"Keep me sweet, Lord!"

That was my prayer sometime yesterday when I was beyond tired both physically and emotionally. It's been one of those weeks: triumph and tragedy all at the same time. It started with a Christian brother's death on Sunday evening at 8, followed by the roar of excitement as 130 kids invaded the church on Monday morning for Vacation Bible School. Along with the normal ministry work; calls, preparation to speak, letters, and such things - there was a funeral to conduct, including dealing with my own grief. Yet each morning I was required to step over my emotions so I could share the joy of the church's little ones who bubbled over about their discoveries in our VBS "Power Lab!" In between all of that, my friend Tom ended up in the hospital on Wednesday for heart surgery. Jay and my grandsons came for the week, filling up our house with laughter of kids. In the middle of it all another family in our congregation had a major crisis which they shared with me, breaking my heart. Sean, my other son, called asking for some advice as Natalie and he needed to discern the will of God in a wonderful opportunity for ministry that was presented to them!

Yep - I think I did a month's worth of living in the last 7 days. (Don't read any of this as a complaint. I love it all.)

In another week like this one, somebody saw me trying to keep it all together and reminded me: "There is a God, and you are not Him!" Funny, but true. When I try to be a super-hero, trying to be everything to everyone, I get short-tempered, lose my joy, and develop all kinds of pain in my body that reminds me that I'm carrying a burden my Lord wants to share. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 I let that verse marinate in my soul this morning.

First, Jesus says, "Come to me." We're very foolish if we let the pressures of life keep us from prayer, worship, and reflection. Remember that old saying about 'the tyranny of the urgent causing us to ignore the important?' I am thankful I can step away from it all and worship Him. He restores my soul.

Second, He tells us to "Take my yoke upon you." God is not anti-work! Even in the paradise of Eden there was work to do. If we think that becoming a Believer gives us a pass from toil or tears, our conclusion is erroneous! A yoke was an object that helped distribute the load for the work not eliminate the work. If a yoke was ill-fitting, it chafed and made sores on the bearer of the burden. If it fit right, it lightened the load and made it possible to accomplish much more. Jesus calls us to service. That service will often demand much from us, but if we're putting on the yoke He's prepared for us, He will be there to bear the weight with us. We may arrive at the end of the day exhausted, but if we have worked with Him, and in His way, we will be able to make the same observation that God made when He rested, "God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" Genesis 1:31 The Message

Third, He says, "Learn from me!" Jesus knew the rhythms of work/rest; giving out/ taking in! He gave His all to the people He loved, but made sure to step away to be with His Father. Throughout the Gospels we find Him withdrawing from the ministry to pray and be alone with God. It's such a simple lesson, but so easily ignored, isn't it? I make the same dumb mistake over and over again when I try to keep on going, pushing myself when I need to find a quiet place with Him to breathe in the Breath of the Spirit.

Are you in a tough place?
Do responsibilities pile up where resources seem scarce?
Are people in your life asking more from you than you think you can produce?
Has the Evil One sent a demon to torment you?

Reflect on these words and respond with humble obedience.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." Matthew 11:28-29

"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!" Revelation 3:20-21
_________________________

You are my hiding place.
You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.

Let the weak say, "I am strong in the strength of the Lord."
You are my hiding place. You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.

Michael Ledner
© 1981 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)CCLI License No. 810055

"Be with me!"

When my heart is heavy with sorrow or my mind full of anxiety, there is nothing like having someone, preferably my loving wife, present. I do not necessarily want to talk, in fact, usually in those kinds of situations I prefer to ponder the situation quietly. But, having someone there with me, is a comfort. In my pastoral ministry I know that what I have to offer others in times of great trial or grief is myself more than my words. My physical presence says, "I care for you."

When the congregation of God's people gathers for worship, more than anything else, I desire that we experience the Presence of God. That is not to be confused with good music, a stirring sermon, or a surge of emotion. Yes, I enjoy worshipping God with good music. A sermon that is Biblical, intelligently organized, and inspired by the Spirit is much to be desired. It is God Himself, present in His Spirit, that gives the church gathered the 'life' that causes people to come back, again and again. He cannot be known with our physical senses, but we perceive when He walks among us. When He is present, we are at rest! This is what make being a Spirit-filled Believer great!

Moses, when he was leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, knew the importance of living in the center of God's Presence. After the people had demanded an idol be made and Aaron gave them the golden calf while Moses was on Sinai receiving the Law, God told Israel, "Go up ... But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." Exodus 33:3 NIV He was so offended by their idolatry, He withdrew His Presence from them. Moses, ever the intercessor for the people he led, prayed this plaintive and amazing way: "If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." Exodus 33:15-16

Believer, do you pray to live in the Presence of God?
Do you cultivate a holy heart, a ready faith, and avoid places and situations that would cause God's Presence to lift from you?

The great Treasure that all Christians can know (but many do not!) is the constantly abiding Presence of God. He will not walk with a person who is filthy in mind, rebellious in spirit, or self-seeking. James teaches us about walking in God's Presence with these clear directives: "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." James 4:7-8

Jesus promised us that we would not live as orphans in this world. We are beloved children and He has petitioned the Father on our behalf. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17

So, live in the Presence!
______________

O, the glory of Your presence,
We, Your temple, give You rev'rence.
Come and rise from Your rest,
And be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your presence now fills this place.

Steve Fry© 1983 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)CCLI License No. 810055

When a flop is not

If you watch the Olympic high jump event, you will see people clearing the bar with their back to the bar, in a kind of inverted J form that is known as the Fosbury Flop! It is so named for Dick Fosbury who won the 1968 high jump gold medal using the then unorthodox style. Prior to that time most jumpers used the standard Straddle form going over the upright and landing on their feet. Fosbury could not master that technique and learned to hurl himself over the bar, landing on his shoulders - unceremoniously. He flopped over the bar. His technique was actually a better use of the physical law of inertia and allowed for a higher jump because of the shift in the center of gravity.

Sometimes you and I just can't do what others do. We work to learn the style, try hard, and end up a flop... or so we think. In may just be that in the moment we feel most like a failure, God is accomplishing amazing things in us and through us. We all love to stride through life, on our feet, dignity intact. It is wonderful when all things work well, our prayers find instant answers, and everybody loves us. Tragically, when that happens the human tendency is to take the credit and puff up with pride! Like Nebuchadnezzar, a king of a great ancient empire, we begin to believe we did all by ourselves. He boasted, "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" Daniel 4:30 That night, his mind broke and for the next seven years he lived as a public failure, like a wild animal. When sanity returned, he praised God!

