Now, patiently wait for Him!

My daughter and I chatted on the phone yesterday about my dislike of 'loose ends' in life, I shared with her some of the ways in which I have recently observed God's plans working out- and I laughed as I said, "He really does love me!" How could I have ever thought otherwise, given my years of walking with the Lord? I haven't doubted His love, but like most people who He puts in His waiting room, leaving them in a situation that to all appearances isn't going well, I had been tempted to conclude that God had forgotten me or shelved me. Then, the knots started to unravel, the pieces started to fall into place, and I realized, anew, how He's been at work all along.

Habakkuk, the prophet, was tempted to conclude that God had stopped working. He went to prayer and heard these words from the Spirit: "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)

In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the purposes of God working out in life, differently than he had planned, but ultimately for the greater good. He is under house arrest in Rome, kept from his preaching travels in the Empire. Those who looked at his life's situation could have concluded that God had sidelined the apostle in a dead-end place. But it wasn't true! God was allowing him to multiply his effectiveness by putting him among the 'movers and shakers' of the Roman world. He wrote, "everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ." (Philippians 1:12-14, NLT) He was evangelizing the soldiers of the palace guard, the elite young men of the realm! Everyday they stood in the room where he prayed, wrote, counseled, and taught. They learned about the living Lord. Some were converted and took the message back to their homes and families.

Be patient. Pray for faith. Ask God to steady you until you're able to grasp the 'what, why, and when' of His purposes. That's not an easy assignment. Some will mock you as you profess your trust in God. Like Job's not so wonderful wife who saw his plight, they will advise you to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2.9) But, like Job, hang onto your trust in Him. It's just fine to cry when it hurts. God sees your tears and weeps along with you. It's just fine to pray, "how long, Lord, before this night breaks into day?" He, too, is waiting for the day when His kingdom comes!

But, never doubt His love or His ability to accomplish His purposes!
Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and let the eternal Word strengthen your faithful resolve to serve the Lord.

"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause." (Isaiah 55:11-12, The Message)

Can you see the Promised Land?

Some of you can probably remember when Bush I, ran for the Presidency of the U.S. against Bill Clinton. Much was made of "the vision thing," as the media dubbed it. It was claimed that President George H. W. Bush was a manager who led the nation without a clear leadership vision. Though he was a good and decent man, he failed to inspire the nation. Did he actually lack vision or was this accusation simply an invention of the press? I don't know, but what I do know is that the Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18, KJV) Vision is what causes us to sacrifice, to reach higher, to achieve great things. Without it, people give themselves over to fighting, to selfishness, to indulgence of sensual whims.

Vision is an incredibly important part of reaching God's goals - for our personal life, our family, our church, our local community, or our nation! My life is pulled along by a God-given vision of being a man whose words and actions honors the Lord- as a good and loving husband and father, and as a person who provides solid leadership to the local church that God has called me to shepherd. When that vision is sharp and clear, it makes saying "no" to certain things much easier. For example, when greed creeps up on me and whispers in my ear... if I start to look around and compare my pile of things with what others have... I am tempted by other more lucrative opportunities. But, if I look up and renew the vision, the voice of greed falls silent and I remain faithful to God's calling.

In the organization that I lead, I know that my greatest challenge, my most important work, is to impart vision, to help people see the 'Promised Land.' By that I don't just mean Heaven! God has charged me to help people see who they can be by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He has charged me to help people see the world as God desires it to be, not as it is. Am I always good at that? Nope, 'cause like Bush I, sometimes I fall into management instead of leadership. I get so taken with making sure that the system is running smoothly, that I don't see the 'big picture' as clearly as I should.

Visions are powerful, yet fragile. They motivate people to change, but they die without constant tending. Naturally, we are not visionary. It takes effort and inspiration to lift our eyes to see past our appetites, our comfort, our attachment to the present, to begin to love the vision of a new future! God calls on us to have faith and reminds us that without faith that 'sees' His vision for life, we will never please Him. To understand that, consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses led the Israeli people out of Egypt, they followed him with excitement- for a short while. When things got rough and they grew tired, the vision of the Promised Land faded and they started to whine: “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NLT) They forgot that those foods came to them at the cost of their freedom, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters. They forgot that they were slaves and remembered only the stuff that they put in their bellies!

What vision has God given to you?
Are you keeping it sharp, tending it, renewing it by regular times when you re-connect with the Spirit who gave it to you?

Memory is deceptive and selective! Yesterday's victories and defeats must be left behind as we pursue the calling that God has given to us. If we look back, a rosy glow will come over our vision causing us to long for what we can never have again. We will fall into sin as our vision is clouded with reminisce. If we look forward, God will show us the "Promised Land" of His provision,drawing us to become holy people that honor His Name.

Here's the promise - “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:28-29, NLT) _______________________

Father, give me spiritual eyes that see the promise,
the possible, not just the probable.
Renew Your dream in me, causing me to see the Promised Land.
When I start to love my food, my TV, my comfort -
more than I love You, Your callings -
forgive me and send me messengers that renew the vision.
Pour out the Spirit on me, like a refreshing rain that causes
new life to burst out.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

"I know the truth!" Really?

When I was a younger man, I lived with the illusion that all questions had easy answers, that all problems had simple solutions! I made a fool of myself more than once by suggesting that I understood things that I didn't 'get' at all. I ignored the mysteries of life, preferring 'black and white' to gray. I'm still an action-oriented guy, who pushes for solutions and results. However I've also learned that seldom, if ever, is a situation exactly what it appears to be on the surface because life is multi-faceted with overlapping issues and competing needs; and people are complex- a mix of good and evil, of high and low motives. Thus, I now conclude that the best solutions and answers to the challenges that we encounter in life will emerge from rich dialogue involving diverse perspectives.

These days there are few things get under my skin as much as labels that lead to simplistic, jingoistic jargon and avoidance of real interaction. Sticking a pejorative label on another person makes it easy to ignore everything he has to say.
Why would a 'liberal' listen to a 'conservative?'
What can a "Presbyterian" learn from a "Pentecostal"? (or vice versa!)
Why would a "Bible-believing" Christian engage in dialogue with a "neo-orthodox" Christian?
Can those of "free will" Arminian and "sovereignty of God" Reformed persuasions come together in the cause of the Kingdom?
Is there common ground to be found between those committed to "contemporary" and "traditional" worship styles?
Yes, I know that these labels help us to identify our positions on various issues. I am not suggesting that having convictions or doctrinal persuasions is a terrible thing. What I'm advocating is listening without immediate judgment! It's amazing what we can learn from a person with a very different point of view when we take time to really talk with them, to draw them out from behind their defenses. But, given our human pride, active and engaged listening is a skill that is most difficult to learn well!

Listen to this appeal from the Scripture - "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.” I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, The Message)

If you and I hope to reach our world with the Good News about Jesus Christ we must learn to listen! We cannot offer answer until we understand the questions. I know that I've been guilty too often of offering people answers for questions they aren't asking, because I only half-listened to them, only half-understood their situation, and then presented them with a solution that fit my pre-conceived notions about their need. Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice whose writings had wide influence on Christianity a generation ago. Though he was a man of keen intellect and sharp insight, a person who had clearly defined theology and strong convictions, he was also very effective in sharing the Christian message with those most resistant to evangelism. He did it by listening! He took time to understand the culture, to learn the language and philosophy of the time, and then to wisely allow the Spirit to form his words into new ways of presenting the unchanging truth of the Gospel. In the late 70's and early 80's Dr. Schaeffer was a leading prophetic voice whose influence is still felt throughout the Church today.

Are you listening? Are building walls around or bridges to other people?

OK, it's 26.2 miles!

