Lord, keep me pure!

Lord, keep me pure!

The teenage boys, athletes and good students from respected families, are on trial for rape. A football coach in their small town had a pre-season party where alcohol was provided. A young intoxicated girl was raped. About a dozen boys talked about what they had seen, posting a 12 minute video of their conversation on Facebook.  Sickeningly, they had no compassion for the young girl. They lauded the boys who raped her with language too lewd to repeat here.  “They’re good kids,” everybody says, and I suppose they are.  On the same day I read that story, another about a pastor in Arizona came to light.  The respected leader of a large church is being sued for seducing women in his office when they came to him for counsel.  One man, with two very different sides!  To most he appeared a genuinely caring shepherd, but in private he was a predator.

Duplicity stalks us all, doesn’t it?  Even as I struggled to understand good kids who exploited, raped, and celebrated their violence; even as I wrestled with the tragic dimensions of the pastor predator story, I had to admit that sin is very much alive in me, too.  And, hopefully you know that sin lays in wait to ambush you, as well! To deny that we are capable of disobeying God’s law, to tell ourselves that we are somehow better than others, above temptation, too good to fail, is a setup for failure. The Bible gives this two-fold direction to us: "If another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself." (Galatians 6:1, NLT)

Every Christian deals with temptations, some grossly offensive, others more hidden sins of self.  Paul writes, "I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?" (Romans 7:22-24, The Message)  Sounds hopeless, doesn’t it?  The story doesn’t end there, however,  "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death." (Romans 7:25-8:2, NLT)

Overcoming temptation and living a life of integrity is not for wimps!  It requires unwavering honesty with ourselves before the Lord.  All kinds of sin gains a foothold when we live in ignorance of our true desires or when we suppress them under layers of superficial morality. Healing begins when we look at our longings, our unmet needs, our desires and expectations through the eyes of Christ.  Purity requires openness, before God, before others, too.  Nothing breaks the power of temptation like dragging it into the light.  Purity comes when we invite the Spirit to draw us near to the Heart of God, regularly. 

If we would be the ‘salt and light’ that Jesus asks His disciples to be, we cannot escape this world to live behind the walls of the church or separate communities. We must engage our world, but doing so means we walk in the mire, that we get our hands dirty in ministry of His grace.  But, if we are committed to purity and responsive to the Spirit,  we will be "blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:15-16, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word. "Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? (Proverbs 20:9, NIV)  So we pray together, "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." (Psalm 51:10-12, NIV)

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A Pure Heart

A pure heart that's what I long for,

A heart that follows hard after Thee.

A pure heart that's what I long for,

A heart that follows hard after Thee.

A heart that hides Your Word

So that sin will not come in;

A heart that's undivided,

And one You rule and reign.

A heart that beats compassion,

That pleases You, my Lord,

A sweet aroma of worship,

That rises to Your throne.

Rusty Nelson

© 1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

What do you want, really?

What’s your expectation?

Dr. Larry Crabb, Christian author and counselor, writes about a session with a man who opened with this request, “Make me feel better quickly!”  Crabb replied, “Get a case of your favorite alcoholic beverage, a compliant woman, and take a trip to the Bahamas.”  The man was shocked and asked, “Are you sure you’re a Christian?”  Crabb replied, “I am, but what you asked of me requires something less than Christ will provide.”  He went to explain that ‘feeling better quickly,’ while often the goal of many is not the promise of Jesus.  Becoming whole and mature through Him demands whole-hearted commitment and willingness to do the work that leads to real healing.  Of course, Crabb observed that his prescription for alcohol, women, and a vacation does not really provide lasting satisfaction either, but it does produce temporary happiness.  (told in Inside Out, NavPress, 1988)

I love that story for the honesty in it. In Christ we find a joy that is deep and lasting. In Him we find hope that is unshakeable.  Through Him we can become amazing eternal beings with glorious splendor. But, none of these things will be found if we chase quick fixes and easy answers through religion!  They grow in those who learn to ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ and who are willing follow Jesus to the Cross. "Jesus said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)

