Those who keep you standing

In the earlier years of adult life, I tended to be a “Lone Ranger,” doing life on my own. My desire to finish tasks in what I considered to be an efficient way took priority over building relationships and teams. With time, I discovered that experiences are richer when shared, that results are much more lasting when they are a team effort, and that both wisdom and steadiness are found in mutual relationships.

As I ponder the days ahead, approaching my 70^th birthday, I know with greater clarity just how important those connections with others are. I recently stood at the hospital bedside of a man I have known for years who is truly alone. No longer able to care for himself, his situation is tragic and desperate. I’m sure he regrets the bridges burnt and relationships severed when he was stronger and able to live on his own terms in the world. Now, he needs others and has no one!

Are you investing yourself in others, serving sacrificially, loving fully, engaged in the ‘give and take’ of human relationships? The core value of the Christian life is LOVE, not the cheap sentiment of a greeting card, but the deep and profound connections with others that nourish us in this world.

The first generation of Christians practiced a radical kind of hospitality, accepting others, mutually encouraged by complementary spiritual gifts. Their communities of love were noted by the world in which they lived. Were their churches perfect? No way. Paul corrected and cajoled Believers who allowed themselves to be divided in factions to restore the unity of Christ. But they did, much more than we do, understand the importance of being ‘together,’ built into a temple from which Christ’s goodness shined.

The Word reminds us of our mutual need. “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. … The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. … God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”  (1 Corinthians 12)

The more we understand the call to connect and choose to live with love and acceptance of others, the greater the beauty of the Church will be, the more effective she will be in her mission, and the more joy we will find in the journey! We cannot just nod our heads and go on living as critics, judges of others, or “Lone Rangers” IF we want to please Christ and finish the race well.

One of the great benefits of strong relationships with our ‘brothers and sisters’ in the faith is steadiness. Everyone of us will encounter storms in life. All kinds of situations will arise, some of our own making, some just seeming to happen to us without evident cause, which will threaten to overwhelm us. We can draw from the resources of relationships when this is our way and be held up, steadied on the way.

When my late wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer 11 years ago, it felt like life had come to a full stop. I wondered how I would survive if my best friend, my partner, my lover was taken in death. What I found was the power of the love of others. My children surrounded us with love and support. Our church family gave love in myriad ways. After her death, so many gave me space to grieve and appropriate encouragement to go on! It is beyond my imagination to know what life might have been like without those rich relationships.

Again, let me ask, are you investing in others? That phrase is intentional! Strong, supportive relationships do not just happen. They are created and built over time with intention, commitment, love, and time. It’s not too late to begin!

I close with a dramatic story from Exodus. Moses, the amazingly strong leader of the Israelites, led them boldly out of Egypt. At first, he tried to lead alone but was exhausted by his work. He changed tactics and built a team. One day, this was his experience. Check it out.

“So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.” (Exodus 17)

Who will hold up your hands during the battle? Think about it! Amen.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

In Pursuit of Greater Joy

We love “more” don’t we? Last year, I found a story about a national seafood restaurant chain’s experience with an offer of “endless” that made me laugh. Customers were offered as much shrimp as they wanted with their meal as part of this promotion. In just three months the chain lost $11 million in unforeseen expense associated with that offer; discovering that a lot of us are gluttons.

A current promotion for a cruise line features a rotund fellow extolling the joys of “more” as he enjoys free drinks, meals loaded with calories, and other perks on the ship. Every time I see the commercial, I am amused by the irony of running such an appeal to overindulgence during the Lenten season which traditionally invites Christians to practice self-denial.

 Given free rein our appetites will consume us!  But, there is a choice we can make which will lead us to greater joy. Jesus points to that choice when He says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).  That is not likely your favorite passage from the Gospels, nor, honestly, is it mine!

A devotional writer (Jeremy Linneman) urges us to rethink our response to Jesus’ call. “This is rightly understood to be one of Jesus’ most intimidating challenges. But it is also one of his most subversive invitations. “Get off the road that leads to death,” he’s saying. “Choose instead this unexpected way to the good life—through denying and dying to self.”

