Do your ears itch?

As noted in CoffeeBreak yesterday, many Christians are ready to dilute the true Gospel of Jesus Christ with silly superstitions, angel stories, and bizarre worship practices. A lifetime of ministry has allowed me to see fads come and go in the church. I've seen many doctrinal aberrations that time has corrected. The current issue of syncretism (mixing religions) is the most serious problem I have seen. Even so-called “Spirit-filled” disciples are turning to strange doctrine and weird practices because many no longer trust the absolute sufficiency of the Scripture for life and godliness.

Part of this grows out of our celebrity culture. The fact that someone can sing or dance or act does not mean they have anything authoritative to say about politics, climate science, or religious truth. Yet, we are regularly exposed to the pontifications of those like Kanye West, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen. Are they experts? On their art, yes! On other issues? Not in my understanding. The same celebrity worship happens in the Church. An athlete who comes to faith in Christ from a life full of dysfunction is put on the stage in front of thousands of teens within months of his conversion, held up as a role model before the water of his baptism has dried.

There many Christian musicians whose passion for worship is unquestioned but whose Scriptural depth and understanding are frequently slim to non-existent. But, because they enjoy celebrity status in church circles, they have a more profound influence than pastors who carefully study the Word and teach from long hours of preparation. The result is shallow Christians with faith built on experience alone, their focus shifted from the Awesomeness of a Holy God to subjective feelings celebrated by the song writer. That is not to say that all musicians are shallow! Some write and lead out of a life dedicated equally to study of truth and excellence of their craft. Then, too, we cannot ignore the huge influence of media speakers whose words fill up books, who take the stage at conferences, using human interest stories and Oprah-like psycho-babble to explain life to us. Frequently their message is without much Bible content or any theological anchors.

Then, too, some are ‘bored’ by steady, solid, life-changing Truth of the Word, and become fascinated by demons, angels, and psychic phenomena rather than the Word of God. Deep reverence for the Presence of Yahweh is insufficient and all manner of hype is invited into the Church to replace the genuine move of the Spirit. This is not new, but it is a growing trend with nothing but terrible consequences for the health of the Church. The Word speaks of this: "The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4, NIV)

Disciple, love the Truth!
Seek out leaders whose lives show integrity.
Commit yourself to a church that is more than a ‘show,’ that is Word-centered even as it is innovative, looking for ways to bring the unchanging Truth to the culture in which we live.

As we celebrate Advent, I urge you to go back to the Gospels.
Read the “Jesus story” told in Matthew and Luke and let the amazing facts of God’s intervention in history wash over you.
Read from John 1 and begin to understand the amazing fact that God became a Man! It’s called ‘the Incarnation!’ God, the Creator, mysteriously and wondrously, moved by love entered this world and was born a baby, lived among us teaching us, died to save us from our sins, and rose again to declare His triumph over sin, death, and Hell.

Hallelujah, what a Savior.

"I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
it is enough that Jesus died,
and that He died for me."

"My heart is leaning on the Word,
the written Word of God.
Salvation by my Savior's name,
salvation through His blood."

I’ll take mine, Jesus Lite, with a splash of Buddha

The Associated Press started an article today with this line: “When it comes to religion, many Americans like the mix-and-match, build-your-own approach.” This is the finding of a report issued on 12/9/09 by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. This ‘pick and choose’ method of constructing personal faith doesn’t just mean that Christians decide to blend some Presbyterian and Episcopalian traditions. A quarter of those who are traditionally Christian claim to believe in reincarnation, a belief adopted from Eastern religions. One in five American Christians also delve into alternative spirituality. They practice yoga, look for energy from crystals, or blend aspects of nature worship into their lives. About a third say they have communicated with someone who has died and half of us claim to have had a religious or mystical experience, a sharp increase from the previous generation. So, is this good news or bad news?

The good news is that life without God was tried and found wanting. Spirituality is back. The bad news is that Christianity, as practiced in America, was found so anemic, so incapable of addressing the deepest longings of our hearts, that people decided to look elsewhere for meaning in life. Most of those who have an eclectic faith are ignorant of Christian doctrine and without understanding of the incoherent inconsistency of their beliefs. Several trends contributed to the present state; a rejection of dogma by free-thinking people, a low view of Scriptural authority among members of the clergy, and exposure to many cultures and religions as the world grew smaller in the 20th century. The same article includes this observation: "Pop culture and the Internet are probably more powerful teachers than Sunday school teachers." Scott Thumma is a sociologist at the Hartford Institute of Religion Research.

I find it amazing that faith and religion which profoundly shape who we are, what we hope for, and how we live should be so casually approached by otherwise intelligent, educated people. Imagine if we trained our children at school in the same way that we do in religion, encouraging them to adopt as true whatever was most appealing at the moment. The facts of science and math that lead to understanding the way that our world operates, that allow us to create machines, medicine, and live more safely and longer are taught with insistence on mastery of that which is true and tested. Yet, in matters of faith, we say, “Find your own way.” No wonder we live in such a muddled mess – morally and ethically! In the Proverbs we read that "There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death." (Proverbs 14:12, NLT) Jesus, who claimed to the Truth, said that “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NLT)
Are you tempted by a spirituality that is Jesus Lite, with a splash of Buddha?
Do you reject the mind only to follow emotion in matters of faith?
If so, then prepare to wander, to drift from point in life, and to come to a place without hope.

Discipleship is about knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and includes a healthy component of experience of the love of God. It also requires study and understanding that leads to mature faith that encompasses all of this life and points the way to our eternal home with the Father.
Here’s a word from Scripture for your meditation today. I pray that it will be true in your pursuit of God. "You have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:15-20, NIV)

___________________

O Lord our Lord,
How majestic is Your name.
Your words are true,
Your mercy does not change.
All Your promises are precious,
Reviving our faith.
Every one of them
Will be fulfilled one day.

Oh all Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" in Jesus.
Your promises are true.
All Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" Lord Jesus,
We'll keep running after You.

We will run,
We'll run and not grow weary.
We will rise upon the eagle's wings.
In the presence of the Lord,
Our spirits will soar,
Till we one day gaze upon our King.

But my foot had almost slipped,
O Lord, I'd almost lost my way,
'Til I entered the house of the Lord
And heard Your sweet Spirit say,

Oh all Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" in Jesus.
Your promises are true.
All Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" Lord Jesus,
We'll keep running after You.

All Your Promises
Smith, Andrew © 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

CCLI License No. 810055

Burnt plows!

In June, 1974, I first saw the girl who would become my wife. After a fun Summer of dating, we were engaged, and married in January, 1975. Recently I found an old cassette tape that contained an audio recording of our wedding. I was reminded that the covenant we made before the Lord that day had no escape hatches. We did not create a prenuptial agreement, ‘just in case.’ (Not that either of us had any assets to protect. We were poorer than poor, but did not know it.) For us, the part about being faithful 'til death do us part, so help me God' was more than words. Some days I am a better husband than others, but the feelings of the moment do not change the covenant made on January 10, 1975.

I've only made one other promise like that, my commitment to Jesus Christ. He is my Lord. I must admit that some days I am a better disciple than others. My commitment to Him is not always as obvious as it could be, but even when I am faithless He is faithful. My up’s and down’s don't change the fact of His Lordship of my life.
Statements of irrevocable commitment are sobering, aren't they? A commitment can be comforting and it can be suffocating. Commitment ends selfishness. When we make a covenant, we surrender our autonomy. On the positive side, remember that commitment makes great things possible!