The Cross is a symbol of terrible anguish.  The Cross? He offers that to us? What joy is there in suffering and dying?  Yes, He does, because following Good Friday comes Resurrection Sunday! The true glory of Jesus is not in the miracles of feeding thousands, raising Lazarus, or hugging little children lovingly. We make much of those stories because they appeal to us.  They are lovely stories, but the BIG STORY is not revealed until the last chapters of the Gospel.  The empty tomb is proof that sin and death are defeated and that we are no longer destined for a grave. “Because I live, you will live also,” He promised and then He proved it. That is why the Bible calls on us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

It’s time for authenticity in our faith walk. We need to answer this question- what is my expectation of Christ Jesus?  Am I hoping that He will help me, make my kids successful, keep hard things from my life, and let me live in comfort and happiness?  Do I want the promise of Heaven secured by Him without the difficulties of discipleship?  If that’s what you’re looking for, you will find little or no joy. Why? Because you won’t be able to enjoy the pleasures of the present world fully nor will you find the joy of intimacy with the Lord.  “Choose today whom you will serve ,” is the challenge of the Word that each of us must hear and to which we must respond.

Here’s the word from the Word. May the Spirit make it a living word and lead us to life. "If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country." (Romans 6:2-5, The Message)

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Agnus Dei  (Lamb of God)

Alleluia! Alleluia,

For the Lord God Almighty reigns.

Alleluia! Alleluia,

For the Lord God Almighty reigns.

Alleluia!

Holy, holy,

Are You Lord God, Almighty.

Worthy is the Lamb!

Worthy is the Lamb!

You are holy, holy,

Are You Lord God, Almighty.

Worthy is the Lamb!

Worthy is the Lamb!

Amen.

Michael W. Smith

© 1990 Sony/ATV Milene Music

CCLI License # 810055

Hit that reset, start anew?

Hit that reset, start anew?

My family members think I am quite clever because I ‘fix’ their computers.  The open secret is that in many cases all that is required is a complete shut-down.  When the computer restarts, the connections are reset and set right.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if life had a reset sequence like that?  When we’ve made a terrible financial mistake, we could just restart and erase it! When our marriage gets snarled in misunderstanding and miscommunication, a simple reset could restore harmony.   When some dysfunction overtakes us, we could hit that reset and start anew. Ah, the stuff of fantasy.

Somehow, with the flip of a calendar page, many people think there is a kind of reset for life. On January 1 many are convinced that they will suddenly find the will-power to lose 30 pounds, to stop eating junk calories, to cut back on TV time, to read the Bible and pray every day.  Oh yes, I’m talking about those pesky resolutions most of us make.  What’s your experience with those?  You’re right! They last for a week or two, then we slip back into our old habits. Real change does not happen because it’s a new year. So, am I saying that we have to just settle for the disappointment and dysfunction? Must we content ourselves just with Pop-eye’s motto snarling with him, “I yam what I yam.”?  

No. It is possible to learn new ways to live – to gain better health, to relate better to others, to mature in our spirituality. 

How? Resolutions alone won’t do it.  Lasting change develops from the inside out.

Only when we find the courage to admit to ourselves who we are, our real longings, our disappointments, our sins, our secret desires can the work of change begin.  Admitting that we are fearful, prideful, lusting, greedy, hateful, selfish, judgmental, controlling, mean, or miserable is so hard that most will never do it.  Instead, we find ways to hide the truth or shift blame onto the shoulders of another.  We do change, but usually  it is our situation, not ourselves.  We are totally convinced that a new job, love, church, home, child, ______ (you fill in the blank) will make us different, better, or whole.  For a time, changing our circumstances does allow us to feel ‘new’ but soon our old patterns emerge and the new becomes the old again.

