The Least Among Us

Clayton Lockett was a convicted murderer, a violent, cruel man. He shot a girl and buried her alive.  Yes, that is horrific! This week Oklahoma botched his execution. After 45 minutes, he finally succumbed to a heart attack. This led to an outcry about the death penalty here in the United States. In our local paper today, a letter to the editor dismissed the whole thing asking, “who cares if a murderer suffered during his execution?”  I’m sure more than a few people wondered the same thing.

I will not argue the death penalty issue here, but I will ask Christians to think deeply about how we regard the least among us. Can you imagine, even for a moment, Jesus dismissing an execution that inflicted terrible suffering on a man, even one with a horrible history, with a ‘well, who cares about a murderer? Glad he died in pain.’ comment?  

 A nation is shaped by how she treats the lowest, the least among her people. America is quickly turning into a violent, ugly society because there is an attitude among the majority that cares nothing for those who are dysfunctional, poor, or powerless!  

 Some of my politically conservative friends are reading this and wondering when Jerry turned into a bleeding heart liberal, right?  This is not about politics. This is about being human. This is about seeing the image of God, albeit marred nearly beyond recognition by sin, in everyone. This is about redemption and eternal life, about giving the same kind of grace we have received in Him to others, even those we are tempted to ignore as beyond hope.

I know nothing about Clayton Lockett, but I’d be willing to go out on a limb and guess that he was born into poverty and neglect, that he likely suffered from serious mental health issues, and that love was a concept he knew little or nothing about from personal experience.  But, he was a person for whom Christ died. As much as I am personally repulsed by their depraved acts, I pray for the Clayton Lockett’s – that they will come to know the One who can save them from their sin and liberate them from the power of Evil.   

Yes, Christian, our sense of justice must be tempered by God’s call for mercy. God says "Do not pervert justice or show partiality." (Deuteronomy 16:19, NIV) “Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” (Deuteronomy 27:19, NIV) These were the ‘other’ of that time, those that the majority regarded as beneath their concern!  Hundreds of years later in the history of God’s people, they had forgotten Moses’ directive.  The prophet Jeremiah was moved by God to rebuke them for their injustice. “Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch men. Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?" (Jeremiah 5:25-29, NIV)

Jesus took a child and set him before the people.  We romanticize His words because we do not understand the mean culture of His time. “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.” (Luke 9:47-48, NIV)  Children were a source of labor, a means of support.  They were not indulged as our children are. They had no legal standing, no protection, no physical power to defend themselves. Jesus gave them dignity and respect, calling on people to welcome a powerless child as they would the Lord of Glory. 

Christian, we must love the least, the low, the broken, the despised, the alien, the different, the violent … not with the sappy, indulgent, romantic emotion that passes for love so often. We must love with a bold love that seeks true justice that is restrained by the realization of our shared humanity.  We cannot allow ourselves to turn people, no matter how different they may be from us, into objects of scorn or hatred.  Let’s re-think Jesus’ command to love in the context of Clayton Lockett’s sad life. What does it mean to love a man like him?

"My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God.
The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.
This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other." (1 John 4:7-11, The Message)

Put up a 'no vacancy' sign.

Ever notice how quickly a newly emptied closet fills up again?  I clean off my desk, filing or tossing papers only to find it cluttered again in a day!  A man told me that when he retired he thought that he would have time to spare.  He found his days full of different activities. “I’m more busy now than when I went to work,” he said with a smile.

So what about your spiritual being?  Jesus taught us to be filled with the Holy Spirit for an important reason. “When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place. “That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren’t hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in.” (Matthew 12:43-45, The Message)

The Christian life is not just a philosophy, nor is just a few inspired thoughts at the close of the day. Living for Christ is an active life.  “Seek the Kingdom,” Jesus said.  The letters to the churches urge us to work at our faith, to make a difference for Christ, to resist evil. “Put on the full armor of God,” Paul writes, “so you can stand against the enemy of your soul.”  Is your faith active and robust or weak and ineffectual?  Do you pursue the Lord with real passion?

Some Christians confuse ‘legalism’ (teaching that a person can earn a place of acceptance with God by being morally scrupulous) with dedication and conviction. There is no escaping the fact that a rich Christian life demands real, consistent effort.  We absolutely know that new life in Christ is a work of the Holy Spirit. We know that love, joy, peace, and patience grow from the life of the Spirit in us. And, we know that we must ‘keep step with the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:25) if we desire to grow in the grace of God.  Just as light dispels darkness, so a life filled with the Spirit declares ‘no vacancy’ to the devil who is looking for a residence.