When we constantly choose the road on which we give in to our every desire, feed our every whim, and indulge each call to comfort, something happens to our character that is ugly. Self-love takes over and we turn into selfish people.  The ability to be gracious, to endure the inevitable losses that come in the human experience is replaced by an insistence that life be lived on our terms all of the time.

Wants are redefined as needs.
The admiration of beauty is replaced by a craving to own it.
Discontent overwhelms every good thing, making it impossible to appreciate the day’s blessings.

Americans bemoan the loss of civility in our culture, wondering why we are so confrontational, so angry, so quick to take offense.  It is no mystery.  We have fallen in love with ourselves and believe that ‘our way’ is the only way, that our desires must be met without delay.

Jesus call to self-denial does not come from some mean place that says, “if I cannot enjoy life, neither can you.”  His invitation is not meant to rob us of the ability to enjoy things that are nice, or comfortable, or fun!  Rather, He wants us to understand that our greater joy is rooted in love, service, and worship.

Linneman writes – “Self-denial, on the other hand, leads to a joyful submission to the Father. It is the freedom to reject the ways of the world—its anger, greed, and envy. Self-denial is an active choice to become like Jesus in his radical inner simplicity and wholehearted devotion to the Father. It is what the late Tim Keller called a “blessed self-forgetfulness.”

Two roads are in front of you and me today. We are given freedom to choose the way we take.

We can chase after satisfaction of the desires of our body, convinced that happiness will be found in having ‘more’ – money, fun, pleasure, food, things, sex, etc.!  The wisdom of Heaven reminds us that “the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave.” (1 John 2)

Or we can turn our hearts to God, desiring Him, asking the Spirit to help us find that “life to the full” that is found in Christ alone. Honestly, this choice is not usually the easy one, for it requires dying to Self first, before we can say Yes to the life of the Spirit.

Will you choose the greater joy?

The word from the Word is drawn from Paul’s inspired wisdom sent to his spiritual son, Timothy. Pray for insight as you read them and may you find the joy that lasts as you respond with a ready ‘yes.’

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.”  (1 Timothy 6)

Lord, lead us to true and lasting joy through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

BRUTE FORCE

The TV drama I was watching subtly sold the idea that the ‘bad’ guys can only be vanquished with more muscles, more willingness to use violence, and guns! As the villain appeared to be winning, I found myself cheering on the ‘hero’ who bent the law and left a trail of blood and death to gain the upper hand. Sure, it was ‘just a story’ but it is a sub-text in the larger world in which we live, isn’t it? So many voices insist that violence must be met with violence; that power is the ultimate way to influence others.

Is it really?
Are the best ways to settle a dispute with another person to use our fists or words to crush them, to silence them?  

Humans build more bombs and bigger guns (both literally and figuratively) when they feel a threat. Just look at the world in which we live. We are surrounded by a culture of fear and that fear causes us to spend $billions on security agencies and armies. On a personal level how often do we choose to respond to a threat with some sort of power play?

Let’s step back from the debate about ‘just war’ to think about our own relationships, how we individually, as followers of Jesus, manage conflict and deal with perceived threats to ourselves.

Jesus leads us in a way that is the polar opposite of dominant power!  His words are often ridiculed or rejected as idealistic and unworkable, but they are His direction for us. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.  If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”  (Matthew 5)

That way of life is not a choice offered from weakness. To willingly endure evil without reciprocity demands great faith, a certainty of God’s ultimate justice, and a deep trust in His power.

One of the ongoing tragedies of Christianity are those so-called “Bullies for Jesus” who like to use select passages from the Bible to bludgeon those with whom they disagree, who turn differences over principle or doctrine into personal wars. From the Crusades of the medieval ages to the modern church ‘wars’ our choice to adopt the ways of our world disgraced our Lord and ignored His message.

Paul, the founding pastor of the church in Corinth, moved on to other ministry and the leaders who followed him in that local church attacked his ministry and his character. “He’s nobody, no good, and his message is flawed,” they said. Christians were confused, torn by division, and became caught up in superficial spirituality.

