The Ordinary

A couple of weeks ago I was preparing for some time away in Colorado with family. We walked in the spectacular Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs), drove over the Continental Divide to an amazing home where we were surrounded by the beauty of those towering peaks of the Rockies, where we listened to the bugling of bull elks on a frosty morning;  then I returned to the ordinary, gladly!  I am blessed and enriched by experiences like that vacation, but real life is found in the ordinary, the dailies.  I find tremendous satisfaction in the unremarkable things that fill up the day.  The routine need not be deadening, it can be a source of joy, a way to build a life that matters. 

In more than 4 decades in pastoral ministry, I never led a large church, never wrote a book that sold thousands of copies, never preached to a stadium full of people. But, I aimed to faithfully fill my place in my community, to be available to people in times of crisis or sorrow,  to work diligently to prepare sermons and Bible lessons that would hopefully nudge those in my care along the way of following Jesus a step or two. In the ordinary things I was privileged to serve and touch some lives in ways that will only fully be realized in Heaven. I mostly found joy in the ordinary, the smile of God in the fact that I was present in the moment to do His will.

What about you?

Do you create joy in the ordinary days, doing what you are able to do in the circumstances of life in which you find yourself,

OR are you always looking for the BIG moment, just certain that real joy would be yours ‘if only’ some great opportunity was presented to you? 

Do you live in the moment or just from holiday to vacation to weekend?

Paul teaches us to find God’s purposes in this day: "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." (Ephesians 5:15-17, NLT)  Re-read those lines. Don’t waste time. Use the ordinary. Be purposeful, not thoughtless. Live the will of God!

Our greatest service to others (and the Lord we love) will likely be accomplished in the very ordinary life we live. We do not have to go to the far side of the world to do some amazing humanitarian work to please Him. How do I know? I have read what Jesus said. “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’

And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’" (Matthew 25:31-40, NLT)

Be present to the opportunities that this day offers to you. Kiss your wife. Engage with your kids. Do your best in your work. Offer a word of encouragement to someone who needs one. Pray for your neighbor and the world. I promise you that the day will end with more joy than if you just exist this Monday, waiting for whatever it is that you think is big or important. Life is made up of ordinary days. Use them wisely.

The word from the Word says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:9-10, NIV)  Let’s go make a difference in our little corner of the world!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Find Us Faithful

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us
Line the way
Cheering on the faithful
Encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament
To God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great
A cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race
Not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us
Find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion
Light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live
Inspire them to obey (to obey)
(Oh may all who come behind us)
(Find us faithful)

After all our hopes and dreams
Have come and gone
And our children sift through all
We've left behind
May the clues that they discover
And the mem'ries they uncover
Become the light that leads them
To the road we each must find

 

Find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us
Find us faithful

Jon Mohr © 1987 Birdwing Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Jonathan Mark Music (Admin. by Gaither Copyright Management)

CCLI License # 810055

Putting the lid on it

Friday rolls around and for some it is the end of the work week, the time to step away from responsibilities for a couple of days. Then, there are weeks that are endless, right? This seems to be one of them for me. The horror of the Israel-Gaza war keeps unfolding greater suffering.  The ongoing war in Ukraine, largely eclipsed by the ‘new’ news remains an awful wound in the world. Closer to home, our government’s dysfunction makes me both furious and fatigued. Governed by ‘leaders’ who act like children, who demonstrate unbelievable immaturity, selfishness, and stupidity leaves me exhausted. Then, too, many of us are weighed by our own concerns – kids, finances, health, marriage, spiritual challenges – that drain the life from us.

Are you tired?  I am and I’ll readily admit it. It is not the kind of fatigue that we experience after hard work when we crave a hot shower and the opportunity to stretch out on the couch.  That ‘tired’ can be relieved by a good night’s sleep. The ‘tired’ that many of us are experiencing is like a bleeding wound that will not heal, the frustration and exhaustion felt after we put in our best effort and come up with meager results.  Then, there is an weariness that overwhelms us when we are beat down – emotionally, spiritually, more than physically.  And, we wonder if we can get back up?  

When that kind of exhaustion overtakes us, we are in a dangerous place.  We are more likely to make decisions that we will come to regret. We become more susceptible to temptation.  The leash on our temper frays.  Short term gratification gains greater appeal because we lose sight of tomorrow. 

God reminds us that in that season He is will be our Sustainer. "O Israel, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:27-31, NLT)

In the 73^rd Psalm, we find a prayer of a man who was exhausted, frustrated, and on the edge of losing faith all together. Asaph wrote his song inviting us to sing along.  "But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone." (Psalm 73:2, NLT)  "Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong? All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain." (Psalm 73:13-14, NLT)  His soul fatigue skewed his perception. He had lost touch with reality replacing it with a clouded view of the world in which he lived. Even worse, he was in danger of turning on the very One who could heal him.  

