Brighten Your Day

Abraham Lincoln supposedly said that “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Whether he actually said it I do not know, but there is truth in the words. Observe 2 persons in the same set of circumstances and you will find both misery and happiness - in large part because of the attitude that each brings to her situation.

We are just a couple of weeks from Thanksgiving. Will it be a time of gratitude in your home or will you be mired in anger, fear, resentment, or regret?  Would you prefer joy? There is a singular choice that you alone can make that will have a major impact, shaping your environment.  We can be thankful, perhaps not for what is happening to us, but certainly for God’s grace and goodness. I do not live in an untroubled world. I realize that people will will be rude, some thoughtless, that your spouse meet you with weariness and crankiness.  I hear the same news that you do and know just how uncertain the future is at this moment.   However, I am determined - to find a reason to offer thanks. G.K. Chesterton urged people to work on the habit of “taking things with gratitude and not taking things for granted.” 

A Christian who wants to reflect the heart of Jesus to the world will learn to be grateful – to God, to others – consistently. It takes practice.  Self has a voracious appetite and will devour as much attention as we give to it. Many of us mistakenly believe that gratitude is something we ‘feel’ rather than a choice we make.  On those days when the kids are mysteriously wonderful and kind, when our spouse is especially attentive to our needs, when our coffee is served ‘just right,’ and everyone on the road is courteous, we feel thankful. (Does that ever really happen?)  If we wait to feel thankful, we will not be thankful often, if ever. Here is what the inspired Word tells us:  "No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT)

 

Living with an attitude of gratitude can be a difficult choice. Honestly, sometimes we just enjoy griping and wallowing in our misery! I confess that I have I wasted too many days wishing that life were different, allowing myself to get lost in the fog of ‘if only’ and ‘could be.’     

The truth is that each second spent wishing is a one in which I am not present to what God is accomplishing in me and through me.  That does not mean that I cannot work to change things, or that I cannot acknowledge pain or disappointment.  Gratitude is not escapism, nor is it denial. Gratitude finds God in the now and accepts His grace.

Begin the day with thanks to God. Do not let it be a perfunctory, “Thank you, Lord, for all You have done.”  Make it personal, from the heart, authentic. Speak it. That first person you encounter in the morning – let your first words be thankful and again, make it real!  When irritation stirs in you, meet it with your will and replace it with a positive thought.  Take some time this week and write your own “Psalm.” (a model might be Psalm 103) “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—” (Psalm 103:1-2, NIV)

This principle is absolutely true – the more thankful I am, the better I become at it. Gratitude grows with practice.  Thankful people attract others who are grateful.  They dethrone Self, focus outward and upward, learning to accept life, not as they wish it were, but as it is.

Here is the word from the Word. Live it!
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.” (Psalm 107:1-2, NLT) 

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.” (Psalm 107:31-32, NLT)

Oh, and by the way, if you hear me complaining, I give you permission to remind me of this CoffeeBreak thought but please - be gentle.  (smile)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness

(take 4 minutes and listen to Veritas worship our faithful God)

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

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

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

Words: Public Domain

He’s my “Yes and Amen”

The only constant, it has been said, is change. In my lifetime I observed political changes, wide swings in public mood and policy over the years. The economy shifts - interests rates rise and fall, employment rates increase and decrease with the cycles of growth. 

Technology has produced stunning changes in our lives. Who can imagine life without a smartphone in hand, a device that did not even exist just a couple of decades ago?  Steve Jobs, of Apple Tech, introduced the device that we all carry today in 2007. Our whole social structure has shifted as we interact constantly with others in real time.

The Church has radically changed as well. The Gospel remains the same but how we worship, who actually attends our churches, and the way that we integrate our faith (or lack thereof) into everyday life has made Christianity of today almost unrecognizable to those of us who came to Christ a half-century ago!

Change is not an awful thing when it brings progress, improving our quality of life. However, change can be confusing. Human beings generally resist change, at first, often condemning the ‘new.’ Forced out of comfort and into new paradigms, it can feel like we are living on a stormy ocean in a small boat, threatened by oblivion. Much of the anger in America in 2023 is the result of a clash of ideas rooted in deep social changes, in cultural ideals that are in direct opposition to each other.  God, as Creator, Source, and the One to whom we accountable is part of one worldview.  Those who reject a personal God regard themselves as self-directed persons without accountability to a deity. Their highest ideal is personal happiness and satisfaction. The latter view is now the majority in our nation, changing us radically from inside out.

So Christian where can we go for an anchor?
How can we live in the promised peace of God in our time?

