Do I know you?

I know Tom Brady, QB of the NE Patriots. You’re right, I do not really know him. He is not going to call me to be his guest at the next game at Gillette Stadium, nor is he coming to have dinner at my house anytime soon.  We are not friends or even acquaintances. I only know about him, what is published, what I see when he plays football!

Here is a question for you today.  Do you know Jesus Christ or do you only know about Him?

The Lord of Glory can be known by us, loved, a Friend, Someone with whom we have daily fellowship. Amazing, isn’t it, that God chooses to make Himself known to us through the Spirit?  Sadly, so many who are part of Christian churches never really come to know Jesus. They are content to know about Him, while others invest the time to cultivate a friendship with Him.  Jesus says this to each of us - "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:19-20, NIV)  Pause to think about that offer. I am acquainted with hundreds of people, have conversations every day with dozens of them, but only a handful are close friends, intimately aware of who I am, what I think, of the things I enjoy. Nothing illustrates that kind of ‘knowing’ like sitting down to dinner and having 2 hours fly by as we converse. Jesus says that He wants to know us like supper companion!

John, the apostle, also called the ‘Beloved,’ spoke often of knowing Jesus. He records Jesus’ words from the Last Supper that are personal and intimate. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will 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. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:15-21, NIV)

We are given a Gift that makes that connection. The Holy Spirit, the 3^rd Person of the God-head, lives in us, leads us, teaches us, and we know Him, not just about Him! In his letter to the Church, John says that we have an ‘anointing’ from the Holy One.  He explains that our knowing is possible because of the work of the Spirit, that He is put on us, like oil smeared on the head of one consecrated to holy service! As a result of that anointing, we   "know the truth." (1 John 2:20, NIV)

As with any friendship, we must cultivate our friendship with Jesus Christ. A key, He says, is obedience. We cannot claim to be intimately connected to Him and yet openly defy the Father’s will. If we love Him, He says, we will do what He says.  Beyond that obedience, there is priority. One of the joys and demands of a friendship is time.  I will prioritize my time so that I can be with those I really love. How can we claim to love Jesus if we send little time in worship or prayer? 

Meditate on this word from the Word.  If you only know about Jesus, invite Him to become your God, your Savior, and your Friend. In Him, you will find a life that is beyond comprehension of those who do not love and serve Him. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing." (John 15:5, The Message)  “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love. “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature." (John 15:9-11, The Message)

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This is the hymn of my life …

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

O what peace we often forfeit

O what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations

Is there trouble anywhere

We should never be discouraged

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share

Jesus knows our every weakness

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Are we weak and heavy laden

Cumbered with a load of care

Precious Savior still our refuge

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Do thy friends despise forsake thee

Take it to the Lord in prayer

In His arms He'll take and shield thee

Thou wilt find a solace there

Charles Crozat Converse | Joseph Medlicott Scriven

© Words: Public Domain

“Did you not learn a thing?”

The film that the Phys Ed teacher showed in the auditorium was full of mangled bodies, crushed cars, and death! It was a rite of passage for those going through Driver’s Education classes all those years ago to watch a horrific movie produced by the Ohio State Patrol about automobile accidents called Signal 30. It opened with the sounds of screeching tires, followed by a crash, and ominous music. We heard about it from previous classes, the dare thrown down as to how long some would make it before fleeing the dark auditorium; whether we would get sick from the carnage on the screen. The experience was not pleasant!  The alleged purpose was to scare all of us into safer driving habits and yet we still drove too fast, pushed the limits of our cars, and some of us died in accidents.

The power of temptation and sin is persistent, isn’t it? We tend to think that we are exempt from what others experience. We are skilled at justifying ourselves, excusing our actions, or just learning to ignore the voices that caution us. I wonder if our Heavenly Father would ask us, “Did you learn a thing?” 

The ancient preacher named Haggai came to preach to God’s people about 5 centuries before the time of Christ. He was one of the ‘post-exilic’ prophets, those who came to bring God’s word after the miraculous restoration of the nation from a long captivity in Babylon!  Jerusalem was destroyed, the Temple burnt, the treasures of the land carried away by the Assyrian army.  The best and brightest of the nation became slaves in the empire. Remember Daniel? He was one of those carried off.  God, just as He had promised, moved to bring about the restoration of the nation after 70 years. Nehemiah was the leader that began the rebuilding of the city.  After a huge effort, the city’s walls were rebuilt and the priesthood was restored.

