People tell me I am a complex person. I think that’s just a nice way to say, “hard to get along with.” I can be brusque and yet I find my heart broken over the pain others feel. I like plain authenticity, yet I insist on excellence almost to perfectionism. I value high level performance but despise any effort that appears to be overdone for the purpose of impressing others. I’m told that I appear confident to the point of arrogance, yet I often feel insecure. Did I say I am complex? Bev, my wife, after 35 years of dealing with me, understands me (and loves me, anyway)! How did she get to know me in this way? We have lived together, wept together, laughed together, worshipped together, raised 4 kids together, argued, loved, and endured. Her knowledge of me came with a price tag – time and intimacy!
I am frequently asked, “Pastor, how can really know Jesus Christ?” In many cases, I discern that the inquirer is looking for a way to figure Him out! They want to define Him, reduce Him to their level of understanding, and learn how to use Him. It’s impossible! He’s knowable, yet mysterious. Our finite minds can never expand enough to understand Him, and yet He invites us to know Him. Such knowledge, however, comes with the same cost as any deep relationship- time and intimacy. We cannot know even the smallest part of Who He is if the only time we are truly aware of His Presence is in church or in the occasional moment of inspiration.
Paul challenges us with his penned words of aspiration. At one time, he was climbing to the heights of his religion, working hard to gain the awards that come from piety and good works. He says, "I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:7-11, NLT)
Do you want to know Christ, and in that revelation discover life that is without end? Then, give yourself to Him, without reservation. Invite Him to become Master of each moment, and walk with Him. Let Him lead you through sunshine and rain, glad days and sad ones, too. Trust Him when all is well and equally when nothing makes sense. The Holy Spirit will reveal more and more our Lord of Glory to you, though you’ll never figure Him out. He will become the dearest Friend to you.
S.M. Lockridge delivered a tribute to the King he knew. If you have a few moments, I invite you to watch it.
May his words inspire you to know Him better.
S.M. Lockridge – That’s My King http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z15FlTONVo
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
A grain of salt...
It’s been an ugly electoral season, hasn’t it? Negative campaign ads are a real turn-off to me. The media (Left and Right) is so biased it makes us all skeptical about the veracity of the information we’re receiving. Some of us might be thinking about staying home from the polls next Tuesday. You may be tempted to think think it does not really matter if you vote. Please re-consider! The truth is that one vote is important. Being part of choosing those who govern is not just a privilege, it’s a responsibility.
So, some of you are probably thinking, "Jerry, isn't the mission of this daily email about encouraging spiritual development?" It is! Followers of Christ must fulfill the charge of bringing a godly influence in our society. One way is with our ballot. Pray about your vote. Paul urged the Believers living in pagan societies of his time to bear public witness. He said, "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone." (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT)
Know why you're voting for that person to whom you give your support. Research the candidate's positions, and vote wisely, not simply emotionally. Look past personal charisma and rhetorical skills. Support those who are thoughtful and wise. Look at their record, at specific votes, at what various advocacy groups have to say about their positions. With a little digging, information is available.
No candidate will perfectly conform to your ideals. Selecting the person you support will involve prioritizing issues that you consider to be important and then choosing the candidate that reflects the values you list highest on your list. I would encourage you not to be single issue voter. Consider the totality of a candidate's positions. And I repeat, pray about your vote! I would suggest these questions as a starting point for your evaluation:
• Does this candidate have a consistent position on the sacredness of all human life?
• Does this candidate seek ways to provide justice to all people- rich, poor, black, and white?
• Is this candidate actively concerned about economic opportunity for all people?
• Does this candidate show a genuine respect for God's creation, balancing the need for development with environmental preservation?
• Is this candidate’s character worthy of trust of leadership?
Jesus tells His disciples that they function as “the salt of the earth.” Though we primarily think of salt as a flavor, in His time, salt served a valuable function of preserving foods, particularly meat, from spoiling. Your vote is like a grain of salt, a way of preserving the political process from corruption. Individually, we are like a small grain of salt. Together, our grains of salt will make a real difference.
Here’s a word from the Word. It’s a timely reminder.
"Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens.
Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order.
It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society.
Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules.
Treat everyone you meet with dignity.
Love your spiritual family.
Revere God. Respect the government." (1 Peter 2:13-17, The Message)
So, some of you are probably thinking, "Jerry, isn't the mission of this daily email about encouraging spiritual development?" It is! Followers of Christ must fulfill the charge of bringing a godly influence in our society. One way is with our ballot. Pray about your vote. Paul urged the Believers living in pagan societies of his time to bear public witness. He said, "Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone." (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT)
Know why you're voting for that person to whom you give your support. Research the candidate's positions, and vote wisely, not simply emotionally. Look past personal charisma and rhetorical skills. Support those who are thoughtful and wise. Look at their record, at specific votes, at what various advocacy groups have to say about their positions. With a little digging, information is available.
No candidate will perfectly conform to your ideals. Selecting the person you support will involve prioritizing issues that you consider to be important and then choosing the candidate that reflects the values you list highest on your list. I would encourage you not to be single issue voter. Consider the totality of a candidate's positions. And I repeat, pray about your vote! I would suggest these questions as a starting point for your evaluation:
• Does this candidate have a consistent position on the sacredness of all human life?
• Does this candidate seek ways to provide justice to all people- rich, poor, black, and white?
• Is this candidate actively concerned about economic opportunity for all people?
• Does this candidate show a genuine respect for God's creation, balancing the need for development with environmental preservation?
• Is this candidate’s character worthy of trust of leadership?
Jesus tells His disciples that they function as “the salt of the earth.” Though we primarily think of salt as a flavor, in His time, salt served a valuable function of preserving foods, particularly meat, from spoiling. Your vote is like a grain of salt, a way of preserving the political process from corruption. Individually, we are like a small grain of salt. Together, our grains of salt will make a real difference.
Here’s a word from the Word. It’s a timely reminder.
"Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens.
Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order.
It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society.
Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules.
Treat everyone you meet with dignity.
Love your spiritual family.
Revere God. Respect the government." (1 Peter 2:13-17, The Message)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Grief – the chisel of the Lord
In the semi-darkness of the elderly woman’s living room she lay weak and sick, afraid of the days ahead, grieving the loss of much of what she held dear. She does not sin in this sorrow. Who enjoys gradually slipping from vitality, from involvement, into helplessness? Among the young grief is a much different emotion than it is in the aged. A younger person weeps, mourns the loss, and moves forward into the brightness of her future. Their grief is like a thunderstorm that passes with furious turbulence and then the sun shines again. The aging experience grief and feel the pain of unrecoverable loss, their experience like a long storm that lasts for days.
Grief is the chisel of the Lord which He uses to break our tight grip on this present world so that we will reach out to take hold of Him. We cannot escape grief! It comes to all, dressed in loss of one kind or another. Many attempt to avoid it by running from unpleasant situations, hiding from reality. Others refuse it turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain. Still others take the road of diversion, seeking as much pleasure as can be found. The wise person endures it, learns from it, and grows through it.
Jesus says, “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you." (Matthew 5:4, The Message) You’re probably more familiar with that passage in these words, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4, NIV) Receiving those words demands deep faith! We would rather pray for a life free of things that make us grieve than to allow our hearts to be broken, wouldn’t we? Those who will not let their hearts be broken are doomed to living superficially, loving things that will slip through their fingers eventually regardless of their determination.
Put your hope in God! The Preacher tells us that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:4, NIV) When the sorrows come, let them cause you to love the things that you can never lose and the One who holds life everlasting more.
"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. … 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 30:4-5, 11-12, NIV)
_______________
Father, You are my portion in this life
And You are my hope and my delight.
And I love You, yes, I love You,
Lord, I love You, my delight.
Jesus, You are my treasure in this life
And You are so pure and so kind.
And I love You, yes, I love You,
Lord, I love You, my delight.
My Delight
Park, Andy
© 1987 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Grief is the chisel of the Lord which He uses to break our tight grip on this present world so that we will reach out to take hold of Him. We cannot escape grief! It comes to all, dressed in loss of one kind or another. Many attempt to avoid it by running from unpleasant situations, hiding from reality. Others refuse it turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain. Still others take the road of diversion, seeking as much pleasure as can be found. The wise person endures it, learns from it, and grows through it.
Jesus says, “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you." (Matthew 5:4, The Message) You’re probably more familiar with that passage in these words, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4, NIV) Receiving those words demands deep faith! We would rather pray for a life free of things that make us grieve than to allow our hearts to be broken, wouldn’t we? Those who will not let their hearts be broken are doomed to living superficially, loving things that will slip through their fingers eventually regardless of their determination.
Put your hope in God! The Preacher tells us that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:4, NIV) When the sorrows come, let them cause you to love the things that you can never lose and the One who holds life everlasting more.
"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. … 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 30:4-5, 11-12, NIV)
_______________
Father, You are my portion in this life
And You are my hope and my delight.
And I love You, yes, I love You,
Lord, I love You, my delight.
Jesus, You are my treasure in this life
And You are so pure and so kind.
And I love You, yes, I love You,
Lord, I love You, my delight.
My Delight
Park, Andy
© 1987 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Basically, it’s not simple!
In 1992, H. Ross Perot ran for the Presidency. His third party candidacy was built around “Perotisms” that were down to earth, folksy challenges to complex political thinking. He dragged his charts onto stages where he pointed to them while declaring, “It’s simple, see.” He was truthful and deceptive at the same time. His analysis was often right on target, but he never told the rest of the story; how his solutions would ripple down through the country. Much the same kind of thing is happening in political discourse this electoral cycle. Solutions are being offered for our various social challenges that sound simple, but that have far-reaching consequences that are seldom discussed!