We look to Christ Jesus and His gospel. Simply stated this is the Gospel - Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again! Jesus brought us the good news that God loves us, that life is available to us through faith. For millenia humans sought to appease their gods, offering sacrifices to try to find favor with remote and unfathomable gods. But, when Jesus came, He offered something radical - a God who offered Himself as a sacrifice, who holds out acceptance to us, and gives us eternal life as a gift of His mercy and grace, not as a reward for our offerings or performance.

The ways we worship our Savior will change. The institutional Church will sometimes get things right and often get them very wrong! Christian leaders will be good and bad. Congregations will grow and falter. Such is the nature of our ever-changing world. But the Gospel remains and  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, NLT)

Today, put your hope in His love! Pray for renewed faith in the fundamental fact of our Christian faith, the salvation of the Lord.  "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." (John 14:18-19, NIV)

Here is a word from the Word. Spend a few moments prayerfully owning the declaration and give thanks that in this age of rapid change, there is an anchor to be found in Jesus.  “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,  set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Christ Is Made The Sure Foundation

Christ is made the sure foundation

Christ the head and cornerstone

Chosen of the Lord and precious

Binding all the Church in one

Holy Zion's help forever

And her confidence alone

 

To this temple where we call Thee

Come O Lord of Hosts today

With Thy wonted lovingkindness

Hear Thy people as they pray

And Thy fullest benediction

Shed within its walls alway

 

Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants

What they ask of Thee to gain

What they gain from Thee forever

With the blessed to retain

And hereafter in Thy glory

Evermore with Thee to reign

Laud and honour to the Father

Laud and honour to the Son

Laud and honour to the Spirit

Ever Three and ever One

One in might and one in glory

While unending ages run

 

Joseph M. Martin

Words: Public Domain

 

“Two can stand back-to-back and conquer.”

“Count your blessings.”  These were the parting words of a friend to me last night, encouraging me to look up. As I lay down to sleep, I did just that. I focused on friends. Out of the dusty corners of my mind a memory surfaced of a man who I knew for just 4 years. 

It was 1988, and I was just starting ministry in my first solo pastorate of a small church in Western Massachusetts. The previous year had been bruising in my life, some dreams dying, much disappointment coming my way. I struggled with anxiety, wondering if I was fit for ministry. Then I met Dean, just a year younger, but as different from me as could be. He was a huge man both in height and girth and I think that his heart matched his size!  His smile and charisma was irresistable. He had grown up in Harlem, knew the streets, and was a recovering addict who had found Christ through the persistent prayers of his mother. At the time I met him, he was a respected and beloved leader in the church to which I was called.

Dean gave me his support and his love, encouraging me and sharing his great heart with me and my family. Every Sunday before I went to lead our worship service, Dean would meet me for prayer. He would put his hand on my back. It was a BIG hand that reached nearly shoulder to shoulder. He spoke to our Father about ‘my pastor,’ words that he said in his own unique way that bespoke love, respect, and genuine care. I looked forward to those prayers in those days, knowing that he was my advocate, hoping for only the best in ministry together.  

Those first years at that church brought numerical growth, healing in my life, and the discovery of a renewed joy in the work of pastoral ministry. On November 15, 1992, a Sunday afternoon, word came that Dean had died suddenly while hunting with a friend. He was just 36 years old. I felt the loss sharply and grieved deeply.

Who’s your friend?
Who loves you, prays for you, stands by you, lends you their influence in shared work?
To whom are you LOYAL beyond the convenience of the moment, becoming persons of one heart and mind?

These days there is a lot of talk in church about the importance of relationships, but in spite of the lip service to community, there is often isolation and loneliness both in the pulpit and the pew. One does not need to be scholar to see the importance of friends in the work of God.

The book of the Acts of the Apostles records the history of the first generation of Christianss. We tend to romanticize their experiences but the truth is that they faced thorny issues, wrestled through conflict, and struggled to exist in a hostile world. Through it all, they stayed connected, gathering regularly on the Lord’s Day when they prayed, talked, fought, and discovered God’s wisdom for their lives.

Peter and Paul were decisive and bold leaders, who had ministry partners - Peter and Mark; Paul and Barnabas. Those two leaders occasionally came into conflict debating the nature of grace and the place of the Law in sometimes sharp, pointed disagreements. Feelings got hurt. Occasionally friendships failed. But, with the help of the Spirit, those early church leaders kept their eyes on the goal and built Christ's Kingdom, together, because they knew the work they did was a shared effort. And, both they and the ministry of Christ was better for their friendship!