-A bank will loan us money for a major purchase if our credit score indicates we have regularly met our financial responsibilities.

-A well tended marriage brings tremendous stability and support to a couple’s shared lives.

-Serving Christ faithfully gives life a meaning and purpose that cannot be found IN ANY OTHER choice.

-Forming strong, deep partnerships with others at work or in ministry, creates the possibilities of amazing results. The Bible says, "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Eccl. 4.12)
A story of radical commitment found in 1 Kings 19:19-21. Elijah, the old prophet, is nearing the end of his leadership in Israel. God tells him it is time to recruit the man who will succeed him in the prophetic office. “So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.
Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"
So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.”

He slaughtered his oxen and burned his plow! What a way to make a commitment. Elisha destroyed the tools of his former life in a sacrificial offering. There was NO going back when that was done, no 'I think I changed my mind' was possible.

When it comes to serving the Lord, are you hanging onto a contingency plan that will allow you to escape if you change your mind? What, if anything, have you held in reserve from His mastery? Only those who are irrevocably committed to Christ and His kingdom, only those with ‘burnt plows,’ know and enjoy the greatest blessings of a life of faith. Disciple, make the choice to give yourself – wholeheartedly and without reserve- to the Lord Jesus Christ. Give Him your past and leave it. Commit your future to Him to be guided into it. One of the best examples of commitment in the Bible is Joshua, the man who followed Moses in leading Israel. As he came to the end of his life, he called the nation’s leaders together and challenged them to burn their plows, so to speak. Take a look.
"So 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. . . .But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:14-15



___________________



This is the air I breathe!

This is the air I breathe!

Your holy presence living in me,

And I I'm desperate for You,

And I I'm lost without You!



This is my daily bread!

This is my daily bread!

Your very word spoken to me,

And I I'm desperate for You,

And I I'm lost without You!



Breathe © 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

Marie Barnett

CCLI License No. 810055

Pleasure, God’s gift

Many Christians almost instinctively recoil from the word, “pleasure,” as though anything enjoyable or fun must be sinful, too. Then, too, many equate pleasure with drunkenness or immorality forgetting the pure pleasure that can be found in a well prepared meal, an exquisite cup of coffee, a tender touch, or a well-told story. Gary Thomas has written a book that addresses our pleasure phobia, titled, Pure Pleasure. (Zondervan, 2009) He challenges disciples of Christ to rethink their prejudice against pleasure. The foundation of his argument is not new. He reminds us that trying to scare ourselves holy is impossible! Only a deep love for God, a soul-satisfying passion for Who He is and what He calls us to, can keep us from wandering into the pits of decadence. He writes, “We can build lives of true, lasting pleasure and so fortify ourselves against evil because evil has lost much of its allure — or we can try, with an iron will, to “scare” ourselves away from evil while still, deep in our hearts, truly longing for it.”

The allure of asceticism (rejection of pleasure) is that it feeds our pride! When we fast, there is a strong temptation to feel vastly superior to those who are unable to resist the need for food and drink. When we manage to corral our sexual urges and keep them hidden behind our foreheads, we can express our spiritual contempt for those who embrace another lover. A thousand years ago, the idea that rejecting all creature comforts and pleasure was the path to spiritual maturity took hold. Monks rejected marriage, wore rough clothing, ate only simple fare, did not bathe, and slept in cold cells in pursuit of spiritual depth. Mostly, they created misery for themselves with little to gain in mastery of sin! An idea persists that the pathway to spirituality lies through agonizingly long prayer meetings and endless hours of perusal of holy Scripture. Really?

Thomas pokes at our religious pretensions by reminding us that “prohibitionist Christians squeeze all the joy out of life — an obscene effect, because when you squeeze the joy out of life, you also end up squeezing part of God out of life. You close yourself off to a glorious, beautiful, and all-inviting side of Him.”

Thomas suggests that God must love pleasure. He equipped us with rich senses, created a world full of color, texture, and smells; made us with sensory receptors that cause us to enjoy the touch of another. Why would He make us with the ability to enjoy the world in which He placed us and then forbid us from taking pleasure from it? Jesus assures us that God, like a good father, delights in giving us good gifts! Indeed, the Savior was mocked for His ability to enjoy a good meal and hearty laughter by the Pharisees who thought such things beneath their spirituality. Jesus explained: "A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. " (John 10:10, The Message)
Thomas recognizes the danger in lauding the benefit of pleasure. He writes, “As Christians, we have an awful tendency to “overcorrect.” We see our error (“Oh, so maybe I can legitimately accept and even cultivate pleasure. I see how I’ve endangered myself and dishonored God with a prohibitionist mind-set”) and then rush to the other extreme to get away from that error, only to create a new one (“I want to ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ for the rest of my life!”). Writing or reading a book like this presents exactly that grave danger.
Today’s church, frankly, has not earned a reputation for intellectual sophistication. Instead of holding things in a healthy balance, we tend to bounce back and forth between dangerous extremes.”   Ain’t that the truth!? And yet, we cannot shrink from telling the truth just because some foolishly abuse the freedom found in it.

We enjoy pleasure, but we don’t worship it.
We take pleasure from the places where God creates opportunities for it, but we know that there are times when His call will trump our desire and we will forego pleasure to do His will.
We rejoice in the things He provides even as we hope for Eternity where we know "You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11, NIV)

Here’s a passage for your thoughts today. May He fill you up with His joy as you remember the richness of His mercy shown us in the coming of Jesus, the Savior.

"Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.
O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.


Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.
For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds." (Psalm 149:1-5, NLT)

Stains, Schedules, and Sin

Just as I was ready to slip into a dress shirt from my closet I noticed a couple of stains on it. About 99.5% of the shirt was clean and free of wrinkles, but the two spots smaller than a penny stood out, grabbing my attention. Blemishes are like that, aren’t they?

A well-known pastor who is a successful author of several popular Christian books, who leads a growing, innovative church in Washington, DC, reported on his blog that he was ‘mortified,’ by his failure to remember a scheduled wedding this weekend. Only after a phone call did he realize and then showed up more than 2 hours late! His reaction? I quote- “The ceremony was actually a beautiful ceremony. But my ego is fractured, bruised and black and blue. Still kicking myself. Still can't believe it.” (http://evotional.com/2009/12/mortified.html) One moment of failure eclipsed his successes. Mark will recover but the memory, I’m sure, will always make him feel regret.

When someone falls flat on his face, what shows up first in his obituary? His failure, of course. The years of success, the thousands of acts of kindness, the hard work of their lives always follows the lead which is about their sinful moment! Mention the famed preachers - Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, or Ted Haggard - and see what people remember first. It won’t be the best things these fallen men have done; the ministries and churches they built, the books they wrote, or the lives their messages changed. Their moment of moral collapse will be the one thing that eclipses everything else about them. The stain screams for our attention, rivets our eyes.
Today I am not trying to convince us that stains, forgotten appointments, or sins don’t matter. They do! I didn’t put on that stained shirt. I took it down to the laundry pile and applied some stain lifter to the spots. Mark, the pastor who forgot the wedding, acknowledged his forgetfulness and will most certainly be doubly diligent about checking his schedule. It isn’t just the famous ‘sinners’ who need redemption, is it? There are a few chapters in my life story that I’m glad have not been reported on “60 Minutes.” If you’re honest, you have made some decisions that you would not reported either.

