This news went out 'round the world yesterday afternoon: "14 hostages held by rebel group in Colombia, now free!" In an amazingly planned rescue, 3 Americans and 11 Colombian nationals were restored to freedom after years of captivity in the jungles. The most prominent among them was a former Presidential candidate in Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt. Can you imagine the elation you would feel at being handed your freedom after being held under threat of death for seven long years?
Truth is, that is what God does for each of us! "Thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. . . . When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-20, NIV) Satan held everyone of us captive! We had a illusion of freedom, but in fact we served self and we sinned against God by nature.
"But, Jerry, I am not an evil person. I try to be good and kind." And I will grant you that. But, the fact remains that apart from the intervention of God to set us free, we are incapable of true holiness, "falling far short," the Bible says, "of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The natural state of everyman is slavery; to Self and Sin. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,... for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:4-6, 10, NKJV)
Here's the question I want to put to you today: are you taking advantage of the gift of freedom from sin by passionately loving and doing the will of God? It is inconceivable that any of those hostages held by the FARC rebels in Colombian jungles would have turned around and gone back to their captors! They were thrilled to have the ability to go home to their families, to resume their jobs, and to have their lives back.
Believer, with even greater joy, we must turn to the living God, our true Father. "By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us-set us right with him, make us fit for him-we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand-out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." (Romans 5:1-2, The Message)
_____________________
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.
By God's Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,
'Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty,
At Calvary.
O the love that drew salvation's plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!
Now I've giv'n to Jesus ev'rything;
Now I gladly own Him as my King;
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary.
At Calvary
William Newell, Daniel Towner © Public Domain
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Neglect, Decay: Diligence, Glory!
The meeting was at an office building that was attractively designed and well built. The facade was a classy brick. The floors were a polished stone. The architect's design used large expanses of glass to bring light to the interior. But... close up, it became apparent that the owner either didn't have the money to maintain the building or the manager just didn't care about the upkeep. The landscaping was not trimmed, the grass grew uncut at the curbs. Inside, hand-lettered signs were stuck to the walls with tape. In the Men's room, a divider was attached to a marble wall with a plain galvanized bracket and ordinary screws. The towel dispenser was empty, a replacement roll carelessly set on the marble counter next to the sink. Everywhere I looked there were little evidences of neglect. Mostly likely both the manager and the tenants have grown accustomed to these little signs of decay and no longer even notice it.
As I drove away, thinking about the investment made by the builder and the subsequent lack of attention to maintenance, I started to think about my life as a temple of the Spirit. I asked, "Am I careful to maintain the beauty the Lord desires or am I letting little things go? Are there places in my life where I have grown accustomed to the trash of sin, to things poorly done because of laziness, to gaps in my integrity?"
Lives do not go to ruin overnight. Moral collapse does not happen in a moment. It is the little stuff that we allow to slip in carelessly that creates pockets of corruption in our lives from which major sins grow. A small resentment left unresolved can grow into hatred. A little coveting can turn into life-controlling envy in a short time. Carelessness about the regular practice of spiritual disciplines - things such as prayer and meditation, daily Scripture intake, fellowship with other Believers in worship, generous sharing and giving - turns into complete neglect of the things of God in a few month's time. The pithy wisdom of the Proverbs says that "Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." (Proverbs 10:4-5, The Message)
There is an application to the spiritual part of life in that. Great lives do not just happen! Beautiful lives that reflect the glory of God are the result of daily diligence, tending to the little stuff, dealing with temptations while they are still just an impulse rather than trying to clean up the mess that results from the choice to sin.
Here's a word from the Word. Ponder the progression of character that the Spirit revealed to Peter, then pray that the Lord would give you the desire to build and maintain a temple worthy of His Presence, where His beauty shines through in the splendor of His holiness.
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance,
and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)
_______________________________________
"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity!
All my nature refine,
Oh, Thou Spirit Divine;
'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."- Public domain
As I drove away, thinking about the investment made by the builder and the subsequent lack of attention to maintenance, I started to think about my life as a temple of the Spirit. I asked, "Am I careful to maintain the beauty the Lord desires or am I letting little things go? Are there places in my life where I have grown accustomed to the trash of sin, to things poorly done because of laziness, to gaps in my integrity?"
