Chill out, dude

I envy people who know how to ‘chill’ meaning, to let things go, to enjoy doing nothing, to be placid!  Born with a  classic ‘type A’ personality, I am driven by a nagging sense of responsibility that seldom goes away.  One project flows into the next and I am quick to analyze how I could have done better.  A ‘day off’ is not really a day of rest for me. I keep connected to the church or  find something that needs to be done at home.  The Spirit whispered to me several times this week, “Jerry, this is not my plan. I give rest to those who trust Me.”  The realization came to me in a new way that God desires to lead me into a life of maximum effectiveness, not a life of perpetual stress!  It’s not that the Lord wants me to give in to apathy. He calls me to work with Him.

Moses, who led Israel out of Egypt, had a huge responsibility. One day in prayer, he complained about the work, claiming that God was asking too much of him.  "The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14, NIV)  The leader of Israel did have a big job!  But, he also had a great God who was not asking him to do it alone.  If Moses lived faithfully, God’s Presence would keep him from exhaustion.  When we read his story, we see moments when Moses forgot his True Strength was in the Lord and in those times he grew impatient and angry.

Are you wound up, full of tension, trying to do the impossible? Are you feeling high levels of stress about your Christianity, feeling like you’re not ‘doing enough,’ or failing to serve in a way that is effective, or not mastering some sinful habit that cripples you spiritually?

The answer is not to work harder, but to learn to rest. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)  Before we take up our work, He asks us to come to Him.  It’s like a visit with the Boss to learn what He wants done and what His plans are.  Then, He invites us to work, but not alone.  He works with us and sets the pace that keeps us from becoming overwhelmed.

Take this word from the Word to heart today.  "If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? " (Psalm 127:1-2, The Message)

His Honor Is On The Line

His honor is on the line

I pulled a book from my library. The author’s work has informed and challenged me many times.  But, yesterday, as I read them they were just not the same. The author was found guilty of sexual misconduct, not once, but twice, while serving as a pastor.  The words on the page are the same, but they are tarnished now.   I wonder if people who read my writing or listen to my sermons ever have to struggle past some lapse, something I have done or said that tarnished the truth I am proclaiming?  It is a sobering thought.

It’s not just preachers who need to concern themselves with holy lives, with integrity, with being authentic in their relationship with the Lord. We all  have a responsibility "to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (Ephesians 4:1, NLT) We must let the light of Christ shine into every corner of our lives, living openly, staying connected in healthy relationships so that sin will not find any secret, dark places in us where it can hide and grow. We must choose to be in the company of others who call from us the highest and the best!  We must choose to live in such a way that we bring honor to the One who has staked His reputation on us, for we are ' ambassadors for Christ.' (2 Corinthians 5:20) 


Paul, held on charges that were politically motivated and facing a hearing with the Roman Emperor, did not waver in faith or give in to temptation.  His stress, which might have become an excuse for sinful choices, was a reason for deeper faith.  He realized that many had their eyes on him. So he wrote, "I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die." (Philippians 1:20, NLT) What a goal! The apostle, though human and prone to failure by his own admission, set his sights on living to honor the Lord.  

If we consciously choose to adopt Paul’s goal of living always in a way that reflects positively on Christ Jesus, it will change every conversation, every action, every private thought.
When we are tempted to gossip and tear down another person, we need to think - does this honor Christ?
When we are ready to bend the rules to fit our selfish agenda, we need to remind ourselves - if this becomes public knowledge, what will others think of my Lord?
When we are tempted to just do the minimum, we must remember- I represent the Lord of glory!


Does this make you fearful?  Perhaps you’re thinking - "You're asking me to be perfect!" Not really, because none of us is flawless, nor can we ever be this side of Heaven.  But, neither should we allow ourselves to indulge in sin, and so to dishonor the Lord who calls us.  Christ will be judged by our actions, like it or not. Knowing that, we aim high and live transparently, by God’s grace.


Here’s a word from the Word.  Take the challenge and trust the Spirit to empower you to live honorably, for Christ's sake.
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity,
or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ...
Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

 Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ... Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:1-16, NIV)
_______________________


I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk,
close to Thee.


Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord,
None but Thee.


Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Just A Closer Walk With Thee- Public Domain

I’m so glad I’m not like you!

I’m so glad I’m not like you!