The practical wisdom of God reminds us that "Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success." (Proverbs 15:22-23,NLT) Are there those who love you so much that they will stand with you when you fall down, lending hope when you have lost yours? Or, are you attempting life as a "Lone Ranger" trying to live self-sufficiently?

Being Christ’s Body TOGETHER requires the surrender of our ego, a willingness to die to ‘Self,' and a choice to find joy in serving one another. There is so much to gain IF we will build a team and stick with it. Our American ideal is to laud the individual, to tend to admire the ‘super-hero.’  Christians must be different valuing their relationships and making time to strengthening them. Do not discard that person who offers counsel that challenges. Value that person who urges a better choice, another way. 

I pray that in each season of your God will send you a “Dean” a person who will love you and whom you will grow to love. In counting my blessings I remember dozens of people from years ago to the present with whom I have shared the joy of life in Christ. I pray you will choose to do that with others, now and always.

Here is a practical word from the Word. Ask God, the Spirit, to teach you how to build the best relationships.

"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one;
they get a better return for their labor.
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.
But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble.
And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone?

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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We Will Stand
(This is an older song that Russ Taff does so beautifully.
I hope it encourages you to stand together with other Christians.)

 

 Sometimes it's hard for me to understand
Why we pull away from each other so easily
Even though we're all walking the same road?
Yet we build dividing walls
Between our brothers and ourselves.

 

But, I don't care what label you may wear,
If you believe in Jesus you belong with me!
The bond we share is all I care to see,
And we'll change the world forever,
If you will join with me,
Join and sing, sing.

 

You're my brother, you're my sister,
So take me by the hand.
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us,
When we're walking side by side,
As long as there is love,
We will stand!

 

The day will come when we will be as one
And with a mighty voice
Together we will proclaim that
Jesus, Jesus is King.
It will echo through the earth.
It will shake the nations.
And the world will see, see that;

 

You're my brother, you're my sister,
So take me by the hand.
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us,
When we're walking side by side,
As long as there is love,
We will stand!

 

James Hollihan | Russ Taff | Tori Taff © 1983 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

When Doubts Arise and Tempests Rage

Once again, the world is on the edge of a wide-spread war. Tensions are rising in every part of the globe and American military muscle is being flexed in the Middle East. The horror that Hamas terrorists carried to Israel and the response in Gaza that has devastated (hardly a word to describe the awfulness there) the lives of people has pushed the ongoing death and destruction in Ukraine.

As I cried out to the Lord in my prayers on behalf of the suffering, asking Him to turn the hearts of leaders to seek peace, I felt faith wane. Doubt shaped my pleas-  “Lord, if you are the sovereign One, then do something. How can You allow this to go on?”

I know the answer. He gives us a gift that is wonderful and awful in the same moment - the ability to choose. We can turn to Him and find life and freedom from sin, or we can serve ourselves and descend ever deeper into sin and darkness.  But, that is a subject for another day. 

Let’s think about dealing with our doubts, finding faith renewed. You are not an awful or weak Christian if you experience the dark moments of doubt.  Righteous Job, after enduring awful loss, finally cries "know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me. "Though I cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice. He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head." (Job 19:6-9, NIV)  Was he right in saying these things about the Lord?  Yes, because that is what life looked like for him at that moment.  When Job was willing to give voices to his doubt, he was ready to deal with it. No Christian sets out to doubt! We do not want to be angry with the One we have loved, yet it happens. 

Too often Christians try to ignore their conflicted emotions or overwhelm their doubt by turning up the volume of their praise songs, or escaping into churchy platitudes, or they may try to make a deal with God becoming perfectionistic in behavior. Those tactics will fail.  The answer is in the pursuit of the God in spite of doubt, choosing honesty, willing to confess to the Father- "I feel like You have abandoned me."  Lay it out and say it out loud. Cry.  Jesus did that very thing. In His anguish He cried out “why have You forsaken me?”

It may seem illogical but it is true. Our trials and suffering that may stir up doubt in us can become a source of growing faith. Our Father's desire is that we move beyond a childish relationship that demands only comfort in this moment, that we grow a mature Christ-centered character that endures the personal moments of doubt.

There are basic choices we can make when the storms of doubt are blowing over us.  In no special order consider these things.

Remain in church, strengthening your connections with His Body.  Faithful friends will carry us when we collapse, for a time, under the weight of our doubts.  Be part of a church that is authentic, that will not judge people who admit to their struggles. Beware of a church that turns the blame back on you in your time of need. There is a time for examination, but in the crisis love is paramount. Some unwise Christian will likely say hurtful things, but forgive them. You can show them a better way when they enter their own time of suffering, and we all do.