In your weariness are you close to edge? It is time to put a lid on it! Take charge of your emotions and stop reacting to every jolt.   That same Psalm tells of a choice the weary one made. "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me ‘TILL I entered the sanctuary of God." (Psalm 73:16-17, NIV)  Humbly, we come and sit before the Lord, not to whine, not to gripe, not to rage nor to scream.  There, in His Presence, we wait worshipfully.  And, the Spirit finds us!

When the Spirit enveloped Asaph in rest and renewal, his vision cleared and this is what he saw. "Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen. I was so foolish and ignorant …”  But, his focus was not on regret. He goes on with assurance.  “Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand. You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. But those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." (Psalm 73:21-28, NLT)   The questions about why may remain this side of Eternity, but the assurance found in faith restores the weary!

Weary this Friday?  Soul weary, exhausted, broken by disappointment in yourself or others or even with God Himself?  Create a ‘sanctuary’ moment – a place where you put a lid on the noise, the news, the nonsense of others and look up. There is a rest for the people of God.  Faith is choice fed by worship and Word. Will you let Him clear your vision and renew your mind?

Here’s the word from the Word. "Therefore, 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 hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:1-3, NLT)

TGIF!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness

 

Great is Thy faithfulness,

O God, my Father.

There is no shadow

Of turning with Thee.

Thou changest not,

Thy compassions they fail not.

As Thou hast been

Thou forever wilt be!

 

Summer and winter

And springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars

In their courses above;

Join with all nature

In manifold witness,

To Thy great faithfulness,

Mercy and love!

 

Pardon for sin

And a peace that endureth;

Thy own dear presence

To cheer and to guide.

Strength for today

And bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine

With ten thousand beside!

 

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning,

New mercies I see.

All I have needed,

Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Lord, unto me!

 

 

Thomas Obediah Chisholm | William Marion Runyan

© Words: 1923. Renewed 1951 Hope Publishing Company

Music: 1923. Renewed 1951 Hope Publishing Company

CCLI License # 810055

 

But, I don’t feel like it!

My doctor has told me a dozen times that a key part of maintaining healthy vitality in my life is exercise. He says just walking at a good pace is all I need to do. “Yeah, yeah, OK,” I think.  On Monday I decided to try a walk through a local park. After 30 minutes of brisk walking, I felt good!  Now the choice is to make that a consistent thing I do.

One walk every now and then won’t make any difference but if I will find the discipline to get on my walking shoes even when I would rather read a book I can hope to lose a few pounds, feel a little better, and enjoy more energy.  I am certain that when I put on my walking shoes one of these days my first thought will be “But, I don’t feel like it!”  What choice will I make in that moment?

Disicpline helps us to do what needs to be done whether we are ‘in the mood’ or not, whether it’s sunny or rainy, whether others applaud or ignore us!  
Consistency = Favorable Outcome.
Consistency meets and overcomes the variables that come our way.

Consistent practice of our faith is important to becoming Christ-like, experiencing the “life to full” promised by Jesus.  Too many times to remember I was told in my pastoral ministry, “My life is no different since I accepted Christ. I still have the same problems, deal with the same old stuff every day.”  Jesus does not call us to be marginally nicer people.  He invites us to learn the life of faith, to be loving, forgiving, joyful, and filled with hope.  That kind of life will not just happen to us because we think some positive thoughts.  Genuine Chrisitian is muscular, inviting us to daily practices of spiritual disciplines such as gathering with other Believers, taking time to meditate and pray, engaging our mind in worship, presenting ourselves to the Lord regularly in quiet contemplation.

It is easy to confuse an emotional high with real spiritual engagement. God is present when we sense His presence in our hearts and He is just as much present when we are simply acting out of obedience, focused not on ‘what’s in it for me’ but rather on “You are God and worthy of my praise.”  

Our experience of the Christian life will vary because we are influenced by pain, by circumstances, by the news of the world, by the response of our spouse, by our hormones and moods! But, God is unchanging and His work in us goes on quietly and persistently when we open channels into our life through which His Spirit flows. Consistent practices of prayer, meditation, corporate worship, giving, serving, and Scripture intake will lead to the production of the evidence of Spirit life in you. It’s a divine law we can count on.

God inspired Paul to write to us about the change that comes from the Spirit’s residence in us. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:16-23, NIV)

Don’t get discouraged if spiritual growth is sometimes slow. Look away from yourself and to the promise that Jesus made to us. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, NIV) That word, ‘remain’ indicates a kind of consistency, enduring through hard times, sticking with the program!  One writer calls that ‘a long obedience in the same direction.'

