Believer, as a result of knowing Jesus, our lives are to be distinctly different from the lives of those who do not yet know the Lord! Thank God for the difference. Because the Holy Spirit has restored our relationship to God and brought us life, we no longer are captives of lust, greed, and hatred. We are to be people of love, contentment, and joy. But, there are choices to be made - everyday - that allows the work of God to be accomplished in us. Let me illustrate with a little story. I enjoy country music and this week while I was driving to the hospital to encourage a friend, had Cat Country 96 on my radio. All at once I really began hearing what was coming out of the speakers! It was Trace Atkins singing about a middle-aged man in a bar who watching a young woman dressed in tight jeans dancing. The Holy Spirit whispered to me - "Jerry, is this song helping you to purely love the young women in your pastoral care?" It took me 2 seconds to change the station!! Laugh if you want to, but I'm OK with having a different moral standard for the Lord's sake.
Here's another example. Believers have recognized the importance of clean speech, ridding themselves of foul and profane expressions. Then a couple of years ago along came Donald Miller's book, Blue Like Jazz, (overall I enjoyed it, by the way) which included a passage celebrating the so-called 'cussing pastor' of a church in Seattle who sprinkles his sermons with profanity in an attempt to be relevant to his culture. Being relevant is a good motive. Choosing to use profanity to do it is the wrong choice. I wonder how many Christians read Miller's book and took that chapter as an excuse to keep dropping the 'F' word when they were upset?
Even as I write these words, I know there is a distinct possibility that some will make the same mistake that I made in my youth when I confused the guidelines for holy living with the reality of the Christian life! I thought I was a Christian because I scrupulously observed a code that did not allow for any 'worldly' entertainment, profanity, use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products, etc. I got things out of order, thinking that my hard work at being good, at least according to the rules I had been taught, was what made me a Christian. The Word taught me that being 'in Christ' was what made holy living possible. Peter urges those who are filled with God's Spirit to let His life fully develop. "Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:11-12, NLT)
The difference in the lives of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit is a beautiful difference called holiness. It is expressed in big and small ways in our daily lives. And, when we choose to listen to the Spirit's direction, holiness creates greater intimacy. Take a look at this passage - "...we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:15-18, NIV)
There is a balance between living 'in the world,' and being 'of the world.' Believers cannot share Christ with the people around if they close themselves into holy huddles that exclude everyone they perceive as 'not one of us.' But, if we are so full of the culture, the values, and the ways of the world - we will lose the intimacy with God that makes us distinct and that allows us to know those qualities that make Christianity a thing to be desired.
Here's a word from the Word to ponder today.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—
comes not from the Father but from the world.
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NIV)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
At rest in Him, filled with confidence
When I bought my car last year, there was a 'bumper to bumper' warranty that came with it for the first 36,000 miles or 3 years. Recently the leather on the driver's seat started to crack and tear, so when I had in for service, I asked the service manager about it. Later when I picked it up, he said, "There's a flaw in that and we're ordering a new one for you which we will install at no charge to you, Jerry." It's great to know that at least until August, 2009 - there will be no auto repair costs in my budget. There is a kind of 'rest' that is produced by the guarantee and confidence that comes from my experience with a dealership that backs it up. I enjoy another kind of confidence, a real sense of settled peace, in an area of my life that is much more important.
My soul is at rest and I am full of confidence in God's promise to save and keep me in His grace! This was not always so. When I was still a school age kid, there were days when I was not 'good,' and because of an immature understanding of the salvation that is ours through Christ, I reasoned that my lack of goodness was cause for fear. I heard a lot about Jesus' returning at any moment for those who loved Him. "Rapture fever" was everywhere in the 1970's! On those days when I knew I had done wrong, I would get off of the bus and run all the way to the house, throw open the door, and yell, "Mom!" If she answered, a great flood of relief would come over me. I figured my Mom was the most righteous person I knew, so if she was still around, then Jesus had not returned and I was not 'left behind.'
