for those who join themselves as husband and wife. If they focus only on what they must surrender to gain unity, they will fail to appreciate what they stand to gain by loving their spouse without reservation! By the way, guys, statistics show that married men who are family-oriented are healthier, happier, more stable, and generally more productive than men who never marry. Thank you, very much, ladies!

Being a disciple of Christ involves a kind of loss, too! Jesus, in discussing God’s Kingdom, observed that "the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" (Matthew 13:45-46, NLT) Occasionally I counsel with someone who is struggling with commitment to the Lord. The questions asked are usually about the minimal acceptable level of participation in order to go to Heaven. “How often do I have to go to church? How much money do I have to contribute? Can I keep my old friends?” Thinking along those lines reveals an undeveloped appreciation about who Jesus Christ is and what it means to follow Him.

Just as a man who half-hearted in loving his wife can never really know the joy of a close marriage, so a disciple who follows Jesus from a distance will never enjoy the amazing joy of loving the Lord! Paul, the apostle, had gained many things in his religion! He was morally upright, respected by his community, and full of self-confidence. Then, Christ found him and called him. As the Spirit revealed the treasure he could gain, he willingly gave up what he had achieved. He describes the choices he made like this: "Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11, NIV)

Disciple, are you trying to live in two worlds - hanging onto old ways, reserving certain areas of your life to yourself even while claiming to be a Christian?
Do you complain about the ‘cost’ that accompanies the call? If your answer is 'yes,' then you are setting yourself up for disappointment! Once you have experienced the life of the Spirit nothing from this world can be fulfilling; but you can never totally enjoy the amazing embrace of God’s love while holding back parts of your heart from Him, either. The only way to find the ‘abundant life’ that He promises to those who love Him, is to radically commit yourself.

Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder the call and promise, then commit!
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds." (Matthew 16:24-27, NLT)
______________________

One by one He took them from me,
All the things I valued most,
Until I was empty-handed;
Every glittering toy was lost.

And I walked earth's highways, grieving.
In my rags and poverty.
'Till I heard His voice inviting,
"Lift your empty hands to Me!"

So I held my hands toward heaven,
And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches,
Till they could contain no more.

And at last I comprehended
With my stupid mind and dull,
That God could not pour His riches
Into hands already full!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

"Give me good guts, please, Lord!"

I'm very sorry about AIDS orphans in Africa, starvation produced by poverty in Zimbabwe, and tyranny in North Korea, but, what can I do about these things?

I just want to turn off the news! Yes, I am experiencing some compassion fatigue! When any person is repeatedly exposed to suffering people, there is a built-in defense mechanism that kicks in. Compassion fatigue can cause a person's heart to become hard as a stone! We see an awful lot of human need and suffering, don't we? The news media brings story after story of sorrow to us - ranging from a local murder to a bombing in Baghdad where dozens die because of religious hatred. We see starving children in Africa, faces twisted with hatred in Pakistan, drug addicts in San Francisco - all up close! The natural response? Develop a hard heart and throw the problem back onto those in pain or need: "That's their problem, not mine!"
"What do you expect me to do about it?" "They made their bed, guess they'll have to sleep in it." "Fools!"

We're all subject to compassion fatigue! When busy days pile one on top of another; when deadlines line up; when there are demands to meet the expectations of others - we might find ourselves saying, "Oh no, not another person with a problem." If that's where you are emotionally, won't you join me in prayer asking the Father for a heart that beats with His love, a tender heart? The Lord promises those who are hardened by sin: "I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart!" (Ezekiel 11:19, NLT) My prayer this morning is for a tender heart! In several passages of the New Testament, disciples are urged to be 'tender-hearted' towards others. In Ephesians 4:32 we are urged to "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Peter says, "All of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds." (1 Peter 3:8)

In this gentleness towards those in need, we are like our Heavenly Father "for he is full of tenderness and mercy!" (James 5:11) I thought you might like a little insight on 'tender hearted' or 'pitiful' - the word in the King James Version. Literally, it means 'good bowels!' Gross, right? Not really. Those who lived in ancient times believed that the emotions were centered in the abdominal cavity; the heart, the liver, and the intestines! They experienced fear, joy, love ... and felt those things physically - pounding heart, nausea, etc.! Thus, they concluded that their gut was the center of emotion. So they used the figure of speech, "eusplagchnos," (NT Greek) which is literally, 'good bowels!'

Let the lesson will take hold of you and pray for restoration of 'good guts!' Will you allow God to restore your emotions?Will you allow yourself to feel the sorrow of those who mourn, sharethe joy the of those who rejoice? Have great guts -- a tender heart!

________________

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
Let my hands reach out to others
Touch through me.
There's a lonely soul somewhere
Needing just one friend to care.
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.

Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.
I will be my brother's keeper,
Love through me.
Hearts are bleeding deep inside,
Love can dry the weeping eyes,
Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.

My hands will be Your hands
Reaching out to others.
My lips will not be slothful,
Lord, to speak.
I will be that good Samaritan
To someone else in need.
I will be Your house to dwell in
Live through me.

Touch Through Me
Rambo, Dottie© 1981 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)CCLI License No. 810055

Wholly, Holy Confidence!

Last week, when the news was full of another politician’s infidelity, Bev said, "Promise me that you will never have an affair!" My response surprised her, "I can't make you that promise." I explained that IF I think that I am too good, too smart, or too dedicated to her to sin in that way, I am a lying to myself and living with a flimsy defense against sin. The Word warns, "Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." (1 Corinthians 10:12, The Message) If my hope for holy living is misplaced in my own self-discipline, I am a prime candidate for failure. However, IF I acknowledge the sinful nature that struggles within us all, and consequently open up my life to the Spirit of God and His gracious work, He strengthens me. I finished my response to my wife saying, "I can't make that promise. But, by God's grace, I will love you faithfully and always."