Did Paul return with allies to hammer that church back into submission to the Gospel and to himself?  Did he threaten them if they failed to get in line? 

No, he just told them the truth and he prayed for them.  He explained his actions saying that he was not afraid, nor was he retreating from the conflict. Rather, he was trusting God.  He then writes these amazing words that should shape our responses. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV)

Christian friend, as we enter this holy season of Lent, walking through a time of reflection before we finally come to the celebration of the Resurrection, let us take up the challenge to live as the meek in a world that admires power.  Let us step back from harsh rhetoric that condemns those with whom we have difference.  Let us pray for faith to ‘lay down the sword’ and take to our knees in prayer.

Jesus’ greatest work was done at the Cross, a symbol of utter defeat. As He hung there, naked, bleeding, suffering, dying – the elites mocked Him, considering Him to be ‘despised and rejected’ but His willingness to give His life, led to the defeat of sin and Satan and opened the way to eternal life to a sin-filled world.

I make it my prayer to be like Him!  Oh that I would lower my fists and open my arms, that I would seek to defeat evil with love, even if that choices comes with great cost to me.  How about you?

Here’s the word from the Word. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. … the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13, 17-18, NIV)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing

The Bible tells many stories of heroes whose failures were written down for the ages, told to cause us to understand the amazing grace of God.
Abraham, of great faith, lied to save his own skin.
David’s Psalms are the classics of worship, yet he sinned terribly.
Peter was declared the rock, but he denied Jesus while the Lord was in great distress.

We all have a story, don’t we? Our sins may be less dramatic than those mentioned above – things like selfishness, greed, lust, or laziness – but they are failures none the less. As I thought about this subject, an old hymn came to mind which includes these lines:
“Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.”

Christian friend, both the strength to overcome temptation and the renewal of our relationship with the Lord IF we fail centers on the Person of Our Great Savior, Jesus.

At the point of being tempted, our own resolve is not sufficient to overcome the pull of the “world, the flesh, or the Devil.”  We must lean on Jesus! The counsel of the Spirit is this – “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.” (1 Corinthians 11) Who among us has not been blindsided by some sin at the very moment we thought we had everything under control, when life was great?

Our best defense is a good offense, to borrow a phrase.  Remaining in a place of humility before the Lord, regular worship (both individually and with the Church), feeding our mind with Truth and our heart with prayer are important steps to take if we want to be an overcomer. But ultimately, the focus is on Jesus – our prayer being “keep me near Your heart.”

When we fail and yes, we will, we go to Him without justification or excuse. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4) Let’s not take the path of Adam, hiding from God in shame. Instead, let’s receive the grace He gives freely to the humble.

Are you struggling with your “humanity” today, focused on the stains, the failures, the flaws, the sins in your life?   You need not live apart from your God, nor should you consign yourself to a place as a second-class Christian. Instead, bring it all to Jesus. Own the sin then leave it with Him, forgiven and made new.

His grace is amazing.
His love is profoundly unlike any human love.
His peace is like the ocean depths.

Live in this place, dear friend, the place of great peace and, ironically, the place of greater victory over the temptations we encounter in this life.

The word from the Word is taken from the astoundingly beautiful 8^th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans.  May this be a word of life for us today.
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.  …

You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”  (Romans 8)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

The full lyrics of the hymn quoted above -

Our Great Savior

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul!
Friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.

Jesus! What a help in sorrow!
While the billows o'er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort helps my soul.

Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Our Great Savior- J. Wilbur Chapman © Public Domain

Demons? Really?

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Three centuries ago humans regularly died from mysterious illnesses, the causes unknown. Infections were not understood. How certain diseases spread from person to person remained a puzzle until the discovery of germs! In the late 18^th century, physicians figured out that tiny, nearly invisible pathogens called bacteria could rage through the body and often be transmitted to others by unwashed hands, shared eating utensils, even coughs and sneezes.   

 Then, just 150 years ago, an even smaller source of illness was discovered, the virus! Living inside of healthy cells, these microscopic bits of DNA replicate themselves rapidly, bringing on misery like the common cold!