Thankfully, since then I have found His grace is greater than my sin and that there is reason for confidence in His saving work. In His grace, there is rest; a real and settled peace for our souls. Here is how the writer of Hebrews explains it: ". . . there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:9-10, NLT) "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT)
The writer of Hebrews warns, again and again, about the possibility of turning away from the living God. "Make every effort...." is a phrase that is used repeatedly in Hebrews to encourage us to press on, to grow in holiness. The Word asserts that apostasy (rejecting the truth that saves us) is a distinct possibility. But, the warning is not a cause for terror! When we grasp the dimensions of the grace that is found in Christ Jesus, when don't have to run and hide like Adam and Eve did when they sinned. As the Scripture quoted above teaches, when we fail, when temptation rises up and we make the wrong choice, we are invited to 'come boldly to the throne... and receive mercy." The greater our grasp of grace, the deeper will be our commitment. When we understand that Jesus Christ is a priest who really understands the temptations we experience, we will be authentic, transparent before Him, and thus find the Spirit's power to overcome. If we believe, even a little bit, that we are capable of 'saving ourselves' by being good, serving well, or through some great sacrifice, we will never be at rest in Him.
In chapter 9 of Hebrews, we are reminded that once people had to bring the blood of animals to God for the covering of their sins. The writer reasons with us saying, if the blood of bulls and goats could take away the penalty of sin before God, "think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out. Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God. " (Hebrews 9:14-15, The Message)
Don't let yourself live in fear, in an 'up and down' kind of Christianity that focuses on good works as the source of confidence! Look to the Cross of Christ. Come boldly to the throne of a gracious God and take the grace provided fully by Christ, whose offering for sin is complete. Be at rest in Him, and thus, filled with confidence that allows you to live a holy life that is heart-deep, truly authentic. From a place of blessed assurance, go and do great work, motivated not by fear, but by love and gratefulness.
________________________
My soul is at rest and I am full of confidence in God's promise to save and keep me in His grace! This was not always so. When I was still a school age kid, there were days when I was not 'good,' and because of an immature understanding of the salvation that is ours through Christ, I reasoned that my lack of goodness was cause for fear. I heard a lot about Jesus' returning at any moment for those who loved Him. "Rapture fever" was everywhere in the 1970's! On those days when I knew I had done wrong, I would get off of the bus and run all the way to the house, throw open the door, and yell, "Mom!" If she answered, a great flood of relief would come over me. I figured my Mom was the most righteous person I knew, so if she was still around, then Jesus had not returned and I was not 'left behind.'
Thankfully, since then I have found His grace is greater than my sin and that there is reason for confidence in His saving work. In His grace, there is rest; a real and settled peace for our souls. Here is how the writer of Hebrews explains it: ". . . there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:9-10, NLT) "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT)
The writer of Hebrews warns, again and again, about the possibility of turning away from the living God. "Make every effort...." is a phrase that is used repeatedly in Hebrews to encourage us to press on, to grow in holiness. The Word asserts that apostasy (rejecting the truth that saves us) is a distinct possibility. But, the warning is not a cause for terror! When we grasp the dimensions of the grace that is found in Christ Jesus, when don't have to run and hide like Adam and Eve did when they sinned. As the Scripture quoted above teaches, when we fail, when temptation rises up and we make the wrong choice, we are invited to 'come boldly to the throne... and receive mercy." The greater our grasp of grace, the deeper will be our commitment. When we understand that Jesus Christ is a priest who really understands the temptations we experience, we will be authentic, transparent before Him, and thus find the Spirit's power to overcome. If we believe, even a little bit, that we are capable of 'saving ourselves' by being good, serving well, or through some great sacrifice, we will never be at rest in Him.