Paul, the apostle with the great mind, started life as a success! He studied with leading scholars, gained a seat on the governing council, and was on his way to prominence. Then he met the Lord who knocked him down and while he was on his back revealed Himself to Paul. In the eyes of many of his contemporaries, Paul was a flop, a man too prone to getting in trouble, who got arrested and thrown out of one town after another. But, he came to understand a principle that while true is not all that pleasant in practicality- flops learn to depend on Someone greater than themselves. Paul said that the Lord told him,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. NLT

Fosbury's famed flop became a means of reaching a gold medal, but not without some ridicule in the process.
Are you willing to endure some ridicule, to walk in the way that God directs even when it goes against conventional wisdom?
Are you willing to let Christ Jesus take your failures and use them as a means of teaching you to depend on Him more?

That's when a flop is not!

Heaven and Earth

Barb called last night to tell me that Andre, a member the church that I serve as pastor, was dying. I drove to their home and when I got there, the angels had taken him to his Lord and Savior. Once again I was confronted with the cycle of life and death. Did Andre die or was he born to new life last night 'round 8? The Scripture tells me that he changed addresses, became a totally new and different kind of being at that transition moment. I do not understand the 'how,' but I hold the promise in faith - that Andre lives - 'absent from the body and present with the Lord.' (2 Cor. 5.8) Even as I ponder eternity, I must not forget that today is packed with opportunities! You have moments to be lived today that are unique, that will never be offered again. Words you speak today will build up, tear down, or waste breath. Choices made today have the potential to change your life or the life of another.

Reflecting on Andre's life and my own milestone (I am 53 today) I ponder the opportunities seized and those missed! These twin reminders of the brevity of this earthly life cause me to ask myself:
"Jerry, are you doing your best in God's service?
Are you offering your 'utmost for His highest?' "

That kind of evaluation is important! I must remember, as so must you, that our judgment is always somewhat flawed; our self-evaluations lacking complete perspective. The better question to ask is a prayerful one that invites the evaluation of the Spirit. Borrow the Psalmist's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)

I do take comfort in this fact: His judgments are much more just than ours! He sees our life, not just in this moment or even in the window of time that marks our existence. He sees our life in the context of eternity and His judgments are made in the totality of our experience, opportunities, and knowledge. Jesus told a story of about men entrusted with responsibility for treasure. His summary at the end of the story should make us sit up and take notice! "Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." Luke 12:48 NLT

Moses' Psalm (90) is a prayer that reflects a fear of God's anger and a hope for His love. In the center of the Psalm is this prayer. "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" It my prayer! Is it yours? Are you just 'killing time' letting one day flow into the next drifting with the current of events, or are you a change agent of the Kingdom of Heaven? Paul is so very practical in his urging us to excellence. He says, "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." NLT Ephesians 5:15-17

How do we live a life that brings Heaven to earth, connecting today with the timelessness to come?

Be thoughtful!
Lives that matter do not just 'happen,' they are intentional!

Exploit the opportunities
that come your way! Don't blow the 'now' waiting for some hoped for moment in the future!

Shape your values
by God's will and Word, not the 'wisdom' of the world.

For a life lived well, there is a reward. Sometimes we get to experience the reward now, but we are guaranteed that we will get the whole enchilada when we step into Heaven. "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:9-10 NIV

Have a blessed week!

Hostages Set Free!

This news went out 'round the world yesterday afternoon: "14 hostages held by rebel group in Colombia, now free!" In an amazingly planned rescue, 3 Americans and 11 Colombian nationals were restored to freedom after years of captivity in the jungles. The most prominent among them was a former Presidential candidate in Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt. Can you imagine the elation you would feel at being handed your freedom after being held under threat of death for seven long years?

Truth is, that is what God does for each of us! "Thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. . . . When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-20, NIV) Satan held everyone of us captive! We had a illusion of freedom, but in fact we served self and we sinned against God by nature.

"But, Jerry, I am not an evil person. I try to be good and kind." And I will grant you that. But, the fact remains that apart from the intervention of God to set us free, we are incapable of true holiness, "falling far short," the Bible says, "of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The natural state of everyman is slavery; to Self and Sin. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,... for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:4-6, 10, NKJV)

Here's the question I want to put to you today: are you taking advantage of the gift of freedom from sin by passionately loving and doing the will of God? It is inconceivable that any of those hostages held by the FARC rebels in Colombian jungles would have turned around and gone back to their captors! They were thrilled to have the ability to go home to their families, to resume their jobs, and to have their lives back.

Believer, with even greater joy, we must turn to the living God, our true Father. "By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us-set us right with him, make us fit for him-we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand-out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." (Romans 5:1-2, The Message)

_____________________

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

By God's Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,
'Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

Mercy there was great and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty,
At Calvary.

O the love that drew salvation's plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

Now I've giv'n to Jesus ev'rything;
Now I gladly own Him as my King;
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary.

At Calvary
William Newell, Daniel Towner © Public Domain

Neglect, Decay: Diligence, Glory!

The meeting was at an office building that was attractively designed and well built. The facade was a classy brick. The floors were a polished stone. The architect's design used large expanses of glass to bring light to the interior. But... close up, it became apparent that the owner either didn't have the money to maintain the building or the manager just didn't care about the upkeep. The landscaping was not trimmed, the grass grew uncut at the curbs. Inside, hand-lettered signs were stuck to the walls with tape. In the Men's room, a divider was attached to a marble wall with a plain galvanized bracket and ordinary screws. The towel dispenser was empty, a replacement roll carelessly set on the marble counter next to the sink. Everywhere I looked there were little evidences of neglect. Mostly likely both the manager and the tenants have grown accustomed to these little signs of decay and no longer even notice it.

As I drove away, thinking about the investment made by the builder and the subsequent lack of attention to maintenance, I started to think about my life as a temple of the Spirit. I asked, "Am I careful to maintain the beauty the Lord desires or am I letting little things go? Are there places in my life where I have grown accustomed to the trash of sin, to things poorly done because of laziness, to gaps in my integrity?"

