Serving a Sunday School Jesus?

It was a tough conversation. She was disillusioned. The picture of "Jesus" she formed growing up in church was not matching up to the experience of Jesus Christ in her adult life. In Sunday School, Jesus was a smiling Man, surrounded by happy children. He was painted in pretty pictures that showed Him doing nice things for people- feeding the hungry, healing the sick. And that is as it should be for little children, for those things are true. However, there is more to Jesus than "nice." He also allowed His friend - John, the Baptist - to be beheaded, which made many wonder about who He really was. Instead of sweeping aside the Romans who subjugated His Jewish people, He let them nail Him to a Cross. It's a long way from the Nice Man holding kids on His lap in a Galilean field to the horrific image of a bloodied Messiah crying out - "My God, why have you forsaken me?" But both images are true!

My young friend was in a faith crisis as she discovered a different face of Jesus; the Lord of Life, who did not produce miracles on demand, who allowed friends to die, and who required costly decisions of those who would follow Him. She wondered, and I admire her candor, "Is He real? Does He care? Is He there?" I could empathize with all those questions. I was there once, too. I pray that she is able to let go of the "Sunday School Jesus" and move into a deeper faith that lets her experience the mysterious romance of knowing the Lord of Glory who often refuses to do what we think He should do.

Many Believers never do let go of the childish ideas about God! They persist in thinking of Him as a nice Papa, who dispenses gifts to His good children, who protects them from all pain and suffering. Wouldn't that be great, if only it were true? Timothy Stoner writes this provocative thought: "When I'm struggling to figure out God, I have to remind myself to begin with this simple premise: An infinite mind will pose a bit of a challenge for a finite little mind like mine. We should not be surprised if He doesn't fit into any of the tidy compartments we've crafted or the stereotypes our culture has conditioned us to embrace." (The God Who Smokes, Navpress, 2007) God says of Himself- "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7, NKJV)

God is good, but on a different scale than we often conceive. He desires that we know Him as our one true desire, and He is more than enough. Here's the real issue. Will you and I let go of a God we have created in our image? Will we allow Him to be truly God, in all His majesty and mystery, or will we insist that He operate within our logic and play by our rules even though we don't even do that very well? If God is puzzling you today, or if you're angry with Him for not giving you what you want right now, or if your faith is shaky - ponder the wisdom of Psalm 73. This passage takes us through the mind of a man disillusioned, afraid, and angry. He saw the evil prospering while he struggled despite doing right things. He felt as though serving God was all foolishness; until he factored in eternity! In humble worship, he chooses to let himself remain without explanations for the moment, while holding onto the One who is larger than time. And he concludes, "You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." (Psalm 73:24-25, NKJV)

Ponder this passage prayerfully, Believer. May your faith grow deep, strong, and mature.

"God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!

I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. "
(Lamentations 3:22-31, The Message)

Do Hard Things!

I avoid physical exercise. "Let's take a walk this evening," is an invitation with about as much attraction as "how about getting a flu shot?" But I also know that going for a brisk walk several evenings during the week would be beneficial to my health and my waistline! In this one area I simply refuse to do the hard thing. My aversion to perspiration has nothing to do with inability; it is not because I cannot; I simply will not. Only half-jokingly older friends tell me that I will change my attitude dramatically after my first heart attack, assuming I survive it.

Every evening I choose not to walk with my lovely wife, it is a little easier to say, "No," the next time; and in ways that are only discernable over the long term, my fitness declines. A couple of Summers ago, when I made myself get up and go with her, each evening it became easier. I actually found that my physical condition improved to the point that I did not huff and puff on the hills!

A disciplined life has many rewards. A person who knows how to budget and control spending, actually finds himself with more discretionary funds! Instead of always paying off his credit cars (and the awful interest that goes with poor stewardship practices) he is able to make more choices including more generosity. A person who regularly prays - as fervently in good seasons as in those when tragedy lurks - enjoys the benefit of current conversation with God and the comfort of meeting a true Friend. A person who makes participation at his local church a priority even when the sun shines on the golf course builds a reservoir of relationships that pays great dividends when life hits reverse (and it will, sooner or later).

The Bible is full of commands that demand much of us. Jesus says things like: "Forgive those who do you wrong! Love your enemies! Practice your generosity without telling anybody. Live for Heaven, not just for your next meal. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with that of others. Follow me!" In the rest of the Bible we find commands such as - "Keep a tight rein on your words. Don't use filthy speech. Trust God when it's dark. Endure hardship. Give thanks always." Are these hard things? Yes. Are they possible? For the Believer who is filled with Spirit, they are! The issue is will. Will you do hard things or make an excuse why you can't? I am not, for a moment, suggesting that you or I can save ourselves from sin, but we do have a big responsibility to exert our will in the direction of godliness.

Most of us have some 'will nots' in our lives. There are things we do not do because they are difficult or unpleasant. We could do them and even know, in many cases we should be doing them, but we will not. James does not spare our feelings with regard to refusal to do God's hard things. He says that "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins." (James 4:17, NIV)

The Coach of Heaven stands ready to help us succeed. Let's encourage one another. Let these words urge you on when you find yourself wanting to refuse God's invitation to do the hard things.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV)

"We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God." (Hebrews 12:9-11, The Message)

And, if you encourage me - hopefully I'll start to enjoy that evening walk with Bev!

May the Lord bless your day with good things, with joy, and with the peace of God!

Partner with God - Amazing!

The administrator at our Christian school and I sat down for a meeting yesterday to wrestle through some decisions about the coming year. The economic downturn that is effecting the country has reduced the resources available to for that ministry so decisions needs to be made about closing the gap between income and expenses. At one point in our discussion, Cindy asked, "So where is God in these calculations?" Her words echoed in my mind all day. Where is the balance between fiscal responsibility on our part as those entrusted with this work and the faith to trust God to supply the funds needed? Some people fall off one end and believe that God will endorse all their good plans and efforts! Others are too willing to let the circumstances that exist around them create the boundaries for their vision!

I admire that spirit that wants to tackle challenges, build businesses, and make things work because I know that God left Adam in charge of the Garden. I am not a puppet in the hands of God. I am also aware of my limitations as a human being. Solomon reminds me: "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127:1, NIV) So, does that mean we are passive, that what we do and who we are is all up to Him? No! Something even more astonishing emerges from a study of the Scripture. God makes us partners with Him!

The critical issue for those who would do God's work is hearing from Him! When we know the will of God, we can go forward regardless of opposition, lack of funds, or limitations confident that He will give us everything we need to do His will. But, God is under no obligation whatever to fund our programs or bless our plans. James reminds us of the folly of presumption that looks like faith but is not. "Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that."" (James 4:13-15, NLT)

The Bible teaches us about God's will with a metaphor. We read, "I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Then God’s Message came to me: "Can’t I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?" God’s Decree! "Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel." (Jeremiah 18:3-6, The Message) He can do with us as He pleases. Yet, He calls us into partnership with Him. Jesus Christ taught consistently that the choice of obedience is critical. God allows us to resist His will, to walk away from His perfect plan OR to submit to Him and let Him shape us into a Masterpiece.

Are you malleable in the hands of the Potter?
Are you submitted to Him, trusting in Him?

Then, live confidently! If God says, "Go!" you can proceed and believe He will work in you and your circumstances to produce something that is "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)
_____________________

Improving the Scenery

When I drive up to my house, I take note of the property next door. The landscaping is nicely done, the fence in good repair - in all, very attractive. On the other side of my house, it is a different story. The lawn is neglected, the edges are not trimmed, and a pile of discarded lawn furniture is dumped behind the house. What a contrast. These two little pieces of suburbia got me to thinking about my life. Do I live in a way that improves the scenery for those who notice when they pass by? Another way to ask that is, "do I live nobly?" That word, nobly, means to live gallantly, magnificently, and splendidly. Those noble by inheritance were expected to honor their noblesse oblige (Fr.) -an obligation to live benevolently and honorably because of their social position.