Here’s a word from the Word. May the Word inspire a new kind of consistency in us, for God’s glory. "Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT) 

(Video of this blog at this link)

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My King Forever

 

You gave Your life for mine

Nailed to the cross You crucified

All my sin and shame

It was washed by Your mercy

 

You are the treasure I find

My reason for living

So let my life become an offering

To the One who is worthy

 

All praise to the Lord most high

All praise to the One who saved my life

All praise to Jesus Christ

High King of heaven my King forever

 

You stormed the gates of my heart

The veil in between was torn apart

Now You hold the keys to the grave

‘Cause You bring things to life

You roll stones away

I lift my hands up lay my whole life down

My whole life down before You

I lift my hands up lay my whole life down

My whole life now is for You

 

Brian Johnson | Ethan Hulse | Josh Baldwin

© 2019 Be Essential Songs; EGH Music Publishing; Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

An endless cycle

I awakened to the news of the outbreak of war in Israel on Saturday morning. The news since then has only grown more grim – more than a thousand dead (as of Monday morning) and still climbing, war declared meaning even more death and destruction. The terrified eyes of a hostage that I saw on 60 Minutes last night still haunt me. “Why, why- does humanity insist these endless cycles of violence and death?” is the question that keeps swirling through my mind. 

This war in Israel and Gaza is but the latest. The horrors of war continue in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, and in several simmering conflicts on the continent of Africa. My prayer is a plaintive cry borrowed from the Psalm - "Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. … "He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims." (Psalm 10:1-2, 8, NIV)

And then … I pray –
“May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!” with HOPE!

While I may not be able to do anything to end the wars, I can live today, right where I am, as a citizen of Christ’s Kingdom, representing Him in my words, my actions, in my place. Jesus told us that He does His work in the world through us. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches. … The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough.” Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables." (Matthew 13:31-34, NLT)

We cannot just give up, retreat into despair, and wait for Heaven to come.

God has given each Christian the awesome privilege to change his little corner of this globe with the Gospel of Christ, the transformative message of God’s care, His love, and the true hope of humanity. One small act of kindness, one word of that points another to receive the saving grace of Jesus, has potential to change many, to accomplish much. 

We who bear the Name, who have known grace and forgiveness, adopted into God’s family, become people who love and live in joy, ultimately dying with hope. When God’s Spirit lives in us we set aside the pride and power that is so naturally human and we live to serve, to care, to love. Is that just a romantic view of life? No, it is not! While the record of the Church is not a spotless one we do see that where the Gospel is received, life improves. The poor are cared for, the sick are ministered to, those without hope become “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)

In 1988, President George H. W. Bush said that people who commit to serve are like a "thousand points of light that are spread like stars throughout the nation, doing good." It is not naïve to hope that our tiny light can make a difference in the world. Will we seek to know Christ and make Him known?  Will we pray faithfully and love fervently?  Ah, this is the choice I want to make even as I weep for those who are suffering, those who were murdered, those who are help in the grip of terror and war!

I want to break the endless cycle – in small ways – where I am, in the opportunities that come my way. Yes, always with this prayer - “May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

The word from the Word is the commission that Jesus gave to His followers – including you and me.  It reads this way in The Message paraphrase of the Bible.  “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand.

Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message)  Let’s do it.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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This Little Light Of Mine
(don’t miss this Bruce Springsteen rendition!)

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine let it shine let it shine

 

Harry Dixon Loes

Words: Public Domain

Trial and Hope

I breathed a sigh of relief when the Congress finally passed a funding resolution on Saturday evening in the last hours, literally, before the government shut-down. Someone asked me, “Why do they do such things?”  Well, the political sphere, like the rest of America, is now completely polarized, a “win/loss” game on every single issue. Divided at 50/50 in our opinions and convictions, we no longer seem to be able to reach consensus.  We tend to 'see' the world through lens distorted by pre-conceptions and assumptions.  “They” are the bad guys and we can find no way to deal with ‘them.’ 

While watching 60 Minutes last night in a segment with Merrick Garland, the US Attorney General, I was struck with his humanity! Do I share his politics? Not generally, but in that interview I caught a glimpse of a real person who works hard at serving the country. (Some of you are now thinking, “Jerry, you got taken in, duped by the media.” And that is exactly the kind of polarization of which I am writing!)

More than a few Christians look at the world we live in and see only the awful, the terrible, and the sinful. To those who have such limited vision the whole world looks so bad, so terrible, that the only answer is to separate from it and wait for the End of Days. I believe that perspective blinds us to some of our great blessings and opportunities, and that 'woe is me' talk becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. There is much in our society that distresses me greatly.

• The issues surrounding race, which I hoped were becoming part of our history, are back and hatred is growing.

• The sexual promiscuity and celebration of immoral lifestyles that fills our music and media is a tragic and destructive force in America, crushing the foundations of family and home.

• The greed that shapes our industry, with wide gaps between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is fertile soil for social unrest but we seem to find no way to addess the issue in a way that both cares for those in need and encourages thrift and hard work.   

• The decline of the church and the shallow emotionalism that is too often substituted for awesome worship of God is a source of sorrow for me as well.

BUT, this I believe whole-heartedly - "where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5.20 NIV) Christian, we cannot retreat to our caves wringing our hands in despair.  We have great opportunities presented to us by this age. Do you think that Paul had an easy time sharing the Gospel across the Roman Empire to hostile audiences? Of course, he did not.  He was faithful, prayerful, enduring and God was honored.

