That is how you stand firm

I wrote these thoughts 8 years ago today, just a few hours before Bev died.  As I thought about that day I found the devotion that I wrote that morning while in great anguish. The words are still true and worth repeating, not just in the face of death, but as we begin a New Year.  “That is how you stand firm.”

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“Oh, how can I do this?” Bev asked me sorrowfully as we both sensed that the days ahead were about to become even more difficult. Perhaps I merely state the obvious, but there is no escaping that dying is hard. There is grief, loss of dignity, and frequently terrible bodily pain. Bev was not alone in musing about how to travel that road hopefully. I too wondered - in my own thoughts - “How can I do this?”  The hospice resources offered practical advice: “Keep friends close. Use music to soothe the troubled soul. Follow familiar faith practices. Talk with people who understand and empathize. Try to get regular rest.”  We have done all those things, and yet . . .   the sorrow is crushing, the pain of spirit unlike any earthly ache I have ever known.

Prayerfully today, I turn to the wisdom that is from above and find an old, new truth.  The only way to endure is to remember Heaven! When Bev and I were talking and I offered the thought to her that the best way to ‘do this’ was to focus on the Eternal Promise of unending Life in Heaven. She was not, in that moment, greatly encouraged! She is a fighter and, up until a few days ago, was determined to stay with me and her family as long as possible. We love what and who we can see, touch, and hold. Still, we can only walk the road though the valley of the shadow when we have Heaven in our heart. 

Paul says it this way:  "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" (Philippians 3:20-4:1, NIV)

Have you Heaven in your heart, your mind, and your soul? I am nearer heaven these days as my wife lays dying in the next room. She has slipped beyond my words and no longer can respond to my caress.

The sense of loss would be beyond description except for that hope that I possess in faith- “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am." (John 14:1-3, NLT) I am glad that I am not attempting to make reservations at this late hour!  Long ago, Bev and I put our trust in the One who saves, who makes us alive forevermore.  Have you?

The word from the Word steadies me on this rocky way.  Though sad, I am not hopeless. My prayer is that the Truth will steady you, too. "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, NIV)  "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV)

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As we begin 2024, we may find the promise of new beginnings. There are also many who live with the gathering dark clouds of tragedy. The drumbeat of war grows more intense. The political scene is chaotic. But in all of this we who are ‘in Christ’ can ‘stand firm’ because we have our sights set on a home eternal, promised by God who is unchanging. So, “That is how you stand firm.”

May you find in Him a blessed New Year.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Graves Into Gardens

I searched the world but it couldn't fill me

Man's empty praise and treasures that fade

Are never enough

Then You came along and put me back together

And every desire is now satisfied here in Your love

 

Oh there's nothing better than You

There's nothing better than You

Lord there's nothing

Nothing is better than You

 

I'm not afraid to show You my weakness

My failures and flaws

Lord You've seen them all

And You still call me friend

'Cause the God of the mountain

Is the God of the valley

There's not a place

Your mercy and grace won't find me again

 

You turn mourning to dancing

You give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory

You're the only one who can

You turn graves into gardens

You turn bones into armies

You turn seas into highways

You're the only one who can

Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Steven Furtick | Tiffany Hudson

© 2019 Brandon Lake Music; Maverick City Publishing Worldwide; Music by Elevation Worship Publishing; Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

What makes the difference?

Let me pose a question that might make you uncomfortable. Are you a Christian from the inside out? Perhaps you do not understand the query.  There are millions of people who do “Christian” things - going to church, able to converse about the Holy Scripture, knowledgeable about the traditions of the faith, living a life that is morally upright. But, if you engage many of those persons in a discussion about the loving God, they admit they do not understand the concept. You discover that they cannot claim a solid assurance about eternal life or that they are God’s child. 

Jesus met a man like that. Sensing that there is ‘more,’ he came to Jesus asking how to inherit eternal life. When Jesus asked him about his observance of the Commandments, he responded: "The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a child.” (Luke 18:21, NLT) Jesus did not challenge his claim so he was truthful. He did all the right things but he did not know God as his “Abba,” his real Father. 

Interestingly, Jesus did not attempt to convince the man of the love of God!  He challenged him to look at his own heart! “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22, NIV)  The Lord knew that this challenge would cause that rich young man to look inside and there he would find that one thing he could not do on his own.