Christians who say that our choices as Jesus’ disciples are simple are not being completely truthful, either. Discerning what is right and wrong is usually simple, but making a commitment to do the right thing consistently is much more difficult, isn’t it? We all know how to live better than we really do, don’t we? We can all identify with these words from Scripture, "I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway." (Romans 7:18-19, NLT)
So, should we just throw up our hands and ‘go with the flow’ in life? Because the choices of discipleship are hard, should we just be content with ‘doing our best and forgetting the rest’ as some suggest? Not at all! God knows the difficulties of daily discipleship and He has given us a Helper, His Holy Spirit. The Word urges us to let the Spirit set the pace: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) Devising rules and reducing life’s complex situations to slogans as a means of controlling actions, our own and those of others, will turn us into Pharisees. Our religion will leave us blind to our hypocrisy and others dead to God! The Bible tells us that the Lord "has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:6, NIV)
Are you working through a complex situation in your life?
Do you know the right thing to do, but don’t know how to get it done?
Are you challenged by the difficulty of applying the Truth to some set of circumstances that confront you or your family?
Seek the Spirit’s guidance! Listen carefully to His voice and make the choice to obey today. The very first generation of Christians was given a mandate that was impossible then and remains impossible even today. Jesus told them and He tells us -“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, making disciples.” In one way, it’s a simple command. But doing it effectively, producing lasting spiritual results, is terribly difficult. But, we are not left to our own wits. We are not just practicing a religion. We are given the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides us into all Truth. After commissioning His disciples with a tough task, Jesus told them “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before." (Acts 1:4, NLT) Are we ready to wait for Heaven’s lead?
Here’s a word from the Word. Live it today. "But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you." (John 16:13-14, The Message)
_________________
There's a wind blowin',
All across the land.
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
Ruis, David
© 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Christians who say that our choices as Jesus’ disciples are simple are not being completely truthful, either. Discerning what is right and wrong is usually simple, but making a commitment to do the right thing consistently is much more difficult, isn’t it? We all know how to live better than we really do, don’t we? We can all identify with these words from Scripture, "I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway." (Romans 7:18-19, NLT)
So, should we just throw up our hands and ‘go with the flow’ in life? Because the choices of discipleship are hard, should we just be content with ‘doing our best and forgetting the rest’ as some suggest? Not at all! God knows the difficulties of daily discipleship and He has given us a Helper, His Holy Spirit. The Word urges us to let the Spirit set the pace: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) Devising rules and reducing life’s complex situations to slogans as a means of controlling actions, our own and those of others, will turn us into Pharisees. Our religion will leave us blind to our hypocrisy and others dead to God! The Bible tells us that the Lord "has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:6, NIV)
Are you working through a complex situation in your life?
Do you know the right thing to do, but don’t know how to get it done?
Are you challenged by the difficulty of applying the Truth to some set of circumstances that confront you or your family?
Seek the Spirit’s guidance! Listen carefully to His voice and make the choice to obey today. The very first generation of Christians was given a mandate that was impossible then and remains impossible even today. Jesus told them and He tells us -“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, making disciples.” In one way, it’s a simple command. But doing it effectively, producing lasting spiritual results, is terribly difficult. But, we are not left to our own wits. We are not just practicing a religion. We are given the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides us into all Truth. After commissioning His disciples with a tough task, Jesus told them “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before." (Acts 1:4, NLT) Are we ready to wait for Heaven’s lead?
Here’s a word from the Word. Live it today. "But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you." (John 16:13-14, The Message)
_________________
There's a wind blowin',
All across the land.
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
Ruis, David
© 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, October 25, 2010
Living at Mt. Sinai or Mt. Zion?
My human nature is one of melancholy, but I am a person full of thankful joy! Is it because I experience perpetual good fortune, a life of unbroken bliss? Not at all. Through the years I have known successes and failures, tragedies and triumphs. My joy is not borne of luck, but from the Lord Who enriches me with love, faith, hope, healing, and purpose. From knowing Him I draw life! God is not a Judge on the periphery of life of Whom I am afraid, Whose approach fills me with dread. He is my Father, my Friend. My holy place is one of celebration.
Some disciples seem to know Him primarily as a God who waits for them to fail so He can lower the boom, an angry Deity that they must appease with their goodness, hoping He will look on them with favor. Their holy place is one of fear. Which person are you?
The Scripture teaches that we who are ‘in Christ,’ need not live in fear, trembling before God, as the Israelites did at the foot of Mt. Sinai where the Law was given to Moses. Instead, we are invited to a holy procession to Mt. Zion, the city of our God, where we rejoice in His loving kindness. Read it for yourself.
"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, … The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, …" (Hebrews 12:18-24, NIV)
Disciple, are you secure in Him today?
Do you trust Him with your financial circumstances, your children, your future, your health, your spouse, your emotional stability, your eternal salvation?
You can! In the up’s and down’s, the sorrow of death and the exultation of birth, the uncertainty of human plans, He 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, NIV) He does not invite us to go live on a beach resort for the rest of our days. He invites us into the yoke with Him, a place of service and productivity, that lets us experience real ‘rest,’ a sense of satisfaction rather than endless longing for fulfillment!
A religion can never do that. A religion designed to appease Him demands more and more of us. A relationship renews us. Christian religion (an oxymoron!) lives at the foot of the smoking mountain hearing the fearful rumbling of coming judgment! Christians who know Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord live in joyous procession to the Throne of God, even as they walk a route that descends into the valleys and climbs to the heights along the way.
"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."
(Psalm 149:1-4, NLT)
________________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
Some disciples seem to know Him primarily as a God who waits for them to fail so He can lower the boom, an angry Deity that they must appease with their goodness, hoping He will look on them with favor. Their holy place is one of fear. Which person are you?
The Scripture teaches that we who are ‘in Christ,’ need not live in fear, trembling before God, as the Israelites did at the foot of Mt. Sinai where the Law was given to Moses. Instead, we are invited to a holy procession to Mt. Zion, the city of our God, where we rejoice in His loving kindness. Read it for yourself.
"You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, … The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, …" (Hebrews 12:18-24, NIV)
Disciple, are you secure in Him today?
Do you trust Him with your financial circumstances, your children, your future, your health, your spouse, your emotional stability, your eternal salvation?
You can! In the up’s and down’s, the sorrow of death and the exultation of birth, the uncertainty of human plans, He 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, NIV) He does not invite us to go live on a beach resort for the rest of our days. He invites us into the yoke with Him, a place of service and productivity, that lets us experience real ‘rest,’ a sense of satisfaction rather than endless longing for fulfillment!
A religion can never do that. A religion designed to appease Him demands more and more of us. A relationship renews us. Christian religion (an oxymoron!) lives at the foot of the smoking mountain hearing the fearful rumbling of coming judgment! Christians who know Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord live in joyous procession to the Throne of God, even as they walk a route that descends into the valleys and climbs to the heights along the way.
"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."
(Psalm 149:1-4, NLT)
________________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tired of fighting temptation?
“All the best things in life are immoral, illegal, or fattening." Sex outside of marriage is alleged to be more exciting. Ignoring the law seems the expedient way to get things done. Junk food is full of fats and sugars and McD’s wealth proves its appeal. Believing those lies, too many Christians spend a ton of spiritual energy fighting off temptation dutifully, but without enthusiasm. As they do the right things in life, somewhere deep inside they are thinking that it would be fun to step outside the boundaries carefully drawn around their choices.
The truth is that God's ways are the paths of life! I read a study on sexual fulfillment that revealed that people who are married and faithful to their spouse on average enjoy sexual intimacy more frequently than those who are supposedly liberated from the 'bondage' of marriage! Sex/pornography addicts are a sad lot; full of shame. They engage in superficial relationships that cannot begin to be as fulfilling as deep, lasting ones. I've seen the wreckage that results when a husband/father abandons his family to find some 'real fun.' The deception is just that, a mirage.
Illegality exacts a price, too. Oh, yes, it is true that some ignore the rules of society and seem to get away with it. God’s principle remains true, however. Justice will come! "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:7-9, NIV)
As for what we put into our bodies, let’s talk about those commercials for beer that are ubiquitous during football season. In those 30 sec. video stories, a ‘cold one’ becomes the avenue to social success and great fun. All of the actors are smiling, thin, and surrounded with beautiful people! Never shown is the big beer belly, the ugliness of alcoholism, or the smashed car of an intoxicated teenager on his way home from a party! Yet the deception persists. Having a good time must include a drink, or two, or three.
Temptation is never defeated by higher fences or stronger restraints. Temptation loses its luster when we see through it. So, let the Spirit of God plant a new vision in you! Instead of longing to step over the line, become convinced that “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” (Proverbs 12:28, NKJV) The Psalmist prays, “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:24, NLT) Josh McDowell uses a phrase - "God is no cosmic killjoy!" He wants to lead us to a full life that is lived without regrets and that ultimately ends on this earth with a move into His Presence for eternity. We need the wisdom only the Holy Spirit can give that allows us to see through the fog and deception of Satan so we will choose the way of life.
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—
the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."
(Philippians 4:8-9, The Message)
The truth is that God's ways are the paths of life! I read a study on sexual fulfillment that revealed that people who are married and faithful to their spouse on average enjoy sexual intimacy more frequently than those who are supposedly liberated from the 'bondage' of marriage! Sex/pornography addicts are a sad lot; full of shame. They engage in superficial relationships that cannot begin to be as fulfilling as deep, lasting ones. I've seen the wreckage that results when a husband/father abandons his family to find some 'real fun.' The deception is just that, a mirage.
Illegality exacts a price, too. Oh, yes, it is true that some ignore the rules of society and seem to get away with it. God’s principle remains true, however. Justice will come! "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:7-9, NIV)
As for what we put into our bodies, let’s talk about those commercials for beer that are ubiquitous during football season. In those 30 sec. video stories, a ‘cold one’ becomes the avenue to social success and great fun. All of the actors are smiling, thin, and surrounded with beautiful people! Never shown is the big beer belly, the ugliness of alcoholism, or the smashed car of an intoxicated teenager on his way home from a party! Yet the deception persists. Having a good time must include a drink, or two, or three.