Focus on the fundamentals of faith. When your mind is clouded with doubt or confused by fears, it is not the best time to get wrapped up in the philosophical questions of life. Read the Psalms of comfort. Go back to the stories of Jesus in the Gospels. Thank Jesus for His love shown in the Cross. Celebrate communion with quiet reverence. Yes, re-connect with the foundation.  Jesus promises that He is there to meet those whose faith is very small, akin to a tiny seed.  Borrow that desperate father's prayer who reached out to Jesus and said, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24, NLT)

Balance your perspective!  Is it all as bad as you have come to believe?  Turn off the endless news with scenes of death and destruction and take in the sunset. Remember the joyful moments of victories past. Remember the enduring love of a couple who has weathered life's storms for decades together.  My point is that we can listen only to the guns of war, see only the litter along the highway of life, and see only the hatred of those psychopaths whose depravity fills the news. If we do, we miss the beauty that remains even in a sin-broken world.

Be quiet! Endlessly rehearsing our doubts gives them fertile soil to grow. We need not deny them, but we can stop talking about them for a while, as we open our heart and mind to the Holy Spirit in contemplative prayer.

A wonderful transformation happens to those who persevere through doubt. They become less attached to the things of this world and Heaven comes nearer.  Yes, suffering remains. Mystery still exists. For some questions there are simply no answers while we remain robed in flesh.

Here's the word from the Word.  They are Job's prayer that followed his outburst of frustration with God.

"Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:23-27, NKJV)

Lord, I believe, help me overcome my doubts! Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Trust In God

Blessed assurance

Jesus is mine

He's been my fourth man in the fire

Time after time

Born of His Spirit

Washed in His blood

And what He did for me on Calvary

Is more than enough

 

I trust in God

My Savior

The One who will never fail

He will never fail

 

Perfect submission

All is at rest

I know the author of tomorrow

Has ordered my steps

So this is my story

And this is my song

I’m praising my risen King and Savior

All the day long

 

I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered

I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered

I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered

That’s why I trust Him

That’s why (I trust Him)

 

Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Mitch Wong | Steven Furtick

Brandon Lake Music; Music by Elevation Worship Publishing; A Wong Made Write Publishing; Integrity's Praise! Music

CCLI License # 810055

A Transactional Relationship?

Many of our relationships are simply transactional, based on our need and the ability of another to meet that need. The mechanic who repairs my automobile is a friend, but it is an example of a transactional relationship. He fixes the car. I pay him money; end of story.  Sometimes even relationships we thought to be more than that turn out to be only that. That person we believed to be a true friend fades from sight when we no longer supply a need in his life or live up to his expectations and we are left puzzled or disappointed.

Tragically, there are marriages that are transactional in which the spouses are each focused on having their own needs met, on making sure their efforts are matched by the other, affection based on the other person meeting a list of expectations, knowing only limited emotional engagement. 

Here’s a question for your thoughts - are you a devoted worshipper of Jesus or is your ‘love’ for Him transactional?  IF we offer prayers and are more faithful to attend to ‘worship’ only when we are in crisis, or desperate, or alone, when we need something, ours is not a healthy Christ-focused faith. If we unconsciously allow ourselves to play "Let's Make A Deal" with God a ‘game’ in which we come to believe that if we are really 'good,' then God will reward us with the answer we seek, we have missed the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  He gave us a sobering warning about that kind of ‘faith.’  “So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me?  …. 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 6:46,49, NLT)

 

The richest life of faith, the deepest kind of Christianity is based on a covenant relationship! In a covenant relationship, the commitment is made to prioritize the well-being of the other person above our own needs. We make the decision that we will make sacrifices and put in the effort to maintain the relationship, even during difficult times.  God has made a covenant with us in Christ Jesus. He loved us when we did not even know Him. He died to save us when we cared nothing for our failures. He acted to bring us to Himself, though He is self-sufficient and needs nothing from us. His promise is not conditional. There is no quid pro quo. He loves. IF we receive that love in faith, we are included in His covenant, our sins forgiven, our eternal destiny changed, our life marked by the Spirit’s seal of ownership.

 

Does that mean that we have no necessary response to His love, that we can live willfully or selfishly?  We certainly can but not if we want to know the deepest, most fulfilling kind of Christianity. Jesus invites us to be His disciples, followers who walk in His steps, not to get rewards or earn prayer points but because we love Him for who He is - the glorious Lord of Glory.  Being a disciple is a costly choice, an abandonment of our Self-centered desires. He says it clearly - "So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me." (Luke 14:33, NLT) With that in mind, let me put the question to you again - Are you a devoted worshipper of Jesus or is your ‘love’ for Him transactional? 