True conversion, an inside out experience of God’s grace, only happens when we come to the end of ourselves, realizing our inability to true love God - heart, soul, mind, and strength - on our own.  God does not allow us to feel this pain and or hopelessness because He enjoys our misery.  We can only own the treasure of His love when we are willing to completely trust His grace. 

If we would be truly different, people of the Kingdom of God, we must receive what we can never earn or gain. It’s a transformation that comes from the inside out, by revelation, instigated by the Spirit of God acting on us. We are not passive. In the mystery of His plan, He asks us to answer His gift of grace with faith.

Paul describes this as the ‘foolishness of the Gospel.’ It takes away any reason for pride, any hope that we have in our own discipline, intelligence, or heritage. At the Cross, the rich and the poor, the young and the old, the royal and the commoner, those morally upright and those whose lives are a drama of self-destruction – stand on level ground. "God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much …(that)  He raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus. … we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:4,6,10 NLT)

The Christian life is an ‘inside out’ transformation. God does look for change. The things we once loved lose their appeal as we come to love Him. As we ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ we joyfully say yes to love, forgiveness, and generosity;  no to selfishness. Jesus was not compromising on the truth.  Those who know God’s grace will most certainly have a new life, a new heart. That new life shows up in ever increasing measure. Jesus says it this way -  "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit." (Matthew 7:16-18, NIV)

Are you desperate for the love of your Abba?

Do you want to be different from the inside out?

Do you desire to be a true worshipper?

Flip the pursuit from trying to trusting, from looking at your accomplishments to thanking Him for His gift to you.  If we try to experience God’s full life by pointing out how good we have been or how much we have sacrificed for our religion- we insult the Lord of Love. Rather, we thank Him for His amazing love with true humility having glimpsed our brokenness that is offset by His gracious goodness towards us.

Here’s a word from the Word.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods." (Psalm 40:1-4, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now I'm found

Was blind but now I see

 

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

 

My chains are gone I've been set free

My God my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy rains

Unending love amazing grace

 

The Lord has promised good to me

His word my hope secures

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures

 

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow

The sun forbear to shine

But God who called me here below

Will be forever mine

Will be forever mine

You are forever mine

 

Chris Tomlin | John Newton | Louie Giglio

© 2006 Rising Springs Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs

CCLI License # 810055

The Heart of Christmas

The streets were crowded last night with Christmas shoppers. As I inched along in the traffic, I smiled inwardly and wondered how many were remembering the heart of Christmas at the moment, or were they just irritated by the long lines?  Making my way home in the darkness, I took note of the decorations - some houses grandly lit by obvious effort of the occupants - and asked myself again - is this the real Christmas?

While I drove along happy music poured from my SiriusXM™ app mixing songs about a Baby in Bethelem with sentimental celebrations of White Christmases, which incidentally we will not enjoy here in Northern New Jersey. I anticipate gathering with friends in the sanctuary to sing the carols and light the candles, but it that the heart of the holy day?  I do love the decorations, the gatherings, and the songs. Even the greeting, “Merry Christmas,” which I exchanged dozens of times throughout the day, makes me happy!

The heart of Christmas is the Gift!  I know you know that, but it bears repeating. We need a reset, a renewal of our hope, lest we allow the fun stuff to hide the great truth that Christians celebrate this time of year. Well, I do anyway, and would guess that you do as well.

This is not generally a ‘Christmas’ text, but here we are told of Who makes the day one of meaning for us. "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. He declared us not guilty because of his great kindness. And now we know that we will inherit eternal life." (Titus 3:3-7, NLT)

That sweet Baby Boy, born in Bethlehem, was God come to us, the Divine now Incarnate, that is, becoming fully human. He showed us the face of God and we learn that He does not terrorize, but rather loves. Jesus held out his hands and invited us to return to the Father Who made us, not in fearful trembling, but with an expectation of being received and accepted. He closed the gap that sin and evil had created, offering Himself as the Last Sacrifice, closing the blood-stained altars of the past forever.  

In a text that moves beyond sentiment and declares wonderful truth and mystery we are told that "Our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy. And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. First he says, “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts so they will understand them, and I will write them on their minds so they will obey them.” Then he adds, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices." (Hebrews 10:12-18, NLT)

Love, the focus of this fourth week of Advent, is the heart of Christmas. Yes, the word is over-worked and over-used but true. God loves me!  God loves you!  Unimagineable change in us is possible when we accept the Gift, by faith. We are made alive eternally. We find hope and purpose. We are transformed by the Spirit, taught to live in the goodness of the Lord, and become agents of grace in the world.