Some of you had a little fun with me yesterday, most probably missed the gaff. A marathon run is not 23 miles as I wrote. Since 1924, the length of the run has been fixed at 42195 meters, or 26.22 miles! OK? I told you I wasn't an athlete! A little nagging voice in my head said, "do a fact check before you sent out that TFTD." I didn't. Chalk it up to too much confidence in recall, or whatever. I was mistaken. As each email arrived to tell me of my error, I laughed a little more, wondering how many others caught me but didn't write. What's that line, "to err is human, to forgive is divine?"

Mistakes, failure, and sin creeps into our lives through many doors.

Perhaps we're just over-confident. "It could never happen to me! I'm better than that." are thoughts that are the prelude to disaster. God's wisdom reminds each one of us of the importance of humility: "You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." 1 Corinthians 10:12 (The Message) Maturity does not show itself in brags and boasts. It is revealed in the realization that each of us is just one slip from disaster. So we pray, with ever greater sincerity, "deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:13 (NIV)

Perhaps we're compromising our once high standards. When things go well for a spell, we tend to relax our guard, don't we? There is nothing like success to create complacency in us. Like Samson of old, as we experience victory upon victory, we are tempted to stop doing the things that brought us to those successes in the first place. He defeated the enemies of Israel and then started to flirt with one of the beautiful women from the Philistine nation. Delilah's fingers ran through his hair and she made the mighty man forget himself. When she had led him to compromise his promises to God, she called in her compatriots. When Samson sensed the danger, he sprang to his feet thinking he would fight them off. What follows is one of the tragic lines in the Bible - "I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him." Judges 16:20 (KJV) He compromised, broke his intimate ties to the Spirit of God from whom he got his amazing abilities, and became the slave of those he had once vanquished in battle.

Perhaps we're under attack. Ah, I like that one because it relieves me of responsibility! I know now why I got the marathon length wrong. The Devil made me do it. Seriously, we need to take note of the fact that there is a real conspiracy against God and good, coordinated by the mastermind of evil. I believe in a real Devil who organizes the spiritual forces of darkness against God's work, God's people, and this creation which is the handwork of God. The Bible tells us that he is real, militant, and seeking our destruction. He adopts whatever tactics necessary. In one Bible passage he is said to go about as a 'roaring lion seeking who he may devour.' In another he is said to masquerade as an 'angel of light.' He doesn't fight fair, does not care for whatever pain and suffering he creates. His goal - to discredit, to devalue, to destroy! But, if you and I stand close to God, we are strong to resist him. Thus James teaches us - "let God work his will in you. Yell a loud 'No' to the Devil and watch him scamper." James 4:7 (The Message)

Have you failed recently? Was it something much more significant than getting the length of race wrong?

Make failure your friend! John Maxwell, former pastor, author, and teacher wrote a book he titled, Failing Forward. (Nelson, 2000) Neat line, isn't it?

In it he contrasts allowing failure to ruin us - failing backward;- and using failure to learn - failing forward.
Some, he writes, blame others, repeat the same mistakes, expect that they will never fail again, accept tradition blindly, allow themselves to be defined by their mistakes, and/or quit. They fail backward.
Others take responsibility, learn, understand that failing is part of the process and inevitable in progress, challenge old assumptions, and persevere. That's failing forward!

Here's a word from the Word to think on today -

Stalwart walks in step with God;
his path blazed by God, he’s happy.
If he stumbles, he’s not down for long;
God has a grip on his hand. -- Psalm 37:23-24 (The Message)

Practice makes perfect

I am not an athlete, never been, not likely that I ever will be. I could be but I lack the motivation to train, thus I condemn myself to only being a spectator. Recently I read the story of a middle-aged man, much like myself, who decided that he would run a marathon after seeing his daughter finish one. He was out of shape, had never even jogged, much less done something as rigorous as running a 23 mile race. But he was inspired by his daughter's achievement and wanted to match it. He began with a mile run. He felt like his chest was going to explode, like he was going to die halfway through that first run. Six months later, he finished a marathon! How did he do it? Daily training- running, conditioning, eating healthy foods, getting rest. Practice made perfect! We usually think of the word 'perfect' as meaning flawless, but in that context it means 'complete.' He was able to do what he intended to do because he trained his body in daily disciplined exercise.

The Christian life is a process that is a lot like preparing for a long distance run! We 'ooh' and 'aah' over the stories about great Believers whose lives are well-lived, examples of faith, and productive in terms of making a Kingdom difference in the world. In the same breath, many of us say, "I wish I could do that" but we really don't mean it. Here's how I know that many believers do not really intend to become great Christians. They don't do the daily disciplines, practice the habits that create the maturity of spirit and character, that lead to greatness. Said practically, if a person will not make the choices to get to worship faithfully, to contribute a portion of his income to God, to participate in some kind of unselfish service regularly, to meditate and pray each day - he's as incapable of doing great things for God as I am to run a marathon today! Some small part of me would like to run a marathon, too, but it's not going to happen unless I get off of my behind, pull on those running shoes, and get on the road! God has given us daily disciplines to build endurance and maturity in us. Those disciplines pattern us and enable us to live mature and complete lives, full of the Spirit, that defeat the Evil One, that create loving spaces in a hate filled world, and that cause others to say, "God be praised!"

Some people miss the point entirely of spiritual disciplines. They begin to worship the disciplines, rather than the Lord. Instead of understanding that the disciplines are just the means of opening up clear channels through which the Holy Spirit works to create maturity and power, they think that the disciplines themselves are the power! These misguided ones become like the guy who keeps training, but never enters the competition. Why train if you're not going to compete?

Ask God to give you a goal that's bigger than your present abilities, an 'impossible' vision. Then pray for the wisdom and courage to start small, to practice until you're matured, completed, enabled to do what that thing that you could only dream about before your training began. At the end of that race, there is a reward that is eternal, that does not tarnish, that no one can eclipse, or take away.

How are you living your life - for today, or for eternity?
Have you set your sights on God's home, on finishing well;
or are you seeking to be comfortable today, to satisfy the demands and desires that arise in you right now?

Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion.
Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please!
Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so,
making you fit both today and forever.
You can count on this. Take it to heart. 1 Timothy 4:7-9 (The Message)

Pressure produces diamonds!

Anyone can smile, be loving, and appear stable when life's ship is sailing on smooth seas, under sunny skies! Heroes are made in times of crisis, when, from the crowded ranks of the ordinary, she takes the lead, points the way, and rallies others to success. The theory is that ordinary carbon atoms - one of the most common elements on earth - are transformed by extreme heat and pressure into the crystalline gems, diamonds, that are both industrially useful and beautifully decorative. Of course, there are carbon atoms compressed into beds of coal, too!

Paul, a man whose life was fairly safe and routine within the mainstream of his community, heard God's call and responded with obedience. If you've read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, you know that from that day on the road to Damascus where he first made a commitment to the Lord, his life was filled with difficulty as he took up the challenge to take the message about Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, to the Empire. At one point, it got so tough, Paul thought it was 'game over.' He reflected on that experience in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians: "We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead." - 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT)

He is describing the stress and pressure of his calling. And what was that? In addition to being repeatedly arrested, tossed out of cities, even beaten; he was often criticized by people in the very churches he formed, under attack spiritually, and simply exhausted by the rigors of travel. He says, "we were under great pressure," and in from that pressure- a diamond, useful and beautiful, emerged from the life of the former Pharisee. I just love his wry commentary - "we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!" (The Message)

When we are subjected to pressure, how we respond results from a combination of factors; personality, training, past experience, and spiritual depth. Of those, only one is beyond our control- personality. We can prepare to emerge from life's pressures as a gem for Christ; if we will allow ourselves to be schooled and patterned by the disciplines of the Spirit, if we will use the experiences of life to grow, and if we will let God develop real spiritual character and depth in us. In reality, most of us live carefully and safely, avoiding situations that might subject us to pressure whenever possible. Some don't respond affirmatively to God's call and offer of spiritual gifts because they know that they will be held to account, that He demands the best and highest, and that they will have to say, 'no,' to Self interests. Some avoid conflict instead of confronting wrong and/or evil. For some, should life become difficult, their response is to complain, whine, and wait for someone to ride to rescue. But others rise to the occasion, seeking God's powerful Presence, and they emerge as heroes of the Kingdom!