We need not be rich or of the noble class to live nobly! Indeed, in Christ, we are called to be noble.
The Word says, "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8, NKJV) And Jesus says that what fills our minds will fill our lives, for 'out of the heart the mouth speaks!' We are given life in Christ, called into the family of God. With that grace gift comes a new identity and an obligation of which Paul reminds us: "Live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own." (Ephesians 4:1, CEV)

Don't mistake pretension or exclusivity for nobility! We are not called to think we are better than others. Jesus, who was very God in flesh, did not insist on titles or deference from others. He did not climb the social ladder so he could spend time with the elite of the land. His love for all earned him the scorn of the 'nobles' who mocked Him as a 'friend of sinners,' a description He wore gladly. He loved the poor, ate with those who were recognized 'sinners,' and gave dignity to the discarded. That was His true nobility. And, it must be ours. Our lives must be marked with holiness - foul language replaced by praise, filth replaced with purity, greed replaced with generosity, hate replaced with love, fear replaced with peace - and those things then shared with those who live around us.

Believer, spend time with the Lord. Learn from Him how to live nobly in a base world. Then go and improve the scenery with your life.

Here's a word from the Word. As you meditate on it, I pray you will understand your calling better and be inspired to become a noble person, for God's glory. "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."" (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, NIV)

Intending to Grow UP?

Intentionally?

"So, what kind of Christian do you want to be?" The question struck me as silly, at first. The more I thought about it, however, the more it made a great deal of sense. Planning is obviously important and valuable and we do it all the time. We plan for retirement, setting aside money, making investments, for the days when we will not be producing income at the same level as we do now. We plan vacations, buy plans for our new deck, plan which road to take to Grandma's house. But many of us make no plans when it comes to spiritual development. "I just let the Spirit lead," we say, excusing ourselves from disciplines of the Spirit that are vitally important!

The Scripture uses a powerful metaphor about those who fail to plan to grow up in Christ. Take a look. "You are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God." (Hebrews 5:11-6:1, NLT) You are like babies! The writer urges us to grow, to get past saying, "I'm sorry, Lord," as we fall into the same sins over and over.

Bev and I raised four children, the youngest now 26 years of age! We loved when they were infants, so cute, so cuddly. We accepted the ton of work that came with having a totally dependent little human that required constant care, that did not respect our need for sleep, that produced stinky diapers, that threw up on my suits. But, we also knew that it was important to help each of our kids mature. Gradually, as they grew physically, we transferred responsibilities to them - "make your bed, get your own shower, put away your stuff." When they were in their teens, I gave them responsibility for managing their own limited finances, including a checking account and a credit card with a small line of credit. We encouraged them to learn to think about the consequences of their actions, even allowing them to make foolish decisions that we knew would produce pain later on. Each of them, at one time or another, resisted maturity! It was easier to be dependent. Now, they are productive people, managing their own lives; each of them a person I am proud to call my son or daughter! Growing up happened without much thought. Becoming mature required a great deal of intentional work.

When we are baby Believers, it is perfectly acceptable to be dealing with simple temptations, to be very dependent on other people, to create messes from time to time in our relationships. God is patient with us while we're growing up. But, He also desires that we learn to live in the Spirit, that we master our emotions, that we know how to say "Yes" to His will, even when it is hard; and "No" to our Self, even when the urge to sin is pulling powerfully at us.

So, what kind of Christian do you want to be?

Believer, are you allowing God to take you through the school of maturity?
Are you cooperating with Him as He teaches you to be a mature Believer who is productive, who knows how to think critically, who serves well at all times?

I want to be a powerful, generous, selfless, peaceful, loving, joyful, patient saint! It won't just happen, but God can make it happen if I let Him father me, discipline me, and lead me. And then it will be said of me, he is an "oak of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor." (Isaiah 61:3, NIV) Could there be anything better?
_______________________

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things;
Give heart and soul
And mind and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
His kingdom tarries long;
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up, and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ,
Tread where His feet have trod;
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

Rise Up, O Men of God
William Walter© Public Domain /

Who's in your network?

Robert Fulghum wrote a book about the rules of life we learn in Kindergarten. Among them is this classic: "When you go out in the world, watch out, hold hands, and stick together!"
Somewhere in the teen years a new idea is presented to us that teaches us to assert ourselves, to stand tall and alone, to go our own way. "Leave me alone!" replaces "walk with me." "Mind your own business!" replaces "Let's do that together." No wonder Americans are among the loneliest people on earth.

I used to think, "if it's going to get done, I'll have to do it myself," was the most efficient method of doing my work. What an idiot I was! Life has taught me that cooperative efforts are sometimes not the most efficient ways but they are always the most effective ways. The most competent person on earth limits his reach and his impact if he fails to build a deep network of partnering relationships. How thankful I am for the people who are part of the web of my life. I get to share the joy of their work and they participate in mine. Together we can make a measurable difference in the world- whether it is building a better machine or creating a worshipping church or becoming a beautiful community!

In Discipleship Journal, (Issue 68) Paul Stanley writes:
"A circle of accountability is the safeguard for finishing well. Western individualism makes for exciting adventure stories, but the “lone-ranger” approach leads to spiritual ill health. We need a balance of
Upward mentors, who have gone before and can show the way;
Downward mentorees, who shake our complacency, renew our convictions, keep us on our toes, and multiply our ministry for His Kingdom;
Peer co-mentors, who know us, identify with us, and provide mutual stimulation and personal accountability.
This kind of network will constantly evolve as those in the relational network develop and circumstances change."

All of that is summed up in the wisdom of the Scripture.
"There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." (1 Corinthians 12:5-7, NLT) God is weaving a web of relationships all around you and me. Are we cooperating and letting Him place right where we need to be or are we pridefully resisting His efforts to make our lives and work richer with others in the constellation of people around us?

Beware a subtle pride that says, "I do not need you." On Sunday, following worship, a friend offered to pray for me. God knew I was depleted by a week filled with demanding service and that I was facing another week with a heavy schedule. He sent this man to me, but was I ready to stop giving long enough to receive? No! Foolishly, I thanked him for his concern and moved on, passing up the opportunity to let him bless me and receive from the Lord, too! I tore a little hole in the relational web with that foolish decision. Be wiser than I was in that moment. Take time to connect with others. Receive the gifts of encouragement that are offered. Listen to the counsel that is presented. Unless we are able to receive; we will never be able to give from the heart!

So, who's in your network?
Who leads you?
Who are you leading?
Who stands alongside of you as a friend?

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17, NIV)
"Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." (Proverbs 27:6, NLT)

Let the Sonshine In!

Over the weekend Bev and I attended a nephew's wedding. It was an occasion to celebrate, to join in with the joyful couple in marking a wonderful moment in their life! Our good friends, Karen and Jerry, came on Thursday to spend a week in our home and brought joy to my life. Do you, do I remember how important it is to choose joy? John Ortberg's The Life You've Always Wanted includes a chapter about is celebration, practicing the habit of joy! Christianity is to be characterized by incredible joy, among other things. Ortberg challenges me by pointing out some key truths.

First is this: God is joyful! Most of us are clear on the fact that God is love, aren't we? And we also get that God is holy, of course. We are ready to declare that God is good, always. But, that God is joyful is not something we often consider. Think about it. When He created, how did He summarize His work? "And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good!" He was delighted by His creativity. Isaiah uses a great metaphor about God's joy -- "as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:5, NIV) The picture that the prophet paints of our God is that of a young man rejoicing in his new wife!

Second: Jesus said that He came to bring us 'abundant life' and the reason is that our 'joy may be full!' Jesus laughed! Alongside of the picture of the Savior who mourns for a sinful world, the Gospels show us a joyful Man. Children liked him, sought Him out. Kids don't climb onto the laps of cranky guys! Buried in His teaching are remarks designed to spark laughter. We don't always 'get it' because of the gap in culture and time, but they are there. He poked fun at the Pharisees who were so scrupulous about external holiness. His audience roared when He said, "you strain the gnats out of your drinks but swallow camels."