So, with each gift,
let’s remember the Gift of Jesus.

With every light,
let’s remember the Light of the World.

With every card reminding us of the love of others,
let’s remember the  Love of the Savior.

Let me offer a familiar and beloved benediction to close this CoffeeBreak today.
"I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.
May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should,
how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.
Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us,
He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen."

(Ephesians 3:17-21, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Love Came Down At Christmas

 Love came down at Christmas

Love all lovely love divine

Love was born at Christmas

Star and angels gave the sign

 

Worship we the Godhead

Love incarnate love divine

Worship we our Jesus

But wherewith for sacred sign

 

Love shall be our token

Love be yours and love be mine

Love to God and all men

Love for plea and gift and sign

 

Love for plea and gift and sign

For plea for gift for sign

 

Christina Georgina Rossetti | Gilbert M. Martin

© Words: Public Domain

Grinchy? Bah Humbug!

Are you feeling a little ‘Grinchy’ these days? That green character attempted to steal Christmas from the residents of Whoville suffering from a lack of joy. “It could be, perhaps his shoes were too tight. But, I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small.” (Dr. Suess)  Are feeling something like that? Or just maybe you are more like Ebenezer Scrooge who dismissed it all with a snarling “Bah Humbug!”  If this is you, I am sorry and I wish I could listen to your story and perhaps help you shift your point of view.

This third week of Advent we are choosing to remember the possibility of joy that was announced "for all the people!"  

"I bring you good news of great joy," the angel reassured a group of frightened men, shepherds who were seeing the strangest sight there in the field outside of Bethlehem! The sheep herders were probably illiterate, most likely not attuned to the prophetic texts that foretold the Messiah’s coming.  And still God chose to make the news of the start of a new era, coming to Earth in the Person of Jesus, known to them.  Did the angel get lost on the way to Jerusalem? Did he miss the Temple courts by a couple of miles?  Of course not!  This was the plan of God and it has great significance for us.

God's desire was to bring all people - shepherds from the field - and wise men from the East - to worship the Savior who had come to restore them to their Creator and Father.

Luke sums up it all up. The angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."(Luke 2:14-18, NIV) And in that worship, they found joy.

So that I do not slip into “Grinchiness,” so that I avoid the curses of Scrooge’s cynicism, I will choose joy and here are a couple of things I will do.

First, I will focus my celebration on Jesus, to seek Him, that I might worship Him and find joy. 

The lights, trees, gifts, and dinners can become a distraction from the real heart of Christmas, God’s gift of His Son.  We must choose to worship beginning with a decision to step over the secondary things to find Him! Those shepherds could have remained with their sheep but they chose to go to see the Baby. They became part of a strange and wonderful story of God’s entry into our world. Wherever you are today, whatever your situation – find time to look for the Savior, to thank Him, perhaps just to wait quietly before Him offering your worship.

Second, I will work at being a person who brings joy to others.

My prayerful goal this Season is to bring people the joy of Jesus.  We are surrounded by people who are just surviving loneliness, illness, disappointment, the limits of aging, or the weight of guilt and regret.  Santa Claus cannot alleviate that kind of pain. The holiday décor cannot make sadness go away.  The holiday music that plays everywhere may only deepen the gloom of those whose hearts are broken.

So, I will pray to be a messenger of joy, a loving listener, a burden sharer!  My message will be that which Isaiah shared about God’s gift, Jesus, Who will  “comfort all who mourn, care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.”

I invite you to join me in this mission of JOY!  WE are people of the Spirit, “Christ’s ambassadors.” We have the awesome privilege of leading others to Him, sharing with them the joy which we have found.

Here is the Truth briefly stated.
Jesus is the Healer of broken hearts.
Jesus is our Savior, the Priest Who reconciles us to our Father.
In Him we are freely given eternal life, which we can own now, while we wait for the Second Advent of our King.

Want to know the joy of the Lord?  Tell Him your deepest need, yes, in your own words, your own way. Ask Him to help you. His answer may not come in the way you expect, but He will come to you. He promises!

Here is a word from the Word. "So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. And he came so the Gentiles might also give glory to God for his mercies to them. … They will place their hopes on him.” So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:7-13, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Go Tell It On The Mountain
(Zac Williams might make you want to get up and dance. Enjoy!)

