We all get our feelings hurt, are ignored or treated rudely, from time to time. Relationships can be tough on us, right? We have little control over how others act, but we are in charge of our response. Taking offense and cutting off someone or launching a war of word is a costly choice. The Proverbs warns that offense becomes like a prison, locking one in and the other out! "An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel." (Proverbs 18:19, NIV)
Some people appear to like being angry, taking offense over the most insignificant things. We call it having a ‘chip on your shoulder.’ Some say this phrase dates back to medieval times when a knight would place a piece of wood on his shoulder and dare anyone brave enough to challenge him, to knock it off! Occasionally, the chip was knocked off accidentally by the jostling of a crowd but the hapless person who knocked it off was faced with the nearly impossible task of trying to explain he did not mean to provoke a fight.
I am often called on to be a peace-maker, to attempt to rebuild a bridge between people driven apart by some offense. It amazes me how much energy and emotion that some folk will put into reinforcing a very minor slight. Insecurity causes some to dare the world around them to even appear to show disrespect; then they work up hurt feelings. Their tears and wounded emotions makes them the center of attention for a few moments, at least. But the ploy is generally counterproductive, for people quickly learn to avoid that person, fearing becoming the next offender required to try to soothe their ruffled feather.
I know Christians who are offended by situations such as:
"He failed to greet me in church!"
"She didn't extend a return invitation to dinner after I had her to dinner."
"Her son called my son stupid."
One could say that those are situations where courtesy failed, where someone was overlooked, but are they really a reason to call attention to yourself? Must we turn what is often simply oversight or failure of manners into an offense that destroys a relationship?
Things that set us off are often obscure or meaningless to others. When my brother, Andre', was about 6 years old, he hated to be called a 'green pig.' I, being 5 years older, took delight in calling him a 'green pig,' just to hear him wail. Why did he hate that silly phrase? Who knows? I would even imagine he doesn't remember it today, but it was a sure way to offend him in 1966! I would imagine if you called him a 'green pig' today and he would laugh and secretly wonder if you are crazy! Are you letting obscure things cause offense, even when others have no idea what or why is causing your distress? It’s easy to chuckle over being angered by being called a ‘green pig,’ but, then, I remember times when I have allowed offense to take root in my heart over things equally inconsequential on reflection.
Here’s the most important thing to remember: offense is not just a human relationship issue; it is a spiritual issue! The Evil One likes nothing better than to stir controversy between people - in marriage, in ministry, in neighborhoods, in churches, even in families. Why? Because an offended person is capable of sowing chaos that can ruin a family, destroy a church, paralyze an organization, or cause close groups to disintegrate. When we choose to focus narrowly on the failure of another or a lack of simple courtesy, or even an intentional dig that comes our way, we will take offense IF convince ourselves that our honor and dignity is at stake. Ironically, the more focused we become on preserving our honor, the less honorable we are! There is great dignity displayed by the person who simply refuses to take offense. The Bible says, "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression." (Proverbs 19:11, NKJV)
Taking offense is a terrible strategy for gaining attention. Your screams will attract sympathy, but only temporarily. If you need or want friendships that are sustaining, if you want to enjoy camaraderie, become a participant instead of a spectator. Invest yourself, selflessly, in others, serving faithfully, lovingly, and without demands. Secure your heart in the Love of God! Let His Word convince you how much you matter to Him. Then, learn to refuse offense. When the Evil One whispers- “You're being disrespected. You’re not being treated fairly. Insist on your rights!” - you can silence the invitation to offense, by turning your heart to the Father's love.
Learn to forgive readily, as befits one who is forgiven so much by Jesus. In this you please the Lord and become a person who creates harmony, unity, and peace to the glory of God. And here's a word from the Word to take with you today. "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." (Luke 6:37-38, The Message)
_____________
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
He Knows Me
ABC News interviewed world-renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking. When Diane Sawyer asked him about life’s greatest questions, he said he would like to know why the universe and humans exist. When she asked him if he believed that it was the work of God. "What could define God [is thinking of God] as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God," Hawking told Sawyer. "They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible." (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Technology/stephen-hawking-religion-science-win/story?id=10830164) He went on to declare that ‘science will win’ over religion in providing an answer to his question.
Dr. Hawking is brilliant and understands things I can’t grasp in the most rudimentary manner. I would not be foolish enough to try to engage him in debate about physics. But, believe he misunderstands faith which I accept, confusing it with superstition, which I reject. I agree with him that humanity appears insignificant in terms of the vastness of the universe, but rather than see that as a reason to posit that God could not exist as a Personal Being, I see it as an amazing wonder that strongly suggests that He does. That in all the wideness of the universe there is a little planet called Earth, which exists with such perfect balance, allowing the human race to thrive, argues for an Intelligent Being, a Designer, the Creator. Yes, we are tempted to make God in our image! But, He has revealed to us that we are actually made in His!
It is illogical to think that the Creator would care for me and you, if God is like us, limited in love, derailed by selfishness. But, He is infinitely loving and selfless. He knows me! Jesus’ famous illustration of the detail of His love is that ‘He numbers the hairs on your head.’ After a lifetime of inquiry and study, Hawking says he can only find meaning in work, that it what he does that makes life worth living. Yes, Dr. Hawking, our work is important, but the real purpose of life is to know God and to be known by Him. Work alone will leave us with the conclusion of the preacher who said, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, NIV) "So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17, NIV)
Faith and science should not compete, nor should one be seen as triumphing over the other. True faith and true science are aligned. Science always comes to the unexplainable, and even a brilliant mind like that of Dr. Hawking finds impenetrable mystery at the edges of their inquiries. At that point, faith points the way forward to where God reveals Himself. It is a tragedy that religion, based in fear, often opposes science. This only creates barriers to understanding and blindness of superstition. As a man of faith, I do not fear the honest scientist, and he has nothing to fear in me. The God Who knows me is the God of Truth.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)
So, this is my prayer, and may it be yours:
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)
_____________________
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.
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!
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.
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
Dr. Hawking is brilliant and understands things I can’t grasp in the most rudimentary manner. I would not be foolish enough to try to engage him in debate about physics. But, believe he misunderstands faith which I accept, confusing it with superstition, which I reject. I agree with him that humanity appears insignificant in terms of the vastness of the universe, but rather than see that as a reason to posit that God could not exist as a Personal Being, I see it as an amazing wonder that strongly suggests that He does. That in all the wideness of the universe there is a little planet called Earth, which exists with such perfect balance, allowing the human race to thrive, argues for an Intelligent Being, a Designer, the Creator. Yes, we are tempted to make God in our image! But, He has revealed to us that we are actually made in His!
It is illogical to think that the Creator would care for me and you, if God is like us, limited in love, derailed by selfishness. But, He is infinitely loving and selfless. He knows me! Jesus’ famous illustration of the detail of His love is that ‘He numbers the hairs on your head.’ After a lifetime of inquiry and study, Hawking says he can only find meaning in work, that it what he does that makes life worth living. Yes, Dr. Hawking, our work is important, but the real purpose of life is to know God and to be known by Him. Work alone will leave us with the conclusion of the preacher who said, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, NIV) "So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17, NIV)
Faith and science should not compete, nor should one be seen as triumphing over the other. True faith and true science are aligned. Science always comes to the unexplainable, and even a brilliant mind like that of Dr. Hawking finds impenetrable mystery at the edges of their inquiries. At that point, faith points the way forward to where God reveals Himself. It is a tragedy that religion, based in fear, often opposes science. This only creates barriers to understanding and blindness of superstition. As a man of faith, I do not fear the honest scientist, and he has nothing to fear in me. The God Who knows me is the God of Truth.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)
So, this is my prayer, and may it be yours:
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)
_____________________
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.
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!
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.
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
Monday, June 07, 2010
Consistency = favorable outcome
Chris Tomko, a personal coach and former Human Resources executive, (www.MS4HR.com) did a presentation at our church last night about how to find a job, not just any job, but a job you can feel good about doing. His major themes were consistency and focus. It takes intense focus to determine what work is aligned with your skills and your passion, and then consistent pursuit of that goal. Consistency will drive us to do what needs to be done whether we are ‘in the mood’ or not, whether it’s sunny or rainy, whether others applaud or ignore us! Chris then put up this formula – Consistency = Favorable Outcome. Consistency meets and overcomes the variables that come our way.
Listening to his presentation, my mind applied it to the Christian Walk. I cannot tell you how many times people have told me, “My life is no different since I accepted Christ. I still have the same problems, deal with the same old stuff every day.” They keep a profession of faith like a kind of eternal fire insurance, but their lives are, in fact, no different from those of unbelievers who live around them. Perhaps they are marginally nicer people, but no more likely to be loving, or forgiving, or joyful than the next guy. But, neither are their daily practices of spiritual disciplines. They are not faithful to gather with other Believers, in spite of what the Word teaches about the importance of it. Their Bibles gather dust from Sunday to Sunday. Their giving is out of their excess, if at all, not sacrificial and a first priority. They excuse their pet sins instead of getting serious with God about doing whatever is necessary to become holy in heart.
It’s not a surprise, then, that there is little in the way of the fruit of the Spirit enriching and beautifying their lives. Read this passage again. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:16-23, NIV)
Consistent practices of prayer, meditation, corporate worship, giving, serving, and Scripture intake will lead to the production of the evidence of Spirit life in you. It’s a divine law we can count on. The Holy Spirit in us will cause our lives to bear visible fruit. Jesus’ promise is “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, NIV) That word, ‘remain’ indicates a kind of consistency, enduring through hard times, sticking with the program!
Here’s a word from the Word. I pray that the truth in it inspires a new kind of consistency in us, for God’s glory.
"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT)
_______________
Father in Heaven, thank you for being
“the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Your faithfulness and consistency are my Rock
of assurance, the foundation of my hope.
Lord, I do not want to be ‘on fire’ with enthusiasm today,
and caught up in my worldly pursuits tomorrow,
full of faith in this moment,
and shrinking into fear the next.
Teach me to be consistent, to endure,
to stay the course of the Walk to Heaven,
without looking around, longing to here and there,
fantasizing about what ‘could have been, if only.’
Jesus, save me from my sins.
Holy Spirit, lead me to holiness.
For your glory in all parts of my life,
May there be abundant Spiritual fruit. Amen
Listening to his presentation, my mind applied it to the Christian Walk. I cannot tell you how many times people have told me, “My life is no different since I accepted Christ. I still have the same problems, deal with the same old stuff every day.” They keep a profession of faith like a kind of eternal fire insurance, but their lives are, in fact, no different from those of unbelievers who live around them. Perhaps they are marginally nicer people, but no more likely to be loving, or forgiving, or joyful than the next guy. But, neither are their daily practices of spiritual disciplines. They are not faithful to gather with other Believers, in spite of what the Word teaches about the importance of it. Their Bibles gather dust from Sunday to Sunday. Their giving is out of their excess, if at all, not sacrificial and a first priority. They excuse their pet sins instead of getting serious with God about doing whatever is necessary to become holy in heart.
It’s not a surprise, then, that there is little in the way of the fruit of the Spirit enriching and beautifying their lives. Read this passage again. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:16-23, NIV)
Consistent practices of prayer, meditation, corporate worship, giving, serving, and Scripture intake will lead to the production of the evidence of Spirit life in you. It’s a divine law we can count on. The Holy Spirit in us will cause our lives to bear visible fruit. Jesus’ promise is “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, NIV) That word, ‘remain’ indicates a kind of consistency, enduring through hard times, sticking with the program!
Here’s a word from the Word. I pray that the truth in it inspires a new kind of consistency in us, for God’s glory.
"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT)
_______________
Father in Heaven, thank you for being
“the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Your faithfulness and consistency are my Rock
of assurance, the foundation of my hope.
Lord, I do not want to be ‘on fire’ with enthusiasm today,
and caught up in my worldly pursuits tomorrow,
full of faith in this moment,
and shrinking into fear the next.
Teach me to be consistent, to endure,
to stay the course of the Walk to Heaven,
without looking around, longing to here and there,
fantasizing about what ‘could have been, if only.’
Jesus, save me from my sins.
Holy Spirit, lead me to holiness.
For your glory in all parts of my life,
May there be abundant Spiritual fruit. Amen
Friday, June 04, 2010
Stay on God’s good side!
Got any pet peeves? A friend of mine is really set off by drivers who aren’t focused on the road. He’s a commuter, so that makes sense. I get peeved by people who wait until the last minute to get to a task they’ve known about for weeks, who then makes excuses about why it’s not done right. I’m not sure why that bugs me so much. (Go ahead, let me know what you think.) Based on personality, experience, and training each of us is sensitive to different issues. What looks like silly irritation to me may be deadly serious stuff to you.
Proverbs tells us that there are seven things that make the Lord angry! Really, it is true and it’s not silly. If we want to enjoy His blessing, we would be wise to pay attention. Take a look. "There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family." (Proverbs 6:16-19, NLT) Arrogance, dishonesty, injustice, conspiring to sin, chasing after the thrill of sin, using lies to make someone look bad, and troublemaking in the family are on the Lord’s list of things that stir up his anger.