Temptation is never defeated by higher fences or stronger restraints. Temptation loses its luster when we see through it. So, let the Spirit of God plant a new vision in you! Instead of longing to step over the line, become convinced that “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” (Proverbs 12:28, NKJV) The Psalmist prays, “Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:24, NLT) Josh McDowell uses a phrase - "God is no cosmic killjoy!" He wants to lead us to a full life that is lived without regrets and that ultimately ends on this earth with a move into His Presence for eternity. We need the wisdom only the Holy Spirit can give that allows us to see through the fog and deception of Satan so we will choose the way of life.
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—
the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."
(Philippians 4:8-9, The Message)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Shape up or ship out!
Ever been told that? My Mom said it to me when I was growing up. It means - “It's time to make a change.” During World War II, if a soldier was slacking on a Stateside assignment, he was told to "shape up or ship out." In short, he was ordered to do a better job. If he refused, he faced being shipped overseas to a combat zone. A person can be fired from his job for poor performance. An athlete can be kicked off a team if he lets his skills decline. But, if a church tries to exercise spiritual discipline, watch out! Almost always there will be a negative response.
The concept of church discipline is nearly unknown because here in America we put a premium value on autonomy and privacy. A pastor who takes his responsibility to challenge sin seriously, runs a real risk of ending up being the one shown the door! “It’s my life and I’ll live it the way I choose,” is the guiding principle. In recent years, several Roman Catholic bishops have attempted church discipline by denying Communion to politicians who openly challenge the Church’s guidance about the sanctity of human life. It’s a basic Christian value to hold that all life is precious to God. Yet, are these bishops applauded for requiring integrity in the professing Catholics, asking them to choose either political expedience or fidelity to the Church’s teaching? No way! The media and much of the public sees those leaders as meddling where they don’t belong!
That rejects the clear Word. Take a look. "Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith." (Hebrews 13:7, NLT) Your pastor shows the way by his own walk of faith and holiness. If you see that kind of integrity in him, then the Word goes on to say: "Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Hebrews 13:17, NLT)
Disciple, are you responsive to the spiritual leadership that your church, your elders, your pastor provides? Do you hear the Word and bend your will to God’s purpose; or have you privatized your faith, made your personal preference a higher priority than obedience?
A loving leader, a true shepherd, preaches hard truth not because he is on an authority kick or likes conflict. He does so because he knows he is ‘accountable to God’ for you. Pray often for those who offer soul care for you. Pray that they will hear and live the word from the Word.
"For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:27-30, NIV)
The concept of church discipline is nearly unknown because here in America we put a premium value on autonomy and privacy. A pastor who takes his responsibility to challenge sin seriously, runs a real risk of ending up being the one shown the door! “It’s my life and I’ll live it the way I choose,” is the guiding principle. In recent years, several Roman Catholic bishops have attempted church discipline by denying Communion to politicians who openly challenge the Church’s guidance about the sanctity of human life. It’s a basic Christian value to hold that all life is precious to God. Yet, are these bishops applauded for requiring integrity in the professing Catholics, asking them to choose either political expedience or fidelity to the Church’s teaching? No way! The media and much of the public sees those leaders as meddling where they don’t belong!
That rejects the clear Word. Take a look. "Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith." (Hebrews 13:7, NLT) Your pastor shows the way by his own walk of faith and holiness. If you see that kind of integrity in him, then the Word goes on to say: "Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Hebrews 13:17, NLT)
Disciple, are you responsive to the spiritual leadership that your church, your elders, your pastor provides? Do you hear the Word and bend your will to God’s purpose; or have you privatized your faith, made your personal preference a higher priority than obedience?
A loving leader, a true shepherd, preaches hard truth not because he is on an authority kick or likes conflict. He does so because he knows he is ‘accountable to God’ for you. Pray often for those who offer soul care for you. Pray that they will hear and live the word from the Word.
"For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:27-30, NIV)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Really? A baby butt-wipe warmer?
Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15, NIV) It’s a tough concept to grasp living as we do in a culture of more. I am not sure that most of us really understand what true ‘need’ is. My son, Sean and his lovely wife, Natalie, are expecting their first child. His experience in the baby section of the big box store, of which he recently wrote, follows. Enjoy!
_____
Nat and I headed out today to start our baby registry. I won’t lie. I wasn't thrilled. I don't like "stuff" for stuff sake. Do I know what I need as a soon-to-be dad? Absolutely not! But, I DO know that I don't NEED all that STUFF I am told I must have by the forces that be when a baby is coming. That became oh-so-evident in the middle of the infant aisle today when Nat just stood there and cried. She was totally overwhelmed by the list in her hand and the choices in front of her. I knew what was wrong but asked anyway. Through big, sad tears she said, "I don't know what I need. I have no idea what to get or what's better." Tore me up and made me angry at the ‘system.’
She wasn't overwhelmed about our babies health, the roof over our head, if we were going to be able to feed or love the little one … no! She was totally swamped because she believed (whether she could verbalize it or not in the moment) that we NEEDED all this junk in order to be good, successful parents for our baby; that if we didn't have things, like a butt-wipe warmer, we weren't up to par. Garbage! I hugged her and said, "Babe, I bet your mom didn't have 75% of this stuff when you were a baby and everything was fine. You were loved and cared for to the best of her ability with much less than what you see here today. This stuff doesn't define your success as a future mom."
She just folded up into me. I was so mad! Not at her but at our culture. That message - "you need this to be happy" - is a cancer that's worked its existence into every aspect of our life- everything from smart phones, to the deluxe cable package, to the square footage of our homes. The genius of this commercial monster is that it makes you feel such guilt - like you don’t love your kids/family if you don't provide all the stuff for them! That is what stirs such a visceral reaction in me.
So don't buy into it. Own your stuff, don’t let it own you. Don't be a slave to it. It's not even a sliver of who you are or your worth as a person. 90% of our lives today are made up of "luxuries." Treat them that way.
______
Thank you, Sean!
Our current economic crisis is largely the result of wanting more than we can afford. Our current health issues are frequently caused by eating too much. Do you understand what is really need and what is just greed? Are you letting the things you own define you, provide your self-esteem, give you security. Here’s a challenge from the Word.
Jesus said, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear." (Luke 12:21-22, NLT)
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." (Luke 12:31, NLT)
____________________
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Using things and loving people
Look around and you can see
That loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Being loved is in the giving
All we have is what we share
Loving life is for the living
You have to have a heart to care
And loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
So put your hand inside my hand
I don’t know where the road will lead
We may not find the things we want
But we will find the things we need
And all we need is love
Using things and loving people
Brings you happiness I’ve found
Using things and loving people
Not the other way around
‘Cause loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
For you and me
For you and me
Using Things, Loving People
Written by: Hal David & Archie P. Jordan
Hear this old song by clicking on this line!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coilrJNX3bM
_____
Nat and I headed out today to start our baby registry. I won’t lie. I wasn't thrilled. I don't like "stuff" for stuff sake. Do I know what I need as a soon-to-be dad? Absolutely not! But, I DO know that I don't NEED all that STUFF I am told I must have by the forces that be when a baby is coming. That became oh-so-evident in the middle of the infant aisle today when Nat just stood there and cried. She was totally overwhelmed by the list in her hand and the choices in front of her. I knew what was wrong but asked anyway. Through big, sad tears she said, "I don't know what I need. I have no idea what to get or what's better." Tore me up and made me angry at the ‘system.’
She wasn't overwhelmed about our babies health, the roof over our head, if we were going to be able to feed or love the little one … no! She was totally swamped because she believed (whether she could verbalize it or not in the moment) that we NEEDED all this junk in order to be good, successful parents for our baby; that if we didn't have things, like a butt-wipe warmer, we weren't up to par. Garbage! I hugged her and said, "Babe, I bet your mom didn't have 75% of this stuff when you were a baby and everything was fine. You were loved and cared for to the best of her ability with much less than what you see here today. This stuff doesn't define your success as a future mom."
She just folded up into me. I was so mad! Not at her but at our culture. That message - "you need this to be happy" - is a cancer that's worked its existence into every aspect of our life- everything from smart phones, to the deluxe cable package, to the square footage of our homes. The genius of this commercial monster is that it makes you feel such guilt - like you don’t love your kids/family if you don't provide all the stuff for them! That is what stirs such a visceral reaction in me.
So don't buy into it. Own your stuff, don’t let it own you. Don't be a slave to it. It's not even a sliver of who you are or your worth as a person. 90% of our lives today are made up of "luxuries." Treat them that way.
______
Thank you, Sean!
Our current economic crisis is largely the result of wanting more than we can afford. Our current health issues are frequently caused by eating too much. Do you understand what is really need and what is just greed? Are you letting the things you own define you, provide your self-esteem, give you security. Here’s a challenge from the Word.
Jesus said, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear." (Luke 12:21-22, NLT)
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." (Luke 12:31, NLT)
____________________
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Using things and loving people
Look around and you can see
That loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
Being loved is in the giving
All we have is what we share
Loving life is for the living
You have to have a heart to care
And loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
So put your hand inside my hand
I don’t know where the road will lead
We may not find the things we want
But we will find the things we need
And all we need is love
Using things and loving people
Brings you happiness I’ve found
Using things and loving people
Not the other way around
‘Cause loving things and using people
Only leads to misery
Using things and loving people
That’s the way it’s got to be
For you and me
For you and me
Using Things, Loving People
Written by: Hal David & Archie P. Jordan
Hear this old song by clicking on this line!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coilrJNX3bM
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Over the cliff?
He’s rich. He’s famous. He’s got ‘the girl.’ But, yesterday he drove his Cadillac Escalade over a cliff! It’s a bizarre story about a retired football great, Junior Seau. After being arrested and charged with felony assault for allegedly slapping around his girlfriend, Seau literally went over the edge. Was it rage, confusion, shame, guilt, or ‘just an accident’ as he now claims? We’ll never know for sure, but my guess is that, at least for a few minutes, life became overwhelming. The gap between expectations and reality yawned too widely and he made a choice to escape; except that he survived the plunge with minor injuries!