The shepherds feared and trembled

When lo above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed the Savior's birth

 

Go tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and ev'rywhere

Go tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

 

Down in a lowly manger

The humble Christ was born

And God sent us salvation

That blessed Christmas morn

 

When I was a seeker

I sought both night and day

I asked the LORD to help me

He showed me the way

 

He made me a watchman

Upon the city wall

And if I am a Christian

I am the least of all

 

John W. Work Jr.

© Words: Public Domain

Lost and Found!

Last summer I lost a ring that is a treasure to me. It’s not of great value but it means much to me. My Mother gave it to my Dad in 1954 on the occasion of their engagement. 54 years later, on his deathbed, he gave it to me. I have worn it just about every day since then until that fateful June day … I tried to rationalize my sadness but the sense of loss was real, like a piece of my Dad was gone. 

About a month later, Laura texted me a picture of my ring!!  Her daughter had sat down on a chair on their porch and felt the ring trapped between the cushion and the frame.  How it got there I can only guess, but that is of little concern. My treasure was recovered. The lost was found and I was truly joyful. Ever had that kind of experience?

Christians are remembering the arrival of the Savior and the promise of His return in this Season of Advent. This week we focus on JOY.  

The mission of Jesus is the recovery of the lost! He came, the Word tells us, to restore people who had lost their way to the Father’s family, to give Life to those who were ‘dead’ to God, to bring Light to us who ‘walk in darkness.’ 

In Luke 15, there are three stories about lost things - a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.  They were stories He told to teach us about the love of our God and the JOY of both Heaven and earth when a person accepts the invitation to be ‘found.’

Here is just one of those stories - “Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:8-11, NIV) 

So many people do not understand the true desire of the Lord God. They fear Him, thinking He only waits to catch them in their failure, that He is waiting to drop the hammer of judgment on them. It is true that sin separates us from our Father, that we are lost. However, His desire is our rescue.

The people of ancient Israel had wandered from their God and found themselves in terrible situations. The Spirit moved the prophet not to say “You get what you deserve,” but to remind them of the loving Father. He said "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)  A side note - the subtle metaphor there is the joy of a mother who holds her baby to her breast! As she quiets the infant with a soft lullaby, her love fills her with joy. Such is the love of our God for us!

The plan of restoration was made in heaven and carried out by Jesus. His mission is succinctly summed up in that oh so familiar passage - "“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17, NIV)  Believe that, my friend, and find the JOY promised to those who are children of God!

On this Monday morning, know the JOY of being found. Receive the love of God, in Christ, by faith. You cannot earn it. You will never be able to deserve it. It’s a GIFT that He delights to give. You are His treasure, once lost, now found. Rejoice!

Here is the word from the Word -a single line. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Just for fun a little 80’s vibe with a Gospel song called

I’m Forgiven

From the start

You held a place in my heart

A place that no one else could fill

Sin kept Your Spirit from workin' in me

I couldn't look at life honestly

 

Now I'm forgiven

Now I have a reason

For livin' livin'

Jesus keeps givin' and givin'

And givin' givin'

'Til my heart overflows

 

Until the day my will gave way

To the truth that I found in You

I never knew how good it could be

To stand in Your presence totally free

 

Now I can see You

As a person who's free

Even when I slip and fall

He is a God who forgives and forgets

Now I wanna give Him my all

 

I know this love He's placed in my heart

Oh is a love that will never depart

Sin brought me to the end of my rope

Now You've given me a brand new hope

 

I'm forgiven forgiven

I'm forgiven I'm forgiven

 

Bruce Hibbard | Hadley Hockensmith | Michael Omartian

© 1980 Curb Word Music

 

CCLI License # 810055

 

A gift you can give

Everytime I see John (not his real name) he asks me to pray for him. Invariably, when we bow our heads and I pray, he cries, touched by the love of God. It’s been my privilege to pray for and with too many people to count over the years; at the front of the church during prayertime, as they lay in a hospital bed, in their living room, when we meet in the supermarket, over a meal in a restaurant, when we connect by phone. Monday I prayed for the Senators of the state of New Jersey when I was invited to bring the invocation in their session. 

Sometimes my prayer is just “Jesus, help my friend!”  Sometimes it is long, usually brief, in simple language, not eloquent. Regardless of the words or place, prayer is a holy moment, earth touching heaven!