That list makes a lot of sense when placed against the basic characteristic of the nature of God, love. John, the beloved disciple, explains: "Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-9, NIV) When we are self-centered and sinfully diminish the worth and quality of the lives of others in the ways listed in Proverbs, we really anger the One who is Love personified. Do you really want to live in a way that angers the Lord of the Universe, disciple?
Do you know that God loves you? Yes, He does; not for what you do, for how much you own, for your beauty or your brains- but just because you are! We will never love others the best way until we have accepted His love and settled, once and for all, our insecurities about our Self-worth. That is why John tells us that ‘we love because He first loved us.’ Oh, what liberation comes from the love of God. And, what slavery to sin keeps us wrapped up in ourselves if we will not accept the love of God shown to us through Christ Jesus.
Want to enjoy God’s blessings?
Want to live the best life possible, one of joy, of peace, of fulfillment?
Learn to love! It’s a beautiful thing!
_____________________
Lord, I come to You,
Let my heart be changed, renewed;
Flowing from the grace
That I've found in You;
And Lord, I've come to know,
The weaknesses I see in me,
Will be stripped away
By the pow'r of Your love.
Hold me close,
Let Your love surround me;
Bring me near,
Draw me to Your side;
And as I wait,
I'll rise up like the eagle,
And I will soar with You,
Your Spirit leads me on
In the pow'r of Your love.
Lord, unveil my eyes,
Let me see You face to face,
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me.
Lord, renew my mind,
As Your will unfolds in my life,
In living ev'ry day
In the pow'r of Your love.
Power Of Your Love
Bullock, Geoff
© 1992 Word Music, Inc. (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Proverbs tells us that there are seven things that make the Lord angry! Really, it is true and it’s not silly. If we want to enjoy His blessing, we would be wise to pay attention. Take a look. "There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family." (Proverbs 6:16-19, NLT) Arrogance, dishonesty, injustice, conspiring to sin, chasing after the thrill of sin, using lies to make someone look bad, and troublemaking in the family are on the Lord’s list of things that stir up his anger.
That list makes a lot of sense when placed against the basic characteristic of the nature of God, love. John, the beloved disciple, explains: "Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-9, NIV) When we are self-centered and sinfully diminish the worth and quality of the lives of others in the ways listed in Proverbs, we really anger the One who is Love personified. Do you really want to live in a way that angers the Lord of the Universe, disciple?
Do you know that God loves you? Yes, He does; not for what you do, for how much you own, for your beauty or your brains- but just because you are! We will never love others the best way until we have accepted His love and settled, once and for all, our insecurities about our Self-worth. That is why John tells us that ‘we love because He first loved us.’ Oh, what liberation comes from the love of God. And, what slavery to sin keeps us wrapped up in ourselves if we will not accept the love of God shown to us through Christ Jesus.
Want to enjoy God’s blessings?
Want to live the best life possible, one of joy, of peace, of fulfillment?
Learn to love! It’s a beautiful thing!
_____________________
Lord, I come to You,
Let my heart be changed, renewed;
Flowing from the grace
That I've found in You;
And Lord, I've come to know,
The weaknesses I see in me,
Will be stripped away
By the pow'r of Your love.
Hold me close,
Let Your love surround me;
Bring me near,
Draw me to Your side;
And as I wait,
I'll rise up like the eagle,
And I will soar with You,
Your Spirit leads me on
In the pow'r of Your love.
Lord, unveil my eyes,
Let me see You face to face,
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me.
Lord, renew my mind,
As Your will unfolds in my life,
In living ev'ry day
In the pow'r of Your love.
Power Of Your Love
Bullock, Geoff
© 1992 Word Music, Inc. (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Who are you becoming?
We are, today, the shadow of who we will be tomorrow. C. S. Lewis said it eloquently: “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or the other of these destinations.”
In short, through the redemption of Christ and the transformation of the Spirit, we can become beautiful residents in the Father’s House; or in the service of Self and left to sin, we will become horrific denizens of Hell! Life is not static, friend. We are moving either toward God or away from Him in each decision. It is His desire that we are ‘transformed by the renewing of our minds’ (Romans 12:2) so that we will understand and live in His will. Indeed, we are His ‘workmanship,’ and to the extent that we will cooperate with Him, can become a masterpiece, a work of divine artistry! (Ephesians 2:10)
Change begins with vision! An architect ‘sees’ a building before the masons lay the first stone. A teacher ‘sees’ the lesson before he says the first word. Do you see what God sees as you look at your life or do you see only the present chaos? He sees you as a holy man or woman, a person who loves others intensely, who has vanquished insecurity, fear, and self-loathing because of His love. He sees you as an ‘everlasting splendor,’ and He will do whatever it takes (the Cross is silent witness to this!) to break you free from the habits and sins that keep you from emerging as a saint. Will you cooperate with the process of metamorphosis?
How I thank God that I am not who I once was, nor I am yet all that I will be. I am a becomer! Are you?
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it and begin the transformation.
"Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:16-18, NLT)
_______________
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.
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.
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev'ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious holy Word.
Deeper Deeper
Jones, Charles P.
© Public Domain
In short, through the redemption of Christ and the transformation of the Spirit, we can become beautiful residents in the Father’s House; or in the service of Self and left to sin, we will become horrific denizens of Hell! Life is not static, friend. We are moving either toward God or away from Him in each decision. It is His desire that we are ‘transformed by the renewing of our minds’ (Romans 12:2) so that we will understand and live in His will. Indeed, we are His ‘workmanship,’ and to the extent that we will cooperate with Him, can become a masterpiece, a work of divine artistry! (Ephesians 2:10)
Change begins with vision! An architect ‘sees’ a building before the masons lay the first stone. A teacher ‘sees’ the lesson before he says the first word. Do you see what God sees as you look at your life or do you see only the present chaos? He sees you as a holy man or woman, a person who loves others intensely, who has vanquished insecurity, fear, and self-loathing because of His love. He sees you as an ‘everlasting splendor,’ and He will do whatever it takes (the Cross is silent witness to this!) to break you free from the habits and sins that keep you from emerging as a saint. Will you cooperate with the process of metamorphosis?
How I thank God that I am not who I once was, nor I am yet all that I will be. I am a becomer! Are you?
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it and begin the transformation.
"Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:16-18, NLT)
_______________
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.
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.
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev'ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious holy Word.
Deeper Deeper
Jones, Charles P.
© Public Domain
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Big Prayers
In the film, “Bruce Almighty,” Jim Carrey plays a TV reporter from Buffalo, NY who gets angry with God and wishes he could be God. His request is granted and he is given divine authority over just one city! (It’s a comedy film, people. OK?) As the prayers come flooding in, he is overwhelmed by them, even though most are about trivial matters like winning the lottery! He decides to answer everyone with a ‘Yes,’ and chaos soon follows. He realizes that being God is much more than just dispensing favors.
Our greatest privilege as Christian disciples is prayer! Our prayers are not just about getting God to give us what we want right now. Our prayers are about becoming part of His work in this world, about bringing His will into existence, seeing His reign extended. Let me ask you, are your prayers timid and tentative? Do you carefully surround each and every request with qualifying phrases and give God loopholes so you won't be disappointed if He doesn't ‘come through' for you? Enough of that!
The Sovereign Lord of the Universe invites us to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, and … find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, NIV) Jesus taught us that we are given access directly to God because of Him! "Ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." (John 16:23-24, NLT)
Are you confused about praying?
Do you think that going to God and asking boldly is somehow impolite, disrespectful?
Wrong! I hope you’re not just whining to Him about making your life easier, about keeping the weeds from growing in your yard, about taking away consequences of short-sighted or foolish choices you made, or about giving you more money! He invites us into a rich conversation about growing deep in the life of the Spirit, overcoming sin and Satan, defeating forces of anarchy and evil!
The greater issue is not WHAT we pray for, but WHY we are praying for it. If we use the privilege of prayer to beg for more comfort and more things just to feed our selfish wants, God will refuse our petition. James explains that our motives need to be aligned with God’s purposes. He writes "...the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong— you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:2-3, NLT) But if we ask for Him to do those things in us and with us and through us that cause His Name to be awesome in the eyes of the world, He is honored by our petition. He reserves the right to answer according to plans and purposes that we are incapable of knowing this side of Eternity. Remember a 'no' from our Father is surely as much an answer as a 'yes.'
Step back from the activity of life! Get alone with God and get honest in prayer. Listen to what your heart cry is.
Is it aligned with God's great purposes for you?
Is it filled with worship, giving Him pleasure with adoration?
Is it marked by love of His family as you pray for your church and your pastor be empowered by a fresh experience of God’s Holy Spirit?
Is it marked with humble confession and petitions for power and wisdom to live a Christ-like life?
It is an expression of your desire to be used of God to do His will in your daily life?
Are you asking the Spirit to draw your friends, family, and neighbors to Himself, saving them from death and sin's destruction?
No more weak, timid prayers! Pray His purposes confidently.
Go stand on the front steps of your house and gaze at your neighbor's homes. Tell the Lord that you want them for His kingdom and ask Him to give you opportunities and the courage to exploit the moment to bring them the knowledge of the immense love that the Father has for them.
Lift up your teen-age son every day, asking God to make clear what lies at the ends of the diverging paths that boy is facing.
Give up your need to control the world and put yourself in the hands of your Father, so that you can enjoy the wholeness of life that belongs to you as a child of Heaven and live with joy despite the tensions of life.
Here’s a word from the Word. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them this model. We pray it often, word for word, which is fine, but it is actually more like a template for our own prayers. As you read it today, see if your conversation with the Lord of Glory show the same kind of worship, confession, petition that are part of Jesus’ prayer.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’" (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV)
___________________
Oh, let the Son of God enfold you
With His Spirit and His love,
Let Him fill your heart
And satisfy your soul.
Oh, let Him have
Those things that hold you,
And His Spirit, like a dove,
Will descend upon your life
And make you whole.
Oh, come and sing this song with gladness
As your hearts are filled with joy,
Lift your hands in sweet surrender
To His name.
Oh, give Him all your tears and sadness,
Give Him all your years of pain,
And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name.
Jesus, oh Jesus,
Come and fill Your lambs.
Jesus, oh Jesus,
Come and fill Your lambs.
Spirit Song
Wimber, John
© 1979 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Our greatest privilege as Christian disciples is prayer! Our prayers are not just about getting God to give us what we want right now. Our prayers are about becoming part of His work in this world, about bringing His will into existence, seeing His reign extended. Let me ask you, are your prayers timid and tentative? Do you carefully surround each and every request with qualifying phrases and give God loopholes so you won't be disappointed if He doesn't ‘come through' for you? Enough of that!
The Sovereign Lord of the Universe invites us to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, and … find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, NIV) Jesus taught us that we are given access directly to God because of Him! "Ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." (John 16:23-24, NLT)
Are you confused about praying?
Do you think that going to God and asking boldly is somehow impolite, disrespectful?
Wrong! I hope you’re not just whining to Him about making your life easier, about keeping the weeds from growing in your yard, about taking away consequences of short-sighted or foolish choices you made, or about giving you more money! He invites us into a rich conversation about growing deep in the life of the Spirit, overcoming sin and Satan, defeating forces of anarchy and evil!
The greater issue is not WHAT we pray for, but WHY we are praying for it. If we use the privilege of prayer to beg for more comfort and more things just to feed our selfish wants, God will refuse our petition. James explains that our motives need to be aligned with God’s purposes. He writes "...the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong— you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:2-3, NLT) But if we ask for Him to do those things in us and with us and through us that cause His Name to be awesome in the eyes of the world, He is honored by our petition. He reserves the right to answer according to plans and purposes that we are incapable of knowing this side of Eternity. Remember a 'no' from our Father is surely as much an answer as a 'yes.'
Step back from the activity of life! Get alone with God and get honest in prayer. Listen to what your heart cry is.
Is it aligned with God's great purposes for you?
Is it filled with worship, giving Him pleasure with adoration?
Is it marked by love of His family as you pray for your church and your pastor be empowered by a fresh experience of God’s Holy Spirit?
Is it marked with humble confession and petitions for power and wisdom to live a Christ-like life?
It is an expression of your desire to be used of God to do His will in your daily life?
Are you asking the Spirit to draw your friends, family, and neighbors to Himself, saving them from death and sin's destruction?
No more weak, timid prayers! Pray His purposes confidently.
Go stand on the front steps of your house and gaze at your neighbor's homes. Tell the Lord that you want them for His kingdom and ask Him to give you opportunities and the courage to exploit the moment to bring them the knowledge of the immense love that the Father has for them.
Lift up your teen-age son every day, asking God to make clear what lies at the ends of the diverging paths that boy is facing.
Give up your need to control the world and put yourself in the hands of your Father, so that you can enjoy the wholeness of life that belongs to you as a child of Heaven and live with joy despite the tensions of life.
Here’s a word from the Word. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them this model. We pray it often, word for word, which is fine, but it is actually more like a template for our own prayers. As you read it today, see if your conversation with the Lord of Glory show the same kind of worship, confession, petition that are part of Jesus’ prayer.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’" (Matthew 6:9-13, NIV)
___________________
Oh, let the Son of God enfold you
With His Spirit and His love,
Let Him fill your heart
And satisfy your soul.
Oh, let Him have
Those things that hold you,
And His Spirit, like a dove,
Will descend upon your life
And make you whole.
