Get your heart into it!

99% of the time I love my calling to serve as a local church's pastor. I believe in the Church, that she holds the key to making a better world and the answer to the spiritual need of every human being. I have a passion for the Gospel of Christ. Nobody has to bribe me to get me to work. No one has to threaten me to get me to produce. Why? Because my heart is in this; it's my life. If you talk with me for more than a few moments, you're going to hear about two things- my family and the church! Because those loves are deep in my heart, they surface quickly in my conversation. In contrast, I have a friend who hates his occupation. He dreads every morning, drags his feet all the way to where he works, and lives for the weekend. He will candidly tell you that he works just for the money! In conversation he seldom even mentions his occupation - except to complain about the 'idiots' he has to work around. I do hope that your daily work is about something you love and believe in, but that's not the main point of this TFTD.

Why are you a Christian?
How do you serve Christ and His kingdom?

Some people's Christianity is primarily focused on getting to Heaven and keeping out of trouble with God. They don't really love Him, nor do they really have a heart-deep conviction that the meaning of a joyous life is found in knowing Jesus. But they do believe that Eternity is real and that God exists so.... they participate at a minimal level that they hope will keep God satisfied. The tragic truth about this kind of spirituality is that it robs that person of joy in both worlds! They can't dive into making money, seeking pleasure, and feeding their sensual appetites because they have a certain kind of fear of God. And they don't enjoy the joy of a close walk with the Spirit of God because they keep Him at a distance, too!

I once counseled a man who was torn between his desire to do his own thing and his knowledge of God's way. He tried desperately to keep a foot in each world, living sinfully and sensually and then pleading with God for forgiveness. The roller coaster of guilt and relief nearly drove him mad! My advice to him was simple - "Choose!" That's what Joshua advised the nation of Israel, too. “Honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15, NLT)

This challenge to choose is one that recurs again and again in the Bible. Moses, in his final address to Israel, laid out the 'blessings' and 'curses.' That sermon which is recorded in the ending chapters of Deuteronomy are an interesting study in choice and consequence! Elijah stood before the king and leaders of Israel at Mt. Carmel and threw down this challenge - “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal (a god worshipped by the Canaanite people), follow him. Make up your minds!” (1 Kings 18:21, The Message)

Believer, get your heart into it. Choose God. Make Him first - in your affections, in your priorities of time use, in your finances. Love for God is not just about warm, fuzzy emotions that we feel in those occasional times of high worship, or at a beautiful sunset, or... whatever. Love for God is about our daily choices. Our hearts will follow our choice. IF we choose Him, place our affections on Him, we will find great joy in the offering of ourselves. His love will grow in us.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today - Jesus says, “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends." (Revelation 3:20, NLT) What's your choice?
__________________________

This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe,
Your Holy Presence living in me.

This is my Daily Bread,
This is my Daily Bread,
Your very word spoken to me.

And I, I'm desp'rate for You.
And I, I'm lost without You.

© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services) CCLI License No. 810055

Who speaks for God?

Would you agree with me that God needs some really good ambassadors in this world, who represent His kingdom well?

It seems to me that too often only the hate-mongers like Fred Phelps get the headlines. He's the 'pastor' who leads "Christians" in marches at American soldiers funerals waving signs that read - "God hates fags!" and "God Hates Cripple Soldiers" and other slogans too vile to publish here.
Then, too, everybody knows about the TV preachers who preach the "health and wealth" Gospel that only feeds the selfishness and greed of listeners. They promise rich rewards to the gullible who send in generous offerings to buy God's favor. Oh, it hurts, doesn't it?
Less spectacular, but just as harmful are those religious zealots who represent God as an angry Father ready to knock down anyone who doesn't cower before Him. They focus on the sins and failures of their family and neighbors, criticizing and condemning, and threatening hellfire for all. If they mention Jesus at all, it isn't about His amazing love, but rather His Second Coming 'to set everything right!' - meaning, "He's gonna finally punish all you sinners!" Oh, it hurts my heart so badly! If I only knew God through the kinds of messengers I've just mentioned, I wouldn't want anything to do with Christianity and/or organized religion, either.

That's why God needs you and me to speak up!

The Bible says, "We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, NLT) What a commission. We, who have experienced the favor of God through Christ Jesus, are able to freely offer it to people around us. That doesn't mean we have to 'go soft on sin.' We are privileged, instead, to build bridges into the lives of those who are isolated, offering them a way to know the God that will satisfy the hunger that they have for meaning, purpose, and wholeness.

The Holy Spirit divinely equips us to speak for God with an ability that the New Testament calls the gift of prophecy. Don't get scared! Paul talks at length about it in 1st Corinthians 14. We attach all kinds of mystical, spooky connotations to the word, but it's really a simple concept. Prophets represent God, bringing His words to others! They represent Him to the world. "Let love be your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the gift of prophecy... one who prophesies is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them." (1 Corinthians 14:1, 3 NLT) We, that's right, you and me - are urged to pray for this gift to be active in us, so that we can speak God's message to the people around us in a way that is convincing and effective. That doesn't mean you have to work up a 30 minute sermon and take over the break room today to deliver a full attack on the sins of America! It means that we listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit, asking Him to give us words that people need to hear. And He will! They can be loving words, encouraging words, comforting words, inviting words. Prophets write short encouraging notes when they feel that the Lord is directing them to do that. Prophets gently tell the truth, accurately, and without a personal agenda.

Are you willing to speak for God? It takes a sensitive heart, a submitted spirit, and lots of courage. When you say "I've been praying and I believe that the Spirit wants me to share this with you..." you're going to get criticized, rejected, and marked as a nut case! But, if you're really hearing from God, you're going to also have opportunities to encourage, to help lost people find the Way.

Let's not let the noisy offensive religious nuts be the only voices that claim to speak for God.
Pray that God will speak to you so you can speak to others. Keep it real, keep it loving, keep it Christ-centered.
_________________

We are called to be prophets to this nation
To be the word of God in every situation
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Who'll be the salt if the salt should lose its flavor?
Who'll be the salt if the salt should lose its flavor?
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, take all my lies and take all of my greed
Let me be a sacrifice to those who are in need
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, without Your power it's all just good intentions
Lord, without Your grace who could find redemption?
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, loose the chains of oppression
Lord, set the captives free
Lord, fill my heart with compassion
Shine Your light, Shine Your Light
Shine Your light thru me

Work a miracle in my heart
Work a miracle in my heart
Work a miracle in my heart, Oh Lord, today!

CCLI License No. 810055

Love - God's nature, God's gift

Our daughter, Maribel, got engaged this past weekend. Everything we hear about the young man who has stolen her heart delights us! Her email to us that told us about his romantic proposal, his desire to meld their lives in service to Christ, his respect and honor for us as her parents-- and the way he lights up her life - make us very glad. "Love is a many-splendored thing." Solomon's Song exults in it, "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned." (Song of Solomon 8:7, NIV) God gave the gift of love to us. It reflects His very nature. John reminds us that "God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us." (1 John 4:16, The Message) Are you getting ready to object to my connection of my daughter's romance with God's love? Give me a couple of more moments before you do.