I, too, have been given the gift of prayer, lifted before the Father by others in times of need in my own life.  I remember, with deep emotion, those moments when friends have come alongside of me to pray for me - for encouragement, for healing, for spiritual renewal. Their love is most evident when they speak to God on my behalf.

We all need the prayers of others. St. Paul, himself, wrote to his friends in Thessalonica and concluded his letter with this request - “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us… that we will be saved from wicked and evil people.”   (2 Th 3:1) 

One of the primary ways that Christians can serve the purposes of God in this world is to pray - for others and for the world’s needs. God told the people of Israel “if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,  you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  (Exodus 19:5) 

Centuries later, Peter wrote to Christians to tell them that they were called to be "a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9, NLT)  John, in the Revelation, says “He (Jesus Christ) has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.” (Revelation 1:6)

The work of a priest is to represent God to the world and to carry the world into the Presence of God!  That work in not reserved for some special class of person or for those who stand in front of a Christian congregation to administer the sacraments. In Christ we (*you and me!) are called to the priesthood of Believers, to share the goodness of God with others, to carry them before God in prayer. This is not a duty, it is a high and holy calling, a privilege given to everyone.

Our prayers need not be long or filled with religious cliches to be heard in Heaven. We pray from our heart, with faith that God hears. We are not concerned with ‘answers’ or ‘results.’ We are just faithful in the work.

Let me ask you - do you pray for others?
If presented with the opportunity will you pray for a friend in need, stepping into God’s Presence together?

This is a gift everyone can give.

Pray - for your spouse, for your children, for your church, for your pastor, for the nation, for the world, for the advance of the Gospel message, for peace, for the Light of Christ to break through the darkness - and in a thousand other ways! Be ready, in an instant, to bow your head to do priestly work for the world around you. In this you will find great joy and make a difference, though often unseen, when your prayers are heard at the Throne of God.

Let me pray a wonderful prayer for you today. Though they are the words of a prayer Paul first prayed, they are my heart for you. Receive the gift!

"I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources God will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19, NLT)  Will join me in agreement?  Let’s say it together - Amen!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Lord I Need You

Lord I come I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

And without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

 

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Christy Nockels | Daniel Carson | Jesse Reeves | Kristian Stanfill | Matt Maher

© 2011 sixsteps Music; Sweater Weather Music; Thankyou Music; Valley Of Songs Music; worshiptogether.com songs

CCLI License # 810055

 

Peace? Really?

Christians talk about peace; peace with God, the peace of God. Sometimes I wonder if it is just that - talk? Ours is not a planet of serenity. Congress debates $billions in weapons designed for death and destruction. The President of Ukraine pleads for increasingly lethal bombs to meet the Russian army. Israel and Gaza are caught up in a dance to the death with unimagineable suffering that is ongoing. Some streets in major cities of America have become dangerous because roving gangs believe that the way to settle a dispute is with a bullet in someone's head. 

Our political parties fill the news with endless jousting for power, arguing from the extremes of policty so often, the middle ground a no-man’s land. Then, too, the Church which ought to be an oasis of peace can be, and too often is, full of factions struggling for control. Closer to home, we see the family unit under seige. Stress, pressure, and missed expectations make too many homes anything but peaceful. Capping this sad list, we know that anxiety is America’s most common mental health problem as people try to cope with life.

Is this peace for which we yearn possible?
It is, but not in the way we commonly think. Peace will not be found in gaining power, getting our way, or controlling more resources.

True peace is a gift of God, found in Christ Jesus, received by faith. 

Here is His invitation. "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, 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)  Sounds good, right? Note that He does not invite us to retreat from life, to escape from responsibilities. “Take my yoke… it fits perfectly.” 

Christ Jesus invites us to become His followers, to learn the way He desires us to live, so that we can carry life’s responsibilities without the weight chafing us, in a way that has meaning, purpose, and with reward. He will not meet us with power, bossing us around, abusing us. He will work with us because the Lord of Glory is ‘humble and gentle.’   Peace is not discovered in some paradise; it grows from inside out, the result of learning God’s ways.

Jesus says, for example, that we set aside offense, offering forgiveness to others. Not once or twice, but always!  We give our ‘enemies’ to Him, trusting Him to bring about justice in His time. IF we will do this, we can find peace.

In another example, He tells us to abandon the quest for building great treasure, choosing instead to ‘lay up treasures in Heaven.’  When He is our Master, we learn about the meaning of real wealth and are released from the endless striving for stuff! In this, there is peace.