The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” The Message says it this way: "We’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us." (Romans 3:23, The Message)
Perhaps your failure isn’t as spectacular as that of another, but it’s still a stain. At least two know about it- God and you! All sin separates us from God; dramatic and public, ordinary and secret – alike! But that does not need to be the end of the story. Let me put that damning passage I just quoted into context where we learn of new possibilities. "Now a righteousness from God, apart from law, … (comes) from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26, NIV)

Jesus Christ came into this world, John tells us, not to trumpet our sins, nor to point out our predicament. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” "God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again." (John 3:17, The Message)
Stained by sin? Shamed by failure? Guilty and afraid? Don’t run and hide. Look up and acknowledge what’s been done. Here’s the promise. Believe it, receive it, and live it.
"If we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin. … If we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing." (1 John 1:7,9, The Message)

________________
I was once a sinner, but I came
Pardon to receive from my Lord.
This was freely given, and I found
That He always kept His word.

There's a new name written down in glory,
And it's mine. O yes, it's mine!
And the white-robed angels sing the story,
"A sinner has come home."
For there's a new name written down in glory,
And it's mine, O yes it's mine.
With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven,
Nevermore to roam.

In the Book 'tis written
"Saved by grace."
O the joy that came to my soul!
Now I am forgiven and I know,
By the blood I am made whole.

A New Name In Glory
Miles, C. Austin
© Public Domain

And you thought you knew about Christmas....

Compiled from excerpts from
Stories Behind The Great Traditions of Christmas (Zondervan).

Up until about 350 years ago, the only universally celebrated Christian holiday was Easter. Christ's birth was an important part in the Bible but since no date is given, Christians chose different days to remember, with early January being the most common. Ultimately the Roman Catholic Church settled on December 25 in an attempt to erase Saturnalia, a Roman celebration centered on worship of Saturn and involving a lot of drinking, partying and sexual immorality. Church leaders felt that if Christmas were celebrated at that time, the depraved behavior would change. They were partially right. People forgot the Roman holiday, but continued the same kinds of partying on Christmas.
For centuries the time of Christ's Mass was a season of drinking and violence so many smaller holiness sects of Christianity stopped celebrating Christmas entirely. Believe it or not, for Americans, the national holiday of Christmas, the joyful day of Peace on Earth, is only about 160 years old. The Puritans who settled New England banned Christmas by law in 1659! The prohibition was repealed after a couple of decades, but Christmas celebrations continued to be frowned on in New England until the middle of the 1800's. That was true of much of the United States. Even Congress met on Christmas Day until the mid-1800's.

A Christian, an educator and a father named W. Clement Moore, first published, "T'was The Night Before Christmas." This poem established Santa Claus as an important part of the American Christmas, making the date much more secular. His poem opened the door that brought about the beginnings of the kind of celebrations we practice. The popularity of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," one of his works written to protest the brutality visited on the poor in 18th century England, and the introduction of the Christmas tree tradition brought to England and America by Prince Albert from Germany, made the the holiday we know.

Moore's poem made gifting giving a much more important part of Christmas. For English and American Christians, who for centuries had little positive to embrace at Christmas, it was Santa Claus who saved the holiday and brought Jesus back into the spotlight.
Santa Claus? Two wonderful Christian men really began the Santa Claus legend through their selfless actions and their faith. The first was Nicholas, a priest who gave presents to poor peasant children in the third century, even before the church actually recognized the holiday. The second was a devout duke in Borivoy,
who became the leader of Bohemia at a very early age. Each Christmas Eve, Wenceslaus would go through the snow giving out gifts to his poorest subjects. We now remember him through the old carol he inspired, "Good King Wenceslaus." From those roots we have Saint 'Claus, or Santa Claus!
Christmas 'colors' - The gold is easy; this is the color of royalty and the most precious metal on earth. It was also one of the gifts to Jesus from the wise men. The red and green can really be traced to several different important traditions. Did you know that holly and ivy, wreaths, Christmas trees, and mistletoe, were all pagan symbols used in various nature rites during the long European winters? The green was a reminder that new life would return. It represented life that went on through the difficult times of winter, just like faith that could not die in the difficult times of life. Gradually Christians adopted these symbols as part of their celebrations. The red reminded Christians that Christ's blood was shed on the cross for sins, the real reason for His coming to earth in the first place.

X in Xmas? Few know that using X as a sign for Christ predates even our initial celebrations of Christmas. X or "Chi" is the first letter of Christ's name in Greek. Many early followers of Christ were Greek and would place an X over their doors or wear something on their persons with this letter to reflect their faith as a disciple of Christ. For more than 1,000 years, the church spelled out Christmas with just an X. It was not done to take Christ out of Christmas, but to put Him there where everyone, even those who could not read, could understand that this day of worship was for the Son of God.

____________________________________

Have you joined the Advent Conspiracy?
Change your tradition to include -Worshiping fully, Spending Less, Giving More, and Loving All!

Learn more about it by clicking here - Advent Conspiracy

While the Bible says nothing about December 25, blinking lights, decorated trees, or a rotund jolly man dressed in a red suit - it does tell us about God's Gift - 'wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.' Angels announced the birth as a reason for great praise and as a sign of peace and the arrival of God's favor  for all of humanity. A world without Jesus Christ is beyond imagination. His birth and life changed history, and His death and resurrection changes our destiny, promising us eternal life.

Here's a word from the Word on which to meditate today--
"...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! . . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:5-8, 10-11, NIV)

"Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!

A Dark and Stormy Night

Standing in the backyard with Sam, the setter, in the darkness just before the dawn was an awesome experience today. High winds roared in the trees, bending even the thick branches. It was as though an unseen hand shook each limb. Clouds raced by the bright moon, driven by powerful currents of air. The sounds were amazing; rushing air, snapping branches, huge drops of rain smacking my face! It was a grand display of power which brought to mind the description of the birth of the Church.

"Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability." (Acts 2:2-4, NLT) Because this stunning event happened on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, we still refer to that initial experience of the Spirit as making one a "Pentecostal" Christian.
With that experience of empowering Person, that little band of men and women went out to every corner of their world. They preached the Good News of a Savior, fought with evil where they found it, loved the broken and outcast, gave their lives in pursuit of the purposes of God. And, by that amazing Power working in them, they changed the brutal world in which they lived! The prayer of my heart is borrowed from Habakkuk who said, "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy." (3:2, NIV) This world needs a new Pentecost! My church needs a new Pentecost. I need a new Pentecost! I can no more make that happen than I can cause the mighty winds to blow through the trees of my backyard. However, I can pray to the Lord of Heaven, the Mighty Maker of the Winds, and ask Him to make the Wind of the Spirit blow anew.

It is not simply an experience for which I long, nor is it for chills or thrills of emotion. It is for a new power, a fire to be lit once again, that burns brightly in this darkened world where in a time of such prosperity and blessing the love of many Christians for their God is lukewarm, at best. Many want the gentle breeze to blow to remind them of the Spirit's Presence, but they fear the Mighty gust of His power that turns life upside down! Many want God tamed, on a leash, unthreatening but comforting. I want Him to own me! Come, Holy Spirit, blow like a Mighty Wind.