Lives do not go to ruin overnight. Moral collapse does not happen in a moment. It is the little stuff that we allow to slip in carelessly that creates pockets of corruption in our lives from which major sins grow. A small resentment left unresolved can grow into hatred. A little coveting can turn into life-controlling envy in a short time. Carelessness about the regular practice of spiritual disciplines - things such as prayer and meditation, daily Scripture intake, fellowship with other Believers in worship, generous sharing and giving - turns into complete neglect of the things of God in a few month's time. The pithy wisdom of the Proverbs says that "Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." (Proverbs 10:4-5, The Message)

There is an application to the spiritual part of life in that. Great lives do not just happen! Beautiful lives that reflect the glory of God are the result of daily diligence, tending to the little stuff, dealing with temptations while they are still just an impulse rather than trying to clean up the mess that results from the choice to sin.

Here's a word from the Word. Ponder the progression of character that the Spirit revealed to Peter, then pray that the Lord would give you the desire to build and maintain a temple worthy of His Presence, where His beauty shines through in the splendor of His holiness.

"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance,
and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)
_______________________________________

"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity!
All my nature refine,
Oh, Thou Spirit Divine;
'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."- Public domain

Got a Timothy in tow?

About 30 years ago, when I was a newly minted preacher, more full of my Self than the Spirit, my Dad sent me a letter, written in longhand script, in which he basically said, "Take advantage of my experience. Fall in step and learn from me!" His mentoring steadied me, gave me practical insight, and kept me from wandering into traps of temptation. That letter still lies in the top drawer of my desk in my church office! I treasure that piece of paper, which I have read dozens of times over the years. It is a symbol of Dad's constant work of coaching the Timothys that he found in the world all around him. Through the years he spoke into the lives of many, inspiring devotion, coaching them to find and use the spiritual gifts invested in them by God. And he's still doing it!

Do you have a Timothy in tow? The allusion is to Paul and Timothy. During his travels, in the city of Lystra the apostle found a young man named Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He saw the potential in him and accepted him as a 'true son in the faith.' Intentionally, he took him along to 'show him the ropes' of ministry and then sent him out to serve. Paul's two letters to Timothy are packed full of practical insight and directions, written in a warm and fatherly tone. "I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle." (1 Timothy 1:18, The Message)

Dr. Leonard Sweet, in a book titled, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without, points out that mentoring provides a two-way benefit! Most of the time, we think of the knowledge that flows to the Timothy. However, the Timothy keeps the Paul from getting stuck in a rut, bringing fresh perspective. A person who approaches mentoring as "just shut up and do what I do," will not enjoy the full blessing that can come from having a Timothy in tow.

Believer, are you mentoring anyone? If you have been a Believer for more than a few months, if you at least 25 years of age, there is no excuse for not doing this! You don't have to be old and gray-haired to have something to offer another. You do need a living relationship with Jesus Christ, amazing amounts of patience, and the willingness to let someone walk with you. The Bible urges all Believers to reproduce themselves in others! "Every great leader and teacher has been a Timothy; Jesus apprenticed to John the Baptist; Paul of Tarsus apprenticed with Gamaliel; Elisha apprenticed to Elijah; Joshua apprenticed to Moses. But Joshua did not pass along the baton. Joshua had no spiritual heir... and then came the judges, spawning one of the most horrible times recorded in the Bible for Israel. In the Bible's scalding words, the judges became the baton-less generation "who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10, NKJV) -- 11, Sweet

Something wonderful has been largely lost in our society when we make education and life preparation largely about a formal experience in classes at institutions of learning. Timothy was not trained in a classroom by lectures. He learned in the streets, sharing Paul's life. He saw, he listened, he questioned, he tried, he failed, he learned! Nothing can substitute for seeing the work done. A musician learns theory and then sits with masters to see music made. A surgeon spends years as an intern, practicing under the watchful eye of one who has done procedures hundreds of times before. You have skills to pass along! Want to teach some to pray? Pray with them. Want to help someone know the Bible? Study with them. Want to teach your son how to change the oil in his car? Crawl under it with him! Want to help your daughter know how to manage her money? Open a checking account with her when she is 14 and work it out with her.

Much of what we do in our lives is quickly forgotten or is done better by someone who follows after us. But, when we mentor a Timothy, we do something that has eternal significance. My Dad poured his experience into me, handing me the tools of faith. In my life, I have mentored some who are now passing the faith along to those they know. And that is something that pleases my Father and changes destinies.

Go, prayerfully find a Timothy to love and lead. Encourage him to learn, to discover what God wants to do in his life. Encourage, rebuke, pick him up when he stumbles, and kick him in the behind when he lags in laziness. Don't forget to let his fresh perspective keep your own faith alive and relevant to an ever-changing world.
________________________

Doctors on TV!

I'm old enough to remember the gentle, wise, and amazing omniscient Dr. Welby! The myth that was Dr. Welby shaped our expectations of physicians for decades! Everybody wished they had someone who was equally adept at diagnosing a cure for a broken heart and mending a broken arm in their own doctor's office. Today, we have Dr. Shepherd (a.k.a. Dr. McDreamy) on Grey's Anatomy. This neurosurgeon, whose demeanor and face stirs the hearts of American women who watch the program, is played by Patrick Dempsey, a 42 year old actor who dropped out of high school.

Doctors on TV are the creation of script writers. While the actors in the role may speak medically accurate lines due to help by medical professionals, nobody would seriously consider consulting them for real medical opinions. In time of sickness I don't want treatment from an actor who knows the phrases that might be spoken by a doctor; I want someone who is a real physician. I want to know he has invested years in study, has applied himself to rigorous disciplines, and that he has mastered the skills to intelligently and accurately evaluate my symptoms.

What does that have to do with our Christian life today? Here's the question:

How do you live and share the Gospel of Christ with your world, Believer?
Are you an actor uttering lines borrowed from another; or are you a real disciple who is applying himself to the work of knowing Christ and His Word deeply, intimately, and with increasing mastery?

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came as the "Word become flesh," a real man, yet God, too - living among men! (John 1.14) He didn't come to us with a few lines he learned so He could sound profound or loving when the cameras were rolling. He came with the reality of God's Truth. He is very God, yet completely Man! He is "full of grace and Truth," meaning that He is who He appears to be, not a pretender, nor an actor.