The truth is that real, deep marital love - the covenant commitment of a man and woman to each other- is the Biblical illustration of God's relationship to His Church. We are called the Bride of Christ! He wants to delight us, to captivate us, and to have us respond with intense desire for Him, the same kind of desire that is found in a couple in love! It is God's plan that our delight in Him never wanes, but only deepens over time like love deepens in a carefully tended marriage. Maribel and Dave have a new love, a love that has not yet been tested by trials, kids, sickness, bills, tempers, and all that stuff of real life. When they make the covenant commitment, before God, to love and to cherish, for better and worse; with the help of God they will build on their romantic attraction and create a life together marked by a quality of love that reflects God's own love for them.

Are you captivated by Christ?
Do you think of Him as you awaken, talk with Him as you begin your day, turn to Him through the day, and as the night closes around you, commit yourself to Him?

In my pastoral work, I am often asked to help couples who have 'fallen out of love,' whose marriages are in trouble. When one or both partners fail to care for the marriage or take advantage of their spouse, or break their vows; sorrow is inevitable. Then, too, there are those marriages that run headlong into terrible difficulties, things like huge life change or chronic illness. The restorative power of real love still amazes me! Sometimes I think to myself, "this marriage is beyond salvage, too wrecked to survive," but the couple works hard, digs deep, and draws on God's love and their love, emerging from the the awful pain of broken lives into a love that is stronger than before!

Some Christians have the same experience with the Divine Lover! They neglect Him, or they take advantage of Him, or they even betray Him! They wander from Him, chase after other loves, and feel the coldness of soul. They seem to die while they are still living. Then, when we might conclude that they are beyond hope, they turn in humble repentance, and their love for Him re-emerges deeper,s stronger than before. Others run into testing experiences that make the love of Christ seem like a joke. "How can You love me and let me go through this?" is the cry of their aching soul. Where have you gone? But, with patience and perseverance, they find that He is there, that He does care.

Paul tells us that it is the love of God that brings out the best in us! Take this passage with you today.
Let the image of a newly minted love fire your imagination and give you a renewed desire to know the Love of Christ. Take note what results from knowing His love....

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.

Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

It Can Never Be Yesterday Again

Nostalgia- what a powerful force it wields. I can hardly bear to page through our family picture albums or watch old family videos. Why? They stir up such memories, such longing for the happy moments when my kids were running through the house, that I feel down for hours! Interestingly, those same pictures that make me so morose make my wife thankful that our kids are all grown up. She was a full-time Mom and remembers that era in our family life quite differently than I do! Both of us agree about one thing, however; we can't relive those joys, so we'll find the joys that today offers!

Some people are attempting to navigate life while staring into the rear-view mirror! They are largely missing the present because they are remembering the happiness of another time in life. Every experience of the 'now' is evaluated in the light of 'then.' There's a big problem with living that way. Memory is highly selective. We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs. So, as we remember the 'good old days,' we tend to forget the difficulties and recall the moments of joy. Try to think back to 1986 - just 20 years ago. The stuff you were dealing with on a daily basis is largely forgotten. Your recall is limited to big moments of joy - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations. Of course the awful moments are prominent in memory, too. But the ordinary moments - the flat tires, broken appliances, frustrations, arguments... they have disappeared into the mist of memory recalled only with great effort!

I find that some Christians fall into the trap of nostalgia in the faith walk, too. They bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, and/or long for the preaching of some pastor they knew years ago. "It's not the way it used to be," they say. They're right! Change is inevitable! Churches that work to stay exactly the same - and many do - become less and less effective in speaking to their community. They become ingrown, inbred, and irrelevant. Some of you are objecting, "Jerry, Christianity is ancient. Traditions are important." And you're right. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever." The celebrations of Communion, baptism, Christmas, and Easter are valuable traditions that preserve continuity in the Christian community. I would agree that some change is done for the sake of being 'cutting edge,' but not really all that helpful or necessary.

That said, we need to recognize that how the Gospel is communicated; the ways that we worship, the methods we use to observe the traditions and rites of our faith - will all change over time. Songs that moved us, that shaped our expressions, will be replaced by the songs of new artists who are expressing their love for Christ with new rhythms and melodies. Preachers whose methods were inspired by the Spirit for a window in time will pass on to their reward and new servants will emerge with innovative ways to share the authentic Message of Christ. (I won't take time to illustrate this point from history, but believe me - each generation's innovations in Christian worship has provoked the ire of the previous generation!)

Now, let me speak personally to you.

Are you missing out on what God wants to do in your life TODAY, because you're attempting to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time?

Do you fondly remember a decade when, in your memory anyway, God seemed so close to you? Rejoice in that! Don't try to erase yesterday. My great memories of family times with my kids are foundational to my love for them today. But, if I attempt to relate to my kids who are now adults like I did when they were pre-adolescents, I'll alienate them from me. So it is with the Lord. What He did for you and with you yesterday is foundational for your walk with Him today, but those things are past, and He's doing a new thing in you, in me!

Ask God to help you to see and appreciate what He's doing today. If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' pray for those who lead, asking the Spirit to make His Presence known - and be ready for God to do a new thing - in you, in your church, in this world!

Consider Jesus' parable - “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT)

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness. (Psalm 98:1, NLT)

So they changed the world...

It was a good Resurrection Sunday! At the sunrise, we sang in the chilly wind and remembered the women who went to the garden, only to discover that the stone was rolled away, the Lord risen from His grave. The church house was well-attended. There were beautiful songs and flowers; all the 'stuff' we associate with Easter time. The day has come and gone, now what? We can take some direction from those first followers.

Those first disciples needed some time to process the amazing things that happened. They had ridden an emotional roller-coaster! The sadness of the Passover meal with Jesus where He told them that He was about to die and that one of them would be the person who betrayed Him, turned into the horror of a trial and then, the Crucifixion. During those hours, they feared for their lives, huddled in the upper room behind closed doors, trying to make sense of their shattered dreams. Then came the morning announcement from the three women who brought the news - "He's alive!" Even for men who had seen him bring Lazarus from his grave, who had watched Him take a boy's lunch and feed 5,000, who had watched him walk across the lake towards their boat-- it was too much. Luke tells us that they 'thought the words sounded like nonsense, so they didn't believe it.' One by one they came to realize that their Lord lived. Thomas, the doubter, was one of the last to accept it and then only when he was face to face with Jesus. 50 days later, they were assembled again in Jerusalem and, just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit filled them with fervor. They went out to tell anyone who would listen that life was worth living, that God loved them, and that they, too, could live forever!