Oh, come and sing this song with gladness
As your hearts are filled with joy,
Lift your hands in sweet surrender
To His name.
Oh, give Him all your tears and sadness,
Give Him all your years of pain,
And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name.
Jesus, oh Jesus,
Come and fill Your lambs.
Jesus, oh Jesus,
Come and fill Your lambs.
Spirit Song
Wimber, John
© 1979 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
The other great commission
Jesus left his followers with a big responsibility which is known as the Great Commission: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19, NIV) We have a divine mandate to bring the message of hope and reconciliation to God to every age, every race, every culture. With varying degrees of enthusiasm and success, Christians have responded to His challenge and the message about Jesus Christ has spread to the ends of the earth.
The Bible opens with another divine mandate, much misunderstood, often even forgotten. His words are spoken in the context of Creation, to humans which were the last of His works. "God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28, NIV)
“Rule” and “subdue” are provocative words, aren’t they? Some read that as God’s permission to exploit Creation, extracting what we want from the natural world. We are given, they claim, God’s authority, to do as we wish with the resources of this planet. What happens to human authorities who govern in that manner? Does a good king care nothing for his subjects? Does he exploit those he rules only for his own pleasure? A good king governs to benefit the people he leads, not serving himself, but serving them. The Bible speaks of those who have authority as having a responsibility to seek the best for those who are under their direction.
Romans 13 reminds us that authority and leadership flows from the plan of God Himself. “The authorities are God’s servants,” to bring order and to punish wrong-doing. By implication, those who rule have a responsibility to create a place of safety that benefits those who are subject to them. When they govern well, they bring glory to God! "When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan." (Proverbs 29:2, NLT)
So let me ask you if you are ‘ruling Creation’ as a good authority or a bad one?
Are you exploiting the earth or managing it for God’s glory?
Is your attitude towards this wonderful Earth one of reverence, seeing it as God’s gift, handed to you as a sacred trust? Or, do you see it as something from which you can take what you want for your own pleasure?
No, we must not worship Creation as some do. God made the world. It is not eternal. Someday, He will write, “The End,” to this Creation and Peter says that it will all perish ‘in fervent heat,’ to be replaced with a new Heaven and a New Earth. What mystery that is! Until then, we are given a sacred responsibility to care for Creation in a way that makes the earth fruitful, that causes greater beauty to emerge, even as she yields the benefit of her resources to our husbandry. This is the other great commission!
The issue of caring for the environment is not a Democratic or Republican cause. It is a Christian issue. I am convinced, disciple, that the Lord will ask each of us to give an accounting for the way we used the resources He put in our care. Will we be able to say, “Lord, I left it a better place than I found it, carefully using her resources, investing in making her a place that would sustain the next generation. I ruled well!”?
___________
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears;
All nature sings and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world;
The birds their carols raise.
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise;
This is my Father's world;
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world,
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world;
The battle is not done;
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied,
And earth and heaven be one.
This Is My Father's World
Babcock, Maltbie D. / Sheppard, Franklin
© Public Domain
CCLI License No. 810055
The Bible opens with another divine mandate, much misunderstood, often even forgotten. His words are spoken in the context of Creation, to humans which were the last of His works. "God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28, NIV)
“Rule” and “subdue” are provocative words, aren’t they? Some read that as God’s permission to exploit Creation, extracting what we want from the natural world. We are given, they claim, God’s authority, to do as we wish with the resources of this planet. What happens to human authorities who govern in that manner? Does a good king care nothing for his subjects? Does he exploit those he rules only for his own pleasure? A good king governs to benefit the people he leads, not serving himself, but serving them. The Bible speaks of those who have authority as having a responsibility to seek the best for those who are under their direction.
Romans 13 reminds us that authority and leadership flows from the plan of God Himself. “The authorities are God’s servants,” to bring order and to punish wrong-doing. By implication, those who rule have a responsibility to create a place of safety that benefits those who are subject to them. When they govern well, they bring glory to God! "When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan." (Proverbs 29:2, NLT)
So let me ask you if you are ‘ruling Creation’ as a good authority or a bad one?
Are you exploiting the earth or managing it for God’s glory?
Is your attitude towards this wonderful Earth one of reverence, seeing it as God’s gift, handed to you as a sacred trust? Or, do you see it as something from which you can take what you want for your own pleasure?
No, we must not worship Creation as some do. God made the world. It is not eternal. Someday, He will write, “The End,” to this Creation and Peter says that it will all perish ‘in fervent heat,’ to be replaced with a new Heaven and a New Earth. What mystery that is! Until then, we are given a sacred responsibility to care for Creation in a way that makes the earth fruitful, that causes greater beauty to emerge, even as she yields the benefit of her resources to our husbandry. This is the other great commission!
The issue of caring for the environment is not a Democratic or Republican cause. It is a Christian issue. I am convinced, disciple, that the Lord will ask each of us to give an accounting for the way we used the resources He put in our care. Will we be able to say, “Lord, I left it a better place than I found it, carefully using her resources, investing in making her a place that would sustain the next generation. I ruled well!”?
___________
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears;
All nature sings and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world;
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world;
The birds their carols raise.
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise;
This is my Father's world;
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father's world,
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world;
The battle is not done;
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied,
And earth and heaven be one.
This Is My Father's World
Babcock, Maltbie D. / Sheppard, Franklin
© Public Domain
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, May 31, 2010
Don’t live in the cemetery
Remember those now gone, but don’t linger too long in the cemetery! Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day. It began in the United States after the Civil War as a day to visit the cemeteries to decorate the graves of those who lost their lives in that terrible conflict. After the first World War, the day’s focus widened to include a remembrance of all those fallen in war. Visiting a memorial to soldiers lost can be a powerfully moving experience. On several occasions, I have walked the length of the Vietnam memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC and each time, I find that black slab bearing 50,000 names evokes deep emotions, real tears for those who never came home.
We must never forget those who paid the ultimate price to defend our Nation. But, we cannot live in the cemetery with them! Their sacrifice is meaningless if we do not move on, living life in a way that honors them, cherishing freedom, insisting on the protection of liberty, and demanding that our government maintains the principles of our Constitution!
Christians understand the powerful encouragement of remembering. On the night before He went to the Cross, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, the Communion meal that Christians have celebrated for two millennia. The cup reminds us of His shed blood which sets us right with our Father, providing complete forgiveness of our sins. The bread reminds us of His broken body, that He is our Wounded Healer. The Bible’s familiar words are: "On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, NLT)
Disciple, we don’t live in the cemetery! We remember the Cross, but live on the other side of the Resurrection. His death brought us life! That is the amazing fact we remember at the Lord’s Table. “Walk worthy!” is the command we hear. Take the gift of the sacrifice and make it count in your day to day choices.
The Memorial Day, I hope you will remember, perhaps even walking through a cemetery where flags decorate the graves of those who died in the armed services of our great nation. Then, I pray you will leave the cemetery inspired to be a citizen who makes their sacrifice meaningful.
We must never forget those who paid the ultimate price to defend our Nation. But, we cannot live in the cemetery with them! Their sacrifice is meaningless if we do not move on, living life in a way that honors them, cherishing freedom, insisting on the protection of liberty, and demanding that our government maintains the principles of our Constitution!
Christians understand the powerful encouragement of remembering. On the night before He went to the Cross, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, the Communion meal that Christians have celebrated for two millennia. The cup reminds us of His shed blood which sets us right with our Father, providing complete forgiveness of our sins. The bread reminds us of His broken body, that He is our Wounded Healer. The Bible’s familiar words are: "On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, NLT)
Disciple, we don’t live in the cemetery! We remember the Cross, but live on the other side of the Resurrection. His death brought us life! That is the amazing fact we remember at the Lord’s Table. “Walk worthy!” is the command we hear. Take the gift of the sacrifice and make it count in your day to day choices.
The Memorial Day, I hope you will remember, perhaps even walking through a cemetery where flags decorate the graves of those who died in the armed services of our great nation. Then, I pray you will leave the cemetery inspired to be a citizen who makes their sacrifice meaningful.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Prejudiced to Peace
This weekend, we remember the millions of lives, mostly of those far too young, ended too soon on battlefields around the globe to advance our nation’s interests. And we should remember in graphic detail, so that the cost of war is never a light consideration. We need to accept responsibility since in our democracy it is you and I who give our political leaders authority to undertake military missions in our name; 'the people of these United States.'
Andy Rooney, commentator and curmudgeon on “60 Minutes,” who saw WW2 up close as a war correspondent, observed, “There is more bravery at war than in peace, and it seems wrong that we have so often saved this virtue to use for our least noble activity - war. The goal of war is to cause death to other people.” He went on to say that we speak of our warriors “giving their lives when, in reality, their lives are taken from them!” So, he concluded, we must never forget - more for our own sake, than for the sake of the dead. We must remember, with honor, those who have died in wars - and we must let their lost lives and their sorrowing kin cause us to seek new ways of resolving human conflict!
One of the Devil's great deceptions is the way he deceives humanity to glorify war! The 'great heroes' in our history books are too often warriors whose greatness is written in blood, ruthless men who were willing to kill and destroy to advance an agenda of economic opportunity or national pride. War is never glorious. That should be said often and with conviction! It is a terrible business with awful goals. I cannot, in this brief note, speak to the issues of the morality of war, or whether war is sometimes a justified response to evil. Greater minds than mine have explored that subject in depth. But, I will say, with great conviction, that the Christian should always be prejudiced to peace!
Jesus commended those who seek peace, calling them 'children of God.'
Peter urges us to 'seek peace and pursue it.'
In the book of Hebrews we read this passage which recognizes the limits of peace-making in a world filled with evil. There we are told to 'make every effort to live in peace with all men.'
In one of his most compelling statements, Jesus says, 'Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ... If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ (Matthew 5:39-44, NIV) So quickly this rule is discarded in favor of attack with words, fists, bullets, and bombs.
We do not dishonor those who have fallen in war by remembering their deaths in the context of an appeal to peace-making. Those who seek peace whole-heartedly may be mocked as weak or cowardly, but truthfully – who is more courageous than the one who stands facing another with a gun and prays for him? What could be noble than offering forgiveness and absorbing the cost of loss for the sake of destroying hatred? Isn’t that exactly what Jesus, our Savior, did for us?
This Memorial Day holiday weekend- remember and honor, and pray for peace. Pray that it begins with you; first, reconciled to God, living in peace with Him, then reconciled to those near to you, at peace with them, and then as an advocate for peace on earth! Ultimately, peace will come with a new King, who Kingdom is one of perfect justice, equity, and love. How I long for His kingdom, and so I pray, often and with tears - "May your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."
__________________
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine;
This is my home, The country where my heart is,
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdom's
Thy kingdom come on earth, Thy will be done;
Let Christ be lifted up 'til all men serve Him,
And hearts united learn to live as one;
O, hear my prayer, Thou God of all the nations.
Myself I give Thee let Thy will be done.
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for men in every place;
And yet I pray for my beloved country
The reassurance of continued grace;
Lord, help us find our oneness in the Savior,
In spite of differences of age and race. Amen.
A Song Of Peace
Stone, Lloyd / Wood, Dale / Sibelius, Jean
© 1968 Lorenz Publishing Company (a div. of the Lorenz Corporation)
CCLI License No. 810055
Andy Rooney, commentator and curmudgeon on “60 Minutes,” who saw WW2 up close as a war correspondent, observed, “There is more bravery at war than in peace, and it seems wrong that we have so often saved this virtue to use for our least noble activity - war. The goal of war is to cause death to other people.” He went on to say that we speak of our warriors “giving their lives when, in reality, their lives are taken from them!” So, he concluded, we must never forget - more for our own sake, than for the sake of the dead. We must remember, with honor, those who have died in wars - and we must let their lost lives and their sorrowing kin cause us to seek new ways of resolving human conflict!
One of the Devil's great deceptions is the way he deceives humanity to glorify war! The 'great heroes' in our history books are too often warriors whose greatness is written in blood, ruthless men who were willing to kill and destroy to advance an agenda of economic opportunity or national pride. War is never glorious. That should be said often and with conviction! It is a terrible business with awful goals. I cannot, in this brief note, speak to the issues of the morality of war, or whether war is sometimes a justified response to evil. Greater minds than mine have explored that subject in depth. But, I will say, with great conviction, that the Christian should always be prejudiced to peace!
Jesus commended those who seek peace, calling them 'children of God.'
Peter urges us to 'seek peace and pursue it.'
In the book of Hebrews we read this passage which recognizes the limits of peace-making in a world filled with evil. There we are told to 'make every effort to live in peace with all men.'
In one of his most compelling statements, Jesus says, 'Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ... If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ (Matthew 5:39-44, NIV) So quickly this rule is discarded in favor of attack with words, fists, bullets, and bombs.
We do not dishonor those who have fallen in war by remembering their deaths in the context of an appeal to peace-making. Those who seek peace whole-heartedly may be mocked as weak or cowardly, but truthfully – who is more courageous than the one who stands facing another with a gun and prays for him? What could be noble than offering forgiveness and absorbing the cost of loss for the sake of destroying hatred? Isn’t that exactly what Jesus, our Savior, did for us?