Lives do not go to ruin overnight. Moral collapse does not happen in a moment. It is the little stuff that we allow to slip in carelessly that creates pockets of corruption in our lives from which major sins grow. A small resentment left unresolved can grow into hatred. A little coveting can turn into life-controlling envy in a short time. Carelessness about the regular practice of spiritual disciplines - things such as prayer and meditation, daily Scripture intake, fellowship with other Believers in worship, generous sharing and giving - turns into complete neglect of the things of God in a few month's time. The pithy wisdom of the Proverbs says that "Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." (Proverbs 10:4-5, The Message)
There is an application to the spiritual part of life in that. Great lives do not just happen! Beautiful lives that reflect the glory of God are the result of daily diligence, tending to the little stuff, dealing with temptations while they are still just an impulse rather than trying to clean up the mess that results from the choice to sin.
Here's a word from the Word. Ponder the progression of character that the Spirit revealed to Peter, then pray that the Lord would give you the desire to build and maintain a temple worthy of His Presence, where His beauty shines through in the splendor of His holiness.
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance,
and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)
_______________________________________
"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity!
All my nature refine,
Oh, Thou Spirit Divine;
'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."- Public domain
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Got a Timothy in tow?
About 30 years ago, when I was a newly minted preacher, more full of my Self than the Spirit, my Dad sent me a letter, written in longhand script, in which he basically said, "Take advantage of my experience. Fall in step and learn from me!" His mentoring steadied me, gave me practical insight, and kept me from wandering into traps of temptation. That letter still lies in the top drawer of my desk in my church office! I treasure that piece of paper, which I have read dozens of times over the years. It is a symbol of Dad's constant work of coaching the Timothys that he found in the world all around him. Through the years he spoke into the lives of many, inspiring devotion, coaching them to find and use the spiritual gifts invested in them by God. And he's still doing it!
Do you have a Timothy in tow? The allusion is to Paul and Timothy. During his travels, in the city of Lystra the apostle found a young man named Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He saw the potential in him and accepted him as a 'true son in the faith.' Intentionally, he took him along to 'show him the ropes' of ministry and then sent him out to serve. Paul's two letters to Timothy are packed full of practical insight and directions, written in a warm and fatherly tone. "I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle." (1 Timothy 1:18, The Message)
Dr. Leonard Sweet, in a book titled, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without, points out that mentoring provides a two-way benefit! Most of the time, we think of the knowledge that flows to the Timothy. However, the Timothy keeps the Paul from getting stuck in a rut, bringing fresh perspective. A person who approaches mentoring as "just shut up and do what I do," will not enjoy the full blessing that can come from having a Timothy in tow.
Believer, are you mentoring anyone? If you have been a Believer for more than a few months, if you at least 25 years of age, there is no excuse for not doing this! You don't have to be old and gray-haired to have something to offer another. You do need a living relationship with Jesus Christ, amazing amounts of patience, and the willingness to let someone walk with you. The Bible urges all Believers to reproduce themselves in others! "Every great leader and teacher has been a Timothy; Jesus apprenticed to John the Baptist; Paul of Tarsus apprenticed with Gamaliel; Elisha apprenticed to Elijah; Joshua apprenticed to Moses. But Joshua did not pass along the baton. Joshua had no spiritual heir... and then came the judges, spawning one of the most horrible times recorded in the Bible for Israel. In the Bible's scalding words, the judges became the baton-less generation "who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10, NKJV) -- 11, Sweet
Something wonderful has been largely lost in our society when we make education and life preparation largely about a formal experience in classes at institutions of learning. Timothy was not trained in a classroom by lectures. He learned in the streets, sharing Paul's life. He saw, he listened, he questioned, he tried, he failed, he learned! Nothing can substitute for seeing the work done. A musician learns theory and then sits with masters to see music made. A surgeon spends years as an intern, practicing under the watchful eye of one who has done procedures hundreds of times before. You have skills to pass along! Want to teach some to pray? Pray with them. Want to help someone know the Bible? Study with them. Want to teach your son how to change the oil in his car? Crawl under it with him! Want to help your daughter know how to manage her money? Open a checking account with her when she is 14 and work it out with her.
Much of what we do in our lives is quickly forgotten or is done better by someone who follows after us. But, when we mentor a Timothy, we do something that has eternal significance. My Dad poured his experience into me, handing me the tools of faith. In my life, I have mentored some who are now passing the faith along to those they know. And that is something that pleases my Father and changes destinies.
Go, prayerfully find a Timothy to love and lead. Encourage him to learn, to discover what God wants to do in his life. Encourage, rebuke, pick him up when he stumbles, and kick him in the behind when he lags in laziness. Don't forget to let his fresh perspective keep your own faith alive and relevant to an ever-changing world.