We are commissioned to be "Jesus with skin on" in our world! I don't know who first coined the phrase, but it is one I use often. In a symbolic way I want to be an incarnation ("in the flesh") of Jesus. I want to make Jesus Christ and His Good News of love real and visible to people who interact with me. {Don't worry, I am not deluded by any sense that I am Jesus Christ!} My desire is to be filled with the Holy Spirit who He promised would make me (and all of His disciples) people who really live His life- in all times and places - until His Kingdom comes. How about you?

When people look behind the lines I speak or the words I write or the songs I sing, I want them to find a true disciple of Christ. More than once in my life I have experienced the disappointment of unmasking a "Christian" who was just an actor. Initially, they looked the part. They quoted the right Scripture at appropriate moments. But, then along came the stormy winds of life that blew away the mask. The mouth once full of blessing quickly turned to cursing. The veneer of love eroded in the storm's onslaught, falling away to reveal a heart full of hatred. What looked like faith proved to be nothing more than boasts of borrowed bravado!

Yes, Believer, I want to be a real disciple, not a pretender, like a high-school dropout playing a doctor on TV!

Jude is not kind nor gentle in his words about those who live hypocritically. Take a look and let the Word be a challenge to authenticity in your Christianity today.

"What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.
They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.
They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.
They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds.
They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness." (Jude 11-13, NLT) What a grim picture!
______________________

Here's a hymn that I will make my prayer today. Will you join me?

Fill all my vision, Savior I pray.
Let me see only Jesus today,
Though thro' the valley
Thou leadest me,
Give me Thy glory and beauty to see.

Fill all my vision, Savior divine.
'Til with Thy glory, my spirit shall shine.
Fill all my vision that all may see,
Thy holy image reflected in me.

Fill all my vision, let naught of sin.
Shadow the brightness, shining within.
Let me see only Thy blessed face,
Feasting my soul on Thy infinite grace.

Fill All My Vision
Avis Christiansen © 1940 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055

Who needs history?

Americans, by a wide majority, say that they think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Energy prices, which rose sharply in the last year, are forcing real change on us and threaten the stability of our national economy. We're in two wars that are dragging on, costing us a fortune, and that have no end in sight. Our politicians are so partisan that the big challenges of the country are not being addressed. Housing values have gone down; the credit bubble burst. "Oh, what now?" is the frequently heard despairing cry!

David McCullough, a Pulitzer Prize winning historian, says that part of the national despair is rooted in ignorance of history! The last 25 years have been a time of great prosperity and growth. An entire generation has 'pushed history to the back burner... even off the stove.' Lacking a context in which to evaluate the present difficulties many Americans conclude that 'no one has ever lived in more difficult times.' Another historian, David Boorstein, points to the value of history as a teacher for the future saying, "Trying to plan for the future without a sense of the past, is like trying to plant cut flowers!" (Parade, 6/22/2008)

Believer, we need history, too! The testimonies of faith that come from those who have gone before us reminds us of the faithfulness of God and teaches about wise choices, too. Writing about the Old Testament stories of God's people, Paul says: "These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. ... No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:11, 13, The Message)

Knowing the stories of the Bible is important, a foundation for living today! Reading the stories of great Christians, both of other eras and from our own time, builds faith and teaches us how to live. If we realize that we are part of a long story of faith, one spanning many generations, we are protected from the conceit that can blind us equally to our perils and our possibilities! We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us - whether we know it or not. If we take lessons from them, if we refine their wisdom and learn from their mistakes and their successes, we will live better and more hopeful lives.

Here's a passage from the Word to contemplate today. It speaks of a time when God's people had come to a mistaken conclusion about Him, because they did not remember. When their mistake was pointed out, their response is interesting. May the Lord bless His Word to you.

"Your words have been harsh against Me," says the Lord, yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.’

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.

"They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." (Malachi 3:13-17, NKJV) _____________

TFTD will return on Monday, 6/30, God-willing. I am taking time to renew and refresh. See you next week!

Beware the drudge!

Drudge, even the word sounds ominous. Here's how the dictionary defines it: A person who works in a routine, unimaginative way. I admit that I am a very dutiful guy, who takes responsibility seriously, and who has trouble just letting go and playing. Last Fall, I bought a little Miata convertible - one of the more frivolous things I have done in my adult life. On a sunny day, I enjoy dropping the top, turning up the tunes, and hitting the road. Right in the middle of my fun, a stab of guilt will insert itself: "Shouldn't you be doing _________?" and I struggle with the urge to go back to do some job yet undone. Or I think, "How could you 'waste' this kind of money when there are so many needs around you?" Yep, I can be a real drudge!

In my prayertime today, the Spirit reminded me that His gift to me is joy and that if I allow myself to become a drudge, it's not His fault! The second aspect of the evidence of the Spirit's life in a Believer, the one that follows immediately after love, is joy. Jesus told the teaching story of the vine and branches, illustrating how those who become His disciples are connected to Him and draw life from Him. The principle is clear: No connection, no life! Remain intimately connected with Me, He said, and "you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 15:11, NLT) A joyless Christian, one who is long-faced, miserable, and overwhelmed with his duties, is missing the point somewhere and failing to honor the Lord!

Could it be that we have allowed a caricature of Christianity to define the reality? Yes, the Scripture tells us that Jesus was "a man acquainted with grief, a man of sorrows." He did weep with those who were broken by disappointment, death, and disease. But that is only half of the story. He also earned harsh criticism from the religious leaders for being a man who ate dinner with those they considered low-lifes and sinners. He attracted people to Him everywhere He went. It is not a stretch of imagination to think that He did so by knowing how to laugh and lift them up. Don't forget, His first public miracle was supplying wine for a wedding! Somehow, for most of us, the only picture of the face of Jesus is the tear-stained one He wore on the night of Gethsemane's agony. We forget that kids loved Him, that crowds were drawn to Him, and that He spent a lot of time with so-called 'street people,' - a clue that He had to be a joyful man, too.

So, how do we live in His joy?