When I hear a disciple huffing and puffing about another's sin: "How could he do that? What kind of person is he? Why, I'd never do such a thing!" - I cringe inwardly. That self-righteousness, which is no righteousness at all, is a tragedy in progress. There is no one quite so blind as the one who think he is above sin! Jeremiah evaluates human nature with a piercing statement: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (17:9) Only the Holy Spirit discerns the secrets hidden in you and me! IF we will walk humbly and constantly with Him, His power will keep us! David, whose heart was divided - sometimes passionately in love with his God and sometimes filled with sin - cries out with a prayer we all should pray: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT)

It seems so logical to respond to a rebel heart with stronger rules or self-condemnation, but these will always fail. Why? Because there is a flaw in the inner man called 'sin' that sabotages even our best intentions. That is why Paul comes down hard on those Christians who look to self-discipline alone for holiness. "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Colossians 3:22-23 NIV) The mystery of our Christianity is the Cross and the weakness of the Cross is our strength, our holiness, and our hope!

Is there a place in our lives for disciplined choices? Of course.
Is there a need to make wise decisions and to practice those habits that open our lives to the inflow of the Holy Spirit? Yes, and again, yes! We are fools if we abuse the grace of God by flirting with sin. A person who lives carelessly with open sin in his life has failed to grasp the full dimension of God's grace which will lead him to a changed life! Some, on hearing Paul's exposition of God's grace that responds to human sinfulness by expanding to encompass it, said, "So then shall we sin freely?" The Word's answer is this: "Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" (Romans 6:2, NLT)

Are you locked in mortal combat with some sinful habit? Does it seem to you that you are about to be destroyed by lust, greed, a lack of forgiveness, or hatred?

Now, here's the illogical statement. Take your eyes off of yourself and your sin. Stop obsessing over it!
"But, Jerry, if I do that, I just know I will be destroyed by it." No, you will not IF you gaze on Christ. The Word says, "If you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message) See the Son standing there, holding out a new coat of holiness to you. It is a holiness that God alone can provide. Put it on! You are His child. The Enemy of your soul will argue mightily against this truth. He will seek to turn your attention to what you were and what you fear you may become again. He will tell you that God cannot love you UNTIL you have mastered all sin. He lies!

God loves you today because of His Son. In the full acceptance of that love is found the freedom to choose, to say "yes" to holiness today. Becoming a disciple with a life that is disciplined in the ways of the Spirit is important, but it is not first. Transformation by the power of the Cross is FIRST, then comes the patterning of discipleship.

Now, do you understand why I, in myself, could not promise faithfulness to my wife?
Yet, she is secure in our covenant because of Christ, IN ME, that gives me strength to love her with a faithful and true heart.
You are secure in Him. Let Him love you to wholeness and holiness today.
________________

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er,
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a Closer Walk With Thee© Public Domain

The Gaffe

The sermon was on the subject of loving completely. I had made the first point about our inability to love well unless we have experienced God’s love. I moved into my next idea about those things that keep us from loving others. Then, it happened. I spoke three words and saw the eyes of a woman in front of me widen as she thought of an entirely different image than I was reaching for! Then I heard the snickers of several others. The second meaning of what I had just said hit me. My face grew hot with embarrassment! Yes, it was a gaffe and a half. No, I won’t repeat here. Last night as Bev and I remembered the moment, we dissolved into laughter. 35 minutes of preaching and what will most people remember? Three words!

On the serious side, my faux pas yesterday made me think about how easily our lives can become defined by a single decision, a mistake, a choice made in haste or for ignoble reasons. My little mistake only ruined a single sermon. The mistakes of some ruin their lives. While watching “Frost vs. Nixon” last night, the same thought returned. Richard M. Nixon’s entire political career comes down to a single word for most people, “Watergate.” A stupid decision to cover up a crime of little significance destroyed him and His Presidency. But, the seeds of that destruction were planted by a wider flaw, an insecurity that ran deep and unacknowledged in the man. If Nixon had learned to overcome his sense of inferiority and defeated his paranoia, only God knows what his political acumen might have produced for America.

Are you living wisely, disciple? Are you giving the Spirit access to your heart and mind so that He can bring about health and wholeness in your thoughts and plans? The pitfalls, temptations, and possibilities of mistakes are many. We need to pray- "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" (Psalm 90:12, The Message)

Should we somehow fall or fail, and we will; the Scripture is replete with illustrations of the redemption God offers to those who turn to Him. David, the poet–king of Israel, fell long and hard into deep sin. When the ugly facts were exposed, he turned to God in humble prayer. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. … Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12, NIV)

John reminds us that the road to restoration requires confession, owning our sins without excuse. "If we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. I write this, dear children, to guide you out of sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus." (1 John 1:9-2:1, The Message)

I’ll have to live with the jokes about my gaffe in the pulpit for a few weeks! I will probably be a little apprehensive about speaking next Sunday and certainly more vigilant in my choice of words. Disciple, be vigilant about those choices that really matter. Walk near to the Lord. Respond quickly to the Spirit’s gentle prompts.
“Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes." (Matthew 6:9-13, The Message)
____________

O God, our Help in ages past,
Our Hope for years to come,
Our Shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal Home!

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

O God, our Help in ages past,
Our Hope for years to come,
Be Thou my Guide while life shall last,
And our eternal Home.

O God Our Help In Ages Past

Watts, Isaac / Croft, William© Public Domain