First, we need to bring the message of Easter to our lives! Are we living like people who have wrestled with the implications of having eternal life? Paul uses an interesting phrase for those who have not really understood the meaning of the Resurrection, who continue to live as 'natural' men and women. He says, They "make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites!" (Phil. 3.19)

If we believe the proclamation of Easter, it will change everything about us! "We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere." (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT) Resurrection life becomes about more than eating, drinking, paying the bills - the stuff of this life. An added dimension, the promise of eternal life, causes us to love others, to live purposefully and passionately about doing the work of our living Lord!

History tells us that those first "Jesus People" made a difference wherever they went. They changed the world, and history itself, with their selfless service done in the Name of Jesus, who lived in their hearts, whose words echoed in their minds, and who had prepared them a home in Heaven. That is our commission, too! Don't leave Easter at church. Let the message sink in - "because He lives, I will live also." Process it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a personal Pentecost, an experience of the Spirit's empowerment. Then, go start to live a Resurrection life - NOW.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you today - "now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. " (1 Corinthians 15:57-58, The Message)

It is finished!

Who doesn't enjoy a task completed, a project finished, reaching the goal? One of the most important 'projects' in my life was my God-given responsibility to prepare our children for adulthood, giving them the tools - emotional, intellectual, and spiritual - to build a life that pleases God and blesses others. Last week, our kids and their spouses assembled for a friend's wedding in New Hampshire. As I talked with them, heard what they're up to these days, and watched them at work and play, my heart filled up with joy that occasionally spilled out of my eyes as tears. My youngest is 24 and they're all well 'on the way' in life. By the grace of God, I believe that Bev and I did a reasonable job of raising God's gifts to us. Oh yes, I'm still their Dad, but the task of disciplining, training, inspecting, enforcing - thank God - is finished.

During His agony on the Cross Jesus uttered these words - "It is finished!"
Was He simply crying out in His pain, wishing for an end to His suffering?
Was He giving up, acknowledging sin's triumph - "I'm done in, defeated, game over?"

No way! Those words, "It is finished," were the words of a Victor, the declaration of the Man that He had completed the awesome mission of being our Savior, offering the final sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Because He completed His task, you and I stand today before our holy God- forgiven, free, and filled with assurance! There is nothing to add to the work of Christ, no improvement can be made. It is a finished work of redemption from sin!

The book of Hebrews is written around the themes of fulfillment and completion. The writer explains how Christ fulfills the Law, satisfied the holy requirements of God in every way, offering us a relationship to God based on a superior agreement. Take a look at this passage --
"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctifies them so that they are outwardly clean.
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9:11-15, NIV)

The old way, the Law, was built on sacrifices that were temporary, that had to be renewed year after year. Jesus was the Final Sacrifice for us! Our response is to accept that sacrifice, to be restored to full relationship with our Creator/Father, and to 'serve the living God.' Our service is not motivated by terror, nor are we proving ourselves worthy of His love. Rather as beloved sons and daughters, we are living out Dad's vision, a perfect vision, for us. In that place, we are making a difference in His world, and preparing to enter into eternal life.

As you read the story of the Cross, as you hear John tell us of Jesus' words - "It is finished!" - hear it as a declaration of your victory over sin, death, and Hell!

Meditate on that today. From those simple words, draw strength and hope to finish well.

"So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body. So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25, The Message)

The Wonderful Cross

Do you ever stop and think why Christians wear crosses and decorate churches with crosses thereby making the means of suffering and cruel death the symbol of their faith? In some churches it has become fashionable to keep the cross out of sight, replacing it with rainbows, angels, or doves. I will glory in the cross! A rainbow may speak to me of hope. Angels may cause me to feel some comfort and strength. Doves may remind me of the hovering Presence of the Spirit -- but only the Cross brings peace to my soul, assuring me of the Father's covenant love.

What a glorious thought - Christ suffering for ME, willingly, because He loves ME! I wish it had never been necessary for Him to become the Lamb of God, offered for my sin, but that is not the case. I am a sinner, a wretch, through and through: hopeless, broken, alone, dying - apart from the Cross where Life flowed down to ME!

I read through some of the hymns of the Cross again this morning. Read these lines thoughtfully, prayerfully. Let Watts and Crosby lead you to contemplate the wonder of Jesus' offering of Himself to meet your desperate need --

Jesus, keep me near the cross, There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calvary's mountain.

In the cross, in the cross, Be my glory ever.
Till my raptured soul shall find, Rest beyond the river.
______________

Alas and did my Savior bleed, And did my sov'reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head, For such a worm as I?

But drops of grief can ne'er repay, The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee, 'Tis all that I can do!

At the cross, at the cross, Where I first saw the light
And the burden of my heart rolled away;
It was there by faith, I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day!
______________

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'ertake me,
hopes deceive and fears annoy;
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
by the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that thro' all time abide.
_______________

Yes, Believer it is the Christ of the Cross that makes us holy and free. Don't 'rush' to the Resurrection this week. That is a grand Truth, and we love to tell it again and again. The empty tomb is the ultimate! But, the road to new life leads through the Cross. Think on His suffering. Don't distance yourself. Worship Him that He died for you, for me! Don't be swept up by those who would teach you that you can save yourself from God's judgment by religion, goodness, or martyrdom. God's love flows from the Cross, so let's glory in the Christ who showed us the depth of His love by dying there.

For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate." (Galatians 6:13-14, The Message)

Don't be bamboozled!

The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been challenged this year by the fictional work of Dan Brown, The DaVinci Code. Nearly 40 million copies of the book, which is a novel about the conspiracy of the Church to hide the 'truth' about Jesus' marriage to Mary Magdalene and to make Him into a god. I haven't read it, but I'm told it's a story that is written in a way that keeps the reader turning the pages. What it isn't is true! But many people seem to think that it is. This month the National Geographic Society is hyping the so-called Gospel of Judas as though it is a major new revelation about Christianity. Yes, it is true that an ancient book was found in the Egyptian desert that has been dated to the 2nd or 3rd century. But the book doesn't change a thing about the origins of Christianity. Judas didn't write it and it isn't Christian. It is a rehash of Gnosticism. "The Gnostics were a heretical cult that believed that the inner self was held prisoner by a material body, a prison from which they hoped to escape. This Gospel of Judas holds that Judas was helping Jesus to get rid of his flesh, so that his inner divine being could be free." - Dr. Ron Carlson

What we are seeing is the conceit of human intelligence in full bloom. I am not suggesting that scholarly inquiry and study of the Bible is a terrible thing, nor do I think that Christianity is incapable of withstanding criticism. But much of the 'stuff' being written about the so-called 'historical Jesus' is just speculation based on scraps of information by people who have already determined that the supernatural content of the Gospels cannot be true and that the declaration of Jesus' divinity is merely a myth, invited by the unsophisticated men and women who first followed Him. These presumptions color their inquiry so that they are incapable of seeing the plain truth of the Word. Their high-sounding words and intricately woven arguments bamboozle many into rejecting the wonderful facts that Jesus, the Christ, came into the world to bring us the full Truth about God, to die to reconcile us to Him, and to restore us to eternal life!