Worship! "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11, NIV) If we live life, with our face to the ground, focusing only on the needs, the duties, the pressing responsibilities - we will be overcome with fatigue, if not outright depressed. Worship, offering up the sacrifice of praise, lifts our face to Heaven and allows us to regain a view of God's glorious works. No wonder the Scripture urges us to "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2, NIV)

Serve! Stop, Jerry, didn't you just say we need to step away from duty? Yes, I did, but if we give ourselves to vanity, to endless chasing of 'fun,' we will lose the joy of God's approval! Jesus told a story about men who were entrusted with responsibility. Two of the three were diligent and obedient in their service. Note their commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful . . . Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:23, NKJV)

Submit! Accepting God's grace for the road you will walk today is important. Nothing that happens to you today surprises Him. Those who are His beloved children can turn to Him and find help, strength, and resources. Sometimes He leads us through dark valleys, along ways we would not choose for ourselves. And, He gives grace for the journey. If we submit to His leadership, we can find joy even in the trials of life.

We must not confuse happiness, a transitory emotion that is largely based on pleasant circumstances, with genuine joy. Joy is a constant work of God's Spirit in us, not something we drum up, create, or paste into place. So, I repent of the sin of drudgery! And I pray for the joy of the Lord to fill my heart and mind so that I will honor Him even with my contentment and smile. I think I'll put in a worship CD when I take my Miata for a drive today- and let a song of praise fill the air, just for joy's sake!
____________

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove.
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Joy to the World
Isaac Watts© Public Domain

AA and my church

The man's words stopped my thoughts when he said, "I get more out of my AA meetings than I do from my church." He went on to explain that at AA he received the benefit of being with people who had hit rock bottom just as he had, who shared the same shame, who had a keen interest in helping him maintain his sobriety. He is onto something that all churches need to think about seriously! Are we offering acceptance to those who need to be loved to wholeness? When someone full of shame and/or guilt makes their way into our meeting, do they find hope and forgiveness or stares of disapproval and not so subtle suggestions that they get their mess cleaned up?

Finding the right mix of genuine love and challenge to change is not a simple thing. AA does not say to the alcoholic, "You have two weeks to get it right. If you get drunk again more than three times, you're outta here!" Yet, the goal of sobriety is never compromised and anniversaries of sobriety are celebrated with noisy affirmation. Medallions are given out for the recovering alcoholic to carry in his pocket as a reminder of past victories and as a motivation for making right choices today. The success of AA is based on loving acceptance and real encouragement, not on punishment or shame! The 'friends of Bill W.' (AA's nickname) have a lot to teach those who claim to be friends of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that God wants His people to a "glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. . . . holy and without fault." (Ephesians 5:27, NLT) And how does He accomplish this? With love, drawing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. A high priority in our fellowship must be to "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 10:24-25, The Message)

How do you relate to other Believers?
Are you quick to criticize?
Are you willing to be authentic and transparent in your own struggles with faith and obedience? Do you celebrate successes - yours and others?
Are you letting others encourage you and offering the same to someone in need?

Make the love of Christ practical. If you know a person who is struggling to make it, whose walk with Jesus is faltering, pick up the phone and reach out. No, don't start out the conversation by saying, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in church for months." Tell them you miss them. Ask them if you can help them today or if there is something you can pray for with them, and then do it, right then. Instead of rushing into church right at 10 and leaving at the closing prayer, come and talk with your brothers and sisters. Listen and learn. Be a friend and create bonds around the shared passion for Christ and His church.

I don't want AA to be better at 'being the Church' than we are! I am glad for AA and deeply appreciate their mission, but the Church has something even better to offer. We are the redeemed, the transformed, the family of God. Jesus Christ announced His mission with these words. Prayerfully consider them and ask the Lord to make them true of your life and your church. What a mission statement!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come." (Luke 4:18-19, NLT)

A Priest Who Understands

When I wrote of the silence of God yesterday, I included this, "It's not an intellectual explanation I seek. I long for the touch of the Savior." As I pondered and prayed, I began to realize that the Savior does understand exactly what I am experiencing, for He experienced it, too. At the Crucifixion, even as He was put through physical suffering that is almost beyond my comprehension at the hands of cruel soldiers, He dealt with another kind of pain that was less visible, but more intense! He felt forsaken by God! "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"Matthew 27:46, NIV)

Jesus is God. From the foundation of Creation, He knew the plan of salvation. When He left Heaven to become the Incarnate God-Man, he clearly understood His mission. When He taught His disciples, He told them of what must happen to Him. He knew, yet when He went through the terrible experience that brought us forgiveness and reconciliation, He still felt alone and abandoned by His Father. So I conclude that even if we know what is happening to us, even if we can logically explain our situation, we may still feel alone!

Here's what I did with this. I thanked the Lord Jesus for standing alongside of me. He has promised to pray for me. "Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens." (Hebrews 7:24-26, NIV) I give up my desire to press for explanations, release my demands for an easy or simple conclusion. I will just stand by Him, thankful that He knows my heart and that He will be my Priest in Heaven!

If we are willing to just trust God without demanding answers, we will become better comforters to those who suffer, too. Yesterday, I had the privilege of sitting with Andre D., a man from the congregation who has fought cancer's ravages for a long time. His cancer is now advanced, his body and spirit weakened. Instead of trying to offer explanations or even to 'make him feel better' I just listened while he talked and shared his tears. Our fellowship was sweet for a short time as I allowed myself to become "Jesus with skin on" for him. When we prayed, together we just stood alongside of Jesus Christ, by faith, and were comforted that He knew our sense of loneliness and that He was praying for us at the right hand of the God of Glory.

______________________

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!

Chapman, public domain

When God is Silent

For six months since his cancer diagnosis, I have visited my Dad almost weekly. Seeing the way that his strength is sapped, his body weakened, breaks my heart. I awaken at the dawn, lifting him to the Father in Heaven. Seldom do I go to sleep without asking the Lord to be with him and with my mother. And, God appears to be silent! I pray to understand this trial and hear only more silence. I ask for some sense of serenity and feel as though He has ignored my cry! Well-meaning friends assure me that "God has a plan," but right now, even though I know the words are true, they irritate me much more than comfort. Others offer up that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust," a phrase that by this time offers little solace. I long for a word from Heaven, the Spirit's comfort. It is not an intellectual explanation I seek. I long for the touch of the Savior. My faith in God is not in jeopardy. I know Him well and trust Him. It is His silence that is hard to bear.