This Memorial Day holiday weekend- remember and honor, and pray for peace. Pray that it begins with you; first, reconciled to God, living in peace with Him, then reconciled to those near to you, at peace with them, and then as an advocate for peace on earth! Ultimately, peace will come with a new King, who Kingdom is one of perfect justice, equity, and love. How I long for His kingdom, and so I pray, often and with tears - "May your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."
__________________
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine;
This is my home, The country where my heart is,
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdom's
Thy kingdom come on earth, Thy will be done;
Let Christ be lifted up 'til all men serve Him,
And hearts united learn to live as one;
O, hear my prayer, Thou God of all the nations.
Myself I give Thee let Thy will be done.
This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for men in every place;
And yet I pray for my beloved country
The reassurance of continued grace;
Lord, help us find our oneness in the Savior,
In spite of differences of age and race. Amen.
A Song Of Peace
Stone, Lloyd / Wood, Dale / Sibelius, Jean
© 1968 Lorenz Publishing Company (a div. of the Lorenz Corporation)
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Desperation
Our Bible study group just finished working through the book of 1st Samuel, the story of David’s rise to Israel’s throne. The tragic figure of the book is Saul, the man who stood head and shoulders above his fellow countrymen, who was chosen by God to be their first king. He is a flawed man, quick to set aside commitment to the Lord and to choose his own way. Time after time, he decided that his way was better than God’s way and he justified his actions by asking, “What else was I supposed to do?” By the end of the book, he is a pathetic figure. The time of war came. "When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear. He asked the Lord what he should do, but the Lord refused to answer him, either by dreams or by sacred lots or by the prophets." (1 Samuel 28:5-6, NLT)
In his desperation, once again Saul decides on expedience over principle. Despite the strong prohibitions of the Mosaic law, he seeks out a medium. "Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” (1 Samuel 28:7, NLT) In a chapter full of things that are hard to understand, we learn that medium brings Samuel’s spirit back from the dead. The king is told that this battle will be his last. Samuel’s ghost tells Saul that he will be dead the next day, that his sons will die in battle, and the army of Israel will suffer a terrible defeat! At that the desperate king, passes out cold, knocked out by fear!
Two chapters later, we catch up with David on the worst day of his life! He comes home from a military campaign to discover that the town of Ziklag, where he and his men were living in exile, had been attacked by raiders. All of their possessions, and worse; all of their wives and children, were gone! "When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. … David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." (1 Samuel 30:3-4, 6, NIV) The last line of that passage reveals the difference between two desperate men: “But David found strength in the Lord his God!”
We will find ourselves in times of desperation; when God falls silent, when our best laid plans fall apart, when sorrow engulfs us.
What then, disciple?
To whom will we turn for solace? What will be our decision?
Will we resort to expedience, doing what seems right, feels good, or brings comfort in the moment? Or, will we wait patiently for the Lord, doing what’s right while we wait?
David wrote a song that we know as Psalm 34. Read these excerpts from it and may you find strength in the Lord for this day.
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
… Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
… Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles." (Psalm 34, NIV)
In his desperation, once again Saul decides on expedience over principle. Despite the strong prohibitions of the Mosaic law, he seeks out a medium. "Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.” His advisers replied, “There is a medium at Endor.” (1 Samuel 28:7, NLT) In a chapter full of things that are hard to understand, we learn that medium brings Samuel’s spirit back from the dead. The king is told that this battle will be his last. Samuel’s ghost tells Saul that he will be dead the next day, that his sons will die in battle, and the army of Israel will suffer a terrible defeat! At that the desperate king, passes out cold, knocked out by fear!
Two chapters later, we catch up with David on the worst day of his life! He comes home from a military campaign to discover that the town of Ziklag, where he and his men were living in exile, had been attacked by raiders. All of their possessions, and worse; all of their wives and children, were gone! "When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. … David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." (1 Samuel 30:3-4, 6, NIV) The last line of that passage reveals the difference between two desperate men: “But David found strength in the Lord his God!”
We will find ourselves in times of desperation; when God falls silent, when our best laid plans fall apart, when sorrow engulfs us.
What then, disciple?
To whom will we turn for solace? What will be our decision?
Will we resort to expedience, doing what seems right, feels good, or brings comfort in the moment? Or, will we wait patiently for the Lord, doing what’s right while we wait?
David wrote a song that we know as Psalm 34. Read these excerpts from it and may you find strength in the Lord for this day.
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
… Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
… Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles." (Psalm 34, NIV)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Complexity and Faith
“What should I do?” is a question that I hear a lot on the phone or in my office. People bring complex issues my way almost every day. Parents wonder how to guide their children through the teen years when so many temptations can derail their lives. Men wonder how to deal with sexual desires that have such power to lead them astray. Husbands and wives wonder about how to create a strong intimate marriage relationship in a world that is so very different from that of their parents. Christians wonder about finding ways to balance the demands of work and the call to serve God. I wonder if I am really doing the things God wants done to build His Church!
Some Christians retreat from the complexity of life by creating lots of rules. It’s easier to just react to life rather than respond, to write laws than to live in the Spirit’s liberty! That choice leads to a kind of ‘Christian’ life that is built around “Don’t, don’t, don’t….” In a vain attempt to seize control of life, more and more rules get written, often enforced with grim determination or harsh consequences. But, is that really the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus’ promised us?
The Word reminds us that when we are ‘in Christ’ we are alive, no longer living under condemnation by God! Here’s that passage from The Message. "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2, The Message)
The complex issues of our lives are no match to the amazing life we can find in the Spirit. He is our Counselor who lives in us, but how easily we ignore Him or even silence Him when we turn our focus onto ourselves. We are invited to take the complex situations to Him! We don’t have to devise scheme after scheme, stressing over life. James tells us that we need to walk it out with patience and that we can be completely confident in God’s wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NIV)
The principle of Spirit-life is so liberating, so life-giving. We should not be surprised that the devil wants to divert us into a religion of rules. If he can get us to obsess about controlling ourselves and others, he has stolen the rich heritage of the real Christian life from us. Paul found the Christians in Rome diverted into making rules about what food was ‘right to eat, what day was holy.’ They were fighting over these things and missing the Gospel. The principle he lays down is still compelling for us. Take a look. "Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you." (Romans 14:16-18, The Message)
Challenged by sin in yourself, in your family, in your world? Does it seem so complex that you have no answer? Go, ask God! Take it all to Him, honesty, openly, humbly. Then, do what He says! And you will find the life of the Spirit released in you and through you producing the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
Some Christians retreat from the complexity of life by creating lots of rules. It’s easier to just react to life rather than respond, to write laws than to live in the Spirit’s liberty! That choice leads to a kind of ‘Christian’ life that is built around “Don’t, don’t, don’t….” In a vain attempt to seize control of life, more and more rules get written, often enforced with grim determination or harsh consequences. But, is that really the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus’ promised us?
The Word reminds us that when we are ‘in Christ’ we are alive, no longer living under condemnation by God! Here’s that passage from The Message. "With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2, The Message)
The complex issues of our lives are no match to the amazing life we can find in the Spirit. He is our Counselor who lives in us, but how easily we ignore Him or even silence Him when we turn our focus onto ourselves. We are invited to take the complex situations to Him! We don’t have to devise scheme after scheme, stressing over life. James tells us that we need to walk it out with patience and that we can be completely confident in God’s wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NIV)
The principle of Spirit-life is so liberating, so life-giving. We should not be surprised that the devil wants to divert us into a religion of rules. If he can get us to obsess about controlling ourselves and others, he has stolen the rich heritage of the real Christian life from us. Paul found the Christians in Rome diverted into making rules about what food was ‘right to eat, what day was holy.’ They were fighting over these things and missing the Gospel. The principle he lays down is still compelling for us. Take a look. "Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you." (Romans 14:16-18, The Message)
Challenged by sin in yourself, in your family, in your world? Does it seem so complex that you have no answer? Go, ask God! Take it all to Him, honesty, openly, humbly. Then, do what He says! And you will find the life of the Spirit released in you and through you producing the fruit of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
With life’s risks, any guarantees?
Americans have developed a near zero tolerance for risk. “Safety first,” is our demand! When something in our complex world fails, when an accident happens, we suddenly remember that everything we do has some risk involved. Yesterday, I strapped myself inside of a metal cage and hurled myself at high speeds along a corridor with other machines. It was a choice that exposed me to death or horrific injury. Yes, I was driving my car! Every time I go down the road, I choose to accept some level of risk.
Just about everything I do; driving, using an appliance, taking some medication, involves some risk of injury or illness. Those risks are usually very small, but they exist none the less. Most of the time we do not consciously think of the dangers of life because to do so would paralyze us with fear. We try to balance benefit and risk, minimizing our exposure to injury or loss with good safety practices.
Only God guarantees us a risk-free relationship and benefit. James reminds us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NIV) We can trust Him without calculation, without reservation, without insurance – because what He says, He will do. We accept that by faith, though there are times in our lives when it difficult to hang onto that promise. When sickness comes, friends fail us, our best laid plans do not work out; we are tempted to wonder where He is, why He is allowing us to go through the darkness. When we find ourselves in the middle of temptation, drawn away from Him by the work of the sinful nature, the world’s influence, or the Devil’s seduction, our security wavers, too.
In those times, we have a choice – to remain faithful and steadfast in our commitment, or to turn away and follow our own way. The amazing truth of the Word is this: even "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful!" (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV) God enters into a covenant with us that is secured by His unchanging love and the Cross, not by our perfection. Oh, what a glorious thought. That is amazing grace! If we anchor our hope of a right relationship with Him, of answered prayer, even of finding our home in Heaven in our own goodness, our spiritual experience will be one of fear and uncertainty. We know, all too well, (or at least we should!) how prone to failure we are. But, if we put our faith in God and His promise, we find a Rock that anchors us through it all!
Some would argue that such security would make us careless about our obedience. That’s not my experience. In my life, when I focus on His faithfulness and promise, I discover greater strength available through the Spirit to live a holy life! The perfection of His promise of salvation gives me reason to press onward with even greater determination. "Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ... we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5, NLT)
Disciple, are you feeling insecure today?
Have circumstances arisen for which you have no explanation?
Are you afraid, sensing greater risk than you can manage?
Let me encourage you to turn to the One who cannot fail. Make Him your hope. Anchor your life in His immutable promises. It is the one risk-free choice we can make in a world full of uncertainty!
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it! Live it! "God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us." (Hebrews 6:18-20, The Message)
_____________
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll!
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move!
Grounded, firm and deep, in the Savior's love.
Will Your Anchor Hold?
William James Kirkpatrick
Public Domain
Just about everything I do; driving, using an appliance, taking some medication, involves some risk of injury or illness. Those risks are usually very small, but they exist none the less. Most of the time we do not consciously think of the dangers of life because to do so would paralyze us with fear. We try to balance benefit and risk, minimizing our exposure to injury or loss with good safety practices.
Only God guarantees us a risk-free relationship and benefit. James reminds us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NIV) We can trust Him without calculation, without reservation, without insurance – because what He says, He will do. We accept that by faith, though there are times in our lives when it difficult to hang onto that promise. When sickness comes, friends fail us, our best laid plans do not work out; we are tempted to wonder where He is, why He is allowing us to go through the darkness. When we find ourselves in the middle of temptation, drawn away from Him by the work of the sinful nature, the world’s influence, or the Devil’s seduction, our security wavers, too.
In those times, we have a choice – to remain faithful and steadfast in our commitment, or to turn away and follow our own way. The amazing truth of the Word is this: even "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful!" (2 Timothy 2:13, NIV) God enters into a covenant with us that is secured by His unchanging love and the Cross, not by our perfection. Oh, what a glorious thought. That is amazing grace! If we anchor our hope of a right relationship with Him, of answered prayer, even of finding our home in Heaven in our own goodness, our spiritual experience will be one of fear and uncertainty. We know, all too well, (or at least we should!) how prone to failure we are. But, if we put our faith in God and His promise, we find a Rock that anchors us through it all!
Some would argue that such security would make us careless about our obedience. That’s not my experience. In my life, when I focus on His faithfulness and promise, I discover greater strength available through the Spirit to live a holy life! The perfection of His promise of salvation gives me reason to press onward with even greater determination. "Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ... we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5, NLT)
Disciple, are you feeling insecure today?
Have circumstances arisen for which you have no explanation?
Are you afraid, sensing greater risk than you can manage?
Let me encourage you to turn to the One who cannot fail. Make Him your hope. Anchor your life in His immutable promises. It is the one risk-free choice we can make in a world full of uncertainty!
Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it! Live it! "God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us." (Hebrews 6:18-20, The Message)
_____________
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll!
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move!
Grounded, firm and deep, in the Savior's love.
Will Your Anchor Hold?
William James Kirkpatrick
Public Domain
Monday, May 24, 2010
On the Palm of His Hand
Do you awaken in the night, only to stare into the darkness as your mind tumbles in kaleidoscopic action, one thought layered on another in random patterns? When I awaken at 2 AM thinking about that counseling session of the previous day, some pending project at the church, someone’s broken heart, the Sunday sermon that isn’t coming together, a phone call I forgot to make, a conversation that never seemed to connect with the real issue… or something else: the clock advances and I see numbers my bedside clock projects onto the ceiling turn to 3, then 3:30, then 4! But, not so often as they once did.