• What sins have you learned to tolerate in your life that obscure the brightness of His glory in you?
• What suffering have you learned to ignore that the Spirit would compel you to alleviate with love?
• Do you think of millions who are dead while they live, ignorant of the God who loves them, and go to tell the story of Savior born to save the world?
• Is your life passionately dedicated to the work of God, or carefully lived to avoid difficulties, draining people, and dark circumstances in desperate need of the Light?

Father God, let your Mighty Wind
blow through my life,
Sweeping away apathy.
By the storm create a new climate
In which Your Son can shine brightly.
Spirit, blow through my heart,
Awesome and powerful,
Irresistibly drawing me to the
Purposes for which I was made.
Jesus, make all things new,
In me, in my church, in my world.
Amen

________________

There's a wind a-blowin'
All across the land
A fragrant breeze of heaven
Blowin' once again
Don't know where it comes from
Don't know where it goes
But let it blow over me
Oh Sweet Wind
Come and blow over me

There's a rain a-pourin'
Showers from above
Mercy drops are comin'
Mercy drops of love
Turn your face to heaven
Let the water pour
Well let it pour over me
Oh Sweet Rain
Come and pour over me

There's a fire burnin'
Fallin' from the sky
Awesome tongues of fire
Consuming you and I
Can you feel it burnin'
Burn the sacrifice
Well let it burn over me
Oh Sweet Fire
Come and burn over me

Sweet Wind
© 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing
Vineyard Songs Canada
ION Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
(Admin. by Music Services)
(Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)
David Ruis
CCLI License No. 810055

The cure for burn-out

I am in danger of ‘burn out.’ Three decades of preaching and pastoral care has left me a little frayed at the edges! Any work that includes ongoing care for people’s needs can eat away at the core of the caregiver. Pastors are not exempt from the exhaustion that can come when they must help people work through emotional and spiritual needs that never end. I have seen more than a few pastors reach my age and let it all get to them. Some quit and find another way to pay their bills. Others become ineffective and detached. A few fall into sinful behavior. As I prayed about staying in the race, the Spirit reminded me that avoiding burn out is less about taking a vacation than it is about renewal of vision!

The power of vision is simply amazing. When a person says, ‘life must be different,' and then begins to think about HOW to achieve that difference, he is vision-eering! (Thank you, Andy Stanley!) Some visions are worthy, others are not; but all are powerful! The most mundane work takes new meaning if the worker knows why he does it. IF can see HOW the little things we do fit into some grander plan, steady progress is made. We are guided by something or Someone bigger than ourselves.

Education is an example. A young woman who has a vision to serve her world effectively endures 6 years of reading text after text, writing paper after paper, and sitting through boring lectures because she knows that the knowledge acquired and the degrees she earns are the foundation needed for her calling. The endless days as a student become meaningful ONLY in light of the goal for life. That's vision-- and the power of that vision will set our course and keep us steady on!

But, not all visions are true or worthy. Visions must be tested, measured by a standard to see if they are worthy of our investment. How can we be sure that we are giving ourselves to a goal that is worth living for?

First, vision must be shaped by the will of God. A vision that disregards God's will is worse than unworthy. It is sinful. In Luke 12, Jesus told a story about a man whose hard work paid off richly. The man’s vision was clear. “Take life easy. Eat. Drink. Be merry.” Jesus did not condemn the man's work nor his wealth. He challenged the man's vision which was selfish. It was an unworthy vision! Jesus concludes his story saying, "A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:21, NLT)

Second, vision must be anchored. While vision must be fresh, it need not be novel! A keen visionary is inspired by those who lived worthy lives before him. The best visionaries have a working knowledge of the past from which they courageously launch into the future. Paul tells us that we all build on a common foundation, Christ Jesus. Our vision is best when it includes a rich appreciation of those who have laid the foundation on which we now build. But visionaries cannot be captive of either the successes or failures of the past. Paul says that "One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3.13-14 Paul did not intend us to understand that he was throwing away all the lessons he had learned. He is urging us to lay down the weight of yesterday's sins and to stop trying to relive yesterday's glories, so that we can discover the wonderful Will of God for life TODAY!

Third, vision must be bigger than what we can accomplish by ourselves or with our own resources. If our vision is too small, we will out-grow it, out-live it, or come early to a sense of futility.

So…. What do you see?
… about the core purpose of your life?
… for your children's future?
… about finding a way to honor God in what you do as your daily work?
… about bringing Jesus and His Kingdom into your sphere of influence?

Jesus, as He stood on a road in Samaria, challenged his disciples to re-consider their assumptions about life and possibilities. He said, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true." (John 4:34-37, NLT)

OPEN YOUR EYES and LOOK at the fields! Becoming visionary is hard work. Implementing and maintaining vision is harder still. However, without vision we quickly become mired in mediocrity, become a burnt-out shell, and the work of God goes undone.
_______________

O Lord our Lord,
How majestic is Your name.
Your words are true,
Your mercy does not change.
All Your promises are precious,
Reviving our faith.
Every one of them
Will be fulfilled one day.

We will run,
We'll run and not grow weary.
We will rise upon the eagle's wings.
In the presence of the Lord,
Our spirits will soar,
Till we one day gaze upon our King.

Oh all Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" in Jesus.
Your promises are true.
All Your promises
Are "Yes" and "Amen" Lord Jesus,
We'll keep running after You.

All Your Promises

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

Saints and Sinners, wins and loses

The Saints defeated the Pats soundly last night; outplayed them in every way. From 2001 to the last season, fans of the New England team got used to their Pats win; almost assuming they would find a way, even when they were behind, to come back in the 4th quarter and put the necessary points on the board. This season is different! Every game is a challenge. Wins are truly celebrated, never taken for granted. Perhaps this ‘humbling’ is good for those of us who liked to taunt fans of teams made up of mere mortals.

Some people get used to winning at life, too! Year after year, they enjoy good health, steady employment, a solid marriage; a good life. Quite easily, and often unconsciously, some allow a kind of arrogance to creep in, a feeling that others must be ‘losing’ because they are weaker, less intelligent, or doing something to deserve their difficulties. This state is particularly tragic when found among those who are supposedly walking with God, who develop a severe case of Pharisaical superiority. Blessings are a gift of grace, given so that we might bless others, not so we can hoard them or worse, assume they are some kind of badge signifying Divine Approval!

Jesus told a story about two men, one of whom had become accustomed to his ‘superior’ position in the world, who assumed his blessings resulted from his own goodness. Take a look.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’


“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’


“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”" (Luke 18:10-14, NIV)
Truthfully, we need to know that eventually trouble finds us all! We age. Tragedy strikes. Disappointment knocks on our door. For reasons we cannot always comprehend, losing seasons arrive! This is a serious crisis for every Pharisee who takes his ‘wins’ as God’s sign of special favor. If he has believed he ‘earned’ the favor of God, then logic says he must now accept responsibility for his losses! Guilt sets in, stoked by the demons that rejoice. Fear becomes his companion. Doubt about God’s goodness is not far behind, as he searches his heart and mind for failures that must have ‘caused’ God to judge him.