Are you courageously embracing God's callings? Is the result that you find yourself under pressure, criticized, stressed by multiple responsibilities, pushed past what you thought were your limits of endurance? Trust God!

Do what people who become heroes do.
Prepare for challenge with discipline. Don't whine!
Build a team that gives support. God doesn't build His work on Lone Rangers.
Know when to take a strategic retreat for restoration. Even Jesus allowed for 'down time.'
Focus on the goal.
And, most importantly, let God be God and trust Him who 'raises the dead!'

Patiently?

Yesterday, I tore into the pile of mulch in my driveway at warp speed, delivering it to the flowerbeds around the house as fast as my friends could spread it. Why the need for speed? I don't know! I just wanted to 'get it done!' Then, I tried to start the leaf blower to clean up the dust left on the drive. It wouldn't fire... even after a couple of dozens of pulls. I could feel my level of irritation rising. I was tempted to toss the blower across the yard. Of course, that would have been doubly dumb, wouldn't it? I've lived long enough to know that I have to work at giving things time to work out. This is one of those months when, in my life, there is a whole lot of unfinished business. As a result, I have to commit and re-commit my way to the Lord, asking Him to work on me, and in me, so that I will not rush ahead into folly!

Truthfully, I do not know many people who enjoy waiting - especially the kind of waiting that involves big challenges, lots of pain, or apparently intractable problems. Be it war, cancer, or raising teenagers- waiting for an answer, some resolution, or an end; is not easy. God operates on a different schedule than you and me, doesn't He? I must admit that there are times when I want Him to act NOW. I tire of waiting and waiting for His will and work to be done. The Psalmist shared that impatience.

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying,
“We have defeated him!”Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.- Psalm 13:1-4 (NLT)

Desperation fills that song, doesn't it? Is it anguish or impatience that fuels that refrain, "how long, how long, how long?" No matter. Read on for the Psalmist's conclusion.

But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord because he has been so good to me. -Psalm 13:5-6 (NLT)

God's unfailing love is the hope of the harried, the rest for the weary, the source of serenity for those strained by life!Take charge of your restless mind, your turbulent soul, and wait for the Lord.This morning, precisely because I know the pressures to which I will be subjected today, I carved out a time alone with God. I sat quietly in His Presence and waited!I prayed for eyes to see the long view, the willingness to wait for Him without complaint. I know that in time not very distant my song will change. He will act, just as He has done in the past.
My new song will be:

I waited patiently for the LORD;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust!- Psalm 40:1-4 (NIV)

Wait on Him. He has not forsaken you. He knows your need and He will meet it - in His time, in His way.

"Well, at least I believe in God."

A parent of a young adult whose life lacked any real evidence of loving God despite being raised in a Believer's home told me that her daughter's retort to encouragement to return to God was generally, "Well, at least I believe in God!" There are many people, it seems, who take refuge from a guilty conscience and from a gnawing sense of the judgment of Heaven by making that declaration. They apparently think that how they conduct their lives is unimportant so long as they mentally acknowledge the existence of a living God and profess their belief in Him.

Are you one of those whose professed beliefs are disconnected from life's choices? Christianity is not simply a matter of 'knowing;' it is faithfilled living in submission to Jesus Christ.

IF we really believe that God exists and that He had made His will known through the Word and by the Spirit, our daily behaviors will be altered. How can we really know that He is the Lord, the One who sees our hearts, the Judge to who we will give an account for our thoughts, words, and actions - and not conform our lives to His will?

"Jerry, are you saying that we can make ourselves holy, that we can please God through our own efforts alone?" No, friend, no! However, if we really believe in the God of the Word, the Awesome and Holy Lord of Life, we will not simply 'sin and grin,' excusing our self-indulgence as being merely 'human.' The Proverbs teaches us that the "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, NLT) A vision of the living God, high and exalted, drives us to humility before Him. In that humility, we receive the life of the Spirit, and we are changed - inside out!

I believe the 'sloppy Agape' that characterizes too many 'Christian' lives is the result of a low view of God. When He is tamed, when we steal His majesty - our commitment wanes and we become careless about holy living. Jesus talks about the importance of choosing to base our lives on His words. Take a look at this-

“You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds. “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you?"
"These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on." (Luke 6:43-47, The Message)

Are you torn between loving God and doing your own thing?
Do you find it a grind to obey Him, to serve Him with anything approaching real joy?

Here's a thought from Tony Campolo. Take it with you today, as you ask God to change BELIEF into GENUINE FAITH that inspires a life of devotion.

“Joy in Christ requires a commitment to working at the Christian lifestyle. Salvation comes as a gift, but the joy of salvation demands disciplined action. Most Christians I know have just enough of the Gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. They know enough about the biblical message to keep them form doing the things which the world tempts them to do; but they do not have enough of a commitment to God to do those things through which they might experience the fullness of his joy.” (Seven Deadly Sins)

Deal with it, NOW!

A New England fishing boat captain explained the dangers of icing to a young sailor. Ice can sink a boat in the Atlantic. Well, sure it can, if you run into an iceberg, except that the fishing captain wasn't talking about big chunks of floating ice. He was talking about another kind of ice that forms slowly and almost unnoticed. The continual spray of the ocean in the cold of winter causes ice to build up on the boat, weighing her down so that she sits lower in the water. If she is too weighted by the ice, when a wave sweeps up to the bow, she may dip into the sea and take on so much water, that she'll sink. The young crewman's job was to take a bat and hit the ice, knocking it off- again and again.

Pilots know the dangers of icing, too. Ice build up on the wings causes extra weight and reduces the aerodynamic effect of 'lift' creating a very real danger. It doesn't take much ice, either. This is something my own family experienced several years ago when my uncle Dean, who piloted a corporate jet, died after flying into icing conditions that took his plane down!

Believer, there is a danger to our spiritual well-being that is similar to those accounts. Just a little 'willfulness,' a small deviation from what we know to be right, good, and the will of God, creates a weight. The drag created by that disobedience allows other sins to stick more easily and we sink lower... and lower. We don't turn away from God in one dramatic moment. We drift away from Him, one tiny step after another. Scripture warns, "It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off." (Hebrews 2:1, The Message) In His parable about seeds and soils, which is about the Word of God and our hearts, Jesus says - "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:19, NIV)

It is so much easier to deal with things earlier, rather than later. Not allowing a bad habit to start is much simpler than breaking one after that pattern gets engrained in us. James creates a colorful illustration to help us understand the way that temptation turns into death! "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers." (James 1:14-16, NIV) Making love to desires of disobedience creates the possibility of getting pregnant with sin! Could he be clearer?

This TFTD is not written to imply that you and I can save ourselves from God's judgment through scrupulous attention to self-righteousness! You can keep all the rules in the world and drive everybody around you crazy with your nit-picking at human failures and foibles and still be far from God. The Pharisees who show up frequently in the Gospels were great at writing and keeping rules, but they didn't really love God, nor did they have the life of the Spirit in them. If you have not met Christ as Savior, received His forgiveness, and been made alive in a conversion brought by the Holy Spirit - that is what you need to start. That said, the importance of daily holiness, of walking 'in the Spirit,' cannot be under-stated. Yes, it's dramatic but it's Biblical. "Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, NLT) Even more insidious to our spiritual vitality is - dangerous drift!

