Get real!

wan·na·be Informal
One who aspires to a role or position.
One who imitates the behavior, customs, or dress of an admired person or group.

Sometimes they're funny, sometimes pathetic, and sometimes down-right annoying. Wannabe's, at first glance, are often indistinguishable from the authentic. The difference quickly becomes obvious when the wannabe has to actually produce like the real person. The wannabe, because he hasn't put in the time learning the skills, getting the education, and developing the art, is unable to come through in the crunch.

I understand when a teenager is a wannabe! In fact, being a teen-age wannabe is often the first step to becoming the authentic article. One little guy in the congregation I lead is a pastor wannabe. He carefully watches my mannerisms and even how I dress because I'm his model. (That is a sobering thought.) This little guy may well discover that God has given him the vocation of being a church's pastor as he matures. If He has, then he will need to go to school, learn the necessary skills, become an intern - and eventually - he will no longer be a wannabe, he will be a real servant of the Lord in the church. The pathetic thing is a middle aged guy who thinks that mimicking the mannerisms of some pastor, saying the same kind of phrases, in the same tone of voice, while wearing the same kind of clothing, really makes him a pastor. That is beyond sad!

Being a wannabe is frustrating because, essentially, it is a fraudulent life. The lack of substance and/or accomplishment causes the pretender to live a lie, which erodes any real sense of integrity. The wannabe knows another tragic result - he never finds out who he really is or what he is really capable of doing. By focusing on trying to be somebody else, he misses the joy of being who God created him to be, joyfully filling the place in this world his gifts, experiences, and opportunities create for him.

Here's the direct question - are you a 'for real' Christian or a 'wannabe?'
Have you submitted your life to Christ in full surrender, allowing for a complete transformation of heart and mind OR are you just trying to imitate the lifestyle of a Believer you admire?

The Bible says - "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. As God’s messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you." (Romans 12:2-3, NLT)

God loves YOU, friend. Yes, it is absolutely true. He won't love you more if you learn to imitate Mother Theresa or Billy Graham. Truth is, if you take that route, you will offend Him! He wants you to be you, a unique person with unique preparations to fill a unique place in this world.

Self-acceptance can be difficult. Looking in the mirror- physically and spiritually - reveals reality which isn't always pretty. But, we are worthless to God and ourselves until we face the facts. That doesn't mean we are stuck with what we see! We can take the imperfections and sins to God and He will work on us, transforming us by giving us the Holy Spirit to work in us. God doesn't do 'make-overs.' He does transformations. That's right - you can be an authentic saint! God can take the raw material that is you and do amazing things to create a person full of love, of the beauty of Jesus Christ. Why not start the transformation process right now?

In your own words admit to the embarrassment of being a fraud, a pretender. Tell God that you regret mistaking imitation for the real thing. Give him yourself- body and spirit - and ask Him to forgive you for the mistakes, the wrongs that have marred your life and displeased Him. Then, accept His transformational power. The change will begin in that moment!

Remember, there is a process. This transformational process is called sanctification. That just a big word for 'becoming Christ-like.' There are spiritual disciplines to learn that help the process along. There are mentors and teachers that help us in our understanding. There will be blunders along the way, but - if we are committed to Him and to being authentic- we can be sure that His promise - "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)- will be true!

Live authentically today!

Trusting Pharaoh!

Sleep didn't come readily to me last night. My mind would not stop working; racing from subject to subject, reviewing yesterday's conversations, making plans for this week, reaching for solutions to challenges at the church, praying for needs that came to my attention, etc. After too long, I finally said, "Lord, help me to trust You. Give me the courage to keep on doing what needs to done and the faith to trust You to give me resources and wisdom that are required." That simple prayer was the last conscious thought before I heard the radio click on in the morning!

Life challenges everyone. That's the way of this world since sin destroyed the perfect equilibrium in which the Creator made it. Thanks to Adam's rebellion our efforts at life are complicated by weeds in the garden! Genesis explains the problems of life this way -- 3:17-19 (NLT) God said, “I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day." Paradise lost!

To whom will we turn for help in overcoming the challenges that sin and Satan introduce to our existence? That is the question that I answer again and again! My constant temptation, and I'm not alone in this, is to turn to self-sufficiency, to attempt to live on my own terms. No, it's not that I become a total rebel, resisting God at every turn. It is much more subtle than that. When it appears that God isn't moving quickly enough or that He isn't paying attention, I take responsibility for the work - worrying, reaching for answers, seeking resources beyond those He's provided. The people of God have always struggled with this. Remember Abraham, the father of faith? He decided that God needed help giving him the son of promise, so he had a child with his wife's servant, Hagar. If even Abe concluded 'God needs help,' I guess it's a fairly normal thing to do.

Reading the history of Israel and Judah, we find that time and again, they made alliances with pagan kings rather than trusting God to defend them. Isaiah, who saw the king's response to the threat of the northern armies, wrote these words: 30:2-3 (NLT) For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt to find help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh for his protection. But in trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated and disgraced. Trusting Pharaoh! It was a natural, even reasonable thing to do. The threat of the powerful armies from the north would be offset with a treaty of mutual support from the powerful Pharaoh to the south: good reasoning, but not God's plan. And Isaiah's godly insight was true. Pharaoh didn't lift a finger to defend God's people. He took their treaty money and then abandoned them in their time of need. They were doubly deceived!

Are you trying to serve God by your own resources? It will lead only to frustration, sleepless nights, and fatigue! The Bible reminds us that... "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name (who really understand who You are!) trust in you, for you, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you." (Psalm 9:9-10, NLT)

What's your challenge today?

Marriage in trouble? God can change you and her, if you'll trust Him.
Financial troubles? God is your Source, the One who can provide all you need, including the wisdom to know what you need and what you want.
Tempted by sin? God is greater than the world, the sinful nature, and the demon hordes of Hell and will help you overcome.
Filled with fear? God is peace, and provides peace that 'passes human understanding' to those who fully trust in Him.Begin, don't end, with prayer.

Make faith your first resource, not your last resort!

"Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last.Keep company with God, get in on the best.
Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done:
He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon." (Psalm 37:3-6, The Message)

Accountable- we all are!

"I'll hold you accountable for this decision." How do you feel when you know that your actions are going to be evaluated? When the day for your annual review approaches, do you feel anxious about a failure to follow through or confident that you've done your best?

On the final episode of The Apprentice the final two applicants for a place in the Trump organization were subjected to an accountability session on national live television last night. The words and actions of one of the applicants in her final task during the show were criticized and dissected! Trump was honest and even attempted to be congratulatory, yet it was still painful to have to see Tana squirm as her failings were put on display for all to see. Conversely, it was great to see Kendra beam as her exemplary performance was recognized and rewarded.

The Bible reveals a fact that should make us think about the way we speak, act, and invest our resources. Here it is. Read it carefully. “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:11-12, NKJV) Do not misunderstand this. No one who trusts in Christ Jesus as Savior will find himself unable to enter into Heaven because of a lack of 'good works.' We have been judged with regard to sin already in Him and have been given the gift of righteousness before God. Right standing with God comes by faith alone! However, how we live will be evaluated by the Lord! We will be held accountable by the One who eyes see the hidden things, who knows our truest motives.

Paul describes this accountability session as a 'trial by fire.' Read it thoughtfully today-
"I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, NLT)
For some, that will be an awful moment of terrible loss; but for others it will be a wonderful day when the service they have offered to the Lord and others will finally be given the recognition and reward that faithfulness deserves!

Christians who served God in obscurity, unthanked and uncelebrated, will be lauded by the Lord of Heaven and Earth. There is no greater reward than to receive His commendation! This day of accounting will not just celebrate those of 'great' accomplishments, those who left institutions, big buildings, and/or masses of people with improved lives. It is not the quantity of the work that receives the reward. It is the quality! Those with few gifts and little opportunity will receive the same word of praise as those who were multi-talented and access to wide influence. What will matter before the Judgment Seat of Jesus will be faithfulness and motive, more than anything. All the rights things done for all the wrong reasons will disappear under his fiery gaze.