Third: The Scripture commands us to rejoice! "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4, NIV) If joy were simply the result of uncontrollable circumstances as many of us think, then this command would be unfair or impossible. Joy is a choice for the Believer, regardless of the 'happiness content' of the day.So, how do we practice joyfulness?

Ortberg suggests 7 things...

1. Begin NOW! Stop waiting for joy to make it's way to you, or waiting for something you hope for to happen. Believe what the Word declares, that "This is the day the LORD has made" ... and when you believe that... then go on to the next step..."let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24, NIV)

2. Find a 'joy' mentor. Experiencing joy is a learned response. Griping and complaining comes naturally to the sinful nature. So let somebody who's grasped the joy of the Lord coach you.

3. Set aside a day a week to celebrate. Make sure your "Sabbath" includes JOY as well as worship. Eat ice cream! In moderation, it won't hurt you a bit. Revel in beauty. Appreciate a sunset, a work of art, a musical composition. So, make sure you celebrate regularly to break out of the monotony of life.

4. Unplug from the steady stream of 'bad news' from the world for a week. Depression is an epidemic among us. Might it be because we are trying to deal with the ugliness, the sin, the suffering of the whole world everyday? Those 24/7 news channels might keep you informed, but they may also be a great hindrance to joy as you find yourself confronted with terror, tragedy, and woe from the four corners of the earth.

5. Discipline your mind to see life from the Biblical perspective. Today is not IT! You and I are not all that we will ever be. Change is happening, that is the assurance of the Word. "...we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. " (2 Corinthians 3:18, The Message) Not happy with who you are, what you're like today? Work with God and He'll change you. Keep hope alive by reminding yourself of Christ's coming Kingdom! There is coming a day when wrongs will be made rights, the reason for unexplained sorrow will be revealed, and the curse of sin will be removed. "Lord, let your Kingdom come!" That perspective will keep the disappointment and sorrows of this day from overwhelming you.

6. Pray for the fruit of the Holy Spirit (the evidence of His life) to be created in you. What is that fruit? "Love, JOY...." Yes, second on the list is JOY! "Oh, God, teach me to celebrate, to live joyfully, because You live in me."

7. Practice joyfulness. Yes, when you hear yourself joining in with complaining, when you're chafing against situations, when you are ungrateful- make a choice, by the power of the Spirit, to go in a different direction. Look up, not down. Speak with faith, not from fear. Thank God for what He's given you, instead of complaining about what you perceive that you lack.


"Lord, thank you for being You and for being Joyful over us.
Wherever we are, in whatever state we find ourselves today,may our response to you be gratefulness for your faithfulness.
When our hearts are broken by real suffering, by hurt visited on usby cruel people, heal us and hold us close.
When we are selfish, touchy, and full of irritability -convict us and help us to listen when you say, "Get your heart right!"

Do the work of transformation in us, so that the joy of the Lord will be evident in us.In this you will be honored and the world will know that we are people of faith.Jesus, we pray this in your holy name.

Amen."

"Oh, for grace to trust Him more!"

Looking back on my life I can see so many places where God was taking care of me, keeping me, guiding me without my understanding at the time. Some of the situations that seemed to be the worst developments, bringing huge disappointment my way when when they were happening, proved to be the greatest blessings later on! He has brought people into my life at the time when I needed them most and He has moved people out of my life before they could do damage. Many of the darkest moments later on yielded great harvests of faith and character development. To be sure, there are experiences in my history that still are mysteries! Some days are stilled wrapped in mists and defy explanations or rationales; so I have to make the conscious choice to simply trust Him and wait.

I can honestly say that some of the most costly decisions in my life were those that I made without counsel or prayer because they seemed 'so obviously right.' There is a story in the history of Israel when godly leaders made a decision without God's leading and it proved to be a terrible detriment to the nation. "The people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai and cooked up a ruse. They posed as travelers: their donkeys loaded with patched sacks and mended wineskins, threadbare sandals on their feet, tattered clothes on their bodies, nothing but dry crusts and crumbs for food. They came to Joshua at Gilgal and spoke to the men of Israel, "We’ve come from a far-off country; make a covenant with us." ... The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn’t ask God about it. So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it." (Joshua 9: 3-6; 14-15, The Message)

The Gibeonites were not conquered and because Israel made an agreement with them, they were allowed to live among God's people, bringing their false gods with them, and ultimately becoming a source of spiritual corruption a generation later!

We are God's children and He wants to care for us, but He also desires our cooperation! He will not make us puppets. So, should we live fearfully, wondering if we're going to make some terrible mistake? Not at all, if our hearts are following fully after Him and our lives are submitted to His will. As I wrote a few lines before, He leads us even when we are unaware of what He's doing or where He's taking us. However, He will let us walk willfully out of His perfect will if we become headstrong or full of ourselves. The Word reminds us, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) Each new day we prayerfully listen for Heaven's cadence so we will dance gracefully with Him, following His lead.

Remember to remain conversant with the Lord throughout the day. That what the Word means when we read, "Pray continually." (1 Thess. 5.17) Don't live in sinful ways that grieve the Spirit and drive His sweet Presence from your life. Instead, stay in touch - with a humble heart, with simple prayers, with breathed praises - so that God can keep you right where He wants you.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you through this day.
"I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:7-11, NIV)

________________________

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where-e'er I be,
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict'ry's won,
E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

He leadeth me,
He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

He Leadeth Me
William Bradbury © Public Domain

Up to the task?

One of the temptations that I deal with on a regular basis is a sense that I am simply incapable of fulfilling my calling! I feel incompetent. I wonder if my sermons are just more babbling, adding to the excess of words in the world. As I grow older, I stand in awe of the rapid changes in the world around me and question my ability to keep up and stay relevant. When I compare myself to other pastors who are experiencing a different kind of 'success,' I too readily blame myself for not having the necessary skills to see the results they enjoy.

And I know this: those thoughts do not come from God! They are an upside down expression of pride, a focus on me instead of Him! Here is the truth - God called me. He equips me. He expects diligence from me, but ultimately any competence for spiritual work comes from Him.

In the stories of Exodus, there is an account of the building of the tabernacle, the portable place of worship that Israel was commissioned to build during their desert sojourn. Moses issued a call for all those who were 'willing' to give from 'what they had' for the project. The people responded with overwhelming generosity until Moses had to send out word, "Do not bring anymore gifts! We have more than enough to complete this project!"

But there is another part of the story that captivates me. Here it is. "Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship." (Exodus 35:29-33, NIV)

God gave the necessary skill, ability, and knowledge to Bezalel to design and train others to build this place of worship! The lesson for us is clear and compelling. God is still building His Church (not a building this time but a body of people) and the Spirit is actively working to equip each one to fulfill their calling! "God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, The Message)

What can you do in the work of God? What kind of spiritual gift has been invested in you? Serving, speaking, praying, giving, teaching, leading worship, encouraging, building, making art, telling the Gospel ... the list is long and God has promised us that His Spirit will put skills, ability, and knowledge in us that makes us effective.

This is no excuse for failure to prepare through study, with mentors, and by starting with small efforts. The Lord demands diligence of us, but simultaneously requires total dependence on Him! We tend to fall into one extreme or the other: either thinking it's all up to me (and making ourselves more susceptible to feelings of failure) or just sitting back and waiting for God to make puppets of us. Somebody said, "We must work like it all depends on us and pray like it all depends on Him!" There's a lot of wisdom in that.

The Word says, "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ... So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3, 10-11, NLT)

Let's go build the Temple!
And, as we do, let's claim the Bezalel blessing -- 'skill, ability, and knowledge,' to complete the work honorably and for the glory of God.