________________________
Do you have a Timothy in tow? The allusion is to Paul and Timothy. During his travels, in the city of Lystra the apostle found a young man named Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He saw the potential in him and accepted him as a 'true son in the faith.' Intentionally, he took him along to 'show him the ropes' of ministry and then sent him out to serve. Paul's two letters to Timothy are packed full of practical insight and directions, written in a warm and fatherly tone. "I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle." (1 Timothy 1:18, The Message)
Dr. Leonard Sweet, in a book titled, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without, points out that mentoring provides a two-way benefit! Most of the time, we think of the knowledge that flows to the Timothy. However, the Timothy keeps the Paul from getting stuck in a rut, bringing fresh perspective. A person who approaches mentoring as "just shut up and do what I do," will not enjoy the full blessing that can come from having a Timothy in tow.
Believer, are you mentoring anyone? If you have been a Believer for more than a few months, if you at least 25 years of age, there is no excuse for not doing this! You don't have to be old and gray-haired to have something to offer another. You do need a living relationship with Jesus Christ, amazing amounts of patience, and the willingness to let someone walk with you. The Bible urges all Believers to reproduce themselves in others! "Every great leader and teacher has been a Timothy; Jesus apprenticed to John the Baptist; Paul of Tarsus apprenticed with Gamaliel; Elisha apprenticed to Elijah; Joshua apprenticed to Moses. But Joshua did not pass along the baton. Joshua had no spiritual heir... and then came the judges, spawning one of the most horrible times recorded in the Bible for Israel. In the Bible's scalding words, the judges became the baton-less generation "who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10, NKJV) -- 11, Sweet
Something wonderful has been largely lost in our society when we make education and life preparation largely about a formal experience in classes at institutions of learning. Timothy was not trained in a classroom by lectures. He learned in the streets, sharing Paul's life. He saw, he listened, he questioned, he tried, he failed, he learned! Nothing can substitute for seeing the work done. A musician learns theory and then sits with masters to see music made. A surgeon spends years as an intern, practicing under the watchful eye of one who has done procedures hundreds of times before. You have skills to pass along! Want to teach some to pray? Pray with them. Want to help someone know the Bible? Study with them. Want to teach your son how to change the oil in his car? Crawl under it with him! Want to help your daughter know how to manage her money? Open a checking account with her when she is 14 and work it out with her.
Much of what we do in our lives is quickly forgotten or is done better by someone who follows after us. But, when we mentor a Timothy, we do something that has eternal significance. My Dad poured his experience into me, handing me the tools of faith. In my life, I have mentored some who are now passing the faith along to those they know. And that is something that pleases my Father and changes destinies.
Go, prayerfully find a Timothy to love and lead. Encourage him to learn, to discover what God wants to do in his life. Encourage, rebuke, pick him up when he stumbles, and kick him in the behind when he lags in laziness. Don't forget to let his fresh perspective keep your own faith alive and relevant to an ever-changing world.
________________________
Monday, June 30, 2008
Doctors on TV!
I'm old enough to remember the gentle, wise, and amazing omniscient Dr. Welby! The myth that was Dr. Welby shaped our expectations of physicians for decades! Everybody wished they had someone who was equally adept at diagnosing a cure for a broken heart and mending a broken arm in their own doctor's office. Today, we have Dr. Shepherd (a.k.a. Dr. McDreamy) on Grey's Anatomy. This neurosurgeon, whose demeanor and face stirs the hearts of American women who watch the program, is played by Patrick Dempsey, a 42 year old actor who dropped out of high school.
Doctors on TV are the creation of script writers. While the actors in the role may speak medically accurate lines due to help by medical professionals, nobody would seriously consider consulting them for real medical opinions. In time of sickness I don't want treatment from an actor who knows the phrases that might be spoken by a doctor; I want someone who is a real physician. I want to know he has invested years in study, has applied himself to rigorous disciplines, and that he has mastered the skills to intelligently and accurately evaluate my symptoms.
What does that have to do with our Christian life today? Here's the question:
How do you live and share the Gospel of Christ with your world, Believer?
Are you an actor uttering lines borrowed from another; or are you a real disciple who is applying himself to the work of knowing Christ and His Word deeply, intimately, and with increasing mastery?
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came as the "Word become flesh," a real man, yet God, too - living among men! (John 1.14) He didn't come to us with a few lines he learned so He could sound profound or loving when the cameras were rolling. He came with the reality of God's Truth. He is very God, yet completely Man! He is "full of grace and Truth," meaning that He is who He appears to be, not a pretender, nor an actor.
We are commissioned to be "Jesus with skin on" in our world! I don't know who first coined the phrase, but it is one I use often. In a symbolic way I want to be an incarnation ("in the flesh") of Jesus. I want to make Jesus Christ and His Good News of love real and visible to people who interact with me. {Don't worry, I am not deluded by any sense that I am Jesus Christ!} My desire is to be filled with the Holy Spirit who He promised would make me (and all of His disciples) people who really live His life- in all times and places - until His Kingdom comes. How about you?