Disciple, do you humbly take the blessings and the hard days with equal faith and thankful acknowledgement of God’s wisdom? Some of you are objecting, “But, Pastor, are you saying we have no effect on our lives? Are you putting us in the hand of fate?” No, of course, choices have consequences. There are decisions we make that lead to better results than others. But, the wisest of men suffer loss and fools sometime succeed! The story of Job starkly reminds all of us that God operates beyond our finite limits of understanding, sometimes allowing even those who are righteous and mature to go through long and dark nights.

Dig the root of pride out of your heart! Love those who suffer, not with pity, but as one who shares life with them in a world where seasons change, where tragedy and triumph are often next door neighbors. The one constant that we cling to is this: "Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” (Lamentations 3:23-24, NLT)

____________

You can have a song
In your heart in the night,
After every trial
After every mile.
Anyone can sing
When the sun's shining bright,
But you need a song
In your heart at night.

You can have a melody
Down in your heart,
When it's aching, almost breaking,
Even though the sorrow
Makes the teardrop start,
You can have a melody
Down in your heart.

Do not let your worries
Drive your song away,
Though tomorrow bring its sorrow.
Just remember after night time
Comes the day,
Do not let your worries
Drive your song away.

You Can Have A Song In Your Heart

Stanphill, Ira / Slavens, E.L.
© 1946 Singspiration Music
(Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)

CCLI License No. 810055

A Baby and A King!

During the 1970's, the Second Coming dominated life in evangelical and Pentecostal churches. "Rapture" fever infected most of the Believers I knew. Remember those awful movies - "Thief in the Night" and "Distant Thunder"? They scared the sin out of Christians for at least a week every time we saw one of them! We didn't want to be left behind to face the horrors of the Anti-Christ. Prophecy preachers saw signs of the Return of Christ in every newspaper article and painted fantastic pictures of a world in flames which awaited anyone not 'ready for the coming of the Lord!'


The book of the Revelation became a kind of horror movie, mesmerizing but awful, at the same time. I still am not certain if it was my twisted perception or generally skewed presentations- but the "Blessed Hope," was anything but blessed or hopeful for most of us. The mentality was escapist and a ‘get those sinners, God!’ race to judgement. It should not be so!

The season of Advent is our annual reminder that Jesus Christ came into the world as its Savior and that He will come again as its King! The story of a baby born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, the incarnate Deity, is like a brilliant flash of lightning whose rolling thunder still echoes through time two millennia after the Event. This season is full of the songs that declare that we are not alone, scrabbling to make a life on this planet by our own wits. God stepped over the threshold of eternity and into time, humbling Himself to become a man. The Christmas story is a declaration to us that our purpose here goes beyond the propagation of our DNA.
Advent’s most wonderful message is the Blessed Hope. In your prayers and ponderings today think on this:
"Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen." (Revelation 1:7, NIV)

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son."  (Revelation 21:4-7, NIV)

Join the conspiracy that changes not only perspective but life! This Advent worship the King! Connect the Incarnation and the Revelation; the Baby and the King of Glory. Advent will take on new meaning - not only of remembering a baby’s birth, but of hope of the King's coronation.

_______

Joy to the world,
the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let ev'ry 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!

Isaac Watts, public domain

A strange kind of relief

About 6 weeks ago, I learned that there was some abnormality in my body that needed further exploration. Yesterday the doctor told me that my biopsy results were all good, no cancer. I am deeply grateful, praising God. I should be elated, and in a sense I am. But in another part of my mind, I am dealing with a new sense of the inevitability of aging and illness, with this episode being a clear reminder that no day of the rest of my life should be wasted. Is it fear that is creating this urgency? Is it a normal reaction to what I perceive as a kind of ‘near miss’ with serious illness? I don’t really know.

Like many of us who have to keep up with life and responsibilities while we deal with our personal crises, I shelved my emotions. After learning the good news, I thought I could just go merrily on my way. An hour after hearing the doctor’s verdict, an emotional tidal wave hit, from which I am still trying to recover. Have you ever had a nightmare in which tragedy overtakes you, your family perishes or something equally horrible happens? Then, you wake up, and shaking off sleep, you feel a mixture of lingering fear and tremendous relief that it was only a dream! That is my state of mind today.

Why did the Lord allow me to walk this road? To claim to know all of His mind would be wrong, but I know this: He is reminding me to be about the business of the Kingdom of Heaven now. This is not the time to slack off, to get distracted with the temporal things of life. This is His Word to me and my prayer is that it will be renewed to you as well. “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is." (Ephesians 5:14-17, NIV)
Thank you for praying for me in this time. CoffeeBreak will be back next Monday.

________________

May the Lord’s Presence be part of your Thanksgiving.

"Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!"

(Psalm 150, The Message)

God on the margins

Connie Schultz writes a column that appears in my local newspaper. She is a persuasive and provocative feminist. Today, she loosed her verbs on members of Congress who wish to restrict the use tax dollars to fund abortion. Schultz adopts the argument that respect for life is rooted in religion and therefore has no place in public policy. In so many words she says that God is irrelevant to the world in which we live, that belief is a hobby for fools and the self-deluded. We are a nation now governed by an elite that sides with the likes of Schultz. Most of our legislators, judges, and intellectuals continue to profess religious belief. They do so, however, as a sentimental custom, not as a life-shaping commitment. God, if He exists at all, is relegated to the margins of life. Of course, that kind of God is no god at all!

I cannot do much about Connie Schultz’s opinions, but I can examine my own life for the same kind of thinking.

Am I pushing God to the edges of my life, refusing His will or wisdom in favor of my own convenience?

Am I living on my own terms even though they contradict what the Scripture reveals to be the mind of God in the matter?

How can we claim to love and serve God if we try to wall off parts of our lives from Him? Jesus confronts us with this question: "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46, NIV) Perfectly aligning life with God’s will is the true disciple’s desire. Yes, I have inconsistencies in my life that anyone will find should they delve into my actions. I do not perfectly practice what I preach. I confess that with sorrow and with the hope that I am not a rebel, just ignorant! It is one thing to not know the will of God and thus to fail to do it. It is quite another to know what He commands and yet to ignore Him. The Bible reminds us that we sin as much by omission as we do by commission. "You are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil." (James 4:16-17, The Message)

Ms. Schultz probably does not realize that when she shakes her fist at moral absolutes, she is breaking the first of the Ten Commandments: "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3, NIV) That does not simply prohibit worshipping a small clay idol, or adopting the gods of a foreign religion! It is a call to humility of Self, to submission of our minds and hearts to the One True God. The stark and simple fact is that unless one has settled the issue of the primacy of God in all things, life will be disordered and increasing chaos will result. “Lord, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee.” - St. Augustine

Disciple, I urge you to place yourself – every attitude, every assumption, every value – at the Throne of God. Invite the Holy Spirit to make known to you any part of you that is not yielded to His mastery. Pray that prayer which David prayed in humble confession; "What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. … Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you." (Psalm 51:6, 16, The Message)

___________
All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me Jesus take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me Savior wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord I give myself to Thee.
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessings fall on me.

I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

I Surrender All
Van De Venter, Judson / Weeden, Winfield S.
© Public Domain

God, vindicate me!

