Two Weeks from Today

Two weeks from today

Are you planning to vote? In Presidential elections years about 2 of out of 3 eligible Americans will do so, leaving an amazing 30% who stay home for one reason or another. Electing our government officials should be regarded as a duty as well as a privilege. We can attempt to justify our decision to stay home by pointing to the fact that we are just one in millions. We can excuse our failure to vote by pointing to the corruption of political processes. In both cases, we would be wrong. Each vote counts and if higher percentages of voters insist on accountability, better candidates will be put into office.

With all the noise about the election of a President, it is easy to overlook that there are candidates for a whole range of offices from local town committees, to state legislatures, and Congress. Though the Presidential race gets the lion's share of attention, it is often the actions of those in lesser offices that actually effect our lives on a day to day basis. Can you even name those running? In a few days you will receive a sample ballot in the mail. Review it! Do your homework. Talk with others and become an informed citizen, then vote!

So, you might be wondering why a daily devotion written primarily to encourage Christians in their walk with the Lord engages this topic? Perhaps you believe that as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven you are above the dirty process of politics with all the mud-slinging that goes on. If so, I want to change your mind.

We are, first and foremost, subjects of Christ, our Lord. The Word reminds us that "our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20, NIV) Interestingly, the word 'citizenship' in that passage is translated from the NT Greek word "politeuma" which referred to civil life, to the administration of public policies. The Bible is telling us that our daily lives here on earth are governed by Christ from Heaven. Our constitution and by-laws are written by Him. And, that includes how we act in the context of the earthly government under which we live. Our Christianity is expressed, in part at least, by our earthly citizenship.

Jesus never advocated anarchy. He paid His taxes and urged respect for those who ruled. A Christian is commanded to " submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Romans 13:1, NIV) I'm certain that the idea of people selecting their own leaders through the electoral process was not in Paul's mind as he was inspired to give us that directive. We have an amazing privilege of helping to choose those to whom we are to submit.

Give me another couple of minutes today to opine. (Thank you for your patience.) Please do not become one of those simple-minded Christians who cast votes for a person based on a single issue or because "he looks like a good Christian." Educate yourself on the totality of a candidate's positions, as best you are able to do so. There is no perfect candidate. Look for values, for evidence of integrity, for qualities of leadership. It is true that "when the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan." (Proverbs 29:2, NLT) Don't be duped by the candidate who learns the code words that appeal to Christians. That fact that he says, "God bless you," and shows up in the pulpit of a famous preacher does not necessarily indicate that he will govern in a godly way. Be wise.

Finally, be prayerful. The Spirit promises to guide us. As we study the roster of candidates standing for election, let's pray for insight. God's design for humanity includes leadership, those who exercise the right to set the policies that govern us. He has sovereignly chosen to allow you and me to live in an era in which we participate in the selection of our leadership. We can become His partner in choosing those who will spend our taxes and defend human dignity. So, I appeal to you to be an informed, active citizen; one who exercises the privilege of the ballot in a way that honors our Heavenly King - two weeks from today.

He's your Dad!

He's your Dad

For a few days last week I was with my children and grandchildren.  Of all the ways I am described by others;  friend, brother, Pastor, counselor;  none compares to "Dad." My adult kids love to tease me and can do it so well knowing all the right stories to tell. When one of the little ones approached and said, "Hi, Papa" I literally wept with joy!
Jesus taught us to address God primarily as "Our Father."  We come to Him with open heart and an expectation of acceptance because that's Who He is. "This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children." (Romans 8:15-16, The Message)

There are many ways to know and understand our God. He is Majestic Lord, Creator of the Universe, the Divine Warrior, the One who lives in Heavenly Splendor,  the Great I Am.  And He is our Father, our Abba!

"But, Pastor, if I relate to Him like that, won't I lose respect and treat His demands with contempt?"  No you will not.  If your love for Abba is deep and authentic, your obedience will be complete; not fear-based but love inspired.  My adult children are self-sufficient, having nothing to fear in me. The respect they give to me has its foundation in love.  Love is a much stronger motive than fear; more sustainable, too!

