Monday Mornings

Which of these phrases comes from you today: “Oh, Lord, it’s Monday!” said with a groan, or; “It’s Monday, Lord!” spoken with expectation? Some of you are smiling as you read and some of you are growling, “Jerry, you don’t know my boss” or "You do not know what I am up against."  Of course, I do not. But, God does! 

God has given us the ability to shape our emotions and our lives. We can live positively if we develop the habits of happiness! Some of us fall into the futility of the blame game, "it's your fault that I am miserable."  Others demand that someone else change to fit our expectations before we will attempt to be happy.  But, joy does not come from outside; it grows from the inside out. God gives us a choice each day - to accept the day and His gifts in it, or to resist the day and live miserably!

People who find the most joy in life are not those who are ‘lucky.’ Joy is discovered in a choice to adjust and adapt to circumstances.The Bible calls this contentment. A deep reverence for the rule of the Almighty dethrones the ego that insists on having its own way and in that submission we find serenity.  

The Bible says, "The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble." (Proverbs 19:23, NIV) St. Paul, in the middle of a life full of rejection and hardships, said that he had "learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:11-12, NIV) He repeats it twice, impressing the importance of this choice.

Contentment is not passivity. It is not apathy. It is found in faith. If this passage describes what we really believe to be true about our Lord, how could we live in anything other than contentment? “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!" (Psalm 139:1-6, NLT)

On this Monday morning, if you’re dreading the week, if you’re full of anxiety, if you’re already wishing for Friday- it’s going to be a l o n g week. Reframe the way you choose to enter this day. Give it to the Lord and pray for faith to accept where He leads and to be the one who is His light and life in those situations. We are, the Word says, “Christ’s ambassadors.” Let’s represent Him well, with joyful faith today.

Father, help me to trust You today,

Expecting, not dreading; responding to each challenge with faith.

When I feel alone, whisper - “I am here!”

For there is real and complete joy in Your presence.

Silence the rebellion of my heart and

Grant me the contentment of a child who

Knows that His Daddy loves him completely.

And, in all my words, in the very attitudes of my heart,

May You be honored.

Jesus, I ask this in Your holy name. Amen.

Rich men and needle's eyes

J. and C. sat with me to talk about getting married. Though neither one is yet 30, life has beaten them up badly.  He was horribly abused as a child, never learned to read, developed addictions, and did 8 years in state prison. She grew up in poverty. She married young and then her husband was run down and killed while intoxicated. Between them, there are 4 kids from multiple relationships, almost insuring the cycle of dysfunction will continue. They told me their stories without self-consciousness or self-pity. As we sat together, I distinctly heard the voice of Jesus say, “I love them, you love them, too.”

On reflection I realized more clearly how people with the kind of baggage in life that this young couple are dragging around are often overlooked by Christ’s church, not intentionally, but by default. I hear your objections! “Pastor, we care for the poor.”   Oh yes, we have our food pantry for them.  We respond to their calls for financial assistance and help with electric bills. We put together Thanksgiving and/or Christmas baskets.  And, that’s all good, but do we invite them into our fellowship? Do we make them our brother, our sister?  Or, do we ‘love them’ only  from a distance?  I think we need to ask ourselves if our ‘charity’ is mostly offered in an effort to make us feel good about supposedly loving the poor, while we go on in our privileged middle class lives content to leave them outside the circle? 

We can, and many do,  point at J.’s and C.’s multiple problems as being the result of very poor choices. That is true, but that line of thinking can slip easily into a subtle kind of pride can that is very much akin to that of the Pharisee who prayed, “Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers. ... I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income. " (Luke 18:11-12, The Message)  The truth is very different from our perception. Only the touch of God’s grace separates a blessed life from a troubled one.  While there is no need to feel guilty over our resources, we must recognize that with privilege comes responsibility. God did not hand us our resources so that we could isolate ourselves in gated communities or exclusive suburban fellowships  that shut out the lost and broken. He gave us what we have so that we could do the work of God’s kingdom, defeating suffering by dealing with the sin that is at the root of it.

We must do more than throw money at the poor. Since the 1960’s government programs aimed at eradicating poverty, crime, and addiction have multiplied like rabbits. Billions of dollars are spent annually. What is the result? Mostly it is the creation of a permanent class of people who are dependent on government subsidy to survive.  Church, let’s rethink the mission that Christ Jesus left for us. He said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV)  That means so much more than having church services, handing out literature on the street, or preaching.  We make disciples the same way that Jesus did; by loving and living  with the lost, the least, the broken.   He didn’t send a sermon! He came Himself “to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19)   "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, NIV)

Our mission is to resist evil, to seek justice, to love, and to tell all of the Good News that Christ died to save us from our sin and lives to give us eternal life.  Easy? Not at all.  Simple? No way. A work only for our free time?  You really think so? 

"Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?”

The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”

That set the disciples back on their heels. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked.

 Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.” Peter tried another angle: “We left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.”

(Mark 10:23-31, The Message)

Before you jump to any conclusions

A long time ago, after what appeared to be a terrible reversal of fortune, I grieved. My income dropped by half. Bev and I had to sell the home we owned at the time. Yes, I made some choices that contributed to my problems. I am not excusing my sin! People that knew me told me that I was getting what I deserved. But God, in His wisdom, knew exactly what I needed. His severe mercy turned that circumstance into a blessing that changed my life and the lives of many other people. He brought me to a new humility and reliance on Him. I could not see, at that time, how God was using what looked like great loss to give me His BEST, but I see clearly 25 years later.

Jeremiah watched Nebuchadnezzar’s armies invade Judah and carry off the king and some of the elite members of the nation. Then the Lord gave him a vision of two baskets of figs placed at the gates of the Temple in Jerusalem. One contained very good figs, the other worthless rotted figs! “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. ... I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. ... But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt." (Jeremiah 24:5,7-8, NIV) The people who were left in Judah concluded that those carried off to Babylon must be terrible sinners, judged by God. The opposite was the truth. God said that because of the faith they would display, the exiles would turn out to be the blessed ones, while those who were left behind in their homes in Jerusalem would fall even further away from Him, becoming spiritually rotten!

Are you going through a difficult situation? Have you concluded that God is judging you, or that He has turned His back on you? Present yourself to Him with humble, child-like faith. Like those exiles of long ago, ‘return to Him with all your heart,’ and let Him use what you might have caused by your sinfulness or what others have brought on you through their neglect or hatred to change your life. He can do it! Joseph’s brothers hated him so much they sold him into slavery in Egypt. They thought they were rid of him forever. Years later, when they appeared in an Egyptian palace to beg for food, their brother Joseph was sitting on the throne, a changed man. He told them - "Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now-life for many people." (Genesis 50:20, The Message)

Are you tempted to look at the misfortune of another Christian and shake your head as you say, “I’m sure he must have done something terrible for his life to turn out this way.” Really? You think you know enough about the state of his heart to judge him like that? Jesus’ disciples saw a man blind from birth and jumped to a similar conclusion. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” - John 9:1-3 (NIV) God had a greater purpose for that man than being born with perfect sight! That might not seem fair to us, given our limited insight, but then we are not God, are we?

Here’s a challenge from the Word. It’s only possible to live this way if we fully accept that His Resurrection life is breaking through into our lives, defeating evil, transforming us into saints - even now! Please don’t read these words as advice just to ‘grin and bear it!’ Read them for all they are worth. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4, NIV)

___________

Jesus, I am resting, resting;

In the joy of what Thou art.

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee

And Thy beauty fills my soul,

For by Thy transforming power

Thou hast made me whole.

David Hampton | Jean Sophia Pigott

© 1998 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Rabbit's feet and Jesus

For centuries, people in many cultures have carried a rabbit’s foot as an amulet. The ancient superstition says that the properly mounted item keeps ‘bad luck’ away.  Let’s just say that I don’t plan to start carrying a lucky rabbit’s foot anytime soon!  

 My question I ask of you today is:  do you  treat Jesus like an amulet?  Do you think that going to church, wearing a cross, or saying the “Lord’s Prayer” wards off bad luck? Many people confuse superstitious religion with real discipleship.  What do I mean?  

 Life gets tough or there a big event is on the horizon. What happens? The superstitious get religion!  “God talk” shows up in their conversations. They start to attend church, all full of effusive devotion.  The Bible is put on display in their home.  I cannot say exactly what is in the mind of another, but it looks like something very much like carrying a rabbit’s foot for good luck.  What one can see is that religious fervor comes and goes in wave

Disciples walk with Jesus – all the time.  In consistent devotion, their lives are centered on obedience to the will of God.  Theirs is an intimate relationship with Jesus and it results in something far better than ‘good luck.’  The Lord says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father." (John 15:5-8, NLT)

The idea of ‘producing much fruit’ is a compelling one.  Fruit is the natural result of life, isn’t it?  An apple tree that is alive bears apples.  Of course,  it needs to be cared for by the orchard owner to keep away the parasites, to enhance both the quantity and quality of the fruit.  But, basically, it is the life in the tree that makes apples appear.   