Paul, just a couple of decades after Jesus lived and died and rose again, warned about being taken in by high-flown rhetoric and invented theories that invalidate the Truth of the Gospel. "I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense." (1 Corinthians 1:18-20, NLT)

Many are suggesting that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a fabrication, a collection of folk tales and legend that collected around an obscure Jewish apocalyptic prophet whose radical ideas got him killed. I don't think that a cleverly invented lie about a Jewish prophet's death and 'Resurrection' would have the ability to change the world, do you? When did a lie ever last for two thousand years? It is much more reasonable to believe what the Bible claims - that the Gospel is the Truth of God, that it is the "the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—... This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:16-17, NLT)

I affirm the ancient Truth. "You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!"
______________

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and
sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
__________________

*Note: The word "Catholic" in this creed does not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but the Christian Church as a whole.

Change - in you or your place?

Recently I had a conversation with a discouraged pastor who told me that he had concluded that his work in the church he served was finished. He had prepared his resume and put it out to other churches. He was praying for a change. As we talked, I discerned that he wasn't really certain that he was making the right choice. He was reacting to his inner pain. How many times have you prayed for God to change your situation? Dozens, hundreds? Me, too! We become convinced that the only answer to a problem is a change of face or place; a new job, a different town, a new church, etc. Sometimes that is needed, however we need to consider that God's plan may be to use us as a catalyst for change right where we are! That may well require that we engage ourselves in painful situations, or with difficult people. A primary model of this is the Lord Jesus and His choice to accept God's plan to save the world. On the night before He died on the cross, He prayed - “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”" (Luke 22:41-42, NLT) You're objecting, "Jerry, I can't identify with that! I'm not Jesus with a call to die for the sins of the world!" That is true, but we are called to die to self as we walk the way of the Lord! Many years ago, a good friend and I were talking about a hard choice he faced. It was clear to him what the God-honoring decision was and it was clear to me that he in for a road of difficulty. He wisely said, "Jerry, called me to obedience, not happiness. I am convinced that there is joy for me in my obedience."

For many people feeling good, being happy, is the ultimate goal, the highest value in life. If a situation causes them to feel pain and/or stress, it must be changed. This emphasis on 'being happy, regardless of the needs of others,' leads many to an empty life of little accomplishment, shallow relationships, and meager character! Of course, we need to acknowledge that it doesn't make much sense to do something the hard way, just because it is more difficult. The polar opposite of the pleasure-seeker is the masochist who seeks pain and/or difficulty because he thinks that the only way to pleasure is through suffering. Finding gratification or pleasure in pain is not natural! Generally, pain signals disease or dysfunction, thus it follows that the right response to pain is to seek to alleviate the suffering. And yet, there are times when God allows us to live with pain, when He calls on us to walk a road that is narrow and steep, in order to accomplish a greater good in us or through us in the world! When that is His plan, though we may not feel happiness, we will have joy!

The Bible says that Jesus made choice to walk up Calvary to die and on the other side of that awful place He found joy. We are encouraged to be willing to make similar choices. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

Are you preparing to 'move on' from where you are seeking happiness elsewhere?
Have you prayed about your plans, sincerely asking God what His will is? You may be right in looking for new opportunities!

But would you even consider that you may be in just the right place, the person He purposes to use as a change agent in that company, that neighborhood, that church? Believer, before you make a change- seek God! Your life is not yours, you belong to Him and live for His purposes. So, be proactive in prayer. Outline your problem to God. Acknowledge the real pain you feel in the situation. Tell the Lord that you're feeling like another place, a new opportunity is just what you need. Then, listen carefully - to the Spirit, to the counsel of godly friends. Make sure your choices are conformed to the principles of the Scripture. Consider the model of Jesus, willing to allow that God may be leading you through the situation rather than around it!

Remember, happiness is external and therefore temporary.
Joy is an evidence of God's Spirit at work in us, an inner quality, and therefore, lasting!
Seek JOY!
___________________

Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.

Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.

Change My Heart, Oh God
Author: Espinosa, Eddie
Copyright: 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

"I promise to love"

Brian and Katie are beautiful young adults, full of life and optimism, obviously in love. On Saturday, as I heard them say, "I promise to love... in good time and bad times, in times of plenty as in times of need, in sickness and in health," I bowed my head and prayed, "Give them grace, Lord, they do not know the meaning of the words they are saying." They are mature Believers, apparently emotionally prepared for marriage and committed to each other; but they are living in a society where marriage vows are abandoned at alarming rates that rise to more than 50%! Nothing in life, except their commitment to Jesus Christ, will require more discipline, more selflessness, more prayer, and just plain hard work than building a marriage that is truly intimate, that enjoys real, lasting love and that is a model of Christ's own love for His Bride, the Church.

"Jerry, you don't sound very positive about marriage." Oh, you're so wrong. I believe in marriage, and after 31 years with Bev, have some idea of the joys of a long-lasting relationship that grows and adapts to the demands of life in the real world. However, I also have walked with many men and women through the wreckage of marriages that broke under the pressure of infidelity, immaturity, selfishness, and mis-placed values. So, while I rejoice at weddings, I also pray!

Friend, is your marriage strong, healthy, and a source of joy? There are ways that you can help your relationship grow.

Most important of all, is the submission of self - learning to think in the 'we' mode instead of the 'me' mode! A marriage cannot grow strong where the husband and wife are each grasping for positions of advantage, trying to control each other, or using up their resources (emotional, financial, and spiritual) to feed their own need! A godly husband submits himself to Christ as Lord and, in that humility, earns the privilege of providing servant leadership to his wife, who is herself submitted to Christ. The couple, who as individuals are deeply committed to Christ, has found the key to building a marriage that lasts! The Word says, "you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything. And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean..." (Ephesians 5:21-26, NLT)

Jesus shows us the path of humility and invites us to walk on it. The Word teaches us that "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." (Philippians 2:5-9, NIV) This is not something we can achieve on our own, by our will alone, or with some human technique. Humility of person that lets us serve our Lord and our spouse faithfully, in keeping with those vows "to love, honor, and keep (him) her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others keep only unto (him) her so long as I live" demands the grace of God and the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in us- daily.

Love- it's not just songs of romance, walks on moonlit beaches, and great sex! It's serving, giving, sharing - "We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for (each other.) But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions." (1 John 3:16-18, NLT)

His Majesty!

I have never met a king, or a prince, to my knowledge. With my American background that resists respecting one person over another simply because of his bloodlines, I'm not sure it would matter much to me anyway. I believe that it is the way a person lives that earns honor, not who his father is. Why should someone be given authority because of his DNA? When I see the mess of the House of Windsor (England's royal family) I am quite thankful that I live in a republic where the citizens choose a leader, handing him authority to 'rule' on a temporary basis! If we elect a man to our Presidency who turns out to be a fool, we can turn him out of office in a few years. But, if a monarch sires a fool, he rules anyway- for life! OK, so I'm not much on royalty. But I serve a King! His name? Jesus Christ.