An old chorus we sang was a prayer that had the day of accounting in sight. In its simplicity it reveals how we can have confidence as we think of our eternal review. It goes like this:
With eternity's values in view, Lord,
with eternity's values in view.
May I do each day's work for Jesus,
with eternity's values in view.

Are you living for the moment or for eternity, choosing short term happiness or eternal joy?
When you make those big choices, keep in mind that before the Bema (the judgment seat of Christ Jesus) He will ask for an accounting. Then, live so that you will stand before Him joyfully and confident that you've done your best as you were guided by the Spirit of God- faithful day by day to the end.
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Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
wean it from earth, through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,
and make me love Thee as I ought to love.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own - soul, heart, and strength and mind!
I see the Cross, there teach my heart to cling,
O let me seek Thee and O let me find.

Teach me to love Thee, as Thine angels love;
one holy passion filling all my frame.
The baptism of the Heaven descended Dove,
my heart an altar and Thy love the flame.

God's Open Letter

Every morning as I look through the Easton Express-Times, one stop I make is on the editorial page. In addition to the syndicated columnists, I read the letters to the editor sent by local people. There I find some fascinating glimpses into the minds of other people- open letters that reveal both brilliance and stupidity, insight and ignorance! Some are angry diatribes, others laud some person or program. Some rail on religion. Some are written just to make a point that somebody feels isn't being made in the press. Perhaps I read them with such interest because, for years, I was a regular 'letter to the editor' writer!

The Bible says that our lives, Believer, are an open letter to the world! The Living God writes His message on our hearts and sends us out before an unbelieving world where His message can be read. Isn't that just amazing? God, the Omnipotent Creator, chooses to make Himself known through the lives of common folk, ordinary flawed people.

Here's the way it reads: "Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life." [2 Cor. 3:3-6 NLT] Paul weaves several thoughts into that paragraph but the one on which I am focused today is the one about the Spirit's writing the Message on our hearts!

What does this really mean? It means that as the Holy Spirit of God works a transformational process in us, the results are visible.

By way of example, we see the Spirit changes a selfish man into a loving one, a greedy person into a generous one, a fearful woman into a faith-filled one. In my work as a Pastor, there is nothing that gives me more joy than seeing a person begin to respond to God's work in their mind and heart. Last week, a woman who has just been through a divorce wrote to me about her fear as the breakup developed. At the time she was just beginning to open her life to God's work in new ways. (I have her permission to share this!) She said, "So, I did all I could do - I prayed. I told God that I didn't understand why this was happening but to please give me the strength to do all the right things. I told Him that I am just lying in His arms. Soon thereafter I had the overwhelming feeling that I should just forgive F. (her former husband) and let it go. I understood that he was a lost soul with nothing that really mattered. My anger and resentment just went away. With that came a peace and comfort that I never experienced before." Later in that note, she relates the way that he saw God's work in her. "He told me that he really sees how Jesus has effected my life, how peaceful I seem."

There it is! An open letter read clearly and proclaiming to all who read her life that God is a Living God, active in this world. I know some would argue that if God were really present, there would be no divorce, no suffering. Ah, that ignores the very real fact that He allows us to choose our own way! Even those of us in whom the Spirit is living and active have a responsibility to cooperate with His work. Sometimes God's letter gets garbled by our willful disobedience! That is why we read this entreaty - {Eph 4:1 NLT} "I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God."

Our high calling is to live as an open letter, written by Christ by the transformational power of the Spirit. We cannot live this way by sheer will, by high aspiration, by training, or self-discipline. Those things certainly play a part, but the 'writing' is done by the finger of God in our heart! Let Him write large, bold letters on you today, won't you? Let the Message be read by everyone who looks at you, so that they say - God lives!

Keep hope.

Ever been disappointed by another person's actions? Who hasn't?

A man visited with me a few days ago and talked bitterly about his pending divorce. "It's that d___ computer," he spat out the words. "We got it 3 years ago and she started spending time on it well into the night. Then, she claimed she fell in love with a guy; after 20 years of marriage." He was clearly angry, puzzled, and sad in equal measures.

I remember when the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke over the Clinton presidency years ago. My mind knew that the President was human, but I was still shocked and disappointed that the man would abuse the trust of a young intern, his wife, and the nation. It was hard to watch him speak and not think about his lack of self-control.

A man that I loved as a brother, who served along side of me as an Elder of a church where I pastored, confessed that he was an adulterer, shattering my trust and destroying his marriage. After all these years I still can't think of that day without feeling a deep sense of sadness and wondering what I might have done to help him resist the temptations that he allowed to ruin his life.

There are chapters in my life when I disappointed myself! Selfishness, rage, lack of empathy, laziness ... they are part of my biography, too! I try to live in a better way and too often, I fail.

So, how do we deal with disappointment, with failures - our own, and those of others?

Bitterness is the choice of many people. Disappointment with people, circumstances, even God causes some to grow sour in spirit. The Bible says that this becomes a root from which all kinds of evil grows in a person's life. [Hebrews 12:15 (NKJV)] speaks of a "...root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." We all know people who can't find a nice thing to say about anyone, who are cynical, withdrawn, and poisonous!

Forgiveness is the first part of God's answer to disappointment. Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Matthew 18:21 (NKJV) Since the law only required 3 instances of forgiveness thought he was being big-hearted to offer to forgive seven times! But you remember the Lord's response, don't you? Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven."

Forgiveness - does that mean we sweep away the other person's offense as though what was done is without importance? Does that betrayed husband of whom I wrote in the opening paragraph just try to forget the deep wound to his spirit that his wife's infidelity caused? Do I just look at my own sins that disappoint me and shrug, "I'm human"? No! That is not forgiveness as taught by the Scripture. Forgiveness is a choice to hand over the disappointment to God for His justice, to release the debt we feel is owed to us to Him. "Impossible," you say. No, friend, it isn't. Hard, yes - impossible, no.

Acceptance of reality is the second part of the answer to disappointment. We must give up our childish fantasy that life will always work out as planned, that people will always be good, do what we expect, or act in ways that are consistent. None of us is perfect! A measure of our maturity is the ability to deal with people as they are, discerning the good and the bad in others and in ourselves, and acting appropriately. I accept that there is a part of me that is quite capable of sin. I don't deny it. That acceptance does not mean that I indulge my tendency to sin. Instead, I seek the Life of the Holy Spirit to help me to put that part of myself to death - daily! Likewise, accepting the reality that others are not perfect and may well fail- allows me to let the Love of the Spirit love them anyway!

Keep hope! The day of the defeat of evil is coming. Oh, how I look forward to that day, when sin's power over us is completely destroyed, when disappointment is wiped away. Won't it be a great day?

"May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done - on earth, as it is in Heaven!" Amen

Wonder

Saturday evening we had a concert at the Assembly that featured the artistry of Phil Keaggy. When the idea of having Keaggy for a concert was presented to me, I wasn't really all that excited. I was puzzled why anyone would want to hear a guy play a guitar for two hours. Obviously, I'm not a guitarist! But my friend Jake, who is a Keaggy fan, was enthused about the possibilities. I allowed his enthusiasm to become mine. Saturday, when I experienced what Jake had tried to describe, the artist was all he was promised to be, and more. His passion, talent, and skills came together in a program that made me feel something I cannot describe adequately. He was wonder-full. During the concert, I was lifted above the ordinary for a while, carried along by the art of a little man who was passionate about creating beauty with his guitar.