Is God just an idea to you?  Is He 'someone out there, somewhere?'  Pray to know Him.

Receive the Father love He has for you.  John says that this 'love casts out fear.'  If we only fear God we have not yet known the fullness of His salvation offered to us through Christ.

Receive the Father provisions prepared for you. He will meet your needs from His riches!
Receive the identity.  A father provides an identity.  Long before his children can consciously process thoughts about who they are and how they fit into the world, a good Daddy shows them by his life.  His values become theirs. His way of 'doing life' is unconsciously adopted.  He anchors them in the world.   My primary identity in this world was given to me by my Dad and, later by my Heavenly Abba.

Here's a word from the Word.  May this truth go deep and become a rock of stability for us in a world filled with instability. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3, NIV)
____________

"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed (revered as holy) be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."  Amen (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV)

I DESERVE it!

Our political leaders are challenged by the fiscal demands of 'entitlement' programs. With mountains of debt threatening to break our state and national economies, they face hard choices about Social Security benefits, spending on education and health care, and public pension programs. No beneficiaries are going to willing say, "trim my programs." After all, that's why they are called entitlements.

There are days when I slip into an entitlement mentality. It goes like this:  "I'm a good guy.  I'm owed ... "  It's an ugly place and it does not long to go from brooding about how unfair life is to being angry at people for not giving me what I deserve!  In that moment, life becomes a very small bundle of ME. Gratitude becomes impossible.

Entitlement is at its worst when it enters our relationship with God. If love Self enough to believe that God "owes me,"  real spiritual sickness is soon to follow! He owes me nothing. I owe Him everything.  “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:35-37, NIV)

Need to defeat entitlement thinking?  Here's the way. Cultivate gratitude! Practice giving thanks today, right where you are. Thanksgiving inspires worship and faith grows. Consistently offering heartfelt thanks to God breaks the mesmerizing hold of Self. This births a new humility in which we willingly trust and obey the Lord.

Disobedience is always fed by the root of 'me-ism,' the insistence that Self must be served above all things - the welfare of others and even God Himself. Look at these examples from the Scripture.

• Eve sinned because she wanted to indulge her desire.
• Moses sinned when he allowed himself to be fed up with serving the ever-demanding people Israel.
• David sinned when he thought he just had to have Bathsheba, and his lust fed an escalating series of sins that led to proxy murder!

Perhaps you are in a hard place; struggling to meet your bills, or dealing with disappointment in a broken relationship, or facing a health crisis. As you see it, you deserve better!  Don't go there. Instead, choose to thank God for His goodness and for His promise to provide all you need, not all you think you need.

The NT tells us to 'crucify the sinful nature.'  That's a brutal phrase that reveals the intensity with which we must deal with Self.  Give it no place! One way is to offer what the Bible calls a "sacrifice of praise to God." That means we intentionally stop complaining and give Him thanks.  Further the Word urges us to offer this sacrifice "continually, ... the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name ." (Hebrews 13:15, KJV)

God cannot bless those who think of themselves as entitled! But, to the humble, who are full of gratitude, He shows abundant mercies.

Here's the word from the Word. Let it own your heart and mind. It's His divine prescription for peaceful contentment. "Offer proper sacrifices, and trust in the Lord. Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let the smile of your face shine on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine. I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe."
(Psalm 4:5-8, NLT)
________________

The BEST of Intentions

The Best of Intentions

Good intentions are not enough in our worship. Obedience is!  In an intriguing story from King David's adventures, we catch a glimpse of an awesome God, in the most frightening sense of the word. David wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of the Presence of the LORD among His people, back to Jerusalem. In ancient Judaism it was the most sacred piece of furniture (dare I label it so casually?) in the tabernacle of God.  When Moses received the directives for proper handling of this holy thing, God said it was only to be carried by men of the holy tribe and in a very specific manner. (see Exodus 25) Rings were built into the sides of the ark through which long poles were to be passed. When it was necessary to move the Ark, priests were to carry it on their shoulders with these long poles.  Between the time of Moses and  David's reign several hundred years passed and these directions apparently were forgotten!

