Full of doubts?

Not too long ago a good man stopped me and asked, “Do you have doubts?” He wanted to know if my Christian life included any uncertainties about what I claim to believe. He’s not the first to ask me that question! He wanted to know if I ever wondered about questions like: Does God care for me? Does He really take note of me? Is He active? Does He answer prayer? These are real questions and more common that we think. Many of us feel anxiety and even guilt about even having these thoughts. We are convinced that if we were a ‘better Christian’ all doubt would disappear and we would live in perpetual assurance. Think again. The deeper a person delves into faith, the more we choose (note that word) to walk in faith, the more we expose ourselves to the possibility of doubt. Why? Because the choice to live by faith leads us from the common, the safe, the tested and out into the realm of the impossible, the impractical, ‘walking in the Spirit.’

Faith needs to grow and gradually replace our doubts. But, doubt is not necessarily a bad thing. It can and should lead us to an examined and tested faith that is able to withstand the stormy times of life that will come to us all. Timothy Keller, author and pastor, says that “a faith without some doubt is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic.” (Reason for God, Riverhead, 2008) I love that analogy to antibodies. We can live without them, but we are much more resistant to sickness because of them. Each time our bodies fight off some virus, we gain strength for the next assault.
Doubts are disturbing! But, they also can help us to clarify our beliefs which, in turn, deepens our ability to trust God. Doubt and faith need not be adversaries. Doubt can lead us to greater faith if we respond to it in ways that recognize our limitations. If we require iron-clad proofs that respond to our demand to see, touch, smell, or hear; then doubt will become destructive. If we are willing to admit that there are many things we simply cannot reduce to the simplicity of our own understanding, then we can come to a place where we are prepared to discard doubt and choose to trust God. I am convinced that we should not force that process to end prematurely, either in ourselves or in others.
In my life, doubt is ultimately defeated by building from the broad issues of faith to the more defined ones. Long ago, I chose to believe in the existence of God. The balance of evidence pointed to a Supreme Being, a Creator. Examination of the evidence and Scripture brought me to the choice to trust that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to reveal His grace and Himself to us thus; I am a Christian. Learning of the way of life He taught and seeing how genuine discipleship brought such benefit to this world, I chose to respond to His offer of grace and follow Him as a disciple. Do you see the pattern?
John closes his Gospel, which is a long argument for Christian faith, with a story of doubt overcome. As you read it, take note that Jesus did not condemn the doubter. Instead, he invited him to examine the evidence and make a choice!
"Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:27-31, NIV)

Are you doubting? Keep it honest.
Ask the questions, not as accusations but as real inquiries.
Allow for mystery.
Be a good student of the world, the Scripture, and yourself.
And, listen for the Spirit’s invitation to faith.
"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. …


It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him."
(Hebrews 11:1, 6, The Message)

___________________

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.

While life's dark maze I tread,
And grief around me spreads
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!

When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll,
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove.
Oh bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.

My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Palmer, Ray / Mason, Lowell

© Public Domain

“Oh, yeah? Well, your mother is ugly!”

One of the not so fun parts of leadership, even in a small organization, is the criticism that comes with the job. People with differing opinions or without full information about how a decision was made will often attack the decider. I’ve been told I was stupid, that I lacked vision, that I was not spiritual, that I was allowing my church to slide into decline, and more. That was said to my face! Behind my back, much worse has been said. (Yes, it is true that I have also received a ton of affirmation too, over the years, but that’s for another blog.) There was a time when I met each and every critic with drawn sword! In moments when I felt vulnerable even if my position was weak I was ready to defend it, rather like the school yard kid who finds he has nothing else to say, so he hurls the age-old insult – “your mother is ugly!”

In conflict, we have a decision to make – to amplify the noise or absorb it! Just about every married person knows how quickly the volume can rise during an argument when neither one is ready to back down! Our natural tendency is to respond to others with the same spirit they bring. “You want hostile, I’ll show you hostile!” Then, we run into the wisdom of Jesus who says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV) If we who have experienced His powerful love, we are empowered to break the cycle of human conflict. He said, "Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.” (Luke 6:27-31, The Message) Sound difficult? It is! Living in this way consistently requires that we have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit who works to change us from the inside out.

David, who was called 'a man after God's own heart,' (Acts 13.22) found himself in a dysfunctional relationship. While still a teenage boy, he was invited to be part of the court of King Saul, a man who quickly slid into insane jealousy, when others lauded David’s character and accomplishments. Once Saul flew into an unprovoked rage and attempted to kill David by hurling a javelin at him! After years of unjustified attacks, David cried out to Jonathan, his friend and Saul's son, "What have I done?" he exclaimed. "What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?" (1 Samuel 20:1, NLT) David, in general, was not a man blinded to his own faults. This cry was no act of gratuitous self-pity! In truth, he had never done a thing to Saul except to serve him faithfully! The fault lay not with David, but with the man who hated him so intensely. Yet, David refused to surrender to rage and would not take any steps towards vindicating himself! Several times David had the chance to kill Saul, but he would not! He chose, instead, to trust himself and his reputation to God. What a model for us in time of conflict.

Have you served another and received only criticism in response?
Have you tried to be truthful and provoked the ire of someone now bent on evening the score?
Have you made a mistake and now live in a war of words that you do not know how to bring to an end?

Let God love you! It may sound trite, clichéd, but it is true! If you will retreat from the war, and take your rage, hurt, pain, and/or sorrow into His presence, prayerfully, and patiently, He can comfort and change you! When you sense His love, your security will rise. This will create new perspective, even give you courage to let yourself lose the battle, in order to win the war! Jesus requires that those who love Him live differently.

Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments before you rush on today. Pray that in this world so full of conflict, that you will live differently because you are different! “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.  “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked." (Luke 6:32-35, NLT)

___________________

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
not so much to be understood as to understand,
not so much to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.

- St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

Dressed for success?

Mark Twain said, “Clothes make the man.” What most don’t know is that being the humorist he was, he finished that quote saying, “Naked people have little or no influence on society!”

My choice of clothing don’t really change me, but how I am dressed most certainly effects the way other people respond to me. Yesterday, I had on grey dress pants and a black shirt. David, a boy in 6th grade, asked, “Do you have a funeral today, Pastor?” He took a cue from my attire. Today, I’m wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. Do you think he will ask the same question? Of course not. Our society is very informal having largely abandoned dress codes. But still, our dress sends signals about our status, wealth, and occupation. Sometimes those signals are accurate and sometimes people are just playing, ‘dress up’ trying to create an image that is at odds with their reality.

The issue that really matters is how you dress your spirit! Some live in the filthy rags of sinfulness despite being offered a suit finely tailored just for them by the Master. How about you? The Bible urges us "as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12, NIV) Again, we are told to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24, NIV) The word in the original text of the NT that is translated, “put on,” was a word that would have been used for sliding into a shirt or a robe.

Make no mistake about true holiness. Action on our part is demanded. We do not become useful to God, beautifully reflecting His wholesomeness to our world by accident or effortlessly. There must be intent, a real desire to be like our Savior. Ah, yes. Clothing can temporarily conceal the truth. Anyone can buy a uniform and look like a soldier, but only basic training creates a real Marine! It is possible to hang out with genuine disciples and learn enough of the lifestyle to adopt a mannerism that conceals an unchanged heart. That’s not the appeal of the Word. The instruction here is that we take steps to make sure we are living the reality of our calling, that our lives are dressed appropriately in the character of Jesus Christ. In the book of the Revelation, the Lord tells a lukewarm, unholy church to get dressed! Allow me to paraphrase His words. “Stop lounging around in your pajamas, thinking you’re presentable,” He says. "I counsel you to buy from me … white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness.” (Revelation 3:18, NIV)


Are you dressed for success, as a Christian?
Are you putting on the righteousness of Christ, inviting the Spirit to scrub away the filth of hatred, unforgiveness, greed, and sensuality to allow the beauty of your salvation to show through?
Do you wear the suit provided by your Father in a way that let’s others know to Whom you belong?

Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder the promise today and wear it.
"I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara.
For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom and puts praise on display before the nations." (Isaiah 61:10-11, The Message)

________________

Do you hear them coming brother,
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed garments pure and white?

'Tis a glorious church,
Without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
'Tis a glorious church,
Without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
A Glorious Church
Hudson, Ralph E.
© Public Domain

Turn loose the horses!

Dad had a stable full of horses for most of his life, except for a couple of years while we lived in New York City. When we would open the gate of the corral and let them out to pasture, I still remember the rush I felt as those amazing and beautiful animals thundered by, manes and tails flying in the wind, heads high, nostrils flared. There’s something about a horse! It that experience, still vivid in my mind after 40 years, that informs my senses as I read the opening lines of the 6th chapter of the Revelation.

John opens the chapter with four horsemen thundering out of the Presence of the All Mighty one to ride over the Earth. In this vision, we are captivated, warned, and reminded of God’s supreme power over history and humanity. A voice rolls across Heaven saying, “Come!” and a white horse bearing a conqueror with a bow at the ready gallops by. The scene repeats and out rides a red horse whose rider carries a sword of bloodshed, followed by a black horse who rider carries a scale, the universal symbol of commerce. This horse announces famine. Interestingly, the one bringing famine is limited by the decree of Heaven. "Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” (Revelation 6:6, NIV) The grain fields may be burnt but they will grow back in one season of planting and harvest. If the vineyards and olive groves are destroyed years, perhaps decades, will pass before they become fruitful again. In this we learn that God is not seeking total destruction of those He judges, but rather is willing to visit temporary suffering on them that they might turn again. The black horse of famine, in John’s vision, is then followed by the pale horse, ridden by "Death, and his companion was the Grave.” (Revelation 6:8, NLT)

The message is stark: When men turn away from God and His glory to pursue power for Self, there is only one inevitable result: terrible suffering!

In those few short verses, John reveals the cycle of violence that has repeated itself throughout history and in every culture. A leader is given power and when he drinks the cup of authority, he goes mad with the need to control more – people, land, and money. Conquest requires war, which spills blood by the bucket. Peace, which allows for prosperity, is gone and soon deprivation arrives with the failure of commerce. When the crops cannot be planted and people are turned into refugees, disease and death come.
In this chapter, John reveals the Judgment of God, in which He allows rebellious people to taste the fruit of their own choices to walk in disobedience. There is a severe mercy in His judgment. He does not wish to annihilate us, but only to make us aware of our plunge into self-destruction! In this time of great grace, there is hope. Those who turn to Him, find forgiveness and life. But, there will come a time when the God of eternity, will declare that time has come to an end, that all things must now be made right, that justice must rule. When that moment of finality arrives, I want to be found in His mercy, don’t you?
Here’s a word from the Word. Find the promise and hold tightly to it. Though the suffering of those who are rebellious may touch our lives, though we may hear the thundering hooves of the Four Horsemen who announce His Judgment, our hope is secure in Him. And that, disciple, is reason for great hope.

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you,


not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.


But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?


You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming."
(2 Peter 3:9-12, NIV)

________


Holy God, awesome and terrible,
Loving and gracious, kind and severe;
Call us to obedience with these fearsome visions.
The seductions of the systems among which we live is powerful,
appealing to our base nature.

Your Spirit is alive in us and we pray that You, Holy Spirit,
will guard our hearts and sharpen our minds,
helping us to know and live in the Truth,
making us bold to serve,
full of confidence born of our hope in
the Eternal life that is our through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Amen.

Guaranteed Return

In our economy, investing for the best return is difficult. Five years ago, it appeared that real estate had no ceiling. “Buy property,” we were told, “It will only increase in value.” Well, that’s no longer true! Most real estate has steeply declined in value in the last year. Warren Buffett, CEO of the investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway, a man whose sense of the economic markets has made him one of the richest men in America, yesterday invested $44 billion (that’s not a typo!) in Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. He called his investment, “An all-out wager on the economic future of the United States.” Buffett is not a gambling man despite his choice of words. He must be convinced that the American economy is about to start to hum again, raising the need for rail transport and the profitability of the railroad. But, even Buffett cannot guarantee a return.
In what are you invested? No, I’m not asking about your financial situation. The question is bigger than bucks. It’s a life question, worthy of research and careful planning. In what are you putting your efforts, your time? What kind of future reward or pay-out do you anticipate?

Some disciples raise an eyebrow when rewards are mentioned! But why? The Scripture, time and again, promises all of us a reward. Our lives are not without consequence; good or bad! Take a look.

• "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites." (Colossians 3:23-27, NLT)

• In another passage that borrows on an agricultural metaphor we learn that "God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:7-8, NKJV)

I anticipate a rich reward in Heaven! I am not ashamed to say that and I make no apologies for looking ahead. I read the prospectus, evaluated the worthiness of the Guarantor, and chose to trust my life and treasure to the Eternal CEO of heaven. Many of the choices I have made throughout my life are investment decisions. Rather than choosing to pursue a short-term return of wealth or pleasure that I might have enjoyed, I have chosen to follow Christ’s invitation to ‘lay up treasure in Heaven’ where there is no market fluctuations, no Bernie Madoff-style rip-offs, no shift in values.

Some of you may be thinking, “Jerry, you sound almost greedy.” No, I am just taking God at His Word. Do not read me wrong here. It’s not that I expect rewards similar to those that are based on earthly wealth. In heaven who will care about a house with 10 bathrooms or a Lamborghini in the garage? Who will desire to own reserves of gold in a place where all that we need is provided for us by a loving Father? I cannot even begin to conceive of the joy of receiving God’s commendation, or knowing that my life has pleased and honored Him. That reward, which He guarantees to those who are faithful, captivates me today.

Yes, I see all of life as an investment. May the Lord make us wise investors who see beyond Today and into our eternal home. Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it and be challenged by the promise.
"Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward."
(1 Corinthians 3:10-14, NLT)

_________________

Often I'm hindered on my way,
Burdened so heavy I almost fall.
Then I hear Jesus sweetly say,
"Heaven will surely be worth it all."


Many the trials, toils, and tears,
Many a heartache may here appall.
But the dear Lord so truly says,
"Heaven will surely be worth it all."


Heaven will surely be worth it all.
Worth all the sorrows that here befall.
After this life with all its strife.
Heaven will surely be worth it all.

Heaven Will Surely Be Worth It All
Cooper, W. Oliver / Jones, Minzo C.
© 1945 O.A. Parris. Renewed 1973. Assigned 1979 M. Lynwood Smith Publications
CCLI License No. 810055

On the Home Front

A report published in 2002 by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services contains this statement. “Compared with unmarried people, married men and women tend to have lower mortality, less risky behavior, more monitoring of health, more compliance with medical regimens, higher sexual frequency, more satisfaction with their sexual lives, more savings, and higher wages.” Marriage helps us live longer, enjoy better sex, and be prosperous and yet, fewer are marrying today. Why? Because what passes for marriage in far too many cases is nothing like what it ought to be. In place of a covenanted, committed relationship, we find economic partnership, oppression, and endless power struggles. The result is a high divorce rate which produces a unique kind of ongoing pain for all involved.