But, guess what? Within a relatively short time the same old sins of Self showed up again. Haggai had the difficult of task of challenging the people to keep the worship of the Lord first in their lives. Listen to the plea he makes by the inspiration of the Spirit. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses." (Haggai 1:7-9, NLT)  Instead of gratefully and faithfully serving the Lord, the people were soon taken up with ‘doing their own thing’ and missing the blessings that were to be found in devotion.

Those ancient words speak to me about my priorities, my choices, and my failure to learn from the past. How about you?

We read the Scripture, we have the promise of both an ‘abundant life’ and eternal life, and yet, too often we chase the wind, give ourselves to pursuit of the temporal, and then wonder why we feel so little peace, know so little joy, and experience so little of God’s Presence.  "This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways." (Haggai 1:7, NIV)  Our Father is not threatening, nor does He want us to live in terror. He loves us deeply and knows that the best life can only be found in Him. "But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’" (Haggai 2:4-5, NLT)   Do you see the assurance that He offers to us?  “My Spirit remains among you!”

Christian friend, be mature and learn!  Here is a word from the Word. May it point us towards a life of wisdom and God’s blessings – for us, for our children, and for our children’s children.   “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you " (Romans 12:1-2, The Message)

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So Will I (100 Billion X)  (Be inspired by this new song! It’s beautiful)

God of creation

There at the start before the beginning of time

With no point of ref'rence

You spoke to the dark

And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak

A hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of Your breath the planets form

If the stars were made to worship so will I

I can see Your heart in ev'rything You've made

Ev'ry burning star a signal fire of grace

If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise

You don't speak in vain no syllable empty or void

For once You have spoken

All nature and science

Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak

A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath

Evolving in pursuit of what You said

If it all reveals Your nature so will I

I can see Your heart in ev'rything You say

Ev'ry painted sky a canvas of Your grace

If creation still obeys You so will I

So will I

So will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I

If the mountains bow in rev'rence so will I

If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I

For if ev'rything exists to lift You high so will I

If the wind goes where You send it so will I

If the rocks cry out in silence so will I

If the sum of all our praises still falls shy

Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation

You chased down my heart

Through all of my failure and pride

On a hill You created the light of the world

Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak

A hundred billion failures disappear

Where You lost Your life so I could find it here

If You left the grave behind You so will I

I can see Your heart in ev'rything You've done

Ev'ry part designed in a work of art called love

If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart eight billion diff'rent ways

Ev'ry precious one a child You died to save

If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times

But what measure could amount to Your desire

You're the One who never leaves the one behind

Benjamin Hastings | Joel Houston | Michael Fatkin

© 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Sail On!

"You can tell a lot about a ship as you look at its wake. If it is in a straight line, you get the feeling that the boat is steadily on course and that the captain is not dozing at the wheel.... if it is smooth and flat you know something about the speed of the boat. ... With people the same thing is true. As a person goes through life, he leaves behind a wake." (Integrity, Dr. Henry Cloud, 2005)

That picture captures my imagination and I try to think about the kind of wake that I leave as I sail through life. Cloud observes that we leave a two-sided wake, relationships and tasks. We should remember that it isn't just how we accomplish those jobs we are assigned. It is equally important to consider who we effect in the process.

 

Cloud suggests that we look around and evaluate.

 

On the task side of our lives, we should ask -

- Am I completing tasks on time and without needless diversions?

- Do I understand the task and set my course to finish it?

- Is my work well done, worthy of review?

- Am I investing passion in my daily life, or draining energy from those around me?

 

On the relational side we should ask -

- Do I create hope and encourage?

- Do I build barriers and discourage?

- Are people glad that I have passed by?

- Are they relieved when I leave?

- Do I leave people enriched or exploited?

 

Sometimes the answers to such questions are obvious. In other situations discerning how we have performed or how we have interacted is not easy seen. Why? We are not the only ones creating a wake through life. Others bring their own personalities and programs into our lives. The smooth wake that we attempt to create is broken up by theirs. As their wake flows into ours, if we are at cross-purposes, the chop that is created can stir up a real tempest!