Do a spiritual check-up today. Invite the Holy Spirit to shine the Light into the corners of your heart and mind.
Are you holding onto unforgiveness, giving bitterness a toe-hold?
Are you careless about your prayers, your attendance to worship, or the daily disciplines of the soul?
Are you flirting with temptation, giving thoughts of disobedience to God a place to rest in your mind?

Turn to Him! Make a clean break with that thing with the help of the Spirit, your Advocate, the Helper.
Call that behavior what God calls it! Don't go easy, don't 'pretty it up!'
Enlist the help of another Believer to break the ice that is weighing your down from your life.

Practice the disciplines of spiritual formation which allow the seed of Gospel of Christ to grow, producing a bountiful harvest of goodness in you, which is for the glory of God, the Father. Amen!

Fresh, but not new!

Seems to me that a fad to discover some 'new' truth about Jesus has really gained momentum in the last year or two. Even authors I really respect are caught up in this pursuit of "re-discovery of Jesus' true message and identity. Everything that I've been taught about Him is being questioned by somebody, somewhere - at least that how it seems to me. It leads to a lot of speculative nonsense finding its way onto paper, into blogs, and being published in books. Most of it will be forgotten in a year or two. Does anybody really remember the controversies raised by "The Last Temptation of Christ," or "The Passover Plot"? Huh? Exactly!

The stories recorded in the inspired texts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have stood the test of time, telling us about a Man who is also God, who lived - and died - and rose again - in a dusty out of the way place called Palestine, during a time when the Romans ruled. His timeless story has inspired people from primitive cultures in the Amazonian jungles and in luxury Manhattan apartments. The not so bright and the intellectual are moved by His sacrificial love displayed in His willingness to die on the Cross. The young and the old are thrilled by the miracles that attest to His uniqueness.

I am not saying that applying the ancient Gospel to our lives and times in fresh ways is wrong! That is the most wonderful and amazing thing about Him. He doesn't fall 'out of style' or become irrelevant. Nor I am saying that it is a terrible thing to re-examine our understanding of the Gospel texts from time to time for it is true that ideas not found in the text get attached to it that corrupt it. So make it fresh! But don't re-write the Bible. Find Him, but don't try to do a "Jesus make over" that robs Him of His majesty and message.

Jesus is a controversial and shocking Individual. He said outrageous things, made claims that are stupendous! He provokes and prods, demanding our attention and devotion. We don't do Him or the Gospel a service by trying to round off the edges. He meant to challenge the status quo. He meant to call us to change, to tell us that there was a new Way back to God opening up through Him. In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says it best:

• "I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [Jesus Christ]: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.
  Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse .... You can shut him up for fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to.”

Here's a word from the Word. Believer, it may be familiar to you and therefore you'll be tempted to let your eyes quickly run through it... but don't!

Ponder it, meditate on it, believe it - and the testimony it makes about Him.

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:10-14, NKJV)
_____________________

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul!
Friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.

Jesus! I do now receive Him;
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness;
I am His and He is mine.


Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.


Our Great Savior- Chapman, J. Wilbur / Prichard, Rowland H.- Copyright: Public Domain

A Mind of Faith!

Last night before I went to bed, I watched House. It's a drama centered on an egotistical, rude, and brilliant physician, Dr. House, played by Hugh Laurie. The series stretches credibility in that a person with the ill manners of House would not survive the flood of lawsuits provoked by his meanness, but the writing is good, and the medical mysteries are engaging. In last night's episode, House vs. God, the doctor, who is committed to the principle that all developments have rational explanations, is faced with events he cannot explain. A boy healer, who prays for the sick in the name of Jesus, supposedly heals a woman with cancer while he is hospitalized. In the end, Dr. House figures out the 'healing' has a natural explanation, although it happens through an amazing convergence of factors. The choice that the program sets up is irrational faith or rational science.

Is that really the either/or that we must choose?
Does it all really come down to a choice between believing God irrationally or trusting 'science' and keeping our intellectual integrity?

There is a lot of arrogance in the assertion that we can understand everything and that we can explain all of life by scientific means. Of course, there is a kind of proud ignorance that hides from the mysteries of life behind superficial 'faith' phrases and proof texts from the Bible, too. Genuine humility allows us to think rationally yet to admit that there are things happening around us that defy our explanations. For example, scientific inquiry leads some to the "Big Bang" theory as an explanation for the origin of our universe. Great! Now tell me, what/who was the First Cause for that event? We have detailed knowledge of the life process, the insemination of the egg by the sperm, and the wonder of development of an embryo that emerges from the womb 9 months later as a baby, but what causes that 'spark' of life?

I am ever so thankful for those whose study and science have given us aspirin, electricity, and the Internet. I will use those technologies to make my life better and more productive, but I will also retain my faith in God that gives my life meaning and purpose! How about you? I won't let myself be forced into what I think is a false choice between rational thought and genuine faith. To set up up a choice between the 'head' and the 'heart' is a terrible mistake and it ignores Jesus challenge to us. He said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37, NLT)

Rick Nanez, in a book titled Full Gospel, Fractured Minds, writes this - "Christianity with zeal and emotion, yet without knowledge and intellectual prowess, fits ideally into a society such as ours, where a nonrational, feelings-oriented, subjective way of life is customary. Yet as children of the Kingdom, God urges us to be radically distinct ... Reason and logic are gifts from God; the mind and the intellect are, in large measure, His image in us; and science, education, and the arts are at their best when under the dominion of those who are called out from the blinding clutches of those with a fallen world-view."

Let's not be lazy about using the mind that God gave us, nor so arrogant that we are unwilling to trust the Word and the Spirit when He leads us to faith. Rather with holy hearts and minds, let's serve the Lord God.

"In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect," (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)

Between now and then

My son heard me say something about abandoning a project and said, "Come on, Dad, you know you won't do that. You're a finisher!" And so I am. I like to complete tasks and measure life's successes mostly by forward movement. At this time, however, the 'to be completed' list in my life is longer than I'd like it to be. Last night I was awake at several times, staring into the darkness, trying to figure out a way to move the ball down the field on a couple of them. Then I remembered several friends of mine that are living with situations that apparently have no resolution - chronic and severe illness,a family member that is struggling with mental illness, an addiction that is just waiting for an 'invitation' to take over their life again. That that light, my issues with mortgages, yet to be found associates, and some unfinished projects were not all that important! Isn't the way the Holy Spirit gives us perspective a wonderful thing?

The fact is - we all live with the tension of anticipation versus realization! That is what faith is all about. Faith bridges the gap, according the Bible, between what is and what we hope for, between God's promises and our current struggles. Faith lifts us up to see over the horizon of time into eternity. It's great to talk about faith and to hear faith stories, but living in faith is usually hard. When everything is going our way - when we've won a victory, realized a dream - we are not all that 'faith aware' because we're absorbed by the present, living in the moment. But then come those times when God says, "Let's go." He points us to a distant goal, planting a vision in us. Most of the time we don't know just how long the journey will be or what the obstacles will be along the way; thank God! If we did, we might not start to follow Him! God wisely lets faith grow in us to meet the challenges as they arise.

Jesus walked along Galilee's shores inviting some fishermen to follow Him. He said, "Come, follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men." He didn't say, "If you follow me, in a few years your lives will become incredibly difficult, full of sorrows, and you will die an early death as a martyr!" If He had, I wonder if Simon, James, or John would have ever left Capernaum? He let them glimpse the goal, set a vision in their hearts, and then walked with them in through the process of realizing the dream!

God spoke to Abram, “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing. I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran." (Genesis 12:1-4, The Message) What God left unsaid, for the time, was that Abram would be a pilgrim, a wanderer, for much his life; that he would live only hoping for the promised son for decades.

Are you presently living in one of those 'between' times of life? Did you hear the call, receive the promise, and now you're on the journey?