Divorce, according to the same study, not only almost always has a significant economic impact, it also becomes an important predictor of a child’s future well-being. “Children raised in single-parent families are more likely to drop out of high school, have lower grades and attendance while in school, and are less likely to attend and graduate from college than children raised in two-parent families. They are more likely to be out of school and unemployed and are also more likely to become single parents themselves, than children raised in two-parent families.” (Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the United States – CDC, July, 2002)

Throughout my 32 year long ministry as a Pastor, marriage trouble is the primary reason that people seek my counsel. People with a dysfunctional marriage are truly miserable, dealing with anger, disappointment, and frustration on a daily basis. Creating an intimate and happy marriage is not rocket science, but it does require emotional maturity and spiritual sensitivity, which appear to be in ever shorter supply. When one spouse loses sight of the goal of serving the other, trouble is soon to follow. When either begins to flex their power in the relationship (be it physical, sexual, financial, or emotional) love quickly withers. A satisfying marriage is nothing like the portrayal of it in pop culture. Good marriages do not happen. They are created and maintained by committed people who subjugate their selfish whims to seek the good of the relationship.

The Bible speaks directly to issues of marriage with wisdom that is often rejected as dated or impractical. Truthfully, it is a solid wisdom but what we read requires the cooperation and investment of both the husband and wife to realize the full return of obedience. Take a look. "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly."  (Colossians 3:18-19, NLT)  Yes, I know, 21st century women are ready to stop reading now. “Submit” is one of those words in the Bible that is terribly misused and misunderstood. It is not about being inferior. It is about following. Christ is the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, but He is equal with God, the Father. He chooses His place in that mysterious Being. Marriage creates a unity and within that unity, the wife, though equal in every way with her husband, chooses to follow. Husband, never forget- it is the responsibility of those entrusted with headship to become ‘servant leaders’ of the home! Once again, we are directed to the model of Christ, who “loved the church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25, NIV)

Marriage partners who want to enjoy a life-long, growing, emotionally satisfying relationship must surrender large chunks of autonomy. Simply put, for those who are married, “me” exists less and less and “we” becomes foremost! The Word urges all disciples to a life of unselfish service. This is particularly important for those who are married. Here’s what God says. "Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!" (Philippians 2:4-7, The Message) This wisdom flies in the face of our individualistic ideals and our belief that our personal happiness requires self-expression above all things.

High on the list of priorities for the church of Christ in America, must be a renewed emphasis on the home and family. Our faith must ‘work’ at home. It must inform the way we form our marriage relationship as well as the ways we maintain it. Not all will marry, nor should they think they must to find happiness. Those who do, however, must know that marriage is more than a means of bearing children or sharing the expenses of a home. It is, ideally, a living example of love in action, of God’s love for and intimacy with His people. When our homes are full of God’s grace, when we mutually seek to serve God and each other, we create the possibility of something unique and amazing to come into being.

Lord God, help us to love, to serve, to endure the hard times, and to know the blessed times. Amen!

All Jesus, All The Time!

Over 200 channels of programming flow into my house on the cable that stretches from the street. The sheer number of channels means that programmers can stick to one narrow topic. There is an Animal Planet channel dedicated to, you guessed it, animals! There are several channels that report the news (or some variation of it) 24/7! ESPN and her sister channels bring sports and stats our way endlessly. Just how many ways can sportscasters describe a homerun hit in the Series? Religious channels brings every variety of modern Christianity from Sister Angelica's Catholicism on EWTN to 'charismania' on TBN. These channels attract an audience by knowing what they are about and focusing on that subject.


I want to know Who I am about and focus my life on Him! In Colossians 3, disciples are urged to make life about the Lord Jesus. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:2-4, NIV) Do you understand that, friend? The meaning of our lives is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. The title we hold at work, the level of achievement that we reach, the grades our kids earn in school, the size of our house, the amount of our salary, the hobby we enjoy on the weekend - we are not living for these things! If we do, we're missing out on 'real life.' We will devote our energy and give our time and money to something that will inevitably disappoint us.

If, however, our lives are focused intensely on Him, if His will shapes our conversations, our actions, our hopes and dreams- we have the promise that we will share the full glory of Christ. Think of it this way. Early in an American presidential campaign, candidates announce their intention to run. They hire staff, people who choose to invest themselves in the man or woman who is running. Those staffers know that their future is now fully invested in that person. If he succeeds and is elected to sit in the Oval Office, they will gain a seat at the table of power. If he fizzles and fades, they will go back to some obscure job in the political world. Similarly, if we invest our lives in Jesus Christ, we are assured that when He takes His Throne and reveals the fullness of His Kingdom, we will bask in the Glory right alongside of Him!

Disciple, be wary of allowing your life to be about too many things. Many Christians are ineffective and joyless because they are unfocused. Yes, they love Jesus Christ and know Him, but they also love reputation, or money, or pleasure, or ... the distractions make a long list. Take a cue from the narrowcasters of the cable networks. Find out Who you're about then focus, focus, focus on Him. "Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (Colossians 3:17, The Message)
Don't misunderstand what the Word asks. It is not spending our entire life in church! We are not asked to become cloistered nuns or monks chanting in a chapel! We need not retire to a commune in Montana to be 'about Christ.' Rather, we take the stuff of our daily life - being a spouse, being an employee, being a neighbor; yes, just being human - and we focus on doing whatever we do in a way that reflects His will, His purposes, His values. When we make life about Jesus, all the time, we will begin to live as we pray - "may your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." Amen!

____________

Let Christ in us be glorified.
Christ in us be magnified.
Self denied, sin crucified.
Let Christ be glorified,
Let Christ be glorified.

In ev'ry song we sing,
In the praises that we bring,
Let Christ be glorified.
In the service that we give,
And the lives that we live,
Let Christ be glorified.

Christ in us be glorified.
Christ in us be lifted high.
Let His love in us be shown,
And His praises all be known.
Let Christ be glorified.

Christ In Us Be Glorified

Chapman, Morris
© 1995 Maranatha Praise, Inc.
CCLI License No. 810055

The Wild Card!

To add variation to the game, card players sometimes designate one of the cards as "wild," meaning that when played it can be given any face value the player desires. The phrase has now entered our vocabulary and is used to refer to all unpredictable factors. In sports competition, there are entries who do not qualify by normal rules, who are granted 'wild card' status. And, yes, there are occasions when, to all appearances, life deals us a wild card!

• A year ago, millions of Americans thought themselves financially secure, investments growing in value, 401(k) retirement accounts at the ready. Then, the bottom fell out of the world economy and portfolios lost 40% of their value in just days!
• Remember that beautiful day, September 11, 2001? That sunny morning, 19 terrorists commandeered 4 airplanes in the Northeastern United States. In an hour their murder of thousands rewrote American history!
• Then, there are those much more personal 'surprises;' things like an unplanned pregnancy, an unforeseen job lay-off, a friend who turns his back, a health crisis.

These 'wild cards' in life reveal who we are! They strip away our pretenses, knock out our systems of control, and leave us vulnerable, don't they? Disciple, wild cards will come. That is why it is so critically important to cultivate deep faith when things are going well, when life seems to be 'normal.' If we wait until the crisis to try to learn to trust God, to build a foundation of faith, it will be too late. We will quite probably only increase our misery as we scramble desperately to find some place of security or comfort.
Jesus spoke directly to the necessity of preparing for the storms that will inevitably blow through our lives. First, He explains that a life of faith is so much more than knowing and saying the right things. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21, NIV) He tells us to obey today, to work out the implications of living what we believe, right now.

He goes on to give us one of his stories to make the point. "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV)
Rain comes to the righteous and the unrighteous alike! One of the false expectations of many Christians is that they will be exempt from disappointment, financial problems, rebellious kids, or cancer! Jesus was clear that His disciples live as a part of a world where wild cards get played. What's the difference for the disciple? He has a unshakeable foundation.
Paul, near the end of his life, was imprisoned by the Romans. He did not think God had failed him, nor did he complain about how unfair the situation was. The solid Rock on which he had built his life was revealed. "I am not ashamed, (of being in prison) for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 1:12-13, NKJV)
Are you building a solid foundation, day by day, choice by choice - so that when the rains come and the winds blow you will hold together and not crash?