Beginning...Ending... and all in between!

Christian, an 11 year old boy in our Rangers program, is working to complete his gold badge which includes an interview with the pastor about the church's organization and work. Yesterday, we sat down for that interview. The bright boy had pad and pen in hand. Very seriously he inquired about what my work is, who can be a member, and how we organize our leaders. He flashed a wide smile as we talked about things that fill my daily life, about which he probably has never given a thought! As I drove away from that talk, I wondered what Christian might become in God's Church. Could God be calling him to be a pastor? Might he teach Sunday School like his Dad? What gifts will the Spirit invest in him so he can contribute to the work of God's kingdom? I prayed for his calling, that the Spirit would keep him through those turbulent years that stretch between childhood and maturity, that he would grow into a Believer that serves God in his church in his generation.

An hour after that encounter, I was sitting on the front porch of Jennie's house. She is our church's oldest living member, 100 years of age yesterday! She is confined to her home, remembering some of the past, almost nothing of the present. A charter member of this Assembly, she was present at the very beginning of it in the 1930's! She was once a key person in God's work in our church. Yellowed papers from 6 decades ago tell of her work in Sunday School, of her vote to organize the church and the decision of the congregation to join with the Assemblies of God. After talking with her, I left that time thanking God for the foundational work she did and praying that as she nears the end of life, that she will find a rich reward in Heaven for the unseen, unsung work now largely forgotten - even by her!

Believer, do you value the church?Do you realize that the Church holds a central place in God plan for your spiritual development and for the building of His kingdom on earth?

I am not talking about buildings! Those are meeting houses. The Church is people - young Christian, old Jennie, you, and middle-aged me! Ordinary people, though imperfect, are chosen by God and equipped by the Spirit, to be "the called out ones" that embody the Gospel of Christ in this world. The Christian life is not just a private, "Jesus and me" experience. Only together, with our blended gifts and shared experience, can we know the fullness of God's Presence and accomplish the work of God. That is why the Bible directs us to get together regularly with other Believers. The Word says: "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)

When my youthful idealism led me to think I did not need the Church, that I could do my own thing as a Believer, my Dad was fond of reminding me that though God's church was often imperfect, though leaders sometimes failed and some people did right things for wrong reasons; the Church was like Noah's ark, carrying us through the storm, preserving our lives. He would joke - "It stunk on the inside of the ark, but it was the best thing afloat!"

Commit yourself to a church! Invest yourself in others, forming partnerships, joining the line of Believers that stretches all the way back to the Cross. The Scripture tells us that what God does through His Church amazes even the angels. "Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:10-11, The Message)
___________________

A parade began at Calvary,
And the saints of all the ages fill its ranks.
O'er the sands of time they're marching
To their King's great coronation.
And this could be the dawning of that day.

O this could be the dawning
Of that grand and glorious day,
When the face of Jesus we behold.
Dreams and hopes of all the ages,
Are awaiting His returning.
And this could be the dawning of that day.

This Could be the Dawning
© 1971 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright ManagementCCLI License No. 810055

"Carrots and Sticks"

When people spend time with me, I want them to be lifted up. It my deep desire that a whole different quality of living will be shown in my words and actions. In short, I want to be holy! I think most Believers would share that desire, but the main question is; 'how do I become more Christ-like?' The 'obvious' answer is not necessarily the best one. What might that be? Many Believers spend tons of spiritual energy in something that Dallas Willard calls, "sin management." They build walls around things that are sinful and wrong. They run from situations where they might experience temptation. They hide out from 'real life' in church or with other Believers all of the time. Of course, that's not all bad! There are times when 'fleeing youthful lusts' (to quote a Scripture I heard a lot as a teenage kid) is exactly the right strategy in dealing with temptation. But, is there much joy in spending much of the day just trying not to sin? To make the Christian life about prohibition, punishment, or isolation is a misplaced understanding of the heart of our faith.

Being a follower of Christ is much more about Who we are following and where He is leading us than it is about what we do not do. The attraction of some sinful behavior is not nearly as strong if we are at rest in Christ and our minds are secured by His loving grace! I am convinced that the main reason that so many Christians find the lure of materialism, sensuality, and selfishness so strong is because their love for Christ is so anemic. In fact, many Believers don't really love Him all that much. Their main concerns in Christianity center around 'going to Hell' or 'being blessed.' Jesus Christ is not their passion; He is their 'fire insurance' and their good luck charm. They really want to enjoy as much of 'the world' as they can while holding onto the favor of God! What folly!

The Bible says that marriage is an illustration of our spiritual relationship with God. (See Ephesians 5:21-26) Imagine if I professed great love for Bev, while longing to be with another woman? Is that really faithfulness? Would genuine 'oneness' of marriage be possible if I had such a divided heart? Wouldn't I be a stupid man if I kept pictures of another woman on my desk that I stared at while telling myself, "You have to be faithful to your wife."? If I want to enjoy the benefits and blessings of marriage, then I must choose to love her whole-heartedly. I won't do things or go places or linger with thoughts that detract from my commitment to her. But, my focus won't be on what I cannot do, who I cannot see, or on the limits of my social contact with other women; it will be on loving Bev! So, I start the day thanking God for her, frequently anticipate being with her, reach out to hug her, express my appreciation to her. And, as I feed that love, our marriage relationship grows stronger.

The old fable of the donkey in need of motivation tells of the handler who used the stick to beat the donkey and the one who used the carrot to lead the donkey. Punishment could not accomplish nearly as much as true desire! So, which is the primary focus of your Christian life; the carrot of a deep, loving, joyful relationship with the Spirit of God or avoiding the judgment of God at the end? I think the wiser course is obvious.

Here's a word to ponder today. May the wisdom of God lead you to choose to love Jesus Christ deeply so that the beauty of His holiness will grow on you to His praise and glory.
"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)

"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 2:20-3:1, NIV)

"Keep me sweet, Lord!"

That was my prayer sometime yesterday when I was beyond tired both physically and emotionally. It's been one of those weeks: triumph and tragedy all at the same time. It started with a Christian brother's death on Sunday evening at 8, followed by the roar of excitement as 130 kids invaded the church on Monday morning for Vacation Bible School. Along with the normal ministry work; calls, preparation to speak, letters, and such things - there was a funeral to conduct, including dealing with my own grief. Yet each morning I was required to step over my emotions so I could share the joy of the church's little ones who bubbled over about their discoveries in our VBS "Power Lab!" In between all of that, my friend Tom ended up in the hospital on Wednesday for heart surgery. Jay and my grandsons came for the week, filling up our house with laughter of kids. In the middle of it all another family in our congregation had a major crisis which they shared with me, breaking my heart. Sean, my other son, called asking for some advice as Natalie and he needed to discern the will of God in a wonderful opportunity for ministry that was presented to them!

Yep - I think I did a month's worth of living in the last 7 days. (Don't read any of this as a complaint. I love it all.)

In another week like this one, somebody saw me trying to keep it all together and reminded me: "There is a God, and you are not Him!" Funny, but true. When I try to be a super-hero, trying to be everything to everyone, I get short-tempered, lose my joy, and develop all kinds of pain in my body that reminds me that I'm carrying a burden my Lord wants to share. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 I let that verse marinate in my soul this morning.

First, Jesus says, "Come to me." We're very foolish if we let the pressures of life keep us from prayer, worship, and reflection. Remember that old saying about 'the tyranny of the urgent causing us to ignore the important?' I am thankful I can step away from it all and worship Him. He restores my soul.