A person who is organically connected to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will produce evidence of that life. Through divine pruning the fruitfulness of his life will be maximized.  But, unlike a passive apple tree,  disciples are an active part of this process. That is why Jesus tells us to stay connected! "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (John 15:4, NIV)

Fruitfulness is life-long and cumulative. A Christian who is growing in Christ shows an ever-increasing deeper quality of life, a richer prayer relationship, and a sterling character.  Jesus says that this ‘brings great glory to God.’   The joy and effectiveness of their faith stands in stark contrast to the shallow superstition of the religious.

I encourage you to choose to love and serve Christ – all the time, in every situation, as much when the sun is shining brightly as when the darkest clouds are approaching.

Here is the word from the Word.

"The one who seeks good finds delight; the student of evil becomes evil.
A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree. …
A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls. " (Proverbs 11:27-28,30 The Message)

__________

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 faithful through each passing moment;

I would be constantly in touch with God;

I would be strong to follow where He leads me;

I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.

-Howard Walter

Easter’s past, what now?

Our celebration of Easter is great, isn’t it?  Families gather.  We had our Easter dinner on Saturday.  The house was full of noise and laughter. When everybody went home, Ed, who’s 12, said, “I feel kind of empty when they leave.”   I wonder how many Christians are feeling like that this Monday morning? In churches full of people they sang with joy that ‘Christ, the Lord, is risen today!’ As the music is stilled, the sermons are over, and the flowers are forgotten, now what? 

The trauma of the Crucifixion was relieved by the drama of the Resurrection. In the Upper Room, Thomas saw the nail prints on His hands, the scar in Jesus’ side. He was alive. But, things were different now.  Jesus came and went, but their fellowship was not the same. Nor, was it supposed to be!  They had a mission and a message that had to be carried to the world.  "In one of these meetings as he was eating a meal with them, he told them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before." (Acts 1:4, NLT)  "When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?” “The Father sets those dates,” he replied, “and they are not for you to know. But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8, NLT)

Hopefully, in the aftermath of the Resurrection, we will not pack it all up and fall into the same old routines until next year!  My prayerful hope is that because Christ lives and we in our certainty of eternal life through Him, there will transformation in us.  Easter’s message means that life is bigger than we dreamed.  The grave is not our final resting place.  Today is not just about trying to scratch out a living and stay safe until we die! We are glorious creatures destined for a home in God’s house.  We are living as subjects of an unseen Kingdom even now!  People who are convinced of the reality of the Resurrection will fearlessly  advance Christ’s cause;  taking on injustice, working for peace, pointing out the folly of living only for creature comfort.

Jesus reminded His disciples that they were not on their own. They were empowered by the Spirit.  He had taught them this before. At the Passover meal just before He went to the Cross, He told them  that He would " ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." (John 14:16-20, NIV)

Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?  Every Christian is given the Spirit for He is the One who gives life to us.  But, not all Christians wait to be filled with the Spirit!  On this day after, that is the next step. Pray, wait, listen, receive. In Him, there is a kind of power for living that beyond the reach of anyone else.  He brings a quality of life that is enviable; the best kind of " love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. " (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

-          Public Domain

-          George Croly

"He Sent His Word and Healed Them"

Most of my communication is about the stuff of life, practical exchange of necessary information such as, "Please take out the garbage this morning."  Or, “Who’s picking up the kids from school?”
There those conversations that cause us to linger, when words are an expression of what’s in our heart. We talk about our dreams and disappointments. We caress with tender words of affection. We affirm with words of love that sparkle and dance!  Not all the words I use are original. On occasions, I buy the 'words' of another - printed on a card - to express sympathy, love, encouragement, or celebration!

Prayer is our daily conversation with our Abba (heavenly Father). Many of those prayers are often about the mundane stuff of living, aren't they?  Since marriage is a model of our relationship with Him, there are lessons to be drawn from that source. We should pray about our budgets, about the health of our bodies, about our kids and school; talking with the Lord about the ordinary stuff of living.  And, should also find times to pray with worshipful words, thoughtful words, words of wonder, pauses full of awe, interludes of stirred emotions - at least every now and then! The Bible tells us to 'pray about everything!'

Do you have difficulty going beyond  prayers that are like this - "Lord, bless the kids, my wife..."?  Why not borrow the beautiful prayer words of the Scripture? There are some amazing prayers recorded in the Word that touch on our deepest needs, our most intimate longings, that give us ways of expressing our love to Jesus Christ that are incredibly beautiful.