When we set out to possess the promised land, we descend from the heights where the vision is given, down into the valley where we encounter the challenges. That is where faith grows stronger. That is when we pray, "Lord, remind me of Your promise. Lift me up, now and then, to catch a glimpse of the goal again." And He does, and He will!

Here's a word on which to meditate today -- "Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4, NLT)
______________________________

I'm pressing on the upward way,
new heights I'm gaining everyday.
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
'Lord, plant my feet on higher ground!'

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand,
by faith on Heaven's table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
where Satan's darts at me are hurled.
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
the songs of saints on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay,
where doubts arise and fears dismay.
Though some may dwell where these abound,
my prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand,
by faith on Heaven's table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
- Johnson Oatman

"Me, Myself, and I"

Our grandsons, ages 2 and 4, are at that stage in life when they are possessive - "It's my toy," but not yet mature enough to understand the concept of sharing. My son tells me that they fight, raising a racket in the house. Ah, I remember the days so well! Seems that some of us never really do grow up. I know adults that approach life like a 2 year old - "It's mine!" - insisting on holding onto things, positions, titles, ministries, etc. for no other reason than than their own ego needs.

Sometimes it's just about control. A friend was describing his unpleasant encounter with his neighbor over the erection of a fence. He got a survey map and determined where the property line was. Then he put up a fence. The neighbor went ballistic, over a whole 3 feet of land. Despite the map, he wanted to exercise control over that little strip of property. Then, too, I've watched my grandsons hold onto one toy while trying to play with another. Why? Just so the other can't have it!

Sometimes it's about making a statement. A few years ago I discovered that an employee of an organization that I headed was using false credentials, claiming to hold an advanced degree. I was familiar with the institution from which he said he had earned the doctorate and knew that they didn't offer a degree in that field. So, I asked him to produce a transcript to substantiate his claim. He walked out the door and never returned! I later learned he was still claiming to be Dr. ________! He needed to be somebody more than he needed his integrity.

Sometimes it's about affirmation. "Please notice me, tell me I'm important." Over the years I've more than a few people who did all the right things for all the wrong reasons. They put in hundreds of hours in their ministry. They gave 'til it hurt. They built up 'ministries' - but not for the Lord, not to serve others. Their true motive? Recognition! The tragic thing about that is that ego always spoils the work, casts a shadow over all the good that is done. The agenda gets twisted into being about the person's needs rather than about the needs of those being 'served.' Often everybody knows it, except the person who is so desperate to be needed and affirmed.

Jesus knew how powerful the pull of selfishness is and so He taught about it. Read the following passage carefully, thoughtfully, prayerfully. And, hey, don't start to think, "I sure hope ______ is reading this." Invite the Spirit to shine the light on your own motives.

“Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." (Matthew 5:48-6:4, The Message)

Practice the discipline of humility. Serve somebody anonymously!
Do something like cleaning up the bathroom without telling anybody. That's not pleasant, is it? Find a way to serve, in your set of circumstances, where there is no possibility of being recognized. Thank God for the opportunity to learn humility. When we practice that kind of discipline regularly, it breaks the very nature "me, myself, and I" orientation of our sinful nature. It patterns our mind and heart to be like Jesus. As we struggle with our pride, we become desperate and that causes us to rely on the Spirit for change.

Here's a word from the Word for today.

"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." (Philippians 2:5-9, NKJV)
______________

Father, I'm proud, but not proud of it.
I love applause, eat up affirmation, and like to be first.
Holy Spirit, restrain those impulses from shaping the way I 'serve' others.
Put them to death in me so that Your work through me is never stained with pride's ugliness.
Make me a servant, thoughtless of the reward, content in obedience.
Let me live in harmony with others,
seeking only the praise and glory of my Savior, Jesus,
in whose Name I make this prayer. Amen."

Get your heart into it!

99% of the time I love my calling to serve as a local church's pastor. I believe in the Church, that she holds the key to making a better world and the answer to the spiritual need of every human being. I have a passion for the Gospel of Christ. Nobody has to bribe me to get me to work. No one has to threaten me to get me to produce. Why? Because my heart is in this; it's my life. If you talk with me for more than a few moments, you're going to hear about two things- my family and the church! Because those loves are deep in my heart, they surface quickly in my conversation. In contrast, I have a friend who hates his occupation. He dreads every morning, drags his feet all the way to where he works, and lives for the weekend. He will candidly tell you that he works just for the money! In conversation he seldom even mentions his occupation - except to complain about the 'idiots' he has to work around. I do hope that your daily work is about something you love and believe in, but that's not the main point of this TFTD.

Why are you a Christian?
How do you serve Christ and His kingdom?

Some people's Christianity is primarily focused on getting to Heaven and keeping out of trouble with God. They don't really love Him, nor do they really have a heart-deep conviction that the meaning of a joyous life is found in knowing Jesus. But they do believe that Eternity is real and that God exists so.... they participate at a minimal level that they hope will keep God satisfied. The tragic truth about this kind of spirituality is that it robs that person of joy in both worlds! They can't dive into making money, seeking pleasure, and feeding their sensual appetites because they have a certain kind of fear of God. And they don't enjoy the joy of a close walk with the Spirit of God because they keep Him at a distance, too!

I once counseled a man who was torn between his desire to do his own thing and his knowledge of God's way. He tried desperately to keep a foot in each world, living sinfully and sensually and then pleading with God for forgiveness. The roller coaster of guilt and relief nearly drove him mad! My advice to him was simple - "Choose!" That's what Joshua advised the nation of Israel, too. “Honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15, NLT)

This challenge to choose is one that recurs again and again in the Bible. Moses, in his final address to Israel, laid out the 'blessings' and 'curses.' That sermon which is recorded in the ending chapters of Deuteronomy are an interesting study in choice and consequence! Elijah stood before the king and leaders of Israel at Mt. Carmel and threw down this challenge - “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal (a god worshipped by the Canaanite people), follow him. Make up your minds!” (1 Kings 18:21, The Message)

Believer, get your heart into it. Choose God. Make Him first - in your affections, in your priorities of time use, in your finances. Love for God is not just about warm, fuzzy emotions that we feel in those occasional times of high worship, or at a beautiful sunset, or... whatever. Love for God is about our daily choices. Our hearts will follow our choice. IF we choose Him, place our affections on Him, we will find great joy in the offering of ourselves. His love will grow in us.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today - Jesus says, “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends." (Revelation 3:20, NLT) What's your choice?
__________________________

This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe,
Your Holy Presence living in me.

This is my Daily Bread,
This is my Daily Bread,
Your very word spoken to me.

And I, I'm desp'rate for You.
And I, I'm lost without You.

© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services) CCLI License No. 810055

Who speaks for God?

Would you agree with me that God needs some really good ambassadors in this world, who represent His kingdom well?

It seems to me that too often only the hate-mongers like Fred Phelps get the headlines. He's the 'pastor' who leads "Christians" in marches at American soldiers funerals waving signs that read - "God hates fags!" and "God Hates Cripple Soldiers" and other slogans too vile to publish here.
Then, too, everybody knows about the TV preachers who preach the "health and wealth" Gospel that only feeds the selfishness and greed of listeners. They promise rich rewards to the gullible who send in generous offerings to buy God's favor. Oh, it hurts, doesn't it?
Less spectacular, but just as harmful are those religious zealots who represent God as an angry Father ready to knock down anyone who doesn't cower before Him. They focus on the sins and failures of their family and neighbors, criticizing and condemning, and threatening hellfire for all. If they mention Jesus at all, it isn't about His amazing love, but rather His Second Coming 'to set everything right!' - meaning, "He's gonna finally punish all you sinners!" Oh, it hurts my heart so badly! If I only knew God through the kinds of messengers I've just mentioned, I wouldn't want anything to do with Christianity and/or organized religion, either.

