Deadly Duty!

I am a very dutiful guy, who takes responsibility seriously, and who has trouble just letting go and playing. Four years ago I bought a little Miata convertible. I don’t need it. It isn’t practical and yes, buying that little silver car is one of the more frivolous things I have done in my adult life.  But, on a sunny day, I enjoy dropping the top, turning up the tunes, and hitting the road.  A lot of times at that very moment a stab of guilt will insert itself:  "Shouldn't you be doing _________?" and I struggle with the urge to go back to do some job yet undone.  Or I think, "How could you 'waste' this kind of money when there are so many needs around you?"   

Dutiful people can look very admirable and godly with all their responsibility and seriousness. But we all need to recall that in the list of the fruit of the Spirit the second quality is joy. I’m not equating joy with owning a convertible or doing silly things. My point is that God laughs, too. When Jesus taught about His intimate life-giving connection to us, using the metaphor of the vine and branches, He said that from Him we will draw life and "you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 15:11, NLT)     A joyless Christian, who is often overwhelmed with his duties, is missing the point somewhere and failing to honor the Lord with faith!

Oh, I have not forgotten that the Scripture tells us that Jesus was "a man acquainted with grief, a man of sorrows."   He did weep with those who were broken by disappointment, death, and disease. Even yesterday, as I held the hand of an aged mother who was burying her fourth child, I wept!  Life is full of trouble and sadness. We are foolish if we refuse to let ourselves be touched by that reality,  But, it’s not all death and duty!  Jesus earned harsh criticism from the dutiful religious professionals for going out to dinner with people that most thought of as worthless sinners. He attracted people to Him everywhere He went.  It is not a stretch of imagination to think that He did so by knowing how to laugh and lift them up.  Make whatever you want of this, but the Gospels tell us that Jesus’ first miracle was supplying wine for a wedding!   Somehow, for most of us, the only picture of the face of Jesus is the tear-stained one He wore on the night of Gethsemane's agony.  We forget that kids loved Him, that crowds were drawn to Him, and that He spent a lot of time with so-called 'street people,' - a clue that He had to be a joyful man, too.

So, how do we live in His joy?

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

Serve!   The real paradox of joy is that you cannot find it in vanity and in and endless pursuit of pleasure. Selfishness cuts us off from God's approval and that is our greatest source of joy!  Jesus told a story about men who were entrusted with responsibility.   Two of the three were diligent and obedient in their service.  Note their commendation:  "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful . . .  Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:23, NKJV)

Submit!   Accepting God's grace for the road you will walk today is important.  Nothing that happens to you today surprises Him.   Those who are His beloved children can turn to Him and find help, strength, and resources. Sometimes He leads us through dark valleys, along ways we would not choose for ourselves.  And, He gives grace for the journey.  If we submit to His leadership,  we can find joy even in the trials of life.  Do not confuse happiness, a transitory emotion that is largely based on pleasant circumstances, with genuine joy.   Joy is a constant work of God's Spirit in us, not something we drum up, create, or paste into place.  

Is dutiful responsibility draining away your joy?  Here’s a word from the Word, our reminder of joy in the Lord.

"He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols." (Psalm 40:2-4, NLT)

I pray for the joy of the Lord to fill my heart and mind so that I will honor Him even with my contentment and smile.  
____________

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

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove.
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.
Joy to the World
Isaac Watts© Public Domain

I have gift for you

About a month before she died, I came home from the office one afternoon and found my Mom grinning widely.  “That box over there is a gift for you,” she said. It was a French press coffee maker she had ordered for me. She knew how much I enjoy my morning cup of coffee and heard someone on the Food Channel talking about making it in a press, so she wanted me to have one. Presenting me with a gift gave her such pleasure. I know the feeling! When I am able to give someone I love a gift that meets a need in their life or satisfies a desire, I feel genuine joy!

God, our Heavenly Father, delights in us and loves to provide good things for us. His gifts generally do not arrive by UPS, however. He grants peace in the middle of a storm, hope in the dark of the night, renewal each morning, forgiveness of our sins and transformation of our heart. Last night, I lay awake at 2 am wrestling with myself, wondering which way to turn, what to do. Then I remembered that there was a gift promised to me. “If you lack wisdom, ask me.” God says. So I gave the problem to Him and He gave me rest. Thank you, Father.

The stresses of life can obscure our vision of our Father’s love. The treachery of the Devil can deceive us causing us to stop trusting Him. That is why we need to go again and again to the lesson that Jesus gave about the goodness of our Father. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11, NIV)

There is one thing that poisons both giving and receiving gifts: entitlement. We can fall so love with ourselves that when someone gives us a gift, we have no appreciation, feeling that we deserved it all along. Instead of saying, “thank you,” we wonder “why did it take so long for you to give it to me?”  When you present someone who feels entitled a gift, as the giver you experience disappointment, too. The Bible is clear that what we deserve destruction, but have been given life. Grace breaks in and sets aside justice! "There is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:15, NLT)  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NLT)

From the generosity of our Father, we learn to be generous. Knowing that He will provide, we feel no need to hoard what He gives us. We quickly forgive, because we are forgiven. We deeply love because we are richly loved. We share our resources because He replenishes our store. “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father.”  