There is another invisible world that causes a different kind of suffering in our lives and in the world in which we live. It is the realm of spirit, the demons that move unseen to destroy all that is of God and good. Some of you are shaking your head, confounded that a modern educated man would subscribe to such ‘superstition!’  To be sure, there are many enduring myths that surround the idea of angels and demons, but of their reality, I have no doubt.

The Gospels, which tell us the stories of Jesus, are filled with His encounters with those suffering under the power of demons. The letters to the Churches reference the reality of demons and the Devil with Peter urging us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  (1 Peter 5)

Demons are the agents of evil, the fallen angels that followed Satan (Lucifer) in his rebellion against God. Cast down, they remain a potent force in this world. They are not gods, nor are they all-knowing or all-powerful, yet we must not trivialize them nor ignore them. Having said that I quickly add that Spirit-filled Christians need have no fear of them, either!  James tells us to “humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  (James 4)

When we come to Christ Jesus in faith, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, becoming holy temples where He lives. The work of evil, the power of the devil, and the influence of demons is broken by the Presence of God in us. That is why we need not live in fear of being somehow ‘possessed’ by demons. Jesus’ death and Resurrection broke the power of the Devil. However … I must ask …

Do you take the spirit realm seriously?
Do you unwittingly extend hospitality to the Devil, inviting his demons into your life?
How so?

The Bible says that our actions can ‘grieve the Spirit of God.’ (Eph. 4:30) The Word goes on to explain that we make choices that extend hospitality to the Spirit or that makes Him feel unwelcome! "Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. … Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:30-32, NLT) Another passage warns of giving ourselves over to violent anger which, if held onto, provides ‘the Devil with a foothold in your life.’

Just as a light displaces the darkness in a room, so God’s Spirit displaces evil in us when He is given a place of priority in our thoughts, our words, and our actions.  

Jesus told a story that makes me shudder when I think of the implications. Read it thoughtfully, prayerfully.  He said  “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”  (Matthew 12)

Then, if necessary, do some house cleaning. Make your heart a home to Christ and you’ll never be at risk for what Jesus describes in this teaching.

Are you troubled by habitual failing of sin?
Do you feel oppressed by evil, soul sick?
Turn to Jesus, honestly, openly, inviting the Spirit to enter your life in a new way, bringing refreshing renewal.
You can, by His authority, speak to the unseen demons, directing them to leave, refusing to give them the ability to influence or harass you. Speak in faith, dismissing evil in the powerful Name of Jesus, and live!

The word from the Word comes from the amazing 8^th chapter of Romans. Meditate on the promise and live in the freedom of the Spirit.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death…^. God sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. … Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace…But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”

Amen!

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

Yes, I’m thankful

The essay title grabbed my attention - We Live Like Royalty and Don’t Know It.  The writer describes our 21^st century comforts in contrast to the way people lived in America just 200 years ago. Of Thomas Jefferson, he says “despite his wealth and status his home was so cold in winter that the ink in his pen sometimes froze, making it difficult for him to write to complain about the chill. Jefferson was rich and sophisticated, but his life was closer to the lives of people in the Iron Age than it was to ours.”  

We enjoy clean water, abundant food, great health care, longer and healthier lives … a long list of things that result from the growth of knowledge, the increase of wealth, and the construction of amazing systems that deliver most everything we need for living to us. (Let me quickly add that I know millions of people worldwide do NOT enjoy the comfort I know but that is a subject for another day.)

Here is what concerns me. Many of us are unsatisfied, ungrateful, and full of discontent in spite of it all. This is especially an issue for those of us who claim the Name of Christ Jesus, for we enjoy the greatest gift of all – God’s inexhaustible grace and mercy that provides life eternal!

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians begins with this – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  That is more than a flourish of rhetoric. That is a declaration of truth!

Are you thankful, genuinely filled
with overflowing gratitude to God and others
that creates beauty and contentment
in you that spills from you onto others?

There is a place that we can find in God’s love changes us, supernaturally, from the inside out. Greed and envy die in the life of that person who knows the “joy of the Lord” as more than a phrase.