That's why God needs you and me to speak up!

The Bible says, "We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, NLT) What a commission. We, who have experienced the favor of God through Christ Jesus, are able to freely offer it to people around us. That doesn't mean we have to 'go soft on sin.' We are privileged, instead, to build bridges into the lives of those who are isolated, offering them a way to know the God that will satisfy the hunger that they have for meaning, purpose, and wholeness.

The Holy Spirit divinely equips us to speak for God with an ability that the New Testament calls the gift of prophecy. Don't get scared! Paul talks at length about it in 1st Corinthians 14. We attach all kinds of mystical, spooky connotations to the word, but it's really a simple concept. Prophets represent God, bringing His words to others! They represent Him to the world. "Let love be your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the gift of prophecy... one who prophesies is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them." (1 Corinthians 14:1, 3 NLT) We, that's right, you and me - are urged to pray for this gift to be active in us, so that we can speak God's message to the people around us in a way that is convincing and effective. That doesn't mean you have to work up a 30 minute sermon and take over the break room today to deliver a full attack on the sins of America! It means that we listen to the quiet voice of the Spirit, asking Him to give us words that people need to hear. And He will! They can be loving words, encouraging words, comforting words, inviting words. Prophets write short encouraging notes when they feel that the Lord is directing them to do that. Prophets gently tell the truth, accurately, and without a personal agenda.

Are you willing to speak for God? It takes a sensitive heart, a submitted spirit, and lots of courage. When you say "I've been praying and I believe that the Spirit wants me to share this with you..." you're going to get criticized, rejected, and marked as a nut case! But, if you're really hearing from God, you're going to also have opportunities to encourage, to help lost people find the Way.

Let's not let the noisy offensive religious nuts be the only voices that claim to speak for God.
Pray that God will speak to you so you can speak to others. Keep it real, keep it loving, keep it Christ-centered.
_________________

We are called to be prophets to this nation
To be the word of God in every situation
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Who'll be the salt if the salt should lose its flavor?
Who'll be the salt if the salt should lose its flavor?
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, take all my lies and take all of my greed
Let me be a sacrifice to those who are in need
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, without Your power it's all just good intentions
Lord, without Your grace who could find redemption?
Change my heart - Change my heart today

Lord, loose the chains of oppression
Lord, set the captives free
Lord, fill my heart with compassion
Shine Your light, Shine Your Light
Shine Your light thru me

Work a miracle in my heart
Work a miracle in my heart
Work a miracle in my heart, Oh Lord, today!

CCLI License No. 810055

Love - God's nature, God's gift

Our daughter, Maribel, got engaged this past weekend. Everything we hear about the young man who has stolen her heart delights us! Her email to us that told us about his romantic proposal, his desire to meld their lives in service to Christ, his respect and honor for us as her parents-- and the way he lights up her life - make us very glad. "Love is a many-splendored thing." Solomon's Song exults in it, "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned." (Song of Solomon 8:7, NIV) God gave the gift of love to us. It reflects His very nature. John reminds us that "God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us." (1 John 4:16, The Message) Are you getting ready to object to my connection of my daughter's romance with God's love? Give me a couple of more moments before you do.

The truth is that real, deep marital love - the covenant commitment of a man and woman to each other- is the Biblical illustration of God's relationship to His Church. We are called the Bride of Christ! He wants to delight us, to captivate us, and to have us respond with intense desire for Him, the same kind of desire that is found in a couple in love! It is God's plan that our delight in Him never wanes, but only deepens over time like love deepens in a carefully tended marriage. Maribel and Dave have a new love, a love that has not yet been tested by trials, kids, sickness, bills, tempers, and all that stuff of real life. When they make the covenant commitment, before God, to love and to cherish, for better and worse; with the help of God they will build on their romantic attraction and create a life together marked by a quality of love that reflects God's own love for them.

Are you captivated by Christ?
Do you think of Him as you awaken, talk with Him as you begin your day, turn to Him through the day, and as the night closes around you, commit yourself to Him?

In my pastoral work, I am often asked to help couples who have 'fallen out of love,' whose marriages are in trouble. When one or both partners fail to care for the marriage or take advantage of their spouse, or break their vows; sorrow is inevitable. Then, too, there are those marriages that run headlong into terrible difficulties, things like huge life change or chronic illness. The restorative power of real love still amazes me! Sometimes I think to myself, "this marriage is beyond salvage, too wrecked to survive," but the couple works hard, digs deep, and draws on God's love and their love, emerging from the the awful pain of broken lives into a love that is stronger than before!

Some Christians have the same experience with the Divine Lover! They neglect Him, or they take advantage of Him, or they even betray Him! They wander from Him, chase after other loves, and feel the coldness of soul. They seem to die while they are still living. Then, when we might conclude that they are beyond hope, they turn in humble repentance, and their love for Him re-emerges deeper,s stronger than before. Others run into testing experiences that make the love of Christ seem like a joke. "How can You love me and let me go through this?" is the cry of their aching soul. Where have you gone? But, with patience and perseverance, they find that He is there, that He does care.

Paul tells us that it is the love of God that brings out the best in us! Take this passage with you today.
Let the image of a newly minted love fire your imagination and give you a renewed desire to know the Love of Christ. Take note what results from knowing His love....

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.

Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

It Can Never Be Yesterday Again

Nostalgia- what a powerful force it wields. I can hardly bear to page through our family picture albums or watch old family videos. Why? They stir up such memories, such longing for the happy moments when my kids were running through the house, that I feel down for hours! Interestingly, those same pictures that make me so morose make my wife thankful that our kids are all grown up. She was a full-time Mom and remembers that era in our family life quite differently than I do! Both of us agree about one thing, however; we can't relive those joys, so we'll find the joys that today offers!

Some people are attempting to navigate life while staring into the rear-view mirror! They are largely missing the present because they are remembering the happiness of another time in life. Every experience of the 'now' is evaluated in the light of 'then.' There's a big problem with living that way. Memory is highly selective. We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs. So, as we remember the 'good old days,' we tend to forget the difficulties and recall the moments of joy. Try to think back to 1986 - just 20 years ago. The stuff you were dealing with on a daily basis is largely forgotten. Your recall is limited to big moments of joy - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations. Of course the awful moments are prominent in memory, too. But the ordinary moments - the flat tires, broken appliances, frustrations, arguments... they have disappeared into the mist of memory recalled only with great effort!

I find that some Christians fall into the trap of nostalgia in the faith walk, too. They bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, and/or long for the preaching of some pastor they knew years ago. "It's not the way it used to be," they say. They're right! Change is inevitable! Churches that work to stay exactly the same - and many do - become less and less effective in speaking to their community. They become ingrown, inbred, and irrelevant. Some of you are objecting, "Jerry, Christianity is ancient. Traditions are important." And you're right. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever." The celebrations of Communion, baptism, Christmas, and Easter are valuable traditions that preserve continuity in the Christian community. I would agree that some change is done for the sake of being 'cutting edge,' but not really all that helpful or necessary.

That said, we need to recognize that how the Gospel is communicated; the ways that we worship, the methods we use to observe the traditions and rites of our faith - will all change over time. Songs that moved us, that shaped our expressions, will be replaced by the songs of new artists who are expressing their love for Christ with new rhythms and melodies. Preachers whose methods were inspired by the Spirit for a window in time will pass on to their reward and new servants will emerge with innovative ways to share the authentic Message of Christ. (I won't take time to illustrate this point from history, but believe me - each generation's innovations in Christian worship has provoked the ire of the previous generation!)

Now, let me speak personally to you.

Are you missing out on what God wants to do in your life TODAY, because you're attempting to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time?