We need NEW VISION and GREAT FAITHFULNESS.

Are these the “Last Days” as some believe? I honestly do not know. I will not waste time debating the day of the dawn of the Great Tribulation or longing for the Second Coming of Christ. I do hold onto the promise of His return and hope for that Day, while work as if the world will continue for years to come! We cannot allow ourselves to retreat into Apocalyptic visions that let us detach from a needy world.

My ultimate hope for this world is in the return of Christ, the King. I believe that when He comes, as He promises, all of the visions of the prophets will be fulfilled. Who cannot long for the words of Malachi to come to pass? "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord Almighty." (Malachi 4:2-3, NLT) The promise of Christ’s return to usher in His Kingdom on earth is not an escapist vision borne out of fear and loathing of this world. It is the ultimate realization of a way of life that live even now. I am now living in the Kingdom of God. I have His Promises and have accepted His life. I will not wait for the Lord to appear in the sky to be about the King's business. Instead, I want to be about His work of salvation in my world right now.

Jesus told this story to teach us how to live -- "While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once." (Luke 19:11, NIV) Then, He went on to tell about three servants who were each entrusted with a part of a king's treasure to manage while he was away. Each one received an amount appropriate to his skills and abilities. When the king returned, after a long time, he called the servants in to give an accounting.

Here's part of the story. “Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ ”‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’" (Luke 19:15-17, NIV) But the last servant, the one only given one share, came in with nothing to report. This servant was in the grip of a pinched, narrow vision that did not see the opportunities. His fear made him a failure! “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth." (Luke 19:20, NIV) The king did not commend him! He roared his angry disapproval.

When my king returns, I want to stand before Him to report, "I gave the utmost, prayed for large vision, and used the grace gifts You invested in me for your glory. Lord, I have, by the Spirit's help, left the world a bit better than I found it." How about you?

Here's a word from the Word. It is set in the context of Jesus' visit to Samaria, which many of his fellow Jews regarded as a land and people beyond God's reach. His challenge to his disciple to take a second look is a challenge to us as we gaze on our world today - "I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.” Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!”" (John 4:35-39, The Message)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Days Of Elijah

 

These are the days of Elijah

Declaring the Word of the Lord

And these are the days

Of Your servant Moses

Righteousness being restored

And though these are days

Of great trials

Of famine and darkness and sword

Still we are the voice

In the desert crying

Prepare ye the way of the Lord

 

Behold He comes

Riding on the clouds

Shining like the sun

At the trumpet call

So lift your voice

It's the year of Jubilee

And out of Zion's hill

Salvation comes

 

And these are the days of Ezekiel

The dry bones becoming as flesh

And these are the days

Of Your servant David

Rebuilding a temple of praise

And these are the days of the harvest

The fields are as white in the world

And we are the labourers

In Your vineyard

Declaring the Word of the Lord

 

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah (hey)

Robin Mark © 1996 Song Solutions Daybreak

CCLI License # 810055

Do you belong?

Christians like to talk about ‘community’ and that is good if they understand what they are saying. Healthy people need to belong, to be ‘in community.’ Belonging is critical to human survival.  There is protection, support, safety, and stablity found in social units. When we connect with others we multiply the results of our efforts.  A loving community provides emotional feedback, both affirming and corrective that helps balance us in our thoughts and actions. 

Community can become toxic as we have seen down through history. Hitler’s influence over Germany united a broken nation after WW1 and his leadership brought death and suffering to millions!  Our contemporary society is seeing a breakdown in authentic community, leading to higher rates of depression and increased loneliness. This comes from our emphasis on privacy and the substitution of virtual ‘connection’ for real relationships.

Dr. Chris Drew defines community as a ‘social unit in which member share a common network.’  He offers examples of several kinds of communities to which we can belong:

*Communities of place – our nation, state, or town;

*Communities of interest – people who enjoy gardening, music, etc.;

*Communities that are based on identity; those who share religious conviction or ethnicity;

*Communities of need- those with disability and/or support groups;  and

* Communities of practice – professional associations such lawyers, doctors, or police.

There is overlap in those groups that make the bond of relationship even stronger.

Christians are called into community by the will of God. It is called ‘the Church!’ 
Going to a building and sitting a church pew does not make a person into a Christian, but those who have experienced the life of the Spirit through Jesus Christ will find the richest, fullest life in God when they engage themselves with other Christians in that living thing called “church.” Are all churches good? No, some are poorly led or controlled by people who are not focused on Christ’s aims. All churches are imperfect because people like you and me (imperfect as we are) are part of them.  But, together, we can grow into maturity, love each other through difficult times, and become a small part of something God has called into being – the Body of Christ.

The wisdom of God teaches us that spiritual leaders  will "equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church." (Ephesians 4:12-15, NLT)

So what builds and strengthens the kind of community that will enrich us for life? In no special order, let’s explore a few.

Commitment is a key.