It’s the silent sin that is frequently right at home in church pews, among good, moral people. It creeps up with a whisper of contempt, “How could he do such a thing?”  We slip into this state of mind because it creates the illusion of real distance between ‘those kind of people’ and ‘us.’  It often gets tangled up with racism, revealed in thoughts left unspoken - “people like that do those things.”  This kind of pride finds a ready home in the hearts of the smug, self-satisfied who fail to account for the grace of God that is active in their lives.  It steals compassion and replaces it with judgment. “Why doesn’t he just get his act together?”  replaces “How can I join hands with you to make it better?”

Jesus told a story about it.  Even if you’re familiar with it, take the time to read it slowly, listening for the Spirit’s voice. "Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” (Luke 18:9-14, NLT)

It is true that actions have consequences, that seeds produce harvests. Each of us bears responsibility for our choices. However, none of us is a ‘self-made man’ despite that enduring cultural myth.  This was illustrated to me as I viewed Buck, a movie that tells the true story of Dan "Buck" Brannaman. He is a cowboy whose knowledge of handling horses inspired the fictional 1998 Robert Redford movie, The Horse Whisperer.  Buck grew up in a home headed by an alcoholic father who beat him regularly, ut, today he is a gentle, quiet husband and father.  A school sports coach saw the scars and cuts and a local sheriff got Buck removed from his father’s care.  Brannaman went to live with a loving Christian couple who were foster parents to 23 boys. In their home he learned to love, gained discipline, and discovered horses.  Did Buck make a choice not to be bitter, to live in hate? Of course, but there were several people who were key to the change in his life!

Are you living in spiritual pride, blaming others for their sins?

Are you trying desperately to be self-sufficient, to re-make yourself by grit and determination?

Reject the silent sin of pride! Let God break your heart with His grace.  The Spirit’s invitation includes a promise.  May we live with grace today, receiving the grace we need, giving away the grace with which we have been blessed.  Here’s the word from the Word. "He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor." (James 4:6-10, NLT)

_______________

“Do you wish to be great?
Then begin by being.
Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric?
Think first about the foundations of humility.
The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.

Do you wish to rise?
Begin by descending.
You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds?
Lay first the foundation of humility.”

-          Augustine

Just as a small child is quiet with his mother

I hid the smile that spread across my face while listening to the group of teenage boys boasting about their athletic prowess.  Had I not known them, I might have concluded that they were ready to step from high school onto a field of professionals.  They ‘knew’ every move, hit every shot, and were the envy of the team- by their own telling.  What is it that we say, “A legend in his own mind.”?   It’s not just teens who fall into that trap. Pride is one of the foibles of humans – male, female, old, young.  When the sun is shining on us, we tend to think we made it rise! Oliver Wendell Holmes, a brilliant member of the US Supreme Court, was questioned by a reporter about his success in life. His response? "Young man, the secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered I was not God!"

Proverbs 16:18 cautions us with a warning- "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."   So, that peacock who struts around with finery on display is at risk of destruction? Yes, but that just the obvious kind of pride. Pride takes many disguises. In these hidden states, it is the more deadly, like a poison stirred into a cup of sweet juice.

Pride shows up as false humility - "Don't thank me; I didn't do a thing." Even while saying those words, the person knows how he knocked himself out to earn the compliment.  “Men-pleasers” is the Biblical term for this. This form of pride causes the person to take shortcuts, to do shoddy work, to be much more concerned with impressions created than reality.  It’s not really the work they love, it’s the praise!  Their shortcuts show up eventually in deformed character or failure in the mission. “Pride goes before destruction.”

Pride can show in an angry depression. The notion that we are too good to be experiencing the difficulty or pain of the moment fuels a terrible silent rage.  The deeper that person slips into self-obsession, the less he is able or willing to accept God's promised grace.  Cut off from the One who can heal, he turns to other things for 'peace' or soothing;  eating too much, spending lavishly, or indulging in sensuality.  “Pride goes before destruction.”