When envy starts to make an appearance, we must choose to begin to offer praise. At first it may a “sacrifice of praise,” but if we thank Him for Who He is, for His faithfulness to us, for the assurance that He provides all that we need for this day; we will find our soul resting in Him.
The Scripture says “I have learned to be content.” Yes, we must train ourselves, by prayer and thankfulness, to receive the provision of God for the day. The sinful nature will cause us to compare and then, largely, to complain.  When we whine about our lack, we cannot sing of our blessings. 

Here's a suggestion. In addition to a ‘prayer list’ how about making a ‘praise list?’ 

Write down things, big and small, for which you are grateful. That will change your perspective and free the Spirit to create a new kind of joy. Few things cause more problems among people than the ancient sin of envy. It masquerades as self-righteousness, criticism, holier-than-thou attitudes; ugly, divisive things that will destroy our peace with God.

Meditate on this word from the Word.
Let God settle your soul in contentment and go bless your world with His love!

"Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:6-11, NIV)

Lord, teach us to give thanks – for Jesus, for Your love, for the Hope of eternal life, and for the myriad blessings we enjoy. Amen.
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(Video of this blog at this link)

“I’m a spiritual person.”

A young man and I talked at some length recently about his interest in God. He wondered how it was that I took up the vocation of Christian ministry and stayed with it for 45 years. I told him about my experience of Christ’s calling, about the rewards of sharing hope and life with others especially in times of crisis and assured him that God’s Spirit has a purpose for everyone. I could see his interest and he said, “I’m a spiritual person” and quickly added that “church” was not for him.

He is typical of many who want to know a life that has more depth than simply eating, drinking, and sleeping!  We are created to know and love God!  Blaise Pascal wrote these amazing lines in the 17^th century describing the longing for God. ”What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself”    (Pensees) 

Just being ‘spiritual,’ that is being somewhat aware of things beyond the physical world and attempting to be a ‘better’ human being cannot substitute for seeking to know God and finding Him in Christ, the Holy Scripture, and the Church.

I begin with Christ Jesus because He came, God in flesh, to make the love of our Creator known to us. John’s Gospel tells us that “all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word (Jesus) became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

We read His story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and find amazing mercy, great love, and a seed of faith that grows into eternal life!  Trusting Jesus as our Savior is just the beginning.

To go beyond just being ‘spiritual’ we must begin to expand our knowledge of God by the careful reading and study of the Holy Scripture, for in those words which are the words of men who were inspired by the Spirit, we gain a richer understanding of Who God is and what He desires of us.  Paul wrote that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Many rightly say that they are sometimes confused by the Bible, wondering what some passages mean, how they can interpret the ancient words into meaningful teaching for a 21^st century world.  That brings us to the Church!

The fullest experience of Christianity is not a “Lone Ranger” thing, at all! Many bring our American love of independence and self-sufficiency into their faith and are robbed of the best that God has for us. When we trust Jesus we are called into the Church, sometimes called ‘the Body of Christ.’

Not all local congregations do a good job of being ‘the Church.’ Some are more like a social club, or a community action committee, or a political party. Some have lost sight of the Spirit and practice a coldly formal ritualism that misses out on the vibrant life God desires for us. Some are more business than “Body” directed by authoritarian leaders to accomplish human aims.

The Church is living, a gathering of people who love Jesus and one another. The true model is ‘family’ with every person valued, loved, and contributing to the greater good of the Body. Indeed, this passage makes that very plain. Paul explains that “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.”  (1 Corinthians 12)

In a healthy Church we will find sound teaching, encouragement, a place to grow in character, steadiness, true worship, a mission to serve the world, healing for the soul and body, and much more. If we approach our relationship with the body of Christ as a ‘customer,’ seeking satisfaction of our own desires, we will never find God's will. We are called into the Church and commit ourselves to life-long service and love, for Christ’s sake. Sometimes it’s great and sometimes it is awful, but long-term we find a ‘home’ and a place that grounds us for life!