__________________

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found!
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

The Solid Rock
Mote, Edward / Bradbury, William B.

© Public Domain

Getting a flu shot is sinful!

That’s what somebody posted online yesterday. The writer went into great detail about the dietary laws of the Old Testament and how ‘consuming’ the injection would make a person unclean before the Lord. They sounded very wise, but they have erred from the Way in making flu shots into a spiritual issue. I replied with some sarcasm intended, asking if they also felt that it was necessary to have their sons circumcised to please God! I went on to write, “if you choose to have a flu shot or not to have one, just make the choice, but don’t wrap the decision in Bible verses that have nothing to do with flu shots!” (By the way, I have no opinion on that subject, one way or the other!)

My point is that disciples easily become diverted from the pure love of Christ by all kinds of arguments and issues. Rivers of ink have been wasted by Christians arguing the most insignificant points about how to please God. Serving God so quickly devolves from the two foundational commandments: “Love God with your whole being,” and “Love others as you love yourself,” into rules about how we dress, what we eat, when we worship, what songs we sing, which Bible we read, and other truly secondary issues. The Scripture warns about turning our life in Christ into a philosophical argument about right and wrong!
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:8, NIV)

When a disciple becomes an issues person, pride enters in and division inevitably follows. Being ‘right,’ becomes much more important than being loving. Knowing something eclipses knowing Someone. In Bible Study last night, we did a survey of the various interpretative models for prophecy. As we talked about pre-millennial versus a-millennial timelines, about the nature of “Israel” and whether the Temple will actually be restored in Jerusalem, not a few people asked, “so what point of view is the right one?” It was not a lack of conviction that causes me to say, “None of them.” I have an opinion and can make a strong argument for what I believe on the matters of the Second Coming of Christ, but better students than I can make good arguments for differing prophetic views. Humility acknowledges the importance of being charitable and allowing for the unfolding of God’s plan as the Day approaches!

Stay focused on Christ, disciple. Don’t let anyone drag you into arguments about truly secondary issues. The Bible says, "You have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. …having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions." (Colossians 2:10, 14-18, NIV)
The paradox of Christianity is the strength found in weakness.
The sinful who confess their failure, find grace.
The humble who acknowledge their insignificance become the wise.
The least who loves becomes the greatest of all.
The one who seeks to know Christ forgetting the laws of religion, finds true holiness. And so it goes!

So, are you going to get a flu shot? Let it be the issue it is – a medical one with the best advice not wrung out of some text in Leviticus, but given by your physician. I don’t think your decision, one way or the other, will effect your standing with God. It just might get you to His Presence more quickly if you make the wrong one.
Here’s a word from the Word. Keep it in mind today.
"If you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message)

Advice or Command?

“This is not a request, it’s a directive.” I said that to my children occasionally when they failed to follow directions. When they were teens, sometimes they developed an acute case of independence and decided that Dad did not really understand their situation and therefore, his words could be ignored; often by feigned misunderstanding rather than blatant refusal. So, just to make it clear that I expected compliance, I reminded them that I was not simply offering advice. They were, just for the record, great kids and now more than a decade removed from that era, I still remember those days with joy!

As children of the Heavenly Father, we are tempted to re-interpret His commands as advice that we can follow or ignore as we wish. When the Tempter shows up, one of his tricks of deception is to convince us that the Lord just doesn’t understand our unique situation. A strange kind of logic overtakes us in which we reason that while the choice we are about to make is wrong for others, we are exempt. We create and choose to live in the lie that “God will understand and approve my choice, because He knows my special circumstances.” This broken line of thinking is one I have heard as a Pastor too many times to count from people who refused to forgive and fell into terrible bitterness, from those who choose not to honor God with giving of their resources, from wives who will not respect their husbands, from men who went ahead and got involved in illicit affairs, from teens who are choosing to be sexually active outside of marriage, and more!

Those who are choosing self-will often offer this rationalization: “God knows my heart.” True enough. God does understand our situation, our psychology, our temptations, and even the ways in which we think even better than we do! The Scripture says, "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what." (Hebrews 4:12-13, The Message) Does that sound harsh? Does it make you tremble?

Then, read on into the blessed promise of the subsequent part of that passage. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)

The Lord does not just hand down His edict and demand obedience, leaving us to struggle through the issues of compliance by ourselves! He really does understand in a priestly way and invites us to let Him be our Helper! The paradox of spiritual victory is that it is found in admission of weakness. When we find ourselves beaten up by our desires, enticed by temptation, longing to disobey – the worst response is to pretend we are doing fine, or that the situation is not critical, or to deny that we really do want to follow our own desire. Instead, we fall down before Him and cry out, “Father, I want to follow my heart, take my own path. It is the appealing choice. Help me to stand. Clear my vision.” And, He does not reject us in our confession! Instead, the Bible says, "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 10:13, The Message)

Are you pulled between obedience and expedience today, disciple?
Are you facing a situation where God’s way and your desire are on a collision course?

Remember, His Word is not just good advice; it’s His directive. When we align ourselves to His will, we find life.  Here’s a word from the Word. May we find warning and encouragement in the Truth for today.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?
But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
(Jeremiah 17:9-10, NLT)
So, "we worship at your throne— eternal, high, and glorious!
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who turn away from you will be disgraced.
They will be buried in the dust of the earth,
for they have abandoned the Lord, the fountain of living water." (Jeremiah 17:12-13, NLT)

What kind of intelligence?

People understand life, and thus are able to contribute to the world, in very different ways. I knew a young man that was severely disabled, unable to read or write, who could play a Lizst composition or a pop tune on his keyboard after hearing it just once! I’ve known guys who could not write a complete sentence who had the ability to rebuild an engine, making it like new. There are people who can run a vast company who can’t relate to their own family members. There is a theory of multiple kinds of intelligence that explains this and more. Howard Gardner originally suggested seven kinds of intelligence: Verbal/Linguistic, Musical, Logical/Mathematical, Visual/Spatial, Bodily Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist.

Here’s my challenge to you: Are you spiritually intelligent?

Unlike Gardner’s theory which suggests we are born with wiring in our brains that pre-disposes us to strength in certain areas, all of us can become wise in the ways of God! "We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—… For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:4,9-10, NIV)
Even though we may have widely differing ways of worshipping and perceiving the work of the Spirit, He promised that He will teach us His will and make us wise! Disciple, I beg you- be wise! Everything we do in life will be done better by another sooner or later. The best composition, the most beautiful music, the finest machine – these will all be forgotten with time. But, wisdom in the ways of God creates life and beauty and leads us to a rich reward in Heaven. "The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple." (Psalm 19:7, NLT)
Natural intelligence must be developed with training and practice. Proficiency is not immediate. It grows over time with diligence! Spiritually, the same pattern holds. Wise disciples, who are discerning, grow in the knowledge of the Lord and His ways. Great Christians are not born, they develop. God, the Holy Spirit, works with us, speaks to us, and leads us. We have the freedom to choose to obey and follow, or walk willfully and fail.
Are you living like a fool?
Do you stumble into one sin after another?
Does failure follow you like your shadow?

It’s time to grow wise!
Surrender. That’s the first step. Just stop, look up, and acknowledge God. You may or may not have an emotional moment or some revelation. Make it a faith choice, a turning point of mastery.
Then, find a solid church where you will be mentored in spiritual truth and practice.
And, Pray daily! Not just the long lists of ‘gimme this, God’ that passes for prayer; but the kind of prayer that is quiet, that listens, that provides the Spirit an opportunity to direct you!
Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it and begin to ask God for wisdom, then grow in grace!
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.


We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. … but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. …


We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:4-7, 10, 12, NIV)

______________

Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Deeper, deeper! Blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus
And His perfect will.