In chapter 9 of Hebrews, we are reminded that once people had to bring the blood of animals to God for the covering of their sins. The writer reasons with us saying, if the blood of bulls and goats could take away the penalty of sin before God, "think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out. Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God. " (Hebrews 9:14-15, The Message)
Don't let yourself live in fear, in an 'up and down' kind of Christianity that focuses on good works as the source of confidence! Look to the Cross of Christ. Come boldly to the throne of a gracious God and take the grace provided fully by Christ, whose offering for sin is complete. Be at rest in Him, and thus, filled with confidence that allows you to live a holy life that is heart-deep, truly authentic. From a place of blessed assurance, go and do great work, motivated not by fear, but by love and gratefulness.
________________________
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Do dogs go to Heaven?
The promise of Heaven is sweet! If your concept of heaven is drawn from movies and pop songs you really don't have a clue! Heaven is not earth minus sorrow and sickness. Heaven is a whole new, wonderful existence in the Presence of God. I get amused when I am drawn into discussions about pets being in Heaven or romantic ideas about big family reunions, but I understand why we desire that. That dog who gives us so much happiness, those moments of good feelings that come out of big family gatherings, are high points in life, so we assume that if Heaven is about joy, then these kinds of things must be it. If your mental image of Heaven is a lot of people in robes, strumming harps, and floating around on clouds, no wonder you don't look forward to going there.
Kevin Miller illustrates the difficulty that we have grasping the joy of Heaven in this way. "Let’s imagine that I tell my four-year-old son,
“Andrew, when you grow up, if you get married, your honeymoon will be one of the most delightful and wonderful times of your life.”
He says, “Oh, you mean I can take my toy dinosaurs along?”
“Uh, no . . . you probably won’t want to. But you'll still have a fantastic time.”
“Well, can Jeffrey from next door come along on my honeymoon?”
“No, sorry,” I tell him.
“I don’t know if I want to go on a honeymoon, Daddy. It doesn't sound like any fun.”
“Trust me, Andrew: you will enjoy it, even though you can’t understand it right now.”
Heaven will give us incredible joy—but at a higher, richer level than we've ever experienced. It’s natural not to understand it all now." Discipleship Journal : Issue 57. 1999
The Bible only sketches the outlines of what Heaven is like for that very reason! Even if the Lord tried to explain it all to us, we just wouldn't get it. The writers of Scripture use the images and language available in their attempts to describe what God was showing them about things that defy description. So you have Isaiah, Zechariah, and John telling us about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. We must not doubt their word, but we are wise to understand that they are using earthly language to tell us about a completely unearthly place! Thus, we must not force the metaphors too literally. If we do, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our eternal home.
What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?
God is there! "Uh, Jerry, how about something I don't know." I mean it! The God we've loved from a distance, Whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse us, Who actions are beyond our figuring out, will be our Friend, will be accessible, and we will worship Him face to face. John attempts to show us the wonder of that moment and says, "Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
The beauty of it is beyond imagination. John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! Once again, he's using the language available to try to tell us about things for which there are no words. What I do know is that God is the Builder, the Architect, of the place where I will spend eternity. I can see what He's made here on Earth, a place ultimately destined for destruction, a temporary home - so I can only try imagine what He's done with the forever home He's prepared for His people.
All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin! "And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5, NLT) If you know me, you are aware that I like automobiles. Mine always shines and I take pleasure (too much perhaps) when I get a new one. The one I drove off the lot last year is already showing the signs of use. There's a crack in the front bumper where a chunk of ice hit it last Winter. There are scratches in the paint from stones in the road. The carpet has become soiled despite my efforts to keep it clean. That's just life! Everything we know is subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. But, in Heaven, it's different. How? I don't know, but God promises all things new and no decay! Jesus urges us to "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy..." (Matthew 6:20, NLT)
Joy will be complete! Life's happiest moments are always tinged with sadness here on earth, aren't they? I so enjoyed my grandsons visit for the last two weeks. When they snuggled up close with me, when we shared lunch at Hotdog Johnnie's, when they played in the yard and I listened to their little voices full of delight at bugs and beetles - it was great, a wonderful feeling. But, I knew that they would grow up in a few years and Grandpa would be the old guy they saw at Christmas, more and more remote from their lives. Heaven knows nothing of that kind of thing. There only joy reigns. There no ends are anticipated, no sorrow invades, no disappointment lurks in the shadows.