The vise of government bureaucracy tightened around the little family. False accusations, broken promises, and abused power destroyed their home, brought financial ruin, driving them to the edge of sanity. As we talked the woman asked, “Why would people do this to us? Is there any justice?” Their story of abuse at the hands of the powerful is not unique. It’s been repeatedly billions of times in history!

David, the shepherd boy from Bethlehem, was called into the service of King Saul. He did his best, serving the king with skill and faithfulness. The people came to love the young man for his leadership and praised him in the streets singing of his exploits. Jealousy took root in Saul’s heart and gradually drove the old king into madness. Again and again, he attempted to kill David. There was no justice, no reason for Saul’s fears. In one of the dramatic stories of the Bible, we learn that David had an opportunity to settle the score. Take a look.

"Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats. At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’ ” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe." (1 Samuel 24:2-4, NLT)
With that piece of the king’s robe in his hand, David waited until Saul had started to move on, then he stepped out and challenged the king saying, "This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’" (1 Samuel 24:10, NLT)
It’s is David’s prayer that we need to memorize for it reveals a heart fully trusting in God’s appointed time of justice. "Let’s decide which of us is in the right. God may avenge me, but it is in his hands, not mine. ….God is our judge. He’ll decide who is right. Oh, that he would look down right now, decide right now—and set me free of you!” (1 Samuel 24:15,The Message)
Are you waiting for justice?
Has some cruel person made your life a nightmare, visiting their crazy worldview on you, trying to destroy you without cause?

Cry out to your Advocate! Plead with Him for justice!
But, be careful about taking matters into your own hands. Our hearts are prone to sin and even though we may feel justified in settling the score, we risk sinning ourselves if we let ourselves go down that road. Better to let God judge! When He decided, it is perfect justice. Until then, we must be guided by our Lord’s instructions.“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. … But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." (Matthew 5:44-45, NLT)
Waiting for God’s justice gives us great freedom. It allows us to live without fear, trusting the One who knows for our security and vindication. Will you choose to live in faith today?

Superman, anyone?

Yesterday I wanted to be Superman! Just for a day or two I would enjoy having his unique qualities. Forget the flying. It would be fun, but basically useless. It’s the ability to work fast, to be unstoppable, and invincibility that appeals to me. There are a few challenges sitting on the periphery of my life which I’d like to wipe away with a single swing of super strength. Yes, I know, it’s just a story, but we all slip into daydreams occasionally. Since this Clark Kent isn’t going to be a super-hero, I chose another guy for inspiration today, Eleazar, son of Dodai. Never heard of him? He gets a couple of lines in the Bible that are memorable to me. In the book of 2 Samuel, there is a review of the ‘mighty men’ that stood with David, Israel’s warrior king. One of the men of renown is the aforesaid Eleazar. His big moment in life is included in the list. "Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines ‘till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword." (2 Samuel 23:9-10, NIV)

That’s quite a line, froze to the sword! The other soldiers retreated as the Philistines advanced, but Eleazar stood his ground, unwilling to give an inch, swinging his sword in deadly arcs that continued, over and over, until a pile of dead and wounded enemies lay around him. As the din of battle subsided when the Philistines finally broke and ran, the Israeli warriors crept back to see their friend standing there exhausted and bloody. Most remarkably, he was unable to release his grip on his sword! He had fought with such ferocity that his tendons were locked. His fellow warriors gathered around him and pried open his fingers, one by one, until the sword fell to the ground and Eleazar finally knew it was over! It’s not my intent to glorify the violence, but rather to let his tenacity inspire us. He wouldn’t give up.

It’s silly to dream about being Superman, but I can aspire to be an Eleazar. Even if those who stand alongside of me retreat from the battle of life, the struggle for that which is of God, it is my aspiration to keep swinging the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17, NIV) I want to finish with my grip on His Truth intact, my love for His will the overarching notable quality of my life. How about you?
Challenges will keep coming. When we beat back one temptation, another arises. When we solve one problem, another appears. Master a skill and new demands will require yet more adaptation. That’s the nature of life! We have only a brief respite to savor the victories, before the next wave rolls toward us. There is a promise for would-be Eleazars. God, the Spirit, never leaves us on our own. We need not try to stand in our strength. The Word says that He will "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." (Ephesians 3:16-19, NIV)

As I dealt with my Superman fantasy yesterday, I knelt to pray and took the offer of His strength, thanking Him that HE would not let me fall, asking Him for level ground and steady endurance. If you’re weary, let me encourage you to do the same. Thank Him, renew your appreciation of His grace, breathe in the life and love of Christ, then stand ‘til your hand freezes to the sword!

_______________________

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
‘Till with Christ the Lord I stand.

Lina Sandell
Public Domain

The why of the what

Do you ever forget why you do what you do?

On Monday, while my urologist was working on me doing the biopsy, I asked him why he chose his particular specialty. He laughed and said, “Because I like to sleep through the night and enjoy my weekends. There aren’t many urological emergencies!” Good answer and one that an obstetrician could not give! Both kinds of physicians offer needed care, but for very different reasons. Why do you do what you do? The short answer might be: to pay the bills, or it’s the first job I was offered, or I married into the company, or I couldn’t afford college and ended up doing this job. Others might remember a passion for children that led them to education, or a desire to make money that pulled them towards a career they saw as lucrative, a love of music that drew them to perform, or a calling from God that was irresistible.

With time’s passing, many might say, “I stopped asking why a long time ago! I just have to keep making the donuts now because the luxury of choice is in the past.” That’s what too many think. Obligations can cause us to lose sight of why we started out doing what we do. When that happens, a kind of desperation lurks that can drive a person to many a foolish decision! Think about ‘why’ beyond your job or career.

In all of life, it is important to stay aware of the ‘why’ that shapes the ‘what.’ Why did you get married? Why do you stay married? Why do you go to the church you attend, relate to others the way you do, do the ministry you do, act the way you do towards others? It’s easy to slide into passivity, to let circumstances and experiences define us, settling into a rut of routine. We will not live the adventure that is possible for those full of faith in God if we are living by default instead by intention! The Bible says, "Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:2, The Message)

A marriage kept intact ‘for the kids’ cannot know the deepening intimacy of one nurtured by unselfish love.
A job done ‘just for the money,’ will not be done with the same quality as one done ‘as unto Christ.’ (Eph. 6.5)
A ministry done to gain recognition or for self-fulfillment will never have the same sweetness or pure results as one done for God’s glory alone!

As we ask ourselves ‘why’ we might conclude that the only answer is to abandon responsibility or to up end our lives with some radical choice for self-fulfillment. In truth, we have woven webs of obligation to family, church, community, and God that we must not break simply because we have become unhappy or dissatisfied. It is possible to redefine the ‘why’ of our present circumstances by bringing God into our situation and seeking His will. He makes ‘all things new.’ He can give us a new vision that changes us in place and allows us to begin to redefine the way we act. The so-called ‘geographical cure’ for life’s problems, that old lie that promises happiness if only we can find some new place, never works precisely because our greatest problem travels with us! That is ourselves. Without inner transformation, we almost always recreate the same problems that plagued us in the past even when we change spouses, jobs, or locations.