Disappointment with life is everyone’s experience some of the time. We plan for one outcome, only to find ourselves dealing with unforeseen circumstances. When we cannot change it, when it’s ‘out of control,’ the temptation to act irrationally grows in us. That’s one of the reasons that so many people go totally off track in the 4th or 5th decade of life. After getting the education, finding a spouse, raising two kids, and paying the mortgage they come face to face with the fact that life is not what they hoped it might be, that their dreams are just that. Reality becomes a straitjacket from which they struggle to escape.
There is another way. God invites us to trust Him, to mature beyond our dreams of success and let Him move us into a life that is significant. While some deal with disappointment with a turn to the wild side, those who look up, choose to invest themselves in things that really matter. What are they? The Scripture says, "These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV)
When we respond to the Spirit’s invitation to trust Christ with our lives (faith!) we will never be disappointed. He cannot fail! I am not suggesting He will give us all of our dreams, but He will keep His word to us. This gives us an unfailing hope, the promise of eternal life. The grave loses its terrors for it is the transit point from the temporal world to the Father’s house.
In Christ we find love to live for! The love of which a million songs are written is passing. The full calendar of divorce courts testifies to that sad fact. The things we love break or dim in value. The love of God only grows more precious with time. Adding to the beauty is that fact that His love for us, when we embrace it, gives us a depth of character that allows us to absorb life’s disappointments without going over the edge.
Here’s how the Message reads. Take this thought with you today.
"When the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!
We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:
Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly,
love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love." (1 Corinthians 13:10-13, The Message)
__________________
The love of God is greater far,
Than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints' and angels' song.
The Love Of God
Lehman, Frederick M.
© Public Domain
Disappointment with life is everyone’s experience some of the time. We plan for one outcome, only to find ourselves dealing with unforeseen circumstances. When we cannot change it, when it’s ‘out of control,’ the temptation to act irrationally grows in us. That’s one of the reasons that so many people go totally off track in the 4th or 5th decade of life. After getting the education, finding a spouse, raising two kids, and paying the mortgage they come face to face with the fact that life is not what they hoped it might be, that their dreams are just that. Reality becomes a straitjacket from which they struggle to escape.
There is another way. God invites us to trust Him, to mature beyond our dreams of success and let Him move us into a life that is significant. While some deal with disappointment with a turn to the wild side, those who look up, choose to invest themselves in things that really matter. What are they? The Scripture says, "These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV)
When we respond to the Spirit’s invitation to trust Christ with our lives (faith!) we will never be disappointed. He cannot fail! I am not suggesting He will give us all of our dreams, but He will keep His word to us. This gives us an unfailing hope, the promise of eternal life. The grave loses its terrors for it is the transit point from the temporal world to the Father’s house.
In Christ we find love to live for! The love of which a million songs are written is passing. The full calendar of divorce courts testifies to that sad fact. The things we love break or dim in value. The love of God only grows more precious with time. Adding to the beauty is that fact that His love for us, when we embrace it, gives us a depth of character that allows us to absorb life’s disappointments without going over the edge.
Here’s how the Message reads. Take this thought with you today.
"When the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!
We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:
Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly,
love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love." (1 Corinthians 13:10-13, The Message)
__________________
The love of God is greater far,
Than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints' and angels' song.
The Love Of God
Lehman, Frederick M.
© Public Domain
Monday, October 18, 2010
Relief or Real change?
Crisis is a powerful catalyst for change. People who have lived without a thought of God will start to pray when life turns sour. The cliché reminds us that ‘there are no atheists in foxholes.’ How it must grieve the heart of the Lord when those same people return to their old ways when the crisis passes, when normal returns. And, that is the case, not just some of the time, but most of the time!
33 men were stuck in a mine in Chile for 69 days! We celebrated their rescue last week. Undiscovered for 17 days, most of them concluded they were about to die and they turned their thoughts to God. Each of the miners tells of times of prayer, of deep devotion while they lived in that chamber deep in the earth. One miner, dubbed “Super Mario” by the media, received a trip to the beach from one of the major American news networks. There he ran into the surf, then fell to his knees where he exclaimed: "I adore you, God," he said. "And I promise I will never leave you, just like I promised you when I was buried alive." (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/chilean-miner-mario-sepulveda-dubbed-super-mario-speaks/story?id=11904199&page=2) I hope that Mario’s devotion is permanent and not an expression of his relief.
The richest experience of the Love of Christ is found in consistent devotion, in dedicated worship and service that we offer through the up’s and down’s of our lives. "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NIV) Persevere means "to stick with it, to stand up when the pressure increases, to push forward against the current!" Will you?
Are you emerging from some crisis where your focus on the things of God was sharpened, where the temptations of life lost their luster and your appetite for the Lord was increased? Build on your newly deepened faith, don’t neglect or abandon it.
Here’s a word from the Word. Live it, for God’s glory.
"My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.
No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence." (Psalm 101:6-7, NIV)
33 men were stuck in a mine in Chile for 69 days! We celebrated their rescue last week. Undiscovered for 17 days, most of them concluded they were about to die and they turned their thoughts to God. Each of the miners tells of times of prayer, of deep devotion while they lived in that chamber deep in the earth. One miner, dubbed “Super Mario” by the media, received a trip to the beach from one of the major American news networks. There he ran into the surf, then fell to his knees where he exclaimed: "I adore you, God," he said. "And I promise I will never leave you, just like I promised you when I was buried alive." (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/chilean-miner-mario-sepulveda-dubbed-super-mario-speaks/story?id=11904199&page=2) I hope that Mario’s devotion is permanent and not an expression of his relief.
The richest experience of the Love of Christ is found in consistent devotion, in dedicated worship and service that we offer through the up’s and down’s of our lives. "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NIV) Persevere means "to stick with it, to stand up when the pressure increases, to push forward against the current!" Will you?
Are you emerging from some crisis where your focus on the things of God was sharpened, where the temptations of life lost their luster and your appetite for the Lord was increased? Build on your newly deepened faith, don’t neglect or abandon it.
Here’s a word from the Word. Live it, for God’s glory.
"My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.
No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence." (Psalm 101:6-7, NIV)
Friday, October 15, 2010
“He can find the smallest cloud on a sunny day.”
Do you know anyone with the amazing `ability' to turn the best situations into something miserable? Some can always be counted on to point out the flaw, to pick out the spot, to find the downside. Not surprisingly, such people do not lead particularly happy lives. Being around them is like being near a great pit of emotional quicksand. If you get too close you might be pulled into that gloomy world of negativity!
Others find reasons to trust the Lord in the most desperate circumstances. I have little tolerance for rose-colored glasses that are used to deny reality. Sometimes life is very sad and no amount of spin can change that. Yet, even in the tragedy, faith makes a difference. Those who choose to trust, find encouragement in the Lord, and spread a kind of sunshine everywhere they go.
Robert A. Emmons, in an article on "The Joy of Thanks," considers the physical and psychological benefits of thankfulness to be almost equal to that of therapy: "My colleagues and I are finding that gratitude, which we define as a felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life, is more than simply a pleasant emotion to experience or a polite sentiment to express. It's, or at least can be, a basic disposition, one that seems to make lives happier, healthier, more fulfilling—and even longer." According to Emmons, recent psychological research shows that:
• A person experiencing gratitude is protected from the destructive impulses of envy and greed…
• The practice of gratitude as a spiritual discipline may cure excessive materialism and its attendant negative emotions of envy, resentment, disappointment, and bitterness…
• Gratitude supports well-being by displacing resentment, regret, and other psychological states deleterious to long-term happiness…
• Grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions—happiness, vitality, optimism, and hope—and greater satisfaction with life. In other words, Thanksgiving could also be called `Thanks-therapy.'
Living thankfully, with a generous child-like faith (Note – not childish!) is a learned art. Regardless of our personality type we can choose to trust God, be thankful, and bless others!
In an imperative voice - that is, as direct commands that are not optional- the Bible says,
“Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Psalm 100 NLT
Before you close this CoffeeBreak, close your eyes and express thankfulness to the Lord for two things. Make it real! “Praise the Lord that I’m still breathing today” isn’t what you’re reaching for in this exercise. Be genuinely thankful. “Acknowledge that the Lord is God!” You will find new strength to overcome the `joy-busters' that surround us: envy, resentment, and bitterness. A great follow-up would be a note to two people who have made your life brighter. A two-line email will bless them and lift your spirits.
Here’s a word from the Word, an ancient hymn of the people of the Lord.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1-9, NIV)
_______________________
"Father, give me eyes to see the wonder that surrounds me.
Holy Spirit, I ask that you work in me to overcome my sinful tendency to complain and to compare.
Teach me to be a true worshipper that gives you the praise that is rightfully yours.
Help me to put to death the pre-occupation with myself that blocks acceptance of life as it is rather than as I think it must be.
With faith and trust in your care, I will choose to live with an attitude of gratitude.
In Jesus' name. Amen."
Others find reasons to trust the Lord in the most desperate circumstances. I have little tolerance for rose-colored glasses that are used to deny reality. Sometimes life is very sad and no amount of spin can change that. Yet, even in the tragedy, faith makes a difference. Those who choose to trust, find encouragement in the Lord, and spread a kind of sunshine everywhere they go.
Robert A. Emmons, in an article on "The Joy of Thanks," considers the physical and psychological benefits of thankfulness to be almost equal to that of therapy: "My colleagues and I are finding that gratitude, which we define as a felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life, is more than simply a pleasant emotion to experience or a polite sentiment to express. It's, or at least can be, a basic disposition, one that seems to make lives happier, healthier, more fulfilling—and even longer." According to Emmons, recent psychological research shows that:
• A person experiencing gratitude is protected from the destructive impulses of envy and greed…
• The practice of gratitude as a spiritual discipline may cure excessive materialism and its attendant negative emotions of envy, resentment, disappointment, and bitterness…
• Gratitude supports well-being by displacing resentment, regret, and other psychological states deleterious to long-term happiness…
• Grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions—happiness, vitality, optimism, and hope—and greater satisfaction with life. In other words, Thanksgiving could also be called `Thanks-therapy.'