We want to know that if we put in time with a person, they are not going to abandon us when somebody ‘better’ comes along. Ruth, whose story is told in the book in the Bible that bears her name, went through tragedy, losing her husband. Her mother-in-law, also widowed, decided to return to Israel from Ruth land, Moab.  When the time came for their paths to diverge, Ruth asked to accompany Naomi.  Her words are an amazing declaration of commitment. "Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17, NIV)  How many people have you made that kind of commitment to?  “I’m going to be here for you, share your life ‘til one of us leaves this life!”

Christlikeness must be in evidence!

Jesus is my Lord, my Savior, my Hope. The people that I want closest to me are those who love Him, too! “Spur one another to love and good deeds,” the Bible says. Paul invited those he knew to “Follow me as I follow Christ!”  We need friends who help us keep the right focus, who help us overcome our failures, whose very presence in our lives makes us better people, for God’s sake.

Selflessness is important!

Paul urges us to learn to love each other in a way that wants the best for the other guy. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:1-3, NIV)  Who can form a real and deep attachment to a person who is only interested in himself? It is tiresome to spend much time with a person who we know will always make they take care of themselves first. Real friends are encouraging, listening, loving, taking an interest in us – through the up’s and down’s of life. And, we do the same for them.

Authenticity is of basic importance.

Be the person created you to be and gifted you by His Spirit to become! It’s hard to be a real friend to that person who reinvents himself every other month. Have the confidence to live with yourself, to be who you are, not who you think someone wants you to be. Yes, authenticity is important in lasting friendships.

Resilience matters.

Life is going to get tough, sooner or later, for us all. Death will visit our family. Things will go upside down in our job. Sickness may come. We are attracted to those who do not fold up under the pressure, who do not turn into victims.  Those who are hopeful, who choose authentic joy, who get back up when they are knocked down, inspire us and we want to learn from them.

David gathered friends who stuck with him in the worst times. Those men were willing to go to battle with him, ready to live in exile alongside of him. Why? One of the things that makes David’s life so compelling is his resilience. He fell. He had hard times. But, he also had faith and stood up time and time again. These were not just words for him, they were the declaration of the way he lived in faith. "In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. … Praise be to the Lord, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. …  Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:1,21,23-24, NIV)

And, of course, there is LOVE.

In that famed chapter, Paul describes the kind of love that makes friendship what it ought to be. "Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. " (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, The Message)  Not the stuff of a movie romance, is it?  Do you love?

Don’t wait until you’re in crisis to try to connect with community.  Start today to work (yes, that is the word) at engaging and building connections with others. Pray for a place to invest yourself.  Show up, be part.  Make a commitment to your family, your church, your friends. Find those who also love Christ. Serve joyfully. Refuse to play the victim, forgiving, growing, anticipating God’s future for your life. And, friendships will form that will be among your richest resources in this world.

Here is a word from the Word. Lord, inspire us to richer relationships, make us friends in the family of God. "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." (1 John 3:16-18, NLT)

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Friends

Packing up the dreams God planted

In the fertile soil of you

Can't believe the hopes He's granted

Means a chapter in your life is through

 

But we'll keep you close as always

It won't even seem you've gone

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways

Will keep the love that keeps us strong

 

And friends are friends forever

If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

 

With the faith and love God's given

Springing from the hope we know

We will pray the joy you'll live in

Is the strength that now you show

 

No a lifetime's not too long to live as friends

 

Deborah D. Smith | Michael W. Smith

© 1982 Meadowgreen Music Company (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Foundations

A couple of nights ago, I drove past a stone house in our area, the Shippen Manor, that dates to the era of the Revolutionary War, once owned by a wealthy family from Philadelphia.  It is now a museum, beautifully restored.  As I looked at the home there on the hillside in Oxford, NJ, I wondered what kind of foundation had been dug for it. It must be good for the house stands straight and strong! 

These words of Jesus came to mind.  "I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.” (Luke 6:47-49, NLT)

Most Christians would affirm that Jesus Christ is their foundation, their hope. However, I ask myself, do we really respect His brilliance and conform our day to day choices to His words? Dallas Willard makes this stinging observation: "Far too often, He is taken as a mere icon, a wraithlike semblance of a man living on the margin of 'real' life where you and I must dwell. He is perhaps fit for the role of sacrificial lamb or alienated social critic, but little more." - The Great Omission, Harper, 2006

What kind of wisdom does He offer as the foundation of life? Here are a few examples.

• Jesus tells us to forgive those who offend us. Do we see that as impractical advice or as the wisdom of the perfect Man?

Jesus knows that if we refuse to forgive we pile up relational debts that create all kinds of spiritual, emotional, and even physical problems. His insight into the way we are made causes Him to know that forgiveness is best. So, will we do it?

• Jesus counsels disciples to avoid trusting in accumulations of wealth on earth as security.