Much is made of His royalty in Mark's Gospel, chapter 15, but not in a good way. We learn that those who dragged Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor, accused him of rebellion, of claiming authority as the "King of the Jews" that was not truly his in their opinion. Pilate asks Jesus point-blank - "are you the King?" Jesus acknowledged that he was, but not as a rival for Rome's political authority. He said, “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36, NLT) Later the governor takes Jesus before the mob and asks, "What shall I do with this king?" The tone is obviously one of mockery. The soldiers who took him from Pilate turned sadistic and beat him. Mark says, "They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18, The Message) The final indignity was the sign that hung above his head on the cross - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Is He your King - in truth, in honor, and with full authority?
Is He Lord of life, or simply "Lord" of convenience?

The Kingdom of Christ for many is just a matter of talk. They may sing of His reign, say the creed that acknowledges His Kingly authority, but their life shows that they are in contempt of His authority, much in the way that I have little regard for the royals of England. While they are not spitting on Him, nor physically mistreating Him, those who profess to serve Him, but show no submission to Him, are abusing the King much the same as Pilate and his soldiers did. Their lack of submission mocks Him before the world.

He is my King of life! He has complete authority to send me where He will, to use me as He wishes, to make any and all demands of me as His loyal subject. I bow my head, bend my knee, and confess that He is Lord. And He welcomes me into His Kingdom. The crowning moment of my existence will be when I kneel before Him in Heaven.

We are much drawn to the humble Savior whose portrait is painted for us by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John! We love the stories of the Man who was born in a Manger, the Carpenter, the One who took children in His arms, the bleeding Savior of the Cross - and rightfully so. But let us not forget that He is crowned the King and as such, stands to judge the earth! Let us take up His name, serve Him, and make a Kingdom difference in this world - for His honor and glory.Here's the portrait of the King that John paints in the book of the Revelation.

Meditate on the majesty of Jesus as you read his description.

"He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were bright like flames of fire.
His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.
He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
But he laid his right hand on me and said,
“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave." (Revelation 1:12-18, NLT)

Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!

Your unique purpose

The Old Testament book of Esther is a curious book in that the name of God is never mentioned in it! In case you're not familiar with the story, here's an outline. The Persian king rids himself of his queen and sets out to choose another wife. A Jewish girl living in that pagan culture is selected as the new queen. A little while later, a plot hatched by Haman, one of the court's noblemen, to rid the kingdom of the Jews is discovered. Mordecai, Esther's uncle and a minor court officer, goes to her and asks her to intercede with the king. Of course, entering the Persian king's presence without an invitation was an offense for which you could be killed. At first, Esther refuses but her uncle sent her these words ... {Esther 4:12-14} When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
....and Esther did go to the king, told him about the plot, and saved her people. A pretty and courageous young girl became the person God used to rescue His people!

God has a distinct plan and purpose for YOU. That is a fact that provokes very different responses. To some that is a frightening declaration. Their reaction is something like - "Oh, no. It's too hard to think about that. What if do not fulfill my purpose? I'm not sure I'm ready for this." To others the thought that God has a purpose for their life is exhilarating! "I am a person prepared and called to a place no one else can fill. Wow, that's too wonderful to truly understand, but God use me for your glory!"

If we think God is playing games with us, trying to see if we will fail so He can punish us, we will fear His will! If we understand that He desires success for us, that He has all the resources we need, the adventure of His will is not a thing to dread! The Word tells us that God works with us - "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV) When Jesus told the disciples that they were to go and spread the Message of the Kingdom, He promised, "I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” " (Matthew 28:20, The Message) As the Church was being born, those men and women leaned heavily on the promise of the Lord -"when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”" (Acts 1:8, NLT)

Some of us think that God is like Donald Trump's character on the reality TV program, The Apprentice. The business czar gives young people a very difficult task with minimal resources. Then he calls them into the board room and one of them is fired! That is not the picture I want you to have in mind about the Lord. Instead, I want you to think of Him as a patient Mentor, working with you, developing skills in you, pouring resources into your life - because YOUR SUCCESS in His purposes, ultimately reflects on Him!

Of course, there is a price to live in the purpose of God. It's not all glory! Esther's life, while wonderful in the results she brought about for her people, was full of decisions that cost her dearly. She had to set aside her personal comfort, her ease - and pursue the purpose single-mindedly. So must we! Pray today that the Lord will show you what He wants from you --- at work, in your extended family, at church, in your neighborhood. Your faithfulness could bring about the eternal salvation of someone who has no other person to show them Jesus. Serious, isn't it?
What does He want from you "for such a time as this?"
_____________

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move,
At the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take My Life And Let It Be --
Havergal, Frances R. / Malan, Henri A. CesarCopyright: Public Domain

The High Calling

The sordid details of the boy's life were, by turns, tragic and shameful. His testimony before a Congressional committee grabbed the attention of the media. Justin Berry, 19, told of being drawn into Internet pornography, how as a 13 year old boy, he became an object of online exploitation by men from all over the country. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say, his life was very ugly! The list of those who 'used' him was long, full of people from all walks of life- teachers, lawyers, etc. What they did 'in the dark' became public, much to their shame. Today, the AP carries reports of Brian Doyle, a deputy press secretary with the US Dept. of Homeland Security, being arrested for using his computer to converse with a person he thought was a 14 year old girl in Florida. His explicit sexual conversations were actually happening with an undercover sheriff. Now he is facing trial and public humiliation. I am quite certain that none of Justin Berry's 'clients' nor Brian Doyle expected their actions to become public. They failed to reckon with the consequences of choices made in secret, in the dark! Now, they face disgrace.

Believer, you and I have a high calling in Christ. The Bible challenges us "to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (Ephesians 4:1, NLT) We must let the light of Christ shine into every corner of our lives, living openly, staying connected in healthy relationships so that sin will not find any secret, dark places in us where it can hide and grow. We must choose to be in the company of others who call from us the highest and the best! Our focus must always be on honoring the One who has staked His reputation on us, for we are 'Christ's ambassadors.'

Paul was under house arrest in Rome, held on charges that were politically motivated. In that kind of stress, which might have become an excuse for sinful choices, he says, "For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die." (Philippians 1:20, NLT) What a goal! We all need to share it. The apostle, though human and prone to failure by his own admission, set his sights on living to honor the Lord. Think of the ways that adopting his goal of a Christ-honoring life potentially changes the way we live. Every conversation, every action, every private thought takes on a different dimension when put under the Bright Light of heaven.

When we are tempted to gossip and tear at another's reputation, we need to think - does this honor Christ?
When we are ready to make a choice that bends the rules to fit our selfish agenda, we need to remind ourselves - if this becomes public knowledge, what will others think of my Lord?
When we are at work and feel the desire to just do the minimum, we must remember- I represent the Lord of glory!