Here’s a word from the Word. May the promise cause you to rejoice as you receive His gifts. And, may the generosity of God above be seen in us today.

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness." (2 Corinthians 9:6-10, NIV)

Who wins in the end? (answer below)

Our packed schedules, limited resources, and uncertainty about so many things create high levels of desperation. Desperate people are prone to slide from fear into anger because these two emotions live next door to one another in us. Everywhere I turn, I run into angry people. Yes, I often find myself angry these days. Last night I watched angry candidates on a debate. At times I wondered if Romney and Perry might take a swing at each other! Drive for 30 minutes a little more slowly than the rest of the traffic and listen for honks from furious drivers. Mistakenly step into the check-out line in front of someone and prepare yourself for a rude rebuke. Start chatting over the break table at work and soon you will hear angry words: at spouses, kids, bosses - come tumbling out.

All of this anger is a spiritual poison that destroys civil discourse and ruins human relationships. God’s wisdom warns about letting anger take over our lives. Take a long look at these passages:

·         "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. " (Proverbs 16:32, NKJV) 

       

"     "People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs." (Proverbs 19:11 NLT)

·         "Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes." (Proverbs 14:29, NLT)

The New Testament speaks directly to the Christ’s followers about anger. We’re told, “don't sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27, NLT) Out of control anger is a spiritual issue.

Anger, in itself, is not a sinful emotion. It is a powerful motivator for change - in ourselves, in our family, in our world. When we see a child being abused, a wife being misused, a person being treated wrongly, a social system exploiting or oppressing people -- anger is a legitimate response. The absence of anger in these kinds of situations is an indicator of apathy. Jesus Christ was angered by the oppression that the religious leadership pressed on the people in God's name! The OT prophets passionately declared God's anger with those who were oppressing the poor and/or the weak.

Here’s what we need to understand. The powerful surge of adrenaline brought on by the release of anger is addictive! We nicknamed anger 'getting mad' because when we are raging we often appear to be temporarily insane! As the anger builds in us, fed by our willingness to nurse our rage, we move away from rationale and responsibility. In anger, a father is capable of beating a child; a man of killing his wife; a friend of destroying a relationship with his oldest companion. That is why the Word says “keep a leash on anger!”  We must secure ourselves in the Spirit, which reduces our fear and allows us to exercise control over this powerful emotion.  Use anger sparingly. It can become a habitual way of life. Ask yourself, “Why am I so ready to take offense? Why do I personalize each and every situation and turn it into issue of respect and/or dignity?”  

The real cure for rage is a profound experience of God's love. When we are loved powerfully, we need no longer rise quickly to anger in self-defense. God gives us a largeness of spirit that makes anger over petty issues unthinkable. Even as I write these words, my face burns with shame as I remember how quickly and often I have risen to anger over inconsequential matters, disgracing the Name of my gentle Lord. Resolve TODAY, to start to change.

How do we conquer rage?

1.    We start with confession of our addiction to anger and name as sin! No justifications and/or excuses allowed. Don't blame your heritage, your spouse, or your life situation. Only a fool says, "They make me so mad!" Nobody makes anybody mad. We choose to be angry! When you give vent to rage and/or wrath, confess it to God and to the one against whom you have raged. Accept forgiveness from Him.

2.     Then, we possess the truth of God’s amazing love and pray for a deep revelation of the depth of it for ourselves.  Want to really know God’s love? The paradox is that His love is better known when we are broken than when we are blessed.  We are most open to God's love when we are out of options, beyond self-help, shattered by life. It is then we are prepared to accept the wonderful love of God that heals us from the inside out.

Here’s the word from the Word. As you head off to an angry world, pray with me that the Spirit will make this a life principle.

"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
(Psalm 37:8-11, NKJV)   Amen

PIES - post in eye syndrome

“How about that post in your own eye?” was Jesus’ gently humorous jab at those who were quick to point out the speck of sawdust in the eye of another. Reminds me of the guy who complained to the police about the teenagers speeding through his neighborhood. After being ticketed, he showed up at the city council meeting three weeks later to protest the ‘speed trap’ on his street. Yes, I’ll confess that I have been guilty of wanting others to keep the rules but looking for pass for myself!