If we will face ourselves and get under our skin, we will most likely be terrified or ashamed by what we find hidden there.  But, in our terror there is the seed of transformation for at the end of ourselves we find God’s power to change us.  In our desperation we are ready to receive His gift of faith, ready to give control to the Spirit, ready to deal with real issues, not just symptoms. Then, and only then, does real and lasting change begin to take place.  It’s not an event, it’s a process.  We are led in it by a complete trust in God and His love. We learn that He loves us as we are, but we do not make that into an excuse to become complacent.  His love and grace becomes our anchor as we enter the turbulence of transformation.

Over time, we deal with who we are and God’s grace leads us to Christ, first for forgiveness at the Cross; then into a new way of life based on eternal realities not mere satisfaction of our carnal longings. He becomes our peace. He becomes our hope. He satisfies our need for love.  And, we find the Truth – that in loving and being loved – life is richest.

Here is Jesus’ own invitation. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)   
And for those who take His invitation, this possibility is created: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 1:8-2:1, NKJV)

And, we find that "Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!" (2 Corinthians 5:17, The Message)

Now, that’s better than a fantasy reset button!

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Change My Heart, Oh God

Change my heart, oh God,

Make it ever true.

Change my heart, oh God,

May I be like You!

You are the potter.

I am the clay.

Mold me and make me.

This is what I pray.

Eddie Espinosa

© 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

The Parable of the Old Cadillac

The Old Cadillac

 

She drove by with nothing left of her former elegance. 30 years ago the Coupe De Ville was the top of the line, now she was just a shabby old car with fainted paint, weak springs, and a smoking engine. It became a metaphor for life in that moment. If the car had been maintained carefully over the years, the old sedan would almost be a classic. She could have been renewed and kept her beauty, but it was evident her end was near, her destiny a scrapyard. She had been used to the max, worn-out. I imagined what her life cycle might have been. Her first owner was an older man, who bought her for luxury, perhaps the first Cadillac in his life at a time when he could finally afford one. He washed and polished the Caddy, storing her in his garage between drives. Then, when he died, she passed to a son who filled her up with teenagers, his kids and their friends. She could haul a team and their gear! When his son was ready to drive, she was starting to show her age, and she passed on to him as a 'first car.' Her time with him were a rough couple of years and she was finally traded off to a used car lot. It was a downhill slide from there to her present condition.

2012 is about to end. We're all about to become a year older. Older doesn't have to mean 'worn!' We can grow in value and beauty, but only if we chose to live in a way that renews and maintains, that 'redeems the time.' (Eph. 5:16) A redeemer bought another out of debtor's prison or servitude! The wise person sees how quickly life slips into control of circumstances, habits, and sin. So, with the riches of the Christ, he buys ownership of his days to that they can be used for good and God's glory!

If we simply use each day, 'killing time' with self-indulgence and laziness, drifting with the current, the years will quickly slip past and we will find ourselves used up, worn-out. If we invest our days in loving worship of our God and in loving service of our brothers, we will become saints of great beauty. That is why the Scripture urges us to " get out there and walk-better yet, run!-on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline-not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love." (Ephesians 4:1-2, The Message)

Almost 3 centuries ago, John and Charles Wesley, were students at Oxford. Their mother had instilled a deep faith in them. Even as young men they set their sights on doing great things for God. They led a small group of students who were mocked by other students as the "Holy Club." But, these young men, in their service to God, had an amazing impact in England and the American colonies. From their ministry grew Methodism which changed the character of the two nations. These young men challenged themselves with a daily checklist that is still soul-piercing. I recommend it to you. (A personal inventory)

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A PERSONAL INVENTORY CHECK LIST

* Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

* Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

* Do I confidentially pass on to others what was told to me in confidence?

* Can I be trusted?

* Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits (or technology)?

* Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

* Did the Bible live in me today?

* Do I give the Bible time to speak to me everyday?

____________________

* Am I enjoying prayer?

* When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

* Do I pray about the money I spend?

* Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

* Do I disobey God in anything?

* Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

* Am I defeated in any part of my life?

__________________________

* Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

* How do I spend my spare time?

* Am I proud?

* Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

* Is there anyone who I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

* Do I grumble or complain constantly?

* Is Christ real to me?

From Wesley's "Holy Club"