"But, Jerry, you're asking me to be perfect!" No, friend, I cannot require that of you, for it is impossible for me! None of us is flawless, nor can we ever be this side of Heaven. However, we must not use the sinful nature as an excuse to indulge ourselves, and so to dishonor the Lord who calls us into His service. As I wrote yesterday, the secret of a holy life is the power of the Spirit, found by inviting Christ Jesus to live in us, transforming us.

Read this passage thoughtfully today.
Pray that God will lead you to live honorably, for Christ's sake.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity,
or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ...

Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ...

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:1-16, NIV)
_______________________

I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk,
close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord,
None but Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Just A Closer Walk With Thee- Public Domain

A little bending of the rules

America faces an ethical crisis! Washington, DC has more than the usual amount of politicos on the take these days. News report this morning report that Tom DeLay, once the most powerful legislator in the Congress, will resign under pressure for alleged corruption. A rich lobbyist named Jack Abramoff has spread the wealth in the city to members of both parties. Former executives of Enron, Comcast, WorldCom, and Tyco - major corporations - have been charged with misuse and abuse of position and funds in their companies. Some elements of the military have disgraced themselves with abuse of prisoners in Iraq.

Is all this 'just business as usual' nothing really new? In a sense, yes. Sin is nothing new! From Adam, we've inherited a nature that resists God and good, and despite our highest intentions, we all fail too often. I join with Paul often in bemoaning the gap between my actions and my intentions. In Romans 7, he writes -For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. "

That said, I am convinced that our nation, as a whole, has lost her moral compass! For far too many people right and wrong is more about 'getting caught,' than being guided by absolute principle. Many of us have re-interpreted the Ten Commandments to be the Ten Recommendations! Being sexually pure, staying honest when tempted by a sweet insider deal, treating others with dignity are not seen as universally binding and morally right choices by many of us. Instead we regard those as ideals, but will readily discard them if presented an opportunity to 'bend the rules' without being caught.

So what's the answer? The common response to malfeasance is to write more rules, or to stiffen the penalties for offenders. This is what our society has done. But is it working? I'll let you decide after I tell you that more than 2,000,000 of us are currently in prison! As a percentage of population, the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world! We all know that despite the proliferation of policies at the places where we work- policies that attempt to tell us how to relate to people of other religions and races, to define relationships between the sexes, and to establish boundaries for all kinds of behavior; things still go wrong! Yes, Paul nailed the problem - "Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me everytime."

The only real and lasting answer is for a transformation of heart and mind by the power of the Spirit of God. The conscience, battered and broken and weakened, needs to be healed by the touch of God. In Romans, chapters 7 and 8, Paul continues from despair to hope -- "I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.
Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."

This is truly what Christians celebrate at this wonderful time of the year. The new life that is much bally-hooed isn't about flowers blooming or rabbit populations proliferating! It is the emergence of a new spirit in us, one that loves God's ways, that triumphs over selfishness and sensuality. The Bible says that by the Power of the Spirit we live new, raised like Christ, to overcome the world, and thus become people who live with integrity in the beauty of true holiness.

Here's a promise to ponder. As you meditate on this Word- ask yourself,
"Is the beauty of real holiness evident in my life? Do I love God's ways and demonstrate the life of Christ in my thoughts, words, and actions?"

"Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel: “I will write my laws on their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people. “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me..." (Jeremiah 31:33-34, CEV)

The Christ-deniers

They're at it again! Those who despise the message of Jesus, crucified and risen Lord, Son of God, are trying hard to sow doubt. The DaVinci Code, the best-selling novel and soon to be released movie, though fiction, is being treated by many as a work based on good scholarship. The book, if you don't know, is created around the theory that Jesus didn't really die, was married to Mary Magdalene, and left heirs on earth! The author gets most of his facts completely wrong. Last night on NBC's Dateline, an author, Michael Biagent, who wrote The Jesus Papers, claimed that the Vatican possesses documents that prove Jesus' death and resurrection were concocted events, parts of an elaborate hoax. When pressed for details, he dodged and weaved, looking like he had more to cover-up than the Vatican! I guess it happens in every generation. When I was college-age, the big 'scandal' in Christianity, the book by Dr. Hugh Schonfield that 'proved' the faith to be based on a lie, The Passover Plot, swept the country, was turned into a movie, and disappeared after generating tons of media exposure and making its author wealthy!

The Truth is that He lived, He died, and He rose again. Billions have believed it and the resulting transformation of their lives is proof enough for me of the veracity of the Greatest Story ever told. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John base their accounts on either their own experience, or the first-hand reports they received. They weren't piecing together fragments of conspiracy theories, from scraps of information derived from whispers in dark places and documents no one has ever seen. They related stories from their own time, writing of a Man that they knew, telling us what they knew to be true.

So why do books that deny that Jesus is Who the Scripture says He is get written?

I imagine a primary reason is greed. The subject grabs an audience and has the potential to create best-sellers.

But, there is a more sinister reason, too. The Evil One does not want men and women to know the life-changing Truth. So, he finds those who worship their own wisdom and uses their pseudo-intellectualism to tear at the amazing story.

The wonder of Christianity is the Resurrection! Take away the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for sins and was raised by the power of God, and all you're left with is a story of Jewish teacher whose radical ideas about God and human relationships got him killed. Christianity does not exist apart from the Resurrection. It isn't just a pastor from the 21st century, reflecting over 2 millennia of the faith who makes that claim. Paul, writing about 25 years after Jesus' death and resurrection knew the importance of that pivotal truth. He writes-- ".... if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished!" (1 Corinthians 15:16-18, NLT)

We, who are Believers, are not just implementing a new code of ethics given to us by a Teacher. We are not just trying out a different philosophy left to us by a hopeless Idealist. We are receiving Life by the Presence of the Living Spirit of God, because Jesus Christ settled the old debt with God, the Father, that kept men and women apart from Him. "But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries. There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, The Message)

The old hymn says, "you ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!" Perhaps it strikes you as somewhat disingenuous that I would appeal to my own experience. Maybe you're inclined to say, "But, Jerry, what if you're just self-deceived?" If I am, I am in very good company, tricked right along with billions of people by a 'lie' (Biagent's word, not mine!) that has managed to survive rigorous inquiries for 2000 years! No, I am not deceived. I am not the victim of wishful thinking. I've believed a true report, experienced the power of the Spirit of God, and live in the sure hope of Life eternal.

Take this word from the Word with you this week!

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." (1 Peter 1:18-22, NIV)

A little crazy, well, maybe a lot!

Passion isn't just about lust or sex, though that is what some think when I use the word. Passion is ardent love, abounding enthusiasm. Passion makes a person do 'crazy' things! It's much more common among the young than the old. Usually those with the most to lose in terms of wealth or reputation are more guarded in their expression of passion, carefully concealing their desires and/or dreams. I know I risk offending some of the more sensitive among my readers by using that slang term, 'crazy.' Please give me some latitude, as I'm not making fun of anyone who struggles with mental illness, OK?