So, what about that opening line about dogs in Heaven? It was just there to get your attention! I don't know -- and in light of the glories I do know about -- I'm quite content to wait and see what God has planned about that little detail.
Are you prepared for Heaven? The only way to know, for sure, is to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior today! If He is that to you, then this is your promise: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NLT) Believer, do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven;'s promise gives us hope when life's challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
_______________________________
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory.
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.
When We All Get to Heaven© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
Kevin Miller illustrates the difficulty that we have grasping the joy of Heaven in this way. "Let’s imagine that I tell my four-year-old son,
“Andrew, when you grow up, if you get married, your honeymoon will be one of the most delightful and wonderful times of your life.”
He says, “Oh, you mean I can take my toy dinosaurs along?”
“Uh, no . . . you probably won’t want to. But you'll still have a fantastic time.”
“Well, can Jeffrey from next door come along on my honeymoon?”
“No, sorry,” I tell him.
“I don’t know if I want to go on a honeymoon, Daddy. It doesn't sound like any fun.”
“Trust me, Andrew: you will enjoy it, even though you can’t understand it right now.”
Heaven will give us incredible joy—but at a higher, richer level than we've ever experienced. It’s natural not to understand it all now." Discipleship Journal : Issue 57. 1999
The Bible only sketches the outlines of what Heaven is like for that very reason! Even if the Lord tried to explain it all to us, we just wouldn't get it. The writers of Scripture use the images and language available in their attempts to describe what God was showing them about things that defy description. So you have Isaiah, Zechariah, and John telling us about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. We must not doubt their word, but we are wise to understand that they are using earthly language to tell us about a completely unearthly place! Thus, we must not force the metaphors too literally. If we do, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our eternal home.
What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?
God is there! "Uh, Jerry, how about something I don't know." I mean it! The God we've loved from a distance, Whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse us, Who actions are beyond our figuring out, will be our Friend, will be accessible, and we will worship Him face to face. John attempts to show us the wonder of that moment and says, "Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
The beauty of it is beyond imagination. John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! Once again, he's using the language available to try to tell us about things for which there are no words. What I do know is that God is the Builder, the Architect, of the place where I will spend eternity. I can see what He's made here on Earth, a place ultimately destined for destruction, a temporary home - so I can only try imagine what He's done with the forever home He's prepared for His people.
All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin! "And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5, NLT) If you know me, you are aware that I like automobiles. Mine always shines and I take pleasure (too much perhaps) when I get a new one. The one I drove off the lot last year is already showing the signs of use. There's a crack in the front bumper where a chunk of ice hit it last Winter. There are scratches in the paint from stones in the road. The carpet has become soiled despite my efforts to keep it clean. That's just life! Everything we know is subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. But, in Heaven, it's different. How? I don't know, but God promises all things new and no decay! Jesus urges us to "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy..." (Matthew 6:20, NLT)
Joy will be complete! Life's happiest moments are always tinged with sadness here on earth, aren't they? I so enjoyed my grandsons visit for the last two weeks. When they snuggled up close with me, when we shared lunch at Hotdog Johnnie's, when they played in the yard and I listened to their little voices full of delight at bugs and beetles - it was great, a wonderful feeling. But, I knew that they would grow up in a few years and Grandpa would be the old guy they saw at Christmas, more and more remote from their lives. Heaven knows nothing of that kind of thing. There only joy reigns. There no ends are anticipated, no sorrow invades, no disappointment lurks in the shadows.
So, what about that opening line about dogs in Heaven? It was just there to get your attention! I don't know -- and in light of the glories I do know about -- I'm quite content to wait and see what God has planned about that little detail.