In the Psalms we find ways to express our adoration - "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens." (Psalm 8:1, NIV)  

There are words to help us pour out our grief- "My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my pleading hands to you for mercy." (Psalm 88:9, NLT)  

There are words to pray for our friends. What surpasses Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1? "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." (Ephesians 1:16-18, NIV)

Praying like that takes us out of the superficial ‘bless me’ language, the ruts of communication into which we fall so easily. Remember, the prayers in the Scripture are not just poetry written to our emotions! Those words are Spirit-inspired and are given to fill us with hope. When we make them our own, when we call on the Lord with them, we invite Him to meet our need and to build our faith.  And yes, praying the Word will enrich our understanding of ourselves and our Lord. He will use His Word to change the way in which we think even as we pray those ‘borrowed’ prayers.

So, take time to use the Word in prayer from time to time. May those inspired Words shape your thoughts, express your heart, and deepen your conversation with God.

"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy." (Psalm 107:19-22, NIV)

The world is going to Hell all around me

America is rapidly losing faith. For the first time in her history, this country no longer counts Protestant Christians as a majority. The ‘church’ has become increasingly irrelevant in a nation where the vast majority would “rather sleep in or play golf on a Sunday morning.”   (America Is Losing Faith)  A seismic shift in cultural attitudes is happening in the next generation who religiously define themselves as ‘nones,’ not at all meaning that they are without belief in God, but that they refuse to align themselves with organized religion, particularly with a Christian church.  This trend is wider than church.  Younger Americans don’t trust government, banks, or corporations, either.

In my opinion, most conservative Christians made a tragic mistake 40 years ago with the birth of what has come to known as the ‘religious right.’ We chose to align ourselves with a political movement and to seek to enforce our values through restrictive laws. The good that the church does in the name of Christ; feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, giving support to grieving families, strengthening basic social structures, bringing a message of eternal life, was obscured by the noisy attacks of media savvy preachers who majored on condemnation of homosexuals, women who sought abortions, and entertainment that they deemed unfit.  Issues of human rights, care for Creation, economic equality, peace, and justice went largely ignored by conservative Christians, even as the nation moved progressively on those issues.  

 Most tragically, the Gospel became the Law, Christ’s glory hidden behind rhetoric of power.  True or not, the church came to be viewed as just another place where the old generation was using the instruments of the establishment to protect their privilege.

So, what should those who love Jesus do?   First of all, stop being so afraid! Fear is the worst motivator in the world. Fearful people become defensive, shrill, and angry. The Christian story in the book of Acts reveals the power of God that will keep His Church alive.  If we are people of the Spirit, we can boldly go on the offense against the sins of the world, but not as mean, angry, punitive people. Our offense is to be mounted in long-suffering love. The Truth we tell is unyielding, but wrapped in the compassion that Jesus showed for the sinners he met. Did He attack the adulterous woman? No, He defended her with His love and then challenged her to ‘go and sin no more!’  Did He attack Zacchaeus, the tax collector? No, He went to his house for dinner and, while there, laid out the message of God’s redeeming grace.  What happened?  The greedy crook was transformed and gave away his ill-gotten wealth!

We are called to bear the light in dark places. It’s what Christians have always done. Jesus did not tell us to go wave banners, form coalitions, or elect people to office to protect our privileges. He told us that we are “the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-17, NIV)

Our concern need not be ‘relevance.’  The ancient principles of God need not be discarded in a vain attempt to attract sinners back to God by watering down His Word. But, we must be people of integrity who are committed to living His Word in its entirety.  God’s people will value the gift of life, but not just when it comes to abortion. They will also defend those who die when drones rain bombs on civilians in poor nations.  God’s people will value moral covenants, and keep their own marriage vows.  God’s people will be willing to give up their own lives by unselfishly giving away their wealth. We must shed our concern about being safe, about having our ‘rights.’  Remember, in most places and throughout  2,000 years of history, true Christians have been a persecuted minority. What did Jesus say? “Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble." (Matthew 5:11-12, The Message)

And, yes, we will major on the Gospel, realizing that the true change is one that begins in the heart when the Spirit gives life.  We preach Christ, not rules.  He makes us righteous, not regulations.  Here’s a word from the Word.  As we live it, God will build His Church!  Even as the world goes to Hell all around us, and yes, the sins of sensuality and self-indulgence will bring death; let us remember to preach Christ.

"So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. This “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus.

For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom." (1 Corinthians 1:23-30, NLT)

Amen