Anyway, back in 1992, a man named H. Ross Perot (remember him?) launched a run for the Presidency as an Independent candidate. He got almost a fifth of the votes cast in the general election! He was driven by a dream, a passion to change the nation, that was so unrealistic that he used the old Patsy Cline song, "Crazy" as his campaign song for several months. It was a great way to state the obvious - "this campaign flies in the face of all expectations, a quixotic effort. You see, Perot was the anti-candidate. He wasn't telegenic, nicknamed "hand grenade with ears" by those outside of his campaign. His voice had an irritating squawky tone and a Texas drawl. He was terribly plain-spoken, folksy, and simplistic. But he had passion, plenty of it. (It didn't hurt that he tons of money to finance his own campaign, either!) He didn't play it safe and millions admired him for his 'crazy' passion to be the President of the United States!

Are you passionate about anything? Now, a follow-up - is that about which you are of strong emotion or abundant enthusiasm really worth your passion?

Many who claim to be Christ-followers, live a calculated experience of little risk; a dutiful ritual, practiced at minimal involvement, with the hope of gaining a guaranteed entrance to Heaven - at the moment of a hopefully far distant death. In other words, they are 'buying' a kind of eternal life insurance policy. I don't know many people other than insurance agents who are passionate about life insurance! I know I'm not. Of course, I send my premium payment faithfully, month by month, but I am not in any rush to file a claim. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about my policy, re-reading it, or going over how my surviving family will use the funds that the company promises to send them when I die! I just make the payments to keep the policy in force.

Sometimes I get the feeling that 'insurance' is the concept that many people have about Christianity- making the 'payments' to keep the 'policy' in force, for that inevitable appointment. Jesus said something quite different! Here it is -
"A religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus.
“Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”
Jesus answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”
He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence— and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”" (Luke 10:25-28, The Message)

Jesus was not suggesting that any of us can 'earn' a place in Heaven with good works, no matter how passionate we may be about them! He was pointing out that passion is required to really know the quality of life now that will lead us to a forever life with God! Jeff Vines says, "There are plenty of passionate people in this world. But what separates us from an erroneous religious system which dominates our worldly culture is not our passion, but our truth. Passion does not determine truth, but truth of Christ when authentically and genuinely embraced always results in passion."

When a Believer has really taken hold of God's grace, when the Spirit has shown him his sin and God's love, the seed of a passionate love is planted in that one's heart. Jesus acknowledged that when a woman who had been given back her life, forgiven and restored from a life of depravity, came and poured her tears on His feet, wiping them with her hair. The self-righteous ones in that room pointed out her disgustingly passionate behavior. Jesus told them that the real problem was their own lack of a sense of need! He then observed, "She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”

Are you a little crazy for Jesus?
Do you know what He's done for you, let that love touch you deeply so that you live radically for Him - loving Him with 'all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?'

May God deliver us from our dutiful, risk-free, religious rituals. May the Holy Spirit cause us to love Him in a way that does not calculate risk and return, that causes us to abandon ourselves to the pursuit of Him so that we will enter into forever life right here, right now!___________________

This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe,
Your holy presence living in me.

This is my daily bread,
This is my daily bread,
Your very word spoken to me.

And I, I'm desp'rate for You.
And I, I'm lost without You.

© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services) CCLI License No. 810055

A Personal Savior

Once upon a time, I regarded emotion as a sign of weakness. The strong did not cry, nor did they laugh too much. It was best, I thought, to live above one's emotions. Life was about thinking clearly, learning the 'right' concepts, and seeking to be self-sufficient. Then, I grew up! Perhaps some would say, I became more human. In truth, the Spirit of God healed me and gave me a new heart. Through some painful experiences I learned that emotions have real purpose. I endured a bout with depression that was caused, in part at least, by my refusal to express my emotions in a healthy way. In spite of being raised in a church tradition that is known for emotional expression, I was reluctant to let my faith touch my heart. My Christian faith became much deeper when my heart was restored, for I discovered that God is not just a Concept to learn; He is a Person to know. I was no longer afraid of people who were actually passionate about God and my relationship to God was transformed from dutiful obedience to genuine love for Him.

If asked, most Americans would say that God is a Person. The Bible, from which we learn about Him, is rich with personal language about Him: God loves, God provides, God is our Father. But despite acknowledging the theological truth, many do not relate to God as a Person. God, for many, is an Idea, a distant Force, or a remote Figure- unknown. They may recite an orthodox creed, go through accepted rituals, and even live by a moral code as an expression of their Christian religion, but it is all very sterile, very intellectual, and bloodless!

Reading through the Gospels which tell the stories of Jesus, the Man who came to live among us and to show us the face of God, we see a real Person who was fully engaged with those around Him. He was a true Friend to real people. He empathized, loved, shed tears, and shared jokes! And He said, "I and the Father are one." John writes, "The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." (John 1:18, CEV)

What does this mean for us? It means that we can share our lives with God, that we can know Him, relate to Him; yes, really love Him! Those without faith may mock us, or think that we being childish - rather like the little girl having a tea party with an imaginary friend. But we will know Him and sense His Presence because, though He is invisible to us, He lives with us, by His Spirit! This will change how we live.

In the Word, we are told that "we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT) In a world that is depersonalized, where we often feel like a number or a function, where we live in multiple environments each making different demands of us; there is One who cares for us, who loves us, who knows our greatest fears, our secret dreams, our hidden sins, our public successes, and our heart! He loves us and desires that we love Him. He is our Personal Savior- accessible and understanding.

So what's your need today?
Is it for guidance? Is it forgiveness? Is it empowering to tackle some new task?
Is it strength to stand up to evil, to make a Kingdom difference? Is it just for Someone to care and share your joy and/or sorrows?

Come to the Savior! He is our Friend.
Find a quiet place and talk with him in prayer, making it personal.
Then, wait; listen, and receive the grace that He promises to those who love Him.
___________________________

What a friend I've found,
Closer than a brother;
I have felt Your touch,
More intimate than lovers.

What a hope I've found,
More faithful than a mother;
It would break my heart
To ever lose each other.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus -- Friend forever.

What A Friend I've Found
Smith, Martin
Copyright: 1996 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Caring like He does

Every Sunday School kid quickly learns the shortest verse in the New Testament - "Jesus wept!" It comes in handy when the teacher asks for a quick recitation. But those two words give us a profound insight! John records the story for us in the 11th chapter of his Gospel. Jesus was called to the home of his friend Lazarus who had died. When he arrived in Bethany the dead man's sisters were angry with him for not showing up earlier to heal their ailing brother. The crowds that gathered whispered about Him - “This man healed a blind man. Why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?” The Master's response to all this was not detached serenity, nor did He chide His critics for lack of faith! According to John, He was deeply moved by all the pain, the confusion, and the doubts. He cared, not professionally, but personally!