So, when David set out to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem, symbolically returning God to the center of the people's attention in his royal city, he did what seemed to be reasonable and appropriate. He even built a new cart to honor this holy thing before going to retrieve it.  After a proclamation, they set out to do this thing. (1 Chronicles 13:7-8) Uzzah and Ahio were tasked with guiding the oxen pulling the cart. David was celebrating before God with all their might, singing and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. It must have been quite a parade/worship celebration. Until...  “they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. Then the Lord’s anger blazed out against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.” 

Right there, in the middle of trying to do a good thing, tragedy struck;  David didn't know why! First, he grew angry at the Lord.  “I try to honor You, and this is Your response?  You kill a good man?”   Then, on further reflection, he became fearful. He trembled in terror and he wondered how he could ever please the Lord if even his best intentions failed in such a spectacular manner. Only after time and research did he learn the proper way to move the Ark and thus to show reverence for God.

Good intentions are admirable, but they are not enough for a holy God.  We all wrestle with our will and His, with what ‘seems right’ and what ‘is right.’ As much as we might think that just ‘doing our best’ is acceptable, our holy God indicates that His desire is that we revere Him sufficiently to submit ourselves without reserve. When we argue with Him, resist what we know to be His plans, or take our lives into our own hands - we invite His displeasure.  Sobering, isn’t it? This little story from David's life helps me to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to 'serve' God. I realize that I am giving aid and comfort to those who 'sanctify' a certain worship style or to those who are bent on writing rules and regulations for others in the name of God. That, however, is a shallow misuse of the principle of this story.

My intent is to point us beyond such legalities to our own relationship with God, where we know better in our heart, but where we choose to go our own way believing that God will 'cut us some slack.'

This IS true. If we fail to listen with an open heart and mind for the Spirit, plunging ahead with our ‘best intentions’ we will likely plant seeds that will produce an eventual harvest of alienation, fear, and ultimately death. He is a wonderful God who is worthy of our reverent, submitted, entire obedience. When the conviction of the Spirit comes ( and thankfully He doesn't strike us dead in this era!) let's have the humility to confess our failure and to accept the Spirit’s grace. Then, in His will, let’s walk joyfully into the full, rich life found in total obedience!

Here’s a word from the Word.  Read it prayerfully, thoughtfully, honestly.  Move beyond your own best intentions and learn to ‘keep step with the Spirit.’  

“How can I stand up before God and show proper respect to the high God?

Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves?

Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil?

Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple:

Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
- Micah 6:6-8, The Message

Time to make the donuts!

Vision teaches us the ‘why’ behind the ‘what.’  Lose vision and motivation dies.  The lead guy on the crew that installed the new boiler at our church last week wasn’t just putting pipes together. He was building something in which he took pride. He had vision for his work and it is evident in the quality work he left behind. He showed up with enthusiasm, a smile on his face, and a readiness to do the work.   Are you like Fred, the baker, the star of the old “Dunkin’ Donuts” ads who was up before dawn heading out the door because it was ‘time to make the donuts?’  Somehow you knew he was pushing himself out the door, that making donuts was a job to which he was faithful, but for which he was not terrifically enthused.  

  

I pace myself through the routines of church business,  doing the invisible chores that maintain the organization, gladly because they support the vision God gave me. My vision is not to maintain a building, however. It is to build a community of people who make a noticeable difference for the Lord Jesus in our corner of the world! If I lose sight of the bigger mission, (and there are those days) the tedium can become overwhelming. Then I realize I need to look up, to catch another glimpse of that glorious Church that my Lord Jesus will find worthy of commendation. I believe whole-heartedly that the only hope for this world is the Gospel of Jesus Christ; a message that transforms people into amazing saints, infuses life with purpose and meaning, and lets us live in the promise of eternal life. I want as many people as possible to hear that good news, to experience the love of Christ, and that is the vision that keeps me going!