Living thankfully, with a generous child-like faith (Note – not childish!) is a learned art. Regardless of our personality type we can choose to trust God, be thankful, and bless others!
In an imperative voice - that is, as direct commands that are not optional- the Bible says,
“Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Psalm 100 NLT
Before you close this CoffeeBreak, close your eyes and express thankfulness to the Lord for two things. Make it real! “Praise the Lord that I’m still breathing today” isn’t what you’re reaching for in this exercise. Be genuinely thankful. “Acknowledge that the Lord is God!” You will find new strength to overcome the `joy-busters' that surround us: envy, resentment, and bitterness. A great follow-up would be a note to two people who have made your life brighter. A two-line email will bless them and lift your spirits.
Here’s a word from the Word, an ancient hymn of the people of the Lord.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1-9, NIV)
_______________________
"Father, give me eyes to see the wonder that surrounds me.
Holy Spirit, I ask that you work in me to overcome my sinful tendency to complain and to compare.
Teach me to be a true worshipper that gives you the praise that is rightfully yours.
Help me to put to death the pre-occupation with myself that blocks acceptance of life as it is rather than as I think it must be.
With faith and trust in your care, I will choose to live with an attitude of gratitude.
In Jesus' name. Amen."
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Torn up over sin?
On Tuesday evening, Bev and I were watching a primetime TV drama, when we both realized that what was happening on the screen was not right for us to be watching. We were becoming participants in the sinfulness of our culture. It’s not the first time in my life that I have come to that place! Like the proverbial frog in the kettle, I gradually grow accustomed to my environment; sadly even the sinfulness around me and in me! Distance from the Lord’s presence, carelessness about honoring His Name with my words and actions, creep over me with a little compromise here, a little adaptation there.
The Lord, in His severe mercy, will not stand by and allow us to slip into a worldly state without correction. The prophet Joel heard a message from the Spirit. “God is leading an army of destruction your way,” he told the people. The coming time of darkness was God’s way of calling them to Himself. But, it was a terrible time. "The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive?" (Joel 2:11, NLT)
Disciple, the darkness that has descended on your life may well be the loving correction of the Lord, His call for you to come closer, to be rid of affection for things of this present world. As difficult as it may be to accept, this trial may be a gift from Him to turn you from the path that leads to death! So, what should we do in those times? Screaming, “It’s not fair!” is an exercise in futility. Running around trying to find someone to explain why it’s all happening is not much use either! Psychologists can explain our human nature. Sociologists can point out cultural choices. But, knowing why we sin is not as important as turning from it! “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:12-13, NIV)
A superficial repentance that effects only the external parts of life is insufficient. "Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” (NLT) If we allow the Spirit to come close to us, if we will fast from our feast on diversions, if we will press in to worship; our hearts will feel His grief over sin – in ourselves, in this world around us. We will become torn up over sin!
Joel’s message is not all gloom. "Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations." (Joel 2:18-19, NLT) "Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring." (Joel 2:23, NLT)
Do you long for His presence where there is lasting joy and life to the full? Take this word from the Word as your own this day. Know that the fulfillment of God’s promise may not always lead you to pleasant paths and days of sunshine, for in His severe mercy, He will call us to His heart. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV)
__________________
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart,
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father;
Let me be a child
Who reveals Your will
In all I do and say.
Fill me with Your Spirit,
Lord, I pray, that Jesus
Will be seen in all of my life;
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father,
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.
A Man With A Perfect Heart
Hayford, Jack
© 1995 Annamarie Music (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by The Copyright Company])
CCLI License No. 810055
The Lord, in His severe mercy, will not stand by and allow us to slip into a worldly state without correction. The prophet Joel heard a message from the Spirit. “God is leading an army of destruction your way,” he told the people. The coming time of darkness was God’s way of calling them to Himself. But, it was a terrible time. "The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive?" (Joel 2:11, NLT)
Disciple, the darkness that has descended on your life may well be the loving correction of the Lord, His call for you to come closer, to be rid of affection for things of this present world. As difficult as it may be to accept, this trial may be a gift from Him to turn you from the path that leads to death! So, what should we do in those times? Screaming, “It’s not fair!” is an exercise in futility. Running around trying to find someone to explain why it’s all happening is not much use either! Psychologists can explain our human nature. Sociologists can point out cultural choices. But, knowing why we sin is not as important as turning from it! “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:12-13, NIV)
A superficial repentance that effects only the external parts of life is insufficient. "Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” (NLT) If we allow the Spirit to come close to us, if we will fast from our feast on diversions, if we will press in to worship; our hearts will feel His grief over sin – in ourselves, in this world around us. We will become torn up over sin!
Joel’s message is not all gloom. "Then the Lord will pity his people and jealously guard the honor of his land. The Lord will reply, “Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations." (Joel 2:18-19, NLT) "Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem! Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring." (Joel 2:23, NLT)
Do you long for His presence where there is lasting joy and life to the full? Take this word from the Word as your own this day. Know that the fulfillment of God’s promise may not always lead you to pleasant paths and days of sunshine, for in His severe mercy, He will call us to His heart. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV)
__________________
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart,
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father;
Let me be a child
Who reveals Your will
In all I do and say.
Fill me with Your Spirit,
Lord, I pray, that Jesus
Will be seen in all of my life;
Let me be a son
Who will please You, Father,
Let me be a man
With a perfect heart.
A Man With A Perfect Heart
Hayford, Jack
© 1995 Annamarie Music (Maranatha! Music [Admin. by The Copyright Company])
CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
RESCUE!
My newspaper carried a huge headline today: Rescue! The word is all over the media and for good reason. 33 men, trapped deep inside the earth in a Chilean mine for 69 days, were finally being lifted to the surface through a specially drilled tunnel that pierced the earth for more than a half mile. In all the bleak news, this story is cause for joy. Men that most had given up for dead were found after 17 days alive in a chamber off of the collapsed mine. From that moment, huge amounts of money and effort went into creating a way to bring them home.
“I once was lost, but now I’m found” wrote John Newton, who himself was rescued from a dark place, far from God! Let me remind you of the fact that all of us needed rescue. We were trapped, by sin, our doom certain, without hope. “But God,” the Scripture says, "is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT) At great expense to Himself, Jesus Christ came to us and made the Way for us to be restored to life, set on the road that leads Home!
Have you forgotten? Do you remember, each day, to thank the Lord for eternal life, for hope, for the sustaining power of His Spirit? Those Chilean miners will never forget the 12th of October, when they were in essence ‘raised from the dead.’ They have no illusions about their hopeless condition, that they could not save themselves. Let’s not give any space in our minds to the delusions of self-help, either. We could not and cannot save ourselves. “It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved.” We ought to shout it loud and say it often. “I once was lost, but now I’m found!”
Here is a song of praise for the rescued. Read it and give thanks. If you are still in need of rescue, pray earnestly and receive His promise of salvation!
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods." (Psalm 40:1-4, NIV)
_____________
You are beautiful beyond description,
Too marvelous for words,
Too wonderful for comprehension,
Like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom,
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description,
Majesty enthroned above.
And I stand, I stand in awe of You.
I stand, I stand in awe of You.
Holy God, to whom all praise is due,
I stand in awe of You.
I Stand In Awe
Altrogge, Mark
PDI Ministries © 1987 People Of Destiny International (Admin. by PDI Ministries)
CCLI License No. 810055
“I once was lost, but now I’m found” wrote John Newton, who himself was rescued from a dark place, far from God! Let me remind you of the fact that all of us needed rescue. We were trapped, by sin, our doom certain, without hope. “But God,” the Scripture says, "is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT) At great expense to Himself, Jesus Christ came to us and made the Way for us to be restored to life, set on the road that leads Home!
Have you forgotten? Do you remember, each day, to thank the Lord for eternal life, for hope, for the sustaining power of His Spirit? Those Chilean miners will never forget the 12th of October, when they were in essence ‘raised from the dead.’ They have no illusions about their hopeless condition, that they could not save themselves. Let’s not give any space in our minds to the delusions of self-help, either. We could not and cannot save ourselves. “It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved.” We ought to shout it loud and say it often. “I once was lost, but now I’m found!”
Here is a song of praise for the rescued. Read it and give thanks. If you are still in need of rescue, pray earnestly and receive His promise of salvation!
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods." (Psalm 40:1-4, NIV)
_____________
You are beautiful beyond description,
Too marvelous for words,
Too wonderful for comprehension,
Like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom,
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description,
Majesty enthroned above.
And I stand, I stand in awe of You.
I stand, I stand in awe of You.
Holy God, to whom all praise is due,
I stand in awe of You.
I Stand In Awe
Altrogge, Mark
PDI Ministries © 1987 People Of Destiny International (Admin. by PDI Ministries)
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
You're an Insider!
In the world of investments, there are strict regulations on so-called ‘insider trading.’ That is when a person uses information not available to the general public to purchase or sell securities to gain profit, often at the expense of those who are without his ‘inside’ information. Just about every group and/or profession has ‘insiders,’ people with access to power or perks. How those who are on the outside can slide into envy of those who are inside!
Here’s a wonderful fact: God invites you and me to be ‘insiders!’
Knowing Him, walking in His favor, is not a privilege reserved for a certain race, sex, or ethnicity. You don’t have be tall, beautiful, born into a family with connections, or an Ivy League grad to enjoy insider status with the Lord. You only need a heart that hungers to know Him, a mind that is open to His Spirit, and faith to receive the promises through Christ Jesus.
The ancient church in the city of Corinth struggled with a problem that is still around. People possessed by pride fought for privilege and power. Everybody wanted insider status so they could enjoy the esteem and perks that came with recognition. Does that temptation gnaw at you? Here’s what the Lord said to that church and He is still saying it to us.