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev'ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious holy Word.

Deeper, deeper! Tho' it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

Deeper, higher, ev'ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflicts past
finds me conqu'ror,
And in His own image
perfected at last.

Deeper Deeper
Jones, Charles P.
© Public Domain

Life as a work of art

Bev and I were watching a new crime drama (what’s with TV and crime dramas?) last Friday night. The story line was interesting involving a twist of time travel, as each character had an experience when they were able to see 6 months into the future for a few moments. We won’t be watching the program again, however. Our choice isn’t because of poor writing or acting. The show was godless. Morals were non-existent, lifestyles abhorrent to the Lord were celebrated. So, that program – like most in prime time – won’t be part of our viewing habits. Perhaps that strikes you as ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘rigid,’ or even – legalistic. I don’t want to become so comfortable with the sin of our time that I begin to think it is normal or even right! Dr. Gayle Beebe writes - “There is a cultural malaise that touches us all. … We have become completely accustomed to the normality of dysfunction. The constant stream of scandal, broken lives, and mayhem of every sort elicits barely a yawn from us. We have come to expect little else … This overall life dysfunction is so pervasive in our culture is it nearly impossible for us to have a clear vision of spiritual progress. Shining models of holiness are so rare today.” (Longing for God, 2009)
Many Believers want to enjoy the benefit of God's grace through Christ without becoming disciples. They refuse the disciplined life that leads to transformation! All Christians want to have the hope of Heaven at the end of this life, but many try to reserve the right to live now outside of the will of God. There is a diabolical lie that says that a devout life will be a dull, joyless, colorless life of religious duty and constant suffering. That was reflected in the message on a T-shirt I saw a couple of years ago that read -
"See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. - Have no fun!"

That lie is as old as Eden! Eve became convinced that she could only know happiness if she discarded the will of God. "You will be like God, knowing good and evil," the serpent whispered to her, goading her to throw away her perfect relationship with her Father Creator.
When a person turns to Jesus Christ and, in faith, accepts His offering of forgiveness through the Cross, that one is 'saved.’ He is literally rescued from the pending destruction that will come as result of being under the wrath of God! Following the rescue, there is a lot of living to be done; On the other side of that experience, there is transformation of character, called 'sanctification.' This makes us useful to God producing a life worthy of His high calling. Nothing invites others to follow Christ more than one whose life is full of the beauty of authentic holiness. In the hands of God, the holy person’s life become a work of art!
That disciple of Jesus who chooses to respond to God with obedience enjoys benefits, too.

• He lives with serenity, enjoys tremendous authority over sin and evil, and is spared the fruit of disobedience which is always bitter after the initial illusion of sweet satisfaction.

• He is transparent, knowing no need to hide any part of his life from the scrutiny of others.

• His worship is genuine, not needing to be forced past the guilt of his hidden deeds.

• He hears the voice of the Spirit more clearly, and thus, lives purposefully.

• His life lends light to the world where he walks, helping others to see their way out of confusion.

• His integrity grows for he is not 'this way today, and that way tomorrow,' for he is consistently God's man wherever he goes.

• He is trusted by the weak, sought out by the strong, and is a 'friend of sinners' without becoming a participant in their ways.

You may be thinking, "That's not possible for me. I am not perfect." Perfection arrives with eternity. Even the sanctified experience an ongoing insurgency of the sinful nature. There are moments of lapse when unholy thoughts, words, or actions break through. What then? The person who knows he belongs to God, repents, finds forgiveness, and makes no excuse for his sin. He accepts responsibility, makes restitution, and moves into a new day!

Getting saved is the work of Christ Jesus and we are recipients of undeserved favor. Sanctification is both God's work and ours! We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis in order to live a holy life. There are choices to be made - sometimes painful, sometimes difficult, sometimes provoking scorn from others - that allow the transformation to continue in us. True holiness (not its imitation - self-imposed piety!) is a thing of beauty. Invite the Lord to make you both safe and sound, won't you?
Here's a word from the Word. Think deeply and prayerfully about the application to your life today.
"But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation."
(1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, The Message) Amen!

_______________

Oh Lord, You're beautiful,
Your face is all I seek,
For when Your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

Oh Lord, please light the fire,
That once burned bright and clear.
Replace the lamp of my first love,
That burns with holy fear.

I wanna take Your Word
And shine it all around.
First help me just to live it, Lord!
And when I'm doing well,
Help me to never seek a crown,
For my reward is giving glory to You.


Oh Lord You're Beautiful
Green, Keith
© 1980 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)

Glum or Glad?

Some people spend a lot of money chasing a smile. I find them lying around right where I live, if I look up! About four weeks ago, a physician told me I needed a biopsy on a suspicious lump in my body. I spent a few days being awfully glum, feeling very mortal and afraid. After I processed the information, I began to realize that being morose would not change a thing, that fear only robs me of the joy that the Lord provides for me day by day. Several friends prayed for me on different occasions. Today, I can say – despite the pending procedure – that joy is back.

There is such delight in ordinary things.

• Today a young Mommy from our congregation sent me a note about her kids, ages 4 and 6, who were present at a recent baptism. She wrote, “When G. and J. emerged from their last few minutes in the tub. They were talking back and forth and your name was mentioned, so I asked them what they are talking about. ‘We were playing 'Pastor Jerry dunkin' ya in the church tub! He's crazy!’" Now that’s a reason to smile, isn’t it?

• Yesterday I was privileged to spend an hour with ministry colleagues. After laughing at our foibles, we got down to the business of prayer. Oh, what joy!

• Then, a family from my church who is struggling through a crisis, came by and I had the joy of sharing their struggles, offering advice, and most of all, just loving them. Does it get better than that?
Situations will arise that attempt to steal our joy all the time. Bodies age. Temptations knock on our door. People disappoint us. Consequences of past choices come collecting their due. There is choice, disciple. You can be glum or you can be glad! I’m not talking about denial, nor I am talking about escape. Joy is a gift of God to those who will receive it. The Bible says it is our choice! "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:2-3, NIV)
When we mistakenly assume we are in control, when we try to usurp the throne of God, inevitably our joy will be lost to pressure, people, and problems! If we bring to mind that God rules, that He has a plan, that nothing that is happening to us right now is a surprise to Him – faith grows and with it comes joy. God urges us, through the prophet Isaiah, to make the choice to trust, fixed on His absolute rule. Take a look. “Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." (Isaiah 46:8-10, NIV)
Here’s a word from the Word. Let it draw a smile to your face as it rebirths joy in your heart.
"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, … And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." (Philippians 1:3-6, NLT)
_________________________

It's time I started dancing
over all these graves!
It's time I gave You, Oh my Lord,
the highest praise!
It's time to lift my voice,
Oh and beg for this blessing to fall!

I want the joy of the Lord to come down!
I want the joy of the Lord to fall now!
I want the joy of the Lord in my life.
I want the joy of the Lord to lift me,
I want the joy of the Lord to change me,
I want the joy of the Lord in my life!

I Want The Joy
© 2002 River Oaks Music Company (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Rita Springer

PS - I return to my physician on Monday. Prayers deeply appreciated.
CCLI License No. 810055

The Kiss that Worships

A Christian for my entire life, I have attended a lot of church services! Some have included worship, many have not! Sometimes the obvious focus is to entertain the audience, with a circus-like atmosphere of performing acts. Sometimes the service is more like a family reunion, the focus being on meeting the people who are present. Sometimes I’m puzzled why anyone shows up since the whole thing is pointless, wandering through a ritual that goes nowhere. And, sometimes worship really happens. The people gathered are purposefully focused on the Person and Presence of Almighty God, challenged by His Word, and left in awe. Now, that’s church!