In those moments, I've learned to pray. They are quiet prayers that are not eloquent but that express my deep longing for His Presence, for His wisdom, for His Kingdom to come; first in my heart and then in my world! Not many years ago, the cares of my life would cause me to leave my bedroom and often cost me the rest of the night’s rest. No more! It’s such a privilege to just commune for a while with the Lord, sometimes even wordlessly turning each concern to Him, sometimes matching need to Scripture promise, sometimes just breathing a quiet, “Jesus, be Lord!”
The Word reminds me of the folly of stress, of taking too much on myself, of trying to be God!
The Psalmist wrote, {127:1-2}
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.
Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
It's a wonderful Word, but it raises a question for me. Does God intend this promise to release me from all responsibility? In the context of the whole counsel of the Word, we know that God expects us to be diligent, to apply ourselves to gaining wisdom, to work hard to make a difference. The instruction in the Psalm is about taking on ourselves too much because of our vanity! If we make our work in life a means of proving our personal worth, of trying to secure ourselves against all threats, stress will overtake. The uncontrollable variables of weather, health, national economies, and other people’s choices will cause us terrible fear as we realize how completely impotent we are in the face of it all!
We may build a house, but only God controls the wind, the flood, the earthquake that can level it!
We may post our guard to drive away thieves and robbers but only God can secure us against the wily, evil that comes from the Devil and those who do his work.
We may diligently apply ourselves to getting the seed into the soil, but only God can make it grow! We can be thrifty and build our retirement account, but only God can guarantee our home in Heaven. Thus, Solomon, the writer of this Psalm, urges us to set aside anxiety and to trust our Sovereign Lord.
Jesus stated this same truth in these words found in Matthew 6:32-33: “Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”
As I prayed last night, the Spirit formed a picture in my mind, based on the Scripture that follows. I ‘saw’ the Hand of God, with my name written there, as His reminder of me! What comfort. He never forgets us, always watches over us. Take this word from the Word and I hope it forms an image of comfort and peace for you today.
"This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them." (Isaiah 49:8, NLT) "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of (your need)." (Isaiah 49:16, NLT)
________________
My Life Is In Your Hands
Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where You are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way
You'll be with me
Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that Your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my rest
And I will find my peace
Knowing that You'll meet
My ev'ry need
My life is in Your hands
My heart is in Your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with You
My life is in Your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
'Cause Your love
Does amazing things
Lord I know my life
Is in Your hands
When I'm at my weakest
Oh, You carry me
Then I become my strongest
Lord in Your hands
© 1993, 1994 Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc.
Floating Note Music, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
Bill Montvilo
Kathy Troccoli
CCLI License No. 810055
In those moments, I've learned to pray. They are quiet prayers that are not eloquent but that express my deep longing for His Presence, for His wisdom, for His Kingdom to come; first in my heart and then in my world! Not many years ago, the cares of my life would cause me to leave my bedroom and often cost me the rest of the night’s rest. No more! It’s such a privilege to just commune for a while with the Lord, sometimes even wordlessly turning each concern to Him, sometimes matching need to Scripture promise, sometimes just breathing a quiet, “Jesus, be Lord!”
The Word reminds me of the folly of stress, of taking too much on myself, of trying to be God!
The Psalmist wrote, {127:1-2}
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless.
Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
It's a wonderful Word, but it raises a question for me. Does God intend this promise to release me from all responsibility? In the context of the whole counsel of the Word, we know that God expects us to be diligent, to apply ourselves to gaining wisdom, to work hard to make a difference. The instruction in the Psalm is about taking on ourselves too much because of our vanity! If we make our work in life a means of proving our personal worth, of trying to secure ourselves against all threats, stress will overtake. The uncontrollable variables of weather, health, national economies, and other people’s choices will cause us terrible fear as we realize how completely impotent we are in the face of it all!
We may build a house, but only God controls the wind, the flood, the earthquake that can level it!
We may post our guard to drive away thieves and robbers but only God can secure us against the wily, evil that comes from the Devil and those who do his work.
We may diligently apply ourselves to getting the seed into the soil, but only God can make it grow! We can be thrifty and build our retirement account, but only God can guarantee our home in Heaven. Thus, Solomon, the writer of this Psalm, urges us to set aside anxiety and to trust our Sovereign Lord.
Jesus stated this same truth in these words found in Matthew 6:32-33: “Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”
As I prayed last night, the Spirit formed a picture in my mind, based on the Scripture that follows. I ‘saw’ the Hand of God, with my name written there, as His reminder of me! What comfort. He never forgets us, always watches over us. Take this word from the Word and I hope it forms an image of comfort and peace for you today.
"This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them." (Isaiah 49:8, NLT) "See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of (your need)." (Isaiah 49:16, NLT)
________________
My Life Is In Your Hands
Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where You are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can't see
That whatever comes my way
You'll be with me
Nothing is for sure
Nothing is for keeps
All I know is that Your love
Will live eternally
So I will find my rest
And I will find my peace
Knowing that You'll meet
My ev'ry need
My life is in Your hands
My heart is in Your keeping
I'm never without hope
Not when my future is with You
My life is in Your hands
And though I may not see clearly
I will lift my voice and sing
'Cause Your love
Does amazing things
Lord I know my life
Is in Your hands
When I'm at my weakest
Oh, You carry me
Then I become my strongest
Lord in Your hands
© 1993, 1994 Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc.
Floating Note Music, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
Bill Montvilo
Kathy Troccoli
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, May 21, 2010
Turn up the fire in Hell?
During a conversation about a teenager who was wandering from the Way, getting involved in things that were both damaging to her life and sinful in the eyes of God, her Dad suggested that the answer was to preach more hellfire and damnation! I disagree. Can we really be ‘scared straight?’ 20 years ago, the state of NJ started a program by that name that lets juvenile delinquents experience real prison life up close, with the intent that it will let them catch a glimpse of what’s waiting for them if they refuse to stay out of trouble. Some churches, usually around Halloween, do something that is similar, called “Hell House.” In dramatic sketches, teens are told that Hell awaits if they persist in their sinfulness.
I do believe that the Bible is clear about the reality of an eternal place of separation from God, too horrible to contemplate. Jesus used the garbage dump of Jerusalem as a metaphor for that place. It is the refuse heap of eternity, a place where the presence of God and good is not known, where hope is lost. While it is not our right to determine who goes there, we must not deny what the Scripture plainly teaches. However, I am convinced that preaching the grace and love of the Father, shown to us through Christ Jesus, is a much more powerful message for life-change than a fear-based message about Hell!
In the opening chapters of Romans, Paul presents the truth about God’s efforts to restore humanity to a right relationship with Himself. In that beautiful argument, we find this: "God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20-21, NLT) That promise, not the threat of Hell, is the central message, the genuine Gospel!
If our message is one based on Fear, the best we can hope for is greater human effort to ‘be good.’ Dallas Willard has coined an unforgettable phrase that describes the efforts of many churches and pastors who fear Hell more than they love God. Dr. Willard says that they substitute the ‘gospel of sin management,’ for the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus. Instead of creating disciples of Christ whose hearts and minds are increasingly made to be like the Lord by the powerful Presence of the Spirit, their efforts are designed around making incremental change in behavior, creating nicer people who learn how to ‘manage’ their sin, rather than defeat evil.
Here’s the truth about us. Fear has a very short shelf life. We can learn to live with any threat, becoming numb to it after a time. Even the threat of Hell cannot sufficiently frighten us into devotion to God! We can write all the rules we want, but those rules, no matter how dire the consequences we attach to them, cannot change the intent of a heart that has not experienced the life touch of the Spirit of God. The Word says, "You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." (Colossians 2:20-23, NLT)
So, I invite you to join Paul (and me!) in this declaration:
"We preach Christ crucified … who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, NIV)
__________________
Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.
Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity.
Bread of heaven, broken for me,
Cup of salvation held up to drink.
Jesus - Mystery.
Christ has died, and
Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again!
Celebrate his death and rising!
Lift your eyes! Proclaim his coming!
Jesus - Mystery!
Mystery - Charlie Hall
SixSteps Music, Worship Together
CCLI License No. 810055
I do believe that the Bible is clear about the reality of an eternal place of separation from God, too horrible to contemplate. Jesus used the garbage dump of Jerusalem as a metaphor for that place. It is the refuse heap of eternity, a place where the presence of God and good is not known, where hope is lost. While it is not our right to determine who goes there, we must not deny what the Scripture plainly teaches. However, I am convinced that preaching the grace and love of the Father, shown to us through Christ Jesus, is a much more powerful message for life-change than a fear-based message about Hell!
In the opening chapters of Romans, Paul presents the truth about God’s efforts to restore humanity to a right relationship with Himself. In that beautiful argument, we find this: "God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20-21, NLT) That promise, not the threat of Hell, is the central message, the genuine Gospel!
If our message is one based on Fear, the best we can hope for is greater human effort to ‘be good.’ Dallas Willard has coined an unforgettable phrase that describes the efforts of many churches and pastors who fear Hell more than they love God. Dr. Willard says that they substitute the ‘gospel of sin management,’ for the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus. Instead of creating disciples of Christ whose hearts and minds are increasingly made to be like the Lord by the powerful Presence of the Spirit, their efforts are designed around making incremental change in behavior, creating nicer people who learn how to ‘manage’ their sin, rather than defeat evil.
Here’s the truth about us. Fear has a very short shelf life. We can learn to live with any threat, becoming numb to it after a time. Even the threat of Hell cannot sufficiently frighten us into devotion to God! We can write all the rules we want, but those rules, no matter how dire the consequences we attach to them, cannot change the intent of a heart that has not experienced the life touch of the Spirit of God. The Word says, "You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." (Colossians 2:20-23, NLT)
So, I invite you to join Paul (and me!) in this declaration:
"We preach Christ crucified … who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, NIV)
__________________
Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.
Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity.
Bread of heaven, broken for me,
Cup of salvation held up to drink.
Jesus - Mystery.
Christ has died, and
Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again!
Celebrate his death and rising!
Lift your eyes! Proclaim his coming!
Jesus - Mystery!
Mystery - Charlie Hall
SixSteps Music, Worship Together
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Building bridges or walls?
Do you bring people together? Are you skilled at creating teams, helping communication by being a good translator? Do you step in where possible to buffer conflict and seek reconciliation? Or, do you polarize people? I am convinced that there are people who just love to keep things stirred up, who enjoy the tensions they create in their family, at work, or in their church. Why? That’s the question in my mind when I see someone unwilling to reach out, seemingly incapable of forgiving the offenses that inevitably come to each of us in the course of life.
Ever read the story of Abigail in 1st Samuel? It’s quite the drama! David, who had been driven to fugitive status by King Saul, gave protection to the wealthy farmers in outlying areas, keeping away marauding bands of thieves. In return, he asked for support for himself and his men. Nabal, Abigail’s husband, was a beneficiary of David’s efforts, but when his men when to get some supplies, Nabal rudely insulted them and their leader, refusing to give them a thing! David took offense! “Strap on your swords!” They all strapped on their swords, David and his men, and set out, four hundred of them." (1 Samuel 25:13, The Message) In his anger, he decided to kill Nabal and every man in his household.
Meanwhile, when Abigail heard from her servants about her husband’s surly behavior, she quickly put together supplies and set out to take them to David because she must have known the probability of retaliation. She met David as he was coming and the speech she made to him is an amazing passage full of wisdom. It’s lengthy, but I hope you will read it with understanding.
“Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the Lord’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live.
Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant.”
David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands." (1 Samuel 25:26-33, NIV)
What a model for us in her act of reconciliation!
A. She saw the situation for what it was, not what she wanted it to be.
B. She moved immediately to create a solution, and was proactive.
C. She got involved personally, at great risk to herself, from both David and her husband.
D. She accepted blame and responsibility as she interceded for her household!
E. She encouraged David forgive the past offense by helping him to gain a vision of God’s future promise!
Team builders, people who create peace, enjoy a special status. Jesus said, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9, NLT) There are multiple opportunities for you to practice peace-making in our world, beginning right where you are.
When disagreements arise, instead of fanning the flames, seek to defuse the bomb by promoting communication, encouraging cooperation.
When someone comes to you who is angry, instead of joining that emotion, wisely attempt to turn them towards peace and forgiveness.
If you’re hurt and ready to fall in love with your offended, wounded spirit, think again! Nothing good ever comes from nurturing an offense. The Bible says, "Don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life." (Ephesians 4:26-27, The Message)
Disciple, remember this – it’s much more difficult to build bridges than walls, but bridge builders are blessed people, true children of God!
____________________
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;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Ever read the story of Abigail in 1st Samuel? It’s quite the drama! David, who had been driven to fugitive status by King Saul, gave protection to the wealthy farmers in outlying areas, keeping away marauding bands of thieves. In return, he asked for support for himself and his men. Nabal, Abigail’s husband, was a beneficiary of David’s efforts, but when his men when to get some supplies, Nabal rudely insulted them and their leader, refusing to give them a thing! David took offense! “Strap on your swords!” They all strapped on their swords, David and his men, and set out, four hundred of them." (1 Samuel 25:13, The Message) In his anger, he decided to kill Nabal and every man in his household.