Peace must be pursued. It will not simply break over us like sun through the clouds. We find peace in the practices of the Spirit, in putting ‘first things, first.’  Let me say it again. Peace begins within us, a work of the Spirit of God, accomplished in us as we choose to open our minds and hearts to Christ Jesus each day in faith.

I love the story that Mark tells about an ordinary day when Jesus’ friends learned about how He creates peace. They were sailing across the little Sea of Galilee when their small boat was caught in a storm. Jesus had fallen asleep in the back of the boat. What a testimony to the power of inner peace that picture is! His friends grew frantic as the storm increased in intensity. Finally, they scream at the sleeping Jesus, "Don't you care that we're about to die?" "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39, NKJV) 

How many times have we watched the storms blowing up around us and felt the panic rising?  We feel the sting of another’s rejection. We live with criticism. Money runs short again. Health issues arise. That promising business deal flops. Some personal sin returns.  What then?

Will we screamed at God with bitterness or accusation?  "Don't you care that I'm about to be swept under? Where are You?"

Or will we turn to Him in confident faith, laying our need before Him, renewed in supernatural peace?

From a lifetime of walking with Jesus, I can assure you that He is near. Time after time I have known His presence with me and felt the ‘peace that passes human understanding’ flow over me.

If you're afraid today, or in turmoil, or at war - come to Jesus, the Peace-maker. Invite Him to speak to your storms.

Here's a word from the Word to meditate on for a few moments today.  Don’t miss the profound promise because the words are so familiar. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Good God Almighty
(Yes, He is a good God, the Almighty.
Find joy in this happy song today)

I can't count the times

I've called Your name some broken night

And You showed up and patched me up

Like You do every time

I get amnesia I forget that You keep coming around

Yeah ain't no way You'll ever let me down

 

Good God Almighty

I hope You'll find me

Praising Your Name no matter what comes

'Cause I know where I'd be

Without Your mercy

So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs

 

Tell me is He good (He's good)

Tell me is He God (He's God)

He is Good God Almighty

 

You say Your love goes on forever

That Your mercy never stops

So why would I assume

You'd be somebody that You're not

Like sun in the morning

I know You're gonna be there every day

So what on earth could make me be afraid

 

Praise Him in the morning

Praise Him in the noon time

Praise Him when the sun goes down

Love Him in the morning

Love Him in the noon time

Love Him when the sun goes down

 

Jesus in the morning

Jesus in the noon time

Jesus when the sun goes down

Jesus in the morning

Jesus in the noon time

Jesus when the sun goes down

 

Ben Glover | David Crowder | Jeff Sojka

© 2021 9t One Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Ariose Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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CCLI License # 810055

Be my “Prince of Peace”

My head hit the pillow last night after a Sunday filled with good. I was privileged to worship in a beautiful building dedicated to God. I connected with friends, sharing laughter and encouragement. I taught my little class of middle school students about the coming King of Glory. Yet, when the lights went off and I gave voice to prayer, the suffering of millions around this world who are caught in the crossfire of war, who exist on the edge of starvation, who are tormented by those more powerful weighed on me. 

For more than a hundred years governments spent $billions to attempt to create peace and yet the 20^th century was the bloodiest in human history.  With all of our education and advances this world still teeters on the brink of war. Yes, it made me anxious!  Perhaps for you the anxiety is much closer to home - a chronic illness, a broken heart, money troubles, or just the ordinary irritants of everyday life.

Here is the passage on which I meditated last night as I prayed for peace - personally and in this world. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, NIV)   There are two directives for us there.

First is “humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand.”  
Peter knew the subtle seduction of pride that invites us to attempt self-sufficiency. When Jesus warned him that he was about to go through a time of intense temptation, that he was a target of Satan, he bragged before the other disciples: “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” (Luke 22:33, NLT)  Hours later, when questioned by a servant girl about his relationship to Jesus, he swore “I never knew him!”  He became the victim of his own bravado!

Like toddlers experiencing independence, we may declare -“I can do it myself.”  And just like those same toddlers who find themselves frustrated by their inability to actually do what they thought they could do, we find ourselves at the end of our patience, without peace, sometimes in a worse mess for all our flailing about to make it better. Or, am I just talking about myself?  A step on the pathway to peace is choosing to be humble, acknowledging our weakness, our fear, our inability to control our own lives, much less the world in which we live. In that choice, we then turn to the One who speaks to the storm, who quiets the waves, who holds us securely in His grasp. We say, from the heart, “Lead on, O King Eternal!” 