"We preach Christ crucified: … Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-31, NIV)
In the Roman world, there was no fate worse than crucifixion. A Roman citizen could not be crucified, no matter his crime! It was a way to intimidate conquered people, a cruelty handed down to those without power, to ‘outsiders.’ So this passage begins with a reference to the lowest, the most despised. God chose to exalt His Son on a Cross. In the minds of most, it was an act of utter foolishness. But to the faithful, the Cross was the point of salvation, the entry point to the blessings of the Kingdom. Through the obedience of Christ on the Cross, those willing to believe are able to receive the insider blessings of heaven!
The passage goes on to teach us that our insider status provides amazing insight. "We … speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. … God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. … We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:12, NIV)
Are you taking advantage of your insider status?
Are you using the wisdom available to you, living maturely and with insight?
A final thought is this: We are blessed to be a blessing! God has not called us into a special club so that we can sit apart from the rest of humanity, looking out of our place in His grace with pride and exclusivity. Our calling is to take the blessings, to use the status, to ennoble others by inviting them to share His grace. Yes, those of us who are ‘in Christ’ are ultimate insiders who use our connections to reach out to our world.
___________________________
Here’s a wonderful fact: God invites you and me to be ‘insiders!’
Knowing Him, walking in His favor, is not a privilege reserved for a certain race, sex, or ethnicity. You don’t have be tall, beautiful, born into a family with connections, or an Ivy League grad to enjoy insider status with the Lord. You only need a heart that hungers to know Him, a mind that is open to His Spirit, and faith to receive the promises through Christ Jesus.
The ancient church in the city of Corinth struggled with a problem that is still around. People possessed by pride fought for privilege and power. Everybody wanted insider status so they could enjoy the esteem and perks that came with recognition. Does that temptation gnaw at you? Here’s what the Lord said to that church and He is still saying it to us.
"We preach Christ crucified: … Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-31, NIV)
In the Roman world, there was no fate worse than crucifixion. A Roman citizen could not be crucified, no matter his crime! It was a way to intimidate conquered people, a cruelty handed down to those without power, to ‘outsiders.’ So this passage begins with a reference to the lowest, the most despised. God chose to exalt His Son on a Cross. In the minds of most, it was an act of utter foolishness. But to the faithful, the Cross was the point of salvation, the entry point to the blessings of the Kingdom. Through the obedience of Christ on the Cross, those willing to believe are able to receive the insider blessings of heaven!
The passage goes on to teach us that our insider status provides amazing insight. "We … speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. … God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. … We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:12, NIV)
Are you taking advantage of your insider status?
Are you using the wisdom available to you, living maturely and with insight?
A final thought is this: We are blessed to be a blessing! God has not called us into a special club so that we can sit apart from the rest of humanity, looking out of our place in His grace with pride and exclusivity. Our calling is to take the blessings, to use the status, to ennoble others by inviting them to share His grace. Yes, those of us who are ‘in Christ’ are ultimate insiders who use our connections to reach out to our world.
___________________________
Monday, October 11, 2010
Anticipation!
"He's coming soon, ... with joy we welcome His returning!" The song came to mind as I walked in the early morning dawn. The streaks in the eastern sky made me think of the coming of His Kingdom. The hope of Jesus' return for His Church is as old as Christianity. In times good and bad, that blessed hope draws us to faithfulness, to serve our Lord; or does it? Have we become so settled in this life, such creatures of this present age, that little desire for the Second Coming of the Lord remains?
The Apocalypse, the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is a key to understanding our faith, yet so often we either ignore it or we torture all kinds of strange interpretations from it. In vivid picture language, John wrote to a persecuted church to encourage them to stand fast, to endure the onslaught of evil. Behind every word of encouragement there is the promise: the Day is coming when all will be set right by the coming the Lord! "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. ... He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:12-13,20, NIV) The Second Coming is not a minor doctrine, tucked into the Scripture as a footnote in the Church's doctrines! Though some of us treat it as such, it God's summation of it all: the moment when the tension of the storyline of salvation is resolved!
Jesus Christ referred to the Second Coming often. He said it meant the arrival of the Kingdom of God in perfection! "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:27-28, NIV)
Paul urged the Church to remember her hope was in the coming of the Lord. "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, NIV)
I confess that am was one of those who made this glorious truth a minor part of my faith for too long. I was put off by the kooky, spooky, goofy teachings that were wrapped around it by those more interested in attracting a crowd by spinning their myths than by urging the Church to hopeful holiness! I repent!
Now, every day I look forward to the coming of Lord. The promise does not make me less engaged with life, less concerned for the care of Creation, or without compassion for the lost and hungry around me. On the contrary! The coming of the Lord is the most powerful motivation to faithful steady discipleship. John says, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3, NLT)
Are you looking for the coming of the Lord?
_______________________
Mystery
Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
Bread of heaven broken for me
Cup of Salvation held out to drink
Jesus, mystery
Christ has died and
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes proclaim His coming
Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes lift your eyes
Christ has died and
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
© 2008 worshiptogether.com songs
sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
(Admin.
The Apocalypse, the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is a key to understanding our faith, yet so often we either ignore it or we torture all kinds of strange interpretations from it. In vivid picture language, John wrote to a persecuted church to encourage them to stand fast, to endure the onslaught of evil. Behind every word of encouragement there is the promise: the Day is coming when all will be set right by the coming the Lord! "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. ... He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:12-13,20, NIV) The Second Coming is not a minor doctrine, tucked into the Scripture as a footnote in the Church's doctrines! Though some of us treat it as such, it God's summation of it all: the moment when the tension of the storyline of salvation is resolved!
Jesus Christ referred to the Second Coming often. He said it meant the arrival of the Kingdom of God in perfection! "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:27-28, NIV)
Paul urged the Church to remember her hope was in the coming of the Lord. "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, NIV)
I confess that am was one of those who made this glorious truth a minor part of my faith for too long. I was put off by the kooky, spooky, goofy teachings that were wrapped around it by those more interested in attracting a crowd by spinning their myths than by urging the Church to hopeful holiness! I repent!
Now, every day I look forward to the coming of Lord. The promise does not make me less engaged with life, less concerned for the care of Creation, or without compassion for the lost and hungry around me. On the contrary! The coming of the Lord is the most powerful motivation to faithful steady discipleship. John says, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3, NLT)
Are you looking for the coming of the Lord?
_______________________
Mystery
Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
Bread of heaven broken for me
Cup of Salvation held out to drink
Jesus, mystery
Christ has died and
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes proclaim His coming
Celebrate His death and rising
Lift your eyes lift your eyes
Christ has died and
Christ is risen
Christ will come again
© 2008 worshiptogether.com songs
sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
(Admin.
Friday, October 08, 2010
The gift of beauty
Can you appreciate beauty?
Dictionary.com defines beauty as “the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).”
In the October, 2010 issue of Christianity Today, there was a feature article about The Church of the Transfiguration, located at the Community of Jesus, in Rock Harbor, Massachusetts. It is a small community of Christians who treasure the arts as a way of glorifying God. For fifteen or more years, they have engaged in creating a place of worship that is stunningly beautiful, without descending into gaudy. (http://www.churchofthetransfiguration.org/)
That church sought a way to glorify God on this earth by creating a space of beauty, a reflection of their reverence. Some criticize their work! That critical impulse is common among us, focused as we usually are on utilitarian goals. We build functional buildings. We live to be productive. Beauty generally loses out to efficiency, sacrificed to our need to do more with less. We are poorer for our failure to appreciate the value of beauty for its own sake! We have a God-given need for beauty and so we content ourselves with many trinkets and few treasures.
When God created the world, He didn’t aim for efficient! He lavished color and variety on this tiny orb. A mountain meadow is splashed with an array of vivid colors, delighting our eyes. He could have made a dozen kinds of butterflies, but He went over the top and gave us millions! He loves beauty!
The Gospel of Mark records a moment of beauty. It offends some of Jesus’ disciples, but the Lord Himself commended Mary for her lavish expression. "Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head. Some of the guests became furious among themselves. “That’s criminal! A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well over a year’s wages and handed out to the poor.” They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me." (Mark 14:3-6, The Message)
Disciple, do you make life beautiful?
Are you cultivating beauty in your character, in your work, in your worship?
Sin is ugly. It robs beauty from those who continue in it. It turns a palace into a ruin, a work of art into cheap exploitation, a person of infinite value into a drone only valued for his production. We are incapable of truest worship if we are unwilling to take the time to create beauty. Be like your Creator. Do what you do with a desire to make life beautiful, to ennoble others, to glorify God.
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:17-18, NKJV)
____________________
He gave me beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise
For the spirit of heaviness,
That we might be trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
That He might be glorified.
Beauty For Ashes
Manzano, Robert
© 1976, 1979, 1983 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)
CCLI License No. 810055
Dictionary.com defines beauty as “the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).”
In the October, 2010 issue of Christianity Today, there was a feature article about The Church of the Transfiguration, located at the Community of Jesus, in Rock Harbor, Massachusetts. It is a small community of Christians who treasure the arts as a way of glorifying God. For fifteen or more years, they have engaged in creating a place of worship that is stunningly beautiful, without descending into gaudy. (http://www.churchofthetransfiguration.org/)
That church sought a way to glorify God on this earth by creating a space of beauty, a reflection of their reverence. Some criticize their work! That critical impulse is common among us, focused as we usually are on utilitarian goals. We build functional buildings. We live to be productive. Beauty generally loses out to efficiency, sacrificed to our need to do more with less. We are poorer for our failure to appreciate the value of beauty for its own sake! We have a God-given need for beauty and so we content ourselves with many trinkets and few treasures.
When God created the world, He didn’t aim for efficient! He lavished color and variety on this tiny orb. A mountain meadow is splashed with an array of vivid colors, delighting our eyes. He could have made a dozen kinds of butterflies, but He went over the top and gave us millions! He loves beauty!