Meanwhile, when Abigail heard from her servants about her husband’s surly behavior, she quickly put together supplies and set out to take them to David because she must have known the probability of retaliation. She met David as he was coming and the speech she made to him is an amazing passage full of wisdom. It’s lengthy, but I hope you will read it with understanding.
“Now since the Lord has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the Lord’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live.
Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord has brought my master success, remember your servant.”
David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands." (1 Samuel 25:26-33, NIV)
What a model for us in her act of reconciliation!
A. She saw the situation for what it was, not what she wanted it to be.
B. She moved immediately to create a solution, and was proactive.
C. She got involved personally, at great risk to herself, from both David and her husband.
D. She accepted blame and responsibility as she interceded for her household!
E. She encouraged David forgive the past offense by helping him to gain a vision of God’s future promise!
Team builders, people who create peace, enjoy a special status. Jesus said, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9, NLT) There are multiple opportunities for you to practice peace-making in our world, beginning right where you are.
When disagreements arise, instead of fanning the flames, seek to defuse the bomb by promoting communication, encouraging cooperation.
When someone comes to you who is angry, instead of joining that emotion, wisely attempt to turn them towards peace and forgiveness.
If you’re hurt and ready to fall in love with your offended, wounded spirit, think again! Nothing good ever comes from nurturing an offense. The Bible says, "Don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life." (Ephesians 4:26-27, The Message)
Disciple, remember this – it’s much more difficult to build bridges than walls, but bridge builders are blessed people, true children of God!
____________________
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;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Cryin’ in the darkness or singing in the night?
The old saying reminds us that “No good deed goes unpunished.” Most of us prefer to hang onto the more positive view that virtue is always recognized and rewarded. But, life soon shows us that there is some ambiguity involved; that forces are at work that attempt to foil the best attempts at goodness. In Galatians 6:9-10 we are told that we must hang onto hope, even through disappointment. Paul says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
He knew what he was talking about! I can imagine that as he penned that encouragement, he might have been thinking about his ministry in the town of Philippi. There Silas and Paul encountered a young woman possessed by a evil spirit. She was miserable! So, they ministered the love of Christ to her and she was liberated from her torment. Did the people applaud this kind act? Did they celebrate that this woman was now in her right mind and able to function normally. Not quite! Read on: “The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:22-24)
Beaten, locked up, and forgotten! Their experience makes the small troubles of my life nothing in comparison! But, let’s be honest with each other. When we work hard, we like to be appreciated, don't we? Come on, don’t give me that Sunday School line- "Oh, no. I just love to serve, forgotten, ignored, and un-thanked!" That sounds very spiritual, but it ignores the fact that we need affirmation and appreciation. That's not a bad thing, by the way! Thankfulness, to God and others, is encouraged throughout the Word.
However… sometimes people don't say thanks. Sometimes they turn on us for doing the right thing. When we try to talk to a friend about the error of his ways, he often turns on us viciously! Even if we “speak the truth in love,” few thank us. We may lay down our life and still be misunderstood, falsely accused, or rejected. Disciple, what then? Will you say, "Well, that's the last time I'll ever stick my neck out like that!" "Don't expect me to do that again!" Or worse, will your actions say, “Fine, then rot in Hell and see if I care!”?
A natural reaction for Paul and Silas in Philippi would have been bitterness, cryin’ in the dark! “God, this is how you let your servants be treated?” They made another choice. The storyline continues: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) From their faith came a great result. An earthquake shook the jail freeing the men from their chains. The jailer rushed in fearing his prisoners had escaped and found a revival service in progress. He took the evangelists home and got saved and baptized. A new church was born! We never learn if the town apologized, or if they were thanked for their ministry. But, that was unimportant to these faithful servants.
When we read these stories in a few minutes time from our perch overlooking history we can miss the suffering, the tears, the self-denial. It seems almost like a modern fairy tale with the “happily ever after” ending. The truth is that the men who lived through those days bled, suffered, wondered and waited as the minutes ticked by at an agonizing pace. They were not sure if they would live or die. Yet, they chose to look up and offer praise, in faith. In their willingness to ‘let God, be God,’ to relinquish control of themselves and their circumstances to Him, He was able to accomplish His will in them and through them.
Disciple, are you weary today? Have you been swimming against the current for so long that you feel like quitting?
Are you trying to do good and getting kicked in the teeth by the world around you?
Are you attempting to love, only to be met at every turn with scorn?
Are you working in a place where evil seems to be rewarded, where those who take shortcuts, who do unethical things get the prize?
Do you feel like giving up?
Let’s emulate those who have gone before. Let your tears turn into a prayer, your broken heart become the place where God plants the seed that grows into something brand new. Sing a song in your night and wait patiently. Let your joy in the Lord sustain you and keep you from becoming weary of doing good. True courage is born of hope, hope that gives us a vision of what can be IF we stay the course through rough times. Don't give up. Harvest is inevitable.
Here’s the word from the Word.
"Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit." (Galatians 6:7-9, The Message)
___________________
He knew what he was talking about! I can imagine that as he penned that encouragement, he might have been thinking about his ministry in the town of Philippi. There Silas and Paul encountered a young woman possessed by a evil spirit. She was miserable! So, they ministered the love of Christ to her and she was liberated from her torment. Did the people applaud this kind act? Did they celebrate that this woman was now in her right mind and able to function normally. Not quite! Read on: “The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:22-24)
Beaten, locked up, and forgotten! Their experience makes the small troubles of my life nothing in comparison! But, let’s be honest with each other. When we work hard, we like to be appreciated, don't we? Come on, don’t give me that Sunday School line- "Oh, no. I just love to serve, forgotten, ignored, and un-thanked!" That sounds very spiritual, but it ignores the fact that we need affirmation and appreciation. That's not a bad thing, by the way! Thankfulness, to God and others, is encouraged throughout the Word.
However… sometimes people don't say thanks. Sometimes they turn on us for doing the right thing. When we try to talk to a friend about the error of his ways, he often turns on us viciously! Even if we “speak the truth in love,” few thank us. We may lay down our life and still be misunderstood, falsely accused, or rejected. Disciple, what then? Will you say, "Well, that's the last time I'll ever stick my neck out like that!" "Don't expect me to do that again!" Or worse, will your actions say, “Fine, then rot in Hell and see if I care!”?
A natural reaction for Paul and Silas in Philippi would have been bitterness, cryin’ in the dark! “God, this is how you let your servants be treated?” They made another choice. The storyline continues: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) From their faith came a great result. An earthquake shook the jail freeing the men from their chains. The jailer rushed in fearing his prisoners had escaped and found a revival service in progress. He took the evangelists home and got saved and baptized. A new church was born! We never learn if the town apologized, or if they were thanked for their ministry. But, that was unimportant to these faithful servants.
When we read these stories in a few minutes time from our perch overlooking history we can miss the suffering, the tears, the self-denial. It seems almost like a modern fairy tale with the “happily ever after” ending. The truth is that the men who lived through those days bled, suffered, wondered and waited as the minutes ticked by at an agonizing pace. They were not sure if they would live or die. Yet, they chose to look up and offer praise, in faith. In their willingness to ‘let God, be God,’ to relinquish control of themselves and their circumstances to Him, He was able to accomplish His will in them and through them.
Disciple, are you weary today? Have you been swimming against the current for so long that you feel like quitting?
Are you trying to do good and getting kicked in the teeth by the world around you?
Are you attempting to love, only to be met at every turn with scorn?
Are you working in a place where evil seems to be rewarded, where those who take shortcuts, who do unethical things get the prize?
Do you feel like giving up?
Let’s emulate those who have gone before. Let your tears turn into a prayer, your broken heart become the place where God plants the seed that grows into something brand new. Sing a song in your night and wait patiently. Let your joy in the Lord sustain you and keep you from becoming weary of doing good. True courage is born of hope, hope that gives us a vision of what can be IF we stay the course through rough times. Don't give up. Harvest is inevitable.
Here’s the word from the Word.
"Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit." (Galatians 6:7-9, The Message)
___________________
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The only good fear
Whenever I let fear become the dominant emotion in my life, I say and do things I regret. Fear makes me defensive, turning my focus inward. When I grow fearful, I am not loving, unwilling to risk the rejection that is always a possibility when I open my heart to another. Fear steals hope and makes me possessive, wanting more ‘things’ that quiet the tumult for a while. It causes me to become petty, driven by insecurity to look for my worth in things like the number of people in church, how many nice comments come my way after a sermon, or who speaks to me (or fails to do). From a purely natural point of view, there is much to fear! The world in which we live is tumultuous. Maturity (that’s just a way of saying, ‘growing old’) has increased my appreciation of the riskiness that is part of daily living.
Cultivating faith is the only answer! Ironically, deep faith is born of profound fear; the fear of the Lord. When we tame God, reducing Him to fit our preconceived ideas about Who He is, we grow fearful in this world. When we ponder His majesty, remember His works, and contemplate the Word, we catch a glimpse of His true nature. No one can see even a small part of Who He is and not tremble. Just a few descriptors of Him include: “Beginning and End, Judge of all the Earth, Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One who sets up kings and takes them down, and Discerner of even the thoughts and intents of every heart.”
When I let God be truly God instead of some caricature of Him created in my own mind, He releases me from my fears and faith grows. Here’s what the Psalmist says. "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands." (Psalm 112:1, NIV) Awe creates a desire to do good, to subjugate my will to His. The same Psalm continues with this promise: "Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." (Psalm 112:6-8, NIV) Go back and read those lines again. Isn’t that how you want to live – securely, fearlessly, with hope for the future?
My response to fear need not be the things I wrote about in the opening of this thought. What if I choose to worship Him instead? Instead of trying to stand on my own trembling legs, what if I bow my knees before Him? "I will bow down … and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted." (Psalm 138:2-3, NIV)
Are you fearful today? There is only one good fear – the fear of the Lord. Go before Him, reverently, yet in full confidence of His love. Tell Him of the things that make you afraid. That is not lack of faith. But remember to take the next step to worship. Praise Him for His greatness. Praise Him that He is eternal, that His purposes prevail. You will find your fear of this present world eclipsed by the fear of the Lord from whom comes peace.
__________________
I have made You too small in my eyes
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have believed in a lie
That You were unable to help me.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.
I have leaned on the wisdom of men,
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have responded to them
Instead of Your light and Your mercy.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.
Be magnified, O Lord,
You are highly exalted;
And there is nothing You can't do,
O Lord, my eyes are on You.
Be magnified, O Lord,
Be magnified.
Be Magnified
DeShazo, Lynn
© 1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Cultivating faith is the only answer! Ironically, deep faith is born of profound fear; the fear of the Lord. When we tame God, reducing Him to fit our preconceived ideas about Who He is, we grow fearful in this world. When we ponder His majesty, remember His works, and contemplate the Word, we catch a glimpse of His true nature. No one can see even a small part of Who He is and not tremble. Just a few descriptors of Him include: “Beginning and End, Judge of all the Earth, Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One who sets up kings and takes them down, and Discerner of even the thoughts and intents of every heart.”
When I let God be truly God instead of some caricature of Him created in my own mind, He releases me from my fears and faith grows. Here’s what the Psalmist says. "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands." (Psalm 112:1, NIV) Awe creates a desire to do good, to subjugate my will to His. The same Psalm continues with this promise: "Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." (Psalm 112:6-8, NIV) Go back and read those lines again. Isn’t that how you want to live – securely, fearlessly, with hope for the future?
My response to fear need not be the things I wrote about in the opening of this thought. What if I choose to worship Him instead? Instead of trying to stand on my own trembling legs, what if I bow my knees before Him? "I will bow down … and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted." (Psalm 138:2-3, NIV)
Are you fearful today? There is only one good fear – the fear of the Lord. Go before Him, reverently, yet in full confidence of His love. Tell Him of the things that make you afraid. That is not lack of faith. But remember to take the next step to worship. Praise Him for His greatness. Praise Him that He is eternal, that His purposes prevail. You will find your fear of this present world eclipsed by the fear of the Lord from whom comes peace.
__________________
I have made You too small in my eyes
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have believed in a lie
That You were unable to help me.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.
I have leaned on the wisdom of men,
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have responded to them
Instead of Your light and Your mercy.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.
Be magnified, O Lord,
You are highly exalted;
And there is nothing You can't do,
O Lord, my eyes are on You.
Be magnified, O Lord,
Be magnified.
Be Magnified
DeShazo, Lynn
© 1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, May 17, 2010
Anticipate the harvest!
My friend, Jake, is adding more square footage to his garden plot. He got the tiller and started to turn the soil. Just below the surface, in addition to the rocks one expects to find here in New Jersey, he found all kinds of debris in the fill that the contractors used to level his lot including plastic pails, broken glass, and other junk! His work to prepare the earth required a lot of effort, including moving one large rock weighing over 500 lbs, which is a story in itself!
Why is he doing this? Because he looks forward to his enjoyment of the peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables that he will start to harvest from that little square of tilled earth in a few weeks. Harvest is so sweet, isn’t it? Who does not love the freshest of produce straight from the garden? But, there a whole lot of work involved from the first turn of the sod to the picking of the fruit!