 

The paradox is that we experience the best of love when we are willing to forget ourselves and give ourselves to seek the highest and best of another. This is true in marriage, in friendships, and as a disciple of Jesus. If we carefully measure our benefits, if we keep score of effort trying to balance the scale of service, if we withhold love when we are disappointed by missed expectations - we can never know the rich, joyful experience of a covenant relationship. He is worthy of our love, our worship, our constant devotion.  

 

Here is a word from the Word. May we be inspired to follow Him with joy today. "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-12, NIV)

 

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Majesty

 

Majesty worship His majesty

Unto Jesus be all glory

Honor and praise

Majesty kingdom authority

Flow from His throne

Unto His own His anthem raise

 

So exalt lift up on high

The name of Jesus

Magnify come glorify

Christ Jesus the King

Majesty worship His majesty

Jesus who died now glorified

King of all kings

 

Jack Hayford © 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

A Smart Fool?

I am presently rewatching the amazing story of The Pacific (Netflix) which chronicles the struggle to defeat Japan in the island campaigns of World War 2.  Each beach landing scene included men going from ship to shore in a craft called the “Higgins boat.”  A man named Andrew Higgins built the boats, officially called LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) in military jargon.  Historian Stephen Ambrose tells us that Higgins refused to hire engineers who were graduates of college programs because he believed that schools of engineering taught students to think too narrowly and turned out engineers that began their processes from what they thought could not be done in design, rather than attempting innovation. Higgins wanted people with common sense and he found them! His self-taught engineers came up with a shallow draft boat that could go right up to the beaches, drop a ramp on the front, and allow the men to disembark without having to crawl up and over the sides, a slower process that exposed them to enemy fire for a longer period of time.

Here’s a question for your thoughts - are you smart or are you wise? 

Wisdom and intelligence are not necessarily one and the same. Mastering a great body of information and having the ability to recall those facts can be a valuable skill, but if learning is not matched with wisdom - which includes:

the ability to apply information to life,
               to adapt and create solutions to problems, and
                to understanding how to relate to other people-

you could be just a smart fool!  I do not intend to demean or dismiss education. Learning provides rich resources that a wise person can use to build a better world, a richer life, and with which he can make a lasting impact on the world. What we must never forget is that information, especially today, has a very short shelf life. The world changes rapidly.  However, the wise person will commit to life-long learning, continuing to study, to read; seeking to understand the world in which he lives.

Wisdom makes useful in God’s work, too! The Proverb says "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." (Proverbs 13:14, NIV)

So, how do we gain wisdom?

"Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning." (Proverbs 1:7, The Message)  Negatively, David says it this way - "The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1, NIV)  Without recognizing God as the Source of all things we cannot find true wisdom, but when our minds are open to Him, the Spirit will help us see life clearly, that we can gain wisdom. "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9, NIV)  I hasten to add this - the ability to quote Bible texts and know the details of Biblical history is not the same as understanding the ways of the Lord!

The second step on the road to wisdom is humility. A wise man realizes that there is much he does not know and reveals his wisdom by gathering wise counselors! "Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14, NLT)  Who is on your life team? From whom are you taking advice and counsel? Are you walking with the wise?

Third, the wise will not be trapped by the need to have ‘all the answers.’  The wiser a person becomes the more willing she is to live with mystery and ambiguity!  Seeing the world in stark black and white is not for the wise for there are things for which have no explanation. There is much that remains to be revealed. The wise will gladly say “I do not know that answer.” 

Consider Job. When his life went from bad to worse, at first he demanded an explanation - from others and from God. His friends consumed day after day with tedious philosophical arguments about the reasons for Job's suffering. In the end, the Lord swept away their musings. Job himself rose up to demand fair answers from the Lord, to which God said "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job answered the LORD: "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." (Job 40:2-4, NIV) Job learned wisely to live with the mystery of faith.

Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts. "Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer." (Proverbs 9:8-12, NIV)

Lord help us to live wisely, to know Your will, to humbly walk in Your ways. Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Be Thou My Vision

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart!

Naught be all else to me save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night.

Waking or sleeping thy presence my light.

 

Be thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word.

I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.

Thou my great Father, and I thy true son!

Thou in me dwelling and I with thee one.

 

Riches I heed not nor man's empty praise,

Thou my inheritance now and always.