I am learning to experience 'wonder' more often than I formerly did. I have lived my life as a practical man, valuing getting the job done. I feel best about myself and life when a task is completed. It's not a bad trait and helps me to plow through a lot of work, but I am realizing that being so focused on 'work' can keep me from experiencing another dimension of life. I have spent many days of my 50 years on this globe so focused on planning the next meeting, solving the current problem, writing Sunday's sermon, making sure my family was fed, clothed, and housed -- that I missed much of the beauty of being 'in the moment.' Is that a common trait of younger men? Perhaps. Now I am realizing that art exists for the purpose of delighting us and that art is found in many places - a guitar concert, a baby's smile, a painting, a photograph, a tiny bugleweed flower (my brother showed me this exquisite little 'weed' in my lawn last week), a poem, and a million other places. Last night I read Shakespeare's 29th Sonnet and found tears in my eyes! The artistry of his language captured a mood with such amazing skill, I read and re-read the passage, even calling my wife to listen to it. I don't think she felt the wonder! (smile)

Worship and wonder are closely related. We will sense God's Presence more readily if and when we learn to 'wonder.' The dryness of much in the practice of Christianity is the result of reducing worship to theological concepts and empty liturgy, hurrying through the forms without allowing for the Spirit to touch us, trying to make the 'wonder-full' truths that the Bible tells us in the stories of the works of God into neat packages of doctrine. Christians do not have much time for mystery these days. We want explanations! We want proofs! We want to know how it works and what the benefits are! "Preacher," we demand, "get me saved. Make me good. Give me three steps to being better at ...." But life isn't that simple. There is an awesome mystery that God allows to exist around us which we can only appreciate if we will allow ourselves to wonder.

Recover the wonder! It will cause you to serve God with more passion, to love Him more deeply.
Ponder this passage as you move through this day.
Isaiah 29:13-14 (NKJV)
Therefore the Lord said:
“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder;
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
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Lord of all creation
Of water, earth, and sky,
Heavens are your tabernacle,
Glory to the Lord on high!
Early in the morning,
I will celebrate the Light.
When I stumble in the darkness
I will call Your name by night.

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy.
The universe declares your majesty.
You are holy, holy!
Lord of heaven and earth!
Lord of heaven and earth!
Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth!

© New Spring Publishing© 2000 CCLI License No. 810055

Just say, "thanks!"

A word of appreciation can be as refreshing as a rain shower. Sunday evening, after a busy weekend of church related activities I was tired, really tired! As I was walking to my car about 8, Bob came over and, with just a few sincere words, told me that he was appreciative of a ministry effort that Bev and I spearheaded. I could not believe how much those couple of sentences meant to me. His gratitude affirmed the work I do letting me know that there is a positive benefit which isn't always easily discerned in the calling of a Pastor. I appreciated his appreciation!

It caused me to review what God was doing in my life and I spent a few moments pouring out my praise to Him. I thanked Him for a beautiful day on Saturday that I spent in the company of my wife, working in our yard together. I thanked Him for the skill and artistry of Phil Keaggy which I was privileged to enjoy that evening. I thanked Him for the joy of worshipping with other Believers and for the people He is bringing together at the Assembly to build His kingdom in our corner of the world. I thanked Him for the awesome privilege of preaching the Word. I thanked Him for friendships renewed yesterday with people from a congregation I served years ago. And, as I offered up my thanks, I felt the release of the Spirit's renewing Presence in my own heart. Such is the power of praise.

Once I started to praise, the gratitude in my heart became like a snowball rolling down a hill, growing and picking up speed. Even now, as I write about those moments, I want to break out in song -
"...and when I think of His love for me,
my heart fills with praise and I feel like dancing;
for in His heart there is room for me;
so I run with my arms open wide!

God is good, we sing and shout it;
God is good, we celebrate!"


Praise is pleasing to God, not the forced kind, not the insincere kind - the real recognition of Who He is and what He's doing. At the start of this new week, let me encourage you toward thankfulness. Express your appreciation to someone today - a simple 'thank you' may be just what they need. Thank God for ... well, make it your praise! You will find that the sun seems to shine a bit brighter as the Spirit of God flows into your life and lifts you up.
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Psalm 100 (The Message)

1 On your feet now—applaud God!
2 Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.
3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.
4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.
5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.

The Boomerang Effect

When I was a kid, Uncle Keith, who traveled a lot because he was in the US Air Force, brought me a crazy gift - a curved piece of wood which he called a 'boomerang.' He took me out to our yard and showed something that made my mouth fall open in amazement. He took that curved thing, threw it, and - low and behold!! - it ended up nearly hitting me in the head as it made a big loop and came right back to us!

Last night, while watching The Apprentice, (http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_3/) a reality show that is essentially a 16 week long job interview in which a candidate is weeded out each week, I saw the boomerang effect in play. Two candidates are left vying for the job with Donald Trump's organization. As a final qualifying project, Tana and and Kendra were given an event to produce and run. They were each given 3 people who had already been 'fired' from the program to be their assistants and the ones brought back were those who were most difficult to manage! Tana quickly established a hostile atmosphere by referring to her team as 'the 3 stooges' and observing a 'boss and employee' protocol. Kendra, did exactly the opposite. Despite her personal misgivings, she reached out to bring her team members onboard, giving them meaningful jobs and inviting their assistance. Tana's hostility quickly boomeranged back to her only making the job harder. Kendra's team served her with their whole hearts and at the conclusion of their successful event, embraced her with joy, sharing the win!

I thought about that and wondered, 'what am I throwing out there that will come back at me?'

The Bible doesn't speak of boomerang effects, but the wisdom of the Word reminds us that 'what a man sows, he will reap.' If we plant kindness, love, gentleness, and respect; these blessings will come back to us.

Here's the kicker for the Believer, we are to break the cycle when others hurl insults and hatred our way. With the help of the Spirit, here's the challenge for us.

• "Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." (1 Peter 3:8-11, NIV)

Today -- as you interact with others remember the boomerang effect. Throw out the kind of words and actions that you want to receive in return. ... and God will bless you!
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Phil Keaggy will be in concert at Washington Assembly this Saturday evening at 7:30 PM.
Tickets are still available. Inquire about purchase by calling 908 689 6727

Jerry Scott 

Hotel Rwanda and being a neighbor

If you have not yet viewed the film, Hotel Rwanda, get it this weekend and view it. If you have children who are older than 12, have them watch it with you. The film recounts the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who works for a Belgian firm in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. It tells us of his heroic and ultimately futile attempts to save lives during that nation’s 1994 civil war and large-scale massacre. Without being overly sensational or splashing blood in your face, the film's producers manage to disturb you and if you have a conscience, they compel you ask - "who is my neighbor?" If you're looking for easy answers, this is not the film to watch!

As the world looked on, the Hutu people of that nation slaughtered about 1 million Tutsis, another ethnic group. In one of the film's most compelling moments, Paul urges a reporter to put some graphic footage of the killing on air to rally support for military intervention. He is told by the Western reporter, "People will be eating their dinner in the West when this footage airs. They will pause for a moment and say, 'isn't that awful?' and then go back to their meal." And that is exactly what happened. What makes the war even more tragic is that the divisions in that African nation were exacerbated, if not caused, by European colonialism, yet neither Europe nor the U.S. felt any need to try to stop the massacre! This TFTD does not intend to suggest that the United States, Britain, France, and/or Germany should be the developing world's policeman. Those are global issues that demand a great deal of information that I am not privileged to know.

What I am trying to do today is to cause you to think about how you are connected to other people - whether they live across the street or on the other side of the world. Jesus told a story, compelling in its simplicity. When you start to read it, I'm sure it will be familiar. Read it anyway, slowly, like you're discovering it for the first time....

The man said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied with an illustration: “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 10:27-37, NLT)

We separate ourselves - by political party, by religion, by economics, by ethnic distinction, by race, even by sex. Somehow we convince ourselves that the 'others' - however we are divided- do not demand the same compassionate concern as those who are inside of our circle. Unless we have a compelling self-interest we shrug off the needs of those who are left bleeding by the road as being of no personal concern. "Let someone else care for them." Even worse, we invent reasons not to become involved, saying things like- "they deserve their plight, just look at the decisions they made." Or, "it's always been that way, I can't change anything." Or, "I've got my own problems and nobody's helping me!"

When you read those lines in print, they don't stand up as well as when we think them, do they? Jesus Christ taught that the world is our neighbor. If we have experienced His love, we have an obligation to actively love others. How we do that is beyond the scope of this short TFTD, but a good way to start the dialogue is to watch Hotel Rwanda with some friends and spend some time talking it over.

"If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see?" (1 John 4:20, The Message)

Big ears, little mouth!