Jesus told a story about gardening. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
His disciples wondered what it meant, why he was telling a story about such an ordinary thing as planting a garden. Jesus explained that the seed is the Word of God. Some hear, He said, and the Devil comes along and plucks the seed away before it ever takes root. Some hear but because their hearts are unprepared, the seed germinates and dies while still in seedling stage. Some hear and the seed starts to grow but they fail to maintain their heart garden and life’s pleasures and worries grow up, too; like weeds, choking out the growth of the good plants. And I am encouraged by this: “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest." (Luke 8:15, The Message) Anticipate the harvest!
When we submit ourselves to God, obeying the Word and the whisper of the Spirit, seed is planted in us. Is it pleasant when God turns the soil of our heart, when He digs out habits, character flaws, ands sins to prepare us for His seed? Not at all. There’s work involved that is sometimes arduous, often disturbing, and in the moment, often incomprehensible! But, we continue in faith and this is the promise, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)
Do you want to be overflowing with love, enjoying a rich peace with God, settled in contented joy in the middle of the turbulence of life? Turn the soil of your heart. Dig out, with God’s help, the junk of sins past that are buried there and the weeds of self-will that grow so quickly! Let God’s word and wisdom be the seed that is sown into your life. Then, anticipate the harvest with patient waiting!
Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and say, “Yes, Lord!”
"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12, NIV)
_____________________
Why is he doing this? Because he looks forward to his enjoyment of the peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables that he will start to harvest from that little square of tilled earth in a few weeks. Harvest is so sweet, isn’t it? Who does not love the freshest of produce straight from the garden? But, there a whole lot of work involved from the first turn of the sod to the picking of the fruit!
Jesus told a story about gardening. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
His disciples wondered what it meant, why he was telling a story about such an ordinary thing as planting a garden. Jesus explained that the seed is the Word of God. Some hear, He said, and the Devil comes along and plucks the seed away before it ever takes root. Some hear but because their hearts are unprepared, the seed germinates and dies while still in seedling stage. Some hear and the seed starts to grow but they fail to maintain their heart garden and life’s pleasures and worries grow up, too; like weeds, choking out the growth of the good plants. And I am encouraged by this: “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest." (Luke 8:15, The Message) Anticipate the harvest!
When we submit ourselves to God, obeying the Word and the whisper of the Spirit, seed is planted in us. Is it pleasant when God turns the soil of our heart, when He digs out habits, character flaws, ands sins to prepare us for His seed? Not at all. There’s work involved that is sometimes arduous, often disturbing, and in the moment, often incomprehensible! But, we continue in faith and this is the promise, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, NIV)
Do you want to be overflowing with love, enjoying a rich peace with God, settled in contented joy in the middle of the turbulence of life? Turn the soil of your heart. Dig out, with God’s help, the junk of sins past that are buried there and the weeds of self-will that grow so quickly! Let God’s word and wisdom be the seed that is sown into your life. Then, anticipate the harvest with patient waiting!
Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and say, “Yes, Lord!”
"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." (Hosea 10:12, NIV)
_____________________
Friday, May 14, 2010
A River whose streams make glad!
"It's a holy moment!" There’s nothing like those moments when I feel the Presence of the Spirit fill my heart. It happens in the strangest places to me; while I’m driving and praying, when I hear a child pray with such an enviably simply faith, etc. Usually, when the Lord comes near, I cannot stop the tears that well up and spill from my eyes as though to wash the dust of doubt from my vision! I love those 'holy moments.' Each time I experience one, I long for Him more.
When the sorrows of our broken lives leave us dry and thirsty for Him, when we see the barrenness of this world’s promise and we realize that the things we thought would bring us such satisfaction are nothing more than a mirage, the Spirit asks us to look to Him. When we fall down in broken humility asking only for His comfort, we open the door of our lives to an inflow. "Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone." (Psalm 33:22, NLT)
Life surely has its quota (and maybe more) of problems and challenges. When we feel that we are about to be overwhelmed by fatigue or fear, we must look up. He will be there; and in His Presence, there will be a fresh flow of life to renew us in mind, body, and spirit.
A beautiful Psalm calls us to Him.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (46:1-4)
Do you see the contrasts in that passage?
The endless ebb and surge of the ocean’s waves are a symbol of the discontent and lack of rest that are so common in life. The sea's fearsome power cannot be contained when high tides and storms bring the waves crashing over the beaches. Humanity's sin creates chaos and destruction. There is great tumult in the crashing waves of war, economic dislocation, and personal sin that are stirred by the devil. But there is also a River. Rivers are sources of renewal. Where they flow there are ribbons of life, a fact that was especially noticeable in the acrid climate of Israel. God's mercy and His Spirit, flow into our lives and bring life. If He is invited to make His home in us, the river of His grace will create gladness.
Disciple, do you need ‘a holy moment’ just now? Is your life as chaotic as a tempest-tossed ocean? Turn off the radio. Set aside the computer. Shut off the TV. And, ask the Spirit to come, like a river, bringing the renewal of His Presence, the hope of life everlasting.
Here is a word from the Word. Let’s be among those who ‘delight in the Lord!’
"Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or
stand in the way of sinners or
sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers." (Psalm 1:1-3, NIV)
_______________________________
There is a river that flows from deep within.
There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin.
Come to the water,
There is a vast supply.
There is a river that never shall run dry.
There came a sound from heaven
As a rushing mighty wind.
It filled their hearts with singing,
And gave them peace within.
The prophet gave this promise,
The Spirit will descend.
And from your inner being a river with no end.
There Is A River
Sapp, David / Sapp, Max
© 1969 David Sapp Ministries CCLI License No. 810055
When the sorrows of our broken lives leave us dry and thirsty for Him, when we see the barrenness of this world’s promise and we realize that the things we thought would bring us such satisfaction are nothing more than a mirage, the Spirit asks us to look to Him. When we fall down in broken humility asking only for His comfort, we open the door of our lives to an inflow. "Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone." (Psalm 33:22, NLT)
Life surely has its quota (and maybe more) of problems and challenges. When we feel that we are about to be overwhelmed by fatigue or fear, we must look up. He will be there; and in His Presence, there will be a fresh flow of life to renew us in mind, body, and spirit.
A beautiful Psalm calls us to Him.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (46:1-4)
Do you see the contrasts in that passage?
The endless ebb and surge of the ocean’s waves are a symbol of the discontent and lack of rest that are so common in life. The sea's fearsome power cannot be contained when high tides and storms bring the waves crashing over the beaches. Humanity's sin creates chaos and destruction. There is great tumult in the crashing waves of war, economic dislocation, and personal sin that are stirred by the devil. But there is also a River. Rivers are sources of renewal. Where they flow there are ribbons of life, a fact that was especially noticeable in the acrid climate of Israel. God's mercy and His Spirit, flow into our lives and bring life. If He is invited to make His home in us, the river of His grace will create gladness.
Disciple, do you need ‘a holy moment’ just now? Is your life as chaotic as a tempest-tossed ocean? Turn off the radio. Set aside the computer. Shut off the TV. And, ask the Spirit to come, like a river, bringing the renewal of His Presence, the hope of life everlasting.
Here is a word from the Word. Let’s be among those who ‘delight in the Lord!’
"Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or
stand in the way of sinners or
sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers." (Psalm 1:1-3, NIV)
_______________________________
There is a river that flows from deep within.
There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin.
Come to the water,
There is a vast supply.
There is a river that never shall run dry.
There came a sound from heaven
As a rushing mighty wind.
It filled their hearts with singing,
And gave them peace within.
The prophet gave this promise,
The Spirit will descend.
And from your inner being a river with no end.
There Is A River
Sapp, David / Sapp, Max
© 1969 David Sapp Ministries CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The sin of passivity
“I’m so weary of it all, I just don’t care,” she sighed. The woman was really tired. Kids, job, home had each brought demands to her life. Now, the struggle with temptation was piling on, too, and she was ready to cave in, give up, go with the flow. Could I fault her decision? Naturally, no; spiritually, yes! Passivity is a kind of sin. If we just ‘give up,’ the results are never good. The Bible warns about deadly ‘drift’ that carries us from the Way.
Paul wrote to his ‘son’ in the Lord, Timothy, to urge him not to settle for a passive, tepid faith. Reading his letters, we can discern that Timothy was by nature a timid man and weakened by physical problems. He was a prime candidate for passivity, just letting life happen. So, his ‘father’ writes "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12, NIV)
Let me offer an interpretation of that passage: “Man up, Tim! Turn and run TO the things of God! Run hard for the finish line! Tighten your grip on things that really matter.”
Disciple, I urge that same choice for you today. Make choices! There are situations from which we need to flee, temptations that need to be left behind, cut off without recourse. Even more importantly, we need to renew our pursuit of God. Nobody drifts effortlessly into a holy life. Christ’s rule in this world, the defeat of those who are evil-doers, never happens just because we hope for it, dream about it, or talk about it in committee. Significantly, when Paul urges Timothy to ‘fight the good fight,’ he is not speaking in a military metaphor. Rather, he is using a term for an athletic contest! “Get in the race and run hard!” is more the intent of his encouragement.
I know what weary means. Even as write this to encourage you, I am soul weary. I am tempted to ask for an easier place, to shrug off responsibilities to the shoulders of another, to refuse to see places of service. The devil whispers in my ear of the futility of life urging me to just let it go. Is he whispering to you, too? Entire days can be lost if we allow ourselves to sleepwalk through life, with eyes open but unseeing! The world offers a thousand diversions that, like a narcotic, numb us to the reality that demands our engagement. We can forget life as we live vicariously through the TV stories. We can feel a kind of temporary satisfaction when we seek yet another novel food or experience that stills the cry of soul, our true need for God.
If we belong to Christ, our identity is “Man of God!” Knowing who we are, we then turn our back on the world’s offers and “flee all this!” as the Spirit calls to us. We do not just run off in aimless chasing! We run to a life dedicated to right living, full of faith, loving, and patiently enduring difficulty.
Here’s a word from the Word. May He speak it often to us today. "I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NIV)
_________________
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill;
O may it all my powr's engage
To do my Master's will!
A Charge To Keep I Have
Wesley, Charles / Mason, Lowell
© Public Domain
Paul wrote to his ‘son’ in the Lord, Timothy, to urge him not to settle for a passive, tepid faith. Reading his letters, we can discern that Timothy was by nature a timid man and weakened by physical problems. He was a prime candidate for passivity, just letting life happen. So, his ‘father’ writes "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:11-12, NIV)
Let me offer an interpretation of that passage: “Man up, Tim! Turn and run TO the things of God! Run hard for the finish line! Tighten your grip on things that really matter.”
Disciple, I urge that same choice for you today. Make choices! There are situations from which we need to flee, temptations that need to be left behind, cut off without recourse. Even more importantly, we need to renew our pursuit of God. Nobody drifts effortlessly into a holy life. Christ’s rule in this world, the defeat of those who are evil-doers, never happens just because we hope for it, dream about it, or talk about it in committee. Significantly, when Paul urges Timothy to ‘fight the good fight,’ he is not speaking in a military metaphor. Rather, he is using a term for an athletic contest! “Get in the race and run hard!” is more the intent of his encouragement.
I know what weary means. Even as write this to encourage you, I am soul weary. I am tempted to ask for an easier place, to shrug off responsibilities to the shoulders of another, to refuse to see places of service. The devil whispers in my ear of the futility of life urging me to just let it go. Is he whispering to you, too? Entire days can be lost if we allow ourselves to sleepwalk through life, with eyes open but unseeing! The world offers a thousand diversions that, like a narcotic, numb us to the reality that demands our engagement. We can forget life as we live vicariously through the TV stories. We can feel a kind of temporary satisfaction when we seek yet another novel food or experience that stills the cry of soul, our true need for God.
If we belong to Christ, our identity is “Man of God!” Knowing who we are, we then turn our back on the world’s offers and “flee all this!” as the Spirit calls to us. We do not just run off in aimless chasing! We run to a life dedicated to right living, full of faith, loving, and patiently enduring difficulty.
Here’s a word from the Word. May He speak it often to us today. "I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7, NIV)
_________________
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill;
O may it all my powr's engage
To do my Master's will!
A Charge To Keep I Have
Wesley, Charles / Mason, Lowell
© Public Domain
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The blame belongs to whom?
The world I see is dark with injustice, greed, sexual filth, racial hatred, corrupt leaders, and misery! I am full of uncertainty about the future, apart from my hope in God. Life, in general, is not getting better and better in every way! The Scripture says that with the passing of time, "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—" (2 Timothy 3:2-4, NIV) True, isn’t it? So, do we say to society, by our actions, if not our words, “Just go to Hell, I cannot be bothered with you as I make my way to Heaven.” Can we, in good conscience, abandon the sinful society to ever greater decadence?