Do not settle for just being ‘spiritual!’  Seek to know God, through Christ Jesus, in the pages of the Holy Scripture, and in the richer, wider Body, the Church.

Here is a word from the Word. I aspire to this life. Do you? “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!  I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”  - Paul (Philippians 3)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Loved and Loving

It’s Valentine's Day.  Last year, about $14,000,000,000 (yes, that’s billion) was spent celebrating love and romance. Interestingly, about 60% of that amount was spent by men.  The young are more cynical about cards and roses with 45% of people under 34 years of age foregoing those traditional gifts.

The day came to us from the Christian calendar, the feast of St. Valentine. Who he was and what he did are hidden in legend, but we think that Valentine was a martyr of Rome who died for ministering lovingly to other Christians in defiance of the emperor’s edict.

One legend about Valentine says that he a third century Christian priest who believed strongly in marriage at a time when there was much immorality.  The Roman emperor forbade young men to marry, believing that an unmarried man made a better soldier for the empire. Valentine resisted this injustice and conducted marriages in secret. He was caught and eventually executed. True or not, we need that kind of bold love in our world, don’t we? 

Jesus defines genuine “love” for us in a profound sentence – “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John15) How do we do that? We choose to put the needs of another above our own. We sacrifice our advantage to raise another up. We ‘die to Self.’  I pray that Christ will make me a man who loves; wholly and selflessly. 

Love is far more than romance. Jesus was not ashamed to tell a room full of men, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:9-14, NIV)  

Let’s aspire to love in that way so that our words and actions will make love a reality for many, with the hope that ultimately they will see the Great Lover and be healed!

Christian love is an other-focused way of life that actively attempts to serve, to care, to be involved.  Those who love this way enrich others and are made richer. When we love in a Spirit-inspired way, people will take note and Jesus said the quality of our love will be THE mark that we belong to Him.

There will be multiple motivating factors for gifts of chocolates, roses, or jewelry today. 
Some will be 'pay-offs. ‘
Some will be given in the hope of winning an advantage. 
Sad to say, many roses will be sent by dutiful husbands just because 'it's the right thing to do.' 
And yes, I believe that many of those gifts and cards will be exchanged with the heart-felt desire to say – “I love you!”

Whatever you do or don’t do, I hope you know what it is to love and be loved. Nothing in this world feeds the soul more than love.  The truest love is far greater than a sentimental card, a vase of flowers, or a box of chocolates.  The best love says “you are a person of great worth to me” - taking note of another’s place, offering gifts of service, speaking or writing words of affirmation, giving encouragement. – to name a few.

Meditate on this today - "This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13:35, The Message)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

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(Video of this blog at this link)

“I’ve had enough, I’m done!”

Like millions of Americans, I watched the SuperBowl last night and saw the KC Chiefs get shut-down.  Well into the game that team couldn’t find a way to move the ball. Their quarterback, Mahomes, was knocked down repeatedly, threw interceptions, and struggled visibly without much protection.  

I wonder what he’s thinking today?  Is some part of him saying “I’ve had enough?” or is he such a competitor that he is already planning a comeback?

Most of us, at some time in our lives when we have found ourselves so beaten up, overwhelmed, or disappointed that we are ready to say, 'I’ve had enough!'  Who has not felt the temptation to just get in the car and drive away, leaving 'the problem' in our rearview mirror.

When we are accused of ulterior motives, or frustrated by inaction of others, or even disappointed in our own choices, the temptation find ‘greener pastures’ can grow strong.  Don’t do it!

The worst time to make a decision for the future is when we are discouraged, frustrated, or angry! The pithy wisdom of Proverbs says, "There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death." (Proverbs 16:25, NLT) The course of action that 'makes so much sense' now, may look quite foolish a month from now when the pressure has let up.

Looking back over my life, I can see so many times when the greatest ‘wins’ came out of the renewed determination that followed the worst disappointments.

There are times when a strategic retreat is in order. When we are up against an unyielding foe, when nothing is going right, when everything we try to do meets with opposition- there's not a thing wrong with taking a breather. When we step away, for a day of prayer or take a week's vacation for renewal, it helps us to regain perspective. A prayer retreat, where we get alone with our thoughts and God, letting it all out with a flood of words (and maybe some tears, too), can help to restore us to effectiveness.