In another passage that is found in Matthew's Gospel, we read - "Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” " (Matthew 9:35-38, The Message) He saw their bruised and hurt lives and His heart broke!

Problems, pain, and predicaments are part of life! Sometimes they just arise... we have no idea why; sometimes they come our way because of our choices. Good people - including you and me - make dumb decisions, become victims of the 'system,' get deceived by life's vanities, are mesmerized by devilish lies, and too often choose short-term relief over long-term healing. In my calling as a shepherd for God's people, my phone rings often and I hear a voice saying - "Help me!" Sometimes the caller has created a mess for herself, snarling life into a tangled web. Other times, the difficulty and/or pain has just dropped on the sufferer out of the blue, uninvited. Some of the situations are relatively easy to resolve, needing only a little counsel. Others appear to have no earthly answer or remedy. Still others are so packed with suffering that it makes me catch my breath and thank God for His grace!

Jesus loves us! He is not a god hiding in the shadows, playing games with us. He is a Friend who comes alongside of us in our suffering. Even when it is our sinful choices that have brought us pain, He does not turn away saying, "you made your bed, now sleep in it!" Instead, if we turn to Him, He forgives and leads us into recovery and healing, into hope and new life. He doesn't always take away the pain. He doesn't always give us the miracle we think we need. He gives us grace, wisdom, and patience!

This love of Christ for us, inspires love for others in us, according to John. "We love each other as a result of his loving us first." (1 John 4:19, NLT) Genuine love that is like that of Jesus, does not let us turn away from those in pain. It does not let us judge others as unworthy of care, leaving them in their predicament! It requires that we weep, that we give when we think that we have no more to give, that we stay engaged with the foolish, the fallen, the stubborn, the stupid. It demands that we offer our hand to the unlovely, the critics, and yes, even to those who take advantage of our love. My prayer is that we will learn to be like Jesus, understanding that sometimes the best expression of love is just to 'cry with those who cry!'

It's a broken world out there. Some of you are reading that only to respond - "Out there? No way, Pastor. My life is broken!"
I want you to know - Jesus cares - really, He does. And, I hope that you have someone who loves you with His kind of love - gentle, empathetic, and engaged.

Think on this today -- "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love." (1 John 4:7-8, The Message)

The Will of God

Little Janie (not her real name) had spent 3 of her 4 years with my Mom and Dad, the only parents she knew. The State of NJ placed her with them when she was an infant because her mother was incapable of parenting and her father was in prison. They loved her and eventually hoped to adopt her until yesterday when a judge decided that NJ law required that Janie be taken from their loving care and placed in the custody of a relative. With the bang of a gavel, the child's life was completely re-defined - all she knew and loved swept away. It was a sad day for us all.

The dilemma that I worked to resolve was about acceptance or resistance. Was I to accept this as the will of God or resist this as an expression of evil that needs to be over-turned? There is no obvious answer! That Janie has a relative who wants to care for her is probably a good thing. That she loses the relationship with people with whom she has bonded is a terrible thing. Will she be taught to love and serve God by her new family? That's unknown. So, in my confusion I prayed, "Lord God, help me to know how to think, what to pray."

Some Christians might say that since it has happened, it must be "the will of God!" That's a little too easy for me to believe! I am not a fatalist and while I know that God reigns as King of the Universe, I also believe that He has given humanity the privilege of choice. I cannot ignore the reality of pain and suffering; the frustration of the perfect purposes of God that is all too evident in the world around me, which is the a result of the work of the Evil One and people who rebel against God. Just because something happens, does not make it God's will.

That said, let me circle 'round to affirm the omniscience of our God. He knows what is happening. He helps us while events are unfolding. He is capable - amazingly so - of taking the circumstances of life and bringing them into line with His purposes. The 8th chapter of Romans teaches us to trust Him, even as we work with Him, to see His plans brought to completion. "...the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. ... we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:26-28, NLT)

In the Bible, James tells us that even as Christians we must intentionally live in the will of God. Consider this - "Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17, NLT) He reminds us that when we make our own plans without prayer, without seeking the Lord's guidance, we may fall into the sin of living outside of the will of God!

My questions about little Janie remain unanswered at this moment. But, even in my sorrow, I am at peace! Why? Because I choose to trust, to pray, to rest in the power and wisdom of the One who invites me to let Him lead. Here's another word from James that shows us how to live while we work out our understanding of God's will - "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near." (James 5:7-8, NIV)

Plant good seed.
Pray for God's gracious rains.
Patiently wait!
See the harvest of good fruit that glorifies God.
____________________

Spirit of God- Descend upon my heart,
wean it from earth,through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness mighty as Thou art,
and make me love Thee as I ought to love.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee,
God and King?
All, all Thine own --soul, heart, and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross -- there teach my heart to cling,
O let me seek Thee and O let me find.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh,
Teach me the strugglesof the soul to bear ---
To check the rising doubt,the rebel sigh:
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
Only holy passion filling all my frame.
The baptism of the heave'n descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love - the flame.

Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
George Croly
Copyright: Public Domain

Praying together...

I love prayer time more than any other part of our Sunday worship gatherings! When I extend the invitation to people to come for prayer, anywhere from 20-30% of the congregation makes their way down to the front of the church. There I see extended families stand with their arms around each other. Tears fall freely as hearts are open to God's presence. As I, and other elders from the church, move down the line anointing people in the Name of Jesus, symbolically calling on the Spirit of God to bring healing, hope, and restoration - I see the light of faith come in the eyes of those who are standing there! Sometimes the crush of the weight of the human need standing in front of me breaks my heart, and I too, begin to lead in prayer only to find myself too choked with emotion to speak because I know that it is a cancer diagnosis, a pending divorce action, a threatened lay-off, a heart broken by disappointment - that people are bringing to God. The connection that is formed by the Spirit of God, the pure love that fills the room at that moment, is indescribable.

What a holy moment: people bringing their needs to the Almighty God. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is an intersection of Heaven and Earth, amazing, powerful, and unbelievably life-giving. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message)

Do you pray with others? To be honest, I find prayer meetings distasteful if they are allowed to become displays of piety, filled with pathetic attempts at feigned spirituality, where some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God. Jesus says, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7, NLT) Some of the most powerful prayers I have ever been part of had few, even no words. A wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him, brought people together and the Spirit of God connected them together with a divine 'electricity.'

Even Jesus knew the value of shared prayer. On the night before He became the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was crushed by the knowledge of the way of Cross that lay before Him. The Lord of Glory made this request of his friends - "They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, “I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” (Mark 14:32-34, The Message) Somehow Peter, James, and John failed Him that night, falling asleep when just needed them to be with Him. They missed the opportunity to experience the Presence of God.

When your pastor says, "let us pray," don't allow your mind to wander off. Don't just go to sleep. Instead, join your heart with others. Pray earnestly for the needs presented and your own needs as you enter in to His love. Ponder this amazing promise - “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, NIV)

Let us pray!