As I headed off to a meeting with the Deacons, I asked my wife to pray for me - a simple prayer but an important one: "Lord, give Jerry big ears and a little mouth!" Perhaps it strikes you as a strange construction but I was acknowledging that I needed God's help to listen closely to the conversational flow. I knew that in our meeting we would be talking about some issues on which some of us seemed to have differing ideas. The key to avoiding conflict was to understand the positions of those who share responsibility for leading this Assembly with me. So I wanted to listen -something it is quite easy not to do especially when we feel we need to make our point!

Listening to others is the #1 way we show that we love them. "Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference." - David Oxberg. A very real curse of our busy, highly mobile society is a feeling that millions of people have today - 'I don't matter. My ideas are ignored."

That sense of being marginalized or alone is all too often real particularly for those who hold service positions, who have some kind of physical disability, or who are very young or elderly. Counter clerks in retail establishments tell awful stories about how people treat them as though they were simply an extension of the cash register, not a real person. Disabled persons recount how many speak past them like they are invisible, even talking about them like they can't hear! Little children respond with delight when we bend down to look directly into their face and listen intently to their stories. Why? Because often adults just don't pay much attention to them.

Did you know that the way to find happiness in your marriage is communication? Many couples point to sex, money, or the kids as the challenge in their relationship, but actually it is a failure to understand each other's needs and expectations. A torrent of words is not the same as communication. Genuine communication is a two-way transaction- listening and speaking. A good listener offers a gift that affirms the worth and personhood to the other. Dean Rusk, former U.S. Secretary of State and a Washington, DC power broker, observes - "One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears- by listening to them."

Listening demands our full engagement. Bev, my wife, sometimes says, "Look at me!" during our conversations. She doesn't like talking to the top of my head while I continue to read. Even though I can repeat her words back to her, she wants eye contact, my full attention. Is she just insecure? Of course not. My body language, if I continue to read or work at my computer while she's talking, says - "I'm not really interested in this conversation." I may well be hearing her, but unless I give my full attention to her, I am not actually listening!

Paul directs us to selfless lives, to actively seeking the good of others, and I am convinced that includes learning to have big ears and little mouths!
He writes
"... we cannot just go ahead and ...please ourselves.
We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong.
We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
For even Christ didn’t please himself. " (Romans 15:1-3, NLT)

Today, let's make it a goal to actively engage with the people around us. Take note of the bent shoulders that might reveal a burdened heart. Look around for the person who has withdrawn to the safety of silence and invite them back into the conversation. When you ask, "how are you?" really pay attention to the person you're speaking to and they might just tell you instead of politely saying, "fine."

And in a real way, if we do this, we will be fulfilling Jesus' command to love others!

"Lord, give us big ears and little mouths.
Help us to learn to love in more than words, with our whole person.
Give us your gentleness, your kindness, your patience so that we will
have many opportunities to share life - even for a few moments-
with those who are alone, afraid, or powerless.
Help us, Jesus, I pray in Your name. Amen."

PS- God answered that prayer and we had a great Deacons' Meeting, filled with good decisions.
We left encouraged and together as a leadership team. Praise God!

Jerry D. Scott, Pastor
www.WashingtonAG.net
908-689-7777
33 Brass Castle Road
Washington, NJ 07882

Keep it pure and clean...

Imagine being parched, terribly thirsty, after some hard work on a hot day. An old fashioned well nearby invites you to be refreshed. Picking up the bucket next to the well's head, you drop it into the shaft to pull up a cool drink. The water that you draw from the well sparkles in the sunlight, is cool, and as you drink it; you can feel its reviving effect immediately. Contrast that beautiful picture with another scenario. As you pull the bucket back to the top of the well, instead of the sparkling fresh water you expected, what pours from the bucket is is filthy and stinking! You discover the well has been polluted with the carcass of a dead animal. A revolting scene, isn't it?

Now move that image into the spiritual. You are in great need of compassion, seeking for answers to the thirst of your soul. There is a person in your circle of acquaintances whose life appears to be together. He seems to live a purposeful, whole, and godly life. So, you approach him to develop a friendship in which you hope to find refreshing.... only to discover that he is a shallow, sensual man who offers nothing of any value for his heart is a fouled well! OR, as you spend time with another, you find that she leaves you feeling joyful, hopeful, and challenged to seek for the God that pours from her like a drink of fresh water.

Which kind of well are YOU?

The Bible says, "guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23, NIV) What a challenge for those of us who would live in a way that is Christ-honoring! Watch what you put in your heart, and what you allow to stay in your heart, for what is hidden away there will either be refreshing or polluting, life giving or death dealing.

Let me state the obvious; we need to take care about the kind of information and entertainment that we put in our hearts! "Oh, come on, Jerry, I'm an adult. I can handle that stuff." A steady diet of godless, sexually immoral, profane, or self-oriented material will have a deleterious effect on a person, no matter how mature or resilient they believe themselves to be. We are only fooling ourselves if we think we can consume great quantities of what flows out of our current culture and escape the pollution's effects.

Then, too, we need to work on cleaning out the pollution that is thrown onto us from other sources. Harmful words that are spoken to us in unguarded moments, or even when we are children, can turn our heart into a source of bitter water, brackish with self-pity, sour with cynicism. We can rob those words and actions of their destructive powers IF we are willing to clean them out of our heart. It may require a counselor/friend to help us. It will certainly involve forgiveness and the healing that comes with a deep experience of God's great love.

The, there are the demons that surround us will do their best to plant their poison in us! We must resist their efforts with the weapons of the Spirit. For example, yesterday as I worked in my yard on my day off, seemingly from nowhere came thoughts of resentment and anger. I found myself agitated, then feeling an 'oh, what's the use of trying to go on?' emotion that was more than a passing mood. When I realized what was happening, I began to pray for the Spirit to rise up in me. I offered thanks to God for the situations and people that had come to mind. It was a struggle, but after a time the attack failed and my heart was at peace again.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you today -- "Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him....)" (John 7:37-39, NLT)
_____________________________

May the Spirit of God
prime the well of my heart
with living water.
And, may I 'guard the well' so that
what overflows from my life
is a refreshing drink to those who thirst.
In Jesus' name, I pray.
Amen

img src=http://img.heartlight.org/cards/g/1thessalonians4_3.jpg

The Heart - Who Can Know It?

Human beings are wicked and wonderful creatures! (Just for the record, what follows in this TFTD isn't just about 'others' for I most certainly share this trait of duplicity, too.) People confound me, in ways good and bad. Over and over, just when I thought I knew who someone was, they did something that amazed or disappointed me - acting in a way that was totally out of sync with who I thought they were. For example, the most loving individual, who gives of herself unselfishly, will make a most hurtful statement revealing a deep streak of selfishness. A person who appears to be completely self-absorbed and incapable of caring for someone else, will make a costly and generous gift of himself.

I will confess to a certain level of credulity in this area of life. I want to believe that the people I meet are who they appear to be! I want so badly to think that everyone who claims to love Jesus is really intent on following His ways. I want to think that all Believers live in a way that puts the work of God and the good of the Church over their own agenda. And... time and again, I am disappointed by people whose actions, despite the profession of best intents, reveal that they are guided by baser motives. Lest I seem overly negative, let me note that I've been equally amazed by the discovery of a genuine heart that hungers for God hidden under layers of habits of what I would consider 'sinful' behavior!

How do we account for this? Jeremiah wasn't very complimentary about human nature. He observed, [17:9 MSG] “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out." Paul admits that he was a person torn between righteousness and wickedness! Who among us cannot identify with the angst in his words? He admits, "It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me." {Romans 7:21-23 NLT}

We cannot trust our hearts! We are fools to put much stock in all of our best intentions. "But, Jerry" you may object, "that is such a terrible view of human nature!" The inescapable conclusion I draw from the Scripture is that in every saint, there is a sinner that is struggling to express dominance. It helps to account for the lapses into sin that we observe in the lives of Believers. The most loving husband may fall prey to a wandering eye. The most devoted mother can become a cruel antagonist to one of her children. The most selfless Pastor may become a self-serving manipulator of those who trust him as their shepherd!
-- IF they look to their own inner strength to protect them from the temptations of the world, the flesh (sinful nature), and the Devil.