Second, He tells us to "Take my yoke upon you." God is not anti-work! Even in the paradise of Eden there was work to do. If we think that becoming a Believer gives us a pass from toil or tears, our conclusion is erroneous! A yoke was an object that helped distribute the load for the work not eliminate the work. If a yoke was ill-fitting, it chafed and made sores on the bearer of the burden. If it fit right, it lightened the load and made it possible to accomplish much more. Jesus calls us to service. That service will often demand much from us, but if we're putting on the yoke He's prepared for us, He will be there to bear the weight with us. We may arrive at the end of the day exhausted, but if we have worked with Him, and in His way, we will be able to make the same observation that God made when He rested, "God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" Genesis 1:31 The Message

Third, He says, "Learn from me!" Jesus knew the rhythms of work/rest; giving out/ taking in! He gave His all to the people He loved, but made sure to step away to be with His Father. Throughout the Gospels we find Him withdrawing from the ministry to pray and be alone with God. It's such a simple lesson, but so easily ignored, isn't it? I make the same dumb mistake over and over again when I try to keep on going, pushing myself when I need to find a quiet place with Him to breathe in the Breath of the Spirit.

Are you in a tough place?
Do responsibilities pile up where resources seem scarce?
Are people in your life asking more from you than you think you can produce?
Has the Evil One sent a demon to torment you?

Reflect on these words and respond with humble obedience.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." Matthew 11:28-29

"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!" Revelation 3:20-21
_________________________

You are my hiding place.
You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.

Let the weak say, "I am strong in the strength of the Lord."
You are my hiding place. You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.

Michael Ledner
© 1981 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)CCLI License No. 810055

"Be with me!"

When my heart is heavy with sorrow or my mind full of anxiety, there is nothing like having someone, preferably my loving wife, present. I do not necessarily want to talk, in fact, usually in those kinds of situations I prefer to ponder the situation quietly. But, having someone there with me, is a comfort. In my pastoral ministry I know that what I have to offer others in times of great trial or grief is myself more than my words. My physical presence says, "I care for you."

When the congregation of God's people gathers for worship, more than anything else, I desire that we experience the Presence of God. That is not to be confused with good music, a stirring sermon, or a surge of emotion. Yes, I enjoy worshipping God with good music. A sermon that is Biblical, intelligently organized, and inspired by the Spirit is much to be desired. It is God Himself, present in His Spirit, that gives the church gathered the 'life' that causes people to come back, again and again. He cannot be known with our physical senses, but we perceive when He walks among us. When He is present, we are at rest! This is what make being a Spirit-filled Believer great!

Moses, when he was leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, knew the importance of living in the center of God's Presence. After the people had demanded an idol be made and Aaron gave them the golden calf while Moses was on Sinai receiving the Law, God told Israel, "Go up ... But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." Exodus 33:3 NIV He was so offended by their idolatry, He withdrew His Presence from them. Moses, ever the intercessor for the people he led, prayed this plaintive and amazing way: "If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." Exodus 33:15-16

Believer, do you pray to live in the Presence of God?
Do you cultivate a holy heart, a ready faith, and avoid places and situations that would cause God's Presence to lift from you?

The great Treasure that all Christians can know (but many do not!) is the constantly abiding Presence of God. He will not walk with a person who is filthy in mind, rebellious in spirit, or self-seeking. James teaches us about walking in God's Presence with these clear directives: "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." James 4:7-8

Jesus promised us that we would not live as orphans in this world. We are beloved children and He has petitioned the Father on our behalf. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17

So, live in the Presence!
______________

O, the glory of Your presence,
We, Your temple, give You rev'rence.
Come and rise from Your rest,
And be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your presence now fills this place.

Steve Fry© 1983 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)CCLI License No. 810055

When a flop is not

If you watch the Olympic high jump event, you will see people clearing the bar with their back to the bar, in a kind of inverted J form that is known as the Fosbury Flop! It is so named for Dick Fosbury who won the 1968 high jump gold medal using the then unorthodox style. Prior to that time most jumpers used the standard Straddle form going over the upright and landing on their feet. Fosbury could not master that technique and learned to hurl himself over the bar, landing on his shoulders - unceremoniously. He flopped over the bar. His technique was actually a better use of the physical law of inertia and allowed for a higher jump because of the shift in the center of gravity.

Sometimes you and I just can't do what others do. We work to learn the style, try hard, and end up a flop... or so we think. In may just be that in the moment we feel most like a failure, God is accomplishing amazing things in us and through us. We all love to stride through life, on our feet, dignity intact. It is wonderful when all things work well, our prayers find instant answers, and everybody loves us. Tragically, when that happens the human tendency is to take the credit and puff up with pride! Like Nebuchadnezzar, a king of a great ancient empire, we begin to believe we did all by ourselves. He boasted, "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" Daniel 4:30 That night, his mind broke and for the next seven years he lived as a public failure, like a wild animal. When sanity returned, he praised God!

Paul, the apostle with the great mind, started life as a success! He studied with leading scholars, gained a seat on the governing council, and was on his way to prominence. Then he met the Lord who knocked him down and while he was on his back revealed Himself to Paul. In the eyes of many of his contemporaries, Paul was a flop, a man too prone to getting in trouble, who got arrested and thrown out of one town after another. But, he came to understand a principle that while true is not all that pleasant in practicality- flops learn to depend on Someone greater than themselves. Paul said that the Lord told him,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. NLT

Fosbury's famed flop became a means of reaching a gold medal, but not without some ridicule in the process.
Are you willing to endure some ridicule, to walk in the way that God directs even when it goes against conventional wisdom?
Are you willing to let Christ Jesus take your failures and use them as a means of teaching you to depend on Him more?

That's when a flop is not!

Heaven and Earth

Barb called last night to tell me that Andre, a member the church that I serve as pastor, was dying. I drove to their home and when I got there, the angels had taken him to his Lord and Savior. Once again I was confronted with the cycle of life and death. Did Andre die or was he born to new life last night 'round 8? The Scripture tells me that he changed addresses, became a totally new and different kind of being at that transition moment. I do not understand the 'how,' but I hold the promise in faith - that Andre lives - 'absent from the body and present with the Lord.' (2 Cor. 5.8) Even as I ponder eternity, I must not forget that today is packed with opportunities! You have moments to be lived today that are unique, that will never be offered again. Words you speak today will build up, tear down, or waste breath. Choices made today have the potential to change your life or the life of another.

Reflecting on Andre's life and my own milestone (I am 53 today) I ponder the opportunities seized and those missed! These twin reminders of the brevity of this earthly life cause me to ask myself:
"Jerry, are you doing your best in God's service?
Are you offering your 'utmost for His highest?' "

That kind of evaluation is important! I must remember, as so must you, that our judgment is always somewhat flawed; our self-evaluations lacking complete perspective. The better question to ask is a prayerful one that invites the evaluation of the Spirit. Borrow the Psalmist's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)

I do take comfort in this fact: His judgments are much more just than ours! He sees our life, not just in this moment or even in the window of time that marks our existence. He sees our life in the context of eternity and His judgments are made in the totality of our experience, opportunities, and knowledge. Jesus told a story of about men entrusted with responsibility for treasure. His summary at the end of the story should make us sit up and take notice! "Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." Luke 12:48 NLT

Moses' Psalm (90) is a prayer that reflects a fear of God's anger and a hope for His love. In the center of the Psalm is this prayer. "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" It my prayer! Is it yours? Are you just 'killing time' letting one day flow into the next drifting with the current of events, or are you a change agent of the Kingdom of Heaven? Paul is so very practical in his urging us to excellence. He says, "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." NLT Ephesians 5:15-17

How do we live a life that brings Heaven to earth, connecting today with the timelessness to come?

Be thoughtful!
Lives that matter do not just 'happen,' they are intentional!

Exploit the opportunities
that come your way! Don't blow the 'now' waiting for some hoped for moment in the future!

Shape your values
by God's will and Word, not the 'wisdom' of the world.

For a life lived well, there is a reward. Sometimes we get to experience the reward now, but we are guaranteed that we will get the whole enchilada when we step into Heaven. "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:9-10 NIV

Have a blessed week!

Hostages Set Free!