Are you prepared for Heaven? The only way to know, for sure, is to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior today! If He is that to you, then this is your promise: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NLT) Believer, do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven;'s promise gives us hope when life's challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
_______________________________
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory.
Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.
When We All Get to Heaven© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Whom to serve?
"So, when do you get to do your thing?" The thought entered my head like a jet arriving on a runway. Whoosh! There it was. Before I could muster my defenses, self-pity started to chew away at me. "Why do you have to be responsible when so many others are not? Why do you have to take care of things for everybody else? Who takes care of you? When do you start to count?" It was an ugly moment. You agree, I hope! Many would not agree with that assessment about those kinds of thoughts. Americans are schooled in self-expression from their infancy because we are convinced that the best life is the one that allows us the most freedom to do what we want to do.
The evidence of our self-love is everywhere. The government is going broke trying to meet our demands that we are cared for from cradle to grave - at the expense of everyone else. Agencies that depend on volunteers to carry out their mission - churches, fire companies, Scouts, etc. - are in crisis as more and more people insist that they have no time to serve. A million or more pregnancies are terminated every year with so-called 'convenience' abortions because a two people who wanted to do what felt good will not recognize the responsibility for the life their actions created. A best-selling 'Christian' book in 2006 carried the revealing title - "Your Best Life Now" which includes advice about gaining positive self-image and choosing what makes you happy.
Jesus Christ's wisdom runs against this current. He is not anti-happiness, but He does insist that the deepest sense of joy is not found in doing our own thing. He says, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:10-14, NLT) Go back and read His words again - slowly - and note two choices He tells us to make to find real joy. Yes, they are obedience and loving service! "Give your life away to the point of dying for one another," He says.
Obedience demands deep faith. Saying "yes" to God's will, when everything in us is screaming for unfettered freedom, is hard- sometimes so hard it feels like dying. More than once, I have knelt in secret prayer and cried like a little boy before my Lord. "Jesus, I don't want to do that. You're asking too much. It just doesn't make sense." And I know He understands that prayer because He prayed one that was more eloquent, but which reflected a similar though much more significant conflict. In the Garden, when facing the awful calling of becoming sin for us, bearing our shame and guilt, He cried, "My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want." (Matthew 26:39, CEV) And the Scripture tells us that His obedience brought us salvation and "God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT)
Today and everyday you and I are presented with two roads, Believer. We can choose our own way - and find some level of happiness in the temporary satisfaction of the demands of Self. But Self has a big appetite that grows when we feed it! It will never be satisfied. We can, by faith and in love, choose the way of the Cross, dying to Self, and embracing the life of Christ. That isn't always expressed in some earthshaking manner. But it always puts God's will over our own. This way is, despite the Devil's whispers and objections, the way to lasting joy and the embrace of the Father.
Pray for faith to accept this word from the Word and take it with you through this day -
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:24-28, NIV)
The evidence of our self-love is everywhere. The government is going broke trying to meet our demands that we are cared for from cradle to grave - at the expense of everyone else. Agencies that depend on volunteers to carry out their mission - churches, fire companies, Scouts, etc. - are in crisis as more and more people insist that they have no time to serve. A million or more pregnancies are terminated every year with so-called 'convenience' abortions because a two people who wanted to do what felt good will not recognize the responsibility for the life their actions created. A best-selling 'Christian' book in 2006 carried the revealing title - "Your Best Life Now" which includes advice about gaining positive self-image and choosing what makes you happy.
Jesus Christ's wisdom runs against this current. He is not anti-happiness, but He does insist that the deepest sense of joy is not found in doing our own thing. He says, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:10-14, NLT) Go back and read His words again - slowly - and note two choices He tells us to make to find real joy. Yes, they are obedience and loving service! "Give your life away to the point of dying for one another," He says.