·         Friend, do you know the 'why' behind the 'what' in your life?

·         Is there a God-given vision that draws you to love God with devotion?

·         Do you have vision for your family, your church, your daily vocation, your neighborhood, your financial management…. Yes, for all of life?

Some of you are thinking, "Yeah, Jerry, I've heard this hype before. My 'vision' is just to hang on one more day. Mostly I feel like Fred, the baker and it’s just time to make the donuts”  

If that’s you, take charge now. Stop letting life lead you and make a decision to become a person who lives ‘on purpose.’ Hit the pause button. Take a day off and spend it in prayer, not in front of the TV!  Invite God, the Holy Spirit, to renew your understanding that you "are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10, NLT) God is purposeful. God is concerned about you and able to use you - but you must make yourself available and let Him mature the vision in you. Borrow the prayer that little Samuel prayed in the dark when the voice of the Lord echoed through his heart - "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:9, NIV) When he prayed, God showed him a plan and then the boy worked and waited faithfully on that plan for years - in the process becoming a key person in Israel. Invite Him to speak, then wait for the answer.

Here's a word from the Word for you today.  "Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. 

But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. 

“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)
_______________________

I'm pressing on the upward way,
New heights I'm gaining every day;
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on heaven's table-land,
A higher plane than I have found:
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I'll pray, 'til heaven I've found
"Lord, lead me on to higher ground."

Higher Ground - Johnson Oatman, Jr.
Public Domain

Reboot!

Reboot!

If one of my computers start running slowly or drops the network connection, the first thing I do is a reboot! I have learned that just shutting it down and starting over usually gets things going again.  It’s a simple fix, yet very effective in most cases.  Don’t you wish that life had a reboot sequence?  A relationship go sour, every effort to make it better apparently only making things worse.  Wouldn’t it be great to hit a reset?  A choice is made that proves to be much more costly or difficult than you thought it would be – reboot!  I’m just dreaming, right?  In a sense, I am.  There is no quick fix for life. But …

 God does provide fresh starts. "Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, The Message)  When we bring our broken, regretful, sinful life to Him we find forgiveness, restoration to our God, and hope to start anew.  King David fell hard.  As he reached the pinnacle of influence in Israel, he looked away from the LORD and down into the courtyard of beautiful Bathsheba. Lust became adultery. Adultery became murder. Murder became conspiracy.  Guilt chewed him up from the inside out.  Then, in a dramatic way, Nathan, God’s prophet, confronted him with his sins, publicly.  “God sees, God knows, God holds you in contempt!”  What would he do? Where could he go?  Was there any hope?

Psalm 51 is the song he wrote in his repentance. "Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness." (Psalm 51:8-14, NLT)   I love the way one of those lines reads in The Message. "God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. " (Psalm 51:10, The Message)

A persistent theme in the Scripture is restoration.  God is a restorer who reaches out to offer a new perspective, to erase our guilt, to create a whole new way for us where there seems to be no way.  The grand culmination of earthly history is a renewal of all things.  In the final words of the Revelation, Jesus says,  “Look, I am making all things new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give the springs of the water of life without charge!" (Revelation 21:5-6, NLT)  We don’t have to wait for the Final Day to receive a fresh start.  He is here now.

Gather up the broken dreams, the sins, the mistakes, the failures; yes, even your ‘successes,’ and take them to Jesus Christ. Lay them down and leave them with Him.  God says, "And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart." (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)   Now, that’s a reboot. 

_________

Abba, I am deceived by illusions of self-sufficiency.

I think I can fix my life, create my own happiness;

But my sin deepens, my regrets multiply.

So, here I am, heart open; hands extended.