This news went out 'round the world yesterday afternoon: "14 hostages held by rebel group in Colombia, now free!" In an amazingly planned rescue, 3 Americans and 11 Colombian nationals were restored to freedom after years of captivity in the jungles. The most prominent among them was a former Presidential candidate in Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt. Can you imagine the elation you would feel at being handed your freedom after being held under threat of death for seven long years?

Truth is, that is what God does for each of us! "Thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. . . . When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness." (Romans 6:17-20, NIV) Satan held everyone of us captive! We had a illusion of freedom, but in fact we served self and we sinned against God by nature.

"But, Jerry, I am not an evil person. I try to be good and kind." And I will grant you that. But, the fact remains that apart from the intervention of God to set us free, we are incapable of true holiness, "falling far short," the Bible says, "of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The natural state of everyman is slavery; to Self and Sin. "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,... for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:4-6, 10, NKJV)

Here's the question I want to put to you today: are you taking advantage of the gift of freedom from sin by passionately loving and doing the will of God? It is inconceivable that any of those hostages held by the FARC rebels in Colombian jungles would have turned around and gone back to their captors! They were thrilled to have the ability to go home to their families, to resume their jobs, and to have their lives back.

Believer, with even greater joy, we must turn to the living God, our true Father. "By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us-set us right with him, make us fit for him-we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand-out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." (Romans 5:1-2, The Message)

_____________________

Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

By God's Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,
'Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

Mercy there was great and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty,
At Calvary.

O the love that drew salvation's plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

Now I've giv'n to Jesus ev'rything;
Now I gladly own Him as my King;
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary.

At Calvary
William Newell, Daniel Towner © Public Domain

Neglect, Decay: Diligence, Glory!

The meeting was at an office building that was attractively designed and well built. The facade was a classy brick. The floors were a polished stone. The architect's design used large expanses of glass to bring light to the interior. But... close up, it became apparent that the owner either didn't have the money to maintain the building or the manager just didn't care about the upkeep. The landscaping was not trimmed, the grass grew uncut at the curbs. Inside, hand-lettered signs were stuck to the walls with tape. In the Men's room, a divider was attached to a marble wall with a plain galvanized bracket and ordinary screws. The towel dispenser was empty, a replacement roll carelessly set on the marble counter next to the sink. Everywhere I looked there were little evidences of neglect. Mostly likely both the manager and the tenants have grown accustomed to these little signs of decay and no longer even notice it.

As I drove away, thinking about the investment made by the builder and the subsequent lack of attention to maintenance, I started to think about my life as a temple of the Spirit. I asked, "Am I careful to maintain the beauty the Lord desires or am I letting little things go? Are there places in my life where I have grown accustomed to the trash of sin, to things poorly done because of laziness, to gaps in my integrity?"

Lives do not go to ruin overnight. Moral collapse does not happen in a moment. It is the little stuff that we allow to slip in carelessly that creates pockets of corruption in our lives from which major sins grow. A small resentment left unresolved can grow into hatred. A little coveting can turn into life-controlling envy in a short time. Carelessness about the regular practice of spiritual disciplines - things such as prayer and meditation, daily Scripture intake, fellowship with other Believers in worship, generous sharing and giving - turns into complete neglect of the things of God in a few month's time. The pithy wisdom of the Proverbs says that "Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid." (Proverbs 10:4-5, The Message)

There is an application to the spiritual part of life in that. Great lives do not just happen! Beautiful lives that reflect the glory of God are the result of daily diligence, tending to the little stuff, dealing with temptations while they are still just an impulse rather than trying to clean up the mess that results from the choice to sin.

Here's a word from the Word. Ponder the progression of character that the Spirit revealed to Peter, then pray that the Lord would give you the desire to build and maintain a temple worthy of His Presence, where His beauty shines through in the splendor of His holiness.

"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance,
and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)
_______________________________________

"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wonderful passion and purity!
All my nature refine,
Oh, Thou Spirit Divine;
'til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."- Public domain

Got a Timothy in tow?

About 30 years ago, when I was a newly minted preacher, more full of my Self than the Spirit, my Dad sent me a letter, written in longhand script, in which he basically said, "Take advantage of my experience. Fall in step and learn from me!" His mentoring steadied me, gave me practical insight, and kept me from wandering into traps of temptation. That letter still lies in the top drawer of my desk in my church office! I treasure that piece of paper, which I have read dozens of times over the years. It is a symbol of Dad's constant work of coaching the Timothys that he found in the world all around him. Through the years he spoke into the lives of many, inspiring devotion, coaching them to find and use the spiritual gifts invested in them by God. And he's still doing it!

Do you have a Timothy in tow? The allusion is to Paul and Timothy. During his travels, in the city of Lystra the apostle found a young man named Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He saw the potential in him and accepted him as a 'true son in the faith.' Intentionally, he took him along to 'show him the ropes' of ministry and then sent him out to serve. Paul's two letters to Timothy are packed full of practical insight and directions, written in a warm and fatherly tone. "I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle." (1 Timothy 1:18, The Message)

Dr. Leonard Sweet, in a book titled, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Be Without, points out that mentoring provides a two-way benefit! Most of the time, we think of the knowledge that flows to the Timothy. However, the Timothy keeps the Paul from getting stuck in a rut, bringing fresh perspective. A person who approaches mentoring as "just shut up and do what I do," will not enjoy the full blessing that can come from having a Timothy in tow.

Believer, are you mentoring anyone? If you have been a Believer for more than a few months, if you at least 25 years of age, there is no excuse for not doing this! You don't have to be old and gray-haired to have something to offer another. You do need a living relationship with Jesus Christ, amazing amounts of patience, and the willingness to let someone walk with you. The Bible urges all Believers to reproduce themselves in others! "Every great leader and teacher has been a Timothy; Jesus apprenticed to John the Baptist; Paul of Tarsus apprenticed with Gamaliel; Elisha apprenticed to Elijah; Joshua apprenticed to Moses. But Joshua did not pass along the baton. Joshua had no spiritual heir... and then came the judges, spawning one of the most horrible times recorded in the Bible for Israel. In the Bible's scalding words, the judges became the baton-less generation "who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Judges 2:10, NKJV) -- 11, Sweet

Something wonderful has been largely lost in our society when we make education and life preparation largely about a formal experience in classes at institutions of learning. Timothy was not trained in a classroom by lectures. He learned in the streets, sharing Paul's life. He saw, he listened, he questioned, he tried, he failed, he learned! Nothing can substitute for seeing the work done. A musician learns theory and then sits with masters to see music made. A surgeon spends years as an intern, practicing under the watchful eye of one who has done procedures hundreds of times before. You have skills to pass along! Want to teach some to pray? Pray with them. Want to help someone know the Bible? Study with them. Want to teach your son how to change the oil in his car? Crawl under it with him! Want to help your daughter know how to manage her money? Open a checking account with her when she is 14 and work it out with her.

Much of what we do in our lives is quickly forgotten or is done better by someone who follows after us. But, when we mentor a Timothy, we do something that has eternal significance. My Dad poured his experience into me, handing me the tools of faith. In my life, I have mentored some who are now passing the faith along to those they know. And that is something that pleases my Father and changes destinies.

Go, prayerfully find a Timothy to love and lead. Encourage him to learn, to discover what God wants to do in his life. Encourage, rebuke, pick him up when he stumbles, and kick him in the behind when he lags in laziness. Don't forget to let his fresh perspective keep your own faith alive and relevant to an ever-changing world.
________________________

Doctors on TV!

I'm old enough to remember the gentle, wise, and amazing omniscient Dr. Welby! The myth that was Dr. Welby shaped our expectations of physicians for decades! Everybody wished they had someone who was equally adept at diagnosing a cure for a broken heart and mending a broken arm in their own doctor's office. Today, we have Dr. Shepherd (a.k.a. Dr. McDreamy) on Grey's Anatomy. This neurosurgeon, whose demeanor and face stirs the hearts of American women who watch the program, is played by Patrick Dempsey, a 42 year old actor who dropped out of high school.