He says that we ought to store our wealth in Heaven by investing ourselves in God’s work. (*Do not just think “church work” when you read “God’s work.”  We do God’s work when we care for others, when we practice spiritual disciplines, when we consistently worship, when we pause for meaningful prayer and mediation, just as much as when we take on some role in the Church.) Do we trust that wisdom and put those things in a place of priority or do we set aside that counsel as impractical for this materialistic age?

• Jesus teaches us to love – God and others – selflessly, even at great cost.

This kind of love, He says, pleases the Father and is the foundation of all the rest of our religion. Will we seek to love in that way?

To trust His wisdom as the guide for life is a faith decision.  Making His words our foundation is similar to making a good investment. We do not look for the immediate rich return; we allow the harvest to ripen, to reap the benefits of a life of meaning, hope, purpose, and eternal reward.  Living for Christ, the life of being His follower, is not a get rich quick deal. Honestly, sometimes our own way appears bettter, and may be so in the moment. But, His words are life and are worthy of ultimate respect and obedience.  John reminds us that "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.. . . From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." (John 1:4,16, NIV)

Just a the quality of the foundation of a building becomes evident in time, so in our lives the foundational wisdom by which we live will reveal itself in time

Here is a word from the Word.  Read it a couple of times thoughtfully and do a check on the foundation on which you are building your life.  "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Jesus Firm Foundation

How firm a foundation you saints of the Lord

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word

What more can He say than to you He has said

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled

 

Fear not He is with us O be not dismayed

For He is our God our Sustainer and Strength

He'll be our Defender and cause us to stand

Upheld by His merciful almighty hand

 

How firm our foundation

How sure our salvation

And we will not be shaken

Jesus firm foundation

 

The soul that is trusting in Jesus as Lord

Will press on enduring the darkest of storm

And though even hell should endeavor to shake

He'll never no never no never forsake

He'll never no never no never forsake

 

Age to age He stands faithful to the end

All may fade away but He will remain

He will remain

 

Bryan Brown | Jason Ingram | Tony Wood

© 2012 worshiptogether.com songs; All Essential Music; Open Hands Music; So Essential Tunes; Songs From Exit 71

CCLI License # 810055

What did you say?

Today you will say between 6,000 and 15,000 words! Words, on average, spill out of us at the rate of about 100 to 150 per minute. Much of what we say is of little consequence, just making the way through the day.  “Fill it with regular, please,” we NJ residents say to the attendant at the fuel pump. (The rest of you will have to pump your own gas.) “Six creams, no sugar,” is my order at the coffee shop. “Hi, nice day, isn’t it?” we remark to the person getting out the car next to ours in the parking lot, as a polite nod to them. 

Then, there are those words of deep meaning – “Tell me about it, I really do care” – is weighted with concern.  The simple phrase “I love you” when spoken from the heart bathes us with comfort. When I know it is a sincere promise I love to hear these words – “I’m praying for you.”

So how are you using your gift of words?

You can enhance someone’s reputation with a single sentence
and, just as quickly, cast a dark shadow. 

You can encourage someone who is crushed by sorrow.

You can point someone along the way with wise words.

You can break a heart with cruel words.

You can bring light to darkness with truthful words.

With a little shift in tone or choice of adjectives we can turn a suspicion into an accusation. A reputation built over a lifetime can be destroyed overnight. A friendship can be ripped apart with just a phrase. A church can be sent into division with a couple of half-truths. 

James, pastor of First Church in Jerusalem teaches us the power of those words in our mouth. "We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire." (James 3:2-5, NLT)

Our words can do great good.

 A coach’s words can inspire a team to victory! 
A leader with vision can paint a picture of the future
for those who listen using only words.  
A friend can speak just the right word to us
at the point of our quitting and spur us to finish the job!

The Proverb says these words are like beautiful jewelry, "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) 

Christian, let’s go beyond just being 'nice' or ‘clean’ in our words.  Yes, of course, we need to guard against profance, filthy, or damning words when we speak. That’s a no brainer.  When the Spirit of God is invited to live in us, transforming us on the inside, what comes of our mouth will be soul nourishing, truthful, encouraging, loving, and edifying to others.  

We cannot just put a gate at our lips, we ask God to make the source pure and to give us self-awareness and self-control. Jesus says this: "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." (Matthew 12:34-35, NIV)  When we are filled with the Spirit what overflows from us will be a 'river of living water!'   Oh yes, our words are the great revealers of the content of our heart, no question about it.

Christ’s challenge to us does not mean that we must always say nice, positive, affirming things. Ever had to deal with a person whose insincerity is evident?  It is soon clear that they do not really mean what they are saying. It’s an act, a script, a phony front that will collapse under a bit of pressure. 

Check your words today.  If you find self-interest, gossip, half-truths, innuendo, and criticism popping up in those 15,000 words you speak, go to the Lord. Confess the sin and seek the change.  Ask Him for a heart that is filled with truth and love so that the words you speak will be the same. This is the command of the Lord- "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 NIV

The word from the Word is my  prayer.  Is it yours?