Ever been there, dear Believer? Seasons like this are named many ways by others. St. John of the Cross called such a time the "dark night of the soul." I have heard others refer to the "dry desert journeying" when the soul is thirsty for God's love. The tempter attempts to turn our focus to ourselves, to make us feel as though we have caused God's silence, and when he succeeds a sense of false guilt is added to our sorrow! In fact, we cannot always know why God is silent and we have only to hold onto His promises while we wait.

David sings of God's silence and his words are a source of comfort for me in the Word. In the Psalms, he writes: "I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?" (Psalm 101:1-2, NLT) In a much more desperate tone, he cries: "Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food." (Psalm 102:1-4, NIV)

What then can I do during this dark night?

First is to continue in what He has said to me in the past and in His Word. His present silence does not mean that I should forget to love Him or to love others, the two commands that are the foundation of all the will of God.

Second is to keep my eyes looking to heaven. Should I look to the things of this earth to heal the wound of my soul that can only be healed by His touch? Many is the person who has gone onto the rocks and wrecked their life when they sought some temporary comfort for the distress of their soul.

Third is to go "Steady on, to endure!" This is the directive of the Word for such times. "Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." (Hebrews 12:13, NLT)

Fourth is to weep, but not allow bitterness to take hold. To question God's seeming absence is no sin. To wonder why we are not able to hear His voice or sense the comfort of the Spirit is quite acceptable. To rail on Him, to accuse Him of being uncaring, unloving, or unjust only creates a place for doubt to flourish and bitterness to take root. The Word warns that from that root of bitterness comes great and troubling discontent!

If you, too, are bearing the silence of God, join me in an earnest prayer for faithfulness! This was what I asked of Him today that He would see my weakness and make it an opportunity to display His power, that He would defend me against the Destroyer and keep me faithful. Ask Him the same. He will do it, for His glory and His own Name's sake. Amen.
______________

"Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken."
O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.

To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
"What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and
clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."

(Psalm 30:4-12, NIV)

More than you could ask or even imagine!

At the Assembly, we recently concluded a class for new Believers called, "The Foundation Experience." In feedback I received from several participants, it was noted that praying with and for each other was the best part! That group did experience some wonderful answers to prayer, including healings, personal guidance, and even a report about God helping with a custody issue in court. I hope those who were part of that class never forget the privilege and joy of praying for others. God answers prayer! Do I understand exactly why an all-knowing Father asks us to pray? No, but I obey anyway.

When we gather for Sunday worship, I love our prayer time! 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, (see James 5:16) we are calling on the Spirit of God to bring healing, hope, and restoration. Over the years, I have seen 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. People bring cancer diagnosis, pending divorce action, threatened lay-off, hearts broken by disappointment - and so much more to their Heavenly Father.

The connection that is formed by the Spirit of God, the pure love that fills the room at that moment, is indescribable. It is a holy moment. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is a miraculous intersection of Heaven and Earth: 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? Honestly, I find a lot of "prayer meetings" among Believers distasteful. Too often, once a person thinks he is grown up in Christ, he loses the earnest childlikeness of genuine prayer. When prayer becomes a time to display one's piety, or when some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God, I just want to get away and get real! 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 known were just a wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him that brought people together. In the quiet and submission to His will, 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.

So, 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!

Here's a blessing to claim, a promise from the Word. Take these words with you today.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, 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. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NIV)

Moving on!

This evening about a dozen 8th grade students from Good Shepherd Christian Academy (http://www.GSCAcademy.com) will go through graduation ceremonies. Some schools call the ceremony where degrees or diplomas are presented to graduates, commencement, a word that I think is more appropriate to the occasion. Commencement is a word that indicates a new start - 'moving on.' Our young students will move on to high school. Some high school students will move on to college; others into the workplace. College grads, with freshly printed degrees, will look for an entry level job.

Graduation, whatever the level of education, is not so much about completion as it is about starting something new! The differing perspective of graduating students is most interesting. Some are anticipating the next step; others reluctantly yield to the inevitability of leaving familiar settings and friendships.

So, Believer, in this season of commencement are you moving on or are you trying to make the world stand still?

Are you full of vision, eager to work with God to make a difference or are you trying to hang onto some place where the memories are sweet?

The Word challenges us to let go of yesterday - both its successes and failure - as we keep pursuing God's plans. Paul writes of the power of Christ's Resurrection and then urges all Believers to understand the 'now' and 'not yet' perspective in which they live. "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. ( completeness) 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." (Philippians 3:12-14, NLT)

Every day we need to hold a personal commencement ceremony. We take yesterday's lessons as preparation for today's work, as we look for new possibilities that God is preparing for tomorrow! Only when God draws our earthly life to a close will we truly be able to say, "It is finished." Until then, we are keeping step with the Spirit; and what an adventure life with Him can be.

Ready? Set? Go!

_____________________

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Be Thou My Vision
Hull, Eleanor / Byrne, Mary E.
© Public Domain

Just about clean hands?

I think it was Ford Motor Company that had the slogan, "Quality is Job # 1" a few years ago. In the late 1980's the Japanese automobile companies made superior cars. It wasn't a 'style' issue. Putting a high tech radio or a shiny paint job on a car cannot ultimately compensate for a poorly built power train. When consumers realized that foreign cars were lasting longer and needed fewer repairs, the market shifted toward Japanese products. In response to loss of sales, American car makers renewed their emphasis on quality. Within a few years they were building cars that were the equal of Toyota and Honda, though the reputation of foreign cars having a higher quality persists even today. The lesson was that nothing substitutes for real quality!

Living in a way that pleases and honors our God is "Job #1" for us! Most Believers affirm the importance of living a holy life. But, do we actually produce, or are we content with just putting on a good show? Are we content to put a superficial religion over a heart full of pride, selfishness, or greed? Do we think that we have pleased God just because we show up in church, or keep a Bible on the coffee table, or avoid the really 'big' sins?

Jesus saw misplaced emphasis on external religion among the Pharisees. They made sure to keep the rituals of their religion, carefully washing their hands and observing the minute points of the Law, but missed the point of a quality relationship with God. Here's what Jesus said about that. "Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’" Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" . . . Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’" (Matthew 15:10-20, NIV)

Don't miss the point! Jesus wasn't against washing hands before dinner! But He reminded them and us that we must not confuse being sanitary with being holy. A well-scrubbed body, a carefully screened vocabulary, or well rehearsed socially acceptable manners can conceal a filthy heart and it is the dirt in one's heart that concerns the Lord much more than the germs on one's hands. We are so quickly turned away from a genuine pursuit of knowing and loving God into a superficial religion. Giving the Holy Spirit access to our inner thoughts and attitudes and inviting God to put us through His school of faith that makes us like Christ are hard, costly, and painful choices.