Paul, after spilling out the ugly confession of the duplicity of his heart, goes on to tell what makes a holy life of integrity possible -- the intervention of the Savior and a life intimately lived in the Spirit's power. He writes, "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death." [Romans 7:25-8:2 NLT]

This is the miracle of the Christian life! Spiritual transformation is not the result of religious acts or harsh and punitive deprivations. We are changed by entering the Presence of the Holy One, allowing Him to change us from the inside out. To be sure, we are cooperative in the process. By faith, we practice the spiritual disciplines that are a part of the Christian life, not because they earn us the approval of God, but rather that they create conduits for the Spirit's life to course through our lives. Regular intake of Bible truth, consistent times of meditation and worship, faithfully gathering with other Believers for corporate worship, giving of our time and resources, and confession are among those choices we make that allows the work of the renovation of the heart to proceed. (thanks to Dallas Willard for that great phrase!)

Are you disappointed in yourself or another today? Are you ready to condemn that person as inferior or terrible? Are you ready to crawl into a place of personal shame, feeling the awful ache of condemnation? Don't! There is no solution in that response to your sin or the sins of others. Instead, look to the Spirit, invite Him into the situation. Let Him reveal the sin that is causing the dysfunction. And pray earnestly that Jesus Christ will come with the power to defeat the world systems, the seductions of the sinful nature, and the deceptions of the Devil. Rest, don't wrestle!

For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Life and Light. Only God can grant us the life of His Holy Spirit that consistently defeats sin that seeks to dominate us. So, since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal. 5:25 NIV)
_____________________________

Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.

Change my heart, oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God,
May I be like You.

© 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services) CCLI License No. 810055

For Real!

Years ago, I bought a gold ring that was inset with diamonds for $19. No, it wasn't 'hot.' (stolen) You guessed it. It isn't real gold and they aren't real diamonds, but hey -- from 6 or 8 feet away, who could tell? It looks like the real thing, until you take a close look. Then, the fact that it is an imitation is obvious even to the untrained eye. There are plenty of imitations in our world. You can buy a pint of imitation vanillin flavor for the same price as a couple of ounces of real vanilla extract- but there is no comparing the flavor difference. You can buy an imitation Rolex watch on the streets of New York City for a few dollars, but a real one will cost several thousands.

I love real people. OK, you're scratching your head wondering, "What other kind are there? Robots? Fake people?" Yes, the world is filled with people who are just shells, images without substance, pretenders who work at hiding their true selves behind titles and tales; suits and surgeries. My heart breaks for these sad souls who have to work so hard to be somebody they are not, in vain attempts to gain the approval of people they don't even like.

Real people have learned to be 'at home' in their own skin. They don't have to prove anything, play a role, or have rhinoplasty. (Look it up and smile!) Real people know that they are more than the kind of car they drive and the job that they hold. Real people can be difficult because they are so resistant to the games too many of us play. You can't manipulate a real person because she is not responsive to peer pressure. Then, too, real people live and tell the truth which makes some of us very uncomfortable. They don't pretend to see the Emperor's new clothes, they just acknowledge that he's naked!
(If you don't know that story you can read it at http://hca.gilead.org.il/emperor.html)

Being authentic is important for Believers! The opposite is hypocrisy, which Jesus condemned more harshly than any other sin! When He met the Pharisees who were expert religious fakes, He was not gentle. In The Message, a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible, Jesus' outrage at these pious frauds comes through. Take a look.

• “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that’s wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?
  
• “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something.
  
• “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You’re like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh." Matthew 23:23-27

Wow! What would Jesus say to some of us who are so skilled at putting on the religious show on Sunday? Just reading those words makes me shudder!

Here's the great truth. Though being honest with ourselves and others about who we are and what we've done is very hard, it is the first step to change. The Bible calls it 'confession.' John wrote about 'confessing our sins,' (1 John 1.9) and in the Greek text which is the New Testament's original language, he uses the word 'homologeo.' which means 'same word.' How does that connect? God wants us to 'say the same word' as He does about who we are and what we have done. He knows us - inside and out - beyond our pretending and our image. He says, "Agree with Me about your true self, and then, I can start the work of restoring you to a state of being genuine, of bearing my image as I intended!"

The #1 objection to authenticity is this - 'but if people really know me, they won't like me.' Mostly that's because we do not like ourselves! We think we are too fat, too thin, too dumb, too ugly, too shy, too tall, too short, too.... I've heard it all. Hidden inside of us, is a person God made to fill a specific place in this world. We sin against Him when we try to become somebody else. Yes, who He made us to be is damaged by sin, our own and who sin against us. The thing with sin is not to pretend or cover it up, but rather to own it and let the Son shine in. He will bring us His hope, His healing, and His restoration of the image of God that we were meant to bear, forgiving us and loving us, so we can liberally love and forgive others.

Are you a fake? Let God love you to reality.He knows the 'real' you so why not admit who you are to Him, and then to yourself?

Real is a beautiful thing - truly!

Idolatry of perfection

"Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly."- G. K. Chesterton The phrase arrested me!

Everywhere I turn I am challenged to excellence, urged to compete, compared to the best, inspected, poked, prodded.... and that's not all bad. But, there is a place for doing what we do, being who we are, without comparing, without measuring. Years ago, I stopped playing golf. There were many reasons but the primary one was that I did not play well enough. I knew I didn't have the time or money to invest in developing the skills that would allow me to be a good (by prevailing standards) golfer. I loved spending three hours puttering around the course, and I really did not give a care if I shot a 9 on a par 5! But, not many of my follow golfers wanted a guy along on the course who was just out hitting the ball and soaking up sunshine. I wasn't a 'serious' golfer. I let the pressure of competition steal a simple pleasure from me.

My wife teaches 1st grade. She feels constant pressure to make each of the little ones learn all their subjects to the same high degree of proficiency. Never mind that tiny Sally is an artist for whom math is an exercise in torture. Mark's passion is reading but he must draw! They must all get good grades in all subjects regardless of natural interests or abilities. The joy of learning and collaboration is lost to little marks on a paper that determines if Sally and Mark are 'good' students. This is the tragedy of modern education.

A small church of a 100 or so enthusiastic Christians may be a wonderfully healthy Body nurturing people into a relationship with God that is deep and authentic, but that little congregation will often destroy the joy and health of who they are by trying to become the next mega-church-- going into debt, taking on ministries -- because that what 'churches of excellence' do. Instead of being the church that God ordained them to be, they feel they must be the church that Christianity Today magazine lauds in the lead article of the most recent issue.

The idolatry of perfection creeps into everything, turning our focus onto ourselves away from the service of God. The result is that fewer of us live joyful, committed, and fulfilled lives. Instead we are perpetually desperate, anxious, and cranky!

Are you starting to get my point today?

• We don't age with grace because baldness, thick waist lines, and wrinkles are not acceptable in the modern standard of perfection of perpetual youthfulness. Says who? It's the way of life that youth gives way to age and God's plan is that the deficits that come with aging are offset by the strength of wisdom! Proverbs observes- 16:31 "Gray hair is a mark of distinction, the award for a God-loyal life."
  
• We can't let our kids be ordinary (almost a curse word to some!) because to do so is to fail to push them to their potential. So, conforming to the ways of the world, we make them neurotic performers who don't know the joy of doing anything just 'for the fun of it;' who spend the rest of their lives competing and living on the edge of mental breakdown. Imagine saying, "Just play baseball and enjoy it, son." Oh no, we have to ruin Little League for him, making a 9 year old kid play the game like the destiny of the universe rides on whether his team wins!
  
• We can't rejoice in who we are because we're always focused on what we could be... if only!
  
• Our spouses suffer under the strain of being compared to that one that is 'so perfect' and we destroy what could be a great relationship trying to make our wife realize that she 'needs' to be thinner, neater, .... etc. We miss the treasure we have, because we are comparing.
  
• Our Christian lives are full of stress and strain as we measure and compare ourselves to others. God's will is that we surrender to the Spirit's call and allow Him to use us - just as we are, right where we are- for His purposes.