Doctors on TV are the creation of script writers. While the actors in the role may speak medically accurate lines due to help by medical professionals, nobody would seriously consider consulting them for real medical opinions. In time of sickness I don't want treatment from an actor who knows the phrases that might be spoken by a doctor; I want someone who is a real physician. I want to know he has invested years in study, has applied himself to rigorous disciplines, and that he has mastered the skills to intelligently and accurately evaluate my symptoms.

What does that have to do with our Christian life today? Here's the question:

How do you live and share the Gospel of Christ with your world, Believer?
Are you an actor uttering lines borrowed from another; or are you a real disciple who is applying himself to the work of knowing Christ and His Word deeply, intimately, and with increasing mastery?

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came as the "Word become flesh," a real man, yet God, too - living among men! (John 1.14) He didn't come to us with a few lines he learned so He could sound profound or loving when the cameras were rolling. He came with the reality of God's Truth. He is very God, yet completely Man! He is "full of grace and Truth," meaning that He is who He appears to be, not a pretender, nor an actor.

We are commissioned to be "Jesus with skin on" in our world! I don't know who first coined the phrase, but it is one I use often. In a symbolic way I want to be an incarnation ("in the flesh") of Jesus. I want to make Jesus Christ and His Good News of love real and visible to people who interact with me. {Don't worry, I am not deluded by any sense that I am Jesus Christ!} My desire is to be filled with the Holy Spirit who He promised would make me (and all of His disciples) people who really live His life- in all times and places - until His Kingdom comes. How about you?

When people look behind the lines I speak or the words I write or the songs I sing, I want them to find a true disciple of Christ. More than once in my life I have experienced the disappointment of unmasking a "Christian" who was just an actor. Initially, they looked the part. They quoted the right Scripture at appropriate moments. But, then along came the stormy winds of life that blew away the mask. The mouth once full of blessing quickly turned to cursing. The veneer of love eroded in the storm's onslaught, falling away to reveal a heart full of hatred. What looked like faith proved to be nothing more than boasts of borrowed bravado!

Yes, Believer, I want to be a real disciple, not a pretender, like a high-school dropout playing a doctor on TV!

Jude is not kind nor gentle in his words about those who live hypocritically. Take a look and let the Word be a challenge to authenticity in your Christianity today.

"What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.
They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.
They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.
They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds.
They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness." (Jude 11-13, NLT) What a grim picture!
______________________

Here's a hymn that I will make my prayer today. Will you join me?

Fill all my vision, Savior I pray.
Let me see only Jesus today,
Though thro' the valley
Thou leadest me,
Give me Thy glory and beauty to see.

Fill all my vision, Savior divine.
'Til with Thy glory, my spirit shall shine.
Fill all my vision that all may see,
Thy holy image reflected in me.

Fill all my vision, let naught of sin.
Shadow the brightness, shining within.
Let me see only Thy blessed face,
Feasting my soul on Thy infinite grace.

Fill All My Vision
Avis Christiansen © 1940 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055

Who needs history?

Americans, by a wide majority, say that they think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Energy prices, which rose sharply in the last year, are forcing real change on us and threaten the stability of our national economy. We're in two wars that are dragging on, costing us a fortune, and that have no end in sight. Our politicians are so partisan that the big challenges of the country are not being addressed. Housing values have gone down; the credit bubble burst. "Oh, what now?" is the frequently heard despairing cry!

David McCullough, a Pulitzer Prize winning historian, says that part of the national despair is rooted in ignorance of history! The last 25 years have been a time of great prosperity and growth. An entire generation has 'pushed history to the back burner... even off the stove.' Lacking a context in which to evaluate the present difficulties many Americans conclude that 'no one has ever lived in more difficult times.' Another historian, David Boorstein, points to the value of history as a teacher for the future saying, "Trying to plan for the future without a sense of the past, is like trying to plant cut flowers!" (Parade, 6/22/2008)

Believer, we need history, too! The testimonies of faith that come from those who have gone before us reminds us of the faithfulness of God and teaches about wise choices, too. Writing about the Old Testament stories of God's people, Paul says: "These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. ... No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:11, 13, The Message)

Knowing the stories of the Bible is important, a foundation for living today! Reading the stories of great Christians, both of other eras and from our own time, builds faith and teaches us how to live. If we realize that we are part of a long story of faith, one spanning many generations, we are protected from the conceit that can blind us equally to our perils and our possibilities! We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us - whether we know it or not. If we take lessons from them, if we refine their wisdom and learn from their mistakes and their successes, we will live better and more hopeful lives.

Here's a passage from the Word to contemplate today. It speaks of a time when God's people had come to a mistaken conclusion about Him, because they did not remember. When their mistake was pointed out, their response is interesting. May the Lord bless His Word to you.

"Your words have been harsh against Me," says the Lord, yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.’

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.

"They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." (Malachi 3:13-17, NKJV) _____________

TFTD will return on Monday, 6/30, God-willing. I am taking time to renew and refresh. See you next week!

Beware the drudge!

Drudge, even the word sounds ominous. Here's how the dictionary defines it: A person who works in a routine, unimaginative way. I admit that I am a very dutiful guy, who takes responsibility seriously, and who has trouble just letting go and playing. Last Fall, I bought a little Miata convertible - one of the more frivolous things I have done in my adult life. On a sunny day, I enjoy dropping the top, turning up the tunes, and hitting the road. Right in the middle of my fun, a stab of guilt will insert itself: "Shouldn't you be doing _________?" and I struggle with the urge to go back to do some job yet undone. Or I think, "How could you 'waste' this kind of money when there are so many needs around you?" Yep, I can be a real drudge!

In my prayertime today, the Spirit reminded me that His gift to me is joy and that if I allow myself to become a drudge, it's not His fault! The second aspect of the evidence of the Spirit's life in a Believer, the one that follows immediately after love, is joy. Jesus told the teaching story of the vine and branches, illustrating how those who become His disciples are connected to Him and draw life from Him. The principle is clear: No connection, no life! Remain intimately connected with Me, He said, and "you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 15:11, NLT) A joyless Christian, one who is long-faced, miserable, and overwhelmed with his duties, is missing the point somewhere and failing to honor the Lord!

Could it be that we have allowed a caricature of Christianity to define the reality? Yes, the Scripture tells us that Jesus was "a man acquainted with grief, a man of sorrows." He did weep with those who were broken by disappointment, death, and disease. But that is only half of the story. He also earned harsh criticism from the religious leaders for being a man who ate dinner with those they considered low-lifes and sinners. He attracted people to Him everywhere He went. It is not a stretch of imagination to think that He did so by knowing how to laugh and lift them up. Don't forget, His first public miracle was supplying wine for a wedding! Somehow, for most of us, the only picture of the face of Jesus is the tear-stained one He wore on the night of Gethsemane's agony. We forget that kids loved Him, that crowds were drawn to Him, and that He spent a lot of time with so-called 'street people,' - a clue that He had to be a joyful man, too.

So, how do we live in His joy?

Worship! "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11, NIV) If we live life, with our face to the ground, focusing only on the needs, the duties, the pressing responsibilities - we will be overcome with fatigue, if not outright depressed. Worship, offering up the sacrifice of praise, lifts our face to Heaven and allows us to regain a view of God's glorious works. No wonder the Scripture urges us to "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2, NIV)

Serve! Stop, Jerry, didn't you just say we need to step away from duty? Yes, I did, but if we give ourselves to vanity, to endless chasing of 'fun,' we will lose the joy of God's approval! Jesus told a story about men who were entrusted with responsibility. Two of the three were diligent and obedient in their service. Note their commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful . . . Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:23, NKJV)

Submit! Accepting God's grace for the road you will walk today is important. Nothing that happens to you today surprises Him. Those who are His beloved children can turn to Him and find help, strength, and resources. Sometimes He leads us through dark valleys, along ways we would not choose for ourselves. And, He gives grace for the journey. If we submit to His leadership, we can find joy even in the trials of life.