It is much easier just to 'wash our hands' and consider the work of holiness accomplished.

Are you a quality Christian, one who really loves God, who has surrendered every part of his life to the Lord Jesus Christ? He will work deeply and persistently to transform those who love Him and who walk obediently with Him day by day. And, the best thing is this: A beautiful holiness will emerge that is authentic and heart-deep! Never settle for a Christianity that is just about clean hands. Seek a pure heart.

Here's a prayer from the Word. Let it shape your prayer today.
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ... Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. .... Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." (Psalm 51:1-2, 10, 12-13, NIV)
Amen.

Molding the man

Sean, my 29 year old son, took the pulpit at the Assembly in my place last Sunday. In his opening remarks, he joked about the various ways I made his life miserable during his teen years. He poked fun at my unyielding demand that he be home by curfew with the often repeated statement that "nothing good happens after midnight." He told about how, when he was 14 years old, I started giving him a clothing allowance of $12 each week with the admonition that he plan wisely to make the money stretch to cover underwear to overcoats! He remembered the infamous mileage charge he had to pay for using my car which made a trip to the neighboring city for a Coke a $20 expense. (I think he exaggerated that one!) But then he told how that he now considers those things "blessings" which taught him the value of discipline and the importance of learning to budget his resources.

Did I make mistakes as a Dad? Too many to recall! Sometimes I remember a harsh word, a mis-judgment, or a failure to recognize some effort made by my kids and my heart aches. Did they only feel the discipline or did they know my love? I wish that time allowed for some do-overs. What I would give to have some of those moments back, to live them with the wisdom that I now possess. What I know is that I loved them with my whole heart and would have gladly died for them if that were demanded of me. I tried to be the best Dad I could be. My focus was not on their comfort or even on mine; it was on developing mature, self-sufficient godly men and women who would be useful to the Kingdom of God.

The Bible says that God is our Father and that He, too, focuses less on making us comfortable than He does on molding us for maturity. And, the best part? He never makes a mistake! Take a look.

"Have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God." (Hebrews 12:5-11, The Message)

Believer, does it feel like God is making your life miserable?
Does it seem that He says, "No!" more frequently than "Yes!"?

I know that feeling. Sometimes I even pray, "Father, could you let up just a little?" I think He's pushing me too hard, asking me for what I could never produce, making me do the impossible. But, He isn't! Our perfect Father knows our capabilities, sees now the person we will become, and purposes to lead us into those paths that will make us the people who best serve Him. It's not all hard, either! My kids remember that alongside of the tough discipline of our home, there were liberal amounts of laughter. Our dinner table conversations were sometimes out of control, legendary even in their outrageousness; so much so, that their friends coveted the experience of being at the Scott's house for dinner. God has moments of great joy planned for us as well.

So, trust Him. Center yourself in His love and obey Him.
"It pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."
____________________________

All things work for our good,
Though sometimes we can't see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth,
Our Father knows what's best for us;
His ways are not our own.
So when your pathway grows dim,
And you just can't see Him,
Remember, you're never alone.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

He sees the master plan.
He holds the future in His hands.
So don't live as those who have no hope;
All our hope is found in Him.
We see the present clearly,
But He sees the first and the last.
And like a tapestry,
He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

Trust His Heart
Carswell, Mason© 1989 Dayspring Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / May Sun Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / Causing Change Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

He's Done It!

People have always looked for for magical means to change their life situations. In the Middle Ages, kings employed legions of men who claimed that they could find the secret of elemental transformation - with a primary goal of turning ordinary lead into precious gold. We no longer pursue that aim, but we still want quick fixes for our problems. Companies get rich offering Americans 'magic' pills that will produce weight loss without diets or exercise programs. Counselors, often with with dubious credentials, claim to be able to rid us of our hang-ups and emotional pain in a couple of sessions were we can learn the secrets of life! And we all know about the myriad wealth schemes that drop into our email, promising instant riches.

But the truth is that all things of value - whether health or wealth - require steady efforts in a long process.

Building wealth requires careful stewardship, wise investments, and not a small amount of the blessings of the Lord with what we call fortuitous circumstances.

Extending good health demands that we monitor our consumption of foods, that we regularly exercise, and that we maintain our bodies by taking care of issues that arise before they become major problems.

Enjoying a wide circle of relationships, one of life's richest rewards, demands maturing beyond childish selfishness and learning to share in the lives of others as we extend forgiveness.

BUT, (there is always that exception, isn't there?) there is a transformation, a place of healing for the soul, that is a gift of great worth available to all, beyond our purchase.
The Bible tells us the story like this:
"Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. Youused to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeyingSatan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. ... All of us usedto live that way, following the passions and desires of our evilnature. ...and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that evenwhile we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when heraised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms-all because we are one with Christ Jesus..... God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this;it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's
masterpiece." Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT

Wow! I hope you didn't read those words too quickly. The promise is so big that it boggles my mind! "Dead, now alive! "Saved... special favor. God's masterpiece!" Why would God would love a sinner like me (and you, too) with a love so great and so wonderful and so powerful -- that we can be saints, not in some moment in the future, but here, now?

Yet, that is what we are: saints, perfect today, in the sight of God because of an amazing work transformation that He accomplishes by the Spirit in us. He offers us beauty for our ashes, hope for our despair, whole lives for the broken ones - and all at His expense! This is THE glorious and amazing truth of Christianity.

To be sure, we have a responsibility to 'work out' the implications of God's love in our day to day lives. There are disciplines of the Spirit to be learned so that the likeness of Jesus is re-created in us more completely. But, do not let anyone tell you that you can be more saved than you are at this moment. There is nothing to be added to His salvation. The work done at the Cross is a complete work on our behalf at the altar of Heaven!

"For Christ didn't enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself,and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins.He doesn't do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own;if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin. Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
Hebrews 9:24-28 MSG

Have you humbly knelt before Jesus Christ and with faith, renounced your own attempts at pleasing God?
Have you embraced, in faith, this gift of life that is offered to you without cost? If not, why not do it right now - right where you are?