Are you leaving yourself open to renewed temptation by failing to be filled with worship, inviting the Holy Spirit to be your constant Companion and Guide?

Are you leaving an open door to the old devils that once controlled you by refusing to allow Christ to be the Lord of ALL?

The word from the Word calls us to action. 
"Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires."
(Romans 13:8-14, NLT)

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Fill Me Now

Hover o'er me, Holy Spirit,

Bathe my trembling heart and brow.

Fill me with Thy hallow'd presence,

Come, O come, and fill me now.

Fill me now! Fill me now!

Jesus come and fill me now.

Fill me with Thy hallow'd presence,

Come, O come, and fill me now.

I am weakness, full of weakness,

At Thy sacred feet I bow.

Blest divine eternal Spirit,

Fill with pow'r and fill me now.

Elwood H. Stokes | John Robson Sweney

© Words: Public Domain

Music: Public Domain

You're worth it!

Five women from a church we served in Massachusetts years ago, drove down to NJ to see Bev on Monday. They brought several dinners for our freezer, as well as smiles and hugs. They sat with her for four hours, telling stories, laughing and telling stories. They drove about 400 miles round trip to make this visit, investing a whole day in the effort. Why?  For love’s sake.  Others have sent word of prayer on her behalf.  Gifts came in the mail.  Flowers arrived.  Two women carved time out of each day for a couple of weeks to come to assist with medical procedures.  All of this is a way to say – “You are a person of worth! We love you.”

We are to be little ‘Christs’ in the world, bearing His likeness. How?  Primarily by showing love to others. The Bible says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NKJV)  It isn’t likely we will literally die for others, but in learning to love, we will set aside our preferences and our convenience, becoming aware of the needs of others.  Love is most basically shown when we acknowledge people - that they exist and that we care for them.  “That’s easy,” you say. But, it is not! All kinds of things conspire to keep us from loving others: the busy pace of life, concern for our own needs, fatigue, selfishness, fear ... to name a few. For example - as you hurried into the coffee shop today, did you take time to make eye contact with the barista?  Did you pause to say, "Thank you," and mean it?  If you didn't, most likely it wasn’t meanness.  You were just in a hurry, thinking about beating traffic and getting to work, right? As you left your home, did you take time to seek out your spouse or your kids and bless their day?  Did you share a a hug or a kiss?  These things say, "You’re worthy. I care about you."  

Kenny collects grocery carts at our local store. He has Down’s syndrome, talks in monotones to himself as he works. Last week, as he collected carts, I greeted him. “Hi, Kenny. I missed you around here.  Were you sick?”  He paused, a bit suspicious of a stranger who spoke, then a big smile crossed his face.  He told me he went to Florida for the winter.  It was obvious that he took delight from being recognized and spoken to kindly. My own spirit was lifted by this brief exchange of humanity!

Christians who add value to the lives of others, train themselves to listen, to empathize, to care. God will help us. That kind of love pleases Him. Pray this -  "Lord, open my eyes and ears to the needs of people around me." When He does, prepare to cry. It is costly to care. When we take note of the people around us, we will see the pain that this broken world piles up.  Those who love will  be unable to brush past people protected by the blinders of self-interest.  What I find of interest is that love is a circle.  Those who care most selflessly for others are most cared for!  
Here's a word from the Word.  Jesus told it teach us to love. “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits.
They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “
By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity.
Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them.
Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.
 The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man.
 ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’

 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” (Luke 10:30-37, NLT)
Let's do God work in the world- loving others.  I know it is an old cliché but it bears repetition  - “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care!”

May our lives make one simple declaration to everyone, of every age, of every race, of every social status – “You're a person of worth!"

Rest for Warriors

Rest for Warriors

It was the end of a long day. I was beyond fatigue, my head ached. In the afternoon, word had come of yet another death in my circle of friends. Bev’s illness is an ever-present shadow that we do not escape.  And, of course, there are the responsibilities that come with adult life that we all experience. Around 9 pm something snapped, “I am sick of it all…” I stormed.  A little later as we prepared for sleep, my wife and I bowed our hearts in prayer. She asked if she could lead and carried me into His Presence.  There was renewal there!

Jesus has given a great gift to us that I had lost for a moment.  He gives us peace. Some do not understand it.  They think His offer is a promise of a house on a lake far from the stresses of daily life or a life of ease without blood, sweat, or tears. He does not take us from the world. He sends us into it. Jesus said, "Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves."  (Luke 10:3, NLT) 

Yes, that is as challenging as it sounds, however, in Him, we find serenity in the middle of the stress and struggle.  As He was preparing His disciples for His death on the Cross He told them -
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT)  

Christians who understand the Call are fully engaged with the real world. They choose to run to the conflict, get their hands dirty, and feel the pain visited on this planet by sin. Why? Because they understand that God's purpose is not discovered in pursuing comfort or letting the world go to Hell around them.  They accept the call to be bold warriors, commissioned to give their lives to establish His reign. That might sound noble and even exciting when you read about it. Truthfully, it is often exhausting, sometimes disappointing, and always demanding.  