Second we are urged to  “Cast all your anxiety on Him.” 
In another season of life, I wrestled with anxious thoughts often in the dark hours of early morning.  You may smile at my choice, but it was effective for me. I would think of those things that were keeping me awake, that were robbing me of peace, and imagine that I held them in my hand, then I literally would turn my hand upward, open my hand and think of handing those things to Jesus. It was a kind of visualized prayer. 

Peter’s words tell us to throw our cares onto His shoulders, that He is willing to carry our load!  

The Gospel song says -
“Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus!
Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus!
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone!
You've no other such a friend or brother. Tell it to Jesus alone.”

This second week of Advent we are invited to peace. Let’s make it more than a nice thought. Let’s live in peace.

The word from the Word speaks of the One who came to us in Bethlehem. Pray with me “be my Prince of Peace.”   "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Tell It to Jesus

(Willie Nelson sings the song)

Are you weary are you heavyhearted

Tell it to Jesus

Are you grieving over joys departed

Tell it to Jesus alone

Tell it to Jesus

He's a friend that's well known

Tell it to Jesus alone

You've no other such a friend or brother

Tell it to Jesus alone

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden

Tell it to Jesus

Have you sins that to men's eyes are hidden

Tell it to Jesus alone

 

Do you fear the gath'ring clouds of sorrow

Tell it to Jesus

Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow

Are you troubled at the thought of dying

Tell it to Jesus

For Christ's coming kingdom are you sighing

Tell it to Jesus alone

 

Public Domain

No empty words

“Talk is cheap” so goes the phrase meaning that what a person says is made worthless if not matched with actions. We all like that person who follows through on his promises, don’t we?  I recently purchased new windows for my home. My first meeting was with a salesperson who obviously was a great talker. Barry knew all the ‘right’ things to say, emphasizing the quality of their product, listening for cues for what I thought I needed. Not being born yesterday, I listened to him for an hour trying to discern between the sales hype and the facts. I made the deposit starting the process. When the project manager came to measure the openings for window production and to determine what would be needed for the installation, I found a few discrepancies between the salesman’s assurance about how it would be done and the reality. The manager made me smile when he said “The guys in sales have one job - close the deal!  I have to make it work.”  A couple of days ago the job was finished and I am pleased with the results!

Jesus asks those of us who bear His Name to watch our words! In His Sermon on the Mount He tells us “You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.” (The Message,  Matthew 5:34-37) A stinging accusation made by unbelievers about Christians is one dealing with hypocrisy. We give fuel to our critics if we say things that are not true about our faith, if we try to sound more ‘religious’ than we are, when we cover our fear or doubt with brave but insincere proclamation. Better to keep quiet than to lie by implication. When we are authentic, admitting to gaps we have yet to close between our profession of and our actions, we when admit that we have yet to understand some of the mysteries of faith, we do well.

God is offended when we come to Him with songs of worship unmatched by the state of our heart. His words are strong!  “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!" (Amos 5:20-24, NIV)  IF we what sing and say on Sunday morning is disconnected from how we live on Monday, it is more than insincere, it is a sin in the eyes of God Himself.

Oh yes, we do sometimes speak and/or sing from a place of faith, knowing the truth, but yet to fully own it for ourselves. That is not wrong, if we understand that we are work in progress and admit honestly to our humanity.  For example, I love to sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” in worship. The lyrics are an affirmation of the amazing goodness of God. Do I always feel that kind of assurance?  Not at all. Sometimes I grow frustrated by what seems to be unfulfilled promises. As raise my voice to sing “Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me” another part of me says, “But, God, what about ….?”  My desire in those moments is not to cover my doubts but to confess them, asking that my song informs my growing faith.

The same holds true for my engagement with Scripture. There are passages that offer wonderful hope but that I have not fully owned in faith.  I read them with a prayer for inspiration, that God, the Holy Spirit, will write them into my mind and heart so that the Truth shapes my life.

Worship and contemplative prayer are indispensable parts of the life of the Christian who desires spiritual growth and authencity.  In such moments, we need not make ‘noise’ to impress God, need not spill out a torrent of words to sell Jesus, are freed from the need to create an image of spirituality.  In the Presence of God there is healing and growth; we are led to become real, going beyond cheap talk to the true value of holy living.