Change the storyline you’re telling yourself! Even a fable starts to sound true if it is told long enough. Ask the Lord to give you courage to face the truth, for the insight to know yourself, for the creativity to re-tell the story of your life in the way that honors His purposes.

"God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything,
more than just ready to do what needs to be done. …
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you.
He gives you something you can then give away,  which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God,
wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God."  (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, The Message)

So, you’re talking about me behind my back?

Good health, overall, has been one of God’s ways of blessing me. Mostly, I have avoided hospitals and physicians. The few times I had to deal with medical tests or pain were quickly forgotten. Several weeks ago, a routine screening brought new knowledge of my physical body’s weakness and mortality. Yesterday I went through a prostate biopsy, a procedure I tremendously dreaded! And now, I have to wait for the determination. Is it cancer or not? (Results will be given to me next Monday.) Anytime the possibility of cancer exists, we shudder, don’t we? No matter the statistics, the advances in treatments, and the assurances of medical personnel, that word is still ominous.

There is one thing that sustained me yesterday: prayer! Hundreds of people from California to Massachusetts talked about me behind my back - to the Lord. Notes that told me about it were amazingly comforting. This past Sunday, several church leaders gathered ‘round me, laying their hands on me in prayer and I wept; in part from love I felt, and in part because the safety of that moment allowed the very real fear I held inside to leak out! I have no idea how many people I have prayed for in my lifetime, but it has to be thousands! I can only hope that my prayers were as comforting to them as the prayers offered on my behalf are to me at this time.

Prayer is more than emotionally therapeutic. It is powerful!

The Bible tells us to "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) I cannot explain all the reasons that an All-knowing, All-powerful Purposeful God wants us to pray, but He does. The Bible make that abundantly clear. Personal prayer involves listening that allows Him to direct us. That’s not all there is to prayer, however. There is a Biblically mandated prayer of petition that we cannot and must not ignore. "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)
The Word urges us to ask boldly, ask faithfully, and trust Him radically. Know this! Faith is important, a God-focused faith. He doesn’t answer prayers just because we’re good enough, loud enough, eloquent, or even earnest. He hears our pleas when they are offered in the attitude like that of a child who asks favor from a loving father. No good Dad gives his son everything he asks for because his wisdom knows that not all things desires are the best. Our Father does what is best for us.

Disciple, we need to pray for one another – not just from a distance – but in person. This must be a regular practice that does not wait for a crisis time. Go ahead and talk about me behind my back, to God. You can even criticize me to Him! You can, and should, ask Him to change me, to correct me. I’ll do the same for you! And God will put it all in the right perspective and use our prayers to accomplish His will and purposes. When we pray for each other, we must go beyond – “Lord, bless Pete, Sally, and Sam.” Let’s get specific, praying for financial provision, for specific guidance, for restoration of love in marriages, and for all those things that real people experience. I asked people to pray specifically for me to have courage and peace as I went through yesterday’s procedure. I know their prayers were specifically answered! I did not feel stressed, had no adverse reactions. In fact, I fell asleep in the waiting room and my wife had to wake me up. Thanks be to Jesus for His wonderful peace.

Let me pray for you now borrowing Paul’s amazing prayer for the Ephesians, a prayer that is one of my favorite passages in the Word.
"When I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus
and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus,
I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—
every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks.
But I do more than thank.

I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—
to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally,
your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do,
grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers,
oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!" (Ephesians 1:15-19, The Message)

To the praise and honor of our wonderful Lord. Amen!
_________________

I have a Savior,
He's pleading in glory,
A dear, loving Savior,
Though earth friends be few;
And now He is watching
In tenderness o'er me,
And oh, that my Savior
Were your Savior, too!

I have a Father:
To me He has given
A hope for eternity,
Blessed and true;
And soon will He call me
To meet Him in heaven,
But oh, that He'd let me
Bring you with me, too!

For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
I'm praying for you.

I have a peace:
It is calm as a river,
A peace that the friends
Of this world never knew:
My Savior alone is
Its author and giver,
And, oh, could I know
It was given for you!

For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
I'm praying for you.

I Am Praying For You

Cluff, Samuel O'Malley / Sankey, Ira D.
© Public Domain

Real guts!

Men were standing around the room after an event, talking. A commotion caught my attention, just in time to see two grown men one near 40, the other 10 years younger, grab each other in what looked like a desperate confrontation! Seconds later they were on the floor. Grunting with exertion they rolled under a table, tipping it over as they wrestled. They mixed it up, testing each other’s strength for about a minute, then they got up, smoothed their clothes and shook hands. One had blood coming from his nose, the other from his lip. And, they were laughing! “A friendly fight” they called it! They weren’t angry, just men acting like boys. I’ve never been one of those men who liked to fight for the fun of it.

For me, a real demonstration of strength involves integrity, doing the right thing even when it’s hard, making the right choice when fatigued or pressed. I am not all that impressed with the displays of testosterone that are offered up as a show of courage!
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ demands real guts! The world around us, the sinful nature in us, and the devil who opposes God and good will ‘bring it on’ from time to time. Sometimes our Adversary shows up as that ‘roaring lion’ and plants himself in our path. “You’ll fail. You’re weak,” he roars. Sometimes we just start to look around at others and we feel the pressure to cave in, to adopt their way of life, to work for those things that would make us successful by societal measures. And, worst of all, are those temptations that arise from our inner thoughts, that find a root in our fears, that poke at our most vulnerable spots.

Joshua’s charge to ancient Israel is one we need to hear. “Be very strong; be careful to obey all … without turning aside to the right or to the left. … But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.” Joshua 23:6 (NIV) To state the obvious- one does not need to be heavily muscled, male, young, or an athlete to take up that charge. We will need courage, however. What passes for Christianity is often an ‘all you need is love,’ emotion-centered experience. Jesus Christ is given a feminine likeness. We unconsciously start to think of Him rather like our grandma who cajoled us with sweet words. Truth is that He is Lord, strong and mighty, who says unapologetically, “Take up your cross and follow Me!” I hear those words not in the wheedling tones of a Mommy speaking to a toddler, but in the command voice of a man leading a squad of soldiers!

Here’s a word from the Word that challenges us to a robust faith, full of courage. Meditate on it. "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. … Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1,3, NIV) Do you see the Source of our true strength? It is not our personality, our education, our innate intelligence, or our muscle! We are made strong by an infusion of Divine Goodness bought for us and made available to us by Jesus. It’s time to say, “I can stand because He gives me real guts. I can face the Devil and move forward to defeat him. I can resist pressure to conform to the norms of my world because He leads me along a different path. I will be courageous enough even to deal with my own weakness with discipline!”
"So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6, NLT)

_______________

Am I a radical fanatic?

When the words ‘radical fanatic’ come up so does my level of caution! Immediately I think of those who blow themselves up with the hope of gaining Paradise as they kill the infidels or of those who moved to a jungle camp in Guyana with the insane preacher named Jim Jones. Why does complete commitment to God have to be confused with such insanity? Why do I not think of the amazing couple with three children who left the comfort of their American home to live out their lives among a remote tribe in Papua New Guinea to bring the Word of God, or the self-sacrifice of 5 young American missionaries on an Amazon River beach in 1956 while attempting to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love to the Waorani, who were engaged in a destructive murderous civil war?

Christianity was never meant to be a life of moderation!