"Jerry," you say, "I am shocked that you would applaud mediocrity." If that what you're thinking, I've communicated poorly or you've jumped to the wrong conclusion. It's not mediocrity that I'm urging on us today. It is acceptance of who we are and contentment in the situations in which we find ourselves at this moment. God has a plan for each one of us, and we can't all be the President of the United States or evangelist Billy Graham!

The Bible reminds us that "The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ’s body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?" (1 Cor. 12:12-16 NLT )

If we attempt, in the name of excellence, to be someone that we are not called or equipped to be, we will miss out on the great joy that comes to those who are humble - that is, no more and no less than God calls them to be.

Let me urge you today to ask God who He is asking you to be, without comparison to some external standard of 'excellence.' Rejoice in the spiritual gifts and opportunities He has presented to you and be the person He wants, not the person others are demanding you become. Give up the need to be recognized, to 'win' the award, to earn applause - except the applause of Heaven earned as we perform for the Audience of One.

In this humility and contentment we will find that life is much more pleasant for us and for all those around us. AND, I am absolutely convinced, that in the end, we will accomplish more, and what we do, because it is done for God, will be of lasting value!

Are you worshipping the idol of perfectionism?

Love's strength

Telemachus, a monk who lived in the 5th century, journeyed to Rome. He went to the Coliseum where the bloody gladiatorial contests were waged, killing for public entertainment. The sight so deeply offended him that he jumped into the arena. There are several variations in the story of what happened next. In some tellings, he put himself between two gladiators shouting that the contest must stop in the name of Christ, and was run through with their swords. In other tellings he implored the crowds to go home and never return to the games. Their bloodlust was so great that they stoned the monk to death. Whatever account is true, the end result was that Honorius, the Emperor, was so moved by this display of sacrificial love that he put an end to the murderous games forever.

Such is the transforming power of real love! Jesus said that it would be the quality of our love that would be the undeniable distinguishing mark that we were His followers. In the first three centuries of the Christian church this was certainly true. Believers had no worldly power structure, no cathedrals in which to worship, no wealth with which to fund armies or professionals, no official hierarchy to promulgate the faith. Christianity thrived because those who put their faith in Jesus were radically changed by His love and went into a cruel and violent world armed with nothing but love. Followers of Jesus rejected any solution to evil that required power or violence. Instead they looked for the places where need existed and served sacrifically. The sick found compassionate care in the homes of Believers. The outcasts were welcomed. Abandoned children were adopted. Love was more than a feeling! Love was a verb that worked hard, at great personal cost. The world was changed by the power of love.

This quality is beyond the sentimental impulse so often confused with genuine love. It comes from a place much deeper than the warm fuzzy feelings produced by a greeting card poem. Transforming love is borne of an encounter with God. It is sustained by ongoing intimacy with God's Spirit where our heart is made tender by the application of His grace. "We love," John says, "because He first loved us." If this kind of love is cultivated and allowed to flourish in our lives, we will be transformed and we will become world-changers! Our children will not abandon our faith as so much silly and/or superficial ritual aimed at getting into Heaven, someday when we die, by and by.

Love will give our lives depth and texture that is so compelling that others will long to live with the same intensity. Was it her beauty, wealth, or political power that made Mother Teresa universally admired in the last two decades of the 20th century? Of course not! Her life was lived completely in the two loves that Jesus said were at the heart of a life rightly lived- love for God and love for others. Love compelled that little woman to serve the least, the low, the loveless and love gave her access to kings and Presidents whose power was eclipsed by that of a diminutive nun from Calcutta. Once when she was asked about her hard work, she said, I pray that you will understand the words of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Ask yourself “How has he loved me? Do I really love others in the same way?” Unless this love is among us, we can kill ourselves with work and it will only be work, not love. Work without love is slavery.

I have much to learn about love! But I rejoice that I am not who I was, and that I am not yet all I will be! Thanks be to God who loves me with transforming love. He loves you, too. Are you letting that love change your heart?
________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 13 (The Message)

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete.

But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Ennobled by love

The best 15 minutes of yesterday was when I rocked a little 2 year old while she watched TV. I sat down in the rocker while I was waiting to have lunch with my Mom and Dad. Little Ashley, a child in their care at Scott House, came over, crawled onto my lap, snuggled in, and made herself comfortable. Later her older sister, age 3, wanted to sit next to me during lunch, where she basked in the attention I gave her. Making those little kids feel special by giving them a few moments of focused attention was not only good for them, it was good for my soul!

We need to love and be loved. We hunger for the affirmation of our person that is found in receiving love and affection. As adults we move away from the simple expression of the hug and experience love in words sincerely and creatively say, "You matter to me!" These words build our sense of personal worth, letting us know that we are valued beyond our 'work' and function in society. As much as we need to loved in that way, we also need to give that kind of love away liberally.

Genuine Love is so precious, such a catalyst for transformation, so "of God" -- that the Evil One does everything he can to frustrate the expression of it.

Sex - If possible he will convince us that sex is love; and he's been quite successful doing that in our present American culture. Our teens, particularly the girls, have so entangled sex and love that many are giving themselves in self-demeaning ways thinking that the guys will 'love' them in return.

Religion - He uses religious zeal to great effect in destroying love. Consumed with a need for the triumph of "truth" many Muslims hate Christians and Jews. With equal prejudice, Christians quickly assume a place of superiority, pointing out the deficiencies of Hindus and Buddhists. Even among Christians, being 'right' is usually more important than being loving - and 'right' is usually whatever 'we' are - Baptist, Pentecostal, Calvinist, Catholic, Sacramental, Charismatic. How proudly we wear our labels to make sure everyone is aware of our position and from the well-defended heights we rain down scorn on those differently persuaded.

Ego- Then, too, the Devil uses our innate love of self to frustrate the expression of love. He does whatever he is able to do to remind us when our hunger for love is unmet and to convince us that we could not possibly extend ourselves in love and kindness given our own need. How many marriages have perished because neither spouse will move to meet the other's need for love until they feel that their own need is met? How many friendships have died because one person became convinced they weren't getting their fair share of affection?

Believer, we can LOVE and we must. God, in Christ Jesus, has loved us and from that 'first cause' has sparked in us the ability to love Him and others with abandon. Meditate on this familiar passage for a few moments --
"My dear friends, we must love each other. Love comes from God, and when we love each other, it shows that we have been given new life. We are now God’s children, and we know him. God is love, and anyone who doesn’t love others has never known him. God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other." (1 John 4:7-11, CEV)


Paul develops that thought even further as he writes to Timothy. He encourages him not to get side-tracked into being 'right' at the expense of being loving.
"Don’t let people waste time in endless speculation over myths and spiritual pedigrees. For these things only cause arguments; they don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith.
But some teachers have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time arguing and talking foolishness. They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they seem so confident." (1 Timothy 1:4-7, NLT)

Let God love you deeply today. Realize that He loves you, not for your performance or pedigree, but because you are. As that sinks in, ask Him to help you to love someone else in that way... whether it's rocking a little child for a few moments (that will make your heart glad!), or listening intently to a lonely elderly person in the supermarket, or picking up a volunteer task that makes someone's world a little brighter.

"There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT)

Sharing the love of Jesus?

I recently read a provocative book by Brian McLaren called A Generous Orthodoxy, which is an invitation to Christians to think about the many ways that God touches our lives. The chapter on bringing Jesus to our world, but in a way that invites others with warm dialogue rather than condemnation, was especially winsome. A person who reads it too quickly might conclude that the author says that all religions are equal in truth and worthy of the same respect. He doesn't! McLaren makes a case that we who are followers of Christ must go beyond our 'religion' to take Christ Jesus' message of God's love and offer of life to all people without trying to export our culture besides. Tricky call, isn't it? So much of our practice of Christianity is co-mingled with Euro-American culture that many of us scarcely know the difference!