Obedience demands deep faith. Saying "yes" to God's will, when everything in us is screaming for unfettered freedom, is hard- sometimes so hard it feels like dying. More than once, I have knelt in secret prayer and cried like a little boy before my Lord. "Jesus, I don't want to do that. You're asking too much. It just doesn't make sense." And I know He understands that prayer because He prayed one that was more eloquent, but which reflected a similar though much more significant conflict. In the Garden, when facing the awful calling of becoming sin for us, bearing our shame and guilt, He cried, "My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want." (Matthew 26:39, CEV) And the Scripture tells us that His obedience brought us salvation and "God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT)
Today and everyday you and I are presented with two roads, Believer. We can choose our own way - and find some level of happiness in the temporary satisfaction of the demands of Self. But Self has a big appetite that grows when we feed it! It will never be satisfied. We can, by faith and in love, choose the way of the Cross, dying to Self, and embracing the life of Christ. That isn't always expressed in some earthshaking manner. But it always puts God's will over our own. This way is, despite the Devil's whispers and objections, the way to lasting joy and the embrace of the Father.
Pray for faith to accept this word from the Word and take it with you through this day -
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:24-28, NIV)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Keep it real!
On NBC's Dateline last night, the story of a man who had one time served a congregation in youth ministry was reported. While he was in ministry, and already a married man, he became infatuated with a girl in his youth group, then convinced her to 'marry' him, as his 'second' wife, moving him with him and his first wife. He twisted Bible passages to convince both women that his polygamous desires were "God's will!" Several years later he murdered the second wife, who was, by then, the mother of two of his children. He then horribly mutilated her body to hide her identity and buried her in an obscure grave in the Arizona desert. On the stand at his trial he tried to wrap himself in religion, with assertions that he had 'given his heart to Jesus' at the tender age of 6. Did Sean Goff ever truly know the Lord? Perhaps, only God knows for certain. Did something go terribly wrong in his life? Of that I can be quite certain, and know it happened on many levels! His integrity, his accountability to his church, his submission to the Word of God; yes, even his intimate walk with Jesus Christ (assuming he had one in the first place) were gone by the time he became the murderer of a woman he once claimed to love. Even in a post-conviction interview, he was hiding himself in Christian language, seemingly without genuine repentance before God or man.
That's a shocking illustration of a sin committed everyday by millions of people who claim a relationship with the Lord - the decision to hide their own decisions or desires, even the sinful ones, inside of righteous rhetoric. For example, some Believers when asked to serve their church in some area, will say, "I'll pray about it," knowing full well they have no intention of accepting the responsibility, but not wanting to say, "No, I'm not going to do that." Or when approached by another Believer who is in need they claim to need time to pray about the request, but in fact simply what to avoid getting involved. Another example is the person who has made up his own mind to take a new job or move to another church who responsibility for his choices by saying, "It is the will of God for me to do...."
Of course, we should pray about everything including service in the church and requests for help. Yes, too, we should be actively seeking to know God's will. But, never, should we use religion to give us an excuse to do what we want to do. Among the Ten Commandments, there is this one - "Thou shall not take the Lord's name in vain." Another translation reads, "You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name." (Exodus 20:7, NLT) Much more is declared as unholy than cussing when you're angry! God does not want to be the excuse for my choices nor for yours. He does not want a veneer of holy talk pasted over our self-will.
Jesus Christ urges us to be people who keep it real- all the time. "Let your yes, mean yes; and let your your no, mean no," He says. Don't doubletalk. Don't be slick. Don't use words to create impressions in others that are false. He goes on to say, "When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong." (Matthew 5:37, The Message) I would venture to guess that Sean Goff, convicted murderer, started shading the truth and hiding behind religious language a long time ago, on issues that were just the little things in life. The duplicity that allowed him to kill a woman and then to lie to everyone around him for months may well have grown from the seeds of so-called 'white lies,' becoming a habit and eventually weaving such a web of deception that he has become a deluded man who believes his own tales and claims of superior spirituality despite his gross sin.