Thou and thou only, first in my heart.

High King of heaven, my treasure thou art!

 

High King of heaven when battle is done,

Grant heaven's joy to me, Bright Heaven's Sun.

Christ of my own heart whatever befall,

Still be my vision thou ruler of all.

 

Public Domain

Completion!

I love finishing a task, standing back to enjoy the reward for my work. One of the Summer tasks that gives me great pleasure is mowing my lawn. About 2 hours of perspiration trickling down my face and noise from tractor and trimmer filling my ears gives the me the opportunity to stand back and look over 1.5 acres of lawn that gives evidence of the effort. Not all ‘rewards’ are so immediate, are they?  

My adult children give me great joy as I hear of the ways in which they are making their corners of the world better places. They are productive people, building good lives, growing their own families. And, I remember the struggles, now 3 decades past, of dealing with teens who did not always make the best choices! Even though we had really good kids there was more than a little effort involved in helping them become responsible adults.

A couple of days ago I wrote of being ‘pointing in the right direction’ which is important.
Staying on track requires keeping our eyes on the prize, setting goals and anticipating results.

Christian, what reward do you desire most?  Wealth? Recognition? Respect? Pleasure? Enjoying a good life is a wonderful blessing and we should be grateful for those days when life is going well!  Ecclesiastes recommends that we enjoy the ‘fruit of our labor,’ that we savor life. However, the ultimate rewards of the faithful will only come in Heaven.  

Remember those great faith stories summed up in the 11^th chapter of Hebrews? The writer celebrates the victories of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others.  In last part of that chapter the tone changes and we are reminded that not all the ‘wins’ come in this lifetime. Some, the writer says, " were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us." (Hebrews 11:38-40, NLT)

But all, those who were healed, who conquered their foes, as well those who died waiting in hope, share a common call with us: "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.

Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! " (Hebrews 12:1-3, The Message)

As we live our faith, run this race, we can get distracted, discouraged, or disillusioned- losing sight of the finish line and dropping out. Some quit on God altogether like Paul’s friend Demas who abandoned the faith because “he loved this present world.”  Others allow themselves to be compromised by sin, deceived by the allure of rewards, tangible and present.  The only way to stay in the race is to ‘keep your eyes on Jesus.’   

The length of our life here on this earth – be it 40, 70, or 90 years – is nothing in light of Eternity.  Keep your eyes on the goal! Anticipate the rewards of Heaven which Christ Jesus promises us.

Here is the word from the Word. Do you believe it? "For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:53-54, NLT)  "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:58, NLT)

God, I want to finish the race well!  And, we will – by His grace!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Sing The Wondrous Love Of Jesus

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus

Sing His mercy and His grace

In the mansions bright and blessed

He'll prepare for us a place

 

When we all get to heaven

What a day of rejoicing that will be

When we all see Jesus

We'll sing and shout the victory

 

While we walk the pilgrim pathway

Clouds will overspread the sky

But when trav'ling days are over

Not a shadow not a sigh

 

Let us then be true and faithful

Trusting serving ev'ry day

Just one glimpse of Him in glory

Will the toils of life repay

 

Onward to the prize before us

Soon His beauty we'll behold

Soon the pearly gates will open

We shall tread the streets of gold

 

Eliza Edmunds Stites Hewitt | Emily Divine Wilson

Words: Public Domain

Pointed in the right direction

Some days I feel like I make great progress and some days it seems that the best I can do is to just hold my ground. How about you?  One thing that living longer has taught me is to evaluate progress, not in days but in years! It’s like that diet we start with the goal of losing 10 pounds.  That first week we are so careful about the calories, avoid those snacks, and limit the portions. When we step on the scale and realize that we have only lost a couple of pounds, our determination wavers. Or, is that just me? 

I remember being 30 years of age and counseled by an older man to start a retirement account.  At the time it was a struggle to find enough money to make the car payment and clothe our kids!  His advice was to make a regular contribution of the same amount every pay period, increasing it as income grew. Those first contributions were laughably small but we did it. Four decades later I look at an account that can help sustain me because of regular deposits and the miracle of compounding interest. It is there for this season of my life!  That advice pointed me in the right direction.

Are you moving in the right direction spiritually? These words of St. Paul give me great hope for they reveal that even that giant of faith knew that his life was a work in progress. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but
I press on
to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
I press on
toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:10-14, NIV)

 

His lofty goal, a great one for all of us, was to ‘know Christ’ identifying with Him in suffering and eventually gaining eternal life through God’s grace. His life was aimed toward eternity for he knew, as we should, that while we may enjoy blessings today, though we may endure seasons of terrible loss or suffering, the ultimate hope is God’s gift of an eternal home. Paul certainly did not retreat from engagement with life here in this world, hoping to just ‘hang on’ until his arrival in heaven. He was faithful in service, willing to work for the Lord, focused on doing God’s will.