He tells a story, a true one, that is arresting. Go with us to post 9/11 Washington, DC, to a neighborhood of cultural diversity.
One day, Emma (the author's little daughter) saw a woman walking towards us covered in a veil and asked the inevitable, "What that, Mommy?"
"Emma," I answered, "that lady is a Muslim from a faraway place. She dresses like that- and covers her head with a veil - because she loves God, that is how her people show they love God."
Emma considered these words. She stared at the woman who past us, pointed at her, then pointed at my hair and further quizzed, "Mommy, do you love God?"
"Yes, honey," I laughed, "I do. You and I are Christians. Christian ladies show their love for God by going to church, by eating the bread and wine, by serving the poor, and by giving to those in need. We don't wear veils, but we love God."
After this, Emma took ever opportunity to point out Muslim women during our shopping trips and to tell me, "Mommy, look. She loves God."
One day we were getting out of our car at our driveway at the same time as our Pakistani neighbors. Emma saw the mother, beautifully veiled, and pointing at her, shouted, "Look, Mommy, she loves God!" My neighbor was surprised. I told her what I had taught Emma about Muslim ladies loving God. While she held back her tears, this near stranger hugged me, saying, "I wish all Americans would teach their children so. The world would be better. The world would be better."
-- A Generous Orthodoxy, pg. 266 quoting Broken We Kneel, Diana Butler (Jossey Bass, 2004)

What a bridge-builder! And learning to reach across those kind of cultural gaps is exactly what Paul was willing to do in order to earn the right to present Christ's message in many settings. He was so secure in his identity as a Christ-follower, he was able to meet people where they were. He writes, When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:20-23, NLT)

Emma's mother wasn't endorsing Islam as a way of life when she taught her daughter to be respectful and to see the Muslim veil within the context of its use. That respect created an opening for Christ's love to bridge the gap between cultures. It takes great security in our relationship with Jesus to live in that way, a security found only in a deep intimacy with the Lord born of a revelation of His grace and love for us!

Some Believers feel the need to build a fence that divides the 'in' from the 'out' from the very first conversation. They insist that if we show respect or enter into dialogue with a person of no faith or of another religion, they might interpret our acceptance of their person as affirmation of their religion! Oh, how the Devil rejoices when we make that conclusion for this erroneous notion renders us largely silent as a messenger of Eternity's best news! There is a huge difference between accepting others and affirming what they do. Jesus ate at the table of sinners but he was quite confident that they wouldn't mistake His willingness to break bread with them as approval of the way they lived! Can we do less?

IF we are filled with the Spirit, the intangible reality of His Presence will spill out of us at those tables, compelling others to think deeply of value of following Jesus, too. May I encourage you to think about the way that you relate to the 'world' around you?

Are you hiding behind walls of separation, afraid of being contaminated by the filth that is real and prevalent out there? I understand that urge! Sometimes I want to run for the hills, too, and move into a Christian commune where never an unkind, filthy, or hateful word is heard. But, how can we fulfill our God-given function as 'salt and light' in this world if we are locked up in isolated communities?

Are you walking in the world, but careful to make certain that your 'Christian' persuasion is unmistakable, carrying a Bible prominently, pasting a fish symbol on your car, -- or whatever you've been taught? Check the motivation behind such displays. If there is even a hint of self-righteousness or self-preservation in all of that, stop it! Jesus wasn't too kind to some religious folk who wore their religion on their sleeve, so to speak. “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear extra long tassels on their robes." (Matthew 23:5, NLT)

Are you intentionally open, respectful, and ready to enter into the lives of others so that you might have the opportunity to bring Jesus' message to them in your actions and words? This requires that we are wise, filled to overflowing with genuine love, and completely secure in our own faith in Him. There is something undeniably attractive about that kind of Believer. Paul alludes to it when he says,"thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those being saved and by those perishing. To those who are perishing we are a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NLT)
_________________________________

Lover of my soul, this morning I am
feeling the wonder that You would love
someone as insignificant as I.

Let that love settle so deeply into my
heart and mind that I will become a
lover of others, deeply - compassionately.

Teach me how to bring your grace
to those who are hungering for You.
As I see and understand the world through their
mind and heart, help me to have the
words to convey Your hope and love to them.

Jesus Christ, hear my prayer.
Amen

Secure in His care

This Springtime morning the air was filled with the chirps, whistles, and cries of the birds. What a difference from the cold silent mornings to which I awakened a few weeks ago. The dogwood tree in my front yard, which was a snarl of brown twigs, this morning is decorated with beautiful white flowers. The lawn, which was patchy and brown, is lush and green. Where does all this life come from as Spring takes over from Winter? I'm not asking that like a scientist, for there are certainly explanations offered in of migratory patterns, germinating seeds, and extended sunshine warming the earth. Instead, I am looking at Springtime with worshipful wonder and thankfulness to the God who designed all this for you and me!

I found the chirping birds and bursting life in my yard curiously comforting this morning, a stark contrast to the woeful news that fills the pages of the newspaper and that pours out of the television. Our President, with all the power and authority that is available to him, is incapable of making a bird sing or a flower grow. Unending war, shortages of energy supplies, and economic challenges left President Bush grasping for answers in his news conference last night. All he could say is, "progress is being made," over and over again. In our demands, we fail to remember that he is just a man, a leader yes, but never-the-less an ordinary man.

The challenges in my own life chatter away in my mind demanding that I grow anxious, making my shoulder muscles tight and painfully tense. Most of you understand for you, too, face the stresses of life. May I invite you to go and stand for a few moments to listen to the birds, to contemplate the wonderful works of the Creator?

I read the closing chapters of the book of Job again today. I love the way God 'comforts' Job! Instead of soothing Job and empathizing with him in his sorrow, God points to the wonder of Creation as if to say, "Look up, higher, past your troubles."

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements?

Surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

To what were its foundations fastened?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

When the morning stars sang together,

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?...
Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

And caused the dawn to know its place,

That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,

And the wicked be shaken out of it? " (Job 38:4-7; 12-13, NKJV)

What a Word! We need to have our minds lifted from preoccupation with our troubles and trials. We need to gain Heaven's perspective. When we do, we will be able to live in Jesus' promise of provision. Here it is. Take it with you today and when the anxiety rises, repeat it to yourself again.
"So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are." (Matthew 6:25-26, NLT)
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV)

Gold Fever

It has caused wars, provoked people to murder, brought on uncontrollable greed, made people insanely lustful, and driven men to abandon family, home, and safety in quests to own it. It is a soft metal, yellow in color - called gold! Today gold is 'green' as in dollars! Last night on 60 Minutes (CBS) Vickie Mabrey reported on a story out of Iraq. In April, 2003, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division of the US Army, were part of the invasion. Two weeks into the war, they had pushed into Baghdad. One day, in three separate locations, they discovered dozens of metal boxes each about the size of a picnic cooler. Opening the boxes they discovered they were packed with $100 bills, about $4 million in each box! At two locations, officers quickly took charge and placed the money in the custody of the US government. But in another location, something different happened. I'll quote one of the soldiers who was there.

"And then … there was a moment that everything turned … evil. The air was thick…The looks had changed. You could see that everyone was just out for themselves."
"What do you mean, evil?" asks Mabrey.
"Have you ever been in a room with that much money?" asks Novak, adding that another soldier actually talked about killing someone to keep the discovery quiet.
(see http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/25/60II/main690763.shtml )

What an illustration of the Bible's statement - "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:9-10, NIV)

One of the most enduring myths among human beings from every age is that wealth will satisfy the soul hunger that exists within us. It is true that money can do some amazing things - buying us pleasure, causing others to treat us with respect, and giving us power. If you watch The Apprentice, a reality TV program that features Donald Trump, a rich real estate developer from New York City, you will always see people fawning over him, treating him with deference, for no other reason except that he is rich! His opinions matter, not because he is smarter or because he's invented something that will bring better lives to millions, but because he has $Billions in assets.

I even find this happening among Christian pastors. The one who is privileged to lead a larger, wealthier congregation is much more likely to be invited to speak to the conference gathering than the one who leads a little country church off of the beaten path. Pastor John, who shows up at the gathering with his entourage of associates, is often shown much more deference than Pastor Joe who drives up up alone!