Double talk can become a habit, but so can total honesty. It is refreshing to hear a person admit to his own desires, even those that are less than holy, and then to ask for help in discovering the mind of the Lord. When we find ourselves tempted to misuse our power of speech especially by wrapping ourselves in Christian rhetoric, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us face the truth, first in ourselves. God knows us - our motives, and our inner thoughts- better than we know ourselves! And, He loves us- the good, bad, the beautiful, the ugly. If we are honest before Him, if we make a habit of using plain speech, even in prayer, the Spirit will become our Counselor, helping us to be changed, and keeping us from the wiles of the Deceiver who desires our total destruction. How sweet is the peace of the man whose words are true, who has banished the shadows from his life by becoming transparent before God and others.
Here's a word from the Word, a promise to take with you today as you commit yourself both to God and others to keeping it real:
"But if we live in the light, as God does,
we share in life with each other.
And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves,
and the truth isn’t in our hearts.
But if we confess our sins to God,
He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar,
and his message isn’t in our hearts.
My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin.
But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing,
and he will speak to the Father for us." (1 John 1:7-2:1, CEV)
That's a shocking illustration of a sin committed everyday by millions of people who claim a relationship with the Lord - the decision to hide their own decisions or desires, even the sinful ones, inside of righteous rhetoric. For example, some Believers when asked to serve their church in some area, will say, "I'll pray about it," knowing full well they have no intention of accepting the responsibility, but not wanting to say, "No, I'm not going to do that." Or when approached by another Believer who is in need they claim to need time to pray about the request, but in fact simply what to avoid getting involved. Another example is the person who has made up his own mind to take a new job or move to another church who responsibility for his choices by saying, "It is the will of God for me to do...."
Of course, we should pray about everything including service in the church and requests for help. Yes, too, we should be actively seeking to know God's will. But, never, should we use religion to give us an excuse to do what we want to do. Among the Ten Commandments, there is this one - "Thou shall not take the Lord's name in vain." Another translation reads, "You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name." (Exodus 20:7, NLT) Much more is declared as unholy than cussing when you're angry! God does not want to be the excuse for my choices nor for yours. He does not want a veneer of holy talk pasted over our self-will.
Jesus Christ urges us to be people who keep it real- all the time. "Let your yes, mean yes; and let your your no, mean no," He says. Don't doubletalk. Don't be slick. Don't use words to create impressions in others that are false. He goes on to say, "When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong." (Matthew 5:37, The Message) I would venture to guess that Sean Goff, convicted murderer, started shading the truth and hiding behind religious language a long time ago, on issues that were just the little things in life. The duplicity that allowed him to kill a woman and then to lie to everyone around him for months may well have grown from the seeds of so-called 'white lies,' becoming a habit and eventually weaving such a web of deception that he has become a deluded man who believes his own tales and claims of superior spirituality despite his gross sin.
Double talk can become a habit, but so can total honesty. It is refreshing to hear a person admit to his own desires, even those that are less than holy, and then to ask for help in discovering the mind of the Lord. When we find ourselves tempted to misuse our power of speech especially by wrapping ourselves in Christian rhetoric, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us face the truth, first in ourselves. God knows us - our motives, and our inner thoughts- better than we know ourselves! And, He loves us- the good, bad, the beautiful, the ugly. If we are honest before Him, if we make a habit of using plain speech, even in prayer, the Spirit will become our Counselor, helping us to be changed, and keeping us from the wiles of the Deceiver who desires our total destruction. How sweet is the peace of the man whose words are true, who has banished the shadows from his life by becoming transparent before God and others.
Here's a word from the Word, a promise to take with you today as you commit yourself both to God and others to keeping it real:
"But if we live in the light, as God does,
we share in life with each other.
And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves,
and the truth isn’t in our hearts.
But if we confess our sins to God,
He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar,
and his message isn’t in our hearts.
My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin.
But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing,
and he will speak to the Father for us." (1 John 1:7-2:1, CEV)
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