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Wonderful Words Of Life

Sing them over again to me
Wonderful words of life
Let me more of their beauty see
Wonderful words of life
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty

Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life
Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life

Christ the blessed One gives to all
Wonderful words of life
Sinner list’ to the loving call
Wonderful words of life
All so freely given
Wooing us to Heaven

Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life
Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life

Sweetly echo the gospel call
Wonderful words of life
Offer pardon and peace to all
Wonderful words of life
Jesus only Savior
Sanctify forever

Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life
Beautiful words wonderful words
Wonderful words of life

Philip Paul Bliss Public Domain

Longing for Love?

My life is blessed with love and I am so grateful for that fact, much richer for it.  The home were I was raised, while not perfect, included real love. The church community of which I have been a part for my entire life is a place where I have found a place to love and be loved; yes, at times with gaps and failure on my part as well as those of others. My marriage was a filled with love for the 4 decades that we enjoyed together before Bev died. My children love me as do a wide circle of friends. 

Perhaps you are thinking “Jerry is feeling sentimental today.” True, perhaps, and yet I recognize that we are born with a hunger for love which a powerful force in the shaping of our personality and character.  

This is truth – People who are loved learn to love!  Love creates security. Love encourages growth and is a basic part of soul nourishing connections with others.  A family therapist writes that “feeling loved and valued by others helps to promote healthier lifestyle choices, good self-esteem, lessens stress factors, and provides better life-long mental health.”

Love gets tangled up with other things including sex, social acceptance, and popularity. Sometimes even the healthiest person finds it difficult to experience and give unconditional love. We learn early on that if we are willing to ‘dance to the tune that other’s play’ we will, at least in the short term, receive emotional rewards in return. But, that is not love!  Genuine love is freeing, without manipulation, and reciprocal.

For the Christian, genuine love begins with the Spirit, an awakening of faith in God’s gift. John teaches that “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." (John 3:16-17, NLT)  Our Creator is not a vengeful Deity waiting to punish us for our failures!  He is loving, full of grace, desiring to make us whole as human beings. What a tragedy that so many people only understand Him as an angry God.  

I frequently quote this line from Scripture because it so foundational to whole living - "We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)  That principle is vividly illustrated in the story that Jesus’ told about a selfish, wayward son who took his inheritance, left home without a look back, and went off to do his own thing.  Eventually, after having a great time, he was broke, alone, hungry, and trapped in miserable circumstances.

“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you… and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.” (Luke 15:17-19, NLT) He still did not understand the depth of his father’s love for he was ready to negotiate a place of servitude believing his place at the table was lost forever. 

The story continues - “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began." (Luke 15:20-24, NLT)  He expected judgment, he found amazing love.   

This is our story! We take the life God gives us, do our own thing, and when we have come to the end of ourselves, we try to make a deal with God.  But, He offers love:  restorative, whole, gracious love.

God’s love gives us a new place at His table, our sins not just covered but forgotten, our past not just set aside, but erased by the gift of Christ’s act of love at the Cross. The result of His love is justification – completely reconciled to God, set right. "Therefore, 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." (Romans 5:1-2, NIV)  All of this is because of love offered that when received is healing.

Want to be loved and loving? Start with the soul, not the heart. Let God love you to life, making you capable of a new kind of love for others.

The word from the Word is an amazing prayer that Paul first offered for the Christians at Ephesus, and that has become one of my most cherished prayers of the Bible.  "When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.

May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19, NLT)  Join me in a heartfelt – AMEN!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Glorious Day

 

One day when heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men my example is He

 

Living He loved me dying He saved me

Buried He carried my sins far away

Rising He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

O glorious day O glorious day

O glorious day O glorious day

 

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on the tree

Suffering anguish despised and rejected

Bearing our sins my Redeemer is He

 

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose o'er death He had conquered

Now is ascended my Lord evermore

 

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day my beloved ones bringing

Glorious Savior this Jesus is mine

 

John Wilbur Chapman Public Domain

A Liberal Heart

Let me ask a tough question today -  Which attitude shapes your daily life more often - “You serve me” or “I serve you?” Think of your most basic interactions with others. Are you quick to look for ways to make their life better? Which is more frequent from your lips-  criticism or praise?  The answers will reveal whether you are generous. Generosity or the lack thereof is a value that shapes every interaction.  It flows out of a most basic way of seeing the world.

The word ‘generous’ is derived from a Latin root, “generosus”  which described a person ‘of noble birth.’  Those who were born to wealth and privilege had an ideal of using their nobility to enrich others, to provide protection and help for those of lower status and those who were poor.  The Greek culture, pre-Christian, lauded generosity as a prime virtue. Aristotle taught that generosity was not indiscriminate giving to any and all, but rather giving as an investment made for the highest good of others. 

Generosity of spirit will be a Christian characteristic because that is a reflection of God’s own heart.  He loved us when we were ‘unlovely.’  He saved us when we were going our own way. His love took the initiative for the redemption of the world through Christ Jesus.  Generosity is one of the visible proofs of spiritual transformation, a result of being loved and therefore, loving. John says that ‘we love because He (God) loved us first.’   