Do you fondly remember a decade when, in your memory anyway, God seemed so close to you? Rejoice in that! Don't try to erase yesterday. My great memories of family times with my kids are foundational to my love for them today. But, if I attempt to relate to my kids who are now adults like I did when they were pre-adolescents, I'll alienate them from me. So it is with the Lord. What He did for you and with you yesterday is foundational for your walk with Him today, but those things are past, and He's doing a new thing in you, in me!

Ask God to help you to see and appreciate what He's doing today. If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' pray for those who lead, asking the Spirit to make His Presence known - and be ready for God to do a new thing - in you, in your church, in this world!

Consider Jesus' parable - “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT)

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness. (Psalm 98:1, NLT)

So they changed the world...

It was a good Resurrection Sunday! At the sunrise, we sang in the chilly wind and remembered the women who went to the garden, only to discover that the stone was rolled away, the Lord risen from His grave. The church house was well-attended. There were beautiful songs and flowers; all the 'stuff' we associate with Easter time. The day has come and gone, now what? We can take some direction from those first followers.

Those first disciples needed some time to process the amazing things that happened. They had ridden an emotional roller-coaster! The sadness of the Passover meal with Jesus where He told them that He was about to die and that one of them would be the person who betrayed Him, turned into the horror of a trial and then, the Crucifixion. During those hours, they feared for their lives, huddled in the upper room behind closed doors, trying to make sense of their shattered dreams. Then came the morning announcement from the three women who brought the news - "He's alive!" Even for men who had seen him bring Lazarus from his grave, who had watched Him take a boy's lunch and feed 5,000, who had watched him walk across the lake towards their boat-- it was too much. Luke tells us that they 'thought the words sounded like nonsense, so they didn't believe it.' One by one they came to realize that their Lord lived. Thomas, the doubter, was one of the last to accept it and then only when he was face to face with Jesus. 50 days later, they were assembled again in Jerusalem and, just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit filled them with fervor. They went out to tell anyone who would listen that life was worth living, that God loved them, and that they, too, could live forever!

First, we need to bring the message of Easter to our lives! Are we living like people who have wrestled with the implications of having eternal life? Paul uses an interesting phrase for those who have not really understood the meaning of the Resurrection, who continue to live as 'natural' men and women. He says, They "make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites!" (Phil. 3.19)

If we believe the proclamation of Easter, it will change everything about us! "We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same mighty power that he will use to conquer everything, everywhere." (Philippians 3:20-21, NLT) Resurrection life becomes about more than eating, drinking, paying the bills - the stuff of this life. An added dimension, the promise of eternal life, causes us to love others, to live purposefully and passionately about doing the work of our living Lord!

History tells us that those first "Jesus People" made a difference wherever they went. They changed the world, and history itself, with their selfless service done in the Name of Jesus, who lived in their hearts, whose words echoed in their minds, and who had prepared them a home in Heaven. That is our commission, too! Don't leave Easter at church. Let the message sink in - "because He lives, I will live also." Process it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a personal Pentecost, an experience of the Spirit's empowerment. Then, go start to live a Resurrection life - NOW.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you today - "now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. " (1 Corinthians 15:57-58, The Message)

It is finished!

Who doesn't enjoy a task completed, a project finished, reaching the goal? One of the most important 'projects' in my life was my God-given responsibility to prepare our children for adulthood, giving them the tools - emotional, intellectual, and spiritual - to build a life that pleases God and blesses others. Last week, our kids and their spouses assembled for a friend's wedding in New Hampshire. As I talked with them, heard what they're up to these days, and watched them at work and play, my heart filled up with joy that occasionally spilled out of my eyes as tears. My youngest is 24 and they're all well 'on the way' in life. By the grace of God, I believe that Bev and I did a reasonable job of raising God's gifts to us. Oh yes, I'm still their Dad, but the task of disciplining, training, inspecting, enforcing - thank God - is finished.

During His agony on the Cross Jesus uttered these words - "It is finished!"
Was He simply crying out in His pain, wishing for an end to His suffering?
Was He giving up, acknowledging sin's triumph - "I'm done in, defeated, game over?"

No way! Those words, "It is finished," were the words of a Victor, the declaration of the Man that He had completed the awesome mission of being our Savior, offering the final sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Because He completed His task, you and I stand today before our holy God- forgiven, free, and filled with assurance! There is nothing to add to the work of Christ, no improvement can be made. It is a finished work of redemption from sin!

The book of Hebrews is written around the themes of fulfillment and completion. The writer explains how Christ fulfills the Law, satisfied the holy requirements of God in every way, offering us a relationship to God based on a superior agreement. Take a look at this passage --
"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctifies them so that they are outwardly clean.
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." (Hebrews 9:11-15, NIV)

The old way, the Law, was built on sacrifices that were temporary, that had to be renewed year after year. Jesus was the Final Sacrifice for us! Our response is to accept that sacrifice, to be restored to full relationship with our Creator/Father, and to 'serve the living God.' Our service is not motivated by terror, nor are we proving ourselves worthy of His love. Rather as beloved sons and daughters, we are living out Dad's vision, a perfect vision, for us. In that place, we are making a difference in His world, and preparing to enter into eternal life.

As you read the story of the Cross, as you hear John tell us of Jesus' words - "It is finished!" - hear it as a declaration of your victory over sin, death, and Hell!

Meditate on that today. From those simple words, draw strength and hope to finish well.

"So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body. So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25, The Message)

The Wonderful Cross

Do you ever stop and think why Christians wear crosses and decorate churches with crosses thereby making the means of suffering and cruel death the symbol of their faith? In some churches it has become fashionable to keep the cross out of sight, replacing it with rainbows, angels, or doves. I will glory in the cross! A rainbow may speak to me of hope. Angels may cause me to feel some comfort and strength. Doves may remind me of the hovering Presence of the Spirit -- but only the Cross brings peace to my soul, assuring me of the Father's covenant love.

What a glorious thought - Christ suffering for ME, willingly, because He loves ME! I wish it had never been necessary for Him to become the Lamb of God, offered for my sin, but that is not the case. I am a sinner, a wretch, through and through: hopeless, broken, alone, dying - apart from the Cross where Life flowed down to ME!

I read through some of the hymns of the Cross again this morning. Read these lines thoughtfully, prayerfully. Let Watts and Crosby lead you to contemplate the wonder of Jesus' offering of Himself to meet your desperate need --

Jesus, keep me near the cross, There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calvary's mountain.

In the cross, in the cross, Be my glory ever.
Till my raptured soul shall find, Rest beyond the river.
______________

Alas and did my Savior bleed, And did my sov'reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head, For such a worm as I?

But drops of grief can ne'er repay, The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself to Thee, 'Tis all that I can do!

At the cross, at the cross, Where I first saw the light
And the burden of my heart rolled away;
It was there by faith, I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day!
______________

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'ertake me,
hopes deceive and fears annoy;
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
by the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that thro' all time abide.
_______________

Yes, Believer it is the Christ of the Cross that makes us holy and free. Don't 'rush' to the Resurrection this week. That is a grand Truth, and we love to tell it again and again. The empty tomb is the ultimate! But, the road to new life leads through the Cross. Think on His suffering. Don't distance yourself. Worship Him that He died for you, for me! Don't be swept up by those who would teach you that you can save yourself from God's judgment by religion, goodness, or martyrdom. God's love flows from the Cross, so let's glory in the Christ who showed us the depth of His love by dying there.

For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate." (Galatians 6:13-14, The Message)

Don't be bamboozled!