Never forget that when we come to the end of ourselves, God’s resources remain inexhaustible and, if we will trust Him and go steady on, He can accomplish amazingly wonderful things.

Remember Paul’s confession? He was knocked down, beat up, and rejected so many times in his work for Christ. There is so much encouragement in his honest assessment- “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”  (2 Corinthians 1)

Are you ready to walk off today,
concluding you are ‘not enough’
or that the situation is beyond redemption?

Find a way to do a strategic retreat.
Find an honest confidante, not someone who will just tell you that you're right, who will help you unravel the knots.
Go silent for a while, take a ride, go for a walk.
Give yourself time to regain reason.

The word from the Word comes from the writing of James. "So let endurance grow, for when it is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1:4-6, NLT)

Steady on, trusting God. He has a plan and a purpose!

Drinking Poison?

“It’s just not fair.”  The complaint is not just for kid’s games.

When innocent people die because leaders go to war, it’s not fair! 
When a good man is falsely accused and his life is ruined, it’s not fair!
When our adult child lies to us and takes advantage of our love, it’s not fair!
When a friend is self-centered, constantly taking, never giving, it’s not fair!
When our spouse bullies us instead of loving us, it’s not fair!
When a friend abandons the friendship without a word, it’s not fair. 
And so it goes. Who among us has not experienced a situation when we felt misused, abused, or poorly treated?

The question for us, Christian, is whether we will take the road to which the Lord Jesus points in those moments, or will we drink the poison of bitterness?

Forgiveness is at the HEART of Christ’s message, God’s forgiveness of our sins and our forgiveness of others. In the Creed we confess “I believe in the forgiveness of sin.”  We are not saying “I believe God excuses my choices!”  Through Christ, He releases us from guilt and removes the judgment we deserve. There is no fine, no payment plan, no debt remaining.

Our forgiveness of others is modelled on His forgiveness of us. We are asked to assume the cost of releasing that other person from any obligation to us. C. S. Lewis observes “This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life … How can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night "Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us."

Here is the challenge to us in our daily walk with Christ. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”  (Ephesians 4) I hasten to remind us that the Spirit inspired those words to be written to Christians, not the godless.  Anger, rage, and bitterness do not just evaporate from our lives because we believe in Jesus!  There is a daily choice to let go of Self and to fully release others from the debts they incur, and not just to make excuse for them, either.

God does not ask us to become doormats for the abuse of others, nor does He require that we take a liar at his word again or allow an abuser to repeat his offense.  Wisdom requires that we remove ourselves from some situations, but without a need to ‘get even’ or settle old scores. Christians forgive fully by handing the injustice to God and allowing Him to judge perfectly, as He will.

Millions of people are drinking the poison of bitterness everyday and then wondering why their souls are so sick. They are full of resentment, careful to protect their dignity, quick to make sure others know how badly they believe they were treated and then they go to Jesus and ask Him to forgive their own faults, failures, and sins without any sense of irony.

We need to think deeply on His words in the prayer we pray – “forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”  (Matthew 5) Would you want God to forgive you in the same say, to same degree, that you have forgiven that person who wounded you so badly last year?  That is exactly what we pray.

When we turn to Christ Jesus, securing ourselves in His amazing, deep, undeserved love we find the ability to ‘let it go.’  Knowing we are God’s beloved child; we have no need to make sure all of life is fair. He is our peace. He is our joy. He is our hope.  I remind you of that text that brings me near tears every time I read it: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3) There we find the open secret of living the abundant life of which Jesus spoke.

Today, let God love to you to life. Then, offer Him the hurt, the disappointment, the fear that shapes any resentment or rage in your life.

The word from the Word is found in Matthew 18. There Jesus encourages us to carefully seek reconciliation with others. His words confound peter who asks -   “Lord, how often should I forgive someone^[i] who sins against me? Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Drink from the cup of God’s love. Discard the poison of bitterness.

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(Video of this blog at this link)