If that is our choice, we fail in our primary God-given mission and we are fools to blame the world for state it is in! Should we curse the darkness when we stumble over the furniture in the house at night, or should we blame ourselves for failing to turn on the light? If we leave food on the table, should we be angry that it spoils, or accept responsibility for not taking steps to preserve it? In the same way, we (the Church) must accept some responsibility for not functioning as ‘salt and light’ in the world. Jesus Christ charges His disciples to bring light to dark places and to preserve our world from the decay of decadence. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:13-16, NLT)
Our tendency as disciples is to gather together in the comforting warmth of the holy huddle of our churches and schools. It’s safe and sweet to stay around those who revere the Lord and love His truth in the same way that we do. But, that is not the will of our Lord. He makes us all ministers and sends us all out to live ‘in the world’ even as we maintain a distinct quality of life that spreads the influence of the Kingdom! The all too frequent tragedy is that the society in which we live swallows us up as we compromise our faith in a vain effort to get along or as we allow ourselves to fall in love with the world, making it our home.
The Spirit-filled Christian lives with a constant tension of permeating his world and remaining distinct from it! Peter’s challenge captures that tension perfectly. "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans (those who do not know God) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12, NIV)
Disciple, we have the amazing privilege of sharing the Light and being preservative Salt until our Savior returns as King to fully restore all of Creation to the Creator’s intentions. Prayer, witness to the Truth, love, compassionate concern that compels us to get involved, and willingness to endure persecution are all part of our calling as we ‘go into all the world.’ We must never forget how our Lord finished that commission, ‘and I will be with you always!’
Here’s a word from the Word. I pray it stirs a new desire in us, not to curse the world around us for what it has become, but to stir ourselves to the work of being salt and light.
"Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20, NLT)
___________________
I invite you to pray with me....
Father in Heaven, sin is rampant.
Self and Satan are having a party, destroying lives
That are lived in a headlong pursuit of hedonistic pleasure.
Lord, sometimes what I see makes me angry.
Sometimes I grow afraid for I feel a strong pull of attraction,
a desire to join the party, forgetting You.
Hold me close to Your heart.
Help me to love You more, and break my heart
for those who have yet to come to know
peace with You, through Christ Jesus.
Make me wise with the discernment of the Spirit.
Fill me with the Love of Jesus Christ.
Set Heaven in my heart.
Then, I will live as a fearless ambassador,
who takes a message of reconciliation and redemption
into my world.
All this I ask in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
If that is our choice, we fail in our primary God-given mission and we are fools to blame the world for state it is in! Should we curse the darkness when we stumble over the furniture in the house at night, or should we blame ourselves for failing to turn on the light? If we leave food on the table, should we be angry that it spoils, or accept responsibility for not taking steps to preserve it? In the same way, we (the Church) must accept some responsibility for not functioning as ‘salt and light’ in the world. Jesus Christ charges His disciples to bring light to dark places and to preserve our world from the decay of decadence. “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:13-16, NLT)
Our tendency as disciples is to gather together in the comforting warmth of the holy huddle of our churches and schools. It’s safe and sweet to stay around those who revere the Lord and love His truth in the same way that we do. But, that is not the will of our Lord. He makes us all ministers and sends us all out to live ‘in the world’ even as we maintain a distinct quality of life that spreads the influence of the Kingdom! The all too frequent tragedy is that the society in which we live swallows us up as we compromise our faith in a vain effort to get along or as we allow ourselves to fall in love with the world, making it our home.
The Spirit-filled Christian lives with a constant tension of permeating his world and remaining distinct from it! Peter’s challenge captures that tension perfectly. "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans (those who do not know God) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12, NIV)
Disciple, we have the amazing privilege of sharing the Light and being preservative Salt until our Savior returns as King to fully restore all of Creation to the Creator’s intentions. Prayer, witness to the Truth, love, compassionate concern that compels us to get involved, and willingness to endure persecution are all part of our calling as we ‘go into all the world.’ We must never forget how our Lord finished that commission, ‘and I will be with you always!’
Here’s a word from the Word. I pray it stirs a new desire in us, not to curse the world around us for what it has become, but to stir ourselves to the work of being salt and light.
"Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20, NLT)
___________________
I invite you to pray with me....
Father in Heaven, sin is rampant.
Self and Satan are having a party, destroying lives
That are lived in a headlong pursuit of hedonistic pleasure.
Lord, sometimes what I see makes me angry.
Sometimes I grow afraid for I feel a strong pull of attraction,
a desire to join the party, forgetting You.
Hold me close to Your heart.
Help me to love You more, and break my heart
for those who have yet to come to know
peace with You, through Christ Jesus.
Make me wise with the discernment of the Spirit.
Fill me with the Love of Jesus Christ.
Set Heaven in my heart.
Then, I will live as a fearless ambassador,
who takes a message of reconciliation and redemption
into my world.
All this I ask in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The grace of generosity
Giving is fun! Really, it is! When I write a tithe check to my church, send a donation to various causes, or give to kids who are going on a missions trip; it is one of the most joyous things for me. Getting little gifts for my wife is fun, too. It’s hard for me to resist a bunch of flowers when I’m at the supermarket. Giving time away is one of the more rewarding parts of my life, too. After a long morning at my desk, doing the administrative work of the church or studying to teach, few things are more refreshing to my heart than calling somebody who is lonely, or visiting someone confined by illness, or giving counsel to someone who is struggling through life.
There’s a man in our church who has discovered the joy of generosity. He’s given thousands of dollars to projects and people during the years that I have known him. He does so without fanfare or recognition, often slipping the money to me in a plain envelope with instructions about delivering it. Another woman, not a wealthy one either, sends several hundreds of dollars to the church every month to give to a family in need. Recently she wrote to me to say how much it meant to her to be able to bless others in that way despite the fact that her giving is done in secret and without acknowledgment.
I know others who are generous in spirit refusing offense, seldom speaking critically, offering encouragement. Even when they are misunderstood or maligned, their magnanimous heart absorbs the blow and returns a blessing!
Take a look at this passage from the Bible, as translated in The Message: “God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:7-11)
\
Have you discovered the joy of generosity? It’s a way of life that flows out of an abundance mentality. Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, borrowed a Biblical concept and coined that phrase, “abundance mentality.” He says that it is a way of thinking that believes there are enough resources to share with others that leads to a life of generosity. He insists that generosity multiplies our resources rather than diminishing them. Jesus Christ said it first - "Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” (Luke 6:38, The Message)
Here’s a word from the Word. As you read it, do not read it only as being about money. Let it speak to every part of your life. "Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. … For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:7,9, NIV) That word, ‘grace,’ comes from the NT Greek word, ‘charis,’ which describes any act or quality that brings pleasure, joy, benefit, or delight. Our generosity is a grace, a gift designed to bring joy, that is modeled on the generosity of Jesus Christ, whose grace brought life to us!
I hope you find many ways to grace your world today, leaving a trail of people touched by joy, blessed by your generous spirit, to the glory of the One who first loved us! 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.
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.
Word Music Group, Inc.
© 1924. Renewed 1952 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
There’s a man in our church who has discovered the joy of generosity. He’s given thousands of dollars to projects and people during the years that I have known him. He does so without fanfare or recognition, often slipping the money to me in a plain envelope with instructions about delivering it. Another woman, not a wealthy one either, sends several hundreds of dollars to the church every month to give to a family in need. Recently she wrote to me to say how much it meant to her to be able to bless others in that way despite the fact that her giving is done in secret and without acknowledgment.
I know others who are generous in spirit refusing offense, seldom speaking critically, offering encouragement. Even when they are misunderstood or maligned, their magnanimous heart absorbs the blow and returns a blessing!
Take a look at this passage from the Bible, as translated in The Message: “God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:7-11)
\
Have you discovered the joy of generosity? It’s a way of life that flows out of an abundance mentality. Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, borrowed a Biblical concept and coined that phrase, “abundance mentality.” He says that it is a way of thinking that believes there are enough resources to share with others that leads to a life of generosity. He insists that generosity multiplies our resources rather than diminishing them. Jesus Christ said it first - "Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” (Luke 6:38, The Message)
Here’s a word from the Word. As you read it, do not read it only as being about money. Let it speak to every part of your life. "Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. … For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:7,9, NIV) That word, ‘grace,’ comes from the NT Greek word, ‘charis,’ which describes any act or quality that brings pleasure, joy, benefit, or delight. Our generosity is a grace, a gift designed to bring joy, that is modeled on the generosity of Jesus Christ, whose grace brought life to us!
I hope you find many ways to grace your world today, leaving a trail of people touched by joy, blessed by your generous spirit, to the glory of the One who first loved us! 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.
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.
Word Music Group, Inc.
© 1924. Renewed 1952 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, May 10, 2010
Are you in the company of the committed?
“Strategic default” is the name of the game according to “60 Minutes.” Millions of American families whose homes are now worth less than the mortgages they took out at the height of the property boom 3 years, sometimes by 30 to 40%. And, millions are walking away, handing the keys to the house to the bank and abandoning their mortgage, even though they can afford the payments. They do the math and decide to let the bank take the loss. Is it the right choice? That was the question that Morley Safer asked of several homeowners in the program. Most justified their decision to renege on their mortgage contract with an argument of expedience; “Everybody’s doing it.”
Americans have less and less of a sense of commitment to most things other than their self-interest these days.
A college professor told me recently than up to 25% of his students don’t show up for classes, some even so bold as to email him in advance to ask if he will be teaching ‘anything important’ that day!
More than half of couples married this year will abandon their marriage vows when the going gets tough.
The corporate culture in the US is broken by self-interest, too. Neither company nor employee feel bound by any higher allegiance than to the almighty dollar. The ideas that a person should invest his life in building the company or that he can expect the company to keep him employed through lean times are quaint relics of another time.
Lack of commitment has found its way into the church, too. One of the more frustrating things about being a pastor of a local church is the ‘take or leave it’ attitude about church attendance which makes building a strong, serving Body a herculean task. On any given Sunday only about one half of those who call our church home, actually show up for worship. The ‘ties that bind’ are weak and growing weaker through this neglect of the Body.
Everyone of us is confronted with choices, big and small, everyday about commitment. Will we do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient or costly; or will we do what we believe is ‘in our best interest’ in the moment? A person of integrity keeps his word, even when it hurts. Proverbs asks the question: "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him." (Proverbs 20:6-7, NKJV)
Disciple, are you part of the company of the committed?
Are you daily decisions guided by principles larger than self-interest, that cause you to do the right thing even when it seems that ‘everybody’ is doing their own thing?
The faithful trust God wholeheartedly, looking forward to the Day when He will set right all things.
Here’s a word from the Word. May it challenge us to be faithful, trust-worthy people, who are committed to doing the right thing.
"Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you’re honest in small things, you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things, you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? "
(Luke 16:10-12, The Message)
_________________
Lord, You have shown Yourself to be
Never changing, always faithful.
Lord, You have shown Your heart for me
The loving touch of a caring Father.
In ev'ry day that passes
And all the world's distractions,
Through seasons and life's changes,
You always remain faithful
To me with Your…
Perfect love, perfect love
Casts out all fear and shows me
That ev'ry word and promise to me
Will be fulfilled, will be fulfilled!
Faithful, You are faithful!
Faithful, faithful, faithful!
Faithful, You are faithful!
Faithful © 2000 Song Solutions Daybreak (Admin. in the US & Canada by Integrity Music, Inc.)
Eoghan Heaslip
CCLI License No. 810055
Americans have less and less of a sense of commitment to most things other than their self-interest these days.
A college professor told me recently than up to 25% of his students don’t show up for classes, some even so bold as to email him in advance to ask if he will be teaching ‘anything important’ that day!
More than half of couples married this year will abandon their marriage vows when the going gets tough.
The corporate culture in the US is broken by self-interest, too. Neither company nor employee feel bound by any higher allegiance than to the almighty dollar. The ideas that a person should invest his life in building the company or that he can expect the company to keep him employed through lean times are quaint relics of another time.
Lack of commitment has found its way into the church, too. One of the more frustrating things about being a pastor of a local church is the ‘take or leave it’ attitude about church attendance which makes building a strong, serving Body a herculean task. On any given Sunday only about one half of those who call our church home, actually show up for worship. The ‘ties that bind’ are weak and growing weaker through this neglect of the Body.
Everyone of us is confronted with choices, big and small, everyday about commitment. Will we do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient or costly; or will we do what we believe is ‘in our best interest’ in the moment? A person of integrity keeps his word, even when it hurts. Proverbs asks the question: "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him." (Proverbs 20:6-7, NKJV)
Disciple, are you part of the company of the committed?
Are you daily decisions guided by principles larger than self-interest, that cause you to do the right thing even when it seems that ‘everybody’ is doing their own thing?
The faithful trust God wholeheartedly, looking forward to the Day when He will set right all things.
Here’s a word from the Word. May it challenge us to be faithful, trust-worthy people, who are committed to doing the right thing.
"Jesus went on to make these comments:
If you’re honest in small things, you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things, you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? "
(Luke 16:10-12, The Message)
_________________
Lord, You have shown Yourself to be
Never changing, always faithful.
Lord, You have shown Your heart for me
The loving touch of a caring Father.
In ev'ry day that passes
And all the world's distractions,
Through seasons and life's changes,
You always remain faithful
To me with Your…
Perfect love, perfect love
Casts out all fear and shows me
That ev'ry word and promise to me
Will be fulfilled, will be fulfilled!
Faithful, You are faithful!
Faithful, faithful, faithful!
Faithful, You are faithful!
Faithful © 2000 Song Solutions Daybreak (Admin. in the US & Canada by Integrity Music, Inc.)
Eoghan Heaslip
CCLI License No. 810055
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