I ask for a fresh start, a new heart.

Take the chaos, and Spirit who rests on us

Draw something beautiful from it all.

Hold me close to You,

Whisper hope anew, the promise of life eternal.

In Jesus’ Name, I ask this.  Amen

Doodling in the dirt?

Doodling in the dirt?

The young man was passionate, stating his convictions in unambiguous terms.  To him, it was an issue of stark black and white, no room for compassion! Then I pointed out a person sitting about 5 feet away who was what he condemned.  Thankfully, he was not so self-righteous as to be unaware of how his words were heard. He blushed as he realized how unloving his words were at that moment.

Truth and love; are they in conflict or are they complementary? 
Need we toss our convictions about what is right and true overboard in order to be a person who is loving and accepting? 
Or, flipping that around, need we jettison love and respect for others so that we can remain committed to our convictions about the truth?

Christians living in a culture of tolerance find themselves in this struggle all the time. Those with a high view of Scriptural authority do not have the luxury of re-writing passages that deal with sexual behavior, with divorce, with roles in the family, with discrimination,  with materialism, even with the exclusive claims of Christ as Savior.  The Word speaks to those issues compelling us to yield our will to God’s revelation. There is Truth to be found and the Lord promises that we will find His highest purpose when we submit ourselves to Him.  Yet, in the middle of this, the Gospels show us a life of love, illustrated clearly in the Man who is Truth personified, yet one full of deeply authentic love for all.

In the 8^th chapter of John we learn about the powerful transformation that comes when Truth and Love act in concert.  A woman was dragged before Jesus by men who loved the Truth!  “She is a sinner,” they said without thought for her. “What are You going to do about it?” they challenged Him.  She was an adulterer. There was no question about her guilt.  The Lord saw more than a ‘sin’ standing in front of Him. He saw a person. "Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt." (John 8:6-8, The Message)  Why did He doodle in the dirt? Didn’t He feel any urgency to straighten out this situation? No, in fact, He didn’t.  Our first mistake in our love of the Truth is feeling like we have to fix all the wrong in us and others today.  Salvation is a kind of healing and it’s a process.  Need we wade into somebody’s life swinging the sword of truth when we barely know them or their situation?  Jesus called on these men to recognize their own need, too.  

 Truth is much more complex when we see it in the context of our own duplicity of nature! After the men’s hearts were pierced by the Spirit’s conviction, and they wandered off quietly, He turns to the woman.  He does not minimize her choices to sin. Instead, He offers her love and  challenge: "Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  (John 8:10-11, NIV)

Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is take some time to doodle in the dirt. While we’re at it; we pray, we think, we listen, and we learn to be led by the Spirit. The glory of God’s judgment is that it is not set ‘in the moment,’ but emerges from the full context of our lives.  Oh yes, He holds us accountable for our choices.  The Man who hung on the Cross in love is also the One who sits on the Judgment Seat.  But, in his infinite wisdom, He weaves all the threads of our life together.  He sees the whole picture, knowing why we did what we did, knowing how we might have made a better choice, and He is our Advocate!  It makes me want to shout, “Hallelujah, what a Savior!”

Here’s a word from the Word.  Notice the uncompromising Truth set in contrast to the amazing Love.  I pray it will give you the same kind of hope that I find in the promise of salvation and that it cause both you and me to be people who know how to take some time to doodle in the dirt before we take on all those sinners who live around us. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him." (1 John 1:8-2:5, NIV)

___________

You are my life,

O precious Christ!

You are to me

The pearl of greatest price.

O holy fire,

Love's purest light!

Burn all desires ‘till

You are my one delight.

O conquering King,

Conquer my heart!

And make of me a pleasing gift to God.

I come to You.

I run to You.

There's no greater joy

Than knowing You.

My love for You will never die.

Jesus You are my life!

Jesus You Are My Life

Steve Fry

© 1994 Maranatha Praise, Inc. (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)

Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055