But, he also is honest in his admission: “not that I have already attained all this or have been made perfect.”  He went through things for which he had no explanation. He failed to achieve what he desired sometimes. In Romans 7 he tells us that he experienced real spiritual struggles.  "It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge." (Romans 7:21-23, The Message)  In spite of being pointed in the right direction, there are detours and distractions that derail his progress.

So, does he quit? Not at all. He says twice “I PRESS ON.”  He leans into hope, lets go of regret, and refocuses on God’s goals!  As we begin a new week let’s get our head and heart pointed in the right direction, praying to do God’s work, living lovingly, hopefully, joyful, at peace.  We trip up, have a bad day, lose sight of that goal, let’s get up and ‘press on.’  This life we live is not a sprint to the finish line, it is a ‘long obedience in the same direction.’

Spend a few moments soaking your mind in this word from the Word, then press on! "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." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Press On

When the valley is deep

When the mountain is steep

When the body is weary

When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard

When we're battered and scarred

When we've spent our resources

When we've given our all

In Jesus' name we press on

In Jesus' name we press on

Dear Lord with the prize

Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on

 

Dan Burgess

© 1983 Good Life Publications, Inc.

CCLI License # 810055

Deliver Us From Evil

For the last two weeks we have watched the images pouring out of Israel and Gaza in horror. One young Israeli who escaped death by pulling a body on top of himself spoke of looking into the eyes of a killer and seeing “nothing, just dead eyes.” The violence of war has brought death to thousands, homes and communities destroyed. It is a story as old as humanity and it is born of evil.

I read a biography of Corrie Ten Boom this week (The Watchmaker’s Daughter). She was a Dutch woman who joined with her family to resist Nazi efforts to kill Jews. When the Gestapo caught up with her she was enveloped by a storm of hatred, of murder, of cruelty. Horrific suffering was poured on weak and helpless people for no reason other than those with power could do it and they did! How did ordinary farmers, shopkeepers, mechanics, and carpenters turn into sadistic people? Evil!

Evil is more than a psychological thing, more than the actions of some maladjusted individual of questionable mental state. Evil is real, fed by the Devil who hates all things God and good. Evil is everywhere, disciple. 

* I have witnessed an unthinkable evil possess the minds two people who were once in love and watched as they entered into power plays that destroy their marriage and sometimes even their lives.

* Good people rise to places of authority to be seduced by evil. Dreams of ‘public service’ are replaced by schemes to secure more power, perks, or money for themselves. Lives are destroyed as well as they companies, organizations, or even church they lead.

* Benevolent nations enjoy prosperity and gain strength, only to become imperialistic bent on conquering the world and horrible suffering results.

* Sex, a  gift of God designed to create life and bond a man and woman intimately for life, can be twisted by evil into an ugly thing called lust which turns people into objects to be used for personal pleasure.

 ... and the list goes on and on.

Jesus says that there is Evil that exists only to "kill and destroy!"

The Bible speaks of the Devil repeatedly as the 'enemy.'

Peter compares Satan to a 'roaring lion seeking for someone to devour.'

The book of the Revelation speaks of the reality of Evil in powerful images "the Dragon, that old Snake-the very Devil, Satan himself!" (Revelation 20:2, The Message)

In our so-called sophistication some of us have rejected the idea of evil as just leftover medieval superstition.  I am not advocating witch hunts or supersititious rites. But it is a mistake, one that is costly and blinds us to reality, to say  'Evil is not real. It is just an illusion, the result of lack of opportunity, misunderstanding, or ignorance!' Rightly discarding the silliness of a horned devil in a red suit carrying a pitchfork, some Christians also throw away the truth that evil is orchestrated by a fallen spiritual being named Lucifer, and bent on destroying all that God has made and loves! There is a real Devil. Where he is given unchecked access to people he infects people and evil grows like a weed.

So, what are we to do?

Some choose to pretend evil is not real, closing their eyes, shutting their ears, blissfully apathetic- until evil finds them!

Some 'make nice' somehow thinking that only saying positive words and being kind is the answer, until they are stabbed by someone they thought they could change with their niceness.

God calls us to War! But, the war is not one of fists, guns, or swords; nor even of words! It is a strange war that Paul describes this way: "We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, NLT).