Here is a word from the Word. In this passage we are challenged and encouraged at the same time, reminded that God sees and knows the truth about us while assured that Jesus is our “Great High Priest” praying for us. May we be people who are authentic disciples, who match our profession of faith with our possession of faith. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:11-16, NIV)   Hallelujah, what a Savior!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Make My Life A Prayer

Make my life a prayer to You,

I want to do what you want me to,

No empty words, no white lies,

No token prayers, no compromise,

 

I want to shine the Light You gave,

through Your Son You sent to save us,

from ourselves and our despair,

it comforts me to know You're really there.

 

Well, I want to thank You now for being patient with me,

Oh, it's so hard to see, when my eyes on me!

 

I guess, I'll have trust and just believe what You say,

Lord, You're coming again, Coming to take me away.

 

Melody Green © 1978 EMI Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music

Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing

CCLI License No. 810055

A Captive of Conceit?

Skipp was a former pastor, by most accounts a good and tender shepherd but his life had changed completely.  When I knew him he had become an active opponent of all things “Christian.” He even wrote a book about the reversal - Jesus Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. One day we were talking over our Chinese lunch about life and religion. He gently mocked my faith as something very much like a little child’s belief in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.  How exactly he came to those ‘new’ conclusions I cannot know, but it was obvious to me that a pride rooted in his intellect had overtaken him making him a captive of conceit.

Conceit is not a new thing.  Scripture has many stories of those who were blinded by pride.
Saul lost his mind and his throne when his conceit led him to reject the will of God for his own wisdom. Samuel challenged him to remember that “to obey is better than sacrifice’ but the warning fell on deaf ears.
Solomon came to his place as king and gave himself to self-aggrandizing work which he declared was ‘vanity’ near the end of his life.  
Herod, king at the time of Jesus’ birth, heard of the new King from the Magi and reacted in pride, killing the baby boys of Bethlehem in an attempt to hold onto his throne.
Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, failed in faith, thinking only of himself.

Are you tempted by conceit, thinking that you surely know what you should do,
resistant to the will of God?

Do you read His Word with judgment,
rejecting and questioning, rather than receiving it and living it?

The Proverb goes to the heart of the matter: "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." (Proverbs 26:12, NIV)  

Isaiah, the eloquent preacher of Jerusalem, said: "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." (Isaiah 5:20-21, NIV)

Let me be clear about this. There is mystery to the will of God for us sometimes. His ways are ‘higher than our ways’ and we may find ourselves confounded by our experiences. I have no idea why God allowed my late wife to suffer through 20 months of cancer and then took her home to Heaven 8 years ago. The questions are real and I do not escape into denial or easy explanations. But, I refuse to become a captive of the conceit of my own mind, claiming that I know better and turning bitter.  I choose to trust in humility.  And know this - I make no case for silly superstition or so-called ‘proof text’ Christianity that finds a verse of the Bible for every situation, often drawn out of context, to explain life!  Living for Christ is a walk of faith, a daily discovery of grace and a choice to live with the mysteries of faith, even as we pray to understand and are students of God, His Word, and the world in which we live.  

Someone has said that we can stand on the simple declaration - “Jesus loves me!”  For me that is oh so true. I may not be able to unravel the tangled threads of evil in this present world. The future remains an unseen and known only to Him - but I am assured of His great love.  This season of Advent I renew my HOPE by going back to the story that John summarizes this way:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." (John 3:16-17, NLT)  In this I stand secure.  How about you?

Do not became a captive of conceit, wise in your own eyes. Choose humility. Enter times of prayer, not to argue or plead with God, but to wait on Him, to listen for His voice, to offer genuine worship. You will find life ‘to the full’ in His Presence.

The word from the Word challenges us to make the choice of humility. Will you?  "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10, NIV)   "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Olivet)

My faith looks up to Thee

Thou Lamb of Calvary

Saviour divine

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

O let me from this day

Be wholly Thine

 

May Thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart

My zeal inspire

As Thou hast died for me

O may my love to Thee

Pure warm and changeless be

A living fire

 

While life's dark maze I tread

And grief's around me spread

Be Thou my guide

Bid darkness turn to day

Wipe sorrow's tears away

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside

 

When ends life's transient dream

When death's cold sullen stream

Shall o'er me roll

Blest Saviour then in love

Fear and distrust remove

O bear me safe above

A ransomed soul

 

Words: Public Domain