 

Is God, the Holy Spirit, setting your course? When the Spirit and the Word helps us to understand His ways; we catch the wind and – sail on! We cannot adjust speed or course every time somebody makes an objection to our heading! Of critical importance is time alone with God that brings us understand of what He wants from us. Then, we sail on.

 

When we commit ourselves to principled living and pray for His Spirit to keep us on course, the wake left behind us will be a good one. Yes, there will be moments of wavering, times of rough water, but overall the results and relationships will be positive.

 

Take a look at the wake you're leaving on life's sea. Is it straight and true? Does it show steady speed? Don't just look at the immediate past. Try looking back a few months, a couple of years, a decade perhaps. I hope you’re drawn straight on as you follow "Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2, KJV) I pray you do not see zigs and zags, times of irresponsibility even regret. Are there places where you went ‘dead in the water,’ giving up, pulling down the sails in fear or frustration? 

 

Change is possible. God renews our call, forgives our sins, and gives us vision so that we can set sail. Evaluate! Celebrate the good with thanksgiving. Confess the failures with humility. Most of all, know Him today, as the Captain of your life.

 

Here's a word from the Word for this day. Take this benediction and turn it into your prayerful petition today. I am ... "praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you ...  As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul— not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us." (Colossians 1:9-12, The Message) Amen

Settle before you struggle!

Awakening this morning, I was instantly aware of the challenges and work that stretch out in ahead in this new week.  There are the mundane chores – a lawn to be tended, bills to be paid. There are the normal responsibilities – sermons to write, calls to make, study in preparation to speak. There are ‘people’ needs – broken hearts, those who have lost their way, those who are overwhelmed, grieving, or confused who want to sort it out with my help.  For a moment, I felt like turning over and hiding in my bedroom.  (No, not really!)  You, too, face a new week of work and responsibility, don’t you? This is life. Making a living, keeping life moving in the right direction, requires sustained effort against the chaos.

But . . .  settle into your strength before you tear into the day. Before I even threw back the sheets to put my feet on the floor, I turned to our Father to  commit my way and this day to Him, to invite His wisdom, and yes, to thank Him for giving me a solid place on which to stand, a rest for my soul.  I think of that ‘rest’ in this way.  Looking over the New York skyline, those buildings that stand tall, hundreds of feet above the earth, are impressive. They ‘rest’ on foundations that extend to the bedrock below the surface, on steel that goes through the subsoil to the rock!  The engineering of the foundation of every skyscraper is one of the most important parts of the project, every one unique to the site, to the depth of the bedrock, and to the ‘demands’ of the building’s weight and height!

Christian, there is a solid foundation for life, one designed by the Father on which we rest our souls, finding the stability and strength we need for life today. Paul reminded Timothy to rest on this – “God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his.” (2 Timothy 2:19)  God knows YOU, knows the stresses you are facing, knows the unique demands of your life. And, He invites you to rest yourself on Him. Jesus opens His heart to us - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV) The ‘rest’ of which He speaks is not a vacation, nor does He say He will release us from our responsibilities!  He offers us to steady us, to refresh us, to prepare us – so that we will not collapse.

This Monday morning, before you engage fully with life, and hopefully you will engage; lean into your Father. Breathe simple prayers of thanks, of petition, of praise, of worship. Quiet your mind and heart to find a steady place as your find your footing.  Sometimes getting to that place demands a level of discipline to quiet our voice and our thoughts, to focus on the Presence of Jesus. Contemplative prayer is that listening, worshipful approach to Jesus, seeing Him with open arms. It can be more difficult to just ‘wait on the Lord’ than to pour out a torrent of words, can’t it? 

Take a cue from David, from a Psalm of prayer. This is a word from the Word for you this Monday. "The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1, NIV)  "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14, NIV)

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Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship what a joy divine

Leaning on the everlasting arms

What a blessedness what a peace is mine

Leaning on the everlasting arms

What have I to dread what have I to fear

Leaning on the everlasting arms

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near

Leaning on the everlasting arms

Leaning

Leaning

Safe and secure from all alarms

Leaning

Leaning

Leaning on the everlasting arms

Anthony Johnson Showalter | Elisha Albright Hoffman

© Words: Public Domain