Yesterday’s Gone!

 

A Facebook ‘memory’ showed up on my news feed from 8 years ago, pictures of a summer vacation in Florida that did not go so well. Looking at them I felt a flood of regret. I wondered what would I have done differently had I known it was the last summer trip that Bev and I would enjoy before her cancer arrived?  Do you ever slip into that place of wishing for a  ‘do-over’ for past decisions, thinking about words said or perhaps that you wish you would have said?  Are you paralyzed in the present by 'yesterday?'  

Allowing regret to own us will throw a strong chain around us holding us back today’s opportunities.   We will certainly miss out on this moment if we are trying to relive yesterday – whether to fix it or to enjoy it again.

We can learn much about looking back from the experience of the Israelis who were called out of Egypt to the Promised Land. In spite of many experiences of both the faithfulness and power of God, they missed the purpose of God because they allowed regret to take control. They remembered Egypt, but inaccurately. "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (Numbers 11:4-6, NIV)  

 God was feeding them everyday, miraculously, with perfect food, manna. They were full and fed but not happy. Why? They forgot the slavery and only remembered the food. The memory of their dinner table was without context. Perhaps there was greater variety in their diet, but their sons and daughter were without hope, enslaved and consigned to poverty! They seemed to forget that important detail of their past lives.

Memory is selective and the regret we feel is probably without context, as well. "So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did." (Hebrews 3:7-9, NIV)

We do not have to erase the past. Memory is important. Celebrating those loved, special days, shared accomplishments, and so much more, enriches our lives. A prime example is the celebration of Communion, remembering the Cross, experiencing the mystery of Christ in us. We also learn from the past when we recall history’s lessons. But, yesterday’s gone! Celebrate the wins. Forgive the wrongs. Learn from the mistakes. Then, LIVE today.

The word from the Word is a familiar passage, words of Paul who had done some regrettable things in the past. There were also some high moments of spiritual experience in his life. Note what he teaches us about the PRESENT. "I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." (Philippians 3:12-14, NLT)

"We have this moment to hold in our hands,
And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand,
Yesterday's gone, and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today!"

- Wm. Gaither, 1975

Truly Blessed 7 – Persecuted but Glad

Because of my faith in Christ Jesus and the convictions that come from God’s Word, I often feel like a stranger in a foreign land these days. That really should not surprise me because people who truly love God have never ‘fit in’ with the world; not in the past, nor in the present. Preparing this thought today gave me some pause, because I know some will take these words to justify political positions that have little to do with being a disciple of Christ. This is not about the political party with which you are aligned, nor is it about enjoying favored status by the government. 

My words today are not about being weird or offensive and calling that ‘Christian.’  It is much deeper, about loving Jesus in such a way that you are ‘left out’ or marginalized, even by family perhaps, because your life is radically committed to love, life, hope, and healing rather than self, money, comfort, or security.

Jesus said  "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:10-12, NIV)

Many American Christians confuse ‘righteousness’ with noisy opposition to the increasing secularization of the nation. It is true that Biblical values are quickly disappearing from our culture. However, persecution is not the same as losing ‘majority’ status, though many confuse the two. 

Persecution is knowing rejection for His Name’s sake. Being right with God is about loving Him, living for Him, being a person who is surrendered to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That way of life will inevitably put a person at odds with the world in which he lives and may lead to genuine persecution.

Jesus says when that rejection comes, not because we have acted as obnoxious fools but because we are committed to Him above all else, we are in a place to find God’s joy, to know the comfort of living within His Kingdom embrace. Ah, Christian, we cannot, must not, become defensive when we feel attacked, rejected, or marginalized. Jesus says that if such things are coming our way because we love Him, we should ‘rejoice and be glad’  because of the assurance that God keeps the real score and His reward is rich and eternal.

Christian, we must learn to deal with our fear of being persecuted, quietly securing ourselves in the Love of God. Fearful people become defensive, shrill, and angry.  It is time we read, with new understanding, the story of those first Christians recorded in Acts that show us that God keeps His Church alive. They lived in a hostile world, often hated, but they were not angry or complaining.

Because of the new life of the Spirit they were “humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”   They did not fear being overcome by the darkness in which they lived.  They believed that the Light they knew would always dispel the darkness.  Their witness was not to protest the cruelty of Rome or the unfairness of the local magistrate, it was about the grace of Jesus that made those dead in spirit alive to God!

The Truth in which we live is unyielding to cultural pressure, unconcerned about polls or acceptance, but it is never arrogant. As the people of God we must learn to show that same compassion that Jesus showed for the wayward and lost people that He encountered. Did He attack the adulterous woman that ‘religious leaders’ dragged to him for judgment? No! He met her with loving acceptance, offered a new way, and pointed her to God’s redemption so that she could  ‘go and sin no more!’  Did He demean Zacchaeus, the collaborator with Rome, a tax collector, and a cheat? No! He scandalized the ‘religious community’ when He went to his house for dinner and, while there, laid out the message of God’s redeeming grace.  What happened?  The greedy crook was transformed and gave away his ill-gotten wealth!