Our Savior and Lord calls us to total surrender of ourselves for and fanatical dedication to His Kingdom. How else can we read His words? "If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me. If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me." (Matthew 10:37-39, The Message)

John echoes that call. "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)

What or who owns your life, disciple? That question cannot be answered only with words. It must include all parts of our daily lives.

In what do we seek security?
To what do we give the majority of our focused energies?
What are we teaching our children about values?

Jesus, were He to stand among His American followers today, would likely ask, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?" (Luke 6:46, NLT) A Christianity that is reduced to a system of ethics, a religious creed, and a morality that merely keeps us from the grossest sins is not at all aligned with the discipleship taught by the Word. The safe, moderate life that most of us live is barren of the Spirit’s life and Presence because we sense little or no need of His daily presence. We, not God, are ‘in charge.’ We only invite His with passionate prayers when circumstances arise that we cannot manage; things like sickness, financial reverses, or relational breakdown. Then, when normality returns so does our sense of self-sufficiency.

So how can we become radical without going insane?  Two choices are of prime importance:

- Anchor your choices to the Scripture with careful study that includes no private interpretations and consideration of the long tradition of the Church.
- Remain in community, not going off to do your own thing without counsel and advice of those who are mature.

Jesus Christ offers the most radical Way and it is not based in esoteric visions, strange rituals, or weird self-expression. As you read His words, take time to meditate on them. Carry them with you as you ask, “Am I a radical fanatic?”

“There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!" (Luke 6:26-31, The Message)
The way of love – it is radical!

Full of doubts?

Not too long ago a good man stopped me and asked, “Do you have doubts?” He wanted to know if my Christian life included any uncertainties about what I claim to believe. He’s not the first to ask me that question! He wanted to know if I ever wondered about questions like: Does God care for me? Does He really take note of me? Is He active? Does He answer prayer? These are real questions and more common that we think. Many of us feel anxiety and even guilt about even having these thoughts. We are convinced that if we were a ‘better Christian’ all doubt would disappear and we would live in perpetual assurance. Think again. The deeper a person delves into faith, the more we choose (note that word) to walk in faith, the more we expose ourselves to the possibility of doubt. Why? Because the choice to live by faith leads us from the common, the safe, the tested and out into the realm of the impossible, the impractical, ‘walking in the Spirit.’

Faith needs to grow and gradually replace our doubts. But, doubt is not necessarily a bad thing. It can and should lead us to an examined and tested faith that is able to withstand the stormy times of life that will come to us all. Timothy Keller, author and pastor, says that “a faith without some doubt is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic.” (Reason for God, Riverhead, 2008) I love that analogy to antibodies. We can live without them, but we are much more resistant to sickness because of them. Each time our bodies fight off some virus, we gain strength for the next assault.
Doubts are disturbing! But, they also can help us to clarify our beliefs which, in turn, deepens our ability to trust God. Doubt and faith need not be adversaries. Doubt can lead us to greater faith if we respond to it in ways that recognize our limitations. If we require iron-clad proofs that respond to our demand to see, touch, smell, or hear; then doubt will become destructive. If we are willing to admit that there are many things we simply cannot reduce to the simplicity of our own understanding, then we can come to a place where we are prepared to discard doubt and choose to trust God. I am convinced that we should not force that process to end prematurely, either in ourselves or in others.
In my life, doubt is ultimately defeated by building from the broad issues of faith to the more defined ones. Long ago, I chose to believe in the existence of God. The balance of evidence pointed to a Supreme Being, a Creator. Examination of the evidence and Scripture brought me to the choice to trust that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to reveal His grace and Himself to us thus; I am a Christian. Learning of the way of life He taught and seeing how genuine discipleship brought such benefit to this world, I chose to respond to His offer of grace and follow Him as a disciple. Do you see the pattern?
John closes his Gospel, which is a long argument for Christian faith, with a story of doubt overcome. As you read it, take note that Jesus did not condemn the doubter. Instead, he invited him to examine the evidence and make a choice!
"Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:27-31, NIV)

Are you doubting? Keep it honest.
Ask the questions, not as accusations but as real inquiries.
Allow for mystery.
Be a good student of the world, the Scripture, and yourself.
And, listen for the Spirit’s invitation to faith.
"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. …


It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him."
(Hebrews 11:1, 6, The Message)

___________________

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.

While life's dark maze I tread,
And grief around me spreads
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!

When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll,
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove.
Oh bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.

My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Palmer, Ray / Mason, Lowell

© Public Domain

“Oh, yeah? Well, your mother is ugly!”

One of the not so fun parts of leadership, even in a small organization, is the criticism that comes with the job. People with differing opinions or without full information about how a decision was made will often attack the decider. I’ve been told I was stupid, that I lacked vision, that I was not spiritual, that I was allowing my church to slide into decline, and more. That was said to my face! Behind my back, much worse has been said. (Yes, it is true that I have also received a ton of affirmation too, over the years, but that’s for another blog.) There was a time when I met each and every critic with drawn sword! In moments when I felt vulnerable even if my position was weak I was ready to defend it, rather like the school yard kid who finds he has nothing else to say, so he hurls the age-old insult – “your mother is ugly!”

In conflict, we have a decision to make – to amplify the noise or absorb it! Just about every married person knows how quickly the volume can rise during an argument when neither one is ready to back down! Our natural tendency is to respond to others with the same spirit they bring. “You want hostile, I’ll show you hostile!” Then, we run into the wisdom of Jesus who says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV) If we who have experienced His powerful love, we are empowered to break the cycle of human conflict. He said, "Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.” (Luke 6:27-31, The Message) Sound difficult? It is! Living in this way consistently requires that we have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit who works to change us from the inside out.

David, who was called 'a man after God's own heart,' (Acts 13.22) found himself in a dysfunctional relationship. While still a teenage boy, he was invited to be part of the court of King Saul, a man who quickly slid into insane jealousy, when others lauded David’s character and accomplishments. Once Saul flew into an unprovoked rage and attempted to kill David by hurling a javelin at him! After years of unjustified attacks, David cried out to Jonathan, his friend and Saul's son, "What have I done?" he exclaimed. "What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?" (1 Samuel 20:1, NLT) David, in general, was not a man blinded to his own faults. This cry was no act of gratuitous self-pity! In truth, he had never done a thing to Saul except to serve him faithfully! The fault lay not with David, but with the man who hated him so intensely. Yet, David refused to surrender to rage and would not take any steps towards vindicating himself! Several times David had the chance to kill Saul, but he would not! He chose, instead, to trust himself and his reputation to God. What a model for us in time of conflict.

Have you served another and received only criticism in response?
Have you tried to be truthful and provoked the ire of someone now bent on evening the score?
Have you made a mistake and now live in a war of words that you do not know how to bring to an end?

Let God love you! It may sound trite, clichéd, but it is true! If you will retreat from the war, and take your rage, hurt, pain, and/or sorrow into His presence, prayerfully, and patiently, He can comfort and change you! When you sense His love, your security will rise. This will create new perspective, even give you courage to let yourself lose the battle, in order to win the war! Jesus requires that those who love Him live differently.

Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments before you rush on today. Pray that in this world so full of conflict, that you will live differently because you are different! “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.  “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked." (Luke 6:32-35, NLT)

___________________

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

- St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)