The Gospel of Mark records a moment of beauty. It offends some of Jesus’ disciples, but the Lord Himself commended Mary for her lavish expression. "Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head. Some of the guests became furious among themselves. “That’s criminal! A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well over a year’s wages and handed out to the poor.” They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me." (Mark 14:3-6, The Message)
Disciple, do you make life beautiful?
Are you cultivating beauty in your character, in your work, in your worship?
Sin is ugly. It robs beauty from those who continue in it. It turns a palace into a ruin, a work of art into cheap exploitation, a person of infinite value into a drone only valued for his production. We are incapable of truest worship if we are unwilling to take the time to create beauty. Be like your Creator. Do what you do with a desire to make life beautiful, to ennoble others, to glorify God.
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:17-18, NKJV)
____________________
He gave me beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise
For the spirit of heaviness,
That we might be trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord,
That He might be glorified.
Beauty For Ashes
Manzano, Robert
© 1976, 1979, 1983 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Mourn like a virgin bride
Do you know how to mourn? We just don’t do ‘sad’ very well, do we? When crisis hits, when life goes into reverse, we do all we can do to leave the sorrow behind as quickly as possible. We tell those who are broken, “the sun will come up tomorrow!” I am all for encouraging others and being positive. There is a time to mourn, however. There is a time to let ourselves feel the weight of life’s brokenness and to be driven by grief to real humility before God.
The prophet Joel received a message from Yahweh following a terrible plague of locusts that left the land desolate, the people starving, and not even food enough for the ritual offerings to be made in the temple. "Despair, all you farmers! Wail, all you vine growers! Weep, because the wheat and barley— all the crops of the field—are ruined." (Joel 1:11, NLT) "Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests! Wail, you who serve before the altar! Come, spend the night in burlap, you ministers of my God. For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of your God." (Joel 1:13, NLT)
To drive home the point, God says, "Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth." (Joel 1:8, NIV) This line speaks of the young girl, betrothed but not wed, who’s fiancé dies prior to the consummation of their marriage. Her prospects for a good marriage were then severely diminished, hence her deep sorrow!
What’s the point of all this sorrow? Repentance!
The crisis that had befallen the land was a call to consider God’s place in life, to step away from the business of everyday life for a time to reflect on how God might be speaking to His people in that moment. Mourning provides a unique opportunity for the Spirit of the Lord to work in our hearts. When we are at the end of our rope, out of options, broken-hearted we are often ready to hear His voice in a new way.
Disciple, have the locust eaten your crops? Probably not literally, but perhaps you’re in a terrible time of life. There is no way to understand why it’s happening. We cannot see far enough into the future or connect the dots to the past. Joel offers no reasons why the locusts came to Judah either. Unlike some other prophets, he does not point to some sin as the cause of the plague. Stepping over the ‘why’ question, Joel exhorts God’s people to let themselves feel the sorrow, to allow it to drive them to humility, and then to accept the comfort of God! What sound counsel.
Will you stop focusing on why the situation that breaks you has come? Are you willing to mourn like a virgin bride? If so, you will find a new depth of holiness, a new kind of intimacy with Him, if you are willing to relinquish your demands for ease and happiness. It’s not a word we eagerly receive, but it’s true.
Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it in light of Joel’s word.
"As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." (Hebrews 12:7-11, NLT)
_______________
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Melt me, mold me,
Fill me, use me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Spirit Of The Living God
Iverson, Daniel
© 1935. Renewed 1963 Birdwing Music (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055
The prophet Joel received a message from Yahweh following a terrible plague of locusts that left the land desolate, the people starving, and not even food enough for the ritual offerings to be made in the temple. "Despair, all you farmers! Wail, all you vine growers! Weep, because the wheat and barley— all the crops of the field—are ruined." (Joel 1:11, NLT) "Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests! Wail, you who serve before the altar! Come, spend the night in burlap, you ministers of my God. For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of your God." (Joel 1:13, NLT)
To drive home the point, God says, "Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the husband of her youth." (Joel 1:8, NIV) This line speaks of the young girl, betrothed but not wed, who’s fiancé dies prior to the consummation of their marriage. Her prospects for a good marriage were then severely diminished, hence her deep sorrow!
What’s the point of all this sorrow? Repentance!
The crisis that had befallen the land was a call to consider God’s place in life, to step away from the business of everyday life for a time to reflect on how God might be speaking to His people in that moment. Mourning provides a unique opportunity for the Spirit of the Lord to work in our hearts. When we are at the end of our rope, out of options, broken-hearted we are often ready to hear His voice in a new way.
Disciple, have the locust eaten your crops? Probably not literally, but perhaps you’re in a terrible time of life. There is no way to understand why it’s happening. We cannot see far enough into the future or connect the dots to the past. Joel offers no reasons why the locusts came to Judah either. Unlike some other prophets, he does not point to some sin as the cause of the plague. Stepping over the ‘why’ question, Joel exhorts God’s people to let themselves feel the sorrow, to allow it to drive them to humility, and then to accept the comfort of God! What sound counsel.
Will you stop focusing on why the situation that breaks you has come? Are you willing to mourn like a virgin bride? If so, you will find a new depth of holiness, a new kind of intimacy with Him, if you are willing to relinquish your demands for ease and happiness. It’s not a word we eagerly receive, but it’s true.
Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it in light of Joel’s word.
"As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." (Hebrews 12:7-11, NLT)
_______________
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Melt me, mold me,
Fill me, use me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall fresh on me.
Spirit Of The Living God
Iverson, Daniel
© 1935. Renewed 1963 Birdwing Music (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Two kinds of wisdom
The ‘sophisticated’ man on TV is quite clever in his use of words. He is adept at sarcasm, cutting those people with whom he disagrees with slashing phrases. Double entendre is his forte, able to be risqué without actually saying the words. Many think he is very wise because of his ability to be a critic. Just in case you think I am talking about just one person on the right or left of the political spectrum, think again. The pseudo-sophisticates are everywhere!
Disciple, it would be a tragedy if you and I adopted that kind of ‘wisdom’ as our model. The Bible says that the truly wise person is not a divisive critic of others. The real sophisticate is the person who builds consensus, uniting people in pursuit of good. Take a look. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:13-17, NIV)
Jesus urged us to another quality of the truly wise- plain, simple speech. "Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37, NIV)
In a world where words purported to be ‘wise’ fill pages of newsprint, clutter the radio waves, and spill out of 24/7 cable news channels I pray that we who are filled with the Holy Spirit of God will choose to live in ways that reveal the true wisdom of God. If you’re tempted to be a critic or to indulge in cruel sarcasm today, think twice. Pray for a transformation of heart and mind that will then be revealed in your words.
The word from the Word that I use to close this thought is a familiar one. I want to quote The Message paraphrase of Scripture. I pray that the truth will be your guide, today and always.
"How well God must like you—
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom. "
(Psalm 1:1-3, The Message)
_______________
Heavenly Father, make my mind new by the Truth of Your Word.
Let Your wisdom, your eternal perspective, form my thoughts.
My world is filled with pseudo-sophisticates who mock the good,
the kind, the loving, the gentle, and the pure.
They pour contempt on things godly and divide people from each other.
Make me different, Spirit of God, I earnestly pray.
Let my words heal, build, and encourage always.
Help me to be like Jesus, of whom it was prophesied;
"He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and
he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right. " (Isaiah 42:3, The Message)
In His holy Name, I pray these things.
Amen.
Disciple, it would be a tragedy if you and I adopted that kind of ‘wisdom’ as our model. The Bible says that the truly wise person is not a divisive critic of others. The real sophisticate is the person who builds consensus, uniting people in pursuit of good. Take a look. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:13-17, NIV)
Jesus urged us to another quality of the truly wise- plain, simple speech. "Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37, NIV)
In a world where words purported to be ‘wise’ fill pages of newsprint, clutter the radio waves, and spill out of 24/7 cable news channels I pray that we who are filled with the Holy Spirit of God will choose to live in ways that reveal the true wisdom of God. If you’re tempted to be a critic or to indulge in cruel sarcasm today, think twice. Pray for a transformation of heart and mind that will then be revealed in your words.
The word from the Word that I use to close this thought is a familiar one. I want to quote The Message paraphrase of Scripture. I pray that the truth will be your guide, today and always.
"How well God must like you—
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom. "
(Psalm 1:1-3, The Message)
_______________
Heavenly Father, make my mind new by the Truth of Your Word.
Let Your wisdom, your eternal perspective, form my thoughts.
My world is filled with pseudo-sophisticates who mock the good,
the kind, the loving, the gentle, and the pure.
They pour contempt on things godly and divide people from each other.
Make me different, Spirit of God, I earnestly pray.
Let my words heal, build, and encourage always.
Help me to be like Jesus, of whom it was prophesied;
"He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and
he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right. " (Isaiah 42:3, The Message)
In His holy Name, I pray these things.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Sail On!
Reading your wake
"You can tell a lot about a ship as you look at its wake. If it is in a straight line, you get the feeling that the boat is steadily on course and that the captain is not dozing at the wheel.... if it is smooth and flat you know something about the speed of the boat. ... With people the same thing is true. As a person goes through life, he leaves behind a wake." Integrity, Dr. Henry Cloud, 2005
That analogy captured my imagination. I thought about the wake left on life’s sea as I sail on by. Cloud observes that we leave a two-sided wake, relationships and tasks. We should remember that it isn't just how we accomplish those jobs we are assigned, but who we effect in the process.
As we evaluate the task side of our lives, it is important that we ask questions like -
- Am I completing tasks on time and without needless diversions?
- Do I understand the task and set my course to finish it?
- Is my work well done, worthy of review?
- Am I investing passion in my daily life, or draining energy from those around me?
On the relational side of our lives, there are important questions, too.
- Do I create hope and encourage?
- Do I build barriers and discourage?
- Are people glad that I have passed by?