Our Gospel is about Christ Jesus, about finding life in the Spirit. Jesus did not tell us to go wave banners, form coalitions, or elect people to office to protect our privileges. He told us that we are “the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-17, NIV)

Yes, loving God and His Word, will put us at odds with the world. That has always been the case. We need have no concern about our ‘relevance’ or public acceptance. We must be people of integrity who are committed to living His Word in its entirety.  God’s people will value the gift of life, but not just when it comes to abortion.  They will be resistant to war, to systems that deprive people of their lives through oppression.  God’s people will care deeply about the covenant of marriage and demonstrate their love of God by preserving their own family values rather than noisily attacking same sex marriage.  God’s people will love those of every color, welcoming all into the fellowship of the Lord.

Christians major on the Gospel because they know that real transformation is not a legislation issue, but requires a new heart given by God through His Spirit. We preach Christ, not rules.  He makes us righteous and should others turn on us because we bear His name with humble integrity, we are quietly glad.

Here’s a word from the Word.  "Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name! … So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and trust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:14-16, 19, NLT)  Now there is food for thought.

________________

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My Comforter my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

 

In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

 

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

 

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

 

Keith Getty | Stuart Townend

© 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

 

Truly Blessed # 6 - Peacemaking

 

I so enjoy being invited into a home where I discover a refuge, an emotionally warm place that says ‘Welcome.’ Over the years Bev and I opened our home to many people, some for a day or two, others for longer stays. We often heard others say, “Your home is a place of peace.” Now before you jump to the conclusion that there were no angry words or hard days, I hasten to say that we had our moments, like any couple.  But, a prime desire was that our home would be welcoming, to us and others, a place to which we loved to go. We worked to create a place of peace, a safe place from which to step out of the hustle of life.  Many things contributed to that peace- loving God and inviting the Spirit to be with us, creating order that kept out chaos, and prioritizing family time were some of those choices.

Serenity does not just happen, it requires effort.
Jesus says that one of the ways we know God’s best, one of the keys of blessings, is to be a ‘peacemaker.’  "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9, KJV)  The joy I feel when I help someone find peace with God, through faith in Jesus, is indescribable. Similarly, I rejoice when I have the opportunity to encourage resolution to conflict in a marriage or between people who have had an argument. Truly it is a blessed thing to be a peacemaker.

A key to knowing the joyous blessing of peacemaking is to be at peace!
When we are in turmoil, when our lives are chaotic, when we are not walking in harmony with God, our Father, it is not very likely that we will lead others to peace.  When I am pre-occupied, busy, or stressed, I am not a man of peace, nor do I bring peace to situations. Instead my inner storms tend to raise tension, causing others to turn inward, to become closed, perhaps even defensive. In contrast, when I am full of the peace of God I am able to share that peace with others.

We are reconciled to our Father through Christ Jesus! He is our peace. But, we must receive His peace by faith. " God … reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, NIV)  We need not feel ‘distance’ or ‘distress’ when approaching the Lord. Our sins are forgiven, our debt is fully paid, so we are at peace with Him. Is your heart and mind at rest, in the peace provided by Christ Jesus? That is basic to peacemaking.

Peacemaking also requires self-forgetfulness. 
I love the story of Jonathan and David though tragic. Jonathan was King Saul’s son, the crown prince of Israel. But, because of his father’s rebellion, God had removed His blessing from Saul’s household. Saul’s heart was full of chaos and rage.  David, who distinguished himself as a hero in Israel came to the court to play his songs and soothe the king. “David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.” (1 Samuel 16:23)  As time passed, it became clear that David had won the heart of the nation, that he would be her next ruler. The conflict between David and Saul sharpened to such an extent that he attempted to murder David and then pursued him with the army on several occasions, seeking his life.

Jonathan was an amazingly selfless man! Instead of trying to hold onto his place, he worked at making peace. "Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly." (1 Samuel 19:4, NIV)  The prince put himself at great risk to intervene on David’s behalf and the two became close, sharing a deep love for each other. In time, tragically, Jonathan died in battle along with King Saul, but David never forgot his efforts.

If we want to live Jesus’ words about peacemaking, we will have to forget ourselves, set aside ego, and take up the challenge of the Word. "Be … like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:2-4, NIV)  God does not ask us to think of ourselves as worthless, or to become rugs under the feet of others. He does ask us to trust Him to secure us, to care for us, so that we can seek the best for others even when it comes at a cost to us. This is a basic component of living as a peacemaker!

Human beings, in their natural state, are contentious. Every culture, every society, every family, every church has gone through times of conflict, even war. Hate seems to come to us as naturally as breathing. But, in Christ, we find a new way, a way of love, that seeks peace. Are you a peacemaker?  Do you stir the pot of conflict and chaos OR do you take the way of Jesus?