This Fall, I am leading a Bible Study group through the book of the Revelation. Chapters 4 and 5 are John’s vision of the Throne Room. While the language is sometimes strange to my mind, the overall message is about worship. While meditating on those chapters, I have found myself in tears repeatedly – partially from awe, partially from longing for a more consistently authentic worship in my life. Read an excerpt.

"The Lamb (Jesus Christ) stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.


And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. … And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb." (Revelation 5:6-9, 13-16, NLT)

Modern worship is frequently evaluated only by the experience of the worshipper.

• Was the band good?
• Did they sing songs I liked?
• Did I feel ‘blessed’?
• Were warm and fuzzy emotions stirred?

Those are all fine things, but they are not what worship is about. Authentic worship must have an upward focus. It focused on offering to Jesus the same adoration that is shown to Him in heaven! Imagine the Elders of that scene getting up from their faces and high-fiving one another saying, “I feel so blessed right now!” No way. They were not even thinking of themselves. They desired only to pour out their love to the Lamb, to give Him praise because He is worthy!

Worship is about creating awareness, but not self awareness. It is always about being more aware of God’s Presence, and as we are awed by Him, increasingly submitted to His will. If worship does not do that, it is misfocused at best, a profanity at worst! Jesus taught, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24, NIV) The word that is translated as ‘worship’ is “proskuneo.” {pros•koo•neh•o} which means “to kiss the hand in token of reverence.” (Strong’s)
Disciple, have you leaned forward in worship to kiss the hand of God?
Have you taken your eyes off yourself, your circumstances, your needs to come to Him, just to offer up the adoration of your worship?
Remember, worship is first an attitude, then an action. An unsubmitted, self-willed Christian will not ‘worship in spirit and truth’ even though she may sing the right words and go through the motions of ‘worship.’ The heart must bow first, the will be submitted, and then worship will become worthy of its focus.

Lord, teach us to be worshippers, not just singers.
Bend our wills to Yours, draw our minds and hearts to You.
Our days are frequently a mad rush during which we forget
You and Your majesty, consumed by the things of ‘now.’
Forgive us for loving our lives so much that we fail to ‘kiss Your hand.’

Now, Lord, I join with all Creation to say:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”

_________________

To bow and to kiss,
To pour forth our love,
The perfume of our adoration.
To wash with our tears
The feet that were bruised,
To bless and to serve and to gaze on.

To bow and to kiss,
To pour forth our love,
The perfume of our adoration.
To press to our lips,
The hands that were pierced,
To bless and to serve and to gaze on.

To bow and to kiss,
To pour forth our love,
The perfume of our adoration.
To reach up and touch,
The brow that was torn,
To bless and to serve and to gaze on.

Jesus, my Savior!
My life and my love!
You are my treasure,
My gift from above!

To Bow And To Kiss
© 2002 Life Unto Life Music
Andrea C. Hunter
Jeremy Michael Riddle

CCLI License No. 810055

Good Bye! So Long! Good Riddance?

My prayer is that people are glad when I show up and sad to see me go. That's not true for everyone, is it? There are some people who make us sad when they show up and oh so glad when they depart! Dr. Henry Cloud writes (Integrity, 2005) that "You can tell a lot about a ship as you look at its wake. If it is in a straight line, you get the feeling that the boat is steadily on course and that the captain is not dozing at the wheel.... if it is smooth and flat you know something about the speed of the boat. ... With people the same thing is true. As a person goes through life, he leaves behind a wake." That analogy created a vivid picture in my mind. It made me think about the wake that that my life leaves. Cloud further observes that we leave a two-sided wake, relationships and tasks. It isn't just how we accomplish those jobs we are assigned, but who we effect in the process.

As we evaluate the task side of our lives, it is important that we ask questions like ...
- Am I completing tasks on time and without needless diversions?
- Do I understand the task and set my course to finish it?
- Is my work well done, worthy of review?

On the relational side of our lives, there are important questions, too.
- Do I create hope and encourage, or build barriers and discourage?
- Are people thankful for my presence?
- Do I make others feel enriched or exploited?

Sometimes the answers are obvious, if we have even a small amount of self-awareness. Then, there are those situations where the evaluation of how we have performed our task or interacted with others is not so quickly discerned. Sometimes we encounter situations over which we have little control. There are people who actively resist even our best efforts at building a strong relationship. They bring their own personalities and programs into our lives. The smooth wake that we want to create by our passing is broken up by their wake. As their turbulence of their wake flows into ours, the chop created can stir up a real tempest! I've been on a small boat and experienced being bounced around when a couple of speed boats passed by on crossing courses, leaving the waters roiled and rough. We need to remember that there are days when we run into winds of opposition and/or difficulty that blow us off course and purpose. At those times, no matter how diligent we are at the wheel of life, trying to steer a straight course, those gusts that blow over us will create wavy wake!


We must determine the course that God wants us to sail. We must be diligent to know the Word and patient to understand the Spirit's ways and then - go forward, steady on. In my lifetime, I've come to understand that I cannot adjust speed or course every time somebody makes an objection! I must humbly listen for the voice of the Lord and when I understand what He wants from me then I must sail on, gently but on course. I must pray for His Spirit to keep me true to those principles that set my course, and keep going. That assures that, over time, the wake left by my passing by will be a good one.


Take a look at the wake you're leaving on life's sea. Don't just look close to the stern. Look toward the horizon, too. Is it straight and true? Does it show steady speed?

Here's a word about living well, for God's glory. Take Paul's benediction and turn it into your prayerful petition today. We are...
"praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works.
We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you ...
As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work.


We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul-not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives.
It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us." (Colossians 1:9-12, The Message)


Amen

--------------------

Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad.
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love;
Tell of His pow'r to forgive.
Others will trust Him if only you prove true
Every moment you live.

Give as 'twas given to you in your need;
Love as the Master loved you.
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true.

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Make Me A Blessing
Wilson, Ira B. / Schuler, George S.
© 1924. Renewed 1952 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

Not By Facebook Alone!

The Facebook online social networking site is one of the Internet's most popular stops right now. (Jerry's page) If you're not familiar, Facebook creates a kind of virtual coffeeshop, where a person can drop in and chat with friends. Yesterday, for example, Jake and Steve shared their mutual dislike of Monday mornings. On Sunday, John posted photos of the youth event that had happened on Saturday evening at our church. Paige let us all know she finished her homework 'round 7 last night. Dawn was congratulated on her wedding anniversary this morning. Sharon told us that her father had died and we returned our thoughts of comfort.

"Who cares about all this?" you ask. In a busy world, it's a way to maintain our friendships, to stay connected in a highly mobile society. But, Facebook is not enough! We need regular times of face to face interaction to stay alive in Christ! On Sunday, I watched people at our church, chatting with each other: some conversations just about the weather, others much more important. In the evening, about 15 men sat in a circle. We all had other things we could have been doing, but we chose to share life for an hour. Together we read some from Nehemiah, talked about our prayer needs and our thankful praise. It was a time to gather strength for the week ahead, hope to deal with the struggles, encouragement of like-minded friends. In addition to prayer and Scripture, a foundational part of the Christian life is community!

Gayle Beebe writes, "External aids to God's grace increase our power to resist the ways and distractions of the world. Sermons, edifying conversations with other Christians... strengthen our resolve and ground our life in God." (Longing for God, IVP, 2009) Never underestimate the importance of being faithful to your church, of making creation and maintenance of friendships a high priority. Nothing yields greater results in spiritual formation than being part of a community of disciples that urges you to grow and helps you to stand up to the tests and temptations that inevitably come our way during this journey to our Home.