Pride finds a home in our spiritual service, too!  Yes, it is true. We can do the right things for the wrong reasons.  What is done in the ostensible service of God actually is being done with the hope that others will take note of our ‘deep commitment.’   Jesus condemned this, "Stop praying on the streets to be noticed by men. Go pray in your closet where God alone sees and hears!"  (Matthew 6:5)  This kind of pride is most offensive because it leads us to pretend to be what we are not even as we are standing before the One who knows us heart deep!  It turns us into hypocrites who sing songs they do not mean and pray prayers they never want to be answered. He removes His blessings. “Pride goes before destruction.”

Here is the word from the Word;  “And all of you, serve each other in humility, for "God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble." So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.” (1 Peter 5:5-6)

My prayer today -
"Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me.
But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother.
Yes, like a small child is my soul within me."  Amen (Psalm 131:1-2, NLT)

Struggling with pride today?
Don't hide it. Confess it. Tell a trusted friend about your struggle.
Ask for their prayer, perhaps even their forgiveness!

Lay down the need for praise in the Presence of God and repent with genuine desire for change.

He will forgive and restore. Praise Him!

When Blessings Become A Curse

The Curse of “Blessings”

America’s number one health issue is our weight. A growing percentage of us are too fat with more and more qualifying for that ‘not so nice’ label - obese. It’s not just an appearance thing. Diabetes and heart disease are triggered, in part, by poor diet and weight gain. Our worn-out knees protest those extra 20 pounds they have supported for too long. And all this is because of our abundant supply of cheap, fat-laden food coupled with all those devices that eliminate physical labor. Our blessings are too often a curse! (Before you write an angry protest note to me, let me acknowledge that some of us struggle with DNA that turns lettuce into fat cells!)

The same principle applies in our spiritual and emotional lives, too. It is possible to manage our lives in such a way that we can avoid dealing with the very difficulties that make us mature disciples and people of real character.  

Rather than wrestle through depressing situations we can numb ourselves with drugs. If life gets hard, we can escape into the fake world of TV, drawn into the lives of ‘heroes’ that allow us a virtual life that bears no resemblance to anything real. Our indulgent culture allows us to walk away from situations we do not like without shame.  

Bad marriage? No need to work hard to make it better. Get a divorce and start over.  

Family problems? Just stop talking to them and move on.  

Church conflict? Pull up stakes and move to a congregation down the road. 

(Once again, before you send those angry notes accusing me of not understanding your unique situation, please know that I realize there are good times to medicate, there are abusive marriages that must end, and there are toxic families that won’t get better.)  

My point is that we have many options and are often prone to choose the road that offers us the quickest route to happiness, which short-circuits the growth process. Our blessing of self-determination becomes a curse.

I don’t like to admit it, but the truth is that most of time my faith deepened only under pressure. I pray best when I am driven to my knees by things beyond my control. I trust God more when I have no other apparent way to turn. If you think I am particularly un-spiritual, take a look at this prayer written 3000 years ago: “Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9, NIV) When the sun shines, when my wife loves me, when my bank account has a surplus; I am tempted to congratulate myself, not to kneel in humble thanks. Sad, isn't it? But, it is part of our fallen human nature. 

Jesus taught about the deception of wealth, too.  “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24, NIV) As long as a person can create the illusion of self-sufficiency, he will! The more wealth a person has, the greater the temptation to try to buy satisfaction, solutions, and solace. The very blessings that enrich us in one way, may will impoverish in another.

• Would you allow God to lead you along steep, narrow paths if you knew those things could bring you to a greater love for Him?
• Would you invite tests and trials if you knew they would be the soil in which a greater faith would take root?

Let’s take time to honestly look at ourselves and examine our love for the easy road. Then, with a desire for the eternal best over the present good, let’s pray “give me my daily bread.”

_____________________  

Blessings

We pray for blessings,

We pray for peace, comfort for family,

Protection while we sleep;

We pray for healing, for prosperity,

We pray for Your mighty hand

To ease our suffering;

And all the while, You hear each spoken need,

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?

What if Your healing comes through tears?

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life

Are Your mercies in disguise?  

We pray for wisdom,

Your voice to hear.

We cry in anger, when we cannot feel You near.

We doubt Your goodness,

We doubt Your love,

As if ev'ry promise from Your Word is not enough.

And all the while You hear each desp'rate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?

What if Your healing comes through tears?

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments,

Or the aching of this life

Is a revealing of a greater thirst

This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life

The rain the storms the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?

Laura Story

© 2011 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

Laura Stories (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

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