Here is a word from the Word. "Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others." (1 Peter 3:8-11, NLT)

Lord, help us to receive Your peace and to work to make peace. Amen.
_____________

 

Joys Are Flowing Like A River (Blessed Quietness)
(a dated presentation of a timeless hymn)

 

Joys are flowing like a river
Since the Comforter has come
He abides with us forever
Makes the trusting heart His home

 Blessed quietness holy quietness
What assurance in my soul
On the stormy sea He speaks peace to me
How the billows cease to roll

Like the rain that falls from heaven
Like the sunlight from the sky
So the Holy Ghost is given
Coming on us from on high

What a wonderful salvation
Where we always see His face
What a perfect habitation
What a quiet resting place

James M. Kirk | Manie Payne Ferguson | W. S. Marshall

©Public Domain

Truly Blessed, Part 5 – Pure

 

One of life’s blessings, taken for granted by most of us, is access to clean water. We go to a faucet and draw a glass of water to drink without a thought of being sickened. The water that sustains life is available to us in abundance, pure and clean. The city of Flint, Michigan, changed the source of the municipal water supply about 5 years ago. All seemed well until people became sick.  Testing revealed impurity, particularly high levels of lead. The water that was drawn from the Flint River and fed in the older pipes of the city caused corrosion of those pipes and made the water impure, with terrible health consequences for hundreds of people.

I want to take two concepts from Jesus’ teaching for our thoughts today.

The first is His word about finding God’s best, true joy, through purity of heart. He said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8, NIV) The word He used in the original text was used in several ways, among them, the refining of precious metal by fire. Pure silver only emerged from the ore when melted in intense heat so that the base metals could be skimmed from the molten mix. The word was also used for the work in the vineyard, when pruning away excess leaves and branches created a vine that would be most fruitful.  Purity of heart is a process that makes us useful to the purposes of God, that allows us to see and desire the work of God. In that state, we are ‘blessed,’ enjoying the best of live in God’s will.

So what is purity of heart?  

It is a true desire for God that replaces lesser desires in us.  When we pursue Him, love Him, worship Him, follow and obey Him- we are made whole, holy, pure! It IS NOT something we can accomplish solely through our own effort.  We come to Christ, acknowledging our impurity, those things that corrupt us – pride, lust, and greed for example – and in our confession we are cleansed by Him.  We must treasure this gift of grace that John explains this way:   "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." (1 John 1:8-2:1, NIV)

If we attempt purity on our own, the result will inevitably be hypocrisy and/or legalism, a superficial, self-made ‘purity’ that is really not pure at all, though it make appear to be.  We cannot rid ourselves of the sinful nature by discipline, accountability, or self-denial. Do those things have a place in our lives? To a degree they may but only after we have been ‘purified’ by Christ’s gift of salvation, made alive to God, the Holy Spirit, with a new heart. Then, we ‘walk out’ our salvation, learning to respond to the Spirit’s leading as He replaced the impurity of the old nature with His life and Light.

Do you struggle with impurity?

Do you find yourself feeling guilty or ashamed because of selfish and sensual habits that you know are not of God?

Know this – you are of incredible worth to Him and He does not throw you away in your failure. IF we confess our sins (own them and speak of them as God does) HE forgives and purifies.

This brings me to the second idea.

A pure heart is a source of refreshing to others which makes us joyful, happy Christians.  Jesus said "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45, NIV)  Do you want to become a person who encourages others? Do you want to be a person who makes the world a better place?  Do you want to be life-giving, with healing and hope in your words?  Then, pray for a ‘pure heart.’ 

If our inner person is toxic with hatred, selfishness, racism, bitterness, unforgiveness, or sensuality – we may conceal it but those things will taint the overflow of our heart as surely as the waters of the Flint River poisoned the people of that city!  How I love the words that Jesus shouted, a promise of a new way of life. "On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." (John 7:37-39, NIV)

Yes, we are truly blessed and happy, and bring the gift of joy to others, when we overflow with the Spirit, spilling living water into a world that is dry and dead! But, the source must be pure, not tainted. We can be ‘pure in heart.’

Here is a word from the Word, full of promise. May the Truth capture our mind and heart today. "Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:21-24, NIV)  Christ, our great Priest and sacrifice, makes us pure, a spring of the water of life.

_________________

One Pure And Holy Passion

 

Give me one pure and holy passion

Give me one magnificent obsession

Jesus give me one glorious ambition for my life

To know and follow hard after You

 

To know and follow hard after You

To grow as Your disciple in the truth

This world is empty pale and poor

Compared to knowing You my Lord

Lead me on and I will run after You

 

Lead me on and I will run after You

Lead me on and I will run after You

 

Mark Altrogge

© 1988 Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by CURB | Word Music Publishing)

Curb Dayspring Music (Admin. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.)

CCLI License # 810055