The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been challenged this year by the fictional work of Dan Brown, The DaVinci Code. Nearly 40 million copies of the book, which is a novel about the conspiracy of the Church to hide the 'truth' about Jesus' marriage to Mary Magdalene and to make Him into a god. I haven't read it, but I'm told it's a story that is written in a way that keeps the reader turning the pages. What it isn't is true! But many people seem to think that it is. This month the National Geographic Society is hyping the so-called Gospel of Judas as though it is a major new revelation about Christianity. Yes, it is true that an ancient book was found in the Egyptian desert that has been dated to the 2nd or 3rd century. But the book doesn't change a thing about the origins of Christianity. Judas didn't write it and it isn't Christian. It is a rehash of Gnosticism. "The Gnostics were a heretical cult that believed that the inner self was held prisoner by a material body, a prison from which they hoped to escape. This Gospel of Judas holds that Judas was helping Jesus to get rid of his flesh, so that his inner divine being could be free." - Dr. Ron Carlson

What we are seeing is the conceit of human intelligence in full bloom. I am not suggesting that scholarly inquiry and study of the Bible is a terrible thing, nor do I think that Christianity is incapable of withstanding criticism. But much of the 'stuff' being written about the so-called 'historical Jesus' is just speculation based on scraps of information by people who have already determined that the supernatural content of the Gospels cannot be true and that the declaration of Jesus' divinity is merely a myth, invited by the unsophisticated men and women who first followed Him. These presumptions color their inquiry so that they are incapable of seeing the plain truth of the Word. Their high-sounding words and intricately woven arguments bamboozle many into rejecting the wonderful facts that Jesus, the Christ, came into the world to bring us the full Truth about God, to die to reconcile us to Him, and to restore us to eternal life!

Paul, just a couple of decades after Jesus lived and died and rose again, warned about being taken in by high-flown rhetoric and invented theories that invalidate the Truth of the Gospel. "I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense." (1 Corinthians 1:18-20, NLT)

Many are suggesting that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a fabrication, a collection of folk tales and legend that collected around an obscure Jewish apocalyptic prophet whose radical ideas got him killed. I don't think that a cleverly invented lie about a Jewish prophet's death and 'Resurrection' would have the ability to change the world, do you? When did a lie ever last for two thousand years? It is much more reasonable to believe what the Bible claims - that the Gospel is the Truth of God, that it is the "the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—... This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:16-17, NLT)

I affirm the ancient Truth. "You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!"
______________

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and
sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
__________________

*Note: The word "Catholic" in this creed does not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but the Christian Church as a whole.

Change - in you or your place?

Recently I had a conversation with a discouraged pastor who told me that he had concluded that his work in the church he served was finished. He had prepared his resume and put it out to other churches. He was praying for a change. As we talked, I discerned that he wasn't really certain that he was making the right choice. He was reacting to his inner pain. How many times have you prayed for God to change your situation? Dozens, hundreds? Me, too! We become convinced that the only answer to a problem is a change of face or place; a new job, a different town, a new church, etc. Sometimes that is needed, however we need to consider that God's plan may be to use us as a catalyst for change right where we are! That may well require that we engage ourselves in painful situations, or with difficult people. A primary model of this is the Lord Jesus and His choice to accept God's plan to save the world. On the night before He died on the cross, He prayed - “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”" (Luke 22:41-42, NLT) You're objecting, "Jerry, I can't identify with that! I'm not Jesus with a call to die for the sins of the world!" That is true, but we are called to die to self as we walk the way of the Lord! Many years ago, a good friend and I were talking about a hard choice he faced. It was clear to him what the God-honoring decision was and it was clear to me that he in for a road of difficulty. He wisely said, "Jerry, called me to obedience, not happiness. I am convinced that there is joy for me in my obedience."

For many people feeling good, being happy, is the ultimate goal, the highest value in life. If a situation causes them to feel pain and/or stress, it must be changed. This emphasis on 'being happy, regardless of the needs of others,' leads many to an empty life of little accomplishment, shallow relationships, and meager character! Of course, we need to acknowledge that it doesn't make much sense to do something the hard way, just because it is more difficult. The polar opposite of the pleasure-seeker is the masochist who seeks pain and/or difficulty because he thinks that the only way to pleasure is through suffering. Finding gratification or pleasure in pain is not natural! Generally, pain signals disease or dysfunction, thus it follows that the right response to pain is to seek to alleviate the suffering. And yet, there are times when God allows us to live with pain, when He calls on us to walk a road that is narrow and steep, in order to accomplish a greater good in us or through us in the world! When that is His plan, though we may not feel happiness, we will have joy!

The Bible says that Jesus made choice to walk up Calvary to die and on the other side of that awful place He found joy. We are encouraged to be willing to make similar choices. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

Are you preparing to 'move on' from where you are seeking happiness elsewhere?
Have you prayed about your plans, sincerely asking God what His will is? You may be right in looking for new opportunities!

But would you even consider that you may be in just the right place, the person He purposes to use as a change agent in that company, that neighborhood, that church? Believer, before you make a change- seek God! Your life is not yours, you belong to Him and live for His purposes. So, be proactive in prayer. Outline your problem to God. Acknowledge the real pain you feel in the situation. Tell the Lord that you're feeling like another place, a new opportunity is just what you need. Then, listen carefully - to the Spirit, to the counsel of godly friends. Make sure your choices are conformed to the principles of the Scripture. Consider the model of Jesus, willing to allow that God may be leading you through the situation rather than around it!

Remember, happiness is external and therefore temporary.
Joy is an evidence of God's Spirit at work in us, an inner quality, and therefore, lasting!
Seek JOY!
___________________

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.

Change My Heart, Oh God
Author: Espinosa, Eddie
Copyright: 1982 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

"I promise to love"

Brian and Katie are beautiful young adults, full of life and optimism, obviously in love. On Saturday, as I heard them say, "I promise to love... in good time and bad times, in times of plenty as in times of need, in sickness and in health," I bowed my head and prayed, "Give them grace, Lord, they do not know the meaning of the words they are saying." They are mature Believers, apparently emotionally prepared for marriage and committed to each other; but they are living in a society where marriage vows are abandoned at alarming rates that rise to more than 50%! Nothing in life, except their commitment to Jesus Christ, will require more discipline, more selflessness, more prayer, and just plain hard work than building a marriage that is truly intimate, that enjoys real, lasting love and that is a model of Christ's own love for His Bride, the Church.

"Jerry, you don't sound very positive about marriage." Oh, you're so wrong. I believe in marriage, and after 31 years with Bev, have some idea of the joys of a long-lasting relationship that grows and adapts to the demands of life in the real world. However, I also have walked with many men and women through the wreckage of marriages that broke under the pressure of infidelity, immaturity, selfishness, and mis-placed values. So, while I rejoice at weddings, I also pray!

Friend, is your marriage strong, healthy, and a source of joy? There are ways that you can help your relationship grow.

Most important of all, is the submission of self - learning to think in the 'we' mode instead of the 'me' mode! A marriage cannot grow strong where the husband and wife are each grasping for positions of advantage, trying to control each other, or using up their resources (emotional, financial, and spiritual) to feed their own need! A godly husband submits himself to Christ as Lord and, in that humility, earns the privilege of providing servant leadership to his wife, who is herself submitted to Christ. The couple, who as individuals are deeply committed to Christ, has found the key to building a marriage that lasts! The Word says, "you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything. And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean..." (Ephesians 5:21-26, NLT)

Jesus shows us the path of humility and invites us to walk on it. The Word teaches us that "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." (Philippians 2:5-9, NIV) This is not something we can achieve on our own, by our will alone, or with some human technique. Humility of person that lets us serve our Lord and our spouse faithfully, in keeping with those vows "to love, honor, and keep (him) her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others keep only unto (him) her so long as I live" demands the grace of God and the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in us- daily.

Love- it's not just songs of romance, walks on moonlit beaches, and great sex! It's serving, giving, sharing - "We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for (each other.) But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions." (1 John 3:16-18, NLT)