Ever built a campfire? You cannot do it with one single log! You start with some dry grass and a spark. Once that is burning, you add small twigs, then kindling. Finally, several larger pieces of wood must be placed next to each other to maintain the fire. Remove one that is blazing and set it by itself and in a short time the fire consuming it will sputter and die! Likewise, a solitary Christian will find himself cooling in faith! This is why one of the enemy's primary tactics to destroy our effectiveness as a follower of Jesus is to cause us to become offended or self-centered, so we remove ourselves from the fellowship. The Devil knows this is a sure way to bring on discouragement or delusion! Facebook, podcasts, and TV church cannot replace regular worship and interaction with other Believers! A disciple cannot thrive on Facebook alone.

Are you building up the Body?
Are you making regular worship with your church a priority?
Are you in a small group of disciples where 'everybody knows your name' and can encourage you and see through your excuses to challenge you to growth in Christ?

The Word is uncompromising in emphasizing the importance of living in community. Paul makes much of our being part of the Body of Christ! We cannot experience the fullness of God or His Kingdom apart from His Church! So, we read this command: "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)
__________________

The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the word.
From heav'n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

Elect from ev'ry nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
"One Lord, one faith, one birth;"
One holy name she blesses;
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With ev'ry grace endued.

'Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
'Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious,
Shall be the Church at rest.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, "how long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

The Church's One Foundation
Stone, Samuel J. / Wesley, Samuel S.© Public Domain Join Our Mailing List

Famous and Rich

Ask the average American teenager what he wants most and in one form or another, you're likely to hear something about fame and wealth! In our media age, if a person finds a way to attract enough attention, money will often flow his way. The 'balloon boy' saga that came out of Colorado last week now seems to be a hoax, a case of a fame-obsessed Dad willing to lie, and even more tragically, willing to teach his little boys to lie, in pursuit of publicity and wealth. At this writing, various criminal charges are pending in the case being built around Richard Heene. This man is one of a cast of thousands of Americans who are willing to do almost anything to get the camera lens focused on them for a few moments. On our TV's there are programs featuring beautiful girls who will offer up their bodies to the eligible bachelor, people who allow cameras to film their lives 24/7, as they chase after celebrity! While media celebrity status is a relatively recent social development, the desire for attention is as old as humanity. The Bible, from beginning to end, has many examples of good people who were seduced by their desire to be admired.

• Joseph, whose story is told in Genesis, got himself in trouble by telling his family about his God-given dreams and wearing his 'many-colored' coat that his father gave him as a badge of his favored status. His brothers hated him for it and eventually sold him into slavery, so they wouldn't have to hear about "Mr. Wonderful" anymore!
• Samson could not be content to lead Israel quietly with his gift of strength. He had to show off for the pretty women and it cost him dearly! The man who was the judge of Israel finished his life turned a grinding wheel as a slave of the Philistines because he wouldn't stay home and be content.
• Jesus warned about religion as public performance with words we all need to read often. "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do-blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. ... When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get." (Matthew 6:1-2, 5, NLT)
• John speaks of a local church leader who turned his church into his own little kingdom. I hope that the indictment John lays on this elder could not be written about me: "Diotrephes, ...loves to be first." (3 John 9, NIV)

We need to pray for the discipline of contentment, learning to be the person God desires us to be, happy in His favor- whether obscure or famous, rich or poor. There is a special kind of sweetness that characterizes the person who no longer has the need to 'prove' anything, who is happy being who he is, where he is, and doing what he does without craving approval or recognition. That person has also gained a freedom that is unique. He is not defensive, nor is he fearful. He does not manipulate or pretend. He is authentic!

Here's a word from the Word. As you read it today, let the wisdom go deep into your soul. Pray that God will shape your life in a way that finds His favor and let His smile be your richest reward. "(Some) infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors. Eventually there's an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck. A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough. But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time." (1 Timothy 6:4-9, The Message)

"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised." (Proverbs 27:21, NLT)

The fuzzy edges

Certainty is a wonderful thing if you don’t like mystery, wonder, and discovery. I have experienced two kinds of Christianity in my lifetime. Once I was in the ‘certainty’ group. When I was younger, I had the answer for every question. It was easy to point out who was in and who was out. Outcomes were predictable in that world. I just knew that if you did the right things, then you would find the kind of life you wanted. Tragically, I judged those with brokenness and pain in their lives as defective. After all, wasn’t God ‘on call’ and ready, if we had enough faith, to do what we asked Him to do? I shudder at the Pharisee that lived in me.

Well, certainty didn’t quite work out for me. Many questions are now beyond even asking for me now. I am unwilling to crawl onto God’s throne and declare the eternal destiny of another. To do that is a blasphemy! And, while I still hope for the best, faith compels me to trust Him when life refuses to follow the script. I do a lot more crying with others than blaming them for their circumstances.

God is not smaller for me now, as you might think. Actually, He is much, much larger to me than He was when I ‘knew it all!’ I now understand that I once was the kind of like a man standing with his face pressed up against the Empire State building in New York City at ground level, thinking that the brick he sees right in front of him defines the whole thing! What a fool! The Empire State Building is experienced differently from the top than at street level. And, then too, it appears differently from an airplane window when I’m on approach to Newark airport. The building is the same. My perspective alters my experience.

The Lord is the same, unchanging Being, but He is experienced differently! When I am studying Scripture I glimpse Him through the eyes of a prophet. When I am standing alongside of a suffering saint, I glimpse Him through her words and tears. In surprise moments, He opens my eyes by the revelation of His Spirit working in me. I know Him differently in worship among the congregation than when standing alone in the early morning darkness of my backyard.

I am sure of one thing: before I close my eyes for the last time, there will be much more adventure in this walk of faith He’s leading! Along the way there will be plenty of mystery, wonder, and hopefully – discovery of new truths about Him. Meanwhile, I am resting in His grace, secured by His love, held in His hand.

I quoted this passage in an earlier CoffeeBreak this week, but here it is again. Ponder the majesty revealed in the words.
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)
___________________

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know
the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and
his incomparably great power for us who believe."
(Ephesians 1:17-19, NIV)
________________

What a mighty God we serve,
What a mighty God we serve,
Angels bow before Him!
Heaven and earth adore Him!
What a mighty God we serve.

Oh, what a sight to see!

From the top of the Empire State Building, you can see several states and take in an unbelievable view of the huge metropolitan area. At 14,000 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak in Colorado offers a spectacular vista – the great plains to the East, the majestic Rocky Mountains to the West. I will never forget standing in a sea of men on the Mall in Washington, DC at a PromiseKeepers event. More than a quarter of a million men sang praise to God and then fell to the their knees in silent prayer. What a sight!

Nothing, however, compares to the scene described by John in the 4th chapter of the Revelation. “Come up here,” John hears Jesus say. And, caught up in the Spirit, he sees a vision of the Throne Room of God. What a sight to see! Reflecting from a great expanse of crystal, like a ‘sea of glass,’ John sees the Being on the Throne ablaze with Light, fiery red. A glowing aura of emerald green surrounds Him. Twenty four thrones surround His Throne, where elders representing the People of God offer up their worship to Him. Amazing winged creatures pour out a refrain of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Eternal!” amidst flashes of light and thunderous rumblings. So, what do we do with these images?

More to the point, what do such images do to us?

John’s vision has but one goal – to bring the reader to awe! The average Christian is woefully impoverished when it comes to worship! Say, “worship,” they think singing several devotional songs, or perhaps raising their hands, or maybe offering a prayer. There’s nothing wrong with those things and they are a kind of worship, but true worship is birthed by a vision of God that is terrifying, that evokes the same kind of awe from us that Isaiah felt when he glimpsed the Throne! Don’t miss the point of John’s vision by reducing it to its component parts. Instead, stand back and gaze on it. Embrace the Mystery!

Dr. Don McCullough wrote a book bearing the title, The Trivialization of God, in which he encourages us to recover our sense of the Transcendent God, who is wholly Other. Our highly individualized faith in a ‘personal Lord and Savior’ results in a Jesus who is ‘just like me’ and strips the Lord of the Heavenly Armies of His majesty, reducing Him to the status of being our Big Buddy! Yes, we do have a friend in Jesus.