Most of us think that gold fever is something that only effects somebody else. We just have 'needs.' They are greedy. How deceitful our hearts are. We find ways to disguise our greed even from ourselves, thinking if we drive a certain kind of car, or live in a certain kind of house, or give a certain percentage of our income -- we have mastered that universal tendency towards acquisitiveness. But, what if we were tested like those soldiers in Iraq? What if, suddenly, we had access to large sums of money? What would happen to us? Would we change, seized by gold fever?

The Bible warns about trying to use our faith to build wealth, about thinking of God as a means to 'get more.' Instead, we are challenged to become content. Here's what the Word says, "men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth.... suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:5-6, NKJV)

The cure for gold fever is thankful, genuine gratitude that we offer as a sacrifice to the Lord, day by day.Here's a word from the Word to take with you today -
"Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness. " (Psalm 107:8-9, NKJV)

Bowed heads and bent knees

One would think that the mysteries of faith, that pondering the awesomeness of the works and wisdom of God, would produce a great sense of humility in those who are deeply devoted to things spiritual. It surely did that for Isaiah who, when he had a vision of the Almighty, cried out, "Woe to me... I am ruined!" My observation is that among Christians just the opposite is often true! Those who claim a close relationship with God are frequently possessed of a "I am right and you are wrong" spirit. Positions of 'ministry' become, for some, little personal kingdoms. Many among us who claim to know the One who called Himself, "The Way," seem to think that the majesty of His Truth gives us a right to be disrespectful of those with whose convictions we differ.

Even within the Christian church, among various groups holding differing doctrinal views there is a great capacity for arrogance.

Some who believe that God sovereignly orders all things openly doubt that those who believe in free will are even Christian!

Some who believe that Christ's sacrifice is within the reach of all who would choose to receive His grace by faith, are quick to deride those who believe that Jesus' saving grace is available only to the Elect.

Pentecostals proudly declare they are followers of the way of the "Full Gospel" seeming unaware that if their motto is true that means non-Pentecostals have a partial Gospel. Is there such a thing?

Others don't blink an eye as they declare that the King James Version of the Scripture is the only real Bible! What incredible arrogance for people who are speaking of eternal mysteries of which even the most erudite have only the most elementary grasp!

This past Sunday, Evangelical Christianity was treated to an egregious display of Christian religious hubris. It was called "Justice Sunday." (see http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=LH05D02) Church leaders joined forces with the Republican party to attempt to rally Christians to apply pressure to United States Senators in support for President Bush's nominees for the Federal bench. I agree that the President has a constitutional right to nominate whomever he pleases and that the Senate has the right to vote on those nominees in their role of 'advise and consent.' I also agree that some very qualified candidates for the Federal bench are being denied their vote by Senators who are intent on keeping abortion legal and furthering an agenda of homosexual rights. However, using high-blown rhetoric to inflame people, in God's name, to promote a political party's program, is nothing short of an exercise of power that is rooted in pride! I believe that exercises such as "Justice Sunday" give Jesus a bad name, and I think that the spirit of this kind of 'might makes right' event breaks His heart.

I wonder what long term results might have happened if instead of holding loud rallies designed around speeches to attract national media attention, our Christian leaders had called us to a day of fasting and to gather in our churches to sit in silent prayer? Might God have listened to our hearts and seen our tears and saved our children from this land's growing debauchery? Do you think Jesus' words when He said-- “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." (Matthew 6:5-6, The Message)-- apply here?

Friend, are you humble?
The Word calls on us to humble ourselves before the Lord!

Here's a passage for your contemplation today. Read it with a bowed head and a bent knee, an attitude of surrender to Him. It has something to say to each of us - as citizens, as parents, as Christians, as friends, as individuals:

• "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" (Philippians 2:5-12, NKJV)

________________________

Father, what wondrous things You have done for us,
giving us grace and love while we were undeserving.
In our time, Lord, we are rich and our wealth has made us proud.
Forgive us who bear Your Name before the the world for
adopting the practices of power, pride so common among the 'self-sufficient.'
Teach us to seek You, to trust You,
to serve You - humbly and consistently;
alike in times of exaltation and times of deep need.

Give us the mind of Jesus Christ by the inner work of the Spirit
and make us forgetful of ourselves,
content to be no more and no less than You call us to be;
willing to bear whatever burden You lay on us with patience.
Jesus Christ, be glorified in us today
as we practice humility that allows Your Light to shine through us
uneclipsed by our pride.
Amen.

Breathed by God

We live in what is often called "the Information Age." An torrent of words flow our way everyday from multiple sources. That you are reading this TFTD indicates you are 'wired,' a part of the most amazing information development in human history - the Internet. As a pastor I am able, by this medium, to influence the thoughts of people far beyond the physical location of the pulpit from which I speak on Sunday. TFTD is read by people in Italy, the Far East, Australia, and many of the 50 states of the USA. I don't write that to boast, but to illustrate a point. Many of those readers have no way to know what kind of person I am. They are unable to see the life context that shapes the messages that arrive in their computers each morning. The anonymous nature of the Internet demands a high level of discernment from us and requires that we have a safe standard to use in evaluating the content of the information we find there.

For the Believer the ultimate standard of Truth is the Holy Scripture. That said, I want to encourage you to be students of the Bible, to learn to love the Word of God and to read it for all it's worth. Paul encouraged Timothy to remember the value of the Scriptures - which at that time consisted of the Books of the Law and the writing of the Prophets. He wrote: "why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." (2 Timothy 3:15-17, The Message)

"God-breathed" is a curious construction, isn't it? In many translations the word is "inspired." But didn't men write the words of the Bible? Yes, of course they did. It didn't fall down from the sky written by angelic scribes! Peter tells us that these writers were "moved by the Spirit." They breathed the Breath of God and in their stories and words recorded His wisdom for us. To recognize the human means of receiving the Word does not, in any way, diminish its power in my life, but it does make it study a bit more complex.

For example, to fully understand Paul's teaching letters we need to know to whom he first wrote and why. Galatians, that wonderful letter about Christian freedom from religious regulations, was written to a church he had founded and that had fallen under the spell of false teachers who were stealing the richness of Christ's grace from them. We can feel Paul's passion still after 2000 years as he asks, "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified." (Galatians 3:1, NIV)

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were inspired to write the Jesus story, but each gives us a distinct perspective. As we understand that Matthew wants us to see Jesus as the Jew's Messiah, that Mark wants us to know that He is the powerful Son of God, that Luke wants us to understand that He is the Son of Man, the Savior; and that John is intent on helping us to see that He is the unique God-Man, who brought Light and Life to a dark world; the Gospel becomes a multi-faceted diamond that reflects God's truth into our lives.

When we read the stories of the the patriarchs and of the Jewish people who were alternately faithful and faithless, we are able to trust God to meet us where we are and to lead us to Himself- generation after generation! Thousands of years of great stories from the Old Testament era help us to learn that while God uses individual people, His purposes survive fools and frauds.

The way that we commonly hear the Bible used may actually diminish our ability to understand it. We hear a snippet here and a proof text there, little lines taken from their rich context and turned into a kind of pithy proverb to make a point. Yes, it is the common way the Bible is read and preached and used - even here in TFTD. It is true that we can excerpt passages and study them, we may even quote a phrase to underscore a point, but the best way to let the Scripture become the Gift of Truth to us which God intends - is to read it with understanding of context, with grasp of the story line, and with deep love for the One whose Breath makes the Words alive! Hebrews reminds us that "the Word of God is living and active." As the Spirit lives in us and in the Word, a miracle of living Truth occurs. The letters of Paul, the Gospel stories, the prophets' raging sermons, the Psalms rich images- are not just some legal text which we dissect and systematize with footnotes and bullet points. Instead, we find God's voice speaking to us, "—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live."

Let me encourage you to read the Bible! Don't read it to 'get something' out of it. Don't go looking for a verse to prove your point, or a passage to support your latest twist of doctrine. Instead, read it with an open heart and discerning mind, as the story of God! Read it with a kind of wonder and a deep humility. You will find that God will use those ancient texts to create wisdom in you, to shape your life in a way that pleases Him, and that causes you to learn to love Him with your whole life.

Read it again- for the first time!