- Are they relieved when I leave?
- Do I leave people enriched or exploited?
Sometimes the answers to such questions are obvious. In other situations discerning how we have performed or how we have interacted is not easy seen. Why? We are not the only ones creating a wake through life. Others bring their own personalities and programs into our lives. The smooth wake that we attempt to create is broken up by theirs. As their wake flows into ours, if we are at cross-purposes, the chop that is created can stir up a real tempest!
Speeding boats passing by on crossing courses leave the waters of their wake roiled and rough. Those who are fighting for recognition, critical of one another, or disagreeing about how to do the work, live with turbulence that draws most of the attention and energy of their lives, robbing them of effectiveness. Then, too, winds of difficulty can blow us off course! No matter how diligent we are at sail to steer a straight course, those gusts will cause us to sail a rather wandering course for a time. Christians who have come to unity about their calling, their purposes, and their methods move into formation and actually sail faster and with less energy expended!
We need to determine the course that God wants us to sail.
When the Spirit and the Word helps us to understand His ways; we catch the wind and – sail on!
We cannot adjust speed or course every time somebody makes an objection to our heading! Of critical importance is time alone with God that brings us understand of what He wants from us. Then, we sail on. When we commit ourselves to principled living and pray for His Spirit to keep us on course, the wake left behind us will be a good one. Yes, there will be moments of wavering, times of rough water, but overall the results and relationships will be positive.
Take a look at the wake you're leaving on life's sea. Is it straight and true? Does it show steady speed?
Don't just look close to the stern. Look toward the horizon, too; "unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)
Here's a word from the Word for this day. Take this benediction and turn it into your prayerful petition today.
I am ... "praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you ...
As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul— not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us." (Colossians 1:9-12, The Message) Amen
__________________________
When we're all born we set out to sea,
Looking for answers continuously.
Then when we find out to Him we belong,
We watch for the sign and keep sailin' on.
Cast up your sails and let the wind blow,
Jesus will never let your ship lose control.
Just keep your compass set on the Son,
He'll guide you safely to His beautiful home.
Sail on, when the water gets high.
Sail on, when the wind starts to die.
Sail on, it's just a matter of minutes
'Til His ship comes to get us,
And we'll all get in it.
Sail On
Christian, Chris
© 1977 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
"You can tell a lot about a ship as you look at its wake. If it is in a straight line, you get the feeling that the boat is steadily on course and that the captain is not dozing at the wheel.... if it is smooth and flat you know something about the speed of the boat. ... With people the same thing is true. As a person goes through life, he leaves behind a wake." Integrity, Dr. Henry Cloud, 2005
That analogy captured my imagination. I thought about the wake left on life’s sea as I sail on by. Cloud observes that we leave a two-sided wake, relationships and tasks. We should remember that it isn't just how we accomplish those jobs we are assigned, but who we effect in the process.
As we evaluate the task side of our lives, it is important that we ask questions like -
- Am I completing tasks on time and without needless diversions?
- Do I understand the task and set my course to finish it?
- Is my work well done, worthy of review?
- Am I investing passion in my daily life, or draining energy from those around me?
On the relational side of our lives, there are important questions, too.
- Do I create hope and encourage?
- Do I build barriers and discourage?
- Are people glad that I have passed by?
- Are they relieved when I leave?
- Do I leave people enriched or exploited?
Sometimes the answers to such questions are obvious. In other situations discerning how we have performed or how we have interacted is not easy seen. Why? We are not the only ones creating a wake through life. Others bring their own personalities and programs into our lives. The smooth wake that we attempt to create is broken up by theirs. As their wake flows into ours, if we are at cross-purposes, the chop that is created can stir up a real tempest!
Speeding boats passing by on crossing courses leave the waters of their wake roiled and rough. Those who are fighting for recognition, critical of one another, or disagreeing about how to do the work, live with turbulence that draws most of the attention and energy of their lives, robbing them of effectiveness. Then, too, winds of difficulty can blow us off course! No matter how diligent we are at sail to steer a straight course, those gusts will cause us to sail a rather wandering course for a time. Christians who have come to unity about their calling, their purposes, and their methods move into formation and actually sail faster and with less energy expended!
We need to determine the course that God wants us to sail.
When the Spirit and the Word helps us to understand His ways; we catch the wind and – sail on!
We cannot adjust speed or course every time somebody makes an objection to our heading! Of critical importance is time alone with God that brings us understand of what He wants from us. Then, we sail on. When we commit ourselves to principled living and pray for His Spirit to keep us on course, the wake left behind us will be a good one. Yes, there will be moments of wavering, times of rough water, but overall the results and relationships will be positive.
Take a look at the wake you're leaving on life's sea. Is it straight and true? Does it show steady speed?
Don't just look close to the stern. Look toward the horizon, too; "unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)
Here's a word from the Word for this day. Take this benediction and turn it into your prayerful petition today.
I am ... "praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you ...
As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul— not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us." (Colossians 1:9-12, The Message) Amen
__________________________
When we're all born we set out to sea,
Looking for answers continuously.
Then when we find out to Him we belong,
We watch for the sign and keep sailin' on.
Cast up your sails and let the wind blow,
Jesus will never let your ship lose control.
Just keep your compass set on the Son,
He'll guide you safely to His beautiful home.
Sail on, when the water gets high.
Sail on, when the wind starts to die.
Sail on, it's just a matter of minutes
'Til His ship comes to get us,
And we'll all get in it.
Sail On
Christian, Chris
© 1977 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, October 04, 2010
This day, yours or His?
I’m an agenda guy! This day is already mapped out in my head: 9 AM I will be at point A, 11:30 I’ll be there, etc. It’s only 6 am on Monday, but my week is largely planned, with appointments penned in the calendar, with goals set for certain tasks. Structure is demanded is I hope to be productive, to meet the obligations that are a part of my life. However, I can become so committed to my plan that I squeeze the work of God into a little box that could not begin to contain His creativity! Every day, I remind myself that He owns the time. I am really only here to implement His Purposes. He is the One in charge of my calendar, I am just the manager. It’s easier to write that than it is to live it.
When life overflows my agenda, when crises arise that destroy my carefully laid plans, I am tempted to grow tense, even angry. (Sadly, sometimes I sin in those way.) Here’s what I have learned. He catches my attention, surprising me, reminding me that my life is not my own. Circumstances arrive in my life for which there is no explanation. Those moments are invitations to trust, opportunities to open myself to His gift of grace. In ways that cannot simply be chalked off to coincidence, I see the Lord use the days of chaos to help me grow.
In his letter to the disciples in Philippi, Paul says that he is in prison, not for some crime, but for preaching the Gospel. He had not blocked out a year in his calendar for that! But he sees God’s plan working out. He writes, "I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah." (Philippians 1:12-14, The Message) He is not simply being positive. He sees the fruit of faith!
The Word assures us "that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29, NIV) I do not read that with resignation to fate! The sins of others and my own willfulness introduce situations into our lives that do not line up with the perfect will of God. The faith-builder of that passage is the promise that God is big enough to work in all things to accomplish His ultimate purpose in us. What is that purpose? To shape us into the likeness of our Savior. The Psalmist sang, "Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure." (Psalm 23:4, The Message)
Frustration will come today – big and small. It might be something like a car that won’t start. It could be huge- like a pink slip at work. If you are living close to Him, if your heart is seeking His kingdom; then remind yourself that it is His day. Thank Him for the promise that He is working in it for your good to accomplish His purpose. When you’re tempted to complain or curse, to desperately attempt to hang onto control of your life, look up and pray: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NIV) As Christ Jesus is allowed to be Lord of this day, you will not only know greater peace, you will also allow a greater holiness to shine through. This is to His glory, which is the best of all!
______________________
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see,
He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide,
Hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength
For each new day,
He will make a way,
He will make a way.
By a roadway in the wilderness
He'll lead me,
And rivers in the desert will I see.
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain,
He will do something new today.
God Will Make A Way
Moen, Don
© 1990 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
When life overflows my agenda, when crises arise that destroy my carefully laid plans, I am tempted to grow tense, even angry. (Sadly, sometimes I sin in those way.) Here’s what I have learned. He catches my attention, surprising me, reminding me that my life is not my own. Circumstances arrive in my life for which there is no explanation. Those moments are invitations to trust, opportunities to open myself to His gift of grace. In ways that cannot simply be chalked off to coincidence, I see the Lord use the days of chaos to help me grow.
In his letter to the disciples in Philippi, Paul says that he is in prison, not for some crime, but for preaching the Gospel. He had not blocked out a year in his calendar for that! But he sees God’s plan working out. He writes, "I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah." (Philippians 1:12-14, The Message) He is not simply being positive. He sees the fruit of faith!
The Word assures us "that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29, NIV) I do not read that with resignation to fate! The sins of others and my own willfulness introduce situations into our lives that do not line up with the perfect will of God. The faith-builder of that passage is the promise that God is big enough to work in all things to accomplish His ultimate purpose in us. What is that purpose? To shape us into the likeness of our Savior. The Psalmist sang, "Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure." (Psalm 23:4, The Message)
Frustration will come today – big and small. It might be something like a car that won’t start. It could be huge- like a pink slip at work. If you are living close to Him, if your heart is seeking His kingdom; then remind yourself that it is His day. Thank Him for the promise that He is working in it for your good to accomplish His purpose. When you’re tempted to complain or curse, to desperately attempt to hang onto control of your life, look up and pray: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NIV) As Christ Jesus is allowed to be Lord of this day, you will not only know greater peace, you will also allow a greater holiness to shine through. This is to His glory, which is the best of all!
______________________
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way,
He works in ways we cannot see,
He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide,
Hold me closely to His side,
With love and strength
For each new day,
He will make a way,
He will make a way.
By a roadway in the wilderness
He'll lead me,
And rivers in the desert will I see.
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain,
He will do something new today.
God Will Make A Way
Moen, Don
© 1990 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
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