There is the famous story from King David’s life. After he reached the throne and gained settled peace throughout his kingdom, he kicked back one spring. He sent his generals off to war while he stayed at the palace. “It’s good to be king,” he thought. One evening while he was enjoying the cool breeze on the palace roof, he happened to noticed a beautiful woman bathing next door. Somehow I think he knew he was moving in the wrong direction, but he gave himself a pass from the rules that governed ordinary mortals. He was the king, after all.  He learned she was the wife of one of his trusted soldiers but ignored that inconvenient fact. Yes, the story goes as you think it might, only worse. She got pregnant and he plotted murder by proxy. When Uriah was dead, he discreetly (don’t you love that word?) brought her into his palace and married her. For one full year, he thought somehow that nobody had noticed, not even the Lord. Until… Nathan, the prophet, showed up in court with a story about a poor farmer whose one lone sheep, a pet no less, had been stolen by his rich neighbor and served up for dinner for guests!  David’s sense of justice kicked into overdrive and he delivered a thundering edict that the man deserved to die. "You’re the man!” said Nathan. (2 Samuel 12:7, The Message) How’s that for a story about PIES- post in eye syndrome?

Here’s what Jesus said. “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:1-5, NLT)  

He is not teaching us to just let it all go with tolerance that avoids hard truth. Too often we think it’s loving to say: “I’m a sinner, you’re a sinner, we’re all sinners together!” Nor is the lesson that one of living at the lowest common denominator. We are our brother’s keeper. The proverb says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17, NIV) Within the Body of Christ, we must keep spurring each other on, raising the level of excellence, pursuing holiness whole-heartedly. But, never while we are in the grip of PIES – post in eye syndrome. Humility is a key here, as is love. We humbly allow for the fact that we have blind spots. We accept reproof even from the newest convert. And, we love one another enough to tell the truth; but never letting it be about our own ego or motivated by our own reputation or status.

Are you spending a lot of time tending the business of others, monitoring the morality of the church, pointing out flaws and failures?  That’s often a symptom of PIES – post in eye syndrome. The only cure is face time with the Great Physician Who says, "I counsel you to buy from me … salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." (Revelation 3:18, NIV)  As He reveals the truth about you, if you take it to the Cross, you will find that it is true: The One who knows you best, loves you most!

When David heard Nathan’s challenge of his sin, he was healed of PIES and this was his prayer. May it be ours as well.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you."
(Psalm 51:10-13, NIV) Amen.

_________________

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,

Open the eyes of my heart;

I want to see You, I want to see You.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,

Open the eyes of my heart;

I want to see You, I want to see You.

To see You high and lifted up,

Shining in the light of Your glory.

Pour out Your pow'r and love;

As we sing holy, holy, holy.

High and lifted up,

Shining in the light of Your glory.

Pour out Your pow'r and love;

As we sing holy, holy, holy.

Holy, holy, holy,

Holy, holy, holy;

Holy, holy, holy,

I want to see You.

Open The Eyes of My Heart

Paul Baloche© 1997 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)

CCLI License No. 810055

Just off the boat

Ever heard that expression, "just off the boat"? A century ago, when immigrants arrived in America by steamboat from Europe, they came full of naïve expectations of what life would be in the land of opportunity. Many were easy prey for cruel and unscrupulous people who took advantage of their lack of knowledge of the laws and customs of these United States. My own grandfather was an immigrant from Denmark. Family lore includes stories about his own misfortunes when he was 'just off the boat.' But, he worked hard, found the Lord, and enjoyed many blessings in the second half of his life; blessings that passed down to his family.

In your Christian life have you confused faith with credulity? Simple faith, a willingness to trust God in every situation, is admirable, a rock solid foundation for the a life that pleases the Lord. Mistaking real faith with naïve expectations that are not grounded in principles of Scripture will certainly lead to disappointment and even bitterness! We are 'aliens and strangers' in this world if we belong to Christ, but we must not live like we are 'just off the boat.'

In the book of Acts we are introduced to a group of people who came to faith in Christ as a result of Paul's preaching. But, note what that for which they are commended in this passage. "The brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men." (Acts 17:10-12, NIV) They were not gullible, yet they were eager to hear. They were not quick to believe everything that was said, yet they were willing to listen. Most important is the note that they compared Paul's preaching with the Scripture!

Are you a Berean kind of Believer?
Do you prayerfully listen to teaching and ask, "does this align to the whole counsel of the Word?"
Is your faith informed by study of Scripture as the Spirit illuminates Truth through the Living Word?

As one who preaches, it pains me to admit that not every person who claims to have a message from God speaks from pure motives and sound doctrine. There are those who preach fairy tales. They substitute wishful thinking for real faith. Many preach what people want to hear rather than what God wants to say.  

Peter warns that "there were also false prophets among the people (of Israel), just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up." (2 Peter 2:1-3, NIV)

Here's a word from the Word. I pray it will help you to find a solid faith that lasts a lifetime and leads you to your eternal home. "Evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.  

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.  

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:13-16, NLT)