But, this is not the only way that God is revealed to us. The awesome and terrible Being glimpsed by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John is equally real. But, we reject that revelation because we cannot reduce it to our explanations and therefore it frightens us. We tame God to fit in our boxes. No wonder we find it so hard to abandon ourselves to His care, to trust Him with our life and destiny. No wonder our holiness is so shallow, our ethical behaviors so questionable. There is no fear of the Lord among us.

Ponder the vision. Step back, as you would from a painting done by a master, and take in the whole, without criticism. My prayer is that the Spirit will make it so real, you will be reduced to silence, incapable of anything short of awful admiration.

"At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
(Revelation 4:2-11, NIV)
Amen and amen.

When there is no future

A friend told me about his depression this past Lord’s Day. I’m concerned for him, because I know what it feels like to be trying to outrace the darkness! My melancholy disposition tends to depression. Fifteen years ago, I went through a terrible year of real and persistent depression that was worse than any physical ailment or pain I have ever experienced. At the time, there were days when I questioned if I wanted to struggle on. God assembled a team of friends who walked with me, loved me, prayed for me, and kept me safe until I could see tomorrow again. So, when I hear about someone who takes his own life, questions fill my mind. What went wrong? How did he come to the place where there was no future? Did someone fail to see his need?

Despair has many sources.

• Exhaustion- emotional, spiritual, and/or physical-- can push us to the edge. We all have those months when demands converge and whichever way we look, life looks like one BIG problem waiting to be solved. If we to manage that heavy load by ourselves, we risk being crushed by it.
• Sometimes it is born of real guilt that alienates us from the Presence of God. If so, genuine repentance and confession, is where we begin the healing process.
• Our brain chemistry can get scrambled, too. These complex bodies produce too much of this, not enough of that, and our thoughts can become confused. Yes, Christian, it happens to people of faith, too! Thank the Lord, we are blessed with physicians who can work with us to restore the balance.
• Rage over situations that seem to defy change or people who continue to resist our will can feed self-destructive thoughts, too. Suicide is sometimes the ultimate irrational 'get even' choice. That's why the Word tells us to settle our issues so the Devil cannot find a foothold in our life!
• Then, too -- there is the spiritual dimension. "The Devil prowls looking for prey," Peter tells us. The enemy's goal is our destruction. He takes great joy from the choice for self-destruction and in the chaos that suicide leaves behind.

There is JOY in serving Jesus, but that joy is sometimes delayed! Yes, there will be suffering in the lives of the best of Christians. Peter wrote those who are being chased by the darkness of despair. He says, "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

In this broken world, suffering is all too common. We cannot escape it, but we can stand up in the times of trial. "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19 NIV) That's so hard to do- alone; so don't! IF you're in God's waiting room, ask a friend to wait with you, to pray with you - until the joy returns. IF recurrent thoughts about ending your life fill your mind, REACH OUT and tell somebody how much you're hurting! Don't try to wrestle the demons of despair alone. Gather prayer partners who will gently embrace you with their love and point you in the direction of someone who can help you choose life.

Most of us will never experience the depth of despair or rage that makes suicide a considerable option. BUT, we will have friends, even people of deep faith in the Lord, who do. We must be our brother's keeper. Be proactive in listening when you are with your friends. Care enough to ask the hard questions, but gentle and loving so that you will invite those who are suffering from despair to share their heart.

Today, I am thankful for that era of depression. It made me realize even more the importance of loving one another. It taught me something about the folly of trying to be my own god and controlling my life. It brought me a deeper love of the Scripture. The truth of the Word fights the lies of the prince of despair!

Psalm 73 is about a man who lost hope. Life turned upside down, nothing made sense. He despaired of life until he turned to the sanctuary of God’s Presence.
I encourage you to meditate on this passage. It’s a beauty!

"When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. …
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(Psalm 73:16-17, 21-26, NIV)
________________

Where do I go
When there's no one else to turn to?
Who do I talk to
When no one wants to listen?
Who do I lean on
When there's no foundation stable?
I go to the Rock I know that's able,
I go to the Rock!

Where do I hide
'Til the storms have all passed over?
Where do I run to
When the winds of sorrow threaten?
Is there a refuge
In the time of tribulation?
When my soul needs consolation,
I go to the Rock!

I go to the Rock of my salvation,
Go to the Stone
That the builder rejected,
Run to the Mountain and
The Mountain stands by me;
When the earth all around me
Is sinking sand:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
When I need a shelter,
When I need a friend,
I go to the Rock.

I Go To The Rock

Rambo, Dottie© 1977 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
CCLI License No. 810055

Is God a big tipper?

At dinner yesterday, our waiter was a woman named Cheryl. She was friendly, took note of remembering my wife from a previous visit to the restaurant, and provided excellent service throughout dinner. Is she just a conscientious, good person who always does a good job or was her financial interest in a larger tip motivating her behavior? Since I lack the ability to read minds, her thoughts remain a mystery. That interaction made me wonder about my own motivations especially in my spiritual life. What motivates me to serve God? Do I hope He is a big tipper?

Many Christians do not publicly or perhaps even consciously acknowledge that they have a ‘quid pro quo’ expectation of the Lord, yet they do!

· “If I faithfully give my tithe, He’s obligated to provide for my needs.”
· “If I maintain my spiritual disciplines, He’s obligated to make my life more meaningful.”
· “If I take on a regular ministry, He will bless me for my sacrifice.”

Were I to ask disciples if they thought these things, most would deny it. But, when life goes into reverse, when things get tough, more than a few have allowed bitter complaints of injustice to escape their lips. Job, the suffering saint of the Old Testament, held onto his faith, but wondered about the fairness of God, too. In the 31st chapter of the book that bears his name, he recounts a long list of his righteous acts which were consistent and offered from a heart that loved God. He bitterly complains that he thinks he deserved a different result than came his way in life. "Isn’t calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn’t disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take? " (Job 31:3-4, The Message)

As you read this, perhaps you’re thinking, “So, Jerry, if what you suggest is true, why serve God? If He’s not a big tipper, what’s the point of faithfulness?” God is worthy of our worship, our devotion, our service because He is God! If we merely ‘serve’ Him with the expectation of gaining a better life, we are only religious, not devoted. If we think He is somehow obligated by our ‘gifts,’ we have completely misunderstood His Word and will!

Yes, God loves us and cares for us as His children. He does reward ‘good and faithful servants,’ but not because we can put Him under contractual obligation. He does so because He is good and because He is just. His rewards, however, may wait for Eternity. As has been said many times, “His payday is not always next Friday!” We demean our relationship with Him if we allow ourselves to think, “You owe me now.” We also risk becoming bitter when He does not cause life to work out as we thought He should.

Job, pressed his complaint before the Lord. In chapters 38 and 39, God replies, but not with explanation of His actions. Instead, He directs Job to ponder His majesty.
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? … Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion?" (Job 38:12-13, 31, NLT) He was not trying to frighten Job into submission. The Lord was inviting him to increase his faith by increasing his vision of the One he served. Oh, that our response would be like this great man. He becomes humble, and though he suffers, acknowledges that God is great. Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. … I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” (Job 42:1-2, 5-6, NLT)

Here’s one of my favorite benedictions.
Let the wisdom of the Word fill your mind and heart today. Pray for the faith to walk before Him without looking for a big tip!

"Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NLT)

_______________

O Lord, my God,
When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made;
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r thru'out
The universe displayed.

And when I think
That God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.

Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"

How Great Thou Art

Hine, Stuart© 1941,1953,1955, Stuart K. Hine, Renewed 1981 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)CCLI License No. 810055