We live in Truth – committed to seeing life as He reveals it to us. We learn the truth from the Word and the living Christ- a truth that condemns us as sinners, then frees us from our sinfulness when we confess our utter depravity and grab hold, in faith, of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

We live in Love - changed from the inside out by the radical love of God, shown us in Christ Jesus. Seeing His love which brought Him from Heaven's perfection to the sewers of sin, and experiencing that love firsthand, we learn to love. And love conquers! Yes, it is a bold love that costs us our life, which we trade for that life in the Kingdom that never ends.

In a passage that is both full of promise and yet terrifying in the probability of the disturbance of our comfort, the Bible says: "It has come at last- salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time." (Revelation 12:10-12, NLT)

So, we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, walk with God in love and obedience, and pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil.”

(Video of this blog at this link)

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A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty Fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world,
With devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear,
For God hath willed,
His will to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure,
For, lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also.
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever.

Martin Luther © Public Domain

Prayer Warrior

The phrase ‘prayer warrior’ is an old one in my experience. In our Pentecostal tradition, women especially claimed the title, known for their willingness to engage in sustained prayer on behalf of others, for lives to be changed. It always strikes me as an incongruous connection of words – prayer and war – at first. Prayer is for me a time of quiet and peace, often a retreat to silence. War is noisy and violent. While it is true that prayerful contemplation is often a time of quiet, there is a time and place for earnest prayers that are loud, emotional, and engaged with God in the struggle against evil.

Now is such a time! Prayer warriors are needed who will go to prayer, earnestly, on behalf of this troubled world. We stand on the brink of global conflagration- rumblings of war in Asia, a war of attrition in Ukraine, and a boiling conflict in Israel that is ready to explode into a terrible, costly, and deadly wider war in the Middle East.  

 People who will truly pray, really engaging Heaven about these troubles are desperately needed. The Scripture calls us to prayer - "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior." (1 Timothy 2:1-3, NLT)

Even after a half-century of prayer and walking with God I make no claim to fully understand the mystery of prayer. Surely an all-knowing God does not need us to inform Him of the troubles of our own lives or those of this world. Yet, He asks us to pray. A sovereign God does not need us to strategize for Him, telling how to act. Yet, He invites us to bring our requests before Him. The whole of Scripture shows us those who prayed – specifically, faithfully, sometimes angrily, sometimes prayers that make us wince as they ask for God’s judgment on their enemies!  But, the outstanding fact is that they prayed, believing that that they could move Heaven to act on earth and so should we.

Look at a prayer of King Jehoshaphat. "He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? Your people settled here and built this Temple for you. They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, disease, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’ “  (2 Chronicles 20:6-10, NLT)

Paul prayed with specificity and urged us to do likewise. "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith." (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2, NIV)

Jesus was so earnestly engaged in His Gethsamane prayer that He sweat drops of blood and was exhausted by the effort!

John, in the Revelation, prays a prayer to end all prayers - "He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20, NIV) When Christ comes to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, wars will cease, suffering will come to an end, and humanity will flourish. This is the wonderful promse of the Kingdom to come!

Meanwhile, we are called to pray! No faithful prayer is a wrong prayer. Of course, we can pray for things not in the will of God but He can say “No” as readily as any parent whose child asks for things that would not ultimatly be good for them.  Oh that we would pray – with faith, for a changed world. As Jesus taught – “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

As our world trembles, let us pray for the mighty holy angels to do battle in the spiritual realm to defeat the demons of death and darkness. May our prayers not be wimpy or whispered, but offered in loud and expectant words. We are taught of an unseen world that surrounds us and influences us. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12, NIV)  Let us also pray for those who are leading nations and armies, that their hearts and minds will be shaped by good, by God, the Holy Spirit, to seek peace and justice. Let’s pray like our lives depend on it, for indeed they do!

Here is my prayer for you today.  Receive the blessing with an Amen.  "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours)

Father let your kingdom come (holy holy)

Father let your will be done

On Earth as in Heaven (let it be done)

Right here in my heart

 

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us forgive us

As we forgive the ones who sinned

Against us forgive them

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from the evil one

Let your kingdom come

 

It's yours it's yours

All yours all yours

The kingdom the power

The glory are yours

It's yours it's yours

All yours all yours

Forever and ever

The kingdom is yours

On Earth as in Heaven

Right here in my heart

 

Bryan Fowler | Jacob Sooter | Matt Maher

Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs; Caroco Songs; Just When Publishing; So Essential Tunes

CCLI License # 810055