Simply thank God for making a spiritual transformation possible, for forgiving you for the offenses against Him that you have committed both in ignorance and rebellion. Invite the Spirit of God to fill your life and to make you a new person!

And, amazingly, He's done it!

Yahweh Shalom - "The LORD is peace"

It was a long meeting filled with pages of numbers, budgets, requests for funds, and the unspoken implication: "Produce results now!" My reaction? Stress on top of stress. In my first conscious moments the next morning, the Holy Spirit whispered, "Let the peace of Christ rule your heart... live in peace... be thankful!" (Colossians 3;15) Don't you love it when God hands you a prescription for spiritual health? He reminds me that I have a choice in how I respond to the pressure of life, and urges me to choose to receive His peace.

Peace can be an elusive quality of life. Deadlines, pressures, conflicts, chaos, misunderstandings, disappointments; all conspire to give us knotted muscles, furrowed brows, and restless hearts. Most of us believe that peace is circumstantial- that if we could change our place, our position, or our resources - we would find peace.

The Bible tells that true peace transcends our present situation!In the book of Judges we learn that "the LORD is peace." Raiders from the neighboring country of Midian had overpowered the Israelis, driving them into the hills where they hid in caves. Desperation was everywhere! Gideon, who was a farmer, needed to feed his family in spite of the raids and attacks in Israel. So he ventured from the caves, down to the fields. Judges 6 tells that he was hiding out near a winepress, threshing grain, fearing for his life. Suddenly he is aware of a Presence and a voice! "The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!" {Judges 6:12 NLT} Gideon knowing only too well that he was anything but a mighty hero, that he was trying to avoid detection at that very moment, questions that assessment. "Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." (Judges 6:15, NIV) He goes further and questions God's messenger about the desperate times that his people are experiencing. But, when he saw the evidence of God's power and received the promise of God with faith, Gideon's heart changed. "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die." So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. (Yahweh Shalom)" {Judges 6:22-24 NIV} The OT word, "shalom" means more than the absence of conflict. Shalom indicates wholeness, restfulness, and satisfaction.

That quality of life is possible in any situation, as long as we are willing to choose to live in the Presence of God. His Spirit produces a serenity that allows us to rise above situations that cause others to panic, be to full of fear, or to fall apart. There are too many moments in my life when I choose to allow life's circumstances rob me of the peace of God. When I attempt to exert control over situations, when I try to impose a 'peace' of my own design, things usually get worse! But when I take time to re-center my soul, taking the offer of the peace of Christ by turning the challenges and problems over to Him with a request for His wisdom, peace follows. Often the situation remains exactly the same, but I am changed.

Don't misunderstand what God desires of you. His will is not that you detach yourself from reality, that you run away from life, or escape into denial. He wants us to be fully engaged with life, bringing order to chaos, healing to the broken, resisting evil wherever it makes its ugliness apparent. We can exhausted, yet serene! Endurance is demanded of us. "Endure hardship like a good soldier," Paul says. But our endurance is not simply borne of a stubborn refusal to retreat! We endure because He stands alongside of us to steady us, to quiet our fear. We are called to be people who live in His Peace!

Today, before you engage with life's challenges, go into the Presence of God. Meditate on His Word, commit yourself and your circumstances to Him. Invite the Spirit to use you as a agent of the Kingdom of Heaven wherever life takes you throughout this day. When you find yourself tensing up, feeling the pressure, breathe a prayer for peace-- "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NIV)_________________

In the presence of Your infinite might,
I'm so small and frail and weak;
When I see Your pow'r and wisdom, Lord,
I have no words left to speak.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed in the presence of a holy God.

In the presence of Your glory,
All my crowns lie in the dust;
You are righteous in Your judgments, Lord,
You are faithful, true, and just.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed in the presence of a holy God.

© 1989 Integrity's Praise! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) / PDIPraise (Admin. by Integrity's Praise! Music) CCLI License No. 810055

Did you see the sparkle in that uncut diamond?

First impressions are a part of life. Behavioral experts tell us that within 3 seconds of meeting people make judgments about our social status, intelligence, and even our trustworthiness based on the flimsiest evidence; facial expression, posture, the fit of our clothing, grooming, and accessories! We all do it, even unconsciously. And here is something that is even more sobering; those first impressions are nearly indelible. Once made, they stick and are almost impossible to change. Of course, it is a good thing to be able to determine who we should trust, who we should invite into our lives, but not based on a 3 second look which only sees the image.

Believer, Christ in us wants to change us from being servants to image and impressions, both in how we attempt to make the right impression on others and about how we form our opinion of others. He does this by working deeply in us. He wants us to see people, not clothing; real human beings, not a haircut or the watch or ring! Think I'm wrong? Hear the Word. "For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:2-4, NKJV)

Even the most godly can fall into the trap of superficiality. Samuel was a prophet of God who knew the Lord's voice and lived in obedience. The Lord sent him on a mission to Bethlehem where we was to anoint a king for Israel. Led by the Spirit to the household of Jesse, the prophet spotted Eliab, the oldest son, who carried himself with authority and dignity. The Bible reveals his first impression: "Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!" (1 Samuel 16:6, NLT) But he was wrong! God's choice wasn't the son who looked like a king; it was the son with the heart of a king, David. The prophet learned a lesson that is still important today. God told Samuel, "Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7, The Message)

The temptation to judge others based on our first impressions is something that the Lord wants to change in us, Believer. Will you let Him? Next time you find yourself forming an opinion about another person with no evidence other than his race, his body type, or his clothing - repent! Yes, that's right. Confess to the Lord that you have sinned in that moment. Ask for the gift of discernment and for the patience to take a second, a third, and even a fourth look with godly eyes. Pray for the love that lets you see the heart that God sees.

A diamond cutter takes a rough crystal in his hands. He looks at a rock and 'sees' the gem locked in it. With art and skill he cuts and shapes the stone until a sparkling gem of great value emerges. God calls us to see the potential sparkle that can be coaxed from others. Christ died for those who are filthy with sin, whose light is extinguished by depravity. He asks us to share the message of hope and renewal with them, not from arm's length, but in an embrace of love. Our goal is to release the gem from the rock!

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, NIV)