Some start well and quit along the way. Others become ineffective, burnt out.  But, others take His promise and find serenity. Their confidence is inspiring, their hope unshakeable.  They go to Him, over and over again, to receive the Gift of Peace.

Consider what the Lord said about attempting to preserve ourselves. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 9:23-27, The Message)

Are you frazzled and fatigued?

Are the cares of life weighing you down?

Relief will not come from a vacation, a win in the lottery, or a place of indulgence of some appetite!  For the warrior of the Kingdom, true rest is found in His promise of peace, in a place near to His heart.  So kneel, wait, listen, learn. "Then Jesus said, “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 at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-31, NLT)

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Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

You call me out upon the waters,

The great unknown, where feet may fail.

And there I find You in the mystery,

In oceans deep, my faith will stand.

And I will call upon Your name.

And keep my eyes above the waves,

When oceans rise.

My soul will rest in Your embrace,

For I am Yours and You are mine.

Your grace abounds in deepest waters.

Your sov'reign hand will be my guide.

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me,

You've never failed and You won't start now.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders!

Let me walk upon the waters,

Wherever You would call me,

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Saviour!

I will call upon Your name

Keep my eyes above the waves

My soul will rest in Your embrace

I am Yours and You are mine

Joel Houston | Matt Crocker | Salomon Ligthelm

© 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Just a cup of cold water in His Name

Thirty-one years ago, a call from the local police came to my church office asking if we could assist a woman and child who had no place to go, no one else to whom to turn for help.  Bev and I opened our home, never realizing that what started that day would become a life-long friendship. Margarita moved in and out of our lives over the next decade. We prayed for her, cried over her, got angry with her, loved her. Finally, Christ Jesus became her Lord and Savior.  She married, formed a home, became part of a Spirit-filled church, and joined her husband in ownership of a thriving business. Yesterday, they visited with Bev. Just before they left, she said, “You prayed for me so many times, now I want to pray for you.”  And she went on to talk to the Lord in a way that left Bev and I wrecked emotionally – in the best way! “Make the most of every opportunity,” the Word says (Ephesians 5: 16) I had no inkling of what would come of answering a call for help. That day, I thought it was just giving someone a safe place to sleep. God planned to change the destiny of several lives. 

We make small investments, God gives big returns!  Jesus said, "If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded." (Mark 9:41, NLT)  Many times, when I was a younger pastor, I prayed to make a difference in the world.  My concept of fulfilling that prayer was to do something effecting thousands of people.  But, God’s call for me is to touch one life at a time, in small places.  Every now and then, He lets me see how those ‘cups of cold water’ offered in His Name turn into springs of living Water.  The key, Christian friend, is faithfulness in the moment.

60 Minutes reported the story of a young man from London, who turned a 2 week vacation into 1938, into a mission to save the lives of 669 Jewish children, mostly Jews, from almost certain death in Prague. Nicholas Winton, 104,  never said too much about what he did at the time. He saw a need, responded with his best efforts, and brought children that governments and agencies overlooked out of Czechoslovakia just days before the Nazis marched into that country and started their evil campaign to purge Jews from society.  The story summed up this way:  “In 1939, Nicholas Winton used a two week vacation to go to Prague and ended up saving the lives of 669 children. In the decades since, of course, the children had children, who then had children and so on...and the numbers multiplied.”   15,000 people are alive today!

(Watch the video and read the story)

Are you listening for God’s voice?

Are you praying for eyes to see what He’s doing?

Are you ready to spend yourself in pursuit of His plans, big or small?

Here’s the word from the Word.  I pray it makes us ready to serve, faithfully, trusting the results and rewards to the One who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end.  "I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers." (1 Corinthians 3:6-9, NLT)

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Pass It On

It only takes a spark

To get a fire going.

And soon all those around

Can warm up in its glowing.

That's how it is with God's love,

Once you've experienced it.

You spread His love, to ev'ryone,

You want to pass it on.

I wish for you, my friend,

This happiness that I've found.

You can depend on Him,

It matters not where you're bound.

I'll shout it from the mountain top,

I want my world to know,

The Lord of love, has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

Kurt Kaiser

© 1969 Bud John Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055