We must not confuse happiness, a transitory emotion that is largely based on pleasant circumstances, with genuine joy. Joy is a constant work of God's Spirit in us, not something we drum up, create, or paste into place. So, I repent of the sin of drudgery! And I pray for the joy of the Lord to fill my heart and mind so that I will honor Him even with my contentment and smile. I think I'll put in a worship CD when I take my Miata for a drive today- and let a song of praise fill the air, just for joy's sake!
____________

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove.
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Joy to the World
Isaac Watts© Public Domain

AA and my church

The man's words stopped my thoughts when he said, "I get more out of my AA meetings than I do from my church." He went on to explain that at AA he received the benefit of being with people who had hit rock bottom just as he had, who shared the same shame, who had a keen interest in helping him maintain his sobriety. He is onto something that all churches need to think about seriously! Are we offering acceptance to those who need to be loved to wholeness? When someone full of shame and/or guilt makes their way into our meeting, do they find hope and forgiveness or stares of disapproval and not so subtle suggestions that they get their mess cleaned up?

Finding the right mix of genuine love and challenge to change is not a simple thing. AA does not say to the alcoholic, "You have two weeks to get it right. If you get drunk again more than three times, you're outta here!" Yet, the goal of sobriety is never compromised and anniversaries of sobriety are celebrated with noisy affirmation. Medallions are given out for the recovering alcoholic to carry in his pocket as a reminder of past victories and as a motivation for making right choices today. The success of AA is based on loving acceptance and real encouragement, not on punishment or shame! The 'friends of Bill W.' (AA's nickname) have a lot to teach those who claim to be friends of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that God wants His people to a "glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. . . . holy and without fault." (Ephesians 5:27, NLT) And how does He accomplish this? With love, drawing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. A high priority in our fellowship must be to "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 10:24-25, The Message)

How do you relate to other Believers?
Are you quick to criticize?
Are you willing to be authentic and transparent in your own struggles with faith and obedience? Do you celebrate successes - yours and others?
Are you letting others encourage you and offering the same to someone in need?

Make the love of Christ practical. If you know a person who is struggling to make it, whose walk with Jesus is faltering, pick up the phone and reach out. No, don't start out the conversation by saying, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in church for months." Tell them you miss them. Ask them if you can help them today or if there is something you can pray for with them, and then do it, right then. Instead of rushing into church right at 10 and leaving at the closing prayer, come and talk with your brothers and sisters. Listen and learn. Be a friend and create bonds around the shared passion for Christ and His church.

I don't want AA to be better at 'being the Church' than we are! I am glad for AA and deeply appreciate their mission, but the Church has something even better to offer. We are the redeemed, the transformed, the family of God. Jesus Christ announced His mission with these words. Prayerfully consider them and ask the Lord to make them true of your life and your church. What a mission statement!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come." (Luke 4:18-19, NLT)

A Priest Who Understands

When I wrote of the silence of God yesterday, I included this, "It's not an intellectual explanation I seek. I long for the touch of the Savior." As I pondered and prayed, I began to realize that the Savior does understand exactly what I am experiencing, for He experienced it, too. At the Crucifixion, even as He was put through physical suffering that is almost beyond my comprehension at the hands of cruel soldiers, He dealt with another kind of pain that was less visible, but more intense! He felt forsaken by God! "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"Matthew 27:46, NIV)

Jesus is God. From the foundation of Creation, He knew the plan of salvation. When He left Heaven to become the Incarnate God-Man, he clearly understood His mission. When He taught His disciples, He told them of what must happen to Him. He knew, yet when He went through the terrible experience that brought us forgiveness and reconciliation, He still felt alone and abandoned by His Father. So I conclude that even if we know what is happening to us, even if we can logically explain our situation, we may still feel alone!

Here's what I did with this. I thanked the Lord Jesus for standing alongside of me. He has promised to pray for me. "Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens." (Hebrews 7:24-26, NIV) I give up my desire to press for explanations, release my demands for an easy or simple conclusion. I will just stand by Him, thankful that He knows my heart and that He will be my Priest in Heaven!

If we are willing to just trust God without demanding answers, we will become better comforters to those who suffer, too. Yesterday, I had the privilege of sitting with Andre D., a man from the congregation who has fought cancer's ravages for a long time. His cancer is now advanced, his body and spirit weakened. Instead of trying to offer explanations or even to 'make him feel better' I just listened while he talked and shared his tears. Our fellowship was sweet for a short time as I allowed myself to become "Jesus with skin on" for him. When we prayed, together we just stood alongside of Jesus Christ, by faith, and were comforted that He knew our sense of loneliness and that He was praying for us at the right hand of the God of Glory.

______________________

Jesus, what a Friend for sinners,
Jesus, Lover of my soul.
Friends may fail me,
Foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

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

Chapman, public domain

When God is Silent

For six months since his cancer diagnosis, I have visited my Dad almost weekly. Seeing the way that his strength is sapped, his body weakened, breaks my heart. I awaken at the dawn, lifting him to the Father in Heaven. Seldom do I go to sleep without asking the Lord to be with him and with my mother. And, God appears to be silent! I pray to understand this trial and hear only more silence. I ask for some sense of serenity and feel as though He has ignored my cry! Well-meaning friends assure me that "God has a plan," but right now, even though I know the words are true, they irritate me much more than comfort. Others offer up that "the rain falls on the just and the unjust," a phrase that by this time offers little solace. I long for a word from Heaven, the Spirit's comfort. It is not an intellectual explanation I seek. I long for the touch of the Savior. My faith in God is not in jeopardy. I know Him well and trust Him. It is His silence that is hard to bear.

Ever been there, dear Believer? Seasons like this are named many ways by others. St. John of the Cross called such a time the "dark night of the soul." I have heard others refer to the "dry desert journeying" when the soul is thirsty for God's love. The tempter attempts to turn our focus to ourselves, to make us feel as though we have caused God's silence, and when he succeeds a sense of false guilt is added to our sorrow! In fact, we cannot always know why God is silent and we have only to hold onto His promises while we wait.

David sings of God's silence and his words are a source of comfort for me in the Word. In the Psalms, he writes: "I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?" (Psalm 101:1-2, NLT) In a much more desperate tone, he cries: "Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food." (Psalm 102:1-4, NIV)

What then can I do during this dark night?

First is to continue in what He has said to me in the past and in His Word. His present silence does not mean that I should forget to love Him or to love others, the two commands that are the foundation of all the will of God.

Second is to keep my eyes looking to heaven. Should I look to the things of this earth to heal the wound of my soul that can only be healed by His touch? Many is the person who has gone onto the rocks and wrecked their life when they sought some temporary comfort for the distress of their soul.

Third is to go "Steady on, to endure!" This is the directive of the Word for such times. "Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." (Hebrews 12:13, NLT)

Fourth is to weep, but not allow bitterness to take hold. To question God's seeming absence is no sin. To wonder why we are not able to hear His voice or sense the comfort of the Spirit is quite acceptable. To rail on Him, to accuse Him of being uncaring, unloving, or unjust only creates a place for doubt to flourish and bitterness to take root. The Word warns that from that root of bitterness comes great and troubling discontent!

If you, too, are bearing the silence of God, join me in an earnest prayer for faithfulness! This was what I asked of Him today that He would see my weakness and make it an opportunity to display His power, that He would defend me against the Destroyer and keep me faithful. Ask Him the same. He will do it, for His glory and His own Name's sake. Amen.
______________

"Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken."
O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.

To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
"What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and
clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."

(Psalm 30:4-12, NIV)