He continues with this practical connection-  "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, (compassion) how can the love of God be in him?" (1 John 3:16-17, NIV)  James is equally clear: "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." (James 1:27, NLT)  There were no social welfare programs when the New Testament was written.  Early Christians, often impoverished themselves, adopted orphans and took widows into their homes, because they knew Jesus’ way was one of loving generosity.

Generosity goes way beyond charity, far beyond a gift of money.  Generosity includes forgiveness, being an advocate for the broken, extending protection to the weak, showing hospitality to the forgotten, being kind to those who are not. Do you support charitable work and your local church with joy because you are able to participate in the work of the Lord?

The pithy wisdom of Proverbs teaches us that generosity is circular, coming back to the one who gives. "It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. People curse those who hold their grain for higher prices, but they bless the one who sells to them in their time of need." (Proverbs 11:24-26, NLT)

Do you want to be a person who freely gives of himself, who forgives, who is accepting and kind? Start with God’s love for you! Meditate on the fact that God has given you peace, salvation, and the promise of eternal life. When the security of faith wraps the human heart in peace, generosity will follow.

The word from the Word states God’s principle.  Think about it.  What has God invested in you? Now, will you invest it in others?

"Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.” For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, NLT)   

Now, who needs a generous investment from you today?

(Video of this blog at this link)

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MakeMe A Blessing

 

Out in the highways and byways of life

Many are weary and sad

Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife

Making the sorrowing glad

 

Make me a blessing make me a blessing

Out of my life may Jesus shine

Make me a blessing O Savior I pray

Make me a blessing to someone today

 

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love

Tell of His pow'r to forgive

Others will trust Him if only you prove

True ev’ry moment you live

 

Give as 'twas given to you in your need

Love as the Master loved you

Be to the helpless a helper indeed

Unto your mission be true

 

George S. Schuler | Ira Bishop Wilson

Words: Public Domain

Transcendent Hope!

For what do you hope?   Perhaps you hope for a better job, or improved health, or a sunny day.  Of this I am certain, hope is a critical part of a healthy life – spiritually, emotionally, and even physically!  When a person loses hope, giving up on life, he slips into despair. It is a situation beyond sadness, worse than depression.  Without hope all is dark, there is no tomorrow, no reason to get up. For some this is a temporary state brought on by crisis. With support and time hope is regained and life goes on. Tragically, some give up on life and exist without hope.

Hope is not elusive or beyond our reach. Real hope is connected to faith and love, the traid of which Paul wrote - "—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT)

One author suggests that we experience hope in several ways. 

There is a realistic hope, focused on an outcome that is possible with intervention or help.  When I was recovering from surgery, I had a realistic hope of feeling better because I knew that my body had amazing recuperative powers, that healing would take place and it did. 

He says that some live with a utopian hope, a desire to eliminate all sources of pain or difficulty. Often such hope drives individuals to seek new places, new experiences, and/or new spiritual experiences because they are convinced that the utopia of which they dream is right over the next hill in life. But, utopian hope always disappoints because we live in a world where people fail, where disasters come.  

Many experience a chosen hope, one fixed on a certain accomplishment or person.  They strive to win that that award pulled on by hope. They work to build a business hoping for financial security. They love another person, pursuing them because they have hope of knowing love.

Then, there is transcendent hope.  This is the hope of which Paul was inspired to write. "Therefore, 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. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:1-5, NIV) 

Christians live with hope that is anchored outside of their day to day existence. Our true hope is focused on Christ, on gaining eternal life, on the fact that God is working to perfect the character of Jesus in us. This hope, which is transcendently connected to the realm of the Spirit, has real impact on how we live right now in this world. It is not just for the ‘by and by’ nor is it a utopian dream.  The Scripture says that “we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19)

Steady hope that is not subject to the up’s and down’s of life is focused on Christ Jesus and that rests on the foundation of the love of God. This hope is not subject to my failures, does not ebb and flow with good health, sustains us in tragic moments, and reaches beyond this present life to Heaven. This hope inspires us to live joyful and purposeful lives. Do you know that hope?  Have you trusted Christ Jesus as your Savior?

Remember, this is more than an emotional response. It is a choice to receive God’s offer of life. If the day is darkened by disappointment, look up. Open up to the love of God. If you have found yourself chasing the mirages of false hopes, pray for eyes that can ‘see’ the hope of Christ Jesus.  It is a hope that never fails us – now, tomorrow, and into eternity.

Meditate on this word from the Word and live hopefully! "As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and stand before him?" (Psalm 42:1-2, NLT)  "Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:5, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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The Solid Rock

 

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

All other ground is sinking sand

 

When darkness veils His lovely face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In ev'ry high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

 

His oath His covenant His blood

Support me in the whelming flood

When all around my soul gives way

He then is all my hope and stay

 

When He shall come with trumpet sound

O may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless to stand before the throne

 

William Batchelder Bradbury

Words: Public Domain