When people look behind the lines I speak or the words I write or the songs I sing, I want them to find a true disciple of Christ. More than once in my life I have experienced the disappointment of unmasking a "Christian" who was just an actor. Initially, they looked the part. They quoted the right Scripture at appropriate moments. But, then along came the stormy winds of life that blew away the mask. The mouth once full of blessing quickly turned to cursing. The veneer of love eroded in the storm's onslaught, falling away to reveal a heart full of hatred. What looked like faith proved to be nothing more than boasts of borrowed bravado!
Yes, Believer, I want to be a real disciple, not a pretender, like a high-school dropout playing a doctor on TV!
Jude is not kind nor gentle in his words about those who live hypocritically. Take a look and let the Word be a challenge to authenticity in your Christianity today.
"What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.
They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.
They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.
They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds.
They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness." (Jude 11-13, NLT) What a grim picture!
______________________
Here's a hymn that I will make my prayer today. Will you join me?
Fill all my vision, Savior I pray.
Let me see only Jesus today,
Though thro' the valley
Thou leadest me,
Give me Thy glory and beauty to see.
Fill all my vision, Savior divine.
'Til with Thy glory, my spirit shall shine.
Fill all my vision that all may see,
Thy holy image reflected in me.
Fill all my vision, let naught of sin.
Shadow the brightness, shining within.
Let me see only Thy blessed face,
Feasting my soul on Thy infinite grace.
Fill All My Vision
Avis Christiansen © 1940 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055
Doctors on TV are the creation of script writers. While the actors in the role may speak medically accurate lines due to help by medical professionals, nobody would seriously consider consulting them for real medical opinions. In time of sickness I don't want treatment from an actor who knows the phrases that might be spoken by a doctor; I want someone who is a real physician. I want to know he has invested years in study, has applied himself to rigorous disciplines, and that he has mastered the skills to intelligently and accurately evaluate my symptoms.
What does that have to do with our Christian life today? Here's the question:
How do you live and share the Gospel of Christ with your world, Believer?
Are you an actor uttering lines borrowed from another; or are you a real disciple who is applying himself to the work of knowing Christ and His Word deeply, intimately, and with increasing mastery?
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came as the "Word become flesh," a real man, yet God, too - living among men! (John 1.14) He didn't come to us with a few lines he learned so He could sound profound or loving when the cameras were rolling. He came with the reality of God's Truth. He is very God, yet completely Man! He is "full of grace and Truth," meaning that He is who He appears to be, not a pretender, nor an actor.
We are commissioned to be "Jesus with skin on" in our world! I don't know who first coined the phrase, but it is one I use often. In a symbolic way I want to be an incarnation ("in the flesh") of Jesus. I want to make Jesus Christ and His Good News of love real and visible to people who interact with me. {Don't worry, I am not deluded by any sense that I am Jesus Christ!} My desire is to be filled with the Holy Spirit who He promised would make me (and all of His disciples) people who really live His life- in all times and places - until His Kingdom comes. How about you?
When people look behind the lines I speak or the words I write or the songs I sing, I want them to find a true disciple of Christ. More than once in my life I have experienced the disappointment of unmasking a "Christian" who was just an actor. Initially, they looked the part. They quoted the right Scripture at appropriate moments. But, then along came the stormy winds of life that blew away the mask. The mouth once full of blessing quickly turned to cursing. The veneer of love eroded in the storm's onslaught, falling away to reveal a heart full of hatred. What looked like faith proved to be nothing more than boasts of borrowed bravado!
Yes, Believer, I want to be a real disciple, not a pretender, like a high-school dropout playing a doctor on TV!
Jude is not kind nor gentle in his words about those who live hypocritically. Take a look and let the Word be a challenge to authenticity in your Christianity today.
"What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.
They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.
They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.
They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds.
They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness." (Jude 11-13, NLT) What a grim picture!
______________________
Here's a hymn that I will make my prayer today. Will you join me?
Fill all my vision, Savior I pray.
Let me see only Jesus today,
Though thro' the valley
Thou leadest me,
Give me Thy glory and beauty to see.
Fill all my vision, Savior divine.
'Til with Thy glory, my spirit shall shine.
Fill all my vision that all may see,
Thy holy image reflected in me.
Fill all my vision, let naught of sin.
Shadow the brightness, shining within.
Let me see only Thy blessed face,
Feasting my soul on Thy infinite grace.
Fill All My Vision
Avis Christiansen © 1940 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055
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